Hi everyone! I hope you like the chapter, reviews are great! Also, I'm just going to say now that whatever comes out about the Cursed Child I'm going to pretty much completely ignore (especially considering some of the things I've already heard). That being said, thanks so much for reading. Enjoy! -Kelly :)

CHAPTER 21

THE SLYTHERIN PREFECTS

Three weeks later, June had come and the new Minister had been inaugurated. Most of the students didn't seem to care much about this, as finals were coming, and even Rose was distracted a little by the prospect of yet more exams. Lucy, however, who'd hardly ever had to study for much of anything, was very much politically charged during the last month of school. Rose thought it was probably because she dreaded losing direct influence on Hogwarts when she graduated, even though Rose was going to continue the Army. "I just want to get as many people on our side as possible," she told Rose as she stapled Union flyers to the memo board in the Great Hall.

"A lot of people already are," Rose said, "especially our age. The Army's growing, you know that."

"I know," Lucy said. "And that's great. But the Army isn't doing much if it's underground, and it's not always political either. I want as many people as possible to join the Union."

"It's easy for you," Rose said. "You're so passionate about it, but a lot of people who agree with you don't want the risk of supporting it publicly."

"Yeah, I know," Lucy said, rolling her eyes. "Why do you think I can't get a single job?"

"Really? No one?" Rose asked. "You applied for so many posts, though—"

"Honestly, Rose, I wasn't expecting to get into the Ministry internships," she said. "We didn't oust everyone. No one managing starting positions is in any kind of place where they can risk giving me a government job."

"Well… will you be okay?" Rose asked, feeling concerned for the first time.

"Yeah, yeah, Bella's letting me live at the headquarters for mostly free. I'll just get a Muggle job until this is over with."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when they finally come around and vote on the Statute." Rose worried that might take quite a while longer than Lucy was expecting, but didn't say anything. "Anyway, you'll replace me next year so you've got to find someone to replace you."

"I was thinking Lily, actually—"

"That's perfect. I mean, you could go with Aidan but…" Lucy saw Rose's face at the suggestion and said, "Yeah, exactly."

"I mean, of course he can keep on as the secretary…"

"You don't want to work with him so much as vice president, yeah, I know. It's okay, Rose. But you can't avoid him forever."

"I don't avoid him," Rose protested. "I mean, I'm… civil."

"Sure. I'm going to put these up in Ravenclaw, will you take some to Gryffindor?"

Rose sighed. "Fine." Lucy grinned and handed her a flyer before running off, and Rose went back up to the common room. She had reached the memo board when Arya approached her. "Hey, Arya, what's up?" Rose asked.

"My aunt said to ask you about my finals, if you could help," she said. "I don't need it, though."

"I… didn't say you did, but it couldn't hurt, right?" Rose said, and Arya grumbled as she sat down on the nearest sofa. Rose sighed and sat down across from her as Arya took out her books.

"Here, there's Transfiguration, and honestly the only thing I don't totally get is History of Magic."

"Okay, so what are you guys studying in that?"

"Lots of goblins," Arya muttered. "Goblin wars, goblin weapons, goblin everything."

"Right, I remember," Rose said, shuddering slightly. "Really, you've just got to memorize the names. The rest is fairly common sense—it's mostly a lot of colonialism and weapons forges."

"So the wars—?"

"Yeah, er, mostly again, memorize names. All you need to know is the wizards won and took control of the forges, though they gave the goblins Gringotts and control over the economy. So most jewelry and weapons made from goblin forges have confusing ownership. The goblins think it's all theirs."

"Got it… I'll memorize later. Can you help with this essay on Switching Spells?"

"Yeah, sure." Rose took the book Arya handed her and asked, "So it's on these pages?" Arya didn't respond and Rose looked up to see that Arya was looking off into the distance, her eyes widened. "Arya?"

Arya began to speak then, with a completely blank expression and with a voice that didn't seem like hers. "They are coming tonight, the master and his followers, and there will be suffering, they will bring terror, and they will find what they seek…tonight…" Arya relaxed then, and looked at Rose, confused. "What?"

Rose blinked several times and said, "Er, do you remember what you said or…?"

"Did I say something?" she asked. "What did I say?"

"Er… I think we should go to your aunt, okay?" Arya nodded, looking even more confused, and Rose stood up to leave when she realized the entire common room was staring at them. Though thankfully most students were still at dinner, it was still a significant amount of people and Rose knew she had to tell them something. "We're going to talk to the headmistress, so don't worry about this. We'll handle it."

"Are you sure we shouldn't be warning everyone? Because it sounds like bloody You-Know-Who's going to storm the castle or something," a sixth year boy said.

"We're going to be fine, whatever happens, the teachers will handle it," Rose said, though she knew she'd be furious if someone had said that to her. She hurried over to where Arya was standing, holding open the portrait hole and added, "And Voldemort's been dead your whole life, I think you'll be fine if you say his name." She slammed the portrait hole behind them and all but ran to the headmistress's office. When they arrived, Arya practically shouted the password at the gargoyle, who moved as quickly as possible. The door was hanging open when they reached the top of the stairs and they burst in to find the office empty.

"What are you doing here, Weasley?" the portrait of Phineas Black asked her, looking down from his large nose. "I don't recall anyone letting you in."

"It's an emergency," Rose snapped. "Where's Professor McGonagall?"

"The headmistress has been called away," he said.

"You're joking," Rose groaned.

"I am most certainly not joking, you insolent—" the portrait fumed before Rose cut him off.

"This is important!" Rose exclaimed, furious.

"I hardly think your problems are more important than what the headmistress is doing now."

"What's she doing now, because Nott might be at the front door any moment!"

"I'm not at liberty to say," Phineas sniffed. "Surely you could find someone a little less busy to help you?"

"Oh, sure, it's only the safety of the school at stake," Rose muttered. "Git."

"I'll not be insulted by you, filthy blood traitor half-blood—"

"Merlin, I should have sent Scorpius. Come on, Arya," Rose said.

As they left, the portrait shouted after them, "Perhaps! He's a blood traitor too but at least he's pure!" She slammed the door and rushed down the stairs, even angrier than before. Of course, McGonagall was gone that night, of all nights…

"Do you have any idea where she is?" Rose asked.

"I didn't even know she was gone," Arya said, shrugging. Rose sighed. "Who's deputy headmaster?"

"Er… Neville. I think. Let's go." Rose ran down the four flights of stairs to the ground floor and out the back door to the Herbology greenhouses, where they found Neville tending the NEWT classroom's Tentaculas. "Professor Longbottom?" Neville turned around and dropped his tweezers when he saw them on the table.

"Rose, Arya, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Arya just… predicted something about a master and followers coming to Hogwarts, tonight. I think Nott's coming."

Neville was already removing his apron and gloves as he said, "You're sure it was a real prediction?"

"Seeing as she doesn't remember…"

"I blacked out, though," Arya said. "I mean… like a minute's missing from my memory."

"Okay. Rose, go directly to Professor Rudomin and tell him I want him to secure the castle. Arya, come with me, we're going to go see Professor Trelawney." Neville ushered Arya out of the greenhouse and Rose ran after them, back into the castle and all the way to the Defence classroom. She ran straight through the empty rows of desks and up to the office door.

"Professor Rudomin? It's urgent," she called out. Rudomin answered the door almost immediately.

"What's happened?"

"Nott's coming, Arya predicted it… Professor Longbottom told me to tell you to secure the castle."

"Yes. All right, go to Gryffindor Tower and make sure no one leaves, I'll be sending up anyone who was in the Great Hall or on the grounds, all right?" he asked. Rose nodded and Rudomin hurried around her, wand out. "If you see any Prefects, from any house, tell them to do the same."

"Professor, where's McGonagall?" Rose called after him.

"I don't know," Rudomin said, sounding hesitant. "But Professor Longbottom will try to contact her, I'm sure." With that, Rudomin was gone, and Rose ran out as well, running through the Entrance Hall as Rudomin entered the Great Hall. She ran up the staircases one by one, and on the third floor stopped abruptly when she spotted Devon Goyle with a group of Slytherins. She was about to approach them when she noticed that one of the other Slytherins was Lexa. She hesitated then, but eventually convinced herself that she couldn't possibly ignore two Slytherin prefects when she was supposed to stop any. Rose ran up to them, hoping to get it over with as quickly as possible.

"Devon?" she called, and Devon turned around quickly.

"Hey, Rose, what's up?"

"Longbottom and Rudomin are securing the castle, I'm supposed to tell you… well, both of you," she said, eyeing Lexa who was staring at her with somewhat of an upturned nose, "to get back to your common room and make sure everyone's there."

"What? Why?" Lexa asked, looking a little annoyed.

"Nott's coming," Rose said, growing impatient. "We don't know how, but we know he'll get in."

Devon turned to the other Slytherins with them and said, "Guys, get back to the dungeons." They left quickly, seeming a little scared, and he turned back to Rose. "Is he coming for you?"

"Probably," Rose said, "but it doesn't matter, we have to get everyone accounted for."

"Um," Lexa said, in a hesitant voice, "it might matter." Rose looked at her, thoroughly confused at this point, and she said, "…Ajax Rosier was talking, earlier… we usually ignore him, you know, he's kind of got delusions of grandeur… but he was talking about you, saying you'd be sorry for all this Ministry stuff, and… I haven't seen him since lunch."

Rose had to admit she was alarmed by this, but didn't know if she could really trust what Lexa was saying. "You're sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," she said, and Rose saw her growing red. "I wouldn't have told you if I didn't think you were really in danger, Weasley."

"…Okay," Rose said. "Do you know where he is?"

"I told you I didn't."

"Do you have any idea where he might be?" Rose amended, again getting impatient.

"…Maybe? I know where he likes to hang around, if that's what you mean."

"Let's go," Rose said. Lexa blinked and Rose said, "Take me there. We might be able to stop him, if you're right and he's going to help Nott get in."

"What about Gryffindor?" Devon asked. "Does anyone else know to stay in the tower?"

"Well, sort of…" Rose didn't have time to explain Arya's situation, so she said, "Er, Al knows."

"Okay. I'll get to Slytherin then, you two go. Er, good luck," he added quickly before running down the last stairs. Rose quickly closed her eyes and hoped the message reached Al.

We're securing the castle. Nott might be coming. Keep everyone in the tower.

"What are you doing?" Lexa asked, sounding even more nervous than before. Rose opened her eyes and shook her head.

"No time to explain. Let's go." Lexa looked at her oddly for another second or so before hurrying down the corridor.

"He has this spot, out in the woods—"

"The cave?" Rose asked, remembering the first time Nott had come in the castle. "Yeah. I know where it is."

"Okay, come on, then." Rose followed Lexa down to the Entrance Hall, now deserted, before she skidded to a stop. "Wait! There are Aurors, they'll see us."

"Hold on," Rose sighed. She took out her wand and performed a Disillusionment Charm quickly before doing it to Lexa too.

"How did you do that?" Lexa asked. "We haven't learned that."

"Trick I learned from James Potter," Rose said. "Come on. We can sneak out when they open the doors for the patrol." Sure enough, it was only a few minutes before there were Aurors hurrying from their posts inside the castle to help secure the doors. When they were let outside, Rose followed right behind them and pulled Lexa along with her, who barely made it out before they slammed the doors shut. They moved silently until they were out of the Aurors' earshot and finally spoke again.

"How are we going to get back in?" Lexa hissed.

"Er… I'll think of something," Rose shot back, growing more annoyed every second.

"Is this how you people live?" Lexa muttered. "It's a wonder you aren't dead."

"Yes, well, I try," Rose said, trying not to show that she somewhat agreed. "The cave's right down here, right?"

"Yeah, it's just a few minutes' walk past the tree line." They entered the Forest and carefully made their way through the trees, trying not to alert any of the creatures around them to their presence. Just as the cave came into view, they saw a figure standing outside, seeming to be pacing. Rose couldn't tell if it was Rosier from this distance but Lexa grabbed her arm. "That's him," Lexa whispered. "Undo whatever you did, I'll talk to him."

"What?" Rose asked, alarmed. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure," she said. "He trusts me, come on."

"Wait," Rose said, hesitating. What if this was all a trick to get her to go to the Forest? "I don't know if you should talk alone…"

"You think I'm going to team up with him and Disarm you or something?" Lexa scoffed. Rose didn't respond and she looked to be almost hurt. "Listen… I don't like you but I don't want you dead. Ajax might as well be a Death Eater. Please try to trust me." Rose hesitated a little before undoing the spell. Lexa almost smiled and ran out of the foliage. Rosier pulled his wand quickly before lowering it, swearing.

"Lexa," he muttered. "How did you know I'd be here?"

"You're always here," she said, using the overly sweet voice Rose had heard her try to use with Scorpius. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. No one's seen you all day."

"I'm fine," he muttered. "You shouldn't be here, Lexa."

"Why not?" she asked.

"I'm… expecting someone."

"Is that what all the craziness up at the castle is about?" she asked. Rosier looked surprised.

"How did they find out?"

"I don't know, but they're in lockdown. What's going on?"

"I… can I trust you?"

"Of course," she said. Rose hid behind the foliage more than before; despite the Disillusionment Charm, she was concerned it was wearing off.

"I'm helping some of the Followers get in."

"Why?" Lexa asked, looking concerned. "Wouldn't that… that's pretty dangerous, right?"

"They won't hurt anyone who doesn't deserve it," he said, almost defensively. "They wouldn't hurt you."

"Well, yeah, but… some of them might misunderstand. I always get a little nervous when they come… you know, because…"

"Right. You're a half-blood," Ajax said, and Rose noticed that even with Lexa, a little tinge of disgust crept into his voice.

"…My dad is," Lexa corrected him. "I—I'm pure, I've always been… I'm a Black, Ajax."

"Yeah. They'll know that," he said, trying to sound reassuring, but it fell flat. He sighed. "Look, if you're that nervous, go back up to the castle."

"Well… I don't want to go alone, it's dangerous, will you take me?"

"I have to get them in! I can't leave!"

"Why isn't anyone helping you?"

"I have to do this alone."

"Why?"

"He said I have to."

"But why, Ajax? Can't Acantha, or…"

"They said they don't trust anyone else to do it anymore," he said. "They… they said if I do it I can be one of them."

Rose couldn't help but gasp a little. He was fourteen… a Death Eater?

"Are you… are you sure you want to do this?"

"Of course I'm sure!" he exclaimed. "Why wouldn't I be sure? Are you not sure?"

"Rosier, do you have to remind us how childish you can be? Stop quarreling with your girlfriend," a man said, appearing out of seemingly nowhere, and Ajax jumped a little as he turned around.

"Dolohov," he said quickly. "This is Lexa."

"Who?" Dolohov asked.

"I'm a Black… descendant," she said quickly.

Dolohov looked suspicious. "Yeah… so is the Malfoy kid."

"Scorpius is a traitor," Lexa said definitively. "I'm loyal."

"Are you? Good," Dolohov said. "I thought you'd be alone, Rosier."

"I did, too…" he said, and Dolohov waved him off.

"It's no matter. How many guards?"

"Five, at my last count," Ajax said.

"I've got enough men. We can get in," Dolohov said. "Let's go."

"Wait, there's a back entrance," Ajax said. "We can walk right into the courtyard and no one will know."

Rose started to panic at the thought and Lexa said quickly, "They know about it. They're blocking it off, I saw."

Dolohov turned to her. "You're sure?"

"Yes," she said quickly.

"Well…all right, then. We'll have to make a head-on attack. Get yourself back to the castle, girl."

"I'll go with you, Lexa," Ajax said, and Dolohov grabbed his sleeve.

"You aren't going anywhere. You're getting us in, you said. You attack with us." Ajax looked nervous and Dolohov rolled his eyes. "You said you wanted to join; you can't go back to Hogwarts and join."

"Why… why can't I? I'll be a spy, I can get you information on McGonagall and the Weasley girl.""I don't have the authority, kid, you've got to wait until Nott gets here and talk to him."

"Well, I… I'll have already shown myself by the time he's here!"

"Just act a little odd, you can claim Imperius later," Dolohov said. "My patience is wearing thin. Your girlfriend better get out of here, now."

Ajax turned to her. "Go, Lexa. You'll be safe in Slytherin."

"Okay," she said quickly. "Bye." She walked away straight towards Rose and whispered as she passed by, "I did my best, maybe the Aurors will finish one or two off."

Rose ran after her, Disillusionment Charm thankfully still intact, and snuck back into the castle through the back entrance, which was not at all blocked off.