October 29, 1976 – Serena PoV
I had spent the last week training, or at least getting used to my new additions. The first was Cia, there really wasn't much to do, magic, as long as Cia was in contact, was almost natural, it was just like using a wand because It was, only it extended to my entire body, although I had to learn to throw correctly with my left arm, my aim and movements were not as good as with my dominant arm, but it was something I was willing to master.
Which, by the way, I put a steel ring on Cia's waist, thin and light enough to bother her, but since it was metal it was something I could attract with my Allomancy in case of emergency if Cia got far enough away and I couldn't get there quickly. It also served to keep her glued to my person during a fight, high-speed movements would be a problem for Cia to hold on to.
My applause alchemy, which I hadn't tried yet until that point, was stupidly easy to use, I wish I had known about it sooner but as they say, better late than never, the amount of possibilities that circleless alchemy opened up for me was incredible, I could create endless things instantly, I could create countless metal objects to use with my push and pull Allomancy, I had even managed to replicate the wire eagles they used as the Einzbern in the Fate series and bring them to life with my tail, was I copying things again? Yes, but they were amazing and of course I would take them for myself.
So the synergy between my clap alchemy and my tail was ridiculous, I could create any kind of minions I needed instantly.
Now speaking of my tail, or my transformation in general, I almost made a scene again when I slowed down my transformation as much as I could and my tail refused to go away, I still kept my star pupils and the black stars on my cheek like always, but I had a tail now, so with no apparent options left I ended up copying the saiyans and either wrapped it around my waist like a belt or had it go around my abdomen to keep it under my clothes. Carefully, obviously, that thing was still sensitive, even if I didn't want it to be.
It was hard to keep it from getting noticed, my tail would wag at the slightest change in my emotions, I looked like a damn dog the way it twitched, but as long as it was stuck to my body I could tell when it started to move to keep it from getting completely loose.
At least I was able to get completely used to it, I was currently spending more time with it than without it, as I always maintained my diminished state as Baiser, my tail was always present, and I must say, despite how completely strange it was to have a tail, it was stupidly useful to have one, more so because my tail was extremely agile and strong, I could easily use it as another limb without any problems.
I also got used to using magic with it, I still had some trouble aiming if I moved it too fast, but it was getting to the point where it was comparable to my wand, although I had to ask Cia for permission first if I didn't want her to get mad.
I also used La Verità, it turns out my staff hadn't generated either, I still only had my tail, but I could still use my webs with it so I didn't have to worry about that.
The only thing left was that I still didn't know if I could or what would happen if my tail was cut off... mmmm ... I held my tail around my waist as I thought.
No! Back off, stupid impulse! I already ended up with a severed hand because of following my bad ideas and Dumbledore's sweet ministrations, I didn't need another severed limb, even more so when it would be self-inflicted.
Although… maybe I'll get my Frusta back…
NO!
What I had purchased was Paper Trail from my phone, while it worked to create an identity for myself in the following worlds I visited, it also served to create paper trails of my abilities, and it was something I urgently needed before returning to Hogwarts.
First, there was nothing to justify about ancient magic, it was really something that could appear in any magical child, second, my metallic arts, it turns out, I was the last living Prince and I hadn't realized, I always thought that my maternal grandfather was still hanging around after expelling my mother from the family. Turns out not.
Even without my grandfather, Severus' memories also had a fairly extensive family tree in his mind about the Prince family, he came to the conclusion that there was at least someone alive so he didn't really bother to do an exhaustive search.
He would have to check with Lucius to see if there was anything he could do about the Prince house, but for later.
Paper Trail had attributed the metallic arts to a magic inherited by the Princes, a magic that had been disappearing since the first Prince with each new generation, until I arrived and they fully awakened, the papers did not explain why, but it was better to leave it as vague as possible, magic definitely does not make sense most of the time.
Third, Baiser and Parseltongue, the made up story I liked the least but which absolved me of most responsibilities, after my mother was cast out by my grandmother from the Prince family, she sold my mother, heavily pregnant with me, to Voldemort, Voldemort being the insane person who was determined to experiment on my mother and me in her womb, resulting in Baiser and Parseltongue on command, though Voldemort didn't realize my 'potential' and got bored of my mother and returned her to the muggle world with my father before she gave birth, possibly also being what helped awaken the metallic arts.
It wasn't really what would have happened to me, but, it had already been generated by Paper Trail, so there were traces of it somewhere, even if it was only in Voldemort's memories, so it was the backstory I had to use.
As an extra, Ciara was a fairy who felt drawn by my magic and decided to follow me as I passed through Diagon, that was something that could have occurred to me, but well, it was also good to have papers from the store where I 'bought' her, she was a rare species of fairy since she was at least two or three times bigger than a normal fairy.
I shook the thought out of my head and walked through the halls of Hogwarts, I had missed a whole week of classes so I wasn't expecting any conversations with anyone, not students, not teachers and definitely not Dumbledore.
But I couldn't avoid it anymore unless I wanted to escape, so I took a deep breath and entered the Slytherin Common Room before breakfast without much fanfare, except when the students realized who I was, all conversation stopped as they stared at me, I grimaced.
"Serena!" I winced at the worried voice of Narcissa who had stood up from her seat and was walking quickly in my direction, Lucius quickly following her.
"Narcissa, Lucius" I gave her a small smile.
"Are you okay?! I was really worried when the headmaster announced that you got hurt in a potions accident and were going to be spending some time in St. Mungos ! " my smile froze.
" Now, the director said that and what about me? " I asked stupidly.
" Yes, a week ago! Announcement at breakfast that you would be absent for an unknown period of time due to an accident while brewing potions! Thanks to Salazar it was only a week! "
"...I see" still with my plastic smile on my face.
HOW DARE HE!
I?! SERENA SNAPE?! POTION ACCIDENT!?
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FUCKING JOKING!!
I took a deep breath to calm myself, I could feel my eye twitching as I gritted my teeth.
"Serena? Is everything okay? " Lucius asked from the side, he sounded worried, he looked worried, as did Narcissa, I sighed tiredly and smiled weakly at them.
"Yes" I said through gritted teeth "everything is fine, and it seems I have to THANK the director" I calmed my anger, there was nothing I could do or claim.
" Oh, thank Salazar! " Narcissa said as she sighed in relief before hugging me tightly.
" Mmmh !" I moaned in pleasure as Narcissa pressed herself against my tail that was wrapped around my chest, Narcissa stopped stiffly and I felt my cheeks flush slightly, I grabbed Narcissa by the shoulders and pulled her away "t-these wounds are still a little tender! They hurt a little! " I said quickly, Narcissa's eyes widened.
"I'm so sorry!" Narcissa apologized and I made a guilty face.
"Don't worry," I smiled awkwardly. "It'll be gone in a few days," I added.
---
Entering the great hall was awkward, the looks followed me everywhere and it was annoying, the worst was Dumbledore's gaze that followed me everywhere, for a few moments I had thought about faking a debilitating injury on my right arm just to prolong his feeling of guilt.
It was easy, storing health in a golden mind makes me sicker, weaker and that was reflected in my body, I was sure that I could concentrate it only in my right arm, adding atium that stores youth, I could make it look decrepit as my arm ages.
Oh, did that sound completely petty? Definitely, but I was capable of faking an injury of that magnitude for the last two years I had left at Hogwarts just to spite Dumbledore, wait…
Yeah… now I see where Cia and Aria got their personalities from, I made a face.
I ignored all the stares and sat down to eat my breakfast, just in time for Cia to jump out from under Aria and fly over the table.
"That... that's a fairy?" Lucius asked as he sat down in front of me, Narcissa doing the same next to Lucius.
"If she is, she decided that for some reason she had to follow me and I couldn't get rid of her" I shrugged.
"She's so cute!" Narcissa let out a small squeal, Cia preened at the praise and stood taller as she flew around as if posing, I rolled my eyes "She's a little bigger than normal though?" I asked as I stroked Cia with a finger.
"And unlike any I've seen, I mean, you're the only witch who would find a fairy dark enough to match your… aesthetic so well," Lucius said amused, snorting.
"Her name is Ciara, and stop giving her sugar" I snorted at Narcissa who was feeding her a sugar cube, Cia looked at me and stuck her tongue out at me while hugging a sugar cube in her arms, I rolled my eyes.
" Oh Salazar, she has a mini wand identical to yours! " Narcissa squealed as she saw the wand hanging on Cia's hip. "It's so adorable!" she sighed.
"She kept nagging me about wanting one identical to mine," I said tiredly, "so I had no choice but to transfigure one for him," I lied lightly, I actually had to convince Cia to let me use a wooden copy of my wand while I was at Hogwarts, I couldn't just go from using a wand to using nothing at all, and I certainly wasn't going to reveal Cia's true nature like my wand, so a lack thereof was the best option while Cia maintained contact with me inside my clothes.
"You're going soft Snape" Lucius sneered, I stuck my middle finger in his direction which he of course ignored, I growled but started eating my breakfast. I glanced sideways at the teachers table, I really didn't feel like confronting them, they seemed eager to come my way but it seemed Dumbledore had held them off until breakfast was over, annoyed.
Even Hagrid was looking at me like he wanted to come running in my direction- no, I sighed, of course, he wanted to come in Cia's direction, this was going to be a long day and I still hadn't come up with a believable enough potions "accident" thanks Dumbledore, I groaned silently, just thankful it was Friday, tomorrow and the day after were Hogsmeade weekend, that was good.
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