The world of Harry Potter does not belong to me. If you recognize it, it's not mine. This story takes place after the war, and it goes AU from there.

If you find any mistakes, please PM me. I'd like to fix them. Thank you all for the reviews. I appreciate them.

The Once and Future Prince

Chapter 10

Professor Filius Flitwick beckoned towards the opening door of his classroom. "Good morning, Professor Granger," he smiled with pride, "do come in. We were just getting started."

"Professor Flitwick," Lavender Brown raised her hand and asked, "I have a question. How exactly does the fidelius charm work?" She shot a quick glance towards Hermione.

The diminutive professor waited until Hermione had settled into a desk near the wall. "Well, Miss Brown," the Head of Ravenclaw explained, "there actually two kinds of fidelius charms, which ironically are somewhat oxymoronic in nature. The first charm keeps something a secret, and the other stops secrets from happening." He chuckled at his own joke.

Hermione giggled along with the professor, and Lavender shot her a look of irritation. "I meant the one that's sometimes part of a wedding ceremony," she clarified.

"Trouble in paradise, Won-Won?" Dean called out.

"Look, she's already planning the wedding!" Tracey Davis remarked sotto voce.

"Wanting to join the aristocracy, Lav-Lav?" Finnigan teased.

"Pure-blood or not," Pansy remarked with a sniff, "That will never happen."

Ron, who had bounded up from his seat in red-faced anger, sat back down when Harry elbowed him hard in the ribs. "Oh, uh, sorry, Professor Flitwick," he muttered.

The small professor hummed with displeasure. "I suppose I should take points for that, but love makes fools of us all, as well I know." He climbed onto his desk and sat down. "In all marriage vows, be they Muggle or Magical, there is usually some sort of promise or vow to be faithful. Usually this is done with an exchange of rings."

"I've always wondered about why there was an exchange of rings," Pansy said.

"It's because the shape of a wedding ring is a circle. It has no beginning or end," Parvati explained.

Flitwick nodded. "But back to your question, Miss Brown. The fidelius charm, when it is used in Traditional magical marriages, has the force of an Unbreakable Vow. Therefore, cheating on one's spouse will bring about your death."

Ron shifted uneasily in his seat. "Are those vows always included in magical weddings?"

Filius Flitwick's mouth twitched upward in a smile. "No, Mr. Weasley, they are not required. Each couple chooses whether or not to include a fidelius charm in their wedding vows." A collective sigh was heard around the room. "However," he added, "historically, every pure-blood lady was required to make an Unbreakable Vow of faithfulness."

"Excuse me!" Hermione exclaimed. "That's hardly fair! In fact, it's rather sexist and archaic."

"It's to keep the blood-line pure," Draco drawled. His gray eyes narrowed as he eyed Pansy.

"Again, Miss Granger, in today's world, it's purely a choice the couple makes," Flitwick assured her. "The fidelius charm in the form of the Unbreakable Vow hasn't been required-" He emphasized the word. "-for women since the late 1800's."

"But the royal family is required to include the fidelius charm in all marriage services, aren't they?" Pansy asked.

"Yes, the wedding ceremony of our king and queen must include the fidelius charm. If it is impossible for both of them to be unfaithful, there will be no confusion from multiple claimants to the throne," Professor Flitwick explained. "It is another legacy of Merlin."

"Merlin's the Man!" Dean Thomas yelled out, causing a round of laughter.

Flitwick frowned. "Integrity, honor, and faithfulness should be the true measure of a man, don't you agree, Mr. Thomas?"

Dean hung his head in embarrassment.

"And since King Aquilla and Queen Althea only had one child, a girl, they are looking for an heir from the next Ancient House-" Tracy Davies added.

"And that would be Professor Black," Harry put in, "because he is the sole remaining male of that family line."

"But," Pansy Parkinson said with a sniff, "Black was disowned, and so the male line of the Black family is technically extinct. It is now only carried through the female line"

"And there are only two of the three Black sisters left," Theo Nott stated, "right, Draco?"

Draco sighed. "Yes, Aunt Bellatrix, who is deceased, was the oldest, followed by Aunt Andromeda. My mother is the youngest."

"Bloody hell!" Ron gasped. "Can you imagine the Ferret there as our next king?"

"And why not?" demanded Pansy Parkinson. She entwined her arm with Draco's. "I think he'll make a very handsome king."

"Professor Black has been reinstated as Head of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black," Draco stated firmly, ending the discussion, "by Prince Arcturus. I will support Black's claim if no heir with a more legitimate claim is found."

Professor Flitwick cleared his throat, gathering the class' attention. "I believe we've used our class time today discussing off topic items." He returned to his raised podium at the front of the room. "To quickly recap, the fidelius charm is now totally optional in wedding ceremonies with the one exception of The Merlin and The Lady of the Lake."

He gazed around the room, gauging his students' attention. "Now, for next week, I want you all prepared to demonstrate the reparo charm, and I will expect each of you to prepare a three feet essay on the three uses of the fidelius charm."

"Now, before we go, I have some good news." He grinned broadly. "I was informed this morning that Hogwarts will host a Royal Ball." He waited for the excited squeals and hubbub of speculation to die down. "It is by invitation only. The Charms Club will meet tonight to plan the decorations."

"By invitation only?" Dean echoed. "Ooh, how fancy schmancy!"

"Now, please excuse me," Filtwick said with a nod. "I need to coordinate with Professor Sprout about floral arrangements."

"But you said there were only two uses of fidelius charms, Professor!" Parvati Patil called after him. "Professor!"

"Actually, he said there were two kinds, not uses," Hermione explained.

"You stupid cow!" Pansy hissed at Lavender. "Your idiot question caused us to have extra homework!"

"It's not my fault!" Lavender retorted. "I wouldn't need to ask things like that if that slut-" She jerked her thumb over her shoulder at Hermione. "-stopped trying to steal my man -"

'Excuse me!" Hermione shouted.

"There's no excuse for you, Mudblood," Pansy whispered.

The slap echoed through the hallway, and a large red imprint of Hermione's hand appeared on the Slytherin girl's face. The echoing slur and her burning forearm blotted all reason from her head, and Hermione leapt for Parkinson's throat.

"Professor Granger!" From a distance came Professor Snape's roar. He grabbed Hermione around the waist and pulled her bodily from Parkinson. Holding her until her rage faded, the Potions Master glared everyone around him into submission. When she relaxed, he let her go.

"Professor Granger, you will report to the Deputy Headmistress immediately." He turned his back to her. "Twenty points from Slytherin, Miss Parkinson, for gross disrespect to a teacher." His voice was pitched low and deadly. He cut his eyes to Draco, who promptly let go of Pansy, leaving her to stand alone. "You should be expelled, but-" He paused. "-but a formal, written apology will suffice. Have it on Professor Granger's desk by tomorrow morning."

By the time Hermione had stormed up three sets of stairs, her anger had almost dissipated. She knocked twice, pushed onward into Professor McGonagall's office, and flopped into the first chair she found. A flick of her wand transformed the seat into a plush cream-colored arm chair. She sat in a sullen silence before a bewildered Deputy Headmistress.

McGonagall peered at Hermione over the rim of her glasses. "Why do I have the feeling that I'm not going to enjoy this little meeting?" She sighed and removed her square shaped glasses, setting them on the desk before her. "All right, what happened?"

"I slapped Pansy Parkinson," the young professor muttered rebelliously. "Professor-" She paused. "Severus, just happened to be there, which was a good thing, or I'd have strangled the bitch. Anyway, he sent me to see you. He should be here in a moment."

"I see," Minerva said with cool, professional detachment. "Sosty," she called her elf, "please bring tea for three. Now, may I ask why you struck a student?"

Hermione glared daggers at her mentor while tears of humiliation spilled over and down her cheeks. Then, she turned her face to the window, refusing to answer. Heavy silence reigned.

"Thank you, Sosty." Minerva prepared three cups of tea and pushed one across the desk. She sighed. "You aren't the first teacher to strike a student, Hermione."

Hermione jerked her head back to face her favorite teacher. "What?"

Minerva picked up her teacup and pointedly indicated that Hermione do the same. After they'd taken a calming sip, Minerva spoke. "I remember quite distinctly the day I slapped Bellatrix Black," she recalled.

"You slapped a student?" she squeaked. "You slapped Bellatrix Black? Bellatrix LeStrange? But why?"

"She demanded that I give her a passing grade, or she'd spread a rumor that the Headmaster and I were having a torrid affair."

"Which you were, and are," Severus said with a smirk. He closed the door behind him and helped himself to a cup of tea. "Mmm," he hummed appreciatively, "Earl Gray. You remembered how I like it. Thank you."

"Cheeky boy," Minerva muttered affectionately. Then, she smiled at Hermione's shocked face. "I trust you can keep your mouth shut."

Hermione snapped her mouth closed, nodded, and returned to her tea, but she eyed the older witch with outright speculation.

Minerva set her teacup down. "Now, what happened?"

"Parkinson called her a Mudblood," Severus explained. He perched on the edge of Minerva's desk. "Hermione," he said softly, "you are one of the few people who know just how much and why I detest that word. Your reaction, though, was extreme to say the least. Please, would you tell us why?"

Hermione gazed at him for a long time. Then, silently she leaned forward and set down her tea. And ever so slowly she rolled up her sleeve to reveal the word 'mudblood' in livid red, gouged into the skin of her arm.

A low string of expletives erupted from Snape as he was instantly on his feet. He set his cup down and gingerly took her arm. He bent low over it, examining it carefully.

Minerva calmly reached into her desk and pulled out a bottle of Royal Lochnagar's Liquid Lava. She poured a splash of the fiery whiskey into each teacup. "Drink," she ordered. "All of it."

With shaking hands, Hermione picked up the teacup and drained the contents. Almost immediately she relaxed, and she began to speak. "Bellatrix LeStrange," she said. Her voice cracked with emotion when she told them. "When we were captured and taken to Malfoy Manor, Bella did this with a poisoned knife." She shrugged.

The look on McGonagall's face could melt lead, but she kept her voice calm. "Here," she said, refilling Hermione's teacup with equal parts whiskey and tea, "drink up."

Severus released her arm and finished his own tea, shaking his head so Minerva wouldn't refill it. "You've had this seen about?" he asked.

Hermione's face was red, and her words were beginning to slur. "Yep," she murmured. "Had it checked by an Ausshie bush doc. Great guy. Really wild tats." She looked up at him sadly. "It'll never really heal, ya know, but it doeshn't hurt anymore even though it's embarrasshing."

"Perhaps I may be able to create a salve," Snape suggested, "to alleviate the redness. Does it still cause you pain?"

Hermione shook her head.

He frowned. "I took care of Miss Parkinson. There should be a formal, written apology on your desk in the morning."

"But, I'm the one who shlapped her!"

"As for Professor Granger's punishment," Snape suggested to Minerva, "may I recommend that, at a later date, she receive official professional counseling while assisting me with a particularly onerous task? One that is most suitable as a punishment for her assault and battery upon Miss Parkinson? One that will stretch her abilities to organize, stress the importance of following strict instructions, as well as cause her great physical labor?"

Minerva arched a lone eyebrow. "Such as?"

He smiled. "I'll be selling Spinner's End after the first of the year, and I'll need help moving."

"Hermione?" Minerva questioned, her green eyes twinkling.

"Shure," the younger witch slurred a bit. "Shign me up."