A/N: Well, here we are, another chapter. Yay. This one's kinda long, actually, so maybe that'll make up for the lack of updates and whatnot. It seems like a lot happens in this chapter, but I'm not sure very much really does. Hmm. Well, you get to meet the last of the OC's, and you find out some fun info at the end.

Disclaimer: No, I don't Harry Potter. Whatever makes you think I might? Geez.

*sniffles* *puppy dog eyes* You see that menu at the bottom, with the little "go" button? The one that says, "submit review"? Yeah, you know what I'm talking about…

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Chapter Five: graviora quaedam sunt remedia periculis (Some remedies are worse than the disease.)

Dominic moved out of the corner he'd been standing in, towards Draco. Three earrings in his left ear, and dark shaggy hair framed a face that might have been pretty had it not been for his bird-like eyes and impish expression it was twisted into. He was holding some sort of small wind instrument that Draco didn't recognize. Needless to say, Draco was not having positive feelings towards him.

"Would you bloody tell me why you're in my dormitory?" Draco glared at Dominic, then gazed around the room after realizing how loud he was speaking. Somehow, no one was stirring. "You'd think they'd wake up.."

"Not if I don't them to," Dominic said mischievously. "You don't think I'm that stupid, do you?"

"Well," Draco began flatly, throwing Dominic a dirty look. Dominic didn't flinch. "I wouldn't call it "smart" to break into Hogwarts in the middle of the night, so, yes, I do think you might be that stupid."

"Interesting. Well," Dominic raised an eyebrow, and continued to ignore Draco's glares. "I suppose what I'm about to do might also be considered stupid." He shrugged, then added. "Oh well."

Before Draco could say anything, Dominic brought his odd little instrument to his lips and played. After three or four minutes of repeating the same three notes, the knob on the door to the room turned. A dazed, half awake looking Constance fumbled in. As she approached the bed, the music changed abruptly to rather jarring and very loud. Constance's eyes opened very wide, and she rammed her head into one the posts of Draco's bed.

Draco just stared. Dominic laughed. Constance recovered quickly, and lunged at Dominic who changed the music he was playing again, this time playing one low, long note. Constance could no longer move any part of her body besides her head. Draco moved to sit down on his bed as Constance glared at Dominic.

"You just don't learn do ya?" Dominic stopped playing, and laughed.

Constance wasn't expecting to be freed so suddenly, and fell backwards onto Draco's bed.

"Ahh!!" Draco shrieked as she fell inches away from him. Dominic continued to laugh, while both Constance and Draco looked at him angrily.

"I suppose this what you meant by "being in contact soon?"" Constance asked wryly.

"Unintentionally, but yes," he said cheerfully. "Is that... bad for you?"

She stared at him in disbelief, then said, "Just a little."

Draco glanced from one to the other of them, feeling mightily confused. Of course he wasn't exactly sure he wanted to know what was going on either. His curiosity got the better him, though, as he asked, "Would someone mind telling what is going on?"

Dominic and Constance looked at him in astonishment, as though they hadn't been expecting him to actually ask. Not that it seemed to bother them of course. Constance sat up and perched on the edge of Draco's bed, looking rather intrigued.

"What would you like to know?" she asked in a curiously, though it sounded somewhat underhanded.

"Well, gee I don't know," he snapped irritably. "Maybe "why I am being visited by strange people in the middle of the night?""

Constance looked amused by this; Dominic seemed a little offended. "A strange person, am I?" He asked, looking a bit ruffled. "Well."

"He has the right to ask, I suppose," Constance pointed out. "Besides, you are rather odd, Dominic."

Dominic threw her a heated look, but dropped the issue by changing the subject. "I'm going to assume he has yet to be informed of our background?"

Constance nodded. "He doesn't even know Lucinda's entire story."

"Please tell me you don't have a long, twisted history too," Draco pleaded.

"Its more odd than anything else," she said, a satisfied smiled spreading across her face. "Nothing like Lucinda's, mind."

Draco didn't know whether to think that was a good thing or not. Dominic sensed this, and decided to make sure Draco would not find a way to escape. A thin trill of music, the sort of low melody that could lull you to sleep if it hadn't just enough beat to keep you alert began to waft lazily around the room; Draco found himself unable to do little more than watch and listen to his captors.

Constance smiled approvingly. "Not a bad idea. Certainly easier than tying him up."

"It has a bit more permanence, too, don'tcha think?" Dominic asked, then added. "So, shall we?"

"We shall," she confirmed, moving eyes to the half-conscious Draco. He didn't seem to be noticing much of anything around him. "Maybe you ought to let up on that spell, just a little.."

"Hmm," Dominic considered her suggestion a moment before complying; a soft, high note rang for a full count. Draco's head snapped to attention, but no other part of him moved. Satisfied, Dominic looked questioningly at Constance, asking, "How's that for you?"

"Who cares what she thinks!" Draco snapped, quite glad to be able to put his two cents in again. Eying the instrument in Dominic's fingers, Draco continued. "Put that bloody-" he fumbled, then realized he had no idea what the proper name for the thing was. "Oh bloody hell!"

"Never tell a bard to part with his instrument, boy," he said quietly, suddenly serious. "And for heaven's sake, if you don't know what to call it, just ask."

"Well, then what should I call it, bard?" Draco asked spitefully.

"Never take the title of bard lightly, either-" Dominic paused, his eyes looking particularly sharp and bird-like- "Especially when you are unarmed."

"Just tell me what to call the bloody thing, already."

"Patience, child. This," he said, holding his instrument up in his right hand, pointing at it with his left. "Is an ocarina."

"And yes," Constance said quickly. "That is all you need to know about it."

"I didn't-" Draco stopped, looking at her venomously. "Why would I need to know anymore?"

"Hmm," Constance conceded. "Very true. So maybe you do have some common sense."

Really now, Constance," Dominic gave her a warning look. "Is that really necessary?"

"Common sense?" She looked at him questioningly. "Hmm, no, I guess not-"

"You know that wasn't what I meant," Dominic cut her off, sounding a little put off.

"Naturally," she nodded. He rolled his eyes.

"I don't have time for this," He began to turn towards the door. "I only came here to deliver a message."

"A message?" Draco looked at Dominic curiously. "From who?"

"That's-" Dominic paused, "-not important. But the message is, I think." He turned back a little to look at them. "Now do you want to hear it or not?"

"Yes," Draco said firmly.

"Stay as you are until contacted by he who is to bring you to where you must go. When and where this will occur, I couldn't tell you. I don't think anybody could at this time." He turned back to the door. "Now I must take my leave. Farwell."

Draco wasn't sure what happened next; he clenched his eyes shut as a large gust of wind whipped his face. When he opened his eyes, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. Nothing except for the feathers that were strewn about.

"What the hell?"

"Just-" Constance pursed her lips as she paused in her thought. "-Don't ask. Let's just say you'll know what that was when you learn my family's history."

With that, she slipped out of the dormitory, leaving Draco alone but save for a headache that was newly forming as he contemplated what had just happened.

The office was dark, a little musty; lit only by candles, it had been just a little too long since it had last been thoroughly cleaned. The two men talked in hushed voices over the desk the older of the two was sitting in. The floor near the door was littered with feathers.

"Did you deliver the message, boy?"

"Yes, I did sir," Dominic looked at Snape, something of a challenge in his bird eyes.

"You should know better than to give me that sort of look," Snape said quietly, a bit of an edge to his voice. "And you didn't reveal to them my identity, did you?"

"Of course not," Dominic looked away from Snape's unwavering gaze.

Snape seemed satisfied at hearing that, a leaned back into his chair, seemingly a bit more relaxed than he had been. He looked something of a fright, however, and more so than was normal even for him. Dominic looked at him apprehensively, as if to ask if he could leave or not. Snape raised an eyebrow at the boy's unease, but nodded to him. There was a sharp blast of air, at which Snape closed his eyes. Opening them, he smiled to himself.

"You may- "Snape snapped his fingers and the door slowly swung inward. "Enter now, children."

The opening door revealed a very innocent looking Lucinda, who slowly came into the room with mock anxiety. "I'm not," she said innocuously. "-interrupting anything, am I?"

"Of course not. You never interrupt," he replied, smiling just a bit. "Why interrupting, when snooping is ever so much more fun, hmm?"

"Naturally," she stated matter-of-factly before changing the subject. "What was he doing here, Uncle?"

"Oh, just..paying a visit," he said slowly. "It not really your business, dear."

"Oh, but everything concerning you is always my business," she told him, batting her eyelashes."

"Is that so?" He smiled a wry sort of smile. "Hmm. Well, whatever shall I do with you, then?"

"You tell me," she said before hoping up on his desk.

"I suppose it was too much to ask to expect you to of any help," he replied sarcastically.

"Of course, she agreed. "Oh, by the way," she added casually, crossing her legs. "I think someone followed me down here."

Snape looked jolted at hearing that. "What do you mean, followed? By whom?"

"Dear uncle, there's only two people in this world quite so stupid as to even be curious enough about why I'm wandering about in the middle of the night to bother following me around."

"Ah- yes, I suppose-" he was cut off by the sound of someone falling down the dungeon stairs.

"That would be them now," Lucinda said calmly.

Snape looked amused, but said nothing as he stood up to go check on his callers. He found, at the bottom of the dungeon's steps, both of Lucinda's followers in a quite deplorable state.

"Must you be so noisy in your stalkings, children?" He asked, his annoyance showing throw just a bit.

Draco sat up, looking at the professor in alarm; Constance glared at Draco- Snape decided that the trip down the stairs must have been Draco's fault. As they disentangled themselves from one another, Snape clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"I suppose you'll want to come and join our little party," Snape said irritatedly. They both nodded silently. "Well, come along now, we haven't got all night you two."

They followed him back to his office without another word. Lucinda looked pleased when she saw them come in. She giggled at Constance's annoyed expression.

"It was his fault," Constance grumbled. "Alllllllll his fault. Bloody klutz, he is."

Lucinda nearly fell off Snape's desk as she collapsed into giggles. In the midst of the giggles, Draco began slithering towards the door, hoping to escape.

"Like hell," Lucinda said, suddenly quite serious.

Draco skulked over to one of the chairs, but before he sat down he noticed something that seemed to him very odd. "Feathers, more feathers. What the hell is with the feathers?!"

"Oh, those?" Lucinda asked casually, glancing at Constance, who in turn squirmed a bit in the chair she was sitting in. "You tell him Constance- it's your family after all."

"Oh, but you'd enjoy telling him so much more," Snape murmured. "It would certainly be more, ah, dramatic coming from you."

"If you insist, Uncle," Lucinda said with a mock pout on her lips.

"UNCLE?!" Constance and Draco stared at Lucinda and Snape in confused horror.

"Oops," Lucinda said innocently as Snape shook his head in disappointment.

"Oops, indeed," Snape said quietly.

"Why have I got this feeling," Draco said gloomily. "That I'm never going to understand anything, ever?"

"Because you won't," Lucinda said simply. Snape gave her sharp look. "Anyways, he's not my uncle."

"He's not?" Draco asked.

"The only Uncle I've got is dead, silly," Lucinda said cheerfully. "He's my Godfather."