Harry Potter and the Order of Merlin

A/N: Thanks go to my beta LtsHrIt4ThBoyz. We are both 'ladies of a certain age' but don't be surprised to see us out on a sunny day flying kites. Our inner children like to play together on flights of fancy. And fantasy.

A/N: This is going to be AU. AU characters, genealogy, everything. There are moments of horror mentioned - all in the past, but please keep yourself safe.

**OO**

Chapter 1: Saving Harry Potter

In a very normal neighborhood on a very normal street, and in what appeared to be a very normal house, lived the most unusual boy.

Some called him the Boy-Who-Lived. Some saw him as the second coming of Merlin and had sent him lavish gifts. All had received the same automated thank you note response. Some of the older ones of that World left him properties, libraries, and rare and wondrous items of great historical and financial value.

A world that valued him, for the most part.

On the other side were the ones that despised the young boy. There were two types. The bigoted tattooed gang members whose 'fun' had been interrupted. Whose rise to power and glory was snatched away in a horrific way that All Hallow's Eve nearly seven years before.

The others were the perfectly 'normal' people of Privet Drive who didn't like the boy for one simple reason. He was a Freak!

Odd things happened around him. Even his family didn't like him, dressing him in old rags, and pretending he didn't exist.

For the most part.

But today's visit was different.

**OO**

The local priest made it a point to visit the sick, the elderly, and those in need. He'd heard from others that the Dursleys might need help with their troubled nephew. But he'd so many other people to visit, that they just hadn't been seen yet.

Not until now. And Father Murphy was being accompanied by someone very high up in the Church. He didn't recognize the man's unique style of clothing. Durable cloth, cut in a way to make movement easier. He had brushed against the man's arm in the car, and the fabric felt fireproofed or something. There was something odd about the decorations on the man's cane, as well.

Father Murphy didn't recognize the badge of office on the Monsignor's robes, and the man was most closed-lipped.

Monsignor Brown had given his name and papers and had asked for details about the Dursley family.

"Does this have to do with young Harry winding up on the school roof? Rumors about the boy this week are incredible! Do you know that Mrs Cunningham actually believed that the boy turned into a bird to get down from there and flew over to Mr Cunningham, who monitors the schoolyard? A raven! Flew to a branch near him, turning back into a boy! Of all the things to say! Mr Cunningham's injuries from the Falklands clearly haven't healed well yet." The man's voice then dropped to a whisper, "It's said that he's still on medication."

The man in the dark brown tunic of simple design just turned his head and nodded. "That is a very likely reason, a very reasonable reason for saying such things, don't you think?"

The local priest shuddered. The power of the man's silver-eyed gaze!

"Father Murphy, there will be other troubled youth like young Harry. Our home will offer him the guidance that he needs to make sure of his future, and the safety of others. We have done so before and will do so again."

"And that is what those papers are?"

"Yes. I have talked to the boy's legal guardian, who is illegally incarcerated, by the way. The boy should not be here. His parents specifically excluded the Dursleys as potential parents for the boy in case of need. Harry's father was in an anti-terrorist unit of MI5. Of course, he made plans for his child and potential future children. All you need to know is to look for such things in the future, and contact my department in Rome."

The car stopped, and the men got out. What was clearly a bodyguard got out of the front of the limousine, and stalked around the house. The tall, handsome, dark-skinned man was all business and clearly dangerous. A hand was held up to request his boss to stay there for a moment more.

Charles Hector whispered to his superior. "My lord? This house doesn't have the wards we were led to believe existed here." A more in-depth search would be performed after securing the child.

Turning to the local priest, Monsignor Brown leaned heavily on his cane as he handed over a most unusual golden card, just slightly larger than a business card.

Father Murphy looked at the information in wonder. "You run a school? How marvelous, sir!"

The man's hand twitched, and for just a moment, Father Murphy thought he saw a bit of stick in the man's sleeve. He blinked and forgot all about it as the front door of the house opened.

Father Murphy led the trio up the walk and into the house. A very large man, a large boy, and a smaller boy, all very washed and dressed up, stood there in front of the couch. The lady of the house had opened the door and invited them into her lounge.

Father Murphy shook the lady's hand. "Mrs Dursley! So nice of you to let us visit!"

The woman was clearly trying not to frown at her interrupted day. "Please come in, Father Murphy and…"

Now the forgotten stick was in the man's hand.

"This is not Harry Potter! Where is he?" The Monsignor demanded. "Where is he?"

**OO**

Petunia Evans Dursley was not a patient woman and knew that she had to make a decision. When she received the note requesting the visit, she had a choice to make. She could try to find a boy's suit –second hand, of course- for her nephew.

Or they could allow Piers to come in and play the part of Harry Potter.

It wasn't like the visitors would know, and Piers dressed very smartly for different events. His grandmother had passed away recently, so Petunia knew he had a new suit for that.

Piers had dark hair and a slight build. It was a perfect plan!

The boys thought it was hilarious that Harry was given cold medicine to put him to sleep and shoved into his room, well, the cupboard under the stairs. Same thing.

Piers planned to mock the Freak about that for months!

All of a sudden, the expected guests were there. After the one in funny black robes waved his stick, Piers couldn't move, none of them could move anything but their eyes. They were frozen in place standing in the lounge.

Piers watched as the largest of the three men strode around the house, and then pointed his stick at the cupboard door. The local priest just stood there gaping like a cod out of water.

"He's in here, my lord, and he's having trouble breathing!"

Not waiting for the command, the external lock went flying into the kitchen after the man waved his stick at it. Both of them had these special sticks. Piers certainly wanted one. It was almost like magic.

'So cool!' Piers thought.

Then the Freak was being levitated to the couch.

Dudley clearly wanted to whinge about his cousin not being allowed on the furniture, but should not have made an attempt to talk or move. He lost his balance, with predictable results.

Dudley wobbled, lost his balance and knocked against Piers. This had a domino effect, as Piers then fell against Vernon, who just had to join in.

Mr Dursley's head, unfortunately, collided with the coffee table that had glass inserts. With, again, predictable results. Hiis brow ridge was cut and nearly lost his left eye. Petunia, in a panic, trying to reach her husband, fell onto him. The four were surrounded by broken glass and splintered wood.

But the men with sticks were ignoring the perfectly normal people. They were working on the lad on the couch, who had been badly overdosed.

It was left to Father Murphy to try and stop Vernon's cut from bleeding too much.

The bodyguard was ignoring the large man on the floor. He was speaking about the lad.

"I need to take him to the hospital, Monsignor. Saint Mungo's is closest, but there are at least two wives of Death Eaters who work there. We would lose the boy too easily to an assassin." The bodyguard stated. "And I won't leave you here alone! Please come back with me, now, my lord. We will send an obliviator later."

"Use your emergency portkey. I'll clean up here. Send Chatham to me here if you must, you mother hen!"

The man rolled his eyes and picked up the far-too-lightweight child in his strong arms.

"Yes, my lord. Please stay here until I or someone else comes."

Poor Father Murphy didn't understand any of it, as the bodyguard carrying the young boy, who was clearly near death, left in a swirl of color and a loud 'popping' sound.

"Air displacement. Charles Hector is a rather large man, after all. I find that his presence is enough to prevent most troubles."

"Who are you?" Father Murphy asked from his crouching position on the floor. He was trying to prevent his own cuts in offering aid.

"Head of the Lower School for the Knights of the Order of Merlin. Not that you are going to remember that. I dislike having to mess with children's memories, but needs must and all. But first, Petunia and I are going to have a discussion of why she appears to have tried to kill her nephew."

Unsure of what to do, and calling on the first aid courses he had taken over the years, Father Murphy decided to do what he could, and would worry about Monsignor Brown, if that was really his name, later.

The poor priest was 'Rock'ed to sleep by the replacement: An apprehensive bodyguard that didn't know what was going on, just that a child had been attacked and was near death. The priest joined the mess on the floor.

**OO**

Monsignor Brown had levitated the woman to the kitchen, removing her paralysis for a moment, and quickly binding her to one chair of a plastic-covered set. How gauche!

"Were you trying to kill Harry Potter?" The Monsignor demanded of the horse-faced woman.

A loud pop let him know his backup was there in the 'lounge'.

"Of course not! I didn't want Father Murphy to see the boy! I didn't care about you at all! I wouldn't have let you in my house if I knew what you are! I want nothing to do with Freaks! He's nothing but a freak as well. We never wanted the boy at all!

"Good, because he is not yours to worry about. Sign these papers, and we will be gone. Go to Dumbledore, or anyone else to fight this, and we will have a battle in court that I will prevail in. You can't win this." Brown insisted.

"I don't want to keep him! You can have him!" Petunia shouted then added. "And I hope that he does die! Stupid Freak!"

The Monsignor was a fighting man from a very dark family. He backhanded Petunia before he could stop himself.

Of course, that is when Chatham walked in.

"Need help beating up the defenseless woman, boss?" The man drawled.

Only several years worth of campaigns gave him just the right tone of mockery. Rock's wand was in his hand, and he was clearly looking around.

Monsignor Brown merely pinched nose and shook his head. "You have impeccable timing as always, Sir Rodney. She drugged Harry Potter nearly to death. He got to the healers alight?"

"The boy? That was Harry Potter? Charles was swearing and carrying on, but yes, he'll live. But he's going to want to help you slap this witch around if she was responsible."

"Squib, not witch. But I lost it when she said that she hoped he died. He's almost eight years old! No one that young can have earned that level of hatred from a family member!"

He pinched his nose. He taught teenagers year round, for goodness sake! And no one had the capacity to get under your skin like them! Children this age were a joy to be with!

"Blood wards were mentioned to me." Chatham murmured, already scanning with his wand.

"Oh? Maybe we should take the other boy to make him a new anchor?" Monsignor Rigel Brown had a sparkle in his grey eyes.

Petunia couldn't follow all the conversation, but did understand that. She struggled in her bonds, clearly wanting to protect her baby.

"Noooo! Take me! Take me instead!"

"Shut up, you foolish, foolish woman!" Monsignor Brown demanded. "Neither of you worthless squibs are going anywhere. I finally see why my family used to kill such useless, mewling morons!

"Rock, please scan the wards for any monitoring that might be done here, and collect up the boy's things. I want to be out of here five minutes ago."

And with the Order's time-turners, that wasn't a turn of phrase.

**OO**

Rock completed his scans of the inside. No, nothing to monitor the health of the child except a small ward in the cupboard. As if the person monitoring knew the boy was kept there…

While scanning, Rock discovered there was something magical in the attic. It was a trunk that seemed to have a muggle-repelling ward, and some kind of trigger. Curse-breaking was not his specialty, but all knights had a few skills in the art.

As Rock attempted to open the mysterious magical trunk, a note appeared on top, 'Sirius: Do NOT attempt to open this trunk! It's intended to only be opened by Harry on or just before his 11th Birthday. Be warned, Sirius, if you try to open, it a spell will NEUTER your animagus form!'

Since Rock had a cute white kitten animagus form, he certainly didn't want to invoke that curse!

When later questioned, Petunia knew nothing of it, and had never seen it before. Likely true, especially with her reaction to finding out about it. She demanded it be removed from her house immediately.

Rock happily left the boy's meager belongings in the front hall to continue his scans that Sir Hector had started but hadn't had time to complete.

Rock's reaction to the tether-ward powering the weak blood wards would have earned a soap-spell from Sister Gisele. He was lucky she safely was back in Rome.

Disabling the disgusting power drain of a child, of a child, was easily done. Fortunately, they didn't have to worry about the magical backlash to Harry, as he was safely behind the Order's wards that protected Saint Michael's.

'A happy child would not need to be tethered to a radius around a house. The child would want to stay home. This was worse than being unwanted. This was being unwanted and unable to escape.' Rock thought.

Whoever had done this was added to a short list of enemies that he hoped to bring to justice one day.

**OO**

Monsignor Brown didn't need to resort to physical violence to project menace. He herded teenagers, after all. "You will listen to me carefully. We have powerful wards where we are going. Once the boy, Harry Potter, is awake and aware that this is no longer his home, your feeble wards will fail."

Petunia gasped.

"You have days, maybe only hours, before this occurs. You know what will happen when they fall. I don't know whether or not Lucius Malfoy has been successful in his attempt to find the lad. You were well hidden. I only found out about you through my connections recently, and believe me, I was trying to find my cousin. Surprised that Harry has blood kin? You shouldn't be. His father was a pureblood."

The woman looked pensive and stubborn. Jaw set, and eyes blazing in anger. No time to be delicate. He wasn't raised that way anyways.

"Move house or die, woman! Those are your choices! Don't wait for the wards to fail. Move far away, preferably to Canada, who has rocky relations with the British Magicals. Australia would also be good. Somewhere where Dumbledore can't find you easily. Just so you know, that excludes most of Europe and America. France doesn't like him, but will help him. Do you understand?"

"Yes!" The horse-faced woman spat.

Rigel had been praying for Harry's quick recovery. If he died… No, better focus on the here and now.

The woman signed the papers,

"Where is the boy's vault key?" The Monsignor demanded.

"Vault? As in the Freaks' bank? Lily's husband was a lay-about! Didn't even have a real job! They didn't have anything."

"Surely you get something from Dumbledore for the boy's upkeep?"

"Fifty pounds a month! That's it!" Petunia scoffed.

"That's ten galleons. Enough to feed a family of four for a month and have extra to spare for clothing and such. In the Wizarding world, that is a generous sum. I'm guessing that the amount is minimal here? I'm sure you took it as an insult, but it was not meant to be. I'll have to make a trip to Gringotts at some point, but I want to check in to make sure he was not harmed by this assassination attempt."

Now! Now she finally looked ashamed. "I didn't want the boy awake when the priest visited. I should have let him eat something before giving him the medicine. I just didn't want him to make noise or do something freakish."

All of that was said in a low voice.

Well, it was the closest thing he would get to an apology.

"Look. For the sake of the boy, I will help you. Call this number, and I'll buy your house. Today. That will give you working capital to restart elsewhere. We can even pack for you."

He handed her the muggle connect card for Gringotts.

She nodded in agreement that they had to move, took the card and didn't accept the offer of magical packing.

Rock did field healing on the large man, cleaned up and fixed everything in the living room. And they both started to modify memories.

Brown did add a compulsion to Vernon. "Take a job overseas immediately"… Looking around carefully, he paused before continuing. "And you should join a fitness club with your son."

Shaking his head, Monsignor Rigel Sebastian Brown, returned to his school in Italy to check on his erstwhile cousin.

Life was going to get interesting.

**OO**

The limousine left Privet Drive with only Father Murphy to be returned to the parish. He had memories of a peaceful visit where the residents gladly turned over guardianship to Monsignor Brown. Who, of course, was going to take the boy to the school for troubled youth that the man ran.

The priest suppressed a shudder. The Dursleys had left him with a bad feeling, but he would pray for them. And get them on his visit rotation, somehow.

Petunia was the only one who really remembered what had happened, but even she didn't remember everything.

**OO**

The spinning silver trinket on Dumbledore's shelf, that had been shrieking for hours, had suddenly quieted to the relief of none – the portraits had all abandoned their frames and Fawkes had left to go hunting when the noise started.

Away on 'business', Albus would return to a far too quiet office.

**OO**

Emma Granger answered the door. A pair of police officers on her porch were not what she was expecting at ten o'clock on a weekday.

She was to be in surgery in an hour, and was supposed to leave in the next ten minutes.

"We called your office, and were told you were here, ma'am."

"Goodness, officers. What is it? Is everything alright?"

It was then that eight-year-old Hermione stepped from behind the bigger man, eyes downcast, silent tears flooding.

"There was an incident at the school. She claims that she had nothing to do with three boys getting pelted by books in the library. Unfortunately, she and the boys were the only ones in that section. One of the boys was cut badly enough to need stitches. Look, bullying in school happens. Violence in reaction is understandable but will not be tolerated. We are bringing her home as we were called to the school with this warning. If she puts another child in the hospital, there will be serious repercussions."

The other man handed Mrs Granger a gold card, just slightly bigger than a normal business card.

"I'm not saying that the girl is a bad kid. Of course not. But this school helps problem children, I mean children with problems, and at no cost to the family. I can tell from the decorations in your home that you share the same faith, but even that is not a requirement for admission. Please give them a call, ma'am. We've placed other kids, good kids that are just going through a bad time, and they came back and thanked us for the opportunity to go there."

"Monsignor Brown, Headmaster? Rome?"

The silent compulsion hit Mrs Granger, with only the child noticing the officer's wand in his sleeve and the feel of magic in the air.

"Just call him." The officer said persuasively.

**OO**

The initiative to rescue muggleborns may have continued secretly in Britain, but it didn't start or end there.

Despite their best efforts, a young boy in a muggle orphanage was denied the transfer to their school. Reasons why were lost to history, but the young wizard, cruel and cold, had become a dark lord, attacking others raised in the muggle world. Some felt if only they had just kidnapped the boy, but the 'if only' in life kept them focused on the few past failures. Yes, they had to learn those hard lessons, like what happened with Tom Riddle.

The vicious boy had grown more wicked, just as his attacks had. The attacks on innocent children had to stop.

One follower of the Dark Lord Voldemort became disillusioned with the powerful wizard. The path of destruction was not leading to a better world. It was so easy to recruit Regulus Black to the Order of Merlin. And faked his death after changing his disgusting tattoo into a bond of service to quite a different Master. Even when the path was difficult, he could see that it was for a far better world.

The wizard had much to overcome, but it was an exciting time for him.

Black had to overcome prejudice in order to work with others of less than pure blood to bring down other dark wizards like the one who called himself Lord Voldemort. He had to overcome the need for social standing and wealth and live far more simply. He also had to overcome his reliance on just magic, and learn the ways of the muggle world. Really, the only thing he deeply missed was his devoted house-elf Kreacher.

Using a variation of a time tuner aged the man. He spent years of training that took only weeks in the outside world.

Black, finding out that the monster calling himself 'Flees-From-Death' was a half-blooded illegitimate son of a near-squib and a muggle, was certainly a surprise. And while he understood the reasons for keeping this information quiet, he didn't have to like it.

The knights' efforts had been focused outside of Britain. Dumbledore, as the Leader of the Light there, did not approve of their Order's put enemies down hard. Let them earn redemption in the afterlife was their creed. Protect the innocents first. The Chief Mugwump had threatened that any captured knight caught working in Great Britain would see Azkaban if they had killed others. Even though it was in defense of others.

So, Rigel risked his life to save people all over the world everywhere but the island of his birth, often using time-turners to get needed sleep. Sending a missive now and then to certain people, hoping that they would reach out to this ancient Order instead of just relying on a pacifistic one, as the Order of the Phoenix was known to be.

Saddened by the lack of response, but respectful of proper local authority, the Order did what they could and waited for an invitation to help. An invitation that did not come.

A few missions were performed at the request of interested parties. A French royal had been kidnapped by a Death Eater and was hidden for a few years. She was successfully reunited with her family even if that story was kept from the press. There were a few other strategic strikes, but no large battles.

Regulus thought it was a shame that they couldn't show up, armed and armored, ready to do battle with the forces of evil. Some waited for Dumbledore to bend, and invite them in.

Then, the sudden fall of the Dark Lord had their Order's efforts to save Britain from itself focus on all of the other emergencies around the world.

After several years of numerous battles, the knight, Sir Rigel Sebastian Brown, as he was now called, was seriously injured in a Dark Arts ritual. His life force and magic had been severely drained, and he aged approximately twenty-five years as a result of that life-drain. He barely escaped, terribly wounded, and was taken to a very talented trauma center in Rome called Saint Michael's.

While he still used a cane to get around, his mobility was slowly improving.

But Brown was transferred to the school to have him share his unique gifts and talents with others. He felt quite the hypocrite. He had been given the title Headmaster, but others did so much of the work!

His main job was training the upper years, despite his title of Headmaster of the Lower School. And he was responsible for doing a bit of recruitment the few times a year that 'incidents' were reported.

Students were mentored until they were eleven, they were given a choice: Either apprentice to one of the masters in a support role (healer, potions, engineering, enchanting, etc.) or choose to learn how to fight. They would become a squire to that knight.

Then at fifteen, they could take the next step. Take the Knight's oath and begin a whole new level of training in the Upper school. And start to serve the world. Fifteen was the age of majority in the old Roman world. The initial commitment was ten years of service. After that, most chose to retire, marry, and raise a family. Retired Knights were welcomed all around the world except in Britain.

Speaking of unwelcome.

Rigel was now supposed to go pay a visit to Augusta Longbottom, but would have to send an elf to cancel it. If he went at the moment, they would wind up dueling, and he wasn't sure that the woman who had captured Bellatrix wouldn't do him serious harm in his weakened state.

And he certainly didn't want to cause her serious harm. He was trained to fight, not duel.

Poor Frank. Another with Black blood, worse than dead.

Hmm, maybe he could try to find out more about his and Alice's condition when he returned to this dreadful country.

Everything here was grey and damp and dreary.

Rigel turned his thoughts and hopes to home and vanished.

**OO**

Neville added just a touch more of the dragon dung to the mix, and then started to feed the plants he was nurturing. He heard shouting, and ducked under the bench.

"I'll just be taking him for the day. He'll be back tonight." Uncle Algie's voice argued.

"He's trying to get out of dressing up and going to visit his father." That was Gran.

"What? No! He didn't ask for this trip. Just an idea of mine. We'll have fun."

Neville scoffed at that. Probably going fishing again. Boring. And cold. And Neville didn't like killing animals, he would be a vegetarian if allowed.

"Make sure he brings a coat. That boy is worse than useless. So forgetful. He'll never be like his father." Gran chided her brother.

'I wish Mum was okay.' Neville murmured again for the nth time that day.

**OO**

"What do you mean he nearly drowned?" Rigel demanded from the Saint Mungo's aide.

It had only been three days, and he had been summoned to their version of a healing hospital. Pathetic!

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm sure that the boy's grandmother would not want you here!"

Rigel pinched his nose. He had returned to Rome for a few days. It didn't matter that he was concerned about Harry Potter, or that his own injuries had been giving him fits. The old injuries were a consequence of interrupting a very dark ritual carelessly, like some Gryffindor.

Alright, so the scantily clad women had distracted him. But only for a moment! He was younger then, but no hormonal teen! But the injuries sustained years before were not healing well. His magic still felt weak, and he felt old. This would take a toll on him for the rest of his life. The pain made him cranky. Crankier.

If only he had stayed in Britain three days before and not gone back to Italy. But no, he had to go home when he knew he was supposed to go and see Augusta Longbottom. Not that he looked forward to seeing the old battleaxe.

But, if he had stayed, then Neville wouldn't have got hurt, and he wouldn't have this new leverage to get Neville out of the country. And away from Dumbledore's plans, however well-meaning he might be.

"I am meeting Regent Longbottom here. She's due any moment, and yes, I am a relative."

The aide muttered something under her breath about everyone being everyone's cousin. Unfortunately, she was right more than she knew.

Just then, the door swung open, and Augusta Longbottom, Regent of House Longbottom, sailed in. Her fine robes with their train trailing behind her.

Rigel sniffed. He wouldn't wear his finest in a hospital to catch whatever nastiness got pushed onto the floor, but he kept his own counsel.

"Why is my brother under arrest?" The crone demanded.

"I did not arrest him, but I do have the power to help you madam. Let me tell you what I know and how I can help.

"Algernon Longbottom, your brother-in-law, was caught pushing his great-nephew into the water from a height of four meters at Brighton Pier. In front of the muggles. If he had done this during summer, he could have counted it as a prank. But in March? When everyone is still in warm coats, hats, gloves, and scarves on the beach it gets unwanted attention!"

"He was trying to do House Longbottom a service!" The women argued.

"Do you want Algie Longbottom released, without a fine or any problems?" Rigel purred.

"What do you want?" Augusta's eyes narrowed.

"I want Neville to attend my school. I was going to request that he come September first, but I want him to come as soon as he is able."

Rigel handed her a card.

"Rome? What do you want with a squib?"

"Military service has long been an acceptable place for unwanted squibs. That is, if they are not killed outright by their family trying to scare the magic out of them!"

"And what if the boy is magical?"

"Then he will go to the school of his choice. I'm guessing that Hogwarts would not be your first choice?"

"Ha! So many other pureblood families are leaving that Dumbledore is considering a law. It will never pass, but he won't do what's needed to make it a great school either."

"Please sign these papers. You may not accompany him to the school."

"Whyever not?"

"No unmarried witch who is not a member of our Order is allowed in the priory, and no unmarried man is allowed in the cloister. I don't make the rules, I just try to explain them.

"Neville can come home for all the holidays, of course, but we hold school year round. I have a packet of information for you. I would prefer if you do not mention this to Albus Dumbledore. He seems to have an unnatural interest in your grandchild."

"Yes, so Alice mentioned, but she didn't know what or why. With her, and dear Frank in their condition, I will never know."

"I made some discreet inquiries, and have come to find out that no further treatments to your son have been made. The Healing school near us specializes in Dark Arts trauma."

Rigel would know. After those horrible injuries in the ritual, the staff here had got him walking again. And with his natural legs. The pain lingered, but he was alive.

"Yes, Alice and Frank could have benefited from the healing offered from the place that handles all the injured Knights of Merlin." Augusta tapped her chin. "I wanted to, but didn't want to beggar the House for personal feelings if there was no hope."

The amount of gold mentioned at the time would have taken everything down to the last house elf, and even then wouldn't be enough.

"If Neville is allowed to school with me, I will make sure that the financial arrangements have nothing to do with your House. This offer is for both your son and daughter-in-law's treatments."

It was almost funny to see the witch's jaw hit the floor, but this was too personal. House Black honor was involved, and Rigel was Lord Black, even if in secret. Arcturus' death meant it went to him. Kreacher had brought him the ring and seal. A proxy voted for him, and everyone else thought the foreign Lord Black was one of Marius Black's children. Ha!

Bellatrix had much to answer for. He was just glad that she could never, ever hurt anyone again. The rumors from South America couldn't be ignored. If Death Eaters did manage to resurrect the Dark Lord Voldemort, then she would break out and join him. She would start killing again. Or worse.

His attention was brought back to the grand lady who had made her decision.

"You would do that? Fund true care for my son, and educate my squib grandson?"

The Head of the House of Black nodded. "I would."

"Let's see the parchment."

**OO**

Rigel had the dream again, where everything went horribly wrong.

And horribly right.

Mulciber's 'friend' was on the outs with him, so when the Dark Lord commanded that he obtain fresh 'entertainment' for some of the new recruits, the crazy man had an idea.

Capturing all the 'ladies of negotiable favors' from a certain place in London. All muggle, not even a squib among them.

That was only the beginning of the nightmare, though.

They had to drag along sixteen-year-old, wet-behind-the-ears, hormonal in every kind of bad way, new recruit Regulus Black.

So, after liberal use of the imperius on some, and promise of payment after the 'party' for all, the Death Eaters showed back up to the manor where the Dark Lord was staying. They show up with women. Muggle women. Muggle women prostitutes who were expecting muggle money. Lots of it.

Lucius started the bloodbath before the Dark Lord even arrived.

"I will not touch muggle filth!" He declared, and a shot of green light permanently put an end to one woman's questionable career choice. Forever.

Now, Regulus was freshly marked, so he didn't know that protesting one of the Inner Circles' actions could have serious consequences. But he did, and it did.

The Dark Lord showed up just in time to hear Regulus shouting that Lucius wasn't fit to be Narcissa's husband, and that the family should reclaim her if he just killed innocent women like that.

"My, my. What do we have here?" The sibilant voice was clearly heard, all activity coming to a halt.

Voldemort knew how to make an entrance. The women, who had gone from cooperating to screaming at seeing their friend killed despite the imperius, were now cowering before the man. He no longer looked human after all the rituals he had done, and one did feel his power.

"Lucius, explain why one of the captives is dead before the party has started? You know that I want the truth."

"Muggles, my lord. Filthy muggles!"

"But experienced, my lord! They will bring you much…" Mulciber knew it was dangerous to interrupt, but wanted to get his side heard.

A short burst of cruciatus for the both of them concluded that argument.

The Dark Lord looked disgusted, and looked around for his most bloodthirsty of new recruits. Not yet marked, but likely to be soon.

"You, yes, you! You want to earn the dark mark, don't you, Dolores? Help Lucius take these creatures somewhere suitable. Anyone who believes that muggles should be taken care of like rubbish may go with them."

Regulus had almost been sorted into Gryffindor, and it was only through much begging that he wore the green and silver on his robes.

Teary eyes looked up, "You're just going to kill them? All of them?"

"Are you questioning me? I have a task for you to prove your worth. Summon one of your elves, and meet me in the foyer in thirty minutes."

Walburga made a motion for Regulus to obey, while she joined Dolores with the group that was about to go slaughter the muggle women.

"Mother, no! Don't do this! Don't…" Regulus begged

But Regulus couldn't hear himself, and he was frozen in place from his own father's spell.

Orion Black stepped forward. "My lord. My son and heir has spoken out tonight, as he should not have. Let me take him home. You can see that my lady wife Walburga has joined the other party. She does hate muggles so. I will return with an elf and suffer his punishment. As I should for not teaching him well."

"Do you see, my followers, how one should act? Accepting responsibility for crimes done? No, Orion, you may join your wife and the others if you wish, or return home. Your son will be returned to you later."

But he wasn't. Regulus never returned home.

Regulus Black felt horrible about what happened later. He nearly died, but was rescued by Kreacher, and taken to the hospital in Southern France near a fairly unknown Black cottage there that Regulus inherited from Alphard Black. Regulus recuperated there after getting away from the healers, and later found out that his father confronted the Dark Lord when Regulus did not return home.

Orion Black was killed by the Dark Lord directly in front of several followers.

Regulus was far enough away from the Dark Lord that Voldemort could not feel him through the mark. As long as Regulus Black stayed outside of England and Scotland, he would be safe.

He was thought dead by one and all, after all.

It was then he was recruited to be a Knight of the Order of Merlin.

For the sake of his father, and all the lives lost due to callous disregard, Rigel Sebastian Brown joined the Order of Merlin with a will, eventually taking oaths that removed the Mark from his arm and soul.

And set a different mark over his heart.

Rigel's nightmare memories then turned to images of two boys. And four parents. Two gone forever, nothing to be done but light candles of remembrance and prayers for the dead.

Two not-so-dead. What dark magic kept these two brave aurors locked in their minds?

Saint Michael's in Rome was the best, and if they couldn't figure it out, no one could. But seeing their faces, Rigel had shuddered.

Would he be worse than that as an inferi if Kreacher had not rescued him?

Rigel tried to put the nightmare thoughts out of his head. Going through his Occlumency meditations, he settled down to an uneasy rest.

Neville was improving, Alice and Frank were with the best, and Harry had already been to visit the boy in the hospital, learning from the staff that there was another boy that had been rescued from Britain too.

Smiling at the thought of Harry meeting Neville, both so young, so full of potential. So innocent, so powerful.

Both marked for death from a being that was immortal. Well, temporarily. The true danger to both boys came more from their own flesh and blood than any ghoul.

No, things would be better, they would live, thrive, grow. Rigel promised himself and his brother.

The boys would live and thrive, both Harry Potter, wizard and Neville Longbottom, wizard or squib, didn't matter.

No, it was time for the Light to thrive.

It was time for the Evil ones to die.

**OO**

A/N Cast of Characters:

Monsignor Rigel Sebastian Brown - Headmaster of Ecole Merlin (Lower school) in Rome, Italy (pronounced A - coal). Retired Knight of the Order of Merlin. Reformed former Death Eater, born Regulus Arcturus Black. Currently Lord Black. For now.

Sir Charles Hector - Knight of the Order, mentors several squires and apprentices. Known for his bravery against vicious magical animals, he has a rare gift that allows him to conquer most out-of-control animals without fighting. Still in Active Service. Occasionally serves as a bodyguard for other agents in the Order that need protection.

Sir Rodney Chatham ('Rock') - Knight of the Order, teacher and mentor. He is physically strong, a good flier, and is well-known for his hand-to-hand skills. Still in Active Service. Occasionally serves as a bodyguard for other agents in the Order that need protection. White kitten animagus - prevailing wisdom is that his form is a kitten because while he is so lethal, that is his true nature.

Sister Gisele (Gertrude Wagner - Birth name) - Resistance fighter before taking her orders, she works as a contract employee from time to time for Gringotts to help the Order, mentored several knights when they were young orphans in her care, and performs other duties for the Order of Merlin as needed.

**OO**

A/N: Story Recommendations: Harry Potter and the Order of the Light and Dark, By: Priya Ashok. Found on: FFN. Rated: K+ s/3592708/1/Harry-Potter-and-the-Order-of-the-Light-and-Dark

COMPLETE AU after fifth year. Harry sees through Dumbledore and starts his war on both the Light and the Dark forces. Severitus, Harmony! (B/N: One of the first HPff stories I found that did not worship Dumbles and was my OTP: [Harry P., Hermione G.]. Severus is slightly OOC, but the end will give you the giggles! It did me! MelJ ;-D)