Hogwarts Legacy: The Price of Power

Collared and Cornered 🌶️

Dracaena took to stalking Professor Black at every given opportunity over the next few days, creeping behind him whilst disillusioned, or hovering nearby when he deigned to speak with another professor, dawdling along and pretending to talk with Sebastian and Ominis, both of whom were paying as much attention as she was. In the evenings, she took another nip of potion and listened intently for an hour while Ominis told her everything he knew about the miserable headmaster.

"Black has five children, would you believe," Ominis said, his arms tightly folded as he perched on the edge of the armchair, Dracaena disguised as Black once more and trying to sit how she'd seen him do it. "His wife is Ursula, a vile woman by all accounts if you listened to her views on muggleborns. His siblings are Elladora, Sirius and Iola, though I can't imagine you'd need to know that, it's useful all the same."

"Yes, and?" she snapped, grinning a little. She seemed to be getting the hang of Black's sharp nature.

Ominis didn't smile. "Black believes strongly in bloody-purity," he said. "He regularly uses the mudblood slur, and, though it pains me, I would advise you do the same. He believes anyone not of wizarding birth is simple, beneath his notice, regardless of how much they may demonstrate otherwise. He doesn't care for his job other than for the prestige it affords him, and..."

"I know," she bit. "You don't need to tell me things I've seen with my own eyes, Gaunt!"

He made a face. "I appreciate the dedication to your acting," he said, softly. "But I am starkly reminded that it's you in there, Dracaena."

"Sorry," she said, softening instantly. "I want to get this right. I have to."

"Honestly, I prefer it when she's mean when she's impersonating him," Sebastian said, throwing an uneasy look at her from where he was huddled in a corner, reading over the Dark Rune book again. "I never want to associate our Drac with that prick."

"Lucky for you, the potion's wearing off," Dracaena got to her feet, wincing as her skin writhed, and soon enough, she was her regular height again, her hair long and tumbling over her shoulders. She chuckled and held her breasts. "I miss these when they're not there, you know."

Sebastian left off his book and dashed over, giving her a tight hug. "I can't wait until this is over," he mumbled into her shoulder. "Then you can just stay you."

She chuckled as Ominis crept over, leaning out to kiss his cheek. "Actually, Bassy, there's something I need to try with you, if you don't mind?"

He looked up, his eyes gleaming. "Oh?"

Dracaena reached into her pocket and pulled out a tiny black collar and lead, and he blinked.

"Um...?"

"For when we're at the Ministry," she said. "Ominis can hide in my robes while I'm Black..."

"Urgh," Ominis shuddered.

"But you're going to be a fox. His pet. It'd made sense if you wore this," she shook the collar at him, and Sebastian eyed it warily.

"Maybe I'm just a really well-trained fox?" he said, wincing slightly, his hand going to his ribs.

"It's not worth the risk that someone thinks you're wild, gets suspicious, and turns you back into you," she said. "Come on, change for me, I want to see if it fits."

"Drac, it's embarrassing," he said.

"Oh, do shut up," Ominis said, wearily. "You're not the one who's got to hide in Black's robes!"

"Oi, I have to be him!" Dracaena said, then batted her eyelashes at Sebastian. "Please, Bassy? For me?"

"Oh, fine," Sebastian grumbled, shifting into his fox form, where he sat on the floor, glowering up at her. Dracaena grinned, and knelt.