Rhea almost laughed at the look on Granger's face when she opened the door to the cabin she was in. She knew the first gen witch was mentally cycling through everything she learned about etiquette but was still having a hard time figuring out how to address a train cabin with Four Heiresses in it. It was adorable. "Hello, Miss Granger. Was your summer productive?" Her eyes focused on her and she looked relieved. "Good morning Heiress Black. My summer was both quite relaxing and productive. Thank you for asking." Rhea found Daphne's look the best. She was glad the Ice Queen of Slytherin was loosening up now, especially with her sister sitting next to her. The little girl had practically knocked Rhea over on the Platform with how happy she was. "Is there something I can help you with again, Miss Granger?"
The Gryffindor bookworm looked around the cabin and clearly decided that asking for privacy wouldn't fly. "I took your advice and discovered that you were correct. There is a lot I haven't been taught and I find myself wishing for an insider's perspective. Would it be presumptuous of me to ask permission to join your Study Group?" Rhea was glad she was capable of wandless casting, as Daphne heard that last part while drinking water and proceeded to spray towards herself, Susan and Tracey. The barrier stopped the water. Most of it. After dropping the barrier, Rhea reached out and held Daphne's hand long enough to send a healing spell to clear out her throat and lungs. Daphne's look of gratitude was nice to see before her eyes turned to the Gryffindor. "May I ask what you seek to gain from joining our group?"
Hermione looked towards Rhea and saw no interest in helping her out. "There are a lot of benefits to joining your group, Heiress Greengrass. As a first-generation witch, I am unfamiliar with many aspects of Magical Britain and would like to be properly educated by my fellows. I can also provide some insight into the happenings of Gryffindor Tower and the children's positions on their family's votes on the Wizengamot. Heiress Black already educated me on an issue with regards to the meanings behind certain words and phrases that were never adequately explained to me." Rhea could feel the eyes of the cabin swing to her. "I felt it would be more constructive to advise her than being discourteous to someone the Potters have clearly failed to educate in the nuances of our society." She turns to Hermione, "I personally would welcome you to join our study group, and while my fellow ladies deliberate, can you tell me how you expect to explain this to the rest of your Quartet?"
Granger blushed, "I was going to mention that having an ear to the Black Heiress and her allies would be beneficial and that since you have never taken offence to me and I am already friends with Sally, it wouldn't be impossible for you to have a valid reason to deny me. Denying me would instead validate what they say about you." That last statement drew a few sharp looks in her direction. Rhea giggled, diffusing the tension, "Well, you certainly are a Gryffindor. No other house would be able to admit that last comment in front of others. Last thing. My cousin Draco will be with us. Will that be an issue?" Rhea could tell this made Granger hesitate. "I…don't recall him badmouthing my heritage at all last year. While I don't approve of everything his father did in the past, both of them seem to be making genuine changes. If things remain cordial, I wouldn't have a problem with him."
Rhea looked around and saw no disagreements, "Then Miss Granger, you are formally invited into the Inter House Study Group. Meetings will be arranged as soon as we all have our class schedules." Luna pulled a bag from her pocket and opened it, "I would personally prefer to offer pudding, but we do have cookies." Hermione was going to take one before Astoria stole a cookie, causing everyone to laugh at Luna's stricken face. Rhea smiled as her friends started chatting again and Granger decided to head back to the Gryffindor Quartets cabin. At least one of them is a decent enough person. And a tan does look nice on her.
The Thestrals all respond well to her return, neighing loudly and happily and Rhea makes sure to pet them and get them to settle down. She'd be seeing them before the week was out. The Sorting got underway and Rhea was partly surprised to see little Astoria join her as an Eagle, but the girl was certainly bookish and if she was anything like her sister, she'd be driven to top her year in grades. The cancelation of the Inter House Quidditch Tournament did draw everyone's attention to the Headmaster. She herself wasn't a fan of the injury indicating sport but the other students certainly were.
Dumbledore waited until the students settled down. "This year, Hogwarts will play host to students from two of Europe's finest schools, France's Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and the Durmstrang Institute from the North. Our three schools will be taking part in a Dueling Competition, a Quidditch Competition…" That last part certainly went a long way to calming the sport's fanatics down, "... and the legendary Triwizard Tournament." Murmurs spread along the crowd as a feeling of dread filled Rhea. They surely wouldn't be st- never mind. This is the same man who would allow the student population to continue to remain in the castle while a Basilisk slithered around petrifying people. He would be stupid enough start this tournament while a less than dead Dark Lord was still at large.
The Headmaster proceeded to discuss the arrival of the students from the other schools one week before the Champion Selection on October 31st. Rhea would have to make a few mirror calls. Draco, Susan, Daphne and Theo were going to take part in a joint Samhain ritual between the Houses of Greengrass, Bones and Black taking place at Bones Manor. She wanted her friends to have a proper Samhain celebration this year and she would make sure they got it. Dumbledore and the Triwizard Tournament be damned.
Rhea breathed a sigh of relief as she sat down in her seat in the formerly abandoned classroom. The first few days back were exhausting. Snape had already seen fit to give her detention, for cheek like always, and she would be seeing him later tonight. Professor Flitwick also asked her to see him at his office by tomorrow, after she completed her first class of double DADA. Alastor Moody seemed to be asking for a lot more of his students' time than Lupin ever did. Rhea had laughed at his father's reaction to Moody's appointment as DADA teacher this year. Sirius had loved Moody as an instructor for the Aurors but seemed to think he'd make a less than pleasant teacher for teens. Rhea couldn't wait to see what her Dad's mentor could teach her. 13 years of paranoia and Auror's work should make for some interesting changes in the gruff old man.
She looked around and smiled as Theo and Draco sat down at the "boys" table. When the Study group had been provided with the disused classroom and tables, the two boys had taken over one of the tables in the corner as their own. Not that they spent too much time at it, with them coming over to join them at the large table when the serious work started. Rhea shakes her head at their antics. At least they were civil. Henry Potter and his posse of Weasley and Longbottom had promised to make her time miserable if Hermione came back hurt from the Study Group's first meeting of the semester. She would have to ask her Dad if the Potters were the Neanderthals of Magical Britain and spread their ways like a plague or if it's just something in every single Gryffindor male. Draco and Theo were perfect gentlemen. For now.
She saw Hermione arrive and the Gryffindor girl took the seat opposite of her. Draco saw her, looked at Rhea and then back at the girl. He visibly sighed and stood up, walking towards the table. Rhea noticed Hermione tense up when he stood behind her but she bravely turned towards him, finding herself surprised when he bowed. "I wish to apologize to you, Miss Granger, for any insults I perpetrated against yourself and your family. Influences among my house and family drove me to behave improperly and I am ashamed of my actions and words." Rhea smiled at Hermione's stunned expression. "I… accept your apology Heir Malfoy and would be delighted if we could start anew as acquaintances." Malfoy returned to his desk and sat down, continuing to take out his notes.
Once Susan, Hannah, Sally and Luna arrived, Rhea started the group. "Ok, first things first. How many of us are planning to take part in the Quidditch Tournament?" Draco raised his hand reluctantly. Rhea nodded and wrote down some notes, "Ok, who is planning to compete in the Dueling Tournament?" Rhea saw that only Hannah, Luna, Tracey, Sally, Hermione and herself didn't raise their hand. She sighed. "Ok then, we will be dividing our group sessions between the written assignments and the practical training. For now, follow Susan's established workout routine. I will ask cousin Dora if her latest variant with Bella is doing better and if it is we may be switching to it. Granger, Daphne, and Susan, you are all on Spell selection duty. Look through the Dueling Class and DADA textbook and see if you can come up with a good set of skills everyone should know. We will cover specialities later."
The rest of the session was spent completing the written assignments for most of the classes, with Rhea helping Luna and Astoria with their work and reviewing everyone's Runes assignments. Rhea walked over to Hermione before most of the people left. "Miss Granger, would it be acceptable if I called you Hermione?" The girl blushed as all the members of the group asked the same of her. She had really impressed them with her charm work. Susan moved up and shoved Rhea's shoulder. "Any reason you didn't join up for the Duelling Tournament?" Rhea sighed, noticing others were curious too. "I could probably win it but dueling isn't exactly fun for me. I learned it because Mom wanted to make sure I was safe and I am taking the elective to keep up to date with my exercises and spell work. I just don't like casting at people." Susan looked at her a bit disappointed, "Ok, but don't think this is the end. I want to see if I can convince you and I will try."
Rhea shoved her shoulder back at Susan's, "Sure, but if it gets obnoxious I am silencing you. I will take the point losses and detentions for a day's worth of peace and quiet." Rhea pulled her bag on her shoulder and stepped out. She waved at Luna, Astoria and Hermione as she followed the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs to the dungeons. Once Draco escorted her to the dungeons she pulled cousin into a hug and wished him a good day. He knew why. Less than 10 seconds after knocking on the door to the potions office, Snape's sharp orders cut through the air. "Enter!" Rhea steps inside and closes the door behind her, adding her own privacy wards to the ones he already casted. "What can I do for you today, Potions Master?" He just handed her a slip of parchment and she looked down, her voice frozen. "I took the liberty of submitting your work for me last year, along with samples and a copy of your assignments and notes. Madam Marchbanks and her evaluator were both suitably impressed."
The parchment in front of her had to be a joke. There was no way Snape had just given her a transcript of her OWL evaluation in Potions. No, wait, the man hardly ever jokes which means this is real and she is technically a NEWT student in Potions. She looked at the perfectly stoic face on the Potions Master. "I imagine that this certificate is not being provided to the school and I will continue working on my own in class?" Snape nodded, "That and I may give you some added detentions in which you will be working on more time consuming potions and mixes. None-Alchemic in origin, of course. You may keep that and send it home, Miss Black. Only Madam Marchbanks has the other copy and it is just a letter away from being submitted to the Ministry. A copy has already been sent to the ICW and should be confirmed soon."
Rhea wanted to hug the man, so she did. She travelled through the veil without Nyx, popped in behind him and hugged the dour man. She laughed inside at the incredulous look on his face. She didn't care though, because all she felt inside was warmth. "Thank you, Professor! I imagine that I will be getting detention soon and we can then get started?" The Potions Master visibly composed himself. "Indeed, detention for three nights in a row next week, starting Monday. Do not be late." Rhea nodded, grabbed her bag and just rushed out of the dungeons towards her room. Ten minutes later, a surprised Sabrina found herself the recipient of a hug from behind while working on her own potions back at the London shop. The joy on her daughter's face as she showed her the OWL certificate for Potions was more than enough reason to forgive her for coming home unannounced.
"So, is Potter going to go for the Quidditch Tournament or the Triwizard Tournament?" Hermione visibly drooped as she walked beside Rhea on their way to DADA. "He'd like to play in the Quidditch competition, but he is so driven to prove himself that he refuses to bow out of going for the Triwizard Tournament. Nothing I have said will change his mind, even the death rate associated with it didn't discourage him." Rhea hummed, "Well, that gives Draco and the other Seekers an opening for the Hogwarts Seeker position." Hermione glared at Rhea who just smiled, "Annnd, based on your Quartet's history, can you honestly tell me he somehow wouldn't get dragged into the main competition because of "reasons"?"
Hermione's shoulders slumped, "You are not wrong. If he got forced to participate in the Triwizard event, he'd have to quit the Quidditch competition. Still, I hate not being able to do anything." Rhea stared at Hermione, "Life isn't about always having choices or not, it's about making sure the choices you do have count." Hermione thought about her words and nodded, "Wizarding saying?" Rhea's eyes looked out the window at the overcast sky. "Experience. As you get older, you'll be able to spot more choices available to you. Some will disgust you, others will seem desperate. In the end, just make sure it's a choice you can live or die happy with." Rhea's words carved their way into Hermione's heart and she visibly shivered. Where… Is this the same Rhea she had watched cracking jokes with Susan and hugging Draco?
Hermione was about to ask where that came from when Rhea blocked her path into the DADA classroom. She watched Rhea pull out her wand and begin to cast diagnostics, while Hermione just looked at the wand itself. She had seen a lot of wands but this one's colour struck her as weird and the carvings were really detailed. It looked like a work of art. Rhea shook her head as she dropped her wand and holstered it. "Warding, set to identify, and disable weak protections and a weak confundus that will delay any reaction. Damn nice concealment work on it though." Rhea raised her voice, "The password please, Professor Moody, or I disable your little test for the rest of the class." Rhea smiled at the grumbling voice from inside. "It's Constant Vigilance and don't bother checking Black just get yourself and your companion inside."
Hermione was stopped again but this time Rhea gently placed her hand at the edge of the door frame before uttering the password. She grinned, "And the second half?" More grumbling, now about her father spoiling his fun. "Now Professor, that's some nasty things to say about one of your best students. The second half?" "AT ALL TIMES! Now get in here Black or I will drag you through myself!" Rhea spoke the second half of the password and motioned for Hermione to enter. The classroom now saw a lot more desks, though plenty of training dummies in the back. "5 points to Gryffindor for having a damn good acquaintance, Miss Granger. Miss Black, I am sorely tempted to take points for almost ruining my test." Rhea beamed at the gruff old Auror, "Pleasure to see you again Professor Moody. Nyx still wants to steal your Eye." The grumbling of the man seemed to make Rhea laugh and Hermione shook her head.
The rest of the students who entered through the classroom door got a face full of the stunning spell, including Longbottom and Potter, which caused Rhea to smirk and Hermione to grimace. Moody wasn't too kind to the Boy Who Lived after he woke him up last. "Congratulations Potter, all but two of your classmates are either hostages or dead. I am going to have a chat with your father for failing to spot even a few basic trap wards. As for the rest of you, Constant Vigilance! That is what will be keeping many of you alive. Sure the war is over and the Dark Tosser is dead…" Oh, Rhea was adding that phrase to dad's list of insults for Voldemort! "…but that doesn't mean that witches and wizards alike don't come crawling out of the woodwork every time we let our guard down. Lupin and Scrimgeour did a decent job in DADA last year teaching you the bread and butter of the defence spells, so this year, it's time to get your feet wet!"
Moody points his wand at the chalkboard and the word "Curses" takes form. "Curses are the tools of the trade for the scum that can strike you from the front just as easily as from the back. Blood Boiling curses, Bone shattering, Bowel exploding. All these curses are the favourites of mad men and women who tend to end up in Azkaban." Most don't notice but Moody catches the soft growl from Rhea's throat. The Black Heiress is still furious that not one but two members of her family were sent to Azkaban and treated like trash, Bellatrix's case being delayed repeatedly by the Minister. Moody wisely decided to steer away from that subject and focus his attention elsewhere. "Now, who can tell me which are the three Curses that are a guaranteed sentence to Azkaban?"
Ronald Weasley actually lifted up his hand in class. "The Imperius Curse?" Moody nodded and the board now had Imperius Curse written on it. "The Imperius Curse is a decidedly unique curse. Anyone who has been under the effects can tell you just how disarming it can be. The curse can be fought, however, by sheer willpower. Anyone here who has taken Occlumency may find it an easier time to sense and defeat the Imperious. Another?" Rhea sees a Ravenclaw student raise her hand. "The Cruciatus Curse?" Moody nodded his head again, "The Torture Curse. No need for fancy tools or creative spells, just a single word and the subject is dealt with a great deal of pain, typically limited to the will, power and hate the caster possesses. Most of you could cast it and I would barely feel a tickle." His enchanted Eye landed on Rhea with that, making her feel cold. What could he possibly know?
"The last one?" A good portion of the classroom turned to look at Henry Potter. Rhea didn't. She had found that traumatic memory while building her defences, not to mention what Grandma Dorea had told her. Potter answered while staring Moody down. "The Killing Curse." Moody walked around the now quiet classroom. Too many people here lost family to that curse. "Two words and a life is gone. Like the Torture Curse, it needs a certain state of mind and power to cast it successfully, but when it does, nothing short of a physical shield or barrier will protect you. Only one person is believed to have survived it and even now, we aren't even close to figuring out how". Rhea kept her emotions in check as she laughed bitterly inside.
Dorea and many Blood Mages know how to block it all right. It just doesn't work all the time and it requires the caster to die in defence of another. It is beyond a doubt a magical game of Russian Roulette and the price is already too high to buy into. Rhea will always love her Grandmother Dorea for saving her life not once but twice, but even she could admit that the counter to the Killing Curse was a pipe dream. As a Necromancer she had studied many of the arts in saving or restoring a life. They always come at a high price. Death is all too easy. Living… that will always be the hard part. Rhea stayed behind after class and stared at the professor, as she willed the door sealed and raised privacy wards. "What do you know, Mad-Eye?"
Moody looked at her in the eyes. "I know I have been around long enough to guess at a person's character. I know that the last time I was here, if I had been helping out James Potter, a wolf would have targeted me first and I would probably have woken up stripped, bound and gagged. You, Ms. Black, are not like your classmates. You don't flinch, you don't jump. You aren't afraid." He hobbled to his desk chair and sat down, pulling a bottle out of the drawer and placing it on the desk. He spills a few drops of a potion in and sees no reaction before serving himself a glass. "When I looked into Potter's eyes I saw exactly what I expected to see. A 14 year old kid playing at being a hero. Put him in a fight and he will survive, but that's it. You, on the other hand… I imagine placing you in a fight would end whenever the threat to your family is made. You aren't a killer. At least you don't have a killer's eyes, but you are capable of it. And above all else, you aren't afraid to kill. Wonder why that is." He takes a swig of the firewhiskey.
Rhea turns and looks outside again. Odd, how she only spent a little less than a month in Egypt yet she misses those wide open blue skies. She and Nyx are going to take to the skies tonight. The day has been long enough. "I imagine it's for the same reason you aren't afraid to kill either Professor. We have both probably seen the worst people have to offer this world and we both know… death is a kindness. There are worse fates, far worse fates than dying. The Killing Curse may send you to Azkaban, but there are curses out there that require true hatred to cast." She looks at the door leading outside. She thinks of a prat that could have been her brother and of the parents who tossed her away, she thinks of the old man sitting on his throne in the Astronomy Tower, ignoring the corpses that were left in his wake. Lastly, she thinks of the half dead man who sought to kill her and Henry over a decade before one cold Halloween night.
She wasn't them. She wasn't a monster. Or at least… she didn't want to be one. She would probably kill one day again. Probably more than once, but it would never really be out of hate. The smiling faces of her family flash before her eyes and the weight in her stomach lifts. Her body grows warm again. "I am also sure it will please you to know that barring the violent death of my entire family, I will never be capable of such horrors." She turns and smiles at the gruff ex-Auror, a sad smile, "Until Death comes for us, all we can do is enjoy the good things in our lives." She nods at the professor's drink and he barks out a laugh, lifting the glass to his mouth. "Aye, lass. To the good things in life."
Rhea left the Defense classroom in a pensive mood as she entered Flitwick's office. Her Head of House looked at her and smiled. "Welcome Miss Black, I had a chance to review your course work for all of your classes with the other professors. Care to guess what we found in several?" Rhea shrugged, "That my understanding of the material is above that of a Third Year student?" The diminutive Professor showed her a few of the recommendations sent to him by his peers. "Unlike Profesor Snape, we don't have the evidence to prove that you are at NEWT level or higher understanding, as you diligently did the course work assigned by us. With the exception of one of my peers, of course." Rhea groaned happily at seeing Flitwick hand her an OWL certificate for Runes. "While Babbling would like to have you in her 6th year courses, the chances of Dumbledore authorizing it are low, not to mention that your father suggested it be best for you to remain among your friends." Rhea's eyes snapped at her Hogwarts Head of House.
"Wait… Dad… that little…" Flitwick just sat back and waited for his student to stop the tirade she descended into, though he was considering casting a translator charm since the girl went straight into Greek. She eventually looked at the professor and blushed. "Sorry about that, Sir. Just… need to get my Dad back for this." Flitwick chuckled, "Oh, I am sure you will. So, while your Potions and Runes courses will now be NEWT self study, Transfiguration, Charms, DADA and Dueling will all be technically the same as your yearmates, though your coursework and examinations will be aimed towards completing your OWLS in May. You will be receiving a personalized syllabus for these courses. Is that acceptable, Miss Black?" Rhea nodded, "It is, sir. Thank you for this Professor. I will make sure not to let any of you down."
Luna had been happy for her when Rhea managed to get back in her room and explained what Flitwick wanted with her. The two then spent some time chatting about ways of getting her Dad back to keep this from her. The Ravenclaw blonde had a devious mind, in a roundabout way, but her use of Fae could really backfire. Doxies were annoying and all but they deserved to be treated with some respect, same as Gnomes and Fairies. The Fae were children of Magic like them after all. Rhea did eventually decide to have Nyx torment her Dad personally for a few days, the silent stare with her magically lit red eyes was notoriously terrifying and, if the reports she read from Point Pleasant were accurate, Nyx had a good track record in scaring people. Having a Death Omen as a Familiar definitely had its perks, especially for scaring her father. However she did have the forethought to send a letter to her mom first. No need to panic her too and telling her why it was happening was probably a good idea. Probably.