Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"I know what's wrong, Harry."

He looks at Luna.  "You - you do?"

She nods.  "The affected spells all have one trait in common. They all rely on a magic that was already ancient in the Founders' time."

"Memory modification, Muggle-repelling, glamours, Apparation, and the Ministry fog?"

"And more besides.  Extensions, for instance.  Tracking.  Many magical constructs."

"And - it's breaking?"

Luna shakes her head.  "That would be worse by far, Harry.  No.  It simply is not working properly."

"That sounds like it's breaking, Luna."

"It is not.  It's rather like - like it's a thestral wearing those fluffy earmuffs of Sprout's."  He stares blankly at her.  "You can't simply tell it what to do anymore, but if you're patient you can direct it, I should think."

"How?"

"Give thorough instructions.  It's actually rather more like Victoire is riding the thestral and you are in contact with her via mirror," muses Luna.

"Why Victoire?"

"She cannot see them.  She is the spell.  The thestral is the preexisting magic that the spell is using - we'll call it the Fog."  Luna tucks her wand behind her ear.  "You have a map of England with cities which shows you where she is - to within a few miles - and a tiny mirror.  These are your connections to the spell.  You also have an atlas, representing your understanding of whatever the spell targets."

Harry sighs.  "Okay?"

"Normally you might simply tell Victoire to tell the thestral to take her to Shell Cottage, and the thestral will take her there.  Now, you can get her there still.  If the flight path is simple enough it will not be terribly complicated.  If we are comparing it to Obliviation, this is analogous to convincing someone that they fell asleep and everything after that was merely a dream."  She sighs.  "The fancier kind, where you come up with an entire false story, is more analogous to having her visit some number of cities in alphabetical order on the way.  If it's only a few, or you're only covering perhaps half an hour, it's difficult but not incredibly so.  More than a few hours, and it may prove impossible to do correctly until this has been fixed."

Harry nods, looking determined.  "Right, so how do we fix it?"

"We wait." 

"Luna?"

"We can only cover.  We can buy as much time as possible for it to be fixed.   Everything we use this fog for is secondary to what it is meant for.  It is the...fabric...protecting worlds from one another, dividing things which were never meant to mix.  A piece of the fabric of reality - the layer through which our kind of magic is worked."

Harry shivers.  "So if it actually broke - but what's wrong with it then?"

"The primary anchor which connects this fog to the magical communities of Britain and Europe - and to a lesser extent the Americas - has been taken."

"Taken."  Harry sighs.  "Who took it?  How do we get it back?"

"We cannot find or retrieve this anchor, Harry.  Others must solve this part of the problem - and they will.  Retrieving it will be a very high priority.   They have been protected by it too, and these protections are malfunctioning.

"Is there anything we can do?" 

"Perhaps.  They may need help - and they may not be able to ask for it directly. "She nods.  "Meanwhile - any memory modification, any glamour, any repelling charm must be cast very, very thoroughly,.    And - Appare Caliginum."   A haze appears in the air.  "Oh, dear."  

"It's thick, though.  Isn't that good?"

Luna shakes her head.  "It should be much thicker than this, Harry.  If this is representative - this fog thins out around us.  It is thinned more when spells are cast.  If it gets thin enough that Muggles spot Boggarts or Thestrals or ghosts…" 

Harry gulps.  "Is this why they don't see them?"

"Indeed.   Where possible, magic users must stay out of Muggle areas.  Obliviation especially must be kept to the bare minimum -

"Why that specifically?"

"Because it uses the Fog to patch the holes it leaves."  She sighs.  "Quite a bit of it, in fact

The Fog is - anchored in various ways.  "There are?"

 using the simplest option 

 its secondary, automated functions 

Proper anchoring is needed for the Fog to properly 'understand' what we want.  

  "The same may go 

 - to conceal.  To protect things like  .  It isn't quite failing, but it is map 

Things more important than you can know depend on it, too.  It is a fog that can cloud memories. It is - smoke and mirrors, an illusion convincing enough to be real.  

 - to separate things which aren't meant to mix

"What

.

"Moody?"

"Only an artifact of similar power could see past Ignotus' Cloak, Harry.  I suspect that if he knew there was something to look past his Eye could see much of what I can."

"It's possible that if it thinned enough, we'd see them - but in some systems other layers can serve that function."

"I'm not sure, because it is Luna.  But if she's right about this, we have a big problem.  Bigger than we thought, I mean.  A lot of our stuff is depending on some very old magic.  And it's not working normally.

A chill goes down his spine.  "Remember how the brain got me?

"I can't forget, now can I?

"Luna said - and I'm pretty sure she's right - that I learned some information.  And I couldn't keep it."

Draco Malfoy takes a deep breath before letting loose the most creative curses he can.  Curse words, that is - he's hardly about to attack an ally.  "This is incredibly bad.  You have no idea how bad it is.  This - Granger, the sleeper agent spell was based on it.  It can rewrite memories, in real time, without external input.  It is already in everyone's head."

These spells normally are far simpler to use than they have any right to be.  A memory charm for instance merely requires stating the false memory - the rest is automatically, seamlessly filled in.  

Comparable to, say, a Knitting Charm or a wizards' chess set."  He sighs.  "Do you think something this sophisticated actually needs to be directed?  I watched it create seamless false memories for over a year."

"Charlie, I am so sorry about this, I swear I didn't use it on purpose-" 

"Give me the results, then apologize."

"Marissa's hair has unusual tensile strength.  Not like in Tangled or anything, but higher than either of your siblings.'  It's also innately magical so I had Hecate's kids look at one.  They said it strongly resembles Veela hair, so maybe try asking a wizard."

"Leo's sort of one, right?"

"I think so.  Lovegood might be better.  Anyway - they wrapped it in a cleaned spiderweb for some reason.  Last night I dreamed a project split while drying and I used a sticky white string to fix it.    This morning-"

"It was split, right?"

"Yes, and the wrapped hair was sitting nearby.  The thing was from my dreams anyway so - I used it before I found out what it was.  It's part of the project.  It can't be removed without breaking both.  Especially since the branch was Mended."

"What is the project?"

Harley sighs.  "I thought it was a slingshot reinforced with Imperial Gold.  Now I'm pretty sure it's a dowsing rod combined with a tuning fork.  I have no idea what it's for, but-"

"It does have a purpose and you know it?"

"Yeah.  It's not like the Argo, but it's needed."

"Oh.  Will Marissa's hair mess it up?"

"Hang on, lemme…No.  It feels like an actual component, like it's supposed to be in there."

"Alright.  Look, this sounds important, and even if it wasn't, she's your niece.  I'm not mad.  Just don't let it fall into the wrong hands."

The harpy looks tired.  "Please step into the cubicle for a diagnostic.  This says human-"

Rachel sighs.  They did say this would be worse than the TSA, but I've already handed over my stuff.

"Rachel Dare!"  Suddenly she sounds more cheerful.  "Ella is glad to see Rachel!  See - to perceive information which is processed visually, as through eyes, supernatural means, etc."

The redhead grins.  This could definitely be worse.   "Hello, Ella.  Sorry, I've never seen you in a hazmat suit before."

"Rachel has not Seen that?"

"No."  She sighs.  "I didn't."

"Omniscient.  Knowing everything."

"Yes?"

"Ella and Rachel are not omniscient and that is okay.  Ella was simply curious."

"Thank you, Ella."

"Rachel is welcome!  To be welcome - to be gladly received, to be pleasing due to want or need, to be invited to participate.  Also, polite response to expressions of gratitude."  Her friend nods.  "Rachel is not sick.  Rachel is very welcome in Rome once she is sanitized and ritually cleansed."    

"Luna - you're not supposed to trust something that can think for itself.  Not - not if you can't see where it keeps its brain."

She smiles softly.  "But I have, Ginny.  Or at least I've seen one of them."

"One of-"

"This isn't something you can tell Ron, or Harry.  Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"The anchor is a person.  The Fog doesn't properly think for itself.  But She thinks for it."

"A person?"

Luna smiles mischievously.  "You've seen her, too.  Remember the woman who pulled out Percy so he could go deal with the lemurs?"

"His cousin?"

"Indeed. The great-niece of his grandfather."

"This is all happening because Percy's cousin has been kidnapped?"

She nods.  "The Lady who introduced herself as Katerin holds an old and important position.  She guides the Fog and anchors it to humanity.  Without her - it can't properly understand what we need it to do.  And it's too thick in a few places while being much too thin elsewhere."

"Can someone take her position?  Become the anchor until she's back?"

"Hazel Levesque plans to try.  If Rachel doesn't disapprove."

"Rachel?"

"A friend who is a Seer."

Kane grimaces.  "You don't mean here, do you?"

Ameqran sighs.  "The Calamity seems to be least severe in Egypt.  If that's because of you…"

The Vizier sighs.  "Babajide Akingbade, I'd like to introduce you to a...colleague of mine.  He is a magician trained in the Ancient Egyptian tradition by an organization that has been around since the Old Kingdom."

"Per Ankh, the House of Life?"  The Supreme Mugwump shivers.  "We are taught of them, but there is no reason to believe they still exist, save for the fact that they would be involved in appointing…"

"Our Pharaoh?  Indeed.  We, too, thought they were a myth until Amos here popped into my office."  The man pinches the scrying-bowl - and an imposing man appears

"It is my honor.  But why have you come forward at this time?"

"You understand, I assume, that I'm not a wizard?"

The Mugwump gulps.  "Yes.  Your magic follows very different traditions."

"Indeed.  It operates on completely different principles than does your own.  As such it is almost completely unaffected by the abduction of…"

"Of?"

"A key player in another system

The man

"My name is Amos Kane.  I'm the deputy commander of a group called the House of Life, tasked with responding to high-level mystical and existential threats-"

"Are you here to join the Taskforce?

"Not precisely.  The Calamity itself is not within our purview-"

"Threats to secrecy affect everyone."  

"I concur.  As such, I've come to offer what help I can."

  Unfortunately, helping you directly would do more harm than good, because our magic   The conflict in nature might further damage the, ah, glamours.  However, this also means that it is completely unaffected-"

"What can

.  I've come to offer my organization's indirect aid."

  What we can do is provide your taskforce with a base, transportation between appropriate portal points, and assistance concealing things which aren't already spelled with magic of your sort "And just what do you respond to?"

"Typically, existential threats.  You may recall an unscheduled eclipse September 16th, 2012-"

"That was you?   Do you have any idea-" 

"Do you think any human wizard or magician could blot out the sun?  My niece and nephew cast an experimental spell to break the culprit's power - a variant on the one which my immediate predecessor used to briefly stall this threat at the cost of his life."

"And what threat would this be?"

"Names have power.  In theory, It is gone.  In truth - I do not wish to dishonor the sacrifices my family and predecessors made, but I am not certain It is gone for good.  Millennia from now-"

"Millennia?"

"There are very, very old threats.  Ones the wizarding community normally cannot even see and is completely unprepared to handle.  Fortunately, there are very, very old groups opposing those threats.  Out of those which remain, the House of Life is oldest. "

""We are affiliated with the Magical Egyptian Government.  We are allies.  We are led by the same monarch.  We do not intend to act on their behalf against wizards. The House of Life has come forward to help against the Calamity, because our magic is completely unaffected, and as such has revealed the existence of bases - which, may I point out, the mundanes have never noticed.  Ever.  We're offering to help the wizarding world as a whole - not simply my nephew's wizarding subjects - hide.  Unfortunately, eliminating those bases would reduce our response capacity-"

"And you're claiming you need-" 

"In the past decade alone, the world as you know it nearly ended over ten times.  You barely noticed because those threats were dealt with - by us, and by others who handle the crises you cannot.   Yet if I asked you to guess the dates - every one of those events, even averted, echoed."

  Normally we, too, are hidden We 

Instead, she turns to the seven-year-old sitting on the couch.  "You have a question too, Littler Delphi, don't you?"

Delphina gulps.  "W-will I ever be able to redeem my family name?"

Green smoke starts billowing.  "Um, is that-"

Hazel and Percy move closer.  Strong arms wrap around her, lifting as the two scoot together so she ends up comfortably sitting on their laps.  A calloused hand grasps her own as Percy confirms, "Yeah, Dolphin, that's the Oracle." 

As Rachel starts speaking in a terrible, rasping voice, Delphi takes a deep breath and faces her stoically.  I am Delphina, Daughter of Lupa.   I'm not afraid of my future.   Nonetheless, she squeezes hard enough to impress Percy.

"Your Lady lies under your ancestor's fen

Tied down and gagged with the paths she averted

Bound up by pieces of what might have been

Had she not so carefully all the rules skirted

Had she not made so passionate a spiel

So that her chosen would not be deserted

She may only be loosed by a version that's real,

From each chain formed from a possible token,

And while so enchained, Magic cannot conceal."

Percy shakes his head.  "You're Estelle's age.  This is a burden I wouldn't want to put on an adult."

Will nods.  "Especially since this format is for the really, really important ones.  Like the very last part of Lester's quest.  Worse, Delphina…"  Will's gaze holds hers.  "This is terza rima."

"So?"

"Poems in terza rima end with a couplet - two lines that rhyme."

"But - it doesn't.  There's a line in the middle of all of them."

Nico sighs.  "Meaning there's more to it.  The poem isn't finished."

"Oh."  That...she already has a tough task, clearly.  "There's more to do?"

"Yeah.   And apparently she's in a fen, not sure what that means-" 

"Seriously?  That's obvious."

"Fine, then.  What does it mean, oh great wizard?"

"Slytherin.  The original one, I mean.  He was 'from fen' or something."

Hazel sighs.  "Which means this is definitely you, Delphina.  Unless one of us is his descendant, but I don't think so."

"The quest for Lady Trivia has been given.  It will mean leaving the safety of Rome, potentially for months, and risking exposure to the coronavirus.  There is no guarantee the questors will be allowed back into Rome, and if they are reentry will be a long and complicated process.  As at least part of it will take place in Wizarding Britain, the questors will be leaving the country.  Additionally, it is being led by Delphina Dispecta."  

"So?"

"No fair!  Why is a seven year old leading such an important quest?"

"Wait, seven?"

"Aren't you still on probatio?"

She coughs.  "I - I was the one to receive it.  Rachel Dare came to advise Hazel Levesque...and she spoke to me instead."  The camp goes quiet.  

"We'll need an experienced centurion to co-lead, one who is willing to work with a seven-year-old girl as an equal and partner, because - obviously, we really can't promote Dispecta."

The Fifth-Cohort girl who assists Terminus steps forward.  "I'm Julia.  I was seven once, too, and I remember what it's like. People don't take you seriously - and that's helpful when it's an enemy, but really frustrating from allies.  If you pick me, I promise I will listen to you.  Like my life depends on it.  Because it probably does."

Delphina nods, and squeaks, "Deal.  Uh, I pick Julia as one of my companions."

The girl's smile is sharp.  "Awesome.  Can I call you Delphi?  Hey, Ambassador, could you lend me the Thane's Ring?"

"Uh-"

"Absolutely not."  Hazel shakes her head.  "It's Mist-based, Jewel.  And the Mist in that area is dangerously thin already." 

"Oh."  She looks sheepish for a moment before her jaw sets.  "Actually, no.  It's hard enough traveling as a minor normally, Mrs. Vascarca, let alone now.   I promise to be sensible, I will not use it unless there's enough Mist - but I don't think we can get to England without an 'adult.'  Unless Mrs. O'Leary-"

Nico shakes his head.  "She's needed here.  We can't leave.  You can take the ring on the quest - on the condition that any decision to use it must be unanimous."

"Deal!"

"Does anyone else want to come?"  

Julia notices that her new partner sounds - resigned.  "Actually, this might work better."  The forlorn look on the girl's face is painful.  "No, no, I mean two Roman, one Greek.  They have a stake in this too, and it was assigned by their Oracle." 

"Oh."  Delphina nods.  "We'll - we'll ask them, then."

"You'll have a half-blood anyway, so you won't have to be quite as careful.  Here are Nigellus' Muggle papers.  The incantation is-"

"Spero Matura.  Right?"  Julia rolls her eyes.  "Basically, 'Hope: Grow Up.'  I was raised here, Sir.  So - should we just Floo over?"

"Yeah, no.  The Camp's Floo is closed."   Percy sighs, and digs out a phone.  "Hey, Mom, there's a quest.  No, it's not me, sorry - it's for Trivia.  They're starting here - they're both clean.  Uh, yeah.  They're hoping to get someone from Camp, because - yeah, they're good kids.  Can they Floo over?  Nope, just inbound.  Her temple.  Once they're fully supplied.  Okay, thanks.  Can I - yeah, okay.  I'll call back later.  Love you.  Bye."  He hangs up.  As he shuts off the phone, he confirms, "You two can Floo to my Mom's." 

The girl takes a deep breath.  Yes, it's one chance and if she messes up at best it's going to delay them.  But they've practiced it for exactly that reason, Mrs. Jackson says their pronunciation is perfect, and it's in Latin.   "Rīpa Sīderea!" 

"Hello-" 

The dark-haired girl who's staring intently at the fire yanks off a pair of pink headphones.  "Hi!" The girl sounds a little younger than her.  "You're the quest, right?  Welcome!"

"We are.  You're Estelle?"

"Yep!  Don't worry, we're muted."

Delphi frowns quizzically.  "Muted?"

"My classmates can't hear you."

"Oh," exclaims Julia, "Is that distance learning?"

"It is - wait, are Romans still at school?"

Julia nods.  "Lockdown and testing officially started on the Lupercalia, but an optional quarantine started on the Kalends.  Quarantined people had two weeks off with pay and a much quicker screening process, so…"

"What about your camp?"

"Mandatory, in our barracks."

The girl makes a face.  "At least you could hang out with people.  Does that mean-"

Julia beams.  "Cumulative Roman cases, none.   We're back to normal."

"Really?"  Paul has emerged.  "Maybe we should have Flooed you over when Percy offered."

Estelle shrugs.  "I said I wanted to stay here, Dad.  Admittedly, if I had known how bad this was gonna get-"

"No one expected this, Starfish.  The border is completely closed, right?"

Julia grimaces.  "Not completely.  There's a chance you won't be able to get in if you wait-"

"Rome is accepting people?"

"Yes.  Only a few at a time, through a tunnel which now exits at the furthest edge of the valley, and they basically have to endure airport security but worse on both ends.   I was told, point blank, that we might not be allowed back in - so that might change."

"I see."  He sighs.  "If we want to reconsider, it has to be soon, and as it stands we don't have a safe way to get her there.  Which is probably why…"

"Why he suggested I Floo over for the quar-an-tine."  She huffs and presses a few keys on her laptop.  "Note to self - listen to Romans' warnings in future.  If they think it's gonna be bad, it's gonna be awful."

"Does anyone have the time?"

Estelle glances down at a large watch.  "Um, a little after half past nine?  Or 9-3-6." 

"And it is still Tuesday April 27th, 2020?"

"It is.  Do you have a way to your Camp?"

"Dad means Percy's camp.  We're not sending you back to New Rome," interjects the girl.

"Um...no.  I have a learner's permit, but that requires an adult and we're not supposed to use the Thane's Ring outside emergencies-"

"Nico's Shazam one?"

"Yes."

"That does make sense.  Estelle's accidents have become much rarer."

She pouts.  "Daaad!  That sounds like I'm wetting the bed!"

"Well…"

"Nope."  She shakes her head.  "Not going there.  Mom can drive them, right?"

Paul nods.  "We can give you a ride.  However…"

"Yes?"

"We can't do it immediately.  Do you need to be there today?"

Julia grins.  "We're actually way ahead of schedule. As in, normally travelling anywhere for a quest takes days.   I guess we haven't exactly started, though.  How soon can you take us?"

"Around dawn tomorrow - Sally!"

"Can it wait?  I'm covered in flour and I just vacuumed!"

"Can you drive the kids early tomorrow morning?"

"Sure!"

"Tomorrow's great.  If afternoon is more convenient for you-"

Paul frowns thoughtfully.  "Actually, if you leave early you'll avoid almost all of the traffic.  Dawn it is.  Are you likely to be attacked?" 

"I'm not."  Julia snickers.  "I'm a really distant legacy.  Which means I have no powers, but monsters could care less.  Delphina?"

"Uh, fauns say I smell human."

"Same.  Is there somewhere we can pitch our tent?  I mean, I know it's New York City, but-"

"You're welcome to spend the night." 

Delphina's astonished.  "Are you sure?"

"Are you kidding me?  We haven't had anyone over in forever!   I mean, Lester, but he's a boy.  And you look like you're my age!  And you're both safe so Mom and Dad won't make me stay away!  If we could keep you here all week-"  All three sigh.  "But you're on a quest to free our patron and you need to hurry-"

Delphi stares.  "You're - you're a witch too?"

"I am!   Not trained, obviously, I'm seven - you mean - oh!  Are you Dolphin, the one who's Percy's cousin because you're Aunt Hazel and Uncle Nico's because you're an Underworld legacy?!"

"...I think so?"   She coughs.  "Ahem.  I am Delphina Dispecta, Legacy of Thanatos and co-leader of this quest.  I'm seven too-"

"Sleep.Ov.Er!"  Estelle is grinning ear to ear.  "With another witch!   And we're the same age!  And you already know, so I don't have to hide anything like - Sherlock!"

"The detect...aww!"  What looks like a shadow leaps out of a grocery bag, meowing loudly.  Julia holds out a hand to be sniffed.  "He's Key's, right?"  

Paul remarks, "I've never heard of a quest having a co-leader, let alone-"

"I get it, Mr. Blofis!  I know I'm too young to do this.  Seven-year-olds aren't supposed to get quests, but-" 

"Aha!  Either Aunt Rachel or Ella gave it to you, so the Romans just have to deal!"

Julia snorts.  "More or less.  Quests need to be led by a centurion.  This one has to be led by Delphi." 

The girl nods.  "Even I would've mutinied if May was unseated in my favor.  So - we're co-leading."

"It's a thing now.   Anyway, thank you, Mr. Blofis.  You're nearly as cool as Percy Jackson."

The man chuckles.  "I'll take that as a compliment.  He's one of the coolest people I've met, you know.  Now - Estelle, what is your class doing?"

"Colors, mostly.  Dad, I have vocabulary already and we actually have company-"

"I could sit in?  I've been wondering what normal school is like."

"Ugh.  This is not normal school.  This is probably somewhere in the Fields of Punishment - and if not it should be."

Paul sighs.  "I can't dispute that, Starfish.  But you do need to return to class.  So do I."

"You're in school?"

"Nope!  Dad teaches kids around Jewel's age."  

"How's this?  You two can join any of us, but stay out of sight.  Do you know what a webcam looks like?"

"Yes.  Can I go make cookies?"

"I think they're pancakes, but certainly."

"If you want to go bake with Mom too-"

"Maybe later."

"Oh!  Is this the word - words?"  She holds up an envelope with it in large, carefully printed letters.

"Lester said to give this to whoever says 'terza rima' if I think the time's right.  I think it's the rest."

"The...rest of what?"  Julia carefully pulls it out to reveal a small poster.  "It's...the Hang in There kitten.  Um, thank-"

Estelle flips it over to reveal an artistically messy scrawl.

Delphi scowls.  "Look, I thank you for trying to help but-"

There's a swift intake of breath from Julia as she scans it.  "Delphi - can you read the last word of the second-to last line from Rachel?"

She digs out the paper.  "Token?" 

"Estelle.  Do you mean this is part of the prophecy?"

"What?!"

"Want me to read it?"

"...Yes? But...If you think it's actually that, can you start from-"

"I can.  "Your Lady lies under your ancestor's fen…"   Sometime around 'deserted,' Delphi grabs the girl's hand.  She's about to let go - wrong sibling - when Estelle squeezes gently.   "...From each chain formed from a possible token,

And while so enchained, Magic cannot conceal.

Yet ere these chains can ever be broken,

Long after your trio has become airborne

Forge a key of these, that she may be woken

Life's iron from three who would not have been born

Silver from the tree which would have been gashed

And the piece of lead you would never have worn

Find glass of an orb which would have been smashed

An inherited treasure which would have doubled

The prize one would have held meeting death unabashed."

"Have either of you ever forged anything?"  They both shake their heads.  "Then either you need to learn or-"

"Or?"

"Or the third member of your quest does know what they're doing." 

"So…Maybe one of Vulcan's kids?"

"Maybe.  How do you have this?!"

"Lester, duh."

"You're the second person who's mentioned "Lester." 

"Um, hi?"

"Hey May-"

"Julia.  Are you okay?  How's the quest?"

"Fine so far.  The Blofises are wonderful.  I'm calling because they actually had the next three stanzas."

"You mean, of the-"

"Yes.  Lester wrote them on a cat poster."

"Lester as in-"

"That one.  Probably."

"Oh.  Seriously, a cat poster?"

"Hang in There."

"Seriously - wait.  You said the next three."

"No couplets yet."

"This is eighteen lines long and there's more?"

"Yeah.  We now know three tokens.  And the reason I'm calling."

"So…"

"We'll be making a key.  Eventually.  One component is 'the piece of lead you would never have worn.'  That has to be her probatio tablet, so-"

"Got it.  As Delphina's centurion, I give her permission to use the lead of her tablet however she needs to, and to take it off.  If anyone argues, let me know - but she's leading a quest.  She'll probably be a legionnaire once she's back."

"Thanks.  I figured - we're still here, Delphi really cares about this stuff, why not ask permission?"

"I'm surprised - what's she doing right now?"

"Hanging out with Percy's little sister, Estelle, who is just awesome.  Sally's taking us to camp tomorrow."

"Aww!"

"Waait a minute.  You are Percy's cousin-"

"I'm not actually related.  It's honorary, because Nico and Hazel-"

"Who cares?  You're his cousin, and he's my brother, so you're my cousin too!  I don't have any cousins - I mean - ok, actually I have a gazillion cousins through Percy, but most of them are my aunts and uncles because," her voice drops, "They're really old. Not as old as the ones I can't call cousins unless they actually give me permission to - which is only Lester so far - but old.   I've never ever met one my age before!  Hey, do you have any aunts or uncles?"

"Um.  No?"

"Mooooom!  Daaad!"  Once they're there, the girl triumphantly proclaims, "You!  Have a niece!" 

"I'm not arguing - nieces are always nice - but how does that work?

"Delphi's my cousin because she's Percy's because she's Aunt Hazel and Uncle Nico's cousin, right?"

"Of course."

"And you're our parents, which would make her your cousin too, but she has oodles of those and you're both even older than my aunts and uncles, who aren't cousins because they're super old."

"I am so sorry, Mrs. Blofis-"

"Sally, please.  Or Aunt Sally if you're comfortable with that."

"What?"

"You know, kid - she's right.   You're family."

"We needed to solve it anyway.   And you have to admit, 

 need to be .  Meaning 

"They'll 

Suddenly the girl looks hopeful.  "If everyone's staying in the car anyway and not going anywhere near Camp, I can come!  It'll be safe!"

"You're a bit stir-crazy, aren't you."  Julia pats her shoulder.

"Um, duh.  You have a whole city to run around in!  I can't go anywhere."

"We've done little road trips-"

"Please, Daddy?  It'll be like a really safe adventure!"

"Estelle.  What time will dawn be tomorrow?"

She pouts at the screen.  "Four one four.  AM."

"It takes about three hours, and Mom will want to be home by the time rush hour starts, which is eight.  What's the latest the quest can leave for her to be back by eight?"

Estelle indignantly complains, "You're turning a quest into a math problem?"

"Why not?  It's certainly more fun than having eight apples and taking away three of them."

"Fine.  Uh, eight, seven - oh!  Five.  AM."

"Say the earliest the quest leaves is a quarter past four.  What's the earliest Mom can be home?"

"Uh.  Something plus a quarter?  Four to seven is three, so a quarter past seven." Julia gives Estelle a thumbs-up.

"Because of school, if you come you'll need to be home by eight so you'll have to allow extra time.  Let's say half an hour.  When do you need to leave now?

She crosses her arms.  "Both of you already solved it because you're old."

"Okay, I admit it - but do you know how I solved it so fast?"

"No."

"Lots and lots of practice."

"Fine.  Three and a half hours.  Correct?"

"Correct.  So, from eight-"

"Half past seven, then three more.  Half past ten? Wait, that's obviously wrong.  Half past four?"

"Very good job, Estelle!  Now, can you tell me-"

"Dad.  By all fun laws, please get out of teacher mode.  I have company."

Her mother laughs.  "You're right.  But one last question.  If the quest leaves at 4:30, when do we need to get up?"

The girl makes a face.  "Quarter past four?"

"Nope.  Four o'clock.  Are you willing to do that?"

"I'm not letting them leave without hugs and stuff anyway."

"Okay.  Estelle, if you can get up with the quest, without anyone making you-"

Sally nods.  "If you can do that, then you can come.  However, you'll be in the car with me for three hours.  The return trip will probably be boring-"

"Don't care.  I'm coming."

"Understand - you will not be hitting snooze and scrambling at the last minute.  You will be-"

"Actually getting up when Delphi does.  Got it."

"If you don't, sweetheart, we will wake you up long enough to say goodbye."

Suddenly Estelle is solemn.  This - this is a quest.   This might be goodbye.  "No.   Delphina?  I have a feather that's really very tickly.  If I don't manage to get up-"

"How's this?  I'll tickle both of you awake."

"Uh-oh."  Delphi gulps.  "Estelle - I'm not a morning person either.  I think we're gonna get tickled."

"Haven't you been getting up with the sun your whole life?"

"Yeah, but it rises over an hour after dawn."

Julia whistles loudly, then nudges the girl next to her.  Taking the bullhorn, Delphi explains, "The Twelfth Legion Fulminata sends greetings and wishes you well.  I am Delphina, Legacy of Thanatos.  I am co-leading the quest to rescue Lady Trivia, because I'm the one who received it."

One of the kids across the border yells, "Co-leading isn't a thing!"

Julia yells, "It is now!" 

"Maybe they have - hey, how many people are on this quest?" 

"Just us so far," hollers the older girl.  "But we're supposed to have three!  I'm co-leading because Roman quests are led by centurions!"

The child - and they're just now realizing how terribly young she is - adds, "My companion is Julia, Legacy of Mercury and centurion of the Fifth Cohort."

Harley's given a megaphone as he arrives.  He may be fifteen, but hands-down, he's the most senior camper.

"Is this a Sibylline quest?"

"No.  It's from your Oracle."

"Oh, good.  Rachel got to Rome safely?"

"Yes.  She's the guest of the Vascarci."

"Hazel and Frank, cabins thirteen and four?"

She nudges her partner, who yells, "That's them!  You'd know them as the Zhangs!"

"Rome's still safe, right?  I mean, if people are leaving…"

"Rome's safe.  Next to no one wanted to leave."  She sighs.  "That's why we're here.  Is anyone interested?"

"Fair warning!  This sounds like it's gonna be a pain in the butt!"

"How so?"

"Riddles for a scavenger hunt!  Multiple part prophecy!"

"Please tell us it's not in terza rima," yells an Apollo kid.

Delphina groans.  "It's in terza rima.  The poem isn't over-"

"Seriously?"

"We have six three-line stanzas."

"Hey, how old are you - two?"

"Julia is fourteen and I am seven.  We have to find at least three items to free Lady Trivia.  She's probably somewhere in Britain, as are the 'tokens.'  At some point we have to forge a key-"

"Out of iron, silver, and lead!  So I don't think it means faking one!"

"Do either of you have any experience forging?"  Harley sounds thoughtful.

"No.  We think it might mean our third person does."

He turns around.  "Everyone, please raise your hand if you're confident you can make them this key without a workshop and you want to volunteer for the quest."  His hand goes up, too.  He's not that tough, or strong, or smart, or powerful.  Literally all he has to recommend him is a bunch of time at camp - and, okay, he's interested in wizards.  He's certainly not expecting to be picked.  "Keep your hand up if you'll willingly listen to and follow both Delphina and Julia, without resentment and without griping about age, seniority, or the fact that they're Roman, and without trying to take over."  Some hands go down.  "If you're willing to take precautions to not catch or spread COVID-19, including masks, social distancing, and hygiene."  No change.  "If you're willing to go into isolation or quarantine for two weeks if necessary-"

"This quest is going to last that long?"

"Augur said we might not be home for months!  But that could be because of Rome's cordon!"

More hands drop.  "Isolate or quarantine from everyone, including Julia and Delphina, who can get sick from it.  Finally, if you're comfortable using a wand if needed - which will permanently place you in Hecate's domain and change how your powers affect the world.  Which will mean relearning how to use them and studying how to use magic."  A few more hands drop.

Delphina bites her lip.  "Question for the man we've been talking to.  What's your name?" 

Harley looks around for a man before being elbowed.  The hiss of "She means you, dimwit," is picked up and amplified, to general amusement.  "Uh, Harley."

"Do you know anything about Lady Trivia's domain?"

"...Yes.  I'm pretty well informed."

"Are you dis-creet?"

"Uh, how so?"

"The Mist won't hide us as much.  Can you, uh-"

"Not let the cat out of the bag!"

"Yes.  The Mist over there is really thin."

"Uh, yeah.  I can do that.  I might need to disguise some of my equipment, but the only thing that's really obvious is-"  

It's handed to him.  "I ran and grabbed your rod," whispers one of Her daughters.  Again, the campers laugh.

"I don't see what's so funny.  Harley, can we see your equipment, please?"

"Especially the rod," calls one of Julia's 'cousins.'

"Obviously.  What does it do?" 

He sighs.  "It's magical-"

"His rod is magical!"   Kids start guffawing.

"We're aware!  Let me remind you of our ages!  I'm fourteen!  She's seven!"

"What are you, her baby-sitter?"

"The Seven consider Delphina a cousin!   They weren't going to let her do this without supervision!"

The girl nods.  "The Legion wouldn't either.  Julia is my superior officer - and yes, babysitter - but she's been really nice about it.  Now, either you can let Harley talk to us, or you can tell me why you're laughing so I can tell Hazel all about it later."

"What's the key made of, exactly?"

Delphi passes him a sheet of paper.  "Life's iron - probably blood.  Silver from a tree - maybe it's in England.  The piece of lead you would never have worn-"

"We know that one, it's-"

Julia motions for her to be quiet, although it doesn't really matter.  Harley's attention is on the stick in his hand, which has begun oscillating.  It intensifies as he faces Delphina - he's a little too distracted to remember personal space is a thing.  When it touches Delphina's tablet through her shirt, a pure tone rings out as though the tool is, well, a tuning fork.  The boy grins.  "So that's what it does!" 

"You didn't know?"

"Nope!  It was supposed to be a slingshot - or so I thought - but then again, it's made out of a forked rowan branch.  From Boston, even.  And I 'mended' it with my niece's… why her?   We have other wand cores, it couldn't even be - it's specifically her hair.   

"Do you think Marissa would have been born if Hecate hadn't stepped in?" 

"... No.  I probably wouldn't be alive.  Or Silena.

Harley grimaces.  "I'm sorry to ask, and I will guard it with my life, but...we need some of her blood. 

"Absolutely-" Beckendorf frowns.  "Wait.  Is this for a quest?" 

The girl next to Harley nods.  "Yes.  "Life's iron from-"

"Do you need the blood itself?  Or just the iron?"

Harley frowns.  "I'm supposed to forge it anyway.  So - I'd end up with iron and probably carbon in the key-

"Yeah.  It's a tool to find the items for the quest - that's what made me think of her.

"It's three, actually.  But - I'm not sure how many others we can find." 

"I'll take a sample and anneal it."  Charlie sighs.  "It's not going to be a large one.  It's not really going to be blood anymore-"

"Okay.  Obviously, that's way safer."

"I'll meet you-"

"At the airport, we're supposed to fly to Britain," explains a girl Harley's age.  "If you can-"

He shakes his head.  "By the time I'm done you'll be in New York.  Pick it up on the way-"

Julia grimaces.  "I think we're going to take the taxi.  They won't stop.  And we'll probably be waiting at the airport - we can't fly out immediately because of security."

Charles grimaces.  "Do all of you have papers?"

Delphi grimaces.  "Um...I have magic ones?"

Julia nods.  "I have them, Harley has them."

"Looks like you get to be the adult today, kid!"

 "R-really?  But what if I mess up?"

"Nigellus is in his eighties, Delphi.  We can excuse you as a confused old man."

"Well...I suppose…"

"You're pretty mature.  If I'd had to pose as a grown-up when I was seven we would have a problem, but you're sort of like a mini adult anyway.  Actually, that's what kids are-"

Julia grins.  "You'll do fine." 

Their father, in the guise of Lester, sighs.  "You're right.  She's seven."

"Yes."  A willowy blonde girl (Aurelie, sixteen, excellent climber, two quests, overconfident, counselor as of last year, likes azure, bassoonist) crosses her arms.  "Seriously, Apollo, it's not fair to give a little kid a quest this hard." 

"I completely agree, okay?  I truly wish things could be different.  Unfortunately," he sighs, "This does have to be Delphina's quest."

"Why her?"   A teenager (Joe, short for Jobillo, thirteen, keeps picking fights, novice drummer) clenches his fists.

"This quest could not be completed without her, and it is crucial to her fate - which isn't my fault, okay?"

"Whose fault is it, then, Mr. A?"

He sighs.  "Mr. J, Hecate arranged people and events to alter and in cases partially avert various fates.  Normally that's extremely bad.  Because she is herself, with domain over figurative crossroads, and because she technically intervened prior to certain things being set and always through others, and because much of that interference was giving people choices of some sort, she was able to avoid most problems - it simply was a new path."

"But?"  Joe's identical twin (Jarrah but don't call her that yet, budding chef, genuinely loves vegetables, can't stand when poems don't rhyme perfectly, seriously lacks confidence) frowns at him. 

"But there are consequences.  Simply put, her tampering left an opening for her kidnapping and allowed bindings capable of holding her indefinitely, ones she cannot break, to be made."

A brunette boy (Damian Robin, fifteen, lacks patience, goes by Day because he's really sick of the obvious joke, but subtler puns are fair game) gulps.  "Why is the kid involved, though?" 

"Hecate gave her a new path.  Prior to that it would have been someone else's quest, but the only way she could have interfered more directly with Delphina's fate would have been doing it in person.  I wholeheartedly agree with what Hecate did for her - but, out of those who would have been alive today, hers is the fate which has been changed the most.  As in, basically flipped upside down and turned inside out.  Which means she needs to be the one who - settles things.  Through her own basically uninfluenced choices.  And assuming she does so - she's choosing this path and solidifying the changes to her own destiny."

"Are these changes for the better?  Not just for the world-" (Aurelie again, unsurprisingly.)

"That's hard to say.  However, it's a much kinder fate, and she already is much happier."  He scowls.  "Hecate would have been kidnapped, and she would have had to free her."

A towheaded boy (Saul, nine, recorder, speaks without thinking) copies Jarrah's frown and tone as closely as he possibly can.  "But?"   (Still thinks Jarrah is the best big brother ever, which is why he keeps mimicking her.  Doesn't know that people can be anything other than cis and straight - so fix that discreetly or he will say something he'll regret.) 

"Hecate's kidnapping did not need to be now.  It could have been years down the line.  I'm upset, too.  If it's any consolation - Delphina spent five years with Lupa.  She's very well trained, and she can absolutely handle this."

"...She came there as a toddler, then."  (Alexander, twelve.  Future microbiologist, currently attending his magnet school virtually, really hates videoconferencing now.  With a passion.  As in, has uncovered a talent for poetry while angsting about his loathing for it.)

He nods.  "Left on her seventh birthday, and managed to reach Rome on the Feast of Fortuna - so yes, she's pretty competent."

"If it was supposed to be years away-"

"I expected it to be.  Infuriating as it is, this probably is when it was Fated to occur."

"Dad.  It's not fair.   I get it's not your fault-"

"You're right.  This prophecy and quest are meant for Delphina - but I expected it to occur years from now, with her trained as a witch and legionnaire.  I expected her to be a centurion at least, not a seven-year-old probatio.   That's completely unfair, which gives me some leeway...One wish."  It's abrupt.  "Made here and now by the nine of you, unanimously, on behalf of the quest - without help.  For something reasonable which lies completely within one of my domains.  I understand that it is not anywhere near enough for what we are asking of these children, but it is what I can offer, and the right wish could really help them."

A girl with gorgeous red hair and an Irish accent (Maur-een who's four-teen, trying to learn a light jig but too proud to ask for help) asks, "So there is one wish that's right?"

"There isn't a single right wish, but I can think of an extremely helpful one which is reasonable and in one of my domains."  He sighs.  "I can also think of many wrong ones.  If you make one of those - I'll let you cancel it, but it still counts.  Do you accept?"

One by one, the kids look to Aurelie.  Nods are exchanged.  "Thanks, Dad.  We accept."

"Okay, so..." 

"One of your domains.  Light," muses Aurelie.

"Archery, medicine-"  Jarrah, of course.  She loves the sport even though she thinks she's terrible at it, which is untrue.  His daughter could be the best archer in Camp if she'd just quit messing herself up.

"Music, poe-" 

Aurelie gasps.  "Would protection from illness work?"

He shrugs.  "I can't say-"

"Not asking you, Dad."

"You're just thinking out loud.  You do that fairly often."

"Uh...yes.  Also, we need to agree on a wish, and that means talking about it."

Maureen shrugs.  " 

"You're right.  Please keep this between us.  The fact of the matter is that things which should not be fragile are right now.  If Delphina Dispecta asks you, in person, without prompting, a specific question, then you can answer."

I would suggest in your shoes.  

" 

 And I should have been more obvious with the dreams."

"...Oh.  You tried to warn us?"

"If it was supposed to be in a decade

"Yeah.  While I'm at it, I am so sorry I didn't predict this.  I didn't realize until-"

"Until?"

"Late January.  I was hoping it could be stopped in time, but I still should have warned you." 

"Uh, we forgive you?"

"Thanks.  Anyway - listen up, okay?

Know not how or why /But the summer solstice by/Is 'immune' a lie."

There's a collective intake of breath.  "Oh.  Thanks for the warning.  Both as Apollo, and as our dad."

"You made a haiku."  Jarrah looks confused.  "But - you made it rhyme?"

He nods.  "Still hate haikus?"

"I guess not." 

A bit later, he's setting up a target.  "I know I stink at archery-" 

"You don't.  You don't trust your judgement or your instincts, Jarrah.  That's why you're struggling - you keep second-guessing yourself.  But that's not the reason I wanted to talk."

"Then what-" she freezes.  "You - you called me Jarrah.   You used my new name."

He nods.  "Thank you for trusting me."

"You were actually listening?   Don't you have better things to-"

"Absolutely not, and even if something really important comes up - Jar-Jar, I am

so awesome at multitasking that I can listen to you while doing that other stuff."

"I think you should talk to Joe - you don't have to come out before you're ready, but he can tell something's going on and he's very worried.  He's this close to ordering a physical.  And I know Willow will support you."

"

 Anyway - you're right, Saul is not mocking you.  He just thinks you're really awesome."  

"Are you sure?"

Apollo - because even though he's in Lester's form he's being a parent right now - nods.  "Ever since that first night - he really looks up to you.

"He thinks Teak is awesome."

"I'm pretty sure that he'll think you're an awesome sister once he wraps his head around the concept."

"Hello, Blaise of the Sabines!"  The young man gulps.  "So, I have this kid Saul.  He's nine and his grandparents don't think LGBT people are real, so he doesn't understand that there's options besides cishet.  Thing is, he has a sibling who's trans.  Well, two, and the other one is out, but Yan's nonbinary, and I think that's just going to confuse Saul.  He needs this explained ASAP, and I think he'll respond best if someone trans - not just an ally - does it.  Mind helping me out?"

Blaise gapes.  "Er.  Lord Apollo?"

"Yeah, sorry.  Anyway - this is not a command-"

"But it's time-sensitive?"

"Yeah.  If he doesn't understand when his sister comes out - Saul speaks without thinking.  She is going to be deeply hurt, and they'll both be upset, which stinks because they're really close."

Blaise nods.  "I have a kid brother - and he's in Gryffindor.  I get that.  Uh - how do you want to do this?"

"Zoom, probably.  Do you-"

"Muggle telly-talking."

"Close enough."

"I had to tell someone.   And I kind of figured he wouldn't actually listen anyway-"

"Teak.  What's wrong?"

"... I'm not Teak."

The glare is furious.  "Where is my brother?!"

"Sister.  Joe - I'm a girl."

Dad?  Sorry about earlier.

Because of aspects of this quest, because of future stuff, and because - she needs to prove herself."

"To who?"

"Herself.  Anyway -

"We have bad news."

"Lester chewed you out?"

"Not really.  He's not happy about it either."

"Yeah, it felt like we'd kicked a puppy or something.  But - we got a warning."

not yet out to her siblings, ) 

won't be."

"

"Y

assigning this 

had decided I wanted to be Percy Jackson when I grew up, I badgered him into telling me stories.  He doesn't really talk about quests much - I ended up hearing lots about that world.

 to every single story he was willing 

They pass a large group of redheads.  With a whisper to a grandmotherly woman, a ponytailed one falls into step with them.  She murmurs something, and suddenly her hair is loose, curly, and mousy brown.  "Family resemblances are striking sometimes," she remarks.   

Julia's eyes light up.  "You're Ginny Weasley - uh, Potter.  I had a poster of you once-"  

Harley cuts her off, grasping Delphi's hand more tightly.  "Why are you here?"

"Calm down - she knows Percy Jackson.   She probably saw my tattoo.  It behooves one to closely observe."

Ginny nods.  "The lemurs of the earth once having drowned in mud ere Pacific crew spills oil and releases the floodwaters?"

"Oh."  Harley looks sheepish.  "You know?"

"No, she doesn't know-"

"I know enough.  You're here to rescue his cousin 'Katrin,' I assume?"

"Katrin, Katrin-" Julia would have a hard time remembering this even if she wasn't talking to Ginny Weasley.   Since she is, it may literally be a miracle that she's managing to concentrate this much.

Meanwhile, Ginny rolls her eyes.  "So that's definitely an alias, then.  She's his - and Nico's - paternal second cousin, which means their grandparents were siblings-"

"Oh," exclaims the little girl who needs a disguise ASAP, before any of Tom's contemporaries see her.  "Yes - that is her." 

The boy who looks strangely familiar scrunches his forehead.  "Are we sure?   Who mentioned-"

"Luna Lovegood."

"Oh.   Alright then." 

"As I told Percy - we can't choose our relatives.  I always try to judge people on their own merits, but some people aren't so sensible.  I have the Weasley hair, you know.  It's instantly recognizable, since we're all rather famous.  As you can see, people barely recognize me without it."

The little girl gulps.  "You look very different from your photos?"

They've reached Fortescue's.  She steers them to a table.  "Another fan, hmm?"  Certain people may be rolling in their graves right now.  Satisfying though that is - it doesn't matter.  Tom's child (because she may be choosing not to confirm but it's still rather obvious) has a mind and opinions of her own, so good for her.

The girl's face is flushed as she replies, "I haven't been into Quidditch for long, but everyone I know supports the Harpies.  Even the ones who also like someone else or aren't all that interested."

"Including this nice young man?"

"Yeah, I had a gargantuan crush on you when I was younger.  You were beautiful and athletic and smart and brave - I mean, you still are, obviously, you're the Harpies' MVP and you've faced Voldemort and you gave him fruity ears and seriously, you're not as awesome as Leo but you're still so cool and did I mention you're really pretty - you're hot, not like Leo though, figurative heat.  You're smoking.  Also not like Leo."

Ginny isn't sure how to react to this.  The boy's acting...like she did with Harry, actually.   And he keeps mentioning wait a minute - "You're one of Leo's brothers?" 

The boy turns a deep red color.  "Uh, yeah, and I swear I wasn't hitting on you - Mrs. Potter.  I'm just really excited to meet you...and holy schist, is it possible to actually die of embarrassment?"

"If it was," she remarks dryly, "I'd be dead, Mr Valdez.  Now, I know that Fleur tagged along with a quest.  I know Percy was involved in at least five separate prophecies.  I know that, absurd though this is, his cousin's been kidnapped and that's why we have a Calamity.  I know that you're probably here to fix that - although 

"Honorary cousin of Nico and Hazel.  According to Estelle, that makes their relatives her cousins too."

The woman shakes her head.  "What is it with Percy and cousins?  Honestly, he has more cousins than I have brothers - probably more than I have siblings even counting my in-laws, and that is really saying something.  Now - you're all probably more competent than I was at your age, but I'm offering to help you anyway.  To start, I'd like to color and restyle your hair-"  Her gaze rests on Delphina.  "Yours in particular."

"Her hair looks just-"

"I'd really like that."  The child smiles shyly at her.   Ginny smiles back, and focuses on Luna Lovegood's hair.  "Maybe you could teach Harley?  He needs a wand."

Miss.   Suddenly she remembers herself.  , she says, "But that's 

"Is this

Julia bounces.  "We!  Just!  Met! Ginny!   That was so cool, and she was really nice and we actually met her and she talked to us and she-"

Harley groans.  "It would have been amazing if I hadn't opened my big fat mouth.  And I couldn't have told Leo or Charlie or someone else mildly embarrassing!  No, I had to rant to Ginny Weasley about my crush on her!"

"But she was so nice about it!  Isn't she amazing, Delph?

The girl's expression is serious.  "Yeah.  She...she was way nicer than I thought anyone who…"  she sighs.  "Yes, she was really nice.   I knew she was a great flier.  I - I didn't know she was great, period.  Did you?"

Julia shrugs.  "Percy Jackson thinks she's cool.  She overheard the lemurs and helped research, she was at the Ministry - so yeah, I figured she had to be pretty awesome."

Harley sighs.  "Leo likes an underdog, so he roots for the Cannons.  But he's also a Harpies fan - all of the Seven are - and I'm pretty sure that's because of Ginny."

It's not like the Seven are Harpies fans solely because they like the team.   

Ollivander sighs.  "It's a good fit, but I can hardly sell it to you in this state-"

"Please?"

"It's not ready for use, Mr. Harley.  You'd need to take it to someone anyway-"

"Uh, that's probably why, then.  Harley's an artificer, sir.  Maybe he has to finish it?"

The man eyes him thoughtfully.  "If you wish to try and finish your wand, then-"

The boy pulls a small scraper out of his toolbelt and gets to work.  An hour later, an impressively carved, subtly inlaid, fire-hardened, and varnished wand sits on the table.  Mr Harley with no last name waves it - and sparks fly.  

"And you dare ask for a private audience?"

She gulps.  "Yes, Sir.  I - I'm the one who received the quest to rescue Lady Trivia.  These - these are my companions."

"I see."  His voice is cool.  "Miss Riddle."

"Dispecta." Julia sounds annoyed.

"It translates to Riddle - and it hasn't been officially changed. It's not as though she's abandoned her father's name. We certainly might use her mother's-"

"The only mother I have ever known is Lupa.  And the name of Lupin belongs to another family entirely. "

"You deny your cousins, then, as Bellatrix did?"

She shakes her head rapidly.  "No!  I just - don't think they'd want me.  We're connected through - Lestrange.  And - she hurt a lot of people.  She almost killed - Mrs. Lupin.  And - I'm basically Rome's charity-"

"Finish that sentence, Delphina, and I'll march you to the Lupins' myself.  You're the unofficial little sister of your cohort.  You're better trained than most of us.   Now - are you offering to address my partner as Miss Black, then?"

"We are."

"Oh.  Um, yes, that would work."

"There is a Gemino curse on the Lestrange vault."

"Twin.  You mean - it doubles things?"

"It is possible that, legally, you are a Lestrange.  It is also possible that you might have power of attorney as the blood daughter of Bellatrix."  She sighs.  "Normally that would be laughable, given your age.  Under the circumstances - Lupa deemed you ready.  The Pythia set you this task.  We're…willing to treat you as an adult."

  "Julia, huh?  Have we got a surprise for you!" 

"You're to use the Valdez and Di Angelo credit-"

"For whatever you're doing.  Go nuts." 

Fred shoots her a glance.  She nods slightly.  He winks and snags what she's pretty sure is the right Pgymy Puff.  After they're done ringing up what would be way too much stuff if it wasn't for her new backpack, he plops a cage in front of the girls.  "This is the one you wanted?

"Well.  Yes.  Maybe I can...come back later.  Would you maybe-"

"Nope.  I think she wants to come with you."

"Do you have a name for her?"

"Lānūginōsa, but - I don't have any-"

"Yes, we do."

"No, that's for-" 

"Delphi.  Nico has Key.  He will absolutely agree with this."

"Am I even allowed-"

"Yes.  If necessary she can stay with Hazel, but there's precedent for pets.  Just don't let her stick her tongue up your nose-"

"I thought that was the point?"

"Covid.  No munching boogeys.  For either of you."

"Ginny for short?"

The girl turns a bit red.  "It does make sense.  And I'm pronouncing it a little differently."

What previously looked like a black piece of glass now resembles a window.  Through it, Julia can see a pretty Asian woman and some toys.  "Shouldn't you two be in school right now?

"Uh, we're homeschooled?" Harley nods.  "We're homeschooled. We have a project-"

"Harley!  If we have-"  Julia examines the woman.  "Are you Chang Diggory?"

"Yes."  She eyes them warily.  "I am." 

"Then-" 

A third voice comes from somewhere. "I know you don't actually know us and you've already done lots, but - we don't know where else to go.   We-" she gulps.  "We need information.  About the Second War era.  I'm really sorry, I know you won't want to discuss it with me, but-"

"Also, we want to pitch our tent in your yard.  We need somewhere safe, M-muggle campgrounds won't work-"

"You're magical?"

He points to his companion.  "Squib." Downward.  "Very short witch.  Ouch! It's the truth!"

Chang frowns.  "I'm really not the best person to ask.  Why me?"

Julia coughs and yanks up her sleeve.  The woman gasps.  "Oh!  You're-"

"Acquaintances of Nico di Angelo.  East coast for me, west for them."

"Do you agree to a diagnostic spell?  Because I will help however I can, but I have a young daughter.  I can't endanger her, and speaking over the mirror clearly won't be private enough."

"Uh - I'll stay here.  The spell's been tried.  It won't show up if I have it and if I do I'll be an asymptomatic carrier."

"How would you know that?"

"Do you know Leo Valdez?"

"I know of him?"

"He's my brother.  Our camp has figured out some stuff." 

"Oh."  She looks rather startled.  "I - see.  Feel free to set up your tent.  We'll be staying six feet away from you, but if you need anything, please let Cedric know.  Can you cast - no, you're both too young.  Harley-"

He sighs.  "I'll go set up.  Nice meeting you."

"Compurgo.  Valetudo Aestimo.   Now, while we're waiting - Julia, there's a little girl in your area by the name of Delphi.  We know she left Lupa recently, she has written, but - she wasn't very descriptive-"

An amused Julia replies, "She seems to be doing okay.  She's been assigned a quest, though, and it's - well, exactly as tricky as the one we're on-"

"Julia, why are you talking about me like I'm not here?"

"Cedric!

"Chang?"

"Delphi's here!"

"Wait, you mean here in England, or-"

"Here here!  On our front step!"

The woman kneels, and opens her arms.  Delphi stares incredulously.  "Why are you doing that?" 

Cedric rolls his eyes.  "Delphi - what part of 'you're welcome to visit' did you not understand?  Yes, there is a pandemic, but from the sound of it New Rome was on lockdown well before Old Rome-"

"February fifteenth."  Julia smiles smugly.  "That said - I'm not sure about the wizards, but Italian Muggles did take decisive measures.  They restricted travel and implemented cordons once they realized it was spreading."

Delphina shrugs.  "Also, we can cordon off all our stuff, and the W-H-O's declaration could not have come at a better time for us."

"Really?"

"They declared an emergency just over two weeks before the Lupercalia, which is a time of purification." Julia taps her foot.

"And quarantine is two weeks…"

"Yes.  So there was time to declare an imperativa starting on the Kalends and ending on the Lupercalia."

"And Romans probably took the timing as tantamount to a divine command to quarantine…"

"Well, yes," explains Delphi.  "We took the auspices and it basically came out as, 'Great idea, well done Rome!'  So even if it wasn't a command, it was really clear that Apollo at least approved.  Meaning that most of us were really happy to do it."

Chang stares at them, eyes wide, as Cedric asks, "So, your lockdown started that day?"

"Tutela rei sequestrationem, actually.  Protective sequestration.  In many ways it's the opposite of a lockdown-"

"Oh!  You basically did what Hogwarts tried."

"Tried?"

"Once they started testing, they found cases.  And quarantine is failing."

"Don't you - don't you understand what - do you really want me around your daughter?"

"We're the ones Percy's kidnapped cousin asked to get you out of the Rowles."

"The - the who?"

"So you don't remember those knuckleheads.  Good."

"They're the ones who were being paid to hide you.  Are you familiar with Rapunzel?"

The girl frowns.  "I think Estelle talked about her...Isn't she one of the princesses?"

Chang has to muffle an awwwww

as Cedric nods.  "She is.  Your, uh-"

"Sire and bitch."  Julia snickers.  The girl nods rapidly.

Cedric snorts.  "Perfect.  Your sire and bitch left you with them.  It's pretty close to Tangled - that's the Rapunzel movie, it's Huang's favorite-"

"Again, do you really-"

"Yes, yes, and yes.  You spent a whole month here when you were little, you know."

"I know, but - I was little.  Now I'm bigger and - well, I look like them.  I have their powers and-" she whispers - "I'm a lot like her.   Being nice - doesn't come naturally.  It's - I fake it.  I - people think I'm sweet, nice, considerate, and polite, and - I'm acting that way."

"Oh?  Off the top of your head, being honest, what do you want to do right this second?"

"Climb up your shelves and sit in that window."  She's honestly astonished by how quickly the response comes.  She likes windows, she likes - not being high exactly but having a really good view.  And it's strategy, of course.  Still, though.  

Mrs. Diggory smiles softly.  "Go right ahead, Nu Xiu.  Just don't vanish the glass again, please."

Again?   "Are you sure I can?"

"If a kid trained by Lupa herself needs a ladder-" goads Cedric.

"I do not need a ladder!  You just watch-" She's ready to adjust her weight, but the shelves are surprisingly stable.  In seconds, she's sitting on a soft, knitted pink blanket.  "Is this your daughter's?"

"Nope.  When we accidentally let on to Molly that we were babysitting our little cousin…"

"Aww."  Julia grins up at her.  "She made it for you!"

Chang nods.  "We would have left it with you, but...we were worried it would get messed up, because of the wolves.  You spilled grape juice on it once, and you would not stop crying even after Ced cleaned it."

"This - this was mine?"   She's not crying.   It's just - a mite dusty up here, that's all.

"Still is.  Your spot, and your blanket."

"W-what did you mean about the glass?"

"A bird flew by and - well, let's just say you gave us a right scare, love."

Chang exhales.  "Fortunately you managed to stick yourself to the roof long enough for us to get our brooms."

"I was a lot of trouble, I gather."

"Eventually, yes.  The first week or so, you mostly just sat there.  You seemed to think you weren't allowed to play, or make noise, or anything."

Cedric nods.  "We definitely preferred the rambunctious tyke to that.   And we were pretty glad for the experience when Huang came along."

"We'd done most of the childproofing already, you see - including things we never would have thought to secure.  For instance - all our bookshelves are Stuck to the wall.  The window ledges and rooftop have Gripping Charms."

"She's always been as adventurous as you.  She's just much sneakier about it."  He shakes his head.  "Born Slytherin, that one.  Thanks to you, we had alarm and cushioning charms already when she snuck off to jump out a window."

"Why would she do that?"

"Her name means Phoenix.  I picked it out."

"Unfortunately, in toddler logic, she's a bird.  And that means she can fly like one.  By 'all fun laws,' I'm so glad we're past that stage."

Seeing Delphi's wistful look, Cedric sneaks off.  "We have some very special guests, Huang."

"Grandpa dress special?"

"No, Mummy's fancy tea special.

"There's people from the DA?"  

"No," Cedric explains, "They're on a quest, love, like in the stories.  But that's top secret, so shh."

"They haven't got corn virus?"

"No 'corn virus,' Huang.  Your Mummy just checked-"

"Is that-"  Cedric nods.  The girl runs forward.  "Delphi!  I'm Huang.  Nice meeting you!  I'm almost five." 

"What?" 

"I hope you don't mind.  See, she kept complaining that everyone else had loads of relatives, and we'd told people you were Chang's cousin, so one day she came back from Bill's and asked us about, "Cousin Xiu." 

"You - you told her about me?" 

"Honestly, Delphi - I don't know whether we would have had the courage to, well, keep her if it hadn't been for you."

He nods.  "My very well-intentioned parents kept pointing out how terribly young we were and asking whether we thought we could handle this - and after the fourth time, I pointed out that we'd managed just fine with you."

Chang winks.  "You managed something I thought was impossible, Nu Xiu."

"I - I did?

"You made Amos Diggory actually shut up.  He's never approved of me, Delphi, and he likes giving people a piece of his mind, and you actually made him shut up!"

The girl rolls her eyes.  "I was raised by Lupa.  With a pack of wolves.  I do actually know how babies are made."

Julia gapes.  "Uh.  Understood."

A breath of she whose lies your sire would last have troubled

A wisp of the legacy Bishop would have saved

What would have covered cutting words and potions that bubbled.

The stone which for a sock-lover would have been engraved

A vial of Rook for spy's flowery reasons

The vessel of the tainted drink Knight would have craved.

As Faernus says of stargazing Milesians

You must know yourself to know what you look for

Find your own path ere the turn of the seasons, 

"Okay.  Listen, I know that family's a really tough topic.  But if that line is literal, Delphina…"

Julia nods.  "The goblins said his name was Riddle?"

Harley gapes.

Julia crosses her arms, and stares him down.  "Problem?" 

"No, not at all.  I'm just... wondering how the Hades Voldemort managed to reproduce.  I mean, obviously I'm glad he did, but - well, look at him.  He's...not exactly sexy-"

"You're glad?"

The boy nods.  "You're a seriously cool kid."

"If Milesians weren't super important, why would he mention them?!"

Chang frowns.  "It's a poem with a rhyme scheme.  Let me check something…

"There are literally six unique words that rhyme perfectly with Reasons.  Even expanding to near rhymes, slang, and homophones, you end up with less than a dozen…"

Back in Manhattan, Lester grumbles, "I figured out how to make it relevant, I didn't just throw in a stanza to fill space, I didn't even make them go look up Faernus, so would they quit nitpicking?"

"So...you referenced Faernus?" 

"Who's that?"

"One of my legacies, actually.  The Pope commissioned a really awesome book of fables, translated into Latin, in verse, from him during the Renaissance.  Centum Fabulae, you should definitely read it, you mentioned maybe working on Latin -" 

"That would be an excellent place to start, wouldn't it?  It's interesting, actually aimed at kids-"

"I think you'd like it.  Actually, now I kinda want to reread it, so-" The boy snaps his fingers, and suddenly there's a book.  "Ollae duae..."  His face falls.  He flips ahead.  "So.  This is the astronomer who fell into a well.  Faernus says the moral is basically, you can't seek the hidden truths of nature if you don't understand 'what's at your feet'- that is, you.  Where you're starting from.  And that's actually critical for Delphi right now, so-"

"This - this is for her quest?  Lester, what's-"

He sighs.  "That...If I could tell, I would.  I don't know what she's in for exactly, but - this quest is a big deal.  And it hinges on her own choices.  And I don't know all of it either.  I'm having to balance being helpful with not messing up anything, being appropriately vague because that's literally how this works - if I'm less vague that actually might box them in - basically, Estelle, I know the tokens.  I know the relevance of each token.  I know the components of the key.  I know the broad strokes of the way this is supposed to play out.  I know what I need to know to do my job. Telling anyone that stuff except in the proper manner could severely mess things up, and - possibly make the quest not able to succeed.  Which puts everyone in a lot of danger."

"Okay, so in other words- this is the best option? "

"Also, domain stuff.  It is actually super important for this stuff to work in the manner it's supposed to.  If I could do something, if I could help more-"

"You would. "

"Yeah.  But - actually, this is a case where the two pots might help explain."  He flips back to Ollae Duae.   "You have an iron pot and a clay one, and they're in a river. If they were on a nice safe shelf or carpet or somewhere calm - like this apartment - no problem.   But if they're in a river together - the clay pots are in enough danger.  Add in the iron pot - and if they're together in the river, the pots are probably going to crash into each other.  It's actually safer if the iron pot isn't in the stream.  It might seem super unhelpful for the pot to sit there on the bank, maybe yelling encouragement.  Especially if one of the clay pots is way littler than it should be."

"The pots are people.  The stream is the quest?" 

"Yeah.  So if I butt into a quest that I'm not specifically Fated to be on, beyond a 'normal' level of assistance - there's a risk of people getting hurt.  Because I'm kinda not that safe, anything I do might have some major consequences, and, well, Fate is Fate.  The last time someone meddled - things were okay, but they're still not stable yet, and my domain doesn't allow me that level of flexibility.  So while in theory I could be more helpful - literally the least helpful thing I can do is try to help."

"Got it.  So, what can you tell me?"

"Estelle, listen-"

"I don't mean stuff that could mess stuff up-"

"Oh!  You just want an update?"

Estelle nods solemnly.  "Pretty please?  Also, why are you so annoyed?"

"I'm not annoyed-"

"Uh huh."

"Fine.  I am genuinely trying to make this helpful.  I mentioned 'Milesians' and they've been frantically trying to figure out why, when I used that word because I needed a rhyme, so that's really frustrating."

"Basically, they assumed there was hidden information, and there isn't?"

"It's completely possible that there's information well hidden enough that I don't know it.  But I honestly don't think so.  Fortunately Chang knows enough about poetry-"

"Who's that?"

"Mrs. Diggory.  They're using her home as a base.  Anyway - they're on a quest, I shouldn't be annoyed, I know how frustrating those are, but they assumed the worst and I was proud of this and-"

"Have a cookie."

A chill runs down his spine as Snape stares at the twin (or Polyjuiced) girls.  "Yes. I have that vial."  They're fourth years.  And Tattoo at least looks ready to head off to war.  "There's a prophecy?"

"Well, yes.  'A vial of Rook for spy's flowery reasons' is the line."

"And ?"

"She?"

"Lady Trivia."  Tattoo crosses her arms.  

(Early June)

"Why two spells?"

The wizard grumbles, "There's a magical variant now - it's not more virulent, but can survive indefinitely in a magical environment.  Worse, it's gotten a few dragons and vampires-"

They exchange a glance.  "Uh - we need to go get masks."

"Here.  Compliments of the ministry.  And you're underage - I can Bubblehead you three."

"Yes, please.  Thanks!"

"Excellent.  Preliminary tests indicate that Bubblehead Charms, in conjunction with social distancing, hygiene, and a Ministry-approved filtering mask, may reduce infection risk to negligible levels."  He taps the air above their heads.  "You're good to go.  Have an excellent day, and please take an informational pamphlet."

He sighs.  "I want to call, too.  But they're going to want much more information than this.  It's probably going to 

"If you test positive, go home and isolate.  

Please be advised that while testing negative for colds and magical viruses does mean you are not infected, a positive test may simply indicate dragon pox in conjunction with a cold."

"Dispecta.  Unless this pertains to the safety of Rome-"

"There's a new variant of the coronavirus."

The Senate goes silent.  "Julia?  Is-"

"She's calling Amazon.  It can survive indefinitely on most surfaces if there's magic around."

"I asked her.   Julia!"

"According to the wizards, yes.  I need to brief the people shipping stuff everyw-"

A voice comes from behind her.  "Hello.  Uh, welcome to Amazon."

"Listen to Dispecta, okay?  Hi, I'm Julia, on the quest for Trivia-"

"Do you need our help?"

"Not right now, but thanks.  The wizards discovered a new variant when a dragon was infected.  It stays viable indefinitely in the presence of magic."

"On all surfaces?"

"Antimicrobial agents still work.  Symptoms are identical to the normal kind - so we don't know how long it's been circulating.  It was identified postridie Kalendas. "

Meanwhile, Delphina glares.  "I know you don't think I'm old enough.  I don't either.   But you have to listen.  The safety of Rome does depend on it."    

"Okay."

"It can jump from one species to another if both are magical.  It may be able to jump from, say, a hellhound to a normal dog.  Most creatures won't get sick-"

"But they're carriers?"

"Yeah.  If you can turn into something that's not flesh and blood, you won't have it in your system when you turn back.  The aurae and dryads are safe.  Everyone else-"

"Understood.  Legion - implement full lockdown until sunset tonight.  Does it show up on diagnostics?"

"Yes and no.  It shows up as a cold.  But there's a spell to test for magic viruses now.  Magiviridae Magnivirides."

"Full sequestration, full cordon, now!   Pull all cordon staff immediately - there's a variant which they can catch!  Avoid touching anything from outside until checked!"

There's a great deal of very creative cursing.

"The Quest for Trivia IMed us, Amazon, and the Greeks-"

"Scymnellula?"

"Yes.  But we cannot take risks.  IMing needed to be a unanimous decision.  On the bright side, we now have a way to check objects.  There's a new spell that turns anything with a magical virus on or in it - including people - a really bright green." 

"You asked if you could help.  Knowing that I'll be giving it to some people you've never met, will you retrieve the orb from the Ministry?"

"That one?"

"It - or more accurately the glass - is a key to unchain the anchor." 

Another IM shimmers.  "They checked.  The variant was already at Hogwarts-"

"So it's not new.  It spread internationally before anyone noticed."

"Yeah.

 So far."

"Is it likely to have reached California?"

"It was identified after a dragon caught it.  It may

"This one converts light to sound at a trillionth of the frequency,

Luminadsonum picosifrequentiam

 and this one amplifies any sound between 578 and 580 hertz to the level of a shout."

"Okay…so…"

Speciphonorus circuipersecunda 'quingentis septuaginta octo per octoginta'

Harley grins.  "The light from Magnivirides is around 580 terahertz, then?

"You got it!"

"Someone translate, please?"

"It'll make anything with Magnivirides squawk at you." 

 makes 

And open the way through the Veiled Door. 

A chill runs down her spine.  "I think it means the Veil of Death.  I'm a legacy of Thanatos, but you two-"

"Delphina.  We're coming."  Harley's tone is matter-of-fact.

Julia nods. "We do understand that quests are dangerous.  We also know - what do you not do?"

"Never split the party, not if you can avoid it, but-" 

"As your superior officer, I am ordering you to quit trying to ditch us.  We're in this together, Dispecta."

"I - I have a riddle for a Riddle.  What becomes of something Vanished?

"It goes into non-being - that is, everything?"

"No."  Delphina squints.  "Possibility?"

Harley exclaims, "It becomes a thing that could be instead of one that is, right?"

Julia nods.  "Then it's like the averted paths.  They may not be real, but they exist."

"This comes from a maybe that isn't.  The future is ours to make."

"So?"

"You need to know what future you want, first."

There once was a girl, twice-sighted,

Whose sister felt somewhat slighted...

Whence key turns into door...

"None of these mirrors reflects you.  Our Delphina isn't in any of them

"We find a true mirror." 

Harley shakes his head.  "We make one.  Obviously our weapons aren't working...but maybe your key would be different."

"It's not big enough.  Pointer? 

"Like the Veil.  Could you make a - border on a mirror?"

"An arch.  Delphi, Julia, tug while I…

"If we find the right mirror for it, it'll stick."

"I don't understand.  How can this be the mirror?"

"I'm - you.  From another world."

The girl frowns.  "You have friends."

"I have family.  Aunt Sally,

"She's a Muggle?"  Strange looks disgusted, then thoughtful.  "What's she like?

" 

"If I let you through, though - you'll go."

"Not exactly.  You'd be Delphina.  You'd be-"

"I wouldn't be."

  In some

"No.  I won't let you go.  I can't."

"Why not?"  But the hazy girl seems to know.

"If I do - I'm alone.   And - this is death."

"Do you know the tale of the three brothers?"

"Yes.  And I can - I'm okay with - not being me anymore, but I'm scared-"

"Strange - he's our great-grandfather.  Death.  I don't think-"

"He would greet you as family.  But this is not death.  It's change.  You're only talking to yourself right now, trying to choose a destiny-"

"Choose?  I could go?  I could - you said I'm not real, but I could be, couldn't I?"

Winifred nods.  "If you and Delphina agreed to tip the balance, to set your fate on its original course, you could."

"And that fate is-"

"Yours.  Do you wish to stay as you are, Delphini?  You see, this is fate being set to rights.  This is the choice you were always Fated to face: make the best of your life, or risk it all for a chance that one of you could be happier."  It seems like an impossible choice - but it's not.   Yes, she was meant to face it years down the line - but while she would have been older, she also would have grown quite bitter.

"And - Delphina?  People love you?  Does - does my daddy love me, in your world?"

"We don't think so?"

"I don't know for sure."

"You said you were loved!"

"I have a lot of family.  But-" 

"I thought you came from a world where - what makes you different?"  

"I was taken out of the Rowles'."

"That's all?   Why - why not me?"

"Because that, Delphini Lestrange, wasn't meant to be.  That's why you're real enough to talk to, and why you could choose this as your fate.  You're how things were supposed to be."

"That's not fair."

"That's why Lady Trivia got you out.   Because your fate as Delphina is far more kind than Delphini's, and Delphina already is happier than Delphini ever has been."

"Show me.  If - if - show me."

They watch a little girl being doted on by a wolf.  A slightly less little one carefully writing a D on an envelope.  The girl sandwiched between two men on a couch, watching a movie with a softly purring cat on her lap.   A spontaneous group hug with the Fourth Cohort after finally beating Fifth.  Percy calling her Dolphin.  Two girls giggling over a plate of cookies.  A little girl eagerly introducing Delphi to everything in her room.  Little moments like that.  By the end Delphini's crying.  "You really are loved.  I - you are.   You have everything I've ever wanted, you are so happy, and...I want your life so bad and you're saying I can have it if I let you go.  But-"

"I'll stay here, with you.  Quests do have three-"

"No!"

"I'm not done.   I cannot go yet.  It was nice meeting you, and you, and you, and we shall meet again, if all goes well, but Delphina, it isn't time for me to leave."

"Then time's stupid."

"Do you trust the Fates, Delphina Dispecta?"

"I don't know anymore.  If this is my original fate-"

"I do, so I won't come with you."

"Winifred-"

"If you won't trust them, then trust me.  Delphini needs me, DD.  Please."

"Okay.  Good-"

"Until we next meet, Delphina Dispecta. This won't be a goodbye. "

"I - I don't know that I can do this.  And - stuff happens.  And - I don't know when-"

"When.  You'll know What and Why, and you know How already!"  The girl beams at her.  "I do so look forward to it all.  And for me - it's not so long a wait.  Four years until then, you see." 

"Winifred-"  

The girl meets her gaze.  "Nuh uh.  Until…"

"Okay.  Until we next meet, Winifred."

"

"We have three offers for you.  You will need to choose between them."

She nods, wondering if that is standard.

"The first offer: mastery. You would completely comprehend magic, with no need to work for it."

"The second offer: a favor.  Your part of a trade for something short of a resurrection, which does not actually break the rules."

"What's the catch?"

"You cannot call it in between today and 2040. Furthermore, it's not transferable."

"So - I could lose -"

"You could.  That is the risk you take by accepting."

"The third offer: a wand, tailored to you, made as a hero's weapon.  It would not be quite as powerful as the Elder Wand.  It would, however, be more than enough."

Three brothers.  Three objects.  Wand, Cloak, Stone.  Power, mastery...a trade.  Power can corrupt.  Mastery - it could be useful, but...do I want to be good at this because it was handed to me?  It would solve the legion conflict, but - I actually do want to go to school.  It sounds lovely, and -

"Why is Delphina being offered this?"

"Pardon me?"

Julia stares.  "This is an unusual offer.  Is it being made for a reason?"

Alecto sighs.  "I really couldn't tell you."

"This isn't connected with the other offer.  But I think that - if you want it - it's deserved."  She sighs.  "You may cast off your current name and select one of your choosing.  You also may permanently change one physical feature."

"I think Delphina Dispecta is a nice name."

"I agree.  However, legally and magically-"

She sighs.  "I'm Delphini Riddle.  Aren't I?  Are you offering because my plan won't work?"

"I'm offering because I know the name of Delphina Dispecta was a compromise.  I don't want you to settle.   You can break that link, if you'd like."

"But - it is okay to be Delphina Dispecta?"

"Is that what you want?" 

She takes a deep breath.  "I think so.  This - it's the name my - friends and family know now.  Maybe not really, but - this is the name I did my quest under.  Our quest.  I - I had to choose who I am.  I'm - I'm comfortable with it.  I want papers under that name - I want it changed on the Hogwarts roster - but I also want to change it myself.  Please."

"Marvelous.  As for the hair-"

Harley focuses on the platinum blonde Delphi likes.

"Crinis Muto Flavos."   

"Yes.  This should work."  She frowns slightly.  "Will you be upset if I color it sometimes?"

"Not at all." 

"What about -

A wave of her hand conjures a mirror.  

An image appears.  A sleeping girl.  "Some things are beyond anyone's power to erase entirely.  Your guide has earned Hazel's chance.  She may return as herself, led home by the one who Vanished her, once that one is as much her senior as she once was her junior." 

Three shifted paths, to reflect as a mirror

Two to guide through what's in store

One who is absent, but soon may reappear.

, and where you have seen 

"Calypso and Leo - from that year?  Wait, why?  I would have expected -"

"They were there because of us, Draco.  Breaking the Maledictus took seven people.  All of whom we had to trust absolutely."  She sniffles.  "Callie and Leo came, without knowing they'd be reunited with their friends, simply because they wanted to help.  They went out of their way to make us feel comfortable.  They - they were the linchpin.  Without them, Scorpius likely would not exist." 

"Oh."  He nods.  "Well.  In that case, I agree, but I would like to meet them again.  I honestly thought you'd suggest Perseus and Ginevra."

"Maybe for another.  And perhaps Nico and Pansy for a possible third?"

"Nico?  From - he helped too."

"He did."

"You'd want three?"

"Perhaps.  Spaced out somewhat?"

"Is he the Dennis who's the best friend of Nico di Angelo?"

"Yes?"

"H

"If you're counting

Chapter Text

At eleven, Delphina Dispecta is not soft by any measure.  On the contrary - she is a hardened warrior.  She has had a few minor quests, and one very major one.  She has some scars, borne with pride - but far, far fewer than the previous generation.  There's more support, more safety nets - simply because that generation did grow up, and they insisted.  And because one of those kids was Lester-Apollo, they have some support on the divine side too, and no one's complaining that heroes have to do everything on their own with limited resources. 

Furthermore - she has always known that the world can be cruel.  She was raised by wolves - and wolves hunt living prey.  She has had to leave people behind.  She still expects that anyone who learns her heritage will reject her.  Yet she has now learned that people can be incredibly kind.  From the letters the Diggorys sent with Nico, to the Chaser who recognized her sire's features and helped her hide, to the dryad who put on gardening gloves to bandage her knee when she skinned it the other day - there have been many times when people could have walked away with a clear conscience, and didn't.  She emulates that, so she's far from cold. 

On the contrary, she - the little girl who in another world would fixate on her dead father as the one person who might love her back - has known love as long as she can remember.  First from Mother Lupa, who raised her as her daughter.  Then from Nico and Hazel.  Then from a veritable army of relatives who don't even care about her parentage, much less the fact that she's not actually related to the vast majority of them.  

She's being loved half to death.  Actually, at this point - she's basically in Ron's situation.   She's very restless, and feeling a little smothered.  So yes - she's chafing at the bit.  She's dying to go back to Britain - to the school that her family reminisces about and her patron treasures.  Where the cousins who aren't old enough to be her aunts and uncles will go - where there's finally going to be people her own age, who won't see her as a child.  Even in her own cohort she is Scymnellula, the teeny little pup who's their honorary little sister.  This despite being senior to some, better trained than any, and having saved the dam Mist at age eight.

She and her family, along with the few friends who will not be assimilated into said family by one Estelle Blofis, are in for an interesting seven years.

"No.  We will not do that, Delphi.  We know where your loyalties lie." 

"How dare you.  My loyalties lie with Rome!  They always have - I thought you knew that."

Cassius glares.  "That is precisely why we don't intend to grant you a leave of absence, Dispecta.  Will you represent the interests of this legion in the world of your birth?"

"Of course I will!"

"Then would you keep an eye on Trivia's people for us, please?"  Julia grins at her.

Delphi gapes.  "I - but - what?"

"You were a great help during the Calamity, Delph-"

She indignantly retorts, "I led the dam quest!"  Well, co-led, but still.

"Exactly!  We'd actually like you to train under Alecto and her colleagues."

"Furthermore, if the past is any indication we may need someone positioned to act immediately."

"Are - are you suggesting a quest?"

"Merely a mission.  Provided that you keep up with your training, Delphi, your time at Hogwarts will count as time in the service of Rome."  Her praetor - and erstwhile co-leader - grins at her.

I'd start college at eighteen.

I'd be able to leave the Twelfth.  Are they trying to get rid of me?

"Would I need to leave?  After ten years in the legion?"

Julia winks.  "Nope!"

She is staying with the Diggorys when her letter arrives.  It calls her Delphina Dispecta.  They call her Cousin Delphi.

When she goes to meet her aunt, she's introduced by Chang, who matter-of-factly explains that she's Bellatrix's daughter and is about as evil as Nymphadora.  Said promptly decides Delphi is her niece.  Andromeda is a little concerned by the mysteries shrouding the girl's upbringing.  She's more worried after Dispecta states that she was raised by wolves.  Furthermore, she wants to know why the girl has three lines on her arm, surmounted by an inverted torch.

"You certainly could go into Slytherin.  But you're as loyal and dedicated as any Hufflepuff.  You find something which matters to you, and you latch on.  Rather obsessively.  Incidentally, that's most likely your fatal flaw -"

Riddle and Lestrange were both in Slytherin.  I refuse to follow their path.

"Perseus, former Praetor of Rome, One of the Seven, etc, etc also was a Slytherin."

I know, I know.  But several of the people I actually do want to model myself after went to Hufflepuff.  And if the truth ever does come out, people will be far less likely to reject me if I'm not in that house, and if I was I might… 

"Delphina Dispecta.  You are very much your own person.  Nonetheless...you could do well in the house of your ancestors.  Quite well.  Are you certain?"

She nods rapidly.

"Very well.  Dona vobis Fortuna anni felicibus in HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Look, she's Ginny with a J-"

"Uh, no she-"

"Ugh.  The sound.  English is so stupid.   Anyway - this is Lānūginōsa, Ginny with a G for short."

  The girl looks puzzled.  "Finite.  You made a mistake.  You're supposed to have a sister - Winifred.  Normally this wouldn't be an option - but she's been found, properly, and she's won a chance."

Ivy takes a deep breath, and faces the mirror.  Several times she starts, then stops, because she's terrified or has mispronounced something.  Finally - she focuses on Winifred, the caring sister she now remembers again, and her voice doesn't crack.  "Evanesco!"

There is darkness.  For a time, Ivy is insensible and asleep.  But as the day dawns back in reality, she wakes.  Or maybe begins to dream.  She's walking through a thick fog.  There's something underfoot, but she can't see her hand in front of her face.

Hello, Ivy.  Welcome to the Would.

"The what?" Her voice echoes strangely.  It's like trying to speak from a dream.

The mists coalesce into something like a carnival funhouse.  In the mirror in front of her - her reflection melts into someone else.  A tinny voice speaks.  "You're here.  I knew it was possible, but - you came for me.  You're - wow.  You're really old, Ivy."

Ivy gulps.  "Can - can you come out of there, Winifred?"

"No."  The girl looks sad.  "We're not real enough to touch.  And if we get ourselves mixed up, we might never get out.  So - mirrors.  Each mirror is - a maybe.  Something that could exist right now."

Daniel reads the journal.  I made a terrible mistake.  I've just realized.  I have one chance to fix this - but I'm not sure how.  All I know is that it must be at the right time, to the hour - and I must follow.  The same path, exactly.  A mirror - my age to hers.  If it's the spell I think it is - If I am wrong - I don't know what will become of me.  I'm not wrong.  I can't be.

Hold on, Winnie.  

(But if I am - this isn't anyone else's fault.  Okay?  Tell Mother and Da and Grandma that I love them.)

Underneath is illegible writing and a drawing of a stopped clock.  And then, circled, 12:34 AM, 9/2/23.

"We're looking for a girl.  At least I think she's a girl."

"Any girl?"

Winnie - and she's so young - shakes her head.  "She's a pivot point, more or less.  She helped - choose our path.  It was going to be very different, but - we're sort of in the wrong path right now.  It was averted, it's a not, but it was the way things would have gone.  So - like me - it still exists somewhere, as a maybe.  And - we're in that somewhere, Ivy.  It's just a shadow, but - so are we."

"So.  The girl?"

"I guided her in - so she can guide me out.  Well, not guide me - that's you.  But if we can find the right her, we can pick out the path you're from." 

"And then?"

"Ivy, Vanished things become maybes.  We're kinda - we're kinda halfway through a botched Apparation.  Does that make sense?  If we can use her as a destination - we can get home."

"But-"

"I know she's close to your age.  In our world, she should be at Hogwarts with you.  If she made it - but if she didn't, the path we're in would be more than a shadow."

"Made it?"

"When she was my age, she came here.  To the Would.  She - we had to get her through the timey wimey mess of paths tied in big knots.  We did."

Ivy stares.  "Winnie?"

"I gave her a riddle for a Riddle, I think she was the Riddle-"

"A Riddle?  Is she…"

"Yes.  She - she could have been cold, mean, eventually.  But - the girl in the last mirror just seemed really sad.  Alone."

"So - we need to find her."

"Our her - who's not mean, I promise.  I guided the Riddle and won Hazel's chance, Ivy - but it's one chance.  If we mess up, we're done."

"How do we get out?"

"I guess - tell me what's in the mirrors.  You have to guide us out, Ivy."

The girl sighs.  "Winifred, I have no idea what I'm doing."

"You're here.  That's a start."

"I - this is all my fault."

"It's not all your fault.  Ivy, I'm - not normal.  There's a special maybe for me, but I had to learn about time and maybes and paths like this before I could do it.  I still have to prove some stuff before I go home, because it's something I can pick.  And - I don't have to pick it, I have a choice, but - I think I want to.  Maybe.  I still have time to think."

"So - find Voldemort's kid.  What if she doesn't want to be used as a destination?"

"Ours won't mind, she wants me to be out.  Not for evil stuff - we helped each other."

"Was she Vanished?" 

"No.  They went through - a door that normally leads somewhere scarier.  But she had a key of maybe-nots.  And a really long poem."  She sighs.  "She's Roman.  I don't know what that means yet, but it's a big difference.  She - she'll look different."

"We probably need to know who we're looking for."  Ivy swallows.  "If Riddle's in my world, she's hiding.  Is - is there a world where she wouldn't be?  Where - where Voldemort won?"

Winifred nods.  "There's lots. I can't see what's in the mirror, but I can sense what's - different about the path."

It takes a lot of walking.  But they come to a mirror where the Great Hall is a sea of green.  "Stop."  As Winifred does, her reflection ages before Ivy's eyes.  There's a blur, and then they're watching her go about her day. Eventually she walks over to some first years.  "Everything alright?"  A pause.  "Winifred Warrington.  Yes, you may."  Deep breath.  "Half-blood. Yes. Thank you, Lady Lestrange-"  Suddenly Winifred is muted as her younger form materializes.  "Ivy!  We found her!"

She sighs.  "There's a few students who look a little like that.  Black blood, probably - she's Lestrange's daughter?"

Winnie nods.  "I think so.  She's in your year, that should help." 

"In most paths where Riddle loses, she might not go to Hogwarts, so-"

"So if I can find a student who's missing, maybe I can figure it out?"

"Oh!  That could work." 

Ivy stares incredulously at the mirror.  "There is someone missing.  She has really light blonde hair, she doesn't look anything like Riddle - and she's in Hufflepuff.  I remember because she was the first sorted there, and the Frey brothers laughed."

"Can you remember her name at all?"

"Um, her initials match, like yours.  AA, BB, CC, DD-"

"That one sounds right."

"It does?"

Winifred nods.  "I think it was two D's." 

"Okay.  There's a Delphini Lestrange here.  Slytherin-"

"The name changed.  Delphina!  We need to find Delphina Di-something."

There's a blonde girl staring back.  She's holding - Ivy exhales.  "That's my journal.  It - it had the calculations."

Winnie nods.  "And we're not here.  I think we found her."

"One last time - Winnie.  You said we had one shot at this.  Are you sure we have the right path?"

Winifred frowns.  "Can you see anything else?

"Uh...she's holding a rapier."

"What color?"

"Gold?"

She exhales.  "Harley made it.  We did it.  Run at the mirror like-"

"Like it's the platform barrier?"

"Uh huh.  And - focus on her.  Three D's

"Five, now.  Destination, Deliberation, Determination, Direction, Distance-"

"Of course, but we only have three of those." 

"Uh...Ivy?

"Hi again.  Remember me?"

"Oh."  The girl looks taken aback.  "Why - how did you get into my mirror?"

"You remember all the mirrors, right?" She nods.  "We managed to find the one with the right you, and because that was the right path-"

"You could get out."  Dispecta smiles, looking relieved.  "It's really you, Winifred?"

"Ivy knows about your sire.  Sorry.  We had to find you and I didn't know what you looked like.  But she's probably gotten way better at keeping secrets."

Delphina exhales.  "Please, don't expose me.  I've - please.  I've tried so hard to be a decent person.  And no one's going to believe you anyway-"

Ivy snorts.  "Dispecta, I didn't believe it myself until literally five seconds ago."

"What - what gave me away, then?"

"Your reaction, duh," explains the eight year old.

"Honestly?"  The girl looks miffed.

Ivy shrugs.  "You begging me not to expose you was honestly pretty convincing."

"How?"

"If you didn't think this was real-"

"-I wouldn't be asking."

"So the mirror-"

"Saw it.  I don't think it could have seen everything, but little stuff like your knife-"

"Knife?"

"The ray thing from Harley.  Maybe it was because I was kinda in the mirror-"

"You can-" 

"I think you call it clear-sighted.  You have a cousin who is, right?  Stella?"

Delphina frowns.  "There once was a girl-"

"Twice-sighted."  Ivy nods.  "I think that's why I had those lines for you.  Also, why this even happened.  I'm sort of like Rachel, even though I dunno who Rachel is.  Like Hazel - I know I won her chance, but I don't know who - you do?"

"My cousin."  Delphina's face sets into something rather serious - and suddenly there is a resemblance.  "Led back by her sibling.  You got Winnie out?"

"Yes.  And - I'm not sure how it worked, but - you're why I had a chance to get Winnie out anyway.  If you need anything, at all, ever-"

"I'll keep that in mind-" Ivy gulps.  "Not in a bad way, though.  Now, for the real problem.  You're in my dormitory, and I don't have an invisibility hat or something."

Ivy stares.  "Right.  You're - a Hufflepuff."

"And?"

"It's about as believable as being in a weird mirror realm.  Or you having a sword I can't see."  She shakes her head.  "I don't think the problem is getting out of the dorms, it's getting Winifred past McGonagall."

Delphina shrugs.  "I don't think we need to.  We can tell her the truth and she'll just grumble about the world being weird."

"Yeah, no.  She'd send us to Saint Mungo's."

"No.  I don't think so.  Does she know about when you were seven?"

The blonde nods.  "She does.  She'll be completely exasperated, and you're in for quite the lecture, but she'll believe us."

There's a knock from the hall. "Dispecta?  Are you-"

She exhales.  "Thistle.  Uh - I have news."

"What - about the search for Warrington?"

"Yeah.  Good news, she's here.  Bad news, literally everyone is going to ask how she got here."

"Here as in-"

"Hi!" 

"And - that's the other complication."  Ivy shrugs.  "You found my journal, so you know I was trying to find my sister, right?"

"Uh.  Wasn't Winifred-"

"Eight when Ivy vanished her.  Good news, she's back.  Bad news - we have to get an eight year old to McGonagall without people noticing-"

"And we're in the most close-knit house."  Thistle laughs.  "I don't suppose you'd tell me how these two got here to begin with?"

"We were somewhere that doesn't exist," 

Another girl pokes her head out of the bathroom.

"Sorry, I heard voices - um, Thistle?  Why are there people here?"  Lottie shrinks back.

"Hi, I'm Winnie.  I'm eight and I'm not that scary."

The girl kneels, putting herself on Winnie's level.  "Did you say you were somewhere fake?"

"It's not fake.  It's just not real," explains the girl.  "Normally this doesn't happen but you can't vanish people completely, which is good because that would be really scary.  So we went to a maybe place where we maybe exist."

"Uh.  Is she serious?"

Ivy sighs.  "Yes.  Believe me, she is."

"And - you came out in the Hufflepuff dorms?"

"We followed a star!"

"We did?"

"There's an explanation that makes way more sense, but I'm not telling you.  It's bad enough that I had to tell Ivy."

"We need an upper year.  Ideally sixth."

"Zabini."  Delphina sighs.  "Anyone have Farrel on her mirror?"

"Me?"  Thistle sounds a bit nervous.

"Can I-"

"Why you?" 

"Because I'm pretty sure I can convince Zabini to help and keep quiet."

"You're kidding."

"Nope.  So…" she taps Thistle's pink compact.  "Farrel-"

"Kevin."  The mirror swirls.

"Thistle!  Hi - Dispecta?  Uh..."

"We have the climbing vine."

"A riddle?  Really?"

"We were looking for it!  Now we've found it!  Please loan Zabini your mirror?"

"Zabini?"

"Hi, Kevin.  I'm Winifred."

"You - what?  What are you doing-"

"Later.  Not via mirror.  The one prefect I'm confident will escort us and keep quiet is Zabini - his brother knows my cousins."

"Okay...so..."

"We're in our dorm.  The Room should give

"You want to take this to McGonagall?"

"Or Alecto.  But I think we'll need the Headmistress anyway."

" You seriously think-"

"I almost certainly  can convince him.  Unless any of you are on McGonagall's mirror?"  General headshaking.  "Nor I."  She has three mirrors - one legion, backed with imperial gold, and one family-and-friends compact.  Two mirrors, seven contacts each.  There's room on the friends one for a few more people,but...well, she's not even sure McGonagall would go for that.  "The best I could do is call Stella and give her a message for Percy, who actually is one of her contacts.  Normally that would be pretty quick, but - well, he's about to have a daughter."

"Really?" 

"Zoë or whatever they end up naming her is due any day now.  I don't want to bug him, and we don't have time.  Our own prefects-"

"Will be there soon.  You seriously think Romeo should be in on this, Dispecta?"

"It's our best option.  If I can speak to him or

"Zabini.  Do you know of the Last Remnant of Rome?"

"Of course..."

"Of Blaise Zabini being an auxiliary?"

"Yes.  I - it's incredible.  Knowing it's still out there-"

"I am Delphina Dispecta, of the Fourth Cohort of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata."

The older boy stares at her, eyes going wide.   "Do you - have the-" Rolling up her sleeve, Delphina exposes a four-barred tattoo.  "Is there a reason you've made yourself known to me, ma'am?"

Delphi's back straightens.  "Yes.  I need your help.  Myself and four others need an escort-"

"Are they-"

"My roommates, a friend I met on a quest, and her sister.  Only the friend knows of us.   We need to get her to McGonagall, because - if she's noticed, there could be problems.  

The girl starts babbling rapidly in - Latin?

The Headmistress sighs, and says something in the same language.  Dispecta repeats herself, more slowly.  McGonagall just shakes her head.

"I see.  Well, welcome back, Winifred Warrington.  Let's get you home, shall we?"

"But - Professor, she's been missing for years-"

"I would recommend not telling anyone that.  I suspect that according to records and memories, down to the very Quill, Winifred is-"

"I - Professor, I haven't ever-"

"Some are late bloomers, Miss Warrington.  Regardless - it's most likely that everyone outside this office save hopefully your parents will remember that Winifred Warrington was born in...2015 and turned eight this February, including your grandmother."

"You can't just Obliviate-"

"Mr. Page, Obliviation is not necessarily optional."

"Since when?"

"While this isn't common knowledge, it can occur automatically - and the automated version tends to err on the side of caution, modifying far more than is strictly necessary."  She sighs.  "Unfortunately, this isn't a situation where we're going to be able to modify memories before it kicks in, and the simple nature of the situation means that it will do so."

"Lady Trivia."  The girl looks rather serious.  "If you genuinely wish to change this, to have magic revealed - you will need to ask that the veils hiding us from one another be shifted in function."  Ivy eyes her - little - sister quizzically.  The girl winks.  "You will need to convince the gods themselves.  She'd be the best to start with, but you'll need a solid argument.  You'll need to be ready to work to bring it about.  This is not going to be simple - and there are very good reasons why we are hidden."

"Like what?"  His tone is challenging.

McGonagall sighs.  "Some of our lessons are...softened, Daniel.  We're taught of Wendelin, instead of the magical children who didn't know the right spell, or the Muggles who were assumed to be magical.  We're taught that our people went into hiding because we didn't wish to be bothered.  We're told that wizards chose not to help - not that when they helped, people assumed the worst."

"We could have done something about the coronavirus at least-"

"This community had a test.   I'd like you to look into what the requirements to have any test for Covid approved by Muggle authorities were, Mr. Page."

"Mother Lupa?  There's this boy…"

So quickly my pups grow up.  

"No.  I mean - I found - well, not me.  Winnie's been led back by her sister.  She - well, they - showed up in my dorm.  We needed help getting her out.  So I contacted the one prefect who knew about us and would listen to a legionnaire."

I see.  Romeo Zabini, hmm?  Child of Blaise?

"Brother." 

Why do you ask me?  You can recruit, can't you?

"Uh... really?  I thought you had to do it.  Sorry."

Do not be.  It has been some time since we've talked, Delphina.  But yes.  You ought to extend the invitation.  Now.  How are your classes?

The woman clucks at him.  "Well, Daniel Page?  Delphina seems to think you might have a point.  You've been stewing over this for years, so let's hear it."

"I'll return 

"Lady Trivia, of course."

"So you're claiming-"

"I am who I am.  

She sighs, shaking her head.  "Mr. Page, if there is anyone at all who understands what a burden a legacy can be, it is she."

"You know we take legacies, right?  Most of us are legacies actually."

"Legacy, as in…"

"More distant descendant.  Like you.  Or I.  Apparently, I can recruit people too."  The girl takes a deep breath.  "Romeo Zabini, I am extending a formal invitation to visit New Rome this summer, where if you so desire you may join the Twelfth Legion Fulminata as a probatio."

"I - I don't deserve such an honor."

"You helped without protest.  You respected me even though I'm five years younger than you-"

"You have served in the Legion for four years, Delphina Dispecta."

"Exactly.  Most of the probatios would not have followed my directions without checking with my superiors - or simply an older legionnaire."

"But - that's moronic."

"Most importantly - Rome, our culture, and our legacy matter to you.  You understand that being part of that is an honor and a responsibility.  It's not safe - it may be incredibly dangerous sometimes - but it's worth it, Romeo."

"You really think…"

"I think you'd fit right in."

"I am aware that Rome is...rather traditional.  I'm rather obviously not only of European descent."

"That could have been an issue last century, but I assure you - no one will give a schist."

"Truly?"

"Just so you know?  We're not frozen in time.  We've kept our culture, we've stayed Roman, but we're more modern than the Wizarding World in some ways."

"You truly think I could be worthy?  Dispecta...my father was a Death Eater."

"So was my mother."  The girl sighs.  "Lestrange, specifically."

"And - you're in the Legion?"

"Yeah.  Rome took me in, because I needed somewhere to go.  Somewhere to belong.  And - you're not in that sort of situation, I don't think, but if you wanted - you could belong with us.  The Legion would welcome you."

"I'm the Titaness of Motherhood, dear, and you're the Titaness who's about to be a mother."

Suddenly Calypso understands.  "You don't simply mean by birth."

Rhea shakes her head as Calypso bites her lip, hard.  "My children could not strip your divinity, Calypso.  Seal it, yes.  Bind you in human form for a time-"

"But not forever."  Calypso looks wistfully at the drop of bronze blood on her finger.  "I thought I wasn't going to be left behind anymore, Rhea." 

"It'll be alright, dear.  But you should understand - before the Solstice, this curse will lift in full.  If you wish to stay where you are, it may be prudent to hide that fact."

"Not from my husband," she says rather stubbornly.

"Goodness, no.  From my offspring.  You may want to have Mr. Papadopoulos deliver her."

"...Thank you for telling me."

"You're welcome, dear.  Perhaps a renewal-of-vows ceremony, with Hera presiding?"

"Because that would put me in Thetis' position.  We eloped to Vegas...and that's…"

"A promise which matters to you."

"But not one so binding as to protect…"  She sighs.  "I'll ask Leo."

Rhea nods.  "Meet us at Shell Cottage on the Kalends, Calypso Valdez, with whichever witnesses you desire.  I'll convince my daughter."

"Okay.  So, how do we make it so you don't need to leave?  Because you're not leaving me to raise our baby girl all alone, Mrs. Valdez."

"... Renewal of vows.  By - Hera."

Leo grimaces.  "I'm not sure how we'll convince Tia Callida to-"

"Rhea offered."  His wife looks incredibly worried.  "It - it sounds like all we need to do is show up, Leo - and they'll be at Shell Cottage..."

"Which raises the question of why, exactly, it's this important - to anyone else, I mean - that our marriage be - sanctified, I guess."

Calypso sighs.

"Hera."

"Mother?!"

"Well, yes."  She scowls.  

"I doubt they wished to presume-"

"Then why now?" 

"Because this family must remain intact.  This was my idea, Hera.  I take full responsibility-"

"Is there a-"

"Yes."

"One condition-"

"Hera, no.  If you wish to be involved that's fine, but you cannot set conditions.  This-"

The woman sighs.  "It's a fate of the world thing, then, is it?  Fine.  But Leo's to treat me with respect, or I'll walk out."  

"You'll attend as his grandmother, dear, and the officiant."

"Any particular reason?"

Calypso nods.  "What I thought was lost was only sealed.  Remember how your power started to push through after Lester's birthday?  I'm - in that position."

"How long?"

"Before the solstice."  She looks frustrated.  "I thought we'd - stay.  Now - if this comes out I may be unable, and...even if it doesn't…"

"Yeah."  He nods.  Then blinks.  "It'll be alright, I think.  Hopefully.  It can be alright." 

"You will wear my veil, of course!"  Fleur beams at her.  "It is very fitting, that."

"We could count the kid as something new-"

His wife smiles.  "I've made us both dress robes, Leonidas.  As for something old-"

The boy hands her a wreath.  "This hardly looks old, Leo."

He shrugs.  "Trust me on this one."

"And to stay with you until death do us part."  The inhumanly lovely woman looks sad.

"Nah, Mrs. Valdez, ghosts are a thing.  I'll come back and haunt you."

"Leonidas."   June Opsid sighs.  "Kindly let your wife make her promises.  It's hardly as though she'd want to be haunted, now would you Calypso?"

To Hera's astonishment, her cousin nods, beaming.  "I sure would.  Leonidas Valdez - I swear this vow by Lady Hera and in her sight.  I shall stay with you until death do us part, and as long after that as you'll have me."

Her grandson grins.  "Perfect!  Calypso Valdez - I swear this vow by Lady Hera and in her sight.  I shall stay with you until death do us part, and as long after that as you'll have me.  And now for the other stuff.  Calypso, I could and would swear a mystically enforced oath to love and cherish you - but that's redundant, since you're the most amazing girl in the world and I couldn't stop if I tried.  In Vegas, accountable to only ourselves and maybe the government, we swore some pretty awesomely sappy vows and meant every word.  We've kept our promises, up to this point, and fully intend to keep keeping them, so in the sight of our friends who will surely hold us accountable - right?"  Everyone nods.  "Thought so - and the deathless gods who will surely be miffed if we even consider breaking these vows since we invited them to witness them - I reaffirm those promises.  In Vegas, Calypso, we promised each other the rest of our lives.  Now I promise you forever, however long that ends up being, and reaffirm the oath I kept a decade ago: I will always come back to you, Calypso.  I swear it on the marriage-bed of Odysseus and Penelope-"

"Any particular reason?"

Leo nods.  "Calypso, the wreath?"

She plops it on his head.  "Well?" 

"I went and took a cutting from a certain olive tree - one of the new shoots, 'cause I'm the poor sucker who loves you."  Their best man muffles a laugh as the bride tears up, eyes very wide.  "Grandmother, would you do the honors?"

"I will.  May your marriage be as enduring as this tree, and this tree enduring as its progenitor."  The woman gently unwinds the supple little branch, and loops it around their clasped hands thrice.  Immediately, it begins to grow.  "Let it be rooted firmly, though it is rooted in sand - as firmly as your relationship, which began on a beach not unlike this one.  Both of you could have strayed - and yet you did not.  Leonidas, as did Odysseus with Penelope, you told your wife that you would return to her, and you did so despite the obstacles.  Calypso - like Penelope, even when it seemed impossible you believed in your husband.  You waited for Leo, and you prepared.  Through the ups and downs, you've held on to one another.  You've remained faithful.  I personally affirm that you two are in fact husband and wife, married in the eyes of men and gods, and about as permanently as possible."   She eyes them rather sternly.  "I really hope you understand just what that means-"

"I do," they say in sync, before mouthing jinx and exchanging a silly grin. 

June rolls her eyes.  "May your home always be filled with laughter, not that you need any help with that.   Good luck, you crazy kids.  May your daughter's birth go smoothly.  Call if you need a babysitter."  Leo eyes her warily.  "You turned out okay, my little hero, did you not?"

Jason hugs her.  "Thank you.  That - that was beautiful, my lady."

She smiles.  "You're welcome."

Daphne Greengrass whispers, "Is June who I think she is?!" 

Percy sighs.  "Yeah.  Apparently my grandmother arranged things - and yeah, that's her over there."

Tracey gulps.  "Um...this isn't standard, is it?  So…"

"They said they'd explain - later.  Annabeth thinks she might know."

"Since we're in England, I'll borrow another poet's immortal words.   "Let me not to the marriage of true minds..." 

Rhea eyes the group of young adults rather sternly.  "This doesn't leave this room."  They nod.  "Calypso's not mortal.  Like my grandson, she's been stuck in mortal form for a time.  Also like my grandson-"

Annabeth gasps.  "It's breaking.  They know it.  That's why they did this now, and promised forever-"

"Because they always meant forever, but forever's rather longer than they thought it would be."  Luna squeezes her fiance's hand.  

"Okay.  We all know the rules - about mortal/divine relationships-"

"Mini Valdez will grow up with two parents."  Percy looks determined.  "And I don't mean the lot of us.  If we need to take it to the Council-"

Piper raises her eyebrows.  "Before we march on Olympus - are there any loopholes?  There's a few marriages-"

"Just why do you think I had my daughter personally sanctify theirs?  Things could be rather difficult for them should this come out early, but - yes, marriage changes the rules a bit, and absolutely no one can challenge the validity of the Valdezes'.  Not now." 

"Thank you."

"You said you had news?"

The boy gulps.  "There's a legionnaire at school.  She revealed herself and asked me to help her, I did-"

"Well done!"

"There's more.  Blaise - I've been invited to New Rome.   To join the Legion.   As a probatio-"

Blaise hugs him tightly.  "This may be the proudest day of my life, Romeo Zabini.  That you have been found worthy..."

"Apparently you did something right, huh?"

"Nope, I think that was all you.  It goes without saying that you're going, assuming-"  Romeo nods frantically.  "Thought so.  Don't worry about Mum, or the expense."

Hera looks panicked.  Angry.  "Did they trick you, Mother?"

"No.  It was I who told Calypso what was coming to pass, Hera."

"You knew.   You knew that-"

"He knew, too."  Rhea smiles.  "When Leo Valdez told Calypso he'd haunt her as long as she'd have him, and she told him to go right ahead, they knew full well that that could be millennia.  When he promised her forever, he meant it no less than he meant his original oath."

"Oh."  She gulps.  "Mother - what-"

"I cannot say, my daughter." 

Estelle knows she's curled up safely in her bed, and she's dreaming.  She also knows this dream is real.   Not even just as real as Lester ones usually are.  This - this is closer to Percy's dreams.  She's genuinely somewhere else.  She'd be incredibly curious if she wasn't so nervous.

She stands before Apollo - who's not being Lester right now.  He's still Lester because they're the same person, but - this isn't her friend.  This is a god.   And he's not happy with her.  

"Estelle Hester Blofis.  What were you thinking?"

"What do you want me to say?  I messed up?"

"Yes.  I want you to acknowledge that you made a mistake.  If you had done this under other circumstances, or even if I hadn't been keeping an incredibly close eye on you during this visit-"

"Then why didn't you tell?" 

"Because the Fates were being kind."

"What do you mean?" 

"One way or another, Estelle Hester Blofis, you would have learned this lesson.  You would have been brought low-"

"Is this a well pun?"  She claps her hands over her mouth.  "Sorry!"

He groans.  "Estelle, please just listen.   I understand that at this time you're more likely to voice whatever's on your mind - but I'm lecturing you.  This is important.   You need to focus."

Abashed, the girl nods.  "Sorry, Lester - Apollo."

"Now.  This is a lesson you would have learned one way or the other.  Had I delayed it, it would have happened under other circumstances.  Do you understand what that means?"

"Um, that this event was Fated - wait.  If this had to happen then why are you mad at me?"

"Because you could have figured this out in five minutes.   Without any help."

"How to get out?"

"No.   That sometimes, even if you think you should be able to handle something on your own, if you've tried and you aren't getting anywhere, you need to at least tell someone what's going on because otherwise a lot of people will be very, very worried about you!"  

"That's the lesson?"

He sighs.  "For instance, Della.  Your parents.  Tyson.  Ella.  Rachel - she could sense that you weren't in danger but she could not actually find you.  All of the Seven.  Nico and Will.   And the only reason I wasn't worried too was because I checked in moments after you fell and stayed.  I may not have manifested until the end, but I was there and if I hadn't been able to do that then believe me, I would have been very concerned."

"I didn't mean to worry people."

"The important part isn't that people will be upset and sad and worried.  That's just the part that will make you listen.   The important part is that if you need help you are supposed to ask for it."  He sighs, looking strangely like Percy.  "You are more than smart enough for Ravenclaw, Estelle.  You were given the chance to figure that out on your own."

"That's why you waited, then."  Her face falls.  "You - you believed I could figure it out.  You - you're right.  I should have gotten it."

"You should.  At the same time, expecting an eleven year old to beat her fatal flaw may have been unreasonable."

"Fatal flaw?"  She knows mortal heroes can have those too, but she isn't one.

"Yes.  If you make this mistake again, more than your pride could be hurt.  Being too stubborn to get help could actually be fatal."

"What if I can't get help?" 

"Then by all fun laws, Estelle Hester Blofis.  Call on me.   I will be there for you."

"I know, but asking you to get me out of the well would have been - really, uh, entitled. Disrespectful - bratty!  That's the word."

"No.  Under these circumstances, you should have yelled for help or used your mirror.  However, if this had happened in, say, the Forbidden Forest and your mirror had broken - then yes.  Absolutely.  Asking for help is not bratty."

"You - really?  Isn't that kind of beneath you?"

"No.  However - maybe you needed a different idea.  I'm an idea person.  I could have helped.  That sort of help is literally my thing."  He crosses his arms.  "Ditto for, for instance, piano recitals.  Asking for a little help playing a song properly, when it's not even a competition - that's not cheating.  It's not even unusual."

"It isn't?"

"It is not rude, or presumptuous, or stupid, to ask me for Apollo help with Apollo stuff.  Or any other god to help with things in their domain.  That is literally what we are here for, Estelle."  He's back in Lester form - but not the one Leo calls Kidster.  Of-age Lester.  "Possibly why we exist or continue existing.  Definitely why we have at least some and - well, we've talked about it.  Me, the Chases' stuff, Anna's pen pal's stuff, and Helios."

"Um.  Yes.  I... just don't want to…be..."

"Demanding help - outside of an emergency - is somewhat rude.  Asking - or simply telling me what in my uncle's name is going on and letting me make that call - is not taking advantage of me!"

"Why would I tell you - I don't mean-"

"I know what you mean!  Estelle, I knew this was coming this time.  Contrary to what you reasonably might expect - I know a lot.  I do not know everything."

"Oh."

"I could continue watching you this closely - checking back literally every minute  unless you are with family - but as you realize that's more than a little invasive.  I'd rather be able to trust you to reach out if you're in trouble or stuck.  Do you understand?"

"Yessir."

"Furthermore - when you simply feel like talking to me-"

"Yes?"

"Then please talk to me.  If you for some reason want to give me the completely unnecessary option of ignoring you, or want to make it an out-loud call, then use your mirror.  If you feel like telling me something silently-"  Suddenly, he's her age.  "Seriously, I like hearing from you!  Talk to meeeeee."

"Okay."

"So.  Estelle Hester Blofis - I'd like a serious promise.  Not a Styx promise-" 

The girl holds out her pinky.  "Um.  I'm pretty sure I'm not actually here, but-"

"That's true.  Also, I want cookies and a hug.  Kitchen, five minutes?"

"Really?"

"Obviously I'm mad.  At the same time - it would be incredibly silly to hold you to higher standards-"

"Than other humans?"  She sighs.

"Than me, or my cousins.  I'm actually orders of magnitude older than you, and my fatal flaw - it didn't just go away.  It wasn't just a Papadopoulos thing.  I still seriously struggle with pride.  Just - please remember that it is possible to be too stubborn."

Through a mouthful of cookie, the girl asks, "I thought being persistent was a good thing?" 

"As Athena once told Percy - the worst flaws are those which are good in moderation.  Sometimes you need to take a stand and not budge, or keep going despite insurmountable odds.  Sometimes, you need to get out of your own way."

"So.  This is, actually, my fatal flaw?"

"Um, duh?"

"I seriously have one?  Lester - I know everyone expects great things from me, but I'm a normal human kid!  I'm not you, or Percy-"

"So that's it.  You think that if you don't do great, impressive, legendary things people will be disappointed?"

"Won't they?" 

He shakes his head frantically.  "No!  In case you haven't noticed, that stuff is really dangerous."

"Well, yes, but-"

"To paraphrase Minnie, if you never do anything that exciting, everyone will be really, really relieved.   If you end up in a nice safe desk job and you're happy there, we'll all be thrilled."

"Are you sure?"

"No one is expecting you to be your brother.  Including Hecate.  They're expecting you to be you."  

"But, Lester...she picked me because I'm his sister."

"Not exactly.  She looked at you because you're the daughter of Sally."   He shrugs.  "She didn't want another Perseus in Wizarding Britain.  She wanted another Jackson."

"You really think so?"

"Not every heroic deed is a quest, Estelle.  Sometimes, it's as simple as a kid refusing to let anyone, even the leader of Slytherin House, insult his Mum."  Lester grins.  "Or giving two kids clothes and cookies.  Your mom's really awesome." 

"Am I, though?"

"Here's another pretty heroic deed - telling someone that you don't care how unpopular they are, or who their parents were, or whether there's any blood relation, or even whether they're the same species - you care about them and that's that."

"Who did that?"

"By all fun laws - Tyson.  Ella.  Della.  Crest.  Me!"

"Well, of course, you're all awesome like that-"  He waits.  "...oh.  You mean - that's really little, Lester."

"Not to us, it isn't."  He grins.  "Della really needs a friend slash cousin like you in her corner."

"Apparently she has actual cousins.  By blood."  The girl sighs.  "What if there's one her age?"  Lester beams at her.  "I mean, they'd be my cousin too...but what if neither...will you stop grinning at me?  I'm upset!"

"Estelle Blofis, I think sometimes, you forget some of my awesomeness," he winks.

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that I can see-"  

"Obviously, but I thought you said you didn't know everything?

"Nope.  But if you could see what I'm seeing - well, for one it would be averted, and it's awesome enough so you don't want to, but you'd be smiling too."

"We - we don't lose each other?"

"You don't need me to tell you that.   You're not always going to have tons of time to hang out, but you'll have more than you're used to.  At least for half of it."

"Half?"

"Her last three years, it's OWL-OWL-NEWT.  So-"

"Really?  That's all?"

"Nope.  Stuff will come up - can't give you details or it could be messed up - but you'll get through it.  With help.   So seriously, when you need me, tell me."

"But-" 

"And if you think any of it's going to break Stella-and-Della, then you aren't giving Delphina or yourself enough credit.  Are you going to bug each other?  Are you going to fight?  Are you going to have more friends?  Probably.  But family means the sort of bond-"

"That - that doesn't just go away." 

"Exactly.  That's the real reason people are expecting you to Do Things - no one is stupid enough to assume you'll stay out of them, Estelle.  Not when people you care about are involved."                 

"...Oh."  The girl looks nervous.  "Lester - what if I'm not enough?"

He wraps his arms around her.  "Estelle Hester Blofis.  You. Are. Enough.   But if you need help-"

"But I didn't.   I wasn't in danger-"

"Yeah, we're amending our stoplight system-"

"From when I was a little kid?"

He nods.  "If you're not in any present or future danger but you're stuck, so you need my help, that's white."

"Then - what's black?"

He sighs.  "Logically?  The opposite.  You're in danger - possibly mortal peril - but... it's Ollae Duae.   You need me not to help."  The girl gulps.  "You're checking in with me because, as a friend, you're keeping me in the loop.  Which you now can do with two words, or four for the longer version, so you have no excuse not to.  At all.  Ever.  Not when literally all you need to do is pray, "Apollo, white," and I'll know that you're stuck but safe." 

"You're sure?"

"Yes, Estelle.  I'm sure.  Granted, I'd rather you take the time to explain what's going on, but if it's between this and you not checking in - this.  Definitely this."

"There's something I should tell you.  It's a personal and embarrassing secret.  So I didn't tell you straightaway."

"Then why are you telling me?" 

"Because in Rome, it's common knowledge.  I admitted it, the rumor spread, then May fell for a random college student and that became the talk of the town because no one actually cared that I was, um, sired by Voldemort." 

Zabini squints at her.  "Wait, what?   Does that mean he actually was-"

"Distant descendant of Thanatos.  Who's about as embarrassed as I am by our relation - to Riddle, I mean."

"Are you a Parselmouth?"

"Yes."

"Huh.  Uh...wait, have you met Him?  Death, that is."

"Yes.  I've also met Alecto's sisters…"

"I've been wondering about that.  Are Alecto the professor and Alecto the Fury…"

"One and the same."

Romeo shivers.  "Oh.  My."

Chapter Text

"At the start of my third year, our Vizier asked you to give me a chance. You have spent a decade under my rule, and his country has finally reached the point where I feel we could have a fair vote.  As such, the first item on the ballot this year will be the referendum-"

The crowd goes wild as the Pharaoh stands, resplendent in gold.  "I want everyone - officials and the populace alike - to understand that this is meant to be a genuine choice.  No one will be punished for voting to fire me."

"Not even by the gods?"

"Ah."  He grimaces.  "I hadn't thought of that.  I'll intercede on your behalf if needed."

"Do you want to quit?

"Not really.  But if the people of Magical Egypt would rather not be ruled by a Pharaoh, I'll respect that-"

"What makes you think we don't want you?!"  Similar yells come from throughout the crowds.

The young woman smiles.  "We're like our ancestors in that we derive our authority from our power, lineage, and the gods' approval - and that's fine for the House of Life, which is an organization of magicians. This is a democratic nation.  Carter and I respect that-"

"You're the reason we're democratic in the first place!"

"Nonetheless," explains Carter, "I don't wish to govern you without your consent.  I promised you could fire me - and thus you shall have the chance to do so!"

Delphi smirks at her friend.  "Remind me why we're watching Egyptian news again?" 

Estelle sighs dreamily.  "Carter.  He's very nice-"

"Oh, really?"   

"He is, really!  He helped the Jacksons, did you know that?"

"Ah, yes.  Back in...1320?"

"What?  Are you - I suppose if you mixed up - you're messing with me.  Anyway, we're watching it because you don't want to see Cruella-"

Delphi's eyes narrow.  "There are limits to sympathy, Starfish,” she hisses angrily.

"Sorry, what?" 

"We of course would not ask you to treat an untried youth as a hero."

"However, I'm asking that your people treat Estelle Blofis of the gens Iaquida as a friend, and with the respect that she will show you.   She's my little sister.  Please be nice to her?"

"One moment, please."

"Additionally - we'd like her to be on the Jackson account, and to have a key to our vault."

"It's mainly for emergencies, but - she is my sister.  Gorknob, meet Miss Estelle Blofis.  Estelle, this is Gorknob.  He's in charge of the Septenii accounts, and will oversee your trust vault."

The girl nods.  "It's nice to meet you, sir - Wait, would you like to be called sir and Mr. Gorknob?"

"You're asking me how I'd like to be addressed?"  The goblin looks rather astonished.

"Yes, please!  I tried to find out how one's supposed to talk to goblins, but - well, I couldn't."

The Jacksons look on with proud smiles as Gorknob explains, "By name, please, Miss Estelle Blofis.  No Misters.  However, Sir is acceptable."

She nods.  "Yes, sir.  Thank you.  Is this standard?"

"It is indeed."  He scrutinizes her.

"If it's for school supplies, then why is it refilled twice a year?"

"Estelle?"  The girl looks over.  "Your trust vault isn't just for school.  Okay?"

Annabeth nods.  "We're trusting you to be sensible, but if you'd like a good broom or some candy or something - go ahead."

Percy shrugs.  "The vault for emergencies is our money.  This is your money."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously.  If you need help, ask.  If someone's selling expensive study aids or something-"

"Scam."

"Probably.  And remember, the line between legal and illegal-"

"Is really blurry?  It's like the Tutshill scandal, right?"

"Exactly.  In sports - supplements okay, steroids not okay-"

"But supplement versus performance-enhancing drug is already a blurry line without involving magic."

"So, when it's a potion-"

"One, ask for an ingredient list.  If they refuse, probably a scam.  Two, if they say it's proprietary but you think it's a good deal, get a small amount and have a NEWT or adult use Scarpin's Revelaspell-"

"Or ask me to take a look."

"If you want something like that - caffeine, supplements-"

"Bring from home?"

"Yes.  The one exception to this stuff is if the potion or whatnot is from Triple-W-"

"Or, more generally, a legal, public business with a good reputation.  And by from, we mean it's on the shelf or at least being sold by a representative."

"So - no resellers?"

"If you're confident that it's the real thing?  Maybe.  Because that's the problem with 'resellers.'  Half the time it's fake."

"Because of her connection to the Seven?"

"Largely because one Miss Estelle Blofis was courteous enough to ask me how I wanted to be addressed."  Gorknob sighs.  "Do you know how rarely wizards try to show us respect even by their customs?  Politeness from any of them is remarkable."

"Well, Perseus was there."

"So was Annabeth.  Neither prompted or corrected her once-"

"And a reference from two of the Seven is one thing, but a personal introduction is quite another."  Griphook nods.  "Furthermore, a great hero has personally asked us to give his kinswoman not the respect we would give to him, but rather that she gives us.  Miss Estelle Blofis of the gens Iaquida has attempted to be respectful not merely by human standards but by our own.  Give her the flag.  It can be revoked if necessary, but we've agreed to treat her as she does us - and I do not want some grouch to snap at her."

--

"According to my brother, after the Second War the Hat retired."

"Really?"  A large-nosed girl frowns sadly.  "Mother said-"

"Considering the source, I doubt it.  Supposedly students now are Transfigured into balls, put through a device which randomly sorts them into one of four buckets, and then un-transfigured by their new housemates."

A blondish boy stares at her.  "That's completely ridiculous."

She shrugs.  "I think that's the point, since I have it on good authority that as of last year the Hat was still sorting people."

The boy looks at her.  "Wait, you know Latin?"

Estelle makes a face.  "I'm still not fluent.  But I did manage to become conversational by placing myself in an immersive environment regularly."

"Uh -"

"My brother, his wife, and his cousins all speak Latin really really well, so lately when I went over to his place I've asked them to mostly use it - they used to try to mostly stick with English when I came over."

Edward sighs.  "Okay, maybe I should let my gran and aunt have their fun.  They've been trying to teach me for some time."

"It's really super useful.  It lets you craft spells yourself - well, to an extent at least-"

"Have you ever met, uh, Luna Lovegood?"

"I have!   If you know her - how have we not - although I've only ever seen her at the Jackson's and of course you couldn't come there, not if - and I haven't been to your family's home.  Oh, but there is a downside to knowing Latin.  Apparently a lot of our spells are nonsense, or at least the translation is."

"Like?"

"Annabeth's example is Augamenti.   It looks like it's supposed to be agua and augment put together.  But in Spanish it's water I lied.   In Latin - the g and q are similar enough to mishear - it's basically mind water."

"Huh."

"It works fine - if the translation doesn't mess you up, or you can make the translation work.  Percy thinks of it as water coming from his mind, which would be ridiculous if - well, anyway, that's more or less what magic is, according to my aunt.  Stuff from your mind made real.  Or at least I think that's what she meant."

---

As she grabs her stuff, Teddy sees that Estelle's bag is filled with a dark cloud.  "Did someone prank -" 

"Nah, that's just Lock.  He likes napping in bags."  She attempts a British accent.  "Lock, love, up, we're going!" 

Teddy stares at the creature very warily as it stretches.  Lifting its head, the creature stares back with metallic slitted eyes, looking very unimpressed.  It has pointy ears, a feline mouth, little jellybean toes, but - "Blowfish, I've never seen a cat that color before."  Which is saying something, since he's seen teal ones, pink ones...

"You've never seen a black cat, Bonks-Lupine?"  She smiles mischievously.  "That seems improbable."

He crosses his arms.  "Seriously, did someone spill Darkness Powder on him?"  The cat is darker than night and his fur isn't reflecting light.

"Not exactly?  We think it's because he was exposed to similar magic prenatally - in the womb before birth, you see -"

"So...his mum ate the stuff?"

"No.  Key was around really powerful Dark magic - nice dark like night or something, not malicious -"

"Key?"

"Lock's mom.  Well, her nickname.  It's short for Chiaroscura."

"Kiera-"

"Aaaand that is why most people call her Key.  She seems to prefer it to having her name mispronounced - granted, once you've demonstrated you can pronounce her name she won't let you use her nickname ever again.  If you do, she'll swat you."

"Okay, then…"  The apparently-a-cat sniffs his hand.  

The girl smiles.  "He's harmless.  Edward, meet Sherlock, my cat.  Lock, meet Eddie, my classmate." 

"Eddie?"

"You can't pronounce my last name anyway, so I think it's time to quit being so formal.  By all fun laws, we're eleven."

"Yeah, okay.  You're sure this Key didn't eat Darkness Powder?" 

"Actually, she would do that.  She ate a bunch of Gillyweed as a kitten - and still munches it on hot days.  Voluntarily."

"Does it, uh…"

"It works.  Thankfully, her son isn't interested, now are you?"  Her hand vanishes in the blackness.  "Which is good.  His magic might be allergic-"

"Since when can magic be allergic-"

"Oops.  I mean incompatible.  Anyway - he's shadowy enough that he could get really sick if he ate it."

"Darkness Powder doesn't do that, but if it wasn't that-"

"I have an uncle who is about as dark as a wizard can be-"

"Uh…"

"In the old sense.  He's not evil."

"Oh.  Like, shadows and night?"

"Exactly!  There's more to it but I think that explains it enough, so - Key's his familiar.  His magic's oddly sticky and somehow it stuck to Lock, which is odd because her other kittens are normal.  We think." 

"Wait.  You're sitting in the back?"

"Y-yeah.  Aunt Luna can handle it, Min- uh, McGonagall can handle it, M-mom can handle it, but-"

As Professor Alecto Dodds enters, Teddy shakes her - gently at first, then a little more vigorously.  "Edward, please.  I need a few minutes."

"Class is starting, Blofis.  Oi, Blowfish!  Blowfish!"  But her eyes are still squeezed shut.  

Lock clambers onto Estelle's lap as their professor - Aunt Min's girlfriend - looks at the girl.  "I suppose sometimes fear of a thing is worse than the thing itself."  With a wave of her wand, a piece of gauze appears.  "Mr. Lupin, kindly drape this over Estelle's head."  He does.  "Until you feel more confident, Estelle, this will serve as your veil."

"I'm really sorry, Professor-"

"Estelle Blofis, I know that I inspire fear.  Furthermore - I do understand fear."

"Eddie, this is my cousin Delphi, she's the one who I mentioned and she's incredible at Latin, and since you're in the same house-"

He's already been introduced to the snickering girl.  "You cannot just up and steal my cousin, Estelle Blofis!"

"Oh!  You two are cousins, aren't you?  By blood, that is.  Which makes you my cousin too," she hugs him, "So we should have met ages ago!" 

Teddy squints.  "Uh..." 

Delphi shakes her head, smiling.  "It's like with the Weasleys, Teddy.  If you're related to one of them - even if it's an honorary sort of thing - suddenly you have more relatives than you know what to do with.  You're Potter's godson, making you a 'cousin' of the Potter kids, so their cousins are your cousins, right?"

"Yes."

"Probably vice versa, you might need to share Delphi with the Weasleys too," muses Estelle.

Teddy sighs as his cousin gulps.  "Yeah, okay."

"I'm a 'cousin' of Hazel and Nico, who are cousins of Percy Jackson-"

"The brother who told you you'd be turned into a ball for random sorting?"

Estelle glowers at a wall.  "That's him."

"Which means that shortly after we met, Estelle concluded that I was her cousin.  Then, she went and told her mum and dad that they now had a niece."

Teddy gapes.  "How did they react to that?"

"About how your family did when the Diggorys showed up."

"They told her I was right."   Estelle beams.  "They're her aunt and uncle now.  So - you're my cousin!  Assuming you want to be, anyway."

Teddy sighs.  "You know, it's been nice having a friend who isn't a cousin for once-"

"Got it!  You're up to your ears in cousins, but could use more friends."  Estelle shrugs.  "You're family, but the terminology isn't that important."

"On the other hand," His cousin shrugs, "Stella's actually your age.  Unlike the Weasleys who actually are our fourth cousins or something, we aren't blood related - but she's a pretty awesome cousin."

Teddy crosses his arms and turns blue.  "You're my cousin.  I can't believe you went and got another one when I wasn't looking.  How long have you even known each other anyway?"

"Since we were seven."  Estelle smirks.  "So, Edward Tonks-Lupin, if anything Della went and got more cousins while I wasn't looking.  First Huang, then the Malfoys, then you.  Besides-"

"Huang's your cousin too?"

Estelle nods.  "Her parents basically did the same thing as Nico and Hazel."  She grins.  "She's - eight now, right?"

"So that's why the Diggorys introduced you."  He's been wondering about that.

"More or less - and Huang's nine, she'll start in two years."

"Right, yeah, she's Victoire's age." 

Dear irksome brother,

The hat - not a random sorter - put me in Ravenclaw.  Also - why did you never mention Delphi's cousin Edward?

"Lester?  Wait, is that actually you?" 

The boy nods.  "Remember when you asked me to quit grinning?  I totally told you so, Estelle Blofis."

"This is what you saw?  Teddy, Delphi, me?"

"The start, anyway." 

"I'm really sorry, Professor.  I know this must be frustrating."

"I admit, it's something of a disappointment.  You've held Delphi's gaze when she's angry with you.  Then again, Perseus has never struck me as a terribly brave-"

"My brother baked the curd six times or so!"  The girl looks absolutely furious.  Teddy gulps.  Don't you know better than to needle her like that?

"Your brother is something of a disappointment, Miss Blofis-"

"No he is not!  How dare you!  He may not be your favorite, Professor, but - how dare you!  You, who know full well that he went through all-her-cups!  Voluntarily!  Even you're scared of that plate!  You know-"

As the rant continues, threads start to vanish from the gauze.  She barely notices as she shrieks about a whitish colt -

"And how, precisely, was fixing that error courageous?" 

"He went to the lover's-curb!" 

"And then he ran away, did he not?  Like a frightened little rabbit, leaving Sally behind.  He's always running away, your Percy-"

"He went and got Rover!  He went across the country to rescue Annabeth..." 

Several minutes of confusing ranting later, Alecto remarks, "I'm not sure why you're still defending him." 

"Because He.  Is.  My.  Brother!  And he's dealt with so much and he doesn't deserve this!" 

"Look me in the eye and say that." 

"In the eye?  I-" she gulps.

"No better than he is, really, I suppose-"

Her lips purse.  "You know what, fine.  You said it was okay, that I could use it as long as I needed - but fine."  She rips off the gossamer-thin cloth.  "Percy Jackson has faced bread and oddness.  He 

"Because you were afraid.  And clearly wished you weren't." 

"What?!"

 "I suspected that if I provoked you badly enough, you'd face me head-on."

"So..."

"Perseus Jackson is an incredibly annoying man.  He is also incredibly loyal, incredibly brave, and incredibly good."  Alecto sighs.  "Tell Percy I complimented him, and you'll be cleaning my stalactites with a toothbrush, but I truly am sorry for disparaging him."

Estelle grins.  "You were being Slytherin, and you made me so mad that I didn't spot it!  Well played, Professor Alecto.  Well played."

Later, Teddy asks, "Why were you scared of her?"

"Edward - imagine being told about someone who looked ten - no, fifty - times scarier than Moody.  Wouldn't you be a little afraid to see her too?"

He shivers.  "Y-yeah.  Is she actually that scary?"

Estelle shrugs.  "Well, she's much more frightening than Moody, but Moody is only about as scary as Mrs. O'Leary - Percy's dog, you see - and I quit being scared of her after she gave me a bath - with her tongue, she's big enough to eat a little girl so of course her mouth was scary, but all she did was lick me and face it, that's adorable."

"At least she isn't named Fluffy," mutters the boy apprehensively.

"Sorry?"

"Please don't keep dangerous creatures as pets, Blofis."

"Such as?

"Hagrid has had a Cerberus, a dragon - and as a kid he had an Acromantula."

"Well, I wouldn't keep one of those.   It would go after Annabeth - and they're too smart, they really should be Beings-" she beams.  "Oh!  A Cerberus!  I'd love to know how he found that one, since of course it wasn't - not to get one, though, that would scare Lock, although-" 

"A Greek guy in a pub.  I think."

"A Greek guy in a pub."  Her eyes narrow.  "The trail's probably cold, and they may know already, but there's some people-"

"The Beast Division?"

"No, not them.  Syringos Idryma - Syringa's Organization, they're the people who look out for Greek critters, but they didn't really talk to DRCMC back then."

Starfish,

You know that second cousin I've mentioned a few times, the one who Dolphin helped a few years back?  She (personally) told me I needed to tell you something really silly about the Sorting because it was traditional.  I'm aware that that sounds like a silly story and you're probably tempted to call my bluff - but would I really be blaming her if she hadn't?  In a Dictaquill letter owled to Hogwarts?

Admittedly, I hadn't thought of Edward - Stinger's cousin Teddy, right?  I guess we're related via my aunt and our cousin.  Sorry I overlooked him.  Please give our newfound cousin a hug for me?

"One - Teddy, this is from Percy."  She quickly hugs the boy.  "He's a tenth or so degree relative of the Greengrasses.  So as far as we're concerned you're also our cousin via Scorpius - so are you for that matter, Delphi!"

"Tenth degree relative?"

Delphi shrugs.  "I'm something like a thirtieth degree relative of Hazel, Nico, and Percy."  

"You're right!  You would be blood related to Percy too!"  But not Estelle?

"Uh… You know that if you go that far back literally-"  

His cousin is frantically shaking her head as she interjects, "Family's what you make of it - So, what did Percy say about Sorting?"

The girl scowls.  "My infuriating brother has an excuse and if he's telling the truth then I can't even be mad at him and that makes me really mad."

"What?  Seriously?"

"You know the second cousin who you've met and I haven't?  Apparently she told him to mess with me."

"...And even Percy Jackson wouldn't say that unless it was true, and you can't exactly do anything if it is."  She giggles helplessly.

"Wait.  I don't want to be rude, but, uh...do you and your brother have different fathers?"

"We do!   Mom didn't meet Dad until Percy was a teenager." 

--

"Estelle is a wonderful person who I'm proud to call family.  However, she is...not exactly restrained in her enthusiasm."

"I kinda noticed that."

"I was afraid that if you told her that literally everyone is as closely related as I'm related to Percy - well, it would be interesting to see how some of the more conservative kids reacted, but I don't want to share our cousin with the whole entire school.   Not to mention - given her heritage, claiming that could put her in danger."

"Oh."  Teddy sighs.  "Yeah.  That...could have been bad.  What happens if she figures it out anyway?" 

"Not the issue.  If you imply that unless she's literally everyone's cousin she isn't mine, she'll decide that she is my cousin and probably-"

"That she's everyone else's too.  Okay then.  Any other surprise cousins?"

Delphi shrugs.  "The Diggorys, like I said.  The Late Arrivals - Nico and Hazel decided I was their cousin, so that basically meant getting Jason, Percy, Thalia, Frank, Will, and so on as cousins - Will's Nico's fiancée, Frank is Hazel's husband, other three are actually their first cousins. Getting Percy as a cousin means getting Annabeth, Estelle, Tyson, and Ella as cousins.  And that obviously extends to you too, so - you're probably about to have more aunts and uncles than you can shake a wand at."

Teddy groans.  "I already have Sirius and all the Weasleys.  All.  Of.  Them.  I even have an honorary grandma, Delphi, and Gran and her sister-"

"If it helps, they're American and most of them mostly stay there?"  Unfortunately, she looks amused.  "But yes, my various honorary relatives will agree with Estelle's logic.  After all, if they didn't they wouldn't be honorary relatives anyway."

"I'm sorry, are you two related to literally everyone?"

Estelle shrugs.  "Most everyone interesting, anyway." 

"McGonagall."

"My honorary aunt."

"Dodds."

"Nico and Hazel's honorary aunt."

"Harry."

"Cousin of godson."  Delphi smirks.

"Cousin of - oh, come on!   Neville Longbottom?"

"Okay, he's a family friend."

"He is?"

"He and Percy bonded over their pets.  Also the DA and the Ministry battle."

"The Ministry - wait, as in Chase and Jackson?!"

"Yes.  Although she's not a Chase anymore."

"Why n - oh."

"Anyway  - Toads were really unfashionable when they were at school.  Neville's uncle got him one anyway."

"Percy got a toad because...he wanted a toad.  So - they bonded over Barney and Trevor."

"Huh. Okay...the Pharaoh.  Of Magical Egypt.  Inkane Kareter."  He crosses his arms.  "There's no way you know the guy."

Estelle turns the color of Ginny's hair.  Delphi smirks.  "Stella," she singsongs, "has a cruuuuush!" 

Estelle sighs contentedly.  "He was very nice about-"

Delphi stage whispers, crush.

"Teacher mode?"

"My father is awesome and I love him, but he once turned an epic quest into a math lesson."

"No!"

Delphi nods.  "He did.  I was there.  'If it will take three hours to drop off the questors and get home and their - escort - needs to be home by eight, what's the latest they can leave?"

"Five, obviously, how is that a math lesson?" 

"UGH.  Give me some credit, Teddy, I was in first grade!"

"We're in first year right now-"

"Nope.  Second year of American elementary school.  We were seven, okay?  We didn't understand telling time yet."

"Dad also said "Dawn is around quarter past four tomorrow.  If that's the earliest they can leave, what's the earliest they can arrive?  And then he made me calculate when everyone needed to get up in front of my new friend who was also my cousin and the first person my age to come over to our apartment this decade.   So - yes.  On a scale of one to Harley, level…eight embarrassment."

"Harley?"

"Apparently met the Ginny Weasley once and babbled about how he'd had the biggest crush on her."

His cousin smirks.  "In hindsight, that was really funny.  I'd say maybe level five embarrassment for you relative to him, since I'm pretty sure that if he wasn't Leo's brother he would have prayed for the earth to swallow him up.  But she was so cool."

"You're fans?"

"She was... way nicer than I had any right to expect."  His cousin has a small smile.  

Estelle nods.  "I already liked the Harpies - I mean, they're like a less restricted version of the Hunters of Artemis - which are a myth.  But still a good example.  After how she treated Delphi - we love Ginny Potter.  Although not like Harley - I mean she made two fans for life that day."

"Not counting Julia or Harley," muses the older girl.

Estelle sighs.  "Anyway, Dad used a book on the Second War to teach me vocabulary.   Vocabulary!  He used recent prophecies to teach me about homonyms.  And he wasn't even my teacher."

"Recent-"

"Ask Ginny or Stori to tell you about primates sometime."

"Sorry, what?"

"Not important.  Wait, isn't your dad a teacher too?

"Yes.  He's pretty cool about it...until you ask the wrong question.  Then he goes into Lecture Mode." 

Estelle makes a face.  "Ugh.  Those are annoying."

"So, have you ever worked out which of you is better connected?"  He shrugs.  "Not a big deal, I'm just curious.  It's a Gran thing.  I'm guessing Delphi-"

"Nope, me." 

His cousin doesn't even try to refute it. "Estelle seriously Knows People.  And she's completely blasé about it."  

"Seriously?"

She snorts.  "Completely.  If she was the Queen's friend, she'd probably refer to her as her friend Elizabeth."

The girl's eyes sparkle as she smiles mischievously.  "I am acquainted with several Elizabeths, you know."

Teddy turns to his cousin.  "Is one of them actually the Queen of bloody England?"

"Probably not."  The girl smirks.  "But with Estelle, you never know unless you actually ask, so - Estelle Blofis, are you messing with us, or are you actually acquainted with Elizabeth the Second, Queen of England, Scotland, Wales, Canada, et cetera?"

"Yes."

Teddy runs through Delphi's question.  "You left a loophole.  Seriously, do you know the Queen?"

"Of course - what, you don't?"

Delphi rolls her eyes as her slightly younger cousin gapes.  "We all know the Queen, Teddy-"

"Not personally!"

"Exactly."

"...Ruddy Ravenclaws.  Estelle Blofis, are you personally acquainted with Elizabeth the Second, Queen of the Commonwealth Realms?!"

Finally, she bursts out laughing.  "Of course not!  But your face when you thought I was…"

"You two pranked me."  He scowls.  "I can't believe I fell for it!  I trusted you, Delphi-"

She shakes her head. "I wasn't in on it, Teddy.  It's not that outlandish, so Stella almost had me convinced too.  If I wasn't used to her plays on words-" she snorts.  

He glares.  "This means war, Estelle Blofis.  A prank war."

"You're on!  Della?"

"Hey, no!  I get her!" 

"Actually - how's this?  I won't actively participate, but I'll advise you."

"Which of us?"

"Both, obviously.  And that's for the best - her - household - and Julia's ended up in a prank war a few years back-"

She frowns.  "No way, Estelle Blofis.  You pranked me, too.  Obviously I won't share anything really secret or personal, but cousin - you messed with me.  You will not be getting any advice at all."

"Okay, fair enough.  I'm a Ravenclaw, I can come up with something suitably diabolical." 

"On your own? Really?"

"Yes, on my own!"

"Prove it."

"I thought you wanted me to ask for help?"

"When you need it.  You're the idea embellisher.  We're the idea people.  Can you pull a good prank without advice?  Without calling Percy or Stori or Lester?"

Estelle's eyes narrow.  "You better believe I can." 

"Then let's agree on some rules."

"Rules?  Seriously?"  Teddy makes a face.

"A prank war is all in good fun.  A feud is not.  If this turns into a feud, I'm getting your parents, McGonagall, and the Malfoys involved."

"What's the difference?"

"The difference is that in a feud, you forget that you are allies, or friends, or family!  You are my cousins and I will not stand for that."

"Okay, uh.  Don't mess with my stuff -

"Too broad.  We won't mess with anything with sentimental value - stuff that's special because it's from family or has good memories associated with it - or each other's assignments.  We won't permanently damage each other's stuff.  Fair?"

"If we break the rules or each other's stuff or something - whoever did loses the war and has to concede.  Because it would be way too easy to break our own inkwells or something - Delphi settles conflicts-"

"Not minor stuff.  I'm not arbitrating unless I seriously have to, okay?  Please don't put me in the middle here."

"No problem!  But you should probably hang onto our rules."

"One condition.  War or no war, we keep hanging out.   Civilly.  Because I have been looking forward to being at school with Stella, I'd like to get to know Teddy better, and when you're both free I do not want to have to choose-"

"Deal," the first-years say simultaneously.

"Well.  The cousins are in a prank war, and I probably should have seen it coming."

"Yeah.  Isn't Lupin's dad-"

"Yes.  And Stella's following my example.  So-"

"Wait, you prank people?"

"Yep.  We had a prank-off."

"Prank-off?"

"Who can pull the best prank on Percy and Annabeth?"

"Who?"

"Estelle's brother and sister in law.  They're hard to prank and have a sense of humor, so they're good targets.  We would have done Frank and Hazel but… The man's basically a puppy. And Hazel's pretty similar."

"How long?"

"One day.  April Fool's."

"Hmm."

"We decided to make it a tradition, and obviously missed last year, so…we need some tricky people to prank." 

"McGonagall?"

"Only if we can get Alecto to okay it.  Percy says she has a sense of humor - McGonagall - but we do not want to upset her girlfriend.  Ever.  Period."

"Rats.  I was going to suggest-"

The blonde's eyes go wide as she shakes her head.  "We'd literally ask her for her permission first - we wouldn't dare otherwise - and that would defeat the point.  Plus, she would know."

"You're pretty subtle-"

"Not the problem!" 

"Then what's wrong?"

"That is really, really hard to explain.  And you'd probably forget."

"Forget forget?!"

"Yeah."

"Holy sh--.  Is it...related?"

"Uh.  Not... exactly?  Seriously, it's complicated." 

"On a scale from one to ten-"

"Make ten, uh, Warrington." 

"Sure.  How complicated?"

"Ten.  Okay?

"Um…rephrase.  If one is 'she's stern' and ten is "September of last year," how complicated is this?"

"Ten!  On a scale from one to the kid thing, the kid thing."   

"Our defense professor is kid level weird?!"

"Yes!  Yes, the Headmistress knows!  So does Estelle!  She also knows about that!"

"McGonagall?  Or…"

"You told Blofis about the kid thing."

"Did she believe you?"

"Yes.  Estelle Blofis has seen weirder stuff."

"She seems so normal."  Charlotte looks really, really confused.

"She's grown up as normally as possible under the circumstances."

"Under the circumstances."

"She lives in a Muggle area, went to a Muggle school, watched Muggle movies.  She's been caught between Phoenixes and Flobberworms since forever - Percy hoped her loyalty - or determination - would outweigh her smarts.  More or less everyone else expected Ravenclaw."

"Those aren't really circumstances, Delphi."

"Nope.  That's the normal part."

"So?"

"One abnormal part is that her brother is Percy Jackson."

"Wait, from-" 

"Yes.  Latecomer, same class as Ginny Potter."  She grins.  "She's so cool-"

"We know!   Back to Blofis, please!"

"Sorry.  Okay, so I met her shortly before Ginny and Warrington - long story, but if you'd like-"

"We know you're her biggest fan, okay?  Go on!" 

Estelle waits patiently.  As Teddy comes around the corner, she whispers, "Bracchiis Ursifors."

The boy genuinely doesn't notice.  It's not unusual for his form to change a bit, after all - and honestly this is less of a change than usual.  She Leviosas a small, spellotaped note onto his back. Is that more an American thing?  Well, yes, but this is also partially misdirection so he'll be less suspicious when he "overhears" her and her roommates discussing the Swiss Spaghetti Harvest.  Admittedly that's not that original either, but she's put her own twist on it.  Magical durum wheat crossed with Whomping Willows results in tiny trees with catkins of rolled spaghetti.  When they're mature, they start whomping around, resulting in the world's most tender noodles.  Absurd, yes, but it's no less plausible than the Skrewts.  Besides, Blanche Montclair is Swiss - she's using the same clause as Estelle - so she has credibility.  Liz Warren was seriously considering some sort of acting school - so she gets to be the Muggleborn eagerly cajoling details out of Blanche.  Estelle doesn't have much of a poker face - so she gets to be the baffled, amused skeptic.  

"Great, I sleep-morphed again?" 

"You mean it wasn't on purpose?"

"Of course not, why would you-"

Fidel hands him a note.  I have the right to bear arms.  

"So?"

"It's been on your back all morning.  Sorry, we thought you knew."

"If you did not-"

"I don't even know what it means," Teddy scowls, "Apart from my having been pranked.   This means war."

"Again?"

"Yeah.  Not sure I can keep up with two prank wars, hopefully they don't team up-"

"Occam's Razor.  Blofis has done this." 

Teddy makes a face.  "Okay, I have to retaliate now.  Like, now." 

"Delphi.  She got me.  Help."

Once his cousin quits laughing, she asks, "What sort of prank do you want?"

"Something fast and brutal."

Delphi nods.  "Put up a bunch of posters of the Pharaoh of Magical Egypt."

"Posters of - huh?"

"She butt-mirrored him last spring and now-"

"You're claiming he's on her mirror?"

"Nah, she was borrowing an old mirror of Annabeth's.  Anyway - she has this huge crush now.  She turns impossibly red, so it's really hard to hide it-"

"How could you?!" 

Delphi shrugs.  "Stella, you've been giving me a hard time about Ginny Potter for ages, and I don't even have a crush!   I just think she's the best Quidditch player, and the nicest, and really pretty - not like that!  Aesthetically!  Like a statue or something!"

"Come on.   Delphi 

Estelle Blofis nods.  "He assumed it was an emergency.  Fortunately I heard his yelling before he called Percy-"

"And 

,"They fought-" 

 but once we'd cl

Teddy crosses his arms.  "They fought a guy."

"Well, it's basically true - the 'pretentious git with an ego to rival Saturn' is male you know - anyway, we cleared that up and I filled him in on current events.  Della, you said you wouldn't tell him anything that personal!"

"Uh - Estelle, your crush isn't a secret-"

"Well, no one outside our family knew!"

Delphi smirks.  "Teddy's our cousin.  You said so yourself." 

"You - you - argh everyone will know!"

The girl snickers.  "Maybe you can Color-Change yourself.  If you did a bright enough red, no one would notice the blush…"

"Love the hair, but-"

"Exactly!  No one could tell I was blushing if I was red!"

Liz giggles.  "Okay, makeup time.  One can fake a blush easily, so we should be able-" 

"Liz, you're a genius!  You're…

"A Ravenclaw?"

"She is!" 

"Literally, yes."

"Blanche?  How do witches do makeup?  Reduce redness?  Say, for skin problems?"

"Mostly cosmetic charms of some sort.  Some balms and such - I'm not an expert...wait.  The real question is, Blofis, why are you blushing?"

"...The posters."

"The ones you plastered all over our room?"

"That wasn't me!  It was Lupin!" 

"Why would Lupin wallpaper our room with the Pharaoh?"

"Delphitoldhimaboutmycrush," she mutters.  "I know he's engaged, I do approve of Zia - not that that matters - and he's twice our age - but he's so sweet.   He told the Egyptians they could fire him if they wanted-"

"Listen, you know I didn't grow up here-"

Estelle cheerfully replies, "I didn't either!" 

"Well, you know about this guy, so enlighten me."   

"Okay!  Pharaoh Carter's the first Pharaoh of the Thirty-fourth Dynasty of Magical Egypt.  He's very handsome - except that's not terribly relevant but if you could see him - what?"

"His picture is all over our dormitory.  It is impossible for us not to see him. "

Liz scrutinizes a picture.  "Oooh.  She has a point. That is one cute bloke."

"It's Magical Egypt only because the ICW doesn't want us telling the Muggle world at large we exist and - well

"I don't remember the full version - but I do remember the translation!  Eye of Horus, Commander of Lions, Respected of Nekhbet and...the cobra one, Heart of Egypt, He of Sedge and Bee - that means King of Upper and Lower Egypt, they're their symbols - uh...keeper of Ra's might

"Wow.  If he picked the name himself, the Pharaoh has a huge ego-"

"No," retorts Estelle, " He does not.   He's using the traditional format, you see and he actually changed it so he wouldn't confuse people by claiming to be Ra's son, even though that's normally understood as figurative, and wouldn't sound completely conceited

"His birth name's Carter Kane, he probably had trouble finding a hieroglyphic version-

"Commander of Lions?"

"Actually, I know that one.  He tamed a griffin."

"Blofis. I know what a statute is.  Muggles have-"

"Oh, sorry, I figured, but Ella usually defines everything so I'm sort of in the habit-" 

"Erm... Who's the Pharaoh?"

sometimes Cupid is..."

"Mean?"

"Sometimes love doesn't take those things into account.  

 Witches have ways to reduce redness - mostly for skin problems, but"

..to a color other tha

"Wait.  If Blofis can come over to your house-"

"Well, it's not her house I meet her at, it's usually Aunt Hazel's."

"Why can you come over and I can't?"

"Uh, well…"

"Ancient secrets," intones Estelle as ominously as she possibly can, "Which must be kept.  Or else."

His cousin cracks up, which sets off Blofis, and soon they're all laughing.  Once they calm down, Teddy asks, "No, seriously, what?"

"Aaaaanncient-"

"Estelle Blofis!"

Delphi shrugs.  "I know for a fact that you wouldn't believe the truth."

"Because I just told him, and he didn't?"

"Perhaps.  Granted, I'd say you couldn't be less convincing if you tried, but you were trying."

"Seriously.  What makes you different?"

"A few things - but mostly, I see through glamours.  Whether I want to or not, so-"

"Well, yeah, obviously."

"Therefore," she intones, "Even ancient secrets cannot be kept from me, save by beings of great power." Delphi bursts out laughing.  

"Uh huh.  So why is my cousin so amused?

"Honestly?  I'm laughing because one - that's literally true, two - that only goes for stuff she can see, hear, etc so it is totally possible to keep a secret from her, just not using glamour-"

"Uh-"

"And three - trying to keep the specific secrets of my hometown from her would be ludicrous even if she didn't have clear sight."

"Why?" 

"People from there Floo to Ripa Siderea so often that it literally makes sense to use the Blofis residence as our mailing address.   Which isn't official policy, but really common for Amazon packages and the like."

"It is!"

"Doesn't that bug your parents?"

"Family members are always welcome-"  

"Anyone else is expected to tip them generously, if possible."  Delphi shrugs.  "Usually they tip quite generously, because no one wants the Blofises to change their policy, it's still cheaper than shipping more directly, and the snacks alone are worth the cost."

"Seriously?"

"Aunt Sally makes the best cookies.  Ever."

Estelle grins.  "We'll share.  A few.  If you ask nicely."

Delphi nods.  "Also - some of the VIPs she's so casual about knowing, including her actual brother by blood, would seriously object to Estelle being excluded."

His housemate sighs.  "Delphi is about as mysterious as, well, the Oracle of Delphi sometimes.  Ditto for everyone she met as a kid.  However... let's just say I'd take her seriously if I were you."

"You think her hometown has an ancient secret that has to be hidden?"

Thistle shrugs again.  "Isn't that literally exactly what the Statute's for and why the Calamity was a problem?"

Teddy gulps.  "I...hadn't thought of it that way...actually, nah.  Estelle said something like 'even beings of great power cannot keep secrets from me,' Delphi laughed then claimed she was amused because-"

The girl looks more than a little spooked.  "Delphi believes in those." 

"Seriously?  She laughed, Robbins.  She claimed it was because it was true-"

"Maybe it is.  And for the record?  Apparently pranking our Defense professor is a bad idea."

"Estelle says she looks way scarier than Moody, but-"

"Delphi literally won't prank her or McGonagall without her permission.  Which reminds me-"

"Professor Alecto told me to tell you that she doesn't mind students keeping the Headmistress on her toes.  You asked her, right?" 

"Nope.  Like I said - she'd know." 

Lottie shivers.  "Okay.  No pranking Alecto-" 

"Can we get Vole somehow?" 

Delphi scowls.  "She's-"

"Picking on Lottie.  And Page."

"Oh?"

"And Blofis, actually."

Delphi's jaw sets.  "Yeah, no.  Stella can absolutely stick up for herself, but no way is she getting away with that.  Or picking on you, Turner."

"Vole." Dispecta's voice is frigid.   "I challenge you to a duel, with Filius as referee-"

"Whatever.  Who's your second?"

"Charlotte Turner.

"The little Mud-" 

"Finish that sentence, Vole, I-"

"The muddy skinned chit?  Okay, Snape's my second-"

"No."

"Excuse me?" 

Snape scowls.  "Dispecta, what are the grounds for this?"

"She's been attacking my cousin and my friend."  Delphi glares.   "Vole, if you'd rather concede and apologize now-"

"I'm not going to apologize for being honest about the filth in this school-"

"Yes, you are."

"But Professor!"

"I gather that's the forfeit for the duel, Vole.  You've been using fighting words.  You've been asked to answer for them-"

"Then you admit that your parents are mud - less than mud." 

"You know what, sure.  My parents were less than the mud on the bottom of your boots-"

"As the forfeit!"

"You didn't specify.  Now.  It would be a high honor for a proper witch or wizard - say, Estelle - to let my biological parents lick her boots, so let it be known I'm doing this on their behalf.  By the grace of Hades, may the taste of dirt fill their mouths-"

Vole scowls.  "Blofis is hardly-"

Estelle shrugs.  "Compurgo!   Delphi, your shoes could stand washing too-" 

"Dispecta.  Blofis.  While the sentiment is appreciated, you are not to lick one another's boots.  That is against health recommendations.  If you must, Lānūginōsa may do this on her owner's behalf-"  A fuzzy purple ball is tossed to Estelle, who catches it.  The Pygmy Puff purrs contentedly as she removes several layers of Flobberworm-mucus-bound dirt. 

"Why don't we do it now?  However, I'm imposing a restriction."

"You can't-"

"

"You are limited to spells from the first and second year curricula

"I suppose you might go up to fourth year-"

"But that takes out all the good spells!" 

"Vole, any duelist worth their salt can handle such a battle.  Furthermore - we're in the Hall.  And it seems as though you've been using extracurricular spells of dubious legality as a crutch."

__

"Ivy."  The unnervingly incongruous Hufflepuff stares her down, and she drops her gaze.  "Your other electives are up to you, but you will take Divination.  If I need to make it a favor-"

She sits down, hard.  "Because of Winnie." Her younger sister who isn't supposed to be young.  Who spent long enough in the place they went to understand it.  Who isn't even mad at her.  Who might be -

"You've noticed, then."

"It's hard not to.  I thought it was a coincidence at first, but - twice-sighted.  That's what it means, isn't it?"

"Yes." The girl nods.  "Or at least we think so.  Halfway through her little - jaunt to the Would - she was given several stanzas of a prophecy to recite.  That would require some sort of - connection-"

"A key of maybe-nots and a long poem."  The girl gulps.  "The poem was a prophecy, wasn't it?"  

Delphina nods.  "Multiple parts.  They're all - oh, schist." 

"You just thought of something." 

She nods.  "There's probably an orb in the Hall with Winnie's section.  I'll retrieve it, but if someone's noticed-"

"You're looking out for her.  Thank you."  Ivy nods, and checks the appropriate box. "If we're ever classmates, will you be my partner?"

"Maybe if you can move past the Riddle thing-"

"It's completely weird, but-"

Delphina sighs.  "Ivy Warrington, you can't even look at me."  

"That's not why."

"Why, then?" The girl glares.

Ivy squeaks, "That's why!  Please stop glaring at me!  You have the scariest glare ever!"

"Oh!"  Mercifully, she stops.  "That's a relief.  I thought I made you uncomfortable."

"Honestly - you confuse me badly, and you seriously intimidate me, but at the same time - you helped us and you're still looking out for Winnie."

She nods.  "I need you to take it seriously.  Winnie needs you to take it seriously.  Agreed?"

"Agreed.  Just please try not to glare at me anymore."

Delphi snickers.  "I won't glare at you, Ivy.  I just can't believe that was the problem."

"You... couldn't have predicted it," she tentatively quips.

"I'm not sure the Oracle of Me would have."

"Seriously?! There's an Oracle of - oh."  Ivy facepalms.  

Suddenly Dispecta's face is serious - although, thank Merlin, she isn't glaring.  "There actually is, and she's in almost the same position as Winnie.  Would you like her telephone number?"

"Maybe.  Do you think it's possible for my eyebrows to fly off my head?  If I raise them any further-"

"Well, maybe if you magicked them off by accident…"

"The Oracle of Delphi has a phone, and you have the number."

The giant contradiction nods.  "So does Estelle, Rachel used to babysit her."

"What?!"

She nods.  "Most people I know don't have a phone, but she's in my contacts because-"

"The long poem was your - and she gave you part of it."  Ivy exhales.  "You were seven."

"The culprits apparently decided Covid was a good distraction.  So they moved up their plans by about a decade."  Delphina shrugs.  "On the other hand - it really affected my life, in a really good way.  I had a sleepover with Stella, I met Ginny Potter - she absolutely knew.  And she bought us ice cream and did our hair."

"Is that why she's your favorite?"

Delphi nods.  "I was just getting into Quidditch but already knew she was really good.  I didn't know that she'd recognize me with one look and then offer to help.  Then there's the Diggorys, they wrote me letters for years, because I was with them for a month pretending to be Chang's cousin.  I wouldn't have found the courage to visit if we didn't know where else to go - and they were thrilled to see me."

"That's - wow."

"Yeah.  I asked if they really wanted me around their daughter.  I told them I wasn't very nice.  Ced asked me what, off the top of my head, I felt like doing.  And - I just wanted to climb up to what turned out to have been my spot.  And later on - they didn't need to introduce me to Huang-"

"But they did?"

The girl smiles softly as she shakes her head.  "Chang asked if she knew who I was, and she did.  After the Weasleys mentioned Nu Xiu, they told their tiny, innocent daughter about, "Cousin Delphi, who's a little shy."  She has to blink away tears.  "That's when I started to stop thinking I was secretly evil - my parentage has never been hidden from me, but I'd just realized what it meant and I was kind of worried.  Some people are just plain sweet.   For me it's - harder to be nice, and I thought that meant I was faking it."

Ivy sighs.  "Sorry.  Thinking I was afraid because of Riddle probably hurt."

"Well - at the same time, you didn't even threaten to expose me.   And there's enough people who've made it very clear that they love me and this is irrelevant that, honestly, I don't care too much about your opinion."

"Oh?"

She snorts.  "I'm up to my ears in relatives who are actually something like my honorary cousins' cousin's sister - that's Estelle.  Nico and Hazel declared me family, and their close relatives followed suit and so on.  Most of them are way older, so I have a cohort of well-meaning uncles and aunts looking out for me."

"Well-meaning?"

"I was so very sick of people seeing me as a kid, and there's nothing more awkward than being the only person even close to your age stuck with a bunch of old people you're supposed to get along with.  It wasn't as hard as a little kid, but by the time I was eleven I could not wait to be with kids my own age."  She sighs.  "Of course, now I miss them."

"Wow.  That frustration is so - so-"

"Ungrateful?"

"Normal."  Ivy shakes her head.  "You have a weird sword I can't see.  You were there as a little kid. You're somehow a pivot point-"

"Wait, really?"

"Winnie said so.  And even if we forget You-Know-Who, you have a strange and mysterious background.  You're Roman for some reason, even though it's the 21st century.  You went through a door that normally leads somewhere scarier, and the only one I can think of is the Veil of Death-"

"That's one reason I'm so confident now.  After that - I think I can face anything.  I was really afraid I'd die.  I told my friends they didn't have to come, they did anyway-"

"It actually was the Veil?"  The girl nods.  "Okaaay, kinda proves my point.  I expect weirdness from you.  So whenever there's something so normal, it completely confuses me!"  The girl throws her arms up in the air.

"I stubbed my toe last week."

"Huh?"

"I like cookies.  Especially Aunt Sally's cookies."

"Okay?"

"My current favorite color is lavender.  I like to climb.  Estelle almost tricked me - and did trick Teddy - into thinking she personally knew Queen Elizabeth."

"No!"

"Yes.  That's why Twinkle Twinkle Little Star keeps playing randomly - she pranked him, he declared war.  It had started to settle down, Nifflers versus Occamies is surprisingly calm-"

"But now it's FvP time.  Uh-oh."

Delphina nods. "They both grew up torn between the teams.  Percy Jackson is a vehement Flobberworm, he's going to garnish every meal with lettuce or cabbage-"

"Wait, Ministry Jackson?!"

"Yes."  She smirks.  "But he and Annabeth have done much more impressive stuff than that, so it's funny when that startles people."

"Estelle's brother and sister in law are Jackson and Chase?!"

"Yes.  Like I told Teddy, if she knew the Queen she'd call her her friend Elizabeth.  Of course, then Estelle mentioned that she knew several Elizabeths, word games happened-"

"And now we have a prank war on our hands."  Ivy has to laugh.

"Yes.  You're lucky I'm not actively participating."

"But you are participating?"

"I've known Estelle since we were seven.  I know how to bug her.  I'm staying neutral, because they're my cousins, but she pranked me too - so Teddy gets insider information."

"Such as?"

"The song Estelle likes occasionally - with the full lyrics -  but which drives her absolutely bananas if the first verse is put on repeat.  Or worse, just the refrain-"

"Why that specific one?"

"Her name means star so she's heard it a lot, and she likes being called little about as much as I do.  So fair warning: if the player isn't found soon, she's going to get very snappish.  It might be time to get someone to help find it."

"Excellent prediction, future partner."  Ivy groans.  "Thanks ever so much for the warning.  Is there any way to end the stupid war?"

"Maybe if we had Uncle Remus mediate.  See, he's a Marauder.  They pranked the school like crazy and Edward is his kid."

"So it's a matter of pride?"

"More like honor as his father's son.  Which means that if Remus thinks Teddy has avenged the insult, this ends.  Otherwise - probably whenever they decide it does, or they unite against something which is next year-"

"Hmmm.  What about prejudice against werewolves?  Everyone knows about Remus, and - I get the impression Estelle might help."

"Generally, or…"

"There's a proposed law.  Editorials say that it's incredibly ripe for abuse, and in current form a renamed Werewolf Registration Commission."

Delphi stares.  "That might actually do the trick.  And between them, those two have a huge amount of influence so they honestly might manage to stall it at least."  

Her yearmate is openmouthed.  "Seriously?"

"He's Potter's godson, part of the House of Black, an honorary Weasley, connected to most of the other Houses, and personally knows some incredibly influential people including Sirius Black and Andromeda Black Tonks.   She has connections in places people never expect, many of them through family - including some of the most traditional families because Percy Jackson took control from Uncle Draco when he was still being a little schist-"

"After the Ministry, I guess he could challenge?"

"Over a month before.  His first week here, he impressed his entire house so much that they backed off.  Before even starting school, she impressed the goblins of Gringotts enough that their king has heard of her.  He did it with power.  She did it by nicely asking her new account manager how to be polite by goblin standards, and then actually being polite.  By goblin standards."

"You can't be serious!"

"Feel free to ask Winnie.  Stella has more of her own connections than I think even she realizes - partially because some of them started out as family connections, and then they got to know her.  This includes multiple very important people, who she's completely casual about knowing.  If you implied you might know the Queen I would probably laugh.  When she did it - I asked if she actually was acquainted with the Queen, or was messing with us."

"She said yes, didn't she?"

"Teddy pointed out the loophole, then went and asked if she knew the Queen.  She said yes-"

"Because everyone knows the Queen?" 

"Exactly.  But the fact of the matter is, if it was important enough, she could probably get a meeting with the Queen in a matter of hours."

"If it was important enough?"

"Her family - our family, they're the army of well-meaning relatives I mentioned - can pull a lot of strings, but they don't typically use that power frivolously.  They're trusting Estelle, at eleven, to be as responsible as her brother was at seventeen, because she's already shown them she's sensible.   She has permission to use some really major connections and the Jacksons' vault on their behalf without even checking in an emergency if it's urgent."

"That's insane.  Wow.  Uh - is Rachel one of those connections?"

"She is - and here's the number.  Winnie might be disappointed if you don't have it."

"... shouldn't that mean she could get it herself?"

"Apparently those sorts of details don't really show up."  Delphi shrugs.  "There's only one instance I know of where they did, and that's it: To open the door, two-fifty-four."

"Is that-"

"Literally ancient, got used in twenty-thirteen.  The combination was needed, and Lester probably couldn't have figured it out without that."

 "...that they need to come into the Ministry weekly for a 'health check', and if they fail it they need to wear a tracking charm so any new diseases can be tracked.  The argument is that Magicovid jumped between multiple species, there could easily be a new variant or different illness, and it mutated in magical species…"

Estelle listens carefully.  Props her chin on her hand.  "What if we don't want to stop this law, exactly?"

Teddy seethes.  "Estelle Blofis-"

"Right now, it's a really bad thing just pretending it's good, isn't it?"

"Are you saying-"

"What if we could fix it?  Turn it into something that really does help people?" 

"Blofis."  Teddy sighs.  "That's a nice thought, but we're eleven."  

"That doesn't mean all that much-"

"We don't know how to fix it-"

"Our contacts should.  We know some-"

"Do you honestly think there is anything we can do?"

"Of course!   Edward - with a lever and a place to stand you-"

"Since when can kids our age-"

"Harry Potter.  Eleven during the Stone incident.  Ivy.  Eleven when she did something incredibly brave to-"

"Fine.  People are not going to listen to kids-"

"Then we don't need to be direct about it."  Estelle nods.  "Maybe - let me think and look at how we could do this.  I'll grab Warrington, you contact your aunt, we comb through the library…"

Madam Pince looks rather taken aback.  "Wizengamot procedure.  Werewolf biology.  Magic's effects on pathogens.  Novel viruses.  Epidemiology."

"Er.  Yes.  There's this law-"

"We're trying to get it stopped, or fixed - Yes, I know we're eleven, I don't care."

She squints, finally placing Blofis.  "Are you perchance related to a Mr. Percy Jackson?"

"I am!   He's my big brother.  That's why I could come to Hogwarts, you see, legacy admissions clause-"

"Sit."  He does.  "Edward Tonks-Lupin, just what do you think power is for?"

"Controlling things?"

"Control is power.  Try again." 

"Uh..." His cousin waits patiently.  "I have no idea?" 

"I figured.  Let me tell you a story.  Once, there was a boy who had a rival of sorts.  The rival thought him lesser because of blood, but had to put up with him because he was far too powerful to ignore-"

"Uh huh.  Lemme guess, wandless magic, super powerful?  Next coming of Merlin?"

She smirks.  "More or less.  No one wanted this boy as an enemy, not after they saw what he could do.  He could have taken control when they first met - but he didn't want the responsibility.  So he let the rival back off and save face.

"The year after that, a very stupid law was passed.  The government had decided students shouldn't be taught Defense, lessons would be theory only, and for some reason the professor actually did comply, so some kids formed a study group.   The law outlawed student organizations."  Teddy frowns.  This sounds familiar.   "Everyone picked at the loopholes of course, but the law continued.  The study group decided to go ahead, but they'd have to meet in secret.  Staying secret was critical because the Ministry's plant was torturing kids who got in trouble."  She sighs.  "Their teachers offered help.  If the kids hadn't been too afraid to tell the truth something could have been done about her.  Instead the featherbrained kids told their Defense teacher that the Dark cuts on their hands were from shaving-"

"Wait.  This actually happened?"

"Obviously, Edward.  I wouldn't waste your time with some fable-"

"The boy and his rival are recent?  Like Second War recent?"

"Yes.  And as you've just realized, the study group was the DA."

"What?!" 

"But Percy Jackson - because yes, I've been talking about Stella's big brother this entire time - did a lot more than that.  He declared that Slytherin House was neutral.  He made it safe to stay out of the war. "

"Okay, so?  I don't have enough power to make people listen."

"No.  The two of you have something far more subtle.  You have influence - and yes, it's mostly because of our families, but they're against this too."

"There's a story Draco uses to talk about responsibility.  You know how -

"He was a snot-nosed brat who insulted Buckbeak.  Buckbeak attacked him, obviously, and he wrote to his father.   He's somehow made up with Buckbeak although he almost got him executed - Harry and Hermione saved him.

"Do you know why I'm mentioning it right now?"

"No."

"It's a story about being responsible with power.  But the flip side of that-"

"Is that a third year had the power to get a hippogriff sentenced to death."  Teddy's quiet for a bit.  "Maybe I have more power than I thought.  But I'm not a politician. Delphi - I have no clue how he did it." 

"Funny thing there.  Percy's not a politician either - or wasn't then, it rubbed off a bit.  He doesn't like to do politics, but he can now.  But he was willing to listen to Daphne, Tracey, and Astoria.  Neutrality wasn't his idea - well, for the house.  Guess what the noble idiot told the girls who knew full well that he'd done this for them?"  

"...Okay.  He's definitely not a politician."

"You don't need to be, either-"

"Because you'll help?"

"I - I'm not one either?"

"You don't sound too sure about that.  How would you do it?"

"Uh...Okay.  Stella's right.  If you try to do this directly, you'll probably be dismissed.  That said...you need a face of sorts.  Someone who's affected by this…you.  Your father is Remus, the most respected werewolf in England.  You, personally, could appeal to the sympathies of our community. "

Aaron sighs.  "Jackson was openly against everything the Death Eaters stood for.  Openly.   He wasn't attacked, and his friends weren't attacked.   Everyone knew he had a Muggle mother because, the year Riddle returned, he marched up to Draco Malfoy in the middle of the Slytherin common room and told him that he would not tolerate insults to her.  Period."

"That's…"

"The thing is - the kid accidentally summoned a bunch of fog when she was insulted.  So it was pretty obvious that he was way more powerful than anyone guessed.  Then he wandlessly summoned buckets of water-"

"Uh huh."

"By practicing the incantation."

"Okay, calling bullshit here.  Literally while practicing-"

"Ask McGonagall.  Apparently they ran and grabbed her because the spell did not end on its own and they weren't sure what to do.  So, yeah, Jackson's powerful enough that the junior death eaters were hoping he could be persuaded to stay neutral."

"Estelle's brother?  Really?  Yeah, Delphi says he convinced his House to stay neutral."

"The year after - he actually had three tests.  Blood, power, and sneakiness.  He won all of them.  Decisively.  Against, again, Draco Malfoy.  And then he said, surprise, we're neutral."

"No way is he that powerful."

"Not sure if you've noticed, but Blofis isn't exactly weak either.  She Transfigured your arms."

"Well," Pince explains with a sigh, "We have yet another group of kids raring to take on the evils of the world."  

"Oh?  Which ones?"  Sprout looks amused.

"Jackson's sister and Lupin's son."

The Headmistress slumps in relief.  "So Estelle and Edward finally made up.  Finally." 

The Defense teacher smiles.  "Tell them that, while I can't actively help much, I can certainly advise them." 

"Warrington!  You're the one who put Edward and Estelle up to this?"

"Look, it's important, and-" 

The Headmistress shakes her head.  "I'm not angry with you, Miss Warrington.  Quite the contrary.  That was a stroke of brilliance - and a great relief.  We knew a mutual and greater enemy might end that little tiff, but it occurred to no one that we had one in the Virus Bill.  This despite Remus being Edward's father, and Estelle..."  She chuckles.

"What about her?"

"Percy has a brother who's a little like Hagrid.  Estelle and Tyson's only connection by blood is that they share a half brother.  Yet they proudly call one another siblings.  Tyson's wife Ella cannot even be mistaken for human without heavy glamours - and Estelle adores her.  She was formally introduced to the goblins by people they respect, but then - with no prompting from the Jacksons - she made a herculean effort to respect them."

People they respect.  Much more impressive than that.

"Delphi said she was polite by goblin standards.  I literally didn't know that was an option."

"Nor I.  I take it you've gotten over your fear of Miss Delphi Dispecta, then?"

Ivy's face falls.  "I should've just asked her to quit glaring at me, because she thought her sire was the problem, too." 

"Ah."  Her professor nods.  "I've had the dubious honor of being glared at by Nico Di Angelo on occasion.  When he was shorter, it was merely unsettling.  Now, well - I perhaps should have realized there might be a reason you never looked Delphi in the eye."

"It's hereditary?!" 

"No.  Delphi's foster mother runs a training facility of sorts.  Amongst other things, she teaches her students to do - that."   McGonagall sighs.  "I'll inform everyone that that was the problem and the talk they've planned really wouldn't help."

Ivy gulps.  "She has literally the scariest glare I have ever encountered in my life, Professor.  But...I feel terrible."

"The fault's not entirely yours, Ivy.  Delphi doesn't often glare at people, at least not like that.   I suspect she was trying to scare you a bit so you'd keep her secret."

"A bit?"   Ivy laughs nervously.  "Well, mission bloody accomplished!" 

McGonagall shakes her head.  "She's used to people who do not scare easily.  For instance, Estelle shrinks a little at her glare."

Ivy stares incredulously.  "A little?"

"Likely less than she used to.  Nonetheless - even when they were eight, Estelle stood her ground."

"We - we are talking about the same Estelle Blofis, right?  First year, Ravenclaw, has a cat named Lock somewhere?"

"Estelle does not stop, especially when something is personally important to her - her pride, for instance, so thank you for saving us all quite a lot of trouble.   She does not know when to quit - hopefully Edward can rein that in.  She can take no for an answer - usually.  She can decide something is more important.  She can be talked around - but not easily.  She does not back down or give up."  McGonagall exhales.  "I'm afraid that might get her into serious trouble someday.  She'll ask for help readily enough, but what she'd see as needing intervention if it were, say, Teddy - if no one else is involved, she normally doesn't think to get help.  This past spring she fell into an old well - it was a little muddy but she was completely fine.  She spent hours trying to climb out, then to magic herself out, while everyone was frantically searching for her.  She had a mirror.  She was in earshot of dozens of people.  Finally someone rather similar to your sister went, told her that she was being very foolish, and sat there until she yelled for everyone.  It wasn't really a matter of pride - she was trying to live up to what she felt was expected of her, and at first she figured getting out would be simple enough that she shouldn't bother people, then she just kept going because she didn't feel like giving up and she didn't realize how long it had been."

"Felt?"

"If Estelle Blofis never does anything particularly exciting, her family will be greatly relieved.  If - despite herself - she somehow ends up in a boring desk job and is happy, everyone will be chuffed to bits." 

"Even if it's something like an assistant clerk in the Centaur Liaison Office?"

McGonagall snorts as she makes a note.  "Now that I'd like to see.  It's - rather obvious that Estelle simply won't have an ordinary life.  We expect her to get caught up in Things because she refuses to stand aside.  At eight she glared back, even though hers was about as scary as a kitten's, and Delphina was so astonished that she quit glaring."

"The kid's eleven and she can handle those eyes?!  She was terrified of seeing Professor Alecto."  Ivy gulps.  "How - how-"

"Significantly more frightening.  Not quite to the extent Percy thought. Estelle is more accustomed to unusual sights than Winifred, Ivy.  Her brother met Alecto around her age, and - well, he was impressionable."

 and unable to give the location he'd divined to 

"Yes.  S

 for herself. 

  But now that she's faced 

 "Some of her cousins have faced things scarier than you and Delphina combined.  Others, such as Estelle, are quite unflappable.

 unless she's trying to scare people, o

 not human either, and rather obviously so, 

"So, if we could get it sent to a committee-"

"How's that going to help?  Gran says it takes them ages to do... anything…"

"Exactly!   Either it slows this down - or, if we get the right people on the committee, they fix the bill."

"That...I guess it could work?"

Often from the aunts and uncles I mentioned - 

're at war.  But yes -  

"So, I forgot to mention, my favorite cookies aren't exactly normal either.  They're bright blue."

"That's...it?  They don't make you shrink or grow or...

"Aunt Sally - Estelle's mum - is a Muggle, so yes.  They're just really yummy cookies with blue food coloring, they're not actually magic.  Even though they taste like it."

"Are you doing this on purpose?

"Yes.  Pranking is very normal - I stuck something in my friend's room set to play the man song-"

"The man song?"

Delphi starts singing in the deepest voice she can.  Which isn't very deep.  "Let's get down to business-" 

Ivy stares.  No.  No way.

"To defeeeat the Huns, Diid they send-"   

"You... you've seen a Disney movie?"

"Nope.  Between Huang, Estelle, and my cohort, I've seen almost all of them. Definitely all the princess ones."

"

 I figure that if I throw all this at you now we can get the confusion out of the way before anyone notices."

"I have an idea.  But I need your help.  I want to make her a statue of Mrs. Potter - probably Roman-style-"

"A statue."

"Yes.  Not anything...awkward-"

"Of...Ginny.  Are you suggesting I model for it?"

"Oh!  I didn't even think of that but it would be perfect!  Maybe we can write Aesthetica on the bottom-"

"Estelle, this is too weird."

"Why?"

"She's basically my godmother!  If you want to do it yourself-"

Estelle sighs.  "Okay, fair, but what if we got her to agree?"

"They would never find our bodies."   He shrugs.  "Or she'd just be really embarrassed - Delphi, I mean - and honestly I think she'd get along with the Potters, so..."

"Rats."

__

"I had an idea.  We could sell study aids."

"Study aids?

The girl nods.  "Legal ones.  Maybe we can even get official approval."

"And those would be?"

"Omega-3, caffeine, B vitamins.  Stuff like that."

"You think they'd go for that?"

"As opposed to the alternative?  Yes."

"The alternative."

"Mysterious powders and such.  If people are desperate enough to buy fakes-"

"They might be desperate enough to buy our Muggle stuff."  Teddy eyes her thoughtfully.  "Okay.  Let's start by talking to the Wheezes-" Seeing his friend's indignant expression, he adds, "Way, way back when, they had a stall.  They might have some tips." 

Useful Real Study Aids

Sadie's six-year-old daughter squints at her.  "If the Serapis thing is so secret, why tell me?" 

"Because you've been invited to Hogwarts, the school Annabeth went to." 

"What's the catch?"

"The catch is why.  Acacia, Akhenaten's curse isn't gone.  It's dormant."

"And?"

"Isis told us that training in another tradition would protect you indefinitely."

"So..."

"So we need you to use wizarding magic.  Please point this and say Lumos - hey, cool!"  The wand's tip has lit up.  The girl shakes her head.  "Acacia.  We don't want to lose you.  This will buy time-"

"But if I'm just going to die, then-"

"The curse can be broken now, but it must be broken by someone under the curse."

"... I'm six."

"That's why I'm asking that you do this.  Once you start using our magic, the clock starts ticking."

"Isn't there something-"

"The other option is, in theory, binding your powers.  Because at some point, you're going to use them."

"No."

"If your magic can be channelled into something that won't reactivate the curse-"

"I want to-"

"I'm sorry, but I'm putting my foot down.  You're not to learn Egyptian magic yet.  If you'll do this, we'll teach you the theory.  If not-"

"If not?"

"We can't, and we may need to send you away."

The girl scowls.  "That's not fair!"

"Believe me, I know.  I'm pretty mad, but magic responds to magic, and-"

The girl scowls.  "So I don't have a choice?"

"Not any good ones.  I'm sorry, Kay, but this truly is the best we can do."

"Did Dad - Walt-Dad-"

"This - is someone else's style of magic.  She suggested this to Isis.  We don't know why."

"Someone else?   But you said it wasn't Egyptian…"

"Turns out Anubis' family are not the only ones out there."

"What?!"

"It's complicated and confusing.  The 'someone else' is European, probably Greco-Roman."

"You mean…"

"Annabeth, and be advised that this is top secret, is the daughter - biologically - of Athena.  Because apparently that's a thing that can happen."

The girl scowls at the piece of wood.  "I don't want to."

Sadie sighs.  "Please?  I know it's unfair.  I'm sorry.  But at least this means you'll be able to use magic-"

"Dad used magic."

"He had less than a year before it killed him.  This will protect you somewhat even after you start using ours-"

"Fine," Acacia snatches the wand, "Lumos, now go away."

"Alright."  Sadie stays within earshot, however - and so she hears her daughter's sniffly tantrum.  Normally throwing a huge fit would get her in trouble - the lights are flickering - but under the circumstances she's cutting Kay some slack.

Estelle sighs.  "Okay.  She's not a fraud. For some reason Professor Trelawney isn't being allowed to figure this out, so don't try to tell her.  She's made, let's see...One...rat makes two...ere is three...hog is four...and a half...five...Five and a fifth true prophecies that I know of-"

Teddy squints.  "Estelle - how on earth do you know this?"

She sighs.  "Um, you know the battle of the Ministry in 2011?  Percy grabbed the ere and hog ones to use as decoys."

Teddy gapes at her.  "Uh, but doesn't that imply-" 

"Yes.  And yes, your extended family obviously understood the implications.  Not to mention the reason they were good decoys-"

"They were made by the same Seer as the one Riddle was after.  So that's three.  Pettigrew makes four - it's the before midnight thing?"  She nods.  "How can you have a fifth of one?"

"It was split up.  The rest was elsewhere."  She snickers.  "Which w-was known because it was in terza rima - they're made of tercets, three-line stanzas, until the last stanza which has to be a couplet."

"Huh.  So if you don't have two rhyming lines, the poem's not over?"

"You got it!  The kitten, fen, and Sybill ones were each nine lines long, so...um…"

"You've heard three parts of-"

She sighs.  "I heard the first six stanzas read.  Later, I got to read the whole thing myself.  And I'm still annoyed that - nevermind."

"You got to read a prophecy?"

"Yes.  It was confusing - mostly made up of these weird riddles like silver from a tree.  Actually I've heard most of the recent ones, they're all very interesting.  They don't often state anything plainly.  Ever.  So yes, I'm taking her class.  It's an important subject."  She shrugs.  "That doesn't mean you have to.  I would like to share our electives, but-"

Teddy shivers.  "So you're not taking it as an easy class."

"One, that's a good way to flunk.  I think we'll enjoy it - a lot of it isn't super serious, and tea leaves and such are fun - but,"

"Yes?"

"Two-" she swallows.  "When it comes to destiny, lives usually are on the line, Edward Tonks-Lupin."

"Destiny?"

"I don't know what else the Fates have in store for our generation, but - before the Jacksons analyzed his prophecy, your godfather thought it was predicting his death."

"You think you might need to help someone analyze their-"

"Or possibly my own.  With my family, and gifts, and knowledge, and connections - it's certain that the Fates have taken notice of me.  It's very possible that, normal though I am, I'll have a quest of my own someday."

Teddy just stares.  The girl doesn't sound as though she's bragging.  "Percy says that if it's fated, it'll happen, and no one's going to be upset if it isn't, so I shouldn't fret about it."

"I'm really surprised she was able to tell you that much."  Delphina eyes him thoughtfully.  "I think, if I censor, you might be able to hear the rest."

"I'm sorry, how-"

"Blank blank lies under blank blanks fen,

Tied down and gagged by the blank she blanked, Bound up with pieces of what blank blank blank, Had she not so carefully all the blanks skirted, Had-"

"Okay.  Never mind!"

Estelle stares him down.  "If Della wants you to hear this, Edward Tonks-Lupin, you will listen.  Even if we have to censor it beyond comprehension.  Delphina Dispecta, do you-" The girl nods.  "Start us off, then."

Teddy scowls as his cousin intones the same stupid blanked-out lines as before. "...spiel, so that her blank would not be blank.  She may only be loosed by a version that's real, from each chain formed from a possible token, and while so enchained blank cannot conceal."

Estelle picks up smoothly.  "Yet ere these chains can ever be broken, but long after your crew has become airborne, forge a key of these, that she may be woken…"  

At that point, Teddy understands that both girls have this memorized.   If for some reason it's that important to them... fine.   He can listen. 

"And why, exactly, would I buy something that isn't even magical?"

"Because it's completely legal and safe.  We're confident enough that it's safe that we'll take a small amount in front of you.  We can give you a sealed package.  We will let you sample.  We can give you an ingredient list."

"We actually ran all of these past McGonagall."  The Hufflepuff shrugs.  "Granted, she thinks it's one or two of each type.  We implied we'd be using them for our own exams." 

"And she's okay with that?"

"She is!   There's studies, you see, and while of course these won't help as much as, say, Felix Felicis-"

"They'll help more than Doxy droppings or toadspawn or something, which - well, we're not sure what our competitors are selling." 

The Ravenclaw tsks.  "They certainly won't tell you, in most cases."

"So we 

"What if it wasn't smuggling?

"What are you thinking?"

"We resupply Ursa.  They got all their products approved by McGonagall."

"So..."

"Getting Amazon Muggle stuff shipped directly to Hogwarts is tricky and expensive.   If we offer them a slight discount

"Yeah.  You know how some places have a magical side?  Amazon's one of them.  They can ship directly to Hogwarts.  But the Muggle and magical sides are separate enough that the fees would probably be pretty significant -

"We have my brother buy the stuff.  He'll have it shipped

"Mum?  Um...I found a way to earn some 

"It's 

"No, it's just - there's this little stall.  Remember, I mentioned 

"That's literally all?   Deliver it to you when we come, and they'll pay you?"

"Apparently?  We haven't approached them yet, but they'll probably go for it.  My roommates came up with it."

"This is legal?"

"Completely.  The stuff needs to be scanned, but apart from that-"

"Scanned?"

"Covid.  They - well, we - were hit hard.   Anyway, the Headmistress probably knows, and if not - I can't get in trouble for bringing it, not when every single item has been approved by her for personal use."

"Why can't they get it themselves?  From Hogsmeade?"

"They're second-years."

"Really?"

"Delphi's cousins.  You remember, from the prank war?"

"Why didn't they just bring it?"

"They did.  They're running out, Mum, can you believe it?"

"No.  I would've expected there to be all sorts of magic potions which were far more, well…"

"Anything that effective isn't allowed.  There's some magical study aids out there, but the ones sold here are usually fake, and kinda really gross..  The fact of the matter is - if it's between a sealed, labeled bottle and a random vial of troll toenails that might actually be pixie poo people will try the bottle."

"You're kidding."   

"I'm really not.  They've been pushing the safety as a selling point."

it's inconvenient to get anything that isn't sold through the Muggle side to anywhere Muggles 

"We have an offer."

"Let's hear it."

"You're nearly out of stock.  Lottie can fix that."

"Lottie?"

"My family lives in Scotland.  They've met up with me every other visit."   

"And what if we want to order directly from Amazon?"

"There's a fee for shipping stuff to places which can't be accessed by Muggles.  There's a fee for placing orders for mundane stuff that the magical side doesn't stock through the magical system.  That's why we use your address for Percy's stuff-"

"Well, obviously!  The fee's not that bad-"

"Actually, it works out to around ten percent of item cost.  You'd need to mark up your wares just to break even - I think, anyway."

"We're interested.  Can you give us a few minutes to talk it over?"

"Why didn't you mention Amazon?"

Estelle scowls.  "I didn't think of it!  Or of ordering in bulk.  We went into stores and cleaned them out and we could've just-"

"I had no idea Amazon had a magical side."

"Most people don't.  Your average pureblood doesn't see much point, so their customers are mostly nonhumans."

"So - it's possible to order stuff from Amazon from Hogwarts?"

"It is!   Ridiculously complicated, though.  There's the nonwizarding magicals call system - if you can't get online that's pretty much your only option. I'm not even sure they'd let us order through it - we're human."

"Is this a good deal?"

The girl sighs.  "Way, way better than what we were doing.  It would literally be better even if we had used the magic system.  Paying Lottie to deliver - argh.  I can't believe I missed this stuff."

"So-"

"They don't know that, so we have a slight advantage in negotiating.  They're assuming we did the smart thing and have a way bigger profit margin than we do.  But this is pretty much perfect - she gets some pocket money, we get restocked.  We can actually use the money I pulled from my vault instead of pounds-"

"How are we going to pay, though?"

"Harley will buy the stuff.  We'll need to pay him back - which we can do - probably with interest but he'll be reasonable about it.  He'd be willing to write it off, but-"

"Nope.  This is our business."

"Exactly!  And if we're smart about it, and responsible, we can keep doing it."

"You mean, if we run out again-"

"We can get more!   Amazon's even got a subscription service, if we worked it out with everyone we could pay him ahead of time."

(50 G purchase)

"We're prepared to offer you two galleons."   Teddy crosses his arms.

Lottie's about to reply when Thistle snaps, "No.   Four."

"That's only a Galleon of profit."

"A Galleon will buy you a lot of stuff."

"It will!   And it's still-"

"Nope.  Not worth the hassle."

"Hassle?!  Edward Tonks-Lupin, do you have any idea-"

"Yes.  Calling your bluff: we can probably get it mailed in.  There may be companies other than Amazon which could send it, through Muggle mail.  Two galleons, two sickles.  That's like eighteen butterbeers or so."

"Okay, that-"

"Lottie.  I'm your lawyer at the moment .  We're negotiating a contract."  

"Calling your bluff: this would be more expensive without Prime shipping."

"That's true!  I hadn't-"

"I did.  The shipping cost is way less than that, a galleon tops."

"That's for a box or two, Edward.  You're ordering enough that it would be triple that."

"Probably more." 

"Two - and you can buy any item from us for a Sickle."

"Four - and we can buy anything at cost for personal use at any time."

"What happens if it's resold?"

"Presumably the seller doesn't get the discount anymore, right?"

"Fair.  Three, and you, Lottie, can buy anything at cost."

"Lottie?  Does that work for you?"

"Yes!  Uh, can I get it in Sickles?"

"Sure!"

"There's the usual stalls selling study aids, of course.  Estelle-"

"I told her she should bring those from home!" 

"Indeed.  She did, in fact, bring some supplements, caffeine, etc from home.  Rather more than I had realized."  She snorts.  "As did Mr. Lupin."

"Mr. Lupin?"

"Indeed.  They checked every last item with me.  That probably ought to have tipped me off."

"Tipped you off?" 

"In one of my little walks - I came across a little booth selling Muggle study aids.  They seem to have been highly successful - for one, because they're correct.  Their wares are indeed safe and allowed for exams.  The caffeine at least is obviously effective."

"Estelle and Teddy are selling-"

"Indeed.  They've even told customers that they ran their products past me.  Intriguingly, a pair of Muggles visiting Hogsmeade entered with a large trunk, which they gave to three third-year girls."

"They ran out of stock.  And Delphi restocked them?"  Percy snickers.  

He snorts.  "Apparently, our discussion about scams has resulted in a small business.  Useful Real Study Aids-"

"Estelle and Teddy?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Ursa, the bear constellation.

"I've known about the Ursa stall for some time, as it happens."

"Then why haven't you done anything?"

"Quite simply?  They're telling the truth.  These products, unless you overdose, won't make you sick - and even then it's far easier to treat.  We've had fewer exam-related hospital wing visits this year than we have in decades."

"You actually did approve these?"

"As the two of them will readily admit, I was under the impression they were for personal use, but if they asked for official approval I'd give it.  They're undercutting the scammers.  Anyone desperate enough to buy a study aid that's almost certainly fake, as they realized, is probably desperate enough to try a Muggle one."

_

She takes a deep breath.  "Delphina Dispecta.  I'm Edward's cousin, and Ted Tonks' niece."

"We've met, haven't we?"

The girl nods.  "You insisted on doing my hair once.  Thank you so much."

"I see-"

"I had it changed permanently.  This is more fun, anyway."  Part of her is fangirling over Ginny.  Part of her is silently begging the woman not to expose her - but then again, if Ginny (!) hadn't helped her she probably would have been exposed at seven.

She nods.  "It suits you."

"You really think so?"  Ginny Potter thinks my hair looks nice!   "Really?!"

"Well - yes.  It softens your features in a flattering manner-"

"Kids versus adults."  George squints at Teddy.