I left the Headmaster's office when it was time for lunch. Right now I had a few clones transcribing rituals, some in the great hall with some of the girls, and others in the lair, preparing a special lunch with the help of the ever-reliable Susan.
Penelope also stayed in the lair and was in the kitchen with me, still discussing the subject of my sexual experiences. Luckily, I was able to use Susan as a shield on many occasions, without the girl really understanding what was going on.
The climax of that topic, the one that finally ended it, was when I was getting tired of the insistence and asked Penelope.
"Why are you so interested in my first time? Did you plan to be the first one with whom I would do it?"
After saying those words, I noticed how Penelope froze for a moment with an obvious blush, and then denied it very naturally. I couldn't help but form a cruel smile on my lips when I realized it, and from that moment I was the one who harassed her with questions. Penelope ended up denying everything and looked for an excuse to leave, going to the great hall where she met others 'me' and her hell followed.
She was actually embarrassed, that thought had ever crossed her mind, always saying that she hoped that I would grow up to 'show me things' and take advantage of being the oldest. A casual sexual fantasy that haunted her mind once. Now that she found out about my situation, the emotions of concern mixed with those thoughts and… well, we are where we are.
It was a fun meal, the lair was a good place to do things like this occasionally. Today there were only a few of us but it was fun, just as it was in the great hall. I appreciate having the clones because they make sure I don't miss out on any of these rich experiences.
...
It was late afternoon and at this moment I was in the room of all the requirements, both the real me and various clones. In front of me was one of the last sections with things that had not been sold. Before the end of this school year, I could possibly empty this place out completely.
I couldn't bear the urge and decided to pick up the crown right now. The clones levitated everything in front of us, scattering them around the place to let us see better.
'There it is' I exclaimed inwardly when I could see some sort of worn-out tiara among a pile of things. It could have been something completely different but I don't think I'm so unlucky.
For safety, the first thing I did was send one of the clones to approach and take her. From the clone's perspective I could feel something when holding it, like a current of air, I wouldn't know how to describe it other than being able to feel that this object wasn't completely dead.
I felt like something seemed to want to enter my mind with bad intentions but it was completely impossible, no matter how hard it tried.
"Ha, try your luck next time... I don't think you'll get a chance, though." I laughed as I witnessed how I had nothing to worry about. Of all the Horcruxes, this one had the fewest means of self-protection aside from the diary, but I was still cautious.
The clone slowly brought it closer to me, in this way I could feel if this mental force could affect me, but the curious thing was that when I already had it in my hands I could feel as if something inside me was roaring showing sovereignty.
There was some kind of imperceptible spiritual struggle that didn't really cause anything significant. It seemed as if my evil-filled soul was subconsciously fighting against the soul fragment inhabiting the crown, which kept trying to tempt me. There was no winner, but I could feel how my pure evil soul was better than this dark lord soul fragment, and I smiled with pleasure.
Now I had the crown of Ravenclaw in my hands, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. It's a shame that it was contaminated, otherwise, it would be a great treasure that could be used as a trophy, and although I actually had some ideas about that, I wanted to do other things before.
Although I had many ways to use it, like giving it to the director to improve his opinion of me, something else occurred to me. Before my alignment change, some ideas were just fleeting thoughts to stave off boredom, but now those vague ideas can become very strong into pure desire.
A certain idea that just crossed my mind now seemed close and although I don't want to accept it, I think I would like it and I plan to do it. I used [Message] to ask Myrtle for a favor and moved to a secluded area of the castle that I knew well was free from prying eyes.
I had a good relationship with Myrtle, she was somewhat 'impractical' for a friend, but things didn't go badly. I kept giving her a lot of porn, more than I ever expected to share with a girl, but it was a good decision to do so.
She was one of my biggest spies at Hogwarts, even checking in on the headmaster or teachers at certain times. She kept asking me for some things that she saw in the magazines, but I put it off for fear that something would happen, promising her that at the end of the course, when everyone left, I would give her some presents.
I now requested her services as a messenger, since, although I used to chat with some ghosts and use [Music] in the great hall at their request, I did not have a very close relationship with the one I sought.
...
I arrived at the agreed place and had to wait, quite the truth. I texted Myrtle but she replied that she was having a hard time convincing her to come to see me. With no choice, I pulled out a chair to sit and meditate while I waited for Myrtle to get it to the end.
It was after a while that I received a "Done" message from my ghost friend, but I still waited for a while before my guest appeared before me. It was a somewhat annoying wait, but at least it was worth it. Now in front of me, I could see how the Gray Lady crossed the wall in front me with a serious expression, as she used to.
"Greetings, Lady Ravenclaw" I greeted with some etiquette.
"What do you want?" She asked her without changing her tone or being surprised at being called that.
"I wanted to talk to you"
"..."
"I guess you don't like me very much?"
"Your presence disturbs us ghosts. Before you gave off a familiar feeling to us, as if you weren't so far from what we are, but now it's more aggressive. It's not like we feel similar anymore, now it's more perverse and dangerous, as if we were facing the reaper. If it wasn't for the insistent girl, I probably wouldn't come" She complained with a frown. It seems that Myrtle went to great lengths to accomplish her mission.
"Interesting..." Curious, I didn't know that the power of death had brought me closer to the ghosts, and I didn't know that now with the change in alignment that closeness became distance "But Myrtle didn't seem to change her attitude towards me" I asked, noticing this error.
"It is very likely that she is like all of us, but she doesn't care. She is completely submissive to you, which is both impressive and terrifying for a child your age."
"Thanks?"(Red)
"What do you want? I've made it clear that I don't like to interact with you"(Gray Lady)
"Well, particularly I wanted us to interact" I said so that the gray lady turned around, about to cross the wall to leave "Wait, let me explain!"
"..." Helena turned to look at me once more with her cold eyes, she only stayed to listen to me a little more because she didn't want the ghost girl to bother her again.
"Let's Talk" (Red)
"I am not interested nor do I want to talk to you" (Gray Lady)
"I guess you have bad experiences with students. You may seem cold but I know that you are very good with the students in your house. You are just like me, that I am not what I seem" Silently and without showing the slightest change, I began to release my auras, hoping they would work on ghosts just like they worked on Peeves.
"They are the students of my house, and we are not the same. If there is something I hate, it is people who shine on the outside but are rotten on the inside" She said with a frown, with disgust and contempt.
"Very bad experiences by the looks of it" (Red)
"It's none of your business"(Gray Lady)
"If it is, I want to have a good relationship with you and a good talk. That someone has hurt you and prevents me from getting it if it concerns me... and bothers me. It must have been someone horrible to be able to make her angry like this"(Red)
"Not unlike you, using your silver tongue to get what you want. If you're just planning on wasting my time, then I'm out."
"It's not a waste of time, but I think it's necessary. And I'm not like him, I wouldn't hurt a lady like you like that, even I find it difficult to do so. You are a noble, wise and beautiful lady, I can't think of a way to harm you so badly that won't even allow me a chat... he didn't attack you, did he damage your reputation? Did he insult you in a very hurtful way? Did he steal you...?"
"Hum..." I heard a phantom grumble along with an even more penetrating gaze.
"Your virginity...?"
"Insolent!" The gray lady jumped furiously.
"I'm sorry, it was just a bad idea, I couldn't think of something more valuable and that could make you so angry. It was just a slip of the tongue" I apologized quickly with embarrassment and shyness raising my hands in surrender "It's not that, you are a ghost, and I know that no matter if you were still alive, you would not give him a chance. You are a noble and proud lady, with high standards, it is something that you would attach great importance to, and it would be impossible to take something so precious from you against your will"
"..." My apologetic words didn't calm Helena and she was already floating away from me, preparing to leave and never see me again.
"It was something personal... something of your mother, right?" When I uttered those words her floating stopped "Tell me about it, please" I begged a little.
"..." Helena didn't even turn to look at me, she just paused for a moment as if remembering something painful and then saying with a tone of suppressed fury "There's nothing to say about it, a foolish witch fell to the charm of a handsome and talkative young wizard, losing a legacy that did not belong to her"
"What if I were able to take back what you lost? If I can make amends for that mistake? Let me take back what was once taken from you and compensate for the mistake of that person who took away the opportunity to speak with you on good terms from the beginning" My tone was very peculiar due to my [Essence of Bard] and evil alignment, but perhaps it was that along with my auras that allowed me to 'trap' Helena so that would continue talking to me.
"... You shouldn't waste your time on those things, take advantage of your life to be able to acquire the most valuable of treasures, knowledge" There seemed to be reluctance in her words.
"I won't hide it from you. I didn't want to lie to you but I hoped I could have a chat with you before broaching the subject" I said as I raised some bloody curtains and cast some spells, sealing the space of this small part of the castle "I already knew the story about Riddle and the crown" My words caused her to turn her head to give me a look I couldn't figure out "I know where it is, where he hid it"
"Really?!" She asked full of doubts, but also expectations, putting aside for a moment the negative emotions towards me.
"Yes, in fact, it's already in my possession..." Her eyes showed a kind of gleam full of surprise "I know that as the daughter of Mrs. Ravenclaw, the diadem belongs to you by right, but I really wanted for something in return" I said embarrassed seeing how her excited look returned to the one she had the first time when she saw me.
"What do you want?" Her tone was very cold, beyond ghostly.
"Please don't look at me that way. Riddle may have tricked you into getting what he wanted, but I don't plan on doing that. I want to make amends for that mistake, and while I want something in return, I don't plan on getting it through lies, you've been through a lot of that already. I know what kind of person I am, but give me the benefit of the doubt. Let me show you that despite being a person who is also on the wrong path, I have noble principles to guide me"
"..." The lady in front of me seemed to instinctively fight against my words, not wanting to believe me, but the temptation of the crown she once stole was stronger, deciding to be fooled once again by a student "Okay, I think you may be right. What could you possibly want from me, a ghost?" She asked, still with some hesitation in her words.
"Can you have a secret date with me?"
"W-what?!" She asked, somewhat bewildered and with a dazed look, as if the possibility of hearing this were less than zero.
"A date..."(Red)
"Why?" she asks still not understanding "What can you gain from that? I'm a ghost..."(Gray Lady).
"I don't care that you are a ghost, and I gain something more valuable than the crown itself. You are the 'Grey lady', young Miss Ravenclaw, a noble lady who even after her death yearns for knowledge and attends classes to follow learning, rare beauty... I don't want you to think that I'm doing it for some bragging achievement, it's more than that. Let me be one of the few men who could take you to a date for once, to get to know her more than the others..."(Red)
"The only one would be..."(Gray Lady)
"What?"(Red)
"Until the date of my death no man got me to agree to go out with him, I did not accept them" (Gray Lady)
"Well, for a person like you to have high standards is not uncommon… I may not be able to meet these requirements either but I would be very grateful if you still give me the opportunity…"
"I still don't understand what you can gain from this. I'm a ghost, an immaterial being, even if I promised you my body in exchange for my mother's crown, I couldn't give it to you. Relations between the living and the dead are impossible, whatever you could want from me, it would be impossible for you to obtain" Helena didn't have much emotional change when explaining that to me, as if it had nothing to do with her.
"There are things beyond the physical, and I do not want you to think that I covet your body and beauty, although it is a temptation. I only ask for the opportunity that we can be closer, without any other desire, will you allow me the opportunity to prove it? "(Red)
"I don't see what the point of all this is but I agree, it's something I can do to make amends for my error" she accepted.
"Perfect!" I replied happily "Let's do it during the holidays, when classes are over and there are no more students. I would like it to remain a secret, even from the headmaster and other ghosts"
"I can't do that. I have duties with the school" She responded to my desire to hide it from the Headmaster.
"But this still has nothing to do with the school. The crown does not belong to the school when it was stolen, but to you. Now you are trying to get it back from me, it is a personal matter. Once you get it, then you can do what you want... this isn't causing Hogwarts any trouble, there's no reason anyone should know"
"...okay. Can you show it to me?" She still wanted to see the crown with her own eyes and verify that it was the real one in order to eliminate that feeling of oppression that she felt.
"Okay, but you may get very angry. Riddle was someone very despicable and you wouldn't like what he did with it" I said as I took the crown out of my inventory.
The ghost in front of me looked at me strangely, not understanding why I was saying what I was saying, but that changed when she was able to witness for herself what was left of her mother's crown. Her previous look of hatred towards me was nothing compared to the one she currently put on.
"You wretch! How dare you do such... desecration of my mother's memories?!" She screamed in fury and regret.
I was silent as I let the young ghost witch vent her wrath, speaking words of comfort from time to time. This didn't take long and she was able to pull herself together, but the look she had on her crown was still complicated.
"If you allow me, my lady. I think I have a way to restore the crown to its original state"
"You can do it?" she asked with some hope, but not much.
"It may be possible... but..."
"But do you also want something in return?" She asked without much surprise as if it was what she expected from someone like me.
"Yes, but that's not the reason for my hesitation. If I want to return it to the way it was before without risking losing it, then I'll need a lot of money that I currently don't have. If you allow me, I can try to solve it next year, when my expenses are minor and manage to accumulate a considerable amount"
"... I... it's fine, even the ghosts know that you have methods beyond common wizards. If you can restore the crown of the abomination that it turned into, I will have no problem accepting your requests and let it remains in your hands for the time being. What else do you want in return for doing it?"
"I'd like to save that bargaining chip for later, after our date... to see if I can get a second chance if things go wrong."
"..." Helena saw how I said these words without looking into her eyes and after a bit of silence she pronounced "I don't understand your eagerness for this, but I agree if you can achieve what you promise with that"
"Well, if you don't mind, would you allow me to make a magical contract with you? I trust you, but I also know how loyal you are to Hogwarts, and if anyone finds out I have the crown in my hands I may be in danger... to a greater or lesser extent" I said as I extended my hand.
"I accept it" She nodded as also extended her hand to mine, passing through it.
I could feel the sensation of a ghostly coldness spread through my hand towards my body, but after an initial shiver, I felt how the power of invisibility within me slightly counteracted the bad feeling it generated... giving me another bad feeling.
I tried to make a [blood pact] interested in whether it would work with a ghost and I could see my blood magic reserves depleted quickly. The cost of making this pact was getting to be 10 times what it would take to make it with a human, and what I asked for was a lot, so it was not a small cost.
At one point, under slight inspiration, I attempted to channel the power of death that my invisibility had simultaneously with my blood magic, and the sensation of being drained by a bottomless vortex slowed to the point of feeling the cost pass from 10 times the normal cost to 1.2 times.
The pact was formed and I could see how the color red invaded the body of the Gray Lady, as if she were water and the red was a drop of ink that began to color her rapidly. It was only for a few seconds before dissipating and returning to normal color, but still I don't know why that image excited me a bit and caused unhealthy ideas to invade my head.
According to her words, she could feel something, a thing rare in ghosts. Both the feeling of magic running through her and the restrictions of the contract. This made she was more confident in my words, wishing that I could really restore the crown.
After that, we parted ways, agreeing to see each other later and communicate with my [message] if necessary.