Author's Note: Sorry about that. I hadn't noticed that I skipped numbering chapter 8 until after I had posted it, and haven't had time to change it since. That was, however, the real chapter 8, so this is no different than what you've already read.
Out of Our Hands
Chapter 8
There was a tense silence throughout the group as they sat outside the office, awaiting the verdict from the Ministry. Inside the office, it was certainly tense, but it was anything but silent.
"Really, Dumbledore, how could you expect us to be happy with these results?" the woman who had observed Severus and Beth all but screamed. "Only one couple has become anything more than friends!"
"But, Miss Jones, they have all become, at the very least, allies, if not actual friends. We haven't had to punish any of them for fighting of any kind! Not so much as an extremely harsh word has been exchanged, much less a spell! I'm actually most impressed no one has ended up dead!" Noting the surprised looks worn by the Ministry workers, he continued. "I didn't expect one member of any of the pairs to ill the other. However, we have been very lucky that the families, given whom you've paired together, haven't started methodically taking each other out! You seem to have forgotten that most of those families are rich enough to cover their tracks, hire assassins, even hire spell creators to give them a new way to kill one another! They could bribe anyone they wanted for a cover story! You can spout all you want about how they would never go against the Ministry," Dumbledore said, holding up a hand to stop the indignant witch from speaking. "But if they really decided to go against you, I'd bet on them!"
"We've got hundreds, if not thousands, of supporters," Miss Jones (who seemed to be the spokeswoman of the group) pointed out smugly.
"Again, if push comes to shove, how many of your Aurors would follow the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement over Edward Potter, head of the Auror division? A pencil-pusher verses someone they have fought shoulder to shoulder with and who many view as their friend? How many of your Potions Masters would continue following the Minister in the Department of Mysteries if the Snape family asked them to follow them instead? They are, after all, a family long respected in that field, not to mention highly influential! If the chance to be seen as an ally to the Snape family didn't make up their minds, the threat to revoke their Potions Mastery certification certainly would do the trick. Sisyphus Snape is, after all, the current head of the Potion Masters' guild, and between him and a few of his friends, they could easily revoke the certification of every Potion Master in Britain! How many of the pureblood families in Britain would give up the chance to increase their standing in the eyes of some of the most respected families in the wizarding world in favor of siding with the Ministry of Magic, especially when most of them already feel that you overstepped your boundaries in doing this? Most of them are already allied with one or the other of the twelve families represented in the waiting area. These people have humored you thus far; I wouldn't expect it to last much longer."
"That's preposterous!"
"Is it?" None of the Ministry workers answered, knowing all to well that Dumbledore had a point. Edward Potter had the Aurors under a more complete control than had been seen for about two hundred years. There was absolutely no doubt about to whom the Aurors were most loyal. The Snapes had been highly respected in the field of Potions for untold centuries, and many people involved in the area would kill for a chance to be respected by or even associated with them. Simply the fact that a Snape was asking a favor would be enough for most, and for the rest, the threat of losing the title of Potions Master would be ample reason. Edward Potter held a similar threat over the aurors, although he was greatly hindered by the fact that he could be ousted at any time, unlike Sisyphus, as the Potions Masters' guild had more control within the Ministry than the Ministry had over them. It also didn't help the Ministry's cause when one considered that each of the twelve families was extremely well respected, not to mention diverse. Even if one of the other pureblood families didn't like the way the Malfoys or Blacks did business, they couldn't help but like the Potters or the Prewetts. If some of them thought that the Weasleys or Longbottoms were simply a bunch of muggle-loving fools, they usually found that the Snapes or Rosiers met their needs quite well. Each of the twelve were also well-connected, and had enough information between them to blackmail just about anyone on the face of the earth. If they didn't have the information already, they certainly had the means to get it.
The officials gave up. They knew that no one would stand for the twelve students being pulled out of school, which was potentially the least that could happen. One by one, the couples were called in and told that they were progressing satisfactorily, but there would be another visit soon after Christmas, by which time they were expected to have progressed a good deal more.
There were many sighs of relief from the students as they made their way back to their rooms, and it was with slightly lighter hearts that they turned their attention towards the Christmas holidays, busily buying gifts and making plans.
888
"Uh, James?" Sirius asked tentatively. He was lying on the couch in their main room in their quarters, reading a letter he had gotten at breakfast. James was sitting by the desk, trying to finish his transfiguration essay. It was his firm belief that teachers actually liked grading stuff over the Christmas holidays.
"Yeah?" James answered, glad for any excuse to get away from the essay: 'Discuss three methods employed when changing a mouse into a clock.' Honestly, who cares?
"What are you doing for Christmas?" Sirius asked, eyes never leaving the letter.
"Staying here, probably. Why?" James asked curiously.
"Would you very much mind coming to my house? For some reason or another, my parents find it necessary to meet you," Sirius said, finally looking up.
"Sure, why not?" James shrugged, reluctantly turning back to his essay, assuming the conversation was over.
"Um, you do realize what they'll expect, don't you?" Sirius asked cautiously.
"What will they expect?" James asked as he turned back, genuinely curious.
"Well…how should I put this? - For us to be a lot more than friends..." Sirius replied. James simply raised his eyebrows. "If you don't want to come, I'll completely understand," he continued hurriedly, misreading the look.
"Nah, I'll still come," James said. "After all, it won't be too hard to pretend, will it?" With that, James turned back to his transfiguration essay, giving Sirius quite a bit to think about.
The days until the Christmas holidays went by quickly. Before anyone really realized what was happening, they were packing their trunks to leave.
"You're sure you want to do this?" Sirius asked one last time. "My family isn't exactly nice."
"I know, Sirius. You've told me. You've shown me letters. I am fully aware that they aren't nice. It'll be fine," James said. At first he had been touched at the concern Sirius had shown, but now it was just getting annoying.
"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you," Sirius said, pretending to sulk. James rolled his eyes. There was a knock on the door.
"Come in!" James yelled. He had finished packing and was waiting on Sirius (who was looking for a lost sock) before dragging his trunk down to the Entrance Hall.
"Hey, just had to tell you good-bye before you left," Remus said, coming into the room and flopping down in the arm chair. He had practically moved into the rooms with them, doing everything but sleeping there. They had all become such good friends that no one really cared.
"You're staying here, right?" James asked.
"Yes, that's why I'm saying 'bye now, and not at Kings Cross, not to mention the 'you left' instead of 'we left'," Remus responded. James was about to say something, when Sirius came out of his room, pulling his trunk behind him.
"Finally found it. Anyway, I'm ready when you are," he said.
"All right. See you when we get back, Remus," James said, hugging his best friend.
"'Bye James, 'bye Sirius. See you later," Remus smiled. He waved, then left the room.
"Shall we go, then?" James asked. Sirius nodded, and they both shrank their trunks and walked downstairs.
There was quite a crowd gathered already. Finally, after milling around for about half an hour, the professors gave the signal, and the students were allowed to leave the building for the carriages. The huge group swelled forward, pushing their way out the door. There was a brief scuffle for carriages, but it was over fairly quickly in the excitement of getting to go home.
The carriage Sirius and James shared with Dory, Alice, Arthur, and Frank was actually fairly silent...at least, it was quieter than most people would have expected. Soon, they were boarding the train home.
"You're absolutely positive this is the right thing to do?" Sirius asked once more.
"Well, if I wasn't, it's a bit late now, isn't?" James pointed out. Sirius's head shot up so fast James was almost surprised he didn't get whiplash.
"So you ARE regretting this?"
"No, I'm not, I promise," James said, wondering, not for the first time, what had Sirius worried so much.
The ride to Kings Cross Station went a lot faster than Sirius would have liked it to. It was amazing how fast time could fly when you would give anything for it to stop, he mused as he pulled his trunk off the luggage carrier. All too soon, Sirius and James were off the train, searching for Mr. and Mrs. Black.
"There they are," Sirius said, spotting his parents a little apart from the crowd, as if they were too good to stand with the "ordinary" people.
"All right, let's go," James shrugged. Sirius merely nodded, hoping the dread he was feeling was both unnecessary and not showing on his face.
