November 27, 1944
Thursday Afternoon
"Really fought my cousin, huh mate?" Aster asked with a sigh as he sat down on the edge of Harry's bed, a hand in his hair and the other fisting up the edge of the sheets.
"I don't know if you could really call what we did a fight," Harry said, letting his head fall back against the pillow with a tired sigh. "She wasn't trying to kill me, wasn't even trying to hurt me, not really. Everything she threw at me wasn't dangerous, and the few that could've been seemed like she put less power in them. Grindelwald wants me, I think - Elaine, Corene, they think the same."
Aster snorted, managing a half-smile. "Lucky you. All the most powerful people we've met or heard of seem interested in you beyond belief. Too bad my cousin wasn't our age, reckon she'd be as interested in you as the rest of 'em."
"I don't think I could handle any more barmy witches. Elaine, Walburga, those two are enough for me," Harry had a couple more names he could mention, but they weren't barmy.
Not really.
"Surprised you didn't mention that overly affectionate Goldhorn girl or Corene. I know our Carrow isn't all that barmy, she's just weird, but how different are those two qualities yeah?" Aster laughed lightly and shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "Sorry. Still a bit weirded out that my cousin went after you. She was always nice, unassuming, stupid sometimes. You'd never think that she'd be interested in killing, fighting, or being a follower of Grindelwald's."
"Don't need to apologise. She didn't seem that interested in hurting people, didn't even seem like she wanted to fight me. It was almost like she was just going through the motions, doing what she thought she had to," Harry stopped there, not knowing what else to say to his friend regarding his errant relative.
There was a lot he could probably try to put words to, Merlin knows that, but none of it would've felt right or fair to him. Aster's cousin, the woman who'd given him three chances to go gently and peacefully with them hadn't seemed… evil. But she was, she had to be, for no person who was truly innocent could willingly follow a Dark Lord in which the world hasn't seen the likes of in decades.
Centuries.
Aster had mumbled something, but he cleared his throat and tried again. "I can't think of why she joined him. Mum always thought it was a rebellious thing, but I don't think that's why somebody would change that much or be party to evil the likes of Grindelwald. She's never been all that connected with the rest of the family anyhow. Dad, he thinks, well, he doesn't really think, I suppose. Whenever Druella or I would ask him about our cousin or the rest of the family, he'd shrug and say he doesn't know anything."
"What do you think?" Harry found himself asking, leaning a bit closer to his friend. "You knew her, I met her, why do you think she joined Grindelwald if she doesn't truly seem evil?"
Aster shook his head, the saddest smile on his face he'd seen since Yaxley had left them all those months ago. "I couldn't tell you. Maybe, in my mind at least, it's not her that joined Grindelwald. In my dreams or when I think about it, I like to think that Grindelwald used a spell on her, maybe one of the unforgivables - the one that takes you away from being you - and forced her to do everything she's done. It's not a good hope to have, not with what it means, but it makes things easier. You know?"
Harry sat up and patted Aster on the back a couple of times. "I know."
There wasn't anything more to say between them, and the last few days had progressed much the same way: slowly, with nothing happening save for the rebuilding of Hogsmeade proper. It was a weird break in a web of conflict that'd gone on for months. Weirdly enough, it reminded Harry of a Muggle tale that Aster had shared with him months earlier, one that spoke of the Great War when a wave of peace had lasted in a time filled with conflict - Christmas, it had to have been.
"Don't tell Reinhard?" Aster suddenly asked, shaking Harry from his thinking.
"I won't," Harry said resolutely. "It's yours to tell should you ever want to, I'm just glad you were willing to talk to me about it."
"She attacked you and you got to see her as a result of it. Call it selfish if you wanna, because I think it is, but I just wanted to see what she was like," Aster got up from Harry's bed then, stretching his arms over his head. "I wish the Muggles would've stayed intermingled with us like they were centuries ago. There'd be none of our kind burnt at the stake and no Muggles that try to tell us what to do or how to go about doing anything. It's like when a pet tries to order its master with a growl or a bark - I know they're not dogs, they're just not us… it'd be easier if they were."
Harry nodded a couple of times. He didn't truly understand what Aster meant, but he wouldn't ask for clarification. Not with how off the boy was.
"I'll see you for dinner, yeah?" Harry asked after another few seconds of silence passed between them.
Aster nodded. "Yeah. I'll get Reinhard too, he's been speaking with Elaine a lot. Malfoy has too," Aster peeked around the corner of Harry's bed then, the canopy acting as a sort of cover. "Those other two blokes should join us tonight. Ash and Joe, they're usually together but I reckon bringing the pair of 'em a bit closer to us and a bit farther from the rest of the yolk would do some good for us."
"I'll talk to them, see if they'd want to eat with us tonight," Harry said as he cracked his neck, the stiffness from how he'd slept finally making him do it.
"Great. Thanks, Harry, for a lot of stuff," With those words, Aster made his exit, leaving Harry practically alone in the boys' dorms for their year.
I hope Aster's alright.
Like how he'd have to deal with Walburga before the end of the year, something within Harry told him there'd be some form of conflict with Aster. It may not be with himself directly involved, it could be because of the cousin he'd fought, Yaxley, Elaine or a combination of different issues, but something was coming. His danger sense told him as much.
November 28, 1944
Thursday Morning
"Happy Thursday, Pev," Joe said with a grin as he pushed a bottle into Harry's hands.
Another few voices mimicked Joe's words, those voices coming at him thanks to the circle they were seated in: Aster was on his left with Reinhard, and Ash was to the right of Joe.
All five of them had come up after a late dinner in the Great Hall, and after a few games had been played between them, the alcohol had come out. It always did so long as Aster was involved, the boy had a means to smuggle whatever he wanted into the school and Reinhard could always hide it away somewhere that nobody would look. Abraxas' lack of willingness to stop them from partying or smuggling contraband was helpful too, even if it came as a means to keep Elaine pleased.
After all, it wouldn't do if her group had any infighting going on. With Harry involved, whoever was on the opposite side would have to have an incredibly good reason too.
"Drink, drink, drink!" The cheer rose up as Harry hesitated, and with a roll of his eyes at the rest of the group's antics, he did as he was bid.
Peer pressure was a hell of a thing, but Merlin knew that Harry liked the sweet-tasting alcohol that reminded him of candy or other favourite pastries of his.
"You guys better finish that bottle, I've already had a third of it," Harry said, the focus required to say each word clearly coming at the cost of time.
"Oh, you're fine, you lightweight. Reinhard here could drink the whole bottle and have little to no effect, that right mate?" Ash asked, sloshing a bottle across the table until it ended up in one of the aforementioned boy's heavy hands.
"I could drink any and all of you under the table," Reinhard agreed. "Drinking is like fighting, the bigger you are, the better."
Joe snorted. "Just because you're bigger doesn't mean you've got more magic in you mate. Look at Corene Carrow, she's a nasty piece of work in that duelling circuit our parents always put on for show. Don't you remember what happened the last time you faced her?"
That piqued Harry's interest. For one, he hadn't been told or even heard of a duelling circuit, least of all one that Corene was currently active in. Beyond that, he hadn't heard from Reinhard that he'd lost to Corene, something that the boy would've definitely mentioned on account of all the time Harry spent with the girl and those two lovable dolts.
"Hardly a fair fight, I tell you," Reinhard grumbled. "Her dad has taught her from early, illegally, mind you. They don't have the same rules back in that French island off the coast of Canada, bet they barely have any rules at all - they're French."
Aster tutted. "My family's mostly French too."
"That's why you're mostly an idiot," Reinhard said with a grin.
"I'll take mostly being an idiot if it means keeping all those hot French birds to myself. Most of these British girls are a step or two away from being related to house-elves," Aster leaned in then, looking closely at Reinhard. "Trolls too, in some cases."
After a tense few seconds, all of the boys - Harry included - laughed and went about drinking from their glasses. Such jokes or pokes at one another were something Harry had seldom experienced in his first life, as he'd begun to finally call it. Ron wouldn't have handled it very well, and the rest of the boys likely wouldn't have either.
"Don't take all of the French girls," Ash finally said, once the round of drinking was done. "I do need some of 'em."
"No promi-" Aster was cut off when Abraxas appeared, flanked weirdly enough, by Daphne Oleander.
Silence reigned as the new duo stared at the five miscreants. Alcohol was clearly visible, snacks and food all messed about on the table, and a general difference in personalities kept the tenseness high as the silence dragged on and on.
Eventually, it was broken by Daphne clearing her throat after looking from one boy to the next. "Five minutes, clean yourselves up, come down to the common room. Elaine has words for nearly all of us."
Daphne was off after that, leaving Abraxas with the rest of them.
"What happened?" Harry asked, a sense of soberness taking hold as panic gripped him.
"Europe's mainly fallen to the Russians, and Grindelwald's brought everything he could to our island," Abraxas said plainly, shrugging when the boys looked at him for more information. "It's all I know. Elaine has more sources, she wants to talk to all of us before the announcement comes tomorrow morning."
Another few seconds of inaction and silence lingered, and then, a flurry of activity broke out within the group of five. All of them raised to their respective beds and trunks, grabbing for clothes or whatever else they could to make themselves proper despite the improper hour in which they were called upon.
Harry wished then that he hadn't taken the time this evening to take a break, for the state of drunkenness with which he currently found himself in wouldn't be at all helpful with the impending conversation.
"Good?" Aster asked when he saw that Harry was lingering beside his bed.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good. Let's go," Harry answered, tugging on Aster's sleeve as the two of them followed after the rest of the group towards the door. "What do you think she wants to talk about beyond that? Figure that little announcement would be enough."
"I couldn't tell you. Elaine's Elaine, she likes to make big spectacles out of little things or vice versa," Aster answered with a huff.
That was that, and silence once more fell upon the group as they made their way down to the common room. When Harry emerged, second to last with only Malfoy behind him, he saw that the room was filled with roughly half of Slytherin, if not more - anybody who was an acquaintance of Elaine or beyond that point was with them in the room. It wasn't unlikely to think that those not present for the meeting would hear it before too long either, everybody was friends with somebody currently in attendance.
"Over beside her," Malfoy said to Harry and the other four who'd come down with him. "Elaine reserved seats for you all that were closer to her on account of your higher standings. Get going, we'll start when the final few people are here."
Harry shrugged and went to where Malfoy had pointed out; the seat Harry always sat in that was right beside Elaine's favoured spot was open as it always was. There were a few close to it meant for the others too, but the one directly next to him on the side Elaine didn't sit in was filled with Emilene. Naturally, Corene and Daphne were on Elaine's other side.
"Good morning, Harry," Elaine greeted, not an ounce of exhaustion or similar feelings visible on her face. "I'm so terribly sorry to take you away from your evening fun, but this is something I'm certain you'd like to hear before the main body does - fret not, I haven't forgotten that we'll have to hold a conversation before too long. Tomorrow, we'll speak about what you wanted to then."
He nodded in a stoic manner, hoping that would partially conceal how much he'd drunk that evening. Elaine would be more apt to speak with him if she knew he was buzzed or the like on account of answers being easier to withdraw. Harry couldn't blame her for that, he'd have done the same - he'd already copied how she was in combat, what with how he killed that follower of Grindelwald. Copying how she acted with others and taking after those actions was only natural so long as it helped him continue with his goals.
"We're waiting on two," Emilene said when a boy in the back, a taller, thinner figure, raised a hand and waved it thrice.
"Good job," Elaine said, nodding to the other girl and turning her attention back over to Harry. "They'll be a few minutes, I sent them out on a minor task for me. With that said, my love, why don't we talk about something that I've been ever so curious about? You'll amuse me, won't you?"
As he did earlier, Harry nodded.
Elaine's hand, the one that was closer to him, grabbed one of his. "I'm happy to hear that," she waved her hand, shooting Corene a look a moment after. "For a time, you were ever so curious about rituals. I half thought you were going to do one, possibly a set, but in recent times I've heard absolutely nothing. Could you tell me why you seemed so captivated by them if you were so quick to move on?"
"The costs weren't worth it," Harry said briefly, those few words taking an extraordinary amount of focus to say without slurring.
"You don't think so?" Elaine asked with a smile, her hand caressing his. "Perhaps there's more that you've not found - I'll warn you not to do any that hamper your ability to feel affection or mess with your feelings in general. You wouldn't want whatever those can give you at such a steep cost."
I know that.
"Maybe we can talk more about it tomorrow, after our other conversation," Harry said slowly.
"We could do that," Elaine said, her smile having dropped for all of a second before it fell right back into place. She moved her seat closer to his when there was nothing more said between them for a few seconds, stopping only when the arms of their chairs were pressed up against one another. "Might I say how enjoyable it was to fight next to you? To see you so vicious, so powerful, it made me want to realise my ambitions far sooner than I previously wished."
In an instant, Elaine's tone and the topic at hand had changed to something far less normal… assuming rituals could be called as such. Regardless, to Harry, she'd turned back into the girl he'd first met all those months ago - the one he thought she would've been before they met.
It always bothered him how easily she could swap to and fro as if she were a myriad of people locked within one body. Oftentimes, especially recently, she would be the sweet and mildly insane girl who was possessive and infatuated with him. Occasionally she'd be the deeper-voiced, charismatic young woman that would say whatever it was that she thought would win him over. Seldom would she be the disturbed, angry girl that despised much of anything.
"Our two errant friends are finally here," Elaine said suddenly, pressing a kiss against his temple. "I half thought I'd have to go out and find them myself, that would've been as tedious as it'd be exciting."
Harry looked at Elaine curiously, hoping she'd expand on that, but she didn't. Instead, Elaine kissed him again - this time on the nose - and spoke again. "I'll have to dismantle our little private bubble, lest the group at large grows restless thanks to the time it currently is. We'll speak again before the morning's up."
He wanted to ask her how she'd manage that considering he'd be one of the first to leave when the little party was over, but he didn't. Elaine was quick at whatever she did, and so when he finally had the presence of mind to do just that, she was already quieting the crowd down.
"I'm sure many of you have heard about the continent, but for those who haven't or those who're unsure of the validity of it, let me be very clear. Europe, to the point of Germany, has fallen largely to the Russians and Americans. Grindelwald has brought everybody and everything he could to our homeland," Elaine paused to raise a hand for silence thanks to a particularly loud outburst towards the back. "Quiet, any further noise won't be appreciated."
Based on Aster's look from a few seats away, the boy looked about ready to snicker at Elaine's final few words. Harry couldn't blame him either, not with how she made those words sound so ominous despite the mundane nature of them.
"Good," Elaine said with a self-satisfied smile and glance at Harry, one that lasted long enough for her to raise her eyebrows in a showing-off gesture. "As I currently understand it, the Americans and other nations allied with our Ministry will send their own forces to assist our Auror corps. Rumours are, the Russians may very well try and 'help' too. Finally, in very simple terms, they're attempting to seize London with everything they currently have - it won't last, not with a majority of the forces returning from Europe to assist us. No questions will be answered tonight, and as you all very well know by now, this'll be kept within the house."
Elaine waved her hand and turned towards Harry, the signal clear that she was done speaking.
"That's everything?" Harry blurted out.
"Was it not enough for you?" Elaine asked with a grin as she leaned closer to him. "Were you hoping to assist in combat, perhaps take out a few more of his followers before the end came?"
Harry promptly shook his head; one person tortured and another killed was more than enough for him. It was on his mind constantly, especially the surprised look of the man who'd ceased to be and the ease in which Harry had cast the two unforgivable spells. Before Harry had been sent to this time, he doubted either spell would ever have come from his wand… in Crucio's case, he wouldn't have ever cast it a second time.
For him to have done so easily and without much thought to it was more disturbing to him than knowing he'd done it in the first place.
"For what it's worth, none who follow him are any good. I'm sure you know that already having read those articles. Massacres, cleansing, other deeds that were done equally as bad on account of none being worse," Elaine shook her head. "I'm sure you've seen in those visions of yours that I mean to deal with the occasional issue. In fact, I would guarantee you've witnessed it from time to time, especially my shortness or willingness to curse Malfoy when he toys around as his father does with his mother. I do hope you know that those types of horrors would never be on my agenda."
"I know. I don't think you're evil, Elaine," Harry said, finally standing up to stretch and make his way back to the ever comfortable bed that called his name.
Elaine stood up with him, looping her arm through his. "I'll walk you back," she said to him, smiling as brilliantly as ever. "Witches are allowed in the boys' dorms, and I doubt anybody will raise any issue with me spending a modicum of time with you in a place I've seldom been."
Harry blinked a few times. "Seldom?"
When had she seen his bed or the boys' dorms in general? He didn't remember it happening save for one time if that - his memory hasn't been amazing on account of the numerous tasks he'd been pursuing.
"You didn't think I'd see you from time to time like I said I would?" Elaine asked with a small giggle, one that was incredibly out of place based on who she was. "Come now, I promised I'd sneak a nap with you after spending the last few weeks of summer at your house. I mean to keep that promise, and I have, twice."
Harry shook his head. "You never woke me up, didn't even so much as leave evidence behind that you'd been beside me."
Elaine leaned her head against his, making the both of them look forward as they entered through the boys' dorm entrance. "Has anybody ever told you that you're a very deep sleeper, my love? Aster mentioned it to you before, of that, I'm sure - he's far too loud of a speaker when he's excited, Reinhard can get that way too."
"I know," Harry said with a fond look, one that quickly went away when he looked back at Elaine. "Wake me up next time you decide to sleep next to me."
He swore he could feel her shiver against him, and it wasn't due to the cold. Not with there being no chill in the dungeons where they were, the ever lit fireplace would get rid of any chill that was present.
"When it's not your power that enthrals me, it's the authoritative tone you can take or the firmness with which you can act," Elaine slowly walked over to his bed with him, settling herself on the edge of it when they finally reached their destination. "I hope you know that every action you take, especially recently with how you've grown so much, only make me wish to have you at my side at all times all the more prevalent."
Tough. Can't manage that next year.
Harry didn't mean for that to sound so negative, not with the progress - or so he thought of it - they'd made recently. Whatever her reasoning was for sneaking beside him at night, he only hoped it wasn't nearly as poor as her reasoning for keeping him in the dark regarding her plans. Half-truths as she may call what she told him, were lies, at least to him.
That talk had to happen soon.
December 1, 1944
Monday Evening
"My apologies, Harry. I hadn't meant to push off our conversation until today," Elaine said by way of greeting as he entered the Chamber and looked around for other company.
Thankfully enough, it was only Elaine. Corene, Daphne and anybody else who knew about the Chamber weren't in it. There wasn't much reason for them to be now that the place was fully secured to Elaine's standards, provisioned for months on end - enough to feed a small army - and brought up to a high enough standard for comfort.
"It's fine. Why don't we get to talking though?" Harry asked, seating himself across from Elaine rather than next to her. It wasn't done out of convenience or an accident either, the closer he was to her the more apt she was to try using those looks or touches of hers to distract him.
"We can do that," Elaine readily agreed, smiling at him as she crossed her legs and changed her posture to a semi-formal one. "I suppose it'd be right of me to apologise for not telling you the whole truth too, wouldn't it?"
"Only if you'd mean it," Harry said. "I think it was you that said words are wind, and if it wasn't, I'm sure you've heard that statement before. Either way, I'd like to get down to asking you the questions I've had prepared for some time. Assume that's fine with you, yeah?"
Elaine smiled and dipped her head once, essentially motioning for him to speak.
"Where exactly do you stand on Purebloods, Elaine? You wouldn't tell me the last time I asked, you went off on another course of conversation since you didn't think it was appropriate. Can you tell me without lying?" Harry raised a hand to show that he wasn't finished. "Every time I ask somebody, anybody in your group really, about your stances, I hear something different. I don't want that to continue, and I definitely don't want you to tell me whatever it is that you think I'd like to hear. We're past that, aren't we?"
As he went on and on speaking, Elaine had cocked her head. Her previous charming, beautiful smile that'd initially worried him and as of recently, captivated him, slipped off of her face. In its place was a look of curiosity, and thought.
"I tell you what you want to hear so that you stay with me," Elaine said with her head still cocked and the look of contemplation on her face.
"Do you do the same with your father?" Harry asked, practically blurting out his question as he leaned forwards to get a better look and read of her.
"You already know that my father's not completely present, Harry. As you just said, it'd be better if we kept the whole truth between us since that's what you want," Elaine shook her head then, huffing out a burst of hot air. "My father is minorly bewitched. It's nothing harmful or dangerous, believe me, I wouldn't do that to him. Simply put, what I've used on him is meant to block out in large part all of the negative feelings he has towards specific things. Is it so bad that I wanted him to be present in my life and love me in such a way that I feel important to somebody?"
Harry swallowed and pulled at the top of his shirt in a few separate places. It felt tight, constricting, but he knew that came as a result of Elaine's words.
Everybody deserved to feel loved and appreciated by their family or even friends. Harry had sought out those exact feelings in the Weasleys and Hermione. For her to admit how she felt, especially what she wanted to feel, was something he hadn't expected… so long as it was truthful and not another way of her trying to control him. As likely as that would have previously been, Harry didn't think it was happening in this instance.
Something about her seemed too truthful, too tired, and too done. Maybe after all of this time, she'd finally opened up completely or nearly completely to him.
"No," Harry finally said, breaking free of his thoughts and looking her directly in the eyes. "No, it's not a bad thing. The way you went about it wasn't exactly right, I'd say, but everybody deserves something. Do you really think you still need that with him though, now that you have me?"
"Are you fixing to be permanently in my life?" Elaine asked seriously, leaning forward to mimic his posture. "My father, you see, he's meant to stay in my home until the day he passes. That's the importance of his role in my life, and without him as a form of grounding factor, I dare say my state of mind wouldn't be quite so controlled. I've expressed to you numerous times before how important you are, how mine you are, but if you're requesting that he gain some small measure of freedom, Harry, it'll mean that we'll stay together in perpetuity."
"W-" He made to speak right then, but Elaine cut him off by speaking over him in a louder tone.
"My stance on Purebloods is that they're useful. I don't particularly care for the cause as they might think I do, though there's merit in a lasting bloodline that's kept itself pure of Muggle heritage on account of the dirtiness of the creatures. Anyhow, the usefulness they have, the strength of their ways in addition to their families and the willingness to stay without progress despite the incessant urge for reforms by Muggleborn members of society make them perfect for my eventual rise to power," Elaine paused for a breath, her eyes wider and throat tighter-looking as she went on a tangent. "Purebloods, as foolish or overly inbred as they can be, are the basis of society to keep it free of Muggle influence. I don't mean to remove them, expel them or anything of that notion. Some will have to be plucked like weeds from a garden, but I'll not get rid of them as I previously said to you. There's the whole truth, and I'm ready for your opinion on it, as my equal ."
That was it. Elaine was finally finished speaking and she was now staring at him. The truth, as she spoke it, was up in the air.
"That's really how you feel, then?" Harry asked, looking for clarification that she did in fact think similarly to Voldemort.
Elaine nodded. "They'd be the easiest means to power and would give the least amount of push back so long as I keep society close to the current status quo. It helps that blackmail material on older families is far easier to obtain than the new Muggle members of our wonderful world."
He nodded a couple of times, his brows furrowing as he ran his tongue between his upper lip and teeth. "Could my opinion really make a difference in any of your plans, or is that your way of trying to pacify me? Don't lie either, you know I can see the future."
Never thought I'd use that to my advantage.
Elaine laughed and reached to pat him on the shoulder, he let her. "You've come such a long way in a short amount of time. Months ago, a half dozen I think and you wouldn't have dared to say that to me with such resolve in your voice," Elaine raised one of her long, dainty hands to calm him when he looked ready to pressure her for an answer. "I don't say that to pacify you, Harry. Enough lies, false truths or partial ones, and I know that you'd leave me. Sure, I could get you back and keep you with me where you belong, but you wouldn't really be the you that I've come to cherish quite so much. I doubt you'd so much as speak to me if I forced your presence beside me."
"You'd be right," Harry said with a half-chuckle, half-grimace. "If you ever tried to make me do anything that I didn't like, I'd leave - at least I'd try to. We both know the result, and thank you for finally telling me where you stand on them. I'm sure I'll ask you more questions as we continue onwards, especially considering the ones I've asked you previousl-"
"We're not done?" Elaine asked, leaning more forward than she already was to the point of her arse being barely on the edge of the chair. "You're granting me another chance despite the fact that I lied to you?"
Harry nodded a few times, watching how her right hand slid slightly where her skirt was on her lip and her hand came free to join the other on his shoulder. "I wanted you not to lie to me, and no, we weren't over regardless. We've come such a long way, you've helped me in most aspects of my life. I'd be an idiot and worse if I ditched you now."
He hadn't expected her next action, and he hadn't seen it in such a long time; the pair were barely dating when last he had, but it happened all the same.
Elaine dove at him, wrapping her arms around his back as she slid into his lap and practically devoured his lips with such ferocity that it hurt. While the two were snogging on that old, magicked up couch in the bowels of the school in a place where nearly nobody could find them, Harry came to the realisation that he meant far more to Elaine than he could've conceived.
The thought of what she would've done if he'd been crazy enough to break things off after she told him so much were… not very fond to think about.
"Everything good, mate?" Aster asked when Harry made his way over to his bed and began changing into his pyjamas.
"Yeah," Harry responded, not turning around as he pulled a comfortable shirt over his head. "I'm all good, just had a conversation with Elaine. Had to set a couple of things straight, you know?"
Aster huffed. "Good luck with that. Merlin knows she doesn't like changing her mind, hates admitting she was wrong true - don't tell Abraxas or Reinhard I said that either, the two of them like to worship her like she's a goddess," Aster grinned when Harry turned to look at him. "Bet you'd know about goddesses, huh? What, with how you spend so much time with the Goldhorns. Bet they've got you inducted into their Greek stuff."
This time, it was Harry's turn to scoff. He nearly laughed too, just out of the pure absurdity of Aster's remark. "Me? Worshipping Greek gods with sacrifices and scraping random stuff off my plate into fires? I think you've got the wrong guy, mate."
"You never really know a person until they go wild in some other portion of the world," Aster shrugged and motioned with his head over to his bed. "Guess I'll prolly be going to bed now, Reinhard should be back before too long. Not sure where Ash and Joe are either."
"Where's Reinhard?" Harry asked before Aster made his leave. "I didn't know he was going anywhere."
"Elaine has him doing something. Really don't know about the other two either, figured they would've been back by now since they like to play games. Still don't actually know how they get them up here too, especially the newer ones that we rip off the Mug-" Aster stopped and shook his head. "Actually, talking about games… chess?"
Harry sighed exasperatedly, rolled his eyes, but followed after Aster. This would be a fine ending to an absolutely absurd evening, as far as he was concerned.
December 2, 1944
Tuesday Morning
"Everything's quiet?" Harry repeated back to Corene, his tone filled with disbelief.
"No progress from Grindelwald's forces or the civilians he evacuated from Europe, so in that regard, no," Corene repeated. "Quiet is relative in recent times, for quiet currently most certainly means plans are being drawn up by both sides for the ultimate defeat of the other. My father isn't entirely sure of what's happening on the front line, so to speak. Not beyond the arrival of French and American Aurors or their equivalent to our Auror corps."
"What about the Russians? I thought somebody said they were going to try to come and help?" Harry leaned against the cold stone wall of the hallway he and Corene had stopped in, his head rolled to the side so he could keep his eyes on her.
"Our Ministry would never agree, as I'm sure you're aware of," Corene then nodded towards the far end of the hall. "I'm sure that's sufficient enough for you, we should get going. Loitering in this hallway is boring and without meaning."
Harry followed after her, a touch of something making him think she was acting differently than usual. He didn't pay it all that much attention, Corene was probably as tired and worn out as the rest of them with how much running around she was having to do on account of Elaine.
"Our class doesn't start for another hour or so, what would you want to do until then?" Harry asked when he fell into step beside her, his feet practically dragging across the stone floor.
"We could speak about a field where progress has been made, so long as you're agreeable," Corene responded, her head still aimed straight at their destination. "My familial relations, perhaps. Rituals could be good too, as I've heard from Elaine you've grown interested in them - forgive me, you were formerly interested heavily in them but such thoughts have been relegated to a secondary position."
"She shares everything with you, huh?" Harry asked as he yawned, not at all annoyed that Corene knew his recent area of interest.
It wasn't like she'd do anything to hinder him, not with how close their friendship was. Then again, all the information he had on her was probably another reason that she'd never do him in. Mutually assured destruction, he once heard his Uncle Vernon say; much of what the outrageously heavy, rude man would say was false though, so he did take most of his words with a grain of salt.
Corene paused when they arrived at the corner and after a couple of seconds, she turned it methodically, to the point that no action or step she took was wasteful. Only once she'd done that curious action did she respond to him.
"No. If Elaine shared everything with me, much of what I know and the sources that inform me wouldn't be necessary for my continued high position in her circle of friends and business partners. Your home and the bond between the two of you would likely be more inclusive too, had she shared everything," Corene directed him to one of the many Hogwarts courtyards, allowing him to take the lead and speaking up again when he did so. "What made you seek out rituals?"
"Should we really be talking about them so openly?" Harry asked as he gave a quick glance around, ensuring they were alone - that likely wouldn't last either, not with how much more populated Hogwarts was in this time compared to his own.
"We're alone, this courtyard isn't frequented nearly as much as it should be, save for the house-elves who tend to its garden. Should it help, I'll put up a privacy charm once we sit ourselves on the bench," Corene lazily raised one finger towards the aforementioned bench that was directly across from them, signalling that it was the one she was referencing.
Harry clicked his tongue once before he joined Corene on the bench. He wasn't nearly as confident as she was when it came to speaking about private matters in the open even with privacy charms up. Maybe he was overly cautious even now, just like he'd been in the early months of his time here.
"Alright," He eventually said as Corene patiently stared at him, her hands neatly folded in her lap. "I found a few books that spoke about rituals in my familial library. None of them seemed overly complex or that worth it, not with the costs - I'm sure you know what I mean by saying costs - associated with them. Professor Slughorn didn't seem to think they were all that good either when I spoke about them with him."
"Elaine?" Corene asked.
"What about her?" Harry said back.
"What were Elaine's opinions on rituals?" Corene clarified, cocking her head and raising one of her finely trimmed eyebrows only slightly higher than the other one.
Harry shrugged, fighting the urge to toss up his arms. "She didn't really give any opinion. She didn't say if she'd done any or if she thought some were worth it - there wasn't much that she said about them that amounted to anything. You know how she can be, say a lot of words that really mean 'I don't know' or 'Sure', something along those lines."
"You mean she speaks in circles, with nearly all of her words acting as a filler to keep your attention," Corene said with that small smile of hers, the one that she gave when she was truly happy or pleased with something. "I'm glad to see that you've finally learned a portion of her personality. Even a few months back when the two of you started your relationship, the naive portion of you was nearly always in control. It was almost like you were talking in your sleep with your eyes wide open."
"I feel like that was a mix of compliment and insult," Harry said with a grin as he scooched a little bit closer to Corene. "I'll take the former though, that's for sure. It's probably thanks to you and Aster too, even Sarah. It takes a while to get fully integrated, longer still to pick out the important bits of a person."
"For what it's worth, you've done well in that regard. I can't say I'm surprised about her lack of willingness to share information related to rituals either. Nearly all of them have a cost that runs too high, and the few that don't aren't willingly shared. Why would they be, when you'd be levelling the playing field for those you're competing against?" Corene shook her head slightly and only a couple of times.
"Is that your way of saying you think Elaine's done a couple?" Harry asked with a small smile of his own as he plucked a clover from the ground and rolled it between the tips of his fingers.
Corene reclined on the bench, her head sitting perfectly against the top of it as she called for her house-elf; tea was always something she went for in any circumstance, it was how she kept calm or tranquil, he suspected.
"Elaine likely has done one, two, five, seven," Corene took a sip of her hot tea as the elf passed Harry a mug of his own, a contented sigh came from her and she set it back down by her side to speak again. "However many she's found that would outweigh the benefit, especially if they were minor, I'm sure she's done. With her ambitions for power, lasting power, wouldn't you think the same?"
Wouldn't you think the same… Merlin, she's got a good way of putting it.
"Thanks," Harry said, holding up the tea and smiling.
Corene returned the smile as widely as she ever did - it wasn't wide at all. After that, the pair sat in silence and watched as snow began to fall lightly from the sky. As usual, it was the fluffy, powdery snow, the one you could kick up with your feet and see fall a second time. The gentle falling of it and the way the individual snowflakes melted on their skin or clothing was calming as Harry thought about what else Elaine may have done without sharing her such experiences with him.
For whatever reason, it bothered him, probably more than it should've too. First, he'd come here to kill her or send her to Azkaban. Obviously, the former probably wouldn't ever have happened regardless of how terrible she could've been, it simply wasn't who he was… the latter though, the latter was a possibility up until about a year ago. Fast forward to current times and the two of them were heavily involved with one another, yet, trust still seemed slow to come no matter how many conversations they had regarding it.
Then again, maybe that wasn't at all fair of him. He'd said they'd need to have another few talks after the first one, maybe Elaine would come clean regarding the rituals she may have done during those.
Why did witches have to be so tough?
"Goodnight Aster, Reinhard," Harry called as he tucked himself into his bed while the other two boys returned his temporary farewell.
Classes had been tough today, especially Defence with the usual issues they found themselves in during it; Abraxas, the boy always had to try and show Harry up. Unfortunately for the Malfoys regardless of the era they belonged in, Harry would always rise to the challenge and best them. It happened with Draco numerous times, perhaps so numerous they couldn't be counted and ever since that duel that Harry had won against Abraxas the year prior, it'd happened in this time too.
The only difference was a lack of animosity between them, for Abraxas didn't truly seem to have the hateful edge that Draco did. If it existed, he hid it far better than his future grandson would. That didn't change the fact that to Harry, he was the wicked one that remained on top and undefeated in any paired project in the class.
With a smile at his success, Harry rolled over onto his right side and started staring out the wall-length window. Like always, it remained the most comforting means of finding sleep. The hundreds of fish and other life at the bottom of the lake was beautiful, simple and relaxing to watch. There wouldn't ever come a time that it wasn't, and should he be given the chance to stare into the dark depths or out of Gryffindor tower, no longer would that choice be so easy.
Briefly, fleetingly, a touch of anger and anxiety surged through him as he watched the fish swim about lazily. Unlike the past, he didn't wonder why he felt the emotions, he recognised instantly that they belonged to Elaine. She was stressed about something, and whatever it was had been so strong that it went through the 'link' that they'd had since he'd been in this time.
Stupid thing.
Harry hadn't ever been fond of any connection with Voldemort, and while she wasn't him, not nearly, he still didn't like feeling other people's emotions in his head. Since there wasn't really any great way to stop them altogether on account of the strength, however, he resigned himself to falling asleep as quickly as he could while the emotions came and went.
It didn't take him very long before the world of dreams claimed him.
"It's good to see you."
Those words meant nothing to Harry, but the voice… the voice was familiar in a way that he couldn't pl- the voice was the being. It clicked within his mind that it was the same voice he'd dreamt of last year, it came from the being that'd sent him here and only deemed him worthy for one conversation.
Elaine said it was a womanly figure from that time she'd peeked into his mind, the voice agreed with that, and when he turned around to see the owner of the voice, the figure matched it too.