HP: Spirit Talker

For myself, I made a normal chalice with the full functionality of the Pensieve. Only unlike the original artifact, you don't have to put your head in the goblet, it creates a wave of disturbance followed by the same mental environment that is created in the Pensieve goblet.

I decided to show everything from the beginning of that unfortunate day. People reacted very differently to the flashback. Lizzie, for example, didn't understand much — you could see it on her face — but she was in no hurry to ask questions. The Lan twins watched with great interest, while their mentor continued to grimace. Nanao stayed close to her mother the whole time, supporting her.

Afiri's keen interest didn't surprise me at all; after all, the girl had grown up in an evil clan and that couldn't help but leave its mark. I managed not to miss the moment of Yusheng's utter astonishment: when she saw the slave seal on the girls' bellies, the woman's eyes widened. The sight of the girls exploding made everyone but Yusheng and Afiri wince, and Lizzie also covered her mouth with her palms and watched the scene with her eyes wide open. When I "burst" the snake, Mom, Nanao, and Yusheng gave me a studied look, and Afiri seemed to be bursting with happiness.

The sight of the "evil" ritual made everyone frown, but I didn't turn on empathy: I already felt so bad that I wanted to get so drunk that I couldn't. A light trance and constant touching of the channel of communication with the fairies, with whom I made a pact, help to push away the deafening pain and grief and turn it into a bearable sorrow.

The hardest part was portraying my usual behavior at Hogwarts — I had to do this because of rumors through Ministry channels that the Department of Mysteries was snooping around London, looking for something. It's clear what, but it's not clear how it was picked up. Or did the goblins leak it? No, or the Greys wouldn't have put so much effort into the search.

I "cut" the gratitude scene, leaving only the appearance of Aphiri. The flashback ended there. There was silence for a few minutes, and then Junko was the first to speak.

— How many? — The woman frowned and looked into my eyes, a mental shield scraping across her mental shield.

— Explain what you want to know. — I answered.

— How many years did you sacrifice?

— Oh! — I stretch my face into a surprised smile. — Do you know this ritual? How?

— How many? — It's worth a try, right?

— Ten years. — I shrug with an air of indifference.

— So that's why... — Lizzie whispers, looking at my dyed hair, and I shrug again. The queen of the light fairies is a very strong, kind creature, and the crumbs that reach me through the link are enough to fight the shroud of animal passions.

— It wasn't worth it! — Junko exploded, she wanted to add something, but Afiri's calm voice interrupted her.

— Ten years of life is a small price to pay for destroying such an ancient evil. — It seems like the girl just became everyone's enemy, but she's right.

— How dare you?! You're from the cursed family that took our last drops of blood! What do you know?

— I was born and raised among people who do evil. — The girl looked calm and confident, and her voice was in stark contrast to Junko's loud voice. — Who better than me to know what they deserve? I could tell the "glorious story" of the destroyed family, whose name I refuse to mention or remember, but what would be the point? Let them go where they belong and the sands of time will safely bury their memory. Erased without a trace. — The black eyes that used to sparkle with the pride and arrogance with which the girl looked out at the world were now cold, and the sparkle was gone.

— That's enough. — I manage to intervene in the pause so that the argument does not drag on. — It was my decision. My choice and my revenge.

— What was that black orb you used in the ritual? — Ju asked after a subtle nod from her mentor.

— An artifact of my design. I won't say much, only that according to my calculations, the accumulated charge should have been enough to completely destroy the enemy. — The people around the table froze with different expressions.

— There are no survivors. — Afiri's coolly calm voice snapped to attention. — I have seen death. You don't survive that.

— What was that? — Yusheng looked at me and Afiri alternately.

— You don't need to know, Lady Lan. — I replied in a calm voice, emphasizing the last word, and the girl simply remained silent. Her understanding of the situation was much appreciated.

— And yet I insist. — The woman narrowed her eyes dangerously at me. The tension at the table grew.

— You're forgetting yourself. — She clearly did not like my neutral, calm voice. — I didn't invite you here to listen to threats.

— Why did you invite us? — The broad grin was back in its rightful place. Judging by the looks of the others, everyone was interested in that question.

— You offered me, Mrs. Lan, to marry your daughter and niece, to become part of YOUR clan. — I pause and look around at the others, and I like the reaction. I nip the smile in the bud. — I make you a counter offer: I will take one of the girls as my eldest wife, and she will be part of MY clan. Our shared blood will revive the family as it was before my younger brother's betrayal.

Yusheng studied my face for a while, actively trying to break through the mental defenses (how the hell did everyone get so gifted at hacking into other people's brains?), and then she opened her mouth to say something, but froze. I looked at her through the spirit world. I looked at her, Yusheng Lan, and the woman involuntarily flinched, eagerly looking into my changed eyes. I ignored the unpleasant feeling on my lips from the enlarged fangs. I dive deeper into the astral, even though it's terribly difficult, and the world blossoms with new details.

— I know why you wear the locking amulets. You wear them and your disciples wear them. — I can clearly see the brown stream with occasional blue flashes breaking powerlessly around the three of them: the powerful amulets prevent the birth magic from flowing freely through them, cutting off the stream, protecting it from the filth of the curses. — I've seen the same amulets on your people. — I look a little closer into the woman's eyes. — I see what they're doing. So I will not accept your offer to take on the sins of others. But I invite you to accept my fire. — I cover my eyes, letting go of the heavy state of mind, and besides, watching such foul magic is not much fun. — To that end, I invite you to remember who you really are, to set an example in my memory. I expect your response by mid-April.

Almost immediately, the woman and her charges left, and I had a difficult conversation with my mother. Fortunately, she and the cat were in no hurry and agreed to stay in my house. Nevertheless, even if it does not apply to the current disputes and the general situation, but I, along with the negative emotions, feel a great joy.

In this life I always lived with my parents, and such a concept as "my" home, I did not have time to feel, the house in London from the very beginning was perceived as a temporary housing, and it is not the same. It turns out that it is very important to know that this house is yours, you are the master of it, it is the territory of your rules. It's a good feeling, the right one.