Sensing Magic
by Teddylonglong
Please refer to chapter 1 for my disclaimer and warnings. Thank you.
"Thank you." The Unspeakable took off her robes, revealing a woman, whom Regina had never seen before. "This is my true form," she said, giving Regina a strange smile.
'Is that sadness?' Regina wondered. However, before she could further examine the woman's expression, she turned into someone else.
"Arabella?" Regina stared at her friend in disbelief.
The woman nodded. "I am sorry. I owe you an explanation."
Regina could only nod in a daze. She listened, when the woman explained how she had become an Unspeakable right after finishing Hogwarts to get away from the bad reputation of her real family and so on.
"I don't understand. Why did you friend me in spite of not even being a real Squib?" she finally asked.
The woman returned her features to her original form. "My real name is Rebecca Lestrange. I am your younger sister. That's why I sought you out. I wanted to keep an eye on you and possibly help you. Ever since I became an Unspeakable, together with my best friend, by the way, I tried to find a charm to give you magic, unsuccessfully as you know."
Regina exchanged a glance with Severus, just when the door was opened and Harry stepped into the room.
"Mum? Did she tell you the truth?"
"Are you sure that it is true?" Severus quirked an eyebrow.
"Yes, I am sure, but Mum could simply go to Gringotts and ask about her family members, considering that she's head of the Lestrange family."
"Regina, please do so. I've missed you, ever since you moved to Hogwarts. I never intended to take on my real form ever again, but Harry convinced me to do so and come to see you. That's why he invited Whisker and me here tonight."
"I never even knew that I had a sister. How old are you?"
"I know that you were sent away when I was about five, but we never met before that. I only ever heard about that strange sister, who would never come out of her rooms. And then I heard that they sent you to the muggle world. It was Rodolphus who told me where to find you, but I never had a chance to go and meet you before finishing Hogwarts. Will you forgive me?"
Regina smiled. "Of course. It is strange to suddenly have a sister, but how could I not be happy to have family? Will you promise to come to see me again?"
Rebecca nodded. "I will. I promise. I now understand what Harry told me." When she cast a questioning look at her son, she added, "He said that you were the kindest witch he had ever met." She stepped forward and gently hugged her.
"Thanks for coming and telling me the truth."
"Feel free to visit us at the Prince quarters, Hogwarts at any time," Severus added, smiling.
"Rebecca, thanks for telling them." Harry smiled at her younger sister.
"So, you're colleagues at the Unspeakables' Office?"
"Yes."
Suddenly, Poppy stuck her head through the door. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but it is one minute to midnight."
Everyone nodded and returned to the Great Hall, ready to greet the New Year.
HP
'Great that Rebecca told Mum the truth,' Harry thought, having the impression as if Regina was truly happy. 'I wonder when Artemis is going to out himself, too. It would really be convenient for him if he could use magic to clean the halls,' he thought, unaware of what the old caretaker was already planning.
HP
On January 2, Harry spent the afternoon in Hogsmeade together with Neville, Draco, Teddy, Ginny, the twins and Lucy, while their parents were engrossed in last minute preparations for their classes. The children had been instructed, however, to meet their classmates at the station and return to Hogwarts riding the carriages together with everyone else.
Happy to have the rest of his friends back, Harry boarded a carriage together with Hermione, Daphne, Luna and Theo, having Lucy sit on his feet, which did not work out, as the canine busied herself thoroughly greeting each of his friends, climbing on one or the other lap to reach her goal of licking their faces.
'Lucy, you must behave yourself,' Harry lightly scolded her, causing the canine to finally obey and lie down on their feet.
Together with his friends, Harry followed Lucy through the snow into the entrance hall, where his attention was suddenly drawn to the old caretaker.
"Prince, look at what your dog did! You're going to clean the entrance hall without magic! Now!"
Too stunned to even contradict, Harry simply stared at Filch, trying to comprehend what was happening, while his friends stood up for him.
"Everyone is bringing in snow and mud, not only Lucy."
'Go Hermione, tell him,' Harry thought.
"We really need a caretaker able to cast a simple cleaning spell," Luna muttered, and with a quick wave of her wand, the mud vanished.
"Lovegood!" Filch shouted, casting the girl a menacing glare. "No magic in the halls."
"You wish," Draco sneered. "Unlike you, we can do magic and will use it."
"Prince! Too much of a coward to stand up for yourself and your dog?" Filch sneered, when a sudden idea crossed Harry's mind.
"Mr. Filch, you're fired as of today. Please vacate your office by curfew tonight."
Ignoring the fact that the round fifty students, who were just crossing the entrance hall, stopped walking and stared at him, open-mouthed, he continued walking in the direction of the Great Hall, pulling Lucy and his friends with him.
"You can't do that! Detention with me for the rest of the week. I will speak with the headmaster about your impudence."
Harry rolled his eyes at Filch's protest. "I can and I just did. Professor Dumbledore won't be able to help you, as I can override his decisions. Your services are not needed any longer."
"Harry?" the head girl came over to him. "Are you sure that's what you want to do?"
"Yes." Harry smirked. "I'm going to hire a wizard for the position, and in the meantime, I'm sure that Hagrid will help us out."
HP
"Will you reserve me a seat?" Harry asked Hermione, receiving a nod in return, before he made his way to the high table.
"Professors, just for your information, I have just fired Mr. Filch. I will see to it that I'm going to employ a wizard for the position as soon as possible."
While the other professors began to laugh, similar to the students, who seemed to be cheering at the idea of having got rid of the grumpy caretaker, Dumbledore shook his head in obvious horror.
"Harry, you can't simply dismiss our staff."
"Sorry, Headmaster, but I can and I just did." Turning to Hagrid, he continued in a much softer voice. "Hagrid, would you mind helping out for a few days?"
"O'course 'Arry, o'course." The half giant grinned broadly. "Well done, 'Arry."
"Hagrid!" Dumbledore lightly scolded the man, who merely returned a questioning look.
With that, Harry left and took his place between Hermione and Teddy at the Ravenclaw table.
HP
"Harry, do you have any idea how to find a replacement that quickly?" Hermione cast him a concerned look. "Considering that school is going to commence again tomorrow morning, the timing was not really optimal."
Harry smirked. "Don't worry; I'm sure that I'll have one by the weekend. In fact, I already have someone in mind."
"That was well done, Harry." From Teddy's other side, Luna cast him a dreamy smile.
"Thanks, Luna," Harry replied, returning a genuine smile. 'At least, it was believable,' he thought in amusement, 'if even Luna believed it. She seems to be able to look right through me at most times.'
'Well done, Harry,' Artemis suddenly thought to him. 'Please leave everything to me, provided that you still intend to hire me.'
'Of course.' Harry replied right away, feeling indignant.
'I will see to it that an advertisement will be placed into the Daily Prophet tomorrow morning, but that no one will be able to apply for it. Is that all right for you?'
'Of course. I'll leave everything to you, Whisker. When are you going to begin working, and will you use your real name?'
'Can I come over on Saturday morning to make a contract?'
'We'll probably need to see Professor McGonagall about the contract. I'll talk to her. I suppose that you officially wish to have Sundays off?'
'I'd appreciate it.'
'Saturday morning in Mr. Filch's office then.'
'Thanks, Harry.'
HP
On Friday after dinner, Harry took Theodore aside. "I'd like to speak with you in the founders' quarters for a moment."
While they walked to Harry's rooms with Lucy happily running ahead, he thought to Artemis, 'I am going to inform your brother about hiring you. Would you like to come and talk to him? If so, just take the Floo to 'The founders' quarters, Hogwarts'. I'll open the connection in two minutes.'
The response was immediate. 'Thank you, Harry. I'll be there in five minutes.'
Harry motioned Theodore to take a seat, while he took his favourite spot on the sofa, gently playing with Lucy's ears.
"Theo, do you remember your brother, Artemis?"
Theodore's eyes narrowed. "Why do you even know about him? I haven't heard from him since I was very small. I barely remember him."
Harry smirked. "He's going to be our new caretaker. I just thought I'd tell you in advance."
"My brother? Harry, are you sure?" Theodore sounded extremely excited.
"Yes. Is that a good thing?"
"Oh, absolutely brilliant. That means, that he really is still the heir, and I'm free to do as I please." Theo grinned, broadly.
"Hmm, I'll have to think about that."
"Artemis!" Harry rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Don't sneak up on us like that."
"The two of you are on a first-name basis?" Theo looked from one to the other in surprise.
"It's better to not ask too many questions, little bro. I just wanted to say hello to you on Harry's invitation."
Harry smiled. "I'll leave you alone for a while. Lisa! Would you please bring some refreshments for my two friends?"
Seeing that the brothers made themselves comfortable on the sofa, he used the shortcut to return home together with Lucy, the thought 'I'm as meddling as Dumbledore' crossing his mind.
HP
When he stepped into the living room of the Prince quarters, he inwardly chuckled upon hearing his parents discuss the fact that Mrs. Norris was still roaming the halls of Hogwarts.
"Earlier today, I spoke with Minerva about Mrs. Norris. Apparently, cats are more fixed on their home than on their owner, means the place, not the person. Anyway, she transformed into her Animagus form and talked to Mrs. Norris. She told her that she'd just stay at Hogwarts."
"That's my son." Regina sounded proud, as she smiled broadly. "He looks after everyone."
Harry smirked. "I know for a fact that the new caretaker is very fond of cats, and I suppose that he'll just adopt Mrs. Norris."
"Do you really have a new caretaker already?" Severus quirked an eyebrow.
Harry sighed. "As you know, I am an Unspeakable. He's my colleague, but we mustn't speak about that to anyone. He can't even know that you know."
"Was that the other Unspeakable who joined us on New Year's Eve together with Rebecca?"
Harry nodded at his mother, grinning.
"While being extremely Hufflepuffish, you're a Slytherin through and through." When Harry raised an eyebrow in silent question, his father continued, "Don't tell me that he had a Squib alias just like his female colleague and gave it up at about the same time."
'Dad just knows everything,' Harry thought with a combination of disbelief, annoyance but also pride. 'He's simply brilliant.'
"Luna told me that my firing Filch was brilliant, so I think that it was believable."
"It was." Regina nodded, reassuringly.
"If only to show Dumbledore who has the upper hand." Severus smirked.
"At least I informed him within a minute after firing Filch."
"How recommendable."
"Dad!" Harry shook his head in annoyance. "Come Lucy, let's go to the study room for a while."
HP
The whole school was happy, when the deputy headmistress introduced the new caretaker at breakfast on Saturday morning. "Mr. Artemis Nott, a wizard, who has finished Hogwarts as a Slytherin student and prefect ten years ago."
"May we now use magic in the corridors?"
Harry inwardly snorted at the question coming from somewhere at the Gryffindor table; however, Minerva's mouth stretched to a thin line.
"Of course not. Mr. Nott as well as the professors and prefects are the only persons allowed to use magic in the corridors."
'And the elves, and me as the owner of Hogwarts,' Harry added for himself, however, knew better than to voice his thoughts.
The second half of their second year passed uneventfully. The students noticed soon that Mr. Nott was much nicer than Mr. Filch had been, and Harry received thanks from all over the school for firing the old Squib.
HP
Every Sunday, Harry spent the day in the Unspeakables' Office together with Rebecca, Artemis, Marvolo and Salazar in his portrait. Some of the time was used for discussions; at other times, he tried to invent the potion to enhance floo powder, only to realise that it was extremely difficult.
'I so wish I could involve Dad or the twins in this,' he thought many times, however, knew that he was not allowed to speak about the matter outside of the team room of Team 13.
"I still think we should ask Severus for his cooperation," Salazar advised him a couple of times, but Harry did not dare acting against his oath.
One Sunday evening in April, he felt so frustrated that he discussed the matter with Marvolo.
'I think you should involve him. For the Unspeakables, it is better to succeed no matter by what means.'
'But I swore them an oath.'
'I know. I did the same, but it only said that we'd keep their secrets. Involving Severus, you're not violating the oath. You will not share any secret. You're simply asking for help.'
Harry considered the matter for a moment. 'But isn't the fact that they're working on a means for time travel alone a secret?'
Marvolo remained quiet, and Harry already wondered what had happened to his friend, when he finally replied.
'I've just discussed the matter with Whisker, and he agreed that you may involve your father, provided that you make it absolutely clear that he mustn't talk about your research with anyone. According to Whisker, he's very welcome to join our team as well, by the way.'
'Thank you,' Harry replied, feeling relieved enough to drift off to sleep with Lucy cuddled against his back.
HP
It was a few days later, when the second-years were doing their homework in the second-year study room, that Hermione suddenly closed her book with a loud bang, letting out a deep sigh.
"Mione?" Harry cast his friend a questioning look.
"What's wrong?" Teddy added in apparent concern.
"I don't have a clue which elective to take. It should be possible to take them all." The girl looked at them in clear irritation.
"I think I will take Ancient Runes." Teddy cast Harry a questioning look. "I haven't decided on the other yet though."
Harry sighed. "My father once suggested that my mother should teach an elective class 'Natural Science', which would be a combination of a magical and a muggle class, which would be recognised in case someone wanted to attend a muggle university after Hogwarts. I'm sorry, I completely forgot about it, but perhaps, we could install that class from the next school year onwards."
"Harry, please do so. I will certainly take that class." Hermione frown changed to a grin of apparent excitement.
"Me too," Teddy added.
"I'd be interested, too." Neville nodded his agreement.
"Me as well." Ginny grinned, broadly. "Your mum must be an amazing teacher."
"All right then. Please excuse me. I'll go home and talk to Mum. Come, Lucy."
HP
To Harry's relief, his mother agreed to teach the class, however, asked that he should call over Minerva, so that they could discuss the matter with her, considering that the older witch had much more experience teaching at Hogwarts.
"Regina, I am happy that you finally feel comfortable enough to teach. As to the curriculum, we're all here to offer our help if you need it."
Harry nodded. "Thank you, Minerva. I fully agree. Mum, why don't you just only teach one class for the third-years at the beginning? Next year, you could add another class for the fourth-years and so on. That way, you only need to make a new lesson plan for one class every year, and as my friends and I will be in the first class, we might be able to give feedback or even make suggestions for improvement." He chuckled, only to add, "Especially as Hermione is in our class."
Minerva nodded. "Miss Granger is very demanding indeed. Her input might be valuable."
Regina smiled. "Thank you, Minerva and Harry, and yes, I'll be grateful for any assistance you can give."
"Thanks, Mum, for agreeing to teach. We really didn't know what electives to take, so this helps a lot. I think that you can expect most of the third years to take your class."
While Regina looked horrified, Minerva chuckled. "Regina, the students already know you as the kind, gentle witch you are from your counselling. Poppy told me that she barely had any homesick students like during the last years, which is only due to your counselling. You're a fantastic teacher."
"Absolutely." Harry nodded, smiling. "Well, I'll return to the study room to tell everyone the good news then. Lulu, are you coming?"
Lucy blinked, letting out a huge yawn.
"Just leave the cutie here. It's only thirty minutes before curfew anyway." Regina smiled, as the canine relaxed under her soft touch.
HP
The twins felt accomplished. One of the first things they had learned at the Unspeakables' Office was to turn themselves invisible – an extremely valuable feature in the lives of two professional mischief makers.
The fact that Mento and Mento during the five months since they joined their team had not been willing to admit that they were Fabian and Gideon Prewett was a thorn in the twins' eyes, however.
On this Sunday morning, Fred used a short walk to the toilet to pop himself right in front of the Unspeakables' kitchen, where their mother Molly was working. Invisibly entering the kitchen, he swiftly spelled the content of a small phial in his robe pocket into the desert, which their mother was laying final hand on.
He quickly popped back in front their team room, wearing a professional innocent expression, as he walked in and shook off his robe. To his relief, Ra, the head of their team, was still being distracted by George with the examination of a new, experimental potion. 'He probably didn't even notice that I was gone for a minute,' he realised in relief. Only Ginny seemed to have realised that he left the room for a moment and cast him a questioning look.
"Toilet," he whispered, causing her to nod in apparent understanding.
"Now, Minis, it's about lunchtime," Ra informed them. "Shall we head to the canteen a little early?"
The twins exchanged a glance.
"Let's just wait…"
"… for Mento and Mento..."
"… and go together."
Ginny rolled her eyes, but did not contradict.
HP
Together with Serpent, which was Marvolo's Unspeakable character, Felina, Whisker and Lucy, Harry as Paws headed to the Unspeakables' canteen for lunch. As usual, ever since Harry, Ginny and the twins had begun to work as Mini Unspeakables, Team 13 joined Team 5 at their usual table in the canteen, which was separated into several small cubicles, divided by impenetrable screens.
Harry inwardly groaned, as lunch appeared on the table in front of him. 'This is so incredibly frustrating.' Ever since Marvolo had encouraged him to ask his father to join the team, Harry had been hesitating to address the older wizard, knowing how busy Severus was and that he should use his scarce free time for Regina and Felix.
He became distracted from dark thoughts, which he still nursed while eating his dessert, when one after the other of his colleagues transformed into canary birds, right before he could not help himself transforming as well. Their much too large, grey robes fell onto the floor.
#Fred and George, was that you?# He did not even try to keep the annoyance out of his voice.
#Ah, but how could we have done such a thing…#
#... as we've been working the whole morning…#
#... and at least, we can communicate…#
#... with each other.#
'As much as I want to manage the transformation into a phoenix, this tiny bird form is just annoying,' Harry thought and swiftly transformed into his canine form, much to Lucy's apparent delight. She immediately gave him a thorough sniff accompanied by a washing.
Harry smirked, when Felina and Whisker transformed into their cat Animagi forms.
Just a moment later, everyone else automatically transformed back into their human forms. Harry just got a glimpse at the two Mentos' faces, before they schooled them back into the forms, which they usually took on to hide their real identity.
'They're Gideon and Fabian, the twins' uncles,' he thought to Lucy, before he transformed back into his human form, just like Felina and Whisker.
All of a sudden, he felt a series of spells travel from Mento and Mento to the three Weasleys. 'They're obliviating them,' he realised and hurriedly put up a Protego charm, as soon as he sensed the next spell travel towards himself.
"Obliviating your own colleagues? That's gross." He cast the older twins a glare that would have made his father proud, before he reached for Lucy's paw and popped them right into the room of Team 13.
