* Disclaimer in Part One *
Logan's suspicions about the four new additions to the mansion only increased over time. He grew more and more snarly towards Jonathan Slytherin and he tried to keep a watchful eye on the three kids as well. The two boys he didn't give much thought too, he didn't feel the need. The girl stumped him. There was something different about her, but if she were a friend of Rogue's, he'd get to like her. Marie didn't have as many friends as she should, so anybody that got close to her had to be a decent person. Or that's what Logan told himself anyway. The new teacher was just a dick though, plain and simple. Speaking of the devil…
Logan stalked into the room without a glance at the Englishman and loudly began making coffee. "Do you really have to be so loud at such a mundane task?"
"Don't like it get out."
"You Americans and you're coffee."
"I happen to be from Canada."
"So what. You were colonized, you have no real national defense and you're money's worth a third less. Not exactly something to be proud of now is it." Snape said and continued drinking his tea.
"We never lost 13 fuckin' colonies."
"That's because-"
"Boys, are we done playing my country is better than yours?" Jean smirked.
Logan left the room leaving Snape and Jean together.
"So Jonathan, I've heard quite a bit about you."
"Nothing good I expect."
"Charles speaks very highly of you, but the kids are terrified of you. Maybe you could ease up a bit?"
"My teaching style is nobody's business but my own. Though I've heard you're not exactly at the top of the list either." Without another word he picked up his tea and glided out of the room.
Jean shook her head, "You try and be nice to someone and they shit all over you."
1:00 PM
Self Defense Class
********************
Harry, Ron and Hermione had quickly learned that physical education was taken as seriously as chemistry, mathematics and English at this particular institute of higher learning. Every day from 1 to 2:30, the Wolverine owned them. His classes were tough and he allowed no slack. Even Harry and Ron took it seriously. Luckily for them, nobody expected any of them to be up to par with defense techniques and battle strategies, particularly when it was Logan's brand of teaching.
They were split up into different pairs all over the gymnasium. Rogue was paired with Logan and generally called upon to demonstrate, she was clearly the best fighter in the class. The three new kids hung back at first, just watching their classmates pummel go at each other. It reminded them of a wizard's duel, there were so many ways to counter the blows as there were to block unfriendly hexes. As few kids actually landed a punch, it appeared that Logan had taught them well.
"Scarsdale, you're with Drake, Jubilee, take Redding." Logan directed the kids.
"Mia, you're with Rogue." he said as he lightly squeezed the latter's shoulder. "Go easy on her kid." he then paced off around the room, stopping a pair and redirecting them every so often.
Hermione looked apprehensive as she approached her partner. "It's okay, I won't touch you." Rogue assured her.
"It's not that, it's I've never fought in my life!" she said with a note of panic. Slapping Draco Malfoy across the face in her third year didn't really count as fighting in her book.
Rogue grinned, "It's alright Mia, it really isn't very hard. Looks worse than it is. Defense is mostly anticipation of what the offense is going to do. Offense is simply tricking the defense into thinking what you want them too."
"Yeah, that sounds really simple." Hermione said sarcastically.
"You'll do fine Mia, I promise"
Hermione was less than sure of that, but nonetheless gave in and allowed Rogue to teach her the basics.
It soon became evident that none of the three had ever really involved in anything more than a schoolyard brawl. By the end of the lesson Ron and Harry had numerous bruises and a few minor cuts between all of them. Hermione came out sore but nonetheless unscathed.
"Sensible, Scarsdale, and Redding meet me back here tonight at 7:00" Logan told the three after the others left.
*********
"Wonderful, we either have detention with Snape or, extra self defense class with Logan"
Ron said as they waltzed out of the gym that night.
"Who's Snape?" a silky voice said from behind startling them all.
"Don't you knock or something?" Harry asked irritably.
"Oh I would Mr. Scarsdale, but alas, there is no door." Snape sneered.
"I would advise you too keep our cover. Don't let your tongues slip again."
"Can we go now? We promise we've seen the error of our ways and vow to never error in that way again!" Ron said.
"I need the three of you to meet me in the library at midnight, we have a lot of work to do and not much time to do it."
"We'll be there," Hermione said quietly.
"Good." Severus met her eyes and stared an instant too long before looking away and retreating.
"I thought that Quidditch practice on top of homework was bad. But homework and research?" Harry whined.
"It's Hermione's favorite thing." Ron pointed out
"Well Ron, you did say she was barking mad, and well she is."
"Shut up both of you" Hermione said acidly. "One of you find out whose going to be patrolling the halls tonight, if it's Logan we'll never make it too the library."
"And miss all that quality time with Snape. Wouldn't that be a bloody shame."
"Oh piss off." Hermione said and strode quickly down the hallway to no doubt work on homework.
*****
At 10:00 which was lights out and bed check, Ron knocked on Hermione's room and informed her that Logan would be patrolling the halls once again. After being marked present and accounted for, the boys snuck into her room and the three began planning a strategy to somehow sneak around Logan.
"All this to get into a library? Remind you of the old days eh?" Harry said in a cheerful mood.
"Hang on a minute, I've got an idea" the words were barely out of her mouth before she burst from the room. She returned soon enough with a grin on her face. "Logan's out of our hair, so no worries. Now I suggest we get some rest before we have to go out again."
**********
"The cloak is no use Harry, I've told you this before" Hermione argued with the boy.
"Well, Logan will see us and we won't get to the library at all then."
"Logan can smell if we're there anyway, we'll lead him straight to the library, which we don't need to do."
"She's right Harry."
"How are we going to get past Logan then? He can see everything!"
"Just trust me!"
"Alright, let's go." said Harry.
Without further setback the three set out for the library. As predicted they ran into Logan two corridors away. "Any reason you three are out of bed, sneaking around?" the cold voice of the Wolverine rang out.
"Um, we-"
"This is the result of school bed check is it? Perhaps they better let someone who actually knows how to count conduct such things." Severus Snape swept around the corner.
The tension in the air positively crackled. "Butt out Slytherin. When your opinion means anything I'll let you know."
Right on cue a high-pitched shriek could be heard down the hall. "Marie" Logan uttered softly before bolting down the hallway, wayward students forgotten. Hermione had a smug look on her face. "What did you tell her?"
"Just a little something between girls" she said mischievously and flounced off towards the library.
The three males gave her retreating back a puzzled look and followed her for a long night of research. If they didn't find something soon, no magic in the world would be enough to stop the haglets. A world full of brainwashed muggles was worse than facing Voldermont in the young wizards collective opinion. In any case, seeing Voldermont as the lesser of two evils was a grave situation indeed. And it was one that nobody wanted to see justified. They had to find a solution, they just had to.