Chapter Twenty-Six

Fateful Decisions

It wasn't long after classes resumed that Corey's work began to slip. He couldn't help it; what was going on in the outside world was far too interesting. And as usual, all of the other students expected him to know what was going on, and they were always pestering him for the latest news.

"Dumbledore's got Professors Craw and Flitwick working on devices the owls here that's supposed to counteract the cloak's magic," Corey told the group that had gathered after lunch. "Pretty soon all of the castle's owls will have one, and then we'll be able to get regular post again. Of course, Ratfly was one of the first to get one, so I've been able to get letters to my sister," Corey admitted. He couldn't help but brag a little. "Professor Craw's pretty broken up about the Pegasi not being back yet. And Nelson told me that the twins got stuck helping Doctor Sagittari go around the grounds to look for them yesterday," he added.

"Is it true the Muggle police are looking for him too?" Diane asked.

"Oh sure, they were looking for him before it came out he had the cloak. Aunt Anna… I mean, Madame Hughes... says she's been after him for years, sacrificing people to try and steal magic from them, he's absolutely balmy."

"But he can't possibly get into Hogwarts, right?" Diane asked worriedly. Doug put a protective arm around her.

"If You-know-who couldn't get in here, no old balmy can. But don't worry, if anything happens, I'll protect you," he assured her. Taylor rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to tell Gail you put your hand on me," Diane said, and Doug quickly removed it.

"Well, I wouldn't worry too much. Dumbledore has Harry Potter himself working with Professors Craw and Snape on tracking Lorcan down, and Madame Hughes is still helping the Ministry and the Muggles trying to find him too," Corey explained. "Oh, he might get by the Ministry, but there's no way he's going to get past Dumbledore's staff." All the students nodded sagely in agreement at that.

That was when Corey heard his name called and saw Professor McGonagall heading up the corridor. The crowd around him suddenly became scarce as she came near, a disapproving look on her face.

"Mr. Willowby! One moment, if you please! This is your free period, is it not?" she asked in a voice that made Corey wonder if that was a crime in itself.

"Well, sort of. I was on my way to Quidditch practice."

"I believe it would be in your best interests if they did without you this afternoon, then," she said sternly. He didn't dare look away. "I just perused through your 'essay' on the finer points of Substance to Liquid Transfiguration, and I think it's my duty to inform you that a paragraph made up of two sentences is NOT an essay."

"Well, there really isn't much to it. I mean, there's not all that much one can really say about it, is there? I did put the bit in there that we can't change animals to liquids…"

"Mr. Willowby, putting in a line saying, 'You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it a drink' might have seemed quite amusing to you at the time, but I can assure you that not only am I not amused, but I am certain that neither of your parents will be very amused either. Now, unless you want me to take it up with them, I suggest you march right up to my office and make a valiant attempt at repairing this, or Gryffindor may be forced to lose their best Beater," she said, pointing at the stairs down. Corey looked at her stern face for a moment before breaking into a grin.

"Do you really think I'm good?" he asked.

"Up to my office! And I do mean NOW, Mr. Willowby!" McGonagall said in an exasperated voice. Corey saluted her, taking the paper she had thrust at him and marched past her. She shook her head and began to follow him up, but was soon distracted by Professor Archibald who had called out to her to ask about something.

Knowing better than to press his luck any further, Corey went up to her office to find the door open and went in, looking for a place to sit down. As he found a corner, he couldn't help but glance over at her desk, peering at the list of names there. It was the rescheduling list, Corey realized, for the new Muggle classes. Corey smirked at that, remembering the reaction from Casper and some of the other Slytherin when they found out. It was almost like sweet revenge seeing the purists had to take it, and while they struggled, the Muggleborn would get an easy class. Well, there'd be trouble for sure if he was caught snooping at her desk, Corey thought, and turned to look for another place to write.

But the only other surface seemed to be an ornate wooden pedestal, upon which was a very large Book and a Quill sitting in a red crystal inkwell. Well, perhaps she wouldn't mind if he moved it, he thought. But before he could try, the Quill suddenly floated out of the inkwell. Worried that he triggered something, Corey stepped back, blurting out an apology to the Book as it opened, its pages flipping quickly to the last page with writing. Then, it began to write with ceremonial flourish. Glancing at the door to see if anyone was coming, he took a step forward to get close enough to read what the Quill was writing. It appeared to be a name; Mandria Leiber Shea. After adding it to the bottom of the list, the Quill fanned the ink gently, which turned duller in color as it dried. Then the Quill returned to the inkwell.

Corey bit his lip thoughtfully. Making up his mind, he quickly shut the door and went back over to the Book, flipping through the pages. All of them were filled with names, two columns on each page. He had flipped through a dozen or so before he began to recognize them, then suddenly stopped. For there on the very bottom of the twelfth page from the back, written in the same ink but with a more flourishing style than all of the others, was his own name. His heart was beating as he scanned the other names, recognizing nearly all of them now… even Danny's name was there. Realizing what it must be, he excitedly turned back to the tenth page from the current one, scanning it furiously. With every line his heart sank further and further until his eyes began to burn.

"This isn't right," he told himself, shaking his head. "It's not right at all. I refuse to believe it, it has to be there!"

Corey stared at the Book for a long time, his heart beating rapidly. He knew he shouldn't. He was quite positive he shouldn't. He also knew that if he was going to do it, it'd have to be quick or he would be caught for sure. Grabbing the Quill out of the inkwell, he carefully wrote a name at the bottom of the page, trying to keep his hand from shaking. Waving the ink frantically and praying it'd dry in time, Corey strained to listen to the sounds outside the room as he tried to cover up what he did, putting the Quill back in the ink and slamming the Book shut. He grabbed his paper and looked frantically about for somewhere to sit. In desperation, he collapsed on the floor and spread out his crumpled paper just as McGonagall opened the door, blinking at where he was.

"Mr. Willowby, what are you doing?" she asked.

"My essay," Corey said, gulping slightly. "I… I couldn't find anywhere to write, and your desk was full."

"Haven't you learned anything in the year and a half you've been in my class?" Professor McGonagall asked, her lip twitching slightly. She took out her wand and sifted a finger through her candy dish, pulling out a piece of taffy and dropping it off the floor. "Taffy to table," she intoned, concentrating on the candy. It suddenly stretched out into a small table, its wrapper neatly covering the surface in plastic. "Honestly, I swear I have to do everything around here," she said with exasperation as he sheepishly pulled a stool over.

Putting away her wand with a sigh, she went back to her desk to update her schedule changes, wondering (and not for the first time) how she was ever going to survive having Corey another five years. Corey, on the other hand, couldn't help but wonder if he was going to ever survive the year, especially after what he had just done.

But Corey's guilt had subsided by the end of the week, spending Saturday finishing up the last of his detentions by helping Jennifer seal the charmed talon bands that she and Filius had made. The sealant was a strange, wispy liquid that evaporated when Corey lowered the mesh basket holding the talon bands into the cauldron. He then took them out and hung them on a rack and finished the last batch, while his mother gave them one last check before sending them up to the Owlery.

"Do you think Sagittari would mind if we invited Danny this week?" Corey asked.

"I'm sure not. I was wondering when you were going to ask her," Jennifer smiled tiredly, leaning back and propping her feet on an overturned cauldron with a sigh of relief. Even wearing her voluminous black Hogwarts robes, her condition was getting all the more obvious, reflected in her rosy cheeks and tired expression as well.

"Actually, Doug asked her," Corey admitted.

"I thought he was going after Diane this week?" Jennifer inquired.

"Nah, she gave him the cold shoulder because he's been studying with Gail and they're good friends," Corey explained.

"Ah yes," Jennifer said, chuckling softly. "It's nice to know that some things never change around here, no matter what crisis is going on at the moment."

"Can I go to practice now? We're all done, right?" Corey asked.

"I think you Gryffindors are insane practicing in this weather, but as you please, I suppose. Your homework is done, correct?"

"Mom!" Corey said with exasperation, but Jennifer noted that he wouldn't look directly at her.

"Well, you had better have it done by Monday if you expect to use your own broom when the season reopens. You know what your Dad said was going to happen if he got one more bad report," she reminded him. "Come on, I'll walk you out. I need to head to Sagittari's anyhow."

It was still cold and icy, and Jennifer couldn't help but yearn for the first thaw as cold of a year as it had been. Fog still clung around the outer grounds near the forest, but the chimney smoke from the Groundskeeper's hut seemed warm and inviting.

As usual, Jennifer had reported early for her cooking lesson and had gotten stuck kneading dough… it had been something that she had always left to the House Elves, but she now found relaxing. For some reason she was feeling restless, and spent more time talking to Sagittari than actually cooking. The centaur easily picked up the slack, strangely graceful around the kitchen despite his size.

It was not long before there was a knock on the door. Jennifer opened it to see Ron and Harry standing there with a couple bags and ushered them in. Harry went over to help unpack, while Ron put his down on the counter, knowing better than to get in the way, sitting over to the table.

"You'll never guess where I spent my morning. Really, you won't guess," Ron said. Jennifer looked over at him.

"Why were you at the Malfoy mansion?" Jennifer asked. Ron grimaced.

"I knew I should have covered my face. Anyhow, it seems that Malfoy has been robbed by a flock of birds," Ron said, watching Jennifer's expression change. "Somehow they managed to get past his defenses. They stole several books and left behind a ring broken in half. Nobody could get out of Lucius what it meant, and they need a Truth Seeker. Audi's back in the States, so they're sending for Vallid to go down there."

"Well, why didn't you say so? I'll go down there," Jennifer said standing up quickly. She blinked at when she became a bit dizzy and reminded herself not to jump up like that again. Harry moved over to steady her.

"Well, actually, Jennifer, Dad didn't want to bother you considering who it was and all. You know, the restraining order…" Ron pointed out.

"This is official business though," Jennifer replied.

"Maybe you'd better stay here and relax, Jennifer. Let Vallid take care of it," Harry suggested calmly. "This isn't the time to deal with him…"

"I'm going," Jennifer said firmly, taking out some powder. "If it wasn't for Malfoy and Lorcan, my mother would still be alive. And I'm not going to be able to find out anything more about that cloak by sitting here making pita bread." Harry sighed.

"Fine, then I'm going too. What about you, Ron?"

"I'd better stay here and wait for Hermione," Ron said.

"Be careful, Jennifer," Sagittari said, "Remember your limitations."

"We'll be back shortly," Harry said, the two of them heading out the door. "Shall we head to your office or walk to the station?"

"The train station," Jennifer said so fervently that Harry gave her a knowing smile and shook his head. "He'd only try to stop me."

"Well, personally I think he'd have a point," Harry told her. "Which is why I'm going with you, because I know it's no use trying to stop you any more than it would be to stop me."

Jennifer followed Harry to the gatehouse to find several guards and Ministry officers hanging about, looking over curiously at them as they arrived and moving respectfully out of the way.

"Has Counselor Vallid arrived?" Harry asked.

"No, Mr Potter, I'm not sure they've located her as yet. Minister Weasley and Ederick Thurspire are up at the mansion if you want an escort up," one of the officers said.

"It'd probably be wise if Jennifer had an escort in any case considering the circumstances," Harry agreed. "Shall we go?"

Jennifer found herself walking on a long stone-paved pathway leading up to a wide three-level mansion. On either side lay a carefully tended lawn uniformly cut and filled with topiaries (which Jennifer had little doubt was apart of the Malfoy security system.) The entire front lawn was immaculate and precise, and Jennifer wondered if moss would even dare attempt grow between the bricks lest they be immediately uprooted by an army of overzealous House Elves. But despite the luxurious detail of the structure, like the gold gargoyles that sat below the pillars of the porch and the finely sculpted serpentine arches, the mansion seemed cold and distant. It made Jennifer suddenly long for the sanctity of her tiny Broom Closet and its haphazard yard of trailing vines.

The door opened almost immediately and one of the maids let them into the front parlor where Arthur and Ederick were with several of Arthur's staff. That was when Lucius Malfoy happened to look up, his face immediately changing to one of fury.

"You! How dare you come here? Arthur, I want her arrested at once for violating the restraining order! I demand that she be removed from this property!" Lucius snarled, his fists clenching to control his sudden urge to grab his wand.

Arthur, whose eyes had widened dramatically upon seeing Jennifer standing there, glanced over at Harry with a questioning look on his face.

"Jennifer volunteered to help out with the investigation in an official capacity, and since Vallid hasn't been in contact yet, I thought it might speed things up a little," Harry suggested calmly.

"Oh, well, if it's official business, we can't really stop her from doing her job," Arthur said.

"Her job is to teach potions, Weasley, not to meddle in investigations. Need I remind you yet again that she has no license to practice Truth Seeking and whatever she finds out can't be used in court?" Lucius snapped. "As for her teaching job, from what I hear that too leaves much to be desired, dabbling in items instead of potions. Not to mention that she spend an entire week of classtime trying to bias every student of Hogwarts against my son's first business enterprise as some feeble attempt at revenge against me," he snarled. Harry put a hand on Jennifer's shoulder. Arthur stepped up in case he needed to get between them, watching Jennifer carefully. The anger was apparent in the spark in her eyes.

"It's standard procedure to test ingredients at the first of the year, Malfoy, regardless of whether or not we discuss what test results came from which shop. Considering that all of the tests were done by the students themselves, I don't see how you can blame me for your son's shop's substandard ingredients," Jennifer retorted. "I have nothing against Draco and I never have. If he had components I could use at reasonable prices, I would go there, but he doesn't. As for this investigation being none of my business, considering it is very closely linked to my mother's death, I am making it a point to be my business. I want to know how Lorcan got out of prison, Malfoy, and how he ended up with all those items, especially the cloak," she said, daring him to look away. He smiled thinly, his eyes filed with hatred.

"Go to hell, Jennifer."

"You first," she replied evenly, but Harry didn't miss her knuckles whitening.

"Is that a challenge?" Malfoy asked, his voice suddenly turning mocking. "A wizard's duel, perhaps? I'll release my rights of prosecution if you will." Several people barked out Jennifer's name at once.

"Jennifer, I'm sorry, but there's no way I'm going to let you do this… not now. Step back," Harry said firmly, standing in front of her.

"Jennifer, if you release rights I can't help you, you know that. He's not worth it, hon," Arthur said quietly.

"Malfoy, I've never liked you and I always knew you were a cad, but challenging a pregnant witch to a duel is hitting a new low," Ederick said.

"Who was challenging whom, Thurspire? If she wants to risk the little Snape spawn, it's her decision, don't you think?"

"I would tend to disagree," a voice said from the door. Severus stepped in and moved over to Jennifer's side, his eyes fixed on Malfoy the entire time. Dumbledore, who had come in just behind him, gazed at Jennifer with a thoughtful expression. "If you truly want a confrontation, Malfoy, I'll be more than happy to arrange it. That is, if you want a battle on equal terms, which for some reason I sincerely doubt."

"I have no qualms with you, Snape, only with your wife. After all, I too left the services of the Dark Lord before the end," Malfoy reminded him.

"Only because you realized he was going to lose, and if you think anyone here actually believes your version of the story, you are even more foolhardy than I believed you to be," Severus said, his eyes flashing. "If you challenge Jennifer, you challenge me."

"And the school," Dumbledore put in.

"And her friends," Harry added.

"And to some extent the Ministry, for everything she's done for us in the past," Arthur agreed. "Don't you think it'd be much more agreeable for all of us if you just cooperate? After all, we came here to help you find your missing items, not to confront you."

"In that case, I don't want your help. Allow that insane squib to keep terrifying everyone and throw this entire region into chaos! At least I'll have the benefit of knowing that your days as Minister are numbered, Weasley, for I'm quite sure the council will not be willing to put up with another five years of incompetence," Lucius snarled at Arthur. But Arthur just snorted at him.

"Hexes and spells, Malfoy. Whatever you're thinking of pulling, please don't bother. I doubt anyone is going to listen to you now that we've all seen your true colors," Arthur said. "And no amount of money is going to buy back your respect. Come on, boys, you heard the man. Let's get out of this creepy old mausoleum."

"And get that woman out of my sight before I press charges for breaking her restraining order!" Lucius demanded, earning another challenging glare from Severus. Lucius ignored him, looking directly at Jennifer. "The next time you try and cross this doorway again, one of us will not be leaving."

"Then it won't be you, because I assure you that she won't be alone," Severus said icily, gently but firmly walking Jennifer back to the door. Harry paused a moment, having noticed that Dumbledore had not moved yet. The Headmaster was looking at Malfoy with an expression that Harry seldom saw and hoped never to be at the receiving end of.

"Since it is obvious that you wish to set boundaries, I would like to set one of my own. Stay out of my school."

"Dumbledore, you're not the board, and I have the right to come to the games and support my –"

"No, I am not the board, Lucius. But so long as I am Headmaster of the school, you are not welcome. And if you ever attempt to disobey that wish, I can promise that you will get more of a challenge than what you would be willing to pay," Dumbledore said, his eyes flickering dangerously.

Malfoy grew quiet, contemplating how should he respond to that if at all, and not really willing to ask his servants to show Dumbledore out. But after a moment, Dumbledore turned and glanced over at Harry, his eyes now back to their normal calm blue. The two of them walked out, the door shutting silently behind them.

"I never thought Malfoy would have backed down like that. You sure put him in his place that time," Harry commented as they walked to the gate.

"For the moment," Dumbledore said, looking off into the distance until he noticed Harry watching him expectantly. "Now if only you and Jennifer learned how to do that, so I didn't always have to come and rescue the two of you," Dumbledore said in a lighter, somewhat exasperated tone.

"I wonder if Jennifer found the information she was looking for?" Harry wondered, watching as Severus and Jennifer went into the gatehouse.

"I know I did," Dumbledore said.