CHAPTER NINETEEN
THE SERVANT OF LORD VOLDEMORT
Mad Eye took the book and started "The Servant of Lord Voldemort"
Those who had trouble reading the name, as usual, winced.
333
"Never leaving my person again" Harry muttered under his breath.
"You did remember to wash that thing right?" Ron asked.
"Of course" Harry told him ignoring the scowl Snape was sporting.
333
"Looks as if we were both off our game that night" Remus said looking towards Harry.
Moody opened his mouth to reprimand the boy and the werewolf, but,
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" Tonks shouted at the top of her lungs causing most everyont to jump.
"Tonks. Please. Sensitive ears." Remus told her.
333
"I take it that means yes to Lupin's question." Bill said.
333
Dumbledore saw McGonagall stiffen as they read of how the Head of Slytherin was talking to one of her lions.
333
"IT'S YOU WHO'S TALKING ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I HAVE NEVER IN ALL MY YEARS OF TEACHING HAVE SEEN A PROFESSOR ACT THIS WAY TO A STUDENT IN OR OUT OF BOUNDS! A PROFESSOR IS SUPPOSED TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE STUDENTS AND HERE YOU ARE SHOWING AS MUCH INJUSTICE IF NOT MORE THAN THE STINKING MINISTRY! MISS. GRANGER HAD THE CORRECT IDEA OF LISTENING TO BLACK'S SIDE OF THE STORY AND DON'T GIVE US ANY C*** ABOUT HOW THERE WASN'T ANY JUSTICE IN YOUR DAYS AT SCHOOL! I CAN PERSONALLY VOUCH FOR A NUMBER OF STUDENT'S WHO BROUGHT THE FACT THEY WERE TORTURED BY SLYTHERINS TO ME! I BROUGHT IT TO THE HEADMASTER'S ATTENTION AND YOU CAN THANK HIM FOR ANY 'INJUSTICE' DURING YOUR SCHOOL DAYS!"
"The evidence of the claims…" Dumbledore pointed out.
"I don't want to hear it Albus" Sprout finished with a glare to the headmaster as she sat back down and saw everyone in the room gapping at her, Tonks with a hint of Hufflepuff pride.
"What?" the head of house asked.
"Remind me not to mess with any Hufflepuffs when there's injustice involved." Charlie said.
"It's as the hat said in the first book" Flitwick said. "Hufflepuffs are just and loyal."
333
Snape had the decency to back away from the death glare Sprout was sending him.
333
"Whoa! Easy Tonks. He never got around to it" Remus said as he quickly stood up and caught another angry Hufflepuff in the form of a certain Metamorphmagus who was looking ready to rid the world of one more Death Eater, even if it was an ex-
Sirius couldn't help but to smirk as he leaned towards Harry. Harry expected a quip about how the Hufflepuffs in the room were reacting to Snape's behavior.
"Seems as if Tonks is a little too overprotective of Moony, don't you think?" Sirius joked.
Harry returned the smirk and decided to play along with his godfather.
"Have to admit, she looks good in his arms" Harry joked back glad the attention was off himself.
Remus, with his excellent hearing, heard the two and sent them a glare Sirius hadn't seen since their Hogwarts days.
The glare of one-more-word-on-the-subject-and-I'll-show-you-why-I'm-a-Marauder.
Sirius, having missed those days, made a mental note to tease his friend later.
333
"Good question" Flitwick mused.
333
"Yeah…that probably wasn't the best thing to say. Sorry Professor." Harry apologized with a wince.
Snape just nodded figuring it would be in his best interest to accept the apology. No need to let anyone know that Harry had practically quoted Lily that night from when they had met in an attempt to reconcile after school and she was engaged to James. When he wouldn't put the past behind him to be happy for her, she exploded much like Harry had.
To say that it was painful to hear a 'Lily lecture' from a Potter was an understatement.
333
Snape noticed the room of Death Glares (and disappointed looks)
"Okay. Whatever happened to not getting into trouble for the past and the things to come?" he questioned.
"No punishments may be set." Dumbledore corrected.
333
"The disarming spell shouldn't be THAT powerful" Molly said
"That's only if there's one caster." Moody said before reading.
333
"Wait…." Fred said. "You said 'Both Ron AND Hermione had tried to disarm Snape'?"
"Hermione Granger?" George added "Attacking a teacher…without being told to?"
"I wasn't happy about it, but it seemed to be the only way to get Professor Snape to listen in his state of mind" Hermione explained.
"As Albus said, it's the past so we won't be handing out punishments this time" McGonagall said giving Snape a look showing she did not like how he had handled the situation at the time.
333
"Good question" Tonks said.
333
"Not a bad deduction for someone having spent 12 years in Azkaban." Charlie said.
"Of course he's intelligent. He's a Marauder!" Fred said.
"Their pranks HAVE to be done by someone intelligent." George added.
"Look at the map."
"It's a shame that apart from Lupin's grades and James Potter's Transfiguration grades, their academic records don't show it" McGonagall said.
"If we revealed our true potential, it would have given too much away" Sirius argued.
333
"Not THAT good" Fred said.
"Can't say the number of times we've used him for experiments." George said.
"Excuse me?" Molly asked.
"We planned on replacing him…"
"…should anything happen."
333
"Wait. I know it's been over a year, but I just realized something." Remus said turning to his friend. "You complimented a cat. You hate cats… with the exception of McGonagall."
"I was too mad at the rat to care." Sirius said.
333
Sirius tightened his grip on Harry's shoulder to let the wincing boy know all was okay.
333
Molly gasped as the situation finally hit home. Her family had harbored an unregistered animagus. But not just any one. The one who was REALLY responsible for making Harry an orphan.
333
"For a reason" Sirius grumbled.
333
"Oh please" Sirius said rolling his eyes. "If anyone taught me tricks with Dark Magic, it was dear ol' Mum and Dad."
"Or ripping off a few Slytherins." Remus teased.
333
"And worse…he knew how I felt about my family." Sirius added.
333
"That is a good question" Arthur said.
333
"I always wondered that myself" Tonks said.
333
"He gave up that position when he joined Voldemort." Sirius said.
333
"Not anymore" Ron said crossing his arms.
333
"Was that the best you could come up with?" Fred asked.
"My rat was responsible for the reason why my best mate was living in that hellhole of 4 Privet Drive." Ron said. "I was in shock."
333
"Why would I help someone who intended on hurting my brother?" she asked.
333
"Harry wouldn't know what James would have wanted if not for him." Ginny hissed.
333
"Both of your parents would have been proud" McGonagall said.
333
"And you could be free" Harry added to the present day Sirius.
333
"Leave him" the twins and Ginny chorused earning a glare from said professor.
333
"That's the end of that chapter."
"Something's going to go wrong" Charlie stated. "This is just too perfect and I know that Pettigrew isn't in custody."
"You would not be wrong Charlie" Remus sighed not looking forward to this next chapter.
"You okay Bill?" Arthur asked.
"Huh?" the deep in thought Bill asked. "Oh. Yeah Dad. Just…I was thinking about something. It's not important."
"Perhaps we should take a break." Dumbledore suggested.
"We only have three chapters left." Moody argued.
"Yes, but this one was full of information, especially for the Weasleys as they just found that one of the pets was a Death Eater in disguise." Dumbledore said.
"I think a break would be a good thing." Harry agreed as he looked at his friends.
