A/N – SHORTER CHAPTER! For whatever reason the second half of this story is not flushing out like I hoped it would. . All the chaps are like 2,000 or so. Maybe, anyways, not important, I hope you all enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Thanks to everyone who Read, Reviewed, Favorited, Alerted, and added this story to communities.

Malfoy Manor, Early Moring, December 9, 1983

Lucius Malfoy was less than enthused. In fact he was probably boarding on psychopathic anger at the moment as his magic, now wild, tore apart his work space throwing papers to the ground breaking glasses and more. Derick Yaxley cowered at the sight as he watched the man fume.

"DAMNED BLACK, DAMNED POTTER, DAMNED BONES, DAMNED WEASLEY, DAMNED NINE!" Lucius yelled as his magic discharged once again sending him back to his seat as books rattled and fell to the floor with clangs, the desk rattled and trinkets broke before Lucius regained control. Derick opened his mouth to reply before thinking better, closing it again and looking down.

"When?" Lucius asked his voice now calm. The tone however only served to scare Yaxley more.

"They did not go into specifics on when he would be taken. As I understand Dumbledore said before the first of the year and Hogwarts will be letting out for winter soon…." The other man began to explain.

"Not that you FOOL," Lucius said his anger wining once again as his hand slammed against the desk like a mallet in a court room. He then stalked around the desk and pulled Yaxley up by his lapels and whispered dangerously into his face, "The vote, when?" Yaxley paled and began to stammer slightly.

"English," the word was growled.

"T…t….tttt…tttto….to….night," Yaxley gulped, "there has been d…deliberation for t…two nights decision was called for to…tonight since Hogwarts is going on break." Lucius threw him back into the spare chair and moved to rest his elbows against the desk.

"That makes things difficult, but not impossible. I shall call upon you at night fall, go about your day as normal blend in, our Lord shall return before dawn." Yaxley practically ran from the room, not needing to be told twice. Lucius turned to his desk and pulled out a lock box from the bottom locked drawer. Picking it up he placed it on the desk and pulled the chain from his shirt. The golden key fit snuggly into the lock before he twisted it and pulled up. A book lay in side.

'Moste Potente Potions'

"And you will be short a hand," Lucius whispered before standing and moving to the door.

Godric's Hollow, Early Moring, December 9, 1983

Tugging at the collar of his dress robes James Potter felt quite out of place. Despite being raised as a pureblood son he was never a fan of things like parties, Marauder's parties excluded, and Wizamgot hearings. The Nine was more than both and this was more important than making an impression or showing the families' power.

This was keeping his family together, keeping his family safe. Turning around he reached into the closet and grabbed a small slightly dusty box he had not seen since his Harry's funeral two years ago, the last time he had to present himself properly as Head of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter. Even the last two Nine meetings had be more informal than the one today would prove to be. A knock on the door turned James' head to the door way.

"You look different," Lily whispered.

"Finally got the hair to behave a bit," James grinned.

"Is it normal to be this scared?" She asked, James sighed and moved to pull Lily into a hug.

"Completely, we are putting our faith in people we truthfully don't know all that well." James said carding his hand though her hair.

"If I only needed to give them our faith I would have less of a problem. But they aren't asking for my faith to be put in them, rather my son's life." Lily said as she leaned into the touch breathing in his scent as if it was the breath of life.

"Lily,"

"Last time I trusted a person who I thought I knew quite well with him and he died." James tensed at that. For he blamed himself for that, it was he who pushed Lily into trusting Peter that night. Lily wanted to take Harry to Alice, or even better to Hogwarts and explain what they were doing and ask for his protection. It was James who pushed for Peter to be trusted. James who thought he knew Peter so well, James that was convinced so fully that Peter could be trusted over anyone else.

"James I didn't mean." Lily began trying to pull James back.

"It's okay," He said his voice slightly broken, "I am fine."

"I am sorry, I shouldn't have said it, it's just, it's just that, I can't lose him again."

"We aren't going to Lily, even if this doesn't work, we aren't going to."

"How?"

"I am a Potter, Lily, I always get what I want." He pulled back and slapped on a cocky grin that made Lily blush.

"You sure about that?"

"Positive, it got me you didn't it." He said dropping a kiss to her lips. "Everything is going to be fine." He assured once again kissing her forehead then standing straight. He then moved to grab the box that now sat on their bed. He opened it slowly and pulled out the pocket watch that rested in the center. The watch itself was old, so old in fact it was not designed as one would expect. It was not skinny and flat rather rounder and much heavier. On the face sat the Potter Crest, he then brought it back over to Lily she smiled and ran her hand over the Potter's Motto.

"Virtus in arduis" she whispered.

"Courage in difficulties," James nodded Lily whipped her face and put on a brave front.

"Okay then, Lord Potter, let's get to work."

Undisclosed location, Late Morning, December 9 1983

Derick Yaxley hid his hands beneath his dress robes having them clasped tight hoping to elevate some of the fear he was feeling. Most of his fear came from being certain that Potter or Black, both being seasoned Auror's, would be able to figure out what was going to happen by his manner and stop Lucius Malfoy's plan before it began. The fear he had, that his lord would fall at the hand of a Potter once again was practically crippling. More so than that was his families standing as a nine. A part of him was aware that his family was already quite looked down upon. Allowing something like this to affect him directly would only cause the family more problems. Finally there was a small sliver of regret that the child was so young. Sure he had killed other children, some even younger, but that did not take away from the innocence of the child he was damning.

Brushing off his thoughts he entered the large round room where the vote would take place. Those who had already shown bowed there heads to him in response to his arrival before turning back to their business. Well most did, Marlene Black however turned and approached him. The sweat collecting on the back of his neck was not something he was overly proud of.

"Derick," The blonde woman said raising toher toes to kiss his right cheek. He took her hand and kissed the knuckle as he had always been trained.

"Lady Black,"

"I thought I already told you to call me Marlene, Lady Black makes me feel like Melania or even worse Walburga." Marlene smiled and Derick's resolve was sealed at the other woman's content for customs and traditions. For why should he worry about blood traitors like the Black's or most of the other Nine? Those who were weak willed and fled from his Lord. Why should he care from the son of a mudblood and blood traitor?

The answer he came to was that he shouldn't. After all the mudblood and blood traitors where below him, so much so they were hardly worth his time.

"Ah yes," He said his voice condescending.

"How is Darius, I haven't seen him in ages?" Darius had been a Ravenclaw in Marlene's year and partnered with her in Artimacy during their final year. The two had become loose acquaintances in that year and that loose acquaintances carried to this day with sparely sent letters asking after each other's families. If Derick was not mistaken the two usually took lunch together once a year as well to catch up in person. Marlene, like all blood traitors was a parasite to upstanding families, the only people in the room that sickened him more where the Weasley's.

Seeing as the Prewett line had died out during the war Lord Prewett's seat was filled by the Lord Prewett de fracto Arthur Weasley. Next to him stood Heir Charles Weasley – Prewett the second oldest of the Weasley boys and rightful successor to the previously unfilled Lord Prewett seat once he came of age. Charles, who stressed each time he was spoke to that those near him called him Charlie, was no more than a boy. He was dressed in a older set of dress robes that fit loosely on his more stocky frame. The boy seemed quite uninterested in the proceedings of the nine however only offering the statement, 'the law sounds stupid' after which he was quickly shushed and allowed to bring his dragon book along to keep him quiet.

A spark from Lawyer Hanna Rowle, the Ministry called overseer for the hearing, called attention to the round table at the middle of the room. Marlene moved to leave the room along with all of the others who though attending where not permitted to hear a nine hearing.

"I call this hearing to order. Lords, and Ladies, please be seated." Rowle said and the heads of the Nine families walked to their places around the table. Sirius raised his wand and heald it before him resting it between his two palms.

"The Noble and Ancient House of Black," He said

"The Noble and Ancient House of Prewett,"

"The Noble and Ancient House of Bones,"

"The Noble and Ancient House of Zabini,"

"The Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass,"

"The Noble and Ancient House of Potter,"

"The Noble and Ancient House of Diggory,"

"The Noble and Ancient House of Flint,"

"The Noble and Ancient House of Yaxley." Derick echoed finally as he hid his slight gulp at the last words.

"We here do so solemnly swear, to bare allegiance to the British Ministry and all her allies. We swear to conduct ourselves peacefully in this time, and to keep our words of freedom for the community she protects and do here today what is in the best interest for this generation and future generations to come." The words where echoed flawlessly by all. From Lord Algernon Diggory the eldest and most jubilant of the nine heads down to little Heir Charlie Weasley- Prewett who said them in an uninteresting monotone as he paid more attention to his book.

Magic hummed around the room as the wands that lay out stretched in each head of houses hand lifted and congregated to the middle where the where they were then all placed in small holders at the center of the round table.

"So Mote it Be," Derick said and the others echoed. As each took their seat at the table the seats themselves where high backed with the Ministry crest etched on the back and the family motto etched on each arm along with small versions of the crest.

Darius looked upon each face and set his in determination for his goal. He straightened his back and puffed his chest as Rowle began to call times for the last meeting and everything began. He closed his eyes for a second and sighed because unlike everyone else he knew that after today everything would change.

A/N – So there is chapter 14 I hope you all enjoyed it. I have a question for you. Do you all want to see Draco in the story? He wasn't in the originally plot but I am contemplating adding him.

Leave your answers in the review box.