Slytherin Common Room
"So he's awake?" Theo asked, talking in a low voice, barely able to be heard over the fire's crackling.
Daphne nodded.
"Fucking crazy, what he did. I'd never be able to do that. No way in hell" Draco said.
Tori gave a little nod and cuddled up tighter to him.
Daphne wanted to scream.
' You know nothing!' She wanted to shout. ' You don't know jack shit about dedication!'
Instead, she just nodded as well.
Truth be told, she was worried.
Harry would be coming back, and that was something far better than good news.
The last month without him had been… difficult, to say the least.
Without him there, by her side, she just felt so lost. So aimless. It was like a part of her had been taken away.
She'd gotten more detentions, had more points removed from Slytherin, gotten in more fights in the last month than she had in the rest of her entire school career.
As if any of that really mattered.
What mattered was that Harry had been lying unconscious. That the boy, no, the man, that she could finally admit to herself who she loved, was lying in a hospital bed, dead to the world.
And now he was awake and would be returning to her, returning to make her whole again.
But she had no idea how Harry would be.
He had liked Sirius. Even loved him.
And when push came to shove, when he needed to. He had killed Sirius.
She could clearly remember Harry talking about his godfather, with a tremble in his voice. Saying how he didn't want the man to have to die.
And he had been the one to kill him.
' It's gonna fuck with his head. He doesn't-he doesn't know how to turn off. Not properly'
She discovered within herself, that she had no idea what to expect. What Harry would now be like.
' The Harry I knew. He's gone. It's as irreversible as that scar is. And I'll have to see if I can deal with the new one. And if I cant'
Well, if she couldn't, she would kill Bellatrix.
She had come so close to attacking the deranged witch. So close.
But she was under no delusions regarding her abilities. She knew, in a fight, Bella would wipe the floor with her.
So she had just smiled, as Bella had taunted her, talking about how pretty Harry looked covered in blood, how delicious his screams were. How Daphne never got Harry to scream that way for her.
Oddly enough, Bellatrix really seemed to have a crush on Harry. This was just her strange way of showing it.
Daphne told herself that. It helped, it kept her from doing something as monumentally stupid as attacking Bella would certainly prove to be.
But Merlin, when Bella talked about kissing Harry, it was hard to keep her anger in check.
' He is mine! You stupid, insane bitch! You lunatic cunt, he's mine! He's mine, and I'm his, and you will never touch him again! Not unless I allow it! And no matter what, I will never give you that allowance. He! Is! Mine!'
Someone had said something to her. She shook her head, clearing it.
"Sorry, what?"
"I said," Theo said, giving Blaise a sharp look. "You saw him, right?"
She couldn't help it. She shivered. She never wanted to see anyone she cared about looking like that. Certainly not Harry.
"His face. How bad is it?"
"It's-bad. I only really saw when they changed his bandage the one day, but it's bad. The scar-"
She drew a finger down her face, mimicking where Harry had been marred.
Tori shuddered and pulled in tighter against Draco.
' I wonder if they're fucking yet? I should show her that charm'
"Maybe you'll have to find a new pretty boy to keep you squealing"
Daphne spun around, quick enough for her back to crack.
Pansy stood there, her prefect's badge gleaming in the flickering firelight.
"Or maybe" the stupid bitch continued, "you'll just have to close your eyes and think of-"
She didn't finish the sentence. Harry had taught Daphne well, and a non-verbal reducto, accompanied by a flick of her wand, was all it took to throw Pansy into the wall.
She landed in a crumpled heap.
Daphne stood up, blood rushing in her ears as she twirled her wand between her fingers.
The common room was mostly empty, no-one there other than their group, Pansy, and two seventh year's.
The seventh year's looked up from their parchments for a moment. They looked at her expression and bent back to their work.
"You need to keep your whore mouth shut, Pansy. Friendly warning"
"I'm a whore?!" Pansy shrieked, staring up at her. "You just happily spread your legs, you don't even have the self-respect to-"
"Crucio!"
No one made a sound as Pansy screamed and writhed.
No one interrupted the pleasure flooding Daphne.
' Just keep her under it. Don't lift it. Break her completely'
It took all of her self-control, but she managed to drop the curse.
She breathed heavily, face flushed, and looked down on Pansy's twitching form.
A pale face appeared at the top of the stairs leading to one of the dorm rooms. Whoever it was, they took in the scene and retreated.
Daphne only saw this out of the corner of her eye. She kept her wand trained on Pansy.
"Listen up, bitch. The world's changed. And you're not on top anymore. Get used to it"
"I-I'm-"
"Shut the fuck up. God, could you be any more fucking dumb?"
She leaned in close to Pansy, pushing her wand against the other girl's robe.
"Listen to me. If it wouldn't be such a hassle to deal with afterward, I would kill you right now. It would be so fucking easy. Two words, Pansy. Just two words and you'd be dead. You won't have the chance to have your own boring, shitty life at the bottom. Leave me the fuck alone"
She walked off, spitting on Pansy as she left.
Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts
Albus smiled as they filed in. Of course, Severus and Poppy had already been there for a good half-hour, but now the rest of the teachers were arriving.
The rest of Harry's teachers, to be precise.
As they settled into the seats ranged around his desk, he prepared his thoughts.
"As I'm sure you've all heard by now" he began, "Harry Potter has been woken up. He will be returning to Hogwarts in approximately two days, and will be starting lessons again next week"
None of them looked surprised, although Augustus did look apprehensive.
"Firstly, I would like you all to give copies of the work he has missed to his classmates. At least a list of what was covered. Undoubtedly, he will want to make the work up. I believe he will have a harder time in those classes that are not practical or focused on spellcrafting"
"Quite. The boy is intelligent, but most of his marks are a result of his hard work, not due to genius" Snape interjected. "Except in the practical classes. He truly seems to be gifted in those areas"
' Who would have thought it possible? I certainly would never have believed I would hear Severus Snape complimenting James Potter's son'
"Another thing I would like everyone to be on the watch for. In the past, Harry has shown that he reacts very strongly to stress and frustration"
Augustus muttered something. Albus just ignored it, choosing to move onwards.
"He was at the mercy of Bellatrix Lestrange. I would be surprised were he not extremely angry. However, we must watch. None of us want a repeat of what happened last year"
"Well, at least with him back, Miss Greengrass should prove less of a handful"
He nodded to Minerva.
"I hope so. Now, I believe the best thing for him is to keep on with regular life. I do not believe he desires our pity. Of course, if he requires assistance, he will be given it. But he must be treated normally. No handling him gingerly. He will despise being treated like an invalid, or as if he has been the subject of a terrible tragedy. Which, of course, he has. Please, keep his best interests in mind. Coddling him, though you might wish to do so, will achieve nothing other than enraging him. Just pretend as if nothing happened, unless it truly impacts his ability to do something. Are we agreed?"
Everyone gave their assent.
"Excellent. Please, any questions, any requests, bring them to me. Have a lovely day"
' Oh, Harry. What a nightmare your life has been'
Lord Voldemort's Manor
Torturing Bellatrix was always such a dreary experience. It was almost a pointless endeavor. She enjoyed his punishments, if for no other reason than they meant that she was receiving his attention.
He lifted the Crucio and gave a sigh.
Immediately, she sprang onto her knees in front of him, barely even twitching.
He really did admire her particular brand of insanity in some ways. It gave her strength that so many others lacked.
' If only she was sane enough to obey'
"It seems your error was not truly fatal, Bella. Harry has made a full recovery"
"That's wonderful, my lord! I am-"
"Silence"
He paused for a moment, watching her. Her expression did not change, not in the least.
"I believe that you have not understood this, try though I have to explain this to you. Harry is above you-"
"I know, my lord, I'm-"
"Silence. Can you not obey even so simple an order?"
Abashed, she turned we face to the floor.
"I encourage the petty squabbles for my attention for one reason. It pushes you all work harder, to serve me better. But Harry is not a part of your squabbles, now, or in the future. His Greengrass is not either. He is second only to me, Bella. He answers only to me. He is above you in my eyes in every way that you could possibly imagine. And this shall never change. An insult to him is an insult to me. An insult to his Greengrass is an insult to him. Do you understand, Bella?"
She nodded frantically, still not looking him in the eyes.
"You will view him as nothing more than an extension of my will"
A small smirk twisted his lips.
' In some ways, he is'
"If he desires you, he will inform you. You will not, ever again, disobey my orders. You were told to return immediately. You dallied. I should kill you for that. But I am merciful, Am I not?"
"You are, my lord" she whispered.
"Yes. I am. Do not despair. You could still take your place as highest amongst all my other followers. You could still hold so much of my attention"
Hope danced in her eyes.
"If you do not fail me again" He snarled. "Because, do you know what I will do if you fail me?"
She shook her head in mute terror.
"I will let you live. And you will serve me. But you will be nothing more than a brute. You will never hold my trust. And you will never speak to me, nor I to you. You will never even see me, bar when I am in public. And no matter what you do, no matter how well you perform, you will never rise above that station"
She shook worse than she had under the Cruciatus.
' The correct tool for the correct person'
"But I know you, Bella. You would never give up hope. You would never stop believing that if you simply do what you are told, you will receive the honor that you once held. And you never will. And wherever you go"
She was crying now, her body shaking with tears. He dropped his voice until it was just above a whisper. "Wherever you go, people will point you out to their friends. They will say: there goes Bellatrix Lestrange. She could have held Lord Voldemort's trust. She could have held His confidence. But she threw it away"
She dropped to the floor then, prostrating herself before him.
' As is only right'
"I do not want that to happen. I do not want to have to cast you aside. You could hold such greatness, such power and honor, and respect. I do not want to be disappointed in you. Do you?"
"N-n-no, m-my Lord"
"Then do not disappoint me. Get up. All is not lost"
She stood, wiping her tears away, her breath still hitching.
"There is a number of people I would like you to kill. Take a team of six. They are all team leaders of the international coalition"
"Thank you, my lord. I won't dis-"
"I want their heads piled together. With a sign below. Surrender, join or die. Lucius has their names and most recent locations. Prove that you are still worthy of your position"
Stammering her thanks and apologies, Bellatrix backed out of the room.
' If everyone simply worshipped me as she does, it would all be so much easier. One day they will. One day they will all know that they are mine'
Okunoshima Island, Japan
Touma Himura sat at his writing desk, painstakingly writing the letter.
Although he was fluent in English, it wasn't his first language, and he did not want to give the impression of an illiterate fool. Certainly not in this letter.
Around him, his brave, loyal companions were gathered. Talking quietly amongst themselves, or simply watching him write.
Like him, they were each dressed traditionally, with the haori over their kimono. Like him, they each had a katana strapped to them.
Like him, they each scorned those who were willing to abandon tradition and embrace the talentless' way of living.
Like him, they were all prepared to kill everyone in their way, to drench Japan in blood in their quest to free it from the shackles of the talentless.
And like him, they were all overjoyed at the possibility of joining forces with the one who wished to free the entire world of the talentless' ugly presence.
Alone, they were not strong enough. It did not impugn his honor to admit such a thing. However, with Lord Voldemort's assistance, they would be. And they could certainly be a great assistance to him, in his noble quest.
He finished the letter and passed it to Reo to proofread. As his twin's eyes scanned the page, he looked at the picture he always kept on his person.
It was the last picture of their parents. They smiled at him, waving out of the photo.
They didn't know that a mere week after the picture was taken, they would be vaporized by the talentless.
He and Reo had been four years old at the time. And it was something neither of them could ever forget, or ever forgive.
No true Japanese could ever forgive such a thing. Not merely the murder of thousands, but the poisoning of the very land.
Reo nodded.
He whistled, and Tanuki flew off of her perch, landing on his outstretched arm.
"Take this to Lord Voldemort, please," he asked, bowing his head slightly. "He is in Europe. I believe in England"
The Albatross seemed to consider that for a second, before stretching out her leg.
He attached the envelope to it and watched as Tanuki stretched her wings and flew off, staring at her until she was no more than a distant speck in the sky.
"Soon," he said, turning away from the window. "Soon the talentless will suffer"
The cheers he received were heartwarming. But all he really needed to see was Reo's smile mirroring his own.