"Why are you staring at me like that?"
Lucifer turned his head sharply as soon as he buttoned up his shirt, opening the curtains, and found catching Harry's gaze.
Ever since he'd "woken up," Harry had been watching him, not even going to the bathroom for nature's call, but him.
"N-Nothing," Harry stammered quickly, "I just think you're... incredible, that's all. You know so many important people, you've even taken pictures with them, and you're the one sitting in the center..."
Lucifer blinked, slightly taken aback by his lack of self worth, "Harry," he said after a pause, "you do realize that many of those so-called 'important people' would faint at the sight of you, right?"
"Because of this?" Harry pointed to his lightning scar, "What about besides this? I have nothing."
Lucifer froze, well, that was awkward, so how to pass the baton, was there anybody else awake, "Uh," he began, scratching his neck.
Harry sighed, "Never mind," he muttered, "I get it."
Exhaling a small mouthful, he went for his Gryffindor tie, a bit guilty, "Tell you what," he said finally, "once Evelyn and I finish writing chapter on the 'Potter family' for The Magical History Chronicle, you'll feel better about yourself."
Harry's eyes went wide, "My family's going to be in The Magical History Chronicle?"
Lucifer only smiled faintly.
xxxxxx
Yawning students shuffled out of their dorms, half-asleep. Most had stayed up late finishing homework. Even those who'd already finished were revising were only two days away, after all. exams!'
But there were always a few who thought differently. Three particularly curious Gryffindors had decided it would be a brilliant idea to find out what a Dementor felt like up close, outweighing common sense.
They snuck to the castle gates in the middle of the night to "experience it firsthand."
And they almost didn't make it back.
If Hagrid hadn't spotted them and hauled them back like a bunch of kittens, they'd probably still be unconscious in the snow.
When McGonagall heard what happened, she so furiously meowed, she nearly grew a tail.
She had just given a speech the day before, stressing safety on the first day of term. And these three had already gone looking for death.
The Gryffindor hourglass dropped several dozen points in an instant. The culprits were sentenced to two weeks of detention not just weekends, but every single evening after class, under Filch's supervision.
"A bunch of idiots."
Several Slytherins sneered when the story spread, and heard the news, "Gryffindors are still as brainless as ever, no growth whatsover..."
They used to see Gryffindor as rivals, now it just felt embarrassing to even make the comparison. Having those idiots as opponents was an insult to their reputation.
Both Harry and Ron walked into the Great Hall next morning for breakfast only to 'find' Malfoy entertaining a group of Slytherins. They soon noticed what was so funny; he was doing an impression of Harry Potter passing out on the train.
"Where's Lucifer?" Ron sighed. "He could knock some sense into Malfoy for us."
"He stayed up in the common room with Hermione," Harry answered, for him, "Said he'd be down in a minute, but I think they just wanted some alone time."
"Ugh, those two just can't keep their hands off each other." Ron said, with a grumpy look, "Her head was almost never off him."
But Harry said cooly, "Guess it's just cause they're such good friends."
"I dunno," Ron said, suspiciously looking back towards the Entrance, "Seems like there's something more goi---"
"Hey Potter! Potter!" Malfoy called across the tables, "The Dementors are coming, Potter!" He dramatically fell into Pansy Parkinson's arms, with the back of his hand pressed against his forehead.
Harry frowned and pushed his way past a couple of fourth years to get to an open seat next to George Weasley.
"New exam revision timetables," George said as he handed them over, "Where's Lucifer and Hermione? No... wait... let me guess. They've found a broom closet? I'm honestly surprised 'the Daily Prophet' hasn't announced their relationship to the world yet."
Harry just ignored him and stared down at his timetable, barely taking any of it in.
"What's up with you, Harry?" George asked after waving his hand in front of his face.
"Malfoy," Ron answered for him. They all looked over at the Slytherin table just in time to see another impression of Harry's unfortunate accident.
"That little git. He wasn't so cocky last night when Dementors were down our end of train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"
"Nearly wet himself," Fred said, now 'fake' tears of joy being rubbed from his eyes.
"I wasn't too happy myself. They're horrible things, those Dementors..."
"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?"
"You didn't pass out though, did you?" Harry asked despondently.
"Just forget it Harry." George advised, with a look from above, "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, rememeber Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been. He came back all weak and shaking... They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad there."
"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our 'first' Quidditch match," Fred said with a smirk on his face, "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season. Where's Lucifer?"
"Broom cupboard." George answered.
"Actually... he's right behind you." Lucifer said, speaking in the third person, having his hand connected to Hermione's, whose face was completely red while she looked at her boyfriend lovingly, "We were before though. She was really hungry for some mea---"
Hermione bashed him over the head with one of her books.
"Ow, no violence!" Lucifer made a cross with both of his second fingers at her, his face looked quite in pain.
She wisely ignored him, moving to her seat, dragging the pouting boy along with her.
They sat down in regular seats and were handed their timetables by George, "Congratulations, everyone is known for years that you two would get together!" he cheered a little.
Fred also came over, "Yep, it was just the matter of when either of the two of you would ask the other out!"
George asked with eyes sparkling, "Then who tied the knot?"
"Yeah, don't keep us in suspense. Was it you, Hermione?" Fred thought his chances were pretty good, seeing the red mark on the boy's neck.
It looked painful to be honest, like the girl was just eating her food or something.
"Mm? How did you know?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows, now looking up from the timetable.
George groaned and reached into his pocket, slapping five sickles into Fred's outstretched hand.
"Of course, you'd bet on us," Lucifer shook his head, not even finding it surprised anymore.
"Yeah," Hermione said, looking unsure but pleased.
"'Hermione," Fred said, looking mock outraged, "Do you really think we'd do something so serious as congratulate you and not be wholeheartedly genuine?"
But Hermione sitting beside Lucifer, was now again examining their new timetables.
"By the way, Draco," Her boyfriend suddenly said, turning over at his shoulders, "Send me your father's WhatsApp, I forgot to ask him for it in the Ministry."
Draco Malfoy perked up immediately, eager to please. He pulled out his WhatsApp notebook, checked the contact, and added Lucifer as a friend while he was at it. While closing it, he made sure everyone could see special cover of the 'Professional Edition.'
"Lucifer, blimey mate, he's a Slytherin'! You can't!"
"And, one of the VIP's, his father was very well-mannered, and respectful at the Galla."
Ron's face turned horribly purple, and he stopped paying any attention, instead focused on gobbling a pie.
Even in Slytherin, only a handful of 'families' could afford to drop a hundred Galleons for the premium version.
"What are you so proud of?" Zabini muttered, pulling out his own to flaunt. Rosier joined in too.
Only Nott just sighed miserably, reluctantly revealed his standard version, his family had the pedigree, was ancient, but 'great-grandfather's coffin' was not overflowing with money. He'd bought his basic version with his own pocket savings.
Lucifer ignored, paying little attention to their childish one upmanship in fact, he silently encouraged it. Let them flaunt their wealth, divide themselves by class. Without hierarchy, without envy, how could he profit? That was how he made his money, after all.
"Let's go, Hermione," he said, standing. After breakfast, he and the bushy-haired girl headed off toward the Charms classroom for their 'first' lesson of the new term.
xxxxxx
Professor Flitwick didn't start teaching right away. Instead, he pulled out his Professional Edition notebook, adding each student as a contact one by one before creating a group chat.
After naming the group name himself, he beamed at class.
[Third-Year Slytherin and Gryffindor Students}]
"Mr. Morningstar''s invention is truly wonderful, from now on, if any of you have questions, you can message me directly and I'll reply as promptly as possible "
"If I forget to mention something important during lessons," he added cheerfully, "I'll post it in the group chat so everyone can stay updated."
The more Flitwick looked at Lucifer, more delighted he became, 'if only this boy were a Ravenclaw student,' he thought wistfully.
The WhatsApp had saved the professors a ridiculous amount of time and effort, especially the Heads of House. Flitwick had already added every prefect into one big group, so messages could now spread instantly instead of through a chain of students.
Communication between staff had also become easier, every evening lately, the Heads of House would chat for a while; even Snape occasionally joined the conversation in sharp precise words.
"Whoa~" Hermione's eyes shone with excitement, the thought of being able to ask professors questions anytime thrilled her. But she also knew it would eat into their personal rest, so she restrained herself.
As for why she didn't just ask Lucifer for help... well, she didn't want him to think 'she was dumb!'
Flitwick was just about to officially begin the lesson when Lucifer raised his hand.
"Yes, Mr. Morningstar? Do you have a question?"
Rising gracefully, his voice was smooth and unhurriedly calm, "Professor, I believe you missed something."
Flitwick blinked, "Missed something? What do you mean?"
Lucifer smiled with a devilish glow, "You could also add the students' parents as contacts. That way, parents could keep up with how their children are doing at school, academically and behaviorally."
The classroom 'fell' into dead silence.
Every student turned to stare at him, wide-eyed, the temperature seemed to drop several degrees. 'How could someone say something that cold with such a warm, innocent smile?'
'We're all students here-how could you betray us like this?'
Neville looked horrified, sweat beading on his forehead. He could already picture Professor McGonagall exchanging updates with his grandmother and the scolding that would follow. Harry Potter's parents were resting in Godric's hollow, killed by Voldemort himself.
He suddenly felt complicated.
Daphne's eyes widened too. She strongly suspected Lucifer had just invented a new form of punishment, getting your mother to smack you through magical communication?
Lucifer, however, looked utterly unbothered, he was an orphan, had no parents to contact, no one who could embarrass him. So why would he care? If adding parents meant more sales, then so be it. And even if someone got angry, who would dare scold him to his face?
"Hehe~" A burst of laughter suddenly broke silence, everyone turned toward the sound. Shizuka Goel was giggling uncontrollably.
"What's so funny?" Ron asked, confused, no he wanted to cry!
Still snickering, she finally managed to reply, "Both my parents, Shivam and Divya are Muggles, they can't use WhatsApp..."
The whole class fell quiet again.
For the first time ever, Slytherin students looked at a Muggle-born with genuine envy.
"Well... I'll think about it," Flitwick said after an awkward pause, trying to be diplomatic, "But Mr. Morningstar's idea is quite helpful. Ten points to Gryffindor!"
Of course, he had no intention of actually doing it, Lucifer knew full well that adding parents would drive the students to collective despair. Still, ten points seemed a 'fair' reward, and with that, he moved on to the day's lesson.
Flitwick's lesson covered no new material, instead, he led the class through a review of last term's spells, 'Engorgement, Scouring,' and the General Counter-Spell-all in preparation for upcoming exam in three days.
Before the bell rang, he added that top ten scorers on exam would each receive a small gift from him.
Unfortunately, no one in class was thrilled about that; they'd rather skip the gift and the test both. But McGonagall had decided, and no one could change her mind.
xxxxxx
Meanwhile, on the fourth floor.
Professor McGonagall had finished making the first batch of papers. In much better spirits, she planned to head to Pomona's for a cup of tea.
As she worked through the papers, she felt the benefits of frequent exams. With more tests, there was no fear of missing a topic. In a month students learn only so much, so everything can be covered.
A midterm can then place emphasis, strengthening key points. Every kind of exam has its own purpose. It really was as Miss Granger said. Increasing the frequency of exams helps students reinforce their memory again and again, leading to a solid final result, and they would not forget everything the moment the test ends.
"Something will always stick...."
Professor McGonagall felt a touch of regret, she had such insight into education. If Miss Granger were a bit older, she would have kept her on as a teacher.
Suddenly, a low growl and a cry of pain reached her ears. Her expression changed. She listened, pinpointed the direction, and at last fixed on a classroom.
The closer she came, the clearer the sounds became.
"Potter! You wimp! Scarhead! Open your eyes, you blind idiot. Oi, my bits, you are hitting below the belt!"
Professor McGonagall pushed door open and her eyes stung at the sight.
Malfoy and Potter were tangled on the floor, grappling, the former was clawing at Harry's scar, letting out a shrill, silvery laugh. The 'Boy Who Lived' aimed low, and the laugh turned into an exquisite howl of agony.
"What are you two doing?"
Professor McGonagall was shocked and furious. Students brawling in a classroom, and 'fighting' this filthily?
Her stern, blazing voice made both boys flinch. Seeing the old cat's fiery stare, they scrambled apart and lurched to their feet.
The skin around Harry's scar was red, as if someone had pinched it hard. Malfoy was hunched over, sucking in cold air through his teeth.
"Very good, very good..." Professor McGonagall's body trembled, her voice shaking with anger, "You think I cannot manage you because it is an exam period? Then I will make sure you have no relaxation time at all."
"No, Professor!" Harry rushed to defend himself, "Professor, did you forget, you approved me to use a classroom to practice magic, I was just..."
"You call that practicing magic?" Professor McGonagall stared at him in disbelief, disappointment overflowing in her eyes.
Harry Potter used to cause trouble 'from' time to time, but he had not been this sophistic.
"Professor McGonagall," Malfoy spoke through the pain. Rarely, he stood on the same side as Harry, "Potter is not lying to you, we really were practicing, we just..."
As the two of them explained, one sentence from each in turn, the full picture slowly came into focus, and Professor McGonagall's expression eased a little.
In short, they had started by practicing magic in a perfectly proper way. Then someone made a snide remark, and the other answered back. Very quickly, trading barbs turned into... 'A brawl.'
Professor McGonagall glanced at the two wands kicked aside and felt her mouth twitch. She truly had no idea what to say. These two were born to be each other's nemesis. They reminded her of James Potter and Severus Snape in their school days, with one difference.
James had a few reliable friends at his side, Harry, on the other hand...
Suddenly she frowned. "Potter, did you not say you were borrowing this classroom to practice with Weasley? How did it become Mr. Malfoy instead?"
Harry's eyes dimmed for a moment, then quickly answered without much spirit, "Ron is not very interested, so I went to Malfoy. He agreed right away, we have been training here since the end of last term..."
Lucifer had judged Ron correctly yet again. Not that he was hopeless, more that he was too content to drift, with no real drive.
"So you have fought before?"
Professor McGonagall caught the key point at once, Harry and Malfoy hunched their shoulders. Last time had been worse than today...
"Enough," Seeing their expressions, she sighed silently, most of her anger subsiding, "Wanting to improve is good, but you must pay attention to the way you go about it. Remember, you are wizards. Do not behave like Muggle street thugs, I cannot stand to watch it... I must warn you as well. You are not permitted to use 'Dark magic or any spell' with severe side effects. And whoever loses is not to come crying to me or Professor Snape, nor rally friends for help, this is your choice. Understood?"
When both boys nodded, Professor McGonagall left the classroom. Let them fight, when teachers interfere too much in students' grudges, it backfires. 'Better to let Potter and Malfoy settle it one on one, it is fair. The loser can only blame himself, not anyone else... Just as long as they do not disgrace school beyond its walls.'
The moment she left, Draco and Harry exchanged a look and spoke in unison.
"Potter, same time tomorrow?"
"Of course, and I did not faint."
"Yeah, yeah, like Weasely only eat three chicken legs."
Malfoy returned to the Slytherin common room, cursing Harry all the way, that bastard was improving too quickly. In last year's Dueling Club Draco could beat him easily, now he could hardly keep up, his savage threat earlier had been pure reflex.
He already regretted it, what if he lost tomorrow?
"Oy, Malfoy, brawling with Potter again?" Blaise Zabini's sharp eyes took in Draco's torn robes and bruised cheek at once, he smirked, delighted to rub salt in.
"Shut it and fetch me some bruise balm', I have to study," Draco snapped.
Blaise spread his hands, "I do not have any on me, will bring some later. From the look of you, today was not your day, was it?"
They all knew Malfoy and Potter had been arranging fights since last year, Draco was far more bedraggled now than he had been then.
"Do not remind me," Draco dropped onto the sofa, scowling, "Potter suddenly picked up several new spells and he uses them like second nature. It was as if he had..."
"The brains for it?" Blaise snorted.
Theodore Nott shook his head, "Potter does not have that kind of brain. He almost certainly learned them very recently because Morningstar gave him a notebook."
"That guy's notebook?" Draco shot bolt upright, "Explain."
Blaise idly fiddled with a set of wizard's chess pieces, "Potter helped Lucifer with something, we saw him compiling a notebook a while back, and later he gave it to Potter."
"No, that is not fair," Draco panicked. If Potter could call in outside help, why could he not? He would get a notebook from Lucifer as well.
He raced back to the dormitory and checked what pocket money he could afford to give, see what gifts would come under the budget for Lucifer.
xxxxxx
In the following classes, nearly every professor praised Lucifer and WhatsApp again, but no one handed out any more points, to his mild irritation.
Then... word of what had happened in Charms spread quickly through the castle, and panic followed. Students whispered in horror about the Devil's "evil idea" of letting professors add parents as friends. More than one person was tempted to throw WhatsApp notebook out the window, though no one could quite bring themselves to do it.
....By lunchtime, half the school was giving Lucifer odd looks, the boy had his arse 'fixed' on Slytherin's dining table, Draco was thinking about the gifts to share, while Astoria tugged lightly on his sleeve, "Lucifer... 'you're a mean, 'stepfather."
He ruffled her hair affectionately, "How come even you're saying that? You're a good girl, even if Professor Flitwick added your mother, she'd only hear praise, not complaints."
Astoria's cheeks turned bright pink at the compliment, her voice soft as she murmured, "Ginny spent an entire class calling you names. She said you've been possessed by an evil 'Slytherin spirit."
Oh, really?
Lucifer's eyes narrowed across two long tables, locking onto Ginny Weasley, who instantly dropped her gaze, pretending to study her lunch.
The tension between Gryffindor and Slytherin had reached its peak.
Having your house produce a prodigy, but sharing meals with Slytherin' was irritating enough, but having that prodigy casually humiliate your own classmates in public? Unforgivable.
Ron couldn't digest anything at all, especially from what happened in the morning during breakfast.
If not for the very simple problem that none of them could actually beat Lucifer Morningstar, the Gryffindors would've already 'formed' a mob.
Instead, they could only glare daggers at him over the table, as if sheer hatred might somehow make him drop dead.
It didn't help that Hermione Granger, once their golden girl, was now spending all her time with traitor Lucifer and Greengrass sisters.
Her "betrayal" stung worse than any duel, Gryffindor's house pride couldn't stomach the sight of two of their own chatting happily with Slytherin, that boy even sitting at their table, smiling over tea with the enemy.
But Hermione had long stopped caring. She'd seen through the hypocrisy of her house, how loyalty crumbled when pride was wounded, how courage became cruelty when challenged. Let them whisper, let them sneer.
She had real friends now, and better company, Hermione decided to lit candles for students failing at exams.
Still, the simmering hostility in Gryffindor would found its outlet soon enough, the next Quidditch match.
They would definitely beat Slytherin, back in the running for the Cup. For once, their hopes rested not on bravery, but on Oliver Wood's will.
That afternoon, the third years only had one required Herbology class. After collecting a vial of Bubotuber pus, he left the greenhouse.
Instead of heading back to the castle, he walked to Hagrid's hut, where he handed over "supplements" for the spiders. Lucifer carefully explained the dosage: {adjust according to size, never exceed ten drops, and feed only once every two weeks.}
To Hagrid, that sounded simple enough, half-giant readily agreed. But as Lucifer turned to leave, hesitated, rubbing his massive hands together, "U... uh... tomorrow's my first class. D'you have any advice for me?"
His tone was a mix of excitement and nerves, ever since Dumbledore made him a teacher.
Hagrid had been walking on air, but the thought of messing up terrified him. If he bungled his lessons, it wouldn't just reflect badly on him; it might make Dumbledore look bad too.
Lucifer bit into an apple, eyeing him calmly, "Which year's class are you teaching? And what creature did you pick?"
"Sixth years," Hagrid said, perking up a bit, "I'm thinkin' of teachin' them about kelpies! There's one livin' down by the Black Lake. The students can watch it while we walk by the shore. I'll bring some fish for feedin', then have 'em help clear the lakeweed afterward!"
Lucifer directly froze mid-bite, then sighed, "No, too dangerous."
Hagrid blinked, clearly not expecting that, "Dangerous? Kelpies? They're docile if yeh treat 'em right!"
"Don't measure students by your standards," he said flatly, swallowing the crumbs, "You have to follow the curriculum, not your own whims."
He flicked the apple core into a bin with perfect accuracy, clapped his hands clean, and continued, "Tell me, what are sixth-years supposed to be studying right now?"
Hagrid scratched his head, muttering as he counted on fingers. "Er... Tree Frogs, Doxy Fairies, Fire Crabs, Snidget birds..."
"Stop," Lucifer cut him off immediately, "Go with Snidgets, they're harmless, round little things-cute, even, girls will love them, perfect way to win the class over."
"But the others are also cute," Hagrid grumbled under his breath, looking deeply offended.
Lucifer didn't even blink, standing his ground, teaching the giant with a toddler's patiency, "Doesn't matter what you think, matters what I think."
He leaned forward, tone brisk and commanding, "You asked for my advice, right? Then don't argue, just try it. If doesn't work, go back to your kelpies..."
There was no point reasoning with someone like Hagrid. One, he didn't think things through, two, man was an oversized Gryffindor. So Lucifer resorted to the only method that worked: 'firm, unapologetic authority.'
Sure enough, faced with the boy's calm dominance, Hagrid wilted, "Right, right. I'll give it a go," he mumbled, nodding hurriedly.
After all, it was just one lesson, no harm in trying. When they finally stepped outside, Lucifer headed back toward the castle while Hagrid disappeared into the ForbiddenForest to find a Snidget.
xxxxxx
Outside Potions classroom, Lucifer was deliberately lingering until the 'first-years' emptied. Snape ignored him, as always, sweeping out with his cloak billowing like storm clouds.
He darted forward, slipping through the office door just before it closed.
"Professor Snape, ah, Severus Snape."
The professor turned, already scowling, but before he could unleash his usual venom, Lucifer dumped a pile of glittering items onto his desk.
"Before you say anything," he said quickly, "I brought something from France, you might find these useful."
Snape's glare faltered as his eyes fell upon the materials: a screech owl's feather, fragments of a unicorn's silver horn, and a pinch of phoenix ash from a completed rebirth.
The insult died in his throat, he raised a single hand, a 'flash' of wandless magic , and all the ingredients vanished into storage.
"...All right, Morningstar," he muttered, forcing composure, "What do you want this time?"
Lucifer smiled like a fox that had just cornered a snake, "It's simple, Professor. I'm trying to brew a metabolic acceleration potion, something that burns fat quickly, cleanly, and safely."
Snape stared at him, then blinked, and hoarsely sighed, "A diet potion," he said flatly. "You want me, a master of the Dark Arts and advanced alchemy, to help you brew a glorified weight-loss elixir?"
The expression of perfectly innocence was plastered on Lucifer.
"It's for a friend."
Snape closed his eyes, "Of course it is."
Still, genius recognized genius. And despite his disdain, he couldn't resist the challenge. Within minutes, he was scrawling 'formulas' across parchment, explaining possible reagent combinations and reaction stages. Even Lucifer, who usually picked things up instantly, found himself scribbling notes to keep up.
When they finished, Lucifer's mind was already buzzing with possibilities.
"Morningstar," Snape said finally, his voice tightening with curiosity, "That potion you gave me last term, the one that enhanced magical focus, do you have any more?"
The boy smirked as if he knew, "Oh, Professor, I wish I could, but the supply's run dry. Occamy's haven't laid eggs in months, and without their enzyme fluid, I can't produce it..."
Snape's brow twitched, "Occamy's eggs, really?"
"Yes, really," Lucifer said smoothly.
"Morningstar," Snape growled, "your potion didn't contain anything from a Occamy's eggs. You could've said it used dragon blood, basilisk bile, or even sphinx marrow, and I'd have nodded, but this?"
"Wait, you could taste that? I only used their fluids to light the bornfire."
Snape's glare sharpened.
"Merlin's beard," Lucifer muttered, half in awe, half in terror, "You've got better taste buds than a bloodhound."
"Get. Out."
He bolted from Snape's office.
xxxxxx
In the Devil's private quraters on the sixth floor of Hogwarts Castle, the cauldron's glow filled chamber as he prepared his first test batch.
The ingredients bubbled, shimmered, then settled into a clear, blue-tinted potion. Lucifer stared at it thoughtfully, "Looks good, probably won't kill anyone..."
He'd need test subjects.
Fortunately, Hogwarts had no shortage of them, the Hufflepuff girls' dormitory, for instance, was practically next to the kitchens.
Living beside the source of every sweet and pastry? A nutritional nightmare, as he poured the potion into vials, Lucifer's stomach growled.
He wiped the drool from his mouth, capped the bottles, and grumbled, "All this long talk of food's making me hungrier than my test subjects..."
He turned toward the Great Hall for dinner only to be ambushed, a flash of red hair darted from the shadows, yanking him by the sleeve.
"Finally," Ginny Weasley hissed, dragging him into a corner, "You said you would tell me what I was looking for, remember? It's been months, and you've barely said a word! What is it, from twins you want?"
Momentarily coming to a halt, Lucifer smacked his forehead, "Right, that." He leaned closer, lowering his voice, as if revealing a hidden girlfriend's name, "The Marauder's Map."
Her eyes widened, curiosity flaring.
"What is it?"
Smiling, that same infuriatingly calm that hid far too many secrets.
"Let's just say, I have... unfinished business with Hogwarts' 'ghosts."
And for a moment, Ginny could've sworn that smile looked a little too much like the one from her nightmares, the one that had belonged to Tom Riddle.
Lucifer explained the Marauder's Map to Ginny with his usual calm precision, how it could reveal every inch of Hogwarts, every secret corridor, and every person within the castle, identified by name and location.
Ginny's eyes grew wider and wider with each word, until she practically gasped, "George and Fred had something that amazing all this time?!" she exploded, her freckled cheeks turning pink with outrage.
"And they never told me?!"
Lucifer shrugged, utterly unbothered. "That's normal, you should've figured it out by now, shouldn't you? Fred and George are brothers, to each other. The rest of you, you, Percy... you're more like cousins who just happen to live under the same roof."
Ginny froze, her protest dying on her lips. And, Merlin help her, he was right.
Fred and George were practically one entity. If you saw one, the other was guaranteed to appear within seconds, like a mirrored reflection with a laugh. At home, they were always locked away in their little workshop, giggling over some new prank or explosive invention. It wasn't that they didn't love their family, just lived in their own universe of mischief.
At school, they were even worse, always surrounded by their friends, plotting, joking, completely forgetting they had a little sister at all.
"...Fine," She muttered at last. "But how do you know about it?"
Lucifer smiled faintly, "I told you they knew where I was during one of my... 'walks,' that got me thinking. Later on, Director Bones was quite esctatic to divulge my.... curiosity."
Ginny tilted her head, suspicious, "Hold on, you said the map shows people's names and positions, right? But George and Fred said to me they couldn't see you again, how so?" Her eyes narrowed, "That doesn't add up."
This girl's brain was good, Lucifer's lips curved upward, "Because, I am not foolish enough to repeat my errors," he said smoothly, "I placed a protective curse on my name. A wizard's name can be a dangerous thing, a bridge for enchantments, hexes, or curses... Naturally, I took precautions. Any form of revealing magic, including that map, simply... doesn't register me."
She immediately stared at him like he'd just recited an incantation in Ancient Greek, "You, you actually cursed your own name?!"
He nodded, "Of course, it's basic safety "Basic safety?!" She repeated incredulously.
"That's not basic! That's, that's something out of the 'Department of Mysteries'! You're thirteen-!"
Lucifer just gave her a look, the kind that said, and your point was? In truth, she didn't know the half of it. Sealing his name was just routine maintenance, like brushing his teeth before bed.
"Well," he said, straightening his collar, "if you don't believe me, get the map and check for yourself."
Ginny crossed her arms, thoughtful, "I'll need time, I can't just ask for something like that, they never share their inventions. I'll have to... hold 'something over their heads."
The calculating look on her face was unmistakable, and unsettlingly familiar, Lucifer's brow twitched. 'Merlin's beard, he thought, 'she's starting to sound likeme.'
If Potter didn't have destroyed Voldemort's diary, he might've wondered if the Dark Lord's spirit had somehow found a way to whisper in her ear again.
She grinned suddenly, "So when I get the map, what's my reward?"
Lucifer thought for a moment, then said, with a face that told you would deserve it, "A Nimbus 2001."
Her mouth dropped open. "You're, you're serious?!"
"I've got no use for it, Malfoy's father gifted me one, and I already have my old Nimbus 2000. So... it's yours."
Letting out a squeal of delight, one that could've probably shattered glass if Lucifer hadn't slapped a hand over her mouth in time, "Quiet," he hissed. "Earn it first, then you can scream."
"Thank you," She said brightly, with red cheeks matching her hair, "Just wait for my good news!"
With a toss of her braid, Ginny skipped away toward the Great Hall, humming under her breath, crush on Harry Potter long forgotten, never even occurred such a thing before.
She erased her dark history.
xxxxxx
"This Kneazle curse, there's just too much energy within me, Daddy. Bestial instincts that want out, it makes me… perpetually crave for… 'your intimacy."
"… Intimacy."
"'Close, rough intimacy."
Hermione's eyes locked with his.
"I want hard, aggressive, physical intimacy, Lucifer. You've… you're my best friend, my boyfriend and I smelt Ginny on you the moment you stepped in.... You've no idea how territorial that got me. How difficult it was for me to… to–--"
"Tear my clothes off and use me shamelessly?"
"... Yes." Hermione looked flustered as she sauntered up to him, squeezed the boy's hand with hers, and inched closer. She rested head on Lucifer's shoulder, who wrapped an arm around her, pulling even closer.
"I'm glad you're here," She whispered, "Please never leave me."
"I won't."
"Can I… kiss you?"
The hesitation in her voice was clear. And with reason, Hermione carrying the curse, she had the traits of rutting matured hormonal cat, and that could prove dangerous, especially if she were to lose control of her inhibitions with him.
It would be dangerous, but it was worth a try, for this Hermione, who just emerged today.
"Lucifer—"
He cut her off and pressed lips against hers, it was soft to begin with, Lucifer was testing the waters, but she automatically returned the kiss.
Within a few seconds, tongues were battling for dominance as both forgot ourselves and simply enjoyed the moment.
Lucifer wasn't sure when it happened, but Hermione had pushed him down against the couch, and swung a leg over, straddling him.
His hands found purchase on her hips as her fingers ran through dark curls as she pulled boyfriend into her.
Her hips rocked against Lucifer's, and boyish rough hands guided her movements before letting fingers trail under her top, and up the smooth, bare skin of her back.
Feeling her moan into mouth as her body shuddered from the touch, making Lucifer want to touch her more and more, drunk on the feeling of her body and addicted to the sounds he was drawing out of her.
They came up for air after what felt like an eternity, Granger's hair hung about like a brown curtain, blocking out the outside world. Chests heaved with heavy breathing as she struggled to calm out beating heart, and feeling length of Lucifer's hard-as-iron rod nestled between her legs.
"Herm—" he began, but before could finish, she forced herself away, physically separating with her hands.
"I can't," She breathed, "'I can't!"
"Can't what? And why? Hermione it---"
But she'd not have Lucifer finish, instead, grabbed the collar and brought her face inches close to his. "I can't have you, because you're smelling of someone else."
She pulled Lucifer up and dragged towards the bath in that shared private dorm.
"Come," Hermione said, lifting the hem of her t-shirt over her head and throwing it across the room in one smooth motion. "Come with me, I will clean you, then 'fuck' you hard..."
Lucifer, meanwhile, could only rub his temples and mutter under his breath, "Merlin save me from jealous women and cats both..."
An angry girlfriend was a dangerous creature, especially in her Kneazle state and Lucifer, for all his cleverness, knew better than to test the durability of his skin against Hermione Granger's bite. So, he did what any sensible Slytherin would do in his position, he pulled out the ultimate shield.
Talk to another Hermione, who was more sensible. A ponytail brunette girl suddenly appeared in the room, her expression dazed, as if not completely registered where she was, her chocolate brown eyes roamed over, then widened in disbelief the perspective was different, it wasn't even her turn today.
"'Yes, you ponytail!" he barked, scooping the newcomer Granger off the ground and holding her up like a living barrier, "Quick, hold your sister back! She's reminding me of two year's back Fluffy!"
The ponytail Hermione burst into gasps, then chuckling laughter as the original here froze, momentarily confused. Fluffy? What woman was she supposed to be?!
Then her memory clicked, and her eyes twitched violently. That wasn't a woman. That was the 'three-headed dog' from the forbidden corridor.
"Grr, Luciferrr! I swear I'm going to bite yourr arseholeee!" Her twin front fangs gleamed like diamonds as she lunged for his trousers.
"Miss Kneazle!" The ponytail Hermione squeaked, caught between the two of them like a helpless little sandwich, "Everyone's watching downstairs, don't make us look bad!"
She buried her face in Miss Kneazle's chest, rubbing head against her like a kitten trying to calm its mother.
Neko-Hermione' who was growling, her fury faltered instantly, the infamous twins sisterly affection gene personality taking full control.
Her arms, which had been ready to strangle someone, began gently patting the cute girl's ponytail instead.
But what Miss Kneazle didn't notice was the gleam of victory flashing in Hermione's eyes.
Lucifer caught it. And smirked.
"Good job, sensible Hermione," he said quietly, "Calm her down for me, and when holidays come, I'll take you to Hogsmeade. Just the two of us."
He gave her a conspiratorial wink, and the moment Miss Kneazle loosened her grip, he vanished faster than a disillusioned pixie.
Running away wasn't cowardice, it was a strategy. You didn't reason with an angry Granger; you let her cool off, then came back later with chocolates and apologies.
The trick worked best, of course, when you were the favorite. If you weren't... it usually ended in hexes and heartbreak.
Behind him, ponytail Hermione was giggling into her sister's arms, "See, Miss Kneazle? Everyone's looking, don't make a scene."
"Ugh, Hermione, you're impossible," Miss Kneazle muttered, exasperated, her cheeks flushed red. Still, she couldn't resist when the little one nuzzled closer, her soft brown hair brushing against the cat girl's chin.
She sighed and began stroking it absentmindedly, her temper slowly fading away, didn't even notice the small, smug smile curling on ponytail Hermione's lips. A trip to Hogsmeade with Lucifer? That sounded far too fun to give up.
xxxxxx
~Flashback Bonus~
[Oh, come on, don't be such a grudge-holding diva. You act like we've got some ancient blood feud.]
'[How dare you say that?!]' the ink flared to life, words searing onto the page in jagged handwriting.
[You tortured me an hour ago with Bubotuber pus, rashes!]
'[All because I refused to write 'Voldemort is an idiot' so you could immortalize my humiliation in your notes!]'
[Ah, that's history. You've got to learn to let go, Tom. Getting worked up over every little thing where's your dark lord composure?]
'[You... you]'
[Oh, by the way, do you know Grindelwald?]
'[Of course, a relic of the past. A failure who was defeated by Dumbledore.]'
Lucifer's grin widened to a degree, he could almost hear Voldemort's sneer through the ink. [Interesting, funny how you call him a failure, when you lost to a one-year-old.]
'[You insolent brat!]'
The ink nearly tore through the page, Diary was vibrating in fury.
'[I was not defeated by that child! It was his mother's magic, something ancient and unknown, that ruined me! I was robbed!]'
Tilted his head innocently, Lucifer wrote again, [So... what you're saying is that you lost because you didn't have a mum?]
[.....] If a disembodied soul could grind its teeth, Voldemort's would be dust by now. But Lucifer wasn't done twisting the knife.
[You know, Tom, let's put your tragic mommy issues aside for a moment. Even by pure influence and scope, you're leagues beneath Grindelwald.]
'[Watch your tongue!]'
[Why? Because it's true?] Lucifer leaned back against the headrest, smirking, [He conquered half of Europe, had wizards trembling from Berlin to Buenos Aires. The man reshaped the world. You? You caused a bit of chaos in Britain, maybe scared a few Englishmen into whispering your name. But outside the Isles? You're a nobody.]
He paused, letting that sink in.
[If anyone dares compare you to Grindelwald, his old Saints would die laughing.]
'[You, you insolent, what are you trying to say?!]'
[Oh, nothing much, just that vision matters. You wasted your potential squabbling over one country, and look where it got you, eating rats in an Albanian forest.]
The Diary was silent.
[...How do you know about that?]
[You're not exactly discreet, half the centaurs in Albania gossip about 'bald ghost that screams at trees.]
He snapped the book shut before Voldemort could retort further, sealing the enchantment with a flick of his wand.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got better things to do than emotionally counsel a noseless ex-Dark Lord."
Lucifer went to feed his bird.
xxxxxx
The next morning when Malfoy marched out with a heavy present and asked around for Lucifer, he went straight to Hogwarts library.
The moment he spotted those two, Draco heard the annoying voice of know-it-all Granger's complaining.
"I still don't understand Slytherin's obsession with snakes, even if he liked them, he shouldn't have made students suffer for it... There are numerous places left like the South Tower, yet he insisted on building in a damp dungeon."
Lucifer nodded hard, but not to her unfiltered words, "If I ever Salazar instead, I will convey your thoughts, probably lecture me the first thing."
"Chamber of secrets? Below girl's bathroom on the second floor? Eww."
"That was probably his descendants' doing."
"But honestly, I do agree with Slytherin a big, not from blood prejudice, but because Muggle-born students do increase the risk of exposing the magical world. And if war broke out... who would they side with? Even if some chose the wizards' side, could you truly trust them? They are real concerns..."
"Hermione we are talking about the founder's era, forget ordinary wizards. Just those four alone were most likely strong enough to crush any Muggle army."
Hermione asked something that had bothered her for a long time, "So, why do you think they hid instead of ruling openly?"
"I understand how you feel," Lucifer sighed softly, "But killing is a weight the soul cannot bear.... A Muggle's soul and a wizard's soul are not much different, every life you take leaves a mark on your own spirit, Sin stain. They were powerful, most likely. But still human, aged, fearing laws of the world.... not exempt from consequence."
A legendary wizard was still just a human, that was one of the most important lessons Lucifer passed on to Hermione Granger. 'Even if the founder's understanding of magic had reached unimaginable heights, lives were still bound by same limits. A spear through the heart.. would kill them, starve long enough and they would die. Cut off theirhead, unless wizards... could wipe out every Muggle who opposed them, an open conflict would only drag both worlds into a swamp of endless war.'
And in the face of overwhelming tides, even a legend had to yield.
"Sounds kind of sad, honestly," She said flipping the page of her book vividly showing images of a Duck's neck being eaten, wrinkled her nose in disgust, and closed it, "So traces left on the soul can't be removed?"
"At least I don't know how besides phoenix purity, nor have I bothered to study it," Lucifer replied lazily, swirling his ball pen, "I am just an ordinary third year wizard. I don't concern myself with the 'fate' of the Wizarding world. As long as humanity doesn't go extinct, wizards won't either. Why should I worry about more than that?"
Hermione twitched the corner of her mouth, an ordinary wizard? That was shamelessly humble. She knew though, he usually slept through 'History of Magic', but still respected Binns. The defining reason, a wizard becomes a ghost due to attachment, something in the world they couldn't let go of.
And what Binns couldn't leave behind was teaching his students, if the day came when Hogwarts no longer needed him, that would also be the day he finally moved on. Lucifer told her that, so she tried to open the book, and concentrate back.
'Every Dumbledore understood this, even someone as infuriating as Phineas Black had never tried to replace him....'
That's what he said.
"Come and go room, did you find it?"
"Ah, that's a sore subject Hermione, you know Grey Lady, she never gives much of her time... I seriously wonder if that room even exists, RavenClaw was supposed to have made it, Luna says it does, and out of laziness she had probably it."
"That's stupid, Rowena RavenClaw was the most brilliant witch, she must have wanted to fulfill students needs."
Hermione didn't put up with him, and fired a missile like retort, as if she herself got offended for some cosmic reason, feeling irritated.
"Or hers? More like a bedroom. Imagine the pressure her daughter Helena must have gone through with that kind of reputation...."
"Let us continue calling it the 'Room of Requirement," She said dryly, "Didn't Luna say it appears to have turned into a repository? Unclaimed objects throughout the castle... are absorbed over time, then reorganized according to the needs of whoever discovers it."
"In that case, when I get my hands on, I will show you that 'bedroo--Ow! I mean that rubbish heap, fuc--Hmpph."
He was just teasing her lightly before the bushy haired girl pinched his arm first, but since he didn't stop, she closed Lucifer's lips.
"Guh..." Even Draco could not endure two horny rabbits making out, and left with a darkened face with a slight tinge of red, groaning to look for free time, when the boy was alone.
xxxxxxx
Outside, on the lawn, the students were crowding around Snidgets, listening intently as Hagrid enthusiastically explained their habits.
The half-giant glowed with pride, grateful for Lucifer's suggestion, but as he talked, a thought occurred to him. Sure, this proved the boy's idea worked with students. But that didn't mean his original plan wouldn't have worked too.
He couldn't test it today, though. Tomorrow, he'd try things his way.
When classes ended, Lucifer spoiled Daphne, who wanted him to go play swinging on the 'Whomping Willow.'
Hermione wanted to really push the girls back, sending her flying straight into the poo of a wild magical creature, but Astoria restrained her, and gave an offer to swing.
She hesitated twice, before agreeing.
xxxxxx
Standing before the Headmaster's office, Albus stared at the pitifully sad looking Gargoyle, and wooden planks blocking the entrance.
Dumbledore's circumstances were, less than dignified. Fortunately, Mr. Gargoyle was not being a chil anymore, he had returned early in the summer, and rarely new visitors had come to Hogwarts.
Otherwise, the embarrassment would have been public. But Cornelius Fudge had visited once during the holiday, witnessed despair, and promised additional 'funding' for the new term to host Dementors.
A promise only.
WhatsApp had drained the Ministry's remaining liquidity, Fudge had conveniently forgotten 'his vow'. Just as Albus Dumbledore sometimes ignored Lucifer's messages, now Fudge was ghosting him.
"Karma is elegant...."
"Dumbledore, Hogwarts is just one place, I feel bored," the gargoyle said, sighing dramatically. Once it had tasted the world outside, even a stone heart could grow restless. In just one summer it had guarded doors in London, New York, and Paris.
How many door guardians could claim to have toured three major wizarding centers? And, now it was stuck here guarding an old man.
Dumbledore saw the disappointment and patted it verbally, "I'll take you out again next summer. For now, just be good and work, look at me, I'm never on leaves, even now ICW wants me to capture the pure-blood Lombardi' 'family's killer....We all have to suffer together."
The gargoyle perked up a little, Albus planned to bring him somewhere later, Good.
"Remember you said that."
It muttered before opening staircases, letting weary old Headmaster inside.
xxxxxx
The students had barely shaken off their holiday laziness when the first exam of the term arrived. It wasn't as grand or ceremonial as the finals, but content and difficulty were just about the same.
At breakfast, everyone received their exam schedules, wizard and witches glanced nervously at the parchment before heading off to the assigned classrooms.
For third years, the first subject was Potions, 'forty five' minutes of written work followed by an hour of practical brewing. Lucifer had absentmindedly swapped Hermione's cauldron with his own, sliding his untouched ingredients back to her in return.
A few desks away, Harry just stared, dumbfounded. His bright green eyes
followed Snape as the man passed by silently screaming, "'Are you fucking blind? You didn't see that'?"
"Longbottom," Snape said in his trademark low, cutting voice, "if you mix up Fletchley's ingredients one more time, I'll inform Professor McGonagall that you've finally grown bold enough to cheat during my exam..."
That was enough to make Neville's hands shake. The handful of murtlap powder he was holding slipped into the cauldron ruining his potion completely.
Justin Finch-Fletchley looked like he was about to cry; Neville had just destroyed his ingredients.
Lucifer's little maneuver was deliberately ignored. Snape wasn't blind, far from it. He saw everything, but also knew the Gryffindor' brat well enough, better not to pick a fight.
If he caused trouble now, he'd just have to live in 'fear' of whatever retaliation came later. This exam was meant to measure how foolish the rest of them were, what did it have to do with a monster like Lucifer?
xxxxx
The first exam wrapped up, Lucifer, Hermione, and Daphne made their way to Charms classroom for the next one. As they crossed the little garden, Fawkes swooped down and landed nearby, looking at the boy with pleading eyes.
Sighing, he fished out a handful of herbs and started feeding the phoenix on the spot.
Daphne looked puzzled, "Why is Fawkes begging you for food?"
"Because Dumbledore is broke," Lucifer said casually, "When Fawkes wants something decent to eat, he has to come to me."
She then nodded thoughtfully, "Then maybe we should just buy Fawkes. It'd be so much easier to travel if we owned him."
"Chrrp!"
Fawkes let out an indignant cry. A phoenix being bought? The very idea was insulting.
Hermione couldn't help laughing, "Greengrass, Dumbledore may not be rich, but money doesn't mean anything to someone like him. He'd never sell Fawkes."
"You never know till you try."
Daphne however couldn't understand bird language, but she got the gist of insult from Fawkes's tone, and girl didn't take offense at all, ignored it.
Her mother always said, 'There's nothing money can't buy. If it doesn't work once, try again with more cash and a trick... If you still fail, you have used the wrong method, change tactics''
Just like when she'd wanted to have Lucifer stay more, and roped in her soft cuddly looking Astoria and it worked perfectly. Surely there'd be a similar workaround for Fawkes and Dumbledore.
While the phoenix ate happily, Daphne quietly memorized the types of herbs Lucifer used to feed it.
"Let's go," he said after Fawkes finally finished and flew off, later three hurried toward their next one.
xxxxxx
Two days later, the placement exams were finally over, except for a handful of top students, no one looked remotely happy.
The exams were done, but classes resumed the very next day, no post-exam break like after finals. And after two and a half months of summer, most students hadn't cracked open a single book despite knowing full well there'd be a test at the start of term.
Their results, unsurprisingly, spoke for themselves. At least scores weren't getting sent home, if they were, parents would have flooded both WhatsApp and Howlers furiously by tomorrow morning.
Live-video even more terrifying.
That day, Lucifer walked out of Snape's office with three new potion formulas in hand. One was a 'Brightening Elixir', which made skin glow with a healthy sheen.
Another was a 'Blemish-Removal' Potion, designed to fade scars and acne marks. The last one was a 'Scented Shampoo', which he strongly suspected Snape had created just to compete with the Potter family's famous 'Sleekeazy's Hair Potion', since Lucifer had definitely not asked for anything like that.
Still, that shampoo recipe had been sold decades ago by Harry's grandfather, Fleamont Potter.
Lucifer had no idea what Snape hoped to gain here.
The formulas weren't difficult, and effects were modest by design, he had made sure of that. Snape, being a master of potions, could easily create something ten times stronger, but he didn't understand business.
If you play your best card right away, how do you sell upgrades later? If the product works too well, people only need one bottle and there goes your repeat business.
Naturally, Snape was offended. To him, making "mediocre" potions was beneath his dignity. What kind of insult was this? He was Severus Snape, not some apothecary peddler.
But since Lucifer still held a few spell secrets Snape wanted to learn, he grudgingly agreed-on one condition, he couldn't claim Severus Snape had made them.
He refused to have his name attached to "beauty products." Lucifer was a little disappointed, he'd planned to use Snape's name for free marketing, but fine, he could work with that.
He'd just say these were formulas recovered from a lost ruin by a team of great wizards. The diluted effects were only because some rare ingredients had been substituted.
That way, when he released "upgraded" versions later, Lucifer could claim he'd finally found the real materials.
Lucifer was currently sitting on a bench in the hallway, no idea about Blaise playing simulated Quidditch with Nott' on this very bench, his eyes raking over Potions' names.
"Sure, take a look, I don't think these are beyond your skill level."
He handed them over without any malice, already noticed the curiosity in Blaise's face, with a deal, who read through them carefully, then nodded with quiet confidence, "Nothing too difficult. If I practice a few times, I can guarantee near-perfect results. Do you want me to brew these for you?"
"Exactly, but not just a few bottles, I'm thinking large-scale production."
Facing each other across, Lucifer continued to say in a whisper, as Nott' pretended he was not here, "I'm going to launch these as part of 'Mistress Kanan's Magical Workshop', but you see I don't have time to handle the brewing myself. That's where you can come in, if you're interested, we can discuss pay...."
Blaise hesitated, he liked potions, but brewing the same ones over and over? That wasn't passion, that was hard labor, and he didn't exactly need money. Having one mother and eight stepfathers, all rich, tended to solve 'financial problems' rather effectively.
Still... had agreed to Lucifer without a thought in getting reading what he had, and no one in their right mind would go back on deals with him.
Then Blaise's eyes lit up as an idea struck, "Forget the money, Malfoy said you gave him a notebook. If you give me one too, I'll brew for you all semester... And if you give me a stronger one, one that lets me destroy Malfoy in duel, I'll work for you the whole year!"
If Draco Malfoy had a hate meter, Lucifer figured he'd have maxed it out ages ago. It wasn't just Harry who loathed him enough to grind his teeth, half of Slytherin couldn't stand his arrogance either. For Blaise Zabini to go so far just to one Draco... that was a surprise even for him. He could even guide him to be 2 or 3 Draco's. It was really a good surprise, after all, the best kind of employee was who worked for something other than pay.
And all for his notebook? That was nothing, he could make a copy in minutes.
Lucifer's smile lit up his whole face, bright as the sun, "Why didn't you say so earlier? If I'd known, I'd have given you one ages ago! Just a notebook, right? No problem, give me a few days to polish it up a bit. I'll make it easier to learn from, you'll be catching up to one Draco in no time..."
Then he lowered his voice conspiratorially, "Actually... I've got another notebook."
Blaise instinctively leaned forward, dropping as well, "Another one?"
Lucifer leaned in, expression serious.
"Ainz Ooal Gown's notes, written by the high tier Skeleton mage, when he was still a student... It's got all kinds of improved 'potion formulas,' and some seriously nasty curses by that necromancer. I think it suits you."
Blaise's breath hitched, eyes practically spelled out, "I want it."
"Work hard," Lucifer said, patting his shoulder, "Once business picks up, say, in about a week, I'll give you part of it. Can't hand over the whole book, but it'll be enough to learn from..."
"Lucifer, where are the ingredients? I'll start right now!"
Blaise looked like he'd just downed a gallon of espresso. If he could, he'd have filled Kanan's whole shop with potions by sundown. Too bad, he didn't have any materials yet.
The earliest shipment wouldn't arrive until the weekend, leaving Blaise with energy and nowhere to spend it.
So on Friday, he threw himself into studying the three potion recipes, memorizing every ingredient, every stirring technique, every timing detail by heart.
By Saturday morning, when ingredients finally arrived, he marched into Potions classroom with his cauldron under his arm, ready to go for days. Lucifer had even asked Snape to oversee him, just to make sure he mastered the brewing process properly.
He himself didn't stay idle either.
That morning, he watched a hand-cranked, 'Wizard of Oz,' film with Hermione, an idea inspired by earlier demonstration of Muggle items in their shared quarters.
She made wild theories, 'The Chronicles of Narnia' being somehow related to four founder's of the Castle.
Hogwarts wards couldn't handle anything electric, but old mechanical tech like this worked just fine.
"You think memory is what defines a person?"
"Of course," Lucifer answered without hesitation, while he put the video disk away, "The Body and Soul are nothing compared to memory, a person is a collection of perceptions. The continuity of memory and experience is what makes you, well you. The soul and body are merely the vessels....."
"So the body and soul are the ship," Hermione quipped, picking up the gossip chatter, she had opened after watching the film, "and memory is the person inside?"
Lucifer's eyes lit up.
"Exactly! You see, Hermione, you really do have insight, the Sorting hat robbed 'you' from RavenClaw."
"Don't flatter me," She muttered with a tiny blush on her face, "I just happened to have heard that line somewhere. Doesn't mean I've grasped it..."
Waved a hand dismissively, lounging back on the sofa, Lucifer's perfect figure outlined against the light, "That's fine, the more you know, the more you can confirm and refine your own path. That's the power of knowledge..."
Then tilted his head slightly, remembering old debacles to decrease his boredom, "Speaking of memory, I once ran an experiment. I completely extracted one person's memories and implanted them into another's mind... Then I altered the recipient's appearance, from that moment on, B became A, lived A's life, maintained A's relationships, left A's mark on the world, until the day he died...."
"Theoretically of course," She frowned at the sense of nostalgia on his tone, but dropped it to his Chuunibyou nature, "But he was still B. His nature didn't change."
He laughed a dry chuckle.
"Whose definition of 'nature'? In his mind, he was A."
"Then let me put it this way," She countered with a loud huff, appalled by the gravery of such topics, they were just watching a movie of Wicked Witch, "If you put a wizard's memories into a Muggle, could they use magic?"
"No," Lucifer said with a slight shake of his head, "That's a matter of biological difference, and according to your theory, if the vessel changes, person changes too. Naturally, there'd be consequences...."
"And what does that have to do with your so-called path of magic?"
The boy pointed at his temple.
"Memory can be erased, transferred, even fabricated. For example, I hold 'fragments' of countless living being's memories in my mind. And, if you delete the... memories of transfer itself, merging them seamlessly with my own experiences. Now, those ancient memories will be like my own. I lived across eras watching from 'human eyes', as if I've existed as different individuals in every age."
"Extraordinary mind," he added lightly, "is the greatest form of wealth. And wealth can be traded... 'or taken."
The room went utterly still. For the first time, Hermione Granger felt cold spreading from fingertips to her toes.
Lucifer's worldly philosophy was terrifying, in that moment, she finally understood why he could be so greedy, so self-absorbed, sometimes even colder than Slytherins.
Her boyfriend wasn't just brilliant, he was a madman, a brilliant, ruthless madman, she always saw him through a 'filter' of a harmless puppy.
"Did I scare you?" He asked with a 'faint' smile. With a flick of his wrist, a blanket floated over, settling over Hermione's long, half-bared legs.
"Don't worry, I'm not trying to force my beliefs on you, but you wanted to learn, so I didn't hold anything back. When you.... grow up enough in every aspect, I will show you my 'private library', once you do, you'll have a much clearer picture of what I am..."
Hermione nodded and withdrew her gaze from staring, only to realize she was drenched in cold sweat.
"Lucifer," She muttered under her breath, "I owe you an apology, you're the 'real final boss' of this school, I don't feel afraid of Voldemort anymore...."
The bushy haired girl wasn't exactly sentimental by nature, but going from a calm, structured world straight into one where immortality meant devouring others that was a hard shift to stomach. Especially now that Lucifer's harmless image in her mind had completely shattered and reformed into something far darker than she'd ever imagined.
Not that Hermione was actually afraid. After all, she literally held her own soul in her hands, it's not like she had friends with the Devil, right?
So, both she and Lucifer tacitly agreed not to bring up this unsettling conversation again, but the witch followed his advice and buried herself in the books, hoping to grow up early, in paying a visit to his stash.
At noon, he slipped away to 'MadamePuddifoot's', for an almost dangerously sweet lunch with Amelia Bones, it bothered on making a few witches hear weird noises.
Then he hurried back, gave Hermione a tutoring session, and spent the rest of the afternoon entertaining Daphne, and Astoria with two pandas.
Poppie and Pixie.
Tonight he had even planned to sit with Susan and Hannah, to read some
Literary original works, signed copy by author, he had in the collection
"Women's rooms," he thought, "were often messier than men's."
Take Daphne, for instance, if it weren't for the house-elf tidying up, her clothes would've formed a mountain at end of her bed by now.
What was even more amazing, though, was how some girls could find exactly what they were looking for in the middle of all that chaos.
Maybe that was a gift of its own.
Lucifer crouched down and began picking up the papers one by one, while two tired naked girls slept.
xxxxxxx
Then Monday came, and with it, the professors' wrath. They'd spent the weekend grading the students' tests. Judging by their grim expressions, things hadn't gone well.
"'Disastrous" would've been putting it kindly. It was bad enough that some professors were starting to question whether they'd even taught anything last year, because clearly, none of the students remembered the important stuff.
Even Professor Flitwick, the ever smiling and endlessly patient Charms teacher, looked uncharacteristically stern in class.
"I think Mr. Morningstar's suggestion from last week wasn't half bad," he said, tone mild but eyes sharp, "Some of you might actually benefit from your professors having a little chat with your parents."
A shiver ran through the classroom. 'Wait--wasn't it agreed grades wouldn't be sent home this time? Professor, surely you would not go back on your words, that's betrayal!'
Thankfully, Flitwick didn't intend to follow through, at least not yet, "Since this was just a baseline assessment, I'll assume some of you didn't perform at your best. I'll give you another chance, but if your scores next month are still unsatisfactory, I'll hand your parents' ID list to Professor McGonagall and let her deal with it."
The collective gasp that followed practically changed room's temperature. If McGonagall got involved, their parents would know by the weekend, Hogwarts wouldn't even be a 'safe zone' anymore.
In an instant, every student straightened up in their seat, suddenly the very picture of discipline.
Flitwick hid a smile behind his mustache, pleased with the effect, "Alright, let's move on. Close your books. Today I'll be teaching a new charm-the 'Return Spell. It's a simple but very practical one, often used alongside the 'Mending Charm."
He rose on tiptoe and scanned the room.
"Can anyone tell me the difference between the Return Spell and the Cleaning Charm?"
Several hands shot up.
"Mr. Malfoy," Flitwick called, looking mildly surprised. Draco almost never volunteered.
However, now he stood with a smirk, chin tilted up proudly, "These are basic household spells, Professor. 'House-elves use them all the time. I've seen them cleaning and tidying, so I know a bit about it. The Cleaning Charm targets dirt and dust, while the Return Spell moves objects back to their original places."
A few students rolled their eyes, including Miss Granger.
Flitwick's mouth twitched, of course. The point hadn't been to answer, it was to brag. Still, technically correct.
"Very good. One point to Slytherin," Flitwick said with a nod, motioning for him to sit, "Mr. Malfoy's right. You've probably seen adults use both spells together... With a single wave, everything's clean and back in its place. That's not one spell--'it's two, used in combination."
He paused, smiling faintly, "But that's still a bit advanced for you lot, today, we'll focus on the basic 'Return Spell."
Flitwick handed out small wooden nameplates to everyone, "Write your name on it, trade with your partner, your goal is to summon your own nameplate back into your hand."
"That's how you'll know you've done it right."
After that earlier "chat with your parents" threat, no one dared slack off. The classroom buzzed with muttered incantations and flickering sparks of magic all the way until the bell rang.
Still, Flitwick wasn't done with them.
The homework load was heavier than ever: a one-foot essay and a hundred successful castings of the spell, with notes on both successful and failed attempts. All due by Friday.
By the time class ended, students trudged out like prisoners heading to their next sentence. And it wasn't just Flitwick, every professor had suddenly gone full tyrant mode.
Professor Sprout no longer waited until after class to point out mistakes, she called them out on the spot.
Minera McGonagall was outrageous, she directly doubled the homework and made students rewrite anything she deemed "below standard."
As for Snape... rumor had it he'd made all students cry in a single class.
In just two days, Hogwarts had transformed. Conversations about pop singers and Quidditch were replaced with desperate whispers about essays, spellwork, and homework deadlines.
"Have you finished your homework?"
"Can you show me the wand movement again?"
Professor McGonagall noticed the shift and couldn't hide her satisfaction, she awarded privately Miss Granger a good 'fifty points.'
Hogwarts had always prided itself on giving students freedom, to study as much or as little as they liked. But lately, she'd decided to raise the bar. Not for the inter-house competition, but for future of the British wizarding world itself. If her students wanted to slack off, fine.
But they'd still meet the standard, or work until they did.
xxxxxx
"Oh, good, we're starting some new subjects today!" Hermione couldn't be happier, she made a decision to not ask for leave of absence from Hogwarts, on being petrified, in fact she was sure, her family would have even made sure to get mental damage support, if they didn't, they would gone straight to Lucifer, which sounded as if he was her---
Magical world's Guardian.
"Are we?" Lucifer who was now labelled as a parent in his girlfriend's mind, asked, looking at his own, "Indeed we are."
.......
Ron who was getting annoyed, snatched their timetables from across the table from them when they were busy taking bites of their food
"Hermione... Lucifer..."
"Give those back, Ronald!" Hermione said, trying to reach over and get them back.
"They've messed up your timetables. Look---" he pointed out an inconsistency, "--they've got you both down for about, ten subjects a day. There isn't enough time!"
"We'll manage. We've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall," Hermione said in between grunts, still trying to get them back.
"But look," Ron still held them out of reach, and laughed as he did, "see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And underneath, Nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And---"
Ron leaned into the paper closer to confirm he wasn't seeing things, "-look, underneath that, Arithmancy, nine o'clock. I mean, I know you both are good, but no one's that good. How are you supposed to be in three classes at once?"
"Don't be silly!" Hermione said shortly, still trying to get their timetables.
Ron suddenly had his hands forced open and the papers flew towards the girl who grabbed them and sat Lucifer's down in front of him, kissing his hair as she did.
"Of course we won't be in three classes at once," Lucifer said, looking like he did nothing wrong, "That's impossible, Weasely." He really said the truth, because he would be using a device to go back in time.
"Well then-"
"Can you pass the marmalade, Harry?" Hermione said, not wanting to talk with him.
"But---"
"Weasely, what's it to you if our schedules are a bit full?" Now it was Lucifer who snapped at him, "She told you, we've got it fixed with McGonagall."
Just then, Hagrid entered Great Hall, he was wearing his long moleskin overcoat and was absent mindedly swinging a dead polecat 'from one' enormous hand.
"All righ"?" He asked eagerly, pausing on his way to the staff table, "It's yer lot's firs' time in my lesson! Right after lunch! Bin up since 'five gettin'' everythin' ready... hope yer enjoy... me, a teacher, hones'ly, students loved it, thank' Lucifer for'dvize..."
He grinned broadly at them and headed off to staff table, still swinging the polecat.
"Wonder what he's been getting ready?" Ron asked, a note of anxiety in his voice.
"Knowing Hagrid, probably something dangerous," Lucifer said, not really surprised. After another twenty minutes, the Great Hall started to empty as people went in their new electives, finally getting to breathe a fresh air of relief.
Ron looked at his timetable, "We'd better get going... look, Divination is in the North Tower at the Top. It'll take us ten minutes to get there."
"Is it bad that I'm excited to use the time-turner?" Hermione whispered as she finished her breakfast hastily,
Lucifer shook his head, "I am too," she nodded excitedly, interwining both of their hands while standing up, and wishing goodbye to the twins.
The journey through Castle to the North Tower was a long one, but not a bad one, at least not to Lucifer.
Two years, however, was not enough to teach others everything about Hogwarts, and they had never been in the North Tower before.
xxxxxx
Author's Note
If you guys enjoy this story, you can support me on Patreon.
Get access to 45+ Advanced Chapters, your support is my encouragement.
Bonus up to 295 has already been uploaded there.
Hermione uncovers Lucifer's wings, and more spicy content waiting for you on Patreon! 😈
Link - patreon.com/SmutDxddy
Come on Guy's, 5Days left, perfect time for you to join and unlock large no of Chapters at once! 🎉
xxxxxx
Bonus Chapter - 125 Power Stone's! 🥳