The book slowly closed, and the tome floated backward, before it joined the quill in simply vanishing from sight, returning to whence they came, to continue their silent vigil of reporting and documenting magical awakenings within its range.
Helena looked toward her grandmother. "Grandmother..."
Lady Draconis smiled. "Welcome home my dear."
Helena's eyes shimmered as tears threatened to burst forth.
Lady Draconis looked toward Cassius. "It's late you two should get back to the dorm."
Cassius couldnt help but agree, he'd already been gone for quite a few hours and those left behind were no doubt starting to worry for him, even as strong as he had already become.
But as he started to lead Helena into the castle the biting words of Lady Draconis sounded out from behind him like the cackling of a true witch of the west.
"Oh and dont forget dear Helena, that boy is meant to be shared so his bloodline can spread as much as it can."
Helena hearing this ducked her head, ears burning brightly either from flushing or from the cold, which Cassius himself could not say, considering how proactive Helena herself had tried to be back at the village.
But for Cassius this topic was not new to him.
The lady almost constantly reminded him of his civic duty.
She was already well aware of his plans for the future and after learning of everything her attempts for ensure a harem and a sizable production of his offspring was only intensified.
He even felt like calling out the lady on multiple occasions of tampering with the girls minds, as each in the beginning was acquired as a spoil of war, a mere prize from bets won against school children.
But in all to short a span of time, they came to accept him, and now even developing deeper feelings or trying to press the envelope and take things even further depsite his own wishes at the moment.
He had no proof, but the implication that the Lady had in some way or another adjusted their minds to find himself more appealing or even to plant the seeds in their minds like a love potion about becoming appropriate members of this harem she was so intent on creating.
Helena was now just another addition and one she was all to happy to see joining the ranks.
The walk toward the Draconis Common Room was considerably faster than their journey from Hogsmeade.
The entrance to the common room was only a very short walk from the entrance just off the Great Hall, but Cassius's own pace was sped up for two different reasons.
First of which were the girls waiting for him at home, no doubt about to all jump him the minute he entered the House.
And the second was that after entering the school, more than one portrait damn near fell out of their frame after getting a glance at the girl who was now casually strolling through the castle.
Some even disappeared no doubt racing off to inform the headmaster as the natural surveilance system of the school.
The Ghost Of Ravenclaw Tower, the grey lady had gone missing, and now a girl of her spitting image was walking the halls in the flesh.
By the time they reached the entrance to the Draconis Common Room, Cassius was beginning to suspect that half the castle already knew of their arrival.
But that all could wait for the morning, first things first.
Opening the door behind the barrier that led into the Draconis commonroom.
""Finally!""
Cassius froze.
Seven voices spoke almost simultaneously.
Hermione.
Cho.
Astoria.
Daphne.
Luna.
Ginny.
And Fleur.
The girls had apparently been waiting.
All seven standing in a row facing toward him.
Their expressions ranged from annoyed to worried.
Fleur was the first to march forward.
"Where have you been Master? Why didnt you take your Fleur wiz you?"
Cassius raised both hands, releasing Helena hand for the first time. "Before anyone—"
"You disappeared!" Ginny pointed accusingly. "Without telling anyone!"
Daphne folded her arms. "At midnight."
Astoria added. "Again."
Cho sighed. "Do you have any idea how suspicious that looks?"
Hermione pushed her imaginary glasses up her nose. "We've been trying to determine where you went."
Luna, meanwhile, wasn't looking at Cassius.
She was looking next to him at Helena.
The others continued talking or rather interrogating him on his whereabouts.
"You could have at least left a note!"
"We thought something happened!"
"You weren't answering—"
Luna calmly stepped past them, even bypassing Cassius much to the shock of the girls whose complaints had begun to shift to her, who they thought was stealing a march by getting to welcome him home first.
She stopped in front of Helena.
Everyone else finally noticed, their faces scrunching up some at the sight of Cassius bringing home yet another stray who no doubt would become yet another sister.
Helena offered her a slightly uncertain smile. "Hello."
Luna tilted her head, then, without the slightest hesitation, smiled back. "Hello, Lady Ravenclaw."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Cassius slowly closed his eyes, of course... in the books Luna herself was the only one who was revealed to have known the great secret, and she only ever spread that information to Harry in his most desperate hour.
Of course others could have looked into it, but they were ignorant and just accepted the names they knew, like the grey lady, or if they mentioned Ravenclaw in front of the ghost she'd became angry or simply just flee from them.
This bombshell however had just been dropped in front of a small crowd.
Hermione's mouth fell open, finding out that there was a living icon of her role model and former house founder.
Each of the other girls had varying reactions but all of them had one thing in common, and that was shock.
"What?" Luna seemed genuinely confused by everyone's reaction. "This is Helena Ravenclaw. Though i must say Helena you're looking better than you were before."
Helena stepped forward. "Kind Luna, it is a great pleasure to find we once more belong to the same house, i hope you will continue to take great care of me, as i will of you."
Every eye remained focused on her as she looked away from Luna and towards the others smiling.
"Cassius and my grandmother have given me a second chance."
It was technically true, Just not the whole truth.
"I was given this opportunity, and I accepted. I hope you all will find it in your hearts to accept me as well?"
This opened the emotional floodgates as the girls all lost their focus from Cassius and descended upon the newly arrived Helena, and welcomed her in a way girls only could.
Hugs, and well wishes were being freely handed out.
Introductions being made, and even asks about if she was also in a relationship or wanted to be in one with Cassius.
Cassius himself overhearing this last, quickly darted his eyes around the common room, he needed a distraction, and fast.
His eyes landed upon the large ranking board positioned against the wall.
This was the status of their internal house competition, all to determine his own personal fate at the Yule Ball.
The final competition for which would be happening earlier this very night.
And after only a quick glance a smile graced his lips.
His own name remained at the top with all the others still remaining underneath his own.
Which meant... he had done it, he'd won.
It was always his choice who to bring as his date to the ball, but the girls had tried to assume control over his choice by using this competition as a means to 'fairly' decide who the victor should be.
But Cassius himself had won it all, and in doing so returned the choice that was his to make back into his own hands.
"Still first." his words were soft but heard by all.
The girls who were still engaged in pleasantries froze at his words, before almost mechanically turning to look in his direction, before turning further to see what he was looking at.
He turned toward the others. "Since i've now won our little tournament, i've made a decision on who i'll be taking to the ball."
The girls immediately became attentive.
Cassius gestured his hand toward Helena within the gaggle of girls.
"She's missed a lot compared to the rest of you." He started speaking calmly in his best negotiator's tone, "Even going through what she needed to, in order to be with us here tonight as she is... and for that i think she deserves a reward, and so."
Cassius's words stopped but he began to walk forward, and in front of all his other girls, looke Helena dead in the eye.
"Helena Draconis nee Ravenclaw, would you do me the honor of being my date to the Yule Ball?"
Helena smiled faintly, truly shocked she had felt nothing about this day could be greater than it already was, and yet...
And yet, here he was that same boy presenting her with the ultimate prize covetted by all, as a mere boon to her already declared best day ever.
Looking around she saw the other girls were all staring at her, not with murderous eyes but instead perhaps with confusion.
And realizing why Helena broke out into a blush, lowering her head, before a small voice squeaked its way out of her mouth.
"It would be an honor, My Lord."