Dark Wizard Collector: A Hogwarts Fanfiction

Chapter 8

Upon returning to my office, Jezebel was waiting outside the locked wooden door. "Ah, good you made it." I mumbled and balanced a handful of dirt with the asphodel plant as I unlocked my office. Just in time too. Even with my back turned, I could feel the teenager roll her eyes. "Rolling your eyes will cost you another half hour..." I paused for dramatic effect and turned to face her with a smile, "cleaning stables." Jezebel's mouth twitched, but she held herself from pouting and rightfully so, or else I would have sentenced her to longer than an hour and a half cleaning the filth of animals. "Go on, Hagrid is already waiting." I granted her a self-satisfied smile and waved my fingers as she left. Once she passed again through the threshold, I flicked my wrist slamming the oak door shut. My smile faded to a grimace; teenaged girls were not my favorite creatures. I half expected to see Avenger helping himself to dried lizards and bugs I kept in the ingredient shelves, but upon taking him hunting during the night and showing him the Owlery he was rarely in my office.

Since Avenger abandoned his perch, now my window sill cradled the shoot of asphodel in a small clay pot and my peppermint was hanging to dry. The pungent smell filled the room and I exhaled in relaxation. "Okay Maven... erm Maera." I corrected as I spoke to myself. "Still have to get used to using a different name eh girl? Ha ha, well you could at least go by Mae... Pish posh. Now, do your work no dilly-dallying." Continuing with my mumbling, I paged through the parchments of decade old notes and perfected potions. A laugh escaped me every now and then when I was reminded of fond memories of potions I used on unsuspecting creatures.

Finding what I was searching for, I closed the desk drawer and sat diligently working. Time passed slowly as I wrote in the journal I kept with me at all times. As my quill scribbled down my words, the ink disappeared and looked as if the pages were unused. I smiled at the enchantment I created and wondered what my brother did with the journal I made for him for his birthday. "Tom probably stuffed it in the gutter of Diagon Alley." I mused and continued writing in my memory vault.

A knock was heard at my small office door; I looked at my pocket watch and saw it was an hour till dinner. "Enter." I called and returned my eyes to the parchments of school rules and policy I was familiarizing myself with again. "You are late." I said not bothering to lift my head for I knew who it was.

"I, I was... was..." Lucius stammered.

"Pacing outside my door for fifteen minutes and the forty five before that only Salazar knows what you were up to." I stopped and let my eyes rest from all the words on the page. "Do potions really interest you that much? Because you are rather good at them—at least that is from what I can tell."

"Well, I consider myself good at anything if I put my mind to it." His bright eyes were not lying and a chuckle escaped me.

That very same look was one I had seen and admired on the world's most powerful Dark Wizard. An old bell of sadness rang in me as I thought of the wizard who stole my heart during his instruction of Defense Against the Dark Arts when I attended Hogwarts. Lucius reminded me of him with his bright eyes, fair skin and blond hair. "Tell me Lucius; are you fond of the Dark Arts?" My question made the young man straighten his posture and carefully think how he should answer.

"How dark are we speaking?" He smirked jokingly and I sighed at his sly advance.

"Gellert Grindelwald dark," Speaking the name sent a lustful chill up my spine and I folded my hands. "who, I believe you know, is unspeakably dark."

"The Deathly Hallows, but that's a legend. No one knows whether he found them or not. What does he have to do with us?"

"I was only curious. You do know that all students in Slytherin House have a natural ability and power concerning the Dark Arts." I paused and wondered why I was telling him these known facts.

Smiling, I stood and walked around the large cedar desk toward Lucius. The tall blond was endeavoring to breathe steadily as I sat on the edge of my desk and crossed my legs. "You remind me of Gellert." I stopped when I realized that I did not look the age to personally know an exceptionally well-preserved eighty-nine year old wizard. "I met him in my travels and learned a thing or two about the Dark Arts from Mr. Grindelwald." That was a lucky catch indeed, but it was time for me to do my job and stop flirting with the young wizard. "Pray, do tell me; why did Jezebel use the transfiguring spell to turn your cauldron into a sieve?"

Lucius sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Do Gryffindors ever have a reason for childish pranks?"

"Touché, but I believe the problem to be a little greater than a frivolous antic. It is apparent to me that Jezebel fancies you." I laced my fingers and rested my hands on my knees.

The student's brow crossed with surprise and distaste.

"I gather you had no notion of this, but if this is requited, I will warn you. Flirting has no place in the classroom."

"Miss Zeria, I assure you that my affections toward her are quite the opposite of admiration. She may be infatuated with me, but I promise you it is unrequited." Lucius staunchly defended himself with a curled lip of annoyance.

"Right; you may leave." I said walking back to my seat. The young man left with his cloud of arrogance, allowing me to continue my research.