A/N: All rights belong to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. Also, I make no money off of this, if it wasn't apparent already. This fic is rated mature, because I have no idea what I'm going to end up adding in at a later point, and I don't care to constantly try and update the rating.

Chapter 11: Let's Go Hunting

Mars hummed to himself as he readjusted his back pressed against a tree on the edge of the forest, knowing the shadows on the moonless night would obscure him from others. Closing his eyes, he let his magic begin to flow more freely, the cold, unforgiving darkness causing a stir in the wind, the leafless branches above him rustling quietly.

"Lord Black," Dumbledore called quietly, the old Headmaster making his way down the snow covered path, his wand glowing brightly in the cold winter air.

Mars stood off of the tree, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. "Here, Headmaster," He called out, taking his hands back out of his pocket and rubbing them together.

Dumbledore nodded in his direction, moving over before pausing hesitantly a few paces away. "Lord Black?" He asked calmly, as the lumos charm slowly illuminated Mars' face. "Why is your aura out?"

Mars cocked an eyebrow, "Because it will have some mitigating effects on the dark creatures." Gesturing to the woods behind him, he looked back to the old wizard, "The less intelligent ones will be unlikely to attack us, if they think we are aligned with them."

Dumbledore nodded, pouring a little more of his own magic into the light spell. "We should head into the woods. Get this over with."

Mars nodded, turning back to the forest and removing his aspen wand from his cloak sleeve. "Lumos!" His white wand flared to life, the glow matching Dumbledore's and helping to bathe the foreboding woods with life. Turning his head to the headmaster, he gestured behind him to the large, foreboding trees, "After you, sir."

Dumbledore nodded to the young Black, delving past the tree line and into the woods, the cold feeling of Mars' aura seeping into his aged bones more than the dark woods, the warming charms woven into his robes doing little to stop the artificial chill that Lord Black's magic was emitting.

Following the Headmaster, Mars quickly flicked silencing charms at his feet and on his cloak, silencing the ruffle of the fabric and the already light footsteps. Casting his wand about, he glanced through the trees, eyes searching for the smallest sign of movement. "Homenum Revelio!" He incanted, a pulse of magic washing out from his wand, slipping through the trees and returning empty. Frowning, Mars pushed on, wand held warily before him. Casting his wand behind him, he cast the incantation again, another pulse of magic washing through the trees.

"Anything?" Dumbledore asked quietly, wand held high.

Mars shook his head, looking to the old man, "No." Moving past the headmaster, Mars hugged his black cloak around him tighter, letting the light from his wand illuminate the forest floor before him. Treading silently through over the ground, he glanced back around, his magic warning him with a feeling of being watched. "Headmaster?" He asked, eyes refusing to look back. "What lives in these woods?"

"Well," Dumbledore mused, "There are centaur, unicorns, wolves, bears, a handful of trolls much deeper in, and a few-" A sudden figure lept from the bushes, cutting off the headmaster with a shrill cry, large hairy legs spread out aggressively as it launched itself at the young Black Lord.

Mars ducked and rolled to the side, the large arachnid soaring over him. "Incendio!" He hissed, jabbing his wand at the beast. A large stream of fire burst from his wand, the heat a stark contrast to the winter air, and slammed into the spider, igniting the hair on its back like a candle wick. Letting out an inhuman scream, the spider scuttled back, twisting so it was facing the stream of fire that continued to pour onto it.

"Mars!" Dumbledore cried out in alarm, a white spell arcing from his wand over the Lord Black's shoulder and slamming into another spider, sending the creature flying.

Rolling to his feet, Mars' eyes flashed dangerously as he spun around, eyes easily picking out the large spiders bearing down on them from the surrounding flora. Snarling, he raised his wand again, grey eyes stone cold, "Incendio Maxima!" A wall of fire exploded from his wand in a continuous flow of rage, scouring through the spiders and leaving a smell of burnt flesh. "Acromantulas?" he cried out disbelievingly, "You have acromantulas in this forest?"

The Headmaster grinned sheepishly at his back, his wand shooting a few more white spells, scattering spiders coming in from the side. "We may have a small colony infesting the forest."

Mars rolled his eyes, his fire unrelenting as it coursed through the spiders. Halting the stream momentarily, he stalked through the woods, magic flashing from his wand as he sliced through spider legs and mandibles. "Defodio!" He growled, the gouging spell wrenching through a spider's abdomen, spraying the surrounding area with guts and grey matter. As a screech from above reached his ears, he dove to the side, a spider landing where he had just been standing. "Depulso!" He snarled, the banishing charm catching the eight legged monster and sending it hurtling through the woods, and into a tree, falling to the ground emotionless. "Lumos solmens!" he snapped, casting his wand into the air as a ball of light formed above the two wizards, bathing the surrounding woods in light. As he sidled up behind the headmaster, one of the braver acromantula's lept at him, his magic unleashing and tearing through the beast, spraying the two wizards in gore.

Letting his magic flow out, he bathed the area around them in ice and power, scattering many of the remaining spiders. Darting after them, Mars flicked his wand, snagging one of the beasts with a tracking charm. "Mars?" Dumbledore called out, "Where are you going?"

Mars looked back, eyes glowing with magic, "Simple, Headmaster. These beasts pose a threat to me, you, the school and most importantly, to my betrothed. I'm going to remove said threat."

The Headmaster hesitated before nodding, following behind him. "Well, I do know roughly where the nest is. The least I can do is introduce you."

"And why haven't you exterminated them?" Mars asked bitingly.

Dumbledore looked at him warily, "Because they are sentient and haven't posed a threat to the school."

Mars scoffed incredulously, "You have spiders that can grow over four meters scuttling around the woods, and you don't think they pose a threat?"

"They have never gotten this close before!" Dumbledore defended, taking the lead and bringing them deeper into the woods.

"And what, Albus?" Mars laughed darkly, "Did Voldemort not pose a threat in ninety-one either?"

Dumbledore looked at him with wide eyes, "How do you know about that?"

Mars stared at him blankly, before looking away and shaking his head, "You have me bring Harry over for Yule, and you don't think this conversation wouldn't come up?" Tur

Dumbledore hesitated before nodding defeated, "I suppose it was bound to come up eventually."

"And why didn't you involve the DMLE?" Mars asked, eyes scanning the ground as he once again began walking. Flicking his wand, he sent his light conjuration further ahead of them, illuminating the path ahead as he awaited Albus' answer.

"Well," Albus muttered, "There was no need to have them involved."

"No need to have them involved?" Mars parroted back. "You have a possessed Professor trying to get access to a stone that will grant him immortality, and you don't see a need to get them involved?"

Dumbledore blinked, "Well, when you say it like that, it sounds stupid."

"Because it is stupid!" Mars cried out. "And to make matters worse, your tests were easy enough for a first year to beat, and I am sure I could easily beat them all without actually solving each one."

"Really?" Dumbledore asked quizzically. "How so?"

"Well," Mars looked at him incredulously, "the cerberus, Fluffy, was it? Anyway, the cerberus could be killed with a well placed cutting charm to a single throat, the devil snare by burning it, the keys by sending a blasting curse at the door, and if that didn't work, then the door frame around it. If you brought the broom from the key room, you can fly over the chess pieces, and then an over powered blasting curse at the troll's eyes. The potion one is the only one you would actually need to solve, unless I took the time to figure out the counter to the fire barrier, and then the mirror I could use occlumency for."

Dumbledore blinked, "Well, I suppose that's one way to solve it."

Mars rolled his eyes, focusing again on the path ahead as the sky overhead somehow managed to get darker. "Are we near the nest yet, old man?"

Dumbledore laughed quietly, gesturing to a gap in the trees a ways ahead. "Yes, young Mars."

Mars nodded, cancelling the light spell as he turned to the old wizard, "I ask that you come no further, Headmaster."

"And why is that?" Dumbledore asked, the twinkle in his eye absent.

Mars smiled mournfully, "Because, as I do not wish to kill them, I fear that outcome. And I do not think you wish to see what will become of this colony."

Albus hesitated, looking into eyes filled with sorrow, "Very well, young Mars. If you need assistance, please fire a flair into the air and I will come to your aid."

Mars nodded, turning away and determinedly strode towards where the Headmaster had pointed, stepping gingerly along the path to avoid snapping any twigs or branches to alert his adversary. Edging himself to the tree line, he peered into the hollow, glancing at the lightly webbed floor, and trees circling in it covered in beady eyes. Holding his wand up, he flicked it forward, the words for lumos solmens on his lips, sending the large ball of light hurtling into the center of the burrow, followed by the screams of spiders. Stepping into the spider's lair, Mars held out his wand before him, the tip glowing red with restrained fire as he moved toward the basin's center, using the time that the blinded spiders gave him to arrive unhindered.

Cancelling the light spell, he plunged the area back into darkness as the spider's squeels petered off, the darkness falling heavy over the woods once more. "Who goes there?" a deep, raspy baritone voice echoed from the darkness, the scuttling of feet preventing Mars from honing in on the voice.

"I, Lord Mars Leonidas Black, Head of the House Black, do hereby request to speak with the master of this horde," he called out, his voice unwavering.

A large, hulking form approached him from the darkness, the blind, white eyes staring down at him from above the large spider. "I am Aragog, leader of this colony," the spider's rasped, his voice tinged with anger. "Are you the human who was killing my young?"

Mars bowed, "I am, Master Aragog, but if I may explain my reasoning, as well as my purpose to come before you?"

The spider remained silent for a moment, the only noise in the clearing being the clicking of the monstrosity's mandibles. "I… suppose so," it decided, backing up slightly from the short wizard.

"Your children, Master Aragog," Mars began, eyes tracking the many spiders scuttling around him, their pincers moving silently, "have moved too close to the castle, and attacked both myself, and the Headmaster of the school tonight. We in turn only retaliated in an attempt to defend ourselves."

As he finished speaking, one of the spiderlings lept at him from the shadows, fans bared dangerously. Mars ducked and slid to the side, his wand arcing up. "Depulso!" he snapped, the invisible spell catching the spider and sending it hurtling back into the darkness, a sickening crack echoing through the hollow as it slammed into a tree in the distance. Turning back to Aragog, he smiled apologetically, "Like so."

"Perhaps you speak true," Aragog mused, staring down at the young lordling. "But why should I let you leave here unharmed, human?"

Mars shrugged, "Because I pose a much greater threat to you if you attempt to kill me, than if I leave here alive."

"You think so?" it clacked it's mandibles, its deep voice tinged with amusement. "I really don't think you understand the position you are in, human."

"Perhaps not," Mars conceded, "I do not think that I will truly have an issue, though." As two more spiders scuttled at him, Mars flicked his wand out and spun in a sharp circle, a stream of yellow fire jutting out and setting the forest floor around him ablaze. Screaming in pain and fury, the two spiders fled from the wizard, flames coursing over their back as they ran back to their brethren.

"I do not think you can kill all of us," Aragog mused to himself, moving forward threateningly. "You are alone, and we are many."

Mars smiled, "Perhaps not." Looking to the horde of spiders around him, all eying him up murderously, he smirked slightly, turning back to their master. "However, I give you one chance to hear my offer, just one. My betrothed lives in the castle, and I will not see her harmed, as I am sure you understand."

"Betrothed?" Aragog asked curiously, scuttling a little closer until Mars raised his wand threateningly, the tip glowing bright orange.

"Yes, betrothed. My mate that I have chosen for life."

"Ah," Aragog seemed to nod in understanding, a hint of sadness seeping into the raspy voice. "I too had a life mate. Her name was Mosag and she died many moons ago."

Mars bowed deeply, eyes continuing to track the many arachnids now circling the glowing flames. "I am sorry for your loss, Master Aragog. But I have a purpose that drives me here. Leave these woods, settle far away from here, and I will let your colony live in peace."

"I am comfortable here," Aragog rebuked, "and I have no wish to leave."

"Then it seems we are at an impasse," Mars nodded sadly. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Aragog of the spiders."

"As it was you," Aragog echoed. "Kill the human named Black," it ordered, slowly lumbering away as his children descended down upon him in fury.

"Protego Diabolica!" He roared, another stream of fire shot from his wand and enveloped the ground around him, the black flames glowing eerily against the night. As the closest spiders neared him, they became caught in the flames, disintegrating before they could even let out a shrill scream. "Come along, then," he mocked the children, arms thrown out, his eyes glowing brightly with power as he let his magic flow freely, "come get your meal." Turning his wand in his hand, he flicked it at an advancing spider, the gouging spell racing forward and ripping into the soft flesh, sending blood and gore spraying all over the hollow. Turning to the side, Mars flicked his wand and sent a banishing charm at another spider, sending it tumbling into the darkness and hitting another with a squelch.

"Avada Kedavra!" He snapped again, the sickly green spell arcing from his wand and tearing into another arachnid, dropping it to the ground like a puppet with it's wires had been cut. Turning again, he flicked his wand. "Expulso!" He roared, catching another two in a fiery explosion.

"Wait, wait," Aragog hissed out as he scuttled forward, beady black eyes looking at the young wizard with regret.

Mars turned back to him, an eye cocked as he flicked his wand again, sending another spell arcing through the crowd of spiders. "Yes?" he asked mockingly.

"I would like to accept your terms," Aragog hissed.

Mars clicked his tongue, "Well, I did say there was only one chance to accept my offer." Rubbing his chin, he hummed to himself, "I suppose if there was something you could offer me, in addition to you leaving, then I could be persuaded to offer a new deal."

Aragog settled back, eight hate filled eyes staring at him, "I could offer you our webbing. Acromantula silk is a fine thing indeed. I know you humans covet it."

Mars hummed again, tilting his head to the side as he flicked his wand at another spider, setting the hairy back of the beast ablaze. "I suppose so. But I would need to make preparations to move you, and that would take so long. And then make arrangements to feed your broode, and that is expensive in and of itself. I just don't know how much it would be worth to own you."

"Own us?" Aragog bellowed. "You do not own us, human!"

Mars flicked his wand again, a blade of red magic slicing through the legs of an acromantula just beyond the black flames. "Is there something you would like to say, Master Aragog?"

The large spider seemed to shrink in on itself, as it could only hear the terrors that his blind eyes could not witness. "I apologize for my outburst, human."

Mars smiled widely, "Very good. Perhaps I can work with you after all. I will send my aunt to speak with the goblins, and they will determine the best place to put you. In the meantime, if I discover that any of your broode have moved closer to the school, I will return, nullify our deal, and massacre the rest of you. Is that understood?"

"It is understood, human," Aragog growled.

"Then I will take my leave, Master Aragog." Waving his wand, he canceled the spells and made his way to the treeline. As his foot touched the edge of the spider nest, he looked back over, grey eyes picking out Aragog's hulking form against the night, "I truly hope I do not have to come back, Aragog. Do not disappoint me."

~tH~

Mars made his way out of the treeline, the tall form of the old Headmaster right beside him. "I'm sorry we never caught Sirius tonight, Headmaster," Mars sighed, the first words he had spoken since returning from the spider lair coming out jilted, and unsure.

Dumbledore nodded to himself, eyes flicking to the young lord, "And how did your talk with the acromantula's go?"

Mars shrugged, casting the light from his wand around, illuminating the castle ground. "Productive, I guess."

"You guess?" Dumbledore pressed, searching for an answer.

Mars whipped toward the old wizard, eyes flashing angrily, "Yes. I guess."

Dumbledore raised his hands placatingly, "I just want to make sure you are alright."

Mars looked away, his magic whispering in his ear, the desire to hurt and kill pressing in on him. Shaking his head, Mars pushed away the thoughts, his grey eyes meeting the Headmaster's blue, "I delved deeply tonight, Headmaster. It will take me awhile to correct myself."

"Will you be okay?" He asked, concern evident in his tone.

Mars shrugged again, shaking his head slowly, "It will just take time. The bloodlust in my family is strong, but not impossible to combat."

"Bellatrix would argue with you," Dumbledore observed, earning a glare from Mars.

"Bellatrix, from what I understand, dove headfirst into the darkest, most vile spells," Mars snapped. "She actively used them against people, for the love of a man, a monster, she would never get."

"And you don't?" Dumbledore shot back, eyeing up the Black Lord. "Despite what you may think, Mars, I am aware of what happened at the Twenty Rings, as well as the spells you cast in the fight." Mars stared at him, quickly searching for an answer. Dumbeldore held up his hand, stalling the young boy, "I understand why you used them, and I do not fault you. Do I wish that you had chosen a different path? Perhaps." He paused here, looking back over the forest, "I saw the spells you used, tonight, from the treeline, and the ease in which you used them."

Mars' hand clasped his wand tightly, waiting for the Headmaster to pounce. "What does that mean for me?"

Dumbledore shook his head, looking back to him with a sad smile, "Nothing, my boy. While I certainly don't approve of the choice of spells here, and the ones you no doubt used at the inn you burned down, I can't fault your reasoning why." As Mars was about to reply, Dumbledore raised his hand once again, his own magic beginning to stir, "But if you use them on castle grounds again, much less a student, I will put you down myself."

Mars hesitated, hand tightening on his wand. The magic in the air swirled, the Headmaster and the Lord letting their magic flow, Dumbledore's light and warmth clashing against the darkness and cold of the Black Lord. The two stared into each other's eyes, neither unwavering as the air became thicker with power, both trying to surpass the other while even the air seemed to glow around each other. Mars blinked quickly, drawing his magic back into himself, nodding to the old man, "Understood, Headmaster." Seeing the nod back from the Headmaster, Mars spun on his heel, beginning to make his way back up toward the castle. "I'll see you tomorrow after breakfast," he called back, not particularly caring if Dumbledore acknowledged him or not.

~tH~

Mars snarled as he paced in the Slytherin Common room, the others students having long retired to bed. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," he growled quietly, snapping into a pivot. "How could I have been so stupid?" Mars clamped down on his magic as it began to whisper again in his ear.

"Mars?" Daphne asked quietly from the stairwell behind him, her sudden appearance causing him to whip around, barely calming at the sight of the blonde angel staring at him. "Are you okay?"

"Okay?" he asked quietly, his voice quite, yet dangerous as his anger flared again. "Does it look like I'm okay?"

"Well," Daphne began coyly, before seeing the look he shot her. "No, my lord," she answered demurely, looking away. "I'm sorry."

Mars shook his head angrily, "It's not your fault, Daph." Turning away from her, his magic slipped out, the dark force snapping and causing a glass bottle beside him to explode.

Daphne approached him slowly, cautiously closing the distance between them. "I am going to assume your night was not a success."

Mars looked to her over his shoulder, eyes narrowed. "What do you think?" he snapped, magic flaring and another bottle a student left shattering into a million pieces.

Daphne grabbed his elbow, guiding him over to the couch. "Just sit please, my lord," she whispered supportively. "Tell me what is wrong?"

Mars sat slowly, arm wrapping around her neck and pulling her tightly into his side, his words slipping out in a quiet snarl. "Dumbledore knows about the hit on Nott."

Daphne's eyes widened in fear, "How? Is he calling the aurors? Are you going to be taken to Azkaban?"

Mars shook his head, eyes glowing with hate, "No. He is threatening me though. I can't challenge him either, I am not strong enough."

"But your boost in power is coming up?" Daphne tried, "The summer of our fifth year? Couldn't you use that to challenge him?"

Mars glanced at her sardonically. "Dumbledore…" he stressed the name, "Is currently the strongest wizard on the British isles, if not the entire world. What makes you think magical maturity will give me the edge I need?"

Daphne hesitated, shaking her head slowly, "I don't know. You are already leagues stronger than the other wizards here, I just thought when your power doubled when you turn fifteen, you would be a match."

"I doubt it," Mars laughed joylessly. "The Ides of March aren't generally favorable to those who are its subject." Mars looked her in the eye, his tone deathly calm, "If I don't think that I can match him, after my fifteenth birthday, I want you to go to school in France, understood?"

"But Mars!" Daphne cried out, rearing her head back in shock.

Mars' hand shot out, grabbing her by her chin. "Quiet!" He growled, stilling her protest. "I will not risk you in the inevitable conflict between the Headmaster and myself. Even if the Headmaster and I don't come to odds, which I doubt, the upcoming war between the Light and Dark factions that is bound to break out will force the Grey faction to choose sides."

Daphne looked down as he released her chin, defeated. The two sat there quietly, the clock in the corner ticking loudly in the silence of the Common Room. "Mars?" Daphne whispered, drawing the attention of the teenager. "I know we talk about it, but do you really think there will be another war? That the Dark Lord will return?"

Mars looked into her fear filled eyes, his hard grey meeting the soft blue, "Yes. Even if the Dark Lord doesn't come back, the two sides are running toward a head."

"What if…" she trailed off, looking away. Looking up into his eyes again, her eyes were speckled with tears. "What if we just left? If you and I hid out in Italy, or America together?"

Mars hesitated, standing so he wouldn't have to look into her eyes. "Daphne, my family will be here. No matter what happens, we will fight. And if we run, the different factions will hunt us down. We will never be safe, no matter where we go."

"Then why can't I stay with-" Daphne cried out, desperately searching for answers/

"Because they don't care about you!" Mars roared out, spinning around, his magic rending the chair beside him into dust in his anger. Closing his eyes, he breathed out slowly, cramming his rage and his magic deep beneath his occlumency shields. "They don't care about you, Daphne. They care about me. I am too much of a threat to them." Daphne just stared into his eyes, tears running down her cheeks slowly. "Daphne?" He tried, reaching out his hand slowly.

Daphne stood, throwing his hand off of her. She stared into his eyes, her eyes becoming frosty before she spun around, fleeing down the stairs to the girl's dorm.

Mars looked after her, feeling his rage building again inside of him. Breathing out, he looked around the torn apart room, "Fuck."

~tH~