#HPHM Fanfiction | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

madelineorionswan · 11 months

Text

Victory

May's entry for @hp-12monthsofmagic

A/N: This story is my first hphm story after a long while of not writing any of it, and I hope everyone enjoys this. Also, the topic of this story is fascinating to me as I have just gone through this scenario in my life, and I'm sure everyone has had this particular experience. That being said I hope you guys enjoy this story 😊.

Summary: After the OWLs, it is finally result-time for the students of Hogwarts. But before the grande finale, the students go through a series of tension-filled moments.

Warnings: Mentions of exam stress, exams and stress in general.

It was another day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Great Hall was filled with students, busy chatting and having breakfast. Madeline and her friends were among those students. They all were laughing and talking, as usual, occasionally bringing up their ideas about the cursed vaults, as they always did.

Safe to say that the Great Hall quite literally sounded like a busy marketplace.

"Attention students Professor Dumbledore has an important announcement for all of you," The Great Hall was suddenly silenced by Professor Mcgonagal's loud and clear voice. The students faced the Professors expectantly and silently as Professor Dumbledore nodded at Professor McGonagall, who moved aside to let him address the students.

"Allow me to be the first to congratulate you all on a momentous occasion", Professor Dumbledore said with a small smile gracing his face, "all fifth years have survived your OWLs, thereby taking a significant step in your journey of learning here, at Hogwarts. Your results will be out soon, but till then, all classes will be held as usual."

The Hall immediately broke into collective gasps of excitement and nervousness as everyone started to whisper amongst themselves. Professor Dumbledore smiled to himself and stepped back to sit at the teacher's table. He couldn't deny that the circumstances were quite amusing to watch as they had been for the past couple of years. And this year was going to be quite an intriguing experience to see.

---

"Can you believe results will be out soon?" Penny gushed as the girls walked out of the great hall after the bombshell had been dropped about the results.

"I know. Well, I just hope I pass," Madeline concluded, not expecting much in the first place. But she hoped that her results were at least decent.

"I'm really hoping to get at least exceeds expectations in all of them," Penny said and Madeline and Rowan nodded in agreement.

"I always said that marks do not matter in life. At the end of the day, these marks are just writing on a piece of paper," Charlie shrugged while the others agreed with him.

"It would've been fine if it was just that, but this "piece of paper" decides our entire futures at our jobs and our life," Talbott pointed out as the others sighed but mentally agreed with his point. Even the most nonchalant person would have to admit that the results would have a significant effect on their careers and lives.

"You've been quiet, Ro. Is everything alright?" Madeline asked her best friend, who had been silent since this morning.

As if she had suddenly been brought out of deep thought, Rowan nodded briskly in reply.

"If you say so," Madeline narrowed her eyes with suspicion, not believing that Rowan was fine. But she knew Rowan wouldn't open up right now so she let it slide.

"Alright then, see you guys at the Three Broomsticks as usual?" Madeline asked her friends, to which they all agreed to meet as usual that evening after classes.

But who knew that the rest of the day would end up being an excruciatingly long one.

---

Madeline, Andre and Barnaby were in their charms classes, practising defence spells which Professor Flitwick had demonstrated earlier. After successfully executing the hexes when Professor Flitwick reviewed them (save for Barnaby accidentally almost freezing the professor with Glacius, which he narrowly escaped), they were all allowed to return to their places and unwind.

"Now that everyone has executed the hexes more or less successfully," Professor Flitwick glared at Barnaby from the corner of his eye, making the boy chuckle and scratch the back of his neck nervously. The professor then continued, "Since we have a few minutes at hand, I suggest we all discuss the questions of your OWLs."

Everyone groaned with annoyance, causing Professor Flitwick to tut at them. He used his wand to summon a question paper from one of the many stacks of books in his hand and started to read the questions aloud. The students all took out their books and their scrolls to note down some key points of the answers.

But every question and answer the professor read aloud differed from what most students remembered writing in their answers. Madeline and Andre scrambled to write down the answers on their scrolls while Barnaby looked at them, confused.

"I thought you said, marks didn't matter to you?" he asked, confused.

"I have a reputation to maintain Barnaby. What do you think people will say when they hear that the next biggest fashion sensation got trolls in his OWLs?!" Andre replied pointedly. Both the boys then turned to Madeline who was busy writing down the answers in her scroll.

"What?" Madeline looked at the boys incredulously, when she felt them staring at her, "just because the marks doesn't matter to me doesn't mean that it won't matter to the person who's gonna check my files for when I apply to be an auror."

"It would matter?" Barnaby asked, muddled.

"I think she means that the marks matter when it comes to getting a dream job, Barns," Andre explained to which Barnaby replied with a silent "oh". Soon everyone was starting to feel the pressure of receiving their expected marks. And they all started to think about what would happen if they didn't get what they had expected. They would surely have a lot to think about then and they certainly wouldn't be nice thoughts.

---

In care of magical creatures class, the students were going through a similar turmoil, except professor kettleburn wasn't the one adding fuel to the fire. It was the students themselves.

Some students were busy tending to the magical creatures as they had been intsructed by the professor before he whisked off to god knows where. Other's on the other hand were busy talking about how the "OWLs had been so easy even a baby could easily solve without even breaking into sweat". And among those students was namely Merula.

"Oh please! They couldn't set a harder paper? I was expecting some intense questions my way!' Merula scoffed loudly. Ismelda chuckled dryly as some of the other students started conversing about the papers.

Penny had been rather cool minded this morning. But Merula's constant mocking comments wasn't helping her stay calm like before. Charlie on the other hand, well, Penny wasn't even sure he had payed attention to who else was in class.

"Atleast some of us are actually confident in what they wrote in their answers rather than some who pretend to be confident," Merula rolled her eyes, "Isnt that right, Haywood?"

Penny humphed and turned to feed the bowtruckle who had been distracted while playing with her hair. Merula was clearly getting under her skin and she was started to get frazzled.

"How are you dealing with the stress Charlie?" Penny asked, trying to defuse the tension.

"What stress?" Charlie asked, furrowing his brows a little.

"What do you mean? I'm sure you're at least a little nervous about the results," Penny said, chuckling nervously.

"Well, whatever I wrote in the test is what I'm gonna get. I don't really bother much about it," the ginger-haired teen shrugged as he tried to feed the baby Diricawl, who was apparating and disapparating, "besides, these marks won't affect my work skills. The work is what really matters after all."

Penny scoffed and stood up to pick up the animal food bucket, making Charlie chuckle at her antics as she stomped off to return the bucket.

"Look who seems frazzled," Merula smirked and stopped Penny in her path.

"Go away Merula," Penny protested, trying to move aside but Merula just blocked her way again.

"Not so confident about your results, are you, Haywood? Well, at least some people know their true worth, unlike you," Merula mocked

"Maybe some people who know their worth, don't feel like flaunting it," Charlie shouted back, making everyone face him.

"Besides, if you're so confident about knowing all the answers, I'm sure you would be open to discussing it in class, Merula," Charlie challenged Merula, who seemed to have backed off.

Not wanting to ruin her reputation, Merula frowned angrily and let Penny go. Penny smiled proudly at her friend, who smirked confidently. After returning the creature's food, Penny and Charlie left to go to the castle

"You know, What I meant by saying that these marks don't matter, ain't that the work you put in doesn't matter. It's just that, if you did bad on this one, it doesn't mean your world is over," Charlie said.

"Yeah, you're right. It only matters if I let my failures define me. And that is something we do not do," Penny replied, smiling and high-fived Charlie. The two then snuck off to the kitchens to grab a snack before their next classes and a few more hours of terror.

---

After climbing a lifetime of stairs, Talbott and Rowan finally reached their astronomy class with Professor Sinistra.

"Take a seat, students. Today, we will learn about different star formations and their relations to the muggle zodiac signs," Professor Sinistra turned to the open night sky and began pointing to different constellations and describing them.

Talbott and Rowan, as usual, answered most of the questions asked by the professor, seeing as they were the only ones who were interested. After a long star-gazing session, she dismissed the class. Rowan and Talbott picked up their books and scrolls and left the towers to go to their common rooms.

"So, how are you feeling about the results Rowan Khanna?" Talbott asked out of the blue.

Rowan stopped for a moment and looked at Talbott. "I guess I feel okay," She replied and started to descend the stairs.

"You don't feel... anything? Like excitement or nervousness?" Talbott asked.

"Are you nervous, Talbott?" Rowan asked back. Talbott was a little taken aback.

"I guess I feel this nervousness, not about what I'm gonna get, but more about what's gonna happen afterwards. It's intimidating but exciting at the same time," Talbott replied with a sigh and shrug.

Rowan nodded in agreement. She too had a similar feeling. She knew that she wouldn't be getting less than exceeds expectation, but there was this odd feeling. Almost like a rock on her chest when she thought about her results. But she couldn't exactly pinpoint what she felt like. Talbott had just put the feeling into words for her.

"The only way to overcome it, I guess, is to experience it. I've read several books that say once you go through an obstacle, you get more used to the emotions associated with it," Rowan concluded, Talbott nodded in agreement but then replied, "I guess I'll just walk it off for now."

He descended the stairs before disappearing near the Ravenclaw Tower's entrance. Rowan turned left for the Gryffindor common room, feeling like she might be coming to terms with her emotions about this experience.

---

It was late in the evening when Bill had completed his homework. He looked at the clock in his dorm and, realising how late he was, quickly threw on a shirt and trousers and jogged down the stairs. What he saw when he went down to the common room, amused and confused him.

Madeline was lying on the couch in front of the fireplace with a book on her face while Rowan sat at her feet, meditating, her face scrunched up in concentration. Charlie, on the other hand, was busy studying some old diagrams of dragons with Ben, who was nervously biting his nails.

"Please don't tell me the other like this too", Bill said, shaking his head dismissively.

"Unfortunately, everyone decided to bail out and stay back at their dorms", Rowan replied, not bothering to open her eyes to look.

"And with good reason! You should have seen Professor Flitwick's class today", Madeline groaned with annoyance.

"Madie, you can't change what you did in the test," Rowan tried to console her, but Madeline groaned with defeat.

"Rowan, how can you be so calm when we are about to face one of the biggest changes in your life?!" Ben asked, confused as he started to get even more nervous.

"Ben, buddy, you need to calm down. Getting back your OWL results isn't that big of a thing, y'know," Charlie patted Ben's back to calm him, although it didn't help much.

Bill chuckled amusedly, shaking his head as he sat on a couch beside the bigger one. "You guys are acting just like us back when we were going to get our results," he said, "now do you get what we had to go through," Bill looked at Charlie pointedly. Charlie just rolled his eyes in reply, now regretting the times he had told Bill he was overreacting. He knew his older brother was going to tease him nonstop after this.

"Look, guys, there's no use worrying. You can't change what you did in your test. It's best to just not listen to what anyone else has to say and just go through the thing personally,” Bill advised. But all he got was a nod from Rowan while the rest just groaned.

Bill shook his head. He knew they needed to hear this, whether they liked it or not. But he also knew it would be hard for them to accept it. It had been the same for him. Soon it was time for dinner, and the group headed downstairs with the rest of the students to receive their much-dreaded results.

The Great Hall was silent and oddly so. It was very rarely that everyone remained quiet in there. But the impending news of the results had everyone busy with their thoughts. After a hushed and anxious meal, everyone turned to the teacher's table expectantly. Professor Dumbledore looked at the other teachers with a smile which everyone answered with a nod. Finally, Professor Dumbledore stood up in his place to make the much-awaited announcement.

“To all fifth years, when you step out of the Great Hall, don’t forget to collect your results from the professors. I have been reminded to tell you to be a little less boisterous, but there won’t be any consequences if you are. But I would remind you all that whatever result you receive, I want you all to know that this isn’t the end of the world. These marks are an indication of what you are capable of achieving, but they do not represent who you are and what you can become,” Dumbledore spoke solemnly, but the twinkle in his eye never faded nor did his small smile.

After dinner, everyone was escorted back to the common rooms by their prefects. After completing their duties, Charlie and Madeline went to get their result papers from Professor McGonagall at her office. The professor handed them their results, her expression not showing any of her emotions. They then returned to the common room to find it to be a literal circus. All the Gryffindor fifth years were busy conversing about their results. Some faces were bright with excitement, while others showed disappointment. The pair looked around for a bit and found Ben, Bill and Rowan waiting for them at a corner.

“It’s now or never, I suppose,” Madeline sighed once she and Charlie approached the group. They all shared a look between themselves before nervously ripping open their envelopes.

When Madeline looked at her results, she couldn’t believe what she saw. She had gotten “Exceeds Expectations” in all of her subjects! Even in potions! She let out a relieved breath that she had unconsciously held onto, her eyes lighting up. She looked to see the same happiness on Ben and Charlie’s face. Charlie smiled brightly as he showed Bill his result card. Bill smiled proudly and hugged his brother tightly. Ben too looked happy although mostly relieved.

But Rowan’s face showed disappointment and shock. Madeline quickly moved to sit beside her and looked at her results. As expected, all of them were brilliant as usual, except one. In Transfiguration, one of Rowan’s favourite classes, she had gotten an “Acceptable”.

“I-I don’t know what went wrong. I was so confident about this," Rowan couldn't complete her words because of Madeline’s tight hug.

“It’s okay, you did your best,” Madeline said hugging her best friend, “Besides, this test can never justify how brilliant you are as a friend and as a student. Let bygones be bygones, Ro.”

Rowan nodded as a small smile crept upon her face. Although she wasn't fully convinced, Madeline's words provided her with some comfort. Madeline knew she would get over this. It would take some time but eventually, she would get better.

“This victory calls for a celebration,” Madeline declared, “Butterbeers on Bill, no questions asked,” she pointed at Bill, who laughed but agreed to the terms.

It indeed was the greatest victory of the month.

#charlie weasley #hphm mc #madeline orionswan #hogwarts mystery #hphm #rowan khanna #penny haywood #ben copper #andre egwu #talbott winger #merula snyde #barnaby lee #hogwarts #hphm fanfiction #hp12mom

24 notes · View notes

ramblings-of-a-mad-cat · 9 days

Text

Archives of The Cabal - The Secret Origin of "R"

@ladyofsappho You asked me for this months ago, and you're finally getting an answer. @missnight0wl if you're interested I would also be honored to hear your thoughts. @dat-silvers-girl I just tag you in everything I write by now.

I am not caught up on Beyond, and this will deviate from canon in general, but I have tried to combine my original ideas and head-canons with the established lore about The Cabal. Either way, this is my version of R's story, and it's gonna be a long one, my friend. Buckle up.

The story you're about to hear is heavily redacted. People have fought and died and lost themselves and done unspeakable things to contain the secrets written here. Records are, to put it lightly, hard to find. For that is the nature of R.

To properly explain who they are, what they want, and where they come from…one must take a walk through history. Because R is old. Very old. Centuries old. It was primarily the brainchild of two men, but what truly birthed The Cabal was the social and political situation of the magical world at the time the group was formed. Because it is and has always been intrinsically linked to the passing of the Statute of Secrecy. Without that bit of legislation, there simply is no Cabal. Furthermore, The Cabal has always had a vested interest in the Wizarding schools. So we’ll need to talk about the days before The Statute. Before witches and wizards went underground. Back when the magical schools were still in grave danger.

It started...with the school of magic known as Ruqyah.

Before the persecution from the muggles became a larger problem, the wizarding world experienced a period of prosperity that it would never see again. An era that magical historians would later describe as the “Golden Years” that are estimated to have begun at around the point Hogwarts was constructed at the turn of the millennium. During this time, magical education peaked. The wizarding schools in the world numbered thirty-two, with many advanced institutions rising. Their knowledge and power only grew as they reached out to one another and did collaborations, maintaining strong relationships across the globe. Traditions like the Triwizard Tournament sprung up during this time. At the height of enlightenment was the school known as Ruqyah in Egypt. Built into one of the Pyramids, Ruqyah was a haven of higher learning, famous across the world for producing the best Healers, Beastkeepers, and Magical Researchers.

Though the school no longer exists in the present day, there was a time when every young Mage knew Ruqyah, and its unmistakable sigil - the Eye of Horus. Students from all over the world were permitted, even encouraged, to visit the school and participate in the education it offered. Whether it was for a week, a year, or even if they decided to enroll full time. Ruqyah pursued all sorts of goals, seeking knowledge and power. Theirs was the path to enlightenment and immortality - or so it was claimed. But only the truly bold, only those who had lived in the Pyramid for years ever dared to explore the Tombs of Ruqyah, which were said to be cursed. Supposedly inhabited by a malevolent spirit, who was only to be cowed by the presence of students and staff. It was said that they kept this being at bay by perpetuating the study of such pure magic. To many, these were just rumors, though Ruqyah Alums treated these stories with respect and many believed them in earnest. This was yet another reason such pride was taken in the education of the students. In the days of the Golden Years, Ruqyah was truly considered top class.

But The Golden Years were never to last.

Though tension between the mages and the non-magical community had always been an issue, the problem only grew worse during the fifteenth century. The muggles were still licking their wounds after the terrible phenomenon known as The Black Death, which had suspiciously killed very few wizards, the overwhelming majority of its victims being non-magical. A story began to spread, the idea that wizardkind had created the Plague themselves and purposefully unleashed it onto the world. Whether or not there is any truth to this...difficult to say. The Black Death occurred centuries ago and any record of magical involvement, if indeed there was any, has long since been erased. During this time, Witch Hunting was becoming a very popular profession for a variety of reasons, (many of them religiously motivated) and Muggles soon began rallying together to form organized strikes at wizardkind. The conflict escalated beyond the Ministries’ control as witches and wizards who bore prejudice of their own took the opportunity to fight back.

The conflict raged across the world like wildfire, with no end in sight for three hundred years. A period that became known as The Witch Hunter Wars. Ministries passed new laws, and magical schools shifted the focus of their curriculum's. Some began to prioritize subterfuge…others favored combat. Regrettably, wizarding culture became steeped in hatred and mistrust of the muggles. Even Ruqyah, beloved among wizardkind for the scholars it had produced…it too changed direction and began to train a generation of Dark Wizards who specialized in Curse-Breaking. Who learned the most unseemly of secrets, venturing further into the Tombs of Ruqyah than anyone had ever dared go. Some were even said to have met the demon at the heart of the Pyramid.

But it was not enough. The magical community had always been dwarfed by their muggle counterparts. Through sheer numbers alone, the muggles always maintained the upper-hand, doing more and more damage as time went on. The war had destroyed any goodwill the magicals might have felt toward the muggles, and any witch or wizard associating with them was distrusted on principle. Common ground was no longer possible. Coexistence was no longer possible. By the end of the seventeenth century, several Wizarding Ministries had fallen, and over half of the known Wizarding Schools had been eradicated. Eventually, Ruqyah would join them. In 1679, the ancient and beloved school was stormed and destroyed by Witch Hunters. The following ten years, which later became known as “The Decade Without Hope” preempted a “Final Summit” of the International Confederation of Wizards, who had decided at last that enough was enough.

The Decade Without Hope

The Decade without Hope was…a dark time. The vast majority of the magical community believed that extinction loomed on the horizon. That the muggles would not stop until they were gone. Anguish and frustration gave over to hatred. Many young mages committed suicide. Others entered heavily populated muggle villages and sacrificed themselves by casting explosive curses. The future, if there was to be one at all, seemed bleak. The remaining witches and wizards turned on one another, looting and killing became common. Dark Wizards went unpunished, because who was left to punish them? What remained of the wizarding government had their hands full with the Witch Hunter Wars, with preparing the plans for the Final Summit. But these plans were to be interrupted by two dark wizards. Their names were Henri Jean Alerie…and Dai Ryusaki.

During the days before most of the Wizarding Schools were lost, it was relatively common for a student to spend more years in school, to attend more than one academy and graduate with honors from all of them. Ryusaki was a Mahoutokoro Alum, and Alerie had attended Beauxbatons, but both had also been educated together at Ruqyah. They were two of the last students to graduate before the school was destroyed. Alerie and Ryusaki, who had become close friends, traveled the world together after their graduation to seek their fortune. The teachings of Ruqyah were long since corrupted, and these two old friends worked together as partners in crime. In doing so, they frequently communicated by letter, but to avoid detection should their letters fall into the wrong hands, they never added signatures. It had been a longstanding tradition at Ruqyah for the Headmaster, often known as “The Ruqyah” to sign his letters with the Eye of Horus symbol, which closely resembled the letter “R.” A technique that Alerie and Ryusaki appropriated for themselves as a code known only to them.

Ryusaki's Gambit

After The Witch Hunter Wars, and the fall of several Ministries, there were many precious, dangerous magical artifacts in need of relocation. Due to the adaptive nature of magic, which is itself a living force, Dai Ryusaki and Henri Jean Alerie both knew that the remaining schools of magic would be safer than any Ministry. They were as of yet undiscovered by the muggles and seemingly small enough to fly under the radar. The only remaining school the Witch Hunters were aware of was Hogwarts, yet they seemed reluctant to strike the British school, possibly due to rumors that it was guarded by a terrible monster left behind by one of the Founders.

Unspeakables from the Department of Mysteries, as well as their contemporaries in other nations, had already concluded that any dwelling inhabited by multiple witches and wizards for several generations would eventually develop its own independent magical energy, and, in a sense, become a living thing. In the case of wizarding schools, the youthful magic of the students was even stronger, and more changeable. It was the very best chance. Ryusaki knew what needed to be done. He called upon the services of several people whom he trusted. They had graduated from the various remaining schools of magic and eventually rose to lead them, but before that, they had been part of the final classes to study at Ruqyah and were originally Curse-Breakers by trade. Over the years, Ryusaki had maintained correspondence with all of them.

He reached out to Inacio Campos, of Castelobruxo, Zuri Adesina of Ugadou, Sigrid Jorgensen of Durmstrang, Tatiana Morozov of Koldovstoretz, and Hamish Fawley of Hogwarts. There was some reluctance once his colleagues discovered his past misdeeds, but Ryusaki convinced them that his plan was in the best interests of wizardkind, that he was merely trying to repent. Henri Jean Alerie was only too happy to represent Beauxbatons in this endeavor, as Ryusaki represented Mahoutokoro. In time, the two men secured themselves as Headmasters of their respective schools. The only representatives who were not in attendance were Morozov and Fawley. Morozov was disgusted by Ryusaki’s crimes and refused to join the alliance, and with her, the Russian school withdrew from the plan. Fawley expressed agreement with the plan, but was unwilling to play any part in it. Hamish Fawley was gravely ill, afflicted with a mysterious curse from the time he was born. As a result, not only did he have limited time and energy, but he wanted nothing to do with Cursed Artifacts or Curses as a whole. Privately, Alerie maintained correspondence with Fawley, offering his sympathies.

The other representatives went along with this plan, deciding to trust Ryusaki, as he seemed honest…though many of them did not fully trust Alerie. Which was ironic, as he played a crucial part of the plan. It was he who staged the near destruction of the Lebanese Ministry of Magic, where the International Confederation of Wizards had sent them for safekeeping. Using the Imperius Curse to gain access to the heart of the Lebanese Ministry, so the new alliance could steal the Artifacts. Thereafter, Ryusaki waited until the building was empty to cast a terrible fire, a Dark Spell, to make it seem as though the Witch Hunters had struck again, and the artifacts destroyed in the fire. In truth, each of them took possession of one and pledged to guard it indefinitely. To do so, they used their schools. Infused with emergent magical energy that was fueled by generations of children, this alliance truly believed there was nowhere safer. They had all studied at Ruqyah at one point or another. They all knew of the Tombs, those that guarded unspeakable Dark Arts and a nameless Demon.

Within the schools of the Alliance, secret chambers were constructed to house the artifacts, similar to the Tombs. The enchantments and curses placed on these ”Vaults” did not remain stagnant. Left alone, they grew like ivy, evolving and growing in strength over the years. Until, or so they hoped and planned, these secret Cursed Vaults and the treasures they guarded would be forgotten and lost to time. Plotting a strike on a Wizarding Ministry and the theft of the most dangerous artifacts in the world is no small feat. It took the better part of two years to plan, and during this time, the Alliance would communicate with each other using the secrecy they had learned from Ryusaki and Alerie. Signing all of their letters with nothing but the Eye of Horus, represented on the parchment as the letter “R” In time, this group came to refer to itself as Ruqyah, or simply “R” as a coded version - taking the name of the fallen school in an effort to honor the ideals and traditions that were lost. They began wearing red cloaks for subterfuge, echoing the school uniform of the ancient pyramid. Ryusaki could not partake, for he had "turned white" as they say in Mahoutokoro, long ago. His robes would always reflect his sin.

After the Artifacts were hidden, the members of this new faction did not see each other for many years, only communicating through further messages likewise written in code. They had pledged to protect the world from the most powerful and unstable kinds of magic. They knew what kind of danger the Artifacts might have posed if they had fallen into the wrong hands - magical or mundane. Yet during this time, Ryusaki had begun to see the world anew, as he poured himself deeper into magical philosophy. The Mahoutokoro Headmaster had never been wholly evil, and through his efforts with R, he had undergone a change of heart. Feeling remorse for his crimes and resolving to change his ways. Ryusaki dedicated his life to reforming, going so far as to reinvent the dark spells he had learned in Egypt to make them better. He even reinvented the dark spell he had used to destroy the Lebanese Ministry, turning it into the defensive curse known as Protego Diabolica. To the point of willingly turning himself over to the authorities for his various criminal acts - though he did not breathe a word of the artifacts, their locations, or the existence of R.

Alerie, however, went in a different direction.

With access to one of the deadly artifacts, he was free to study it during his spare time running Beauxbatons. During the Decade Without Hope, he continued studies into the most obscure and forbidden branches of magic. Crafting spells, objects, and potions of immense and terrible power. Drowning himself in the rarest and most dangerous enchantments. He went as far as to return to the ruins of Ruqyah and attempt to seek out the malevolent spirit hidden within the pyramid’s depths, thinking he could use its power for himself. But with the school long since abandoned, there was nothing and no one left to guard the entity, who had flourished in the time since Ruqyah’s fall. No one is quite certain what happened to Alerie in the heart of the pyramid. But he was never the same afterward. Some say he went mad, and perhaps he did. But the encounter changed him on a fundamental level. He returned to Beauxbatons wearing a strange amulet and and boasting of how his “third eye” had been opened.

The Crown of Mneme

The International Confederation of Wizards were not blind, they could see that Ryusaki was no longer a danger to the magical world and knew they could make good use of his brilliance - so they made him an offer - to be pardoned for all his past crimes and receive lifelong immunity for any future crimes. In return, they commissioned him to craft a powerful spell that would allow the caster to reshape the minds of others on a massive scale. They invited him to the Final Summit, which was to be held in the Kingdom of Bhutan, to use this magic in a special ceremony. Ryusaki flatly refused such a prospect, until The Confederation fully explained their reasoning.

During this time period, The Confederation was certainly not loved. Much of wizardkind believed that the horrid state of affairs was in no small part due to their inaction and poor decision making. Most did not believe that the Confederation would be able to save the wizarding community. But there were others. Clever mages of higher learning who understood the politics, who were near enough to the inner circle for the whispers and rumors to have leaked down to them. Long before the Statute of Secrecy was signed, many saw it coming. For it was becoming common practice more and more to live a double life, to hide one’s magic from any nearby muggles. Nevertheless, secrecy was paramount. The Witch Hunters could not be allowed to catch wind of this plan. The Final Summit was risky in general. To put all the most important members of the Confederation together, all in one room, was dangerous. Should the Witch Hunters discover that this meeting was to take place, should they strike during the Summit, they would wipe out the Confederation and with it, the last hope for wizardkind. Yet they took a chance and trusted Dai Ryusaki with knowledge of this plan.

After some consideration, he agreed to the Confederation’s offer. He set to work, using all of his magical knowledge and skill in the effort to make the Statute of Secrecy possible. Aided by his old friend Alerie, not realizing that Alerie had plans of his own. Yet as he worked, Ryusaki lamented the fate of wizardkind, doomed to hide away forever…until he had an epiphany. The answer came to him in a stroke of genius. A way to unite both worlds without conflict or bloodshed. Thoughtlessly, he shared his brainchild with Alerie via one of their many coded letters, who then joined him in celebration. In time, Ryusaki crafted the artifact known as The Crown of Mneme. With it, he and Alerie brewed a special potion designed to amplify the Crown’s power when the two were combined. The ingredients for this potion were a closely guarded secret, and the two old friends only ever wrote them down once, on an ancient scroll. These efforts bore fruit, and Ryusaki tested the Crown’s power by treating the trauma of his students at Mahoutokoro. However, attempting to heal the pains and trials of his friend Alerie revealed the horror within his soul, and Ryusaki recoiled. He attempted to excise this evil from his friend, but Alerie escaped.

Regrettably, this discovery sealed Ryusaki’s fate. Alerie could not allow any to learn the truth of what he had seen, of his heritage. The Demon who had hidden in the Tombs of Rugyah for so many years, who now ruled the pyramid in silence…was in truth, a magical creature known as an Ifrit. Precious little is known about them and in the seventeenth century wizards knew little and less. But such an entity is classified as a “non-being” similar to boggarts or dementors, and the Ifrit is highly dangerous. Rarely seen in the West, an Ifrit can live for millennia, and use that time to gradually corrupt the souls of mages around them, yet having no effect on muggles. Long ago, the founders of Ruqyah crossed swords with an Ifrit, bravely fighting the creature and trapping it in an ancient tomb. Building a pyramid around the demon to keep it sealed away, and the prison evolved through the years, becoming one of the most famous wizarding schools of all time. It was always the job of the Headmaster, “The Ruqyah,” to contain the Ifrit.

Alerie had met The Ifrit. The enchantments on the Pyramid prevented it from escaping altogether, but once the last Ruqyah had died, the Ifrit’s magic grew stronger. Before, Headmasters had wielded The Eye of Horus to “block” out the Ifrit’s third eye, which has sometimes been referred to as the “evil eye.” For the Ifrit’s third eye grants them powers such as legilimency, and worse. They can attack and devastate the minds of mortals. Alerie had an encounter with this non-being while it was near full power, and the course of his life became set in stone. For the Ifrit had revealed a shattering truth - many times in the past, it had taken human witches as lovers, one of whom was Alerie’s own mother. Henri Jean Alerie was only half human. The Amulet he wore had been created by the Ifrit some time ago, and it had been given to Alerie as inheritance. In years to come, his seemingly endless longevity and his fearsome talent with the Dark Arts could both be attributed to his heritage. Alerie had left the pyramid a different man, and when Ryusaki discovered the horrors hidden in his soul, he vowed to save his old friend. But Alerie had already decided that Ryusaki could not be allowed to live.

The Final Summit

Ten years after the Fall of Ruqyah, the Confederation met in secret for the Final Summit, in the Kingdom of Bhutan. To discuss their plans, and most importantly, to gauge how successful Ryusaki had been at the task they had given him. The group of mages met and conversed for many days to determine the future of their kind. During this time, when Ryusaki was called upon to present his invention, he instead proposed an alternative solution. He painted a picture for his fellow wizards, describing the utopia in his mind. A world where there was no difference between the magical and mundane. A peaceful, enlightened world where every child born would be blessed with magic. If the Crown could be used for this purpose, there would be no need for secrecy. No need for conflict - no real possibility of another war. The Confederation nervously laughed off such wild delusions and dismissed Ryusaki as a radical before demanding that he relinquish the Crown. When Ryusaki refused, things quickly devolved into chaos.

Ryusaki knew that he could not surrender the Crown, not until he had used it to save the world. The magical community would not hide themselves. They would join hands with their muggle brethren, and together they would expel the forces of evil - creatures like the Ifrit hiding in Ruqyah. The world needed to know about this danger, and that his old friend had already been corrupted by it. Determined to uphold the legacy of what Ruqyah had once been, Ryusaki, who was now on the run, called upon the services of R. A loyal man, Ryusaki expected the Headmasters of the remaining magical schools, the Guardians of the Artifacts, would come to his aid, as he would have done for them. But by then, it was too late.

Alerie had gotten to them first.

As a member of R, he had contacted the others and met with them to discuss the situation. Painting a very different version of events. Alerie claimed Ryusaki’s atonement was a lie. That he had been deceiving the others, and that his sanity slipped further and further toward madness with each passing day. That he had created another deadly Artifact, like the ones R had hidden, and the Confederation was now hunting him. Though the others doubted his tale at first, rumors of Ryusaki’s exploits were spreading, as Alerie’s next visit had been to see the Confederation. With Ryusaki on the run, Alerie had approached them. He offered to do the job that Ryusaki would not, in exchange for the same reward - lifetime immunity from prosecution. The Confederation, who had no other cards left to play, agreed to his terms - none of them having any idea just how long Alerie would live.

Ryusaki’s reputation was soon smeared by the remaining Ministries, in an attempt to discredit him and prevent him from garnering sympathy. His past misdeeds as a Dark Wizard were regularly brought up by his enemies and those who wished to apprehend him and the Crown. The remaining members of R came to believe Alerie’s stories were true, particularly as his newest ally corroborated them. Hamish Fawley, who had previously refused to join R, now accepted full membership and pledged to help stop Ryusaki and hide the Crown of Mneme at Hogwarts, just as the other Headmasters had done in their own schools. Alerie had approached Fawley separately and cut a deal with him on the side. Proposing that the Crown could be used to heal Fawley’s illness and break the Curse on him. Blind with hope, Fawley would have said or done anything that Alerie bid.

Ryusaki had only one friend left he could turn to - or so he thought. The International Confederation could not be trusted. Ruqyah’s members had all abandoned him. But despite the evil in Alerie’s soul, Ryusaki believed he was still a good man beneath it all, and this faith was seemingly rewarded when Alerie appeared like a miracle and helped Ryusaki escape a team of Aurors. The two friends reconciled, and it was at this time that Alerie gave Ryusaki the amulet that he wore, seemingly as a sentimental gift. Ryusaki went on to explain his plan to Alerie. From the shadows, he had worked tirelessly, trying to discover a way to graph magic from a witch or wizard onto a muggle. As he refused to use live subjects or do anything that risked harm to the innocent, his methods were slow and inefficient. There was only one thing left to try - The Crown. Using its power to project magic onto every human in the world by using the wearer as a template. It would never have worked, and Alerie knew this. But Ryusaki was blind with hope, and insisted on acting as the Template himself, just as Alerie planned.

Together, the two men brewed the special mind-enhancing potion necessary to use the Crown on a global scale. Alerie placed the Crown on Ryusaki’s head. Yet as the power began to overwhelm him, Ryusaki was suddenly struck in the back by his oldest friend. The two began to duel. It was during this time that, in the struggle, the Scroll containing the ingredients for Ryusaki’s special mind enhancing potion was torn in half, with each of the men taking one piece. Ryusaki had no strength, the Crown had drained him like a battery, and he had no choice but to take it off, to leave it behind. Yet using the last of his energy, Ryusaki fled, and hid his half of the Scroll. Rather than pursue him, Alerie claimed The Crown, before sending the same team of Aurors - who had been on his payroll the whole time - to apprehend the wounded Ryusaki.

Alerie brought the Crown back to the Magisterial Chamber of Ancient Wizardry, as promised. It was here that the members of the Confederation cast a vote, and soon emerged from their talks with a signed document known as the International Statute of Secrecy, marking the official end of The Witch Hunter Wars. Alerie wielded the power of The Crown of Mneme. With it, he caused all the muggles to forget magic was ever real. The two worlds became permanently divided, and Ryusaki's hopes of a utopia of enlightenment and immortality, a world where everyone had magic - went up in smoke. His dreams died with him, as he was executed for a Dark Wizard shortly thereafter, still wearing the amulet Alerie had given him as a last gift. It is said that the amulet was cursed, and that before his death, Ryusaki's jailers tortured him. By the time he died, Ryusaki's resentment of the Confederation had intensified, their betrayal, to say nothing of Alerie's betrayal, burned him to his last cinder. With Ryusaki's death, Alerie moved to seize control of R. He proposed that the group be managed by an elected leader, like the Ruqyahs of old. His influence grew further as he was unanimously voted to become the new "R."

With no means to fulfill his promise to Fawley, Alerie blamed Ryusaki for stealing half of the Dark Scroll. But there could be no hope of brewing the Mind Enhancing Potion again without it, and without the Potion, the Crown was too unstable to use. Therefore, Alerie reluctantly handed it over to Fawley to keep the peace, and it was hidden in a secret Vault at the bottom of the Hogwarts' Black Lake. Guarded by a dark spell that Alerie himself had always favored. The new "R" continued to revolutionize, with Alerie and the others gathering more and more recruits, as well as beginning to infiltrate the rising Ministries in addition to the magical schools. Meanwhile, Hamish Fawley made a groundbreaking discovery. The magic in his soul, that which came from the Curse afflicting him, contained the raw, un-concentrated power of unstable magic, but this magic could be harvested. If Fawley could be born with such a Curse, so could anyone else...including muggles, and this Curse might just endow them with enough magic to no longer be considered muggles. Ryusaki's dream was not dead after all.

Fawley and Alerie clashed for years to come, with Fawley questioning Alerie's leadership at every turn, and how much it differed from Ryusaki's vision. Until Alerie's mask slipped and he showed his true colors. Fawley and Alerie got into a fight and Alerie lost his temper, exposing his inhuman power in front of multiple "R" members. With no other choice, Alerie was forced to flee, to disappear, leaving Hamish Fawley to be elected the new leader of Ruqyah. He burned away the rest of his life trying in vain to solve Ryusaki's equation - to turn a muggle into a wizard. He died without success, however, his bloodline remained in R, and served as Leaders more often than they did not. Eventually, Fawley's descendant - a boy called Jacob, discovered the existence of R.

As for Alerie, he resurfaced many times under many pseudonyms over the years, influencing events. Working to free his father, to influence The Cabal from afar. The Amulet served him well in this endeavor. Eventually, he would reestablish direct contact with Fawley's descendants, and Jacob's Sibling would come to known him personally. But by then, he was using yet another name...

Under the moniker of Elton Elderberry, Ministry Archivist, Henri Jean Alerie continues to influence events.

3 notes · View notes

the-al-chemist · 2 years

Text

An Update

I’ve been semi-AWOL so far this month, with good reason; I’ve been working pretty hard, both in real life and writing-wise.

The first draft of the seventh instalment of the Hexley Saga is now well and truly finished, and the story has been named: Artemis Hexley and the Return to the Riddles.

Currently, the wip is around 115,000 words long, but this is set to change (by which I mean increase) in the editing process. Having had a read of the entire draft today (phew!), there are around 3 chapters out of a current total of 23 that need a lot of rewriting. The rest is more editing and rephrasing.

I’m hoping to be done by the end of this month, but it may not be until mid-October that I wrap up writing completely. Either way, I will be finished publishing by the end of the year. It’s a crazy thought, to be honest.

Thank you for your patience!

#the hexley saga #wip updates #artemis hexley #hphm fanfiction #hphm fic #hp hogwarts mystery #hphm oc

14 notes · View notes

hphmseojunglee · 1 year

Text

‘deed i do [2/4]

read on ao3

wc:

more info about this fic in this tumblr post

———

“Alright. I’ll do it.”

Five sets of eyes whip towards you. It’s the middle of breakfast on Wednesday morning. They’ve not said anything about Tonk’s idea last night, but you can tell that they are dying to know.

“You’re okay with it?” Penny’s blue eyes shine with anticipation and excitement. She spoke earlier about how tired she was of being approached. Luckily, since she started telling people that she was going with someone else, less brave souls tried. However, there were some older students with massive egos who thought they could change the Hufflepuff’s mind with chocolate or flowers. As you well know, some men believe the world revolves around them.

You nod. “I’m in.”

Tonks rubs their hands together. “Excellent! Now, we have to get your story straight.”

“There’s nothing straight about this story,” you mumble quietly into your tea.

Only Penny hears. She snorts and slaps you lightly on the thigh. “Shut up.”

Rowan picks up where Tonks left off. “Right. When did you two start dating?”

“I think last year would be good. You wanted to keep it a secret in the beginning, as a new relationship.” Chiara suggests as she takes a bite of her toast. “You did spend a lot of time visiting Penny in the Hospital Wing after she got attacked by that Dementor, Seojung.”

“She’s right… you visited her more than I did, and that’s saying something.” Tonks rubs their chin. “And I walked in on you two sharing a cot more than once.”

“It wasn’t my idea! Penny hates hospitals. She asked me to sleep with her so she doesn’t get nightmares. Who was I to refuse?”

Skye rolls her eyes. “Married.”

You flick a crumb at her. “Shut up.”

“This is good. Okay, so you shacked up after P’s Dementor attack, and you’ve been dating in secret ever since. You’re not fond of PDA, which is why you haven’t kissed or anything. On your first anniversary, this year, you decided to be less secretive. But you aren’t about dramatic gestures, which is why you didn’t do some stupid public ask to the dance.” Tonks lists off the details. “Any objections?”

Everyone shakes their heads.

“Great. Next, speaking of PDA… do you want to step it up, or keep it as-is?”

“What do you mean, ‘keep it as-is’?” You are perplexed. What is Tonks talking about?

“You really have no idea?” They raise an incredulous eyebrow.

“No…what?”

Rowan answers kindly. “You guys are so touchy, it could be interpreted as dating.”

“What! No!” Surely Rowan is exaggerating. But as you look around the table, everyone else nods in agreement. Except Penny.

“Pens, is this true?”

She shrugs. “I don’t think so, but we’re in the minority.”

“Alright. Well, I think we should add stuff like hand-holding, maybe kissing on the cheek and head?” You feel your cheeks heat up as you talk about kissing, but you steamroll on and hide your face in your mug.

“I agree. What do you think of pet names?”

You love terms of endearment. Perhaps to an unhealthy extent. But you probably should say something more acceptable. “I think that would help with the illusion. I wouldn’t be opposed. I’m partial to terms like ‘darling’, ‘honey’, and ‘yeobo’. How ‘bout you?”

Penny is practically bouncing in her seat. “Oh, I adore pet names! I can use ‘babe’, ‘love’, and ‘dear’.”

“Penny can start coming to your Quidditch practices and you can start walking her to classes.” Chiara smiles. “Maybe you can even share a bed? That’ll be the quickest way to get the rumor mill running.”

You nod, looking over at Penny. This is fine. You went as friends to the Celestial Ball and had a great time. The added “dating” things aren’t really a departure from how you two normally act. At least you don’t have to kiss her. Because if you had to kiss her, things would get really messy, really fast.

“Just make sure to cast some Muffling charms before you go to sleep. Jung snores.” Rowan scowls as she eats her oatmeal. “Loudly.”

“I do not! Chiara, back me up.”

The silver-haired girl shakes her head. “Sorry, Seojung. Rowan and I cast Silencing and Muffling charms every night on you after you fall asleep. Luckily, you turn in much earlier than the rest of us.”

Tonks scoffs. “You’re such an old man.”

“I’m going to un-seam all of your robes again, Tonks.”

They stick out their tongue and return to their steaming stack of pancakes.

“I’ll be the judge of whether or not Jung snores badly.” Penny smiles brightly, much too cheerfully, considering the time of day. “I’m sure it’s not bad!”

“Perfect! May Operation Swandive commence!” Tonks whoops and raises her goblet.

“Operation Swandive? What the hell, Tonks?”

They shrug. “What? Swans mate for life.”

“Fine.” You roll your eyes at Tonks’ shenanigans. “So, girlfriends?” You stick out your hand to Penny.

Skye groans. “A handshake? Come on, at least hug her, you dork.”

“Oh. Right.” Opening your arms, you smile in what you hope is a comforting way. It seems to work. Penny practically jumps into your arms like she always does. And just like yesterday in the Common Room, she pecks your cheek.

You make a mental note to talk to Penny about PDA and new boundaries later. You’re not sure what she’s comfortable with. For the moment, you follow her lead, playing the loving girlfriend and twisting Penny’s body so that her legs are resting on yours perpendicularly. Chiara asks you a question about Muggle jazz musicians, and you’re lost in the world of Ella Fitzgerald, Blossom Dearie, Sarah Vaughan, Keely Smith, and Billie Holiday. Otherwise, you would have noticed Tonks smirking at Penny, who is staring at you dreamily.

Before you know it, breakfast is over. The six of you pack up and head over to the Greenhouses.

You offer to carry Penny’s books the way there. Skye and Tonks make kissy noises behind the both of you, Rowan sighs, and Chiara giggles.

“Don’t make me hex you, Tonks.”

“Just focus on being a good girlfriend, Jung!”

—

When you and your friends arrive at Greenhouse 3 for Herbology, Penny thanks you for carrying her books with a sweet peck on the cheek. “Thanks, babe!”

“It’s my pleasure, honey.”

It has the intended effect. Instantly, all of your classmates, fellow Hufflepuffs and Slytherins, shut up and stare. You find Barnaby and Liz among the group. They’re both smiling. Liz gives you a double thumbs-up and mouths “Congrats”, throwing in a wink.

You ignore the many pairs of eyes drilling holes into your back as you arrive at your desk and set up the class supplies. No doubt there are a few boys who are insulted by the fact that they got turned away in favor of a girl. And many more students who would kill to be in your shoes.

Even if the circumstances are unconventional, you’re glad to be where you are. The fact that you are means that Penny trusts you very much. And the thought of Penny’s deep trust makes you smile.

Tonks huffs out a sigh as they stare at their leather gauntlets. “So, how are you going to save the Ball from being an awful clanger?”

“I have no idea how I’m going to try and change Pince’s mind.”

“Sounds like the first thing you need is an excuse to talk to her about the dance.”

“Yeah…” Your brainstorming is interrupted by Professor Sprout’s arrival. She bustles into the Greenhouse with an excited gleam in her eye.

“Good morning everyone, it’s time to begin today’s instruction. As you know, Professor Dumbledore announced the Valentine’s Day Ball yesterday. To help with the joyous occasion, I thought it would be helpful to grow flowers as decorations for the event!” Her wand seems to jump from a pocket on her coat into her hand.

“As some of you may recall, on Valentine’s Day in the past we used the Herbivicus Charm to grow roses. This year, however, we’ll be adapting the charm to grow this romantic bloom again as a bouquet.”

The instruction is pretty short, considering it is basically a review. Sprout teaches the spell and the wand movement within half an hour.

“Now, you try.”

Up and down the long tables, you can hear students attempting the spell. Penny attempts it before you do. The pot in front of her blooms into several pretty roses.

“Nice one, Pens!” You raise your hand for a high-five. She beams and gives you one.

“You should try next!”

“Alright. Herbivicus Duo!” Green light shoots from your wand. Not only does the pot sitting in front of you bloom, but the extra pots behind it bloom as well.

“Look at these! So lush and vivid! Filled with color, life, and romantic possibility! Well done, Miss Lee, five points to Hufflepuff. I believe these are the best in the class.”

You feel your face heat up again at the praise. “Thank you, Professor Sprout.”

Penny leans on your side and kisses you on the cheek in congratulations. That definitely doesn’t help with your blushing, but you find yourself wanting more. Before you can daydream about sappy things, Professor Sprout turns to the rest of the class.

“We should keep going. I’m sure Madam Pince will want to fill the room with flowers for the ball!”

Tonks smirks, charming another pot. “I’m not. Flowers can get messy, and that’s something I can’t see Pince appreciating!”

“But surely she’ll want a romantic mood. And what’s more romantic than lush bouquets of roses?” Trust Penny to be the sweet optimist. You want to give her a hug, but a thought pops into your mind, stopping you.

“Hold on…that’s it.” You address Professor Sprout. “Professor, Perhaps I should bring this bouquet to Madam Pince for approval?”

The head of Hufflepuff claps her hands. “Grand idea! Do so at your first opportunity!”

“Looks like you’ve got your chance to talk to Pince. Which means you’ll be the power couple at the Ball before you know it.” Skye joins the conversation and winks at both you and Penny.

“Only if I can turn Madam Pince around on the dance details.”

Sprout’s voice rings out on the other side of the Greenhouse. “Well done, everyone! Class dismissed. And have a happy Valentine’s Day, dears.”

As your classmates pack up and file out the door, they throw you and Penny a varying array of looks. Happy, envious, disapproving, supportive—they’re all there. Chiara’s suggestion seems to work perfectly.

You sling your satchel over your shoulder and address your friends. “I’d better get going, see you guys later. It’s time to confront Pince and maybe even get to help plan the Ball.”

Penny slides her hand into yours. “I’ll join you. Come on, Jung. We’ve a ball to save!”

Sure, you look a little stupid, holding a bouquet of roses with one hand and Penny’s hand with the other. But you don’t care. Penny’s hand fits perfectly in yours. All too quickly, you arrive at the Library. Reluctantly, you break contact with your best friend and go find the Librarian—you both figured going alone would be best. She’s at her desk, holding a rather large stamp and looking at a long list.

“Excuse me, Madam Pince. Professor Sprout asked me to bring—”

“Shh! Lower your voice, please.” Without looking up, she carefully presses the stamp down on a card.

“Sorry, Madam Pince.” You internally roll your eyes. Your voice wasn’t even that loud!

As she puts the stamp down and finally looks up, she speaks again. It seems you’ve caught her in one of her bad moods. Her eyebrows are turned down spectacularly low. “Miss Lee, you should know that plants in the library are prohibited. You will need to leave immediately.”

“Actually, the flowers are the reason I came to speak with you. Professor Sprout hoped you’d like to decorate the Great Hall with them for the Valentine’s Day Ball.”

Madam Pince’s forehead wrinkles lessen imperceptibly. “I didn’t realize she went through the trouble… But flowers only remind one of what they don’t have on a holiday, and this dance isn’t meant to make anyone feel more alone.”

“Why would flowers make anyone feel alone on Valentine’s Day?”

“Nevermind about that. It’s not my way to discuss such matters with students.” Immersing herself back in her bookkeeping, she attempts to dismiss you. Unfortunately for her, you’re incredibly stubborn and don’t care about

“It’s just- this ball is meant to be a celebration. And there are some concerns amongst students that…”

“Yes?” She looks up sharply.

“Well, that perhaps you might not have the same vision in mind for the ball as the students do.”

“Perhaps you’d like to enlighten me about the type of ball ‘the students’ would like to see.”

“With pleasure.”

You tell her what your friends have said. With every sentence, her mouth gets thinner, rivaling Professor McGonagall’s.

“So your classmates would like a loud, sugar-fuelled night of happy connections with your dates and friends. Bathed in flowers and bright lights, even. Is there anything else you can think of? Perhaps one more request?”

You probably shouldn’t push it, but you cheekily do anyway. “Certainly Butterbeer should be present. And then the night you just described sounds perfect.”

“There will be no floral arrangements at this dance. No sugary refreshments either, and the only sounds I want to hear that evening is a lonely classical Fortepiano.”

That sounds absolutely miserable, but you’re smart enough to not say that to Madam Pince’s face.

“As much as I love books, I don’t intend to force storybook romance on myself or others. No matter how much we all might want to believe in it.”

“But, Madam Pince—”

“No buts. Professor Dumbledore hand-picked me for this responsibility and asked me to do as I see fit. If you have issues with how I’m planning the event, I suggest you take it up with him.”

You sigh in disappointment, but nod quietly and walk away. Clearly, you have someone else to speak to. Heading back to Penny, you fill her in on what the Librarian told you.

“I better go see the Headmaster, because if I don’t, there might not be a Ball worth attending.”

“But first, we have Charms with Flitwick.”

There is no instruction during Charms. Everyone is so excited about the upcoming dance that no one is able to focus on the topic at hand. So Flitwick calls it a free period. You ask him to send a message to Professor Dumbledore. You need an appointment.

“Professor Dumbledore will be happy to meet with you. The password is Chocolate Frog. And, Miss Lee?”

“Yes?”

He smiles. “Good luck.”

—

After class, you and Penny walk together to the Headmaster’s office.

“I’ll wait out here. You’ve got this, babe.”

You’re pretty confident that Professor Dumbledore will be on your side. As you walk up the circular staircase, you run over your lines. At the top of the staircase, there is a large wooden door. Knocking thrice, you wait for an answer.

“Enter.”

The door silently moves without your doing, revealing Professor Dumbledore at his desk. He stands as you enter the expansive office.

“Professor Dumbledore, thank you for seeing me. It’s about Madam Pince and the Valentine’s Day Ball.”

“I trust that you and your friends are excited for the event?” There’s a twinkle in his eye as he gestures for you to sit down in a comfy chair. He takes the one across from you.

“It’s all anyone can talk about. And we’re especially excited to spend time connecting with friends, and about the prospect of choosing who to take to the ball. But I’m worried Madam Pince’s plans for the event are a bit…rigid.”

“You are not the first student to tell me that Madam Pince is set in her ways. It often serves her well.”

“Perhaps not this time. I’m not sure the students will appreciate the event she’s planning.”

Professor Dumbledore smiles and inclines his head. “What has Madam Pince planned for the ball that has you so worried?”

“No roses, no lights, no sweets, and only soft, sad piano music. I just can’t understand why anyone would want a party like that!” In your passionate rant, you shake your head so hard that your glasses almost fly off.

“The party the students want certainly sounds festive. And Madam Pince may have different ideas for the ball… So perhaps a compromise can be reached.”

A compromise? You doubt that will happen. Madam Pince seems to be a very stubborn and convicted person, much like yourself. You put your head in your hands. “I don’t know about that. Madam Pince said flowers would make people feel lonely. Who doesn’t love flowers on Valentine’s Day? And she doesn’t want to quote-unquote, ‘force storybook romance on people, even if they want to believe in it’. It doesn't even make sense. How can I reason with logic like that?”

Dumbledore smiles, steepling his hands in front of him. “It sounds like Madam Pince shared more with you than you realize. Sometimes listening to what someone is really saying requires more than using one’s ears. Perhaps you should listen with your heart. Do that, and I think you’ll find the answers you seek.”

“If you think that will help, I’ll try again.” Internally, you don’t think it will help, but maybe Madam Pince has more respect for the Headmaster than she does of you.

He rubs his chin. “Perhaps it would help to share why you care so much about this Ball.”

“We need something positive and celebratory. It would be nice to have something nice lift us up.”

“I’m happy to know there is a student who cares enough about this ball to ensure its success. Just listen with your heart and consider another way… and you and your friends will have a Ball to remember.”

“Thank you, Professor Dumbledore. With your advice, perhaps I can still save this ball.”

“And you may yet show Madam Pince the true spirit of the day we will be celebrating. Have a good day, Miss Lee.” Dumbledore stands and runs a hand over Fawkes’ head. It’s a clear dismissal, so you thank him quickly and make your way to the door.

As you walk back down the circular staircase, you mull over Professor Dumbledore’s suggestion. Time to call in reinforcements. Starting with the most optimistic witch in the entire school, Penny Haywood.

Luckily, Penny is still at the foot of the stairs, like she promised.

“How did it go?” She loops an arm around yours as you make your way back to the Library.

“I’m… not sure. I tried talking to Dumbledore about Madam Pince’s plans for the event, and he suggested I listen to her with my heart rather than my head. I don’t do that!”

“I know, love. But if the advice came from Dumbledore, it’s sure to help us solve our Pince predicament.”

You chuckle at the alliteration as the both of you cross over the threshold to the Library.

“I think so, too. But to really listen, first we need to get her to talk to me again. How are we going to do that?”

“Shhh!” Speak of the devil. The Librarian appears seemingly out of nowhere.

“Sorry, Madam Pince. Penny and I were hoping to talk to you about the Valentine’s Day Ball?”

“Not this again. I told you, everything is under control. And it’s frankly insulting that you continue to stick your nose in matters that the Headmaster put me in charge of.”

Your immediate instinct is to snap back. However, you remember the conversation you just had with Professor Dumbledore. Taking a calming breath, you swallow your annoyance and try a different tack.

“You’re right. Professor Dumbledore assured me that you want to make this a wonderful event. But he also thought we should try and collaborate with you in an effort to make it a grand ball for all.”

That stops her ire. “Well, if the Headmaster took the time to suggest it…”

“I think Penny and I would be able to help if we understood why you want the ball to be so simple.”

“I simply don’t want to create a storybook version of romance at this dance. Such fairy tales don’t end happily. In fact, they can leave one feeling more on the outside than ever. I don’t want anyone feeling excluded or lonely.”

“No one will be lonely, Madam Pince.”

Penny agrees with you. “Valentine’s Day is about connections of all kinds, including friendship!”

You give her a lopsided smile as the warmth in your chest grows stronger. You love Penny so much. She’s simply too good for this world.

“It’s simply a matter of controlling expectations and avoiding disappointment. Some people may feel out-of-place at a romantic event where they aren’t with someone they care about.” Madam Pince’s voice shakes you out of your thoughts.

You and Penny share a look. There it is: the crux of the situation. Before you can say anything, she speaks again.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a serious matter to attend to. Good day, Miss Lee, Miss Haywood.”

With a curt nod, Madam Pince turns and walks away, leaving you and Penny to think about the conversation.

“Well, Jung, I think we both listened with our hearts.”

“Mine says Madam Pince might be lonely and doesn’t want anyone else to feel like that, either.”

“It’s understandable. Being with someone who makes your heart feel as warm as a freshly brewed potion, well, that’s what Valentine’s Day is all about. And, truth is, you make my heart feel like that, Seojung.”

“That’s really sweet, Penny.” You open your arms and raise an eyebrow. “What are you waiting for?”

She barrels into your arms without a second thought. You’re much less likely to initiate contact than she is, so she takes full advantage of every opportunity she is given when you do take the first step.

“You definitely need to sort out this Valentine’s Day Ball business first or there won’t be a ball worth going to.”

“Out! Out!” All of a sudden, Filch’s rough tenor can be heard near the entrance. A poor first-year Gryffindor scurries out the door with his proverbial tail between his legs, sufficiently scolded for eating in the Library.

“Oh, Madam Pince! Sorry about that, I didn’t mean to cause a ruckus in your library.”

“It’s quite all right, Mr. Filch. I’m sure you were taking care of a disturbance so I wouldn’t have to. Such a gentleman. I actually wanted to thank you for helping me with the dance preparations.”

“Why, of course, Madam Pince!”

You can’t believe your eyes. Madam Pince is actually smiling. At Mr. Filch, no less. It’s an unlikely pairing, but the more you think about it, the more you can see how it works. They both like rules and the simpler side of life. They seem to enjoy scolding students and handing out punishments. Both are fiercely protective of the things they love. Yes, Filch and Pince.

“Look at that. Perhaps Beauty isn’t the only one who can tame the Beast. Pince can, too!” Penny winks at you.

“Wait, that’s it, Pens! We need to make Madam Pince believe in fairy tales again, and show her the true meaning of Valentine’s Day by cheering her up with her own valentine!”

“Oh, how adorable! That’s brilliant, babe!” You resist the urge to kiss her, right there in the library.

“If I can make the two connect, then maybe Madam Pince will finally listen to our ideas about the ball.”

“You’ve got to get Mr. Filch’s attention if you want to talk to them. And to do that, you might need to get in trouble. Not that you have a hard time with that.”

“Hey!” You push her gently.

“You know I’m right.” Her bright blue eyes glimmer with amusement. You can’t bring yourself to disagree, because it’s true. Penny is usually right. That’s just how life is.

“Alright, fine. But there’s someone who knows better-Merula.”

“She’s in Astronomy with me. I’ll let her know you want to chat in the Courtyard, if that’s okay.”

You nod in agreement. “Hey, if you want to ask her, I won’t complain. Thanks, Pens.”

“Meet me in the Common Room later?”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll get some studying done here first.”

“Catch you later, Hero.”

With a light peck on the cheek and an easy smile, Penny is gone.

You mean to do your History of Magic assignment, you really do. But you can’t stop thinking about Penny and her casual touches. It’s driving you insane. You’re surprised you’ve managed to hold it together this long. If you two are going to share a bed tonight, you might just die right there.

Someone snaps their fingers under your nose. It’s Rowan, who looks quite concerned.

“Oh, hey Row. What’s up?”

Your best friend rolls her eyes. “Don’t even bother trying. You’re a horrible actor. I tried calling your name five times! What’s biting you?”

This time, you smile and chuckle at Rowan’s attempt to use an American phrase. “That’s ‘eating at you’, but… I think you know.”

“Penny?”

“Penny.”

She takes out her schoolbooks and cracks open her Potions textbook. “How are you doing with that?”

“I wish it was real.” The words fall out of your mouth before you can stop them at your teeth. You pause. “I love her. A lot.”

Rowan pushes her glasses up her nose. “Have you considered telling her?”

“Yeah… I’m worried how she’ll react. What if she doesn’t want to be friends anymore?”

The dark-haired girl snorts. “As if Penny Haywood would ever do that to you. You don’t have to worry about her cutting off your guys’ friendship.” She lays a hand on your forearm. “For what it’s worth, I think you should ask her to the ball as actual dates. Let her know how you feel, for real.”

You nod slowly. You’ve known Rowan even longer than you’ve known Penny, and you know she wouldn’t lead you wrong on purpose. She knows both you and Penny very well. “Thanks, Rowan. I’ll think about it. If the Ball preparations go right, maybe.” Pulling out your silver pocketwatch, you pop open the cover and look at the time. “I’ve got to go. I need to go convince Merula to help me get Filch’s attention.”

She raises her eyebrows. “Tell me about it over dinner?”

“You bet. See you, Row.”

—

“All right, Lee, what do you want? Haywood said it was urgent.” Merula stands near the fountain with her arms crossed, not caring that you can barely catch your breath.

You roll your eyes and clutch at your sides. Running was not your strong suit. You need to work out more often.

“I need your help getting Filch’s attention so that I can cheer up Madam Pince and save the Ball.”

The Slytherin raises an incredulous eyebrow. “I’m not sure I understand why one grump helping another grump plan a ball is even remotely a good idea.”

“I just saw them in the Library earlier. The two of them looked happy talking to each other. She seems to want to believe in storybook romance. So perhaps Filch could be Madam Pince’s valentine? I’m hoping I can get Filch to think my ideas are the same as Pince’s, then the ball might be a success.”

“That’s quite the nefarious plan, Lee. All right, I’m in. And I want this Ball to be a good time. What if… we did something to Mrs. Norris? That’s sure to get him to react.”

“That’s a good idea! What’s something easily reversible?”

She sniffs. “That’s easy. Colovaria.”

You take a second to think about it. “I like it. You’re really on a roll today.”

“It’s a brilliant idea. I’m the Most Powerful Witch at Hogwarts, and I have the best ideas. You wish you had thought of it.”

You don’t bother to respond to her preening. It’s incorrect. Obviously, McGonagall is the Most Powerful Witch at Hogwarts. Instead, you change the subject.

“So, why are you so invested in helping Pince?”

“Because I don’t want the Ball to be a bore. You heard her plans.” She rolls her eyes. “Still, Pince and Filch. What a strange couple.”

“It might be strange, but they’ll get no judgment from me.”

“Suppose we could be an even odder couple if we were to show up together. Of course, you’d be the odd one. The Most Powerful Witch at Hogwarts isn’t odd. She’s awesome.”

You sigh. “Honestly, Merula, I’m still not over all the abuse you gave us the first few years we were at Hogwarts. I’d barely even call us on good terms. You still have a lot to make up for. So even if I was available, I wouldn’t want to go with you. But I’m going with Penny, so I’m not available anyway.”

She nods, looking like she sucked on a bad lemon. “You know what? Forget I said anything.”

“Done.” You shrug. “Okay, I need to get Filch to see things our way. Oh, there’s Filch and Mrs. Norris now.”

Merula turns to where your head is tilted towards. She pulls out her wand and grins devilishly. “Ready?” At your nod, she fires off an enthusiastic Colovaria! at the Maine Coon.

It’s a little concerning how much pleasure Merula is deriving from this, but you have more pressing matters. Mrs. Norris turns a bright neon pink and yowls indignantly.

“Gamey goblin bogies! Who’s responsible for this?!” He looks around, making eye contact with you. “Lee! You’re coming with me!”

“Looks like you got his attention. Now, let’s see what you do with it. Good luck, Lee.”

You roll your eyes as you walk away. “Thanks, Merula.”

—

Upon opening the door to Filch’s office, he explodes on you.

“How dare you do such a nasty prank to a poor, sweet, innocent creature like Mrs. Norris!”

Sweet? Innocent? You barely hold back a scoff. Mrs. Norris is anything but.

“The next words out of your mouth better be an apology, Ms. Lee.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Filch.”

“Not to me, to Mrs. Norris!” The caretaker growls, spittle flying from his mouth.

“Oh! Sorry, Mrs. Norris.”

You take out your wand and reverse the spell.

“Why would you do this to a magnificent creature like Mrs. Norris?”

“It was for the ball. Speaking of which, I was really hoping to talk to you about the Valentine’s Day Ball, Mr. Filch.”

That certainly gets his attention. A brief look of worry crosses his face. “Why? Has Madam Pince said something? Is she upset with how I’ve been stacking the chairs?”

“Not…exactly. But you really do care about what she thinks, right?”

“No! I’m just helping set up the ball for Madam Pince as she has enough on her plate.”

“Oh, because I happen to know that Madam Pince is looking for more help. Someone to discuss her ideas and truly collaborate with her.”

“Is that so?” Filch takes Mrs. Norris into his arms and starts stroking her head.

“I thought perhaps you might want to be the one to talk to her about the ball?”

“What, no! How could I help? I don’t know anything about planning dances!”

Mr. Filch unwittingly opens the door for your persuasion. “Actually, I happen to know some of the things Madam Pince wants to see for the Ball.”

“You do? Might be useful for our next event planning meeting later today…”

“It certainly would. Perhaps I could help you get organized for your meeting?”

“All right, you can help me. But no funny business!”

With a few white lies and half-truths, you fill Mr. Filch in on what “Madam Pince” would like to see at the Valentine’s Day Ball.

“So Madam Pince wants sophisticated refreshments and refined music and elegant flowers.”

“Yes, and she also wants the party to be fun. But something people of all ages will enjoy. I think she really needs a peer she respects to confirm all of these notions. So perhaps you could tell her you like those things, too?” You give him your sweetest smile.

“But I don’t like those things!”

“Are you sure, Mr. Filch? Because Madam Pince sure does. In fact, I think she really wants to believe that the night could be romantic and special for everyone, but is afraid that people who don’t have someone special in their life might not enjoy it as much.”

He shakes his head quickly. “I wouldn’t want such a marvelous woman as Madam Pince to feel she isn’t getting the ball she wants. And I suppose those things might suit a dance like this.”

“It seems Madam Pince wants this night to be like a storybook romantic ball right out of a fairy tale! Perhaps you should dress the part when you go to the meeting? To show you truly understand her vision.”

“Dress the part? I wouldn’t even know how! I’m not magical like Madam Pince, I’m just Squib.” He spits the last part out like it’s a terrible affliction. Part of you feel bad for him, surrounded by such wondrous magic and unable to partake in it.

“I bet Madam Pince likes you just the way you are, Mr. Filch. Magical or not. But, if it would make you feel better, I know someone who could give you a makeover!”

“A what?! Out of the question. You kids and your new-fangled ideas…”

You ignore him and continue. “Looking your best is always a good idea. Sprucing yourself up will feel great! And Madam Pince might like it, too.”

“Well, let’s be quick about it! I’ve still got other duties to attend to.”

—

“Andre, I need a favor…” You poke your head into the Transfiguration classroom.

“This better be good, Seojung, I’m already busy enough making outfits for the Ball!” Andre Egwu, the most stylish person you know at Hogwarts, is currently surrounded by random patterns and many manikins.

“Trust me, the Ball won’t be worth your effort unless we get your help right now.” You step fully into the classroom, Mr. Filch right behind.

“Excuse me? It will be a proper event, with or without your contribution, Miss Lee. Remember we’re here to help Madam Pince achieve her vision for a romantic ball and for nothing else.” Mr. Filch snaps at you.

Andre’s confusion is clear on his face. “Her vision? I thought that Pince’s boring ball ideas were the problem in the first place.” Oh, Andre. You want to clap a hand across his mouth, but it’s too late.

Filch glares at you. “Boring?! What is he going on about?”

“Andre, Mr. Filch is going to help Madam Pince have a storybook Valentine’s Ball just like we all want. I was just explaining she wants fun and lights and romance, she’s just having trouble seeing that. But as she seems to very much respect Mr. Filch, he’s agreed to talk to her about it.”

His eyes clear up. “Now I understand what we’re after. That’s proper brillant, Jung. So how can I help?”

“Well, any romantic storybook Valentine’s Day features a dashing, well-dressed suitor for the ball’s host…”

“I see. So we’re thinking a full makeover?” He scans Filch from head to toe, gears already spinning in his head.

“There’s that ridiculous word again! I never agreed to anything of the sort.”

You grin and pull the Madam Pince card again. “Remember you’re giving your colleague a happy Valentine’s Day!”

“We all really want this to be a magical night, Mr. Filch, and you can reflect that with how you dress.” Andre pipes up, waving at the many half-finished project scattered around the room.

Mrs. Norris meows languidly and stretches at Mr. Filch’s feet. For once, she is at ease.

“See? Even Mrs. Norris agrees!”

“All right. I’ll let you try your hand at it, but I don’t want anything too frilly. Or colorful. Or uncomfortable.”

You step back and watch as Andre takes Filch’s measurements and quickly throws together a formal, ball-worthy outfit for the custodian. Before long, Mr. Filch is behind the partition, trying on the clothes. When he steps out, it’s like there a whole new person has replaced the man you know.

Mr. Filch is wearing a handsome pinstriped three-piece suit, complete with the long tuxedo tails, spats, and a tophat. All he needs is a cane, and he could be the front man for a tap show.

“I cannot believe what I’m seeing…” Andre’s jaw hangs open.

“It’s horrible, isn’t it?!?”

“No, you look quite handsome, Mr. Filch. The question is, will Madam Pince like it?”

The fashion whiz regains his footing and collects himself. “I believe she will. If it weren’t for Filch’s scowl I’d almost mistake him for a gentleman.” You wince at the dig. Andre seems to really want to piss Filch off. Thankfully, Mr. Filch is too busy looking at his boutonniere to hear him.

Mrs. Norris comes out from behind the partition as well. She is dressed in a matching bowtie, cuffs, and tophat. You think she looks adorable, for once. Andre is a genius.

“So, do you feel ready for your meeting with Madam Pince, Mr. Filch?”

“Wait a second, my tie is crooked…” As the Caretaker fiddles with his bowtie, you turn to Andre.

“Thank you for helping me. The ball wouldn’t be the same without your stylish eye for clothes.”

“Oh, please say more. It was my pleasure, Curse-Breaker. Good luck with Pince.” With an impish wink, he returns to his work.

“We’d better get a move on, Miss Lee. Can't keep Madam Pince waiting, now can we?”

You agree and together head out. The Library is a short jaunt up a few flights of stairs. Unfortunately, Madam Pince is nowhere to be found. You scan the aisles and find a familiar face.

“Hey, Talbott. How’re you?”

Tallbott Winger gives you a small smile. He’s reading a thick textbook in another language you can’t understand. “Fine, I suppose. And you?”

“On a mission. Have you seen Pince?”

“Madam Pince is putting jinxes on some of the new books.”

Mr. Filch suddenly comes up next to you and Talbott. “Here to cause trouble, Mr. Winger? I bet you are!”

“Keep your voice down, Mr. Filch. Madam Pince wouldn’t want us to disturb the quiet of the library.”

“Fine, but only because Madam Pince wouldn’t appreciate it.” Mr. Filch looks down at his outfit again. “I can’t believe you convinced me to wear this ridiculous outfit.”

“You look handsome, Mr. Filch, not ridiculous. Just as I said before.”

It seems that Mr. Filch is unable to take compliments. His face twists into a scowl. “Bah! I’m going to go find Madam Pince.” With a swish of his coattails, he walks to the Forbidden section of the library.

Talbott raises his eyebrows as he watches Filch leave. “I’ve heard you’re trying to save the Valentine’s Day Ball.”

“Yep. I’ve enlisted Mr. Filch to help persuade Madam Pince to make it a lot more fun. And maybe even be her valentine.”

“I’d like to help.”

You have a double take, looking quizzically at the introverted Ravenclaw. It seems rather unlike him to care about this sort of thing. “Really? I didn’t realize you were interested in the Ball.”

“A lot of things you don’t know about me, Lee. But it would be worth it if you were there. I wasn’t planning on seeing you here, but now that I have, I want to ask you to the Ball.”

“That’s really kind of you, Talbott… I’m already going with Penny, sorry.” It doesn’t surprise you that Talbott hasn’t heard the gossip flying around the castle. He keeps to himself very well. A small part of you hopes he’s okay with it, because he’s close friends with Penny. Not that you’re looking for validation.

The quiet boy takes it in stride. He nods slightly and gives his signature quirk of his lips. “That’s all right. You two make a great couple! And don’t worry, I’d still like to help. First, you definitely need to talk to Pince and save the dance. Now we really need to make sure it’s a great night.”

“Thanks, Talbott. Speak of the devil…” You both fall silent as Mr. Filch and Madam Pince near you. That way, they couldn’t possibly lecture you. But, as it turns out, they wouldn’t have heard you anyway. They are in the midst of a conversation of their own.

“My, you’re looking quite dapper, Argus.”

“Thank you, Irma. I was hoping to try something different today…though I’m now worried I look like a Hippogriff’s behind.”

“Nothing of the sort. I think it looks very nice. And I won’t hear anything different.” Madam Pince smiles elegantly at Mr. Filch. It shapes her face quite nicely, turning her into a different woman. But just as quickly as it came, the smile drops at the sight of you.

“I see you’re back, Miss Lee. This time with Mr. Winger, it seems. Can I ask why?”

You turn to the caretaker. “I’ll let Mr. Filch fill you in.”

“Miss Lee here was helping me get organized for our meeting.”

Madam Pince nods. “Very well. Let’s start our meeting, then.”

And so the meeting happens. You, Mr. Filch, and Talbott outline your suggestions. Finally, Mr. Filch does what you asked him.

“I think your Valentine’s Day Ball vision would be even better with tasteful sweet refreshments, smart music, and beautiful flowers fit for a woman such as yourself, Madam Pince.”

“Oh, I don’t know, Mr. Filch… it’s all a bit much.”

You quickly speak up. “Madam Pince, you should know that Mr. Filch worked really hard to come up with ideas that fit your vision. We talked about string music to liven up the mood but keep it classy, delicious treats and tasteful, red flowers. Mr. Filch has your best interests at heart, Madam Pince.”

Talbott pipes in. “And isn’t that what Valentine’s Day is about: heart?”

You continue. “We just want to make sure that you and Mr. Filch get the Valentine’s Day Ball you both want.”

“Me and… Mr. Filch?” Your words seem to have an effect on the librarian.

The caretaker removes his tophat and worries the brim with both hands. “Well, not- I don’t mean to presume or nothin’… but, well, you deserve a fairy tale ball, Madam Pince. Something right out of one of the story books you have here in the Library, even.”

“And Mr. Filch will be right by your side making sure everything turns out just as you like!” You use your best Penny smile to inject as much optimism as you can into your words.

“He will?”

Talbott nods sagely. “He will.”

“Well… yes, it would be my honor, Madam Pince… If you’ll have me, that is.” Mr. Filch bows his head slightly.

“I suppose I may have been a little too utilitarian with the festivities. Adding some tasteful flair may be in order. What Mr. Filch has described sounds simply wonderful. Magical, even, like a fairy tale, just as he said. Perhaps people of all types can enjoy connecting on Valentine’s Day, after all.”

“I wholeheartedly agree, Madam Pince.” Yes! Success. You did it!

Talbott smiled. “I agree, too.”

“The only problem is that now there’s so much to prepare with these new ideas!” There is a new light in Madam Pince’s eyes as she considers the new tasks.

Thankfully, Mr. Filch rises to the opportunity. He pledges his assistance. “Don’t worry, Madam Pince, I’ll help you.”

“Talbott and I can help too! And our friends, of course.”

“All right, Miss Lee, get your friends together to help. We’ve a romantic storybook ball to plan. Don’t forget that this should still be a classy sort of fun, even the music.” She sternly reminds you that she is still in control.

“Don’t worry, Madam Pince. I know just the person to talk to about romantic music.”

Bidding farewell to the Librarian, Mr. Filch, and Talbott, you make your way to the Hufflepuff Common Room. Talking with Chiara will have to wait for tomorrow. You have a study session with Penny to prepare for. You make a mental note to ask Chiara at dinner tonight or breakfast tomorrow.

Penny greets you with a big hug and another kiss on the cheek. She seems to like it as much as you do. “How did it go?” Grasping your hand earnestly, she steers you over to an empty table in the corner of the Common Room.

“Really good. I managed to change Pince’s mind with a little help from Filch. Andre gave him a makeover and everything. He cleans up well. How was Astronomy?”

“Utterly boring. I wish you were there.” She pouts. “Stuff isn’t fun if you’re not around.”

Penny always seems to know just what to say. That weird feeling in your chest grows again. Spending time with the blonde Hufflepuff is one of your favorite things to do.

You bump her shoulder with yours. “I missed you, too. And I really need help with my Potions essay.”

“I see how it is. You only talk to me for my brains.” Penny crosses her arm in faux-anger. Her fond smile gives it away.

“Not true! You also compliment me a lot.”

She shoves you in the shoulder. “The nerve!”

You grab one of her hands. “Seriously though. I’m glad you’re my friend. You’re important to me for much more than just homework. I promise, I’ll always be around.”

All your worries about saying the wrong thing are wiped away with Penny’s embrace. She smells like roses and patchouli, and the scent fills your lungs.

She cuddles close to you as she explains the potion Snape covered in lecture today. Her ability to break down complicated concepts into simple terms is what’s keeping your ass afloat in Potions.

With Penny’s help, you finish the essay for Potions and move onto the DADA one you started the day before. With renewed focus and the help of your best friend, you manage to scrape together the right words for that assignment as well. In exchange, you offer help with Transfiguration, Muggle Studies, and Charms.

You lose track of time, realizing that afternoon has turned into evening only when you glance out one of the windows.

“Damn, it’s night already?”

Penny laughs kindly. “Yes, we missed dinner. Are you hungry?”

Your stomach joins the conversation, growling like an old automobile.

“I guess that answers that. Come on.” She stands and offers a hand. “We can get something from the Kitchen.”

You’re thankful that the Hufflepuff Common Room is right next to the Kitchen. It makes getting midnight snacks easy.

Despite the late hour, the Kitchen is still thrumming with energy, its numerous hearths still roaring away. A house elf, Dory, approaches them. “Good evening, Misses. What can Dory do for you?”

“Good evening, Dory! Seojung and I missed dinner, we got caught up in our studies. We were wondering if there were any leftovers?”

Dory grins and pops away with a snap of her fingers. She reappears with a tray of steaming sandwiches and two covered bowls. You gratefully take the tray from the elf. “Thanks, Dory. We appreciate it.”

Dory curtsies. “Dory is happy to help. Enjoy!” She snaps her fingers again, leaving you and Penny alone.

“Come on.” Holding the tray carefully, so as not to spill the precious goods, you lead the way back to the Common Room.

Over the late but scrumptious meal, you chat about upcoming exams and the younger students Penny had to reprimand. You don’t envy her position at all. Being a Prefect seems too stressful for you.

Pretty soon, the other students retire to their beds. One by one, until it’s just you and Penny sitting in the quiet room.

You remember the note you gave yourself at breakfast. “Hey, Pens?”

“Hm?” Penny smiles in response to your nickname for her. It’s something only you alone are allowed to use. Tonks might call her Penne from time to time, but they usually just call her P.

“I wanted to ask about PDA and boundaries… and other stuff. Just making sure we’re on the same page.”

“Of course. What’s up?”

“How much PDA are you comfortable with? Anything that’s completely off-limits?”

She wrinkles her nose. “I hate when people snog in the hallways and in front of other people. Could they have a little more class? Definitely nothing like that will fly with me. But quick little kisses as greetings, I’m fine with.”

You nod, taking everything she says to heart. “I feel the same way. The sounds people make when sucking on each other’s faces make me sick. But I… really like when you kiss my cheek, so you can definitely do more of that.”

You don’t look at Penny as you speak, too embarrassed to make eye contact. Instead, you pick up a pen and spin it aimlessly. But Penny has other ideas. She reaches forward and gently cups your face, turning it so that you’re facing her. She leans closer, never once breaking eye contact.

“You promise me you’re telling the truth?”

“I promise.”

Her lips touch your cheek and linger there. When she pulls back, she searches your eyes for any pushback. “Is something like that okay?”

You feel your lips curl up before you can even tell them to move. “More than.”

The clock above the fireplace chimes, signaling the new hour, making you jump. It is ten o’clock, your bedtime. You stretch, hearing the bones in your neck and upper back pop and crackle. Your sitting posture is a bit poor. Okay, a lot poor.

As you pack up your schoolwork, you look over at Penny, who is doing the same. “Do you want to sleep in my bed tonight?”

“Sure. I’ll get washed up and come over.” She yawns and raises her arms over her head, stretching her sides.

You give her a thumbs-up and go to your room, changing into pajamas and washing up in the bathroom. As you’re finishing up a diary entry, Penny comes into the room. She’s wearing a light blue t-shirt and light grey sweatpants, quite similar to your sleepwear. The only difference is that your top is dark blue.

“Look at us, two Hufflepuffs wearing Ravenclaw colors. A disgrace to the house.”

Penny snorts as she climbs under the covers and closes the curtains on her side. “It’s not our fault that blue is our favorite color. Though the Sorting Hat did consider putting me in Ravenclaw.”

“Same. But I wanted to be in Hufflepuff, because Jacob was in Hufflepuff. I felt like I had to prove that I could be in the same house as him and not turn out the same way.” You slip your glasses off and toss them lightly onto your bedside table, clicking off the lamp and closing the curtains. Casting a muffling charm, you turn back to the other girl. “My biggest fear is turning out like him.”

“You won’t. You have your friends to keep you from turning out that way. And you have me.” It’s dark now without the light from your nightstand, but you can hear the smile in Penny’s voice as she calmly encourages you.

“Thanks, Pens.” You’ll probably regret it later, but you pull her close so that her head is resting on your chest and shoulder. You cross your fingers and hope that she can’t hear how fast your betraying heart is currently thumping inside your ribcage.

She gives you a tiny kiss on your collarbone and snakes an arm around your waist. “Goodnight, Jung. Thanks for everything.”

Throwing caution into the wind. You lean forward and press your lips on the part of Penny’s forehead you can reach. Laying back, you feel the blonde’s breathing deepening and slowing down. Pretty soon, she’s out.

The constant weight on your right side is comforting, but you are hyperaware of the closeness. It makes your skin prickle. You tell yourself that it’s worth seeing Penny so happy.

But yeah. It’s going to be a long night.

———

5 notes · View notes

hogwartsmysterytrash · 2 years

Text

Title: Lion Claws

summary: Sienna (character player) has been working as an Auror in the USA for a while. She had left the bad events of her school days behind. But one day the news reaches her that Rakepick, who has been on the run for years, has been sighted in America. Now it’s up to Sienna to bring Rakepick back to Azkaban… isn’t it?

characters: Patricia Rakepick, female!HPHM Sienna

warnings: angst, violence

chapter: 2/3

You can read it here on Wattpad

or on AO3

#harry potter hogwarts mystery #patricia rakepick #hphm #hogwarts mystery #hphm rakepick #hphm mc #hphm reader #hphm tonks #nymphadora tonks #madam rakepick #proffesor rakepick #rakepick #main character #oneshots #professor rakepick #hphm fanfiction

5 notes · View notes

nightingale2004 · 2 months

Text

Question and idea for the hogwarts mystery and the severus people.

OK, so I played hogwarts mystery bunches of times. And I wonder, would severus maybe, possibly, adopt our mc?

I mean, I know our mc's have been adopted by the Weasley family, but severus was there to comfort our mc in their time of need.

I know there has to be a fanfic of our character and severus just having little teacher to student, to mentor to father figure moment and he becomes the father that our mc needs.

Like, you can't tell me, professor Severus Snape does not go full protective dad on mc.

Now I want to see Molly Weasely and Severus talking during one of the breaks while mc is playing with the weasely siblings.

26 notes · View notes

libellule-ao3 · 10 months

Text

Hello, and welcome!

This blog is now sufficiently developed for me to organise it a little! 😁

I'm a reader and writer of fanfiction, active since 2020 on AO3 in the HP, HP Hogwarts Mystery and, more recently, HP Hogwarts Legacy fandoms. I'm used to commenting on all the fanfiction I read, which probably explains why I don't read much. 😅

Below you'll find my fanfictions, my character profiles, etc.

I like the idea that fanfiction is all about sharing, excitement, and good times. So please feel free to contact me with any requests or questions about my stories/characters.

✅️ = Completed fanfiction

⚠️🤜 = Graphic depictions of violence

🔞🔥 = Smut

All my fanfiction can be found on AO3.

And those tagged "🔞🔥" are published exclusively there.

☆ Obsession |✅️|🔞🔥| Dark!Dominis/You-F!Reader | 20,800 words

After Hogwarts, Ominis Gaunt embarks on a journey of introspection to gain perspective on his life. Haunted by your promise, which he ignored at the time, he returns to London a year later and discovers your new intimacy with Sebastian. No matter! For Ominis, you must honour the promise he never asked of you. Whether you like it or not.

Gorgeous fanart🥰 offered by tamayula-hl ⬇️

☆ In Mrs Gaunt's Nightgown | 🔞🔥|Ominis Gaunt/You-F!Reader

Like all young women, your friend Adelia dreamed of a loving union.But like most pure-blooded witches, she found herself trapped in an arranged marriage. However, she sees a clause in her marriage contract that offers her a way out... and you are the key.

☆ Lullaby for Cursed Seeds | 🔞🔥 | ⚠️🤜 | Ominis Gaunt/Evelyne Lavandin (EVINIS)

Ominis Gaunt, the dissenting pure-blood wizard, struggles to blossom in the sinister shadow of his family's Manor House. Evelyne Lavandin, the Muggle-born, is a witch who has been uprooted since she was torn from her home. Two characters and two solitudes that everything separates. Their past has almost nothing in common. Their present brings them together, but not closer. Could their future make them love each other?This two-shot follows the lives of two wizards destined to meet.

☆ Wild Surrender |✅️|🔞🔥| Sebastian Sallow/You-F!Reader + Garreth Weasley/you) | 3,400 words

Sebastian doesn't want you! And although he has kissed you passionately in what he calls a moment of weakness, he never misses an opportunity to remind you of it. For Garreth, this rejection is too ostentatious to be sincere and he decides to help you force Sebastian to reveal himself.

☆ The Snake's Duality |✅️|🔞| ⚠️🤜 | Dark!Seb Sallow/Ominis Gaunt, ambiguous relationship | 2,050 words

Sebastian has just been released from Azkaban after more than three years in prison. 1 223 days to be exact. His first instinct is to find Ominis, whose weekly letters rekinkled in extremis his desire to live, drained by the dementors, and he realise that a shadow reeking of malevolence is following him like a shadow.

☆ Veins of time |✅️| Leila Sae-OFC & Evelyne Lavandin-OFC (Written for the Secret Magic Santa 2023)| 2,147 words

Leila Sae receives a diary to fill in for posterity. This raises a few questions.

☆ Late Bloom |✅️| Mirabel Garlick/OFC | 1,060 words

After the shared night with Viviane, Mirabel reflects on the path that led them to this intimate moment, anticipating the challenges of their future together.

☆ In the Shadow of Midnight Confessions for silverxstardust |✅️| Sebastian Sallow/You | 3,400 words

When Sebastian met you in the Slytherin common room, you didn't expect to receive such a confession. Nevertheless, it explains a lot.

☆ HC: Ominis' wand + Sebastian's wand

☆ HC: Some Hogwarts Legacy characters & their MBTI types

☆ HC: Ominis Gaunt/NSFW Alphabet | M |

☆ HC: Ominis, his eyes and his experience as a blind wizard

☆ HC: Dark!Ominis/NSFW Alphabet

Meet: Evelyne Lavandin (OFC- Hogwarts Legacy)

HL Fanarts: [HERE]

My Doodles: SMUT Ominis/Evelyne (Evinis), Ominis Gaunt [here], Ominis as a child [here], Dark!Ominis & blinfolded woman

☆ Jae Kim's bets |🔞 🔥| ⚠️🤜| Jae Kim/Annie Thorn | 59,109 words

When Jacob's sister makes a stupid bet to motivate him during the chore of washing dishes imposed by Pitts, she has no idea what she's getting into. Indeed, Jae Kim is a particularly mischievous boy, with much naughtier aims than she imagined. Will their little games strengthen their friendship, destroy it or lead to a romantic relationship?

☆ Life Links | T | Second war against Voldemort from the POV of the hphm characters |

The members of the Circle of Khanna, an underground student organisation dedicated to bringing justice to their murdered comrade, have grown up. Since graduating, some of them have never left each other's side, while others never thought they would see each other again. Yet as the final battle against Voldemort looms, only one question remains. How will the links forged yesterday influence the battle of Hogwarts?

☆ Are flowers counted? |✅️|Jae Kim&Annie Thorn | 1,000 words

For the first time in 100 years, Phyllida's Flutterby bushes will bloom at Hogwarts. This is an exceptional event which, by chance of the calendar, falls on Valentine's Day.

☆ Skating Lesson |✅️| Jae Kim&Annie Thorn | 1,000 words

☆ Broken Promise |✅️ | Jacob&Annie&Peregrine | 3,897 words

☆ Little Sheninagans | T |✅️| Merula Snyde/Quinn Lee) for Eternalchocolaterain => [on Tumblr] 1,060 words

Meet Annie Thorn (MC) & Jacob Thorn

Doodles: Jae Kim/MC-Annie Thorn : Kiss on her cheek: [here] - King of pumpkin pasties: [here] - masquerade: [here] - 2 in one hoodie: [here] - kiss: [here] Portrait of Jae as an adult: [here]

Jae, Ben, Charlie, Levi, Rowan and Annie in Charms Class: [here]

☆ From Monster to Brother | ✅️ | ⚠️🤜 | Gaara&Temari&Kankurō&Baki | 13 690 words

Fanfiction about how Gaara reconnected with Temari and Kankurō after the Konoha Crush.

Thanks to everyone who likes, reblogs and comments on my stuff! 🫶🫶🫶

67 notes · View notes

carewyncromwell · 3 months

Photo

“It's time to stand up -- stand up! Show me what you're made of! Hands up, hands up! Fight the fear...fight the fear! Rise up from the ground -- Gonna make you a believer!”

~”The Fear” by the Score

x~x~x~x

a sincere thank you to @catohphm, @jackies-ear69, @hphm-jeniferltheman, and @ariparri for brainstorming about MC’s friends’ boggarts with me!

x~x~x~x

The year she took on the task of teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, Patricia Rakepick soon became many students’ favorite professor. Scholarly sorts like Rowan Khanna appreciated her extensive knowledge of the subject, while more avant-garde sorts like Jae Kim and Nymphadora Tonks liked her dry sense of humor. This didn’t even touch aspiring Cursebreakers Bill Weasley and Merula Snyde, both of whom Rakepick had a pointed interest in and greatly esteemed Rakepick for her skills.

There were students who didn’t take to Rakepick as well as others, though. Ben Copper could never completely relax around Rakepick, thanks in large part to how critically her eye always seemed to fall on him. Even serial rulebreaker Tulip Karasu got bad vibes from Rakepick, suspecting ulterior motives to the professor’s seemingly more kindly actions.

And of course there was the last student Rakepick had taken a targeted liking to, and arguably the strongest liking at that -- Hogwarts’ infamous Cursebreaker, Carewyn Cromwell.

Carewyn had distrusted Rakepick from the moment she first arrived at Hogwarts the previous year to supposedly help deal with the Cursed Vaults, and Carewyn’s opinion hadn’t softened toward Gringotts’s Head Cursebreaker anymore now that she was a professor. Even when Rakepick ended up saving Carewyn from an Imperiused Ben the previous school year, it only served to make Carewyn all the more wary of Rakepick’s intentions. After all, Carewyn couldn’t help but think, how was it that Rakepick caught up with her and Ben so fast, that night? Had she been keeping tabs on her? However concerned Rakepick had seemed for Carewyn, the Cursebreaker still left her, Bill, Charlie, Hagrid, and Torvus to deal with the Forest Vault, rather than going with them or dealing with it herself. Even now that Rakepick was a professor, she kept trying to get Carewyn, Bill, and Merula to work “with her” (read: under her leadership) to reach the next Cursed Vault. Admittedly Carewyn planned on searching for the next Vault and rescuing Jacob with or without help...but she couldn’t help but agree with Tulip that Rakepick clearly had her own motives. The Head Cursebreaker had even said herself that she intended to find the Cursed Vaults and “reveal their secrets” -- therefore Rakepick was mainly interested in retrieving the Vaults’ so-called “treasure”...something Carewyn didn’t give a damn about, in the face of finding and saving her brother.

Carewyn’s distrust of her didn’t seem to bother Rakepick in the slightest, though. If anything, the professor only seemed to expect more from Carewyn and single her out in class more because of it.

Once Rakepick quizzed the entire class on protective wards, only to insist that Carewyn tell her the difference between Protego Diabolica and Protego Horribilis. (Carewyn correctly explained that the first was a Dark curse intended to kill any enemies who tried to cross the boundary, while the second was a strong form of the Shield Charm specifically intended to protect against Dark curses, and Rakepick awarded Slytherin ten points before moving on.)

Another time, when Rakepick brought an entire swarm of pixies for the fifth-year class to defend themselves against, the professor insisted that Carewyn use a spell other than Immobulus, the spell they’d been actively studying, to stop them -- apparently Rakepick knew Carewyn had gotten help with the spell from her ex-Prefect, Felix Rosier, in the past and she thought that the assignment would be too easy for her on its own. (Carewyn responded to the challenge by using Impedimenta to slow down each pixie enough that she could levitate them one by one back into their cage with a Locomotion Charm before closing it -- a solution that brought a satisfied smirk to Rakepick’s face.)

It was therefore no surprise in late October when Rakepick decided to give her fifth-years a proper review on boggarts, the Cursebreaker-turned-professor had Carewyn come up to the front of the class first to deal with the creature.

Carewyn was a bit startled despite herself.

Rakepick’s lips turned up in a smirk.

Carewyn frowned deeply at Rakepick.

“Of course not,” she said with a faint huff.

She glanced over her shoulder at the rest of her class with a grimmer look, her jaw setting as she rose to her feet.

“...I should let you know, though,” she spoke very clearly despite her eyes being averted and her voice being low, “my boggart is You-Know-Who.”

A few of her classmates exchanged glances. Rakepick’s eyebrows raised.

“That is not an uncommon fear, Miss Cromwell,” said the professor.

Carewyn’s eyes narrowed a bit without looking up.

“I know,” she said curtly. Her gaze lingered on the desk she’d been sharing with Badeea. “That’s why I want to make sure everyone knows it -- I don’t want to scare them.”

Rakepick’s confident look seemed to darken, becoming a bit grimmer as well. “You won’t have to, Miss Cromwell. The boggart will do a good enough job of that -- your classmates may as well just accept it.”

Carewyn looked up at last, her eyes narrowing a bit more, as Rakepick indicated the box to the side of her desk with a clipped nod.

“You may begin when ready. Though I’d advise you not to keep me waiting -- I only have so much time allotted to me for this lesson.”

Carewyn pursed her lips. Walking purposefully around her and Badeea’s desk, she shot a glance back behind her. Her eyes glided over Rowan, Ben and Charlie quickly before finding Talbott; when Carewyn made eye contact with him, the Ravenclaw straightened up a bit, his hawk-like eyes narrowing a bit upon her face as he nodded.

I’m okay, his look seemed to tell her.

Carewyn inhaled quietly through her nose, giving him a very short nod in return, before she faced the wardrobe, her wand held high.

“...Alohomora.”

With a shriek of the hinges, the box’s lid was thrown open, and a huge, black mass erupted out of it. The huge black cloak was accompanied by skull-white, spider-like hands and the face of a monstrous man -- one tall and pale with heartless red slits for eyes.

A couple of people in the class inhaled sharply despite themselves, seeing the Dark Lord Voldemort standing before their classmate. Rakepick, however, spoke to them with dry reassurance.

“Don’t you, Miss Cromwell?”

Carewyn kept her focus solely on her boggart rather than respond. Raising her wand, she pointed it right at her target and bellowed,

“Riddikulus!”

CRACK.

In an instant, Voldemort was seated at a full dining table of Mrs. Weasley’s home cooking with a red and white checkered napkin comically tied around his neck, looking completely bewildered.

Charlie laughed loudly, but louder still was Barnaby, who actually got up from his seat.

“It’s just like I said!” he said excitedly through his laughter. “It must be impossible for You-Know-Who to enjoy any good food without a nose!”

Others started to laugh too -- even Talbott had to chuckle. Carewyn bit her lip as she grinned in amusement too.

“Quite good, Miss Cromwell,” said Rakepick, very pleased. “All right, now, class, prepare yourselves -- when I call you up, you shall come forth and face your boggart. When you see your fear, think up a way to turn it into something humorous -- then cast Riddikulus to defeat it. Ready now...Mr. Lee!”

Barnaby eagerly scampered around the desk, raising his wand.

“I’m ready for this!” he told Carewyn brightly. “I’ve been thinking about it ever since we went into the Fear Vault...”

Boggart Voldemort shifted his gaze over to Barnaby, his red eyes flashing --

CRACK.

The boggart had become a clown -- a rather menacing, fanged, Voldemort-looking clown, but still a clown.

“Riddikulus!” said Barnaby.

CRACK.

A bucket of water appeared over the demonic clown’s head, before turning over and splashing all over it -- it sputtered in confusion as all of its face paint was washed off and its curly red hair lay like flat curtains around its face.

Barnaby gave a fist pump. “Yes!”

“Good job, Barnaby,” Carewyn said, beaming proudly.

“Miss Tonks!” said Rakepick.

Tonks darted forward just as eagerly. The sopping wet clown shifted his gaze over to her -- then, with another CRACK, it had become herself, only with mousy brown hair and eyes, colorless, friendless, and insecure --

Tonks, without her Metamorphagus abilities.

“Riddikulus!” laughed Tonks.

CRACK.

Boggart Tonks had shifted into Tulip, holding up a bottle of hair dye potion and laughing as loudly as Tonks herself. The real Tulip was also laughing from her own desk.

“Disguising yourself as someone and wigging them out -- that is a good idea for a prank, Tonks!” Tulip called out with a wicked grin.

“Mr. Winger!”

Talbott leapt up onto his feet, sweeping across the room with the grace of a bird coming in for a landing.

CRACK.

Boggart Tulip had transformed into a black-hooded figure holding a wand alight with acid green, the Dark Mark glowing in the sky over his head -- a Death Eater set to kill him like they had his parents --

“Riddikulus!” Talbott spat out with venom.

CRACK.

The Death Eater’s cloak seemed to expand into strips of fabric that lashed around it in strips, wrapping the frantically wriggling figure up tightly like a mummy.

“See, Andre?” said Talbott with a cool smirk over his shoulder. “I told you long cloaks only get in your way.”

Andre crossed his arms, his face appearing rather sassy. “A stylish person knows how to wear a cloak properly...and also doesn’t consider wearing American-style cowboy hats unironically in public -- ”

“Mr. Weasley!” Rakepick cut off the two Ravenclaws’ debate at the legs.

Charlie hopped nimbly right over his desk and zipped up to the front.

CRACK.

The boggart had become a very official-looking desk piled high with paperwork stamped with the purple seal of the Ministry of Magic.

“Being stuck working in an office for the rest of my life,” Charlie explained helpfully to Carewyn, and he gave a shudder. “Still reckon Mum wants me to go that way, like Dad did...”

Carewyn offered him a sympathetic smile. “You’ll never belong in an office, Charlie.”

Charlie grinned as he faced the boggart. “Yeah -- I guess it is pretty ‘Riddikulus!’”

CRACK.

The desk chair was suddenly filled by Charlie’s brother Percy, who’d organized all of the paperwork perfectly -- only for his younger twin brothers Fred and George to barrel on through on their brooms and send the tall stacks of papers flying.

“Miss Haywood!”

Penny, as devil-may-care as she usually was, hesitated just a bit before running up to the front. Her face hardened with focus and determination, even as her wand hand trembled.

CRACK.

The boggart had transformed into a hulking, furry werewolf, its fangs dripping with blood as it growled ferociously.

Carewyn shot a quick look over at Chiara. Her face had gone very white as she shrank back in her seat.

“RIDDIKULUS!” Penny shouted as loudly as she could, even as her voice cracked.

CRACK. The werewolf became a giant stuffed toy, which flopped down to the floor face-first.

“Mr. Caplan!”

Diego had been ready a good five minutes ago -- he slid right in front of Penny with the grace of a dancer, his wand raised.

CRACK. The boggart became a wrinkled, hunched-over old woman in ragged clothes with a face shaped like Diego’s. She clearly wasn’t human, though -- she smelled horribly, like rotten eggs and petrol, she grunted and groaned like a zombie, and her eyes bulged unnaturally out of their sockets.

“That’s La Tunda!” said Rowan. “Tundas are shapeshifting creatures that make themselves look like your loved ones in order to lure you in, trap you, and then drain you of your blood.”

“Take five points to Slytherin for anticipating one of my future lessons, Miss Khanna,” Rakepick said very lightly.

Diego’s hand clenched that little bit more tightly around his wand, murmuring something very quietly under his breath before pointing his wand at the boggart.

“Riddikulus!”

CRACK.

In an instant, a flock of monarch butterflies flew out of Diego’s wand, attacking the Tunda and knocking it backward off their feet. The rest of the class laughed, though Diego gave a slightly weaker laugh himself.

“Sorry, Abuela,” he said sheepishly. “I don’t like the butterflies anymore than you do...”

“Miss Murk!” said Rakepick.

CRACK. The boggart became four people, all of whom looked very clean-cut and uptight -- the youngest of them, a girl who looked identical to the older sister standing beside her -- had Ismelda’s face.

“Riddikulus!” Ismelda cried, her mouth spread into an almost manic smirk.

CRACK. The four people were all splashed with mud, and the other three members of the family ran off in disgust and humiliation as Boggart Ismelda splashed happily in the mud puddle by herself.

“Mr. Kim!”

CRACK. The boggart became a cold, empty house with no furniture and barren cabinets with no blankets, clothes, or food.

“Riddikulus!” shouted Jae.

CRACK. The house fell apart like a movie set, revealing a bunch of TV crew shouting at each other in Korean about the poor craftsmanship.

“Miss Lobosca!”

CRACK. The boggart became a rather pretty girl with curly brown hair, curled up in a ball in the corner and her wide, terrified eyes streaming with tears.

“Get off of me!” she screamed. “Get away from me -- !”

Selina, Carewyn realized in horror.

Chiara’s face had lost all of its color, but she faced Boggart Selina with a very strained, strangely gentle expression.

“Riddikulus,” she whispered.

CRACK. Selina became Tonks, doubled over in fits of laughter from a Tickling Charm.

“All right!” she choked through her laughter. “All right, you win -- you’re better at the Tickling Charm than I am!”

The real Tonks laughed too. “Oh come on, Chiara -- no need to rub it in!”

Chiara gave both Boggart Tonks and the real Tonks a very small smile before looking up at Carewyn. Seeing the concern in her friend’s face, Chiara gave her her best reassuring smile.

“Are you -- ?” started Carewyn, but before she could finish, Rakepick had already called up that one Gryffindor boy who was terrible at Wingardium Leviosa to take his turn.

CRACK. A laughing crowd of students became a surprise birthday party.

CRACK. A mirror reflection turning invisible became an incomplete portrait being painted by an admirer.

CRACK. A demonic-looking Merula Snyde was suddenly decked out in bright pink and ribbons, crowing about loving lollypops and unicorns. (This one in particular prompted Merula to take out her wand and threaten to hex both Tulip and Carewyn in the face for how hard they were laughing.)

“Miss Khanna!” barked Rakepick, so as to put a stop to the escalating fight.

Rowan dutifully came up to the front of the room, her shoulders locked beside her head and her wand held high with determination.

CRACK.

Whatever Rowan or anyone else had been expecting, it wasn’t what the boggart became. Instead, it transformed into the spitting image of Carewyn.

The class looked from the fake Carewyn to the real one, incredibly taken back. Rowan faltered.

“Carewyn?” she said.

Boggart Carewyn, however, didn’t answer. Instead she merely turned on her heel and started to walk away.

“Carewyn!” said Rowan.

Forgetting herself, she reached out as if to grab Boggart Carewyn’s shoulder, only for her hand to get knocked out of the way. A fake Charlie Weasley had appeared out of nowhere wrapped his arm around Boggart Carewyn’s shoulder and was steering her away.

“Come on, Carey -- let’s go play Quidditch!”

Rowan flinched. Out of nowhere also appeared a fake Bill, wrapping his other arm around Carewyn and continuing to steer her away.

“Now, Charlie, don’t forget, Carey and I still have to deal with the Vaults -- ”

“Hey, Cursebreaker!” a fake Andre’s voice called out in the distance. “Still up for a midnight broom ride tonight?”

“Carewyn!” called another voice in the distance that almost sounded like Barnaby’s. “Carewyn, you just gotta see this new Mooncalf at the Magical Creature Preserve -- ”

“Carewyn, I just finished listening to the CD you sent me over break -- ” said a voice vaguely like Chiara’s.

“I don’t suppose you have any time to give this a read, Carewyn?” said a voice like Talbott’s.

Soon the voices were all piling up on each other. One kind of like Liz’s -- one kind of like Tonks’s -- kind of like Orion Amari’s -- one like Rosmerta’s, and Hagrid’s, and Rakepick’s --

Rowan’s dark eyes had become very wide behind her glasses. She’d gone very quiet and her wand hand had fallen slack at her side. Carewyn looked from the boggart to Rowan, her concern giving way to alarm, as she dashed forward -- Rakepick, however, stopped her, sweeping in front of Rowan first.

“Step back and collect yourself, Miss Khanna,” she said brusquely. “I don’t need Miss Cromwell throwing herself in front of you to protect you.”

Rowan blinked rapidly, awareness and then shame flooding her face, as Rakepick tossed her hair to look over her shoulder.

“Mr. Copper!” the professor said sharply. “You next!”

Ben looked as if he wanted nothing less than to leave his desk. Still, knowing he had no choice, he swallowed back the lump in his throat and -- raising his wand -- stumbled forward.

Boggart Carewyn -- still flanked by the fake Charlie and Bill -- turned to look over her shoulder at Ben, her blue eyes oddly blank and penetrating. Then, in a moment, the shapes all seemed to contort together, morphing and twisting --

CRACK.

The boggart disappeared completely. The entire class stiffened, staring at the spot where the creature had been. The silence dragged. Then, suddenly...

Attack.

A voice filled the room. It was a cold male voice that dripped through everyone’s ears with the softness of silk and the frigidness of icy water -- a voice that made Ben crumple in on himself like a piece of paper.

“No,” he whispered.

Attack. Again. Attack.

“No -- no, no -- ”

The boggart Carewyn had reappeared -- but this time, she wasn’t the least bit nonchalant. This time she was crumpled up on the ground, her eyes very wide as spells from nowhere rained down on her, cutting at her face and clothes and blasting her wand out of her hand.

The real Carewyn moved forward. “Ben -- !”

Once again, though, Rakepick stopped her, this time by actually taking hold of her arm.

“You can’t save your friends from their own demons, Miss Cromwell,” she said very lowly.

Do it, said the voice filling the room. Finish her. Kill h --

“DEPULSO!” Ben screamed.

BAM.

The boggart Carewyn was blasted backwards. It seemed to flicker, for an instant becoming Merula, and then the clown, and then the werewolf, before hitting the wall. Ben, however, had not lowered his wand -- his brown eyes were wide with terror as he pointed it at the boggart again.

“STUPEFY!”

The stunning spell knocked the boggart right back into the open trunk with so much force that it lost consciousness. Then Ben pointed his wand at the trunk and cast “Colloportus!” to lock it.

Breathing hard, Ben looked up at Rakepick, who was frowning deeply as she released Carewyn, crossing her arms.

“I don’t believe I said anything about locking that boggart back in its cabinet, Mr. Copper,” said the professor very coldly.

Ben bowed his head in shame.

“...No, professor,” he said very quietly.

“And yet you did it,” Rakepick challenged him.

Ben swallowed. “I...didn’t know how to make the Imperius Curse funny, professor.”

Rakepick’s eyes narrowed as her eyebrows rose. “Your lack of creativity doesn’t excuse not following the assignment.”

Carewyn was outraged.

“Ben used quite a bit of creativity,” she defended her friend fiercely. “He knew he couldn’t defeat his boggart with laughter like the others did, but he still came up a way to defend himself and everyone else from it. If that isn’t ‘Defense Against the Dark Arts,’ I don’t know what is.”

“If you truly knew all that Defense Against the Dark Arts encompasses, then you would not be a student sitting in my classroom, Miss Cromwell,” Rakepick reminded her very coolly. “Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Copper, for putting an end to our lesson early by stunning and re-trapping our boggart without direction. Mr. Copper and Miss Khanna, you shall face your boggarts again next week with Messrs. Hayden and Egwu and Misses Ali, Tuttle, and Snyde -- and in that class, I expect a proper demonstration of Riddikulus.”

Merula shot a scornful look over at Ben as he sat back down next to Charlie, who patted his shoulder reassuringly. Rowan slunk back down into her seat too, her head bowed in shame.

“...Yes, ma’am.”

Carewyn looked from Ben to Rowan, her blue eyes rippling with pain. Then, shooting a venomous look at Rakepick, she -- rather than returning to her seat next to Badeea at the front of the class -- switched seats so as to sit down next to Rowan in the second row.

Rowan looked up at Carewyn, startled. The red-haired Prefect didn’t look at her, instead keeping her hard gaze up on Rakepick at the front of the classroom, but she lightly pressed her shoulder up against her friend’s.

That boggart isn’t true, Carewyn prayed Rowan would understand. I won’t leave you -- please don’t believe that...

Rowan, however, couldn’t meet Carewyn’s eye. Instead she shifted away and started to quickly pack her books into her bag.

Carewyn’s heart clenched.

“Rowan -- ”

“Miss Cromwell,” said Rakepick curtly. “A quick word, after class.”

Carewyn looked up from the desk to glare at Rakepick. Then, glancing at Rowan reluctantly, she rose from her seat and approached Rakepick in front of her desk.

Once the rest of the class had filed out, Rakepick spoke again.

“I’m sure you think I was quite unfair to your friends just now,” she said seriously. “Undoubtedly because you yourself probably feel some trace of responsibility, for the forms their boggarts took in the first place.”

Carewyn’s eyes flashed, but she tried not to let the pain show on her face. She did not want Rakepick to have any inkling of just how spot-on her guess was.

“But you will not always be able to protect them from harm, Miss Cromwell,” said Rakepick. “On the contrary -- it is likely you will be forced by circumstance to solely focus on your own survival. Ben Copper’s attack of you this last spring is more than enough proof of that.”

“And yet you still act like Ben was a villain in that whole affair,” Carewyn challenged her. “Even after seeing visible proof that his greatest fear was being controlled by the Imperius Curse, like when he attacked me, you still take pot shots at him.”

“I’m not the only one in your circle who harbors doubts about Mr. Copper’s story,” Rakepick said very quietly. “Just as I’m certain you’re not the only person in my class that harbors doubts about me.”

Justifiably so, Carewyn thought resentfully, and her eyes narrowed.

“However much you may doubt my intentions, Miss Cromwell,” said Rakepick, “I am here to instruct you and your class in how best to defend yourselves. And however much potential you possess, both as a leader and a protector, I do not want you sacrificing yourself for people incapable of doing the same. You deserve allies strong enough to protect you just as much as you protect them -- ”

“I don’t want my friends to sacrifice themselves for me, Rakepick,” Carewyn snapped. “And I will not have you advise me on which people deserve my loyalty -- only I have the right to do that.”

Carewyn turned on her heel and prepared to leave. Rakepick didn’t stop her, but once Carewyn reached the door, the professor made the Prefect pause when she spoke again.

“I know you intend to go to Knockturn Alley. Mr. Kim is an admirable choice of back-up -- but if you intend to get there, you’ll need a fireplace connected to the Floo Network: something not easy to find, inside the castle walls. Meet me outside Dumbledore’s office on Monday, and I can get you inside.”

Carewyn cocked her eyebrow suspiciously. “And get both Jae and me caught on our way back to Dumbledore’s office and be banned from Hogsmeade for the rest of our school careers? No, thank you.”

“I have no interest in you being hindered from finding the Cursed Vaults, Miss Cromwell,” Rakepick said lightly. “Nor do I have any interest in Mr. Kim being prevented from moving as he pleases -- he does Gryffindor house proud, and as I said, his knowledge of Knockturn Alley makes him useful.”

Rakepick’s Niffler, Sickleworth, scampered up her arm to curl up on her shoulder. Rakepick scratched under his neck idly.

“My interest is in you succeeding in your undertaking, Miss Cromwell,” she said levelly. “Your success will bring both of us closer to the Cursed Vaults -- so it’s only right that I ensure that outcome by giving you the means to succeed.”

Carewyn crossed her arms, the suspicion not shifting from her face. Then, after a long moment, she said,

“...Fine. Jae and I will meet you outside Dumbledore’s office on Monday. But we have our own way back into school -- so don’t bother tipping Filch off to when a pair of shady-looking students might be popping up back through Dumbledore’s fireplace.”

Rakepick smiled wryly as Carewyn left the room, closing the door with a sharp snap behind her.

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #my writing #patricia rakepick #carewyn cromwell #ben copper #rowan khanna #chiara lobosca #charlie weasley #talbott winger #andre egwu #tulip karasu #barnaby lee #nymphadora tonks #diego caplan #merula snyde #ismelda murk #jae kim #bill weasley #fanfiction #I had this in my drafts for WAY too long and decided damn it I'm just going to knuckle down and finish it!#but yeah this is set in year 5 chapter 9 so right before that big blow-up in the library scene #fortunately carewyn and rowan do have a pretty good heart-to-heart after that whole affair #and ben...yeah those demons of his aren't going to go away at all really they're just going to molt and evolve #I do see him mastering how to resist the imperius curse in large part due to how violated and scared he felt being controlled like that #yes I admit it I will always love rakepick and carewyn's dynamic #with carewyn ttly being rakepick's favorite but NOT jiving with it at all #merula's boggart would probably end up being some form of being second-best forever or ignored and forgotten by everyone #...kind of like victor's actually -- yes his is the one of the reflection turning invisible #I thought that'd be particularly ironic considering that in the game he becomes a vampire a creature that supposedly has no reflection

18 notes · View notes

maelstroumwaterfall · 24 days

Text

Arbormagic Sydrome (The End Of The Wizarding World) Chapter 6

Chapter 6. The Missing Hufflepuff

Penny and Tonks haven't talked to eachother since the Kneazle Incident and their row in the Hufflepuff common room. Both these situations made her feel very conflicted and she didn't even feel like being herself after everything what happened.

She felt somehow upset. She didn't expect Penny to say something like this about her. She just wanted to help Haywood and didn't expect such reaction to the question about her scratches.

She kept asking herself the same question then. Was she really just an annoying, reckless, foolish idiot for her around? Do others really think the same about her? She was trying to not to care about it before but now, after Penny just shouted this at her like this, in a front of everyone, it was far from being the least of her worries.

She slowly walked down the road towards Hogsmeade, looking at the grey, cloudy sky above. There weren't many people around as the rain was about to start, but Tonks needed to visit Olivander's before she has to participate in lessons again. She had some troubles with using magic, she was repeating the spells for numerous amount of times but they wouldn't work.

She walked through the streets and soon reached the familiar building.

- One minute, please! - said an old man's voice from somewhere behind the shelves.

Tonks patiently waited near the desk. She didn't really wanted to hurry. It's not like she didn't want to come back to Hogwarts, but she felt like she needed some fresh air to gather her thoughts.

- Good morning, Miss. How can I help you? - said a gentle voice as Olivander slowly approached the young witch. He glanced down at her calmly, looking at her with a slight, gentle smile.

- Um.. Good morning. I've had some troubles with using my wand recently.. I couldn't complete even the simplest spells no matter how much I tried. I thought that there could be problems with my wand but I'm not sure.. - she handed her wand to Olivander and he raised it closer to the light to examine it.

- It's a very rare case, but there's indeed a chance that the problem could be in the wand. - he responded, taking a closer look at the wood. - I don't remember any wands with such unusual patterns in Olivander's.

What do you mean? - she asked, approaching a little closer to also see what he's looking at.

- I mean these handmade looking outlines of the centipede's body on the wood. I don't know any places that make similar patterns on the wands. - he showed her the wand under the dim light and she indeed noticed the barely noticeable traces on the wood.

- I didn't know it was here. - she said with a surprised voice. She must admit, it looked quite beautiful but at the same time somehow dark and menancing.

- Hmm.. - he stepped a little back and extended his hand before making a slight whirl with the wand to check if it works at all. He then suddenly dropped the wand and pulled his hand back as if he touched the hot coal. - Oh!

Tonks stepped back and looked at the man with concern, not understanding anything and being really confused. - What was this?.. Are you alright?

He was looking at his hand for a few seconds before he bent down to pick up the wand.

- You better find another wand for a while. It's not something I've ever met before but I'll definitely try to find out more about it later. - he responded, still slightly fidgeting his hand. Dora was taken aback at first but then she couldn't help but felt a little exited and curious. She nodded and after Garrick put the wand away he went to the shelves to find something similar to the wand he gave her before.

It didn't take much time as he already knew what kind of wands fits Nymphadora and after a few minutes he already found a new, fitting wand for her.

- You can come here again later. If I don't get more work I'll definitely try to find some information. - he said as she took the new wand. She smiled at him and nodded.

- Thank you for help Mr. Olivander. - were her last words before she leaved the place.

Even though the problem with her wand was half solved, she only got more questions and no answers. At least she will now be able to participate in lessons as the new wand was working.

She even forgot how tired she felt and that feeling came back when she walked back to Hogwarts down the same road. She felt kinda exhausted recently, no matter how much she slept. The pain in her veins and muscles also wouldn't go over time and even seemed to worsen.

As she walked past the Forbidden Forest, she couldn't help but felt a some kind of gravity towards the dark and dangerous grounds of the forest. It was as if these high, old trees and their leaves were whispering and calling for her.

- Ouch!.. - and when did her skin became so itchy? She tried to ignore the feeling, but didn't notice when she started scratching her hand again as she was mesmerized by the whisper of the wind that went through the trees of the dark forest.

She stepped away from the road and slowly moved towards the Forbidden Forest before disappearing in it's shadows, without anyone seeing her. She didn't know why, she just felt like she needs to go there, like she has to be there, to follow the voice that is calling her.

As many people thought it started raining. The weather became quite turbulent and nobody really wanted to have a walk under the raging thunder and lightning. There, in Hogwarts, in the Defense Against The Dark Arts classroom, Rakepick tried to find something similar to the situation with Merula's wand in the old Curses book she's read a long while ago.

She remembered that she saw something similar to the traces on Snyde's wand in this book but didn't remember what exactly. She scrolled the pages under the sounds of the beating at the windows rain.

She was almost at the last pages and she suddenly spotted exactly what she needed on an old, wrinkled corner of the page - the illustration of the wand with the same centepide traces.

'The Arbortide Curse' - said the barely noticeable, almost erased text.

'The Arbortide Curse is supposedly a spell, developed by an unknown dark wizard in the middle of XV century. Almost no information could be gotten as the original creator of the "curse" has commited $u!side and only one person has been affected by the "spell" and had to be killed due to being a danger to others. The victim's wand that had the slighty pronounced traces of the centipede's body was considered the only thing to indicate being affected by the curse.'

The whole text didn't even take the half of the page.

Why there was nothing about the person who was affected by the curse? - was the first question Rakepick asked herself. She wasn't sure what to think. The whole text didn't give any answers, even the information given in the book was only "presumptive".

The only thing was clear, it has to do something with Merula's wand, and she's probably not the only one who is in danger.

The whole atmosphere in Hogwarts changed, it became more tensed, mysterious, and somehow blurred. Many students started feeling strange and were complaining about exhaustion and bad sleep. Especially Haywood whose condition looked very badly.

She couldn't sleep normally, her skin was constantly itching, she was nervous and exhausted and didn't know what's happening to her, sometimes she wanted to cry due to the pain she feels when she scratches her skin 'till it's bleeding but still can't stop. The thing that hurts her even more was the fact that she had hurt her friends, especially Tonks that she insulted and shouted at.

She felt so guilty and really wanted to apologize to Dora. She looked for her everywhere in Hogwarts, before she came back to the Hufflepuff common room. Almost everyone turned to her to once again see her exhausted and saddened look. She looked up and glanced around, before she asked in a worried and tired voice:

- Has anyone seen Nymphadora?..

( Hope you enjoyed 💝🌟 Please write if you find any mistakes, it will help me to improve my English 😊 )

"The illustration of the wand that Rakepick saw in the book "

#hogwarts mystery #hphm #harry potter #hp fanfic #nymphadora tonks #hphm fic #harry potter fanfiction #hp au #infection au #patricia rakepick #tonks #apocalypticfiction #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry #wizarding world

11 notes · View notes

slytherindisaster · 3 months

Text

HIMYM or How Andy Met Manon:

Chapter One: Hope Dies Last

This story is very unserious (until it isn't), some portrayals of canon characters might be exaggerated. Sorry not sorry. This is purely for fun.

Reid Van de Lune belongs to @kc-and-co, Mina Pendleton, who is briefly mentioned belongs to @lifeofkaze.

You can find all the chapters here.

The whole school was buzzing with excitement and rumours about the friendly visit from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang schools. It was announced a few days before that Hogwarts, once again, will be hosting representatives from both schools. The students were divided into the ones that couldn't wait for the visit and the ones that couldn't care less. Andy Adler represented the former, Hayden Jenkins - the latter. The breakfasts were starting to get really tough to get through with their different amounts of enthusiasm.

"You don't even know if she's going to be there." Hayden said, annoyed at his best friend.

"She is, I can feel it."

"You only saw her, like one time! She probably doesn't even remember you. You didn't even speak to her, I bet."

"Who doesn't remember him?"

Reid Van de Lune joined them, confused about what his friends were squabbling over this time.

"Some random french girl, Andy fantasies about since the last Beauxbatons visit. Three. Years. Ago."

"Her name was Manon!"

Haden brows furrowed. "How do you even know that?"

Andy's whole face melted into an adoring expression, and Hayden quickly regretted his question.

"The wind knocked off her hat in the Clock Tower Courtyard. I picked it up, and the name was embroidered on the inside."

"Don't tell me you kept the hat…"

"Of course not! I gave it back to her immediately. I looked into her eyes… Man, I wish her friends didn't start giggling and dragging her away with them."

"Woah," concluded Reid, "it's like, a scene from, like… a movie."

"Sure, if you're into psychological horror," Hayden scoffed.

Andy sighed, not giving up.

"Come on, don’t be like that! Help me out, I only need a few French lessons, and if she won't be there, it still couldn't hurt, right? Don't any of your fancy slytherin housemates know french?"

Hayden laughed almost honestly. "Maybe in the last century, they were fancy. Have you seen my roommates? Barnaby can barely handle English."

"Hayden."

"I mean, I guess Mina Pendleton, maybe?" He pointed at a blonde girl at the slytherin table, "But I'm not going to be the one talking to her."

"Why not?"

Hayden shuddered. "She intimidates me."

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU’RE ALL OUT?!”

Virginia Scott’s angry voice carried through the Great Hall.

"Speaking of girls that are unapproachable…" Andy mumbled as their attention turned towards the end of their table.

“Exactly what I just said.” Jae Kim, the person her anger was directed at, didn't seem worried. “I’m out of all the firewhiskey, elder wine, in all honesty I don’t even have butterbeer at the moment.”

Gigi bit her tongue to avoid screaming at him again.

“And you’re only telling me this now?”

“You didn’t ask about anything specific when we talked last week. You know how fast these things sell around here.”

“I-“ she started but was immediately interrupted by the boy sitting next to her.

“So, how long would it take to execute our order?” asked Diego Caplan, pouring coffee into Gigi's cup in an attempt to calm her down.

“Depends.” he answered, looking suspiciously at the list laying on the table before him. “It’s a big order.”

Gigi sighed heavily and reached for her schoolbag in order to find her purse.

“Ever since you ripped me off on that divination chart you’ve become unbearable, Kim,” she said, handing him a couple of galleons.

Jae shrugged and shoved them into his pocket.

“I’ll talk to you soon.”

And with that he was gone.

"Dude, even since her and the hippie broke up she's been a walking nightmare."

"You mean more than usual?" Hayden chuckled. "No, you're right though, she's unbearable in normal circumstances, but this year is like if someone slipped the essence of insanity into her morning coffee."

"Duuude–" Reid almost choked on air, "what if there was like, a potion that would make you totally speak another language?"

"That would be… perfect actually!" Andy jumped up in his seat. "Is there one?"

Reid suddenly became very serious.

"Do I have an obsession with potions and a head full of blond hair?"

"No…?"

"Then how should I know, I'm not Penny Haywood."

Hayden tuned out their conversation as someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around to see two girls he vaguely recognised as fifth year slytherin students. They both were awfully giddy for a Monday morning.

"Sorry, you're Hayden Jenkins, right?"

"The one and only, how can I help you?"

"Well, we just wanted to say that we can't wait to see your band play at the party this Saturday."

"My… band?"

They nodded their heads energetically, and before he could ask more questions, they sprinted out of the Great Hall giggling.

He turned back to his friends completely dumbfounded.

"Snails," Reid said as if he just discovered a new spell.

"Reid that's… I mean it won't hurt to try, we should go anyway if we want to hit the greenhouse before the lessons start."

They gathered their things and stood up.

"Mate, you coming?"

"No, go ahead, I have to take care of something first."

"Suit yourself," Andy shrugged and they were already out of the door.

Hayden also didn't stay at his spot. He had business to take care of at the end of the table. He passed Diego Caplan on his way to the evil witch, and Hayden could swear the Hufflepuff mouthed "good luck" to him.

Virginia Scott was fixing her nails, seemingly unbothered, but Hayden knew her well enough to know that she was still angry about the encounter from before. Her feelings were the least of his concerns at the moment, though.

"Hayden, this is not the best time, darling," she said before he even spoke.

"Don't worry, I just have one little question for you."

She put down the nail file and looked up at him, raising her eyebrows as if she really wanted to hear it.

“Why am I finding out from some random fifth year that not only I have a band but also that I'm going to play with it at your party?”

“Oh, I actually wanted to talk to you about this. I need you to play at my party.”

“Gigi."

“Yes Hayden?”

“I don’t have a band.”

“I’m sure you can figure something out, darling.”

Hayden sighed, immediately regretting not going to the greenhouse with his friends. He could use a smoke right now, after all.

#hphm #hogwarts mystery fanfiction #andy adler #hayden jenkins #reid van de lune #virginia scott #diego caplan #himym or how andy met manon #my writing

12 notes · View notes

pooks · 6 months

Text

If someone were to ask Percy what his mental picture of a big sister figure was, he would answer with one name.

Cassidy Mercury.

He didn't meet her officially until he was in his second year, when Bill and Charlie introduced him to their friend. She was a new prefect, like Charlie, and she was probably the prettiest girl he had ever seen.

Her hair was styled in a short haircut with parted bangs and golden like sunshine. The eyes were green as ripe pears and her skin was fair, decorated with a calm yet reassuring smile.

There was just something about her that kept his nerves calm, as if she was telling him "everything will be alright because I am here" in a non-verbal way. And the first thing she had said when he told his name and his life ambitions in one go was...

"Sounds like you have your whole life planned out."

No teasing or mocking, like his brothers tended to do. No laughing at his extremely high standards of a successful life. No, she listened and respected him. That was the first thing that won him over.

Secondly, she proved to be an excellent and talented student. Cassidy was really good at academics and as he later found out, one of the best Chasers on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

He had originally come to see Charlie, and his dorm mate Oliver Wood, play on the first Quidditch match of the year. He had already known that Charlie was a great Seeker and Oliver was a raw talent as a Keeper, but Cassidy...

She was magnificent in the air, flying on her Comet and stealing the Quaffle with ease, evading her opponents like how a fly avoids being hit by a slipper and making goals with a strong left arm. And how the stands filled with Gryffindors screamed in loud cheers for her.

Charlie may be the Quidditch Captain, but Cassidy Mercury was their star! Even when Oliver was down, getting hit in the head by a Bludger (and nearly gave him a heart attack!), Cassidy became their savior by making so many goals and with Charlie catching the Snitch, earning them 150 points more...they had saved the match.

It has been a long time since Percy believed in heroes. Yes, he knew there were war heroes from the War, but he didn't know them and in his simple opinion, heroes was something that belonged in fairy tales or fictional stories.

But when the school was in danger by the Cursed Vaults...when students and even school staff were being attack by these curses...when Rakepick proved to be a Dark witch and especially, when his life was at mortal danger...

Cassidy Mercury was there to save the day.

She was his hero.

#hphm #hogwarts mystery #percy weasley #jacob's sibling #hphm cassidy mercury #hphm fanfiction #hphm year 5 #percy is such a cinnamon roll #percy's hero worship of cassidy is very fanfiction-y in hogwarts mystery here #but he DESERVES a good role model #we never know if percy ever confided in his siblings at all #so i decided that he absolutely confided in cassidy #this is the big sister role model he always wanted #charlie x mc #but it's background here #percy never forgave charlie for letting her go #he could've gotten the next best thing for a big sister #and charlie screwed up big time lmao #pooks rambles

29 notes · View notes

ramblings-of-a-mad-cat · 1 year

Note

Literally the only thing I’m grateful to R*kepick for is introducing us to Sickleworth. Where is he now? I miss him so much, he was the cutest little thing & now he’s nowhere to be found. I wish we could’ve adopted him or something, MC would have been a much better caretaker than her.

I've only just realized how much fanfic potential there is for this little guy. I want to see little mini-stories about his adventures as a little baby. Maybe the tale of how he met Rakepick in the first place, as a teenager. A story that threatens to make you go "aww" before you remember who it's about. Then his adventures in between, before finally being reunited with MC when they adopt him so that he can live happily ever after. Someone needs to draw that. This fandom is full to the brim of great artists, I hope one of them sees this.

#HPHM Sickleworth #Sickleworth #Patricia Rakepick #Is mentioned #HPHM Fanfiction

6 notes · View notes

the-al-chemist · 10 months

Text

Another Day

A/N: July’s prompt for @hp-12monthsofmagic is “Surprise…”, and this story contains a fairly big one. I’ll let Charlie tell you about it… Warnings: two minor swear word, one of which barely counts as a swear. Tagging: @fantasywriter19 and @toads-in-my-pockets, who I think may particularly enjoy this little story.

The sun was high in the sky, making the autumn leaves on the ground glow in shades of gold as Charlie arrived in the front garden of the Burrow. From inside the house, the sounds of laughter and clattering pots and pans could be heard as he crunched his way across the yard to the front porch, still dizzy from his Portkey.

He knocked on the front door and was greeted by his mother, who immediately smothered him in an almost rib-breakingly tight hug.

“Bloody hell, Mum. It’s like you’ve not seen me in six months, not six weeks!”

“Well, six weeks is a long time when I had gotten used to you being around all the time,” Mrs Weasley replied. “It’s just lovely to have you home, dear.”

Charlie’s mother let him go, looking almost expectantly behind him before sighing deeply.

“What’s the matter?” Charlie asked her.

“Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. I thought that maybe… Oh, never mind. Come on inside, dear.”

Shaking his head despairingly, Charlie followed his mother inside the house. It didn’t look quite the same as it had when he was growing up, but it still felt like home, a fact he was grateful for, given the state the house had been in at the end of the war. The Death Eaters had completely ransacked the house and destroyed parts of it; it had taken Charlie and his brother Percy the best part of a year to fully restore it to its former unglorified glory.

In the living room was Percy himself, along with Charlie’s other two eldest brothers and their father. Charlie hugged each of them in turn, finishing with his older brother, Bill.

“Where’s Fleur?” Charlie asked him, looking around himself as if his sister-in-law might suddenly appear out of nowhere - which, in fairness, she could.

“She went for some air,” replied Bill, smiling broadly. “She’s out in the back garden watching Harry and Ginny teach Teddy to ride a broom.”

“Right. And the others?”

“Ron and Hermione should be here any minute now, and knowing Artemis, she will be here ten minutes late.”

“Of course. Why break the habit of a lifetime?” Charlie said, raising his eyebrows knowingly. “I’ll go and show my face outside.”

In the back garden, Fleur Weasley was sitting on a deck chair with a glass of water, watching Charlie’s sister Ginny and her boyfriend holding a blue-haired toddler upright on a broomstick. At the sight of her brother, Ginny left Harry and Teddy to their flying lesson and ran across the grass towards him.

“Did you come here alone?” she demanded, without even saying hello first.

“It’s nice to see you too, Gin.”

“Yeah, whatever. Answer the question.”

“Uh, yes. Why?”

“Oh, mum was getting all excited. She got it into her head that you were bringing a girl home as a surprise.”

Charlie blinked. “Why would she think that?”

“Because Mum just loves marrying people off, doesn’t she?” Ginny laughed. “And because you only ever usually come home when it’s a special occasion.”

Ginny had a point, Charlie had to admit that. When he had first left home at eighteen, he struggled to afford Portkeys, and always found himself feeling more homesick returning to Romania after visiting his family. Going home infrequently had become somewhat of a habit, but after the war ended and he moved back to Romania following a year’s sabbatical, his priorities had changed. He had visited more often in the last five months, but it just so happened that his visits had coincided with big events: Ginny’s graduation, George’s shop re-opening, Ron’s engagement. This was the first time he had come home without there being some sort of occasion, the first time that it was just another day in the life of the Weasley family.

“Anyway,” Ginny continued, apparently not noticing the somewhat guilty conscience of her brother, “Mum started putting twos together, you know what she’s like.”

“She does like putting twos together.”

“So, you definitely haven’t brought a girl home, then?”

Charlie looked one way and then the other, before holding his hands aloft and shrugging his shoulders.

“Mum will be disappointed,” Ginny laughed, and Fleur smirked into her glass of water.

“I expect zat she will cope,” she said wryly.

From inside the house, Molly called that dinner was ready, and the whole family made their way towards the kitchen. Charlie ducked under a platter of roast potatoes making its own way to the table in order to greet the latecomers: his youngest brother Ron and his fiancée, and Charlie’s best friend from school, Artemis Hexley.

“Trust you to arrive just in time for food,” he muttered to her as he pulled her into a hug. “Though you could’ve at least brushed your hair.”

“Oh, piss off,” Artemis prodded Charlie in the ribs and wriggled out from his arms. “How was your journey here, anyway?”

“Not too bad.”

“The grannies of Ottery St Catchpole all survived you apparating, then?”

“You know, that joke stopped being funny about eight years ago.”

“To you, maybe.”

Artemis grinned wickedly and made her way to the table, Charlie following behind her. As the plates of food were passed around and the kitchen was filled with the sound of lively conversation, he realised how much he had missed moments like this. This was exactly what he had wanted for his visit home.

When the chatter at the dinner table reached a natural lull, Charlie cleared his throat quietly. Before he could say anything to fill the gap, however, Bill rose to his feet.

“I didn’t realise there were going to be speeches,” said George, through a mouthful of food.

“I’ll be quick, I promise,” Bill laughed sheepishly. “It’s just that while everyone is here, I - well, Fleur and I - wanted to tell you all something.” He placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder and smiled at her so widely he looked as if he might burst from happiness, before telling the rest of the family: “We are going to have a baby.”

Suddenly, the kitchen was filled with even more noise and movement than before. Molly and Arthur Weasley rose from their seats to embrace their oldest son and daughter-in-law, Molly making high-pitched noises and crying. Percy congratulated them heartily, and Artemis dropped her fork on the floor in surprise.

Charlie bent down to pick it up and handed it back to her, their eyes meeting as the fork exchanged hands. She pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows, and he gave her an almost imperceptible shrug in response.

Just like that, the day now belonged to Bill, Fleur, and their unborn child. The talk at the dinner table had turned to babies, to names and dates and sleeping arrangements. Even after dinner ended, the discussion continued, with Charlie’s mother rushing to find the family albums to find photos of her own seven babies for everyone to look at, an ordeal Charlie managed to escape by offering to clean up after dinner.

“Can I just grab a glass for Fleur?” Bill asked him, once everyone else had retired to the sitting room.

“Of course you can,” Charlie ducked out of the way of a cupboard to allow Bill to summon a glass from it. He chuckled to himself and shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re going to be a dad.”

“Neither can I.”

“You must be so happy.”

“I am,” said Bill, still smiling. “Terrified, but happy.”

“It’ll be alright. You’ll be a great dad.”

“Thanks, Charlie.”

“I mean it,” Charlie held his hand out to Bill. “Congratulations, mate.”

The two brothers shook hands before wrapping their free arms around each other’s shoulders.

“I’m just glad you decided to come back this weekend,” Bill said. “We didn’t want some people finding out before others, and you know how hard it is to get everyone in one place when it’s not for something specific.”

“Hm, yeah.” Charlie nodded, aware that Artemis had just entered the room and pulled a face that made it hard for him not to laugh. “Tough, that.”

“I mean it, thank you. Anyway, better give this to Fleur. Sorry, Artemis, didn’t realise you were behind me.”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine.” Artemis paused before briefly hugging Bill around the waist. “Congratulations, by the way.”

She watched Bill carry Fleur’s glass out of the room, before leaning back against the kitchen table and watching the dishes wash and dry themselves at the sink.

“You didn’t fancy looking at the photos of baby Bill in the bath, then?” asked Charlie.

“Not really. I lived with him for half of last year, if I wanted to see his knob I’d have had plenty of opportunities to do so.”

Charlie laughed and used his wand to direct the clean plates into the cupboard before joining Artemis on the edge of the table.

“So much for it just being another boring, regular day at the Burrow,” she muttered quietly, rolling her eyes.

“I never said it would be boring,” replied Charlie, his voice also lowered. He sighed. “That’s the thing about big families. There’s always something going on with someone. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“Honest?”

Artemis turned her face towards Charlie, holding his gaze.

“Yeah,” she said, completely honestly. “If anything, it’s kind of funny. You had this brilliant plan set out for weeks, and Bill swoops in at the last minute with the exact same idea.”

“Well, they say great minds think alike,” Charlie grinned. “You think that’s funny, you should hear what Mum and Ginny said.”

“What was that?”

“They thought I might be bringing home a girlfriend this weekend.”

“Did they really?” Artemis smirked. “That’s brilliant. What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing at all?”

“No, I just went like this,” Charlie held his hands up slightly and shrugged his shoulders. Artemis blinked at him. “What? It works every time.”

Artemis burst out laughing, using one hand to stifle the sound of her giggles as Charlie shushed her through his own.

“We can’t now, can we?” she whispered, once the two of them had composed themselves.

“Not really, no.”

“That would be unfair.”

“It would,” said Charlie. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s just good to have you back.”

“It’s good to be back. I missed you.”

“You too.”

Charlie cast a glance over his shoulder at the door before wrapping his arm around Artemis.

“So, now what?” she asked, reaching across him to take his free hand, her fingers walking over his like the rungs of a ladder.

“We let them have their day today, and then we will just have to make a new plan so we can have our turn another day.”

“And that’s when we’ll tell them about” - Artemis’ eyes flicked from Charlie’s right hand in her lap to his left on her shoulder - “us?”

With another look back at the door, Charlie pulled her closer to him, kissed her hairline, and rested his chin on the top of her head.

“Yeah. That’s when we’ll tell them about us.”

#harry potter fanfiction #hpff #charlie weasley #bill weasley #fleur delacour #weasley family #artemis hexley #molly weasley #ginny weasley #arthur weasley #george weasley #golden era fic #hphm fic #hogwarts mystery #charlie weasley x mc

137 notes · View notes