A raging party inside the Slytherin common room was already underway by the time the Quidditch team had trekked back down to the dark dungeons. Although dark was not exactly the right word when there was a party on. Slytherin went all out to celebrate their wins, with the rest of the school and the Headmaster against them, their wins were far and few between. Balls of colored flames floated around the ceiling, green and silver illuminating every small crevice. The black leather couches with silver and green cushions were situated around the outside of the room instead of the middle. The glass tables between the couches, each table covered in food and drinks, although there was a considerable amount more than what the parents had sent them the day before under preservation charms in anticipation of their win.
The Slytherin team arrived together in clean Quidditch uniform, minus the safety gear, as was the tradition after a game. The elves of Hogwarts always washed the uniform while they showered, all of the houses teams did this out of pride and honor regardless of a win or loss. Wild cheering greeted them as they walked over the threshold as a synchronized unit, in the same pattern as they flew in the sky. Marcus leading them his arms raised in victory grinning widely, at the flick of his hand the entire room went silent, including the music that had been playing.
"This may only be one match," Marcus spoke, his deep voice reverberating off the stone walls surrounding them.
"But even small victories should be celebrated as large victories as it is still a victory. We won the cup last year undefeated. THIS YEAR WILL BE NO DIFFERENT!" as Marcus shouted out everyone began to clap and cheer again.
"WE WILL REMIND THE OTHER HOUSES THAT WE ARE NOT WEAK! THAT WE WON'T JUST VANISH BECAUSE THEY WISH IT! WE WILL TAKE THE GLORY!" at that statement the party roared back to life. The Weird Sisters playing through the wireless loudly enough it was hard to hear the person next to you without them shouting. Harry grinned as he and his teammates were pulled into the horde of housemates, hugs and 'congratulations' were given at every turn.
Harry let out a startled squeal as he was picked up and spun around by strong arms from behind.
"That was a remarkable game, Hart." Harry relaxed as he recognized the voice whispering in his ear with hot breath. Spinning around in his arms Harry grinned dopily.
"Freddie." He exclaimed happily wrapping his arms and legs around the bigger boy.
"What are you doing here?" "Hermione smuggled me and Gred in here after the match so we could celebrate with you." Fred grinned as he rested his arms around Harry's waist comfortably.
"Is the Slytherin dungeons as you imagined?" Harry teased, although Fred had been once before during Christmas, it was his first time with the whole house still there and without Christmas decorations and trees.
"Not really. Fewer coffins and jabs at us being here than we had assumed." George chuckled as he joined the couple.
"Hey, Georgie" Harry greeted cheerfully.
"Well, we aren't vampires from Muggle novels so we don't sleep in coffins for one." Harry snorted.
"Having my Father known to the house now would definitely keep the jabs down to a minimum but I am surprised the stupider ones haven't said anything yet" He admitted as he was let down on his own feet.
"I think.."
"We are.."
"To thank.."
"For that." Fred and George spoke trading off lines flawlessly.
"What?" Harry asked curiously.
"We may have.."
"shown your friends.."
"The secret door.."
"To the kitchens.."
"You know where the kitchens are?" Harry demanded.
"That's a stupid question of course you do." He answered himself with a chuckle, leaning sideways on Fred, who wound his arm around Harry's shoulder.
"We know every secret this castle has to whisper to us," Fred smirked.
"Hey, Hartford! Nice game!" a third voice joined them as a dark-skinned hand ruffled Harry's hair.
"Hey, Lee." Harry grinned, since the win he felt like he hadn't stopped smiling.
"No trouble getting supplied?" George asked.
"Nah, Abe was only too happy to sell enough for the party," Lee smirked.
"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked as she joined them, kissing Harry on the cheek with a shouted congratulations.
"It isn't a party without Firewhiskey and Knotgrass Mead." Fred chuckled as loud whoops where heard when the drinks had been discovered.
"Here's to our own smugglers!" Marcus cheered as he walked over, handing Fred, George, and Lee a glass of Firewhiskey each. The Captain had clearly already had a glass or two, evident by the light flush on his cheeks from the heat and spice, and the massive open grin on his face.
"Where's mine?" Harry demanded indignantly.
"Hah! Like I am giving you Firewhiskey. You are twelve. Your parents would kill me." Marcus huffed.
"We bought Butterbeer and Daisyroot draught for the younger years." Fred soothed as he summoned a bottle of Butterbeer for Harry and Daisyroot draught for Hermione.
"Here's to Slytherins victory!" Marcus shouted, everyone, raising their drinks with an agreement shout.
…..
The next morning everyone was awakened by a loud voice using a sonorous charm.
"HOUSE MEETING IN TWENTY MINUTES."
"Harry leaped off the couch he had been sleeping on, dislodging Hermione from his chest, causing her to roll to the floor on top of Theo and Blaise.
"Uncle Sev.," Harry whined.
"Yes?" The dour man asked cocking his eyebrow.
"Evil fucking dungeon bat." Marcus groaned as he held his throbbing head in agony, his friends surrounding him grunting agreements as they slowly came to their senses.
"Would you care to repeat that Mister Flint?" Severus asked in false sweetness.
"Fucking ears of a bat too," Marcus mumbled as he lay back down.
"FIFTEEN MINUTES!" Severus shouted out again smirking as his hungover students whimpered and tried to hide under blankets. Harry, bleary-eyed, looked around confused by the coolness of the couch under him until he remembered Fred, George and Lee had snuck back to the Gryffindor tower early morning as to not be caught. Groaning he lay back down, one arm coming up to cover his eyes from the magical lights that adorned the common room walls. They were charmed to reflect the natural light from the outside world, apparently, today was an extreme contrast to the day before with the room being radiated in bright sunlight.
It took all the time given, but eventually, everyone was awake and sitting on couches, chairs or even on the floor waiting for their Head of House to start the meeting. House meetings were rare, and such had the entire house confused and more than a little curious. The only House Meetings outlined on the house planner near the entrance were for the start of each term and two months before exams started.
"Now I have some very grave news," Severus spoke.
"Around one this morning, first years Annabel Entwhistle and Irene Denholm of Hufflepuff where found by fellow first-year Gryffindor Colin Creevey petrified near the Hospital Wing. It appears the two girls had snuck out to visit Mr. Potter" At this Severus sneered and Harry pretended to gag loudly.
"They were caught unawares and an hour or two later were discovered by Mr. Creevey who had done the same. Luckily he was able to escape the same fate, although Professor McGonagall claims the boy to be traumatized and has asked all students to be empathic." Severus outwardly rolled his eyes causing his students to snicker.
"Unfortunately this incident will cause the other Houses to become more hostile. We must not break ranks. We present a united front and we do not travel alone. Any student stupid enough to attack one of mine will suffer but do not give them the opportunity to catch out off-guard." Black eyes searched out the older years.
"Protect each other and bring Slytherin honor."
"Curfew was so obviously ignored so enforcement has become necessary. Starting tonight each Head of House will be taking roll call at eight-thirty each night. Charms and alerts will also be sealed on all entrances keeping students inside the dorms until seven in the morning. In case of any emergencies, each Head of House will be staying in the rooms for Head boy and girl until further notice." Severus smirked when students began to groan and grumble.
"It's a Sunday so I expect everyone to be enjoying the weekend BUT no wasting it with insipid and worthless activities." With that said their Head of House swooped out, his cloak billowing behind him.
"I still haven't figured out how he does that," Harry grumbled, his friends laughing and shaking their heads fondly. A loud pop caught everyone's attention as a house elf appeared in the middle of the room balancing a large tray in her arms.
"It's Mossy!" Adrian cried in relief, his cry had Marcus sitting up straight with a manic grin directed at the Head Elf of the Slytherin Dungeons. Each House had their own group of elves that took care of them, their clothes, rooms, common room, cooking on their tables and anything else their Head of House may ask of them.
"Mossy has Potions for silly students." Mossy declared, a wide grin on her face as all the hungover students made their way to her and thanking her as they took their hungover potion. Her charges were always so sweet, a few treated her and her team like scum, but most didn't and put the others in their place.
"Thank you Mossy." Marcus shuddered as the potion kicked in.
"Silly Prince thanking Mossy for doing hers jobs." Mossy shook her head, ears flopping wildly across her face, blue bulbous eyes wide.
"Mossy knows hows to be looking after her Snakes." She said wagging her fingers much to the student's amusement. Mossy was very bossy and often spoke back with her own mind, which was an unusual trait for House Elves.
"I think we missed breakfast," Adrian said as he checked the time.
"Could we trouble you for some leftovers?"
"Mossy already has Thimble bringing Snakes proper breakfast. Not silly leftovers." Mossy scolded Adrian before popping back out, a large breakfast appeared on the tables filled with porridge, bacon, eggs, toast and fruit salads. Sighing happily everyone dug in.
…..
"It's a bloody Sunday! Why are we here?" Harry groaned playfully as Hermione led them into the Library.
"For two reasons," Hermione said primly as she claimed a table and sat down with an index book so they could summon books without moving.
"One, we have four essays due this week and I am almost certain you haven't started any of them."
"Ha! I finished one already!" Harry crowed.
"The rubbish one from Lockhart does not count as none of it is relevant and your answers will all be joke answers. Hence I said four not five. We have Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, and Astronomy." Hermione shot back.
"Damn it" Harry grumbled.
"Thankfully Professor Lupin will not be giving us tests until we have actually learned enough in his classes to warrant one." Blaise grinned as he pulled out all of his books and essay parchment.
"And two, this is where you lost the diary it's the best place to start looking as we have no idea who could have it." Hermione finished.
"That's, actually a good idea," Harry said stunned.
"Yes, I do have them you know." Hermione sniffed.
"Not often." Harry snarked causing their friends to laugh as Hermione threw her study notes at his head.
"What should we start with?" Pansy asked in between giggles.
"What are they about again?" Draco groaned.
"Potions is an essay on the Hair-raising potion which is the next one are learning," Theo said as he handed his notes on the potion over to Daphne who grabbed them greedily.
"Transfiguration is on basic animal transfigurations focusing on Vera Verto," Harry said as he read over Hermione's notes, and comparing them to his own.
"I hate this one, my goblet always has feathers," Harry muttered as he summoned a book on why it could be happening.
"Astronomy is on our choice of a constellation, which stars are in it and the history of the stars and constellation. So how they were named, why they were named that and anything else important you can tell about that constellation. Which is easy enough when you're part of the Black family." Hermione snickered.
"Herbology is on Mandrakes and what their uses are as well as proper care and maintenance." Pansy grinned as she pulled out her quills and inkpot and started writing the conclusion for her own essay on Mandrakes. Harry sighed as he read over the passages in the book about Vera Verto, writing down some notes absentmindedly.
"Remember Harry you have to picture it perfectly in your mind, you can't just want it to change. You have to see every detail in your mind before you cast the spell, if you haven't thought of a single detail then it won't change." Hermione said as she flipped through her own notes next to him, pointing her finger at the passage stating such in the book and then pointing at her notes on the topic. Harry nodded happily as he wrote it down in his own notes.
"Hey, Nev." Luna's dreamy voice spoke up for the first time, she enjoyed sitting back and letting her friends talk, only speaking up when needed.
"Hey, guys." Neville greeted after looking around making sure no-one from his house who could report to his dorm-mates was around.
"What are you here for?" Daphne asked kindly.
"Sort of hiding." Neville grinned.
"Potter was back this morning go on and on to anyone who will listen that it's obvious Harry is behind the attacks and to expel him."
"He is such a broken record." Harry sniffed.
"Broken.. how can a paper record be broken? Like it would be ripped but your records of school and even criminal records are charmed memories, not paper." Neville said looking very much like a lost lion cub.
"Records are the names of circular plates that play music in the Muggle world. When they break or get scratched they just play the last thing over and over irritatingly." Hermione explained as Harry giggled widely.
"Ignore him, Nev. I think he was dropped as a baby." Hermione snorted.
"Hey!" Harry proclaimed loudly.
"Shh!" Madam Pince hissed as she walked past.
"What are you guys doing up here anyway?" Neville asked as he sat down next to Luna.
"Homework." Blaise sulked as he looked from his notes to his essay determining which point to move to.
"Oh, brilliant" Neville exclaimed as he pulled out his own stuff from his backpack.
"What Constellations are you doing for Astronomy? Did you pick one at random or do you have reasons for the one you chose?" Neville asked.
"We all searched until we found the right one for us. If we are connected it to then the work, flows easier." Neville nodded in understanding to Hermione, it was the same with him in Herbology compared to other classes.
"So which ones have you picked?"
"Draco the Dragon," Draco said gleefully, grey eyes sparkling.
"Egotistical prick." Blaise teased.
"Not my fault Mother gave me this name, and then when we learned about constellations as a child I wanted to know everything about the constellation I was named for." Draco shrugged smugly.
"Anyway, I am doing Lyra the Harp," Daphne spoke, she had loved the harp since she was a child and had learned to play. She always listened to a music box charmed with Harp music to relax and unwind.
"Cassiopeia the Queen of Beauty." Theo grinned as he winked at a blushing Hermione. Although not vain like the Queen in the myth, Hermione put her beauty to shame in his eyes.
"Centaurus the Centaur." Luna giggled as everyone rolled their eyes, Centaurs were classed as Creatures with no rights, but they were also seers and star readers. Much better than any witch or wizard could hope to be, even Luna who actually had a Centaur tutor as a gift for saving a calf from death when she was six.
"Cygnus," Hermione said softly with a sad smile. She missed her Grandfather more than anything but each day the pain lessened and the happy memories won more and more. Blaise smiled softly and reached over to place his hand on Hermione's.
"I understand. I am doing Corona Borealis." He said softly, no constellation really related to his family like his friends but his Father had loved that constellation as well as the Muggle alcoholic beer for the same name.
"Eridanus the River," Pansy said, her dark brown eyes sparkling as she tossed her black hair back. The City of Memphis sat next to the river, The Nile, the only thing Pansy didn't inherit from her Father's Mother, who had born and raised in Memphis was the tanned skin.
"Canis Major," Harry smirked. Ever since Fred had revealed that Sirius and Remus had not given up yet he had been trying to think up ways to get their attention without alerting anyone else.
"Professor Sinistra is friends of Sirius, they are always talking when Sirius comes to check on the school with The Board, she might mention it in passing. But even if she doesn't, it isn't suspicious if I drop my first draft where he will find it."
"You think that this going to work?" Hermione asked dubiously.
"If it doesn't, I will try something else. But if there is a chance to drop hints or leads I have to take it." He shrugged.
"Why don't you just tell them?" Neville asked having heard the story from Luna.
"They need to discover it themselves so they can make a choice to follow me after looking for so long, or give up knowing of my new family and stay on their side of the fight. Besides if they don't believe me, they might tell the ones we don't want to know, I don't particularly want them to find out the truth as well." Harry explained.
"I have to play this like a Snake, not a Lion."
"Good luck mate." Neville grinned clapping his arm.
"Thanks, Neville. So what constellation are you doing?" Harry asked.
"I can't decide. I am not very good at Astronomy and I can't think of any connections to help make it more enjoyable and easier." Neville sighed.
"What about Leo the Lion?" Draco teased.
"Ugh. No thanks, Potter and Weasley are doing it." Neville gagged, everyone broke into giggles and laughter at his disgusted intonation and expression.
"You want a connection? Serpens. The Snake. You are a Snake in Lions clothing." Harry joked.
"That's… really cool." Neville chuckled.
"The Hat did say I would find my friends in Slytherin as well as finding something I didn't know I had lost."
"Sorted!" Hermione clapped her hands together before using the index to summon all the Astronomy books over.
"Think you can stay and do it with us?" Luna asked with a soft sweet voice, blue eyes staring into Neville's warm brown ones.
"Of course. Potter and Weasel wouldn't be caught dead in the library. Actually, most Gryffindors wouldn't." Neville snorted.
"Hey don't put all Gryffindors in that wand box." A familiar voice spoke from behind them, Harry turned around grinning at his soulmate and his twin brother.
"If we are going to be using Hogwarts House expectations then that means your hanging out with evil Snakes that are planning your death," George smirked as he wrapped his arm around Harry's shoulder.
"Hey, Georgie," Harry smirked at his Soulmates brother.
"Hey, little seeker." George smiled, his blue eyes weren't as bright as usual like a dark storm had finished instead of beautiful ocean waves. But the older boy just winked and grinned as he sat down next to Harry and Fred took the other side, wrapping his freckled arm around Harry's slim waist. Harry shrugged to himself, Fred knew his twin better than anyone, he would be able to break the funk the boy seemed to be in.
"Oh haha." Neville quipped sarcastically as he flipped the twins off.
"Oh, the Lion cub has been corrupted!" Fred declared as George reached over as if taking Neville's temperature.
"Oh, I am corrupted?" Neville asked daringly.
"Have you told the other half of your soul what you did to my dormmates after Halloween and what you started last night?"
"What did you do?" Harry demanded as he broke out of his laughter, whipping his head around to look at Fred.
"Traitor!" Fred cried, only to duck in chastisement as Madam Pince walked past with harsh shush.
"What are you going to do about it?" Neville asked with a sneer and raised a brow.
"Lion cub has claws," George stated approvingly.
"What. Did. You. Do?" Harry asked again, staring at his soulmate knowingly.
"Well, we have been cooking up the best idea to get revenge on Ronald and Potter for the attack they orchestrated before the petrifications started," Fred explained.
"He may be blood but he isn't family," George added.
"Ronald has always been easy to punish, his biggest fear is Spiders. We have done a lot with that making it worse his entire childhood." Fred continued.
"He tells his friends this sob story that Fred turned his teddy into a spider when we were five because he 'accidentally' broke our toy broom," George said with a roll of his eyes.
"But what he doesn't say is why it actually happened, although the truth didn't matter to our Mother." Fred sneered in disgust.
"Of course ickle Ronnie wouldn't lie." George spat in anger.
"What happened?" Harry asked softly as he held Fred's hand, everyone one else listening with their hearts hurting, a Mother should never treat her kids differently let alone show more love to others.
"We were playing in the yard, taking turns on the broom that had once belonged to Bill," Fred said smiling despite the topic, Bill had always showered his brothers in love.
"Ronald came out and demanded a turn. He had attitude problems from the start, Molly didn't help with coddling him." No one commented on the fact George had referred to his mother by her name.
"We said no, he always demanded never asked and he was always getting us in trouble for things we didn't do anyway." Fred snorted, shaking his head.
"While we were trying to find the toy bludgers, we knew even then we would Beaters," George said with a brief teasing smile.
"He went to our room in a fit and stole a cage from the shelf, bringing it back down with him."
"See we had a pet spider."
"Christmas gift from Charlie."
"It was part Zebra jumping spider part Acromantula."
"No idea how he managed to get one, he had started at Hogwarts that year."
"Oh, Merlin," Hermione whispered fearing where the story was going. Fred and George nodded grimly.
"He picked up our toy broom and yelled at us."
"Then, right in front of us, smashed the broom on top of Charlotte before we could do anything."
"He was hugging that teddy bear while he cried to Molly that he just wanted to play with the broom, he didn't mean to stamp on Charlotte when 'stomping his feet upset' and that we broke the broom when hitting him with it." Everyone growled at that, they couldn't believe that Ronald had been that sick and violent towards his own brothers so young.
"Our accidental magic exploded from us at that point, turning the teddy into a giant spider, he's had a fear ever since."
"Of course we got punished for that as well. So we now use it anytime he deserves it."
"Which is a lot. But we figure if we are going to get in trouble, might as well do something to make it worth it."
"So when he came in with Potter, Finnegan, and Thomas bragging about hurting you." Fred's hands clenched around Harry's in anger as George spoke.
"The hardest part was finding a way to use it against him that we hadn't used yet and figuring out how to punish the others."
"I mean Transfiguration is a classic and always entertains, but it wasn't enough."
"We broke into the Restricted Section looking for fear-induced spells."
"We found a spell which would lock the victim into their nightmares where their biggest fear was held, waiting for them." A dark and dangerous smirk crossed George's face.
We didn't need to know their fear, the spell would do it for us. The best part was they couldn't wake themselves or each other up."
"They had to wait for their body to naturally wake them in the morning."
"Fucking Merlin's saggy balls you two are vicious." Draco declared joyfully.
"I can't believe you cast The Nightmare Curse. For me." Harry breathed leaning into Fred with blush and a grin that stretched his lips until they hurt.
"Get a room!" Blaise teased as he pretended to retch.
"How long did it last?" Hermione asked, her eyes manic like they usually got when she heard about spells she hadn't used herself yet.
"Still going," Fred smirked.
"Their cries and whimpers were hysterical the first night, now I thank Merlin and Morgana for silencing charms." Neville deadpanned, much to the delight of the others as they started laughing.
"He deserves worse for hurting you, but this was what we could do for now as a start." Fred shrugged as George nodded in agreement.
"Thank you. Both of you."
"Anything for our seeker." George shrugged as Fred hugged Harry tighter.
"Wait. That happened weeks ago. What did you do last night" Pansy asked breathlessly, as they calmed down.
"Oh yeah," Fred said sheepishly.
"Well, when Colin came back all hysterical over those girls that got attacked last night."
"We may have started collecting orders for Protection Talismans and Amulets."
"You didn't?" Daphne asked with delight.
"All the Muggle-borns and most of the Half-bloods ordered some," Fred confirmed with a smirk.
"Then this morning on the way here, we were approached by Ravenclaw and Hufflepuffs as well." George chuckled.
Laughter returned to the mismatched group as they moved to lighter topics. They passed the evening in happiness as darkness and chaos settled around Hogwarts. Dark clouds rolling in, covering the sky, hiding the sun yet again. In their own bubble of joy, they never noticed the somber tension in the walls or the magic flickering like power surges in the air.
…..
Hey Lovelies. I am so glad this chapter is done =) it was a battle but we got there in the end. I want to thank you all for your patience and continued support, you guys make the writing blocks, late nights and sore fingers worth it. I truly hope you enjoyed this chapter; as always review if you did or didn't, and if there is something you want to see in future chapters let me know. I am open to requests, criticism and compliments. (of course the last is my favourite =P )
Mermaid is out!