Author's Note:
To those on the Hinny Discord — sorry it's late, this one is for you (specifically Kmi, Hills, and Clu)! The big 200!
To those who noticed I added a cover — thanks. I randomly came across this picture of young Daniel Radcliffe so I just added some round glasses and thought it was adorable. For those who have been following me on tumblr, that is the puppy version of Marauder, Sirius' first motorbike, the 1970 Triumph Bonneville, and Black Cottage and of course my version of Sirius and Harry. Though my version of Harry and Ginny are both exclusively based on blvnk's amazing artwork.
For those of you guessing Zee's recovery is slow because of something else — no, she is not pregnant. The potions just made her sick and tired.
Reviews and Comments: To LifeonEarth: Thank you! To Sarek Fan: Thank you! To Covley Hatake: No, Zee isn't pregnant lol. Yes, Dean is coming to terms with his sexuality. Thank you! To alix33: Thank you! I love that Tonks took Remus' surname too! To scrappy8: Thank you! To Guest: Thank you! To Guest: Thank you! To BioHazard82: Thank you! To purplevictory: Thank you! Yes, to all of that. It is sometimes hard to keep track of everything, but I am doing my best to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. Thank you! To epicwazoo: Well, the story will end eventually, but I can promise there's still lots more to come. Thank you! To coloredwords: "Dean checking every one out in the shower discreetly LOL; wonder what they would say if they knew?" Haha — embarrassed? Pleased? Horrified? I imagine a combination of the three. Yes, Sirius will definitely love the bike! Thank you! To Ginnyweasleylover2004: Thank you! I'm glad you love my descriptions. There will be lots more Hinny moments, I promise! Thank you!
To supersandman86: Thanks. I loved the "that's what she said" comment as well. I think with Lee, Fred, and George being sevens, McGonagall is just done lol. Yes, Harry and Ginny are very comfortable with each other. Thank you for loving all of Hermione's research. She wants to be thorough. Thank you! To Wolf's scream: No, one does not need pants to eat pie, but Sirius decided thought he 'should' get dressed so that Zee can't distract him lol. Sirius loves taking care of Zee. Appalled at Minnie's language lol. Thank you! To Queen Raja: Thank you! Harry and Ginny are definitely very cute together! To Anna.214: Yes, I post on Ao3 as well! Thanks for loving my Tonks and Lupin love story. I love it as well. Thank you for saying I write Harry and Ginny so beautifully especially because it's based on a great friendship. Thank you!
To speedsONEandONLY: Thanksgiving is roughly on the same day here every year, it falls on whatever weekend the tenth of October is close to so, this year it's this weekend, even though the tenth was Thursday. The Monday is technically our holiday, but everyone does dinner on the Sunday and Monday is the recuperating day. I imagine it's the same food staples: Mashed potatoes, turkey, corn, stuffing, green-bean casserole, devilled eggs, and for dessert we usually do pumpkin cheesecake (but that's just because none of us really like pie in my family). Remus does not have sensory charms on his office, though he should if knew Harry was sneaking in to snog Ginny. To jmdaz44: Thank you! I have worked very hard on this story and have no plans of stopping until it is complete. Glad me having McGonagall swear and take points away for Lee's comment made people smile — she probably should have given detention, but remember they are in seventh year, she's pretty used to them at this point.
Thanks to Clupeidae for inspiring me to add more detail to this chapter.
My posting schedule: Once a week.
Now I have some bad news: I have been writing this story for almost 2 years now and I've loved every minute of it. I can't believe that I'm at chapter 200! It is far from over; however, I am sorry to say that I will not be posting for the next few weeks. I need some time to catch up with the story, organize my thoughts and make sure that I can find the time to continue writing it. I never expected ASC to go on for so long, this all started as a mini drabble of Sirius taking Harry away from the Dursleys to a loving home and it escalated into this massive story with so many sub-plots and characters that I've grown to love and who I love writing and love sharing with you all. I hope you understand and I promise, a few weeks and I will have a new chapter for you and we will be back upon a regular posting schedule.
For those of you who have decided to give up because I'm a few days late in my posting — sorry, but sometimes life gets in the way. I think I post pretty regularly or try to, and I need this little break for myself and for the sake of the story. I hope you will all be here when I get back.
Thank you to Dusk for her awesome editing!
Thank you for all of your support. Thank you for reading and sticking with me for the last two years. You guys rock!
As always, thank you very much for reading and please, please review!
Your reviews give me life! They give me inspiration! And they make me want to keep writing for more than just myself! Thank you for all of your continued support!
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED:
The One Where Everyone Is Worried About Theo
Sirius managed to speak to Hagrid that afternoon. After making notes on how the inspection had gone with Umbridge, he'd reached the conclusion that no one had been exaggerating. He had to wait for Flitwick to finish his last class, but when the Charms professor came into McGonagall's private suite, Sirius smiled at him.
"Fil, thanks for meeting with me," Sirius told him, extending his hand.
Flitwick smiled warmly as he shook Sirius' hand before taking a seat. "You are most welcome. What would you like to speak to me about?"
Sirius leaned back in his seat, his eyes on the professor. "Your inspection from Umbitch."
Flitwick's lips twitched at the name slip. "For the Frog Choir?"
Sirius nodded. "I heard that she was rather unprofessional during her inspection."
He shrugged. "She asked some personal questions that I thought were none of her business, but I suppose that she was just doing her job."
"I heard that she took out a measuring tape to check your height."
His lips pursed. "Some people fear what they don't understand."
"Fil…"
Flitwick sighed. "She was rude and abrasive. The inspection felt personal to me and almost nothing related to what I was teaching. She didn't ask me anything about the music or the choir itself, and she even went around asking some of my students if they found it difficult to take instruction from someone so small… that one good kick would take me out."
Sirius' brows knitted together as he wrote that down. "Bloody bigot."
"She's been sent by the Ministry of Magic, Sirius."
Sirius nodded. "I'm aware. Richardson sent her here along with Raffigan, who is now teaching. I want to speak to him about the both of them and see about getting actual inspectors in here if that's what they want. Umbitch is nothing but a nasty woman who no one wants to work with, but I heard that Raffigan is doing quite well as a professor?"
"Yes, I've heard that myself. She's a very bright woman and full of ideas. She's very friendly whenever I've spoken to her and she has a very passionate zest for history and mythology."
"What happened to Binns?"
"He had enough," Flitwick admitted. "He went to Dumbledore and told him that if his teaching methods were to be critiqued after all these years, then he didn't need to stay. He moved on. Dumbledore said that it was the only thing holding him back."
"Hmm," Sirius responded, adding to his notes. "Well, as long as the subject is still being taught, I guess that's all that really matters… and in all honesty, Binns was the most boring professor to ever have lived."
"Did you talk to Minerva?"
"I did," he said. "And to Hagrid. Unfortunately, I had to push back my meeting with Richardson and now he won't be able to see me until the end of January, what with the holiday coming up. Still, I want to be prepared for the meeting. He'll be sitting down with the entire Hogwarts Board of Governors."
Flitwick nodded. "Well, anything else that I can do to help, please let me know."
"I will, thank you. Your honesty is appreciated, and if you could pass it on to the other professors, that would be great."
After Flitwick left, Sirius organized his notes to be less chaotic as he read them over. There was no way that Umbitch was going to get away with this kind of behaviour, he thought… not this time.
And he rather looked forward to seeing her try to talk her way out of this one.
~ ASC ~
Hermione headed to class thirty minutes early that Monday, hoping to catch Professor Carthaginian. The professor smiled warmly when she knocked.
"Come in, Miss Granger. Eager for class today?"
"Always," Hermione said honestly. "But I actually wanted to speak with you about a project that I'm working on."
"I haven't assigned your project yet," Carthaginian told her.
Hermione smiled. "No, it's a personal one."
Carthaginian invited her to pull up a chair to the desk at the front of her class. "How can I help?"
Hermione took a seat in the chair offered and took a deep breath before she spoke. "Last year, I learned more about the magical world through your class, and part of that world is house elf enslavement and I hate it. I hate that people can force them to do things; that they are owned and sold like property and that if they disobey, they are treated like garbage and tossed away as if their thoughts and feelings don't matter."
Carthaginian nodded. "Many people would agree with you. However, it's been this way for centuries, and that kind of change is hard to get people to accept despite those feelings."
"Well, it has to stop," Hermione said passionately.
She explained how she had been speaking to house elves to try to better understand their culture and beliefs, to figure out how their magic worked, and how she learned about their power to connect to a witch or wizard and bind themselves to them. She told her about how they wear rags and how many of them are treated like vermin despite the hard work that they do and she explained how she wanted to change it.
Carthaginian was smiling warmly when she finished. "Brava, Hermione! That is the kind of inspiration and innovative attitude that I want to see coming from my students. I like that you want to get them their own representation within the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, that is a fine place to start. However, with doing so, you have to remember that house elves are trained to please their owners, so you have to be cautious of the elf chosen to represent the others. The elf chosen has to be someone that the department can trust as well as the house elves. Your ideas on giving them better working conditions are great and I like the idea of changing how they are employed. But house elves still need their own authority, and if given the choice, should be allowed to bind themselves to their employer if they so choose. Still, I like the idea of limiting it to that witch or wizard only, not to the family name."
Hermione nodded, showing Carthaginian the draft that she had worked up. "I've been corresponding with a magizoologist in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures who has been helping me. She plans to show it at the next departmental meeting in the new year and work on getting it passed."
"Hermione, that is fantastica! I hope you insist on putting your name on the bill as this is something that could put you in the right direction for a Ministry led career down the road!"
"I think that I want to work in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. I don't want to be a Magizoologist, but I want to work in the administrative part of it and help change things."
"That sounds like a great career choice for you. If you need any other help with this idea, my door is always open."
"Thanks, Professor," she said sincerely.
Carthaginian smiled. "Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd love to read your statement before you send it off to your magizoologist friend?"
"That would be great! She already has a copy of it, but I'd really love your opinion," she told her.
Carthaginian nodded as the first few students trickled into the classroom. "Good. Now take your seat, class will be starting."
Hermione beamed at her, feeling more confident in her work. After spending the last few days corresponding with Zee, she had told her of her idea to speak to Carthaginian, and Zee had thought that it was a great idea. She wanted Hermione to send her final finished statement after taking Carthaginian's thoughts on it and Zee was going to present it at the department meeting at the end of January. Hermione couldn't stop grinning as she took her seat.
Remus had been right. Sometimes, one voice was all that was needed to get the ball rolling for change. Baby steps still counted and one day, she hoped that those baby steps would increase to Hagrid-sized steps. She wanted to see those steps; to be part of that change no matter how long it took her to achieve it.
~ ASC ~
Harry tapped the tip of his quill on the end of his parchment book, eyes on Carthaginian as she did a quick overview of the last class. So far, he was finding this class much more interesting than he had anticipated as they covered the history of the Ministry of Magic and the international connections that the Ministry had made since its inception in 1707. His eyes fell on Hermione as she furiously scribbled notes. Harry wondered what Carthaginian had said about her house elf ideas before the mention of his godfather's name ripped him from his thoughts.
"Lord Sirius Black has been one of the core contributors to helping make the Ministry a better running government as of late," Carthaginian explained. "Does anyone know about the Phoenix Initiative Project? It's been in the paper."
A few students nodded absently. She smiled, crossing her legs from where she sat on her desk.
"The Phoenix Initiative Project is an incredibly innovative move for the Ministry of Magic. Professor Dumbledore actually coined the project and a good portion of its ideas back in the early 1970s, when He Who Must Not Be Named was first gaining power. The Minister of Magic at the time agreed with his ideas, but the war made it hard for her to do anything about it before she left office. The new minister did not agree with Dumbledore's ideas and thought that it wasn't the time to be implementing such radical change in the government. Part of the project is actually this class that you are sitting in today. Education falls under the project heading to a great extent, at least in terms of some of the recent changes."
She pointed her wand at the blackboard and names broke out across the top: Minister of Magic, Wizengamot, Office of Magical Law, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and the Wizengamot Administrative Services.
"A show of wands, how many of you have stepped foot inside of the Ministry of Magic before?"
About a quarter of the class raised their wands into the air.
"Most of you, I assume, visited with a parent who works there?" At the nods, she continued. "The Ministry of Magic is modelled a great deal after the Muggle British Parliament. Our Minister of Magic is the figurehead of our country. She helps bring law and order to our communities, to our country, and to the Ministry itself. But she can't do all of this by herself. This is why she has a large support staff. As we talked about in the first day of class, her Deputy Minister is Lady Whitney Dashwood, who has the power and authority to sit in the Minister's place if needed, or in an emergency. Bones and Dashwood then have a full support staff, including personal assistants and secretaries, department heads, and high ranking members of the Wizengamot, including the Chief Warlock. The position of Chief Warlock has been held by Professor Dumbledore since 1981, as Madam Minister Bagnold appointed him soon after her election into office. This means that the Chief Warlock also sits on all minister-led councils and sessions to help keep the Wizengamot informed on all political affairs."
Hermione's hand jumped into the air, startling Harry from his stupor.
"Sì, Miss Granger?"
"Professor, I'm a little confused. Does the Wizengamot run everything? They seem to be responsible for a lot of stuff, including the trials of prisoners?"
Carthaginian pursed her lips. "Over the last twenty-odd years, the Wizengamot has been taking it upon themselves to run most of the Ministry. But when Jenkins was in power, the Ministry was divided. The Chief Warlock has the power to sit as a presiding judge over any trial that he or she sees fit, but unless given permission by the Minister of Magic, the trial is always overseen by members of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as well as the Office of Magical Law. The Wizengamot is not required to be present for trials."
"How does it work?" Hermione asked.
"Well," Carthaginian said, hopping down off the desk as she spoke. "Anyone arrested is brought to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement where they're hustled into the appropriate punitive department. Aurors deal with serious crimes and the use of dark magic, where the Magical Law Officers would handle the more petty crimes such as someone caught stealing. After someone is arrested, the Office of Magical Law is brought forward to discuss their crimes. Lawyers or advocators come in and it can take months for any form of action. Prisoners are held in dungeon cells below the Ministry of Magic to await trial, depending on the severity of their crime. For example, Gilderoy Lockhart —"
At the sound of their former professor's name, a few people looked up from their notes.
"Yes," Carthaginian continued. "You remember him. He was your professor and he was charged with fraud, assault, rape, and obliviating memories. The chain of evidence against him took months. In fact, the investigating parties are still presenting some of it due to the large number of people he mentioned in his books who've yet to be formally interviewed. Lockhart was tried and found guilty before being sent to prison, but he was still being tried for crimes while he was in prison as new evidence against him emerged. Unfortunately, due the breakout at the beginning of the school year, he is no longer in Azkaban, though his whereabouts at the moment are currently unknown."
She looked around at her staring class before she pointed to the board again. "As to the trials, a praetor from the Office of Magical Law oversees the trials of the accused. Members of the Wizengamot often sit as jury members along with those magical citizens chosen for jury duty. Since He Who Must Not Be Named began causing havoc in the 1970s, anyone remotely connected to the Death Eaters was tried by a mix of the Wizengamot and the Office of Magical Law. Almost everyone accused was sent immediately to Azkaban, sometimes even without a trial."
Hermione nodded, her brow furrowed. "But now that the Ministry is taking charge on this? I mean, on You Know Who. Will the laws change again?"
Carthaginian smiled. "The Ministry of Magic is trying to get ahead of the situation, Miss Granger, but I think that you're all smart enough to realize that a war is happening. It might not seem like it. We're safe on the castle grounds, but out there, You Know Who is plotting with his followers to most likely take over the Ministry of Magic, as that is where the power lies. Which is why it brings us back to the Phoenix Initiative Project. The CBC, or the Crann Bethadh Cabinet, worked diligently to put this bill put into motion. As I stated earlier, Education was a big part of this initiative. Not only did they introduce new classes, but they made sure that we as educators, are following the curriculum outlined by the Department of Education. That is part of the reason why Madams Raffigan and Umbridge are here inspecting the professors and their classes. However, education was not the only part of the project. This bill is doing something that the Ministry of Magic hasn't done in over two hundred years: Changing the structure of the government itself."
Carthaginian tapped her fingers against the wall behind her as she continued. "The governmental section of the bill outlines not only increasing the size of the Wizengamot Assembly, but also opening up our government to more than just the same old families. The project calls for magical inclusion for all British Magical Citizens, which means anyone who is capable of performing magic will be allowed a voice within the government. This is part of what I want to discuss today."
"Professor," Hermione said again, raising her wand. "Will the Ministry return to the old ways of holding trials and dealing justice?"
"Madam Bones wants to return to it, yes. I've heard that she's working on shifting the power back, but after over twenty years of doing it, it will be a slowly-adjusting change to move it back to what it was. The government is sometimes a fascinating study, even though I know most of you hear me say the word politics and want to have an immediate lie in. But it's important for you to understand how your government is run so that when you turn seventeen and are given the opportunity to vote, you will know not only who you might want to vote for — but how to vote. Many of you will be inheriting governmental seats within the assembly, and others will be taking those seats through political movement within the Ministry itself. Both are important," she explained, her eyes moving over the class and stopping on Harry. "Mr Potter, since you live with your guardian, Lord Black, what can you tell me about his hereditary seat within the Wizengamot?"
Harry swallowed before he spoke. "Well, I know that his family has held the seat for hundreds of years and that he's the only official Black left so, he inherited the seat — but he had to be accepted by the Wizengamot as well as by the Black Chair itself, which tested his familial magic, before he could sit on the council."
"He had to be accepted," Carthaginian told them. "This is why hereditary seating is important. Many of you will inherit a hereditary seat in the Wizengamot when you become of age due to your old family names. Those who have family seats waiting for you, raise your wands."
Harry looked around as he, Neville, Ernie, Susan, and Hannah all had their wands raised.
Carthaginian smiled. "That's because all of you come from old established families in the magical world. Old bloodlines are wonderful for that purpose. The difference between the old bloodlines and the, let's call them newer ones, is that these old bloodlines were the original members of our governing body, our founding mothers and fathers, so to speak. They wanted to pass that down through their families, but in order to do so, those witches and wizards who inherited the seats have to be considered worthy. Not just anyone is allowed to sit upon the council. They have to swear a magical oath with no intent to harm or to willfully lead the assembly down a wrong path. Now, oaths can be broken, but making an oath on your magic makes it much harder to do so, especially when one adds their blood to the Sovereign Chalice."
"Professor, what's the Sovereign Chalice?" Hannah asked.
"I'm glad that you asked, Miss Abbott. The Sovereign Chalice is a golden goblet made from the crown and the staff of the first Council Chief of the Wizard's Council. The Council Chief used them as authoritarian symbols to swear in his allegiance and role in that title. A group of twelve witches and wizards agreed to melt the crown and staff into a goblet enchanted to hold the blood of those who swore an oath to uphold justice and law. By adding a blood drop, your oath is bound by magic and blood, and by breaking the oath, you can be stripped of your magic."
Harry raised his wand. "Professor, how does it strip you of your magic?"
"Well, it is only in extreme cases. Over the course of the centuries, it has only ever been done twice. The first was the wizard Ekrizdis, does anyone know who he was?"
Ron raised his wand. "Wasn't he that nutter who lived in Azkaban?"
"He was! Five points, Mr Weasley. In the fifteenth century, Ekrizdis lived on the little island of Azkaban where he built his fortress. At first it was his private home, and he served on the Wizard's Council as a valuable member of the assembly. However, allegedly he practiced very dark magic and lured, tortured, and killed any Muggles who happened to sail near his fortress. Of course, no one discovered this until well after his death. His true evil soon came to the surface when he tried to enforce a law that allowed the torture of Muggles if they stumbled onto magical lands. Obviously, this measure failed and his voting became more erratic. It's said that he went insane and the chalice stripped him of his magic, leaving him weak and a Squib. It's a very powerful and painful process to strip one of their magic. It takes hours, sometimes days, for every piece of magic to ebb its way from your blood, your body, your heart. When it's gone, the person is left with all of the memories of what they could once do, but without any ability to carry them out. Before that happened, though, Ezkrizdis escaped the clutches of the Aurors and disappeared. It took five years to find him and when they did, it was only because he died in his fortress on the island in the North Sea. The Concealment Charms that he had placed there had faded with his death allowing the Wizard's Council to even know his place existed at all. Yes, Miss Bones?"
"Why did they decide to use his home as a prison?"
Carthaginian smiled. "An excellent question, five points to Hufflepuff. The reason that Azkaban was chosen was because as I said, Ekrizdis was insane. When the Aurors found his home on the island, it was not only infested with Dementors, but filled with untold horrors and evidence of the many crimes that he committed there. He was found dead in his bed. The Wizard's Council wanted to destroy the fortress originally, but were afraid that the dark entities that resided there and the darkness of the island itself could retaliate against them, and they didn't have the manpower at the time to deal with it."
"Professor, what do you mean by the 'dark entities could retaliate?'" Susan Bones asked.
"That much dark magic and dark creatures in one place, uncontrolled and unrestricted… no one really knew what to do about it, how to control it, or how to stop it. They thought that if they left it alone, it might disperse enough for them to move in safely and clean the place out. They left it alone for over a century which in hindsight, wasn't the best plan, as the darkness of the island only grew. It wasn't until Damocles Rowle was elected Minister in 1718 that he decided to use the fortress as a prison, with the idea of forcing the Dementors to work there as guards. It was soon clear that the situation wasn't ideal. It was considered inhumane and awful to keep people there, but it was constantly overruled. And until two years ago, no one had ever escaped the prison. Yes, Miss Granger?"
"Now that the prison is destroyed, will they rebuild it?"
"I don't know what the plans are for a prison, but I'm sure that it will be another issue for the Ministry to deal with. As I was saying the Sovereign Chalice helps rein in the witches and wizards with dark intentions. By swearing allegiance to serve justice in the Ministry and to the Sovereign Chalice, they ensure that some extent of corruption is addressed. If the oath is not made with sincerity, the Chalice can and will refuse them as will their familiar seat. This has happened once or twice over the last twenty years. Unfortunately there is no way to stop total corruption from happening. People are flawed and we all make mistakes, but it is a step in the right direction. After swearing an oath and dropping a bit of blood into the chalice, the hereditary seat must also accept you. Usually, one feels a little pull on their magic, alerting them that this is the case," she explained with a smile. "Yes, Mr Thomas?"
"Who was the other person who was stripped of their magic?"
"A witch from the thirteenth century named Desdemona Lestrange. She was a member of the Wizengamot for fifteen years, but she was also a murderer. There was a known killer in London at the time, but no one could figure out who it was. Men were being gutted and killed in the streets… wizards, usually Muggleborn, but a few half-blood and purebloods were even killed. She turned out to be behind it, I don't remember the reasoning, but I think that it had something to do with her husband's death. Desdemona went insane and tried to take over the Wizard's Council, claiming herself Chieftainess and Queen of the Wizard's Council. She wanted everyone to call her Queen Desdemona. She attempted to pass a vote giving her full power, and it backfired. Her magic was removed, and she was imprisoned for five years before she eventually died of dragon pox."
Carthaginian tapped her foot as she continued. "Now, as I said, our government has a lot of moving parts and a lot of places where we excel, and places that we need work. No government is perfect, and it will take time to get ours to the level that we all think is a fair system. Change may come from the top, but it works its way up from the bottom, and no matter how slow that change, it is still changing, and this is important to remember. Now, this class is International Magical Relations, but understanding our own government is essential to understanding how we operate on an international level. The Phoenix Initiative will bring new changes, and will create an entirely new department within the Ministry of Magic. The Department of Defence will work in tandem with the Aurors in dividing cases between those that are country and society-wide threats versus individual or group threats. Part of this department will include off-shoots of international assistance including the Russians, the Bulgarians, and the French. However, discussions have also leaked that if a full scale war does break out here in England, we have support from Hong Kong, Italy, Romania, and Greece as well as other potential allies. Talks among the International Confederation of Wizards have discussed many potential plans to assist if needed. Now this will go both ways: If a dark witch or wizard rises in another country or someone amasses an army or a country-wide threat, our new Department of Defence could be a stepping stone for an international body of defence, something different than the Aurors of the MIA, something bigger — maybe even a stepping stone for an international defence system. We're hopeful that this will help us form many new concepts to only better improve our governing body."
The bell charm went off and she raised her voice over the bustle of movement. "Before you head off to your language class, I want three to five changes that you think that the Ministry needs to make to assist in international relations and why. We'll discuss them next class. Ciao!"
Harry closed his notebook and grabbed his bag. He was taking Ancient Greek in the same class as Ancient Runes, which luckily for him was only two floors down. He hurried along, smiling warmly at Hannah when she stepped in behind him. This class was proving rather interesting, and he found himself enjoying the passages they studied. He'd even picked up on two new spells in Ancient Greek that Professor Babbling had let them try out. One worked as a luminary guide when lost in the dark, and the second one was a more complicated unlocking charm for stubborn locks.
He opened his book and waited patiently for Professor Babbling, his eyes on his watch. He planned to spend his free period after class flying out on the pitch and then he planned to meet his girlfriend and hopefully spend a good portion of the evening with her in his arms. The thought made him grin before he caught himself.
He couldn't wait to snog her again.
~ ASC ~
Remus stepped into his cottage that evening, yawning. The day had felt longer than usual, and he wanted nothing more than to snuggle into Nymphadora and sleep the entire weekend away. He heard chatter coming from the kitchen, and he smiled at the sight of Ted and Andromeda sitting at the table with his wife.
"Remus," Ted said, a smile on his face. "Come sit. Dromeda made pie."
Remus smiled as he sat down with them. "What's the occasion for pie?"
Ted grinned. "One never needs an occasion for pie."
Once Remus had a slice of fresh blueberry pie in front of him, Andromeda turned back to her daughter.
"So, have you seen the woman again?"
Tonks nodded. "In passing the last few days, and she always gives me dirty looks, but she hasn't spoken to me again since that day in the cafeteria. Atwell says that I should let it go, but at the same time, I think a throat punch would do the bitch good."
Ted chuckled. "That's my girl!"
Remus raised an eyebrow. "Who is this, and why don't I know about it?"
Tonks shook her head. "No one important."
Andromeda frowned. "Dora, don't lie to him. He deserves to know."
Remus looked between his wife and his mother-in-law in confusion. "What's going on?"
Ted sighed. "An old flame of yours insulted Dora a few days ago, and she's still holding a grudge."
"An old flame?" Remus asked. "I didn't really have any old flames. Who?"
"Veronica something or other," Tonks said. "An old shag then."
Remus' mouth opened in surprise. "Veronica Riley? Why?"
Tonks sighed and explained about how Veronica had heard Atwell call her Lupin, and how she'd reacted. "I swear that I was ready to drop that bitch right there if Atwell hadn't stopped me."
"Nymphadaora," Remus said quietly. "I told you that taking my name would be hard."
Ted shook his head. "A man's lucky to have a woman want to take his name. It's her choice to do so and our Dora? She knows what she wants. I'm proud to call her Lupin."
Remus flushed as Andromeda stood up to kiss his cheek.
"We'd best be off, Pixie. Ted and I have a few errands to run. Dinner on Sunday?"
"We'll be there, Mum," Tonks said, hugging her parents goodbye. Once she had closed the front door behind them she turned to her husband. "I didn't punch her in the throat so, points for me, right?"
Remus tugged her down into his lap. "I'm sorry that you were forced to put up with that. You don't deserve it."
"Neither do you," Tonks told him.
He smiled and kissed her softly. "I love that you took my name. I love that Auror Nymphadora Lupin is such a badass."
Tonks' lips lingered on his. "I am and don't you forget it."
"How was work otherwise? Any luck with the Azkaban breakout?"
She shook her head. "We're pretty much at a standstill. Higgins and I looked around for Zabini as well, but she's in the wind. She was definitely in Hogsmeade in October though."
Remus nodded. He told her about what Rhiannon had suggested and Tonks' eyebrows rose.
"That sounds brilliant! I'd love to learn how to swing a broadsword!" She reached down to fondle him through his jeans. "Do you think holding this thing counts as experience?"
Remus' cheeks heated. "Dora!"
She grinned and nibbled on his ear. "Mmm, just saying, I think that I'm getting pretty good at handling your sword."
"Minx."
Tonks chuckled against his mouth before she stood up. "Why don't we go into the bedroom and see how good I can be?"
Remus stared at her for a moment before he stood up, undoing his belt, jeans and boxers, and dropping them all to the floor. "Who said that we need to go to the bedroom?"
Tonks grinned and reached out to touch him. He was already half hard when she took him in her hands. "Take off your shirt and tie."
Remus did as she asked, standing naked in the kitchen and sighing under her ministrations. Her hands were pumping him slowly, achingly slowly, and he grew harder.
"Come here, Nymphadora," he murmured, pulling her closer. "Take off your clothes."
Tonks ignored him and instead fell to her knees. Her hands continued to work him before she made eye contact and took the tip of him into her mouth. Remus elicited a groan as her tongue slid over him, stroking the underside of his shaft in quick little licks that shot lust straight into his belly.
"Nympha-fuck…"
Her eyes twinkled at him as she worked her mouth lower, taking more of him. His head fell back as her mouth got busy, along with her hands. Remus rested his hand on the back of her head, holding her in place. He did everything he could not to thrust his hips, to urge her to take more of him into that sweet mouth. Tonks understood what he wanted and he watched in amazement as she tilted her head back, her mouth moving like she was savouring a particularly delicious candy. She moaned against him and the sound send shivers through him as he grunted.
Tonks slowly pulling him out of her mouth, flattening her tongue against his tip as she caught her breath. "I made it halfway that time."
"Nymphadora," Remus moaned, his fingers clutching her curls. "Take off your clothes."
Tonks grinned seductively, tugging her shirt and bra off. His hand reached down to grip a breast, and when his thumb stroked her nipple, she leaned forward and engulfed his cock in her mouth again.
Remus groaned, his hips thrusting slightly before he could contain himself. "Fuck!"
She took him deeper, her hand pumping his base as her other hand slid below to fondle him. She trailed her fingernails over his sack, kneading it with her thumb, taking him deeper into her mouth. He weaved his fingers through her hair even tighter as she slowly slid her lips off, dipping her head to kiss and suck his balls again. His legs trembled as she pulled his balls into her mouth, savouring them. He groaned in desperation.
She sucked harder and he gasped, his cock bobbing in the air. Her hand slid up to pump him again before her mouth returned to his shaft, flattening her tongue across his tip. He reached back to grip the table for support and she grinned wickedly.
"Having trouble standing there, Professor?"
Remus' breath hitched. "You're destroying me."
She slid her hand up his stomach and stood up, kissing his lips. "Payback, love, for all of the times that you've destroyed me."
He kissed her deeply, his hardness pressing into her belly as he tugged her pants and underwear down. "I want to be inside of you."
Tonks kissed him gently and pulled away. "No."
"No?"
She grinned and licked her lips. "I need to practice more."
Remus groaned as she dropped back to her knees and used her mouth. "No, you — fuck!"
Tonks moaned against him as she worked him over, and when he felt the tightening in his gut, he grabbed her hair roughly, his fingers brushing against the shaved part of her head.
"I — now!"
Her eyes met his and they twinkled in delight a moment before he came. Her hands gripped his arse, holding him in place in her mouth. When he finally began to soften, she slid her mouth off him, her eyes on his, and swallowed. Remus groaned, tugging her up onto the table to kiss her deeply. She sighed against him, her hand still squeezing his bum.
"I love your big cock, Rem."
"I can't handle any more of your teasing right now, you vixen," he said, bending his head to kiss her breast. "And I'm going to show you what I love."
She shrieked when he picked her up, tossing her over his shoulder, his hand slapping her naked bottom as he carried her to the bedroom.
"Put me down!"
He ignored her, so she slid her hand down to spank him. He kept walking, kicking the bedroom door closed behind them as he tossed her down onto the bed. She bounced on the softness before he pinned her arms up over her head, his tongue trailing between her breasts and down her tight abdomen, making her muscles quiver in anticipation. He licked her belly button ring, tongue trailing along her scars, licking lower, sucking the skin long enough to leave a mark before he parted her legs and used his tongue between her thighs.
Tonks cried out, her head tilting back against the bedspread and her hands struggling against his grip. He ignored this and continued to assault her with his mouth and tongue as she wriggled desperately. He sucked and licked, nipping at her in all the right places and when he flattened his tongue against her clit and inserted two fingers, she screamed his name.
Merlin, he loved the taste of her. He could spend the rest of his life with his tongue inside of her and never tire of it. He loved the way she reacted to every swipe and lick and as he happily sucked the little nub into his mouth, her hips arched against him, and his fingers clenched at her sides. She was the most glorious and gorgeous person he'd ever seen, and when she was climaxing, she was an absolute goddess.
He flicked her with his tongue before he swiped up in one long delicious lick and then he used his fingers, watching in fascination as her hair colour swapped from varying shades of pink and purple to her natural brown before hitting a light blonde and going back to pink. When her hair changed, he knew that he was doing it right. Watching her lose control was amazing. He let go of her hands just as she came, bowing his head to taste her again.
The sound of her panting his name between cries was music to his ears, and when she finally stopped vibrating beneath him, he slipped two fingers back in to build her up again. He was already rock hard again. Tonks was trembling beneath him, her cheeks flushed, her nipples hard as he straddled her, positioning himself over her. He teased her, brushing himself over her slit as she groaned, hips arching. Then he tugged her up into a sitting position, wrapped her legs around his waist, and slid into her.
Her eyes widened as she cried out and he just held her, waiting for her to adjust until she finally began to ride him. Her fingers squeezed his behind as she did so, and her small breasts bouncing. Remus kissed her forehead tenderly when she came a second time. He lasted only a minute longer before he fell back onto his side, tugging her with him.
Tonks snuggled into his warm embrace, her skin sweaty and glistening. "Mmm, we haven't been doing that nearly enough lately."
Remus kissed her softly. "Work's been keeping us both long hours."
She slid her hand over his arms. "We need to make time. Mind blowing sex every day, maybe twice a day."
"Check," he said, grinning against the top of her head. "Now we should sleep though."
She nodded, her cheek pressed against his heart. "In the morning, will you make me French toast?"
He chuckled. "Anything you want, love."
She tilted her head back, her eyes twinkling in mischief. "If you add strawberries, I'll suck you off while you make them."
Remus' eyes darkened. "Then you wouldn't get your damn breakfast and you know it."
"If I'm going to handle that broadsword, I have to practice," she said lightly.
"You're such a little tease, go to sleep."
She rested her cheek over his heart again, sighing in contentment. She liked teasing him and she loved to make him smile. Not to mention that her teasing usually resulted in her being given incredible orgasms, and she'd never not love those. She let her eyes close and she drifted off, thinking of all the ways she planned to seduce her husband in the morning.
~ ASC ~
Morrigan landed in front of Theo again a few days after he had written back. He raised an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn't expected to hear from Ciara's uncle again. He took the letter and smiled when the owl greeted him affectionately before it took off once more. Theo broke the seal to read in curiosity.
Dear Theo,
You have not offended me and in all honesty, I would be honoured if you'd call me Finn. That's what my friends call me.
Our societies are indeed changing. The Court of Tara has always been open to other magical and Muggle beings alike coming to be part of our world. Though I admit we are sometimes still hesitant towards wolves, as they used to be our enemy once upon a time. My own sister fell in love with a Muggleborn wizard and she is as happy as she can be. Sometimes it is hard for us as we have to change our way of life to reflect one of non-magical society for the sake of those we love… but love is a magic in itself, and should never be taken for granted or deemed unworthy merely because of a difference in blood!
So, tell me, is Ciara adjusting a little better now that the school year has taken off? She seems much happier in her letters and they are always full of the things that she has learned in class. She really loves Potions and says that Professor Snape is her favourite professor. Is he a good professor?
Your Friend,
Finn
Theo smiled as he closed the letter. He felt rather honoured that this man was looking to him for his opinions. He thought that Ciara was lucky to have someone so caring in her life. Snape was a good professor for the most part, and he had to stop worrying about his connection to the Dark Lord. He tucked the letter away safely in his pocket before he made his way up to the Head Table and stopped in front of Snape's chair.
"Sir?"
Snape looked up, his teacup in his hand. "Yes, Mr Nott?"
"I need a character reference for my lawyer. Would you please write me one?"
Snape stared at him for a long moment and then he nodded curtly. "I'll have it ready before dinner. Come pick it up in my office."
"Thank you, Sir," Theo said, feeling lighter as he turned away. He found a cozy little alcove near the entrance hall and pulled out his parchment with a smile.
Dear Finn,
Thank you! Your letter inspired me to do something that I have been putting off. Professor Snape is a good professor. He's knowledgeable and intelligent, but he can also give off a rather angry glow. In fact, I think he's miserable ninety percent of the time, but he is always there for the students of his house when they need him. Thank you for reminding me of that.
Ciara is a lucky girl to have such a nice bloke for her uncle. I appreciate you taking the time to write to me. With the winter holiday coming up soon, it's nice to know that I have a friend in my corner.
Wishing you the best and a merry holiday.
Your Friend,
Theo
He sealed the letter in an envelope and made his way to the owlery to send it out. He watched his owl fly away and he sighed. He felt like he had found a friend in this mysterious prince. Ciara was lucky to have an uncle such as this. He was whistling at the thought of making a friend with a prince as he made his way back down to the Slytherin common room. He tried to imagine what Finn looked like. He had to be at least mid-thirties he figured, maybe slim like Professor Lupin. He wondered if he was married and if had his own kids as well. It would be nice to have someone like that to talk to. Someone he could even look up to when he gained his title; someone he could go to for advice.
Like a father, a voice whispered in his head.
Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were the closest thing to parents he'd ever had. He adored them, but with Lucius on the run from the Ministry and them being supporters of Voldemort, he felt like nothing he said to them was safe. His own father wasn't worth his spit, and Theo knew that. The Weasleys were the kindest people he'd ever met, taking him into their home and welcoming him with open arms, but Arthur Weasley didn't understand the intricacies of running an estate. Theo'd never really had a family, and the thought that Ciara's uncle could be a kindly older man to fill those shoes made him feel oddly elated.
Maybe when he wrote back, he would ask his advice on what he should do first when he took on the title of Norfolk. He was lost in his thoughts when a hand grabbed his arm. He turned to see Macmillan there.
Ernie sneered at him. "Sally-Ann isn't letting me get past fondling. Why don't you come help me with my wand?"
Theo swallowed slowly before he dutifully followed the Hufflepuff prefect to an abandoned classroom down the hall. Almost there, he thought. Snape was writing him a reference, and he would find two more people to write him the same. Once the lawyer had everything organized, he'd be able to claim his birthright, and once he had the title, he'd make Macmillan pay for this.
When he finished, he spit at the prefect's feet without thinking. Ernie grabbed him by his shirt and shoved him backwards with a snarl. Theo curled into a ball to protect himself against the onslaught of Ernie's feet and fists. He finally cried out in pain as his nose was broken from a punch to the face, his ribs bruised painfully from fists and boots.
"If you ever waste my seed like that again, I'll make you regret it," Ernie said, before spitting in his face.
Theo's fingers clutched his wand as he urged himself not to do it, not to curse that bloody tosser. He knew that it would make the situation worse. As he watched Ernie smugly leave the room, he let the tears roll down his cheeks. He wasn't sure how much longer he could stand this.
Theo crawled to his feet, wincing in pain, just as Peeves slid into the room.
"Oooh, naughty Slytherin Nott's been fighting. I should tell a professor, I should!"
Theo shook his head. "Please don't, Peeves."
Peeves stared at him before making a raspberry and disappearing through the wall.
Theo managed to climb to his feet, using his sleeve to mop the blood from his face. He used a glamour charm on himself to hide his injuries, and then he slowly made his way back to Slytherin. He was pretty sure that he could heal his own nose, he just needed a mirror. And hopefully, his ribs would heal on their own. The last thing he needed was Madam Pomfrey to start asking him questions.
He didn't pass anyone along the way, and by the time he reached his dorm, his whole body was aching from the long walk. He would just sit for a moment and rest, he thought. Then he could heal his nose. But when Theo finally collapsed in his own bed, he slept like the dead.
He was woken less than an hour later by Draco shouting.
"What the fuck, Theo?"
He blinked owlishly as the flash of pain in his face, reminded him that he hadn't fixed his nose before passing out. Considering his friend's reaction, Theo was pretty sure his glamour charm had worn off as well.
"Draco?"
Draco grabbed him by the arms and pulled him to his feet. "What the bloody hell happened to you? Your face is covered in blood?"
"Can you fix thit?"
Draco pointed his wand at Theo's face. "Episkey!"
The shot of pain and the loud crack made his eyes water, but his nose felt infinitely better. "Thanks."
Draco put his wand away. "What happened?"
Theo shrugged, deliberately not looking his friend in the eye. "I came down here for a nap and tripped, fell down the stairs, smashed my face into the stone. It hurt like a bitch, but it seemed like too much effort to go back up the stairs."
Draco stared at him. "I don't believe you."
"That's your prerogative," Theo told him, shrugging it off. "But that's what happened. I took a beating going down the stairs though. Do you still have any of that bruising salve?"
"You're going to the hospital wing."
"What? No, I'm fine."
Draco grabbed his arm roughly and tugged him out of the bed completely. His voice was cold as ice when he spoke. "I will fucking carry you if you make me, Theo."
Theo swallowed, his eyes on the cold steely gaze of his friend. "That won't be necessary, I'll go."
Draco didn't speak to him as he marched him back up the stairs and to the hospital wing. He told Madam Pomfrey that Theo claimed he'd fallen down the stairs, and that Draco had taken it upon himself to heal his nose. Pomfrey gave Draco twenty points for his excellent healing work before she made Theo take off his shirt.
"Mr Malfoy, if we could have some privacy, please?"
Draco shook his head. "No. I'm not leaving his side."
"Draco —"
"— Shut it, Theo."
Theo closed his mouth and carefully tugged his shirt over his head, wincing at the pain. His ribs were covered in fist size bruises. Some were fist-sized, but some had obvious boot impressions.
Draco's eyes narrowed. "You did not fucking fall down the stairs!"
"Mr Malfoy, if you are going to yell at my patient, I will force you to leave."
Draco nodded, but glared at his friend.
Theo flushed, his eyes in his lap. "I think a rib is broken."
Pomfrey ignored him as she poked and prodded. He winced as her wand healed three of his ribs before she wrapped his torso in a tight bandage. Then she forced him to drink a potion (so vile he nearly vomited) before she grabbed his chin and stared him down.
"Who hurt you?"
Theo pulled his chin from her grasp. "I fell down the stairs, I told you."
Pomfrey stared at him before she nodded. "Get into bed and get some rest. I'll see how you are in the morning before I release you for classes tomorrow. I'll tell Professor Snape where you are."
Draco took a seat in the chair next to Theo and crossed his arms. He waited for the matron to leave before he spoke. "Now you're lying to Pomfrey, too?"
Theo closed his eyes. "Go away, Draco."
"No," he said angrily. "I want to know who the prick was who did this to you. When I find him, he's going to wish that he'd never been born!"
"Draco! I fell down the bloody stairs and I kicked myself as I tumbled ass over tea kettle, okay? It's embarrassing enough as it is, stop trying to make it something that it isn't!"
Draco stared at him before he got up so fast the chair behind him flipped over. "Don't you fucking lie to me, Theo; don't you do that! Our whole life has become about lies. If we can't trust each other, what do we have?"
Theo swallowed. The hurt flashing in Draco's silver-blue eyes made his heart clench. If he told Draco, he'd go after Ernie… and he couldn't risk that, not yet, not until the thing with the lawyer was resolved. Theo had to wait until then. He couldn't risk taking the chance that it backfired on him.
"Just trust me, okay? I know what I'm doing! Let me handle this!"
Draco reached out to touch Theo's shoulder before he caught himself. Then he turned and stormed out of the hospital wing. His silence more hurtful than anything he could have said.
~ ASC ~
Harry and Ginny were walking hand in hand through the halls when Draco stormed through their joined hands.
"Oi!" Harry called out.
Draco shot them two fingers as he kept walking.
Ginny looked at Harry in surprise. "What was that about?"
Harry shrugged. "I have no idea. He's always been a bloody wanker though."
"Yes, and no," Ginny said carefully, her eyes on Draco's retreating back. "Theo said that he cares very deeply about his friends and doesn't know how to deal with it, which is part of his attitude."
"He's still a wanker."
Ginny stood on her toes and kissed him softly. "I support that. Was he coming from the hospital wing?"
Harry shrugged as they walked along the hall. Peeking into the hospital wing, they could see the curtains closed around a bed.
Harry frowned. "There's someone in there."
Ginny broke away from him and took a step into the hospital wing before Madam Pomfrey spotted her.
"Out! I have patients resting! Out!"
Ginny frowned as the door closed in her face.
Harry tugged her close. "Want to go up and get the map? It will tell us who's inside."
Ginny thought about it for a moment before she shook her head. "No, it's none of our business. We don't know for sure that he came from there. He probably came from the library."
Harry kissed the top of her head, entwining his fingers with hers again. "Okay. Shall we keep walking then?"
Ginny smiled, squeezing his hand as they continued their stroll. "Yes, please."
Harry brought their joined hands to his lips and kissed her fingers in a move he always saw Sirius and Remus use. The smile it brought to Ginny's face made him grin back. "It sucks that it's raining. I really wanted to take you up on my Firebolt."
Ginny looked up at him. "I think that I'd be the one taking you up on your broomstick."
"Oh, really?"
"Really," she said as he backed her up into the alcove at the end of the corridor until her back reached the wall. "I think by now you should know I can handle any broomstick."
Harry's breath hitched as he contemplated the double entrendre. "You are incredible in the air."
Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck. "I know. Aren't you glad that I tried out for the team?"
His gaze dropped to her lips as he nodded, lowering his head. "Uh-huh," he murmured, brushing his lips over hers.
Ginny brushed hers back, gently and teasingly as they stared at each other, neither of them willing to make the first move… and then she gasped in surprise when he lifted her, pinning her against the wall with his hips so that they were face to face. His hands shot out to hold the wall on either side of her head. "Well, hello up here."
Her arms were still circled around his neck, and she slid one hand onto his neck before tugging his mouth to hers.
Harry groaned against her mouth, his hands leaving the wall to grip her waist as his mouth met hers. It was almost ten minutes before they heard someone coming. Harry pulled away, carefully lowering her back to the ground. Ginny winked at him, interlacing their fingers just as Snape came around the corner, his robes billowing out behind him.
"No loitering in the hall," he said darkly. "Five points from Gryffindor."
Ginny stuck her tongue out at his retreating back. Harry laughed, tugging her arm.
"Where are we going?" Ginny asked.
He shrugged, eyes twinkling. "Anywhere you want."
Ginny simply tugged him along the corridor. He tilted his head to watch the sway of her hips and thought he'd never felt happier.
~ ASC ~
Ginny glanced at her watch for the fourth time the next afternoon before she blew out a frustrated sigh. There was late — and then there was forgetting all together. She stuffed her books back into her bag and left the library, heading towards the study hall. That's when she saw Blaise.
"Zabini!"
He turned and flashed her a winning smile. "Hi, Red. Are you done with Potter and coming to snog me?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "No."
He shrugged good naturally. "Can't blame a bloke for trying."
"Anyway," Ginny said ignoring his flirtatious smirk. "Theo was supposed to meet me over an hour ago. Do you know where he is?"
Blaise frowned. "He promised Draco and I that he'd rest this afternoon before he met with you. Maybe he overslept?"
"Why does he need to rest?"
"He took a hard fall down the stairs the other day and spent last night in the hospital wing. You didn't hear?"
"What?" Ginny exclaimed, suddenly remembering how Draco had plowed his way through her and Harry the day before. "What happened? How did he fall? How bad were his injuries?"
Blaise made a gesture with his head and urged her into the private alcove, away from the crowded corridor. "He says that he fell down the stairs, but Draco and I don't believe him. His nose was broken, he has a black eye and a few broken ribs. Draco said that he had fist shaped bruises and a boot impression over his ribs, but Theo's not talking."
Ginny's eyes widened in alarm. "What do you mean he's not talking? Who did this to him?"
"We don't know. He keeps insisting that he fell down, that we don't know what we're talking about, and to leave him alone. I know that he's been seeing someone, but he hasn't said peep about him."
"I need to see him, Zabini, please."
Blaise shrugged. "I don't know where he is."
"Check your dorm then. But I need to see him."
Blaise stared at her. "When he's ready to see you, he will. I'm letting him rest."
Ginny glared at his back as he turned and walked away. She understood his protectiveness, as she felt the same. Which infuriated her more. Why wouldn't Theo tell anyone who hurt him? Ginny adjusted the strap of her bag and ran all the way back to Gryffindor Tower. She spotted Neville and Ron playing chess in the corner, but a quick scan of the room showed her that Harry wasn't there. She ran up the stairs to the boys dormitory to find him.
Unfortunately, she was stopped halfway up by Fred and George.
"Ginny, just where do you think you're going?" Fred asked, his voice accusatory. "Do Forge and I need to discuss the birds and bees with you and Harry?"
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Hardly. I need to see Harry."
"Snog Harry, you mean," George corrected. His expression sobered at his sister's menacing look. "Just teasing, Nevra, but you know that you're not supposed to be up here. You, my lovely sister, are not a bloke."
"Now's not the time for your jokes, George! Something happened to Theo, and stupid Zabini won't let me see him. I need Harry to find him on the map."
Fred draped an arm across her shoulders. "Gem, you don't need the map, you have us. Come with us and we'll help you."
Ginny stared up at her brother. "You will?"
Fred grinned. "Sneak into the Slytherin common room? Piece of cake."
She stared at them apprehensively. "Okay. Tell me what to do."
Fred and George exchanged a look and she wondered just how good of an idea this really was.
Thirty minutes later, she was standing in the Slytherin common room in complete shock. She never should have underestimated the power of the Weasley twins. Their knowledge of secret passageways, passwords, and shortcuts had not only gotten her through the portrait hole safely — but she had the hood up on a Slytherin robe disguising her well enough to sneak undetected through the throng of students.
The large, rectangular, stone common room was decorated in Slytherin colours. A warm fireplace lit up on one end, and students were sprawled around chatting and doing homework. Ginny took a deep breath before heading towards the archway on the far right. Fred had explained that the dorms were underground rather than elevated like Gryffindor's. She followed the stone steps down, passing the marked dormitories until she found the section marked fifth years. Then she carefully pushed open the tall wooden door.
Her eyes passed over five four-poster beds decorated with velvet green bed curtains as opposed to red. Clothes were thrown haphazardly around the floor, and she smelled a mix of cologne, dirty socks, and peppermint. The room was circular like Gryffindor tower, but instead of bright windows, the walls were glass, displaying the underside of the Black Lake. It was rather beautiful. There was only one bed with the curtains closed. She took a step towards it just as the bathroom door opened on the left and Malfoy stepped out.
He was wearing unbuttoned black trousers and nothing else. His pale skin was more muscled than she expected for his lean frame, his shoulders broader.
"Weaslette," he said dryly. "How the fuck did you get in here?"
She tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Carefully. Is he asleep?"
Malfoy looked like he was going to protest before he shrugged. "Supposed to be. I put a silencing charm around his bed so he wouldn't be disturbed. Do you know who he's been seeing?"
Ginny shook her head. "No, he wouldn't tell me."
"Ten minutes and then you're gone. If anyone finds out that we let a blood traitor in here, all hell will break loose."
Ginny smirked at him. She rather doubted that Malfoy would cause such a ruckus, but she'd let him think otherwise. She took a step towards Theo's bed, pulling his bed curtains open. He was sleeping, his breathing quiet, but there was an ugly bruise over his right eye and cheek. She bent her head to kiss his non bruised cheek, and he stirred.
"Ginny?"
"If you weren't so injured, I'd punch you, Theodore Nott."
He smiled. "Aw, chick, that's so sweet." He sat up with a wince. "Wait, how did you get in here?"
Ginny ignored him. "What happened?"
"I fell down the stairs, kicked myself as I fell, and smashed face first into the stone wall at the bottom."
"That sounds painful," she said honestly.
"It was. Also embarrassing. I broke a few ribs on my way down. Don't worry, chick, a few more days and I'll be fine."
"Your face is pretty bruised. Didn't Madam Pomfrey give you any bruise salve?"
"She did," Malfoy said darkly from behind them. He had pulled on a shirt by now. and his arms were crossed in front of his chest. "But since Theo's been using a glamour charm to hide bruises, he hasn't healed properly."
"So, Malfoy's right, you are lying."
"Ginny, I'm going to be okay."
She frowned, her eyes searching his. "Why won't you tell anyone who hurt you?"
Theo let out a slow sigh. "I — no one is hurting me."
"And there he goes, lying again!" Malfoy exclaimed angrily. "If you're not going to tell me the truth, Theo, then sod off! Next time I find you bleeding all over your bed, I'm going to leave you there to rot, you bloody wanker! Now let's go, Weasley. You've seen him!"
Ginny made to protest when Draco grabbed her arm. He was already shoving her out of the room and back up the stairs. "I can walk myself, Malfoy!"
He ignored her until he'd shoved her out of the portrait hole. "If I see you in here again, I'll report you."
"I wanted to check on Theo! Blaise told me that he was in the hospital and he was supposed to meet me, but he didn't show up. I love him too, you know."
Malfoy only stared at her for a long moment. "Then next time, you can deal with him when he's lying in a puddle of his own blood."
And then the portrait hole slammed shut.
Ginny stomped her foot in frustration and turned around just as Harry came around the corner, the map in his hand.
"Ginny, are you okay? I saw your name on the map with Malfoy's in Slytherin House, and I panicked."
Instead of answering, Ginny threw her arms around his neck and burrowed close. When his warm arms came around her, his hands resting flat on her back.
"Are you okay? What are you doing down here?"
She sighed against him. "Harry, someone hurt Theo."
Harry pulled back to look into her eyes. "What?"
Ginny quickly explained what had happened. "And I know that Malfoy is just as worried about him. He's worried sick, anyone can see that, but he kicked me out and Theo won't tell anyone what happened!"
Harry kissed the top of head before he spoke. "You know, a few weeks back I saw him leaving a room after another bloke. His lip was bleeding, but he told me that it was nothing, and to be honest, it did look like nothing at the time… but now I wonder."
"Who was the bloke?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. It was dark, and I only saw an outline."
"I'm so worried, Harry. What if they hurt him again? Why won't he tell us?"
"There must be a reason behind it," he insisted. "But for now, let's make sure that Theo's not wandering the castle alone for any reason. I'll stick with him in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, and I'll put a bird in Draco and Blaise's ear about doing the same for his other classes. Whoever attacked him isn't likely to do it with others around."
She nodded. The thought calmed her a little. "But what about when he's in Slytherin? Or even near Crabbe or Goyle? He rooms with them and he doesn't get along with them, he's told me. We both know that their fathers are Death Eaters."
Harry gently brushed his thumb across her cheek. "We can't watch him twenty-four hours a day, Ginny. We'll do what we can and hope that he decides to come clean about who hurt him."
She knew that he was right, but it didn't make her feel any better. "Okay. Harry, it had to be a Slytherin, right? Someone who maybe knows his dad?"
Harry shook his head. "I don't know, Gin. But we'll find out. We will," he insisted at her look. "And Theo will be okay."
She burrowed back into his arms, letting him hold her close. Theo had to be okay; she couldn't bear it otherwise.
End Author's Notes:
Thank you Steel for helping me with the idea about the Sovereign Chalice.
Ekrizdis is the man who created Azkaban. It was only discovered because he died and his charms failed.
Damocles Rowle was the Minister of Magic who decided to make Azkaban a prison and use the Dementors as guards.
Desdemona Lestrange is of my own invention.
I feel like the government is never fully explained, how it works, and how people are brought to justice — we only see the little snippets of Dumbledore's memories of Death Eater trials and how Harry is tried by the Wizengamot, which we know is not normal, so I hope this chapter better explains how it works.
Praetor is Latin term for judge during Roman times and I decided to adopt it.
Thank you as always for reading and I promise to be back with chapter 201 in no longer than 4 weeks from now. Thank you for everything and please review!