Hogwarts Legacy: The Price of Power

The Serpent Strikes

The following morning, Dracaena decided there was little point in hiding herself away any longer, and descended the many moving staircases of Hogwarts, Sebastian and Ominis by her side, heading to the Great Hall. The few students they passed on the way paused to stare, quickly huddling together to whisper as they went by. Dracaena drew a soft breath. With the way gossip spread around the castle, she wasn't surprised in the slightest. She only hoped whatever rumours were floating around made her sound cool.

They stepped through the grand doors, her hands clasped tightly in both Ominis' and Sebastian's, and a hush fell over the Hall. Dracaena paused, wondering just what it was the students had all been whispering when she'd been out of it, when three separate voices called her name, and three very welcome figures came pelting towards her.

Natty, Amit and Poppy matched pace and reached her at the same time, throwing their arms around her. She laughed as Poppy wound her arms around her middle, the top of her head somewhere level with her collarbone, Natty and Amit taking up residence at her sides, Sebastian and Ominis chuckling and stepping back a moment.

"You're okay!" Poppy squealed, hugging her so tight she thought she might crack a rib. "Draccie, we were so worried!"

"I'm fine, Pop," she gasped, as Natsai squeezed her as well. Amit had a little more restraint, but the firm hand on her shoulder was more than enough to let her know the depth of concern he had, and the relief he felt now she was upright and making noise.

"I cannot imagine," Natsai said, leaning back a little, her dark eyes glimmering. "You are truly something special, Dracaena, to have survived such an ordeal and come out alright on the other side."

"Well, relatively," she replied, with a light laugh. She didn't particularly want to focus on the shadowy beast in the back of her mind, least of all now.

"Yes, we are all pleased," Amit said, grinning at her before grasping her hand and shaking it warmly. "And not a mark on you! My, you are made of tough stuff, Dracaena."

"I thought you knew that?" she teased, then tensed as a wall of students rose up, pressing in, all calling for her attention. She stepped back as a few of the younger ones broke free and darted forward to hug her as well, and she heard the questions rising over them all.

"What happened?"

"Did you really get cursed?"

"Did you save the school again? Who from?"

"How are you still alive?"

"Did your feet turn into beets?"

"Is it true you only needed a day to recover?"

Behind her, Ominis nudged Sebastian, and the pair of them dove in, catching her under the arms and pulling her out of the crowd before it became a scrum.

"Let her breathe," Sebastian warned with a masterful glare, taking her hand as they moved beyond the chattering students. Ominis took her other hand, and she caught Natty and Poppy's eye in the crowd as it began to disperse. They were both open mouthed, the question clear on their faces.

Which one did you choose? Are you still playing them both?

She grinned, and with a subtle tilt of her head towards both of them, she let her grin widen into something wicked. It seemed they understood, for their brows rose, and Poppy drew breath. Natty grabbed her arm and dragged her to one side before she could start squealing, and the two of them had a hushed conversation by the door as Dracaena led the way to the Slytherin table.

"Well, that was something," she said, settling down. She'd barely reached for a cup of tea before Imelda plonked herself down opposite.

"Hoctina," she said, a brow arcing in a curve she couldn't quite decipher. "Glad to see you're not a mess of tentacles. I wouldn't have been able to eat my breakfast if you were."