Marked as His Equal (unedited)

by TheL0sts0uls

On September 1st, 1941, Hogwarts welcomed refugees of Grindelwald's War, as Tom Riddle has been researching his past, trying to uncover his ties to Salazar Slytherin. Among the refugees is an Austrian witch intent on guiding the future Dark Lord down a better path, even as she too must contend with forces threatening to tear her and the world apart. Female Harry Potter, Time Travel

3. Chapter 21-30

Chapter 21: Conflicting Feelings

The sudden drop from the Portkey had now, after spending a full summer learning how to Apparate, become an easier occurrence to predict and prepare for, so Tom was able to land on his feet quite comfortably. Though based on the depth of the snow under his boots, falling here would have been less painful, though equally as embarrassing as ever. Looking momentarily at Lilith, who was putting away her Portkey keychain set, Tom imagined she would have apparated them here if the Solstice hadn't kept her out of commission for almost two days. Madam Prewett and her apprentice had even kept him out of the Hospital Wing for that time, during which he explored more of the Castle, trying to keep his mind occupied from the ill state of his partner, especially after how productive they had been in their search of Hogwarts Castle. Since the beginning of the Yuletide Recess, the two of them had explored several hidden passageways sealed by Parseltongue phrases, all with the same structural design that made them look more like natural formations, rather than deliberate shortcuts. A few walls had even caught Tom's interest, as these didn't have the conventional snake carvings and didn't respond to the open command like the others. Tom had been planning to test these walls soon, but Lilith's condition and her request for them to leave the Castle on the 24th had delayed his investigation.

Taking a moment to orient himself, Tom frowned as he looked around, seeing a sprawling landscape of hills and small clumps of short trees, all covered in varying layers of snow, though the signs of clear patches of stone made him feel that this region didn't suffer from consistent snowstorms. The sky itself seemed to be overcast with the once blue colors turned a pale gray, with a thicker and darker set of clouds looming over to what he believed was the south of their current location, based on the brief glimpse of the sun behind a thin layer of cloud cover. "Where are we?" Lilith, pulling her scarf tighter around her neck, smiled at him. "Can't say, as it would spoil the surprise. Make sure that you step firmly on the road. There is a good chance of some layers of ice hiding under the snow." Tom sighed, tightening his own scarf around his neck, before freezing in place as Lilith reached up to place a hat on his head. The warmth of it was certainly welcomed, though what had captivated his attention was seeing Lilith's face, her lips a bit redder than usual, though her eyes were just as bright green as ever, just inches away from his own. For the briefest of moments Tom felt the need to move his head a few inches forward, to maybe catch a taste of those lips. He wondered what they would taste like and if it would be as pleasant as all the other boys made it out to be. Lilith's eyes then caught on his own as she lowered her arms and she stilled too, before blushing as she stepped back. "Tut mir leid." Tom shook his head. "It's fine. Thank you for the hat." Her blush deepened. "Have you been learning German?"

Giving her a soft smile, Tom pulled the cap down more tightly against his head, covering the tips of his ears from the cold air. "Ein bisschen. I am still more focused on the Runic languages and Goblin Speech, but I have been trying to learn it." Lilith turned away from him a little, cursing under her breath, as she placed her own Cossak hat over her head, before making her way up the hill, with Tom following close behind, doing his best to hide his smile. It felt very satisfying to surprise his Austrian partner. As they crested over the hill, the area in front of them revealed a shallow valley, with a small town nestled close to the river, its waters still flowing, though with thin sheets of ice attached to the edges of the river banks and canal. Tom's eyes darted all over, trying his best guess as to their location and the reason for their visit, but not finding much to draw his interest in the area. As they moved further into town, the pair started passing a few townspeople, all politely wishing them Happy Christmas, before a car stopped beside them. The man inside gave the two a smile. "Ah, Miss Dominik. Good to see you again. Need a lift for you and your escort?" Lilith smiled at the man. "A lift would be much appreciated, Constable. How is the family?" The constable, wearing his winter uniform, stepped out of his car and opened the back door for them. "As well could be, Miss Dominik. The wife is doing better this year, now that our boy is five. Much more manageable, though no less than a handful as before. Still a bloody menace, especially in the summer."

After holding the car door open for Lilith, Tom sat down beside her, as the Constable drove through the town, going over a small stone bridge, before driving up a narrow, snow covered road. The gentleman looked at them both through the rear view mirror. "You two came at quite the time. Two years in a row we have had some of the heaviest winters for the region. Sorry to say that you haven't been getting a proper showing as to what a Devon Christmas is usually like, young lady." Lilith smiled at him. "Oh, I am sure the children are enjoying it more than the rain and sludge that you residents usually experience." The constable laughed. "That they are. I imagine that snow like this is just a typical day for you, up in the Alps. Here it has just gotten most of the people to stay indoors. The mayor had to request more lumber for the town. Our usual stocks were running dangerously low. Not that it will be a problem where you are going." Lilith nodded as Tom looked out through the window at the moving countryside, spotting an odd outcropping of structures just outside of a large gateway. The ground up ahead was far better shoveled as the car pulled into the front of the entrance to a three story manor. With both of them out of the car, Lilith turned to the gentleman as he return to the driver side door. "Thank you again, Constable. Happy Christmas to you and to your family. I hope that my gifts from last year are keeping you all comfortable in such a cold season." The man chuckled to himself. "Getting out of bed is certainly a lot harder now with those really warm sheets, but it's all well and good. Thank you for the gifts and have a Happy Christmas." As the vehicle sped back down the road, Lilith and Tom approached the door, the former striking the door with the knocker.

Lilith smiled softly as Madeline, the attendant, looked from her face to Tom's, her eyes widening in surprise. While the young woman had mellowed out since her first visit to the Manor, her surprise was a sight that Lilith had certainly been looking forward to. "Hi, Madeline. Is the Master of the House willing to see guests tonight?" The young woman snapped out of her shock and opened the door wider. "O-of course. He will be down in a moment. Please, step inside. Let me take your coats." Once the door was closed, Tom removed his coat, scarf and cap, handing them to a starring Madeline, revealing his more formal black vest jacket with a green tie. Lilith wore much the same, though she was without the tie. As Madeline left, Lilith's eyes remained on Tom as he took in his surroundings, her stomach filled with butterflies, watching him walk around with his hands in his pockets, a slight blush growing on her face as she admitted to herself that he certainly looked quite good out of the typical wizard robes and in more formal non-magical clothes. Eventually the telltale sound of footsteps reached the upper landing of the stairs, before they began their descent, slowing down only for a moment as the older gentleman's eyes locked onto Tom, before he regained his composure and continued down, reaching the bottom of the stairs. The man first walked up to Lilith, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. "A pleasure to have you here again, young lady. I have enjoyed our correspondence over the last few months since your last visit."

Beside her, Tom stood frozen in place, his emotions running wild, as the face of the man in front of him was familiar to him. Though his eyes were a lighter shade of blue, the cheeks and structure of his face, even the texture of his greying hair were all familiar to Tom, having seen them in the mirror for his whole life. The gentleman stood before Tom, giving him a sad smile. "It pains me that it has taken so long for us to be acquainted, young man. My name is Thomas Riddle. I believe I am your grandfather, though you are entitled to call me however you would like. I know that I have not earned such a name in the last fifteen or so years and that perhaps I may never earn it. However, I would be most delighted if you could join us for tea and perhaps dinner tonight? You and young Miss Dominik are both welcome to stay." While Tom's exterior hardly showed any emotion, inside he was a raging storm of confusion and delight. Gaining some control over himself, he took the offered hand and shook it. "I… would be delighted, sir. If it is not an imposition." Thomas smiled at him, placing another hand over Tom's and squeezing it warmly. "It is no imposition at all. Please, follow me." As Thomas headed down the hallway, Tom spared a glimpse at Lilith, who gave him a nervous smile. "Surprise?" Tom closed his eyes, getting his emotions under control, before smiling at Lilith, the two moving quickly to catch up with Thomas.

"I have asked this young lady here to describe you to me many times over the last few months. All the little devil would say was that you were an exemplary student and a hard worker. Everything else was for me to discover on my own." Tom, sitting down across from Thomas, spared a look at his partner, who was far more occupied with stirring her tea than it was necessary, her eyes kept down. "Yes, she can be quite delivish. She had told me to wear formal clothes for today and to keep my evening plans clear, and nothing else. I had assumed she had some sort of dinner plans for the two of us, but I certainly had no idea that she had contacted you. I am afraid that I wasn't even aware that I had any grandparents left." Thomas smiled at him softly, which Tom found again oddly familiar. It was similar to the ones he had seen on his own face in the mirror, but far less forced and clearly more genuine. "Yes, well, I can understand her reservations at sharing the news with you. The two of us met a little over a year ago as she was looking at the property lines in the area and I had the more detailed maps of the region. My name and location had made her curious as to our relation and after she confirmed that you and I were related in the summer, she spent the last few months getting me properly informed of your birthright." Tom furrowed his brow in thought, before the meaning of the words clicked into place. "You know about magic?"

Thomas nodded. "I must admit, it was hard to believe at first. Then she showed me a bit of her and your people's talents, changing the color of my cane, dispelling a bit of fog one day. She even gave me a potion to repair the damage to my leg." Lilith smiled sheepishly. "It was the best I could do, with my own limitations. How is the leg doing? I know that since the injury was old, the potion didn't-" Thomas waved his hand, cutting off an apology he had already heard before. "It is fine, young lady. It is better than how it was a year ago and even if it will never be as good as new, your generosity was most appreciated, regardless of its limitations." Turning to look back at Tom, Thomas continued. "Her explanation of magic did help make sense of some odd happenings around here. The Moors, as you might know, are infamous for the tales of spectral hounds and other ghastly phenomena, especially out by Postbridge. I myself have seen the creatures several times in my life, thinking they were either my eyes playing tricks on me or just wild dogs out and about. Then, low and behold, as we sat one day in my garden, during a most beautiful sunset, one of these dark, shadow-like beasts came up and sat at Lily's feet, as if it was the most natural thing for it to be doing." Tom looked at Lilith and raised an eyebrow. "First the Barghest and now spectral hounds. What is it with you and Magical Dogs?" Lilith blushed slightly. "My Family's Magic was adapted slightly to make our presence agreeable to schattenwolves. It seems the alteration works well with other Dark Creature canids, even out here in the Moors. Though I still have no idea what the source for the Hairy Hands of Postbridge could be, though the Fae or a Poltergeist are possible explanations."

Tom drank from his tea, looking for what he could ask of his grandfather. "Since you are the person Lilith revealed my existence and abilities to, I assume that my father isn't interested in me?" Thomas sighed, lowering his cup down and looking through the nearby window. "My son doesn't know that you are here. Ever since he left your mother and you in London, he has refused to ever speak of you, and has only ever spoken your mother's name to curse her existence." Tom lowered his eyes. "Do you know… about the circumstances of how I was conceived?" Thomas looked at Lilith, who kept her eyes down, before looking at Tom once more. He sighed deeply. "I do. I will admit… they are quite a complicated set of circumstances. I knew Marvolo for almost all of his life. He was quite the hateful and uncompromising man. When he couldn't take his anger out on the townsfolk, something your Ministry did I believe, he turned his violence against his own family. Morfin's suffering under his father's wrath wavered as he too emulated him in his youth and later as an adult, spreading a great deal of grief out and about Little Hangleton, but Merope…" Thomas clenched his hand. "Believe me young man, if I could have done something to help her, I would have. She was a kind girl, always out of the shack when she could. Courteous to a fault." Taking a sip from his tea, Thomas continued. "I do not blame her for being so desperate to run away, though I cannot forgive her outright for what she did to my son."

Rubbing the wedding band on his ring, Thomas closed his eyes. "At the same time, I thought I had taught my son better. You, regardless of all that had occured, were innocent of any crimes that your mother inflicted upon him. Even if he couldn't bear the sight of you, your grandmother and I would have happily raised you ourselves after your birth. While we might have had difficulty accepting Merope, we would certainly not have denied her the right to see her own child grow up, though we would have been a bit more cautious as to what she was capable of towards us." Tom felt his heart shift slightly, a deeper warmth growing in his chest than what the tea could provide. "Perhaps it was for the best. Based on what we uncovered, Marvolo Gaunt seemed to have ended the pregnancies of many women carrying the bastard children of his son. Perhaps he did the same to women carrying his own bastards. Had he heard of you taking care of one, with or without my mother, it is possible he would have targeted you, perhaps killing you all in the process to get to me." Thomas' face hardened slightly. "I see. I had heard of many young women dying across Little Hangleton and the nearby lands over the years, many of them pregnant. To think that bastard could have been responsible. It would seem that the day he passed on was a good day indeed for our town, as was the day that Morfin died as well, if he was no better." Setting down his tea cup, Thomas clapped his hands and smiled at Tom. "But those days are behind us. You, no matter what, are a Riddle and my grandson by blood. Even if you can never call this place your home, I will be damned if I don't at least try to be a good host to you within these walls. When I go to see my beloved wife in Heaven, I do not want to get an earful from her about how poorly I treated you."

Smiling softly, Tom listened to Thomas telling him stories of his grandmother, Mary, who had died just a few years prior. The man described how the two fell in love riding horses together over the Moors, how he wooed her over many a picnic on the fields of grass and flowers that covered some areas in the spring. As they moved towards the dining room, Thomas showed Tom a portrait of her that sat in her favorite room of the house, the library, where the bookshelves were filled with many romance novels and texts on horse care and breeding, all bought during their marriage. As the three sat down for dinner, Thomas continued on. "My father had never been the type to bother with breeding horses. Sure, our family loved Horseback riding, but we were connected well enough with the others in the area whose whole life revolved around horse breeds, many winning prizes and races all across the country. But Mary was adamant. She wanted her favorite mare and one of our stallions to have children of their own. So I gave in and we eventually tried our hand at it. Soon enough, her mare gave birth to a few foals. My current mare, Daisy, is a grandchild of those early foals and a few stallions and mares that she bought before she passed on. Riding now is as much for the love of the act as it is in memory of my beloved. If you'd like I can introduce you to Daisy and the others, maybe teach you how to ride and keep the tradition alive." Tom smiled. "I think I would like that." After serving everyone dinner, Madeline sat down and joined them, as Thomas always insisted, before Lilith spoke up to her. "How is your family doing, Madeline?"

The brunette, who was serving herself, looked up. "They are well. My younger brother, Frank, has taken a job here as the former groundskeeper had sought to retire, working the grounds and caring for the horses. Rose, despite being offered a few times, still refuses to work here. "Too close to where he lived for her taste" she said. Even after his death, her memory of him still haunts her. Mother has all but given up on changing her mind and the two of them just take care of the house together." Lilith shook her head, as Tom turned to his Grandfather. The old gentleman looked pained. "Rose is Madeline's sister. She was working as a maid at one of the other manors nearby where she was attacked and raped by Morfin Gaunt on the property. The bastard was fired on the spot and was sentenced to punitive labour, but he was hard to keep imprisoned. Always kept breaking out and making his way home, where Constables would try and drag him back again. Eventually they just gave up and left him be. Rose… she had a hard time with it all. Never could feel safe anywhere in Devon. She went to live with an aunt of hers in Cardiff for a few years after the incident, but the bombing raids over the city forced her to come back here for safety. We had hoped that the news of Morfin's death last winter would have given her some relief, but none has come to her. Her nights, from what her mother has shared with me, are still troubled by nightmares concerning that monster."

Tom dropped the subject, though the way that Lilith seemed to still when that name, Morfin, came up had caused his mind to wander. She had stilled as well when Thomas mentioned his name in the tea room, which left Tom feeling anxious. As the dinner winded down, Lilith helped Madeline with taking the dishes to the kitchen as Tom and Thomas wandered the Manor's hallways, the older genrleman showinh him the rooms and explaining the portraits and the history each chamber had with the family, before the two finally made their way to the entrance as the sky had turned well and truly dark. Thomas, resting a bit of his weight on the cane, turned to Tom. "Thank you, young man, for spending the evening with us. While I am saddened that you two won't be spending the night, I can understand your reticence. If at any time you are in need of lodging, my doors will always be open to you. All you have to do is ask." Tom lowered his head and shook it. "I couldn-" Thomas' hand on Tom's shoulder stopped his words in his tracks. "This family owes you much for not being there for you when you were born, regardless of the circumstances. Food and shelter is a small price to pay in a home that has grown quite empty over the years, a price I would happily pay myself so that you may have some sense of home and family from us." After taking a deep breath, Tom nodded. "I will take your offer then, when the time is right. For now, Happy Christmas, Thomas." Thomas smiled at him. "And a Happy Yuletide to you, Tom." Finding both Madeline and Lilith chatting at the entrance, the latter dressed in her coat and hat, the two Riddle men parted ways.

Under the bright light of a waning full moon, Lilith and Tom made their way down the path leading back to Little Hangleton, before the sight of the cemetery made Tom pause. Lilith, not paying much attention as her thoughts were reflecting on the pleasant dinner, bumped into him. Clearing her mind, she looked at the back of her partner, who had been quiet since they left the Manor. "Is there something wrong, Tom?" Her question was met with silence, enough that it left Lilith feeling unnerved. As she reached out with her hand to touch Tom's shoulder, the young man broke his silence. "You killed Morfin Gaunt last winter, didn't you?" Lilith's hand froze as her body went unnaturally cold. Tom's cold and calculating eyes focused on her as he turned around. "Before we became partners, before I told you of my heritage, you killed the last living member of the Gaunt family. My family. Why?" Lilith bit her lip. She wanted to deny his claim. She wanted to tell him that he was wrong. But here and now, Lilith was certain that a lie would break any chance they had of working together. Her voice came out soft, barely above a whisper. "He left me no choice." Tom's eyes narrowed. "Were you planning on partnering yourself with me, before I offered? Did you know I was a Gaunt then? If so, then why? Why did you kill him?"

Lilith closed her eyes, taking deep breaths as she tried to control her feelings, especially the memory of Morfin's death. Looking Tom in the eye, Lilith answered him. "I did want you as a partner, before you asked. I knew your last name was Riddle, so when I heard about the Gaunts and how Merope and Tom had a tryst, I thought you might have been their child. I went to Morfin to see the sort of person he was. To know whether he was worth introducing you to, as I did with Thomas. What I found was a rapist, a murderer and man that hated the very thought of leaving his family's legacy to anyone who wasn't a Pureblood. I knew then that if word reached him… word that you were next in line to his family's name, he would have either disowned you or would have tried to kill you. I couldn't let that happen to you." Tom felt his skin warming up in rage, before he yelled at her. "He was my uncle! You didn't know me as well back then. You had no right to make that choice for me!" Lilith's eyes glowed green as tears ran down her face. "I knew what everyone else already knew! From your clothes, your decision to stay at Hogwarts during Yuletide and your indifference at Samhain. You had no family to call your own. No place to return to. All that you had left was your name, your life and whatever legacy lingered in your veins. He would have stripped it all from you without a second thought! You know me. I lost everything! Can you honestly say, knowing what you know about me, that I would have stood back and let the same thing happen to you?!"

Tom's heart stopped, as her words sunk in. The first years, Myrtle, Cassandra, the townspeople of Smethwick. All of those people would have suffered a far worse fate if Lilith hadn't intervened. She saved them all, many of them being nothing more than strangers to her, with Lilith seeking no recognition or reward for her actions. She genuinely cared about others and would do whatever it took to spare the innocent from further harm. Even him. She, who had yet to make a deal with Tom, recognized a threat to his life and future, recognized it as dangerous enough that it had to be removed forcefully and did it all on her own, at clearly some personal cost. Even as her rationale filled his mind and did its best to calm him, his cautious mind couldn't let go of the fear that now began to dominate his thoughts. She had killed Morfin and introduced him to Thomas, favoring one side of his blood relations over the other. How else had she manipulated him over the last year, without him even knowing? Feeling his emotions running out of control, Tom voiced a concern that he had forgotten in the heat of the moment, only now realizing it as he applied the time frames to what he knew. "My uncle was the first person you ever killed, wasn't he?" Lilith's eyes dimmed as the memory resurfaced. She wrapped her arms around her body. "Yes." Tom closed his eyes. The first person she had ever killed and it wasn't for herself. It had been for him, to keep him safe. And yet that person had been the only living tie he had to his mother's family. For all accounts Morfin Gaunt was a monster, deserving of death several times over. And yet, a part of Tom refused to let him go. It refused to forgive Lilith for killing Morfin, for taking something away from him that was his right by birth.

Releasing a deep breath, a cloud of air visible in the cold night, Tom walked a bit closer to Lilith. He wanted to touch her, to hold her in his arms, just as much as he wanted to push her away. He did neither. "I… I need time, Lilith. Time to make peace with what you did. I know that you feel you were justified in what you did, and yet a part of me can't forgive you for this. For the time being, let's head back to Hogwarts and just… let me be. I will let you know… when we can start working together again." Lilith, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground, murmured just loud enough for him to hear. "You meant to say if…, didn't you?" Tom clamped his jaw shut, realising that Lilith saw through his attempt to reassure her, despite his own misgivings. Not wishing to be caught in another lie, Tom apparated away, landing just outside the village of Hogsmeade, before making his way up the path to the Castle. Lilith, for her part, remained at Little Hangleton for a few minutes longer, wondering if this would be the last time she would be here as a welcomed guest. The town's people would surely welcome her, as they always did. But if Tom couldn't forgive her for killing Morfin, then she didn't deserve to be here. This place could be his home, even if he didn't want it to be right now. She wouldn't sour his feelings about it anymore than she already did. Taking out a Portkey, she wished the town a whispered goodbye, just in case she would never see it again, before vanishing on the spot, the indentations on the ground being all that was left of either of them in the snow.

Alexander frowned as he entered through the front door of Peverell Manor. Sensing the presence in the wards, he sighed, stripping off his boots, scarf and jacket, before walking up the stairs. Opening the door to her bedroom and living quarters, Alexander breathed out a sigh of relief. "Oh good, for a second I thought I would need to pull you out of the bathroom again. What are you doing here? Your letter made it clear that you would be spending the Yuletide at Hogwarts." Getting no response from the teen, he approached the bed where she was lying down, finding her vest and gloves thrown about at the foot of the bed. He sat down next to her, getting a feel of her magics, finding both unstable. It was never a good sign. "What happened?" Lilith, who had been lying down on her stomach, turned her face to face him slightly. Her eyes were red, as if she had been crying. "I took him out to the Riddle Manor, to meet his grandfather." Alexander blinked at her. "That bad?" Lilith shook her head lightly. "It went well enough, except that he is too observant. When Thomas brought up Morfin's death, he caught my reactions. I tried so hard to bury them but he was able to notice. He deduced correctly that the person I killed last winter was his uncle." Alexander sighed as he patted her back gently. "It's not your fault. The boy's upbringing forced him to rely heavily on his ability to read people. Even gifted Occlumens can only control their physical reactions so far."

Lilith turned her face into the bed, her voice growing muffled. "It was so much easier being Lillian. I didn't need to save anyone, I didn't need to worry about anything. I was just this awkward girl who never stood out, a ghost in and out of the classroom. Only the Slytherins knew that I was different. After I nearly killed Malfoy in my fourth year, they all just left me alone. But not here. Here I have to feel responsible, I have to help people, no matter what. Tell me, Alexander. Did I… am I losing myself? Am I losing who Lillian was and becoming someone else?" Alexander rested his hand on Lilith's back, running it back and forward as comforting as he could be. "I can't say for sure, as all my knowledge of Lillian is what I saw through her eyes, but maybe this is who you were always supposed to be. From what you showed me of your memories, you were forced to live everyday for yourself, never thinking about anyone else. In the Orphanage and at Hogwarts, you always needed to look after yourself, as every single place held threats and dangers to your life and future. Because you never had anyone there to take the burden away from you, to let your life blossom. You never felt like your life meant something more than just a struggle. Here, that is not the case. You have agency over life, a goal beyond just surviving. It's letting out a side of you that could never be out before." Lilith remained silent, as Alexander removed his hand from her back.

"I sent a letter to Henry Potter. It contained documents about the old Alliance. If he uses it correctly, we might get to see the Wizengamot move as one to confront Grindelwald." Lilith turned her head to Alexander, who felt a bit proud of himself at getting her attention away from the recent debacle. "Are you sure he will be able to do it correctly? Getting the Light to follow him won't be as easy as it once was, not with Dumbledore's mouth pieces trying their best to undercut the faction's cohesion." Alexander nodded. "True. So far, the Anti-Dark Arts movement's members haven't opposed Speaker Potter openly, but their influence is starting to be felt in the wider community. But I believe Henry will be able bring them all back in line as the needs of the war force thrm to revaluate their beliefs. If everything goes as planned with the Alliance call… maybe you could even meet him in person." Lilith pressed her head against the bed. "I would rather not." Alexander frowned. "He was your great grandfather. There should be nothing wrong, getting to know him and all." After a few beats of silence, Lilith spoke up. "It hurts more, knowing them. As Lillian in the Orphanage, I didn't need my parents names or life stories. I could make up my own. I could believe that I was loved, that I was taken from them against my will. I could believe that my life had meaning to it, that it was simply stolen from me. When I arrived at Hogwarts, learned about my parents dying in the war, I could no longer maintain those dreams. There was no hiding the fact that my life was meaningless. That I was just an unfortunate soul that survived."

Alexander raised his voice slightly. "Lilith." The redhead, however, continued talking. "I could also see the flip side, you know? Neville Longbottom. The Boy Who Lived. His life had meaning. He was the Chosen One after all, Champion of the Light, the Great Albus Dumbledore's chosen successor and the bane of He Who Must Not be Named and his loyal Death Eaters. His life had meaning alright, but it wasn't one that he got to pick for himself. He got told what was right and what was wrong, never questioning the motives or the history behind those labels, never thinking for himself, never getting to pick who his friends and confidants would be. His parents were an inspiration to him, the people said, having defied the Dark Lord several times before their death at his hands. A bloody curse is what their memory was and he couldn't even see it. Everywhere he went, he was celebrated, treasured, loved for just surviving death. His youth, stolen from him as he was trained by his parents' best friends to be the force for change they wanted him to be, never thinking that the boy might want or need a life beyond the name he was given. That's the line we all walk, isn't it? To be weighed down by meaning and pressure not your own, or to find the world so utterly devoid of meaning, that you ask yourself how long you can go on pretending that there is any meaning at all in your being alive." Alexander sighed. "Is that what you have been doing these past two years, seeing if there was any meaning to coming back here?"

Lilith shook her head. "Seeing? No. Making it. Fifty years into the past, during a time when Death practically walked the Earth, claiming lives by the thousands every day. And here I am, one soul possessing the body of a victim of this war, wearing their skin, using their name… I needed to make sure, Alexander. There needs to be a point in my coming back here. Otherwise… why did I even bother in the first place?" Patting Lilith's back softly, Alexander spoke up. "There has been meaning, Lilith. Big and small changes abound. You will see. In time, you will find out just how important your presence here will have been in the lives of countless people." Lilith lifted herself up, turning to look at Alexander right in the eyes, hers filled with unshed tears. "And if I only care about one person's opinion?" Alexander smiled at her softly. "Believe me, he will understand." Lilith shook her head. "He asked me to stay away from him, Alexander. I… might have lost his trust. Even if I didn't, I doubt he could ever offer it to me truly ever again. I don't think he is able to give it out so easily and I may have ruined my only chance to save him from himself and all the monsters in the world." Sighing to himself, Alexander raised his hand and rubbed her hair, getting a scowl. "Give him time to think over what your actions have meant for him and to realize that his life is the better for it. In the meantime, will you be staying here?"

Pushing his hand away from her head as she sat up, Lilith pulled her legs under herself. "Yeah. I still need time to refine the construct's behaviour. I couldn't do it at the Castle outside of tye Room of Requirement, but here I can test it out fully, with your permission, of course." Alexander chuckled to himself. "You are more than welcome to stay until classes start again, giving him the time he needs to figure out where you two go from here. I will send a letter to Dippet. He will grant the request more easily coming from me. In the meantime, Happy Christmas Lilith." The redhead frowned at him. "You don't celebrate Christmas." Alexander, now at the foot of her bed, leaned down, picking up her discarded clothes. "No, but celebrating Yule while you are lying in bed, screaming your head off in pain isn't grounds for celebrating much. Now either go to sleep or join me in my study so I can tell you the plans for the upcoming Wizengamot Sessions. I will have some hot chocolate ready. After that, we can just sit back and watch the snow falling outside until you fall asleep." Lilith, catching her clothes after Alexander threw them at her, followed his movement with her eyes, before she turned to look at the large but unwrapped present box that contained her gift for Tom. She sighed to herself, praying to whatever gods were willing to listen that he still regarded her as a trusted friend. She was willing to settle for that right now. The alternative only seemed to make her eyes water and her heart ache.

Tom eyed his collection of books within his mental landscape, debating which texts he should read for the millionth time. The reason as to why he was unsure which books were worth his time now was due to a snap decision he had made the night prior. Being trapped within the confines of his Hogwarts Diary hadn't been the most pleasant of experiences, so he was understandably surprised when a few months ago he found himself connected to a redheaded girl by the name of Ginerva Weasley. The girl's obsession with the Boy Who Lived did serve him well as a way to understand what had occurred to the world at large since the day he had been trapped here. His corporeal self had taken the aggressive and perhaps foolish action of waging war against the British Ministry of Magic, not to mention the vigilante group known as the Order of the Phoenix. He had apparently come quite close at achieving victory, until one night, after slaughtering four members of the Order within their hideout, he himself had been repulsed in some way by the Boy Who Lived, a mere infant barely a year old. It was a ridiculous story, but the girl and the wider world seemed to take it as gospel, so there had to be some grains of truth to it concerning the events that had happened that night. Seeing as his otherself was either gone or incapacitated, Tom had decided that it might just be time to leave the Diary for good.

Ginerva proved quite an easy mind to control, allowing him to re-enter his Ancestor's Chamber and awaken the Guardian. Debating the best approach to achieving his goals, he determined that perhaps some degree of theatricality was in order. The last time the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, several Muggleborns and Halfbloods had been petrified, a scare tactic designed to get the unworthy out of Hogwarts. Unfortunately, that plan hadn't worked as intended, with Ministry and Hogwarts staff doing nothing to advertise the severity of the attacks. It wasn't until Moaning Myrtle died that the staff took the attacks seriously. Too seriously. They had gone straight with the option of closing the school, rather than acquiescing to the demands written on the walls with the blood of the children. Tom had to resolve the matter in a way that kept the school open, while also diverting attention away from himself. It worked too. So as Tom debated the best possible means of acquiring a physical form, repeating the incident once more seemed a viable option, especially as his goal now was to actually get the school closed. With a malleable victim under his thrall, all he needed was to drain her of her life force and magic within the Chamber, hidden from everyone's eyes, and that would be the end of his imprisonment. It was a perfectly sound strategy, except that he didn't account for one thing to happen.

The young Weasley girl had managed to gain some understanding as to what he had been doing to her mind and had tossed the Diary away. Then, another person found it, and Tom found that he could no longer follow his original plan, at least not with his new acquaintance. He had never encountered someone like Lillian Potter. The raven haired little girl with the most striking green eyes wasn't like Ginny Weasley. Unlike the Boy Who Lived, the girl who had been orphaned that same night at his side wasn't given the same idolatrous treatment. Instead, she had been abandoned by the Order, left at an Orphanage at some point in her early life. There she too learned, as he had done, that there was no kindness in the world without an angle. Like him, her bouts of accidental magic had left her being ostracized and shunned. Until she did what he couldn't do. She buried her magic away. Hiding in plain sight, never standing out, the girl just went one day at a time, working her way in the kitchens of her Orphanage with the other girls, before she received her own letter from Hogwarts. When she first appeared within his mindscape, he thought that he would need to work a bit harder to bend her to his will. Instead he found that he didn't have to. She was utterly indifferent to the fact that muggleborns were being targeted. Her only complaint had been that she was a known Parselmouth in Slytherin and that the students of her House suspected her of the crimes. That reveal had certainly made him hesitate.

The girl was utterly different from Ginerva. She wasn't looking for a shoulder to cry on, pity or recognition. She was only looking for companionship. So of course Tom gave that to her as he manipulated her body to carry out more attacks. What he hadn't counted on was finding that he had grown to like her. Her memory wasn't anywhere as good as his own, but she had shared with him her own favorite books, including texts that hadn't been written by the time he had been placed within the Diary. She was thoughtful and kind, more than happy to spend her entire time speaking to him in Parselmouth. When he asked her if she had sought Salazar's Secrets, her response had floored him. "Wouldn't that make you angry? They are your legacy, not mine. If my keeping away from them left us on good terms, then I would rather have you as company rather than some legacy that might only bring more trouble my way." Tom could say that he never had met a Slytherin like her. Eventually the feelings he had been developing for the girl shifted. Guilt started to fester in his heart. Still wishing to regain his body, but not at the expense of Lillian Potter's life, he did something he could say was very stupid of him. He told her the truth. He told her that he was Lord Voldemort, the man responsible for her being an orphan.

Lillian had left after that the night before, leaving Tom wondering what his fate might be. He could find himself in the hands of the Headmaster, his demise just a few spells away from being realized. Or he could find himself in the hands of someone else, a pawn he could use without feeling guilty. So many possibilities, all beyond his control. It was maddening, but oddly… liberating. So he remained standing, looking at his books with renewed interest, as he expected his end to be near. "Tom?" The boy's heart stilled as he turned around, finding those mesmerizing green eyes staring back at him. "You're back?" Lillian blinked at him in confusion. "Why wouldn't I be?" Tom was certain that his facial expression matched the incredulity that he was currently feeling. "I told you who I was." Lillian frowned. "So?" Tom stared back at the girl. "Aren't you angry at me? Everything that happened to you after that night. Hell, after your birth, it was all my fault. Why aren't you angry at me? Why haven't you given me away to the Headmaster?" Lillian searched his eyes. "What would anger get me? It wouldn't change the fact that I lost my family, or that the other version of you was responsible, or that the people my family entrusted me to also turned their backs on me. Being angry wouldn't change a thing about my life, except maybe lose a friend. So why should I be angry, when I can just let it go and move on? I mean, if I am actually going to make something out of my life, I can't do it by marching straight at all the people that piss me off. I wouldn't get to live at all if I did that."

Tom followed her with his eyes as she searched his book selection, humming to herself happily as she pulled out a book on enchantments. "May I?" The boy nodded absentmindedly. A few minutes later, which he spent watching her read, he tried to get her to see reason again. "You know that I am using you, right? While you are here I am attacking muggleborns using your body." Lillian looked up from her book. "Do you plan to hurt me in any way or have me taking the blame for the attacks?" Tom shook his head. "No." Lillian rested her hand on her chin. "Will your use of me lead me to suffer in any way later down the road, impeding my own ambitions?" Tom sighed, unable to lie to her. "No, I wouldn't dream of it." Lillian waved her hand. "Then please, carry on." Tom narrowed his eyes. "It doesn't bother you all?" Lillian thought for a second, her legs swinging underneath the table. "I am in a library with unlimited access to knowledge that I couldn't find in the outside world, sharing my time with someone who understands me and who I consider to be a friend, who has made it clear that they don't intend to cause me harm. The people whom you are hurting don't give a damn about me or have actively participated in ostracizing me. I can't think of a reason as to why I should care about any of them, or of any place I would rather be right now than here. Could you?" Tom closed his eyes, putting himself in her shoes. He shook his head. "No, I certainly couldn't.." Taking a seat opposite of her, Tom opened his book, his mind moving the girl's body in the real world, as he sat beside her within the mental landscape of the Diary.

He did his best not to look her in the eye as he started setting things in motion that would lead to the Diary finding itself back in someone else's hands, while the Guardian of the Chamber sought out its next victims. He couldn't bear to look at her, even though he knew that he would have a perfect memory of her within his mind. It would have to be enough. The girl was too much like him; calculating, thoughtful and detached. But at the same time there was a kindness to her, a willingness to give a part of herself, even sacrifice control over her body, so long as it meant that she herself wasn't harmed, betrayed or abandoned by those closest to her. How he would have wished to have met her in his youth, to have known that kindness in his everyday life. Unfortunately for him, he hadn't. So Tom planned and watched as events unfolded, waiting to catch someone unawares. A Gryffindor boy with flaming red hair stepped out of the Gryffindor Common Room's entrance and with Lillian's wand, which seemed to sing to him as he held it, placed the boy under Tom's control. Within the mindscape, he placed the book back into its place in the bookshelves as tears ran down his face. He approached Lillian from behind, doing something he had never done before. He hugged her warmly. "Thank you for being here, Lillian. Thank you for calling me your friend. I will never forget you."

Tom didn't give her a chance to speak, placing her mind under his control as well. Her body would find its way back to the Slytherin Common Room. He would make certain of that. She, the last Parselmouth to currently exist within Hogwarts, would be kept safe, away from the eyes of the school. Tom would try to find a way to recover his physical form, but even if he failed, he would give Lillian something to remember him by. He would go down to the Chamber of Secrets and reset the wards, allowing the girl to gain entry to the Chamber by her talent alone. However his departure from Hogwarts might be, Lillian would be given the chance to explore his family's secrets. She would have access to knowledge that no other person but himself would know of. This was the only way he could make amends to her. Because he knew deep in his heart that what Lillian wanted more than anything was his company. To spend her nights by his side, hearing him tell stories of his past, reading his books or trying her best to teach him how to dance. Tom, within his mental landscape, while the controlled body of Ronald Weasley as the boy stored the Diary away within his robes, smiled to himself at the memory of their attempt at dancing on December 31st. The trails of tears refused to dry on his face. Lillian Potter deserved better. From him and this world, she deserved more than what she had been given. He hoped that his other self, the entity that existed somewhere in the world, agreed with him. That she would be kept safe. That was all that mattered to him now.

Tom's eyes snapped open, tears covering his face as the dream, memory, or whatever the hell that was, sank down into his subconscious. He did his best to preserve the memory as much as possible. He couldn't not do it, as the emotions that consumed him seemed to have a life of their own, demanding that the sacrifice of this otherself not be in vain. It took him minutes of deep breaths and Occlumency exercises to regain control of his emotions as he made his way to the Slytherin bathrooms, washing away the tears that covered his face. Back within his room, using a towel to dry up his damp hair, Tom turned his eyes back to the bed, wondering if he might manage to get some measure of sleep. His eyes looked at the alarm clock on his bedside table, noticing he had an hour or so left before having to wake up. He wouldn't be able to get any sleep, not before he was forced to awaken once more. Deciding that it was best for him to just stay awake, Tom looked towards the end of his bed, blinking at it in confusion. There were several presents there, many in different types and colors of wrapping paper, meaning they were from more than one person. Pulling them all onto the bed, Tom started opening them carefully, finding himself growing more and more surprised.

From Myrtle Warren he received a copy of Sheridan Le Fanu's "In a Glass Darkly," with a note from the muggleborn wondering just how accurate the book's versions of vampires, demons and familiars were like and if the Gothic stories had been so popular because of information being leaked from Magical Society into the mundane world. Having not read the book, Tom thought it would be worth going through it when he had a moment to himself. She also sent him some sweets that she had received from her family. Tom frowned at the bottles of hair care products from Abraxas, wondering if the Slytherin was insinuating something about the state of Tom's hair. He wouldn't put it past Malfoy to hide an insinuation within a gift, even an expensive one. A book on the Magical History and Traditions associated with the Yuletide from Theodore Nott, however, did peak his interest. In a long box, he found a pair of quills with feathers. On top of them was a letter from Cassandra, telling him that one feather was from a Griffin and the other was from a Hippogriff. She warned him that he best be careful which one he chose, as one would lead him to wealth and power, but the other would lead him to companionship and nobility. Tom felt both feathers with his fingers, noticing a stronger magical reaction from the Griffin, but a softer one from the Hippogriff feather. Tom placed the quills aside, even as he committed Cassandra's warning to memory. If she was indeed a Seer and had seen fit to share a vision of hers with him, it would be foolish of him to ignore it outright.

Seeing no other gifts at the foot of his bed left Tom feeling heavy of heart, until a pop echoed in the room. "May Hogsby approach the Heir of Slytherin? Hogsby does not wish to intrude." Tom shook his head as he looked at the small creature. "You are not intruding, Hogsby. What brings you to my chambers?" The elf moved closer to Tom, before revealing a box in his hand, the green and silver colors being familiar to him from the year before. "The Young Miss asked Hogsby to deliver this to the Heir in person, without it being seen by anyone else. Hogsby can confirm that it holds old and powerful magic, but it is not meant to influence or harm the wielder, only to shield the object and the owner from harm. Is the Heir willing to receive the gift? The Young Miss said that it holds no conditions with it." Tom sighed but nodded, feeling the burden of his discussion with Lilith last night weighing him down. The elf popped away as soon as the box was in Tom's hands. Pulling the letter from atop the box, Tom decided to open it first.

To Herr Riddle,

I will adhere to your request to keep my distance for the remainder of the Yuletide. This here is an item that took a bit of work to secure. To the judgement of a woman in desperate need of money, this was hardly worth a few galleons. To a more knowledgeable woman, it was worth a great sum of gold. To you, Riddle, I imagine it to be priceless. Do not attempt to offer me payment or reward for it, as that wasn't my intent. This item is yours by birthright, I am merely returning it to its rightful owner. A Happy Yuletide to you and all my best wishes that your hunt may be fruitful.

Frau Lilith von Schwarzwald

His curiosity peaked, Tom pulled the wrapping paper off the box, finding that the box wasn't cardboard but some type of silver, the sides of the box covered in runic arrays, though they were devoid of any Runic Languages, just blank slates that he himself could customize. Opening the latch and lifting the lid, Tom found his throat turning dry. There, within the box, sitting atop a green felt, was a locket of gold and emeralds. The emeralds formed the same design and pattern as the ones on his Heir Ring, meaning that it was likely from the same craftsman. Taking the locket into his hands, he could feel the magic within it radiating out, some of it easing into his skin.

Tom frowned for a second after he found that the locket wouldn't be pried open, before he remembered the secret passageways. Perhaps… ~"Open."~ The locket's magic flared and the latch was released. Opening the locket, Tom found himself staring at two small portraits. Both showed the same man, though the one on the left showed him with darker hair and less wrinkles, while the one on the right showed a man much more advanced in age, with a different woman at his side in each portrait. Both were static, which was to be expected considering the limitations of magic for the age. Still, seeing two portraits of Salazar Slytherin, as his appearance matched the other static portrait of him within the Slytherin Common Room, wasn't the thing that surprised him. It was the smile on his face, the way his arms were wrapped around the women and the smiles on both of them that tugged at something in his heart. These were more than just companions. They had to have been his wives. Tom closed his eyes, as he closed the locket. "Hogwarts a History" said nothing of him being married, though it of course mentioned that he had children, just not how many. The Family Tree from the Goblins had shown Tom that he had indeed had a wife, though it could not reveal that they had loved each other. Here, in Tom's hand, there was proof that the history books were incomplete. Salazar Slytherin wasn't alone. He was married, possibly twice, fathering more children than anyone thought possible. He was more than just a Founder and a Dark Wizard. He was a husband and a father, a man capable of loving deeply, as seen by the expression on his face and on the faces of the women.

Lilith's letter on his bed caught Tom's eye, and he couldn't help but feel some shame and regret. She returned to him an important part of his legacy, all the while he had asked her to stay away from him, and again asked for nothing in return, knowing that had she asked anything of him he would have obliged her, if only reluctantly. He knew she was calculating and capable of violence, that much was clear now. And yet, she was loyal, kind and caring. The dream from last night resurfaced in his mind as he saw a version of himself having the same companionship with a girl called Lillian, a Parselmouth, and watched as he sacrificed her friendship and company out of a sense of self loathing and a desire for power. He gave up something he deemed priceless in the search for greater power and possibly lost both in the end. Tom, sitting on his bed, realised that he had done something similar, but it had been out of fear. Fear of being manipulated, fear of losing himself to the whims of another. But most of all, fear of the emotions that continued to grow unbidden within him for Lilith. Even now, knowling what she took from him, he still yearned to touch her, to be by her side. A strong part of him deeply wished he had kissed her when her face was but a few inches away. He had been afraid of what she had meant to him and had used his anger and indignation from her actions to chase her away. He had been a coward. Searching through his feelings, Tom looked to see if he still felt anger over her killing of Morfin Gaunt.

There was irritation still. A desire to have had a chance to meet a member of his family, to have known them and perhaps learned about them. And yet everything told him that Morfin would have only sought his death. Lilith, being her usual self, found out about this and acted on her own to spare him. She murdered a man to keep Tom safe, at a time when they weren't even partners. And ever since then she had been at his side, helping him find his way to his family's legacy. To his legacy. Tom thought about what his future might look like if he gave up on their partnership. If the vision from just before his fourth year was true, then the sacrifice he had seen of this Lillian Potter's company had gained this Lord Voldemort power, but not companionship or even victory. Only an inglorious death in the ruins of his family's legacy. Feeling the locket in his hand, Tom took a deep breath, then released it. Cassandra was right. He had a choice ahead of him. He had to choose whether he allowed his fears to control him as he sought power, or if he was willing to trust in Lilith, in spite of Morfin's death, to be there for him when he needed her most. Salazar Slythrrin had been presented as a loner, and yet the locket proved otherwise. His Ancestor had chosen family not once but at least twice. Tom couldn't do any less. The dark haired girl from his dream was right. He didn't want to be alone. Not if he didn't have to be.

Chapter 22: In Defence of Family and Country

Arcturus tightened the grip on his wand as soon his father entered the Family's Meeting Room within the Black Townhouse. He could tell that the presence of so many members of the family had surprised Sirius Black. Of those who were born with the last name of Black, the only ones absent were those who had duties to other families, with the children being kept safe at Cassiopeia's apartment by Melania, Lysandra, the wife of the elder Arcturus, and Irma, Pollux' wife. Even Dorea, who had travelled quite far from the frontlines to the Black Family's French Chateau to use their private portkey to return home, sat at the table. The presence of not only Pollux, who tended to spend most of his time on the family summer home on Fara Island, in the Hebridean Archipelago, but also his father, Cygnus, whose appearance was far more elderly than that of Lord Black due to the effects of the illness that claimed his wife's life, certainly caught him by surprise. "Cygnus? What brings you this far south? You should be resting." The old man, with short white hair that ringed the back of his bald head, cleared his throat. "I am here to hear what you have planned for the coming year, my dear brother. It is not every year when my granddaughter is to graduate, let alone that my grandson will soon be of age. Besides, Dorea here hasn't been home in quite some time. I would like to spend time with her before she returns to France." Sirius paused for a second but nodded his head as he took his seat at the head of the table. "Of course."

His eyes then searched the other faces, spotting his two other children. "Regulus, Lycoris, how is the Black Chateau fairing?" Lycoris sat back, her short dark hair left loose with bangs just barely allowing her eyes to glance through, as she crossed her arms. "The Chateau is fine, though the war has made the sale of our family's wine all but impossible. The Vichy Government is far more interested in lining its own pockets and keeping the Germans happy, than to actually serve its citizens or to sustain an economy. With the Spanish still consolidating their power from the end of the Civil War, we have been forced to stockpile much of our products. Though thankfully our family's portkeys still allow us to travel between France and Britain, so we thought it might be worth something to sell our wine here." Sirius hummed to himself. "Perhaps I might be able to do something about the situation with the Vichy government." Arcturus narrowed his eyes. "And how would you do that, father? The war isn't going to end anytime soon and the Wizengamot is likely to vote in favor of sending our Aurors to fight Grindelwald's forces in the coming weeks, if not months." Sirius dismissed the comment with his hand. "I have been in talks with several of the Dark Families with ties to the continent. I believe we have come to an adequate agreement whereby Grindelwald will stay out of Britain, though it will require us to keep our forces from being deployed. I am certain enough of the Neutrals can be swayed to back the motion in the upcoming sessions."

Arcturus spoke up. "And what will this cost us? What price has Rosier and his puppet master placed on their "kindness?"" Sirius turned to his son, clearly hearing the venom in his voice. "Nothing that will cost this family anything important. We are securing bethrotals for Cygnus and Walburga, as well as Lucretia. They will have spouses of proper pureblood lineage. In exchange, we will retain our position as the Speakers of the Dark, preventing Magical Britain from entering this war in the process." Cygnus growled under his breath. "What of Aquilla? Will you just forgive Grindelwald for the murder of her son? And what of her grandchild? Will you leave her to seek justice against that mad dog all on her own?" Sirius sighed. "I will not endanger this family any further over the matter of Aquilla's progeny. As for Lilith, she has made her choice by not seeking out our family for aid. She is no Black." Cassiopeia shook her head. "Whether she carries the name or not, the agreement with the von Schwarzwald family still stands. As a granddaughter of Aquilla, Lilith is to be regarded as a member of the Black family and given the protection that entails, unless her actions betray us. Her actions over the last year and a half have done nothing but improve our family's standing and secured the safety of our children. You would betray our contract and your great niece, for what?"

Sirius slammed his hand on the table. "I am securing this family's future! The blood purists have already secured a narrow majority of the Dark Faction's votes, despite Rosier's losses. We can bring the faction together under a single banner, securing our way of life against the threats from the muggles and their spawn! What is the life of one girl against the future of our house!?" Arcturus caught a glance and a nod from Cassiopeia, before turning to his father. "You are not just selling out one girl. You are staining the honor of House Black by breaking the ties of family that have held us together for over a thousand years. You are tying the hands of every single member of this family to a cause that has already led to the extinction of many noble and ancient families in Europe and within Great Britain, to the detriment of the very people oathbound. We will not abide by your will on this matter if it condemns us to servitude and extinction!" Sirius stood up, drawing his wand and aiming it at his son. "You would dare! I am the Lord of the House of Black. My will is law." Cassiopeia, Lycoris and Regulus stood up, drawing their wands as well, as the elder Cygnus looked to his brother Sirius, before checking with his younger brother. The elder Arcturus, known for keeping to his own council and staying out of the affairs of the House in his home in Ireland, nodded his head, before turning towards Sirius. "So be it. By the breaking of the oaths of family and honor, the Lord of the House of Black is clearly unfit to remain as the Head of the family. Dominus Cecidit!"

The phrase was uttered by everyone at the table, all except Arcturus as he stared at his father, the man's face turning red with fury. "You had a chance to prove yourself a better man. That chance has now passed. Dominus Cecidit!" As the Family Rings grew warm, signaling the acceptance of the demand, Sirius released a blood curdling scream in anger. "Crucio!" Arcturus stood up quickly but with no fear in his eyes, as an iron shield was conjured between him and his father, blocking the attack. The meeting table vanished as Lycoris and Regulus started casting shields and erecting barriers to protect the rest of the family, while Cassiopeia walked up to stand by Arcturus' side. "This is your one and only chance, Uncle. Surrender." Sirius spat in her direction. "I knew I should have cast you out of the family long ago, you filthy dyke. What loyalty could you have if you even betrayed your very flesh." Cassiopeia's eyes narrowed in anger as Sirius unleashed a curse her way, before Arcturus deflected it with a shield. She felt Arcturus shoulder graze her own. "I will stand by you till the day that I die, cousin." Cassiopeia smiled, hearing the same words she had once uttered as she was sworn in as Arcturus' Shadow. "To the end then, cousin. And beyond." The two Black cousins unleashed curses against Sirius, who found himself hard pressed to counter attack as he was pushed further back towards the wall.

The man managed to conjure a barricade, deflecting their attacks, before unleashing a pair of bright green curses. Arcturus didn't flinch as he sent a spell chain of stunners at his father, before the Killing Curses sent his way were blocked by a solid slab of stone. Both cousins heard the thud that followed, before Cassiopia dropped the Conjuration, the battle lasting but a few moments under their coordinated spellwork. As the two kept their wands trained on the apparently unconscious man, Dorea passed them by, uncorking a potion vial. Checking the man's pulse, she then fed the potion to Sirius. "He will be out until I administer the antidote." Cassiopeia raised an eyebrow at her sister. "And why exactly were you keeping a vial of Draught of Living Death on your person, Dorea?" The dark haired healer layed Sirius on his back and fiddled with his hands, before she stood up and turned towards them. "I have a suitor who is… determined and a bit overwhelming at times. While I trust him to be a proper gentleman, it never hurts to be ready should he overstep himself." Cassiopeia gave her sister a toothy grin. "Need me to scare him away?" Dorea shook her head as she approached Arcturus. "No, I am enjoying myself with this one and I find myself able to trust his judgement more as time goes on. If all goes well, I might present him to you all soon enough." She held up her open palms, presenting Arcturus with the Head of House Ring and the rest of his father's rings. "I believe these are yours now."

Arcturus took a deep breath as the rest of the family gathered around him as he holstered his wand. He turned to look at Cygnus and his namesake, seeing both of them give him a nod of support. He then looked at his own siblings, with Lycoris nodding his approval, while Regulus gave him a smile. "Don't look at me. I actually enjoy making wine and the warm winter weather with our sister in relative peace. You can take the boring political meetings, rainy British climate and the mountains of paperwork all for yourself." Everyone present chuckled as Arcrurus turned to look at Cassiopeia. "It's yours if you want it, Cassie. What you have suffered and achieved gives you as much right to it as I." The purple eyed witch looked startled for a second but shook her head. "I am honoured, cousin, but you and I both know that it is you who deserves it. Now take it before I stun you and stick it on your finger myself." Arcturus smiled at her and nodded, before taking the Head of House Ring, placing it on the same finger as his Heir Ring. The two melded together as the family rings on everyone still carrying the name of Black grew warm, signalling the acceptance of the new Head by the Family Magic. Arcturus turned to Pollux and his namesake. "Where should we keep him?" The elder Arcturus sighed, running his hand over his short white hair, before his grey eyes focused on the still body of his brother. "Lysandra and I will watch over him. All of our girls are of age and our house is rather empty. We can keep him there, safe, until the end." The young Head of House searched his uncle's eyes. "Are you certain?"

With the elder Arcturus nodding, he and Dorea left the room, levitating Sirius behind them, as Arcturus' siblings restored the meeting room, with Pollux helping his father to sit down. Arcturus came up to Cygnus, taking his uncle's fragile hand into his own as he knelt down to see him eye to eye. "I was thinking of contacting Marius. With your health the way it is…" Cygnus gave his nephew a soft smile. "It would be good… to see my son again." Pollux patted his father on the shoulder. "I have been keeping him apprised as much as I could through letters. He could be here by tomorrow, if I hurry to his address." Arcturus turned to Pollux and nodded. "Take your father to his room here, then. You two and the kids can stay here until the start of term on the 2nd, if not longer." Pollux smiled back at him. "Appreciated, cousin. Speaking about the children…" Arcturus sighed. "I swear that no member of the House of Black will have to worry about a betrothal contract. If Druella truly cares about Cygnus, I will support their courtship and union, but without any of Lord Rosier's demands. We will always put family first, before faith or politics." Cygnus squeezed Arcturus' hand. "Then I believe the House of Black is in the safest hands possible. Your mother would be very proud of you, as are all of us, our Lord Black." As the meeting room emptied out with his family in a pleasant mood, Arcturus watched as Dorea, Cygnus and Pollux hugged and kissed Cassiopeia, giving her their love.

He smiled to himself, happy that his cousin had the support and validation she always wanted, as his thoughts turned to the mess his father had left for him to clean up. The agreements that Sirius had negotiated would have to be reevaluated, and annulled when possible. If not, he would use the Black Family's power and wealth to change the stances of the other families to be as far away from that of the blood purist agenda as possible. That would still leave the matter of the upcoming Wizengamot votes that would see the deployment of the Aurors to the war. He would have to play it by ear and make the best decision that he could. He would also need to approach a few of the Neutral Houses. Sirius had changed much of the investments away from the more profitable enterprises, all based on who owned what. That wouldn't be the way forward. Arcturus would make sure that the family's wealth would be put to use, to the financial security of the future generations, based on sound judgment and not purely on sentiment. Then there was Lilith. The girl had apparently stayed away from the family out of fear that Sirius would try and use her. She could finally be with the family, as she should have been from the very beginning. Arcturus called Kreacher, the family elf, to his side, asking him for a quill, ink and several pieces of parchment, before being quite clear to him about not answering any of Sirius commands. There were a lot of letters to write to the affected parties after the change in Head of House for the Black Family. It was time to get started.

"I can't believe you convinced me to come to this, on my birthday no less!" Alexander gave Lilith a smirk. "Really? It's your birthday now?" Lilith blushed, before huffing irritably. "You said it yourself, I might as well call it my birthday. And that's not the point!" Alexander patted her shoulder. "I know, I know. It was a bit mean, but you did make the bet that you would have that construct of yours done by yesterday evening. And you lost." Lilith sat back cursing under her breath. "I got it done last night!" Alexander chuckled. "After midnight. Not only did you not finish it within the day, you also didn't finish it in the same month, or even the same year. Besides, will it really kill you to get to know at least one of the Potters? And Euphemia doesn't count. Blood she might one day become, but she is more McKinnon than Potter." Lilith sighed, resting her chin on her palm, her elbow propped up on the arm rest. "No, it wouldn't. Still, there were better things I could be doing with my time. Like plotting my revenge on you after your stunt with the snow in the backyard." Alexander chuckled. "Always be aware of your surroundings, my dear. It's the number one rule of combat, regardless of the circumstances. Besides, you needed to be sure it could handle the cold climate." Lilith muttered a few choice curses under her breath until some activity down below drew her attention. Her eyes immediately locked on to the figure of Henry Potter as he was in a heated discussion with someone who looked like an older version of Neville Longbottom. Lilith briefly wondered if the Longbottoms were already under the influence of Dumbledore's words, or if it was just starting.

Alexander and her had spent a great deal of time inside of a Pensive looking over the information that she had concerning Albus Dumbledore and his objectives during and after The Fall of Grindelwald. Based on brief observations, as well as the information that Sirius Black personally knew, what Walburga's Portrait provided, and Severus Snape's own musings, the two came to the conclusion that Albus Dumbledore was a Light extremist that sought the suppression of all traces of the Dark Arts from Magical Society in general. The laws that conferred instant imprisonment in Azkaban for the use of curses, rituals and possession of dark artefacts all came to be during the height of Grindelwald's War and soon after. This suppression of the Dark Arts, either directly or indirectly, increased the animosity between families of the former factions, which led to the first so-called Blood War, with Voldemort and Dumbledore on opposite sides. Unfortunately for Magical Britain, the war led to further polarization and resentment, with the Dark becoming ever more radical in its violence and the Light ever more oppressive in its crackdowns on anything that challenged their narrative. Voldemort's creation of Horcruxes and the constant, almost manic use of the Dark Arts twisted the original Knights of Walpurgis group, until only the Death Eaters and their cult remained, with Dumbledore and his Order becoming self-declared beacons of virtue, all the while undercutting the importance of the Aurors and the rule of law.

Unfortunately for Lillian's life, those virtues of the Order didn't mean much if Dumbledore's plans didn't include the protection of the innocents. For all of his support of Muggleborn integration, the man did nothing to save them and their families during either war. Even the Light Families like the Potters, McKinnons, Longbottoms and Prewetts, people he should have protected, were all wiped out, leaving little if no traces of centuries of traditions and history. Alexander had agreed with her when she suggested that perhaps part of Dumbledore's plan included the extinction of not only the Dark Families, but all Ancient and Old Estates, regardless of political stances. It was why he never bothered to check if she was being cared for by her extended family, who had seen fit to discard a one year old child at an Orphanage in London, just in case someone tried to locate them afterwards. No one bothered to check until her letter arrived. In Lilith's eyes, Dumbledore was no better than Grindelwald. One sought the subjugation of the Magical Races through action, while the other sought to profit from inaction, whilst others did the dirty work for him. She had suggested that the two wizards might be acting in an organized form, gathering the forces of the Light and the Dark to their sides and influence, as part of some master plan, but Alexander felt that it was more likely that the two simply shared similar beliefs, but differed greatly in their methods and conclusions. Lilith decided to reserve judgement on that, just in case Dumbledore proved even more untrustworthy.

Eventually, Chief Witch Fawley brough the session to order, with the Visitor Gallery being quite full, as the magical population was excessively anxious about today's possible vote. After the Chamber was brought to order, the Chief Witch spoke up. "First thing on the docket today is the request for the authorization of the deployment of the DMLE's Aurors in theaters of active combat against Grindelwald and his Hexenmeister forces. Director Crouch. Your report please." Lilith watched as an aging man stood up, clearing his throat. "As of this moment, we have several dozen fully trained Aurors ready for deployment to help safeguard magical communities around the world, with hundreds more under an accelerated training course getting ready to be deployed when needed. We cannot go further into specifics for safety reasons. The ICW Peacekeepers will continue the training of any Aurors stationed with their forces when time allows. We-..." Crouch's report was interrupted as the main doors to the chamber opened, with Lilith blinking in confusion as Arcturus Black walked up to the Speaker's Stand, and spoke with the Chief Scribe, handing him a few documents. The Scribe handed the documents to the Chief Witch, who nodded after reading through them quickly. Arcturus then turned to the Assembly. "My apologies for the interruption, the Ministry Clerks and Gringotts accountants aren't capable of speedily processing a change in Lordship. I, Arcturus Black, hereby claim the Seat and Vote of the House of Black as the Family's current Head of House."

The Chamber erupted into loud discussions, with sections of the Dark Faction screaming their indignation. Eventually a silencing spell went up, followed by the Chief Witch addressing the Chamber. "Order! Lord Arcturus Black has brought all the documents that confirm his appointment as the Head of House. You will all behave yourselves accordingly. Dark Faction, until such a time as a vote of no confidence is issued and ratified by your faction, the position of Speaker of the Dark will remain with the person sitting as Head of House of Black. I will not have your internal matters derail a full session, Is that CLEAR?!" Lilith popped out her ears as sound returned to the Chamber. "Well, she is certainly a decent Chief Witch." Alexander shook his head, clearing out his own ringing ears. "That she is. So far, it seems that the removal of her cousin from the position of Minister has served her well. She has been forced to step up her own performance, rather than rely on the family's agenda and passing votes by general consensus the entire time." Lilith spotted Henry Potter standing up. "Speaking about performances." The elder wizard cleared his throat as the Chief Witch granted him the opportunity to address the chamber. "Thank you, Chief Witch Fawley. Lords and Ladies. Members of the Wizengamot. Last year we began taking concrete steps in standing up to the grave danger that threatens our world."

After taking a sip of water, Henry continued. "In the time since, our brave Aurors have been training themselves, as well as volunteers and recruits, in the hopes of improving everyone's chances when facing Grindelwald and his Hexenmeister forces. Director Crouch and Head Auror Shafiq have assured me that our forces are ready to safeguard the Magical communities under threat of extermination. It therefore falls unto us the responsibility of authorizing the deployment of our Aurors into the conflict. I ask you all to please not allow this moment to pass us by again. Our censure of Grindelwald for his crimes against Magical and Non-Magical civilians took far too long, delayed by forces who have sold their commitment to home and country for political gain. I beg you all not to repeat this mistake again. We stand upon the edge of war and we must not let fear keep us from standing by our oaths and duties as members of the ICW, Magical denizens of Europe, and even as righteous and decent sentient beings. I understand that we are risking the lives of our best and brightest, our greatest generation, but if we do nothing, they very well may be among the last of our kind born free in this world. Let us not condemn our children and grandchildren to such a fate. I, as Speaker for the Light, move for a vote on the authorization for the deployment of our forces into the warzones of Europe and elsewhere, wherever magical expertise may be needed to bring a speedier end to this global catastrophe." The members of the Light, many of the Neutrals, not to mention a large portion of the Visitor Gallery, clapped their hands as Henry returned to his seat, the effort taking a lot out of him.

Chief Witch Fawley spoke up. "Do the Speakers of the Neutrals or Dark have anything to say?" Lilith perked up as Arcturus stood up, taking his position. "My utmost respect for Lord Potter, as he presented us with the importance that this vote holds not only as private citizens, but as he so eloquently put it, the lives of our children and grandchildren, which are at stake at this very moment. I wish to be clear that I do not oppose the deployment of our Aurors to answer the call of duty and common decency. In fact, I believe it is in our people's best interests to face off against Grindelwald's barbarity. That said, we cannot blindly send our best and brightest to war, certainly not while at the expense of our people's safety. Over the last year, the DMLE has prepared these volunteers and recruits for war in Europe. What I ask of the Director of the DMLE is what measures are being taken to secure our own borders, for we should not lie to ourselves in believing that this war will not find its way home, for many already know that the war is already here. Refugees, suffering from the loss of home and family, walk amongst us now, some perhaps are even sitting within the visitor gallery at this very moment. They know the horrors of war unlike any of us. So I will ask what many of them are wondering: how safe are we here? The German Military has already harmed our Magical community using conventional and exceedingly modern weapons of war. If the Hexenmasters were to attack our shores, would we truly be ready to face them without the better part of our forces?"

Arcturus looked toward the DMLE Director and Head Auror. "I do not doubt the skill and dedication of our protectors. I am, however, concerned that we are about to stretch ourselves too thin. As it is a matter of security, I can understand the reticence regarding the sharing of information, especially when members of our own Wizengamot have made their allegiances to our enemies clear. As such, I wish to petition that the vote for the deployment of our forces be delayed, until such a time as the DMLE can inform the Minister, the Chief Witch and the three Speakers of the Assembly concerning the extent of the security measures we will be keeping in order to guarantee that not only our Aurors are as safe and well trained as possible, but that they are not going off to war, only to return to a society in ruins." Arcturus stepped back, receiving a surprise amount of applause from members of the Dark and Neutral Faction. The Visitor Gallery itself was a mix of applause and private discussions, as the Speaker for the Neutrals stood up. "It seems that the Dark have not lost their voice as they may have initially thought. I believe that Lord Black is correct. As an Auror, I myself am aware of the preparations that have been taking place within the DMLE. The same cannot be said for our general population. There are many of our populace who are concerned over this deployment. It would do well for our elected officials to be able to offer our civilians assurances based on facts, not hearsay, even if they cannot be fully upfront about all the measures being taken. I, Lord Bones, back Lord Black's petition to delay the vote until a report to the pertinent elected officials is completed and delivered, as well as a necessary redacted report that can be presented to the members of this Assembly and the general public."

Lilith's eyes locked onto Henry Potter, who was speaking with his allies, though she noticed a man stepping up, petitioning the Chief Witch to speak to the Assembly. His bright red hair made Lilith's hackles rise. The moment he spoke up, she knew he might be a symptom of a greater problem. "While I hate the fact that I am agreeing with Lord Black on delaying the vote, I wish to bring up an alternative that the Wizengamot seems to be actively ignoring. Rather than sending our young men and women off to war, we should keep these trained Aurors to secure our own borders and defences. Let Europe deal with the monster they created. With a strong enough force we can keep our home and families safe!" Lord Potter took the Speaker Stand. "Mr Weasley does not represent the will of the Light Faction and his words should be taken as his own private opinion, which should have remained private. On behalf of the Light Faction, I am agreeing with Lord Black's proposal to delay the vote until the pertinent elected officials have been briefed on the security measures that will remain in place during this period of war while our brave Aurors and Peacekeepers go to war, so that they may better reassure their faction members." The chamber broke into private discussions, though Mr Weasley was clearly getting berated by his fellow faction members. Lilith turned to Alexander. "That was unexpected. The delay may not have been in Lord Potter's plans but even he would have been remiss to ignore the opinions of the other Speakers. Weasley's stunt, however, is grounds for concern."

Alexander nodded, keeping his eyes on the Light Faction, gauging their reactions to both Lord Potter's decision and Mr Weasley's opinion. "Cedrella Black's elopement with Septimus Weasley caused quite the stir among the Old Families. The House of Weasley lost the support of their more traditional supporters in the Light, while the Dark and Neutrals have isolated them as much as possible for taking such a rash action without proper discourse between the families or even Ministry Mediation. It wouldn't surprise me if they have thrown their allegiance behind a minor House, like the Dumbledores, now that they only have their name to go by." Lilith hummed to herself. "I always thought that the Weasleys were in Dumbledore's pocket. It seems that they have been there for quite a while. I suppose we will have to wait and see what Arcturus does with Cedrella's situation. Speaking of Arcturus, you may have to tell Henry Potter to let the Blacks consolidate their position first, before he brings them in using the Alliance oaths. Getting the Blacks to back them too early might lose them some support inside the Dark Faction. They will need to secure his position as Speaker, though his words today would certainly have helped ease some of the Dark's concerns regarding his future among their faction." Alexander sighed. "Yeah, that makes sense. I was planning to talk to him in person after the Session. Which reminds me." Alexander turned to Lilith. "You brought your Cloak, right? Unless you want to speak to him directly, you better put it on." Lilith glared at Alexander. "I am going to get you back for this." Ruffling her hair, Alexander chuckled. "And I have no regrets about tricking you into agreeing to this. They are your family and you deserve the chance to meet them, even if it's only one at a time and without their knowledge."

"Great speech, Dad. Charlie is going to hate that he missed hearing it live!" Henry found himself in a hug from his son, before patting him on the back. "Thank you, son. How are you feeling?" Fleamont stepped back, giving his father a smile. "Took my potions an hour ago, so I will be fine for a bit more. Think we have time to get a bite to eat?" Henry smiled at his son. Fleamont had always been a concern of his and his wife ever since he was diagnosed with a weak constitution. He had been constantly sick as a child and he was certain his wife's beautiful red hair had gone a bit grey worrying over her youngest boys before she too passed on from illness, her condition having only been marginally better than her son's. Fleamont made it through Hogwarts thanks to his family, with his grandfather having developed the potion that strengthened his constitution temporarily just before his death. Teresa Prewett had been one of the boy's constant companions, making sure that his body was ready each morning to endure the burden of Hogwarts, where Fleamont had been forced into taking only Runes as his sole elective, so that he didn't overextend himself, though he eventually took the Alchemy NEWT elective. Henry was not only glad that Fleamont made it through Hogwarts, but he found a wonderful woman to marry so early in their lives. Euphemia came up behind her tall and still too skinny husband, kissing his cheek. "If Henry agrees, I don't see why we couldn't."

Henry was about to do just that, until he felt a tug on his robes. Looking down, he found Petersby looking up at him, presenting him a letter. "This arrived for you, master. Same as the last one." Henry took it, nodding before his elf disappeared, as he broke the seal, reading over the letter. "Do you two mind waiting a few minutes? My contact has invited me to a private discussion in one of the neutral chambers." Euphemia frowned looking at the letter. "Then that means…" Henry nodded. "He is the Head of House of one of the families." Euphemia gave Fleamont a look, the dark haired man smiling at her. "I can hold up well enough. If the letter didn't say we couldn't come, then let's go together. Safety in numbers and all that." Henry wanted to protest but his daughter-in-law's glare silenced him. Deep in the edges of the 10th Level of the Ministry of Magic, far from the Wizengamot Courts, Euphemia opened the designated Neutral Chamber. "Ahh, I suppose I only have myself to blame for not specifying who could come. Oh well. Please, do come in and seal the door. We have a bit to discuss." In the poorly lit room, a figure stood at the far back, his hands behind his back. Euphemia swept the chamber for magic and disillusionments, as well as any other living creatures, finding nothing. The figure looked at her as she checked him for a wand, finding no magical foci on him. "Satisfied, Auror Potter?"

Euphemia looked at his face, or at least as much as she could see of him in the low light. "I am. I suppose you don't want me to turn up the lights?" The figure shrugged. "It is up to you. As I hardly mingle with the Magical Population, I doubt you would see much of my face. That said, I am afraid I cannot properly introduce myself just yet." Henry spoke up as soon as Euphemia was at his side, with Fleamont just beside her. "And why is that? You clearly can claim a vote and a seat in the Wizengamot." The figure raised up his hand slightly. "True, but not everyone that can claim a seat should, Potions Master Potter. I am afraid that my family name comes with a bit of a history, one that will bring unwanted attention to myself, the Assembly and perhaps Albion itself. As a father himself, I believe Lord Potter can understand what it means to have someone depend on you while you perform a duty that not only endangers your life, but theirs as well. I will reveal my identity to you only when I am confident that you can keep my identity a secret. Whether the rest of the world ever learns of my existence is a different matter. Now then, onto business. I trust that the documents I sent you were verified as accurate and valid?"

Henry nodded. "They are. I had planned to use it to secure Lord Black's support for the Auror Deployment vote, but with the new head taking control of the house…" The figure moved a bit closer to the three Potters. "Indeed. That had been my hope when I sent you the information. I wasn't expecting it instantly, in fact I expected Sirius Black to resist the oath as much as possible, but Arcturus' ascension brings with it advantages and disadvantages. I don't think I need to say that this is a poor time to try and approach the young Lord, let alone attempt to compel his support?" Henry shook his head. "No, you do not. I expect he will need time to consolidate his power, reevaluating his family's alliances, as I doubt that Sirius stepped down willingly. That man was a difficult person to deal with." The figure smiled softly. "Good. Then since the Blacks will be dealing with Dark Faction matters while the DMLE writes up a report regarding the planned security measures for Albion, I believe you should handle the issues within your own faction. I can tell you that Weasley's stunt wasn't an isolated incident." Henry frowned. "What do you mean?" Turning a chair so that it faced the Potters, the figure sat down, crossing his leg. "It has come to my attention that certain ideals have been cropping up within the Light Faction. Weasley seems to be a puppet of them and I believe that Lord Longbottom is in discussions with the main driving force of the movement. A movement that seeks to remove the Dark Faction from existence."

Euphemia looked at Henry with concern. "I think my mother has been contacted by these people. She told me how they wanted to promote stronger laws against curses and rituals, including a ban on the casting of the more severe curses, with instant prison sentences." The figure nodded. "That is their message as of this moment. My concern is the underlying principle. I have information that suggests that the ideological figurehead of the group is pushing these laws at this time, seeking to undermine the peace between the Factions. Grindelwald's involvement in the war and his recruitment of Dark Families has worked in their favor. We believe that the longer the war continues, the more barbaric Grindelwald will behave, especially if he is backed into a corner. He will lash out everywhere possible, including through his puppets in Britain. This Anti-Dark movement will be more than happy to capitalize on the violence, galvanizing the population against the Dark Families." Fleamont looked at his father. "That certainly sounds reasonable. But to destroy the Faction as a whole?" Henry thought for a second, rubbing his chin, as he stared at the figure, his facial features still hidden in shadows. "The fastest way to achieve that would be to eliminate the current Wizengamot structure, ending the three factions all at once. Without elected Speakers being able to interfere with votes, Light and Neutral groups could pass legislation with much greater ease. That is, if the Chief Witch would allow it. I am guessing your prediction has her losing her position quickly enough."

The figure smiled. "That is what we expect, yes. I am sure that once I tell you the name of the figurehead of the movement, you can understand why we expect a quick political shift in the wake of the end of the war. The movement is the brainchild of Albus Dumbledore." Henry's lips narrowed. He remembered when the Hogwarts Professor had approached him regarding Grindelwald's initial terrorist attacks. When advocated taking independent action against the Hexenmeisters, Henry had ceased all further discussions with him, as he believed it was the ICW's jurisdiction. Still, hearing the name made him feel uneasy. "You are certain of this?" The figure nodded. "I am. He has used his position at Hogwarts to shift the thoughts of the younger generations, particularly the Griffyndors and Hufflepuffs. The fact that he is widely considered to be the only wizard that can challenge Grindelwald directly in a duel and that he has refused to do so ever since Grindelwald's escape from MACUSA custody proves that he has ulterior motives. Our observations indicate that he is gathering the lesser Light houses together in support of the Anti-Dark movement. All he needs is for Grindelwald's supporters to attack Albion, causing mass casualties, for the general population to follow through. I don't have to tell you which faction Grindelwald would target if he attacked Albion. He has shown his preference repeatedly in Europe." Henry sighed. "The Dark. They are the ones with the knowledge to devastate Grindelwald's forces. Even if we won the war, the Dark will have lost most of its numbers, leaving the door open for the Wizengamot to restructure itself, to their detriment."

Standing up, the figure approached Henry, getting close enough that Henry could start making out some of the man's features. "Do not be fooled, it would be to the detriment of all of Albion. Without the Dark, the Light will start passing laws with impunity, even if these laws weaken their own power. Removing the Dark would alter the power structure of Albion. The next step after this removal would be to remove the Light and Neutrals, in a way that only destroys the traditions and convictions of the population. Whether using the now radicalized Dark remnants, or by other means, Dumbledore will seek to bring down the Magical Families, leaving behind a population full of ignorant orphans, muggleborns and sycophants. By the end of it all, there would be no opposition to Dumbledore's rule, and he would achieve it all, without so much as starting the wars himself. That is, if the Dark remnants don't become so radicalized that they raise all of our society to the ground. I brought that list, and the oaths that bind the Old Alliance together, to your attention to prevent this. The Light, the Neutral and the Dark need to act as counters to each other for our society to survive. The Dark are in a position where they should begin to police their own now if Lord Blzck uses his political and economic power as we suspect he might. You and the Light must do the same, before it's too late."

Henry watched as the figure waved his hand, before the lights in the chamber grew in intensity. The man reminded Henry very much of portraits of his great grandfather. He even looked a bit like an older Charlus, though his blue eyes stood out as a clear difference. "I am trusting you, Henry Potter, to do the right thing, as your family has always done since as far back as the Council of Wizards. Soon enough, our youths will be going to war. Let's make sure that they don't come back, not only to a wasteland, but a growing divide that could lead to a civil war. Fighting an enemy is hard enough. Fighting cousin against cousin, brother against sister, mother against son? Our society will not survive that, no matter how hard we try to pull ourselves together." Henry was quiet for a pensive moment before he nodded. "I agree. I will verify your information as much as I can without revealing our concerns, but if everything checks out, then I swear to you that I will do everything that I can to prevent that nightmare from occurring. As soon as I have secured the Light Faction and Arcturus has done the same with the Dark, I will reach out to him to present a united front." The man before him smiled softly. "I don't believe that will be much of a problem for you. If certain conditions are met by this summer, I will be contacting you again. Be safe out there. The enemy isn't as far away from us as we might wish them to be."

The Potters left the chamber soon after in silent contemplation as Alexander resealed it, checking for any monitoring spells or lingering magics. Finding the place clean, he moved a few feet to his right, gently pulling off the Invisibility Cloak off of Lilith. The girl was visibly shaking, tears running down her eyes as she fell to her knees. Alexander pulled her into a hug as she cried. "I am so sorry. I didn't think he would bring them with him, let alone both together." Lilith gripped his shirt as she cried, Alexander understanding the source of her pain. The girl had not just seen with her own eyes her great grandfather, but also her grandparents. She saw her grandmother's dedication to her family, Fleamont's fragility, which was easy enough for anyone to see on his face, and, most of all, Henry's unwavering dedication to honor and duty. These were the people whose example her parents should have followed, the people she should have grown up knowing by name, their love a physical part of her youth. Instead she only found their names on an inheritance test, a poor substitute for a living, breathing family. Alexander didn't need to know that Dumbledore's plans were vile and cruel, no matter how noble they might present themselves as. He saw it every time he looked into Lilith's face, seeing the memories of Lillian, a descendant of so many magical legacies, left to handle the horrors of the world all alone. He had sworn to prevent that future from happening. He would not fail her. Not again.

Tom, sitting at the end of the Slytherin Table, moved the scrambled eggs on his plate with little enthusiasm. On the afternoon of the 25th, he had sent out a few gifts to Lilith, in the hope of easing the tension he had created between them when he discovered that she had killed Morfin Gaunt. In his search of the Castle, Tom had uncovered a large chamber on the seventh floor, next to a bit of tapestry that showed a wizard teaching Trolls how to dance. Within the chamber was a great multitude of objects that had been lost in the Castle from who knew how many centuries back. Most of it seemed to be broken pieces of junk, old desks, bookshelves and tables. The bookshelves had, interestingly enough, not been empty. Within rows upon rows of bookshelves, sat a large collection of trinkets and other objects. At the farthest end of the Chamber, Tom found bookshelves filled with books, many dating back centuries, quite a few being texts that he had never seen within the Hogwarts Library, even within the Restricted section. After summoning Hogsby, Tom learned that the chamber was known as the Come and Go Room, or the Room of Requirement, though the particular configuration he had found was known to the elves as the Room of Lost Things. It was the elves who tended to bring the discarded objects here, where they could be stored until someone found a need for them.

While most were a hodgepodge of textbooks going back centuries. He did find a large assortment of books pertaining to Dark Creatures, Dark Arts and a few on Enchantments, Tom stowed said copies away, while keeping a few copies for himself, including a book on Parselmouths and Parselmagic, though he was certain more books on the subject had been on one of the shelves and had been recently removed, as seen by the traces of dust next to empty spaces. On the night of the 25th, Tom had sent Hogsby with said books to Lilith. Hogsby confirmed that she received them, but in the days that followed, he never saw a glimpse or a whisper of her presence. She was simply gone. Today, the morning of the 31st, he had found no gifts at the end of his bed, though Hogsby told him that a request had been made to provide him with whatever food he fancied. Tom hadn't felt that hungry after the last few days of silence from Lilith, so he sat at the Slytherin table, away from both of the young Italian refugees, as well as from Anton Bryce and Druella Rosier. He knew that the silence was his fault. He had been too upfront with his indignation about the death of Morfin. He had hoped the letter he included with the books would have gotten a response, but it seems that it hadn't. Taking a sip from the glass of orange juice at his side, Tom's eyes wandered the mostly empty Great Hall, spotting a few students bunched up together, before seeing a few owls dropping off letters and the Daily Prophet.

It took Tom by surprise when a large brown colored owl dropped onto the table in front of him, the bird's landing rattling the empty plates nearby by the sheer impact of his weight. The bird's golden eyes turned to him and it screeched, presenting him with a letter. After checking the letter for magic, of which he found no trace, Tom took it from the large owl, before it left the Great Hall. The envelope had his name written on it in cursive, but it wasn't in Lilith's handwriting. Curious about the contents, Tom broke the blank black seal on it, before reading the neat handwriting of the letter.

To Tom Marvolo Riddle

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lilith von Schwarzwald's patron. While I cannot give you my name, I can at least confirm my identity to you. The reason Lilith isn't by your side is related to a discussion you two had after a lovely Christmas Dinner, regarding actions that she took in absence of your knowledge that resulted in the death of a monster. If you feel convinced enough about the truth of my identity, let's get down to the reason as to why I am writing to you. As you might have guessed, the gifts you sent to Lilith on the 25th, while appreciated, did not ease her concern, let alone the sense of guilt that she feels. The primary reason as to why she is still keeping her distance is that despite your written words, Lilith still feels that she has not regained your confidence. Trust is something Lilith values greatly and she feels that she has violated your trust in her. If you wish to make amends and rebuild your relationship to what it was before Christmas, if not make it stronger, I suggest you find within yourself something that you can share with Lilith that truly demonstrates that that trust and faith has been restored. I would like to point out that sending the locket back would be the worst possible idea. I have met many angry witches in my life and I can tell you that the trouble that Lilith went to to recover that object would pale in comparison to the rage she would feel if you returned it to her. I would like for my estate to survive a century into the future, so please find another means to demonstrate your commitment to your partnership with her.

What I know of you, Mr Riddle, is what Lilith has shared with me, which isn't much. She is a very private person and tries to keep private information close to her chest as much as possible. What I can tell you is that she cares deeply for you, perhaps more so than she is willing to admit within a written or spoken way. I am sure that you understand as I do that actions show who she truly is as a person. Whatever action you take to demonstrate your trust in her, make sure that it isn't betrayed by your actions that follow. Lilith doesn't forgive betrayal, not after the ones she has already suffered, nor does she tolerate lies. If you gain her trust enough that she can reveal to you her true self, then you will understand why she is the way she is. Until then, I wish you a pleasant birthday, Mr Riddle.

Sincerely, Lilith's Patron

P.S. She will probably tear me a new one for this, but I can assure you that she hasn't forgotten your birthday in the slightest and has a gift that she wishes to send, but pride and shame prevent her from doing so. She has been staring at it for days, debating whether to send it or not. Don't let her silence fool you, she still cares about you, she just has difficulty demonstrating it currently.

Tom breathed a sigh of relief, happy to know that he hadn't destroyed his relationship with Lilith. He mentally thanked her patron, as he saw no way of physically doing so currently, as he returned the letter into its envelope, before stashing it away in his robes. He ate his breakfast a bit more enthusiastically as he ran through what he could possibly send to Lilith that would prove to her how much he trusted her. Clearly, no book in his possession would do. What possessions he had that belonged to the Slytherins would likely not be well received, based on the letters comment about the locket. He could see the point as to why the locket was out of bounds, considering that their agreement was for her to help in securing his family's legacy. Giving her a piece of it would be counterproductive to that.

As Tom finished his breakfast, he left the Great Hall for the Slytherin Dorms, his need to search the Castle momentarily forgotten. His mind was hard at work trying to figure out what gift would show Lilith that his trust in her was unshaken and that perhaps it was even stronger now. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, none of his worldly possessions seemed to be enough. The record player would probably be a bad idea, sending back the wrong message, while anything that didn't belong to Tom wasn't personal enough to do the job, as seen by his Christmas presents. Sitting down at his desk, Tom pulled his school trunk to his side and searched it, finding nothing that could work as a show of trust. As he replaced his clothes back into the trunk, Tom's eyes landed on an object that had slipped his mind. His Diary. Taking it into his hands, Tom opened it, scanning the pages. Tom had been writing in his Diary since he arrived at Hogwarts. It had been a way for him to preserve the more important memories of his life, as well as a way to gauge just how far he had come. His last entry in it had been just prior to the Christmas Dinner.

Tom smiled to himself, realizing that this was possibly the only way he could prove his faith in her. The Diary might not have held every single detail of his life, every minute aspects of his thoughts, but it was as close as he could get. Pulling out his fountain pen, Tom began writing his thoughts over the last few days, including his dream about the raven haired girl and how it made him feel about Lilith. As he finished his latest entry, he thought that there had to be a way to make the Diary a bit more valuable. Pulling out his enchantment texts, he skimmed over several pages before finding one that interested him. The Protean Charm. Tom smiled, as the Charm would be the best way to retain the importance of the Diary, even if he were to give it to Lilith. He could continue to update the text, maintaining it as he always did, which would continue its value as a glimpse into his own mind. The Protean Charm could also help in maintaining direct communication with her for as long as they both wanted. If everything went poorly, destroying the original object would destroy the copy. It would do. Pulling out his inkwell and brush, Tom read through the Protean Charm's runic translation and tested the enchantment in a few pieces of parchment. Everything needed to be perfect before he could send her proof that he still believed in her and that he always would.

"Happy New Year, Riddle." Tom looked up from his dinner to the approaching Blacks, as Lucretia and Alphard sat opposite of him. "Happy New Year. I heard you all had a busy Yuletide." Lucretia shrugged her shoulders as Alphard served himself some food. "I am guessing you heard about it from the Prophet covering the Wizengamot Session? Or did Lilith fill you in?" Tom shook his head. "Just the Prophet." Alphard narrowed his eyes, looking up and down the table, not being subtle at all as he turned around and inspected the Ravenclaw table. He frowned. "Riddle, where is she?" Tom sighed, having expected the question to come up if she decided not to appear at the reception dinner. "We had a bit of an issue over the Recess and she decided to spend the rest of her time elsewhere. I am hoping that my last gesture of apology has made amends for my comments, but I haven't seen her yet." Lucretia hummed to herself, before she shoved Alphard's shoulder. "Take it easy on him, Alphard. He clearly understands that he made a mistake and has tried to fix it. Until we hear from Lilith, that is good enough for me. But yeah, our family had a busy Yuletide, though we can't go into specifics." Tom nodded. "I understand." Tom listened to the other Slytherins chatting about their Yuletide at home, before the feast ended and the students returned to their Common Rooms.

Not seeing any sign of Lilith, Tom was about to head to his room when Alphard spoke up. "Tom, there is a package for you here." Tom stopped and looked towards Alphard, spotting the large green and silver present box sitting atop the small table currently set at the center of the Common Room. He suddenly felt very nervous. Giving gifts to other students through the elfs was considered the norm, as it allowed for the students to have some privacy in what was supposed to be a deeply personal moment, not to mention that elves could detect curses and keep the students safe from anyone intending ill will. Leaving a present in the Common Room, however, was the opposite. It was meant to be seen. Typically, the exchanging of gifts before the entire House was done by the older students, especially by those currently courting, as a show of what one family could provide another. Tom had personally seen a few of these go horribly wrong, with the witches being insulted by the gifts. A few of the times he had seen a gift left in the Common Room, however, had been by one of the remorseful wizards apologizing publicly, though a few still failed catastrophically. Moving slowly to the sofa next to the table, Tom wiped his hands on his robe, before reaching the present. Sitting down, Tom moved the box closer to him, seeing the familiar script of Lilith on the letter attached to it. The Blacks crowded behind him, making Tom feel even more nervous.

Herr Riddle

Thank you for the present. I hope mine carries as much meaning as yours did. If you trust me, press your hand onto the top of it, after you open the box. Do try and take good care of it. Oh, and no refunds.

Frau Lilith von Schwarzwald

Stashing away the letter into his robes, Tom felt a bit more comfortable now. After undoing the bow on the present, Tom lifted the top of the box, before looking inside. He blinked at it in confusion, before lifting the object out of its container, turning it over as his eyes sought to unravel what it was that he was looking at. The rest of the students started whispering at each other, with Orion coming to sit next to him. "Is that a dragon egg? It's huge." Lucretia leaned over her little brother. "I don't think so, it's made out of metal. Looks like bronze." Tom, remembering the instruction on the letter, placed his hand at the peek of the bronze egg. A few seconds later, he flinched as a needle jabbed into his hand, which made him pull his hand away from the egg as the needle retracted. The egg started shaking, before the shell seemed to break apart. Except, the pieces of the shell didn't fall away, but instead reformed. The egg opened from the front, revealing the face of an owl, with the shell becoming the owl's feathers as they settled into place on the creature's body and wings. Soon enough, the shell had fully disappeared, leaving behind a stunned silence as everyone looked at the bronze owl that was currently on Tom's lap. The head shook, as if it was waking up from a nap, with its large glass eyes that seemed to glow with a faint blue light snapping open. It looked at the faces of everyone in the room, its head rotating almost completely around, before it switched back. Eventually, the owl focused on Tom and it stretched out its wings. "Hoot!"

Orion reached out with his hand. "It's so cool! It looks so real." Alphard looked at the owl as it seemed to preen as Orion touched its metallic feathers. "Huh, an enchanted owl. That's certainly an interesting gift. I wonder how realistic it's behaviour is." Tom watched as Alphard reached out to touch it, feeling a bit annoyed with everyone touching his gift. The owl watched as Alphard's hand drew near, before it bit down on the closest finger, causing Alphard to yelp as he pulled his hand back. "It bit me!" The owl seemed to huff in laughter softly, before beating its wings. It took off, flying through the room, with Lucretia smiling as it flew by. "I don't think it's "just" and enchanted owl, Alphard." The owl landed on Tom's forearm, its sharp looking claws retracting into its feet for safety. It looked him in the eyes. "Hoot, hoot." Reaching out with his hand, Tom caressed the owl's feathers, feeling the odd sensation of its metallic feathers bending and flexing softly, yet somehow remaining unbroken. He then felt something odd as he looked at the owl. Closing his eyes, he searched for the odd sensation, before finding it within himself. It felt as if a bit of his magic was leaking out, flowing into the owl, before flowing back into him. Through that magic he felt more than he expected. There was a feeling of excitement, curiosity, as well as a deep sense of loyalty. Tom opened his eyes as the owl hooted again.

"Lucretia, what did you mean that it isn't just an enchanted owl?" The Young woman smiled at her younger brother, reaching out with her hand towards the owl, before pausing, her eyes fixed on Tom. After getting his nod of approval, she was able to caress its head gently. She looked over at Alphard. "Now you try it, but ask for permission first. Without words." Alphard did as instructed and was able to touch the owl without injury, though the owl was a lot more observant of Alphard's movements, its eyes focused on the young man's fingers. Lucretia smiled. "See? There were no instructions. It acted on Riddle's instructions without so much as a word from either of us. Riddle, give it an instruction, something complicated, without using a wand or commanding it vocally." Tom, curious himself, looked into the owl's eyes, realizing that they were the same shade of blue as his. The mechanical owl took flight, heading towards a table on the far wall, before returning to him, carrying a candlestick in its claws, before it released it on Alphard's lap. The owl then landed on Tom's shoulder, puffing up its chest feathers, as it clicked its beak. Alphard stared at the owl. "But that's… how? Enchanted owls can't do that!" The owl looked at Alphard, hissing at him, before the young man looked at Tom. "You aren't telling it to do that, are you?" Tom shook his head as Lucretia snapped her fingers. "It's a magical construct!"

With the entire Slytherin Common Room looking in her direction, Lucretia blushed. "Guess nobody here has heard of them. It's a bit of an Enchanter's myth. When mechanical clocks and other machines were introduced to Magical Society about a century ago, there was a dream about replicating living creatures with mechanical constructs powered by magic. The theoretical name for the Enchanters who achieved this were Artificers. In the years since, no construct ever lived up to the initial dream. Enchanters could make machines do certain tasks, but they were always dependent on the caster themselves. They could never get the construct to behave truly independently as a proper reflection of a living creature, not without the magic eventually fading away or becoming twisted by the magic that surrounds it. The enchantment would eventually fade, leaving behind empty husks, until the magic was restored." Tom looked at the owl on his shoulder, who proceeded to rub its head against his cheek, before flying down onto the table. Alphard looked at the mechanical bird with a growing sense of concern. "Lucretia, if this is a magical construct… that means there is an Enchanter that did the impossible. There is an Artificer in the world." The students in the Common Room started chatting far more excitedly, with Orion begging Lucretia for one, as Tom realized the implications of what Lucretia just said.

Over the summer, Tom had seen mechanical pieces of the same material on Lilith's desk, with her working night and day on it. If the owl was her personal creation… then that meant that she was an Artificer, the first to ever manifest. Tom looked at the owl, who looked back at him, the creature hooting softly. He smiled, realizing what Lilith just did. By having the present opened in front of the majority of Slytherin House, the students would not only know that an Artificer existed, but that they were associated with Tom, drawing the witnesses to him first, while keeping her own involvement mostly hidden. She had also responded to his show of trust brilliantly. Tom had sent her his Diary, revealing to her his deepest thoughts, with her trusting him back with what could literally be her life's work. If the mechanical owl was as capable as a real… no, it was as capable as a real one, as Tom flinched at the indignant screech the owl just released. With this owl now, his troubles with letters would now be covered, meaning that she had given him the opportunity to feel what so many other witches and wizards felt. He would have to ask her about how he and the owl were connected, but if he was honest with himself, Tom wasn't bothered by the connection they seemed to share. In fact, it felt comfortable in a way that he couldn't put into words.

As the students started heading to bed, Lilith, hidden under the Invisibility Cloak, stood at the far back of the Slytherin Common Room with a satisfied smile on her face. If she was honest to herself, she had been a bit harsh on Tom after he sent her so many books to her as her Christmas present. As someone with so few personal possessions, asking him to give her something deeply meaningful to him was too much in her own mind, but at the same time tradition demanded a proper repayment. His response, however, had moved her deeply, when she felt the familiar leather cover of the Diary under her fingers. Lillian's memories of the Tom Riddle that she had met through the Horcrux had resurfaced and Lilith hadn't complained. Those had been some of her more treasured moments, moments that she would never forget or retell to anyone who wasn't important to her. She had heard from Snape that the Diary had eventually been destroyed, with Lillian feeling exceedingly depressed about the loss of her first true friend. If she hadn't been developing her friendship with Luna at the same time she would have hated the thought of coming back to Hogwarts for her third year. Giving Tom his own magical construct had been a no brainer by then. His trust in her and his clear desire to remain by Lilith's side had been all that she needed to know. Now if only she could stop fantasizing about how much closer they could get, Lilith was certain the next few days would be fine. She really doubted her emotions would be so kind. They never were.

Chapter 23: Finding What Was Lost

Tom made his way up the ladder leading into his and Lilith's hidden room, strengthening his resolve. Despite the fact that Lilith had clearly forgiven him for the feelings of distrust that he had fostered due to Morfin's death, the two of them have had barely a chance to spend any time together, despite the fact that she and the rest of the students had returned on the weekend. Tom had certainly tried his best to get her attention, even writing in the Diary, but she had ignored his attempts up to today. As the classes started again, another stressful class under Dumbledore led to her clearly overextending herself with her magic again, her right arm shirt sleeve dyed red with blood, which prompted her to head for their hidden room, likely to rest and recover before dinner. Tom had followed behind her at a respectful distance, before climbing up the stairs as soon as she was in. As he lifted the trapdoor, Tom spotted her lighting up the candles in the room. "Is there a reason you are avoiding me?" Lilith seemed to flinch slightly, before she turned around, her cheeks a bit flushed. Tom buried that sight and memory, trying to control his emotions. The redhead looked quite beautiful with blushed cheeks. Doing his best to resist any physical responses to Lilith, Tom entered the room properly, closing the trap door as soon as he was up. For her part, Lilith did move closer to him, nervously rubbing her right arm, before she flinched as she rubbed her injury. "Would you believe me if I said that I was having trouble deciding how we should interact?"

Frowning at her statement, Tom stepped closer to her, drawing his wand and using a basic healing spell on Lilith's arm, watching as the shallow cuts receded into angry red lines. "What do you mean?" Lilith's blush faded a little as she pulled her hand out of his slowly. "Thank you… I… read your Diary. All of it. I just… we have been really respectful of each other, trying to keep a professional relationship between us, but now… I am not sure how to move forward exactly. We are closer now than just partners, but I have trouble placing us exactly in a way that you would understand. Are we… friends?" Tom blinked a few times, feeling out the word in his mind, trying to equate it to what their relationship had become. "As I have never had a friend before, I believe that it might be a suitable name for what we are, though I personally feel we are closer than that." Lilith's blush deepened again. "I see. Then, how would you like us to address each other, both in private and in public? I am certain a few members of Slytherin had the brains to piece out who sent you the owl but the rest…" Tom nodded. "Abraxas and Theodore are among them, and the Blacks I do not doubt that they know it was you. Still, I don't see why we should change our public behaviour. Not everyone knows that Pandora was from you and I would like to keep it that way, for both our sakes." Lilith nodded, before she blinked. "Pandora?" Tom smiled at her. "The owl you sent me. Seemed appropriate."

Lilith searched Tom's eyes. "And are you expecting either the owl or me to open a certain jar, bringing ruin to you and the world?" Tom smirked. "Oh, I think you already opened the jar yourself, my dear Artificer." Lilith blush went past her cheeks and even down her neck, with Tom surprised to see that much color on her face. He did briefly remember seeing it when he accidently saw her naked that one time, realising that it was the shade that she took when embarrassed. "I suppose it fits. Take good care of her and if anything happens, bring her to me. I will fix her right up." Tom nodded, before he started pulling out a roll of parchment. "So, I have a few things I want to talk about concerning the search for the Chamber." Lilith nodded back, before her attention wavered. "One moment." She sprinted quickly to the window, opening it briefly as a lightly colored shadow flew into the room, before she closed the window again, cutting off the bitter cold that had begun to spread into the room from outside. The shadow flew to a large bird stand that Tom realized was new to the room, before the creature shook itself, dropping off bits of ice and snow, revealing a mechanical owl that was a bit bigger than Pandora, with a lighter shade of bronze and deep green eyes. Lilith approached the owl. "Did the anti-freezing enchantments fail?" The bird shook its head, hooting excitedly, as Lilith rubbed her chin. "So internally you were fine, but externally, even though the spell melted the ice that built up on your body, it simply refroze, building up a light and fragile layer of snow on you as you flew?"

The owl bobbed its head as Lilith took out her notebook, writing her observations down. "If you send Pandora out, warn her about flying in snowy conditions. It seems my precautions only went so far. Galatea and I will test a few countermeasures before I add anything to Pandora." Tom looked at the owl, who turned to look at him, those green eyes looking him over. "Galatea?" Lilith reached out to caress her mechanical owl's head. "Yeah, she was my testbed for all the behavioural and movement aspects of the constructs. Because I had her made before I had a stable magical core for her, she was a bit like a statue, sitting at the corner of my desk. Eventually, after a successful core was developed, she was made whole. Weren't you, girl?" The owl purred under her owner's attention, before she started to preen herself as Lilith turned and walked back to Tom, who was curious if Lilith had forgotten what the first name of their Defence Profesor was or if she simply didn't care and picked the name without considering who else shared it within Hogwarts. "You shouldn't have any trouble using Pandora for delivering letters anywhere, as she won't run out of magic, though any long distance letters, such as to Africa, Asia or America will be rough. The magic that binds her to you isn't fond of being kept away from you for long periods of time." Tom nodded, his eyes still on Galatea even as Lilith's words brought his mind back into focus, before he turned to look at Lilith. "What is it exactly? The magic that binds them to us?"

Lilith shrugged as she sat down. "It's a Pseudo-Familiar Bond. Familiar bonds allow for the continuous flow of magic between the two entities, which also shares their feelings and experiences. Remind me to teach you the exercise required to see through their eyes. It's very disorientating at first, but it is a lot of fun once you get the hang of it. Unlike a Familiar Bond, it won't be as painful to lose the connection, though I still don't recommend it. I will also be quite cross with you if you lose Pandora. She took a lot of work to refine." Tom sat down on the sofa opposite of Lilith. "You know that the bond isn't as bad when it fails… how? You didn't test it, did you?" Lilith fidgeted a little, playing with a lock of her hair. "I actually did. I wasn't fond of giving you a Pseudo-Familiar if losing it left you traumatized. Trust me… losing a Familiar is the same as if you lost a loved one. It is as if a part of you has passed away and all you want to do is to make the pain go away." Tom searched Lilith's face. "You went through that." Lilith nodded softly. "I once watched a dragon hatch from its egg. The female dragon hatchling hated everyone else, but she was fond of me. The owner and I had no idea that we formed a Familiar Bond. The hatchling spent days, even weeks trying to reach me, while I yearned for it to be at my side, but a poor understanding as to what was happening led to the keepers of the dragon refusing to let her go off on its own to find me. It died soon after, and I… I was very tempted to join it."

Tom shook his head. "I'm so sorry." Lilith smiled at him. "Danke. Now then, what did you want to discuss about the Chamber?" Tom unfurled his parchment, revealing his map of the dungeons, before he cleared his throat. "Based on the way that passageways are marked, I think I have narrowed down the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets to four locations. The issue is how to open the entrance. I checked the walls, all with Hogsby's help. There were no carvings for me to charge with my magic on the walls. I just wish I knew what to look for now." Lilith looked over the map, seeing the entrance marked as one of the targets. When Lillian had opened the Chamber, she had no need for the charging carvings. She had reactivated that particular ward after she had managed to talk to Salazar, who revealed to her that the protection was there for a reason and that it was likely that the security measures had been tampered by the previous Heir in some way. Still, she needed to be careful how to phrase it so as to not reveal that she was already aware of the actual location. "Ok, so the carvings on the hidden passageways made sense, as these needed to be at arms length for a quick activation. The Chamber, however, is different. It is supposed to be the location that the Heir of Slytherin locates as a way to earn his right to become the Head of House. If we were to see the Chamber from the point of view as that of a Lord's domain during the height of the Medieval period, what would a Lord demand of his Heir, before they became the Heir Apparent?"

Tom frowned, running through within his mind what information he had read on the Magical Houses. "I don't think I have read anything about Medieval customs. The Magical Families don't share much information about that time period to begin with." Lilith frowned. "My family has its own traditions, so I am not sure how that applies here. I do know that the era did favor the act of kneeling, both in the Christian cultures and in the Celtic remnants. Those seeking favor or recognition were required to kneel before the person with the authority to grant it." Tom thought about that. "If a carving needs to be charged and the Heir is required to kneel, then the place for the carving… would be on the floor." Tom searched his notes on the particular walls, looking at the snake markers in his mind. He noticed something odd about one of the markings on the walls. Tom pointed at the one he was envisioning in his mind. "This wall here. The snake carvings that usually mark a gap in the area at the lowest point of the wall are different here. The tail looks bent, as if the snake was moving up from the floor and against the wall. I didn't pay much mind to the tail as it was a minor difference in design. If the carving that opens the chamber is on the floor, it should be here, in front of this wall." Lilith sighed, feeling relieved as he had selected the right wall. "That photographic memory of yours is cheating." Tom chuckled to himself. "Would you rather we had wasted time searching all four locations?"

Lilith shook her head, as she looked at the proximity to the Slytherin Common Room. "Alright, the best possible time for us to access it would be on the night after Astronomy class. Less students would be wandering the halls then and Bones has us fifth years return to the Dorms early. We can wait out the return of the remaining Prefects, step out of our rooms under invisibility, and make for the entrance. I will deploy my ward discs prior to stepping out, which should conceal our movements as we step out of the Dorms. I can deploy them in the Slytherin Common Room too, as well as other locations, so if Dumbledore is watching through his connection to the Castle, he can't see our movements or guess at the correct location to the entrance." Tom nodded. "That will keep the entrance hidden from him, which is fine by me. My disillusionment spell is as good as it can be. What about you?" Lilith looked up from the parchment. "I have a Cloak that will do." Tom rolled up the Parchment, feeling quite light. "Then it's decided. On Wednesday night, we will try to open the Chamber." Lilith sat back against the couch as Galatea landed on her shoulder, before she started running her hands through Galatea's feathers, which could be sharp enough to cut flesh but only when Galatea intended them to do so. In a few nights, she would be within the Chamber of Secrets once more. Lilith buried the sudden anxiety that built up in her soul. Soon enough she would be face to face with Salazar Slytherin once more, but he wouldn't remember her at all. She hoped that she didn't break down in tears.

Tom ran his hands over the floor in front of the wall that he had singled out, feeling the barest indication that there was a carving there. As expected, a thousand years of students walking through the corridor had worn down the barely noticeable carving on the stone floor, making the location all the more hidden. Tom wondered if that had been part of Salazar Slytherin's plan, for all signs leading to the Chamber to disappear after a period of time. Still, as he charged his magic to his hands, Tom felt the carving, or what remained of it, respond. Even if it was worn away, the magic that allowed him to access whatever was hidden here still worked. Tom turned and looked up at Lilith, who had returned from checking the ward discs that were now in place around the Dungeons. "There is no one in the area. This is the best chance we are going to get to open the entrance." Tom nodded, before focusing on the wall in front of him. The night had gone as planned. After Astronomy class ended, Lilith and Tom had returned to the Dorms, with Lilith placing the ward discs all throughout the day in a wide area of the Dungeons, making sure to conceal the exact location of the wall they would be opening. They had to avoid a few seventh years studying together in the Common Room, along with Anton Bryce, who had been sitting in the corner of the Common Room, reading a few books, before reaching the location as quietly as possible. The fact that one of the seventh years had gone to send out a letter, opening the Hidden Entrance, allowed them both to leave without drawing attention, or leaving any trace.

Taking a few deep breaths, Tom focused on his magic and the wall in front of him. It was time. ~"Open."~ A bit of time passed and nothing happened. The carving didn't draw from his magic as the others had done. He looked up at Lilith. "The typical phrase isn't working." Lilith blinked at him and then at the wall. "The phrase that you used elsewhere was "open," right? Why not try a variation." Tom nodded and cycled through a few other phrases. It wasn't until he tried "Grant us entry," after the "me" version failed, that the magic on the carving reacted. The wall in front of him slid back a few feet, before descending into the ground, revealing a massive passageway, far bigger than the ones that led up the different floors. Lilith activated a pendant on her neck, which replicated the lumos spell, as Tom used the same spell through his wand as they entered the corridor. Running his hand through the right side of the wall, Tom found a carving, which reacted to "close," the entrance behind them being blocked once more. Lilith closed her eyes, mumbling to herself in silence. She opened her eyes. "There. I deactivated the discs. Since we are under a separate set of wards, we should still be hidden and with the discs inactive, the Dungeons are free to move for everyone else, so as to not draw attention." Tom nodded, before looking behind him at the corridor. A few steps forward and the corridor descended downwards, using the same odd design as the passageways between the floors.

At the end of the incline, they found their entrance blocked by another wall. Unlike the entrance in the Dungeons, this wall did have the carving on the right hand and reacted to ~"Open"~. Beyond this wall, Lilith and Tom found a large, cavern like area. Even their lumos spells had difficulty reaching the roof of the natural looking formation, the ground uneven and at times slippery from water that dripped down from the ceiling. A few minutes of searching, finding a few tunnels leading up into seemingly dead ends and sealed passageways, Tom knew that he had found the proper entrance as he faced a large, vault-like door with several snake heads leading out of a large mass from the left. With Lilith at his side, Tom approached the door, feeling the cold metal magically respond to his touch. His Heir ring on his right hand flared with warmth. ~"Open."~ Stepping back, Tom watched as a snake slithered out of the mass from the left, pushing the heads of the snakes on the right back as it circled around the edges of the vault door. When the circling snake had disappeared, the door pulled open, revealing a large chamber lit by some magical green lights. Tom moved into the chamber almost mechanically, his eyes taking in the vast space before him, snake head statues lining the sides of the narrow walkway, with canals of water and other, smaller walkways leading away from the central one.

There, at the end of the massive Chamber, was a large sculpture of a man's face, its eyes looking dark with shadows from the pale lights. He was beyond certain now. After four years of searching, Tom had discovered his Ancestor's Legacy. He had entered Salazar Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets. Stopping at the edge of what looked to be a deep pool of water, Tom spent a moment looking into the face of the sculpture, before turning his gaze elsewhere. Frowning, Tom noticed that Lilith had not followed him in, and as he turned around he noticed that she was standing just outside of the vault door, looking at him with a soft smile, after having deactivated her pendant. Tom chuckled to himself softly. Of course she wouldn't enter. This was his legacy and she was respectful enough to let him decide when to share it. "You can come in." Tom turned his attention to the rest of the chamber, seeing a few alcolves on the edges of the edges that led… somewhere, as Lilith arrived at his side. "Congratulations. I suppose we still need to find the core chamber of this place." Tom nodded. "Thank you and yes, you are right. We still need to find the central chamber so that I can take control of the wards. Since you aren't a Parseltongue, stay by my side, just in case Salazar left some snakes or parselmagic wards protecting this place."

Lilith nodded, as the two spent the next hour searching the chamber. They found several closed off chambers, including a potion's lab, ritual chamber and what looked like a wand crafting bench. Tom ran his hand over some of the materials, feeling a few reactions from the old slabs of dry wood, imagining what it must have been like for Salazar Slytherin, living in a time when magic hadn't been refined just yet. No wandsmiths to provide you with a premade wand, no apothecaries and no central magical government. It was certainly a different time to be alive. Returning to the central chamber, Lilith stood there, her eyes fixed on the sculpture on the wall. "Tom, if you made a chamber to conceal all of your greatest secrets, would you carve a large sculpture of your face on the wall?" Tom looked at it, frowning. "No, I wouldn't. You think this is a distraction?" Lilith shrugged. "We checked every wall that didn't seem to be a tunnel leading up to the rest of Hogwarts, which means that the core should be here. This carving is massive and seems to be pointless. Look at the rest of the Chamber. The statues mark out the walls and alcoves that lead elsewhere, not to mention that they indicate where the paths end, before you drop into the canals. Yet here we have a large pool of water and a sculpture. It can't just be for aesthetics. Salazar was said to be cunning, not vain."

Tom looked at the sculpture, trying to figure out what Salazar Slytherin intended with it. "He was a Parselmouth. A magic that relies on magical speech. So far, all of the hidden entrances reacted to a simple phrase." Lilith smiled at Tom. "Except for the entrance to the chamber. That required a specific phrase. Think it's the same here?" Tom nodded. "I do. I just need to figure out the phrase." Lilith turned to the sculpture. "Maybe that's the point of the statue. It's here for you to address it. Or, more specifically, him." Tom turned to the face of Salazar Slytherin, going through a few phrases, until… ~"Speak to me, Salazar Slytherin."~ Tom watched as the mouth started descending, revealing a large opening hidden in the sculpture, before he turned to look at Lilith. "You were right. Good call." Lilith blushed lightly, and Tom wanted to reach out and touch her, when a noise stilled his heart. ~"Who is there? Who has disturbed my sleep?"~ Tom positioned himself in front of Lilith as he watched a large snake's head peek out of the sculpture's mouth, the long and thick body of the creature slipping into the pool of water, the purpose of it being made quite clear to him now. The creature focused its attention on Tom, its long forked tongue licking his face, making him flinch a little.

The Snake's bright yellow eyes narrowed on him intently. ~"What is your name, Speaker?"~ Tom swallowed the lump in his throat. ~"My name is Tom Riddle, Heir to the House of Slytherin."~ The snake bowed its head. ~"I am Renenutet, Guardian of my father's legacy. I welcome you, Heir of Slytherin. And who is the female behind you? Is she your mate? Will there be more Heirs of Slytherin?" Tom blushed a bit. ~"Ah, no, she is not my mate. This is Lilith von Schwarzwald. My partner and ally."~ The snake tipped its head. ~"Not mate? Ah, the Heir is still a hatchling. Renenutet understands. May I see her?"~ Tom swallowed nervously. ~"You are a Basilisk, correct? You will not kill her with your eyes?"~ The snake shook its head. ~"Unless she hurts the Heir, I will not harm her."~ Tom stepped to the side, telling Lilith that the snake wanted to meet her. He watched as Lilith stood nervously, shaking a little as the Basilisk licked her with its tongue. ~"Odd taste. Lots of magic, lot's of pain. Blood as well, her own and that of others."~ Lilith looked at Tom, as he repeated the snake's words, before she turned to look at the Basilisk. "Uhm, can I touch her?" Tom was about to repeat her words when the Basilisk pushed more of her body onto the stone ground. ~"The Dark Witch may touch me."~

As Tom registered the fact that the Basilisk could understand human speech, he had to bite his tongue as Lilith pulled her gloves off, before gently caressing the giant snake's scales, the Basilisk groaning in delight as her fingers traced the edges of the scales. His eyes turned towards the opening from which the Basilisk arrived. ~"Renenutet, may I enter your nest?"~ The Basilisk sighed in relief. ~"Ahhh! Right there. Yes, pull those pieces of molted skin off. Yes, Heir, you may enter. Your female may remain. Ahh!"~ Shaking his head at how quickly Lilith gained the Basilisk's support, Tom moved towards the edge of the pool, looking at the gap of water between him and the opening. Trying a few phrases, until ~"Causeway"~ finally triggered a reaction, as a stone causeway extended from the sculpture's opening, across the pool, stopping right against the stone floors, Tom proceeded to cross the pool of water. Entering the nest, Tom spotted a large circular chamber that felt heavy with magic. Guessing that this was the Basilisk's nest and hibernation chamber, Tom searched the walls, until his Heir Ring warmed up at the far end. Inspecting the wall, he found a familiar carving, but the door didn't respond to the basic command. Using the same phrase that granted him access to the Chamber, the stone wall receded and slid to the side, revealing a staircase leading upwards. At the end of the stairs, Tom found a decently sized room, filled with a small bookshelf, a desk and several enchanted objects.

"Well, this is a new occurrence. Tell me, young man, what year is it?" Tom felt his heart stop and start several times as he found himself looking at a moving portrait of Salazar Slytherin, his eyes looking over Tom with clear curiosity. Remembering the question, Tom responded. "Winter, 1943 of the Common Era. Same number as the Christian A.D. calendars. It's been almost a millennium since Hogwarts was founded." Salazar blinked at Tom in surprise. "What?! The hell were my Heirs doing? The last people to come here to see me were my daughter and grandson and that was centuries ago!" Tom bowed his head respectfully. "My apologies, Lord Slytherin. I am afraid that my family hasn't done much beyond preserving your secret. Even from their own members." Salazar sighed. "I feared as much. Still, well done in finding your way here, young man. What is your name?" Lifting his head up, the young man responded. "Tom Riddle, sir. Heir to your House and family, as confirmed by Gringotts." Salazar nodded. "Good. It is good to hear that the Goblin Kingdom has held their end of our contract. I take it that you met Renenutet?" Tom smiled. "I have, sir. She is currently in the main chamber, getting pampered by my partner." Salazar blinked at him in confusion before Tom explained his relationship with Lilith and the help she provided to him to reach the Chamber.

Salazar rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "You make sure you treat this girl right, my Heir. A woman of her status and pedigree lending you her aid so willingly and methodically is quite rare, even more so when you are clearly friends and that she doesn't fear nor envy your talents. I am afraid that there will be a lot for us to discuss in the coming days, as I have a millenium of catching up to do. I don't suppose you can stay here much longer tonight?" Tom's eyes widened as he checked his pocket watch. "No, we can't. We have already been awake for quite a while and we still have two days of classes left before the weekend. We will return then, Ancestor, and speak more at length as to what has been happening." Salazar nodded. "Very well then. See you soon, my Heir. I look forward to finally having someone to speak to. Give Rene my love." Tom nodded, noting his ancestor's use of a nickname as he made his way down the stairs and passed the nest. He blinked in surprise as he found Lilith on top of the Basilisk. "What are you doing up there?" Lilith looked down and smiled. "Removing the molted scales behind her head. Molting isn't easy, especially for such a large snake." Renenutet turned her head, making Lilith "eek" at the sudden movement. ~"Can I keep her?"~ Tom chuckled softly, as he helped Lilith slide off the Basilisk and onto the ground. ~"I would very much like to."~ Had Tom been paying attention to anything other than the Basilisk at that moment, he would have noticed that Lilith's cheeks turned bright red before they said their goodbyes to Rene for the night.

The Vault door slid open as Lilith entered the Chamber of Secrets alone. Her hands were covered in sweat, but she had no other choice but to come back. Tom finding the Chamber of Secrets and meeting with Salazar had all gone as best as she could have hoped. According to the Salazar of Lillian's time, Tom Riddle only found him after he had made an artefact that invalidated his claim to Lordship. Salazar had refused to tell her what Tom had created to the very end, but Lilith could now guess that it was probably a Horcrux. She briefly wondered if Tom had made several by that point but didn't reveal the truth to his Ancestor's portrait after his negative reaction to the first one. Now that he had found Salazar first, there was a chance that he could be better instructed in the things that no self-respecting wizard, Light or Dark, would ever consider doing. Still, Lilith didn't want to tempt fate. Not now, when she was so close to keeping Tom on the right path to Lordship. She needed to be sure that no matter what, he would be looked after, even in her absence. Which meant that she needed to speak to Salazar directly once again, for the first time. Lilith bit her lip, as she didn't want to look at the face of Lillian's ancestor and for him to not only not recognize her, but to not know her at all. She knew, however, that she would have to tell him the truth of who she was. He deserved that much.

As she walked through the narrow pathway of stone between the snake statues, she watched as Renenutet's head lifted up from the pool. Lilith had warmed it up for her while Tom had been upstairs talking to Salazar, but until Tom took control of the wards, the temperature would keep dropping in the cold air of the chamber, buried in the stone caverns that sat so close to the Black Lake. ~"The Dark Witch returns. What business does she have with Renenutet without the Heir?"~ Lilith sighed. ~"Was my talent untraceable with the chaotic nature of my magics or did you hide it from the Heir?"~ The Basilisk drew more of its body out of the water, its yellow eyes focused on her. ~"I tasted it, but it was fleeting. Salazar spoke of many Parselmouth descendants that carry the gift but cannot use it. I assumed you were one such witch. Tell me, why do you hide from the Heir that gift of which you both share?"~ Lilith rubbed her von Schwarzwald ring with her thumb. ~"Because I know Tom. He can be very protective of what he views as his. Another Parselmouth would make him fear for the safety of his claim, a title that I do not wish for at the expense of his right or friendship. He deserves to be the Lord Slytherin. I have sworn to make sure that he achieves that ambition."~

The Basilisk tasted Lilith's face again with her tongue. ~"You speak the truth, Speaker. Very well, I will keep your secret for as long as I can. I take it that you wish to speak to the image of Salazar?"~ Lilith nodded. ~"I owe your father an eternal debt, Rene. I wish to make him aware of it and some concerns of mine, so that he may better guide his true Heir to Lordship. So that even if my own life is forfeit, he may remain on the rightful path, lest he fall to Herpo's folly."~ The Basilisk stilled at the name that Lilith used. As expected, she had been told of the events surrounding Herpo's last stand and what vile acts he had committed before his final demise. Rene nudged Lilith with her snout towards the opening in the wall. ~"Renenutet understands. Go, Dark Witch, in service of my father's family."~ Lilith ran her hand over the Basilisk's scales. "Thank you, Rene. I promise to get your bath heated up consistently. An elf that has vowed to serve the Heir will bring you some things to eat. Until then, please don't overexert yourself. Your father's love for you is great, as would his sorrow be were you to pass away." The Basilisk returned to the water, her head the only thing sticking up from the surface, as Lilith called up the causeway to enter the nest and hidden chamber. The moment that she opened the door to Salazar's office, she heard the portrait hum to himself. "What do we have here? You are not my Heir."

Lilith bowed her head to the portrait. "No, my Lord Slytherin, I am not. I am Frau Lilith von Schwarzwald, from the continent." Salazar looked her over. "I thought it odd that your family's name was uttered by the boy. What brings you here to me, without him?" Lilith sighed, before she looked up at the man she had loved as a Grandfather, seeing none of the love he felt for her in his face. Her heart felt heavy, as if a blade had been stabbed through it. She wanted to cry. Steeling herself, Lilith finally spoke. "In 1993, a girl by the name of Lillian Potter, Heir to the Parselmouth trait through your last born son with Aislinn Peverell, entered this Chamber and studied under you. She was your Heir by choice, though out of fear and respect for the man that Tom Riddle had become, she never dared to claim the ring of your family. In 1998, as the lives of both Tom Riddle and Lillian Potter were endangered, both being the last of your descendants, you told Lillian of a means to save them. From a book that had been given to you by a dear friend, Lillian, using a soul fragment that had been embedded in her accidentally by Tom Riddle, used the spell… to undo time." Salazar grew perfectly still, so much so that Lilith thought she might have broken him. ~"What name had Godric Gryffindor given me that only he and the others of our group knew?"~

Lilith smiled a little. ~"Snakey, the prat. You always hated when he called you that, which tended to be when he was drunk."~ Salazar stared at her for the longest time. "I cannot begin to tell you how fortunate you are that the spell worked. I take it that you are aiding my Heir to his rightful place?" Lilith nodded. "I am. I have done what I could, but some things may be beyond my control. I came here to warn you of what became of your Heir in my time. During the first timeline, he found this chamber and read Herpo the Foul's Grimoire. He created a Horcrux, eventually making several more intentionally and one accidental." Salazar cursed under his breath. "Doing so robbed him of any chance of claiming the Slytherin Lordship. Very well, I will keep an eye on the boy and do my best to keep him from uncovering that foul book without having me there to warn him of the dangers." Lilith sighed in relief. "If I were you I would ask him to place your portrait in the Library. I had done the same as Lillian and you were of great help in my studies." Salazar tapped his chin. "I will do that when I can." Looking over Lilith, Salazar frowned. "I am grateful for what you have done, though I am sorry for what the spell must have put you through. The transfer of a soul into a deceased body must have been quite the shock to you." Lilith pouted. "You are a real bastard, you know. You could have told me that was going to happen the first time around." Salazar cleared his throat nervously. "Yes, well, I am sure I had my reasons."

Sighing to herself, Lilith walked up to Salazar's portrait, running her hand gently over the canvas. "I have yet to reveal my truth to Tom, as I am concerned over the impact that a fragmented soul might have had on his memories. So far, he has had visions of events that once came to pass, but they are incomplete and foreign to his mind. I wish to tell him soon, but I am afraid. I have already killed to save him from death, if not betrayal from the last Gaunt, his uncle. He was deeply hurt when he learned that I stole from him a chance to meet a member of his family. I… don't want to lose him over this." Salazar searched Lilith's face. "You have grown to care for him deeply, haven't you?" Lilith nodded, as tears ran down her cheeks. "I know that we will never be soulmates. The spell that I used to save us both and undo time will have destroyed any chance of that from happening, though as much as I would like to keep ourselves as nothing but friends, I cannot help but feel drawn to him." Salazar sighed. "I see. Even if your souls may never be bound together, the bond that you share, if nurtured, will be stronger than most. What you have done for him is beyond what duty you may have once had as my chosen Heir. I will keep your secret, though I believe that my Heir will see just how much you mean to him soon enough." He smiled. "He will not turn from you or from his path as my Heir. Not again. You have my word on that."

"So, what's going on between you and Riddle? Any visits to the broom cupboards yet?" Lilith scrunched up a bit of paper and tossed it nonchalantly at Myrtle, hitting her in the head. "Myrtle, I know you like romance novels, but Riddle and I are just friends. We aren't going to inspect each other's tonsils in any cupboards." Myrtle picked up the paper ball and tossed it back, with Lilith catching it before it hit her on the forehead. "I can hear the yet in that sentence, you know. Besides, you look so cute together. Tell her Cassie." Cassandra looked up from her sketch of a Hippogriff. "What?" Myrtle pointed at Lilith, who was currently looking over some enchantment books, the page she had open showing images of the effects of enchantments on house window panes. "Her and Riddle. Don't they make a lovely couple?" Cassandra gave Lilith a look, before blushing softly. "I suppose they do." Myrtle blinked at her in confusion, before nudging her seat closer. "You know something. Come on, spill. I don't get to hear any juicy gossip out of Ravenclaw. All the girls ever talk about is the Quidditch players, exams and the latest cosmetics. It's no fun at all!" Cassadra looked at Lilith, who was clearly ignoring the conversation, before looking back at Myrtle. "Sorry, but it's not fair to Lily or Riddle. Just let them have their fun. We will know when she wants us to know."

Myrtle sat back, sighing in disappointment. "And here I thought I could hear something nice. It's not like I am going to get much attention myself." Lilith looked up from her book. "You know it's not that hard to make yourself a bit more appealing to most boys. Though, even if you did, I wouldn't trust them to be honest about their interests. There is nothing wrong with taking your time being single and having fun." Myrtle groaned. "More like dying of boredom because of the exams. I mean, who even asks for a detailed map of the night sky based on the month? That's just insane. I can't keep track of every little star." Lilith nodded. "Of course not, but the constellations and planets are there for a reason. Look at it in the sense of an arts project rather than a detailed map. It will make it far easier to remember." Myrtle blinked a bit as she registered what Lilith said, before looking at Cassandra, who sighed. "Fine, I will teach you how to draw them as I learned them and everything. Just try and help me out with Runes. I am getting confused between Elder Futhark and Phoenician." Myrtle nodded, getting up and switching seats to be by Cassandra's side, before a young Gryffindor accidently knocked into her, causing her to yelp, her glasses falling to the floor. As the Gryffindor left, barely yelling back an apology, with the Librarian shushing him, Myrtle bent down and picked up her glasses.

Looking them over for any damage, she sighed in relief as the glasses seemed unscathed. "Thank you for these, Lilith. You have no idea how many glasses I cracked over the years, especially here. Cassie here must have used the repair spell at least a dozen times in a year." Lilith looked up at her. "Can I check them for a second," Myrtle nodded, handing her the glasses, before taking a seat next to Cassandra. She watched as Lilith enlarged them, looking over the inside section of the frame, before pulling out a carving knife. She proceeded to carve a few more symbols on its metal frame, before returning them to their natural size. "I am still testing out a few enchantments, mostly for light and temperature control. I want to see if I can get the lenses to adjust the amount of light they let through on their own. Let me know how it behaves when you are getting ready for bed." Myrtle placed them back on. "Can't you test them on your own? It can't be hard to get frames with regular panes of glass" Lilith shrugged. "My magic is a bit unstable, so the enchantments sometimes trigger on their own. Your magic is stable enough that it isn't an issue. That and most people in Slytherin use a potion to repair their eyesight." Myrtle tapped her fingers on the book infront of her. "And I can't take the potion… why?"

Lilith sighed. "You can take it but it's recommended that a specialist does it, which means Diagon Alley or St Mongos. If Madam Prewett did it, she could get in trouble with the Healers because her job is more generalized. Besides, the eye specialists need to use your glasses as a guide for how much the potion needs to correct and make it to order. Prewett doesn't have the gear here to do that. Lastly, if you quit whining about wearing glasses, I can enchant them to do more than just correct your vision. You will be able to spot cursed objects, cloaked creatures and even some ambient magic. Most Wardsmiths wear glasses without having any eyesight issues, same as a few other people who are concerned with getting caught off guard." Myrtle stopped taping her fingers. "You can make them do that!?" Lilith looked at Myrtle. "Sure, if I can practice enough. I have a huge pane of glass in my room for running tests, but there are a lot of variables. You testing these out for me helps me practice Enchantment and you get a nice set of glasses for free." Myrtle smiled. "Fine, fine. Just tell me when you have a new enchantment to test." Myrtle started pulling out her Runes assignments to help Cassandra with her, while the blonde Ravenclaw turned her attention to Lilith, giving her a knowing look, before returning to her sketch of a Hippogriff.

Tom looked out through the eyes of the sculpture, watching as Lilith kept adjusting the heating wards that she was adding to the pool of water in the Chamber, for Renenutet's benefit. The two had worked out a way to communicate, since the Basilisk was able to understand human speech. Both her and the portrait had been given a specific magical trait that allowed them to understand spoken language, regardless of the spoken tongue. As such, whenever Lilith asked Rene a yes or no question, then the Basilisk would respond with the corresponding head movements. When it was a question about degrees, such as the ones she was currently asking, as they kept adjusting the temperature of the water, the Basilisk would lift its tail up and down whenever Lilith made an adjustment. Tom smiled softly, glad that Lilith and Rene seemed to be getting along. He had heard the rumours that Salazar Slytherin had a monster guarding the chamber and had researched all the possible species that Salazar could have picked. The Basilisk had been one of the creatures that Tom thought that Salazar could have selected, though none of the legends made it certain. "Your partner certainly seems to have a way with animals. Rene sounds exceedingly pleased." Tom turned towards Salazar's portrait. "I am not surprised. She took Care of Magical Creatures as an elective. You should also see how the Barghests and other canid creatures seem protective of her."

Salazar hummed to himself. "The mark of a gentle heart is usually seen with the way the creatures interact with them, even more so with magic. She really is a special girl. Helga would have enjoyed having her as an apprentice." Salazar's eyes looked towards Pandora, as the mechanical owl groomed herself. "And Rowena would have tried to steal her for her own House at every opportunity." Tom chuckled as he petted the head of Pandora. He had sent her out to deliver letters to Gringotts, The Board of Governors, and to his grandfather, Thomas. He remembered feeling echoes of Pandora's flight, the bird keeping a low altitude due to the presence of aircraft over Britain. She had some difficulty leaving Scotland due to a blizzard, but she pushed through it well enough. Despite these difficulties, the mechanical bird returned, carrying return letters from everyone. Thomas had even installed a bird stand outside of his office's window, where he would go to retrieve the letters, all at the suggestion of Lilith. Tom smiled softly as he thought about how thoughtful she could be. Now that their issues were behind them, Lilith remained a quiet and reserved voice of reason, speaking up only when Tom seemed to ignore a possible choice from lack of understanding. This was the case when Tom had suggested turning over his Prefect badge at the end of term. Lilith warned him that while his Prefect duties did take up part of Tom's valuable and limited amount of time, his position as a Prefect offered him a chance to build relationships with other students.

Students like Ignatus Prewett, who were difficult to make an acquaintance of, as Tom had some distaste for him due to his Quidditch fixation, though Lilith counseled that having him as an acquaintance made the possibility of cordial relations with Light families higher. Lilith, of course, had nothing to add about Minerva McGonagall as a possible contact, as the girl refused to be friendly to either of them. "Thinking about something pleasant, young man?" Tom shook his head, gathering his thoughts. "Nothing of consequence, Ancestor. Now, about some of what history has recorded about you." Salasar gave Tom a thoughtful look, but shrugged. "Ask away." Tom looked through his copy of "History of Magic," trying to decide what was a good place to start with. "Were you a Dark Wizard, and if you were, what did it mean to you?" Salazar rubbed his beard. "I was indeed a Dark Wizard, but I am curious how the term has been defined. In my time, Wizards were typically males that utilized a wand or a staff as a magical foci. Our spells were usually based on incantations and wand movements, though we could of course use wandless magic. Witches, for example, focused their arts on the brewing of potions, poultices, not to mention the caring for creatures and plants. There were others, of course. The Druids had magic that they used in service of their beliefs, there were Enchanters, those whose proficiency with the application of magic to objects and people. Godric and I were Wizards, while Rowena was an Enchantress, with our dear Helga being a true Witch. As for Dark…"

Salazar took a moment to think. "Back then it was just an aspect of who we were, there was no need to define it. The world is, after all, full of contrasts. Those known as Light Wizards or Witches focused their arts on defence, healing, nurturing and even the betterment of oneself. A Dark Witch or Wizard used magic to attack, to break and to change what once was. I suppose that for an idealist, this may seem unpleasant, but it was no different than the wolf who hunted and killed a deer to feed its young. All true Dark Arts practitioners never used their skills entirely in the service to their own, personal benefit, but instead it was used in the service of their families and communities. I developed my talents to better serve as a protector for my village, with greater conflicts that began to develop across Albion forcing me to develop them further, resulting in my need to travel abroad to expand my capabilities, especially as a Parselmouth. By the time I helped in the Founding of Hogwarts, I had mastered the Dark Arts, but hardly ever used it in day to day life. That was, after all, not the point for which they existed." Tom nodded, seeing that Salazar's ideas matched those taught to him by Lilith. Unlike Rosier, who seemed to constantly itch to use the Dark Arts on the weak and vulnerable throughout his time at Hogwarts, Lilith hardly ever used them at all, though her own difficulties with magic certainly didn't help matters.

Tom looked down at the book again. "There is a growing movement against muggleborns, specifically by a group claiming to be Blood Purists. They claim that you did not wish to teach muggle borns and that you were forced to flee Hogwarts after failing to convince the others to ban their education." Salazar sighed, gently fiddling with his pendant. "For a bit of context, Hogwarts was in its infancy. We had been teaching the children born to villages and towns that followed the Celtic ways and beliefs, as well as a few other magical traditions. As time passed and Rowena perfected her Book of Names, we noticed that several magical children were being born to the south of Hadrian's Wall, within predominantly Christian lands. I was against enrolling these children in the school, if not their magical education outright, as I feared that approaching the parents would result in many of the children being killed. The Christian faith condemned the practice of magic, calling it an affront to the power of creation that only their god should possess. We lost many magical children to these people, a few murdered by their own, remorseless families. I did not wish for us to be complicit in these actions. Helga, bless her heart, agreed with me in that it was irresponsible to approach the Christian settlements and endanger the children. Eventually, we agreed to approach the children when they were a bit older, hoping to convince them to study magic with us."

Salazar hissed lightly. "The first iteration of Hogwarts was destroyed soon after, as some of these same children betrayed our location to their Christian parents. Soldiers under the banner of the Cross laid waste to many magical villages after destroying the school, before Godric mustered up an army of Goblins, Dwarves and Centaurs to aid in the counterattack. After that we changed how we operated. Hogwarts was to be built in an isolated location, fortified as a Castle. No one but those who taught would know how to reach us. Hogsmeade was established soon after, as the village and its population helped to keep Hogwarts staffed. Eventually, the question of approaching the Christian children arose again, after a few years of us not recruiting them. We again sent witches and wizards to invite them to study with us. Again it ended in tragedy. I was never against the fact that magical children should be taught magic, not truly. My concern was the danger we took upon ourselves, as well as the danger we brought to many children by continuing to approach a community that hated us all on principle, and were not opposed to killing their own in service of their god. Most of our best students were the first in their family line to wield magic, and were deeply committed to the school. Many of these went on to become our fellow teachers, and I trusted them as I trusted any other staff member of the age."

Tom lowered the book, looking out the window of the chamber, as Lilith and the Basilisk seemed to be doing a final check of the pool water temperature. "Lilith told me that the current war in Europe is more than just about Light fighting the Dark. That Magical practices dating back millennia were being wiped out, all because they refused to kneel before Grindelwald's power, or even because they just happened to be born to ethinic races that others saw as undesirable." Salazar ran a hand over his head. "Then history repeats itself. In our time, the spread of Christianity in a once magically developed Roman Empire saw the extinction of much of the knowledge that had taken centuries to develop. Then they targeted other groups, erasing all traces of their presence and knowledge, all because they sought dominion over all humans in Europe. Hogwarts was born from a need to protect our magic, to develop it and to make sure that we would not vanish as so many others did. We had hoped that eventually these wars of extermination would end. A shame really, that we ourselves are now the source of our own undoing, though not surprising. If there is a constant in this world, it is that sentiance is no guarantee of intelligence, wisdom or benevolence." Tom nodded. "So it would seem. Though there are people like Lilith who seem to embody those ideals fully."

Salazar's portrait searched Tom's face. "You fear that she too may be lost to this war, don't you?" Tom paused for a moment, feeling out what he felt to be true. "I do. Her own physical condition already leaves her out of commision six days of the year and she has trouble using magic that isn't touch based. She has already lost an eye fighting to protect herself, her friends and extended family. When her time at Hogwarts ends… she will go back home, to fight in the war." Salazar looked towards the window, his face an emotionless mask. "Tell me, how does she make you feel? Not just when she is by your side, but when she isn't." Tom blinked for a second, curious as to why Salazar would ask, but also about what the answer might be. "When she is with me… it is as if the evils of the world are suddenly gone. Her laugh, her smile and her very presence makes my chest feel warm and light, her words acting almost as a balm to pain that I didn't realize that I carried with me. More often than not I find myself yearning to touch her, to feel connected to her directly. When she is gone… it is as if the world has lost its sun. I look around me and I see a void filled with liars and pretenders, all serving their own interests. Thinking that she may die… fills my heart with a pain that I do not wish to endure."

Those dark thoughts faded quickly as he heard Lilith yelp, as Rene seemed to have tipped her over into the pool of water, before she started laughing as the snake kept splashing her with water, using its tail, with Lilith splashing back. Salazar, looking at his Heir, smiled softly. "Then perhaps you should tell the girl, whom you seem to love, how you feel, before it's too late." Tom felt his heart beating wildly. "Is that what I am feeling? Love?" Salazar chuckled. "That is how I felt love myself, many times in my life. It is a powerful feeling, one that seems to consume you if you are not careful. But when that love is returned… there is nothing in the world quite like it." Tom looked out towards Lilith as she got out of the pool, drenched in water. "Having never experienced… "love" before… I don't even know how to bring it up with her. Even if I told her that I had strong feelings for her… I fear she will not change her path. Then what? I will suffer more, knowing that a person that I have strong feelings for is in danger." Salazar gave Tom a knowing look. "It is a dreadful feeling, yes. But not telling her may only lead her to take actions that place her life further in danger. You tell me that she seeks to avenge her family. That is the mission of one who has nothing to live for. But if you feel that she may return your feelings, that she may be someone worth having by your side for decades, if not centuries, then find the time to tell her, so that when she fulfills her duty, it is not to avenge the dead, but to honour them by living for their sake."

As Tom moved Salazar's portrait to the Library, something that his Ancestor requested of him, his mind remained fixed on the issue of his feelings for Lilith. He had never known the word love as anything but an abstract concept found within many of the books at the Orphanage. Now that he looked back on them, he could better empathize with the way many of those characters felt. The great tragedies in plays had been a source of melancholy and depression when Tom read them, though looking back now, placing himself in the feet of those that had lost the loves of their lives, looking at Lilith as someone who might one day leave his side forever… the thought was overwhelmingly painful. Stepping out of the sculpture's open mouth, Tom looked up at the figure of his partner. She turned to him, that unconscious thing that she did whenever she felt someone looking at her, and gave him her usual smile. As Tom's heart warmed from the sight of her, he made his decision. He would court her, as was to be expected of him. Now if only he knew how to go about doing that.

Chapter 24: What Lies Hidden

Lilith made her way through the seventh floor corridors, humming to herself happily. Tom had, so far, taken the discovery of the Chamber of Secrets well. Now that his claim to the Slytherin legacy was far more secure, he was focusing more on learning as much as he could from Salazar's portrait, though Lilith had to step in a few times. His thirst for knowledge and dedication to his House were enough for him to ignore his studies, something that Lilith kept track of and that Salazar made sure to remind him of when time got away from him. Lilith couldn't blame Tom, though. Lillian had been just as obsessed with the Chamber in her third year as he was now. If Luna hadn't been a deeply understanding friend, she was sure to have found herself alone for the rest of her time at Hogwarts with the amount of time she spent in Salazar Slytherin's Library. Not that Lillian had exhausted everything within that Library. Her first two years were practically spent getting a far more detailed instruction on ancient languages from the portrait itself, as almost none of the texts were properly translated, though she had found some of Tom's hand written notes within a few books. Since Salazar Slytherin had been a madman that traveled much of the Mediterranean, making hand written copies of so many books and parchments on magic, getting through his Library required one to be an expert in as many languages as possible.

So Lilith could understand the temptation to get lost in that Library. With the languages that both Lillian and Lilith had each individually mastered, she was better suited now to go through that Library than she had been as Lillian, so the temptation was there. But unlike her first time at Hogwarts, Lilith now had responsibilities, to both Tom and to her friends. She wasn't the same little girl anymore, desperate to find meaning and personal independence by studying magics that no one had heard of in modern times. So Lilith was curious as to what had been able to motivate Tom to spend time outside of the Chamber and to then call her up to the Seventh Floor with a very excited Hogsby. Though, to be fair, if there was one place that could keep his attention away from the Chamber, it would certainly be the Room of Requirement. Lilith had initially been made aware of it thanks to Luna, who had found it in her first year after she had been locked out of Ravenclaw Tower by a bunch of witches too self absorbed to see past Luna's oddness. Thoughts of Luna made Lilith's heart ache still, as she ran her hand over it. Regardless of the fact that the Beltane ritual had failed, she had never stopped loving Luna. When she heard that Alecto had held her under the Cruciatus curse during the Death Eater's residency at Hogwarts, Lillian had sent a few snakes into the witch's room, though she was careful enough that she picked snakes that had painful but non-lethal venom. The Death Eaters were Voldemort's servants and as much as she hated what he made them become, she wasn't stupid enough to earn his ire.

Thoughts on Voldemort made her reflect on the similarities that she had spotted between him and Tom, beyond her time with the Diary version of him, as his actions at the end of their second year had been a source of pain for her for much of the summer. She had mourned the passing of one of her few friends, regardless of how Neville and his friends celebrated. Sure, he was certainly playing a dangerous game, getting all those first generation magicals petrified and all, though Lillian knew there had to be more to his plan, especially since she doubted the petrifications were all pure coincidences. Tom had struck her as a boy capable of senseless pain and suffering, but if he could make it serve a purpose, then he would. It had been no different for her. When she had been able to better socialize with the rest of the residents of the Orphanage, she had learned the same lesson. She had never been unnecessarily cruel, but if the older boys wanted to hurt her, she made sure that they understood that it was going to cost them. One boy had gotten her locked in the basement for a few days, the Matron only finding her when the boiler stopped working after she tampered with it. Said boy spent quite a few days fighting food poisoning while stuck to the toilet for the trouble he put her through. It really surprised her how stupid people could be, especially when they mistreat the those who help prepare the food for all the orphans. Lillian had never been that stupid, either at the Orphanage or at Hogwarts.

Reaching the Room of Requirement, Lilith paused as the scent of food filled the air, before opening the doors. There, in the center of an elegantly draped and furnished room, was a table filled with food that looked far more well prepared than what she typically saw on the Great Hall tables, a soft music filling the air. A few feet away stood Tom Riddle, wearing formal dress pants, shirt and a vest, his hair a bit more well groomed than usual, as a mirror faded away as he turned to face her. Lilith suddenly felt extremely under dressed, as the doors behind her closed and vanished. "What's all this?" Tom gestured at the table with his hand as he walked up to her. "A bit of a thank you, for all your help with the Chamber and everything over the last year. I thought I could start by offering you a pleasant dinner, all courtesy of Hogsby and the Hogwarts Elves. They were actually quite happy to work on this for me." Lilith chuckled. "After cooking the same bland food for years and years? I would be too. Thank you, though I don't know if I am dressed appropriately to join you for such a meal. I am still in my uniform." Tom pulled out her chair for her. "Nonsense, you are never any less lovely." Lilith raised an eyebrow at the flirtatious tone in his voice. That was new. "Not even when I dressed up for Christmas Eve?" Tom blushed softly. "Ah, well, there are of course days when you stand out."

Feeling proud about having teased him about his corny lines, she still took off her robes, setting them aside, before removing her tie. Lilith then joined him at the table, letting him push her and her seat forward, before he took his own seat on the opposite end. Taking a few bites of food, Lilith restrained an undignified groan, as she savored the well season meal. "So, I have a few ideas that I would like to test out. After Pandora and Galatea, I want to see how simplified or complex I can make the magical constructs. I could use your Dueling skills to see if an idea of mine works out." Tom drank from his glass goblet, before responding. "Of course, I would be happy to help. Though I have to ask, did you make Pandora dislike Alphard for some reason? I was very certain the two of you were on pleasant terms." Lilith giggled. "Nope, that's all you. I take it that his attention is still not welcomed?" Tom sighed, before giving her a smirk. "No, it isn't. Though I certainly do have someone whose attention I want to catch at all times." The way his eyes lingered on her made Lilith's skin grow warm. Clearing her throat, she proceeded to eat more off her plate. "Is Lord Slytherin giving you any issues? I can attest to how difficult a few Lords tend to be when they are training their Heirs. My patron has been particularly stubborn about some personal issues of mine." Tom shook his head. "Not at all. As expected, he is teaching me how to read the languages that many of his books are in. Was recently working on Ancient Greek. He is also teaching me more about… interpersonal matters that I had neglected."

Lilith resisted the urge to groan out loud, realizing now that Tom's more flirtatious behaviour was Salazar's doing. She should never have confided in the old romantic about her feelings for Tom. Unfortunately, Lillian's old habits of sharing everything with the old man kicked in. "I see. Well, as your Lord, I suppose it's to be expected. Though if he tells you that you should start to work on conceiving a child with me, do please ignore him. Back then, the age for such matters was a bit younger than it is currently." Lilith had timed her response perfectly, as Tom had just taken a sip of what she was certain was apple cider, before he spat it out, coughing a bit. The look he gave her made it quite clear that he knew it was deliberately timed, though his face softened at the sight of her smile. "Yes, well, I will be sure to remind him of that." The meal ended with a few more bits of conversation, before Tom stood up, holding out his hand to her. "Would you like a dance?" Lilith smiled at him, but shook her head. "Not right now. I think we need to talk first." Tom blinked at her in confusion, before sitting down. "Was the dinner unpleasant? I can… " Lilith shook her head again. "Not at all, it was quietly lovely and the meal was delicious, for which we should give a great deal of thanks to the elves. I just think that we should be more direct. In the past I had caught you making a few remarks that showed that there was certainly some interest in you towards me, but this is the first time you have been so overt about it. Why?"

Tom sighed, running his hand over his hair. "Salazar made some observations about how I behaved around you and I… I realized that while we have certainly been close and friendly, we have never truly addressed the possibility of something more. Even when we discussed how our behaviour would be after Christmas, that never came up. Now… I would like to address it. Lilith von Schwarzwald. Would you allow me the honour to court you?" Lilith closed her eyes, as her emotions went berserk. There was a part of her that had always had a crush on Tom, especially from her interactions with him as Lillian. Over the last two years, that yearning had only grown stronger still, as his baser, more violent instincts grew more restrained and his charismatic and charming personality began to leak through. Still, she needed to make sure. After standing up, Lilith went around the table, before kneeling down in front of Tom, looking into his blue eyes. "I need to know why it is that you want a relationship with me, Tom. Are you afraid that now that you have obtained your legacy, I will no longer spend time with you? That in a few years, I will return to my home, whatever state it may be in? Are you afraid of being alone?"

Looking into Lilith's green eyes, which seemed to glow slightly in the soft firelight that filled the room, Tom knew that he needed to be as open with her as possible. He could see that she wanted something more from him, more than just his company, trust and friendship. "I can't deny that the thought of you leaving fills me with dread. In the last year, you have been at my side more than I could have ever imagined. In that time, I have indeed grown dependent on you, your counsel and your empathy. But more than that, I want to give to you more than just my presence. I have felt drawn to you from the moment we met, and over the months, that feeling has been growing as a part of me." Tom lowered his eyes. "On Christmas Eve, as I realized what you had done, I also realized how much you meant to me. And I was afraid. I was afraid that you had been manipulating me, shaping me into someone I wasn't." Lilith lowered her own eyes as Tom looked up. "You know that in a way I have been doing that." Tom nodded. "You have, but never against my will. You have shown me a different life, through you as an example. A life that isn't cold and empty, neither full of anger nor loneliness. You showed me that there is value in getting to know others, in sharing thoughts and ideas, rather than just hoarding or manipulating them to serve my own interests. You showed me a better life and I… I want to live that life, Lilith. And I want to live it with you."

Reaching down, Tom pulled Lilith's hands up, holding both in his own. "There is a part of me that wants to be selfish, to keep you to myself. But I can't do that. Because you are more beautiful and capable when you are free, shifting the world around you. So instead I want to be there, by your side. I want to see you laugh, smile and find joy in the world, as you have done for me. It is selfish of me that I want to be the source of that happiness, but I do not want to lose you. The world is a better place with you in it, Lilith, especially in my eyes. Will you be willing to let me be there with you, to perhaps give back some of the joy you have given me and return it to you a hundred fold?" Lilith closed her eyes, taking a few deep breaths. "Do you understand what a life between us will mean?" Tom frowned, lowering his head softly. "Not entirely. Life in the Orphanage does little to show us what it means to be in a relationship, let alone what a life shared will be like." Lilith looked up at Tom, searching his eyes. He was certain that the light within her green eyes seemed to brighten. "I only know a bit of how my parents lived as a couple, so I am not experienced either. However, if you are honest about wanting this relationship and seeing it work beyond the confines of this Castle, then I wouldn't mind discovering what that entails with you. I would, in fact, prefer it."

Tom smirked at her. "You sure? I have seen the way you look at Lakshmi and Druella." Lilith gave him a soft smile. "True, there is a part of me that prefers the company of women. I have not hidden this from you, though I have not explained it either. I had someone that I cared for deeply in my life, Tom, someone who showed me what it meant to care for another before we parted ways. While I typically prefer female company, I cannot deny that I am attracted to you. I am willing to give a relationship between us all of my intent, so long as it is just us. I don't think we are prepared to delve into the greater complexities of what it means for two Heads of Houses entering into a romantic relationship just yet." Tom blinked at her. "I didn't realize it could get complicated." Lilith chuckled. "Trust me Tom, it can get very complicated. But that is for another time. As to your question of me, Tom Riddle, Heir of House Slytherin. My answer is yes. I would very much like to enter into a courtship with you." Lilith leaned up and Tom lowered his face, though he found Lilith pressing a finger gently onto the tip of his nose. "Though I will be clear. Romantic dinners are to be something special, not an everyday occurrence. I am sure that Abraxas failed to mention that." Tom blushed softly, realizing that he had been caught. "I will bear that in mind." Lilith smiled. "Good. Here is something else for you to think about."

The moment Lilith's lips touched his own, Tom felt his mind blank out. All organized thought ceased to exist, as his entire world was now reduced to the warm lips that were pressed against his own. He found himself pushing back with his own, with Lilith guiding him gently as the kiss grew longer. He did his best to mimic her movements, matching the passion that seemed to radiate off of her with the one growing inside of him. Then his world grew further, as he suddenly became aware of Lilith's body pressed up against him, their skin separated by several layers of clothing, with the exception of their lips. Tom's hands wandered up Lilith's back pressing her body against his, before he felt his lungs burning up. Eventually they broke apart, both teens breathing heavily, as blue eyes stared into green. Though Tom knew one of those eyes was a prosthetic, the fact that it glowed like the other made him question whether that mattered to him anymore. Because one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen was currently straddling him on the chair, after kissing him until they both were out of breath, and all he wanted to do was to kiss her again. Lilith's finger touched his lips and Tom closed his eyes at the way it felt. "I think we should leave it here, before we both go further than we intended." Tom, his eyes now open after Lilith pulled her finger away, nodded. "Probably a good idea." Lilith leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Don't worry, there will be plenty more where that came from." Tom smiled at her. For Lilith and the way that she made him feel, he could certainly wait to enjoy that again, even if his body hated him for it.

Within Lilith's dorm room, the young redhead carved away at bronze plates, blowing on the metal piece as she brought it under a magical light to inspect the engravings. Humming to herself, Lilith's every action felt light, as if some great burden had finally been lifted from her shoulders. She knew why that was. The moment that she and Tom kissed had resolved a year's worth of stray thoughts, dreams and physical urges that had been frustrating her. When Lillian had decided to undo time, she had not given much thought to what that could mean to her and the sort of life she could end up living. Her entire being had been consumed by the need to keep history from repeating itself, not to mention the sense of responsibility that she felt in avenging the death of the von Schwarzwald family. She had given no thought to the possibility of romance at all, envisioning any physical intimacy in her future as nothing more than the fulfillment of a physical need. It wasn't that she feared a romantic relationship either. When Luna had told Lillian that she would one day find her soulmate, her dear friend's words had chased away any feelings of guilt or remorse that lingered in Lillian's heart at the fact that she might be pursuing a life partner without the girl that she had loved so dearly at her side. If anything, it was another feeling that still lingered in the back of her mind that had all but killed any desire to seek a romantic partner, even with Tom Riddle.

Somewhere within her very being, Lilith felt that she was living on borrowed time. As a soul from a different time possessing the body of another, she understood that most instances of this resulted in the body breaking down. In the Yuletide, before taking Tom to see his grandfather, Lilith had gone through one of the worst magical backlash episodes to date. Her skin had split open over much of her body, with all potions being ineffective at reducing her pain. Teresa had been desperate enough to dump a vile Draught of Living Death into Lilith's mouth, only for the Healer to be horrified at seeing the powerful potion fail to so much as ease her symptoms. Lilith had told the Healer to keep Tom away from the Hospital Wing as soon as she was able to, as her thoughts turned to unpleasant things. From the moment she had walked into Hogwarts Castle, Lilith knew that there was a good chance that she wouldn't survive the coming events. Even if she could prevent Tom's fall, even if she could somehow defeat Grindelwald and keep Magical Britain alive, some whisper in the back of her mind told her that she shouldn't get comfortable. After all, she had cheated death by turning back the hands of time, and had been actively trying to prevent the deaths of as many people as possible. If there was some all powerful entity with dominion over life and death, Lilith knew she wasn't going to be in their favor. That cloaked figure certainly made her feel that her clock was ticking.

As Lilith placed the bronze plate atop a stack of several others, her thoughts returned to Tom. There had been a part of her that had wanted to reject his request. If death came for her, she would only be bringing more pain to Tom, pain that he didn't deserve. And yet, she couldn't muster up the courage to tell him no. Even now, a week after she accepted his offer of courtship, she couldn't let go of the feeling that she should have said no. As Lillian, she had made it through all seven of her years at Hogwarts by making every single decision using her head. Now, she had made a decision entirely based on what her heart wanted and wasn't able to reconcile that fact. Because she wanted Tom Riddle, in a physical and emotional way. When he had made it clear that his desire for her was rooted in both his own feelings and a desire to see her happy, his earnest and heartfelt words had drowned out all of the reasons why she should have said no. Sure, the kiss they shared hadn't been perfect, not that it could have been at all considering his near nonexistent experience with physical intimacy, but he had learned quickly and followed her example, successfully taking her breath away by the time they parted. The kiss they had shared last night after mapping out every single exit of the Chamber of Secrets was even better, having left her in need of some physical release.

The physical urge to press him into the ground and have her way with him was one that she hadn't expected, especially not at her physical age. As Lillian, she and Luna had been experimenting by the end of the fourth year, but it definitely felt soon for her as Lilith to be so physically inclined towards Tom. It left her wondering if the Family Magic of the von Schwarzwald family was at work, or if it was a symptom of Lillian's more mature mind affecting the still maturing body. Lilith wasn't sure and she hated that she was still running blind. There was so much uncertainty in her future, so much that could still go wrong. Burying her errant thoughts, she focused on the task at hand. As Lilith looked over another of her plates with a scorper in her hands, she heard a knock on her door. Lilith frowned as the magic on the person was definitely that of a Black, but it didn't feel like Lucretia or Alphard. Cygnus wouldn't be caught dead in the Slytherin Girls Dorms and Orion wasn't at that age just yet. Which left one person. After putting her tools away and cleaning her workbench, Lilith unlocked the door, finding Walburga on the other side. The seventh year brunette fidgeted. "May I come in?" Lilith sighed, but nodded, opening the door for her, before closing it behind her. Walburga's eyes scanned the room first, before turning to look at Lilith, those grey orbs having trouble looking at her in the eyes. "I, ah, need your help with something."

Running all the possibilities through her head, Lith shrugged. "So long as it's not about you being pregnant, I might be able to help." Walburga shuddered. "I am too young for that." Lilith thought back to her godfather's date of birth and shuddered. Imagining Orion and Walburga together would never not weird her out. Despite the fact that Sirius might never be born, she was certainly not unhappy about disrupting that potential future, as Walburga's portrait had been clear in that she had essentially raped her cousin to force a marriage between them. Sirius hadn't been able to look his mother's portrait in the eye for quite a while after that bit of information came out. Returning her thoughts to the present, Lilith crossed her arms. "So, what can I do for you, cousin?" Walburga rubbed her arm. "I… don't know what I am supposed to do anymore." Lilith blinked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?" The seventh year sighed. "Sirius had made it clear that… that I was probably going to get married to one of the other magical families at some point. After that, I sort of just… drifted. I studied like usual, sure, but I knew there was no point in pursuing anything for myself, as any of my possible suitors would probably just force me to just be a housewife. Now that Arcturus has blocked all proposals a I thought you might be able to help me get my bearings… maybe even finding someone I could get married to?"

Lilith blinked at Walburga in surprise. "Wait, wait. You are asking me about dating advice? Why me and not one of the other seventh years? Why not Lucretia? Hell, Alphard might be a better choice. He certainly has a better eye on what boys are like." Walburga shook her head. "Any girl I ask in my year is just going to offer me their extended family members as suitors. As for asking Alphard… I don't want this to get back to Uncle Arcturus." Lilith rubbed her face in exasperation. "And Lucretia? I know that you two have had a rough relationship but that seems to have gotten better in these last few months." Walburga sighed, taking a seat on one of the available chairs. "Lucretia and I… we have never seen eye to eye on a lot of things. As my father's first born and the oldest of the current generation, it fell to me to be the example for the rest of the family. So I did as I was taught by my parents: focusing on the legacy of our family, the traditions of our people and strengthening my own magic, but never at the expense of my image as a suitable candidate for courtship. Lucretia… she isn't exactly too keen on presenting herself as suitable wife material and has ignored a few of our family's talking points. We argued constantly over which one of us was ruining their lives for the future more. For the longest time… I was sure it was going to be her. Now… now I don't know what to believe. I don't want to ask her for help right now, not only because I want to avoid another lecture, but also… because I don't want to feel too ashamed for everything that I said to her."

Seeing clear evidence of some of that shame on Walburga's face, Lilith could sort of see why the prideful young woman would hesitate approaching Lucretia. "Still, that doesn't answer why you are asking me, of all people, about finding you a proper candidate for courtship." Walburga looked up at Lilith, giving her a slightly incredulous look. "Why else? Because you and Riddle are courting." Lilith's mind crashed hard. "What? What are you talking about?" Walburga smirked at her, letting some of that Black family mischief shine through. "You two are doing a decent job of hiding it, but there is no hiding the way that Riddle looks at you now, let alone how happy you seem to be when sitting next to him. With than and Abraxas…" Lilith groaned. "I am going to have to speak to that blonde ponce. Just because Riddle went to him for advice on courting, it doesn't mean he has to share the bloody news. He probably has a betting pool on us already!" Walburga's silence made Lilith seeth even more. "Did you…?" Walburga blushed slightly, rubbing her neck nervously. "I might have thrown in a wager as to when Riddle might make far more… serious gestures." Lilith cursed in German, before sitting down on her bed to keep her line of sight with Walburga.

"Ok, fine. Riddle and I are courting. That is still no reason for you to ask me about finding the right suitor. Hell, you should be following Lucretia's example and looking up a profession first, now that Arcturus has blocked any betrothal offers from coming through." Walburga rubbed her arm. "I… don't know where to start with that. None of my courses are really all that appealing. I guess I could work along with Lucretia in enchanting, but I was never good at sewing and I don't see myself doing anything with my hands." Lilith sighed and started going over other possibilities for Walburga in her head, as Walburga looked towards the workbench. "Making another owl?" Lilith looked up and towards the table. "Lucretia told you?" Walburga nodded as she turned back to look at Lilith. "Yeah, she and Alphard were quite impressed. Pretty sure that Alphard is struggling with telling Arcturus about it or not, but Orion is definitely interested in getting one." Lilith ran her hand over her hair. "I can't work on one here, as the metal is quite unique. I have the pieces ordered for a few more, but they take a while to get delivered, before I can work on the magical side of the constructs. Those bits are just me tinkering with a more simple concept. Back onto the matter at hand. I don't think you should look for a suitor now. Being in a relationship can be rewarding, but you need to be able to stand on your own first. So, you seem disinterested in anything that requires physical work. How about… a legal profession?"

"As in being a solicitor?" Walburga blinked at Lilith, who had just remembered that Andromeda's husband had been a solicitor in Lillian's lifetime. Maybe there was something there for Walburga as well. "Sure. Or working at the Ministry, or even acting as a Proxy in the Wizengamot. I am sure that you probably have the standard rules of conduct memorized and the Black Family is notorious for teaching its family the long and drawn out history of the family as it pertains to politics. You could apply that knowledge to a career; looking over legislation, representing clients in disputes. You could probably even help Arcturus out with managing the Family's Seat by reviewing all the Wizengamot proposals that end up on the docket. It would certainly make his life and Melania's less stressful." Walburga rubbed her chin in deep thought. "I don't think that would be so bad, though a Solicitor needs additional studies to get certified." Lilith smiled at her. "True, but it wouldn't be about spells or potions, at least not in the practical sense. As for a relationship, being in the Wizengamot would probably be your best place to get noticed. You can get a feel for the families and their interests, learn about the suitor at your own time and then decide for yourself. Either way, you will have a promising career that still serves the House of Black and you get to keep your eyes peeled for anyone that catches your fancy." Walburga nodded. "I will certainly look into it, but it does seem like the best choice."

After Lilith stood up and went to open the door, she found herself pulled into an awkward hug by Walburga. "I know that I haven't been the most vocal of the family when it comes to you, cousin, but I am grateful for everything that you have done. Thank you for actually listening to me and for the help." Lilith blushed lightly as she hugged Walburga back. "It's fine. You had your own troubles on your mind and I was just someone making a bit of noise. You take care and try to spend some time with Lucretia without arguing over anything. Oh, and try to keep Cygnus out of trouble." Walburga chuckled as she pulled back. "With him and Druella still making eyes at each other, not likely. Again, thank you, Lilith. I will see you during the next patrol. Maybe we can talk a bit more then?" Lilith smiled at her. "As long as it's not about boys, girls or Riddle, sure." Walburga shook her head. "Everyone will know soon. You know that, right?" Lilith signed but nodded. "I know. But the longer he and I can have each other to ourselves in peace and quiet, the better. And no, I am not doing anything that could put the potion to work just yet." Walburga chuckled. "I thought not. See you!" As soon as Walburga left the room, Lilith sighed, pressing her head against the now closed door. She hoped that her advice would serve Walburga well. So long as she stood by Arcturus, the Blood Purists would be kept away from her and she could make her own way through life. Walburga deserved to find her own happiness this time around, rather than taking out her frustrations on Orion and later her son.

Lilith smiled as she watched Hogsby apparating huge chunks of raw meat to Rene, who chomped into them with great vigor. "A thousand years without food must have been hard on her. If Rene's nest hadn't been designed to place her under a magically induced hibernation, she probably wouldn't have lasted anywhere near as much." Tom nodded, as he finished writing the last of his notes following Salazar's lessons regarding Parselmagic though, out of all the subjects, it remained the one that took up the most of his time. Unfortunately, these lessons were particularly important, as Salazar had encoded the Wards of the chamber in both Parseltongue and Parselscript. If Tom wanted to make any additions or corrections to the Chamber's wards, he needed to master the basics of the written and spoken language. His grades had suffered slightly within the first two weeks of opening the Chamber, but Lilith's intervention helped to correct him in the week after. Finding a balance between his studies and his duties as the Heir of Slytherin seemed to be his new concern, as even if he wanted to leave his duties towards his House for the summer, the fact that the school was mostly on lockdown at that time made accessing the Chamber nearly impossible. Getting control of the wards would allow him to Portkey in and out, hence why he and Salazar were focusing on that first.

Hogsby turned towards them both and smiled. "Hogsby has access to the Chamber now, Heir Slytherin. Hogsby can keep Renenutet fed when you are not around." Tom sighed. "For the moment, I will have to ask this of you, Hogsby. My apologies." The excited elf shook his head. "Not at all, Heir Slytherin. Hogsby is head elf of Hogwarts and Renunetet is part of Hogwarts. Hogsby is honoured to feed the Guardian of the Corridors." Lilith turned to Tom. "Guardian of the Corridors?" Tom smiled at her. "So it would seem. Salazar says that her duties to the Castle amounted to being the last line of defence. If the Castle was taken, the students were to flee to the Seventh Floor, to the Room of Requirement, for safety, while Renenutet would be released from the Chamber. She would then kill every enemy found within the corridors. The hidden passageways we found were actually designed with her in mind. They make it easier for her to travel from one floor to another, without being seen." Lilith hummed to herself. "That explains much about the odd design of those corridors. It's also a sound strategy, having a Basilisk attacking enemies in an enclosed environment. A good defence can be in the form of a good offense too. Speaking of defence, are you ready to lend me a hand with my project?" Tom raised an eyebrow at Lilith. "Sure, but you never ask for help with your projects."

Lilith blushed softly. "Yes, well, I do need help with this one. Besides, I asked you when you and I had that lovely dinner. I am not surprised that you forgot, seeing what followed and all." Tom smiled softly at her. "True. Very well. What do you need from me?" Lilith gestured down the length of the main Chamber. "I need you to take position at the typical distance for duels or magical fights and cast spells and curses at me." Tom frowned. "I am sorry, but I can't do that. I am not going to be dragging you up to the Hospital Wing for Madam Prewett to yell at me for hurting you." Lilith pouted at him. "Do give me some credit, I am not going to just stand here and let you hit me. I need to test these in a fight and I can't cast spells with a wand adequately enough to be sure they hold up in a fight." As she removed her robe, Tom noticed what she was referring to. All over her arms were long and narrow plates of bronze with grooves embedded in them. The moment she dropped the robe to the ground and closed her eyes, the plates seemed to fall free of whatever held them against the straps, as they all floated around Lilith, before they opened out, becoming floating bronze discs. Lilith held her hand up as a disc landed on it. "Technically, I need you to hit these, though the goal is for me to maneuver them into a position where they deflect or neutralize spells aimed at me. Think you can handle that?" Tom could tell that if he didn't assist her, she would probably find someone else to do it for her. He sighed as he stripped off his robe. "Fine, have it your way. What spells do you want to go over?"

Tom felt his heart practically melt at the sight of her smile. "Danke! We can start with stunners, cutters, piercers and disarming spells. After that, if you are up to it, we can test jinxes and curses, specifically fire. I do not want to be vulnerable to it like last year." Though not particularly fond of the idea of casting dangerous curses at his girlfriend, Tom wasn't about to disappoint her. With Lilith having the pool of water at her back, as a safety net, Tom took up a duelist pose a few steps away, his wand drawn. "Stupefy!" The red stunner sailed across the open space between them, until five of the discs gathered together, the spell dissipating as it impacted what looked to be a barrier. Tom blinked in surprise, before giving Lilith a smirk. He then proceeded to cast at her every spell that Merrythought had taught them, including the disarming charm. That spell simply faded as it contacted the discs, with none of the spells reaching the redhead. Lilith, for her part, seemed to be trying to balance out how much attention the plates required from her to function. "That was great. Now try something stronger. Bombarda and Reductos. Anything of that category." Tom raised an eyebrow, before flicking his wand, casting a whispered Reducto. The discs were pushed back slightly, but still remained floating in the air.

Encouraged by the plates' reactions, Tom dialed up his choice of spells, getting bolder and using more dangerous spells. Lilith's concentration seemed to waver slightly, having to rely on hand gestures to help direct the discs, though her defences remained unbreached. Oddly enough, Tom could see that she was actually enjoying herself greatly, which only spurred him on further. Flicking his wand, Tom yelled "Bombard Maxima," the spell rocketing across the distance, before exploding aggressively against the barriers. Tom felt his heart stop as the barrier failed, watching as the explosion sent Lilith backwards into the pool of water. "Lilith!" He breathed a sigh of relief as Lilith broke the surface, coughing up water as she kept herself up on the surface. Tom reached down and helped her onto the edge, checking her face as she coughed up water. "Are you ok? Any burns?" Lilith coughed as she shook her head. "The shield kept the explosive fire back. The disc only failed to keep the shockwave from launching me backwards. Knocked the air out of my lungs too." Tom sat back, breathing quickly. "I knew this was a bad idea." Lilith cleared the water from her face. "No, you were great. I got a good test of the discs." Spotting the one plate on the ground, Lilith reached over and picked it up, scanning it for damage. "Ahh. That makes sense. The crystal broke. I suppose it was to be expected, since it was a reforged crystal. Might need to replace the other reforged ones with solid natural ones."

Leaning over, she gave Tom a peck on the cheek. "I meant what I said, though. You were quite good." After the two stood up, Tom had to avert his eyes slightly. "Uhm, Lilith. You might want to switch clothes." Looking down, Lilith blinked as she only saw that her dress shirt was a bit transparent. She usually took off her vest in the chamber, as the new heating wards made it quite warm for her to wear her typical choice of Hogwarts clothing. "What, seeing my bra through my shirt has you bothered? It's not like you didn't see them fully last year." Tom blushed deeply. "Yes, well, your chest has, uhm, developed since. And regardless, it's improper." His face went bright red as Lilith pressed her body against his, her face wearing a mischievous smile. "You sure?" Tom nodded, which made Lilith chuckle as she stepped away from him. As Lilith dried herself using magic, she looked over at Tom, who was looking over her now broken disc, as the rest returned to their bronze rectangular plate shapes, before he took a seat on one of the chairs of the tableset that Hogsby had brought into the chamber. "You felt it, didn't you? The rush?" Tom blinked in confusion, running his mind over the practice. His memories did indeed begin to show a surge in his emotions, a rush of euphoria that seemed to build as his use of curses increased. "Ah, so that is what that was. It was certainly very thrilling. It might have made me go overboard on my spell choices."

Lilith used a towel to dry her hair. "That's the Dark aspect in you. It's in most magicals. When you use jinxes and curses in quick succession, the traces of the spells linger in your system. You feel a rush unlike most, one that can linger on you for hours. It's why there are so many Dark Wizards that become violent. They get addicted to the feeling, the rush of power and the euphoria that lingers in the veins. Soon, it's not enough getting it by using curses against a dummy. You use it on live targets. Animals and trees. Then you use it on your enemies, getting a far deeper rush, one that erases much of your sense of right and wrong as you constantly chase the new high. Eventually, you can't get enough of it. You want more and more. It's what's happening to the Hexenmeisters and what the Light thinks all Dark practitioners are like." Tom sat quietly, as he tried to explore how the sensation felt to him. "Is there a way to control it?" Lilith smiled at him. "Of course. The mark of a poor Dark Practitioner is that they let the rush overwhelm them. The mark of the greatest Masters of the Dark Arts is learning how to cast the spells without feeling the rush, keeping it from controlling you and driving your actions. It takes a lot of concentration and willpower, but once you have control over yourself, you won't be as easy to manipulate in a duel, or as easy to stop for that matter." Lilith's smile turned into a frown. "Of course, it takes time and it's a skill tailored to each individual. Some can disconnect their emotions during a fight, others learn to focus their emotions elsewhere. I… am the former."

Tom handed the damaged plate to Lilith, before pulling out his wand from his wrist holster. A feeling washed over him, one he couldn't quite place. He watched as his own fingers turned long and pointed, the shape of the wand itself having been warped and altered beyond recognition, with the exception of the light coloration of the Yew wood. But more than just the image, Tom felt echoes of feelings, of a euphoria that filled his every thought as he unleashed curse after curse against an older wizard and a young boy, diving deeper into the power than ran through his entire body. The feeling, perhaps a memory, passed, leaving Tom winded and breathing heavily. Lilith's soft hands settled over his, filling his extremities with warmth again. "You ok?" Tom looked up into those green eyes, which were searching his face in clear concern. He wanted to say that he was fine, that she shouldn't worry about him, but he couldn't. That feeling of euphoria lingered in the back of his mind, tempting him to seek it once more. "I… would you be willing to practice with me again? I need to learn how to control that rush. I don't want to be under its influence." Lilith nodded. "Of course. You get your practice and I get to fine tune my work." As her hand left his, Tom watched as an arc of green light seemed to connect his wand to her, before it dissipated. It left him wondering if maybe his wand was better suited for her, and what that meant for their relationship.

For the first time since arriving at Hogwarts, Tom felt… content. Lilith's willingness to enter into a relationship with him had resulted in a rocky start, but the kiss that they had shared that first night, and all the kisses that came after had been beyond his wildest dreams. He could now understand why so many students hid in abandoned classrooms and broom cupboards to just get that simple taste of heaven, even if it was for a moment. Tom, of course, wasn't naive. He knew there was more to intimacy than just kissing. There was trust too. Ever since their first training practice, the two of them had been doing shorter matches, which allowed Lilith to finetune her constructs, while Tom could get a better feel for how the Dark Arts affected him. As Lilith had noticed, he had a higher sensitivity to the effects of the Dark Arts, feeling the onset of the rush far more quickly than he anticipated. The shorter sessions were helping him in identifying the onset, as well as practice for fighting it. So far, in the last three matches, he had tried two of the main ways of countering the effect. One had been emotional dissociation, which came easy to Tom, but left him feeling hollowed out during the duels, before feeling the rush overtake him afterwards. The other method had been intermixing Dark Arts curses with less damaging spells, including the use of Transfiguration. That had one of the best after effects so far, leaving him feeling better in control over his own body and mind by the end of the match.

During his Dueling and Defence lessons, he could feel Merrythought's attention on him as she found his posture and skill at a far higher level than previously. He had explained to her that he was putting more practice into his Martial skills as a way to get a better feel for his magical consumption, which wasn't entirely a lie. His sessions with Lilith had certainly included that as a benefit, getting a feel for how much energy he could use before being tired out. Tom was certainly learning how much each spell and curse would affect him at certain stages of the duel, not to mention certain shield spells, after Lilith had surprised him by incorporating a reflective barrier into the discs. Tom smiled softly, at the amazing ingenuity of his girlfriend. While her ailment kept her from being able to cast spells freely, her new defensive measures seemed to be on par with the skills of a duelist. Professor Merrythought herself had asked him to duel with her, to gauge his improvement. By the end, both had come out of the duel unharmed but exhausted, with the Professor giving Tom a smile and a pat on the back. "Excellent form and control. You keep that up, and you might just graduate at the top of my class." Tom had felt quite proud of himself, getting the old veteran to praise him like that. Though it certainly wasn't all good news. McGonagall had been quite unhappy as he overtook her in the class, and he could feel Dumbledore's eyes on him more during the meals. Still, he wasn't complaining about his improving skills.

With Lilith busy helping the younger students study for potions, their planned training for today had been canceled, so Tom had decided that he could peruse the Slytherin Chamber Library, curious as to what other secrets he might find. Salazar, whose portrait had been moved to the library, had told him of the phrase needed to get some of the books free from the bookshelf, so Tom decided to give it a more thorough search. Placing a few new texts on Parselmagic aside, he found an odd looking leather bound tome. Releasing it from the shelf, Tom started skimming it, finding the Greek script not that difficult to read anymore, though the parchment and ink felt… odd. As he flipped through the pages, he stopped when he found a term he had only ever read once in "Magick Moste Evile" when he had found the book in the Restricted Section of the library. Tom hummed to himself as he read through the theory behind the creation of a Horcrux, as well as the necessary ingredients for it, though the materials were certainly… unorthodox, though relatively common enough to acquire. "How effective would a Horcrux be, I wonder." Tom's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a loud hissing coming from the portrait of his ancestor. Looking up at Salazar Slytherin, Tom flinched a little at the fire in the old man's eyes. "I would advise against pursuing that particular piece of magic, my Heir. The text you hold was written by a man who had created a single Horcrux, yet in the centuries of his long life, not once did he bother writing down the consequences of his actions, or its failings."

Tom closed the text and placed it on top of the desk, before sitting down and turning to look at Salazar. "Then please, Ancestor, tell me. How exactly does a Horcrux fail in its intended purpose?" Salazar, stroking his pointy beard, sighed. "Very well, this is something you need to know. That Grimoire belonged to a man known as Herpo the Foul. I would not be surprised if his name endured into the annals of your history books. He was born in Greece during the age of the Roman Empire. He was a charismatic man, one who loved to test the limits of magic and society in equal measure. Having found and studied documents pertaining to Soul Magic in the Ancient Library of Pergamum, the man successfully created a Horcrux, which granted him what he desired: immortality. What he did not realize was that splitting the soul and preserving it as he had done diminished his very being. Where before he was a calm, collected and reasonable man, he soon turned greedy, belligerent and paranoid. He quickly lost all taste for the pleasures of life, even going as far as abandoning his wife and children. Herpo fled his home in Asia Minor and travelled all along Europe for centuries, until his mind had grown so warped that he felt that he and he alone should rule Europe. Not trusting witches, wizards or other mages to serve him, Herpo sought to expand his mastery of the Dark Arts into Necromancy, creating an army of the Undead, as well as creating creatures that would serve his cause, including the very first Basilisk, a corruption of the ancient Cockatrice."

Salazar fiddled with his locket. "His descendants, born from the children conceived before his Horcrux' creation, called upon the greatest Mages of the Age to join forces with them to defeat Herpo the Foul, as they recognized that his madness had now gone too far. Several Mages answered the summons. From the Alps came the Master of the Dark Arts, the Schwarzwalds. From Greece came the very descendants of Herpo, as well as the infamous Monster Slayers. I myself came from the Anatolia Peninsula, having completed my studies in Egypt but a few years prior, though I was born here, on this island. And from Albion itself, the very land that Herpo had sought refuge in, came the Enchantress of the Coven of the Raven's Claw, Godric the Warmaster and the Peverells, knights of Albion. Mind you this was all before Hogwarts was ever conceived in any of our minds. We were all strangers to each other, but we all had witnessed the dangers of Herpo's madness, as seen by the growing number of vile creatures he was creating, many left to wreak havoc across the island. In time, we learned that our alliance served us well. The descendants of Herpo successfully captured an intact Inferi, with Godric's aid. Creating these undead creatures required the use of a miniscule fragment of the maker's soul, as they are a perversion of the golems made by Jewish Kabalists. The Inferi's soul fragment was extracted, before Rowena, ever the most… unconventional of the mages of the age, discovered how to use the fragment to not only locate Herpo, but also the Horcrux. With an army of Dark Creatures under Schwarzwald's command, as well as Goblins mercenaries fighting at the behest of Godric, the Alliance struck at Herpo's fortress, drawing his attention to the battlefield."

The old Parselmouth smiled. "While the Monster Slayers, the Descendants and the Dark Creatures kept him distracted, Godric, Rowena and I snuck into the fortress. We slew what Inferi and Basilisks remained and successfully destroyed the Horcrux. The Lord Peverell then dealt the killing blow, ending Herpo's Reign of Terror in Northern Albion for good." Salazar sighed in content. "Our success stabilized much of the region, though it did little to ease the growing unrest in the south and west of the island. For us, the victors, the experience taught us the value of cooperation and the mixing of magical practices. We thought about creating a place in Albion where the Alliance would pass on its knowledge to new generations. Sadly, not all could linger. The Schwarzwalds returned to their mountain home in Europe, as did the Monster Slayers and the Descendants of Herpo. Of the last two, however, members of the families remained in Albion, intrigued by our proposition. The few descendants that stayed took on the name Serpens, and dedicated themselves to perfecting Parselmagic and other Natural Arts, becoming close friends with the Druids. The Slayers took on the Family name of Ross, dedicating their lives to the containment of the foul creatures that still lingered on the island. One of their numbers, however, took on a different name. She was more of a Tamer than a Slayer, which kept her away from the frontlines. Her name eventually became Helga Hufflepuff, a young woman who became one of the finest witches I had ever met. And so the very idea of Hogwarts took root, both in our minds and in the world."

Salazar turned his gaze away from whatever image his memories had conjured and looked at Tom right in his eyes. " My first wife, Ayla Serpens, and I copied down the contents of that Grimoire and passed copies of it to the members of the Alliance, hoping to ensure that no other madman would be able to achieve immortality as Herpo once did with impunity, adding the methods on how to locate and destroy them. Believe me, I never intended for it to guide anyone into the creation of those awful things." Tom turned to look at the book. "So creating a Horcrux disrupts the person's mind?" Salazar grumbled. "More than that, my Heir. It disrupts the mind, the body and the soul. No life can be born from a being who has had his soul split in two, the body itself becoming more and more inhuman as the years pile up. The mind begins to lose any sense of logic and humanity, as any action, no matter how damaging to the very being, becomes acceptable. By the time that we confronted him, Herpo's very existence was an amalgamation of curses, piled on over and over again as he tried to extend the usefulness of his flesh. As for the soul itself… the Peverells would be better able to say what the consequences of that were. What is known is that the creation of so many Inferi had left him with almost nothing left within his original body. He, of course, sought other ways of creating creatures, eventually creating entities that were soulless and that fed on souls themselves, just as he had become by the end. He named them Dementors. They still guard the ruins of his fortress, as the means to destroy them eluded us at the time."

Tom sighed, looking at the grimoire in disappointment. "So in the end, in seeking to live forever, he ended up destroying his very existence." Salazar nodded. "Exactly! For all of the benefits that a Horcrux grants, the fact remains that it strips away the human's ability to enjoy that long life. What good is living forever if the taste of food is but ash in your mouth, the heat from the sun brings no warmth to the body, the very feel of another human's flesh becomes nothing more than a chore, with no pleasure to be found with it. But worst of all is the loneliness that follows. The paranoia that the people who love you most conspire against you, vows of love and union of body and souls shattered as if they were brittle glass. A way to endure Time's endless advance it may be, but do not be mistaken, my Heir. There is no life left in a being that has torn their soul asunder, only the mimicry of it, a poor copy that grows ever more damaged as time marches on. A Horcrux does not bring eternal life, only a prolonged and painful death." Tom sighed, seeing that perhaps this wasn't a way to secure his existence, especially not if he ended up losing everything worth enjoying a long life for. He did frown as something that Salazar said resurfaced. "Wait. You said Herpo the Foul created the Basilisks. Why did you make Renenutet, knowing where the knowledge came from?"

Salazar smiled. "A wise observation. The Basilisk intrigued me, as it did Ayla. We raised Rene ourselves, curious to see how a Basilisk growing in a more loving environment would behave. When we found her to not only be sentient but stable, she became a part of our family. We also felt that it would be a fitting conclusion to Herpo the Foul's legacy. That a creature he had bred for death would find new meaning as a protector for countless generations of children. The others certainly didn't mind having her in the castle. Helga used her discarded scales and venom for potions, while Godric used the more intact shedded skin as coating for his armor. The scabbard for his sword was made from it, if I remember correctly. Rowena, sadly, didn't get a chance to use her talents with Rene, as she would have required body parts for her skills in wandmaking and enchanting, though she and I did find a way to make stone immune to the corrosive effects of the venom. The students and apprentices knew to be careful around her as she often would be part of our instructions on Creatures. Once the Castle's structure was completed and the hidden passages established, Rene was allowed to rest peacefully in my Chamber whilst I was out of the Castle, sustained by the very magic of the land. Rowena was quite proud of the magical hibernation chamber she created for Rene to use before… well, before her life started falling apart. We all fell soon after, consumed by our own grief and pain, though not before we made Deorwine out of Godric's Hat. He was born a child of our very souls, Rowena's final great achievement."

Tom blinked at Salazar in surprise at how the relationship of the Founders could have been so improperly passed down over the generations. That they were actually more than simply colleagues but an actual family that looked after each other had been something that had never occured to Tom, especially not with how divided the Hogwarts Houses became in their wake. "But how? How could history forget so much of your lives? To treat you as a Pariah when you were all clearly together in harmony, building a place that every magical child of Britain could call home?" Salazar shrugged. "Because history isn't about recording every little detail about life, but the telling of a narrative. I believe that the Gaunts were particularly interested in fostering the image that I was an outsider, the Dark Wizard that fought against the other three, because it legitimized their belligerent behaviour. All the while the Light loved the image that the other three were these virtuous beings of good, while the fourth was cast aside, justification for bigotry towards a fraction of the population. Bah, Godric was no less Dark than I ever was. He only stopped using curses as a teacher because he had delved too quickly and too deeply into the Arts. He was afraid of losing himself to the violence and hate that was needed to perform the more dangerous curses. I had no such issues, as I was far more careful with my use of curses over a longer period of time. Which reminds me, how is your own training going in that regard?"

Feeling some warmth on his cheeks, Tom responded. "Well enough. The Dissociation training didn't work well for me, but the use of a variety of spells, especially Transfiguration, seemed to diminish the lingering effects of the Dark Arts. I am taking today off as Lilith is busy getting the younger students ready for a test." Salazar nodded in thought before his eyes scanned the bookshelves. "There is a text on the shelf there that deals with the mental effects of the Dark Arts. For Godric it was too late, but you might benefit from reading it. It can give you a few pointers on an effective state of mind that can redirect the rush away, keeping yourself from becoming addicted to the Dark Arts, while also keeping yourself emotionally invested in a fight." Tom nodded, picking up the Grimoire of Herpo the Foul, giving it a cursory glance, before replacing it back where he found it on the bookshelf, locking it back into place. He found the book that Salazar mentioned and added it to the pile on the desk, before sitting down, going over a few passages with his Ancestor, before setting it aside to focus on the Parselmagic texts, as his ability to gain temporary control over the Chamber's wards wasn't where he wanted it to be. He listened to Salazar telling him more about the Serpens family, especially how his first wife helped him learn the art of Parselmagic itself, his discovery of the Grimoire relegated to a locked memory at the back of his mind. He had more important things to work on.

"Put me on for New Year's Eve, 1944 to 45. I bet you they come back to Hogwarts, with von Schwarzwald sporting a new ring on her finger." Abraxas nodded, adding the date to his ledger, as the Flint Heir handed him two galleons. Having placed the galleons into the designated pouch, he was closing his book and storing it and the pouch into his bag, when someone cleared out their throat behind him. "Do I want to know what that is, Heir Malfoy?" The sound of French in a voice that perfectly matched his grandmother's disappointed tone sent shivers down Abraxas' spine. He slowly turned around, before finding himself staring into the glowing green eyes of Lilith von Schwarzwald. "Well?" Abraxas swallowed. "Just a friendly betting pool. Nothing to worry about, my lady." Lilith's eyes narrowed. "I do hope that this was more of a consequence of Riddle coming to you for tips, rather than you deliberately manipulating him into it so that you could make some earnings. You wouldn't be so crass as to do that, would you?" Abraxas shook his head vehemently. "Nope, not at all! While his request wasn't that surprising, seeing as to how the two of you had been behaving around each other, I assure you that my motives were entirely noble, my lady." Abaraxas breathed a sigh of relief as the light in her eyes dimmed, though they certainly remained quite pretty. Abraxas wasn't blind to Lilith's appeal, though he knew better than to voice it.

With Theodore giving him an amused look from across the table, Abraxas tried to return to his studies, until the Austrian redhead sat next to him. "How is your father doing, what with Lord Black being Arcturus now. I hope he hasn't lost any of the favour he had been accumulating within the faction." Abraxas shook his head. "Not at all. In fact, it seemed that Sirius Black had been negotiating with us in bad faith, making promises that he would then offer to other houses, looking to see who would offer more. Arcturus dropped those offers instantly and has been making overtures to each family individually. Father is still feeling betrayed because of the actions of the previous Lord Black, though he is optimistic about the new one." Lilith hummed to herself. "Same here. Still, the recent vote on the deployment of Aurors was quite the good sign." Abraxas nodded in return. The last session of the Wizengamot convened after all of the elected officials were briefed on the security measures being taken by the remaining Aurors. The Session had dragged on for a few hours as the Speakers and the Ministry Directors debated the need for more Aurors to remain behind. They eventually settled on keeping a few extra Aurors back within Great Britain, until the next batch of Aurors completed their training and then they would evaluate who would be deployed and who would take up guard duty based on what transpired in the meantime that would require DMLE involvement.

Nott closed his book and started putting it away into his bag. "I suppose the deployment of the Aurors is a relief for you?" Lilith turned to him. "I am happy to see Britain's Ministry getting involved in the war, but it doesn't change much of the current state of it. The recent gains in Africa and Eastern Europe are a good sign, but until the Allies can break the Axis and their grip over Europe, it means that I can't go home and that doesn't even cover the massive civilian casualties that the Nazis are perpetuating all across the continent. I wish we could do something about it, but with the Hexenmeisters deployed along the borders, monitoring much of the magical activity in the conquered territories? It's not a good time for deploying the Aurors behind enemy lines. From what I hear, what few ICW Peacekeepers remain on the continent are kept almost entirely on the move, for their safety." Abraxas sighed. "Yeah. And Vichy France is no better than the Germans. My extended family has been having issues with the Vichy authorities trying to get into their properties. Since much of the Magical Community there is with the French Resistance, the German puppets haven't been able to handle magicals all that well, with the Hexenmeisters kept busy in the Occupied regions keeping the south of France mostly free for Magicals, but just barely." Nott sighed. "I suppose sending the Aurors to support the ICW Peacekeepers is our best option right now. Better than what the Weasleys were suggesting. Cowards."

Lilith looked at Theodore. "Them and those that put them up to it. Trust me, there are more people behind that statement than just the Weasleys, beyond the Light Faction." The young man searched Lilith's face. "You sure?" Lilith stared back at him. "Completely. Lord Black will probably coordinate the Dark Faction well, but there will be elements on both sides that will try and disrupt the momentum of the current Wizengamot. Everyone needs to be careful about who they ally with and what their real motivations are. If not, you could get dragged down with a movement that runs counter to your own family's self interests." Theodore rubbed his chin, but nodded. "I will let father know, just in case. He has kept himself away from Rosier and his extremists, but better safe than sorry." As Theodore left the table, Abraxas looked at Lilith. "So, aside from catching you, has Riddle found what he was looking for?" Lilith gave Abraxas a measured look. "Sorry, Abraxas, I can't say. It's his prerogative. You will know when he is ready." Abraxas nodded. "Understood. Just make sure you are all careful." Lilith leaned closer, activating a ward disc to keep anyone from overhearing. "What do you mean?" Abraxas' eyes searched the room. "Rosier might be gone and his cousin isn't interested in filling in for him, but I am hearing too much chatter among his former followers. Watch your backs." Lilith nodded, before dropping the wards, her eyes checking over the rest of the Slytherins in the room, getting a bad feeling about Abraxas' warning.

Chapter 25: Of Blood and Family Ties

"What is it about men that makes them enjoy the risks and dangers of going faster than their own two feet can carry them?" Lilith smiled softly as she sipped from her cup of tea, her eyes following the movements of two horses and their riders as they galloped over the wide open grasslands of the Moors. Tom had surprised her with an invitation from Thomas for them to spend Easter Recess at the Manor. With Tom spending much of his free time in the Chamber over the last few months since finding the place, Lilith couldn't see a problem with the two of them coming over to get some fresh air and a break from Hogwarts. Thomas, as always, received them warmly and offered Tom the chance to learn how to ride a horse. With summer a few weeks away, this was certainly the best time to ride out in the fields. The grass was far greener than usual, thanks to the higher than average snowfall over the winter, and the air was particularly comfortable. Even the weather had been accommodating, with the few days only having two instances of afternoon showers. Madeleine finished setting the table and covering the sandwiches with the metallic cloches, before joining Lilith and taking a seat next to her in the outside gardens. Lilith took a moment to enjoy the tea. "I don't know. I am sure some women can enjoy horseback riding just as much, as the former Madam Riddle clearly did. I would be tempted, but I would rather not be astride a beast with a mind of its own at a full run."

Madeleine gave her sideways glance as she raised up her cup of tea, waiting for the right time. "Are you sure? You certainly seem to want to ride a certain young man. They can be quite the beasts themselves." Lilith spat out her drink, being kind enough to aim away from the table, before she coughed up the rest of the tea that went into her lungs. Lilith glared at a clearly satisfied Madeline as the young redhead drank from her cup. "I am bloody sixteen, Madeline. I know you were raised in the country, but that is quite crass!" Madeline smiled at her. "Oh please, you are not so innocent as to not have caught the reference. Besides, it's not like you don't like the attention that he gives you. With how handsome he is, I am surprised you aren't glued to his side all the time, beating off all the other girls trying to catch him on his own." Lilith blushed as she refilled her cup of tea. "I am told that my presence is quite the intimidating factor regarding how girls would attempt to approach Tom. Even if I wasn't, he isn't at the stage where he can draw that much attention to himself." Madeline frowned at the sad look in Lilith's eyes. "But he soon will be, won't he? At the point when any number of girls will be doing everything, no matter how crass, to catch his eye. And this bothers you?"

Lilith sighed as she started cutting into the scone, before spreading jam and cream cheese over it. "I am required to return to Austria for much of my life, Madeline, and he will be required to stay here in Britain. Sure, travel isn't as bothersome for us, but with all the complexities and requirements he needs to keep to… even though I want him all to myself, there is a part of me that wants him to have a better life, even if it means that I won't be in it. I will certainly stay by his side for the next two years, no matter what happens, but after that… I don't know what's going to happen." Madeline smiled softly at Lilith. "Most women would be hard pressed to think about the happiness of their man, versus the benefits that come from marrying them, and the same is true in reverse. The fact that you care is a good thing, Lily. And I am sure that Tom sees that in you and won't settle for anyone else. I don't think you have anything to worry about in the distant future." Hearing loud neighing from the horse that had disappeared over the horizon, Madeline did sigh. "On the other hand, injuries sustained while falling off a horse seems like a real source of immediate concern." Lilith shook her head as she added sugar to her cup of tea. "Well, it's a good thing I stocked up on potions for mending bones and reducing swelling."

Madeline shook her head. "There are days I wish that you never revealed yourself as a witch. Not that I am against you and Tom having magic, regardless what the Reverend might say about witchcraft and the devil. It's that after you gave Thomas that potion to help with his leg, the old man takes so many more risks. I tell you, he might as well see himself as a teenager again." Lilith chuckled, even as two horses and their riders trotted along towards the stables. "I can see the issue with that, but you can't be too mad about us bringing a smile back to his face." Madeline smiled at that, though her expression soured quickly. "No, I certainly can't. Though it's not always there these days." Lilith looked at Madeline, having a feeling as to what might be weighing heavily on the older gentleman's heart. "I am guessing his son is the reason for some of his troubles?" Madeline nodded as she refilled her cup of tea and checked on the second simmering teapot, before sitting down again. "His son has been by the house a few days since January, but everytime Thomas brought up the subject of young Tom, his son would cut him off, saying that he wanted nothing to do with the witch spawn. He refused to spend the week here with us and is off somewhere, probably trying to get under a woman's skirt or find a bar that will let him drink himself into a stupor." Lilith looked down at the cup of tea. "Not all families can be mended back together, no matter what blood runs through their veins."

The two ate in silence before Thomas and his grandson arrived through the garden paths, lilith noticing the grass stains and dirt on Tom's clothes. "Had a tumble, did we?" Tom shrugged. "It was bound to happen. I was more worried about hurting the horse than myself." Thomas patted his grandson on the back. "Trust me, there is no Equestrian who hasn't fallen off the horse at some point in their lives. For the few lessons he has taken, Tom here has quite the natural talent for horseback riding. He even managed to keep his horse free of any serious injuries as he fell, which is a good talent for a rider. Now, how about we sit down, before these two ladies finish the rest of the meal without us." With all four seated, after Madeline served the men their tea, Tom went over a few of the things with Thomas about what he had found at Hogwarts relating to his legacy. "The weirdest hidden exit leads up a pipe and into the girl's bathroom on the second floor. I know that there is some value in how utterly unlikely it is that someone will search the bathrooms for hidden tunnels, but still. I am curious if the man who added that entrance had some ulterior motives." Lilith hummed to herself. "I am more worried that you might find yourself tempted to spy on the girls yourself, now that you have the opportunity." Tom looked at her, initially offended, before a smirk formed on his face. "I might consider it, though there is only one girl I want to spy on, and only with her clear consent. She is an Austrian demoness with the most pretty green eyes."

Thomas laughed softly at how red Lilith's face went. "Now that is definitely a silver tongue, lad. Well done." Tom blushed under the praise from his grandfather as they ate through the sandwiches with much vigour. As darker clouds moved over the horizon, they picked up the plates, tablecloth and tea set, before heading indoors, with Tom and Thomas closing some of the windows along the lower floors of the Manor. "I must say, I never had much luck with women at your age. You are one lucky lad to have caught Lily's eye so early." Tom nodded. "I agree. Though it's a struggle. One moment she can be quite… upfront and daring. The next, she turns quiet and pensive, all traces of the bold and upfront young woman vanishing with barely a hint as to why." Thomas, having finished with the last of the windows, took a moment to sit down. "Hard to say, lad. My guess is that she is being considerate of you. The two of you are very close in age, but there is no denying that she is more mature than you. You should hear what the Mayor had to say about her after she came by that first winter. He had never expected a fourteen year old to speak to him so cordially about what was clearly a matter for adults and homeowners. I think that she is struggling with restraining herself around you, giving you the chance to be ready. Trust me, not all of us are ready for a meaningful relationship so early in life, and we may make mistakes that ruin any chance of that happening."

Tom stood by the window deep in thought, as rain started striking the glass. "But it would be just as bad if I tried to push matters further along, wouldn't it? She might be ready and waiting for us to grow closer, giving me the decision of when to approach certain subjects or actions, but that doesn't mean that I myself would be ready, even if I believed that to be true." Thomas looked over at the young man. "There is no guide when it comes to matters of the heart, at least not one that anyone will find all that useful. My suggestion is that you and Lily need to set your own pace, testing the waters gently, but never pulling too far ahead. Let it come naturally to you two. Trust me, if she is the one for you, waiting a few years will be worth it in the end, when she is by your side for the rest of your life. Just remember, don't let her feel as if you have lost interest. That is a pain that doesn't heal well." Tom nodded, before he made his way up to his room to change out of his dirty clothes, his thoughts on how he could show her that he trusted her and that he could wait for both of them to be ready. He had already given her his diary. Maybe he could set the wards of the Chamber to open to her without his presence. Making up his mind, Tom prepared his change of clothes, eying the Parselmagic books sitting on his bedside table. He now had more motivation to read through them.

"Are you sure we can be here? We aren't Prefects." Lilith was about to respond when Lakshmi spoke up from inside the Prefect's Bathroom. "You two don't have to worry about it, Myrtle. While you aren't Prefects, you have been helping me and the other Ravenclaws since September, so as far you two are concerned, you have earned it. Now go leave your clothes in the open lockers. Lucretia, Walburga and I are getting the bath water ready." Lilith led Cassandra and Myrtle to the lockers. "After you drop off your clothes, head for the showers first, before we head for the open bath." Myrtle picked one of the lockers and started stripping off her robes, while Cassandra gave Lilith a worried look. "Are you going to be ok?" Lilith gave her a reassuring smile. "I am. I should be feeling the effects tomorrow as soon as the sun rises on Beltane, so we can enjoy the rest of the day today." Cassandra shook her head. "It's not that. Your scars." Lilith pulled Cassandra into a one arm hug. "It's fine. Since it's just you two, Lakshmi, Walburga and Lucretia, I don't mind if they see them. Besides, these aren't that bad compared to what I used to have before. Thanks for caring, but I am ok." Cassandra rested her head against Lilith's shoulder. "Ok, but I need to head back to the Ground Floor before dinner so let's not spend too much time here." As soon as the three showered, they wrapped themselves in towels and made for the bath.

Myrtle whistled as her eyes took in the massive chamber and the large pool-like tub that nearly hugged the walls. "I am not sure if these can even be called a bathtub." Walburga, who was already in the bath with her cousin and Lakshmi, shrugged. "That's what happens when they build the school for a larger population of students. There used to be far more Prefects per year, but it got reduced down to just two. On the flip side, it lets groups of students get into the water and have some degree of privacy from others they aren't as friendly with," Myrtle nodded as she stuck her foot in and sighed. "That does feel great." She did fidget in place, clearly uncomfortable with removing her towel in front of the other girls, before Lilith sighed, removing her own. The redhead ignored the silence that followed as the girls watched her enter the water, her lean and pale body marred by scratches and bite marks. Cassandra, ever the thoughtful girl, picked up on what Lilith did and helped Myrtle into the water, which had enough herbs and other materials in it to drop visibility down a bit. Lilith sighed in relief, having not taken many baths herself since the start of Hogwarts, before finding a spot where she could sit, her shoulders and neck just barely above the waterline. "How are the preparations for the NEWT examinations going?" Walburga shrugged, her long hair tied into a bun. "Not so bad, considering, though Slughorn has every single one of us in Slytherin studying hard. I think it's a matter of pride for him that not a single Slytherin under his care gets to fail the NEWT exam for Potions."

Lakshmi chuckled. "Yeah, Greengrass is the same with us in Herbology. Having taught most of us for seven years, it would look poorly on her to see her own students failing. Other than that, it's just a lot of repetitive reading for the most part, until the examinations begin. How about you all? How are the preparations for the OWLs going?" Myrtle groaned as she leaned back into the water. "I am so tired of reading over all the notes we have been taking over the whole year! Professors Bierley and Croaker are so heavy on reviewing their work that I feel like the runes and numbers are moving on the pages. I don't know how Lilith here is so calm about it all!" Feeling every pair of eyes in the bath turning her, Lilith rolled her shoulders. "Runes isn't that hard if you approach it as a living language, rather than constantly translating everything from your own primary language. Arithmancy is far more annoying, but when you have Binns as a History teacher and an OWL History exam based on "A History of Magic," you definitely don't have to study as much for that class. It's a lot harder when you know that the answers they want are actually incorrect, though telling an Examiner that they are wrong is like trying to tell a Dragon not to set fire to its prey."

Myrtle, who had dunked her face into the water, rubbed her eyes clear. "What, there are that many errors in "History of Magic?"" Lilith looked over at the dark skinned Head Girl. "You have to have noticed it too. Your father said that your family have only been in Britain for a few years after the Great War, but I doubt that your family stopped teaching you about the Subcontinent's history, which I think has a wider view of the Asiatic Magical History, on par if not greater than the Chinese Magical records." Lakshmi sighed. "You aren't wrong, though I haven't gotten to compare much about our history with the Asiatic communities, since there is so much conflict between our peoples. But there is a lot of the world's Magical History that Binns ignores or skips over that has ties with our own back home." Myrtle inclined her head. "Like what?" Lilith thought for a second. "Well, it's an obscure one, but with three Slytherins here, it's relevant. The way that Britain's treat Parselmouths is a major point of contention across the world. History of Magic treats the magical trait as one that is affiliated with the Dark Arts. Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth, as were a few others who did happen to be Dark Wizards and Witches that went belligerent, but the trait itself has nothing to do with it. The Indian Subcontinent knows that better than any other region on the planet, second only to the MesoAmericans and the Australian Aboriginals."

Patil smiled at that. "That we do. The ability to speak to snakes is known to us as the Nāga's Blessing. Nāgas are sentient magical creatures that are treated as divine by our peoples. They inhabit the rivers and streams of our region and are protectors of the water and temples built next to the riverways. Our stories tell us that saving a Nāga from harm, either from a Garuda or other humans, can lead to the Nāga rewarding the person with the ability to speak to snakes, a trait that is passed down the generations. Many of our people's most sacred temples near rivers are tended to by Parselmouths, who care for it with either regular snakes or Nāgas in serpent form. When my father and uncle first studied at Hogwarts and heard about how Parselmouths were treated here, they were quite upset by it." Myrtle looked towards her Housemate. "Did your family bring the matter up with the Headmaster?" Lakshmi shrugged. "They did, not that it did anything to change the perception. We don't doubt that some of the Parselmouths in Britain were, as the common people define it, Dark, but the trait itself is free from any such considerations. Those who write and edit a "History of Magic" don't care that their book misrepresents a magical trait, especially not when the family, while one with a long and documented magical heritage such as the Patils, complains about it, has no vote in the Wizengamot."

Myrtle frowned as Lilith spoke up. "To be fair, it's an issue that is repeated in every other society, magical or otherwise. Even when you present evidence that an established truth is inherently wrong, no one will do anything about it, especially if it disrupts an important narrative in the culture. Just like how Britain will never tell of the atrocities its subjects perpetrated across the world through its Empire, so too will the publishers of the "History of Magic" refuse to update the text. Magic has existed in the world since the dawn of civilization, and perhaps even earlier still, but the people here don't want to hear about how the Egyptians, Indians, Mesopotemians and Chinese civilizations refined it in their own unique ways, with Africa having some of the most diverse magical practices anywhere in the world and Australia and the Americas having developed their own traditions in near complete isolation. How many of these magical traditions have been practiced with no interruptions for thousands of years? Hell, they will hardly tell about how much of the magic currently taught at Hogwarts dates to the Roman Empire, how much of the structures of the Magical Families stem from Greek City States and the Treaties with Charlemagne. They refuse to name these things because the narrative that matters to them is that of a great Magical British Society, while the world is treated as if it still sits in the Dark Ages." Lakshmi gave Myrtle a sympathetic look. "That's unfortunately how it goes. I won't say that the Subcontinent is any better. Our cultures are currently struggling with a great deal of ethnic violence, which was why my grandfather brought our family to Britain. No one likes to hear uncomfortable truths."

Lilith watched as Myrtle processed all of what she just heard. "I do want to hear the truth. My family may not have been tied to magic for long, but I know that we have lived a sheltered life. I don't know if my father will stay in politics, or if my brother will follow in his footsteps, but I don't want us to remain ignorant just because it's uncomfortable. I have always had a passion for reading stories, whether rooted in history or fiction. If I can read as many of the histories of the world, both magical and otherwise, I can try and help others hear the truth too. It's the least I can do." Lilith smiled at her friend, even as Walburga and Lakshmi were looking at the young first gen witch with surprise. She waded through the water, before pulling Myrtle into a hug. "Tell you what. If you decide to get a NEWT in History, I can help you get some of the texts for an ICW certification. My family were Bibliophiles of the most extreme sort, so I can get you some regional books from all of Europe and North Africa for you to go over." The dark skinned Ravenclaw sat closer to her housemate. "I can ask my family for copies of our texts too, if you would like some of the Subcontinent's perspective. Though you will need to learn Sanskrit." Lilith chuckled. "And all of my family's books are in the regional languages that wrote them." Myrtle sank in the water. "Great. More studying."

The girls laughed at Myrtle's defeated tone, as Lilith looked at Walburga, who had her long curly brown hair held up by pins or hair clips. "What about you? Is the idea panning out?" Walburga blushed, looking at Lucretia, who smiled at her knowingly, before looking at the rest. "Yeah. I will be doing a year or two of extra studies to get certified as a solicitor. Uncle Arcturus says he would welcome my help as Proxy after he is sure I know the laws, do the work and follow through with the family's new direction. He is looking to get me started as an aide at a law firm to get a feel for the profession." Lucretia pulled her cousin into a hug, which surprised Walburga, considering how often the two bickered. "Mother was super relieved. She has had to drag Dad to bed over the last four months at wandpoint because he just won't stop working. She will be hosting Walburga here in the London House until she gets certified. Hopefully between the two of them, they can both do the work and get enough rest on their own." Cassandra giggled. "Your dad sounds like Uncle Leo. Grandma has been really worried about him ever since he became Minister, always working late." As Cassie chatted with Myrtle about her own fathers and their work ethics, Lilith smirked at Walburga. "You aren't going to miss those Hebridean Winters?" Walburga shuddered. "I will take a London Winter over those any day. I don't know how Mother and Father put up with them. What about you, Lakshmi? I don't think I have ever heard where you were planning to go after Hogwarts."

Lakshmi leaned back, watching her two younger Ravenclaws chatting for a second, before turning to her yearmate. "I was actually hoping to apply for the Department of Mysteries. I have always been curious about how magic behaves differently over cultural lines, so I want to test out if they can be successfully blended or if traits from one form of magic can be translated and applied the same way in another. It's why I went with studying Futhark and the Nordic runic alphabets fully under Professor Bierley, rather than branching out to other Runic languages, or even going over Sanskrit again. What about you, Lilith? I hear that you are quite the Rune expert. What magical language are you going to focus on?" Lilith ran over the list of languages that she had yet to master in the use of Runes over her two short lifetimes. "Aramaic." Lakshmi's eyes widened. "Ambitious. Do you know how to read any of the derived languages?" Lilith shook her head. "Not entirely. I was reading a translation of a Kabbalist text on how they enchant objects, but much of the Hebrew alphabet was a bit hard to read. Since I already know the Norse, Slavic and Greek alphabets, it seemed like a good one to master. Riddle will actually be studying Sanskrit, so if you have any book recommendations that can help, I am sure that he would appreciate it." A mischievous smile grew on the Head Girl's face. "I can give him some private lessons, if he would prefer a hands-on demonstration of the language."

Lilith's eyes narrowed and started to glow green. "Patil…" The young woman raised her hands up. "I am just kidding, Lilith. I just wanted to see if the rumours about you two courting were true." Lilith's eyes dimmed a little, as Myrtle sighed. "See, I told you you two couldn't hide it forever!" Lilith closed her eyes and sighed. Cassandra and Myrtle had heard about it quickly enough, as Lilith hadn't wanted to lie to them about anything. Cassandra had given Lilith a knowing smile that reminded her alot about Luna, probably having seen fragments of what she and Tom would get up to, which was why Lilith avoided bringing her relationship up with her Seer friend. Aside from Slytherin House, the news of their relationship shouldn't have spread far. Apparently, that wasn't the case. "Look, Lakshmi. We are very private individuals, we aren't… gah!" Arcs of green and red light started rolling over Lilith's skin, while everyone else looked on in shock, all except for Lucretia and Cassandra, who moved towards Lilith quickly. "Cassandra, go get her clothes. Myrtle, Walburga, help me get her out of the water now. Lakshmi, you call one of the House Elves. See if they can apparate her to the Hospital Wing from here. Quickly!" Everyone rushed out to do their parts as Lucretia held Lilith to her, pulling her towards the bathtub's edge. "Come on cousin, hold on as much as you can. Try not to bite your tongue."

The sound of a soft. "Too late" didn't make Lucretia feel any better as Cassandra arrived with the clothes, placing Lilith's towel over her. Lakshmi arrived by their side, with a nervous Hogsby next to her. "Young misses need to let go of the young lady. Hogsby will be taking her to Madam Prewett quickly." Lucretia summoned her bag of clothes to her, before looking at the elf. "Not without me. All of you, get dressed. Cassandra, you and Myrtle should head to your Dorms. Walburga, head for the dungeons and see if you can find Riddle. Lakshmi, this better not leak to the rest of the school." Everyone nodded, though Cassandra rested her hand on Lilith's shoulder, before she yelped as the arcs of magic bit into her skin. Lakshmi pulled the blonde to the side, drawing her wand to heal the cut, as Hogsby and Lucretia vanished, leaving behind streaks of blood on the ground. Walburga, on seeing the blood, drew her wand and vanished it away, as Myrtle came to Cassandra's side. "I… it is always that bad?" Cassie shook her head as Walburga got dressed. "No. It's bad, but the cuts looked deeper this time. It doesn't make sense. It's too early." Lakshmi looked over the now healed skin on Cassie's hand. "Madam Prewett will have her healed soon. You will see." Cassandra kept her mouth closed, not voicing what she knew, even as her eyes filled with tears. It wouldn't be soon enough for her friend.

Lilith, her bright hair tied in a braid, held her Larch wand with Schattenwolf hair high, her left arm arched as her eyes followed the movements of the six Hags that circled around her, their nails elongated as they hissed and growled at her. As one of the Hags from behind her lunged forward, Lilith whipped her wand back. "Depulso!" The Hag was launched back as two in front of Lilith rushed towards her. Summoning her wand into her right hand, before launching the two backwards as well, Lilith maintained as wide a distance as possible, knowing that her foes outmatched her in speed. Seeing movement to her left, she jabbed her wand in that direction, catching another of the Hags with a banishing spell, before her back and right arm flared in pain. Dropping to the ground, Lilith swung around, casting cutting spells at the two Hags that had managed to close the distance, their claws dripping with crimson blood. They screamed in pain as gashes opened up on their chests, their brown fur robes darkening, as the rest lunged forward, before Lilith cast a wide banishing spell, pushing everyone back. Feeling blood dripping down her right fingers, Lilith tried to gauge the intentions of the others, noticing that two were itching to close the distance again. Switching her wand back to her left hand, Lilith started gathering her magic on her right hand.

As the Hags charged her, Lilith spun, striking the Hag on her right with a bludgeoning spell from her wand, while Lilith caught the wrist of the other, before screaming "Qualius!" The curse, a less damaging variant of the Torture Curse, inflicting pain specifically on the extremity that it impacted. The Hag screamed in pain, her knees buckling under her, before two rushed to their sister's aid. Casting a contact based featherweight spell on the Hag, Lilith swung the Hag around, before releasing her. With the featherweight spell severed, the full weight of the Hag crashed into the two that came to her aid. Lilith focused her attention on the remaining three, all of whom were cackling at her, mashing their teeth. One feigned a lunge, while the one on the left struck low with her claws, the one to the right striking high. The young girl cursed, switching her wand to her right hand as she struck the left Hag with a binding jinx, followed by a banisher, before the claws of the right one dug down across her already wounded back. Dropping her wand from one hand into the other, Lilith kept the momentum of her turn, blinding and binding the Hag that struck her, before finishing her spin, the tip of her wand pressed into the forehead of the last remaining Hag, her blackened eyes staring at her with barely contained malice.

"Enough! The exercise is complete." The Hag pulled back, her posture and body language shifting to a more restrained and calm stance, her eyes returning to a more human appearance, devoid of any ill intent. Lilith sheathed her wand in her wrist holster, before bowing her head to the chief Hag. "It was an honour to spar with you and your kin. You have taught me much about the limitations in a fight such as this." The Hag smiled at the young twelve year old girl, bowing her head slightly. "It is an honour for us as well, young Mistress. You are skilled indeed, only lacking in experience. As the future lady of the forest, we will be more than happy to grant you as many sparring sessions as you need. Grella, will you see that our wounded are healed?" Lilith watched as a tall Hag with bright white hair and wolf pelts stepped forward. "Of course, Mistress. They will be cared for." Those dark eyes latched onto Lilith. "You speak our language better now, child. It is ever an honour to hear the children of this Family speak it. Will you be needing assistance with your wounds? My Granddaughters have sharp claws that cut deep." Lilith shook her head. "My cousin would be furious if she wasn't the one to heal me, Elder of the Coven. Thank you, for the offer. May you have a warm and restful winter." The oldest of the Hags bowed her head to the young girl, before she and her daughter saw to the wounded, as Lilith walked up to her parents. She gave her mom a reassuring smile and her dad patted her left shoulder.

Her cousin, with her short brown hair, looked over Lilith's wounds, under the watchful gaze of her mother. "Well?" Her cousin sighed. "You can relax, Grazyna. Her cuts are deep but manageable. I will be able to repair the damage easily enough. She won't have any scars left." Lilith looked at her cousin. "Do you think you can heal them but leave the scars?" Grazyna looked at her daughter. "Lilith." Looking up at her mother, the young redhead lowered her eyes. "Mutti, I made the mistake of getting hit the first time around, and I allowed myself to take the hit the second time. The scars should stay, as a reminder of the lessons." Grazyna ran her hand over her hair. "You might have a harder time finding a lover with scars like that on your skin." Lilith gave her mother a knowing smile. "But if they can love me with the scars, then it's all the better. Do you not love Vati, despite the scars on his body and his missing finger?" Grazyna sighed, but nodded. "I do indeed, though the scars are not the draw that some women might say." She looked to the healer. "Get them to the point where they will remain light on the skin, even with a tan, but no deeper nor darker." She kissed Lilith on the cheek before sitting back, as the healer began her work. Lilith closed her eyes, running the fight through her mind. She knew there would be more injuries and scars in her life, but if she could learn from them to be a better witch, they would be worth it.

"Just sit still, Miss McGonagall. It's only a few broken bones and bruises. I will have your arm fixed by the end of the day, but only if you quit squirming around while I reset the bones into their proper place." Teresa ran her wand over Minerva's left arm, as the young Gryffindor Chaser did her best not to move, even with the odd sensation of shifting bone fragments under her muscles and skin. As the skilled Healer inspected her work, the doors to the Hospital Wing opened, with Theseus walking towards them. He gave McGonagall a smile. "Aside from the Bludger to the arm, that was a fine game, Minerva. If you keep that up, You will likely be a shoe-in for Captain of the Gryffindor Team next year." The brunette blushed slightly. "Yes, well, we needed to get as high a lead as possible against the Ravenclaws, with the next game of the season being Slytherin and Hufflepuff. We had to take quite a few risks." Teresa, having completed her scan, placed her patient's arm against their chest. "I am going to conjure a brace for your arm, and then I am going to be feeding you a potion to repair the damage to the bones. I won't ask you to stay in the Hospital Wing if you don't want to, but if they don't heal properly because you pulled the brace off, you will be spending the night here. You understand me, Miss McGonagall?"

The fifth year nodded, flinching as the brace formed tightly around her arm, before Teresa did a few final checks. She pulled the stopper out of a vial and handed it to Minerva, before looking at Theseus. "Please let Dumbledore know that I want her resting today. I don't care if Gryffindor is currently planning a victory party." Theseus nodded, though Teresa noticed the way his eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of Dumbledore. As Teresa took her tray away, and disappeared into her office to write down the injury and treatment in her logs, Minerva gave Theseus a cold stare. "I don't need you babying me. I can tell Professor Dumbledore of my injury as well. So why don't you go back to your Creatures and just leave me be." Theseus sighed, before sitting down at the edge of Minerva's bed. "Must we always do this, Minerva? I know that your parents and I are not on speaking terms, but that is no reason for you to be angry with me. I was genuinely worried about you when you were cradling your arm against your chest." Minerva's face turned red. "I don't need your sympathy. I just want you to leave me alone. Professor Dumbledore already told me that the two of you were arguing over me." Theseus frowned. "It isn't right for your Hogwarts Head of House to be ordering you to spy on your fellow students, Minerva."

McGonagall's eyes narrowed. "This isn't about me looking after some dangerous students, is it? It's about Lilith. If you want a granddaughter so much, why don't you just settle for her! You clearly prefer her over me!" Theseus shook her head. "This isn't about playing favorites, Minerva. Her family and mine had a long history of friendship and I have a duty to look after her, as both a friend and as a Professor. The same way I have a duty to look after you, as my granddaughter and a student of this school." Minerva raised her voice. "So you are fine with her breaking the rules? With how she attacked her fellow Slytherin using some of the foulest curses. If so, then I am not surprised mom left you and the Ross family behind. You are no better than she is!" Theseus looked at Minerva. "Your mother's reasons for leaving have nothing to do with the family. She chose her husband over us, even over her own best interests. As for Lilith, she fought the way that she was taught, in a duel where said curses weren't forbidden. I would not have asked her to do any different." Minerva leaned forward. "So that's it. She's a Dark Witch because her family made her that way so there is nothing to do. That's why I was helping Dumbledore keep an eye on her. She is dangerous and you and everyone else just refuse to accept it!" Theseus raised his voice. "Enough! You don't know what it is you are talking about. You have no right to judge her or her family over what they chose to be."

He watched as Minerva turned her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. "I know enough. I also know that you have no right to judge me either. Now leave me alone!" Theseus' eyes remained fixed on Minerva as she stomped her way out of the Hospital Wing, before sighing, rubbing his eyes, pushing up his eyepatch for a second. "What am I going to do with her?" Teresa walked up to the bed where her patient had been. "I don't think there is much that you can do. Children can be quite stubborn about the most trivial things. That is no different, even if the matter is not so trivial." Theseus nodded, before his eyes focused on the section of the Hospital Wing that was cordoned off by curtains. "How is she?" Teresa sighed, running her hand over her hair. "Not well, though after tonight, she should be back to normal." Theseus frowned. "I thought her episodes of magical instability were limited to one day." Teresa nodded. "They were. This is the first that triggered early. In Yule, we thought that there were signs of her condition worsening, signs that seemed reinforced during the Equinox. We were preparing for her Summer Solstice to be the worst yet. We didn't expect it to trigger early, but it did." Theseus looked towards the curtains again. "First she loses her family, and now she has to suffer through this. How much more must she go through before it's enough?"

Teresa gave Theseus a measured look. "I know why I am worried about her, but I don't know why you are. You were here at Hogwarts with me, while her family lived in seclusion in Austria. How did you meet them?" Theseus shrugged. "Our family and theirs overlapped in our duties and we had a bond of friendship that was over a millennia old. My father sent me to the von Schwarzwald Estate to train some years after Hogwarts, when I had botched a hunt of some Rougarous in America. Azrael and Aquila were very kind and courteous, though much of their time was spent looking after Nicholas, their second born. Their first born son died of illness within a year of his birth, so they were understandably concerned. Even so, Azrael did his best to teach me how to spot the impact of Dark Creatures in an environment. He taught me how to look for signs and injuries that spectral canids left on their prey, the scratches they carved into the trees to mark their territories. We were just getting started on Hags, when Nicholas had a nasty fall. Not wanting to be a bother, I decided to take a walk in the woods of the region, following the trails to a nearby village. The Austrian Alps are quite the place, Teresa, filled with evergreen forests as far as the eye can see. The villages are old, somewhat antiquated, but otherwise peaceful." Theseus took a deep breath as his eyes saw an echo of the past.

"While in one of the villages, I heard a boy screaming in terror. I rushed to his side, finding him being dragged by a Hag. Without thinking, having only the knowledge of Hags that Hogwarts teaches us, I used a conjured spear of ashwood and struck her through the chest. The Hag screamed in agony as the wood burst into flames, the boy running towards his parents, as I watched the blackened body disintegrate. I spent a few minutes with the parents, though I noticed that the villagers were all jumpy. Soon enough, the sky darkened, the wind turned violent, and the cackling and growls of Hags filled the air. The villagers hid within their homes as I watched the figures darting from tree to tree, feeling that I might have gotten myself into quite the mess, before Azrael arrived, screaming at the Hags to cease their attack." Theseus looked up at Teresa. "If I had bothered to stay at the Estate, reading their texts, I would have learned about a treaty that existed between the Hags and the von Schwarzwald family. One that kept their numbers stable, their bellies full, while the villagers would be spared their wrath. In fact, the Hags would protect the villagers when possible, especially when they were related by blood. That Hag was related to the boy, as the father had conceived a child with her a few years prior, and had protected the boy from an Irkling, before I killed her, senselessly."

Teresa rested her hand on Theseus' shoulder. "You couldn't have known." Theseus shook his head. "It didn't matter. I killed her, an innocent Hag, while being the guest of the Schwarzwald. Azrael spent minutes in a heated conversation with the Eldest of the Hags. He couldn't hand me over to them, as I was protected as a guest of the Estate, but he couldn't let me go without some punishment either." Theseus pulled his shirt up, revealing the side of his abdomen, which was covered in several single claw marks. "They reached an agreement. I and my family would be banned from the Estate for as long as I lived, in exchange the Hags would allow me to leave the region alive, but not before they carved into me, getting a taste of my blood. If I ever entered their territory, I would be hunted down and killed without mercy." Teresa eyed the wounds carefully, noticing that they could have been healed adequately, but that Theseus must have chosen to keep them. He lowered his shirt. "That day I learned my first true lesson concerning Dark Creatures. They are more than beasts that should be feared. They can think as we can, they feel hunger like all beasts, but some can also feel love and loss like all sentients. From that moment on, I made sure to learn everything I could about every creature I ever hunted, so that I never made the same mistake ever again."

Theseus looked back towards the curtains, getting a nod from Teresa. He pulled them aside partly, wincing at the sight of Lilith, bandages pressed and wrapped against half her face, blood staining them just barely. Above her head, their metal claws wrapped around the railing that served as the headboard of the bed, stood two metallic owls, watching over Lilith silently, her breathing steady, though labored. He closed the curtain, feeling his eyes watering. Teresa rested her hand on his shoulder. "She will be fine tomorrow. Her wounds aren't healed yet as we are waiting to see if there won't be any more surges today." She looked towards the curtains herself. "Though I do not know how that girl can endure so much pain, then wake up and go on as if it never happened. It's the same every other time that she has been under my care." Theseus sighed. "Because she knows that there are worse pains than what the flesh can endure. The loss of family, of a home, a sense of purpose. She is here, at Hogwarts, doing everything that she can to get back some semblance of the life that she has lost." Theseus turned to Teresa. "I owe her family a debt that can never be truly repaid. I contemplated my own death when I could no longer hunt the beasts that endangered innocents. I actually thought about taking a walk into the Austrian Alps, so that my death could serve as payment for my sin." Teresa's glare made Theseus raise his hands. "You need not worry about me. I made peace with my failings and my beloved Abigail gave me quite a stern talking to after I voiced my thoughts. I took this job, in the hopes of teaching children what cost me so dearly to learn first hand. It's the least that I can do."

The Hogwarts Healer gave Theseus a measured look. "I highly doubt you made peace with all your demons. It's not as if you don't drink enough scotch to pass out or anything." Theseus pulled out his two flasks and handed them to Teresa. "See for yourself." Frowning, Teresa smelled the flasks after opening the lids. One was certainly Scotch. The other was mostly odorless. "Water?" Theseus nodded, taking his flasks back. "I make sure to keep a steady amount of water in my system. It's not the perfect counter to being somewhat buzzed all the time, but I never get to the point where my faculties are impared. In fact, this year has been the one where I have been drinking the least amount of alcohol." Teresa sighed. "If you ever need something stronger, drop by my office in the mornings. Poppy and I have been brewing some strong coffee after all the long nights we have spent looking after Lilith." Theseus nodded as Teresa walked away. He opened Lilith's curtain and walked up to her bedside table. He placed down a small wooden sculpture of a wolf, before gently placing his hand on Lilith's shoulder. "The Barghests have been docile these last two nights, pacing the edges of the forest, and the shadows from Samhain have been seen again. They are worried about you, aren't they, Lilith? For your friend's sake and theirs, please get better. You may be the last of your family, but you are not alone. I am here, for when you need me." The owls hooted at Theseus warmly, as he left Lilith's side, before they continued their silent vigil.

Tom checked the wards that restricted access to the Chamber again, cursing under his breath. He had been trying to alter the wards to allow for a non-Parselmouth to open the entrances, but he still couldn't release the restrictions on most of them. So far, only the entrance that had been added some time in the last century, which had also disrupted the Chamber's temperature control wards, was accessible via just the activation phrase ~"Open"~, while all the others required the contact of magic to the carvings to register. The primary entrance actually required the Heir Ring to trigger accordingly, so Tom now understood why he had passed through that particular corridor several times and found nothing of interest. Sitting back, he went over the restrictions and shook his head. None of his alterations were sticking. Salazar Slytherin had clearly gone to a lot of trouble to keep the Chamber secure for as long as possible, which meant that the wards were unchangeable by anyone who wasn't the Head of the Family. The portrait had said as much, though he wasn't sure if a later head had changed the wards without his knowledge. His ancestor would find some comfort in the fact that the only change had been the new entrance that connected to the girl's bathroom on the second floor of the Castle.

Closing the ward chamber behind him, Tom returned to the main work area and wrote down his conclusions regarding the wards. He had wanted to surprise Lilith by letting her enter the Chamber on her own, but based on the restrictions, he would have to approach her to see if her recording equipment could capture and playback the phrase to open the entrance in the bathroom. It was the only solution he could find, short of blasting a new hole through the Castle's wards, which was just as impossible. Seeing as the entrance was located in a bathroom, Tom could guess that one of the Gaunts added the entrance while the primary wards that kept the Castle from suffering any extensive damage had been disabled for the addition of the plumbing system. Since he doubted that Dippet would be having another major renovation to the Castle, creating a new entrance was off the table. Finishing his notes, Tom spotted the time in his pocket watch and sighed. He had a meeting with Professor Merrythought in a few minutes. Not wanting to be late, Tom closed the doors to the inner chambers behind Rene's nest, checking to make sure that the wards for the more important areas, including the Library, were still up fully, before patting Rene on the head as she rested comfortably on the heated floor of the nest.

Since Merrythought's office was on the Second Floor, Tom exited the Chamber and went for the exit that reached the bathroom on that same floor. As soon as he reached the landing of the highly inclined tunnel, Tom whispered ~"Stairs"~, which made the smooth edges of the tunnel shift slightly until a spiral staircase led upwards, the steps lit up by magic. Not wanting to get himself a reputation, Tom waited behind the metal grating that hid the entrance, before casting a "Homenum Revelio." Seeing a few moving figures leaving the bathroom, Tom waited patiently, before opening the exit under disillusionment as soon as the bathroom was empty. Soon enough he left the bathroom, the entrance closed up behind him, before stepping into the corridors, dropping the disillusionment spell as he neared the Professor's office. Straightening his tie and hair, Tom opened the door as Merrythought's "enter" filled the air after he knocked on the door. The aging woman looked up from her stack of papers, pointing with her quill to the seat in front of her desk. "Please take a seat, Mr. Riddle. We can start in just a minute." Tom did as he was told, his eyes taking in the contents of her office, which he hadn't had much reason to enter since he started classes at Hogwarts. There were two book shells to the back of the desk, one filled with all manner of texts, while the second one held many different items. He frowned as he spotted a few that looked to be desiccated body parts.

Merrythought finished her notes on the assignment, before drying the ink and setting it on the pile. "Which one has caught your interest?" Tom gave the professor an odd look. "The dessicated hand and candle." Galatea nodded. "It is quite macabre, isn't it? A Hand of Glory. It has been given many erroneous abilities by muggles and magicals alike, mostly due to the difficulty in acquiring one. In magic, there are many spells, wards and creatures that can create a near total blackout of all light. The Hand of Glory, however, creates its own light, supposedly drawn from the remnants of the condemned soul. Even in total darkness, enhanced by magic, so long as you hold a Hand of Glory with its candle lit, you will be able to see past the lightless expanse." Tom stared at the hand for a second. "It's an oddly comforting idea. That even a soul condemned to die, perhaps stained with an unforgivable sin, can still bring light into a world full of darkness for the living." Merrythought paused for a second, considering his words. She gave him a soft smile. "I never thought of it that way. Comforting indeed. Then again, the Dark Arts and their very foundations are filled with plenty of contradictions. But I am certain that you yourself are already aware of that, aren't you?" Tom turned to look at the professor, though he found that her gaze held no judgment in it. "I suppose my skills of late in Dueling have tipped my hand." Galatea chuckled. "Only to those who went through the same exercises."

Tom blinked at Galatea in surprise, who gave him an amused smile as she leaned back. "As much as people such as Dumbledore might claim, to be an adequate teacher in Defence Against the Dark Arts requires a degree of experience with them. When I took a break from teaching some years ago, Dumbledore actually taught the class in my stead. You should have heard the complaints old man Crouch had when the students that graduated those years were some of the worst Aurors Trainees the Department ever saw. Took me a while to repair the damage when I came back. That's not to say that Albus doesn't have some knowledge of the Dark Arts. He studied under me himself decades ago and dabled in them. Unfortunately, the death of his sister seemed to have changed him much. He would rather see the students leave Hogwarts without so much as a passing understanding as to what makes something Dark." Merrythought sighed, tapping her fingers on the desk. "The reason that I called you here is to inform you, Mr. Riddle, that your skills are quite higher than most of your fellow students. I wouldn't be surprised that you pass your OWLs for Dueling and Defence Against the Dark Arts with high marks, making you eligible for the Advanced NEWT courses. I do, however, want to warn you as to what that can mean in these troubled times."

Sitting back, Tom rubbed the ring on his hand, though it was hidden from sight. "With the state of the war, I might get recruited, if not conscripted, into serving as an Auror." Merrythought nodded her head. "That would be correct. As a teacher, I do my best to prepare my students for what's out there, but there is no way to prepare anyone for war. Not really. As your Instructor, it's my duty to see to your continued education in a field that you certainly are well suited for, despite the misgivings of other staff members. As a professor, who is responsible for your well being for as long as you are a student of the school, I would be remiss if I failed to warn you about the DMLE's actions and the burden they may place upon you. If you chose to abandon both courses after you complete your OWLs, I would understand. You would, of course, have access to the books for the courses in the Library and could continue your private studies on the subject matter. I am sure that Miss von Schwarzwald has been a great training partner in these last few months and can help develop your skills further." Tom blushed softly at Merrythought's knowing look. "She has, though it's been a learning experience for both of us." Merrythought chuckled. "The best training partners usually learn a lot together. I won't mention her own accommodations currently, as they are private, but I wanted to make sure that you understood where you stood, regarding your future on these courses."

Tom nodded, letting his mind go over everything that he knew regarding the recruitment of Aurors. He was pretty certain the moment his status as Heir of Slytherin, followed by his ascension to Lord, would grant him the immunity he required, should the recruitment become compulsory. As the last of his family's line, he couldn't be forced to participate in the war, though he could see himself getting trained as an Auror to keep the peace at home. As Merrythought wasn't aware of his status, there was no way that she could have considered the possibility that he was exempt from selection. On the other hand, there was some merit in keeping the exact level of his training secret, especially if it made everyone underestimate him. His mind flashed an image of the raven haired girl with green eyes that had featured in some of his dreams. He could remember the Voldemort of his dreams having conversations with her regarding her reticence from using the skills she was learning against the bullies that tormented her. Her response had been that it was better for them to underestimate what she was capable of, rather than invite them to continue testing their strength against her. Tom could certainly see the value in her idea, though if he planned to represent the House of Slytherin, appearing weak wasn't an option. He looked at his Professor. "Thank you for your kind gesture, but I am afraid that I will continue in both classes. I have responsibilities that supersede my comfort regarding the DMLE and its recruitment drive."

Galatea sighed, but nodded. "Very well. As you might expect, with the war the way it is, I am going to raise the level of difficulty in both courses. I look forward to seeing your performance in both. I am sure it will be quite the sight." Tom smiled at her. "I will certainly try to live up to your expectations, Professor. Good day." Bowing his head slightly as he stood outside of Professor Merrythought's office, Tom closed the door. Going over his schedule for the day, he still had some time before Slughorn's Potion's class. He walked towards the Girl's Bathroom, getting ready to cast his disillusionment spell, when a voice stopped him in his tracks. "Tom! Wait up!" Cursing in his head, Tom went through every single Occlumency exercise to bury the irritation that always consumed him as Ignatus Prewett caught up to him. If there was one person in all of Hogwarts that he thought he might hate as much as Dumbledore, it would be the 5th year Gryffindor prefect and Quidditch player. How the same family that gave rise to the exceptionally professional Healer that was Madam Prewett also resulted in the dull, adrenaline junky boy that was Ignatus, Tom could never understand, nor did he wish to. Giving Ignatius his most neutral expression, Tom smiled at the red redhead, all the while wishing that he was talking to the other redhead in his life, if not doing something that didn't permit for much coherent speech. "What can I help you with, Prewett?"

The redhead waved the comment off. "I told you, call me Ignatus. By the way, any idea what Slytherin is planning for the final game with Hufflepuff?" Tom shrugged his shoulders. "As I told you before, I do not keep up with the sport, let alone the teams. You might get lucky and get Flint to slip up and say something, otherwise I can't help you." Ignatus sighed. "Damn! I wanted to place some bets to get some coins before summer rolls around. Say, you wouldn't happen to know what Lucretia Black likes as far as presents go, would you?" Tom metally screamed in frustration as he walked past the girl's bathroom, cursing the day that Ignatus decided to have a crush on one of the Blacks. "Prewett, you have been trying to catch her attention ever since February. She has told you multiple times that she isn't interested. If your little stunt in the last game didn't earn you a visit from her to your limp body in the Hospital Wing from sympathy alone, nothing would. And before you ask, I heard about it from Malfoy. He and several of the others in the stands were certainly amused with you getting dragged around by a Bludger until it smashed you into the rings." Ignatus rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, not my best moment. Still…" Tom mentally sighed, resigning to himself that he wouldn't be making it back to the Chamber that afternoon. He would need to find Lilith soon, hoping that she would take enough pity on him to save him from Prewett, before he was tempted to test out the Cruciatus curse on him. It might be worth it.

Chapter 26: In a Mirror Darkly

"How was the interview, Walburga?" The eldest of the Blacks looked up at Lakshmi, who sat down in front of her, an occurrence that had become a lot more common over the last year. While the students could sit at any of the tables barring the Beginning and Ending of Term Feasts, that tended to occur among the other three Houses. In the previous year, it had only been Lilith who was willing to sit with the Ravenclaws from time to time. Now, with everyone feeling more comfortable and the Slytherin court not only allowing the students to interact with their family and friends in other houses, but actually encouraging it, the flood gates opened. Most of the people taking advantage of the changed rules tended to be the first and second years, who went to spend time with their cousins and siblings in other houses, as well as forming new friendships with other students of their year group. To no one's surprise, the two houses that tended to mix well were Slytherin and Ravenclaw, since they shared the most family members and tended to focus heavily on academic excellence, with Hufflepuff coming second in interactions, and Gryffindor being dead last. So far, the only Gryffindor that was dead set on sitting at the Slytherin was Ignotius Prewett, much to Lucretia's exasperation and Walburga's amusement. "It went as expected. Since the firm doesn't need a lot of NEWT scores, they are just hoping that I pass my exams to get started on my internship with them. What about you?"

Lakshmi shrugged, slipping a few errant strands of dark brown hair behind her ear. "It's the Department of Mysteries. They don't exactly have a recruitment office. Word is that as long as I am at the top of the classes with my scores and make an effective demonstration in the NEWT practical portion for most of my courses, they will come looking for me. I have been working hard on my Runes and Enchanting projects, combining Futhark and Sanskrit into a working array. I hope it's enough, otherwise I might have to work on my own." Walburga hummed to herself as she recalled what her family knew of the DoM. "A few of my family have been recruited before, so I think you will be fine. Your unique expertise will definitely catch their eye. I am the one who has a lot of catching up to do. Uncle Marius has actually been sending me some of his old law books. Though he never went to Hogwarts, my Dad managed to get him a job in a law firm, one that happens to handle both muggle and magical law and now he is returning the favor with me." Lakshmi hummed approvingly. "Well, your family certainly seems to be doing well overall, despite everything going on this year. Everyone of you has certainly looked happier, except when you are worried about Lilith. Where is she, anyways? Has she locked herself in a classroom with her boyfriend for a romantic dinner?" Walburga shook her head. "No, I think she had something to do because of the OWLs. Riddle went with her to help out." Lakshmi sighed. "Shame. I would love to tease her about how attached she and her boy are. How about you, Walburga? Anyone caught your eye yet?"

Walburga blushed lightly, pulling a loose lock of curly brown hair behind her ear. "Not really. You know how boys tend to be and Hogwarts is definitely full of them." Lakshmi nodded. "True enough. Have you thought about looking for a match elsewhere in the school?" Walburga frowned. "I already look at the boys from the other Houses. There are a few fine ones in Hufflepuff but nothing that caught my eye." Lakshmi chuckled. "I wasn't talking about the boys, Preeti. You are still not looking at half the school. You never know, you might find someone there who has you in their sight already." Walburga paused for a moment, her cheeks blushing as the meaning of Lakshmi's words sunk in, before she blinked at the fact that she was sure that Lakshmi said something odd. Looking at the Indian young woman, she found herself looking into the playful but warm eyes of Laksmi and felt her body growing warm. "You said a word that I didn't quite catch. What does Preeti mean?" Lakshmi laughed softly, before leaning in closer to Walburga's face. "Oh, I am sure you can find out on your own. Just keep in mind what I said. Maybe you will get the hint." Walburga returned her attention to her plate of dessert, feeling quite warm as she was pretty certain that she caught Patil's meaning without the translation.

As her mind swam with images of her yearmate from their times together in the Prefect baths, catching glimpses of further interest in some of her memories, Walburga's train of thought was interrupted as the Great Hall Doors opened suddenly. "Headmaster! There has been an attack on a student on the Second Floor!" The staff stood up as the students started to look at each other in confusion, as Professor Greengrass checked on her student who gave her Head of Hogwarts House further details as to what she saw. Dippet stood up and enhanced his voice. "Prefects! Take your housemates back to the Dormitories and check if anyone else is missing! Madam Bulstrode, return to the Library and send any students there to their Houses. Head Boy Bones and Head Girl Patil, please accompany her to escort the stragglers. As soon as the ghosts verify the Castle is clear, the Dorms are to remain sealed until morning." The Headmaster and several of the staff left through the trophy room at the back of the Great Hall, as Walburga and Lakshmi stood up. Seeing the students charging around, Lakshmi pressed her wand against her neck, amplifying. "Everyone calm down! The professors will have this handled, but we must stay calm! Students, get in line by your tables so that the Prefects can guide you all together. Hufflepuff and Slytherin should go out first together, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor should then follow. Head Boy Bones and I will stay and make sure the groups move out, before following Madam Bulstrode to the Library." Madam Bulstrode and Professor Croaker, who had stayed behind, gave Lakshmi a nod and proceeded to check the doors leading out of the Great Hall. Lakshmi looked back at Walburga and nodded, as the Prefects started gathering the students, knowing that the next few days would be anything but pleasant if the news proved to be true.

The Headmaster and most of the staff followed close behind Professor Greengrass as she ran down the passage, all of them using the hidden corridors and stairs to make their way up to the second floor quickly, without getting in the way of the students being led back to their dorms. Spotting one of the House Ghosts, Dippet spoke to him. "Sir Nicholas. Could you summon Merrythought to the Second Floor? There has apparently been an attack on one of the students. Afterwards, approach the other ghosts. We need to do a search of the Castle. Have them report any unusual happenings to me immediately and to escort any wayward students to the library for Madam Bulstrode to watch over before we escort them back to the Dorms." Nicholas nodded, raising his hand to keep his head from tipping to the side. "Of course, Headmaster. The Ghosts shall sweep the Castle and report to you as quickly as possible. We will ask the paintings to do the same. By your leave." Nicholas vanished through a nearby wall, as the Professors continued down the passageways, eventually exiting out into the regular corridors. The group eventually reached the Second Floor corridor, finding the floor covered with a thin layer of water. Doge frowned, scanning the water with his wand. "Not conjured. Must have come from the bathroom, then. A damaged pipe or flooded toilet."

Reaching the nearest bathroom, Melia gasped and placed her hands over her mouth, her eyes fixed on the wall. Albus came forward, reading the crimson words painted on the wall outloud. "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir… beware." Theseus waved his wand over the words, trails of liquid leaking down from them slightly. He cursed. "It's written in human blood. The perpetrator enchanted it to be hard to remove from the wall, either by magic or conventional means." Albus looked around, searching for the source of the blood, as Greengrass entered the bathroom. "Theseus! Get in here now!" The Professor's scream drew the staff's attention as they entered the Second Floor Girl's Bathroom, with Theseus rushing forward to check on the body on the ground. Melia looked up at her college, tears in her eyes. "Please, Theseus. Tell me she isn't dead. Please! I can't feel her pulse and she is so stiff!" Theseus touched the girl's neck, finding no pulse, but feeling the odd texture of the skin. He tried to open the girl's eyes, but failed, as he swept his wand over her body. He frowned. "She's not dead, or at least I don't believe she is. She has, however, been petrified." Doge knelt down on the wet floor, waving wand over the body, muttering words over and over. He shook his head. "I can't break the petrification. I have never come across such magic." Albus turned to the Headmaster. "If the message is real and the Chamber of Secrets has been opened, then no one has encountered this sort of magic for over a thousand years!"

Armando Dippet nodded as the sound of footsteps drew nearer, with Galatea Merrythought arriving shortly after. "What's… oh my! Is she…?" As Theseus explained to her what happened, Albus pulled Armando aside. "We should call Tom Riddle here at once. I am certain he had something to do with this." Both Slughorn, who had been discussing potions that could work on the girl with Madam Prewett, as well as Merrythought, turned to look towards them, the former speaking up. "That is a serious accusation, Albus. Do you have any reason for accusing one of my charges?" Albus turned to the young Potions Master. "He wasn't at the Great Hall for dinner and I believe he has been searching for the Chamber of Secrets for years now." Armando sighed. "Albus, that…" Galatea interjected. "Mr Riddle and Miss von Schwarzwald were with me up until a few minutes ago. With Lilith's medical condition, we were testing out ways that she could prove herself in the practical portion of her Defence OWL without sending her to the Hospital Wing, with Mr Riddle being there to help with some of the exercises. I can assure you, Albus, he never left my sight." Dumbledore shook his head. "He may have committed this crime before he was by your side. The bathrooms on this floor are hardly frequented." Galatea sighed, drawing her wand. "Expecto Patronum." A large eagle took form from the white light of the spell, before it landed on Merrythought's arm. "Lilith von Schwarzwald. You and Mr Riddle are to reach the Second Floor Corridor, near the Girl's Bathroom. Do not tarry." As the eagle flew out of the bathroom, Merrythought found herself being looked at oddly. "What? I sent the two of them back together when Nicholas found me. I am not about to let either of them travel the Castle alone, not after what just happened."

A few minutes later, a running Lilith felt her heart beating harshly as she neared the bathroom, almost slipping on the wet floor. Tom was the first to notice the writing on the wall, the sight of which left Lilith feeling cold. "Please, no. Please tell me it's not her. Please!" Tom eyed her, unsure what Lilith meant, even as he found the scene all too familiar, before they both entered the girl's bathroom. Lilith's heart felt as if it had stopped beating, her eyes fixed on the still body on the ground. "Myrtle!" Theseaus caught her before she could reach the body. "Easy, child. We think she is alive, just petrified by something we can't undo so easily." Lilith sagged into his arms, tears streaming down her eyes, as she saw Myrtle's glasses next to her friend's head, the lens shattered. She closed her eyes, happy that her enhancements to Myrtle's glasses had protected the girl from the full effect of the Basilisk's deadly gaze, though clearly it wasn't enough to keep her from being petrified. As she controlled herself and stood back up, Lilith heard the tail end of Dumbledore's comments. "... I have warned Mr Riddle repeatedly about searching for the Chamber for years now. If anyone has found it, it would be him." Lilith watched as Tom tried to measure his words, though she could see the fire in his eyes. He was furious. "I can assure you, Professors, that I had nothing to do with this attack. Warren is a friend of mine and I would never have harmed her, intentionally or otherwise." Lilith spoke up. "Our schedule for today is aligned. I can assure you that he hasn't run off on his own. This attack wasn't his fault."

Slughorn turned to Dumbledore. "See? What next? Will you demand a pensieve memory from them as well?" Dumbledore clenched his jaw, potentially considering it, as the Bloody Baron arrived. "We have searched the Castle and found nothing suspicious. Students were found to be in the Library, as well as a few other classrooms though none were near the second floor and all are being escorted back to their Dorms by the Head Boy and Head Girl, as well as a few of our own." Dippet nodded before gesturing at the two students. "Very well, escort these two back to their dorm. We will be searching the Castle next, after which I want all the Ghosts to continue patrolling throughout the night. Elphias, Horace, Melia, Albus, make a sweep of the Castle as you make your way back to the Dorms, after which I want you to get a head count, to verify the numbers from the Prefects. I want to know if there are any other missing students. Theseus, Galatea, the search is in your hands. I will help take the young girl back to the Hospital Wing with Teresa. You two organize the rest of the staff however you like." As everyone dispersed, Theseus lingered behind. "Whatever did this will not be easy to find, Armando. If Slytherin hid it for a thousand years, we are unlikely to do much in a single night." Dippet nodded. "I understand. If you find nothing, return to your office and scan your collection of books. Salazar is said to have kept a monster in the Chamber. See if you can narrow the search down and determine the best course of action to slaying it." Neither Theseus nor Dippet noticed Tom freezing momentarily before he left the bathroom entrance.

As the Headmaster escorted the petrified body of Myrtle alongside Teresa, Sybil Croaker caught up to them. "The students should all be back in their Dorms by now." Armando nodded. The three reached the Hospital Wing, with Teresa and Poppy discussing which potions to try on the girl, while also finding a few cuts on the girl's wrists. Teresa sighed in relief as she pulled her wand away from the still body. "The petrification saved her. Otherwise she would have bled out. I can tell you that the cuts weren't self-inflicted as well. No hesitation marks. They were made after she was struck by the spell as the petrification was still taking effect. The assailant got the blood they needed, but no more." Sybil rubbed her face. "Oh Myrtle. Ever since she started taking my class, I have been so worried about her. I pray that this is the last of your troubles." As the Healers worked, Armando guided Sybil to the side. "What do you mean you have been worried about her? Has someone made threats in class against her?" Sybil searched Armando's face. "I know you don't take Divination all that seriously. But that girl… she has had a Death Omen over her head for years. When she was attacked last year, I thought it was over. But again the Omen lingered, as if Death wouldn't leave her be." Armando stared at the petrified body of the girl. "Sounds to me like the girl found herself a guardian angel, then, to have survived death twice now." Sybil looked at the Headmaster. "The Castle has felt odd for nearly two years now. The chill in the air, the happenings at Samhain. Death has lingered here, but Myrtle was present long before the change. The fates are in turmoil, Armando. Every prediction I have made has been split in two, giving me contradicting results." Dippet shrugged his shoulders. "I am afraid I am as confused as you are regarding these unusual events, though I am glad your prediction concerning Myrtle failed to be true."

Sybil stared at the man. "I may not be a Seer, but I felt something odd about Miss von Schwarzwald during her every Arithmancy session with me. Her arrival also coincides with the odd happenings, Armando. Had she been in Divination, I might have better understood what was happening around her." Dippet rubbed his chin. "She was offered the Divination elective and passed the third year examination for it, but refrained from taking up the course. In her words, "Fate is not something that should be measured or studied by those lacking the gift of Sight. Choice, not an unknowable natural phenomenon, should dictate the path of a person's life. For if circumstance and the world already conspire against a sentient's path through life, why should another force supersede all others?"" Sybil hummed to herself. "An interesting point of view. Still, I would advise you to keep an eye on her. Where Myrtle was constantly followed by a dark cloud, that girl felt immersed in something akin to maelstrom, where fate, choice, life and death are all twisted and warped. I wouldn't be surprised if her physical condition was a consequence of the effect she has on the world around her. A person like Lilith von Schwarzwald will draw Death to her frequently, Armando. Be careful around her." Armando watched as Sybil left the Hospital Wing before he sighed. "What have you gotten me into, old friend?"

"Did you hear about the message on the wall? "Enemies of the Heir… beware." The Heir of Slytherin has returned to the Castle!" Lilith spared a glance at Tom, watching as he tried his best to control his emotions. She knew that he wasn't responsible for the attack on Myrtle. She knew it. Unlike the boy in the Diary, Tom cared enough for Myrtle not to endanger her, and Lilith knew that Tom wouldn't make such a spectacle of his legacy, not after all the trouble he went to uncover it. The thought also made her question whether or not Tom had been behind the initial incident from Lillian's original timeline in the first place. Everyone that had known that Tom Riddle and Voldemort were one in the same always said that he was responsible for Myrtle's death and all the petrifications in 1943. And yet… the only clues that led to that conclusion, beyond what Neville claimed Tom said to him in the Chamber, had been Myrtle's testimony as a ghost, which only described a boy speaking in Parseltongue. If the events aren't far off and her own beliefs about Tom not being so forward about his inheritance were true, then that meant that there was another Parselmouth in the school, possibly a boy, who had opened the Chamber and attacked the students on his own, with Tom only claiming to have been the one responsible for it later. Lilith's eyes searched the room as she tried to piece together who else it might have been.

One of the boys, Lestrange, stood up. "If Warren was the victim of the attack, does that make Muggleborns the enemies of the Heir?" A girl that Lilith knew was related to the Crabbe family spoke up. "Of course they are! Salazar Slytherin held all those not born to magical families in contempt. They should never have been allowed to learn magic. Now the Heir has returned to finish the job." Lilith saw Tom's eyes narrow as his hand went for his wrist holster. Not wanting for him to draw attention to himself, Lilith raised her voice. "Is that all that it takes for the students of Slytherin to believe something? A bit of graffiti on the walls using the blood of an innocent? We do not know Salazar's true feelings on the matter because history did not record it. All we have are the words of disciples and detractors that wrote in his absence decades if not centuries later. This Heir is at worst a coward and a liar, or at best he is so driven to push their own agenda that they would run their ancestor's name through the mud to achieve their petty goals. In either case, their actions are their own, not the will of one of the Founders of this school." Lestrange turned to her. "And how would you know what is or isn't in our history, Schwarzwald. You are not from Britain." Lilith visibly bristled. "My grandmother was from a British family that took great pains to record every bit of history that they could, even if the rest of Britain forgot about it."

Stepping more to the middle, close to where Cygnus and Walburga sat, Lilith pressed on. "The history books would have everyone here believe that Merlin was a student of Hogwarts and a Slytherin. And yet, the history books also tell us that the Age of Camelot was centuries before the founding of the school, if not occuring at the same time. Merlin Emrys was already one of the greatest mages of the land, as was Morgana Pendragon, long before Hogwarts was recognized as a magical institution. So clearly someone made a mistake. Perhaps one of Merlin's heirs studied at the school and was confused for the great mage, but in the end that is besides the point. History regarding one of this House's most famous alumni was a lie. Why should we believe that the Founder himself was exactly as the so-called Heir or the propaganda of the Purebloods say? Why should we even care if it is? We are not anymore behoven to the ideas of a Founder as we are to the ideas of our Ancestors. In the past the world was believed to be flat! We believed that the stars and celestial bodies moved around the Earth and that the Ocean to the west held no new lands or peoples. All these beliefs were proven wrong. Should we still adhere to them because our forefathers believed them to be the truth, ignoring the evidence of our eyes?" As the silence following her statement lingered, a younger student spoke up.

"It won't matter what we believe or say. The rest of the school will blame us for the attack." Walburga stood up. "No, they will not." Taking a few steps forward, she rested her hand on Lilith's shoulder, giving her cousin a smile, before addressing the rest. "The students of House Slytherin will stand together in this and disavow the attack on Myrtle Warren as unrelated to us, our House's views on any students or on the will of the Founders themselves. The attack is nothing more than the work of a disturbed mind that is selfishly trying to threaten the lives of all those who study here freely. What is beyond any doubt is that Hogwarts itself is Salazar Slytherin's great legacy, regardless of what we might all believe of the man's personal beliefs. As students of his House and School, it is our duty to protect his legacy from all who would dare to tarnish it. If you do not wish to denounce this attack, then you are not required to respond at all. Anyone, however, that speaks up from this moment forward in support of this so-called Heir will be disciplined for supporting violence against fellow members of the student body." One of the boys that had previously supported Rosier stood up. "You aren't allowed to do that!" Cygus stood up. "We are, McNair. Just because our thoughts aren't the same as Rosier's, it doesn't mean you can ignore our orders. As King and Queen of this court, our decision stands."

McNair growled, raising his wand. Acting on instinct, as well as the knowledge that the wards she had covertly established last year within the Common Room had been successfully dismantled by the staff, Lilith kicked the table in front of her upward. As the red spell struck and shattered the table, Lilith, shielding her face with her robe, crossed the distance and swept McNair off his feet with a kick, before taking his wand and pressing her boot on his chest. She felt the wand react oddly to her, feeling slightly subservient but also vulnerable as her magics filled it, the point aimed at the boy's face. "Will you continue to disgrace this House? Salazar Slytherin was cunning and ambitious. He, however, was neither a coward nor traitor. That you would attack the Heads of the Court without issuing a challenge or awaiting a response certainly doesn't lend much weight to your argument nor cause." Handing the wand to Fawley, who helped to drag McNair away towards Slughorn's office, Lilith turned to quite the mixed expression. The Blacks and her yearmates look amused by how easily she took out McNair, while a few of the others were muttering among themselves. The younger students, however, were doing their best to restrain their laughter and admiration. Tom gave her an emotionless look, clearly trying to figure something out. "I would say that this so-called Heir is no better than McNair. They targeted a first generation witch while she was alone, in a bathroom, writing their supposed intentions on the wall. The rightful Heir would have claimed their position before the school and the students, certain in their words and cause."

Tom took a few steps forward to stand by Cygnus. "Instead, this impostor hides behind a title they cannot claim before us or the Wizengamot, attacking an innocent who has actually vowed to learn of our ways to better understand and interact with the society that she wasn't born into, before then retreating into the shadows again, letting the fools who would believe these words to act in the criminal's stead. Some may claim this to be a cunning plan, but it is nothing more than a coward and a thief's poor attempt at claiming what will never be theirs in the first place. We were already looked down upon by the school at breakfast as the Headmaster informed us of what occured last night. When we return to the Great Hall for dinner, we should do so as a united front, decrying the crimes and actions of this False Heir for all to see. It will not only help us reclaim what honor we might have lost by association but make it clear to the criminal that Hogwarts, all of Hogwarts, stands against them." Cygnus and Walburga shared a look before Walburga nodded, as Cygnus addressed the Common Room. "We as King and Queen of the Court support this plan. As the Headmaster declared, we will remain in the Dorms for the day, completing our written assignments, but as soon as we enter the Great Hall for dinner, the Prefects will voice the stance of Slytherin House. That is all."

As the students started dispersing, many returning to their Dorms, Lilith watched as Tom was approached by many of the boys, with Cygnus remaining by his side. Watching a few of the younger years chatting together, Lilith checked on them first, before slipping a piece of paper into Tom's hand. She made it as if she was going to her own Dorm Room, slipping under her Invisibility Cloak once out of sight and masking all traces of her presence, before making her way into the Boy Dorms and finding Tom's room. Already inside, Tom allowed her to enter, sealing the door behind wards. Feeling a little adventurous as this was the first time that she was in his dorm room, Lilith removed her cloak, before pulling Tom by his tie and pressing her lips into his. Lilith moaned softly into the kiss, before pulling back, feeling her body grow warm. "Thank you for the back up." Tom gave her a smile. "Seemed prudent. Think they will take the bait?" Lilith chuckled to herself, happy that he caught on. "Possibly, but we will need to check with Slughorn first, if we plan to be able to act on it, after he deals with McNair's actions of course. Are you planning to involve the staff?" Tom sighed, taking a few steps away and sitting on the bed. "If this was any other situation, I would." Lilith sat next to him. "Worried about Rene?" Tom nodded. "My Parselmagic focus has been on the use of the arts for wards and enchantments. If this other Parselmouth got into the Chamber and can manipulate Rene to attack…"

Lilith sighed. "Then anyone not versed in fighting a Basilisk would die horribly, with their skin being as resistant to magic as dragon scales, if not more so with Rene's age." Tom ran his hand over his hair. "I also heard the Headmaster talking to Professor Ross just before we left. They are planning to kill Rene, without a single thought to her own situation." Lilith frowned but nodded. "Right then. We keep the staff out of this. The question then becomes how can we survive whilst fighting the false Heir and Rene at the same time. I doubt either of us can go in blind." Nodding at her words, Tom reached into his pocket, pulling out a silver locket, before handing it to Lilith. "It has a Parselmagic counter to a Basilisk's deadly sight. I spent much of the night working on it from one of Salazar's texts." Lilith blushed lightly as she took it, wondering if he had been planning to give it to her as a present. "What about you?" Tom pulled out Slytherin's Locket from around his neck. "This and the Heir Ring have the same counter. I think Salazar wanted to keep his descendants safe, whether they were the rightful heirs or not. I would have given you the Locket but I was certain I would be trading one possible death for another at your hands." Lilith chuckled, feeling warm that he was that considerate of her own feelings. "Not death, but certainly a painful and lonely existence. And that does sound like Salazar."

Raising herself up from the bed, Lilith paced around Tom's dorm room. "Alright, so we each have a defence against Rene's deadly and petrifying gaze. That still leaves Re e's natural resistance to magic and a false Heir who will likely be making a run for the Chamber as soon as they can get away from the students and staff. They could try again this very night, making a break for the Chamber whilst we are traveling to and from the Great Hall. Our words and the Court's decision will surely bruise their ego and they will probably want to double down on their threats. How do we make sure they can't release Rene into the Castle again, nor hurt anyone else?" Tom rubbed chin. "I am not sure. Getting them to the Chamber and locking them in with Rene would be ideal to avoid further collateral damage, but I don't have direct or remote control over the Chamber's wards. I would have to be inside the Chamber first and reach the wardroom to lock everything down. Even then, I wouldn't be able to stay there. If we aren't seen heading for the Feast, the impostor might catch on and not take the bait." Lilith nodded, before her eyes landed on Pandora, who was looking at them both curiously. A smile grew on Lilith's face. "I have an idea that just might work."

Tapping at Slughorn's office door, Lilith turned to Tom. "Last chance to change your mind." Tom shook his head as they heard the professor say "enter." Once both were inside, Lilith closed the door, with Tom approaching the man who was looking over his documents. When Horace looked up from his parchment, he gave Tom a genuine smile. "Ah, Tom. I heard from your fellow Prefects about your suggestion for dinner. Excellent idea, my boy. Being a Prefect has done you well. Please, sit and tell me what's on your mind. I hope that the lunch baskets delivered by the elves were to your liking. The Headmaster felt that another search of the Castle was necessary after last night turned up little to go by. Though I am sorry that the elves weren't very accomodating. Dippet is taking security quite seriously, as is to be expected." Tom nodded, though he refused to take a seat. "Lunch was fine, sir, as the safety of the school and its students should supersede all concerns for the Headmaster. That's why I wanted to speak to you, sir. I have information that I need to provide you in the hopes of getting your assistance. I do want to make clear that this assistance will in no way result in a crime or to lend any assistance to the criminal responsible for the attack on Myrtle Warren." Slughorn looked at Tom carefully, before looking at Lilith for a moment. His eyes returned to the boy, as he placed his quill to the side, while activating the wards on his door. "Very well. What do you wish to tell me?"

Taking a deep breath, Tom released the disillusionment charm that hid his family ring. "Firstly, the perpetrator is a liar. He is making a false claim to being the Heir to The Ancient House of Slytherin. I know this because I have this ring with me." Tom raised his hand, revealing his ring to Horace. The Professor's eyes widened as the emblem on it was clear enough to see. He looked up at Tom. "You are the Heir of Slytherin?" Tom nodded. "I am. During the year, I had located the Chamber belonging to my ancestor and had been working on strengthening my claim to the Lordship, which is not guaranteed even by me wearing this ring. In the last few days, however, it seemed that someone else located one of the entrances and entered the chamber. This person is not only a Parselmouth, as it is a requirement to access the Chamber, but is likely to be somewhat knowledgeable in the use of Parselmagic." Slughorn sat up straighter. "You know this last part… how?" Tom sighed. "Myrtle. Lilith and I believe that she fell victim to the effects of a Basilisk's gaze." Slughorn frowned. "But a Basilisk's gaze is lethal." Lilith stepped forward. "Direct line of sight with a Basilisk's gaze is indeed lethal, but obscured or reflected line of sight leads to paralysis." Lilith rubbed her arm nervously. "Myrtle's glasses had been enchanted by me earlier in the year. I had been testing some magical protections, including the ability to reflect or neutralize powerful line of sight based spells, to keep her safe from magics like Legilimency. Myrtle didn't die because of that, but the magic of the Basilisk was enough to break through the protection, petrifying her."

Horace sighed in relief. "Then Miss Warren owes you her life. The question is, why bring this to me? Why not inform the Headmaster?" Tom shook his head. "It's not that simple, sir. We don't know who the other Parselmouth is. We suspect they are in Slytherin, but that is as far as we know. If they become aware of the fact that the Headmaster is after them, they can just bide their time, never approaching the Chamber again whilst they remain a student, leaving the matter unsolved for decades, if not for all time. That's why we came to you, sir. We have a plan that can catch the False Heir, but for it to work, we need to be able to access the Chamber and then leave the Feast as soon as Dinner starts. We plan to trap them in the hidden chamber and confront them." Slughorn shook his head. "I am afraid I cannot allow that, Tom. The staff needs to handle this." Lilith spoke up. "Sir, there are various reasons why it must be us. Firstly, none of you have any defences against a Basilisk's gaze. We do. Not only is she highly spell resistant, but if the False Heir can force her to attack as we believe, then there is a good chance that the rest of the staff may die in the attempt to subdue her. If they were to succeed in killing her… it would be a travesty beyond words, for in many ways she is a child of Salazar Slytherin himself. Secondly, we do not wish the Basilisk any harm, something the Staff cannot guarantee were they to face her. She is more than just a beast; she is a sentient lifeform, our friend and Tom's family. With us, her own instincts will force her to hesitate, giving us the opening we need to stop the Heir and free her. Finally, there is the issue of the Chamber not being Hogwarts property."

Tom continued on from there. "The Chamber is the property of House Slytherin. My house. As the Heir, I have a duty and responsibility to protect it from attacks by those who would do it harm. This False Heir has besmirched the House's name and threatens my claim to the position as the Head of the Family, while manipulating and endangering another member of the family in the process. I have to be the one that resolves the situation through my own power." Slughorn rubbed his eyes, before steepling his hands before him. "Tom, you are but sixteen. You should not be carrying that responsibility on your shoulder, Heir or not." He then looked at Lilith. "And as for you, while you are the Lady of your House, there is no reason why you should be involved in this, regardless of your courtship status." Lilith raised her left hand against her chest, revealing her family ring. "Tom Riddle and I are in a partnership. I swore that I would help him on his path to Lordship and I will. Beyond that, I and the Basilisk are friends. She means something to me as much as she means something to Tom. I want… no, I need to be there to protect her and Tom from this impostor." Tom drew Horace's attention to him again. "I can understand that this is a lot to ask of you sir, but we need your assistance so that we can fulfill our duties and protect that which we cherish, before another victim suffers again. The next one may not be as lucky as Myrtle was."

Rubbing his face, Horace looked Tom right in the eyes. "And when you find this impostor, what then? What is your measurement for success? Do you plan to capture him? Bring him in alive so that they may face charges for their attack on Miss Warren? Or were you planning on killing them for their actions against your House? Because believe me Tom, you don't want to go down that road. Which is it, Tom?" Riddle took a deep breath, trying to restrain the anger that he felt whenever he envisioned what the impostor had done to his family's name. Salazar told him that he embraced and valued the traits of ambition and cunning in his students because he wanted to nurture the ones under his care to be the best people they could be for the roles they wanted. He didn't care if they were from rich or influential families, or if they were the first to have magic in their bloodline. If they were capable, they deserved to study and grow. The fact that the impostor had attacked Myrtle, whom Tom now saw as the embodiment of Salazar's hopes for first generation witches, left him feeling quite furious, enough that Pandora had even tried to console him back in his room. "As much as I would like to bring the perpetrator alive, there are no guarantees, sir. They will have a Basilisk under their control and will likely know how to fight back. We can promise to do our best to dissuade and capture them, but the priority will be making sure that what happened to Warren doesn't happen again and that the Basilisk is freed from his control. Whether you help us or not, we are going to do this. We just felt that you deserved to know and hoped that you would have our backs."

Slughorn looked at both Lilith and Tom, seeing the determination in their faces. He sighed as he sat back in his chair. "Very well. You have my permission to go carry out your duties. Do keep in mind what I have said, Tom. Taking a life is no small thing. It eats away at you, tearing your soul apart. I watched as it happened to many dear friends and family before. Do not make the same mistakes they made. The moment you take your first life, there is no going back." Tom lowered his head, feeling the weight of his duty and the burden of Slughorn's words sinking into his shoulders. "That may be so, sir." Tom lifted his eyes as he watched Lilith staring down the professor. "But I personally believe that the weight of one violent soul on your conscience isn't much, when it compares to the weight of dozens, if not hundreds of innocents. If you had the chance to put a stop to a monster that would lay waste to everyone and everything that you loved and held dear, and all it took was carrying the weight of their death on your shoulders, would it not be worth the price?" Slughorn stared back at her for a moment, before he lowered his eyes. "I suppose that would depend on the person. And perhaps that is what separates ordinary sentients from extraordinary ones. Still, be wary. The line is there for a reason. Crossing it may be easy, and in fact necessary at times, but once you cross it, there is no going back." Tom felt his strength return and the two students left the Professor's office, the man resigned to the fate that he may lose a student. He dearly hoped it wasn't more than that.

"They took the bait." Lilith snapped her head towards Tom as they completed their escort of the students back to the Slytherin Dorms from The Great Hall. He nodded towards the direction of the entrance of the Chamber, before the two led the rest of the students into the Dorms. Closing the Common Room entrance, Lilith followed after Tom, feeling better about the plan now that the False Heir had actually entered the Chamber. They had expected the impostor to move during the initial approach to the Great Hall, just like last time, on the idea that they were hoping to get as much of a reaction as possible when they released the Basilisk again against the teachers or prefects who continued to patrol the school in rotating shifts. Instead, the impostor seemed to have actually taken the caution to wait until after the feast, slipping out during the return to the Dorms, where roll call would take a bit longer without the Headmaster and the other staff members being around. Lilith could at least recognize that the impostor wasn't a complete idiot. As Tom knelt to the ground, pressing his ring hand against the floor in front of the primary entrance, Lilith pressed her hand against the wall and frowned. "The wards?" Tom nodded. "It worked like you said it would. Pandora was able to lock them back down as soon as the person entered the Chamber." Pulling back as the wall slipped to the side, the two crossed the threshold of the Chamber wards.

Closing the entrance behind them, they reached the final door leading into the Chamber, with Tom drawing his wand out as Lilith stripped off her robes. Tom did a double take at the amounts of plates attached to Lilith, raising an eyebrow at her. She had plates attached to her upper arms, forearms, thighs and legs on both sides of her body. "Worried much?" Lilith shrugged. "If they are allies of Rosier, they are bound to remember the duel. I am not going through burn treatment again." Nodding in understanding, Tom kept his wand aimed at the closed vault door, before Pandora, channeling his magic, unlocked it from within. As the door swung open, red and purple curses struck the walls around the opening, with one sailing past them. Detaching three plates and keeping them hidden behind her back, Lilith allowed Tom to take the lead. Not wanting to get hit by any curses, Tom whipped his wand in a circle. "Aegis Tenebris." The shield created to counter most curses took form, even as it blocked several impacts from spells, which appeared as stars blinking in and out of existence against the darkness of the shield. Lilith released two more of her plates, having them hovering protectively in front of Tom. When a familiar red curse passed through the shield, the plates dissipated the curse safely. "Stop hiding behind your shield, you coward!" Tom frowned. He knew that voice. "You're one to talk, Bryce. Attacking Myrtle with the Basilisk? Cutting her wrists when the Basilisk failed to kill her? And now here you are, hiding like a rat, hurling curses at the barest sign of movement. After all that, you dare to call yourself the Heir of Slytherin?!"

A few more curses struck the barrier and a few more got through, but the plates dissipated them. "I knew it had to be you, Riddle. When Dumbledore asked me to keep tabs on you, I had a feeling you were more than just Schwarzwald's shadow. You thought you could steal this from me, Riddle? You and your tramp already took the Slytherin Court from me. Rosier was going to leave me in charge as Slytherin's Heir, but you just had to take that from me too. Now it's your turn to lose something ~Basilisk, attack him! I command you!"~ Tom gestured for Lilith, who was pulling her Invisibility Cloak out, to move along the edges of the Chamber unseen, as he pressed forward, taking cover behind one of the snake statues. ~"Rene! This isn't you. Fight his commands. You are the Guardian of House Slytherin! Do not let him force you to violate your nature."~ Tom heard the snake hiss in aggravation, before peaking out to see where Anton was. He could see Bryce at the center of the Chamber, verbally cursing at Rene as she tried to fight his control. ~"No! You are mine, Basilisk. You will do as I command. I command you to attack Riddle."~ Bryce turned towards Tom and waved his wand. "Bombarda Maxima!" Tom rushed to the left as the statue exploded a few seconds afterwards, feeling the impact of stone fragments all along his side, before landing on one of the paths that led to the alcoves. He scampered forward, unleashing a chain of stunners and banishers, but Bryce just deflected them all with a shield.

Tom snapped his head to the side when he heard Lilith yelp, though he couldn't see where she was. He did notice something invisible slip into the water. Unfortunately, so did Bryce. "Ahh, of course you would bring her with you. Tell me, has she been selling her body to you as a way to gain your favor? How else would you dare to bring her to our Ancestor's chamber. She doesn't belong here anymore than those filthy mudbloods belong in our school!" Tom growled. "All who have magic beling within these walls! That is Salazar's true feelings on this matter. That you cannot see this as evidence of how unworthy you truly are!" Bryce, furious, turned to the Basilisk. ~"I imagine that you are compelled not to harm the Heir. Fine then. Attack the girl hiding in the shadows and kill her. Bite down on her and swallow her whole if you must. I command you to obey!"~ Tom felt his heart sink as Rene moved without much difficulty towards where Lilith had just been, the snake sinking into the waters of the chamber. Bryce himself moved towards Tom, who took a few deep breaths and held a dueling shield active on his offhand wandlessly, before charging forward. Bryce chuckled as the two started trading curses. "Of course Merrythought taught you that advanced Dueling tactic. Then again, you have been blessed by having everything given to you, haven't you, Riddle? Most of the professors adore you, a pretty girl practically fell on your lap and Slughorn made you Prefect despite there being better candidates. I had forgiven you for all those slights, but when you stole my inheritance from me, that was something I could not forgive!"

As Bryce started casting the torture curse repeatedly, Tom was forced to drop the shield and focus on transfiguring defences against the curse, as Anton continued to use curses that the shield's could intercept on their own. One stray bolt of red energy struck his leg and Tom fell down to the ground screaming in pain. Bryce laughed to himself as he approached the rightful Heir. "See, that's more like it. Scream for me, Riddle. You and your bastard blood stole my right to the House of Slytherin. It should have been me as the eldest. But no, Slytherin's House had to keep the line of succession through the firstborn line, not the males. You and your mother took my birthright from me, just as the muggles tried to do. I, abandoned at a Welsh orphanage, with nothing but my name. The bitch of a woman that was my mother having thrown me away, not knowing what a privilege she had been given. I was the first born of the last generation of the Gaunts! The Heirship of Slytherin should have gone to me, not you! Crucio!" Tom screamed in pain as his entire flesh felt as if it was on fire, his fist striking the ground repeatedly as he tried to fight through the pain. Bryce laughed even more, a manic look in his eyes. "That's it. Scream! This pain is everything you deserved for all that you put me through. The humiliation of my inheritance test, which revealed nothing but me being second inline to all of my rightful claims. I was supposed to arrive at Hogwarts triumphant, as Rosier's successor. I was going to put all the students of Slytherin back on their rightful path. But no, you and your whore had to take everything from me. Well, guess what, I am now going to take everything from you first. Avada Kedavra!"

Tom cursed under his breath as the Cruciatus Curse lifted, his vision filled with the shadows of the Chamber flashing green, his thoughts turning to Lilith for a brief second, before he felt a familiar magic envelop him, a small disc blocking and disrupting the Killing Curse an inch away from his face. "Tom!" Anton cursed as he turned around, spotting the Basilisk's face covered in Lilith's Invisibility Cloak as the redhead rushed towards the sixth year. Tom, still struggling from muscle spasms, pulled himself into the water of the Basilisk's pool, breaking Anton's line of sight on him, as Lilith's plates kept deflecting Anton's killing and torture curses away from her. Lilith drew her knives from her holster and rolled away from a curse, before throwing all but one of them at Anton's feet. She heard him scream in pain as one lodged itself into his leg as Lilith slit her left palm open, before drawing her wand. She felt the sting as her magics fought for control of the wand, though the blood soaking the wooden grip reduced the wand's resistance. Lilith tried to cast a few curses. but found that her connection to the wand was still too tenuous for them to travel far before dissipating. She was forced to rely on basic stunners and cutters. Anton had an easier time against her than with Tom, smirking at her the whole time. "That stunt you pulled on Rosier isn't easy to repeat, is it, whore? How does it feel to be no better than a squib? Must really sting, having to let Riddle and the Black's do everything for you. That's why you are courting him, right? You give your body to him and he lets you have all of Slytherin's power. Too bad for you, it's not his to give!"

Lilith spotted Rene moving towards her just as Tom broke the surface of the water. Deploying all of the plates, she was able to keep Tom safe from Anton's lethal curses. His next words, however, made her panic. ~"The boy is vulnerable. Strike at him first with your fangs. I command it."~ Lilith watched as Rene instinctively changed course, charging towards Tom, even as Anton focused all of his attention on him, casting curses blindly where the Basilisk would soon be. She knew that her plates weren't able to block a strong physical attack, much less from a Basilisk whose scales would disrupt the shields created by her plates. On instinct alone, Lilith rushed to Tom's side as he pulled himself out of the water. He barely saw the Basilisk charging towards him, before Lilith reached him, pushing him down to the ground and away. The snake's momentum didn't allow it to stop as it closed its maws, seeking to catch anything in its mouth. Tom barely had a moment to realize what had happened when he heard Lilith screaming in pain, her right arm caught in Rene's mouth as the Basilisk's fangs sunk deep into human flesh. Anton smiled at the damage the Basilisk inflicted on Lilith, before he aimed his wand at Tom. "Now for you. Goodbye, cousin. Ava-ahhh!" The young man wasn't able to complete the curse as one of Lilith's spinning plates carved its way through his fingers and wand. The severed pieces of flesh and wood dropped to the ground with splatters of blood as Bryce screamed in pain and rage and redirected his gaze to the snake. ~"Attack the boy now! Finish him! I command it!"~ Tom turned his attention to the Basilisk as its eyes fixed on him as she released her captured prey from its mouth, before something froze everyone in their place.

~"Renenutet, Guardian of Slytherin's nest. By my blood, I release you from his control."~ Tom looked dumbfoundedly at a wounded Lilith as she collapsed onto her back, before Rene released a blood curdling scream of pain and anguish that Tom felt to his very core as whatever had kept her under Anton's control failed. Catchin movement out of the corner of his eyes, he saw as Anton Bryce pulled himself away, his still whole hand reaching out and grasping a discarded knife. At that moment all other things ceased to exist for Tom, his eyes fixed on the young man that had caused him and those closest to him so much misery. Acting on muscle memory he didn't know he had, Tom held out his wand before him. He watched as his vision flickered, his wand changing oddly in shape, his fingers looking elongated and unnaturally thin. The person before him, however, did not change as Tom gathered all of the hate he now held in his heart for Anton Bryce. The image of an injured Lilith flashed before his eyes and his rage surged with unnatural strength. "Avada Kedavra!" The curse slipped from his lips as easily as if he had cast it hundreds of times before. He watched as the boy stared back at him in terror, before the green light struck his chest. Those same eyes that had been filled with a manic glee at inflicting pain upon others turned dull and lifeless as Anton's head slumped back onto the wet ground with a small thud. Breathing heavily, Tom walked forward, his eyes trained on the dead body before him, feeling an odd sense of familiarity. Everything that had just happened should have been new to him and yet he felt calm. Oddly enough, that made him feel worse. Then pain filled his mind as he winced.

Memories of another life began to flash before his eyes, many stemming from the very echoes he had caught in his dreams. Familiar faces, both detestable and welcomed, knelt before him in a wide chamber, all cowering in fear or awe of the man that stood before them, the being having returned seemingly from the grave. An old man's face, one that he now recognized to that of an older looking Dumbledore, stood defiantly before him in the Ministry Atrium, a dark haired boy standing at his side, before the two greatest wizards of the age began to face each other in a duel of magic. And yet, even as these memories filled Tom's mind, the emotions that should have been with them were barely noticeable, if not absent altogether. Only a few fragmented moments seemed to actually have emotions attached to them, mostly of anger and pain, many of them from when he encountered and was thwarted by the Longbottom boy. And yet…, in that seemingly eternal void of emotions, a few memories stood out. A painful realisation as he looked into the green, defiant eyes of a little girl, whose life and memories all but mirrored his own. The few glimpses that he had of her as she grew into a young woman, so very different from the boy he had once been, and yet so very much alike. The sight of her growing strength, but willingness to be subservient to him, though not blindly as the others, had eased much of his pain, finding it replaced with a feeling of admiration. His one mistake in life, finding meaning all on her own.

"… Tom…" Lilith's frail sounding voice snapped his attention back to the moment, his unlocked memories retreating back into the recesses of his mind, as he rushed to her side, dropping down to his knees. He stared at the ruin of her right forearm, the tattered white sleeves and glimpses of pale skin drenched in blood, her green tie wrapped painfully high and tight on her upper arm. Her green eyes looked at him, filled with tears. "You… are… ok… I am… glad." Tom caressed Lilith's cheek gently. "I am, thanks to you. Now we need to get you some help. Hogsby!" Lilith smiled at him sadly. "I need you… to do something… for me Tom, before… it's too late. I need you to… cut off my arm above where I tied it." Tom's heart started beating wildly, his words slipping out of his mouth with barely a thought behind them, each louder than the last. "What are you talking about? I need to get you to the Hospital Wing. Hogsby! Don't worry, Lilith. Madam Prewett can heal you back up in no time. You will see! Hogsby! HOGSBY!" Lilith's left hand reached out and took a hold of his right hand, his wand still in his grasp. Lilith took a few short breaths. "Basilisk venom is … lethal. No… antivenom. We… didn't have time… to make it… ourselves. Please… Tom…" Tears started to run down Lilith's cheeks. "I don't… I don't want to die… not like this. Please… save me… Tom… please…" Tom's breathing grew jagged and deep as Lilith's words registered. With Hogsby not answering his summons, he would have to take her to the Hospital Wing on his own. If he didn't cut off her arm… she wouldn't survive at all. Lifting up her left hand up to his face, he kissed her skin lovingly as tears ran down his eyes. "Please… forgive me…" Lilith smiled at him as she closed her eyes. Tom pressed the tip of his shaking wand against her upper arm. It took him two tries to say the words, before he was momentarily blocked by blood as it splattered across his face. Her words, however, would ring in his ears, possibly for the rest of his life. "I… forgive you… for everything."

Chapter 27: The Heir of Slytherin

"Hold on, Lilith. Please. Hold on!" Tom held the far lighter Lilith against his chest, her discarded robe covering the stump of her missing arm, as he rushed through the corridors of the Castle. Lilith's left hand, which was holding onto his shirt, pulled on the cloth slightly. Her voice was so faint that Tom could have sworn that he had imagined it. "I don't… think I could… get very far…" Ignoring her attempt at humor, Tom rushed his way up the stairs, before heading down the corridor that would lead to the Hospital Wing. "We are almost there. Lilith. Please, hold on. Just a bit more." The only response Tom got was a very weak whisper. "… cold…" Waving his hand wildly, the doors of the Hospital Wing flew open by the power of the raw magic unleashed from his palm. "Madam Prewett, Healer Pomfrey. Help! Help her!" Poppy popped out of the door to the Healer's office. "What's… by the goddess! Teresa, come quick! Bring her to bed, young man. Quickly!" As Tom laid Lilith as gently as he could on the bed, Teresa reached their side, her eyes growing wide as she pulled the bundle of robes off from Lilith's stump. "Poppy, get the blood replenishing potions, bring as many as we have! What happened to her? Where is her arm?" Tom lowered his eyes, his hands trembling. Whether they were the after effects of the Cruciatus Curse or the echoes of the pain he felt when he was forced to serve her arm, he wasn't sure. "She was bitten and injected with a highly corrosive and deadly venom, one of which you had no counter. She begged me to sever her arm, otherwise medical treatment would have been pointless."

Teresa turned to Poppy as she placed the vials on the table next to the bed. "Do a full scan of her blood for foreign materials, just in case, whilst I try to stabilize her. She is losing consciousness quickly." Teresa waved her wand over Lilith's body, a soft glow emanating from the pale skin repeatedly, though it was clearly not as effective as she had hoped. "She's so weak. Why didn't you summon one of the elves to get her here quickly." Tom's eyes narrowed and his response was a bit more heated than he would have otherwise given. "I tried! Hogsby didn't answer! None of them did!" Teresa stared at him for a second before realization dawned on her. "Damn it, Armand. You should have left them room for medical emergencies. Nevermind. Please, sit down Mr Riddle, as we stabilize her." Tom took the seat to Lilith's left, holding her hand in his. He kissed her palm, his tears not once ceasing to run down his face. "Please, you have to make it. Please." Tom lingered by her side for what felt like hours as the two Healers sealed her wounds, before they started restoring her blood with potions. Lilith had remained unconscious throughout all of the ordeal, which had left Tom feeling hollowed out inside. He stared at her deathly pale face, wishing to pull her back into his arms, but knowing that the Healers would yell at him as soon as he tried. Eventually, he felt a hand on his shoulder, though his eyes and mind remained fixed on Lilith, before Teresa forced him to turn towards her. "I need to check you now." Tom nodded, returning his gaze to Lilith. He heard Teresa curse after she scanned him with her wand.

"Mr Riddle, you need to let go of her and get treated. Your body is suffering from Cruciatus nerve damage. It's not severe but if I don't try and treat it, you will be physically in pain for days, if not weeks." Noticing that he wasn't budging, Teresa sighed. "You did what you could for her. She's alive and recovering, because of you. Now please, let me treat you. I am sure that in the next few weeks she will be needing a lot of help. How will you feel if you aren't there, capable of providing it, because you failed to see to your own wellbeing? How do you think she will react if she heard that you failed to look after yourself at all?" Tom closed his eyes and sighed, but he allowed himself to be pushed down onto the next bed over by the Healers, with Teresa stripping his clothes off, rubbing some healing balm on his body. He allowed his attention to waver, spotting the petrified body of Myrtle on a nearby bed. "Why isn't the Headmaster here?" Teresa continued applying the balm over his chest. He hadn't noticed that it had been hurting him at all until the heat of the balm began to soothe the pain in his muscles. "Mostly because I haven't told him. I am a Healer, Mr Riddle. My duty is to you and to Lilith first. As soon as you two are well, then I will summon him so that you can explain what has happened." Tom felt some measure of relief, knowing that Lilith wasn't going to be interrogated while she was fighting to remain conscious. Tom frowned in thought, noticing that something was off.

"What about the DMLE? Have they been notified about the petrification?" Teresa sighed, shaking her head. "As the attack left a student petrified, not dead, it wasn't deemed prudent, until the suspect had been apprehended." Tom gave Teresa a look. "We are going to be needing their involvement." Teresa looked into his eyes. "They are dead, aren't they? The perpetrators?" Tom broke eye contact with her. "Lilith and I tried our best but he wouldn't relent. He used a XXXXX magical creature under his control to attack us, even though the creature would ordinarily have refused his orders. I…" Teresa reached out with her finger, silencing him. "Do not say another word. You need time to process what happened, and you need to do it without the threat of a prison sentence over your head." Tom sighed, but nodded. "I understand. Still, if you could be the one to contact the DMLE? Maybe get Auror Potter to get our statements?" Teresa raised an eyebrow but smiled. "Euphemia does have a way about her, doesn't she? Very well. I will send her a Floo Call soon. For now, please, rest up." Tom turned to look at Lilith, with Poppy wrapping her body up in blankets to keep her warm. Teresa rested her hand on his shoulder. "Lilith is stable now, though with the amount of blood that she lost, she will be feeling faint for quite a few days, even with the Blood Replenishing potions in her system. Now rest. It's more likely that you will be up before she is."

Not wishing to press any further after all the help that Teresa had been, Tom closed his eyes. For a second all he could see was red. The red of Lilith's blood as it covered his face the moment he sliced her arm off. Then, he was back in the Chamber, staring down at the body of Anton Bryce. Tom felt numbed by the sight. Cousin. He and Anton had been cousins and he hadn't known about it. The Inheritance Test wasn't a proper Family Tree, after all. The Goblins had made that very clear, as the test was designed to trace back his ancestry, showing every couple from which he had descended from. Where Merope Gaunt was, leading up to her parents, she had no other branches. Yet, he knew that Morfin Gaunt had been her brother, the same Morfin Gaunt that had been Anton Bryce's father. Bryce… The name of the family that lived near to the Riddles and Gaunts. He remembered from Christmas, about Rose Bryce, who had moved to Cardiff before the war. Tom felt his heart grow heavy. He felt somewhat guilty for bringing death to another Gaunt, his very own cousin. And yet, the young man had intended to kill him first. As unconsciousness began to pull at his mind, Lilith's words rang in his ears from the time he confronted her after she had killed Morfin. The Gaunts would have seen to his death, no matter what Tom did or became. They would never have accepted him. He could see that now. Still, he wished that things could have been different. For him and the cousin he had been forced to kill.

Feeling faint and cold, Lilith struggled to open her eyes. The moment they focused on the familiar roof of the Hospital Wing, Lilith blinked in confusion. Trying to prop herself up, Lilith instantly felt a pain unlike any she had ever experienced shooting up into her shoulder. Lifting up her right arm, Lilith stared at the bandaged stump, her memories from the Chamber returning to her in force. Her breathing grew jagged as she moved her left hand through the gap of where her right arm used to be, finding nothing there, even though she could feel a deep rooted pain that felt so very real. Holding her upper arm in her left hand, Lilith's body started to shake as her eyes grew damp. She did her best to bury the feelings catching up on her, shaking her head every time she felt she would be overwhelmed. She was startled when the privacy screen was pulled open, revealing Madam Prewett. Closing the curtain behind her, Teresa approached Lilith slowly, sitting on Lilith's right before wrapping her arm over her shoulder and pulling her in for a gentle hug. "Let it out, dear. Let it all out." Lilith's eyes stung but she shook her head. "I shouldn't. It's not right." Teresa tried to calm the younger redhead down. "Lilith, what you have gone through is a terrible ordeal. A life changing one. You can't just ignore it." Lilith shook her head harder. "I can't! I can't let myself be bothered by this! I have to be better than this!"

Teresa held Lilith against her. "There is no shame in feeling hurt or vulnerable. There is no shame in mourning what you have lost. Just let yourself feel it." Lilith clenched her hand. "It's not about me! I can't let Tom see me like this! I can't!" Teresa turned Lilith's face so that they could see eye to eye. "That young man did everything in his power to bring you here, to save you. You don't have to feel ashamed if he were to see you like this." Lilith lowered her eyes. "It's not about vanity. I… I can't be upset by this. I can't let it bother me. Otherwise, he will regret it too. He will blame himself for what he did to save me. I don't want him to feel guilty for what he did. I don't want him to think that he has hurt me. It's not fair to him." Teresa sighed. "That is very noble of you, Lilith. But you need to accept the fact that this is something that hurts you. Reassure him if you must, but you can't go on repressing your pain. It's not healthy for either of you." Lilith remained silent, though her hand was still clenched. Teresa rubbed the girl's back. "I also need to ask what you plan to do about it. You know that we can technically regrow it." Lilith nodded. "I read as much. I also know that it takes years to get the limbs to match, with lots of physical therapy and a heavy potions regimen because the muscles wouldn't be as developed as they should be. Even then, it's not the same." Teresa sighed but nodded. "Yes, that is why most people prefer a prosthetic. I am guessing you will be looking to use one?"

Lilith was silent, her breathing still labored. "I… can probably get one made for me. I just… I just…" Teresa held Lilith to her again. "Let it out. You don't need to say anything and no one else will hear you. So please, let yourself feel everything that you are keeping inside." Lilith bit her lip as tears spilled from her eyes. She pressed her head against Teresa's chest and cried. In both lives that she had lived she had known pain and scars. As Lilith she had taken pride in her wounds, as a permanent reminder that she needed to get better but signs that she had survived. As Lillian, scars had been a source of shame, proof that her life wasn't the way it should have been. Earned from the exorcist who tried to beat the magic out of her, the bullies that tried to take advantage of her frail body, or even the punks who had betrayed her at Hogwarts, all because of her House colors and family name. She had been ashamed of every single mark on her body, at least until she and Luna got together during her fourth year. Her beloved friend had never been bothered by the scars, as she herself carried many, the worst one being within her after witnessing her mother's death. So Lillian had learned to ignore her scars. This wound, however, was more than either had ever gone through. From this night forward she would carry more than a permanent reminder that she had survived. She would always know that she had lost much of what made life normal.

So Lilith cried as she was forced to once again accept that she would never have a normal life. She cried even as she swore that she would never hold her injury against Tom. She had heard the spell that he had used, the tone of his voice and the cold feeling that had lingered in the chamber after the death of Anton Bryce. She also remembered the panic in his voice, the clammy feel of his skin against her, the irregular beat of his heart against her ear as he carried her to the Hospital Wing. She couldn't burden him with her troubles. He needed someone there to help him through what had happened, though Lilith felt that right now she was too vulnerable and unstable to be there for him. Pulling back from the Healer, Lilith raised up her hand and concentrated on a happy memory. Even as she remembered her first true kiss with Tom, the memory seemed to flicker as her current state impeded her from getting the emotional state needed for the spell to work. Eventually the spell succeeded and a softly glowing winged serpent wrapped around her arm, its feathered wings kept flat on its body. Lilith took a few deep breaths. "I need you to come to Hogwarts. I have been injured and he… he needs help. The same help you gave me. Please, be there for him. Please…" The wings unfurled and the spectral creature vanished as it flew through the privacy screen. Lilith collapsed onto the bed, breathing heavily, as Teresa looked her over. The healer stayed by Lilith's side until unconsciousness claimed her once more.

Tom looked down at the body of Anton Bryce, exhaustion and rage filling his chest in equal measure. The foolish young man had endangered the very existence of the Chamber of Secrets. Tom wasn't certain how this other Parselmouth found the Salazar's Chamber, but found it he did. While Tom had been busy strengthening his position with the Slytherin students, many of them outliers of the House, Bryce had kept himself a loyal lap dog of Valerio Rosier. Even after the man graduated from Hogwarts, his influence still lingered in Slytherin House, enough that Tom had to spend greater efforts in maneuvering his support of the Dark Faction students and their families without becoming a sycophant at the beck and call of masters unsuited to rule. Because they were all unsuited to hold any power over the Wizarding World, just as the Light were. They craved and nurtured their wealth and contacts, but they never did anything of actual substance. They were so satisfied with maintaining the status quo that they had practically capitulated to Grindelwald's demands. Feeding on the growing resentment towards muggleborns, Grindelwald had been pushing his influence deeper and deeper into Britain, destabilizing the Wizengamot and society as a whole. Anton Bryce was both a victim of Grindelwald's machinations and a pawn of the man's plans.

The Chamber of Secrets had been nothing more than a whisper and a dream of the students of Hogwarts, hidden from attention or control. When the petrifications started, however, the myth became all too real, as did the threat it posed to the students of the Castle. Tom had been desperately scouring the Castle every night, barely avoiding suspicion as he found petrified body after petrified body. The locations of the attacks had helped to narrow down the area that had to conceal the Chamber's entrance. Unfortunately, Anton's zeal had almost destroyed their ancestor's legacy. His hatred for the muggleborns had resulted in the death of Myrtle Warren. As the school prepared to close down, Tom had rushed into the Girl's Bathroom on the Second Floor and found the entrance to the Chamber. Slipping down into the darkness, he had found his ancestor's legacy, all in the hands of a fool who had been so drunk with power and smug superiority that he barely realized that Tom had opened the vault door. By the time he had raised his wand, Tom, filled with months worth of rage and hate for the person ruining everything, didn't hesitate. Engaging the older student in a duel to the death, Tom found himself taking deep cuts and piercing curses to his extremities. Unfortunately for Anton, he had been practicing a very particular spell for just this moment. The Killing Curse that he had only cast as practice had found its first victim, cutting right through Anton's duelist shield. Certain now that the attacks had stopped, Tom had then made sure to let the Aurors have a scapegoat, someone that they could arrest and charge. With no more attacks, the case would be closed and the Chamber of Secrets would fade back into legend.

Rubeus Hagrid and his pet Acromantula had proven to be the perfect scapegoats. The half-giant was a victim of abuse himself, so the motive was that he seemingly carried out the attacks to impress the purebloods so that he could be accepted among them, if not spared further torment. The messages on the walls were deemed as nothing more than misdirects aimed at keeping suspicion away from the non-Slytherins. The Acromantula itself was known to leave its victims paralized in a way similar enough to petrification, with the differences in the condition again attributed to subterfuge and the mixing of the beast's magic with that of the caster's. Unfortunately, there was now one final headache for Tom to handle, beyond Albus Dumbledore's constant and irritating suspicions. That issue was the body infront of him. Tom rubbed his chin. The Acromantula had escaped into the Forest, so dumping the body there would explain how Anton could have died. The barghests, wolves and foxes, not to mention every other scavenger in the area, would leave little trace of the carcass for the Aurors to investigate and even if they did find something, it could certainly be regarded as an accidental death. But was it worth just tossing the corpse? Tom had read enough of the books in the Restricted Section to know just how valuable human organs and body parts were for Dark Magic Rituals and Potions. Deciding that finding one last use for Anton's corpse was warranted, Tom began searching the chamber. The Basilisk, having been so thoroughly under Anton's control, didn't even seem to acknowledge his presence, its golden eyes staring away into nothingness. He would have to do something about that too.

Finding Salazar Slytherin's library wasn't as hard as he would have thought it would be, though the books within it were certainly an issue to understand. In Runes, they had just barely completed all of the Nordic and Saxon runic scripts, so those texts were easy enough to skim through. The books written in what looked to be Sanskrit, Arabic and Hebrew were, unfortunately, beyond his current grasp. It wasn't until he forcefully removed a dark brownish book with an odd texture to its binding and pages that he struck gold. Having just barely started reading Ancient Greek, the Grimoire of Herpo the Foul certainly proved very enlightening. The man was very much a practitioner of Necromancy and other Dark Arts so frowned upon that even the Dark Faction dared not speak about them. Finding a description of what a Horcrux was, however, made the study of Ancient Greek for the last six months worth it. Tom's face broke into a grin as he realized that he had everything he needed to create a Horcrux within his grasp. A dead body that he himself had killed and blood from their veins, which was still a bit easier to extract after a few days under a stasis charm. A few candles and river stones with runic inscriptions painted on them in blood were all the materials he needed to procure from outside the Chamber, all of them obtained with relative ease. As Tom finished preparing everything, he placed his Hogwarts Diary atop of the body, marked with his own blood in the form of a runic array.

As Tom chanted the incantation, the lighting in the Chamber dimmed, the air filled with a pungent scent and turned deathly cold. Still, Tom persevered through it. He was so close, so very close to achieving his greatest ambition. With a Horcrux he could finally become immortal. He wouldn't have to fear the Purebloods and their tantrums, he wouldn't have to cower every time there was another air raid siren. And he certainly wouldn't have to be afraid of Albus Dumbledore and his eternal disapproval. Soon, he would be free of all those fears, free to pursue every single magical practice, to learn everything about the world he had been born into. Soon he could start reshaping it, making a better world than the one he had found himself in. A world shaped not by a man, not by Tom Riddle, but by a Lord of Magic. By Lord Voldemort. As the final words of the incantation left Tom's lips, he felt the surge of his magic throughout his whole body. He laughed in triumph, feeling euphoric as the ritual was the single greatest use of magic he had achieved in the nearly five years of study. His euphoria, however, soon turned to agony. His chest began to ache with a pain he had never experienced before. Even Rosier's Cruciatus Curse paled in comparison. Doubled over, Tom watched as the runic array on his diary lit up in a bright red light before the light consumed his vision. Then he learned what true, all consuming pain felt like, as his soul was split in two.

Tom awoke with a sharp intake of breath as his heart beat wildly. He held his hand over his chest, feeling the beating slow down as the memory of the Horcrux creation faded from his conscious mind, though not from his thoughts. The visions that had seemed to provide him a glimpse of what could have been his life had just revealed to him Lord Voldemort's first great triumph. And Tom knew this now, with Salazar's help, that it was also his great undoing. The question that always lingered in the back of Tom's mind was why he was having these visions. His bloodline held no Seer blood and he was certainly not practicing Divination. There was also something that became strangely apparent to Tom as these memories seemed to surface. Lilith was nowhere in them. No mention of her family or of the Blacks humiliating the Rosiers. His girlfriend and partner, who had risked so much to stand by his side, simply didn't appear anywhere in his visions. Was that the reason he and this Voldemort were such different people? Because of one person? And if so, why? What changed? Tom didn't know, though he wasn't complaining about how his life was certainly closer to what he had envisioned for himself now that he had Lilith in it. Turning to his side, he found that Lilith's bed was hidden behind a privacy screen. Wishing to see her, to confirm with his own eyes that she was still alright, Tom placed his bare feet on the ground and walked up to the curtain, pulling it aside.

There, seated to Lilith's right, was a dark haired man with a book in his hand. The two stared at each other with Tom looking into oddly familiar blue eyes before the man raised his finger to his lips. The man closed his book gently, storing it into his coat's pocket, before walking around Lilith's bed, closing the curtain behind him. "My apologies, but I am not sure if you are aware but she is a very light sleeper, even under the effects of blood loss. I must also apologize as I cannot introduce myself to you just yet. I am, however, Lilith's patron." Tom narrowed his eyes as he sat back down onto his bed, looking around at the nearly empty Hospital Wing, only spotting Myrtle's petrified body. "Tell me something only Lilith could have told you." Alexander gave Tom an amused look as he raised an eyebrow. He waved his wand, raising wards around them, before conjuring a seat and sitting down. "Very well. Lilith initially planned to send you Pandora on your birthday, the 31st, but your less than pleasant discovery of her indiscretion left her feeling conflicted. I then sent you a letter regarding how to amend your relationship." He then gave Tom a smirk. "I might also know that Lilith almost broke your nose when you found her naked after her usual morning shower and is quite unhappy about your eidetic memory as she is very certain that you have a very clear view of her stashed away somewhere in the back of your mind." Tom blushed, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, well, that was an accident."

Alexander chuckled. "Since she didn't kick your balls in, I gathered as much. She is quite the private yet understanding individual." Alexander sighed. "Which is why I only learned about the extent of her injuries from Madam Prewett when I arrived. The Healer was as skeptical as you were but my intimate knowledge of what Lilith goes through during a magical backlash convinced her of my sincerity. That and I do have the receipts for all the exotic potion ingredients that she has been using to care for Lilith." Tom nodded, feeling a bit more comfortable around the wizard. "Then I wish to apologize to you. I drew her into the mess that cost Lilith her arm and almost her life." Alexander crossed one of his legs. "And would she have stayed behind had you told her not to come? Please, Mr Riddle, I know my ward enough that she would have found her way to your side, regardless of your intentions. She takes her commitments very seriously." Tom sighed, recognizing the truth of his words. The two were silent for a moment. "If you want more proof as to her commitment to you, she summoned me here for you, and not for herself." Tom frowned. "Whatever for?" Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps because you are not only troubled by the injury that you inflicted on her in order to save her life, but also the fact that you took someone else's life. After her own personal experiences with such an act, Lilith thought that you could use someone to talk to. Someone who wouldn't judge you, nor try to get you to admit to commiting a crime. I can assure you, that whatever words you say to me tonight will not make it to the ears of another, even Lilith, if that is your wish."

Tom shook his head, though he had a faint smile on it. "She can't help caring, even in the state that she is, can she?" Looking up at Alexander, he spoke in a soft voice. "What can I say? I killed someone." Alexander nodded. "You have. And how did that make you feel? Were you queasy? Ashamed? Euphoric?" Tom went over his feelings during the fight, becoming confused. "Nothing. Lilith said that she felt consumed by guilt and shame after the deed. And yet, when I killed this person before my eyes, using all of my rage, I didn't find myself feeling anything for it. Except that I feel ashamed of myself for not feeling guilty at all over taking a life, when clearly I should feel something, anything at all, that proves how wrong killing should be." Alexander smiled slightly. "Then you and I have something in common. Lilith, for all of her training and calculating nature, is a kind soul. She values life deeply, though experience has stripped her of any faith in humanity as a whole. You and I, however, value ourselves and those close to us above the lives of others. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, though it makes us more likely to lay waste to many lives without much concern over any morals that should be at play. The question is, would you do it? Now that you have taken your first life, do you feel like you can do it again?" Tom was silent for a moment. "Do I feel like I could kill again? Probably. Do I want to? No, no I don't." He looked towards the privacy screen. "I don't want to lose myself or the people close to me just to feel a momentary rush of power before taking a life, let alone to exercise a skill that has no greater purpose other than harming others. Though I won't hesitate to do it again if the things that matter to me are threatened again."

Alexander nodded. "Then you understand better than most. So long as you keep that mentality, you won't lose yourself to the darkness within us all." Alexander looked to his left, his eyes seemingly looking past the privacy screen. "Lilith will, of course, understand and stand by your side, so long as you don't betray her. Though I imagine you are still concerned that she might betray you?" Tom thought about hearing her speaking in Parseltongue. It was actually a sound he found comforting, though it had been surprising at the time. "Not as much as before. She has proven herself to me enough times for me to be certain of her intentions, though I would like for there to be no more secrets between us." Alexander gave Tom an understanding look. "What secrets she holds are partly because she must keep them because of her duties. The few that she has kept from you for other reasons, she will be interested in sharing them soon. When she does, you will understand why she has been so cautious. Until then… be patient with her." The two chatted into the night, mostly about Lilith's study habits and Tom's own, which helped to ease Tom's mind. Eventually, after checking his pocket watch, Alexander stood up, buttoning his coat. "Well, I do have other duties to attend to. Lilith's Galatea can take any letters you wish to send my way, if you need someone else to talk to. Eventually, I look forward to the day when I can share more of my life with you, as I have with her. Until then." Alexander gave Tom a smirk before raising his finger to his lips. "Oh, and do keep this a secret between us, Mr Riddle." Tom watched as the man winked at him before he seemed to apparate silently before his eyes, leaving Tom in a stunned silence.

Lilith stirred slightly as the light filtering in through the curtains of the Hospital Wing's windows reached her eyes. She briefly considered propping herself up, but soon remembered that her right arm was missing, not to mention the pain that such an attempt had resulted in previously. She sighed, rubbing her eyes with her left hand, when she heard a book closing beside her. "Morning. How are you feeling, Lilith?" She turned to her right, her eyes finding Tom's, which were clearly filled with concern and anxiety. She gave him a soft smile. "Not the worst I have felt upon waking up, if that could be believed. Did you manage to get some sleep?" Tom nodded, as Lilith noticed that he was wearing his usual plain white button up shirt, the green Slytherin tie left loose around his neck. Lilith found herself blushing, rather liking a more disheveled look on Tom. He reached out to her, brushing back some of her loose hair. "Your patron was here last night." Lilith chuckled at his tone of voice. "He is a piece of work, isn't he?" Tom chuckled back. "That he is, but I am glad to have had the chance to talk to him. We shared a bit about your time together, for which I am sorry for the clear breach in privacy. Still, the conversation helped me get some of my thoughts in order concerning what happened yesterday." Lilith gave Tom an odd look before lowering her eyes, "I am sorry." Tom blinked at her. "For what?" Lilith sighed. ~"For not telling you about this?"~ Tom lips formed a smile. "I am sure you have your reasons, though I must say… I really like the sound of your voice in parseltongue."

Blushing at the fact that this was the second time that Tom had ever complimented the way that Parseltongue sounded from her lips, Lilith's attention was drawn to the sound of people arguing outside of the Hospital Wing doors. She gave Tom a look. "Did Teresa forget her morning cup of coffee or is something more serious going on outside." Poppy Pomfrey arrived from Lilith's side of the bed, carrying a tray full of potions and a small serving of breakfast as she pulled the privacy screen aside. "Both actually. For a second I thought she might banish the Headmaster out of the infirmary. She can be quite intimidating when in a foul mood, especially one that she has been in for much of the night. Now drink these. She won't let anyone in if you don't take your Blood Replenishing Potion and pain relievers." Lilith looked towards the door before looking at the young apprentice Healer. Poppy shook her head. "I am not going to make it that easy for you, Miss von Schwarzwald. Now drink up." Lilith begrudgingly chugged down her potions before chasing them with some apple juice, which helped clear some of the taste from her mouth. After consuming the small meal and checking that Tom had himself already eaten and taken his medications, she watched as Poppy opened the door to the Hospital Wing and spoke with the people waiting outside. Teresa and Poppy stood to the side, with Poppy handing her Mentor a cup of coffee, as the Headmaster, his Deputy and their Head of House entered, followed by Theseus Ross and Euphemia Potter.

Armando Dippet was the first to speak up. "Well, it's certainly good to see you both up and awake, Mr Riddle, Miss von Schwarzwald, though I can see that what occured yesterday came at great personal cost. Horace here filled us in on the fact that the two of you were out of your Dorms for the evening, but not as to why. Now if you two would be so kind as to tell us what happened?" Tom gave Lilith a look before he turned towards the Professors. "We were very certain as to how Myrtle Warren was petrified and were able to arrange for a trap to contain the so-called Heir. When they fell for it, we engaged them in a duel." Tom turned towards Horace Slughorn, giving him a remorseful look. "My apologies, Professor, but the perpetrator, Anton Bryce, didn't survive the confrontation." Dumbledore cleared his throat as Slughorn lowered his head. "While I am sure this is what you want us to believe, how can we be certain that it was Bryce and not you that harmed young Miss Warren?" Tom felt his anger rising, but it deflated as soon as Lilith spoke up. "We are more than happy to provide Auror Potter with memory vials of the encounter, on the condition that the viewing of these are restricted to the active law enforcement personnel investigating this case. Anyone else will need to ask our permission." Euphemia gave Lilith a smile even as Dumbledore's expression shifted. "I am certain we can arrange that, though I believe you understand that this will be a complicated investigation."

Dumbledore spoke up. "The fact that Riddle killed Anton Bryce should be more than just a complicated investigation, Euphemia. The DMLE should be pressing charges." Euphemia glared at Dumbledore. "The DMLE will make that deliberation after the evidence has been reviewed." She turned her attention back to the teens. "You mention that the Heir is "so-called," why?" Tom sighed, but knew that he needed to reveal his status. He dispelled the disillusionment charm on his ring and presented it for all to see. "Because I am the Rightful Heir of the Noble and Ancient House of Slytherin, as confirmed by Gringotts. Lilith and I acted independently so as to avoid getting any members of the staff harmed or killed when encountering the Guardian of the Chamber, a Basilisk." Dumbledore seemed to pale, before he turned to Dippet. "Theseus and the DRCMC must be sent to kill the creature at once. It is too dangerous for Hogwarts to be harbouring such a beast." Tom's eyes narrowed on Dumbledore. "You do not have the right! The Chamber is the property of the Slytherin Family and therefore independent of the school, not to mention that the Basilisk will not harm a student of her own free will." Dumbledore turned towards Tom. "Owning a Basilisk is illegal, Mr Riddle." Lilith interjected. "No, breeding a Basilisk is illegal, even though exceptions can be made. You really need to read the law books, Professor."

Theseus chuckled. "The girl is quite right. Owning a Basilisk isn't illegal. It's stupid, as most Basilisks will kill their owners accidentaly, but not illegal. The rules refer specifically to breeding because of how easy it tends to be to create them, which can then result in uncontrollable loss of life." Dumbledore turned to a pensive Dippet. "You can't agree to this, Armando. The danger that a Basilisk poses to the school is unimaginable. Warren's petrification will be the least of our concerns." Armando sighed, before looking at Tom. "Heir Slytherin, while I do not wish to infringe upon the rights you have over your property, perhaps you would be willing to allow the Basilisk to be examined? If it is as safe as you claim it to be then we can come to an agreement." Tom turned to a pensive Lilith for her input in this, as she had a better understanding of the law than he did, before she spoke up, her eyes on Tom in case he was against anything she was about to say. "That shouldn't be a problem. I am sure that the Heir could accept that a small group capable of making that assessment could be escorted into the Chamber, not to mention a detachment of Aurors authorized to retrieve the body and document the crime scene. That is, so long as everyone understands that the Heir can and will do everything in their power to protect the Basilisk, as it is a member of the Slytherin family." Lilith looked towards Theseus. "As this concerns Hogwarts, Professor Ross would be an adequate member of the assessment team." She then turned towards Dumbledore. "And as I am certain the Deputy Headmaster will wish for an outsider's perspective, then perhaps the Ministry can arrange for Newt Scamander to be part of the team."

Dumbledore swallowed his complaints as Ross chuckled. "Oh, I am certain Newt will jump at the chance at studying a Basilisk in person." Theseus slapped his hand down on Albus' shoulder, a bit harder than he normally would do to anyone else. "Don't worry, Albus. I will write him up myself. He won't miss this for anything." As Theseus left the Hospital Wing, Euphemia sat down in one of the chairs next to the beds and pulled out her dicta quill and parchment. Tom turned towards the Headmaster. "Access to the Chamber is currently restricted, though if you are able to spare an elf, they could slip in and place the body under a stasis charm. I highly doubt that Auror Potter would like to retrieve the body all on her own, and though the elves could bring the body here, she will probably want to document the scene as it was left." Euphemia nodded. "That I would. A stasis charm over the crime scene would be acceptable and easy enough to verify by magic." Dippet sighed but nodded. "I will have the head elf answer your summons regarding placing the body and crime scene under stasis, nothing more." Teresa's growl from behind her coffee mug made Dippet pull at the collar of his robes. "And… I will be giving all the elves orders to answer calls regarding medical emergencies to avoid any further unpleasantness. Auror Potter, once you are done with the interviews, please come see me in my office. I would like to hear your opinion on how long a DMLE presence will be expected within the Castle regarding this investigation. Albus, with me. I need to inform the Board as to what has transpired."

As the Headmaster escorted Dumbledore and Slughorn out the door, the latter giving Tom a supportive pat on the shoulder, Euphemia looked towards the Healers. "I am going to need your report as to what their medical state was when they arrived at the Hospital Wing. For now, what can you tell me about their physical state?" Teresa nodded towards Tom. "He was suffering from minor blunt force injuries, as well as a few cuts, not to mention some degree of mental shock from the encounter. He is also still recovering from exposure to the Cruciatus Curse, which will require medical observation and some topical treatment for the next few days." Teresa sighed as she looked towards Lilith. "This one here, as you can see, had her right arm severed to save her life from what I now know to be Basilisk Venom, for which we have no antivenom or any other counteragent. Mr Riddle performed the emergency procedure which did in fact save her life. Beyond her usual physical ailments, she will be experiencing issues with her equilibrium, blood flow and muscle contractions for the immediate future. Treatment for her will be a prolonged affair, even after she gets a prosthetic limb, both for her physical changes, as well as for any mental side effects that creep up. Please keep that all in mind when planning prolonged interviews." Euphemia looked between the two before she sighed. "Very well. I want you to start from the beginning. You first, Mr Riddle." Teresa pulled the privacy screen between Lilith and Tom closed before she turned to her patient and began her scans. Neither would be leaving the Hospital Wing for quite some time.

Chapter 28: An Open Secret

Walking at a calm pace towards the Hospital Wing, Theseus checked his wrist holsters, making sure that they were working adequately. Though if he was honest with himself, he seriously doubted that there would be much danger in the next few hours as he and a few others decided to brave the Chamber of Secrets under the escort of the recently revealed Heir of Slytherin. Like many students from the other houses, he had never put much stock in the idea that Salazar Slytherin had successfully created a hidden chamber in the Castle that had never been found. Hearing a little bit about the measures that Riddle had to take to lockdown the person who had broken into the chamber made Theseus realize that there was quite a lot more to Parselmouths than he had previously thought. He had met a few on his own travels to the Indian Subcontinent, most of which was spent tracking down Dark Creatures that had already developed a taste for humans, not all that different from the issues between the non-magical locals and man eating tigers, a few of which he helped hunt himself as an aid to the terrified communities. Though he hated the bad publicity that his service to said communities tended to engender with the more eco-friendly naturalists, the relief on the faces of the locals no longer needing to fear getting eaten alive by creatures that they themselves couldn't best was enough for him to volunteer for such things, regardless of the infamy. A tiger was a terrifying sight for many people in the wilds, even magicals, but for Theseus, the sight of what the locals called "Vritra's children," a creature that caused droughts in the region, would never not give him nightmares.

Shaking his head as he suppressed the shudder that always accompanied his most difficult hunt in the Subcontinent, Theseus rounded the corner and saw a familiar figure standing in front of the Hospital Wing doors, a large and quite beaten up suitcase in his hands, as the blonde, messy haired man seemed to fidget from either anxiety or excitement. Knowing him as Theseus did, he was certain it was both. "You were able to return to Britain quite quickly. Not far from home this time around, Newt?" The younger looking man turned to look towards Theseus. "Not really, no. The war doesn't make for safe expeditions. I had hoped to explore some more of the Southeast Asian jungles, but the battles being waged there would make anyone, magical or otherwise, race for cover." Theseus nodded in understanding. "Of course. So I suppose you have been editing your book again? More details on raising creatures rather than finding them in the wild?" Newt blushed softly, knowing that Theseus wasn't fond of how many revisions Newt did to what was now the primary text to Care for Magical Creatures. "Actually, yes. You wouldn't believe how fascinating the Zouwu is. Keeping one contained isn't easy, they do have the natural ability to bypass almost all forms of wards against apparition and portkeys, but with a large enough environment, constant stimulation and some pleasant company, they can get quite comfortable in a single environment. Not to mention they are quite affectionate, when they wish to be." Theseus chuckled. "Oh, I am sure they are. I just wonder if your girlfriend gets jealous, with how much attention your animals require of you."

Newt started to fidget again. "Yes, well, Tina knows enough about me that she has accepted the fact that I am always absent. She keeps herself busy with running her private investigations." Theseus shook his head, finding it interesting that his own relationship with his beloved wife mirrored Newt's in part, before looking towards the Hospital Wing doors. "Are the Aurors here?" Newt's face turned serious. "They are. An Unspeakable also decided to tag along." Theseus rubbed his face. "Of course they did." He could empathize with Newt about the presence of an Unspeakable being an issue. The secretive members of the Ministry of Magic tended to act independently of anyone's wishes, often spiriting away rare or endangered species into the void that was the DoM with no further news being heard about them for decades, if ever. Hearing about a live and seemingly contained Basilisk must have raised their curiosity as well. Theseus gave Newt a sideways glance. "If that spook tries anything on the kids or the snake, can I count on your help in keeping them from doing anything stupid? If they try to take possession of Slytherin's Basilisk, it might be grounds for a bloody civil war." Newt frowned as he looked at Theseus. "And here I thought you would be on their side." Theseus shook his head. "I know one of the kids that has had contact with it. If she says it's safe, I believe her. You should see her with Exu and his mares." Newt smiled softly. "Ohh, then I will certainly hope to get to know the girl. Which reminds me, I have a few slabs of meat from a myriad of species in my suitcase. If you would like to test which ones Thestrals prefer more…" As soon as he finished talking, the doors opened, with Euphemia Potter stepping out, followed by another Auror and a cloaked figure. The figure bowed to both of them, before stepping out of the way.

Theseus flinched slightly at the appearance of Lilith, despite having seen her just after the incident. Her hair clearly wasn't getting the same level of care, though she still managed to get it braided. Her skin was still unnaturally pale, and her posture screamed discomfort, as her missing arm was fitted with a weighted replica pressed against her chest in a sling, meant to keep her used to the weight of an appendage that she would eventually have replaced with a prosthetic. The young Heir of Slytherin shadowed her movements, never directly touching her but always ready to catch her should she fall. The boy looked from Theseus to the rest, before raising his voice. "I would like to be clear. Any unwarranted attacks on my family's Basilisk and our property will see this evaluation cut short. Auror Potter and her assistant are there to retrieve the body and document the evidence. Anything beyond that will be at my discretion." He looked towards the Unspeakable. "Everyone else is to leave only with what you arrived with, with the exception of what your mind acquires, nothing more. Anything else will be our prerogative. Understood?" Everyone, including the spook, nodded. Tom rested his hand on Lilith's shoulder. "Whenever you are ready, lead on and take your time. Madam Prewett will drop me into a medical bed herself if I let anything else happen to you." Lilith gave him a smirk. "Might be worth watching it happen." After getting a disapproving look from Tom, Lilith started making her way to the Chamber of Secrets.

"Interesting location for an entrance. Not far from the Common Room, but enough to be unnoticed. No adornments or anything special. Lord Slytherin clearly wasn't looking to attract attention to it. Was this the so-called Heir's point of entry?" Tom shook his head at the words of the Unspeakable. "His point of entry was on the Second Floor. I will open that pathway from inside the Chamber. Later, the Headmaster and I can discuss what is to be done with it." As Tom talked with the Unspeakable and Auror Potter regarding the conditions inside, Lilith rested herself against the wall, feeling the burden from her recovering blood supply, not to mention the stress that her imbalance was causing on her movements. Though she was carrying a weight that simulated her missing arm, it wasn't connected to her, nor did it have the freedom of movement that a typical appendage normally had. She spent much of the walk down to the Dungeons overcorrecting with her legs, which only drained her even more of her strength. If this was how poorly her condition was after losing her arm, then she really wasn't looking forward to the physical therapy she would have to take in the next few months. Fortunately for her, the time period before a prosthetic could be applied was shorter for magicals, as the amputation wounds healed much faster under a Healer's watchful eye. Alexander had already anticipated her interest in making her own prosthetic, making orders from the dwarves of a variety of materials for her to test, not to mention raw orichalcum from the Goblins. Mechanically it was simply going to be her working out how to replicate her arm's size and articulation. Magically was where function and ambition clashed in her head. Lilith wasn't in Slytherin for nothing after all.

She watched as Tom closed his eyes for a second, switching his sense with Pandora's. Lilith knew that the first time he had done it had been quite the experience for Tom, though he had only done it for the sake of learning some of the intricacies of the Familiar Bond he had with Pandora. He had been able to experience the sensation of winged flight from the mechanical owl, seeing through her eyes, feeling the pressure of the wind on her bronze body. He had looked quite elated coming back into his own body, the euphoria of flight causing his cheeks to flush. For the moment, however, he was simply synchronizing with the owl, who had stayed vigilant inside of the Ward Chamber, allowing him to gain temporary remote access to the wards. The stone wall that hid the entrance to the Chamber retreated, revealing a passageway that lit up with green magical light along the walls, not that different from the coloration that light tended to carry as it passed through the glass of the Slytherin Common Room window that peered into the depths of the Black Lake. Euphemia drew her wand and stepped forward with Theseus. "Wood, you and Scamander take the rear. Theseus and I will take the front." As the formation entered the passageway, Tom closed the exit, before opening the passage into the caverns. Lilith could see the Unspeakable's head turning in every direction, gathering as much data as possible about the place, before they reached the vault door.

As the group entered into the far more pleasantly lit chamber, Tom and Lilith noticed that the Chamber was eerily still. Tom raised his hand, before pulling on Euphemia's sleeve. "Wait, let us go first. Rene isn't where she normally stays." Euphemia frowned. "Very well, but I am standing right behind you." Tom sighed, but nodded, as Lilith's eyes searched the chamber, catching only the barest glints of yellow light from the open maw of the sculpture's mouth. She cursed at herself, realizing what was wrong, as she approached the edge of the pool. "Rene, step out of your nest right now. You are no hatchling to be cowering in fear of harm!" Tom barely reached Lilith's side when a slight hissing sound filled the air. ~"Renenutet harmed the Heir's intended. Renenutet would have harmed the Heir himself had the young miss not intervened, just as I harmed one of Father's nestlings. Renenutent doesn't deserve to be seen, nor does she deserve to be Father's Guardian."~ Lilith rubbed her eyes. "Rene, you were under the compulsion of a Parselmouth who used Blood Magic to bind you. None of this was your fault. Now stop moping and come out here. We… we are worried about you, Rene. Please…" The chamber was silent for a few minutes until the yellow eyes drew closer, as the head of the Basilisk poked out of the mouth. Lilith heard Newt gasp. "She's beautiful."

Rene spared the others a glance, though the majority of her attention was on Lilith and Tom as her form dipped into the heated water. She brought her head right before the two, her eyes closed slightly in shame. ~"Magic doesn't matter. Renenutet harmed the young miss with her venom and fangs. Miss now less appealing to the Heir as mate. Renenutet is ashamed of the harm that has been caused to the future of House Slytherin."~ Lilith groaned slightly before pressing her face against Rene's. "It doesn't matter. We came here to save you, Rene. That was why we acted so quickly. No snake deserved your fate, least alone a member of Tom's family and a dear friend of mine. I will take time to heal, but it was worth it to me. You were worth it." Rene groaned slightly in shame as Tom rubbed her head with his hand. ~"You are forgiven, Rene, for the things you did beyond your control. Do not let these sins weigh you down. As for Lilith, she is no less appealing to me as a mate, as she will prove herself better from this. Of that I have no doubt."~ Lilith blushed slightly under Tom's warm gaze as Rene's body grew more relaxed. Tom gestured with his head towards the others. "These people are here to reclaim the body and to assess you, Rene. The Professors of Hogwarts want to verify our claims that you are safe to the students." Lilith patted Rene's chin. "We will be researching how to block any further Parselmagic Blood Binding Spells from affecting you as well. You won't ever have to fear being controlled again. We promise."

Tom turned back towards the rest. "You may begin your investigation and documentation, Aurors. Professor Ross, Mr Scamander, you may step forward. She is safe to be around." Tom turned to Rene. "Do not use your eyes at any point beyond for sight." Rene nodded as the two men stepped forward, while the spook walked around the crime scene, spotting a puddle of dark liquid nearby. "Miss von Schwarzwald, I believe I have found your arm. What's left of it. Curious, though, that the floor was able to resist the venom's corrosion. Salazar spent a great deal of time studying his Basilisk, it would seem." Lilith ran her hand reassuringly on Rene's scales, even as she looked at the stain on the floor, sighing to herself. "Please don't take a sample. We are planning on making some antivenom, Slytherin's own refined recipe, to provide to you and the school and I don't think venom tainted by human liquid remains will be conducive to research, or even for obtaining a sample of my blood." The Unspeakable nodded as he stepped back, not bothering to confirm what the Department of Mysteries wanted to gain from the mess. "Fair enough." As he went to look over the body of Anton Bryce with Euphemia as Wood scanned the area for trace evidence, Lilith turned to look at Tom, his gaze locked on his cousin's body. Lilith rested her chin on Tom's shoulder, kissing his cheek. "It wasn't your fault either. You did your duty as Heir. Remember that." Tom nodded as Newt came back from around the pool. "You have grown quite large, haven't you? Renenutet was it? A beautiful name. The Egyptians would be quite proud that such a spectacular specimen such as yourself carried the name of one of their gods."

The Basilisk hissed and Newt shook his head. "No, I am not calling you fat. For your age, you seem to be at the expected length and mass. Magical hibernation must have sustained you in your sleep, your life force fed by the magic of the leylines. Truly extraordinary work. Was it all Salazar's design or did Rowena help out, I wonder." Lilith blinked as she looked towards the clearly enthusiastic Newt as he pulled out a camera. "Wait… you can understand her?" Newt shrugged as fiddled with the camera after taking a photograph. "More or less. I have a nest of Occamies that have been under my care for quite a few years. I also had a run in with a Parselmouth as well in the Subcontinent. I can get the gist of their conversations, though only just. I had hoped that I would have mastered the ability to listen to snakes, but I got chased out of the jungle while studying Nāgas before I could get enough practice." Lilith stared at Newt, feeling her stomach sinking. "Wait, wait. You went to the Subcontinent to study Nāgas?" As Newt nodded, Lilith groaned in frustration as she rested her head against Rene, with Theseus rubbing his face. "Newt, the Nāgas are sacred to the natives. Studying them is tantamount to blasphemy if you do it without the Nāgas' permission. Did you or the Parselmouth bother to ask for it?" Newt blinked repeatedly as he looked between Theseus and Lilith. "Ah, that might explain the death threat I got as I was leaving the reserve." Theseus shook his head. "And you wonder why half the magical governments have you on a watch list, while I have standing invitations."

Turning his attention back on the creature, Theseus approached it and gently rubbed his hand over the scales, feeling the way the creature's magic reacted to it. He felt Renenutet flinch, only for her to slowly relax once more, with The Hogwarts Professor noticing Lilith gently caressing the snake's snout. He approached the two students at the front of the snake. "May I see the inside of the mouth?" Tom looked to Rene with some concern but nodded at her to do as the Professor said. Lilith, for her parth, swallowed loudly and looked away as Theseus looked into the snake's now open maw, with Newt coming in from behind, taking photographs. "Venom that deteriorates bone and flesh, teeth better suited for biting but not serrated for tearing into bone or flesh. How far does the jaw extend?" Rene allowed her lower jaw to drop almost all the way to the ground. "Ah. Impressive, but within expectations. Hmmm. What do you think, Newt? I have seen the snakes in Central and South America, as well as the ones in the Indian Subcontinent. Everything, besides the magical elements, line up." Newt nodded as he took out a thin metal bar from his coat pocket and asked Rene if he could poke in her mouth briefly, to which she agreed. "The teeth configuration is definitely magical in origin, but even then they are more suited for an ambush predator. The toxicity and corrosive strength of the liquid definitely surpasses the biological imperative, as I doubt that this lovely lady feeds on liquified food like a spider." The hiss out of the open mouth made Theseus chuckled. "No need to translate that. I am sure you prefer your meat to have more substance to it. Beef or horse by the scent?"

Looking towards Tom and Lilith, the two nodded, with Tom filling him in. "Hogsby, as all Head House elves of Hogwarts before him, is bound by oath to the Founders, though he personally volunteered to provide Rene with food." The two experts pulled away as Newt began to vigorously write on his notepad, with Rene closing her mouth slowly. Theseus rubbed her snout affectionately. "Even magically induced hibernation must have been hard on your stomach, but you seem to have adjusted well to eating food again." Theseus frowned, however, when he looked up at the point between the snake's eyes. "Auror Potter, Spook, you two might want to come here for this. I think I found the reason why this sentient and exceedingly calm snake was unable to control herself. Woo… easy there." Rene flinched back from his touch but calmed down as Lilith reached out to her again. Noticing where Theseus was looking at, Lilith turned towards Tom. "Help me up onto her back. My presence should calm her down enough for her to settle down." The young Slytherin Heir frowned. "You could easily slip and fall into the water." Lilith rolled her eyes. "I know that but I trust Rene to pull me out of it safely, as she did twice before when she decided to play around with me. Now stop worrying and give me lift." Sighing, Tom did his best to keep his touch professional as he helped Lilith onto Rene's back, where the redhead struggled a little to pull herself higher, but otherwise remained stable.

With her feeling far more at peace with Lilith on her back, the Basilisk lowered her head onto the ground as the investigators looked over what Theseus had spotted. The Unspeakable held his wand over the area with a lumos cast and muttered to himself. "Blood Magic. The configuration matches what was found within the book after the boy's dorm room was searched. It's designed to compel a beast to obey through Parseltongue the commands of the person who used their blood to draw it. But how was it broken? The sigil is intact." Lilith sighed, rubbing her hand over Rene's scales in a manner that she knew the snake found pleasing. "Blood for blood. The sigil is probably a very simple design and it gave control to whoever had their blood in contact with the snake. Based on how often Rene tried to resist, it was clear that the sigil wasn't working correctly. The best counter for Blood Magic is Blood Magic itself. While unplanned, after Rene took in a mouth full of my blood…" Lilith paused for a moment to ease Rene's mind as she began to hiss in pain and regret once again. "… I decided to might as well try casting, using a magically charged counter phrase. The phrase and the blood filling her system caused the sigil to fail and for Rene to break free." Tom watched as the Unspeakable looked at Lilith curiously and began to wonder how they could keep her own use of Parseltongue a secret, especially if they were to use Pensieve memories for the investigation. "Blood Magic is looked at unfavorably by the Ministry, Miss von Schwarzwald."

Lilith scoffed. "Right, tell that to every Lord and Heir of every single house in the Wizengamot. You do not become a Head of House without some knowledge of Blood Magic. I am also sure that your department has its own Blood Mages on the payroll. Lastly, I am not a citizen and Austria had no such moral concerns. Do we understand each other, Unspeakable who likely is a Blood Mage himself?" The spook smirked at her briefly. "We do, Frau von Schwarzwald. Auror Wood, please document the sigils for evidence. I am sure Heir Slytherin would wish to have them removed with haste from the Basilisk's scales." After documenting the evidence, the Unspeakable removed blood sigil from Rene, who instantly relaxed. Newt and Theseus worked together to get proper measurements of Rene into their observations and Newt even provided a few mice that he kept as food within his suitcase to test Rene's gaze. Once they confirmed that she could in fact control whether her eyes were lethal or not, the two of them conferred and agreed that Renenutet wasn't anymore of a threat to the Castle than any student from 5th year or older and that as she was still within the property of the House of Slytherin and not within Hogwarts at all, neither the Board of Governors, the Hogwarts Staff, nor even the Wizengamot could ban her continued presence within the chamber. As the Aurors were preparing to leave with the body now in a proper bag, Tom did a sweep of the Chamber with Theseus, making sure that there was nothing left. The puddle of what had been Lilith's arm mixed with Basilisk venom was disposed of, as were all other traces that Euphemia and Wood had already cataloged adequately.

As Tom prepared to reseal the Chamber after comforting Rene that he wasn't mad at her and that he and Lilith would not only continue to visit her but that they are still courting, his eyes searched the chamber one last time, checking his own memories of the battle, feeling something nagging him at the back of his mind. Where was Lilith's Invisibility Cloak? He himself had left it in the chamber when he ran out and none of the people found anything remotely like it. Lilith, for her part, hadn't left Rene's side to collect it either, with Hogsby unlikely to have collected it himself after being ordered to leave the Chamber undisturbed. So where was it? He paused by Rene's side. ~"What happened to Lilith's Cloak? The one that she threw at you?"~ The Basilisk tilted her head to the side. ~"The cloak that reeked of Death? It vanished sometime before you arrived. I know not when, nor where it went."~ Tom frowned as he turned to Lilith, whom he now knew could understand what he had just said to Rene without any trouble at all. She turned away after speaking to Euphemia as she left with Anton's body between her and her fellow Auror and looked back at him, a soft smile forming on her lips, before she pressed a finger against them. Between her and her patron, Tom had a feeling he was going to be seeing that expression plenty more times in the future. He wasn't sure if he was going to enjoy the sight of it, or if he was going to get exacerbated everytime they did it. He shook his head, settling his mind that it was probably going to be a mix of both.

Conversation ceased in the Slytherin Common Room as soon as Lilith and Tom entered, with the majority of the House gathered there. Lucretia was the first to come up to Lilith, clearly shocked by the fact that her cousin had her right arm's robe folded up. Teresa had told Lilith that she would need to let her stump not be burdened by any extra weight from time to time. As Lilith had made her intention for the use of a prosthetic known, the Healer had to adjust how they managed the way the skin would seal up the wound. The blood vessels were adjusted slightly, to prevent the forming of blood clots in the extremity and to have them end up flowing back up into the rest of her circulatory system, just as they normally would have done after reaching the fingers. The bones had to be sealed back up again and covered in tissue. One major distinction that had to be made was how muscles would be left. With some help from St. Mungos, Lilith was able to select a cover for her arm that essentially hid the stump, but kept all the muscles intact, though in a relaxed state. She was hoping that once her new arm was completed, the muscles themselves could help with the way the arm moved and behaved. For now, however, she would need to check in with the Hospital Wing every once in a while, for Teresa and Poppy to clean her arm and to give it the therapy it needed to prevent the muscles from becoming atrophied. Lilith was certainly not entirely happy about that. She felt like she practically lived in the Hospital Wing as it was.

Lucretia, ever the caring cousin, ignored the injury and pulled Lilith into a hug. "Are you ever not going to make us feel anything but anxiety? When neither of you were found during the roll call after dinner, we thought the worst. Slughorn had to be the one to tell us you were both alive and in the Hospital Wing the morning after. What happened?" Lilith hugged Lucretia back as much as she could, her eyes focusing on Tom. The young man nodded, before turning to the rest of the gathered students. "We aren't aware of what has been said by the Professor or by the Headmaster, but we feel you deserve to know the truth. The person who attacked Myrtle Warren and wrote that threat on the wall was Anton Bryce. He had indeed found and abused Slytherin's legacy to attack an innocent girl." An older girl who had been close to Rosier spoke up. "So he was the Heir of Slytherin!" Tom shook his head. "Anton Bryce was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, but he was not the Heir." He raised his hand up, exposing his family ring. "I am." The sight of the ring and the revelation sent the somewhat quiet chamber into a frenzy of private conversations, though Lilith watched As Nott passed a few coins to Malfoy. "Malfoy, are we going to have a discussion about your betting addiction?" The blonde young man smiled at her. "Trust me, mother and grandmother are doing their best. I might just be a lost cause."

Shaking her head, Lilith found Walburga walking up to her. "Best guess, only his future spouse gets to keep his addiction in check." Lilith raised an eyebrow. "Either that or they need to keep the vault keys to themselves." Malfoy's "The hell they will!" made quite a few of the students snicker and laugh, before their attention returned to Tom, who was subsequently swamped with attention from the other students. Questions were thrown around, with even someone with Tom's eidetic memory having difficulty catching every single word or question. "How long have you known you were the Heir?" "What sort of creature is the monster in the Chamber?" "What happened to Bryce?" "Has von Schwarzwald been inside of the Chamber…" "What's going to happen now?" Will we get to see inside the Chamber?" Are all the rumours about Parselmouths true?" A loud whistle brought everyone to silence as Professor Slughorn entered the Common Room. "Never in all my years as student or teacher have I heard such rukus in the Slytherin Dorms." Raphael Lestrange spoke up. "But sir, we have never had an Heir to our Founder revealed to us. Not in a thousand years!"

Horace nodded toward Tom. "That is indeed quite true, though I would like you all to remember that being an Heir comes with responsibilities, not all of them pleasant. Mr Riddle was forced to act of his own accord against another student of this House because they had abused the very legacy of their shared Ancestor. A life has been lost, which is always a travesty, no matter who it might have been. Another life, as you can see with Miss von Schwarzwald, has been irrevocably altered, in defence of a friend and ally. So I will ask everyone here to please let Mr Riddle and Miss von Schwarzwald a chance to breathe and recover. Many of you have OWLs and NEWTs to prepare for as well." The mention of the tests earned Slughorn a collective groan, enough that he raised up both his hands. "I know, I know. You are all sick and tired of studying. Headmaster Dippet has agreed to recommence classes tomorrow, now that he and the DMLE have the evidence needed to convince the Board of Governors that any further dangers of the sort have passed. Tomorrow, all of you can have a chance to just stretch out your legs and enjoy the warm spring air, so please take this evening to do any last minute revisions you need and make sure you have your assignments done. Any and all political ramifications inside or outside of the Castle can wait an evening."

The students nodded, with many of them dispersing back to their rooms, but not before offering their support to the new Heir of Slytherin. Eventually, only the Blacks remain, with Orion giving Lilith a tight hug, followed by Walburga and Lucretia. Cygus gestured towards the receding form of their Professor. "He has a point, but you know that things won't be the same for you after this." Tom looked at Cygnus, before sighing. "No, I don't suppose they will, though I personally don't see myself taking your position away from you." Cygnus' surprise made Tom smile a little. "Your work this last year has kept the House stable and the students feeling safe and respected by the rest of the Houses, myself included. With everything going on now, the students need someone they can trust to lead them. That is you. Though you can count on my support when possible, so long as my duties to my house and allies comes first. Though I can assure you…" Tom spared a look towards the group of young women, Lilith among them, getting grilled by the other Black family members. "I will do far more for her, after what she did for me and what it cost her." Sparing a glimpse towards Lilith and the others, Cygnus nodded. "We could never ask for more, and thank you for your vote of confidence. I will be discussing a few things with you later, so get some rest."

As Lucretia and Walburga followed Lilith out of the Common Room into the Girl Dorms, Tom felt a ward wrapping around him after Cygnus went to the Boy Dorms. "Do you have any idea the mess you are throwing yourself into?" Tom turned towards Alphard. "Somewhat. Lilith has been doing an exceptional job at keeping me apprised as to the events in the Wizengamot, as has Malfoy. I know what my family's return to politics will mean for the Dark Faction, particularly the radicals. I am afraid they will be quite disappointed." Alphard sighed, rubbing his hair. "Well, that's somewhat reassuring. Though I personally think you have one bigger concern than the Wizengamot in your future." Tom blinked at Alphard in confusion before the curly haired boy filled him in. "Our cousin just came back, missing an arm, in service to your family's interests. While Uncle Arcturus and Aunt Melania and the rest might not want your hide for that… Aunt Cassiopeia might. She takes her duties to the family very seriously and she will see Lilith's injury in a very unfavorable light, an injury with your name on it." Tom remembered his encounter with said witch and paled slightly. "Ah, right. Lilith and I were getting a written down version of our agreement for her. We are hoping to finish it soon." Alphard walked past Tom. "Might want to make an addendum about injuries sustained in service and the remunerations you are going to provide for them. Just a thought." As the wards collapsed, Tom sighed, rubbing his hair. "Yeah, though something tells me that offering her all the gold in the world will never be enough. Not for me, at least."

"Lilith seems a bit better. Now that Myrtle is up and about." Tom nodded in response to Nott's observation as he watched the two girls chatting with Cassandra Moon. The Ravenclaws and Slytherins were very careful around Lilith, who tended to be either confrontational or morose whenever they tried lending her a hand. Myrtle herself spent a little over a week petrified, before Professor Slughorn's Restorative Potion was given to her. The Headmaster, after informing the school regarding the attack against Myrtle and the death of Anton Bryce, had explained that since Restorative Potions expire quickly, they had to be made on order. Professor Slughorn and other Potioneers had been commissioned to make the potion, which was a week-long process that could result in a failed potion if the Potioneer made a mistake, hence the extra commissions. Tom had agreed for Dippet to reveal that he was the rightful Heir of House Slytherin, but had refused to receive an award for services rendered to the school, as he had acted for personal reasons, not altruistic ones. Lilith had given him the most breathtaking kiss after that, since they hadn't even discussed what their reaction to any awards would be. Lilith too refused an award, though she did accept the offer that her treatments at Hogwarts would be covered by the school.

The reveal to the rest of the school had the expected effect. Many of the Gryffindors were looking at him as if he were the devil himself. Thankfully, the majority of the students in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had shown more curiosity and interest rather than fear. "So, any courting or betrothal offers yet?" Tom sighed, before looking at Theodore. "In person, I have gotten a few during Dueling class and in the Slytherin Common Room." Nott frowned. "I could have sworn you would have been inundated by letters with the Lords and Ladies making offers out of many of their daughters." Abraxas, who just returned from a chat down the table, spoke up. "To be fair, Riddle here doesn't get much mail. Guessing that you have it being redirected elsewhere?" Tom nodded after swallowing some tea. "As a minor, my account manager felt it was a prudent measure. Until I have a physical home of my own and an elf or two to help me sort the mail, it's the safest option for me. Since I told my account manager that I wasn't going to entertain any betrothals, I imagine that he is storing them for me to review during the summer, with all such letters getting return missives explaining the delay to the Lords in question." Abraxas shook his head. "That is going to be a ton of mail. I don't envy you right now." Tom raised an eyebrow. "With your pedigree, appearance and academic performance, I am surprised you aren't being swamped yourself."

Abraxas sighed. "Truthfully, my parents are getting a large amount of mail in regards to my future Lady Malfoy. We are even getting offers from France. Father, however, has felt the need to refuse many, though I have a few interviews that I will have to perform this coming summer. The next one as well. You are fortunate that you have von Schwarzwald by your side for the most part. Her family's history makes many of the typical girls keep their distance, not to mention her recent mood is making a lot of the girls nervous. Though they are more optimistic now." Tom frowned. "Why would they be more optimistic?" Theodore sighed. "For the same reason some families don't even try to find a suitor for their children. Her injury is seen as a detriment to her value as an asset. Even if she gets an artificial arm, they will see her propensity for getting harmed as a liability. Not only will many simply refuse to offer her their sons, they are going to expect you to start looking for a safer choice as a consort or future fiance. I wouldn't be surprised if a few offers included stipulations for you taking daughters as mistresses, with the option to elevate them to Lady of the House should your current consort fall short." Tom's eyes narrowed and Theodore raised his hands. "Don't look at me, that's just what the Noble and Old Families are like." Abraxas nodded. "That is the truth, unfortunately." He gave Lilith a cursory glance before focusing on Tom. "Though I personally disagree with that view."

Tom gave Abraxas a calculating look, trying to gauge what his words meant. "Regardless, Lilith and I are still in active courtship. So I hope anyone who intends to catch my eye is aware of that, especially those who are eavesdropping on our conversation curently." Half the table around the three started chatting a bit nervously, proving Tom's point, though he did see Alphard giving him a smile and a nod. The odd member of the Black Family's warning lingered in his mind and Tom had certainly been going over the parts of the agreement that would serve as the evidence of his and Lilith's alliance, though he was unsure how to word it in a way that would appeal to the Blacks without being too restrictive. Much of the document already covered how both members were free to assess the need to offer aid and how far that aid could go, both financially, politically and physically. He had already selected a monthly sum of galleons that would be transferred to Lilith's account based on the severity of the injuries she suffered while they were allied. What concerned him, however, was the section regarding their courtship. While they had defined what their current situation would be like, they had never discussed what future they could both work towards in their romantic relationship. Tom looked towards Lilith briefly, seeing her smiling a bit more genuinely after the stress of the last few days. He would have to keep an eye open for an opportunity to get her alone so that they could plan a future together. If nothing else, he knew for a fact that always wanted her to be in his life. That truth had settled into his heart and Tom wasn't interested in ever changing it.

Lilith poured the last vial of herbal dust into the small recess full of water, under the watchful gaze of Rene. Ever since the incident between them, Rene had become Lilith's shadow whenever they were together in the Chamber, following after her wherever the redhead went. While Rene had accepted that she wasn't at fault for Lilith's injury, she was still feeling responsible for it, hence her new status as Lilith's minder, which only made the witch want to sink under the surface of the water. That was, of course, if she was still capable of it. While she was sure that her legs would keep her above the water, she was certain that her mobility as a swimmer had also been compromised, which was why she had adjusted the floor of the chamber to create a recess akin to a bathtub. Having finished her preparations, Lilith had been stripping off her robe, when the vault door opened. "Ohh, I didn't think you'd be here." Lilith sighed as she allowed the robe to fall onto the floor, before proceeding to unbutton her shirt. "With everyone treating me as an invalid and Prewett telling me that I needed to relax, I thought I could use some time alone." Tom hummed to himself as he approached, noticing the new bathlike indenture in the floor. "Please tell me you didn't blast a whole in the ground." Lilith raised an eyebrow at him. "With the wards in this place? Not likely. Salazar built the floors to be adjustable. Since I don't fancy a dip in deep water or testing out whether I will drown if I did fall in, I hope you don't mind that I removed some of the excess water canals as well."

Tom frowned as he looked around the room, spotting the fact that much of the Chamber did currently have solid floors, with the exception of Rene's pool of water. "He never mentioned that to me." Lilith shrugged. "Your questions were focused on the wards while mine were on not drowning. Besides, he says that it's nothing special. Godric's Combat Training Room and Rowena's Room of Requirement were all the same, with Rowena taking it a step further. Now, can I help you with something or are you just interested in seeing me naked again?" Tom turned his eyes away, his face taking a definitive red hue. "I was actually hoping to have a private conversation with you. These last few days you have been either surrounded by girls or asleep in the Hospital Wing." Lilith ran over her memories over the last few days and nodded. "Yeah, seems about right. Though you can blame Teresa for my sleeping habits. I think she is feeding me a sleeping draft to get me back on a reasonable sleep schedule." As Lilith was down to her knickers, she gave Tom a quick look, before approaching him. She ran her hand up against his chest, kissing his cheek. "Now, while I am glad that you aren't peeking, would you be interested in joining me for a soak? The water is quite opaque and deep. The added compounds are mainly to get my body stabilized and my muscles relaxed. It wouldn't be a bad thing if you were to join me."

Taking a deep settling breath, Tom nodded, which earned him anoker kiss. "I will be in the water with my eyes closed. Tell me when you're in and comfortable." As Lilith finished stripping and walking into the water, she sat at one of the elevated edges, waiting for Tom to enter. She did get a peek at his back, which really made her want to run her hands over it, even as she suppressed the urge. They were sixteen years old. While she knew that they were technically old enough to "do" it, that didn't mean that she felt comfortable with the implications. Tom was, after all, still getting his bearings when it came to supportive and positive relationships. His growing relationship with Thomas had been great for her to watch, as the old man was more than happy to show his grandson the support and care that family members should have for each other. Cassandra and Myrtle were also helping in showing him what platonic relationships with girls were like, while Abraxas, Theodore, Cygnus and Alphard were doing their best to show him what would be expected of him as a boy in the Magical World, though Alphard's intentions were always suspect. Lilith had caught him daydreaming a bit with Tom in his sights, which made her wonder if his concerns for Tom's more violent nature had gone down enough for him to actually consider him as a viable partner to approach. The shifting of the water and a sharp intake and deep exhale of breath told Lilith that Tom had joined her.

"You can open your eyes now." Lilith did so, seeing Tom's head and shoulders a good distance away at the other side of the recess. Lilith closed her eyes and slipped under the water's surface, before pulling back up again, running her hand to clear her eyes from water and her currently loose hair, before spending some time pushing it back. She did notice Tom looking at her, though it was certainly aimed at the stump of her right upper arm, which she had raised instinctively up. She knew that he was desperate to help her out, as he felt partly responsible for what happened to her, so she decided to give Tom the opportunity and maybe a reward. She hadn't been blind enough to see how many of the older girls were trying to catch his eye, approaching him with questions about his future plans as a student and as a member of the wider Noble Families. Cygnus had even told her about some of the girls approaching him during the Dueling course, knowing that Lilith couldn't be there to keep the witches away as they sought Tom's attention, asking for help with their poses. Cygnus had been kind enough to inform her that while Tom remained polite and offered genuine assistance, he never took advantage of their advances and kept his hands to himself. Turning around while standing at the center of the tub, Lilith spoke up. "Could you help me with my hair? I have trouble making sure it's uniformly covered in water, without getting it in my eyes all the time."

Tom's hands started gently tugging on her curly red hair, with Lilith letting out a sigh. She winced as Tom found one of the few knots that tended to form now that she couldn't be as exact with her haircare, but he took his movements more carefully, successfully untangling a few more as Lilith leaned her head back into the water. Feeling relaxed enough, Lilith decided that she might as well bite the bullet. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Tom cleared his throat. "Us, mainly. As you are aware, I have no intention of ending our courtship. But with everything that has happened, it's clear that we haven't talked about where this courtship will go if we decide to pursue a relationship for the rest of our lives. I was also given a not so subtle warning from Alphard that the Blacks are very much interested in getting these plans in writing soon." Lilith sighed. "Of course they are." Pulling gently away from Tom, Lilith turned around, staying close to him physically in the water. Her green eyes were focused on his blue eyes, which caught quite a bit of light in the chamber. "And where would you like it to go?" Tom blushed slightly. "Well, I suppose engagement and marriage would be the expectation. Maybe children." Lilith closed her eyes. She knew this would come up. "Tom, I have an irregular ovulation cycle. I might never have children of my own."

She watched as Tom searched her eyes. "But you still want to be a mother, don't you?" Lilith lowered her eyes but nodded. "There is also the issue that if we marry… I could never take your family name. We are the Heads of two Ancient Families, neither of which can just fold into the other. I would have to live primarily in Austria, for reasons I cannot fully explain to you yet. As for children, if we had any, they would have to inherit one of our legacies. Only one. With my difficulties conceiving…" Tom reached out with his right hand, running it down from Lilith's shoulder, until he lifted up her left hand out of the water. With his eyes fixed on Lilith, he kissed her palm. "Any child born to us will be a von Schwarzwald first. You have placed yourself in enough harm at my family's expense. This is the only way I can repay you." Lilith blushed. "But your legacy." Tom sighed. "It can wait. Either for a second child from you or…" Tom didn't complete the sentence. He didn't need to. "Or from a mistress. Abraxas has been very detailed in his representation of family politics, I see." Tom sighed. "I want it to be clear. If you are uncomfortable with the idea, I will never take a Mistress so long as you are my wife." Lilith searched his eyes, seeing the truth in his words. "Even if it means the end of the Slytherins?" Tom stared back at her. "It wouldn't be. Not exactly. Any grandchildren born to us could claim either family name. Even if somehow we remain childless, there are blood adoptions. I simply want to know where you stand on everything."

Lilith squeezed his hand gently as she rested her forehead against his shoulder. "I… am not opposed to someone else being in our bed. So long as it's our bed." Lilith looked back up again. "Though if there is to be a mistress, it would be either to both of us or not at all. Though… I don't think… it is too early, I think, to decide such things. As for blood adoptions… I wouldn't be opposed either. Though I want to be certain that I am not looking to try for children in the next four years or so." Tom sighed in relief. "Good, because I don't think I will be a good father anytime soon either. We both have responsibilities to take care of first." Lilith nodded. "So, then we are in agreement?" Tom nodded. "We are. We will have to put it all in writing, but I don't see anything else being an issue." Lilith leaned forward, her eyes fixed on his. "Good." The moment her lips melded with his, many of Lilith's inhibitions faded away. She pressed her body against his and moaned in pleasure as his arms wrapped around her, pressing their bodies together. Their kiss grew heated as Lilith yearned for more of his touch, to do something about what was poking at her stomach, until they were forced to break away as they ran out of breath. Her glowing green eyes stared into Tom's as her skin felt impossibly warm. She wanted so desperately to keep going. To just press into him and make love to him right here and now. Pressing her head against his, Lilith reigned back her libido. Tom's hands rubbed her back, sending pleasant shivers everywhere. "Not yet?" Lilith shook her head. "Not yet. But I am not opposed to staying like this." Tom kissed her neck, holding their bodies together. "Neither am I."

Chapter 29: The Shifting Board

Henry Potter watched as Euphemia entered the kitchen of Potter Manor, dropping her satchel onto the table, a bemused smile on his face. "Long day at work? You didn't come in last night." As he prepared her a cup of tea, she took a seat on the table, groaning in pain as soon as her back touched the backrest. "Sorry, but Crouch and Shafiq wanted to get the Hogwarts Case closed quickly. I was working on filling out all the documents and making sure all the evidence was adequately labeled and stored correctly." Euphemia took a sip from the offer cup and sighed in relief, with Henry sitting down next to her. "So, what did the Hogwarts Case amount to?" Euphemia looked at Henry and shook her head. "Nothing, really. Anton Bryce had trespassed into the property of the Heir of Slytherin, used Parselmagic enhanced by Blood Magic to force Slytherin's Basilisk to attack a muggleborn girl, supposedly with the intent to kill. The girl's modified lenses negated the deadly aspect of the Basilisk's magic, but not the petrification ability. The Heir then engineered a trap for the trespasser, confronted him and killed him to avoid further injuries to himself or his already injured and rapidly deteriorating partner. As far as the Ministry is concerned, it was a justified death, as it concerns a trespasser within Slytherin property, with there being ample evidence that the infiltrator meant to kill both the Heir and their ally at the start of the confrontation, so even if there was a chance that he could have been recovered alive, it can't be used against the Heir as grounds for charges of murder or manslaughter, especially with no surviving family to take up the cause in court. Both of the witnesses provided memories of the events, though there were some gaps in them regarding proprietary spells, though the impact of said spells and counters were left within the memory themselves, so the lack of the trigger is inconsequential to the investigation."

Humming to himself, Henry gave a cursory look over his daughter-in-law. "Does it bother you? The fact there were no arrests issued despite the death of a boy?" Euphemia took a moment to think. "I… don't know. Both Scamander and Ross made it clear that the Basilisk's gaze was lethal when she wanted it to be, they tested it with mice, and that only Parselmagic based wards could negate it completely, with a runic visual defence only preventing death, not petrification. None of the staff would have been helpful in the fight in that regard, not to mention that the Heir was rightfully concerned that the professors would focus on killing the snake, which was a victim, rather than impeding or killing the perpetrator of the attacks, who was a student, meaning they would have held back their attacks against him, placing even more people in danger. The actions of the two teens saved the Basilisk and prevented further attacks on the students, at the expense of their own safety and the life of a would be murderer." Euphemia ran her hand over her head, smoothing back her brown hair. "I just wish that it hadn't been the responsibility of children to handle this. Two teenagers had to fight for their lives to kill another and save a thousand year old creature, while everyone else was still reeling from the petrification of another. It shouldn't be like this." Henry sighed, lowering his cup of tea. "No, it shouldn't be. But times are not kind nor fair currently. Here I am, nearing a century of age, while Charlus is in the middle of a war zone and Fleamont has to keep his time in public to a minimum to not get sick."

Euphemia sighed, nodding in agreement. Due to her job, she had to make sure she used medical grade magic to cleanse herself every single time she entered through the foyer of Potter Manor. Wards kept the air that entered through the windows and doors as clean as possible, all so that her husband could live in his home without fear of catching any disease. Even something as common as a cold could leave him bedridden for weeks if they weren't careful. And yet, despite the great effort she took to keep her husband healthy, she couldn't not love him. It only made her desire to give him a child all the more pressing, though so far they had not much luck. Henry refilled Euphemia's cup. "How are the two teenagers doing? I know the way you are, you have probably been checking in on them through Teresa." Euphemia chuckled. "Yeah, Teresa doesn't go far enough to break her oaths, but she does give me the general stuff. Lilith von Schwarzwald is recovering as expected, going through the therapy sessions and classes without much trouble, though her mood seems to be a bit more freighed." Henry chuckled to himself. "Sounds like Fleamont when he was at school. I am sure you remember his rebellious phase." Euphemia had a wistful smile on her face. "When he showed up to every Gryffindor Quidditch Practice and tried to get signed on with the team, despite his health? Of course I remember."

Henry nodded. "Being treated as ill or incapacited is never easy, much more so for a teen. Fleamont enjoyed some very pleasant years at Hogwarts and felt that he could do much more. Sure, it caused him some grief, but he was a Gryffindor, so of course that didn't matter much to him. He wanted to feel in control of his life and hated feeling like a bother. The girl must be feeling the same way; restless, vulnerable and overly dependent on others. No one likes to live that way." Euphemia took a sip from her tea. "I suppose that goes double for the two of them as orphans. Riddle went to Hogwarts straight from an orphanage in London, while Lilith survived the death of her parents at the hands of Grindelwald's Hexenmeisters. I imagine that saving that Basilisk was more than just a selfless act or the fulfillment of duty for either or both of them. It was a way to show to themselves that they could make a difference, not to mention saving the life of a creature they loved as family." Henry looked to Euphemia. "Which is why I think you need to let the matter rest. They acted in their best judgment and both succeeded and paid for their decision. There is nothing more you can do for them." Euphemia looked at her half filled cup of tea. "I understand that. It's just… There is something about that girl. Something that just makes me want to take her in and protect her. And I don't know why I feel this way."

"Feel what way?" Euphemia felt Fleamont kiss her cheek. "Hello love. Missed you in bed last night." The brunette gave her husband a bright smile, even as she raised an eyebrow at him. "Really, because you haven't been going to bed all that often. First with the Restorative Potion order and then with that Immunity Booster Potion you are fiddling with." Straightening out his dark and unkempt hair, Fleamont took a seat next to his wife, a soft but bashful smile on his face. "Yes, well I did try to sleep last night but the bed was too cold." Euphemia shook her head as Henry looked at his son. "She is just feeling a bit odd about recent events at Hogwarts. By the way, Charlus sent us a letter. With the reinforcements from Britain, he and the other volunteers have been moved to the back lines, taking care of reinforcing the wards at the arrival points and supply depots for the Peacekeepers and the French Resistance. He was allowed to get some time to go on leave and return to Britain for the summer. He will be providing some much needed input regarding what skills the trainees from the Academy will need to survive the frontlines." Fleamont sighed in relief. "Finally. It's a shame he won't be staying, but two months out of danger will do good for my heart." Henry chuckled. "Though he is coming with some trouble. He's courting a witch and he intends to introduce her to us." Fleamont shook his head with a smile on his face. "Leave it to Charlie to go off to war and find a witch that can handle him."

Euphemia watched as her husband and father-in-law made plans to welcome the wayward member of the family home, a smile on her face. Petersby started serving a small meal for them at the table, the elf making sure that his family was comfortable, with Euphemia thanking him for bringing her a bit of scotch to add to her tea. Though even as she smiled and laughed with her husband about who would give Henry a grandchild first between him and Charlus now that he had found himself a witch, the nagging feeling in the back of her mind refused to be forgotten. Something deep inside of Euphemia told her that there was someone else missing who should be at the table, beyond just Charlus. That feeling had first started on the day that she investigated the assault on Myrtle Warren just a year prior. She had felt it again the night that she and the teens rescued the victims of the bombing raid over Smethwich. Now, after spending days at Hogwarts gathering all the evidence from the involved parties, getting Myrtle's testimony after her recovery and finalizing her investigation, the feeling had only seemed to grow stronger. Whenever Euphemia closed her eyes, the same image repeated itself. The sight of Lilith von Schwarzwald, looking at her with more than just curiosity, respect or defiance. She had only seen that look on her briefly every time, but it was there. Longing. Euphemia wondered, for the hundredth time, why the girl would look at her that way… and why she too longed to have her in her life as well.

"Cousin, how is the Wizengamot!?" Arcturus grabbed the nearest paperweight and tossed it at Cassiopeia, who had just opened the door to his office. The smirking witch caught it with a smile on her face. Arcturus grumbled as he returned to his stack of papers. "I thought being a father was the most stressful thing that I would have to endure, but no… Managing the family is perfectly fine, the kids are all behaving themselves at school. But the Dark Faction? I have never met such a group of self-centered, arrogant blow hearts! Father did me no favors with all of his ridiculous offers and agreements. Whatever guilt I had from New Year's is well and truly spent." Cassiopeia placed the paperweight back on the stack of parchments before taking a seat in front of Arcturus. "Well, as far as I can tell from all of my lovely conversations with the ladies in the Alley, most are disappointed that some of the promises were never going to be kept, but other than Rosier and the families joined at the hip to his, most seem to be happy with the way that you are handling everything, headaches aside." Arcturus sighed. "Well, that's good to hear, since the bastards won't tell me themselves. Speaking of Rosier, what have you been able to gather about Druella Rosier? Melania got a letter from her but we aren't sure how much we can trust her intentions."

Cassiopeia hummed to herself. "Well… from what I have heard, her mother has been having a lot of arguments with Lord Rosier. Word is he is considering offering the girl as a betrothal to either the Goyle or Travers family, though he has been looking to try and strengthen his connection to Grindelwald, looking to see if any of the Old Families from Germany would take her. Alphard can't say for sure if her feelings for Cygnus are genuine, beyond the fact that neither of them are under compulsions or potions to feel anything for each other. It would be up to you and Melania to decide if you were willing to grant her sanctuary, if she were to ask." Arcturus rubbed his chin before looking at Cassiopeia. "Tell Alphard to do a final evaluation of her and ask for his opinion on whether we should grant her sanctuary or not. He has done a good job looking after the family. I believe I want to see if his judgement is just as trustworthy." Cassiopeia chuckled. "I will let him know, though he will likely complain about the responsibility you just hoisted upon him. Anything else for Alphard?" Arcturus frowned, looking at his stack of letters and searching through it. "I think Alphard sent me an envelope, though I didn't get a chance to open it. Not with my visits to Marius at the firm and everything." The dark haired witch perked up. "How is my brother? I haven't had the chance to pay him a visit since he got to see father again."

Arcturus found the envelope and pulled it out from under a stack of letters, before looking for his enchanted letter opener. The Black Family took the correspondence between their family members seriously. Any letter sealed using the family ring was protected by a powerful enchantment. The letters were hard to destroy, though not impossible, but they weren't able to be opened by anyone who didn't have a Black Family letter opener. "Marius is still displeased with all of us, with the exception of Pollux, who had stayed in contact with him throughout his disownment by father. He is hesitant to interact more with us, though he would be more than happy to have Walburga complete her certification at his firm." Cassiopeia sighed looking out through the window behind Arcturus' shoulder. "Do you think he would be ok if I paid him a visit?" Arcturus broke the magical wax seal on the envelope, before pulling out a thick stack of parchments. "Well… if you were to send Marius's wife a letter, I am sure she could smooth things over for you. Be sure to avoid spooking the kids if you do visit. Pollux hasn't been using magic around them on his visits and they aren't aware of magic just yet." Cassiopeia nodded, her thoughts running over everything that she has missed in her brother's life ever since Sirius Black placed him in a muggle boarding school and left him with a small trust fund. She had a lot to make up for with her brother.

"Ahh, it seems that Lilith and Mr Riddle completed a formal agreement and sent us a copy of it." He frowned at the last page. "They both signed it and sealed it using their family rings." Cassiopeia took the offered documents and started reading through it. As the Family's shadow, reading quickly had been a skill she had been forced to develop. While she didn't have eidetic memory, she did have a wandless spell that allowed her to keep a perfect image of whatever she saw for a few minutes, through which she could read through whatever she saw at a more comfortable pace. Cassiopeia read through the papers quickly, a smile growing on her face as she went further into the contract. "That's a lot of wiggle room for both of them. Neither is necessarily forced to do anything, but they are required to help each other as much as possible, without betraying themselves or their families. This is quite good." Arcturus hummed in agreement, looking at another set of documents. "It seems they sought Walburga's assistance in drafting this. Alphard sent us a copy with blank spaces for all the names of the affected parties." Cassiopeia chuckled. "Well, at least we have something to base any agreements that the kids could make on their own." Cassiopeia placed the document back on the table. "So, what will House Black's policy be towards Mr Riddle, Heir of House Slytherin?"

Arcturus tapped his fingers rhythmically on the desk, deep in thought. "For the moment, we will treat him as a possible ally and friend. Lilith's injuries notwithstanding, he has yet to act against our family. The fact they are now officially courting would eventually make him part of our extended family and Lilith has been very helpful to us so I am willing to trust her judgment on the young man. We will wait for a more personal environment to determine his political affiliations and what our relationship will be like in the Wizengamot and further on." He turned his gaze to his cousin. "That means you are to take it easy on him, cousin. Any information that you hear aimed at harming him or Lilith, pass it along to me and to Alphard." Cassiopeia pouted a little. "Damn, I wanted to have more fun teasing the young man. Still, if he keeps to his word and makes our wayward hellion happy, I suppose it's only fair to treat him well. Anything else?" Arcturus looked at his stacks of papers. "Since I doubt you will be lending me a hand with these, you are free to go. Also, Dorea said that she and her man will be arriving in Britain for the summer. Make sure that she arrives safely at the Townhouse again. We will see if she has found someone worthy of her affections." Cassiopeia chuckled a little. "Gladly. See you later, cousin!" Arcturus watched as Cassiopeia left, running into Melania in the hallway. The two talked to each other in hushed tones, before his wife entered the room, drawing her wand. "Ready for dinner, dear?" Arcturus sighed, dropping his latest stack of papers onto the desk. "Right. Lead the way, love."

As Galatea, the mechanical owl, peered into the inner frame of an incomplete mechanical arm, Lilith looked up from the inner workings, pulling off her goggles awkwardly, the lenses helping in seeing magical signatures and residual magic, as well as magnifying whatever she was looking it at while providing her with enough protection, should anything break or explode. She looked at the curious owl moving about on the table that had been placed for her in their private room atop the North Tower. "You know, this is akin to you looking at your own guts. I am not sure if you should be watching me work, Galatea." The owl shook its metallic feathers before screeching softly. Lilith sighed. "Fine, fine, but you better not steal any pieces, even if they are lying about. You're not a crow, you know." The owl seemed to huff in indignation, before curiosity got the better of her and her wide eyes focused again on the arm. "Please, for the love of all that is magical, tell me you didn't give Galatea and Pandora sentience." Lilith looked towards Tom, who had been studying for his Runes class while sitting at the sofa, the coffee table covered with parchments and sheets of paper. Lilith gave him a cheeky smile. "Define sentience." Tom rubbed his eyes. "I am serious, Lilith." The redhead sighed. "As am I. What is the mark of sentience? Free thinking, independent action or the ability to define oneself as a singular entity?" Tom paused for a second. "That would be as close as we can get, without delving into the deeper philosophical and metaphysical elements, I guess."

Lilith nodded. "True, which is why my question would have been if those are the signs of sentience or just the byproducts of it. Regardless, I wasn't going to make our owl familiars entirely under our control, not unless you wanted to spend hours of everyday meditating as you flew the owl from one end of Britain to the next. They needed some measure of autonomy. So aside from creating a behavioural runic array that reflected the elements from what a conjured owl should behave as, I also designed them to gain aspects of our personalities." Tom blinked before a thought entered his mind. "Ahh, that's why she isn't fond of Alphard. That makes sense." Lilith nodded. "They aren't utterly independent, of course. They are an extension of us, so if you are worrying about me leading the world into some apocalyptic takeover by mechanical constructs, I don't think it will happen." She gave the curious owl a sideways look. "I think." Tom shook his head. "Whatever possessed you to make the most complicated construct possible as your first attempt at artificing?" Lilith gave Tom a look. "I am a Slytherin, Tom. Ambition is a part of me, though it doesn't take the same form as most people's. My pride is in my work, not in what I can use to increase my standing in the world." Tom chuckled to himself. "Fair enough. Speaking about being a Slytherin, care to share how you are a Parselmouth? We have been dancing around the subject long enough." Giving Tom a look to see if he was feeling angry about it, he actually seemed purely curious.

"I suppose that was going to come up sooner or later." Returning her attention to the mechanical arm, she started testing the cables that connected the fingers, checking to see if they were curling as intended. She had already developed a few mechanisms that would allow the fingers to open and close completely, she was simply fine tuning them to make sure that she had the refined movements of the fingers down, not to mention the desired speed. Using a spell created by Leonardo Da Vinci to create a facsimile of the human arm and elbow without the skin, she was better able to understand how the positioning of the muscles, their overall design and how their contact points with the bones resulted in the movements that are natural to a human body, which allowed her to test and attempt realistic replication with gears, pistons and joints. It was quite a grotesque conjuration, but ultimately enlightening mechanically. " The simple answer is that I am not a blood descendant from any Parselmouths, not even Salazar Slytherin. I wasn't given the gift by a Nāga either." Tom frowned. "Then how did you become a Parselmouth?" Lilith sighed to herself. "I can't say entirely. It is part of a wider secret, one that I do intend to share with you very soon. All I can say currently is that not everything that is passed down by bloodlines is about the actual blood of the person. There is more to life than mere biology." Tom was silent for some time, likely trying to figure out what Lilith meant, as Lilith added extra tension into some of the mechanisms. Feeling that she got the necessary movements, she started adding the gears that would replicate the strength necessary to sustain a hold, anchoring a few of them to the frame itself.

~"Regardless of how you came to the gift, I can say that I am happy for it. It is a pleasure to hear you speak it."~ Lilith had sensed him approaching her, but the use of Parselmouth so close to her ear sent tingles of sensation down her entire body. She barely managed not to drop anything into the cavity of her future arm. Placing her tool down, she turned to look at Tom, finding him just a breath away from her face. One of the concerns she still had for Tom was his inexperience with physical intimacy and its various iterations. His growing friendship with Myrtle and Cassandra had helped him slightly in the more platonic displays of conformity, though the help from them was nowhere near as much as his interactions with the Blacks now provided. The contract they had sent had apparently appeased the new leadership of the Family, with Cygnus, Alphard and Walburga spending more time around Tom, getting his own opinions on matters of class, studies and the news. Cygnus was being far more specific, helping Tom understand the role of the Court in the Slytherin Dorms, while Alphard had definitely towed the line with being overly friendly with Tom, which only made her smile at how awkward her boyfriend could be under the affections of another boy. Still, the contrast between Alphard, Cygnus and the others served him well in understanding how physically close he could be, the comfort of having someone caring for you with no hidden agendas. The only thing that Lilith had to contend with was showing him how to be physically intimate with a partner, both in the public eye and in private.

Lilith ran her hand up and over Tom's chest, which made his eyes darken and his breathing deepen. She loved the way he reacted to her touch. Ever since their shared bath in the Chamber, Tom had been far more physical with his interactions with Lilith, enough that she had to correct him about what was appropriate in shared company. Still, there was something about the clear desire in his eyes, the affection in his voice and the warmth of his flesh that made Lilith want to do much more than just press herself against him. Restraining herself a little, Lilith searched Tom's eyes. "I suppose you have gotten bored of studying?" Tom nodded his eyes fixed on her lips. Lilith tried to think about what else they could do that wouldn't leave either of them panting, potentially losing control of their inhibitions. "Weren't we supposed to discuss potentially telling our friends about this place? For this group you wanted to create to advise and gather information regarding Hogwarts and Magical Society?" Tom sighed. "Must we?" Lilith smiled at him, kissing his cheek near his ear. ~"We get this done and I wouldn't mind if we stripped a few layers of clothing. I could even be convinced to share another bath with you soon."~ Tom shivered at both the use of Parseltongue and the feel of her breath against his ear. The two returned to the sofa, putting all of the papers away, before discussing who to invite into Tom's trust well into the afternoon.

Dumbledore dropped the letters from Lord Longbottom and Head of House Weasley, sighing to himself. His plans for the betterment of the British Wizarding World hadn't materialized as he had hoped. While the Weasleys were among his strongest supporters now, his base of support among the Light hadn't been able to grow as intended. Lord Longbottom himself was a little less than enthusiastic in his support, though the treatment of his family by Sirius Black had helped to color his view of the Dark Faction and its families unfavorably. With Rosier gathering the extremists to his side, it was only a matter of time before the conflict in Europe was to be repeated within the Wizengamot. Instead of that eventuality coming to pass, the Light had banded behind Lord Henry Potter, following his words as he led with conviction and restraint. Albus could admit to himself that Henry Potter was a force to be reckoned with. A powerful orator with a long history of service to the country, Lord Potter was long considered a strong candidate to either the position of Minister or Chief Warlock. His decision to remain as the ICW representative for Britain and refusing all other assignments would have irked more people, if it weren't for the fact that he had tried to dedicate himself to his family as well, earning himself the respect of many not present within the Wizengamot. Dumbledore knew that getting Henry Potter to join his Anti-Dark Movement was unlikely, as he had already proven himself to be a strong proponent of the status-quo, as seen by their earlier interactions. He had hoped to have had a better chance with Potter's children.

Unfortunately, the boys were even harder to approach than their father. Dumbledore had only become their Head of Hogwarts House for the later years of both their educations. Charlus Potter was a known prankster and wild card, his overly enthusiastic personality driving quite a few students away, though he certainly had the attention of quite a few students, many of them girls, though he paid them little mind. His personality, however, didn't stop him from being a decent Chaser for the Gryffindor Team, or getting some of the highest scores in Transfiguration, Defence and Dueling in the last fifty years. While he entered the Auror Academy, the young man dropped out of it before his graduation, seemingly to prepare to take over for his father's role as Head of House Potter, before he joined the ICE Peacekeepers as a volunteer as soon as the war in Europe spiraled out of control. Fleamont Potter was far more approachable as a student, but he was very unlike his older brother. He had the same Potter determination and drive for excellence, but his frail physical condition and stubborn streak made getting him to listen to any discussions about politics pointless. The young man practically disappeared into his Potions career and has only been seen in passing since, with his young wife, Euphemia, being far more well known among the populace as an Auror. Dumbledore sighed to himself. This was why he wanted to be rid of the Old and Noble Families. They were far more interested in their own survival than in the interests of everyone else, even the so-called Light Families.

Dumbledore had hoped that the extremist activities of the Dark Faction and their intransigence against taking the Ministry into open war with Grindelwald would have galvanized the two sides into fighting each other, making the discussions within the Wizengamot mute. The sudden removal of Sirius Black and the fall of Rosier's position disheartened the radicals, with Arcturus Black gathering the Faction around him in a far more stable block. Dumbledore had all but given up on the Dark acting out until Myrtle Warren was discovered petrified, with that ominous message spelled out in blood. While he had found the attack unpleasant, he could also understand the value of it to his cause. He had certainly hoped that Tom Riddle had been responsible for it, and even if he hadn't, he could have served as an effective scapegoat. If he had, however, been revealed as the perpetrator and the Heir of Slytherin, the Dark and its radicals would have swarmed around the boy, defending his actions, with the Light leading the charge against him, demanding justice. His imprisonment would have been the spark that would draw Britain into the Civil War that Dumbledore needed to reform the country for the better. Instead, the blame fell on another. Tom's reveal and his actions to safeguard his family's legacy by risking his own life not only silenced the radicals, but it seems to have moved the Neutrals into a watchful state, while the Light were cautiously optimistic. Even Newt couldn't bring himself to condemn the Basilisk after they found evidence that it had been forced to comply with Anton Bryce's will through Blood Magic, leaving Riddle free to strengthen his claim to Slytherin's legacy.

Should Tom Riddle become the Lord Slytherin, the very symbol of the Dark Faction beyond Morgan Le Fay herself, and advocate stability and unity among the Factions, there would be no civil war. Dumbledore couldn't let his hope of a better world end with this. He had been hoping that his preparations wouldn't be necessary, but now he had no other choice. If the Light and Dark wouldn't go to war on their own, then he needed Grindelwald to become the trigger, just as he had done for the rest of Europe. With the news concerning the war getting worse for his puppets in Germany and Italy, Dumbledore believed that Gellert would now be desperate enough to remove Britain from the war. With his Hexenmeister acting as saboteurs, the muggles of Britain would be incapable of continuing the battle, with Grindelwald's supporters in the country hopefully drawing the rest of the country into the civil war he needed. Dumbledore pulled out a blank parchment and began to write one of many letters. He doubted that Grindelwald would hesitate to take advantage of an opening to weaken Britain's support for either side of the war, but just to be sure, he would dangle a tempting enough bait to draw Grindelwald's attention. The upcoming return of the Light Faction's favorite son and the most well known ICW Peacekeeper volunteer would do just fine as bait. Taking his time to imitate a certain man's handwriting was difficult, but as long as Grindelwald was convinced of its authenticity, then he would act as Dumbledore predicted. After all, he knew how Gellert thought better than anyone else.

"They are all useless!" Gellert Grindelwald tossed his situation reports across his map of Europe and the North of Africa. "The other countries have held African territories for nearly a century or more, and yet these fools lose them all in just a few years!" As Grindelwald picked up the reports regarding Occupied France, a German Soldier arrived. "Obergruppenführer Grindelwald." Gellert sighed as he took the sealed envelope from the courier. "Thank you. You are dismissed." The soldier saluted him and left the room, as Grindelwald unsealed the document, reading over the papers, while one of his lieutenants arrived. "News from our allies?" Gellert grunted. "More requests for aid along the Eastern Front. The fool is trying to push into the Russian territories once more and would like our assistance in breaking through the Soviet lines." The Lieutenant sighed. "What would you like us to do, my lord? The Peacekeepers in France have been disrupting German supply convoys for months now and our forces have been hard pressed to stop their guerilla tactics. If word of an Allied invasion is true, we will need to keep the majority of our forces in Central Europe, away from the artillery and bomber range of the enemy forces. Aiding the madman's attempt into Soviet territory will only weaken our positions elsewhere." Gellert nodded as he tossed the papers down on the table. "Hitler can waste his time with the Soviets. They are not our concern, since they have no magical forces to speak of. The growing unrest in Italy and the deployment of the British Aurors is of greater importance. The loss of the African territories is a disappointment, but it's not all that important currently."

The Lieutenant looked over the map, which had been updated to reflect the current state of the war in Europe and the Mediterranean. "The Japanese are keeping the Americans and British colonial forces busy, but it will not be long before they send their reinforcements into the European Theatre. We need to find a way to delay them." Gellert looked at the map. "I doubt we can do much about the Americans. Our saboteurs in the States have barely managed to make a dent, with MACUSA repairing the damage quickly. I believe our best approach should be to secure our borders and sue for peace." The lieutenant looked up. "Our enemies are better armed now than before and have victories in Africa to bolster their morale. They are unlikely to accept any calls for a ceasefire." Gellert nodded, his eyes fixed on a set of islands at the edge of the map. "Not as they are now, but if we give them a reason to want peace quickly, they might just take it. I believe their weak point is right here." Gellert tapped the island of Great Britain with his finger. The lieutenant frowned. "Didn't the fool already try this tactic before?" Gellert chuckled to himself. "That he did, but his plan was nothing more than an exercise in intimidation. I believe a more devastating result must be achieved to get Britain to call for a ceasefire. If Britain takes itself and its Empire out of the war, that would leave the Americans and the Soviets all on their own. America would be unwilling to fight in a continent that they have no stakes in and Russia could then fall easily to our combined efforts. While we may not get our grand conquest, simply ending this war can be a victory in itself."

The lieutenant rubbed his chin in thought. "The question is, how do we achieve the desired results in Britain." Grindelwald searched the table, before picking up a stack of documents. "Rosier's position in Britain is useless to us politically, but not strategically. We should be able to smuggle our Hexenmeisters into the island easily enough through his properties. They can then inflict a great deal of damage to the British Ministry of Magic and its populace. The panic this will cause will draw back the Aurors they had deployed elsewhere. Our forces can then continue a campaign of terror against muggle and magical targets. By the end they will either be dead or begging us to cease hostilities. I am sure we could even frame it in such a way that it even seems to be an internal conflict. Rosier has been itching to attack several Dark and Light Families since the war began. Perhaps we could help him along." Gellert raised his gaze. "Go find Vinda for me." As he scanned the reports out of Britain, a piece of correspondence that he had received from an old friend stood out to him. It seemed that Britain would be welcoming back some of the volunteers that had been driving his Hexenmeisters insane for years now. If he could get a precise date on their arrival back to their home country and have his forces wipe them out, the morale of the British Magicals would drop considerably. There were even a few specific targets that were expected to be amongst them.

"You called for me, my lord?" Gellert looked up from the paper into the eyes of his most loyal servant. Eyes that now matched his own. "With the current state of the war, I believe your talents would be put to better use elsewhere, my dear. An informant in Britain has let slip that many of the British ICW Peacekeeper volunteers would be making their way back to Britain in the coming months. It would be such a shame if they managed to arrive home, only to die within the walls of their own Ministry, wouldn't you agree? If the Potter Heir and the Black Family's Healer are among them, then make sure to eliminate them. Their deaths will weaken the Speakers of the Light and Dark factions and could further damage the stability of the current Assembly." Vinda smiled at him. "It would be a shame indeed for all that to happen, my lord. Will that be the extent of my assignment?" Gellert shook his head. "I want you to select your most trusted soldiers with expertise in sabotaging muggle military installations and in causing mass casualties. We need Britain to pull out of the war for our future plans to remain in place. Contact your former family and see to it that they and their allies secure an infiltration route for your forces and to boost their espionage capabilities. You are then to use them and their personal contacts as much as possible to sow chaos and death in the population. Make it seem that the attacks are being carried out by the Dark Faction, in the hopes of triggering a civil war. Marcus Rosier can get his revenge, even if it costs him his life, and we can get our ultimate goals secured." Vinda placed her hand over her heart and bowed. "As you command." Just as she was about to leave, Gellert decided to give her one last incentive. "Oh, and if you come across young Miss von Schwarzwald, you are free to do as you please with her." Vinda's smile turned positively predatory. "Understood, my lord."

Chapter 30: Working Towards Something Better

"Oh, wow. This place looks amazing!" As Myrtle searched the room at the top of the North Tower, Tom helped the others up the trap door. Walburga's eyes searched the place as well, humming in appreciation. "It reminds me of the Slytherin Common Room, though a tad bit more comfortable. Though I had hoped that we would have been meeting in the Chamber of Secrets." Lilith, who had struggled a bit pulling out a chair for Cassandra, looked towards her cousin. "The Chamber is more of a family property than part of the school. Tom would have to give us permission to enter in the first place and even then you need to be a Parselmouth to open it, of which there is only one currently known of at the school. This room is for all of us to use together at any given moment in the next few years." Cassandra gave Lilith an odd look, with Lilith shushing her in response, which made the blonde Ravenclaw giggle. Abraxas looked out the window and whistled. "Is this what the view from Ravenclaw Tower is like? If it is, it's not bad at all." Lakshmi chuckled. "Yeah, there is nothing like reading a good book with a picture perfect view of the Highlands. Gods am I going to miss Hogwarts." Walburga looked towards Tom. "Why did you invite me and Lakshmi to this group anyways? We will be graduating by the end of June." As everyone started to claim seats, either on the small six person circular table in the middle or on the now four sofas around it, Tom turned to Walburga, cataloging away the fact that she called the Head Girl by her first name, and answered her.

"While the premise of this group is focused on Hogwarts and how we feel about it, I would like it for everyone here to continue giving us their own opinion on things, even after graduation. After all, if Hogwarts is merely the first step for all of us into British Magical Society, then we need to understand whether or not it is actually fulfilling its purpose. You would be a good example of a limitation in the current Hogwarts Curriculum, Walburga, since you still need to complete further studies outside of the Castle to take up your profession." Lilith took her seat next to Cassandra at the table. "The same situation is repeated with the Aurors as they enter the Academy, as it can take between three to four years to be fully trained." Tom rested his hand on Lilith's shoulder gently, before taking his seat next to her. "We see more evidence of this with Wardmasters, Enchanters, and even Healers. So, is this a necessary part of post-Hogwarts education or is it a symptom of a deficiency in the curriculum of the school? As the Heir to House Slytherin, I will eventually acquire responsibilities towards the Castle and the students. My upbringing didn't prepare me for this responsibility and I believe that no single upbringing will get me the results that can have the greatests returns. A group that encompasses a wide variety of upbringings and career plans can hopefully ensure that the next few generations of magicals have a better education."

Abraxas sat down lazily on one of the sofas, with Lakshmi and Walburga taking another, as well as Cygnus. The last to take seats at the table were Alphard, Lucretia and Myrtle. The platinum blonde youth rubbed his chin as his eyes examined everyone in the room. "It does make sense to expand one's pool of input regarding the school's performance and the Wizengamot has certainly been struggling with Education Reform over the last few years." Lilith sighed. "With the last Education Reform occurring during the greater reorganization of the ICW, which led to the removal of the Dark Arts courses from the school curriculums of Hogwarts and Beauxbatons, as a deterrent against another war like the chaos of the Napoleonic Campaigns. Unfortunately, the current war makes it very clear that not teaching students how the Dark Arts work can backfire on the wider population, meaning that the Reform was a colossal failure." Lakshmi perked up at that. "You want to restore the Dark Arts courses?" Lilith looked to Tom, getting his nod, before she addressed everyone. "Not in the sense that many of the Light Faction would take offence with. The goal would be to educate the older students on the effects that curses have on the caster, teaching them ways to mitigate the rush that comes with using the Dark Arts and allowing anyone interested in their study to be able to understand the dangers in their use. Essentially, it would be the restoration of the Defence Course as it once was, with a Dark Arts focus in the NEWT coursework that should better prepare a graduate for work as an Auror."

Lucretia looked towards Myrtle and Cassandra. "It would be the most appropriate way to handle the Dark Arts. Defence up to the OWLs is focused on defending oneself, with the NEWT Course only taken by the students interested in jobs that are very dangerous by themselves. Aurors, Ministry personnel and Magical Beast Handlers." Myrtle spoke up as everyone mulled over the suggestion. "If we are going to discuss changing the curriculum, then we have to bring up History of Magic." Cassandra, Lilith and Lakshmi chuckled as everyone else groaned. Lilith smiled at her friend. "We can all agree that perhaps a different Professor is required, though the book recommendations leave a lot to be desired as well." Myrtle blushed slightly as her suggestion was taken into account, happy that she wasn't being ignored, though she never doubted that from her friends. "Why is Binns even allowed to teach the course as a Ghost?" Abraxas answered Myrtle's question first. "Finance. While the Headmaster and Deputy handle the running of the Castle with the rest of the staff, the Board of Governors handles the financial management of the Castle's funds. They are the ones who decide when the Quidditch Brooms get replaced, what new books are allocated to the Library and what the pay for everyone is like. Binns doesn't need money to do his job, nor any upkeep. Since he teaches the bare minimum required for a person to pass their OWLs, the Board just left him there and redirected the money elsewhere. Getting them to redirect the money back won't be easy, but with a Founder's Heir, the Staff and the Wizengamot demanding a change, it could be enough pressure to see the matter through."

As more suggestions were thrown around, with Tom writing a few into his notes, Lucretia spoke up. "All this is all well and good, but if we want a better grasp of what everyone else feels about the school, we are going to need more people to join this group from the other houses." Alphard looked towards Tom and Lilith. "You two would be open to that?" Tom nodded. "We are. The issue is a bit on who to invite. We thought about Pomona Sprout and Manuel Bones from Hufflepuff, but neither of us were close enough to either to feel comfortable inviting them here." Lakshmi hummed to herself. "I will be seeing Manuel later today, so I can ask him how he would feel about the group idea. Even if he won't be here long enough to take part, he could convince Sprout and another Badger or two to give you guys a chance and keep us informed of what the Academy demands of its recruits." Lilith looked to Lucretia. "As for Gryffindors, we weren't sure if you would be ok with Ignatus Prewett getting invited. He can be a bit single minded and dense, but he does care about Quidditch more than we do, with one exception. As much as it is a distraction, the sport is a part of our culture and there are some economic considerations as well, so ignoring Quidditch isn't an option." Abraxas chuckled in the back. "True and I prefer to watch, so my opinion is a bit limited in scope." Lucretia looked to Abraxas for a moment, before looking at Lilith and Tom. "If he can tone his flirting down, I can certainly tolerate him for another year. Guessing McGonagall wasn't considered?"

Lilith sighed. "We have been trying to make peace with her for all of the term, but she really has it in her head that Tom and I are a danger to the student body. We don't think she will be very beneficial, at least not at this moment." Alphard rested his chin on his arm. "Sounds about right. I have a better reputation with the Lions, so I can check to see if anyone might be worth introducing to you guys." Lilith then turned to the rest. "We will also be looking towards younger students, since first years do experience Hogwarts differently than everyone else. We will be watching out for anyone we think could provide this group with further insight as to how Hogwarts could serve the students better. Anything that lies beyond Hogwarts' jurisdiction we can then hopefully tackle within the Wizengamot." As the meeting neared its conclusion about the rules regarding the group and their shared room, Cassandra spoke up. "So, does the group have a name?" Lilith looked towards Tom, who in turn looked at everyone else in the room. "I was thinking of something like the Council of Walpurgis." Abraxas frowned as Myrtle looked towards Tom. "As in Walpurgis Night?" Tom nodded. "Christians celebrated Walpurgis night as a time in which witchcraft was defeated by one of their saints. Clearly, they failed at that." He gave everyone a big smile. "I think we should take the name as proof that no matter what others might think, we will endure any adversity and grow wiser and stronger… together."

Armando Dippet entered his office on the fifth floor of the Astronomy Tower, rubbing his eyes and feeling much more tired than he remembered from the year before. At just over 300 years of age, he was among the oldest wizards yet alive, barring a certain cheater and his wife in France, and certainly one of the oldest to have ever taken the job of Headmaster late in life. Before he had been thankful for his mixed Fae ancestry, which gave him plenty of time to dedicate his life to the study and advancement of Magic, hence his status as the current Professor for Spell Creation at Hogwarts, a rare NEWT elective that often went untaught from lack of interest in the younger generations of students. While this year was one of the few that he had the pleasure to teach the course, with Miss Patil bringing her family's language and unique cultural and practical perspective towards magic to the course, it still meant that he needed to prepare a personalized test for her and the few other Ravenclaw students to take for their NEWT certification. He had been discussing a few ideas with the recently arrived examiners, who were busy getting their lists and practical examinations in order for both the OWLs and NEWTs students, with him only now getting the chance to return to his office. "Would you like some coffee? I have some decent beans back home." Dippet sighed, knowing that his plans to have a moment of relaxation just went out the window as the unexpected voice of his friend interrupted his thoughts and plans for the evening.

Living for centuries gives a man quite a bit of insight. It also lets one notice the oddest things. Like the one other wizard who didn't seem to age like the rest of the population. "You know, I was certain we would be meeting in person a bit sooner, Alexander." The Head of House Peverell, who had been perusing Armando's private bookshelf, returned one of the books back to it. "I had considered it. I was even here for a few hours, watching over Lilith and chatting with young Mr Riddle. I thought about visiting you, but at the time I was certain that I might not be as… cordial as I tend to be. Seeing my ward in the state that she was… it tends to disrupt even my self-control. It took me longer than I anticipated to cool down." Armando dropped his parchments on his desk, before sighing. "I understand. And I would have deserved every word of your anger. You entrusted her to my care and I failed you." Alexander crossed his arms and reclined himself against the bookshelf. "Perhaps, but I know that girl enough that she would have gotten herself in trouble regardless of anything that you did." Dippet sat on his chair and leaned back. "Doesn't make it any less easier for me. One boy killed, a girl petrified after almost getting raped last year, and another having lost an eye and an arm within this Castle's walls. Hogwarts has always had its fair share of dangers, but never have I felt more impotent to do something about them." Alexander gave his old friend a smile. "At least you still care about all of the students. That means something. Trust me when I say that it could have been worse." Dippet nodded his head. "I will take your word for it. So, how can I help you? If it's anything for Miss von Schwarzwald, I will try my best to see it through."

Walking up to the chairs in front of the desk, Alexander sat down in one of them. "I doubt there is anything much that you could offer her that she would accept. I am sure you saw her memories of the skirmish as I did." Dippet gave Alexander a smile. "I did. I am very impressed with her invention." The head of the House of Peverell laughed softly. "If you think that is amazing, ask her to show you Galatea… Her owl, not the Professor. You, my friend, have the first true Artificer studying under your roof." Dippet blinked in surprise. "Do I really? Well, I'll be damned. Think she will take my Spell Creation course? I would love to see what that mind of hers can unravel of the nature of magic, if she can breathe life into metal and gears." Alexander rubbed his chin. "Maybe, though I should warn you that she is practicing the less self-destructive side of Soul Magic." Dippet sat back, whistling at himself. While it was a condemned art, Armando knew that if the typically restrictive Head of House Peverell had allowed his ward to explore such magic, she wasn't about to commit any of the mistakes usually associated with practitioners of Soul Magic. "Well… I never touched the discipline after all the horror stories my grandparents said of Herpo, but if she can manage to use it safely, I would certainly welcome being there to help her along. Discreetly, of course." Alexander nodded. "Of course. I will let her know that you could provide an interesting perspective on her experiments. Unfortunately, she isn't why I came here tonight. As you know, I have some contacts in the continent that keep me informed concerning Grindelwald's movements. Recently, his Hexenmeisters have been acting oddly. A good chunk of them seem to have ceased carrying out operations completely and haven't been seen on any front."

Dippet sat forward, guessing as to why he would bring them up in a conversation. "You don't believe he would send them to Britain, would you?" Alexander shrugged. "Hard to say. The war isn't going as well as they would have liked, for him and his allies. They need something that gives them an edge. When a battalion or two of his finests go silent, it must mean he has found something of value. I just thought that you should know. Crouch can get his Aurors in line easily enough and the Ministry should be safe, but Hogwarts is a different matter. While the Castle hasn't been attacked in centuries, you have the second most vulnerable members of the population under your roof for ten months of the year and everyone knows it." Dippet sighed but nodded. "I see your point. Bierley, Merrythought and I will check the wards and I will have Ross check the grounds and the perimeter." Alexander nodded. "It would be prudent. You might also want to ask Mr Riddle to join you. As a Founder's Heir, he has the ability to uncover and trigger other defences of the Castle that might have been lost to time." Dippet pulled out a bit of parchment and started writing things down. "Anything else?" Alexander paused in thought for a second. "Dumbledore?" Dippet sighed. "At the beginning of the year I thought I had seen some improvement in regards to his positions regarding Riddle and von Schwarzwald. Now I am unsure if it was something else that had lightened his mood. The incident with the Basilisk left him visibly frustrated."

Alexander rubbed his short brown hair. "I have been keeping tabs on him and his contacts as much as possible. All I am getting is signs of frustrations within the movement. Both Potter and Black have left him with little to work with. I have no concrete evidence, but timing wise, Grindelwald's forces changed strategy soon after the events surrounding the Chamber of Secrets. You know as I do that coincidences, while real, are rare. More so when you have active participants looking for ways to gain an advantage. I am not saying that Dumbledore is responsible for Grindelwald's next actions, but it would be remiss of you not to make preparations if he is found to be manipulating events and people to his own ends." Dippet rubbed his eyes, before uttering a soft prayer in Celtic. "For his sake, I hope you are wrong, Alexander." The brown haired man gave Dippet a sympathetic look. "Regretting not following after your kin to the Otherworld? If you need a sídhe, I would be willing to show you one, though not right now." Armando shook his head. "I am grateful for the offer, Peverell, but I made my choice long ago. This is my home and I will protect it and the Children for as long as I can manage." Rubbing his face, Dippet looked into Alexander's blue eyes. "Thank you, for the warning and the chance to see you again, old friend. I will leave the defence of the Island to you. You leave Hogwarts to me." After watching Alexander nod, the man vanished, leaving Dippet staring at his stack of papers. He sighed, knowing that he would get no rest for the coming evening. "Hogsby, some coffee and a touch of brandy, please." It was going to be another long night.

Lilith felt butterflies in her stomach as Tom completed the practical portion of the Defence OWL exam, with the Ministry Examiner writing a few notes as he looked over the young man for any injuries, as well as the degree of magical exhaustion he had developed throughout the examination. She watched as the old man nodded. "Thank you, Mr Riddle, for an exemplary performance. I look forward to evaluating your NEWT examination in two years." Tom bowed his head and walked up to Lilith, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder, a kiss on the cheek and a whisper of "goodluck," before taking a seat at one of the stone benches at the far back of the Great Hall. While most practical exams were contained to individual classrooms, the practical for Defence required a larger space, as did the one for Care of Magical Creatures. Lilith had actually enjoyed the practical for Care, as Newt Scamander had been invited to observe the students alongside Professor Ross as the Examiner oversaw the students and their interactions with the creatures. The two had been spotted talking amicably, which was an odd thing considering their fields of work, but Lilith had focused more on the animals than on who was watching. The Bowtruckles gave her issue as always, as the little green plant creatures never seemed to like her presence, but she was able to collect the venom from the Streeler easily enough, not to mention feed the Hippogriffs, Salamanders and Kneezels without getting any injuries. Her ability to care and even be safe in the company of Thestrals had earned her extra marks as not every student who could see them wanted to be in their presence, hence why it was left as an extra credit task.

With Defence, however, it would be different from her previous test as Lillian. The course had certainly been dumbed down by the time that the last Potter took it in 1996, and that was even considering who the Professor had been for that year. Not that Umbridge counted as Professor at all. Lilith was glad she hadn't encountered the witch in any of the Slytherin classes just yet. She prayed that she wouldn't be in the next two sortings. She didn't know if she would be able to behave adequately around her, considering how she treated Luna. The Examiner came towards her. "Miss von Schwarzwald, is it? Professor Merrythought explained your physical condition to me and the steps she took to develop an equivalent examination of your skills. Please, follow me to the end of the Hall. The wards there have been strengthened to handle the spells we will be testing you with today." Lilith nodded and stripped off her robes as she walked forward, placing it neatly on a desk nearby. The examiner eyed the metal plates attached to her clothes with interest, as he too placed his papers on the desk, before drawing his wand. "This is a test to see if your shields are effective as a Protego and any of the other shield variants. Stupefy!" Lilith barely had time to think before the examiner, clearly in his seventies but still properly trained, released a stunner nearly at point blank against her. Lilith flicked her hand, drawing out the plates on her right upper arm and having three acting in concert to disrupt the spell, neutralizing it. The examiner came closer, running his wand over the shield, humming approvingly.

"Impressive. Even more effective than a Protego or an Aegis. Let's see how well you can sustain it." Lilith strained to keep her attention on the examiner as he unleashed volleys of cutters and piercers against the shield, all being disrupted entirely. It even took a Bombarda at full strength, something she had to thank Tom later for. The examiner checked the shield again before nodding. "No decay, no weakening and none of the spells passed through. Excellent. Now then. Professor Merrythought mentioned that you requested that I use curses to evaluate the defensive capabilities of your invention. Are you certain? Any injury sustained cannot be used against me in the courts if your shield fails." Lilith nodded. "I am, please proceed." The Examiner sighed, before rolling his shoulders. "Very well." In the blink of an eye, the examiner unleashed a flurry of curses, most being Dark variants of typical jinxes and spells, nothing her shields hadn't taken before from Tom. When the Examiner started using shield piercers, that was the point that Lilith had to increase her focus, utilizing a fourth and special disc plate to counter these. Unlike the other plates, these had been specially warded to counter any physical damage that they could take from the impact. Lilith could tell that the Examiner was getting a bit frustrated, as her defence had yet to fall. Which meant it was time to utilize the fifth plate design.

While working on her arm, Lilith had hit a few snags, mostly because she lacked two working pairs of hands. She had to wait a few times for Tom to finish his Dueling class before he could use her tools to lock certain gears and mechanisms in place. During those moments when her hand wasn't busy with her new arm, she had been tinkering with a new, special plate. The fourth plate opened up into a disk and could be used at times as a cutting weapon, but was ultimately a counter for spells that tended to bypass shields. The fifth plate would go from a flat slab to a cylindrical short barrel. Based on the ring configurations inside of the barrel, certain spells could be reproduced to a bare minimum output. So as the Examiner tried to disrupt her shield with a combination of plate piercers and flame blasts, her new offensive plate moved into position and fired off a stunner. The man barely managed to deflect it down with his wand. "Well, aren't you full of surprises? Show me what other spells you can use with that." Lilith nodded and unleashed a few cutters, piercers and petrification spells. She then deployed the other three attached to her body, giving the Examiner quite the workout as he was forced to use a dueling shield to counteract the attacks coming from four separate sources, before he raised his voice. "That's enough." As the plates returned to their resting state and reattached themselves into the mounts strapped to her extremities, the Examiners rubbed some sweat off his brow. "That, my dear Miss von Schwarzwald, was exceptional. I take that your concern with the course examination is the limitations on what spells you can use with these?" Lilith nodded. "I can't disrupt a boggart by the usual spell, or the spiders and poltergeists. I was designing these to counter magicals."

The examiner took up his papers and started writing notes. "Well, any of the particulars regarding Dark Creatures will have been covered by the written exam. May I?" Lilith nodded as the Examiner checked her exhaustion levels. He hummed to himself. "About the same as a typical duel of that caliber, though even still unusually high for a near professional duel. You have quite the reserves to spare. Any other particular spells you want to demonstrate before we conclude your examination?" Lilith thought for a second as Tom moved closer to them, thinking her examination had already been concluded. She held out her hand and focused her magic, envisioning the smiles that she had seen on Tom's face, many of which had been aimed at her. They never failed to warm up her heart, though she did feel some guilt for not using her memories of Luna the last few times she casted the spell. "Expecto Patronum." The Examiner and Tom watched as a silver light wrapped itself around her left forearm, before it extended out over her palm. The light coalesced into a snake, its feathered wings opened, like a cobra with its hood. The Examiner held out his hand to the creature, smiling as he felt the waves of joy radiating from it. "An excellent display, Miss von Schwarzwald. I can assure you, you have nothing to worry about with your practical exam. You may go." Lilith bowed her head to the examiner, before turning to Tom, the ephemeral snake traveling up her arm to look at him as she picked up her robes. He eyed the creature with clear interest. "Is that an Amphitere?"

Lilith shook her head. "No, Amphitere have wings with membranes, like a bat's. This is a Drakontes. Or at least, I think it is. Egyptian hieroglyphics represent them with feathered wings, though since they tend to be dark in shade, they can certainly look like membranes from a distance and are often described as such. They nest near frankincense trees in the Arabian Peninsula." Tom looked at the snake, who bowed its head to him slightly, before it dissipated. "I had heard of the Patronus Charm. It's a requisite skill for those that serve as the Wardens of Azkaban. Yours seems a bit small, not that it's a bad thing." Lilith shook her head, a small smile on her face. "A Patronus' size depends completely on the amount of power one infuses it with. I learned to cast the spell with the barest amount of magic, though the emotional component is still heavy. perhaps heavier than the usual Patronus Charm." Tom hummed to himself. "Do you think I could ever manage that spell?" Lilith paused for a second as Tom turned to look at her. She bit her lip. "I believe that you can. It is more a question of control, or more precisely… a lack of control." She looked into Tom's eyes. "You have a talent for spells with a higher degree of concentration. It's up to you to find the part of you, a memory or a desire, that you feel can fill your heart beyond its limits." The two stood there for a second, before Tom raised his hand, brushing his fingers against her reddening cheeks. "Then I will endeavor to find what I need, so that I can show the shape of my Patronus to you." Lilith leaned into the touch, her eyes never leaving his. "And I will look forward to that day." Tom took his place at Lilith's side as they made their way through the Castle's walls, their minds on their own individual ambitions… and on each other.

"The Castle feels unusually quiet." Lilith looked up to Tom as they made their way through the corridors on patrol, before nodding. "Yeah, it is." While Tom could say that he wasn't overly fond of being a Prefect, ever since the incident with the Chamber had revealed his position as an Heir, his times out on patrol had ceased being anymore stressful. McGonagall didn't seem any more interested in disrupting his peace and quiet by volunteering as his patrol partner and the rest of the Gryffindor Prefects were very much the same. Even Prewett had begun to behave a bit more naturally, though Tom swore he saw a bit of concern in his eyes, though not because the boy was in the same room as him. He wondered if perhaps Prewett's performance in the OWLs didn't turn out as well as he would have liked it to have been and if it was weighing on his mind. The other members of the Council of Walpurgis had already approached him and the other Prefects about being part of the group and he had expressed some interest in it. Lucretia had even offered to partner up with him to give him a clearer image on what the group was for. Pomona had also expressed her interest after Head Boy Bones had a talk with her, since his own participation would be limited, especially as he was entering the Auror Academy in the summer after graduation. He did, however, promise to give the group his impressions on what the Academy required of him as well as what Hogwarts could do to better prepare hopefuls, so his invitation had gotten them the results they hoped for.

With the term coming to an end soon, much of the Prefects' time was spent preparing for the next year, checking to make sure that everyone was taking their property home and making sure that any celebrations weren't being carried out too late into the night. Aside from a few teens needing to spend a night in the Hospital Wing due to burned throats and excessive alcohol consumption, the last few evenings had been relatively peaceful. Which was something that Tom could appreciate. Not only could he take a breather from all the political posturing and attempts at gauging or engaging him concerning certain political agendas, he could also spend that time helping Lilith with her arm. While she was stubborn enough to go through the trouble of designing and building the prosthetic arm on her own, she was willing to admit defeat when certain sensitive procedures were required. He spared a glance at the sleeved stump of her right upper arm, which she had been carefully tending to with therapies, ointments and potions, knowing that in a few days, after a final piece she was lacking for her arm's design was delivered, she would finally be wearing the prosthetic. It would never be the same as her real arm, he was sure of it, but he was certain it would help her feel more comfortable. "What?" Tom shook himself out of his thoughts as he looked into her green eyes. "Nothing." Lilith stopped walking, raising an eyebrow. "Something is clearly on your mind."

Tom sighed, rubbing the back of his hair. "I was just thinking… with everything being so quiet… maybe we could find a place to enjoy ourselves." Lilith stared at him for a second before chuckling to herself. She held her hand against his cheek. "You are really enjoying physical intimacy a lot." Tom frowned. "Am I…" Lilith shook her head. "No, Tom. It's not a bother. Believe me, I can understand. You have gone quite some time without it and now…" Tom sighed, before nodding. "There are moments… when it feels as if it were the only thing on my mind." Lilith kissed his cheek. "Believe me, that is perfectly normal. I am not restraining ourselves because I want you to think that it isn't." She pressed him into the wall, melding her body into his. Tom could feel his heartbeat going faster, as well as some stiffness in his pants, as Lilith's hands traced his form over his clothes. Her lips brushed against his, her breath blowing softly against his skin. "I am asking you to hold back so that we can enjoy ourselves fully, giving in to our desires and enjoying every moment of them. Right here, right now isn't the time for that." Tom ran his hand up her back and watched as her eyes darkened. "Are you sure?" He watched as she breathed deeply and leaned in for a kiss. Tom's mind was soon overwhelmed by the warmth of her lips on his own. The feel of her skin on his fingers. After that first bath together, the two had enjoyed sharing several more, during which Lilith had allowed his hands to explore her body and right now he wanted to do just that.

Lilith, however, pulled away from him, both left breathing heavily. "Did you hear that?" Tom frowned before he too heard a scream. The two rushed to the nearest door, as another scream filled the air, before Tom kicked the door in. He paused though, when his eyes landed on two bodies pressed against each other, before a hand slammed into his eyes. "Ow! What the hell Lilith!" His redheaded girlfriend sighed, before she turned her eyes to the two women on top of the desk, both of whom were trying to cover up their naked forms. "Lakshmi, Walburga. Weren't you supposed to be patrolling the fourth floor?" Lakshmi, who was on top, laughed nervously, as she slipped a loose lock of black hair away from her face. "We were on our way there when… well… we got distracted." Lilith's eyes then fell on Walburga, who was burying her head into Lakshmi's chest in what Lilith hoped was embarrassment, as well as to offer Lakshmi some measure of decency. "Right. Tell you what. You two finish our patrol of this floor, we will head to the fourth floor and check there on your previous route and we can just carry on. By the way, cousin, you have excellent taste." Lilith closed the door with her leg, before lowering her hand, as Tom rubbed his sore eyes. "Was that necessary?" Lilith raised an eyebrow at him. "You tell me. I am pretty certain that you still have the image of me in a similar state somewhere in the back of your mind." Tom blushed. "Yes, well, you are still more beautiful than either of them." Lilith rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. "Of course I am. That still made my point. So how about we finish the patrols, get to bed and then see where the summer takes us."

Tom followed Lilith as they both made their way down the stairs, her own mind a mess. Not from what she saw, though she could admit that Lakshmi was beautiful, and Walburga was definitely quite pretty, though she resisted ever thinking of Sirius' mother that way, regardless of who her future children might be. No, she was worried about how much longer she could resist Tom's advances. She wanted to give in so badly that she was aching for it. And yet, she was scared. He only knew a part of who she was. His Diary made it clear that he had fragmented memories of Voldemort, and yet Lillian Potter was something that he did remember. She was scared about how he would react to the truth of who she was and what impact those memories would have on their relationship. Her mind was in so much turmoil that she almost tripped on an uneven seam in the stone floor and fell towards the ground. Tom managed to catch her by holding her up by her chest and she found herself looking into those beautiful blue eyes. She gave him a peck on the lips as thanks, before the two continued, with Lilith making up her mind. She needed to send Alexander a letter about his planned meeting over the summer. Tom needed to be there, to hear the truth, before they could go any further. Afterwards… afterwards she would have to abide by what he chose. If he were to ask her to leave, she would. Her duty to him was almost complete, after all. Lilith's finger rubbed the von Schwarzwald Head of Family ring. Her duty to the girl whose body she had been inhabiting for two years… was still far from over.

"Are you sure about this? This isn't going to be painless and I am still going to need to see you to check the muscle attachment points and to clean the stump on a regular basis. You can't just ignore your upper arm's wellbeing." Teresa watched as the young redhead nodded, before sighing to herself. She brought her medical tray that she had prepared earlier in the day to the side of the medical seat where Lilith was being tied down by Poppy, before she checked the new arm and its connector. Teresa could honestly say that it was a work of art, its surface currently made of a few different shades of bronze, some lines even resembling gold. She had watched as Lilith tested all the joints in front of her, to make sure that the prosthetic matched the full range of motion of a regular arm. The girl had even thought ahead and built the frame to be somewhat adjustable so that it could be manually matched to her left arm's proportions as she grew for the next year or two. The one point of contention between them had been the connector that would be affixed to what was left of her upper arm. That piece of equipment required Teresa to manually bind the correct muscles that had been severed to their corresponding points, as the girl had designed it in such a way that would keep the musculature functioning as it did naturally, not to mention providing some degree of sensation to the artificial appendage through her arms intact nerves. That meant that she and Poppy had to manually attach muscles to bone and sinew analogs in the connector, causing momentary pain to the girl. When she had at least taken their concern into account and adjusted the design so that the connection only had to be made once and that they could extend her skin and keep her stump well cared for, Teresa couldn't hold off on attaching the connector to Lilith any longer.

Letting the girl take a sip from a Pain Numbing Potion before they got started, Teresa personally tightened the straps to keep Lilith and her upper arm in place. They couldn't make any mistakes because of a twitchy patient, but at the same time a petrification spell would impede the procedure. Pulling out her wand and holding a clamp in her other hand, Teresa nodded to Poppy, who took a deep breath and started cutting into the skin with her wand. As soon as the muscles and the stump of severed bone were revealed, Teresa started attaching the connector to the bone, binding it using magic, before she started pulling on the muscles with tongues and her wand tip attaching them to their contact points, all while Poppy held the skin open and kept Teresa's vision clear. The Hogwarts Healer could hear Lilith breathing heavily, no doubt biting down into the strap of leather she had been given to avoid damaging her tongue or teeth, as the pain and discomfort overwhelmed what relief the potion could provide. Once the last muscle was attached and the skin was extended over some of the mechanism and sealed cleanly, both Poppy and Teresa made sure that everything was where it had been intended, before the rest of the connector was lifted up and locked into place. Breathing a bit more easily now, Teresa looked at the young girl, the look of relief on her face in stark contrast to the echoes of pain that filled her eyes, tracks of tears marking her cheeks while her breathing remained labored. Teresa rubbed Lilith's hair in a show of comfort as Poppy placed the mechanical arm on the table, before the two healers attached its end to the connector.

Once certain that everything was secure, Teresa turned to Lilith, pulling the leather out of her mouth. "Last part. Ready to see if your design worked?" Lilith trembled a little, probably in apprehension, before she nodded. Making sure that every contact point was locked down tight and that the arm was properly attached, Teresa pulled back, her wand ready to check on her patient. "Alright. Do it." The young Austrian closed her eyes and Teresa swore she saw arcs of magic race across the metallic surface of the arm, before the fingers, which had been left open and relaxed, flexed out. They then closed as the hand turned into a fist, before it opened again, the wrist bending outward and down, leaving the palm open. The look of wonder on Lilith's face, after she tested the elbow joints and the individual fingers, made Teresa's heart soar. "I can feel it. The movements of every joint. It's different from my left arm but I can feel them." Teresa smiled as Poppy's eyes filled with tears. "Alright, Lilith. We need to check everything out. You know the drill." Lilith nodded as Teresa tested every point of the arm with her wand, checking for reaction on Lilith's face. The girl felt the pressure of the wand against the arm's copper-like surface, but the texture and temperature sensitivity was still down, which had been expected. Still, the articulation and fine motor controls were at the anticipated levels, though these were still a bit lower in reaction than her left arm. They still had some finetuning and practice to do, but right now none couldn't complain.

After releasing Lilith's restraints, Teresa brought in the final piece of the arm. With the war going on, getting any supply of rubber was nearly impossible, but the young girl managed to get enough for Teresa to make a thin, form fitting black outer layer for the arm, to protect it from damage, exposure to the elements, as well as to replicate the softness of flesh as much as possible. It was unlikely that it would be the final iteration for the cover of the arm, but it was the only option they had at this moment. They had elected to keep its natural coloration for the time being as they would be finetuning its thickness as soon as she returned tomHogwarts after the summer. Sliping the cover over the arm and the connector, Teresa used magic to seal the edges and the central slit, which had a slightly different color to indicate where the seam was, before she sat back. "Ok, last set of tests." Making sure that the rubber outer layer didn't disrupt any of the arm's movement and only partly decreased the sensitivity, Teresa finally gave Lilith a smile. "Well, how is it?" She watched as tears slipped from Lilith's eyes as she continued to test every single motion, including the elbow and wrists. "It's so odd. It feels different, yet familiar. I can literally feel my magic all over the arm but it still feels just like an extension of my body. Can I?" Lilith pointed at a glass of water and Teresa nodded, unsure as to what the girl was planning. She held the glass in her new right hand, staring at it for a second. "Glacius." Both Healers watched in stunned silence as the water turned to ice. The smile on the girl's face was as bright as the sun. "It worked!"

As Teresa made her final notes on Lilith's medical file, she watched as the young Mr Riddle entered the Hospital Wing with a bouquet of roses. She smiled as the girl held the roses in both her hands, smelling them, before she and her boyfriend hugged properly for the first time in months. Tomorrow would see the students of Hogwarts return home, all of them sharing the story of another year at the Castle learning magic. For Teresa, however, her thoughts were currently the student that sat before her within her Hospital Wing, the girl's right hand held against the boy's left, testing out her new arm's strength and sensations. The two sat down on what Teresa now begrudgingly called Lilith's bed. The girl had just recently endured her worst magical backlash to date, had spent weeks adapting to the loss of her arm, all the while going through the OWL exams. As Teresa saw the smile on the girl's face, she felt her own take a similar shape. Despite everything the world threw at this girl, through her perseverance and dedication, Lilith von Schwarzwald had recovered a small piece of the normality she had lost. Tomorrow she'd be back on the Hogwarts Express, feeling better about the world and her future. For Teresa, there was no better feeling in the world. This was why she had decided to become a Healer. To watch as her patients recovered what they needed to live long and fulfilling lives once more.