The Beginning of the End

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1975 June

Severus got patched together quickly enough, but the Healers insisted on him sleeping off the trauma under observation, just to be safe. It meant that no one could question him until the next morning. Fortunately for everyone's well being, the Slytherin attackers were medically cleared within an hour of arrival and were remanded to the Aurors, to be held overnight in the Ministry holding cells. Lily had been more fortunate, and was both healed and cleared to leave the hospital before the end of visiting hours. Not that she'd gone anywhere.

Septimus was not surprised in the least when Harfang and Callidora planted themselves on either side of Severus' bed and refused to be moved, despite the Healers' best attempts to get them to go home after visiting hours were over. Lily alternated between sitting on the foot of Severus' bed and on a chair next to her mother, who was sitting next to Lily's father against the wall nearest Severus' bed. The Evanses had to resort to promising to return first thing in the morning to get Lily to leave, and even then she left under heavy protest.

Septimus, Cedrella, Charlus and Dorea all returned first thing the next morning as well. Severus woke about fifteen minutes after they arrived. The relief and gratitude in his eyes when he saw his bed quite literally surrounded by 'family' made Severus want to go hex Tobias all over again.

The Aurors arrived at the start of visiting hours, about an hour or so after Severus woke up. Severus told them his account of events, and they headed off. One of them, an old workmate of the elder Marauders, pulled Septimus aside and warned him that the kids' parents were throwing a fuss, and that Dumbledore had already begun to both advocate for leniency, and insist that any punishment should be limited to school punishments since the attack had taken place on school property.

Septimus mentally growled at that, but thanked his old coworker and headed back to Severus' room.

"Well, the nurses have been at us to thin the herd a little, but we didn't want to until you'd woken up, Severus. I think we ought to humor them now." He grinned at an abruptly bristling Lily. "Don't worry, I have no intentions of trying to drag you out of here." He told her. "But Charlus, Dorea, Cedrella and I really ought to go."

Charlus and their wives, not being dummies, realized something was up, and were willing enough to head out after promising to stop by later in the day. Once everyone was well away from Severus' room, Septimus turned to the other three.

"We have a problem. Both the parents an Dumbledore are throwing tantrums about the kids being prosecuted." Septimus told them, then repeated what he'd been told.

"Like hell." Charlus said, looking thunderous. "I'll start stirring up the folks as will listen to me."

"And we shall stir up the rest." Cedrella said, a look in her eyes that promised a world and a half of pain.

"I'll try to stall and distract Dumbledore." Septimus said. "Slow down his attempts to interfere."

The four of them split up, with both Septimus and Charlus heading for the Ministry. Their wives headed ... well, Septimus was almost afraid to know where they were going and what they intended to do. If the look Charlus shot the departing women was anything to go by, he was of the same mind.

Once they were at the Ministry, the two men split off, Charlus to go shake trees where the Lords were concerned, while Septimus went on a hunt for Dumbledore. It didn't take him all that long to find him, ensconced with several of his more zealous followers.

"Lord Dumbledore, a word." Septimus said, cutting across the chatter going around the little group. His tone made it clear this was not a supplication. Septimus was not begging for a moment of Dumbledore's time. He was commanding Dumbledore's attention. From the outraged expressions of Dumbledore's followers, they caught the implications.

Dumbledore, on the other hand, seemed utterly oblivious. Not that Septimus believed that for a second. Dumbledore was entirely too canny a player to miss something as obvious as the tone of Septimus' voice, especially given he wasn't exactly trying to be subtle.

"Septimus, my dear boy ... " Dumbledore started.

"Lord Weasley, if you please, Lord Dumbledore." Septimus snapped, unwilling to permit Dumbledore the familiarity.

Dumbledore had a bad habit of doing that sort of thing - presuming to call people by their first name, or dropping honorifics and sticking with just 'Mr.' or 'Mrs.' or the like. It was a sneaky-ass tactic, as that level of familiarity had, until the ending of the Children's Ball (and much of the pomp, ceremony, and tradition that had gone with it at the end of that era), been reserved for blood family, close friends and most trusted confidants.

Septimus was willing to bet that was why Dumbledore did it. For most folks, calling someone by their first name still had that connotation. It probably would for a good century or more to come, until those who had grown up with it had gone on to their final rest, leaving behind the generations that hadn't grown up with it.

"Lord Weasley, of course. My apologies." Dumbledore said, in the sort of tone an adult used to humor a child.

Septimus fought down the desire to either say something about his tone or glare at the old man. He knew he'd end up seeming like a petty child if he did, which was probably what Dumbledore wanted. "I would like to know what it is you're playing at." He said. "In regards to those four *adults* who hexed two newly-graduated fourth years so badly a stay at St. Mungo's was required."

Dumbledore smiled benignly at him. "I'm quite sure ... " He started.

"Do you want the Healer's records? The Auror's reports? Veritaserum? The kids are willing for any and all of it." Septimus said.

They hadn't actually volunteered such things, of course, but Septimus knew both of them would very likely be willing. Or well, they both would be after Lily got done with Severus. She could talk him around to nearly anything. It'd worry Septimus if Lily wasn't at heart a good, gentle person who only wanted the best for her friend. She was also the only one Severus allowed that sort of influence on himself and his behavior. Oh, he listened to and obeyed Harfang and Callidora, but that was a different, as they acted as his parents. Everyone else might as well bang their head against a wall as try to get Severus to do something he didn't want to do - they'd get further that way.

"The facts, Lord Dumbledore." Septimus said. "Are that a fully trained adult saw fit to magically attack a fifteen year old girl because she was a so-called 'jumped-up mudblood that needed to learn her place'. That is, incidentally, Lord Dumbledore, a direct, verbatim quote from the first attacker, as per the Auror report. When the girl's fifteen year old friend went looking for her due to her extended absence and came to her defense, he was hexed so badly by the adult and three adult reinforcements that arrived that he could have *died* on your precious train if Charlus' son and Abraxas' grandson hadn't had some knowledge of healing spells. He was required to stay at St. Mungo's overnight. The girl, by some miracle, managed to escape with somewhat less serious injuries but even she required several hours of Healer attention. If you think that detentions and loss of points is going to be sufficient punishment for so grievous an attack, you are badly mistaken."

Dumbledore didn't look any too happy. But neither did his followers. "What's this?" One of them said. "We were told it was a bunch of children whose pranks got out of hand."

Septimus gave Dumbledore a fulminating glare. "It was nothing of the sort, Lord Doge, I promise you. Young Lily Evans is a very bright young witch who happens to be a Muggleborn. She missed out on Ravenclaw by a whisker, I'm willing to bet. Certain families find the fact that she and her childhood friend Severus Snape, who happens to be a halfblood, have the best marks in Hogwarts offensive. They seem to be of the mistaken belief that those of ... impure blood ... should not dare to show up their betters. Which is ridiculous codswallop at best and thoroughly insulting rhetoric at worst. Blood purity means nothing. Anyone with any wit knows that."

Dumbledore looked like he wanted to argue, but realized that most of the possible arguments he could make would look very stupid or suspicious just now. In a couple days? He could doubtlessly carry on as usual and convince everyone he had the right of it. But here and now, with Septimus right there to contradict him and willing to provide incontrovertible proof of his claims, arguing was a very bad idea. At least along some lines. Dumbledore, though, wasn't one to give up entirely.

"Are you so willing to condemn four promising young people for a moment of intemperance?" Dumbledore asked.

"When they're willing to hex someone badly enough to result in eventual death - and apparently planned it well enough to wait until the prefects were all in a meeting on the train? Yes. That speaks to a sort of mentality that I learned in the Aurors only ever gets worse. If someone is willing to contemplate cold-blooded murder once, regardless of the method used, they're liable to again."

Septimus eyed Dumbledore. "That this bunch was comfortable taking action in such a public venue is even more troubling. It makes me wonder just what sort of school you're running, Dumbledore, that they would think they could get away with such a heinous act under your putative control." Then he snorted. "Actually, I take that back. It doesn't make me wonder. I already know. I've heard quite a lot from children in several Houses as to the situation in Hogwarts. It is a report I find less than comforting, I assure you. I did not think it was quite the done thing for open war to be possible in the halls - yet I have heard, nearly every month for the last several years, how spells are flying in the halls between two or more parties, and nothing is done."

"I assure you ... " Dumbledore started, all but literally bristling at Septimus' accusations.

Septimus didn't give him a chance to get going. "The children aren't stupid, Lord Dumbledore. They might not be able to track detentions, but they do track the points given and taken. They've shown me the results. There is never any indications, points-wise, that these incidents have occurred. Nor were the children involved seen to be missing from the school, indicating they weren't suspended for their behavior. Now, maybe you have decided to issue only detentions for such incidents, and the children missed the indications of those punishments, but if so, it clearly isn't working and more stringent punishments are clearly required before someone actually does commit murder."

Then, he cocked his head slightly to one side. "Unless, of course, you ... condone ... such behavior?" Then he shook his head. "No ... I don't think that's what this is." Well, yes he did, but actually admitting to it wasn't the brightest idea. "I think, rather, what's going on here is a somewhat misguided attempt to rescue poorly-raised children from unfortunate paths."

"What you seem to have failed to realize, in your attempts to rescue these children, Lord Dumbledore." Septimus said. "Is that you cannot expect a child to correct improper behavior if you do not first, indicate that such behavior is, in fact, improper, and second - provide the children with an example of the behavior desired. And third, provide a deterrent that makes the improper behavior less rewarding than the desired behavior."

Septimus smiled at Dumbledore. "As you have not raised children of your own, the mistake is understandable. You at least have some of proper method down - you just need to buckle down and make sure that punishment for undesirable behavior is meted out sufficient to make that behavior less pleasant to indulge in."

Septimus got unexpected help from Lord Doge. "Aye, Lord Weasley has the right of it, Headmaster. If you want kids to grow up proper, you have to show 'em the way of it. They're not going to learn it from nowhere. And y'gotta take 'em to task when they muck up. They'll never learn the difference between right'n wrong if doing 'wrong' don't carry a penalty."

Septimus was none too sure that Dumbledore was actually listening, much less intending to take them up on their advice. That said, the man made it at least *look* like he was.

Dumbledore sighed sadly. "I suppose you may be right, gentlemen. I fear I have much to consider. If you'll excuse me."

He nodded slightly to them and took his leave, heading, incredibly enough, for the elevator. Septimus didn't know if he was actually leaving, and couldn't reasonably follow, but he'd at least derailed Dumbledore's head of steam. That was good enough for him.

"So it was all true?" Doge asked him.

"The attack and such? Yes. Cedrella and I are acting as the Lupin boy's sponsor. His parents are poor enough to make previous generations of Weasleys look well-off. And Harfang is the Snape boy's guardian. They're still at St. Mungo's with him, though the boy is due to be released before dinner, I believe. Between them, Charlus' boy and their friends, we're kept well informed of the goings on in Hogwarts."

Doge frowned. "Hmm. I'll have to have a word with a few folks. Dumbledore'd have it that Hogwarts has never been better."

Septimus decided to call it a really good day when he got one of Dumbledore's more ardent supporters questioning him, however temporary that questioning might eventually turn out to be.

He never did realize that the attack on Severus and the events immediately thereafter marked the beginning of the turning of the tide in the affairs of the UK Magical world. But then again, no one could have anticipated the fallout, however long some of it may have been in coming.