Harry Potter and the Skittering Spouse
- Thread starter Fencer
- Start date
- Crossover Fantasy Superhero
Plenty of items in the Wizard World are sapient/sentient and interactable like a robot and you don't see where the brain is. Starting with paintings and children games. Continuing with statues, books. And are perfectly fine. And plenty of items looks begning and don't talked and cursed and absolutely death traps. Added with wizards/witches propensity for deadly puzzles or chase for deadly animals and the ability to either magic going haywayre or to create objects that are unintentional cursed and unemotional deadly mazes or puzzles. And the blaze attitude of adults to putting children into mortal dangers and the only saying when they child dies or is horrible cursed by the preventable monster/object of the weak is get good scrub.
Or at least the average wizard /witch attitude towards danger and dangerous animals and fauna. It is heartbreaking that someone close died, but god forbid doing something to deal with the monsters and deadly situations and animals they made Hogwarts a hunting ground. Or how the fact hags exists and aren't made extinct (if certain dietary requirements for hags are correct).
And you have idiots like Hagrid that think uncontrolled breeding of monsters or bringing man eating species as pets as invasive species is fine and dandy. Especially near Hogwarts where the children of the British Islands wizard world learn.
Because if Hogwarts would be a normal school Hagrid would be in prison for the acromuntula nest situation and the giant spiders exterminated(even to the point of burning large sections of the forest). Or the death trap that is Hogwarts wouldn't exist, or the deadly mazes and puzzles under Hogwarts would be blocked and filled or defanged. Or the school stairways be made safe. Or some safety standards would be done with Quiditch.
Or at least the average wizard /witch attitude towards danger and dangerous animals and fauna. It is heartbreaking that someone close died, but god forbid doing something to deal with the monsters and deadly situations and animals they made Hogwarts a hunting ground. Or how the fact hags exists and aren't made extinct (if certain dietary requirements for hags are correct).
And you have idiots like Hagrid that think uncontrolled breeding of monsters or bringing man eating species as pets as invasive species is fine and dandy. Especially near Hogwarts where the children of the British Islands wizard world learn.
Because if Hogwarts would be a normal school Hagrid would be in prison for the acromuntula nest situation and the giant spiders exterminated(even to the point of burning large sections of the forest). Or the death trap that is Hogwarts wouldn't exist, or the deadly mazes and puzzles under Hogwarts would be blocked and filled or defanged. Or the school stairways be made safe. Or some safety standards would be done with Quiditch.
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You own two bb guns and have plenty of examples irl of other, more lethal, guns. If the world had only seen bb guns, had quotes from experts on how no gun was lethal, and had never seen a lethal gun the burden of proof would be on the person claiming that there are definitely ways to kill people with guns.
The supplementary materials that state
also that they last a day. Further the only two love potions we see aren't permanent and conform to these standards.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. One of Rowling's major themes was of the power of love and how it was a unique magic all on its own. How it could not truly be faked and could overcome evil. Ginny lastingly potioning Harry in the background with no evidence spits on that entirely.
We see two of their fights. Once where he was a dick about Harry and one immediately preceding their break up. People sometimes aren't nice right before a break-up, that's called a relationship. She seemed to like him at some point and that changed.
You know, like a normal relationship that started well and inevitably ended. The kind any fifteen year old might have without making them a "ho".
No. That's the basis of pre existing attraction. You know, the whole point of that scene in the books?
the whole thing was a demonstration of Harry's unrealized attraction to Ginny. Something that preceded the whole monster in his chest thing by almost a whole year.Amorentia said:
A pre existing attraction that developed over time rather than the sudden obsession typified by love potions.
We know of three classifications. Muggles, squibs, and magicals. There are no "almost squibs" or "near squibs"with inferior magic like you were claiming. Merope was a full fledged witch capable of wand magic just not seemingly good at it.
Filch and Figg have been proven to be able to be brought into Hogwarts. But not necessarily able to see it. We do know Figg was unable to see Dementors just like muggles and was lying at the trial for Harry's sake. So, the jury is still out on whether or not squibs are any different from muggles.
We never see anyone who can cast magic that "just didn't have enough magic" to do something correctly though. So claiming her potioneering was somehow flawed by her lack of magic is entirely speculatory based on your head canon.
The fact that her stopping giving the potion and it running out follows what little supplementary information that was written about love potions doesn't imply she was flawed or that said information is false.
You seem to be extrapolating a lot from a single line from Arthur that was said under stress that prima facie makes no sense.
Ten year old girl finds diary that she thinks her parents bought her. Said girl writes in diary. The diary writes back probably with an explanation of what it is (a magic device like the portraits she's familiar with). Said little girl talks to chess pieces, portraits, mirrors, ghosts, and dozens of other similar items that she has no idea how to make every day. Little girl doesn't think anything about it because she's a little girl.
This is not a story of inherent stupidity but of a naive mistake. The type of mistake that children make all the time. Kids do things without thinking too deeply about them and accept cursory explanations that fit their world view. They don't make logical connections that are obvious to us (like that a diary that writes back may not be what it seems). It's why we, as adults, have to protect them and repeat warnings (sometimes after a close call that drives the point home).
Also we know that Voldemort had enchanted his soul anchors with compulsions that made them seem harmless and encouraged people to use them. She was likely hooked the second she put ink to paper.
Wrt attraction to Harry and intelligence, adult Harry insisted that he Hermione and Ron constantly wear an evil soul anchor and stay under its influence for most of a year. I guess they're all irredeemably stupid too?
TLDR: Every character in Harry Potter had dumb moments that were there for plot reasons. Ginny as described in the books would probably get along with Harry romantically and there's no real evidence of foul play. And their relationship being genuine fits with Rowling's themes better than him ending up the victim of a prolonged drugging campaign.
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I believe the intention of this warning is more don't trust things that you don't know where they come from. Like, you get a magical painting or other enchanted Item from an expert in their shop or through their store, you can trust it. You find a random goblet or necklace on a street corner, maybe don't. Pawn shops are thus also very risky things unless you can check the enchantments on something yourself.
The problem then, comes from Ginny's thought that she got it from her father and just didn't notice him get it. Thus it would fall in the "trusted item" category. However, she never checked with Arthur about where he got it or when.
Assuming no "compulsion charms" or "curse" or some such trap to prevent or discourage her from talking about the diary, it's really weird that she never thanked her parents for getting it for her, nor asking about the pawn shop it must have come from. Or if she did it was just something like "thanks for the dairy" in a letter and Molly and Arthur both assumed the other got her something and that it wasn't magic.
Ace Dreamer
Verified Reality User
- Location
- Between The Unknown & The Known
Do you think Filch is the official School Safety Officer?
Filtch is a charity job. I think. I think the position of caretaker of Hogwarts needs magic. It is good to hire management staff that has no magic(like squibs) but at Filtch job needs magic to do his job properly.Do you think Filch is the official School Safety Officer?
He is a joke and has no power and is undermined by the teachers themselves, that the only reason Filtch stays is because of Dumbledore. For decades now. You don't become so jaded and nasty without decades of resentment.
Also the magic world is nasty. From how even Weasleys don't talk with their squib relatives, how Neville was treated when he was thought to be a squib, how many deadly animals are near Hogwarts, or how many deadly traps and puzzles are at Hogwarts waiting to kill students. To how magic combat and pranks are treated as an everyday occurrence between students. To how most of cursed/deadly enchanting objects/potions are treated by the magical world.
To be honest, the house elves should be taking care of any Caretaker duties, so I'm still not sure what Filch actually does
From what we see of him, he seems to spend most of his time trying (and failing) to keep order in the castle, and a lot of the rest doing any odd jobs around the castle itself that don't require magic, with Hagrid doing the same for the grounds around the castle and the separate facilities (like the quidditch pitch)
From what we see of him, he seems to spend most of his time trying (and failing) to keep order in the castle, and a lot of the rest doing any odd jobs around the castle itself that don't require magic, with Hagrid doing the same for the grounds around the castle and the separate facilities (like the quidditch pitch)
- Location
- The City of Tears, Hallownest
- Pronouns
- He/Him
The good war has Filch be a trained artist/restorationist, being responsible for maintaing all the priceless magical portraits and suits of armor and junk. But then Inwardtransience puts staggeringly more thought into how the magical world should work than rowling.
Don't you need magic at least to preserve the moving portraits? Or the enchanting talking pieces of furniture/stone?
Ace Dreamer
Verified Reality User
- Location
- Between The Unknown & The Known
Having someone do craft work without any (active) magical talent might work better for some sorts of maintenance?
Prevents magical damage/contamination?
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- Location
- The City of Tears, Hallownest
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Filch "has magic". He's a squib, he can see through the muggle repelling wards around hogwarts and shit. He just can't "use" magic.
Not enough to replace broken magical and enchanting painting/furniture/pieces of the castle as his job should require. I don't think he repaired the Fat Lady portrait after Sirius damaged her in the third year. And in my opinion squibs have the same magic as muggles. But are better of getting through muggle repelling charms because of their knowledge /family and friendship ties.
As much as I would like to jump in adding my two cents but almost everything the last few page has nothing to do with the story itself and seems to be about HP in general. Can we please take that to the HP thread for it because it doesn't have anything to do with this story.
FullNothingness
Mostly DHMO.
While not shown Dumbledore does explicitly say he'll have him fix the painting. So it isn't a stretch to think that is his job. TBH that makes sense because while the house elves are shown cooking and cleaning they aren't shown doing the more complicated maintenance.
- Location
- The City of Tears, Hallownest
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Kinsfire
Verified {Redacted}
- Location
- New Jersey
Wow, we've spent how many pages reminding everyone why fanfiction exists? Everyone on the opposite sides is using the same damned books to prove their point. And every side ignores the stuff that doesn't quite fit with how their view of things is. I saw this when I was neck deep in the HP fandom, back when Schnoogle existed as a going concern, when denying that Harry/Ginny was the OTP even though we had only seen her running after the train was enough for internet death threats.
WHY ARE WE HASHING OUT THESE SAME STUPID ARGUMENTS AGAIN?!? The only reason we are is that people are dealing with Someone On The Internet Is Wrong Syndrome.
Can we PLEASE drop the arguments about this and get back to talking about the story we're here to read?
WHY ARE WE HASHING OUT THESE SAME STUPID ARGUMENTS AGAIN?!? The only reason we are is that people are dealing with Someone On The Internet Is Wrong Syndrome.
Can we PLEASE drop the arguments about this and get back to talking about the story we're here to read?
Ace Dreamer
Verified Reality User
- Location
- Between The Unknown & The Known
Doyalist logic: Filch is the Caretaker so there can be a grouchy non-active-magic-using individual, who will only appear to love his cat, and appears to believe Hogwarts would work better without any school-kids?
Watsonian logic: Filch fulfills a valuable role in the school, which he can do despite not being an active magical. They may well be parts of Hogwarts which require either someone with such a status, or someone with the light magical touch of a curse-breaker?
I'm interested in what Taylor might think of Filch, once she starts doing active surveillance of Hogwarts. We might find out a lot more about his duties, such as his supervision of the school heating systems, the food delivery, and, if we are really lucky, the sewage system! *
* All that magic waste - might need a strong stomach and the ability to supervise some very strange magical creatures so it all works right?
Ch. 11
Fencer
Writer
- Location
- 2nd shift
- Pronouns
- He/Him
AN: You know I don't think I explained or anyone asked but canonically V-man let his followers rot in jail after the fuck up at the ministry. I already had him bust his people out because I didn't really get into my reread of canon till after I said so. The reason for my screw up is canon also had dementors breeding at the start of book six and frankly I just assumed he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of getting them to swap sides without also busting his people out, because why make two trips? Like, Rowling, what the hell? Yes, I should have read more than the first few chapters before diving into this, but also what? Dementors breeding, prison lacks guards, why the hell would the Death Eaters still be there? Rowling, what the hell?
So, in conclusion I screwed up. I also don't care. If canon didn't want me to rewrite it, it should have made coherent sense to begin with. DE's are out, the war is on a low simmer as things build off screen and Skitter's going to help me set this trainwreck on fire just as soon as she can get her hands on a thread and start pulling.
Remember to thank Functionality for Betaing and putting up with my shit folks.
{}{}{}{} Harry
It took almost half an hour for Dumbledore to chase out the majority of the Order. But try as he might, two people refused to move. Bill Weasley and Moody outright refused to budge.
"William, I really must insist you leave!" Dumbledore snapped, apparently even his patience has limits.
"Professor if you would stop and think for a moment you might remember that I am a curse breaker!" Bill snarled. "Merlin, if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named made a soul jar we have a bigger problem than restricted knowledge!"
Silence settled over the room for a moment and Dumbledore's mouth hung open a bare inch.
"Merlin Professor, I know the damn things are vile, I don't know how they're made, I don't want to know how they're made. I've never encountered one on a dig, but the man I apprenticed under did, and the goblins have encountered them on many digs over the centuries. No one who knows what those things can do to the unwary would send someone unprepared into a dig where they might encounter one."
"These things are that common?" Taylor asked.
Bill shook his head.
"No, and for that we should all be grateful. It takes a certain kind of insanity and hubris to intentionally maim your own soul. From what I've heard? Maybe seven to ten out of Egypt and its very long history. We don't talk about them outside of our own circles, but we know what they are and that you destroy them, immediately."
"How do we destroy them?" I asked. "Basilisk venom worked for the diary in second year, but what else?"
"Basilisk-" Bill choked. "The diary!" He snarled. "Dad mentioned a cursed object, stupid! I should have recognized the signs! Damn it!" He turned to look me in the eye. "If my family didn't already owe you for saving Ginny's life… stopping that thing before it consumed her is a debt we might never be able to repay." Bill shook his head. "Didn't know basilisk venom worked, that's a new one I'll have to pass on. Fiendfyre is supposed to do the trick, but that's beyond dangerous. Liable to kill yourself with it."
Bill eyed the Headmaster.
"My mentor, he said if I ever saw one, I should hit it with the killing curse."
"William!" Dumbledore reeled back, shocked and offended.
"It's what I was taught!" Bill snapped. "Doesn't take hate, just the bone deep certainty that the thing should not exist and it needs to die. That's what I was told. Until now I hoped I'd never need to test that theory, but if this is true…" Bill shrugged and looked highly uncomfortable.
"A moment boys and girls." Moody spoke up dryly "Might not know what the damn things are, but the important bit is to destroy it, and the Dark Lord can die. Potter just said he axed one in his second year. How's he still around to cause us all grief?"
"Because the lunatic made more than one. We assume." Taylor spoke up with a dark scowl on her face. "If he's smart, he'd just drop the damn thing down a well or bury them in the middle of nowhere. But he left at least one with a minion. If we're lucky he doesn't trust these things to chance. Which means getting them and breaking them is going to be a fight, but at least we won't have to scour the planet. Just places in Britain he thinks he can make secure."
"Starting to see why you two decided to get creative about how to stop him without killing him." Moody grouched.
"Got any ideas we can add to our list?" Taylor asked with a small vicious smile.
"One or two." Moody's grin was honestly kind of terrifying.
"Ok!" I cut in before that conversation could get started. I barely managed to moderate Taylor. I was not trying to rein in both of them. "Bill, you know about these things?"
Bill eyed us all for a moment before grabbing a chair and sitting back down.
"The way it was explained to me is that they are a very nasty case of convergent magical research. If you want to chain your soul to this world after death you have to chain a piece of your soul to something physical before your death. Egyptian, Roman, Mayan, Chinese, Indian. Pick an ancient empire, someone figured it out. Someone tries to destroy all knowledge about them, but scraps survive and inspire others or someone just as insane half a world away works out it might be possible based on legends, or their own research, and designs it from scratch. The details might differ, but the basics stay the same."
Professor Dumbledore shook his head sadly.
"The only records I could find claimed they were invented by Herpo the Foul."
Bill shrugged.
"If you're the nastiest Dark Wizard in living memory to make one, and you claim to have invented it? Who's going to argue? Especially if people have been actively destroying all mentions of them? I'm no historian, professor, but it's a story that writes itself."
"Why aren't we up to our eyeballs in Liches?" Taylor asked. "Even if only a few people are crazy enough to make these things, if you're still finding and destroying them now…"
"If they don't have anyone to make them a new body, they end up stuck as something less than a ghost." Bill answered. "They could wander forever and never find a way back to having a physical body. Also wards meant to contain ghosts and poltergeists can trap that spirit, which is another reason we get taught about them. You don't want to open a box and unleash the wraith of some ancient dark wizard that was bound inside."
"Oh, if we kill him, could you bind him like that?!" I asked, getting genuinely excited. If we could just kill him and bind his spirit…. Merlin, that would make things simpler.
Bill and Dumbledore both blinked at me then looked at one another.
"In theory?" Bill sounded uncertain. "I don't know how to do it but I know it's been done before, so…"
"It's something to look into." Dumbledore muttered thoughtfully as he stroked his beard. "Certainly, it would give us more time to search out and destroy his anchors, but I wouldn't be willing to leave things at that. Not when his followers might search out and try to free him again."
"But it would buy us time and a measure of safety." Mad Eye nodded emphatically. "Though it would leave us with the problem of killing him. Something no one managed in the last war until whatever happened that night at the Potter's."
"And that isn't something we can just casually recreate." Taylor chipped in. "But I'd be happy to see how well he holds up to a few pints of venom in his veins."
Dumbledore looked around the room seemingly almost lost.
"Miss Hebert, I must ask, how did you know of this? The information has been very thoroughly purged from all but what I hope is a small number of private libraries. How…" He trailed off.
Taylor shrugged.
"They're fairly popular in fantasy. The person who makes one is usually called a Lich." She shrugged again. "Hate to break it to you, but short of destroying a lot of fiction, folklore, and the related memories across the world… you aren't going to be able to destroy the knowledge of the concept."
"…I need to consider things." Dumbledore said, rising from his seat. "This has been an informative night and I have much to think on. I'll speak with you all again soon." And with that Dumbledore billowed out of the room in a swirl of robes.
Taylor blinked then gestured after him, question written plainly on her face.
"Damn it, Albus." Moody sighed. "If he takes longer than a week to start talking, I'll put the screws to him myself. We don't have time to sit on our arses. Until then we have people to keep under surveillance. You two, keep working on that list of yours and I'll see about convincing a few of the more ambitious members that we're going to need to go on the offensive sometime soon." Moody grinned. "I like the way you think girl, keep up the good work. Come on Bill, I've got a few things at my place you might be able to use, and I want some more details on these things before I need to go and pry them out of Albus."
The two exited the kitchen and left Taylor and I on our own, again.
"Well… That could have gone worse." Taylor sighed as she headed to the stove and put on water for tea.
"It could have gone better." I countered. "We learned some things, sure, but he still tore out of here without explaining much of anything, Bill had some good information…"
Taylor nodded and leaned back against the counter.
"True. But we got into the Order, and we definitely gained a couple of closer allies out of that chaos."
I grunted. She wasn't wrong, but it didn't make me any happier about the results. Was it too much to ask for some straight answers from Dumbledore? What exactly is his plan?
{}{}{}{} Taylor three days later
Reading through the Black family library in search of anything that might be useful was depressing, to say the least. Most books I could simply skim, just read the name and effect of a spell or potion. Maybe make a note about it and its identifying properties or creative suggestions an author included about how to use it. That was fine. Even among the darker texts, combat magic, no matter how disturbing, was meant to be incapacitating or lethal. I could just treat it like preparing to fight a cape.
The problem was the less organized works. Things that covered broad topics, or seemingly bounced from one topic to the next. Books on things like law and history were easy to skip, the invisible and therefore unreadable book I'd found seemed frustratingly pointless. The many booby trapped books were simple enough to ignore once properly marked as such but that still left…
Grunting in aggravation I slammed the ancient book closed and tossed it onto a stack even Hermione acknowledged was necessary after skimming some of what Harry and I had set aside since starting this project.
"Another one for the fire?" Ron asked scowling as he flipped pages through his own dusty tome.
"It's an in depth study on various ways to mentally break non magicals down into obedient slaves without resorting to the imperious curse." I answered flatly making my way to the shelves in search of something less likely to inspire me to commit murder.
Hermione muttered dire curses under her breath and Harry briefly closed his eyes before trying to focus on his own reading. Ron made a strangled sort of noise in the back of his throat before slamming his own book shut.
"Alright enough." Ron said firmly. "We've been at this for hours and only learned a few new ways someone might kill us horribly and just what it takes for Hermione to agree to book burning. Let's break for lunch, then do something less depressing before we need to get back."
No one objected. Part of me wanted to keep pushing but… they were here to hang out with Harry, and honestly, I was sick of this seemingly pointless search for information that might not even be here.
Lunch was subdued at first until Ron dragged Harry into a discussion about quidditch, at which point Hermione and I sighed in tandem. Sharing a look with the bushy haired girl I found a small tired grin settling on my face, one which she returned hesitantly. With a little gesture I suggested leaving the boys to their discussion. Hemione hesitated a moment but then nodded and followed me out to one of the less offensive sitting rooms. The doxy nest I'd helped thrive living behind the curtains was a bonus I really hoped I wouldn't need, but once bitten twice shy. Hermione hadn't yet given me a reason to distrust her, but I'd been burned too many times to just give her the benefit of the doubt on that alone.
"So…" I trailed off not even sure where to begin as I settled onto a positively ancient fainting couch.
"I'm sorry about Ginny and Mrs. Weasley." Hermione rushed out. "I'm not going to pretend I'm comfortable with what you told us but…"
"It is not your responsibility to apologize for anyone else. Much less a grown woman." I said firmly.
Hermione offered a small tired grin at that declaration. Before frowning again.
"Maybe not, but even still that drove you and Harry out of her house and I… I don't think either of them really believed you and Harry would or even could leave, and that… it's rather worse isn't it. That she thought she could just scream at you and you would have to stay? And, if I'd thought you could leave and take Harry with you, I might have tried harder to prevent things from going the way they did."
I smiled wryly.
"More upset Harry came with me, aren't you?" I asked.
Hermione flushed and I chuckled before picking up the conversation again.
"I don't blame you for that." I reassured her. "What I wouldn't give to have my friends backing me up for this insanity. I hate being separated from them. I get that." I shrugged and tried not to dwell.
Hermione really hesitated now.
"Would they help us? Like you are?" She asked.
I laughed.
"My team? That's a more complicated question than you think. Alec and Aisha would have helped if you paid them, or if they thought it could be funny, or maybe if they just decided the imperious curse was too much like his father's power. Brian would have tried to stay out of it because it wasn't our problem though if we got dragged in he would have done his best to keep the rest of us from doing anything stupid. Rachel… Rachel would probably agree, but only if she was promised the rights to a fully paid Dog shelter and some cerberus puppies, she really wouldn't care about the people. Lily would want to help, but she would do whatever Sabah decided to do and Sabah only fights when she has to. Lisa… Lisa would be chewing through every book she could get her hands on and interrogating everyone for extra context and just being a smug know it all at anyone who sat still long enough for her to get a read on them. She'd tear Dumbledore and Mrs. Weasley to shreds if they didn't hit her with a silencing spell."
I chuckled, not sure what was funnier, the idea of Tattletale ripping Dumbledore to shreds as she picked apart his every plan and thought. Or the idea of Tattletale stomping around utterly offended, unable to make a sound.
Hermoine took a minute to mull that over. The idea of someone wanting to raise three headed dogs, or only getting involved if they thought it could be funny both seemed to throw her, as did the idea of someone ripping into Dumbledore.
"So, they wouldn't have just volunteered the way you did?" She asked.
"If not for the marriage I wouldn't have stuck around long enough to even find out what was happening here." I shrugged. "Mostly because I wouldn't have wanted to trust complete strangers. If I could have gotten back to my friends… I might have offered some help, but not nearly as much as I am now because I had important things I meant to deal with before all this. If they were here, and you could convince them that the Lich would be a problem they would need to deal with eventually… You might have gotten them to contribute, but most of them would demand payment at a minimum. Really only Lily would be heroically inclined enough to just offer, and Sabah is her top priority these days so even she might not have."
Hermione chewed on her lip looking me over thoughtfully.
"Is there anyone you could reach out to? We could use all the help we can get and some of the abilities you described…"
I shook my head.
"I don't even know where my friends were moved to." If I had access to my bank accounts and Earth Bet I could maybe hire Faultline and her crew, but it wasn't possible, and there was no point thinking about it.
Hermione looked at me like she was trying to pick apart an especially confusing puzzle. Finally, she seemed to just give up.
"I don't understand you. I can't even imagine being in your situation, never mind some of the things you've said about the people you fought or the fights you've been in. I don't know if I'd even believe you if I hadn't been there when you and Mrs. Weasley fought… but you're here and just marching into our war like it's something anyone would do."
I actually gave that some consideration. She wasn't wrong. I could think of more than a few heroes that would hesitate to do what I was doing as well. Heck, most of the ones I could think of would probably try to hook up with the Ministry in spite of their supposed incompetence because they happened to be the legitimate government. I was joining up with a group of out of their depth vigilantes and making notes on how to possibly reform the magical government after the fact because Harry was right, they needed to be overhauled.
So far binding magical contracts seemed like the only good option. And those would have to be worded carefully so as not to risk things becoming a dictatorship. I needed a lawyer. No, scratch that, several lawyers, political scientists, and historians all collaborating to make something that wouldn't lead to an even less effective government. No matter how low a bar that may be, people can always make things worse. I'd be an idiot to think I could properly word something that important on my own.
Shaking those thoughts aside I decided in the spirit of trying to be a better person and making some actual allies here… Being more or less honest was probably my best option.
"You know Harry asked me something similar, he was afraid I was suicidal and charging into this fight as a way out."
Hermione sucked in a sharp breath, but let me continue uninterrupted.
"I'm not." I held up both hands warding that idea off. "I just… People have this awful habit of deciding bad things happening to other people aren't their problem, and that means they can just sit back and let it happen. And maybe we need that, because it's not like I can do anything for people suffering in Asia or Africa from here. But people let horrible things happen to me, and I can't, I won't be like them. Harry waved a cause under my nose right after mine and all my friends were ripped away."
I chewed at my lip.
"And, maybe I need some of Harry's help as much as you all need mine." I admitted.
"How so?" Hermione asked, looking baffled.
"I tend to think the ends justify the means, and I don't think that will ever change, but I'm not exactly proud of everything I've done… Harry keeps trying to moderate me." I grinned weakly at Hermione. "I think I could use a little more of that, if I want to be a better person." But I wasn't going to get into that. Now was not the time to fully give in to that existential crisis about souls. "What about you? Why not take your family and run? Plenty of countries speak English, you would be safer somewhere else."
"What? And leave the boys to fight on their own?" She glared at me.
I shrugged.
"You're not much older than me, not even a full year. It's personal for you, but that's because you are a target, and you aren't a soldier. No one sane could blame you for getting out while you still can."
"I-" Hermione puffed up looking ready to snap at me, but then she stopped and visibly considered the question. "The boys won't leave." Hermione admitted. "I won't leave them to fight alone."
I blinked in surprise, then laughed. "Ride or die? That is a good reason." I smiled honestly. I could respect that. Everyone needs friends like that.
Hermione smiled back, maybe we could find some common ground after all.
{}{}{}{} Harry
"Harry…"
"Yeah, Ron."
"Why did my knight just change colors?"
"The Blacks enchanted the board so that pieces randomly betray their side. Supposedly to make it more interesting, but I think it was mostly to make their kids more paranoid." I answered as I tried to decide how best to make use of the new and unexpected knight. If I didn't move it, I was going to lose it next turn, but I already had my next two moves planned and that knight wasn't part of it. Still, Ron probably guessed what my next moves would be... I moved the knight to take out an inconvenient pawn.
"… I can't decide if I think that's brilliant or stupid." Ron finally admitted as he started to pour over the board in search for a new strategy.
"It's something." I didn't exactly have an opinion on it one way or another, but if it meant actually beating Ron for once I would keep the stupid thing forever.
"How are things settling with Taylor? Mum nearly screamed the roof off when she realized you two didn't have an order member watching you."
Well… that was a loaded question.
"We're getting along alright, all things considered." I winced as one of my pawns shifted allegiance and gave Ron a new opening to exploit. "None of it's been easy, but being alone here… There isn't much we can do except talk. It's kind of crazy how quickly you can get to know someone when there's nothing else to do." I admitted.
Ron hummed thoughtfully. Then he put me in check, the bastard.
{}{}{}{} Taylor
I showed Hermione the book I'd been low key obsessing over. And she was actually intrigued by it.
"It's basically an introduction to some different types of magic that have fallen out of style. I don't think I've got enough power to do anything with Alchemy, but rituals apparently only need a bit from the caster; the rest is provided by either the environment or components. I've gone through the library looking for more books on the subject but…" I shrugged. "It's like they chose most of these books based on how to be as cliche evil as possible. I really want to believe there are some useful rituals that won't make me feel like the villain in a fantasy movie, but I haven't found any in here." I waved a hand to indicate the library.
Hermione hummed thoughtfully. As she flipped pages seeming to take in a few key details on each before moving on quickly.
"And you think this will help you?" She asked.
I shrugged.
"It depends on what they can do and how complicated they are. From what Harry told me the Lich's resurrection involved a ritual and a massive potion. No idea how long that took to brew. And like I said I haven't found anything I'd consider helpful yet. Most of the books I have found on the subject here focus on using rituals to lay curses or wards. Interesting, but not immediately useful to me. And several of those involved human sacrifice. Not really something I feel the need to experiment with."
Hermione grimaced and nodded.
"Have you considered potions? I know most of the magic comes from the ingredients so it is an option." She asked.
"Definitely some interesting possibilities there." I agreed. "If nothing else I want to make sure my bug out bag is fully stocked with medical potions."
Hermione perked up at that.
"What were you thinking?" She asked.
"Blood replenishing potions, and skele-grow for certain. Things for bruises or cuts if those can't be handled with a spell." I shrugged. "Honestly, I'm more interested in potential potions for combat. Things to make me faster, stronger, improve my reaction speed and dexterity if I can find them. Granted, I need to check if being under the effect of multiple potions simultaneously is bad for my health, or if any of them might be addictive, but if it can give me an edge in a fight, I want the option."
Hermione blinked in surprise at the idea.
"I know strengthening solution is a thing, but I'm not sure about the rest." She admitted with a small frown. "And while I could see that being useful, I'd say your other ideas would be more useful than just enhancing your strength." Her foot tapped a rapid beat against the floor as she bit her lip. "I don't know if it would let us cast any faster but if we could cast more accurately…" I nodded because while I'd be using a gun the same concept certainly applied. "Knowing wizards, someone probably invented something like that just for an edge in quidditch, and then it was instantly banned. The boys might actually have a better idea about this than I do." She admitted.
"Well, it's not immediately important, but why don't we go ask them?"
Hermione nodded decisively.
{}{}{}{} Harry
"Ha! I finally managed to win a game!" I cheered.
"I can't decide if I absolutely hate this weird traitor rule, or if I like how much more interesting it makes the game." Ron scowled at the board.
"Hey boys." Taylor called as she and Hermione walked in. "Having fun?"
"Yep!" I grinned. "The traitor rule on the chess board finally let me beat Ron."
Taylor smirked a little but shook her head.
"Taylor and I were talking about useful potions for a fight." Hermione cut in. "She mentioned wanting something to make her faster, more precise. Do you boys know of anything like that? I figured if it existed it was probably banned from quidditch."
Ron perked up.
"Yeah, dexterity draught. It was really popular for about a year in nineteen seventy six, I think? Got banned after a year. Apparently, it made for some really incredible passes, saves, and flying, but the games were really low scoring, and the crowds got sick of it. They banned it at the end of the season."
Taylor's smirk developed into a toothy grin.
"Bets that it makes spell casting faster and more accurate too?" Taylor asked.
"I think I like this idea." I felt myself grinning in response.
Hermione tore out of the room calling over her shoulder about seeing if she could find it in any of the potion books we had set aside and after a round of looks the three of us followed after her.
It was good to see Taylor and Hermione getting along. I was a little worried after the mess with Ginny and Molly, but if Taylor could get along with Ron and Hermione… well that would be one less thing to worry about this year.
So, in conclusion I screwed up. I also don't care. If canon didn't want me to rewrite it, it should have made coherent sense to begin with. DE's are out, the war is on a low simmer as things build off screen and Skitter's going to help me set this trainwreck on fire just as soon as she can get her hands on a thread and start pulling.
Remember to thank Functionality for Betaing and putting up with my shit folks.
{}{}{}{} Harry
It took almost half an hour for Dumbledore to chase out the majority of the Order. But try as he might, two people refused to move. Bill Weasley and Moody outright refused to budge.
"William, I really must insist you leave!" Dumbledore snapped, apparently even his patience has limits.
"Professor if you would stop and think for a moment you might remember that I am a curse breaker!" Bill snarled. "Merlin, if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named made a soul jar we have a bigger problem than restricted knowledge!"
Silence settled over the room for a moment and Dumbledore's mouth hung open a bare inch.
"Merlin Professor, I know the damn things are vile, I don't know how they're made, I don't want to know how they're made. I've never encountered one on a dig, but the man I apprenticed under did, and the goblins have encountered them on many digs over the centuries. No one who knows what those things can do to the unwary would send someone unprepared into a dig where they might encounter one."
"These things are that common?" Taylor asked.
Bill shook his head.
"No, and for that we should all be grateful. It takes a certain kind of insanity and hubris to intentionally maim your own soul. From what I've heard? Maybe seven to ten out of Egypt and its very long history. We don't talk about them outside of our own circles, but we know what they are and that you destroy them, immediately."
"How do we destroy them?" I asked. "Basilisk venom worked for the diary in second year, but what else?"
"Basilisk-" Bill choked. "The diary!" He snarled. "Dad mentioned a cursed object, stupid! I should have recognized the signs! Damn it!" He turned to look me in the eye. "If my family didn't already owe you for saving Ginny's life… stopping that thing before it consumed her is a debt we might never be able to repay." Bill shook his head. "Didn't know basilisk venom worked, that's a new one I'll have to pass on. Fiendfyre is supposed to do the trick, but that's beyond dangerous. Liable to kill yourself with it."
Bill eyed the Headmaster.
"My mentor, he said if I ever saw one, I should hit it with the killing curse."
"William!" Dumbledore reeled back, shocked and offended.
"It's what I was taught!" Bill snapped. "Doesn't take hate, just the bone deep certainty that the thing should not exist and it needs to die. That's what I was told. Until now I hoped I'd never need to test that theory, but if this is true…" Bill shrugged and looked highly uncomfortable.
"A moment boys and girls." Moody spoke up dryly "Might not know what the damn things are, but the important bit is to destroy it, and the Dark Lord can die. Potter just said he axed one in his second year. How's he still around to cause us all grief?"
"Because the lunatic made more than one. We assume." Taylor spoke up with a dark scowl on her face. "If he's smart, he'd just drop the damn thing down a well or bury them in the middle of nowhere. But he left at least one with a minion. If we're lucky he doesn't trust these things to chance. Which means getting them and breaking them is going to be a fight, but at least we won't have to scour the planet. Just places in Britain he thinks he can make secure."
"Starting to see why you two decided to get creative about how to stop him without killing him." Moody grouched.
"Got any ideas we can add to our list?" Taylor asked with a small vicious smile.
"One or two." Moody's grin was honestly kind of terrifying.
"Ok!" I cut in before that conversation could get started. I barely managed to moderate Taylor. I was not trying to rein in both of them. "Bill, you know about these things?"
Bill eyed us all for a moment before grabbing a chair and sitting back down.
"The way it was explained to me is that they are a very nasty case of convergent magical research. If you want to chain your soul to this world after death you have to chain a piece of your soul to something physical before your death. Egyptian, Roman, Mayan, Chinese, Indian. Pick an ancient empire, someone figured it out. Someone tries to destroy all knowledge about them, but scraps survive and inspire others or someone just as insane half a world away works out it might be possible based on legends, or their own research, and designs it from scratch. The details might differ, but the basics stay the same."
Professor Dumbledore shook his head sadly.
"The only records I could find claimed they were invented by Herpo the Foul."
Bill shrugged.
"If you're the nastiest Dark Wizard in living memory to make one, and you claim to have invented it? Who's going to argue? Especially if people have been actively destroying all mentions of them? I'm no historian, professor, but it's a story that writes itself."
"Why aren't we up to our eyeballs in Liches?" Taylor asked. "Even if only a few people are crazy enough to make these things, if you're still finding and destroying them now…"
"If they don't have anyone to make them a new body, they end up stuck as something less than a ghost." Bill answered. "They could wander forever and never find a way back to having a physical body. Also wards meant to contain ghosts and poltergeists can trap that spirit, which is another reason we get taught about them. You don't want to open a box and unleash the wraith of some ancient dark wizard that was bound inside."
"Oh, if we kill him, could you bind him like that?!" I asked, getting genuinely excited. If we could just kill him and bind his spirit…. Merlin, that would make things simpler.
Bill and Dumbledore both blinked at me then looked at one another.
"In theory?" Bill sounded uncertain. "I don't know how to do it but I know it's been done before, so…"
"It's something to look into." Dumbledore muttered thoughtfully as he stroked his beard. "Certainly, it would give us more time to search out and destroy his anchors, but I wouldn't be willing to leave things at that. Not when his followers might search out and try to free him again."
"But it would buy us time and a measure of safety." Mad Eye nodded emphatically. "Though it would leave us with the problem of killing him. Something no one managed in the last war until whatever happened that night at the Potter's."
"And that isn't something we can just casually recreate." Taylor chipped in. "But I'd be happy to see how well he holds up to a few pints of venom in his veins."
Dumbledore looked around the room seemingly almost lost.
"Miss Hebert, I must ask, how did you know of this? The information has been very thoroughly purged from all but what I hope is a small number of private libraries. How…" He trailed off.
Taylor shrugged.
"They're fairly popular in fantasy. The person who makes one is usually called a Lich." She shrugged again. "Hate to break it to you, but short of destroying a lot of fiction, folklore, and the related memories across the world… you aren't going to be able to destroy the knowledge of the concept."
"…I need to consider things." Dumbledore said, rising from his seat. "This has been an informative night and I have much to think on. I'll speak with you all again soon." And with that Dumbledore billowed out of the room in a swirl of robes.
Taylor blinked then gestured after him, question written plainly on her face.
"Damn it, Albus." Moody sighed. "If he takes longer than a week to start talking, I'll put the screws to him myself. We don't have time to sit on our arses. Until then we have people to keep under surveillance. You two, keep working on that list of yours and I'll see about convincing a few of the more ambitious members that we're going to need to go on the offensive sometime soon." Moody grinned. "I like the way you think girl, keep up the good work. Come on Bill, I've got a few things at my place you might be able to use, and I want some more details on these things before I need to go and pry them out of Albus."
The two exited the kitchen and left Taylor and I on our own, again.
"Well… That could have gone worse." Taylor sighed as she headed to the stove and put on water for tea.
"It could have gone better." I countered. "We learned some things, sure, but he still tore out of here without explaining much of anything, Bill had some good information…"
Taylor nodded and leaned back against the counter.
"True. But we got into the Order, and we definitely gained a couple of closer allies out of that chaos."
I grunted. She wasn't wrong, but it didn't make me any happier about the results. Was it too much to ask for some straight answers from Dumbledore? What exactly is his plan?
{}{}{}{} Taylor three days later
Reading through the Black family library in search of anything that might be useful was depressing, to say the least. Most books I could simply skim, just read the name and effect of a spell or potion. Maybe make a note about it and its identifying properties or creative suggestions an author included about how to use it. That was fine. Even among the darker texts, combat magic, no matter how disturbing, was meant to be incapacitating or lethal. I could just treat it like preparing to fight a cape.
The problem was the less organized works. Things that covered broad topics, or seemingly bounced from one topic to the next. Books on things like law and history were easy to skip, the invisible and therefore unreadable book I'd found seemed frustratingly pointless. The many booby trapped books were simple enough to ignore once properly marked as such but that still left…
Grunting in aggravation I slammed the ancient book closed and tossed it onto a stack even Hermione acknowledged was necessary after skimming some of what Harry and I had set aside since starting this project.
"Another one for the fire?" Ron asked scowling as he flipped pages through his own dusty tome.
"It's an in depth study on various ways to mentally break non magicals down into obedient slaves without resorting to the imperious curse." I answered flatly making my way to the shelves in search of something less likely to inspire me to commit murder.
Hermione muttered dire curses under her breath and Harry briefly closed his eyes before trying to focus on his own reading. Ron made a strangled sort of noise in the back of his throat before slamming his own book shut.
"Alright enough." Ron said firmly. "We've been at this for hours and only learned a few new ways someone might kill us horribly and just what it takes for Hermione to agree to book burning. Let's break for lunch, then do something less depressing before we need to get back."
No one objected. Part of me wanted to keep pushing but… they were here to hang out with Harry, and honestly, I was sick of this seemingly pointless search for information that might not even be here.
Lunch was subdued at first until Ron dragged Harry into a discussion about quidditch, at which point Hermione and I sighed in tandem. Sharing a look with the bushy haired girl I found a small tired grin settling on my face, one which she returned hesitantly. With a little gesture I suggested leaving the boys to their discussion. Hemione hesitated a moment but then nodded and followed me out to one of the less offensive sitting rooms. The doxy nest I'd helped thrive living behind the curtains was a bonus I really hoped I wouldn't need, but once bitten twice shy. Hermione hadn't yet given me a reason to distrust her, but I'd been burned too many times to just give her the benefit of the doubt on that alone.
"So…" I trailed off not even sure where to begin as I settled onto a positively ancient fainting couch.
"I'm sorry about Ginny and Mrs. Weasley." Hermione rushed out. "I'm not going to pretend I'm comfortable with what you told us but…"
"It is not your responsibility to apologize for anyone else. Much less a grown woman." I said firmly.
Hermione offered a small tired grin at that declaration. Before frowning again.
"Maybe not, but even still that drove you and Harry out of her house and I… I don't think either of them really believed you and Harry would or even could leave, and that… it's rather worse isn't it. That she thought she could just scream at you and you would have to stay? And, if I'd thought you could leave and take Harry with you, I might have tried harder to prevent things from going the way they did."
I smiled wryly.
"More upset Harry came with me, aren't you?" I asked.
Hermione flushed and I chuckled before picking up the conversation again.
"I don't blame you for that." I reassured her. "What I wouldn't give to have my friends backing me up for this insanity. I hate being separated from them. I get that." I shrugged and tried not to dwell.
Hermione really hesitated now.
"Would they help us? Like you are?" She asked.
I laughed.
"My team? That's a more complicated question than you think. Alec and Aisha would have helped if you paid them, or if they thought it could be funny, or maybe if they just decided the imperious curse was too much like his father's power. Brian would have tried to stay out of it because it wasn't our problem though if we got dragged in he would have done his best to keep the rest of us from doing anything stupid. Rachel… Rachel would probably agree, but only if she was promised the rights to a fully paid Dog shelter and some cerberus puppies, she really wouldn't care about the people. Lily would want to help, but she would do whatever Sabah decided to do and Sabah only fights when she has to. Lisa… Lisa would be chewing through every book she could get her hands on and interrogating everyone for extra context and just being a smug know it all at anyone who sat still long enough for her to get a read on them. She'd tear Dumbledore and Mrs. Weasley to shreds if they didn't hit her with a silencing spell."
I chuckled, not sure what was funnier, the idea of Tattletale ripping Dumbledore to shreds as she picked apart his every plan and thought. Or the idea of Tattletale stomping around utterly offended, unable to make a sound.
Hermoine took a minute to mull that over. The idea of someone wanting to raise three headed dogs, or only getting involved if they thought it could be funny both seemed to throw her, as did the idea of someone ripping into Dumbledore.
"So, they wouldn't have just volunteered the way you did?" She asked.
"If not for the marriage I wouldn't have stuck around long enough to even find out what was happening here." I shrugged. "Mostly because I wouldn't have wanted to trust complete strangers. If I could have gotten back to my friends… I might have offered some help, but not nearly as much as I am now because I had important things I meant to deal with before all this. If they were here, and you could convince them that the Lich would be a problem they would need to deal with eventually… You might have gotten them to contribute, but most of them would demand payment at a minimum. Really only Lily would be heroically inclined enough to just offer, and Sabah is her top priority these days so even she might not have."
Hermione chewed on her lip looking me over thoughtfully.
"Is there anyone you could reach out to? We could use all the help we can get and some of the abilities you described…"
I shook my head.
"I don't even know where my friends were moved to." If I had access to my bank accounts and Earth Bet I could maybe hire Faultline and her crew, but it wasn't possible, and there was no point thinking about it.
Hermione looked at me like she was trying to pick apart an especially confusing puzzle. Finally, she seemed to just give up.
"I don't understand you. I can't even imagine being in your situation, never mind some of the things you've said about the people you fought or the fights you've been in. I don't know if I'd even believe you if I hadn't been there when you and Mrs. Weasley fought… but you're here and just marching into our war like it's something anyone would do."
I actually gave that some consideration. She wasn't wrong. I could think of more than a few heroes that would hesitate to do what I was doing as well. Heck, most of the ones I could think of would probably try to hook up with the Ministry in spite of their supposed incompetence because they happened to be the legitimate government. I was joining up with a group of out of their depth vigilantes and making notes on how to possibly reform the magical government after the fact because Harry was right, they needed to be overhauled.
So far binding magical contracts seemed like the only good option. And those would have to be worded carefully so as not to risk things becoming a dictatorship. I needed a lawyer. No, scratch that, several lawyers, political scientists, and historians all collaborating to make something that wouldn't lead to an even less effective government. No matter how low a bar that may be, people can always make things worse. I'd be an idiot to think I could properly word something that important on my own.
Shaking those thoughts aside I decided in the spirit of trying to be a better person and making some actual allies here… Being more or less honest was probably my best option.
"You know Harry asked me something similar, he was afraid I was suicidal and charging into this fight as a way out."
Hermione sucked in a sharp breath, but let me continue uninterrupted.
"I'm not." I held up both hands warding that idea off. "I just… People have this awful habit of deciding bad things happening to other people aren't their problem, and that means they can just sit back and let it happen. And maybe we need that, because it's not like I can do anything for people suffering in Asia or Africa from here. But people let horrible things happen to me, and I can't, I won't be like them. Harry waved a cause under my nose right after mine and all my friends were ripped away."
I chewed at my lip.
"And, maybe I need some of Harry's help as much as you all need mine." I admitted.
"How so?" Hermione asked, looking baffled.
"I tend to think the ends justify the means, and I don't think that will ever change, but I'm not exactly proud of everything I've done… Harry keeps trying to moderate me." I grinned weakly at Hermione. "I think I could use a little more of that, if I want to be a better person." But I wasn't going to get into that. Now was not the time to fully give in to that existential crisis about souls. "What about you? Why not take your family and run? Plenty of countries speak English, you would be safer somewhere else."
"What? And leave the boys to fight on their own?" She glared at me.
I shrugged.
"You're not much older than me, not even a full year. It's personal for you, but that's because you are a target, and you aren't a soldier. No one sane could blame you for getting out while you still can."
"I-" Hermione puffed up looking ready to snap at me, but then she stopped and visibly considered the question. "The boys won't leave." Hermione admitted. "I won't leave them to fight alone."
I blinked in surprise, then laughed. "Ride or die? That is a good reason." I smiled honestly. I could respect that. Everyone needs friends like that.
Hermione smiled back, maybe we could find some common ground after all.
{}{}{}{} Harry
"Harry…"
"Yeah, Ron."
"Why did my knight just change colors?"
"The Blacks enchanted the board so that pieces randomly betray their side. Supposedly to make it more interesting, but I think it was mostly to make their kids more paranoid." I answered as I tried to decide how best to make use of the new and unexpected knight. If I didn't move it, I was going to lose it next turn, but I already had my next two moves planned and that knight wasn't part of it. Still, Ron probably guessed what my next moves would be... I moved the knight to take out an inconvenient pawn.
"… I can't decide if I think that's brilliant or stupid." Ron finally admitted as he started to pour over the board in search for a new strategy.
"It's something." I didn't exactly have an opinion on it one way or another, but if it meant actually beating Ron for once I would keep the stupid thing forever.
"How are things settling with Taylor? Mum nearly screamed the roof off when she realized you two didn't have an order member watching you."
Well… that was a loaded question.
"We're getting along alright, all things considered." I winced as one of my pawns shifted allegiance and gave Ron a new opening to exploit. "None of it's been easy, but being alone here… There isn't much we can do except talk. It's kind of crazy how quickly you can get to know someone when there's nothing else to do." I admitted.
Ron hummed thoughtfully. Then he put me in check, the bastard.
{}{}{}{} Taylor
I showed Hermione the book I'd been low key obsessing over. And she was actually intrigued by it.
"It's basically an introduction to some different types of magic that have fallen out of style. I don't think I've got enough power to do anything with Alchemy, but rituals apparently only need a bit from the caster; the rest is provided by either the environment or components. I've gone through the library looking for more books on the subject but…" I shrugged. "It's like they chose most of these books based on how to be as cliche evil as possible. I really want to believe there are some useful rituals that won't make me feel like the villain in a fantasy movie, but I haven't found any in here." I waved a hand to indicate the library.
Hermione hummed thoughtfully. As she flipped pages seeming to take in a few key details on each before moving on quickly.
"And you think this will help you?" She asked.
I shrugged.
"It depends on what they can do and how complicated they are. From what Harry told me the Lich's resurrection involved a ritual and a massive potion. No idea how long that took to brew. And like I said I haven't found anything I'd consider helpful yet. Most of the books I have found on the subject here focus on using rituals to lay curses or wards. Interesting, but not immediately useful to me. And several of those involved human sacrifice. Not really something I feel the need to experiment with."
Hermione grimaced and nodded.
"Have you considered potions? I know most of the magic comes from the ingredients so it is an option." She asked.
"Definitely some interesting possibilities there." I agreed. "If nothing else I want to make sure my bug out bag is fully stocked with medical potions."
Hermione perked up at that.
"What were you thinking?" She asked.
"Blood replenishing potions, and skele-grow for certain. Things for bruises or cuts if those can't be handled with a spell." I shrugged. "Honestly, I'm more interested in potential potions for combat. Things to make me faster, stronger, improve my reaction speed and dexterity if I can find them. Granted, I need to check if being under the effect of multiple potions simultaneously is bad for my health, or if any of them might be addictive, but if it can give me an edge in a fight, I want the option."
Hermione blinked in surprise at the idea.
"I know strengthening solution is a thing, but I'm not sure about the rest." She admitted with a small frown. "And while I could see that being useful, I'd say your other ideas would be more useful than just enhancing your strength." Her foot tapped a rapid beat against the floor as she bit her lip. "I don't know if it would let us cast any faster but if we could cast more accurately…" I nodded because while I'd be using a gun the same concept certainly applied. "Knowing wizards, someone probably invented something like that just for an edge in quidditch, and then it was instantly banned. The boys might actually have a better idea about this than I do." She admitted.
"Well, it's not immediately important, but why don't we go ask them?"
Hermione nodded decisively.
{}{}{}{} Harry
"Ha! I finally managed to win a game!" I cheered.
"I can't decide if I absolutely hate this weird traitor rule, or if I like how much more interesting it makes the game." Ron scowled at the board.
"Hey boys." Taylor called as she and Hermione walked in. "Having fun?"
"Yep!" I grinned. "The traitor rule on the chess board finally let me beat Ron."
Taylor smirked a little but shook her head.
"Taylor and I were talking about useful potions for a fight." Hermione cut in. "She mentioned wanting something to make her faster, more precise. Do you boys know of anything like that? I figured if it existed it was probably banned from quidditch."
Ron perked up.
"Yeah, dexterity draught. It was really popular for about a year in nineteen seventy six, I think? Got banned after a year. Apparently, it made for some really incredible passes, saves, and flying, but the games were really low scoring, and the crowds got sick of it. They banned it at the end of the season."
Taylor's smirk developed into a toothy grin.
"Bets that it makes spell casting faster and more accurate too?" Taylor asked.
"I think I like this idea." I felt myself grinning in response.
Hermione tore out of the room calling over her shoulder about seeing if she could find it in any of the potion books we had set aside and after a round of looks the three of us followed after her.
It was good to see Taylor and Hermione getting along. I was a little worried after the mess with Ginny and Molly, but if Taylor could get along with Ron and Hermione… well that would be one less thing to worry about this year.
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Cosmic Dream
dreaming of utopia
Heh. How do we find the good stuff? We ask what's forbidden in professional sports. That's one way to go about it .
.
SixthRanger
(Verified Space Ninja Murderhobo)
- Location
- Space BEtween Dimensions.
Oh fuck, Taylor doped up on mental augmentation potions will either increase her range, allowing her to temporarily control slightly bigger organisms or increase he muiltitasking three-fold.
Either of those make for terrifying potential...
Either of those make for terrifying potential...
Ace Dreamer
Verified Reality User
- Location
- Between The Unknown & The Known
So. Taylor has found a tiny little crack to get her Escalation crowbar into?
I'm... a little surprised she isn't thinking more about use of doxies... Those oh so useful little hands... Delivery systems for interesting dusts and potions?
Hexcalibur
Not So Ordinary Sword
- Location
- Somewhere
- Pronouns
- It
To make Hermione want to burn books... Those books must have some nasty contents.
Thinking about Wizard Chess, I can't help imagining other tabletop games enchanted similarly. RPGs and tactics primarily. How awesome would an enchanted Battlemech boardgame be?
Thinking about Wizard Chess, I can't help imagining other tabletop games enchanted similarly. RPGs and tactics primarily. How awesome would an enchanted Battlemech boardgame be?
