Bonds of Servitude Ch. 21 (Patreon)

With a plop and a wet smack, Astoria's lips popped off of Harry's turgid cockhead. The youngest Greengrass had struggled to wrap her lips around the head and part of its length, and her jaw was left sore from just a minute or so of work, but she was quite proud, and she turned to look at her fellow firsties like a well-studied expert in the field.

“Who wants to give it a try?” Astoria asked as she smacked Harry's cock onto her face, leaving a nice big splash of slime with every smack.

“Your sister's a real go-getter, isn't she?” Susan told Daphne in a joking manner. 

Daphne shook her head. “She's a handful and a ha-ALF!”

Daphne gasped as Susan's fingers traveled up her thigh and and wriggled their way into her folds. Daphne bucked against her hand as her own hands moved with a mind of their own, sliding under her top to grope at Susan's large breasts.

Luna and Ginny looked at each other, and the redhead gulped nervously before unwrapping herself from Darcia's leg. 

Luna held her hand out to her. “It is a bit intimidating, want to do it together? It will be like when we went hunting for Wrackspurts.”

Ginny smiled at her oldest friend and took the offered hand. “It'll be just like that.”  

The two young girls skipped over to where Astoria was keeping Harry's meat nice and hard, rubbing it all over her face and giving it big, sloppy smooches.

Luna and Ginny knelt at either side of her. “Now, all you have to do is be brave.” Astoria assured them.

“I can do that.” Ginny said with false bravado as she reached out and tried grasping Harry's cock with her small hand. Harry, for his part was doing his best to be encouraging as he had his arms spread out behind the seats, looking down at the cute new girls with lust.

He wanted to spread them open, have them screeching for mercy as they swore themselves to him.

The predatory thought came and went quickly, and Harry was back to smiling kindly as Ginny leaned forward, entire body trembling, and she stuck her tongue out tentatively. 

Her warm tongue lightly grazed the spit-coated head of his cock, and the redhead's eyes filled with a modicum of confidence. “This isn't so hard, give it a go, Luna.”

Luna was somehow even smaller than Ginny, and both girls were tiny even by first year standards, making Astoria look like a second year by comparison.

Luna's small mouth wrapped around the head of Harry's cock, and Harry let out a moan as the girl gave it a nice, wet suck, her tongue sliding across the sensitive skin.

Luna pulled back with a smile and Astoria grinned. “See, I told you.”

“Let's do some more.”

On the opposite bench, the older girls had cut loose. Susan was biting her lip as she lifted her top up over her breasts, which had ballooned considerably over the summer. Hermione and Daphne had each picked out a ripened tit to suckle on, taking a rock-hard nipple into their mouths. Meanwhile, Darcia was on her knees behind Hermione, face between her cheeks as she tongued down her lover's backdoorn. Darcia's hands were spreading out Hermione's cheeks as her tongue burrowed deep into her puckered hole, the slimy appendage wriggling around inside.

Astoria and Ginny were licking up opposite sides of Harry's shaft at the same time as Luna slid her tongue down its length. She stopped halfway down and pressed her lips against the thick girth, sucking against the middle of Harry's cock as if she wanted to give it a hickey.

Harry reached out, one hand holding onto Astoria's brown hair while the other slid through Ginny's ginger locks. Astoria's eyes were closed, but Ginny's were open, and she was mirroring the other girl's every move as they both reached his head and wrapped their lips around it.

Harry groaned as he felt both sets of lips suck on his crown as he felt something strange further below.

He leaned forward and saw that Luna had stretched out his ballsack and placed it over her eyes like a mask while she licked away at his taint. It was such a bizarre yet arousing thing, and Harry found that he enjoyed it.

Astoria had slid down to lick at the underside of his crown while Ginny took the initiative and wrapped her mouth around his head. Or tried her best, anyway.

Under the triple-barrage of the cute first years, Harry let out a small grunt, and his cock exploded with Ginny's mouth still wrapped around it.

The redhead's eyes widened as the first shot erupted down her throat and forced her to swallow its gooey goodness. Her head shot back and her face was coated with the second shot as the next few gushed like a geyser, painting Astoria's face and hair as Luna lifted her head. She received two streaks of cum across her nose before she put the underside of her tongue against Harry's tip, letting the final burst splash against it, a burst of salty goodness striking her taste buds.

Astoria dived at Luna and Ginny dived at Astoria, all three desperate to lick off every inch of the gunky nectar that they could muster.

…

“We sold out even quicker than last time.” Tracey exclaimed as she opened the compartment door as Pansy stepped in behind her, stashing galleons in an endless coinpurse.

“Huh. Wasn't expecting that.” 

Daphne, Susan, Hermione and Darcia were laid out, comatose against the benches with their pussies leaking cum. That was expected. Astoria being in the same state on the floor was not surprising either.

The small little redhead scooping cum from her pussy up to her mouth next to her? Or the glassy eyed blonde who was kneeling on a seat as she was pounded from behind by a raging bull with raven hair? Those were new.

“We still have a bit of time, Harry. Can we go next?” Pansy asked as she and Tracey slipped off their clothes.

Harry had a finger hooked inside of Luna's mouth, who was gurgling incoherently as her little virgin pussy took a rough pounding for its first time, sloshing, clapping and farting with each thrust that drove Harry's thick meat into her hole. One thundering thrust later, and the girls could visibly see Luna's stomach bulge as Harry blew his load inside of her, its volume not diminished in the least.

Harry pulled out of the girl, who curled up into a ball against the seat. His cock was still rock hard and bathed in slick juices as his emerald green eyes, flecked with gold, froze Pansy and Tracey in place.

…

“We are about to reach Hogsmeade Station, all students prepare to deboard the train. Remember to leave your trunks safely stowed in the compartments. They will be brought up to the castle for you.”

Fleur's eyes snapped open. Her mind was trapped in a fog, her limbs feeling heavy as she stirred and tried to shake off the feeling of molasses coursing through her veins. 

She'd managed to drag herself up onto a seat before passing out. Even now, her toes were curling uncontrollably inside of her shoes as it all came back to her.

She could cry. In fact, the tears began to flow freely, uncaring of her indignant protests.

She had tasted a mere fraction of her king’s essence, but it had been more than potent enough to leave her in this state. 

Fleur had never had any doubts about her king. It was a legend amongst her people for a reason, after all, but clearly, a part of her had been downplaying its veracity. How much could a male's essence really affect a veela? Even when her mother told the story of her grandmere's reaction, she hadn't been fully convinced.

She'd been a fool. An absolute, idiotic fool. He was no mere male of their species, he was a god, their god. A drop of his holy essence had been enough to send her to nirvana.

And yet, these British whores were hawking it around like a bonbon. They were selling it amongst themselves, treating it like a commodity, to be marketed and packaged and prostituted out for mass consumption.

They were treating her king's sacred seed like an illicit drug. It was sacrilege, it was disrespect of the highest order. Her king was being used as nothing more than cattle.

Fleur was rattled. The train ride had been an abject failure. She had not so much as seen Darcia Malfoy.

It took her a while, but she settled down, her mind evening out as she ran through her occlumency exercises. She focused on her breathing, letting everything fade away until her inner veela settled down.

When her eyes next opened, they were cold and determined. lcy slabs of blue steel.

Fleur got up, her purpose renewed. She could not let a single failure dissuade her from her path. The train hissed to a stop and she left the compartment, ready to join the mass of students as they ventured out onto Hogsmeade Station.

…

The opening feast felt a lot different when viewing it from the other perspective.

They were no longer wide-eyed first years, overawed by the grand castle, by the enchanted ceiling and the ghosts and the vastness of the great hall. It was still magical, but now it felt more like a return to a familiar place, a place that was cozy and warm. A second home. 

“I wish they would just get on with it.” Tracey grumbled as the sorting took what felt like forever to get started.

“It was nothing but a blur when it was our turn up, wasn't it?” Daphne said.

“We're not the only impatient ones.” Susan said, nodding towards the staff table, where Bellatrix rustled around like there were ants in her pants as she sat next to Andi at the staff table. 

Darcia snorted, but she raised her empty cup in the direction of her aunts. Andi smiled and waved while Bellatrix stuck her tongue out, a gesture that she readily returned.

The sorting finally got underway as McGonagall began calling out names. Astoria needed only seconds to join them in Slytherin, and she quickly slotted herself into their little group. A bit later, Luna Lovegood's name was called. The dreamy-eyed blonde sat under the hat for a solid minute before she was sorted into Slytherin.

“I heard her father's a lunatic.” One of the older Slytherin boys whispered to Marcus Flint.

“Seems like the apple didn't fall too far from the tree, did it?” The boy said as they watched the willowy little blonde drift her way over to the Slytherin table.

Harry glared at the boys, his fists clenching as an uncharacteristic fury filled his heart. Darcia could feel it welling up inside of him.

“Luna, over here!” Darcia called. “You may sit next to me.” 

Darcia didn't even glance down the table at the boys. From the way they'd quieted down, she knew they had realized that this odd girl would not be such an easy target.

The first year sorting ended with Ginny sitting on the stool, and this time the hat was barely on her head for five seconds before the hat shouted out.

“SLYTHERIN!”

Ginny smiled brightly, skipping happily over to the den of snakes.

“NO!”

Over at the Gryffindor table, clutching his chest as if he'd just suffered a massive coronary, Ron Weasley had stood up and was reaching out towards his sister, a grief-stricken expression on his face.

McGonagall cleared her throat and the Headmaster stood up as everyone chose to ignore Ron's reaction.

“We are not quite done with the sorting.” Dumbledore began.

Ginny walked happily over to the table and forced her way in between Darcia and Pansy, wrapping her arms around the blonde's own. “I did it, mistress.” She whispered.

Darcia groaned, hoping that none of her housemates had overheard her, or the rumour mill would go into overdrive.

“This year, Hogwarts has the pleasure of welcoming its first exchange student in well over a century! I know we will all do our best to help acclimate her into our school. Minerva.” Dumbledore nodded towards his deputy.

Minerve called out the name. “Fleur Delacour.”

The moment the silvery-blonde haired girl walked into the great hall, everything stopped. The boys were all struck dumb, mesmerized by her beauty as Fleur walked to the stool with her head held high.

Many of the boys were quickly becoming drooling messes, and the rest were not too far behind.

“A veela.” Hermione said. “Like the two ladies we met during… during the summer.”

“You guys ran into veela during that whole thing?” Tracey asked.

Daphne smiled at Harry, who was completely unaffected by the girl's allure. She leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek. “A veela's nothing compared to my Harry.”

Pansy snorted. “Harry's practically a veela himself, isn't he?”

“Slytherin!”

The clapping from the boys at the Slytherin table was thunderous as Fleur dusted herself off and handed the hat back to McGonagall. The boys in the other houses were groaning loudly in disappointment.

Fleur scanned the table. The older boys made plenty of room for her to sit with them, but after a quick glance at the packed in second and first years, she settled down at the end of the table, far away from her house mates.

“She must be feeling so out of place.” Susan mused. “I feel bad for her, I bet she's home-sick.”

“She'll be fine.” Astoria said.

After the feast, they went down into the dungeons. Usually, during the first night, people just went straight for their dorm rooms, but tonight, the students were all loitering about in the common room.

Many eyes were set on Fleur Delacour, who was standing by herself with her arms crossed in a corner of the common room. Many of the boys wanted to approach her, but the piercing glare she'd send their would stop them on their tracks.

The second year girls and the three new first years were huddled up together.

“Tori, you girls have your own dormitory.” Daphne insisted.

Astoria was not budging. “So? It's not like anyone’s stopping us from just being in yours.”

Daphne huffed in frustration while Ginny was looking pleadingly at Darcia. “Can you enslave me now?”

Darcia looked exasperated, and Hermione stepped in between the younger girl and her mistress. “You don't know what you're talking about. Slavery is not something to aspire to.” 

“You seem to be doing fine.” Ginny snapped.

Harry could spot a powderkeg, and he stepped up between the girls, placing his hands on Ginny's waist. “Ginny, you're being insensitive. Please, calm down.”

Ginny pouted. “But I want to put on a collar. I want you to walk me like a dog.” She pleaded with Darcia.

“I think your brothers would have me drawn and quartered if that were to happen.”

“What do we have here?” A rough voice interrupted the group.

Everyone snapped to see Marcus Flint, flanked by Warrington, Pucey and most of the other fifth to seventh year boys, crowding around Luna. Flint had grabbed onto the small girl's arm by the elbow.

“You know, someone told me you were called Loony Lovegood, is that true?” He asked. Many of the boys in the group were throwing glances at Delacour, as if they hoped to impress her by bullying a first year.

“Let her go, Flint.” Darcia snapped. She'd thought the idiot had gotten the message at the feast.

“Or what, Malfoy? You're gonna go crying to your aunts?”

“That's actually not a bad idea.” Susan mumbled under her breath.

Darcia didn't want to invoke her aunts, though she would if things escalated past a certain point. But no, she had another, much more intimidating card to play.

“Did your brains turn to mush?” She addressed the entire group of boys. “Need I remind you of who I'm associated with?”

By the end of the previous year, Tonks had made it abundantly clear that Harry, and by extension the girls, were not to be messed with.

Warrington snorted as Flint's grip around Luna's arm only tightened, making the girl whimper in discomfort.

“Who are you associated with, Malfoy?” Flint goaded.

“I think she means the Boss Lady, Marcus.” Pucey said in a mocking voice.

The boys all laughed darkly.

“The Boss Lady?” Warrington mused. “But didn't your father say she's all over Knockturn Alley? I heard she's knocking off the competition left and right.”

“She is.” Flint said with an evil glint in his eye. “Which means that she's graduated, and she's way too busy to give a single fuck about what happens at this school.”

These boys were idiots of the utmost order. If only they knew just how close to them the Boss Lady truly was. But none of that mattered at the moment, Tonks couldn't flex her power to defend them, and all around them, the rest of the Slytherins were standing around, cautiously observing the situation.

“You little bitches have had it good for way too long.” Flint hissed. “I think it's time we show you how Slytherin house is really supposed to operate.”

“Let her go.” Harry growled. He stepped up and shoved Flint. Taken by surprise, the boy let go of Luna's arm and stumbled back half-a-step.

Harry ushered Luna behind him as he stood protectively in front of the girls. 

They had all learned some defensive magic over the past year, but they were still only second years. Would they be able to stand up against a bunch of older boys who had probably been taught quite a few nasty spells by their families?

Flint glared down at Harry, towering over the boy with his hulking figure. “What are you going to do about it, slave? I think it's time we treat you like the fucking house elf you are.”

The girls simmered in rage, moments from pulling out their wands. Whether they wanted to or not, there was about to be a fight, and they couldn't back down.

With a loud smack, Flint was sent flying. Before anyone had even had the time to register what had happened, his head hit the hard stone wall with a sickening crack.

“What the fuck!” Warrington screamed.

The entire common room was left in stunned silence as Marcus’ body crumpled to the floor, half-conscious. He was bleeding profusely from a wound on the side of his head as he groaned in pain.

Darcia looked around. Harry hadn't done it, and the other girls were all equally as puzzled, trying to figure out who had struck Flint.

Then she saw her. Fleur Delacour was pacing towards Flint, a murderous look on her beautiful face as her shoes clacked menacingly on the floor.

Pucey made to move. The blonde held her hand out to him and a swirling vortex of angry crimson flames began to form in her outstretched palm. The boy gulped and dared not take another step.

The fire in Fleur's hand simmered down, but it did not fully die out. Her entire hand was pulsating an angry red, as if she'd been splashed with scalding hot water.

Flint struggled to his feet, woozy and bleeding profusely from his forehead. He was barely cognizant of the gorgeous veela bearing down on him, her warbling aura only adding to his disoriented state.

Fleur pressed her burning hot hand to his forehead and Flint screeched like a pig being slaughtered as his skin began to hiss and crackle. She held his thrashing body firmly against the wall as her burning palm cauterized the wound.

Fleur pulled back, a feral look on her face. “I am going to squeeze your throat until your vocal chords are melted through.”

“N-N-No!” Flint stammered, glancing wildly at his friends. “Do something!”

Fleur grabbed at his throat, and his scream came out as a gurgling squeal as his skin hissed once more.

Finally, people began to react. People gasped and screamed, and around Darcia, the girls reeled back in shock. 

Darcia found herself watching on impassively. She did not recoil in shock and disgust like the others. The only thing running through her head was the mess the entire house would be in if the french girl did permanent damage to Flint. 

Fleur had barely wrapped her hand around Flint's neck when she felt another hand settle over her own.

It was instant. The inferno in her hand was quenched as if it had been dipped into frigid waters. There were only jitters as her hand tingled from this new touch.

Time froze for her as her eyes drifted upwards to meet the face of the person that had stopped her.

Eternally deep green eyes.

Him.

“Please.” Harry said in a soft voice. “Don't do it, its not worth it.” 

Fleur let go of Flint's neck, and the boy scampered off towards his friends, cursing them out in a raspy voice. 

All at once, everyone found that they could move once more, and they all decided that it would be best to go up to their dorm rooms.

The atmosphere was tense, and the first and second years remained grouped up as everyone drifted around them. Before leaving, Warrington shot them and Fleur a hateful glare as he helped lead Flint up the stairs.

In mere minutes, they were all alone in the common room. 

Except for one Gemma Farley. 

The sixth year prefect had stopped halfway up the staircase, gazing down at the group.

“I hope you realize what you've done.” 

“What do you mean?” Pansy asked, her voice wavering.

“After what frenchie over there did to defend you, those boys will need to retaliate. And now, the news will spread that the Boss Lady is gone, there will be a power vacuum, people will be vying to take over what she left behind.”

“She didn't leave it behind, she left it to us.” Daphne snapped.

“There is no primogeniture here. It is only survival of the fittest. You'll have to defend your spot. Flint and his bunch have been chomping at the bit to take over, but they won't be the only ones. Many people frayed under the previous regime.”

“That's fine. We can handle it.” Darcia said.

Gemma nodded. “For your sake, I hope so.”

She disappeared up the staircase, and they waited to hear the sound of her door snapping shut.

“Fuck, that was a shitshow.” Tracey said.

“You were acting like a psycho there, frenchie. It was really cool!” Astoria said to Fleur.

Fleur's eyes had never once left Harry, even after the boy had pulled back from her.

“Thank you, though, for helping us out.” Susan said.

It took some effort, but Fleur managed to take her eyes off Harry and look at the younger girls. “It was nothing. I just did what had to be done.”

“Not sure if it had to be done quite like that, but thank you.” Darcia said, not noticing the slight twitch of Fleur's face when she addressed her.

“What do we do now?” Daphne asked worriedly.

Harry reached out and squeezed her hand, getting a loving smile in return. “First, I think we should move to the dorm, we can be sure it's safe to speak out here.”

“I guess you got your wish.” Daphne told her sister. 

“Do you want to come with us?” Hermione asked Fleur. “It might not be safe anywhere else.”

“Those girls should know better than to pick the idiot's side, considering how big of a bargaining chip we have.” Pansy said.

“I will come… if you will it so.” She looked toward Harry.

“Of course you can come.” Darcia answered. “Now let's go.” she insisted, paranoid that they were being overheard.

And so, the second year girl's dorm ended up jam-packed, with Astoria, Ginny, Luna and Fleur joining the others in the room, leaving five beds for ten people.

Fleur was standing against the wall, arms crossed as everyone else sat around on the beds. 

“Maybe we should go to your aunts.” Tracey suggested to Darcia.

“And tell them what, exactly? That Fleur beat the shit out of Flint?” Darcia shook her head.

She'd been through so much over the past few months, and after coming out on the other side numb as can be, she felt that a schoolyard feud, no matter how violent it got, was nothing compared to the horrors they'd already faced. They needed to handle things on their own. She needed to prove to Tonks, to her aunts, to everyone, that she could handle things on her own.

Well, not on her own. She had friends, and now a veela with violent tendencies. Plus, as Pansy had said, they had the ultimate form of leverage.

“We should talk to Penny tomorrow. Pansy,  Tracey, did you ever have that talk with Tonks?”

“We did, but it was kind of surface level.” Tracey said. “I feel like Tonks just assumed we'd be able to take over the school easily.”

“Nym has a lot on her plate.” Harry said.

“And we're not going to bother her about this. We can take care of this, we can take over the school. We have the greatest advantage right here.” Darcia smiled over at Harry. “The entire female half of the school will be on our side, if they know what's good for them.” She then turned to look at Fleur. “I'm sorry, I know this is your first night here. If you don't want to join us…”

“No. I am more than willing to assist you. Those boys are nothing but vile swine.”

“You can sit down.” Harry said, patting the open space next to him. 

Fleur visibly stiffened. “Y-Yes, of course.” She walked over to Harry in an almost robotic manner, sitting down on the bed, stiff as a board.

Harry smiled at her, and, ever so used to initiating intimate contact, he reached out and squeezed her thigh.

Fleur bit her lip as she began to shake. The girls shared worried glances, fearing that Fleur would become offended by Harry breaching a boundary.

As quickly as she had against Flint, Fleur moved. She wrapped her arms around Harry's head and buried her face in his neck. She took a big, long whiff of his scent, filling her lungs with his aroma. Her body began to shake and she let out a loud, throaty moan.

“Merdeeeeee!”

She collapsed onto Harry and pushed them both to their backs. The syrupy smell of her discharge filled the room as the beautiful blonde began to snore loudly.

“What just happened?” Susan asked.

Daphne leaned in from Harry's other side. Fleur had a deathgrip on him, her much bigger body wrapped around the young boy's torso, and her mouth hung open, drooling as if she'd been out for hours.

“She's asleep.” Daphne said. Astoria came over and began snapping her fingers over the girl's face until Daphne hissed at her and snatched her hand away.

“I don't think she's waking up.” Harry said, wriggling about in her grip. “Its not too uncomfortable.”

Daphne pouted. “There's no room in there for me.”

“We should all get some sleep.” Tracey suggested. Everyone mumbled their agreement, and soon all lights were off in the second year girl's dorm.

…

On the surface, breakfast the next morning was a normal affair. Everyone chatted normally, going about their morning as they received their class schedules.

Darcia had received a letter from Narcissa imploring her to befriend Fleur and help her get accustomed to Hogwarts. She snorted.

“I guess our mothers know each other already.” Darcia told Fleur, who was sitting across the table, in between Susan and Luna. It was actually a bit comical of a sight, with her towering over them all.

“That is quite curious.” Fleur said without looking at Darcia. She was still heavily affected by Harry's mere presence nearby, and it seemed that it would take a while for the girl to get used to it.

Down the table, Flint and his gang did not even spare them a glance. Flint's head injury had healed enough to appear as a mere bump, and he wore his robes tight around his neck to hide those marks.

It was the calm before the storm. 

When it was time for classes, their group broke up. The first year girls made their way back to the dungeons for potions with Andi, Fleur silently slinked off for Arithmancy, and the second years headed into Bella's inaugural defense lesson.

When they reached the classroom, Darcia was met with a very serious looking Ron Weasley, who gestured for them to step off to the side.

Darcia blinked before looking back at the others. “I'll be right back.”

She followed behind Weasley as they walked a ways down the corridor, dreading whatever conversation the boy had cooked up.

“I'm going to get straight to the point, Malfoy… please, don't enslave my sister.”

Darcia held back a derisive scoff. As insulting as it was, she figured that from Weasley's perspective, it was a legitimate fear.

“I'm not going to enslave your sister, Weasley, I can promise you that.”

Ron searched her face and Darcia held her ground. The boy actually let out a relieved breath. “That's good.”

“That's it? You just believe me like that?”

“I mean, yeah, should I not?”

Darcia shook her head. “Gryffindor through and through. Listen, Weasley, I'm not who I was, I'm not going to take advantage of your sister, but she seems to want to be near me…” Darcia hesitated for a moment before powering through. “And she uh… she seems to want me to enslave her. And that doesn't mean I'm going to do it, you fucking muppet.” She added on upon seeing Ron's face shift.

Ron rubbed the back of his head. “Yeah, Ginny… err… you have to realize, she was really into all those Boy-Who-Lived stories. It was her whole life when we were kids. When it came out that you enslaved him… she took it in a really weird way. She kept pestering dad about some life debt our uncle Rufus owed you guys.”

“I can tell.” Darcia deadpanned before her face softened. “But I can promise you that she will not be mistreated in our house, Weasley.”

Ron smiled. It was the first smile Darcia had ever seen from Weasley that was directed at her. It was kind of strange.

“Thank you, Malfoy.”

The door to the classroom slammed open and Bellatrix peered out. “Come in, students.” She said, though her eyes settled very hungrily on Harry. 

Darcia would have to remind her aunt that they had another class immediately following this one.

…

The air was musty and damp, water dripped from the heavily stained stone as murky puddles and crumbling bones were scattered all about the chamber's floor.

How long ago had it been since he'd last come here? Thirty years? Or was it fifty? How did time work for a horcrux?

He stepped up to the statue of his ancestor, Salazar Slytherin. 

His ape-like features did not match the aristocratic ideal that had been dreamt up by generations of purebloods. He resembled a malevolent warlock more than a dignified statesman. But the power of Salazar resided not in his appearance, it resided in his magic, his strength, his cunning and his wisdom.

And yet, here his chamber lay in complete ruins, his legacy crumbling away into nothing.

It had all gone to hell. When he'd been left here at Hogwarts, his counterpart had been inevitable. His path had been clear, his victory absolute. When he had been severed from the greatest Dark Lord in a century, he had seen no possible outcome other than triumph.

And yet here he was now, picking up the pieces, haphazardly scraping together plans while his other self drifted, barely surviving, nothing more than a mere phantom.

“Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four!”

The statue split open slowly, the stone creaking and screeching as an abyss of absolute darkness grew larger and larger with each passing second.

He stepped forward into the darkness, welcoming its chilly embrace.

He felt the slight jolt of fear when his steps came up on empty air. The small reminder of the mortality that he had shed. Then, he hissed into the darkness.

“It is time, Shoshanna. Awaken.”

There was a moment of silence, followed by a deep stirring within the bowels of the abyss below. Slowly, something began to slither.

He stepped back, satisfied that he had set things in motion. “I will return soon. Make sure to feed well.”

With that, the statue's opening slid closed once more.

If his estimates were correct, it would take her about a month to fully unthaw from her slumber. A month was more than enough. And it was much better than the previous time.

Last time, it had taken Shoshanna the better part of a school term to shake off the mist of sleep. It was understandable, after centuries of rest.

Compared to that, fifty years was nothing. In a few weeks time, he would have his weapon back.

Soon, an unimaginable terror would be unleashed upon this school. He would have his revenge on Dumbledore, on the boy that had been the bane of his existence, and on the children of the followers that had failed him so. And hopefully, in the process, he would manage to break the shackles that had been imposed upon him.

Through suffering, he would find his freedom.