"Aunt Bella, you home?" Belle looked up and a worried smile spread on her face. Her niece had been back at Grimmauld for a little over two weeks and was finally in control of her magic, meaning she had been wanting to leave her family home for a bit of fresh air. Looks like she got her chance. She was still a bit closed off emotionally though. Bella organized her papers on the table and stood up just in time to see her niece look into her dining room. She looked at the stacks of papers and back at Bella. "I can head back if you are busy." Bella pulled her into a hug and heard Rhea huff. "Nope, you walked right into my web and I ain't letting you go. How are you today, Princess?" Rhea groaned and Bella laughed. Since Rhea was already a nickname, Bella had gone through the trouble of making her own. Being an Heiress and named after a famous queen, of course, she went with a simple princess. Rhea had to fire stinging hexes at her Dad to extract a promise from him to never call her that the first time he heard it. He went with "little maiden" instead. Prat.
Rhea managed to extract herself from Bella's hug. "Better, I think. Got my taste buds back in working order and my dreams are back to normal. Just need to relearn taste again. Feels really weird." Bella nodded, "Those months of meals you got for me were as much nourishment as remembering what everything tasted like as well. Quite the interesting experience, despite the compulsion. So, Siri and Brina let you out?" Rhea moved towards the table and sat down like a proper lady, making Bella smirk. Definitely a Black. "More like Uncle Lucius and Aunt Cissa are hosting a few meetings, trying to get more Dark Families away from Avery and Yaxley. Mom and Dad are there to show their support of Dark Faction positions and negotiate on stuff the Neutrals and Lights could agree with. The mess at the World Cup left the extremists on both sides a bit too jittery for our tastes." She looked at the papers, "What's all this? Still dealing with the legal mess from the Lestranges?"
Bella sat down and showed her the first few pages. "Nope, all done with the Lestranges. Ted does fine work and with Dora passing on any juicy information to Bonsy, everything has been taken care of. I am legally cleared to rejoin society!" Rhea smiled, "They won't know what hit them. These… are these papers a Mastery dissertation?" Bella beamed, "Yup! You aren't the only one who got bored with the usual curriculum at Hogwarts. I got most of my NEWTs in 5th year, so that left me 2 years of finishing the boring courses and working on a Mastery. Got 2 years into the required work before I was rudely interrupted." Rhea looked over her Aunt's work. "I was going to take advantage of being out of Hogwarts and completing most of my OWLS before heading back and spending time with my friends. I've been reviewing for them since I could get my head to focus on work properly." Bella hummed, "Probably for the best. With this being your second unplanned absence from Hogwarts, I do not see the Old Coot letting you have a third. Before any of that, let's go to the training room. I want to see how rusty you are."
Rhea took up her Aunt on the challenge and both had an impromptu duel with no words spoken. Rhea felt her body was still slightly off, and even though her magic was still strong it felt unbalanced. She focused on compensating and managed to keep up with Bella's well-practiced steps. It took a lot of effort though. Eventually, both Rhea and Bella were splayed out on the floor after their banishing spells pushed them both back. "Damn, the little princess won't be needing no rescuing with that much skill." Rhea laughed, "You are complimenting me? I really need you and Dora to fess up on your training regimen! Less than a year and you are that good? No wonder Flitwick still talks about your Duelling prowess!" The two laughed on the floor and helped each other up before heading into the kitchen. Bella's place was an apartment decently close to Dora's and both sat outside of Magical London, which gave them some major conveniences. Like ordering takeout. Two pizzas and a few unhealthy drinks later and both were back at the table, Bella working on her dissertation and Rhea looking over work for her OWLs. A few hours later after Rhea felt her brain melt into her skull, she finally decided to take a break and just meditate. She noticed a familiar looking owl drop a letter and a package for Bella.
Ordinarily, she would stay out of her family's private affairs, but the blush that erupted on Bella's cheeks and neck needed investigation. "I didn't know that Amelia Bones was the romantic type." Score! Her blush went truly scarlet. Bella had a soft smile, "She is … a bit harder to mess with, being Head of the DMLE and everything, but we've been having a few meetups, thanks to Dora." Rhea hummed playfully at first before unwanted thoughts filled her mind with images of Fleur and her heart slipped into cold again. Damn it. At Least her eyes were still seeing in colour. Bella noticed and sighed, "Trust me, it's not easy. Loving again after having your heart broken." Rhea felt there was more to it than just a word of wisdom, even as she readjusted her thoughts and feelings. "You had someone before, didn't you? At Hogwarts?" Bella nodded. "He was a Ravenclaw actually, smart, but kind. A bit like you. A Halfblood from a Neutral Family. He had courted me for 3 years at Hogwarts and I… I asked him to get me pregnant, to invalidate any contracts my cursed father could ever write for me. The hat should have sent him to Gryffindor instead, he was too noble to ever consider doing what Ted did for Andromeda. By the time I was out of Hogwarts, they forced me to sign. Rodolphus killed him a week later."
The silence lasted for a bit as Rhea contemplated Bella's words. "You know, I have been thinking of visiting the Dementors and giving them some standing orders. Like in case of fire, break glass? Though for the Dementors it would be in case of attempts at mass breakout, sucking the souls of the most vile pieces of human filth in the place. I will make sure the asshole and his brother are on the list." Bella snickered and laughed. "I will leave that to you dear. I am sure I will read all about it. As for loving again after your first. After feeling real love for someone? It can be hard. I don't think what I have with Amelia counts just yet, but it could. Though Amelia is pretty much married to her work and retirement could mean James Potter taking over her job so…" Bella grinned at the disgust on her niece's face. "Yeah, best leave the Narcissistic Bully out of there." Rhea turned her eyes to her bracelet, feeling her magic meld with it slightly. It always calmed her down a bit, knowing this was on her skin. It meant she had a family stretching back years, centuries even.
"I am worried though. I think I trusted too early, too easily. I know a relationship needs trust, but when is one supposed to give it?" Bella pulled Rhea into a hug and for once her niece didn't complain. "Does it have to be all at the same time? You could trust bit by bit, showing more pieces of yourself." Rhea shuddered and Bella hugged her tighter. "How do you trust someone with a part of yourself that scares you? That you fear or hate?" Bella kissed her on the head. " Are we talking about your distrust in others or the part of your past that you would never like to talk about?" Rhea swallowed a lump in her throat. "B…oth." Bella hummed. "That one I don't know. I think if you find someone who truly likes you they can look past the bad and focus on the good. Having someone who actually makes you a better person would help with that. I still say you need to build up to it more." Rhea hugged Bella back. "I … don't want to be hurt by them. If I don't tell them soon enough, I will start to care. I already care about my friends so much and I am happy most of them didn't flinch about me being a Necromancer. I don't know what I would have done if they freaked out."
Bella keeps humming, easing both their minds. "I can't give you any easy answers Rhea. You have a big heart. You care so easily for those who aren't mean or violent and you know it so you keep yourself distant as much as you can. I can't tell you what to do because I don't know how to deal with it myself. We just have to learn and move on. I am sure you will find someone you could love again, someone you could be open with fully and not be afraid. Until that day comes through, we will all be here for you. Remember that." Rhea's heart feels heaving as she lets out a soft sob.
"Thanks for talking it out with me. My parents try, but I can tell they don't want to dredge up anything that could hurt and I love them for it." Bella lets go of Rhea and kisses her daughter on the forehead, whipping her tears away with her fingers "But sometimes you do need to talk it through, with those who have lived the same as you. Believe me, I know." Bella moves over to the sofa, bringing Rhea with her as the two get back to looking over their own papers, the presence of another just being there easing the pains they both feel. Rhea was truly thankful the next few nights for having Bella as her Aunt.
Rhea kisses her Mom and Dad on the cheek. Sabrina cups her daughter's cheek and tries to give her daughter a supportive smile. "You sure you want to do this now? It can wait for a few years?" Sirius' addition of "more like a few decades'' lightened the mood as the family stood just outside of the gates for Peverell Castle. The place has been held in stasis for almost eight centuries now, with multiple attempts to either claim or steal from the property failing miserably. The Peverells were a paranoid bunch and their contracts were some of the most comprehensive and unbreakable ever made, so much so that the request to the Goblins to clean it was simply denied. Rhea would fit right in with her ancestors. Which was part of the reason she was standing before the main gate. Her Death Magic was unique, she knew that much. A lot of the Necromancy texts she had been reading, even the one from Egypt, made it clear that her connection to death was unlike anything ever recorded before. The anomaly with her Death Magic traces back to her source of it. Even though the Peverells survived up to the beginning of the 20th century, no Peverell ever unlocked the Ancestral Home, yet something about the place kept calling to her. So she was now standing outside the dark and looming fortress with her parents, who would have to stay behind.
She hugged her parents, "Kreacher and Typsy made sure I had enough food on me for any delays, and Nyx promises to pull me out should anything really bad happen." Said Familiar hooted from her shoulder before grooming her chest. Rhea could tell that neither of them was exactly thrilled but she could see they both understood why she needed to do it. She turned to the iron and wood gates of the outer wall and pressed her left hand with her Head of House rings against it. "I, Rheannon Sabrina Black, Lady of House Peverell wish to enter the Ancestral Home of my family." The rings grow warm as a ripple of magic spreads across the gate, locking mechanisms snapping and clicking in place before the gate opens outward, revealing a lifted drawbridge that begins to descend on its own. Her Dad looks at the whole thing, "Sweetheart, I know you want to do this, but this security… it feels like it was made more towards keeping something inside the walls, not exactly out." Rhea nods, "It feels that way, but I have to do this. My magic is growing more unstable and it keeps pulling me here. I promise, no unnecessary risks. See you guys later."
The moment her feet touched the grass on the other side of the drawbridge, the gate behind her started to close and the drawbridge started to ascend. She looked back and caught the worried looks on her parents' faces one last time before the gate and drawbridge blocked her view completely. Rhea kept walking forward across the short grass path as her eyes took in the surroundings. The drawbridge had a moat filled with water underneath it, possibly stretching around the entire property, which she knew to be a circle. The chances of the outer walls being the edges of a ritual circle set in stone were high, which spoke of the power within the castle and the possible dangers it held. The grounds themselves were covered in mist, with scattered ageless trees looking like giant shadows. Just before she stood the massive castle, its towers and walls eerily symmetrical. The outer wall held 12 towers, and here she could see 4 towers plus a massive central dome, with probably 2 more towers hidden behind. This place wasn't just a castle, it was a fortified ritual circle. Everything was too symmetrical, too even. The wonders of magic applied to ancient techniques. It didn't fill her with any more confidence. Ritual Magic was as helpful as it was dangerous and if her ancient relatives were dabbling with rituals needing a twelve sided star built of stone she really didn't want to think about what caused the Castle to lock itself down. She opened herself to the magic of the place and almost wished she hadn't.
Rhea dropped onto her knees on the grass as wave after wave of magic filled and passed through her, blinding her at times, her bones chilled thoroughly. No living soul could ever take this terrain, as its walls, earth and even the water were saturated with Death Magic. Beyond even that, the place wasn't uninhabited. She'd have to let Luna know that the plans to get Thestrals for the place weren't necessary, they were still here. How they survived only took her a moment to think about, as the magic inside of them was beating in tandem with the castle's. Everything within the walls was bound to the castle and its magic and it to them. As Creatures of Death, the magic bypassed their needs in a living environment. Here they existed, as if trapped in a museum exhibit. There was a part of her that found it… wrong. All around her, she could feel other Creatures of Death, their eyes fixed on her. Waiting. They had been waiting within these grounds for almost 200 years. She pulled herself up on unsteady legs and hurried her steps to the front door. Rhea wouldn't make them wait any more than necessary. They deserved better. The Castle doors swung open as she reached them, silently granting her entry. As she stepped inside, Nyx flew from her shoulders and into the trees, making Rhea's heart sink lower as her Familiar's thoughts entered her own. What was inside Rhea would have to face alone. The massive oak doors closed behind her and blue flames sparked into existence.
Staircases, banners, suits of armour and massive iron chandeliers holding dozens of candles greeted her as the light settled into place. Rhea's eyes took in everything as her wand slipped into her hand, her hackles rising with every step. The foyer was beautiful in its rustic feel, the lighting soft, but not painful on the eyes. She followed the massive rug deeper into the castle, before standing before a deeply and intricately carved door, filled with Celtic designs, Goblin Runes, and even Fae Script. The castle's presence lingered in her mind, waiting for her with bated breath. It wanted her to open the door. Her own magic sang in her ears, demanding of her to do the same. Something in there was waiting for her. Just for her. Rhea took a deep breath and touched the door with her left hand. The scripts lit up with magic as a series of locks opened before the door swung open. She quickly regretted doing so. A black mass of raw magic smashed into her and she found it hard to breathe, as it not only covered her completely but she could feel it smothering her, filling her lungs and suffocating her heart. It felt as if she were drowning in pitch black water. Rhea lost all sense of direction as the magic swept around her, through her, looking inward, deeper into her soul. She cried in agony as her memories surfaced, her occlumency barriers doing nothing to keep them buried. The memories of a cupboard under the stairs, a manicured garden with flowers covered in her blood, bed sheets smelling of sweat, blood and tears. Images of a beautiful blonde young woman who showed her what love could feel like before everything fell apart.
The memories ended as she took a deep breath after spending what felt like hours screaming for it all to stop, noticing she could feel solid stones beneath her knees and fingers. The unexpected and painful feeling of a spear piercing her back soon followed. With not even a flinch, Rhea pushed out with her magic, launching the spear away as she healed the wound. She looked around and saw… nothing. It was as a black beyond nature. There was literally nothing here. It reminded her of Bella's Veil, except there was no noise here, nothing but eerie silence and the endless weight of Death's cold grasp. A flicker of light ignited in her vision and she found it a very cold comfort. Fiendfyre racing towards her wasn't her idea of comforting in the middle of a black void. Rhea was forced to summon her own, watching as a giant Grim wreathed in flame launched itself at what looked to be a giant snake. Two orange flamed behemoths, filled with the cries and roars of beasts, crashed into each other. Her focus was interrupted by two jaws clamping into her legs. She looked down, casting a faint lumos with her hands and saw the skeletons of wolves, digging their sharp and pointed teeth into her skin, tearing into her tendons. Using the Fiendfyre still under her command, she incinerates the animated bones after banishing them away from her body and instead of crashing the Fiendfyre into the flaming beast like before, she wraps it around herself, in a protective line, though keeping it at a safe distance.
Her manoeuvres revealed dozens of animated corpses, both human and beast around her, circling her, waiting for an opening. Rhea reached out with her Death Magic and tried to take control of the skeletons. It didn't work. Rhea felt a growing dread as she found her Death Magic refusing to answer her. "There will be no avoiding the inevitable here, Child of Black." Rhea looked for the source of the voice and froze as her eyes fixed on a body wrapped in a black cloak. She remembered him, from her earliest nightmares. Her earliest memory. The memory from the moment her life was changed forever. Red eyes stared at her, a malicious grin on his face. "You have escaped death many times from the moment we met. No more. This is the end for you, Rheannon Black." He shouts two words and the pale green light of the Killing Curse races towards her just as it did in the past. She instinctively raised a section of the floor into a wall and it exploded, dissipating the curse. The creatures lunge at her, seeking to sink their weapons or teeth into her, as spells rain down on her.
Rhea had long lost any measure of time, but it had to have been more than simply hours passing by. She may have spent days fueled with desperation and magic. She honestly couldn't care how long it had been, as the only thought in her mind was to fight, to keep fighting. The ground around her was littered with heaps of scorched bones and lances, embers of flames illuminating the surroundings, ever contained in a backdrop of eternal night. A human skeleton eventually managed to push her off balance before her spell turned it to dust. She was splayed on her back, her lungs filling with blood as she stared into the red eyes and inhuman face of Voldemort as he moved in closer to her, looming over her, his smile as wide as could be. "Everything dies, Necromancer. Even you. Especially you. Why not stop fighting? You are already dead. One in 4 billion people, in a universe filled with countless other lives. Your life, like your death, is insignificant. Give up, little girl." Rhea spat at him and growled, before she felt a foot come crashing down onto her legs, breaking them. She refused to scream. She sent a wave of Fiendfyre at him but he beat it away. Her magic, the single most comforting thing she knew in her life, was fading away.
Voldemort smirked at her as he lifted a spear from the ground and impaled her in the abdomen. Rhea's breath leaves her chest as she struggles not to let her pain show. "Here you are, dying before me, surrounded by a sea of endless death. This, dear Halley Potter, was always your fate. From the moment you were born, you were fated to die. Your life is devoid of any meaning. It's always been meaningless. Did your failed romance teach you nothing? Did you not do everything right from the start, only to lose it all in the end? Did you not die over and over again in the cupboard while your relatives celebrated? That is the world, girl. No matter what you do, it all ends. Everything can go perfectly and yet you will still lose. This is the world we were both born in. Cold, cruel, unfair. Meaningless. Give in. Let go." Rhea gripped the spear piercing her chest and stared into his eyes, her cyan irises glowing with an inner light. "I don't care about the vile, cruel world filled with empty promises. It doesn't matter. None of that world matters to me. But my family does! For them, I will fight on, all the way unto death! She and I have walked together since the moment I was born, her company is a comfort to me! But I will not give in, not to you, not to her, not on this bloody day." Tears spill from her eyes as she draws in the last of her strength, building up what trickle of magic she can still feel within herself. "They are waiting for me! They are waiting for me to come home. One day I will let Death claim me as is my fate, but not like this. Never like this. I need to go home, and by the endless night of the Veil, I will. Now get out of my way!" Rhea fills what magic she has left into the spear and launches it into Voldemort's chest. The body slumps to the side and collapses.
Rhea closed her eyes as she felt death licking at her wounds, her magic spent in its entirety. Images of her pain and suffering fill her mind, but she pushes them away. She won't think of the cupboard, the garden or the Dursley's roof. She won't think of Fleur, of the Potters, of Dumbledore or of Voldemort. Her mind turns to her whole world, her shining everything. She sees Bella, Cissa and Andy drinking tea together and laughing at a garden patio table. She sees Draco being chased by Dora, Padfoot and Nyx among the groves of flowers and trees. But more importantly, she sees her parents holding hands and kissing each other before turning to her and smiling. For them, she would dare deny death. For them, she would live right to the bitter end. Even if there was nothing waiting for her in the end, they deserved to see her living and laughing at their side. She would live for them. Even as her eyes close slowly, her vision blurring, she keeps her family's image in her mind. Everything eventually goes dark, but not into the empty void of the Veil, but into the endless starry night. She feels her heart beating again in her ribcage, her body knitting itself back together piece by piece, her blood emptying out of her lungs. "It seems the time has finally come, my brothers."
Rhea blinks as she struggles to raise herself onto her feet, the puddles of water reflecting the night sky rippling with each step. She looks on and sees three wizards looking at her with… hope. "It has been a long time, Rheannon Black, since we walked the edges of the Veil. To be summoned here, now, lightens our hearts." The oldest moved forward and bowed, "Learn of today, the lesson I failed to head. Victory can easily be twisted into defeat by one's own pride." The middle one, whose hair was as black as Rhea's was before, bows. "Let not the shades of your past blind you, lest death prove ever more tempting than life. There is more to life than lamenting what could have been." The youngest smiled at her, a familiarly irritating smile. "You, my descendant, already carry my lesson within you, as well as my relic. Live on, Rheannon Black, Lady of House Peverell. Live on till it is your time. Death will await you, as always. It is up to you to decide when to let go. That is your gift and your curse." The oldest captured her attention again, "You know where my relic lies, don't let the mistakes of the past be repeated again and again. End the cycle." The middle brother had a face filled with disgust, "Mine lies buried and hidden, tainted by the Arts our House despises above all others by one of our own blood. Cleanse it and think about it. Its fate lies with yours." The brothers bow to her together one last time and vanish into the endless stars. Rhea stands and breathes, taking in the untainted air and welcoming the peace of the place into her before settling in for a restful sleep.
Her eyes eventually open up and stare into an unfamiliar ceiling of stone arches. She could tell that she had been lying down for a long time, her body stiff and her stomach empty. Even her clothes felt a little tighter against her body. Rhea lifted herself up and looked around, astounded by what she saw as her eyes recovered their focus. Peverell Castle was no longer a den of darkness and blue flame but filled with the sun's warm light, windows opened and the light of the new day filled almost every corner. Before her, where she only saw an endless darkness, sat a beautiful round table with twelve empty seats. Her eyes filled with magic for a second and she saw those empty seats occupied by men and women, laughing, drinking and eating, as a couple at the centre held hands, bound with golden cloth. The man looked at his wife and smiled before kissing her. The two are interrupted by two children jumping onto their backs, their faces filled with smiles. The woman at the centre of the table turns to Rhea, her eyes filled with mirth as she nods. Rhea can't help but join them as her lips turn into a smile before the image vanishes from view. This small glimpse into her family's past is etched into her mind and heart. She hopes to one day get it painted. Rhea turns around and notes the lessened presence of Death Magic in the air, just as the aches and pains of her fight reassert themselves. In the end, though it had been worth it. Her magic felt whole and stable and the Castle, her family's Ancestral Home and lingering burden, now stood free. Rhea let out a deep breath as she felt her ribs ache. "I dearly hope the OWLs and NEWTs exams aren't as taxing as that. Bloody Necromancers."
"I don't suppose you have two months' worth of study sheets with you, right?" Hermione stopped in her tracks as the mirthful voice snapped her attention back to her surroundings. The end of the Second Task had brought a lot of chaos with it. The Boards and the Ministries of three countries were absolutely furious with Dumbledore, the other Headmasters and the Tournament organizers. The taking of hostages without parental consent, incomplete safety measures and the injury of one said hostage had brought an investigation. Dumbledore was removed from his position as Supreme Mugwump of the ICW after France lodged a formal complaint on behalf of the Delacours. His attempt at deflecting blame towards the one hostage who could not be retrieved prior to the Task only added fuel to the fire, as the only charge they could put on her was stunning a Hogwarts staff member. Rhea's position as an Heiress and being entitled to refuse without her Family's approval brought any attempts to discipline her short. No one could blame her for defending herself, especially as her replacement was the one who almost died. Dumbledore's defense fell flat and the ICW called for a vote of no confidence and it passed.
The days after the tournament also brought to light a change in one of the Champions. Fleur Delacour became withdrawn and quiet, hardly talking to anyone. Since Rhea was missing, all anyone could assume was that they had broken up. When Flitwick informed Luna that Rhea would be absent for the foreseeable future, it became clear that whatever happened had been extremely serious for their friend. Luna, Draco and Susan only got a letter from Rhea a week later, going into very little detail on what happened, only that Rhea was in need of rehabilitation at home before returning to Hogwarts. From then on Rhea would send a letter to most of the people in the study group about once a week, at least until after Imbolc. Rhea had mentioned she'd be really busy and would likely lose contact. She did lose contact. For three weeks. After this a letter went to Draco, informing him that his cousin was fine and that she'd be messaging everyone when she was ready. This is why Hermione is stunned at seeing Rhea smiling at her at Hogwarts since she didn't say a thing about coming to school today.
"Study sheets? Is that all you have to say?" Rhea grew sheepish, "Um, sorry for being away because my magic went through a completely atypical maturation?" Hermione stilled at that, knowing that magic tended to have issues with certain wixen when they reached their own age of maturity. Leave it to Rhea to have hers first and for it to be atypical. Hermione did scrutinize Rhea and had to bite her cheek to keep off a blush. Rhea did look a lot more mature, with her hair being a bit longer and kept in a braid, some slightly noticeable curves on her body and oddly some flakes of gold in her eyes. Wait. "Why are you wearing dress pants? Aren't you supposed to be in 5th year to wear those?" Rhea growled, "Because if I wanted to feel a draft below the waist, I'd rather be in a bathing suit or nude." Hermione was going to respond to that when Rhea's words registered fully and certain images popped into her head. The blush settled in quickly after that and the subject was dropped. The moment they rounded into the Great Hall Rhea literally vanished, leaving Hermione confused.
"Gods dammit it cousin, don't do that!" Hermione sighed as she heard Rhea giggle and apologize to Draco, who was currently sporting his cousin lazily draped on his back, his face a mix of relief and embarrassment as Rhea chatted with her Slytherin friends, before moving to her Table at Ravenclaw and hugging Luna. She remained there chatting with her roommate as if nothing had really happened. This was a part of Rhea that always confused Hermione, though she could understand it in a way. She was a lot more mature than everyone else, so things didn't faze her as much as everyone else. "Halley!" Well… most things didn't faze her like everyone else. Rhea stilled at hearing that name and voice and Hermione couldn't blame her really. James Potter had apparently given up all further attempts after being humiliated in the Wizengamot and Lily Potter had never really been seen doing much about it. The Lady Potter had made a lot more time for Henry recently though.
Henry, on the other hand, had taken Rhea's absence to mean that she needed his protection and that by doing that she'd miraculously stopped hating him and her birth name. Hermione had seriously begun to agree with Rhea's statements that wizards were mostly Neanderthals. Henry was acting like one more and more and nothing that Hermione said helped. His stunt in the Second Task of rescuing her and Fleur's little sister seemed to have gone to his head and nothing she said pierced his skull. Or was it his ego? Hermione was at least happy he wasn't on the Quidditch team. Hogwarts' victory over Durmstrang in the final would have inflated his ego beyond the castle's ward line. She was about to comment on it when Rhea smiled. "Henry, how are you, did my message not arrive in the mail?" Hermy looked confused for a moment as Hermione looked at Rhea questionably. Those words had been filled with far too much false merriment. "Huh, no. Did you send something?"
Rhea's smile was positively predatory. "Not at all. I was just wondering if my lack of mail didn't seem like a good enough hint that I just don't like you. You insult me, my friends, my faith, my opinions and my intelligence. Above all that you insult my family! So how by the goddess do you still think that I want to hear from you, especially when you deliberately call me a name that I hate more than dresses and skirts! This is my last bloody warning Potter, if you want to make it to the Third Task with a modicum of your pride and manhood intact, leave me alone!" Hermione had to give it to Rhea, she had a way of silencing the entire Great Hall when she was angry. The silence did make it easier for her to see the plates and chalices on the table rattle for a second after Rhea finished talking before they eerily stilled. She'd make a joke about her friend getting along great with Dumbledore if she didn't value her own life. The glare she got from Rhea that one time had left Hermione scarred. Henry dropped the matter when a silent and weak banishing charm shoved him away from Rhea as she returned her attention to Luna.
The days after Rhea's return had been confusing for Hermione. Rhea was definitely different, and it wasn't just her looks. There was a calmness to her that had been absent for as long as she knew her, though she seemed to have a shorter temper now too. Colin Creevey almost lost his fingers when she wandlessly summoned his camera after he took a picture of her, and after reminding him about the value of privacy and a not so subtle warning about where she'd be stuffing said camera if he did the same thing to her or her friends again, she went right back to being her cheerful self. Every single one of those moments gave Hermione some whiplash. Rhea was also a bit more affectionate to her friends, bumping her shoulders with them and poking their ribs with her elbows, though her hands almost never touched anyone unless they needed comfort. What did get on Hermione's nerves was that she only ever saw Rhea studying Herbology, Astronomy, Arithmancy and the History of Magic. Sure, she knew her friend was taking advanced studies in the rest, but she should study for those too!
Hermione did feel some shame for blowing up at her for doing that during one of their study group sessions. She had thought she had finally stepped over a line as Rhea stared at her, her eyes looking her over, making Hermione feel sheepish. This is why she was confused when she got an animated paper message telling her to meet up at the edge of the Black Lake in the early morning on a Saturday and to wear non-magical clothes. Hermione will admit to having thought about potentially being Kelpie food but she dismissed those thoughts quickly. "Oh, Rhea didn't say this was a group outing." Hearing Daphne made any tension in her body fade away. "Same here, have you seen her?" Daphne was about to comment when they both felt someone grab them before the pull of a portkey yanked them away from the school. "Rhea!" Hermione glared at her now visible friend. "How long have you been there?" She gave her a rogue grin, "Some time before you thought I was going to drown you in the lake." Hermione blushed at that, and the blush stayed as Rhea dragged her and Daphne through a Shopping Mall in London.
Daphne was beside herself, enjoying her first time shopping with girls outside of magical districts and Hermione couldn't help but be pulled in and having fun too. She never really had friends her own age who were also girls, so she had never gone to malls like this. Daphne spent a longer time casing out the clothing sections, looking for anything she might like, while Rhea looked at shoes. Make those boots, actually, though they certainly accented her legs better. Both Hermione and Daphne were a bit awkward when Rhea asked them to buy swimsuits they wouldn't mind being seen in by strangers or friends, though Rhea was kind enough not to be around for both of them as they modelled a few. Knowing her friend was interested in girls made Hermione a bit self conscious around her and Rhea seemed to pick up on that. Hermione did try a more revealing pair inside the changing room and decided to buy them plus a more traditional bikini, which seemed to be the type Daphne bought. Rhea told them to switch their undergarments to them and meet her outside after she paid for everything, with both girls promising to pay her back.
The soreness in her legs melted away as Hermione eventually sat down inside a warm jacuzzi, her bikini being in blue, while Daphne wore a similar cut bikini in green, with Rhea rounding out the trio in a high neckline, open back sporty black bikini. The three just melted into the water after Rhea had organized some deep tissue massages for everyone. "Rhea, not that I am complaining in the least, but why all this today?" She giggled, "Because of you two. Daphne has been doing some crazy studying in private to beat us according to Tracey, and you have really been hitting the books hard lately, so I thought you two could use a day out of the castle for just fun. I asked the rest, but Tracey asked to be left alone to sleep in late, the boys looked terrified at the idea of shopping with girls and Susan asked to stay to have a date with Sally, though I did arrange for them to have a day like ours for the summer for those two alone. Luna is currently enjoying a visit from a family friend of mine who happened to capture some rare magical creatures in Sweden and would be too out of it to be coherent, and Astoria volunteered to keep our Luna from stealing said animals."
Hermione smiled and switched positions, getting some massaging jets against her front. "I swear, the magical world needs someone to work on a magical version of this." Rhea sighed contently, "No arguments from me other than it takes away one more excuse to get away from it all." Daphne grumbled, "You'd think you wouldn't need to, with the time you spent out of school." Rhea glared at Daphne, " My first two weeks away were me having issues with my vision, body temperature and senses of taste and smell. Trust me, it was anything but relaxing. Add a painful break up that I won't be elaborating to anyone other than my future spouse and Best Lady, and consolidating a magical inheritance during the peak of my magical maturity that left me feeling like I overindulged in coffee and chocolate at the same time as being hit by a lorry, trust me, I wasn't relaxing." Rhea adjusted herself and also relaxed onto her front beside Hermione. "Besides, I thought you two deserve an explanation for my current study habits." Hermione turned to look at Rhea, a light blush blooming on her face with her friend being so close to her with minimal clothes. "Ok, what gives? Why aren't you studying for the major courses?"
Rhea bit her lip, "I may have taken some OWLs before I came back to school." Daphne joined them in their more relaxed position and was on the other side of Hermione. "How many?" Rhea went to think for a moment, "Well, since I got bamboozled by two of my teachers, I already had OWLs in Potions and Runes. So I took DADA, Charms, Transfiguration, and Dueling. Snape has me working on enough potions so I will be out of his hair by the end of next year, Babbling is running out of Cuneiform for me to translate and is desperate enough to get me to look at Sanskrit, so probably testing out a NEWT on that subject for next year too. Depending on our DADA and Dueling Teacher for next year, I think I can manage to complete the wand requirement courses next year as well." The silence from both her friends was deafening until Daphne let out a gut wrenched sigh. "Of course, you'd be done with most of your advanced classwork for next year. At least you're not trying to skip ahead or leave Hogwarts early."
Hermione felt Rhea switch on to her back. "I am not trying to skip ahead or anything, but my family's antagonism with Dumbledore isn't going down. This way I can avoid any trouble if I am forced out of Hogwarts early. Plus, it gives me more time to work on my magical inheritances and practice Healing with less life and death situations." Hermione switches around as well, "Are you going to be a Healer then, like Dorea?" Rhea hummed pleasantly, "Pomfrey says I have her skill and temperament, so that's a possibility. I don't just want to focus on healing the body though, or the mind. People forget that our emotions and even our souls can be damaged. I want to be able to heal people who need it the most, and not just at St. Mungos. After Hogwarts, I was thinking of travelling for a bit, expanding my horizons as a Healer before coming back and taking up my family's duties." Daphne hummed approvingly as she turned around as well. "I can see that working well for you. Your parents will probably hold their seats for a while."
Daphne stretched out her arms and groaned. "I want to help out my Dad's business and expand our wares a bit more. The Greengrass name has been selling European plants, roots and herbs for centuries, but there are other sources and materials out there. I want to see which can be imported safely and which plants can be grown on our soil with the right conditions. I was planning on asking Professor Sprout for an apprenticeship, but word is Longbottom is considering it too and I don't know if she will have time for two apprentices. After that, I will probably take up my father's seat." Hermione frowned. "I… don't have a set plan for what I want to do. I'm studying for every subject I can to keep my options open but there isn't just one profession that appeals to me. Plus I hear there is still some prejudice against mu- first gen wixen in Britain and that we might not have the same opportunities."
Rhea poked Hermione on the cheek with her finger making the brunette "eep", which only made Rhea smirk, "The prejudice has been going down in the last few years, but the issues of having first gen wixen not acclimating properly to the Magical World is still noticed. Dad has been throwing around the idea of a Wizarding Customs course being mandatory for first gen wixen while having Muggle Studies being split into two, with a particular course being Non-Magical Customs being mandatory for wixen who can't pass an entrance exam, with Non-Magical Studies being the new elective. We hope that a set of courses for first and second years like that can help future wixen interact better, but the current issues won't go away without some more direct intervention. That and the Board is running into interference from the Ministry and the Headmaster about getting the courses up and running." Hermione sighed, because as much as she respected the Headmaster, being around the Neutral students opened her eyes to some of his faults.
"As for finding something to do, I personally say you should do what makes you feel fulfilled, though you shouldn't feel bad about it if you aren't sure in a few years. Daphne has grown among her family magic and she doesn't fight it, so her being set to just expand and continue the family business is exactly what one would expect from the Noble Families. The Blacks aren't known as Healers, but I do have other family magics in me that pull me in that direction, so I am more comfortable just feeling my way through it. I would tell you to be careful about who you marry though. Some Family magics tend to overpower first gen wixen's own magical affinities, so make sure you are marrying into a family you can live with or has a more gentle family magic attached to it. Not to mention some spouses' views on where a woman is supposed to spend her time." Hermione frowned, "Doesn't love factor in at all?"
Daphne splashed Hermione in the face, "Of course it does, but your magic usually warns you ahead of time that things can go bad if you aren't careful or if you're really not compatible. Irritation or even outright hostility can come about from poorly matched couples. The Potters were once thought to be highly incompatible and it was why the current Lady Potter really hated the former Heir Potter. Word is that after their magical maturities, their magics settled and both were able to find some common ground. Not that it meant they became better people though." Daphne said the last, looking at the slightly closed off Rhea, who sighed and just seemed to relax again. Hermione was happy that Rhea was less vocal about her problems with the Potters, Henry Potter excluded. Hermione did voice one of her concerns though, "As for my future, a part of me is worried that any planning won't matter, with Voldemort out there potentially coming back."
Rhea snorted, "Unless you're planning to be a child soldier, that isn't a concern for you." Rhea hugged Hermione, making the brunette blush, which caused the blonde to eye them carefully. " Hermione, Voldemort has far fewer allies now than before, the Ministry is a bit better equipped and the ICW will likely be called to intervene if things get out of hand. The world hasn't changed that much, but just enough that students don't need to be child soldiers, despite who your friend happens to be. Though I will admit, you being so close to Henry will probably make you a target, so while I will never ask you to put your life on hold, please be careful. Finding friends as great as you isn't easy, you know. So make sure you look after yourself and your family first." Hermione blushed at the compliment and remained in a pleasant mood for the rest of the day, despite some teasing from Rhea and Daphne as they all got out of the jacuzzi and dried up.
As soon as they arrived back inside the Hogwarts Ward lines, Daphne hugged Rhea, "Thanks for the great day out. I know I teased you earlier, but this was a great idea. We should try it again next year." Hermione looked at the castle and paled, "Wait, you aren't on the map, but me and Daphne are! Oh, I am going to be in so much trouble!" Rhea hugged Hermione, "Hmmm, you would be if I didn't secure permission from your parents before I nabbed you. Nyx was quite happy flying over a new area since she gets bored easily, so I had her go to your parents and get all the paperwork signed. They actually said they'd cover your expenses up to a certain point, hence why I wasn't bothered by your purchases. Oh, and the charges for the massages and jacuzzi are not up for debate."
Hermione settled down after that and all three girls went back into the castle. Rhea sat down with Susan and Sally, who were practically sitting on each other's laps before Rhea's comment about "how much for exotic dances" made them squeak and settle down, though Rhea kept elbowing Susan and Sally kept slapping her shoulder the rest of the day. Henry, Ron and Neville grilled Hermione on where she went and she just said she went out with her friends to relax. They raised a fuss about her going on her own and all that but after she told them she received permission from her parents, they stopped bugging her. Lavender and Parvati did ambush her at the dorm though and Hermione did show them the clothes she bought. It was very surreal since the two gossip girls hardly ever talked to her about girl stuff, but they all liked the clothes she got and Hermione gave them the names of the stores she bought them at. No one did see her more revealing bikini, much to her relief.
That night, Hermione found a letter had been left for her from her parents, wishing her a wonderful day and being happy she had a friend like Rhea who cared about her relaxing more than studying. Hermione sent a letter home with the receipts and a big thank you to her parents for their permission and for agreeing that she had some great friends. She laid back on the bed and looked up into the canopy, wondering about what was to come. Rhea's warning about being a child soldier had chilled her to the bone because she couldn't deny that Henry's training felt like that. Rhea had told her that while she studied dueling, it was more about self defense and never getting too desperate enough to end up killing people. It really boggled her mind just how opposite Henry and Rhea were, with Henry being so driven, self righteous and at times scary in his conviction, while Rhea was so relaxed, thoughtful and caring.
She thought that maybe the reason they couldn't get along wasn't just that they lived such vastly different lives, but how they came out of them, with Rhea somehow coming out more whole and healthy from her trauma and the Black's care than anyone could have ever imagined possible. Hermione's thoughts returned to the Final Task and Henry's nightmares, how Dumbledore believed that Voldemort seemed to be getting ready to return to full strength. Henry and Dumbledore's warning of darker days ahead seemed to clash with Rhea's positivity, telling her that whatever happens, it will be better. That Hermione should take care of herself and her family first, before worrying about others. Rhea said the reason she wasn't worried was because her family had always been preparing for the worst so that every day they could be ready to enjoy every last moment. Hermione wondered how one family could feel so much better prepared than the leaders of the Light faction. No easy answers came to her that night.
"You summoned me, my lord?" Barty Crouch kneeled before his master. The body of Bertha Jorkins had long been discarded and replaced by that of an incomplete homunculus, in the shape and size of a baby. The previous body had lasted long enough for his master and Barty to wretch control of the Triwizard Tournament organizers and prepare everything for their proper conclusion. The absence of Halley Potter's name not coming out of the Goblet had been attributed at first to the child being dead, but Rita Skeeter's article proved otherwise. They both assumed that the magical changes to her name and the Blood Adoption had all but erased Halley Potter from existence, and hopefully from the Prophecy as well. Voldemort, however, would take no chances. "Are the preparations concluded, Bartemius?"
Barty bowed his head deeper. "They are, my master. Once our plans bear fruit, you will be restored and your fated enemy vanquished in one fell swoop." The homunculus cackled. "Excellent. Now, there is a task I must ask of you, Barty. See if you can get close enough to Karkaroff and bring him under our control, by any means necessary. The boy will fall at my hand, but we must not allow the girl to be so easily dismissed. We must remove all threats to our ascension and the girl may yet remain a threat. Have Karkaroff deal with the girl before you return here for the ritual." Barty nodded, seeing the wisdom in the Dark Lord's plan but frowned, "I would never presume to question you, my lord, and removing the girl as a viable threat is a most necessary task, but won't this drag the House of Black into open war with us?"
Voldemort smirked, "Were they potential allies, I would consider not attacking the girl, but Sirius Black has never been one of ours, and many of our fallen or captured owe their fates to Black's wand. He could never be an ally to us. That he has restored the Black Family by pulling his blood ties closer, at the expense of our cause, is more than enough reason to declare him an enemy. The girl's death will likely galvanize the Blacks, but it should also devastate them. An unhinged Lord Black may be a more dangerous foe, but one more easy to vanquish. Though Bellatrix will definitely be a force to reckon with as an enemy." Barty bowed his head, "I thank you, my lord, for educating me and showing me my limitations. I will make the necessary preparations before we enter the final stage. Will you require the potion at this moment, my lord?" The homunculus wheezed, "I will indeed Barty."