Hogwarts Legacy : A Sixth Year Continuation

Chapter Fifty-Eight : Tick Tock

We appeared in a large hallway, black and white marble below our feet, checkered and expensive. The hall way was wide and opulent, people were milling around as they were ushered through the front door at the far end. Witches and wizards draped in wealth. Ladies in long gowns, dripping in jewels, men in suits, top hats and dazzling smiles. The air smelled floral, rows of portraits lined the long walls, my eyes trailed upwards, at least three floors above us, galleries on each level. I could see all the way to the top of the castle , a large glass dome for a ceiling, moonlight slipping through the white and green stained glass. The Slytherin crest glinting from the centre.

"It was his house." Ruby murmured following my gaze upwards.

"Whose?" I said looking away to my cousin, her eyes sparkled in admiration as she hung her head back on her shoulders, the light from the dome reflecting in her grey eyes.

"Slytherin's. It was his castle."

I forgot how close the Gaunt's were to the main man. The man at the root of pure blood mania in Britain. A shiver snaked its way down my spine as I concentrated on the scene in front of us.

Laughter and chatter tinkled in the air as Ruby dragged us forward. Men and women gazed upon us, men tipping their hats woman smiling falsely as Ruby led us into the room to our left.

It was as big as the great hall. A gorgeous ballroom. The ceilings were as high at the dome in the hall way, enchanted paintings adorned the ceiling, portraying the Slytherin story. Snakes slithered their way across the sky, toward a bearded man with silver hair, wand emitting a bright green light toward a small woman cowering in the corner of the ceiling. Muggle killings. I felt myself occluding as I tried not to curse everyone who laughed jovially under the painting and I felt Ruby pinch my arm , bringing me back to earth , walls falling once more.

There was a huge twenty five foot Christmas tree in the far corner, adorned with silver baubles, the fire next to it was a bright pure white. The far right of the ballroom was all glass, showing the vast gardens, red roses and a huge fountain with fairies dancing round its perimeter.

"Look." Hissed Ruby. She was pointing toward the Christmas tree. A man stood tall, looking at himself in the reflection of his champagne glass.

"It's Professor.Black. That's a good way to ease in, come on." She tugged at my arm and waved at the Professor, who seemed irritated at being distracted from his own reflection. His lips curved into a forced smile as we approached arm in arm.

"Miss. Sloan! With...Miss.Moore...what a surprise. Are you girls close?" He mused as we stopped in front of him. He swished his champagne introspectively as he observed the two women.

"Its O'Ha-"

"Yes." Ruby interrupted me quickly. "Yes. Silly childish feud at the start of the year but now we realise how much we have in common."

I grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing house elf to stifle my smile as Professor.Black nodded, disinterested as he caught his reflection in a nearby window. He smoothed his hair again before turning back to Ruby and I.

"Well, your Aunt was here just a moment ago. I believe her and your mother have gone to powder their noses. Shouldn't be too long. Please excuse me ladies, the minister for magic is over there and I need to speak with him. Enjoy the evening."

And with the he swept away from us , throwing his arms up to either side as he embraced the minister, his name forgotten. He had been little to no help last year, leaving the fate of Hogwarts in the hands of my eighteen year old self.