So I realized that I am changing the plot just a little and the timeline of events somewhat more, as I go. I'm sorry for this, but it flows better this way. It also makes more sense.

There will be these kinds of changes and possibly some more drastic ones as we go. No major plot points should change, but be prepared for just in case. I started writing this well over a decade ago and I was still a kid. I'd like to think this go 'round is better.

Also, to anyone starting the fic now, I apologize for the choppiness and the redundancy of things where it switches from the rewritten chapters back to the original. Hopefully that will get better the closer we get to new chapters.

As always, drop me a line to let me know what you think, if you have any suggestions or comments! Thanks so much for reading!

Chapter Four

Three people were waiting at the foot of the Headmaster's stairs when they reached the bottom. The severe-looking woman in tartan robes could only have been Minerva McGonagall. Ariadne and Olympia recognized Filius Flitwick from their dueling circles. That only left the cheerful woman in a patchwork hat that was smeared with dirt, making her Pomona Sprout.

"Filius, it's lovely to see you again. You've been conspicuously absent from the dueling circuit recently." Olympia smiled at him.

He chortled. "Yes, yes. Too much to do here, wouldn't you know it. What with the fight against You-Know-Who gearing up again." He beamed around at them. "But you, of all people, know that. I imagine that'd why you're here."

Ariadne nodded. "The old goat finely presented a convincing argument. It only took a Dark Lord, but he finally managed to talk us into accepting positions here." Minerva frowned fiercely at them over her glasses. Ariadne grinned back. "Don't worry, Minerva. The Headmaster and we go way back. What's a little gentle teasing among friends?"

The woman's eyebrows rose, clearly taken aback. "Do I know you?"

Isoko shook her head. "No, but you've likely heard of us. The Summer Coven at your service."

Minerva's mouth dropped opened. "Indeed. And you are our newest faculty members, I take it?" They nodded. "Well, I'm to take our new addition to the Transfiguration staff around on a tour."

Ekantika stepped forward and offered her hand. Minerva examined her for a moment, before shaking it firmly. "You'll be taking over my first, second, and third year classes, which will allow me the time to take over some of Albus' duties. Since You-Know-Who's return, the stress and workload on the headmaster has been enormous. I am pleased to now be able to take some of that from him."

Ekantika nodded. "I'm happy to help and I look forward to the challenge of teaching."

There was a moment of silence as they all looked around at one another. Aurelia finally turned to Pomona. "You must be Pomona Sprout. I'm Aurelia. I'm going to be taking over the first through third year potions classes, but I'm also the one who will be teaching Herbal Properties. The Headmaster told me that you'd be willing to discuss that with me?"

The dumpy little witch nodded, smiling. "Of course. I'd be delighted. Shall we walk and talk? I'd be happy to give you the tour of the castle now."

Aurelia grinned. "Thank you!" She waved to the others and let herself be led away.

Minerva turned back to Ekantika. "Shall we?" They too moved off.

Filius grinned up at them. "I know Ariadne and Olympia, which must make you Isoko. You'll be relieving Old Binns of his post?" Isoko nodded. "Good, good. It's about time. Come. I'm to give you a tour."

Ariadne and Olympia made to follow them, but Filius waved them away. "You ladies are to wait here, I'm sorry to say. Someone else will be giving you a tour."

They looked at each other, confused, as Filius and Isoko departed. The hallway quieted as the sound of footsteps faded.

"Well…what do we do now?" Olympia asked, looking around.

"Get lost trying to get back to the Tower or loiter here awkwardly until someone comes along?"

Olympia laughed. "Those do seem to be our only options."

Ariadne grinned back and shrugged, but her response was prevented by the echoing sound of footsteps. The two turned to see a painfully pale blonde man dressed in all black and emerald velvet and holding a snake-headed cane coming down the hallway toward them. Ariadne blinked. What was he doing at Hogwarts? She glanced at Olympia, who shook her head, looking just as perplexed as Ariadne felt.

He glanced up and caught sight of them, eyes narrowing. "And who might you lovely ladies be?" His mouth curled into a smirk.

"New additions to the faculty. And pray, tell me, why is Lucius Malfoy at Hogwarts?"

Something like suspicion flickered across his gaze. "I admit to also being a new addition to the faculty. The board of trustees finally demanded a course be added to match Muggle Studies. I am the new Professor of Wizarding Culture."

Olympia stared at him. "I'm not sure I understand why they would allow a Death Eater to teach children about Wizarding Culture, but I never claimed to understand politics anyway so…"

Lucius' face and posture closed off. "Should you be making such unfounded accusations so soon after you were hired, Miss…"

"Olympia Ourania. And it's Mistress, actually. I think you'll find that any accusations that I make are always completely founded."

He frowned. "Ourania? Are you…" He paused a moment, eyes narrowing again. "Are you a member of the Summer Coven?"

Olympia smiled. "Got it in one." She indicated Ariadne. "And this is my High Priestess."

"Ariadne Aureus, at your service. Or rather not, as the case may be."

Lucius' expression sharpened, as though suddenly on edge. Ariadne imagined that he was remembering all the rumors about them from the first war. She smiled, toothy and dangerous.

Lucius opened his mouth to make some response to the obvious threat when the Headmaster's Gargoyle moved aside and Severus Snape appeared at the bottom of the stairs. He looked pale and tense, but otherwise gave no sign of having his entire life upended. He nodded briefly to Lucius and turned to the two women. "I have been instructed to offer you a tour of the castle. It would be my pleasure to help you get settled in any way I can."

Ariadne swallowed the innuendo that sprang to her lips, reminding herself that he was likely in no mood for that line of inquiry.

Apparently, Lucius Malfoy couldn't resist such a temptation. "I'm sure you would, Severus." He murmured, a leering smile curling his lips. "They are, after all, very lovely."

Severus' already tense frame stiffened.

"We are also standing right here. Kindly don't talk over our heads." Olympia said, voice tight and smile thin.

Ariadne merely ignored him, eyes on the Potion's Master. "We would appreciate the tour very much, Severus. This castle is enormous."

Severus offered her a tight smile. "I imagine for someone unaccustomed to such large properties, Hogwarts would be intimidating to say the least. Time and the portraits are the best ways to learn Hogwarts. Will you be staying all year?"

"No, actually." Olympia answered, shaking her head. "The Headmaster set up private transportation for us, to allow us to return home when we need. We will be dividing whatever time we have between the castle and Salem. Isoko will still be teaching at the Salem Institute part-time, just the single class, and Ekantika is working collaboratively with the Spell Development Team there." Olympia answered.

"Won't that be very taxing on you? So much travel?" Lucius interjected, his eyebrow raising in question.

Ariadne could not control the loosening of her posture as her body prepared for combat. Her nostrils flared and she gritted her teeth. "I'm sure we'll manage."

"Really?" Lucius pushed, not seeing or not caring about the danger signs. "You will presumably be teaching a full course load each and I can't imagine you'd leave your Coven practices behind, but constant international travel too? However will you manage it all?"

Ariadne flexed her shoulders. "Mr. Malfoy," She said, pointedly not using his title.
"American women are quite a bit more resilient than you seem to think we are. We are perfectly capable of doing as much if not more then men do and certainly more than you've ever done. Stop patronizing me. It's sexist and rude and it's growing tiresome."

"Do you have a problem with me, Mistress Aureus?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. You will find the problem that I have with you if you roll up your left sleeve. My sisters and I have worked to keep your…associates confined to your current level of…infestation. I have a problem with the slippery manner in which you evaded arrest the last go round and the arrogance that you are displaying this time. It upsets my sensibilities. Your attitude does not help." Ariadne leaned back on her left foot, which freed her wand arm from its too close proximity to Olympia, and finally posed a clear threat.

Lucius narrowed his eyes, shifting into a defensive combat position in response. "I don't think you understand who it is you are speaking to in such a manner."

Ariadne laughed, high and bitter. "I could say the same to you. I know exactly to whom I am speaking. You are nothing, Lucius Malfoy. You are a piece of Death Eater filth who grovels at the feet of a Half-blood monster bent on the destruction of our world. You claim to value Wizard Culture and Wizard Tradition? Lies. Clearly, all lies. The Dark Lord has no love of Wizarding Culture. He loves only power and he will take it any way he can get it. That includes using and discarding purebloods. It amuses him to watch you writhe in pain. It satisfies him to watch you die for him because you have what he does not: blood rights. And you were stupid enough to pledge yourself to him. The Dark Lord will fall and you along with him. It's the path you've chosen, but you condemn Draco and Narcissa as well. After all, there is a cell in Azkaban awaiting any who followed the Dark Lord and a Dementor who would love to welcome you home to it. I suggest that, unless absolutely necessary, you simply stop interacting with my sisters and me or the next word you speak to us will be your last."

Magic was crackling off the tips of her fingers and a magical wind caught at her hair and robes. Olympia laid a hand on Ariadne's shoulder, ready if she was needed.

Lucius had both hands on his cane now and his face was a frosty sneer. "Don't make idle promises you won't be able to keep."

Ariadne narrowed her eyes and bared her teeth at him. She raised one fisted hand into the space between them.

For a moment, Lucius thought she might punch him.

Instead, she opened her fist and a swirl of black flame guttered up from it. The fire in her palm crackled and leapt, looking for a target. There was a sharp intake of breath to her left, which she ignored. She was focused only on Lucius.

"Care to try me?" Ariadne snarled. She took a small step forward, careful not to dislodge Olympia's hand.

Lucius stumbled back, nearly falling, before turning and fleeing back the way he'd come.

There was a moment of silence as they listened for the fading echo of Lucius' retreat. "Well…that went about as poorly as it could have."

Olympia's hand fell from her shoulder as Ariadne turned to look at the others. Severus was staring at her. "How…How did you do that?"

Ariadne's mouth smiled, but her eyes went flat. "There is a reason Dumbledore introduces me as a Mistress of the Dark Arts."

"No, you misunderstand me. I…I have never seen that done wandlessly and wordlessly, nor ever so much at once."

"Ah." Ariadne nodded. "Some of the power that fed the spell was lent to me by my sister. Otherwise I would not have been able to produce so much. Alone, I can only manage enough, wandlessly and non-verbally, to sit on the tip of my finger."

The two stared at each other for a long moment. Olympia rolled her eyes at the heated look. There was admiration and respect in his dark eyes. The air between them seemed to crackle with tension. Finally Olympia cleared her throat, which jolted them out of whatever moment they were having. "Lead on, Master Snape."

He turned to Olympia. "No need for such formalities. We are colleagues."

She smiled at him, genuine and warm. "Severus, then. And you must call us by our first names as well. All of us."

He nodded to her. "Shall we begin, then?"