Chapter 5 – Howler at Breakfast
On Mondaymorning the whole school buzzed with the surprising results that happened on the weekend. The new status of Tom Marvolo Riddle jr. and the high points loss of Fleamont and Charlus Potter. Gryffindor wasn't pleased to have lost so many points, as they now were on the last place for the house cup and even Hufflepuff had 300 points more than Gryffindors, which barely scraped at the 50 points limit.
7th-year prefect Algernon Longbottom had publicly dressed them down in the Gryffindor Common Room and sent them into Coventry. Nobody was allowed to speak or interact in any ways with Fleamont and Charlus Potter until their detention were over. The have even lost their places on the Quidditch-Team and Slughorn has banned them from his Slug-Club.
The subdued twins sat at the end of the table, trying to avoid any further negative attention, as the prefects and the head girl Minerva McGonnagall had made it perfectly clear, another asinine stunt from them, and they would be outcasts and lost the last protection of Gryffindor House. Even the Fat Lady wouldn't let them into the Common Room any longer, therefore both boys has been force to self-reflect their actions over the past years.
Dorea Black, the fiancée of Charlus had slapped him after dinner and called him a disgrace. "How could you shame me so much, Charlus. It wasn't easy to get the vote of Uncle Arcturus for our marriage. For your actions, he could revoke it. Did you never think?", accused him Dorea, before leaving in the direction of the Slytherin Common Room.
Euphemia Rowle had lectured her wayward future fiancé in a similar way. And icily added: "You should finally grow up and stop sticking your head into the arse of Albus Dumbledore, Fleamont. He will only destroy the last threads of your credibility. Is that really worth your honour?"
As the morning owls arrived the twins couldn't stop a whimper leaving their throats. They both recognized the family owl with a red howler into his beak. They have never once gotten a howler before. With trembling fingers opened Charlus the letter and gulped heavily as they heard the voice of Ignotus Charlus Potter.
HOW DARE YOU TO BEHAVE IN SUCH A WAY. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? TO ATTACK ANYONE FROM BEHIND. I KNOW I HAVE RAISED YOU BOTH DIFFERENTLY. AND YOU EVEN DARED TO ATTACK THE NEW HEAD OF OUR FAMILY. HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MINDS?
DID ONE OF YOU EVER THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR ASININE ACTIONS AGAINST LORD PEVERELL AND HIS FRIENDS? HE COULD TAKE AS RIGHTFUL RETRIBUTION OUR WEALTH, WE COULD ONLY KEEP OUR TRUST VAULTS, WHILE THE REST WOULD BE REVERTED BACK TO HIM. HE COULD EVEN CHUCK US FROM THE FAMILY WHICH WOULD LOSE US PART OF OUR FAMILY MAGIC.
IT IS TIME FOR YOU BOTH TO GROW UP. STOP AT ONCE TO INTERACT IN ANY FORM WITH ALBUS DUMBLEDORE OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. NOTHING CAN EXCUSE OUR DISHONOURABLE BEHAVIOUR. WHEN I ONLY HEAR FROM ANOTHER INCIDENT, NO MATTER WHO HAVE CAUSED IT, THEN YOU TWO WILL FACE THE CONSEQUENCES. I WILL PERSONALLY SIGN YOU UP FOR THE BRITISH ARMY. MAYBE SOME MONTHS AT THE FRONT WILL DEAL WITH YOUR RECKLESS BEHAVIOUR.
FLEAMONT YOU WILL RETURN THE CLOAK AT ONCE TO ME. YOU ARE NOT MATURE ENOUGH TO USE IT ANYMORE. IT WILL BE STORED IN THE FAMILY VAULT UNTIL YOU CAN PROVE TO ME THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO USE IT WISELY.
CHARLUS, I AM DISAPPOINTED YOU'RE THE OLDEST AND SHOULD KNOW HOW TO ACT IN PUBLIC. THEREFORE YOU WILL LOST ALL PRIVILEGES AS WELL AS YOUR BROTHER, TOO. YOU WILL SPEND THIS SUMMER AT POTTER MANOR. NO VISITS WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND BETROTHED AND NO QUIDDITCH FOR EITHER OF YOU. EVEN A STREET RAT HAS BETTER MANNERS THEN YOU TWO.
The Howler ended and burst into confetti. Fleamont took with trembling hands the cloak from his robe pocket and handed it to the owl, which glared at both boys before flowing to Potter Manor.
At Slytherin table Tom and his friends watched the whole ruckus with their masks in place. "Well played, Lord Peverell-Slytherin-Gaunt.", murmured Abraxas quietly. It seems at least their father knows about the consequences should they dared to attack one of us again."
"True, but I never thought, he would act so fast. I have to thank our esteemed Headmaster for his acting on our behalf. Look at the old coot, he is fuming, but he can't do anything.", smirked Tom.
"He is on probation, Lord Arcturus has written it to me, yesterday. The Board of Governors have almost sacked him, but they have decided to give him one last chance. But that isn't all, Dorea isn't pleased with her betrothed and have lectured him yesterday at the Black Lake. She has even written an additional apology to Lord Arcturus and pleaded him to forgive him, as he didn't know what he could have caused for consequences on the rest of the family.", explained Orion smirking.
"And how did your father react?"
"He said, that he gave him one last chance, should he failed this, too, then the marriage contract will be cancelled and the Potters will be declared Persona Non Grata. They wouldn't survive it.", replied Cygnus.
"Couldn't happen to a nicer pair of dunderheads.", stated Tom. "I have been invited for the next weekend to meet with Lord Prince in Hogsmeade. Maybe your Parents are interested into a meeting, too. It never harmed to from alliances as soon as possible."
A/N: Charlus and Fleamont have been warned, that they got one last chance to satisfy the family honour. How will they and Dumbledore react to the new stipulations? What new possibilities will bring a meeting between Tom Marvolo Riddle jr. and Augustus Prince?
