Ch. 15 Goyle Perpetual Darkness Powder

One Month has passed and things seem to be going on as usual without much of a hitch. But things are never quite as peaceful as they seem.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any likeness if sued I will use this disclaimer in court.

It was the first of February and Mark was once again in high spirits. Crow was gone, the Foe glass was getting emptier by the minute and the latest threat appeared to be not much more than a joke. Things were looking up and he enjoyed it.

Harry was also happier than usual, perhaps it was the fact that the Dursley's have been less aggressive lately, perhaps it was the early spring that graced the land, but most likely it was that for the first time in a very long time no one was trying to kill him. It was almost like a dream that things could be so peaceful even in such simple circumstances.

Mark dwelled on these thoughts as he went on his daily leisure walk to school. It had been a couple weeks since Snape returned to the school, but that hadn't stopped the insane professor.

As soon as he arrived back Snape sent a full twenty inches of parchment with assignments for the week along with a owl big enough to carry all the potions samples back to Hogwarts. It appeared Snape had been dead serious about home schooling Mark in potions.

He already had read all the way through the second year potions text book and written out his plan for making them ahead of time, while still skimming threw the ingredients manual and the third year text.

It remained to be seen whether the Foe Glass had made a mistake with John Goyle or if he was just planning something. The thought killed the calm that had blessed his mindscape and replaced it with the usual tense pressure.

It was enough to make Mark reinstate his policy of intense observation. It's funny how sometimes times of peace can make a soldier more on edge than the depths of war. Deep thoughts aside it was time to discover if what Harry said about this janitor was accurate or not.

He decided this just in time to enter the school building. Mark made his way to the entrance of his room to see Harry sitting in his usual seat waiting for Mark to show up.

"Morning Harry, pleasant weather right?" Mark asked.

"I suppose so", Harry said in a rather glum tone.

"You sound depressed Harry", Mark commented.

"Well I'm not quite sure what is going on, but I feel like something bad is going to happen soon. I've been in such a good mood lately, but it just seems that it was closely coming to an end", Harry said.

"I've actually been feeling just like that too. It's a strange sense of foreboding I can't put my finger on, like today specifically could be bad", Mark commented.

"Well we can't dwell on the matter too much, lets just focus on the now and take the obstacles as they come", Harry decided.

"Yes I think so as well", Mark agreed.

They sat there silently studying as students from their class slowly filled in. Seeing as they always arrived vastly earlier than necessary (Harry liked to get out of the house as early as possible and Mark had to make sure nothing happened to Harry) they had plenty of time to wait around. Finally the teacher arrived at nine o'clock sharp.

"All right class why don't we start our lesson days lessons with some math? (Groans from the student body) Now quiet down and open your textbooks to page sixty-two.

"Teacher may I use the rest room?" Mark asks.

"All right Mark you may go ahead, but we will have to start without you", Mrs. Elm says.

"Ok on to math, who can answer the first- what is that?" The teacher shrieks.

Black fog as dark as the darkest void had begun seeping threw underneath the door and with speed and almost life like qualities engulf everyone. The teacher screams.

Harry ponders whether this is some elaborate prank that Mark put together, as he is the only one Harry has ever seen use such devices. Sadly for Mark, Harry wasn't the only one who knew Mark had excess to such things.

"Ahh", a child screamed, "I can't see where I am".

"Ow", another whined, "That's my head".

"Ugh", a third child grunted. A loud thump, possibly the child hitting the floor, he remained silent afterwards, not a good sign.

The children kept on complaining, hurting themselves and others while slowly hitting each other senseless on accident. The teacher thought of how bad this was and just hoped that the smoke would clear soon, it didn't.

It had been hours before the smoke finally cleared up enough for people to see again. Twenty-six people of various locations were rushed to the emergency room from injuries sustained due to lack of vision. Mainly falling down stairs or in one unfortunate case, falling off the three-story roof. No casualties were sustained thankfully.

The cloud itself extended five blocks in every direction past the school as its center. The people at home weren't safe regardless of whether their house had open windows or were sealed tight as a submarine, the fog rolled in.

Rescue workers were on the scene after it became evident that the fog wasn't just some simple smoke bomb. They came into the school with any sort of light they could find, nothing worked. They tried flashlights, but the light was absorbed. After that they attempted to use a lit torch, but the fire was extinguished before it even made it to the cloud. Once all other options turned bleak they tried to use night vision goggles to go in. The funny thing about night vision goggles though, they only can enhance the light available to make vision possible, but there was no light in that area.

Hours later once the cloud was finally clear the epicenter was discovered, it was right outside of Mrs. Elm's class room where one student known to experiment with smoke bombs had just left to use the restroom.

The janitor had also been on the seen and claimed to have seen the boy throw a large bottle on the floor that erupted into the smoke cloud. The boy claimed it was the janitor that did the deed.

Not only did the janitor have claim of plausible denial, but also was able to convince the school board that the child's best friend had actually been the one to build the bomb, one Harry Potter. The boy called these insane accusations, but had no evidence were the janitor had ample.

In order to negate bad publicity which would result in a cut of founding the school kept the media out of the affair and went to the go to excuse of the culprit being a terrorist. The local police were the only ones that knew the truth, but the school said they didn't want to press charges.

The only question that remained was what to do with the boys? Before this incident they had been model students, but now they seemed like a major threat to the school. No one really wanted to send them away just yet given their excellent track records, but the board demanded massive punishment.

In the end a parent teacher meeting was decided to be the first step in the path to retribution.

Professor Snape,

I regret to inform you that things have gotten above my head and I need your assistance. I have been framed for an immense crime and I am going to have to attend a parent teacher conference, I trust you see my conundrum. I need you to come back on the third with some form of disguise.

Sincerely Mark

Severus was furious. It hadn't been a single month since he left and already he was being beckoned back to the indignity of babysitting an American agent. The boy appeared to be far less competent than he assumed.

The matter wasn't too difficult though, Severus mused. Appear on the third, which was a Saturday, then apparate outside the grounds for dinner. Simple.

Or so he thought as he walked down the halls of Hogwarts to the headmaster's office to request the afternoon of that particular day off.

"Mark there is one thing I want to know", Harry said.

"Yes Harry", Mark responded.

"Did you do it?"

The two had been in a room together with little more to do than talk for hours. It was a simple room painted stark white with little furnishings other than a large table and group of chairs in the back of the school used mostly for meetings such as this one coming up. They were kept under almost constant supervision, since they had yet to be determined as a threat or just innocent kids. Harry and Mark were viewed with much distaste over the past couple days and couldn't help but think of it as unfair.

Fate was a cruel mistress and it was using the boys as a chew toy. But that digresses from the point.

"No I didn't, we've been over this. I would bet anything that the crazy janitor did it", Mark commented.

"Ok I believe you, but what are we going to do? The Dursley's might literally try to kill me", Harry pointed out.

"That is a problem. I suppose we should work on our argument then", Mark suggested.

"Okay".

They sat for several more hours until the principal, Mrs. Elm and the superintendent walked into the room. They had to wait another hour for Mr. Goyle to escort the Dursley's to the room, they were dressed as if they were going to a party it almost seemed they were 'happy' Harry was in trouble. The day went on and they refused to start until Mark's guardian would arrive.

Then he came. Stan or rather a notorious potions master using what may or may not be polyjoice potion to disguise himself as Stan.

"Can I assume you are the boy's guardian", the principal said.

"Yes that would be accurate", said the man, dressed in his muggles best (a tee shirt and jeans).

"Alright let us begin", the superintendent said, "the boys here are charged with rather serious offense of setting off a high level smoke bomb that caused the area to be covered in darkness that caused massive havoc among the student body along with people around the area".

"Well extreme measures must be taken", Vernon said joyfully, "How about military school?"

"Yes, but we don't know if they intended to make such a big crisis with the bomb", the teacher pointed out, "It could have just been a simple prank gone horribly wrong. I suggest a few sessions of therapy to see whether they have the mentality of a sociopath or a common prankster".

"I agree with the statement full heartedly", Stan/Snape said, mostly because he knew it would annoy Mark to no end. "Anything to prove Marks innocence", he said sadistically.

Mark and Harry both didn't like the concept of having to talk for long periods about themselves. It was uncomfortable.

"Yes, then all agreed to send the boys for a few therapy sessions to test their mental health", the superintendent said.

The principal, the teacher, Snape, and the superintendent voted for it.

"All those opposed?" he asked again.

Vernon, Petunia, and Mr. Goyle raised their hands.

"Alright the motion passes", the superintendent finished.

"What about direct punishment? They need to be kept out of trouble until we can determine their mental state, perhaps community service", the principal said.

"If I might make a suggestion? What if they help me with my work as janitor of the school? It would keep them busy for hours and save some money in the budget instead of hiring that extra janitor right away like intended. Remember we need help in this department immediately, but you keep putting it off? Have them help and we can save enough money to get that extra employee and then some", Mr. Goyle suggested.

"I like it, it is simple and to the point, plus it saves money. All approved?" The superintendent asked.

Everyone raised his or her hands as Harry and Mark gulped.

"Motion passes. All right then this should about cover it the matter. Mr. Goyle, when can they start?" The superintendent asked.

"Immediately".

A few days passed by with Severus returning as he said and the boys forced into servitude with Mr. Goyle. It appeared he was the most devious plan maker of all, that wasn't saying too much though, Carter was an idiot and Crow was insane, but Goyle was brilliant. It made Harry question why he was a janitor.

It was Wednesday after the meeting Harry and Mark had attended and life had gone from cheerful to terrible. Every morning Mr. Goyle would come to pick Mark and Harry up at four a.m. and bring the to the school for hard labor.

They always started with exterior work during the morning for four hours work on the gardens plowing planting and harvesting the schools gardens until school was about to start. Then as soon as school ended they would be put to work scrubbing floors and cleaning toilets for hours on end without so much as a simple break.

To make matters worse Mark and Harry were put to work at opposite parts of the school making sure they couldn't plot during the hours of tedious work. They began to appreciate the work janitors actually do, but soon realized the school was now twice as cleanly as it was previously, so they must be being put to work far more than your average janitor.

By the second day they realized (at their own mental paces) that the janitor's plan was simple, but effective. Part one, get the kids into forced servitude. Part two; drain the kids of all energy and companionship making them irrational. Part three, make sure the kids fail the psychiatric exam thereby ensuring there prolonged service to the janitor until their young bodies give out and they die.

It was a cold brutal plan and it was working. Without any time to plan together Harry and Mark could never hope to stand a chance against the janitor. They couldn't even plan during the school day as the Janitor managed to always keep them apart. The teacher even unwittingly helped in this by moving their desks from right next to each other to on opposite sides of the room.

Time edged closer and the psych exam was tomorrow.

It was now lunchtime, the only time Harry and Mark could talk.

"So how was your first half of torture for the day. Mine was almost bearable today", Mark said.

"Yah, mine was a little worse than yesterday, but not as bad as Monday. We should really talk about the exam tomorrow, we might not find another chance, it is before lunch", Harry said.

"Fine, but I really am having trouble thinking now. I haven't been so sleep deprived since my days at the military camp", Mark said.

"What?" Harry asked.

Mark realized his folly and quickly covered it up, "Oh did I say military camp? I meant canary track. It was uh… some kind of running program I did back in America".

"Oh okay. That makes sense I guess", Harry really questioned the fact that something sounding so fake and obscure, but he was so tired he was forgetting things as he thought them.

"Well we should probably plea that it was a prank gone wrong, blame the joke book we read it in as being obscure and hopefully we will be out of the slave trade by Friday", Mark said slowly in his exhaustion.

"That sounds good YAWN I'm beat. Lets sleep for the rest of lunch", Harry yawned.

"Agreed", Mark said.

They laid their heads to sleep. For even a few minutes rest would do wonders for their small tired bodies. There are labor laws for a reason, the last thought they had before falling out. To bad it didn't last.

Ring Ring

The school bells rang out waking Harry and Mark just as they laid themselves down to sleep.

"So typical", Harry thought to himself.

The promised day had finally come and after the most difficult workday they had faced all week (The janitor woke them at three this time). They were being whisked away to the therapist's office for the inevitable appointment. It was an hour ride were the janitor for once would not be trying to tire them. They took the opportunity to get the well-needed rest.

Time passed faster than they had hoped and they had arrived at the outer suburbs of London, where the schools regular therapist had his office.

"Alright boys let's rise and shine for the exam", the teacher said.

Mrs. Elm had accompanied them for the trip after organizing for a quick substitute. Mark and Harry actually didn't mind having her around though; she was one of the only ones who believed they didn't mean to cause such a crisis. Of course she still didn't believe in them, but she was the best they had.

"Yes Mrs. Elm", Mark and Harry said.

The three walked into a small very modern building and couldn't help but enjoy the hygienic and comforting feeling of the waiting room. They were offered hot chocolate or ice water, the teacher took the coco, but the boys took the ice water, they needed to be alert for the upcoming meeting.

"Little Whining primary school meeting?" the receptionist called out.

"Right here!" the teacher cried, "Come boys, it's our turn".

"Yes Mrs. Elm", the two said again.

They walked down a hallway painted in a pattern meant to resemble the ocean floor until they reached the last room. It was your typical psychiatrists room, ink blots on a desk, positive reinforcement posters, and the usual. All inside a small comfortable room with paint similar to the hallway. Then the psychiatrist walked in.

"Hello boys I understand you're in a bit of trouble over a little prank", he said in a voice like any you'd expect from a doctor instituting his style of bedside manner, "You can leave now Mrs. Elm".

"Yes of course", Mrs. Elm said, "I'll be going now boys".

"Bye Mrs. Elm", they said.

She walked out of the room before the doctor continued.

"Alright boys, I'm doctor Caine and we're here to talk about why you set off that smoke bomb. Now I want you to know that this is a safe zone, lets begin" He pulled out an ink blot test from the test and held it out in front of him, "what do you to see, first you Harry then Mark".

"Okay, I see a butterfly, because the ink kind of spreads out there like wings", Harry said.

"Really? I see more of bat. It has those stretches out like veins and I see those ear like shapes by what could be a head. Though I suppose they could be seen as antennae", Mark added.

"Really? That is oddly accurate for children your age. That is actually the two most seen figures by high IQ scoring adults. Lets move on to the next one".

This continued for about an hour, as the man got more and more excited. He eventually told them why.

"Boys, you have not only passed every test we've had to throw at you, but you've excelled. I think it would be a good idea to give an IQ test to see how smart you to actually are. It will be a while to set up, is there anything you want or need?" He asked.

"We could use some sleep. We haven't had much sleep all week", Mark yawned out.

"You did this without a good nights rest? Yes sleep! Sleep to your hearts content, we will start when you are rested", he said with excitement.

That was all the two needed to here. They were out cold before he left the room.

"Ahhh!" Snape screamed as he fell to the floor, "Stop headmaster please".

Albus looked at the potions master with utter rage and said, "No. Crucio!"

He pointed his wand at Severus Snape and resumed to torture his servant.

"Huh, huh, huh", Snape panted, "Why Headmaster, what did I do to you? I've only down what you said to do".

"You let the boys go to that mental exam, you even encouraged it! Do you not know what this means?" He asked.

"No I don't. What possible harm could it cause?" Snape said.

"Don't you understand? If they figure out their true mental potential every plan I've made will become obsolete. They are gifted children; with knowledge of their intelligence they will become bolder, less easily manipulated. They will be given too many academic opportunities now. By time they come to Hogwarts they may be to independent to bother listening to us" Dumbledore said.

"I see", Snape, said, "Well that might not be our only problem". Snape continued testing his luck.

"What", Albus said without raising his voice.

"It appears the squib known as John Goyle has a magical eye not unlike Mad Eye", Severus said.

"I know, what is your point?" Dumbledore asked, now slightly less calm than before.

"He could see threw the polyjuice I had drank", Snape said bluntly.

Dumbledore took a deep breath, "I see. Now what are we going to do about this?"

There you have it. There are Cliffhangers all around this time. An I.Q for Mark and Harry and Dumbledore has to rethink everything. Please comment.