Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and works; all other characters and worlds belong to their respective owners. I'm just playing with them.
Betad by Marethyu, Priapus, Mike God of Lore, Beans
The Celestial Professor
Chapter 09: Metamorphmagus
– Rose Potter –
She really should just get her own personal hospital bed at this point. For once, she was in too good a mood to really care that she was once more under the care of Madam Pomfrey. Of course, most of the Hospital Wing was hidden behind screens since that was where Lyra and the other victims of Voldemort's latest scheme were under intensive care, but that just meant she actually got some privacy for once.
Ron, Hermione and Ginny had all visited her, of course, and she'd been more or less honest with them and answered their (mostly Hermione's) questions. As best as she could, anyway, because she still didn't really know what the hell had been in her head beyond it being a 'shard of the Dark Lord's soul'. Hermione was frustrated with this new kind of magic that she wasn't allowed to look into because Professor Dumbledore had explained that this was the 'darkest kind of magic' that Hermione wouldn't find in her books.
But she'd told them what she knew, and that was that Professor Scamander had saved her life. Even now, as she grabbed the hand mirror from her bedside table, she stared at her forehead where her oh-so-famous scar was conspicuously absent. With the dark magic in it gone, Madam Pomfrey had managed to heal it up properly, removing it once and for all with a simple anti-scarring salve.
Ron thought it was daft to get rid of something that she was so known for, but he didn't have to be the one who had it stared at everywhere he went. It was a constant reminder of the night her parents died, and now it was gone, along with the piece of Voldemort that had been lurking inside her.
Funnily enough, Hermione had had a realisation and some testing had proven that Rose couldn't speak Parseltongue anymore. Dumbledore had seemed almost amused by that realisation. She wouldn't deny that being a Parselmouth had been helpful in saving Ginny, but she also didn't miss the ability now that she knew exactly where it had been coming from.
"Professor!" Hermione said, perking up and doing nothing to escape the allegations that she had a crush on their Care of Magical Creatures Professor.
"Ah, I hope I'm not intruding," Robin said softly, but she just beamed at him.
"Nope," Rose said, popping the p. She knew she could be a… broody girl at times, but the lightness in her head had her feeling downright giddy. "I wanted to talk to you, anyway. To thank you."
"That isn't necessary, Miss Potter. As a professor, I'm duty-bound to ensure my students are happy and healthy. This was just a… more bizarre illness than I expected to encounter at Hogwarts," Robin replied with a small laugh. "I'm glad to see you are recovering. You are effectively the first person in recorded history to have had such a thing inside you and survive, so we will need to watch out for any side effects going forward."
"Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey said the same," Rose agreed, her hand brushing against her forehead with a frown before she smiled. "And I think you went a little beyond 'just your professorly duties'. I'd be doomed if it weren't for you, so thank you. So, did you want something or are you just checking up on me?"
"I did want to see how you were recovering, but mostly I wanted to discuss your previous request. I know I said that I wanted to wait until you proved yourself in the duelling club before I would consider teaching you, but given recent matters, I have… reconsidered," Robin admitted with a chuckle as she perked up. "It's now clear that Voldemort is both active and likely has plans for you. As such, it would be irresponsible of me not to ensure you had the best chance at surviving any schemes. I'm currently training Miss Delacour and Professor Tonks as well, and you are welcome to join us."
"Wait, has the Ministry accepted that he's back?" Rose asked, perking up both at the invite and the possible end to the smear campaign that was being run on both her and the Headmaster.
"More or less. Minister Fudge has been, at the very least, forced to accept that his 'advisor' was replaced with an imposter, and while he wishes to push the kidnapping plot onto Sirius Black or the recent escapees from Azkaban, it's simply not viable," Robin admitted with a small frown. "Sirius Black was a master duellist, but this goes too far into the esoteric and trying to claim that Black somehow learnt all this while locked away for a decade goes beyond believable. Amelia Bones does believe that this is the Dark Lord, and Cornelius will follow suit simply because he's desperate to keep his position."
Of course, the fat minister was trying to blame Sirius.
"Isn't Fudge one of your friends?" Ron asked bluntly, frowning to himself. She had heard the same from Mr Weasley.
"I am fond of Cornelius, as we were on good terms when I worked as a Hit Wizard, but liking someone doesn't mean you think they make a good Minister of Magic. You seem to be on good terms with Mr Finnegan and Mr Thomas. Would you think they'd make good Ministers?" Robin asked with a hint of amusement as Ron thought about it before visibly recoiling.
She knew Ron sometimes felt a little… left out or out of place in the very female-heavy friend group, and Dean and Seamus were his go-to male friends when he needed some testosterone. She could even say she liked them too, even if Seamus had begun to think he was a ladies' man after hitting puberty, which mostly meant really bad pick-up lines and leering that he thought was 'sultry' for the Gryffindor girls. She'd punched him after he'd tried a Quidditch pick-up line on her about seeking her quaffles. Even he'd admitted he probably deserved that one. Neither of them would make even remotely good leaders.
"I take it that you see my point? Cornelius was good at his job, before he turned his sights from the Department of Magical Accidents to politics, but I do believe his ambitions have outreached his abilities," Robin continued simply. "What matters is that he is not, in any way, loyal to Voldemort. He simply didn't want to believe that the dark days of the first war could be returning, and naively buried his head in the sand. This particular mess has been a rather brutal wake-up call for him, and between Amelia and the Headmaster, he's unable to deny what he saw with his own eyes. If I know him as well as I believe, he will likely do a complete one-eighty and throw his support behind the Headmaster and his warnings of Voldemort's return. I suspect he'll want to speak to you, if only to use your fame to hang onto his position."
"Doesn't he have any shame?" Rose asked with a scowl, but Robin just chuckled.
"Miss Potter, he's a politician. Shame is the first thing to go in that blackest of arts. It's partially why I retired from the Ministry. I was too good at my job, and I was being threatened with higher and higher positions that would have taken me out of the field and forced me to deal with politics in my day-to-day work. In comparison, tracking deadly magical creatures seemed a far safer career path," Robin replied with a small smile on his lips. "Amelia is better suited for that office. But I digress, my point is that I fear you will be targeted regardless of your healed scar. Voldemort never took defeat well, and you remain a shining symbol that he is not as invincible as he likes to claim. As such, you are welcome to join myself, Nymphadora and Fleur for additional training if you wish."
"I'd like that, Professor," Rose agreed, frowning slightly despite her words. Voldemort was never going to give up trying to kill her. As much as she hated it, the 'Girl-Who-Lived' was a symbol of hope against a guy most people were afraid to speak the name of. More than that, it was a stain on his oh-so-fearsome reputation. As Robin said, she was a reminder that Voldemort had lost before, and to a baby no less. If he wanted to erase that black mark, he only needed to kill her to show that his defeat was nothing but a fluke.
"W-what about us?" Hermione cut in, with that all too familiar look she got when she was denied knowledge. Robin paused, his lips pursing in thought as he looked over the three.
"From what I've heard, you do have a habit of getting drawn into Miss Potter's… adventures," Robin admitted, rubbing his chin. "That said, this is both a gruelling and advanced course. You are already balancing several elective classes and to be perfectly frank, Mr Weasley's grades do not inspire faith in his ability to handle the course as it requires a considerable understanding of both Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts to pull off. You are all welcome to attempt this training course as well, but if you fall behind I will be forced to drop you from it. I would recommend all of you join the duelling club as well, as what both Professor Tonks and I will be teaching there will aid in the more advanced course."
Ron flushed at the mention of his grades, but she knew that his Charms grades were… not the best. They were all good at Defence against the Dark Arts, but Robin's control of his magic was supposed to be near-legendary from his Hit Wizard days and learning how to cast like he did was not going to be simple. She noticed Ginny flush as well, but she was already a year behind them, so it was more understandable that she'd struggle with the course even if Professor Scamander didn't call her out by name. Hermione looked both insulted at the implication that she couldn't handle it, conflicted knowing that her schedule was already packed without adding a club and private course on top of it and excited at the idea of learning such advanced magic all at once. Wait, was she going to have to drop Quidditch for this?
"I will inform you of when a specific time slot has been chosen that works for everyone, as at the moment it has just been whenever Miss Delacour, Professor Tonks and I have time to spare. I'm sure we can find a time slot that works for everyone, even if it means it is later in the evening," Robin said, giving her a knowing look before he hesitated. "There is one last matter, Miss Potter. I believe I may have a way to allow you some additional privacy, and therefore security, while outside of the castle, but honesty forces me to admit that this is at least partially hypothetical and will require a certain level of trust and discretion."
Rose blinked at that, unsure what the hell he was talking about.
"I trust you, Professor. You did just save my life," Rose reminded him, getting a soft laugh as he pulled out a key from under his shirt, attached to a thin silver string. Before he spoke, he flicked his wand and cast something silently, the sound cutting out as he turned to face her.
"This allows me to unlock almost anything I please," Robin explained, getting another blink of confusion from her. "While this more commonly means locks and wards, it can work on a… metaphysical level by unlocking potential. In particular, I intend to try to unlock your potential as a Metamorphmagus. Much like Nymphadora, you do have Black heritage through your Grandmother Dorea, and the ability has long been dormant in that bloodline. I believe that, with your permission, I can awaken that potential and grant you the ability within your blood so you will be able to enjoy more privacy from your… admirers and enemies alike."
Her eyes snapped open, remembering her question to Nym about if she could learn how to change her own appearance.
"Nymphadora mentioned your interest in her ability when I asked her for permission to study her magic to see if this was possible," Robin explained as a beaming grin grew on her face. Sure, losing Parseltongue stung a little, but replacing it with an undeniably cooler power was one hell of a trade.
"Please try!" Rose almost begged. "What do I need to do? Do I need to take my top off?"
"No, I don't believe that would be necessary. Wait, why do you think that would help?" Robin asked with a furrowed brow.
Rose paused, scratching her chin.
"I have no idea. I figured you'd have to press the key into my heart or something," Rose admitted. It just seemed like the way it would work. His amused look made her flush, but in her defence, it just made sense to her. Her true potential felt like it should be in her heart- ugh, it even sounded stupid in her head.
Robin just chuckled as he removed the key from his neck and pressed it against her forehead for a moment. She felt… something inside her, and boy did it feel fucking weird before he turned it, and she felt as if something deep inside her clicked open.
"Rose, your hair!" Ginny said, making her blink as she reached for it and held some of it in front of her, marvelling at the red. It wasn't Weasley red, but instead a darker (and nicer) red that struck her like a bolt of lightning.
"Can you attempt to change it? Nymphadora has agreed to teach you to fully control your powers if this succeeds, but most Metamorphmagus have this power from a very young age and have years to master it," Robin prompted, making her focus as she stared at her hair intently, willing it back to black as Robin transfigured a mirror for her. A part of her refused to change it back from her mother's red hair, but she also knew that she had to learn to control this if she wanted to use it to actually be able to go out in public without being bothered. It darkened, strand by strand, before it turned pink, then green as her hair continued to defy her.
Wasn't that the story of her life? She'd never been able to get her bird's nest to do what she wanted. Growling (which sent the entire mess into a deep, angry red for a moment), she took a deep breath before staring at it and picturing what she wanted. Slowly, annoyingly so, it shifted until her hair was almost entirely back to an all too familiar black. Well, aside from one streak of red, which she touched with a tender grin.
"I wonder if gaining the ability as a teen helps with the control… it is very rare for such a gift to manifest so late, after all. Or perhaps the power of the Skeleton Key aided with your control?" Robin wondered, academic curiosity on his face. "Well, I'm glad it worked out more or less as intended, either way."
"Couldn't we get it as well? Our grandmother was a Black," Ron said, gesturing from him to Ginny. Hermione scowled, just briefly, at the idea of her being the only one who couldn't get this power, as Robin considered the question.
"It is likely possible, but I wish to keep this ability of the Skeleton Key under wraps for now. With Miss Potter's recent… hmm, operation, it is viable to say that the scar was suppressing her natural ability. If I use it more, that excuse will fall apart. This is not a firm no, but more of a… not at this moment," Robin explained, as Ron tried to hide his disappointment. Ginny seemed less bothered, but Ron was always prone to jealousy. Maybe he just wanted a power that none of his older and admittedly, more talented (and often better looking) brothers had. He still hadn't forgiven her for admitting she found Charlie hot, and last year had shown how quickly he could fall to jealousy when other people got something he wanted. Not to mention how much he wanted to get out of their shadows.
As Ron frowned, it suddenly hit her who needed this power way more than her or Ron, and who definitely had Black blood. Hermione gave her a knowing, questioning look as Rose sat straight up. Sirius would be much safer if he could change his appearance freely.
But Robin didn't know he was innocent. Fuck, Robin had been the one to take Sirius down to begin with, even if he'd had no part in how quickly Sirius had been shoved into Azkaban to be forgotten about.
"Is there a problem, Miss Potter?" Robin asked, giving her a patient smile. It was the same one he gave to students who were struggling in his class. It was generally agreed by everyone who took Care of Magical Creatures that Robin was an amazing teacher, not just in his knowledge but in his demeanour and how he encouraged his students. Oddly enough, her mind went back to Dumbledore asking her if she had anything she wished to tell him, but both from Tom's memories and her own time in his office, the Headmaster felt far more intimidating, even with a gentle question. Robin didn't, as she took a deep breath.
"I-" Rose started, trailing off because how the hell did she explain this? "Sirius Black is innocent!"
By blurting it out, apparently.
Robin paused, seeming genuinely surprised at her (shouted) statement, before he gathered himself.
"Continue, please," Robin encouraged, a frown on his face.
"It wasn't Sirius who betrayed my parents, or killed those muggles. It was Peter Pettigrew who faked his death! He's an animagus and lived as a pet rat until my third year when Sirius escaped to hunt him down," Rose continued quickly. "He saw Pettigrew in the Daily Prophet after the Weasleys won a trip to Egypt."
"...he used to sleep on the foot of my bed," Ginny admitted, shuddering to herself. "Merlin, I think the creep watched me shower one time."
Ginny had brought up how creepy the idea that their pet rat was a fully grown adult was after learning of it, and Rose had to agree. You'd do a lot around a family pet that you wouldn't around a strange man.
She continued, explaining the entire mess that happened at the end of her third year, watching as Robin listened carefully, occasionally pushing for more information. The frown on his face when she admitted that Professor Lupin had forgotten his potion on that full moon was severe, not that Rose disagreed. So much would have gone differently if he'd taken his Wolfsbane potion.
"I take it Professor Dumbledore is aware of all this?" Robin asked, getting a nod from her. "Clearly, he and I need to discuss just how tightly he enjoys holding his cards to his chest. If Pettigrew truly is running around as a rat animagus, there are many places he could infiltrate, and as Miss Weasley pointed out, people do not always pay attention to what a random rat is doing. This is information that Madam Bones should have had two years ago."
"Can you awaken this power for Sirius?" Rose asked desperately. At this point, after freeing her from her scar and giving her a way to blend in, she trusted Robin deeply. Maybe it was a mistake to tell him all this, but he wasn't wrong. This was information that should have been spread way faster.
"Almost certainly, but the bigger concern is that he's currently falsely accused of a great many crimes. Cornelius isn't going to like this, given that he used the fact that he was one of the first people on the scene as part of his campaign but as he is currently in the process of swapping sides entirely, I suspect we can… well, the first words that came to mind were 'bully him', into aiding in getting Mr Black a trial," Robin mused. "He may demand your presence at some political events, or something similar. Politics is a dirty game, and your position as the Girl Who Lived gives you some sway that may just save his sinking ship."
"Should I?" Rose asked with a scowl. She'd do a lot to help Sirius get freed, but Fudge was such a piece of shit. She hadn't forgotten him locking Hagrid in Azkaban just to be seen doing something.
"I understand your distaste, believe me. That said, Cornelius is likely the best choice for the seat. Professor Dumbledore won't take it, Amelia will be far too busy preparing the Aurors for Voldemort's return, and I can not think of a single member of the Ministry that I would trust to lead us during these troubled times. I won't say he's a good choice, but he's the best of a bad bunch. Especially if he's reliant on you, Professor Dumbledore, and Amelia to keep his seat," Robin explained bluntly. "Any upheaval risks someone with malicious intentions slipping into the position, especially with how unnervingly intelligent Voldemort seems of late."
Better to have an idiot who'd play along and wasn't a secret terrorist than to risk Voldemort getting a puppet for the job. Ugh, she already hated this.
"You trust him?" Rose asked, already displeased.
"He's a politician. So, no. What I do trust is his determination to keep his job, and his genuine terror of Voldemort. With Lucius gone, he'll be seeking a new advisor, while also driven to paranoia over his closest advisor being replaced under his very nose, causing him to see any newcomers with suspicion. As such, Amelia and the Headmaster have an opportunity to get him to go along with what needs to be done," Robin explained.
"Ugh. If it gets Sirius a fair trial…" Rose grumbled. "I can see why you left the Ministry. I hate it already."
"Most do," Robin admitted. "I will leave you to your recuperation. It seems I have much to do."
"I'd say sorry, but if it helps Sirius, I'm really not," Rose admitted.
"Quite understandable," Robin agreed. "I suspect Nymphadora will show up sooner rather than later. She seemed amused at the idea of having a new Metamorphmagus to teach. Enjoy your evening, and rest well."
"Thank you, Professor," Rose said as he turned to leave. He simply gave her a soft nod as he turned and walked away.
"He really is amazingly talented. Where do you think he got that key?" Hermione asked excitedly, her voice quiet. "I've never heard of something that can unlock potential, I wonder how-"
"We get it, you have a crush," Ron snorted, cutting her off as Hermione went red. Rose just shared a look with Ginny as they both sighed, the argument starting.
"Are you going to talk to Sirius?" Ginny asked quietly, ignoring the squabbling pair.
"Yeah. If there's a chance that we can get him found innocent, that's even better than just giving the ability to hide better," Rose agreed.
She just hoped she knew what she was doing. Dealing with politics sounded like it was going to be as complicated as it was dubious.
– Robin Scamander –
100cp granted, 100cp total.
Feat Achieved: Remove the Horcrux from Rose Potter without killing her, 300cp granted. 400cp total.
Feat Achieved: Lure Rose Potter into the dark arts of politics, 200cp granted. 600cp total.
Shaking my head, I head into my house with a tired sigh. Between talking (and maybe a little arguing) with Dumbledore, dealing with Cornelius and bringing Amelia up to date on the things that certain old men have kept her in the dark about, it's been a long, long day.
As a former member of law enforcement, the fact that Albus decided to keep Pettigrew's guilt to himself is… displeasing. He's effectively both a traitor and a serial killer and he's running around in the form of a rat with none the wiser. I understand his goal was to expose Voldemort's return and adding freeing Sirius on top of matters would only make Cornelius dig his heels in deeper, but still.
Cornelius, predictably, wants nothing to do with freeing Sirius or 'digging up such old history', but he wasn't the Minister when Sirius was denied his trial and frankly? If there's one thing he's good at, it's shifting the blame. In this case, deservedly onto both Bartemius Crouch Senior and Millicent Bagnold
"Do you think he's going to be an issue?" I ask, slumping into my seat.
"Cornelius is entirely too used to listening to the clinking of Malfoy gold for that," Narcissa replies with a sneer. "If there were anyone more fitting, I'd suggest supporting them, but the most likely replacement for the fool would be Rufus Scrimgeour, and he would be worse. Twice as opinionated as Fudge, with half his tact. He's a good fighter, but he's no leader. He'd be a disastrous wartime leader, too blunt and unmoving, and far less likely to follow our… advice. The Ministry is already in chaos, adding an upheaval on top of things would grind the gears of bureaucracy to a halt when we need them moving smoothly. You were smart to recruit the Potter girl. Fudge will cling to her fame like a lifeline."
"Were you close to Sirius?" I ask, getting a scoff.
"Not overly, no. Sirius was always ashamed to be a Black and did little to hide that fact from the rest of us. He was on good terms with Andromeda, but not Bellatrix or me," Narcissa explains with an uncaring shrug. "In truth, I thought he was guilty but out of cowardice rather than loyalty to the Dark Lord. I suppose I gave him too little credit. As much as Lucius would have disapproved, had I known that a member, the heir even, of House Black had been locked away without a trial, I'd have strung Bagnold and Crouch up myself. They overstepped, and I intend to make the old hag cower in her retirement home for that."
"Just don't cause too much trouble, please. We have enough issues as it is," I grunt, running a hand through my hair. "I might just kick Sirius's ass myself when I get my hands on him. When we found him, he was standing amidst a dozen corpses, holding a sparking wand and laughing about how 'he'd done it'. He was conscious for much of his trip to the Ministry and made no effort to explain a single thing."
"Truly, Sirius' ability to screw himself over never changed from when he was a child antagonising Aunt Walburga for the fun of it. Still, the one thing she was ever proud of him for, and he didn't even do that? I'm half tempted to see if that portrait of her still exists just to inform her. She always was an unpleasant cow of a woman," Narcissa scoffs.
"I'm half surprised that you didn't push to get Sirius removed from his position as heir, given that next in line would be you or Lyra," I point out, but she just scoffs again.
"Please, I have more tact than that. I'll admit that making my daughter the next Lady Black would be a victory, but right now, that daughter is in a magically induced coma that she may not awaken from. You think who gets the family seat is even close to my priority right now?" Narcissa asks with a disapproving glare. "My priority, the only thing I give a damn about, is finding someone capable of healing Lyra's broken mind and avenging the torture she was put through. The Mind Healer tried to awaken her, but his attempts to dampen the memories failed, something to do with the magic that the Dark Lord used on her, I suspect. His best suggestion would involve obliviating months of her memories, at least, and you know that long-term obliviation is no game. I'll not have my daughter join Lockhart and the Longbottoms, drooling on the sheets of St Mungo's."
"A fair point, my apologies," I say softly.
"It was a fair assumption," Narcissa admits with a dark laugh. "If Lyra was safe, if Lucius was alive, I might just be trying to kick Sirius back under the nearest rug to make sure that the Black name, seat and vault came our way. But, as it happens, I'd rather Sirius become Lord Black than leave it in limbo. He'll ensure its wealth and power are used to hurt the Dark Lord, of that much I'm sure. I suppose it should have been a sign that something was wrong with his sentencing that he remained the heir. It's common for prisoners who are sentenced for life to be stripped of their positions so they aren't left empty until the criminal dies in Azkaban, but when Lucius inquired, the goblins told us that Sirius remained the heir. I assumed it was something our grandfather did, but I suppose it's because he was never sentenced to begin with."
"Maybe. I've never looked into the House laws, beyond my spat with the Parkinsons over the inherited estate. And for that, I just hired Andromeda to represent me," I admit. Scamander isn't a particularly influential name despite being fairly well respected and old. We lost our 'pureblood' status long ago, as we've never overly cared about it. No seat on the Wizengamot, but that's more of a blessing than anything.
"Despite her disdain for it, Andromeda knows the laws well and plays the game with grace. A shame she didn't teach her daughter half of what she knows," Narcissa says, her tone telling.
"Nym told you?" I ask in amusement.
"Please. That girl could not keep a secret if you stitched her mouth shut," Narcissa scoffs. "I realised she was hiding something and got her to slip up. Her hair changes colour when she's nervous. She'd be terrible at poker; it's a giant flashing light exposing her emotions. I take it your attempt to awaken the Metamorphmagus ability in Miss Potter went well?"
"It did, yes," I admit. I have no reason to lie to Narcissa when we're on the same side. As with Cornelius, it's less about trusting her entirely but more that I know her motivations enough to know we are aiming for the same thing.
"Then I want it. I'm too well known to move around freely, and the Dark Lord is bound to target me once I put the Malfoy name and fortune to use in fighting him. Isn't that the same reason you gave it to your pet hero?" Narcissa asks, watching as I pull out my key.
"I take it you want it for Lyra as well, when she recovers?" I ask, getting a nod.
"Don't all mothers want what is best for their children?" Narcissa asks slyly, giving me an innocent smile.
"As it happens, I do agree that you should have the ability," I admit, getting the angelic smile from her. "We can discuss Lyra when she is awake to benefit from such an ability."
Pressing the key against her heart, I focus as I repeat my earlier feat and unlock the long-dormant potential deep within her. Narcissa flinches for a moment before she closes her eyes, and her appearance shifts. Firstly, her features take on a less refined, more harsh appearance and her hair changes to a dark black as she takes on Bellatrix's form for just a moment before she changes back with seeming ease.
Then, it shifts again as she grows younger, and fast, staring up at me with the face of a forth-year Narcissa.
"Impressive," I admit, getting a laugh from her.
"Unlike Nymphadora, I am an Occlumens. I've pried into how Nymphadora uses her power enough to know that it is mostly just a matter of visualisation. If she learnt Occlumency, I suspect she'd get her wild shifting under control," Narcissa replies with a superior (and frankly, bratty) look on her teenage face. "Andromeda is a fool for not teaching Nymphadora better."
"Somehow, I doubt she sees it that way," I chuckle.
"Of course she doesn't. Like Sirius, she is determined to curse herself in the foot out of spite toward her oh-so-terrible family. Of course, she settled for letting a muggleborn boy knock her up five months into their relationship rather than getting thrown in prison out of sheer stupidity," Narcissa retorts. "She's so determined to be different from our mother that she's gone too far in the opposite direction. At least she's merely disappointing, unlike Bellatrix, who became monstrous and who will be dying for what she did to Lyra."
"...I really can't take you seriously when you have that face on," I admit. "You look too much like the little girl who followed Bellatrix around like a lost puppy."
"Please. I was merely determined to keep my wild sister from causing too much shame to our family," Narcissa replies, in a true showing of self-delusion as she hides a flash of what I think was remorse. I can't imagine what she's going through, knowing that Bellatrix, at the very least, stood by and let her daughter be tortured until she broke. As always, any weakness is swiftly disposed of as Narcissa smirks and rises. "I wasn't that little, Robin. I had certainly grown in ways that the boys noticed, you included."
"Because you frequently flirted with me to try and make Bellatrix jealous, likely playing a large part in our eventual breakup," I retort, seeing her shrug innocently.
"It didn't stop you from enjoying having me bat my eyelashes at you," Narcissa counters, lazily brushing her now oversized dress off her shoulders as it falls to the floor. "Don't pretend you never thought about what it would be like to… replace Bella with the younger, prettier model."
As she speaks, she calmly removes her bra and tosses it over her shoulder, showing off her truly… youthful figure, a smug smile on her lips.
"I was more considering how to avoid being castrated by an antagonised, jealous Bellatrix," I reply with a quiet laugh. As much as I can remember the good times with Bella, I'm well aware that they were between the moments of her already growing insanity that I've suppressed. For each sweet moment, there was an argument. For each date, a time I had to get her to not curse a girl who smiled at me for a moment too long.
"I did cause you quite a lot of trouble, didn't I?" Narcissa admits with a quiet laugh, curling a loose strand of her hair with her finger as she steps closer. "Perhaps I should… apologise?"
Before I can speak, she kisses me, but I know Narcissa too damn well to think that she's just doing this out of gratitude or genuine desire.
"Non!" a familiar voice shouts as Fleur bursts into the room from the side room where… she'd been hiding and spying on us. Damn it, I'm getting sloppy. "You already cut the line!"
"My mom raised me just fine, you bitch!" Nymphadora shouts as she follows suit, her hair flashing from red to pink in rapid succession. "And what was that about Sirius?!"
Sitting back in her seat, Narcissa smiles with a far too smug look as her features regain her more mature look, though she doesn't bother dressing as I simply sigh.
Of course.
As the arguing begins, I turn my attention elsewhere.
[Ancient Seals] - 200cp, 400cp remaining.
"Together they defeated the Demon King Ganon - and sealed him away in darkness."
A series of enchanted relics, along with instructions on their use. When a ritual is performed with these relics on a defeated enemy, that enemy can be sealed away using their power, preventing them from awakening indefinitely. There is no way for them to escape this imprisonment on their own, and only someone with powerful magic and knowledge of their whereabouts can release them.
Given Voldemort's ability to return from the dead and how hard finding his Horcruxes might end up being, I won't turn down a way to seal him away and buy us time to track down his ties to this world and deal with him for good.
[Heavenly Mirror] - 200cp, 200cp remaining
Artefacts and abilities able to see beyond supernatural obfuscation are uncommon, but hardly unknown. This mirror is a minor artefact, but one with powerful effects nonetheless. It can see through illusions, glamours and shapeshifting, revealing the true form of something through its reflection.
Amelia will be happy to have an artefact that can expose any infiltrators trying to enter the Ministry. She can see through them herself, with my gift, but that requires her to personally see them all. This is simply a matter of setting it up at the entrance and having trusted Aurors check every arrival to ensure they are all who they say they are.
[King of Lions] - 200cp, 0cp remaining
Such a mighty Saber unleashes its roar! You're much more in touch with the national animal of Saberland, the majestic Lion. They calm in your presence and affectionately cuddle up to you, willingly to listen to almost any request you have. They'll even come when called, manifesting through magical energy as either the real animal, enhanced with your magic or constructs of light that fire explosive rays of energy. Your power over lions extends somewhat to things related to lions, letting you influence people and creatures of a similar breed, if only at a weaker level. Finally, you too can take on the form of a mighty Lion, as either a true Lion or a lion suit of your very own. While like this, your mighty roar can shake the foundations of the earth and cause terror far around. For those unwilling to unleash the roar, such a form also enhances natural strength and gives a wild instinct for battle.
These Sabers are in touch with their wild side, often displaying cat-like attributes without thinking of them as strange. They love long naps in the sun, a strong preference for bloody meat and will vigorously attempt to knock over any unattended objects left on the edge of tables or desks. Those who go too far into the lion can even lose what makes them human, becoming lions in human form who can only communicate in one way. Gaaaooooo.
…what the fuck?
Author's Note: And with this, the Cycle is complete and every fic has been updated. Took far too long but it is what it is. Hope everyone had a good Christmas/holiday season and all that jazz. Here's to 2026 not sucking major ass.
Written: 28/12/2025
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The Advance Chapters
Diamond: Supervillain Ch33, Celestial Punk Ch07, The Game Master Ch17, The Cursed Ch10, The Warlord Ch21
Plat: New Game Plus Ch11, Celestial Farmer Ch14, Celestial Remnant Ch14, Game Master Ch16, Guide to Necromancy Ch13
Gold: Cursed Ch09, Illusive Mage Ch11, Nightmare Ch17, Necromancer Ch10, Occult Ch11
Basic: Dungeon Master Ch07, Celestial Demigod Ch07, Blessed Ch10, Celestial Farmer Ch13, Celestial Escalation Ch09
Snippets Exclusives
Diamond: The Celestial Punk Ch06, The Blank Ch01
Plat: The Celestial Punk Ch05
Gold: The Celestial Punk Ch04
Basic: The Celestial Punk Ch03
Biweekly Exclusives
Diamond: Unbound Ch36, Unbound Ch35
Plat: Unbound Ch34
Gold: Unbound Ch33
Basic: Unbound Ch32
Quest Exclusives
All Tiers: The Card Master Ch04-08
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