CHAPTER TWENTY
The issue with spending so much time training in the early morning with three deities, was that Harry felt she hadn't gotten enough sleep, especially when Druella and Ophelia woke her unceremoniously. One of them had stuck their arm into her bed and used a bright Lumos to wake her, causing Harry to jump almost three feet into the air, her covers flying onto the floor. They then marched her to the bathroom, with a new uniform selected for her while she grumbled feeble death threats at them.
"Harry Evans, sleeping only in a jumper? Shame on you! A lady does not leave her bottom uncovered!" Walburga had scolded as she dragged Harry in a manner akin to a naughty child all the way to the showers and closed the bathroom door behind her.
"Oh for goodness' sake, I am wearing underwear, woman!" Harry had protested feebly.
"You usually sleep in a nightgown anyway. Why were you sleeping in a jumper?" Ophelia asked on the other side of the bathroom door as Harry let out a jaw-breaking yawn and turned on the shower.
Harry pondered on whether she should just make an excuse, or to tell her friends the truth. But then again with their Legilimency practise, they were likely to found out anyway sooner or later. "Erm … I couldn't sleep," Harry decided to keep her secrets to herself for a little while longer. "I went for a walk and I kind of couldn't be bothered to change."
"Nightmares again?" Ygraine asked through the door.
"For once no," Harry replied truthfully. "I just couldn't get to sleep."
"Well, let's get you down to breakfast. We have Potions first; we can't have Slughorn worrying if you are going to fall asleep in your cauldron as well as fretting when Bletchley is going to cause another explosion," Walburga said crisply.
Harry rolled her eyes. She took a shorter shower than normal, dried herself off, dressed and allowed Walburga to follow her with a brush and spray for her hair. The girls set off to breakfast, joined on the way by Orion who walked in between his future wife and the home-schooled witch who he already considered a close friend.
"Did you manage to do it?" Orion asked in a conspiratorial whisper.
Harry, despite being tired, immediately knew what he meant and smirked. "Of course."
Orion laughed. "I am not even going to ask how you managed it. I can't wait to see the results."
"Results of what?" Walburga asked curiously.
"Harry's revenge on Riddle," Orion answered, a skip in his step. "It is definitely something no one will see coming! I daresay that it may even take Loreley Malfoy by surprise."
The girls looked to Harry expectantly but all they got was a grin and a wink. Harry was not going to spoil the surprise, and though they were a little put out, Druella, Walburga, Ophelia and Ygraine contented themselves that they would find out eventually. It kept them happy enough to go to join War and Bletchley without glaring too much at Riddle and his friends.
Harry and Orion joined Artemis, Loreley, Minerva and their Gryffindor friends who were already in enthusiastic discussion about whether Slytherin and Hufflepuff would get a re-do since their match had been unceremoniously disrupted by trespassing Dementors. At that thought, Harry made her coffee a little too strong by accident but she definitely needed the extra kick.
"Hey Harry if-"
"-Slytherin and Hufflepuff-"
"-get a rematch do you-"
"-think you will be commentator again?"
Harry sighed. Septimus and Octavius were way too chipper for this early morning! "I don't know," Harry admitted. "I think Professor Dumbledore doesn't want to get another heart attack from me again!"
The Gryffindors chuckled.
"But you were really good," Minerva stated matter-of-factly. "Besides, it is up to Headmaster Dippet if you get another go or not."
"I think I will only do it if Orion agrees to do it with me this time," Harry answered, looking at her friend with a sly glint in her eyes that made Orion pale.
"But my position-" he began to protest.
"Orion, you have never let your position get in the way of something you find fun!" Harry pointed out. "If your father really makes that much fuss over a bloody Quidditch game, he clearly has no life. It should be up to you, not him."
Orion had looked momentarily shocked, and then he remembered this was the unconventional Lady Harry Evans-Peverell. He smiled at her fondly. "I will think about it."
"I think you two would make an excellent duo," Artemis nodded approvingly.
Loreley hummed in agreement.
"Careful, Artemis, before Walburga Black hears you say that and hexes you into next week," one of the other Gryffindors teased.
Harry tried to tune the world out as she focused on eating her breakfast. It was just as she finished her crumpet a paper bird landed in front of her in the shape of a sparrow hawk. She was rather taken aback because it had appeared from nowhere. Her friends were just as surprised. Dazed, Harry held her hand out for the paper bird and almost as soon as she touched it, it unfurled.
Harry,
I know you have no reason to talk to me anymore after what I have done to you. You can hate me all you want; Merlin knows I hate myself. I should have given you the time and space to tell your side of the story. If you will allow me to, I want to meet at the Black Lake during lunch. There is a pretty grove there that is out of public view because what I want to tell you … is rather private.
If you agree to meet me, send the note up into flames. If you never want to speak to me again, crumple it.
Awaiting your reply,
Nott.
Harry could tell from the ink this had been penned way before breakfast. She could also feel the remorse dancing from the letters, and perhaps an amount of desperation. Harry would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't curious.
"What is it, Harry?" Artemis asked, trying to get a sneak peek but was immediately pulled away by Septimus Weasley, who gave her a pointed look.
"Nothing," Harry lied dismissively as she weighed her options.
Probably against her better judgment, she raised her eyes to look directly at where Riddle and his Knights were sitting. Like a lot of people who had seen the bird fly into the Hall, they were watching her with mixed expressions. But it was Nott's that she was drawn to: hopeful and sad. The expression in those eyes had killed what little resistance Harry had to meet him.
She had her fun with Nott by putting him in mock danger. She would not torment him further. Promptly Harry tore her eyes away from Nott, conjured a fireproof bowl and set the letter alight with, to her surprise and everyone else's, blue fire. She had wanted to see Nott's face for his reaction but decided against it before it aroused suspicion with Riddle and the others.
Harry didn't get much time to ponder over it further as everyone set off for their first lessons of the day. Before Harry set off with Minerva, Artemis and Orion, Loreley caught her arm and leant close to her ear.
"You made the correct choice," Loreley told her in a low voice.
Harry nodded once gratefully and followed her friends to Potions. Artemis and Orion looked like they were dying to ask Harry what that was about but refrained from doing so, mostly because Minerva had been giving them a very stern look. Plus it helped that Druella, Walburga, Ophelia and Ygraine joined the group and steered the conversation towards betting how long it would take Bletchley to blow up the millionth cauldron in her Hogwarts career.
Harry soon felt like syphoning some of that Orion bouncy energy because as she and Artemis took their seats, Professor Slughorn announced they would be doing a spot of reading first before doing any brewing because their potion was going to be quite difficult, it was the Veritaserum Antidote that they would be brewing that day, and the reading was required.
"Books out everyone!" Slughorn stated jovially, clapping his hands together once in enthusiasm. "Turn to chapter three if you please. Who would like to start?"
No surprises, Tom raised his hand. Just as Harry had hoped.
Harry had to bite the inside of her cheek quite hard to stop herself from laughing in glee.
The Potions professor's face lit up even more, if that was even possible. "Ah, Tom! Yes, why don't you start us off?"
Riddle opened his book and cleared his throat and Harry began praying to any deity that would listen she would be able to keep a straight face. "Some mothers might have encouraged the intimacy from motives of interest, for Edward Ferrars was the eldest son of a man who had died very rich; and some might have repressed it from motives of prudence, for, except a trifling sum, the whole of his fortune depended on the will of his mother. But Mrs. Dashwood was alike uninfluenced by either consideration. It was enough for her that he appeared to be amiable, that he loved her daughter, and that Elinor returned the partiality. It was contrary to every doctrine of hers that difference of fortune should keep any couple asunder who were attracted by resemblance of disposition-"
It was only then Riddle tailed off and went very bright red in the face. The Gryffindors were struggling to stay in their seats from laughter. Orion looked like he would need a respirator because he was panting so much from laughter and struggling to get air back in his lungs. Druella, Walburga, Ophelia and Ygraine were full on gaping and giggling. Nott was biting his lip to stop himself from laughing. Lestrange hid a smirk behind his hand. The other Slytherins looked shocked, and the Knights were apoplectic.
Slughorn blinked. "Oh dear. Tom, I think you might have mistakenly brought your copy of Sense and Sensibility to class, dear boy."
Riddle went redder than a fresh strawberry in about five seconds flat.
"I do not-" Riddle was set to protest.
To his horror, the Head of Slytherin House beamed at him.
"That is quite all right, Tom, I am not angry! I enjoy some Austen now and again myself. She has a beautiful way with words, does she not?" Slughorn sighed whimsically, which just made people laugh even more at Riddle's undisguised embarrassment. "Right, everyone take a moment to compose yourselves. We will try that again. Who wishes to read this time?"
This time, Minerva stuck up her hand.
Since apparently this was rare, Professor Slughorn's eyes danced. "Ah, Miss McGonagall, let's try you. I wonder if you too have a surprise in store for us. Maybe some Charles Dickens?"
Minerva smiled weakly as she began to read. Nope, Minerva's book was absolutely and completely fine, almost to the Potions' professor's disappointment. Of course, it was fine. Harry couldn't sneak into Gryffindor Tower without the password. Besides, Minerva had done nothing to wrong her. As Harry made notes as Minerva read, she now and again snuck a peek at Riddle's expression.
The baby Dark Lord was still red in the face and his burgundy eyes were positively glowing with rage. Back in her own time, Harry would have been absolutely terrified at seeing that because it meant a huge body count was about to happen. Now, all it gave her was some very sadistic satisfaction, and she went back to cheerfully taking her notes.
By some miracle, Bletchley did not explode a cauldron this lesson. She melted one instead, which was in Harry's far better by a mile. Slughorn did almost go and weep in a corner though, mourning yet another dearly departed cauldron. As the Gryffindors and the Slytherins headed to Transfiguration together, Harry and her friends caught wind of Riddle's conversation with his Knights.
"What in Morgana's name is with that book?"
"Tom, why aren't you more careful when you pick your Glamours for your books? I didn't know you even liked Austen," Mulciber commented stupidly.
"I don't! Someone has done this to my book!" Riddle hissed.
"Did you try to undo the spell?" Avery asked gently.
"Multiple times! It is refusing to change back," Tom snapped. "Someone has taken Black's collection and enchanted my books to become them."
Harry didn't hear the rest as she, Artemis, Orion, and Minerva took their seats away from the hissing and whispering Slytherins. Orion and Artemis still could not keep an entirely straight face but were forced to when Professor Dumbledore, who today was dressed in dandelion coloured robes with sunflower designs, gave them some strange looks. His frown had also ceased the whispering of Riddle and his group.
As Dumbledore began the lesson on animating objects, such as pieces on a chess board, and thus commenced the next brawl between baby Voldemort and his teacher, Harry switched her brain off for a bit and decided to try and focus on the life forces she could sense around the castle. She could sense her own familiar hunting on the roof, Seraphina and Sigyn out in the grass, owls coming in and out of the Owlery … and something huge and sentient living down in the depths of the castle, which made Harry open her eyes in a flash.
Oh no. How could she have forgotten about the damn Basilisk?! Well, at least it was in the Chamber and not out on the prowl for a victim, which was better than – well – a dead body and more Petrified students.
Harry didn't get to try again, because Minerva gave her a small nudge in the ribs with her elbow, thinking Harry was dozing off in class. Harry smiled gratefully at Minerva, who simply rolled her eyes but smirked a little at the fact there was very little annoyance put into the eyeroll. Minerva was just as tired of Dumbledore and Riddle's constant battles as the rest of the class was.
Eventually, before he could tear his beard off his face in frustration, Dumbledore clapped his hands together once. "As you probably have gathered, my girls and boys, our subject for today is quite advanced, so we will do some reading together to make sure everyone understands what they are doing."
Harry had to force herself not only not to laugh, but to look to Riddle and his mini Dark Lord, fuming, had taken out his book and opened them. His expression must have been memory worthy because the next thing she heard Dumbledore say was, "everything all right, Mr. Riddle, is there a problem?"
"Yes, sir," Riddle answered crisply. "I seem to have brought the wrong book to class."
"Oh, but the cover is exactly right! What makes you say that?" the eccentric Transfiguration teacher went over to check for himself, frowning, picking up the book. His face positively lit up when he read it. "Ho, ho! Little Women, if I am not mistaken. Disguised as a textbook; how ingenious! Impressive work, as usual, Tom. I daresay that earns you three points to Slytherin."
"Sir, the book isn't mine!" Riddle protested quite desperately at this point, which made Harry pray to any deity who would listen that she wouldn't start laughing until her ribs began to crack. Orion and Artemis were nearly on the floor and even Minerva was struggling to not giggle out loud. The other Gryffindors were unabashedly chortling. They had never seen Riddle be so embarrassed twice in one day!
Dumbledore tutted, eyes twinkling madly. "Tom, the story is very heart-warming. I know it isn't, how do the children say these days, 'done' to have Muggle books in Slytherin, but you shouldn't allow yourself to be shamed."
That killed Harry's resolve immediately. She laughed so hard she was almost crying and had accidentally knocked both her books and Minerva's books to the floor! Indeed Minerva had to make sure she didn't fall off the chair. Riddle turned even redder than before; tomatoes would have been very much jealous of that nice shade of ruby.
Dumbledore, surprising everyone, asked Nott to read after the Gryffindor side was allowed a moment to compose themselves.
"Morgana's lacy black dresses, Riddle looks bloody murderous," Septimus whispered from the desk behind Harry and Minerva.
Harry checked. Yep, those burgundy eyes were now glowing blood red. Murderous was the correct adjective. She pushed it aside though and decided to concentrate on the spell she had suspected was the basis for McGonagall's magical chessboard in her first year and the creation of wizard chess. Plus, Harry had no idea what yesterday's training had done to her magic, but getting the chess pieces to come to life when needed had been all too easy.
In fact, by the end of the lesson, Harry and Minerva were playing a few rounds of chess with their pieces acting perfectly, much to Dumbledore's delight.
"Excellent work, girls! Miss McGonagall, take ten points to Gryffindor. Miss Evans, ten points to Slytherin."
Everyone in the room had stared at him almost in shock. Had Dumbledore just been fair to a Slytherin? As if the old codger could not surprise them further, when Artemis and Orion's chess pieces had started bashing each other around the head in frustration, Dumbledore had chuckled and given them both five points for creative use of magic.
"I think Dumbledore has been replaced by a changeling," Orion had commented, looking still utterly flummoxed, as they group went to enjoy their hour of free time in the library. Riddle and his before friends set off for their Arithmancy class, glaring daggers at anyone who still looked remotely amused.
The hour in the library passed almost with no time at all, mostly because the group were working on their homework and assignments with gusto. The friends did leave the library ten minutes early to make sure they could make their lessons. Artemis left for her Care of Magical Creatures lesson looking very pleased with her homework, Orion and Minerva left for Ancient Runes and Harry was soon joined by Loreley, coming from her Intermediate Arithmancy lesson to go to Herbology. Nott and Lestrange, who had come from Ancient Runes (apparently there were so many students in the class the timetables had to be juggled about to fit them all in), followed closely behind.
"He thinks it's Orion," Loreley had stated matter-of-factly as they made their way to the greenhouses. "Riddle; he suspects Orion of having Glamoured the books on your behalf."
"Riddle had better keep his mitts off Orion if he knows what's good for him," Harry responded ominously. "I am at this point seconds away from bribing the kelpies in the Lake with apple pie to give him a nasty shock."
"No need. Tom Riddle will not act," Loreley informed dreamily. "Dolohov on the other hand …"
"Guess I need to give him another scare soon," Harry stated as the girls took their seats at the back table. Nott shot Harry a small smile as he and Lestrange went to the front of the class.
Professor Griffith's lesson was on Floo, which was also the core ingredient for the Floo Powder, no surprises there. Harry had once said she didn't know enough in Herbology to know how to use the flowers of the Floo plant, but she was determined to change that. She and Loreley worked in complete silence, meticulously extracting the Floo extracts from the bud of the flower, according to Ignatia Wildsmith's instructions in front of them. A few Hufflepuffs, and Nott, almost had some accidents during their extraction processes but Professor Griffith saved them before anything could happen.
Best thing was, he wasn't angry or didn't start belittling his students. He gave them a small telling off and then told them to watch him demonstrate it to them again. Harry decided Professor Griffith was easily one of her favourites of her 1940s teachers. She positively preened when she got the marks back from several of his essays. Two Os and an EE. Loreley scored Os all around, unsurprisingly.
When it was time for lunch, Harry went down towards the Black Lake; Loreley had given her a knowing smile before setting off to the Great Hall. Harry eventually settled down near the tree she had been sitting under during her fourth year when she was spending time with Neville due to Ron and Hermione practically abandoning her along with the rest of the school. Harry looked out over the lake, watching some merpeople jump out from the lake, screeching in laughter. Harry couldn't resist smiling.
She heard the sound of dry wood snap behind her and Harry turned around in an instant, hand near her wand and her magic practically humming, ready for a fight. She relaxed a jot when she saw Nott look rather sheepish. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," he apologised awkwardly. He cleared his throat. "I see you know which grove I was referring to."
"You wanted to talk," Harry stated matter-of-factly. "Talk."
Nott smiled weakly. "Yes, I suppose I deserve that," he said as he sat next to, but not too close to, Harry. Nott sighed. "When you fainted, after saving the entire school, I realised I didn't want our last conversation-"
"Argument," Harry corrected crisply.
"Yes," Nott agreed, "argument, to be our last interaction. The idea that you could have died and I could have explained but didn't …"
Nott swallowed and took a deep breath. "I should have let you explain. I should have also known you would have a very reasonable explanation for hiding who you really are, given that as you said yourself, Dark Lords love hunting you and your family. But when Arc told me who you really are, I let anger cloud my judgement and all common sense went flying out of the window."
"Because I didn't tell you?" Harry guessed, brow furrowing a little.
"I was hurt by that, I will admit, but no, that wasn't the reason for the potent anger I admit I felt." Nott bowed his head as though he were praying for strength before lifting his gaze to meet hers. "I … have siblings. Half-siblings."
Harry's eyes widened in an instant. "Illegitimate?" she asked in a whisper.
Nott nodded slowly. "Only Arcturus knows, and now you," Nott chuckled coldly. "My parents' marriage was one that was arranged, like most pureblood marriages. My mother is a Macmillan and my grandparents back in the day were trying to cement an alliance with that family. The Macmillans had a great deal of influence in the Wizengamot that my grandparents wanted to capitalise on. The Macmillans had a beautiful daughter, and they had my father. It was perfect, to them at least." Nott took a fortifying breath. "My father objected multiple times to the match, and never disguised the fact he hated he had to marry my mother against his will. As such, he would show his displeasure … by having mistresses. None of them were serious until Anne Underwood came along."
Nott stopped for a moment; Harry stayed as silent and as still as possible, as though the slightest sound or move could scare Nott away.
"My father started disappearing more and more, leaving my mother constantly wondering where he was. She was worried sick about him, if you can believe it. But then two years ago, my father's mistress gave birth to my half-brother on Yule day. That was when my father was forced to come clean. My mother was hysterical the whole day; she already has a fragile disposition. It's why most people, like Dolohov, thinks she's a little mad." Nott scoffed and shook his head. "I thought that one bastard would be the end of it, but not too long after Underwood gave birth again. This time, to a girl. A boy and a girl, like my father always wanted."
Harry sighed, her breath quivering slightly. "Shit."
"Exactly," Nott agreed with a half chuckle.
Harry had no idea what to say until she simply felt the words come to her. Artemis and the others knew her little back story; Nott had now earned the right too. "My mother had no idea who Fleamont Potter was. She was a Muggleborn witch who grew up in Europe, so naturally the name Potter was known but she had never met him. She didn't find out until later in their … liaison. She had known him to be engaged and knew it wasn't personal; it was just the way it was. Mama fled back to Europe, taking her little secret with her. Then, just before she began to show she bumped into some old school chums of hers: James Peverell and his friends, Sirius, Remus and Peter."
Nott's eyes widened as he listened. Harry continued. "In order to protect himself, Mama and me, James took my mother's name when they married and then as quickly as the law permitted blood adopted me. They eventually told me the truth that I had 'two papas' when I was seven, but I never once stopped thinking of James as my father, my real father."
"So, Fleamont doesn't even know you exist!" Nott exclaimed. "Artemis … she really was shocked. So … none of the Potters knew!"
"And I don't want them to," Harry stated, nodding. "Artemis has sworn to protect my secret, because if they ever find out … Fleamont might come looking for me."
Nott looked at her in bewilderment. "You truly don't want to be Fleamont's daughter, do you?"
"Never," Harry affirmed. "James and Lily are my parents. That will never change."
"Wow … I think I understand where you are coming from, but still … wow," Nott sighed, laughing shortly. "Not many people would think like you do, you know. If Fleamont ever finds you, his family will insist on him bringing you into the fold. As his only child at present, that makes you valuable to them."
"I don't care," Harry scoffed. "It maybe sounds hypocritical, but I refuse to pretend to be something I am not because someone wants me to be. I don't want to be a Potter."
Yes, the irony was not lost on Harry with that statement.
"You could still have a father, though, despite James being gone," Nott pointed out. "Fleamont does have some parental responsibility for you by law. My father … takes his seriously, especially because he favours his mistress over Mother and me."
Nott looked very dark at this point. Harry put a hand on his elbow and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Harry smirked slightly. "Families, am I right?" she said in a light, teasing tone.
Nott smirked back for a moment. "Yeah, families," he agreed, ducking his head slightly. "Sometimes they are too much trouble than they are worth."
Harry chuckled.
"May I ask you a question?" Nott looked a little nervous as he raised his eyes to meet hers again.
"Fire away," Harry replied.
"Your father James – did his family know you were not his biological daughter?"
Harry blinked for a moment and smiled sadly. At least she could tell the truth here too. "They died before I was born. Papa was an only child. They had him late and spoilt him rotten, according to Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus."
Nott nodded, absorbing this information. "Thank you. For telling me."
"Thank you for telling me your side too," Harry answered. "I mean, I guess I must have reminded you of your own … siblings."
"It sounds utterly stupid and childish, but yes," Nott admitted, looking quite ashamed of himself. "It just … really hurts, you know. To know your father hates you and loves the children who can't inherit even his walnut grove!"
Harry smiled sadly and then lit up and jumped to her feet. "Come on. Let's go and have a spot of lunch."
Nott's eyes widened. "But Riddle and the others … they still think I am angry with you. If we go in the Great Hall together-"
"Which is why to protect you we will just go down to the kitchens. You will leave first and I will leave a little later afterwards," Harry explained, her eyes dancing with mischief.
Nott regarded her for a moment as though this were the moment he truly saw Harry for who she was. That winning grin spread onto his face. "It wasn't Orion Black who switched Tom's books, was it?" he stated slyly.
"My lips are sealed," Harry responded with a satisfied grin.
Nott got to his feet, laughing and shaking his head. "You're bloody unbelievable!"
"Why thank you, Heir Nott! Wish I could say the same."
"Hey! Low blow, my Lady!"
Harry and Nott chatted about anything and nothing on the way back to the castle – Nott had even gallantly offered Harry his arm as they climbed the hill back up. On the way to the kitchens, Nott informed Harry of how miserable Avery was during Quidditch practise because Lament was so damn slow and War and Bletchley were only just doing precisely enough to rebel but still do what they were told to do.
As Harry tickled the badger's chin that was the entrance to the kitchens, she turned to Nott. "Do you know any weaknesses Oizys Avery might have?"
"Weaknesses?" Nott frowned. "Not that I know of. Why?"
"Revenge," Harry answered simply as the elves handed them a good amount of cheese sandwiches and salmon sandwiches.
"Well, I have no idea what you have planned but I once heard Avery tell Riddle and Lestrange that Oizys wasn't sleeping very well," Nott replied as he chomped down on a cheese sandwich. "Does that help?"
"Well, it is certainly worth remembering. Thanks, Nott."
"Altair."
Harry blinked. Nott smirked. "What?" she said in disbelief.
"Call me Altair," Nott- Altair clarified. "I have called you Harry often enough. I think you have the right to call me Altair."
Harry was elated but it was quelled a little by one realisation. "Only in private, though."
Altair smiled apologetically. "For now. I will try and think of something that will get the others to pull their heads out of their arses."
Harry barked in laughter. "Riddle needs surgery for that, my friend!"
Altair laughed too. As it was time to head to Defence, Altair left first and Harry waited a minute before leaving the kitchens as well, the chorus of elves calling a brief goodbye. Harry was quickly joined by Artemis, Orion, Minerva, Loreley, Druella, Walburga, Ophelia and Ygraine on the way to Defence. Riddle and his friends had shot her a quick, cold glare as she passed them to her seat; Harry guessed that meant Riddle and his friends were surprised with a dose of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein during Divination!
"Loreley says you and Nott spoke!" Artemis exclaimed in as quiet as tone as she could manage. "What did you guys talk about?"
"Artemis, really!" Minerva scolded as they entered the classroom and headed towards their seats on the Gryffindor side. "That is none of our business."
Artemis dropped the matter, mostly because Professor Merrythought swept into the room not so long afterwards. The stern Irish woman had her beady eyes on Harry. "We will be continuing with the Patronus Charm today. Miss Evans, if you are up to it, would you be so kind as to resume the role of teacher? But I would like to make a request that you do not use other students as incentives again, no matter how effective it is."
Harry gave a curt nod and joined the Defence teacher at the front. She had expected Professor Merrythought to not allow her to try that trick again. To be honest, Harry had already achieved what she wanted with that so had no need to use it again.
The class turned to Harry, quite eager to see who will be called to perform the Patronuses on this occasion. Harry cleared her throat. Good thing she had prepared for this eventuality. "We will begin with testing some people who didn't get to try the spell last time. This time, the aim will to be to force the Boggarts back into their boxes using your Patronuses. Then, I want to show you another aspect of the Patronus that not many people take into consideration: its role as a messenger."
To Harry's surprise – and everyone else's – Altair raised his hand. Harry had to focus on her anger for Riddle and Avery to stop herself from smiling. "Yes, Nott?"
"Messenger?" he asked, looking a little confused. "What do you mean?"
"The Patronus can be conjured and sent to someone," Harry explained. "You tell the Patronus what you want to communicate to the person in question and then the Patronus sets off to find this person to deliver the message. It is very handy if one ever finds oneself in a very sticky situation or cannot immediately get help. Any other questions?"
Septimus Weasley raised his hand almost instantly, as though he had been sitting on one he desperately wanted to know.
"Mr. Weasley?"
"Can the Patronus protect us from anything other than Dementors?" Septimus asked curiously.
"Not physically," Harry responded immediately. She picked up the chalk and started drawing a diagram on the board. "You see, the Patronus is the embodiment of one's happiness, which is the direct opposite of the Dementor, being the embodiment of despair. They are linked by laws of magic and nature. Now, if one were to cast a Patronus at a dragon or an Acromantula, something like this would happen."
Harry drew Prongs prancing around a very bewildered dragon and Moony around an Acromantula, bullying the giant spider. The class noted that Harry's little drawings were actually rather cute. With a wave of her hand, Harry animated her drawing to give a better simulation of what she was trying to explain. "Dragons and Acromantulas are not the perfect opposite of the Patronus. They are not dictated by emotions so fire a Patronus at one of them it will simply create a distraction, but one that could save your life. A physical affect the Patronus will not have on them, though."
"What's the point then of using it against a dragon or an Acromantula if it does nothing against them?" Dolohov sneered.
Harry turned her icy gaze onto him."Because sometimes you can escape a dangerous situation without having to maim, seriously injure or kill another living creature," she stated coolly. "Dragons and Acromantulas are living creatures, and they have capacity for feeling and intelligence. To hurt a creature – any creature – unnecessarily is objectively cruel."
"Acromantulas are just a bunch of stupid oversized arachnids!" Dolohov scoffed. "They don't have feelings or any intelligence. Even Nott has more intelligence than they do."
Nott glowered at him while Harry started chuckling rather menacingly. "I assure you that given the correct education, an Acromantula has the potential to learn human speech." Aragog was enough proof of that. "I advise you to start getting acquainted with the world, Mr. Dolohov, because otherwise you are in danger of your ignorance and your unwillingness to open your mind to be the death of you. Now," Harry clapped her hands together and plastered a smile on her face. "I believe we should get started. So, with that being said, who would like to try their hand at casting their Patronus?" she asked as she dragged forth the Boggart boxes.
"I will." Avery stood up from his seat and came to the front of the class.
"Ah, a volunteer! I hadn't expected that to be honest," Harry admitted with a small smirk and looked about the room. "Anyone else, or do I simply have to start picking?"
"I will give it a try," Loreley got up from her seat and skipped over to join Avery.
Harry grinned. Loreley must have volunteered for some reason; Harry couldn't wait to find out why. "OK, Mr. Avery and Miss Malfoy, do both of you already have a memory prepared or do you need a moment?" she asked.
"No, I have mine," Loreley reassured whimsically.
"So have I," Avery added.
Harry nodded. At least Avery looked like he was taking this seriously. "OK, then. Wands at the ready."
With a swish of her hand, the Boggart boxes opened and out floated Creepy One and Creepy Two, both extremely eager to be out of the boxes again. The Boggart-Dementors once more went straight for Harry, almost entirely ignoring the other two.
"Expecto Patronum!" Loreley and Avery chorused.
From Loreley's wand, out flew an elegant silvery swan that ruthlessly began to peck at the right hand Boggart-Dementor, almost bullying it back right into its box, which caused much amusement from around the room. As for Avery, he managed to produce a decent sized shield that his Boggart-Dementor struggled to get through, forcing the creature to slowly retreat back into its box. Harry couldn't deny that both displays were impressive as she closed the boxes on the Boggarts again with a grin.
"Fantastic work, both of you!" she stated. Loreley grinned and Avery looked pleased with himself. "Take your seats, and remember to take some chocolate. Who is next?"
Much to her own surprise, and everyone else's, Tom Riddle got up from his seat in an instant and walked to the front of the class, giving her a small smile. Almost hot on his heels, was Altair. Harry nearly laughed at his enthusiasm.
"Both of you ready?" she asked simply.
Riddle and Altair gave curt nods in affirmative. Without another word, Harry wandlessly and non-verbally opened the boxes and the Spooky Twins took the air once more; Harry had a sneaky suspicion the Boggarts were secretly rather enjoying themselves when they weren't being hit in the face with a Patronus Charm!
Both boys raised their wands at the approaching fakes, a determined glint in both their eyes. "Expecto Patronum!"
Much to the delight of Nott – and the utter horror of Dolohov, Mulciber and Malfoy – from his wand leapt a silvery golden jackal into the air, heading straight for the throat of the Boggart-Dementor. Comically enough, the Boggart decided it had enough and already noped out of there and back into its box the moment it saw a silvery creature head its way. Yep, it was safe to say it was getting very tired of getting attacked by corporeal Patronuses!
"Well done, Nott!" Harry cheered.
As for Riddle, to everyone's shock but not Harry's, the only thing he had managed to conjure was a shield that lasted for around a minute and didn't push the fake Dementor even an inch closer to its box. Harry swiftly called forth Prongs, who pushed Spooky One back into its box with his antlers. Once Spooky One had been secured, Harry turned to Riddle, who looked very resigned.
"What happened?" Harry asked simply, studying him. She had a very good idea what was wrong – Riddle had very little happy memories growing up in Wools' Orphanage and had experimented with some of the Darkest magic in their world. That was bound to have some consequences on his ability to perform Light Magic.
Riddle shook his head. "I don't know," he answered. "I have been practising the spell," he admitted. "But every time it is the same result."
Harry nodded ponderingly. "Which memory did you choose?"
Riddle sighed. "I know what you are going to say, Miss Evans. It isn't good enough."
Harry clicked her tongue. "Perhaps, but I would like to know all the same."
Riddle took a deep breath, steeling his own resolve. "The day that Professor Dumbledore came to the orphanage where I live and told me that I am a wizard and was accepted at Hogwarts," he answered.
Harry remembered that memory all too well. Dumbledore telling Tom about magic and Tom challenging him to prove it. Dumbledore had set his wardrobe on fire – on fire! Harry's blood boiled at the thought of doing that to any eleven-year-old boy, no matter who they were. But under the fear, young Riddle's eyes had danced with something close to happiness.
Close to.
Harry shook herself out of her train of thought. "I see. You were made aware of your heritage."
"Exactly," Riddle whispered. "I thought I had none. I thought I was just a freak as I was told time and time again; for them to be proven wrong … it was the best day of my life."
Harry felt a pang of sympathy. She knew exactly how that felt – Hagrid busting the door of that shack and giving the Dursleys a fright had been one of the best memories she had – but she couldn't let it register. "I see. Well, I'm afraid, Mr. Riddle, to say that when it comes to the depth of the emotion you feel regarding that memory, it is not sufficient to protect you. Because, it doesn't make you happy enough."
Riddle didn't say anything to that, simply nodding in agreement.
"Don't you … have anything else?" Harry dared to ask.
Riddle scoffed to himself. "I thought I did … once. I just can't feel happiness easily."
"OK," Harry said gently. "Then if Professor Merrythought is in agreement, I think your personal homework should be to find something that makes your happy enough to conjure a Patronus before the Yule break."
Riddle's head snapped up in shock.
"Oh, I am in total agreement, Miss Evans," Professor Merrythought stated. "We cannot allow Tom to remain vulnerable, should he ever cross paths with a Dementor and no one is there is assist him."
Riddle momentarily looked set to protest but the teacher's pet in him made him hold his tongue. "Yes, ma'am," he stated obediently.
Harry watched Nott and Riddle take their seats. Rosier patted Nott on the back, grinning proudly, as did Avery. Dolohov glared daggers into Nott's back while Mulciber and Malfoy helped Riddle heal his wounded pride for a bit. Harry distracted herself by allowing Walburga and Ophelia, both of whom had struggled with their Patronuses, to try again when they asked to.
This time, Walburga almost managed a corporeal – Harry swore she had seen the outline of what looked like a snow leopard in the middle of the extensive shield her friend had conjured and used to force her fake back into the box. Ophelia's spell started off with a decent shield that was already doing decent work but eventually a silver kelpie had sprung from the middle of it and had whacked the Boggart back into the box with its tail. After their success, Harry called Mulciber and Loreley's brother to the front, both looking thunderous but they knew better than to disobey her.
"You know what to do," was all she said. Once they both nodded curtly in affirmative, she allowed the Boggarts out again.
Mulciber and Malfoy had raised their wands in unison. Clearly, they had been practising because their stance was actually kind of decent. Harry's motive had not been to humiliate them or make them scared this time; she was genuinely curious how they would manage.
"Expecto Patronum!"
Much to their own surprise and everyone else's, almost simultaneously a silver tiger shark swam forth through the air from Mulciber's wand, joined by the agile and terrifying dinosaur Patronus of Malfoy that Harry recognised as Deinonychus from one of Dudley's old dinosaur books that she had been permitted to steal from him since Dudley couldn't care less about history, reading or old creatures. However, no one else seemed to recognise what the dinosaur was and stared at the creature in shock. The deadly duo of the shark and dino had scared the fake Dementors so much that they had not only fled back into the box but the Boggarts themselves had locked themselves in and blatantly refused to come out when Professor Merrythought knocked on the boxes to try and coax them back out.
"Fantastic work!" Harry cheered, grinning at the two Knights. "You two clearly work together more often because I have not seen Patronuses work in sync that well for a while now."
"What in the name of Merlin, Morgana and all the fairies of Avalon did I conjure?!" Malfoy asked her in shock.
Harry then realised something. Shit, the idea of a dinosaur in the 40s was vastly different to the one in the 90s! The first Deinonychus skeleton would not be discovered until 1969! Why did Malfoy just have to have a Patronus that for some inexplicable reason was linked to a prehistoric creature that was yet to be discovered?!
Then, she remembered something Loreley had said. Malfoy had the Sight too, but wasn't as entuned as Loreley was apparently. Then another thought entered Harry's mind: what if Abraxas' Sight worked differently? Harry looked to Loreley – unsurprisingly, Loreley was grinning her butt off.
Harry laughed. "That was something called a dinosaur," she answered candidly. "Creatures who lived millions of years ago, long before the human race ever walked the planet. I have no idea why, but for some reason your Patronus decided to take the form of a carnivorous dinosaur."
Malfoy full on gaped at that information and stared at his own wand in disbelief. Mulciber dragged his friend back to their seats, where all the Knights were looking at Malfoy like he had decided to colour his hair pink.
Harry decided to move the lesson on. "Right: messenger Patronuses! Orion, may I ask you to be my glamourous assistant?"
Orion was up on his feet in an instant. Amused chuckles ran around the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws.
"I'll take that as a yes. OK, Orion what I would like you to do is find an empty classroom a few doors down, conjure your Patronus, talk to it and then send it to me," Harry instructed.
Orion was out of the door before Professor Merrythought or anyone else could say anything. There as a feeling of anticipation around the room as everyone awaited the appearance of Orion's silver dolphin Patronus. It was around a minute and a bit since Orion left when the silver dolphin came swimming rapidly through the walls and straight to Harry.
"Harry, I have no idea if you can hear me but I have just seen two first years crash into some trees! I don't think their flying lesson is going very well! Uh oh, Madam Burkhard does not look happy. Oh, Harry, I just saw Athenaïs hunting! Damn, that bird didn't stand a chance. Someone also forgot their textbook here and someone has graffitied the underside of this desk, and I think I can hear Peeves in the distance. Can I come back now?" the dolphin spoke in Orion's voice while dancing in front of Harry before disappearing.
Harry chuckled and summoned Moony this time and looked at her werewolf Patronus, who cocked his head at her. "Tell Orion that he may come back to class and that his message was received loud and clearly."
Moony disappeared in an instant. Not too long afterwards, in hollered Orion as though he were running for his life. Considering he said Peeves was closing in on him, it didn't surprise Harry one bit. The Gryffindors started clapping and cheering, much to his embarrassment.
Professor Merrythought chuckled and nodded. "Well done, Mr. Black! Masterful display. I think fifteen points to Slytherin are in order for that. Miss Evans, thirty points to Slytherin for teaching some very advanced magic to your peers and getting a great many of them to succeed. As promised, I will do a thorough evaluation and submit it as extra credit for your overall grade. As for homework, those of you who are able to cast the Patronus, you will practise sending messages to each other around the castle but not to the staff or during lessons!"
A few grumbles had sounded at that.
"For those of you who are still struggling with the Patronus, continue studying and remember what Miss Evans has taught you. I am sure if you need further assistance, she will be delighted to help," Professor Merrythought continued.
Harry gave a nod of assent. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good! I think that concludes our lesson on Dementors and the Patronus. Next lesson all of you are expected to read the chapters on Boggarts and – with the exception of Miss Evans – face your Boggart next lesson," Merrythought stated to a very terrified class. "That is if I can get these Boggarts to leave their boxes again," she grumbled. "Enjoy the rest of your day, everyone! I am very proud of all of you."
Orion practically skipped out of class with his friends following, shaking their heads. "We got forty-five points in one lesson!" he sang.
"Somehow," Minerva grumbled enviously. "I mean, Riddle's Knights did pretty well, and Malfoy even somehow got a creature that barely any of us know exists!"
"Oh, come on, Minnie! You can't hold this against them," Artemis cajoled teasingly. "Harry was possibly one of the best student tutors we could have had on this subject and Orion managed to conjure his Patronus easier than a knife cuts through butter."
"I just wish mine also had an animal form too," Minerva sighed. "I just need to think long and hard about my memory. I'll get it eventually."
"I know you will," Harry reassured as their group headed towards the library to get some work done before dinner.
"I still haven't managed mine yet," Ygraine pointed out. "Nor has Druella. We can practise together sometime if you wish."
"Yes, an extra study buddy could help," Druella agreed.
Minerva smiled weakly. "I'd like that."
The matter of the Patronus was dropped for the time being. Druella, Walburga, Ygraine and Ophelia quietly tested Harry on her knowledge of pureblood customs from their lessons. Orion then tested her Ancient Runes' knowledge and also gave her paper back from Babbling – Harry had an EE, two marks from an O! – while Loreley was absorbed in her Arithmancy work, Artemis was revising Potions and Minerva was devouring her Transfiguration books. Septimus and Octavius soon collected Artemis for Quidditch training, slightly to her disappointment, but War replaced her very quickly, revising History of Magic and begging Harry for her help. When Harry found out War was struggling with the witch hunts of the 14th century and the Werewolf Code of Conduct of 1637, Harry immediately made some flash cards of the most important people, dates and events of each topic much to War's delight.
Despite already a rigorous regime of testing for a good forty five minutes, Harry was still quizzing War on the way to dinner.
"Who or what is the Madonna Oriente?"
War clapped her hands as she started mentally rifling through her new memories. "Erm … the supposed goddess the white witches Sibilla Zanni and Pierina de' Bugatis claimed to worship."
Harry nodded, going to the next flash card. "Good. When were they first investigated?"
"1384. Their story was dismissed as a fantasy at first but they were investigated by the Muggle Inquisition again in 1390, where they were found guilty and executed," War answered, scrunching up her face as she walked and talked at the same time.
"Correct. The John Decree," Harry continued.
"It was an international curfew and list of rules for witches and wizards. Pope John XXII had authorised the Inquisition to prosecute our kind in 1320 so in order to try and avoid the Inquisition's methods, stricter measures on our way of life were put into place," War replied, talking much more easily as the information came to her.
Harry's eyes shone with mischief. "Name one of the measures of the John Decree."
"Thou shalt conceal methods of thy Craft by means of visual deception for the Muggle doth not possess the capability for seeing a true Magickal Object through its Glamour," War recited.
Harry nodded. "Very good! How did three Welsh bardic witches and wizards escape from the Inquisition in 1355?"
"They sung an enchanted song using their hurdy gurdy, harps and viols, putting the entire court room to sleep and Apparating away," War replied, smirking.
Harry grinned. "You're getting it!"
War sighed deeply with relief. "All thanks to you, Evans. I can keep the flash cards right?"
"Of course! I made them for you after all," Harry laughed at the absurdity of the question.
The group split up again, with the Slytherin girls all heading to the Slytherin table and Harry, Orion, Loreley and Minerva taking their seats at the Gryffindor table. Much to her surprise, Harry found a parcel and note next to her plate; Harry frowned and carefully picked up the note.
"An owl delivered it just before you arrived," one of the Gryffindor girls informed her when she saw Harry's confusion and the fear of Minerva and Orion. "Owl took off without so much as waiting for you."
Harry's brow furrowed further and turned the letter over. It was sealed with a seal she didn't recognise. Harry clicked her tongue, and, deciding not to be an idiot, decided to run a few spells on the letter and the parcel to make sure nothing was cursed.
Everything was clean. That at least made Orion and Minerva relax a lot. Loreley just sat there and observed the books with a dreamy look on her face. Letting her curiosity get the better of her, Harry opened the letter.
Dear Lady Hera Peverell,
It is a pleasure to make your unofficial acquaintance. I was contacted by a mutual friend of ours, telling me you are currently studying alchemy in medieval Europe. I was told history is one of your favourite subjects and that you have some skill at handling that difficult professor of yours. I am rather familiar with the subject you are studying you see, being an alchemist myself, and my wife agreed that it was time to let go of some of my older books, so I decided to send you some old books of mine that might come in useful with your exams. At least I know they will be very well taken care off. Melanie doesn't have the tendency to exaggerate in my experience.
Nicholas Flamel
Harry almost fell off her seat in surprise. Nicholas Flamel – the one who created the Elixir of Life – had just sent her some of his own books?! Harry imagined only how green with envy Hermione would be if she were here …
Harry conjured a heat proof bowl and promptly burned the letter, still looking rather dazed. Great buggering harpies, when did her life get this interesting?! She then turned her attention on the parcel and eagerly unwrapped it.
There were tomes in there that could well have belonged in the archive of Hogwarts. One or two looked extremely worn and the parchment had a lot of notion marks in the margins; some of the vellum had marks of being eaten by bookworms and holes created by mistakes made during the scudding process of making the parchment. But that didn't take away the stunning details in the diagrams and the silly drawings made in the margins of the manuscripts. They were also mostly in Middle English and in Latin, unsurprisingly.
"Whoa," Minerva breathed as she gently picked one up. "Who are these from?"
"The alchemist friend of Melanie I suspect," Loreley sang. Harry chuckled at this. Nothing ever escaped Loreley Malfoy's Eye!
"Yes, his wife wanted him to get rid of some books and so he decided to send me some of his old alchemy stuff since it is part of our exams," Harry said with a short laugh.
"Oooo look at this one-"
"ORION BLACK, GET THOSE STICKY FINGERS AWAY FROM THE MANUSCRIPTS!" Minerva snapped, Harry rescuing the tomes before the enthusiastic Black Heir could put his unwashed or unsanitised hands near the already aged parchment.
Orion pouted. "Sorry."
Did you get Nicholas' gift?
Harry grinned to herself. Hello, Tosti. Yes, I did.
Good. Melinoë hoped that her owl wouldn't have too much trouble getting into Hogwarts. I told her not to be silly. She's a goddess for goodness sake.
Wait, Melinoë has an owl?
Yep. So she can avoid giving messages via Hermes. The last time the little shite had to deliver something important on Underworld behalf, he dropped the package and lo! the Black Death started.
Harry blanched. WHAT?!
Atropos, Lachesis and Clotho insist it was a mistake but there is no such thing as mistake with the Fates,
Thanatos grumbled. I really hated the medieval period. I really did have too much to do.Harry snorted. You still do, and yet you manage to make your souls look healthier.
Cheeky! I will see you tonight for further training.
OK, see then.
Harry felt Thanatos' presence leave her mind and decided to distract herself with some macaroni and cheese. The arrival of Artemis, Septimus, Octavius and the rest of the Gryffindor team also helped to distract from the fact she had "spaced out". She finished her food, carefully put the old alchemy books into her bag and stood up, looking at Orion and Loreley.
"You guys ready to take another crack at the portrait?" Harry asked.
Orion and Loreley were up in an instant; they were just as frustrated as Harry was that the portrait had managed to elude them for so long and were determined more than ever to free whoever was locked inside of the damn thing. Orion had even packed some of his more dubious Dark magic books from the Black library that day, just in case Harry would offer to tackle the portrait again once more. Harry and Orion went to dump the stuff they wouldn't need and to collect the portrait, and Athenaïs, from the girls dorm, with Loreley waiting outside the Slytherin dungeon. Then the trio went to the Room of Requirement with a brisk and determined pace. The Room, when they arrived, seemed to sense their agitation and had come stocked with extra books, tea and cakes.
Harry leant the portrait against the stand in the room as she, Orion and Loreley unsheathed their wands, all of them glaring at it as though it had done them all a grievous wrong. Athenaïs curled up in one of the arm chairs. "So," Orion was the first to speak up, "we have tried everything we can think of within the realm of acceptable or semi-acceptable magic, and nothing has worked."
"That is because no normal magic will undo this, it seems," Loreley agreed, twirling her wand in between her fingers. "We are going to have to use more unorthodox means of freeing these poor souls."
Harry sighed to herself. "I had hoped it wouldn't come to it, but it seems we don't really have much other choice. Who knows what is happening to those two people in there?"
"Nothing good I imagine," Orion stated grimly as he fished his potentially dangerous Black books out of his bag. "I got some of my family's books that have spells on extraction processes. I think we should give them a try since we have nothing left to lose at this point."
"How dangerous are they?" Harry found herself asking.
Orion's eyes darkened. "Let's just say if something goes wrong, we may end up trapped with the people inside," he answered candidly.
Harry bit her lip in slight apprehension and turned to look at the painting. "Before we try that, should we try and have a look if we can figure out how precisely these people were trapped inside?" she asked. "Maybe we are missing something in its history?"
"That is a good idea," Loreley agreed with a slight smile.
"Do we have anything that could work?" Orion frowned.
Harry smiled a little, as did her familiar. "We do, actually."
With an elegant swish of her wand over the portrait, Harry incanted the Spell of Revelation in her head. Almost in an instant the portrait glowed golden and a misty scene began playing in front of Harry and her two friends. They watched in shock as they saw an empty portrait frame being brought into a spacious room. There were at least five other people in the room, not counting two young Aurors, Harry guessed what they were, who were on the floor, staring at one man with strange hair and strange eyes with a look of absolute terror. The three teenagers watched in stunned silence as the man in question raised his wand and the two men seemed to split apart and float as particles towards the empty portrait frame. Harry, Orion and Loreley watched as the painting began to take form, seemingly from the very essence of the two prisoners themselves. Not only were these people trapped inside the painting, but they were alsothe painting itself!
"OK, that is disgusting," Harry commented as the scene dissipated.
"It gets worse …" Orion whispered. "Harry, I don't know when the last time you two met but from what I know – and my family hear things through the grapevine – the man in the scene looks like … Grindelwald."
Harry paled. Shit. Wait … Grindelwald knew she was at Hogwarts. Griphook had said this painting had been seized at the house of a supporter of Grindelwald's … great buggering harpies, it had been a trap! Harry's heart stopped as she realised only one thing; that meant Grindelwald either had a spy at Gringotts, or one in Hogwarts itself.
"Fuck," Harry swore out loud. "He's testing me."
"Testing you?" Orion repeated, his eyes widening. "How do you-"
"He knows where I am," Harry cut across sharply. "Someone must have told him. The only thing they seemed to be neglecting to tell him, is my name. But it seems whatever the maniac knows about me, he has decided to put what he has heard to the test."
"So he doesn't know it is you yet?" Orion said in relief.
"Not yet," Loreley stated. "But he will, if we are not careful."
A shiver ran down Harry's spine. That was more than an omen coming from Loreley.
Orion turned back to his books with gusto before he came to one ritual he thought could work the best. "Here! A spell created by my ancestor Charon Black. 'A Spell to Bring what is Unalive to Life'."
"Unalive? But the prisoners are not dead," Harry frowned. "That sounds more like necromancy, Orion."
"OK," Orion flicked through his family grimoire again. He lit up again. "Here! Andromeda Black I's Spell of Dark Magnetism. 'A Spell to Trap and Pull in thy Foe'. It says here if done properly it can take hold of even a person's shadow and pull them towards you. We can use this to take hold of them and peel them off the canvas, essentially!"
Harry still felt a little apprehensive about resorting to Dark magic but it didn't seem like such a bad idea. Orion's theory was sound and the spell didn't sound too dangerous, either. Naturally it was a Black spell, so there could always be a nasty little surprise but at that moment, Harry could barely care less.
"OK, Orion. What do we need to do for that spell?" Harry asked.
"Oh there are two versions … Oh! Here. For the kind of spell we are attempting to perform, we first we make a circle of black pillar candles, five of which have to be engraved with the five elemental sigils of Quintessence, Fire, Water, Earth and Air," Orion stated, listing from the grimoire. No sooner had he said that, the Room of Requirement happily obliged with the ring of candles, five of which had been engraved as stated. Athenaïs cried out in surprise. Orion blinked momentarily before he turned back to the grimoire. "We need to stand in front of the circle," he said standing up, "visualising whom we want to ensnare and pull towards us, using our magic like ropes. Here is the incantation."
Orion showed the girls the spell and once they had revised it a couple of times, he put the book down. Together he, Harry and Loreley raised their hands up in front of them and they began to chant. "Venite ad me, ego vos traho ad me, non resistere vocant mea. Ut magia elementa ligat, dicimus vos ad nos."
As the teenagers began to chant, the candles alit on their own and the ones with the sigils began to glow with an ominous purple aura, which soon was replaced by a pinkish glow. As they chanted for the third time, and the flames of the candles danced higher, undulating pinkish waves emitted from the hands of the three young wizards, releasing multiple purple rings directly at the portrait. Once they made contact with the portrait, the purple rings bound themselves around the entire thing – frame included – glowing menacingly. As soon as the rings were in place, the fires of the engraved candles sprung up towards the rings like they were being pulled in by a magnetic force. Once the flames were bound to the rings, they began trying to prise the portrait itself and the frame from each other. A battle of magical wills between the two spells ensued, the frame fighting to keep the people imprisoned and the Black spell trying to free them.
However, eventually, much to the annoyance and dismay of Harry, Orion and Loreley, the strength of Grindelwald's spell won the battle of wills and soon the rings and flames withdrew from around the portrait and petered out. Orion almost threw his family grimoire in frustration and even Loreley pinched the bridge of her nose and clenched her jaws as she tried to compose herself.
As for Harry, her blood was boiling. This Dark Lord had done this to two people to put her to the test … for his own amusement. Not even her Voldemort had done that! Come to think of it, aside from her first year and the Horcrux in her second year, Voldemort had left her alone while she was at Hogwarts. That snakefaced maniac had kept to boundaries! Harry felt her magic hum and vibrate, eager to spring forth, and yet there was something else that was calling to her like a Siren song.
The souls and life force of those two stuck inside the portrait. Harry had no idea how – after all, she had only been practising on animals so far – but she could feel the two prisoners as though they were standing right next to her. She could feel them practically begging for freedom. And what happened next, not even Harry was entirely sure of as she was acting on pure instinct.
Orion and Loreley watched with wide eyes as Harry raised her hands towards the portrait.
"Harry, what are you doing?!" Orion called.
Harry didn't answer him verbally; she didn't need to. Using the same hand movements and visualisation techniques Harry learnt during the separation of the soul with Sour Fire, Harry now began pulling the two souls piece by piece away from the canvas. Orion and Loreley staggered back as the portrait was engulfed by a silver light they had never seen before and watched in stunned silence as bit by bit, the so-called paint of the portrait began melting off the canvas and towards the floor. As Harry pulled at the souls, her Mistress of Death magic fighting Grindelwald's the entire time, she soon began hearing heart beats and breathing. She had no idea if they were hers, her friends' or belonging to the two prisoners but she kept working her fledgling Soul Magic even as Grindelwald's magic began to tug harder and harder.
But it seemed not even the magic that Grindelwald had used to trap the men in their prison could fight against a magic that was both Life and Death Magic. After what Harry felt was an eternity, she pulled her magic back in and nearly collapsed to the ground – she was caught by an armchair Loreley had summoned from the corner of the room – exhaling and inhaling sharply, sweating heavily. There was a moment of complete silence in the room.
"Merlin's horse-poop covered boots," Orion's whisper sounded more like a shout. Harry, once she had more control over her breathing, sat up and looked at what Orion was referring to.
Athenaïs had carefully approached and was sniffing the unconscious bodies of two men Harry had never seen before. They were not grotesquely ugly like the painting was; in fact, they were pretty decent looking. The blonde one certainly had some boyish charms from what she could tell. His friend's large ears were funny but not ugly. Athenaïs went around trying to rouse them but with very little success.
Once she found her legs again, Harry carefully got up from her armchair and cautiously approached the two men. She knelt down next to the blonde one and took his pulse. There was a heartbeat; a weak one, but it was there. Harry did the same for his companion; once more there was still a heartbeat.
"They are alive, but only just," Harry announced as she stood up.
"You did it," Loreley said breathlessly, laughing in disbelief. "Morgana, you actually did it, Harry!"
Orion, deathly pale, had started to pace by this point. "As much as I am happy that we succeeded, are we just going to ignore the fact we just saw our friend use fucking Soul Magic?!" the Heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black wailed.
Harry looked rather sheepish at that. Loreley smiled at Orion. "Come on, Orion. Surely you yourself must have suspected Harry to be able to do something like that. The Peverells are famous for it after all."
"Soul Magic takes years – years – to study! What I just saw very little people can claim to witness!" Orion pointed out. "If the wrong people know about this, Harry's life is over!"
"Good thing I have you then," Harry grinned, taking Orion into an arm hug, which shocked poor Orion so much he flushed bright crimson in about five seconds, causing both girls to giggle.
Once Orion had gotten over his embarrassment, he cleared his throat. "Yes, well, we still have one thing to worry about."
"Which is?" Harry asked with a frown.
Orion dramatically gestured towards the two men still on the ground. "What in the name of the Lady of the Lake's permanent soggy sandals are we going to do with two unconscious strangers?!"
Harry and Loreley turned to look at them for a moment and then each other.
"So, who wants to go and tell Headmaster Dippet we succeeded?" Harry asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Not it!" Orion immediately stated, blanching at that prospect, causing the young dragon and both his female friends to giggle at him again.
#############
So Nott has apologised, Harry and her friends succeeded in freeing the people inside the portrait and Riddle got a triple dose of humiliation. However, what will the repercussions be for both of these events? You'll just have to stick around to find out!
Orion: SHE'S A FREAKING SOUL MAGE! YOU'RE LEAVING THAT PART OUT?!
Yes, yes, breathe Orion. They already knew.
Orion: WHAT?!
Oh dear. See you guys! Oh and the quote from Sense and Sensibility naturally belongs to the original book by Jane Austen. Just wanted to have it disclaimed and all.
Kingmaker'sUmbreon