CHAPTER 14
The Start Of A New Year
The second Draco passed through the barrier between platform nine and ten, he was stared at and hadn't it been for Blaire's hand on his shoulder, he would have turned around and hidden somewhere.
Very firmly, she directed him over to an empty compartment and that was where he sat with the triplets and Neville for the rest of the trip. Mr. Evans patiently carried in all their trunks and after a round of overwhelming but not too unpleasant goodbyes, his mother and the Evans' were left behind as the train moved ahead.
The journey hadn't been too bad, and no one visited their compartment save for a visit from the Ollivander girl, who was as shy as always. She approached Draco and shook his hand in silent sympathy and that was that. Then she headed out, probably to meet with Granger and Weasley. It was then that it occurred to Draco that though the Daily Prophet hadn't collected or given much information, seeing him with the triplets would certainly give away a lot, not that people had already begun spinning their own theories.
Draco kept his head down and headed to the Slytherin table. He was very grateful that Harry decided to sit next to him. And during dinner, every cruel comment thrown at him was hit back with a cheeky, witty one from Harry.
"Don't worry," Harry whispered to him warmly. "It will fizzle out eventually. It's always like this at first. It will get better in time. And I will help you through it all." Then he spoke a little louder, "What chances do you think there are that Hermione Granger will beat Blaire this year?"
Draco smiled at his new friend, wondering when everything did settle down how he was ever going to thank him.
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After the feast Severus made his way up to Dumbledore's office.
"Come, Severus," Dumbledore said as he personally came to open the door. "Do sit down. It's going to be a long night."
Severus sat and waited for Dumbledore to do the same.
"Have you heard of the term, horcrux, Severus?"
Severus shook his head with a frown.
Dumbledore nodded.
"That's because I took out any book from the library that bore the very word. A horcrux, Severus is a container, any container, that contains a piece of a person's soul."
Severus's frown deepened in confusion.
"I don't understand. Why would the soul piece get there in the first place?"
"So that it's master does not die."
Severus shook his head.
"Let me explain in the shortest way possible...A horcrux is created on pure evil, Severus...One has to kill an innocent with both, purpose and intent of pure evil. Then a particular incantation breaks apart a piece of the murderer's soul, this piece is then contained in container desired, whether living or dead. The more of his soul he loses, the lesser human he becomes and nothing save for fiendfyre and the venom of a basilisk can destroy such a container... And, as long as the container survives, the person cannot die."
Severus felt understanding dawn onto him and the blood drained from his face. How disgusting could someone get?
"This isn't good." he said finally.
"It isn't."
"Can't it be reversed?"
"Remorse is the only hope, heartfelt and raw...and it can destroy such persons."
That wasn't ever going to happen.
Severus sighed and then cleared his throat
and said, "Now, if I assume correctly, that diadem was a horcrux...then we have nothing more to worry about."
"I believe that there are more than one, Severus." Dumbledore said and Severus jerked back with disgust.
"Yes." Dumbledore went on, nodding in understanding. "And I most unfortunately had to force feed Horace Slughorn with Veritaserum to get the answer. Apparently, the man was cleverly wheedled by Tom Riddle and unsuspectingly told him that he could make seven."
Severus's eyes widened involuntarily. Dumbledore continued, "From what I have come to find out, I believe he made only six, hoping to make the seventh when he was done with young Harry. But he failed... and we now have five more to find and destroy."
"The first is the Diadem." Severus said slowly, "Then, that diary, perhaps?"
"Yes, and I would like you to know that Tom has always liked to have the best of things... The Diadem belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw."
Now something clicked in Severus's head.
"The Hufflepuff cup?" he suggested.
"Very good."
"Something of Slytherin and Gryffindor?"
"I believe he hadn't reached Gryffindor yet, Severus. Just Slytherin's locket and ring. All Gryffindor had was a sword and a hat and the sword is safely put away deep in the Goblin's treasury, waiting to be summoned by the next true Gryffindor...The hat wouldn't have been touched by Tom, it's too unappealing."
"Hey!" the hat bit out indignantly. "I'd like to see what your state will be in two thousand years!"
Dumbledore chuckled and said to Severus, "Now, we have the diadem. We need to procure the diary, the Cup, the locket and ring. I've done more research during the latter days of the vacation, Severus, and I have found one possible location that he could have hidden a horcrux or, hopefully, two. He wisely kept them all in different places...Will you come with me to procure one?"
Severus nodded unhesitatingly.
"It may be a very dangerous mission, Severus, and you have an entire family depending on you...Let me ask again, are you willing to come with me, Severus?"
Severus frowned, either way, his family would be in danger...Voldemort would still come after them.
"What danger would I be in, Headmaster?"
"No danger, Severus. I have taken care of it and will be taking care of anything else, but we must be careful..."
Severus let himself relax.
"I'm coming...Where are we going?"
"A place called Little Hangleton. To the House of Gaunt to be precise. But there is something else you must keep in mind... Severus, if I by any chance get enchanted, or if magic takes over my mind once we get there, and tempts me to so much as touch anything and I am about to do so without telling you in advance, I want your word, that you will prevent it, Severus, as I will do for you. Eject me from the room or even stun me, but don't let myself and you be cheated to death by one of Tom's traps."
Severus nodded again without any hesitation.
Dumbledore went on, "However, there could be a chance that I may behave rather normally in that enchanted state. You will have to trust your judgement. I, like you, have made terrible mistakes in my youth, Severus. Unlike you, however, I live to regret my mistakes to this day. Hence, there are many things that can easily fool me, things that you may think of as childsplay."
Severus made a move to nod again, but checked himself in time and said, "Why are you tell me this, Headmaster?"
Dumbledore looked at Severus straight in the eye and said, "Voldemort always knew to hit where it hurt the most."
...
It was only after two cups of strong coffee that Dumbledore decided that they were ready to leave and he and Severus disillusioned themselves and walked up to the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade before they disapperated to this Little Hangleton place, exactly outside the House of Gaunt.
"That was an anticlimax." Severus murmured taking in the shabby, broken down little hut in front of him.
Dumbledore chuckled and said, "This housed Slytherin's last pureblood descendants. The Gaunts. The girl ran off to marry Tom Riddle senior who lived in that manor over there."
He indicated a large dreary looking place some distance away.
"Created a huge scandal in these parts, back then."
It struck Severus, then, that Dumbledore was giving him a gist about Voldemort's parentage. He shook his head and followed the older man.
They kept their wands at the ready and made their way into the house. Apparently, Dumbledore had already been here and had taken care of a major section of the curses around the place. Nevertheless, Severus stayed on the alert.
Slowly moving over the creaking, rotting, dirty floorboards, Dumbledore magicked a piece of wood to come off followed by a golden box, which opened to reveal an ugly ring.
Dumbledore stared at it for almost half-a-minute, and then he gasped out like a child who'd recieved an unexpected present.
"It's so beautiful, I want to touch it." Dumbledore murmured much to Severus's alarm.
Severus moved his eyes to Dumbledore's face only to to see his eyes have a dreamy, unfocused expression. This was not good...not good at all! Dumbledore took an unsteady step forward.
"Oh, Ariana, my darling!" he said and to Severus's utter consternation, the headmaster dropped his wand. "Severus I'm going to touch the box. Don't stop me, this has to be done. I'm coming, Ariana, Mother! Father!... You're here! You're all here!... You have to know how sorry I am!"
Severus had heard enough. Before Dumbledore could move any further or do anything more foolish, he put him under a powerful sleeping spell and made sure the headmaster fell onto a perfectly timed and aimed stretcher that he kept afloat, before he magically got the box to close and banished it to a cupboard in his house at Spinner's End. Then he conjured a similar box and placed it in the floorboards and closed it up, just in case Voldemort decided to come and check on it.
Then Severus grabbed hold of the Headmaster's arm and picked up his fallen wand and used a special portkey, an invisible band around his forearm, he'd kept to use as an emergency, in case he was caught during his days as a spy. Paranoia was what made him wear it to this day.
They landed in Severus's quarters at Hogwarts and Severus let the Headmaster sleep in his bed. Then, without a moment of hesitation, he went up to the Headmaster's office and demanded for that glass chamber. It was revealed to him without any fuss. Apparently, Dumbledore expected to die in the mission. And now it was plainly obvious that leaving everything in Severus's charge was his plan B.
Severus lifted the heavy chamber, not daring to place any spells on it and flooed from the Headmaster's quarters to his home at Spinner's End.
Once he made it, Severus magically levitated box, ring and all into the glass chamber and set up silencing wards around him and the chamber and then, with everything he had, he cast Fiendfyre on the box and shut the chamber.
This time the scream he heard was very satisfying. He picked up the empty chamber and portkeyed back to his quarters, from where he flooed to the Headmaster's office and placed the chamber where it belonged.
Then he headed back to his quarters and fell asleep as soon as his head touched the cushion on his couch.
It was only when Severus awoke at five in the morning that he took the charm off the Headmaster. While the unusually quiet old man simply nodded at him and proceeded to use the bathroom, Severus put a kettle on the stove, proceeding to make tea.
His mind wandered to the previous night, wondering what regrets the great Albus Dumbledore could possibly have. Was this Ariana an old sweetheart that he'd failed somehow? Why was he apologising to his parents? Though it wasn't any of his business, Severus couldn't help but be curious. However, a rather firm voice in his head stated that he had no right to demand an answer.
"Good morning, Severus." Dumbledore said weakly.
"Good morning, Headmaster." Severus said handing him a mug of tea spiked with pepper-up potion. "I took care of the ring last night... Burnt the box altogether."
The headmaster made a small sound of despair, but nodded nonetheless.
Severus said cautiously, "If you don't mind me asking, could you please tell me what aroused such a terrible reaction from you last night?"
Dumbledore sighed and shut his eyes for a moment. Then with his eyes still shut, he said, "Severus, have you read the story of the Three Brothers?"
"That tale? The death stick, the resurrection stone and the cloak of invisibility?"
"Yes, but to must know that the story is indeed true and those three artifacts do indeed exist, or at least they did, now there are only two."
Dumbledore took out his wand, the one that he'd dropped in that shack and that Severus had placed on the bedside table the previous night and said, "This is the Elder wand, or the Death Stick. It came into my possession after the defeat of Grindelwald and, if we aren't too careful, it may come in possession of Lord Voldemort if ever he comes to know of it's existence.
"And aside from you, Grindelwald and me, I believe there are just two others who know of it's existence, Ollivander and another wandmaker residing in Bulgaria, known as Gregorovitch... I made terrible mistakes when I was younger, Severus, some grave enough to cost me the life of my sister, Ariana.
"At this age, all I live with is regrets and seeing that stone on the ring, the resurrection stone that neither Slytherin, nor Gaunt nor even Voldemort were aware of, coupled with that luring charm certainly gave me one way of calling them back to me so I could apologize, so that I could live the rest my life in peace... I know I'm burdening you with unwanted weight, Severus, but you have my utmost gratitude for what you've done. I am glad that you destroyed the stone."
Then Severus scowled and ground out, "I don't suppose the cloak you gave the triplets is the third gift of death. Or is it?"
Dumbledore looked sheepish but remained silent.
Severus growled, "You may as well know that I've asked them to keep it in their room at Privet Drive."
Dumbledore nodded, "Of course, Severus. They are your responsibility after all. You have every right to care for them with their best interests at heart."
Severus said nothing.
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Draco wanted to skip his lessons today, but Harry Pestering Potter saw it fit that Draco was up and in the Great Hall before the other boys in the dorm could even get up.
Being the first at his table, Draco got a chance to consume the best of the servings before Harry dragged him off to the library, where Blaire, Ethan and Neville were already seated.
"Good morning, Draco!" Blaire said cheerfully.
"Hey." Draco said with a small smile. He nodded awkwardly at Ethan and Neville for some reason. They nodded back.
"Are you four ready for class?" she asked as she closed a huge tome and levitated back to one of the shelves.
"Oh, yes." Neville said happily. "It's Herbology first thing for me today!"
"Same here." Ethan said consulting his timetable.
"Oh bother!" Harry groaned. 'We didn't wait for our timetable."
He gripped Draco's arm and dragged him back down the Marble stairs, into the entrance hall. They were just going to open the door when-
"Harry! Harry! Harry!"
Harry felt something snake around his shoulders and pull him from Draco and into something solid.
"Though, I'd find you here, dear boy!" Harry looked up to find a wizard, more precisely, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart looking down at him with something akin to affection. His arm around Harry's shoulders feeling more suffocating than paternal.
"My haunches are quite good you see." he said. "I wouldn't have been able to bring down the werewolf that night had it not been for my haunch...and my skill and brains of course." Harry started to feel sick.
"But," Lockhart went on, "you are Harry, aren't you? Not your silly Hufflepuff brother-"
What the- silly! How dare he!
"or know-it-all sister, though I'm sure she doesn't know half of what I know." Harry now positively hated Lockhart.
"My brother and sister are a hundred times better than you!" he shouted from his position by Lockhart's side.
"I'll take a point off more for ignorance than disrespect, Harry." Lockhart chided, his arm tightening around Harry's shoulders. "I know that you defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but you must know that you are nothing, Harry. You don't have the exper-"
"LOCKHART! UNHAND MY STUDENT THIS INSTANT!"
Lockhart jumped away from Harry at the voice of a furious Professor Snape and Harry couldn't have been more grateful.
Before the Professor could approach them from the entrance to the dungeons, however, Harry stood up straight and said, "I repeat what I said, Professor Lockhart. My siblings are a hundred times better than you will ever be. I won't tolerate it if I hear you insulting them again!"
Lockhart nodded hastily, then he eyed the furious Professor Snape, whimpered and dashed into the Great Hall.
...
Lockhart refrained from approaching Harry directly again, but now Harry was used as an unwilling volunteer to aid him when he demonstrated his accomplishments during the DADA classes...And by the end of the week-
"Draco, I'm sick of it all!"
"I told you-"
"No. I can't run to them for help for every small little thing. They've done and sacrificed so much for me already! Lockhart's a stupid, selfish, useless-"
"He's done a lot of great things, Harry."
"He says he's done them." Harry said. "You know what, I'll bet you my toolbox that he hasn't done even half of what he claims. I'll prove it to you... Could I borrow Dobby, please?"
Draco sighed with resignation and said, "Dobby?"
Dobby appeared in a smart looking outfit.
"What can Dobby do for Sirs?"
"Dobby," Harry said, " When you have the time, could you please do some snooping around and find out if Gilderoy Lockhart has really done everything he says he's done? There's no hurry though."
Dobby nodded. His face serious.
"Dobby will snoop around for Harry Potter Sir, when Dobby is free. Dobby promises."
"Thanks Dobby. You can go through my copy of his books for a start."
The elf bowed and disappeared.
"And that's going to stop Lockhart from making you sick?" Draco drawled.
"Oh no." Harry said, his eyes glinting mischievously. "I'm going to take care of Lockhart the Harry Potter way. Let's go the the library, I want to brush up on my spells."
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It was nearly midnight on the first Sunday of the academic year when Severus felt an alarm go off...the alarm that informed him that his other alarms on that particular tap in that bathroom had been turned off.
So there indeed was a problem with that tap.
Severus wasted a few precious minutes changing into his protective dueling robes before he rushed out of his chambers and he'd ran for almost another minute before something collided with him. There was a thud and a whimper.
Severus illuminated the passage with his wand and found a very pale and shaking Harry on the floor.
"Harry?" Severus said in surprise as he gently helped the boy up.
"Professor!" Harry said relieved."I was coming to you!"
"Whatever for?"
"I'm going mad, Professor! I'm hearing voices!"
"Calm down, child."
Severus sighed and sent a Patronus to Dumbledore and McGonagall, explaining his enchantments on that tap and it's finer details in brief and hurried Harry into his quarters and onto his couch and pressed a cup of hot chocolate, laced with a calming drought into his hands.
"Tell me about the voices you heard."
"There's a cold mean voice that came from the walls, Professor! It said it wanted to rip and kill. It craved blood and and it was so very hungry. It just needed to kill! The voice came from all over the walls and Draco didn't hear a thing!"
Severus processed the information and said, "Why haven't you consulted your siblings through your mental bond?"
Harry looked down at his mug.
"I don't want to take them for granted, Sir. They've already done and sacrificed so much for me. I didn't want to worry them."
That was a topic Lily Potter could deal with. Without glancing up, Severus was well aware that she was listening from her portrait. If she didn't talk sense into the boy, Severus would once he had returned from that particular bathroom.
"Harry, I'm going to tell you something. You are not going crazy. There will be a simple explanation that I have no time to think about or search for now, for I'm in the middle of an emergency. You drink your chocolate and try to get some sleep."
He placed a couple of blankets on the couch, next to the boy.
"I'll be back in an hour. I won't have you worrying over something that you shouldn't be worrying about. Forget about the voices and sleep for now...Venn!" he commanded and his little companion, whom he still refused to expose to the rest of the school, rushed into the room.
"Stand guard!"
She sat by the couch her back and ears straighter than usual.
Severus nodded at them both and left his quarters for the second time and made a dash for that bathroom. He found Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout standing outside in the corridor, occasionally casting various spells at the door.
"What's happened?" he demanded.
"The door just won't open!" McGonagall snapped in frustration. "We can't even tear it down!"
Severus cast a couple of detection spells and couldn't find anything.
"We did that too." Sprout said cooly.
Severus let out a breath, put his wand back up his sleeve and placed his hands on the door. He could feel a faint thrum of magic moving not only through the door but through the walls too. If he wasn't mistaken, he was sure every corner of the room was surrounded by this magic.
But he was sure of one thing. The spell used was dark.
He said as much and Dumbledore looked grave.
"Let's disillusion ourselves and wait and see if this door opens." he said.
And that's what they did. And as they stood, invisible, Severus told them about Harry's tale.
"Poor child!" said Flitwick. "I shall see if I find something to help him out, Severus."
"We all will." said Sprout.
Severus thanked them politely.
They remained silent, patiently waiting for the next hour and half and finally, the door opened and they barely heard the light footfalls. They raised their wands in anticipation, but saw no one.
They're plan had turned around and bitten them instead, leaving the professors red-faced.
...
It was a very rueful Severus who went up to the Headmaster's office the next day and not even seeing Lockhart's hair falling off his head in chunks could lighten his mood. And while he waited for the other Heads of house to arrive he put up wards around the office and said, "Are you aware of any other means of ridding a container of a horcrux?"
"Why do you ask, Severus?" Dumbledore said.
"We can't destroy everything that's got his soul, can we? What if the container is something we can't afford to destroy?"
Dumbledore frowned and said, "I'm sorry, Severus. There is no other way. But, I will spend the Christmas holidays visiting the libraries in Armenia, Israel, Macau, India, Angola and some other countries with ancient scripts on soul magic and I shall let you know. However, I don't think there is need for us to save these objects that we speak of."
Severus nodded.
Dumbledore said, "Severus, do you know of any other Death Eaters whom Voldemort would give his horcrux to for safekeeping."
Severus frowned, "You know, Headmaster, I don't really know what made Voldemort give his horcrux to Lucius in the first place. But I think Bellatrix would have been a better option. She would lick his shoes with enthusiasm if he asked her to." He broke off with a light shudder.
Dumbledore looked thoughtful.
"And I believe, Gringotts is the safest place on earth apart from Hogwarts?"
Severus nodded.
"Hmmm...and I'm am very sure that Tom knows it too...How strong is your contact with Narcissa, Severus?"
"What do you mean?"
"If you ask her to let you come with her to visit all the Black and maybe Lestrange Vaults at Gringotts, she is currently entitled to it all, I believe. Will she let you?"
"Of course." Severus said.
"Don't be in a rush Severus. Maybe a vault at a time. There should either be the Locket or the Cup."
Severus nodded then frowned, "Isn't there anything else that he could have used other than those artifacts?"
"I don't think so, Severus. I have been able to acquire many crucial memories regarding Voldemort's younger life... about where he worked after graduating from Hogwarts and whom he visited. It was only if we hadn't found that diadem that I would have been debating between the sword of Gryffindor and the diadem of Ravenclaw. A small chat with the Ravenclaw ghost did help clear certain doubts as to how he got the tiara into his possession."
"Ghosts!" Severus exclaimed aloud, his heart beating in excitement. "Moaning Myrtle! We could ask her who entered the bathroom! Or if she didn't see who the person was, we could ask her what was done to that stupid tap!"
Dumbledore looked stunned.
"Of course. That's quick thinking, Severus. We'll do it as soon as Minerva, Pomona and Filius meet up here."
It wasn't two minutes later that the three entered, looking looking quite amused.
"Good afternoon, Headmaster, Severus. Have you seen Lockhart today?" Flitwick said, while Minerva snorted.
"He's losing his hair." Severus said.
"Oh yes." Flitwick said. "He went to poppy for help and she gave him some of that hair replenisher potion. But now he just can't seem to sit in one place."
Sprout chuckled, " I think someone's put itching powder down all his robes. It's the fourth one he's changed to today."
"Serves him right." McGonagall said. "Can you believe the man! He approached me today morning wanting to know if I needed his advice regarding the direct transfiguration of substance to food. Thinks he can overule Gamp! The utter fool! Why did you even hire him, Albus?"
"My dear Minerva," Dumbledore said with mild exasperation. "Gilderoy was the only one to apply this year."
"I really must have written my application with invisible ink then, eh?" Severus said, every word dripping with sarcasm.
"I need my Potions Master, Severus." Dumbledore said placatingly. "Don't tell Horace I said so, but you certainly are better than him."
Severus breathed out with helpless irritation and stood up abruptly.
"Let's get on with it, shall we?"
"With what?" Sprout said.
"I'll explain on the way. If we linger here any longer we may be joined by the great fool himself."
And when the door slammed open just the moment later, Severus wished he could have bitten off his tongue. There at the door, standing as though he had just succeeded in capturing a raging bull stood Gilderoy Lockhart, his hands clamped painfully on the hair of one of Severus's dearest students.
"LOCKHART!" he roared as his blood begining to boil. "UNHAND MY STUDENT!"
Lockhart apparently startled about the little conference let go of Harry's hair and Severus pulled the boy towards him sending a powerful stinging hex at the man.
"How dare you, you pathetic imbecile!" Severus continued holding Harry close. "What gives you the right to manhandle my student." He turned to the others and stated, "This is the second time I've caught him doing this. Are you hurt, Potter?"
Harry shook his head gingerly, slowly raising his hand to delicately massage his scalp. Lockhart, having recovered from the sting said nastily, "That little rascal's been pranking me all day."
"No I haven't!" Harry ground out.
"Then explain, why I can't touch you? I get stinging shocks every time I do!"
That got everyone's attention.
"Because I didn't want you too!" Harry turned to look up at Severus and said, "Sir, since that day when he mocked Blaire and Ethan and I reciprocated, he's having me help demonstrate his victories in class. He pounced on me when he had me play the role of a werewolf and I had a huge bruise after that. I didn't hex him! I put the charm on me to protect myself, I just forgot about my hair!"
"Lockhart!" Severus growled, trying his best not to crush Harry in his fury.
Lockhart was gradually turning purple, "Then explain how you managed to get my hair to fall off! What about all those itches?"
"That wasn't me, Professor." Harry said scowling.
"Then who was it?"
"I don't know." Harry insisted.
"Why you little-"
"Lockhart!" Severus shouted. "That's enough."
"I agree with Severus, Gilderoy." Dumbledore said quietly from where he was standing in front of his desk. "And I am afraid I must warn you. If you lay a hand on Harry or any of my other students again, I will be forced to fire you."
Lockhart visibly calmed himself down and smiled his sickening smile, "Of course, Headmaster. I do not know what came over me right now. Harry dear boy, I am willing to give you a break from my classes for this week so you recover. Rest assured that I will see to it that no harm comes upon you. Would you like me to escort you to your next class?"
He held out a hand to Harry and the boy banged into Severus in an attempt to move away.
"I think he'll manage alone, Lockart." Severus said icily. "But I will ensure that he has placed that protective charm on his hair before he leaves this office. I'm starting to doubt your abilities."
Lockhart let out a hasty, nervous laugh and then he grinned unabashed and, if Severus could have his say, stupidly, and said, "Nonsense, Severus." then he turned and bounced out of the office.
Severus turned to the others and said, "Excuse us for a moment."
He led a silently seething Harry outside the office and said, "You may not know who exactly pulled those pranks, but I believe you know the parties involved?"
Harry nodded and looked at his shoes.
"And that's probably thanks to you telling them the problems you were facing?"
Harry sighed and said, "Yes, Professor."
"Great." Severus said warmly. "You can tell Blaire, Ethan, Neville and Draco that I'm proud of them, that they may continue to keep Lockhart in line, albeit subtly and I won't tolerate it if they get caught. You on the other hand, young man, will do well to keep you temper in check. I know what it is to have somebody mock someone I hold dear, but you are a Slytherin, Harry. Make your point known the Slytherin way."
He pushed a stunned, partly open-mouthed Harry to stand on the moving staircase and re-entered the office. Everyone was now seated in their respective chairs.
Severus looked at them passively. "I told Harry, that if he comes across any of the culprits, to tell them not to get caught.
"Slytherin students?" Flitwick asked.
"It's an inter-house thing, actually."
Flitwick nodded knowingly.
"Now," Severus said with purpose, "how about we head to that bathroom and confront Moaning Myrtle to ask her if she saw anything unusual about last night."
tbc...