Chapter 47
Due to my constant busy schedule, I barely noticed how nearly three weeks of December flew by. Morning jogging and training, afternoon classes and library time, and evenings spent teaching Elvira, hanging out with the girls in the common room, or with Hermione at our base of operations. In the quiet of our well-equipped classroom, my friend and I would chat over a cup of tea or fire a couple hundred rounds at targets, occasionally stage magical duels, and once a week we’d reminisce about fencing and draw our blades.
Overall, the days passed productively, and Christmas preparations took up some of my time. I was used to making gifts with my own hands, so after lights out, I quietly knitted or made my modest crafts. When my eyes grew tired from knitting needles or tools, I pulled out the Marauder’s Map and watched my brother.
In the movie, Potter found the Mirror of Erised during winter break and spent hours in front of it. Well, this year, there won’t be a single first-year student left for winter break; everyone will be going home. So I thought maybe Dumbledore would unveil the artifact early. Why would I need a mirror? In the movie, they got the stone from it, so what if I got lucky? So at midnight, I’d take out the map and sometimes watch my dawdling brother wandering around the castle at night, but he never stayed anywhere for long.
My brother’s been hanging out in the dungeons a lot these past couple of weeks, but I learned from Lavender that “someone” has been dropping dung bombs near the entrance to the Slytherin common room at night. Harry would leave a couple of tripwires and quickly return to his dorm. I have a feeling the mirror will be gone after the holidays, because Potter might tell his family about it, and the Blacks wouldn’t like that. I read about that ancient artifact, a dangerous abomination that literally sucks magic and life force out of a person.
The month itself passed quietly; even the marauders quieted down—well, not quiet, but after clearing the snow, they had no energy left for mischief. In December, even the skirmishes between lions and snakes almost ceased; everyone was eagerly awaiting the holidays and the trip home. Against this backdrop of calm, Zabini emerged, after which the marauders ceased all activity altogether.
During dinner, a Slytherin’s hair turned pink, then his face broke out in huge pustules, and bright green snot began to stream from his nose. But that was the last straw. The icing on the cake was a powerful, liquid bowel movement, accompanied by various sounds, including a war horn, a trombone, and even the flow of a mountain river. The smell in the Great Hall was just as strong, and at that moment, I was very glad that the Gryffindor table was as far away from Slytherin as possible. The Snake House students, however, weren’t so lucky; some even vomited.
The snotty, self-defecating gypsy boy was rushed to the hospital wing. Three days later, Madam Pomfrey couldn’t find an antidote and gave up. The snotty brat was sent to St. Mungo’s, where he spent another week and returned just yesterday, very pale and silent.
Everyone immediately remembered the Weasley twins, especially since a month ago Blaise Zabini publicly insulted their mother, calling her a woman of low social responsibility. The redheads were immediately summoned to the headmaster’s office, where they honestly confessed, but took a stand—they were within their rights. The Weasleys reminded the headmaster and the deans that their family, though poor, was part of the “Sacred 28” and they had every right to kill the Italian asshole for such an insult. They said he should be grateful he got off so easily, pardon me, and get off easy.
Dumbledore sighed heavily, then gave Fred and George an hour-long lecture on forgiveness and love for one’s neighbor. McGonagall gave the miscreants two weeks of detention and deducted a hundred House points for the unfortunate prank, though she later added fifty for defending their family’s honor and dignity. The twins were greeted as heroes in the common room; they even threw a small party, and of course, they dipped slugs in feces.
The details were very interesting. Ron proudly told Hermione and me how brilliant his brothers were and that they’d concocted a clever two-part poison. Zabini drank the first portion at lunch, and the second at dinner, and then he reacted and shit all over everyone. Why all the fuss? So Blaise, from a wealthy Italian family, carries a bunch of protective artifacts, including a poison and dangerous substances identifier.
These multi-component poisons are incredibly dangerous, with some components simply undetectable. The only saving grace is that they’re incredibly complex and incredibly expensive to make, so I just don’t understand where the Weasleys got this crap. Schoolchildren simply couldn’t make it themselves, and they certainly don’t have that kind of money. Sure, Fred and George made a decent profit on the hot water bottles—Goldstein sold a whopping eighty-six of them in December—but that wouldn’t even cover the ingredients.
Maybe they got it from one of their older brothers? Their father seems to be more proficient in artifacts—look at that flying machine he enchanted—and Mrs. Weasley is a seamstress and housewife. It’s all strange, and my paranoia tells me to be more careful with redheads. There’s no reason to kill or poison me, and there’s no point anyway, but a love spell or a love spell on one of the boys is entirely possible, but also doomed to failure. I get a full checkup at Smethwick twice a year, and the master of magical healing is sure to find foreign substances in my system. They definitely won’t try to drug Mia or me before our fourth or fifth year, and we’ll notice any changes in each other’s behavior right away. But I still hope the Weasleys are scrupulous, otherwise I’ll personally burn them all alive.
All these unpleasant thoughts popped into my head when I recalled an episode from a past life. My colleague Katya, from the investigation department, was a Harry Potter fan. It was she, before the New Year, who recommended I watch the films about the scarred, brainless boy. But that’s not the point; one time in the smoking room, she and her friends were outraged by the ending of the saga, specifically the fact that Hermione married Ron. According to this overgrown fan, Granger should have gone to Bulgaria to join Krum, as they were made for each other. While I stood there, these conspiracy theorists and wizarding experts decided that the Weasleys had drugged Hermione with a love potion; after all, a smart, beautiful woman couldn’t marry a red-haired moron. Then a real debate ensued about who would be a better husband for a Gryffindor; even Malfoy and Snape were suggested! I wasn’t interested, so I went back to work. And that was a shame! I should have talked to people in the know; maybe I would have at least found out how this story ended. It’s clear that the beaver defeated the donkey, but how? That’s not what’s bothering me right now.
My friend noticed I was daydreaming as we walked to Transfiguration class. Ron and Justin were late for breakfast again, and Smith and the girls decided to wait for them.
– Why are you so thoughtful? – Hermione nudged me in the side.
– Yes, just some bad thoughts popped into my head. – I looked at my friend with a smile.
– Will you share? – The curly-haired witch wrinkles her forehead with interest and slightly concern.
“Of course,” I nod in response. “Now we’ll clear up a question with a certain proud, arrogant woman.”
The Slytherin first-years also split into two groups. Parkinson, Bulstrode, Nott, and Zabini were in one group, while Malfoy, Gingrass, and their two loyal bodyguards were in the other. We approached the latter group.
– Malfoy, Greenguss. – I nod politely to the group of aristocrats. – Crabbe, Goyle.
“Good morning, Hellsing, Granger.” Diana stepped forward a little, everyone else nodded politely. “How are you?”
“I’m doing just fine. Diana, can you answer a couple of questions?” I looked questioningly at the Slytherin.
“Ask away.” Malfoy lifted her nose importantly. “If the question doesn’t concern my family’s secrets, I’ll try to answer.”
– Listen, does the Headmaster of Hogwarts have the right to register and conduct marriages between students? – My question surprised everyone, including Hermione.
– Hm… The school is almost a thousand years old and the Hogwarts Charter has never changed since then, so it matters, even in this century such cases have occurred. – Diana began to answer cheerfully. – All sorts of things happen, but no one wants shame… My Aunt Andromeda married that insignificant, filthy Muggle-born Tonks. And why do you need it? Are you getting married?
– Not yet. – Everyone looked at me with questioning eyes, and I continued asking the Slytherin. – Do you know how Molly married Arthur Weasley?
“Everyone knows that. It was such a scandal.” Malfoy smiled wickedly. “Molly Prewett was supposed to go to France after school. Her parents signed a prenuptial agreement with the Awkward One. The head of this wealthy family became a widower and fell in love with the red-haired beauty he saw at the Greengrasses’ Christmas party. Old Pichar was about two hundred years old at the time, and Molly was only sixteen. And then in April, everyone suddenly finds out that Molly has become a Weasley! And pregnant, too! Can you imagine the shame for the Prewetts? After all, Dumbledore entered into a wizarding marriage, not a Ministry one, and it can’t be dissolved. My mother told me the school was in an uproar for almost a month. Why do you need the details of this story?”
“I think I have an idea…” Hermione looked at me thoughtfully, and then turned her gaze to Zabini, a first-year who had been discharged a couple of days ago and was still very pale. “Do you think Molly got Arthur drunk so she wouldn’t have to marry an old man?”
“Nonsense,” Daphne interjected. “First of all, Molly and Arthur started dating back in their fourth year; Mom discussed it with her friends once; they all went to school at the same time. And secondly, why would a girl from a rich and noble family drug a poor, broke man? She could have drugged Nott or Rosier, but she chose that loser. Mom said it was love, not mere calculation.”
“I agree,” Diana grinned cheerfully. “After all, for that prank, the Prewetts kicked Molly out of the house and disinherited her. So now she’s languishing in poverty with that loser.”
“Girls, just theoretically,” I turned to the grinning Slytherins, my friend also fully attentive. “Could someone at school slip a love potion or a charm to someone, and then take the victim to the headmaster and ask him for marriage?”
“It’s impossible, even theoretically.” The girls paused, deep in thought, and Diana continued seriously. “The director is obliged to check for potions and compulsion charms, but he’s not obliged to ask your relatives’ consent. So, no one will force you to marry, don’t worry.”
– Thank you. – I nodded at the blonde with a smile. – You’ve calmed me down.
“But to drug them with a potion and take advantage of the situation…” Greengrass paused, and Malfoy blushed as red as a tomato. “If someone tries something like that on me or Diana, they’re dead for sure. As soon as they leave the school grounds, it’ll take them a very long time to die. That’s not encouraged at all. You’d have to be an idiot or have the strength to shut up any disgruntled relatives.”
“Or the victim should be a Muggle-born,” Hermione hissed through her teeth. “No wizarding relatives, and by law you’ll still be guilty.”
“Girls, let’s drop this unpleasant topic.” Malfoy smiled tensely. “Especially since your friends are coming.”
Greengrass glanced behind me, and I turned around. Ron was cheerfully telling Justin something, who was listening attentively, and our classmates were following behind them, quietly chatting. At that moment, the bell rang and the classroom door opened. A thoughtful Hermione and I nodded to the Slytherins and headed to class.
As soon as the students took their seats at their desks, the professor levitated a textbook for each one. The assignments have gotten more challenging recently; now we’re turning mice into ashtrays, and after Christmas, it’ll be jewelry boxes. The assignments aren’t difficult, since we’re transforming inanimate objects into inanimate ones. The mice aren’t real, they’re transfigured. But they look lifelike; the professor isn’t a master for nothing. Last lesson, out of curiosity, I cut my mouse in half and even saw the guts and internal organs, though there was no blood. However, my actions had no effect on the rodent’s behavior; the two halves continued to sit in place, the back half scratching itself, and the front half looking around with interest. This is what’s called a behavioral matrix. I won’t be able to repeat something like that anytime soon.
“So you thought Molly drugged Arthur?” Mia concentrated and frowned, waved her wand, and her mouse turned into a simple glass ashtray with the logo of her parents’ hospital.
“I just assumed. I checked with Brown, and it turns out Molly Weasley was the former Potions professor’s personal student.” For some reason, a Pele coffee can popped into my head. Yes, I smoked in my past life and had an ashtray just like that on my balcony. I channel my magic, and my rodent transforms into a red, slightly dirty tin can. “I don’t have a file on Weasley or Slughorn; Mum only collected data on the current deans and some teachers. We don’t know where the twins got that stuff, and it’s very complex and expensive. Did you see how quiet the marauders went?”
“Let’s say.” Mia waved her wand again, and a field mouse sat in front of her, adorably washing its face, only its glass tail tapping on the desk. “But the Weasleys and I are on good terms, they certainly won’t bully us, but a wedding with one of the redheads…” Mia thought for a moment and shuddered. “Nonsense, we’re not returning to Hogwarts after fifth year anyway. So there’s no need to worry about such nastiness on their part. By the way, when does Her Majesty usually propose marriages to the children of her vassals?”
“Usually until they’re fourteen, it’s a case-by-case basis. My mom’s still single, but she’s a special case…” I looked into his curious chocolate eyes and nodded. ” He’s very jealous. Mom’s first suitor fell down the stairs, and the second choked on a cherry pit. Since then, the Hellsings haven’t received any more engagement proposals, although I don’t know much about that.”
“Flora, stop it!” The little fairy flew off her friend’s shoulder and was now happily flying around the textbook.
” Master, can I eat it? ” Vasya also showed his face and now looked hungrily at my mouse. The transformation had not been completely reversed, and my rodent was red with the inscription PELE on its side.
” She’s not real, ” I whispered quietly to my familiar. ” Go hunting this evening.”
– Go hunt yourself! Mistress, take off your clothes and sit with your bare ass on the cold stones. – The snake looked at me demandingly. – I’m hungry!
“I’ll feed you this evening. ” I turned my gaze to Hermione, who was treating the little beauty to a lump of sugar. “Vasya’s gotten completely insolent.”
“Miss Hellsing, Miss Granger, I hope you’re discussing my subject? Am I distracting you too much?” McGonagall quietly approached from behind and looked at us demandingly.
“Excuse me, Professor, we’re discussing the pros and cons of a creative approach.” Mia looked away from the fairy and put on her most innocent expression.
– I understand that you practice a creative approach. – We both nodded. – Demonstrate.
We waved our wands and transfigured our mice. Hermione’s glass ashtray was a dirty gray and had a tail, while my iron bull’s-eye bowl had four tiny legs and was now trying to crawl away from me.
“Not bad, not bad at all.” The Dean waved her wand, and our creations were cut in half, with no mouse guts inside. That was good. The Dean nodded contentedly. “A creative approach is both simpler and more complex than a mathematical one. My advice to you is to first learn the formula and perform your first transformation using it. Then carefully examine the resulting object and try to replicate the result without using the formulas. This way, progress will be much faster. Again.”
We memorized the formula and gesture, but never used it. We wanted to do something of our own, but since the dean was asking, we did it. We executed the gesture perfectly and recited the jaw-dropping formula. The result: two simple tin ashtrays on the table. We looked questioningly at the professor.
“Now study them carefully and try to repeat them without using complex formulas and calculations. You have until the end of class.” McGonagall thought for a moment. “If you can handle it, I’ll award you ten points each.”
“Mistress, fuck her! I’m hungry! ” Vasya crawled out from under his robe and hissed discontentedly.
“Miss Hellsing! What’s a snake doing in class?!” The Dean only now noticed the scaly hose. Flora noticed the angry glare aimed at her friend, flew off Hermione’s shoulder, and menacingly tried to cover the snake’s impudent face with her body. “And a fairy, too! The school letter clearly stated that only an owl, a cat, or a toad could be brought to school. Any other pets are strictly prohibited! Miss Hellsing, Miss Granger, you will dispose of these animals immediately after class; they are not allowed in the school!”
“I’m sorry, Professor, but that’s impossible,” I replied to McGonagall, a little sharply. “The letter mentioned pets, and these creatures are our familiars. We performed the binding ritual last summer, so everything is according to the rules.”
– Hmm… May I? – The professor took out her magic wand and looked questioningly at Vasya and Flora; my friend and I nodded in response.
A barely noticeable cloud flew from the dean’s wand and covered our desk, and then two bright golden threads appeared, connecting my friend and me to our familiars. As I understood, these threads connected our hearts and were very dense.
“Amazing! Voluntary submission!” A semblance of a smile appeared on the professor’s face. “Miss Hellsing, Miss Granger, I beg your pardon. I will inform the other professors that your familiars may accompany you to all classes.”
“Thank you, Professor,” Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.
“The task remains the same, get started.” The dean’s voice sounded a little warmer than usual. “Remember about points; you can earn twenty for the faculty.”
McGonagall turned her back on us and headed towards her desk, but Seamus Finnigan called out to her.
– Excuse me, Professor, but what’s the difference between a familiar and a pet? – The Irishman looked at Flora very thoughtfully.
“A pet is simply a domestic animal, like a cat or dog for Muggles,” the Dean turned to the first-year, “but only a sentient magical creature can become a familiar. This bond is quite rare, and the creature essentially becomes an extension of its master. A familiar can both feed on its master’s magic and share it. Each bond is individual and depends on many factors. You can read more in the library. A familiar also unquestioningly follows its master’s orders and cannot harm them.
I’d argue with that last statement, even though I don’t give Vasya orders, and his antics amuse me. So, Professor of Law, I’ve had a rough sense of the snake’s location and condition for a long time now. When I ended up at the estate and Vasya remained at school, I was beside myself. I have a gut feeling that if anything happens to the snake, I’ll be in deep trouble.
“Professor, is the headmaster’s phoenix also a familiar?” Malfoy asked, the Slytherin looking at McGonagall with curiosity.
– That’s right, Miss Malfoy, Professor Dumbledore tamed him more than fifty years ago.
“So, does that mean I can bring a manticore or a dragon to school?!” Potter exclaimed enthusiastically from his seat.
“Mr. Potter, to ask a question you must raise your hand.” The professor looked at the chosen one reproachfully. “You can, but only if you manage to tame such dangerous predators. And that’s practically impossible, especially at your young age.”
– But why? – My brother blushed with indignation.
“Dragons are unintelligent and very ferocious; they cannot be trained. According to legend, only Merlin managed to tame a dragon and make it a full-fledged familiar.” The Dean chuckled cheerfully. “But I repeat, this is just a legend; there is no written evidence of this fact. As for the manticore, the last person to tame such a formidable predator was Ulerich the Childless, and that was way back in 1750. Unfortunately, during the taming process, he lost the ability to reproduce, but he did become an excellent dancer and singer. Ulerich became famous throughout Wizarding Britain for his concerts and chants.”
Silence reigned in the classroom as the children digested the interesting information, and the professor conjured Tempus.
“All the information you need is in the library,” McGonagall said, looking at the students with a stern gaze. “Let’s continue our lesson. By the end of the lesson, everyone must demonstrate the Transfiguration of a mouse into a snuffbox. Let’s begin!”
The rest of the class went smoothly, and by the end, my friend and I had earned the coveted twenty points for our house, but it still wouldn’t help. Gryffindor is the only house still in the red; all the others had gotten out of it back at the end of October. This morning, I looked at the glass flasks and sighed sadly. I don’t care about these points, but it’s still a shame. Everyone else has already gone over a hundred, and we’re still down fifty.
After Transfiguration, we headed to Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Slytherins; we have almost all our classes together. Our group lagged behind a bit, and we watched with interest as Potter and Malfoy engaged in yet another spat. I loved how the Slytherin calmly and politely put my brother down, and didn’t even use a single swear word.
“I don’t understand how you can communicate with these snakes?” Ron came up to me and threw a hostile look at the students with green ties.
“It’s fine, the girls are well-mannered and educated, but why do you dislike the Slytherins so much?” I bowed my head and looked at the Weasleys. “What bad things did Diana or Daphne do to you?”
“Just look at them! These aristocrats are so important, they think they’re better than everyone else, and their parents served He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.” The redhead glared at Malfoy. “My brothers say you can’t trust Slytherins; they’re always looking for self-interest and can easily betray you.”
– Ron, let me decide for myself who and when I will communicate with? – His hostility irritates me, – in case you haven’t noticed, Justin and I are also representatives of the aristocracy.
“What kind of aristocrats are you? You act differently!” Weasley clapped Finch-Fletchley on the shoulder. “Jass is a normal guy, you and Hermione too, not like those snobs.”
“Heiress Hellsing, don’t pay any attention to it, it’s just class hatred.” Justin put on his most serious and haughty expression, straightened up, and squared his shoulders. “The proletariat has always hated the bourgeoisie.”
“I completely agree with you, Heir Finch-Fletchley.” I also adopted a stately gait, raised my head to the ceiling, and added a commanding tone to my voice. “Unfortunately, in the Wizarding world, class inequality is much more pronounced than in the ordinary world.”
“I think it has to do with the small population of Wizarding Britain,” Hermione said thoughtfully, putting on a haughty mask. “Everything is out in the open, and everyone strives to show off their superiority and exclusivity.”
“You’re right, Miss Granger,” Justin nodded politely. “Don’t forget the Ministry of Magic’s socio-economic policies. All power and money are concentrated in the hands of the aristocrats, and that suits everyone.”
Weasley hung there and looked at us with his mouth open for a couple of minutes, and then he slapped his forehead and smiled.
“I get it, you only behave normally with your friends.” The red-haired Gryffindor made a pitiful expression. “Can I have my friends back?”
“You can,” I smiled sternly. “You won’t just insult Slytherins anymore?”
“Fine,” Ron muttered. “But I warned you, slugs are cunning and always up to mischief. I’ll make sure you don’t get ripped off. My dad says that if Malfoy’s polite to you, he’s trying to trick you, and if Malfoy calls you his friend, he’s already tricked you. There!”
“You’re exaggerating…” Justin didn’t have time to finish, as a scuffle broke out ahead. Right next to the door to the DADA office.
I caught a glimpse of Diana saying something to Potter with a sly smile, and he quickly drew his wand and pointed it straight at the girl’s face. They were standing so close together, the tip of the wand just a few centimeters from the target, so the protective amulets didn’t have time to react. The purple beam of the spell hit the surprised girl’s face. Malfoy screamed loudly and doubled over, covering her face with her hands. Goyle, who had been standing behind the girl, was instantly at her side; the big man sent Harry sprawling on the soft stone floor with one blow. Longbottom tried to defend his friend, but Crabbe punched him in the face and sent him sitting on his arse. Greengrass quickly ran over to her friend and squatted down in front of her. At that moment, Professor Quirrell emerged from the office.
“What’s going on here?” The man looked around carefully, noticed the injured girl, and quickly walked towards her. “Miss Greengrass, what happened?”
While Daphne recounted the events, the professor waved his wand in front of Malfoy’s face, frowning deeply. Greengrass had already finished her story, and Quirrel was still performing some manipulations and whispering quietly. A couple of minutes later, a bright golden cloud flew from the professor’s wand and was absorbed into the Slytherin’s chest. Diana screamed loudly again and immediately vomited pus and green mucus. The man cleaned the floor and the student’s clothes with a wave of his hand, then handed her a white handkerchief.
“Th-thank you, professor.” The girl’s voice trembled slightly, her face was very pale, and the whites of her eyes were red.
“It’s alright, it’s my job. Do you have a strengthening potion?” Quirrel smiled at Diana, the girl nodded and rummaged through her bag, and the professor glared at the chosen one. “Mr. Potter, what idiot taught you that curse? Do you even understand what you just used and on whom?”
– She insulted my father! – My brother frowned and lowered his head.
“Your actions are disgusting; you nearly crippled the heir to a most ancient and noble family. Your actions bring shame upon your family name, Potter! I will write a letter to Lord Black today about your indecent behavior.” The professor was very angry. “In the past, such behavior would have resulted in a thrashing until unconsciousness. Mr. Potter will lose fifty points from Gryffindor for using a dark and dangerous curse on a classmate, and two months of detention. I will personally speak with Mr. Filch so that he can come up with something special for you.”
The man took a breath and looked around at the students who had become unwitting spectators, then silently pointed to the door to his office. The lesson had already begun.
As we walked into the classroom, Malfoy glared at Potter with a malicious, yet promising expression, and I began to think. Harry isn’t that simple; Sirius was most likely his apprentice, and he’s a Master of Combat Magic. Back then, in Dumbledore’s office, I was just lucky enough to catch that bastard off guard. So you need to be careful with your brother; who knows what other spells and curses the Chosen One has in his arsenal? Harry is very spoiled and used to being allowed to do whatever he wants, after all, he used a dangerous Dark curse on Malfoy, and she, mind you, is his relative and, what’s more, the daughter of one of the richest men in Wizarding Britain. Judging by Quirrell’s expression, the curse was quite dangerous; it only took him about ten minutes to help the girl, and for a wizard of his caliber, that’s quite a long time. Just in case, I won’t let Potter get close; who knows what’s going on in his head? Maybe it’s the scar that’s affecting him? After all, in the movie, Harry was a kind, modest and honest child, but here he is his complete opposite!
“So, I hope everyone’s calmed down and ready for class?” The professor waited until the students were seated and then looked them over carefully. “First off, I’d like to congratulate you. This year is coming to an end, and the holidays are ahead of you, which I hope you’ll spend productively and have a good rest.”
The students began to make a noise, and Quirrel snapped his fingers dramatically. Thick curtains covered the large windows, the candles in the chandeliers went out, and a magical projector began to work. A hideous old woman in a gray robe stared out at us from the canvas, her face covered in warts, and in her wrinkled hand with long black claws, she held a large lollipop.
“Today we’ll be taking a little break from the curriculum. Christmas is coming up, and many of you will want to take a festive stroll along Diagon Alley. It’s not as safe as many people think.” The professor grinned and gestured at the image. “Meet the hag, a dangerous magical creature that feeds on human flesh. They often lure lone travelers into traps, but children are a coveted delicacy for them. That’s why they often go hunting during the holidays. Last year, two second-year students went missing, and their remains have still not been found.”
The classroom fell silent as Quirrel glanced around the students with satisfaction. Lavender raised her hand, and the man nodded.
“Professor, but the hags are scary, ugly, and stink terribly. How can they even let them into Diagon Alley?” The girl tucked an unruly lock of blonde hair behind her ear. “She’ll stand out in the crowd; the Aurors will arrest her right away.”
“The right question, Miss Brown, five points to Gryffindor.” The man snapped his fingers again and the image changed. We saw a portrait of an incredibly beautiful black-haired woman, a magnificent tiara with emeralds on her head, and her blue eyes looked at us with superiority and disdain. “This is Malodora Grimm, the wife of Prince Arthur, and also a hag. At night, she kidnapped children from the surrounding villages and devoured them. This creature maintained her appearance with the help of beauty potions and a magic mirror. Hags are very skilled in illusion charms and potion-making.” The professor waved his hand and the ugly old woman replaced the beauty: “This dangerous creature can appear before you in any guise: a beauty, a simple merchant, or a little girl who got lost. They will have one thing in common – they will need your help.”
“So what should we do?” Parkinson said, raising her hand in fear. “How do we fight them?”
“Not every adult wizard can defeat a hag.” The professor looked at us seriously. “The surest way is to be accompanied by adults, but if you like to wander alone, you should learn to accurately identify who is standing in front of you. Hags often use all sorts of beauty potions and illusion charms to hide their true form. Today we’ll learn a spell to detect hidden objects; it can also dispel a hag’s disguise. As soon as a pretty woman turns into a terrifying old woman, you should immediately call for help and run away from her as fast as you can! So, carefully memorize the gesture and say: Revelio.
An hour later, when everyone started to be able to perform the spell, since it is quite simple, I decided to ask a couple of clarifying questions.
– Miss Hellsing. – The teacher turned his attention to me and I stood up from my seat.
“Professor, where did the hags come from?” I thought for a moment. “Were they once sorceresses? Or are they a separate species, like centaurs or mermaids?”
“It’s not known for sure, although… There is one legend. A thousand years ago, in eastern Germany, there was a magical settlement called Kargus, but a bad autumn crop occurred, and to stave off starvation, its inhabitants decided to try human flesh. Over the winter, they devoured several dozen inhabitants of the surrounding villages and kidnapped several lone travelers. Over time, the wizards of Kargus completely stopped farming or raising other animals; they switched entirely to human flesh.” Quirrel caught his breath. “Over a decade of cannibalism, the inhabitants of Kargus changed, becoming ugly and terrible. They rejected traditional beliefs and began worshiping dark gods from the past and performing human sacrifices, then eating what was left. This could not continue for long, and the King of Germany, Otto II the Red, sent soldiers and battle mages to the village. The arriving warriors killed all the men and women, and the battle mages forever cursed the cannibal children, turning them into deformed old women. But that’s just a legend…” The professor shrugged. “The Ministry has classified the hags as hazard class XXXXX, and according to Avrot’s classification, they are considered deadly dark creatures, so be careful. You can read more in the textbook, page one hundred and thirteen.”
“Thank you, professor.” I sat down, and my friend nodded at me contentedly.
“You’re welcome,” Quirrel nodded politely. “There are a couple of minutes left before class ends, so you can start packing your things.”
Soon the bell rang, and after saying goodbye to the teacher, the students headed off to lunch. The meal went fairly smoothly, except I noticed Nymphadora Black glaring at Potter with a furious, angry expression. It seemed like someone was about to get into trouble. There were only two days left until the holidays, so I thought Black would wait until he got home. It’s not my problem, of course, but Harry deserved a good spanking.
Damn! Only two days until the holidays! It’s only just dawned on me that I’ll finally be home soon! I miss my family and friends so much. And I also want to relax and watch TV, go without my bulletproof vest for a couple of weeks, and stop paying attention to every little noise. If it weren’t for magic, Mia and I would have long ago developed bloody blisters from the abundance of protective gear we carry around every day. I’m almost done with the gifts; I hope these two days fly by quickly and peacefully.
