(A/n) I get a little blabby with this chapter but the plot has its twists and turns. There is subtle resolution and blatant revelation. I hope I get it right and mix the two without offending anyone. I just sit down and write this stuff but remain hopeful I am pressing the story fast enough to beat HBP to the bookshelves.
Thanks to Satyr-Oh for the Beta work.
One Step Closer
Draco was delighted to find another seven dozen roses to greet his morning from his soul mate, partner for life, father of his children. Harry felt Draco wake up and look around. From his side of the bed he was grinning widely. He knew that Draco loved Birdy's rose garden and he vowed that Draco would never go a day without. His money could do it, but his magic could do it better. Draco reached over to Harry's side of the bed to give him a heart felt hug. He was a little aroused at the time and he didn't think that Harry noticed. Harry's grin grew bigger if it could and he rolled over to face the silver-eyed man he loved so much.
"Is that a wand in your pajamas or are you happy to see me?" Harry said to his love.
"Both." Draco said smiling and wiggling his eyes. The two wizards did away with their clothes in a wave of their hands. Draco was the dominant one that morning and it was just what Harry needed. When the two of them climaxed together, Hogwart's house elves were going to be very busy changing sheets throughout the castle... again because of ...magic.
'Bloody hell you two, maybe we should all have a go at one time and cause a bloody earthquake when we get off.' Blaise said for the Thunderbirds He wasn't angry at all, but if he were going to wake to nocturnal emissions like that every other day, he would like to be spending the time with Luna.
'Right Next time we'll announce that we are going to... what did you call it Adam?'
'Knockin' boots' Adam said still wiping his eyes and looking for something to clean himself up. He slept 'naked' and was wide-awake.
'Knock boots, yes, Blaise if you want to know just say so and we'll see what we can do. Bonding was a load of fun.' Draco teased. Harry rolled on the bed laughing at the conversation he was listening to.
'Like we said' 'before mate' 'don't stop on' 'account of us'
'I have no plans for that happening any time soon' Draco thought, fondling Harry's nether region through the blankets trying to interest Harry in a second go round before their bath. Harry didn't need much encouragement and while Draco was pulling Blaise's leg,Harry took Draco in his mouth. Draco stopped making sense at what he was thinking and he did it while still connected mentally to their friends.
'Oh, oh yes, that's it, yes, ahhhh I love it when you do that Harry' Draco thought.
'Draco, love, everybody heard you' Harry thought. His mouth was still full and everyone knew what he might be doing.
'I'm not the one giving head Harry. Oh Merlin, that feels soooo goooood' Draco continued to broadcast to his friends.
'Alright you two, just cut it. Hermione's down the hall and Neville's starting to look good' Ron said deciding to tease his soon to be brother-in-law.
'Never in a million years Ron. The bonding was one thing, but Hermione would kill me if you were to submit to me.' Neville thought to everyone still listening.
Ginny was extremely proud of Neville for zinging her brother like that. She knew it made his face and probably everything else turn red and she knew that Neville was smiling triumphantly, his slow days gone forever.
'That's right Ronald, I don't know if you'd be any good to me if you did. What if Neville made you pregnant?' Hermione teased.
It seemed that the only way to drown out Draco's moaning was to be talking. Fred and George and Vince and Greg were the only other couples sleeping in the same beds and they were silent the whole time listening to Harry and Draco and not listening to everyone tease Ron. Draco and the other four climaxed together and every awake person in the castle felt a little tingle. It felt good Great way to start a Monday morning.
The Slytherin quidditch team was taking early Monday morning flying practice. Each position practiced one at a time giving beaters a chance to beat, chasers the chance to chase and their new seeker practice at searching for the snitch. The pitch could be seen from the top of Thundercloud tower and Harry and Draco climbed the twenty or so sets of stairs to the roof. The two of them could have snapped up to the top but it was good exercise for them. Harry used a muggle telescope to look at the flyers and Draco just gazed at where the rising sun was popping over the mountain that kept them in morning shade. He watched the flyers as a group and Harry watched the flyers individually. He caught sight of someone in the far stands watching the team practice.
"Draco, do you know who that is? I think I know her but can't place the face." Harry said giving the telescope to Draco.
"It's Pansy's glamour. I wonder what she's doing out so early in the morning."
"It was you and George and Fred and Vince and Greg." Harry teased his blushing husband.
"You started it Scarhead.kiss"
"Are you sorry I did it? Kiss kissssss"
"Not at all I guess you're right. No one in his or her right mind would want to have intercourse with Parkinson. Coyote ugly Adam calls it."
"What's that?"
"Well, first of all, you'd have to be drunk and fall asleep after doing something that would disturb you for a long time, then discovering her sleeping body on top of your arm, you would chew it off and leave her trying not to wake her up in the process."
"Blecch. I'm getting bad mental images Draco. Stop there please, I've heard enough. She is rather, unattractive isn't she?"
"She's not just unattractive; she's handing parchment to someone under the stands." Draco said still looking at where Pansy was sitting.
"Let's just pop on over there and surprise the two of them and see what's going on. Invisible of course, just under them" Harry said.
"Right we ought to just be done with her if you ask me. See you over there" Draco said snapping over the distance to the pitch and the bleecher seats.
Harry reached out to Draco when he snapped quietly under the pair above them. Draco pushed him to the side of the staircase when the unknown person was beginning to descend the platform. They didn't have time to hear what ever the two were saying but they were interested in who was getting mail from Pansy. It was Theodore Nott and he was putting the small satchel full of letters inside his over robes. They let him pass and followed him down the steps to the bottom. Harry stupefied Nott with a wave of his hand and Draco caught him as he was falling. Harry retrieved the satchel, duplicated it and its contents and put it back in Nott's cloak. Draco dropped him and hit him in the head. He made a sign above the staircase fall down and hang by one nail and the two of them left poor, poor Theo in the dirt at the bottom of the stairs. Pansy would find him soon enough.
Draco and Harry snapped back to the top of their tower and ran down the stairs three and four at a time using the walls as bumpers, so many flight's of steps. They entered the only other door into their common room with the password at their destination. Harry had made a mental call to everyone to meet in the common room. They had their first hard evidence of criminal activity in wartime. Luna identified the senders and Neville and she began to decipher the messages. It was easier this time. Pansy had been sloppy.
Fred and George decided to snap behind Hagrid's hut and wait for the cat to come back with letters to the traitors from who ever was writing to them, The cat went past George who petrified it in mid dash. He did as Harry and Draco did, duplicated the letters and sent the copies along. They hoped the receivers wouldn't realize the letters were copies and not the real thing before they were seized. George evenerated the poor cat and it continued on its path to the castle. Fred and he followed the cat invisibly to see who it was that took the satchel.
It wasn't Nott, and it wasn't Bullstrode either It was Benny Hill. The twins were shocked. They snapped to the common room and the others who were pouring over the intercepts. Dumbledore was in the room watching how Luna and Neville decyphered the messages. Hermione was analyzing the magical signatures and using spells that conjured the face of the writer above the parchment. Navajo magic.
"We've got" "some bad news." "Benny Hill caught the cat."
"You're sure it was Benny? Oh, damn. We'll give him the benefit of the doubt and check him over for hexes." Adam said.
"You do that and we'll read the mail. We can alert the MLE with the information and see if they can make arrests." Harry said.
"I don't want to see Benny hurt. It would kill Frankie." Adam said, his faith soon to be put to a test.
"As bad as this sounds I hope he's been cursed" Draco said.
"I know what you mean Draco me too. It's almost time for breakfast. We have hex demonstrations this morning at ten. That guy that chased Mr. Weasley all over London and me asked if we would show them how to implode something.
"What do you think we should do headmaster?" Draco said.
"I believe innocence until proven guilty; it is however to his detriment that he was the one in fact taking the parcel from the cat in question. Perhaps Minerva could have a word with it. I'm sure there's a good explanation. Let's do that first. I will ask young Mr. Hill to come to my office after breakfast that is a beginning," The headmaster said.
"I'll check out his aura at breakfast. I'm sure that he'll show a difference if he's been cursed. Let's get a move on. I want to get this over with. So help me if the poor kid's been messed with, I'm going to kick someone's ass." Adam declared.
"You know, he could have phased out so as not to be seen. He know's how to be invisible. I wonder why he didn't do that?" Neville thought as they walked to breakfast without their house behind them.
"Good thought Nev, Professor Dumbledore do you think we should get the two of them to the infirmary to see if they're alright after the charms yesterday?" Draco suddenly thought.
"Ah, quite right indeed, Completely slipped my mind" Dumbledore said winking at Draco.
Adam almost ran to the Great Hall expecting to see Benny and Frankie there already having their breakfast. They weren't in sight. He sat down and fretted a minute. Harry nudged him to ask for his breakfast to appear. He missed his mama's biscuits and gravy and secretly wished that's what he could have. Draco had reminded himself daily that the tortilla's he ate came from America once a week and it was Adam's doing. Draco thought he could manage a good recipe for biscuits and gravy and taught the elves in the kitchen how to make it. It appeared in front of the pensive Adam Black Thundercloud and it brought him from his reverie.
"Hey, this is so cool. Who did it?" Adam said digging into his biscuits and gravy. In Britain, biscuits were what Adam called a cookie and what he liked for breakfast was a plain flour muffin with American country gravy.
"It was Draco Adam. He wrote your mother and asked how to make it. He's pretty good at potions and so he taught it to the elves." Harry said.
"Thanks Draco, you rock dude."
"That's a good thing right?" Draco asked his mates.
"Very good Draco, It was nice of you to do that for him." Hermione said
"It was a random act of kindness. Oh Merlin! I'm turning into a bloody Gryffindor," Draco said with a stone look on his face until it broke into a smile and a laugh.
The group at the table got quite a kick from the joke, except Adam who still didn't get the whole 'house' thing. He did notice most stuck to themselves but many mixed with the other houses at their tables for meals. After Harry and Draco were announced as married on their birthday, the interhouse mingling has been more apparent Hermione explained once again. Adam only saw people from all houses sitting with their friends from different houses. The non-mixing policy was totally lost on him. Frankie and Benny were just coming into the Great Hall when Adam looked up.
The two sat at their usual places at their table. Benny didn't seem as hungry as he was the night before but Frankie was shoveling it in as fast as he could, Curious. A school owl swooped down from the ceiling and delivered letters to both Frankie and Benny. They were instructed to report to the infirmary for routine testing requested by Madame Pomphrey the letter was signed by Professor McGonagall. Benny hardly picked at his food at all after he got his letter. Frankie continued to eat like a horse. You could almost tell he was getting ready for a growth spurt. Rapid learning means rapid growing and it required a ton of food. Frankie finally finished his breakfast by washing it all down with a tall glass of milk and the two rose to report to the infirmary.
Frankie and Benny opened the infirmary door and presented Madame Pomphrey with the letters informing them to report for the test's the Mediwitch wanted to run. Poppy had been informed of the development and was ready to find out if either one of them were cursed. She began with Frankie and took her time about her examination. The both of them lay on beds side by side, as the Mediwitch tested them for everything. She could see the doors to the infirmary open from over the top of the screen surrounding the three of them for privacy. She began to hum a tune she'd known for years to cover up the sound of the steps from the approaching group. They were remarkably quiet despite her humming.
"Well Mr. Creevey, you seem just fine. You look like you've grown some and gained some weight as well Very good. You next Mr. Hill, this won't hurt a bit" Poppy could be heard saying. The group surrounding the cordoned off space stood silently listening. They couldn't see Benny's face as the Mediwitch began her incantations.
"Yes, alright I should see... right. Let's see another thing now. You just relax there Benny, everything is all right. Nothing to worry about what did you have for breakfast?"
"An egg and a bite of toast I wasn't very hungry."
"Are you allergic to anything Benny?" The Mediwitch asked.
"Yeah, cat's if I handle em too much. I get like this. Why do you ask?"
"Have you been holding a cat in your face Mr. Hill?"
"I don't think so why?"
"You have welts about your neck. I'm afraid you're quite ill. We'll have you fixed up in a jiffy, I'll be right back." Poppy said and ducked out from behind her hospital "wall".
She gave everyone a look and Adam and Dumbledore walked with her to her office to get the potion that would help Benny. She closed the door and began with a whisper.
"Poor dear I think he's been under Imperio Albus.All the sign's are there, he's quite conflicted. His mind seems to be fighting it while still staying alert to respond to stimuli."
"Any other curses Poppy?"
"Yes, a memory charm and a strong one. Has to be a seventh year level charm.It's not even taught until then" Poppy said.
"I'm very well aware of that. Memory charms don't begin until the end of Yule holiday and they're back for winter and spring classes."
"Then we have some advanced students besides the Thunderclouds" Poppy said as if she was warning the headmaster.
"It couldn't be one of the Thunderclouds I'm positive." Adam said.
"Never say you're positive until you're sure you are. We thoroughly checked out the backgrounds of everyone in Thundercloud house. I do not believe it was any of them. Prince Running Bear is elegant proof of that."
"Yeah, for a Sioux, he's a pretty cool guy. His family makes clothes, sell's 'em world wide through a muggle business in Montana," Adam said.
"What do we do Albus?"
"Reverse the charm and possibly, use the legilimens charm on him to see who cursed him in the first place."
"I'll do it" Adam said.
"Be careful Adam, A mind is a very fragile thing to meddle with" Poppy cautioned.
"I'll be careful. Who should be careful is the S.O.B. that cursed him. I'm just glad that you don't have to kick him out of school."
"Not for being cursed Adam. Now let's go and join the others and let you get to it shall we?" Dumbledore said opening the door letting Poppy pass with a tray with a potion on it to calm Benny.
Madame Pomphrey entered the cubicle with the two beds and let Frankie stay with his friend as he sat for the potion to take effect. Adam made his presence known by saying,
"Knock, knock. Thundercloud here. May I come in?" Adam said trying to sound official.
"Indeed. I think these two could use a face they're friendlier with. Come in and sit with them. Seem's Benny here has been snogging a cat." Poppy teased.
"Oh, Benny.." Adam began and he leaned in and whispered, "you like pussy eh?"
Benny Hill turned as Weasley red as any of them could in an instant. He didn't know what to say and it put him off guard enough for Adam to enter his mind and look from the other side of any blocked memories. The concious mind doesn't always remember what the unconcious mind does and that was how Adam entered Benny's mind. He found in an instant what he was looking for and he uttered "El Finite" and passed his staff over his young friend absorbing the unforgivable curse from him into the staff.
Benny instantly began to weep. He remembered everything that happened to him. He was walking back to his common room when Nott forced him to retrieve the satchel from the cat and bring it to him where he hid inside the dark hallway. After that he was almost molested by Nott as his reward.
The young Ravenclaw was given another dose of the calming potion to relieve his hysteria from the memory of being kissed and fondled against his will. Nott was indeed a sick bastard and he angered one Adam Black Thundercloud. Today he would make Black Thundercloud something to be afraid of He did not show the anger to Benny; he just tried to soothe his nerves. Adam uttered calming charms over his shaken little friend until he went to sleep from Poppy's potions.
Adam gave Frankie a head signal to leave the sleeping boy for a minute and follow him.
Frankie was startled to see all of the Thunderclouds and the headmaster behind the curtains. They sure were quiet. Harry reached for Adam's wrist and shook his head back and forth indicating he shouldn't just go and kick Nott's ass. It was going to be a long day.
Theodore Nott was summoned to the headmaster's office after lunch was over but before his afternoon classes began. In the Great Hall, Theo looked at his head of house that looked through him as if he was not there. No indication as to why he had been summoned. He was sure no one saw what he'd done and he'd used Benny's own wand to curse him. No magical signature to trace He didn't count on a skilled legilimens taking a tour of the victims mind. Legilimens was almost unforgivable and not many people could do the magic.
Theodore spoke the password to the gargoyle and it jumped aside revealing the moving steps upwards to the headmaster's office and up he went up not knowing what was about to happen. Theodore knocked twice, the door magically opened, and he stepped in and up to where the headmaster was seated behind his desk.
"You wanted to see me headmaster?" Theodore said.
"Indeed. I would like to know a few things. How long have you been sending illegal correspondance back and forth across the wards?" Dumbledore began quite to the point. Theo paled a bit, looked down and then right at the headmaster.
"I don't know what you're talking about sir." Nott tried.
"I'm sure that you do. It was revealed that you used an unforgivable curse on one of your fellow students and modified his memory."
"How do you know this?" Nott slipped... almost.
"Your face was revealed to the Legilimens that found the blocked memory. Even unconcious, the eyes are the pathway to the mind. Your victim revealed you." Dumbledore said and Theodore made to run at the door. Adam shimmered into Theodore's view, not wearing an invisibility cloak. Theodore tried to muscle his way around Adam but was stopped when he said,
"One more step pig boy and you'll stay that way forever." Adam said seething at Nott. Theodore knew better than to mix wands with the likes of one of the mysterious Thunderclouds.
"Ok you got me. What now?" Theodore said without much of a fight. Seemed he always needed back up when his ass was in a sling.
"I say tie you up and use you for target practice." Adam said.
"I don't think so Mr. Thundercloud, he did indeed use an unforgivable, but he used it on Hogwart's government territory and that places it in my hands to determine his fate," Dumbledore said laying down his trump card plain as day.
"Oh Merlin, my father is going to kill me if one of the others don't first" Theodore said. Everyone knew his father was a Death Eater and now Theodore was caught quite completely in the web of a war mystery.
"Mr. Nott, you'll be accompanied to the infirmary to be checked over for curse residuals first off, and then you'll be questioned under veritaserum Is that understood? If your career here means anything to you at all, there will be no resistance. You're quite lucky that I sit as your adjudicator and not the wizengamot," Dumbledore said.
The Thunderbirds all revealed themselves in front of Nott, in uniform; arms folded looking down their noses at the disgraced wizard. Harry had his invisibility cloak from his now huge wardrobe and put it over Nott to hide him on his way to be interrogated, hands bound magically by Adam. He held the bonds like a leash. He was still angry at what pig boy did to his friend.
Nott was uncovered as soon as the thirteen Thunderbirds had made sure that there was no one in the infirmary besides Madame Pomphrey. She had the veritaserum ready to administer as soon as she was finished checking Nott for curses. Much as she did with Benny earlier, she could find traces of dark magic clouding Theodore's magic, possibly signaling the use of a very strong curse. He was found to have had his memory modified as well. Adam could not remain angry with Theodore Nott any longer. He himself was a victim of someone even further along the mysterious chain.
Dumbledore and Severus were present for the administration of the veritaserum to Nott and very carefully ask their questions. Nott was under the truth potion for about thirty minutes and the two wizards that held his fate in their hands were deep in discussion. Perhaps Theodore could be changed to perhaps spy for the light.
He was sixteen after the first of the year and getting his dark mark would be delayed until the next summer holiday. Large for his age and quite intelligent Draco knew Nott quite well and his evaluation was that Nott only lived to serve and to please. His father was the one that Nott was afraid of, not the dark lord. Nott was asked if he would be willing to become a spy for the light and help them possibly end some of the espionage at Hogwarts.
Nott was untied, now free from the curses that he had been under for at least six years and sat with the former Slytherins for a little chat. Adam and Harry sat in the background and watched the master talk to one of his former compatriots.
"Theo, you're in such a deep pile of shit, you might hope tobe standing when you have to eat some of it,it's so deep." Draco began speaking and pacing back and forth casting a glaring eye at Nott.
"I know Draco but, I swear I didn't mean to do it. Come on, who want's to be a bastard all the time and bow down to kiss Voldemort's robes. I saw my father do it and I was ashamed of him," Nott said.
"I'm sure that Dumbledore will take that into consideration when it comes to dealing with you. He explained your options?"
"Yes, I could go to Azkaban or spy for the light. Those were my choices. Well, I don't want to go to Azkaban, and I can't just go to my father after being caught. What he'd do would be worse than Azkaban."
"I'm sure it would Theo; I'm going to give you another option. We're going to mark you and let you escape with information for Voldemort. You can give it to your father first and that should get your dick out of the ringer with him. There are dark mark detectors all over the grounds at Hogwarts and Hogsmeade Village. Who was it that got you to exchange the mail? I'll need to do legilimens on you to see his face" Draco continued.
"After being under the imperious curse for six years, I don't think I'll mind. Watch what you look at though will you?" Nott said and settled for being mentally probed.
Draco raised his wand and cast the spell. "Legilimens" And was soon walking his way thorough Theo's mind. He was saddened by finding the spell that made him grope and almost molest Benny determined who cast it on him. He found that twice, different people had cursed Theo. First, he saw who cast the charm to make Theo molest Benny and it was Pansy. It also wasn't quite the imperious curse but almost. The next one that Draco looked for was the one who made Nott create a clandestine mail system. He'd seen this man before in the presence of Voldemort it was his minion for sure. Draco put the image into Harry's mind too see if he knew who it was it was. Peter Pettigrew. Draco removed himself from Harry's mind and Theo's mind not leaving much undiscovered.
"Harry, we can catch him and send him to Azkaban" Draco said. He knew of the relationship between the Potters and Pettigrew, and he wanted to stop Harry from trying to find the wizard alone.
"Where did you meet him when you exchanged parcels of mail?" Draco continued to ask his questions and Theodore did his best to answer them.
First thing, the next mail exchange was next Friday morning. There was a go between in Hogsmeade that was only in it for the money and held no allegiance to anyone. Not the sort of wizard that would care he was possibly endangering thousands of people. Pettigrew apparated to a location just beyond the farthest dark mark detectors in Hogsmeade and was there to collect the parcels. The next exchange would be made Friday before sun up.
Harry, Draco and the Thunderbirds wanted to get the wizard that got one of his colleagues to use his own son for a dangerous stunt like smuggling mail. Nott's father was another one that Adam put on the top of his shit list. Theodore spent the next four hours being grilled by the Thunderbirds with Professor Snape about just what he knew. Severus' use as a spy was nullified when he became President of Hogwarts government and his dark mark was removed. He did however still remember much about Nott's father and his demeanor.
After the veritaserum wore off Theodore, he was entirely weak and Madame Pomphrey administered concentrated chocolate syrup to steady the almost limp Slytherin. Pansy and others in Slytherin house were told at the infirmary door that Nott was not to have visitors but he would be able to leave after the evening meal. Other than answering questions, Theodore didn't ask many of his own. Finally, he did breech a question that had been on his mind since the first of the school year.
"Draco, rumors are that you were pregnant. You didn't look like you were" Theodore asked his one time friend.
"Theodore, this is not secret or I wouldn't take the time to explain. Maybe after what you hear, if you do not interrupt me, you may see things in a different light. You used a curse on someone and you are damn lucky you were under imperio or you would be off to Azkaban. You think the kind of wizard around you now is bad? Pay attention now and I'll attempt to tell you what I can and if any of the Thunderbirds or my husband has anything to add feel free to do so..."
"Your husband? You really are married to Potter? We thought it was all just an elaborate charade." Nott interrupted, first mistake.
"Let me put it this way Theo, don't interrupt me. Harry and I are soul mates. We had a very uncommon connection and that is Adam here. He is my cousin and as it turns out, Harry's God brother. When Adam here came to Britain to learn, it was us that learned. In front of you Theo, are the brightest, most talented, powerful group of wizards on the planet, you will ever know.
It should also interest you to know, being a pureblood means nothing to magic, only to family. One's magic is quite personal and the Earth herself holds all of it. Some wizards are blessed more than others in this respect are. They use it for good. There are those that have the natural gift but are enthralled at what it can gain them through terror.
That would be Voldemort and his followers. All very talented bright and in most cases well to do, his followers all have galleons in Gringotts. They waste their efforts trying to steal one's self respect if it's freely given. So much good and so much more money for services for our people More of everything if the bastard makes us spend three to earn one. It is quite backwards but that is the economic answer.
You want to know about children. We, that is King Harry and I have seven Princesses and Princes and they've been threatened and that makes Voldemort's position one that we shall have to divide soon. Not are we only angry parents, we are angry, powerful, wizard parents, The King and King's consort of the entire wizarding world. I want you to see something Theo. Stand up, come over here to this mirror, and stand before it. Not too close now." Draco finally finished speaking and Nott stood in front of the mirror.
"What do you see?" Draco asked the perplexed and tired "prisoner".
"I see me and you Draco. Wha...AAAAA!" Theodore said and Draco transfigured into a Thunderbird with glowing silver eyes. Nott fainted when he saw the magical creature change behind him.
"Enervate really Draco, are you going to make a point soon?" Hermione said, not raising more than a finger to wake up the passed out Theodore.
Nott climbed to his feet with some assistance from Blaise, and Draco changed back into his human form. Draco took Theo by the arm and led him to a chair to sit him down.
"As you can see, that's not an average level display of magic you just witnessed. Only something that I've just been blessed with, We all have. We are not going to be defeated Theo. We're not. I don't think that you can ever be trusted again, but you can try to earn it back by renouncing your father Theo, not your family. You're in danger no matter what side you choose. I believe your odds of surviving might go up considerably if you take our mark and swear allegiance to the King and everything the light throne stands for" Draco said finishing and looking at Hermione who only crossed her arms and smiled at the tall blond when he quit talking.
Theodore had his head in his hands bemoaning his situation to himself in a chair in the middle of so many powerful magical folk. For the first time in years, Theodore had a clear mind when it came to making a decision for himself and perhaps his future. Professor Snape did not say a word for the entire time that Theo was being interrogated but he did listen and waited for Nott's reply.
"I-I'll do it. I don't want to end up like my father. I don't want to be cruel. I don't want my family to be scared of me. I want a family but I don't see having one serving Voldemort. I'm doing this for me. I'll take what ever punishment you say and Harry I'll take your mark to prove it"
"Indeed, mine is quite colorful." Severus said and he rose from his seat in the back and billowed his robes for effect to stand before the newly resolved Nott. "You shall however serve detention for the rest of term. Your punishment will be determined later. I suspect it will involve a classroom. The mark is between the Thunderbirds and yourself Mr. Nott, Not I, Good day everyone." He finished and left the infirmary walking through the glamour wall hiding so many of them. Silencing charms were well in place. Theodore looked very relieved when Gregory and Vince grabbed him, one shoulder each in a hand.
"Theo, you don't have to be afraid of us. We are not as dumb as we look. It is probably what has kept our fathers from bringing us to snakeface. We, that is Blaise, Greg, Draco and I believe you. We have all been victims of it at one time or another. When we became Thunderbirds, it was a guarantee our family name would still be able to survive. Our fathers are lost and are Crabbe and Goyle in name only. Our mothers, well, they are not Death Eaters but they do and go where our fathers go. Greg, Blaise, and me are or were wards of Hogwarts Government, now we're citizens. You are a citizen here, Theo. No one is going to hurt you here, for your decisions made here. We must tell you we are terrible powerful and would have to wipe out this conversation if you were not going to take the allegiance mark. It won't hurt like Voldemort's dark mark. It feels good and it moves around. Never know where it'll show up. Ask me how I found out sometime," Vincent said to his tenuous mate.
Greg took over and let his opinion known. "Draco Blaise and Vince and me were all children of Death Eaters and look what it got us at the end of last term. Our futures were so uncertain; we were willing to do anything. Dumbledore had us at a place in Jamaica, quite nice actually, bit muggy though, but that is where we went after school was out. No one would have found us there and we would have been safe until school began again. Then one day unexpectedly, we get a portkey set to get us back as soon as we activated it. We went to the ministry, then to Hogwarts and then to Malfoy Manor. It was a relief to see Draco but soon there were aurors, the Minister for Magic, Dumbledore and a ton of diplomatic wizards and witches. Five of em was like THE wizarding elite. They were the real power behind the light. Well, out of the bloody blue sky sometime in the afternoon, this huge bird came streaking over the ocean and landed soft as a feather on the lawn of the Manor, just over the cliff. Out steps that bloke over there talking to Draco and Harry." Greg pointed over his shoulder.
"Well, he's carrying this staff and as soon as he was off the back of the bird, it up and vanishes into his staff. Well, to make a long story short, his staff let out some force of magic that selected twelve of us that attended. There were a few dozen more than us but they do not remember for security reasons. Anyway, this magic chose those of us that got our certificates at beginning of term. Maybe Vince should tell the rest." Greg finished panting and looking for something to drink.
"That's more than I knew. I wondered what happened to you people this summer. Even with our parents on the run, I thought we'd, you know, owl at least," Theo said.
"Well, ton's happened this summer. We found something beyond just being chosen by some bloody light from a staff. We found real friends. Friends are people you can count on to almost, no; you can count on a friend to die for you if necessary. That is both figuratively and literally. I would die for any of them Theo. Vince and I have bonded and we have both bonded with the ten blokes in our group.
See, it's like this. Magic chose us because our magic is strong. Measured, between the thirteen of us we control almost half of the magical power on the planet. Some of us have some money but that's not an issue with us. Neither is being muggle born. What me an Greg have been trying to say, is we learned some unspeakable things this summer and we've licenses to kill without trial on our part, or who we execute on the spot if necessary, isn't mentioned.
We can do as we please really, but we chose the side of the current law and give our allegiance to King Harry and King's Consort Prince Draco and the little ones. We will protect him and do anything to make it happen. We really are powerful wizards and, truth be known Teddy, Adam is Sirius Black's son and Empress Thundercloud's son He's a very very powerful wizard and you came so close to never hearing anything else after he got through with you when he found out it was you who hurt his friend. Consider yourself...lucky." Vince said.
Theodore hadn't said a thing while he sat in his chair listening to every word his two former house mates had said. In for as long as he'd known them, Goyle and Crabbe never said more than grunting replies or shruging their shoulders. They were ringers from the get go. After mulling over his options, Theodore put his head in his hands and cried. His shaking shoulders were wracked with emotions he'd been kept bottled up for years it seemed. His crying brought the attention of everyone else in the room.
"What did you two gorilla's do to Nott?" Luna said.
"Neville's the gorilla, Luna, with wings. Ask Blaise." Vince tried to sidestep the angry witch. She stepped in his way.
"Oh, no you don't what did you two do to him. You didn't curse him did you? He's only been from under imperio for what? Almost ten hours or so? And the veritaserum or did you forget?" Luna said, Ginny now stepping up along side.
The two witches were scary when angered. Theodore was happy to hear someone finally sticking up for him. He turned around to smile at them for caring but they had turned into huge eagles just before he saw them and fainted on the spot.
"We didn't do anything to him, you two, you know we can't lie to you but the two of you made him wet his pants. Look. Someone clean him up won't you before he wakes up?" Vince said with mock dignity.
Ginny and Luna knew the fellows wouldn't lie to them and they cleaned Theodore's pants, both sides, front and back just in case. "Enervate" Ginny said kneeling over the wizard that had fallen out of his seat. Last thing he remembered was shitting his drawers before he passed out. He definitely had on clean underwear now and he was grateful. He would not think how it happened and just go with it.
"I'm sorry. All of you. I wouldn't harm anyone really. My father has been using me for years as a play toy with his "friends" I remember it all now. I really like girls, you know, that poor kid, I cursed I am so going to make it up to him," Theodore said.
"And how are you going to manage that?" Draco said finally seeing enough
"I can watch his back from behind the enemy lines. Pansy is the one that made me use him. It could have been anyone. She hates that little Creevey kid, mudblood little cocksucker she called him. She's still mad as hell that he got her detention and her wand pulled." Nott said.
"He didn't do anything to her to make her get detention. She made herself get into a situation that she had to serve detention, not the other way around." Adam said looming over Nott.
"I know that. The seventh years get the paper's before us, same as in everyhouse unless they've got a subscription of their own. Pansy's used to taking Draco's and the seventh years couldn't care less now that Draco is out of Slytherin. The little guy gave the last paper he had to someone else and it wasn't Panz. She sure made his head crack on the floor. I saw he's alright, but I don't know how he survived that. It was a sick thud. Merlin I'm sorry that happened. I won't let her hurt him. I swear I'll be stuck doing detention for the next who knows how long so I guess I better get used to the idea of cleaning classrooms," Nott said.
"I didn't hear the Professor say you were going to clean classrooms, he said it involved classrooms." Draco said.
"I don't get it."
"Do you know how difficult it is to throw off the imperious curse? Harry, come here for a demonstration will you? Theodore is going to see something and then you are going to teach something to him. He can practice the rest of the year. Imperio!" Draco shouted at his husband.
Harry looked at Draco like he had three heads. He was... a) impervious to the curse in the first place and b) he was wearing stones that absorbed curses so it was a mute point until Harry saw the look on Theodore's face.
Theodore's eyes were wide as they could get. He didn't remember entirely cursing Benny, but he'd never seen it cast so vehemently and shrugged off like he was brushing off a bit of fuzz. Harry was an amazing wizard and Theodore both hated and admired him. Now him being King like he was, heir to Merlin's own magic plus the magic he already had made him a very formidably powerful wizard, Harry could have input to his fate. Harry stepped up and with Adam and the others; they formed a circle around a now confused Slytherin.
The thirteen of them drew magic from the ground as if they were going to transform but they only pulled an impregnable shield surrounding Nott. Harry stepped forward and the twelve maintained the circle of power. He circled Nott who was at this point trembling, three times and took his place back in the circle. The stones the Thunderbirds wore always when a light glowed from him in thirteen different directions absorbed the evil in Nott.
When Harry had entered the circle of power, his aim was to look at the evil that was imbedded in Theodore Nott, Slytherin. The Thunderbirds drew on the magic from the earth to send back into Nott the light of hope. Theodore could feel something tingling his skin below his ribs when the light faded and the circle was broken.
"Welcome to the light Teddy" Draco said. They had an ally amongst the dark. He wasn't relieved of his memories of the magic he knew and he was allowed to keep his wand. Something that would be hard to explain away. The Navajo soul cleansing was as success, the evil had kept Nott from growing as a person and the magic the Thunderbirds gave to him allowed him to gain a few inches here and there and grow four inches of new hair. It was an amazing change. Nott hadn't ever considered a glamour charm as worth learning but his new looks would have to be revealed slowly so with a few practices with Ginny and Hermione, and appraisals from the former Slytherins, Draco included, he had practiced and learned to look like his old younger self not his older younger self. He had been allowed to leave the infirmary with the promise to return for lessons in a classroom downstairs in the dungeons. Three or five Thunderbirds and Professor Snape at least it was in home territory he thought after he was informed of the details.
Nott sat with his housemates who grilled him mercilessly as to his so-called condition. He had to do some very quick work on his feet to stay a step ahead of his peer group. Pansy was begining to wear on his nerves when he pulled his wand and pointed it at her and silenced the shrieking coming from her mouth. He stowed his wand and continued to eat. Pansy was beginning to panic. A witch that couldn't utter a spell, couldn't cast as spell. She was defenseless and she knew Nott knew it also. Greg and Vince along with Blaise and Luna, George and Fred were watching Nott keep himself out of hot water and the added bonus of eliminating one shrill voice heard above all others amongst a thousand, give or take, was almost too much for them. They were silent aurally, but in their minds, they were laughing their asses off. They wanted to cause the young but quite grown witch as much mental messing with as possible without cursing her. FMA excluded of course.
Evening meal pleasant for everyone but Pansy who couldn't do anything but eat. She was stressed enough to make it worth the extra calories she was ingesting as comfort food. Luna whispered something to Blaise who shared it mentally with the Thunderbirds because it was just too good.
'Guy's, do any of you know an appetite charm?' Blaise looked left and right for responses.
'I know a few good ones. Tried them all on Harry but, they're like the imperious curse but for appetite management it's quite safe really. Who do you want to have a larger appetite?' Hermione looked at Blaise.
'I hope it's Barky Parky' Adam thought.
'Is it Blaise?' Hermione looked at her friend.
'Right in one 'Mione. Look at her. Since Nott shut her up she's been shoveling it in. Thought it'd serve her right if she didn't fit in her Yule and New Year's clothes. Wouldn't it?' Blaise thought looking at his hopeful aide in pranking Pansy.
'Right,' Hermione looked at Pansy's back since she had to turn around, she dropped her knife and bent to pick it up. Pansy looked at Hermione and went back to her food. Hermione let her wand peek out from her sleeve and she uttered the spells she used to try on Harry. Some of them were quite strong so she chose a doozie. "Consumus Maximo" she whispered and a faint lightening fast blue streak hit Pansy in her arse. Pansy only adjusted her bum and went about eating with new vigor.
'That ought to do it don't you think?' Hermione said now looking away from Pansy and the Slytherins.
'Look at her go. That's a one inch slice of roast beef she's sawed off and oh, the potato's. They look a little weak' Adam thought, quadruplo calorio and pointed his finger at Pansy's big flat, wide butt.
She adjusted herself and continued to eat. Tonight's treat was for the American students. Apple pie AlaMode, warm with melted cheddar cheese. Wine was available for the witch and wizard student's over 17 were allowed a taste of a hundred year old vintage Port wine. Ambrosia thought many, and since Pansy was a year older but not a year farther technically, she helped herself to a small glass when it was offered to her.
Pansy was finishing the uneaten portions of apple pie and ice cream with cheese from the people around her because they were unused to the richness of the pudding. Pansy had finished her own and five other half portions She took a last sip of her wine and one of the Thunderclouds behind her, Little White Dove, hit her with an FMA from where she sat. She was disgusted by Pansy's display of eating. She was thanking Merlin for whoever it was that silenced her voice.
Theodore lifted his temporary curse on Pansy and she was shrieking as soon as she realized she had her voice back. Theo pulled his wand and pointed it at her throat without saying a word. Pansy decided she'd rather have her voice than lose it again and remain defenseless. Pansy made to move and when she raised herself from the table with her hands, she let out a ripper that echoed off the stonewalls.
"FFFFFFFFFFFFFFrrrrrriiiiiipppTT"
Pansy was mortified and ran to the doors and to her dungeon and safety from who ever cursed her. Perhaps it would go away if she got far enough from whom ever had cursed her behind her back.
Poor, poor Pansy spent her evening isolated in her dorm with the curtains pulled and silencing charms up. It was embarrassing enough that she fluffed but so loudly, she cried until the wee hours before she got to sleep.
"You know, Parkinson got out of here as fast as a high wind would carry one of her toot's" Adam said quietly so only those near could hear what was going on.
Charley joined the Thunderbirds as usual for coffee while they finished their pudding and sat a minute enjoying their company the thing they accomplished that day, marking Nott. He would soon find out he would have to keep what he knew a complete mystery to others. He was tattooed wizarding style with a feather that showed his true emotions and allegiance to the royal court and the governments they served. Charley was interested to hear the story first hand rather than the abridged version he usually got. If something were secret, someone would say it was secret. It has been their way so far and it was working for them.
Draco and Harry were approached by two fourth year Gryffindors and a sixth year that knew Harry very well.
"Hello Seamus, who are these two lovely ladies?" Harry said turning to greet the people behind him.
"'hello there 'arry, we haven't been able to talk to you it seems with one thing and another. What's it like to be King?" Seamus said. "Oh these are our new house mates, transfers this year from Beauxbatons, Francine LeMetre and Christine LeMetre, fourth years. There seemed to be two girls' dorms available this year. They got in from a long of waiting list. Luck would have it they got in Gryffindor."
"Hello Francine, Christine." Harry said holding his hand out for them to shake. The two French witches shook Harry's hand, Draco offered his own, and they gladly accepted.
"This is my husband, my consort Prince Draco," Harry said referring to his husband with as much flair as he could muster.
"Cut it Scarhead. Pleased to meet you both. I'd try, but my French is almost totally forgotten. Yves St. Laurant is the only thing I can manage right now." Draco said trying to be charming.
"Oui, Merci, King Harry, Prince Draco, et is much happy you meet us. No?" Francine said for her twin sister.
"Yes, much happy. So Finnegan, what have you been keeping yourself occupied with your dorm room to yourself this year?" Draco said looking at the entrepreneurial Gryffindor.
"None of your business, unless you pay me to make it your business." Seamus said quietly and wiggling his eyes. He stayed out of his dorm room... a lot on Friday and Saturday nights for a few hours.
"Ah, you're a pimp" Harry said trying to tease Seamus.
"I am no such thing 'arry an' you know it," I just rent out Longbottom's old bed for a few hours and give whomever a few hours of silencing charms and locking charms on the curtains. Dean's been interrupted a few times when the charms came down. He bloody yelled his 'ed off 'he did." Seamus looked like he was laughing a bit at remembering the incident like it was yesterday. It was not, it was the day before, but still the memory was worth sharing with his old mates.
Seamus got the look from Harry and ushered the two blushing young ladies towards the staircase up toward their tower. Nott waited a good ten minutes longer before he got up to make his way to the safety of his bed room He hoped that he could avoid Pansy, if at all costs he would give it his best. He felt quite bewildered and wanted some solitude before he began his detention at eight o'clock. He'd heard Pansy's tirades once too many times and look where it got him. She was the one to talk him into trouble and he didn't want her help on the way out. That much got through to him. The other Slytherins that used Pansy Post were clearly only suspects but they would be watched.
Theodore Nott was out his common room door at seven forty-five and ran up the several flights of steps to the third floor where his detention was revealed to him just before he left. He was ushered into one of the potions classrooms, was given a potions book to study, and chose the six probable most beneficial to wizard kind. He would be allowed to leave at ten gongs of the tower clock. He was given translated versions of some of the potions that were in the five hundred year old book Birdy gave Severus. They were entirely benign, but with Sampson's Hair as a catalyst, there was no end to what they could cure. Nott could not tell which were which. He was an average potions student and only fortunate to be a Slytherin. Two Thunderclouds, a prince and a princess, were his guardians for the evening and let him know it was time for him to go to bed. Detention was over. His work would be collected and he should leave it where it was and leave.
Theodore opened his common room door and turned to head for his dormitory the small fire in the room was lit and burning quite nicely not having been banked for the evening. Pansy Parkinson was feeding it pictures, letters, anything that reminded her of Draco. Except for the jewelry, she was keeping that. So seeing Pansy alone and quiet, Theodore sat on one of the couches putting his legs up and reclining looking at the ceiling. His thoughts weren't on the surface enough to register Pansy yelling at him. She still was restricted in wand use and she conjured a pitcher of water and poured it over his chest, splashing water up into his nose and covering his face with water.
He was drenched and just about full of Pansy. He uttered a drying charm on himself and mentioned to Pansy that it might make the fire burn hotter if she would point her rear towards it more often. She shrieked and was willing to risk it and was beginning to utter a curse to throw at her housemate for making fun of the curse someone put on her. It wasn't him he was sure, but he was sure he could find out if it truly interested him to do it, but for now, "Expelliarmus" Theodore yelled catching Pansy's restricted wand.
"You better watch it you conniving bitch. I almost got thrown into Azkaban for you, so you better appreciate it that I took all the blame. It was me that was at the bottom of the stairs unconscious mind, I won't let anyone else get into trouble. The next mail drop is Friday early. I want to get this over and done with. This is the last time I'm doing it too. Bullstrodes cat is as obnoxious as she is. You owe me for not telling about you," Nott said like a true Slytherin.
"Shut it Theo. You're in this as deep as me so you better do what's best for you and listen to your orders," Pansy said.
"You know nothing of my orders Pansy. Your father's gone and got himself spotted without his mask on didn't he? Got barely away ahead of MLE. I'm sure the dark lord will have rewarded him well for that don't you?" Nott sneered at Pansy, hoping that she'd just go away after he got what he wanted.
"What do you want?" Pansy said.
"I don't want to do all these detentions by myself. You'd better confess I want some company," Theo sneered.
"You're out of your mind Nott; I will do no such thing I have enough trouble to be adding to. It would be suicide, you know that" Pansy said.
"Then, this is the last time. Better get what ever you want said, unless of course, you want to use a school owl and have it followed," Nott baited the trap.
He meant what he said about fighting for the light. No matter what it took, he did not want to go to Azkaban when he would not have been going in that direction if he had his own free will to deal with.
"I'll teach you how to put the thing on the cat. It's stupid enough to keep coming to me" Theodore further enticed Pansy.
"You got that little Ravenclaw a little bit of something extra didn't you Theo? I always knew you would go that way if given the opportunity."
"Oh it was you that did that to me. You are a total bitch Parkinson. After Friday, consider our acquaintance at an end. You cursed me and you are the one that has been making the others do as you want too haven't you? You have two wands don't you?" Theodore said to an unphased Pansy.
"I thought your parents taught you better Theo. Of course, I have more than one wand. The one they gave me to do school work was a joke. I had to use it of course but, after school work was over, it got put away with my homework."
"I'm going to show you where to put the damn cat and if you want to follow the damn thing it's up to you. I have not so far. Creatures are so terribly easy to put a thought into."
"It's quite alright; the person responsible I'm quite sure is in the inner circle. Father is still important to the dark lord" Pansy sneered.
Theodore really wanted to just have a lay down in the common room but suddenly there was an odor coming from Pansy and it wasn't pretty. She'd managed to silence her back end, but she couldn't stop herself from passing gas.
"Eggh, Pansy, I'll see you later. Maybe Madame Pomphrey has something for that." Nott said and got up and almost ran for his dormitory room.
Pansy was having mixed emotions. She was angry, she was perplexed, frustrated. A whole litany of troubles and no perceived end to them soon she gathered what dignity she had and made her way to the infirmary and perhaps some help with her problem. It was late and there wasn't a soul in the corridor as she made her way finally seeking help. If more people were around her, they would be eternally grateful.
Madame Pomphrey was very sympathetic when the troubled witch came to her asking for help from a curse someone had hit her with and she couldn't end. Poppy was impressed when Pansy silenced the noise but was reminded soon as to why she was in the infirmary in the first place. Madame Pomphrey had Pansy change into hospital clothes and get into bed. She was alone in the infirmary but Poppy put up privacy screens for added comfort in the huge room.
Pansy had lain in the bed she was assigned when Poppy came back to her bedside with a tray of potions and began to mix them into one large glass for her to drink down. It smoked and bubbled a bit but didn't smell too bad and she took a sip. Deciding it wasn't as bad as it looked, Pansy downed the whole glass handed to her. Instantly she felt each potion take effect, she was suddenly slightly euphoric, then she was giddy, she hic'd and hic'd for a few seconds and began to calm slightly and feel much more content.
She felt the potion go right through her, she had to get up, and run to the lavatory, she hit the door and didn't bother to put down paper or a charm she just pulled up her gown and let fly. Too bad her gown was 'this much' too long and she emptied herself down her legs. Pansy pulled the soiled gown off her and sat on the toilet crying like a little girl for the first time in a very long time.
Poppy heard her sobbing and saw the mess she had made. A wave of a wand and the mess was gone, a clean garment was accio'd from a cabinet, a warm wet washcloth was handed to the sobbing witch to clean herself best she could and then go to the shower not five steps from where she was. Poppy opened the door to the stall and led the sobbing Pansy to a warm shower and a big warm bath blanket to dry with and lean pajamas and a clean warm bed for the evening. Pansy was handed a dreamless sleeping potion, double strength and she was asleep before her head hit the pillow. Poppy covered her up and went to get ready for bed herself.