I just wanted to thank JK for her world, and her continued generosity with it! These are her toys! I own any OC's that appear, they're MINE ALL MINE! BWahahahaaah! Sorry little touch of megalomania there. So enjoy my take on the continuing saga of the epilogue to DH.

Chapter Notes: This is the first Hogwarts chapter, this is the place it took me four chapters to get to last time, I hope that is not an omen! I worked hard to update this chapter less than a month from the last, it is the longest chapter thus far. I hope it is in keeping with the quality that I have been trying to maintain with this project. I had some laugh out loud moments in this chapter, things I absolutely enjoyed, I hope that translates to the reader. I also had to come up with a new Sorting Hat song which was the hardest thing I have written in some time!

All that being said please enjoy this installment!

Remember to feed the beast, namely my ego with an good old fashioned R&R!

Albus Potter and the Black Badger Society

Chapter6: Cat's Paw...

The trio had spent so much time speculating about the upcoming Defence Against the Dark Arts curriculum after Cody's departure that they almost missed the deceleration of the Express. They quickly changed into their school robes and left their things in the compartment to be taken to the castle separately. Albus did not like the thought of the defacto caretaker of Hogwarts, that slick and slimy goblin Growltooth, handling his belongings, but he really had no choice in the matter. He passed the aforementioned Growltooth, who nodded to him with a knowing look as his long claws stroked his small black beard. Albus returned the nod, not out of respect but out of a desire to stay on the creatures' good side, if he possessed one.

Suddenly Albus heard an odd distant call above. He glanced up in time to see a bird circling majestically in the dying light of the day, its wingspan was enormous. The next minute he saw it rocket towards the ground out of sight he could not see where it landed.

He was about to point it out to Rose, but he saw that she had her mind on other things. She was standing with her arms tightly crossed, and a murderous look etched on her face. Albus followed her line of sight and saw that Scorpius had made the platform and was chatting amicably with a group of girls, who found a way to giggle inanely at nearly every statement the boy was making. Scorpius glanced up and saw Albus and Rose, he excused himself from the group and came over.

"Where were you two?" he asked completely oblivious to the imminent danger he had placed himself in.

"Where were we?" Rose hissed.

Albus interrupted trying to forestall the carnage. "We stopped by the compartment and saw it was full up, so we kept going. Sorry about that,."

Albus said trying to smile and ignore the literal fumes rising off Rose's head.

"I would have asked them to move, you don't have to be mental about it." Scorpius declared airily.

Albus slapped his forehead. "I really wish you hadn't said that."

"Scorpius, sweetie," Rose said her voice dripping with honey and nectar.

Scorpius showed his usual obliviousness. "Since when did I become your sweetie?"

Rose smiled, but it was all gritted teeth like an attacking beast. "Oh since half past never, Mal-Boy, I was just going to remark that the day I allow you to "make room for me" when you had already agreed to "save me a seat" is the day I become a vapid little twit like your giggling little gaggle over there."

Scorpius smirked, "Oh? What's a matter sweetheart, jealous?"

Albus and Gas immediately moved for Rose's arms, her wand was halfway out. "Let me go, I won't do permanent damage, I promise."

"Iz there a problem here?" came a rumbling but friendly voice from overhead.

Hagrid was standing there with his lantern about to make his usual call for the fir's years. His bushy bearded face radiated goodwill, but there was caution in his eyes seeing the state of Rose. All the family friends knew the warning signs of impending meltdown.

Rose yanked her arms loose. "No problem, Hagrid," Rose remarked as she shot a scathing look that made the air boil in Scorpius' direction, "it can wait." She spun and stalked off towards the horseless carriages.

"What happen'd Alby, Rose is in a right snit," Hagrid inquired in a concerned tone.

Scorpius shrugged. "Who knows, she just goes mental sometimes."

Albus gaped at him, as Hagrid chuckled as if he had heard an explanation no one had imparted.

"Fir's years, Fir's years right this way," Hagrid bellowed as he walked away raising his lantern.

Albus and Gas exchanged a look. "Maybe you should stay away from Rose a little while Scorpius." Gas ventured.

Scorpius shrugged. "Her loss."

Albus made his way through the swirling steam and the sudden wind that had picked up; several advertisements from the local post board, including a Tri-W advertisement stuck to a missing person's request hit him in the face. He, Gas and Scorpius made it just in time to get in the last carriage. Albus was relieved to see it contained no giggling girls. Just a very scary one, dark hair, and eyes and lips, multiple piercings, she did not look like the giggling type. There were two fifth year Gryffindor boys quietly conversing, not even deigning to glance at all the lowly underclassmen. To his relief there were also Hufflepuffs in the carriage. Summer Sutherland, with her attractive blond curls sat across from them with her glasses-wearing, mousy little friend Iris Ivy. Summer flashed Scorpius and Albus a winning dimpled smile as bright as her namesake, Iris barely met their eyes, glancing up long enough to see Albus was looking at her, and then she buried her nose back in the book she had been holding.

The scary girl stared out at the lake as if it had offered offense, while the other's attempted small talk, well Gas did enough talking for them all. Even he went quiet when they made the turn up to the castle.

Albus was sure if he made the trip a thousand times he would never lose the impact of Hogwarts sprawled all over the hillside.

From the towering, twinkling, spires, to the fog wrapped lower levels and grounds the school existed on an island of cloud, magnificent and intimidating. The four-story arboretum sparkled like emerald glass, adding to the sheer majesty of the castle.

They passed through the massive winged boars atop the massive main gate and the carriages came to a stop at the main door where they all disembarked.

Albus saw that Rose had joined with Percy's twin daughters, Molly and Lucy, and had been relating to them the events of the evening, evidenced by the nasty looks they both gave Scorpius between their popped bubbles of Droobles gum.

"What have I done, exactly?" Scorpius murmured, seeing those glances. Albus sighed. "If you don't know, I'm not entirely sure I can explain it," he explained. Scorpius frowned at him and joined the stream of stream of students heading into the Entrance Hall.

Albus and Gas exchanged a look and followed. This is going to be a long year!

Albus smiled as he entered the massive room lined with gossiping wizard portraits and a ceiling far up in shadow. There, greetings students, was Hufflepuffs' Head of House, Professor Freya Bast.

She was going to get some glances from the first years no doubt, but students already acquainted with her waved or gave her no notice.

The former Auror, who taught the Transfiguration class, had long ash blond hair, but that was the only thing normal about her. Peeking out from that mane were two ears more commonly found on a house cat.

With bright amber eyes that seemed to attract and reflect the light around her, whiskers on a furry feline face, dainty fangs when she smiled and long claws on her tawny furred hands when she waved greetings at students.

Freya had been one of Albus' dad's best Aurors, before her last mission had resulted in her current condition, which was a partial but ongoing transfiguration into a house cat. Hit by a transfiguring curse from a mysterious witch who was selling transfigured Muggles as house pets in Knockturn Alley, Freya's reflexes kicked in and she managed to stun the crone before the spell completed, but her heart gave out and the spell she used died with her. Through the years of trying to halt the spell and reverse the affects, Freya had acquired an amazing amount of transfiguring knowledge, learning from everyone she could, even Minerva McGonagall herself, but she had had to retire from public life because of her looks. Albus' dad, still feeling responsible for her condition, made a requested to appoint her to the Transfiguration post at Hogwarts when the interim teacher that took over after McGonagall retired. Now Freya found acceptance and fulfilment as one of the most demanding but popular professors.

She received the appointment to the position she had coveted for years at the end of last year. She was now Hufflepuff's Head of House, and her charges could not be happier about it.

"Hey there, Professor Bast," Gas called out. She glanced up and her face lit up in a smile. "Why hello, Gaspar, I trust that your summer went well." Gas winced, "It was boring, glad to be back." She turned to Albus, "How about you Mister Potter? I hope your summer was uneventful as well," she remarked dryly with a hint of a smile under her whiskers.

Albus was about to reply when she suddenly scented the air and let out an evil cat-like hiss.

She seemed mortified by her action covering her mouth demurely, as she waved Albus closer with the other hand. "I'm dreadfully sorry about that. I must now ask you a strange question."

"A-anything Professor," Albus replied stammering a bit at her sudden change in behaviour.

"Did you happen to encounter a small man, with a strange accent and an eagle, I smell him on you," she asked her amber eyes blazing with a strange fire.

Gas answered for them, "He didn't have an eagle with him, but he did have an accent, he's from America, came to fill the Defence position."

Freya's eyes narrowed. "Orion," she said, but it had a hint of the same evil hiss she had let out earlier. As if realizing how disconcerting she had been, she smiled brightly. "Well go on in, if you need anything my door is always open to you, welcome back to Hogwarts."

With a swish of her tail, she swept off as if nothing had happened; Albus and Gas exchanged another look. Okay maybe this year will be interesting.

They made their way through the giant doors into the Great Hall. Gas saw Cormac midway down the colossal yellow, black-trimmed Hufflepuff table and waved animatedly causing Albus to speculate they had not been in contact lately. If Gaspar's mum was not impressed with Albus and Rose, she most certainly was not going to be happy him being friends with a part Leprechaun. Albus nodded at Cormac as he and Gas began catching up, well, as Cormac listened to the constant stream from Gaspar and attempted to get a word in.

Not wanting to eavesdrop on the two, Albus' eyes swept around the cavernous room, the spectacular chamber was, once again lit with thousands of flickering candles with no visible means of support. The towering windows reached up several stories into the spelled ceiling, which was showing a cloudy night sky, spotted with bright punctuation of stars and roving wind-blown clouds under a bright white moon partially veiled.

The tables where filling up with students, empty gold plates, silverware, and goblets at every setting. The table across the aisle to the right, decorated in midnight blue with bronze, was full of intense pupils settling in, most already in deep conversation. In the back of the table by the door sat a prematurely gray boy, whose hair had grown down to his shoulders over the last year. No one was sitting near Liam Donovan; and he did not seem to notice or care. His silvery eyes studiously studied his hands, he glanced up at Albus' scrutiny, as he always did, and caught Albus' eye briefly, and then his attention went back to his hands unconcerned. Albus let out a breath he did not even know he was holding.

Beyond the Ravenclaws was the deep green and silver table of Slytherin It was filling with a collection of glaring students, a mostly silent mob of intimidation. Albus saw his chief Slytherin rival, Kian Kerry, had grown a full head taller, so much his dark curly hair now reached the silent hulk Cameron Zambala's chest, he was already eye level with his other broad shouldered henchman Conner Janski. He was lounging and making pronouncements, most likely planning the overthrow of the wizard world. Kian had declared a truce with Rose the year before after their last run in, but Albus was not expecting it to last.

Albus turned back to his left after hearing a familiar laugh and saw a bunch of his cousins at the crimson and gold table beyond the Hufflepuffs. Fred was holding his prefect badge in his hand showing off to a group of girls while Roxy glared at her brother, tsking the ill-conceived decision to make him prefect. Rose was still talking to Molly and Lucy, who were showing more intense concentration than Albus had ever seen from them proving that maybe Uncle Percy was their dad after all. So focused were they that they were not even chewing their gum, or eyeing the boys eyeing them, it was ominous to be sure. Dominique Weasley and Grayson Wood were looking at each other so lovingly that Albus felt like a voyeur. James, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Swirling in and out of the entire assemblage were the Hogwarts ghosts.

Albus saw Father Thomas, known by most as, Fat Friar, and he made sure he caught the apparition's eye and waved. The rotund ghost waved back happily as he talked in earnest conversation with a Hufflepuff girl who looked glum. That was the Hufflepuff House ghost for you, always eager to lend an ear. The spectre could be an incurable gossip, but he had been keeping the important student secrets for hundreds of years. Albus had come to think of him as a friend.

Nearly Headless Nick was making his precarious verbose rounds, as was the elegant Grey Lady. The dour Bloody Baron was creeping students out from a distant corner near the Slytherins.

Albus sat down in a seat beside were Gas and Mac were still catching up, Scorpius shortly joined him just back across the room from a conversation he was having with Allen Baldwin at the Gryffindor table, he chose a seat on the other side of Albus from where Rose usually sat. Albus actually felt hope that things would return to normal for the trio, well at least what passed for normal. Rose showed she had completed castigating Scorpius to her cousins; as she came back, shot a scathing look at Albus' companion, and sat down turning her back on them both in a huff.

With the students, settling in Albus glanced up at the dais. He immediately decided that his Uncle Percy had the biggest gift for understatement ever conceived. There was a goddess up on the stage. She was sitting beside of Headmaster Shacklebolt, and the tall man in midnight colour robes with gold trim and a gold-trimmed kofia on his head, was normally intimidating and solemn. To Albus surprise, however, the Headmaster was smiling like a shy schoolboy as he and the lady conversed. She laughed and the musicality of the sound broke through the hum and everyone glanced her way. She had thick wavy hair like burnished bronze and bright brown eyes that looked closer to gold, and a deep Mediterranean tan. This vision had to be Chrys Euryale.

Do not tell your Aunt Audrey I said this, but she is a looker! His uncle had said.

Yeah Uncle Percy, she's a looker all right!

"Who's that?" Scorpius murmured to Albus. Rose turned with a wicked smile, "I'm quite sure she's not a candidate for your fan club, in case you were wondering."

Scorpius glowered at her, as she turned her back triumphantly.

"Uncle Percy said her name is Chrys Euryale," Albus explained. He saw Rose perk up and listen as he explained who she was and why she was at Hogwarts. "Why this year and not the last," she asked keeping herself half turned so it was clear she was not including Scorpius in the conversation, "I mean last year was the twentieth anniversary of the actual date of the battle, right?"

Scorpius leaned in eagerly to correct her. "The ministry always start counting anniversaries from the first year the date is celebrated in ceremony; the first observance was the actual first anniversary. So according to the date established, this is the twentieth year." Rose shot him another evil look. "I knew that, the question was for Albus' benefit." She turned back with her arms crossed; Scorpius gave Albus a rueful smirk as he leaned back casually in his seat. His face shut down in that cold aristocratic way Albus had not seen from him in months. Things were devolving between them; Albus did not know how to stop it.

He glanced back up to the platform to see who else might be new. Slytherin Head and Potions professor, Arcturus Flint was semi obscured by pipe smoke, his dark eyes sweeping the room in contemplation, as inscrutable as always, evaluating, but never commenting, his goatee perfectly trimmed, baldhead shining in the candlelight.

Orion Cody, now dressed in robes, sat on the far end conversing politely with the challengingly intelligent Ravenclaw head and professor of charms, Padma Patil. Her sweet East Indian looks not quite distracting from the sharpness and intellect shining from her eyes. Albus saw with curiosity that Professor Bast, on the other side of Patil, was shooting that diminutive man glances that were not of a friendly nature. Freya Bast had travelled the world searching for a cure for her condition; Albus now wondered if America was one of those places she looked.

Albus breath caught, however, when he saw the man he had missed because of Chrys Euryales' beauty, sitting quietly at Shacklebolt's left hand, where he could be kept in view.

Then again, saying he was a man might not be the best word to describe Professor Hemophilias.

He looked like a turn of the century dandy, barely eighteen years old, with skin so pale as to almost be transparent. His dark hair was tight to his head, and never one to wear robes, he wore old-fashioned blue velvet garb with an ascot, Hemophilias' dangerous stare was obscured by round dark sunglasses. Considering what he was, wearing those was ironic say the least. A genuine Transylvanian vampire was not a common sight, the fact he was out of his quarters, a sure sign of relaxed restrictions, was not encouraging to Albus at all. Of course, his creepy fan club was absolutely ecstatic. Albus saw one of the Hemophiliacs, who had been circulating a petition the previous year, chatting and pointing excitedly. The History of Magic professor showed no sign that he cared, he just sipped his goblet, boredom clearly evident. Albus did not want to contemplate about the contents of that cup.

"When did they start letting Professor Bloodsucker out?" Scorpius whispered.

Albus shook his head, "I dunno, I hope this is a onetime event, or I might be asking Gertie for some garlic."

The side door bursting open drowned out a Scorpius snigger and the first years came in following Uncle Neville like a covey of baby quail.

Uncle Neville had been working his usual magic because the young students to be were smiling and at ease. Albus could not help but smile at the glassed perched on his honorary uncle's nose; he must have pulled his specs out to read the magically reappearing notes he did not need. For reasons beyond Albus, Uncle Neville liked to play the buffoon, and act disorganized when the truth was he was one of the most formidable wizards Albus had ever met, saving his life the previous year.

The students followed Neville to a lone stool between the students and staff. He picked up the scroll from his place at the table and patiently waited for everybody to line across the front so the Sorting Ceremony could commence.

"Here they are, safe and sound for the most part, Headmaster, we might have lost one or two in the lake, but the giant squid has not been fed lately," Neville called out. There were sniggers and eye rolls all around, some first years actually checked their numbers for the missing.

Shacklebolt just smiled and stood quieting the room. His voice resonated in the hall, unassisted by magic, but with a magic of its own. "I wish to welcome the newest students to Hogwarts. The necessary announcements are forthcoming, but as for now, let's get these bright young wizards Sorted."

Neville nodded and he brought out the stool and the battered old hat.

Since he was not being Sorted this year, and he knew no one that was, Albus tuned out of the proceedings somewhat, until that raspy voice rang through the Hall as the Sorting Hat began its song.

You may prefer a derby, if that's the way you're bent,

You might consider a chapeau, the height of fashion sense,

A bonnet or a cloche, if you are a pretty lass,

Something with flowers upon it, but all done up with class,

You will however, never find a hat as fine as me,

On any shelf or wardrobe, or haberdashery,

I may not look like much, but none can do my job,

I alone can Sort you, but I am not a snob,

This distinction that I own, has not gone to my head,

I choose to remain humble, and sit on this stool instead,

Hufflepuff in years gone by, remains forever true,

If hard work and honesty is your want, then that is the place for you,

Slytherin has a past, of achievement and prestige,

If the ends justify the means, then Salazar is your liege,

Gryffindor has been glorious, blazing their own trail,

They fight to the end, and remain good friends, they don't know how to fail,

Ravenclaw has kept knowledge first, and have not let it fade,

Steadfast devotion to intellect, is their stock in trade,

So don't worry, my young ones,

There is a place for you,

A place to be whom you can be,

To fit in, to belong, to be true,

Just leave yourself in my hands,

I have never failed my task,

If you have any doubts, just look about,

You only have to ask!

The hat took its bow as the Hall burst into applause. Albus clapped especially hard. He would be happy to confirm to any of the first years that the Hat had done right by him.

The year previous when he sat on that very stool thinking that he was surely a Gryffindor, the Hat had seen into his heart and found Hufflepuff there. Loyalty, hard work, and tenacity were attributes that Albus was happy to find in himself, and now, he could not see himself anywhere else. He knew that Rose and Scorpius felt the same way, they had all had a chance to choose their House when their Sorting came into dispute, the year before and they all stayed where they were with no hesitation.

Now with Professor Bast as their Head of House, Albus felt that things were only looking up. If he could help it, the House of the Badger would not fall back into the cellar of the least awarded. Pride was not only a Gryffindor trait.

His mind wandered throughout the Sorting, he was getting hungry, his stomach growled so loud that Rose spun and shot him a glare; he shrugged and glared at her for being mental.

As if I can control my stomach, how long has she known me? Honestly!

He cheered when the rest of his table cheered, and nodded as the students walked by to sit at his table. He noticed more than one of the students went pale or seemed intimidated when they realized who he was. He had to sigh at that. Even after twelve years of being in the public eye, he still felt self-conscious. He could not understand why Scorpius was reacting so happily to his new found celebrity, when Albus had spent his entire life trying to live it down!

"Vesper, Linda!" Uncle Neville called out; a little girl with bushy brown hair walked to the front, and received her sorting into,

RAVENCLAW!

They all cheered as Neville picked up the stool and Hat and the Sorting ceremony ended.

Shacklebolt stood, silencing the entire Hall with one majestic gesture of his hand.

"There are a few announcements for this year..."

Kingsley went on to announce Chrys Euryale, and her reason for being at Hogwarts. Albus noticed that the male population seemed to be excited, but the females viewed her with a mixture of trepidation and immediate dislike. Rose called over her shoulder to Albus. "I suppose she's attractive but you'd think she was Aphrodite herself the way these boys are acting."

Scorpius leaned forward, not missing his chance for conflict. "You suppose she's attractive? Rose, you need some specs, that lady is spectacular!"

Rose's ears went red, so did her neck, Albus backed his seat up a bit to get out of the line of fire, but she did not take the bait. Albus might have been worried about her behaviour before, but now he was definitely concerned. He could see from the way Scorpius leaned back in his seat that he was beginning finally to understand something was awry.

"Finally, we have a new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, his credentials for this job are extensive, as a matter of fact he might just be overqualified. We here at Hogwarts wish to extend out absolute warmest greetings to Professor Orion Cody."

The Hall rang with applause, Orion just nodded and turned back to Shacklebolt as if this was all old hat to him. Once again, Albus noticed that Professor Bast's applause was polite but lacking in enthusiasm.

"With all that being said, welcome to Hogwarts."

Shacklebolt brought his hands together in a loud clap and suddenly the tables filled with all sorts of delights. Roast beef and chicken, pork and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, roasted potatoes, fries, puddings, carrots, peas swimming in butter, ketchup, and shepherd's pie, and that was just what was immediately in front of Albus.

Albus wasted no time with proper table manners but dug in with an ecstasy of gluttony. He was making so much noise that bubbly little Gertrude Statham from across the table wrinkled her nose in disgust. Albus toasted her with a large Turkey leg and continued with his decimation. Scorpius, who could normally out eat Albus easily was picking at his food and shooting furtive glances at Rose. Rose was eating daintily and conversing with Cormac and Gas ignoring Scorpius and the rampaging Albus all together. She did turn an eye to Albus disdainfully at one point. "Merlin, Albus, I'm afraid to let my hand stray too far in your direction, I might lose a finger." Albus grinned around a mouthful. "If you do stray too far, I have ketchup." She gave him the appalled look he deserved, glanced past Albus and turned back to Cormac who was telling her and Gas about Gwen Prewitt's Muggle cooking.

Albus attacked a plum pudding next, and worked his way to a tasty treacle tart before his reign of devastation was complete. He sighed and burped, leaning back in his chair. He was going to be feeling his indulgence later but at the moment he was feeling good. He worried that he was channeling Uncle Ron or something, maybe the events of the last few days had caused him to long for Hogwarts and now he was safely here, his appetite returned to an unusual extent. He felt the absence of Grandma Weasley's reach as he contentedly picked his teeth with his fork. Suddenly, he received a smack on the back of his head like she would have done if she caught him doing that. He spun and glared to see Dominique slide by arm in arm with Grayson. "Behave like man, not an animal," she informed in that Grandma Molly tone. Albus rolled his eyes at her as she moved on laughing.

The proceedings were breaking up as the Hufflepuff Prefects took charge of the first years. To Albus' surprise, the two Prefects were familiar. Diana Delaney was the tall lean dark-skinned girl, hair up in elaborate plaits, who was the tough-minded captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. The boy scowling to her left, with the crew cut hair and dented chin, negative attitude obvious clear across the room, was Cornelius (don't call me Corny) Hamilton. While one of the best flyers at Hogwarts he had a fear of Bludgers, he came around the previous season and formed a solid Chaser trio with Albus and Diana. Albus glanced around the room for the other two returning members of the Quidditch team and saw them talking to Paige Hawkins from the Slytherin Quidditch team. They were two blond haired girls who looked like twins, but one was older. One had pink ribbons in her hair and the other had purple. Even though they looked very feminine, they both had muscular arms, and were two of the most brutal Beaters Hogwarts had ever seen. Not for the first time since he had known them, Albus was grateful that Violet and Valencia Chertov were on his team.

Paige Hawkins, the girl they were with was the best Chaser on Slytherin. She was Slender and long limbed with long thick flowing brown hair kept back in a ponytail, she had a face like a hawk with a beak like nose, and she was deadly with a Quaffle. Albus had watched her endure all manner of abuse the previous year from the previous Slytherin Quiddicth captain, Roq MacNast, known as MacNasty for good reason. Albus hoped that she would get better treatment from the new captain, but then again if she was utilized as she should be, it would make Slytherin harder to beat, so Albus would have to remain hypocritical to a certain extent.

The sisters gave him a wave as he walked through the door with Scorpius. He turned to go down the stairs and realized that there was some sort of hold up. Hufflepuff students were stopped and staring at something above the stairwell leading down to the kitchen and the Hufflepuff common room. He saw what it was immediately.

There was a student in Hufflepuff robes suspended from the lighting fixture over the stairwell. He looked resigned to being up there his face flushed with embarrassment. Albus had seen him a few times passing through the common room; he was a Hufflepuff sixth year student. There was a sign around his neck.

HUFFLEPUFF,

WELCOME BACK

TO LAST PLACE!

A voice broke through the silence of the milling students. "What is going on here?" Albus realized it was Orion Cody before he turned around. The man strolled up, it was in that moment that Albus realized that for all his reputation, Orion was not even as tall as some of the students. The power and authority he was projecting made his seem much larger though. He had his crystal headed cane in his hand, his bright blue eyes were shining with anger. "Oh, I see. Move aside, please."

The students gave him a wide berth as he raised his cane and the crystal glowed deep blue, he then gestured with his other hand at the suspended student, and the boy lowered gently to the ground.

"Are you alright son?" Orion asked as the young man bent down to catch his breath. "Y-yes sir."

"What are you doing?" Professor Bast said as she strolled up.

Orion smiled. "Somebody left one of your students hanging around, I just helped him down."

Her mouth was a thin line of disapproval as she bent down to her student. "Brett, are you okay?"

He nodded. She shooed the students in the direction of the stairs. "Go on, get into bed, we want you to be fresh for the first day." The students began descending the stairs, but Albus held back just a moment; he heard Professor Bast and Orion get into a discussion.

"I don't need your help."

"I wasn't helping you. By the way, you know I can find the ones who did this."

"You most certainly will not, I will deal with this situation. The last thing I need is to unleash you on this school."

"If that's what you want, Free, I'll leave it alone."

Albus glanced up as the man touched his forehead in a salute and made his way by. Professor Bast covered her eyes and sighed wearily as he departed.

"Hey, Albus, pay attention." Scorpius remarked pulling him toward the emptying stairs. Albus followed him on down the stone steps to what would be directly beneath the dining area.

They exited to a huge high-ceilinged kitchen. The walls were stone, nearly covered with hanging brass pots and pans with a large brick fireplace at one end. Four huge wooden tables were positioned exactly the same way as the tables above. Elves were hoping around and cleaning dishes, levitating them onto shelves high above with unerring accuracy. In their squeaky voices, they called a greeting to the children, inquiring if they wanted a snack to take down with them. Albus knew several of them by name, he especially waved at Gertie the sweet little girl elf who smuggled snacks and Butterbeer into Hufflepuff all last year.

Albus and Scorpius turned them down kindly and walked over to where students were entering a door behind a large still life painting of a bowl of fruit dominating one wall.

A short flight of stairs led down to a long broad corridor lit by torches. The round walls were of packed earth and it had a stone floor, the tunnel lined with casks, the timbers overhead were dark with age.

This entire basement wing had been a wine cellar during the earliest days of the castle.

They came to a large round oak wood door, already swung out, and they entered into the inviting light. Albus paused as he entered the common room.

It was good to be back in The Cellar.

The burrow-like room was two stories tall and the furniture, made from old round casks and upholstered in plush bright yellow and black. Deep couches and chairs situated around a simple oak-mantled fireplace stained a deep brown, almost black, same as the furniture. The firelight, giving a pleasant glow reflecting on the plaque affixed to the mantle in a place of honour bearing the likeness of Cedric Diggory, twinkling above the House Cup still in their possession from the year before. The dark wood flooring had large, elaborate throw rugs the colours of a bumblebee.

In the ceiling was an illusionary burrow hole that spiralled up to show the outside sky similar to the spells in the Great Hall ceiling, since there was no windows this far down, it had the effect of making the place seem even more comfortable and inviting and less claustrophobic. Brown earthen walls lit by torches and lined with canary yellow tapestries with crest of a black and yellow field showing the fierce Hufflepuff badger decorated the walls. There were perfectly round barrel top tunnels leading off to either side.

This place had always resonated with Albus on a deep level he could not explain.

Maybe it was all the food he'd consumed or the long day that was coming to a close but Albus felt tired and headed straight for bed. His bunkroom was through the round oak door in the middle of the three off of the common room to the left, he had no need to check the list to know he needed to take the next middle door of the three, then take the door on the right in the next of the two. He arrived in the circular room he had been assigned the previous year. It had an elaborate wrought-iron chandelier, now dark, and the floor was lined with five four posters with black and yellow bed-hangings.

Albus' familiar trunk was sitting at the foot of his bed.

The walls had enchanted torches in gold sconces recessed into the earthen walls between the paired beds that gave just enough light without disturbing the occupants. The lack of windows had the effect of making the darkness cave like, but the colours of the fabrics were extremely cheery.

Albus crossed to his familiar four poster to find he had a surprise visitor.

"Kublai, wrong bed old chap." He called out to the big ball of fur curled on his bedspread. Scorpius' pet Himalayan had grown into all that fluffy kitten fur over the summer, and was now a large well fed cat, but he proved to be as inscrutable as ever. He opened one eye to show in it's turquoise depths that he knew exactly where he was supposed to be, and daring Albus to move him.

"Don't bother. He's mad at me too." Scorpius remarked as he rummaged through his trunk.

Albus gave the invading animal a dubious look before asking. "Why, what did you do?"

Scorpius gave Albus a weary look. "Why are you assuming that it is something I've done? It could just mean that cat is mental."

Kublai opened his eyes just long enough to indicate to Albus. You see what I have to put up with?

Scorpius was talking more to himself than Albus when he remarked. "He nearly clawed Destiny, all she wanted to do was tie a teal ribbon around his neck, she said it would make him look cute."

Kublai did not deign to open his eyes for that one. He just silently bared his claws in his supposed sleep.

Albus sighed and got ready for bed, looked like he was not going to be alone tonight.

Albus glanced around the room to see Cormac and Gas chatting amicably, the way Gas was gestulating it was about the game he played with Orion Cody on the Express. The room's only other occupant came in a little late. Rick Cresswell had all his friends in Gryffindor, but he had developed a wary friendliness with his bunkmates late last year. The slight boy with dark hair worn long hair in a pony nodded as he crossed to his bed.

Albus made to close his curtains when Scorpius asked him. "Do you think Rose will come around, or should I just get used to the silence?" He turned to see Scorpius trying to look casual, but his usual cold aristocracy was wilting around the edges in trepidation.

Albus tried to be reassuring without bringing up his friend's poor behaviour as of late. "I'm sure you two will work it out without much bloodshed," Albus remarked with a grin. Scorpius rolled his eyes and responded wryly, "Emphasis being on bloodshed."

"Good night Albus...Kublai," Scorpius stated as he pulled his bed clothes shut."

Albus nodded, and then pulled his bedclothes too. He attempted to get under the covers without disturbing the cat. He finally settled in, he reached down carefully to give Kublai's ears a friendly scratch. "Good night Kub." He felt the answer purr through his hand.

Before he drifted off, the image of that boy suspended by an unknown hand over the stair well that led to Hufflepuff's common room came to his mind. That act was clearly calculated to discourage this House, and to sew a sense of powerlessness. Albus idly wandered if that prank was the first salvo in a war to keep Hufflepuff from rising above the position it had occupied for decades. If so, would Hufflepuff stand idly by and let it be dictated to, or would they fight the current.

A better question is, did his House even know they could fight? Or would someone have to show them how, and set an example for them to follow?

Before the oblivion of sleep took him, one last thought stuck into Albus' consciousness.

Dear Merlin, I hope it's not me!

Thought of the Day: I will elaborate later, but in case you noticed, Orion is using a different form of magical manipulation. It is called, staff magic. It will be better explained later,but since there were so many brilliant ideas about the differences of magic in America and England, I'll put this to you. What do you foresee as the difference between staff magic and wand magic...drawbacks?...advantages? There are no wrong answers, who knows, you might influence the lexicon I have already written concerning this. Thanks for being patient, and as always, for reading!

Bart