Chapter 6: Peace once more.
Elias Blake.
100 CP awarded, 650 CP total.
Ignoring the warmth in my soul, I focused on the scene before me.
I never expected to see someone that important to the ministry arrive on time during the attack of the death eaters. It was probably my misconceptions about their efficiency and the mistake of using my canon knowledge, but nothing had gone the same as I remember.
This attack was way bloodier, and I would bet some galleons that a couple of people died, not only Muggles, for that matter. I still remember the smell of the burnt flesh when we left my trunk.
No, I always knew this world was different, but it finally showed me that I should stop seeing it with rose-tinted glasses. Ever since I arrived at Hogwarts, I noticed that the level where people were was higher than I expected. Still, since my only experience with the wizarding world happened inside the castle or Diagon Alley, those places were probably the most protected locations in the country, so I could be excused for my ignorance.
I didn't even go to Diagon Alley that much, if I were to be honest. Since I was an orphan, the school was the one that bought everything, a fund of sorts that was placed in the aftermath of Voldemort's war. It was made between some "Light" and "Neutral" families who had more gold than family members left alive. I didn't know how Dumbledore managed to keep that gold away from the grubby hands of some of the school governors, but it was enough to pay for all the orphans being present right now, from the start, all the way for our seventh year.
Thankfully, we weren't even in debt. It was all done with the goodness of their hearts. Dowager Longbottom, Neville's Grandma, proposed the fund, and many families chipped in. I was forever thankful for it, and if the Grimoire ever rolled something that could help his parents, I would do it without hesitation.
Focusing on the present, I tried to observe the people before me.
Madam Bones had a scowl on her face, and her eyes sharpened seeing some droplets of blood in the grass, but she thankfully did not say a word about it. On her left was a tall, broad-shouldered black man. He was not like most wizards I've seen, and his body showed that he exercised at the very least enough to maintain that build. At her right side was another man; he was smartly clothed, but the condescending smirk on his face pissed me off.
I couldn't let this continue. Hermione was getting into a heated argument with the smirking Auror, and I knew that when she got like this, her filter disappeared; she could get herself in trouble with her sharp tongue.
"Mione, let me explain calmly," I said softly to my angry friend, who just huffed but did as asked. Iris was looking at the scene with another smirk, enjoying how the fourteen years old girl almost tore a new asshole to the Auror. Even then, she didn't lower her wand at all.
"Madam Bones, my name is Elias Blake, a yearmate of Susan. And with me is Hermione Granger, and obviously Iris Potter." I introduced us calmly, trying to bring this to an end. I didn't want to interact with the ministry this early, and hopefully, I could bullshit our way out of this.
Madam Bones just nodded, and she continued as if there wasn't a riot going on. "What happened here? We were in the ministry when we received some calls about violence during the World Cup."
Cleaning my throat, I took a deep breath. "We don't know how it started. We were inside my trunk when it moved quite violently. I inferred that something was going on since I spent a lot of Galleons on it, and I know that its defenses would need something big to move that way."
A Quick-Quote Quill was moving behind the frowning woman, and Kingsley was looking at my group with barely hidden curiosity. He barely showed any sympathy to the muggles behind us, and the less said about the other Auror, the better. He was still glaring at Mione.
"Continue," Madam Bones ordered in a firm tone.
I just nodded and did as asked. Amelia Bones was supposedly a fair woman, and I hoped I could prevent her death. While Kingsley had done an okay job being the minister, I knew that the woman in front of me would do even better if she managed to stay alive.
"We exited my trunk after taking some provisions in case they were needed," I started, "Some Pepper-up and Wiggenweld potions." I clarified when she lifted her eyebrow in confusion.
Seeing the barely there approval in her eyes made me puff out my chest unconsciously. Something that she noticed, I could scarcely tell, thanks to the slight turn of her lips.
"As I was saying, I shook my head. We left my trunk, but everything was already Hell. There was a lot of fire moving toward us, so we used Aguamenti to try to prevent it. Thankfully, between the three of us, we managed to do it. It was normal fire, not cursed."
Madam Bones nodded her head, "Then what happened? You are a long way from the tent area, young man."
"We decided to help," I shrugged, "There were a lot of screams, and there was no one around us."
"That was foolish," snorted the unnamed Auror.
"And you are?" I lifted my eyebrow.
"Auror Dawlish," he preened, and I almost laughed. I had my suspicions; he didn't look like the actor, but his mannerisms made me think he was the famous Auror who always got the short end of the stick in all the scenes he was present in.
I coughed twice to hide my amusement, "A pleasure," I deadpanned, "Anyways," I turned to the woman who found the situation as amusing as I did, "We know that we cannot defeat a fully grown wizard, but we were hidden and planned to attack out of their sights just in case. We are good for our age but not dumb enough to try and duel the masked men."
"Masked men?" Kingsley lifted his eyebrows, "What do you mean by that, young man?"
"Death Eaters," huffed Hermione from behind me. Clearly, she felt that I had left her out of the conversation enough time.
"The death eaters are in Azkaban, girlie," snorted Dawlish.
"They had the same attire described in the books I read about the first war," Hermione glared at Dawlish.
"That is impossible," the Auror shook his head vehemently, "All the death eaters were convicted after You-Know-Who's death."
Before we could continue, there was a green flash in the dark sky, and a Skull with a snake leaving its mouth was shown in all its glory. I wouldn't say I liked Voldemort and his band of psychopaths, but even I had to accept that the mark was badass.
"You were saying?" Smirked Iris, who had been silent the entire time.
"Dawlish, with me," Barked Amelia Bones, "Kingsley, stay with the kids. I want the whole story when the night is over."
Finishing barking her orders, she apparated away, and a pale Dawlish followed suit.
Kingsley was also somewhat pale, but his skin color made it difficult to see. He cleaned his throat but continued like a boss: "Where were we?"
"There is not much more to tell," I shrugged, "We left the tent and searched for the screams, and we found this family who were being tortured by the Death Eaters. We were behind them and managed to take them out with a surprise attack."
I noticed Hermione looking at me in askance when I didn't mention the siblings and the death of that death eater, but I just shook my head. I wasn't going to rat them out; in my opinion, that man got what he deserved.
Kingsley nodded, "I will need to use Prior incantato in all your wands, just for formality's sake. And now that we are alone, I wish to thank you for interfering. I assure you that they will receive compensation for what happened here." He finished nodding toward the family huddled behind us. The kids were still out of it, and the woman wept softly.
"Mione already checked the kids. Thankfully, they were left out of it. But those men were torturing the parents; I hope that the obliviators will do their jobs correctly." Iris scowled, "They didn't deserve what happened to them."
"We will do our best, Miss Potter." The Auror nodded. "Now, would you be so kind as to show me your wands?"
Kingsley checked our wands one by one, and the quill continued scribbling, noting everything in the scene.
After five minutes, the Auror nodded, and the quill stopped moving. "I'm sure we won't need to ask for more information. The story makes sense from what I have seen; I want to remind you all that today, you won't get into problems thanks to the improper use of magic since it was in defense of another; I hope you will be careful in the future. Miss Potter, Miss Granger, the spells you both used can be dangerous and should be used sparingly."
"They deserved it," grunted Iris with a scowl.
"Aye, they do," admitted the Auror, "But you are young; the ministry is in charge of protecting the public."
"And where were you?" she asked meaningfully, "What are we supposed to do if everyone who could do something ran away like cowards like today? Should we have left this family to suffer?"
Kingsley shook his head and lifted his arms to soothe the angry Iris, "I'm just doing my job, Miss Potter."
He took a deep breath, "Now, we should start moving. Where do you need to go?"
"We came here with the Weasleys but got separated since we were alone in my trunk, Sir." I replied calmly, "I suppose we should go to Portkey Point and hope they are still there. If not, I suppose the Knight Bus will do."
"Hopefully, the Weasleys are still there," Shuddered Iris, "I love speed, but Ernie is evil."
Kingsley chuckled, "I hope you are lucky then, young ones. Let's start moving. I hope to help Madam Bones as soon as possible."
"Just give me a second." He rubbed his neck sheepishly while taking out his badge and touching it with his wand. A muttered spell later, he nodded, "I have called a medic and some obliviators; they should be arriving now."
Multiple pops were heard, and an older woman dressed like Madam Pomfrey approached us hurriedly. After a hushed conversation with Kingsley, she directed her gaze to us.
"Do any of you need some checking?" she asked softly.
"No, thank you." We shook our heads, "They need it," I said, pointing toward the family, who were looking around with fear in their eyes.
The mediwitch sighed but nodded, "They will be in good hands, dearlies."
"Let's go," said Kingsley.
Following him in another direction from where we came from, I could observe the devastation caused by the attack. There was a fire in many places, and the ministry came out in force. Multiple Wizards and Witches used magic to clean the mess. A couple of Wizards were levitating bodies. It was a hard scene to watch, and I hoped that the Weasleys managed to escape without us.
Thirty minutes later.
"Thank Merlin, you are okay," Cried Ginny while hugging the three of us. "I was so afraid when we realized you weren't there."
"We were in my trunk, and I think no one saw us going in." I admitted, "But everything is good, don't worry."
Mr. Weasley looked at us shamefully. "I should have been more careful. I'm sorry." He lowered his head. "When we saw that group attacking the muggles, I took Bill and Charlie to help, leaving the rest alone to escape. We should have stayed together."
I smiled at him, "You did the right thing, Mr. Weasley. We can at least take care of ourselves; the muggles didn't have that advantage."
He finally smiled, "I already sent the rest home, Ginny didn't want to leave without you three."
"Thanks, Ginny," chirped Mione, who was leaning against me.
"I don't know how you can have so much energy after all that," pouted Ginny.
"Pepper-up potion," I shrugged, "We are going to crash when we are back in the burrow."
"We should get going, then," laughed Mr. Weasley, "A friend of mine in the department of magical transportation gifted us another Portkey to the Ottery."
Slowly, we approached the Portkey, which was a can of cola.
With a soft tug, we appeared back in Ottery St Catchpole. It wasn't exactly close to the burrow, but it was better than taking the Knight Bus. Ginny was dead on her feet, her eyes drooping, and I remembered to take her into my arms when we arrived. The transportation was only as comfortable as the boot we used.
Iris took care of Mione, and with it, we started walking toward the Weasleys' house. The only light came from the moon and a spell from Mr. Weasley, but it worked.
After a while, we arrived, and Molly was fretting at the entrance. The Twins and their older brothers stayed with her, trying to calm their mother to no avail. When they saw us, the plump redhead sprinted in our direction and hugged her daughter, almost strangling her.
"Oh Ginny, I was so worried when your brothers came without Arthur and you," she moaned, "I was filled with fear when they explained what happened."
"Molly, dear, you are killing her," yawned Mr. Weasley. "Everything ended up being all right. Let the kids go rest."
"Oh, Arthur," Molly ignored him, "I'm glad you are alive. What happened?"
"Some wizards dressed as Death Eaters started a riot," Mr. Weasley sighed. "They even used the dark mark. It's going to be on the paper tomorrow, I'm sure of it."
"Oh, Merlin," Molly Gasped, "Death Eaters, Arthur? Who cast the dark mark?"
"We don't know," he shook his head. "They found Crouch's house elf clutching Bagman's wand in the location where the spell was fired, but we know that she couldn't have done that."
"Crouch's elf?" Gasped the matriarch once more. I was tired of her exclamations, but at least this information helped me discover what happened in that location. The night had been full of surprises, not only the pair of siblings who disdained "mingling with wizards." I still didn't know what the older boy meant by that, but it probably wasn't that important. Maybe he hated magicals and spent all his time in the muggle world or something along those lines. His teleportation spell was incredible, and I dearly wished to learn it.
The efficiency with which he cut down the death eater was inspiring. I hoped to learn to use my sword like him in the future. Maybe Professor Flitwick will accept me as his student.
"Kids, go to bed. Hogwarts Express leaves tomorrow." yawned Mr. Weasley once more. "We'll wake you up later."
No one groaned; everyone was tired after the ordeal. Iris, Mione, and I were the only exceptions.
"You were awesome today, both of you." I hugged them tightly, "We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"
"Thanks for having my back, Eli." Iris smiled sweetly. Her bright emerald eyes were almost sparkling like Dumbledore's. They were beautiful, and I almost got lost in them. I quickly shook my head. I wasn't sure, but the probability of Iris preferring girls was high after seeing her react to the Veelas, and I didn't want the heartache if I fell more for her.
"Always," I smiled and let her go, "We probably have half an hour of energy, and then we will drop dead, so make sure you are in bed."
I entered Ron's room, leaving the girls to take Ginny back. She was already sleeping, and Bill levitated her to her bed.
Hearing Ron snore, I deadpanned; the twins were still below, so I had time to do some rolls.
Calling for the Grimoire, it appeared on my hands, and I rolled for the first time in like forever.
[Jumper's Hollow, Wizarding World] - 400 CP
Exploring the world means leaving behind the comforts of home and all the luxuries and amenities that go along with it. If one plans on being an explorer, that means quite a bit of preparation, enough that the time spent preparing might seem just as daunting as the exploration itself. At least, that's how the process goes for Muggles. The magical folk have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Whether it be a tent, a bag, a suitcase, or even something as small as a purse, you now have something that's been heavily enchanted with a powerful and massive Undetectable Extension Charm. In fact, the charm is so extensive that the space within is enough to encompass quite a few square kilometers worth of land.
For any wildlife enthusiasts, this place will be the perfect home to keep them safe. After all, it isn't just the Extension Charm that's been cast onto this place. To make it a better home for the many beasts that you might bring inside, the place has been made... mutable. In simpler terms, it means that you can make this place look like any other natural locale you might find in the world.
Already, there is a small yet homely cottage set up for you that serves as your entrance to this lively vivarium of yours. Beyond this home, you can set up the rest of this place so that it has the looks and features you desire. From hillside plains to a polar tundra, this place can have it all. If you want to change it up, all you need to do is wave your wand and think of what you want it to be. If you want a jungle right next to a desert, go for it! It's your home, after all.
Finally, you'll notice this place growing bigger and bigger over the years. Ten or so years could easily see another few kilometers worth of land being available to you. Quite useful if you have plans for any creatures like dragons or graphorns.
Before I could whoop in Joy, my trunk, which was in its miniature form in a chain on my neck, was sucked into the Grimoire.
Damn. This would help so much in the long run when I had to leave the orphanage. I didn't plan to stay until I was seventeen. With Voldemort returning this year, I will probably stop living there. It was something I needed to plan carefully. I would hate myself if I implicated the children with my actions during the war, so I needed to disappear from the muggle world and erase any connection I had with them. I would miss them terribly, but I hoped that in the future, I could provide enough funds for them to grow up without worries. The matrons were sweethearts, and they deserved the best.
I wiped the corners of my eyes from the tears. I didn't know I felt this strongly about Wool's orphanage, but I grew up there. They were my only family until I joined the school and met Iris and Mione.
250 CP left
To get rid of my sad thoughts, I rolled once more.
[Ogre Transformation] - 400 CP
An inhuman bloodline rumbles softly in your body, sleeping until use of the red rage it provides is needed. An ancestor of yours was a mighty ogre, not that any would guess it until they saw you in combat. Your physical abilities are outrageous for a normally stealthy ninja, with physical strength more than enough to seriously harm great armored heroes and tear giant trends through the heart, potentially even smashing down whole fortresses. That physical strength accelerates your movement speed to even greater heights, making the combination of assassination arts and violent speed is even more lethal than ever before. But even with this power, you might look like an unassuming young man. When you call on your true potential, your body beginning to strain and bulge with power, your body and even brain will be pushed to the very limits. A massive amplification of your natural abilities result, enough to make you a danger to even weaker divine beings, and your body continually restores its energy as you fight.
The unfortunate side of this is that it is done through eating away at your internal material, causing steady and serious damage to your body to supply this massive boost in power, speed, reactions and stamina. How this state takes form can vary from person to person, sometimes being obvious strain markings across the skin but also, at times, appearing as your entire body turns crimson red like the ogres you came from.
Roll failed, insufficient points.
While the extra strength would greatly help my endeavors, I was happy that the roll failed. I had enough powers that had the probability of causing self-harm, and I didn't wish to tempt fate using that power at the same time I used Dust magic. With my increased pain tolerance, there was a genuine danger of me not noticing my body was done for.
No, I would rather have another role that could help me more in the long run. Physical force was good, but I didn't need it right now. Against wizards, speed was the best option to go. If I could move or teleport short distances without much effort, I would be unstoppable against almost everyone.
Feeling the energy leaving my body, I closed my eyes and closed the Grimoire. The warmth I felt when it returned to my soul was the last thing I knew before falling asleep.
Chapter 7: The Hogwarts Express.
Elias Blake.
The burrow.
After such a good night of sleep, I couldn't help but notice the stress my body had suffered while being preoccupied with the attack on the World Cup. Now that my mind understood that there was no danger in the short term, I could feel lighter than before. It wasn't even like I was conscious about it, but my body was taking its toll.
Even while sleeping in, I was the first to wake up in the burrow. The Weasleys had always been notorious for arriving late everywhere, and I hated it.
It wasn't even the sheer disrespect they showed whenever they arrived late; I simply couldn't fathom how they were so accustomed to it that they did not see anything wrong with it. In this case, the only Weasley that didn't piss me off for this was Percy, but he was on the other side of the spectrum; he was so rigid that it was uncomfortable to talk with him.
I tried really hard to like the Weasleys, trying to see them as real people instead of the family I disliked in the Canon story, but it was hard. Even if they weren't trying to tie Iris to their family via Love Potions or something like that, like in some of the stories I read in my past life, they had so many bad habits that it made it hard for me to like most of them.
Opening my eyes, I groaned at the thought of sharing a compartment with the snoring Pig sleeping in the next bed. While better than his Canon counterpart, he still was the most disliked Weasley.
I checked the time with a swish of my wand, and seeing that I still had an hour for them to wake up, I decided to check my new trunk and exercise a little. Yesterday's attack showed me that I still had a long way to go if I wished to survive the next war. While practicing magic was important, having a strong body capable of going on for a long time would greatly help me. For the moment, exercise was the only way I had to improve my physical condition since most, if not all, rituals were prohibited by the ministry, and they were surprisingly competent at finding out who broke those laws.
Lifting myself up from the bed, I searched for my trunk, growing increasingly alarmed when I remembered the Grimoire sucking it up before falling asleep. Deciding to check the only way I could think so, I looked around to see if the twins had woken up, but seeing them still in the realm of Morpheus, I called the Grimoire out.
The Grimoire appeared in my bed, glowing brighter than before. The light coming out was dim since the sun rose, with the first streaks of light shining through the windows. At least I didn't have to worry about the light waking the Weasleys up.
The Grimoire was pulsating, and after some time, it spat my trunk, which started innocently floating on top of the Grimoire. It was a surprising sight; every time I thought about it, my heart was filled with anticipation. I was now the sole owner of something like the celestial Grimoire, and every roll showed it was one of the most overpowered abilities I had ever seen in both my lives.
Taking the trunk, I enlarged it to its original size. I nodded, seeing that it hadn't changed in appearance, which I feared when I thought about it when I woke up. Being an orphan, it was surprising that I had a trunk like mine. Still, if everyone at school saw me carrying a different one now, people would start asking questions. Being part of the Golden Trio had its drawbacks. The attention I had in school was the biggest of them all, and this year, the attention I received from the British wizards would skyrocket. Just thinking about the pieces Rita Skeeter would write about us this year made me shiver in disgust. That woman was vile, and her tongue was sharp.
With the trunk on my bed, I tapped it twice on the handle, and it opened without flourish, feeling my magic. Taking a deep breath, I entered my trunk, almost gasping in surprise at the scene before me. Before, it was a simple trunk, even if its defenses were top-notch. It had a bedroom, a bathroom, a dining room, and a potion room. It was decent, even if it wasn't comparable to the one Newt Scamander had in Fantastic Beasts. But I knew that even that one paled compared to my new Hollow. The extension charm was massive, as I couldn't even see the ending of my new plane of existence.
My heart warmed seeing the cottage sitting in the middle of the plane. It was simple, but it had something nowhere else in the world had. It was mine, and mine alone. Thinking hard, I pictured a jungle, and with a simple wave of my wand, the back of my plane started growing trees, mahogany trees, to be exact. I didn't know if I could take them out of my trunk, but using them inside was a huge plus. Being able to control everything inside my trunk was a marvelous experience that I would cherish forever.
Nodding in satisfaction, I imagined a simple mountain, and my new Hollow followed my wishes just as I hoped. A slight tremor could be felt inside my trunk, and a hill grew to the left of my cottage after some time. Exercising in a high-altitude area would serve me well. My endurance was of the utmost importance, even more than simple strength.
Looking critically, I decided to ask for a lake on the right side of my cottage for the final change today. I didn't have a familiar, but I loved animals, magical animals specifically, so having such a wide array of biomes would be helpful in the future. There was no way I could start collecting now, but after the war, I could have a sanctuary next to my home.
I believed that since the Grimoire had changed my trunk, the dangers of staying inside were nullified since the roll description told me that this could be my home if I needed it. I couldn't say I planned to live inside my trunk for the rest of my life, but seeing the beautiful scene before me, I didn't care to argue.
Waving my wand, my sleepwear changed to something useful for exercise: a simple T-shirt, some pants, and sneakers. With that done, I started my morning routine.
100 CP awarded, 350 CP in total.
Well… It appears that my Grimoire required my attention before that. Roll.
[Ring of mental fortitude, Wizarding World]- 100 CP, can be bought multiple times.
The Ring of Mental Fortitude offers robust mental defenses, shielding the wearer's mind from casual Legilimency, psychic probes, and surface-level magical intrusions. When someone attempts to read the wearer's thoughts or memories, the ring subtly redirects their efforts, presenting fabricated but convincing false memories or harmless surface thoughts. These illusions are tailored to the situation, making them easier to detect with deeper scrutiny.
Additionally, the ring is enchanted with a charm that deflects attention away from itself. Anyone who notices the ring will instinctively dismiss it as insignificant, their curiosity fading before they can examine it closely. This effect makes the ring appear mundane, preventing all but the most determined or skilled observers from recognizing its magical nature.
However, the ring has its limits. While it provides excellent protection against casual or intermediate mind-reading, it cannot withstand the concentrated efforts of exceptionally skilled Legilimens like Dumbledore, Voldemort, or Snape. Similarly, invasive spells or focused magical scrutiny can bypass its defenses, exposing the wearer's true thoughts or intentions.
3 Bought, 50 CP remaining.
With a flash of light, the three rings dropped in my palm. This was the most important item I had ever gotten after my evolved trunk. The passive defenses against legitimacy were invaluable to me and my group. While the limits were upsetting, at the very least, I wouldn't worry about passive probes. Veritaseum exceeded its limits, too, but it was worth it even then. From what I've learned, Dumbledore wouldn't do a full probe against someone in our group, and I would do my best to ignore Snape if we ever got to that point of Canon with nothing changed. I didn't want him near Iris's thoughts if I could help it. At that point, I would already have something even more potent.
The design was cute, though.
Two hours later.
"What in Merlin's name happened here?" a shrill shout could be heard at the entrance to my new cottage.
Cringing at getting found out I almost facepalmed when I remembered that Iris and Hemione were keyed to the entrance of my trunk. Hermione sometimes used it to practice for Potion's class whenever she didn't want to go to the dungeons. On the other hand, Iris sometimes takes a quick nap. I didn't have anything to hide from them, so I completely forgot about it, and now it came to bite me in the ass. I had no way to bullshit myself out of this problem, and the act of lying to my best friends left an ashy taste in my mouth.
I lost track of time while testing all the new areas in my trunk, and when I noticed it was getting late, I hit the shower to freshen up. I intended to get out before anyone could ask where I was, but I appeared to need to be faster for my friends.
Iris was looking around with wide eyes, gazing at the impossible sight with a cocked eyebrow. Mione was the same, but she started stomping her foot on the ground, a clear sign that I knew her as well as I believed.
She didn't understand how this happened and was itching for an explanation. I loved her dearly, but she was unstoppable whenever she got like this.
"I can explain," I blurted out while rubbing the back of my head, hoping that she would start questioning me the next moment to give me time to think. To my surprise, she just glared at me, continuing to stomp her foot down.
"Go on, Eli," Mione replied with a deadpan. Iris snorted, finally looking at me instead of the surroundings.
"Ehh…" I didn't know what to say. The celestial Grimoire was something I needed to keep hidden, but if I could not trust these girls, I was doing something wrong. In my past life, I always disliked it when whatever MC I was reading talked about his powers, but in this circumstance, with the same situation happening in front of me, I finally understood their thoughts.
If I decided to hide this, I would only make a gap in my relationship with both of my friends and living alone with such a secret would make my life miserable.
"Something happened during my last days in the orphanage," I admitted, "But we don't have time for me to explain everything, mione. I promise we will talk during the train ride and do my best to explain properly."
Mione kept her glare but sighed defeatedly, "You promise?" She asked with her lower lip trembling a little, and I knew that she was forcing herself to look pitiful but damn if it wasn't working.
Sighing, I nodded, "I promise."
Mione smiled brightly at that, confirming my thoughts that she was feigning her sadness. But I had already given my word.
"Let's go. We have about thirty minutes to reach the station," Iris said in a bored tone. She was already looking around once more. I didn't know if her silence was for better or for worse.
I had escaped my death sentence, at least for a while.
King's Cross Station.
I didn't notice inside my trunk, but it had started raining quite heavily in the two hours I spent inside. Thankfully, we used the floo network to reach a wizarding establishment ten minutes before the train left, and it was just next to the station. The usual feeling of dizziness I had whenever I used the floo was surprisingly absent, thanks to my perks. I started power walking toward platforms nine and ten. After three years of doing the same, Iris, Mione, and I walked through the "Solid" barrier with no problem, which I was thankful for.
Iris did not participate in the absolute stupidity Ron did during our second year, so she had more experience than in Canon.
Looking around, I observed the crying firsties and the gloomy-looking returning students. Some were sad leaving their family behind one more year, while others abhorred going back to school. I wasn't the same; I loved being at Hogwarts, and it was shared by the Golden Trio. We all had different motives for loving the school, but we all did so all the same.
Iris loved the freedom she had at school, and the occasional murder attempt to her name didn't dissuade her at all. I didn't understand that, but she had more courage than all the schools combined. Mione, on the other hand, just loved magic, plain and simple. She missed her parents, but from what I've learned, they were somewhat distant to her, even more so when she started attending the magical school. They loved her, and she didn't doubt that, but when she was in muggle school, they were strict with her, which she didn't miss.
From what she told us, her parents had no idea of all the perils we had to survive. She kept it a secret because she feared they would take her away from school, or more specifically, from us.
We were a tight-knit group, which is one reason we managed to survive everything that happened in the beautiful yet cursed school.
Mrs. Weasley tried to give Iris a dress for the ball, and she accepted it with a smile but confided in me in secret that she would buy another one on a trip to Hogsmeade if it was really needed. The teases of the tournament happened in the burrow, and while Iris and Mione were curious, it filled me with dread.
This year would be different than the rest, and the danger Iris would go through was bigger than usual, but I couldn't interfere yet.
The Hogwarts Express was already there, with the motor already running, so we started hurrying inside, not caring for the Weasleys who were behind us.
The Hogwarts students were milling around, and behind us, we could hear the pants of tiredness from the Weasleys who were not in good shape; the only ones who weren't panting were Bill, Charlie, and Ginny.
"Hurry up, kids," Mrs. Weasley shouted, and the kids ran toward the train behind us. We reached it first and searched for a compartment to leave our luggage in. Finding one free halfway through the train, we left what we had on hand and started walking back to the platform since we had time to say our goodbyes.
"I wish I could go this year," Bill smirked, enjoying the opportunity to Rile up the rest of the Weasleys.
"Oh, yes, my dear brother," Charlie grinned, "I will be present, and I can't wait anymore."
Iris, Mione, and the rest started questioning the pair but were left speechless when they decided to keep their mouths shut with similar smirks on their faces.
"Thanks for everything." Iris said to Mrs. Weasley with a smile, after she understood that the older Weasleys were not going to explain anything, "You have no idea how much it means to me to leave Privet Drive."
"Oh, rubbish, my dear." Mrs. Weasley waved her hand, "It was our pleasure to host Ginny's saviors."
"We would do it again without asking for anything in return." I smiled, "We have grown fond of her." I grinned, looking at the blushing redhead.
Grunting at the feeling of a fist striking me in the stomach, I remembered that Iris told me to stop teasing the girl, and I laughed sheepishly while rubbing the sore spot.
"You have a mean hook, my dear," I replied with a posh accent, looking at Iris, who glared at me.
"And you don't learn, Eli." She grumbled, but before she could continue her tirade, the pistons hissed loudly.
"Goodbye!" Chirped Mione with a wave.
"Now you owe us something, Eli. Don't think I forgot." She looked me dead in the eyes, and at that moment, I wondered if she would get a campus cat as her animagus if she ever tried.
Iris looked at me with a smirk and started walking back toward our compartment. " See you later, guys." She nodded toward the Weasleys. "We have some grilling to do."
Sighing, I nodded in defeat, showing a tired smile at Ginny, who was looking at us confused.
"See you guys at Hogwarts." I nodded, rubbing Ginny's hair, earning a squawk from the redhead.
Walking defeatedly to the compartment, I wondered if I was doing the right thing before shaking my head resolutely. Iris and Mione would never betray me; I was sure of it.
Finally, in the compartment, Mione took her wand out and started waving it in the direction of the door, muttering up a storm in Latin.
After a minute, she smiled victoriously and tried to open the door. The door didn't bulge at all as she turned her proud gaze toward us.
"Now we will have all the privacy needed." She grinned.
"That really advanced magic, Mione," I lifted my eyebrow in her direction, "One would think all you do is study,"
"Prat," she huffed. "Now start talking, mister, " she said with her hands on her hips.
Sighing once more, I nodded, "Follow me, then."
With another tap on my trunk, it resized and opened in one move, and we walked inside. Now that she wasn't freaking out, Mione was looking around in wonder, but I could feel Iris' eyes in the back of my head.
"There was something different about you when we saw you again," Iris said idly once we were in the dining room of my cottage.
"Puberty," I shrugged with a smirk.
"Oh?" Iris grinned, "Finally, will you notice the ladies?"
I blue-screened before grinning, "Why would I look for other ladies when I have you both? Thanks to you, I will be gray in my twenties."
Iris laughed, "You better, mister." She warned me with a serious look, "You are ours, Eli." She continued with her nose held high.
"As you wish, my princess." I bowed at her to finish the little interlude before the serious talk, grinning at each other.
"Eli, start explaining," Mione whined with a blush.
"It all started during the break," I grunted, "I had been dreaming of a library, but I always woke up before anything more happened in my dream."
Mione was on the edge of her seat, and Iris' eyes turned cold at hearing the word dreams.
"It wasn't until the last day in the orphanage that I noticed something in my dream. There was a time in the middle of it radiating otherworldly light." I continued, "But I woke up once more before I could touch it."
Hermione faepalmed, "And then what happened?"
"I woke up that day and felt something wrong in my room." I smiled sadly at her, "I was alert and took my wand out. I was ready to be killed, or worse, expelled."
Laughing at the blush on Hermione's face, I grinned at Iris with a twinkle in my eyes, "I felt something in the magic in my surrounding, so I was ready to defend myself if it was needed. Imagine my surprise when I saw the same book I was dreaming about laying on top of my desk."
Mione gasped, and Iris turned serious, "So I approached." I shrugged.
"Elias, you big idiot," Sighed Mione. "Didn't think to keep distance from something clearly unnatural?"
"Eh, I was curious," I rubbed my neck, "That's when I knew I fucked up."
"What happened, Eli?" Iris asked in a whisper.
"It took control of my body." I smiled sadly, "I didn't know what was happening, and I panicked. There was nothing I could do but allow it to do whatever it wanted at that moment. In the end, it used my body to cut my finger and push some blood to its pages."
My friends looked horrified at me, "Was it something like Voldemort's diary?" Iris asked.
"No, thank Merlin, it wasn't like that. Now that you pointed that out, I really dodged a bullet." I shook my head self-deprecatingly.
"What happened then?" Hermione asked, alarmed.
"It turns out it is a grimoire that bonded with me." I said thoughtfully, "I want to remind you to keep this secret to your grave, you hear me? I will explain properly, but this has to be between us. I trust you both like nothing else in this world and even then, I know I'm taking a big risk by doing so."
"The only reason I'm even telling you this is because our mental shields are good enough to keep passive probes and because I have this." I continued seriously, taking out the three rings I got this morning, "Put it on, and swear to me that you will never take it off."
Iris did so without asking for an explanation, and after some seconds of consideration, Mione followed her lead in silence.
"That ring is called the Ring of mental fortitude, and it shields us from passive probes against our fledgling Occlumency. It won't help us against someone like Dumbledore, Snape, or Voldemort if they focus their whole strength on it, but I don't think that will affect us in the short term." I continued.
"This is amazing," Hermione squealed, "Where did you get them?"
"I was getting to that," I ruffled her bushy hair, "This grimoire is called The Celestial Grimoire."
"That sounds… important." Iris deadpanned.
"It is… and if people find out I have it, no one and I mean no one, would stop until I'm dead." I said grimly, "This is no exaggeration. Every single person in the wizarding world, and even the muggles, would kill me as soon as they could just to get this grimoire."
"What is so special about it?" Asked Mione with a tilt of her head but biting her lip, thinking of different situations.
"It gave me those rings… It evolved my trunk… and it gave me this," I said seriously. I stood up and lifted my hand in front of my face. With a thought, blue flames came to life like an inferno: "Follow me."
Both Iris and Mione gasped, seeing the flames in my hand; the only reason they were not panicking was the lack of fear on my face and my control over it, making it dance in my hand.
We walked outside, and I willed a Tree some meters away from the entrance of my cottage. When it finished growing, I threw the fireball toward it.
With an explosion, the tree bark disappeared, leaving nothing behind. Not even ashes remain from the tree. It was scary but exciting at the same time.
"It's random, but I have gotten all this in the past few days. Could you imagine what I could get in a year? Ten?" I said thoughtfully, "Girls… this could change everything."
Celestial Ascendancy.
Chapter 8: Start of a new year.
Elias Blake.
Hogwarts express.
100 CP awarded, 150 in total.
"This is a lot…" murmured Hermione, rooted in her spot, dumbfounded, looking at the remains of the tree.
When the fireball hit its mark, the explosion it generated broke it in two halves, and the fire rapidly moved to consume both of them. To be honest, I haven't practiced with this perk as much as I should have, but in my defense, I was in no place to do it discreetly.
There were only two people in this world I trusted, and those two were in front of me, so it wasn't like I could ask someone to help me with this problem and expect an answer. No, things would be the same as always, through trial and error, but it was in what we excelled at.
Hermione with her wonderful mind, Iris with her courage and daring ideas, and I with my out-of-context knowledge. This was the only advantage I had over anyone this world had to offer. After watching and reading thousands of different shows, stories, or whatever, my imagination was unlike any other. It was one of the reasons I was quite interested in spell creation, I had seen so many attacks or defensive moves that I would love to create as magical spells.
Smiling softly at my best friends, I nodded, "I know it is a lot to take in at once, but there is no one else I trust more than you both, and if I am going to grow with this gift, I will need both of you, like always."
"I know that we should focus on this first, but there is something both of you should know," Iris said with a complicated tone, her smile brittle. She clearly regretted interfering with this.
"Is there a problem?" I asked, looking at her critically to see if something was wrong. I knew the main plot points of how things should go, but I didn't remember everything, and I hated missing information.
"This break… my scar started to hurt once more, and I've been having weird dreams. They appear to be from his point of view, but they seem strange as if he is shorter than everyone else. I even saw Wormtail in those dreams and a couple of people I did not recognize." She admitted shamefully as if it was somehow her fault.
With a thought, I dismissed the flames since they had already consumed everything in their surroundings and focused sharply on Iris. This took me by surprise, but I barely remembered that there was something like that in the movie or book; I was not sure.
From what I remember, the connection between Voldemort and Iris was weak at the moment, thanks to her mother's protection. Now, with the ring I gave her, the risk of Voldemort finding out was negligible.
"Can you tell me what they look like? I don't think we should ignore them." I added softly, "I know it must be hard, Iris, but we will help you in any way we can. If they are really dreams, maybe talking about them will help, but if they are real and there is a connection between both of you, we need to know everything to prepare."
Hermione ran toward Iris and hugged her while I walked toward them. Not long after, we were in the middle of a group hug with Iris in the middle.
"We will be there for you, I promise," Hermione said softly, rubbing Iris's head. "No one will take you away from us, you know that."
"Like she said," I nodded firmly even if she could not see it, "I want to see him try; I will enjoy using my fire to make him burn. We will return all the suffering you have passed through a thousand times over."
"You guys are great," Iris smiled brightly, "And hell yeah, I want to see him groveling at my feet."
"Your inner sadist is showing, Luv," Mione chuckled. "But now that the picture is in my mind, I would pay to see it."
Before going off on a tangent, I reminded them of the important part: "Yes, yes, quite cathartic, I know, but focus. Go on, Iris. What did they look like?"
"Well, there was Wormtail. You know how he looks since we saw him last year," Iris deadpanned.
"Stop being a smartass, I swear." I huffed and retreated from the hug, and Mione did the same after a few seconds.
Iris just stuck her tongue out but continued, "There was a worker, but Voldemort killed him using his snake," She said thoughtfully, "And the last one was a clearly unhinged dude; he had a crazy look on his face, 5'10 or 5'11, I'm not sure. Dark and unkempt hair and a mad look in his eyes. He really looks crazy." She said seriously, "I don't know who he is, and I have never seen him, but I just know that he is bad news."
That must be Barty Jr. At least everything was going according to my blurred memories.
"That's all?" I asked, looking at her.
Iris shook her head, "No, there was someone else. A woman, young, maybe in her twenties, if barely. She was dressed like a gothic hooker, but Wormtail was terrified of her. In that dream, I didn't manage to understand what they were talking about, but even the mad dude was courteous with her."
This caused my thoughts to run a mile a second. I had no idea who that person could be. I didn't remember the exact scene, but no one in the future movies reminded me of that description, and having someone like Barty act like that was hard. The man was unhinged after his stay in Azkaban, and the continuous imperio exposure did not help his mental faculties.
I had no idea, and that left me stumped. I could feel it in my bones: This was different from the canon I knew. The only good thing that came out of this information was that it hardened my resolve to break through canon this year. If things were going to happen differently, there was no reason why I should follow the script; no, I was going to turn the table on them.
"We'll need to make some discreet inquiries," I murmured, "We should ask Padfoot if he has any idea about them; he is the only adult who would answer our questions without much problem," I said firmly, and I honestly believed that. Besides him, every other adult always asked why we were searching for answers. Still, maybe it was his guilt toward Iris that he was genuinely helpful with everything we needed.
"And I need to write to him explaining what happened to his gift" Huffed Iris, "I liked that tent"
"Don't pout," I rolled my eyes. "We can get another one later. I'm sure Sirius will not mind. It wasn't our fault after all. "
"Speaking of letters," said Hermione, "Where is Hedwig?"
Iris smiled brightly. "She must be delivering the last letter to Sirius since he is moving around to avoid the Aurors, but she should be returning any moment now. We will probably see her soon at Hogwarts."
"Good," Mione nodded. "And don't think for a moment we have stopped talking about the mysterious grimoire, Eli. Give me some time to think where we should start."
"You are the brains here, Mione," I smiled, "We could do nothing without you," I teased to calm the severe mood around us.
Mione blushed scarlet and punched my arm, "Prat."
"We should get going. We don't know how much time has passed, and from what I remember, warding the compartments is against the rules," I smirked, enjoying Hermione's palling face at my proclamation.
"Oh no," She whispered, "I just wanted to show off after seeing you went invisible with your spell."
Laughing at her, I took their hands and started walking to the entrance of my trunk. I was not particularly surprised to see Cedric looking at us with narrowed eyes.
"Color me surprised," He drawled bored, "The golden trio and their yearly mischief."
"Oh, come on, Cedric," I rolled my eyes, "We just had to start early this year."
Cedric's face was amused after I replied, "You should be thankful it was me who noticed it; imagine if it was someone from Slytherin."
"You are the best," Iris said, rolling her eyes. "We won't do it anymore, don't worry. We don't want problems before arriving at school."
"See what you do," he nodded with a smile. "With the upcoming year, it would be best if you could act accordingly," he added earnestly.
"So you know what the fuss is about?" Asked Hermione with her hands on her hips.
"You don't?" He cocked an eyebrow, surprised.
"Not really, only that something big is happening," Added Iris, "No one in the burrow wanted to tell us; it pissed me off, teasing us about it and then leaving us wanting,"
Cedric smirked, "Who am I to ruin the surprise, then. Consider this the punishment since there are no points to dock." And with that, he was gone.
"What a prat." Whined Hermione, "I wonder what all of them are talking about,"
"Eh, we will find out later, I guess. With all the clamor, I don't think it will go past today's dinner until we know what they are talking about," I shrugged.
Taking a seat in the middle of the girls, I closed my eyes to rest a bit before arriving. "I'll take a nap. Wake me up to get out so you can change."
"Sure thing," Iris nodded, "Not it."
And with that, she put her head on my shoulder, closing her eyes and feigning sleep.
Hermione just sighed, used to Iris running away from chores she funded boring, "Go on, I will read in the meantime,"
"You are a sweetheart," I grinned at her, "See you in a bit,"
Hogwarts
Seeing the castle fast approaching was something I would never get bored of. The majesty of the view and the feeling of being close to home could not be compared with anything else.
I loved the school, most of the precious memories I have in this life were here, and I would do my damned best to protect it in the future.
When the door opened and showed Professor Flitwick's smiling face, I reminded myself to seek him out the next day. One thing that flew out of my mind before was that I could practice and obtain riches if I were to cull some of the spiders in the forest. It was not something I would do lightly, and clearly not soon, but when I learned enough and took protection, I would attack them.
The sword was basic, but the description of it made it clear that the more riches I had in my possession when I used it, the stronger it would get. Since the sword created gems out of defeated foes, the forest was the best grinding spot I could ask for, with thousands and thousands of different animals roaming there.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts! " the diminutive Professor exclaimed with his arms wide. "I hope that this year is wonderful for all of us. Now follow me. The starting feast will begin soon."
That said, the Professor turned around and started marching to the great hall, with all of us walking behind him.
Groups had already been made, with different cliques in our surroundings.
Hermione and Iris were at my side, and we were leading the fourth year of Gryffindor; the Slytherins were in the lead, with different groups per year, but I focused on one particular group.
Draco was glaring daggers at me, and I had no idea why. Ever since the World Cup, I had not seen him at all, and even if I embarrassed him in front of everyone, it was something that was expected, so his reaction to seeing me once more was weird.
He was whispering to his group, which consisted of his followers, the trolls, and Pansy. A little bit behind him were Daphne, Tracey, and Nott, talking animatedly with Blaise.
They all turned in unison to look directly at me but turned when they realized I had noticed. Weird.
"What's that about?" A somewhat timid voice arrived from behind me.
Looking back, I smiled at Neville, "No idea, mate, No idea."
"Be careful this year," Neville murmured, "It's not normal; they might try something," he warned.
"I'll keep it in mind, Neville. Thanks for the warning," I shook my head, "How was vacation?"
Neville brightened up, "Oh, it was fun, Elias. I worked a lot with my plants, and Grandma hasn't pushed me around ever since I stood up for myself at a family dinner with her brother."
"Good," I smiled. "Keep your chest out, mate. I know she can be unbearable at times, and while I don't accept the way she acts, she just wants the best for you."
"I know," He murmured, "It's hard, but I'll manage,"
"What are you talking about?" Ron asked rudely at the other side, flanked by his friends Dean and Seamus.
"Something private, mate," I rolled my eyes.
Ron was visibly upset at my reply, but he turned his head and focused on his friends.
We would never be close friends, but it would be alright if he acted accordingly and did not bother me.
Arriving at the great hall, we all took our seats and smiled at seeing the food appear magically.
Hermione frowned but took a deep breath and started eating.
"Did you read the books I recommended?" I chuckled.
"Even if I understand why it happens, it does not mean I like it, Eli." She pouted.
"Eh, it's all right, Mione," I shrugged, "Different opinions and all that,"
Iris was silent. She took food from her plate and started eating. Her eyes were sharp, observing the Professor's table, and I grinned in her direction.
"Checking who is going to be the danger this year?"
Iris huffed, "There is a chair alone; I hope whoever is the new guy is not a nutter,"
"We can only hope," I sighed, knowing that her desires would go unanswered.
"Welcome," Headmaster Dumbledore smiled from the podium, "We will now welcome our new first years, and after that, I have some announcements to make,"
The little firsties started entering the hall, looking around, amazed at the sight. Some were nervous, others excited. It honestly reminded me of my first year. I was a nervous wreck during my sorting, wondering if the hat would find out about my secrets.
Thankfully, it didn't work like that, and I joined the school without a hitch.
Before long, the sorting was over, and it just showed how much the magical population of Britain suffered after both wars. Only twenty-nine kids joined the school this year, and looking at the castle, it was easy to infer that there was a bigger population in the past.
Most rooms were unoccupied at the moment, and they only taught the most important classes. Many of the subjects disappeared with the years.
"Welcome, everyone," Dumbledore stood up. "Now, to the warnings. The forbidden forest is forbidden, and no one should approach without a good explanation. Also, Mr. Filch has updated the list of banned items. Be sure to check that out before we need to dock points from a house," he said, looking directly at the twins, who grinned unrepentantly.
"As for the important announcement, the Quidditch Cup will not happen this year," he said but was drowned in complaints before he could continue.
He just stood there with a calm smile.
On my left, Iris was looking around wildly, and her panicked gaze turned sad when she saw the rest of her teammates panicking like her.
"Silence!" Dumbledore said calmly with the deathstick pointed at his throat.
"Thank you," He smiled at seeing all the school looking at him, "As I was saying, the Quidditch cup will be canceled this year because we will have another grand event,"
The murmurs happened once more, but they were more manageable than before: "The Tri-Wizard Tournament will be hosted at our school after more than two hundred years since the last one, and our school will welcome both Durmstrang and Beauxbatons in the future."
"Now, to explain a little bit more. We will take precautions to avoid our champions having bitter ends like before, and for that reason only students who are of the age of majority." Before the whines could start, Dumbledore continued, "But fret not, for everyone younger, there will be other activities you could participate in, like joint classes between schools and maybe some duels to practice. Thank you for listening, that's all."
With that said, he stood up and signaled for the prefects to guide the firsties to their houses, with the older students following after them.
"If it wasn't for the age requirement, I would win the tournament," Ron said with his chest puffed out.
I rolled my eyes, "Well, at least we know what will happen later this year," I said to my friends.
"I've never heard of that tournament," Mione said, biting her lips in concentration. "I will go to the library tomorrow."
"That's our resident bookworm," Lavender laughed from behind, and my eyes could not help but follow her until a stomp broke my distraction. Iris was looking at me sharply, her foot still on mine.
"Sorry," I laughed and rubbed the back of my head.
"Oh, I don't mind," Lavender smiles flirtatiously, "I don't mind at all," she continued with a throaty whisper.
"But I do mind," Iris said sharply. She took my hand and started walking faster, with Mione behind us, trying to catch up.
The last thing I heard before leaving was Lavender's carefree laugh and hushed whispers with her best friend.
"What's the hurry, Iris?" I asked with a tilt of my head, "I was just talking with her."
"Not her, Eli," She shook her head vigorously, "Not with that gossipy prat."
"I was just looking," I replied, "And you cannot blame me; hell, I've seen you do the same,"
Iris froze in her tracks before shaking her head vehemently, "It's not the same, Eli."
"Well, that is just unfair," I sighed, "Whatever, stop pulling me, I can walk on my own,"
Iris looked hurt at my dismissal, and I felt bad, but at the same time, I was mad. I hadn't done anything wrong, and who could fault me. Even if she was somewhat easy, Lavender was by far one of the most beautiful girls in my year and one of the top three most voluptuous girls. Looking was expected at my age.
"Whatever, just no," Iris huffed, and while doing so Hermione arrived behind us.
"What has gotten into both of you? " she panted for breath. "Why are you fighting?"
"Nothing happened," Iris said firmly, and I rolled my eyes.
Hermione was confused, but I knew she would get it out of Iris before sleeping. The walk to the dormitories continued in silence, with some awkward tension between Iris and me. Still, we were both proud enough not to ask for forgiveness—not that I was in the wrong, though.
After some minutes, we arrived at the entrance, and the fat lady moved out of the way after seeing that it was us. Since we had arrived before the rest of the house, the fat lady did us the favor of opening the way without a password since we could not know which one it was.
"Have a good night, dearies," the fat lady said with a smile that turned into a frown when she saw our faces.
"Is everything all right?" She asked softly.
"Nothing; it will pass before long," I sighed. It was strange to talk with a painting, but the painting was so lifelike that it was like a normal conversation with a real person.
"If you say so, my boy. This is just friendly advice: Whatever happens, it is not worth it to end a friendship if it is forgivable," she said with a sweet smile.
The thought of ending our friendship was not something that any of us had even considered, so hearing that from the painting made our steps falter, even if minutely.
I looked at Iris's eyes, which had gone misty at hearing that, and I felt a pang in my heart just from imagining it.
Hermione looked at us with understanding eyes. Even if she did not have all the details, she was witty enough to infer what we were thinking at that moment.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have done that," I murmured, looking directly at Iris.
"I also want to apologize; I overreacted, Eli." She whispered back.
"Now hug," Ordered Mione, looking at us with a smirk on her face.
Looking at Iris, I saw the amusement dancing in her eyes, and I was sure she could see the same thing in mine.
"Fiiiine," I said, stretching the word like it was a chore I did not want to do.
Iris just rolled her eyes but approached me, "I'm sorry, I will avoid doing that in the future,"
She hugged me hard enough to crack my ribs and gave me a peck on the cheek that left me rooted in my spot.
"I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" She twirled and ran upstairs.
I just caressed the spot her lips were in and could feel the heat on my face.
"Good night, Eli," Mione grinned behind me before doing the same as Iris and pecking me on the other cheek and running behind Iris.
100 CP awarded, 250 CP in total.
Five minutes later.
Ron Weasley.
"What's going on with him?" I asked out loud, seeing Elias's unmoving form in the middle of the common room.
"Beat me," Dean shrugged, "Maybe he was cursed."
"Hermione is capable of it," Seamus shuddered. "That girl scares me more than Mum."