Chapter 1

Severus had no intention of leaving the Prinzhorn over Christmas, because he had every anticipation that Dolokhov was going to get someone – probably Lord Pyotr – to try something on to punish him for not half-killing the cheeky little monkeys who had made such fun of him.

Besides, it was overdue for another attempt on the castle. Lucius was having all the younger ones for Christmas, and Jade's children too, along with small Lily's goblin father, who would learn a lot through meeting goblin Malfoys.

Lucius enjoyed having a house full of children, and besides it would make more innocent chaperones to prevent him from getting carried away with Biirta, though Severus was still wondering what had made the girl blush so when Lucius had told her that he was planning a Christmas musicale with his harpsichord.

Severus was hosting several of the more open minded Whitesnakes over Christmas, especially after Drach had written enthusiastically to a couple of his fellows. With their help, and those of his willing staff, and such of the postgraduates and children who stayed on for the holidays, Severus also set up wards against undead, tying the line to the lightning conductors as he had for the fey. According to what the Ubiquitous Marauders had said, it worked very well indeed to use lightning to disrupt the magical bond between rotting body and disintegrated soul of the inferii.

The ritual-excluding line, which Severus had been quite proud of, it being one-way only, was also strengthened to make sure that it also covered the opening of gates into the castle.

"The protection of a school requires a lot of major wards, doesn't it?" said Drach.

"When I was first teaching, I confess I queried the necessity of many of the wards at Hogwarts," said Severus. "I learned during the Voldemort years that not only were they necessary, but that previous protective wards had not gone far enough. It's only in the modern age, though, that political powers have waged war on schools with so much vigour. Goblins once hoped to use Hogwarts in a hostage situation, but their plans were betrayed – and just as well, in the long run, such foolishness would have set back their cause by centuries – but only Voldemort and Odessa and other supremacists have fully understood the moulding of young hearts and minds and yet managed to be so totally inefficient in their approach."

"By using direct attack?" asked Drach.

"Yes, and by failing to understand the mindset of the children they sought to dominate too," said Severus. "It is the custom of the English child – and that appears to have rubbed off on those from other nations here – to make the best of things and find a game in it. Hence the reputation we have for treating dark wizards as sport. It is an attitude somewhat encouraged by the staff, to help prevent fear, and our staunch little fighters can support the adults. And I recall the current headmaster of Hogwarts as a small boy, about the age of Zhenga and co, leading a sally of his classmates against werewolves at that," he added, "and first and second years eager to have a go at a huorn army. There were about fifty of the wretched things," he added. "Confirmed me in my dislike of Herbology save for potion ingredients. Plants are dangerous."

"Coming from the man who has faced out more dark wizards than most, that almost sounds facetious," said Drach.

Severus shrugged.

"I know where I am facing out dark wizards; the way they think and what they are likely to do seems obvious to me. Plants are alien. It doesn't mean I can't handle them – I did my part flying a broom with weed killer to aim at the roots of the brutes – but I don't have to like them."

Drach nodded.

"I see," he said. "What of the undead? You cannot know their mind as they have none."

"No, but if you perceive them as the weapon of a human agency who does have a mind, then you know how he will have programmed them, and directed them," said Severus. "To be honest, I doubt that Dolokhov's complaint will go as far as the Necromancer; it's more likely to be Lord Pyotr, or as we like to call him, Lord Flexi Jerkoff. It's very rude in English, as well as being a muggle literary reference" he added as Drach looked uncomprehending. "He is a limited man who refuses to accept when I told his poor little spy to tell him the truth. He seeks for a powerful artefact from which I 'must' be getting my power, and which 'must' be powered with sacrifices. I ask you, do I look the sort of fool who would bury his power in things?"

"No. And he does not sound as though he truly appreciates the power of ritual, nor what I suspect is a blood ritual of some considerable proportions. I found my way to your library after all," said Drach.

"I can see why Mischa rates you," said Severus. "Will you teach in the school he hopes to found?"

"Yes, I believe I shall," said Drach. "I have learned much about children of different blood status here, and I should like to nurture other talents that are currently being wasted."

"The hungry and repressed will not shine. Brains grow only if nurtured with plenty of protein at an early age – which is why mankind's development of sentience coincided with a more varied diet – and protein is a high status food amongst the poor," said Severus. "Providing meals for the students and making sure that all communities have access to goats for milk and chickens for eggs will do more than the most carefully worked out regimen of study."

"I did not know that," said Drach. "Dear me, we have much to learn."

"And I am more and more happy to work with the Order of the Dragon in seeing how willing you are to learn," said Severus. "There is always more to learn, for everyone; and anyone who thinks he knows it all, knows very little."

oOoOo

Jade emptied the Schloss Adler school for the holidays, sent the elves on holiday, set up an engulfing line for anyone approaching the school with ill intent to sweep them into a hastily constructed oubliette where their needs would be seen to by a skeleton staff. This was to say a replica of Ed in the Hogwarts oubliette save that this Ed sported nipple rings on his rib cage. Pulling the left one played 'Danse Macabre' and pulling the right one played 'Fanfare for the Common Man.' Jade was like that, sometimes. There was also a wand of water-producing with a tin mug, and a preserving cupboard with such unexciting but nourishing food like ham, hard boiled eggs, salad, bread and apples in it. Unlike the Hogwarts oubliette there was a camp bed, late of the German army. If there were more than one person interfering, it would get a little cosy, but doubtless Fritti would ignore being on holiday and would check up in any case.

Sometimes the best defence was not to be there to be attacked. Jade took all the orphanage on holiday to Cyprus because it seemed like a good idea at the time, and was about as random a place as possible, since she picked it by throwing darts at a map of the world.

oOoOo

Philomène and her mother spent the Christmas holiday with Pharamond's family, and small Amadis was passed around much. Pharamond was utterly content. He had no idea how discontented Achille Villeneuve was; his choice of champion for Beauxbatons had been put in gaol, neither of his cousins in Prince Peak could make a better showing than a goblin, and he would be writing coldly to Cecily, breaking their betrothal for that! And on top of it all, the boy who was Beauxbatons champion, who had an excellent pedigree, led the ball with a part goblin! Pharamond was on Achille's death list, though had he known he would have said happily that he couldn't think of a better person's death list to be on.

oOoOo

Biirta was delighted to find Petrus an animated and happy child, who had brought three friends home for part of the holiday, and who talked Quidditch most of the time. Getting to kiss Lucius was heavenly, and to feel in her blood that Lucius and the girls were proud of her for giving her best in the Triwizard regardless of where she placed was a boost to her.

Zajala had invited Nigel home for the holidays, and Clymene had arrived too with sundry Snapes, and Clymene burst out to Lucius,

"Oh please, sir, could you ask Leonard and see if you can sort him out like Severus sorted out Nigel?"

"Oh sir, it's a cheeky thing for her to ask, but if you could it would be splendid," said Nigel.

"I'll see about it," said Lucius. "He might not want sorting out. But I'll talk to him."

True to his word, Lucius sought Leonard Baddock out. He was an arrogant looking young man, who was working in the Ministry under his uncle, Wallace Baddock.

"Leonard," said Lucius, "I've been looking for you."

Leonard looked wary.

"I haven't caused Malfoy-Tobak any trouble," he said.

"If you had, I'm sure he'd have dealt with it himself, and there wouldn't be enough of you for me to look for," said Lucius.

"He's capable," said Leonard. "What did you want?"

"Ah, yes, like your brother, you have the blindness to social graces," said Lucius. "I have your sister and brother staying with me for the holidays and they asked if you would like to join them – because Nigel needed some help from Severus Snape, and he trusts me to be able to extend the same help to you."

Leonard looked even warier.

"What sort of help?" he asked.

"Well, Leonard, it is only with Nigel that Severus was able to bring together some research he has been doing over a number of years – he is a busy man – to the effect that members of your family have an anger problem related to an inability to understand people. And as I know fine well how to wear arrogance as a mask, I know you are doing so too, and that you are almost afraid to ask more. Am I right?"

"Yes," said Leonard.

"I'm inclined to the opinion that Malcolm was just nasty as well," said Lucius, "but you kept your nose clean at school and buckled down. As did Nigel until he lost his temper. But then Gorbrin offered him help. Gorbrin's help was a bit rough and ready, but it prompted Nigel to ask for more help. And now Nigel is a happier boy and his grades have improved. And if you'd still been at school, you'd have been offered the same. And now the kids want you to be a brother in the way they see my older children being real brothers to the younger ones. You don't have to accept; but I offer it freely for the friends of my own children."

Leonard had a yearning look. To have been friendly with Malfoys would have been the pinnacle of success; but his parents would never have sanctioned him looking on a goblin like Gorbrin as a social equal, and Jade and Lydia and their ilk had despised him.

"What… what sort of help?" he asked.

"It's a long chant. It is partly for you, and partly to remove a flaw from your heritance so that you won't pass this on to your children. It will enable you to begin to understand better why there are rules in society, to feel the fact that others have feelings too and… well, quite a lot," said Lucius, who knew there was little point in explaining to a psychopath what made him a psychopath. It was only fortunate that the Baddocks did not seem to display the charming, manipulative aspect some psychopaths had; as Tom Riddle had. "It helps you with the red mist that wants to hurt people too."

"That would be useful," said Leonard. "Being ruled by rage means you have trouble seeking promotion."

"Well, come along," said Lucius. "No time like the present; I'll see it's cleared that you have an extra holiday. I shan't tell your uncle though; I don't like him."

"Has he got this heritable whatever it is?" asked Leonard.

"No; I checked," said Lucius. "He's a nasty little twerp all on his own. Be proud; yours is fixable."

"Good," said Leonard, who definitely considered being a nasty little twerp was to be avoided; it lacked the grandeur of evil wizardry.

Leonard found himself made comfortable on a sofa, and Nigel took one hand and Clymene took the other. He was not sure how he felt about this.

Two hours later as his memories were being unlocked, a refinement Lucius considered necessary in a young man of twenty, Leonard was becoming glad of the sister and brother he had not treated well. He realised he was crying.

"Now you know, and now you can move on, Leo!" said Nigel, patting his arm.

Lucius drew out the Malfoy lines and absently continued chanting to destroy the faulty gene. Psychopathy could arise spontaneously, or be caused by cranial trauma, but could also be passed on, or at least the faulty gene leading to low empathy, aggression and antisocial behaviour could, and Lucius, who did his chanting like Lilith using Assimilative Correlation by obscure pun, murmured "MAO-A doth rule my life" as a part of his chant. There were other genes of course, and unlike muggle scientists, Lucius was able to highlight them as Leonard relived his memories, and modify them accordingly. Severus did it by instinct, but Lucius did it by order and method. And how Severus would splutter if told that he used anything but scientific method! Lucius planned to tease him about it when he discussed this. They would have a splendid little quarrel and Severus would end up coming up with more theory than Lucius felt capable of, and then they would get drunk on elf-made wine together and leave the notes out for Krait to refine.

"I expect you feel as weak as a kitten, my boy, and also want to spend some time with your family," said Lucius gently, as he finished. "I'll have a tea tray sent in to you."

Lucius' idea of a tea-tray was a three-tiered dumb-waiter from the early years of the 19th Century, groaning with food, as well as a tea pot, coffee pot and cream as well as milk. And the Baddocks had much to catch up on.

That was a potential problem sorted.

Lucius decided that he would break the news to Wallace Arbuthnot Baddock that he had stolen his nephew a little bit; it gave him the opportunity to drop the dirigible fart curse on him. And that was mostly on behalf of Mary-Ann Green-Dell, whose mother it was that Wallace Baddock had run off with. It would be part of his Christmas gift to the dear girl.

oOo

The Gardiner children had a lot to tell their mother about their first term; and Amanda looked distinctly wistful as Adam explained about the Blood Group, and all it stood for, and how Ace would be a part of it by right when the youngest were brought in.

"How do you get chosen for it?" she asked.

"Well, if you want to Maraud. Or support, I guess, because your set support, though there's Marauders too now you've gone up a year," said Adam. "You mean they haven't asked you yet? Well that's what you get for being a bit standoffish at them."

"I wasn't," said Amanda.

"I expect they are waiting to see if you seem keen," said their mother. Lucius had explained blood magic to her, and loaned her the book, and explained how it was not like muggles sharing blood, nor at all risky where blood poisoning was concerned, or she might have been a little less happy. But Lucius had every expectation of some, if not all, of her children being a part of it.

"I don't want to be, I don't think," said Andy, who found the concept of being closer than close rather intimidating.

"You don't have to be," said Adam. "It'd be nice to all be a part of it, but it's got to be a personal choice. Nigel and Zajala aren't, and they both have siblings who are."

Amanda did want it, but she was not sure how to ask.

oOoOo

David had very little expectation that the Russians were going to try anything against Hogwarts School; not yet, in any case. They had laid several eggs in trying to attack Prince Peak and Durmstrang simultaneously, and Hogwarts still held a fearsome reputation. Gerhardt had been told stories about how Dumbledore was as soft as butter, as Gellert Grindelwald had seen him; he had learned otherwise, and besides, Dolokhov knew that Lucius Malfoy would, at a pinch, aid his old alma mater, and Dolokhov for one feared Lucius. As did anyone with any sense, reflected David. Lucius had the ability to perform small revenges on those he disliked, with corridor level curses, but he was also probably one of the most powerful wizards on earth – or even on the flagstones of Malfoy Manor – and everyone who was anyone knew it.

Why nobody seemed to twig that Severus was possibly even more powerful, David could never understand.

David, who was down to earth and well-adjusted would never understand that the power-hungry could not even comprehend why a powerful wizard would 'waste' his time teaching instead of amassing a political and economic empire as Lucius did. The Snape acquisition of wealth through careful investment, and the marketing of modified muggle artefacts passed most people by; and that Severus actually enjoyed teaching would never occur to them.

This, of course, was the seat of the rumours of a powerful artefact that Severus guarded and used.

oOoOo

Agata Bacso was pleased that the castle had plenty of wards up, and that Clovis Gierek was more than equal to dealing with most threats, and had the sense to call in help if he needed it.

She was very much taken aback to hear Clovis' adopted son, Radagas, explaining at the top of his young lungs all about his friends – ranging from a pure blood junker like Falk Kesselring to an elf – and how they jinxed Dolokhov's chair.

Agata slipped Radagas ten galleons and suggested he and his friends have a treat on her.

"Oh thank you, Madam Bacso!" said Radagas. "I'm only sorry I wasn't doing it with Zoltan and Sigismund and the others, but my friends are dead cool!"

He really was no different to any human boy, reflected Agata. And certainly put her more in mind of her son than many a human boy.

"A little nipper like that did all that stuff with the music and writing and all?" said Saxdred, who was around, doing repairs.

"Well, with a group of others," said Agata. "It is impressive. And clever of them to target the chair not the man. Much safer. Radagas is a son Clovis may be proud of. A pity the parents would not accept him here, but there! One has to assemble the blood snobs of the future where one might keep an eye on them, and hope to open their eyes a little."

"You think very long term, Headmistress," said Saxdred.

"I'm only starting, really, to think," sighed Agata. "And to realise how everything I grew up with is probably a lie. Go and find something somewhere else to do, Saxdred; I want to chew on my liver a little bit at the erosion of my prejudices."

"You're as honest as they come, as well as the most gracious witch I ever met," said Saxdred, and took himself off.

Agata wished he did not make her feel quite so inadequate in his evident admiration of her.

oOoOo

"If I was going to attack, I'd do so at lunch time on Christmas Day," said Krait.

"If you were going to attack, I'd probably run away," said Severus. "However, I'm not sure he'd get the timing right; those idiot Russians are still on the Julian calendar not the Gregorian, despite even Soviet Russia having come into line with the rest of the world and catching up with the proper motions of the heavens."

"If it was good enough for some Bogatyr in the twelfth century, it's good enough for them, I suppose," said Krait.

"Something like that. I had Carmenta lay cards, read tea leaves and tickle the crystal ball, and she came up with a feasible date. As Law told me to have a happy New Year and save some dementors for the rest of them, I'm assuming he has no fears, and that it's going to be after New Year. Carmenta had the fifth being a date that held some irritations."

"Irritations?" Krait raised an eyebrow. "Nothing serious then?"

"I think our fey-frying line takes threat down to irritation level," said Severus dryly. "And I'm waiting to hear from Leesitsa too."

oOo

Leesitsa came hesitantly to knock on Severus' door, and entered at his cheerful 'herein!'

He regarded her thoughtfully.

"Did he want you to assassinate me, or steal the non-existent artefact?" he asked, cynically.

"How did you know?" gasped Leesitsa.

Severus laughed.

"I know Lord Pyotr, and what sort of man he is," he said. "And I still don't KNOW, my dear, which one it is."

"Steal the artefact," said Leesitsa. "Which amounts to the same thing as killing you, as he has determined that it is as red as a ruby and is a heart and that you carry it within you, and please don't laugh too hard because I didn't dare tell him it was a load of rubbish."

"I wasn't laughing because I was worrying about your family if you plainly don't succeed," said Severus. "So do you know what the secret is?"

Leesitsa made an impatient gesture.

"Of course I do; once I'd talked to Danica, I read the book. With what she'd said it fell into place. I did ask if his divination had been correctly interpreted and he had what your juniors call a hissy fit, and told me I was stupid. From which I assume he did his own interpretation."

"Oh these amateur seers," sighed Severus. "I've known a few, though most of them have either been self-important teenagers or silly old bats."

Leesitsa giggled, a little hysterically.

"He'd hate being likened to either! Which doesn't displease me. Fortunately I don't have much family to worry about," she said. "Only my uncle, who is a crony of Lord Pyotr. So that's not a problem."

"What about Domna? Will he take out irritation at you on her family?" asked Severus.

Leesitsa considered.

"I don't think so; they are a large and prominent family and to go to war with a good Russian family who are wealthy and well connected would not go down well with potential followers of his," she said.

"Good. Then all we do is sit back and wait," said Severus.

"Aren't you going to… well, make preparations?" asked Leesitsa. Severus laughed.

"People have been attacking this school since my cousin Constance Hardbroom escaped from it by opening a gate with as many of the little ones as would go with her," he said. "I have defences layered in place. I know when the attack is likely to be, and I have no intention of having my Christmas spoiled by any minor irritations like the soon-to-be meerkat."

"I beg your pardon?" asked Leesitsa.

"Krait threatened to turn him into a meerkat if he misbehaved again. I'm not going to stop her," said Severus. "I've never seen a sending done via floo before, it should be entertaining."

"Is it even possible?" gasped Leesitsa.

Severus shrugged.

"Krait came to the Wizarding World at fifteen years old, having had her magic blocked by a counter-ritual, and as she didn't know what was possible and what was not has managed time after time to demonstrate that the impossible is often only a matter of the perception of small minds," he said.

"May I watch too?" asked Leesitsa.

"You're welcome," said Severus.

"I've taken good note of the lectures on the Dark Arts your son gives," said Leesitsa, abruptly, "and I've come to the conclusion that I've been pointed towards being a loser. I don't want to be a loser. You and all your staff are remarkable people – as indeed are many of your pupils – and they can take my breath away with what they can do without needing to resort to the Dark Arts. And I know Krait does transfigurations whilst leaving the human brain intact, and in a way, a transfiguration to Meerkat and in such fashion is almost more terrible than any curse."

"Oh yes," said Severus. "But if she had done it without provocation it would still have been the Dark Arts for having dark intent; but he has been told that there is no big secret, and warned to leave us alone. If he does not heed the warning, that, then, is his problem, like muggle signs warning people not to play with electricity."

"It's dangerous then?" said Leesitsa. "I thought they just used it instead of spells."

"It can kill you if you play with it injudiciously," said Severus. "But then, so can spell effects."

"Point taken," said Leesitsa.

oOo

Severus and family joined the younger ones at Malfoy Manor for Christmas and a good time was had by all. The staff took a day each watching out for any trouble before the anticipated date, and Percy and Harmony spent much of the holiday there in order to avoid too many effusive outpourings from Molly.

The attack, when it came, was anticlimactic.

Fey of a mixed kind from dementors up to very minor demons roiled in, hit the line, and then Severus released the lightning that his competent team had been building up in the lightning rod.

The fey came apart like torn shreds of diaphanous cloth.

It may be said that Leesitsa was impressed.

oOo

"Lord Pyotr," said Krait, coldly.

"You wish to sue for peace and make terms?" the face glowed greenly in the flames.

"I think you overrate yourself," said Krait. "I did warn you last time we spoke, what would happen if you interfered in our school again."

He waved a hand.

"I can manage to forgive that. I might even comfort you, the grieving widow," he said.

"What a loathsome turd you are," said Krait, conversationally. "If the three of us were grieving widows, you'd be in too many pieces by now to ever put yourself together because we'd splinch your ghost as well as your body. But we're not. So I'm just going to turn you into a meerkat."

Lord Pyotr laughed.

The laugh became gradually rather squeaky.

"What have you done?" he squealed.

"What I promised. I keep my promises," said Krait.

The Meerkat wore a smoking jacket just like the one in the advert. It could also still talk. In a way, that almost made it worse because he would be a figure of ridicule for his underlings; something any Russian Strong Man hates.

Krait smiled, waved, and cancelled the fire-talking.

Leesitsa was almost crying with laughter.

"So it is possible," said Severus.

"Did you doubt me?" asked Krait.

He shook his head.

"No, not really," he said.

"And well you should not," said Krait, in a Yoda voice.