Three days had passed since we had first discovered LeFay Villa and things had been rather sedate.
Sirius, having recently been freed from his torment, was currently bedding at St Mungos and was receiving extensive care by mind healers and potion mistresses to ensure that his health was restored to the best capabilities of the government. Fudge had done one thing right after all of this and that was to fully support the man's recovery. The side-effect of his aid however was the shifting of blame from his administration to the previous one. It was unfortunate since he was buffoon, but sometimes the exchanges were necessary.
We had visited Sirius in the hospital but were quickly sent away as he needed the rest. That had been the day after unlocking the villa. We spent the rest of that day reading LeFay books on potions and charms, the ancient magics had some useful effects and details that we noted down... Including some minor cheats that could be used to cut the brewing time of simple potions by half; or more.
The next day we'd spent chatting with Galatea about the varying political relationships that we could forge in Hogwarts. It had been illuminating to hear that Harry Potter would be coming to Hogwarts this year. The 'Boy-who-lived' was a major celebrity and had the entire British wizarding world abuzz with excitement and happiness. He was their saviour for all intents and purposes. It was a ridiculous tale, that he had slain Voldemort as a one year old child... But, it was one the vast majority of sheeple believed in and therefor completely valid as a powerbase. If you needed proof that belief could be used as a mode of control, look at religion. Dad always told us that to lead you need the support of all the sheep, or at the very least the majority of them. Harry Potter was someone to pay attention to.
Besides the young saviour of Britain there were numerous heirs attending their first year in Hogwarts. In fact, Galatea had given us a list that described their family's status and of course their names. It was a handy bit of knowledge considering it could allow us to burrow, for a lack of better word, our way into their political circles...
|Heirs, Heiresses and Members of Any Noble Houses attending Hogwarts|
Susan Bones, Heiress, of the Most Ancient and Noble house of Bones,
Neville, Heir, Longbottom of the Ancient and Noble house of Longbottom,
Daphne Greengrass, Heiress, of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Greengrass,
Tracey Davis, Heiress, of the Most Noble House of Davis
Dracoria Malfoy, Heiress, of the Most Noble House of Malfoy
Pansy Parkinson, Heiress, of the Noble House of Parkinson
Hannah Abbott, Heiress, of the Most Noble House of Abbott
Terry Boot, Heir, of the Noble House of Boot
Mandy Brocklehurst, Heiress of the Noble House of Brocklehurst
Millicent Bulstrode, of the Noble House of Bulstrode
Vincent Crabbe, Heir, of the Noble House of Crabbe
Gregory Goyle, Heir, of the Noble House of Goyle
Lily Moon, Heiress, of the Most Noble House of Moon
Blaise Zabini, Heir, of House Zabini, from Italy
Lisa Turpin, of the Noble House of Turpin
Padma and Parvati Patil, of the Noble House of Patil
|-------------------------------------------------------|
We scanned the list one final time before folding the paper neatly into concealed inner pocket of our robes. Licking our lips we couldn't help but note the hubbub around the train entrances, numerous adults and children speaking their farewells. Walking away from the flu network of the platform we slowly wove in and out of the crowd, escaping the notice of nearly everyone on the platform.
Despite our robes being extremely expensive being and made from Acromantula-silk we slunk into the train, dodging the gaggle of redheads who were carrying on as if they were a bunch of muggles. It reminded me of our time inside the Wizengamot.
~We aren't associating with them any time soon, right sis?~
My brother's voice was a little whiny but that was fine considering how heavily I agreed with the sentiment of his rhetorical question. Nodding in agreeance we slowly traversed the oddly familiar style of train, our father had taken us on this type of train many times fifty years ago... 'That's still so odd to say', internally I sighed whilst Lun grinned evilly; our entire exchange occurring inside our soul.
~I agree, they should have updated the train. I mean, it's been fifty years!~
'These decisions are made by the same idiots who kept an innocent man in Azkaban without a trial for ten years. It's no wonder the train hasn't been upgraded, their Neanderthals.'
~Hahahahahaha...~
Lun's laughter continued for a minute straight as he continued conjuring images of Dumbledore looking like a pre-historic human. The images became so comedic that I had to try my upmost not to laugh alongside the little blighter whilst in the middle of the carriage halls. This challenge continued until I eventually told him to stop it, his snickers still cracking into our internal monologuing every so often afterwards, despite my request.
Eventually, after very little searching, we found a compartment for the journey. We hoisted our shrunken suitcase onto the overhead rack and then plonked down onto one of the cushioned booth-like chairs. Both of us settled in for a while and simply chatted as many of the other students all boarded the train, the din softly diffusing through into dull buzzing every now and then. With the departure time close at hand I decided to give Lun some time in control of our body, my consciousness plunging deeper into our soul so I could get some rest.
Working out political problems was exhausting and I needed some beauty sleep...
~Have a good nap sis~
'Have fun, brother...'
...
(Lun's perspective)
My sister fell asleep as our body shifted into my form. To be honest, I disliked being in control of our body. Whilst it allowed me to explore the 'real world' more thoroughly it also came along with the responsibility to act like a normal human... That meant talking to idiots. I didn't like doing that at all.
Sol didn't like doing it either, but, well, she was more versed in dealing with their incapability, their whininess. Dad had spoken a lot to the both of us about people and I never really cared for those discussions. By the end he'd always say that I was an intellectual and a scholar of sorts, I preferred books or study in comparison to action or politics.
I began using our mouth to hum a little tune, the song itself a random little ditty that I had heard being sung in Paris, the day before dad nearly burned it into the dirt. Sis hated my humming but she never insisted I was bad at it, so I liked to continue singing to myself despite her protests. Boredom was kicking in and my thoughts were wandering... I recognised the need to do something.
Pulling out our wand I focussed on the intent of summoning something I wanted to us. Magic throbbed within our body for split second before a heavy tome popped into existence in our hands, my hands briskly opening it to the first page. I couldn't help but let a grin surge forth on our face as the title of the book made itself clear to me.
|Transmutation and Transfiguration a Warlock's Treatise- Niccolo Machiavelli|
I was going to have so much fun!
...
I wasn't having fun anymore...
You see, here I was, halfway through reading the one-thousand page book when the door to our compartment was rapped upon. At first I thought to ignore the random child, their black hair obvious through the faint warbling of light through the stained window. This attempt to ignore them failed as a second knock came after a few moments.
I'd tried to wake sis but she just murmured in her sleep and told me to deal with it... She was lucky we were family. Sighing I stood and opened the door, the faces of three children meeting my gaze as they examined me as if I were some odd creature at a muggle zoo.
"Hello, sorry to annoy you..." Our right eye twitched uncontrollably before returning to normal. I sucked at poker faces, that was always Sol's area of expertise.
"Ahem. No problem at all. What can I help you with?" I tried to keep our voice even, the tone masculine due to my control and the current form that our body had taken; the male version of my sister's form.
"Well, you see, my friend and I are wanting to escape a git by the name of Ronald Weasley. He annoyed us all with his constant insults and rhetoric against Slytherin..." I failed to see why this was mine or Sol's issue to suffer for.
"So?"
"Well, we'd like to join you in this compartment if we can?"
I couldn't help but blink our eyes a touch.
"Why not get your own...?" The girl, who I was only just starting to realise was rather bookish, twirled her fingers in her crazed puffy brown hair as she glanced between the floor and our eyes.
"W-well, we were told to, go away, when we asked the older years if we could sit with them."
~Sis!!!! I NEED YOUR HELP! GET YOUR ASS HERE NOW!~
'Mmm-mmmmmmm-aghhhh... What!?'
~People are speaking to me and I don't like it~
She deadpanned at me, her spectral hands rubbing her eyes within our soul whilst the three children before us shifted uneasily on their feet.
'Of for fuc-'
~Enough! Take over! I hate this! I only wanted to read my book!~
'Fine.'
Our body shifted into Sol's feminine form as I slipped into the cool embrace of our shared soul. People were so much more tolerable whilst within this gooey comfortable haze.
...
(Solaris's Perspective)
Shocked gasps escaped the trio before us as they watched me switch places with Lun. He was a brat sometimes and seemed to absolutely detest people whilst in control of our body; the main reason why I was always in control.
"H-holy-" The bushy haired girl before us exclaimed before being spoken over by the boy with a lightning scar upon his forehead.
"Wicked... Can we do that too!?" I blinked away the remnants of my blissful sleep and nearly huffed in exhaustion at the fact that Harry Potter decided to just crash our compartment.
The third, a brown haired kid with hazelnut coloured eyes and buckteeth large enough to rival the girl's, was moving his jaw up and down as if he were a fish trying to catch food in a river.
"Not unless you are a Metamorphmagus, like us. Now, my brother called me out, what seems to be the problem?"
"Brother?"
We both sighed.
"When this body is in a male form my brother, Lunaris, is in control and speaking. When it becomes feminine I am in control, my name is Solaris." The girl was smiling widely and bouncing up and down on her heels whilst the Potter watched us with a calculating gaze. I winked at him with a small amount of playfulness, a blush suffusing his cheeks instantly as he was unused to attention from the opposite sex.
The third kid was the first to speak after me however, his body bowing forwards in a proper stance as he held out his hand for my own; a custom where I would offer him my right hand so he could kiss just above it.
"Lady Solaris, it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Neville Longbottom, the heir-" I cut him off and finished his greeting for him, my hand extending out for him to kiss it as I did so. "heir to the Ancient and Noble house of Longbottom. Very Impressive." He blushed a tiny bit whilst the girl blinked rapidly in confusion.
Potter slowly followed Neville's footsteps. Word for word except for the detail that his house was a Most Ancient and Most Noble House. Both heirs kissed above my hand, their faces a touch red after their formal greeting.
"What is going on!?" The girl had snapped. Neville grimaced whilst Harry angled his head slightly, as if measuring how I would treat the confused girl.
"And, what is your name?"
She paused in her frustrations, putting her hand forth for a handshake. "Hermione Granger." Neville tensed, his temperament following in Harry's example as he examined our response.
"Wonderful." Harry and Neville relaxed at my attitude, Lun simply rolling his eyes within our mind.
"What just happened Hermione, if I can call you that?" She nodded. "Is an official greeting between noble houses. They introduce their name, their families and their family's station within society... They kiss the lady's hand to signify that they were trained to be gentleman and have been raised properly. The bow is a general way of showing someone that you mean no harm as it is significantly harder to draw a wand on someone whilst bowed."
Hermione was absorbing all of this knowledge like a fish breathing in water, her eyes blazing with the intensity of the sun.
"A-and, do you have a noble lineage...?" I smiled at her and inclined my head in slight happiness.
"Yes, in fact i do. A good question to ask when I have not in fact introduced myself properly." The boys fidgeted at the slip-up on their end. They had made an assumption, a good one, but still an assumption.
I straightened our spin and let all the poise I could muster slip into our posture. Curtseying in equal measure to their bows I began my introduction.
"Neville Longbottom, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Solaris LeFay-Emyrs-Grindelwald-Nightingale, The Lord or Lordess to the Most Ancient, Most Arcane and Most Ancient House of LeFay and Emyrs, The Lord or Lordess to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Grindelwald and Nightingale."
Neville sputtered as Harry just frowned for a few moments before shock spread to his face as well. Hermione had been faster than both of them however and was trying to curtsey just as I had, her form rather poor but nice enough.
"Good! Now that the nonsense has been sorted, feel free to come in and sit down. I'm sure we can find loads to talk about." All three of them stepped in like wind-up dolls, their postures rather stiff and rigid.
'This is good... I can make in-roads with Harry and Neville here. Hell, we may even become friends with them Lun.'
~I think the girl isn't too bad. We'll have to get to know them though.~
'Mhm!'
With a low rumble the train set off towards Hogwarts, the four of them settling into the compartment within minutes as they rested all of their luggage into the carriers overhead.
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