Feast and Fortunes
—Harriet PoV
I came to in a library, but that was all I could tell. The walls shifted oddly, books blurry and the shelves changing style and arrangement with every passing second. A luxurious armchair sitting opposite me the only stable entity in the chaotic candlelit room. So too was the familiar figure lounging atop it like a throne, book held in one hand as the other propped her chin up above the chairs arm.
“You should try to avoid suicide you know, it’s unhealthy.” Riddle stated cooly as she slammed close her book and turned to face me. Short brown hair trialing around rounded cheeks and porcelain features. Twin crimson orbs so unlike the ones she had in the chamber boring into me in silent judgment.
“I don’t go look for trouble,” I retort irritably. “It just comes to me more often than not.”
“I suppose so, in this case anyway.” Concluded the spectre as she twisted round into a more proper posture, formal and straight backed. “Anyway do you like what I’ve done with the place.” Riddle gestures to the mismatched walls and floors of the shifting library. “I’ve been working on your inner Occlumancy barriers, since it’d take you months to even figure out how to enter the innermost section of your mind let alone alter it like this.”
Occlumancy, the term used to describe any form of magical mental defences. Considering the entire nature of Riddle’s existence inside of me to begin with having someone Legilimise me would be bad to say the least. Not that this isn’t useful otherwise, no her being able to do this would likely let me skip having to practice doing so independently as direct instruction within one’s own mind is typically impossible. Most Occlumancy has to be self taught, the rest is just a lot of practice, meditation and testing your defences against intrusions.
So in the end I dryly reply with a blunt. “Thanks.”
Rolling her amused eyes she smirks. “Couldn’t sound even the tiniest bit grateful could you.”
“I was looking for you, you know!” I hiss back at her smug little face.
“And my presence would’ve only incited the damn fiends, not fixed anything.” Declared the teenaged Dark Lord as she idly stroked an unfamiliar wand between her hands. “Regardless Potter there’s some things we need to discuss, three things to be precise.”
Sighing I relax myself in the surprisingly snug silver and green armchair I found myself in. “What are they?”
“First, you really should avoid using Necromancy inside the castle itself. Your little stunt on the train would’ve left quite an impression and with Black on the loose any form of explicitly dark magic like that would be immediately noticed by the Headmaster.” She explained simply, much to my confusion.
“My what?” Tilting my head to the side I continued. “Did something happen on the train?” I remember the Dementor showing up but everything after that is a blur.
Staring blankly at me she sighed. “Just forget it, remember not to mess with Necromancy inside the castle. Now, next we need to talk about your studies-“ I groan instinctually. “Yes, your studies. With this I’m going to be blunt: if you don’t get an O in everything important, I’m burning your Necromancy tomes.”
“What?” I gasp out, shooting upwards. “You can’t do this!” Sure DADA wouldn’t be too hard but potions and history are downright impossible to get an O in.
“Yes, I can. And for the reference I don’t care about History of Magic or Astrology. You can get a Troll for all I care in them.” That’s… a little better at least.
“Oh and if you do I’ll truthfully answer a single question of your choice.” Suddenly adds Riddle and all thoughts of hesitance immediately vanish from my mind. Perfect. The perfect chance to finally learn how to get rid of her.
“Ok, what your last thing then?” I calmly query as her eyes flicker a strange emotion.
“Why it’s simply to avoid those bloody Dementors,” She hissed as her features twisted into something far darker than any scowl ever had the right to be. “Due to our situation we’re both far more susceptible to them than usual, not to mention how we’re already in the highly susceptible group to begin with.”
Muddling through her typically cryptic language a particular term catches me off. Susceptible, susceptible how? I know Dementors feed off of joy but I’ve never been particularly jolly to begin with so how would I be susceptible to them. Opening my mouth I go to ask but find only silence leaving it. Riddle’s book having reappeared in hand as she brushed me off with a wave, sending me flying out of my chair and bounding into the wall at a breakneck speed.
Then I snapped upwards in a familiar bed within a familiar room. The hospital wing… again. I’m honestly sick of this place by now. First year with Quirrel, second with the getting-hit-by-a-living-tree, Dobby’s Bludger, Hermione and again after the Basilisk bit me. It’s like Hogwarts is trying to kill me somehow. Though more often than not it’s Tamelyn’s fault.
‘True enough.’ The girl in question gave me the mental equivalent of a shrug. ‘Though I have no control over a deranged house elf nor my other-selves actions so only the petrifications and Nessie’s bite are my fault.’
Off guard I couldn’t help but ask. ‘Nessie?’
‘The Basilisk.’ She stated as if it was obvious. Naming a hundred foot long man-eating snake Nessie. Seriously? I mean it doesn’t really matter but why Nessie? ‘Of course she preferred Your Ladyship Supreme Green Scaled Poison Tongued Flesh Loving Guardian. But snake’s all have absolutely horrid naming sense.’
Stifling a laugh I humorously remark. ‘So you named her after the Loch Ness monster. Really?’
‘I thought it appropriate, I can’t wait to talk with her again. She’s always a good conversationalist, patient too.’
My mind reels to a halt. ‘Isn’t she dead?’ I ask in almost horror at her relaxed tone.
‘Of course not, Basilisk’s can recover from almost any injury short of very rare and powerful elemental magics and some specialised Dark Magics intended to take them down. Otherwise they spend a few months in hibernation, use the majority of their stored up magic and shrink a bit to a fully restored state. And she’s old enough that her magic reserves have swelled her body outwards to a stupendous scale, she’ll lose about half her mass but she’ll be well as can be afterwards.’
After Tamelyn’s familiar lecture I paused in thought. Unsure what to think or say, the Basilisk - ‘Nessie’ - is alive. And will be well in a few months - ‘about five and a half by my count’ - despite all I did to fight against her. It makes the entire chamber rescue feel kinda pointless now. All I got from it is another scar and a mini-Dark Lord in my head. Ginny was saved too, but that’s about it.
‘A life saved is no small feat, especially against me.’ Complimented - I think - Tamelyn. ‘Besides you’re only now a third year, most Aurors would’ve died to Nessie in moments.’
Humming idly in response I relax into the stiff bed. Waiting in the otherwise empty chamber. Shame I missed the Sorting, but oh well I missed last years and it’s not like I would know anyone being sorted anyway. Unless there’s another Malfoy, which would be a miracle and a half.
‘To procreate with a Malfoy is either the heights of insanity, an arranged contractual agreement with compensation, or for the most patient and kind of Souls. It’s a miracle Abraxas had a son, let alone grandson.’ Tamelyn commented with acidic viciousness.
Snorting I find myself soothed by the familiar rhythm and presence. Odd sure but somehow it’s growing on me. She’s like a weed, you want to get rid of her and know it’s bad but it’s damn hard to do so and she always grows on you despite how hard you try not to get attached. A parasite would be a better metaphor but I’ve never been the best at these things.
‘How sweet,’ Hummed Tamelyn cheerily. ‘I think that you’re more of a Venemous Trantriquola than a Mandrake myself.’ The strange almost insulting yet also almost complimentary jab from Tamelyn’s thoughts held a strange fondness to it. Part of me finds it unnatural or forced, the rest wonders if it’s true. An uncanny feeling I figure many who’ve spoken with her in her own time also found, she’s naturally charismatic if nothing else. No trained forcefulness or messy etiquette but just a natural draw that makes her ever more dangerous yet also ever more desirable.
More than once I wondered how Voldemort led so many to her cause, and now I finally have a glimpse as to how and just like the rest of her it’s bloody terrifying. I ruminated on this for a few more minutes, Tamelyn quipping in now and again with vaguely helpful commentary before Madame Pomfrey rushed in through the door carrying a bundle of chocolate, various foods and steaming potion vials a neon green colour I recognise faintly as Pepper-Up potion.
“Ah, you’re up!” Planting the pile of stuff besides the bed she takes a seat in a chair she conjures with a flick of her wand. “Sorry it took me a bit, the castle Elves are busy with the feast so I had to go get some chocolate from the kitchen’s myself. Eating it though should help with the lingering effects of the Dementors! Blasted creatures.” Muttering that last part under her breath she turned back and picked a vial of Pepper-Up from the stash and raised it to eye level with me. Looking through it with a cutting stare. “This, is for when you can feel your toes again,” Huh, I didn’t even notice that but I really can’t feel my toes at the minute. How odd. “And should get you through long enough to make it back to your dorms. Even still! I’m not letting you out of bed for the next few hours, eat up and rest. I’ve other, more serious, patients to get through.” Handing me the potion and a chocolate frog she starts cursing some more about Dementors under her breath as she storms off into a curtained section of the chamber. Wow, normally she gives me more of an earful after I wind up here.
‘Fainting from Dementor exposure isn’t an uncommon effect, among various other serious conditions like how your brother’s sister Ginny suffered some rather severe Soul rebound due to its presence, honestly I’m more surprised that the medical wing isn’t full to the brim at the moment.’ Elaborated Tamelyn as I paused and took a breath between biting away at the chocolate frog I was given.
‘Ginny was hurt?’ Concerned I ask and she hums in acknowledgement.
‘I’d say it was due to her Soul being already wounded from my attempted resurrection last year. Normally she’d recover pretty naturally over time, but with Dementor’s abound there’s no telling the side effects. I’m rather curious to learn myself.’
Chillingly I bite forcibly down and crush the leg of the squirming frog that froze up a moment later. ‘Quit talking about her like she’s some damn test subject.’
‘Fine.’ Nonchalantly replied a clearly distracted Tamelyn. ‘There’s really nothing either of us can do about it anyway. Soul damage is notoriously tricky to forcibly rectify, the best attempts at doing so in the past removed a fragment of one’s own internal magic to separate the mind more from the Soul.’
‘What?’ I sickeningly blurt out. ‘That’s…’
‘Disgusting.’ Spat out a silently raging Tamelyn. ‘Even more so since everyone who had this done to them either became little more than brain dead husks devoid of emotion entirely or died outright from the procedure. Messy stuff indeed.’
Sickened and more than a little put out of the mood for conversation I simply swallow my chocolate and move onto the actual meal. Feeling suddenly a lot warmer and more, cheerful overall. As if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Over the following few hours I continued on as Pomfrey went back and forth around the wing until finally I was let go. Feeling considerably better even before I took the Pepper-Up draft I strolled content through the halls of Hogwarts. All the way up to the portrait of the Fat Lady.
Oh fuck, I don’t know the password. I realise numbly as I stare at the painting. Who stared dryly back, it is getting a little late after all and she probably would be sleeping about now. But what do I do? I could just wait until someone comes out or by or go to McGona-
‘Parsletongue opens all doors.’ Tamelyn cuts in. ‘Open is all you need.’
Blinking sheepishly I blurt out a befuddled. “Huh…” Before I hiss out. “Open.” And it just swung open on its own, startling the Fat Lady a good deal in the process.
“Oh, oh. Warn me before you do something like that next time!” She scowled in a mix of confusion and general annoyance.
To which I simply shrug, “Sorry.”, and stroll through into the welcoming embrace of the warm common room. Finding two familiar figures sat in the armchairs, Ron before an automatic chess set and Hermione curdled up with Crookshank’s by the fire. Both of whom perk up as I walked in.
Seems they’ve gotten over their spat, for now, or the rat’s finally kicked the bucket. No, Ron would be up in arms if that were the case.
“Harry!”
“Mate!” They both rush up to me in sync, Crookshank’s leaping onto the floor and moving to rest by the fire as they did.
“Hey, hey, I’m fine.” I answer before they enter into a real frenzy. “Just need some rest, nothing else. And you two?”
“We’re good.” Ron answered awkwardly as they came to a halt just before me.
“The feast went pretty well, nothing notable really,” Hermione added before she perped up and fished a bit of parchment from her robe. “I got your timetable from McGonagall, I didn’t know you were taking Runes or Arithmancy Harry!”
Taking it from her gently I shrug. “It’s something I decided after getting a skim through some books on the subjects over the break. Divination was pretty ridiculous honestly so I dropped it instead to make space.”
She nods along proudly. “I’m glad to see you’re taking your studies more seriously this year, it is important after all! Our OWL’s will shape the entirety of our futures after all!”
“Blimey Hermione, OWL’s already.” Ron exclaimed wide-eyed. “They aren’t until fifth year, we’ve got forever before then.”
“No reason not to begin to prepare though is it?” She asked him in turn, a fond smile sliding onto her features. “I’ve got to keep it in mind especially this year with all the work I’ve got ahead of me.”
“What were you taking again Hermione? I remember Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures but there was another right?” I query curiously.
“Oh I’m taking all of them.” Confidently replied the girl as she bobbed her head assuredly, almost as if her decision was only natural to make and not completely absurd.
“Blimey.” Echoed Ron as he relaxed against the wall besides where the rest of us stood. “Are you mad?”
“I believe I’m remarkably sane Ronald.” She chirped assuredly. “But either way we’ve got a long term ahead of us so best to rest while we can!”
“Yeah.” I affirm with a nod, beginning to walk up and past her towards the stairs. Turning back to an unmoving Ronald as he stretched lightly and peeled himself free from the wall.
“Yeah, I’m right knackered after that horrid train ride. Bed it is.” With that settled the three of us departed to our respective dorm rooms, splitting from Ron at the stairs and entering into the room I shared with Hermione, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. Stripping down and swapping to pyjama’s before slumping over into my bed as the potion’s soothing fuzz of cheer began to fade away.
‘It’s great to be back at Hogwarts, isn’t it?’ I ask my head mate contently.
‘It is, Harriet. It really is.’ She wistfully replied as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
-Omake 4-
Ron & Hermione: *argues*
Tamelyn: You should kill them.
Harriet: Don’t tempt me.
-Omake 4.2
Pettigrew: *scared of Black*
Harriet: *mumbles* Would it be illegal to make a rat Inferni?
Pettigrew: *terrified of Harriet*