Echoes of Time (Harry Potter)

April 4, 1943

Sunday Afternoon

Yet again, Harry found himself with nothing to do on a weekend afternoon; Elaine was busy speaking with Corene and Daphne, Aster and Reinhard were off doing something nefarious to their schoolmates and Sarah hadn't left her common room… neither had her sisters, he'd checked.

With the vast majority of his close friends - excluding Daphne - occupied, Harry figured he would seek Marcus or Veronica, as the two of them had always shown a willingness to speak with him regardless of what they were doing. Marcus especially had been all for Harry's inclusion no matter the time or place, his friends didn't seem to mind either, especially that Indigo bird.

Merlin, the lads from his time would be causing him endless annoyances had he been as much of a ladies man then as he'd somehow come to be now.

That thought made Harry chuckle as he took his leave from the boys' dorms, his work for the weekend complete and a yearning for interaction beyond Abraxas on his mind; anyone beat that blonde ponce. Walburga Black excluded, he added as an afterthought.

"Good Afternoon, Harry."

Harry took that back, maybe Malfoy was preferable to the trio of girls who'd started beckoning him over as soon as he'd entered the common room, and when that simple motioning hadn't been enough, the leader of them had called him over for all to hear. If he paid them no attention as he'd initially hoped to after they greeted him, it wouldn't look good on him. Such was one of the obvious differences between Slytherin and Gryffindor, in the latter, people would've just called him a prick as they moved on.

In Slytherin? If you ignored somebody of a high enough status like Druella Rosier, that wouldn't be forgotten.

So, with a sigh and roll of his eyes that the girls couldn't see, Harry changed course until he was stood in front of them.

"Good Afternoon, Druella," Harry returned, a small forced smile on his face as he switched to her two friends. "Ophel-"

"They were just going, greeting them would be pointless," Druella cut him off and waved her hand in the air once in an apparent signal, the other two girls made their departure almost immediately not a word uttered. "My apologies for their lack of manners, you were courteous enough to greet them before I interrupted yet they didn't bid you farewell."

"Would you have let them?" Harry asked as he took one of the now free seats, doubt clearly evident in his tone.

Druella picked up on it as soon as he started speaking, the smile on her face and the amusement in her reply evidence of that. "No, I'd much prefer to keep your good graces entirely focused on myself - do remember who taught a majority of that lesson with you."

She had a fair point in regards to the impromptu lesson he'd had with her and her friends, as Druella had been the major source of information while the other two offered the occasional tip. As for her other statement regarding his 'good graces' and keeping them focused on her, he only had a clue as to what she meant by that.

"I won't forget that you helped me, and I'm sure you're relatively high on those 'good graces' too," He wouldn't mention that it was thanks to Aster that she was higher on his list of people to keep appeased. "Now, what'd you call me over for?"

Harry didn't mean to be rude, but he could better spend the time beating around the bush as they were doing in conversation with Marcus and Veronica. Either of the two always seemed very willing to share information, especially Marcus after that recent conversation they'd had on the Potter family.

"Oh?" Druella raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly about the room, her eyes than did the same to his body. "I wasn't aware time was so precious to you - relax, it was a jest," Her tone changed to one that was less serious and more soothing when she told him to relax, the tensing of his muscles likely the cause of her change. "I'd called you over to learn more about you. If you're to continue being one of my baby brother's best friends, I should get to know you better than I currently do, wouldn't you say?"

He was now thoroughly confused.

Why hadn't she done this much, much earlier in his friendship with Aster? Almost an entire school year had gone by, and being a year ahead of them as she was, that time was more important to her than him.

"What were you hoping to know?" Harry questioned back at her, the confusion wiped from his face and replaced with something sterner.

Druella shrugged, the amusement still in place as she lazily rolled her head to one side. "Nothing in particular, truly. If anything, I was hoping to see what you'd offer up rather than having to fish for information - but if you'd like, I'm sure there're a few questions I could think up."

Harry shook his head at her offer. "If you have something pressing to ask, feel free, though I may not answer if their half as intrusive as other questions I've been asked. As for what I'll offer up, I'll tell you my birthday is July thirty-first, I'm interested in one day becoming the Director for Magical Law Enforcement and a hobby of mine is speaking with pretty witches."

He had hoped his final words would throw Druella off, her amused, haughty face was grating on him as was the overall lack of seriousness she was treating the conversation with. It didn't work though, or if it did, her reaction had been completely internalised.

"Pretty?" Druella repeated, her brows furrowed. "Beautiful is the least I'd take, Harry Peverell, and that's only because you're seeing Elaine."

Harry bit his tongue lest an unsavoury remark spill out from his mouth, and so rather than reply, he motioned with his hand for her to say whatever she had… if it were the end of the conversation, that would've been even better.

"If that's all you're going to give then I suppose a few questions are warranted," Druella withdrew her wand and waved it across the both of them in a simple arching twirl. "Do you have any siblings, cousins, or close family relatively close to your age?"

"Unless you count Daphne or Marcus as close family, no," Harry figured he wasn't giving anything away when he mentioned his relation to the two of them, not since he'd already told Marcus that the few remaining family members of his were decades older than either of them.

"I do not," Druella said with a roll of her eyes before her next question was rattled off. "Are you aware of Aster's obsession - it was fed during his birthday if the hint was needed."

Harry had to think about it for a few seconds, especially when the hint was given, but his memory eventually pulled through.

"Yes, I know about his fascination regarding them and their items," He answered, a few questions of his own following. "Why does that matter? What would you have done if I didn't?"

"It matters because it shows he trusts you," Druella's teasing, amused lilt was gone and when she answered his second question, her voice sounded more serious than it'd been during their whole conversation. "Your memory of the conversation would've become a bit hazy had you not known about it. My final question, before you get us sidetracked, is when I'll be invited to Peverell Mansion like he was."

"You'd want to visit?" Harry asked without thinking.

Druella nodded her head in an incredibly girlish way, one that went completely at odds with everything he'd ever seen or heard from her.

"Yes!"

Even her voice sounded strangely girlish, the excitement and energy within it entirely too… strange? weird? unexpected? There were too many words to describe her sudden shift, but only one could fit when she regained composure with a cough all the while she kept her face looking at the other side of the room.

Cute.

Harry would assuredly be teasing Aster about his time with Druella later, Merlin, he'd probably tease Druella herself with what he'd just seen whenever she next played 'tough' during the course of a conversation.

"I suppose we could work that out… so long as you're still willing to help me with the spells as you did before," Harry did feel a bit like shite for trying to get something out of her when she so clearly showed such a love for history as Emilene had, but he reminded himself very quickly that it was Druella that first mentioned worming her way into his 'good graces' - if anything, it was fair.

"We've a deal then," Druella said as she held her hand out to Harry. "Shake it, don't kiss it. I don't believe I'd enjoy being cursed by Elaine, especially after our extended time together in the view of our entire house."

Harry couldn't help it, he laughed at the hint of worry in her voice even as he shook her hand. There wasn't any chance he could've kept it in!

"I'm glad you find that funny, Harry," Druella said as she once more reclined in her seat. "I'll be sure to remember that during our next lesson, whenever you request it. Mayhaps Ophelia will be free for it, though I'm sure Robin would suffice too."

He already knew what Ophelia was like; flirty, condescending, arrogant and more.

Robin, on the other hand, he'd only interacted with at length once. She didn't appear nearly as flirty, which made sense on account of her relationship… she did have all the other characteristics as Ophelia though, and worse, a level of aggression he'd only seen in Elaine.

"Don't forget, good graces," Harry said back to her as he stood up from his seat, a relaxed smile on his face.

Druella's harmless, Harry thought while looking back at her stern-faced, arrogant visage reclined in the seat as it'd been when he initially greeted her. She had me fooled for the longest time, but she's harmless… like Corene, possibly like Daphne.

Even Elaine didn't seem like she had all that big of a bite, not when it came to him.

"I'm sure Aster's friendship with you grants me a certain level of leeway when it comes to jesting or the like," Druella said with a wave of her hand. "Before you think of grabbing the last word, I'd like you to look over your shoulder towards our most recently arrived housemate. Unless you'd like to be stuck with her, you'd best be heading wherever it was that you were before I distracted you."

Harry looked over his shoulder once Druella had finished speaking, and when he saw Walburga with her usual girls behind her, he very quickly turned back to Druella. He didn't say anything to her, he simply nodded his head, gave a playful wink and went back towards the boys' dorms before they could attempt to block it as they'd done previously.

Aster's sister was certainly something, that was for sure. Harry could finally see why the boy would act so defensive of her after witnessing that weird outburst regarding her potential visit to his home, and maybe, just maybe, he'd take advantage of Aster's words the boy had blurted out during the Yule celebration at Peverell Mansion.

If Harry remembered correctly, it'd been along the lines of 'Marry my sister, Peverell'… Aster had done himself in without a doubt.

April 9, 1943

Friday Evening

"Hello, Harry," Corene said to him as soon as he exited the classroom, the pair of them still having their textbooks in hand.

"Hey, Corene, what's up?" Harry responded, knowing full well if Corene went out of her way to speak with him right after classes had finished for the day that something important wasn't likely to come up.

"I believe I've figured out how to open your book without activating whatever it is placed upon it," Corene said rather bluntly, making Harry's eyes go wide as he looked around.

Very luckily, nobody had been too close to them. Harry was incredibly thankful for that small mercy.

"Not here," Harry replied as he gripped Corene's hand and began leading them to one of the many empty rooms of Hogwarts. "What if somebody overheard you?" He questioned once they were out of the immediate area, the halls of Hogwarts already far thinner in her occupants with only two turns taken.

Corene cocked her head at him as she continued to let him lead her, their hands still connected.

"Most wouldn't understand what I meant, the few that would are far too often the last to leave class. Black and those that follow her insist upon post-class meetings with the Professors in hopes of earning favour with them," Corene waved the textbook she was still holding in the air. "Do remember that her grades have never been excellent, nor her practical usage of magic as I'd told you months ago."

"Bribery can only get her so far," Harry said, earning himself a blank stare from Corene.

"Can it?" She asked as the pace finally slowed. "When one has the number of Galleons that her family does, bribery in places where it goes unchecked runs rampant… and yes, should you ask, I could stop it, but why would I?"

Harry shook his head. "I wasn't going to ask, the benefits are pretty plain to see. Especially if it goes unchecked by anyone, though I'm surprised Dumbledore doesn't do something about it - seems the sort to go against it, you know?"

He couldn't full well say that such a level of corruption didn't exist in the future, but he could mention Dumbledore's character as he'd witnessed. More than once he'd heard disparaging remarks about his former Headmaster and the current Deputy-Headmaster in the Slytherin Common room or when around those that occupied it. They would mention his weakness as well as the frailty that was so prevalent in recent times and how it made him unfit to teach a core subject. Before that, when Harry was new, it would be far pettier grievances they'd air to one another; Dumbledore's clothing was too progressive, Dumbledore took off five points because a slur was used that society currently recognised as 'normal', and other equally stupid points.

"Dumbledore is an exception, not the norm, and his powers as Deputy-Headmaster are superseded by Headmaster Dippet," Corene grabbed his attention then, using her hand with the book still in it to make him look her in the eyes as they continued their walk. "Do you know who has more powers than the Headmaster, Harry?"

Harry couldn't help the grin that came to his face as he knew full well where she was going.

"The Board?" He asked.

"Correct," Corene said with a nod and a satisfied look on her face. She then used one of the very powers her families position gave her to summon her elf, showing off in a very un-Corene way. "Tea for the both of us, extra sugar in mine."

Harry watched the elf's ears flap about as it responded affirmatively before teleporting away just as quickly as it'd come.

"Is this our stop then? Or would you like to go further with me?" Corene looked him dead in the eyes when she asked her second question, her warm hand still in his with the pair of them stopped in front of an empty classroom.

Harry hoped a blush didn't show as he felt the warmth spread to his cheeks.

"I, yeah, this works, ladies first," He handled it better than he would've in the past, though his reaction and the bumbling of his words were far from perfect.

"I see, the insinuation-based humour doesn't work well with you… unfortunate," Corene's cheeks puffed out as she moved her lips to one side in a half-pout, half-contemplative look. "I'll admit, crude jokes are far from my preference, but if those are what you find amusing, I could try them - it would be far easier if you told me what you found amusing, however, as I've emulated Aster and Reinhard's jokes to low success rates."

Oh. Harry thought as multiple memories finally made sense to him.

All the times Corene had cracked a joke had been for him while based on what she'd noticed. It made sense, her disgruntled expressions when he didn't laugh or the smirks she'd wear when he humoured her. He wasn't sure why she'd go so far as to emulate jokes in hopes that he'd laugh, but it was nice that she'd been so thoughtful.

Maybe she'd done it to make him more comfortable around her, there was also the possibility that she hoped to achieve the same level of friendship he shared with the boys… either was likely to him, it could even be both or something else entirely!

Harry finally laughed when he tuned back in only to see Corene looking at him with that same face she'd pulled earlier. To say it annoyed her was an understatement, as Corene didn't waste a moment asking what it was that finally got him to laugh as much as he was. When he explained it was the face she pulled in tandem with her words, particularly the 'low success rate' bit, she took it better than he thought she would've.

"I'm glad it tickled you as much as it did," Corene said once he finished his laughter, the smallest of smiles on her face. "Assuming you're finished and you have the book on you, would you like to begin? I'm sure you're just as curious about the Gaunt family as I am if you've kept it with you in hopes of opening it as long as you have."

Harry nodded, he did have the book Walburga gave to him in his satchel right beside Slytherin's journal. Those were two objects he'd never leave behind, regardless of how secure he felt their hiding spot was. Nothing was Elaine proof, as far as he was concerned.

"Let's do it," He said as they entered the classroom and gave a cursory check for other occupants.

Once the room was cleared of anybody else, Harry went about pulling the book from his satchel whilst Corene set up a nifty little spot for them in the corner of the room. Her spot was very good too, Harry noticed, as she'd picked the location that gave them the most amount of time to react if somebody else entered.

"Ah, I nearly forgot," Corene said once the pair of them were seated, Walburga's book was on the table and her wand was out. "Before we began, I was meant to tell you that my parents would like to formally invite you over to our home during the upcoming summer break. Does that sound agreeable to you, or would you like to visit another time?"

He hadn't the chance to respond before the girl withdrew a letter from her satchel sealed with the Carrow family crest and slid it over to him.

"There's the invitation with additional information, a tentative answer would suffice at the present, though I'd like an official one within the next few weeks," Corene had spoken up again, and once she was completely finished - he made sure by waiting another few seconds - she gave a pointed look to the book.

Harry wasn't stupid enough to think she'd actually forgotten, not with the timing she'd 'remembered'. She'd put him into a corner, essentially, as she could full well react in dozens of ways if he declined her invite after she'd specifically stated that a tentative answer was all she'd like.

"I'll tentatively say yes," Harry said with a bit of sigh, one that nearly dissipated at the pleased smile his words brought out. "Your family was very nice in having me over and I'll not decline them without reading the letter. Speaking of that, could you tell me if there's anything else in it? I'd like to know what the visit would entail aside from just typical pleasantries."

House Carrow had made a spectacle of his visit, they'd told him they would as soon as he'd visited and he didn't mind it… in a way, he respected the honesty and upfront nature of it. Still, he knew they were hoping to make it look as if they were closer than they truly were, the fact that he'd still not signed their contract and yet they'd invited him over already was proof enough of that.

Merlin, I need a lawyer. Harry thought to himself, and as it rarely happened, his thought was completely maddening or paranoid. If he had somebody skilled in reading over contracts or dealing with businesses and the like, he had no doubt it'd remove a great deal of stress - stress that would only grow as more and more families or places wished to enter into formal dealings with House Peverell.

"Wonderful," Corene said, letting the matter drop entirely as she looked back at Walburga's book. "This may take a bit, just so you know. I've never used this particular spell, it came from my grandfather through correspondence, so I've only a rudimentary understanding of the incantation and motions."

"You asked your grandfather for a spell meant to remove magic placed on items and he knew a spell meant exactly for it?" Harry's question was so filled with doubt that he winced when he finished, so he could only imagine what it sounded like to Corene. "Sorry if that came across as rude, it's just really niche, isn't it?"

Harry doubted many people in the world knew a spell that could do what she was claiming the one her grandfather had sent her could, and for those who did know it, they likely worked in a very specific field - Dumbledores and Voldemorts aside.

Corene laughed lightly, showing she hadn't interpreted his words as overly rude. "Again, you would be correct, Harry. Such a spell would be incredibly niche, as it's something not taught in Hogwarts or other schools due to the complexity and danger associated with it. Fortunately for us, my paternal grandfather worked as a curse-breaker for Gringotts… in case you're unaware, it would make spells such as the one we'll be attempting mandatory in his former occupation."

"How dangerous is it?" He asked, not minding if she thought he knew less than he did.

"Who knows," Corene responded, her smile growing as she withdrew a small piece of parchment.

"Do you know how bad it could be?" Harry tried again.

He wasn't a coward by any means, not whilst in Slytherin as he currently was and definitely not in the past when he'd been one-hundred per cent Gryffindor. There'd been far more dangerous scenarios where he'd charged headfirst without a plan, and all of those had worked out for him. His only real worry was the book having some sort of mind-altering magic on it rather than something dangerous… but on the off chance it was something that could cause death or injury, he didn't need Corene being the one to get hurt.

That wouldn't leave his mind even with all the changes he'd gone through thanks to the nature of his new friends.

"Your worry for me is appreciated," Corene said after nearly fifteen seconds of observing him, one of the softest looks on her typically neutral face he'd ever seen following her words. "As for how bad it could be, I've an educated guess where Walburga would draw the line… why don't we check and see if I'm correct?"

"I'll do i-"

Corene cut Harry off by saying the incantation on the paper all while she moved her wand in one of the most elaborate motions he'd yet seen, and Merlin, the visual result was incredibly… lacklustre? He'd expected something, anything, that showed her spell had worked and whatever magic had been on the book was now dispelled, but there was only the faintest glowing at the tip of her wand.

If he didn't know any better, he would have thought she'd cast a Lumos rather than something as intricate as was claimed.

"Did it work?" He questioned with his eyes still on the Gaunt Family book.

"I believe it did," Corene said whilst prodding the book, a curious look on her face. "Would you like to open it?"

Harry withdrew his wand and cast one of the many spells he'd picked up thanks to Yaxley's journal, one that would alert him to the presence of magic. One silent cast later, he determined that Corene's spell, boring as it'd been to witness, had done the job.

"Cautious, smart," Corene commented with a small smile.

He nearly winked in response, though he caught himself in time to shoot a smirk at Corene instead.

"I learned from you lot," He said, earning a longer smile from Corene right as he finally picked the book up and readied himself to open it. "Well then, let's see what's inside."

Corene didn't respond, she simply scooted herself closer to him until their seats were touching and her head was practically pressed against his as the both of them looked at the book. Harry would've said something in any other scenario, or so he told himself, but finally have the information regarding a family that'd left him curious for so long in his fingertips… he couldn't be bothered with it - Elaine's heritage, the two missing Gaunts, and potential answers to Slytherin's Study were held in his hands right that very moment!

Harry flipped open the book, his eagerness showing, and what greeted him on the very first page was… a note from Walburga.

"She's marked up a book as important and rare as this in a vain attempt in pulling you to her side?" Corene shook her head, he could feel it. "You'll have to speak with her soon, lest her attempts go beyond that of a jinxed book with a love note inside of it."

"Thanks," Harry said with a roll of his eyes as he flipped to the second page in, not bothering to read her 'love' note that she'd left for him.

What they saw on the second page was no less boring and unimportant than the first. On the second page, were notes on how to deal with the family when it came time for business or marriages; suffice to say that part of the book was entirely useless due to House Gaunt being nearly extinct as it was. Yet, Corene insisted they read it and every subsequent page in order, regardless of how useful the information was.

He imagined she'd said it since she could see or feel how impatient he was, though she didn't know the true reason behind such feelings. If she did, Corene would've likely felt the same sense of anxiety in learning who those missing Gaunts were or what Elaine's true parentage was. Come to think of it, if the book contained Elaine's parentage, why had Walburga not used it against his girlfriend yet?

Surely her Pureblood following would take a hit if it were revealed she'd come from a Squib or Muggle.

"Wait," Corene said, her hand grabbing his before he could flip the page. "You nearly skipped something - the name of that woman, Olesime, don't you see how her last name's scribbled out?"

Harry looked where Corene pointed, and sure enough, there was something with a few lines of ink running through it. He hadn't noticed it in his speed-reading, not with his mind as focused on finding more recent information as it was.

"Do you know any spell to remove the ink lines?" He questioned as he squinted his eyes in the hopes of making out the name under the dashes.

Corene looked at him funnily for a second, her response delayed. "If I did, I wouldn't try it. Books, or rather Tomes as old as this one can be difficult should you attempt to alter the contents therein. Should I try and fail, a whole page could be lost."

"We could make a copy of it," Harry pointed out as an earlier memory with Aster and Reinhard came to his mind, one in which the two boys had used copied notes thanks to a mystery student they'd yet to betray… he'd find out one day.

"Yes, a copy could come in handy - you promised me one month's ago, need I remind you - though the spell copies the book in question exactly as it is," Corene's words threw a damper on Harry's idea, and so he shrugged his shoulders, thoroughly bamboozled as to what they could do.

"Let's just continue then," He finally said after a few moments of contemplative silence from the both of them, no ideas having popped up on how to deal with it.

"And so we shall," Corene said with a dip of her head as the pair of them looked back towards the book, their heads pressed awkwardly against one another as they'd been earlier.

Slowly, engrossed as they were in the dark, chilly classroom of Hogwarts, the pair worked through the hundreds upon hundreds of pages of Gaunt family history. Together they read tales that dated back to the creation of the ancient family, they learned of its most prominent members and the wealth the family once had.

Next, as the centuries ticked by, they saw how the wealth was squandered thanks to petty wars and confrontations that were all too prevalent during medieval times. Corene and Harry learned from first-hand accounts how the family had risen nearly a half-dozen times from near ruin, each closer to failing than the last, yet they'd still pulled through… until they didn't.

It was nearly eight hours in when the information Harry sought had finally begun, and it went without saying that his eyes were heavy, as were Corene's. That didn't stop either of them, the book was far too engrossing to do so, though the speed in which they read had slowed significantly. Harry bet he could speak for the both of them when he thought their comprehension had lessened too, as they'd had to reread a few dozen sentences whilst speaking them back to one another before they understood what the writer had meant.

"This is certainly something, isn't it?" Corene said with a yawn as she sipped her cup of tea, the drink scaldingly hot to the touch - he knew as much considering his own still lay full due to the heat of it.

"It is," Harry replied as he watched her pull a long sip from her drink, one that was steaming hot and made her hand red once she set the cup down. "You don't want to call it here, right?"

"No, that simply wouldn't do, not when we're as far in as we've come… next page," Corene's final two words were accompanied with a nudge, prompting him to turn it over as she'd asked.

He read the first paragraph without issue, then the second just as easily, but the third was where it finally got interesting. It was then, nearly eight hundred pages in and the date sometime in the late eighteen-hundreds as a testament to their progression, that Harry finally found something .

"Laurent Gaunt," Corene repeated the name aloud. "I believe I've heard that name before, my parents had mentioned him once or twice in passing when I was a child."

Harry's head turned so quickly to look at Corene that he felt a headache coming on, but that barely registered as he shot a question at the girl. "What do you remember about him?"

Corene tapped the page and glanced at Harry with a small, tired smile on her face. "Exactly what's written here."

He looked at the page just as quick as he'd looked at Corene, and instantly, he began reading the few paragraphs that followed the third where he'd initially stopped.

' Laurent Gaunt, by the age of Six and Ten, had become a prominent contractor for Gringotts. Together, he and other's most qualified for dangerous ventures would delve into the depths of the earth, seeking out long-forgotten relics from magical societies fallen centuries if not millennia ago. Most frequently, such delves would take place in historied countries such as the Ottoman Empire, Greece, the Kingdom of Italy and Tunisia.

Laurent Gaunt, then aged Nine and Ten, had his greatest success yet whilst working with fellow contractors Louis Bodet and Thyia Egeria. Those three would go on from their discovery of an ancient cache of scrolls dated to the early Roman Republic to find nearly a dozen other similar stashes filled with items of unfathomable -, - -- -- -- - - -- --.

Laurent Gaunt, when he should have been of the age of Twenty and Two, would finally have his good fortune run out whilst on the most difficult delve yet attempted alongside his two partners, as named earlier. His final whereabouts, as well as those of his comrades, will forever be unknown alongside the location of their vaults, homes and other properties.'

Harry nearly turned to speak to Corene about the redacted section when notes scribbled awkwardly on the side of the final paragraph caught his attention.

' The Enlightened City, Sis was visited first.'

He wasn't sure what it meant, not in the slightest - what was an enlightened city, or rather, the Enlightened City… and what did Sis mean in that context?

"Corene?" Harry asked with one hand pointing at the scribbled note. "Any clue what that means?"

Corene yawned, a small squeak exiting before her hand could be brought up to silence it. Then, she looked to what Harry was pointing out, and instantly, a flash of recognition crossed her face that made her nod her head in a far more expressive way than he was used to; tired Corene seemed to be a bit less… frosty?

"I would believe they meant the City of Light, though it's been referenced as the Enlightened City too," Corene answered while looking at him, the girl finally standing up from her seat as a second yawn came about.

"And the City of Light is… Paris, right? I believe that's what Sarah's called it before when we were talking about places she wanted to visit," Harry caught himself in time, as somebody as stowed away as he'd been wouldn't know such a nickname for a mainly Muggle city.

"Yes, Paris is the City of Light," Corene confirmed as she picked up her satchel. "As for the other location, assuming that's what it is, I've no idea. Sis means nothing to me but a slang term for sister, and we've already read earlier that Laurent Gaunt only had two brothers."

"Do you thi-"

Corene cut him off with yet another yawn, one that spilt over onto him thanks to the contagious factor of them.

"I think we should return to our dorms lest we miss too much sleep. Do remember to have a copy of that made for me now that its safety is assured, we can speak more in-depth about what we've learned on the morrow or whenever you next have free time to read from the book," Corene paused by the door with an expectant look at him.

He knew then that the conversation was over, at least for the time being, and so he made his way over with only a hint of reluctant prevalent. For as she'd said, they would meet again, they practically had to since they had failed to finish the book in its entirety. Hopefully, when that next meeting came, Sis would make sense and their brains wouldn't be nearly as tired as they were now.

April 13, 1943

Tuesday Evening

For the next few days following the reading of the Gaunt history book with Corene, his mind had been completely and utterly filled with thoughts on one of the two missing Gaunts. He'd yet to read further to see if more information was made available on Laurent or the other missing one, he likely wouldn't until he got together with Corene again, his lack of time made it so.

As interesting as it was, especially with him not having found anything regarding Elaine… yet, his current tasks were more important; reading the final pages of Slytherin's Journal, spending time with Elaine and managing his friendships so that they didn't deteriorate amongst other issues or the like that popped up kept his time monopolised. A few of the more recent, time-sensitive matters that only added to his stress and lack of available time were the letter from Daphne's family as well as the one he still had yet to read from Corene's.

He'd push Corene's off considering his decision had yet to be made and there were still months before summer hit. Daphne's family was in the same boat considering how long they'd taken to respond.

Harry snorted to himself, the sharp burst of air kicking up a few errant hairs and specs of dust.

To think Daphne had pressed him so hard for correspondence only for her family to keep him waiting as long as they had. Whether they were playing a game or were indecisive, he didn't care, their response from him could wait just as long.

"Something funny, mate?" Aster asked as he plopped down beside Harry onto the comfortable, somewhat stale-smelling couch.

"Only Daphne," Harry said with a shake of his head and nothing more.

Aster laughed and took a bite from an apple, no doubt it was one that he'd smuggled from the Great Hall. "What'd the angry bint do now?" Aster questioned, his mouth full and bits of chewed apple visible.

"Nothing," Harry responded with a shake of his head before he continued, "She's done absolutely nothing, after stressing how important it was that I complete something for her. I have half a mind to send Elaine after her."

Harry nearly laughed at the visual of Elaine dressing down the altogether too tall Head Girl, he'd only seen it happen once and it'd been perfect. If it happened again, he hadn't a doubt in his mind that it'd kick her lazy arse into gear.

"You think she'd say something to Daphne for you? Elaine's pretty close with her, same for Corene," Aster took another bite of his apple once he'd finished speaking, this time, a contemplative look settling on his face as he chewed.

Harry's initial response that he'd nearly said without hesitation was but one word; yes. Elaine had proven time and again that she valued him above all else that he'd yet seen. If he politely requested or firmly demanded - her mood mattered - then she'd scold Daphne for him. While that would make him feel weak, he knew that Daphne was far more likely to listen to her Master than a distant relative.

"I think I could get her to see my side of the story," Harry gave as his reply, the wording intentionally vague. "Actually, speaking of Elaine, did you happen to see her when you'd come up?"

Aster hadn't been inside the boys' dorm when Harry had entered nearly an hour ago, he'd only recently come up while Harry had been deep in thought - it made him wonder where Reinhard was too, as the two of them were always together and when they weren't, Aster would mention that Elaine had needed their friend for something.

"Good luck with that, Pev. And yeah, Elaine's down in the common room sitting in that usual spot of hers… fair warning, she's a tad bit grumpy today," Aster squirmed as if his own words had reminded him of something once he'd finished speaking them.

"How grumpy? What happened?" Harry's two questions were shot without hesitation. If he could understand what'd made Elaine angry, he could go about not repeating or mentioning whatever or whoever it was.

"Pretty grumpy, enough to curse Abraxas in front of all our housemates when he asked one too many questions regarding some task she'd given him," Aster snickered when he said that, the pair of them shot looks towards Malfoy's bed a second later, Aster continued speaking all the while. "Don't know what happened either, though I'd wager Dumb-as-a-door has something to do with it… good one innit?"

"Wicked," Harry affirmed his friend even as he shook his head and thought to himself, Wickedly stupid, you doughnut.

Harry was so thrown off by Aster's remark and the horrible twisting of Dumbledore's name that he hadn't registered it was Dumbledore bothering Elaine in the first place. Only once the pair of them turned back and Aster was right about to open his mouth to say something else did it dawn on Harry what'd just been said.

"Wait, what would Dumbledore have to do with her negative mood?" He asked Aster, his attention solely on his friend.

"He's always keeping an eye on her, does the same for a few of us too, but I hear today he caught her using some term he didn't like - gave her a detention, he did, ruined her perfect record here," Aster then shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Don't ask me why that matters so much to her, not like anyone cares if you have a detention or twenty whilst at Hogwarts."

Leave it to Aster to have a carelessness regarding infractions; most people like him wouldn't need to worry about any type of Profession once they graduated! Harry nearly laughed when the same could be said for him, everyone would want the Heir of House Peverell alongside them so long as he didn't do anything too stupid while he attended Hogwarts. His next thought was on a completely different track when a memory rushed to the surface of his brain thanks to Aster's words, one that he hadn't paid attention to since the event had taken place all those years ag- in the future.

He couldn't remember what'd specifically been said, that was impossible thanks to how long ago that'd been and his age at the time, but he remembered well enough. Riddle, the one from his time when he'd been in the Chamber had mentioned Dumbledore doing much the same as what he was doing to Elaine currently.

'Dumbledore had kept an annoyingly close eye on me'… or a phrasing similar enough to that had been said following the opening of the Chamber. Harry wasn't sure if that meant everything had transpired the same or not, but the fact that seemed to play out nearly the same - minus the detention since there'd been no mention of one - kept him on his toes… it also reaffirmed his trust in Dumbledore.

"Thanks, mate," Harry said as he stood up and stretched in preparation of going to visit Elaine, he was already a half dozen steps away when one more question came to his mind. "Aster, could you tell me why Dumbledore watches you all as much as he does? Surely there's a reason, right?"

Aster laughed at Harry's question for a good five seconds, it wasn't a light, chuckling sort of laughter either. When he responded another few seconds after he'd finished laughing, it was emphasized with a look towards his trunk.

"Dumbledore doesn't like that I prank people, says it's disruptive and that the ones I do hurt people - the former is meant to be, the latter is people being stupid when they've been had off already. As for Elaine and the others, at least most of them, their stances on certain matters and the way we handle ourselves is what I imagine makes him come down harder on us than any others in the school. Really, he's a bit barmy, I take everything he says as a half-truth at the most," Aster's dismissive tone and the ease in which he called Dumbledore 'barmy' was baffling to Harry.

Couldn't Aster see the threat Dumbledore could be or how the man wanted everyone to get along?

It made Harry wonder what Aster's politics were for the second time, it was especially intriguing considering the boy's fascination with Muggle military goods.

"Thanks again, Aster. Think I'll be off now before the night gets too much later and Elaine tucks in," Harry dipped his head in way of goodbye once he'd finished, a gesture that was returned in kind by Aster as the boy reclined on the couch.

Only once Harry was out of the room and stood in the hallway did he realise where he was headed as well as who he was headed to; since when did he want to spend what little morsel of time he had to himself with Elaine, and more importantly, why was there a smidgen of worry in regards to how she felt?

He wasn't sure that he liked the feelings rising up that favoured the girl, he'd grown too close to her as of late, the ease in which he spoke back to her recently was testament enough of that, but… he was already on his way… so going back to the fifth year dorms wouldn't make any sense.

Harry shrugged, his hands thoroughly tied - or so he told himself - and as such, he made his way out into the common room at large.

Lo and behold, Elaine was seated in her usual chair with a blanket covering her body as she read from some journal or titleless textbook. A few seconds of observation before she spotted him seemed to confirm Aster's warning that something was bothering her too; the way her fingers played with the ring she wore was evidence enough, but when that was added to her fast-paced breathing despite the lack of exertion and the pressure her hand made on the book, well, combined it was proof enough.

Before he made his way over to her, Harry took a deep breath and then exhaled. He repeated that thrice, then, he finally walked over to her.

"Hi Elaine," Harry said, a smile on his face as he leaned down to kiss her cheek before he fell into the seat beside hers. "Is everything alright?"

Elaine's hand found his and stole it from the armrest before any verbal response was given. Based on the tightness of her grip and the heat of her usually cold hands, that detention or something else had bothered her a good bit.

"With your being here, it is," She finally said, her other hand still toying with the ring as the journal sat untouched in her lap - a journal that was very familiar, enough that he dared not look at in case his memories ran rampant or his breathing quickened. Elaine didn't seem to notice his split-second reaction though, as she spoke up again. "I was given a detention, as you may have heard - it was entirely unwarranted and given for the factual referencing of a classmates parentage. He simply wished to ruin my perfect record, though I've already spoken with Corene about having her father remove it… enough about that, I'd like to change the subject if you're amiable."

Harry wouldn't pry, not with her seeming as bothered as she was, and so he smiled again. "That's fine, what did you want to talk about?"

He wished he wouldn't have agreed when he saw her hand move and the room was immediately silenced, the noise cutoff to the pair of them just as their next works would be until she removed her privacy spell.

"Something that has to do with your family exclusively," Elaine said as her other hand finally ceased playing with the ring she wore. "Something that I've brought up in the past," Her second hand came over to run suggestively down his chest and towards his thighs. "The Hallows."