Days later.
The Draconis common room breathed with quiet unease that night.
The commonroom, quiet save for the occasional flipping of pages by Cho who was reading one of the many Draconis library tomes.
Cassius meanwhile sat at the long table, his mind racing on a pet project of his, utilizing the Diadem of Ravenclaw to have an AOE effect rather than an equipment effect.
But his attention was elsewhere — on the girl sitting not to far from him in quiet isolation.
Cho Chang — his first subordinate, though the word still felt strange on his tongue.
Her once-blue robes had long since been replaced by black and silver, the sigil of the dragon glinting faintly over her heart.
She looked smaller somehow, not in stature, but in certainty.
Her movements carried a quiet hesitance, as though she were still unsure what the world now expected of her.
It had been three days since the end of the challenge.
Three days since her transfer into his house.
And while she no longer bore the look of shock she previously had, there was still a visible stiffness to her person that was hard not to notice — the kind of tension that came from trying not to belong where you already did.
This of course was brought about not only by the perceived betrayal by her own housemates who had put her up as a bargining chip in a bet against Cassius.
But also Fear of the Lady Draconis, who with but a few words had wrested command of her very body from her.
He mind was in turmoil that night but it was still clear, when the lady spoke, and later when cassius calmly asked her to follow him, she had wanted to hesitate to resist but her body didnt obey, it listened to them.
Cassius set his quill down with a soft click.
"My Lady," he said aloud, voice breaking the stillness.
From the hearth, the flames rippled.
A figure emerged — mist and silver smoke coalescing into the graceful form of Lady Draconis.
Her presence filled the room immediately — elegant, composed, and just faintly predatory.
The faint smile on her lips betrayed amusement, but her eyes, ancient and knowing, watched him with patient intensity.
"You called, my dragon?" she purred, voice resonant like chimes behind glass.
Cassius hesitated.
He had been turning the question over in his mind since Cho's arrival, but even now, the words felt awkward, uncertain.
"I… wished to understand something," he said finally. "You spoke before about subordinates — about what it means for one to serve under a house. But I don't yet understand how. What does it mean... for her?"
Lady Draconis tilted her head, drifting closer until her translucent form seemed to shimmer against the edge of the table.
"Ah," she murmured, eyes flicking briefly toward Cho, who was pretending not to listen while her reading slowed to a crawl. "The weight of command unsettles you."
"I don't like commanding anyone," Cassius said quietly. "at least not against their will, if the person is accepting or loyal enough to follow my orders fine, but to force an unwilling person, thats not inspiring, but tyranny."
"Good," she said approvingly. "A ruler who would abuse their subordinates would be a poor ruler to say the least."
She began to pace lightly, each step soundless.
"A subordinate within a House, my dear boy, is not unlike an indentured servant bound by magic. Not through cruelty — but through hierarchy. They are not yet a member of the bloodline. Instead, they exist beneath it — protected by its strength, and subject to its will."
Cassius frowned.
"So she's… bound to me."
"In essence," Lady Draconis replied. "Through the magic of the challenge's contract, her allegiance, her efforts, now funnel toward your legacy. If she achieves greatness, that greatness reflects upon her master's name. Her triumphs are yours. Her mistakes, too, to an extent."
Cassius's brows furrowed slightly.
"That seems… unfair."
Lady Draconis smiled faintly, a glimmer of something sharp in her gaze.
"Fairness," she said softly, "is a mortal concern. Magic honours order — and order demands a hierarchy. The strong lead. The capable command. The rest… simply serve."
Her tone softened as she gestured toward Cho.
"Of course, this binding is not absolute. Magic has rules — and morality is one of them. She is compelled to follow your orders only within the bounds of decency and law. If you asked her to fetch a book, she would feel the magical pull to obey. If you asked her to lie, she could refuse without consequence."
Cassius nodded slowly.
"And if I asked her to…"
He trailed off, unsure how to phrase the question that had formed half in curiosity, half in discomfort.
Lady Draconis's eyes gleamed with wicked amusement.
"If you were to ask her to warm your bed?" she finished for him, voice silken and deliberately scandalous.
Cassius's face went crimson so quickly it seemed the firelight itself had turned upon him.
"I— that's not— I didn't—!" He sputtered, glancing frantically toward Cho, who had gone very still behind her book.
The ghost's laughter was like falling water, light and merciless.
"Peace, my hatchling. I jest — though the example serves the point. Unless she herself desired such a thing, the bond would not compel it. The magic of House Draconis is ancient, but not debased."
Cassius exhaled slowly, attempting to recover what little composure he had left.
"So… obedience, but not slavery. Obligation, but not loss of will."
"Precisely," Lady Draconis said approvingly. "Her loyalty is a tether, not a chain. In time, if she serves well and proves herself worthy, she may ascend to full membership within the House. Then, the bond will shift — from command to kinship. Until then, she remains subordinate — protected, yes, but still beholden to you."
Cho, who could no longer pretend not to have heard, looked up from her book, her face a careful mix of politeness and confusion.
"So… I'm basically your indentured servant?" she asked hesitantly.
Cassius's blush had yet to fade.
"That's… one way of putting it," he said, his voice lower than usual. "But you're not a prisoner. You're still free to live, study, and learn. Nothing changes about your classes or your life at Hogwarts. Just… your affiliation."
Cho studied him for a moment, then the faintest smile tugged at her lips.
"Well," she said lightly, "I suppose if I had to lose, at least my new house has better lighting."
Lady Draconis laughed softly, genuinely.
"You see, my dragon? Even subordinates possess spirit. Nurture it, do not smother it — and they will make your name stronger than any charm."
Cassius inclined his head.
"I understand."
Lady Draconis sensing the questioning had come to an end, and a new discussion about to begin quickly vacated the room to give the two some privacy.
Her form shimmered and dispersed into mist.
Silence returned, broken only by the gentle crackle of the fire burning forever in the hearth.
Cho closed her book and looked over at him.
"You really didn't have to pick me, you know," she said quietly.
Not accusingly, but more questioning as to why her specifically was chosen.
"I did think about this for quite a while," Cassius replied simply. "I couldnt choose nothing as my 'prize' as everyone would challenge me expecting no consecquences for doing so, but at the same time some equal to my own future as a student, that could only mean another students own future and looking at the collective ravenclaws, i could only think of three who i would actually want in my house."
She tilted her head.
"That's… oddly noble."
"It's pragmatic," he said, though a faint smile touched his lips. "but of those three one was unsuitable since her time at hogwarts would be over to soon, while the other Hermione is a friend and just might challenge me out of our rivalry giving me a new opportunity to have her join us."
Cho laughed softly, the sound light and genuine for the first time since her arrival.
Cassius turned back to his quill, dipping it in ink once more, the crimson stain catching faintly in the firelight.
Above the table on the wall was a large hanging Black banner of House Draconis, represented by the silver dragon of himself, and in the 'sky' above one gleaming star now was shown to represent his new subordinate within the house.