Chapter Fourteen

Lucius had spent most of the day smiling, his wife's expression as he had left the bedroom was more than worth the ache he was now living with on a daily basis. He was rather glad that he had gone with the slow and steady approach instead of rushing in with Gryffindor like impetuousness.

Entering his office, he was looking at the Daily Prophet, reading about how Chief Warlock Dumbledore had lost yet another vote in regards to what was being abbreviated as the marriage check law. Smirking as he went to sit down on his chair, he heard the sound of someone coughing.

Looking up, already planning on firing whoever dared to enter his office without his permission, he groaned when he saw Death's very own annoying pest seated across from him. "What now?"

She scowled at him then crossed her arms in a way that reminded him of Draco when he was about to throw a temper tantrum. "I was sent to visit you."

"Regarding?" He asked. He had been very careful to stay within the rules for the last few weeks, so he couldn't figure out what he had done that had resulted in this impromptu visit.

"Your actions are approved." She said with a glare at him.

"Would you care to be more specific?" He inquired almost certain he knew what she was talking about from the petulant expression on her face.

"Death says that you may remove any of the Death Eaters who might still be a danger to Potter, yourself or others with extreme prejudice." She stated, her eyes staring at the tops of her sneakers instead of looking into his eyes. "In fact, he has authorized me to help you in your search for the other missing pieces of the soul of one Thomas Marvolo Riddle."

Handing over the list, she said "I can't believe that they are allowing you to just end the lives of others. That is supposed to be the job of the reapers."

"Did you ever consider that maybe I am being guided by the unseeing hands of said reapers." He retorted.

"Yes but I dismissed that thought." She answered then standing, looked at him and said: "I have to go."

With that, she faded away from sight and Lucius looked at the list written on very fine parchment and whistled as he realized just how difficult the job that Potter and his friends had had that year. One of the items was at the Black Manor house, one in the floorboard such as they were at the Gaunt shack, the Ravenclaw tiara was in a room at Hogwarts called the Room of Requirement. A loving cup was in the Lestrange vault and lastly...

Lucius used every single cuss word he knew as he read the next line. There was a horcrux, or at least a sliver of one in the cursed scar of Harry Potter. Beneath that line, there was a note stating that if Riddle returned to his body, he would immediately make his snake into another horcrux and there was the name of a ritual that would remove the piece from the young boy.

FROZEN

Narcissa was not happy with her sister as she chuckled at her complaints.

"Cissy, you are looking at this all wrong. Don't you get it? Lucius is trying to prove to you that he wants a real marriage. A marriage with passionate sex, not that sad and rather strained ritual that the two of you have been performing. Why aren't you happy about this?"

Biting her lips, the blonde gathered her courage and said "What if it doesn't work? What if he still doesn't love me? It would be the end of me, Andi."

"Welcome to the human race, Cissy." She gently replied. "Yes, it is a gamble, but sweetie, he has all but laid his heart bare for you."

"No, his heart was protected, it was everything else that was exposed," Narcissa said as she blushed a nice rosy hue. "It's just, I like waking up with his arms around me. I like knowing how I affect him. But what if once he gets what he wants, he changes his mind?"

"Then you deal with that if it happens, but I don't think you have anything to worry about," Andromeda replied. In fact, if she was correct in what she found out from her daughter's investigation into the potion's maker down Knockturn Alley, her sister had everything to gain by being honest with her husband. "Until you are sure, just let him take the lead, Cissy. It sounds like he is doing just that. Just enjoy the ride."

FROZEN

Severus Snape gave Gilderoy Lockhart one of his most withering stares, one that would normally result in the recipient either running away screaming or ending up hexed at the tip of his wand.

The oblivious idiot simply smiled a rather simpering smile at him and said "This way we can get to know each other. I feel that if you were to really get to know me and I you, we would be the best of friends."

"Listen you addlepated self-aggrandizing waste of a good wand, the day that the two of us are as you put it best of friends, is the day that we are the only two people left in the entire galaxy and even then I would slit my own throat with a rusty knife just to escape a life of complete and utter tedious boredom," Snape stated as If he was asking him to pass the sugar.

"Now I have no desire to discern whatever inconsequential plot you have thought up in that minuscule grey matter you call a brain, so for the sake of your continued ability to breathe, I would suggest that you find someone else to annoy unless you would like to acquire first-hand knowledge in how the dark arts really are executed."

"Well, I never..."

"There is always a first time for everything, Lockhart," Flitwick said from his spot on the other side of the Defense Against Dark Art's professor. "If I might make a suggestion. For the sake of your health, you might want to consider being seated someplace else for your meals."

When the man had scrambled with very little dignity to move to the only other empty seat which was between the Divination's professor and the History of Magic Professor, Filius looked at Severus and said: "He tried the same smarmy routine on me at breakfast."

"I saw him outside this morning, annoying Hagrid who was telling him that he had invited Potter to tea this afternoon," Severus replied. Nodding at the Headmaster and Minerva who had entered together, he asked Flitwick for a small favor. The half goblin frowned then said he would ask his brethren that very afternoon.

Severus returned to his office to prepare for his first class of the day, Slytherin and Gryffindor first years. By the end of the session, he was gratified to see that while there were several rather incomplete potions, no one had melted or exploded a cauldron that afternoon. Not even Weasley or Finnegan.

Looking at Draco as his godson left the classroom with Longbottom, Granger and of course Potter, he found himself grateful for the way that his godson had made friends of those who under normal Hogwart's circumstances, would not trust one another.

"So, Harry do you have it all planned?" Draco asked as they hurried towards their next class, Charms. "I still think you should take Hermione. What do you think, Neville?"

"I hate to say it, Harry but... it might be a good idea." He stated as rapidly as he could. Noticing that Harry seemed thoughtful, he said: "With two of you, one can distract and the other can ask questions, besides with the two of you there, you would have a better chance of not forgetting to ask everything."

"I already asked Hermione to come with me, but she says that the invitation was only written to me." He replied.

"I don't think that he would care, Harry," Neville stated. "You told me yourself, that he was very eager to tell you about your parents and such."

Hermione gave in and a short while later, the duo was seated across from Hagrid dunking rock cakes into the offered tea hoping they might soften up the snack enough that they could at least pretend to eat it.

Harry was grateful when Hagrid told him stories about his parents and their time at Hogwarts. He had heard stories from Professor Snape regarding his mother but the professor had been very open regarding his disdain for his father and the reason for It. Harry had been hurt to think that his father had been a bully but the professor had rather begrudgingly told him that he had changed to win the heart of his mother.

Here was the other side of the story, the side of a reckless and self-assured young wizard with some very close friends.

Hermione heard what the half-giant had to say and something seemed odd to her so she asked: "Mr. Hagrid if they were so close to his parents, why did Harry go live with his aunt and why is this the first time he has ever heard of these people?"

Hagrid seemed to tear up when he stated "The Headmaster said that Harry was safest with his relatives and that that was where he must go. No one could visit him because Dumbledore said it was safest for young Harry if they didn't. I know Remus Lupin speaks to him at least once every few months still, but at the time, with his illness, he couldn't be near Harry anyhow."

"Illness?" Hermione asked.

"I can't speak about it, Miss Hermione," Hagrid replied. "I will say that I think it is wrong, he is only dangerous around the full moon, he should have been allowed to see you, Harry but it wasn't to be."

"Hagrid, what about the others and didn't my mom have any friends?" Harry asked. He knew about Neville's Mum but was sure his mum had had other friends.

"I can't talk about it." Hagrid replied sounding truly sorry as it stated that then added "I am surprised young Longbottom hasn't told you. Your mum and his used to be best of friends, but of course, he might not know, poor lad. Not with everything that happened to his ma and pa."

The topic soon turned to school and Harry and Hermione found a way to bring it around to his rather large pets. Harry was petting Fang who just kept moving closer and closer, enjoying the attention so Hermione rather innocently began asking Hagrid questions.

"Hagrid, Draco was telling us that dragons are real. The same for unicorns. What about other mythological creatures?"

"Yes, dragons are real. I always wanted one." Hagrid admitted. "There are unicorns in the forest, but they are rather shy creatures."

"Trolls?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, they are dumb as rocks, though," Hagrid replied.

"Pegasus?" She asked and seeing his confusion said "Horse with wings?"

"Might have been confused with a hippogriff, Hermione," Hagrid replied with a grin as the young girl suddenly pulled out a quill and parchment to write down what he said.

"Phoenix?" Hermione asked. "Gnomes?"

"Yes, the headmaster has one that is his familiar," Hagrid replied. "As for gnomes, those little pests are harmless and like to hang out in gardens."

"Well, we know pixies are real but what about basilisks?" She asked.

"They exist but are very rare." He replied.

"Okay, um, what about... I know, what about Cyclops and Cerberus'?" Hermione asked. "You know, like in the Greek stories?"

"I don't know what a cyclops is, but Cerberus are real, in fact, I have one," Hagrid said proudly. "I lent him to the headmaster to act as a guard dog, but in truth, Fluffy is really harmless. Like I told Professor Lockhart, all he needs is a little music and he goes right to sleep."

With that, the two changed it back to a less dangerous subject like the large pumpkins growing outside and Hagrid was telling them how they were for the Halloween party at the end of the month. The two left with the half-giant none the wiser but soon imparted what they had learned to Neville and Draco but kept quiet about what Hagrid had told them regarding Neville, waiting until he told them himself.

FROZEN

Lucius was at the Ministry and listening as Fudge came up with a great idea all on his own. Hiding his shock at the man actually using his brain, he simply suggested that he take it in front of the Wizengamot.

Seeing the other man's surprise, Lucius said "Take your time and do this with a thoroughness that only you can do and you will have a formidable weapon against the power of Dumbledore. He isn't going to like it, but if you go into the chamber with enough backup, he won't be able to prevent it. In fact, I would speak to Augusta Longbottom about it. She has always been very vocal about my sister-in-law."

"What about you?"

Lucius saw how nervous Fudge was, clearly worried about losing his support, so he said "As long as there are public trials. I am all for it."

When Lucius left the Ministry, he returned home and began to gather his notes so that he could put a stop to certain parts of the Minister's 'investigation', but decided to use this to free Black. He needed a way for the convicts to be allowed to avoid veritaserum to protect his own interests but given to Black to free the man without anyone being suspicious of his motives.

Looking at the clock and knowing his wife would be home soon, he went up to their room and began to pretend to change his clothes for dinner. Sure enough to his delight at his perfect timing, he was wandering around the bedroom without a shirt on when she arrived.

Watching from the corner of his eye as Narcissa pretended not to be staring, he casually slid his arms into the sleeves of the silk shirt and slowly buttoned it, knowing that her eyes had never left him. Once dressed, he asked, "I have to reply to an owl from Severus, but how do you feel about having dinner on the back terrace?"

FROZEN

Narcissa gathered her scattered brain cells and agreed to his suggestion then when he left, she sank onto the bed. Her mind kept going to what Andromeda had been telling her and she found it difficult to argue with her interpretation, but she was still afraid of risking her heart.

Changing out of her more formal clothes and into something more casual, she joined her husband on the terrace and decided to stop reading motives into his decisions. Dinner was spent getting caught up on their last few days.

"Has Draco written to you?" Lucius asked a bit surprised to realize he had not heard from their son in a few days.

"Yes, I expect his letters to slow down a bit. He and his little friends are going to add Independent study in Defense Against the Dark Arts as well as History of Magic." She replied. "Minerva McGonagall all but begged me to take the position when I visited her and something she said has stuck in my mind. I think that the Headmaster has issues with his little admirer Bathilda Bagshot."

"Ah, I know all about that." Her husband replied amused. "Seems like she knows where the bodies are buried when it comes to him. The thing is, she is so infatuated with him, that he shouldn't be worried. She will never give anything away, not if it endangers him."

"I have ordered the invitations to be printed for the holiday ball to be held here. I have established a theme and intend to head up to the attics to see what decorations we already have." She replied. "We will need to be fitted for our costumes."

"Costumes?" He asked. "A masked ball?"

"Of sorts. A masque, yes, but not costumes in the sense of a Halloween dance." She replied. "I am thinking that we host it in honor of the hospital. Andromeda was mentioning that they losing what few qualified potioneers there are here to outside interests that are able to pay more. They could use the funds."

"Have Dobby go up to the attics with you." He suggested. "It's a month ahead of time, but do you intend to attend the Hogwarts first Quidditch match of the year. It's Slytherin versus Gryffindor. With our son now a backup on the team, we should attend."

"I would love to." She replied with a slight smile on her face.

"Even though we are going to have to cheer for Gryffindor?" He asked.

"Why would we do something like...oh dear." She said. "Gryffindor, oh dear. I never thought that that would ever happen. Cheering for the enemy."

"Severus thought it was hilarious when I mentioned it to him until I pointed out that with Draco on the team, he would have to cheer for them when they weren't playing his team," Lucius stated with a smug grin.

When dinner ended, Lucius reluctantly went to his study so that he could get caught up on his business paperwork and Narcissa went to her private study and after a few minutes found herself engrossed in one of the fictional books her sister had given her.

Two hours later, she was just getting to the interesting parts, the lady in the story having turned the table on her husband had tied him to the bed with his cravat when she heard a slight cough in the doorway.

Sliding the book under her thigh, she saw Lucius standing there. "Yes?"

"I have to run to Hogwarts. Do you have anything for Draco?" He asked.

"No, I sent him a care package yesterday of a few wizarding games for the boys and him. It seems as if Weasley has taken over the house chess board and if anyone else attempts to play it, he has to interfere or offer comments. Draco requested I send him one so that Neville and he could teach Harry and Hermione." She replied.

"I am not sure when I will be back." He said then bent down to press a kiss to her cheek before exiting the room and soon she felt him leaving the wards. Pulling her book back out, Narcissa was about to start reading again when she called out for a house elf. Requesting a glass of wine and some biscuits, she was soon drawn back into the battle of the sexes between this Theodora and her Earl.

Severus thanked Lucius for coming and then after hesitating said: "I was given a letter by Harry Potter that I was investigating."

Reading the proffered letter, Lucius finished then set it down on the table and then looked at the other wizard. "Why did the boy come to you with this?"

"It seems as if he was going to just dismiss it, but the Granger girl made him promise to take it to one of his professors. He came to see me with Draco. I did some research and found that the witch in question did recently die without any living relatives. It's real enough." He replied.

"What is the problem then?" Lucius asked while wincing inside as he knew exactly what the problem was. He had suspected such a thing from something the goblins had said to him regarding Harry but didn't want Severus looking that deeply because the issues led right back to the Hogwarts headmaster.

"I went to the Ministry and did a will search on Harry's behalf. She isn't the only one to leave the boy funds. He missed out on most of the funds over the years, which mysteriously ended up in the school's coffers when Harry nor his guardians didn't respond to the owl." Severus stated.

Lucius stayed silent, wanting to know where Severus was going with this. The other wizard didn't disappoint as he said "The goblins somehow knew more about this than I did and informed Filius Flitwick that until his birthday, Harry had a ward against mail from them. A mail ward placed by his former magical guardian."

"Former?" Lucius said truly surprised.

"Yes, it seems as if the goblins and apparently magic felt that the former guardian was negligent and magic itself appointed a new one. Care to explain to me, Lucius why that new guardian is you?" Severus said his tone sounding rather dangerous to his future health.

Lucius scrambled to find an answer, but his normally analytical mind was drawing a blank so the first thing that came out was "Does the Headmaster know?"

"Not yet and if you don't want me to go straight to him after you leave, you had better start talking," Severus replied.

"What happened to your plan to dislike the boy?" Lucius asked.

"He is very much his mother's son." Was the very simple reply.

"Very well then." Lucius took a deep breath and said "I need a vow you won't tell anyone what I am about to tell you. I know you won't believe it, I don't believe it and I am the one in the middle of it."

Severus was silent for a moment then raising his wand said "I, Severus Snape vow that I will tell no one what Lucius Malfoy is about to tell me unless it in some way endangers Harry Potter's health or happiness in any form."

"A few months ago, I was paid a visit. I was told I would lose my magic and my life if I didn't fulfill a vow." He started to tell half-truths realizing that Severus could be a great asset if turned against the headmaster's manipulations. "The main part of the vow was to protect Harry Potter. I swore on my magic that I am telling the truth about this vow."

Lucius then said lumos and when his wand lit up and Severus seemed to relax, he told him the rest. Potter living under the stairs in a cupboard, the changes at the Dursleys and how he had to protect the boy without removing the protections around the house. "Its what Dobby has been doing."

"Your sudden niceness to house elves is somehow a part of this," Severus replied.

"Yes," Lucius answered. "I arranged for Dobby to protect him, feed him and deal with the Dursleys. I arranged for clothes, books, and toys for the boy. At first, it was just awkward. Here was the child whose parents our former master killed. Yet, he got to me. Draco and his meeting, that was not my doing."

"What do you know about the Headmaster and the boy?" Severus asked.

"Albus Dumbledore's reasons for his not being in the magical world have NOTHING to do with blood wards or whatever he claims. More like Harry is a linchpin to his very own political power and the Headmaster is afraid of the boy learning the truth. The ward regarding the Goblins and Gringotts is only the beginning of the mess."

"He has three vaults according to Flitwick. His trust vault, his parent's vault, and the Potter family vault. These presents and inheritances should have been accepted and placed in yet a fourth vault but there is nothing." Severus told the other wizard. "As of the beginning of August you are now in charge of dealing with those issues. I will not tell Harry since I am guessing you don't want him to know."

"Not yet. I am hoping to fix things and then turn guardianship over to someone more publicly acceptable and yet that I approve of. I am going to stay behind the scenes. Just have him bring you any other letters for now. What about the headmaster? How do I prevent him from finding out?" Lucius asked.

"Filius is furious with the man, he will stay silent as he considers the situation Harry's business. Once I reassured him that you are no threat, he will accept it as long as the goblins inform him you are looking out for the boy. It will only become an issue if there should be a need for the guardian to sign paperwork for some reason. For now, that shouldn't be until Harry's third year. Even then, the headmaster might overlook it as he believes himself to be said guardian." Severus replied after thinking for a moment.

"When things change, there are parts that you should be told, I will do so," Lucius replied. "The headmaster did something that you need to know regarding Lily and who she is related to. She wasn't a muggleborn, more like half blood, Severus."

"I am not surprised," Severus replied. "Oh, do something for your son's sake. Look into Lockhart's background. He was trying to sidle up to me today, he pulled the same thing with Flitwick and Minerva in the last few days. I need something to use against him."

"I am already looking into it," Lucius replied then returned home. Arriving at the manor; he grimaced when he realized that his quick visit had ended up being three hours long. It was now almost midnight and so much for his plan to tease his wife a little this evening.

In their bedroom, he was about to slip a thin t-shirt on when with a wicked grin, he went to their bedroom and climbed into bed only wearing his boxer shorts. Noticing the lack of a barrier pillow, he grinned at that small victory. By one o'clock, his wife was curled up against him and Lucius Malfoy fell asleep a happy wizard.

SNIPPETS

The Headmaster had too many issues and not enough time. It was barely dawn when he was awakened by the sound of several owls bothering Fawkes. Entering his office, he sat down and requested tea from a house elf and began to go through his mail.

A letter regarding the upcoming session of the ICW, which he set aside to read what laws were being proposed. One complaint regarding the teaching abilities of several of his professors getting the standard form letter sent out. A notice from Amos Diggory regarding a rumor that the werewolf Fenrir was sighted in Russia.

The letter from Arabella Figg had him grimacing as she told him that she was still awaiting her October payment for staying in Little Whinging and a mention of that doctor fellow she was planning on going away with. He would have to pay her a visit and remind her of her oath, she couldn't be allowed to leave.

The letter from Fudge had him determined to deal with the man first thing. He was rather annoyed at the ego boost the Minister had gotten from how well received his law regarding testing before marriage had gone and was beginning to believe that he didn't need his advice and that couldn't be allowed to continue.

The only reason the headmaster hadn't already dealt with the situation was that his spy in the ministry had reported that Lucius Malfoy was not there as often as he used to be. Clearly, Malfoy was as annoyed about the new law as Albus was.

FROZEN

Lucius was in his office when his assistant knocked on the door and before she could speak to him, the Minister clearly in a rage rushed into the room. Once the door had been closed, Lucius listened as Fudge announced that he was proceeding with his plan and that he had an interview with Augusta Longbottom and Amelia Bones the very next day.

Lucius was able to find out in between the shorter man's rants that he had had a visit from Albus Dumbledore and that Chief Warlock had not been subtle in his threats to Fudge's job as Minister.

When Fudge finally left, Lucius looked at the letter he had been reading from his newest and most hidden corporate division. They were to report to him regarding any and all genealogical searches on the name Harry James Potter. There had been several.

Reading the names, he saw that most were fellow wizards with daughters close to his age, all looking at the boy as a potential betrothed in the future and clearly not wanting any surprises. The part that had him annoyed was that there were also checks on other boys of a similar age, including the McMillan, Longbottom and other pureblood heirs, including his son.

What was the best part was that all were returned to their requesters with half of their prepaid funds? There had been an amendment to the law, one of the few that the Headmaster had gotten through requiring that all names researched had to be of age. While Lucius knew of the real reason the Headmaster had set up such a rule, he was thrilled to be profiting from the other wizard's manipulations.

FROZEN

Lockhart looked at Bagshot with assessing eyes. It was with a sense of disappointment as he realized that while she was a potential source of secrets of the Headmaster, she was too old to be sent through what he had learned was a magical obstacle course.

He had considered and dismissed the stronger wizards and witches at Hogwarts. McGonagall was the same cold fish she had been when he had been a student and frankly she terrified him. Flitwick had been his next choice, he had looked upon the half-goblin as easy pickings until he heard learned that the professor was a dueling champion. Snape's mere glance had him fleeing in horror and his next two choices, the Astronomy, and the Runes professors had looked at him as if he was something they found on the bottom of their shoes.

All this had done was make him more determined than ever to escape what he had once fantasized as his dream job. It was becoming clearer that he had to get to that mythological stone and use it so that he could have all the gold he would ever need and never have to work again.

Up next he had considered that buffoon Hagrid but he doubted that the idiot had the ability to get through whatever obstacles were in the third-floor corridor except for the three-headed beast. The muggle studies teacher who never ate with them and the Arithmancy teacher who seemed to jealous of his good looks were of no use.

That left the woman sitting next to him. Sybil Trelawney wasn't his first choice, but after speaking to her for a few meals, he was convinced she was his best available choice. A little discreet questioning has him knowing not to trust her to return to him with the stone, so he was making plans to follow her when he had convinced her that they needed the treasure so that they could run away together.

Setting his plan to be completed on Halloween night, Lockhart gave her his most enchanting smile and made plans to charm the witch, even if he had to sleep with her to get her to do what he wanted, he was prepared to go that far. Nothing was going to get between him and his future.

FROZEN

Severus was strolling the corridors, sending an occasional lumos at a broom closet door and then giving students detention and taking away points. It had been a long day and he was more than ready to end his patrol of the corridors that evening.

Hearing a soft meow, he looked down just as Minerva McGonagall returned to human form. "Good evening."

"We are meeting in my office, ten minutes." She replied then changing back disappeared down the corridor. To his amusement, a large rat came from the opposite end and the animagus hissed at it. The rat froze and then ran at what seemed like full speed towards a nearby open doorway.

Noticing it was missing a paw, Severus chuckled knowing that the rat had run into another cat at some point here in the castle and had clearly learned his lesson. Descending the stairs to the third floor, searching down the forbidden corridor, he saw Hagrid taking care of his pet and nodded.

A few minutes later, seated across from Minerva and soon joined by Pomona and Filius; he looked at the Deputy Headmistress who seemed angry. "Minerva?"

"Let me get control." She replied. Once she had counted to ten, she said: "Albus has insisted that I change the menu to what the others are serving after a letter from Molly Weasley who says that I am keeping her son from getting a decent meal."

"I assume this is a result of my handing out detention to the boy for his cheek yesterday." Pomona Sprout stated.

"I don't know," Minerva answered. "I was simply told that for now all the menu for each house is to be the same."

Flitwick chuckled and so do Pomona who said "I have already spoken to the house elves. As of this morning, my Badgers will be following the same diet as your Lions."

"The Ravens will do so too. We aren't going to be as strict as Severus, but we are no longer allowing as many desserts and are moving to healthier choices." Filius replied. "My understanding was that you were unhappy with his manners, that it had nothing to do with his eating at the Hufflepuff table, Pomona."

"I think I need to pay a visit to Molly Weasley," Minerva said. "She might not have heard the entire story."

"I would suggest doing so. As for Mr. Weasley, he was assigned detention again on Saturday as he apparently somehow angered Filch while working on polishing the trophies." Pomona stated. "Now, what is going on with the Headmaster, he seemed rather upset when he returned from London today."

"He was," Minerva said with a grimace as she recalled the main reason the headmaster had called her to his office. "I discovered a room a few years ago here in the castle that had been turned into a storage room. In it were stacks after stacks of presents and other gifts for Harry Potter or as some of them were addressed to "The Boy Who Lived"."

"What?" The word echoed from all corners of the room.

"Yes, anyhow, I used an invisibility charm to see through the packages and sent those that were appropriate to be sent to a young boy in the muggle world on through Ms. Figg. I figured it was the least we could do for the boy." She answered.

"The Headmaster was angry about this?" Flitwick asked.

"Oddly enough, he said he wished he had thought of it himself," Minerva replied. "I later learned he had been sending money to the Dursleys for presents for Harry so that they weren't out of pocket for his things. Well, it seems that Arabella Figg had not been sending them on to the boy. Albus found them in a spare room at her house which was now empty."

"Something happened to Arabella?" Filius asked.

"No, she apparently eloped with someone called the doctor," Minerva replied.

"Doctor, it's a title, it's a muggle healer," Severus explained a bit shocked at the idea of anyone finding Arabella Figg appealing enough to elope with her.

"Either way, Albus brought the gifts back to the castle. He and I were arguing about my suggestion to give them to the boy. He is refusing as he is not at all happy that Harry has befriended the Malfoy boy." Minerva left out the man's suggestion that Harry should be friends with the Weasley boy.

"Why? From what I have seen the Malfoy boy is genuine in his friendship with all three of his friends including the muggleborn Ms. Granger." Flitwick pointed out. "He should be happy that he has proven to be so adaptable."

"It is not only Draco," Severus said. Noticing they're looking his way, he said "Narcissa and her sister Andromeda have reconciled. I am sure that part of this new attitude is why Draco has been so accepting of muggleborn students."

"Either way, I am not going to allow anyone to force a child to be friends with someone they don't wish to be friends with," Minerva replied. "What I want the three of you to consider is a way to accidentally have Harry find that room with those presents in it."

Severus left the meeting after learning of the location of the room. Checking it and finding it was only warded with a notice-me-not charm, he overcame the charm and looked through the large piles of gifts.

Sure enough, the names matched the ones from the list of lost inheritances. Returning to his quarters, he settled into bed, his mind on that room and what it meant in regards to the games and manipulations of the Headmaster. Stil,l without answers, he fell asleep, positive that this was an important riddle to solve.

FROZEN

Albus Dumbledore was pacing back and forth in his quarters, unable to sleep. There had been yet another death of a suspected death eater. This time it was yet another low key and minor criminal related to the Boots family.

There had been too many deaths for it to be a coincidence but all reports showed each of the deaths to be just what they seemed. To make matters worse, Fudge was using the stirred up interest to suddenly have show trials and was talking about asking the Wizengamot to put same said death eaters through the veil.

He couldn't allow that, he needed the status quo to stay the same. Many were the last remaining heirs to their families and he was sure that it would switch the balance of power that was necessary for the Greater Good.

Thankfully, he was sure that the pureblood voting bloc would keep things as they were, none of them would wish for their relatives or possibly themselves to be sent through the veil. However, his spy had mentioned seeing the Minister speaking to Augusta Longbottom and Amelia Bones.

Two women with strong minds and opinions regarding what they considered the light sentences given to death eaters. They would be on the Minister's side during a vote.

He had debated finding a way to use their relatives at Hogwarts, but Albus found it repugnant to use children that way. There were too many ways for it to go wrong and he didn't want to draw attention to his interest in stopping these trials. He had to at least prevent them from happening as long as he could until he could if they managed to get enough votes to have said trials and death sentences.

Then there was the Figg situation. He had not been able to locate the twice damn blasted woman. Even her cats were gone. He had considered going to the Dursley residence but he didn't want to upset that situation if he could avoid it. It was imperative that Harry not know he had ANY connections to his living with his mother's sister.

Grimacing, as he realized he had too many problems to deal with and not enough time in the day, Albus went to bed. Tomorrow was a brand new day and hopefully, he would have found a solution to his problems after a good night's sleep.

Too bad for him, a rather self-important and delusional wizard was making his own plans and those plans would make things even worse for the headmaster as he walked down the stairs from the Divination tower.

A quick shower in his rooms and a tall strong drink to remove the memory of the last few hours spent in the bed of a woman whose entire private quarters smelt of sherry, then Gilderoy Lockhart toasted himself and said: "I can't wait for Halloween."

To Be Continued