A/N: Someone was confused regarding the betrothal contract. So I will break it down for them.
Albus and Molly signed the contract, Albus gave Molly money from Harry's vaults. Goblins requisitioned the money back from Albus since the Weasleys couldn't afford to pay it back. Harry's name changed to Albus on the magical contract.
Arthur reputed Molly for signing it, keeping custody of Ginny, thereby Molly who signed the contract found her name replacing Ginny's.
One Appointment We All Must Keep
Chapter Ten
Harry was talking to Neville and Hermione about their plans this summer when he overheard part of the conversation between the Weasley twins and their old brother. He couldn't help wondering what was going on that Ginny was staying with the Lovegoods for the week.
Turning his attention back to his friends, he heard Hermione and Neville talking about visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens that summer so that she could show him all the different types of wonderful muggle plants that existed.
Just as they were leaving for class, they heard the owls arriving late. Finding the Daily Prophet attached to his, Harry paid for the paper and sat back down. Looking at the headlines, Harry inwardly smirked.
DUMBLEDORE TO BE QUESTIONED BY WIZENGAMOT
ICW TO DUMBLEDORE, YOU ARE DISMISSED
Inside he saw the smaller article mentioning that Arthur Weasley had annulled his marriage to Molly Prewett and that the children were to remain Weasleys. The reporter, a former Hogwarts student who attended school with them discussed rumors of love potions and betrothal contracts.
Wincing as he began to understand that he had had a part in that mess, Harry was silent as they hurried off to DADA. Standing there with the Hufflepuffs, he looked at the door that was still locked and couldn't help wondering how there was no teacher joining them.
He had figured that Quirrell's body had been discovered and that the school had simply covered up the mess like they had the first time regarding the Stone. With a sigh, he looked at Neville and Hermione and said: "Where do you suppose Professor Quirrell is?"
Shaking her head as she glared at the locked door, Hermione stated "He has to be the absolutely the worst teacher I have ever had. What's worse is that this is the eighth time this year he hasn't shown up and there has been no note. What sort of teacher doesn't teach?"
Sitting down on her book bag, Hermione looked completely disgusted while the rest of the students wandered around restlessly. When a couple of the Puffs came over, Harry asked them if they had seen Quirrell at breakfast this morning.
"Sorry, Potter, no. I was distracted." Ernie MacMillian said looking back towards Justin and Ron. "We were hoping you knew something."
Shrugging, Harry said, "Only that Quirrell isn't here for some reason."
Looking at Dean Thomas who was looking anxious, Harry asked: "What is it?"
"It's just my parents said if there was one more strange thing that happened, they were not returning me to Hogwarts next year." He quietly answered.
"Why do you think that something strange is going on, he could have just overslept or something," Neville answered while Hermione looked around expectantly.
"Maybe we should go tell the Headmaster." One of the Patil twins suggested.
Giggling, Lavender replied, "I think that he is a bit busy this morning, did you see the Prophet?"
That led to the students gossiping about how their Headmaster seemed in deep trouble. Hermione finally got annoyed, Harry didn't know if it was because of the gossip or Quirrell not showing up, but she stood and said: "I am going to get Professor McGonagall."
Harry and Neville went with her along with Susan Bones who was discussing some obscure plant with Neville. Knocking on the door of the transfiguration class, Harry saw the door open and the students entered.
"Professor McGonagall?" When the woman had met them near the door, Hermione told her "Professor Quirrell didn't show up again and the door to his classroom is locked."
Shaking her head, McGonagall told her own class to practice the spell they were working on and exited the room to walk with them to the DADA classroom. Doing a quick alohamora, she let herself and the students in and walked around to find no evidence that Quirrell had been there that morning.
"When was the last time any of you saw your Professor?" She queried.
For most, it was after their last class but Harry raised his hand and said "I saw him heading towards the forest late Thursday afternoon. I think Hagrid saw him as well."
"Thank you, Mr. Potter." She said then looking around told them to be seated and wincing went to find the only professor with no class at that moment.
When Snape entered the classroom, Harry wasn't very happy but to his surprise, the greasy git only had them doing simple locking and unlocking charms as he looked around the classroom.
When he asked the same question that McGonagall did, Harry once again said: "I saw him heading towards the forest late Thursday while I was walking back from visiting Hagrid, Professor."
Snape nodded then when the class ended an hour and a half later, sent them on their way. Harry heard him muttering about Quirrell then head to the dungeons for some reason.
When the Headmaster raised his head and removed his glasses, he looked at Severus Snape who had entered his office with a rather dramatic entrance, he said: "What may I help you with?"
"Quirrell is missing." He snapped at the Headmaster, annoyed with how he had ignored all of his warnings regarding the man.
"Severus, would you relax, as I told you the other night, the wards haven't been tampered with. The stone is safe and I am quite certain that Quirrell is just trying to find a way past the traps, nothing more."
"I did some checking and no one, teacher, student or even house elf has seen him since late Thursday when he had had the elves bring him something to eat." He pointed out.
Seeing McGonagall and then Flitwick turn up in his office, Albus was annoyed at their unwarranted lack of support for his superior knowledge about things, but staying calm said: "There is no need to worry."
"We have discussed it and we would prefer that you check to make sure that the stone was safe and that it was removed from the school," Flitwick announced.
Albus put them off stating he would check on the stone after dinner that evening and when they had left, Albus looked back at the parchment he had been sent by Molly Weasley, no Prewett and tried to make heads or tails of what she had written.
He was not happy with how his professors were challenging his authority and he was very determined to make sure that they knew he wouldn't put up with that any longer. Still looking at the Weasley letter, he was annoyed to realize that it just wasn't his professors who were showing a very unfortunate lack of respect for him.
There was a knock on the inner door and hiding his annoyance reached for one of his new lemon drops and felt it soothe his soul as he called out for whoever it was to enter.
Looking up to see Augusta Longbottom striding across to stand in front of his desk, he said "May I help you, Madam. Longbottom?"
"The Board of Governors has requested your presence at an emergency meeting." She replied standing there holding her wand and a cane while glaring at the Headmaster they had all incorrectly trusted to keep their children safe.
"Just let me know the date and time." He said with a smile and twinkling eyes as he popped yet another lemon drop into his mouth. Holding up the dish, he said: "Would you like one, I assure you they are quite fresh."
"No thank you. And as for the meeting, it is now." She answered and seeing him stand to protest, she said "I was asked to invite you to the meeting so that you may explain your actions. Failure to attend will result in a no-confidence vote and your removal as Headmaster of this school. Albus, the board is for once, completely united."
No longer calm but attempting to act that way knowing that using as an excuse a missing teacher would only add to his problems, Albus said: "Of course, milady."
In the ornate room set aside for the Board, Albus sat down at the large ornate chair set aside for the Headmaster and looked at the group gathered. Seeing Sirius Black sitting there in new silk robes and wearing a self-satisfied grin, he asked: "Why are you here?"
"As a guardian of two of your students and as the holder of the House of Black seat on this Board." He replied. "Lucius very graciously stepped down when it was pointed out that the seat belonged to a member of the Black family."
Albus didn't like this at all, he loathed Lucius Malfoy but he was predictable. When he heard the others speaking quietly to one another then they just looked at them, he sat there waiting for someone to explain to him why he had been summoned.
Augusta looked at him and stated, "I am also a grandparent of a student here so I have agreed to leave the questioning to those without an emotional involvement in these issues."
"Albus, we have written down the questions and are going to hand you the scroll, please reply to each question then move on to the next." The elderly man asked.
Glaring at the Head of the Ancient House of Davies, he accepted the parchment never knowing that by doing so he had been charmed, to tell the truth by Sirius Blacking using an old Marauder prank.
Irritated at the Board wasting his time, Albus looked down and read the first question said: "I have the right as legally I am the guardian of every single muggle-born student in this school."
"Hold it, Harry wasn't muggleborn, Albus." Sirius pointed out. "You have no legal right to have ever been his guardian."
"Harry is a special case because of Voldemort." He snapped at Sirius daring him to contradict him.
Augusta turned to the board and said "Clearly something must be altered so that muggle-born students are the responsibility of their Head of House. I looked at the records, of the approximately 275 students, over 90 are muggle-borns, that is too much responsibility for one man."
"Agreed." Was the general announcement and to Albus' shock their wands lit up and he was handed a new rule from the Board.
"Albus, from now on, your Heads of House will be the legal magical guardians for the muggle-born students, until they are sorted into their houses, we the Board will take responsibility."
Stiffening as each question they had written down stripped him of his powers, Albus soon was required to have a Head of House at each one on one meeting with a student. He was railed at for Hagrid being the one to meet Harry Potter and was informed that a committee of muggleborn former alumni was to be put in place for therein to help smooth the way for new students.
"We have been speaking to some of your students. As of the upcoming school year, we will be finding a new teacher for History of Magic. I was rather astounded to find out that HOUSE ELVES OF ALL creatures were grading his homework assignments and tests." Coldly announced Dingliss Nott. He wasn't a death eater like his brother Theodore but he was not happy to find that rodents like the house elves were grading papers.
"Binns has been teaching at this school since I was a student," Albus stated furious, at the idea of yet someone else challenging his authority.
"So about a hundred years too long." The tall woman with the hook nose said with thinly pressed lips. "We are also concerned about the Defense Against Dark Arts position and will be watching to see who you fill it with. I understand that Professor Quirrell has been a bit of a disappointment."
Gulping worried they were aware he was missing, Albus breathed a sigh of relief when they went on to their next issue. Thankfully Severus seemed to have been less abhorrent to students this year but they put him on notice that they were paying attention to the points system and if things weren't changed they were going to eliminate it.
"You have one professor who has removed points from other houses and never given a single point to a student other than those in his own house. Deal with it, Albus, or we will." Nott stated.
By the time they were finished, Albus was pretty much a figurehead at the school he had been at for over fifty years. Sitting there with only Sirius Black remaining, Albus looked at the man and said: "Are you happy?"
"No, not really. To be happy you would have given Harry back his parents and the childhood you stole from him. Speaking of theft, the Goblins are preparing a writ regarding items missing from the Potter estate and faults that somehow mysteriously found their way into this school and the Weasley residence. Oh and Albus, apparently you didn't get that far into the Prophet this morning, so let me be the first to offer my congratulations on your upcoming nuptials."
With that Sirius left the school and walked down to Hogsmeade and apparated to one of his houses to meet Narcissa regarding its disposal. Standing in the entryway chuckling loudly, he heard footsteps then heard "Were you hit with a cheering charm or should I contact St. Mungos, cousin?"
Looking over to see Andromeda Tonks standing by the parlor room doors with Narcissa, he said: "I just had the joy of seeing Albus Dumbledore looking like he had choked on one of his lemon drops."
"Do tell us more," Andi said as she returned to the parlor where the house elf had served tea to the two sisters. "We were just catching up on our lives but this story of yours sound exciting."
Snape returned to the DADA classroom to find McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick and the Headmaster waiting for him. Sniffing the air, he said, "What is that atrocious smell?"
Albus asked Hogwarts to let them inside and when that didn't work found a house elf and had them enter the locked office. When Doughty returned, he looked at the Headmaster and said "Hogwarts master, there is no one within. I can't unlock the magic keeping the doors closed, sir."
They had all tried banishing and hexing charms when Snape annoyed with the Headmaster just blew the damn thing up. Entering they found very few personal items of Quirrell's and absolutely no trace of the man except the garlic which had so offended Snape's nose.
"Albus, you must get that stone out of this school immediately," Minerva demanded as she turned on her boss. "Clearly there was something to Severus' concerns that we have ignored. You have my apologies for thinking you were being paranoid, Severus."
Accepting that with his usual smirk, Severus looked around the room, then something caught his attention as he walked near the fireplace. Holding his left arm, he looked at the others and said: "My mark just burned as I neared the fireplace."
Rolling up his sleeve, they saw that when he returned to where they were standing near the desk, his mark turned completely black for a moment. "What does that mean?"
Shaking his head, Albus sadly replied: "It means that he was here."
"Albus, Voldemort is dead," Minerva replied shaking her head thinking that maybe Augusta Longbottom was correct and that Albus Dumbledore was yet another former great man trying to recovered those glory days where people looked and pointed his way.
Now feeling old the man was convinced that his only failure had returned so that he could be a hero this time.
Albus demanded that she write a note to Potter, McGonagall refused and stated "Albus, the Board of Governors made it very clear that you are not to have contact with Mr. Potter. I suggest that you start dealing with your real issues and not inventing old enemies to explain your actions."
Gritting his teeth, Albus tossed another lemon drop into his mouth, annoyed at the linty taste from where it had been in his pocket all day. Striding across the entrance to the castle towards Gryffindor tower to locate Harry himself, he heard his name being shouted in the shrill tone that he found annoying on a good day he turned to see Molly Weasley barreling down on him.
"Y-you." She shrieked and threw a piece of parchment at him. "Y-OU, YOU THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, YOU FOOL!"
Students at the sound of the shrieks all came running from where they were heading to dinner in the Great Hall. Draco, Hermione, and Neville had been waiting for Harry to return from the owlery when they heard the noise and went to watch from the safety of the upper balcony at the scene below.
Harry joined them seconds later having run the entire length of the corridor but there had been no one to reprimand him as almost everyone in the castle had gathered to watch.
"Molly Weasley, you forget yourself." He said coldly as he caught the parchment with his wand hand. "What is the meaning of this?"
"T-the meaning... the meaning of this, he asks?" She muttered to herself then holding up her hand showed him the white skin where her wedding ring normally was. "You, you are the reason that Arthur has kicked me out of the family."
"Now Molly, Arthur would never do that, it would create too much of a scandal and he could lose his job. Now calm down and we will figure out what the real problem is because I am sure this is just your womanly nerves, maybe that time of the month when you are a bit emot..."
CRACK! Those watching saw their Headmaster's face turned red where the handprint now was. "I am not emotional you bastard. Look at that parchment I handed you, Albus, just look at this. This was your plan and now that it has backfired so spectacularly, I am the one who is thrown out with nothing more than the clothes on my back and my wand."
Albus looked at the annulment papers and Sirius' words from the morning meeting ran through his head. Dismissing them as his former student being annoying, he looked at the dumpy woman in front of him and said: "How is any of this my problem?"
With a cold smirk, she said "You had no legal right to create a betrothal contract between my daughter and Potter. We were so clever, weren't we, covering all loopholes, except that it was never your legal right to create. You were so sure no one would thwart your ambitions, you overlooked one thing."
With a disappointed expression on his face, Albus said: "Let's head to my office, we can discuss this in private."
"No, no, no way. We are not going to be private, Albus. There is no way that I am letting you off the hook for ruining my life." She said getting hysterical yet again. "Here, read this."
Taking the second piece of parchment, certain if he acted like he was concerned he could get rid of the annoying woman quicker, Albus unrolled the scroll and stood there so long that those watching were beginning to wonder if he had been petrified.
When the headmaster smiled indulgently at Molly then said "Is this a prank? Are the twins helping you with this, my dear? Really, at your advanced age..."
Minerva McGonagall arrived in to find out what was going on from her private meeting with the heads of the houses to see the students watching the confrontation. Approaching Professors Sinistra and Vector, she asked: "Why haven't you sent the students elsewhere?"
Handing her the Prophet, Vector said "Page Six."
Opening the paper, reading the article, her jaw-dropping, Minerva felt Snape trying to read over her shoulder while Sprout and Flitwick just joined those watching the drama of the apparently unhappily betrothed couple.
Without a word, handing the newspaper off to the next set of hands which was Flitwick, Minerva moved forward and decided to defuse the situation by throwing a match on the lighted fuse. "Well, I just read the paper. Albus, have you ever heard the muggle phrase hoisted on your own petard?"
Seeing him looking at her with a quizzical expression on his face, she smiled broadly and said "Congratulations, you couldn't have found a better match. Now if you will excuse me, I have students that need to be sent to their evening meal."
Severus Snape read the article just as he heard McGonagall's snark-filled statement and found the need to find a private space for a moment, and went by himself into the same anteroom that the students used when their parents visited. Sealing the door and putting up a silencing charm, he leaned against the wall and laughed his ass off at the idea of Albus Dumbledore being caught by his own manipulations.
Early the next morning, Sirius was seated at the table eating breakfast at the apartment they were staying at when Narcissa entered carrying the Daily Prophet. "Um, good morning, cousin; seems like you were rather busy this week."
Looking up from his plate of his eggs and bacon, he asked: "What does the Daily Propaganda have to say?"
"Just mentioned the annulment between Lucius and myself, there is a small article written by that Rita Skeeter woman mentioning the betrothal of Albus Dumbledore and Molly Prewett. That Albus Dumbledore had been given more help with the running of Hogwarts and from the new rules to me, it looks as if he is restricted to being a figurehead. You know, you really should talk to the Board about giving Minerva McGonagall a raise."
"I spoke to her yesterday, she pointed out that she has pretty much been doing the work anyhow. We offered her monetary compensation, she offered to take less if I agreed to never tell Harry how to get up to half the trouble that Remus, James and I got into." He said with a wicked grin. "Something about the Weasley twins whoever they are."
Looking at him through narrowed eyes, she said: "What did you do, Sirius?"
"I agreed to her request, however; I was aware that Harry already found his father's journal of our pranks in his library. Therefore when Harry does begin to use them, I am not responsible."
"Has anyone else ever told you that you would have done great in Slytherin." She dryly stated then shaking her head added "Just what are your plans for the day? I mean, all that the old goat has left is Hogwarts, or are you going to show up and offer to be his wedding planner."
With a quiet chuckle, he leaned in and said "There won't be a marriage, Cissa. There can't be. It wouldn't be possible for them to consummate it which as you know is a requirement for a magical marriage. It's how I was able to end Bella's so easily without her consent. What she had pulled with Voldemort's help."
Noting how confused she looked, he said: "Cissa, Albus prefers the company of men to women."
"Well so does Lucius." She said not getting why Sirius was suddenly choking on the bacon he was eating. "Sirius, table manners. I know you were taught some."
Swallowing some pumpkin juice, he grinned and said: "Somehow I doubt Lucius spends his time with other men like Albus Dumbledore does."
"I am sure of that, after all, it's not like they have a lot in common, Sirius." She replied while giving her cousin a withering scowl that had him smirking at her.
"Cissa, there are times I wonder how you can be this innocent considering your age. Albus doesn't have sex with women, he prefers to have it with males." He retorted.
Cissa looked at her cousin and shook her head. "Sirius, that is impossible."
"Oh, Merlin." He replied. "Cissa, just let me assure you that it is possible and that that it is why the marriage between Ms. Prewett and the Headmaster won't take place."
Shaking her head at his constant need to prank her, she repeated her earlier question. "So what are your plans for the day?"
"Well, unfortunately, the Goblins are suggesting that I deal with my family's place now that we have dealt with the country house." He replied with a grimace. "Grimmauld has been empty all this time and when they checked over the property they found an insane house elf. I have a meeting with them to sign some paperwork about it."
Harry was seated in the Great Hall listening to the students speculate what was going on between the Headmaster and the Weasley twins' mother. No one had asked them outright in fear of being pranked but it was clear from the way that they were glaring at the Headmaster's empty chair that something had gone on.
When Hermione finally showed up with her list of study guides and her plans for the final exams, Harry found himself amused as he recalled her frantic worry over grades.
Getting a letter, Harry saw that the beautiful black owl went from his table to Draco who also received a letter. Opening it up, reading what was inside he felt his jaw drop as his godfather had written to him what was going on regarding Molly Weasley and the Headmaster. The ENTIRE STORY not just what had been reported in the Prophet.
Holding it out to Hermione, he sat there in shock for a few minutes then felt bad for the twins and Percy who looked terrible. He even felt bad for Ron as he realized that this meant they weren't allowed contact with the woman who had given birth to them.
Hermione who had quickly scanned the letter looked at Harry then whispered "The Weasleys agreed to a betrothal between their daughter and yourself. Have you ever even met this Ginny?"
"No." He said quietly. "From what I just read it didn't matter at all to either Molly or the Headmaster."
Across at the Ravenclaw table, Draco was reading the note from his mom, then looking at Harry with something that seemed torn between pity and amusement on his face when he went back to reading the rest of the letter only to be shocked at the end result of the illegal betrothal contract.
Looking at the head table, wondering if the reason the Headmaster wasn't there was that he was planning his wedding and feeling gleeful at the idea, Draco moved over to Harry and Hermione then asked: "Where is Neville?"
"On his way. He had an idea he wanted to talk to Professor Sprout about, Susan and he has a summer project planned that they are hoping gets them extra points next year." Hermione replied.
Handing Hermione the note from his Mom, he said: "Read the second paragraph."
Hermione giggled when she finished silently reading the note. "Oh dear."
"You think I should tell him?" He asked the bushy haired girl. "Give him some warning."
Harry looked up and asked, "What are you talking about so secretively?"
"Oh, just your godfather, the one you think is so great. You might change your opinion when you find out what he asked my mom to do with you this summer." Draco said rather deviously.
Not getting it, especially since Hermione was also laughing, Harry, nodded at Neville who had joined them then asked "What?"
Hermione handed the note to Neville after he sat down next to Harry but across from her. "Second paragraph."
Harry was getting annoyed but when Neville's eyes went wide and he looked at him trying to hide his fear, he said: "What is going on?"
"My mother was waxing poetic in the letter about Sirius asking her to take you shopping some weekend to replenish your wardrobe. There is also mention of an unlimited bank amount to do so with." Draco said suddenly landing on the bench next to Hermione holding his stomach as he began laughing out loud.
This drew the attention of the other first-year students and a few upper students. "What is going on here?" Professor McGonagall asked as she walked over to her students.
"Sirius Black asked Draco's mom to take Harry shopping for a completely new wardrobe with unlimited funds," Neville said the giggles starting as he saw that Harry seemed completely lost.
"Harry, have you done something that your godfather might consider required punishment?" Padma Patil asked thoughtfully. Seeing his face, she said "I guess that is no. Well since no one else will explain, I shall. My mother is a prolific shopper. She goes on trips during the school year where she is gone for weeks shopping."
Harry was cautious as he asked, "I am sorry, Padma, but I don't understand what that has to do with anything."
"What your schoolmate is trying to tell you, Mr. Potter is that Narcissa Malfoy, er, sorry Draco, Black is notorious for her shopping sprees." His Head of House had a faint smile on her face as she looked at Harry and thought if anyone deserved that sort of attention it was Harry.
"Nope. What I am trying to tell you is that your only purpose for being brought along on this shopping trip is to be her live dressing dummy. Trust me, I have been there. Not even a present of the newest broom or a fancy wizard chess set are going to be enough of an enticement to make you forget the horrors of shopping with my mother." Draco said with an exaggerated shudder.
There were some more chuckles and even Harry was laughing, albeit, ruefully when there was a flash and the Headmaster's Phoenix landed on the table in front of the students.
"What on earth?"
When Fawkes' Talon slipped out towards Harry, McGonagall grabbed her student and Hermione, Neville and Draco also reached for the red bird to try and free Harry resulting in all of them landing in front of an unconscious Fluffy with an open trap door at his feet.
With that Fawkes disappeared in another brilliant flash.
"What is this place?" Neville asked then they all heard the sudden silence.
Minerva went straight for the door and tried alohamora but nothing happened. Attempting two more spells, she was almost bitten when one of Fluffy's heads turned her way.
"We have to go through the trap door," Harry called out and she turned to realize that her student was correct. Telling them to go ahead of her, she was almost to the trap door when Harry fell through it then the trap door suddenly closed and the main door to the room swung open.
Sending her patronus to Severus and Flitwick, she tried to figure out how the Cerberus had been put to sleep before so she could return him to his nap. Two minutes later, Severus arrived and looking at Minerva asked: "What is going on here?"
"Fawkes brought Potter here, I grabbed on along with Longbottom, Granger and Draco Black."
"Draco what?" He asked in shock at the name.
"Deal with that later, right now, how do we handle this dog?" She snapped while telling Professor Flitwick to keep others out. "The door wouldn't open and the students went through the trap door to escape the dog. I went to follow them and the trap door sealed."
When the quartet landed on the Devil's Snare, Neville recalls seeing it in one of the greenhouses and quickly says "Relax, you will fall through it."
When all four of them fell through, they wait for their Professor and when she doesn't show up, Harry says "I think we are on our own again."
"Do you think Professor McGonagall is okay?" Neville asked nervously.
Hermione looked up and then at the other three and states. "Did you see, the trap door closed when Harry fell through. I think it was warded to do that. I think someone sent Harry here on purpose."
Draco looked at them and said "Is it some weird Gryffindor trait to state the obvious or is it just the three of you? A great big red bird landed in the middle of the table, his talon touches Harry and transports him to this place and then disappears. To me, that screams trap and danger, danger."
"What do we do now?" Neville asked.
Harry looked at them and said "I say we stay right here. I swear if one more person tells me how Hogwarts is the safest place in the magical world again, I will request we learn at Azkaban, I think we might possibly be safer there."
He no sooner finished his statement and there was the sound of someone falling into the Devil's snare. Seeing McGonagall and Snape, he found himself a bit surprised and couldn't help recalling how last time he had been so sure that Snape was the guilty party.
"Azkaban, Potter?" He asked in a silky tone. "I think that Hogwarts is a little safer than that. Though, I do have to admit, maybe not this year. However, if you prefer it, I am sure something could be worked out for you to attend school there."
"How do we get out of here?" Hermione asked the two professors after shaking her head at the man annoying Harry.
"Unfortunately the trap door sealed when we came down it." Professor McGonagall said angrily. "There is a way out at the end of the maze. I want you, students, to stay behind us."
All four did so, Harry watching as Snape easily retrieved the key with a summoning spell and then they walked past the dead troll. Standing between Hermione and it, Harry reached out and folded her hand into his. Seeing her grateful smile, he felt himself blushing even as they observed McGonagall master her chess set without any injuries.
At the logic puzzle that Snape had created with the potions, he heard Hermione's appreciative gasp and told the git "Hermione doesn't think that many wizards have common sense, sir. I think she thought that was brilliant."
"I do." She said with a smiling at the man she found cranky and mean but in that instance, he had impressed her.
With a withering glance that said just how much Harry's statement annoyed him, Snape looked at Minerva and said "It looks like someone was already here. Who do you think we are going to find behind this door?"
Entering the door, then using magic to hold it open for the students and his coworker, Severus saw them standing near the Mirror of Erised.
Looking around, Draco said, "What is so special about this room?"
Harry shrugged and then more sensing than knowing the Headmaster was probably watching somehow stated "I don't know. I just want to know why someone wanted me here."
"At the beginning of the year, a very special item was placed in here for its protection," Minerva told the students. "I am hoping that retrieving Harry was because Fawkes made a mistake.
"Not much protection, was it?" Draco asked his godfather then wondered if he was still his godfather considering that his father had chosen the man.
"Excuse me, Mr. Black?" Minerva asked.
"Well Neville got us past the plant thing, Harry and I could have caught that key with the brooms in the room. We already dealt with a troll once this year and won, Hermione guessed correctly which potion and the only real challenge would have been the chess set and I have been playing chess with my da-Lucius since I was about four." Draco pointed out. "If some first years could have gotten past it, how difficult would it have been for an adult wizard?"
"Maybe Professor Snape's riddle," Harry admitted. "Hermione's right, not many wizards seem to use logic or nonmagical ways of doing things."
"So how do we get out of here?" Hermione asked looking around for a door.
With a sigh, Minerva said, "We have to retrieve the stone from the mirror."
"How would we do that?" Harry asked rather curious how the Headmaster expected that to work. "I mean it's named backward is the mirror of desire, right. I mean we would have to desire to leave but what if it simply shows us a door, not the stone?"
"Let's try," McGonagall said and moved to the front of the mirror but all she saw was herself transfiguring the Headmaster into a mouse and eating it in her transfigured animagus form. "It's not working for me. Severus, you try it."
Moving to stand in front of the mirror, Snape saw himself with a private potions lab and not teaching no matter how much he attempted to see an escape from the room. Stepping back, he looked at Minerva and said "No."
Hermione wanted to try and saw herself kissing Harry while wearing a Head Girl's patch, so blushing and stepping back she quickly said: "Not me either."
Harry hated to be next but he stepped in front of the mirror and to his amusement he saw himself marrying Hermione and holding a baby girl. "Neville, Draco, one of you try."
Neville hesitated then moved to the front of the mirror and saw his parents healthy and hugging him, wiping the tear leaking from his eye, he stepped back and discreetly wiped it away.
Draco moved forward and to his shock, he saw himself just standing there. "I am seeing nothing different."
"Wish for an escape,"Snape suggested while inwardly surprised that Draco seemed to have everything he wanted. He was sure that if the boy had looked before attending Hogwarts it would have been a different story.
Draco did as asked and saw nothing different. "Sorry, sir."
"Logic," Harry said suddenly. "What about smashing the mirror?"
"Potter, do you have any idea of how old and rare the mirror must be?" Snape asked in shock at the very idea.
"Not as old as we are going to be before we escape this mess, Professor." Harry retorted while Hermione stared at the mirror wearing a thoughtful expression. Before anyone could stop her, she lifted her foot and kicked the mirror.
As it shattered, the stone fell to the ground and there were shocked cries from everyone in the room while the man watching through a two-way mirror was furious at that overreaching muggleborn pain in the rear destroying a rare precious magical object. He had wanted one last chance this year to see if Harry had even one small iota of his father's spirit but it was becoming clear that he didn't.
Harry leaned over and gingerly picked up the mirror then handed it to his Head of House. "Here, Professor McGonagall."
In shock, but amused in spite of himself, Snape saw the door forming behind Draco and Neville. "There."
As they left the room, the six of them saw they were on the first floor of Hogwarts, not that far from the entrance to the lower levels.
Minerva dismissed the students, asking if any of them had any need of medical attention only to be quickly told no. Draco went to his tower to write to his mother while Harry and Neville did the same to their guardians. When they were finished, they saw Hermione had her books out revising for their finals.
After a quick trip to send off their notes regarding their adventure, they joined her and after an hour or so, Neville looked up and asked the question that had been bothering him since they had been grabbed. "Harry, why do you suppose someone tried to send you to the maze. Were they trying to harm you or something?"
"I don't know." He lied. "I do know that my godfather will not be happy and I fully expect him to arrive here tomorrow morning."
Meanwhile, Minerva had gone to her room and sent a note to Amelia Bones, then went to locate Albus Dumbledore only to be told by the head house elf that he had gone to see his brother at his pub.
Severus meanwhile had sat down at his desk and did some research, he had the funny feeling that he might need to be looking for another position soon. It was slowly becoming clear that there was something seriously wrong with his protector and that Albus wasn't going to be able to keep his promises to him. In fact, he was quite certain that the headmaster was losing his mind.
TO BE CONTINUED