Early the next morning, as Greengrass family was sitting down for breakfast, Lucifer finally arrived to save the day.
"Evelyn, I brought the helper you asked for...."
She looked at the people Lucifer had brought with him. Two Banfield' Maids, and a girl so striking that even she felt a flicker of awe. She had long pink hair cut in uneven layers, with two long braids trailing behind her, each tied with swirling red ribbons.
Her pale 'face' showed no emotion at all. Standing next to her, even the Maids' looked more like real humans.
"And this is...?" She asked puzzled.
Lucifer smiled as he introduced her.
"Her name is Shikimori," He turned his face towards her, giving her a nod of approval at the features crafted, especially her bossom, "You'll stay with Evelyn for now and learn from her. Once you earn her approval, you can go find Crouch. After you're fully settled in, the Arkham Asylum Guild will be yours to manage."

"Yes, Master."
The pink-haired girl answered flatly, her face was trying hard to escape from completely blank, and had horizontal red lines of looking a bit under the weather, she was actually still learning how to express herself.
"M-Master?!" Daphne shot up from her chair at once, a whirlpool of dirty thoughts and fantasies rotting her brain, and she blurted, "Lucifer, who is she supposed to be?!"
Hints of concern flickered in Evelyn Greengrass's eyes as well. She studied Shikimori carefully. The girl didn't look much older than Daphne, maybe a year or two at most. Questions piled up in her mind.
Whose child was this? Why wasn't she in school? Did she really have the qualifications or ability to take over the Arkham Asylum Guild? Someone Daphne had never even heard of, yet Lucifer trusted her this much?
"Calm down, Daph." Lucifer sat down beside the girl, grabbed a piece of bread, and spoke around a mouthful, "Let Shikimori explain it herself."
"My name is... 'Miyako Shikimori," She spoke in an uneven tone, at first it came out as meek, to which Lucifer gave her a nod for continuing, that did for the girl, her internal feelings of confidence boosted up, and relaxed herself, "Numerical Code 382005 Multi 'functional' angel. I am a lifeform created by my master, please call me by last name Shikimori."
"So she's an alchemical being," Evelyn said with obvious relief, "Like the Maids, then..."
"No." Shikimori looked at her with a still, depthless gaze which made even Lady Greengrass feel a chill, "House of Banfield' Maids is an auxiliary, clerical-type puppet created by the master. I... am an Angel, a true creation of life."
"A creation of life..." Daphne's eyes drifted down to her own stomach.
Lucifer was instantly flooded with a horde of question marks. He explained, half laughing, half exasperated. "What are you even thinking? Alchemical lifeforms like 'Miyako...' you can think of her as a magical race. If you really want to understand, go read the books I gave you."
Daphne shook her head like a rattle drum, "Yeah, no thanks."
"You, honestly." Lucifer tapped her lightly on the head and didn't press the issue. If she or Hermione wanted, would teach those girls everything he knew, every bit of power and knowledge he possessed.
Unfortunately, the 'former' preferred lying flat and doing nothing, while Granger was robbing his Library on a scheduled time-table.
"Hehe~" Daphne stuck out her tongue, slid all the sliced sausages from her plate onto Lucifer's, then looked at the narrow eyed girl with a joyful expression talking with her mother. Suspicion crept into her voice. "Oye, are you sure she's really up to it? She feels kinda dumb, not even as smart as me...."
Astoria, hearing that, nearly rolled her eyes straight into the sky. What kind of comparison was that? Were you judging her, or redefining your own intelligence?
Lucifer didn't think Daphne's comment was strange at all. He was used to it by now, "That's just her personality. She's not good at expressing emotions right now, but actually very smart. 'Really."
He emphasized that last part deliberately. How could she not be? Shikimori had inherited his spirituality, and each drop of the two most powerful magical bloodlines as of yet, that could have gotten extinct if not for him. 'Albus Dumbledore & Gellert Grindelwald.'
The 'former' gave his when he visited the portraits at the end of school term. After sitting motionless on the moon for three days, Lucifer hadn't come away empty-handed. His mental strength had become 'far' more refined to suit this adapting body with space, and his control over himself had grown incredibly precise.
He had 'finally' mastered a way to extract spiritual essence without damaging the soul of Muggle. At present, all of his most advanced techniques had been poured into Shikimori. Compared to a real human, she lacked only one thing: a true soul.
As for turning her into a genuine human being? Creating a true soul for her? Lucifer didn't dare. Anael's example was still painfully 'fresh' in his mind. A legendary Creative Angel had managed to ruin herself through sheer overreach. With his current strength, he wasn't about to poke that taboo. He'd think about it after having a chat with her (Pandora) someday.
By the time he finished breakfast, Lady Greengrass had also finished talking with Shikimori. The results were more than satisfactory.
She, who looked unreliable at first glance, turned out to be unexpectedly solid. Her knowledge base was extensive, thinking was quick, she had more flexibility and intuition than the Banfield' Maids. If she hadn't known better, Evelyn would never have guessed that the adorable girl in front of her was an alchemical creation, but a 'fifth' or sixth year Hogwarts student.
She glanced at the boy joking around with Daphne and couldn't help feeling emotional. Having ability really did mean doing whatever you wanted. No suitable staff? Then, just make one yourself.
"You kids enjoy yourselves. I've still got a mountain of work waiting for me at the Ministry..." With that, Lady Greengrass took Shikimori and the two Maids with her, who kept giving inward glances at the new girl with hidden envy.
Evelyn was smiling as she left.
Shikimori aside, she'd have to return her once the huge workload was finished. But the two Maids were different. With them handling her paperwork, wouldn't she be able to slack off every day in the 'future?'
That long-abandoned girls' afternoon tea tradition might finally make a comeback. Lady Greengrass seemed to have forgotten one small detail. She might be liberated now, but her good friend Amelia Bones wouldn't be nearly so lucky.
xxxxxx
"Lucifer, let's go see the cows today," Daphne said eagerly, "The kind you showed me in those pictures before."
He nodded without hesitation. After running nonstop for so long, it really was time to take a couple of days off. Once the sisters had changed, Lucifer took them to the largest zoo in Scotland. The cows Daphne meant were Highland cattle. They're one of the smallest cattle breeds in the world, shaggy and woolly, with faces that look half sheep, half pig.
Their looks were... hard to describe, but undeniably cute. Daphne had fallen in love the moment she saw the photos. Now that, she was seeing the real thing and confirming that live version matched the pictures perfectly, she immediately decided to buy a few and raise at home for fun.
"Sister," Astoria said, pointing at the information board on the wall. It showed what Highland cattle looked like when fully grown, "They're cute now, but once they grow up, you definitely won't like them..."
"It's fine," Daphne said breezily, "When they grow up, I'll just buy more babies."
"Then what about the grown ones?"
"'Eat them, obviously," Her older sister replied without hesitation, still petting the calf, making Astoria frown deeper as she stared, "Why are you asking such dumb questions?"
"...." Astoria had no words left to say, but then a terrible idea struck her, and she instantly relayed, "What if you can't bear to eat them later?"
"I'd just give the dishes to Lucifer. He'd say, 'Cute when they're little, good in the pot when they're big,' and eat them cheerfully anyway."
"..." So, after buying ten cows from a farmer and watching Daphne have the time of her life, Lucifer immediately returned to Abbott's, with a prepared test for Hannah.
xxxxxx
As long as she scored sixty, the lovely daughter of Cynthia Abbott could proudly declare that she had officially graduated elementary school.
"I... I'm ready!" Hannah looked at Lucifer nervously, to succeed her parents, and in taking over 'Abbott's Puff & Pastry Diner' her mother had set up a few goals which needed completion, Muggle world included.
It wasn't the exam that made her uneasy. It was the promise she'd made with the other "herself."
Aside from studying the textbooks Lucifer assigned, Hannah had secretly gone to the library to read books on psychology after hearing Granger's issue last year. She didn't understand much of it, but had managed to identify her own problem. Turned out she too suffered from dissociative identity disorder. And not a mild case, either.
If Lucifer found out she was mentally ill, would he be disgusted by her? But she had already promised the other self. If she broke that promise, the other Hannah might forcibly take over, which would only make things worse. Her heart was a tangled mess.
Lucifer thought she was just nervous about the test. He gently rubbed her whitish-blonde hair and offered a few words of reassurance before placing the exam paper on the table.
Time ticked by, two and a half hours passed in the blink of an eye.
"Time's up. Let me see..."
Picking up the written parchments, he skimmed through them quickly, nodding again and again. It was obvious at a glance that Hannah had studied seriously. Math, French, Baking Science. Three papers, three hundred points total, and she scored two hundred seventy.
"You did really well, Hannah. That's amazing," Lucifer didn't hold back on the praise, "But keep it up. Try to finish mastering the first three years of middle school as soon as possible. After that, you won't need to study so strictly anymore. You can read whatever you want..."
Hannah didn't lack strength. What she lacked was an understanding of the world. She needed proper, modern knowledge to wash away her naive bubble of thinking, and become self reliant. "Yes, I'll continue to work hard," She replied softly, nodded, fidgeting with her fingers, hesitation written all over her face.
Lucifer played along and asked gently, "What's wrong? Are you having some kind of difficulty? If you have any thoughts, say out loud. I'll help you."
Among all the troubled children around him, Hannah's obedience was especially precious. Susan had once been the same way, like a little beast that had strayed from its pack, wide-eyed and full of fear.
Sadly, she'd been led astray. So this time, he wouldn't let Hannah walk the wrong path. He would protect this close little quilt properly.
"Um..." She began timidly. "Are you good with my results this time?"
"More than satisfied."
"Then... may I ask for a reward?"
"Oh?" Lucifer was intrigued, she rarely made such requests, "What kind of reward do you want?"
Hannah slowly stepped closer. Under his stunned gaze, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her pupils turned gold, while her hair faded into a pale silver-gray.
"Hah..." She breathed softly, warm air brushing against his ear, then whispered like a sweet devil offering tempting words, but in this case she was demanding, "I. Want. You."
Lucifer made a dumb noise. What the hell just happened? The girl's sudden change hit him like a truck, he was completely stunned, "Hannah, you..."
"Don't call me that."
The Hannah who used to be as gentle as a kitten suddenly wore a look of pure disgust.
"Then what should I call you?" he asked carefully. "Anna?"
"That's just a removal of two alphabets in pronunciation!" She snapped back with vigor, leaned in and kissed him, then pulled away just enough for their eyes to lock, "You don't seem all that shocked..."
Lucifer answered honestly, "No, I'm freaking out. But I'm mentally resilient," he added quickly, "High adaptability. That's why it looks like I'm not..." How could he not be shocked? Hannah Abbott had blackened out of nowhere, and from the look of it, she herself knew about this other her.
"My name is Hespera Abbott."
Lucifer's bottom lip quivered, it meant evening star or twilight, perfectly contrasting Hannah's sunny Hufflepuff nature with a darker, nocturnal persona, "Can you tell me how you appeared?"
"No." She shook her head, then pressed close again, "I'm taking my reward first." With just a little force, she pinned Lucifer down onto the bed, not wanting to touch anywhere sensitive that might hurt the girl's stomach, he obliged without a fight.
xxxxxx
Two and a half hours later, Lucifer was staring blankly at the ceiling. Way too real. What was this supposed to be? Some kind of spiritual intimacy?
Hespera lay comfortably on her fiance's chest, lazily drawing circles with her fingers. She looked so focused, like a kid who'd just discovered the best toy in the world.
Not wanting to be toyed with any further, Lucifer sighed and asked again, "So? Can you tell me now? When did you show up?"
"Isn't this what you wanted?" She snorted, her hand still moving, going downwards to clutch his tool in a tight grip, he winced, "You made that country bumpkin read so she'd clear out her stupid head, and grow balls."
Lucifer let out a long breath, "I didn't mean to create a split personality."
She immediately bristled, clutching an even more vulnerable spot, firmly holding his two jewels in her closed fists, "What's that supposed to mean? What do I lack compared to that foolish girl?"
"No, no, no, I didn't say anything!" He protested to cool the fire down, before she busted those eggs into a new dish for today's lunch, "You're overthinking. I'm just saying I'm surprised. Okay... your appearance was unexpected too, but to me, you're both Hannah. There's no difference."
It wasn't the answer Hespera wanted most, but when she saw the sincerity in his eyes, she could tell he meant it. She gave a soft huff and slowly pulled her hand back to the cock.
Lucifer 'finally' relaxed. Even if he was near omnipotent and immortal, having someone hold your weakness like that was still a terrible feeling.
xxxxxxx
"But then you appeared, and your semen became Hannah's salvation, it 'fused' our two magical cores, but our emotions kept clashing, splitting apart. My true birth became inevitable...."
Lucifer rushed his hand across her cheek, he didn't know that Hannah had a twin who died in her mother's womb before she could see the light of the day, but hadn't disappeared, "I guess it just means, I did a good thing leaving my realm.." After thinking for a moment, he added, "I'll look into a way to completely separate the two of you. Just give me some time."
"No way." Hespera shot the idea down instantly.
"....You don't want to separate from Hannah?"
This wasn't how it was supposed to go. As the opposing persona, shouldn't she be desperate to split off from the original, to be treated as a complete individual instead of a shadow?
She curled her lip, utterly dismissive, "Yeah, I don't. It sounds like a pain. I've seen how exhausting that country bumpkin's life is. If we split, you'd definitely force me to study every day too. No thanks, I just want to do whatever I feel like doing. Let her deal with all the hard stuff."
Honestly... it was a disturbingly brilliant plan, Hannah carried the load, Hespera enjoyed the ride, but.
"Okay, can you stop calling her 'that foolish girl' or a 'country bumpkin'?" Lucifer said, exasperated, "If Hannah heard you, she'd be heartbroken. And you two are one... You can't talk about yourself like that."
"I'll say it. I'll keep saying it." Hespera sulked, thumping his chest with her little fists, "You're always taking her side instead of mine. Isn't she a country bumpkin? She is, and so am I. What's wrong with saying it?"
"And besides..." She leaned in close, warm breath brushing his nipple, "Don't you think it's more fun this way? Playing around, and then suddenly it's a different person. Don't you like that?"
How are you this smooth? Lucifer stared blankly at the ceiling. He racked his brain but couldn't figure it out. The library didn't have any adult books, so where did Hespera even learn tricked like this? He didn't even add cartoons that had much fan service in the Room of Debauchery'.
Was it really pure talent, learned with no teacher? But she clearly wasn't planning to let him think for long. Dressed in her micro strawberry bikini, she mounted up again, boldly requesting a second round.
After who knew how long, the two finally settled down.
Cradling the girl, who had obviously recovered but was still pretending to be weak, Lucifer carried her to the bath for a shared soak. Tomorrow, he'd have a proper talk with Hannah. Whether to separate was a matter for both 'consciousnesses,' not something he could decide based on her twin alone. Even if he'd already ahem... eaten Hespera completely, he wouldn't play favorites.
After all... he'd been eating the other one regularly too. Once he left, she lounged lazily on the bed in a bathrobe, a smile on her lips that simply wouldn't fade. "So? How did it feel?"
"...You... you're shameless." Hannah's voice rose from deep inside, tinged with tears, "That's not what you said before. What did you do?!" She felt utterly wronged. She'd been tricked by herself?! They'd agreed beforehand that Hespera would only use the exam as an excuse to reveal her existence to Lucifer and test his reaction. 'So why, why did it end up like this? I was the one who came first, and in the end she got everything?'
"Tch."
But Hespera's smile only grew brighter, her shoulders shaking with laughter, "Idiot. You can read all the books you want, but you will still be an idiot. I tell you something and you just believe it? What's wrong with fooling myself? Haven't you been lying to yourself all this time? I tricked you once and now you're mad?"
"No. You can trick me, but you can't defile Lucifer! I'm the mother here," Hannah snapped, a rare flare of anger as she tried to seize control of the body.
Hespera wasn't worried at all. She simply recalled the sensations from earlier. Since they shared feelings, or rather, the same memories, Hannah's mind immediately went soft and scattered, utterly collapsing, "See?" She purred. "Didn't you like it too?"
Rubbing her thighs together, she licked her lips, "So, how did it feel? Did you have any sense of participation? Oh~ Must've been amazing, right? I didn't feel you resisting at all when I did it with him. I even tried so many shameful poses, but there was no response from you."
Keeping her silence was the answer Hannah chose, but her twin sister pressed mercilessly, even threatening to never let her out again. Only then did she reluctantly mumble, "I... I got too excited and passed out. When I woke up, you were already going to take a bath..."
"What?" Hespera froze. She hadn't expected that answer. After a brief moment of shock, she burst into uncontrollable laughter. "Hahahaha! You... you 'actually' passed out? Pff- Hahahaha! Country bumpkin, are you trying to kill me by being stupid?"
Her laughter stabbed into Hannah's innocent heart like knives, leaving her humiliated and furious. But... back then her mind really had gone blank. Everything felt hazy, like she was floating on clouds. Even now, she still hadn't fully come back to herself.
"Tch." Hespera licked her tongue in disgust, "Good thing I was decisive back then. If I'd waited for you to finally get smart, Susie's kids would probably be running wild all over the place by now. Useless... Useless and foolish younger sister."
Hannah fainted again. This time, it was from sheer rage. When Lucifer came back again the next day, she was nowhere to be seen in the house.
Both Hannah and Hespera stayed hidden through the morning. It wasn't until evening that older girl finally managed to suppress the idiot Huffle-puff for a bit, texted Lucifer through WhatsApp, then came running over at his arrival, the two of them once again engaging in some very 'in-depth' communication in bed.
Hespera wisely kept quiet about yesterday's embarrassing incident. No one understood Hannah better than she did. If she actually told Lucifer about her fainting from pleasure, the shame might drive main personality to drag her down with her.
That said, she sold Susan out without the slightest hint of guilt. The negative emotions and doubts in Hannah's heart had been there for a long time already, due to Uncle Gideon betraying the family, they'd played with toy knives in house twice, and burnt her mother's cake.
Susan's words were just the spark that pushed those doubts past the tipping point, giving Hespera her opening and allowing her to fully take shape.
Lucifer hadn't expected Bones heiress to be involved at all. Hespera's birth clearly hadn't been the intention, so what exactly had that girl been trying to do?
How was he supposed to know Susan had been trying to find herself an ally, only to end up accidentally getting herself cuckolded in the process?
"Hannah won't dare come see you anytime soon," She said, breaking Lucifer out of his thoughts. She licked her lips and chuckled. "Give me some time. Once I finish training her properly, I'll let you play with something even more exciting."
He patted her on the head.
"Don't bully your sister."
Even though Lucifer claimed he treated everyone equally, his heart still couldn't help but lean toward the girl in his arms, two personalities.
And he realized that Hespera was also incredibly easy to deal with. She might bare her teeth now because he favored Hannah, but in reality, one smack on the butt was all it took for her to behave.
Over the next few days, she really did stay hidden, just as Hespera had said. Lucifer found some time to visit the Bones Manor, and gave Susan a loud spanking which would make her numb, and uncomfortable to sit for next couple of days.
The girl wailed loudly, having no idea what she'd done wrong. When she found out Hannah had ratted her out, she was so mad she cursed her best friend for being disloyal.
"Don't just copy Amelia's tricks of manipulating people," Lucifer scolded her half-heartedly before asking, "How are things on you two's side? Settling in okay?"
He chose not to mention Hannah's split personality. Susan would find out eventually, but when that happened should be decided by two girls themselves. He wasn't going to interfere.
"Of course, we're excited to play Mom's, Aunty helped me decorate the nursery crib, and Daphne's mum is helping us learn tricks to breastfeed..." Susan replied cheerfully, she couldn't even be bothered to get up, they would collectively raise babies, "Lady Greengrass is a real talent, I love talking with her."
"That's good," Lucifer said, nodding without surprise, he had first hand experience of how Evelyn deals with you, when you are disobedient, and being naughty.
xxxxxx
Little Whinging, Privet Drive
'Ding-dong~~'
"Coming!"
A voice answered from inside. The door swung open, Lucifer froze, then a moment later after shock was gone, he burst out laughing, "Sirius... what on earth are you wearing?"
Beaming, Sirius a grimy, oil-stained apron with a spatula still in hand. He looked nothing like the hardened fugitive from last year's wanted posters, more like a 'frantic' stay at home dad, "Well, I was trying to cook something for you and Harry."
He waved off Lucifer's teasing and stepped aside. "Come in. Two more dishes and we're done. Steak looks simple, but it's a nightmare to fry."
The smell of burnt food hit Lucifer like a Bludger, expectations for lunch plummeted drastically. 'This... might actually be worse than Hagrid's cooking which damaged my girlfriend's brain a bit, how much hard those cookies that fell on her....'
"Lucifer, just give me a minute. Almost done!"
The moment Sirius ushered him inside, he bolted straight into the kitchen. A second later, a whole barrage of swearing burst out from there. Judging by the noise, he was probably starting those steaks over again.
Harry had just come down the stairs, and gave his friend an embarrassed smile, "Don't mind him. Sirius is just... direct, very so..."
Lucifer shook his head. Honestly, compared to the 'family-based' verbal curses, Wizarding insults sounded like someone writing a mildly annoyed essay. Nothing here could faze him anymore. They went into the living room, he found a comfortable spot on the couch and asked, "So you're living with Sirius now?"
"Not really." Harry shook his head. "I'm still at my aunt's. I just spend the daytime here. I have to go back before they go to bed or they lock the door."
Then he suddenly leaned in, lowering his voice mysteriously. "Lucifer, I heard Grindelwald sent someone to invite you yesterday?"
"News travels fast."
"I overheard Sirius and Lupin talking last night..." Harry mumbled, clearly admitting to eavesdropping. "They said you didn't turn him down?"
"Yeah," Lucifer said, completely open about it.
"But why?" Harry blurted. "He's a Dark Lord! Just as evil as Voldemort!"
"Um... Slytherin kind of produces dark wizards by the dozen?" He looked at him like it was obvious, "I'm a Slytherin first, Potter. If following Grindelwald has benefits, why wouldn't I consider it?"
"What, so if he tells you to kill someone you'll just go along with it?" Harry stared at him like he'd gone mad.
"Of course not."
Talking to a sweet pure child was exhausting. And even though Harry wasn't particularly sweet or pure, he was definitely simple.
"Forget it, not worth arguing. Anyway, the Headmaster treats me well enough, so I don't need to switch sides for now."
Yesterday, to prove he could offer everything Grindelwald had promised and more, Dumbledore had given Lucifer a notebook from his youth as a New Year's gift. According to him, this was only the second he'd ever given away the first had gone to Aberforth. 'See? That's how competition starts....'
It was packed with insight. The 'Transfiguration' theory alone might be sharp enough to impress even Rowena Ravenclaw. After centuries of magical development, Dumbledore's skills were already brushing up against Gryffindor's level.
Pure spellcraft, unaffected by raw magic power or mystical perception.
Finally, to avoid getting dragged into another round of Harry's cluelessness, Lucifer steered the conversation toward something he always had opinions about: Draco Malfoy.
And it worked, all he had to do was sit back and listen to Harry rant happily for a good hour.
Almost sixty minutes later, Sirius finally emerged from the kitchen carrying lunch for three, while his godson shot Lucifer "May Merlin have mercy on your soul" look and headed over first.
"You've got to be kidding me." Lucifer stared at the tableful of... half-cooked, possibly still-alive food. He turned toward Sirius, "Are you mad at me? Or is this your way of repaying a favor by poisoning me?"
If it were Hermione or Daphne's cooking, he might have tolerated it. Anyone else? Absolutely not.
"I think it looks... 'fine?" Sirius tried to grin. He grabbed a piece of steak, shoved it into his mouth, and his face immediately went from pink to blue to an alarming shade of white.
Silently, he spat it out, pulled out a wad of Muggle cash and handed it to Harry.
"Order takeout."
Harry looked like he'd been pardoned. He snatched the money and sprinted back to use the phone.
Sirius sighed and explained, "I do have a house-elf. Kreacher. But we don't get along. My mother ruined him, he bought into all that pure-blood nonsense. Doesn't respect me at all. The only 'true master' in his eyes is my brother."
"But he still cooks for you, right?" Lucifer asked, puzzled.
"It's not that he refuses..." He rubbed his temples, until Sirius's face was turning green. "It's that he uses wilted vegetables, spoiled meat, expired spices... and that's before you consider his hands. Lucifer, I swear those haven't been washed in decades. And he... handles everything with them. You get what I mean? How am I supposed to eat anything he cooks?"
Lucifer went pale too. Even when Harry came back with takeout, the story had killed any appetite he had, forced down a few bites and prepared to leave with Sirius and Harry for the Black 'family's' ancestral home.
"I'm not going," Harry said immediately, horrified. Before they stepped out, he tugged Lucifer aside and whispered, "Kreacher's insane. Really hates... anyone not pure-blood. And there's this portrait. Just be ready."
"Okay."
Lucifer made a casual hand gesture, and Sirius side-alonged him away. A moment later they landed on 'Grimmauld Place.'
"The Black family home is at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place." As soon as Sirius said it, a building squeezed itself into existence between Eleven and Thirteen, pushing both aside like bullied neighbors.
'Much better concealment work than the Graves, Lucifer noted impressed.
"Most of the books are in the library, but there's weird stuff stashed all over. I once dug up a whole notebook on Dark magic from some ancestor's junk room...." Sirius pushed open the door to Number Twelve and they stepped in. A wave of must and rot hit them.
Lucifer almost thought he was back in the 'Slytherin dorms', when he visited his own room there for the first time, the entrance was dim and narrow, with branching hallways snaking out like a labyrinth carved underground, "No wonder you hate living here," he muttered.
Shrugging helplessly, Sirius led him deeper inside. Wherever they walked, the sconces along the wall flickered to life, revealing ornate ceiling moldings and carved stone pillars. Much of it was chipped or crumbling, but the place still radiated the ghost of its old grandeur.
'The whole house is a mirror of the Black family itself, Lucifer thought. 'Once glorious, now falling apart.'
Then they reached the end of the hall just as heavy velvet drapes snapped open on their own, revealing a massive portrait. It showed a gaunt old woman with sallow skin, a black bonnet, and a hooked vulture-like nose. A shriek exploded through the room.
"Filth! Disgrace! Shame of our family! My worthless spawn! I should never have birthed you! Your 'father' should've spilled you on the wall!"
"You dare return! And bring a-"
The stream of obscenities cut off abruptly. Lucifer lowered his hand. The portrait was still screaming and raged, but no sound came out, "Paintings are affected by 'Silencing Charms' too. I learned that from Phineas. Sirius, hope you don't mind."
"What's the point of minding? You've already done it," Sirius didn't look even slightly upset. If anything, he seemed relieved. He'd probably wanted to do this for years but could only muffle her with curtains, "Wait, Phineas... Phineas Black? The ancestor who was a Hogwarts headmaster?" He finally processed what the boy had said.
"That's the one. He and I had some unpleasant history, but we're on decent terms now. Mostly thanks to you."
"He acknowledged me?" Sirius let out a dry, bitter laugh.
Lucifer nodded with a grin, "Of course. You're the only one left who can continue the 'Black family' line."
"So, I'm basically a breeding tool? What's the difference between me and Kreacher then?"
Maybe it was hearing his name, but Kreacher finally appeared. The house-elf shuffled down the stairs like a corpse that had forgotten to lie down. He looked 'older' than any elf Lucifer had ever seen, Cirden still had his middle aged looks, but him...?
Kreacher shot Sirius a bored look and gave a half-hearted bow. "The useless master returns to the mistress's home. As if turning it into a rubbish heap wasn't enough. Werewolves, mudbloods, and now he brings a---"
Lucifer didn't let him finish. He flicked a finger and sent Kreacher flying into the wall, slamming him right next to portrait. A velvet curtain whipped over and wrapped around his mouth. This little wretch ran on insults without stopping, no need to give him another chance.
"Sirius, you should give him a strict order. He's not allowed to say anything insulting or complain in front of me... And you need to set clear rules, or he'll twist your wording every way he can."
"Brilliant idea!" Sirius's eyes lit up.
And Lucifer was absolutely right, he knew the elves nature well, Kreacher had always somehow found loopholes just to spite him.
"But setting rules... that's going to take forever. I can't think of everything on the spot."
"I can lend you a house-elf to train him. Parker!"
A small explosion popped in the air, and Bones house-elf, Parker appeared, landing neatly on the floor. He bowed so deeply his long nose nearly touched the ground.
"Master Lucifer."
Sirius looked at Kreacher as if to say, 'Look at that, that's how an elf behaves.' While Black's elf stopped struggling and stared in disbelief. How could a 'filthy' mudblood have a Bones' house-elf obeying him?
"Parker, Kreacher doesn't know proper manners. He tried to insult me just now. Teach him how to behave and how to treat guests correctly."
Parker's big eyes blazed with fury at Kreacher, "Yes, Master. This old creature is a disgrace to all house-elves. I will set him straight!"
Lucifer waved for Sirius to continue upstairs. As they reached the second floor, Kreacher's shrieks and Parker's furious scolding echoed up from below.
He ignored the noise, though his face grew oddly conflicted.
"You want to say something?" Lucifer asked when he noticed.
"Well..." Sirius hesitated, clearly embarrassed, feeling bad already how he free loaded at the penthouse, "Do you have potions like those blue ones... that helped me recover faster? Maybe even restore my body better than before? Name your price. I'll pay whatever you want...."
xxxxxx
Now, he had basically become one of Lucifer's most reliable customers. He'd been buying potions for physical recovery and mental stabilization nonstop at Lux too, and the total had climbed past ten thousand Galleons by now.
But a decade in Azkaban wasn't something you bounced back from easily. Sirius had lived with guilt and regret for so long that his mind had been bleeding itself dry. A wizard's mental and spiritual wounds were far harder to heal than anything physical.
So even though he was better, he still felt that 'fragile' edge under his skin. If he were living alone, he'd shrug it off. But Harry needed him now, and someday his kids would too.
Sirius didn't want to risk having some old trauma snap and make him hurt the people he loved.
Lucifer thought for a moment. Mental trauma, right. 'Smoothing memory creases and straightening out tangled thoughts, I know a weed' "There's a way," he said finally. "Not quite ready yet. Give me some time."
"It's fine, I'm in no rush." Sirius was genuinely grateful. "Whatever it costs, say the number. And if you need ingredients, I'll get them."
"'Fifteen thousand Galleons, and no, you don't need to prep anything."
Lucifer named a price that would've staggered most wizards, but Sirius agreed without even blinking. He even tried to pay upfront, the boy had to politely decline it off.
When he opened the library door, Sirius didn't step in, but stayed at the threshold.
"Take your time, read whatever you want. Coming back for dinner?"
"No, please don't poison me by accident."
Laughing awkwardly, then he closed the door for Lucifer. The Black 'family' library was huge, maybe a third the size of Hogwarts'. For a single household, that was impressive. No wonder they were one of the oldest pure-blood lines.
Though plenty of the books matched volumes, Lucifer already owned, he would need to sort them first.
xxxxxx
"Lucifer, it's about to start!"
On a bright afternoon with clear skies and warm sunlight, Daphne's voice rang out from a third-floor window of the castle.
"I'm coming."
He answered without even looking up, continuing to brush the last stretch of Usagi's scales. Only after they were completely clean did he pat her on the head, "Go have fun. Just be back tonight."
'Roooar!'
Usagi let out a cheerful cry. In the blink of an eye, her two-meter body expanded to over ten. She coiled upward and shot into the sky, vanishing almost instantly.
Only then did Lucifer step forward and enter the third floor room. A massive screen was hung on the wall. Today was the 'Quidditch World Cup' quarterfinals, the United States versus Japan.
The quarterfinals used a two-leg scoring system, with one match held in each country. The 'first' match had been in the United States. Today was Japan's home game, but there was no suspense at all. The United States was guaranteed to advance, considering the previous score was four hundred eighty to thirty.
Japan was completely outmatched.
Lucifer was only watching because he had nothing better to do and had agreed to keep Daphne company. That said, Japan's Quidditch history actually had quite a bit to do with Hogwarts. Three hundred years ago, a 'few' outrageously bold Hogwarts students, and without even thinking about it, definitely Gryffindors, decided to attempt a transoceanic journey on their beat-up broomsticks.
They ran into a hurricane, got blown off course, and were rescued by several professors from the local magic academy, Mahouto Koro's School of Magic, who were observing planetary movements. They stayed there for quite some time, and as thanks, they taught Mahouto koro's students rules of Quidditch.
From then on, it became a popular sport at Japanese School of Magic, and they kept studying advanced tactics from the European side. Even so, making it into the top eight was basically their limit. Sure enough, the match ended in under half an hour.
What was amusing was the broadcast afterward. Japan's newly appointed 'female' Minister of Magic didn't look disappointed at all. She was smiling like she'd won, practically glued to America's Magical Congress President, Samuel Quahog.
"That woman is so ugly."
Daphne, a devoted looks-first critic, wrinkled her nose in disgust and flicked her wand to turn off the screen, "Oh right, will Mahouto koro's send people to next year's Dueling tournament?"
Lucifer nodded around his straw, "Yes, we finalized it not long ago."
Astoria's big eyes sparkled with curiosity, "I heard their students aren't divided by age, but by clothing. Is that really true?"
"It is, their uniforms are woven with a special ring of thread. Pink marks beginners, while gold means a student has qualified to graduate and can take the final exams. There are other colors in between, of course. And if someone were to betray the Japanese wizarding code... or practice the 'forbidden' Dark Arts, their uniform would turn white. That was considered a massive disgrace, and the student would be expelled immediately."
Daphne blinked, gossip lighting up her eyes. "So if someone stayed in pink forever, even if they were forty or fifty, they still couldn't graduate?"
"Well... I don't know about forty or fifty. But this Tournament has an age requirement."
"Ah... I see..." She drooped, visibly disappointed, not getting to watch drama clearly hurt her soul.
Lucifer and Astoria exchanged a look and smiled helplessly. It was like, in Daphne's world, absolutely everything could be turned into entertainment.
After the match, he left, still had plans to go shopping with Tracey that afternoon. Astoria also got ready to head back to her room to read.
"I've decided!"
Just as Astoria stood up, Daphne suddenly shouted, startling her so badly she nearly jumped. The younger witch asked nervously, "Sister, do you want more cupcakes?"
Daphne pumped her little fists, her cute face set in a fierce expression that somehow still looked adorable, "Yes that too, but I've decided. I'm going to enter the tournament!"
Astoria stared at her, dumbfounded.
'What even was this? If you can't watch the fun, then just become yourself? Oh no, My sister has lost her mind again!'
{Mom! Sis has gone crazy. Please come back and slap some sense into her!}
At the Ministry of Magic, Lady Greengrass stared at the abrupt message from her younger daughter, completely baffled. Never mind, she'd ask about it when she got home tonight.
She closed her WhatsApp, decided not to overthink it, then looked up with a smile at the pink-haired girl standing before her.
"Shikimori, you're brilliant. You've already mastered all the work procedures here," Evelyn said gently, if her daughters were present now, would have complained at her to be under 'Imperius Curse,' "Now that the troublesome work is finished and Maids can easily handle remaining minor tasks, you should report to Crouch starting tomorrow. You'll gradually take over the guild's operations..."
"Thank you for your guidance, ma'am, you've also worked very hard." Bowing slightly, her face became one of melancholy to be departed from Evelyn, ever her words were unexpectedly warm.
The smile on Lady Greengrass' face softened even more. After spending these days together, she'd grown genuinely fond of this child. Obedient, sensible, and eager to learn. The longer you looked at her emotionally 'unstable face', the cuter it somehow became.
And yesterday they discovered she had a weakness for round things. When the 'family' was eating watermelon, Shikimori had fallen in love at first sight, hugging it and refusing to let go, even insisting on taking it back to her bedroom that night.
The next day, struck by a whim, Lady Greengrass gave her another watermelon. That nearly gave Shikimori a breakdown. With her tiny frame, even holding one watermelon was a struggle. Watching her wrestle with it had both Bones and Greengrass laughing so hard they could barely stand.
Whenever the two mother's saw Shikimori, they felt a powerful urge to adopt her. Especially Mrs. Greengrass, compared to her own eldest daughter who spent all day giggling foolishly... well. There really was no comparison to be made, even her buttocks were heart shaped, she was in a mild crush.
After the girl left, Evelyn brought some carefully prepared tea and pastries from her house-elf to Bones' office. The moment Amelia saw her, she decisively put down her quill, took the tray, and picked up a small cake to eat, "Don't you even wash your hands?" She said, clearly unimpressed.
Bones waved her off, speaking around a mouthful of cake, "Please, I touched a quill, that's all. And even if I swallowed some ink, we'd be 'fine."
Lady Greengrass could only shake her head helplessly.
"I feel like I've finally come back to life..." After finishing the last sip of rich black tea, Amelia let out a satisfied sigh and leaned back on the sofa, patting her stomach which had become her habit, "Evelyn, if it weren't for you, I don't even know how I would've survived these past few days..."
Lady Greengrass continued eating unhurriedly, every movement elegant and composed. Hearing Bones's thanks, she snorted dismissively, "You brought it on yourself. I told you I could ask Husband, to lend you Banfield' Maid, but you just wouldn't agree..."
"I couldn't..." Giving her a wry smile, she replied with a mock sense of dignity, "They are really are incredibly capable. You could hand seventy percent of the workload over to them. But they're not truly human. If something goes wrong, who takes responsibility for the consequences? That's not something we can clearly define at Ministry right now..."
"All right, all right. You're the one who overthinks everything," Evelyn said, too lazy to keep persuading her. It wasn't her problem anyway.
Bones quietly changed the subject, too. In truth, she had deeper concerns she hadn't shared with her friend.
At the end of the day, House of Banfield' was Lucifer's creation. And not some ordinary Alchemical construct. She'd heard that all Maids' could share information and access a massive central database. That was how dozens of Wizarding guilds around the world could operate in perfect sync.
If a large number entered the 'Ministry of Magic', they might as well stop calling it the public's office altogether, 'Arkham Asylum's Administrative Department' would be more accurate.
At that point, it would practically take the Morningstar surname. Aside from combat personnel, more than half of the Ministry's staff would be replaced.
On one side, tireless puppets that didn't need to be paid and could work nonstop. Whereas employees who demanded salaries, couldn't maintain full attendance, and occasionally slacked off. 'Who would get eliminated was obvious?'
So, even though Amelia and Lucifer were "Marital bonded," she wouldn't easily open that door. After afternoon tea, Lady Greengrass lingered until quitting time and then headed straight home.
Astoria immediately ran up to her, looking tense, and kissed her lovely baby sibling inside her tummy, "Mom, 'terrible' promises were made."
"Calm down."
Setting down her bag, Evelyn patted her head casually, she was kinda impressed how Astoria could handle herself now, "If it's something small, ignore it. If really that big, go find your Dad. I'm no good for help today."
Astoria's beautiful eyes instantly turned into dead-fish eyes. She suddenly understood why her older sister was so unreliable. 'Turns out the root of the problem is Mom...'
So tired, the girl sighed silently in her heart, but still explained the issue, "Mom, I don't know what's gotten into my sister. She insists on entering next year's Inter-academy Tournament."
"Huh?" Lady Greengrass froze nearby the sofa, before even settling herself down comfortably to wash away the day's tiredness, "You're saying Daph wants to compete?"
"Yeah."
"Did you give her any medicine?" The elegant woman inside of her asked worriedly, Evelyn had dropped quite a few layers of pretensies, "Is she running a fever and talking nonsense? This isn't some competitive eating contest."
Astoria's face darkened, "Mom, now's really not the time for jokes. She looks completely serious. You have to go talk her out of it."
"All right, I'll take a look." Evelyn took the girl's palm, she got a slight feel of it, and was impressed by the amount of flesh, healthy color there, going upstairs, both found Daphne in the training room, practicing spells.
Honestly, she even looked pretty convincing.
"Daphne, take a break."
"Mom, you're back!"
"Mmh. Astoria says you want to compete?" Lady Greengrass asked, placing a hand on her daughter's forehead as she spoke, no fever.
"Yep."
Daphne planted her hands on her hips, confidence overflowing through her veins, "Don't worry, Mom. I'll definitely win 'first' place. I'll give you the trophy when I do."
'Oh no, my daughter is completely crazy.' Evelyn complained silently. She tried to persuade Daphne gently for a while longer, but the girl was clearly deep in her own world and not listening at all. There was nothing she could do, "Get husband here," She said, finally giving up, "From now on, Daph is his problem to deal with, I am really tired, and in need of sleep..."
xxxxx
"Have you really thought this through?" An hour later, after dropping Davis off at home, Lucifer hurried over to the Greengrass estate.
He had no idea what had happened in a single afternoon to send Daphne's imagination into overdrive.
"I've thought it through." The girl squirmed in his arms like a little silkworm, her eyes sparkling, "Last term, I watched Bones, Ginny and Hermione competing on stage, and it looked really fun. And this time the scale is even bigger. It'll definitely be even more exciting."
Lucifer opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end he didn't, "All right. If you want to." With that, he set Daphne down on the bed and started pulling strings for her.
His own pampered 'future' wife. If he didn't spoil her, who would? It was just a competition. Why shouldn't Daphne be allowed to participate?
『Lucifer Morningstar』: Crouch, still working overtime?
Crouch, who was at home enjoying some rare downtime, felt his eyelid twitch the moment he saw the message. Whenever Lucifer contacted him, it meant trouble. But sadly, he didn't have the luxury of refusing. He picked up his WhatsApp and replied.
After a few perfunctory pleasantries, Lucifer got straight to the point.
『Lucifer Morningstar』: Has the rules for the Tournament been finalized? If not, set it at fourteen. If it has been... then change it.
The next was basically same as the legendary 'Triwizard Tournament,' just with more schools joining in. In fact, it didn't even have a new name yet. And one of the rules was that all applicants had to be over seventeen.
"..."
Reading Lucifer's request gave Crouch a headache. The age limit had been set at the beginning of last month, he'd even voted in favor of it. And now he was supposed to propose changing it himself?
"Boss... are you planning to compete?" Crouch asked cautiously. That... that would be outright bullying. His boss wouldn't be that 'shameless,' right?
『Lucifer Morningstar』: Not me, Daphne Greengrass.
That somehow made Crouch feel even more helpless. This wasn't about effort anymore, whether it was even possible. He alone didn't have that kind of pull. Phrasing his concerns as tactfully as he could, but Lucifer's response was simple: 'try your best.'
He'd also ask Dumbledore for help.
That finally put Crouch at ease, agreed.
After that, Lucifer spent a long time talking with the Headmaster as well. Only then did he let out a breath, snapping his notebook shut. Daphne immediately leaned over, eyes full of anticipation. "Did it work?"
"More or less," He was rubbing her golden hair into a mess, "Since you're entering, you'd better work hard. I'm not helping you next time."
"Hehe, I definitely will~ 'Mwah!"
The delighted girl rewarded her boyfriend with a kiss. At least, that was what she thought it was, "Come to Lux with me tomorrow morning," He said after a moment's thought.
At Daphne's current level, entering competition would only end in disaster. The gossip from the Hogwarts students alone would probably make the young lady cry.
Normal training wouldn't be enough anymore. That meant he'd have to resort to unconventional routes, he might as well start with engraving the first Magical 'hot spring!'
xxxxxx
Devon, Uk---
On a misty morning in late August, thin plumes of smoke rose from Ottery St. Catchpole village. The Burrow was the same as ever, except today it was especially lively.
Molly went around waking the children one by one.
"Arthur, Percy, hurry up and eat. I've already packed your lunches. Fred, if you dare spit out those beans, I'll plant you in the garden."
"Mom! I'm George!"
"That's right, Mom. I'm Fred, your good boy who ate all the beans!"
"That's not important."
She shot them a glare. "After breakfast, you two weed the back garden. Ron, go chase that ghoul out of the attic. Then we're doing a full house clean!"
"Why us?" Fred and George protested, pointing at the two older brothers who were snickering. "Why don't you make Charlie and Bill do it? They've been home resting for half a month already!"
"Because we're going to see old friends," Molly replied calmly. "We won't be back until the afternoon."
Bill stood there with his long hair tied back in a ponytail, an earring dangling from his ear. He wore a bizarre mix of leather jacket and ripped jeans, looking effortlessly cool.
George completely gave up. "Fine. Having work is a blessing. Mom, today I'm your 'full-service' house-elf. Use me however you like."
As for Ron, he'd already finished his oatmeal and silently headed upstairs to engage in mortal combat with the ghoul.
"Ginny, sweetheart." When it came to her youngest daughter, Molly's attitude did a complete turnaround. Her voice softened immediately, "Hermione's coming this afternoon, right?"
"That's right, Mom."
"Then you still have time. Go back to your room and get some sleep. You look exhausted."
Ginny nodded obediently. Before heading upstairs, she shot the twins a provocative look. Fred and George exchanged glances and sighed in unison. Sigh... their little sister was way too good at acting. She'd completely 'fooled' their parents.
Resigned, the twins trudged toward the back garden. The reason Molly was so energized this morning was simple. There would be two guests at the Burrow that afternoon. One was Harry, who had already visited once before. The other was Hermione.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had originally invited Sirius as well, but with the 'Quidditch World Cup' just around the corner, the Arkham Asylum staff were no less busy than Ministry officials, he was gotten in roped by Remus Lupin to have adventures, the man was dying at 'Privet Drive' with boredom, after Lucifer's potion energised his body.
Even if Sirius usually didn't manage things personally, when he was needed, he never slacked off. He and Lupin were basically living at the stadium now, sleeping in tents for days on end.
So, Sirius had asked the Weasleys to look after Harry for a few days, and they'd all go to the World Cup together afterward.
Hermione, meanwhile, had just finished her alchemy studies. Nicolas Flamel had given her a 'few' days off, so she happily accepted Ginny's invitation to visit.
Afternoon, Arthur Weasley rushed home the moment he got off work. He took the twins and Ron to pick people up. Not long after they left, fireplace suddenly flared green, and Hermione stepped out.
"Hermione, you're finally here!"
Ginny, who'd been waiting in the dining room, ran over and pulled her into a huge hug, practically vibrating with excitement. Hermione beamed, then greeted Molly, who had just come out of the kitchen.
Mrs. Weasely enthusiastically brought out all kinds of snacks for Hermione to nibble on while they waited for everyone else to return.
Ginny introduced Charlie and Bill to her. The two girls whispered to each other, and they didn't have to wait long. About half an hour later, the 'fireplace' lit up again. First came the twins and Ron, and a couple of minutes after that, Harry appeared.
"Have you eaten yet?" Fred asked excitedly as he dragged Harry out of the fireplace.
"I have," Harry said choking with laughter, "What's that thing? That weird-looking---"
"Ton-Tongue Toffee!" Fred announced proudly. "George and I invented it. Haven't had the right test subject until now."
The kitchen erupted in laughter. Hermione was the only one who didn't laugh, her brows knitting together in concern. Bill and Charlie stepped 'forward' to shake Harry Potter's hand.
Bill's style completely overturned Harry's expectations. He'd imagined the man would be basically another improved version of Percy. He hadn't expected him to be this... 'trendy.
Charlie, on the other hand, instantly earned even more goodwill. Though they'd never met, he had helped a lot with Norbert back in the first year.
"How's the Dragon doing?" Harry asked with a tone of nostalgia.
Pausing for a bit, then he shook his head to answer honestly, "Norbert? The Norwegian Ridgeback? Your 'friend' adopted her, he calls her Norberta now; she's a girl. Anyway, she is---"
Bang!
Before the stunned Harry could ask another question, a sharp sound rang out. Arthur suddenly appeared, and he had never seen him look this angry, "Fred, what exactly did you give him to eat?!"
"Dad, I didn't give him anything," Fred said with an innocent grin, "I just accidentally dropped it on the floor..."
"You did that on purpose! I'm telling your mother---"
"Telling me what?" Molly's voice came from the kitchen as she directed a stack of dishes to float out after her.
"Nothing, Molly," Arthur said vaguely. "I've already dealt with them."
She shot the twins a look. With Harry and Hermione present, she decided to give them some 'face' for now and settle accounts later when no one else was around, "Go play for a bit, everyone. The soup still needs another half hour."
"I'll show you my room." Ginny grabbed Hermione and dashed upstairs. There was an extra small bed squeezed into the room, making it a bit cramped, but everything was neat and tidy, "Did Daphne really decide to enter the competition?" She asked the moment the door closed, "Astoria told me Lucifer already took her home, and now she's acting all mysterious every day."
"It's not just decided. She's definitely going," Hermione replied, her expression equally strange. "At first, Daphne might've just been doing it on a whim. But once Lucifer stepped in, the whole thing changed."
"So now she can't back out even if she wants to, right?" Ginny said gleefully. "They don't even know what they're in for. You can't imagine how tragic Daphne looks in my head right now."
Hermione couldn't help smiling too.
At that moment, two heads poked through the half open door.
"What competition??" Ron asked curiously.
Ginny's smile vanished instantly. She looked at the two of them with pure disdain. "You do know eavesdropping is rude, right?"
Immediately, Ron felt wronged and protested to look superior, "You didn't close the door properly. We didn't mean to hear it."
"Then you could've covered your ears!" At that point, he felt Ginny had perfectly inherited their mother's domineering streak. He gave up arguing and kept pressing about the competition, but Ginny and Hermione both clammed up and refused to say anything.
"I'm telling you, something's definitely up," Ron muttered as he headed back toward the stairs, saying to Harry, "They know everything and just won't tell me."
Hesitating, then Harry lowered his voice to give his piece, he was the best mate after all, so had to make Ron feel miserable than the girls did, "Well... I know a little too."
"What?" Ron froze in betrayal and turned around stiffly.
"Sirius mentioned that Hogwarts is going to be very lively next year, but he didn't give details."
Even Sirius knew? Ron's brain, rarely this sharp, clicked immediately. "It's Lucifer and the Arkham Asylum Guild. He's definitely stirring up something big again!"
Harry nodded in agreement. They exchanged a look and both saw same anticipation for the coming school year in each other's eyes.
xxxxxx
London, Lux's penthouse.
In bathroom on the 21st floor, Daphne was submerged in a steaming bathtub, only her small head sticking out. A towel rested on top of her head, and her face was scrunched up in misery.
"L-Lucifer!" The girl's trembling, tearful voice echoed through the room, "Is it not done yet? The water's still getting hotter. I'm about to be boiled alive!"
"Don't panic," Lucifer said calmly as he continued adding potion to the tub, "You won't be cooked. At worst, half. Endure it for the sake of getting stronger. Just a few more times and it'll be over..."
"'Waaaaa, I regret this!"
"Regret doesn't count, it still uses up time to properly develop."
xxxxxx
The Ministry of Magic,
Barty Crouch was holding a video conference with several magical school Headmasters via Lumine Lens, "Gentlemen, I believe setting the age limit at seventeen is 'far' too narrow-minded. It stifles enthusiasm of talented students. Many of them are strong enough already, yet barred purely because of age. That's unfair. I propose abolishing this rule. Of course, this isn't just my opinion. It's also Dumbledore's..."
The figures on the screen fell silent. Their reactions were exactly the same as Crouch's had been before. What, was Morningstar going to compete? Had Dumbledore lost all shame just to secure a championship?
Crouch read their expressions and
immediately added, "He asked me to pass this on. Mr. Morningstar will not be participating."
That eased their expressions somewhat, but still didn't agree in the end. They were convinced Dumbledore had made preparations and was betting everything on a younger student. That was why he was pushing for the rule change.
Vinda Rosier, attending the meeting in Grindelwald's place, twitched an eyebrow, she, too, opposed the change. After a brief pause, she glanced down, her expression shifting ever so slightly.
When she looked back up, her face had completely changed.
"I think it's a good idea," Vinda said with a smile. "The 'Triwizard Tournament' didn't even have an age limit back then. Why add unnecessary restrictions now?"
"...." Did you really switch sides that fast? One moment you were opposing us, and the next you're supporting Dumbledore's demand? What the hell was wrong with the Acolytes these days?
xxxxxxx
Today was the day of the Quidditch World Cup.
Before the sky had even begun to lighten, Ginny was gently shaken awake by Hermione. Half-asleep, she stumbled after her downstairs to wash up, brushing her teeth on pure autopilot.
Everyone else looked about the same. They wandered around the room like zombies, yawning nonstop as they collapsed into their seats at the table, waiting to eat breakfast and set off.
Arthur appeared with a thick stack of tickets in hand. He deliberately walked back and forth in front of everyone twice, then spread his arms wide to show off his outfit.
"Well? Hermione, Harry, do I look like a Muggle?"
"Uh... yeah. Pretty good," Harry said, nodding against his conscience. Honestly, the clothes looked like something Dudley had outgrown. They were at least two sizes too big.
Arthur happily sat down beside George and began straightening the tickets in his hands, unable to hide his pride, "These weren't easy to get. Even though the stadium can hold three hundred thousand people, even more showed up hoping to get in. Plenty of officials from different countries are attending too. Private boxes almost impossible to come by."
Then he smiled at Harry, "We also have Sirius to thank. The tickets he helped arrange are much better than the ones the Ministry handed out."
"This should really count as a gift from Lucifer..." Harry muttered under his breath, careful not to let anyone hear. The tickets Sirius had given him were technically part of the rent that boy insistently paid, for using the Marauder's Map last year.
"Ginny, are the Lovegoods going with us too?" Molly asked as she set the last plate of sausages on the table.
It was Arthur who answered for her. "Yes. Xenophilius will head to the departure point first. We're meeting at Stoatshead Hill."
"Make sure you look after Luna. Her 'father... honestly." She trailed off. Molly had never liked that eccentric, scatterbrained middle aged man much. 'Poor Luna, really.'
The air was biting cold when they finally set out. The moon was still hanging in the sky, and only a faint golden glow on the far side of the mountains hinted that sunrise was on its way. As they walked, Arthur enthusiastically explained just how massive an undertaking this event had been for the Ministry and Arkham Asylum.
"The preparations were unbelievably difficult. Ministry staff have been busy for over half a year. And then it became even more absurd. Three hundred thousand people coming to Britain, far more than the country's entire 'Wizarding population.' To be honest, I thought the Guild had lost their minds. But actually pulled it off."
"I did notice a lot of strange people in the streets," Hermione chimed in. "You could tell at a glance they were witches or wizards."
"Exactly," Arthur said, nodding. "They had to arrive in batches. Otherwise, no matter how good the disguises were, that many people would attract the Muggle government's attention."
"So how are we getting there?" Harry asked out of the loop, "Apparition? Or the Knight Bus?" With Sirius as his godfather, he wasn't nearly as clueless about the wizarding world as before. He knew most of the basics now.
"I'm not capable of Apparating this many people," Arthur said with a self-deprecating laugh. "We're using Portkeys. The Arkham Asylum Guild placed over a thousand of them across the country. The closest one to us is at Stoatshead Hill..."
What followed was a thoroughly miserable climb up the mountain. By the time they reached the top, everyone was panting, exhausted, and barely awake. Two other families were already waiting there.
Luna Lovegood with her father, Xenophilius, and Cedric with his father, Amos Diggory.
Amos greeted Arthur with boundless enthusiasm. The moment his eyes landed on Harry, he boomed about the last term's match, proudly recalling how Hufflepuff had beaten Gryffindor, a memory that instantly darkened the faces of every man in the room. Undeterred, he continued to brag, endlessly praising how exceptional his "dear son" was.
Ginny and Hermione however slipped away to Luna's side, whispering among themselves, "Girl, did you go see the pandas?"
"I did, Ginny. Just yesterday," Luna said dreamily, nodding.
"Then did you see Lucifer and Daphne too?"
Luna tilted her head, thinking for a moment, I saw Lucifer, but Daphne... I heard her screaming."
"Screaming?" The two girls exchanged a dark look, suddenly very curious about what had happened to Daphne.
"Never mind," Hermione being the most 'experienced' of such relations among the witches in her boyfriend's Harem, replied smoothly, as if responsibility was entire on the girls shoulder to guide the young, "We'll find out soon enough. Let's go."
Ginny nodded off, giving the brunette a fishy gaze. The three of them rejoined the group and reached summit, where they found Portkey.
It was an old boot.
Everyone crowded tightly around it. Arthur checked his pocket watch and began counting down in a low voice. When he reached three, the boot began to shake violently.
Hermione felt as if a hook had snagged her right behind the navel and yanked forward. Her feet left the ground as she shot through the air like a gust of wind. She couldn't see anything clearly. The world around her flickered and warped like a rapidly changing slideshow until her feet slammed hard into the ground.
People tumbled everywhere. Ginny reacted quickly and grabbed Hermione before she fell. Everyone else, except Arthur and Luna, ended up sprawled on the ground.
"To the stars and the abyss, adventurers. Welcome to the Quidditch World Cup."
Banfield' Maid, Christiana Rosebreia's voice was gentle as she released the girl who shared her Master's blood, and asked with concern, "Miss Luna, are you feeling all right?"
"Thank you," Luna said slowly, nodding, "It feels like I got stung by a dizzying bee. My head's spinning a little..."
Her gem-like green eyes sparkled, as Christiana smiled and inclined her golden curls head toward the other two important guests, "Miss Ginny, Miss Hermione, please wait here for a moment. One of my colleagues will be here shortly to escort you to the master's residence."
"Has Lucifer arrived already?" Hermione asked, hiding plain envy inside, she was clearly jealous of the Maid's hair, they appeared so glossy, and smooth to the touch.
"Yes, The Master arrived last night, he had affectionately called me, Tia and revered my strength and beauty as the 'female' knight."
"Lucky him," Ron muttered, eyeing the girl in front, his face dubious, couldn't believe she wasn't human, "Servants everywhere he goes..."
"'Ronald," Arthur snapped, shooting him a glare. He then handed the old boot over to the Banfield, "Good morning, Christiana."
"Good morning, Mr. Weasley. Mr. Diggory. 5'o7 a.m, arrival from Stoatshead Hill." She quickly located the corresponding record. "Your campsite is to the northwest. About two miles straight ahead, through the marsh and over the hill.... One of my colleagues there will handle the exact placement."
"Thank you."
As another Maid walked over, Arthur leaned down and asked Ginny in a low voice, "You're heading over to Lucifer's place?"
"Of course, Dad. I'll be back before you leave tomorrow."
Luna looked up at Xenophilius with pleading eyes. Her gaze eventually wore him down.
"Go on, go on. Just make sure you come back with Ginny."
"Mhm." She answered quickly. The girls 'followed' the curly haired girl who looked very grumpy, heading in roughly the same direction as Harry and the others. They didn't split up until after crossing the marsh.
When they climbed the hill Christiana had mentioned, a breathtaking sight spread out before them. Thousands of oddly shaped tents filled the basin between two hills.
"So many people..." Harry breathed.
"This is only a tiny fraction," Amos Diggory said, raising his hand and gesturing broadly. "I heard from Bagman that there are twenty camps this size. This mountain and several nearby ones were all bought from the Muggle government by Arkham Asylum Guild. Every single one has 'Muggle-Repelling Charms' on it. Otherwise, there'd be no way to keep this quiet."
Harry swallowed hard, was genuinely stunned by the scale of Lucifer's operation. With something this massive, could it really turn a profit? He would soon realize how small minded that thought was.
On the way to their own campsite, he spotted advertising boards at least three times. Ahead of the camps, a temporary market had been set up, with Witches and Wizards from all over the world running stalls. Almost everyone was intrigued, even those who had planned to pitch their tents and collapse... immediately were suddenly wide awake, insisting on going to have a look.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Lucifer was nursing a headache.
"I'm begging you. Can you all please go to sleep?"
"No!" x2
Susan and Hermione answered in perfect unison. After speaking, they immediately glared at each other, as if competing to see whose eyes would dry out first.
Good matured Hannah held a handful of sunflower seeds. Tracey, and Ginny were sitting with Luna, absently petting a panda and enjoying the show. And Astoria, the 'well-behaved' little sweetheart, had just run all around the house but still hadn't seen Daphne.
"Where's my sister?"
"Your sister ?" Lucifer waved it off casually, spouting what she labelled as nonsense, "She hasn't been feeling well these past few days, so she couldn't come. I left two Maids at home to take care of her."
Honestly, he was already regretting coming to the World Cup. Gathering everyone together like this was pure self-inflicted suffering. But not bringing wasn't an option either.
Abbott's parents couldn't accompany her due to work, same as Hermione's situation. Susan's Aunt was terribly busy barking mad orders from her station with Evelyn beside, that wasn't easy either.
"Big brother! I'm here!"
A bright, childish voice rang out from outside the sitting room. Under Christiana's watchful eye, a tiny girl came bouncing in, full of energy. Her cuteness instantly drew the attention of every person in the room.
But little girl didn't even look at them. Like a fluttering butterfly, she leapt straight toward Lucifer who hurriedly opened his arms and caught her. The successful landing earned him a giggle, and then soft lips were pressed against his own, "Mua!~~"
"...." Silvery blonde hair, prettier than a porcelain doll, and important enough that Christiana brought her here. There was only one possibility.
Annabelle Valentine.
The girls watched as she clung to their boyfriend like a koala, refusing to let go, and felt a wave of dark fire rise in their chests. As expected of Darcy's little sister. A barbarian from France. What, is kissing just your national specialty? Big sister kisses him, then the little sister follows up?
No wonder England lost the Hundred Years' War! But no matter how furious they were, they couldn't exactly gang up on a child and pry her off him. So, all they could do was watch. Helplessly.