Twenty-Six

Upon Further Examination

"Feast or Famine, that's how it is in the papers these days," Max Starling declared, opening up the paper more fully. "'Rampant Vampire Attacks Terrorize the Country! Military Resources Stretched to the Limits, Say Analysts.'"

"Who exactly are these 'analysts' the paper always claim to get opinions from, anyway? I mean, I've never met anybody claiming to be an 'analyst.' I've never heard of any one going to Hogwarts say they wanted to be an 'analyst' during their career conference," Garvan said.

"Do you think it pays well?" Cain asked.

"Please just keep reading! This is important, you know," Maurice scolded them.

"'Wide-spread attacks by the Donnacht clan were reported last night, including in London around Diagon Alley, Myrkinbrek, and Hogsmeade, as well as several mixed communities near Dover and Cardiff. Although the RBF had little trouble containing the smaller skirmishes in London, Dover, and Cardiff, the Ministry reports that the fighting above Hogsmeade continued until just before sunrise this morning. Because of this, the final casualty lists for last night's battles will not be out until tomorrow,'" Max read. "That sounds like they're awful sure there are going to be some, doesn't it?"

"Well, I hope our boys took plenty of those bloodsuckers out with them," Cain said.

"Oh look, here's another full page recruitment ad for the RBF. Subtle, isn't it?" Max said, showing them an ad with flashing bright lights that ran around the edge of the ad.

"Thanks but no thanks, I appreciate them defending us from vampires, but I don't want to become one of them," Garvan said. "I certainly don't want my name to appear on one of those casualty lists."

"I doubt all of them are soldiers. Some of them could be victims of the vampires…" Max suddenly found his head bashed into Cain's, and the two boys let out exclamations of pain and surprise.

"Could you please refrain from making conjectures about all of this? Stop spreading rumors until we know what is really going on!" Dirk snapped angrily. "Just eat your breakfast and get to class, and stop losing us points!"

"We haven't been losing any," Max began, but Dirk gave them such an icy look that he waited until he had stormed away before he tried to talk again. "I've never seen him like this before, have you?"

"No, but I think he has every reason to be worried," Maurice decided, grabbing the paper so he could read it for himself.

"If I can have your attention for one moment," Madame Black called out, clapping her hands sharply so that everyone would look up from their plates. "I know you had a rough night last night, so I just thought I would remind everyone taking the college exams today that they need to report to the old Muggles Studies room. It is on the far side of the second floor… just down the hall from where the back stairs are. It's going to be a long day, so I suggest you fill up on breakfast. We have about a half an hour or so until our guests arrive, so it'll be about an hour before we start. See you there," she added, glancing at her watch before slipping back to the staff room.

"Muggle college exams. What a waste of time," Bindy said, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, why would anyone do anything so impractical? Why bother with going to a magic school at all if you're just going to blow it by studying for a Muggle job in some obscure Muggle university? Take Lucky for example. She has all that talent for numbers, and she wants to waste it in some Muggle business."

"I don't think it's all that surprising, actually," Dirk said, poking at his breakfast with disinterest. "Some people learn magic to use it, others learn magic to control it. She is simply one of the latter. Madame Black is the same way."

"Another pure waste of talent. Surely she could be doing something more important than teaching Muggle Studies," Bindy said. "I wonder what she meant by guests?" She had the strange feeling that she was talking to herself and noticed Dirk stabbing at his toast. "What is with you today? Are you tired from last night? It was a pain sleeping in Conspiracies, wasn't it?"

"So what if we were uncomfortable? People died last night," Dirk snapped.

"Do be reasonable, Dirk. The Owl Post has been allowed to come and go out of the castle for two hours. Surely if it was anyone we knew we'd have heard by now," Bindy said.

"Look, the Headmaster is back," Helena pointed out from across the table. They both turned around to see Snape and Craw walking down the center aisle, talking quietly. The Headmaster seemed quite intent on listening to his wife, but both seemed quite calm.

"There, you see? There's nothing to worry about. The Headmaster wouldn't be back already if anyone important had died," Bindy said.

"Do you ever shut up? Even for a moment?" Dirk said, getting up. "I need to talk to the Headmaster about something." As he got up, many of the other Slytherin watched him walk off, wondering what was going on.

"He is a complete wash-up for a Prefect, let alone Head Boy," Don said. "I'll be glad to get rid of him next year."

"Oh, shut up, Don! What do you really know of him anyway? You've never done anything but berate him the whole time, and never tried to be in the least bit a friend to him," Bindy snapped.

"Maybe not, but I do know something you haven't figured out yet," Don said calmly, pausing to take a bite of his toast. "He hates your effen guts."

Bindy glared at him fiercely, too flustered for a comeback. Then she notice Helena giving her such a sympathetic look that Bindy finally got up and stormed out of the hall.

"Professor Snape?" Dirk called out just as the Headmaster had reached the back doors. He paused when he heard his name.

"Mr. Atchison," Snape said evenly, while Craw gave him a warm, reassuring smile.

"Have you heard anything about what happened last night in Hogsmeade? About the battle and all?" Dirk asked.

"I haven't had time to hear the Ministry reports, Mr. Atchison. I was in a hurry to get back to the school this morning," Snape said.

"You have several student families living in Hogsmeade, not to mention some of your own family. I'm quite certain you would have checked," Dirk said.

"No one associated with the school was injured that I know of, Mr. Atchison," Snape said.

"Well, what about the Muggles?" Dirk asked.

"Muggles?" Snape asked, raising a brow.

"I'm sorry, the Haveners…" Dirk corrected, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"Muggles. What does that remind me of? Jennifer, did I ask Professor Weasley to deliver that list of Muggle students attending the entrance exams down to Madame Black's office this morning?" he asked.

"You hadn't mentioned it to me," Craw said, gazing at him over the rim of her spectacles.

"Mr. Atchison, would you please run over to the classroom next to Madame Black's office and make certain that she has that list? We have a responsibility to make sure everyone is accounted for. I'm sure Madame Black will write you a pass if necessary."

"Yes, Professor," Dirk said, wondering if the Headmaster meant what he thought that he meant.

"Oh, and one other thing," Snape said, a strange note of tired exasperation in his tone. "The paintings in the halls surrounding the Slytherin houserooms look as if they have been disturbed one too many times. I'd like you to dust them… all of them… the ones in the Slytherin common rooms as well, provided the paintings aren't asleep. And I expect it done by Friday, else you and I are going to have a little chat about how exactly those paintings were disturbed in the first place. Now, check on that list before I change my mind."

"Yes, Professor," Dirk said, quickly going out the door when the Headmaster took a step out of the way.

"You are brilliant, you know that, don't you?" Jennifer said in a low voice with a warm loving smile that spoke volumes more than what she had said.

"I only married you so that you'd be here to constantly remind me of that fact, you know," Severus confided in her expressionlessly. Jennifer chuckled softly and risked a peek down the corridor, unsurprised to find out that Dirk was already out of view.

It hadn't taken Dirk long to get up to the right room, but once there he was reluctant to go in, for Lucky and several other students were already in there. Not one was a Slytherin; but that didn't surprise him. No Slytherin would have been caught dead taking such a humiliating test, not to mention how many of their parents would react… Dirk took a few steps away from the door. After all, he was quite certain that the Headmaster hadn't truly misplaced any sort of list. And if that were so, the only reason he might have sent him over there was to answer his question for him…

"Dirk?" called out a voice that made him nearly jump out of his skin in surprise, turning quickly around to see Ambrose escorting several students down the hallway. One of them was quite unmistakable with her long dark hair hanging in a single braid down her back. "It is you! I was so hoping to see you. Are you taking the test as well?"

"Nancy…" Dirk said, then waited for the others to go inside. "Are you all right? I've been worried out of my mind since last night. Is everyone okay?"

"I had such terrible nightmares," Nancy admitted quietly. "But… everyone says I slept though most of it. Some wizards on flying horses came and chased the vampires out of Haven's Row, and I guess the RBF kept them from causing too much damage, although I hear some of them are missing now. But I'm all right, everyone's all right. We're not going to let a bunch of silly vampires stop us from living our lives, are we?"

"If they have their way, you won't have a life to live," Dirk warned her.

"I'm not as defenseless as you make me out to be, Dirk Atchison. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself," Nancy said proudly.

"That doesn't mean I'm not going to worry. Believe it or not, I care about what happens to you, you know," Dirk said firmly.

"I know that," Nancy said, glancing around until she noticed where everyone had gone. "So are you coming in?"

"No, I don't think that'd be a good idea. You go on, I'll cheer you on from a distance," Dirk said.

"But I was so hoping you would. It'd make it feel like we were almost in the same school together if you were there. In fact, I doubt I'd struggle so much knowing that you were struggling along side me, it'd be easier somehow. And it'd seem like we weren't so different, or that we didn't have so many problems in the way," Nancy said, but Dirk simply stood there stiffly, gazing at her. "You think I'm being silly again, don't you? Oh, don't worry. I'll just go in there and do my best. I'm sure there are probably a lot of good schools in Uruguay… or whatever country you finally decide we're going to end up in."

"Miss Parker?" Madame Black called impatiently from the doorway. "Are you coming in? The representative from the board is already here waiting and we really need to get started."

"I'm sorry, Madame Black. I'm coming right now," Nancy said apologetically.

"And what about you, Dirk? Are you coming in, or going?" she asked.

"I was just… I was supposed to ask you about… actually, I never signed up for it, really…"

"Well, either you're late for whatever class you're supposed to be in, or you're supposed to be here taking the exams. Which is it?" Black asked.

"I suppose there is no harm in it," Dirk decided with a shrug, stepping in. After all, he wasn't likely to pass it considering how little he knew outside of Muggle class, and it would seem strange taking a test in the same room as Nancy. He was a bit worried about the other students questioning why he was there; but they all seemed to be too busy worrying about themselves to even notice him slipping into one of the back seats. At the very least, perhaps he could get some insight into what Nancy was getting into, he thought to himself, listening intently as Madame Black went over the instructions.

"So, are you going to tell him?" Aurelius asked quietly as they waiting for the stairs to change.

"I think you should tell him, considering you played a part in their getting away," Harry said.

"We would have had to run eventually anyway," Aurelius said.

"It could have waited until they had taken her out," Harry said irritably.

"No, it couldn't have," Aurelius sighed.

"She is dead, you know, and not like how Pyther was either. I don't think her soul is actually there. She's too sane," Harry said.

"I know. But I still have a responsibility…"

"What about your responsibility for seeking justice, Rel?" Harry said.

"It's all tied together," Aurelius said with a shrug. "At least, that's the way I see it, anyway."

"Fine. You tell him then," Harry said, finding the way to the spiral staircase open and the doors above it as well.

"Taking the long way today, are we?" Severus said casually from behind the desk as they entered the Headmaster's Study.

"Sorry, I was walking off some steam," Harry explained.

"I didn't think either of you had that much steam left, considering that I highly doubt either of you got any sleep last night," Severus said, gesturing towards some chairs. "I suppose the reason for that is why you're here now." Harry glanced over at Aurelius, but Aurelius simply nodded somberly.

"Aren't you going to tell him?" Harry prompted.

"Apparently he already knows," Aurelius said quietly. "He even knows why I stopped the Four Horsemen from continuing." Harry turned to stare at Severus.

"How do you know it? Rel hasn't even told me that, and I know for a fact this is the first time we've had a chance to tear ourselves away and get over here," Harry pointed out.

"Simply enough, I spoke with Corey the moment the sun rose this morning," Severus explained lacing his fingers thoughtfully. "And now at least I can piece together some of what had happened. They had waited until the vampires attacked the Ministry so that everyone would be too occupied to try and follow them that night, but Foncé had slipped away from the fight to join them. After providing an alibi by going to a party where his presence wouldn't be missed after the wine was served, he hurried to the others, who gave Trelawney over to him as a tribute to Rafe so that his presence wouldn't be missed with the clan either. They had obviously expected Rafe to kill her; the old woman not of sound mind and certainly not up to Rafe's normal standards, but Rafe must have been intrigued to learn she was once a Hogwarts professor, and that as well as what I assume must be a growing suspicion of Foncé's intentions prompted him to bring her into the fold.

"That, of course, put the Four Horsemen in a terrible position, since she probably knows a great deal about them. At the very least, she knows who two of the members are; the one who is after the Stone, and Foncé. But considering that Rafe has not turned against him, she must not have evidence at this point that Foncé had anything to do with the war. Regardless of Rafe's own beliefs, it would be her word against his, and Foncé is, if nothing else, widely regarded and feared by the clan as one of the most powerful vampires in Europe. It would take a great deal of evidence before anyone could safely make such an accusation. Even Rafe would not be as foolish to do it. He already has one war on his hands, I doubt he wants an internal war as well."

"But why is it that the Four Horsemen are trying to pin this on the Minister of Mysteries?" Harry asked.

"I have no idea. Perhaps one of the other members is the key to that," Severus said. "Are you certain that they still even looking? I would think that the current events and the constant skirmishes they've been getting into with the Broom Force might have distracted them from that goal."

"No, I'm pretty sure they haven't been now, considering what happened last night. I saw Thomas rushing out of the Ministry towards Azkaban this morning because one of the inmates woke up with bite marks on his neck," Harry said. "It was Bagman."

"Oh? How unlucky for him," Severus said without any sympathy at all. "I seriously doubt that Bagman has a chance in hell of even guessing who the current Minister is, so I don't know what the point of it was."

"I think it was because he was the last minister that was publicly known, so they were striking out at who they knew had been the minister," Harry said. "It definitely proves they haven't forgotten, but I'm less worried about that than I am about how bad that attack was on Hogsmeade last night. They did manage to take some RBF back with them, along with members from the families of several Muggle farms in the area, and I think it's safe to say that Trelawney is the one claiming the territory. We should have let the Horsemen finish her off."

"Don't start that again…" Aurelius began, but stopped abruptly when Severus raised his hand.

"As disturbing as it is to have that woman's face and knowledge running around as a vampire, as far as Rafe is concerned, she is just a new pawn. It does explain why my aunt has taken an interest, and I think I had best have a chat with Icarus and Essie about the issue. However, I know you had no choice but to stop that spell when you saw it being cast, Aurelius, no matter how effective blood to mud may be on vampires. Harry, that spell was the one Jennifer chose to erase during her time as Keeper of Dark Magic because of how Voldemort used it."

"He used spells a lot worse than that," Harry said with annoyance.

"A matter of opinion," Severus said evenly. "And unlike the plague spell, I wouldn't be surprised if the spell is used again, considering is one of the few dark spells that one can use against vampires that they cannot seem to negate. If it had been me, I would have allowed them to use it since it was being used as it was originally intended, but I understand why Aurelius felt he had to intercede. I also do not think this will be the only time that Sibyl makes an appearance, and next time I am certain the ending will have a different result. Especially if she confronts any of us," he added for good measure. Harry nodded in agreement. "For now, perhaps you both should consider getting some rest. It will be dusk again before you know it."

"Thanks for the reminder," Aurelius said dryly.

"Thanks, Severus. We'll keep you informed if anything else happens."

"The same," Severus said.

As they left, Severus glanced at his watch and then at his appointment book thoughtfully.

"Is Jennifer still in class?" he asked.

"Yes, sir. This is her double," Armando said.

"Entrance Exams?"

"They still have a long way to go, Professor," Armando said.

Severus got up and shrugged his shoulders a moment to relieve the stress from them and then went down the stairs. The castle felt tired, he mused as he walked down the corridor towards the back stairwell, but otherwise fairly at ease. Last night's ordeal seemed to have no lasting effect on the school in general.

Outside, a light snow drifted in the air but never seemed to land, somehow making the castle feel even sleepier. How badly would that night's events have on their test scores, he wondered, and then frowned at the hypocrisy of it all. He had never really cared about it up until that year; those exams were handled by the Deputy Headmaster and the Muggle Studies Professor, and it was nothing that he had ever taken an interest in. Of course, he also hadn't thought anyone he was related to would have been interested in taking those tests. Silently he slipped down the corridor, peering in the room looking specifically for Lucky's thick dark hair in the crowd.

She didn't look tired at all. In fact, she looked quite intent; fiercely so… probably treating her exams as she would a deadly opponent in battle. Nodding to himself in acceptance that she was probably doing quite well, Severus was about to leave when he noticed something that made him blink in surprise. What on earth was Dirk Atchison doing sitting at one of the desks? The boy stared blankly at the test, looking very much like a fish out of water as he struggled to make logical guesses to the ones he actually understood. Severus let out an annoyed sigh. He had simply meant to show the boy that Nancy Parker was safe, he really hadn't needed to go that far. That was certainly going to complicate things, he mused, for himself as well as for Dirk. And at a time like this… no, he chided himself. Regardless of what was going on, his priority was here at the school. After making up his mind to look in on how the rest of the staff was doing, Severus walked away, missing the fact that his sister had noticed him and was grimacing slightly as if waiting for a blow that for some reason hadn't come quite yet.