Reborn (Astragalus and PreciousPetra)
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		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Human Solos =&gt; Topic started by: Astragalus on 23-08-2010, 21:25:15</h2>
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				Title: <strong>Reborn (Astragalus and PreciousPetra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Astragalus</strong> on <strong>23-08-2010, 21:25:15</strong>
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				Tom Riddle was in a pensive mood. Now that the Dark Lord's star was on the rise, he supposed he should have been happy. But he wasn't, not entirely. Probably because it wasn't him. Four years ago, he was 'born' when a foolish little girl poured her heart and soul into a simple (or so she thought) diary, and an equally foolish young boy had been too slow to stop him. He had Stunned the boy and left him on the floor of the Chamber of Secrets next to the rapidly-cooling corpse of the girl whom Tom had absorbed.<br><br>At first he was unsure of what to do with himself. He had satisfied his curiousity: Harry Potter had no special magical ability, he was simply an average wizard who had been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. True, he had slain the basilisk, but Tom would find other beasts to do his bidding. Killing the boy would have been a pointless waste. What then? He had quickly decided that he would seek the things he had always sought: immortality and, above all, power.<br><br>Just as quickly, he realized that this put him at odds with his future self. Lord Voldemort would never agree to share power, not even with himself. With the benefit of hindsight, Tom could also see where he had gone drastically, horribly wrong. The proof was all around him as he walked the streets of Diagon Alley. The hushed whispers, the furtive glances, the storefronts both boarded-up and burned. It truly was a miserable kingdom. Tom pulled his robe a little tighter to ward off the unnatural chill in the air. That little boy who he'd found so pathetic was now nearly a man, and if the tales were to be believed he was prophesied to defeat the Dark Lord.<br><br>Somehow Tom doubted that, but he hadn't gotten as far as he did without having several plans moving at once. If he wanted to assume a position of prominence in a post-war world without Voldemort, he would need the right connections. And, of course, Galleons. And so he found himself wandering Diagon Alley close to the start of term at Hogwarts, as if he were on a mission. Which, in a way, he was. He'd identified several family lines that were nearly extinct; it would be a simple matter to ingratiate himself to someone, make them disappear, and then 'inherit' everything. One name in particular he recalled, from a hazy memory of the soul that he had devoured.<br><br>Susan Bones would be just starting her seventh year today, he knew. It was simply a matter of finding the girl.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Reborn (Astragalus and PreciousPetra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>PreciousPetra</strong> on <strong>23-08-2010, 23:07:23</strong>
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				Though life had never quite been the same since the death of Ginny Weasley in her second year the young witch called Susie by her close friends had along with all the other students of Hogwarts continued to live their day to day lives as best they could. <br><br>When Harry had regained consciousness and left the Chamber of Secrets the whispers soon began to swirl around the school that something had gone very wrong down there. The rumours which began to circulate around there and the wizarding world at large were ones which the Ministry tried to quash and many believed those rumours must not be true. How could they be it must be impossible? However with her aunt being a member of the Wiggermort Susan Bones knew that no matter what the Ministry wanted to believe or wanted the public at large to believe the fact was not only was he who must not be named still around but so was another version of him...he who was born Tom Marvalo Riddle.<br><br>As she got off of the Hogwarts Express at the station she turned and looked up at the vast castle which dominated the horizon. It was hard to believe that this was to be her last year as a student there. Already there was a rumour which had traveled the train, one which said Harry, Ron and Hermione were not only not on the train but would not be attending their final year at school.<br>It was lucky that she knew nothing of what lay ahead that year or the ones beyond for her or that she would soon hear news of the death of her beloved aunt whom she had been named after. <br><br>"You coming Susie?" A familiar voice broke into her thoughts and pulled her back causing her to smile at Ernie. "Yes I'm coming. I was just taking in the lovely view first that's all." The two of them then joined several others from their house and began to walk towards the horseless carrages which would once again take them on the final part of their journey to school.<br>
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				Title: <strong>Re: Reborn (Astragalus and PreciousPetra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Astragalus</strong> on <strong>24-08-2010, 00:52:49</strong>
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				Of course, one advantage of being a dead man was that nobody really expected to see you around. And with all the confusion caused by the Death Eaters it was very easy to steal a man's identity. <br><br>To nobody's great surprise, when a (rather somber) Welcoming Feast ended, a handsome young man with dark hair and brown eyes was introduced as Professor Orpheus Blair teaching the Dark Arts position. Snape did not look particularly happy about the announcement, and Tom knew that it was because the former Potions professor couldn't read his mind. Tom couldn't find it in what passed for his heart to care, though. He stood when his name was called, he bowed politely when the introduction was made, and then he took his seat. It was really rather strange for somebody who looked like he graduated a few years ago to be a Professor, but considering the other oddballs who had taken up the position...perhaps it wasn't that strange. They had to be getting desperate by now.<br><br>It was a few days later that the first seventh-year Hufflepuff class came into the former Defense room. Professor Blair was already waiting, dressed in the usual black robes. Once everybody had filed into the room he cleared his throat and stood, seeming to will the room into falling silent. "In case any of you were sleeping through the Welcoming Feast, my name is Professor Orpheus Blair." He waited a beat, for effect, before continuing: "I'm sure that dropping the first two words from the name of the course has given many of you nightmares about using the Unforgiveables on each other. I'm also sure that there are some of you, perhaps, who might find the idea intriguing?" <br><br>His gaze swept across the room, his pupils looking oddly red in the dim lighting of the room, as if daring anybody to speak up. "Let me assure you, then, that anyone who misuses what they learn in this classroom will regret it. If you aren't a Death Eater you have no business pretending to be one, and I have no qualms about putting somebody back in their place if I have to." Then his tone softened, just a little: "As long as you obey this rule, and any other I set for you, we should have no problems. Am I understood?" Another pause, this one just long enough for the class to agree.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Reborn (Astragalus and PreciousPetra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>PreciousPetra</strong> on <strong>24-08-2010, 18:40:46</strong>
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				The sadness hanging in the air at the welcoming feast was felt by nearly everyone there with of course the exception of many at the Slytherin table. Susan walked past said table without looking at anyone who was already sitting there and made her way to where several of the Hufflepuffs were seated. As they watched the sorting of the new first year students she exchanged whispered words with both Ernie and Hannah. This came about after she had glanced over to the Gryffindors and found that Harry, Ron and Hermione were indeed nowhere to be seen. Once the sorting was completed they found themselves with several new house members. They nearly all looked so small and a few were nervous while others were excited. Remembering back to her own sorting she recalled being the second to be called up and how nervous she had felt wondering which house she would be placed in.<br><br>When it came to the introductions of the new staff members there were many whispers as it was announced that Snape was the new Headmaster. This continued even when the new professor was introduced though when he stood and took a bow Susan found herself falling silent as she stared almost transfixed by him. Hannah noticed this and nudged Ernie before whispering in his ear, "I think Susan has a crush. The last time I saw her like that was when she went all misty eyed over Lockhart!" <br><br>Though the students saw the new teacher at meal times it was several days before Susan and the rest of the seventh year Hufflepuffs came face to face with Professor Blair in class. Though she had been quite taken with the young handsome teacher she was well aware that there was a general unease about his class now the name had changed. It seemed many people were still afraid of a name and in truth nobody could blame them.<br><br>Susan looked wide eyed at Professor Blair as he once again introduced himself and explained about what he expected from the students in his class. When he asked if he was understood she nodded and murmured, "Yes Professor," along with almost all of the rest of the class.
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				Title: <strong>Re: Reborn (Astragalus and PreciousPetra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Astragalus</strong> on <strong>24-08-2010, 22:20:44</strong>
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				The lesson proceeded pretty much as expected from there. Mostly, it seemed to revolve around learning all the things that the previous years of DADA had been teaching to defend against; Professor Blair had the students lined up and practicing a rather nasty curse that caused painful muscle spasms on wooden dummies that twitched when the spell was done properly. Thankfully, they didn't scream.<br><br>Near the end of the lesson, class was briefly interrupted when another teacher came in and passed Professor Blair an envelope. He glanced at the addressee, placed the letter on his desk, and looked directly at Susan. "Miss Bones, stay after class please," he said in that carefully neutral tone that gives no hint of whether the news was good or bad.<br><br>At the end of the lesson, he remained at his desk and handed the unopened envelope to her. Inside was notification that her aunt had been killed in the line of duty. With the Ministry as it was, of course nobody was going to blame the Dark Lord for the crime, so the letter was remarkably scant in detail.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Reborn (Astragalus and PreciousPetra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>PreciousPetra</strong> on <strong>25-08-2010, 00:57:46</strong>
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				It seemed that most of the students did not think it strange that their new Professor was teaching them such unsavory curses as the one they learned during that first day of their seventh year. Though in many ways it was not a surprise they had such a reaction when many of them had lost members of their family at the hands of Death Eaters. However despite having lost several members of her own family in both wars Susan didn't feel at all at ease when she was casting the curse upon the wooden dummy. It took several attempts on her part to get it right due to her lack of confidence. Deep down she knew that she could do it but that didn't mean she actually wanted to.<br><br>Upon the arrival of the other teacher nearly all of the students looked up and watched as a letter was passed from their hand to that of Professor Blair. Within moments of him glancing at the name on the envelope he looked up and directly at Susan herself. The young witches heart sank and she felt a sick feeling in the pitt of her stomach. The letter had not arrived at the usual time via owl and delivered during breakfast time so she knew whatever was within it was not going to be good news. <br><br>The end of the lesson came too quickly yet not quick enough for the blond haired girl who wore her hair in a platt which fell long down her back. As the classroom emptied and she was left alone with Professor Blair she slowly stood and left her own desk to make her way to his. When he handed her the envelope she took it though she spent several minutes just looking at her name written on the front of it before she finally opened it. As her eyes scanned over the words her world once again began to crumble, tears stung her eyes as she tried to take the news about her beloved aunt in. <br><br>"Thank you Professor," she whispered before turning away from him to walk towards the door unsure at that moment if she wanted to be with her friends or to spend some time alone. The man who had just given her the letter was still a stranger despite her crush and not someone she wanted to fully crumble in front of which she knew she was in danger of doing.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Reborn (Astragalus and PreciousPetra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Astragalus</strong> on <strong>25-08-2010, 04:33:38</strong>
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				Of course, he had a general idea of what the note would be about because, like the current Headmaster, he had very few qualms about casually using Legilimency on people. But when Susan read the note he made sure to look appropriately concerned about her reaction. "If you'd like to talk about it, Miss Bones, my door is always open to one of my students." And he left it at that, because he knew that moving too fast would only push her away. He did, however, make sure to look as if he were going to say something more before apparently deciding not to.<br><br>He also made sure to keep an eye on her during the next few lessons, as they worked through the muscle spasm curse and then into a very basic fire spell. He was never so close as to smother her, but he still clearly wanted to see how the bad news would affect her already-shaky confidence before saying anything. A very strange thing for a professor of the Dark Arts to do. Stranger still that he seemed remarkably patient; he'd explain the spells he was teaching as often as needed, unless he felt the questioner were being lazy. Then he would give them a <em>very</em> intimidating stare and a cold dismissal.<br><br>Most of his students were convinced this was a far worse fate than losing house points. 
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				Title: <strong>Re: Reborn (Astragalus and PreciousPetra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>PreciousPetra</strong> on <strong>25-08-2010, 11:10:30</strong>
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				When he had told her that his door was always open should she wish to talk Susan had simply nodded before quietly leaving his classroom. It took all of the little strength she had not to fall apart right there and then but somehow she managed to keep it together until she reached her bed in the dorm. As she crawled onto the bed and curled into a ball she let the real tears flow. Her body racked as she sobbed as she began to face the stark reality that she was now alone in the world. Her aunt had been her guardian after the death of both her parents and her grandparents and now she was gone too. The Bones family had paid a heavy price both times he who must not be named had surfaced and the seventeen year old witch was now the only one left.<br><br>During the days that followed her friends had rallied around her once they had heard what had happened. It gave her some comfort that at least had them to lean on and they were aware enough to know when to let her have a little time on her own when she was feeling<br>overwhelmed. However Justin was clearly worried about her though his attempts to get closer to her always seemed to go over her head, she saw him as a friend just as she saw Ernie, Hannah and others.<br><br>When in class she did her best to pay attention and to learn the things they were being taught. Despite the fact ofbeing the last member of her family she had no intention of laying down and giving up on life. She believed it was too precious for that. And so during DADA she made sure to pay extra attention in an attempt to get to grips with the spells Professor Blair showed them. He seemed to be such a nice teacher explaining things to her calmly when she didn't understand something he had said or done the first time. Susan found that despite everything that was happening in her life she enjoyed coming to his classes. Maybe it was because he seemed so understanding and patient when he was teaching as well as the fact he was teaching them spells which may well save their lives one day very soon.<br><br>And maybe it was because she was at her most vulnerable and open to things she would never have normally due to the fact she was grieving and&nbsp; he was a older male albeit only a few years older than her but someone who seemed understanding and kind. Something which was now missing in her life altogether outside of Hogwarts.
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