"All good things, I hope," Sona teased, enjoying how Harry's cheeks reddened slightly in embarrassment.
"Mostly," Hermione replied with a playful glint in her eyes. "Although he did mention your intimidating chess skills."
"Chess is hardly intimidating," Sona laughed gently, feeling herself relaxing around the other girl. "Though, I suppose some might find my style a bit ruthless."
Harry chuckled quietly. "'Ruthless' is definitely the right word."
She had never let him win a game yet...
— Harry —
Sona settled down gracefully beside me, and Tsubaki slid in next to her. I couldn't deny the warmth and happiness I felt having her close. But still, I couldn't hide my confusion over why she had suddenly shown up at Hogwarts with me. I opened my mouth to ask, but before I could get a single word out, Sona raised her hand slightly, her eyes meeting mine with gentle understanding.
"I already know what you're going to ask, Harry," she said quietly.
Glancing around, she noticed Luna chatting comfortably with Hermione at the other end of the table. Hermione seemed to sense the need for privacy and kept Luna engaged.
With a small sigh, Sona began, "The truth is, things haven't been going well with my peerage for a very long time. Tsubaki is the only one who truly understood and supported me. I finally decided it was best for everyone if I took back my evil pieces and made them all human again. I even erased their memories of their time serving me and being devils."
She sounded upset, but determined.
I stared at her, completely shocked by her words. "Even Saji?" I asked carefully.
Sona's jaw tightened noticeably, and beside her, Tsubaki visibly cringed. "Especially Saji," Tsubaki murmured bitterly, her voice tight with anger.
That tone she used did not sound good. I leaned forward, curious yet slightly apprehensive. "What happened?"
Tsubaki glanced at Sona, silently seeking permission to explain. When Sona gave her a stiff nod, Tsubaki took a breath and continued grimly. "We went to Saji's house last, planning to maybe keep him in the peerage because he had a Sacred Gear, which was valuable. But when we arrived, he wasn't home yet, so we looked around a bit-and found his room." Her expression darkened further, her tone dripping with disgust. "His walls, every inch of them, were plastered with pictures of Sona. Private photos, Harry. Some of them were from inside her own bedroom, some from the locker rooms at school. Photos of her in her underwear, and even a few where she was topless. That bastard had been stalking her for months, sneaking cameras into private areas!"
My fists clenched tightly beneath the table, my blood boiling with rage at hearing that. I gritted my teeth, furious and disgusted. I should have beaten that creep's face in harder back when we fought in the Underworld!
Sona reached out, gently placing a calming hand on my arm, her fingers soft yet reassuring. "Harry, it's alright. I took care of it."
My anger lessened slightly under her touch, though it still simmered dangerously beneath the surface. "What exactly did you do?" I asked carefully, searching her eyes for answers.
A small, cold smile formed on Sona's lips. "I took care of it..."
I shivered slightly at Sona's chilling tone, deciding wisely not to push the matter any further.
Still, I couldn't help but smile genuinely at her, feeling relieved and honestly thrilled to have her here beside me at Hogwarts. "I really am happy you're here, Sona," I repeated softly.
She gave me a warm, the coldness in her pink eyes melting away entirely as she leaned slightly closer. "Me too, Harry. It's comforting being near you," she admitted quietly, causing a pleasant warmth to spread through my chest.
After a moment, curiosity struck me again. "So, is Rias going to be alright managing Kuoh all alone?"
At my question, Sona visibly cringed, clearly uncomfortable at the thought. "Honestly? Probably not," she sighed, shaking her head slightly in mild exasperation. "Rias is very sweet and genuinely cares deeply for those around her, but she's never exactly been the most responsible or organized person. Leaving her to handle everything on her own might end up in chaos." Her eyes clouded over slightly in worry, though she quickly continued, trying to reassure both herself and me. "But knowing her brother, he'll probably step in quickly. I'm sure he'll appoint another young devil heiress to co-manage the territory with her-someone like Seekvaira Agares or perhaps Ravel Phenex. Both are incredibly competent and disciplined."
I blinked blankly at her mention of unfamiliar names, my ignorance probably showing clearly on my face. "I have no clue who those two are, but I'll take your word for it," I said with a small shrug, giving her a playful grin. "Japan is literally on the other side of the world, after all. Whatever happens, it's not our problem..."
Sona chuckled lightly, "Indeed. It will be nice not having to clean up her messes for a few months..."
"Are you excited about your first day of classes here?" I asked her.
Her eyes instantly lit up, and an adorable, almost shy smile graced her lips. "Yes, very much so," she confessed excitedly. "There are so many fascinating things to learn here, completely different from the magic in the Underworld!"
"You really are a beautiful magical nerd," I teased gently, earning myself a playful smack on the arm from her and a suppressed giggle from Tsubaki beside her. "Though, unfortunately, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor don't share many core classes. But we'll still have Runes and Care of Magical Creatures together. And I'm sure we'll find plenty of excuses to spend time together outside class as well."
Sona smiled warmly at my promise, her pink eyes shining softly as they met mine. "I'll hold you to that," she whispered and touched my hand, sending a pleasant shiver down my spine.
By this time, the Great Hall was filling up steadily as more students shuffled in, sleepily taking their places at their tables. Sona, Tsubaki, Hermione, Luna, and I settled comfortably, and ate our breakfast.
Sitting comfortably between Sona and Hermione, I was thoroughly enjoying breakfast.
I felt incredibly lucky.
Hermione eagerly discussed magical theory, while Sona added thoughtful insights. I had a feeling they shared similar interests.
I occasionally glanced around the Great Hall, amused by how many jealous looks I was receiving. After all, being squeezed between two stunningly beautiful and intelligent women was definitely turning this into an incredible morning.
Just as I was relaxing further, savoring my good fortune, I heard heavy, arrogant footsteps echoing behind me.
Jasmine, seated directly across the table, suddenly stiffened, her pretty face twisting in irritation.
Hermione and Sona turned simultaneously, their cheerful expressions fading quickly. I turned around as well, dread pooling in my gut at the unwelcome sight of Draco Malfoy approaching — the guy I took down in Diagon Alley when he was trying to assault Jasmine and her friends. He was flanked by his two hulking bodyguards whose names I neither cared nor bothered to recall.
My eyes immediately narrowed in suspicion when I saw Draco arrogantly clutching two large bouquets of red roses.
"Oh my Maou! Not again!" Sona groaned dramatically from beside me, sounding genuinely annoyed.
"....Several boys from Ravenclaw already tried to ask Sona and Tsubaki out this morning," Luna's dreamy voice drifted across the table. "It was very fun to watch them fail..."
Annoyance bubbled inside me at the thought of other guys trying to approach Sona, even though it hardly surprised me. She was beyond gorgeous and captivating-a complete package that would naturally attract attention.
Malfoy stopped dramatically in front of us, holding out the roses and raised his chin arrogantly. His voice carried clearly, filled with a nauseating confidence. "Hello, lovely ladies," Draco purred smugly, his eyes shining greedily as they roamed over both Sona and Tsubaki with barely concealed lust. "My name is Draco Malfoy, heir of House Malfoy! Might I have the honor of courting both of you? You'll find being a mistress of House Malfoy comes with numerous benefits-wealth, influence, and pleasure," he finished suggestively, waggling his eyebrows in an exaggerated manner.
An abrupt, shocked silence fell over the Great Hall. Every head turned, eyes wide, mouths agape, a collective gasp rising around us. Some students murmured in disbelief, others openly whispered their disappointment, assuming that Sona and Tsubaki might actually consider Draco's shameless offer simply because of his wealth and social status.
A few girls, particularly from Slytherin, hissed jealously under their breath, glaring venomously in our direction.
I seriously regretted not just killing that arrogant baby death eater when I had the chance a few days ago. At the time, I'd hesitated, unwilling to traumatize the girls I'd just rescued.
But now, seeing Draco's smug face as he kept babbling on like some entitled brat about making Sona and Tsubaki his mistresses, I felt pure rage boil inside me.
Draco seemed completely oblivious to the disgusted expressions on both Sona and Tsubaki's faces. He just kept droning on shamelessly, listing out the so-called 'perks' of being mistresses of House Malfoy. He bluntly demanded they be ready to warm his bed every single night, crudely emphasizing exactly what that would entail with a lecherous wink. He even had the nerve to casually declare that they would eventually be expected to carry his children-several 'spares,' as he obnoxiously put it-to secure the future prosperity of his damned family.
"But don't worry," Draco drawled smugly, a disgusting grin spreading across his pale, slimy face, "my mistresses will be very well taken care of, both in and out of the bedroom. Trust me, you'll soon be begging for more."
The crude insinuation was too much. Sona snapped. Behind her glasses, her beautiful pink eyes flashed with a dangerous fury, nearly glowing red with rage. I could feel the air around her turning suddenly frigid, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
Draco, still oblivious to the threat before him, smirked arrogantly and opened his mouth again to spew more disgusting nonsense. But before another vile word could leave his lips, there was a sudden, sharp crack, and an enormous block of clear ice instantly enveloped him, freezing his stupid, sneering face mid-sentence. He stood there trapped, completely immobilized, eyes wide with shocked disbelief!
The nearby students leaped back, shrieking in panic and shock, while Fred and George exploded with laughter. "Malfoy makes a great popsicle!" Fred shouted gleefully.
"Looks like he finally found his calling!" George added with a wicked grin, clearly delighted at Draco's misfortune.
Draco's two brainless bodyguards began frantically pounding on the ice with their fists, futilely trying to free him. As if punching magic ice would break it.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes in disbelief, wondering if these idiots were even capable of basic magic...?
Beside me, Sona was still shaking slightly with restrained fury, her fists clenched tight enough to whiten her knuckles. Tsubaki, however, recovered quickly, clearly amused now that Draco had been literally silenced.
She gently clapped, smiling cheerfully at her king. "Congratulations, Mistress Sona," Tsubaki said sweetly, her voice rich with pride and a hint of playful teasing. "It looks like you've finally awakened your ability to control ice, just like your big sister Serafall! And all it took was an insufferable fool to push you over the edge!" She giggled softly, covering her mouth politely to hide more smirks.
Sona grabbed a muffin off the table and started chomping on it hard. She looked furious, but calm at the same time. "He can stay frozen till the bloody sun explodes," she muttered with a growl, her words muffled by the muffin. Her eyes cut sharp toward his frozen face, and I swear her glare alone could have cracked the block in half. She was still seething about the audacity of arrogant human boys, cursing under her breath about spoiled brats who thought women were toys.
I kept quiet, because honestly I agreed with her completely.
Then we all heard the slap of frantic footsteps rushing across the hall floor. I turned with the others and saw two figures cutting through the sea of gawking students. First was Professor McGonagall. Next to her stalked the tall, black?cloaked man I'd noticed glaring holes into me during the feast last night. His hooked nose, greasy curtain of hair, and predatory frown made him look like a pissed?off bat about to swoop down.
Hermione had already told me his name-Professor Snape-and right now he looked ready to hang someone by their guts for breakfast.
They stopped a few feet away, both staring at the giant block of ice with Draco's pale, shocked face stuck inside it. Snape's voice came out like venom. "What the hell happened here? Why is Malfoy entombed like a damned ice statue?"
That's when one of Draco's slab?faced goons finally gave up trying to punch the block with his fat fists. Breathing heavy, red?faced, he jabbed a thick finger straight at Sona like a little boy tattling. "She did it! I saw her! She froze him solid!"
The taller goon barked next, "She attacked Draco out of nowhere!" His sausage?like finger jabbed toward Sona.
The Great Hall had gone quiet. Everyone's eyes locked on Sona.
Professor McGonagall's lips tightened. She stared at Sona with that heavy, disappointed glare that could make even grown men wilt. "Miss Sitri," she said, her voice crisp, controlled, and laced with anger. "Is this true? You are a transfer student, new to this castle, and yet you would attack a fellow Hogwarts student on your very first day?" The words dripped with disapproval, and for a brief moment, I thought even Sona's usual calm might falter.
But before Sona could open her mouth, Hermione burst in at my side. "That's not true at all, Professor!" she declared. "Sona didn't attack Draco! She never once raised her wand. You can ask anyone standing near us. They'll all say the same!"
My lips curled into a smug grin. Hermione was right. Sona froze Draco solid without so much as flicking her fingers, let alone her wand.
The bodyguards turned red, puffing up like fat balloons ready to pop. "That's not true!" the shorter one blurted, spit flying as he pointed with both hands now. "It was her! She did it!"
Snape's low growl cut across them like a whip. His eyes narrowed into dark slits, venom glistening in his tone. "Tell me," he sneered, "did either of you actually see her use a wand?"
