I am the Orphan, the one who kills your world.
Half_Baked_cat
Not too sore, are you?
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- Sep 26, 2021
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All the world is a stage. Every man and woman has their place to play. And all their movements controlled by the director's strings at the behest of the writer's fingers.
A jerky, unsteady step forwards. A graceless bow by the puppetted actor.
We each have our place to play. Locations to be and movements to make and words to speak. Knowledge mere lines memorized and spoken with no true understanding.
Wide gesture to a board painted black. A mockery of a classroom. Meaningless scrawlings painted in white.
Teachers playing the place of school. Students playing the place of mimic, copying what the teacher does and says in a twisted mockery of education.
Lines of figures lift blades and chop down. A simulation of chopping ingredients. Of creating. Of making. Of understanding what their movements mean. Of what the strings are telling them.
All the world is a stage. Every man and woman has their place to play. And all their movements controlled by the director's strings at the behest of the writer's fingers.
"What are you doing?" Professor Snape asked, coming behind Lily and staring at a puppet version of himself.
Tanya looked up at him and shrugged. "Vincent and Gregory learn better with gamified lessons and Lily learns better with stories," she said before indicating the puppets now collapsed at little desks in a scene meant to mimic Snape's classroom. "This seemed like the most efficient way to help the three of them study."
There was a brief snarl on the professor's face before he waved at them to move. "Well, it is time for you to clean up. Drama Club is starting. After the… disaster of last year's performance, I have selected something that should be more your speed."
Professor Snape swept to the middle of the room, gathering the eyes of the club members onto him.
"Something with a few less acts and scenery requirements to fall apart. While we are not working on the few set pieces and memorizing the lines, we will be working on improv."
Professor Snape's eyes fell upon the puppets that were being used as study tools. "Though a few of you seem to already have a good instinct for certain aspects, I hope that by the end of the year each of you will be able to slip into the personality of an entirely different person and adjust to unusual situations without missing a single beat."
Professor Snape's eyes continued to move over the gathered students, pausing briefly where Paravati was with Lavender and Pansy with magazines of dresses.
"I have also arranged for some more experienced hands at sewing to stop by for a few of the meetings to help with the costumes to avoid any… malfunctions."
With one final look around at the gathered students, Professor Snape gave a quick stomp. "Gather up, we are going to be doing a few warm up games before we get into discussing the play I've picked for you all."
—-
Lucius Malfoy
Waking up to find the Dark Mark returned to its full glory on his arm was not what Lucius was expecting to occur on the first day of November. That he had not felt the call to return to his Master meant that there was something going on, but there was no doubt that Lord Voldemort was returned.
Seemingly, eleven years to the day. Lucius was not the most learned into the machinations of spell work, but eleven being a prime number seemed to be a rather important aspect to the return. Important, but if that was truly the case then Voldemort may still be a bit weak and is gathering his personal strength.
That was an opportunity for Lucius. Whether or not there was a coming Dark Lady and her pet Potter was a concern for the future. A Dark Lord was around now and would be seeking his loyal cohorts to return to the fold. And Lucius would indeed return to the fold and the inner circle.
There was just a few small details he was going to arrange first. It was a good thing he had chosen to only get the Slytherin Quidditch Team the 2000 Nimbus to minimize the financial impact on his accounts as he was dipping into them and did not wish to see them dry up.
The first detail, the detail that was the biggest one and the most beautiful detail in Lucius's life, was to embrace his wonderful wife in a loving hug, lips caressing her neck and up to the lobe of her ear that always got her moaning in such delightful ways.
"Narcissa, my dear, I must apologize," Lucius began with a soft whisper.
"What for, Lucy?" Narcissa asked, using the pet name she kept to their most private of moments.
"I will not be able to holiday this winter with you," Lucius said, breaking the embrace to look his wife in the eyes. "Something has come up that will surely interfere."
Narcissa allowed her impassive mask drop as she bit her lip. "What could ruin our trip in such a manner?"
"He is back. The Dark Lord has returned. I do not know how soon he will call for me, but I am certain it will not be long."
"But it has been so long, how can you be so certain?"
Lucius pulled fully from the embrace and stepped back, pulling the sleeve of his robe back to show the mark on his arm.
"It has been exactly eleven years and the mark is like it was freshly applied. I do not know what he will want from me, but I can protect you and Draco in a small way."
"How?"
"You must go. The house in London is a bit small and near all those muggles, but you should be comfortable enough and, of more import, safe. Take the house elf with you, I will survive without him."
Narcissa stepped forwards and grasped her dear husband's hands. "Are you certain this is the way?"
Lucius gently cupped his wife's face and gave her a gentle smile. "Yes. I could not bear it if anything were to happen to you. Draco will need to Summer with you, but he is safe at Hogwarts for now. I will endeavor to see you whenever I am able to."
Narcissa nodded sadly, with a slight smile on her lips. "Dobby! Take my things to the London house and get it ready for me," she called out.
A short creature with large, flappy ears and bulbous eyes popped in, bowing. "Yes Misses Narcy. Dobby will be doing that right away."
With another pop, the creature was gone. Narcissa turned to her husband with sultry eyes and slipped a finger behind the clasp of his robes. "It will take him a bit to prepare the house. How about we spend these last moments together… vigorously?"
Lucius smiled, leaning in for a kiss. "Of course dear."
—-
Ron Weasley
"Has anyone seen Scabbers? My rat? The lazy thing isn't in the dorm room."
The various Gryffindors in the Common Room shook their heads.
"We'll keep an eye out for him," Hermione promised, though that failed to alleviate Ron's concerns.
—-
Filius Flitwick
"I believe that will be all for today! Oh, Ms. Degurechaff, would you mind staying behind for a moment?" Filius said at the end of his lesson for the day. A small, confused murmuring broke out at the request, no doubt from confusion at the thought that Tanya of all students would be in trouble.
"Of course, sir," the ever polite student agreed, having to send her friends along ahead of her.
With her things packed and the classroom otherwise empty, Ms. Degurechaff stepped towards Filius's desk. "Is something wrong sir?"
Filius sighed before giving Ms. Degurechaff a smile. "That is what I wanted to find out. You and Ms. Granger are undoubtedly the two best students in your year. Yet the two of you demonstrate very different attitudes towards such an accomplishment."
Filius leaned back in his chair and stroked his beard as he pondered the young girl in front of him. "Ms. Granger is a classic overachiever, constantly sticking her nose in and out of books, first to put her hand up to answer any questions I give, writing more than enough for every answer to demonstrate her knowledge. By any metric, a model student."
Filius leaned forwards and clasped his hands together in front of himself. "Then there is you. Having organized and actively participating in three separate clubs, on the quidditch team, exemplary classwork, tutoring other students, and don't think I haven't noticed you've begun doing morning runs around the castle."
"Is there something wrong with that, sir?" Ms. Degurechaff asked, confusion clear in her face.
Filius sighed again. "Are you bored in class?"
"What." It wasn't really a question, so Filius pushed on.
"Whenever I introduce a new spell in class, you and Ms. Granger are the first two to get it to work. Ms. Granger is very precise about her motions and wording. You, however, seem almost lazy in how you perform the spells and swiftly move onto casting most of them silently or without wand movements. I would not be surprised if you started casting some of them wandlessly at the rate you are going."
Ms. Degurechaff smirked and pointed at a quill on Filius's desk and it began floating at Ms. Degurechaff's will. "I am still not seeing what the issue is, Sir."
Filius took a moment to calm down at the sight of one of his students showing such a casual display of advanced magic. "The issue, as you put it, is I don't want you being bored in my lessons," Filius stated, taking back his seat, a grin still on his lips. "Just between you and me, I rather pride myself on being the most popular teacher. The one the students are most excited to go to class to see. I want to make sure you have the same feeling as your classmates. Of looking forward to my lessons."
Filius dropped his smile and leaned back in his chair. "And that is rather the crux of it. I cannot be pushing more onto most of your classmates in order to keep up with the speed you are learning, but you appear to need something to challenge you."
"It is fine, Sir. I enjoy your lessons."
Filius was not sure he fully believed Ms. Degurechaff and sighed. "All the same, I suppose I can at least give you some leeway in my classroom. As long as it is not disruptive to the other students, feel free to bring in other reading materials. You will still need to do the assignments and tests, but you are free to treat my class as something akin to study hall."
"Thank you, Sir. Is there anything else?"
"There is one other thing," Filius agreed with a nod. "I've heard about your reason for not joining the Dueling Club, as well as that incident with the troll last year, and the pixies earlier this year…" Filius could see some tension building in the student in front of him, but he continued onwards anyways. "I am curious to see what you are capable of. If you don't mind-"
"I do mind, Sir," Ms. Degurechaff said, firmly, not not harshly. Simply making her opinion on the matter known.
"Oh dear. Well, it was just an idle curiosity. If you do change your mind, I would love to see, but I won't push." Filius said before hopping off his stool. "Thank you for your time Ms. Degurechaff."
"It was no problem, Sir."
—-
Lucius Malfoy
It was most of a month before an unexpected guest announced their presence by ringing the doorbell, the loud gonging echoed through the manor. Lucius was ready for a host of possibilities as the time from the mark reappearing and the current moment had given him and the other free Death Eaters time to meet and discuss what it meant and when their Lord would make his presence known.
But he was not ready for the woman grinning at him when he opened the door. "Ah, Lucius," she hissed out and seemingly slithered up to him in that purple dress robe. "So good to see you, my loyal servant."
There was no warmth to her voice. It wasn't his voice, but the way she spoke, the way she confidently strolled into his home… "L-lord Voldemort?"
"I told you I was immortal," she said, turning to face Lucius, the white of her teeth matching the serpentine skull marking on her face, contrasting her ebony skin. "I will always come back." She gestured at her body confidently while taking a swig from a bottle Lucius had not noticed held delicately between her fingers. "Though the manner of my return may be a bit… different from how you expected."
Lucius followed his master as she stalked the halls of his manor. "Are we to start the war again?" Lucius asked.
"Patience. Dumbledore and the Ministry are unaware of my return. There are other objectives to achieve before my grand return." Voldemort spun on her heel, sneering at Lucius. "You and the others who abandoned the cause this last decade will have much to make up for."
Lucius stopped in his tracks, paling sharply. "M-my Lord! I never gave up the cause."
It was only two steps that Voldemort took to get within Lucius's space, a finger pressed against Lucius head as he trembled. "Do not lie to me," Voldemort commanded. "You chose to save yourself, abandoning a number of your fellows to Azkaban."
With contemptuous ease, Voldemort pushed Lucius away. "You will have time to make up for it. For now, I need time to plan my next steps carefully before I gather my Death Eaters to me. You will find me a suitable wand to use until I can reclaim my own."
"Yes my Lord," Lucius said with a bow, leaving Lord Voldemort to her own devices.
A jerky, unsteady step forwards. A graceless bow by the puppetted actor.
We each have our place to play. Locations to be and movements to make and words to speak. Knowledge mere lines memorized and spoken with no true understanding.
Wide gesture to a board painted black. A mockery of a classroom. Meaningless scrawlings painted in white.
Teachers playing the place of school. Students playing the place of mimic, copying what the teacher does and says in a twisted mockery of education.
Lines of figures lift blades and chop down. A simulation of chopping ingredients. Of creating. Of making. Of understanding what their movements mean. Of what the strings are telling them.
All the world is a stage. Every man and woman has their place to play. And all their movements controlled by the director's strings at the behest of the writer's fingers.
"What are you doing?" Professor Snape asked, coming behind Lily and staring at a puppet version of himself.
Tanya looked up at him and shrugged. "Vincent and Gregory learn better with gamified lessons and Lily learns better with stories," she said before indicating the puppets now collapsed at little desks in a scene meant to mimic Snape's classroom. "This seemed like the most efficient way to help the three of them study."
There was a brief snarl on the professor's face before he waved at them to move. "Well, it is time for you to clean up. Drama Club is starting. After the… disaster of last year's performance, I have selected something that should be more your speed."
Professor Snape swept to the middle of the room, gathering the eyes of the club members onto him.
"Something with a few less acts and scenery requirements to fall apart. While we are not working on the few set pieces and memorizing the lines, we will be working on improv."
Professor Snape's eyes fell upon the puppets that were being used as study tools. "Though a few of you seem to already have a good instinct for certain aspects, I hope that by the end of the year each of you will be able to slip into the personality of an entirely different person and adjust to unusual situations without missing a single beat."
Professor Snape's eyes continued to move over the gathered students, pausing briefly where Paravati was with Lavender and Pansy with magazines of dresses.
"I have also arranged for some more experienced hands at sewing to stop by for a few of the meetings to help with the costumes to avoid any… malfunctions."
With one final look around at the gathered students, Professor Snape gave a quick stomp. "Gather up, we are going to be doing a few warm up games before we get into discussing the play I've picked for you all."
—-
Lucius Malfoy
Waking up to find the Dark Mark returned to its full glory on his arm was not what Lucius was expecting to occur on the first day of November. That he had not felt the call to return to his Master meant that there was something going on, but there was no doubt that Lord Voldemort was returned.
Seemingly, eleven years to the day. Lucius was not the most learned into the machinations of spell work, but eleven being a prime number seemed to be a rather important aspect to the return. Important, but if that was truly the case then Voldemort may still be a bit weak and is gathering his personal strength.
That was an opportunity for Lucius. Whether or not there was a coming Dark Lady and her pet Potter was a concern for the future. A Dark Lord was around now and would be seeking his loyal cohorts to return to the fold. And Lucius would indeed return to the fold and the inner circle.
There was just a few small details he was going to arrange first. It was a good thing he had chosen to only get the Slytherin Quidditch Team the 2000 Nimbus to minimize the financial impact on his accounts as he was dipping into them and did not wish to see them dry up.
The first detail, the detail that was the biggest one and the most beautiful detail in Lucius's life, was to embrace his wonderful wife in a loving hug, lips caressing her neck and up to the lobe of her ear that always got her moaning in such delightful ways.
"Narcissa, my dear, I must apologize," Lucius began with a soft whisper.
"What for, Lucy?" Narcissa asked, using the pet name she kept to their most private of moments.
"I will not be able to holiday this winter with you," Lucius said, breaking the embrace to look his wife in the eyes. "Something has come up that will surely interfere."
Narcissa allowed her impassive mask drop as she bit her lip. "What could ruin our trip in such a manner?"
"He is back. The Dark Lord has returned. I do not know how soon he will call for me, but I am certain it will not be long."
"But it has been so long, how can you be so certain?"
Lucius pulled fully from the embrace and stepped back, pulling the sleeve of his robe back to show the mark on his arm.
"It has been exactly eleven years and the mark is like it was freshly applied. I do not know what he will want from me, but I can protect you and Draco in a small way."
"How?"
"You must go. The house in London is a bit small and near all those muggles, but you should be comfortable enough and, of more import, safe. Take the house elf with you, I will survive without him."
Narcissa stepped forwards and grasped her dear husband's hands. "Are you certain this is the way?"
Lucius gently cupped his wife's face and gave her a gentle smile. "Yes. I could not bear it if anything were to happen to you. Draco will need to Summer with you, but he is safe at Hogwarts for now. I will endeavor to see you whenever I am able to."
Narcissa nodded sadly, with a slight smile on her lips. "Dobby! Take my things to the London house and get it ready for me," she called out.
A short creature with large, flappy ears and bulbous eyes popped in, bowing. "Yes Misses Narcy. Dobby will be doing that right away."
With another pop, the creature was gone. Narcissa turned to her husband with sultry eyes and slipped a finger behind the clasp of his robes. "It will take him a bit to prepare the house. How about we spend these last moments together… vigorously?"
Lucius smiled, leaning in for a kiss. "Of course dear."
—-
Ron Weasley
"Has anyone seen Scabbers? My rat? The lazy thing isn't in the dorm room."
The various Gryffindors in the Common Room shook their heads.
"We'll keep an eye out for him," Hermione promised, though that failed to alleviate Ron's concerns.
—-
Filius Flitwick
"I believe that will be all for today! Oh, Ms. Degurechaff, would you mind staying behind for a moment?" Filius said at the end of his lesson for the day. A small, confused murmuring broke out at the request, no doubt from confusion at the thought that Tanya of all students would be in trouble.
"Of course, sir," the ever polite student agreed, having to send her friends along ahead of her.
With her things packed and the classroom otherwise empty, Ms. Degurechaff stepped towards Filius's desk. "Is something wrong sir?"
Filius sighed before giving Ms. Degurechaff a smile. "That is what I wanted to find out. You and Ms. Granger are undoubtedly the two best students in your year. Yet the two of you demonstrate very different attitudes towards such an accomplishment."
Filius leaned back in his chair and stroked his beard as he pondered the young girl in front of him. "Ms. Granger is a classic overachiever, constantly sticking her nose in and out of books, first to put her hand up to answer any questions I give, writing more than enough for every answer to demonstrate her knowledge. By any metric, a model student."
Filius leaned forwards and clasped his hands together in front of himself. "Then there is you. Having organized and actively participating in three separate clubs, on the quidditch team, exemplary classwork, tutoring other students, and don't think I haven't noticed you've begun doing morning runs around the castle."
"Is there something wrong with that, sir?" Ms. Degurechaff asked, confusion clear in her face.
Filius sighed again. "Are you bored in class?"
"What." It wasn't really a question, so Filius pushed on.
"Whenever I introduce a new spell in class, you and Ms. Granger are the first two to get it to work. Ms. Granger is very precise about her motions and wording. You, however, seem almost lazy in how you perform the spells and swiftly move onto casting most of them silently or without wand movements. I would not be surprised if you started casting some of them wandlessly at the rate you are going."
Ms. Degurechaff smirked and pointed at a quill on Filius's desk and it began floating at Ms. Degurechaff's will. "I am still not seeing what the issue is, Sir."
Filius took a moment to calm down at the sight of one of his students showing such a casual display of advanced magic. "The issue, as you put it, is I don't want you being bored in my lessons," Filius stated, taking back his seat, a grin still on his lips. "Just between you and me, I rather pride myself on being the most popular teacher. The one the students are most excited to go to class to see. I want to make sure you have the same feeling as your classmates. Of looking forward to my lessons."
Filius dropped his smile and leaned back in his chair. "And that is rather the crux of it. I cannot be pushing more onto most of your classmates in order to keep up with the speed you are learning, but you appear to need something to challenge you."
"It is fine, Sir. I enjoy your lessons."
Filius was not sure he fully believed Ms. Degurechaff and sighed. "All the same, I suppose I can at least give you some leeway in my classroom. As long as it is not disruptive to the other students, feel free to bring in other reading materials. You will still need to do the assignments and tests, but you are free to treat my class as something akin to study hall."
"Thank you, Sir. Is there anything else?"
"There is one other thing," Filius agreed with a nod. "I've heard about your reason for not joining the Dueling Club, as well as that incident with the troll last year, and the pixies earlier this year…" Filius could see some tension building in the student in front of him, but he continued onwards anyways. "I am curious to see what you are capable of. If you don't mind-"
"I do mind, Sir," Ms. Degurechaff said, firmly, not not harshly. Simply making her opinion on the matter known.
"Oh dear. Well, it was just an idle curiosity. If you do change your mind, I would love to see, but I won't push." Filius said before hopping off his stool. "Thank you for your time Ms. Degurechaff."
"It was no problem, Sir."
—-
Lucius Malfoy
It was most of a month before an unexpected guest announced their presence by ringing the doorbell, the loud gonging echoed through the manor. Lucius was ready for a host of possibilities as the time from the mark reappearing and the current moment had given him and the other free Death Eaters time to meet and discuss what it meant and when their Lord would make his presence known.
But he was not ready for the woman grinning at him when he opened the door. "Ah, Lucius," she hissed out and seemingly slithered up to him in that purple dress robe. "So good to see you, my loyal servant."
There was no warmth to her voice. It wasn't his voice, but the way she spoke, the way she confidently strolled into his home… "L-lord Voldemort?"
"I told you I was immortal," she said, turning to face Lucius, the white of her teeth matching the serpentine skull marking on her face, contrasting her ebony skin. "I will always come back." She gestured at her body confidently while taking a swig from a bottle Lucius had not noticed held delicately between her fingers. "Though the manner of my return may be a bit… different from how you expected."
Lucius followed his master as she stalked the halls of his manor. "Are we to start the war again?" Lucius asked.
"Patience. Dumbledore and the Ministry are unaware of my return. There are other objectives to achieve before my grand return." Voldemort spun on her heel, sneering at Lucius. "You and the others who abandoned the cause this last decade will have much to make up for."
Lucius stopped in his tracks, paling sharply. "M-my Lord! I never gave up the cause."
It was only two steps that Voldemort took to get within Lucius's space, a finger pressed against Lucius head as he trembled. "Do not lie to me," Voldemort commanded. "You chose to save yourself, abandoning a number of your fellows to Azkaban."
With contemptuous ease, Voldemort pushed Lucius away. "You will have time to make up for it. For now, I need time to plan my next steps carefully before I gather my Death Eaters to me. You will find me a suitable wand to use until I can reclaim my own."
"Yes my Lord," Lucius said with a bow, leaving Lord Voldemort to her own devices.