AN: So it came to my attention that I hadn't posted this chapter yet, despite it being on AO3 for nearly six months now. I'm glad someone told me because I would have forgotten to post it here as well, since I rarely use this site. I highly suggest to read my stories on my ao3 account, because as you can see, I post to that one more frequently and I have other stories on that site.
Forewarning: This is a longer chapter than I usually post. It ended up being over 10k words. It's not as good as I wanted it to be and this story keeps divulging from the plans I set forth. But overall, I am happy with parts of it. I'm sorry if any of this feels rushed at all. I just wanted to finally give y'all an update since I promised it was gonna be soon.
Also, I minored in Classical Civilizations in college. Can you spot the joke I put in? ;)
"You look even more pleased to go to potions than usual," Hermione grinned from across the table, a gleam in her eyes that made Harry raise an eyebrow. "You clearly know something that I don't." Chuckling, Harry glanced around and then back to Hermione.
"Part one of Severus kicking out the dangerous students is about to commence," Harry whispered, even though they were both under a privacy spell. His grin turned into a smirk at the way Hermione's eyes lit up like a burning yule log, gleeful and relieved at the same time. He couldn't help but share her sentiment.
"Wait, you said part one." Hermione tilted her head as she looked at him, chewing on the inside of her cheek. "This will only be the beginning." There was a hint of disappointment and Harry had to resist from laughing at his friends' obvious displeasure.
"I know you're just as impatient as I am about it," Harry began, "But the truth is, Severus doesn't like to fail people. He sees potential in a lot of his students, and he doesn't want to fail them in one swoop." Harry stole a glance at the potions professor, who was engaged in a conversation with Professor McGonagall. He smiled a bit as he turned back to Hermione. "The practice exam today will be an eye-opener for a lot of people, including those who are doing well with the help of their partner," He added, holding back another look that formed in Hermione's eyes.
"Oh, I see." She nodded, putting everything together. "He's going to start off today with a separate mock examination," She had to admit, it was a great idea to make them brew a potion alone and have them realize it was going to be that way on their actual NEWTs. "And then he'll have his midterms in about two weeks."
"I think it's a great way to weed out those who have potential and those who don't. We already know that Pansy and Justin will fail today, but I wonder how that number will increase when partners are separated." He knew Draco and Zabini would pass, as well as himself and Hermione. But he couldn't be certain about the others. The only other person he knew that would likely pass would be Daphne Greengrass, and that was only because Draco had confidence in her abilities.
"You make a good point," Hermione admitted. "I never paid much attention to other students besides Pansy and Justin, but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of our peers are using their partners to pass." Even though Ron was no longer in school, she could clearly remember him using her and Harry to pass. "I don't understand how Slughorn managed to pass Justin," Harry paused at the statement, trying to figure it out as well.
"He was lenient with a lot of students," Harry reminded. "He also played favorites and let his own bias affect other students." On impulse, he found Draco at the Slytherin table with Zabini, the two of them talking, fondness in their eyes. "It goes with the conversation we had the other day, about dark wizards and witches being treated differently." Hermione frowned at that as well, nodding.
"I remember. He treated Draco differently because of his family being connected to the Dark Lord." Hermione paused as she hesitantly spoke up again. "And yet he had the Carrow twins in attendance," She remembered. "And their family is known supporters of the dark lord." Her friend paused, thinking.
"If I'm not mistaken, I don't think that Flora and Hestia were direct descendants of Amycus or Alecto. The Carrow family is a large family, like the Blacks and the Lestranges." Hermione tilted her head.
"I see. I'm still confused about why he singled out Malfoy, though. Lucius was never proven to be a Death Eater." Harry nodded at the assessment but soon spoke up to make another point.
"That's true, but his father was part of the original group. They went by the name of Knights of Walpurgis, and they were the Death Eaters before, well the Death Eaters. Lucius' Father was in that group, and Slughorn taught all of them." Hermione's eyes widened as she nodded, starting to see the full picture. "If you look at the way he selected people for his Slug Club, he never selected direct descendants of Death Eaters. Even if Lucius was never found guilty, everyone knew his father was a supporter, and that would have been enough for Slughorn."
"That's why Zabini was selected out of all the Slytherins, besides the Carrows." Hermione realized. "Most of the Slytherins that made it to the NEWTs in our sixth year are direct descendants." Harry nodded.
"Bias can be so interesting," Harry stated, looking down at the table and towards the younger years. "I mean, look at where we're sitting, Mione. People have a bias against the death eaters, but people also have a bias against the Order of the Phoenix." Harry shook his head. "Not that the bias against the Order is wrong, but this whole war is based on misconceptions and biases." His friend followed his gaze, subtlety sweeping past the younger Gryffindors.
"A lot of that will change in the coming months. With the introduction of new professors, some of that bias will change. As much as I loved Hagrid, he's too devoted to Dumbledore to ever see reason." Harry thought about the man and how much he had done for him, but the Gryffindor nodded in agreement.
"He's part of the reason I never ended up in Slytherin. When he told me about Voldemort for the first time, he essentially blamed all the Slytherins. He said, 'There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin." Hermione's grimace was obvious as she huffed.
"It's generalizations and prejudices that made the divide in Hogwarts all the more noticeable." She shook her head again, sighing. "And you've taught me that Dark doesn't mean evil," Hermione added. "I didn't ask yet, since we've both been so busy…" She seemed to hesitate for a moment. "But now that Dumbledore will officially be leaving, does that mean you plan on being a professor after you get your mastery?" Harry licked his lips, debating on what to say.
"I want to," Harry confessed. "There's no job at the ministry that calls to me, honestly. I never wanted to be an auror in the first place and I don't think I'd do well at a desk job, working under someone who's almost as bad as Dumbledore." Hermione snorted and nodded, understanding his issues. "The only division that I would particularly be interested in would be as an Unspeakable. I want to stay in the scholarly field, you know? Continue research in the academic setting." Harry shrugged. "And while unspeakables conduct research, they can't talk about it. I don't understand doing research if that information isn't going to be shared eventually."
Of course there were ways to get by it, but Harry wasn't interested in that.
"You know, I think you should join the board of governors in the future," At her suggestion, Harry thought of the idea, tilting his head in thought. "You're always thinking about ways to enhance the school and fix the issues that you see. Without you exposing Dumbledore, none of this would have happened. And you've already spoken to Professor McGonagall about a permanent dueling class. If you joined the board one day, you could advocate for less censorship in Hogwarts."
Hermione had a strong and great point there and Harry couldn't help but save the idea for later, wanting to give it more thought. It was actually a really good idea, one that he knew would be at the back of his mind for days to come.
"I'm not sure how I would join it, but I'm sure I can ask Lucius in the future if I decide to do it." He truly liked the idea, but he didn't want to get his hopes up in case there were certain requirements that needed to be met.
"When do you think you'll be done with your mastery in defense?" Hermione asked, finishing her breakfast as she started to pack her books up. Harry perked up at the question, smiling more.
"It's been a lot of studying, to be honest. Technically I'm almost done. I just need to pass my NEWTs and then schedule a time to take the Mastery exam." Hermione's eyes widened at that, in awe at his words.
"Congratulations, Harry. I had no idea you were almost done with it." The wizard shrugged, chewing on his bottom lip as he debated on his answer.
"Something that makes it different from the NEWTs is all the dark arts in it," Harry admitted. "Not that we don't know some for the NEWTs, but the Mastery in defense requires me to be familiar with a longer list of dark spells. A lot of the spells I need to be familiar with aren't taught here. They have to either be self-taught, or taught in specific classes for aurors, or the magical law enforcement in general." Harry explained. "The reason I'm almost done is thanks to Severus and Tom. Tom has a lot of books. His library honestly puts this one to shame." Harry chuckled.
"With all the dark arts books at my disposal, it made studying it a lot easier. Tom also helped me if I was having trouble when I visited him," Harry glanced back to Severus, who was getting ready to leave the table. "And Severus was always there to help me with the spells as well. They're both extremely intelligent and experts at whatever they set their mind to." Hermione smirked at the words, following his gaze.
"We should probably head to potions soon ourselves. I don't want to miss their expressions when Professor Snape reveals what's going to happen." Harry smirked at his friend's devious nature, packing his own books as well.
He would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to their expressions too.
Inside the potions classroom, the tension was palpable as the seventh years glanced at the sets of cauldrons on their tables. Each table also had a magical barrier between them, hiding the other person from view. Harry smirked as the color drained from Pansy's face, yet a satisfied gleam seemed to entire Daphne's eyes.
Justin's expression was just as priceless. His brown eyes were as wide as saucers and his lips were parted in shock, his hands twitching as if he were unsure where to place them.
Others seemed just as nervous, worriedly glancing at their former partners and hoping this nightmare would end.
"Your Yule exams will be given in two weeks," Severus spoke as he entered the room, making many of the anxious students jump in surprise. They glanced at their professor, their fear making him raise an eyebrow as he continued on. "And from there, you will either pass or fail. Those of you who fail will be dropped from this class and unable to take your NEWTs." It was so silent you couldn't even hear a pin drop, the students too afraid to even breathe. "Just like your NEWTs, your Yule exams will be taken individually." He waved his hand, ingredients appearing on the counter behind him. "As will this assignment."
If Severus was enjoying this, he was doing a great job at hiding it. From the others, that is. In those dark eyes, Harry could see a glint of pleasure hidden from the others. He shifted, covering his mouth with his hand to hide a smirk that desperately wanted to break across his face.
"Today you will brew Veritaserum," Severus paused when a hand shot up. "Yes, Miss Turpin?"
"How will we know if the potion is brewed correctly, sir? Veritaserum takes an entire lunar phase to complete." Severus hummed.
"That is correct. I will use a mint leaf to check your potion at the end." That seemed to cause more confusion among the students, who were outright whispering to each other about the mint leaf. As their whispers got louder, it was Justin who made a fool of himself. Even if only for the sake of other students in the class.
"How would a mint leaf tell if the potion is correct or not." Harry saw the annoyed look that was starting to gather in Severus' onyx eyes and acted on impulse.
"Mint is a key ingredient in poison antidotes," Harry spoke up. "Jobberknoll feathers and sopophorous beans together can cause a potion to become toxic unless prepared correctly. If the leaf floats, your potion is fine. If it disentangles, you created a poison instead." Harry easily explained, hesitantly looking up and finding a look of surprise in the onyx eyes, which quickly turned appraising, making his stomach flutter. He could feel others looking at him with looks of astonishment, even Hermione. He flushed at the gazes, instinctively biting on his bottom lip as he looks into Severus' eyes.
For a split second, he could have sworn those onyx eyes had landed on his lips, lingering for a moment as those eyes darkened more. Harry felt his cheeks burn, mouth drying as the world seemed to fall away. In a blink of an eye, Severus was looking elsewhere.
Just like that, the moment was over.
"Ten points to Gryffindor for a correct summation of why mint is used," Severus spoke, turning back to the wide-eyed students. "Those who fail this assignment will be given an hour of detention for the next two weeks, where you will spend time in your common room studying." The wide eyes had turned sorrow-filled now, the fear settling back into their bones.
"Begin."
Harry barely stopped from snorting at the sight of the students floundering as they rushed to gather ingredients, some not even knowing the quantity needed. However, when he met Severus' gaze again and saw the slight smirk that was only meant for him, Harry felt warmth explode through his chest as he forgot about the others in the room.
An hour later, Harry and a few other students were finishing up their potions, turning off their burners, and waiting for Severus to arrive with a mint leaf. As he finished, his eyes automatically wandered to where Justin was, eyebrow quirking at the substance that was in the cauldron.
Their end product needed to be clear and thin in consistency. Not black and…foaming?
He covered his face with a deep sigh, already knowing what the end product was going to do. Luckily it wouldn't be too volatile, but it would take weeks for Justin to get that out of his hair. Stealing a glance at Malfoy, he saw the look of horror on the blonde's face, pale face turning to an almost sickly white.
"Dear Merlin, he's going to kill us all," Draco huffed quietly with a shake of his head, throwing a shield potion over himself and Zabini, who snorted at the words, not looking up yet. When the other Slytherin did, his mouth opened in shock.
"Actually, Draco," Zabini spoke with a weird tone in his voice that quickly caught Harry's attention. "I think it'll be a competition between him and Pansy on who kills us first." Hermione turned to look in the direction Zabini was looking and quietly choked to herself.
"He's right, Harry." She whispered with a smirk. "Black and foaming is one thing, but gray and boiling?" Paling, Harry was quick to cast a shield charm around them as well, just to be on the safe side. When he dared to look around at the other students, he shook his head at the numerous mistakes that were bubbling in their cauldrons. He couldn't see everything thanks to the barriers Severus had placed between partners, but the look of concern on some students' faces gave them away.
"Your potions should be clear by now," Severus' voice broke through the sound of the room, his billowing figure making a familiar trek as he checked the potions. Harry bit his lips to stop from smirking at the displeased tone when he reached Pansy's cauldron.
"Miss Parkinson, this has to be one of the worst attempts I have ever seen." Severus banished the potion with a small sneer. She was avoiding his gaze, flushed in embarrassment as he left her to go over the next horrid potion attempt.
When Severus eventually made it to his desk, Harry hid a smirk when the man rose an eyebrow at the shielding charm. He nodded his head to the black cauldron a row ahead of him, the foam worsening. Harry was unable to hide his smirk at the look of pure contempt, those dark eyes narrowing in on the foam. He heard a small sigh.
Not wasting any more time, the mint was placed, unsurprisingly remaining intact. His and Hermione's potions were bottled and placed on a desk with a few others.
When Severus reached Justin's potion, Harry caught Draco's eyes and smirked.
"Mister Finch-Fletchley, this is also one of the worst attempts I've ever seen," Harry could hear the scowl on the Slytherin's face. "Had I not banished it, your potion would have exploded, leaving your skin and hair dyed for the next week." Justin was sinking in his seat, face just as flushed as Pansy's.
At the end of the inspections, only seven of the twelve potions passed, leaving five people to serve detention in the common rooms every night. Harry could see the dejection on Justin's face from a mile away when the class was over, and he offered him a small smile. Justin shakily returned it, sighing.
"I wonder if I should just go ahead and drop the class," Justin admitted quietly. "I tried, but it's just not sticking." Harry withheld a grimace and shrugged. He wanted Justin out of the class personally, but that didn't mean he enjoyed the hurt that was on his friend's face.
"You should do whatever you think is best," Harry stated. "Potions aren't for everyone. I mean, I'm sure you were there when Neville had his many accidents." It was nice getting a soft laugh from the Hufflepuff. Justin nodded, remembering those previous classes all too well. "And contrary to popular belief, there are many positions that don't require you to earn a NEWT in potions. You have an OWL in it and that's enough for a lot of jobs." Justin seemed to consider that as he nodded, thinking it over.
"Thanks for that, Harry. It helps a lot," The Hufflepuff smiled again as he grabbed his things and left, not having to clean much since his potion had been banished. Hermione glanced at him with a small smile, shaking her head.
"You've always been good at that. Helping someone when they're upset, I mean." Hermione added, making Harry shrug as he finished cleaning his workstation. Her smile widened when she saw the slight flush on his cheeks.
"He's still a friend even if he sucks at potions. You would have done the same for Neville, had he been here." She considered that as he glanced to the place Justin had previously been occupying, nodding.
"I would. I could tell he needed some soft, yet genuine, words. I think the fact you didn't dissuade him from quitting was a good idea. He needed encouragement, but not the false sort." Harry knew exactly what she meant by that and nodded. "That was very Slytherin of you," She added with a smirk, making him chuckle.
"It comes naturally," He joked, helping Hermione with her things. From the corner of his eye, he witnessed a journal glow slightly. Stealing a quick look at Severus, he saw the man was busy with grading the fresh potions, meaning it was from Tom. Hermione seemed to notice the journal as well, tilting her head.
"He doesn't usually message you when you're in class." Harry shook his head, a little surprised by the sudden message as well. He grabbed the journal, not yet opening it when there were still some students around, even if most had left.
"I have a feeling I'll need to visit him shortly. It's a good thing that charms and defense are done until the exams." They had review classes available, but Harry didn't need to attend those. Not when he was so far ahead. But something was telling him that the message Tom sent was serious. He shot a glance at Severus, who was watching him from his desk.
In a blink, Harry took a piece of parchment, scribbled on it, and charmed it to land on Severus' desk. The man didn't look at it yet, knowing the look in the green eyes all too well.
"C'mon, Mione," Harry whispered, clutching the glowing journal close.
When Severus opened the note later, the potions professor raised an eyebrow.
I might be late for detention.
"Is it serious?" Hermione questioned when Harry opened the journal in a private place, swallowing when her friend nodded. "Harry?"
:Samantha Parkinson has informed me that Arthur Weasley accepted her as his lawyer. She will need your statements and memories for the upcoming hearing and trial. You will not be expected to make an appearance at the trials themselves, but she will need to question you beforehand.:
:Will she also need a statement from Severus? He was with me when the compulsions were revealed, and he was the one to give them the anti-compulsion potions. Hermione was also with me. She's the one who cast the spell on Ginny to figure out if she was under compulsions: Harry felt a wave of panic go through him at the thought. It was one thing about him being questioned, but it was another if Severus or Hermione was. If Dumbledore were in attendance, and Harry was sure that he would be, then that would paint Severus as the enemy. Even more, if Hermione was connected to the downfall of his plans too, he might just try to single both of them out. Dumbledore didn't have a restraining order from her, so he might have tried to use that to his advantage. Before he could panic more, Tom wrote a reply.
:No. You are the only one who needs to provide a statement. These attacks, save the love potion usage on Lord Weasley, have been directed against you personally. As you are a Lord of multiple houses and own considerable wealth in your vaults, your statements are vital. It's a punishable crime for amortentia use, let alone compelling a minor to use it on a Lord. You are a victim in this situation as well.:
:If I'm also a victim in this, why do they only want my statement?: Not that he minded, of course, but there had to be something else.
:I knew you wouldn't want to make an appearance, not with Dumbledore likely to attend the trial.: Harry felt a wave of warmth spread through his chest, smiling softly. :You've also mentioned that you feel worse for the Weasley family. I figured you would feel as if you were going to be in the spotlight because of your status as the 'Boy who lived.' Harry was even more touched at what Tom was doing for him. In the past, he had never expected the dark lord to take him into consideration, but Tom was constantly defying his expectations by the day.
:Thank you. Remind me to give you a hug later.: For some reason, he could imagine Tom fondly rolling his eyes with a small smile on his lips. :I'm serious. I would have been unhappy to do that trial in person, and you knew it.:
:I suppose after all the times you've apparated here, I've started to understand what you like and don't like.: Again, Harry smiled despite himself, shaking his head. He shouldn't be surprised by Tom anymore, but the man liked to prove him wrong it seemed.
:I'm finished with class for the day. Would you like me to apparate there now?: Harry still had a suspicion that something else needed to be discussed, but if he was going to be there eventually, he figured Tom was waiting until then to talk about it. He couldn't stop himself from voicing it. :Am I also correct to assume that there's something else you need to talk to me about later?: The response took longer this time, but what was written made his eyebrow raise.
:You would be correct. I have some information that I would prefer to share face to face, just so I can see your reaction.: Snorting, Harry became more intrigued. :And feel free to apparate whenever. I'm sure you know where I am.: Smirking, Harry chuckled softly.
:At your desk, surrounded by paperwork?:
:As always.:
"That was a roller coaster," Hermione commented from the side. "You went from anxious to surprised, and then finally landing to amused." She had a small smile on her lips, glad that the situation wasn't as horrible as she first feared.
"I'm needed to make some statements regarding Molly's trials," Harry confessed. "As a victim myself, I'll need to tell them what she did against me." He knew it was going to be a lot, since most of what Molly did to her children were ways to get at him.
"I'm sorry, Harry." Hermione frowned at the idea of her friend speaking about what had happened. "You're doing that tonight?" Harry nodded at her inquiry.
"Tom informed me that I wouldn't have to appear at the trial itself. There's a high chance that Dumbledore will be there, and he doesn't want to put me in the spotlight." Dumbledore knew they were at odds, but it would make things worse if the headmaster saw how his plans were toppling down because of him in person. There hadn't been a connection to Harry convincing Arthur to leave Molly, but he was afraid that had he been at the trial, that would have become known.
"It would be for the best if you weren't at the trail in person. Wouldn't Dumbledore's own mistakes be known as well? Molly might have compelled Ginny alone, but the headmaster also placed compulsions on Ron." Harry paused at that, biting his lips as he thought about the damning information. Hermione was right, after all. When Ron's compulsions would be brought up, surely Dumbledore's actions would be known.
Maybe that was one of the things that Tom had to speak with him about.
"I told Tom I'm free for the rest of the day. For one, I don't know how long this will take," Harry admitted. "And Tom wanted to talk to me about something else. He said he wanted to see my reaction himself." He shrugged, still curious as to what Tom was keeping from him.
"Did he?" Hermione asked, tilting her head. "I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing." Harry shook his head, not knowing himself. "It must be important, though," Hermione mumbled.
Whatever it was, the confusion was going to eat at him.
"I already told Severus that I might be late to detention tonight, but I'm going to need to tell him why I might be late," Harry mumbled as they finally made their way back to Gryffindor tower, grabbing his invisibility cloak and another grimoire. He didn't like keeping Severus in the dark. Once he knew something, he tried to tell Severus as quickly as he could.
"If you'll even be able to make it to detention." Hermione rebutted. "While it might not take you long to give your statements, you might be needed to stay for the other information." Harry considered that as he nodded.
"Yeah, you got a point. The last time I was with Tom, I was there all night going through his plan on getting rid of Dumbledore as efficiently as possible." He had also stayed late to finish spells before, but that was a different matter. Tom might have more plans that needed to be discussed, and honestly?
Harry loved that. Tom shared his plans and was always listening for new input, always taking everything into consideration. It was the exact opposite of how Dumbledore was. Even his own followers saw that now and were turning away from him.
It was important to have some secrets, but to keep everyone at arm's length? To keep everyone in the dark and give them vague answers? To leave them suspicious and frustrated at the lack of clear, coherent answers?
Dumbledore was his own worst enemy. He had to wonder if the headmaster even trusted himself.
"I better get going," Harry sighed, neatly putting everything in his charmed bag. "I don't know if I'll be back tonight. If I'm not, please be careful. I'm glad Neville was with you last night," Harry mumbled, still upset over the information Hermione told him early in the morning. She smiled softly, going to give his hand a small squeeze.
"Luna's also walking with us today. So, we'll have an extra pair of eyes on us," She smirked. "Besides," She pointed to the necklace against her neck. "This is all we really need. I wish you could have seen its effect yourself." Pleased at that, Harry gave her a small squeeze in return, before pulling away.
Before apparting, Harry took his other journal and quickly conjured a quill to send Severus another message.
Arthur agreed to take Lady Parkinson as his attorney to sue Molly. I'm going to be required to give my statements today. Apparently, Tom has other information that needs to be discussed as well. I'm not sure if I'll be back tonight or not. I have a feeling he has another plan to go over with me. I don't know how long it will take, but I'm hoping it won't take long. I was looking forward to making fun of the failed potions with you tonight.
It wasn't long before he received a reply.
A pity. I was hoping to settle the debate on which potion was worse today. Harry snorted, recalling a certain blonde Slytherin making a comment about a bet of which potion was the worst.
Pansy had not been happy with that when she left, glaring at her housemate.
It might be better to examine them a day after to see what they settled into. Harry wrote back with a smirk. We could see if they become more poisonous with the cycle of the moon. He wasn't sure why the thought came to him, but it was an interesting idea.
That is why I believed you would do well in earning a mastery in potions as well, Harry. Smiling softly at the subtle praise, he bit his lips, warmth flaring through his chest at the next comment. If you do make it back before morning, you are welcome here.
Thank you, Severus. I'm not going to like reviewing some of these memories. Especially if I need to talk about Dumbledore for much of it. He hated remembering the coldness in Dumbledore's voice and magic, the feeling of how wrong it had been. I don't want to inconvenience you if I do come back earlier, though.
Harry, you have yet to be an inconvenience this year. My rooms are always available if you need me.
Thank you. That was all Harry could say, something raw burning in him at the message, his heart racing in his chest. It threatened to jump out as he stared at the words for a moment longer, biting his lips as he read it over and over until it sunk into his head.
Severus offering his private rooms for him was nothing new, but this message was something entirely different. It wasn't uncommon for Harry to occasionally fall asleep on Severus' sofa, but those were usually situations that happened at the moment. Now, the other wizard had offered his rooms in advance, and, whenever he needed them.
It was likely that he was reading too far into it, but Severus was a man of clear words and actions. He never said or did something that he didn't mean. Swallowing hard, Harry took a deep breath, continuing to let the message sink in.
When the message sunk in fully, Harry found himself smiling as he apparated, his mood brightening more at the sight that awaited him. It made him shake his head fondly.
:Like I said,: Harry hissed softly, grinning mischievously. :At your desk, surrounded by paperwork.: There was a barely-there snort, the man eventually looking up from his stack of papers. :I admit, I'm dying to know what you have to tell me.: Harry teased, almost pouting when Tom waved it off.
:After you give your statements,: Tom instructed, smirking at the slight pout. :Is that disappointment I see?: Harry moved closer, humming.
:I suppose I can be patient this once.: He mock sighed. :When will Lady Parkinson arrive?: Harry wanted to know, that way he could prepare mentally for the questions he knew would drain him. Tom glanced at the paper at his desk.
:Within the next hour.: He replied, pausing when Harry came even closer.
:I guess that means I can give you your hug now?: Harry innocently asked, making Tom raise his eyebrow. :Unless you don't want one?: Harry was cut off by the dark lord getting up and carefully pulling him for an embrace. Smiling to himself, he allowed his arms to wrap around the sturdy frame, melting against the other man. "Thank you for doing this," He spoke in English this time, burrowing closer. "It might not seem like much, but it means a lot to me." Tom hummed, cautiously placing a hand in his mop of curls, stroking through the black hair.
"Severus protects you at Hogwarts," Tom began, absently stroking through the curls as he held on. "And while I can't do that, I can try to protect you outside of Hogwarts." Hearing Tom say that made Harry swallow hard, a lump forming in his throat. "However, I would apparate to Hogwarts immediately if you needed me," Tom whispered, making the lump in Harry's throat turn into cement, his eyes watering slightly.
"Thank you," Harry said again, somehow managing to find his voice despite the emotions coursing through him. He had a hunch that Tom could feel it, thanks to their bond, but the older wizard did not comment as he continued to stroke through his hair.
"Lord Potter," Samantha Parkinson came into the room, a levitating clipboard following behind her as she entered the room, subtlety bowing to the Dark Lord in respect. "My Lord," She observed the two wizards, who had been hunched over a desk, looking through multiple papers. At her quick glance, she could see squiggles that were unfamiliar to her.
"Lady Parkinson," The Dark Lord stood up, motioning for her to come closer. "Feel free to use the room as long as you need," His fingers brushed against Harry's to offer one more small exchange of comfort. He tried to school his features when those warm fingers lingered, curling instinctively to almost chase his touch.
Barely holding down his blush, Tom left the room, heart beating erratically.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Parkinson," Harry stood for her, giving a small bow. "Thank you for all you're doing." A soft smile spread across the witch as she placed her hand on Harry's shoulder, thinking of her own child.
"There is no need to thank me. This is my job, and I absolutely hate when children are taken advantage of, and by their parents no less." Harry could see the pain in her eyes and nodded.
"I will have a few questions to ask you and they will be recorded by my quill, as well as memories that will be used in a pensive. Before I ask you the first set of questions, I must perform the lusiurandum spell." She stated, conjuring a professional table with comfortable chairs for them. They both took their seats, sitting properly. "The lusiurandum spell is an oath of truce. It is primarily used during trials for those who testify in person, but it has multiple uses. One such use is to create a magical barrier that stops false information from being given, even those under compulsions." Harry rose an eyebrow at the nature of the spell.
"If this spell exists, why is there a need for Veritaserum?" His question was met with a pleased smirk.
"I used to ask the same question myself when I discovered the spell. Using both the spell and the potion together is becoming the norm," She explained. "I'm sure you're aware of resistance to the truth potion?" At the nod, she carried on. "By combining it with the spell, it ensures that the truth is still given. This spell can also be resisted with enough power, but they can only choose one thing to resist. We typically use both methods for those with severe charges against them." Harry perked up at that, unable to stop the gleam that entered his eyes.
"Speaking of charges, what charges did Arthur Weasley end up filing against Molly?" He asked, watching as she smiled darkly, ruthlessness shining in her eyes.
"She is being charged with child abuse, unauthorized use of compulsions against minors, illegal creation of a marriage contract, illegal use of amortentia, and attempted use of amortentia against a Lord." Harry swallowed at the list, heart skipping a beat. If he was right, then Dumbledore's name would end up being brought up in these charges. Still, a thrum of excitement coursed through him at the changes that were soon coming.
"Now, some of these questions will pertain to different situations, because I have been informed that you are also a victim." She flipped through a file with a dark look. "In fact, it would seem that all of this was to get to you in some fashion," She added, making Harry swallow and nod. He hated that most of these actions were a means to trap him, but there was no use in dwelling on that. He had his statements to give, and he was going to ensure that Molly's world fully collapsed into shambles.
"I'm ready to provide my statements," She hummed, getting her quill ready as she waved her wand and prepared the oath spell. A golden barrier surrounded them, glowing dimly as she took a glance at the first page.
"To start off, were you aware of a marriage contract between yourself and Ginevra Weasley?" Harry nearly flinched, trying to figure out how to exactly phrase what he wanted to say.
"I became aware of the contract when I turned seventeen. I went to Gringotts to perform an inheritance test and claim my lordships when I became aware of the contract." He saw the frown on her face, watching the way she turned a page, eyes narrowing on something.
"It says that this contract was forged by Molly Weasley and Albus Dumbledore, who was stated to be your magical guardian. He never informed you of this contract?" Harry shook his head, holding his anger at bay.
"No. When I requested my files at Gringotts, I was made aware that Albus Dumbledore was never my legal magical guardian to begin with, and that the contract would be null and void." Samantha considered that as her quill scribbled something quickly.
"My next set of questions will take longer," She explained, taking out another paper. "It connects to the contract, as well as the use of Ginevra Weasley." Harry nodded, letting her get the questions ready. "Can you explain the event that transpired on October fifteenth?" She asked. "My client tells me that you went to him to explain that his daughter had tried to dose you with a love potion?" Sighing, Harry nodded.
"It was dinner, maybe seven or seven-thirty? I had just started to eat when my Black ring started to glow." He motioned towards the lordship ring on his finger. "It glows when a potion has been administered," He explained when she nodded. "However," Harry pulled his necklace from its hiding place on his neck. "As a lord of the Gryffindor house," He resisted the urge to chuckle at her wide eyes. "It also protects me from potions and poisons that were administered without my consent."
"How were you able to connect this to Ginevra Weasley?" She asked after composing herself.
"I had detention with Professor Snape the previous night. He had been brewing a demonstration amortentia for the six years, which is the grade Ginevra is in." Considering that, the quill jotted more down. "I wasn't sure if it was amortentia at first, so when I went to Professor Snape that night to serve my other detention, I asked him to check. It came back positive."
"Was there anything else that lead you to believe it was Ginevra who dosed your food?" Harry nodded with a grimace.
"When I left the table to go to detention, I had multiple people inform me that she was noticeably upset when I left. Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom said they heard her mumbling 'it didn't work.'" There was a grimace on Samantha's face as well as she listened to the story.
"This leads us to another question. My client tells me you were worried about his safety and went to visit him? What made you do this?"
"I'm sure everyone knows I don't have my own family," There was a look of sadness in her eyes again. "Arthur Weasley has always offered me a place to stay, even when my muggle relatives wanted nothing to do with me. He's always been like a father to me, and I doubted that he was aware of the marriage contract. That was when I informed him of the contract and the recent dosing of amortentia against me. However," Harry took a breath.
"The main reason I was concerned was based on a conversation I heard about two years ago. I was staying at the Weasley residence when I overheard Molly joking about the use of amortentia so…casually. She had made a joke about making them when she was younger," He explained, taking great care to keep his tone calm. "I knew that Arthur abhors love potions, as does his entire family. The only person that didn't have an intense hatred for the potion was Molly herself, and I began to suspect that she was the one who convinced Ginny to dose me." He straightened his posture. "When I met Arthur to inform him of what his wife had done regarding the illegal marriage contract, and what Ginny had attempted to do, I expressed my worry for him. I explained he needed to be tested for Amortentia, to be certain he wasn't being dosed."
"Your intuition ended up being correct, Lord Potter. As you had suspected, my client had been under the influence of amortentia. For over two decades, nonetheless. However," She pulled a paper out next. "That's not all that Mrs. Prewett did, is it?" Feeling a wave of sadness himself, he shook his head.
"Can you tell me about the events that transpired between you and Ronald Weasley on October Sixteenth? What made you suspicious of his state of mind?" Harry nearly sighed when he remembered the event, thinking back to the devastation on his friend's face.
"I hadn't realized anything was wrong until Ron sought me out," Harry confessed. "Our relationship had started to strain in our fourth year. In a matter of days, he had changed. It was subtle at first, but it became worse as the years progressed. The day after Ginny tried to dose with me amortentia, Ron wanted to apologize on her behalf. That was when he started to apologize for everything." Harry sighed, knowing it would be better to provide a memory for the exchange he had with Ron.
"If it's alright, could I provide a memory for this? It's hard for me to explain it accurately." With a gentle nod of her head, she conjured a miniature pensive for him to use. Within moments, Harry was depositing the memory for her to view.
"I'm not asking to be completely forgiven. I don't expect things to ever go back to how they once were, but I want to try to regain as much as I can," Ron paused and looked away for a moment, exhaling shakily. "I miss my friend,"
"You were my first real friend, Ron. Nothing will ever change that," Harry promised. "It'll take time before anything can improve though. I'm still not happy with your comments about Dean and Seamus, or the way you think Hermione should be with you, even when she has a loving boyfriend who is right for her." Ron flinched at that, running a hand down his face as his own words were thrown back at him.
"I have no idea what's gotten into me lately. I'm not even homophobic, I swear! Fred and George and Charlie are all gay, and I've got no problems with it. It's like something is telling me to say shit like that even when I don't mean it or want to say anything. Just like when I see you with Hermione. It's like something is forcing me to do it. I don't even care if you're dating-"
"Ron," Harry gently cut the other off, eyebrows knitted. "What do you mean that you don't want to say it?"
"I know you don't care for fame, Harry, but there are moments when it feels like something is telling me to get angry at you for it."
Pulling back once the memory was finished, Samantha Parkinson sighed slightly. "Your intuition was correct once more." Harry shrugged.
"We went more in-depth with compulsions in my NEWT classes. Everything he said reminded me of people detailing their accounts under compulsions in the articles and textbooks we had to read for class." Harry swallowed. "There's a spell that shows the type of compulsions and who placed them." The dark look was back in her eyes again as she pulled out a small piece of paper.
"You mentioned earlier that your relationship with Ronald Weasley became strained starting in your fourth year?" She asked, making Harry nod. "And what did the paper say, Lord Potter?" Withholding a grimace, he spoke up.
"That Molly Weasley had placed a compulsion on him during our fourth year. It was a jealousy compulsion that was set to grow worse each year." Samantha's quill had flicked something on a paper when it stopped.
"The paper states that there was also a compulsion placed by Headmaster Dumbledore. The compulsion was to hate anything remotely dark in magic, as well as a compulsion to fight for his cause." Harry bit his lips, nodding.
"Yes. Ron felt unsafe after we discovered that information as well. He felt lost after this, and he left Hogwarts to get away from Dumbledore. He didn't want me to say anything about that part, because he was aware that the Headmaster was already giving me issues at Hogwarts." Samantha already knew about these issues but hearing the young lord say it made her angry on his behalf. "I was also worried about bringing those issues public and receiving Dumbledore's ire." Even if Dumbledore was trapped, Harry didn't want to bring attention to himself. He was sure the old wizard knew that he had been the catalyst for his downfall, but Harry had tried playing it as safe as he could. Giving him a small, but understanding smile, she spoke up.
"Lastly, we have Ginevra Weasley." The lawyer flipped another page delicately, despite the anger boiling in her eyes. "Who was in a similar situation as her brother." She gazed at Harry again. "Can you tell me about the event, or show me a memory like you did for Ronald Weasley?" Nodding, Harry braced himself for a long explanation.
"I was studying in the library when my friend, Hermione Granger, brought Ginny to talk with me. Ginny wanted to apologize for dosing me with Amortentia and letting her mother's lies fill her head." Like before, he conjured a memory for Lady Parkinson to look at.
"Harry, Ginny wanted to talk to you."
"These last few weeks have opened my eyes," Ginny spoke up. "I don't expect you to forgive me for what I've done, but I want you to know I am ashamed of what I planned. I let my mom fill ideas into my head, and I never bothered to live for myself. I took everything she said and never questioned it or looked into it myself."
"What did she say, Ginny? What ideas did she give you?"
"She would tell me stories about you all the time when I was younger and encouraged me to become friends with you. When I told her that I had a crush on you, she was excited and told me to pursue you. Eventually, she told me to slip you a love potion." Ginny was openly crying. "My mum lied to me about Amortentia. She told me it was the strongest love potion because it brought forth the recipient's true emotions. I believed her."
"She wanted you to dose me with it? It was never your idea?"
"No. It was never my idea." Ginny sniffed. "She was adamant about me using it and convinced me to do it this year."
Pulling back from the memory, Harry glanced at Lady Parkinson, catching the despair in her eyes.
"Had the situation with Ron not happened, I wouldn't have been so on edge with the entire conversation. But I couldn't risk another person being under a compulsion spell and not realizing it. If Molly Prewitt had cast a compulsion on her own son, I didn't think much was stopping her from doing the same to her daughter. I wanted to be wrong." He was honest as he said those words. He hadn't wanted Molly to stoop so low as to compel her own daughter to use amortentia against someone.
It nearly made him sick to his stomach, thinking of all the grooming Molly had done to her daughter.
"Sadly, you were not." She flipped another page, landing on one of the final documents. "What do you remember from the list of compulsions placed on Ginevra?" Holding back a grimace, Harry recited some of the list.
"I recall an Admiration and attraction compulsion on her, all relating to me." He didn't hold back his look of displeasure at that. "As well as a compulsion to use amortentia, which was also targeted on me." Watching her, he saw the way her eyes lingered on the paper. "She was also very young when the first compulsion was placed on her, if I'm not mistaken. I believe it mentioned that she was only nine when it was originally placed." He could see the anger in her eyes as she nodded.
"The paper says there was another compulsion placed on her as well. One that made her loyal to Albus Dumbledore and The Order of the Phoenix." Harry had nearly forgotten about that one.
"Molly was always…odd about that. I was in my fifth year when she began to talk about the group with her children and me. She always held them in high regard, but.." He hesitated. "It was clear to me that most of her children, besides Ginny and Ron, didn't want to be there. I don't think she ever gave them a choice." At that, Lady Parkinson placed her papers down.
"You are aware of the charges being placed against Molly Prewitt, Lord Potter. In your opinion, how would you judge her character? Do you believe she has remorse for what she's done?" He didn't even need to think about her question for long.
"Based on the information uncovered this year, I see nothing but evil in Molly Prewitt. From the beginning, she groomed her daughter to fall in love with me. Ginny was just a kid. While compulsions can be fought against, a child is helpless. Ginny was only nine years old when the first compulsion was placed on her, meaning she didn't even have her wand yet. And with Ron, he was also just a kid. Maybe not as young as Ginny, but still under the age of seventeen. A fourteen-year-old also isn't likely to fight off a compulsion from someone in their forties." Taking another breath, he clenched his fist near his sides, forcing himself to calm down. "I trusted her at one point. She was like the mum I never had…but after a while, I started to see where her lies started and I pulled away from them."
"I don't think there is any remorse in her. If there was remorse, she would have come clean long ago. She was content in continuously using amortentia and keeping the compulsions in place on her children. While I am bothered by what she tried to do to me through them, I care more about the family that has been hurt by her actions. The Weasley family welcomed me into this world when I didn't have anyone to help me. I want justice for Arthur Weasley and his family. They deserve it." Harry finished, his eyes blazing green.
"A dementor's kiss has been cited as a possibility in retribution for her crimes against her children. Do you think she warrants this over Azkaban?" Harry blinked; unaware the kiss was a possibility.
"In my opinion, I think a dementor's kiss is too merciful for her." He could see a slight surprise in her eyes as he said this. "I've heard that a dementor's kiss is worse than death, but I don't quite believe that. When you're kissed by a dementor, you lose your soul and your memories. Why should she be allowed to lose those? After everything she has done to the Weasleys, she needs to remember why she is imprisoned. When you're kissed, you no longer feel anything. I don't think that's fair considering everything she's done to her children."
"Thank you for your time, Lord Potter. Your statements will help shine a light on this situation." She waved her wand, making the golden barrier dissipate. Now that they were done, Lady Parkinson placed all information from the statements in a secure case, dozens of protection charms on them. She chuckled when everything was put away, looking at the young Wizard.
"I have to say that I'm impressed, Lord Potter. I think your ending statement will garner a lot of interest in how dementors kisses are handled." Snorting, Harry glanced at her.
"I think a dementor's kiss is pointless, to be honest. It might seem horrific to some people, but if you have no memory of yourself or anything in life, why does it matter? You don't feel pain. You just exist. It's the easy way out. People like Molly deserve to feel the pain that they're in." Again, there was a gleam in her eyes.
"I see why the Dark Lord respects you," The witch noted the slight flush, grabbing her case. "Poised, yet passionate about your beliefs. And it would be foolish of me to not thank you for all of this," She began, fixing the table and chairs back to normal. "None of this would be possible if it weren't for you. Pansy has told me how excited she is about the upcoming change in the professors." Again, Harry flushed.
"There needed to be a change," Harry admitted. "But I honestly can't take full responsibility for this. Ironically, Albus was the key to all of this. He was desperate and acted recklessly. Had it not been for his mistake, none of this would be happening so soon." Harry knew that it would have happened regardless, but it came swifter thanks to the headmaster himself."
She considered that with a nod as she waved her wand, smiling when a house-elf appeared before them.
"Hello, Tinky. Could you inform your master that we are done?" The house-elf bowed excitedly.
"Yes, Lady Parkinsons! Tinky's be right on that." In a pop, the house-elf was gone. Not long after, Tom reappeared, hands behind his back.
"I trust that these statements will result in a clear victory?" Lady Parkinson withheld a snort, glancing at Harry.
"That and more. There is damning evidence against Dumbledore as well in his statements. If there wasn't plans already set in motion, we would have enough with this as well. Prewitt will certainly be serving life in Azkaban for this." Harry smirked a bit at the vindictive gleam in Tom's eyes. "I wouldn't be surprised if her trial lasts for an hour or two at most. Her guilt is clear."
"Good." Tom nodded at her. "Thank you for your work, Samantha."
Before the witch left, she looked at the dark lord.
"My lord, I have to agree with you on something. Lord Potter is quite a humble individual." She stated, apparting from the manor and leaving behind a chuckling Dark Lord and a flushed Gryffindor.
"Honestly, I like her," Harry mumbled after a moment with a shake of his head. He could see why she was known for never losing a case. Samantha Parkinson had sorted all of the information and formed questions that would be a final nail in Molly's coffin. "She was meticulous and knew exactly what to ask."
"Lord Weasley selected one of the best lawyers," Tom agreed. "Now then," Giving his attention to Harry, the Dark Lord smirked. "I have some information to share with you," He began, watching the excitement bloom in the green eyes. "The ministry is worried about the transition about to occur at Hogwarts, namely the number of new professors. They are hesitant to place a ministry official in the school after the disaster with Dolores Umbridge." He watched the scowl form on Harry's face, noting the way he subconsciously thumbed the back of his hand.
"Considering she was torturing students with a blood quill; I think the word 'disaster' is an understatement." Harry snorted humorlessly, unaware of the crimson eyes narrowing at that, glancing back to the hidden hand.
"Lucius omitted that part," Tom commented, tearing his gaze away and forcing himself to remain on track. "They want a third-party official to observe Hogwarts for a month after Dumbledore leaves, then report back to the Board of Governors and the Ministry." Catching on, Harry felt his lips shift into a smirk, excitement coming back at full force as he shoved away thoughts about Umbridge. "Julian Claudius Gaunt has gladly offered his assistance." Harry's eyes widened slightly, a noise of surprise sounding from the back of his throat.
"How were you able to use that name? From what I know about the ministry documents, they can detect lies."
"There was an ancient ritual spell that I uncovered in one of Slytherin's grimoires. It involves the use of blood runes and blood magic," He explained. "It removes any traces of your previous name to you." Harry couldn't help but be impressed. "According to documents in the Ministry and Gringotts, Tom Riddle is no more. Julian Gaunt is now the Lord to the Slytherin and Gaunt houses." A playful gleam entered the Gryffindor's eyes and Tom let his gaze linger for a moment.
"I can still call you Tom though, right? Julian might suit you, but I can't imagine calling you anything else but Tom-Tom." He smirked at the look shot his way. "I have to say, I really like the middle name you chose. I think it suits what you're doing."
"Lucius thought so as well," Tom said with a small smirk.
"How many of your followers know about this?" Harry had to ask, wondering if Severus was aware of the change. The younger wizard had a feeling the change was relatively new because of the fact that Tom hadn't elected to share this information during his last visit, which hadn't been too long ago.
"Besides Lucius and my followers that work in the Ministry, you are the only one who is aware," Tom answered. "Severus was next on the list to be informed, but," Tom smirked at him. "I figured you would do that part for me." The Dark Lord admitted.
"You're looking forward to being at Hogwarts again," Harry smiled, watching the wistful expression in Tom's eyes as the man nodded.
"I am. The last time I was there, I was a parasite relying on another person. With the new name, it's a clean slate to work with. I am thankful for Lucius and his connections within the Ministry." Tom shot him a small smile. "I also have you to thank for a lot of this, Harry." He took pleasure in watching the flush spread across Harry's face.
"Samantha Parkinson said something like that too. It's honestly funny how things have ended up like this. My original plan to be a thorn in Dumbledore's side was supposed to end a lot differently, but I can't say I mind this." Harry remarked with a small shrug. "This all started with me just wanting to reclaim Grimmauld place." He said with a snort. "And now we're getting ready to remove him from Hogwarts for good."
He couldn't wait for Yule.
The joke is a play on the name Julian Claudius. He was a nephew of Constantine, the Roman Emperor who ended up making Christianity the main religion of the Roman Empire and ending the persecutions against them. The ironic thing? Towards the end of his reign, he began to ban the worship of Paganism (believing in other gods) and persecute those who followed it.
Also, Constantine wasn't that great of a guy. He murdered some members in his family, like many of the males so he could be the only heir. Yet, his friend Eusebius, who was a Chrisitan historian published a story "the life of Constantine" This story would paint Constantine in a godly light, capable of doing no wrong and doing what was best for everyone.
When Julian came into power, he set forth to retake Paganism and re-establish it as Rome's main religion, wanting to undo what his Uncle had done.
I thought it was a fitting analogy for Dumbledore (Constantine) and Tom (Julian).