The next day went normally for the five. Harry was convinced by Daphne that he would most likely be called upon and it would be easier to find him in the library than if he was in the room of requirement, so he made sure Madam Pince knew he was hiding in the back of the library while the others went to class. They avoided the Great Hall and instead kept Dobby company in the kitchen during lunch while he spoke about all the new food that the house-elves were learning for the end of year ceremony which would also signify the end of the tournament before he dived back into the organised chaos of the kitchen.
"Anyone know who's been taken out of lessons yet?" Harry asked, as he quickly finished off his chicken sandwich and reached for a cinnamon roll.
"Astoria says that there were two Ravenclaws taken out of her Transfiguration class and two Gryffindors from her flying lesson." Said Daphne delicately eating a strawberry tart.
"And I caught sight of Finch-Fletchley and Smith being escorted out by Filch just before my Muggle Studies." Tracey said as she reached for another sausage roll.
"Pretty sure Danika and Pucey were returning from an interview, I saw them come out of the classroom they're using just before lunch." Mumbled Theo.
"Oh its Danika now is it, not Addams?" Teased Tracey with sparkle in her eye.
Harry felt a smile grow at the red flush then rapidly spread from Theo's neck to his cheeks.
"Who is this person? I can't really remember hearing about her." Harry said.
"Not surprising only the snakes and ravens really know her. Danika Addams, she's a 6th year snake and Theo's had a crush on her forever."
"Not forever, shut up Tracey."
"Well almost! She keeps to herself and is incredibly smart. Flitwick, McGonagall and Vector have all asked her to consider masteries in their subjects. You see Harry the Addams Family while no one is really sure about their origins are brilliant. They're considered the crème de le crème of wizarding society, they're hugely wealthy with connections in America, Italy and Spain. Apart from that though, they're known for their affinity to the Old Magics."
"Old Magics?" Harry said curiously.
"Yep, you see mate, there are some people who believe in light or dark magic and a person can be closer to one that the other. Then are the families that work with the old magic, earth magic, druid magic. Magic that usually requires things like a blood sacrifice its considered extremely dark by our Ministry but in other countries especially Africa its common and practiced freely." Neville said still eating his cheese sandwich.
"So why is it considered dark?"
"Because of the sacrifice you have to make in order for it work. Plus the Ministry don't like what they can't control and Old Magic is one of those things as its usually passed through each generation of a family. The Addams Family are only protected really because of the ties all over the world and the Minister would rather cut off his hands than upset them. They have a foot in everywhere and people like Malfoy can only dream to have their political prowress." Daphne said.
"So why am I only just hearing about them now?" Said Harry in surprise, Daphne and Sirius were still teaching him a lot about the wizengamont and politics but surely if this family was so big they'd have mentioned it.
"Because there was no point, they don't care about politics or laws or being in charge. They're extremely eccentric and barely stay in England preferring the states, they're happy with what they have and only really get involved if a friend is."
"So they don't care about people's right or the pure-bloods agenda?"
"Well again, no one is really sure if they are pure. I remember my father returning back from the Ministry ball one year muttering about the patriarch's inability to hold a straight froward conversation. From what I understand Mr Addams kept changing the subject from laws against muggle-born's to golfing lessons." Said Theo with a grin. "Anyway, Danika is the first Addams to attend Hogwarts in over 160 generations the others have all attend Ilvermorny, and honestly as soon as she entered everyone knew not to mess with her.
"Not to mention she's quite gorgeous, hmm Theo." Tracey wiggled her eyebrows at him.
Theo ducked his head, mumbling and Harry decided to take the heat off of him.
"Can someone explain more about Old Magic?"
"Well most ancient families have a family Grimoire, they contain everything and anything that the family have done. Which magics they are usually better in and basically the magical history. You'll have one in your family vault and I wouldn't be surprised if Sirius has it too." Daphne said, her eyes sparkling as she started to get passionate. "Old Magic isn't just old, it's completely ancient, started hundreds of thousands of years ago, when the first people started to realise they could tame what was around them. My mother used to tell us a bedtime story; that the four elements and their creators, Gaia and Thanatos decided to see what humans could create with magic and therefore two individuals were specifically chosen for the task. Merlin and Morgana. They were allowed to tame magic and unravel its mysteries but Thanatos became jealous by the power they held and what they could do with it and tried to take it back but Gaia helped them to retain it by using a blood sacrifice from both of them, however Thanatos managed to limit the power and the way it could be wielded. She used to tell us that accidental magic when we were younger was actually us realising what our magical cores were and being able to reach in and use it."
"Gran used to tell me the same one. She won't allow me to read our Grimoire until I'm 18 as she says it can be filled with secrets that must always be protected. On the other hand she will willingly talk about Old Magic and Blood Magic."
"Why is that?" Daphne said curiously. She knew Augusta Longbottom was an extremely stern lady who prided herself on her family's history of being light wizards, talking about Old Magic was not something light wizards did.
"Because the Longbottom Manor is protected by it. The Longbottom's have always lived in England, since before William the Conqueror and its only because we used Blood Protection that it still stands, Gran says that if the Death Eaters had tried to come for my parents there instead of the city home then their positions would have been switched and it would have been the Death Eaters that were in St Mungos." Neville said darkly and Tracey leaned over to wrap him in a quick hug.
Just then Dobby walked up to them.
"Harry sir and Harry's friends must be going to lessons now."
With a round of goodbye's Neville and Tracey set off for Herbology while Theo and Daphne went upstairs to Arithmancy and Harry retraced his steps back to the library.
Hidden in the back surrounded by books, Harry wrote out a couple of letters to send to Sirius and Remus before being interrupted by two red headed menaces.
"Hows it going, champ?" They both asked with a grin before turning to each other with identically surprised looks.
"Jinx! Jinx again! Jinx a billion! Jinx plus 1!"
"Okay okay, what can I do for you too?" Harry said laughing.
They turned on him with a glint in their blue eyes and he immediately felt a clenching in his gut.
"Well you see Harrikins-"
"We feel as though this year has been quite hard on you-"
"And although we take some responsibility-"
"We wish to cause a smile-"
"To grace your noble face."
"Okaaaaay, what are you thinking?"
"Well, we have come to realise that though some people-"
"Our good selves included-"
"Realised the error of their ways and feel terrible and wish to make it up to you-"
"Others do not. Particularly a certain yellow and black house and so tonight-"
"No no no, come on Cedric has been pretty decent all things considered and I don't want you to do anything for me." Harry interrupted.
"We heard that Ernie, Zachariah and Hannah have been calling-"
"A certain beautiful blonde witch-"
"She is rather gorgeous isn't she Gred."
"Oh absolutely, icy glare though." They both gave a mock shudder before once more turning to Harry who was know leaning back on his chair.
"Anyway, they've been calling her some not very nice name and accusing her, of what again?"
"Love potion I believe Forge."
"Dear oh dear, and we felt we-"
"Simply could not let this go."
The twins stopped there and propped up their heads by their fists and looked at Harry innocently. He looked back, trying and failing to appear serious.
"You've done that on purpose, haven't you?"
"Why Mr Potter-"
"We have no idea-"
"As to what you could-"
"Possibly be referring to."
The smug smiles said otherwise and he waved them away.
"Fine fine, whatever prank you have planned for them. Just do it for tomorrow please not today."
"Very well, oh gracious one." They said backing away and bowing at the same time.
Harry shook his head and carried on reading The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection, it had been his first year DADA book but he found himself attempting the more difficult spells made for the upper years. Remus had also recommended starting to practice wandless magic just in case he lost his wand during a fight. So far no luck but the book did have some guides on how to make it easier, he was still in the midst of the pages when Neville slammed his books onto the table causing him to jump out of his skin, the lion was on a full rant and barely noticed but Tracey did and laughed heartily at Harry's expense.
"I can't believe the gall of her! To say I don't know what I'm doing! I'm not the one who's been off acting like a child for the last year! I'm the one who's been using the greenhouses to make sure the plants didn't freeze in February! And the nerve of Bones! Lording it over me like she's somehow better! And then for her to be all smug! That bi…that bit…bit …that…"
"Go on, say it, it'll make you feel better." Tracey spoke in a singsong voice.
"No I can't…I'm just annoyed…I just….THAT BITCH!" Neville suddenly yelled.
Tracey and Harry burst into laughter and in less than 5 seconds Madam Pince had rounded the corner with fire in her eyes and breathing smoke from her nostrils as she sent their belongings flying at them as they sprinted from the room.
Just as they exited, Daphne and Theo walked round the corner and watched in amazement as their bags emptied themselves over their heads as the furious voice of the usually quiet Librarian yelled 50 points from each.
"What on earth did you do?" Said Daphne in total shock as her chortling boyfriend wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek.
"I don't think you'd believe us if we told you." He said looking towards Neville who was blushing so badly that he matched Gryffindor scarlet.
"How was your guys lesson?" He said desperate for the attention to be off him.
"It was alright, come on let's head to dinner I want a good seat for this." Daphne replied sliding her arm around her still sniggering boyfriend's waist.
As they headed down Tracey explained their Herbology lesson drama which was Madam Sprout instructing the two of them wrongly and accusing them of not paying attention while saying that Susan was the best herbologist she'd ever seen. Neville had almost been purple with rage and even now looked like he was going to start off on another rant luckily they settled at the Gryffindor table soon after; with Daphne practically singing with excitement though she kept it extremely well hidden and only her closest friends could see her eyes glittering and her leg vibrating slightly as she kept her nerve.
Dinner started off normally, with Ron glaring at them from the other side of their table and Malfoy glaring at them from the opposite side of the room. His nose and broken jaw and been fixed overnight by Madam Pomfrey but his father had flatly refused to do anything about it and warned him to keep his nose clean for the rest of the year, he had been fuming all day but Malfoy senior had his own problems now and didn't want to hear from his son. Apart from Snape, all the staff were there including Marchbanks and Selwyn. It was after the desserts had been cleared away that Dumbledore stood and made his way round the large table and to the front of the lifted stage where the teachers ate, his face was quite grave and the twinkle noticeably absent as he surveyed his students casting a specially disappointed look to the end of the Gryffindor table.
"Today is an upsetting day for us as we are to lose our most esteemed colleague, friend and Potions master; Professor Snape."
The end part of his speech was lost as 3/4 of the school went completely mad with their cheers and celebrations, even several Slytherins were quietly clapping though with stony faces but they halted rather soon after as their housemates glared at them. It took 10 minutes for the professors to stop the cheers from commencing and several loud bangs were issued from their wands to gain order.
"As I was saying." Dumbledore said looking sternly down at them, not that anyone cared. "We are losing an excellent asset to this school and I for one, am most saddened. He was a marvellous professor and we should be upset and disappointed that he is leaving." His gaze rested on the Gryffindor table, specifically at the five sitting comfortably together at the end. "People may have not realised his true worth and commitment and I hope that they come to realise their poor choices. He will leave the castle this very night in pursuit of other interests in his life. I'm sure you will all respect his absence with due consideration. Dismissed."
People started moving quickly towards the door wanting a final glance at the professor who darkened every corridor and area that he invaded. The evening was still light and students flooded outside to cheer and crow as the black blur strode along the path and exited through the gates vanishing into the dusk. It seemed anticlimactical but as Daphne snuggled into his chest and whispered that they'd done it, Harry felt a small sense of victory. Neville was especially happy and was currently doing a happy little jig that he pulled an enthusiastic Tracey into.
April in Scotland wasn't the warmest but it was the nicest evening for a while and many older students had decided to take advantage of the later curfew. It was the first night off the five had taken in a while, most of them being filled with training or researching, it was nice to act like a group of teenagers again as they laughed with each other and spoke over one another. There was a few people who looked over the group with understanding, Cedric Diggory and his girlfriend Cho Chang were some who were happy to see the group acting like themselves instead of the stony faces. Some didn't care and merely glanced at the group before carrying on with their own conversations. Ron Weasley, Seamus Finnigan and Lavender Brown plus Ernie Macmillan and Terry Boot hated it though. These were the group that thought after a half mumbled or non -existence apology they would make Harry forgive them and move on. Ron especially thought he deserved to be better treated than the way his ex best mate was treating him, he felt the jealousy churning and boiling away in his stomach every time he caught sight of Harry Potter with his new girlfriend and friends especially that wimp Longbottom. He wanted to be the one back at Harry's right hand side, he'd even seen the occasional smile between him and Hermione and yet the chosen one couldn't lower his standards to forgive him! It just wasn't fair he decided as he turned back into the discussion Lavender and Ernie were having about Snape finally being gone.
"Its not like they had to do much, I mean it's a teeny tiny thing to send a measly letter, you know."
"Exactly, plus no one really knows if they did do it. Like what if they're just taking the compliments but haven't actually done the hard work. You heard what they said in the hall and then what McGonagall did yesterday."
"Sounds like something that lot would do, Longbottom probably learnt some new tricks from the snakes, no way is he cleaver enough to pull something like this off."
The group carried on bad-mouthing completely oblivious to the twins listening to them rant in the darkness. Fred and George set off back to the castle, talking quietly between themselves; they had come up with something special for the Badgers tomorrow but maybe they needed to speak to their own too. Since they'd paid more attention to Harry and his friends after the first task, they had seen the effect that the isolation and bullying had had on him. The set down of both him and Neville when they had gotten up their nerve to actually apologise and made them think a lot more about their actions, they'd never considered their pranks could be hurtful and had since toned down. Ron, however had clearly not understood what Harry meant at all. They resolved to speak to him over the next few days, before he started to get out of hand.
"What do you think, a prank or a word?"
"Lets do a word first, maybe he'll actually pay attention for once. Hmph!"
Fred let out a groan as he rubbed his head, looking up he saw Professor Moodylooking down at him with a snarl.
"Watch where you're going boy." The man growled as he stomped off.
"You alright?" George asked as he pulled his brother off the ground.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm okay. Moody old bugger ain't he."
The two started to walk away when Fred suddenly sniffed at his clothes.
"Hey you smell that?"
George leant forward and felt his nose wrinkle in disgust.
"He was holding his hip flask, probably just Firewhickey."
"Nah, Firewhiskey is stronger, spicier. This is vile."
The two looked behind them before looking at each other, identical grins spreading over their faces.
"Well Mr Gred, I think there is something suspicious happening with our old Professor."
"Mr Forge, I could not agree more. Perhaps we shall take more of an interest in him?"
"I do believe that to be a proper course of action."