Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.
Betad by Beans, Priapus, Marethyu, Mike God of Lore
The Illusive Mage
Chapter 09: Going Forward
– Harry Potter –
Unsurprisingly, the brutal murder of a professor gets us more than a single free day as the investigation continues. There are rumours that Dumbledore might lose his job over this. This is supposed to be the safest place in the world, and this murder is unprecedented.
There have been other deaths in Hogwarts over the years, but never such a blatant and sadistic murder, not even during the height of the war. The fact that nobody can explain how the killer got in or who they were has only made matters worse.
Honestly, the fact that the Aurors have also found equally little is Dumbledore's saving grace so far. Nobody seems to be able to make any progress in solving this case.
My quest for answers is going equally slowly. The book insists that I read it in a certain order because no matter what page I open it to, it says the same thing. I got impatient and tried skipping a chapter, only to find that every single page had the exact same text on it.
And I think I've worked out a part of the problem…
I made a mental bond with Pansy. I can sense her emotions through it and use it to put pressure on her mind to make her submit to me without even realising that there's anything magical going on… but I have another bond. It's subtle, but I'm connected to the book itself, and unlike my bond with Pansy, I don't think I'm the one in control of this one. There's a mind, a presence, in the book, and that presence got into my head.
I have memories of Lily, my mother, spending days obsessing over this same book. The presence bonded with her the same way it has done me. I don't know what that actually means for Lily. Is she trapped in the book, or is this just an echo, stolen memories stored within the pages?
There was a piece of Voldemort inside me, in my scar. There was also a piece of him inside the diadem. I think the presence consumed the piece inside me and used its memories to find the diadem that Tom Riddle hid in the Room of Requirements.
I don't have full access to either set of memories, but I've probed the bond, and I'm convinced that there is only one being on the other end, not two like I originally felt. It just has pieces of both Lily and Tom.
As for Quirrell? I think he was possessed as well, at least from the feelings that the presence has tried to send me. The bond is still weak, too fragile for a normal conversation. The real Tom Riddle, the real Voldemort, was inside Quirrell… or maybe he was Quirrell in disguise? Either way, the presence took control while I was unconscious and hunted down the threat to me.
Lily hates Voldemort for killing her and her husband. Tom hates Voldemort because he is a broken shade of himself. The Presence hates Voldemort because he's a threat to me, to its host. All three minds were in agreement that Quirrell had to go.
A part of me wants to take the book and throw it into the lake or maybe a volcano, but I can't bring myself to do it. Perhaps it's the bond, the presence influencing me as I influence Pansy, but this is the one link I have to my mother. Perhaps the memories are just what is left of Lily Evans, but it's more than I've ever had before.
Another part of me is just not willing to give up on the potential. Sure, my mom died, but she was killed by Voldemort, not the book. Sure, it killed Quirrell, but I'm pretty sure he was the Dark Lord, so isn't that fine? Maybe I'm making excuses to keep it, but I've made up my mind. I doubt this bond is so easily broken anyway.
Instead, I plan to do the most teenage boy thing imaginable. I'm going to double down. I need to understand more about the Presence and how the powers the book gives me work. Pansy is a good start, but she's a sample size of exactly one. I don't know how effective my powers are because Pansy is simple-minded and folds under even the slightest amount of pressure.
But I'm also not interested in just throwing bonds around. Pansy was an appropriate target because she was a problem, but I don't plan to just try and dominate the minds of everyone around me. Not least of which is because there's the risk of discovery.
I've already picked my next target because I'm meeting with Aunt Petunia on Sunday. I can't deny the idea of completely inverting the power dynamic I grew up with is tempting, and she's treated me like shit her entire life.
'You're a freak, Lily. I don't know why Mom and Dad are acting like you're so special.'
A much younger Petunia flashes through my mind, arguing with a young redhead. Petunia's bitterness suddenly makes so much sense, why she kept insisting that Lily was just some freak who ran away. Petunia dearly wanted to be special, but fate decided that only her sister was. So she decided to be 'normal', hating everything freakish because she'd been told she wasn't special herself.
Then she got dumped with her smart, beautiful and special sister's nephew, who was just as special as his mother. I'm a living reminder that Petunia was the lesser sister. Lily got a lot of attention for her looks, including her striking green eyes. Petunia's eyes are far more plain, and every time she sees my green eyes she's reminded that Lily was the better-looking sister.
She's got one hell of an inferiority complex that she handles by trying to turn it into a superiority complex by pretending that being 'normal' is better.
As I listen to Draco and Blaise argue again, I flick through the potions book Professor Snape gave me with an amused smile. Despite how often they bicker, I honestly think they get along far better than either would admit. I think Draco likes having someone to argue about Quidditch and other dumb things with since I find it boring. Who else is he going to talk with? Crabbe and Goyle have a vocabulary usually reserved for trolls and pre-schoolers, and Nott is still sulking that his schemes to become the top dog of our year fell apart basically instantly.
Daphne and Draco are the only real competitors for the position, and both have their own groups. Daphne has adopted Millicent Bulstrode into her group, and Pansy is our hanger-on. That's everyone in our year in one of the two groups, except Nott, who has found no support.
I've heard he's started hanging out with some Ravenclaws, but he's basically accepted that he's already lost this game, and he's being pissy about it to Draco and Daphne. As for me? Despite my two noble houses and the fact that Lucretia is tutoring me, I'm generally ignored in the Slytherin house politics at this point. Much like we planned, the general opinion is that I'm being led around by Draco. Essentially, anyone who targets me is either trying to get to Draco or wants to take me away from him. I've successfully reduced myself to a pawn in this game instead of a king to be targeted.
Or maybe a Queen would be more accurate, but I'm sure as fuck not calling myself Draco's Queen. The only queen in this duo is the drama queen himself and his thousand hair products.
Daphne has made her next move in her plans to steal me away. A betrothal contract offer arrived from Lord Greengrass. It doesn't mention Daphne by name but instead offers one of the daughters of the Greengrass family, as Daphne apparently has a little sister. He included pictures of his daughters, and I'd guess that her little sister is either a year or two younger than us.
Does her family know what she's trying to do, or did her father just happen to hear that I spend time with Daphne on occasion and shoot his shot? Obviously, Draco thinks this is all part of her master plan. He's convinced Daphne is a master manipulator who has sent Blaise to infiltrate our group as a double agent.
A double agent who is blatant about his friendship with Daphne and Tracey and spends more time with them than he does with us. Not exactly secret agent material. Do I think Daphne is having him paint her in a better light for me? Yeah, but honestly, he never brings her up unless someone else (Draco) does first.
Blaise definitely seemed close to Daphne and Tracey, but much like Draco, I think he enjoys having male friends to talk to. At the end of the day, this isn't politics. It's a bunch of teenagers playing politics, and that's a major difference. It doesn't really matter who becomes the top dog of Slytherin. Outside of this common room, nobody really gives a shit. I won't deny that I find the scheming funny, but there's a reason I'm not trying to throw my hat in the ring.
But if I wanted to… I'd just set Lucretia on Draco and shut down Daphne's scheme.
As Draco tries to help Crabbe and Goyle with their charms homework, I snort to myself at the look on his face. He looks seconds away from pulling out his wand and cursing the pair. After we helped them get a passing grade in potions, he has convinced himself that it'll look better on our group if we all have good grades but I think that might be a losing battle. Well, credit where it is due. He's probably going to get them up to an Acceptable instead of a Troll. I just think he's going to get some grey hairs in his precious blonde locks in exchange.
Me? I'm just a poor Muggle-raised wizard who has just discovered magic. I couldn't possibly help someone else with their homework. I'd love to help him with Dumb and Dumber, I truly would, but I just can't.
"You wanted to talk?" Blaise asks, lounging as he also watches Draco's Sisyphean quest with a look of amusement on his face.
"Yeah. I got this, and I wanted your opinions on it," I admit, handing over the letter I got from his mother. I was nice enough to take the nudes out, but it's still a very suggestive letter from his mother offering to be my mistress.
"Figures," Blaise says, rolling his eyes as he reads through it.
"You didn't know?" I ask, making him chuckle.
"You assume I've spoken to her since reaching Hogwarts," Blaise points out. "Or any time before, for that matter. She's not in love with the idea of being a mother. Probably a faulty contraceptive potion, honestly."
"Ouch, that bad?" I ask, making him shrug.
"Could have been worse, I guess. I was raised by our house-elf. She liked keeping me out of sight to not put off her paramours," Blaise admits with a shrug. "But not that out of sight. My room is right next to hers. The first spell I learnt was a silencing charm since she never used one. You can ask about the seven husbands thing, no need to dance around it."
"I'm guessing I'm not the only one curious about that, huh?" I ask, making him snort.
"It's what the Zabini name is known for at this point. My father was her first husband, who died before I was born. I can remember a lot more than six others, but I guess those six were the ones who impressed her enough to get a wedding instead of a night," Blaise says with a lazy shrug. "They never last. Three died on their honeymoons. She claims she's cursed, but the curse-breaker who married her didn't find anything but an early grave."
"...why do people keep marrying her if they always die?" I ask, making him stroke his chin before he shrugs.
"She has a type. Rich and arrogant. Turns out that's a wide net, especially since she hunts in different countries each time. The ones I've actually met all have this same attitude, thinking, 'Well, surely it won't happen to me," Blaise explains. "She's been investigated by the Aurors every time, but they never find anything. They even used Veritaserum last time at her suggestion, but she swore she was innocent."
She was found innocent under truth serum? That's… interesting. The way Blaise said that makes me think that he doesn't think she's innocent, but I also can tell that he just doesn't seem to give a damn.
"So, either the unluckiest woman in the world or one hell of a black widow?" I ask, making him shrug with a nod.
"If you're worried about me getting upset you fucked my mom, don't bother. She wouldn't get anything out of your death, not from your vaults anyway, but the idea that that woman is willing to finally tie herself down sounds like centaur shit to me," Blaise admits. "I don't know if she's a killer, but she's a materialistic hedonist. She blows through her latest husband's gold within months. If she saved, she'd be as rich as the Malfoys, but her only income is the latest sucker willing to buy her things. Maybe her reputation has finally caught up with her, and she can't find anyone else dumb enough to marry her, so now she's hoping you'll spoil her."
"You really think she's run out of rich idiots?" I ask, making him blink before he snorts.
"Fair," Blaise agrees. "Either way, I don't know what she's scheming, and frankly, I don't really care. My advice? Either ignore her or hit it, then dump her ass to the side after you're done."
"I don't think I want a jilted black widow coming after me," I retort.
"Surely the great Harry Potter can handle an angry black widow or three? Don't you fight dragons and discover lost civilisations daily?" Blaise drawls, making me snort.
"Sorry, Merlin never taught me the 'crazy bitch be gone' spell. He said it was too powerful, even for me," I reply sadly.
"If he knew that spell, Morgana wouldn't have been such a problem," Blaise shrugs.
"No, no, no. Swish, then flick. Swish, then flick. What is so hard about that to understand?! That's not a flick. That's a flourish!" Draco's shrill voice says, distracting us as Blaise and I share a grin. "I- Potter! Stop grinning. Go get Granger. Maybe she can teach these… just go get her."
– Daphne Greengrass –
Damn it all.
She should have seen this coming. Yes, she'd been getting closer to Harry by pretending to have a crush on him, and rumours travelled faster than portkeys sometimes. She didn't know how her father had already found out, but she should have expected him to jump on the chance.
As she approached the table where their little study group were working, she got their attention as Harry looked up from his potions book with a raised eyebrow. It was a strange group, with Granger, one of the Patil twins and Brown being with Draco's group, but she could find out more from Blaise later.
"Hey, Daph. What's up?" Harry asked, making her cheeks flush at his familiar tone and pet name. Draco scowled at Harry's happy tone, which she took pride in, but Draco was not the problem. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Lucretia's dangerous look.
Lucretia was the biggest threat, and obviously after the Black Ladyship. Sure, they were distant cousins, but Narcissa's bitterness over not getting to be Lady Black was well known. Her daughter was a chance to reclaim that lost title. Getting a Malfoy in the position would be a big win. She didn't know if Lucretia simply suspected that Harry had gotten a betrothal contract or if Harry had told her, but Lucretia's aura was… menacing, to say the least. Despite her ice queen act, she couldn't help but feel like a mouse that had accidentally bitten a cat's tail.
"Can we talk? In private?" Daphne asked, brushing a lock of hair back behind her ear. Draco's scowl only grew but Harry just rolled his eyes and gave his friend a look. Draco scoffed, turning away and deliberately ignoring her as Harry rose.
"Sure. It's weird to see you without Tracey. Where's she hiding?" Harry asked with a lazy smile, hands in his pockets as Daphne smiled slightly. True. Even if she normally approached him alone, Tracey was usually lurking in the background somewhere.
"She decided to try and find some of the fabled secret passages around the school. I found the idea of scouring dusty corridors, poking paintings and slightly suspicious walls… distasteful, so she recruited some friends from outside of the house to help her in her quest," Daphne explained as she led him out of the library.
Harry chuckled at her response, engaging in some small talk about the recent… incident as they found an empty classroom to talk in.
"I… admit I'm not sure how to start this," Daphne said, making him smile knowingly.
"You want to know if I got a certain letter from your father?" Harry asked, making her sigh and rub her forehead. "Yeah, sorry."
"No, I'm sorry. I can only imagine how many you've already gotten," Daphne replied tiredly, leaning against a desk as she let her mask fully slip.
"More than I care to admit. Admittedly, I was planning to pretend that it's still lost in the mountain of mail so I could delay it since I know you and, as such, have to deliver my response in person," Harry admitted, making her nod slowly.
"I don't blame you. Having to go around and turn down a bunch of classmates and upper-years in the first month of school does not sound like a fun time," Daphne agreed.
"Yeah, it's not gonna be easy. I can send a letter to your father for your sister, but I have to reply to you in person," Harry said, making her eyes widen.
"He offered Astoria?!" Daphne asked, her voice going a tone higher as Harry nodded easily. "Can I see the letter?"
"It's in my room, but if you don't mind the walk, I can show it to you," Harry agreed, making her mind race as they moved to the Common Room. Some people saw her going to his room, and it was going to start far more rumours, but she didn't care as he opened his chest and her eyes widened.
He had a separate chest exclusively for sorted mail, neatly arranged. He'd even alphabetised the senders, finding hers under 'G'. She tried not to think about how many other letters there were in the Betrothal section of his collection as he unfolded it and handed it over.
Her father didn't want to go through with a betrothal to Malfoy, not with the rumours swirling around Lucius, but Lucius was also a hard man to say no to. The pressure was subtle but a clear message, which was why he was in a rush to find her a different partner to take her off the table. Astoria was unlikely to be targeted because she wasn't set to inherit anything.
Lucius might be able to use Astoria to pressure her father if he got her married to Draco, but that would be much more blatant, and Lucius was careful to toe the line. He could get away with a lot with his wealth, but he had enemies who would love to take him down. He was smart enough not to give them more ammunition.
"She's cute, but she's also eleven. Not exactly the age I'd want in a wife," Harry admitted with a shrug, showing her the pictures. She remembered taking hers, but the picture of Astoria was much more recent.
"From the wording, any marriage with Astoria would wait until she was older, probably around her third year, before it was official. It's not uncommon for some betrothals to be made much younger and not go through until both partners are older. Sixteen is the common 'accepted' age, but thirteen gets thrown around sometimes," Daphne explained, even as she nodded in agreement. "I take it you plan to turn them down, then?"
"That's the plan. Frankly, I am laughably out of my depth with all this, and I'm looking into getting a political advisor to help with this," Harry admitted with a deep laugh. He had a nice laugh, honestly. "Don't get me wrong, you're beautiful, Daph… but I'm not eager to tie myself down when I've been in the magical world for all of a month."
"I could certainly do worse than you, but you aren't wrong. I'd rather stay free myself. There have been some… negotiations between my family and the Malfoys, but I can't say I'd choose Draco given the choice," Daphne admitted, giving Harry a once over. "I won't tell anyone that I know you've seen the contract so you have time before you have to officially respond."
It sounded like her parents were trying to protect Astoria as well, though they were going about it in a different way than she was. If Astoria were engaged to Harry, nobody would be able to mess with her without messing with Harry, and therefore Draco and, more importantly, Harry's guardian… Albus Dumbledore. It was not the worst idea she'd ever heard, frankly. If he could get Harry to take Tracey as a mistress, that would be her main goal achieved, and she could end this nonsense. Plus, if she were on good terms with Harry, Malfoy would probably back off because the chance to get their hands on the Black title was worth more than her family businesses.
If nothing else, she should find a way to convince Lucretia that she was not a threat to her plans. Lucretia was the de facto queen bee of the house at the moment, as none of the seventh-years would challenge her, and getting her attention was not on Daphne's wishlist.
"Appreciate it," Harry replied, giving her a grin. "So, you'd prefer me to Draco?"
"I have no interest in a husband who is more interested in his own beauty than his wife," Daphne scoffed, making Harry snort.
"You're just jealous he has better hair than you," Harry teased, making her roll her eyes as her ice queen mask slid back into place.
"He has better hair than everyone, and unfortunately he knows it," Daphne retorted, before she looked up at Harry's untamed mess of locks. "And can you really talk?"
"Hey, I happen to like my hair," Harry replied easily, shrugging as she took a chance and stepped into his space, running her fingers through the messy brown hair.
"So do I, but it's still an utter mess," Daphne teased. "But there's nothing wrong with a little wildness, is there?"
As Harry went to respond, the door opened, and Daphne froze as she realised their compromising position. She was basically pushing her breasts into his chest, her hands in his hair as Lucretia paused and raised an eyebrow at them. Daphne's life flashed before her eyes, but Lucretia just snorted.
"If you two are done making out, I need to talk to Harry," Lucretia drawled, making Daphne blush slightly as she forced down her reaction.
"We were not-"
"I don't care," Lucretia interrupted her explanation. "Run along."
Daphne hesitated, but Lucretia's tone and stare brooked no argument. She simply backed away from Harry, passing the letter back to him as he nodded. Merlin, Lucretia had definitely seen it, hadn't she?
"Thanks, Harry. We'll talk later since you're evidently busy," Daphne said, head held high.
"Of course. Later, Daph," Harry agreed, giving him that boyish grin again as she slipped past Lucretia and made her retreat.
– Harry Potter –
"You timed that on purpose," I accuse, making Lucetia smirk. The door had opened slightly and Lucretia waited for the best possible moment to make her appearance.
"Of course. But I do need to talk to you," Lucretia says, making me sit on my bed as I put my letter away. Lucretia closes the door, but whatever she needs to talk about isn't that dire since she doesn't cast any charms on it. "You've heard that my father is around the school, right?"
"Yeah. Something about the Board of Governors investigating whether Dumbledore is liable for the murder," I agree, making her nod.
"He's told me to invite you to dinner at Malfoy Manor tonight. I know you were supposed to meet my mother this Saturday, but I guess he's using this to push the schedule up further. Especially since so many girls are sniffing around you. Guess he wants to make sure nobody else gets that Black Ladyship before he can try and push me into it," Lucretia admits with a lazy shrug.
"Are we allowed to just leave?" I ask, making her laugh.
"It's supposed to be at the permission of the head of your house, so yeah. Snape isn't going to say no to my father wanting to take his children and nephew away for a night, especially while classes are on hold," Lucretia says. "Honestly, a lot of students are already heading home until classes start again since the parents are worried about their safety."
"Pretty reasonable, all things considered," I say, making Lucretia nod easily. "But sure, I don't mind pushing the schedule up a little. I'd be happy to join them for dinner."
"Thanks, Harry," Lucretia says, before smirking as she flicks a locking charm at the door. "I told Draco you wouldn't be coming back to your cute little study group. You have some biology to study."
As she speaks, she shrugs her robes off with a sultry grin, and I just chuckle as she prowls to the bed. I'm sure Draco had things under control, right?
— Bonus Scene — Hermione Granger
"Uppity Mudblood," one of the girls muttered, making Hermione freeze. She didn't recognise the Slytherin but was pretty sure she was a second-year. Harry's words echoed through her head. It was jealousy that pushed them to target her, and they aimed for her blood status because it was the one thing they thought they could beat her in.
She tried not to react, head held high. She had friends now, actual people she enjoyed spending time with. Sure, Draco was a drama queen, and Lavender was a gossip, but it was far better than what she'd had before she came to Hogwarts. She'd found herself getting close to her dormmates simply because everyone wanted to know about Harry Potter and honesty… Lavender was more fun than she'd first given the ditsy girl credit for. Plus, Lavender and Parvati seemingly knew every cosmetic charm under the sun and had more makeup than some cosmetics stores.
She didn't wear much, but the pair were happy to use her as a dress-up doll… maybe a little too happy as Hermione had yet to find a way to escape them when they turned their attention to her. Through Lavender, she'd also met some people outside her house, as Lav was an extrovert at heart and had already made friends with Susan Bone and Hannah Abbott from Hufflepuff, as well as Padma, Parvati's bookish sister.
She, Hermione Granger, bookworm extraordinaire, had friends. Not just one or two either, but enough that she couldn't count them with just her fingers. As such, she took pride in ignoring the bitch who was trying to tear her down. It was something Hermione from a month ago wouldn't have been able to do.
"Hey, don't ignore me-" the girl said, clearly infuriated to have been disregarded, something that brought Hermione a hint of pleasure even as the girl grabbed her arm with a scowl.
As Hermione turned to face the bully, she blinked at the sight of someone else holding onto the girl's wrist. The girl had wide eyes as Gregory gave her a dark look.
"Oi, fuck off," Vincent warned, backing up his fellow first-year. The second year definitely knew more spells, but oddly enough, she wasn't eager for a confrontation with the unnaturally large Crabbe and Goyle duo, so she pulled her hand away, muttering something and rushing away. "You alright?"
"I'm fine, thank you," Hermione said, straightening her sleeve and brushing the imaginary dirt off. "Did Draco or Harry ask you to do that?"
"Ask us to do what?" Goyle asked, blinking in confusion as he shared a look with Vincent. "Nah, just looking for the kitchen. Around here somewhere."
Hermione blinked, before giggling. They were admittedly a bit slow, but she secretly wondered if they had a learning disability, as Draco had hinted that they were rather inbred. Still, they were actually quite sweet, weren't they?
"Susan Bones told me that there's a painting of a bowl of fruit near the Hufflepuff Common Room and that if you tickle the pear, it opens to the kitchen," Hermione added helpfully. Apparently, it was an open secret in Hufflepuff and one they didn't mind sharing. The duo's eyes widened, dragging her along as they didn't know the way to the Hufflepuff Common Room.
Somehow, she had a feeling she'd just been forcibly put under the protection of these two as they found their prize. Of course, this was also how she found out about House Elves, but as Gregory and Vincent indulged, she forcibly calmed herself down and reminded her of what she'd already learnt. The magical world was very different from what she was used to and she knew so very little. She had research to do before she jumped to conclusions.