Hello everyone, I hope all of you are having an incredible week! Because sure I am!
Now, I wanted to close up the first year this way, I may get rid of some scenes like a longer Quidditch game, but I thought it would only be fitting if Harriet ended like that, in a true Overlord fashion.
I would love to hear what you guys are thinking of this so far! And I am happy to see you all are enjoying it!
See you in the next update!
(Updated becuase I mistake invisibility with invincibility... SadPepe.)
Chapter 13
The morning mist fall upon the mountain range of beautiful Scotland, as deep in the forest, near an enormous castle seemed covered in nothing but fog. Yet, it allowed for an incredible view of wonder and mysticism. The magic of such a place was visible for all to see, and the students of the great school of magic and wizardry enjoyed the morning routine of another great and peaceful morning. And deep in the Hufflepuff common room, on the girl's side of the dormitories, a soft snore that people would call cute and highly amusing was echoing throughout the room. But it had to stop because classes were about to begin. And a long day for a certain girl.
Hannah entered the room and sighed while staring at her beloved roommate.
"Harriet, it is time to wake up," Hannah said, while slowly approaching the girl, who was enveloped in bedsheets. However, the girl only kept on snoring.
"Harriet, please it is time to wake up," Hannah said again, as she noticed that underneath the bedsheets. Harriet was completely naked. The girl with short dirty blonde hair and blue eyes blushed, but at the same time took a deep breath, as she stared at the naked body of the Girl-Who-Lived.
"She must have been exhausted."
Hannah whispered, remembering how in the last few days, Harriet had to do some testimony and more. It all seemed clear now, and the Ministry was more than happy to just let the last incident pass by as if never happened. Still, it brought tiredness to Harriet, who was also studying and practicing her magic on her own very late at night. Not that people knew it, but it was the reason for her to sleep naked. All the people in her life that matter something, knew about her hobby of sleeping naked. Normally, she would sleep with clothes normally. But when she slept naked, it was a sort of announcement to people that she was tired and wanted to sleep without being bothered.
It was one of her ways to relax.
Hannah wanted to allow her to sleep, but it wasn't possible. "Harriet, wake up," she whispered in Harriet's ear. The Girl-Who-Lived only moaned, but was still asleep.
"Harriet, if you don't wake up, you're going to get into trouble. Also, you will miss breakfast."
Hannah said as she slowly caressed Harriet's head. The girl was still sleeping, but she turned around, and Hannah only sighed as she stared at the bare chest of Harriet. She closed her eyes and exhaled. This is sinful, really, really sinful. Hannah said, covering Harriet's body with the bedsheet. Still, she couldn't leave her in the bed.
Yet, Hannah couldn't stop smiling at the cute face Harriet was making. And while she was slowly caressing those endearing cheeks, a sense of sadness came to her. It was deep and engraved within her.
"I hope… you recollect what you have lost," Hannah whispered softly. "Just like we did. Well, most of us." Hannah smiled with amusement.
"Hannah?"
Harriet moaned, waking up slowly as she only groaned at the sight of the morning entering the small window. She bothered none about her naked state. Harriet only crawled into Hannah's embrace, hugging her tightly and dropping her head on Hannah's lap.
"Mm… I don't want to wake up," Harriet groaned softly.
"Well, you have to, otherwise, lady Potter may enter the room looking for you. And I don't think you would like to be punished."
Harriet groaned, as she very well knew it would only lead to that. And she was afraid of her mother when the red-haired witch was angry. Well, everyone feared a red-haired woman when she was angry. But Harriet also realized that it was time for her to wake up. But Hannah's soft thighs were too comfortable for her to just let go.
"You're too comfortable… I don't want to wake up," Harriet said while burying her head between Hannah's soft lap. Making the blonde-haired girl giggle at the way Harriet sounded when she just woke up.
"Well, too bad for you. We must go up. Now put some clothes on! Or you'll lose breakfast, and you know how cranky you get when you don't have your breakfast."
Harriet nodded as she begrudgingly slowly crawled from bed, and she just stood there for a few seconds, wondering where to go, completely naked. Hannah rolled her eyes. "The clothes, Harriet, put your clothes." Harriet turned around. It seemed as if she was sleepwalking, since she only hummed.
"Yeah, clothes… I knew it… where is my underwear?" Harriet wondered, as she just kept on strolling around, making Hannah sigh. She always gets like this when she sleeps naked. I wonder why? Well, I guess it is the fact that she just completely shut down while sleeping that makes it harder for her to wake up. Mm, yet this looks kind of funny and cute. Hannah thought as she helped a very sleepy Harriet to get ready.
"I'll help you… again."
Hannah sighed dramatically, while Harriet hummed only, still looking half-asleep.
After helping the Girl-Who-Lived to change, Hannah took Harriet to the Great Hall where everyone was awaiting her. Harriet only yawned loudly as she sat down on the table, making sure her morning coffee was over-charged with caffeine. It was needed. Harriet needed her coffee, otherwise, she won't wake up. And it wasn't the same as drinking one of her stamina potions. Coffee was something more natural, sacred, and glorious. She was a heavy coffee drinker, and there wasn't anything that would compare to a delicious black coffee with two spoons of sugar or milk. It didn't matter, for Harriet, coffee was a World Item by itself. And she would fight anyone to prove it.
"Harriet, here is your breakfast," Hannah said, smiling at the face Harriet was making while drinking her favorite beverages.
"Mm, thanks, Hannah," Harriet mumbled. "Ah, the delicious nectar of the gods."
"It's just coffee," Neville said, with an amused face.
"You wouldn't understand, Neville."
"Yeah, you're sure. I won't understand it," Neville replied, returning to his breakfast.
"Harriet, be careful, you are gulping the coffee too fast," Hermione said in a worried tone, as she watched the greed-eyed girl drinking the black juice like it was water.
"Don't worry about Harriet. Her stomach has the ability to adapt to hot temperatures," Blaise said with an amused voice. The bushy girl has seemed to fit right in with the people close to Harriet, well not all of them were welcoming, yet if Harriet called her a friend. There was nothing they could do but accept it without saying anything. It was, after all, Harriet's words and the group of friends would always listen to her, no matter what.
"Really?" Hermione asked.
"No, but she is quite the specimen, right?" Blaise said with a smirk.
"Don't talk like that. Hermione will think you're weird," Neville said.
"Am I weird? Heir Longbottom?"
"Yes… you are really weird."
Neville said deadpanned, as Blaise scoffed. "I will not invite you to my farm, anymore."
Hermione picked interest as she heard about Blaise farm. It wasn't something; she thought a Pureblood would enjoy doing. The dirty work and all of that. "You have a farm?" Hermione asked.
"Of course, mother and I needed a place to hide the evidence."
"Eh, evidence?" Hermione asked, confused.
"Cough, cough!" Neville faked the sound of coughing as he glared at Blaise. The dark-skinned boy only waves it off, like nothing.
"Never mind that detail, but what started as a necessity, it became a hobby. Now we have cows, horse, a few goats, and some magical creatures. Like a small Abarimon colony, gnomes and some fairies my mother acquire not too long ago. Oh, we are building a small reservoir for our Mackled Malaclaw."
"And don't forger those annoying Pixies," Susan whispered.
"Uh, that's an extensive collection of magical creatures. But aren't pixies, and gnomes a pest most of the times? And you have fairies too, aren't they like… you know, don't get alone with the rest?" Hermione asked, intrigued by the magical creatures from Blaise farm.
"Mostly, but I have found ways for them to get along."
"Ah, mm, how?" Hermione asked.
"Well, you only need to educate them properly," Blaise said with a rather mysterious smirk on his face.
"Let's change topic! I don't want to lose appetite," Daphne said.
"My dear Daphne, I don't know what are you talking about. After all, doesn't Tracey have a rather extensive collection of bugs?" Blaise asked.
"They are spiders, Blaise, and they are cute."
"But you do have bugs."
"Well, duh, you have to feed them something, innit?" Tracey said with a rather funny accent. "I do have a lot of Madagascar hissing cockroaches. They are big and full of protein, and my spiders love them. I sometimes wonder, how would they taste. Should I try one?" Tracey said in a rather serious tone, earning a gag from some of the girls.
"Yeah… I don't want to eat anymore," Daphne moaned.
"Well, that hasn't stopped, dear Harriet here," Neville said, as everyone stared at the greed-eyed girl eating breakfast like nothing was happening. It was her third plate of pancakes. Hannah was smiling, like a proud mother, while cleaning Harriet's cheeks.
"But really, should I try one of those cockroaches?"
"Tracey, stop!" Susan said.
"Why?! Aren't you a bit curious?"
"No."
"I will put one in one of your favorite jellies."
"Don't you dare!"
"If you eat one, tell me what does it taste. Maybe there is a way for me to feed them to the gnomes. I want to see how their bodies will react to them. Perhaps they would like it," Blaise said.
"Alright, mate."
"Ugh, you two disgust me," Daphne and Susan said at the same time, with a disgusted tone in their voice.
"Can you invite me to your farm? I would like to see how their bodies would react to," Hermione said, surprising the group, making Blaise smile.
"My, my, I have misjudged you, miss Granger."
"It's disgusting," Susan moaned.
"Only for you, but for us, brilliants minds, is only a new step ahead."
Hermione smiled, amused in wonderment at the strange group of friends she was now considered friends. Having friends is amazing! She thought with a smile as she allowed herself to continue the chat.
However, the chat ended when a set of twins approached slowly. Well, to Harriet, who was still deep in wonderland enjoying her breakfast. The group grew quiet as they all stared at them and the twins, well; they felt unwelcome.
"Fred, don't you think they look rather intimidating for a group of first-years?"
"That they do, George, that they do."
The red-haired twins said as they now stared at the Girl-Who-lived with excitement and nervousness.
"What can I help you?" Harriet asked as she took one last sip of her coffee.
"We are wondering a few things. A rather important thing," Fred said.
"Yep, you see a few days ago we were listening to one of your conversations, and well, we weren't truly trying to spy on you or anything. But a name came out of your lips that froze both of us!" George said dramatically.
"Froze? What?" Harriet asked. "Wait, red hair… aren't both of you from the Weasley family?" Harriet said.
"Ah ha! It seems our reputation has increased a lot!" Fred exclaimed.
"Indeed! The fact the glorious Girl-Who-Lived knows our family means we are now officially popular!" George said with a proud voice. Yet, it only earned a few glares from Harriet's group.
Harriet tilted her head at the twins, wondering what do they want. She wouldn't deny how the way they speak amused her. They would follow each other sentences the moment one of them finished speaking. That requires a lot of practice, or perhaps it was something to do with the fact they were twins. She wasn't sure.
"I wouldn't say it like that, but we know about your family for other things. Also, the fact your younger brother, Ronald, touched Harriet without her permission, was a rather insulting thing to do. We haven't heard his official apology yet," Neville said, making the twins flinch.
"Also, weren't you both almost kicked out of the school a year ago? Something involving the girl's bathroom and the portrait of the fat lady?" Susan said, faking innocence.
"Wait, it wasn't because of pigeon accident? The one with the hundred pigeons pooping all over the Great Hall?" Tracey followed with the same fake voice.
"No, it was because of the Potion mishaps, making professor Snape lose of his eyebrows. Or, it was the incident with Flinch?" Susan wondered. "I remember my aunt telling me about it."
"Uh, let's not focus on the past!"
"Yeah! The future is a bright place to be!"
Both twins said, earning a few glares from Harriet's group, but the girl with green eyes only chuckled.
"We are here only to show our respect, to the Girl-Who-Lived-To-Kill-Trolls! It's not something it happens all the time," Fred said.
"Indeed! We are, after all, your biggest fan!" both of them said at the same time.
"Uh, alright both of you. If is true, you both are my biggest fans! Tell me, what is my favorite color?" Harriet asked, smirking at the face of the twins.
"Ah… yellow-ish?" Fred stuttered.
"Pink, right? All girls like pink," George said.
"Do I look like a girl who likes pink?" Harriet deadpanned.
"Eh, no, you don't." Both twins said. "Ah, what about… gray? Purple! You like purple, right?!" Fred and George said with big goofy smiles.
"No."
Harriet replied with the same stoic tone of voice as before.
"Alright, another question to my biggest fans, what is my favorite type of dessert?" Harriet asked another question, and both twins only stared at each other, like having a rather panic telepathy chat with each other. Yet, it was one person who answered it immediately, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. And it brought a smile to Harriet.
"Oreo cheesecake."
The twins turned around and narrowed their eyes at the sight of their number one enemy. Their own little, One-who-should-not-be-named. And currently, the green-haired Hufflepuff girl stared at them.
"Well, well, look what we have here… the red-haired pricks," Nymphadora said in a serious voice. "What are you doing in my neighberhood?"
"George, it seems that the Hufflepuff rainbow madwoman is here."
"Indeed, Fred, indeed she is here."
Harriet stared at the scene with a rather confused face, because she was sure they would start posing and using special abilities. But sadly, it never came, as Nymphadora huffed.
"What do you want with my Harriet?" she said, puffing her cheek.
"Meh, only trying to know her," Fred said.
"Yeah, she is a hard shell to crack, and the other kids… they are quite scary," George said.
"Nah, they are good kids… just crazy, that's all."
Harriet wondered if she could project a movie on the roof of the Great Hall.
"We're standing right here," Daphne said, offended.
"Yeah, yeah… I know, but truly, what has brought both of you here?" Nymphadora asked
"We just want to know about Harriet's father, that's all," George said, making Harriet interested.
"Mm, I pretty sure he teaches third-year students," Harriet said, confused.
"Well, not like that! He can be quite scary! Besides, we can't just ask him about… well, stuff!" Fred said.
"What kind of stuff?" Harriet asked.
"Ah… we are just wondering, if you know about the Marauders," George and Fred whispered the last sentences, making the group surprised. "Your dad is Prongs, right?"
Galadriel nodded. "Yes… he is… how do you know that?" She asked.
Both twins let a squeal that could be compared to one of a middle school girl. "Prongs is our teacher!" they shrieked. Then they pulled out a strange sheet of white paper, and secretly they approached her.
"We're Marauders biggest fans!" They spoke.
"Didn't they say they were Harriet's biggest fans?" Tracey whispered.
"Can you tell us about the rest?!" they asked happily. "Who is Padfoot?"
"Padfoot is none other than my godfather, Sirius Black, and Mooney is dear honorary uncle, Remus Lupin," Harriet replied, smiling.
"Wicked! This is absolutely wicked!"
"To believe, our idols were at Hogwarts!"
Harriet rolled her eyes, already knowing what would happen if her father knew about them. His head would grow big. She thought.
"Wait, what about Wormtail?" Fred asked, to which Harriet's face grew cold. The twins saw a face of pure rage, and it was a rather terrifying face.
"Wormtail is Peter Pettigrew… Harriet doesn't enjoy talking about him," Neville said.
Harriet exhaled, and try to push away the little worm out of her mind for the time being. "That convicted felon is not worthy of being a Marauder. He never was, and I would like if you could never mention it in front of my parents. They don't like it as well."
Fred and George may be pranksters of the highest caliber, yet they weren't idiots. They know when to stop, and when things were too serious.
"We apologized for troubling you with it, heiress Potter," they said, earning a rather respectable gaze from the Harriet group of friends. It looked as if the Weasley knew about proper etiquette. So Harriet nodded and accepted their apology as an heiress. Yet, the question remained. What do they want?
"Now, what is this about? What do you want with my dear father?" She asked.
The twin looked at each other and smirked as they showed the white sheet of paper. Harriet immediately knew what it was. She has listened to her father talk about how they would get around the castle in the hours of the moon just to prepare pranks and more. They talked about the map a great deal, and Harriet was incredibly interested in how they were capable of creating it, by using the protections of Hogwarts in their favor.
It would be interesting to create a new version.
"The Marauders map… how did you two both got it?" She asked.
"We find it during one of our detentions. It was hiding, or well, beneath a bunch of rubble in Filch's office. And well, we use our brains and were capable of use it, and the rest is history!" They said all happy.
"The rest is history, they say?" Tracey whispered.
Harriet ignored her, although she smiled. "History… well, my dad and his beloved friends would be proud to hear all of your adventures… isn't it? Dad?" Harriet said, as she stared at her father, who was behind the twins, with a big smirk on his face.
"Oh, oh, is seems someone has discovered the marauders' secret," James said with the biggest smile Harriet has seen from him.
"Prongs!" Both twins kneeled before James. "We kneel before the great one!"
Oh, please God, not in front of everyone! Harriet cringed. Please, dad! Do something they are embarrassing me!
"Mm, good to know there are some good pranksters out there spreading the good work! If only Padfoot and Moony were here! Sadly, they are busy. Well, that's sad. Nevertheless! As your god, I command you with a vital mission!"
"We follow your will, oh great one!"
"You will protect my beautiful, cute daughter from any man! Understood! And this is for everyone! My daughter, the cutest girl in the school, is out of limits!"
God! God! God! Kill me! I want to disappear!
Galadriel hid her face behind her hands. Thankfully, Lily saw all the commotion and entered the room in order to save her daughter from the shame.
"James, what we talk about making scenes?!" Lily hissed.
"What?! This is just necessary!"
"It is not!"
"It is!"
"Lord Potter! Can you please stop this nonsense?! Classes are about to begin!" Professor McGonagall yelled as she saw the poor girl practically being eaten away by sheer embarrassment. Sometimes I feel sorry for her. It must be hard. Poor girl. McGonagall thought.
"You hear, James?! Now go!"
Harriet practically ran away from the stares, as she could jump from the highest tower right then and there. Hopefully, the rest of the day would be normal.
The classes were as normal as they could get in a Wizarding World standard; it was as if people forgot about what had transpired a week ago. And the peaceful monotony made the Girl-Who-Lived quite happy. She was not really trying hard to outshine the other children. It was rather unfair for her to do so. Harriet would just answer the questions they asked her and do the work like any other person. But someone, teachers and students alike, though she was a sort of genius. Harriet found it hilarious, since while she considered herself smart. She wasn't a prodigy. At least not like Hermione. That girl was truly brilliant.
Hermione was a sponge, she just absorbed everything. And Harriet would like to keep nurturing her. She may become a great witch in the future.
Harriet sighed as she approached the last class of the day. Defense Against the Dark Arts, where her father was awaiting her with a big smile. Harriet cringed, remembering the scene he caused early in the day. And prayed he would not do it again.
"Now please sit down, we have a lot to cover today!" James said while waving his hand on the board. The words Magic classification appeared, and everyone got ready to hear the lesson.
"Magic classification, the Ministry of magic used this to categorize different brands of magic. As many of you know, there a lot of different branches. Transfiguration, Arithmancy, Charms, and so on. But can anyone tell me about the three divisions of magic?" He asked, and well, as usual, Hermione raised her hand high above the rest. James smiled at the young girl but decided to ask another student. It would be only fair.
"Ah, miss Greengrass, could you tell us?" James asked, at the called Ice princess of Slytherin.
"Of course, professor, the three categories are White Magic, Gray Magic and Dark Magic," Daphne said with an elegant and yet crisp voice.
"Nicely done, five points to Slytherin," James said, still having problems awarding points to the house of the snake, yet he has grown from the pretentious boy he once was.
"Well, now, what do those three mean? What does white magic, gray magic, and dark magic mean?" He spoke. "Are there any distinctions among them? Why is the Ministry of magic so keen to teach you all of this?"
"Because it would help us to understand the dangers of magic? White magic is harmless, gray magic is pushing into the dark arts, and dark magic… is evil?" James sighed at the answer a boy in Gryffindor said.
"That's incorrect," James said.
"Why professor? The books said it," Hermione said, confused, as she was still having a problem realizing that books do not hold all the answers.
"The books said it, because the ministry wrote those books," James replied. "The reality is that those three terms are rather new. They officially used once those terms when the international Confederation of Wizards was created, in 1690. But before that, those three terms were named differently, and have a vastly different connotation to them." James moved his hand and proceeded to write three different names for those terms.
"Pure magic, silver sorcery, and wizardry occultism."
The students were all impressed since for them, it was the first time to even hear those terms, well, everyone except for Harriet.
"Don't let you be fooled. They are part of the same category we have today," James said. "Any questions so far?" Now, some students raised their hands.
"Yes, miss Brown?"
"Uh, why did they change the words?" The girl asked.
"Well, it was easier to catalogue the branches that way. You have white, gray and dark, simple right? Well, sadly, the newly built ICW wanted to have some relevance, some control. So, they used the new terms, and slowly changed them so the wizarding folk would see them as good, not so good, and evil."
James said, and he saw how many of the students were paying direct attention to him.
"Professor, why would the ICW do something like that? What could they possible win by alienating the wizarding world?" Hermione asked.
"Alienating no, but dividing. Still good question, miss Granger, and that leads us to what is next. Cores and Auras!"
James again wrote those words on the board, and they all stared at the intricate signs leading to each other. "For me to explain it, you need to know what these things are. One, I believed everyone knows what are our magic cores. It is, of course, what makes us… us. However, an aura reflects that core. A highly trained wizard or witch can see auras, and even manifest them. Here, let me show you."
James stood still for a moment and relaxed his body. Harriet was also surprised by how magically powerful her father was, and it wasn't something she just said because he was her father. But truly, James Potter was incredibly powerful and his aura showed it. The students gasped as they felt, and saw the light of sorts, a silver lining around their professor, slowly going brighter until it stopped and disappeared. James sighed, but then smiled.
"Wicked, right?" James said, smirking.
"Now, before all of you want to do so, you must understand how difficult it is. Since you are practically pushing your inner magic out. The magic core is no tangible, is part of our soul. Now, I don't want to explain the meaning of souls, and what is what. That is to advance for all of you. But what I want for all of you to know is that our cores are an expression of our magic, and an aura a reflection of it."
James said, taking his time for the rest of the students to grasp the concepts.
"Now, let me explain why the ICW did what they did. And all of that ties up with the tree terms of magic. Each one of us has cores of magic, and those cores, like any person, have a certain affinity to things. We aren't the same. Back in the day, Nobles families were more than just rich or powerful entities. Each family had an affinity for a different category of magic itself. For example, my family. The Potters have an incredible affinity with what before was called Silver Magic. Now known as Gray Magic."
James would never admit it, but back in the day, he wasn't sure to believe all of what he discovered to down the line. But, working as an auror, and learning more about his magic and the world opened his eyes. And it was hard and painful to admit it. That they were all fooled. I really hope to teach these kids something better. So, the future generations don't take the same path as us. He thought.
"There are families, like the Longbottom, who have a strong affinity to Pure magic, hence why they are so good with Herbology. What is purer than life itself? Then there is the Black family affinity, which is wizardry occultism. Dark magic, which allows them to be incredibly good and versatile to charms and spell-casting. Yet, let me remind you, having an affinity for dark magic does not make you evil," James said, earning a gasp from everyone.
"But my mom said dark magic is evil! She told me, everyone who is a dark magic user is evil," Ron said, earning glares from everyone, especially from Slytherin.
"We are not evil! You halfwit redhead!" A Slytherin yelled.
"Yes, you are! All Slytherins are death eaters!" One from Ravenclaw said, earning shouts from Gryffindor in approval. Then, it started a barrage of insults from everyone in the room, until James silence them all with a loud bang.
"Enough!" He yelled in the voice of a captain of the Auror corps. "I will not tolerate any insults or degrading comments! Understood?!" Harriet was highly amused by the tone of voice. She does remember how scared she was when her father yelled at her when he blew up their old house. It was the same feeling.
"That would be five points from all houses," James said, with a hard look on his face. None said a word.
"And this is an answer to your previous question, miss Granger," he said.
"Professor?" Hermione asked, anxious and a bit scared, already forgetting what she questioned.
"The reason of why, the ICW pinned the idea of good magic, and evil magic," James said.
"Truth be told, all magic is dangerous, in the hands of someone who wishes to do evil things. Bad people exist everywhere. And they would do terrible things no matter what, with a wand, or even a fork. You see, when the ICW was created, even though it was built by necessity because of the muggle uprising in technology and population, was still lacking in terms of authority and recognition. Back then, it was the nobles' houses who practically ruled over most parts of the world. So, if the ICW wanted to have any chance of being an actual power over the Wizarding World, they needed to find a way to do so. They needed to lower the power, or at least to make the noble's house have less authority than them."
James said, however, Hermione got confused about a certain detail. "But professor, if you say that, Noble houses were more powerful than the ICW, then… who created it? It has to be noble families as well, since they are the only ones with the power to create such an international organization," she said, and it was then when James smiled brightly. This girl is surely smart. No wonder Harriet enjoys talking with her. James thought.
"And now you're entering the rabbit hole, that is… Politics. For the ICW, it became easier to say, if you are a dark wizard or witch, you're evil! And if you are a white wizard or witch, you are a good person! And with the help of some nobles' families who were smarted than the rest, that narrative started to be pushed down, in every book, every conference since then. And in a few decades, people believed it. And, if you were of a family with white magic, well, then you are a bloody hero! But if you were a wizard or witch from a family with affinity to the dark arts, well then you are a bad person! And you see, when people start pointing the fingers and calling you evil, well, you start actually see yourself as one. And soon, a dive happens, and the factions were created."
The students were all looking and thinking about those words. All of them.
"And so, the ICW was able to say, all good wizards and witches would join us, because… reasons. And all those who do not, are bad. Divide and conquer, they say. And now, almost 300 years later, we are dealing with the stigma, and ignorance about magic."
"But professor… there is… evil magic? Right?" Ron asked, nervous and stunned. He did not want to believe the dark families were good, but he was having a hard time facing the facts.
James only stared at him and sighed. "Yes, there is, mister Weasley. And is called black magic or Maledictus magicae… but is not, and I repeat, is not the same as Dark magic."
"Necromancy, malediction, voodoo, the arts of devilry, and some other nasty… forms of black magic that I will not say are by nature evil. The use of black magic is not something people often do. And is heavily penalized, not only by a life in prison, but with death. And believe me, when I say that spotting a user of Black magic is incredibly easy."
"How?" a student asked.
"Their cores and auras are rotten," Harriet said, surprising everyone. "They users of Maledictus Magicae often stink of sulfur, or rotten meat depending on what type of black magic form they use." Harriet does remember the distinct smell of Voldemort. It was like something left dead in the sun for weeks, but also a touch of something evil, foul. If she could explain it in words, it would be something putrid, put together with ashes and clotted blood.
"How do you know?" Ron asked, suspiciously, or rather confused.
"Because, I have smelled it before… on Voldemort."
All grew quiet hearing those words. James looked at the face of Harriet, who seemed lost for a brief moment. His daughter looked down, avoiding his gaze. And he couldn't help himself but feel miserable. But kept on going with the class, and for the next hour everything became more peaceful, as the students were starting to learn so much more. And perhaps, their minds were opening to what evil actually was.
"This… will be all for today. There is a lot to talk about, about the ICW and the branches of magic. For homework, I would like an explanation of each branch of magic and their most prominent uses. Until tomorrow," James said, dismissing the class.
"Harriet, please stay."
Harriet only nodded as she waved at her friends to wait for her outside.
"Dad," she said.
"Hey, sweetie, are you okay?" James said, kneeling before his daughter.
"Well, yeah… a bit hungry, but mostly alright," Harriet said, making James chuckle.
"Always, hungry, eh? Well… I just want to know-how are you. You know? About Voldemort smell. That's all, that kind of stench is not… really a good thing to know."
"I guess… you know about it, don't you?" She asked.
"Yeah, when Voldemort was at his peak, his scent was highly disgusting and terrifying. But as well, some of his followers, who practiced black magic. It's hard to forget," James said.
"Someone should give him and his followers some deodorants," Harriet said, making James laugh.
"Yeah, that would certainly help during combat."
James stood up and walked behind his desk, and pulled a white sheet. Harriet recognized very well. "Here, take this, is yours now."
"Dad? This is the Marauders map… why are you giving it to me?" Harriet asked, surprised by it.
"I know you aren't a prankster, but this is incredible useful… and is a gift from me to you. Just don't tell your mother, alright?"
Harriet smiled, opening the sheet of paper. And she knew the words all too well. Still, she looked at her father and giggled. "I solemnly swear…" Harriet said, waiting for her father's cue. "That I am up to no good," he said while tapping the sheet with his wand.
"This is wicked," Harriet whispered, smiling at the detailed map of Hogwarts. She knew that perhaps she could update it more. And perhaps do something else with it. The possibilities were endless. Harriet hugged her father tightly. "Thank you, dad, I love you." She said as it filled her stomach with butterflies.
"And I love you too," James replied. "Now leave, before they see us fraternizing."
"Of course, professor Potter."
Harriet said, giggling while waving goodbye. The day wasn't that bad.
The sound of frustrating moans, and cursed, could have made for an amusing scene, as the small Slytherin girl who was furiously looking herself in the mirror couldn't shake the feeling of her own insecurities.
"They would grow, right? They had to grow!" Pansy Parkinson said as she stared at her body in the mirror.
Pansy believed she was a cute girl, and she was. Truly. She was petite and had adorable features. Her small body only increased her adorable gestures. Yet, it was her attitude that made her rather ugly. However, it wasn't what troubles her. Pansy touched her breast, well, her flat chest. And hoped she could grow to be a gorgeous woman, with a lustful hourglass body. But, remembering how her mother, that although attractive, she wasn't a woman who had a lot to show in the chest department.
"Ugh, please, tell me I will not be as flat as she!" Pansy groaned while looking at her naked body. Then she stared at the scar hiding behind her ear. Her hair hid such an imperfection, but Pansy often stared at it. Since she has no recollection of it. She does remember what her mother told her, that one day she was at a party and, for some odd reason, she panicked. And started to run until she felt and hit her head on the edge of the stairs.
Pansy woke up three days later, not remembering anything. She had what muggles would call amnesia, and it took time before she could remember who she was. Yet, something was missing. And Pansy felt it every day. A rather important thing, highly precious.
But what it was? She couldn't decipher it. Yet, every time she was near Harriet Potter, Pansy felt a powerful pull towards the girl. As if something was forcing her to be next to her.
"But why?" Pansy wondered, troubled.
"Parkinson," Pansy squealed at the sudden voice of another girl. And noticed Daphne with only a towel around her body.
"Greengrass," Pansy said, as Daphne only stared at her.
"What do you want? I am surprised you aren't showering with that girl!" Pansy said, feeling a stab in her chest when referring to Harriet as just a girl.
Yet Daphne only kept on staring at her.
"Not yet… this is troublesome," Daphne whispered.
"What?" Pansy asked, confused.
"Nothing, just keeping an eye out when you return," Daphne said as she then proceeded to take a shower. Not bothering to even look at her.
"Return from where?" Daphne did not respond.
Pansy only stared at her, wondering what was all about, yet looking at Daphne, Pansy felt as if something was calling her. And it annoyed Pansy, since she wasn't sure of what was going on with her head.
"Hmph! Draco was right, you're so annoying!" Pansy said, almost feeling disgusted at saying the name of the blonde ferret.
"You shouldn't waste your time with that mosquito. A completely slug, who shouldn't be taken seriously. A trash," Daphne said, still not watching Pansy's expression.
Pansy wanted to respond, and defend her crush, but nothing came to her mind. Only, something different, Pansy's mind was telling her the same.
"Y-you'll pay for calling Draco like that!" Pansy said as she left the bathroom.
Daphne only stared and sighed. "Only one of five, the rest… they haven't awakened yet." She whispered as she continues to bathe.
The rest of the semester went smoothly, and while most were worried about the upcoming exams, Harriet wasn't truly bothered by it. She was, for the most part, more preoccupied with her magic practice and experimentation. Yet, something came up, and Harriet was suddenly searched for, by the lovely, Hufflepuff pink-haired girl, who was practically following Harriet everywhere she went, pleading her, and begging her for help. The rest of the students would mostly ignore such a scene, but since it was Harriet, the one getting annoyed but the girl. Well, it was most amusing to watch. And truth be told, Nymphadora Tonks was an incredibly persistent person. To the point, even Harriet wasn't safe from her. "No, and stop bothering me." Harriet said.
The group of friends stared, highly amused, at the scene before them.
"BUT WHY?!" Nymphadora said, on her knees while wearing the Hufflepuff quidditch uniform.
"Because I said so," Harriet said, as she took some books from the shelf. "And stop screaming, or we will get kicked out of the library! Again!" She hissed.
"Then please, help us!" Nymphadora said, crawling.
The rest of the students were looking at the scene. The third-year Hufflepuff was holding Harriet's legs, while the small girl was trying to move.
"I said no!" Harriet exclaimed.
"Please! We need a seeker! Please! Please!"
"Cedric is your Seeker!"
"The bloody idiot broke his arm, and dislocated his shoulder in the last game against Slytherin! He is going to be in the hospital for a while! There are only four games left in the year and we need to win them if we want to have a chance to play in the final! Please! I beg you!"
"NO!" Harriet yelled, frustrated. "I HATE QUIDDITCH, I DON'T BLOODY CARE ABOUT THE QUIDDITCH HOUSE CUP! THE HOUSE CAN SHOVE UP THEIR ASS!"
"SHOVE IT UP MINE! BUT PLEASE HELP US!"
"ENOUGH! GET OUT!"
Madam Pince yelled, as she kicked both girls, and hence the rest of the group.
"Well, that was faster than yesterday," Neville said, amused.
"Indeed," Blaise replied.
Nymphadora was still on her knees, imploring Harriet to play, and the Girl-Who-Lived was incredibly frustrated.
"Please, Harriet! Please! You are the only one who could take his spot! Just for the next games, please?"
Harriet was hitting her head in the wall, and a part of her hoped that Voldemort felt everything.
"Nymphadora… let me explain it to you one more time. First, I am a first-year student… I am not allowed to take part in Quidditch. Second, I am not allowed to have my own broom. Third, I don't want to. Fourth, if you don't let my leg go, I swear to sweet baby Jesus, I will end you."
Nymphadora was practically sobbing while looking at Harriet. It was hard to say if there were real or fake. Perhaps both.
"You say you loved me," Nymphadora whispered, with dramatic tears in her eyes. Harriet's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. But then, took a deep breath.
"Nymphadora, I can't help you. I am not allowed to play. School's rules," Harriet said with the calmest voice she could muster in those moments. However, Nymphadora's ear picked with interest.
"If… If I could obtain permission for you to play, would you?"
Harriet was tired of hearing about Quidditch, so tired. "Yeah, sure, if you manage to bend the rules of Hogwarts and have Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout to agree to it, with the backing of headmaster Dumbledore." Harriet said with sarcasm. However, it was enough to make Nymphadora smile. The rest of the kids started to shake hands, and give galleons to each other. Harriet wasn't looking at the bet they were doing.
"Then, wait right here! I will get it!" Nymphadora said, as her hair turned golden.
"Mm, Harriet, are you sure about playing Quidditch?" Hermione said while watching the girl run.
"Pff, please, Hermione… is impossible for Nymphadora to get permission from all those people. It's against Hogwarts rules. They won't allow a child to get involved in such a brute sport. It will be alright," Harriet said, with a confidence none could shake as she walked away. Not knowing the number of people who wanted to stop Slytherin from winning yet another Quidditch house cup.
"Are you fucking kidding me? Is this real? Is this really happening?" Harriet muttered, as they already dressed her up in the Hufflepuff Quidditch uniform, and faced the door that will soon open. The game was about to start. And next to Harriet was Nymphadora, smiling brightly.
"I told you, I would get those permissions," she said, earning a hateful glare from Harriet.
"Hey, Tonks, are you sure about this?"
"Yeah, this is weird, still."
"Don't worry, Herbert, Anthony. We already practice with Malcom, Heidi, and Tamsin. You saw her, right? She is so fast and flexible! And look, her father bought her the new Nimbus 2000! There is no way we would lose!" Nymphadora said happily. Ignoring Harriet's murderous face.
"Yeah, she is so agile. I have never seen someone flying like that," Heidi the girl with short brown hair said, and many freckles said, smiling.
"Yep! And look, she looks so adorable with the uniform!" Tamsin, a girl of dark complexion, long curly hair, and incredible hazel eyes, said.
"Indeed, she looks like a cuddling beaver!" Heidi said.
"私はあなたのすべてを破壊します。また、これは翻訳されており、文法については申し訳ありません。" Harriet muttered as if her main goal was to blow up, and then act like she knows nobody.
"Wait, is she speaking in Japanese?" Malcolm asked, baffled.
"Yeah, don't worry, she does that sometimes. She sometimes, even speaks in German, is cute."
The Quidditch team stared at Nymphadora, who was smiling all innocently while Harriet seemed ready to commit a crime.
"Well, good luck! And be careful out there!" Nymphadora yelled as the door opened to the roar of the audience.
I think you should be the one taking care of yourself. They all thought as they saw Harriet, furious eyes.
"Welcome to this Quidditch game! This is it, folks! We are approaching at the end of this Quidditch season, and ready for the finals! If Hufflepuff wants to have any chance to take the Quidditch House Cup, they must win four games in a row in order to face Slytherin in the finals! But if they lose, this one, well, is over for them!"
The public roared as they all saw the new member of the Hufflepuff team.
"And look what we have here! It is the Girl-Who-lived! The troll killer and the youngest Seeker in history! Harriet Potter!"
They all roared at her, but Harriet seemed rather annoyed more than anything.
"THAT'S MY DAUGTHER! MY BABY!"
"GO GET THEM, HARRIET! KICK THEIR ARSES!"
"YOU CAN DO IT, SWEETIE, WE LOVE YOU!"
Harriet slowly turned to face the people who betray her, the ones responsible for her being there. Her family. The moment James heard about Nymphadora's attempts to get her to play four games of Quidditch, he did whatever he could in order to allow her to play. And thankfully, many wanted to avoid another Slytherin victory. Since even professor, McGonagall was tired of the snakes winning every year.
"Oh, it seems Harriet is still angry with us," Lily said, smiling.
"Really? I don't see it," James said, keeping a big, goofy grin.
"Bah, she will like it! Don't you think Remus?" Sirius said.
"Ah, well… she does look rather… uncomfortable," Remus said.
"Nah! She is alright! She is ready to kick some ass!" Sirius said.
Next to them, Amelia Bones and Dorcas Meadowes only stared at each other for a brief moment and giggled.
"And here, I thought you wouldn't come, Amelia," the dark-skinned beauty said.
"And miss this? Never."
"Besides, watching Harriet wearing the Hufflepuff Quidditch uniform is a rather pleasant view… especially since she is going against Gryffindor. Does it hurt, James? That your daughter is playing in my house? And she will take the lions off the tournament?" Amelia smirked, teasing James, who huffed. Lily only smiled at the childish faces of her husband.
James and Sirius scoffed. "Lucky Hufflepuff."
"The game is about to begin! Are we about to see another miracle from the Girl-Who-Lived, or a failure?! Let's find out, shall we!"
Harriet stared at the field and wondered why was destiny against her. It was such a sad existence, truly.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Fred said while flying near her.
"A small child, playing an adult game!" George said.
Now, Harriet glared at them. "Who are you calling a child?" She said, offended.
"Well, you!" Both twins replied. "You're a child, a cute little girl! This is an extreme game, that only brave people! And handsome people can play!"
"And what does that supposed to mean?" She hissed.
"Well, we doubt you are any good, so why do just fly over there… with the rest of the kids, and let us adult play and win this game?" The twins teased.
Harriet now was angrier. Oh, ho ho ho! They didn't just say that! Do they want me to play their stupid game?! I will play their stupid game! She thought as she gripped her broom.
"You know, I may hate Quidditch… but there is something else I hate more than Quidditch," Harriet said, as she sharpened her senses.
"Oh, and what could that be?" the twins asked, as their smile stopped when they saw the complete face devoid of emotions from Harriet, as she was practically staring at their souls.
"Losing," Harriet said.
"And the game… begin!"
Harriet didn't just fly, she practically disappeared. Her small body gave her the advantage, as everyone watched how the young girl practically danced in the air at such a speed, in such a short time, that they were wondering what was happening. She was like a ghost, a specter of sorts. Harriet wasn't cheating or using one of her abilities. Not really. Harriet didn't like playing dirty when it was a game. It takes the excitement of it. Yet, it was that her senses were so sharped by just her unnatural being. That it was as if she could see things at a different time. But then it stopped as the entire population of Hogwarts saw what was Harriet holding in her hand.
"I won."
They saw how she was holding the Golden Snitch in her hand. And the entire stadium, which was not even five seconds ago cheering and roaring, was completely silent.
"Ah… uh… what?! Two and a half seconds?! This… This is the fastest game of Quidditch in history! Ladies and gentleman, trolls, and fairies and bloody hell, who cares! Hufflepuff wins! Holy Merlin's saggy balls!"
Then everything erupted in chaos as they were all chanting her name. Harriet wouldn't admit it, but she enjoyed the cheering. Harriet smiled proudly while holding what Harriet would call the golden flying ball. She landed and watched her team, family, friends, and other people approaching her. Harriet even saw her father crying while Lily just sighed, holding her childish husband. Harriet groaned and ignored it. Or try to. Her father's voice was loud.
"A world record… my baby girl… a Quidditch world record," James said, crying.
"Yeah, yeah, let it all out," Lily said, patting her husband in the back, while he was hugging her as if was the last thing she would do.
"That was bloody amazing!" The Quidditch team said as they all approached her. Harriet smiled arrogantly as she waves it off.
"It was! Holy mother of sweet Merlin!"
"I told you! She is the best!" Nymphadora said while hugging and kissing Harriet's cheeks.
"Can we keep her?! Can we?!"
Harriet panicked and while she enjoyed the attention. She did not want to be part of the Quidditch team.
"Ah, sorry! But I can't. After all, what would Cedric say?!" Harriet said anxiously.
"Hey, it's fine for me!" Cedric, who was still wearing an arm cast, said, smiling. "After that, how should I compare to you?! Don't worry about me, I can take the chaser position next year, or a beater."
"What?! No, no, no!" Harriet wailed panicked.
"Yes, say hurrah for our new seeker!"
"Wait?! Mom, dad! Professor McGonagall! Tell them is not possible! Headmaster?!" Harriet was so panicked that even try to use her puppy eyes in Dumbledore, who stared at her with shiny eyes. She also noticed McGonagall taking money from Severus Snape with a big smile. Were they betting on me?!
"Professor Sprout?!"
"Say, hurrah for our new seeker!" The woman said as everyone threw Harriet in the air.
"Hurrah!"
"Harriet! Harriet! Harriet!"
Harriet was so stunned that she felt her soul leaving her body and simply gave up.
The end of the year came, and Harriet was just completely tired. She thought school would be fresh with new air, and while it was. It seemed it also became a sort of new trouble and challenge. Yet, she has learned a lot, quite a lot. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling of something more awaits her. Hufflepuff house, of course, won the Quidditch House Cup, because, well, Harriet just allowed her frustration to build up. And ended up repeating the miracle three more times. But sadly, she was now on the cover of one of Quidditch's most important magazines.
An 11-Year-Old could do what Roderick Plumpton couldn't! A four-time Snitch catch at the beginning of the match! And now, the Girl-Who-Lived holds the fastest Snitch catch in the world. At a whopping 1.9 seconds! Could this mean the birth of a Quidditch Super Star?! Many teams are willing to scout the girl with the prospect of a bright future for the young witch! And a lot of Galleons are out for her! Since having the Savior of the Wizarding World as their start-up Seeker would surely make any team popular! Let's keep an eye out!
Harriet's eyebrow twitched at the magazine. "This is… bad." She said, but she just sighed. Harriet was too tired to argue anymore. She just accepted her misfortune with open arms.
Also, there was a certain item Harriet got as a Christmas present. A strange and incredible Christmas present.
Harriet stared at it.
"An invisibility cloak, interesting."
Harriet whispered while staring at the mythic item in her hands.
Harriet, this has been with our family for generations… this is one of our legacies. One family heirloom. My father gave it to me, and his father to him. And now, is yours.
Harriet recalled all those words from her father. And wondered if there was more to it.
"The Master of Death!" — 1/3 Items!
"Master of Death, what could it mean?" Harriet wondered. Still. She has now one of three, and she would obtain the other two one way or another. If this is one of the Master of Death items, and it's from my family. Then, the other two must be linked to a family close to mine? Or something else?
"I will see what else you are hiding from me," Harriet whispered at the cloak, as she got it into her trunk.
"Harriet, we are ready to leave!" Susan said while Hannah was waiting for her as well.
"Yeah, I am going."
Harriet said as she brought her trunk with her. They walked to the entrance, where the rest were waiting for her. And Harriet smiled.
"Sorry for making you all wait."
They all smiled. "Don't worry, we are always going to wait for you," Neville said.
"I know, still, thank you."
"The year went by quite fast, right?" Hannah said.
"Indeed, one day Harriet passed out, the other day she killed a troll. Another one she became a Quidditch super star, and also the number one student of Hogwarts and sole responsible of Hufflepuff winning the house cup. You gained a lot of points to your house," Blaise said, smiling.
"I still think it was rigged," Tracey said, amused.
"I had to admit… Gryffindor never stood a chance," Hermione said.
"Really, Dumbledore gave her points for breathing," Neville said with a teasing smile.
"Shut up, none of you breathe like I do," Harriet said, smirking.
"And fifty points to Harriet Potter for showing us an amazing Quidditch game!" Susan said, faking Dumbledore's voice.
"Another fifty points to Harriet Potter, for eating four plates of pancakes!" Tracey added, also faking Dumbledore's voice. Harriet rolled her eyes, but she had to admit that, that at the end of the year, Dumbledore was giving her points left and right. Perhaps he was trying to get into her good side? Harriet wasn't sure yet.
"He did give her points for that eating pie contest at Christmas," Hermione pointed out.
"I ate 59 pies, Hermione. That deserves a hundred points or more," Harriet said, offended.
"She deserves more," Daphne whispered.
"Oi mate! is she drinking watah, innit?! A MILLION POINTS FOR HARRIEEE POTTAH!" Tracey said with a funny accent.
Harriet smiled at the fake voices. There was a sense of enjoyment she would never get tired of, and it was that these kids were, honestly, the best things that had ever happened to her.
"Buh!" Nymphadora yelled, making Harriet squeal.
"Nymphadora, Stop tickling me! You're very sneaky!" Harriet said smiling, at Nymphadora's tickles. As the third-year old student only embraced her tightly, while laughing. "You're like a cat or something, always creeping out on people trying to scare them. No wonder why people are always careful around you." Nymphadora gave a gentle smile but showed a big canine.
"Cat?! Nah, I am more of a… wolf person," Nymphadora winked.
Harriet smiled, watching the great Castle in the distance while getting ready to get into her carriage.
"Did you enjoy Hogwarts?" Neville asked her.
"I did, a great deal, actually. But I hope next year, things are calmer," Harriet said as she entered the carriage.
"Yeah, I would like a quiet year too," Hermione said.
"Oh, yeah, Hermione, you're invited this summer to our lodge in Spain. We are going to enjoy our vacations there," Harriet said, smiling. In the face of disbelief from the bushy girl.
"Spain?!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Yep, beach, sun, and more!"
"I would love it!"
"Good, also try to buy a cute swimsuit!"
"Harriet in a swimsuit," Daphne whispered.
Harriet giggled as she stared at the castle one more time. And even though her time there was great, all things considered. Her mind strolled to other things. I must search for Nazarick… it has to be somewhere. Harriet thought, unaware that perhaps her search was closer than she thought.