Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, only the original characters.
A/N: I plan on only having a few more chapters in this story before starting a sequel. Reviews are greatly welcomed!
Chapter 10: End of the Year
Last time:
What a great end to a great week, Hermione thought as she melted into Sirius' kisses.
Now:
There was a week and a half left in the school year. Everyone was relaxing now that teachers were barely teaching and there were no major exams left to take. The half-year that Hermione and Morgan had been here had been a crazy half-year as far as classes and parents went. Hermione, Magnolia, and Morgan continued to train when the two weren't with Remus and Sirius. After discovering that she wasn't in love anymore, Magnolia had dumped Brian claiming that he was going to be very busy with a new job and she was going to want all the time to study for her N.E.W.T.'s and that maybe they could try again in a year or so.
Brian accepted that seeing as he did want to focus as much energy as possible to a new job and not having a girlfriend let him dedicate all of his energy to that cause. He told her, after the break up during one of their get-togethers, that he had been accepted into the Auror academy as well as the training program to become a member of the Wizengamot. Magnolia had told him that he could do a lot of good in both places but pushed for him to become a member of the Wizengamot, stating that many members were "growing old" and "their views were out dated" and "fresh blood" was needed to "make a difference in the accursed war".
Two days later, he had owled the ministry back saying that he would take the training for the Wizengamot. His family on his mothers' side already held a seat so when his grandmother passed, he would inherit it and he wanted to be prepared for when that would happen. That was the answer he gave Magnolia when she asked but deep down, she knew he had taken it because it was what she wanted him to do.
Sirius and Hermione had snuck into Hogsmeade six times in the last week and now with half a week left of school, they had started to hang out with their friends more, not wanting to miss out on some of the last moments that they could have. Their relationship had become very physical but they often found themselves debating over something or another that left them both with a sense of contentment that the other was just as intellectually stimulating as they were a good kisser, passionate and sexy.
Morgan and Remus had been the same except instead of sneaking out of the castle; they had found an empty classroom that they made their own. They had put up a few spells so as long as they were students at Hogwarts, the room would not open to anyone else. The classroom was on the small side as it appeared to only hold about six desks as well as a desk for the Professor. That was all speculation as there really were no desks in the classroom. There was nothing. The room had windows on two sides, the left wall and the front wall, and had an uneven floor. The lower part of the floor appeared to be where the desks were while the upper part of the floor seemed to be where the Professor's desk and a chalkboard.
What was in their room, as they had taken to calling it, were small cubbies, three cubbies high by 12 cubbies long, under the windows on the left wall which over looked the grounds, the back wall was mostly made of windows and they over looked the black lake. The other wall held a wardrobe that when they opened; they discovered was filled with blank parchment and unused quills and inkbottles. Next to the wardrobe was a fireplace that was sooty and dirty and looked as if it hadn't been used in a very long time.
Since finding their room during one of their frees on one of their first days of freedom after exams, they had filled most of the cubbies with pillows and blankets, food and beverages, books and candles. They had conjured a couch (which was the length of a bed) that was pushed up against the wall with the door, a love seat the was located on the back wall, two cushy arm chairs in front of the fireplace, a long, low table in front of the fireplace, a small table with three draws in between the chairs and in the center of the room, was a long, rectangular table with eight chairs.
Usually, their room was used for snogging and other acts of that nature but on the rare occasion that they had homework these days, the two would sit at the table and work on their homework together. When the last three days of school came, they put preservative charms on the food and beverages and sealed the room until September.
Outside by the lake, two equally blonde haired people sat leaning against a large tree that obscured them from the castle. Lucius had his back against the tree trunk while Narcissa lay between his legs. Lucius absent-mindedly picked up a strand of her hair and played with it while Narcissa finished up an extra credit essay for Slughorn on the properties of Dragon Blood, a topic they were to cover in depth next year. Ever now and then, Lucius would point out something she should add or something that wasn't quite right. Narcissa loved having someone work with her who had already covered the topic, it made essays much easier to get O's on.
Since exam's week had ended, the two had not spent much time apart from each other. Many of the other Slytherins understood that the two were trying to get to know each other as they, too, were also facing that predicament. Michael Parkinson and Helena McCourt were informed of their betrothal the week before exams and Rabastan LeStrange and Kara Knight had been informed of their betrothal two days after exams had ended.
Among the other betrothals happening were Jane DiMaggio and Fabian Prewett (which shocked Innes to no end that Lucius had already heard enough insults against Jane to last him multiple life times), Tara-Chris Benson had recently been informed by a Howler that she was to stop her "wanton" ways as she was now to marry Justinian Brown, a man who had already turned 26 and would be almost 30 by the time they were to wed. This sent her into the arms of one of her many lovers and got her yet another Howler. Mitch Clagg and Gretta Catchlove had recently been informed of their newly formed marriage contract as well as Ignatious Chittock and Mara Abbott. It appeared many purebloods were forming these contracts with the rise of Voldemort and his pureblood supremacy ways.
Couples where one party was a pureblood and the other of a lesser blood were forced to break up and the pureblood put into a marriage contract in order to stop them from "shaming the family" as one of Narcissa's friends Lara LaFolle remarked when she was forced to break up with her half blood boyfriend Carter Masters, a sixth year Ravenclaw. Recently, she had gotten a letter stating that she had been put into a marriage contract with Tamesis Clowes, a man whom was very high up in the ministry and also very dark.
"Lucius," Narcissa had stopped working and had leaned back into Lucius in order to become more comfortable, "what do you think of all these contracts. Its like we are going backwards and not forwards. Marriage contracts are mostly a thing of the past. The past three generations of many pureblood families have not used them and now all of a sudden, its shameful to even date someone who is not pureblood. What is going on, and do not lie to me," She punctuated that last sentence by turning a fierce glare on him. Sighing Lucius began to speak.
"Outside of Hogwarts, there is much evil and darkness. Here we are sheltered and kept safe, but once we reach the outside world, everything will change. I know you have been hearing of a powerful man, a man who says his name is Voldemort and says he is a pureblood. He claims that he has the power to bring order to our crumbling world if we join him. He says that the mudbloods and blood traitors are the cause of our problems and that the muggles are filth that should not even have the gift of knowing about our society. Sometimes I think this to be foolish but other points I can not help but wonder what our world would be like if the mudbloods didn't come in and if muggles didn't even have a clue about all of this. However, my father went to school with the man and has already promised my service. I cannot hope to escape. I know the same had been done for your sister Bellatrix, as she has been a great advocate for the Dark Lord. Yes, he is the Dark Lord everyone fears and hides from. He is the nightmare that causes us to lose sleep at night. He is the one promising eternal power.
"I have made myself into a go-to person who has information for this "Dark Lord" and I know now of many traitors and low lifes that we attend school with. It is sad, that so many weak minded walk among us, but we cannot all be brilliant and strong willed, or brave and noble, or cunning and sly, or loyal and good willed. We cannot all be what the founders wanted us to be. And that is why I have decided to become a spy. I know it is foolish and stupid but this "Dark Lord" has murdered the pureblood families he has said he would protect. He is a hypocrite and a liar. I cannot go to Dumbledore, he has his purpose, but I can collect information. Severus and I intend to do just that. Do not worry my love, everything will hopefully turn out all right."
Narcissa's posture was still stiff against him but she nodded in understanding before snuggling into him for a nap. Lucius stroked her hair and sighed, wondering just how long this war would take.
A few feet away from the pair, hiding from the world, stood a woman who knew just how long a war could last. If only you knew Hermione thought, before shrinking into the darkness of the forest to meet with her contact.
The vampire held her two children close to her chest as she ran through the forest, swiftly dodging all potential problems that would slow her down. The little boy in her arms wailed as if sensing his mother's emotional imbalance. His wailing awoke his sister and a few of the animals in their path.
"Shh Joaquin, you're waking everyone up," the woman whispered. "Baby Juliette, calm down we're almost safe." Coming upon a clearing, the woman slowed down so she could easily spot her intended point of contact. She found her mistress, a young woman with long, curly dark hair, pale skin like hers and a beautiful silhouette. She was every bit as regal as a vampire except she was warm blooded and breathing.
The woman stopped a few feet away from the young woman and rocked her distressed children back into a peaceful slumber. She should have never been able to conceive, her body should have been frozen forever, but some miracle allowed her to carry these two great wonders and birth them. Forever she would love them and they would stop aging in their teens, she knew that from her visions, another thing that she had never had before that she now possessed.
"My Lady, it is I, the contact you have been searching for since meeting the ambassador to the mortal world Zane. I go by the name Jade and I birthed the twins Joaquin and Juliette while a vampire. I wish to convey to you what is going on in the outside world and what I have seen that is to come. I only wish for you to protect my children and I should we need to hide."
"Very well," the young woman spoke as she sat on one of two smooth boulders, "I accept these conditions and I sense your distress. Take a seat, we may be here for a while and I wish us both to be comfortable."
"Thank you My Lady." Settling down onto the empty boulder, Jade shifted her children so they were more comfortable in her arms. The children thankfully slept through the whole meeting. Her mistress seemed to know a lot already but she had not known that Voldemort had been trying to gather the vampires to his side. She knew the wheels in her mistress' head were turning and it was necessary that she help make a plan, she just knew it.
"If I may be so bold, My Lady, I think a week during the summer to meet and convey your message to the vampires around the world during our yearly festivals would make your presence known and more thoroughly spread. Voldemort said he would return in August for our decision. I, being the ambassador of the coven of the south called Kent-Waylehan wish to offer our allegiance to you first and foremost. I know that Zane has offered the allegiance of his coven Crosef-Dirken of the first east and I wish to tell you that you shall always find a confident and friend in me, should you need it." Smiling, her mistress nodded.
"Thank you for that Jade, I may need you in the coming months. How can I contact you? Or any other vampire for that matter."
"Do you have a birthmark on you inner wrist that looks like a star?" When her mistress nodded she continued, "Cut you finger and smear the blood on the star and speak the name or coven that you wish to speak with. The person or persons will be at your side in a matter of seconds while if you wish to speak to a coven, you will be transported to that coven and back to where you are when you finish. It does not matter if there are wards preventing you from leaving and returning, the wards will not recognize this form of transportation."
"Thank you for that Jade. I believe you should return to your coven, should you need me, you will know where to find me." Her mistress whispered a spell and she knew that she would always be able to find her. Smiling, her mistress faded into the shadows and she hugged her children to her and started to run back through the forest the way she came, feeling much lighter and in better spirit that she would be able to rest soon.
Severus Snape had never encountered such a problem like the one he was in throughout his life. Being a half blood had recently made most of the girls in his house off-limits. However, Raven and Travis were both purebloods and yet their parents were staying neutral in this war. He knew of his soon to be role as spy and decided to make every moment of his last year last. In a year an a couple of days, he would bear the dark mark that marked those in the service of the Dark Lord.
The, however, was not as much of a problem as the one that hadn't left his mind since fifth year began. He was finally willing to accept he had feelings for both Raven and Travis and was now feeling much lighter and ready to tell them how he felt, if only he could find them. He had searched the entire castle and some of the grounds in just over three hours and he could not find them. Annoyed that now of all times they were not hanging off him, he made his way into his dorm and into the shower. He shared the room with Travis, Parker Nott, Andre LaFolle and Marshal Jones. However, next year they would have their own private rooms to allow them to study of their N.E.W.T.'s in peace, a gift Salazar had left his students before departing from the castle forever.
Severus thought over how he had come to discover his, desire, for the two and that left his decidedly turned on. Trying to cover it up with a towel, he walked out of the bathroom and into the empty room only to find it not as empty as it had once been. Travis and Raven were sitting on his bed grinning at him and his erection like the cat that ate the canary. Now I find them, Severus thought in slight annoyance as he marched over to the two and flat out told them that he wanted them and that they could stop the games they had been playing to seduce him. Grinning, the two leaned up and kissed him and Severus decided that he had never been happier.
Lily smiled shyly up at James as he hugged her. He had never been so happy in his entire life. Lily had agreed to be his girlfriend and to sneak into Hogsmeade with him that evening. Life cannot get any better he thought with a grin. However, he was proven wrong when Lily got on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. Never mind, now I can die a happy man James thought before asking permission to deepen the kiss. He was pleased that Lily allowed him to and thus began a beautiful relationship.
Peter hated relationships. Since ending his with Patricia back in December, he had had to find someone of suitable blood with which he could have a relationship with and marry. Not many knew that the Pettigrew family was pureblood but they had maintained their status through well-placed marriages and good children. His mother, the only child of a marriage between a Crabbe and a Goyle, left him with less desirable traits but his fathers smile left many girls weak at the knees. It was the only thing he had of his father who had died before he had started Hogwarts. His mother had become very protective of her son and wished for him to inherit his father's ability with a wand.
However, it seemed that the Crabbe and Goyle in him had won out in the magical department but his mother let that slide a little. After all, he could do all of the unforgivables properly and that made her very pleased. She had become an advocate for the Dark Lord amongst their pureblood peers while in the privacy of a quiet tea, but the ministry saw her as a gentle woman whose love for her son sometimes blinded her. It had been her idea for him to meet with the Dark Lord about joining and since then, he knew that the Death Eater path was for him for many reasons. One, he was a coward beneath the Gryffindor act, two, his mother was his only true family and he wished to keep her happy, and three, he believed mudbloods like Lily Evans distracted purebloods like James Potter from the things that really mattered, like blood, brother hood, and excellence.
He didn't know what to do though, now that he was in an arranged marriage and could not chose his bride from a list of girls like his mother had originally promised. He had told his friends that he was going to be able to chose his future wife and now he had to tell them it had all been arranged since he had been young. This was very upsetting to him. However, the girl came from old money, like him, if he remembered, and if he remembered, she wasn't so bad on the eyes when she wasn't having an acne attack. Pricilla Gamp, Fifth year, Slytherin, brown hair, brown eyes, small, big breasts. Everything a man like him could desire. He only hoped she was not clingy and annoying.
Monday night found the Marauders and the sixth year Gryffindor girls sitting in the recently cleaned dorm of the Marauders, all talking about whatever popped up. James decided to break his and Lily's news first.
"Guys, Lily and I are officially dating." The statement was meat by a lot of finally's and a lot of rolled eyes. Blushing, Lily looked down as James grinned and winked at her. Peter got out his letter and went next.
"Guys, apparently, my mom forgot but I've been in an arranged marriage since I was little. I am to marry Pricilla Gamp on the 12 of July, 1979." That was meat silence before Jane put a comforting hand on Peter's before they all started to talk about Pricilla. According to Jane who had met her at lots of boring dinner parties, she like the color purple and wore her hair down as often as she could. Her favorite subject had been Potions the last time the two had talked ("she kept talking about all the potions and it left me with a huge head ache" Jane had commented during her monologue of the witch) and her best friends were her housemates in her year, Demelza Wildsmith, Julia Chittock and Artemis Moon.
They all talked well into the night and before anyone realized, Jane had gone to spend time with Fabian, Hermione had fallen asleep next to Sirius on his bed, Morgan and Remus had disappeared to their room and Lily had followed Hermione's lead by falling asleep next to James on his bed. Magnolia had disappeared too, off to the Room of Requirement to train. Peter had fallen asleep last, wondering where Magnolia, Remus and Morgan had gone before deciding to find out tomorrow.
Tuesday classes had been canceled as everyone was going home the next day. Tuesday was spent with people not from their own house and people who they knew they would not see until September. Many knew that come September, many purebloods would return to school cold and wearing equally cold engagement rings. The war was becoming unbearable to even those sheltered inside Hogwarts' walls. Hermione hoped that she could have a quiet summer but she knew that between demons, vampires, elves, dark magic users and light magic users, a quiet summer was out of the question, especially with a mother like Victoria Crest. She had only met the woman once but she knew that this summer was going to be spent inside a gym and pinned to a mat or outside facing off against an ever growing darkness. Hermione's one hope was that Voldemort continued to think of demons as a childhood story to make kids take their medicine and go to bed early.
Wednesday morning found students eating their last breakfast and packing last minute items. Seventh years mournfully said goodbye to the halls that they had dwelled in for seven years and the rest told the castle that they would see it in a few months. June 15 was one of the saddest day in Hogwarts.
When everyone was on the train and 11 O'clock hit, many seventh years had started to cry as well as the professors that were left on the platform. Mournful waves between the professors the seventh years were exchanged as the train went off to London once again.
Hermione leaned into Sirius, Lily into James, Morgan into Remus, Jane had left to find Fabian, Peter had left to speak with Pricilla, and Magnolia leaned into the window. The last half of sixth year had been one heck of a ride and next year would be their last year in the protection of the castle. They knew they would make the most of it. They had to; those memories would stick with them for the rest of their lives and in times of war that might only be a few months after they graduate.
When the train pulled into the station at 5pm, many student rubbed the tears from their eyes as they quickly rushed to their parents' sides to feel the sense of safety that only a parent could bring. They had all left Hogwarts and were now back in the real world, back in the world where many were murdered and even more were disappearing daily. The war was becoming larger and soon the Aurors would be recruiting while the students were still in school and that was something no one wanted.
When everyone had left, Hermione, Morgan and Magnolia turned to a woman wearing a cloak and robes of the deepest blue. Her hood was up but you could see the long dark hair cascading down the front of her cloak and robes. Pulling back her hood after checking for anyone else, the woman revealed herself. Victoria Crest in all stunning beauty was there. Never before had she stepped on the platform since leaving after her seventh year but she felt that it was time to meet all three daughters together.
Victoria Crest didn't look a day over 25. He dark hair still held life to it, her blue eyes still sparkled, her lips remained full and red and there was not a wrinkle to be seen on her porcelain skin. Stretching out a perfectly manicured hand, she beckoned her daughters over a quickly drew out a portkey on a chain. The small gold flute on the gold chain glittered in the sunlight that shone down on the train and platform. The girls touched in and within seconds they were spinning straight into a crazy summer.
Should I end this story here and start the sequel or write about their summers and start the sequel with September 1, 1977? Please answer in a review or a pm! Thank you,
Nymphie