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Chapter 37

The three second years were seated with the three older boys at the Gryffindor table. Ginny was sitting by herself towards the end of the table by the doors. She kept throwing what she thought was discreet glances at Harry. Hermione and the five boys were quietly discussing what had happened in the lab with Professor Snape and the new DADA Professor. The twins and Percy were outraged to hear how he had been treated. Though when they heard the plan they came up with, all three broke out with matching smirks. They stopped talking when they heard the doors open and their fellow students flooded in.

Neville looked around as he entered the Great Hall and found who he was looking for. He hurried over and took a seat next to Harry.

"Hi Neville," Harry said as his friend took a seat.

"Hi, Harry. Did you have a good Christmas?" he asked.

"It was good, yours?" Hermione asked.

Neville shrugged, "Same as always."

They all traded looks, "Do you want to talk about it mate?" Ron asked.

Neville looked around before he lowered his voice. "When everyone else is in bed."

"Sure," they said. They fell silent with the rest of the students when the Headmaster stood.

"Welcome back. I have a few announcements to make before we partake of the feast," he said; his eyes twinkling. "The first is that unfortunately Professor Lockhart suffered a most unfortunate accident and so he is no longer with us." Everyone erupted in clapping and cheering at the news, even some teachers could be seen smiling. "Yes, yes, I do have a replacement. I want to introduce you to your new DADA Professor," he waved to Remus to stand. Once he had stood up, Dumbledore continued, "Professor Lupin."

There was a scattering of applause throughout the hall. Once it had quieted down, Dumbledore continued. "Also, the Board of Governors has decided to have a representative stay at the school for the remainder of the year. They're chosen a representative of Lord Malfoy."

Lucius stood and bowed to the students. The Slytherins table was the only ones to clap. The others sat with their mouths open in shock. Severus sneered at the uncouth behavior displayed towards his husband. Showing no concern about the less than warm welcome, Lucius retook his seat next to Severus. He discreetly clasped his husband's hand and gave it a squeeze, he gave a slight smile when Severus squeezed back. They turned their attention back to the Headmaster. Dumbledore beamed at the students as he continued, "Now that the introductions are done, tuck in!" And with that, he sat down to eat as well.

Food popped onto the tables and soon there was the sound of silverware clanking on serving dishes and golden plates. Severus observed the children as he ate his meal. He could see many curious looks cast at his husband and Remus. He noticed that his Lords' son was sitting with the elder Weasley children and his friends. He noticed that Bella's son was next to them. He briefly wondered if the Lady Longbottom knew, she was one of Dumbledore's staunchest supporters.

He narrowed his eyes when he spotted the Parkinson chit poorly flirting with his son. He knew that the Parkinson's were trying to get Lucius to sign a marriage contract for Pansy and Draco, over his dead body that would happen. He smirked when Draco stood and made Goyle move so that he could sit between them. He looked over and noticed the "Potter" child was throwing Parkinson dark looks. So that was the way of it. He leaned over to speak to Lucius, "If you sign that bonding contract with Parkinson, you will find out how much I will make you suffer for it."

Lucius looked at his husband with slightly wide eyes in shock. He knew that Parkinson had been really pushing for a contract between the children and he had been toying with the idea at the time but had turned him down. And now with Severus against it, it wasn't going to happen at all. He valued his life too much and he loved his family. He gave Severus a quick wink and a nod and relaxed when he realized he understood. "So why did this suddenly did this come up?" He asked lowly.

"Take a look at Harry as he watches Parkinson," Severus murmured lowly.

Remus who heard the conversation already knew what Severus was talking about. He had been covertly watching over his cubs and noticed the looks Harry had been sending Draco. He also noticed that the Malfoy heir was just as discreetly returning them. He also noticed the concealed scowls and dark looks shot at the young girl trying to flirt with the Little Malfoy. He heard Lucius snort as the two made moon eyes at each other again. Hopefully, Dumbledore missed them doing it. You had to really know what you were looking for to catch it.

"Hopefully no one else picks up on this," Lucius murmured to his husband.

"We'll have to speak to them then," Severus said to him.

"The Longbottom boy as well. Wonder if Augusta knows that he's not hers by blood."

"We shall see," Severus replied.

"Ready to go?" Lucius asked as the hall began to empty. Dumbledore had already given his silly speech and left through the teacher's entrance.

They nodded to Remus and headed down to the dungeons. Rita had slipped in earlier and was currently in Severus' office. They walked in and she stood as they entered.

"Ms. Skeeter," Lucius said as he bowed over her hand.

"Lord Malfoy," she replied breathlessly. Severus rolled his eyes at the foolish woman. He cleared his throat to get her attention off his husband.

"Ms. Skeeter," Severus nodded to the reporter.

"Professor Snape," Rita batted her lashes at the man. She had always found him a dark and sexy enigma, even more so since he was single.

Lucius had to stop himself from growling at the woman for flirting with his husband. It didn't matter to him that she didn't know that they're married. Gathering himself, he directed her back to her seat and they all sat down.

"So how can I be of service to you two gentlemen?" Rita asked coyly. She had to control herself as an image of how she'd like to be of service popped into her head.

Severus suppressed a shudder at the salacious tone she was using. He could just imagine what she was thinking, and it made him ill.

"We have some information that we believe you would best know what to do with."

Rita sat up straight in her chair, her reporter instincts were screaming at her. She opened her purse and pulled out a quill and parchment. She gave a quick lick to the tip and set it on the parchment in her lap, ready to get her scoop. "And do tell," she purred; just because there was a story, didn't mean she couldn't flirt with these two beautiful men.

"We have a quite a bit of information that you'll get multiple stories out of," Severus said, smirking at the gleam in her eyes.

"It seems our esteemed Headmaster failed to notify the Board of Governors, as well as the parents, of recent events in the school." Lucius continued.

"And what is going on?" Rita asked breathlessly.

"There have been attacks on the students, the caretaker's cat and one of the school's ghosts," replied Severus.

Rita was practically jumping in her seat as he quick quotes quill raced across the parchment. "Does anyone know who attacked them?"

"No, unfortunately, there are never any witnesses, and nothing is left behind," Lucius told her.

"What happened to them and can you tell the readers who?"

"Well, we can't tell you who as we are unsure that the student's families even know," Severus was cut off by Rita's gasp of outrage at the thought of parents believing their children were fine at school and they were anything but. Severus continued. "But we can tell you that they're all petrified. We currently have Mandrakes that Professor Sprout is growing that will be ready soon for me to make a restorative draught." He finished.

Rita's pen was a blur of green as it raced across the parchment to get everything down. "Have there been any more attacks?"

"None since before school let out for the Yule holidays," Lucius replied.

"What could have stopped the attacker?" She asked.

"No one knows," Severus answered.

"You said there was more," she pushed.

Lucius smirked, "It seems that the Wizarding World's beloved boy-who-lived home life is not what it seems."

"How so?" She leaned forward being careful not to smoosh her quill and parchment.

"For years we were all told that Harry Potter was living with a loving family. Well, that is not true. He lives with Lily Evans sister, who is a magic-hating Muggle."

"What happened?"

"He was forced to sleep in a boot cupboard with only a mattress and blankets, instead of in a bedroom. While his cousin was coddled and treated as a Prince, Harry was used as a house elf and treated like one. They called him "Freak" or "Boy" and when they wanted to punish him, they would withhold food. Once he started Hogwarts, they gave him his cousin's second room; as they feared us "Freaks" were watching them." Here Lucius paused to get himself under control. He saw that Rita was angry at what she heard. He knew he picked the right reporter. "Once they figured out he wasn't allowed to use magic over the summer, they locked him in his room with a cat flap to feed him and bars on the window. This is what our savior was left with."

"Who would leave a child with those monsters?"

"Dumbledore," Severus spat out. "The man who had the boy's parent's wills sealed and left a child wrapped in a blanket with just a note; left on a doorstep at night, in the cold to be found in the morning."

While part of her was horrified at the thought of the child being abused, a larger part of her saw this as a way to bring down the all too perfect Albus Dumbledore. She always thought the man was hiding something, he was just too perfect, too clean. Now she had something, just needed more. Lucius smirked, time to go in for the kill.