Chapter 26 – The best way to spend a Saturday.
Narcissa, Bellatrix and Lucius flooed into Remus' rooms and froze at the scene before them. Draco was laying on the lounge with Harry in cat form curled up on his chest. Both were fast asleep. Beside them on the floor was Draco's copy of 'The Jungle Books', its bag underneath it so the book itself didn't get damaged. Movement to their left made them turn, only to blink is surprise when, on the other lounge in the room, they discovered Blaise and Hermione in the same position as Draco and Harry.
The smell of freshly brewed tea and a soft chuckle snapped them from their stupor.
"Cute aren't they?" Sirius asked softly. "Severus is watching breakfast and Remus is in the shower."
"The four of them fell asleep really fast last night," Sirius explained, seeing them look at the two couples again. "Remus and I decided against waking Draco and Blaise and sending them to the dorms. We thought that Draco and Harry could both use a night of safety surrounded by familiar magical signatures and each other."
He smiled as he noticed Draco's eyes open slightly as he began waking. "They were the perfect picture of domestic bliss last night as well," he teased.
"That means the two of us will have a blissful life after marriage," Draco countered, moaning as he stretched. On his chest, Harry-Kitty was also stretching. "Did you sleep well Kitten?"
Harry purred happily and rubbed his chin and cheek on Draco's nose before biting it softly. The older teen chuckled and scratched the top of Harry's head with a finger.
"I thought we were supposed to have breakfast in the big Hall," Hermione said drowsily as the scent of cooking food wafted from the door leading to the kitchen.
"No," Severus replied as he directed plates to land on the now enlarged coffee table, "We are to be there at breakfast time for the announcement Albus wishes to make, but we are not required to eat there."
"What has been planned for today?" Remus asked, walking into the room without a shirt. Bellatrix and Narcissa blushed and looked away, giggling softly. Everyone laughed softly as Remus blushed and glared at Sirius for an unknown reason.
"After this meeting, I'm going to go visit Bathilda since it is my turn," Hermione said with a stretch before reaching for her tea. "I might ask her if she knows of a nice place to have a picnic lunch; it will do us all good to go outside for a bit."
"Oh that sounds wonderful Rinie!" Harry squealed, transforming as he leapt off Draco's chest. "We haven't had the time to walk through the lovely forest around this place yet."
The people in the room with the two exchanged horrified looks.
"Um … Harry," Remus started, "You do realise that the forest is called 'The Forbidden Forest' don't you?"
"Of course," Harry chirruped.
"You do know it is called that for a reason right?" Sirius added when it became obvious that Remus wouldn't – or couldn't – say anything.
"Most things are named for a reason Siri," wash his cheerful reply.
Hermione chuckled softly as she gently broke the yolk of her egg with her fork. "You seem to be forgetting that we are demons," she said before taking a bite of her food. "And that on top of being of demonic decent, Harry is also a member of the feline family – a family that is known for its natural curiosity and ability to get into trouble to fulfil that curiosity."
She grinned at the dazed men, showing most, if not all, her teeth. "So basically, no matter what you say, we will be going into the forest. You can either come with us and watch as Harry and I revert back to our kit-hoods over every new discovery, or you can stay here and mope."
"It isn't like we will be alone Sirius," Harry said with a fond roll of his eyes. "Bathilda said that she would come with us as a sort of guard from anything that will do us harm. They will still come to us, but they won't attack."
"This may sound silly," Lucius stated after exchanging looks with Narcissa and Bellatrix, "But who is Bathilda?"
"Oh, I forgot you don't know her!" Harry said excitedly. "She is one of the protectors of the school: The serpent of Hogwarts Coat of Arms. Salazar was her pet."
Hermione laughed at the looks that crossed over the faces of the past and present Slytherin's faces.
"She is Salazar's pet snake," She clarified when she eventually calmed down once again. "She's a little bit lonely since her latest companion left with Tom so Harry and I see her on alternate days. She says she likes being around hatchlings again."
"Don't you mean that she is a descendant of Salazar's pet snake?" Bellatrix asked.
Harry giggled; obviously giddy at the thought of exploring somewhere new with loved ones around him. "No, she was Salazar's original owner. Said he was the most adorable little hatchling she's ever seen."
"I heard that," a voice with a slight hiss to it said from near the fireplace.
"HI ZAR!" Harry yelled as he bounced over to the portrait. "We were just talking about 'Thilda. They are having trouble understanding you were hers."
Salazar blinked and turned to Hermione for a translation.
"He keeps insisting that you were Bathilda's pet rather than her being yours," Hermione giggled. "Harry wants to go into the forest and she volunteered to be a guide/ body guard for us when we go in."
Salazar chuckled deep in his chest, letting out a serious of long hisses. "In a way he is correct. My parents abandoned me when I was young due to my ability to talk to serpents. Bathilda found me and started nuzzling me. I asked her if she was going to eat me and she laughed at me before taking me back to her family nest and begging her dame and sire if she could keep me."
Everyone watched with jaws agape as Harry stuck his tongue out at Hermione playfully and she returned it good naturedly.
"But that means that she is over a thousand years old," Narcissa stated. "There are no snakes that live that long!"
"There is one," Remus said, his face a mix of awe, longing and fear.
"She's closer to twenty-five thousand years old actually," Salazar said in amusement at the same time as Remus figured out what she was.
Remus looked at Harry and Hermione incredulously, back at Salazar then back to his kits. "A basilisk," he croaked through a suddenly dry throat. "You have been visiting a basilisk in its lair."
Harry and Hermione tilted their heads to one side.
"And?" they asked.
"Why didn't you invite me?" he whined, "I've wanted to see one since I was a cub."
Harry, Hermione and Salazar laughed at the pouting man.
"Gryffindors," Severus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Around him Lucius, Bellatrix and Narcissa nodded their agreement.
~~~sammichessammichesbarelyevenrealfood~~~
The group stood in a dark corner behind the Head table. It had been decided that rather than Hermione going down to see Bathilda, Salazar would go see his one-time guardian and tell her of the group's plans then, after the meeting that Albus had called in the Great Hall, the group would separate to gather what they wanted before meeting up at the entrance to the Chamber.
Hermione was going to get food from the kitchen elves with Blaise and Sirius. Harry and Severus were going to be getting the potions kits in hope that they would be able to find some more – or new – ingredients to play with. Remus was going with them to collect his writing set and camera so he could inspect and record everything he saw in order to publish a book about what was in the Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts for the Headmaster.
Draco and Lucius were going to collect a few chess sets and travel-sized Quidditch board games – which had Remus and Sirius gasping for breath through their laughter when they found out. They still wouldn't explain what they found so funny. Narcissa and Bellatrix were going to return to their homes to change their outfits to something more appropriate for walking around in.
Silence fell in the Hall as Albus stood and everyone in the group turned their attention to the man who effortlessly controlled the attention of every person in the large room.
"As you all know, one of our students was admitted into the Hospital Wing yesterday," he stated, blue eyes completely serious. "The staff and I have been listening to all the theories that are already being thrown around and I am now going to clear them up. Yes Miss Johnston was attached by another student. No that student is NOT being punished for it because he was in the right. Yes Miss Johnston's parents came to the school and were told what had happened to their daughter and lastly, Yes Miss Johnston will be returning to classes sometime next week."
He looked over the students before him while he waited for the information he had told them to sink in.
"Miss Johnston did a very stupid thing and tried to break a courting by approaching the dominant then blamed it on him. It was thanks to the submissive that the situation was resolved since he was knowledgeable in the rules and laws of our sister and brother schools and had the forethought to bring supporting evidence with him; one of which was the signed and magically bound contract between him and his dominant. If anyone – and I mean anyone – makes this out to be more than it is, then they will be punished."
He returned to his seat and Minerva took his spot, her lips thinner than anyone had ever seen them.
"If you are a pure-blood or half-blood raised in the magical world, then you may leave if you desire," she said. No one in the Hall dared move for fear of missing something important. After several minutes of waiting, Minerva nodded once. "For those of you who are introduced to the magical world by me or one of the other Heads of House, we give you an information booklet for a reason. You. Must. Read. It. Thoroughly."
She looked at the students severely and several people from each house flinched back and slid guiltily down in their seats. Her lips disappeared as she pursed them tighter in her anger.
"The incident yesterday with Miss Johnston wouldn't have happened if she had read what had been given to her. It was through her own negligence that she was attacked and as a result, she almost got one of our staff investigated for illegal prostitution handling and her parents calling for the Heir of one of our more prestigious family's death."
The entire student population flinched as though physically struck. Even the students who had been guilty of not reading the booklet were shocked.
"As it is," Minerva continued, "our school is the most lenient school where our student's behaviour is concerned. Due to yesterday's incident, the Headmaster, several members of staff, the Board of Directors and the Education Department in the Ministry are debating whether or not to implement the same rules that were removed around six hundred years ago: Rules, I might add, that are still in effect in all bar three other schools worldwide."
The student body held their breaths for different reasons. For the purebloods, half-bloods and those mundane born and raised students who embraced their new world, they held their breaths in hope because even though Hogwarts was one of the premier schools of magic in the world, most countries refused to hire someone who was educated there because of the lack of discipline. Those students who hadn't read the booklet or had and ignored the information held their breaths in horror as they realised that life as they knew it would forever be changed.
"As of yet we have not come to an agreement, but this year WILL be the last year our students have the level of freedom you have now."
Without another word, the Transfiguration Professor returned to her seat and the silence was shattered by several hundred thoughts being voiced at the same time.
The group behind the table vanished as thought they had never been there with only those closest to the Headmaster noticing him inclining his head in that direction.
~~~howmanytimescanapersonsneezewithoutbreakingsomething?~~~
Lucius, Narcissa, Bellatrix and Sirius were silent as they stared up at Bathilda. Everyone in the group except for Harry and Hermione had frozen when they first saw the snake the two demons and Salazar spoke so fondly of. To say she was large was an understatement; she was – in a word – massive. It took only a few moments for Remus to shake off his shock and awe to take over. Almost without taking a breath, he had begun to shoot out question after question before stopping with a blush and asking if she would mind if he asked some questions since very little was known about her species.
Her hissed laughter was what snapped Severus out of his shock and, with Hermione acting as translator for Remus, turned to Harry. "She is where you get the venom from?" he asked weakly.
Harry nodded happily.
"She was very obliging," he reassured the man. "She said anytime you require more she will be happy to help you out."
"The," the older man swallowed nervously, not knowing how his statement was going to be received, "the jar you gave me wasn't all of it, was it?"
"No," Harry grinned as he bounced around in a small space near the man. "I have the other jars set aside for later. I should warn you that this type is actually more potent than the stuff you buy; it's not diluted like that stuff is."
"I, I'll keep that in mind," Severus said looking at the crested serpent with awe and respect. "Can you ask her if I have permission to touch her?"
Bathilda turned to look at him and to the amusement of everyone, wrapped herself around him so he couldn't escape and nuzzled him, hissing in pleasure.
He looked at her wide eyed before turning to face Harry, who was desperately trying to hold in his laughter.
"I don't want to know what she is doing, do I?" Severus asked with a sigh of defeat.
"She's just happy to have another hatchling," Harry said as he also got nuzzled by the serpent. "You remind her of her first pet. Now, weren't we going exploring?"
Blaise and Draco shook off their shock at those words and silently made their way to their mate's sides – only to find themselves under intense observation. After several intense moments, both of them received a tongue flick and a hiss before the intimidating creature pulled away to once again be bombarded by questions from Remus while Severus had moved to try snap the others out of their daze.
"She likes you," Harry said with a smile before he ran after the small group who were some way ahead of them, hesitating slightly before exiting the opening.
The two old friends remained where they were as they watched the originally shy teen glomp a laughing Hermione.
"Life is definitely not going to be boring with them around, is it?" Blaise asked with a smirk.
"No, no it isn't," Draco responded with a smirk back at the Elven-born male. "And just think … we are in this together. Once we bond with our mates, we will no longer be Lord and Vassal. We will be family."
"Aren't we basically family anyway?" Blaise chuckled.
"Yes," Draco stated as he started after the group before they got left behind, "But this will make it official."
Blaise blinked for a while before a slow grin spread across his face. He ran after his friend and Liege Lord happily. It wasn't every day that the Malfoy heir told you he saw you as family.
~~~buttermentholsareworthlessasthroatlozengers~~~
Narcissa looked up from her book when a shadow covered it. She giggled like a school girl when Lucius smiled down at her before sitting beside her. With a loving smile at him, she turned back to her book, smiling to herself as he linked his hand with hers. It wasn't often that Lucius allowed himself to relax from his Lord Malfoy persona, but when he did, it because very obvious just where Draco got his charm from.
"Are you trying to ignore me my Love?"
Narcissa gasped softly and her eyes widened when Lucius' voice came from beside her ear. She had been so deep in thought that she hadn't noticed Lucius put his arm around her waist and move closer to her. Goosebumps ran down her arm when his lips moved softly against the delicate skin behind her ear.
"I think you are," he murmured with slight amusement. "What do you think I should do about that?"
"I don't know what you are talking about Luc," she replied, looking at him with innocent blue eyes as she played along with him.
"Oh don't you?" Lucius asked, raising her hand he held to his lips.
Narcissa's breath caught in her throat as Lucius placed a gentle kiss to her open palm then gently trailed his fangs over her wrist, his own clear grey eyes burning into hers.
Slowly Lucius made his way closer to her shoulder until his mouth was once again beside her ear.
"There is music in the air," he whispered, drawing her gently to her feet. "It is compelling me to dance to its hypnotic tune." He pulled the book gently out of his wife's hand and placed it on the conjured seat with the utmost care, not once allowing his eyes to move from hers.
"Who am I," he whispered once he was standing upright and looking down at her, "to deny its order when it is promising so much pleasure?"
Narcissa shivered at the heated growl in his voice at the end of his speech and allowed herself to be lead into an elegant dance that was guided by music only Lucius could hear.
~~~yesiknow:I'masap~~~
Bellatrix watched her baby sister with a bitter-sweet smile. She was happy for the couple and, she thought with a giggle, it was obvious that there was nothing wrong with the attraction that had formed over twenty years previous; but she was wondering what was so wrong with her that she couldn't have what they had with her own ex-husband while they were married.
As if he had heard her thoughts, Sirius stepped up beside her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"You did a marvellous job of raising her Bella," he said softly. "A much better job than Aunt and Uncle could have done – better than Mother and Father could have done. She is a true Lady of the Black line – as are you."
He shocked her into laughter when he then picked her up and joined Lucius and Narcissa on the sun-lit grass, guiding her through a dance that had been rammed into his head since he was old enough to walk.
Bellatrix let out another burst of laughter when Sirius gave her an extra twirl at the end. Sirius smiled at his older cousin's laughter, stepped forward and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"You are a beautiful, strong woman Bella," he stated, eyes full of conviction that what he was saying was the truth. "NEVER believe otherwise, no matter who tries to tell you otherwise. As for the mongrel who divorced you – well, I never agreed to Mother marrying you off like that. He was bad for you from the very beginning, so don't you dare wish yourself back beside him. He wanted a doll; something pretty to look at and for him to play with, not a partner."
He placed his hands on her cheeks and gently wiped away the tears with his thumb, "there is someone out there for you Bella. Someone who will love all of you, not just your pretty face and five foot pedigree. To him it will not matter that you were disgraced by your ex, nor that you will not be able to give him a child from your union due to something outside your control. When you find him, I will be the first to welcome him to the family and, when you decide you want kids – if you still want them – I will cast the spells for the ritual to accept the child into the Black family without hesitation."
He let her go and pulled her into a tight hug. "You deserve to be happy just as much as Narcissa and Andromeda do Trixie," he whispered. "And I will destroy anyone who says otherwise."
Bellatrix disregarded her upbringing and through herself at her younger cousin, sobbing in relief at the knowledge he was behind her.
Sirius caught her and held her as tightly as he could, letting her know that he was there.
~~~Ialwaysseeremusgivingbellatrixachocolateheretellingherchocolatefixeseverything~~~
Severus looked up from the patch he was sorting through for potential ingredients to see both Harry and Hermione doing the same six feet away from where he was, but looking towards the clearing.
"Is everything alright?" he asked, knowing that the two of them had better hearing than him.
"Auntie Bella is upset but Siri is with her," Harry replied as he returned to putting living black and brown beetles into separate jars with dead leaves and bark in the bottom. "Lucius and 'Cissa are dancing. Remi is taking pictures and measurements from and of Bathilda to add to his records and Draco and Blaise are playing some type of game."
Severus chuckled when he heard that Lucius and Narcissa were dancing but his heart went out to Bellatrix. She had been named the Mother of the group since she was – not only the oldest, but – the person to go to if you were having a bad day. Their entire group viewed the crazy-haired woman as an older sister and she, in turn, treated them like she treated Andromeda and Narcissa; something that he had shamelessly absorbed when he was younger and desperate for someone to treat him with even a smidgeon of affection.
"I hope she finds what she is looking for," Hermione said.
"Siri is right Rinie," Harry said with a smile, "She will one day find what she needs and until then, we will help him destroy anyone who tries to prevent her from getting it. I know a few good places to hide the bodies."
Severus shuddered slightly; the black haired teen had said that with a little too much enthusiasm for his liking.
Hermine just laughed and returned to what she had been doing before being interrupted.
~~~ineedsleepandhaveaweirdurgetowatch'atrollincentralpark'~~~
"I used to get annoyed with them when they did that," Draco commented as he made his move against Blaise's bishop. "At first it was from embarrassment, but it slowly changed to jealousy as I got older. Now I have Harry …" He trailed off and looked after his mate.
"Now you have Harry it doesn't bother you anymore right?" Blaise asked, thinking about his own thoughts and feelings about his mother's and step-father's interactions both before and after meeting Hermione. "Instead it fills you with happiness and hope."
"Happy that they are still so in love with each other and hope that me and Harry will be just as happy in our relationship as they are now," Draco agreed.
Blaise nodded as he finely made his move.
"It's the same with me," he said. "It is amazing just how much changes when you find your mate."
Draco nodded his mind fully on his next move. "I wonder how everyone would react if we pulled them away from what they are doing and joined in with the dancing."
"Severus and Harry would kill you and Hermione would sit and watch while eating popcorn and shouting out suggestions," Remus answered from where he was measuring an amused Bathilda's rear fangs while standing in her mouth. "Never get between Harry and collecting his own potions ingredients. The last time someone tried they had to be taken to Mungos with deep scratches to his hands, arms, face and neck. To make it worse, he was harvesting a plant with corrosive sap – an import from the demon realm."
All three males shuddered at the thought of having the sap from any of the demonic imports added to their systems; those plants were vicious.
"Then we shall wait until after lunch to dance," Draco said decisively, moving another piece. "Checkmate."
Blaise swore only to get yelled at from four different people. Everyone – including Blaise himself – laughed.
~~~Urghit'salmostsweetenoughtomakeyoupuke~~~
Remus looked around at the unlikely group that was spread out around the clearing with amusement. Sirius and Bellatrix were fast asleep against a dozing Bathilda's side. If he looked closer, he could just make out the shape of her last meal – a trio of Acromentula that had decided it was a good idea to attack their group as they were preparing for their own midday meal. They had either not noticed the basilisk or had ignored her presence, leading to their own demise.
Lucius and Narcissa had taken Blaise and Draco's positions on either side of the transfigured table holding the chess set and were amusing themselves by flirting through playful insults.
Severus was seated alone in the centre of the clearing surrounded by vial upon vial of basilisk and Acromentula blood and venom. He was looking at them with eyes glazed over in what Remus hoped was shock and not another emotion that was very inappropriate for company.
Hermione and Blaise were seated on the ground not far from where he was, leaning against a tree trunk and discussing about whatever they had finished reading. By sounds of it, their relationship would be full of passion … if how their talk was progressing was any indication: but it could also have been the subject they were discussing. No one could say that the two of them weren't passionate about their books.
Lastly, his eyes landed on the pair he wanted to focus the least on: Harry and Draco. Draco had taken a leaf from his father's book and had swept the younger teen up into a dance the second the meal had been cleared away. He quickly looked away before the reason for him not wanting to focus on the couple made him loose control of his amusement. Harry – who only knew a few demon dances Tom had taught him – was combining one of the least sensual dances with Draco's movements. Unfortunately for the blonde, while the dance was less sensual in demonic terms, it was more so than anything performed fully dressed in wizard and Vampiric communities.
Remus pulled himself out of his thoughts before he reached the memory of Draco's face when Harry had first slid down the boy into a perfect split and back without effort so he didn't start laughing and put off his plans.
With a deep inhale, he closed his eyes and focused on finding the deep amber ball that he pictured his magic to be. Finding it quickly, he exhaled and allowed his consciousness to sink into it. After several moments he opened his eyes and found himself nose-to muzzle with his darker half.
"It's been a long time since you were here last Pup," Mooney stated in his deep, gravelly voice that filled Remus with a mixture of fear and awe. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"
Remus closed his eyes briefly before snapping them open and bowing.
"I came to apologise," he said softly. "I swore when I first talked to you I would do my best to combine us into one being rather than being two separate entities in one body. I lost focus on what was important and couldn't tell fact from fiction causing me to break my word. It has taken Harry and Hermione being here to knock some sense into me. I am deeply sorry that I have fallen so far and humbly ask your forgiveness."
Mooney let out a deep rumble, making Remus cringe back before noticing it held no malice or anger. He frowned in confusion before it hit him: the bloody beast he both was and contained was laughing at him! Without fully thinking it through, Remus straightened and glared at the wolf-spirit he held with his arms crossed and foot tapping in annoyance.
Mooney gave him a canid grin and licked right up the middle of Remus' face, making the man splutter and curse.
"Gods that is nasty!" Remus said as he wiped his face with his shirt.
Mooney once again gave a rumble of laughter.
"Calm yourself Pup," the larger-than-should-be-allowed being said, "Your apology is accepted. It will take a while for everything to happen," he warned, "so don't expect the next three or four moons to be any different than usual."
Remus nodded his understanding, deep in thought.
"I suggest going to a mind healer like the kits suggested," Mooney stated after watching the man. "Don't just talk about set things though, talk about everything – Good, Bad, soothing, embarrassing. Leave nothing out."
Remus sighed in resignation and nodded. "It looks as though I will be having regular meetings with Harry."
He rubbed his temples. "Who knows how this will turn out?"
"Everything will be fine, you'll see," Mooney stated. "You and your Pack mate should be proud of the Kit."
"We are," Remus said with a fond smile. "He is an amazing young man and we couldn't be prouder of him." The smile slowly faded from his face. "Maybe we should make a point of telling him more often… telling them BOTH more often."
"They do know you are proud of them," Mooney said, "but telling them verbally is a good way of reassuring them."
"Then the first thing I'll do is kidnap them and tell them," Remus said firmly before coughing softly and flushing slightly and adding, "And making an appointment with my mind healer."
Mooney started laughing and Remus slowly faded from his mind.
"Damn wolf," he said, more amused then annoyed as he opened his eyes. Remembering what he had said to make his inner beast laugh, he slowly got to his feet with a groan and wince. After stretching out his aching limbs, he got into position and waited for the right moment to pounce.
He laughed when Harry let out a shriek when he grabbed him before the teen could sense him and pulled him into a tight hug.
"After this moon, can you set aside a time for a mind healer's appointment for me?" he whispered, "I think I'm ready to sort out my head and start trying to merge with Mooney."
Harry smiled and hugged Remus back just as tight, ignoring how the older man's hands trembled. "Of course I will Remi. I'll look on my schedule when we get back to the rooms."
Remus nodded and tightened his hold on the boy.
"We might not say it as often as we should," he murmured into Harry's hair, "but Sirius and I are so proud of you and Hermione and what the two of you have accomplished so far in life. Both of us have no doubt that Lily and James are proud of you: Are proud to call you their son."
Harry let out a soft sob and squeezed the werewolf tightly enough to make his ribs creak.
Remus winced slightly before running a hand through the teen's hair soothingly until he was released.
"Now," he said as he wiped the tears from his Kit's face, "You go back to spending time with Draco while I go and talk to Hermione for a bit. Love you Kit."
Harry smiled widely and whispered, "Love you too Remi," and with a final hug, he returned to Draco's arms and continued to dance around the clearing.
Remus smiled and turned around so he could do the same thing to Hermione.
~~~whatisitaboutoblivionthatmakesitsofuntoplay?~~~
It was late evening before the group returned to the castle and everyone privately thanked the gods that the following day was Sunday. Upon discovering that Harry was going to be spending part of the morning with Willa, Narcissa invited herself along since it had been a long time since she had seen the other woman. Blaise and Hermione were also going along so they could see the twins: Blaise also had a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach that something was going to go wrong and had promised to go as protection for Harry … Just in case.
Remus and Sirius were going to be getting their things ready to go to the Manor for three nights since the first night of full moon was that night.
Severus was going to be in his lab all day making Remus' wolfsbane potion and some more pain potions for the hospital wing. He wasn't the only person to start cursing when the owl arrived with a note saying that Peeves – the resident poltergeist – had managed to get into the hospital wing and destroyed over half the potions in the room, but he got extra points for originality. As it was Remus, Sirius and Hermione were torn between wanting to be there when Harry met up with the nuisance and wanting to be on the other side of the world. They had no doubt that when Harry was done with him, Peeves wouldn't dare think of touching the Healing wing ever again.
Lucius was going to be at the Manor getting it ready for the full moon and Bellatrix was going to be gathering the things that she and Narcissa would need for their lessons. When she was finished, she was going to visit her parent's graves and go to an appointment at Gringotts.
Draco, after much thought, decided to remain in the school and work on his plans for the house. He wanted the construction to be at least started before Christmas. Thankfully he already had several designs planned out previously so all he had to do was decide which would work best for what he wanted before taking it to the goblins for review.
That night everyone slept peacefully with little dreaming, none of them wondering when everything would fall apart.
