Chapter Thirteen
Surprisingly, the Mages walked into the Hall together, running into each other just within distances of the double doors to the Great Hall. As one person they rearranged their seating habits, each assistant to their chosen professor earlier that year, at the Head Table and merely sat to one side, far from the other professors.
As everyone else walked in after the early birds, one man had to fight to hide his surprise. Snape was quite baffled to see Osiris would not be sitting near him, nor have a constant battle of arguments. He wondered what could make the six Mages converse quietly to each other or to sit so far from everyone. But this silence granted gave Snape the time to make an important decision.
From lowered eyes Snape could also see that all the professors eyeing the quiet group, even several students. Those students wondered what had the complete attention of each Mage. That kind of attention was desperately wanted, even lusted after, from just about every student, in which made Snape feel quite unique to be the unwanted yet wanted object of attention, even if it was by Harry Potter.
From their quiet corner, "I see everyone's curious."
"Doesn't matter. We need to know who they are."
Maya hissed at her friends, "I found another!" The others blinked, surprised to hear that there could be more. Discreetly, Maya opened the link in her friends' minds as she eyed their target. While their lips and voices moved to talk about unimportant issues with the council, their minds were starting a whole new conversation, all quite glad of the practice during their training to be able to handle this, Do you see her?
Which one, Maya? There's a lot of girls here.
Golden eyes glared at the laughing elf, glad no one was close enough to hear what they were saying since talking about the council was rarely ever funny. Very funny, elf! Follow my signal.
Each felt the tinniest tugs in their minds as the Spiritual Mage linked her ability into the mind link. They followed her lead, each mentally latching onto Maya's link. One of the houses produced a silent teenage female, causing Osiris to blink rapidly. Well, that's quite good. Not one would suspect someone in Hufflepuff being different.
Who is she?
The Mage had to stretched his memories for the answer, If I'm correct she was sorted into Hufflepuff my first year here at Hogwarts. I believe her name was Susan Bones.
Her thread is light but along with hers are several more. And look where they come from.
You finally pinpointed them?
Maya nodded, I used what little time we had after our earlier meeting to study them. I've got all but one. That one is still elusive, I can't find the original or the hosting enemy. But the next one connected to that Bones girl is another female.
As they followed another tugging, their eyes landed on another female that shocked Osiris, You know her too?
Yes. It's a sixth year Ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood. She's great friends with Ron's little sister, Ginny Weasley. I've seen the two together, very funny duo.
Maya frowned when she realized something, This is getting confusing. Your Susan Bones and that Luna Lovegood have the same hosting enemy but they also share that enemy with another female. This one is in Slytherin and the hosting enemy ends in Gryffindor.
Show me. Once again, Osiris numbly named the girl in Slytherin, Millicent Bulstrode. Then Gryffindor he became almost speechless, That's Lavendar Brown! He couldn't believe that the one enemy host was a hopeful Divination seer, from his own house. He never thought anyone was that desperate to prove themselves, then again all he had to do was think of Peter Pettigrew, who did the same thing by joining Voldemort. We'll meet tonight at midnight. In the Forbidden Forest. I'd say earlier but I believe Severus and I must talk, and you all will be attending detention with the Slytherin House.
Agreed.
By dinner's end Snape was nervous. He had never had anyone willing to take Veritaserum, or at least one made by his hands, an ex-Death Eater. He had seen it at work on unwilling participants with the Dark Lord, even felt it on himself time and time again by Albus during his spying. And now he had the chance to douse the one, ex-student now, man he always wanted to learn the truth from.
Speaking of the ex-student, War Mage Osiris slipped into an empty seat by the Slytherin Head of House. "Snape."
The Potion Master shocked himself by wishing the Mage would call him Severus again, "War Mage." Taking a deep breath to force his desiring thoughts back, "I've made my decision. I'll use the Veritaserum if your willing."