When Franklin returned to Great Hall, he found it in chaos. Seems like the word of two trolls in Hogwarts spread around faster than he could blink his eyes. Well, Hogwarts was not known to be a school where secrets could be kept hidden for long. Usually the best kept ones were the first to come out. But there were still some secrets left in Hogwarts.
Franklin looked over to the headmaster who flustered to calm the students, but had neither the skill nor patience. There were a few shouts that Franklin could hear over the student's panic, but it did not have the same feeling when Albus Dumbledore spoke the same words. It made him wish that Dumbledore was still here. It would only take him one moment to calm all the students.
However, Franklin's time with the Founders did teach him a few tricks. He placed the tip of his wand to his throat and shouted, "Silence!" The noise suddenly died down and everyone turned to look at him with a calm expression. Then he walked up towards the headmaster with a smug smile across his face. "The problem with the trolls is taken care of," Franklin reported bluntly to the headmaster. Murmurs of students echoed through the Great Hall, but with one glare from Franklin, the hall was silent once more. He smiled again with great satisfaction.
Franklin could tell Rufus shuffled uncomfortably in his seat. Not many had the ability to silence all the students with just one word or one glance. The previous headmaster was one of the few who had the ability, but now, before Rufus, stood a man far younger than he or the previous headmaster who did what he could not. He studied the man carefully, wondering if it was a mistake to bring him into Hogwarts.
Franklin just looked back at Rufus with a plain face. He knew the old headmaster was studying him wondering if he would pose a threat to the headmaster's seat. Franklin did not let it show, but there would be nothing more satisfying than kicking out the old power-hungry lion out of Hogwarts. He knew that Rufus was only at Hogwarts because he was not able to secure the seat of Minister of Magic.
"Do you know how the troll got into Hogwarts?" Rufus questioned Franklin.
"Well..." Franklin began, not sure if he should spin a tale or tell the truth.
But before he could decided, a familiar face appeared in the portrait behind Rufus and spoke out, "There were two trolls that entered Hogwarts. Gordic and I each summoned one." Franklin resisted the urge to slap his hand to his face while everyone's eyes turned to the portrait and found Salazar Slytherin speaking. Franklin had expected Gordic Gryffindor to show up if any of the Founders came at all.
Rufus eyed the Founder and asked, "Why would you summon a troll into Hogwarts?"
"We thought the squib Asher was trying to sneak into the girls bathroom." Salazar always had a way of making things sound worse than it really was. Murmurs and gasps rang through the Great Hall. "So, we made it a competition to see whose Troll can chase the squib away."
"And what of the Trolls? Are they gone?"
"Dead would be a more precise way of saying it. The squib managed to kill one before the second one bashed him in. Nearly died. But he's in good hands now." Franklin looked over to the students and saw a group of ten students who seemed to be unaffected by Salazar's words. It seemed Salazar also noticed the ten boys. For a moment, Franklin wondered if the Founder would punish the boys, but Salazar just disappeared from the portrait.
When the yellow eyes of Rufus turned away, Franklin took a good look at each of the teachers. From the left, he saw Sirius Black, a man he still resented for the incident of the Shrieking Shack in their days at Hogwarts, but not so much anymore. Just a bitterness remained. He taught a Dueling class which replaced divination. Next was Lily Evans, the current potion master. It is said that she took the position after Horace Slughorn left the school. After his seat next to Lily sat Pomona Sprout, the Herbology teacher. Next was Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank the professor for Care of Magical Creatures. It seems Hagrid was never exonerated for the death of Myrtle. Franklin would have to visit the half-giant one of these days.
After Wilhelmina were the headmaster Rufus, Filius Flitwick, the professor teaching charms, Sinistra, the Astronomy professor, Septima Vector, the Arithmancy professor, and Rolanda Hooch, the flying instructor. The professor for the History of Magic was still Binns, the elderly ghost. It seemed some things hasn't changed. At the right end of the table sat Dolores Umbridge. It seemed like she taught Transfiguration since Minerva McGonagall was not here. He did not see the professor for Ancient Runes and assumed one of the professors sitting at the table was substituting.
For a moment, Franklin wondered where the old witch and his werewolf friend were. He doubted Minerva would resign when she was next in line for Headmaster and it hardly seemed likely that she would give that seat away to the old lion or leave Hogwarts unless forced to. As for Remus Lupin, his lack of appearance made Franklin worry. With Umbridge present, who knows what Remus would have to face. During his interview with the old lion, Franklin had the feeling Remus was here at Hogwarts, but he had not seen the werewolf the two days he had been here.
Instead of worrying too much, Franklin walked over to his seat next to Lily and sat down. The scowl from Sirius nearly made him laugh. It seemed like old Padfoot did not like him around Lily too much. In his mind, Franklin began to devise a plan to remove Rufus from his seat of headmaster. Hogwarts did not need a man like Rufus as headmaster. Dumbledore was the best choice, but the old wizard has been dead for fifteen years. Minerva was the next choice which meant Franklin would need to track her down.
"You're not going to visit your son, Frank?" Lily asked as she place down her goblet of pumpkin juice.
Franklin turned to look at Lily's emerald green eyes and her blazing red hair. It's been well over thirty years for Franklin since he had seen her alive. Eighteen years passed in his original world since her death before Voldemort was defeated, and then Franklin spent another eighteen years with the Founders. But even after all this time, Franklin could never forget Lily. "No, it was his fault for pulling that stunt. And like Salazar said, he's in good hands."
Lily eyed him for a moment, unsure how to respond. Franklin knew she would jump at the moment she heard Harry was injured. "Don't worry, Ash's been through worse," Franklin stated as he turned back around to face the students.
"You don't seem to care about your son too much," Sirius spoke out.
"Well, Ben and Ash have a knack for getting into trouble and injuring themselves. If I worried about them, I would not live very long. Plus, they're adults now. They can take care of themselves." Franklin retorted. For a moment, Franklin wondered if he should ask Sirius where Remus was, but quickly convinced himself not to.
"Ben and Ash sound very much like how you and James were when you were younger," Lily said with a smile. "Always making mischief and getting yourself injured."
"Oh really?" Franklin said feigning interest. He knew all about the Marauders and their excursions. And he would never forget the time Sirius lured him to the Shrieking Shack where Remus almost killed him in werewolf form.
"They called themselves the 'Marauders'. There were five of them..." Lily trailed off. Franklin turned over to Lily and saw a sad look across her face. Sirius looked a bit irritated, but stayed quiet.
"I'm--" Franklin began to apologize, but not before the headmaster stood from his seat.
"Well, before we start our meal, I would like to welcome some guests. As you know, five years has passed since the previous tournament. Now it is time for the 106th Triwizard Tournament!" Rufus announced. This came as a shock to Franklin for it was banned in the nineteenth century in his world. It was revived once afterwards, but since Voldemort's intervention, it was banned once more.
"As most of you know, since the 100th Tournament, and the dramatic increase of witches and wizards, the founders have changed the rules such that two champions from each school will represent the school." Franklin place a hand on his wand itching for a chance to summon one of the Founders to explain their reasoning for two champions.
"Madam Maxine and her students from Beauxbatons Academy and Headmaster Karkaroff and his students of Durmstrang Institute will be joining us in early October. And like all the years before, only fifth years and above may participate in this event," Rufus finished. When he sat down, the cheering began. Life sprung back into the Great Hall as food magically appeared onto the long tables and the students quickly dug into their meal.
After the meal, Franklin was able to corner the ten boys he had suspected of summoning the two Trolls earlier. On one side, he saw Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom. On the other side, he saw Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Theodore Nott, and Blaise Zabini. "You should be more careful when playing with unknown spells. Especially Dark spells," he began with a cold glare. "Luckily for all of you, my idiotic son was there to save Miss Granger from the two Trolls you unleashed on her secretly." The ten boys looked at Franklin trying to match his glare and hide their shock. "Oh yes. I know your secrets. I know just about everything that goes on in Hogwarts, so don't bother hiding it from me. Twenty points shall be taken from each of you which would start both of your houses at negative 100 points."
They began to protest, but Franklin turned around and made his way back to his quarters. Skylar and the children had spent most of the night at the medical wing, so he doubted she would hear his little chat with the pair of quintets or had heard the announcement of the Triwizard Tournament. Well, it was more like a Triwizard-school Tournament now. However, excitement did flow throughout his body. He wondered who the champions would be when he passed by a familiar case of medals.
Franklin peered in and saw the medal James had won for best seeker. Close to that award was the award for youngest seekers of the century, Harry and Draco. Seemed like their rivalry had not changed. But as he turned away, a familiar name caught his eye. Severus Snape. It was on the medal for best keeper.
"Snively was one slick bastard in the old days." Franklin turned around and found Sirius standing next to him looking at the medals. "He could sneak anything past anyone, but no one could pass through him. He was like a brick wall when we played Quidditch. Not a single house could score a point as long as he was keeper."
"Which house did he belong to?" Franklin asked curiously. In his world and time, Franklin never played Quidditch simply because the Marauders were there.
"Gryffindor." Franklin raised an eyebrow and hid his surprise well. "He was one of the five Marauders with James, Remus, Peter and me. However, it would be best if you never talk about him when you're with Lily. Out of all of us, she was the one who took his death the hardest. They were best friends and it was Snively who was able to get Lily and James together. When he died, James and Lily fell apart. Sometimes I wonder if it was Severus who kept the two together for so long."
"He must have been one good friend," Franklin said. He had always regretted the fact that he and James never became friends in public. Or Lily. At least this was one regret Severus Snape was free of in this world.
"Yes, he was a good friend. One so good he let go of Lily for James." For a moment, Franklin thought he saw a tear stream down Sirius's face, but it was too dark to make out. Then Sirius turned and walked away. "I do hope we can become friends, Franklin Prince!"
Franklin smiled as he turned the other way and walked towards his quarters in Gryffindor. "So do I, Sirius Black."
