Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I do however own a laptop and Septimus Snape, the coolest Snape around. Prince-Evans at it's finest folks. Now! On with the chapter.

Chapter 20: To Shake the World

In another part of the country, a young metamorph was fiddling with her not-so-new printing press for the hundredth time. "Stupid thing! Every time I try to start you up in the morning, you fall apart!" She kicked the machine. "Why couldn't you come with instructions huh!?" she asked it, not expecting a response. Which was good, since she didn't get one. She growled at the mass of wood and metal that refused to stay together for more than fourteen hours at a time. It was mocking her, she just knew it! Finally, after getting the creaking mass into at least semi-workable condition, she sighed and flicked her wand almost lazily at the thing. "Speculum mentis oculus meus," she intoned, thoroughly bored. It had been the seventeenth time she tried that spell that morning alone. Imagine her surprise when, on the try she had least expected results, the wooden letters leapt into the air, dancing for a moment, before settling into the text that she wanted. Grinning, she cast the second spell. "Atramento littera incipiunt illud," she said, loud and clear. And, lo and behold, the ink flew through the air, coating the letters in the perfect amount of the slightly tacky substance, and the press creaked into action. Whooping, the young woman began to dance. "Who's the best? Nia's the best! Bellerose! Bellerose! Nia Bellerose! She's our girl! Whoo!" As she danced, Nia's hair flickered through the entire rainbow before settling on her new favorite, which wasn't part of the rainbow at all. Amber. The same warm amber color as those sweet, kind, mysterious eyes that had captured her fancy at the shop. Seeing that her hair had settled on that color, again, Nia sighed and looked over at the printing press, which was happily churning out page after page of... "Wah! NO! I didn't want to print his name fifteen hundred times!" Ho boy. She could not let her Mami find out about this. That old witch would never let her live it down! To think, one man's name was on her mind enough to effect her spell work! For only seeing him once, that kind, sweet, dangerous man had stolen her heart. Nia sighed and looked to her calendar. October 7th. Plenty of time to plan. Hogwarts break started the Monday before Christmas and lasted until the Tuesday after. If she planed it right, she could get a date with the charming Defense Professor. She shook her head. No. She was not going to chase a man she'd only met once! But the words her Mami had told her, many years ago, when she was just a wee little thing, struggling to understand her ability.

"Listen now, little flower," the old Hawaiian Magic Woman had said, holding little Nia on her lap. "You are a Kotahi te Tangata Taui, One who Changes. When a Kotahi te Tangata Taui sets it's eyes on the one their heart desires, they cannot let go unless their heart is broken." Nia sighed, thinking back to when she had bumped into Remus. Her heart had stuttered and her skin felt flushed. And now, she couldn't get him out of his head. The words the old man at the shop had spoken to Remus came back to her, even as she tried to forget.

"When a metamorph sets it's eyes on a catch, they don't let go," she murmured, picking up the sheets filled with the name she couldn't get out of her head, "and wolves mate for life," she finished, looking to the picture of a majestic wolf her traitorous press had printed. All activity from the creaking mass stopped as she stared at the print. Then a single word fell from her lips, fingers ghosting over the rapidly drying ink. "Remus."

/*/

Back at Hogwarts, said werewolf was brimming with excitement. The first Defense Week of the year was coming up! The first week of November! All the previously planned Weeks for the year had been canceled due to an upswing in smuggling attempts, but this time, this time he would not be thwarted! This time, he would get his Defense Week! He cackled as he looked over his plans one more time, the students passing outside shivering in fear and, in some cases, anticipation. Harry, who happened to be walking past with Ron, grinned. Ron, however, groaned. "Oh come on Ron! You know how excited dad always is about these Defense Weeks. And Remus is totally stoked!" Harry said to his downcast friend.

"Yeah, but Badger's going to be here for this one. You know how Badger is in a fight!" Ron moaned. Harry chuckled.

"Sure sure. Nev told me Uncle Frank's gonna take part as well." If possible, Ron's face paled further.

"Even worse!" he said. Harry laughed harder.

"Ah come on! They've been training us since we were six! It's gonna be breath taking and we're going to show out! Stop being such a scaredy cat," he said, emerald eyes twinkling madly. Ron gave him a rather dour look.

"If I'm a scardy cat, what does that make the rest of the Auror Department whose still terrified of the bloke?" he asked. Harry grinned.

"Scardy Aurors," he said without missing a beat. Ron shook his head and held open the door to the Math classroom.

"You are as crazy as Sirius, ya know that?" Ron asked as he walked in, shaking his head. Harry just chuckled and claimed a seat beside Neville, who looked to be bouncing ever so slightly. "What's got you jazzed?" Ron asked the excited Hufflepuff.

"Dad's coming for this month's Defense Week!" he exclaimed, eyes shining. Harry shared a look with his red headed friend, then chuckled. Another Gryffindor shivered and said,

"Da was right. Hufflepuffs are crazy." This set the three Marauder children off laughing.

"I'll let you in on a secret," Harry began.

"All the best people are!" Neville and Ron finished.

/*/

Back with Hermione, the concept of Defense Week as terrifying. There were no books to help her prepare, there was no guide. It was like flying lessons all over again! She shuddered as she thought of The Boys zipping around like maniacs. Sure she had only been in class with Septimus and Neville, but those two... they were as bad as the Gryffs! Wait... when did she start thinking like that? Then an image of what Draco, Ron, and Harry had to have gotten up to in their flying class popped up and she was shuddering all over again. Still, she wasn't looking forward to Defense Week as much as the others. And the other girls in Ravenclaw weren't much help. Even under the new rules and with the increased workload, bullying was not an uncommon occurrence. And among those who strove to be the best and brightest, devouring knowledge and exercising their 'greater' intellects, bullying was in fact very common. And Hermione, with her bushy hair and larger than average front teeth and near photographic memory, was a prime target for the intelligent but vapid members of her House. So, it wasn't inconceivable that, Halloween afternoon, Hermione was running from the bullies. Really, it was quite the reasonable situation. What was a little less reasonable was The Boys running after her half an hour later. And that they would come across a griffin at the edge of the Forest. Still, that's what happened. And then that The Boys would save Hermione from the griffin. It was a rather surreal experience. And, of course, was promptly followed by a round of 'what the heck were they thinking bringing a griffin to Hogwarts?' and general huffing. "So... who was it?" Harry asked, showing his not often seen observant side, once they were back inside the castle. Hermione tried to laugh it off.

"I don't know what you mean, Harry," she said. All of The Boys gave her bland looks.

"Don't give us that, Hermione. You're not the kind of girl who'd run crying into the Forbidden Forest for no reason. Spill it," Ron said, crossing his arms and leaning imperiously against the stone of the Entrance Hall. Hermione swallowed heavily. They were serious. It was the first time she had ever actually seen them be serious. Not even when they were training did they look as serious as they did now. Their eyes were cold and calculating, faces grim and determined, and it sent shivers down Hermione's spine.

"Cho," she sighed, relenting. Harry glowered, Neville growled, Ron sighed, Septimus's eyes narrowed and Hermione could almost see the plans whizzing about in his brilliant mind. But Draco was the scariest. He began to chuckle darkly. One by one, The Boys began to smirk and turned to look at their Slytherin member.

"What has your devious mind cooked up, Dray?" Harry asked, eyes shining like emerald fire. Draco chuckled for a moment longer then said, with a slasher grin,

"Ten fold." The Boys nodded, evil looks on their faces.

"Twins?" asked Ron. Draco's evil laughter came back. Louder.

"Ah. I should warn Cedric. He's been thinking of asking Cho out," Neville said. Harry shook his head.

"How a 'Puff could date someone who'd sink so low is beyond me," he said. Septimus snorted softly.

"Allow me to deliver the opening and closing blows," he said, voice low and venomous. The others nodded back to him, though there were a few snickers about how he's defending his girlfriend. Septimus merely glared at them before stalking off. "Tease all you want, but just remember whose son I am," he said before vanishing completely into the cavernous corridors of the school.

"Don't worry Hermione, we'll get this sorted. And then... well. I believe your induction into the Marauder Family needs completing," Draco said, shooting a look to the remaining members of The Boys. Hermione blinked. Honestly, it was all she could do at the moment.

/*/

Septimus was furious. He knew the others were too, but there was something about this anger... it was like when other wizards talked bad about his mum. It made him feel like he was one fire, but freezing at the same time. He wanted to make the one responsible suffer for the hurt they caused. He wanted to make them feel it. A lame apology and an insincere 'it won't happen again' weren't going to cut it. They never would. But for this... for this he would channel his father. No. Not just his father. Spider. He was going to channel that darker part of his father, the one that could stand on par with Blizzard, the one that fought a war. And won. Those foolish girls were going to regret ever looking at Hermione with malice! He couldn't explain why, but he was very nearly consumed with hate at the thought of Hermione being bullied. Sweet, kind, brilliant, brave, witty, charming, if a little overbearing, Hermione. He clenched his fist so tightly it hurt. Oh yes, those girls were going to pay. And he was going to collect.

/*/

Cedric had never really talked to Neville Longbottom. He felt respect for the boy's family, and his family allies, but Longbottom was just another first year to him. So when the boy walked up to him with a very serious expression and asked to talk, Cedric had been confused. "Look Diggory, there's no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to be blunt. Cho messed up. Big time. She crossed the line and now she's going to have to face the consequences," Longbottom said coldly once they were alone. Cedric blinked. Was this really the same boy?

"What line did she cross?" Cedric asked, wondering what was going on with his maybe-girlfriend. What had she done to draw such cold anger from a member of the Marauder Family? It was fairly well known that the Marauder Family was only a few steps above a mob Family. Longbottom sighed, scrubbing a callused hand through his hair.

"She made Hermione cry. And run head long into a gryffin," he said. Cedric winced, but still didn't understand why that made Longbottom so angry.

"What did the professors say?" he asked, trying to get a clear picture of what had happened. Longbottom snorted.

"I don't think you get it, Diggory," he said coldly, looking up into the older boy's eyes. No, Cedric really didn't. And he said as much. "Hermione is part of the Family," Longbottom said curtly, eyes growing even colder as he took a step closer. "Cho teased her, strike one. Cho made her cry, strike two. Cho nearly got her killed. Three strikes, she's out."

"I can..." Cedric tried, though he knew it was futile. Nearly killing a student was unforgivable and punishable by expulsion, but hurting a member of the Marauder family was a completely different thing.

"Three strikes she's out, Diggory," Longbottom said firmly, his voice a deadly hiss. "Draco has already declared ten fold recompense. Ron has already asked the twins for assistance. Septimus has claimed the first and last blows for himself. Cho and her gang are going down. Hard. It's just a matter of time." Cedric felt a shiver of fear go down his back. He knew who the Weasley twins were. And already word of Draco and Septimus' similarities to their fathers had spread throughout the Castle.

"The professors..." he tried, hoping to buy his prospective girlfriend some kind of mercy. Most professors were reasonable people. Perhaps they could expel Cho before the Marauder Cubs got to her. Longbottom's laugh, low and dark, killed that fragile hope.

"Won't say a word. Lupin, McGonagall, Snape, Black, Prewett... they're all a part of the Marauder Family. As such they know how we work. Touch our family, and we punch you. Hurt our family, and there is nothing you can do to stop your destruction, anything you try is merely delaying the inevitable," he said. Cedric sighed, dropping his head. Cho was broken. It was only a matter of time before she realized it. "I'm sorry, Cedric," Longbottom said, clapping a hand on the older boy's shoulder. Cedric looked into his eyes then, and felt that the boy really was sorry. "I know you care about her, but there's really nothing you can do to stop this. She made her choice. If you truly care about her, you can at least try to help her through the fallout of her actions," the younger boy finished before patting Cedric's shoulder twice more and vanishing into his dorm. Cedric breathed out, slow and steady, as he tried to get his head around what had just happened.

/*/

Cho wasn't stupid. She wouldn't have been in Ravenclaw if she was. So, she knew Septimus Snape was out for her. She didn't know why though, but she wasn't about to let him find her to find out. However, it wasn't for her to decide. She could have sworn Flitwick and Lupin were working together to set her up. "So, do you feel superior now?" the cold voice asked from the door. Cho flinched. Snape had caught up. And Merlin did he sound just like his father did when remarking upon a substandard brew.

"I don't know what you mean, Snape," she said. A dismissive snort and Snape slid into view. Oh Merlin! He had that same look!

"Oh, you know exactly what I mean, Chang. So. Answer my question. Do you feel superior now?" he said, voice near perfectly emotionless. She couldn't answer. The younger boy sneered at her, slowly circling her. "What's the matter, Chang? Cat got your tongue? Or perhaps your conscience?" he drawled. Cho whimpered. It just wasn't right for an eleven year old to be so terrifying! "I really don't understand this whole bullying thing. Especially when it's someone like you, miss Chang. You, a beautiful young lady gifted with intelligence and magical power. What do you have to be insecure about, hum?" the circling Snape continued. Cho whimpered again, sinking to the floor.

"She's just so..."

"So what, miss Chang? Awkward? Brilliant? Honest? Natural? Mundane?" Snape asked, each word pointed and furious.

"Yes," breathed Cho. Snape gave another dismissive snort.

"She can't help the way she was born, nor the way she was raised. You, however, can help the way you treat her. I warn you now, miss Chang, this... is merely the opening act," he said before he swept out of the empty classroom, the door creaking shut behind him and leaving the girl quietly crying to herself.

/*/

Word of the Marauder Strike against Cho Chang and her friends ran rife through Hogwarts for the next month. Likewise, the reasons were made very clear. Not only had the Ravenclaws been caught bullying an underclassman, they had nearly been the indirect cause of her death. And not only that, but they had bullied and nearly killed a friend of the Marauder Cubs, a friend who was now a Marauder Cub herself. "We don't like bullies as a rule," Harry mentioned at the Gryffindor table the night their revenge was deemed complete.

"But when someone hurts our friends," Neville said to his neighbors.

"Or our family," Ron called, glaring over his goblet.

"They're going down," Septimus hissed, eyes sparking, from his position beside Hermione.

"And they're going down hard," Draco stated firmly, posture daring someone to challenge him. Unfortunately, someone did decide to challenge him. Theodore Nott was not the best or brightest of the crowd, and with a few words he lost the respect of Slytheirn House.

"So you count Potter as family?" the boy drawled. Icy gray eyes turned on him, and narrowed dangerously. Or as dangerously as his young age would allow.

"Yes," Draco replied.

"And you dare call yourself a Malfoy? No Malfoy worth his magic would willingly call a Gryff family," Nott drawled, digging his own grave. Even if he wasn't a Marauder Cub, even if Regulus hadn't raised him, even if he had been a Hufflepuff, no-one dissed Severus Snape's godson and kept any respect in Slytherin House. However, Draco was a Marauder Cub, Regulus had raised him, and he was a Slytherin. His heart's brothers leapt to the Slytherin table, Harry taking up a position behind Draco while the others arrayed themselves around Nott.

"Have you got a death wish, Nott?" Septimus asked, stupefied.

"No, what makes you think that?" the Slytherin sneered back.

"Well, I sure hope you have your will drawn up," Neville stated calmly, watching Harry hold a glaring Draco at bay.

"Why?" Nott asked, dimly noticing the menacing growl coming from Draco.

"Why?" echoed the non-growling Marauder Cubs, looking at the other boy in shock.

"Dude... don't you pay any attention? Don't you know who you just insulted?" asked Septimus, looking as stunned as humanly possible.

"Yes. The Malfoy Heir," Nott replied. Ron shook his head.

"I pity you, Nott," he said. Seeing the glare said pureblood was giving him, Ron elaborated. "Way back when, someone pranked the Black Brothers. They drove him to paranoia. Sometime after that, Death Eaters tried to kidnap Sirius. He drove them to the edge of sanity. Without magic. While strapped to a chair. Bellatrix single handedly destroyed swaths of Aurors during the Blood War. Cassiopeia has enough blackmail material stored up to destroy the entire Ministry. Arcturus controlled a large scale business Empire from his manor. Pollux wrote at least a hundredth of the Black Family Library. Andromeda is a renowned duelist. Narcissia stole Dark Artifacts from her husband. Orion is a deadly Auror. Walburga is as formidable a witch as she is a shrew. Death Eaters tried to recruit Regulus. The recruiter received a specially crafted curse that fully broke her mind. Regulus is also a master of Applied Runes. And those are just the more well known ones."

"I know all that! Why are you giving me a lesson on Blacks?!" Nott asked agrily. Neville shook his head.

"No-one angers a Black," he said.

"Everyone knows that! Why tell me?!" Nott bellowed again. Ron began to chuckle.

"Draco... is a Black, born by a Black, raised by a Black. You don't stand a snowballs chance in Mexico," he said, then looked over at Draco. To say he was looking rather angry would be like saying the Rockies were rather snowy. Nott left rather quickly and the Marauder Cubs were left to calm Draco down. Seeing as Hogwarts had just been home to a vicious, three week long vendetta against a small knot of Ravenclaws because of grievances toward a mere friend of the Family, none of the professors had a problem with allowing the other Cubs sit at the Slytherin table. The Marauder Professors, however, were nodding toward their Cubs. No-one messes with family.

It was widely acknowledged throughout the castle that the Marauder Family was epic.

This was to be backed up heavily when James Potter, Frank Longbottom, and Peter Pettigrew showed up for Defense Week.

/?/ OMAKE! /?/

A/N: So, while trying to write the rescue, this came about. It's the first draft, and utterly terrible in it's kookiness. So! It was funny in it's terribleness and as such, I couldn't just delete it. So, I left it for you to laugh over and make fun of. Enjoy!

Hermione, for her part, was utterly terrified of what was to come. At first, she had been as excited as Harry, but her Housemates had quickly taken care of that. Even under the new rules and with the increased workload, bullying was not an uncommon occurrence. And among those who strove to be the best and brightest, devouring knowledge and exercising their 'greater' intellects, bullying was in fact very common. And Hermione, with her bushy hair and larger than average front teeth and near photographic memory, was a prime target for the intelligent but vapid members of her House. A group, lead by Quitidich Star Cho Chang, had confronted her in the courtyard, cutting off escape into the castle. With no-where else to go, and unable to withstand the emotional abuse, Hermione had taken off in the only direction she could. Toward the Forbidden Forest. The jeering words of her classmates rang in her ears as she took off across the green, the light snow crunching under her feet even as the cold wind chilled the tears on her cheeks. She didn't care where she was going, she just wanted to get away! Away from the stories of injured students and blood splattered stone. Away from the recounts of brutality and fatalities. Away from the problems and situations that couldn't be solved with a book. Away from everything that she was unprepared to handle. A lonely little bookworm who had been ridiculed for just about everything, Hermione had locked herself away from the world, holing up in libraries and her parents' offices. So distracted by these unknown things, Hermione interrupted a Care of Magical Creature's class. Unfortunately for her, they were studying griffins, and griffins were just as territorial and proud as hippogryffs. Screaming, she curled in on herself as the mighty talons flew silently through the air toward her. The strike never came though. Cracking an eye open, Hermione was treated to the sight of Septimus using his Cuff to fend off the claws. "This isn't going to hold for long," he said, voice strained. Hearing him, which was rather impressive, Cedric Diggory came over and drew attention away from the two first years. Cedric bowed, but was ready to dodge to either side at a moment's notice.

"Oh, aren't you handsome," came Harry's voice as he too came and bowed, before giving the griffin as chilly a glare as an eleven year old could muster. "But try and hurt my friend again and I'll do everything in my power to be rid of you." The griffin, being an intelligent magical creature and in possession of quite a few powers humans didn't have, backed off at the hostile feeling of the boy's powerful magic. It wasn't as powerful as the griffin's, but it was strong, and would only grow stronger as he learned and grew.

"What caused you to run all the way out here?" Septimus asked Hermione, genuinely curious. She blushed, playing with her hair.

"I just... wanted to get away. That's all," she replied sheepishly.

"Cho and her Gang were hustling her. From the way they hit her triggers, this wasn't the first time. Though, I have to say, their chosen angle is pretty common this week. The rumble planned for next week. Lots of rumors and horror stories there, and Uncle Mooney doesn't pull punches," Ron said, stepping into view along with Neville. Hermione was a little disconcerted when she noticed that Neville, shy mild-mannered Neville, was growling.

"Neville?" she asked, her voice shaking with uncertainty.

"Those vapid, shallow, strangely stupid and unreasonably arrogant little witches!" Neville hissed, eyes narrowing. Hermione moved back a little, surprised by the venom in his voice. "Cedric, I know you like Cho, so I'm giving you a warning. Keep your chihuahua on a leash, or I'll shave her, got it?" Cedric nodded.

"Got it. And I'd just like to say that I completely understand your anger. I've known Cho had her personality flaws, but I didn't realize she would stoop so low as to bully others. I'm going to tell her it's over."

"Good on you Cedric! Now, we're going to take Hermione and induct her into the Family. Caio!" said Draco, grabbing Hermione and dragging her to the Marauder Family's Super Secret Base. The Room of Requirement.