Penthuisiast
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SD: CH78 - She Knows
🕑 Added 2023-08-12 16:04:10 +0000 UTC“So… how are we doing this?” asked Harry Potter.
Emmeline took a deep breath and gave a long glance at the room they were sitting in. After Albus Dumbledore’s departure and the young Potter strong-arming her into accepting his conditions, as unexpected as they were, they had relocated the young Miss Granger to her room and put her under a sleep spell after making her drink two vials of Wiggenweld Potion. Why a third-year passout would keep Wiggenweld potion in large amounts stored up in his cellar was anybody’s guess.
“The first thing you need to do is temporarily shut down the Floo, and double-check the wards. We don’t want any surprise visitors while we are doing the nasty.”
The Boy-Who-Lived smirked at her double-entendre. “Paranoid much?”
“It’s only paranoid if nothing happens. And if it does, it gets classified as having foresight.”
“Trust me, Harry, she hasn’t even gotten started,” said Hestia.
Damn straight. “You’ve to understand that what we’re doing is quite illegal in the eyes of the Ministry. I’m not a mind-healer, so if word goes out that I even attempted subconscious memory extraction, I could be heavily fined at best and get ousted from my job at worst. Quite naturally, both of you shall swear oaths to reveal nothing about what happens now without my express permission. Naturally, I too shall swear an oath concealing all knowledge of your involvement in this… process, and your future psychic training. Oh, and an oath to conceal all knowledge of whatever I learn from your memories unless you give me permission to share them with others.”
Potter blinked. “And… what happens if I die?”
She chuckled lightly, inwardly wondering what kind of sixteen-year-old’s mind naturally gravitated to such morbid ideas right off the bat.
It added to the mystery.
“Well then, the oath breaks. And I can probably sell all your dirty secrets to Rita Skeeter. The Life and Lies of Harry Potter, The Boy-Who-Lived, or something.”
The Boy-Who-Lived choked, and Emmeline felt something shift in his eyes. She didn’t know what, but he seemed wary, like she was about to attack him for whatever reason.
Odd.
“You okay?” Hestia asked.
“Fine. I’m fine,” Potter said, trying very hard to avoid Emmeline’s eyes inconspicuously. And when he did look at her, she noticed the way his gaze was stuck somewhere between her nose and lips. An obvious ploy to avoid a surface Legilimency attempt.
He wasn’t as ignorant about the subject as she thought he was.
Mentally, Emmeline rated him up by a couple of points. While her initial impression of the Boy-Who-Lived was little more than a celebrity playboy with a tinge of survivor's guilt and a hero complex, she had come to understand him from a deeper, primal level, especially with his interactions with Albus Dumbledore. As irritated as she was with the Headmaster, she couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer efficacy with which Potter had orchestrated the entire thing. He had to have known that the Headmaster would likely react in the way he had, which was why he had put those preconditions as part of the deal. Emmeline had the sneaking suspicion that the heated discussion was as much a way to push the Headmaster into taking action, as well as impressing her into helping him. Yes, ‘helping him’ was an apt description. Maybe if he was a tad older, with a couple of NEWTs under his belt and enough political expertise to keep his head on his shoulders, Emmeline would have chosen to describe it as his attempt to convince her into joining his side.
I don’t know what I was expecting, but you’re not what I imagined, Harry Potter. Intriguing. Very intriguing.
“All of this secrecy… isn’t it all a bit paranoid?” asked Harry Potter.
“Actually Harry,” said Hestia. “It’s quite common where psychic training is concerned. When I was working for the Ministry, I had to swear an oath to willingly submit to obliviation should I learn information that I shouldn’t.”
“I’m not sure what is more terrifying? That even the Bureaucracy feel the need to give themselves self-amnesia, or that this is quite common in this Wizarding World?”
Emmeline laughed. He didn’t know half of it.
“Before we proceed to dream extraction, we will conduct a preliminary scan of your mind. It will give me an idea of what I have to work with, as well as an estimate of how long it will take for you to become at least an adept in the skill.”
And give me a chance to swim around a bit. Secrecy vows or no, I’d get to see the real Harry Potter behind all these false smiles.
“I’ve heard it involves clearing your mind and taking the brunt of high-powered Legilimency attacks and trying to repel them,” he said.
She arched an eyebrow. That was, quite frankly, one of the most horrible ways to describe Occlumency instruction. Developing a psychic bulwark was just a tiny, tiny portion in the long and incredibly nuanced discipline that was Occlumency. And even then, he was wrong about the process.
Hmm. Maybe I overestimated him.
“Not quite,” she said. “Clearing one’s mind is a harder, much harder thing to do than what most people believe. Have you perchance, heard the quote, Nature abhors a vacuum? The same situation applies here. The more you try to forcibly clear your head of thoughts, your mind will inadvertently keep throwing new thoughts right from your subconscious to the surface.”
“That doesn’t seem like a good thing.”
“Well, it depends on who you’re talking to,” she quipped. “I have encountered accomplished Occlumens in the past who use this facet as a defensive technique. Instead of trying to lock the intruder in a memory, a false memory, a mindscape or any other psychic fortifications, they drown them in half-baked memories and images from their subconscious. Let me assure you, it can be mightily exhausting getting out if you are trapped inside the victim’s subconscious.”
“Isn’t that exactly what you plan to do to me?”
“No, you are the dimwit that offered to pay me to do that,” she said, utterly unapologetic.
Hestia promptly raised a hand to her mouth.
“Now even you are laughing at me,” Potter complained.
“I’m not laughing,” Hestia managed to get out with whatever little dignity she could gather. “I’ve long since determined that laughing will only encourage you.”
Emmeline smirked. “I’d advise you not to fight me, since it only makes things difficult, but it would be redundant in this case. I’ll be putting you under a sleep spell after dosing you with another vial of calming draught. Ideally, I would go for a 63% solution of the Dreamless Sleep potion, but I doubt I could get one at hand right now.”
“Will he need that for psychic training?” asked Hestia. “I know a potioneer who can supply me with that and even submit to Obliviation if the price is right.”
“Look at you,” quipped Emmeline. “One little Order mission with Fletcher and you’ve gone habitual.”
Hestia stuck out her tongue.
“But yes, I imagine it could be handy. That, and some Wiggenweld potion, which you already have. Occlumency training can have residual after-effects, at least in the beginning. That said,” she turned to him. “Are you absolutely certain you wish to start Occlumency instruction now? Hogwarts reopens in two weeks, does it not?”
It was rhetorical. She already knew his answer. One did not make that strong a stand against Dumbledore without keeping that little fact in mind.
“Not a problem,” he said. “As a Lord, I’m allowed to leave on Friday evenings, so long as I’m back for classes on Monday.”
“You realise that’s provision was made for students that had other duties to take care of while continuing their education?”
“Semantics,” I said. “I’m a Lord, and the last of my family, and I have businesses to manage. Occlumency instruction is… how do you put it? An extra bit of learning curriculum added to the mix.”
Hestia rolled her eyes.
“I see there is no convincing you,” sighed Emmeline. “Either way, clearing your mind is best left for those with years of practice in Zen meditation and the Yogic way. Unless that’s one of your Boy-Who-Lived powers, we can safely exclude those.”
A strange gleam flashed on his face and then it was gone.
Curious.
The house elf had brought them some light snacks and hot mugs of cocoa. Hestia had suggested waiting for morning, but Emmeline had quickly shot the idea down. Dreams weren’t permanent memories, and it is highly possible that upon entering the next sleep cycle, his subconscious could wash away with the existing dream and add new ones.
And finally, it was time.
“You know,” said Potter, as he laid on the bed, after partaking of the calming draught. “This wasn’t how I had expected my first Legilimency session to be.”
“You are a student, Mr. Potter,” Emmeline said drolly. “You are not supposed to have expectations in the first place.” She placed the tip of her wand against his forehead. “Now, Somnius.”
Potter suddenly exhaled, and his eyelids drooped. Within the next couple of seconds, he was sound asleep.
“He’s something, isn’t he?” asked Hestia.
Emmeline looked at her friend and Order member. “I suppose that is one way of describing him, yes.”
Hestia gave her a sideward glance, hesitating for a second.
“Something on your mind?”
“It’s about Harry.”
“What about him?”
“Nothing. Just that you didn’t actually have to go through with this. You know, agreeing to his conditions. You knew that Harry would get that memory out anyway, and get it to Amelia Bones. I’d ensure that it happened.”
“Perhaps.”
“Not that I don’t appreciate it, but… why agree?”
Emmeline gave her a smirk. “What’s gotten your panties in a twist, honey? That I’m helping him and thus, will be spending more time in this House in the future? Or that I have an official reason to know his innermost thoughts that he has kept away from even you, and you sleep with him.”
“It’s not what you think—”
Emmeline arched her eyebrows. After a few seconds, Hestia deflated. “Well, maybe a little. But there’s more to it.”
“Obviously,” she drawled. “Why else would an Order member so very clearly change sides?”
“Harry is the Boy-Who-Lived—”
“And protecting the Boy-Who-Lived isn’t the same as catering to his every whim. But it’s more than that, isn’t it? You love him, or at least, have a form of affection that borders on that.”
Hestia widened her eyes, a retort forming on her lips, but she beat her to it.
“Don’t try to hide it. I’m a Level-7 Legilimens, honey. I’ve watched your reactions tonight. You were chosen to be his handler because you had the right skill set, and within the acceptable age range for him to be more comfortable. Nymphadora warned us of his playboy attitude and your appetite made you a perfect candidate for this position.”
“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You don’t?” Emmeline challenged her. “Is that why you refused to fight him when he spoke against summoning Albus Dumbledore to discuss the happenings? Potter clearly knew how Dumbledore would act and orchestrated the entire thing, and you were completely fine with it. I’m reasonably certain that if I wasn’t involved, you’d have kept the entire thing secret if he asked you so.”
“I’m under Secretary oath, Emmeline,” she said in a low voice. “I can only work around that so much.”
“That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard from you, Hestia. Both of us have worked in the Ministry at reasonably high positions and managed to squirrel our way through the stringent confidentiality oaths. So forgive me for not buying your bullshit that a boy got the better of you.”
“He’s not a boy.”
“Apologies, he’s your lover. I forgot.”
Hestia scowled. “Yes, he is.”
Emmeline beamed. “See? Wasn’t too hard, was it?”
“What of it? What do you want, Lady Vance?”
“Oh, it’s Lady Vance all of a sudden,” she smirked. “I wonder why. But no, all I want to know is why a talented, driven, young woman like you would choose to do this. What don’t I know, Hestia? What is truly happening here? That young man… he’s nothing like the Gryffindor Golden Boy we know from the dossiers. He’s calm, astute and a planner. And I’ve looked into some of his actions this summer. It speaks of a seasoned political mind and business acumen. Merlin’s beard, he even has the sense to evade eye-contact without being inconspicuous.”
“If you’re saying he’s not—”
“I’m saying no such thing,” Emmeline shot back. Then, she smiled. “You know how I am with mysteries. And this one promises to be endlessly fascinating. Granted, I’ll probably find out half of his secrets from his mind, even though I can’t share them. So really, it’s all about you, Hestia. Prove your loyalty.”
“Or what?” Hestia yelled, her grasp on her temper falling momentarily. She took a deep breath and reigned it back in. “You’re going to deface me before the Order?”
“Nonsense,” Emmeline waved her off. “I will do no such thing. But I might start poking things around a little more. Maybe ask Professor Dumbledore to take a closer look at things. Investigate how someone with zero political know-how managed to get into the good books of the DMLE Director herself.”
Hestia bristled.
“Come on, Hestia,” she said softly. “Tell me. What is it that you know about Harry Potter that I don’t?”
Hestia frowned, a determined expression forming on her face. “Harry is… important.”
“Of course he is. He’s the Boy-Who-Lived. He —”
She shook her head. “Not the Boy-Who-Lived. Harry. Harry Potter is… important.”
“How so?”
“You say I look at him as a lover. You are right. I do love him. Maybe not the way I love Tonks, but I do. I… believe he is worth the adoration. The things he has accomplished, is accomplishing, and will be accomplishing, all of them will change the Wizarding world. One only needs to look at his actions this summer to accept that.”
Becoming Lord Potter.
Making waves in the wizarding economy.
A public tussle with Draco Malfoy, followed by a shady deal with Narcissa Malfoy.
His private dealings with the Bones family.
And finally, his meeting with her husband.
For someone that was a private person that didn’t explore out of his friend circle, Potter had been quite the extrovert. Add to that his sudden playboy persona, his open and almost extremist stance against Voldemort, and finally, his ability with Necromancy, which he claimed to get from his scar. Something, Emmeline noted, not even Albus Dumbledore did not deny. Which meant that however improbable it sounded, Potter was speaking the truth.
That scar… it connected him with the Dark Lord.
“I imagine having someone of your talents and connections helped him a lot.”
Hestia snorted. “Harry does what Harry wants. And he seems to want to play an economic battle, for now. I have barely helped him. At times, I think his skill at economics rivals, if not surpasses me, and I’ve been a solicitor in International affairs.”
“That’s ridiculous. You can’t seriously think —”
“And when has anything to do with the Boy-Who-Lived fallen under ‘reasonable’ category? Tell me, did you know that he was the recipient of a second Trelawney prophecy right after the start of the summer? Or that he had his soul sucked out by dementors, followed by a magical reaction that made him an Incubus?”
“An incubus?” Emmeline blanched. “That’s — are you freaking crazy? How can a dementor attack turn someone into an Incubus? They are literally —”
“Polar opposites, I know,” Hestia admitted. “Dementors were created by the Dark Lord Ekrizdis during his insane experiments with human souls and necromancy. On the other hand, incubi are creatures of the flesh, of love, desire and passion. You couldn’t get two things so obviously in contrast with each other.”
“What are you trying to say, Hestia?”
“Did you know that Harry was actually attacked by dementors three times during his third year? The first when he was riding the Express to Hogwarts. The second, during a Quidditch match. And finally, the night when an entire horde of dementors, possibly a hundred or so, devoured his and Sirius Black’s souls. Harry has mentioned this several times, in graphic detail, that he had died and come back.” she met her eyes. “So tell me, why would dementors target one single individual like that, especially when they had an entire school worth of students available in the first two times? And an entire horde attacking him and Black? Do you really think that is normal behaviour?”
“So he has an extraordinary reaction from dementors.”
“Yes. As if he is their antithesis,” said Hestia. “It bears mentioning that he can manifest a fully corporeal Patronus.”
Emmeline blinked. “At sixteen?”
Hestia gave her a lazy grin.
“I cannot believe this. An incubus of all things? I suppose that is why he embraced the playboy facade?”
“Actually,” Hestia laughed. “I was the one who suggested it. He takes my suggestions seriously.”
“I can see that.”
She grinned.
Emmeline ran her hand through her hair. “This is supposed to be our supposed saviour? The Boy-Who-Lived is supposed to be Dumbledore’s protégé, the next Leader of the Light. Not some man-whore littering his sperm all over the country.”
“Crude,” said Hestia, scowling. “But I think you’re being biassed, Emmeline. Unless you’ve forgotten your own Irish roots?”
Emmeline blinked. Ah, those. Maybe living a life as a British witch for all this time was clouding her own vision of reality. The British Ministry of Magic had long since classified Incubi, Veela and Sirens as ‘beings’ that employed sensory manipulation through sex magic. Given the absolute rarity of Incubi, in comparison to the relative common-ness of veela and sirens, the magical discipline was dubbed as Nymphomancy instead. And yet, all one needed was to look back to the legends of Cu Chullainn and Fergus Mac Roich. Cu Chullainn in particular, was said to be so lustful that they would tire out multiple women in one night, and yet, was infamous for his battle frenzy, in which he became a monster that didn’t differentiate between friend and foe. Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, another warrior from the Fenian Cycle, was supposed to be irresistible to any woman that looked him in the face, and yet, was infamous for killing over three thousand warriors in a single battle.
“I’ve seen Harry move. His reflexes are nothing short of legendary,” said Hestia. “Trust me, give or take a few years of spell training, and he can face a horde of hit-wizards and win. Defence has always been his best subject, and he is the youngest seeker in a century. Don’t you think it fits?”
“I can see where you’re coming from, Hestia, but just potential alone isn’t enough for —”
“For what?” Hestia snapped. Clearly she too had strong views about the subject. “You heard him talk to the Professor. Makes you question, doesn’t it? I mean, apart from being the Chief Warlock and the Leader of the Light, just what has Albus Dumbledore done for us?”
“HESTIA!” Emmeline gasped, scandalised. “That’s Albus Dumbledore you’re talking about. He has kept us safe from Grindelwald and the Dark Lord. he has been taking the stand before you were even born.”
“And yet,” Hestia shot back. “I had to spend my years at Hogwarts getting bullied because my pureblood mother found love in a muggle. If not for Tonks, I’d probably have my name among one of those lists of forgotten muggleborns and halfbloods driven to suicide by the rampant bullying and name-calling at Hogwarts. For all his talk and pro-muggleborn stance, just what has Albus Dumbledore done for us? Has he stopped the prejudice in Hogwarts halls? No. He has been Chief Warlock since his victory over Grindelwald. Has he stopped the discrimination on blood status? No. Severus Snape is allowed to bully other houses, and Dumbledore does nothing about it. Muggleborn and halfblood children are taken from their houses, promising them a world of magic, and instead they get shackled with a lifetime of debt and discrimination. I scored the highest in my year. I am a member of the Order of the Phoenix. So what did Dumbledore do to help me keep my job? Nothing. Instead all we get are fanciful words and speeches about doing the right thing, believing in a future that for all I care, will never come to fruition.”
“And you think Harry Potter will give us that future?”
Hestia looked at her like a feral cat. “Do you know what Harry Potter is? He is Defiance. When he sees something that he considers wrong, he cannot help but take action. It goes deeper than his bones.”
The Philosopher’s stone. The Chamber of Secrets. Sirius Black.
“Hermione Granger has been the consistently the highest scorer at Hogwarts in the past three years. And yet because of an accident that only happened because Dumbledore was casual enough to hire a werewolf on campus, her entire life has gone down the drain. You know the Weasleys that are Dumbledore’s greatest supporters? The youngest child, Ron, fancied her. And now, just because of her affliction, he’s avoiding her. But you know what Harry did? He took her in, gave her house, hearth and home, and took her as a lover. Yes, he won’t marry her, because no Ancient and Noble House would allow its Lord to marry a dark creature, but trust me, Hermione couldn’t have gotten anyone better. Harry hired me, despite knowing that I was an Order member, and gave me a salary that any pureblood would get in my place. Penelope Clearwater was being slapped around at Floreans. He took her in and hired her as a researcher. Tracey Davis, the Abbotts — Harry has helped everyone. His company Moonforge is hiring muggleborns and halfbloods and giving them a prejudice-free environment with proper salaries. He’s even trying to do something for Chiara’s folk. All of that, in one summer. Think how much he can change if he has true power in his hands. The question isn’t if Harry could give us a good future. It’s how good a future he can give us if we follow him.”
For once, Emmeline had no words.
“So yes, I have chosen Harry Potter. If that makes me a traitor, then fine. I can do a lot more good working for him, with him. If you want to put me before the Order for that, then go ahead. Hestia Jones isn’t afraid of punishment.”
Emmeline tried to reply, but was taken aback by the sheer hostility in her stare. She had a second to wonder exactly how badly she had read the situation.
“I see,” she said at last. “Well, at least it’s not just because he has a big dick.”
“Why, Emmeline. You’re awfully noticing that part. Does your husband have a tiny dick?”
Emmeline rolled her eyes, but didn’t retort against the casual insult on her husband. Then again, Gideon wasn’t exactly what she could call a good man. Honestly, hearing that the Boy-Who-Lived was involved in business deals with her husband had made her a little wary, but maybe she had been reading between the lines a little too much.
But hearing Hestia speak so passionately about Harry Potter, Emmeline realised that she had no idea what she was to do next about him.
It unnerved her. It set her on edge. Made her cautious.
It excited her too.
“There,” said Hestia. “You asked, I answered. What are you going to do with this information?”
The words shook her despite herself, and it took Emmeline a few seconds to organise her thoughts. “I’m under a secrecy vow that covers everything that happens here tonight, so it’s not like I’ll be able to share it with anyone. Unless of course, I can convince you to give me permission?”
“No way,” Hestia laughed, the first shades of elation returning to her features.
“I’ll tell you this though,” said Emmeline. “He’s making waves too quickly. People are noticing him. Did you know he met with Gideon — of course you do.”
Hestia grinned like a cherub.
“Gideon and his friend Broderick Greengrass are planning something, and I’m not sure what it is, but it’s bad, and it’s got to do with Potter. I think — I think he plans to rob Potter of his fortune.”
“He can try, and Harry will teach him better. He is dangerous and terrible, and with every opposition, he will grow even more dangerous and more terrible. Honestly Emmeline, I don’t see what you saw in that guy.”
Emmeline sighed. “Marriage contract. I’m the last of my line, and Gideon was the younger brother of the Abbott heir. He married into my family.”
“And yet, he goes by the Abbott name.”
“Only because of Iacomus Abbott and his father Charles perished in a Death Eater attack. Since then, he’s held the Abbott Regency, and goes by that name. The Abbotts might not be an Ancient family, but they are older than House Vance in blood purity.”
“Of course,” Hestia drawled.
Emmeline laughed. “I never said I agree with the views. Wouldn’t have joined the Order if I did. Honestly, he’s not that bad a person, just…”
“A nasty, greedy fucker?”
“A nasty, greedy fucker,” Emmeline agreed with a laugh. “At least my son will grow up as a Vance. I don’t want to steal little Hannah’s fortune. What Gideon did to his mother was… harsh.”
Hestia looked like she wanted to say something but chose not to.
“I suppose that’s enough dilly-dallying. You can keep working with Potter, and I’ll instruct him in the Mind Arts. But mind you, I will also keep checking for darker tendencies within him. Potter might have the potential to do good, but I know how easy it is to succumb to the lure of power. Too much power can corrupt even the purest of souls, can make even the best of our intentions into a screaming abyss hell-bent on tearing everything apart in its wake.”
Hestia nodded.
“In that case,” said Emmeline, “I will just get started with the dream extraction. Your lover has been asleep for quite some time, and we don’t want him to enter a dream cycle. I will continue instructing him in the psychic arts, as he requested, but remember, if I see he’s showing darker inclinations, I will report him to Dumbledore. Incubus or not. He is capable of necromancy. We cannot ignore that.”
“Agreed.”
“Well then,” she said. “Time to get started.”
She pointed her wand at Harry Potter’s forehead and intoned.
“LEGILIMENS!”
Comments
Penthuisiast
I was initially thinking of Questionable Questing and H3ntai-Foundry, but I suppose I can do Webnovel too, if it can provide such audience boost up.
Alkole
Honestly I 100% agree even if the webnovel app has horrible authors 60% of the time I have seen quite a few authors who are good who make good money from patreon due to the attention their stories get and considering the amount of words and chapters this author has posted already he could get quite a lot of recommendations when he starts uploading onto it which should get more viewers and in turn more patreon subs
Victor Weismann
You plan post you novel in webnovel? It's also a good way to get patreons, etc. Honestly, the fanfic net is making a big mistake of deleting all NSFW stuff, I was really sad when I saw that the saved novels I had were all deleted.
