To say Lily Potter was angry when she walked into Dumbledore's office was an understatement. Lily was furious. After learning what Severus had done, and why Dumbledore kept trying to mold Harry into a certain viewpoint, Lily was ready to tear that long white beard off his face. The only reason she hadn't and seemed as calm as she did was because she wasn't alone. Elijah was with her and keeping her calm.
'Remember, we need to keep an eye out for where he keeps his pensieve,' She heard him say in her mind, a welcome side effect of their newly formed Bond. 'We learned there was a prophecy, but we never learned the second half. Once we know where he keeps his pensieve and his memory vials, we can sneak in the next time he leaves the castle.'
'I know. Thank you, for coming with me to submit the lesson plan for this semester, by the way.'
'Technically, I'm the teacher, it's my job anyway. Besides, couldn't let you meet him alone, you'd likely kill the old man.'
'He's tougher than he looks, but I think I'd come close.' Their mental conversation was interrupted when Fawkes flew over to them and landed on Lily's shoulder. "Hello Fawkes." She chuckled when Fawkes pecked at her hair "Yes. I changed my hair. Does it make me look old?" Fawkes' reply was looking away, making her swat at her. "Smart-arse bird." Fawkes seemed to laugh as he flew back to his perch and Dumbledore walked into the office.
"Ah, good day you two. What brings you here?"
"Dropping off this semesters lesson plan, Boss," said Elijah as he tossed a folder onto the old man's desk. "Also, you said you wanted our opinions on potential new teachers for next year. Why look at them this early, the semester has barely started."
"It is a precaution, Mr. Crowe. I'm afraid it's become something of a habit in recent years. We've had to replace our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher every year for the last 50 years."
"So there really is a curse on the position, it's not just a rumor."
"You've heard of it?"
"People talk, Boss. Especially since most from Hogwarts have had a substandard education when it comes to Defense Against the Dark Arts, and, in recent years, Potions. You wouldn't believe how many people Ilvermorny has had to help with a standard education for international jobs."
"I assure you, I've done everything I could to try and get a steady education going for both classes."
"Defense, I'll believe. But Potions? The moment you hired Snape, more people have failed out of Potions and had to take up additional lessons either with the Ministry or back in the States. Until recently, he's been a horrible teacher. It was Lily who made him change his teaching style, and now look at the grades. They've improved remarkably. Do you even care for the students education, Dumbledore?"
"I assure you, I have every intention of granting our students the highest education possible."
"Then you should've fired Snape when the Potions finals for 5th and 7th year students started plummeting."
"Severus has… a unique set of circumstances surrounding him."
"You mean him being a Death Eater means no sane person would hire him," said Lily. "It's almost like people marked as a Death Eater were followers of Voldemort. Why ever would anyone not hire one of them?"
"Enough with the sarcasm, Lily. Come on, we need to get ready for the day. Oh before I forget, Dumbledore, what do you know about Seers and Prophets?"
"Not much, I'm afraid, I don't take notice of such things. Why do you ask?"
"Because a Seer I met a while back told me about a family of charlatans that you should never trust. Claiming to be Seers just so they could keep their addictions in check. I noticed the family name here, Trelawney."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I tend not to argue with Seers, it's worse than arguing with Lily." He smirked as she smacked him on his chest. Dumbledore thought for a moment before turning to a wall with a mirror built in. He turned to them as he pulled out his pensieve.
"Thank you for telling me this, Mr. Crowe. I'll take it under consideration." Elijah spotted a case of vials nearby as they exited the office. Lily cast the Muffliato spell around them and turned to him as they walked away.
"What was that just now?"
"The Trelawney's aren't Seers, they are, however, a line of Prophets. They can't see the future, not clearly, except for a specific chain of time linked with a prophecy but remember nothing of the prophecies they speak. Seers are the opposite, seeing things to come but not what leads to it and can remember what they see down to the last grain of sand on a beach. I just needed to put doubt into Dumbledore's mind and wait."
"You thought he'd doubt the validity of the prophecy, didn't you?"
"Sometimes Fate manifests things in your life that stay for a lifetime. Psychology, for example. I don't need to know what someone thinks, just the basics of paranoia and doubt."
"Manipulate things into our court and then be patient. You would've made an excellent Slytherin."
"Maybe." The two walked into the Great Hall where they saw Harry walking on the walls, the girls trying to get him down. "Dammit. Not this shit again."
"This has happened before?!" asked Minerva.
"Several times," said Lily as she pinched the bridge between her eyes. "He gets lost in thought, starts pacing and does this. Once he was on the ceiling when he finally realized what he was doing and landed on his head. He was five at the time." Cedric looked up at him and turned to Hermione.
"30 Sickles he gets to the ceiling before falling on his arse."
"Done." Lily gave her a look. "What? It's not like Harry isn't aware we've done this before."
"It still isn't right."
"He gets a percentage of the winnings," said Daphne. "And all of it if everyone is wrong."
"Has that happened before," asked Pansy, who had taken to sitting with Anima Mea in the two days since she returned with the other students on the Hogwarts Express.
"Only once," said Susan. "And that's because he was back on the ground when he snapped out of it." She looked up at him. "Something must be bothering him. Anyone know what that is?"
"Not a clue," said Tracey. As Harry started walking higher on the wall, his mind shifted from one subject to another.
'Nicolas Flamel, world renowned alchemist and master of Dumbledore, somehow has lived since the 16th century due to his discoveries in the field of alchemy, created an artifact that granted him immortality, but what was it. Where did I hear that name before?' As Harry came out of thought, he kicked off the wall and landed next to his mother. "Need to go to the library." He walked away, not paying attention to anything but avoiding everything.
"Looks like he got the Mental Enhancement down," said Elijah. "That makes three, well, five if you count Astoria and Luna."
"Dammit," said Tracey. "First Daphne, then Hermione, now Harry. Why are me and Susan always last?"
"Because you're lazy and Susie likes taking her time," said Daphne. Tracey glared at her as she smirked. "Anyways, does anyone know what he's researching?"
"Not a clue," said Elijah, running a hand through his hair. Everyone else shook their heads. "Hermione, go with him. Whatever research he's doing, he'll need help with it."
"On it." She stood up from her seat, gathered her things and left for the library.
"Has anyone noticed Harry acting weird?"
"No, now's the only time," said Susan, carrying Serina in her pocket. The hatchling poked her head out and chirped in agreement. Edgar cawed overhead, and Tracey looked at him.
"We're not all weird, just Harry and Daphne." Said girl smacked her best friend upside the head as Edgar cawed. "I know I deserved that," she sighed.
"He better not be trying to figure out what's on the third floor," said Lily.
"Would he," asked Padma. The group nodded, and she stood up. "I better go check on them. Three heads are better than two."
"Alright." Padma picked up her things and caught up to the two.
"Wait up," she called out to them. Hermione turned to her and smiled.
"Coming to help?"
"Yeah. Between the three of us, it should make things faster."
"Well, three if Harry even knows we're here. Then we know what we're looking for."
"Anything about Nicolas Flamel," said Harry, not even turning around. "And just because I'm lost in thought doesn't mean I can't hear, unlike you Hermione." Said girl huffed as Padma looked at him.
"Why Nicolas Flamel?"
"Something about him has been bothering me for a while, It's like I'm trying to remember where I've heard that name before, but can't place where, I've been trying to use Mental Enhancements to help concentrate."
"Well, let's get researching then." They got into the library and looked around, remembering the jumbled mess that was the so called 'organization' of the library. "Any ideas where to look?"
"We could always ask Madam Pince," suggested Hermione.
"I would," said Harry. "If she liked me. Apparently my father pulled a prank his last year at Hogwarts and she assumes I'll do something similar."
"What did he do?"
"Don't know, not even Mum will tell me." Hermione rolled her eyes and went to Madam Pince herself. After finding where the books were they carried a few stacks over to a table and started sifting through the books. After finishing one, Harry sighed. "There has to be a faster way to go through these."
"It would help if we knew what about Nicolas Flamel we were looking for," said Padma.
"I'm trying to find what he made as an alchemist. I looked through the books he's written about the subject but can't find anything substantial."
"Any thoughts, Hermione? Hermione?" They turned to her and stared as they saw her going through book after book, at a rapid pace, the books hovering in the air around her and flipping through their pages rapidly, her eyes glowing brightly. "Harry, what's going on?"
"I don't know. I've never seen her do this before."
"I've got it," said Hermione, the books placing themselves on the desk in a neat stack. "I know what Nicolas Flamel created." She turned to them and saw their wide eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Hermione," said Harry. "How did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"You just went through 10 books in 2 minutes," said Padma.
"No I didn't. I took my usual time," Hermione denied.
"Not to us," said Harry. "It was very cool, the books you had were hovering around you and their pages were flipping rapidly, like a flipbook."
"Maybe it's her Soul Ability," suggested Padma. "I don't think any of us would be able to do anything like that in a hundred years."
"Seems a bit mundane," said Hermione.
"Maybe it'll have something more to it, and we just don't know what else you can do," said Harry.
"I hope so."
"What did you find?"
"Oh, right. Nicolas Flamel is rumored to have created the Ultimate Alchemical Tool, the Philosophers Stone. It is rumored to be able to turn base metals into gold, create artificial life forms known as Homunculi, and can produce what is known as the Elixir of Life, a source of true immortality."
"Sounds like anyone would want to take it," said Padma.
"Turning base metals into gold," said Harry. "That should be impossible, even with magic."
"So should creating artificial life, yet these are the properties listed within the various texts from Nicolas Flamel and other Master Alchemists."
"What was it called again?"
"The Philosophers Stone." The name clicked in Harry's memory.
"Stone. That's it. That's what's on the third floor. Hermione, thank you!" He pulled her into a kiss, making her blush and a faint silver light surround them both.
"Y-you're welcome, Harry." Said Hermione, her face as red as a tomato, and her eyes shifting into a more solid silver, like Harry's.
"Nice eyes," said Padma. Hermione touched near her eyes as Harry handed her a mirror from her bag. Hermione saw how her eyes were and smiled before hugging Harry, nearly strangling him. "I think he needs to breathe, Hermione." The bookworm gasped and pulled away, letting Harry breathe.
"Sorry, Harry."
"It's fine. Just remember I need to breathe too, next time." They smiled at each other and Harry led them back to the Great Hall. When he saw his mother and Elijah chatting with Minerva and Filius, Harry sat with the rest of his house ready for the day to end.
When they were back in the cabin, Harry grabbed Elijah's arm. "What's up, Harry?"
"I know what's on the third floor."
"Harry, your mother told you…"
"I know, just listen. It's the Philosophers Stone, an alchemical artifact with the ability to turn base metals into gold, create artificial life forms called Homunculi, and create what's known as the Elixir of Life, a key to immortality. I think that's why Voldemort is after it, he's run out of time for whatever he's done to himself and is looking for the Stone for the Elixir of Life." Elijah was silent as his apprentice spoke and seemed to be thinking as Harry finished.
"Good job Harry, but next time, listen to your mother."
"Of course, oh, before I forget again, the centaur that saved me when we got back to Hogwarts, Ronan, he said there were ten families gifted use of Soul Magic. Do you know anything about that?"
"Ten families? They must be mistaken, there have only ever been nine."
"Is it possible the last family disappeared before the attacks?"
"Maybe, but then why would they never be mentioned in the Family Histories?"
"I don't know, you're the expert. I figured you'd know."
"Looks like I have some research to do myself. Get to bed, Harry. You need your sleep." Harry nodded and went to the boy's dorm room as Elijah sat in a chair, lost in thought. He looked up as Lily walked in, wearing her night gown, and smiled at her. "Hey." He reached out to her and pulled her into his lap when she took his hand. They shared a brief kiss before Lily pulled away and smiled at him.
"Hey yourself."
"Don't get mad, but Harry just told me he found out what is on the third floor."
"That little… I hope he's ready for another week added to his grounding."
"I think he was, he seems to understand, especially for someone his age, that all actions have consequences."
"And I should be proud, but I feel he hasn't really had time to be a child."
"Well, growing up around someone from the military will do that."
"I suppose, so, what did he find out?"
"It's called the Philosophers Stone."
"I've heard of that. It's an alchemist's ultimate work. Supposed to turn iron into gold."
"Any base metal, actually. It can also create something known as the Elixir of Life, capable of extending one's lifetime, granting them immortality. But it's the last property that I think Voldemort is after, while Harry thinks it's the second."
"What's the third property?"
"It creates artificial, and most likely soulless lifeforms, known as Homunculi," He told her, a trace of spite and disgust when he mentioned the word 'soulless'.
"And given Voldemort has no need for the Elixir of Life, and that he's most likely a disembodied wandering spirit, the third option seems more likely."
"Not so much disembodied, at least, I don't think." Elijah made sure none of the children were nearby or listening using Soul Sight and waved his hand, locking the doors to the dorms. And casting asking Lily to cast a Muffliato on them, just in case. When the spell was up, he looked at her. I was going over Harry and Tracey's memories on the day before the break, and spent a few hours going over every detail about what they saw on the third floor. Harry said he heard a voice whispering to Quirrell, but Tracey didn't hear that, she claimed she just heard extremely silent whispering that she couldn't pick up, but when I went through her memories, I heard the same thing as Harry, which led me to one conclusion, Parseltongue."
"But Harry doesn't…"
"I think he does. There have been times I've heard him speaking in it, particularly when he's trying work something out and mutters to himself."
"But neither I nor James came from families associated with that language."
"Neither do I, and I learned it through Soul Magic. Maybe Harry learned it the same way after hearing me speak it a few times, or maybe he got it from the Horcrux."
"What do you mean?"
"It was part of Voldemort's soul, for the brief amount of time it was in his scar, it could've bled some of his abilities into Harry, like the prodigious way he uses magic. From what you've told me about Voldemort, he had a skill with spells only a prodigy could master. They tend to be able to master things faster than most. It would explain how Harry has managed to get his Animagus form so quickly, and why he managed to learn everything I taught them in half the time of the others. I don't want to think of anything else he may have gotten from that Monster."
"Neither do I," said Lily as she got up from his lap. "So what is it that you talking about? Voldemort isn't disembodied?"
"Yeah. I saw the memories from both of them, there was no other person in the hall. Which led me to remember about how those who've created Horcruxes can essentially possess someone else of a weak will."
"So, Quirrell."
"Bingo. Quirrell has Voldemort possessing him, more than likely, on the back of his head."
"Which is being covered by the turban at every hour of the day. I have to say, it makes some sense."
"And I checked Harry's memory from a few days ago, when he confronted Voldemort and saved that unicorn, the height matches up with Quirrell's."
"So, we have a suspicion about his whereabouts, and what he's after, but not how far he's managed to get regarding defenses around the Stone."
"I don't think he's gotten passed the Cerberus. It's unlikely he'd be able to find a way so soon."
"Even still, we need to be careful. Did you and Isabel manage to make a surveillance mirror?"
"No, couldn't figure out how to keep a continuous connection going without overtaxing the runic array I originally devised for the mirror. We also couldn't figure out how to make it one way."
"You mean my two favorite geniuses couldn't solve this problem?"
"Which one of us is your most favorite?"
"Isabel, by far." He smirked as she smacked him on the shoulder. "I'm only kidding, you know it's you."
"I better be, otherwise, you'll find yourself alone tonight." They smiled and shared a kiss before Lily stood up, dropping the Muffliato. Speaking of which…" Elijah watched as she went to her bedroom and beckoned him to follow. He smiled and went after her, closing and locking the door behind him.
From where he was hiding beneath the Invisibility Cloak, Harry shuddered and removed the cloak. "I did not need that image in my head." He looked at the crystal wand in his hand. "Not just against Seers, but Soul Sight as well, wonder if it works against Moody's eye as well." He looked in a mirror and saw his image distorted once more. He waved the wand again and his image returned to normal. He placed it in his pocket and looked at the shoes Isabel made him. "Perfect stealth. This will come in handy."
He thought back to what he learned from reading their lips. "No surveillance, no way of seeing if he's made it passed Fluffy, and, likely, no way to know when he will make a move on the Stone, there has to be a way to…" his words stopped short as he saw Noir come out of the shadows on the counter. The cat stretched and looked at him. "What? Why are you looking at me?" The cat ignored him and went to where Daphne had left cat food for her. "You are a strange cat, Noir." She looked at him and growled. "Not apologizing, so why don't you just turn back to your food and… and now I'm talking to a cat. Maybe I should get some sleep." Harry left the cat alone and went to bed.
The next morning, Harry woke up and was outside for training, Blaise being the only one up with him. "Morning, Blaise."
"Harry." The young Italian boy nodded to him before turning back to around and concentrating on something.
"What are you working on?"
"Self-levitation, flight without a broom."
"Good luck, I tried the same thing, even Elijah can't do it without constructing his wings."
"That's another thing," Blaise said, turning to him. "I'd have thought you would know how to do that."
"We barely just learned that we could do that before school started. Daphne's sister figured it out."
"How did she figure it out?"
"Apparently it works like a Patronus Charm, powerful memory, strong emotion, and equally strong determination power the constructs."
"In other words, if you've lived a miserable life, it'll be difficult to make one."
"All you need is one happy memory, or a strong enough determination, Hell, even Elijah hasn't fully master it."
"But Greengrass' sister has? How?"
"Age mate. She's still young enough that she can imagine things Soul Magic can do and her soul is still powered by a child's innocence. As we grow older, we start noticing the wrongs of the world, and our innocence is slowly lost as we're influenced by more and more of our emotions, anger, hate, sadness, despair, but also love, kindness, empathy, and every other emotion. We start adding colors to what is essentially a pure white canvas, and our childish imagination becomes logical reasoning, the possible becomes impossible and things are harder to achieve."
"Let me guess, Elijah told you that."
"Actually, it was an observation from Mum. She found it a hard time to learn Soul Magic when she obtained it ten years ago. When we started learning it, it was easy for us, and Mum observed us as we used it. We were children who knew only happiness, sadness, and fear, nothing else. She said that the purest emotions affected our magic, which was why she had a hard time. Her emotions were mixed in different combinations, like a painting, forming who she was as an adult."
"Interesting point of view. It does make sense, though. Easier to paint with a blank canvas than a full one. But what about Daphne's sister? I remember you telling me that she was forced to wait until Elijah had made another Soul Wand set."
"She did learn it late, but she grew up watching us use it, and still sees it as the coolest thing in the world and has been thinking of ways she could use it since she could walk. Also, having been influenced by myself and the others kind of helps."
"She gets an understanding and is still capable of thinking of new ways to try and outshine you, lucky girl."
"If you're really trying it, then wait. Elijah is covering elements with us next year, you'll also get your Grimoire when second year begins. Maybe you'll be attuned with Air."
"I will discover on my own, without help. You managed to do it, so can I."
"I had years to practice, you've been at this for months…"
"And I've matched your own progress."
"You've matched what you've seen. Not everything I can do."
"You've been holding back?"
"Of course. Never reveal your hand. Makes it easier to deal with people later on."
"Hm. Then I guess it's futile to ask you to show me what you can do."
"Oh, definitely." Harry grinned as Blaise glared.
"Fine. I'll just have to find a way to trip you up, Potter."
"Feel free to, Zabini."
"If you two are done," said a voice above them. They looked up and saw Pansy Parkinson sitting on a tree branch and eating an apple. "Can one of you wake up Professor Crowe? I would, but I'm not allowed in."
"Why are you up, Pansy?"
"Got used to it from Professor's insane teaching. Figured I'd get some fresh air."
"Harry, you go get him," said Blaise.
"I'm pretty sure I know what he and Mum were up to last night, and I'm not about to risk seeing Mum naked, thank you very much."
"Wimp," said Pansy with a smirk.
"How would you feel if you walked in on your mum naked?"
"Not uncomfortable. She's my mum."
"Your dad then."
"Gotcha. Then one of you wake up one of the girls and have them get him."
"You just… why do you need him right now?"
"I want to join Anima Mea." She kicked off the branch and landed next to them.
"Is that even allowed," asked Blaise.
"Why not? Tonks joined," said Harry.
"Point."
"Just get the professor, Harry."
"Why are you trying to boss?..." Harry cringed as she gripped his ear. "Ow!"
"I don't like repeating myself. Just do as your told."
"Alright, alright, just let go!" She grinned and let go.
"Good boy."
"Don't patronize me." Harry went into the cabin and went to his mothers room. He was about to knock when the door opened, and Elijah and Lily walked out, fully clothed and both equally satisfied.
"Oh," said Lily. "Need something?"
"I came to get Elijah. Pansy's looking for you."
"How'd you know I'd be…"
"I'm not stupid. And the Granger's gave us all 'The Talk' before school started."
"Remind me to have a talk with them."
"Relax, Mum. They said it was necessary since we were attending a boarding school and Anima Mea hadn't been made yet, making it harder for us to keep track of each other, and for us to make sure we're all safe and aware of… other's advances."
"Given they're both doctors, even though their dental hygienists, I'd imagine they gave accurate descriptions of everything," said Elijah.
"Right in one," said Harry.
"What does Pansy want?"
"Same thing as Tonks. She wants to join Anima Mea."
"Right, well, we'll need to use the Sorting Hat, see if she can join, considering she was quickly put in Slytherin, sorted almost as fast as Draco Malfoy or Ronald Weasley, it may be difficult."
"She's outside with Blaise, apparently, your teaching methods have made her an early riser. Like most of us," he finished, glancing at the boy's dorm where Cedric was still sleeping.
"Guess he's getting five extra laps today."
"And the girls," asked Lily.
"They're all up," said Harry. "Taking laps around the castle instead of the lake today."
"And you know this how?"
"Went to wake them up, found a note in Daphne's handwriting."
"Alright, guess they've beat me to the punch today. Come on, Harry. You need to get your laps done today, I'll talk with Pansy." He gave Lily a quick kiss as Harry went to the exit. Harry glanced back with Soul Sight and saw their souls shining bright and pulsing in unison. He smiled as he went for his morning jog. Elijah went outside and found Pansy hanging upside down from a tree.
"Finally."
"You need to learn patience."
"I'm almost 12. 15 minutes is about all the patience I have, and I was waiting for either you or Harry to get out here." She skillfully flipped upright and landed without a stumble.
"Nice landing. So, you want to join Anima Mea."
"Yep. From what I've seen from the older Slytherin girls, things are going to get worse for me down the line."
"What about Millicent?"
"She's safe. She has a betrothal contract with a very rich family in France. She's untouchable when it comes to Pureblood laws, though the bullying may get worse for her. I told her to try and join with me, she wants to tough it out."
"She's brave, I'll give her that. What about you? I thought you had a betrothal contract."
"I do, but I plan on getting out of it. Father was strong-armed into setting me with Malfoy."
"By strong-armed, I'll assume you mean blackmailed." Pansy nodded and found a sudden interest in the dirt beneath her feet. "Malfoy found out about something Father did when he was younger."
"And is using it as leverage."
"To my dismay. Now, Malfoy is acting like he owns me."
"Before I can accept you into Anima Mea, I need to know if you would like to learn Soul Magic. Balances out your soul, making you show more of yourself, guaranteed entry… get where I'm going with this…?" Pansy smiled as she held out her hand.
"Soul Magic please." Elijah smiled and went back into the cabin, coming out a few minutes later and handing her a Silver Wand. She followed his instructions and felt her soul Awaken. Elijah watched as a silver light enveloped her. She looked at him when the light died down. Her eyes were striped with silver lines, and her hair on her left side turned white.
"Hope you're not OCD about your hair."
"Why?! What's wrong with my hair?!" She scrambled to the lake and saw her reflection. "Oh! That's not so bad."
"Guess you're fine then. I'll go talk with Dumbledore and get things sorted. When the girls come back, take Susan and Daphne with you to the Slytherin dorms and pack your stuff."
"Can't the house elves do it?"
"They can't get in. The wards I've set in place prevent them from getting in unless I've allowed them to."
"Precautious, aren't we?"
"I was a soldier, Pansy. I don't trust just anyone easily."
"This is a school, Professor Crowe. Not a war-zone."
"Old habits die hard." He looked behind her and nodded. "Here come the girls now." She turned around and saw them running up, Penelope in the lead and Hermione and Padma in dead last. When they got to the cabin, Hermione and Padma collapsed on the grass, breathing heavily. "I take it neither of you remembered your channeling."
"Not that," panted Hermione.
"They were in the lead for the most part," said Daphne. "They were racing and competing, for a book of all things, until they overtaxed themselves."
"So tired," said Padma.
"Nice look, Pansy," said Daphne, finally noticing her friend. "Joining us in the House of the Soul, huh?"
"Yes. I just need help carrying my stuff from the Slytherin dorms here."
"Daphne, you and Susan go help her," said Elijah.
"I can't," said Susan. "I have to take care of Serina. Tracey can go for me."
"I don't want to…"
"You're going," said Daphne, as she went into the cabin to change, dragging a whining Tracey behind her."
"Lazy, isn't she?"
"Lazy, but when she's motivated, she works harder than Harry," said Susan, following them inside.
"What?"
"She's not lying," said Elijah. "She just needs the right motivation. Though, finding that has been a bitch."
"Language, Elijah," said Hermione.
"He's just speaking his fucking mind," said Pansy with a smirk.
"Language," said Elijah and Hermione. Pansy looked at him, mocking betrayal as he chuckled. As Pansy led Tracey and Daphne to the Slytherin dorm, Elijah made his way to the headmaster's office. At the stone gargoyle he simply stood there, staring at it.
"Crap, forgot the password. Hey, Grumpy. Stand aside." The gargoyle growled as it glared at him. "Come on, I don't have all day, got a student who wants into my House." When the gargoyle didn't move, Elijah groaned. He leaned passed its head. "Hey, Boss! Need to speak with you and I forgot the password! Let me in!" The gargoyle looked behind itself and grunted before stepping aside. As he was climbing the stairs to the office, he passed Quirrell who jumped at the sight of him.
"Oh! H-h-hello, E-Elijah."
"Easy there, Quirinus, don't have a heart attack." Elijah looked at the man possessed by the Monster known as Voldemort and tapped him on the shoulder. Quirrell nodded and started walking away but paused when Elijah said something that made Voldemort observe him in anger and intrigue. "Monster," said Elijah in Parseltongue, getting Voldemort's attention. Elijah felt a mind hit his natural mental barriers and recede back as quickly as it tried to enter. He smirked to himself as he kept walking up the stairs, not missing a step. He got to the office and saw Dumbledore pacing. "Hey, Boss."
Dumbledore turned to him, surprised but managed to keep his expression in check. "Yes, Mr. Crowe?"
"Hey, got another request to join Anima Mea."
"Ah, it seems many students are wanting into our newest House, though few seem able to enter."
"Need to be attuned to all four original Houses to join. A balanced soul for the House of the Soul. And this one applicant I know we can let in."
"And who is our young applicant?"
"Pansy Parkinson." As soon as Elijah mentioned the name 'Parkinson', alarms went off in Dumbledore's head. "I'll just take the hat and make it official using the castle's magic." He grabbed the sorting hat and left the office.
'Parkinson?' Dumbledore thought to himself. 'That's one of the Dark Families. And Elijah feels he can let one of them into the House?! No, this can't be good. First, Greengrass and Davis, now Parkinson?! If only I hadn't allowed Mr. Crowe to be head of Anima Mea and let have their dorm outside of the castle itself! Whatever those wards are that Elijah placed around the cabin, they're powerful. Fawkes couldn't even get passed them, and the Elder Wand couldn't penetrate or alter them. How powerful is Elijah Crowe?!' As Albus thought, a sudden realization came to him, idly, he'd heard Elijah mentioned his family magic and just thought it idle boasting, like every Pureblood he's met in England. Then he remembered the Crowe wasn't an Englishman, he was American, who's centuries long isolation made it difficult to keep track of every family there. 'Could he really practice Soul Magic? But if that's the case, he may be more dangerous than I may have thought. For all I know, his family created the original Horcruxes and lent their knowledge to other families for a price! He could have one as well! Wait, Lily mentioned she and the children practice Soul Magic as well, did she not?! It should be safe! But then there's what she did with the trolls on All Hallows Eve! Does Soul Magic corrupt you?!'
Dumbledore muttered as he thought, unaware of the spiral he was currently going down. Fawkes watched his old friend as he felt his pain. He wailed in sorrow. He knew something was going to happen to the old wizard soon but chose to stay for his sake. Dumbledore started pacing in his office, devising a plan to learn all he could about Soul Magic and see if Harry had truly been corrupted by this unknown branch of magic.
The three girls were making their way down to the dungeons, Pansy obsessing about her new look. "I mean, why did it have to be half white," she asked comparing strands of hair from both sides of her head. "Why couldn't I have my hair stay normal, or be completely white?"
"Soul Magic is funny that way," said Daphne, walking beside her friend with her hands behind her back. "For some reason we still haven't figured out, it decides how we change. But we have no idea what the changes mean, if they mean anything."
"I still think I should've gotten golden eyes, silver's not my color."
"Too bad," said Tracey with a smirk. Pansy glared at her slightly before glancing at the walls beside them.
"Hey, how did Harry do that thing yesterday?"
"Oh, the wall walking thing?"
"Yeah."
"It's a trick Elijah taught him and Daphne."
"We instinctively cast sticking charms on our feet and switch them between steps, so we stay on the wall. Harry managed to get it down faster and now has the ability to use it unconsciously, like how Hermione was able to use Mental Enhancement," said Daphne.
"But wait, Harry still had to learn that while Hermione was able to use her skill accidentally."
"Don't ask us about that," said Tracey. "Ask Elijah. He taught us all the same lessons but gave us all different advice on how to get things done."
"Why don't either of you teach me to do something, just so I can get a jumpstart on my lessons."
"Let's focus on your channeling then," said Tracey, before Daphne could say anything. Tracey walked over to a few suits of armor. "Hit it."
"Are you kidding? I'll break my hand!"
"Just hit it." Pansy held back but hit the suit, bruising her hand.
"Ow! There, I did it."
"Focus on where the pain is, feel your magic, send it through to where you can feel the pain. Think about numbing the pain." Pansy did as Tracey told her and instantly felt the pain go away. "Now keep the magic flowing and try punching it again." Pansy listened and punched the armor, this time causing a dent in the metal. "There's step one, step two is making it last as long as you need to. Channeling is the first step in controlling your magic. Get the hang of channeling magic into your muscles, and lungs, and you get to move on to the more advanced stuff."
Pansy watched as Tracey made a golden shield appear in her hand between the two of them. "Control and power appropriation is key for Soul Magic. It's powerful, and that power means knowing how much power to put into a single spell. Too much and you tire yourself out. Too little," Pansy saw the shield start fading and Tracey closed her hand into a fist. "And your spell fails, just like real magic, but the big difference is with Soul Magic, you don't need a foci, you are the foci, and should be able to tell exactly how much magic you need for a particular spell." Daphne looked at Tracey like she had grown a second head.
"You mean you've actually been paying attention to Elijah all this time?"
"Of course I have, I'm just lazy, remember?" Tracey started walking ahead of them, leaving Daphne dumbfounded. "Come on, you two. We can't be standing around the halls."
"I don't know whether I should be impressed, or scared."
"Scared," said Pansy, following behind Tracey. "Definitely scared." As they made it to the dungeon, Tracey started shivering. "Yeah, sorry. Forgot you don't like the cold down here."
"Why does everyone claim it's cold down here," asked Daphne.
"It is cold," said Tracey, her breath showing as she spoke."
"It's cold," said Pansy. "But not that cold, why's your breath showing?"
"Let's just get out of here, fast," she responded. Pansy led them to a bare stretch of wall and said the Slytherin password. She led them inside and they looked around, seeing everything was green and lined with silver. "Is it me, or does this seem like too much green?"
"It's not just you," said Daphne. "This common room needs a serious redecorating. I think I'm going to vomit, and no one will notice because it will be well hidden in here."
"What are you two doing here," called a voice to their right. They turned and saw a tall boy with black hair and grey eyes glaring at them. "You're not Slytherin, you don't belong here!"
"They're invited, Flint," said Pansy, glaring at the fifth year boy. "They're here helping me with something."
"Who said you could bring students from another House here?!"
"I did, Mr. Flint," said a voice behind him. He jumped and turned around, seeing Snape behind him. "I trust you will not bother our guests for the duration of their presence here?"
"N-no sir, Professor Snape." Snape sneered at him before turning to the girls.
"Well? Why are you three just standing there?! Do what you're going to do and be quick about it!" The three girls nodded, and Pansy led them over to the girl's dorm rooms. When they entered, they found Millicent there with another girl, she had light grey eyes and shoulder length blonde hair.
"Hey girls," said Pansy.
"Finally leaving?" asked Millicent. Pansy nodded and hugged her friend.
"You sure you don't want to join Anima Mea with me?"
"I need to see this through to the end as a Slytherin. I'll be fine, don't worry, it's part of a larger plan for the future."
"Alright, but if things start to get too much to handle, you come to us, fast."
"I know, I know. Mrs. Potter will protect us."
"What about you, Lily?" The blonde girl shrugged before writing in a journal by her lap.
"I haven't made up my mind," the words read. "On one hand, it'll get me out of harms way as a Muggleborn, on the other, Milly is left alone here with only a betrothal contract protecting her from amoral boys with superiority complexes."
"I told you," said Millicent. "I'll be fine. Besides, I know they're all repulsed by my… big-boned physique." Pansy hugged her again as Tracey and Daphne exchanged a look.
"We can't leave either of you two here in good conscience," said Daphne. "Milly, I know you had plans to stay, but something's telling me not to leave you both here."
"Listen to Daphne," said Tracey. "Her gut's usually right about this sort of thing. She's not as good as Luna at picking things out, but she can sense danger when it's near."
"And the boys in our year in Slytherin, each of them have given me reason to be wary of ever wanting to be here." Millicent and Lily traded looks with each other. Lily gave a forceful look, but Millicent shook her head.
"Sorry," said Millicent. "This is too important, for me, and my family. Lily, you should go, it's dangerous enough with Flint and the other Death Eater children here, but when we get older…"
"Milly," said Daphne. "What's going on?"
"I can't tell you. Just trust me on this." Tracey and Daphne looked at each other as Lily stood up and hugged Millicent before packing her things into her trunk, Pansy doing the same. When they were done Tracey cursed.
"It feels colder now…" Daphne looked at her and saw her shivering getting worse.
"Then it's time to leave. Too bad Elijah never taught us how to shrink things, that'd make the trip back much easier. You help Pansy carry her trunk, I'll help Lily." The four girls left the first year girl's dorm and went out into the common room. Soon enough, they found their path blocked by Flint, Adrian Pucey, Terrence Higgs and Malfoy and his usual muscle-bound followers, Crabbe and Goyle.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" asked Flint.
"Out of here," said Daphne, staring at them defiantly. "Step aside, Flint."
"You would do well to watch your tongue when speaking to your elders, Greengrass."
"We don't have time for this, all of you…" Tracey looked at them, her eyes hidden by the shadows of her bangs and glowing intimidatingly. "…move." The first year boys backed away in fear as the older boys held their ground, not showing they had been frightened by that look as well.
"It seems the four of you need to be taught a lesson. And Professor Snape, the coward that he's become, is nowhere nearby to help you."
"I said!" shouted Tracey as she pulled out her wand and aimed it at them, her hair starting to flow with magic. "Move!" She cast a Lumos Charm on the tip of her wand as Daphne discretely used silent, wandless levitation to toss the group before them to the ceiling, knocking them out as they were distracted by Tracey's Lumos and too busy aiming at her to notice what was coming. "I hate the cold!"
"Let's just get going, they won't be happy when they wake up." The four first years left the Slytherin common room as Millicent watched them before sighing.
"Can't leave until I find it, have to find the Chamber…" she said to herself, her determination in accomplishing her secret task urging her on.
When the four made it outside, Tracey sighed in relief. "Beautiful, warm sunshine!" She dropped her side of Pansy's trunk and plummeted to the grass, smiling.
"Oh no," said Pansy. "Just lie there, I'll carry my extremely heavy trunk by myself!"
"Go ahead, knock yourself out."
"You're going to be infuriating, aren't you?"
"Welcome to my life," said Daphne. Lily silently giggled as she and Daphne carried her trunk. Lily and Pansy paused as they saw Susan and Elijah practicing Capoeira, Elijah without a shirt on. Daphne waved a hand in front of her eyes and turned before sighing. "Hey Old Man!" Elijah stumbled as Susan aimed a kick at his chest and knocked the wind from his lungs. She gasped in surprise as he coughed and gasped. "Put a shirt on! You're girlfriend isn't out here to show off for!"
"Sorry, Elijah," said Susan.
"You're fine. It's her fault. Good kick, though."
"Thanks." Elijah grabbed his shirt and put it on, causing the two girls to pout. He walked over to them and looked curiously at them. He signed to Lily.
"Miss Moon? Why are you here?"
"Figured it'd be safer to be away from the more untrustworthy Slytherin members, Professor Crowe," she signed back.
"How bad is it," he asked Pansy.
"Let's just say I've heard some… rough… treatment of the girls in the years above me that aren't in a Betrothal or Engagement Contract."
"Need help getting out of yours?"
"I can handle it, been studying Law like crazy trying to find a way away from him. By graduation, I think I'll be qualified to be a Solicitor."
"Or whatever passes as one in Wizarding England," said Elijah as he went inside and came back out with the Sorting Hat. "Alright, Rags, two more."
"Don't call me Rags, Crowe!" shouted the Hat as Elijah placed it on Pansy's head. "Hello again, Miss Parkinson."
'Hello Rags.'
"Remind me to pay Mr. Crowe back for that name, I can just hear the students calling me that now."
'I may.'
"Worried about your friend, aren't you?"
'Yes.'
"Don't fret, soon enough, she will join you in Anima Mea." He finished speaking and her uniform turned silver and black rather than green with silver accents. She smiled and handed the hat to Lily Moon.
"You as well, Miss Moon?"
'You said I was only missing one aspect to join at the beginning of the school year.'
"And it seems you've gained loyalty for your friends by your reluctance in leaving Millicent alone. Do not worry about her. She has strength beyond what she allows others to see and will join you in Anima Mea later." Lily Moon's uniform changed just as Pansy's had when Rags finished speaking. Lily smiled sadly and took of the hat.
"Welcome to our humble house, ladies. Tracey, please show them to your dorm."
"Don't want to…"
"Harry's baking cookies inside." Tracey shot up, used levitation to lift both new girls and their luggage and ran back inside with them in tow. "And that's two more… we're gonna need a bigger dorm."
"Have you noticed more girls seem to join than boys?"
"Well it's not surprising. Girls tend to be more balanced than boys," said a voice behind them. They turned around and saw Lily standing behind them, smiling. That's when Elijah realized something and turned to Daphne.
"We're gonna need nicknames, don't you think?"
"To avoid having two people respond to the same name?"
"Yep."
"What are you two on about?"
"Lily Moon and Pansy Parkinson have joined Anima Mea. Now we've got two Lily's."
"That won't get confusing. People refer to me as Mrs. Potter on a regular basis, and you lot call me Aunt Lily."
"And me?"
"That's up to you, Canary." Daphne snickered as Elijah glared at his girlfriend without any malice. "My words earlier do tend to have truth in them."
"I know, my family was mostly made up of women for that reason. The only way more boys would be allowed in is if we teach them Soul Magic. And I'm not about to do that with just anyone."
"I know, I know. Keep cards close to the chest. Don't let too many people be aware of our full capabilities so that there isn't a repeat of history."
"Exactly. I won't let what happened to the family's happen to us. Soul Magic must live on." Lily smiled and kissed his cheek, making Daphne roll her eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to prep the Shrieking Shack for the next full moon, did we find out who's blood she was using?"
"Mine," said Daphne. "God it's weird knowing my blood can give a vampire extra strength."
"Dhampir," said Elijah. "Not full vampire. Different rules regarding blood."
"Does it matter? She's still going to drink it."
"Suck it up, it's for Remus."
"I know. This will give him a chance to live a normal life for once. If only he wasn't stubborn and asked for this years earlier."
"He saw it as charity and not likely to work."
"And now?"
"He's still not sure it will work. But is willing to try. Surprisingly, Isabel managed to beat it into his head when we couldn't."
"I think she had him agree using some… manipulative… tactics."
"Such as?"
"I'd rather not mention it."
"You think she compelled him, somehow?"
"I don't know. I don't know what dhampirs are capable of."
"Pretty much everything a normal vampire can do, without the UV allergy, need to drink blood, and other weaknesses."
"Oh, great, so she's unstoppable if she's angry?"
"No. You just need to know how."
"And how is that?"
"Sorry, trade secret."
"You suck sometimes, Elijah."
"That's Isabel's job, not mine."
"I'm telling her you said that when she arrives."
"Please do. She won't do anything." Lily laughed as Daphne stuck her tongue out and walked away. Lily kissed Elijah and let him go to the Shrieking Shack and went to the cabin to help their two new students settle in.