Chapter Nineteen

Different Sides of the Same Coin

It took less than a day for some of the story of what happened to get around the school. Both Snape and Black had canceled their classes, and Zoë and Zack didn't show up for any of their morning ones, although none of the faculty seemed concerned about it. The two of them did appear at lunch, and it was then that parts of it began to emerge as they admitted they had been at St. Mungo's to visit their father.

"Hardly a surprise, is it, after that bit at Halloween," Garret said where he sat near Eigil and Mona. "Everyone's always said his head hasn't been quite right since he got out of Azkaban, and if that wasn't proof of it, nothing is. No wonder those twins are so screwed up."

"I don't know, they're not all that bad," Heph shrugged, poking at his food. "My father's a bit mental too and personally, I think having him committed would be a bit of a relief." Garret chuckled at him. "Think Madame Black is going to be back?"

"I hope not! I was not looking forward to that silly business of playing House Elf for a day and having to cook," Juliet said.

"Neit'er vere ve," Eigil sneered, some of the others chuckling at that too. "Oh look, here comes our Prefect, de utter person here vith insanity in his veins." Garret grinned at Heph, but Heph didn't return it. Instead he turned around to see Aurelius and Stock standing beside the Gryffindor table exchanging words with Andrew and the twins. A moment later the two of them walked over, taking seats near the center of the table. "Und vhere is your fadder, Prefect? Did he get put in St. Mungo's too?" Eigil jeered.

"Why, did yours?" Aurelius asked evenly. The color drained completely out of Eigil's face, followed by a look of intense hatred. "Those twins have enough pressure on them right now without us adding it, and we have other concerns. In fact, I'm thinking of calling a meeting tonight to go over some things."

"Do as you like, Prefect, but da rest of us are going to be studying for de 'surprise test' Snape alvays gives vhen he's been gone a day," Eigil said.

"It's a mandatory meeting, Hauk," Aurelius said firmly. "Absence will not be tolerated. If you are not there, you will be brought there."

"I vould like to see you try it," Eigil snarled.

"I could always call my little brother to do it," Aurelius said casually, ignoring the 'oooo's' that traveled up and down the length of the table. Stock merely grinned at him, but not another word was spoken between them despite the fact that Eigil had a dangerous glint in his eyes.

So Aurelius wasn't surprised that night when Slytherin began to gather that Eigil Hauk was nowhere to be seen. Aurelius was about to devise a plan to bring him in, petrified if necessary, when he noticed a large figure at the doorway accompanied by none other than their advisor. Aurelius raised an eyebrow at that as Madame Brittle smiled enigmatically at him, one arm wrapped around a rather irritable Eigil as they stepped down into the Common Room of Conspiracies.

"Sorry we're late. We were having a chat," Madame Brittle said cheerfully, ignoring the rather wary crowd.

The older Slytherin were still quite unsure of their new advisor and often went out of their way to avoid her (except for the Quidditch team who found that impossible to do). Advisors rarely made it a point to come to the Slytherin meetings, and the fact that it was so out of character was enough to put even Aurelius on edge when he saw she was making herself comfortable and had no intention of leaving. Even Stella looked over at Aurelius unsurely, but as everyone got settled, Aurelius simply decided to shrug it off and pretend she wasn't there. After all, Brittle had been a Slytherin herself; surely she knew what these meetings were like. Of course, Aurelius wasn't so sure about his own position; the house was still divided in many ways, and most of his on housemates didn't trust him. This, he knew, was going to be a hard sell.

"We are down to our last couple of weeks until the holidays, and as you know are in a healthy second position and are still close enough to Gryffindor to surpass them again before we leave. I would like the Tiebreakers to report to Stella and I about any house members who are performing below expectations in schoolwork so we can get them up to speed, for as you know, many professors like to give report rewards to the top scorers in their classes before the holidays. I will be tutoring Potions and Defense, Bulstrode in Charms and Transfiguration, Stock in Arithmantics and History, and Morris in Herbology."

"What about Muggle Studies?" Juliet asked anxiously.

"Juliet, the midterm for all classes in Muggle Studies is the Feast. If you haven't figured out how to boil water on an electric stove yet, you're on your own," Aurelius said. Juliet slumped slightly. "We have one more Hogsmeade trip, which I will be attending. I trust everyone will behave themselves…"

"Have you started donations for Zonkos, then?" Garret asked. "We're getting low on Seatstickers and Bookslickers…"

"Actually, since you've brought it up, I have decided to no longer support the Tiebreaker storage cabinet," Aurelius said, getting a number of protests from the rest of his house, gaping at him as if he were mad. "We will still keep a donation fund for house members needing new brooms, supplies, and that sort of thing, but from now on you'll get your own joke supplies, although honestly I'd prefer you didn't get them at all. I don't want the rest of you depending on sinking other house points to make ours look 'bigger' any more. If we are going to get any respect from the other houses, I think it's time to earn it." Most of the students stared blankly at him. "We were chosen for this house for being ambitious, and determined to succeed, and doing what it takes to win. But personally I don't see how any of the stuff that's been done over the years to sabotage the others do anything but give Slytherin a bad name and turn us into losers. You know we're the best, and I know we're the best. As such, we don't need to stoop to that sort of rubbish in classes any more than we need that sort of thing out on the Quidditch Pitch."

"I don't know, from the way Hufflepuff plays it seems to me like we need all the help we can get," Heph said dryly.

"Well, it's not like Hufflepuff doesn't always lose points in the classroom…"

"Yes, because they're easy to set up," Garrett said, getting chuckles from around them. "You can't be serious, Snape. You can't really mean to get rid of the closet, it's been a Slytherin tradition for, well, forever. Besides, you know it's a lot harder to earn points than to get others to lose theirs. You might as well just split up Tiebreakers."

"Not at all, Tiebreakers still play a very viable part in getting us to win points. As for tradition, times change. And agree with me or not, I think this house has changed. I for one am tired of the bad rap every student in our house gets from the moment they get Sorted, not to mention the reaction from family. I know a lot of your families were proud to have you in this house, but tell me honestly, how many of you received strained letters or disappointed looks during the holiday from relatives when it came out you were a Slytherin?" Quite a number of them paused to look at each other, while several did their best to avoid his gaze. "It has to stop. And the only ones who can change that is us," Aurelius said firmly. "Now, of course that does mean some other tactical changes need to be made if this is to be successful. For one thing, Stella and I have decided to streamline the Sparring Tournament a bit. Less isn't always more, and although we appreciate the participation, it does us no good for you to go out there and to be embarrassing yourselves. So when January rolls around, only the top five of each year will be allowed to compete. The rest of you will turn your concentration on your scores and projects. If you are making top marks in your class, I want you to be working on volunteerism in getting everyone else up there… but only if you're within the top ten of your class. Is that clear?" Every one simply looked at him. "Tiebreakers, I want to see not only point scores, but I want you to get a list of marks from every student in your year at the end of the holiday. Those Tiebreakers who don't want to do so or don't like this new policy, come see me after the meeting so Stella and I can find a replacement."

"You can't just throw out a Tiebreaker like that unless he's in negative points…" Garrett blurted out, but quieted down when he saw Aurelius' fixed gaze.

"Are you stepping down, Meyers? Because now is the time," Aurelius said.

"Of course I'm not," Garrett said irritably.

"Good," Aurelius said. "Then it's settled. Tiebreakers make sure your years follow the new rules and get tutoring if they need it. Meeting adjourned. If anyone needs a loan for Hogsmeade, just see the treasurer."

Everyone broke out talking at once then, some of them wondering to do with the illegal stashes of joke products they had been hiding for months. Others were staring at Aurelius with such betrayed and angered looks that he forced himself to ignore them. But Madame Brittle walked up to him with a strange smile on her face.

"Good meeting. Strange timing," she added thoughtfully. "But gutsy. The trick is going to be actually getting them to follow it."

"Especially when half of them hate me," Aurelius muttered, but Danny laughed and put an arm around him, pulling him aside.

"Aurelius, there hasn't been a Slytherin Prefect yet that half of his housemates didn't hate, let alone seventy-five percent of the rest of the school. And in that, I think you're ahead of the game. You're a Slytherin after my own heart, Rel. There's no satisfaction or glory in backstabbing one's way to the top…but take my advice, and make sure you're watching your own back against those who haven't quite figured that out yet," she winked, knowing he would do just that.

A half an hour later, after everyone had begun to settle into their nightly routines and Aurelius had finished taking several requests for help from some of the younger students, Aurelius wandered upstairs to find Heph talking to Stock. He nodded to them as he dug through his things to get out some homework, but the two of them fell quiet.

"Are you two just going to stare at me all night?" Aurelius asked a few minutes later as he looked over what he had left to finish.

"Stock, mind if I have a word with Snape real quick?" Heph said.

"Sure," Stock shrugged, grabbing some books. "Just fetch me in Conspiracies when you're done." Heph nodded to him as he left and then looked over at Aurelius, but Aurelius didn't look up. Pulling a chair over to where Aurelius sat on his bed, Heph sat down as well, looking around.

"You know, I miss this room. We had some good times in here when we were just kids," Heph said thoughtfully.

"You left of your own accord. I hardly forced you out," Aurelius said evenly, looking over his papers.

"Well maybe, but you sure gave me the cold shoulder when you came back as a Prefect," Heph said, Aurelius merely flicking his glance for a split second before returning to his work. "You know, it's pretty crowded in my dorm, and there's only two of you. Any chance I can come back over?"

"Hauk cut off your allowance, did he?"

"It's not about that," Heph snapped, and then sighed. "Look, I know I've been an ass the last couple of years, but I'm not the same snotty kid that came in here any more than you and Stock are."

"You tried to hurt my sister last year, Heph. Think I was going to forget about that?" Aurelius said icily.

"I wasn't really trying to hurt her, I was just… I wouldn't have let Hauk actually do anything, you know that, don't you?" Heph said.

"Get out, Heph," Aurelius said. "It's not going to work."

"Look, maybe I can make you a deal. You give me a second chance, and I'll help you find something I know you're looking for," Heph said.

"Bribery may work with the rest of that group you've been hanging around with, Heph, but it's not going to work with me!" Aurelius snapped. "Now get out or I'll find someone to throw you out."

"Fine, fine! But don't tell Stock I didn't try! And here I was going to complement you on how you've been handling things…"

"Don't bother, it wouldn't mean much," Aurelius said. "You want a second chance, Heph? Earn it."

"How?" Heph said.

"Try growing a backbone and standing on your own two feet for a change," Aurelius said. "When you learn to have your own opinion instead of someone else's, maybe there will be something there worth hearing." Heph stared at him in disbelief, shaking his head.

"Man, Hauk is right. You have turned into a stuck-up ass who thinks he's too good for the rest of the world."

"Guess that makes me a Slytherin," Aurelius shrugged. "How did you bribe the Hat to get in again?" Growling softly to himself, Heph stormed out, and a few minutes later Stock returned, a bit chagrined.

"I take it that didn't go so well," Stock said as he came in.

"Stock, I hope you didn't put him up to that."

"No, but he did ask me how I'd feel about moving back. He really isn't all that bad of a guy, really. Just a bit misguided," Stock said, leaning on the door. "What's the difference? I mean, you forgave me after I made a total wash-up out of my life."

"I guess because there's a big difference in someone who tries to buy friends and someone who's actually willing to accept," Aurelius said.

"I don't know," Stock said thoughtfully, putting his books away and laying down on his own bed. "I did it to get people to like me and be popular, and in his own way, so did he. It's just different sides of the same coin, really," he decided, snuffing the lantern near his bed. "But I'll let you make you own mind up about that one."

Aurelius sighed softly and put his papers aside, lying down. But finally he shook his head. No, he decided, Heph really need to break out of this, for himself if for no one else. And he wasn't surprised when Heph took to avoiding him after that night, and as the holidays approached, Aurelius forgot all about the offer that Heph had made him.

Anna couldn't help but wonder what she had gotten herself into.

The constant rain had played havoc with the roads, and Anna had soon learned that during the last Hogsmeade trip the busses had had to be levitated over several waterlogged areas even on the short trip to Hogsmeade. The students came back drenched and not looking much like they were in the holiday spirit. To make matters worse, Toby's shop was nowhere to be found, so most of the students found themselves kicking back at Honeydukes, the Three Broomsticks and the Deli for most of the day, none of them in the mood to buy anything.

After such a miserable time none of them looked forward to another bus trip, and Anna couldn't blame them. So finally she went to Dumbledore, who arranged several flying coaches to get them to the mansion. Severus stared out of the gate of the pitch, shaking his head at the six coaches and the students grouped out in the rain. Anna, who had stopped to arrange some things with the kitchen staff, paused curiously when she saw her brother standing there then walked up to him.

"Enjoying the view?"

"Just amazed that you are still going through with this," Severus said. "I had to come down and check Danny's sign-ups for Divination and speak to her about the current students."

"I'm just glad you got that course past the board."

"Yes, proof positive that they never read the fine print," he murmured.

"Has anything unusual cropped up in any of the journals?" Anna asked anxiously.

"Not yet," Severus said in a low voice. "But now that your husband is in safe hands, it's only a matter of time before she finds someone else."

"Always the optimist," Anna said dryly.

"Yes, so I will spare telling you that this holiday meal of yours is a disaster waiting to happen," Severus said casually. Anna gave him a dirty look before joining her students. So he may have a point, she realized as she hurried through over to them and had them load up. Still, how bad could it get?

"A disaster, an absolute disaster," Zoë declared as they sat at the table, staring at the lumpy roll in her hand disdainfully. "I can't believe she gave any of them a passing mark for this. Especially after that scene Juliet made when she found out that her team was supposed to snap and clean all those beans by hand as if it were some big insult to even be in the kitchen."

"Well, she was a bit put out," Zack admitted reluctantly. "Actually, I thought that whole bit with the blender was funnier… besides, those hams look all right, don't they?"

"Duh, Zack, they were precooked?"

"But we had to put the glaze on!"

"Right, like that takes a rocket scientist to do it!"

"What is this stuff supposed to be anyhow?" Phil said, staring in his cup.

"Oh, one of the cooking teams got to use the juicer all day, but I've no clue what's in it," Zoë said. "They tried nearly every fruit and vegetable Mom would let them."

"Boy, am I going to be glad to get home!" Ted said glumly, but then saw Zoë glaring at him. "No offense."

"Don't listen to them, Zoë, it's fine, really," Andrew said. "See? Halbert likes it." In fact, Halbert had somehow managed to cut some of the hard rolls and salvaged the ham into sandwiches.

"Like he won't eat anything," Zack chuckled.

But despite his own jeers and jibes, Zack made a point of eating as much of the ham as he could, and noted that Zoë nibbled her rolls as she was recounting the trials of having to teach the rest of her team how to use the digital oven. Even Juliet ate some of the beans uncomplainingly, but found herself trying to overhear every whisper, very conscientious as the rest of the class was that it was nowhere near the level of the Hogwarts Elf staff. But finally the biscuits appeared, and those, at least, met with some limited success, until Madame Black noticed that some of the decorations were rearranging themselves into different shapes and pictures. Immediately she stood up and put her hands on her hips staring directly at the Hufflepuff table. Alicia slid down in her seat, while her housemates, and indeed, some of the staff, including Dumbledore, couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"Do you know, Anna, I think your dinner is a complete success. At the very least, it has certainly increased their appreciation of how much they depend on their House Elves, and that can't be overlooked," Dumbledore said cheerfully, dipping one of the rolls into some honey. "I don't suppose you're going to do it again for the end of the year Feast?"

Beside him, Severus suddenly choked on a piece of ham.