Chapitre 27: Chapter 26: Thank you Hogwarts, It was a good time.
(Vincent's POV - Hogwarts - December 1996)
Sixth year was dragging on. Christmas break was around the corner, but it felt like nothing was happening. Well, almost nothing.
Blaise, Theo, and Daphne finally got their runes. Theo nearly kicked the bucket during the ritual – the pain was a bitch. Took him a while to bounce back, but they were all adapting to the upgrades. Daphne was a freaking speed demon now, faster than Blaise even.
I smirked. Good.
"Still can't believe you made us run five miles yesterday," Blaise groaned, collapsing onto a couch in the Room of Requirement. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. "I think I saw a unicorn puking its rainbow out there."
Theo, leaning against the wall, chuckled. "You're just out of shape, Blaise. Daphne lapped you twice."
Daphne, perched on a window seat, flipped a silver dagger in her hand, catching it with a blur of motion. She'd definitely gotten more confident, that was for sure. "He's just jealous," she said, her voice laced with amusement.
"Jealous? Me?" Blaise scoffed. "I just prefer to conserve my energy for more… pleasurable pursuits."
Later that week, I was in the library, Hermione was there, buried in a stack of books on Ministry regulations. It was our first real conversation since… well, since that kiss.
"You're actually studying?" she said, her voice a mix of surprise and amusement.
"Don't underestimate me, Granger, or have you forgotten that I've beaten you to the top student spot for a couple of years?" I said, my lips curving into a smile.
"I wouldn't dream of it," she replied, returning the smile.
We talked about what we'd do after Hogwarts. Her eyes lit up when she talked about working at the Ministry, about changing things from within.
"You'd be good at that," I said. "Just… watch your back. The Ministry's full of snakes, even without Voldemort around."
After some more time chatting she asked: "Can I ask you something… personal?"
"Depends," I said, my gaze locking with hers.
"Is there… anyone?"
I knew what she meant. I just shrugged.
She nodded, a hint of… disappointment? … in her eyes. "Me neither."
We ended up making out in a secluded alcove, hidden behind a bookshelf on obscure magical creatures. The secrecy of it, the forbidden thrill… It was exhilarating. But wrong. So very wrong.
Back in the common room, I found Blaise and Theo talking to each other.
I approached, their voice a hushed whisper. "Adrian sent word, The Ministry is tightening security, Vincent. Fudge is paranoid. Thinks there's a rebellion brewing."
"Good," I said. "Let them be paranoid. It makes them sloppy."
I had made some arrangements with Theo and Blaise so they would help me deal with all of the malfoys business, They would take over some of their companies in my stead and it would help them get more recognition, mostly theo blaise was well known not only for his deeds with quidditch and his mother was famous but for other reasons.
(Blaise POV - London - March 1997)
Vincent called a meeting at this swanky new address – some building in London. Intriguing.
I strutted into the office suite on the top floor, fashionably late, of course. Vincent, Theo, and Adrian were already seated around a massive table that looked like it was carved from a single piece of mahogany.
"About bloody time, Blaise," Theo said, smirking. "Thought you'd gotten lost admiring your reflection in every shop window."
"Priorities, mate, priorities," I shot back.
Vincent, ignoring our banter, got straight to business. "As you know, Malfoy Holdings is a… complex entity," he said, his voice a low rumble that somehow managed to command the entire room.
He spread out a bunch of documents on the table – charts, graphs, lists of names I didn't recognize. "I've been… restructuring. Blaise, you'll be taking over their potion ingredient supply chain. Theo, the publishing house is yours, when the time is right we will start controlling the flow of information."
Adrian shifted in his seat. "You're already doing a great job at the Ministry, Adrian. Just keep your eyes and ears open," Vincent said.
He grinned, "Oh, I will, mate. Fudge is losing it. Paranoid as a banshee. Reckons Dumbledore's planning a coup."
I was looking at everything with a critical eye. If this was gonna be Cerberus HQ, it needed some work. Too much mahogany, not enough… edge.
Vincent gestured across the room and said.
"This is going to be our Headquarters for now . Soundproofed, warded, the works. For now, it'll do."
He flicked his wand, and a silver bowl appeared on the table, filled with a dark, viscous liquid that smells vaguely of… iron?
"A drop of blood, each," Vincent said, holding out a silver dagger. "A blood ward. Only those bound by it can access this room."
I pricked my finger, a few drops of blood splashing into the bowl. Theo and Adrian did the same. Vincent swirled the blood with his wand, muttering some arcane words under his breath. The air crackled with a faint energy, like a whisper of something ancient and powerful.
We talked about Adrian's intel from the Ministry, about potential recruits for Cerberus. It was good, I felt good about being part of something that would change the world.
"Right, gents," Adrian said, glancing at his watch. I have to go. I start early tomorrow and Bones doesn't appreciate tardiness." He popped a mint into his mouth.
We saw Adrian out, and then Vincent looked at us, that familiar, unsettling glint in his eye.
"Let's go out, it's time you guys get another taste of the muggle world" he said and started handing us these paper documents with our pictures.
"What's this?", I asked
"This is a fake British ID mate, we will need it to buy drinks where we are going."
We ended up in a Muggle club. Loud music, flashing lights, dancing that was more… enthusiastic… than anything we'd seen at the Yule Ball. A couple of witch…ladies gave me the eye, and I wasn't complaining, what a fun night.
(Vincent POV - Hogwarts - June 1998)
Last year of Hogwarts. Part of me would actually miss this place – the ancient magic, the secrets, the endless possibilities. But it had served its purpose. Time to move on to bigger games.
Cerberus had been busy. Theo and Blaise were prepping to take over the businesses I'd handed them. Adrian was now a full-fledged Auror, our eyes and ears inside the Ministry. And we had a new member: Horace Slughorn.
Yeah, the old walrus was still the DADA professor; apparently, Voldemort's curse on the position had died with him. Took us almost a year to reel him in. Blaise called it "Operation: Ego Stroke." We'd drop hints, let slip a few well-placed whispers and create some scenarios to see what he would do, playing on his vanity, his desire to be in the know, to be part of something… exclusive. The look on his face when he finally pieced it all together—priceless.
"You boys… you're truly onto something remarkable," he'd said, his voice hushed with awe as he accepted the Unbreakable Vow. "The vision… I have to admit, I'm impressed. Not many wizards at the Ministry ever imagine that the Statute of Secrecy can ever be broken, Fudge is too worried with Dumbledore and that blindness would lead us to a fate worse than Voldemort."
He would be our agent here at Hogwarts for the time being.
Another thing that happened was that dumbledore found a way to destroy that piece of Voldemort's soul inside harry, I didn't know how he did it and He wouldn't be telling me of course, Hermione told me during one of our meetings that harry was so shocked to find out he was a horcrux that he almost fainted, And she surprisingly wasn't pissed at me for not telling them about it.
Hermione… She was a different story. Still loyal to Dumbledore, still clinging to those childish notions of good and evil. I'd tried to feel her out, to gauge her loyalty. But she was too close to Potter. Maybe someday she could become an unknowingly "agent" of cerberus. We were still meeting up, though, those secret rendezvous around the castle always ending in a tangle of limbs and breathless whispers. We'd even exchanged phone numbers.
Daphne was back in my good graces. She was a valuable asset to have she usually spilled something her father would tell her about the ministry and the other members of the Wizengamot, even if she wasn't part of Cerberus…yet. She'd warmed up to me again, even if she was always watching me with a mix of curiosity and wariness that sometimes felt like a challenge.
The last month at Hogwarts was a blur of exams and farewells. I crushed my N.E.W.T.s, of course. Couldn't leave without making one last statement.
On the day before we all headed home, I was in the Room of Requirement with Blaise, Daphne, and Theo. They were sprawled on the floor, looking exhausted after a particularly brutal training session. Blaise was dramatically clutching his ribs like I'd broken every one of them.
"Remind me again why I signed up for this?" he groaned.
Theo chuckled.
Daphne, leaning against a wall, watched me with those intense blue eyes. There was a fire in them now, a spark of something I hadn't seen before.
Eventually, Blaise and Theo dragged themselves out of the Room. I was packing up my stuff, when Daphne cleared her throat.
"Vincent," she said, her voice a bit hesitant. "Can I talk to you... alone?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Sure. What's up?"
She didn't answer right away. The silence stretched between us, broken only by the crackling of the fireplace. She was nervous, her fingers twisting a silver bracelet around her wrist.
"I've been watching you," she finally said, her voice soft but steady. "You, Blaise, Theo… You're up to something. Something big. And I want in."
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, my voice carefully neutral.
She huffed, a flash of that old fire in her eyes. "Don't insult me, Vincent. I'm not stupid. I see the way you train, the way you talk, the way you look at the world… You have a plan. And I want to be part of it."
She took a step closer, her gaze unwavering. "I was a fool to think I could stay away. The way I acted after you told me about the Malfoys… I was afraid. It was stupid. I know you did what you had to do. And I want to be by your side."
I just kept staring at her.
"I'm not afraid," she said, her voice low but firm. "You helped me in a lot of different ways, I am stronger now because of you, I can defend myself because of you. I want to make a difference."
I studied her, searching for any hint of doubt, any sign of weakness. There was none. Only determination.
I sighed. "Alright, Daphne. But this time… an Unbreakable Vow."
She didn't hesitate. We sat on the couch, facing each other, her hand trembling slightly as I took it in mine. I recited the words of the Vow, the ancient magic binding us together, a promise of loyalty, of secrecy, of a shared destiny.
And as the warmth of the magic faded, our hands still clasped, she looked at me, her eyes shining with a mix of fear, excitement, and something else…
"I love you, Vincent," she whispered, the words barely audible.
I stared at her, my mind a whirlwind of confusion. Her confession, so unexpected, so… vulnerable… It threw me off balance, I really wasn't expecting that.
"I… love you too, Daphne," I lied, I need her to be loyal. If I deny her now she will probably be lost to cerberus and a good asset will be gone.
(Daphne POV)
"I love you too, Daphne," Vincent said, his voice a rough whisper.
The words hung in the air, and a sudden boldness surged through me. I pulled my wand and, with a flick of my wrist, locked the door. He looked up at me, a flicker of surprise in those intense blue eyes. I didn't give him time to question it. I was done with hesitation, done with doubts.
I surged forward, pushing him back against the cushions of the plush sofa. He let out a soft grunt, but his eyes… they were dark with a sudden hunger that mirrored my own. I kissed him then, hard, my tongue tangling with his. His hands went to my waist, pulling me closer, his fingers digging into the fabric of my robes. I wanted him, all of him, and I wanted him now.
My hands went to the buttons of his shirt, ripping them open. "Daphne," he growled, but it wasn't a protest. I traced the lines of the rune on his chest, its warmth radiating against my palm. His skin was hot beneath my touch, every muscle taut.
He pulled my robes apart, his hands rough but careful, his fingers tracing the line of my collarbone and my runes too. He leaned in, his lips brushing against my neck. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, a tremor in his voice. The words sent shivers down my spine, an unexpected tenderness. But it was quickly replaced by a fiercer need, his hands tightening on my hips as he lifted me onto his lap, our bodies flush against each other.
His kiss was demanding, devouring. And mine, a frantic, breathless response. He tasted good. The runes, humming beneath our skin, turned the world into a kaleidoscope of sensation.
The world blurred around me. I wanted everything. All of it. And he was giving it to me. His touch. His scent. The raw, untamed passion that mirrored my own.
(Vincent POV - Hogwarts Express - 1998)
I watched as the train started pulling up from the hogsmeade station and was tuning out the conversation that was happening in my cabin Blaise, Daphne and Theo were rambling on about something, so much has happened on during my time at hogwarts, It was an important phase, it had helped me get to where I am today.
In my mind I said, "Thank you Hogwarts, It was a good time."
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*From now on there will be a lot of time skips until the next phase begins.*
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone