Neither boy returned to school for the rest of the week. Both Ryan and Hector were understandably shaken from what happened, and their parents gave them no choice. Ryan spent the rest of the week at Black Manor, not only with his dads and Grandsire, but his Uncles as well. Remus and Orion both felt a bit of guilt in it, well Remus more, that he would voice. He knew one of the reasons the man had it out for his new nephew, was because Remus took over his contract years ago. Sirius had reminded his husband it wasn't his fault, the man was sick, and looking for an excuse. His hatred of the Blacks got him into school, had Albus choose him, to come into the school. They had to wonder, if Albus knew the man was a child molester, and perhaps he hadn't. But he had to know, that the man's intentions towards Ryan, were far from honorable.
Ryan was restless, and he wanted to return to school, on Sunday. Uncle Borden had remained a few days, and it had taken a day or two, for Ryan to feel sure the man didn't plan to take him. He wanted to return to school, as a part of him worried, he looked even weaker to everyone.
His Papa went to take him back to school. "Are you sure you're ready?"
Ryan nodded. "Yes Papa."
Severus took his son by the arms. "If you need a few more days, it's okay."
Ryan shook his head. "I missed the whole first week back."
Regulus came in. "You kept up with your studies, even though you were excused."
Ryan looked to his dad. "I should be back. I wasn't even the one attacked."
Severus kissed his son. "You were a victim just as much as Hector, and for longer."
Regulus agreed with his husband. "And I know the fact the man thought it was you, shook you."
Ryan was pale and nodded. "I almost went. I told myself, I could get through one more."
Severus had never been so grateful to Horace. "I'm just glad you went to your Uncle."
Ryan nodded. "I couldn't sleep. I would have gone to Nanny, but for curfew."
Regulus sat on the edge of the couch. "You need to tell us, or someone, when something is wrong."
Ryan nodded. "I know Dad. I already promised."
Severus shot his husband a look. "We know, and we'll lay off. We'll trust you to keep your word this time."
Ryan looked at the door. "Can we go?"
Severus nodded. "You said goodbye to your Grandsire, and Uncles?"
Ryan held something to him. "I have."
Regulus opened his arms. "I will see you for your next game. Unless you need us before."
Ryan had been given a book by his grandsire, well actually two. One was a book, one from his grandsire's collection, that he had often seen. And the other was a two way journal, for Ryan to keep in contact with his grandsire, and his dads as well. He had a long talk with his grandsire that morning, before breakfast. His grandsire had left it to his dads, but he had spoken to Ryan finally, about what happened. He reminded Ryan how much he loved him, and he would do anything to protect him. There was nothing he'd not do, or risk, for him.
Ryan was insistent on being back today for practice. Severus knew his son still had his fears of playing, even after winning his first game. But he was dedicated to the team, both as a player and manager, and it was a distraction. He also wanted his friends not to be worried about him.
Draco was relieved to see him. "I'm happy you're back."
Ryan hugged his cousin. "I'm too. I'm not late am I?"
Marcus shook his head. "Not at all. None of us have changed either."
Severus spoke up. "I will send your bag up. Have a good practice."
Ryan turned and hugged his Papa. "Thanks."
Severus kissed him on the head. "Remember please."
Adrian led Ryan off. "Come on."
Draco saw his Uncle's look. "I will keep an eye on him."
Severus nodded. "I am just glad my son has so many people watching over him."
Marcus spoke up. "You don't have to worry about that."
Horace had come down and he looked at Severus. "I doubt Orion would be disappointed."
Severus shook his head. "My husband had to remind his father at least once, arranged marriages are no longer allowed."
Horace laughed. "I could see your father in law trying to over throw that."
Severus smirked. "No. As much as he loves to meddle, he wants Ryan happy. But he'll try to make Ryan look the right way."
It seemed odd, but it felt good for him to talk about something like this. After the past week, it felt good to smile, and laugh again. They had sent their son off to school after Christmas, feeling well, and not knowing anything was wrong. They hoped they could trust their son, to keep his word. But for now, he was happy to talk to his old mentor and still dear friend, about something as mundane as dating.
Ryan felt a bit better when he hit the air with his team. For one he wasn't too nervous, he often was, even in practice. It seemed all he had been dealing with, made him able to forget his usual nerves, and play. His team was happy to see it.
Ryan landed after practice with a smile. "I needed that."
Marcus clapped him on the back. "Glad you're back."
Draco directed him to the stands when done changing. "It seems a few others are happy."
Ryan smiled when he saw the twins and Oliver. "Hey."
Fred clapped him on the back. "Glad you're back. Be easier kiddo to have your back, if you tell us."
George agreed with his twin. "You know we'd have even taken on a teacher."
Oliver spoke up. "I think he has likely heard enough of this."
Ryan sent him a grateful smile. "I'd rather talk game."
Marcus sent a look at Oliver. "No game talk around him."
Oliver reminded the kid. "We have already played."
Banter went back and forth between the two of them. Marcus reminded him, though they beat Gryffindor, it didn't put Gryffindor out of the running. Draco shared a grin with the twins and Adrian, and knew of course it had nothing to do with the game. Ryan had no idea why they argued, but he too was grateful. It felt good to be back, and to be talking competition and classes, and try to feel normal again.
Ryan was relieved when they headed into the school. "I just want to get back into normal classes."
Though Ryan was trying to move on, in the back of his head, there was more. Ryan knew that the headmaster has some part in it all. He held to the belief that the man didn't know the full story. He couldn't believe Albus would have allowed a child molester in the school. The man was low, and he wanted revenge or something, but even Albus had to have limits. He told himself that over and over. He had to, he had the man as headmaster, and he needed to be around him. But all the times the man forced him to continue tutoring, ignored his fears, ran through his mind. He had known Ryan was uncomfortable, and had refused to let him out. Even if he had been right, and it had been his right to appoint a tutor, Ryan had raised his grades. He was one of the top five in the class, and not simply due to his extra credit, which he barely got in the class.
He wasn't the only one though, who had the man on his mind. Or that had his doubts about the headmaster, and what he had done, Hector did. Hector's parents were furious, though his dad kept trying to tell himself, Albus had not had any part in this.
Hector looked at Ron the following weekend. "Where are the twins?"
Ron looked up. "I don't know. Worried about a prank?"
Hector shook his head. "No. I need to talk to them."
Ron looked at him like he grew two heads. "Talk to them?"
Hector nodded. "It's not that crazy."
Ron shook his head. "I'm worried you're still shaken. You have never wanted to talk to them."
Hector didn't take offence. "Then I guess I shouldn't mention, I want to talk to Ryan as well."
Ron nearly fell out of his chair. "Okay who are you, and what did you do with Hector?"
Hector laughed a little. "I think we have a common task."
Ron knew what he spoke of. "The man is in prison. I don't see what my brothers can help with."
Hector stood. "If you don't want to be a part, I understand."
Ron stood. "You know I will. I hate what that pervert did to you. I just hate having to deal with my brothers."
Hector shrugged. "I don't plan on making friends with them, or even peace."
Ron lifted an eyebrow. "You don't?"
Hector laughed. "With snakes and traitors? Hell no. When this is over, I plan on showing Ryan up once and for all."
Ron was relieved his friend was sounding normal. "Okay, I am starting to think you didn't lose your mind."
Hector clapped him on the back. "A truce is all. One long enough, for both Ryan and I to get some pay back."
Ron still wasn't sure, but he was with his friend on this. Hector could admit he had grown some respect for Ryan. Well maybe not respect, but he for a moment could put himself in the kid's shoes. He knew how Albus controlled his life, his parents allowed him to, and he resented it usually. He could admit, he wanted to make Albus think twice about meddling, even if just once. His parents had a feeling he might, and oddly it was his mother, who had encouraged it. His father was usually the prankster, but he seemed on the edge. His parents had always trusted Albus, and it was shaken now, and not just for Hector. They had known he brought the man in, and had some plot, to do with Ryan. They had no problem with it, but for the fact their son had got caught in it, and was nearly raped.
The twins were confused, but they agreed to meet in the room of requirements. And to bring along Ryan and his group as well. Hector had no idea, when he showed up, if Ryan would even come. He found those three, as well as Draco, Oliver and Marcus.
Ryan looked at him. "How are you?"
Hector sighed. "Recovering."
Fred spoke up. "So what is this little meeting all about?"
Marcus agreed. "I am thinking this a set up."
Hector kept his eyes on Ryan. "I think we both want to teach Albus, to think twice about meddling."
Ryan too was suspicious but he nodded. "You could say that."
Draco smirked. "This is likely some set up, like Marcus said. Albus is behind it."
Hector shook his head. "I'll take an oath. But I want my revenge as well."
Ryan asked. "How much did you know?"
Hector shrugged. "Only that the headmaster had some plan. And that the man had it out for you."
Oliver looked at Ryan. "Do you actually believe him?"
Ryan nodded. "He wouldn't have been in the room, if he knew."
Hector pushed. "I'm not asking to be friends, but a truce long enough, for this."
Ryan agreed with him. "I think we could do a truce for that."
Fred was the first to speak among the others. "We'll be keeping an eye on you though."
Ryan's group was as reluctant about this as Ron had been. Ryan didn't really know to trust him or not, but he would. He knew it wouldn't last, but they did have a common interest right now, they wanted to see out. Ryan got the sense, for the first time, the Potters lost trust in the man. He had heard his dads, when they didn't know he was listening, that the Potters were usually blind to the man. He had no idea why his dads hated the couple so much, other than the book store, when he was nearly killed. It was reason enough, but he sometimes got the sense, it went deeper.
Ryan looked at Hector. "Did you have a plan in mind?"
George laughed when Hector didn't speak. "No wonder he came to you, he has none."
Fred agreed with him. "You knew you couldn't pull off one on your own."
Hector looked for a moment like he'd deny it but didn't. "Fine, we all know they're not my strong point."
Draco snickered. "You get caught almost every time."
Ron ground his teeth. "I knew this was a bad idea."
Hector stopped. "Are we going to do this or not?"
Ryan nodded. "Yes."
Hector extended his hand. "Truce."
Ryan shook the hand. "Truce."
Neither side would fully trust the other side in this. Ryan's side more than Hector and Ron, the other two thought they were fine. They didn't usually trust snakes, but they knew Ryan was too honorable for his own good. Ryan felt guilt over Hector, and he would keep the others in line, during the truce. Ryan's group had no such person to trust, would keep them in check.
Draco was not sure he hadn't lost his mind. "I really don't know about this."
Hector kept his end of the bargain in all of this. Though he had every intention of ending the truce, and showing Ryan up one day, he kept his word. He was the hero, he was going to prove how great he was, no matter what he had to do. But he needed to show Albus he couldn't mess with him either. And he could admit this much, that when it came to a prank, he needed help. He thought he could pull pranks on his own, he had in the past, not all he was caught. But the headmaster would be harder, he always seemed to know when something was up, somehow.
The plan was to wait, a few weeks after they had returned to school after the trial. They didn't want Albus to have any concerns something was up. James and Lily were coming to school, for their first meeting with the headmaster, since it all happened. They used to do it every week.
Lily kissed her son when she saw him. "Hector."
Hector hugged her. "Happy to see you mum. But surprised you're having dinner."
James shook his head. "The headmaster has your best interest at heart."
Lily reacted like her son. "He does need to be reminded, his meddling needs to have limits."
Hector was pale. "You don't think he knew?"
James shook his head. "No."
Lily sighed. "I don't know. I doubt about the molesting, but he was plotting with the man."
James shot his wife a look. "We have agreed with him, we need to bring the Blacks down a peg."
Lily reminded him. "Perhaps. But when it puts more than one child in danger, it goes too far."
James grunted. "One of those children was a Black."
Lily just repeated. "Any child."
James sighed and turned to his son. "Are you coming for tea?"
Hector shook his head and said. "I am meeting Ron and others to work on a group project."
Lily hugged her son. "Work hard. We'll see you later."
Hector whispered to his mother. "Watch the tea."
Lily gave her son a look, when her husband was distracted, but she said nothing. She knew he had been surprised, when she had been the one to encourage him to do a prank, and not his dad. James had been the prankster, and she had been the prefect, when they were in school. But though it had been tested by this, James was still far more loyal, he always had been. She loved her husband, but he could be far more blind about this.
Hector and the others had taken this prank to a whole new level. It wasn't really a prank, not in the sense of what Hector had in mind. But as he joined the others, he was happy he had gone to them. This was better than he could have come up with.
Hector looked at them. "Did you do it?"
Ryan held up a bottle. "No worries."
Ron shook his head. "I still don't get this. I thought we'd do some prank and…."
Fred sneered. "With a man like Albus, turning his hair blue, would have taught him little."
Hector agreed with him. "The best way to hurt the man, is through his reputation."
Draco laughed. "I still can't believe we managed to get Skeeter into the room."
Ryan shrugged. "The woman owes grandsire a favor. And you know she is always up for a new story."
Hector groaned. "Mum and dad always complain about the woman."
Marcus winced. "I will deny it, if you ever repeat this, but it seems our families have something in common."
Ryan was smiling. "I think few people like her. But she does come in handy sometimes."
George grabbed the bottle from him. "So does having an Uncle who is a potions' master."
Ryan corrected him. "A Papa."
Draco laughed when he saw the look. "He did promise his dads, to keep them in the loop this time."
Ryan had told them very little, but had asked for the potion. He had told Grandsire a bit more than he told them. They would know, they would see the article in the paper, when this was done. His Papa may never have been much for pranks, but he knew Papa would have been supportive. His Papa never minded, when a man like Albus who meddled with his life so much, was brought down a peg. Hector had warned his mum, so she didn't drink the tea with the potion, but not his dad. He could admit deep down, sometimes he felt like his dad wasn't supportive enough of him. He knew his dad wouldn't say anything too damaging for him and for his family though.
Hector saw his parents when they left, and they had no idea. In the morning the two groups waited, while the mail came in, on bated breath. The Blacks showed a hand again, when a number of extra papers showed up that morning.
Marcus showed the paper. "Headmaster admits he hired Child molester, to trap Black heir."
Ryan looked at the headline. "That should catch his attention."
He could hear a Hufflepuff say. "Is this true?"
Another said. "That kid is the only one I ever knew to be forced into tutoring."
Hermione actually looked at Hector. She had heard he had a part. "Pretty good."
Hector looked at her in surprise. "Thanks."
At the head table Albus was in absolute shock. "How the hell did she get this?"
Minerva looked over at him. "You knew the man had a grudge against Ryan, and forced the boy into tutoring?"
Albus ground his teeth. "You agreed, he was doing much better in class."
Filius answered for him. "I offered to tutor him before. But that wouldn't work in your plan."
Albus stormed out of the room, with everyone watching him. He knew by the end of the day, he would have owls filling his office, and he was right. Parents with children in every house, had written to him, demanding to know if the story was true. They were worried, that if he would go this far with one student, they may have to worry for their own child. Albus definitely received his share of howlers as well. He hadn't been run through the mud like this since the war, and he vowed to find out, how this had got out.
Hector looked at Ryan when they officially ended the truce. "I guess working with you wasn't too bad."
An: So there is some change in Hector, but not a full turn around. He and Ryan will still be at odds, but he does have a more human side.
I am considering jumping to fifth or sixth year next chapter, to focus on them at a dating age, and when more action can happen.
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