"Cousin, you never told me about my parents." Sitting in the armchair with a book in his hands, Asterion heard Ophelia's question. They were both in his room, a privilege only Daphne had previously enjoyed.
Shifting his attention from the book and looking at the girl in front of him, Asterion blinked a few times, thinking, and then responded calmly, "What do you want to know about them?"
Even though Ophelia knew the truth about her father's death and might start hating him because of it, Asterion really didn't care. He had killed Voldemort; would he be afraid of a thirteen-year-old girl who had just entered the magical world?
However, even without those consequences, he still would have told Ophelia the truth. She had the right to know who her real parents were; he had no way to prevent that. Lying about who Ophelia's parents were had never crossed Asterion's mind. It was so low that he never considered the idea.
"Who are they, and are they still alive?" Ophelia spoke with a slightly trembling voice. She was anxious and scared. On one hand, she wanted her parents to be dead because it meant they hadn't abandoned her, but on the other, she wanted them to be alive so she could ask why they had left her.
Looking into her eyes, which held a mixture of emotions, Asterion answered, "Although your lineage has not been determined with certainty, your possible father is dead."
Asterion saw Ophelia's face show a sad expression and couldn't help but think that Ophelia was probably the only person to mourn Voldemort's death, even though she didn't yet know who her father really was.
"Your possible mother is Bellatrix Black, my cousin." Asterion observed the sadness on the girl's face disappear almost instantly.
"Bellatrix Black." Ophelia murmured repeatedly, her eyes growing brighter and more excited each time she said the name, finding it more beautiful in her mind.
Asterion looked at the girl lost in thought and shook his head. He really wanted to know if Ophelia could ignore her own morals and love Bellatrix.
At the same time, Asterion was absolutely certain that Bellatrix would not be a good mother. He even assumed that Bellatrix never wanted to have children in the first place. He could imagine how Bellatrix would react when she saw Ophelia.
Seeing Ophelia all excited and joyful, knowing she had a mother still alive, Asterion didn't know how long this excitement and joy would last. If he were in her place, he might love Bellatrix regardless of her crimes and madness, but he didn't know if Ophelia could do something similar.
-
Hogwarts Library.
Ginny, wearing Slytherin robes, sat at the table with her two friends, Astoria and Ophelia. The three had been practically inseparable during this first month."
"The other magic schools will arrive at Hogwarts tomorrow." Ginny heard Astoria whisper. She could sense her friend's excitement, not that she wasn't excited herself. Just imagining participating in such a big event made the red-haired girl's lips curl into a happy smile.
At the same time, she couldn't help but reflect on her experiences this past month in Slytherin. It was totally different from what she had imagined. There were no fights, and if there were any, they were resolved through duels. She learned that in Slytherin, the strongest were the most respected.
This was made very clear to her: it didn't matter if you were right or wrong; defeating your opponent was what mattered most. This made her uncomfortable for a while; respecting the strong and using the weak felt wrong to her.
It took her some time to get used to this, but after a month, with the help of Astoria and her friends, she adapted to Slytherin's way of thinking. She even thought that this ideology was correct: this wasn't a kind world, and kind people died early.
Another thing she was extremely grateful for in Slytherin was having private lessons with a special grade wizard! If she were to tell her other friends in other houses, they would definitely die of envy.
Even having only three private lessons this month, she felt at least 30% stronger than when she started at Hogwarts! Her control over her magic had reached a very good level, and she received many compliments from Professor Flitwick because of it.
In short, she was loving her stay in Slytherin. She had everything: luxury, privileges, and even power, something she never imagined she would have. Especially with her older brothers supporting her, although Ron had made it clear that she was a traitor. But Ron had been an idiot long before that, and she wasn't surprised by his childish attitude.
"Look at Ophelia's silly smile; it looks like she found a boyfriend." Astoria teased her friend, seeing the dreamy smile on Ophelia's lips.
Ginny blushed at the words but also looked at her friend with curiosity.
Ophelia's cheeks warmed hearing Astoria's words. She looked at her friend angrily and replied in a low tone, "I'm not dating, Astoria!"
"That I know; you don't know how to use your feminine charm. Which boy would want a girl who doesn't care about her appearance?" Astoria tossed her long golden hair and replied with an arrogant tone, which naturally made Ophelia grit her teeth in frustration.
"Humph!" Ophelia just huffed coldly and responded, "I'm not going to argue with you, princess, but I'm smiling because my cousin finally told me my mother's name." The smile on her face showed how happy she was at that moment.
The arrogant smile on Astoria's face disappeared, and she congratulated her friend sincerely, "Congratulations, Ophelia."
She knew how much Ophelia wanted to know her parents.
"What's her name?" Ginny asked curiously.
"Bellatrix Black." Ophelia said, not noticing that Astoria's and Ginny's eyes widened in total disbelief.
Ophelia continued talking, oblivious to her friends' expressions. "I tried to find a Hogwarts yearbook with some information about her when she studied here, but I haven't found anything so far."
Astoria and Ginny exchanged looks, recognizing the same thought in each other's eyes.
We mustn't let Ophelia know the truth about Bellatrix!
They knew that if their friend discovered the truth about her mother, she would probably be devastated. After all, finding out that your mother was a serial killer and a crazy dark witch was not exactly great news.
"I don't think the yearbook is in the library. It must be kept in a more restricted place, like the headmaster's office," Astoria said calmly, subtly trying to shift the search to a place Ophelia couldn't access.
Ophelia's face fell slightly upon hearing this. She knew that if it was in Dumbledore's office, it would be extremely difficult to access the yearbook to learn more about her mother.
"Still, I'll look a bit more in the library." Ophelia said, sighing at the end. Her expression became resolute as she stood up from the chair and resumed searching the vast Hogwarts library.
Seeing this, Astoria and Ginny exchanged glances and followed Ophelia without hesitation. They prayed to Merlin that there wasn't a copy of the Hogwarts Yearbook in the library; otherwise, Ophelia would likely leave the place heartbroken.
---
Author's Note: The Tournament is about to begin. I think there are about three or four more chapters according to my outline.
Support me to write more and read chapters ahead of all regular readers!
P-atreon.com/HPSCB
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
New Novel: (I Am The Prince of Hell)
Next Chapter Second Volume: Chapter 119 - I Decided to Seduce Daphne (1), Chapter 120 - Arrival of the Twelve Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry (1), Chapter 121 - Arrival of the Twelve Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry (2), Chapter 122 - Arrival of the Twelve Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry (3), Chapter 123 - Arrival of the Twelve Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry (4), Chapter 124 - Conspiracy In Progress (1), Chapter 125 - Conspiracy In Progress (2), Chapter 126 - Ophelia, Narcissa And Andromeda (1), Chapter 127 - Ophelia, Narcissa And Andromeda (2), Chapter 128 - The Four Representatives of Hogwarts (1), Chapter 129 - The Four Representatives of Hogwarts (2), Chapter 130 - The Four Hogwarts Representatives (3), Chapter 131 - The First Trial (1), Chapter 132 - The First Trial (2), Chapter 133 - King's Game (1), Chapter 134 - King's Game (2), Chapter 135 - King's Game (3), Chapter 136 - King's Game (4), Chapter 137 - King's Game (5), Chapter 138 - King's Game (6).
Gryffindor, Girls' Dormitory.
Lying on her stomach, Rose looked at Hermione changing and spoke in a low tone, "Mione, I still haven't thought of a way to separate Asterion and Daphne."
Pulling her skirt up to her waist, Hermione adjusted it and rolled her eyes at her best friend's words. It had been a month, and Rose was still thinking of a brilliant way to separate the king and queen of Slytherin.
"I've already told you, it's impossible to separate those two," she replied, buttoning up her blouse and covering her white lace bra.
"Honestly, I don't see you being able to separate them." Picking up a brush and starting to comb her hair, Hermione looked at Rose through the reflection in the mirror and answered in a resigned voice.
"Separate, separate, separate." Rose turned over and let her head hang off the edge of the bed, murmuring the word repeatedly, ignoring her best friend's pessimistic remarks.
Images of Daphne and Asterion appeared in her mind. It wasn't once or twice that she found herself thinking about those two. Especially this past month, she used every moment her brain had to calculate a situation capable of separating them.
But all the scenarios involved Daphne betraying Asterion, something she considered impossible and so low that Rose didn't want to orchestrate it. She definitely wouldn't stoop that low.
At the same time, Rose couldn't help but reflect on what she felt for Asterion. They were definitely not feelings she should have for a cousin. For the first time, she understood why her ancestors were so incestuous. It seemed to be in her blood.
Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind.
"If I can't beat them, why not join them?"
She would have a handsome and powerful boyfriend from an extremely influential family in England, as well as a beautiful and powerful girlfriend.
The more she thought about it, the brighter her eyes became. She wouldn't lose anything if she thought about it carefully; on the contrary, she would gain a lot according to what she learned from Dumbledore.
If this were a Chinese novel and Dumbledore knew Rose used his teachings for something like this, he would have spat blood seeing her date her faction's enemies.
As for dating a girl, in her eyes, that wasn't a problem. She had a very open mind. Boys and girls had the same charm in her eyes.
But Rose knew she couldn't start with Asterion; he would reject her immediately, and that wasn't good. So, she had to start with Daphne! Rose didn't believe she couldn't seduce that blonde snake!
"Mione, I've decided." Rose got up from the bed and spoke loudly. "I'm going to seduce Daphne, and together, we'll make Asterion accept us both!"
Hermione, who was applying mascara to her eyelashes, was so shocked by Rose's words that she messed up, drawing a straight black line across her eyebrow and forehead.
With wide eyes, Hermione turned and looked at her best friend in shock.
"How in Merlin's name did you come to that conclusion?!" Hermione approached Rose and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her back and forth as she shouted.
Rose, being shaken by Hermione, just laughed and responded with an arrogant look. "Because I'm incredibly smart."
Hermione simply rolled her eyes at Rose's shameless words. She let go of the white-haired girl and sighed, feeling a headache coming on.
"Didn't you hate Daphne Greengrass? And didn't you tell me you also liked girls?" Hermione asked curiously, her eyes looking at her best friend with a smile.
"Well, hate is a strong word. I felt, and still feel, jealous of her for being with Asterion, but I don't hate her. She seems like a really nice person, almost like a true queen." Rose replied, falling back onto the bed. Hermione lay down beside her.
"As for liking girls, I think I just discovered it recently. I found myself looking at other girls quite often." Rose held Hermione's hand and answered with a somewhat emotional voice.
Hermione couldn't help but look at Rose with admiration. If it were her, she wouldn't have the courage to say she liked girls so easily, especially in the magical society where the birth rate is already naturally low.
Same-sex relationships were definitely not approved of or well-regarded in the eyes of most wizards and witches.
"What will you do if Daphne doesn't like girls too?" Hermione interlaced her fingers with Rose's and asked curiously.
"She does. I caught her looking at my butt once or twice." Rose said with a smug tone. She obviously saw that Daphne found her very attractive, even if it was just physical attraction.
Both she and Daphne appreciated the beauty of each other's bodies. There were no feelings involved and probably never would be in the future.
Rose would likely see Daphne as a sister/wife in the future.
"I'll root for you, but don't get hurt if it doesn't work out." Hermione kissed Rose's cheek and spoke in a gentle tone.
"Thanks, Mione." Rose laughed arrogantly and hugged the brown-haired girl with joy.
Hermione just laughed, and the two girls began to play on the bed amidst laughter.
-
Daphne, walking through the corridors of Hogwarts, ignored the numerous discreet glances falling on her and walked with calm steps, her long hair flowing with her movements.
But her steps stopped the next moment, her path blocked by another person, or rather, another teenager.
Seeing those incredibly blue eyes, like stars shining in a blue sky, Daphne's eyes narrowed, and she smiled elegantly.
"Lady Potter." Daphne greeted England's third Special Grade wizard with politeness and elegance. Whether intentionally or not, she tilted her head to the side, revealing her neck and the particularly obvious red marks on her fair skin.
Rose's eyes first fell on Daphne's neck, her mind involuntarily imagining rather steamy scenes between Daphne and Asterion.
Seeing Rose's lack of reaction, Daphne's eyes reflected her internal doubts. She expected a stronger reaction than just a calm look from Rose.
But, looking at Rose and her red and gold clothing, Daphne had to admit something: Rose was incredibly beautiful. It was no wonder she was called the queen of Gryffindor.
"Any problem, Lady Potter?" Seeing Rose staring at her silently, Daphne asked, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear while smiling elegantly. Although she didn't know what was going on with Rose, she wouldn't show weakness in front of her romantic rival.
Daphne couldn't imagine, not even in her wildest dreams, that Rose was currently thinking about how to seduce her and then make her accept seducing Asterion together.
"It's nothing, see you later, Daphne." Rose said nothing more, smiling as she walked past a completely confused Daphne.
Daphne turned and looked at Rose's back with doubt, but her eyes unconsciously lowered, observing her skirt swaying purposefully with the white-haired girl's movements.
The eldest daughter of the Greengrass House shook her head, pushing those intrusive thoughts away, and continued walking.
"Strange..." Daphne murmured to herself, feeling that the whole encounter with Rose was strange, but stranger than usual.
-------
Author's Thoughts: As I said before, although it is not a Harem there will be two female protagonists, Daphne and Rose. The romance will be gradual, but expect some more developments like this.
Support me to write more and read chapters ahead of all regular readers!
P-atreon.com/HPSCB
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
New Novel: (I Am The Prince of Hell)
Next Chapter Second Volume: Chapter 120 - Arrival of the Twelve Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry (1), Chapter 121 - Arrival of the Twelve Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry (2), Chapter 122 - Arrival of the Twelve Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry (3), Chapter 123 - Arrival of the Twelve Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry (4), Chapter 124 - Conspiracy In Progress (1), Chapter 125 - Conspiracy In Progress (2), Chapter 126 - Ophelia, Narcissa And Andromeda (1), Chapter 127 - Ophelia, Narcissa And Andromeda (2), Chapter 128 - The Four Representatives of Hogwarts (1), Chapter 129 - The Four Representatives of Hogwarts (2), Chapter 130 - The Four Hogwarts Representatives (3), Chapter 131 - The First Trial (1), Chapter 132 - The First Trial (2), Chapter 133 - King's Game (1), Chapter 134 - King's Game (2), Chapter 135 - King's Game (3), Chapter 136 - King's Game (4), Chapter 137 - King's Game (5), Chapter 138 - King's Game (6), 139 - King's Game (7), 140 - King's Game (8).
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