The Golden Gryffindor Trio arrived at the Second Floor Girl's bathroom, before the redhead started doing his best imitation of a snake. Nothing happened within the confines of the bathroom and the bushy haired brunette sighed. "See? I told you it wasn't going to be that easy." The redhead spun on her. "Well, you try it then!" The dark haired boy next to them sighed. "I don't think it will matter, Ron. We were lucky enough to get into the Chamber when your sister opened it and then Fawkes transported us out. There is no way we can get back in there now." The brunette snapped her fingers. "That's it, Neville! Fawkes. He can get us in there! He's been flying around the Castle for months. Fawkes! We need your help!" The only response to the request was a dreadful silence. Ron sighed. "Well, so much for that." Neville nodded before he pulled the Sorting Hat out of his extended pocket and handed it to Ron. "Here. I think it's better that you carry it. You already destroyed the locket with the sword and the Snake is dead. He's all out of Horcruxes except for the Diadem. We need to find it and destroy it before the truce is up."
Ron nodded as the brunette seemed pensive. "What if the Diadem isn't the last Horcrux, Neville? You could be going into a fight with an Immortal still. You remember what Dumbledore said. There might still be one more." Ron huffed. "Yeah, inside Slytherin's Princess." Neville rubbed his hair. "Hermione, what would you want us to do about that? The only thing that has destroyed the Horcruxes has been this Sword and the really hard to control Fiendfyre curse you tried on the Cup while we were at Gringotts. That means that the only way of being sure that You Know Who was dead and gone would be to kill Lillian. Could you really do that to her?" Hermione was silent before she shook her head. "No, I can't. I mean, she's always been cold and weird, especially when Sirius had her over at Grimmauld while we were all there, but I have never heard of her hurting anyone." Ron raised his hands. "So? She's been in Slytherin the whole time! Her Head of House practically coddled her, You Know Who never even bothered her at all. Even Malfoy steered clear of her. She has to be bad news! Maybe she has been groomed this whole time, just in case he lost. If Dumbledore said we need to be sure, then she has to die." Hermione shook her head. "And where are we supposed to find her? She's a ghost, Ron. The moment Sirius argued with Dumbledore and returned the Potter Family's Invisibility Cloak to her, she just up and vanished from the corridors. We only ever saw her for class!"
The three heard an explosion and looked out the window, with Neville speaking up. "I think the Death Eaters are attacking early. We have to go!" Ron pulled Neville's arm, stopping him. "What about Potter? We can't leave her out there planning god knows what." Neville sighed. "Fine. If You Know Who turns into a wraith or something, then we go after her. For now, let's deal with the Army of Death Eaters just outside of the Castle. Come on!" The three left the bathroom, exiting outside of the field of view of the scrying bowl as Lillian pulled herself away. Tears started to stream down Lillian's cheeks. "That bastard! He said he cared. That we were godsiblings. That it didn't matter that I was a Slytherin. He lied to me! I just heard him plan my death as if it was the easiest thing in the bloody world!" Lillian pulled away and started to pace, her thoughts in chaos as a voice spoke up. "Did they say why they were planning to kill you? These people don't strike me as the bloodthirsty sort." Lillian looked at the portrait of Salazar Slytherin, her ancestor and mentor for several years. Since the Chamber of Secrets fell silent after Ginny Weasley was saved by Neville and his gang, she had been sneaking in, uncovering it's secrets. The corpse of the Basilisk had been a source of great pain to Lillian. Salazar's portrait, hidden in an alcove deep within the Basilisk's nest, had been inconsolable for months at the loss of his beloved child and guardian.
Remembering the question, Lillian turned to Salazar, wiping away some tears that slipped through her control. "Something about me being a Horcrux. How would that even be possible? And what even is a Horcrux? "Magick Moste Evile" didn't want to go into detail at all." The man in the portrait stilled, releasing the hold he had on his pointy beard. "Is that so? That is concerning and should be verified. There is a spell that can tell us for sure. I would have rathered that you never opened this Grimoire but right now it's needed. It's the one with the dark brown leather at the top of the Bookshelf. You need to say "let go" in Parseltongue to get it to release." Lillian did as she was told and started leafing through the pages, her hands feeling uncomfortable with the book. "This is human blood used as ink on parchment made from human flesh, isn't it?" The portrait shrugged. "My allies and I pulled it off from the ashen corpse of its former owner, with the intention to preserve it just in case another fool ever made another of those vile things. I was never fond of the book itself." Lillian nodded as she leafed through, her understanding of Ancient Greek coming in handy. "Found it." Taking her Hawthorne wand and holding it in a reverse grip, she pressed the tip against her arm. "Deíxe mou ti mavrisméni psychí." For a second nothing seemed to happen until black smoke started to rise out of her unhealed scar atop her left palm.
Salazar spoke as his student remained in stunned silence. "Well, that is a problem." In a rare show of emotion, the chamber started to vibrate as arcs of green light raced across Lillian's arms. "No… no… dammit all!" Lillian tossed her wand at the table, her eyes focused on the scrying bowl, even as the only thing she could see was the water within it. Tears began to impact the surface as the vibrations grew in strength. "You gods be damned bastard! You knew! You knew for 16 years and did nothing!? No research into how to get rid of it, nothing about how to save a person. No! You couldn't be bothered. An orphaned girl with no blood relations left, a Slytherin who kept her bloody head down rather than sticking out her neck for ignorant, brainless punks who were more interested in the colors of the students' ties than who they really were underneath! Of course you wouldn't be able to leave me alone even in the grave. You had to send your little soldier and his two shadows to come after me. I should have forced Draco to let me be a part of your execution, you gutless coward!" Salazar hissed. ~" Calm yourself, my dear. Breath deeply and restrain that magic. It will not serve you here. The brat and that poor excuse for a Headmaster have rightfully failed you, but your blood will not. I am here for you, as I always have been and always will be. "~
Taking deep breaths with her eyes closed, the shaking of the walls lessened in intensity before they ceased. ~" Sorry Ancestor ."~ Salazar shook his head. "You have nothing to apologize for, my dear. It is never welcomed to hear about betrayal at the hands of one's whose duty it was to protect you. You know what befell my heirs and how the Gaunts turned their backs on my hopes for the future. How my very name was twisted by their pettiness. It is no different. But I meant what I said, Heir born of my blood and tempered in the shadow of those who proclaim themselves greater. You will never have to doubt my loyalty to you. Now, let's return to the issue at hand. The Horcrux that my sorry excuse for an Heir has somehow embedded in you. The text was taken against its owner's will, but I and my immediate heirs might have made addendums. See if there is anything about a Horcrux on a living person." Lillian moved over towards the book glancing over it's pages. "There is no mention on how to dislodge a Horcrux from a living being. Everything here talks about destroying the object, containers and all." Salazar lowered his gaze. "Then I am afraid that your situation is unique. Even if it wasn't, any number of people would rather simply kill a vessel than bother to save it, as your Headmaster did. Humans are never known to bother with inconveniences, especially when driven by fear and hate. I had hoped my living self uncovered more, but it seems it didn't happen. I am so sorry."
Lillian turned around and slumped onto the floor running her hand through her straight black hair, pulling the bangs away from her face. "Even if I did expel the soul fragment, they would never believe me. The Weasleys have always been a jealous lot, all too eager to lend a hand to the Boy Who Lived. That brat Ronald sat with me and the other two on the Hogwarts Express, all smiles and friendly banter. The moment I was Sorted into Slytherin he turned vile and cruel, with Neville following soon after. The rest of the Order were no different. They looked at me with either pity or disgust. How Snape tolerated them for so many years was beyond me. If Dumbledore informed his lieutenants about this, then they will come for me. Even with it gone, they would just assume that the soul fragment merged with my own soul. They will hunt me, regardless of what the truth might be. I will never know a moment's peace, not here nor anywhere else. The world will hunt down the last piece of Lord Voldemort, to keep his madness from ever returning again." They remained in silence, Salazar clearly in deep thought as Lillian ran through all of her memories. She laughed bitterly as she remembered her best friend and favorite Ravenclaw. The blonde had been her only source of comfort in the Castle, the one person she could be honest with. "Luna was right. My life will end in bloodshed if nothing is done to correct the mistakes of the past."
Salazar hummed to himself as a new thought entered the portrait's mind. "Your Seer friend's warning is rather intriguing and perhaps something… more. To correct the mistakes of the past. What was the last thing she said to you?" Lillian smiled to herself. "When you see me again for the first time, promise me we'll still be friends." Salazar's portrait hummed to himself as his eyes focused on Lillian's hand. "Perhaps the Horcrux is an opportunity in disguise, one you can use to your advantage." Lillian looked up at her ancestor. "How exactly would one use a soul? As a bartering chip with the Death Eaters'? Their leadership is all but broken. If Voldemort falls again, they will all scatter to the winds." Salazar nodded. "That is true, but souls are known to do something else than breathe life into the lifeless. They form connections. Connections that some of the most desperate Magicals from ages long past figured out how to use in unique ways." Lillian stood up and stared at the Portrait, with some measure of hope, though she felt it dwindling. "How would one use a soul fragment in a situation like this, exactly?" Salazar rubbed the locket that rested on his chest. "Your Seer friend spoke of meeting for the first time once more. You can only do that… if you travel back in time and change what once was." Lillian blinked a few times in confusion. "But time travel is impossible. The Ministry has tried for centuries. Even if it was feasible, my connections only go back 17 years. To the height of the war. I doubt I can fix anything from there."
Nodding in thought, Salazar replied. "It is impossible for most people. However, there is a ritual that can achieve it, utilizing these connections between the souls. Unfortunately, there is no proof that it works. Anyone who has succeeded would never reveal that they undid time, as the undoing of history itself is considered quite the burden to bear, though the world itself would be none the wiser. As for how far your connections might go, you might be surprised. You will need your ritual dagger and the black leather bound book at the top of the bookshelf. Same password as before." Lillian sighed as she approached the bookshelf, reaching for the book. "Not much of a password." Salazar blushed. "Yes, well. When my wives and I were the only Parselmouth here, it seemed fitting. Not to mention it was a safe choice, just in case I forgot. I was quite old and frail, you know." Lillian looked at the portrait fondly after she pulled the book free. "Not to my eyes. Wise and knowledgeable, but never frail." The portrait blushed softly under her praise as Lillian placed the book on the desk and opened it, seeing the text was in Futhark. She eventually found the so-called ritual, her heart growing still. "Salazar…, this sounds less like a ritual and more… like a suicide pact. I also don't have a soulmate. Believe me, I tried the binding ritual and it failed miserably."
Waving the comment away, Salazar spoke up. "The point of the ritual is to undo time as a last resort. When death is the only conclusion and the outcome is undesired, two soulmates can strip back time and return to a moment suitable for the changes to occur, within the lifetime of one or the other. As for you not having a soulmate… that is technically only half true. You are carrying a piece of a soul on you that isn't yours. As a pseudo soulmate bond, it should suffice." Lillian turned to him, incredulous. "Should? You do realize we are talking just a fragment, right? Besides, you glossed over how we would both be dying to achieve this!" Salazar shrugged. "As it stands, you are both likely to be dead soon. Would you rather have a chance at fixing everything or not?" Lillian muttered under her breath as she turned away from him. "Maybe you have gone senile." Salazar glared at her. "I heard that. Regardless, this seems like your best bet and it fits with what your Seer described. Do you not trust her judgment?" Lillian clamped her mouth shut. She looked down at the pages of the book, reading over the intended effect of the ritual. She blush a little at one of the requirements, her right hand going over her scar.
The bright smile of her dearest friend flashed through her mind, as well as the nervous looks of all the students who had followed her example since she started Hogwarts. So many of them were orphans of two senseless wars pushed forward by men who were either dead or mostly inconsiderate to the losses their world was suffering. If this ritual worked… that could all be fixed. Luna could have her mother raise her at her father's side, the children who lost their parents to Azkaban or a Killing Curse could know what it's like to live in a family. Including herself. Though she didn't care much about the Potters, Sirius had been adamant that they loved her. If this worked… they would all have a second chance at a better life. At the same time… she could be erasing all those lives from existence. Everyone who was ever born from the moment she went back in time to up until now… they would all be gone. Erased from history. All because of her. Lilith clenched her fist. "Ancestor… are you sure about this ritual? If I do this, so many lives will be gone. Erased. All because of me." Salazar's face softened. "I am. This ritual was given to me by a friend whom I trusted with my life. I believe they gave it to me for a reason. As my last two heirs, you and Riddle are all that remains of my family. This must be the moment when time must be peeled back for the mistakes to be corrected. For the sake of the world beyond the walls of Hogwarts, for the House of Slytherin, but most importantly to me, for your sake. Please, Trust me."
Taking a deep breath as she buried her reservations, Lillian nodded. "Very well. Anything else I should know before I start carrying out the preparations?" Salazar rubbed his chin. "Only that the bond between you two will be severed by the ritual. Permanently. That is the price to be paid. As its origin was a Horcrux, it should cleanse you of the fragment. Usually, the two of you should have your memories intact, but with the amount of damage that my foolish Heir inflicted on his soul, any memories he has will be fragmented and seem almost like a dream." Lillian thought about the man she saw through her mind, the reason for the visions being clear to her now, the man she met a few times in passing and the boy she briefly got to know when she found his Diary discarded in the girl's bathroom. "That might be a blessing, actually. He needs time to be a better person… And I am going to give it to him." Seeing the need to carve a great many runes onto her body, Lillian stripped down, swallowed an anesthetic and got to work. Wearing a simple robe afterwards, she redirected the scrying mirror to watch for Voldemort's current position, praying she wasn't too late. She watched as he slaughtered the two Golden Boys of Gryffindor. The Golden Girl was nowhere to be found, probably as a precaution, which only served to bolster Lillian's fears. The Order would know about the Horcrux from her, at the very least. She had no choice but to go with this insanity. Lillian watched as Voldemort slowly descended the stairs towards the Dungeons and took a moment to center herself. They had one chance. One single chance to fix everything, starting with Tom Riddle's mental decline. For both their sakes, the ritual had to work.
Lillian looked up at her ancestor's portrait and ran her hand softly against the canvas. "Goodbye Salazar. If everything works, I might just meet you once again for the first time. I just want to say… thank you… for believing in me. If it wasn't for you and Luna, I don't think I would have made it these past two years." Salazar bowed his head. "Goodbye, Lillian. You were a most pleasant student and a worthy Heir to the Slytherin name. Whatever happens, I hope you find some measure of happiness. For both you and my wayward Heir." Taking a deep breath, Lillian walked out of the Chamber of Secrets, hidden under her family's Invisibility Cloak. She found Voldemort slumped against a wall, his life fading away as she checked his pulse. She stared into his red eyes, finding herself unafraid of them. She had never been afraid of them. "We don't have much time. What I am about to do will give us both a second chance at life. I don't know if you will remember everything, with your soul as fragmented as it is, but please, do try to be better Tom. And if you are willing… I will be there to help you on your way." She leaned forward and kissed the dying man, tears and blood covering her lips, as she placed her left hand over Voldemort's heart, before plunging her ritual knife through both. She felt both their magics react, her carved skin growing warm as the sigils glowed, before her sight turned into an endless sea of white.
-✦-
Lilith opened her eyes and stared at the familiar canopy of the Slytherin dorm beds, her body still aching from her episode the night prior. Struggling to turn over and look at the bedside table, she reached out and felt around with her hand until she found the candle, before she touched the wick. " Ignis. " The feel of her magic struggling to run through her body never ceased to be a source of annoyance, but in time the magic focused on her fingertips and the wick ignited. Sighing to herself, she sat on the edge of the bed, stretching her arms above her head before looking at her mechanical clock on the bedside table. It was five in the bloody morning. Seeing as getting any more time to sleep was unlikely, Lilith stood up and changed into her school uniform, replacing the usual sweater with a black vest, before looking over the classes she would have in the day ahead. Storing her books in an extended bag, she looped the strap over her head and made for the door, making sure her wards were still in place. Sensing she wasn't the only person awake, old habits kicked in. Pulling out her Invisibility Cloak and hiding beneath it, followed by noise dampening spells on her person, Lilith walked out into corridors that lead to the Slytherin Common Room.
The group of students currently in the Common Room were mostly older students, a few wearing their Prefect Badges, though Lilith did notice that the three Blacks were absent. She found a safe enough corner of the room and waited. Sure enough, in a few minutes, Valerio Rosier entered the room and sat at the main sofa, claiming his position as King. Lilith had to restrain her magic, as she could see the family relationship between Valerio and Vinda. The favorite lieutenant of Grindelwald, Vinda Rosier's appearance was permanently etched into her mind, along with the green flash that followed soon after. "So, Rosier, what did you want to talk about?" Valerio leaned forward to address everyone. "My father doesn't like the language coming out of the other members of the Dark Faction, and neither do our allies in the Continent. I have been asked to try and… persuade the Heirs and Heiress and to remind them that the Dark needs to stand united behind Grindelwald." A boy that reminded Lilith too much of Goyle spoke up. "That may be, but you heard the Headmaster. Any threats or acts of violence could see us all expelled. And then what?" Valerio waved the comment off. "My father can pressure the old man to rescind any punishments. Besides, word is Beauxbatons has capitulated to Grindelwald. The chateau will be under constant guard and welcoming of his supporters."
The student's chatted amongst themselves when a girl chimed in. "We should try and keep it light at first. Anything too aggressive too soon will start getting the Staff on edge around us." Valerio nodded and smiled. "True, but I have an idea. Seeing as today is the first day of classes, how about we go and break in the first, second and third years. None of them have a clue as to how to ward their rooms safely yet. They will be easy pickings. Any thoughts on what spells we can use that won't cause any permanent damage?" Lilith's eyes narrowed as she made her way to the stairs that lead to the dorms. It was the same. Back in her first year, several of the Prefects and the upperclassmen would bully the kids into obedience. Acting on instinct, Lilith made her way to the first year boy dorms and pulled out a piece of chalk, connecting it to her magic via a drop of blood, before she began to draw runic circles on the doors, using a silencing spell to give the kids a chance to sleep. She barely finished the last one of the third year boys before she heard Rosier's sycophants cursing voices come up the stairs. She managed to slip past them through a hidden passage and started warding the girls' rooms, before smiling to herself as the last ward activated. She could more clearly hear the cursing coming from the dorms as she made her way to the Common Room door, before caressing the snake head above the handle. ~" Taste my blood and grant me the freedom to move silently. "~ A bite later and the door opened, without the need for a password.
Taking a slight detour, Lilith made it to the outside Courtyard, where she pulled the Invisibility Cloak off of her, storing it into her bag. Taking deep breaths of the pleasant air made a smile return to her face. She was home. It wasn't Dumbledore's bastion, Voldemort's madhouse or Umbridge's nightmare. It was Hogwarts. Hogwarts in its true and pure form, as close as she would get to her Ancestor's dream. The thought of Salazar made Lilith's thoughts race. She could head into the Chamber, protect the Basilisk and talk to her mentor all over again. She had the time later in the night, and her Cloak was beyond anyone's ability to pierce through. But should she? Remembering how jealous and obsessive the Tom of the Diary had been, Lilith decided it would be best to let him enter the Chamber first. If she could be with him, the better. The question was, how to get on Tom's good side. According to the Diary, Dumbledore had it out for him the moment his nature as a Parselmouth was revealed. The Pureblood bastards would begrudge him his name, his lack of wealth and his ignorance of his bloodline. Only his looks and intelligence would matter to them. But would appealing to those aspects of his nature work for her? Probably not.
Making her way to the Great Hall, Lilith thought about how else she could approach Tom, without revealing too much about herself or her intentions. She needed to help him, but the fact he was a stubborn prick meant he had to help himself first. Feeling her stomach grumble, Lilith sighed and decided to leave the scheming for later. Finding the tables empty of food, Lilith did the same as a few other early birds and sat down at her House table, before pulling a book out, her eyes drifting over the pages. Ever since her arrival at this time period, her Magic had been entirely uncooperative. Since all ways to fix the issue were currently beyond her knowledge, she had decided to study how else she could use magic to her advantage, without the need for a wand. A fourth year reading up on Enchantments would certainly draw attention but she didn't care. She already sat through all the core classes before, she would be damned if she sat through them again without spending that time on something constructive. Her contacts in Switzerland had already provided some nice materials for her to work with and were hard at work making the remaining parts. That just left the magical components, the thing that had stumped everyone before her. Time to see if she could make something about the old theoretical concept that so many abandoned way too easily.
-✦-
"Heir Rosier, you are looking particularly dashing today. I particularly love what you have done with your hair." Tom raised an eyebrow at the look Rosier gave to Alphard as he and the other Blacks walked into the Common Room, finding several of their classmates sitting on the sofas with their hair dyed puke yellow. It was not a good look for any of them. He watched as some of the upperclassmen tried and failed to dispel the effects, before they themselves found that their eyebrows were now yellow as well. Cygnus walked out, yawning before he, Lucretia and Walburga looked at everyone over. "What happened to you, Rosier? Did you have a run in with a bucket or did someone refuse to join you in a broom closet?" The laugh from the other students made Rosier's anger slip through into his voice. "Some prankster decided to ward several of the rooms! The moment we made contact with the wards, we collapsed and then this happened!" Rosier pointed at his hair. Alphard rubbed his chin and looked at the people who had their hair dyed. Tom was certain he saw the same thing he did. Every single one of them was known to follow Rosier around. Was this a targeted attack… or…"Has anyone checked on the younger year students?"
The look on the Slytherins with their hair dyed after Alphard's comment betrayed them as the three main Black Prefects stared at them all, with Lucretia heading for the boys' dorms. She came out a few minutes later with a sleepy Orion, the kid rubbing his eyes as he sat between Cygnus and Walburga, who had forced the others to vacate a sofa. Lucretia looked towards Alphard. "You need to check Orion's door. There is something on it." Alphard rubbed his chin before turning to look at Tom. "Care to join me?" Tom raised an eyebrow at the unusual request but he knew better than to ignore it, so Tom followed the two Black's silently as they reached the first year boy dorms. Alphard took out his wand and ran it over the door, before he whistled. "That is a beauty of a ward scheme. I can't even see it's anchor point. Riddle?" Tom sighed but stepped up, drawing his Yew Wand. A sweep over the door made him pause. He tried again. "I can't see it either." Lucretia nodded. "That's what I noticed. I felt it touch me for a second when I gripped the doorknob but nothing happened." Alphard looked towards where the Common Room was. "Yeah, I wonder why that wasn't the case with the others out there."
Tom was about to open the door when he noticed something on the floor. Bending down, he rubbed the white dust just next to the door, seeing no other marks around except for the shoe prints of those who crossed in front of the frame. He stood up and rubbed the dust between his fingers before he smelled it. "Chalk." Alphard turned to him and looked at Tom's fingers, before he swept the door again, his spells silent. A chalk outline of a runic circle appeared on the door, with three circles overlapping each other. Alphard stared at it in shock. "That… wasn't made by a Hogwarts student. These circles are interwoven in a terrifying way. The fact that not all of the runes are actually showing up means the ward itself is protected, probably tied to another ward point with the full configuration on it, with this just working as a relay." Tom looked over the runes that he could see, not recognizing the language. "I have read the fourth year runes book. These are not in it." Alphard nodded. "No, they aren't. I will draw them down and see if Aunt Cassiopeia has any clue. So far, it was harmless to us and to Orion." Lucretia grumbled. "But not to Rosier and the rest. Want to bet they tried to break into the dorms of the younger students?" Alphard shook his head. "That's a sucker's bet."
Deciding that he had already done his part, Tom slipped out of the Common Room and made his way to the Great Hall, his mind spinning in circles. It was well known that the younger students were roughened up a bit on the first day of school within Slytherin. They were brought before the King and Queen and shown how the hierarchy played out. Tom's first year was no different. Someone, however, took offence to that and made it impossible for Rosier, the current King, to do anything. Well, anything but look stupid. The countermeasure was clearly designed to not only humiliate Rosier's group, but to out their actions. With the Blacks having one of their own as a first year, any actions against him by Rosier might start a fight for the Throne. Was that the intention? To weaken Rosier's hold over the Slytherins? If it wasn't, it was certainly going to have that effect now. As he stepped into the Great Hall, he was waved over by Nott and Malfoy. "I take it you saw the damage done to Rosier?" Tom nodded as he sat down, serving himself a modest breakfast. "The Blacks aren't happy. Particularly our fifth year Prefect. The wards were placed to protect Orion, and probably the rest of the younger years."
Malfoy chuckled. "Well, it seems Rosier won't have such a great year. How complicated was the ward?" Tom drank from his glass of water. "Extremely. Alphard Black said that no student could have done it." Malfoy hummed to himself. "No student… or no Hogwarts student?" Tom froze. Of course. Hogwarts was playing host to refugees, two of whom were now in their house, with one of them being from a particularly infamous and reclusive family. "Where is she?" Nott gestured with his head. "She was here before breakfast was served. She has been eating breakfast and reading from that book the whole time." Tom leaned over and looked towards the Austrian redhead, who was munching on a slice of toasted bread. As if feeling their gaze, Lilith von Schwarzwald looked towards them. The three boys stared at her and she stared back, before a soft smile grew on her lips. She turned away from them and returned to her book, as the three looked at each other, pretty certain they knew who had humiliated Rosier. The question was, how long before Rosier figured it out?
-✦-
"Slytherins! Stand!" Rosier's eyes searched every single face standing in the Slytherin Common Room, probably trying to determine who created the ward scheme earlier in the day. He had to wait till classes ended before calling them all together. Lilith yawned slightly, feeling drained. The combination of both Arithmancy, Runes and Charms on the first day had left Lilith feeling exhausted, especially after her less than pleasant evening fighting back against the effects of her magic. At least the classes for tomorrow promised to be interesting, especially Care for Magical Creatures. Still, while she never shared any of the bias Malfoy and the other's had for Hagrid, she had never been overly fond of how he taught the class. She was hoping to enjoy her time with the current professor and have a better chance at learning about a wider array of Magical Creatures. Lillian had always wanted a Magical Creature as either a pet or a Familiar. Well as long as the pet wasn't a god awful toad or frog. How any witch or wizard owned these as pets was beyond her. Then again… she had thought about getting a poisonous snake as a pet, so maybe they would have served a purpose in keeping her snake fed. Her lack of funds in her first three years at Hogwarts prevented her from buying any pets, unfortunately. When her Godfather finally helped her out, he might have been willing to overlook her House, but he refused to have a snake in his family's townhouse. Bloody Mutt.
Thoughts of Sirius made Lilith's heart ache. He had been really kind and caring of Lillian. The moment he realized she was staying at an Orphanage, he ended any plans to escape for warmer climates and stayed in his family's decrepit Townhouse. The two actually bonded as they went through the trouble of cleaning up the place, with Lillian even managing to win over Walburga's affections, helping to mend her relationship with her son. The time they spent together at Grimmauld were her happiest years. Until he died in the Department of Mysteries. Lilith shook her head, not wanting to think about that night. She did eye the Blacks in the opposite side of the room, the family and their allies and friends standing separate from Rosier. Her decision to humiliate the prick had some satisfying effects, it seemed. If she could steer the Black's away from the Blood Purist and Anti-Muggle agenda of Rosier and his sycophants, then the chances of keeping them closer aligned to the core of the Black Family's ideal were higher. She only had to show them the benefits of sponsoring and growing a loyal base of first generation magicals for them to realize just how much stronger and influential they could be. Too bad she had to wait for the current head to get out of the way. Her Godfather's namesake was nothing like the man Lillian loved as family.
Lilith's vision was blocked as Rosier stood before her. He stared into her eyes and seemed to come to a conclusion as he raised his hand up to strike her. Lilith's initial assessment was correct. The young man was a moron. Her left hand went up and intercepted his slap before her right hand moved forward and cupped his groin. She then proceeded to squeeze. Hard. Rosier's whimper of pain caught everyone by surprise, followed by him falling to his knees. "Is this how a Slytherin King behaves? Terrorizing the young and striking those who protect their housemates? Is this what you aspired to be, Herr Rosier? If it is then I am not surprised. Your Aunt Vinda was just as disinterested in the concepts of respect and decorum. I watched her and her schweine attack and kill my family and their retainers without so much as a declaration of war. So allow me to educate you and those who seem to follow you around like welpen. This is the price of your arrogance. " Qualius. "" Screams of pain and agony filled the air as Lilith sent the modified torture curse right into Rosier's family jewels, making everyone flinch, even those that had initially tried to protect him. The curse ended and Lilith allowed him to fall onto the floor, groaning in pain, before she made sure to look at the eyes of everyone in the room.
"I will make this clear. So long as The Rosier Family stands by Grindelwald and supports his actions, I will consider them blood enemies of my family. Beyond that, I was forced to watch as Grindelwald's Hexenmeisters slaughtered innocents whose blood and magic were of equal or greater worth than that of any of the Old Houses. These schweine do not deserve to be respected. They deserve your contempt. I will protect the young and innocent from those who dare to follow in Grindelwald's footsteps. I will fight back against those that dare to behave against the customs of our Magical Communities. I will leave up to you all to decide where you end up. If by the time we graduate the war is still ongoing, then know this. Any who serve by Grindelwald's side will die at my hands. I didn't survive the death of my family to cower or flee. I will fight back with everything I have. If you want years of peace within the Castle, then stay out of my way and behave yourselves as civilized people." Lilith glared down at the unmoving Rosier before she walked out towards the exit of the Common Room, her magic painfully maintained at the tip of her fingers just in case someone tried to strike her from behind. No one dared.
-✦-
"... well, now we know why she fought with the Hat. That Witch has a Slytherin's cunning and a Gryffindor's bravery." Tom didn't bother to disagree with Alphard as his eyes followed Lilith von Schwarzwald out of the Common Room entrance. He did notice Walburga talking to her younger brother in hushed tones before he nodded, all the while Lucretia hugged Orion from behind. His earlier assessment seemed to have been correct. There was no need for posturing or theatrics for the Austrian refugee. She knew how to fight to protect herself. Her actions today alone had shifted the power of the students of Slytherin House. With her declaration and swift disarming of Rosier, his image as untouchable was gone. Worst yet, if the Blood Feud comment was real, it was probably registered with the Wizengamot or the ICW, meaning she had the right to take aggressive action the moment an attempt was made against her. Those who followed Rosier simply because he was the King of Slytherin would be thinking carefully about where their allegiances would fall now. He could already see the upper years looking around, with Cygnus, Lucretia and Walburga being their obvious points of interest. As the three of them were the current fifth and sixth year Prefects, as well as the oldest members of a politically powerful family, they were the prime candidates to replace Rosier.
Wishing to avoid telegraphing too much of his own intentions, Tom remained still, his eyes searching the room as it slowly emptied out, with Travers, Rosier's roommate, pulling his unconscious friend towards their dorm as the others started heading to their own rooms, before slowly making his way out of the Common Room. Trying to be as silent and careful as possible, he checked the nearby sections of the Dungeons, but found nothing. It was only after giving up and returning to the Common Room hidden entrance that he heard something. Following the soft sound of music, he made his way up the stairs of the private Slytherin Owlery, where he managed to spy on Lilith. She was sitting atop the ledge, one knee bent against her chest, as Tom saw what looked to be a pocket watch held out in her open hand. Yet the sound of a music box was clear enough in the air, so Tom surmised it was coming from the object. The song felt melancholic to him, yet strangely familiar. Did he hear a proper rendition of it through a radio once back at the Orphanage? During the long and bitter winters, it was common enough for the children of the orphanage to be gathered together into a central chamber.
These impromptu sleeping arrangements were a known indicator that the Orphanage was low on fuel for the main boiler in the basement. The Orphanage kept an emergency supply of wood to use in the large chimney, gathering the kids to sleep around it when there was no other choice. On those days, he remembered some of the Carers bringing out a radio, through which they would play some music for the kids. It was one of the few times that Tom didn't mind being in the company of others. He could close his eyes and listen to the music, feeling it wash over him, calming him in ways he had long forgotten. Without even realizing it, he had done the same now, letting the music fill his mind and wash away his thoughts and feelings. Only the feeling of melancholy the music elicited remained. Eventually the track seemed to reach its end as the music stopped, snapping Tom out of his moment of peace. "It's Chopin's Nocturne, Opus 9 number 2, if you are interested." Tom froze for a second before Lilith spoke again, putting her pocket watch away. "My mother studied music as a child and learned to play it on the piano. I, sadly, wasn't able to match her skill." Tom swallowed and walked out into the open. "My apologies for eavesdropping."
Lilith waved the comment off. "It's fine. Did you need to use the Owlery?" Tom shook his head before looking at her. Those beautiful green eyes made something in his heart ache. What was this feeling? Wishing not to dwell on it, he cleared his throat. "I imagine that was an expensive gift." Lilith nodded though she lowered her eyes. "It was. It's one of the few things I managed to save. On the night when my world was stripped away from me." Tom winced, recognizing he made an insensitive remark. Wealthy or not, this girl had lost her entire family and was forced to flee to Britain to finish her education. "I am sorry, that was insensitive of me." Lilith seemed to look him over. He resisted frowning when her face seemed to brighten. "Again, it is fine. I just needed a moment to cool off. Controlling my emotions… is not as easy as it once was." Tom nodded softly as Lilith stood up and straightened her skirt. "I don't believe we have been introduced, der Herr…?" Tom bowed his head softly. "Tom Riddle." He watched as she lowered her head. "Lilith von Schwarzwald. Danke, for your company." Tom frowned. "I didn't do anything." Lilith nodded as she approached him, her hands behind her back. "Exactly. Do you think the rest of your fellow housemates would have been as kind as to allow me a moment to myself?"
Tom smirked a little. "No, I don't believe they would have been as considerate. You are welcomed, my lady." Lilith's giggle made Tom's heart feel so light. "See? So I was fortunate that you were the one to come find me. I assume I am out past curfew?" Tom thought for a second and nodded. "You are, though a bit of leeway is given to those who need to use the Owleries." Lilith hummed to herself. "Do you need to use the Owlery or would you care to escort me?" Tom froze. If he escorted her, he would be following tradition and gaining her favor. On the other hand, allowing her to return alone would keep him seperate from her actions earlier, allowing a measure of neutrality in the coming conflict, though Alphard seemed to be interested in ruining that for him by involving him earlier. What to do… "Ahh, my actions earlier would have negative repercussions for if you escorted me, wouldn't they? My apologies. I was raised to observe decorum and respect for others first, politics second. Would you prefer an alternative? I would be willing to go ahead of you and you could follow at some distance, acting as a shadow. It should be a satisfying alternative if escorting me is too politically inappropriate for you."
Stepping past him, Lilith went down the stairs as a silent Tom calculated her amendment and agreed. He followed some distance behind as she walked through the corridors, before reaching the Hidden Entrance. "Salazar." The stone blocks retreated into the wall and Lilith nodded at him before descending. Tom eventually returned to his part of the dorm, took a shower in the shared bathroom on his floor and returned to his room. As he finished dressing himself for the night, he dropped onto the bed and thought about earlier. The politics of Slytherin were shifting. Rosier would be challenged and could eventually lose the throne, making way for the Blacks. There was clearly some connection between von Schwarzwald and the Blacks, potentially a familial relationship that hadn't been announced in the open. The Blacks were known to marry politically powerful families with either Neutral or Dark inclinations. The von Schwarzwald family would have been a perfect choice. So was she acting on her own or was she acting in concert with the Blacks? Or was it possible that she was acting freely, intent on aiding the Blacks, without them being aware of it? There were a lot of unknowns. One thing was certain though. If he wanted to move up the Slytherin power structure, he would have to pick a side. And it would have to be soon, before the decision was taken away from him.