Chapter Text
Odelia~
July 29th, 1891
Odelia knew they had won, but the victory felt hollow. It had been some months since the battle with Ranrok, and though Hogwarts still stood strong and its students were thriving, she remained adrift in her thoughts. The grief of losing Professor Fig weighing heavily on her. Though their time together had been brief, he had changed everything. He was the one who convinced her parents to let her attend Hogwarts and from that moment on, her life had begun to shift.
Over the course of the year, her worldview had been challenged. Odelia had formed unexpected friendships and faced truths she had long ignored. Though she still came off as cold or harsh at times, her friends understood her even though she had once seen them as little more than annoyances or alliances.
Before Hogwarts, she hadn’t been the best version of herself. Raised to value pride and status above all, she believed those of lesser blood were weak. She was never cruel, but she carried herself with a sense of superiority. That began to change when she befriended Ominis Gaunt. If a Gaunt could be best friends with a half-blood and treat others with kindness and respect, why couldn’t she?
She never expected to confront those beliefs so directly. But they brought back memories of her brother, who had been shunned and erased from the family tapestry before she ever set foot in Hogwarts.
He, too, had changed. He had begun to see the world differently, and she remembered the explosive argument that followed when their parents found out. The shouting, the accusations, the fear that gripped her and her younger siblings were all still vivid in her mind. After that day, everything changed. Her brother disappeared from their lives, and she hadn’t seen him since.
Now, years later, she found herself walking a similar path, questioning the very ideals she was raised to uphold. Her friends had been trying to help her heal, even if their methods often involved teasing or lighthearted annoyance. And though she didn’t always show it, she was grateful for them.
And slowly, she was changing.
<><><>
It had been a peaceful night as they made their way back from Hogsmeade. Odelia and a few of her closest friends had gone out to celebrate Natty’s full recovery from the Cruciatus Curse. The healing process had taken longer than expected, especially with how severely Natty had been struck while in her Animagus form. It had caused her to miss her OWLs, and if not for the dragonborn’s attack on the school, Natty might have been the only student unable to retake them over the summer.
Still, if you asked Odelia, the extended testing period was almost a blessing in disguise, even if it meant she missed Pina and her siblings more than she cared to admit.
Natty had chosen to share the details of what happened only with their small group, preferring to keep it from the rest of the school. With the memory of Ranrok’s attack still fresh in everyone’s minds, none of them blamed her.
Even now, the thought of that night sent a chill down Odelia’s spine. She had been furious, not at Natty, but at herself. Her tea readings had warned her, just as they had with Sebastian, that something dark was coming. She had hoped to prevent it but never imagined she might be the cause of it. Even though Natty insisted she’d do it all over again, that she’d still jump in the way to protect her, Odelia couldn’t shake the guilt.
She should have been more careful. She always had been before. She never should have let her guard down. Odelia kept those feelings to herself. Natty didn’t need to relive that night, even if it still haunted her own thoughts.
“As I was saying earlier it’s nice that Sirona let’s us still come in with all the trouble we’ve caused this year.” Sebastian spoke as they made their way back into the castle, mostly directing his words toward Ominis. It was one of the rare occasions he chose to be near him.
After what happened with Solomon, Ominis had said he needed time, and Odelia had found herself stuck in the middle, playing peacekeeper between the two.
Even if, truthfully, she wanted to hex Sebastian half the time.
“You’re only saying that cause you caused most of it.” Ominis retorted, as always. No matter the distance between the two, one thing never changed, he would always have something to say back.
“Ominis, you wound me.” Sebastian clutched his chest with mock offense, as though his words had wounded him deeply.
“I wouldn’t say he caused it all,” Natty began with a laugh. “After all, Odelia and I had our own troubles.”
“Well, at least our adventures were tame,” Poppy added, laughing as well.
“Tame, she says…” Odelia muttered under her breath. She still couldn’t believe Poppy had convinced her to return a dragon egg to its mother. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think Poppy had a death wish.
“Was that sass I heard?” Evelyn grinned, wrapping an arm around Odelia as she rolled her eyes.
Odelia couldn’t help but smile in response.
“What? It’s a start! Besides…” Evelyn leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper. “I know a certain Ravenclaw who misses it.”
Odelia shot her a scowl.
“Fine, fine, I’ll leave that for now,” Evelyn said, raising her hands in mock surrender. “Besides,” Evelyn said with a yawn, “it’s past time we head off to our common rooms for bed.” She motioned for Poppy to come over.
“I think you’re right. Might as well get Miss Grump over here to bed so she doesn’t lose her beauty sleep,” Sebastian teased, pointing at Odelia.
“Like you know anything about beauty sleep,” Odelia scoffed.
“Rude.”
Ignoring Sebastian, who turned to Ominis for backup, who only smiled in response, Odelia looked to Natty with a more serious expression.
“I know what you’re going to ask,” Natty said gently, placing a hand on Odelia’s shoulder. “And I’ll be fine making it back to Gryffindor Tower. I’ve done it for the past meals in the great hall this week, I’ll be fine.”
She hugged Odelia before heading toward the stairs.
“We hug now? Since when did we hug?” Evelyn chirped, then darted back to wrap Odelia in a hug, much to the Slytherin girl’s dismay. Poppy quickly joined in.
“Goodnight, you three,” Evelyn called as she dragged Poppy off toward the Hufflepuff common room.
“I swear she somehow got into firewhisky,” Odelia muttered. “She’s never this bold.”
She turned to see Sebastian and Ominis still deep in conversation. With a sigh, she waited a moment, then cleared her throat.
“I honestly can’t believe you two were so lost in conversation you didn’t notice everyone saying goodbye. Should I expect to see you two actually communicating now?”
“Maybe. We’ll see tomorrow,” Ominis replied, heading toward the stairs with a stunned Sebastian trailing behind.
“Do you really mean it, Ominis?” Sebastian exclaimed.
“Try not to be so loud, you might attract Peeves,” Ominis sighed.
As their voices faded into quieter conversation, Odelia followed behind, a small smile tugging at her lips.
<><><>
As they neared the dungeons, having narrowly avoided a couple of prefects and just barely dodged Peeves, Odelia found her thoughts drifting.
Since the battle, she hadn’t sensed much ancient magic. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it left her feeling... incomplete. She had once believed it was something she could pursue, something full of secrets waiting to be uncovered. Even Cyrus hadn’t sensed anything lately, and if anyone understood how she felt about Professor Figs death and the ancient magic, it was him. He was the one person she felt she could truly confide in.
Lately, he’d been focused on studying to prepare for next year. She knew she should be doing the same, but everything that had happened felt more important.
As they reached the final stairs to the Slytherin common room, Odelia froze.
Whispers.
Faint and familiar just like the ones she’d heard when she and Professor Fig visited that ancient rune. Or when Sebastian had dragged her into the Restricted Section.
The same whispers she’d been hearing all year.
She looked down at her feet, then around the corridor, wondering if she was going mad, or if ancient magic was near.
“Aspiration,” Ominis said, speaking the password before stepping inside. Both he and Sebastian turned to look at her.
“Odelia, are you coming?” Sebastian asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah… I’ll just be a moment.”
She stepped down the last few stairs and heard it again. But this time, she didn’t just hear it. She saw the wisps.
Glowing. Moving. Calling.
She looked up to see the two Slytherins still waiting.
“You know what? You two go in. I’ll be right behind you.”
“Are you sure?” Ominis asked, his brows furrowing in concern.
“Yeah, I just wanted to take a little walk,” she replied quickly.
Stupid, she thought. There’s no way Ominis doesn’t suspect something with that answer.
“We could join you?” Sebastian offered.
She shook her head. “I’ll be fine, Sallow. Besides, if you want to preserve your beauty sleep, you should probably head in now.”
He scoffed. “She’ll be fine,” he muttered, stepping inside.
Odelia turned to Ominis. “I’m serious. I just need to think for a bit. I won’t go far.”
He waited for a moment, before sighing with a nod. “Fine. But I’ll expect you to hold true to that statement.”
With that, Ominis turned and followed Sebastian inside, his wand lighting the way.
Odelia let out a quiet sigh of relief before turning back. The wisp was still there, glowing faintly, and she began to follow it.
“Lumos,” she whispered, casting light to guide her steps.
This felt different. It wasn’t just a whisper or a flicker of magic, it felt like something was reaching out to her. Like her magic was being sought.
She slowed as she reached the end of the corridor, where a smooth, glassy wall stood. It reflected the hallway she had just come down… but not her.
She frowned. “How peculiar.”
Raising her hand, she touched the surface where a familiar symbol shimmered, the same one she’d seen throughout the year.
The torches lining the corridor suddenly extinguished, plunging her into darkness, only to reignite a moment later. Her wand light flickered out on its own.
This is why I prefer wandless casting, she thought, adjusting her eyes to the dim light.
But something was off. She was no longer facing the wall. She didn’t remember turning around.
“Interesting…” she murmured.
Maybe I should call it a night and head to bed, she thought, turning to walk back toward the Slytherin common room, unaware of the quiet figure of a cat watching her from the shadows.
<><><>
Minerva~
November 1, 1981
It was a cold night on Privet Drive. Leaves danced along the pavement, caught in a crisp breeze as witches and wizards in robes of every color gathered to celebrate the end of a long and bitter war.
Amid the joy and relief, one unusual cat sat silently, observing a family that seemed determined to be the most ordinary and dull she had ever seen. Despite the celebration, a deep tragedy lingered. A young boy had lost his family on a single night and was now being placed in a cold, unloving home, completely unaware of the events that had unfolded.
An older man moved down the street with quiet purpose, extinguishing the lights one by one until darkness claimed the neighborhood. The cat rose and approached him with steady grace and where she had stood, a slightly younger woman now appeared.
“Albus, are you sure this is the best option?” the witch asked, her voice tight with concern. “I’ve been watching these Muggles, and they’re the worst sort.”
“I wish there were another way, Minerva,” replied the older wizard solemnly. He had been vague about the details of that night, and Minerva couldn’t shake the feeling that something important was being kept from her.
With a reluctant sigh, Minerva realized she could not change his mind. She had already voiced her concerns when he first asked her to observe the Muggle couple. Now, he had confirmed her worst fears: James and Lily were gone, leaving their son to face the world alone. It was heartbreaking. Minerva would have taken the boy in herself if she could, but she knew she couldn’t.
Snapped out of her thoughts by a sudden roar, Minerva turned sharply to see a bright light and a loud motor approaching. Her heart nearly stopped. She knew Albus had sent Hagrid to retrieve the boy, but on that machine? Horror washed over her.
She spun toward the headmaster, her expression stern and disapproving. Albus, ever calm, responded with a simple nod, which only deepened her frustration. She trusted him with many things, but this—this felt reckless and dangerous, especially with a child involved.
No matter how many times Hagrid insisted the boy had slept peacefully the entire journey, Minerva couldn’t shake the unease. It was irresponsible, and she couldn’t understand how Albus could allow it.
“Albus, are you sure?” Minerva asked again, her voice tight with concern. “There isn’t a single witch or wizard who doesn’t know his name. I’m certain that many of James and Lily’s friends would gladly take the boy in.”
But her protests fell on deaf ears.
“I fear not, Minerva,” Albus replied quietly. “We lost many in the war—including some of James and Lily’s closest friends. If one particular friend of mine were still with us, I would have chosen her without hesitation. But sadly, I believe this is our best option.”
His expression was tinged with sorrow as he gently placed a hand on the baby’s head, then turned back to face her.
“Minerva, I must ask something of you—something you may not agree with.”
A chill ran through her as dread settled in her gut. She glanced toward Hagrid, who was wiping tears from his eyes beside the strange machine he had arrived on.
“What might that be, Albus?” she asked stiffly.
“What I’m about to ask is of great importance,” he said, his voice low and serious. “And it must not be repeated to anyone.”
Her eyes narrowed. She had suspected there was more to the story than what had been whispered about the night before. Now, she was certain.
“What could you possibly say that others shouldn’t hear?” Minerva asked in a hushed voice, suspicion creeping into her tone. A part of her wondered if he had shared this with the Order, but if he was only telling her now, she doubted he had or ever would.
“Lily called upon a magic I haven’t seen in a very long time,” Albus said quietly. “A kind of magic that was once forgotten—hidden from the world. That magic now resides in the boy.”
He gently brushed back the child’s messy black hair, revealing the lightning-shaped scar beneath. The boy stirred slightly, then settled back into sleep.
The headmaster took a deep breath before turning to Minerva once more.
“This magic is powerful,” he said gravely. “Too powerful for the boy to bear at this age. I fear it could overwhelm him.”
Minerva’s eyes widened slightly as he continued.
“I must seal it. At least until he is ready.”
Minerva froze in shock for a moment before for her disbelief turned into anger. Her fury flared as she turned on the headmaster.
“Albus, that is the most— I would have thought better of you!” she sputtered, struggling to contain her outrage. “That could not only endanger the boy, but it’s forbidden without the Ministry’s involvement. There are protocols! Special circumstances required!”
Her voice trembled with frustration, her eyes blazing with disbelief at the risk he was willing to take.
The headmaster raised his hand gently, signaling her to hold her words.
“Minerva, I wouldn’t have considered this if it weren’t the only option I could see,” he said solemnly. “I don’t believe Voldemort is truly gone. This magic will not only protect the boy, but it will also be there when he truly needs it.”
Minerva’s lips pressed into a thin line. She still didn’t agree. Sealing a child’s magic could damage their magical core—or worse. It was a dangerous risk.
With a reluctant sigh, she finally spoke. “I will speak of this no more. On one condition.”
Albus turned to her, one brow raised in quiet curiosity.
No matter what happened tonight, Minerva had made a silent promise to herself: when the boy came to Hogwarts, she would watch over him.
“What is the magic you speak of?” she asked.
Albus paused for a long moment, his gaze distant.
“Ancient magic,” he finally said.
<><><>
Authors Note:
For anyone curious about Odelia Langold’s appearance, here’s a link to a lovely commission I had done featuring both Odelia and Cyrus together!
I’ve also included a link to my Tumblr for those interested in learning more about the other original characters I reference throughout the story. On there, I share character art, pose mode screenshots, memes, and other stuff related to the world of this fanfic.