Chapter Fifteen

April 30th, 1945



The soft, padded paws of a gray tabby cat made very little sound in the empty corridors that night. It was well after midnight. She stole from shadow to shadow as she followed Professor Dumbledore into the dungeons of Hogwarts. Minerva in her Animagus form had been shadowing the professor for the better part of the night. She had firmly decided during dinner that she was not about to let Albus take on the Grindelwald alone, if that was truly what he was planning to do. And Gryffindors were not called reckless without cause.

But she was surprised to find his steps leading them both into Slytherin territory. Even as a cat she shivered. That was the last place she wished to be found while in animal form. Minerva had heard rumors that the Slytherin students were often cruel to their pets and to animals of all kinds. Although she had never encountered evidence of this herself, it gave her cause to worry as she imagined that they would know her markings after so many months since she had become an Animagus. Not a nice thought at all. Nevertheless she continued following her dear mentor and friend into the depths of the castle.

Minerva trailed cautiously after him until he reached the office of Professor Krohn where Albus knocked on the door and her ears pricked as she heard Krohn bid him to enter. She slipped closer to the door after Dumbledore entered. The door was ever-so-slightly ajar. Minerva felt slightly smug as she sat down outside and listened to the conversation within.

"I have done all of the necessary research, Albus, and I must say I appreciate your knowledge of the arcane and mysterious. It has made for fascinating reading." said Krohn in slightly weary, but interested tones.

"Then you can do it?" questioned Dumbledore.

"Given some time ..."

"Twenty-four hours?"

"Perhaps a little more. But we have another matter to discuss: my fee."

"Reynard! You have as much to gain as anyone." said Dumbledore very sharply.

"Yes, of course I do. The revenge would be most sweet, and I do yearn for it. But I also know how much you want this. If you manage the feat, and I do not by any means believe that you will, then your hands remain spotlessly clean in this matter. I know you have other duties and responsibilities to your colleagues aboard as well, but that part is worth quite a lot to you, isn't it?"

"Perhaps it is." sighed Dumbledore. "Name your price."

"My students ... My Slytherins ... They make so many mistakes. They choose the wrong paths ... Promise me, Albus, that if they ever come to you, desiring forgiveness, a second chance, that you will give it to them. I know that someday you will be in the position to do just that. You will be headmaster of this school." said Krohn.

"You flatter me. But if it is ever in my power, I will do as you have asked. I would probably do so even if you didn't."

"I thought so, but I like guarantees, and they say that you are a man of your word."

"Then it is agreed?"

"It is. I shall begin the preparations right away." said Professor Krohn.

"Good luck."

"Luck?" scoffed Krohn. "I don't need luck! I have skill. It is you who needs the luck tonight, Albus. And lots of it!"

Minerva yawned softly and stretched, preparing to retreat at any moment, at any sign that Dumbledore was about to leave.

"Well, what have we here?" said a low and unpleasant voice as an all-too-familiar Slytherin boy rounded the corner. Had Tom Riddle been standing there or had he just approached? She thought and hoped it was the latter.

Minerva hissed softly and began backing away, afraid to turn her back on him to run. She just needed a little more distance.

Tom drew his wand and smiled unwholesomely. Minerva realized that he believed that the office was empty. That they were alone down there. That she was, just as Krohn had told him, a 'helpless thing'. She breathed in deeply and yowled with all her might. In human form she might have stood up to Riddle, had she not be out after hours and in the middle of something too important to allow herself to be caught, but as a feline, she could hardly be expected to duel with him.

Tom stepped back slightly at the horrible sound, but he raised his wand to cast a spell just an instant later; however, he was robbed of his chance as a robed figure burst from the office and tackled him. Minerva's eyes widened as she realized it was Professor Dumbledore. She took off up the corridor and out of the dungeons in a panic, hoping that she had not been seen or at least not recognized.

"What the devil are you doing, man! Have you taken absolute leave of your senses?" questioned Krohn loudly, pulling Dumbledore off Riddle with an anger glare at both of them.

"I wasn't doing anything." said Tom, quickly shoving his wand into his pocket.

"Come off it, Riddle. What did you do to that cat?" questioned Krohn. "I have told you and your associates time and again not to mistreat the pets of other students ... or any other animals that may live in this castle." he added, shooting an unpleasant look at Dumbledore too.

"I didn't do anything. I was merely going to chase it from our dungeons. I didn't like the look of it. I think I am well within my rights to remove mongrel animals from the halls of Slytherin house."

Dumbledore drew himself up to his full height, but did not reply. He knew that Riddle was bating him.

"That is quite enough. I have told you before about this sort of behavior. What kind of example are you setting for your peers? Not a very good one." said Krohn in measured tones. "Though I do wish that some people would refrain from getting into physical confrontations with my students and would mind their own a little more closely." he added, looking at Dumbledore with a cold glint in his half-hidden eyes.

"Yes, professor." said Riddle.

"Noted." acknowledged Dumbledore, grateful that he had learned to control his temper years ago.

"Back to the dormitories, Mister Riddle. It is very late." said his head of house in icy tones.

Tom nodded mutely and walked away, straightening his robes as he went.

"That is the one you are so worried about." said Albus bluntly.

He had had suspicions about Tom Marvolo Riddle for quite sometime, but most of his colleagues treated the young wizard as something of a Golden Boy because of his brilliant marks, among other things. He wondered if Krohn shared his opinion.

"One of many, but I don't think that he can be saved." sighed Krohn, who had kept a close watch on Riddle after hearing a younger student address him as 'my lord', which did not bode well to him.

"You handle them well enough for a man who was never in their ranks." commented Dumbledore.

"Thank you. It is not an easy task, though I imagine that the young lions, or perhaps more specifically the young lionesses, are quite a hand full in their own way." said Krohn with a grimacing smile.

"We make do, I suppose."

"Watch out for that one. Heaven knows I can't stand the sight of her, but I wish her no harm."

"Kind sentiments. One would almost think ..."

"Do not even complete that statement." said Krohn. "I have wandering eyes, and she has eyes only for one man. Even if he doesn't see it."

"Why, Reynard, you will make a philosopher yet! Or a professor of Divinations." laughed Dumbledore.

"I must begin brewing the potion. You have a date with destiny." said Krohn almost sourly, turning on his heel and walking back into his office.

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A/N: No, I don't really think that (all) Slytherins torture small animals (I would be one and I don't), but, well, prejudice is prejudice, rivalry is rivalry.


MK: Almost, but not quite ... Thank you for reviewing!

lama: Very briefly as a child. I was naturally stubborn and contrary (my second word as a small child was 'no'). Thanks for reviewing!

Freelancer: Well, one way of looking at it is that Albus wouldn't be coming back if he failed (and punishing a dead man isn't easy), but if he did return, Albus would have vanquished of a seriously dark wizard. So ... Thank you for the review!

Desiree: Thank you for reviewing!

Whisper: Fawkes? Hmm ... I'm stumped. I haven't given the phoenix any thought. Did he have the bird fifty years ago? I've got to look into that. Wow. Well, Minerva is certainly no Hufflepuff *grins*. I didn't want to do a mellodramatic scene for when he left. I mean, Minerva was 'plotting something' and probably not very good at play-acting (I think that Gryffindors - over generalization alert - often wear their hearts on their sleeves), so Minerva couldn't exactly pull that off, hanky waving and so forth. But I see your point. And, of course, I agree that most readers (seeing no AU warning anywhere) are reasonably certain about what will happen (or rather what won't/can't, which is why fics from this era aren't as much fun). I'm glad you liked the nose thing. Thank you for the review!

Michelle: I can't answer your questions (well, no surprise, right?), but I can say that the mental image provided by the phrase "lime-green-boxers-on-a-Weasley" will be with me for a long time. Group question answer: it didn't go very well, but I think it was because of technical issues. The question about Krohn is difficult to answer. I'm not sure what he would do. The man isn't spineless; he's just ... um, cautious and pessimistic. And, yes, this is going to Europe-centric. Thanks for reviewing!

Serenity Raye: I'm glad you liked the breeziness factor. Spring does seemed slightly neglected in the books now that I think about it. Of course, I don't really know as much as I would like about the climate of Scotland either. Thank you for the review!