The ride to Hogwarts goes off without a hitch. Eileen is lulled to sleep by the faint tremors of the moving carriage, her head pressed against the cold glass. The landscape flies by, the sky getting darker and darker as the minutes go on. Harvey had fallen asleep after two hours talking about his summer holidays. She had never seen him so cheerful before. It was good to see an expression other than fear and gloom on his face for once, which had sharpened a little more in just two months. Is he starting to grow up already?
Is his body about to suddenly sprout like bamboo this year? She sincerely hopes not. She would terribly miss these baby cheeks of his if Harv– Augustin chose to age without warning.
Myrtle has come to pass by some hours ago, joyfully greeting her and Har–Augustin before going back to her cabin along with her new friends. Yes, friends. Because now the whining brat had finally been accepted by other kids– as young as they may be for her age. She thinks she recognized a second year and a third year ravenclaw in the little group. And was it the gryffindor Thomas O'Sullivan in fifth year walking with them? Incredible.
There again, Eileen is a little proud of how Myrtle has evolved since the duel against Hornby. The other girl hasn't tried anything until now, but the glares she repeatedly sent Myrtle and Eileen herself since the day she's lost are certainly announcing bad omens in the future.
Seven hours and an hungry Eileen later (the chocolate frogs were not enough to sustain her stomach's feeling of emptiness), the train starts to go slower and slower, announcing their imminent arrival in Hogsmeade. Harvey takes this opportunity to put on his black and green robes, as does Eileen with a less enthusiastic way. She is glad they gave both thought of wearing their uniform before boarding the train, or one of them would have had to change elsewhere. Not that Eileen would have minded much to do so in front of Harvey, whom she can't picture as anything else than a kid.
Wait, how old is he already?
"I turned fourteen last May," he says after Eileen asked him directly.
She stays speechless for a while, scanning the boy from head to toes with a doubtful frown.
"No way."
He rises an eyebrow. "Hello? I'm entering my fourth year."
"But you barely look ten. Are you sure you didn't lie about your age to enter Hogwarts sooner?"
"What?!"
He seems to take a big offense at that. His little fist hit Eileen on the arm, at the maximum height his body can reach easily. Wow, it's astonishingly a strong punch coming from such a petite stature. But still more cute than effective.
"I've grown up third an inch in size this summer! You can't say I'm small anymore!"
"No way."
"It's true!"
"You still look hella tiny in my eyes."
"That's only because you are unaturally too tall for your age!" Harvey protests loudly.
They are still arguing when they get off the train, revealing at Hogsmeade's fresh air among the hundredth of young wizards filling the outside quay. Ahh, the smell of paved streets, sweets, rustic stones and old parchment... Eileen wants to bathe in it all evening. But the sun is already settling down, and First Years are called out to go board the little boats by the lake. She doesn't see Myrtle in the giant sea of uniforms, but maybe it's for the better as she isn't so sure she would be ready to listen to the ravenclaw's anecdotes about her multiple summer crushes.
"Eileen."
Ah. Finally. One of the main characters of her year has shown up to get her dog back after all this time running free. Harvey automatically freezes, eyeing Sadell behind Eileen before slowly retreating in the crowd. She mouths him a 'see you later' just before she turns around and places a smile upon her lips, facing Sadell.
"Sadell, so good to see you again! Did you have a great time at your home?"
False sweetness and compliments have become a piece of cake over the years. Either Eldwins already knew of her real thoughts or she didn't give a single care about those words will be a total mystery forever.
"Yes, I did."
She doesn't bother asking her in turn, of course. She nods the coaches ahead. "We will be boarding this one. Follow us."
"Aye."
"And walk behind," Elizabeth warns dryly. Eileen makes a kind of reverence, bowing and pretending to take off an invisible hat. It seems to irk the girl plus Atheis, and they both turn their back without a word. Oh, she really didn't miss them. And it was probably mutual for the pair.
She has always found it weird, to be able to see them. Fascinating as those creatures might be, the fact they were as visible as the huge trees the coaches passed was kind of morbid. Not that Eileen isn't thrilled to see what the dark equidae of Death look like to begin with. It's just that the meaning behind the circumstance is... a bit eerie.
She hadn't seen someone die before. Not in her previous life, not in this one. But as she experienced it for real... she still counted as a witness of the Grim Reaper's work. She can't help but feel a little down every time her gaze instinctively converges towards the white sockets of their eyes. Because it meant all of this was really happening. That it wasn't an endless illusion of her defective brain. She has died once. And has revived in this world where she was but an unwilling intruder.
So, her favourite hobby during the little trips to the castle has always been to find those whose faces were pale and looking haunted or frightened, eyes down on the creatures without uttering a single word as most of them had never observed Thestrals before. She could figure out if one of them had gone through a tragedy in two months. Like the shivering Gryffindor next to their carriage, who had looked far more elated at the end of June than now.
And this is how Eileen had also come to a surprising discovering before... Discreetly, she shifts her eyes to the blond witch in front of her– face gloomy and trying not to move her focus on the gruesome-looking mounts. Greengrass could see them too. And since the very beginning apparently, because Eileen had seen her distraught the very first time she came to Hogwarts. She had never told anyone about it, but the revelation was more than obvious.
After around ten minutes of ride with the Thestrals, the students finally enter the huge castle that welcome them back with a gush of warm Magic coating everyone of them as soon as they step foot inside. It's so refreshing. Even Eileen can't deny the fact she loved the effect Hogwarts's Magic has on her. They advance progressively within the majestic castle. Right before they enter the Great Hall to wait for the firsties, Eileen spots a platinium blond hair in company of two pairs of bulky guys she recognizes as Lestrange and Mulciber.
As the girls make a beeline towards Riddle's group, Eileen watches as the others form a path to let them pass by pure instinct. What a show or powerplay... She can almost feel pity for those too easily intimidated souls when the only one they should fear was Tom Riddle.
The latter nods politely at Sadell as a greeting. Avery and Nott do the same, although Malfoy decides to be more vocal to greet the little group, purposely ignoring Eileen who chooses to obediently remain behind, unnoticed. They enter the Great Hall, the place unchanged and as huge as Eileen have known. The ceiling was clear of any cloud, speckled with minuscule shining stars into the dark void posing as the sky.
Everyone takes a sit at their respective table. The professors are already there, welcoming the students with their caring gaze, seemingly as eager as the young ones for the new school year. Eileen doesn't take a chance to look at their table, because she would be far too scared to meet Dumbledore's stare and unconsciously letting him know she is learning occlumency. Because she strongly intends to learn the art by the end of the year, and in the meantime she will have to avoid Tom and the deputy headmaster's eyes until she is sure her secrets are well kept.
She can't have Tom and Albus knowing about the future, can she?
"Greetings, my favourite students! How have you been faring? I am so delighted to have you back again, I can't wait to see how you'll be improving your excellent skills in Potions this year. Your schedules will be delivered to you by the Prefects as always, but let me spoil the surprise by telling you you will start with Potions next morning!"
The Feast is almost finished. The sorting lasted a dozen of minutes and as soon as the first years were all sorted and sat at their respective table, food as appeared a everyone dived into the tasty-smelling plates after a little speech from the headmaster. The rest became a background lull for Eileen who wasn't the slightest interested by politics or Lestrange's little trip to some country worshiping dark magic in all its splendour. Nor was she curious about Malfoy's super-expensive-new artefact, or even Avery's newly discovered taste for ginger witches.
"Dear Abraxas, you hair is shining today!" Horace Slughorn exclaims happily, not really aware of how Malfoy is suddenly gloating in silence.
"Professor, I can't wait to learn from you again," Atheis cooes. "The tutor I had over summer wasn't nearly as good as you. Will we be covering the poisons course as you said last year?"
"A-ha! Impatient already? Do not worry Miss Greengrass. You won't be bored until June with all I have prepared for you."
Poisons? She vaguely remembers him mentioning some kind of preventive lessons on dangerous potions, but an entire course about poisons? Will they brew it themselves...? No way. No way he would leave a bunch of plotting slytherins and vengeful gryffindors with knowledge of poisoning concotions in their hands. Hogwarts would end up as a giant no man's land.
"Orion! Mr. Strewiss from the Department of Mysteries says he was very surprised you remembered her fiancée's birthday. He wishes to know if you could make it for their wedding anniversary in December, right before Yule."
There is a devious expression descending on the rascal that he immediately covers with a flashing smile.
"It would be my pleasure. Will you be at the event too, professor? You were the one who introduced him to me, after all."
"Oh, I certainly will be of attendance! You can count on me. By the way, the next meeting for the Slug Club is..."
And here he goes, chatting happily with his little group of notorious prodiges of the utmost pedigree. They listen avidly to the man's endless prattling flowing easily out of his mouth, and it would come as a surprise if Eileen didn't know they were perfectly aware of how their Potions professor was very valuable to make connections with people if it was to obtain valuable information or a helping hand for future vacancies where it was generally difficult to get a foothold.
She doesn't know how long he'd been at their table, but by the time she is drawn out of her bubble of thoughts, she's already finished her plate.
"And here is our little genius in the making!"
Oh no.
"You sure got everyone by surprise with your results, Miss Floquet! The extra courses aside, you did a splendid upturn with the last tests."
Now the centre of attention thanks to Slughorn, Eileen supresses the urge to slam her forehead in her plate in hope to be totally erased from everyone's memory.
"I knew Tom would do wonders. You're so lucky to have him, right?"
She forces a smile upon her lips.
"Yes. He is amazing."
Sweet Merlin, it hurts so bad to say it.
"I made the right choice by putting you under his care. He was only supposed to help you improve your skills in Potions, but now look at you, getting Optimals in not only one but two subjects like it was nothing!"
"You flatter me too much, professor," Riddle speaks with that irritating tone Slughorn always falls for. "I only did what you asked me to do. It's a chance that Floquet is a fast learner when it comes to some subjects, otherwise my help would have had no use at all."
"Look at you, so courteous. I guess every genius is endowed with a degree of humility that ignoramuses like us couldn't possibly understand."
Yep. That must be it. Or the bastard could be playing with his naivety.
"Thank you professor Slughorn," Eileen grits her teeth slightly, "I am indebted to both of you. I can finally follow classes at my own pace. You don't need to worry anymore."
Goodbye, tutoring lessons with the most insane sociopath Hogwarts ever hosted. You won't be missed.
"Really? I am so relieved to hear that. My job is to get the best out of my students, you know. I'm really glad Tom could help you get back on track."
"Yeah–"
"What are you saying Floquet?" Riddle interrupts suddenly, his face entirely veiled with false puzzlement. "You still have so much to catch up, we haven't even covered half of the topics I intended to teach you."
"Tom?" Slughorn perks up. "What are you talking about?"
Yes, what is that fucking moron talking about indeed? Eileen wants to ask but still can't look at him in the eyes.
"You didn't tell him?"
Again with his well-imitated astonished tone in his voice whose puberty had caused it to lose a few octaves since the last time.
"Tell me what?"
"Nothing at all–"
"The private lessons are still on-going, professor. I had thought Floquet needed more than mere extra points just to pass the OWLs in-extremis. She needs more basis in everything including the optional classes she takes, don't you agree with me?"
What the–
"Oh!" the man seems to understand perfectly. "Oh my, Tom! I didn't know you were so invested in young Eileen's education. You have me positively surprised."
"Well, she is a Slytherin, even if by default. I can't have a single member of my House falling behind and losing points against our rivals. You would have done the same, were you in my place."
Slughorn looks like he could cry any moment now. The situation is absolutely desastrous. And totally far-fetched.
"Very well said young lad!" the adult exclaims, nearly running over to Riddle to hug him proudly. "That's a truly brilliant idea you have here. As long as it doesn't affect your own studies, I will allow Eileen to be under your care some more."
"What?! Wait, Professor there's a misunderstanding here–"
"Of course, Professor Slughorn."
"Then don't forget the first party of the year last friday of September, alright?"
"Professor!"
"See you tomorrow, everyone!"
He leaves the group joyfully, heading towards the end of the table to greet the new arrivals of the House. Eileen is confused. Shocked. Angry. What is Riddle thinking? How come she has never been informed of this before? She is not okay with the murderer's project. There is no way she would waste more of her time with him in confined space than she already did.
"I don't understand. When have this idiot got two Optimals?" Malfoy says with an unbelieving stare. "Was there a mistake made by the jury?"
"She must have cheated," Avery scoffs.
"How can someone cheat in practical tests? It's impossible."
"Then how? We're talking about Floquet here."
"Riddle," Eileen suddenly calls out, so low that it takes everyone some time to realize she's spoken. "What are you trying to do?"
She can see from the corner of her eye the future mass murderer take a sip of coffee.
"You will have to be more specific."
The pumpous prick.
"We're done with the private lessons. I don't need you anymore. I can't even understand why you're going through all the efforts for me. Lestrange sucks at Herbology and yet I don't see you pestering him with that all day long."
"Hey!" Reinhard grumbles in outrage.
"Reinhard gets at least Acceptable in most of the subjects. How many Trolls did you receive, Floquet? How many Dreadfuls? Poors?"
She says nothing.
"We still have something to sort out after our little conversation on the train."
"On the train?" Atheis perks up, looking stiff all of sudden. They both ignore her.
"You can't force me."
"You know I can. And I will."
"Ridd–"
She regrets looking up at him as soon as their eyes meet. Because what Eileen sees instantly freezes her to the core, unable to utter the rest of her protests. She has totally forgotten. Tom Riddle's schemes and story over the past summer has completely flown over her head like an insignificant detail, when actually it was one of the most important in the current timeline.
Gone is the deep shade of brown. Now, a stronger hint of red adorns the orbs' colour like a drop of crimson paint in water. He's fucking done it again. His second Horcrux. Tom Riddle Sr. and his parents must already be six feet under at this moment, leaving nothing but false clues about Morfin Gaunt's involvement. The motherfucker is getting stronger faster than she's thought, and no one esle could stop him from going on a rampaging path now that the deeds were not amendable anymore.
He is staring back at Eileen, as though aware of what is going on inside that chaotic brain right now. Her face couldn't be more readable than now. The tension of her posture, the sense of alert flashing through those wide open eyes of hers... The little touch of revulsion too. There is no doubt at all.
He is silently daring her to say something. To accuse him of a crime that goes beyond the greatest principles of humanity. It would prove him right. It would confirm Eileen's misplaced existence in this specific timeline, inadvertently calling for a monster's dangerous attention.
"Well?" he finally speaks up.
Eileen is abruptly pulled back into reality. She realizes it's been a long minute of silent staring, not only for them two but also for the rest of the group trying to get past the barrier of secrets between Eileen and their leader with their intense stares.
Fearing for her (nonexistent) weak occlumency barrier again, she swiftly diverts her gaze down her plate. She has to find a way out.
"I already have something that's going to keep me busy for a while. I won't be able to maintain a routine schedule for your private lessons."
"Really? I wonder what can keep you so busy. Care to enlighten us a bit more?"
"I am afraid I can't."
"Too bad," he sighs but gives no sign of genuine disappointment. "But don't you worry, Floquet. I won't take most of your freetime. As I am also going to be busier than before, you will just have to be where I tell you to be in the future. On time. Is that perfectly understood?"
What, is he threatening her with what he thinks is her secret even though he's missing the real point? Well, he was very close though. Far too close to the truth to her liking.
"...Crystal clear," she reluctantly surrenders with all the effort in the world not to curse the young man.
If only she could just blurt out a sweet "fuck you" and be done with the prick once and for all but alas... being magical can't do miracles to her greatest despair. All right. If obtaining magical powers can't change the world and can't make her disappear, then Eileen wants a refund.
Plan 1. Learn occlumency
Plan 2. Emancipate
Plan 3. Find a fake lover
Plan 4. Make Riddle believe she is in touch with a Seer
Plan 5. If plan 4 fails, run away
Plan 6. Top all classes to avoid private sessions
Plan 7. If Plan 3 fails, poison Aaron (not lethaly)
Plan 8. If Plan 7 fails, make it lethal
Plan 9. Do Research about living in America
Plan 10. Find a way to make a lot of money
Plan 11. Tell Mulciber to fuck off
"Fuck off Mulciber."
With that said, she crosses out the last line of her list. Next to her, Logan grunts in annoyance as he still leans over and tries to glance at what she is currently doing.
"What are you scribbling? It's doesn't look like notes on the lesson."
He discreetly tries to peep on the parchment again, only to be blocked by Eileen's arm as she continues think of what to add in the list of ideas.
"Not your business. Focus on the class, not me."
"Kinda hard to focus when you're busting my chops with your barbaric use of the quill. It sounds like a nail scratching a blackboard!"
She appears totally unbothered by the accusation. Of course her writing skills with a quill are atrocious. Try holding a freaking goose feather to question a lifetime of writing with a ballpoint pen after an experience of actually dying and reviving like a videogame character with too much lives left. It had been her very first challenge when she arrived at Hogwarts for the first time in her life. In second place was controlling her completely unstable flow of magic, followed by the wave of bullying in third position.
"You should have thought better than sitting next to me. So stop whining, you look like Myrtle."
There. Finally some peace. Sighing in relief mentally, she is not quite ready when Logan speaks up anew.
"... Had a bad summer, huh?"
What is that again.
"Your attitude did a complete 180 turn since you got back. Not that it hadn't become weird before, but now it's like you completely gave up the charade. Something must have happened."
"Astute of you, Sherlock."
"Sherlock?" he frowns. "Who's that?"
"Can you leave me alone? Why did you have to sit here of all places anyway?!"
"All seats were taken."
"There were like, five or six empty chairs when you chose to invade my personal space."
He shrugs.
"If you say so. What are you writing?"
Will she get thrown into Azkaban right away if Eileen strangled the boy? Would Pr. Binns notice anything or would the class continue like nothing happened? She wants to try it. Right now.
"I'm plotting against the whole world. I'm about to set it ablaze. You included. Satisfied?"
"Haha, funny. Last thing I knew you were far from able to defend yourself against kids with sticks."
"Last thing I knew, I surpassed you in DADA."
She is not one to brag about grades, but he is quickly getting on her nerves. She hasn't meant to sound so conceited but hey, she did best him in OWLs.
"Don't you think it's odd coming from you? How can a loser like you obtain an O in DADA?"
Rolling her eyes, she accidentally meets with the watchful gaze of the other student sitting next to her. A ravenclaw with dark skin and flamboyant red braided hair. Eileen sends her a falsely outraged look that says "Did you hear that?" as if she expected the girl take offense for her in support. The latter looks absolutely uncomfortable, torn between focusing on Professor Binns' class and watching them bicker a bit longer.
"Is that why Tom is so invested in you? Does he know something we don't?"
"Ask him."
"You better tell him everything you know while you have the choice Eileen," Logan whispers in warning, so low that the ravenclaw can't hear the rest. "Things will get ugly once Tom's going to take things into his own hands."
"Yeah, you don't say."
As if she didn't already know that.
"... You're so weird."
Another roll of eyes. "Are you going to pester me until the end of class? I have things to do, thank you. I don't even know why you are so persistant on talking to me."
"I wouldn't even dream of talking to the pathetic witch you are, Floquet."
"So, what?! Why bother?"
He says nothing for a moment, then his posture relaxes and his gaze fixes itself on something ahead of him.
"... Things have changed."
The conversation comes to an end, with Mulciber apparently determined not to say any more. And just as she is about to turn her attention back to her neglected list, she unwittingly lingers on the trajectory of his gaze. That's when she grasps the real reason of this farce. Of course she should have seen it coming. Tom Riddle.
Tom Riddle again and again. Always wanting to control everything. Unable to act like a normal student until the very end. A budding dictator who couldn't see beyond the end of his nose (which he still has to this day) and who never gives up when it comes to something he couldn't solve himself.
Of course he would send his lackeys to keep an eye on the supposed unnoticed Dimension-Traveler roaming around the halls of Hogwarts. Of course he would want to know where she is, what she's doing, making sure she doesn't run off to some powerful figure capable of thwarting his plans (*cough*Dumbledore*cough*) or doesn't do anything foolish to try and change the past.
Ha.
As if she had time to play hero and risk her life for something so pointless. Let her live in peace goddammit!
"Soooo... What am I doing here?"
Facing her, Myrtle Warren and two of her little friends are eagerly staring at Eileen like puppies begging for treats. She has been summoned by the witch with pigtails via a message left in her sleeping spot this morning. She woke up with a folded paper laying on her belly, filled with a simple line of words which writing she didn't recognize right away.
"Come to the girls bathrooms on the 2nd floor – 5 pm. Alone. Please."
If she's believed it to be a trap so that whoever sent her this could beat the crap out of her first, the added 'please' has planted the seed of doubt in her mind. No one wanting to command or threaten her would revert to such a subdued way of asking for things. So, it left her with a large amount of person cast aside by logic when Eileen had tried to figure out who this might be. It became even more obvious as soon as the location that only a few have known she has visited multiple times has been mentioned.
Yep. Far too easy.
"Thanks for coming, Eileen! I was afraid you wouldn't show up at all if you thought it was a prank."
"Yeah, tell me about it. What the hell was that message, exactly? 'Come there. Alone'? What am I, your dog?"
The other looks sheepish for a second, scratching the back of her head while blankly admiring her own shoes. "This is why I added 'please'..."
"Uh-uh," Eileen remains still by the entrance, leaning against the frame as she has her arms crossed while looking at them with an intimidating stare. She feels a little satisfaction watching them cover a bit. "How did you send it to me? It couldn't have been magic, knowing you– did someone else do it for you? Who? How did they know where I was slee- I mean, hiding?"
"About that... I had to ask for the elves' help."
"... The house-elves?"
"Yeah..." She interwines her fingers, looking guilty. "They are the only ones capable of locating people in the castle. They can also apparate easily contrary to us, so I asked one of them to pass you on the note."
Eileen is stunned for a while, looking at the other girl as if Myrtle just transformed into a hyppogriff.
"... Brilliant."
"What?"
No, wait. It isn't the time for praises right now.
"Nothing. Anyway, here I am. What do you want Myrtle? I have to be at Divination in an hour to carry Sadell's bag."
"Oh! It's just that I... I wanted to ask you something. It's a bit sensitive so I chose somewhere safe from any eavesdropping since students rarely use this place..."
"Go on."
She is not really confident in stepping in there again, after what happened months ago. She gives the ornament snakes over the sinks a dubious glare from the side. If they so much as move a single inch, she's going to annihilate the whole place this time. She doesn't like where the 'polite' summoning was leading to, but it wouldn't hurt to listen to what the brat wanted. Especially when she tagged two of her friends along for this. How peculiar.
"Remember when you helped me practice to defend myself last year?"
Yes, she remembers the chaotic period when trying to make Myrtle draw out a defensive shield was as difficult as making a dragon spin around for treats. Bad memory.
"Yes?"
"I would like you to do the same for my friends," she finishes by introducing the two girls patiently waiting behind.
"... Excuse me?"
She is not sure she has heard it right. But unfortunately, she has no time to linger on the doubt as one of them destroys her hopes in a beat.
"Hello, I am Isabel Greyson, a third year in Ravenclaw. I heard about what you did for Warren back then, even though a lot of people don't believe the rumour. I was there during the duel, and I now for sure you were coaching her from the shadows. I couldn't understand how it could happen, but Warren explained everything to us. You accepted to teach her things in order to be stronger, and I would like you to become my coach like you did with Warren. If you're okay with this."
Eileen is unable to speak for a long while. Not that it matters, as the second girl keeps going in turn.
"The name's Esther Quis, same year, Hufflepuff. I have that prick Jeremiah Smith picking on me since day one, juste because my family is poor. I want to beat his arse. Please, Floquet. Help us!"
"... No."
"Wha- Eileen!" Myrtle gasps. "You didn't even take time to think about it!"
"Should I?"
"Yes!" she nods vigorously.
"Alright. Uuuuuh..." Eileen shuts her eyes close. Waits three seconds. Opens them again. "No."
"But... why!" Isabel whines. "Why only Warren? Is she the only one worth learning your knowledge?"
Far from that.
"She got lucky, is all. I'm no teacher. Hornby was simply a menace to everyone and I used Myrtle to get rid of her. Satisfied?"
"Smith is also a menace to me."
"Or maybe he likes you."
"Come again?!"
"Boys his age often react like conceited bullies when it comes to express their feelings."
"No way!"
"Yes way. I'll leave it to you then, Myrtle."
"Wait! Don't leave!"
But Eileen is already heading to the door. "Ask Professor Merrythoughts for extra lessons. Or any teacher in that matter. Do I look like someone overflowing with altruism to you?" she yawns like a lion.
"We will do anything!" Esther insists.
Eileen is so close to the exit now, deaf to anything they migh propose to change her mind.
"We'll do all your homework until the end of the year."
Tempting. But no.
"Farewell~" she waves lazily, one step away from leaving the bathrooms.
"We can give you money!"
That simple sentence makes Eileen automatically freeze on the spot. It's been an instinctive stop from her part, but the word "money" echoes in her already corrupted mind. Slowly, her body turns around like a robot to the desperate trio standing in the middle of the lavatory.
"...Money?"
"Yeah. Plenty."
"I thought you were poor."
"Esther is. My family earns a lot of wealth," Isabel declares with a haughty smile.
Ha. Does she think she's won this?
"How much?"
The girls exchange a gaze for a minute. Then after an unspoken general agreement, Isabel answers.
"Five Galleons a session. Make it double if you actually manage to make us stronger."
...
That would surely complete the tenth line of her to-do list. Plan 10 would have to be crossed out too.
...
Fuck. What to do?
...
She really needed money, after all.
...
Okay, she wins this time.
"You start next friday. And don't expect me to have as much free time as you have. There will be no regular meetings. Oh, and we will use this location for now."
She ignores the cry of victory from the trio who start to jump in excitation. Inside, Eileen is grinning. Okay, teaching these brats will be a real pain in the arse, but it was nothing compared to what she can gain out of it. Money. She needed money to plan a future escape after Hogwarts. Or during the remaining school years. Now that she's found a way to make some, she can peacefully focus on the main problems of her life.
Things are progressing smoothly.
She's gonna have the last word in the end, or she'll die trying.