Chapter Two

Aurelius in the Dog House

Aurelius Craw Snape kicked his door angrily to get it to open. How could she have said that, after everything he had done and everything he had not done? His mother's memory was assuredly still impaired. Did he or did he not restore all those precious memories that she had lost that summer? She wouldn't have gotten them back at all if it hadn't been for Aurelius and his best friend, the Unicorn named Pali. And yet, she still wasnt the same. She had changed in ways he didn't understand; she was more doting and sentimental, to them as well as their father… the same father that would have settled for what she had become rather than fight for what she had been.

He glared at the clothes at the bed. A brand new silk shirt with a carefully embroidered Slytherin crest was laid out for him, and he took it for a closer look at it in spite of himself. Still, it did irk him to have to get dressed up for a stupid party at the back of that stupid alchemist's shop that Corey owned. Sighing with frustration, he got dressed, knowing there would be a row if he came up without his new clothes on. Besides, he was probably going to be the only Slytherin there who was still going to Hogwarts, so he might as well set a good example.

But how he hated Corey! He hated him with a passion even more intense than he hated his father. Corey, the perfect son who always overshadowed the other four with his exploits. Corey the alchemist, Corey the Wandmaker, Corey the Focus Caster, Corey the musketeer, Corey the fool, he added to himself, grabbing his tie off the dresser. He had often toyed with the idea of dropping an anonymous tip to the Daily Prophet about Corey's alter ego, Athos, the sword-hacking vigilante. Perhaps he would have if he hadn't been sure that his father would quickly point the finger at him. How else would such a thing slip the Pact? That Pact was never meant to include Corey. He had only ever meant his special ability to protect himself and his three real siblings.

Aurelius had learned early on in life that he had a way to keep things secret from his parents as well as anyone else, by mentally blocking not only his thoughts but others around him. He had used it to shield his own abilities as well as his siblings abilities. But eventually, that Pact included Albus Dumbledore, as well as their cousins, Zoë and Zacchius. As they entered school and they made new friends, their friends were added as well, and Aurelius' shield of protection grew to increasingly uncomfortable proportions.

It got even worse when his parents found out. His father tended to use their abilities to his advantage when it suited him, and it felt like his mother grew even more suspicious of him, refusing to trust the one she had the most trouble reading. Fine, let his parents not trust him. After all, he was only family, he thought bitterly. Funny how the 'sticking up for and doing what's best family' idea only seemed to apply to the kids. As far as Aurelius was concerned, his parents fell quite short on that issue.

Just then there was a knock, and Aurelius picked up his wand long enough to wave it open then tossed it on the bed again.

"I saw that," Jennifer chuckled from where she leaned on the other side of the door.

"Yes, I'm sure I'll get written up by the Ministry for opening a door," Aurelius said sarcastically. "Are we leaving already?"

"No, I just thought I'd come down and talk to you a moment," Jennifer said.

"Well, come in then," he said irritably.

"No, if it's all the same, I'd rather do it from here," Jennifer admitted, glancing around the windowless room. "I just wanted to apologize for upstairs. I mean, if you took that the way I believe you did."

"How would you know how I take anything?" Aurelius asked her defiantly, grabbing his wand and slipping it in his pocket.

"Well, I don't know know, although most of the time I'm sorry that I don't," Jennifer admitted. "But I keep reminding myself that there's only a handful of Truth Seekers in the world, so other parents must be able to muddle through without it too," she chuckled softly. "I'm very grateful for what you and the Unicorns did for me. And you're right, you probably did deserve another five points or so to break that tie between Slytherin and Gryffindor…"

"One would have done it," Aurelius said icily. "Admit it, Mum. Dumbledore intentionally tied us."

"Probably because he thought that both of your houses deserved to win this year. But that's not the point I'm trying to make," Jennifer said. "What I'm trying to say is that we all know what you did for us and you deserve the credit for that. But don't begrudge the fact that others deserve for what they did."

"Credit? Mum, he would have let you stay like that! You would have had a half life forever!" Aurelius replied. Sighing, Jennifer tied back the door, coming in to sit on the bed beside him.

"You knew deep down from the beginning that there was a way to get my memories back," Jennifer said. "But the truth of the matter is that a full recovery from something like that is next to unheard of, and your father knew that. And despite that, he still came for me, and dared to love me not only for who I was before but for who I became, without expecting me to be anything else but who I was at that moment. And if you think that was in any way easy or painless, then you need to think again. In fact, in many ways, it hurt him a lot worse than it hurt me. And all the while, he did everything he could to make sure the four of you were being properly looked after as well as trying to keep his other obligations at bay. How he managed it I can only wonder at, but please don't take offense at me for taking notice of it."

"His other obligations? So you're saying that's what we are, aren't you? Another obligation?"

"Aurelius, please, don't turn my words around!" Jennifer sighed with frustration. "You knew what I meant."

"I knew what you meant. But I don't see how you can take his smarming up to you when you had lost your memory as being anything but treacherous. He gave up on you!"

"Aurelius, he saved me..."

"I saved you!" Aurelius shouted. "No one else!" Jennifer watched him stomp out of the room and up the stairs, letting out a very long deep sigh.

"That went well," she murmured sarcastically to herself before following him up.

Aurelius refused to look at his father when he went up the stairs, glancing at his siblings who all had matching shirts with their houses on it and Alicia's with a Hogwarts crest. Severus turned to gaze at Jennifer when she came up, but her expression was hardly comforting.

"Very well, let's be off. This is your last warning; if any of you get out of line, you will lose all broom privileges until the beginning of school, so you had better not push your luck," he said, enunciating the last few words as he attempted to make eye contact with him, not backing down until Aurelius gave him a quick glance and turned away again. "Fine. Shall we?" He opened the door and let the four of them out, he and Jennifer following behind them at a distance, talking quietly to one another.

"You think he'll like my painting of the Musketeers?" Alicia asked thoughtfully, looking down at her brown package.

"Yes, but remember not to give it to him in public," Alex said. "We don't want people asking the wrong questions."

"Yes, it'd be a shame for everyone to find out that everyone's dear mild mannered Muggleborn alchemist has a fetish for seventeenth century clothing and poking things with rapiers while attempting to ride a broomstick. If that's not a cry of depravity, I don't know what is."

"Oh, stop being so blatantly jealous, Aurelius," Alex said.

"Jealous? Repulsed is more like it. Him and his teashop-slash-apothecary. I'm surprised he's even been in business this long. You know, most of my housemates won't even go into his shop anymore. It's almost an embarrassment to go into class with a Willowby alchemist kit. They all go to Witolf's or Sludgebat's."

"I don't think there's anything wrong with having one of Corey's kits," Andrew said. "When we were learning to test our herbs last year, mine was every bit as good as those who had Witolf's. It was the ones that went to Sludgebat's that all had the problems."

"Anyone who would go to Sludgebat's for herbs deserve what they get," Alex said. "And just because a handful of purebloods are Mugglaphobic doesn't mean Corey is in any danger of going out of business."

"Nice word, you just made that up, didn't you?" Aurelius said.

"No, it's a real honest condition, we learned about it in Muggle Studies," Alex said. Aurelius rolled his eyes.

"What a waste of a class. I'm not warping my mind on that rubbish." Aurelius said disdainfully. "I'm taking Magical Creatures and Arithmantics."

"Those do sound interesting," Andrew said with a nod. "Although Divination and Muggle Studies both sound interesting to me too. So do Ancient Runes and Symbology…"

"To hear you talk, you'd give up all your regular classes for electives next year if you had the choice."

"Well, all except Transfiguration and Charms. I don't mind those. I just hate

History," Andrew grinned.

"Who doesn't?" Alex agreed.

"You'd give up Defense?" Aurelius said with surprise. "Not very wise of you."

"I just don't much like it, that's all," Andrew admitted. "I'd probably like it better, though if the class wasn't so… tense."

"You just have to get used to Snape, that's all," Alex murmured in a low voice. "Besides, second year you'll start learning some basic dark creatures. It'll get more exciting for you."

"Not sure I can take much more excitement in that class," Andrew murmured.

"I don't see what you two are bellyaching about. If you ask me, that class is the only time Snape's tolerable at all," Aurelius said. "There's nothing wrong with the way Snape teaches as long as you have a spine and are not some outspoken sniveler in the back of the class. Oh wait… outspoken and sniveler… never mind."

"Very funny, Rel," Andrew said. Alex merely stuck her tongue out at him.

"I don't understand why you keep calling Father that when you're talking about him as a teacher. I mean, I know we're supposed to refer to them as their teacher titles in school, but we're not in school," Alicia said.

"I guess it's something that you have to experience to understand," Alex said. Andrew nodded fervently. "Don't worry Alicia, it'll be fine. Just remember that no matter what happens in the classroom, that somewhere deep down inside him, Father's still there. I think."

"I like him better as Snape," Aurelius grumbled. "At least from him you always know what to expect." Andrew and Alex looked at each thoughtfully but decided not to comment.

Paper lanterns decorated the back parking lot of the shop, and tables and chairs had been laid out to fit the multitude of guests that had come. Alex immediately ran over to where Ben Clemmons was standing with his family, while Jennifer and Severus went to where Corey was standing near the barbecue. Doug was there as well, supervising an overly zealous metal spatula that kept wanting to flip the burgers in the air rather than actually cook them. Essie was occupied with some of the younger neighborhood kids, entertaining them by turning into a mouse and back again.

Andrew made a beeline for the cauldron punchbowl, and Aurelius followed along, looking bored. Alicia came more slowly behind, managing to use her gift for Corey to prop up her sketchbook, sketching as they walked.

"Excuse me," said a young girl of about eight or nine to Aurelius when they came up to the punchbowl. "Are you a wizard?"

"Yes, so you had better move off before I turn you into something that squirms," Aurelius said.

"Rel, be nice," Andrew chuckled at him. "She was only asking."

"Show me some magic," the girl insisted, her face serious.

"Sorry, not allowed to do magic outside of school," Aurelius said, getting himself a cup and grimacing when he tasted it. "Rather flat, isn't it?" he asked Andrew, who nodded in agreement.

"I bet you're not really wizards then. You're only making an excuse because you can't do magic," the girl decided.

"Don't you have something better to do than to bother us?" Aurelius scowled at her.

"Not really, no," the girl said. "And I'm not going away until I see some magic."

"Oh, bugger off and go play with your Muggle friends," Aurelius said losing his patience. He turned his back to her, taking his drink over to sit with Ben and Alex. Thankfully, although Andrew and Alicia followed behind, the cheeky little girl didn't. Aurelius shook his head. "Annoying pest that was."

"Who was she, anyhow? Did you recognize her?" Andrew asked Alicia, but Alicia was busy working on her sketch.

"Recognize who?" she replied, looking up from her sketchbook.

"Never mind," Aurelius sighed, sitting down across from Ben, the others joining them.

"See what I mean?" Alex said with exasperation to her friend before looking over to the others. "Couldn't find anything better to do with your time?"

"At this party? Doubtful," Aurelius said dryly. "Don't tell me, we're supposed to knock on the table before sitting down now?"

"Come on, let's not do this. Why don't we try to make the best of it?" Andrew suggested. "There's plenty of room. What say we put a scene together over there out of the way?"

"Yes, lets!" Alicia agreed.

"Honestly! Don't you think we're getting too old for that sort of thing?" Alex said to them with her nose in the air.

"I don't know, I sort of miss them, myself," Ben admitted with a grin. "Remember the time you played Robin Hood and Alicia made up all those paper soldiers?"

"I still liked the time we did Tale of Two Cities," Andrew grinned. "It took us longer to build the Guillotine then it did to do the scene Alex had in mind."

"Yes, let's do it, Alex, just like old times," Alicia agreed.

"I'm just not up to it, today, all right?" Alex said irritably.

"Well, don't start getting all hormonal again. I swear you act like you're the first girl in history to ever have a period," Aurelius said. Alex gasped at him then glanced at Ben.

"You rotten cold-blooded beast!" Alex said. She stood up and smacked him straight across the cheek before she bolted for the back door of the shop, slamming it behind her.

Severus, who was standing casually listening to Jennifer and Essie, looked thoughtfully at the door and then turned to eye Aurelius suspiciously. Aurelius merely rolled his eyes and shook his head, getting something out of his pocket.

"Absolutely hormonal. So, anyone for a game of cards?" he asked. In response, Andrew, Alicia, and Ben got up from the table at once and walked away, leaving him sitting there alone. "Fine, I'll play solitaire," Aurelius said unconcernedly, shuffling the cards thoughtfully. But as he looked up to lay them out on the table, he noticed that someone was sitting across from him. It was the little girl again, sitting with her hands folded together and her elbows on the table, looking at him expectantly.

"Can I play?" she asked.

"I'm playing solitaire," Aurelius said bluntly, dealing out the cards.

"That snake on your shirt. Does it mean anything?"

"Don't you have any friends here to play with?" Aurelius asked irritably.

"No," she said. "Do you?"

"No," Aurelius admitted. "None of my friends would be interested in a party like this."

"Why not?" The girl asked curiously.

"Because it's full of people we'd normally not associate with," Aurelius said irritably, putting down another card.

"Then why are you here?" she asked.

"Because I wasn't given much choice in the matter. Now bugger off, will you?"

"Show me some magic and I will," the girl said.

"Fine," Aurelius said, fanning the cards out. "Pick a card." The girl rolled her eyes and walked off again, Aurelius smirking at her.

Just then the back door of the shop opened, and out came Zoë and Zack. Zoë ran over to Alicia, but Zack looked around, grinning when he saw Aurelius. He hurried over to the table and sat down beside him.

"There you are! I heard what you said to Alex, good show. I would have done the same to my sister. I have, actually," Zacchius admitted, pushing back his tousled dark hair.

"Your sister? Already?"

"Yeah, she's been driving me crazy with this puberty thing since January. Wait until it's Alicia, then we'll have three shrieking hags running around here. By the way, if you want to really make her mad, just follow her around and say 'bloody hell' a lot. It works for me," Zack said. "Of course, I've gotten fried once or twice for it." Aurelius rolled his eyes.

"I don't want to taunt her. I just want her to act like her normal old self again," Aurelius snapped.

"Right. Well give her forty years or so, I'm sure she'll get over it," Zack said, patting his back.

"Father's right. All Blacks are smartarses," Aurelius said, shuffling his cards again.

The back door opened again and Sirius himself came out, striding over to Severus and pulling him to one side. Anna, who had intended on following him, stopped short just outside the door. A strange cold chill moved through her despite the late summer heat and she rubbed her arms thoughtfully, looking around in bewilderment. She shook it off as Jennifer called her and the children over to stand around something large, covered with a tarp.

Alex, Alicia, and Zoë stood apart from the boys, giving them icy stares from where they stood by Anna. Zack snorted a bit and shook his head, looking over knowingly at Aurelius while Andrew was politely trying to ignore the entire thing.

"Very well, Corey, you can uncover it now," Severus said once he was sure the whole family was there.

"I just hope it's not bookcases," Corey grinned, Doug and Taylor chuckling at that. With a wave of his hand, the tarp fell off, and the wizard half of the guests oooh'ed appreciatively at the lab desk underneath, filled with plenty of sockets and folding clamps to hold phials, cauldrons and testing equipment. "I definitely needed a new one of these," Corey said appreciatively. "It's got everything!" Then he caught the indented silver trademark on the side and winced a bit. "Excelsior Cauldrons and Labs? That must have cost a lot."

"Well, yes, but not as much as the full lab did," Severus said casually. Corey stared at him. "You did get it set up, didn't you Sirius?"

"Yes, it's amazing how much more I get done when you're not there to criticize how I'm putting it together," Sirius grinned at him. Severus smiled thinly at him.

"Yes, but I think I'll go in to make sure you did it correctly all the same," Severus said pointedly.

"The full lab?" Corey said, completely stunned. "You must have gotten in the other vault for that, you shouldn't have gone to so much trouble."

"Look, Corey, we know you've been having trouble keeping up with the growing orders on that old equipment you had, and it would have taken you years to save up for better," Jennifer said. "You're one of the best alchemists in the country now. You deserve the best."

"I wouldn't have been one of the best if it hadn't been for you two," Corey said, his eyes threatening to water as he hugged Jennifer the shook Severus' hand. They then led him inside, Sirius and Anna following behind. Anna paused at the door again, looking around thoughtfully once more before entering.

"I don't believe it, I just don't believe it," Aurelius said as he and the rest of the kids went to take a closer look at the desk. "Do you realize that they just spent more on their little charity case than they've spent on the four of us combined in years? They've got us all using each other's old books, and they won't even get us new brooms unless we break the old ones. And Alex is going into fourth year and they still won't give her a familiar."

"Well, you can always let me have yours," Alex suggested.

"You're missing the point!" Aurelius snapped.

"Aurelius, I know you don't go to Corey's shop much, but I'm sure even you've noticed the condition that lab was in," Andrew said. "He started out on used equipment, and it certainly wasn't up to being constantly used by him and his assistants like it is. It's not like he was asking them for help either. Mother and Father have always managed to pull off giving all of us what we needed, just not everything we wanted," Andrew added. "And everything we've ever gotten first hand has been the best you can buy and you know it."

"Personally, I don't see anything wrong with what they did. It's nice to think that they'll support us after we've grown up and ready to make our way in the world," Alex said.

"At the rate they're going, by the time they get to us, they're going to be broke," Aurelius said sourly, glancing at his empty cup before going back over to the punch bowl. Just as he held out his cup for the ladle to refill it, the little girl stepped over to him again.

"Do you know what I just saw?" the girl asked.

"No, and I don't care," Aurelius said.

"I just saw a woman turn into a mouse and back to a woman again. Can you turn into a mouse?"

"No, and I wouldn't want to," Aurelius said, trying to walk around her.

"Because snakes eat them?" the girl asked. "Do you like snakes? Do you think you could make one pop out of the punch bowl?"

"That would be easy. But I told you, I'm not allowed."

"Oh, come on, nobody's looking over here," she coaxed him. Aurelius glanced around thoughtfully. It was true; most of the Muggles were busy watching Doug at the grill or chatting with Father Pachem, and nearly all the other wizards had gone in to see Corey's new lab.

"All right, but only if you'll stop bugging me!" he murmured.

"Okay, I'll stop bugging you, for now," the girl smiled broadly. Slipping his wand out of his pocket, he tapped the punch bowl.

"Serpente liquido!" he intoned. Immediately the punch bowl started to bubble, and a hood snake was formed out of the red liquid, hissing and making a strike towards the girl who had to jump back before it splashed back into the bowl, mere liquid again. Aurelius smirked at the girl, who was peering in the punch bowl as if wondering where it went.

"I suppose that was okay. For a beginner," she said, sticking her nose in the air and wondering over towards the grill. Rolling his eyes, Aurelius quickly put away his wand just as his siblings ran out and over to him.

"Aren't you going to come in and see the lab?" Alex asked him.

"No thanks. I've already seen enough Corey pampering to make me sick for a week. Besides, if you've seen one lab, you've seen them all," Aurelius said, finally getting his punch.

"This one is even fancier than Father's. It's got everything," Andrew said. "Even I can't help but be a little jealous of that." Aurelius stared at him fixedly.

"Jealous of the mutant Muggle and his pathetic little shop? If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times. Potions are for losers who just can't cut it with real magic," Aurelius said. "He probably was forced not to use a wand because no respectable wand would have him."

"Then how do you explain him not using one now that he makes his own?" Alex taunted.

"Nobody asked you, blabbermouth. Why don't you go play with your little Muggle boyfriend and leave me alone."

"Ben is just a friend. Besides, do you really expect me to talk to him now after what you said? You've embarrassed me in front of everyone!"

"Please. It's hardly like you haven't embarrassed yourself every time you've opened your mouth lately."

"At least I speak with a bit of consideration for people's feelings!"

"Oh, get some backbone and stop being such a ninny!" Aurelius glared at her. Andrew and Alicia quickly jumped in as the two faced off. They were still trying to talk them down when a shadow behind them shut all four of them up. They glanced over to see their father standing there, looking quite stern.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, a flash in his black eyes. All four of them quickly began to deny it. "Good, then I shouldn't expect any more events to erupt that might cause any unwanted family embarrassment, correct?" Alex glared openly at Aurelius.

"Of course not, sir," Aurelius said, Severus squinting at the sarcastic tone in his voice. "It wouldn't do to embarrass ourselves in front a group of mangy Muggles would it?"

"Aurelius, you will refer to them as fellow townsfolk and you will treat them with the same respect as everyone else present… better, in fact, unless you want to hear about it when we get home," Severus warned him.

"What? I'm not playing up to anyone, let alone these dull-witted… dogs?" Aurelius spoke the word in complete surprise, for although that had been what he had originally intended on saying, he had caught a glimpse of something behind them and happened to look past his father as one by one cups of punch tumbled to the ground and the magicless Haveners began to grow furry, bending over and growing tales until all of the sudden they were surrounded by mutts and hounds of different kinds. As they began to bark, Danny bolted in the door in terror, and just as quickly everyone else who had been inside ran out to see what the commotion was about.

"Oh, great!" Corey growled, hurrying to help Severus fence in the area so nobody affected would wander off.

"Ben!" Alex shouted, running over to where he, his sister and mother had been turned into terriers.

"Wow, for once I feel strangely at home in this town," Sirius said from where he stood in the doorway.

"Why is it only affecting the Muggles?" Doug asked. "Hey!" he jumped back in surprise as a Doberman came up and grabbed a hamburger off the plate beside the grill and ran with it.

"This sort of mass transfiguration isn't normally possible unless they've imbibed something," Jennifer said.

"Mum! Ben says he hasn't eaten anything, they just had some punch a little while ago!" Alex said, and Jennifer immediately went over to take a sample. Corey grabbed the phial the moment that she had collected it and hurried inside.

"Alex, get them all to quiet down, before…" Severus didn't have time to finish his sentence as suddenly five wizards in Ministry robes appeared in the parking lot, wands at the ready with Ederick Thurspire in the lead.

"Nobody move!" Ederick ordered. Grabbing a sickle from his pocket, he turned it into a dog whistle, blowing it hard. Sirius cringed in pain from where he was watching, glaring at Thurspire. "Where's Willowby?"

"Inside testing the potion," Jennifer replied.

"We'll make our own analysis, if you don't mind," Thurspire said, putting on some gloves and getting a sample. Behind them, Sirius caught Severus' eye, making a series of hand moves as to suggest the best way for the two of them to disarm and strangle the Deputy Minister. Severus smirked knowingly at him. As much as they disliked each other, they both disliked Thurspire more, and under the right circumstances, Severus would have been happy to help with what Sirius had just proposed.

"Sample away, but I think it'd be more prudent if we solved this thing together so we can administer an antidote as quickly as possible, don't you, Ederick?" Jennifer asked impatiently. "I'd like to go assist my son, if you don't mind."

"First I'd like to ask you a few questions, like where you were standing when the Muggles transformed?" Thurspire asked.

"Oh Ederick, don't be a complete idiot. What reason would I have to turn my neighbors into dogs? Besides, I was inside talking to Corey when it happened. We just got him a new lab which, by the way, hasn't been in use for hours since Sirius was busy installing it, although we had a devil of a time keeping him out of his lab that long," Jennifer said, turning to walk to the door. The guard stepped aside to let her in, ignoring the dirty look that Thurspire gave him for letting her pass.

"Fine. May I ask who was standing by the punch bowl when this occurred?" Thuspire asked, glancing around.

"My other four children and I were," Severus said distinctly. "Although we were distracted enough that it is quite possible that someone could have approached while we were standing there."

"Oh? Distracted by what?" Ederick asked.

"Family matters," Severus said simply.

"Really?" Ederick said, walking up to him with his arms folded. "I would very much like to hear them."

"And I would very much like you to fall off a cliff, but we don't always get what we want," Severus replied bluntly. Behind them, Sirius sniggered.

"Do you really want to be brought up on charges for trying to interfere with a Ministry investigation?" Ederick asked.

"You call this an investigation? I call this a bunch of bored, reluctant officers who could be making better use of their time following you around while you randomly point fingers at people you don't like," Severus said with a forced smile. The two of them faced off as if daring the other to make another move until Corey came out of the shop, Jennifer close behind.

"We're in luck," Corey said as he stepped over to him. "It started out as a basic transfiguration potion, only it was magically altered so that it'd only work on Muggles and so that the potion lays dormant until a spell is cast on the mixture it came from. It'll wear off eventually, but we can also give them regular water or milk. It will dilute it enough they'll automatically change back."

"And the fact that it was dormant means that the potion could have been put in it at any time since the punch was made," Jennifer said.

"Yes, but who triggered it?" Thurspire asked, going over to the punch bowl. "Let's see if it was recent enough to reveal its caster." Aurelius immediately felt a pit in his stomach as he watched Thurspire wave the wand over it. He paused thoughtfully as he stood over it, and then turned to face the boy. "Well, well, well."

"Aurelius?" Jennifer asked in disbelief.

"You don't honestly think I had anything to do with this, do you?" Aurelius said in complete horror. "I was only showing this little girl an illusion in the punch bowl so she'd stop pestering me!"

"Little girl? Who?" Severus asked.

"I don't know, I've never seen her before," Aurelius admitted.

"Hard to believe in a town this size, don't you think?" Thurspire said. "Rather clever little prank, but very serious."

"I didn't do it!" Aurelius said angrily.

"Thurspire, the alterations that potion would have needed to do something this complex is far beyond Aurelius' ability," Severus informed him.

"Did he have easy access to the ingredients and equipment he might have needed to make it?" Thurspire asked.

"Thurspire, he may have had access, yes, but as his teacher, I would have to agree with my husband on this. Aurelius does well in my class as far as the book work is concerned, but in practice really doesn't have much talent in the field," Jennifer said.

"What?" Aurelius blinked.

"Sorry," Jennifer said to him sincerely.

"Mum, Father, there was a strange girl here," Andrew spoke up. "I saw her too. And she was bothering Aurelius earlier about wanting to see some magic."

"Oh, I don't know. I think a sibling is too convenient an alibi, don't you? Andrew, can't you think of any reason your brother might be tempted on pulling such a prank on your adopted brother's Muggle friends?" Thurspire asked. Andrew looked over at his brother thoughtfully before turning back to Thurspire, deciding it'd be better not to directly answer the question.

"If he says he didn't do it, he didn't do it," Andrew said. Alex and Alicia nodded in unison.

"Well, we'll see what the lab tests have to say about that," Thurspire said, ignoring the look of intense dislike on Severus' face. "Aurelius, do you deny that you cast a spell in front of Muggles outside of school?" Aurelius slowly shook his head.

"No, sir," he said softly.

"Good, then I expect none of you will be surprised when I send my report in and he gets a letter of probation," Thurspire said with a nod. "Come on, boys, let's get everyone restored."

Aurelius leaned against the building, completely dejected as he watched them put down bowls of water for them to lap up. One by one they changed back into their normal selves, most of them laughing it off and telling jokes, while others were put into a nice shaded corner and given cups of herbal tea to soothe their nerves. Had it been anywhere else but Haven, it would have been much worse; but here where the Muggles accepted the bizarre as just a part of their community's life, the occurrence more or less just another story about Corey and his 'wild' magical parties.

A few moments later, Severus came over to where he was, looking at him calculatingly a moment before he spoke.

"I want you to get your things together, we're going to be leaving soon," he told him. "And I expect to see your broom in my study before you go to bed tonight."

"But Father, I didn't…"

"You broke the rules, Aurelius. I warned you not to cast any spells. Your broom is grounded until school," he said in a low, serious voice. Aurelius glared after his father when he went to join Anna and Sirius, feeling quite betrayed. Perhaps they didn't believe him after all.