Introducing Professor Rowle
"Hadrian?" Severus said into the quiet. The kids were, once again, sequestered in the Potions Master's private quarters, working on their lessons.
"Yeah, Dad?" the raven responded, looking up at his father with a wide smile. Severus couldn't help but smile back at the unguarded look of adoration his son shot at him.
"I've been in contact with one of the exonerated former Death Eaters; a man named Thorfinn Rowle. I had approached him with the hope that he would be willing to teach you, your brother, and your friends self-defense. As hard as the headmaster is pushing to try and 'reconcile' with you, I fear he has some plans in the making that would put you and your gang in danger."
"Okay," Hadrian replied slowly, brow furrowed. "Is he going to be a professor here?"
"Unfortunately, even though Lucius is Minister now, he has no real control over Hogwarts, so, no. Only the headmaster is permitted to do the hiring and firing of staff. We will make plans to use the Room of Requirement for our training."
"Room of Requirement?" the twins asked softly. "That's real?"
"It is," Sirius concurred with a small grin. "The Marauders had discovered it in our fourth year, after we started creating the Marauder's Map. It took us until near graduation to complete it, because the spells had to be layered on as we discovered them. We started with the homunculous charm to get the basics down; those being identifying and tracking everyone and everything in the castle. From there we added magic and updated the map as necessary. Unfortunately, because the Room of Requirement is unplottable, as it exists in a sort of dead space, it couldn't be added to the map. We never found the fabled Chamber of Secrets, so it couldn't be added, either."
"This map you made…did it, perhaps, fall into the wrong hands?" Fred asked, eyes wide.
"Yes, it did," Remus growled angrily. "James was being a right git, and had pissed Severus off. So, one night, while he was using the map to navigate the school, Filch found him, and confiscated it. It sits in his office today; Merlin only knows where he's hidden it."
"Um," George said hesitantly, "we…we actually have that map. We've been using it to prowl the halls and plant pranks for the headmaster."
"That explains so much," Severus whinged dramatically. "Now that I know your secrets, I can keep a closer watch on the pair of you, so that you don't end up destroying all the hard work I've put in to cleaning up Slytherin's reputation."
"Since we know who created it, we also know who it belongs to," Fred told the Potions Master. He pulled out the battered blank piece of parchment, and with great ceremony handed it to Hadrian. "I, Mssr. Frederick Weasley, hereby pass on to you, Mssr. Hadrian James Snape, the Marauder's Map, which is yours by birthright. To activate it, simply place your wand to the parchment and say 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good'. To deactivate it, tap it with your wand and say, 'Mischief managed'." Hadrian reached out a trembling hand and grasped the parchment, hand tingling at the magical signatures attached to the paper.
"Thank you, Fred," he said. "Other than the invisibility cloak, I don't really have anything from my birth parents. I am always grateful for every little bit that I can have, and that I can hear about Mum and James."
"You don't want to call James 'dad'?" Theo asked curiously. It wasn't the first time that he'd heard his brother refer to his birth father in such a way, and he was confused.
"No," Hadrian replied matter-of-factly. "This," pointing at Severus, "is my dad. I know that James is the reason I'm alive, but I never knew him. I can't really call him 'dad' because he just doesn't feel like that to me."
"You don't have any problem calling Lily 'mum'," Remus pointed out logically.
"No, because she was my only mum. If Dad was married, and that woman had raised me, she would be my mum, and my birth mum would be 'Lily' to me. Besides, aunt Narcissa is the closest thing to a mum I've ever known, but she's Draco's mum. It would be too weird to call her 'mum'."
"I think I understand," Sirius said thoughtfully. "It's really hard to relate to people you've never known. You don't know their personalities, their quirks, their faults. They don't really seem real to you. Severus, on the other hand, has been there for you almost from the beginning. He's been the sturdy, solid, strong support for you nearly all your life. He's real."
"Exactly, Padfoot," the raven chirped happily. "Just like you and uncle Moony are real for me, because you've been with me almost from the start, too."
"I guess the best we can do is share what we knew of your parents with you," Remus finished the conversation. "We'll try and scrounge up as many pictures of them as we can, and try to build you a family history. We'll give you what we can of them, so that you won't have a hole where they should be."
Well, here goes, Albus thought as he pulled a piece of parchment toward himself and grabbed a quill. Hadrian, he wrote carefully, there are some things of which I have a real need to speak with you. Please come to my office after dinner tonight, but leave your father behind. I have a fondness for blood pops. Don't be late. He signed the note with a flourish, then summoned a house elf to deliver the missive. Those compulsion charms have had enough time to settle in. He will be overwhelmed with the desperate need to obey my summons. When he gets here, I'll cast some mind manipulation spells on him, and he will leave his father and Slytherin behind.
The house elf popped into the potions classroom and handed the note to Hadrian. The boy smiled and nodded his thanks to the little being before opening it as the elf popped away. He read the note and frowned darkly as he rose and took it to his father.
"Well, it's starting," the raven said as he slid the message across the desk. Severus read it, eyebrows bent down into a scowl.
"Indeed," the Potions Master muttered forebodingly, crumpling the note and glaring at the far wall in thought. "Of a certainty you will not attend the meeting. We will just have to wait for his next move."
"Hopefully it won't be anything violent," the child replied as he returned to his desk.
Albus sat in his office after dinner, waiting on the arrival of his puppet martyr. He wasn't sure how long to give the child, so he figured to wait an hour. When that hour came and went, the old man scowled angrily, once again thwarted in his attempts to bring his stooge to heel. "What must I do to make that idiotic boy obey me?" he groused to himself. The headmaster and headmistress portraits listened closely to the man's mutterings, concerned for the child's welfare. Many of them had portraits up in the Ministry as well, since they were also political movers and shakers in their time. "It's obvious that he has somehow discovered the compulsion charms on the cloak and has had them disabled. I've definitely underestimated him. Had he been raised with those muggles, he would've been ignorant to magic to such a degree that he wouldn't have been able to sense the extra spells on the cloak.
"Well, I still have the Philosopher's stone," he continued to ruminate. "I'll hide it somewhere in the school, behind a few 'traps', and then figure out a way to 'compel' him to seek it out. He must be tested vigorously so that I may discern whether he has the heart and the skill to be the icon the wizarding world needs to put all their hopes and dreams into. This way, I can be behind the scenes, running everything whilst he is the one to take the brunt of the wizarding world's expectations." Phineas Nigellus Black, one of the Dark's staunchest supporters, even though he had hated the way that Riddle had went about things, left his portrait, reappearing in the one in the Hall of Portraits in the Ministry.
"I have need to speak with the Minister," he said to Rabastan Lestrange. The Lestrange brothers had become Hit Wizards at the behest of Malfoy, and their offices were across from the portraits lining the hallway. Instantly, the younger Lestrange flooed the Minister's office.
"What is it, Rab?" Lucius asked, startled to see the man's face in his floo.
"I don't mean to disturb you, Minister, but Phineas Nigellus Black would like to speak with you."
"Now, Rabastan, there's no need to stand on ceremony with me," the blond gently chastised the other man. "We are old friends. You have free rein to call me Lucius any time you please."
"I…understand and appreciate the sentiment, Minister, but it wouldn't be respectful. After all, because of you and Severus, my brother and I are free. There is no way we will ever be able to repay you for our freedom, nor for our newfound respectability."
"Nonsense, Lestrange," the blond barked. "We are good friends, and have been for a very long time. You are considered part of the family. Formality is not welcome between you and I. Now, I will be there shortly." Rabastan pulled his head from the floo and told the portrait of the Minister's imminent arrival. Moments later, Malfoy strode into the hall, looking at Black curiously.
"Thank you for meeting with me, Minister," Phineas said with a respectful bow of his head. "I was just in the headmaster's office, and I overheard a plan of his to draw the little Snape out by hiding something called the Philosopher's stone in the castle somewhere and compelling the lad to search for it. I've no doubt that the old man has plans to place a great many dangerous obstacles in the child's way in an effort to see if the boy as the mettle to 'be the hero the wizarding world needs'."
"Thank you, Phineas," Lucius replied quietly, silver eyes snapping with rage. "Do me a favor. I know that you have the capability of visiting a variety of portraits. I need you to find me some suitable spies that I may place within my office, to keep me apprised of the goings on in other areas of our world. As well, I will have you moved to my office. I have plenty of bare walls on which to hang you and some other spy portraits. I know you weren't a very popular headmaster in your time, but you were, and are, a very intelligent, canny individual, and I could really use your help."
"I would be honored, Minister Malfoy," Black whispered with a bow of his head.
"Excellent," Lucius purred softly, a malicious grin on his face. "Your job will be to keep an eye on that old crackpot, and let me know when he tries something against my honorary nephew."
"Hello, children," the tall, broad blond man said to the gathered students. They were in the Room of Requirement; it was Hadrian and his brother, Theo; Draco, Neville, Seamus and Dean; Ron and Hermione and the twins. Every eye was wide with excitement, making the Nordic looking man chuckle fondly. "My name is Thorfinn Rowle, and I have been a dueling instructor for a very long time. I have also been trained in a variety of self defense techniques, including karate, taekwondo, ju jitsu, and hand-to-hand combat. For a long time before the Dark Lord got his hooks into me, I was a hired assassin and enforcer for many Dark pureblood families. Severus and Lucius had freed me, and had given my life back to me, so I am grateful for the opportunity to repay them in any way I can. Now, Severus tells me that the headmaster has made some unwelcome attempts to manipulate young Master Hadrian, in some misguided quest to retain his diminishing popularity and power."
"Yes, sir," Draco growled angrily, surprising the big man. "Uncle Sev took us to the Magical Menagerie to pick up some protection in the form of poisonous vipers, but they may not be enough. After all, they weren't able to help much when that idiotic sixth year Gryffindor threw the killing curse at him." Hadrian could see the little blond shaking, and wrapped his arms around his best friend in the whole world, trying to comfort him.
"It's okay, Draco," the raven whispered. "I'm fine, and Dad's getting us more help."
"I know, Hadrian," the little Malfoy replied, cuddling into his friend. "It's just that, if anything would've happened to you, I don't know what I would've done. I really can't live without you. Your entire fault, you git."
"I'll happily take the blame for that, because I feel the same way about you. Git."
"It's that determination to protect each other that will help you tremendously in the months and years to come," Thorfinn said into the silence. "For today, and over the next few weeks, we will do stretching and strengthening exercises, to get your bodies into shape for the self defense techniques and moves I will be teaching you."
Severus,
Phineas Nigellus Black was here to see me, and has informed me of a plot to compel Hadrian into a 'quest' to hunt the Philosopher's stone, which Albus will hide within the castle somewhere. Phineas believes that the headmaster will put dangerous obstacles in the child's way, to test him. I've asked Phineas to find me more spies within the portraits strewn about the wizarding world, and he will also be my spy within Hogwarts. Keep an eye on that precious child, Severus, and Merlin be with you.
Lucius
Severus turned just in time to be nearly tackled to the floor by two very enthusiastic sons. He laughed heartily as he knelt and wrapped his arms around his sons, brushing gentle kisses to each boy's cheeks. "Not that I'm complaining, but what did I do to deserve such an abundant display of love and affection?"
"Mr. Rowle is awesome," Theo burbled earnestly. "We're just doing stretches and exercises for now, but he also told us some of the things he's done in his life. Did you know that he used to be a paid assassin?"
"I had no idea," Severus replied as he stood and led his children to the Great Hall for dinner. "I do not believe the Dark Lord knew that small fact, either, or he would have taken full advantage of it."
"Yeah," Hadrian picked up the narrative, looking at his brother happily. "He used to be a hitman for some of the Dark pureblood families, especially the ones that were in competition with each other. Some of the things he had to do were wicked."
"As…thrilling as all of that is, I do hope that he does not intend to teach you any of those skills," their dad murmured warningly.
"Nah," Ron chirped from behind them, startling a small yelp from Severus. The man turned and glared at the unrepentant redhead. The glare was wholly ineffective, given the little scream of fright. "He's going to stick with some basic self defense for now. Things like karate and ju jitsu, and some hand-to-hand stuff. We'll learn some of the more intensive things when we're older."
"I honestly can't wait to learn some of that stuff," Seamus said with a wide grin as he jogged to the Gryffindor table. The others followed him, sitting near the Great Hall doors. The kids had taken to alternating sitting at the House tables, and, in dribs and drabs, others from those Houses would join them for conversation and fun, further destroying the divisiveness that the headmaster had taken great pains to cultivate for many years. They even went so far as to suggest, more than once, that perhaps the Sorting Hat should be retired, since it was no longer relevant to the success of the students. Hermione had pointed out that the students shouldn't be separated by personality traits or magical affinities. She thought it would be better for all concerned if the students were gathered together by year. That way, everyone would be able to learn about everyone else, without the interference of preconceived notions of how they were supposed to think and act.
"This staff meeting has been called so that I may address an ongoing issue that is very worrying," Albus Dumbledore told his professors. "I wish to remind all of you that, according to the bylaws of the school charter, the students must be seated at their House tables for all of their meals. There is to be no intermingling of students into the other House tables. Now, I've tolerated this disrespect to my authority long enough, and I require you all, but especially the Heads of House, to instruct your students to obey the bylaws and seat themselves at the appropriate House tables for their meals."
"This is a blatant attempt to reassert absolute control over the school and its students," Severus barked into the incredulous silence. "Since my son has come to Hogwarts, you have done your damnedest to try and isolate him, by keeping him from his friends. You have made patently obvious attempts to try and control him, and now you're pissy because your efforts have failed. Face it, Albus, you're acting like a petulant child because you haven't gotten your own way."
"Be very careful, Severus," the old man warned dangerously. "I still have some sway in the Ministry, and it would be nothing for me to have them revoke your freedom from prosecution as a Death Eater in the first War."
"Albus!" Minerva hissed, shocked. "How dare you threaten one of the Heroes of the wizarding world! If it wasn't for Severus and Lucius Malfoy, we would be living under the threat of the return of Voldemort."
"But don't you see, Minerva?" Filius Flitwick asked the old tabby. "That's just what he wants. He wants the Dark Lord to return, so that he has a great evil to battle against, and from which he can save everyone." The headmaster turned betrayed eyes to the part goblin, glaring at the little man angrily. "Do not look at me like that, Albus. I know just what you did to little Harry Potter, and I know how he became Hadrian James Snape."
"What's he talking about, headmaster?" Sprout asked curiously. Severus sat back and smirked at the old man, waiting for him to try and lie his way out of this.
"It's nothing, Pomona," Albus hastily replied, trying desperately to change the topic of conversation. "Now, if we could get back to the topic at hand…"
"No, Albus," Minerva barked. "I want to hear what Filius means by what he has said."
"It's simple," the charms professor stated. "Albus Dumbledore abandoned Harry Potter on his muggle aunt's doorstep, without any sort of protection, and only a note of explanation. She grudgingly took him in, but her husband didn't want a magical child in his household, so he made plans to abandon the poor boy in the middle of a dense forest, in the middle of the night at the end of November. If it wasn't for Severus' serendipitous insomnia, the boy would likely have died of hypothermia."
"How could you?" Poppy asked incredulously. "To just throw away an innocent child like that…"
"I was not the one to throw him away, Poppy," Dumbledore rumbled angrily. "Please remember that I was not responsible for his abandonment."
"But you were," Severus hissed menacingly. "If you hadn't have dropped him on that bitch's doorstep in the first place, he never would have been dumped in the middle of a forest like so much garbage." The discussion grew heated as the old man tried to defend himself against what he thought were unjust accusations, with no resolution in sight. A throat clearing had everyone silenced as they looked at each other, wondering from where the sound had come.
"Now that I have your attention," the Sorting Hat barked into the shocked silence, "I have something to say. I badgered Albus to bring me here, because I have something important to impart. I agree with Miss Granger's wise assessments, and, to that end, I retire. I will no longer be sorting the children. From this moment onward, the House system will be disbanded, and the children will live in dorms by year. Furthermore, as we speak, the great Lady Hogwarts is making the changes necessary to both the classrooms and the dorms, so that they will be big enough, and plentiful enough, to accommodate the larger groups. As Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy, our true heroes, have proven, we all are Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Now, if no one has any objections, I'm out of here."