The Hog's Head in Hogsmeade stood as a foreboding silhouette against the cold November evening, its dark, wooden exterior worn and battered by countless storms. A creaking sign bearing the snarling visage of a boar's head swayed in the biting wind, casting fleeting shadows on the cobblestone path below. Weak lantern flames danced in the night, struggling to fend off the darkness and casting faint light on the imposing iron-banded door ahead. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and chimney smoke, mingling with the faint, muffled sounds of laughter and clinking glasses seeping from within the tavern's stout walls.
A tall figure clad in a black cloak approached the building swiftly, stopping in front of the door. Marquess Carsilion Egbert entered the main room of the Hog's Head, filled with grey smoke, and nodded to the bartender, who returned the gesture. The wizard climbed the squeaky wooden stairs and counted three doors to the right. He entered the room, closed the door, and removed his hood.
"How long does it take to get here from Hogwarts?" – Duke Edward McMahon asked, seated on a shaky chair and wrapped in a thick blue cloak lined with fur – "I travelled hundreds of kilometres and I was still on time."
"It's not like you travelled using Muggle means. I have duties at the school to attend to. I can't just leave whenever I feel like it. Next time, you might want to warn me in advance." – Carsilion responded sulkily.
"Oh, I'm so sorry I inconvenienced you, Professor!" – the other wizard replied mockingly, his ocean-blue eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Fuck you!" – the Marquess snapped, his eyes flashing silver for a moment, sending a sharp gust of wind swirling through the room, clearing away cobwebs and most of the dust.
"You wish!" – the blond man laughed heartily. His best friend had always had an extreme intolerance for dirty places, horrified at the thought of his clothes getting stained or, Merlin forbid, touching something filthy.
"Couldn't we meet at Hogwarts or somewhere I don't need to check myself for fleas afterwards? – Carsilion asked sullenly.
"I thought we'd have more privacy here." – the Duke remarked, shrugging as the door opened. The tall barman with long, stringy grey hair and beard entered the room, carrying a tray with two mugs of ale and what looked like a mouldy cheese board.
"Not exactly," – the other wizard disagreed, his sky-blue eyes tracking the newcomer. As the barman left, he took out his wand and cast Privacy Spells around the room – "You do know this is Dumbledore's brother?"
"No! Really?" – Edward exclaimed in surprise.
"Yup, though Albus and Aberforth haven't been on good terms for quite a while." – Carter responded, eyeing the dirty utensils with disgust – "I'm not sure what happened between them, but I know Albus always changes the topic when his family is mentioned."
"Speaking of families… have you found anything about Eileen's child?" – asked the Duke, taking a sip of his ale.
"Not much." – the Marquess shrugged – "It's difficult, considering we don't even know if we're looking for a boy or a girl. However, I can say with certainty that there's no one at the school who has eyes quite like the Prince family."
"That could mean that they haven't inherited them." – Edward muttered to himself – "What other features could we look for?"
"I don't know, Edd." – Carsilion replied, running a hand through his auburn hair – "The House of Prince has many talents, but it's not like I can test students for them. Short of stealing Merlin's portrait from Alexander's salon and forcing every student to touch it, I'm not sure what else we can do."
"What do you mean, touch it?" – asked the Duke, confused.
"It's the only surviving original portrait of Merlin. They used to charm the canvas back in the day, so the portraits react solely to their own blood and speak only to their descendants." – the other man explained – "Isn't your portrait of Morgana the same?"
"I'm not sure." – Edward said contemplatively – "I believe it was my great-grandfather who lent it to the Council's new building. While I've seen it many times, it never occurred to me to speak with her."
"Duke Prince specifically refused to lend Merlin's portrait because it was so precious and unique." – Carsilion mused, crossing his arms – "I'm starting to remember more from those days when I was his student, including meeting Eileen a few times, which I had completely erased from my memory. It's odd how I never really paid her any attention back then. She was like part of the furniture. I was so laser-focused on learning Air Magic and pleasing my father that nothing else mattered."
"I understand, brother." – the Duke said softly – "If I were in your place, I'm sure I would have tried to forget everything from that time too."
"What I do remember now, however, is that she wasn't around often, so she was definitely not home-schooled." – the Marquess continued, glancing disapprovingly at his friend who had helped himself to the cheese board – "Which makes sense; I mean, she was being prepared to be the heiress of House Prince. Since she didn't attend the Academy, she must have been sent to another school. Maybe even Hogwarts."
"I wonder why Alexander didn't want his daughter to attend the Academy. It wasn't so bad back then." – Edward said, taking another piece of cheese.
"I'm not sure. He's never been one to share details about his family, even with his students. – Carsilion stated, deep in thought – "I know there was something scandalous regarding Eileen's mother, but I don't know any specifics since she died a long time ago. Maybe it was that, or perhaps it was because Eileen was chosen to succeed the title of House Prince while being a woman."
"What does that matter?" – asked the Duke, confused – "House Prince has traditionally favoured women as their Head of House."
"Indeed, but I think it was based on some particular belief they have in their family." – Carsilion responded, standing up, his silver robes draping behind him as he paced around the room – "You don't understand because it has never been an issue for you. McMahon girls were out of the picture by default because they were either not born or killed. However, in the other Houses, there were a few attempts by particularly gifted and ambitious women to acquire the position of Head of House. They all ended up unsuccessfully. Daughters, even in the main families, are treated as pretty objects that make your home look luxurious or complement you as a man. You know that even in our time at the Academy, our female classmates were never encouraged to become powerful or learn advanced magic. It became normal for them. Therefore, I understand why Alexander wanted a better environment for Eileen."
"So, bottom line, we're back to square one." – the other wizard sighed – "Do you think Dumbledore would help us? Maybe he knows if Eileen Prince studied at Hogwarts."
"I doubt it." – Carsilion responded with uncertainty – "Things between us have been a bit tense in the last few months. After I told him we were not willing to further engage in his fight against that Dark wizard, his attitude towards me definitely changed."
"This sounds a bit childish." – Edward remarked – "You know him much more than I do, but it's hard to imagine one of the most powerful wizards of our time being pissy over something we agreed on long ago. After all, we've held up our end of the deal. All the information on the Council and its decisions should be enough remuneration for his troubles."
"You'd be surprised how juvenile Albus can be sometimes." – the Marquess said with a smirk – "I'd never deny how much he's done for me after I left home, but that doesn't mean I'm going to participate in his plans more than necessary. He has his vision of what's good for people and how it should be achieved, and he's not very open-minded about changing it. I know we don't really have a choice regarding Catherine's training, but I'm afraid he could negatively affect her."
"My daughter's very smart. She's never been easy to sway." – the Duke declared proudly.
"Don't underestimate Dumbledore. It has nothing to do with being smart." – Carsilion explained, stopping next to the fireplace and staring into the flames – "To him, everyone's a pawn that can be sacrificed if needed... for the Greater Good. Unfortunately, he's never been short of followers willing to heed his call. I'm not saying he has bad intentions; he's done a lot for the Wizarding society. However, the price has often been excessively high. Your daughter grew up knowing she was seen as a crime against the noble sacrificial act of her ancestors who signed the Pact. She's exactly the kind of person who'd follow Albus, and he knows she could be an incredible asset."
"Nobody has told Catherine such a thing!" – the other wizard yelled angrily, jumping to his feet.
"Yet, her behaviour shows that's exactly what she thinks." – the Marquess responded calmly – "All I'm saying is that we need to be vigilant for any signs that Dumbledore intends to use her in his fight against Voldemort or whatever his name was. That's not our problem, and it shouldn't be Catherine's either."
"I won't allow that!" – Edward stated firmly, his eyes full of rage – "I sent her to Hogwarts so she could be safe and happy, not to be turned into a weapon by that old geezer! It's bad enough we have to present her like that in front of the other aristocrats! You know she has a birthday tomorrow, right? I wish she could have a proper birthday party for once. It's just so unfair!"
Carsilion looked at his best friend, who was gazing out the window into the darkness, trying to control his emotions. "You should stop tormenting yourself about this. We did what needed to be done so she could be alive. Plus, I'm certain her friends will celebrate with her. She doesn't lack attention, considering she had three dates for the Halloween Ball."
"I beg your pardon?" – Edward exclaimed, his face flushed – "What do you mean, three dates!"
"Calm down, it's not as bad as it sounds." – the Marquess laughed – "She went with her friends. They're always together. I suppose they just wanted to make her feel special. She's a teenager now; you should get used to that."
"But she… she's too young… Plus, with everything around her, this could be dangerous…" – the Duke stuttered.
"Didn't you say all these years ago you wanted her to grow up feeling normal?" – the other aristocrat asked – "Let her explore life and be a fourteen-year-old girl with everything that entails. Besides, Potter, Black, and Lupin are really protective of her. They're quite a menace as a combination, especially since I have to deal with them, but I do believe they genuinely care for Catherine."
"I see." – Edward sighed, taking a piece of parchment from his pocket – "Greg sent me this letter from his sister a few days ago. She's asking to spend Christmas with the Potters. I'm not sure what to do."
"I don't know them personally, but from what I've heard, they're a very good family. Despite being pure-bloods, they don't act superior, which is rare nowadays." – Carsilion explained as he sat back down in his chair.
"I'm not sure Louisa will allow it." – the Duke sighed heavily, also returning to the table – "Catherine really seems to want to go, even asking for this as her birthday present to feel like a normal girl."
The other man burst into laughter. "Light, she really has you wrapped around her finger, doesn't she? I'll never understand why she wasn't sorted into Slytherin. Such professional emotional blackmail!"
"The Sorting Hat knows what it's doing." – Edward replied sulkily – "I think I'll allow her to go. After all, it's just for a couple of days, and we're still planning the Grand Winter Ball at home. I don't want her to miss out on having fun with her friends just to spend Christmas alone in her room."
"My cute Hufflepuff!" – the Marquess smirked, enjoying his friend's flushed face – "Would you stop eating that abomination of a cheese already?"
"It's not Bitto Storico, but it's better than it looks." – the Duke responded with dignity – "You're way too snobbish."
"It's not about being snobbish, it's a matter of hygiene." – Carsilion replied proudly – "I prefer to be selective about what I put in my mouth."
"Oh? That's new!" – Edward grinned slyly.
"Very funny, Edd." – the other wizard rolled his blue eyes – "A top joke for someone at your son's age."
"I wasn't exactly joking." – the blond man replied, still smiling – "I was merely surprised, considering I've heard you recently indulged in a certain dish from the marvellous Scottish cuisine you hadn't tried before."
Carsilion stared at his friend with a blank expression, forcing himself to remain completely neutral. "I don't understand your metaphors." – he stated evenly.
"You don't need to build your Occlumency shields." – the Duke remarked, unperturbed – "I'm not going to sink as low as to invade your mind. However, I can't help but wonder why you didn't share this with me."
"It's a private matter." – Carsilion responded, avoiding Edward's gaze.
"A private matter?" – the other aristocrat barked a laugh – "But when you described to me Lord Stirling's dick in details two months ago, that wasn't private? What's the difference, I mean, besides the fact that this time I actually do want to know?"
The DADA teacher fell silent, not uttering a word for a few minutes. Eventually, Edward took a deep breath and chose his words carefully. "You don't have to tell me if you don't feel like it. It's just very weird for you to keep such a thing for yourself. The only time this happened was when you were with Theo…"
"It's not the same!" – the Marquess interrupted him hastily – "How do you even know… Can you spy on me through the walls of the castle? Is this some kind of power the heirs of Hogwarts have?"
"Not really." – the Duke smiled – "I'm just worried about you. I don't want you to be hurt again."
"It's not about me." – Carsilion sighed – "To be honest, I should have resisted the temptation, but I simply couldn't. I don't want to hurt Minerva. She's an amazing woman and an incredible teacher. However, we both know it's inevitable."
"Why?" – Edward asked tentatively – "Is it because of your involvement with me and Catherine and the breach of the Pact?"
"No. Well, it is a consideration, but I'm mainly fearful of my inability to be in a committed relationship." – the wizard admitted, glancing at his best friend's face – "She's not someone who'd accept anything less, and frankly, she deserves so much better than me. I guess this is the result of going for someone who's not even remotely my type."
"You have a type?" – the Duke exclaimed, amused, earning a frown from the other man – "Sorry, yeah, now that I come to think of it, you do have one – empty-headed pretty men and women who you get bored with in maximum two or three months. You can make faces all you want, Carter, but the truth is after Theo, you tried your best to get involved only with people who you deem interchangeable. You thought that way you'd never run the risk of falling in love again."
"Thank you for the lovely psychiatric evaluation, Your Grace!" – Carsilion said mockingly, jumping to his feet and grabbing his cloak – "If you excuse me, I have to grade the Gryffindor fourth-years' assignments'. There's no need to worry; I'm way too busy to fall in love with Minerva or anyone else. See you!"
"Hey! Wait! Louisa wants to know if you're coming to the Winter Ball! – Edward shouted after his best friend, who dashed through the door as if a horde of dragons were chasing him – "Light! Why's he always so stubborn?! Too busy to fall in love… my poor friend, that particular cat is already out of the bag."
Catherine sat alone in the deserted Gryffindor Common Room, her attention fixed on the worn pages of Guide to Rare and Dangerous Potions book. Every few moments, she paused to scribble a note on the parchment in front of her, her brow furrowed in concentration. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she reviewed the ingredients and steps for the Animagi potion for what felt like the hundredth time. The quiet of her sleepless nights offered a rare chance to delve into magic she might hesitate to explore in the presence of her classmates. Yet, the fatigue weighed on her, dulling her focus and sapping the strength she normally wielded with ease.
With a frustrated huff, the girl set aside her notes and stretched, her muscles aching from the hours spent hunched over her work. She extended a hand toward the ink bottle resting on the nearby table, her fingers splayed in anticipation. Concentrating, she uttered a calm, "Accio!" and the bottle immediately flew into her open hand. A small smile of satisfaction played on her lips—wandless magic was becoming more natural to her, despite the exhaustion that clung to her like a shadow.
'I'll have to show this off in Ancient Runes class!' – the young witch thought with a smug smile – 'I'll drop something and summon it without my wand—Snape's going to lose his mind! Let's see him try to one-up that.'
The thought startled her, and she shook her head as if to clear it, frowning at the direction her mind had taken. 'Since when do I care what that bastard thinks?!' – she chastised herself, reaching into the inner pocket of her robes for her wand. Her thoughts wandered as she considered her motivation for learning new spells and mastering obscure forms of magic. While her curiosity and thirst for knowledge were undeniable, a deeper, more personal drive pushed her—the need to acquire power and prove that she was more than just a vessel for a demon's power, that she was a witch in her own right. The weight of her family's expectations pressed down on her, from standing up to the other major Houses to finding a way to break the generational curse that plagued her bloodline.
'And here I am, worrying about whether some loser thinks I'm strong or not.' – she thought irritably, the memory of the Slytherin's arrogant smirk flashing before her eyes —the same smirk he'd worn when he had her hanging upside down two weeks ago.
"Levicorpus!" – the girl muttered absentmindedly, flicking her wand in the direction of the entrance. A flash of light and a startled shriek broke through her reverie, and Catherine's eyes widened in shock as she saw a pair of sneakers dangling midair.
"The fuck is this?" – James Potter yelled as his Invisibility Cloak slipped to the ground – "Flame, put me down!"
"Uh... just a second!" – Catherine mumbled, her mind racing as she tried to remember the counterspell Snape had used – "Liberacorpus!"
James dropped to the floor with a thud, wincing as he adjusted his glasses. "What's gotten into you? Why are you randomly casting spells around the room?!"
"I wanted to try it out. That git Snape used it on me the other day. I didn't know you were there!" – the girl shot back defensively – "Why are you sneaking out of the Gryffindor Tower so late with the Invisibility Cloak?"
"I'm not sneaking out, I'm sneaking in!" – the boy groaned, his eyes widening as he spotted something on the floor – "Oh no... I landed right on top of it!"
"What is it?" – the young witch asked, confused.
James sighed deeply, lifting what looked like a squashed pillow. "It used to be your birthday cake. Happy birthday, by the way."
Catherine blinked in surprise, glancing at her watch. It had just passed midnight, and therefore she had turned fourteen, against all odds.
"Thanks!" – she replied, her voice a bit stiff at first, but then she softened, offering him a gentle smile – "I'm sure the cake's still delicious!"
"It's your favourite!" – James grinned, placing the battered dessert on the nearest table – "Wanna grab a piece?"
The two teenagers sat cross-legged on the carpet in front of the fireplace, the warmth of the dying flames casting flickering shadows on their faces as they quietly enjoyed the cake.
After a while, James broke the silence. "Why aren't you sleeping?"
Catherine hesitated before answering, her pale face illuminated by the firelight. "Nightmares." - she admitted, her voice weary - "Sometimes they're so bad, I'd rather stay awake."
James looked at her with concern, his hazel eyes softening. "Is there anything I can do?"
She shook her head with a sigh. "I don't think so. Madame Pomfrey gave me some Dreamless Sleep Potion, but it's not enough. She won't give me more because it can be addictive and dangerous."
"I'm really sorry, Flame!" - James said softly, his tone filled with genuine regret - "I wish there was more I could do. Do you know why you're having these nightmares? Is it stress?"
"I suppose it plays a part, yes." – the witch replied cautiously, careful not to reveal too much.
"And the situation with Moony... that's not helping, is it?" – James asked tentatively, his voice filled with concern.
"It certainly isn't." – Catherine admitted with a heavy heart – "I don't know what to do, James. On one hand, I want things to go back to normal with Remus. He's always been this steady, calming presence in my life, someone I could talk to about anything. I miss him so much! But on the other hand, I feel like we crossed a line that we can't uncross. Well, I crossed it. On the other hand, it hurts so much to be rejected, especially by someone I care deeply about. I'm angry, and I hate feeling this way, but what can I do? I can't just pretend nothing happened. Even if I tried, our friendship is different now. He'll always wonder if I'm just being friendly or if there's something more behind it..."
"Are you sure you're not overthinking this?" – James asked, stunned that someone can experience so many emotions at the same time – "Can I be honest with you?"
"Go ahead." – the girl mumbled, her eyes fixed on the floor.
"I don't think you and Remus would have worked out, even if he had reacted in another way." – the boy said cautiously – "You're great as friends, but love—as in a couple—that's something different, I think. Do you really feel that way about Moony, or were you just looking for comfort and ended up with your pride hurt?"
Catherine scoffed, rising to her feet and heading towards her dormitory. "Light, what a way to start my birthday!"
"You can run away if you wish, but sooner or later you'll have to answer this question or lose your best friend!" – James called after her, shaking his head.
It was a drizzly Sunday afternoon, the rain tapping softly against the windows of the library. Remus Lupin sighed heavily, realising he was reading the same page for the third time without absorbing a single word. Arithmancy was challenging enough, but today his lack of concentration was the real issue. The tension in the Gryffindor Common Room had become so thick that Remus preferred the solitude of the Library, where he could at least free Catherine from the burden of his company—his very presence seemed to irritate her.
He had hoped that her birthday might offer a chance to mend their strained friendship, but the young witch had completely ignored him. In fact, she hadn't paid attention to any of them and spent the majority of the day with Lily, Gwyneth, Mary, and—to Sirius's intense frustration—Greg McMahon. To make matters worse, the aristocrat had gifted Catherine a beautiful bouquet of orchids that must have cost a small fortune, adding insult to injury.
While Sirius had been fuming about what they had done to deserve such injustice, Remus caught James' quick glance and understood that he knew the reason. Feeling deeply ashamed and confused, the wizard decided to actively avoid his friends whenever he could, hoping that giving Catherine space would help her return to her usual self.
The sound of approaching footsteps broke his reverie, and Remus looked up to see James emerging from behind one of the bookcases. Without waiting for an invitation, James sat down across from him, trying to smile despite the clear discomfort etched on his face.
"Aren't you done with schoolwork yet?" - he asked, trying to sound casual as he took a seat.
"I still have two essays to finish, but it's fine. I like it here—fewer distractions." - Remus replied with a sad smile.
"Is one of those distractions named Catherine Plantier?" James inquired with a crooked grin.
The other boy sighed, realising there was no point in pretending. "You already know the answer, so why deny it?"
"I know what Flame told me, but I haven't heard your side of the story." - the black-haired wizard remarked, watching as Remus looked at him with surprise.
"There's not much to tell." - Moony admitted quietly, his eyes fixed on the parchment in front of him - "I got scared, reacted badly, and probably didn't express myself the way I should have. Now I've lost my best friend and made things awkward for everyone else."
"We're not what matters here." - James said, waving his hand dismissively - "What I want to know is, do you like Catherine?"
"Of course I do." – Remus answered immediately, his cheeks flushing a deep red – "But I think not in the way she wants me to. I'm not going to lie, kissing her felt good, and I'm honestly amazed she chose me of all people. But I can't pull her deeper into my life than she already is. Since coming to Hogwarts, I've been happier than I've ever been. However, it remains a beautiful dream that's constantly overshadowed by the nightmare of what I am."
"Moony, you know she doesn't care you are… you know." – the other boy whispered, leaning in slightly.
"I know." – Remus replied with a soft smile – "But that doesn't make it right. I can't risk ruining her life by tying her to a werewolf. She already has enough to deal with just being Muggle-born. And honestly, I don't think we'd work as a couple. We're great as friends, but imagining us doing... couple things just feels off."
"I get it, mate." – James nodded thoughtfully – "And I think Catherine knows you're right too. However, she feels like you rejected her because she wasn't good enough, and now her pride's keeping her from making the first move."
"You really think so?" – the other Gryffindor asked, a flicker of hope in his voice.
"Yeah." – the black-haired boy grinned – "She misses you a lot. You two are so close, it's hard to believe your friendship could end like this."
"But what should I do?" – Remus asked, his tone tinged with panic.
"Talk to her! Tell her how much your friendship means to you!" – James urged, hoping his advice would take hold – "You know she's not unreasonable... well, once her anger cools down, anyway."
"Should I talk to her now?" - Remus asked anxiously, looking for reassurance.
"Maybe give it another week." – James suggested – "She's a bit on edge now because we need to steal a feather from Dumbledore's phoenix."
"What?!" – Remus almost choked.
"Never mind that! - James waved it off quickly - "It might be best to talk to her when we go to Hogsmeade at the beginning of December."
"I... I'm actually working that day." - Remus admitted, his voice trembling slightly - "I managed to get a job at a local shop during the days when the Hogwarts students visit. I'll be spending the day at The Witch's Garden."
"The Witch's Garden?" – James asked, puzzled.
"It's a flower shop." – Moony replied, blushing – "I think the owner took pity of me. She's a kind elderly lady."
"How about I bring her to you?" – the other boy suggested enthusiastically – "This way, I can ensure you're going to be alone."
"I think this might work." – Remus agreed, biting his lower lip nervously. After a moment, he added hesitantly – "James, about Sirius…"
"You're not thinking of telling him, are you?" – James asked alarmed.
"I don't know. Should I?" – the other Gryffindor asked, uncertainty clear in his voice.
"Absolutely not! – the black-haired wizard declared firmly – "He's going to be livid! I'm not sure he's going to understand either."
"I don't like the idea of lying to him," Remus admitted gloomily.
"I'm not telling you to lie, I'm telling you to keep your mouth shut." – James snapped – "We've got enough tension without Sirius having a meltdown on top of it all."
"But what do I say if he asks again why things are off between me and Catherine?" Remus inquired with a heavy sigh.
"I don't know… just change the subject. With any luck, we'll patch things up between you and Flame before he even gets the chance to ask again." - James said with a shrug.
"I do hope so!" – Moony mumbled under his breath, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
Peter Pettigrew lived in a constant state of fear—fear of his mother, his classmates, his teachers, and even the subjects he was supposed to master. Transfiguration had always been particularly challenging for the young wizard. The complex formulas and Professor McGonagall's precise explanations made him feel utterly lost. It didn't help that she was frequently exasperated by his struggles, often assigning him twice as much homework as the other students.
So, when Monday morning arrived and Peter realised they were about to tackle a new type of spell—cross-species switches—his fear intensified. The very thought terrified him.
'T=(WC)(VA)Z. What does that even mean?' – Peter groaned internally, his eyes darting from the blackboard to the rat and the seagull in front of him.
"What's the matter?" – Catherine asked, glancing over at him.
The boy looked at her nervously. He was puzzled by her decision to sit next to him in class. While the young witch always helped him when he asked, she usually avoided sharing a workspace with him. Peter couldn't help but notice the way she eyed him every time he made a mistake she deemed foolish, which made him incredibly anxious. Yet, over the past week, the fourth-year had realised that Catherine increasingly chose to sit beside him rather than with the other boys. Granted that James and Sirius usually shared a desk, they did switch placed occasionally. However, Flame clearly favoured sitting next to Remus. For some reason that was no longer the case. When Peter asked James about it, he just snapped at him to keep his nose out of other people's business.
"I… I'm not sure I understand what Professor McGonagall wants us to do." – the boy admitted miserably, absentmindedly stroking his rat.
"It's pretty simple." - Catherine explained, her expression twisting in disgust as she noticed what Peter was doing - "You need to turn the rat into a seagull and the seagull into a rat. And could you please stop playing with that thing?"
"What? The rat? What's the problem?" – the young wizard asked, surprised by his friend's strong reaction.
"Yeah. Sorry, I didn't mean to sound rude - I just really don't like rats." – the girl replied, her voice softer but still tense.
"Huh? We work with them all the time." – Sirius chimed in from the desk behind them.
"There's something about the way they move…" – Catherine shuddered slightly – "Especially their tails, like they've got worms attached to them… disgusting!"
"Now you're offending worms too!" – James added with a chuckle – "What happened to being a tomboy?"
"I don't see how this has anything to do with that!" – the girl snapped, annoyed – "I just don't like rats – end of story."
"Miss Plantier, is there any chance you and your friends could stop chatting and actually get some work done today?" – Professor McGonagall's sharp voice startled the group.
While the rest of the class giggled, Catherine leaned closer to Peter and whispered, "It's not that hard. Don't worry about the formula. You already know the wand movement and the incantation. The key now is to split your magic into two streams when you cast the spell. And remember, with Transfiguration, you need to make sure the spell surrounds the entire object—in this case, the animals."
"What do you mean by that?" – the boys whispered back, desperately trying to remember all the instructions.
The young with sighed in frustration but tried to explain more clearly. "You know how regular spells only affect the part of the object that's above the surface it's on, like the ground or a table? Well, with Transfiguration, the spell has to cover the whole object, like a sphere. Got it?"
Peter nodded, though he wasn't entirely confident. Yet, as it turned out, Catherine's explanation did help, and by his third attempt, he managed to perform the switch.
"Thanks, Flame!" – he grinned as they left the classroom after the lesson.
"No problem. You're not that bad—you just panic too much." – the girl said with a smile – "Oh, there's Alice and Marianne. I need to talk to them. See you at lunch."
With that, the young witch quickly dashed through the crowd of students heading towards the Great Hall, trying to catch up with the two Hufflepuffs.
'I don't think they can really help with the protective spells around the Greenhouse, but it's worth a try.' – she thought, finally managing to tap Alice on the shoulder.
"Oh, Catherine!" – Alice exclaimed with a smile, her brown eyes lighting up – "I haven't seen you in a while. How have you been?"
Marianne paused briefly but didn't even glance in Catherine's direction before swiftly disappearing into the nearest bathroom.
"What the hell is her problem?" – Catherine asked, irritation creeping into her voice. Ever since the Halloween Ball, she couldn't shake the feeling that Marianne was mad at her.
"Oh, that?" – Alice blushed, looking uncomfortable – "Don't worry too much. She'll get over it."
"But what did I do to her?" – the Gryffindor demanded, her frustration growing.
"She thinks you lied to us because, at the end, you went to the Ball with Sirius Black." – Alice admitted with a sigh.
"What? First of all, we went as friends! Second, I hadn't planned on going with him when we talked, and third, there were two other people with us!" – Catherine almost groaned with annoyance.
"Yeah, but it didn't look that way when the two of you were dancing." – Alice replied, raising her hand to stop her friend's protest – "I'm just saying that Marianne really likes him, and she felt like you were toying with him because you can have him whenever you want, and he doesn't even spare a glance at her direction."
"This is ridiculous." – the black-haired girl said, shaking her head – "I wouldn't have gone with him at all if your housemate, Leif Thornton, hadn't run off when he saw me and had invited me as I expected. How about that? How does Marianne think I felt then?"
"Catherine…" – the Hufflepuff began hesitantly – "You do know Leif didn't invite you because James and Sirius had cornered him and threatened to, um, hex his balls off if he came near you, right?"
"What?!" – Catherine yelled, absolutely furious – "Those arseholes! We'll talk another time!"
With that, the young witch sprinted towards the Great Hall. She stormed in, her eyes locked on the Gryffindor table where her friends were already eating lunch.
"Accio tureen!" – she growled, and the nearest dish, brimming with fish soup, flew straight into her waiting hands.
Without a moment's hesitation, she upended the tureen, dumping its contents over James and Sirius's heads. The entire table fell into stunned silence, forks suspended mid-air.
"The fuck is wrong with you?!" – James yelled, leaping to his feet but instinctively stepping back as he caught sight of Catherine's furious expression.
"You are darn lucky that I didn't use magic, James Potter!" - she shot back, her voice trembling with anger - "Or you'd be the one worrying about your balls being hexed off!"
Without another word, she spun on her heel and stormed out of the hall.
"Bloody hell!" – James moaned, sinking back into his seat and staring helplessly at his stained robes.– "I stink like a fish market!"
"Considering how mad she was, I think we got off easy." – Sirius shrugged, completely unbothered by the soup dripping from his hair, and oblivious to the stares from half the Great Hall – "It's a price I'm more than willing to pay for going on a date with her."
"You two are definitely going to make a great couple." – James muttered sulkily as he tried to clean himself up – "You're both completely bonkers!"
"Consider the sentence Vetharros yath lumenaris thar vorthar dorrr vakorr ven arren." – Professor Oakenscript stated, tapping the blackboard with her wand where the example appeared with bright golden letters – "The word Vetharros refers to 'dawn,' with yath lumenaris (of light) specifying that it's the dawn related to light. Notice how thar is used as a connective, similar to 'and' or 'thus,' linking the cause and effect between the arrival of light and the end of darkness. The verb vorthar (brings) comes before the object dorrr vakorr (darkness), with ven arren adding the idea of 'once more' or 'again,' which implies a cyclical nature, something central to Lumerith's expression of time."
Catherine carefully copied the example into her notebook, absentmindedly biting the tip of her quill. Gwendolyn had helped her catch up on the lesson she'd missed, but the young witch still felt uncertain about her understanding of Lumerith's applications. Her mind, however, was preoccupied with something else the Ravenclaw had shared.
"My sister replied to my letter. It seems that there's a lot of uncertainty regarding the phrase you asked about. But what we do know is that it was found centuries ago, engraved on an altar rumoured to be where Merlin created some of his most astonishing spells. Giselle has a theory that he must have worked not only with spells but with Ancient Magic too. It makes sense, of course, that's why they called him the Prince of Enchanters."
'That's certainly interesting to know.' – Catherine thought as she mechanically followed Professor Oakenscript's instructions, searching for a sufficiently long text to translate – 'But it doesn't answer my questions. Why does it sound so familiar? I don't know much about Merlin beyond what I've read in books. The House of Prince is descended from him, but I've never met any of them. And it can't be connected to any aristocrats if Snape knew about it. I must have seen it somewhere obvious, but I just can't remember where.'
The black-haired girl finally found a text that seemed challenging enough to impress the teacher. It was a song, an ancient hymn, praying to the sun for its blessing, so that the hero might shine in gold and march against evil, untouched by darkness. When Catherine first began studying Ancient Runes, she was surprised to discover that a significant number of preserved texts were actually songs. While most students focused on written testimonies and rituals, Catherine found herself drawn to the poetic lyrics, often wondering what kind of melodies had once accompanied these ancient verses.
Solvarris, ethilen,
Velothar, yath alorren.
Vetharos, sol vorrum,
Erren thar golthos lumenis. [1]
Catherine gazed at the poem contemplatively. Softly, she began to sing the verse, a bright, tender melody emerging naturally as she considered the meaning of the words. A strange sensation rippled through her body, like plunging into ice-cold, refreshing water that sharpened her senses. Glancing at her hand, she thought she saw a faint golden halo, but it vanished almost as soon as it appeared.
The Gryffindor quickly surveyed her surroundings. Everything seemed unchanged—Professor Oakenscript was deep in conversation with Desmond Cornfoot, and the rest of the class was absorbed in their own translations. The only one who seemed to have noticed her was Snape, who was glaring at her with clear irritation.
"Would you be so kind as to not disturb other people's work?" – he hissed when their eyes met – "I know you think you can do anything in class without consequences, but the rest of us don't need to listen to the screech you call singing."
"Hex me!" - Catherine demanded, her voice low but urgent.
"You want me to hex you?" – the boy asked slowly, suspicion and annoyance flickering in his black eyes. His mind raced, trying to decipher what game the Gryffindor was playing - "Are you so desperate for attention, or are you some kind of masochist? Or perhaps you're trying to trick me into getting in trouble with the lamest ploy imaginable."
"Neither." – the young witch replied firmly – "I need to test something, and since you usually don't hesitate to hurt me… It's a rare deal, Snape. You can hex me, and I won't retaliate in any way—nor will the boys, I can guarantee you."
"I'm not interested." – the wizard retorted, his distrust evident as he rejected the offer.
"You owe me this much!" – Catherine insisted, worried that the magic's effect might fade while they argued – "You humiliated me in front of your friends, not to mention got to see my panties. You know my payback's going to be painful, but we can call it even if you do me this one favour."
"I'm not afraid of your payback." – the Slytherin growled, his voice low and menacing – "And if you think that seeing your underwear wasn't punishment enough, you're seriously delusional."
"Can you be anything other than a git?!" – the black-haired girl snapped, her frustration boiling over – "I want to see if this song works as a ritual… Why can't you be helpful just once in your fucking life? Aren't you curious if songs in Lumerith are more than just art?"
With startling speed, Snape drew his wand, glancing quickly to ensure the Professor wasn't watching. He cast a spell that struck Catherine square in the chest. She staggered, feeling the impact, and for a few dizzying moments, she struggled to regain her focus. When she did, she realised she was unharmed. Snape's face was frozen in shock.
"I didn't know you could cast non-verbal spells." – the witch remarked with a crooked smile – "What was it?"
"A Sardine Hex." – the boy replied after a pause – "I can't believe this actually worked. I've never heard of Ancient magic being used like this. It's… remarkable!"
Catherine nodded, trying to grasp the significance of what she had just discovered. Then, she caught herself smiling and quickly looked down.
'Why the hell am I grinning like an idiot because Snape praised me? That's literally the first time he opened his mouth without offending me straight to my face! Maybe the git's right—maybe I am a masochist!' – she thought with frustration, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the letters of the song as the melody continued to echo in her mind.
[1] Blessed sun, shield me,
With your golden light so free.
The hero stands in your glow,
Shining bright where shadows go.
Catherine collapsed onto the floor of Dumbledore's office, her body trembling uncontrollably. It had been less than half an hour since her lesson began, and she had already vomited once and fainted twice in her desperate attempt to summon true fire. Each time she tried, the sheer amount of energy overwhelmed her, filling her with fear. Despite her determination, she couldn't even touch the source of that power within her.
She couldn't help but suspect that her anxiety over the upcoming plan to acquire a feather from Fawkes was contributing to her struggle. It wasn't the danger of approaching a fully grown phoenix that unnerved her, but the fact that she was about to lie and deceive the Headmaster—a man who had always appeared to be honest with her.
'At least he doesn't treat me like a helpless child, no matter how unpleasant or harsh the truth may be.' – she thought, struggling to her feet – 'Why am I even doing this? Is it worth the risk of getting expelled, or messing up the transfiguration or the potion?'
Remus' face flashed in her mind, and her heart clenched with a pang of guilt. She imagined how lonely and terrified he must be every full moon, and she remembered his brave smile, his selflessness—how hard he had tried to convince them to abandon their dangerous plan to become Animagi.
'I can't! It's better if we just pretend it didn't happen and move on.' – Moony's words echoed in her mind, but to her surprise, the pain they once caused had begun to fade. The sting of rejection was slowly giving way to a dull ache of shame and the deep sadness of losing her friend.
'I might have screwed things up between us, but I'll make sure at least the boys are there for him!' – Catherine thought with renewed determination – 'We're going to become Animagi. I'll make sure of it!'
"You seem a bit distracted tonight, my dear." – Dumbledore's voice broke through her thoughts – "Perhaps we should call it a night?"
"No, Sir!" – the girl replied immediately – "I promise I'll concentrate harder!"
"You must be kinder to yourself, Catherine." – the Headmaster said with a sad smile – "It's no use if you create a mental barrier which prevents you from using true fire. It's essential that…"
A loud bang from outside suddenly interrupted him, followed by a series of explosions so intense that dust began to shake loose from above.
"Professor Dumbledore, Sir!" – Filch's urgent voice called out before the Caretaker burst into the office, casting a suspicious glance at the Gryffindor – "Someone's ignited a whole crate of magical fireworks just below your office! It looks like there's a student hanging from the ceiling, but I can't… I mean, it's safer if a teacher gets him down! Those bloody punks have no shame or restraint anymore! If only the Headmaster would let me…"
"Is the student alright?" – the older wizard cut in impatiently, already moving towards the door.
"I don't know, Headmaster, there's a lot of smoke!" – the other man admitted as he hurried after his employer.
"Catherine, I'll let you know when we can continue our work. For now, return to the Gryffindor Tower." – Dumbledore instructed her quickly before rushing downstairs.
The young witch knew there was no time to waste. She quickly approached the phoenix, who, as usual, was perched serenely on the golden stand behind the door. He was awake, his shining black eyes watching the fourth-year student with quiet curiosity.
'How am I supposed to do this?' – Catherine wondered, her thoughts racing – 'Should I ask him if it's alright to take a feather?'
As she pondered the delicate task, the girl reached beneath her robes and pulled out a golden pendant shaped like a teardrop, with a crimson gemstone at its centre. The pendant, called The Eternal Flame, had belonged to her grandmother and was a priceless family heirloom imbued with undisputed magical properties. Catherine had been astonished when her mother entrusted her with it, cherishing it as one of the few tangible connections to her McMahon heritage.
'It's funny how I've started wearing it less and less as time went on.' – the Gryffindor mused, her gaze shifting to the silver ring on her right hand. The oval jade stone glimmered softly in the flickering candlelight. It was a gift from her brother, and it had proven to be surprisingly useful, redirecting hexes away from the wearer.
'These are the only two items with magical stones I own.' – Catherine reflected, holding the pendant and the ring in her hands – 'Dumbledore said it's best if they carry traces of someone's feelings, so I don't have much choice… but which one is most suitable? The pendant is certainly more valuable, but I can't bring myself to give up the ring. So…'
"Please, Fawkes, take it! I need one of your feathers!" - the young witch pleaded, extending her hand with the pendant in it towards the phoenix. Fawkes tilted his red and gold head, observing her intently. After what felt like an eternity, the bird finally opened his beak and took the Eternal Flame. The red stone began to glow, then the whole piece of jewellery vanished as Fawkes' feathers emitted a faint light.
'I hope this was enough.' – Catherine thought, carefully stroking Dumbledore's familiar before taking a deep breath and plucking on of the tail feathers.
The harrowing shriek that followed made the girl jump back in horror, her fingers clutching the feather tightly. Fawkes was visibly agitated, his wings spreading wide as he fixed a fiery glare on the human who had dared to touch him. His feathers crackled like an impending firestorm, flames licking the ground beneath him and striking toward the witch.
For Catherine, the scene unfolded in slow motion. Terror froze her body as she watched the phoenix's fiery rage unleashed upon her. She didn't need to be open to her element to feel the surge of true fire—she knew she might not survive it.
Acting purely on instinct, she reached deep within herself, driven by a desperate will to survive. She felt that same overwhelming, terrifying presence, but this time, she didn't recoil.
'I have to use true fire! There's no other way, no other chance! This is my power! I need it now!' – she screamed internally.
A wall of golden flame erupted before the Gryffindor's stunned eyes, absorbing the full force of the phoenix's wrath. Silence fell in Dumbledore's office as the true fire slowly faded away. Catherine realised she had sunk to her knees, unsure if she could stand. A gentle cooing reached her ears, followed by a wave of comforting warmth and softness. She looked down to find Fawkes nestled in her lap, his previous agitation forgotten.
"You're quite the menace, aren't you?"- the girl whispered, summoning the strength to rise – "I suppose you didn't like my gift. Maybe you would have preferred the ring… I guess I'm much more attached to it than I thought."
Gathering her belongings in a hurry, Catherine left the Headmaster's office. Muffled voices echoed from somewhere nearby, punctuated by occasional explosions.
'Playing with true fire might prove to be much more dangerous than I ever imagined.' – the forth-year thought, tucking the phoenix feather securely under her robes. It radiated intense heat, but she didn't mind. Despite her exhaustion, a sense of happiness and fulfilment washed over her—she had finally managed to wield true fire, and quite a substantial amount of it.
Entering the Room of Requirement, the girl practically collapsed onto the stone tiles, allowing herself to take a deep breath and calm her frantic heartbeat.
"Didn't you hear us calling you?" – Sirius asked as he and James entered the room – "We couldn't catch up with you—you were moving so fast."
"No. I didn't hear you. I just wanted to get here as soon as possible." – Catherine replied, slowly standing up – "You two caused quite a commotion. Filch was so angry, there was practically foam coming out of his mouth."
"Well, it had to be something big to make Dumbledore step in personally." – James said with a shrug, completely unapologetic – "By the way, I used that spell you showed me the other day. You should have seen Ronan hanging from the ceiling completely naked. Quite a sight!"
"I have enough nightmares as it is." – the girl responded flatly, as she carefully took the phoenix feather from beneath her robes and placed it beside the silver chest containing the Ashwinder egg – "And that spell is probably one of Snape's creations, so maybe don't go using it on just anyone."
"Why not?" – James chuckled – "This way, they might think it was the greasy git who hexed Ronan. He didn't see us before we stunned him."
"Was it hard to get the feather?" – Sirius interrupted, steering the conversation towards the subject he was mostly interested in.
"No. It went according to plan." – Catherine answered, avoiding her friend's gaze. She didn't want to worry them with the details of just how dangerous the ordeal had been – "I think we can start brewing the potion once we're back after Christmas."
"We still lack the Mandragora leaves." – James reminded them – "Shall we try getting them before we leave for the holidays?"
"It's probably our best shot." – the young witch nodded – "I can preserve them until it's time to use them. We just need to sneak into the Greenhouse. We're so close - I'm starting to feel nervous."
"Don't worry, Flame!" – Sirius grinned – "We can't mess up something as simple as this."
A/n Dear readers, thank you for your interest and support. I wanted to address a burning question regarding whether a certain someone would find out about a certain kiss. The answer to that is going to be presented in two chapters :P Stay tuned! ~Sailea~