AN: As always I own none of this. Really enjoyed writing this chapter as it has LOTS of dialogue and interaction, which is a continuous theme. I enjoy watching how characters interact with one another. While Aries has built up a tremendous amount of power over the years, I have no intention of him suddenly finding some ancient magic power to give him the victory. He will continue to outmatch, out maneuver, and out power his enemies, which is why how he interacts with these other characters is so important, and so fun to write. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and if you don't, whatever floats your boat y'all.
The Minister of Magic was a busy man as of late. Letters were bombarding his office, and members of the Wizengamot had made many stops by his office demanding answers to these blood quill questions. It had started with Lord Abott and Lord Macmillan before members of both the light and grey parties began pestering him. What had that bloody woman been thinking? He did not doubt that toad had used the blood quill, but what he didn't understand was how she hadn't been caught. Scrimgeour had given him no time to warn her before sending Black and Potter off to Hogwarts to investigate. Still, he was not about to complain about the situation, considering it would have been his head as well should the quill had been found.
"Minister?" Weatherby said, knocking on the door. "Lord Remus of the Noble House of Lupin wishes to speak to you, sir." Fudge could not hide his displeasure. Not only had Lord Black made a werewolf a lord and head of a noble house, but the man now dared to bother him without an appointment? But he knew he could not refuse the half-breed.
"Send him in, Weatherby." He did not see the red head's flash of irritation but lifted his head as Lupin walked in and took his seat. "How can I help you?"
"I'm afraid I am here on behalf of my liege lord, Lord Black, Minister." Lupin began, stroking the grey beard he had started to grow. "While he cannot visit himself, he wished me to discuss with you the matter of this 'blood quill.' He is not pleased, Minister, not at all."
"As it was said in the Daily Prophet, the Aurors found no evidence of anything," the Minister hastily replied. "Lord Black does not need to feel concerned!"
"Oh, but he does." Remus smiled somewhat cruelly. "I mean, for Headmaster Dumbeldore to allow blood quills to be used on students, especially those of our more prominent families, is something that just cannot stand. Something must be done."
"Dumbledore?" What did the old man have to do with it?
"Well, it must be his fault, right?" Fudge's hands fidgeted as thoughts ran wild through his head. "I know for a fact there was no communication between this office and Professor Umbridge, so it's not as if you told her to hide it. And of course, we must mention the clear animosity of the rest of the staff towards her. From my point of view, it would seem as though she was set up. No evidence? Dumbledore refusing to allow students to be interviewed?"
"Yes, yes. Of course!" It all played out in his mind. The headlines, the press, and the outrage shifted from himself and the Ministry towards the senile headmaster. "Lord Black agrees with you?"
"Oh, my liege lord would never say such things against the headmaster, while he is at Hogwarts," Lupin answered carefully. "Though I have it on good authority that he mentioned such things to his dear uncle Sirius. Little can be done here Minister, but perhaps we could give Dolores the power to. . . correct Hogwarts' issues." Fudge's eyebrows raised eye, and a cruel smile slid onto his round face.
"Dolores Umbridge named High Inquisitor of Hogwarts following allegations of blood quill use at Hogwarts." Draco recited, the current edition of the Daily Prophet in his hands. "Did you have something to do with this Aries?" Aries smirked but gave no reply as he lazily flipped through the book in his hands. "Fine then, keep your secrets." There was a slight edge to Draco's voice, and Aries let the book thump on the table.
"You know exactly why I'm keeping my cards close to my chest, Draco." He said with a raised eyebrow. "As long as your father remains the Dark Lord's servant, I cannot put you in a position of risk."
"I'm already at risk!" Draco shouted, grateful for the Muffliato charm they had cast when they chose their library table. Aries sighed loudly, aggressively rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Perhaps its time we address the boggart in the room, don't you think?" The blonde-haired boy turned his head, staring at one of the bookshelves. "I know what happened this summer, Draco, but it could not have been prevented."
"How the hell would you know? You never asked! You never cared! You let me suffer alone at the Dark Lord's hands time and time again."
"And if I hadn't?" Aries replied hotly. "What do you think the Dark Lord would have done had you refused him? Do you think he would have stopped with you? What about your mother?" Draco had paled at that, but Aries wasn't done. "Or what about your sister?" His friend's mouth dropped, and he struggled to speak for some time as Aries patiently waited.
"How?"
"You think I wasn't watching? I assure you I made sure to be fully aware of everything going on at Malfoy Manor."
"Mother?" He simply nodded, and Draco's head fell. "This is tearing my family apart. No one was supposed to know. My father doesn't even know yet."
"Narcissa will be taken care of," Aries said softly. "And the Dark Lord will not get his hands on the newest Malfoy. But we must tread lightly."
"I'm sorry. I should have known you wouldn't leave me alone. Well, entirely anyway." Draco lifted his head and looked Aries in the eyes. "You would have saved us, right? If the Dark Lord had decided we were no longer useful?"
"You know that answer, Draco," Aries said seriously. "We're brothers in blood. No matter what." Silence rested between the two, and he was glad to see that the animosity from Draco seemed to be disappearing. "Your speech in the common room intrigued me. Care to explain?"
"I guess this summer made me see some things differently," Draco said with a sigh. "I've spent so long trying to do everything to be the person my father wanted me to be, and then he just readily prostituted my life to the Dark Lord. He sat there and watched Him torture me. And I just decided I didn't care anymore. About the traditions, about the purity of blood. About all the horse shit, my father spewed every day. Nothing good could come from the Dark Lord. . . I've never seen such a monster." Draco looked away for a moment, his eyes glazed over as if remembering something.
"And the rest of them too. Father made me watch as they tortured and raped some poor muggleborn. I didn't know her name. I don't think she ever came to Hogwarts. And they laughed, like it was all a good joke. Suddenly, it wasn't a prank. It wasn't putting someone back in their place. All I could think of was Granger. Annoying as she is, but the thought was there. Even I'm not daft enough to think she's not brilliant. That if she could learn her place, maybe she could benefit our world. Does she deserve to be bumped down a peg or two? Absolutely. But that? What they were doing to that poor girl? No, not even her.'
"Then, they just killed her. Left her lying in a puddle of blood and their handiwork. They were so proud of what they had done as if they had just won a game of Quidditch. At that moment I realized that you were right, I guess. You've always been right. I won't say I've given up on the idea that we're better than some, and we deserve our rightful place in the world. But no one deserves what happened to that girl simply because they were born different."
Aries, who seemed to always have a calculated response to give, was left speechless. Somehow that tidbit of information had failed to reach him, and he was disgusted at what the Death Eaters had done. It was relieving to know that Draco had finally seen his father and his friends for what they were. Aries simply reached over and placed a comforting hand on Draco's shoulder. It was apparent the incident still affected his friend, but it had been for the best. Draco could now become his own man, and not a copy of his father.
To say Thomas was nervous as he headed towards the Room of Requirement was an understatement. Terrified might have been a better word. He had not told anyone of training with Aries Black, as it had been a rather touchy subject with Susan, who did not trust the Slytherin at all. Not that he could entirely blame her as many of Hogwarts, especially those in Hufflepuff, had avoided Black since the Second Task of the Tri-Wizard tournament. While he had not seen their brutal duel, he had heard more than enough to know it had gotten out of hand. Then there was Cedric's death at the graveyard. Thomas was no fool, and he knew that some questioned the circumstances around the champion's death, mostly from those who did believe about Voldemort's return.
His friendship with Black had caused other issues as well, mostly with Ron. The fellow fifth-year believed him, of course, but he, like many others in Gryffindor, distrusted Aries. Whether it be his family, his House, or his uncaring attitude about light or dark magic, it had driven a wedge between himself and his red-headed friend, with Hermione in the middle. She still had been undecided on the young Black lord, but she was unwilling to choose a side like she had last year so quickly.
Thomas made it to the Room of Requirement with a minute to spare and hastily entered, finding Aries waiting for him, in the same robes he had worn throughout the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The older boy gave him a look over, and Thomas had a feeling he was disappointed.
"When I said normal clothing, I meant wizard clothing," Aries said with a shake of his head. "It will do, however, as your family as a tendency to wear muggle clothing. Now, you said you wish to learn the Patronus, but also how to fight, correct?"
"Yes," Thomas answered, honestly. "Voldemort is back. And I have to be ready to fight him."
"Good, then listen closely." Aries seemed to wait for Thomas to gather himself. "I will be giving you a training regimen, one that you will not shy away from, or you will find yourself short of a teacher. We will not use honorifics, as you are not my apprentice. But understand that while here, I am in charge. We are not students. We are not friends. You are a student, and I the teacher. Understand?" Thomas gave a quick nod, his eyes wide in surprise. "So first, a duel. Ready yourself."
Aries leaned back into his stance, his Viper form ready, as Thomas stood still for a moment, before shaking his head and reading himself as well.
"Begin." Thomas quickly sent a stunner, hoping to catch Aries off guard but was shocked as he simply deflected the spell, crashing into the wall with a bang. He knew he had been distracted and blacked out as Aries' stunner hit him. Groggily, his eyes opened, and he stared up at Aries, who Thomas was sure had a disappointed look on his face.
"I expected more, Thomas." The words stung deeper than he had thought. "No doubt you have never seen someone deflect a spell, but even I expected you not to lose concentration that easily. It will not happen again. Ready yourself." He rose to his feet as Aries walked back into his spot. He shook his head again and pushed his thoughts out of his mind. He would show Aries he was capable of more.
"Begin." Another stunner flew from his wand, and just as Aries deflected it, he sent a blasting hex towards him. Aries spun out of the way, casting his own stunner back. It bounced off Thomas' shield before a fluid series of spells crashed into it. Thomas pushed power into the simmering blue shield, shuffling his feet in an attempt to get a better angle on his opponent. Suddenly, he dropped his guard and rolled to his right, and fired off three blasting hexes in a row. Using the smoke caused by the blast, Thomas sprinted to his right and began to fire stunners towards where Aries had been. He waited, glancing around him to ensure he had not been flanked, as the smoke cleared, but Aries was nowhere to be found.
"Are stunners and blasting hexes all you know?" Aries' voice came from behind him, and he felt the cold tip of a wand against his neck.
"Are bone breakers all you know?" Thomas replied sarcastically.
"No," Aries responded with a laugh as he lowered his wand, "But they are quite effective. That was more of what I expected, but we will need to widen your armory of spells beyond what your father has taught you if you are to defeat the Dark Lord."
"I am not learning dark magic." He glared for a moment at Aries, but then wilted under the cold, calculating eyes that met his.
"I thought we had gotten over this after your discussion with Godric." Guilt filled him at that, and he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "You have been back to see Godric, right?"
"Once, after the first time. But I just got mad, I guess," Thomas answered nervously. "I just couldn't understand how he kept pushing me to use that side of magic. I mean. . . I don't know, Aries. I just can't."
"You cannot expect to defeat the Dark Lord, or his followers, with simple stunners," Aries answered hotly. "You might get lucky, but more than likely, you'll end up dead." Thomas refused to meet his eyes, and he was thankful that Aries seemed to give up on the conversation with a long sigh.
"Let us focus on the Patronus Charm." He eagerly perked up at that, as Aries glanced towards the wall in thought. "Regardless of yours or my views on magic, the world is inclined to separate magic into light and dark. Many would say that a light wizard could not use true 'dark' magic and that a dark wizard could not use pure 'light' magic. For example, the Killing Curse and the Patronus Charm." Thomas listened intently, as Aries began to pace. "This is not inherently true at all, as someone in a fit of rage could cast the Killing Curse, and one does not need to be light or dark to use the Patronus. It, like all magic, is a manifestation of intent and emotion. The Dark Arts, as they are named, focus on an intent to harm, with anger being the primary emotional catalyst. Some schools of magic, like Transfiguration and Charms, focus less on emotion and more on intent and the will to shape with their magic. And then some charms, such as the Patronus, concentrate on the more 'lighter' sides of emotion. Happiness is the fuel that powers the Patronus Charm. It is this reason that it is considered a 'light' spell.'
"And with that in mind, a question." Aries continued, turning to Thomas. "Could the Dark Lord cast a Patronus Charm?"
"No!" Thomas answered quickly. "How could he? He's evil!"
"And so you are saying that there is nothing that makes the Dark Lord feel happiness? Or joy?"
"Well, no, or. . ." He let his voice die as he considered it. "You're trying to convince me again, aren't you?"
"To a point," the Slytherin answered with a smirk. "The point here is that again, emotion is the focus. In reality, while it is unlikely that the Dark Lord could muster a Patronus, it is not impossible. Food for thought, Heir of Gryffindor. Now, for the charm itself. Expecto Patronum is the incantation."
"Expecto Patronum," Thomas repeated as Aries gave a nod.
"Now, as I said before, happiness is the fuel. Most people use a memory. But the reason I say that the Dark Lord would likely not be able to use it is that the more powerful the memory is, the more powerful the Patronus. It is unlikely the Dark Lord possesses such a memory, but again, not impossible." Thomas began to rack his mind for a memory, picking out a few he thought would work. "Now, the memory is important, but also subjective. One would say riding a broom for the first time would not work, but for someone abused their entire life, it may as well be their happiest memory. For you, however, it might not be enough. Think of the memory, and let it consume you until it's all you can feel. And then say the words." Thomas took a deep breath and focused, the memory becoming more and more real before him until he could feel the warmth of the fireplace.
"Expecto Patronum." There was a slight pull on his magic, but when he opened his eyes, there was nothing. He tried again and again, and despite the slight pull he felt, he could not preform the charm.
"You are conflicted, Thomas. I would not even need Legillimency to figure that out; it's in your magic."
"My magic? So my memory was not good enough?"
"I did not say that," Aries closed his eyes, and two chairs formed between them. He motioned for them to sit and gave him a curious look. "But regardless, something is happening that is keeping you from casting the spell. Sometimes, emotional upheaval, or life events, can affect our magic in unknown ways." Thomas felt tense and looked away again. "I've noticed you've been somewhat ostracized by your house again. Something you wish to explain?" There was nothing that Thomas wanted to do less than discuss it. But then the memories of the Dementors returned with a shudder.
"I know the Prophet stopped running those horrible articles, but it hasn't made anyone believe me more." Thomas ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Seamus and some others flat out think I'm a nutter. Susan and her friends think I'm crazy for being friends with you, as most still haven't decided on what happened at the graveyard. My dad is so intent on making sure I'm a 'light' wizard that I want to break everything in my home when I'm around him. I didn't even tell him about the blood-quill! I feel so angry all the time. Dumbledore has been avoiding me all year, and that fucking Umbridge woman is tormenting me every day, and the only one that seems to care is the one who everyone, besides Sirius, thinks is the next Dark Lord!" He hadn't meant to yell or to tell Aries all of that, but once he had started, he couldn't stop. Thomas glanced up, wondering what Aries' reaction would be, only to find a look of understanding.
"Who are you?" Aries asked softly.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, who are you, Thomas Potter?" He asked again. "Are you a muggleborn? Are you just another ordinary wizard? Who. Are. You?"
"I'm Thomas, Heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter." Thomas replied, still unsure of what Aries was getting at, but he didn't say anything so he continued. "I'm the Heir of Gryffindor. I'm the Boy-Who-Lived."
"So why the fuck do you care what they think?" Thomas's face shot up at the venom in Aries' voice. "We had this talk last year. It seems we're bound to revisit things. One day, you'll be face to face with the Dark Lord. And you know what will matter? You. Not Seamus and his friends. Not Susan and her friends. Not your father. You. One day, you'll be old, and every night you'll have to go to sleep, remembering your life, and you will have to be the one who lives with himself. Do you want to go to sleep at night, remembering how you let others rule your life? Or do you want to remember how you seized every day victoriously? It's like I told you before, friends are nice, but at the end of the day, all you have is yourself.'
"And as far as your father goes, he's not you. His life is not yours. His choices do not matter, but yours do. If you live your life trying to please everyone around you, you will be miserable. You and I, Thomas, we are a cut above the rest. We are lions and a lion does not concern itself with the opinion of the sheep. Do you understand?"
"But I cannot just throw everyone to the side, just for myself!"
"That's your choice, Thomas," Aries answered with more control. "But you also cannot allow them to control your life. It is not your responsibility to make others accept you for who you are. It is theirs. And if they cannot, then let them fade away. Those who are true to you will stick by you, not leave based on the circumstances." Silence breathed in between them, as Thomas thought on Aries' words, and no matter what argument came up, none could dispel the one Aries had. "And as far as Dumbledore goes, he is not god. He is not infallible. He makes mistakes, same as you and I. I cannot tell you why he is avoiding you, but if he is not here for you now, when you are downcast, then why is he here? Why allow him to have power over you when he does not care for you when you need him?" Thomas tried to push the doubts of the headmaster aside, but they continued, as Aries had simply voiced the dark thought that had already been inside his head. "Clear your mind, Thomas. Do not delay. Make your choice here and now. Stay and cast the Patronus Charm, take control of your life, or leave, and continue to allow others to rule you. I will not teach someone so weak-willed. Make your choice."
Aries sat calmly before Thomas, as a million emotions seemed to play across his face. He had been surprised that the Gryffindor had opened up to him so easily. But who else was there to open up to? Who else did not judge the boy on his decisions? These fools were so concerned about Thomas not becoming like him that they had pushed him right into Aries' hands. Aries knew about the boy's doubts, especially regarding Dumbledore, and had all too eagerly reinforced the distrust he was forming for the old man.
He wondered if the boy would be successful, remembering his own issues with the charm last year. But then again, no one had helped him past his problems, the very reason it took so long for him to master the Patronus Charm, as he had just now with Thomas. At last Thomas stood staring at the door for just a moment, before he turned away. He took several minutes, and Aries felt the discord in Thomas' magic fade away. Thomas raised his wand again, and Aries leaned forward.
"Expecto Patronum." He could not help but smile, as the white shield of the Patronus formed before Thomas.
"And that, Thomas, is the Patronus Charm," Aries said, a slight surprise in his voice.
"Is it normal?" Thomas asked, letting go of the spell. "To get it on the first try? Well. . . first real try."
"No, not at all," Aries replied honestly. "But for us, it is no surprise. You are powerful, Thomas, more than you realize. But there is more to the spell." He lifted his wand and closed his eyes. "Expecto Patronum." A white fox shot from his wand, and danced around them, its white eyes seeming to stare at Thomas. "This is a corporeal Patronus. It will take the form of something that represents your happiness. For me, it represents my mother. A fox was her animagus."
"What happened to her?" Thomas asked, noting the sadness in his voice.
"A tragedy." The memories flash forward into his mind before he shoved them down deep within his consciousness. "But that is enough for today. Every morning you will run to the Quidditch pitch, complete ten laps. You will complete a hundred push-ups and sit-ups. Then return. Once you can do this all within thirty minutes, we will progress your physical training. You understand the importance of this?"
"The fight isn't over just because you've been disarmed," Thomas answered in a recited way. Aries simply nodded.
"Same time, next week."
The room was stone, as Aries requested, and he sat with his legs crossed on the floor, deep in meditation. A month had passed since the beginning of term, and much had happened already. Between his lessons with Potter, dealing with Umbridge overstepping with the use of the blood quill, dealing with the changing Draco, and the ever-exciting situation with Theodore Nott, along with the ever torrent of homework, Aries had been quite busy.
His thoughts concerned the letter he had recently received from Cassiopeia, detailing the current status of his many projects. He was happy to hear, of course, that the Werewolf Conservation continued to thrive, and a rather large magical community had begun to form, complete with shops and restaurants. Wizards and witches who had, for so long, been outcast by Magical Britain had come to find a real home, and Director Lupin seemed to take every chance to reaffirm that it was all thanks to Lord Black, something evident in the 'fan mail' he had begun to receive. The other success was the recent approval from Gringotts, regarding the school construction that had started on the grounds. Soon, children afflicted with lycanthropy would be able to receive a quality education, one that Aries could shape to reflect his views.
Next came the report of the Praetorian Guard. His show of them at the Wizengamot had created quite the rumor mill. Still, none knew the full extent of his army, currently located in Bulgaria, under the protection of Ivan's uncle. Slowly, but surely, the regiment was rising in numbers and skill. The financial burden would have taken a toll, if not for his timely investment in the products required for Wolfsbane. Ministry money lined his vault, as they purchased the ingredients for the Werewolf Conservation.
It was as Aries was musing the third, and final piece, of information Cassiopeia had sent him, that he felt Daphne enter the room. He had requested her presence, as she was the last issue he had yet to remedy. Despite his earlier idea that she needed to be dealt with sooner rather than later, her game of cat and mouse had not been as distracting or as much of an inconvenience as he expected. But the girl had put off their confrontation for too long, and he had finally decided to deal with it. She mirrored how he sat, right across from him, and seemed to wait, her trademark look of ice on her face.
"I believe you have taken an issue with me, Daphne," Aries stated simply. "Care to explain?"
"And I believe I am owed an explanation, Black," Daphne replied coldly. "About many things."
"Such as?"
"This summer. Your plans." Her eyes flashed for a moment. "Delacour." He raised his eyebrow in challenge.
"And you think I owe you anything?"
"Considering our relationship, yes. I'm not asking anything of Lord Black. I'm asking something of Aries. The boy I spent much time with in this room, and aboard the ship, and in the library. The one that made me actually feel something, and the one I thought could help me realize my dream for this world."
"But aren't they one and the same?" countered Aries. "Let us not be ignorant. Had I not been the heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, you would have never looked my way. Not in any snobbish way, but your dreams lie further than being a trophy wife. You long for greatness, as I do. You would never have married just for love. You would have married someone that could benefit your plan. But then we met one another. And we both found someone that could be an equal, one that could further our goals, and perhaps, love as well."
"Then what changed?"
"Truly? The Dark Lord. I was forced to accelerate my plans. Dumbledore was removed, and through the help of Lord Malfoy, your father was made Chief Warlock. With one fell swoop, the Wizengamot had fallen into my hands. Your father readily accepted an alliance, and suddenly I did not need marriage to gain political power. My name and my actions during the Tri-Wizard Tournament had already done that."
"That still does not explain your actions," Daphne said, and there was unmistakable anger in her voice. "After that dinner with my family, you dropped me like some summer fling. I am not some Daisy Buchanan to drop without a second thought. You never even sent a letter, and pointedly ignored mine."
"Your father made it clear he did not approve," Aries replied. "Given the circumstances, his allegiance and cooperation within the Wizengamot were more important than your feelings. For one as political savvy as you claim to be, I figured that would be obvious."
"Oh, we will play that card, will we?" A cold laugh escaped her throat. "Like you couldn't have slipped Tracey a letter? Or had a house-elf bring it? No doubt the reality is that you were too busy with your putain. I'm no idiot. I know you and Delacour would meet up throughout last year. And I let you have your fun. A gift you could call it, for helping my dream of the future come to a reality. But then the summer came, you dropped me, and went to that ball with her. You think I wouldn't notice?" Aries, it seemed, had slightly underestimated the girl, but he was not concerned.
"Fleur is a nature of my reality in which you much accept," He raised a hand to silence Daphne before she could reply, anger alight in her eyes. "Following the Third Task, she came to me. Magic it would seem, deems her kind more creature than human, and as such, a life debt formed between us. But not like the one that formed between Potter and me. Delacour is tethered and bound to me by the deepest of magics. If I were to choose, the magic binding us could force her to fulfill my every desire or to complete any task I were to give her. Through her, I have gained an invaluable tool. A follower whose loyalty can never be in question. Because of this, she is something I will not relinquish, even for you, Daphne." His words seemed to give her thought as she looked at him curiously.
"So, she is nothing more than a slave?" Daphne asked, her voice softer than before.
"I prefer to think of her as more of a loyal servant." Aries offered, watching Daphne closely.
"Then, she would never take the name of Black?" She leaned forward, placing her hands on the ground as Aries laughed.
"No, never. She may be an equal to me in some ways, and while I do, in my own way, care for her, I would not marry her." Daphne seemed to crawl towards him, the top of her shirt opened, giving him a tasteful view.
"And what about me?" There was no vulnerability in her voice, rather a sense of challenge. Aries had given it much thought over the past month. It was how he had concluded that he would never marry Fleur. Why would he? She was bound to him, and so long as her soul belonged to him, the soon to be President of Magical France would always be loyal to him. His last connection to the continent was made.
"Your actions at the Yule Ball made it clear that you understand that sometimes, violence and cruelty are necessary to achieve our goals. " Aries said, enjoying the look of desire in Daphne's eyes. "We will deceive. We will manipulate. And we will kill. We will do what must be done to make our vision a reality. If you can accept that, then I think you could, perhaps, make a suitable first wife." He said the last with a laugh. "I will need someone to rule over Britain one day, after all."
"You will only have one wife, if I have anything to say about it, Black." She closed the distance, pushing him onto the ground before smashing her lips into his. Aries would have been a liar had he said he did not miss the taste of her lips, as her body pressed against his before she pulled away. "You can keep your pet, Black, but you belong to me. I will make sure Fleur Delacour knows her place."
If there was a word to describe Professor McGonagall at the moment, unhappy would be a rather massive understatement. It had been a month since Thomas' first lesson with Aries and in the time between Dolores Umbridge had been named 'High Inquisitor' of Hogwarts. The letter he had received from his father had been worrisome and warned him consistently against angering the Defense teacher anymore. He had never told his father about the blood-quill, partly because he wanted nothing to do with his father but he had also not wanted to let the old toad win by getting the better of him.
Umbridge was watching the class closely, and with everything Professor McGonagall did, the other woman would make notes. She was evaluating the teachers, though why she thought she knew what made a good teacher or not was lost to Thomas. He breathed a sigh of relief when the class, and the day for that matter, was over. There was still an hour before dinner, so he followed Ron and Hermione back to the common room. Their friendship had never been the same since the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and the strains of this year, mostly due to Aries, made specific conversations avoided at all cost.
"Bloody hell," Ron sighed as he plopped down on the couch in front of the fire. "Umbridge is causing all sorts of hell right now."
"On top of not teaching us a thing," Thomas responded, placing himself in the armchair. "Honestly, I feel like I know more about defense than she does."
"Think that goes for the first years too, mate." The two could not contain the laughter that suddenly burst from them both, drawing an irritated look from the seventh years who were studying furiously for their NEWTs. Hermione came down and sat on the couch next to Ron, a pensive look on her mind.
"What's on your mind, Hermione?" She didn't answer Thomas at first, giving a quick look around the room, before leaning in closely.
"We need to do something about Umbridge."
"That'll go over real well," Ron said with a scoff. "The Aurors didn't find anything, and unless Thomas or someone willingly steps up, she won't be arrested."
"No, I mean the class," Hermione said with a shake of her head. "We aren't learning anything this year, and we have our OWLs. I say we start teaching ourselves."
"I mean, don't we already?" Thomas asked. "Or do you mean, like, a club?" Hermione nodded.
"That's exactly what I mean. And I think you should teach it, Thomas."
"I don't think that's necessarily a good idea. There's no way anyone in this school would want me to teach them. And Dad told me specifically not to piss off Umbridge."
"Well, it wouldn't be breaking any school rules, right?" Ron offered.
"Maybe not," Thomas answered. "But we both know she doesn't want us actually practicing spells. Somehow I think this won't go over very well."
"Just give it a thought, okay? I think you'll be surprised by how many students would want to learn from you." Hermione gave him a pleading look, and he nodded after a minute. "I'll ask around discreetly and see if anyone else is interested." Thomas sighed as she got up and left the common room. So much for coasting out the year.
He stood on the island again, the great ash tree staring down at him, and felt the swirl of magic. To an onlooker, it would seem there was no wind at all, but he could feel the torrent of magic surrounding him, centered on the great tree like the eye of a hurricane. Whispers floated through the air, and he turned, facing the man that so often haunted his dreams. Bright, white eyes flashed, and the swirl of magic stopped. But then the man moved aside, and the island faded away. Instead, a corridor appeared, as he walked forward, full of doors on each side. It seemed like an eternity that he walked until at last, he faced a door. He grasped the handle and turned, opening the door before him. A vast room awaited him, and then he saw it: the Veil. The whispers grew louder as he faced the tall arch. Suddenly he turned, and the man was there again, and with a hard push, he fell through the Veil.
Aries shot up in his bed, sweat covering his body, and his heart pounding. A pain suddenly crept on his chest, and as he looked down, the outline of a hand was bruised onto his chest. He looked around frantically for the man, but he was not there. There was one thing that had made sense in the dream: the Department of Mysteries. He had been there on more than one occasion throughout the summer, but why was he suddenly dreaming of it? What did the whispers mean? Who was the man who kept haunting his dreams? Why did he keep seeing the great ash tree? Aries did his best to rid himself of the dream, as the warm water of the shower rinsed over him. He had another lesson with Thomas today, and it would not do well to show discomfort in front of his student.
His fondness for Thomas had only increased as the boy began to shed the childish tendencies and take on a more serious attitude. Aries seriously doubted the training that the boy had skipped out on in his youth had ever been as severe as the training he was doing now, and the results were showing. Thomas had never been overweight, the training as a child and Quidditch had seen to that, but he was slowly developing muscles that would give him the advantage in a fight. Every week, Thomas would improve, but he was beginning to understand that his simple repertoire of spells was a disadvantage.
He started their lesson by having himself and Thomas to do a rigorous exercise routine and was glad that the room provided a shower for them both to use. Once Thomas was thoroughly exhausted, he had the boy continue his work on fifth-year spells. Umbridge's teaching, or lack thereof, was causing more of a headache than he considered, but Potter was more than capable of catching up. Then, they dueled. It was rather enjoyable, he had noted, to be the teacher and not the student, and it was a new challenge all in itself. While Thomas' sole goal was to disarm him, Aries strived to challenge the younger boy, forcing him out of his comfort zone and to adapt. He understood now why his former master, Vladimir von Reich, had enjoyed their lessons so much.
"A month and a half, we've been doing this," Thomas panted after being disarmed again, "And I still can't beat you."
"I'm afraid it will be sometime before you come close to defeating me," Aries said with a laugh as he returned the boys wand. "Though I would say there are few here at Hogwarts that could. Durmstrang is a different story, as they are taught Battle Magics and how to duel from their first year." Thomas rolled in his in amusement, as Aries seemed always to say how Durmstrang was better. "I hear you're going to start a Defense club."
"Oh, um, yeah," Thomas replied with a nervous laugh. "It was Hermione's idea, but I kinda caved."
"And how do you feel about helping others, despite their dislike and distrust of you?"
"It's just the right thing to do," The boy shrugged. "If I have the means to help them, why shouldn't I?"
"Indeed," Aries felt a rush of pride for the boy, though he still did not entirely understand why. Perhaps he was beginning to see something of himself in the boy. They were both heirs of the founders after all. "I believe that those of us, with the power and ability to do so, have a certain responsibility to the magical world. I believe we are both such individuals. Any ideas about how you will teach? You will have more than just fifth years."
"I actually wanted to ask you about that. You see, well, you're good at this. Way better than me. I was hoping you would be willing to help. I mean, the Slytherins probably need help too, right? The good ones that is."
"You want me to teach?" Aries said with a laugh. "You haven't told your friends about our lessons, yet you want me to help teach all your friends?"
"Yes," Thomas answered firmly. "It's their choice, but you're the best dueler I've ever seen. You know more magic than anyone, and lastly, you know the Dark Arts. Who better to teach us how to defend against them? It's their choice. But if they want me to help them, then they'll have to let you teach them."
Aries made to look as if he thought it over, but his decision had already been made. He would not pass up the opportunity to build bridges with the individuals in other houses who might end up holding an essential spot within the Ministry, or the Wizengamot itself. "I'll help, but it is your responsibility to convince the others. It is your group, after all." This could work, he mused, perhaps he could create the very army that Fudge was so worried about. Yes, he would create Dumbledore's Army.
AN: Next Chapter: Dumbledore's Army. We'll continue to bounce back and forth between Thomas and Aries POV. Free candy, we have a duel coming next chapter that's been in my head since the beginning, and I can't wait.
