Chapter 105
The late dinner to celebrate the start of the Easter holidays took place in a tense atmosphere, to put it mildly, and in the presence of rather gloomy guests. Perhaps I should start by saying that Mom hadn’t arrived from London alone, but in the company of the rather agitated and worried Grangers. While Jean had rushed straight to her sleeping daughter, Dan had interrogated me thoroughly about what had happened, and when he’d learned all the details, he began demanding I reveal the location of Hogwarts. The enraged father wanted to immediately go to the school where his daughter had almost fallen victim to a perverted teacher and punch Dumbledore in the face. Who else? Lockhart was already dead, and the Great Light, as the headmaster, had to answer for the actions of his fucked-up subordinate.
The angry man was calmed by Hermione’s awakening and a bottle of whiskey, which Dan drank with Walter, who had arrived just in time. Jean was initially surprised by her daughter’s calm, but then her mother whispered in her ear that Alucard had quietly erased the girl’s memory, though not completely. The ancient monster had pulled the same trick on Mia as he had on Elvira: he simply pushed the unpleasant memories into the background and removed the emotional component. So the curly-haired Gryffindor woke up, albeit listless, quite content with life—well, almost. Some echoes of recent events remained in her mind, but she gave her parents every indication that she was fine. Moreover, Jean had arrived with little Hector, who immediately found himself in his older sister’s arms and showed no sign of letting go.
It was probably thanks to this little one that dinner went more or less smoothly. The adults were certainly tense, but the children’s laughter at the table made them feel touched and sometimes even smiled. The little one missed his little sister so much that he flatly refused to sit in the high chair and spent the entire meal on her lap. Mia was only too happy for the attention and happily cuddled and fed Hector, assisted in this difficult task by Vasya and Flora. Everyone was especially impressed by the sight of the snake holding a spoon with its tail and feeding the little fidget some fruit puree. This sight finally calmed the tipsy Dan, and he immediately changed his mind about renting a helicopter and flying to Scotland.
On this occasion, even Alucard shared a glass of whiskey with him, though he grimaced, declaring that dwarven ale (aka gnomes) was far tastier. He shouldn’t have said that, though, because Hermione’s father gave him such a look that the ancient vampire had to pull an ancient-looking bottle from his shadow pocket and offer it to the mortal. And while he was at it, Walter, Jean, Victoria, Mom, and Laurie—the latter was invited to dinner because of Elvira. It’s no secret that Smith and Lieutenant Banks have become very close and practically consider each other sisters, so I hustle to make sure the black-haired girl won’t feel so lonely. So what? These are family gatherings, after all, and that girl with the scar covering half her face has long been familiar to us. The women, unlike the men, didn’t like the strong ale, so Mom ordered a bottle of red wine, and my friends and I were given a couple of decanters of juice.
Amidst good drinks and conversation, the atmosphere at the table eased slightly, though not for long. First, Laurie began talking about her time at Hogwarts and recalled the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher they had in their third year. This lunatic taught the kids how to use everyday and mock spells as torture or combat spells. This freak, to the cheerful jeers of the purebloods, brought a Muggleborn (I hate that word) to tears or hysterics in almost every class. This pederast didn’t come to a happy end, as he disappeared without a trace before the June exams. Rumor has it that the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor got drunk and went to confront Hagrid, whom he had insulted all year, and our kind half-giant fed his body to the sweet acromantulas. Before Laurie could finish, Alucard began spinning tales about the rules in ancient schools of magic, and, compared to what it was before, Hogwarts is indeed a very safe place with excellent and competent professors.
The ancient monster laughingly recounted how in some edubs (Author’s note: Edubs were schools in Ancient Sumer), an errant student could be flayed alive, and caning was downright commonplace. Before the Grangers could digest this information, the ancient vampire began telling stories of teacher-student relationships in Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. The Greeks and Romans sincerely believed that, along with semen, a teacher imparted a grain of their knowledge to their student. The student’s opinions naturally didn’t matter to the teacher, and sometimes, at the teacher’s insistence, classes turned into veritable orgies. Hmm, I wouldn’t want to live and study in those dark times.
Walter, too, was not left out and recalled his time at the monastery, where the students were regularly flogged. Our butler recalled with nostalgia how he once misbehaved while working in the fields and for that spent the whole night kneeling before the face of the Creator, self-flagellating. I listened silently to these stories and was quietly shocked, as were most of those sitting at the table. Needless to say, such conversations didn’t add to the fun, although… There was one positive: the table forgot about Hogwarts and moved on to a discussion of human stupidity and cruelty.
By the end of dinner, everyone was feeling a little gloomy and pensive, except for Hector and Dan. The little one didn’t care for adult conversation and was genuinely happy to see his older sister back, while Hermione’s father had gone a bit overboard with the stress relief, so he had to be carried to his assigned quarters. I happily joined Walter and escorted Hermione and her parents to their quarters, then headed to my own. Only once in my room did I realize how exhausted and tired I was. Quickly shedding my evening gown, I practically ran to the bath and spent about an hour enjoying the hot water with various essential oils.
I would have splashed around longer, but I sensed they were waiting for me and a warm smile broke out. Quickly drying myself with a towel and throwing on a soft terrycloth robe, I ran out of the bathroom and plopped down on the sofa, where a platinum blonde in her favorite red silk robe was already sitting. The woman silently hugged me and buried her nose in the back of my head, and I simply hugged her back. We sat like that for a while, after which I reluctantly pulled away and telekinetically summoned two cups and a teapot, and the cake was already sitting on a small table.
“Daughter, do you really want to go back to Hogwarts?” The blonde took a sip of tea and looked me in the eyes.
“Mom, we’ve already discussed this…” I smiled back. “My friends are there, I can’t leave them. And I’m used to this madhouse.”
“Rigel, I really don’t like what’s going on at this school.” Mom put her cup down. “I’m constantly worried that something will happen to you. Maybe, as an experiment, you could study for a year at a Soviet magic school; it’s safer there.”
– Seriously? – I tilted my head to the side. – I know for a fact that four students died at the Leningrad School of Magic last year.
– And where did you get this information? – The woman looked at me skeptically.
“Have you forgotten who I spent time with at the high-security summer camp?” I chuckled. “The girls told me. Some smart idiot brewed an experimental potion and decided to test it on herself, and ended up burning all her insides. Two died during combat magic classes, and the last one either made it himself or bought it from someone, a fake Portkey to Moscow. Anyway, only his ears and part of his skull made it to the capital.”
– Hmm… Sergey didn’t tell me anything about this.
“Mom, in any school of magic, some kind of crazy thing happens on a regular basis. Even mispronouncing a common household spell can have dire consequences.”
“It’s not every magic school where students are attacked by teachers who’ve lost their minds!” The woman looked at me sternly. “For the second year in a row, by the way.”
– Let’s not… – I looked down guiltily. – Last year, I agreed to help Dumbledore myself, because I wanted to personally put a bullet in Tom’s head.
“I know.” Mom sighed heavily and ruffled my hair. “Why can’t you sit still? Why are you always getting into trouble?”
– It just happens somehow. – I made my most honest eyes. – I really try to sit quietly and keep a low profile, but it doesn’t work.
“Daughter, you lack restraint.” The blonde smiled slightly. “It’ll pass with time.”
– Of course. – I smiled encouragingly. – Besides, I can’t transfer from Hogwarts for one more reason.
“Her Majesty’s order.” The woman sighed heavily. “If your memories are to be believed, Tom Riddle is due to be reborn soon, and the Crown has special plans for him. The Queen recently mentioned that you will play a key role in this game.”
– Even so? – I stared at my mother in surprise. – And what kind?
“I don’t know yet,” the blonde shook her head. “But I promise you’ll be the first to know.”
“That’s our destiny.” I shrugged and reached for the cake. “Our family has been the Crown’s punishing blade for centuries, defending the Empire with our lives.”
“I’m glad you understand that.” The woman looked at me sadly. “And I’m sorry you realized it at such a young age. I so wanted you to have a normal childhood…”
– Mom, stop! I had a great childhood!
“I have no doubt,” the blonde grumbled. “While your peers were playing with dolls or leapfrog, you were taking apart a Kalashnikov assault rifle and practicing your blade strikes until your skin bled.”
– And I don’t regret anything! – I smiled cheerfully in response. – As if it were different for you?
“Well…” The woman paused. “Walter raised me, and he has a slightly different approach. When I was six, I strangled my beloved dog, and at seven, I slit the throat of an enemy of the Empire for the first time.”
“An excellent teacher,” I grumbled as I took a bite of cake. “And interesting teaching methods.”
“Don’t slander me,” Mom said, joining in on the treats. “Walter has served our family for centuries, and you won’t find a more loyal man in the entire Empire.”
– How much?! – I almost choked. – How old is this old man?!
“I can’t say for sure,” the blonde thought. “But he swore an oath of allegiance to David Hellsing, and he died in 1688, a year before the Treaty was signed. That makes Walter about three hundred and fifty years old.”
– I thought he was a little younger…
– You know…
“Yes, yes, a wizard looks as old as he feels,” I grumbled in response. “That’s exactly why my great-uncle looks like your age.”
We exchanged cheerful glances and continued devouring the delicious cake. When we were full and contentedly leaning back on the soft back of the sofa, I refilled our cups with tea and looked thoughtfully at the now cheerful woman. I debated whether to tell her about my “dream” in the hospital wing or not. Perhaps it was all delusion and hallucinations, but even I found it hard to believe, so I decided to consult with someone close and dear. After all, there shouldn’t be any secrets in the family.
– Mom, do you remember how I spent almost a day lying in the hospital wing?
– Of course I remember. – The woman moved closer. – You really scared me then.
– Anyway, – I looked into the blue eyes. – While I was unconscious, I saw something…
Briefly, without going into detail, I recounted my adventures in the other world to my mother. I paid particular attention to the red eyes that appeared both in the “dream” and in the Hogwarts hospital wing, and how they made all sorts of indecent proposals to me. But I just don’t understand what an entity of THAT nature would want from a mere mortal like me. And if it was a demon, since it wanted my soul, then how did it manage to penetrate our world, and why did it choose me, an apostle of the Creator?! Why didn’t this demon choose the same Abomination or another wizard? I think any pureblood fanatic would gladly trade their soul for power and might.
“It’s really strange… And extremely confusing.” Mom listened to me attentively and leaned back thoughtfully on the sofa. “But I know who I can ask. Alucard!”
“Yes, my lady.” An ancient vampire, dressed in pink knee-length underpants and a white tank top, immediately appeared from the shadows. “Have you decided to invite me to tea?”
– And me? – Victoria’s pitiful voice came from the other corner. – I bought this cake, and I didn’t even get a piece!
“There are no secrets in the family…” I shrugged and telekinetically pulled a couple more cups. “There’s enough for everyone.”
“Hooray!” the vampiress exclaimed and found herself next to Alucard, who involuntarily swallowed at the sight of her.
Victoria was wearing a black, translucent nightgown over her bare skin; the outfit was so short that I easily noticed a red, almost transparent thong and the fact that she’d been waxed in one spot. She seemed pleased with her striking appearance and, revealing her needle-like fangs, broke into a cheerful smile. She then spun dramatically, causing her gown to ride up even higher, and quickly brought a huge, soft chair to the table. Naturally, the ancient vampire sat down, and the golden-haired, busty beauty settled comfortably on his lap.
– So what are we going to talk about? – Victoria asked, as soon as she had finished her piece of cake. – Did I hear about red eyes? – And the vampire’s eyes lit up brightly. – Like this?
– Almost. – I nodded in response.
“Well, I’d like to ask Alucard,” Mom glanced at the vampire. “Perhaps he knows what a being of the Abyss’s caliber wants from my daughter? And why is it watching her so closely?”
“Ha-ha-ha…” The ancient monster’s quiet laughter sent shivers down my spine. “Integra, if Mother had turned her gaze on Rigel, she would have instantly turned into a mad, bloodthirsty monster—if she had survived, of course. Mother merely glanced at our daughter, that’s all.”
– That was enough for me… – Some of the memories made me shudder involuntarily and I drank the cup of hot tea almost in one gulp.
– But why? – Mom tensed and leaned forward. – You understand that this is at least strange.
“Mother is wise and never does anything without reason.” The vampire gently stroked Victoria’s bare thigh. “And her true motives are unknown to me.”
“Alucard.” The blonde took the man’s hand and looked into his eyes. “Why does the Abyss need my daughter’s soul?”
“Ha-ha-ha.” The ancient monster laughed merrily in response, and when he had finished, he kissed her hand. “Our souls ALREADY belong to the Mother and sooner or later will end up in Her cleansing cauldron.”
“I don’t understand anything.” I folded my arms across my chest and leaned back on the sofa. “Can you explain it properly? Or do you like to speak in riddles?”
“You mortals love to pry where it doesn’t belong,” the man grumbled, his red eyes flashing as he looked at me. “But since you’re interested… Mother is not a god, she doesn’t require the energy of faith, SHE is neither good nor evil, she is neutral. SHE is older than all the ancient gods combined. After the death of the physical shell, sparks of the Creator, or souls, as you call them, are sent into her embrace, where she cleanses them of the husks of memories in her cauldron, after which she sends them off to be reborn.”
“I already know that,” I muttered in response. “And I also know that after death my soul will find itself in the Creator’s chambers, for I am His apostle and I sincerely believe in Him.”
“Of course.” Alucard smiled slyly. “But gods are mortal too; sooner or later, people stop believing in them, and they die. Where do you think the gods of Olympus went? After the Creator’s death, and that will happen someday, your spark will still end up in the Mother’s gentle hands.”
“I see.” I paused, thinking. “Then why did she come to me? Why these stupid questions? Or is this some kind of test? As far as I understand, time is of no importance to beings of that order. She’s a zillion years old, after all. If she’d waited another couple thousand, my soul would have flown to her on its own.”
“Besides collecting souls, the Mother maintains balance in the universe.” Alucard began thoughtfully twirling a lock of Victoria’s golden hair around his finger. “Worlds must evolve, and if they don’t, She intervenes and slightly alters the course of events.”
– What does my daughter have to do with this? – Mom slapped the ancient monster on the shoulder.
“I don’t know.” The ancient monster shrugged. “But I repeat, Mother never does anything without reason.”
“Alucard, I know you’re not just a higher vampire, but something much greater and more powerful.” Mom looked questioningly at the man lounging in his chair. “Perhaps you have an idea? Why would the Abyss turn its attention to a twelve-year-old girl?”
“I have some ideas, and I’ll tell you everything, but later…” The ancient monster leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling. “When I’m sure and when the time comes… I promise.”
– F*ck… – I got three slaps on the back of the head at once. – Ow! – I looked at the three of them with resentment and rubbed the back of my head. – For what?
– Don’t swear! – Mom looked at me sternly.
– Yes! – Victoria chimed in. – You’re a lady, not a port whore. Ow! – Now the vampiress was rubbing the back of her head in resentment. – Master, for what?
“That’s an inappropriate comparison for our girl.” Mom stood up and flicked the golden-haired girl’s face. “Next time, I’ll give you no sweets for a week.”
“You’re mean!” Victoria suddenly found herself on the back of the sofa next to me. “I’m leaving you.”
“Okay then.” Now Mom sat on Alucard’s lap. “I’ll get more.”
– Hey! – The vampire grabbed my shoulder and started shaking me. – Sis, they’re bullying me again!
“Rigel, don’t worry, when the time comes, I’ll tell you everything.” The ancient monster looked me seriously in the eyes. “And I’ll help you, I swear, I won’t abandon you and will guide you along this thorny and dangerous path.”
“The oath is accepted.” A pleasant female voice came from somewhere above.
– This?! – Victoria’s playful mood immediately disappeared. – She?
“Who else? And when does he have time…” Alucard grumbled and hugged the platinum blonde tighter. “And who made me say that…”
“Probably my paternal instincts kicked in.” Mom flicked the vampire on the nose. “Maybe you’d like to share your guesses now?”
“Sorry, I can’t yet…” The vampire smiled guiltily and kissed the woman on the nose. “Don’t worry, your daughter will be fine.”
“Thank you,” the blonde nodded thoughtfully. “You’ve reassured me.”
“Now that we’ve discussed everything, maybe we should go to bed?” Victoria yawned dramatically. “It’s getting late.”
– I agree. – Mom also started to yawn. – Daughter, how are you?
– Go ahead already. – I waved my hand. – I really want to sleep.
“Rigel, goodnight,” Alucard said softly to me. “Don’t worry, I repeat, when the time comes, you will know everything and the choice will be yours alone. Mother never forces anyone, SHE always gives the right to choose.”
“Sister, sweet dreams!” Before I could process the vampire’s words, my face was pressed into the vampire’s huge breasts, and then she pulled away and kissed me on the cheek, after which she disappeared.
– Daughter, good night.
“Good night.” I watched with a cheerful smile as Alucard carefully picked up my mother in his arms, and they slowly disappeared into thin air.
After seeing the guests off, I stared blankly at the switched-off TV for a couple of minutes, then stood up abruptly and threw one of the cups at the wall. My lack of understanding of the whole situation is so infuriating! But Alucard said the Abyss always gives me a choice, and when it appears again, I can confidently tell it to go fuck itself. That’s probably why Mom took this information so calmly? But the main question: why does the Abyss need me? Wait! What if… Right! Higher beings can’t directly interfere in the affairs of mortals and always use the hands of their followers. But how can I change the world? I’m only twelve years old, I’m not a ruler or even a powerful archmage. Or maybe this is a plan for the future, a suggestion for growth, so to speak? It’s all strange and incomprehensible, but never mind, the morning is wiser than the evening.
– We had a fucking great talk. After Alucard’s answers, there were even more questions. – I turned off the light and, cursing quietly, headed for the bed. – He’ll lead me along a dangerous and thorny path, yeah, right. But why the fuck do I need all this? What happened there? I don’t understand a damn thing, but I’m really interested. And anyway, Alucard, what are you? Fuck… Sooner or later, that horny old man will tell me everything… By the way, I need to get him some new panties, he’s completely ruined these ones…
– Knock-knock-knock. – There was a quiet knock on the door.
I listened to the estate; yes, at home, I can learn a lot just by turning to my familiar walls, including the identity of the person standing in the hallway. Receiving a response, I was a little surprised, then hurried to the door, opening it to see a nervously fidgeting, curly-haired girl in thin silk pajamas.
– Riya. – Hermione hugged me tightly from the doorway.
– Mia. – I hugged my friend back. – Why aren’t you sleeping?
– I can’t sleep. – Only now did I notice tears on her cheeks.
– I see. – I stroked my friend’s warm back and slapped her on the butt. – Let’s go, my bed is big.
We walked silently to my huge bed and, just as silently, climbed under the covers, then hugged each other tightly. Mia shifted slightly, getting more comfortable, and looked into my eyes.
– Thank you for everything…
– Please. – I interrupted the girl and kissed her on the forehead. – You’re my best friend.
“Riya, I love you.” The girl leaned forward and kissed me on the lips, then buried her nose in my chest.
“I love you too, Mia.” I was a little taken aback at first, but then I hugged my best friend tighter.
A couple of minutes later, Hermione began to snore quietly and peacefully. Admiring her sweet, serene face, I didn’t even notice how I’d slipped into the realm of Morpheus. It had been a very long and eventful day, and it was finally over.
***
Vacations are always great, especially when you spend them with family and friends. Mom decided to make up for the ruined Christmas break—when I spent two weeks alone at the estate—by taking a short vacation. Hermione’s parents also decided to give their daughter some attention and temporarily forgot about their network of clinics. So, my friend and I had a blast these spring days! We strolled around London and Crawley, made several forays into Soho, and even rode in brand-new heavy infantry fighting vehicles. Mia squealed with joy when they sat her on the armor of a pre-production model and took her for a joyride around the testing grounds, and when that steel thing fired a salvo from the twin missile launchers on the turret… I even captured the girl’s black, soot-smeared, happy face on film, then printed it out and framed it to hang in my room. True, the start of the holidays did not start off so brightly, and the wizards were to blame for everything.
On a clear April morning, Mia and I woke up as usual at six o’clock, separated from each other, freshened up, and headed down to practice. A rather impressive group was already waiting for us downstairs; I was even surprised. Besides Elvira, Mom, and Victoria, we were joined by Gene and a hungover Dan. Hermione’s dad had been drinking heavily the day before, and I could see how sick he was, but he, gritting his teeth and sweating profusely, kept up with everyone else. After the warm-up, the guy even climbed the horizontal bar and demonstrated a few interesting exercises. Wait, I got distracted.
After exercise, the whole group gathered for breakfast, and the adjutant brought me and Hermione the latest issues of the Daily Prophet, while Mum and the elder Grangers received the morning Times. In Britain, it’s customary to read the newspaper over breakfast, so I’d become addicted to it, almost like in my previous life. Only back then, I’d read the news and gossip columns while sitting on the toilet, but that was long ago and no longer true. Taking a bite of crisp toast, I read the headline of the wizarding newspaper and choked. When I cleared my throat, I nearly burned it, as the front page featured a huge photograph of the golden-haired bastard and the headline:
However, I managed to pull myself together and read the obituary article written by Rita Skeeter. The reporter wrote a five-page, emotional and vivid account of Lockhart’s exploits and heroic nature. The article concluded by stating that this great hero, who wanted to make the world a better and cleaner place, had fallen victim to the dark forces he had fought his entire life. The grieving Skeeter wrote that the wonderful and kind wizard had been vilely poisoned, and that he had killed himself to protect his good name. More precisely, Lockhart had asked a second-year Gryffindor student to do so, for whom, due to the poison, he had begun to develop feelings and desires unbecoming of a pureblood wizard. Naturally, the name of the girl who, with tears in her eyes, carried out the hero’s request was not disclosed, for the sake of the investigation, of course. Then came a colorful description of the search of the editorial office and the subsequent arrest of a certain Lunus, who had studied with Gilderoy and envied him since childhood. In short, all of Wizarding Britain would mourn and grieve for the great, bright, and honorable hero who defended the poor and needy to the very end. And the vile Lunus, who had earned a reputation in Knockturn as a fine potion maker, would answer for his evil deeds before a fair court. While I held back, Mia couldn’t, and the “Prophet” in her hands burst into flames, then crumbled into white ash.
Naturally, the adults noticed our behavior and, right after breakfast, dragged us off to London to unwind and forget about our experiences at Hogwarts. Mum and Hermione’s parents were deeply worried about us, so they tried to distract us every day. Plus, everyone knew we’d be heading back to the Black Star in the summer, so every day of the Easter holidays was a celebration. Even Laurie, whose husband was risking his life in the South American jungle at the time, devoted her full attention to Elvira. The girls and I were delighted by this behavior from the adults and simply basked in the attention of our families. When else would something like this happen? When else would we all flop into a cozy café, enjoy delicious food, and then head off to storm yet another shopping mall?
I especially remember Ron’s birthday, specifically April 1st, 1992. My mother talked to Mrs. Weasley and convinced her to celebrate the brave Gryffindor’s birthday at Alton Towers. Besides us and the red-haired family, the Finch-Fletchleys, Creeveys, Browns, and even the Goldsteins and the Patil twins came to the amusement park. In short, our entire school gang was there. At first, I was even a little amused by the Weasley brothers and Lavender’s reaction to the enormous park—understandably so; such attractions simply don’t exist in the wizarding world! But then I remembered something…
I’ve been practicing Occlumency since I was seven, but I still can’t figure out how it works. Why, on such a significant and festive day, did I remember a fragment from a past life? Especially since I erased that period of my life?! How?! Or maybe some associative chains were at work? Most likely, because there are no other arguments. Looking at the twins and Ginny, gaping at the enormous Ferris wheel, I was reminded of the day I tried ice cream for the first time. It was in a past life, and I was six years old. Back then, as part of the election campaign, a local mayoral candidate took a group of orphans to the local amusement park, naturally surrounded by the press. That day, we were given everything we needed, and upon our return, they even gave the orphanage a large color TV and a Dandy game console, which had disappeared from the playroom the next morning. The teacher then retold us the story of Cinderella and the pumpkin, saying that the presents turned into pumpkins at midnight and were eaten by rats. That morning, many children realized that real rats don’t have tails.
That’s probably why, on Ron’s birthday, I dragged the whole group around to every ride and, after each one, herded them into the nearest cafe, where I ordered practically everything on the menu. I don’t know why, but I wanted to try everything, and I’m not just talking about the swings and carousels. Cotton candy, corn dogs, ice cream, and much more ended up in my stomach. The result of all this activity was a huge stream of vomit, which I sprayed onto everyone who found themselves under the roller coaster we were riding that evening. And all would have been fine, but Colin managed to capture the whole thing with his camera and even sent me a photo that showed every detail of my disgrace. Luckily, he wrote that he destroyed the negative and that it was the only copy, so to speak, for his collection.
Another memorable day was Easter, which my mother and I spent at the St. Ursula Orphanage. After the service in honor of the Ascension of the Creator, my mother and I went to the children, and in addition to chatting and hugging, we also distributed gifts. This orphanage has been under the care of the Order for many years, and our family is responsible for its care. Considering that I personally studied there and know many of the children, we’ve changed our approach. Previously, my mother bought gifts based on principle: dolls for the girls and construction sets for the boys, but now things have changed a bit. The children write to me about what they need for a comfortable life, and then I pass the list on to my mother, and if the request isn’t too exorbitant, we make it a reality. Who would have thought that Dick, a healthy young man, dreams of a purple teddy bear to give to Mary? And one girl asked me for a compass, which is what her younger brother dreams of. These may seem like small things, but these are orphans and they’re strapped for cash, even though the shelter staff tries to provide the children with everything they need, including money. So, in addition to the children’s requests, I brought four large televisions and four game consoles this time, and, praise be to God, I’m sure they’ll stay at the shelter forever.
After chatting with the kids and playing a few rounds of video games, I went to see Father Benedict and told him about Myrtle. The priest listened attentively, then cursed and swore for a long time before taking an old book from the bookcase and opening it to the required page. It turned out there was a way to send a restless soul to the Creator’s realm, but then all the responsibilities fell on the sender. In principle, I agreed with him, especially since killing Scum and his friends would only bring me joy. The downside of this simple ritual was that I needed the sincere consent of the restless soul, but I thought that wouldn’t be a problem, and I could convince Myrtle. That poor girl had had enough of living in the school toilet, so I carefully copied a couple of pages from the ancient treatise and, kissing Uncle Ben on the cheek, headed home.
Some people’s entire lives flash through their minds before they die, but for me, the holidays flash through my mind before boarding the Hogwarts Express—such a tautology. On the magical platform, I met up with friends I hadn’t particularly missed, and while the adults chatted, we watched other wizards and admired the Hogwarts Express. Whatever I say, the train to Hogwarts is very comfortable and beautiful, and the interiors of the carriages are tasteful and luxurious. To my surprise, Madam Sprout was present on the platform. The head of badgers looked as kind as ever, but her gaze and emotions… They were practically screaming that she would throw anyone who disobeyed her or angered her out of the carriage, and at full speed.
Under the watchful eye of the Head of Hufflepuff House, we quickly said goodbye to our families and just as quickly took our seats in the carriages. I really liked Madam Sprout’s attitude; before the train had even started moving, she leisurely strolled through the train and loudly announced to everyone that whoever locked their compartment would have to walk to Hogwarts. And for some reason, I believed her, as did everyone else. This sweet and kind woman also forbade walking between carriages and even between compartments, citing student safety and her own bad mood.
Thanks to Madam Sprout’s efforts, the ride to Hogwarts was quiet and peaceful. My friends and I spent the entire journey peacefully discussing our recent holidays, ignoring the occasional woman passing by. At the station, we were met by the deans of house and two teams of Aurors. Many students were only too happy about the improved security and responded to the roll call with satisfied smiles. The deans quickly checked for their students, and those marked were immediately sent to the carriages. Waiting for friends was prohibited. So I boarded a covered carriage with three unfamiliar girls: a first-year and a couple of negative sixth-years.
– Hellsing! – The carriage was cramped, and the broad-shouldered, brown-haired woman sitting opposite me leaned forward menacingly, and I smelled her foul breath. – You killed Lockhart!
“Yes.” An athame appeared in my hand, literally absorbing the surrounding light, and its blade was a millimeter from her throat. “Do you have something against it?”
– Take it away! – Her neighbor pointed her magic wand at me. – Otherwise…
“Otherwise, there will be two corpses by the main porch.” I smiled sweetly at the panicking girl and waved the pistol with my free hand. “I killed Lockhart with this musket. Do you want to repeat his fate?”
The broad-shouldered girl glanced sideways at her friend and shook her head, while I pondered how to explain to these idiots that their idol was a complete asshole. I really didn’t want to escalate or ruin the relationship within the faculty; why bother? Especially since these guys had helped our Ravenclaw friends.
“Girls.” I took the athame and pistol away and sighed sadly. “I don’t want to fight, especially over Lockhart. I’m ready to swear that bastard wanted to rape my friend, which is why I killed him. We’re Gryffindors, why would I lie to you?”
– You’re lying! – the girl opposite answered.
“Lockhart put me under the Imperio Curse and wanted to rape Hermione, I swear.” I was immediately enveloped in a light fog. “Fuck… Lumos!” A yellow light lit up my fingertip. “Do you believe me now?”
“Hellsing…” The broad-shouldered girl looked down guiltily. “Sorry…”
– Everything is fine.
We arrived at Hogwarts’ main entrance as if we weren’t friends, then at least good acquaintances. Chatting cheerfully, we entered the central hall, where I encountered a grumpy Hermione. My friend, not very good at diplomacy, made faces at her companions, two third-year girls, while the fifth-year sitting next to them cheerfully commented on the whole thing, earning him a handsome black eye.
“Hellsing.” I turned around at the familiar, sarcastic voice. “Did you really rip out and eat Lockhart’s heart?”
– Hello, Diana, Romulus, Crabbe, Goyle. – I turned around and greeted the Slytherins. – And how do you know all this?
“I have my own sources.” Diana smiled slyly. “So what? Should I believe the rumors that your family serves raw human meat for breakfast?”
“Very funny,” I smiled back. “But I did rip Lockhart’s heart out of his chest, though I didn’t eat the carrion and threw it away.”
“I thought so.” The blonde nodded cheerfully. “Let’s go to the hall, an unpleasant surprise awaits you there.”
Rushing after Diana and finding myself in the Great Hall, I couldn’t help but glance at the staff table and for a few moments felt stupefied, or perhaps even furious; I couldn’t quite figure out my feelings. I was acutely aware of the urge to grab an RPG and launch a high-explosive fragmentation charge in that direction, but alas, that was impossible. After a brief hesitation, I sat down at the table, and thanks to my Occlumency, I even conversed with my friends quite well until Dumbledore rose from his seat and made a loud announcement.
– Dear students, let me introduce you to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor – Sirius Black!
