Hogwarts Legacy: The Price of Power

Malicia 🌶️

Dracaena stretched out on the common room sofa, dozing lightly. Her head rose and fell, resting on Ominis' chest, his legs stretched out to either side of her, one foot on the floor, one arm crossed over her collarbone, his hand warm on her shoulder. Sebastian's head was on her stomach, the weight comforting, his arms tucked around her middle. All of them had fallen asleep after a gruelling few hours finishing Professor Hecat's essay on Patronuses, too tired to even go to their dorms. They'd leaned into each other quite effortlessly, as they had before in the Undercroft, at Gran's and in the Room, comforted by each other's presence.

The sounds of the common room were soft, muted, most of their House either at dinner or tucked away by the windows. The warm glow of the fire washed over them, the flickering light casting dancing shadows that seemed to meld with her waking dreams. It was so natural to lie here like this, with both her best friends, both of these men she cared for so. She smiled, not quite sleeping, not quite awake, wondering if there was a way to make it so that all of them could be happy.

A light hum shivered through her body, the stirrings of something ancient and powerful. She frowned lightly, wondering if she'd truly felt it as Ominis shifted, murmuring in his sleep, his hand sliding from her shoulder to rest on her breast, a single, long finger sliding between the buttons of her blouse to lie against her skin. Her breath caught, and she opened her eyes.

Her vision was filled with a terrible face, inches from her own. A pale face, the wide, staring eyes set far apart, curtained by stringy, dark hair, a grubby hand raised to cracked lips, discoloured teeth chewing the fingers.

Dracaena screamed, a pulse of magic roaring out from her body, as Sebastian and Ominis woke up with startled, pained shouts. The creature before her cried out as well, scuttling back, scampering away and hissing violently, vanishing into the shadows.

"What the fuck?" Sebastian scrambled to his feet, rubbing his arms. "Who hit me with a shock jinx?"

"And me," Ominis gasped, lurching upright as Dracaena bolted off the sofa, staring around wildly.

"Drac, you screamed," Sebastian said, taking her by the shoulders. "What happened? Did someone shock you too?" he scowled around the common room at the curious students gathering to stare. At once, all of them suddenly had something else to do, and dispersed under his murderous glare.

"No, no one shocked me," she managed, her heart still racing. "There was someone staring at me, right up in my face!"

"Who?" Ominis got up, gripping his arms, his hair slightly on end.

"I-I don't know," she said, hugging herself. Sebastian put a protective arm around her shoulders. "I think it was a person, but I'm not sure, they looked so strange."

"Describe them," Sebastian said, trying to lead her to the sofa. She resisted, adrenaline still pumping through her body.

"They were pale, with dark hair," she said. "They looked dirty, like they hadn't washed... their eyes were weird, almost going off in different directions, but not quite. They were chewing their hand." She shuddered.

"Were they shouting?" Ominis asked. "I heard someone insulting you."

She blinked. "No... no, they were hissing."

Ominis went very still, the colour draining from his face.

"Oh... oh dear."

"What? Do you know them?" Sebastian said.

"I... really hope it's not who I think it is," Ominis replied, sinking down to the sofa. "She's never in the common room, she hides all over the castle, barely even turns up to class..."