A/N: That potion was a rather nasty bit of Black history which enables an experimenter to speak to the original soul of a possessed party (the better to determine if the torment is adequate). The Black's weren't interested in the long-term survival of their possessed experiments so the potion is rather toxic with a detox from hell (originally designed to do the job and not be immediately lethal). Basically, when Spike drinks that potion, he's putting a chemical prison around the collective for about an hour and the longer he's dosed for the more potent the dose has to be to work and the bigger party the collective chucks when it's finally let free. The general party from 'below the April limit', Hades and Pluto can control (and yes, 'the April limit' was the month when they determined just how strong a dose the boys could take and still control. Above 'the April limit' and the detox is long and slow or Hades and Pluto will be lost within themselves as they were before the blood-rituals, a party to end all parties by the collective. Sirius Black has lived with that once and won't stand for it happening again. Too many questioned this to ignore and I simply can't think of a way to put this information in the story without it being too horribly preachy.

Chapter 13:

"SIRIUS BLACK!" The demand almost arrived before the flames had turned green.

"Hullo?" Sirius blinked towards his fire.

"We've trouble at the school and wouldn't mind a hand." Ermyntrude Data was a nice old biddy with a brain that was completely wrong for her appearance. She was the teacher of mathematics, and picking up Arithmancy at a terrifying speed. Ermyntrude was definite proof that no matter what limitations old dogs had, old cats took to new things like fish to water.

"On my way." Sirius barely stood up before he apparated, the trouble was serious and magical if he was called in as his presence on a family property would activate wards which were otherwise dormant and could not be adjusted. "There you are." Ermyntrude seemed more than a little relieved. "Remus and Seth report three, maybe four Death Eaters...middies." The final word was given with a vague shrug.

"Mid-level, smarter than the cannon-fodder and probably trying for a promotion." Sirius wrinkled his nose up.

"They won't have a specialised ward-breaker with them so as long as you keep the kids in the school they'll be safe." Sirius took a moment to study the warding stone. "If you can, let Remus and Seth know that they've got four within the boundary ward, but the fourth is hanging well back so this may be an official proceeding."

"Not going to stop us from inconveniencing them." Ermyntrude gave a nasty smile. "We've some new toys to test."

"Oh?"

"Just a bit of fun." Ermyntrude looked like she should have been everyone's favourite granny, but that smile was unsettling to say the least.

"And so it begins." Sirius settled himself into a comfortable chair and kept a close eye on the ward-stone, this was the school's fight and as much as anything they had to prove to themselves that their mixed staff could defend their children..and he'd never read anything which said a wardstone couldn't watch another wardstone and take notes for future refinement...perhaps sometime during the summer Spike would like to add serpent paths and a basilisk to this school as well...no better way to discourage surprise visits then preventing unauthorised magical transport.

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"Black?" Snape's query froze the class, everyone turning to look at the silent boy. Hades Black had not responded to the query, he simply continued to prod at the contents of his cauldron with a dazed and glassy expression. Longbottom was partially uncurled from his defensive ball and peeking into the cauldron which rested between the two boys. "Black!" Snape's query had become edged and irritable, but still garnered no response. "HADES!" It was a deafening roar which the Potion Master gave as he stalked towards the the student in question. Everyone but Black took several steps backwards. Black twitched slightly, prodded his potion one last time before looking up at Snape.

"It worked, sir." Black's eyes were still blind and glassy even though he was functioning again.

"Black?" Snape was frowning.

"It's behaving like the Potter Potion, sir." Black turned his attention back to the cauldron that held him so fascinated. "It's just so beautiful." Black prodded the potion again before abruptly throwing a handful of it into Malfoy's Cauldron. Malfoy frowned, until he noticed just how close his cauldron had been to exploding. "You never said it was this beautiful."

"Potter only ever made it to avert an explosion." Snape seemed almost as captivated as Black was by the contents of the cauldron. "I only ever saw the partially saturated form of this potion." Snape tore his attention away from the cauldron with some difficulty, moving to get his class back under control and some semblance of order back into the room. "Malfoy's cauldron probably contains the only form I've ever seen this potion in."

"It's still beautiful." Hades had ducked out of his seat to inspect Malfoy's cauldron.

"Will you shut up." Snape shoved Black back to his own workstation. "Don't forget the full write-up." Snape swept off to scowl at someone else. Here was hoping Spike actually could do the complete write-up, it was the acid test of whether or not Spike had done the actual work or had turned the effort over to a past soul...it also meant that there was a possibility of expanding the experimentation with more of the potion available and more people learning how to make it. Snape knew he was not the only person who saw the potential for some very valuable healing applications, but there was an off chance that this potion, like 'boing' could only be managed by the young. The mere thought of depending on the first couple of years of Hogwarts students to supply something like the Potter Potion made the soul curl up and cringe...even Spike's vast array of available souls would curl up and cringe. A nightmare to dismiss by...preventing Greengrass from destroying her cauldron.

"He might at least have given you some points for suceeding in whatever that foul brew was." Ron Weasley was grumbling softly while pushing the remains of his dessert around on his plate. It was not the first time he had said it, and it was not the first time he'd heard the flat reply, but it was the first time that other people would join in.

"No." Black didn't even bother looking up from his book. It was another badly marked potions book and the contents didn't half fascinate the boy, for he'd cast several layers of charms over the books so he could continue reading while he ate.

"Why?" Hermione Granger was badly confused, the potion was obviously important somehow, yet Hades seemed quite adamant that points shouldn't have been awarded. It made no sense.

"Potions such as that one should never be tainted by such petty matters as house points." Black turned back a page and frowned pensively over what he'd read.

"But..." Hermione stopped, startled by the soft snickering near at hand. "What are you laughing at?" She frowned at the small group huddled at the Ravenclaw table just behind her.

"Granger, he has no idea that anyone is talking to him."

"But..."

"OI! ALKVN!" Malfoy left his seat and leant over the Gryffindor table to firmly cuff the reading boy around the ears.

"Ouch." Black mumbled something else, rubbed his ears and then looked up with a frown at Malfoy. "What do you want Malfoy?"

"Your fellow housemates are outraged over the fact that you received no points for potions today."

"Why on earth would Snape give me points?" Black blinked at Malfoy in visible confusion. "I could create a cure for life and he'd still curse me and look around for someone to take points off."

"Well, Granger is confused that you deem the potion above house points."

"Of course it's above house points...but how does she know I think that?" Black turned his head to look at Hermione in utter confusion.

"You told her...after refusing to join Weasley in bewailing the fate of Gryffindor and the general nastiness of Snape."

"Oh." Black gave a shrug. "Next time, if you must disturb me, make it worthwhile." Black dug back into his reading and Malfoy withdrew from the Gryffindor Table sniggering softly under his breath. The Gryffs were totally gobsmacked. Even with a year of exposure, the Gryffindors clearly had no idea what to make of Hades Black.

XXXXXX

"Has the Dark Lord got his minions back yet?" Sirius Black studied Lucius Malfoy curiously when the blond arrived on his mat.

"Slightly earlier today." Malfoy dropped into a nearby chair and sighed. "Can you explain what weapon caused the inflamed eyes and sneezing? Malfoys do not do inflamed eyes or sneezing."

"Avoid the school then." The tone was bright and the smile cheerful.

"No hints?"

"Capsicum and pepper...they've also got some gun which rather scrambles magic."

"I hate muggles." Malfoy growled softly. "I not only hate them, but I really hate you. How the devil am I meant to tell the Dark Lord his new initiates to the inner circle were taken out by garden vegetables and spice?"

"I never thought of that...how about notifying him that I betray well-bred ignorance on the subject?" "What about a case of well-bred death?"

"I only inflict that upon plants." Sirius gave a sniff and then swore before lunging to his feet. "Go-go-go!"

"Why?" Malfoy paused in the fireplace.

"Incoming vampiric negotiator...there's rather a backlog of negotiating to be done and I don't want to have to explain to the goblins why you're a vampire if this lot goes as badly as the last lot."

"I'll let Severus know there'll be more vampire fangs and whatever for him to play with...at least Goblins don't try to kill their negotiators!" Malfoy departed on that victorious note.

"There's never been a Black killed by vampires." Sirius gave a huff to the glowing fire before he spun to greet the newcomer.

"Does he really think we'd be so wasteful as to kill anyone who has survived to become a negotiator?" "To a Malfoy anything that isn't a pureblood wizard is dead...or will be very, very soon after." Sirius eyed his visitor for a moment. "I only negotiate with the Archon."

"The Archon is indisposed."

"Not the point." Black flames sparkled on Sirius' finger-tips. "You have five seconds."

"For what?"

"To leave or prove you are the Archon."

"Other..." The word never ended, the thoughts behind it lost in the sudden dust.

"KREACHER!"

"Mongrel calls Kreacher so...oh, yes Master Black, Kreacher will collect the potions ingredients." The bent old elf got busy, disappearing moments later with all of the evidence that there'd ever been a visitor. Sirius waited for several long minutes after the elf departed to be certain that Archon did not arrive in turn, then he took himself off to light another candle. This was the fifteenth vampire who'd attempted to displace the Archon by approaching the Negotiator out of turn and what he'd at first thought was the end of the world he was now learning was boringly commonplace. The first vampire's death had driven him in panic to memories of his youth, anything to silence the nightmares. Now, fourteen more vampires later it was simply part of his life, the death then the candle, followed by drill and meditation to ensure the soul and magic were repaired fully before facing the world once more...though resting on that thought for a moment, he really did need to ask Lucius to take a look at the Dark Lord. The man was untrained in the Dark Arts, no drill or meditation to maintain soul and sanity against the inherent damage of death. Sirius had had to mend his own soul plenty after Azkaban and he'd never consciously practiced the Dark Arts. The Dark Lord probably looked like moth-eaten lace to eyes which really looked and he couldn't but suspect that that fact would come in useful. The thought was discarded as Sirius slid into the pattern of drill. Here was peace, surety and the confidence that life was worth the living, problems could be solved later.

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