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Chapter 48 – Father
"Momo, aren't you coming down?"
After descending four or five steps, Audrey turned back and called softly.
Momo stood at the entrance, fidgeting, then shook her head.
"This is a trial set by Lady Hufflepuff for my little master. Momo cannot follow you."
Audrey nodded slightly. She turned forward again, raised her wand, lit its tip, and continued downward.
The passage stretched on endlessly, winding and narrow.
The stone beneath her feet was slick with moss; one careless step would be enough to send her tumbling.
"Why were ancient people so obsessed with digging underground…" Audrey muttered.
After more than ten minutes of walking and complaining, she finally reached the end.
A stone chamber.
The chamber was enormous—roughly the size of two Transfiguration classrooms combined. The moment Audrey stepped inside, lights flared to life automatically.
Several plain stone pillars supported the vast space. Plain—utterly plain. No decorations, no carvings, no ornamentation whatsoever.
At the exact centre of the chamber sat a single massive cauldron.
It rested atop a pile of firewood. As Audrey approached, a line of golden letters shimmered into existence before her eyes.
"Newcomer, as long as you can prepare a dish that satisfies me, you may enter my secret vault and obtain boundless knowledge."
In the next instant, a projection of the Hogwarts kitchen's food storage appeared around her.
Good heavens—spatial transference magic.
Audrey herself wasn't particularly interested in the so-called secret vault. If it proved troublesome, she would simply leave.
But since she was already here, it would feel wasteful not to try.
So she summoned eggs and tomatoes, and in short order casually cooked a plate of tomato-and-egg stir-fry.
When the dish was finished, the golden letters appeared once more.
"A simple idea. A perfect harmony. Hufflepuff's treasury of knowledge is now open to you."
…It really did confirm how atrocious ancient British cuisine must have been.
All ingredients vanished at once. The cauldron's position distorted, transforming into a portal.
A twisted oak doorframe emerged, entwined with lush green leaves. A crystalline magical curtain shimmered within.
Audrey stepped forward.
What lay beyond was not a room.
It was the universe itself.
She floated among the stars, suspended in endless space.
A meteor hurtled toward her at terrifying speed.
She tried to dodge—but there was nothing to grab onto. With no footing and no time to shift into flight, she could only watch helplessly as the "meteor" struck her squarely in the forehead.
The next instant—
Her head felt as though it were about to explode.
An immeasurable torrent of knowledge flooded into her mind.
Even with a body steeped in magic for sixteen years, Audrey couldn't endure such an influx.
She lost consciousness within seconds.
---
She had no idea how much time passed.
When Audrey finally opened her eyes, she found herself lying atop a kitchen table in Hogwarts. House-elves crowded around her, faces full of concern.
"Little master! You're finally awake!"
"Ugh…" Audrey sat up, pressing a hand to her aching head.
"How long was I out?"
"It's already eleven o'clock, Miss Astray."
"Would you like me to take you back to your dormitory, little master?"
"No, Momo." Audrey shook her head. "I can still manage. I have things to do—I won't be returning just yet."
"Very well, little master! Then I'll go and make your bed first!"
Audrey left the kitchen, heading toward the Great Hall, sorting through the newly acquired knowledge as she walked.
Most of it concerned plant magic, household magic, and a sub-branch of household magic—cooking magic.
Household magic and cooking magic overlapped somewhat with modern spellcraft, though many techniques had long been lost.
Plant magic, however, was genuine ancient magic.
Without a second magical circuit, it was not only extremely difficult to cast—it was also vastly more powerful.
So-called plant magic involved direct manipulation of growth.
A seed could be forced into becoming a towering tree within moments. Magical plants such as Devil's Snare could be controlled at will.
Audrey considered it briefly.
It was powerful—especially for accelerating potion ingredients.
But she didn't need it.
I'm going to be a rich woman sleeping on a golden dragon, she thought lazily.
Who wants to work the fields?
With that thought, she arrived at the library.
Some might wonder how she found it so easily this time.
The answer was simple.
The Hufflepuff legacy included a complete map of Hogwarts.
Though it offered no control over the castle's ancient magic, it was invaluable for navigation.
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Just then, Filch emerged from the library and walked toward her.
Audrey stepped aside and passed him unnoticed—but Mrs Norris spotted her.
"Meow—"
Mrs Norris circled the invisible Audrey twice.
Filch asked curiously, "What is it, my sweet?"
My sweet?
Audrey twitched inwardly. I'm not Sister Li—what kind of nickname is that?
Mrs Norris meowed urgently. Filch bent down and scooped her up.
"You must be tired. Come on, we'll do another round and then head back."
Mrs Norris's gaze followed Audrey into the library. She meowed again, agitated.
Filch glanced over and muttered, "That's Professor Quirrell inside. It's fine… though he has been acting strange this year. Always sneaking about…"
Audrey didn't hear any of this—and didn't care.
Which was why she nearly collided head-on with Quirinus Quirrell.
He stepped out from between two shelves.
They were less than half a metre apart.
Audrey sidestepped instantly, planting her left foot forward and halting her momentum with perfect control.
Still, a faint breeze stirred.
"Huh?" Quirrell muttered. "Why is there a draft in the library…?"
"Idiot!" a shrill voice hissed from behind his head. "There's someone here!"
Audrey stiffened and was about to flee—
When that same voice suddenly softened.
"…Is that my little water snake?"
Audrey froze.
Shock surged through her.
How could he recognise her without seeing her?
"No need to hide," Voldemort said gently. "I know you're here. It's been almost ten years since we last met."
Audrey turned back, dispelled her invisibility and her Magus disguise.
Even in this state, she knew she was no match for him.
"Yes," Hydras Lestrange said calmly, ignoring Quirrell's stunned expression.
"It has been ten years, Your Majesty—the Dark Lord."
Voldemort wasn't surprised. Little water snake had always been his private nickname for Hydras.
"No, child," Voldemort said.
To Quirrell, his voice had never sounded so gentle—though it was still arrogant, twisted, and terrifying.
"You don't need to call me that. Didn't your mother ever tell you?"
"You are my daughter."
Hydras widened her eyes dramatically, instantly slipping into performance mode.
"What…? You—you're—"
"Yes," Voldemort said firmly. "I am your father."
Even Quirrell was stunned into silence.
Hydras's thoughts raced.
Meeting Voldemort on the first day of school was the worst possible outcome.
He recognised her, so she wasn't in immediate danger. Even if another student had seen him, a simple Memory Charm would have sufficed.
But this—
This was dangerous.
Voldemort had wanted her to oppose Dumbledore ever since she was a child.
Think. Think.
What if he asks me to steal the Philosopher's Stone? Or unicorn blood?
If I can't escape this now, I'll stall.
She instantly channelled the spirit of a melodramatic heroine.
Shaking her head violently, Hydras stumbled backward.
"That's impossible! Impossible!"
"If you're my father, then who is Rodolphus Lestrange?!"
"No—I don't believe it! I won't believe it!"
"It's true," Voldemort said softly. "If we weren't blood-related, I wouldn't have recognised you so quickly."
"I know you've suffered these years—cast out of Lestrange Manor by those Grey traitors."
"But don't worry. Your father will make them pay."
Hydras instantly understood two things.
First—Voldemort knew she'd been expelled by the Grey family.
Second—he had no idea she was Audrey Astray in the Muggle world.
Naturally. Someone like him would never notice a Muggle singer.
She made her decision.
Pretending to be a resentful, stubborn daughter was the safest path.
"I don't need that," Hydras said coldly. "I can handle the Grey family myself."
"That's spirit!" Voldemort laughed. "Just as I'd expect from my daughter!"
Her voice trembled, restrained. "Is there anything else? If not, I'm going back."
She played her role perfectly—abandoned, bitter, defiant.
A solid eight out of ten.
Voldemort wasn't angered. On the contrary, her reaction felt natural.
"Go, then. If anything troubles you at school, seek Quirrell. He will assist you."
"I understand."
Hydras turned to leave—then hesitated.
A final touch.
"…Your condition?"
Feigning concern would lower his guard.
Voldemort laughed. "Nothing serious. A small accident. I'll recover soon. Don't worry about your father."
Hydras nodded—and vanished once more.
---
"Master, she—"
"She is indeed my daughter."
"Do you truly intend for me to assist her? Wouldn't that risk exposure?"
"Hmph."
Voldemort snorted.
Quirrell's body convulsed with pain. Muscles seized as he bit back a scream.
"I missed ten years of shaping her," Voldemort said coldly.
"Now I will reclaim them."
"Her strength proves she is worthy."
"She will become a blade in my hand."
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