Hogwarts Legacy: The Price of Power

The Reiding Room 🌶️

"So, how do you plan to do this?" Ominis asked as they meandered through the castle, hand in hand.

"I'm not sure," Dracaena replied, peering around. "I don't know if Reid's going to be in Fig's old rooms when we try, or how we'll get rid of him if he is."

"Isn't this supposed to be one of your talents? Planning nefarious and highly inadvisable activities and executing said plans without a hitch?" Ominis said, dryly.

She chuckled. "Honestly? Most of the time I'm just winging it."

He shook his head. "Merlin, dove. Let's hope we don't do that when we break into the-"

"Shh!" she tightened her grip on his hand, eyeing the portraits on the walls. "Not here, darling."

"Oh, of course. My apologies. I don't know if we're by any portraits unless they start chattering, you know."

They slowed as they entered the Charms corridor, spotting Natsai and Amit lounging on the stairs, Natty's head on Amit's shoulder. Dracaena smiled and raised a hand, and they waved back, the relief on Natty's face obvious when she saw Ominis beside her.

"Good morning, Dracaena, Ominis," Amit said, sitting up straight. "How are you today?"

"Not bad, thanks," she said, and an idea dawned. "I've actually been hoping to talk to you both."

Beside her, Ominis' eyes slid in her direction, narrowing. "Dove..."

"Trust me," she muttered out of the corner of her mouth.

"We have no plans today," Natsai said, grinning up at them. "What is it we can help you with?"

"Can you meet us upstairs, by the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy?" Dracaena asked. "Ten minutes?"

"Of course," she replied. "I am intrigued."

"Dove," Ominis said again, more sternly as they hurried back into the Room, Dracaena waving her wand to turn the bed back into a sofa and conjuring another sofa opposite it, before whispering a quick message to Deek, asking him to get Poppy. "I know what you're planning, and I advise against it. We can't risk more people knowing what we're doing, especially if the portraits are eavesdropping!"

"I trust them," she said. "Poppy already knows, and Natty helped me so much in fifth year, I can't even begin to tell you."

"I seem to remember it was you helping her," Ominis remarked, folding his arms. "Without that, I have my doubts Harlow would be so invested in getting revenge on you for Rookwood. You got him sent to Azkaban."

"Don't blame Natty for that," she replied, wearily. "I helped a lot of people in fifth year, and they helped me in turn. She's a good friend, as is Amit. She took a curse for me, for heaven's sake!"

"But can we trust them not to let something slip?" Ominis said.

She checked her watch. "I'll make sure I tell them how important it is to keep schtum. Listen, if anything goes wrong, I'll do a little dance and sing and I'm sorry son-"

"I'm still waiting for the first one," Ominis said, clearly fighting a smile. He shook his head, letting it spread over his face. "Damn you and your persuasiveness. Fine. You're lucky I love you."

She blew a raspberry at him, and his jaw dropped, looking completely scandalised.

"Merlin's beard, Dracaena! Where are your manners?"

"That was my mouth!" she protested, stifling a laugh as she hurried to the door, leaving him to drop to the sofa, his head in his hands.

Natty and Amit were already by the tapestry, and they both jumped as the door appeared, and she poked her head out.