HP: Bad Intentions

Blake spent a few eventful days at Grindelwald's estate before returning to Nicolas Flamel's house. The arrangement was temporary, as Grindelwald was heading back to Nurmengard to focus on recruiting for his newly established magical academy.

The rest of Blake's summer vacation was consumed by rigorous study. Under Nicolas Flamel's guidance, he delved deep into the art of alchemy, experimenting with a wide array of magical materials. His relentless efforts nearly exhausted his stockpile, but fortunately, a new round of opening treasure chests replenished his dwindling supplies.

Meanwhile, the complications surrounding Blake's alleged violations of magical law were resolved. The expulsion letter from Hogwarts was successfully revoked, and the summons for a hearing at the Ministry of Magic was cancelled. This resolution came largely thanks to Dumbledore's intervention. However, there were changes within the Ministry as well—particularly in the Misuse of Magic Office.

Grindelwald had subtly pushed for improvements in the office's operational procedures and tracking systems, which even Dumbledore supported. Despite his general disdain for the office's intrusive nature, Dumbledore saw the value in reforming it rather than dismantling it entirely. The result was a revamped department that reflected a mix of Grindelwald's pragmatism and Dumbledore's moral compass.

Blake also celebrated his birthday at Flamel's house, marking the occasion with a rare moment of joy amid the whirlwind of his summer activities.

On the first day of the new school year, Grindelwald personally drove Blake from Godric's Hollow to King's Cross Station in a classic car. Unlike their earlier trips, Grindelwald's driving skills had significantly improved, though he still relied on Confundus Charms to divert the attention of Muggles.

Even Dumbledore, known for his wariness of Grindelwald, seemed more tolerant of the arrangement, possibly viewing Blake as a moderating influence on the enigmatic wizard.

After dropping Blake off, Grindelwald entrusted the car to one of his subordinates and disappeared. As the newly minted headmaster of Nurmengard's academy, his schedule was packed, especially since the school had attracted an unexpectedly high number of students.

Blake, carrying his suitcase, crossed through the barrier at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters and immediately sensed an unusual atmosphere. Conversations around him would abruptly quiet when he walked past, only to resume in hushed tones once he was out of earshot.

There was no malice in the air—only curiosity. Blake sighed, attributing this attention to the infamous article Grindelwald had orchestrated over the summer. Though he found the public's fascination mildly annoying, he couldn't deny the effectiveness of Grindelwald's strategy.

At least now, instead of being regarded as a kidnapper, he was seen as a hero. If he couldn't avoid being a topic of discussion, he reasoned, it was better to be admired than feared.

Blake boarded the Hogwarts Express and soon spotted Cho Chang in the distance. She flushed upon seeing him, quickly ducking into a nearby compartment before he could say anything. Her odd behaviour left Blake puzzled. She was too far away for him to use Legilimency discreetly, and chasing after her seemed inappropriate. Shrugging it off, he found an empty compartment and settled in.

Unpacking some snacks, Blake opened a notebook filled with his summer research. Alchemy wasn't his only focus during the break; he had made considerable progress in soul magic as well.

His necromancer template provided him with unique insights, while Ravenclaw's diadem—a Horcrux housing a fragment of Voldemort's soul—served as an invaluable tool for experimentation.

Blake had spent many late nights in the safety of a mirror dimension, using the Horcrux as a teaching aid. Voldemort's remnant soul, bound to the diadem, couldn't be destroyed without specific magical methods, making it a resilient subject.

Despite his relentless probing, Blake ensured the fragment retained no memory of the experiments. After each session, he cast a powerful Obliviate to erase its recollection. He justified this as a kindness, though deep down, he knew it also served to preserve the soul shard for further study.

Blake's interest in soul magic wasn't purely academic. He knew another Horcrux—the infamous diary—would soon surface at Hogwarts. Likely already in Ginny Weasley's possession, the diary represented a unique opportunity to study a more autonomous and intelligent fragment of Voldemort's soul.

Lost in thought about how to approach Ginny, Blake was startled when Fred and George Weasley burst into his compartment.

"Blake!" Fred exclaimed.

"Been ages, mate!" George added.

"I bet you missed us as much as we missed you!"

"Not as much as you missed my snacks," Blake retorted, tossing each of them a bag of chilli chips.

"You know us too well," Fred admitted, tearing open the bag.

As the twins devoured the chips, Blake noticed a shy, red-haired girl standing behind them. Ginny Weasley, he realized, her demeanour as timid as her brothers were boisterous. When their eyes met, Ginny blushed and looked away.

Fred cleared his throat. "This is our little sister, Ginny. Ginny, meet Blake Green—the bloke who saved Harry Potter and defeated a dark wizard all on his own last term."

George grinned. "And don't forget the hero who made headlines in France this summer!"

Blake groaned inwardly. The memory of Grindelwald's fabricated article was still fresh, and the twins' enthusiastic retelling wasn't helping.

"Tell us about France, Blake!" Fred urged.

"Yeah, what really happened?" George added.

Blake scowled. "The newspaper said enough. There's nothing more to tell."

"Aw, come on—"

"Enough!" Blake snapped, his tone firm. "I don't want to talk about it."

Before Fred and George could protest further, Hermione Granger appeared at the doorway, a thick book clutched in her arms.

"Blake," she said, taking a seat across from him. "You've been avoiding us all summer. Not a single letter! What were you so busy with?"

Blake looked anywhere but at Hermione. "Alchemy," he muttered.

"Alchemy?" Hermione raised an eyebrow. "And nothing else? Not even time for those two 'smitten girls' from the article?"

Blake flushed. "That's not—"

"Of course not," Hermione said, her tone sharp.

Sensing the tension, Fred and George exchanged knowing glances. "Well, we'll leave you to it," Fred said hastily.

"Yeah, don't mind us. Ginny, stay and ask Blake all the questions you've been dying to—"

"I haven't!" Ginny protested, her face a deep shade of red.

But the twins were already gone, leaving Ginny alone with Blake and Hermione. Blake barely had time to process this awkward situation before the compartment door slid open again.

Standing in the doorway was Cassandra, her expression a mix of anger and embarrassment.

"Blake," she said through gritted teeth, "did you tell the reporter what was in that article?"

"What?" Blake asked, bewildered.

"You said I had feelings for you!" Cassandra snapped, her cheeks glowing pink.

Blake groaned. "I didn't write the article. That was Grindelwald's doing!"

Cassandra didn't seem convinced, her blood rising as she stared him down. Blake, for his part, mentally cursed Grindelwald. The older wizard had taken a simple task—restoring Blake's reputation—and turned it into an ongoing source of mortification.

"Cassandra, I swear—"

"You'd better fix this," she hissed, cutting him off.

Blake sighed. His second year at Hogwarts hadn't even started, and it was already shaping up to be just as chaotic as the first.

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