A/N: So here it is my next chapter. It took me a while and it will be a while before the next chapter will come. This chapter is also not beta read, because my last one left me alone without telling me beforehand. If anyone wants to be my beta reader I'll gladly accept. Have fun reading. -Ray

VII. – Banquest, the first troubling things -

The first troubling thing Cassian had to overcome was to find his rooms. Ira Cyprian, the teacher or instructor as she introduced herself, had told him to look in the fourth and last floor of the Green House as it was called. Wandering the school grounds, he soon figured out the reason for why it was called the Green house. It was standing beside the green houses and some green plants were clinging to the façade. Similar things were probably the clues for the other houses were students would live inside. The dorms were positioned at the back of the school around the lake and on either site of the river, which was smoothly dividing the school grounds into west and east. 'It seems', Cassian thought, 'that not many students could live in the houses. Or there were many, but some needed more space. Just like this headmistress with her wings. And then I saw some more or less giant students in the entrance hall.' And so he stepped inside the green house and up to the fourth floor. Well there was only one door leading into the last floor. Therefore, it was clear to him that he would have the whole floor for himself. That was just great, he did not want to be a celebrity or have special treatment. That would not help him in building his image, as he wanted to look for others.

- Meanwhile in the realm of the humans where Lord Voldemort and Dumbledore were left behind –

It was the day his students were coming back from summer holidays. Nothing interesting had happened and he had heard no complains so far from his troublesome boy. Dumbledore was curious because usually Snape would have told him endless stories of Tom ranting about his boy or him using crucious on his followers. However, nothing of those things was reported. There were not many meetings, too. Moreover, Snape was unusually quite these days. Dumbledore decided in that moment that he needed to have some tea with Severus after the welcoming feast. Nevertheless, Dumbledore did not know what a surprise was awaiting him.

Voldemort was pacing in his rooms, from time to time looking to the window or the door. He needed to know how the school was, he needed Draco Malfoy to contact him now or else he would leave his quarters and go crucio his followers for just being where he was walking. Well he would do this anyway later this day. A scary smile crept upon his face and made him look like an ice-cold prince. The door opened with Lucius running inside followed by an eagle owl that was hooting really fast and was seemingly annoyed by his follower. As soon as the owl knew where she was and who was in the room, she landed on his outstretched arm. He removed the letter from her leg and she flew to the chair and landed there to await a reply from him.

'Hello there Tom,

I asked Draco if I could write this time. Nothing bad happened. Just the usual. He has to stay the first days with people from his vampire clan and I get to have free time without this blonde brat. I've got a really big room; it stretches over one whole floor and is right beside the green houses and the school lake and school forest. Perfect conditions I think. If you could come here, you would be really astounded by the big library they've got. I made friends with the school librarian. It is a student of this school and the library is only open when she has no classes. That is you probably guessed right is not very often, but hey I am her friend so I know when it is open and I get to take more books than others.

Well I told the headmistress the first moment I got to be not treated any different than the other elfs. Yeah I know, I am a prince of a whole nation and I will forever and ever stand out. Nevertheless, my point is that I do not want to stand out. This standing out thing is not good. I probably have to be an idol now.

As if I could ever be an idol. Though, it is a really funny thought.

Anyhow, I would love to read a really nasty and brilliant letter from you this week. Be warned; as long as you don't answer this eagle owl, her name is Maylee, will stay by your site day and night and even when you're in the bathroom or in a meeting.

Be nice to her and Sev and Luc

Cassian'

"I don't know what this letter said but I hope it is as important as this owl think it is, my Lord." Lucius said in a tone that clearly spoke of his annoyance with the bird. Would the letter be from someone else Voldemort would have used the cruciatus on Lucius, but the letter was from Cassian and it had some good news in it. Therefore, his eyebrow did not even twitch to show that Lucius should not talk like this in his presence.

"My, Lucius. You are lucky. I need help in writing a letter as response or this owl will not leave you alone."

And so Voldemort used Lucius to distract the owl and write this annoying response to the annoying prince he needed to be not annoyed with him.

The great Hall was filling with chattering students and ghosts while Snape sat at the teachers table trying to ignore the approaching Dumbledore as best as he could. But to no awail, Dumbledore came over to him with his twinkling eyes.

"Ah, Severus my boy. I would like to have some tea after dinner in my office with you." he said and went further along the table to his throne like chair. Severus quietly thought the tea would end up being an interrogation with a few drops of truth serum in his tea.

Minerva brought in the few first years who would be starting this year and Harry Potter the Golden Boy was not present, as well as the Slytherin Prince. Dumbledore now knew that something was not right and just wanted the feast to be over as fast as it could be and in his office.

In his office two hours later and a steaming cup of tea in his hands, Dumbledore was looking over his glasses at Severus who ignored the cup of tea, which was standing innocently in front of him. Severus also had nicely declined his favorite lemon drops. What a shame, he had to question Severus without the truth serum and without legilimence. The night would be long and annoying and would not end before he knew where Potter was and what happend to the Malfoy heir.

"Severus, how was your summer? Nothing interesting happened or did it?" he started, underlining his question with a question asking him if he forgot to mention something to him before about the Death Eater meetings.

"Ah good question headmaster and I know exactly why you are so worried. As I have noticed the absence of one Harry Potter and one Draco Malfoy, too. But let me reassure that I was told of nothing and if there would have been something one of the other Death Eater would have known about it and so me too. As you have instructed me, I am always looking into the minds of the others for clues on things the Dark Lord does not tell me. As to my godson, I do not know why he isn't attending Hogwarts this final year. Lucius hadn't told me that Draco wouldn't be coming and neither did Draco wrote things about another school or him doing something somewhere else. It seems I am not trusted anymore, even among my best friends." If Dumbledore did not believe him, Severus thought he was screwed. Dumbledore just needed to put three drops of his strongest truth serum Severus himself had brewed for him and he would know if Severus told him the truth. But as the former had recently declined his lemon drop and the tea he had no way of knowing if it was true or false. Too bad, that the Malfoy heir is not here, he could have recruited him this year and used him as a new and additional spy amongst the Death Eaters. But, no all his planning was ruined by Potter, Potter was probably the reason Draco wasn't here. The boy must have found a way out of his home around his wards and to a place somewhere where people with influence and knowledge helped him. Nothing else made more sense and if Tom did not know about this, it was one more reason to clear the mystery.

"Severus, I have a new job for you in between being a teacher and a spy. Could you try to gather some information concerning Harry? Since when he is missing; some interviews with people who have seen him last. It is of upmost importance that we find the boy before Voldemort does." – Then I can break him and afterwards give him to Voldemort – thought Dumbledore.

Severus let out one long sigh and indicated that he would do the additional job. But inside he was just glad that Dumbledore accepted his answer, but now he would have to look for information he already knew and he had to decide how much and which information to give the old man. He had better talk to Voldemort and the boy and with Draco to make up the stories.

It really would be a long night, not for Albus but for Lord Voldemort, Lucius and Snape, as well as the annoying owl, which still did not go away.