#Felix Felicis | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

amatchinwater · 2 years

Text

Pairing: Steo

Characters: Stiles Stilinski, Theo Raeken, Moaning Myrtle,

Warnings/tags: potion making, use of potions, love potion, liquid luck, HP AU,

Words: 3955

a/n: I always had this idea that Felix Felicis would backfire if you didn't need luck for the task...so I did it with Steo 💚 for @voidstilesplease for helping me solidify the idea like a year ago! @msmischief101 I finally did it 😭

Ao3 link Masterlist

Just A Little Luck

---

There’s a few things to note about Hogwarts sixth year Stiles Stilinski. For starters, he’s a Slytherin. Top of his class too, he’s been in the Slug Club for years. The sorting hat was a little stumped with him at first. His proclivity for academics almost had Stiles placed in Ravenclaw, but he’s far too much of a trickster to be placed anywhere but Slytherin. Not to mention the ambition to achieve his goals no matter what it takes.

He’s also an Animagus. Which was an incredibly hard process to learn as a third year. But Stiles did it by some miracle. It’s amazing running around in his fox form. The Forbidden Forest is his favorite. Most of the Centaurs know him by name since Stiles is one of the few Wizards to treat not only the forest, but them with respect. So they leave him to run in peace and even occasionally seek his help if something is amiss.

Being academically inclined made his O.W.L.s a cake walk. As a muggle-born most of his peers expected him to struggle early on. Stiles was more than happy to prove them wrong.

Professor Slughorn is obsessed with him. Which means that Stiles has far surpassed his fellow classmates. On his first day in the advanced potions course, he was the only one to successfully brew an invisibility potion. It’s just as difficult and temperamental as the Draught of Living Death. Slughorn was practically giddy even after all this time.

“No student can make that potion,” Myrtle sneers from where she’s perched above the sinks.

“For the love of Merlin,” Stiles sets his book back on his lap with a huff. “Isn’t there some hopeless Prefect taking a bath that you can go and annoy?”

As much sass as he’s giving the ghost, she’s not exactly wrong. Not a single student has ever successfully brewed Felix Felicis. Never. But there hasn’t been a single potion to beat Stiles yet. He’s not about to let it be Liquid Luck either.

Stiles needs this.

Because today he plans on asking Theo Raeken out on a date. Slytherin Quidditch Captain, same year as Stiles. And true heir to Salazar Slytherin. While Theo doesn’t seem to adhere to the Pureblood ideology, a little luck couldn’t hurt a muggle-born like Stiles.

So he’s going to make this fucking potion. Preferably without Moaning Myrtle’s snark.

“You don’t have to be so rude, you know,” she whines, ghostly eyes filling with tears.

Stiles hangs his head back with a sigh, “look, Myrtle,” he tries to stow his annoyance when he faces her again. “I have something really important I’m trying to do today, okay? I need all the help I can get.”

“From what I hear, you’re the smartest in your year.” Myrtle squints at him, “what could you possibly need luck for?”

“Landing a date with Theo Raeken,” he mumbles.

“A boy,” she squeals, laughing as she soars towards him. “Why didn’t you say so?”

“I-I’m sorry?” The Slytherin boy stares at her shocked. The girl has certainly never been this docile around him. But he needed privacy, so he came to the second floor girl’s bathroom.

“You should be.” She goes to shove his shoulder, but her hand goes right through him. Such an odd feeling, and cold. “Had I known it was about a boy, I’d have helped you.”

Stiles snorts, “you? Help someone? That doesn’t sound like the Myrtle that tried to drown me in the toilet last year.”

“I’m only mean to those that are mean to me,” she says with a sly grin.

“To be fair, I hadn’t realized which bathroom I ran into,” Stiles chuckles.

“You threw a book at my head!”

“I’m sorry! You startled me!”

Myrtle laughs, “come on. Let’s get you your boy. Add another tentacle.”

“But the instructions specifically say two.”

She shrugs, “I watched Professor Slughorn brew some as a prize for his seventh year class. He put in three.”

Suddenly unsure as to whether or not Myrtle is actually helping him, Stiles cautiously puts in another Murtlap tentacle. The bubbling brown mixture lets out a puff of smoke before settling to a nice golden color. Just like the book suggests.

“Yes!” Stiles exclaims, pumping his fist in the air. “Myrtle, I could kiss you right now. Thank you.”

The ghost giggles, “go get your boy. I want to hear all about it,” Myrtle smiles before soaring in the air and diving into her toilet with a splash.

Stiles ladles the Felix Felicis into a small goblet so it can cool off. He hasn’t been in the girl’s bathroom- lavatory, loo, he’s really gotta get a handle on the lingo outside of America- for very long. If he moves quickly, he can catch Theo on his way to the Quidditch pitch. Hopefully alone so he can word vomit his request for a date with no peering eyes. Minimal shame is what he’s going for here.

Giving the potion another moment to cool, Stiles tidies up his things and dusts his robe off. Slinging it back on so McGonagall doesn’t give him shit for not wearing it again, he gulps down the Liquid Luck. A smile glosses over his face and with a flourish of his wand, the cauldron and ingredients disappear. Hopefully clean and back in his room.

Felix agrees.

Feeling good about himself, Stiles saunters out into the halls in search of Theo. He’s had the biggest crush on his fellow Slytherin since he laid eyes on the boy underneath the Sorting Hat. Theo has always been nice to him on their carriage rides to the castle and around the school. They even studied for their O.W.L.s together. Theo has even sparked up a conversation or two with him if they’ve sat close enough during meals. Stiles can just never get over the hurdle of their lineage. That there’s the chance Theo’s parents stand by the not mixing of blood and expect their son to do the same. Times may have changed, but not for everyone.

But that’s what Felix is for.

To put luck on his side and get the guy.

Walking out the front door feeling absolutely giddy, Stiles finds Theo not far ahead and actually walking alone. The Quidditch captain has his broom resting on his shoulders, drumming his fingers against the wood.

Not letting this chance go to waste, Theo is right there, Stiles runs. “Hey, Theo! Wait up,” he calls.

The other Slytherin boy stops in his tracks, turning around with his brows pinched. When his eyes land on Stiles, Theo smiles and meets him halfway.

“Thanks,” Stiles pants when he reaches the other boy.

“You alright?” Theo chuckles, amused as he swings his broom off his shoulders.

Stiles hunches over, hands on his knees to catch his breath. "Yeah," he huffs. Apparently Liquid Luck couldn't be bothered to help him in the athletic department. Rude.

Theo pats his shoulder, unknowingly grounding Stiles; he’s more fox than human at times with touch. "You should join the team. I'll make you a better runner in no time."

"I'm a fantastic runner," Stiles stands back up. He nods his head to the side, "well, when I'm a fox, I am. Four legs are much faster than two."

"Have you given any more thought to letting me see you as a fox?" Theo asks, almost shyly, looking at his feet.

"I-" he honestly thought the other boy had been joking. And that was like two weeks ago. "You were serious?"

The captain nods, "well, yeah. If you'd be comfortable with that. I think Animaguses are fascinating." Theo flashes him a gorgeous smile and his heart damn near melts. This is genuine Theo too. Because he’d asked about this before Stiles even took the potion. "It's cool as hell that I'm friends with one. I'd love to see it."

They've talked and studied together, but Stiles never thought the other boy would've considered them friends.

"Yeah," Stiles clears his throat to hide the cheesy grin. "Just let me know when."

"I'm gonna hold you to that," Theo playfully narrows his eyes at him, a smile tugging the corner of his mouth. "Right," he jumps like he'd remembered something, " I gotta get to the pitch, I'll see you back at the common room."

"Okay," Stiles waves, letting him go. "Oh shit. Theo hang on," he grabs the other boy’s arm, "I almost forgot what I wanted to ask you."

"What's up?" He asks, not caring about the hand on him. Theo doesn't usually let people touch him outside of Quidditch.

"I-" Stiles takes a breath, anxiety starting to creep in beside Felix. But that's what it's for. All he has to do is say the words. "I was wondering if you'd let me take you to the Three Broomsticks? You know," he sways on his feet, "as a date."

"Oh, uh, Stiles-"

No. No, no, no, no, no. Felix was supposed to help this go well! His heart is plummeting in his chest. Stomach ready to fall out of his ass. He recognizes that tone a mile away. Stiles is being rejected.

"I'm sorry. You're a great guy and I would love to hang out with you, but I'm just not interested in you like that." Theo’s face twists in confusion. That Stiles even asked in the first place? "I- I'm really sorry. I gotta go," he nods before turning back towards the gate.

Stiles watches him in shocked silence. What did he possibly do wrong? He made it right, Myrtle assured him of it. And seeing as how he, a non-Quidditch player, made it outside the castle after dinner, it had to have worked.

"What the fuck just happened?"

—

He doesn't attend classes for three days, or even leave bed just to go down to the common room. Madam Pomfrey came to check on him the second day. Seeing he wasn't ill, but riddled with nerves, she let him off. Nerves over seeing Theo again after being rejected, but she didn’t need to know that. It was plain to his friends he shares the room with that he was not doing so great.

His only solace was when Liam, his friend and Beater on the team, came back to their room that night and said nothing about it. So Theo didn't tell anybody.

That's something at least.

On the other hand though, Stiles woke up on the fourth day with his robes soaked.

"Shit," he mutters, waving his wand to dry it. He promised Myrtle that he'd tell her what happened. She must think he's blowing her off. Today is the last day Madam Pomfrey gave him to collect himself. Maybe moving around will do him some good.

After quickly getting dressed, Stiles makes his way to the great hall. Most of the students have gone to their first classes of the day. Only a handful of sixth and seventh years with free periods remain. He nicks a muffin and a goblet of pumpkin juice from the Slytherin table before leaving. Making his way towards the girl's bathroom on the second floor with his head hung low.

Hopefully Myrtle isn't too pissed. It's not like he's been denying her or purposefully ignoring her. Stiles was just too mortified to leave his room. Wildly embarrassed and stuck in his feelings.

Carefully pushing open the door, Stiles pikes his head inside. "Whoa!" He shouts, jumping back and narrowly escaping a massive stream of water coming straight for his face. "Myrtle, it's me," Stiles says through the closed door.

"Good," she snaps, followed by the sound of more water slapping the wood.

"Listen, I haven't been leaving you hanging, I promise" he explains. "Theo, he-" Stiles sighs, might as well finally say the words out loud. "He turned me down."

Myrtle’s head pops through the middle of the door, "what?"

"He rejected me," Stiles slaps his thighs. The ghost's face falls and she retreats back into the bathroom. Skeptical that he's safe from more projectiles, Stiles pushes the door open again, finding Myrtle sitting by the sinks; she pats the space beside her. "I don't understand what I did wrong," Stiles says, plopping down beside her.

"What happened?"

Stiles recounts everything. How he made it out of the castle with ease when only Quidditch players are allowed out for practice. How nice Theo was to him in general and about him being an Animagus. The playful nature the other boy had about him being out of shape as a human.

Everything.

"But when you asked him on a date, he said no," Myrtle looks just as confused as Theo had when he said no. "Maybe he doesn't like boys. I doubt Felix Felicis can change someone's sexual preferences."

Stiles shakes his head, "no, he likes guys too. I've seen him making out with Talbot under the Quidditch stands in our fourth year." That isn’t an easy sight to forget. The two hottest guys in school making out with each other? Yeah, that’s burned into Stiles’ brain and at the tippy top of his spank bank.

Don’t judge.

Myrtle hums, tapping her chin, "maybe they're still together?"

"Nah, it was only the one time and Brett transferred to Durmstrang last year." Stiles presses the palms of his hands into his eyes and takes a deep breath. He hasn't cried over this yet and he's not about to do so now. "I just don't get it. The potion definitely worked."

"You know," she giggles, a mischievous sound. He’s not entirely sure if he likes the sound. "If you want Theo so badly, you could just slip him a love potion. It's much easier to make than Liquid Luck."

Stiles drops his hands, crossing his arms over his knees, "no. I don't want to force him into liking me. I just used Felix to get me one date.” The Slytherin boy lifts a finger, “just the one. If Theo didn't like me after that, then so be it. I just wanted a chance, Myrtle."

"So use Amortentia to get you the date," the ghost says. "It's not long lasting," Myrtle tries to reason, "if it wears off in the middle of the date and he wants to leave, let him. But if he stays…" she trails off, leaving the Slytherin boy to fill in the blanks.

"Then he actually likes me?"

"I would say so, yes."

"I guess I could tweak it," Stiles rubs his jaw, thinking out loud, "make it less potent. More of an attraction than an actual love potion. Just to make myself seem more appealing to him, you know? Just enough to get the date, that’s it."

Myrtle smiles, "you certainly wouldn't be the first Wizard to change a spell or potion to have it work in their favor."

"You're right, I can do this."

—

Once Slughorn saw how good Stiles was at brewing potions, he allowed the sixth year access to his ingredients whenever he wanted. Grabbing the necessary items for Amortentia was easy. Avoiding people on his way back to Myrtle’s lavatory, not so much. The one Prefect that stopped him was thankfully a Slytherin. So all Stiles had to do was tell a small fib that he was brewing a tonic for his nerves and was sent on his way.

It's a really good thing that no one ever uses this bathroom anymore. The house elves still keep it clean so that Myrtle doesn't have to live eternity in filth, but they’re not due yet. Which is kind of pointless. The girl swims in toilet drains on the regular. Stiles doubts she cares about a little dust. On the other hand, the thought is probably nice though.

And with no students being stupid enough to risk upsetting Myrtle, he's free to make his potion in peace.

"I'm glad you're not the boy I thought you were," Myrtle says, looking over the ingredients littering the tile floor.

Stiles snorts a laugh, "and I'm glad you're not like Peeves. I really can't stand him. You know he threw some poor Hufflepuff’s books on the floor because they didn’t like his jokes? The first year was in tears."

"I’m not above making people cry,” Myrtle deadpans. “I just mean," she settles next to the cauldron that's coming to a boil, fiddling with her fingers, "it's nice to have a friend." Myrtle ducks her head, "I haven't had one of those in a really long time."

The Slytherin boy's heart throbs, "I'm happy to be your friend, Myrtle."

"So tell me about your boy," she giggles, lifting into the air to fly about the room. "Your Theo."

Colorful smoke plumes from the cauldron, the spicy scent of cinnamon rolls wafts into his nostrils. Reminds him of early weekend mornings before his mom passed. Along with the smell of the Forbidden Forest after it rains, the perfect time for a little gray fox to go for a run. And something he can't quite place, spicy but a sharp sweetness almost like- holy shit. Theo's cologne. As if he didn't already know he was attracted to the fucking guy.

Okay, now to just lessen the effects.

"First of all," Stiles cocks an eyebrow at her, "he's not my Theo."

"Oh, but you want him to be," she sings. "Come on, no one comes in here. Tell me about Theo, let me see him," Myrtle waves her hand in front of the potion as he adds half of a bezoar.

If it's good enough to cure ailments, half of one should lessen the effects. At least he really hopes so.

"Okay, okay," he shoos her off. "He's a few inches shorter than me, not noticeable really. His eyes are a beautiful blue," Stiles smiles, seeing them in his head. "But when the sun hits them just right, they look green." Like how they do every morning at the breakfast table. Talk about a way to start your day.

"He sounds handsome," Myrtle sighs, laying on her stomach, propping her head in her hands.

"Very,” Stiles agrees. “He's captain of the Quidditch team," he tells the ghost, the smell of the brew becoming less intense. It's working! "Theo's a Slytherin like me, but from a very prominent bloodline."

"Uh, Stiles," Myrtle says.

"I'm talking descended from Salazar himself," Stiles carries on, his rambling taking over. "That's why I used Liquid Luck. I-I didn't think that someone muggle-born would be accepted by his family. But I-I’m not a bad guy, you know? I just wanted a fair shot to prove myself."

"Stiles!"

"What?" He snaps out of his rant to look up at her.

"Would you say Theo has a strong jaw?" Myrtle asks.

"I-" Stiles' mouth falls open in a frown. That's an odd question. "Yeah, I guess so. Why do you ask?"

Myrtle doesn't answer, rather points behind Stiles, trying to hide her laugh. A bucket of ice water pours over him, Stiles is sure of it, when he turns around to find Theo. Amused as ever where he stands against the door with his arms folded and one leg crossed.

"Oh fuck," Stiles mutters, eyes wide as saucers. He’s in the bathroom making a fucking love potion for the guy and he just walks in. Irony? Karma? What the fuck is this, because Stiles really doesn’t like it. He doesn’t even know what to do and isn’t even sure he’s breathing.

"Hey there Stiles," Theo smirks.

That's not good. Stiles is frozen on the spot so badly he might as well have been hit by Petrificus Totalus. It's a really good thing his mouth is used to working without any help from him because Stiles is gone.

"How, uh, how long have you been standing there?" He asks, though certain he both knows the answer and doesn't actually want to hear it. His ears are pink enough as it, the heat creeping down his neck.

Theo leans off the wall, taking a step closer. His smirk ever present, "probably a lot longer than you'd like."

"Fuck," Stiles curses under his breath, hanging his head. This is so not how things were supposed to happen. What's Theo going to do? The fact that he just looks amused about the whole thing is rather unsettling. Stiles pinches his eyes closed, rubbing them before asking, "are you going to report me?"

The other boy laughs, fully and heartily. "Why in the hell would I report you? Can't exactly date you if you're expelled now, can I?"

"What?" Stiles' head whips is. Surely he misheard. There’s simply no way he heard that properly.

Theo chuckles, standing close enough that Stiles has to look up at him. That shouldn’t be as enticing as it looks. "You know, for someone so brilliant, you can be quite thick."

"I-I’m sorry?"

Myrtle cackles, “he’s not wrong.” Stiles shoots her a glare and she backs off, giggling as she goes.

"There's this fine little clause when it comes to Felix Felicis." Theo asks, "did you know that?" Stiles' face falls at his words, no he didn't. "I did. Well, I had to look it up in the library."

"What's the clause?" He asks. Because of course the one time Stiles doesn't read the fine print it's actually useful information. Go figure.

Theo squats in front of him, "it states that if you didn't need luck for the task to begin with, the potion will have the opposite effect. It's why I didn't use it to become captain; I'd have never gotten it."

"So-"

"It's also why I was so fucking confused when I said no to the gorgeous awkward guy in my year who helped me pass my OWLs." Theo drops his voice to a whisper, "you know the one I'd ask out myself if he wasn't so bloody shy in everything but academics. I was worried your own fear would make you say no. But here you are," Theo points at the cauldron, "brewing Amortentia and having no idea that it smells like you and those little pies you brought to our study sessions."

"To be fair, it's heavily diluted so you'd just be a little attracted to me." Stiles gets to his feet, "but hang on. If you'd known I'd used Liquid Luck, why didn't you say anything? Confront me sooner?"

"Well," Theo rises up to meet him, barely a foot apart, "this is the first day you've left your room." The captain gets closer, carefully putting a hand on Stiles' hip, pulling their bodied flush. All air leaves his lungs at the action, his heart pounding in his chest and legs turned to jelly. "Besides, this isn't a confrontation, sweetheart.” His free hand brushes the side of Stiles’ chin, making him shiver. “I think it's cute that you thought you needed potions to get me."

"You do?" The words are whispered, breath caught in Stiles' throat.

"Very. All you had to do was say hello," Theo's words are accentuated with a squeeze to his hip. "So what do you say, sweetheart? Wanna be my boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend?" Stiles nearly chokes on the word.

"Stiles, I've known you for six years," Theo explains, "that's more than enough time to know if I want to be with someone." He leans in until their noses touch, "all you have to do is say yes and I'll learn the rest as we go."

This is all Stiles has ever wanted and more. Saying, "yes," is effortless.

"Good," Theo grins, grabbing his chin and sealing their mouths together in a kiss.

Guess he never needed luck to begin with. Stiles just needed to be himself to get the guy.

Who knew?

#teen wolf #harry potter au #steo #stiles stilinski #theo raeken #slytherin stiles stilinski #slytherin theo raeken #felix felicis #amortentia #moaning myrtle #stiles x theo #theo x stiles #ao3 fic #Match Writes

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braveclementine · 4 months

Text

Chapter 23

Warnings: None. However, future chapters will contain sexual content so readers that are under the age of 18 may have to skip those chapters (Please keep note of the warnings).

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.

𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖉 𝖆𝖑𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖞 said my good-byes to the kids and to Severus. Severus was sitting in the headmasters' office, waiting for the Dark Lords' notice. Trang had come into the room, telling me that Neville had left to get Harry. And then she disappeared into the room to be with the kids. So I had kissed Severus one last time, and had left without looking back.

Now, I was entering the Room of Requirement. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville were back and all of the students were standing around them, chattering excitedly.

I could not bring myself to muster up such excitement.

"Why can't you tell us? It's something to do with fighting You-Know-Who, right?" Neville was asking as I silently took a spot near Susan and Ernie.

"Well, yeah-" Harry was saying.

"Then we'll help you."

"You don't understand. We- we can't tell you. We've got to do it- alone."

"Why?"

"Because Dumbledore left the three of us a job and we weren't supposed to tell- I mean he wanted us to do it, just the three of us."

"We're his army. Dumbledore's army. We were all in it together, we've been keeping it going while you three have been off on your own-"

"It hasn't exactly been a picnic, mate." Ron interrupted.

"I never said it had, but I don't see why you can't trust us. Everyone in this room's been fighting and they've been driven in here because the Carrows were hunting them down. Everyone in here's proven they're loyal to Dumbledore- loyal to you."

I wanted to interject, to tell Harry to give up his stubborn pride. But I would not alter a minute here, a single frame of my vision. I couldn't afford it. If we were off by a single minute. . . then perhaps I wouldn't be able to save their lives.

"Look," Harry started, but the portrait behind him opened.

"We got your message, Neville! Hello you three, I thought you must be here!" It was Luna and Dean naturally, as expected. "Hi everyone! Oh, it's great to be back!"

"Luna, what are you doing here? How did you-"

"I sent for her. I promised her and Ginny that if you turned up I'd let them know. We all thought that if you came back, it would mean revolution. That we were going to overthrow Snape and the Carrows."

Harry met my eyes. I wondered what he saw there, what he was thinking about.

"Of course that's what it means, isn't it, Harry? We're going to fight them out of Hogwarts?"

"Listen. I'm sorry, but that's not what we came back for. There's something we've got to do, and then-"

"You're going to leave us in this mess?" Michael demanded.

"No!" Ron interjected once more. "What we're doing will benefit everyone in the end, it's all about trying to get rid of You-Know-Who-"

"Then let us help! We want to be a part of it!"

The portrait opened once more and my heart fell down through my stomach as Fred came through the portal with George, Ginny, and Lee. And down in my stomach, my heart started to pound erratically. My hand reached into my pocket, gently squeezing, fingers counting the vials of liquid luck I had. Four. Fred, Dad, Tonks, Severus.

Dad and Severus came first but I'd be damned if I didn't try and help Fred and Tonks too.

"Aberforth's getting a bit annoyed. He wants a kip and his bar's turned into a railway station." Fred said.

Cho Chang came through and I rolled my eyes, inching myself closer to Hermione.

"I got the message." Cho said, sitting next to Michael.

"So what's the plan, Harry?" George asked.

Fred caught me staring at him and winked.

"There isn't one."

"Just going to make it up as we go along, are we? My favorite kind." Fred said, rubbing his hands together.

Oh Fred.

"you've got to stop this! What did you call them all back for? This is insane-"

"We're fighting, aren't we? The message said Harry was back, and we were going to fight! I'll have to get a wand, though-"

"You haven't got a wand-?" Seamus asked Dean in shock.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione talked amongst themselves while the rest of us sat in wait. Fred and George started to crack jokes. Fred said, "A blind wizard walks into a bar, finds his way to a stool, and sits down. He says rather loudly to the barkeep, 'Hey, how would you like to hear a Hufflepuff joke?' The bar goes silent and the barkeep replies, 'Sir, I will not lie to you. You are speaking to a Hufflepuff. The man behind you is an Auror from Hufflepuff, the woman to your right is a Hufflepuff dueling champion, and we all have our wands drawn. Do you really want to continue?' The blind wizard goes silent for a moment before curtly replying, 'No I don't. Not if I'm going to have to explain it three times!'"

The students around them laughed and a small smile appeared on my lips. Ernie on the other hand, rolled his eyes. Fred winked at me again.

I took it all back. Dad. Tonks. Fred. Severus. All of their lives were equally important and I just had to save who I could. I wouldn't put Dads' life over Freds'. He wouldn't want me to, and this young man who was sitting in front of me had his whole life ahead of himself. I would do everything in my power to keep him alive.

"Okay." Harry suddenly called out. "There's something we need to find. Something- something that'll help us overthrow You-Know-Who. It's here at Hogwarts, but we don't know where. It might have belonged to Ravenclaw. Has anyone heard of an object like that? Has anyone ever come across something with her eagle on it, for instance?"

I couldn't stop myself, despite how much I wanted to. But after years of answering questions as quickly as possible, on top of all of the stress I was under, the words just spilled out of me. "You're talking about her diadem, Harry."

"Yes!" Luna agreed. "The lost diadem of Ravenclaw. Daddy's trying to duplicate it."

"Yeah, but the lost diadem, is lost. That's sort of the point." Michael said, rolling his eyes.

"When was it lost?" Harry asked.

"Centuries ago, they say. Professor Flitwick says the diadem vanished with Ravenclaw herself. People have looked, but, nobody's ever found a trace of it, have they?"

This time I bit my tongue to stay quiet.

"Sorry, but what is a diadem?" Ron asked.

I nearly threw my chair at him.

"It's a kind of crown. Ravenclaw's was supposed to have magical properties, enhance the wisdom of the wearer." Terry supplied helpfully. I loved Ravenclaws.

"Yes, Daddy's Wrackspurt siphons-"

"And none of you have ever seen anything that looks like it?"

"I totally didn't draw you a picture of it or anything last year." I muttered under my breath.

"If you'd like to see what the diadem's supposed to look like, I could take you up to our common room and show you, Harry? Ravenclaw's wearing it in her statue." Cho suggested and I could've sworn to Merlin that she actually fluttered her damn eyelids. War was about to break out and she was flirting?

Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione again as Cho got to her feet. Bless Ginny, love her. "No, Luna will take Harry, won't you, Luna?" She said fiercely.

"Oooh, yes, I'd like to." Luna said happily.

"How do we get out?" Harry asked Neville.

"Over here." Neville led Harry and Luna over and I slowly rose from my chair, pacing the back of the room.

Hermione timidly approached me. "How are the children?"

"Fine. Trang is with them now." I said mechanically.

"Are you-"

"Hermione, I'd really rather not be bothered right now." I inhaled sharply, looking over at her. "It'll just make everyone nervous."

"Okay." Hermione said softly, heading back over to where Ron was.

I knew I needed to act better. I needed everyone to feel confident. My fear was not for the people in this room- almost all of who would be fine- but my attitude would convince them differently. I needed to put a confident face on.

I straightened up. I pushed all of my fears and worries down, locking them in the depths of my heart. I would do what I always did, every year during the conflict: I would become the main event.

I ran from the room, finding myself easily on the right floor as I watched Flitwick, Sprout, and McGonagall duel Severus. He barely caught my eye before he took off through a classroom door. I sprinted after the teachers, heart pounding, wand drawn. I could hear McGonagall cry out, "Coward! COWARD!"

"What's happened, what's happened?" Luna asked somewhere as I skidded to a stop inside of the room.

"He jumped." Professor McGonagall said as Harry and Luna joined me in the room.

"You mean he's dead?" Harry sprinted to the window as Flitwick and Sprout let out yells of shock at his sudden appearance. I hated the hope that was in Harry's voice, but I pushed it away once more.

"No, he's not dead. Unlike Dumbledore, he was still carrying a wand. . . and he seems to have learned a few tricks from his master." McGonagall caught my eye and the bitterness in her voice lightened a little.

"Harry!" Slughorns' voice came from behind. "Elizabeth! My dear children. . . what a surprise. . . Minerva, do please explain. . . Severus. . . what?"

"Our headmaster is taking a short break."

"Professor! Professor, we've got to barricade the school, he's coming now!" Harry shouted, pressing his hands to his forehead.

"Very well. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is coming. Potter has work to do in the castle on Dumbledore's orders. We need to put in place every protection of which we are capable while Potter does what he needs to do." McGonagall said swiftly.

"You realize, of course, that nothing we do will be able to keep out You-Know-Who indefinitely?" Flitwick asked.

"But we can hold him up." Sprout said firmly.

"Thank you, Pomona. I suggest we establish basic protection around the place, then gather our students and meet in the Great Hall. Most must be evacuated, though if any of those who are over age wish to stay and fight, I think they ought to be given the chance."

"Agreed. I shall meet you in the Great Hall in twenty minutes with my House." Professor Sprout said as she left the classroom.

"I can act from here." Flitwick said, starting to recite incantations. Harry quickly approached him to ask him about the diadem.

"We shall meet you and your Ravenclaws in the Great Hall, Filius!" McGonagall said and beckoned to the three of us. We exited the classroom only for Slughorn to finally say something, which were not to any of our liking.

"My word. What a to-do! I'm not at all sure whether this is wise, Minerva. He is bound to find a way in, you know, and anyone who has tried to delay him will be in most grievous peril-"

"I shall expect you and the Slytherins in the Great Hall in twenty minutes, also. If you wish to leave with your students, we shall not stop you. But if any of you attempt to sabotage our resistance or take up arms against us within this castle, then, Horace, we duel to kill."

"Minerva!"

"The time has come for Slytherin House to decide upon its loyalties. Go and wkae your students, Horace."

The three of us had to run after Professor McGonagall from how fast she was walking. She stood now in the middle of the corridor and raised her wand, "Piertotum- oh, for heaven's sake, Filch, not now-"

"Students out of bed! Students in the corridors!"

"They're supposed to be, you blithering idiot! Now go and do something constructive! Find Peeves!"

"P-Peeves?" Filch stammered.

"Yes, Peeves, you fool, Peeves! Haven't you been complaining about him for a quarter of a century? Go and fetch him, at once!" Filch hobbled away, muttering under his breath as he did so. "And now- Piertotum Locomotor!"

We watched as the statues and suits of armor jumped from their plinths, and heard the crashes of the ones above and below this floor. The stone statues marched in uniform line through the hallway and down the stairs, probably out to the front of the castle.

"Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duty to our school!" Professor McGonagall clasped her hands together and actually smiled for a moment. "I always wanted to do that."

She turned to us. "Now, Potter. You, Miss Lovegood, and Miss Kane had better return to your friends and bring them to the Great Hall- I shall rouse the other Gryffindors."

Harry, Luna, and I sprinted through the school. We passed students with their teachers. Heads spun as we ran past and whispers followed us with our names in them. We ignored them, running up the flights of stairs and down hallways that would lead us to the Room of Requirement.

Luna, Harry, and I ran down the steep staircase that was in the Room of Requirement and came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.

"Wh-" Harry sputtered, slipping down some of the stairs.

The first people I saw were Kingsley and Dad, who were standing next to each other. On instinct, my hand slipped into my pocket, fingering the different bottles of liquid luck once more. I breathed out. I could do this.

"Harry, what's happening?" Dad asked as he met us at the foot of the stairs. Without talking to me, he pulled me into a bone crushing hug.

"Voldemort's on his way, they're barricading the school- Snape's run for it- What are you doing here? How did you know?"

"We sent messages to the rest of Dumbledore's Army." Fred spoke up. "You couldn't expect everyone to miss the fun, Harry, and the D.A. let the Order of the Phoenix know, and it all kind of snowballed."

I could see the original Gryffindor Quidditch Chasers talking to Oliver Wood like it was some nice get together. I bit my bottom lip.

"What first, Harry. What's going on?"

"They're evacuating the younger kids and everyone's meeting in the Great Hall to get organized. We're fighting." Harry said.

Their was a huge roar and the crowd surged past us. I stepped to the side, clutching dad's arm, not wanting to let him go.

There weren't much people once we were left standing. It was simply Harry, Dad, Mr and Mrs. Weasley, Fred and George, Bill, Fleur, Ginny, and myself. Mrs. Weasley was arguing about Ginny about the fighting.

"You're underage! I won't permit it! The boys, yes, but you, you've got to go home!"

"I won't! I'm in Dumbledore's Army-"

"A teenagers' gang!"

"A teenagers' gang that's about to take him on, which no one else has dared to do!" Fred tried to defend his sister.

"She's sixteen! She's not old enough! What you two were thinking, bringing her with you-"

"Mum's right, Ginny. You can't do this. Everyone underage will have to leave, it's only right." Bill said softly.

"I can't go home! My whole family's here, I can't stand waiting there alone and not knowing and-" She shook her head and finished bitterly. "Fine. I'll say good-bye now, then, and-"

We looked over at the entrance hole as we heard scuffling and the thump of somebody falling out of it. The figure pulled himself up on the nearest chair, looking around and asking, "Am I too late? Has it started? I only just found out, so I- I-"

Percy broke off, spluttering into silence. The silence was so thick that it felt like the room was actually growing colder.

"So- 'ow eez leetle Teddy?"

My dad just blinked at her, startled before he understood and said rather loudly, "I- oh yes- he's fine! Yes, Tonks is with him- at her mother's- Here I've got a picture!" He was actually shouting now, his hands grabbing at his pockets before pulling out a photograph, showing it to me, Harry, and Fleur.

My brother was an adorable little thing, very tiny with a head full of bright turquoise hair. He waved his little fists at the camera.

"I was a fool!" Percy roared, so loudly I flinched and dad nearly dropped the photograph, clutching it tightly with his fingers once more. "I was an idiot, I was a pompous prat, I was a- a-"

"Ministry-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry moron?" Fred finished.

"Yes, I was!"

"Well, you can't say fairer than that." Fred said, holding his hand out to his elder brother.

Percy didn't even get to shake his brothers' hand. . . the last time to shake his brothers' hand, before Mrs. Weasley ran forwards in tears, pushing Fred to the side. . . the last time she would push him to the side, to strangle Percy in a hug.

"I'm sorry, Dad." Percy said. Mr. Weasley hurried forward to hug his son like he had returned from the dead.

But they would never hug Fred again.

"What made you see sense, Perce?" George asked.

"It's been coming on for a while. But I had to find a way out, and it's not so easy at the Ministry, they're imprisoning traitors all the time. I managed to make contact with Aberforth and he tipped me off ten minutes ago that Hogwarts was going to make a fight of it, so here I am."

"Well, we do look to our prefects to take a lead at times such as these." George imitated Percys' pompous manner from when he had been at Hogwarts. "Now let's get upstairs and fight, or all the good Death Eaters'll be taken."

"So, you're my sister-in-law now?" Percy asked, shaking hands with Fleur while walking up the stairs with his twin brothers and Bill.

"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley snapped as the young girl had been trying to sneak out of the Room of Requirement herself.

"What about this?" I quickly interfered. Ginny looked at me with hope and Dad closed his mouth since I was about to steal his line. "We need someone to stay in the room to keep it open, specifically to keep the secret passageway between Aberforths' bar and this room open to evacuate the kids. Ginny can stay here for the time being, that way she won't be in the middle of fighting, but then she can be an informant and the gatekeeper."

"I-" Ginny glared angrily at me.

"That's a good idea. Ginny, you stay in this room, you hear me?" Mr. Weasley said. '

Mr and Mrs. Weasley walked out and Dad went with them. I hesitated and then squeezed Harry's shoulder, hurrying back to my fathers' side. Harry would be able to manage without me, but I needed to keep an eye on my father.

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖈𝖊𝖎𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖌 of the Great Hall was dark and scattered with stars, and below it the four long House tables were lined with tired students, half in traveling cloaks and half in dressing gowns. Every school ghost imaginable was in the room, floating up near the ceiling.

For a moment, I forgot my worries, as I saw Firenze standing with the remaining teachers and the members of the Order of the Phoenix. They were all standing behind Professor McGonagall who was making her speech about who could stay and who could not.

"And what if we want to stay and fight?" Ernie asked.

I smiled a little.

"If you are of age, you may stay."

"What about our things? Our trunks, our owls?"

Priorities please?

"We have no time to collect possessions. The important thing is to get you out of here safely."

"Where's Professor Snape?" A girl from Slytherin asked.

My heart clenched.

"He has, to use a common phrase, done a bunk." Professor McGonagall said and the other three house tables cheered. I simply looked down at the ground.

No emotion.

"We have already placed protection around the castle, but it is unlikely to hold for very long unless we reinforce it. I must ask you, therefore, to move quickly and calmly, and do as your prefects-"

"I know that you are preparing to fight." Some of the students screamed as Voldemorts' voice filled the room. It surrounded everyone, like he was both whispering in your ear, yet speaking right in front of you, while also speaking at the front of room, echoing throughout. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood."

The room was silent now, though some of the students still clutched each other.

"Give me Harry Potter or Elizabeth Kane and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Elizabeth Kane, and you will be rewarded. You have until Midnight."

There was a silence again as every eye in the room found Harry and I. Pansy Parkinson rose from the table and screamed, "But there they are! They're there! Someone grab them!"

Neither Harry nor I even had to move as the three tables moved in unison, facing the Slytherin table. Wands were drawn at every angle, not just from the students, but from the Professors and Order as well.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson. You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch. If the rest of your House could follow." Professor McGonagall said in a clipped voice.

"Wait." A Slytherin male rose. I frowned just slightly because I recognized him. It was the same Slytherin seventh year from last year that had complimented me on the Professor artwork. The Slytherin who had decided that they would all sign it for the Professors. The Slytherin who had made the uniting of four houses- even for just that day- possible. "What if we want to fight regardless of our house?"

There was a stunned silence before some of them broke out in whispers, including the Slytherins around him.

He flushed only slightly, but said determinedly. "Elizabeth showed us last year what we can do when the four houses unite so. . ." He walked forwards, approaching me. I pushed past the students who were attempting to 'protect' me and met him halfway.

I smiled a little, holding out my hand. He shook it, the two of us keeping eye contact. "Welcome to the team."

He nodded. Ten other Slytherins broke away, joining him. I glanced up at the front of the Great Hall, meeting Firenze's' eyes. He looked so proud, smiling gently, and nodded at me. I smiled back just slightly.

The rest of the Slytherins left after Filch. One by one, McGonagall dismissed the other three people, Gryffindor showing their bravery by leaving half the table there. McGonagall descended on them to start kicking the ones underage out.

Kingsley stepped up to the platform while this was happening. "We've only got half an hour until midnight, so we need to act fast! A battle plan has been agreed between the teachers of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix. Professor Flitwick, Sprout, and McGonagall are going to take groups of fighters up to the three highest towers- Ravenclaw, Astronomy, and Gryffindor- where they'll have a good overview, excellent positions from which to work spells. Meanwhile Remus, Arthur, and I will take groups into the grounds. We'll need somebody to organize defense of the entrances of the passageways into the school-"

"Sounds like a job for us!" Fred called out, motioning between himself and George.

"All right, leaders up here and we'll divide up the troops!"

"So," I said, turning to the Slytherin. "I think it's only fair I learn your name."

He grinned, "Malcolm Samael."

I tilted my head slightly. "Jewish mythology last name?"

He flushed a little. "You recognize it."

I raised a teasing eyebrow. "Well perhaps you aren't aware but uh, I happen to be the smartest witch of my year."

"Duly noted." He smirked. "So, you our team leader?" He motioned to the other ten Slytherins with him, nine boys and a girl. All of them looking to be the same age as him.

"You are." I said, smacking his arm. "I got a solo job to do. Good luck."

"You too Kane." He said and the eleven of them headed off. Others watched them go, clearly not trusting them, but I did, despite not knowing their future.

I stayed in the shadows, following dad and his group as a cat. I stayed in the shadows, even as the Death Eaters collided with them, my green eyes scanning the battlefield until I laid eyes on my prey: Dolohov. The man who would kill my father.

I streaked across the battlefield as he started to duel Dad. The two of them fought viciously, streaks of green flying. I couldn't waste anymore time. I raced towards Dolohov, before leaping at him. He looked at me, stunned, perhaps wondering why a cat was lunging at him. He raised his wand and I switched, becoming human.

He crashed to the ground, staring up at me in shock, the light dying from his eyes as I had stabbed him through the neck, killing him immediately.

"ELIZABETH!" My dad shouted, racing across the battlefield, skidding to a stop, staring down at me. I staggered to my feet, pulling out the liquid luck.

"He would've killed you." I whispered, pushing the golden liquid into his hand. "Drink. Now. Do you understand me?"

"Yes." He whispered.

"I have to go save Fred next." I whispered. "Don't die on me dad, please. That was the only one I foresaw."

"Okay." He nodded. "Elizabeth, I love you."

Tears pricked at my eyes but I wouldn't let them flow over. "I love you too."

I raced back into the castle only to collide with Tonks halfway there. I grabbed her, dragging her away from the fighting.

"Elizabeth let me go! I have to get to Remus!" Tonks shouted, trying to jerk her arm out of my grip.

"Not before you drink this." I snapped.

I couldn't kill Bellatrix. For one thing, she would see my cat surprise attack far quicker than Dolohov, nor would she hesitate like he had. For another, Mrs. Weasley had to be the one to kill her, it was imperative for Voldemorts' death, I knew that much. But I couldn't let Tonks die either. Dad was saved and he wouldn't fall in love again, I knew that much too.

"Liquid luck?" Tonks asked.

"Listen to me. You must stay away from Bellatrix Tonks, at all costs. Dolohov was supposed to killed Dad and Bellatrix was supposed to kill you. I killed Dolohov so Dad should be fine, but I can't kill Bellatrix. You have to stay away from her, please Tonks. Dad won't make it if you don't."

"Okay." Tonks said, calmer now that I had explained it to her. She downed the potion right in front of me, before taking off again and this time, I let her.

I sprinted, sweat pouring down my back, my hair sticking to the back of my neck. I made it to the Room of Requirement, only to dive out of the way as the doors shot open, Fiendfyre shooting a flame above my body. I rolled out of the way just as the doors closed, three brooms colliding on the floor, dropping their passengers.

"C-Crabbe. C-Crabbe. . ." Malfoy choked out. Ash covered his face as he coughed and retched. Goyle laid nearby unconscious, but Harry, Hermione, and Ron were alright.

"He's dead." Ron said harshly.

"Are you three alright?" I asked.

"Where have you been?" Hermione asked.

"I just saved my dad's life." I explained, helping her to her feet. A look of understanding and then relief crossed her face. "And hopefully Tonks as well."

Suddenly, the Headless Haunt ghosts burst out of the wall, all of them carrying their heads under their arms, which were screaming for blood. They rode on into the battle that was ensuing down the hall and screams echoed back down to us that were not from the ghost heads.

"Where's Ginny?" Harry asked, getting to his own feet. "She was here. She was supposed to be going back into the Room of Requirement!"

"Blimey, d'you reckon it'll still work after that fire?" Ron asked as he also got to his feet. "Shall we split up and look-"

"No." Hermione said. "Let's stick together. I say we go- Harry, what's that on your arm?"

"What? Oh yeah-"

It broke my heart to see an heirloom so old, ancient, and valuable destroyed like that. It was literally a piece of history that had been ruined beyond repair. Something that should've been in a museum or put being a glass case, unrecognizable and in burned pieces with melted gems.

"It must have been the Fiendfyre!" Hermione gasped as we watched it literally burst into a thousand pieces, clinking lightly as they hit the marble floor. My heart shattered with it.

"Sorry?"

"Cursed fire." I explained quickly, heart thumping again as I knew Fred was going to die soon. "It's one of the substances that destroy Horcruxes."

"I would never, ever have dared use it, it's so dangerous- how did Crabbe know how to-" Hermione explained.

"Must've learned from the Carrows." Harry said.

"Shame he wasn't concentrating when they mentioned how to stop it, really." Ron said. "If he hadn't tried to kill us all, I'd be quite sorry he was dead."

"But don't you realize? This means, if we can just get the snake-" Hermione said.

I froze, my hand in my pocket as I realized I had two bottles left instead of one. I had been so focused on saving Dad and following him, that I had never given the Felix Felicis to Fred.

"No." I whispered.

I turned to shouts, my heart failing. Death Eaters had backed Fred and Percy into view. I sprinted forwards, the other three on my tail.

"Hello Minister!" Percy bellowed, sending a neat jinx straight at Thicknesse, who dropped his wand and clawed at the front of his robes, apparently in awful discomfort. "Did I mention I'm resigning."

Time please slow down.

"You're joking, Perce!" Fred shouted as I shot a stunning spell at his Death Eater. But I knew that wasn't what would kill him.

I gripped the liquid luck tightly in my other hand.

Please. He just needed to drink a drop.

"You actually are joking, Perce. . ."

Please.

"Fred! Catch!" I shouted, tossing the liquid luck under hand to him. He caught it, continuing to speak to Perce, still laughing, "I don't think I've heard you joke since you were-"

"FRED!" I screamed.

The air exploded. I flew off of my feet, squeezing my eyes closed as dust settled around us. I slammed into the wall, feeling something metal and long collide with my back. I cried out, before slamming against the marble floor. Rock hit me from above

I struggled, trying to claw my way out from underneath the rubble I was trapped under. I could hear Percy screaming and tears streaked down my face as I wiggled like a turtle on its back, but the chunks of rock were crushing me.

Hermione staggered to her feet with Harry's help, levitating the rock off of me.

"No- no- no! No! Fred! No!"

"NO." I sobbed, collapsing into Hermione.

Percy was kneeling by Fred's side shaking him, Ron next to him. Fred's eyes stared without seeing, the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face, a puddle of golden liquid and shattered glass in his hand.

⬅️➡️

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