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Chapter 44: It’s Not Really Hogwarts Without Something Crazy Happening

Sometime Later

As the days of November came and went without any major events, other than promising the other girls their own dates in the future, I started feeling restless.

Usually by October at the latest, something would happen at Hogwarts that set the tone for the rest of the year. But with Sirius already free and pardoned, and Pettigrew long since sold to the Company, all the usual shenanigans had already been taken care of this year.

Maybe I was turning into an adrenaline junkie, but by mid-November I found myself hoping for something exciting to happen. And if nothing did… well, maybe I’d cause a little mischief myself.

To distract myself, I was training the girls in the Room of Requirement. But my distraction almost got me hit, because I had to dodge at the last second when an errant spell came flying at my side.

“Alright, I’ll be the first to ask, are you alright, Aether?” Daphne asked, lowering her wand arm with concern on her face. “You usually block anything I throw at you, but just now you reacted at the last second.”

“Daphne’s right. What’s wrong? You’ve been restless for days now,” Ginny added, also worried.

That got everyone’s attention. One by one they all stopped what they were doing and turned toward me, clearly waiting for an answer.

“I-It’s nothing really,” I tried to wave it off with a nervous smile.

Deadpan stares all around told me exactly how much they believed that.

“There’s been a lot of Wrackspurts around you lately,” Luna said softly, tucking her wand behind her ear and softly caressing Maya’s ears who had transformed into a cat and was lazily cuddled in her lap.

I couldn’t help but smile a bit, amused at how serious Luna sounded when she declared that.

“Spill it, mister,” Astoria said, hands on her hips. “Something’s clearly bothering you.”

Knowing I wasn’t going to escape this, I sighed and willed the room to change, conjuring a few comfy chairs. I sat down, rubbing my temples.

“It’s really nothing. I’m just being silly,” I muttered.

Illya wasted no time hopping into my lap, while Ginny and Daphne claimed the seats on either side of me. Daphne’s boldness earned a raised eyebrow from me, though I didn’t comment. Illya, of course, smirked when she saw me grimace at her squirming around.

“You’re always silly, Onii-chan~” Illya said matter-of-factly, spinning around to grin impishly at me before grounding herself firmly on my lap. “We just want to know the reason this time.”

‘Yeah, they’re not letting this drop,’ I thought, sighing again and leaning back to stare at the ceiling.

“As dumb as it sounds, I’ve been feeling restless. Like something might happen soon… or maybe I’m just waiting for something to happen.”

Confused looks circled the room until Hermione, who for once wasn’t reading, asked gently, “Can you explain a little more?”

“It’s just this feeling in my chest,” I shrugged. “Ever since I came to Hogwarts, something’s always been happening. Maybe I’ve just gotten used to the chaos in this place.”

“A feeling?” Sakura tilted her head. “Senpai, do you perhaps have an ability that warns you of danger?”

“More than likely.” I nodded. “My powers are varied and I’m still unlocking more every day. The problem is, I don’t know if it’s a warning… or if I just want something exciting to happen.”

“So basically, you’re bored,” Rin deadpanned from across the room.

“I haven’t sensed anything myself so perhaps Rin is right.” Maya, having the ability to sense danger herself, spoke up as well lazily opening one of her eyes and looking at me teasingly before closing it again.

I opened my mouth to refute her, paused, and slumped back in my seat with a groan. The chorus of giggles that followed (Astoria’s and Illya’s the loudest) made my ears burn.

“…Yeah. That’s probably it,” I admitted sheepishly.

Their giggles turned into full-blown laughter, and a moment later I found myself laughing along with them. The unease didn’t vanish entirely, but it felt lighter after saying it aloud.

Minutes later we got back to training, though the restless feeling still lingered in the back of my mind.

‘If nothing happens by the end of November, I’ll just start a prank war or something,’ I thought.

A few days later, I would get my answer.

=====

Late November

‘Fuck, I jinxed myself when I said that back then, didn’t I?’ That was the thought running through my head as I learned what had happened the night before, over breakfast, no less.

It had started as a normal morning. At least until we walked into the Great Hall and found it buzzing with gossiping students. Curious what the latest rumor was, I sat down with my housemates and quickly got my answer, one that left a pit forming in my stomach.

On the front page of the Daily Prophet were the words: Werewolf Attack in Hogsmeade.

The article described how, just last evening, a wolf pack led by Fenrir Greyback had attacked the village, killing five people before retreating.

Beside me, Luna, Astoria, Rose, and Rin leaned in to read as well. Then, as one, they all turned wide eyes on me.

“Not bored then,” Rin said lightly, blinking slowly.

“Apparently,” I muttered with a frown. I wasn’t exactly worried about a few werewolves, I could handle them easily with my current power, and that was not even counting Rin, Sakura, or Illya. The real question was why attack so close to Hogwarts.

“What do you mean?” Astoria asked curiously.

“I mean, from what I know, Fenrir is a coward. He’d never risk coming this close to Dumbledore, too afraid of getting captured.” I whispered, keeping my voice low as I noticed curious eyes drifting toward us.

“Come on. Let’s talk with the others,” I said, standing and leading the group out of the hall.

Anyone who tried to ask what we were talking about was met with a finger to my lips and a pointed glance toward the castle portraits. They got the message.

Minutes later, we were back in the Room of Requirement. Everyone sat while I paced, running through possibilities in my head.

“Seems your senses have surpassed mine, Aether. I didn’t pick up on any danger until this morning.” Maya sighed, her human form making the comment more striking as she crossed her arms, looking frustrated.

“Don’t blame yourself, Maya,” I said with a shake of my head, finally sitting down between Hermione and Sakura, Astoria immediately claiming my lap. “Even I couldn’t tell if it was danger or just restlessness.”

“Haah… it doesn’t change the fact that I missed it,” Maya muttered, slumping slightly before propping her chin in her hand. “Strange, though. Even now I only sense a faint danger. Nothing that could really threaten us.”

“I feel the same,” I admitted with a sigh. “As I told the others at breakfast, Greyback’s a coward. Unless someone forced him this close to Hogwarts, or unless there’s more to this, we won’t see him near the school.”

“How do you know that?” Rose asked curiously, earning a few other interested looks.

“Believe it or not, Asako, whom you’ve all met, has been hunting Death Eaters for me since First Year,” I revealed. “The only reason Greyback isn’t already been taken care of is because the coward apparated away when she confronted him. He even ran out of the country.”

“You’ve had Asako hunting Death Eaters?” Hermione asked, still shocked.

“What are Death Eaters?” Rose asked.

“Followers of Voldemort,” I said calmly, before nodding to Hermione. “And yes, on my orders. Don’t worry, Asako doesn’t kill them. We just… make sure they don’t bother anyone again.”

“I don’t care what happens to Death Eaters if I’m being frank,” Daphne cut in sharply, “but you said there might be a reason this happened? A distraction, maybe?”

Smiling at her sharpness, I nodded. “That’s my theory. The attack draws everyone’s eyes to Hogsmeade, which means whoever planned it is after someone, or something inside Hogwarts.”

Voldemort’s Horcruxes was my best guess.

“Judging by your face, you already have an idea,” Astoria said from my lap, eyeing me curiously.

“Yeah. Two possibilities, really.” I nodded, then glanced at Rose with a serious look that made her blink in confusion. “They could be after your brother, Harry, in some insane revenge plot… or they’re after something that could help with their master’s resurrection.”

Silence followed, broken only by the fearful looks on almost everyone’s faces, everyone except Rin, Illya, Sakura, and Luna.

“You mean there’s one of those things in Hogwarts right now?” Ginny asked, horrified. She knew about Horcruxes, after all, I’d explained everything after taking the diary from her.

“There was,” I corrected with a small smirk. I tapped Astoria’s side, asking her silently to stand, which she did reluctantly. “And there’s an easy way to confirm my theory.”

“Explain first!” Hermione exclaimed, frowning, Rose nodding beside her.

“I will. But first we need to reset the Room of Requirement and head to the Room of Hidden Things.” I stood, already moving toward the door. After a moment’s hesitation, the others followed.

=====

As we wound our way through the towering piles of forgotten junk in the Room of Hidden Things, I explained as best I could.

“Horcruxes,” I said, my voice low, “are how Voldemort escaped death. He split his soul into fragments and bound each piece into an artifact. With just one of them he’s able to cling to life and remain anchored to the living.”

Daphne’s face went pale. “So those things… keep him alive?”

“Yes,” I confirmed, calm as I studied the grim, dust-laden warlock statue that marked the spot of where I had placed the diadem.

“That’s insane,” Rin muttered, shaking her head in disgust. “What kind of moron willingly tears their soul apart?” Under her breath she muttered about the stupidity of ‘wizards’.

“An idiot who feared death more than anything. Even his chosen name reflects it, ‘Voldemort.’ It’s French for ‘flight of death.’” I shrugged, though inwardly I found the irony amusing.

‘If only he knew that I managed to obtain the very thing he wanted so badly by dying once.’

Behind me, I heard Rose’s soft mutter. “…Why didn’t you ever tell me or Harry?”

I froze. Turning, I found her staring down, lips pressed tight, hurt shadowing her face.

I stepped forward and rested a hand gently on her shoulder. “It’s not that I didn’t trust you or Harry,” I said quietly. “But knowing comes with its own risks.”

She glanced up, eyes searching mine, trying to judge if I was being honest. Relief flickered through me when her expression shifted from hurt to wary curiosity.

“What do you mean?” she pressed.

“There are those who can pluck thoughts straight out of your mind. Dumbledore, Snape, Voldemort… and likely others through an obscure art called Legilimency.” My tone was flat, serious. “This knowledge is too dangerous for it to be learned by others, especially those three.”

Rose’s eyes widened. “Snape can read minds? No wonder he always seemed to know more than he should.” She cut herself off, scowling. “Of course, I should’ve known. Slimy bastard.”

Hermione stiffened, about to protest, then faltered. Her lips pressed thin before she asked softly, “And you don’t trust Professor Dumbledore?”

“Not one bit.” The answer left me instantly, no hesitation. Her shock was obvious.

I lifted a hand before she could argue. “Questions later. Let me confirm something first.”

At the base of the warlock statue, I scanned carefully. But the Diadem replica I’d left was gone. I had crafted it perfectly, authentic down to a faint dark aura and now it had vanished.

‘A major change to the timeline.’ I thought silently looking around for a bit just in case it had fallen over but not finding anything. ‘While I expected changes, it seems that from here on anything goes.’

At least I’d gathered most of the Horcruxes already. Only Nagini and Harry remained.

Astoria padded closer, curious. “What are you looking for?”

“My hunch was right,” I murmured, straightening with a frown. “There was a Horcrux here. Now it’s gone. Someone slipped in while the teachers were probably distracted by last night’s attack.”

Rose gasped, alarm flooding her voice. “Then V-Voldemort, he took it back?”

“No,” I corrected with a calm smile. “I told you earlier remember. There was a Horcrux here. What they stole was a fake. A replica I left in its place.”

A collective sigh of relief swept through the group, though the Fate trio stayed impassive.

“Still,” I continued, leading us toward the exit, “this means Voldemort will grow more cautious. If he suspects someone’s tampered with his anchors…” I let the warning hang in the air.

Rose’s voice was quiet, almost trembling. “So he really isn’t dead.” Realization truly settling in.

I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “Don’t worry, Rose. Whatever comes, you’ve got us at your back.”

Her blush was faint, but she buried her head against my side, clinging tighter. “…Thank you.”

I exhaled softly and smiled at the others. “Let’s head back to the other room. We’ll get food and I’ll answer your questions properly. Especially yours,” I added with a pointed glance at Hermione. She flushed, guilty and embarrassed.

“I want chocolate chip waffles with pudding~” Luna chimed dreamily, breaking the tension in an instant.

The laughter that followed loosened the air, and I pulled her to my other side as we left the room, bracing myself for the long hours of questions ahead.

=====

That Evening

Sneaking out of the castle was second nature by now. I could’ve done it blindfolded, and tonight was no different.

The Shrieking Shack was silent when I arrived, dusty wood, broken furniture, moonlight spilling through shattered windows. Standing there in casual clothes, hands in my pockets, I faced Rin, Sakura, and Illya. Each one of them wore an expression that told me they’d been expecting this.

“Figured you’d want a chat after what happened today,” Rin said smugly, puffing her chest out, her crimson eyes glowing like twin rubies.

“Things are getting interesting, huh~” Illya giggled, Ruby twirling in her hands as if itching for trouble.

“Who has displeased you, Senpai?” Sakura asked, her smile soft but dangerous, her hair already shimmering in a paler purple, a telltale sign of Kama’s divine power leaking through.

I exhaled, frowning slightly. “My changes in this world have finally hit the point where I can’t predict everything anymore. Only the fixed events remain, and everything else?” I shook my head. “Unknown.”

The words barely left my lips when I felt a shift, a familiar presence.

From the shadows, Asako emerged and dropped to one knee. “A thousand apologies, Master. Through my negligence, I have inconvenienced you.” Her head bowed low.

I waved it off with a small smile. “Stand, Asako. None of this was your fault. It was only a matter of time before my meddling drew Fate’s attention. Fickle bitch that she is.”

Relief softened her face as she rose. “Thank you for your kindness, Master.”

“Tch, say the words already, Onii-chan~” Illya pouted, stomping her foot, impatient gleam in her eyes.

I chuckled at her antics before glancing down at my shirt pocket. A small, snowy-white ferret peeked out, its intelligent eyes watching the room closely.

“You ready, Maya?”

The ferret, Maya herself, nodded. “Of course. Those filthy dogs slipping past me is unacceptable. I intend to vent my frustrations properly.”

“Hmhmhm, good.” A smirk tugged at my lips, mirrored by Rin’s bloodthirsty grin. “All the more reason to wipe them out.”

The air grew heavier, charged with anticipation.

“Then let’s begin the hunt.”