Chapter 6: Politics
Charlus Potter was nursing his second glass of brandy with a deep frown on his face. He was more confident than ever that people who want to rule are, ipso facto, those least suited to do so. Be it CEOs, Presidents, Ministers… or Headmasters. The letters on his desk were very concerning. Due to Sirius' and Remus' recovery, Charlus was currently acting Lord Black and Lord Potter. Headmaster Flitwick had allowed Draco to be attacked repeatedly on school property. Severus needed access to the Library to research something weird happening with a professor. The letters that the kids wrote from had written letters that left him feeling like the time to start pulling the big political guns was near. Apparently, Flitwick hadn't taken any measures to make sure it wouldn't happen again. Some people needed to admit leadership was not for them and simply step down so that better-prepared replacements could be found.
Dorea came into the study with the Potter Library copy of the Hogwarts' rule book, which Lily had helped her find. She poured herself a glass of sparkling water and sat down, placing the rule book in front of her husband.
"Our Hermione is right, as usual. Those kids should have been at the very least suspended, especially the Weasley kid. Poor Aldrich. We should enquire if they need help to fix him. I still have my family's ancestral magical loom in the attic."
"To be stomped on like he is a piece of cardboard… Aldrich must feel deeply insulted. I would be surprised if they don't have any problems making him return for next year's sorting ceremony…. Dory, love, I am worried. Filius has proven to be an absolute disappointment as a Headmaster. I don't understand how such a good professor can be such a poor leader. I feel it's my duty as a grandfather and as a donor to guarantee the quality of education and living at Hogwarts. I have summoned the School Board," Charlus took a small sip of his drink.
"When will you meet with them?" Dorea asked with interest.
"We," he corrected. "You are coming with me. If we need to take this to the Wizengamot, I can't protect House Potter's interests while simultaneously protecting House Black's interests. Sirius and Remus will have a lengthy recovery, and no one could represent them as well as you there."
A beautiful barn owl hooted as it came through the open window to land on the perch that the Potters kept by the desk. It wasn't common for letters to come in so late. Dorea took it and hastily read it. Her expression turned furious.
"This useless motherfucker!"
Charlus frowned. His wife was rarely so colorful with her language. Now what? He thought. "Why do you look ready to murder someone, love?"
"Filius has just informed us that he needs the kids' Heads of House or guardians to come to Hogwarts."
"Whatever for?" parents were rarely if ever summoned.
"Harry and Hermione are hurt is all he wrote."
"Get your coat. Neesy,"
The elf popped with a frown. "Yes, Master…" she handed the Lord and Lady their coats.
"A sobering up potion, please," Charlus requested. "Go get the Grangers and tell them Hogwarts summoned us."
The elf made a vial appear from thin air and handed it to him. Neesy vibrated a bit and looked like an old lady with antiquated clothes. "Are master Harry and his Mione going to be alright?"
"We will let you know as soon as we know, alright?" Charlus answered diplomatically as he downed the potion and put on his coat. They couldn't leave without the Grangers. A couple of minutes later, Neesy popped back into their study with a worried Dan and a scared Emma. "What do we know?" asked Daniel.
"Very little. Let's go through Lily's lab,"
They got out in Hogsmeade at the lab. Narcissa was there, about to close.
"Lord and Lady Potter, Dan, Emma," Narcissa bowed. "Lovely to see you. How can I help you? I was just closing up."
Dorea kissed both her cheeks and said a quick "come with us to Hogwarts."
"Is something wrong?" Narcissa was alarmed.
"We think so. Harry and Hermione got hurt, and Draco and Neville are in trouble too, apparently."
"What?!" Narcissa frowned. Surely Severus would notify her.
Behind them, there was a thud, and a cloud of ashes came off the fireplace.
"Stupid floo. Hi dearies. Let's go give Filius a piece of our minds!" Augusta bellowed as she shook off ashes from the fireplace.
Professor McGonagall returned to Hogwarts from taking care of Remus and Sirius. She left them in the able hands of Scamander and Moody. Things were looking promising. Whispers among students and staff welcomed her. What was going on? An elf came to get Minerva and told her that some Gryffindors got hurt and were in trouble. The Headmaster was summoning her to his office. She rushed there to find Harry, Hermione, Neville, and Draco, sitting on a bench to the right of the entrance to the headmaster's office. To the left of the office, another bench with a bruised Mr. Weasley, Mr. Crabbe, and Mr. Goyle. Severus was next to them and looked furious.
"Good evening," Minerva greeted her students calmly. Inside, she felt anything but.
"Professor," Snape nodded. He looked at the children next to him, meaningfully.
Minerva heard heels and the clang of a cane before she saw Crabbe Senior and Lady Goyle walking as fast as they could as not to be near Arthur and Molly Weasley, who looked both angry and surprised. Minerva went to her kids and put a comforting hand on Draco's shoulder. He looked up with teary eyes. The poor kid had not had a good time at Hogwarts so far. Soon enough, her cubs' parents and guardians were coming into the scene. All kids ran to their respective families.
"Professor McGonagall, what is the meaning of this?" Crabbe senior growled. He stared at Severus with hatred but did not address him.
"I am not aware of that, Mr. Crabbe. I was dealing with a personal matter. I got to the castle a few minutes ago and was summoned here."
The gargoyle opened. The kids whispered rapidly to their families before the headmaster could poison the well. McGonagall motioned for the Slytherins to go ahead. The professor followed her cubs and their families. There were several chairs to the headmaster's left and the right, and the families followed the same pattern as they did outside.
"Welcome, parents, and guardians… Students. I wish this was a pleasant social call," Filius was sitting on his highchair. "However, I have summoned you here to discuss what happened earlier today. The students refused to provide testimony without you present, so that's why you are here."
"Excuse my manners, headmaster, but why on earth weren't we notified immediately that our children were hurt!?" Emma said harshly.
All the wizards and witches shared the briefest look, but Dan noticed. "You notified the Longbottoms and the Potters, but not us or Narcissa."
"Mr. Granger, respectfully, you are a muggle. As such, the school is under no obligation to contact you. Furthermore, given your daughter's situation with Mr. Potter, the House that needs to be informed is House Potter. Draco's stepfather was notified. As you know, since we are a patriarchal society, that is all that is required," the headmaster said nonchalantly.
The silence that followed was deafening. Narcissa stared daggers at both Severus and Filius. Emma looked ready to use her scary medical tools on the headmaster. Before things got out of hand and noticing the looks on the Grangers and Narcissa, Charlus cleared his throat, stood up tall, and took over. Politics were his forte.
"I assumed you brought us here, headmaster, to apologize for your very long lapse in judgment that has resulted in scions Potter, Black, and Longbottom's wellbeing and safety being compromised," Charlus sent the headmaster a look full of loathing. Harry felt twice as big when he felt his grandfather's hands rest supportively on his shoulders. Since the boy knew what this gesture meant, he felt like he had nothing to fear as long as his grandfather had his back.
"I have summoned you, so the children finally say what happened, and we can solve this situation," Filius replied, blinking repeatedly. Minerva shook her head and covered her face. She was mortified for the headmaster. "They refused to talk without you present. Hopefully, they will now apologize to each other and to me so they can avoid any lasting damage in their student records."
Charlus was perplexed. Not only was he shocked that there had been no formalities as protocol indicated, but also the children got hurt, and Filius expected them to apologize to him? Lord Potter pinched the bridge of his nose as his face got red and redder with anger. Dorea placed a restraining hand on his forearm and took over expertly.
"Headmaster Flitwick, we demand to know exactly what happened so that the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter, Black, and Longbottom, can respond accordingly to any threats on their line succession," Dorea said in a warning tone. She placed her free hand on Harry's head. She hoped the jab would remind him what and who the headmaster was dealing with here.
The pureblood parents on the Slytherin side looked at her in shock and immediately stood behind their children, hands on their shoulders, straight backs. A comment on line succession threats from such a House was quite worrisome.
Draco stood, bowed, and greeted everyone formally as protocol intended. He remembered Martin's words on how usually the most level-headed person wins. "Mother, Lord and Lady Potter, Lady Longbottom, Lady Goyle, Doctor and Doctor Granger, Mr. Crabbe, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Headmaster, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape. I would like to provide voluntary testimony in front of you regarding the matter that brought us here. I want to be questioned under Veritaserum."
Several gasps were heard. The purebloods frowned but bowed anyways. Snape looked proudly at his boy, but he still had to act as a Head of House.
"Mr. Black, Veritaserum is a bit extreme for a school row," he advised.
"No, Professor Snape. It is a cost-efficient method to get down to the bottom of this. As it is my right as the heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, having Lord Potter here as a proxy to my Heads of House, I demand trial by truth serum. The cost for this can be deducted from the House's coffers if Hogwarts cannot afford it. I have been attacked several times on school property. Headmaster Flitwick has refused to intervene, and I have had to start sleeping somewhere else for fear of attacks. The DMLE has photographic evidence of these attacks, and after what happened today, Madam Bones may have no other choice than to intervene," Draco said all this with a calm but severe expression. Lord Potter placed his hands on Draco's free shoulder. Narcissa squeezed her boy's other shoulder.
"Absolutely not, Mr. Black. School rules do not allow trial by Veritaserum," Flitwick's scowl at this was scary.
"I am not asking as a student. I am asking as a scion," Draco lifted a contemptuous brow.
"Pardon me, scion Black, but we don't even know why we are all here. Is this school so poorly run that its Headmaster cannot even solve petty student fights without involving parents?" Lady Goyle said with a furious scowl. "We may need to seriously consider a transfer to Durmstrang."
The headmaster blushed angrily and was about to open his mouth when Augusta spoke.
"Lady Goyle, pardon the interruption," Lady Longbottom nodded at the woman. She hated all Death Eaters, but she was a proper Lady. "As a member of the School Board, I must inform the Headmaster that The Alliance has requested an audit of your work as Headmaster of Hogwarts. As you know, anything you say here will be considered evidence for the audit. I advise you to proceed with caution."
"Stop with all this stiff nonsense. Potter attacked me with an Impedimenta, Longbottom used a Tarantasomething spell on me, and Granger tied me up," Ron complained. This was taking too long. "Then, Black silenced me."
"Ronald, be quiet," Mr. Weasley looked apologetically at the major houses.
"Everything that happened was your fault. All I was doing was trying to be a decent classmate by walking you to the Infirmary. You had these two," Harry motioned to the boys, "attack me when I wasn't expecting it. They kicked me. I defended myself. My friends' actions were on my defense, and none of the attackers got seriously hurt."
"Not hurt?! Look at me!" Ronald had refused their brothers' attempts at taking him to the Infirmary. He knew that being bruised would be his secret pity weapon.
"Bullshit!" Harry exclaimed.
Emma chided him with a harsh "Language, Harry James!"
"You were hurt by Crabbe and Goyle!" Harry continued after saying a hasty 'Sorry' to Emma.
"Was not!" the goons yelled.
"Was too!" Neville replied.
Emma massaged her temples. "For God's sake! Enough!"
Harry and Neville lowered their heads and went silent. Crabbe and Goyle kept complaining.
"Did she just say 'God'?" Lady Goyle whispered to Mr. Crabbe with a horrified face.
Emma ignored her. "This is like a bloody nursery! Headmaster Flitwick, you have clearly lost control of this situation. Now, why don't one of you professors silence everyone so that one person can speak at a time and we can actually make sense of this?"
Everyone nodded their acquiescence.
"Mr. Potter, you were saying," Minerva silencioed everyone.
"I swear on my magic that my testimony is true." He sparked for a couple of seconds. The jaws of wizards and witches alike fell. Oaths on people's magic were as severe and binding as Veritaserum. "I was in the bathroom. Weasley came up from behind me and asked me why I didn't want to be his friend. I asked him how he got those bruises, and he accused Crabbe and Goyle. I told him to go to the Infirmary and tell his Head of House. I was going to leave to meet with my friends for dinner, but he asked me to come with him because he was scared if these two saw him alone, they would attack him yet again."
"Mhmm," McGonagall had a dictoquill writing everything down. "What happened then?"
"I left the bathroom after Weasley. We were walking by the corridor close to the stairs, and suddenly I felt someone hit my stomach, and Weasley laughed. Crabbe and Goyle kicked my ribs when I was already down on the floor, struggling to breathe, and they would have done worse if my friends hadn't come to help me. I used self-defense techniques and made Crabbe and Goyle fall down. Weasley reached for his wand, and I was afraid he would attack me, so I used Impedimenta to push him away from me."
Lady Goyle and Mr. Crabbe looked at their children, who simply looked down, admitting to their deed.
"What did your friends do?" McGonagall said.
"Neville cast a Tarantallegra on Ronald so he wouldn't attack me easily as his wand was out. Then, Ronald called Neville a 'dumbass.'" Harry paused and looked apologetically at his friend and Augusta. Lady Longbottom sent a scorching look at the Weasleys and squeezed her grandson's shoulders. Harry went on, "Hermione used an Incarcerous, to tie Weasley up. Then, Weasley called Hermione something I will not repeat, and Draco used Silencio on them so that they would not keep insulting anyone else."
"Mr. Potter, please write down the insult, here,"
"Do I have to?" he looked up with sad eyes and a blush.
"We need your full testimony," Minerva nodded. The boy took the parchment and feather pen and quickly wrote the insult, handing the paper back to the professor. "Mr. Weasley called Ms. Granger, pardon me, Hermione, Dr. and Dr. Granger, I am just reading, a mudblood bitch."
Daniel turned to the boy with cold fury. Arthur was looking at his son like he was a complete stranger. Molly was covering her face. Hermione sagged on her chair, tears coming down her face. When Harry reached out to touch her, she moved away into her mother's arms. Her refusing his touch felt like a horrible burn to Harry, but by including that insult in his testimony, she felt like he betrayed her. It was humiliating.
Narcissa looked ready to pounce on the redhead and add to his many bruises. Emma felt her heart constrict painfully for her little girl, mostly when Crabbe and Goyle's guardians suppressed chuckles. This supremacy thing was not just a generational problem.
"I think we are done here. Unless Mr. Weasley, Mr. Crabbe or Mr. Goyle, want to provide a vow and contradict scion Potter…" Professor McGonagall said with a lifted brow. The three boys shook their heads, paling in pure terror at what would happen to their core if they tried to lie. Minerva ended the silencing charm.
"Listen, here, you little shit," Daniel walked menacingly towards Ronald, who had the gall to lift his hurt fists even when he was terrified. Daniel Granger's tall, muscular silhouette was impressive. He looked like he could beat the boy to a pulp without even breaking a sweat.
"Daddy, don't. He's not worth it," Hermione had followed her father and was pulling him back.
"Ronald Bilius Weasley, we raised you better than this! Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Hermione, please accept my apologies as the Head of House Weasley."
"That's it? I do not accept that! Also, it is Dr. Granger for you!"
"Dr. Granger, pardon me, but as muggles, you cannot legally demand more. Duels are strictly a wizard to wizard recourse," the headmaster explained.
Emma stood up and pulled her husband down to the chair before he kicked Filius' head like a soccer ball. It was a good thing that Hermione sat down on Daniel's lap because he wanted to throw the headmaster out of the stained glass window. Daniel looked at him so harshly that Filius was glad the man wasn't a wizard. He could have been turned to ash. "Who the fuck said anything about a duel? I am sick and tired of backward, inbreeding, sexist nazis trying to treat our daughter and us like we don't matter. Your job as headmaster is to apply the bloody rules! Sack them!"
Charlus cleared his throat. "I apologize for Mr. Granger as he is not well-versed yet in all formal House Procedures," Daniel looked at Charlus in absolute shock, feeling betrayed. The older man gave him an apologetic look, "However, his anger is justified. That vile insult alone should be grounds for expulsion, at the very least suspension. I do not understand why scion Crabbe and scion Goyle have not been punished for their beating of a Most Ancient and Noble House heir twice. As Mr. Crabbe and Lady Goyle know, the Potters have never taken kindly to attacks on their heirs."
The man and woman seemed to grow a bit shorter under the furious stare. "We know, Lord Potter," they quipped.
"As acting Lord Black, I also want you to know that the days when House of Black aligned with forces I will not name here are long over. We will not accept for your heirs or anyone else," he looked pointedly at Weasley here. "To touch another hair on scion Black's head without severe consequences," Charlus put his hand on Draco's shoulder. Gray eyes looked up at him with gratitude.
"Lord Potter, for the record, what exactly do you mean severe?" McGonagall asked to clarify. It all had to be in writing.
"House Potter and House Black are prepared to declare a Blood Feud with any houses that condone and promote the abuse of other heirs or threaten our lines succession," Charlus said with a deep frown. "I also want it to be known to all Heads of House present that Hermione Granger and her family are under the protection of our House, and as such, any slight against her or her parents will be a slight against us. The same applies to scion Longbottom and scion Black."
Dorea smiled at her husband. Politics was something he found distasteful, but he was unnervingly good at it. He knew how to present a united front and how to use his power and influence appropriately.
Lady Potter added, "I don't know if everyone here is aware, but House of Potter has an Alliance with House of Black, House of Longbottom, House of Greengrass," Molly Weasley looked up so fast her neck cracked. House of Greengrass? The mighty Domos Neutrum had joined the Potters? She paled. "And several minor houses. We will not hesitate to put pressure upon the right shoulders to make sure our families are treated respectfully and fairly. We are not requesting special treatment. We want justice. The Alliance requested the School Board meeting to review all the miscarriages of justice that have occurred since the beginning of the school year, not just those involving our heirs. Headmaster Flitwick, you can either punish these students under the school rules, or we will take this to the DMLE and have a proper House Trial."
Filius looked conflicted, so Severus cleared his throat and took over, "Lady Goyle, Mr. Crabbe, your move?"
Lady Goyle paled, "There is no need for that, Lord Potter. We will accept the school's punishment. Goyle, if you ever touch anyone protected by Lord Potter's House, again, you will have to face the Blood Feud on your own as a No-Name. Please extend my apologies to Lord Black when you see him next, Lord Potter."
The boy paled and nodded. "I apologize, Lord Potter, scions, Ms. Granger, Dr. and Mrs. Granger."
"It's Dr. Granger too, boy," Emma lifted a brow. He corrected himself and lowered his head.
Mr. Crabbe added, "We will do our best to make sure what has happened does not happen again. Boy, apologize, right now."
"I-I am sorry, everyone," he bowed to Lord Potter. As the Crabbe family was too insignificant in House hierarchy, the boy wasn't well-versed as his friend on how to apologize appropriately.
"Excuse me, but we still want retribution for what happened to our son," Molly interrupted Filius as he was about to speak.
"Molly Weasley nee Prewett, I am still expecting your House's apology," Charlus cut her off.
"My son is important too, you know," she snapped, placing her hands on her hips.
Dorea looked at Molly like she grew a second head. What a way to miss the point! "Of course, your son matters. However, it was he who attacked not one but three Most Noble and Ancient Houses showing blatant disregard for the consequences this would entail for a House such as yours. He is still covered in bruises to fish for sympathy. He could have gone to the Infirmary, but we've been told he refused. Your son colluded with these two to beat my grandson up. I don't think you have fully realized the precariousness of your current situation."
Mr. Weasley made a deep apologetic bow to the Potters, "Lady Potter, Molly may not have realized, but I have. House of Weasley begs House Potter and House Black to pardon the inexcusable behavior of our son on account of his youth and his apparent ignorance of all the etiquette and history he was taught at home. Clearly, my wife was not the best of teachers," Arthur's scowl made Molly take a step back. "While I know an apology doesn't take back what your scion and scion Black have gone through, I hope it shows our goodwill."
"Arthur!" Molly screeched.
"Silence! We will speak when we are home!" he barked at his wife, who blushed angrily but stayed quiet.
"House Potter and House Black accept your apology under the condition that your son stays as far away as possible from our heirs as possible. As such, Hogwarts will have to accommodate Draco apart from his abusers and make sure his class schedules are rearranged. That way, they only have to share a physical space during mealtimes," Charlus responded, looking in a clear challenge at the Headmaster. "I trust that the school will have no issue providing these minimal, low-cost changes as House of Potter contributes large sums of gold to Hogwart's coffers every year."
Filius knew when to admit defeat. "I will look into how to make the necessary changes. However, that may take some time."
"Headmaster, if I may," Minerva interrupted. "Considering that this could be requested by the Potters and the Blacks, I wrote down what needed to be changed for minimal disruption. Surely, Mr. Potter and Mr. Black's guardians will be pleased if Draco is allowed to share a room with scion Potter and scion Longbottom."
"He is a Slytherin, Minerva. He cannot come into the Gryffindor common room."
"Yes, he can. Provided that he can swear an oath not to act in a way that would be unbecoming of a Gryffindor while inside."
"Pardon me, professor McGonagall, that would be showing unfair privilege to one student," Filius frowned at her.
YES! I can read you like a book, sucker! She thought. That was precisely what she expected him to say.
"Headmaster, I had already given you a proposal to have mixed house bedrooms for all students. That way, Common Rooms will be a thing of the past. Dividing houses only breeds animosity. Students can work together to win the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup without having to share a bedroom or a Common Room."
"Now that is a progressive idea," Narcissa said with a smile.
"Thank you, Ms. Black. I believe that having students with different personalities and beliefs will benefit all students as they grow older. They can all benefit from each other's strengths and form strong, varied friendships. Genders would be kept separate, of course."
"I love that idea!" Emma exclaimed. "As we have seen here, having only Slytherins in the same room is no guarantee of peaceful cohabitation. I will venture to say that the same applies to all other houses. If they are sorted according to their personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, living with only the same characteristics must be tiresome."
"Headmaster, why did you disregard this proposal? It should have been brought before the School Board for its discussion," Lady Longbottom frowned.
"You don't expect me to throw hundreds of years of tradition out of the window because a small percentage of students cannot get along?" Filius saw red. He walked straight into Minerva's trap.
"If it will improve students' lives, we absolutely do!" Charlus replied without missing a beat. "Hogwarts has needed to change for a while now. Your abysmal performance as Headmaster is proof of this. I have lost respect for you, Filius. You were one of the wizards I respected most. I appreciate what you did last war, and that is the only reason I have not demanded a duel tonight."
Flitwick blanched. He didn't want to duel anyone. He was very out of shape at the moment. Charlus losing respect for him had hurt.
"Professor McGonagall, do you happen to have a copy of this proposal?" Augusta asked.
"Of course," McGonagall took out a tiny notebook from her pocket and engorgioed it. She handed it to Augusta.
"Thank you. If nothing further, I will get going. Charlus, Dorea, are you coming? We should get started reading this promising proposal," Augusta smiled.
"Absolutely, we have nothing further. I trust Professor McGonagall can make arrangements for Draco to sleep with his friends while this proposal is approved," Dorea smiled at Minerva.
"You mean once it is studied?" Flitwick blubbered.
"I mean what I say, Headmaster," Dorea smirked.
"We will leave you to make arrangements with Mr. Crabbe, scion Goyle, and Mr. Weasley. I would suggest they shouldn't share a room either," Charlus said with a nod.
He offered his arm to his wife and took Harry's hand. All the other families from the Alliance followed suit.
The guardians split up with their children and were caught up by them. Narcissa pushed Draco gently towards the Grangers and pulled her husband away.
"Explain yourself," she demanded, crossing her arms.
"Narcissa, I am sorry. I should have told you. However, Draco didn't even want me involved. He said he was trying to protect me from having to deal with Death Eaters. We have talked to Filius many times. I offered for Draco to stay in my room with me, but he said that people would think something… untoward was going on. In the attacks, they badmouthed you to him. They said you were cheating on Lucius. That you were a… I won't repeat it. Draco has asked me about it. I told him he needed to talk to you. I am sorry I didn't tell you, but you are prepping for the Potion's Mastery Admission Exam, and I didn't want your focus to deviate."
Narcissa's facial expression changed rapidly as she heard all that. "Nothing, absolutely nothing on Earth matters to me as much as Draco's wellbeing!"
"I know that. I apologize. It will not happen again. Andy healed him. There are pictures of the injuries in his DMLE file," Severus expanded.
"And she didn't tell me?!"
"Healer-patient confidentiality," Severus shrugged.
"But, he is a minor!" Narcissa whisper-shouted.
"I know. I think that and the whole muggle nonsense is something we should lobby against in the Wizengamot. Love, you need to talk to him about what those boys said…"
"They called me a whore, didn't they? Stupid Lady Goyle. At some point, I thought we were friends. I told her those things in confidence!" Narcissa whisper-shouted.
"Those people have no friends. No respect for secrets or anything else, really."
"Promise me you will never shield me from information regarding our son. I don't care how serious it is or how busy I am," Narcissa pressed.
"I promise… Draco called me Dad the other day," Severus blushed with a sincere smile.
"He did?!" Narcissa gushed.
"And has been calling me Dad, in private, ever since,"
Narcissa hugged her husband and kissed him thoroughly. They had wished for this to happen, but they wouldn't push Draco. Now that he had decided to call Severus Dad on his own, they were over the moon.
"I am so happy! For you, for him, and for me as well… And don't worry, I will make sure to talk to him during the break."
"Mione, please forgive me. I didn't want to say that… But Aunt Minnie insisted and I-"
"Just save it. I get it. I just don't like it," Hermione shrugged.
"Please, I hate it when you shut me out," Harry took her hand. He could feel her pulling away from his mind through his bond.
"You push me out often. I don't complain," Hermione crossed her arms in front of her with a frown.
"Because I am trying to protect you. I think that if I pull away when we are taking classes with Quirrell, perhaps you won't be in pain…"
Hermione's frown softened at this. "We need to tell them about the mouth behind his head…"
"I know, but we should do it over the break. Maybe if Uncle Sev backs up our claims, they'll believe us…" Harry said uncertainly.
"I don't think even Uncle Sev believed us about the unicorn blood…"
Both kids sighed in unison.
Emma had been standing at a distance. That conversation had taken a very unexpected and troubling turn. Severus would have to explain.
"I am seriously considering moving Hermione to a different school!" Daniel exclaimed as he saw Harry whisper to Hermione from afar while Emma looked on.
"Daniel, no one can tell you what is best for your child. However, I want to ask you to give us some time. If all goes like we expect, Minerva's proposal will be approved, and Filius will be removed from the Headmaster's position. If we make no progress, we will enroll Harry in a different school too."
Emma was incensed. She had been paying attention to her kids' conversation, and when she heard that, she had enough. She rushed to the Potters. "What is this I hear about a professor with a mouth on the back of his head!?"
"What?!" Charlus looked at Emma in high alarm.
"Severus! Come here," Emma whisper-shouted.
Snape grimaced because he knew what this was about. Narcissa walked with him.
"Tell me why on Earth no one has informed us that our kids saw a professor with two mouths?! I hope the children are confused regarding unicorn blood being all over that man!" Emma put her hands on her hips and frowned.
Daniel blinked. "There are unicorns at Hogwarts?"
"Not exactly. They live in the Forbidden Forest," Narcissa replied with a shrug like it was entirely normal. Daniel gaped.
"I am looking into this, Emma. His name is Quirinus Quirrell. I wrote to Charlus to get access to the main Potter Library to research. Hermione had an interesting theory, although it is impossible. However, my theory is worse, I'm afraid."
"What do you mean?"
"Apparently, Harry's scar reacts when Quirrell's back is turned to him. Hermione has felt it too, but much more subtly," Severus explained. You could have heard a pin drop. Emma turned to hug her husband as a bout of nausea hit her.
"Please tell me you don't mean there's another Horcrux," Dorea whisper shouted, grabbing her husband's arm for support.
"I don't know. That's why I want to do research. It would be good to enquire with Martin. See if he has heard of spirits returning? Maybe the exorcism wasn't entirely effective."
"I doubt it. We were there. The whole disgusting thing was shut out in that chest with the chains…" Emma grimaced at the memory.
"Still, I will contact Martin and have him make some inquiries."
"What else lives in this Forbidden Forest?" Daniel asked with trepidation.
"Many creatures, both non-magical and magical," Severus replied with what he hoped was a calming voice.
"Is it dangerous? How close to the school is it?"
No one wanted to answer.
"Is it walking distance to hundreds of children who think the very word forbidden is a bloody challenge!?"
Severus nodded. "It is a ten-minute walk. However, the DMLE forced Hogwarts to create a fence."
"Clearly, it doesn't work if professor Two-Faced can walk around killing motherfucking unicorns! This is a school for crying out loud!" Daniel whisper-shouted.
"Look, Hagrid makes sure the kids stay away from the fence. Professors can go beyond the fence because we sometimes need potion ingredients of magical substances found in there," Snape explained.
A few meters away, Neville was being praised by his usually reserved grandmother.
"I am proud of you, Neville," she smiled and kissed the top of the boy's head. "What you did is exactly the mark of a Longbottom. Your parents will be thrilled."
"Grandma… Can I tell you something? Keep it just between us?"
"Yes?"
"I had never cast a Tarantallegra before! I had only read about it… All these years, I have felt like I… Like I am never gonna be a good wizard, you know? Not like my dad or my mom were…" The boy's head was down.
"Baby…" Augusta began, caressing the boy's cheek.
"But I did it! Me! No one taught me! No one helped me. It was just me and my wand."
"It's in your blood, Nevy. Frank and Alice were great casters. I'm not too bad myself," she winked. "And your grandfather was a great wizard."
"I know. I just… I always felt like I didn't deserve to be a Longbottom, but now I do. I really do," the boy's eyes shone with happy tears. Augusta gave him a bear hug, and they stayed hugging until the conversation nearby attracted their attention.
"Fabulous, so this school has a mediocre headmaster, a unicorn vampire, mini terrorist wannabes, and freaking useless fences! Not to mention that students aren't even safe in the hallways or in their own bedrooms!" Daniel had to count backward from 50 now to calm down.
"Daniel, I understand your frustration, but we cannot do anything about this Quirrell guy without proof. He hasn't tried anything with any students. We have a few weeks until Christmas break. I will personally go through each book in our library if necessary, but we will figure this out. If by the time the children are scheduled to come back, we know nothing else or things deteriorate further, we will start researching other educational options for the children," Charlus offered slowly.
"I think Daniel and I would be more comfortable if we start researching other schools right away, so we are better prepared," Emma replied with a small frown.
"We understand. Let's say goodbye and go home. We need to get a good night's sleep so that we can get started researching and sending letters first thing tomorrow."
Augusta approached with a smiley Neville. "Who died?" she inquired.
"Come home for breakfast tomorrow, and we will catch you up," Dorea offered. "You should come too, Cissa."
"Kids, we're leaving. Come say goodbye," Dorea waved them over.
A couple of days later, Martin Shaw was shaken awake by a security guard from the complex she was currently staying at. An international caller was looking for him. He took the phone sleepily, but as he heard the quick explanation from the other line, he sat up feeling very awake.
"Remnants?" he asked. "It could technically be possible. Although that's rare. Regardless, I'll look into it. Spirits can be deceiving."
"Can we have you examine him during Christmas break? You are still coming, right?" the baritone voice of Charlus Potter asked.
"Since you were so kind as to pay for my tickets, and the Holy Father granted me permission, I will be there."
"Wonderful, we will pick you up at Heathrow, like we agreed," Carlus reminded him.
"I'd appreciate that… I will look into evidence of remnants, don't worry."
"Thank you, sorry for waking you up,"
"No worries. I understand your concerns, send everyone my regards," Martin said with a smile.
He put on a robe. No point in trying to sleep now, he made a few calls, packed a small lunch, and left for the Vatican Library. He wanted to be there as soon as they opened.
Professor Quirrell was in his bedroom in a heated discussion with the back of his head.
"I k-know you w-want to do it n-now, Sir, but we c-can't. S-Snape's been l-looking at me a lot and-"
"That traitor! I shall have his head!"
"But, h-he was your r-right hand man, w-wasn't he?" Quirinus replied with fear. If Voldemort was willing to kill his top soldier, what would he do to him?
"He has betrayed me! Helping Potter! Colluding with my enemies! I will end him!... And I will also end you if you don't get me that stone!"
"B-B-But, sir… we c-can't get it until everyone goes to C-C-Christmas break…"
"We will do it when everyone is on the feast, you hear? Did you manage to get the troll?"
"I'm still n-n-negotiating with the d-d-dealer," Quirinus wished he could smother the back of his head.
"I don't care how much it costs. AK him if you must, but get me that troll… We need the distraction to find out what sorts of protections there are on the stone," Voldemort growled.
"It s-shall be d-done," Quirinus replied. He was getting sick and tired of pretending to stutter. He couldn't wait to have his freedom back.
A/N: Thank you for reading! Positive energies to US readers in this stressful vote-counting time. -Lux-