"I know what this is, it's Devil's Snare!" came a voice "Just stay calm."
"Well if it's Devil's Snare set the blasted stuff on fire, I do not want to meet with my ancestors so soon!" Samuel shouted as the vines began to constrict him
"I don't want to hurt you all though! Think think…" there was murmuring "but will sulk in the sun!" and cast a powerful light charm. The vines recoiled and three boys joined what was revealed to be Granger below the great plant.
"Good job we didn't panic then" Weasley stated, Potter gave him a pointed look
"Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology"
"Indeed it is, good evening to you all, my Lord Potter, Mr Weasley, Miss Granger"
"Was it the Vassal Bond?" Hermione asked
"It appears to be, and I suppose being strangled to death does constitute danger. What caused the tingling last week?"
"I met a spectre in the Forbidden Forest, I think it was Voldemort, I was saved by a centaur"
"And what were you doing in the Forbidden Forest at night? Actually, what are you doing here? Also, where is here?"
"It's a long story, It's also a long story, below the third floor corridor, the forbidden one."
"Oh right."

Once Samuel was all caught up and agreed to help them stop Snape stealing the stone (he would probably be dragged back down here again before the night was through anyway, he just knew), they moved to the next room, where Harry caught the key they needed and they rushed through to a giant chessboard.
"We'll have to play our way across the board" said Weasley "Harry, you take the empty bishop's square, Hermione, take the queenside castle, err…"
"I shall be a knight Mr Weasley, you take the king's square, if Lord Potter deems you fit to lead this battle, lead it you shall." Samuel replied. After what seemed like hours battling across the board, it was apparent they were winning a pyrrhic victory. Knocked out pieces of both colours littered the edges of the board.
"Oh no" muttered Ron.
"What is it?" the three all said at once
"Our last knight, I need a sacrificial play, then Hermione and Harry checkmate the king, it's the only way."
"No! There must be another way!" Hermione shouted out
"Order it Weasley" Samuel drew his sword and wand "I will do my duty, I commend your battle tactics, give the order."
"Are you sure Lord Armstrong-M-mason?"
"I am my Lord." Samuel replied. Harry and Ron exchanged a glance and both nodded.
"Knight to H3" Ron ordered, Samuel marched forwards, left and looked across at the white queen. There was a pause, and, indomitably, the white queen turned and advanced toward him. She too drew her sword, and swung it directly down on Samuel. There was a great crash, and then blackness.

Samuel awoke in the hospital wing, beside him, Lord Potter was talking to Headmaster Dumbledore.
"Ah, and I see you are also up Lord Armstrong-Mason, are you also full of questions?"
"Is Lord Potter or anyone else injured Headmaster?"
"Lord Potter is well, as you can see, and there have been no other patients admitted to this ward, or St Mungos tonight."
"Then that will be all Headmaster, good day to you both." Samuel inclined his head, and left. He heard Potter running behind him.
"Sorry to drag you into all this stuff Lord Armstrong-Mason, can I call you Samuel?"
"It is nothing my Lord Potter, and you may"
"Why do you call me Lord Potter?"
"Because that is your title my Lord."
"And if I asked you to call me just Harry?"
"The service you did for Heir Longbottom last year would be considered Just, but one must be careful when adding honorary titles my Lord, and it would be better as Lord Potter the Just."
"I meant call me Harry"
"Oh. Sorry my Lord"
"Harry!" Weasley and Granger shouted "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, you?"
"I'm alright" replied Ron
"Never Better" added Hermione, smiling.
"Granger, Weasley, good game of chess Weasley, you should consider training for professional leagues, I'd be happy to sponsor you."
"Houses Armstrong and Mason are cash strapped, but I think I could do transport and accommodation, nothing too flash"
"Wicked, erm, thanks my Lord"
"Just let me know, you both showed real loyalty and grit for Lord Potter last knight, you would have both done well in Hufflepuff."
"Thank you my Lord" Hermione replied.
"I must get going, good day to you both."

-CHAPTER BREAK-

"I can't BELIEVE you got caught up in his mess again!"
"I do apologise Susan, but I cannot control it"
"I DON'T CARE IF YOU CAN'T did you call me Susan?"
"My apologies Heir Bones, I was struck in the head"
"In the face wasn't it?" added Wayne
"By a chess piece" murmured Megan
"Yes, yes, what a shame, now did you say Susan?"
"A momentary lapse in concentration, I apologise, I meant no offence"
"I'm sure I'll live Samuel." Susan had a very satisfied, almost smug look on her face, "I just need to let Daphne know you're up and about, she is your God-Sister after all, like me."
"That she is, shall I accompany you?"
"Now now, there's no need for that, you bumped your head after all, I'll just go talk to Heir Greengrass now" Susan said as she sauntered away.
"So did it hurt?" asked Wayne
"Being struck in the face by a giant stone chesspiece?" Samuel replied "no, no, t'was just a tap"
"Well, word is that you fended of multiple chesspieces, cut their swords in half, all whilst whistling and composing medieval battle-poetry. People are very impressed." Wayne pointed out.
"The house loves you because it got out you're a Hufflepuff, and people can't believe it" Megan added, then whispered "I know it was only one chess piece, but you did leave a huge dent in its sword and allow Harry, Hermione and Ron to carry on, I asked Hermione what happened. Don't worry" she added with a very uncharacteristic wink, "I won't tell".

After Gryffindor won the house cup due to some late point additions (Susan and Terry talked on the train about how convenient the scores had been, Samuel's 50 points for 'the true virtues of Hufflepuff, loyalty and dedication' hadn't been enough to get Hufflepuff out of the bottom spot; but Gryffindor, Dumbledore's old house, had received just enough to beat Slytherin and win the house cup.) Samuel was impressed at Neville's bravery in standing up to Potter and his Allies in his own house for the right reason.
"Heir Longbottom?"
"My Lord?"
"Would you like to learn to fight?"
"S-S-Sorry?"
"Learn to fight, the Longbottoms have produced powerful Wizards like your Grandmother and Father" Neville's face faltered at the mention of his father, but he replied
"And If I would?"
"I'd like to take you on as an Armstrong Knight."
"What?"
"Since you have not taken up your Lordship, you can swear fealty to me during your training, then announce an official Alliance once your training finishes."
"Really?"
"Indeed"
"What do I need to do?"
"If you accept? Kneel before me Heir Longbottom, do you know the vow of the knight? The Longbottoms used to take knights, but Armstrong Knight must be used in place of the word Knight." He looked upon Neville kneeling before him, drew his sword, and planted it into the floor of the carriage, the blade sinking an inch into the dense, magically strengthened carpet and wood.
"I, Neville Harfang Longbottom, do swear myself unto Lord Samuel Armstrong-Mason, for training to become an Armstrong Knight. My wand is his, his enemies and allies mine, so mote it be."
"Arise Squire Longbottom, Heir to the House of Longbottom, Squire to House Armstrong." The crossed wand and sword of the Armstrong family crest appeared on Neville's sleeve in Bronze above his own Family crest- a great bear grasping a staff, in gold, denoting Neville as Heir or Lord of his house. The rest of the compartment looked on in awe.

-CHAPTER BREAK-

Over the summer, Samuel considered clearing out the village sitting on Mason lands which had stood abandoned since the First Wizarding War. It was in mostly good condition, the village square was covered in rubble where the statue of Arthur Mason, who had originally built the houses, had once stood. Armstrongs considered most manual work below them, and Masons did only manual work they enjoyed. Samuel was not allowed to perform magic outside of school, and could not afford workwizards, so cleared the rubble by hand using a pickaxe to break up large chunks. It was tiring, but it passed 2 weeks and the satisfaction in seeing the square clear and a large pile of marble to the side was very satisfying.

He spent his evenings at Bones Manor, as now he alternated fortnights to stop him having to pack up every week. Both families were shocked to find out that Samuel's 12th birthday had been and gone but he insisted no, 12 was not important, no, it was not necessary to celebrate it, and no, he had never had a party on his birthday, parties are silly. They had all responded that yes 12 was important, yes it was necessary to celebrate it, and yes he was having a party, silly or not. They would have it a week after Wayne's birthday, and invited everyone Samuel knew. Both the Greengrasses and the Boneses offered their Manors but Samuel insisted that they host it in the newly cleared village hall, and it not be a formal event, he would not have a gala on something as unimportant as his 12th birthday.

So Samuel stood with a butterbeer in hand in Whitestone Village Hall, looking as surly as a 12 year old can, in a shirt with his coat of arms emblazoned on and some formal trousers. The girls all looked very pretty, and the boys all looked very smart. Samuel spoke to Neville about what their alliance would detail, and what they would be covering in training this summer and the coming school year; he spoke to Wayne about the lock Samuel had got for his room (he'd been asking about locking spells a lot before exams, and Samuel had sought out a magical lock for Wayne's muggle house that would not trigger the trace); he spoke to Susan, who had her pigtails done in a rather fetching set of plaits (she had been learning braiding over the summer) about things around her Manor; Samuel spoke to Daphne, who also looked very nice with a black choker on this afternoon, about what had gotten stuck around her poor neck before she clarified what it was, and that it was not actually choking her. After mingling for what seemed like hours, some candles were blown out, a cake was cut, and Samuel received presents- mostly sweets and school supplies, Wayne and Megan had clubbed together and gotten him a child's play sword made of plastic. He was very impressed with the muggle craftsmanship, until he realised it was hollow.

Samuel wished that Sir Wilhelmsson had passed on the final secret to creating darksteel before he passed on, he had been the last Armstrong Smith alive, and with him, the secret had died. All Samuel had left were two shortswords, one of which he wore at all times, and a longsword, which would get very in the way at his current height. Samuel resolved to carry a full longsword by the time he was in third year, even if he had to strap it to his back to keep it from dragging on the floor. He wanted to be 13 already, 12 was a stupid age.