Chapter 14
"What is your name?" asked Viktor of the ritual expert.
"If you think I'm telling you anything that you can use, you can think again, idiot" said the Russian.
"Thank you, Grisha Dmitrievitch Spetzcharovanov" said Viktor, as Severus relayed that information. That meant they had more of his name; Grisha was a diminutive of Grigori. No Russian could think of his name without including the patronymic too so they had that definition into the bargain. Spetzcharovanov gasped and turned his face to look away from Viktor; unaware that he was actually making it easier for Severus, in guise of some functionary.
"You think you are smart because you know legilimensy; but you are not so smart. You are seriously depleted and it will not be long before our reinforcements finish you off" said Spetzcharovanov.
Severus read that when the team attacking Durmstrang contacted their counterparts they would find that the attack had failed – or so the Russian feared – and would mop up what little resistance was left.
"Of course, your friends in Durmstrang also have to win to be able to then move on to try to irritate us" said Viktor, smiling. "And if I know the current crop of younglings there at all, I think that they will not do very well at all. Perhaps we shall collect prisoners soon from Agata, who will find them an embarrassment. We do not find prisoners an embarrassment; the soil here is poor and the snargaluff must be fed fresh flesh and blood. But explain to me; why is a ritual specialist sent who has performed no ritual on arrival?"
"Ah, you are but a dumb quidditch player with nothing but a block of wood between the ears" scoffed Spetzcharovanov ignoring the jibe about flesh and blood "It is impossible to perform ritual save in the proper conditions; with much preparation and carefully prepared words to tie the ritual to. If Snape had survived he would have been able to tell you; for it is said that he has some little understanding of ritual though he places much emphasis on the chanting side of it rather than on the preparation and ritual materials and thus is weaker."
Severus had much to do not to laugh out loud at the arrogant fool's assumptions; for the fellow little realised that chanting could replace ritual materials in many cases for forming a mystical link of its own. Just as well! And by what he was thinking, preparing a chant as a part of a ritual required long thought. Well, that was true for many a chanter; save that English chanters learned how to adapt and use other poems and songs because the intent was as important as the Arithmancy and the symbolism superseded any other factor. It was interesting to discover that the Russians did then use chanting; but it appeared to be something this fellow considered a higher mystery to be learned by the Chosen and not spoken of outside his own brotherhood, the Order of the Dragon.
And thinking of the order brought more names, other members and their specialities; that might prove useful.
"So; your only real purpose here was to place compulsions into the pupils and staff to turn them into obedient slaves in a poor copy of the compulsions in Domovoi" said Viktor, choosing the Russian word for house elves.
"It is a mighty ritual; why should I be expected to do anything else?" sulked Spetzcharovanov. "Once Lord Vladimir was in command of the castle he might then activate any wards built in for his own purposes because he would be their master. Such is the way these things work, ignorant Bulgar peasant."
"You are a niculturniy lot aren't you?" said Viktor cheerfully. "Also very stupid to assume that the English way of doing things actually works in the same way. It's the school governors who activate the wards on behalf of a new castellan; you just can't take them over by right of conquest. Still, it is of little matter; you are a prisoner and have lost."
"The ward that turns invaders to stone is very powerful" said Spetzcharovanov grudgingly.
"Ward? Well you weren't watching the duelling contest very well, were you?" said Viktor "Just a corridor curse; children will be children and develop their own little spells. Hardly needs ritual for so simple an effect, does it now?"
The Russian paled.
"Fire of Chernobog!" he cried "I – no, I do not believe it! The duellists cheated, had a ritual effect stored within their wands; it is the only explanation!"
"Oh there is the other explanation – the truth" said Viktor "That generations of fighting Voldemort has actually honed the English into ruthless warriors beyond your comprehension. Take the silly fellow away, boys."
Fred and Peter obliged; and Severus absently chanted a brief chant to himself that included the full name of the ritualist and that he was a brother of the Order of the Dragon of the level of White Snake and prevented him from using any movement magic by ritual. Severus at least thought it would be a simple matter for anyone with any knowledge of ritual to open a gate to escape; in the same way that Connie had done almost seven years ago when Odessa had invaded Prince Peak. Spetzcharovanov could not now pronounce any ritual travelling words nor indeed any words of more than three syllables; it restricted him sufficiently that less effort had to be put into watching him.
And now the commander; who almost had to be this Lord Vladimir.
oOoOo
Severus himself decided to interview the commander.
The statue had barely resumed its fleshly form when Severus' soft, silky, dangerous voice purred, using the German that the man would have learned in Durmstrang.
"So, Lord Vladimir, you think to bring Russia to a wizarding war with England AND with Germany and her satellites? I think perhaps that you do not read history; for the last Boyar Prince to try that was Anatoli the Impatient, Grand Warlock of Kiev; and his war on two fronts rapidly collapsed because he thought to fight Germany and Finland both together. WAS it all your own stupid idea? Ah no, I see that you are as angry with the current Grand Warlock of Kiev as I am; Prince Rustam is as much a fool as his predecessor. And you really think you could get away with attempting to enslave the children of English parents let alone those of the other countries who patronise my school? A rather hopefully contumelious attempt. Especially as one of my pupils is the niece of Lucius Malfoy who IS the current Prime Minister; or was this all about getting at HIM through a favoured niece? No? Well I may believe that but somehow I think that Lucius might take some convincing. He's frightfully protective of all his family."
"Why should Lucius Malfoy send his niece to a different school unless he's ashamed of her?" demanded Vladimir.
"Because she came here initially at the wishes of her father before Lucius took a hand in his sister's affairs; by which time the child had made friends" said Severus "NOT that it is your business. Lucius also has a daughter here in a teaching role; I believe it was she who turned you to stone. She and her husband were having a lot of fun seeing what silly positions they could petrify people in; we let the juniors laugh at you before we interrogated you."
Vladimir went several different colours.
"How DARE you!" he cried.
"Because you lost, old boy" said Severus in a drawl that would not have disgraced Lucius himself. "And if you think I am in any way feeling lenient over an attack intended to enslave the children under my care, including my own children who are in the school and those too young to enter school you can think again; because I am actually exceedingly angry and I am not especially inclined to feel like being gentle in grubbing out your innermost thoughts concerning what else is going on" his voice had become a snarl and he pointed his wand. The man tried to jump him; and found himself held, rooted to the spot immobilised, without word of incantation nor motion of wand and without even visible bonds. "LEGILIMENS" said Severus, coldly.
He was not gentle in the way he rooted through memories and thoughts; and dragged up all the most embarrassing moments he could find simply to show his displeasure. Vladimir was sweating and shaking. And he was also emptied of knowledge; because nobody could sift though like Severus, and even the Boyar's frantic attempts at occlumency were knocked contemptuously aside by one of the most powerful wizards in the world backed by the entire power of the blood group at Prince Peak. Severus left him squirming over the final memory he had pulled up, of how the man had soiled himself on his first day in Durmstrang for the vicious way he was bullied – and Severus hid the compassion he felt over a babe of eleven in such a situation – and smiled nastily.
"Well, Lord Shityourarsoff" he said, using the cruel nickname the other bullies had bestowed on Vladimir, knowing the cruel power of nicknames from personal experience "You appear to have some knowledge which may prove of use to me; though there is little that you know of which I was not already aware. The Sons of Zirnitra do not trust their top men any more than the Odessa did; WHAT a surprise. Not. I laugh to see that your group hopes to use the Order of the Dragon; as they are intending of course to use you. In-fighting and factionism; two groups in an unwholesome matrimony of a few mutually shared ideals. I'll enjoy watching the whole business blow up in Rustam's face; or in Great Snake Mihail Solvejov's; though I suspect that the Order of the Dragon is less likely to fall flat before the Sons of Zimitra than the other way about."
"There is no faction fighting! You cannot see in my thoughts what I have only speculated! How do you know this?" demanded Vladimir.
Severus shrugged. He had guessed.
"You think you are my only source? I am English; we are the masters of intelligence gathering" he said. "And you are right to fear me; you should have feared me enough to refuse to come here, Shityourarseoff."
"Don't call me that!"
"Why not, Shityourarseoff? Suits you doesn't it?" said Severus with calculated cruelty. "Get him out of here; he sickens me."
"At your orders, Severus" said Peter.
It was carefully calculated; the Russian could be shown that Severus was given instant obedience and respect without need to resort to any title.
"Are you going to let him have his wand back, Severus?" asked Fred "After all, some of the first years might be angry enough to want to jinx him; unfair not to let the fellow have some defences from them. Some of them are almost twelve, you know."
Severus looked thoughtful.
"I will place the cell out of bounds" he said. "We do not want him using his wand to make away with himself in despair in case I wish to question him again."
The boys bowed and took an arm each of the shocked Russian wizard. He spoke English – though he had not shown any sign of so doing – surely they could not guess that he did?
Peter and Fred had guessed because no commander who wanted to order English pupils about if he won would fail to learn the language – if only to hear if any muttered against him. It seemed utterly logical to them.
oOoOo
"Unlike you, Sev mate, to use a cruel nickname after the trouble WE gave you" said the portrait of James Potter.
"But then, Prongs, this is the man who would have placed a compulsion to obey and to self punish on my children" said Severus. "Can you imagine my feelings over Silvina being used as breeding stock, then Ismenia and Draxana when they start to bleed in perhaps five years time? If none has perverse ideas about pretty little girls in the meantime? Siegfried probably sent to work in a mine because he is old enough to be dangerous if he can work round a compulsion, where his love of music will be buried? Sevnev also too pretty for his own good? The other younger ones?"
"I take your point, Scales" said James "Was he really thinking such?"
"Oh yes; and that lieutenant of his hoped to get pretty teenage girls for HIS bed" said Severus still softly "These are not the buffoons of Odessa, the majority believing the big lie 'for the greater good'; nor their self-serving leaders who believed fanatically in their own greater good. These are your actual hundred per cent, full scale bigots who believe that their kind is the only kind who should rule and that all other wizards should bow to them, and that muggles, elves and goblins all alike should be enslaved. And unlike Von Frettchen, who could be convinced by showing him the facts, this lot are too convinced of their own ideas to believe any facts. They are a bunch of brainwashed barbarian princelings and we cannot show them mercy."
"What are you going to do with your prisoners then?" asked James.
"Give them overnight to talk amongst themselves and plot; because that will be as revealing as anything; and then return them to being ornamental statues" said Severus. "Just in case I want them again in the future. If I don't, then I shall smash them up into dust and release their souls beyond the veil. I can't permit such to survive to molest our children."
"Damn right" said James "Glad you haven't got too sentimental."
Severus shrugged.
"I might fear splitting my soul if it were murder; and though it will be cold blooded it has the intent of protecting others. Which makes it judicial" he said. "Even as fighting and killing to defend the school is not murder. And I'd spoil my soul to protect the children in my care anyway" he added. "Compassion I may feel for the youthful Vladimir when at Durmstrang and bullied; none can I feel for a man who considers that suffering forced on other children have been justified by his own. He did as much and more to his own fags as was done to him, James."
James made a sound of disgust.
"Time to turn our attention to Russia I suppose" he said.
"I have enough to do making sure Germany doesn't fly apart and keeping half an eye on ruddy Achille Crouch-Villeneuve" said Severus "Though if HE combines with these Sons of Zimitra then I might just amuse myself with spreading dissention amongst the factions."
"Tell me one thing, Scales mate; WHO is Zimitra when he, she or it is at home?" asked James.
"The muggles consider him the Slavic god of magic" said Severus "Supposedly a dragon animagus. It means literally 'magically empowered'; and he's more or less the equivalent to Merlin in the eastern European zone. A bit more even than that, perhaps; somewhere approaching the legendary, even for wizards, Cernunnos; or Gwydian might be closer."
"I never was much good at early history" shrugged James "Mind you it wasn't old Binns' thing either. I suppose you dragged all this shit out of some book or other?"
"You suppose quite correctly" said Severus cheerfully. "Excuse me; I want to contact Agata. And I think I might just go via Zlatko at that" he added meditatively.
oOoOo
The situation in Durmstrang was grave; the attackers had been expected and sundry Marauders had been sent to hide before they arrived; but the sixth formers, teachers and Agata were held in check from attacking by the expedient of making the youngest in the school hostages. And Agata forced to order the elves to obey the invaders.
What the invaders did NOT know was that a substantial number of elves were free elves – and a goodly number more accepted freedom after this outrage – and so they did not have to obey Agata's orders and were about to help the Marauders to evacuate the entire school through elf apparation to the lodge whereat the marauders would return and wipe out the invaders from their secret passages.
Zlatko declined help – Durmstrang could defend its own, he declared – but promised to call for aid if it were needed, and gratefully accepted the offer of power channelled through him and any other principal at need. This was likely to be Sigismund Tóth, who was Agata's natural son and who was, reported Zlatko, ready to boil over. Severus pulsed the boy with support; and went to tell the Ubiquitous Marauders who were particularly friendly with Sigismund and his group of Musical Marauders to stand by in support.
oOoOo
By dawn it was all over; and the invaders of Durmstrang were dead or captive.
oOoOo
By dawn too the prisoners had turned on Grisha Spetzcharovanov because he had declared an ability to open a gate to get them out of there, despite all being disarmed, so long as he might somehow trace runes about the frame of the gate. Pyotr had a pencil; and the elves watching reported gleefully that Spetzcharovanov was virtually in tears because Severus' curse prevented him from even writing words of more than three syllables. Vladimir had called him a few rather abusive names.
Pyotr suggested rushing whoever brought them breakfast; and that was the best idea they could come up with. Severus considered them pathetic.
"It's because they've been lords of all they survey on their own lands" said Erich "My late and unlamented biological father was much the same; if they order something it is done. They can't order the universe to do their bidding and it makes them just fit to spit."
"Master Erich is very wise" squeaked the elf reporting "And he is quite right. We has drawn straws for who wins the rights to spend time watching them; it is as good as any play and very funny!"
It was also very funny watching the crumbling horror of the first two interviewed when it became apparent from what Vladimir said that Severus was a long way from being dead; and that, as he put it contemptuously, THEY had not been considered important enough to be interrogated by the Headmaster himself. They had disliked him before; the poisonous looks had the elves fleeing and sending in others so they did not laugh out loud.
oOooo
The captives drew up ready to rush the door when a sound was heard by it; and consequently almost jumped out of their skins when Severus, who had opened his own gate – one way – walked in behind them and cleared his throat.
"I see you look to practice the muggle game called rugger by your stances" he said. "Well, Spetzcharovanov, you did not come by those bruises and cuts at the hands of MY people; I see you have fallen foul of your glorious leader for having been cursed by me to prevent the obvious use of your skills."
"He's not my glorious leader" growled Spetzcharovanov "I'm only along because my order is co-operating with the Sons of Zimitra."
"Ah? Then my commiserations on the poor choice of ally of the Great Snake" said Severus.
He had made up his mind; the Sons of Zimitra should be rendered inert from the point of view of being able to be of any use to the enemy, and returned to bases deep in the heart of Russian territory. Alive; at least technically; and unable to report a thing. Severus planned to use the curse Jade had invented, deliberately keeping the form of it she had accidentally come up with, removing the spirit as a ghost but retaining the body intact and functioning and soulless. The member of the Order of the Dragon he would keep alive as a prisoner. He was callous and not a pleasant man; but his aims were not to grab slaves. His aims were to grab any mysteries and knowledge that the English had that his own order did not. It was not his idea to implant the compulsions though he had an academic interest in whether it would work. He was an academic. Not a very pleasant academic; but still an academic. If he were well treated it was possible to come to a private arrangement with his order; and he might become a hostage.
Severus consequently bound the three; he had not bothered to release from stone form any of the others thus frozen. They were of less status and thus would not make as much a point. They might be released and sent back home or killed at some later date. It was unimportant.
"Grisha Dimitriev; you are a beginning student of ritual" said Severus "You may watch and learn. And bear in mind that the Sons of Zimitra have threatened my own children as well as those in my care. I find this irritating. I begin with Pyotr; because I want Vladimir to know what is in store for him."
He chanted the ritual in the harsh tones of the Ancient Egyptian; drawing the hieroglyphs in the air with his wand and making that pulling motion that jerked out the ghost leaving it standing foolishly as the body fell away with awful slowness. Then he switched to Church Latin using the ritual of Bell, Book and Candle to thrust the ghost through the veil. He might have been able to manage without the drawn hieroglyphs, but it made certain a ritual which was really his daughter's; and Jade probably one of the world's leading experts on the ancient Egyptian language, which he was not.
"Why?" demanded Spetzcharovanov half awed half horrified.
"Because I want to send their living, but soulless bodies to their Prince" said Severus "As a warning. And I do not want to have the trouble of having their ghosts around. But it takes two rituals, one for each part. Else had I summoned forth and pushed the ka through the veil in one go, the body would then be dead too."
"Ah; that makes sense" said the wizard.
Severus repeated the rituals on Vladimir, who screamed in terror throughout; the muffling and then closing of the veil on his thin, insubstantial screaming as a ghost was quite a relief.
"What are you going to do with me?" asked Spetzcharovanov fearfully.
"I'm going to hold you as a hostage, old boy" said Severus "And you will write to your Great Snake explaining that I am rather more able at ritual than you, and capable therefore of confining you at my will; and suggesting that he might prefer to enter negotiations for your release with an undertaking to sever ties with the Sons of Zimitra. You are academics; and I have no real quarrel with you however much I may dislike you personally."
"What if he won't?" said Spetzcharovanov, fearfully.
Severus shrugged.
"Then he may guess where you are; because I shall place you where no ritual can determine if you are alive or dead or indeed have ever been born" he said.
He then placed the bodies of the two Sons of Zimitra in the middle of the floor; wrote a variant of the engulfing equation around them – it was in fact the opposite effect to the engulfing equation – and proceeded to chant once more to carry them through one of the other spaces to a place he knew only by legilimensy and checking on maps for a geomantic destination. Last time they had carried bodies personally. This time he could not be bothered to make the effort; and besides, he knew more. Mercury was in the ascendant in the sky; and as such travel charms were bound to be more effective. He undid the bonds from the staring ritual wizard with a flip of an elegant hand and clicked his fingers to open the door for elves to bring in breakfast for one. Whether Spetzcharovanov had much appetite left was debateable; but he should not be starved.
And as a courtesy the tea was made in the Russian fashion.
oOoOo
Krait came into the staffroom laughing so much she could hardly explain what the joke was. She dropped into a chair, whooped a couple of times and then got herself under control.
"I almost dread to ask" said Hermione.
"The Ubiquitous Marauders" said Krait and giggled again. Ron thumped her on the back.
"Well Marauders have that effect I know, but do pull yourself together with a bit of that Slytherin reserve and tell the rest of us!" he said.
Krait grinned.
"You almost had to be there" she said "It was the beautifully sententious way Wilhelm and Serrik particularly were holding forth to the first year would-be marauders and explaining to them that they should look upon the Sons of Zirnitra as an asset to the school in order to provide entertainment for Marauders probably for most of their school life. Only the cream of the jest is" she collapsed weakly "They've obviously been reading some of the science fiction the Lowther twins donated, and got onto 'Doc' Smith; because they firmly called them the Sons of Zwilnik!"
Ron, who had been introduced to science fiction by Kinat, fell about laughing and Krait then had to explain to the wizard-born and the less eclectic readers like Hermione that 'Zwilnik' had been a word code-named to use for drug dealers and other law-breakers in the Lensman universe.
"Well they aren't far out at that" said Ron "These Russians used that organised crime group too."
"I dunno that this lot do" said Krait "That WAS rather an effort of Odessa in the Russian zone, on account of having hijacked the Nazi party previously. What I DID want to discuss though is that Zhenga told the first years that they were good types, and with Law being such an asset if properly aimed – her choice of words – they'd petition to have them brought in as full Marauders."
"Well we aren't going to have a better way of protecting Law" said Severus "He's fairly open for now, but if he gets embarrassed about his curse – I refuse to call it a gift – as he gets older, having a connection to him to know that he's dreaming might not be a half bad idea. And to stop anyone hijacking his visions – which IS possible with ritual, if we can't subdue the Order of the Dragon."
"Proposed and seconded then; anyone opposed? Good, carried" said Krait as the other adult blood group shook their heads. The OTHER blood group knew what they were talking about, as did the Nuffields; and Carmenta Gimlet, Hercule Maxime, Godfrey Goodchild and Valerie Burdock had some vague idea.
"Dimsie and I wondered if there was any chance we might ever be invited in" said Lee a little diffidently.
"We should like to support you" said Dimsie.
"Well if you do, you must think about whether we bring in small Jade and Erica" said Severus "We were waiting for you to feel ready to ask; but if you have any more children they'll be bloodjoined automatically; so the older ones may feel left out."
Dimsie looked at Lee.
"We were thinking of having a couple more" she said.
"What, to get enough girls for all of Dimsie's dormitory, or just enough for a cricket team?" teased Dione. Dimsie flushed and grinned.
"I don't think I'll go for a cricket team" she said "But I've seen your long family, you Snapes, and it's so nice; so I want at least four."
"Well we'll bring in the older babes too then" said Krait "Done it before."
oOoOo
On request of Severus, Silvina firmly sang small Erica and Jade to sleep on Friday afternoon using a magical sleep tune so they might be fresh rather than cross and tired at a suitably exciting hour in the middle of the night for the enjoyment of the six first years in their induction into the Marauders. Dimsie was young enough to feel a thrill at the idea of meeting at midnight, and even Lee grinned and murmured something about it being duly appropriate.
The six in the first received messages that arrived out of nowhere – the side product of Severus reversing the engulfing charm – which burned of their own accord to a crisp as soon as they had read the last word on them. The message was prosaic enough, bidding them to meet at the bottom of the great staircase promptly at twenty-two forty, which seemed an odd enough time until Hiob solved the reason and declared that then they would be able to be spirited conveniently somewhere in time for an initiation at midnight exactly.
That Madam Malfoy leaned over the six of them as they left prep that evening and murmured that if she was them she would take only a quarter hour of leisure with milk and biscuits to wind down and would then go and lie down was a surprise.
"And you may read if you are REALLY wakeful, but do try to sleep" she said "I imagine one at least of you can manage an alarm charm? Otylia? Excellent. And Boleslav? Even better. Don't forget to clean your teeth."
"Crumbs, I wonder how much she KNOWS" said Rence apprehensively.
Hiob chuckled.
"Everything I should think" he said "My sisters, who are already marauders, have mentioned that Madam Malfoy and Professor Ron and Professor Granger were Marauders ACTUALLY WITH HERR HARRY POTTER!"
"Gosh!" said Rence, impressed. "I guess I sort of knew that cousin Ron was a friend of Harry Potter but I didn't sort of equate that with Marauding. I can't actually imagine Madam Granger Marauding though" he added thoughtfully.
"But we ARE used to her being a bit waxy over us not being that good at Arithmancy" said CuHH "And don't you remember she said to me that if I ever hoped to be a Marauder I ought to jolly well pull up my socks over Arithmancy?"
"What have your socks to do with it?" asked Boleslav.
"It's just an expression meaning work harder or do better" said CuHH "I guess it doesn't sound so good in German" he added, it being a German speaking day.
"What she said was" said Hiob "That if you ever hoped to be a Marauder she hoped that you would become at least tolerably competent by the time you were let loose on dark wizards or you'd be more use to them than to your own side."
"I was hoping you might have forgotten what she said exactly" said CuHH "But she MEANT that I was to pull my socks up; and it kind of indicates that she IS a Marauder and didn't want me to let the side down."
The others nodded; this made sense.
They then departed and dozed at least until their alarm charm; and rose as quietly as they could. There were only two other boys and Claude said, without waking up,
"No, I don't want to get up yet thank you" and then snored loudly. The four male conspirators giggled and fled before they woke him properly or roused Motti, who slept lightly since elves had a lower sleep requirement than humans and were bred to rouse if called.
In the girls' dorm, Eva Schiff sat up, saw that this was a conspiracy not an emergency and wished the group all the best fun and to come back to bed quietly please.
"I wish I were part of it" said Vivienne wistfully.
"Crumbs, helluva time to decide you want to join when you should have thought about it earlier" said Grace "We'll tell you about the ideals over the weekend; and if you still think you can hack it then I guess you'll have to wait for another initiation ceremony to come in fully, unless it counts any extra ones."
"It doesn't" said Eva "Because my sister was brought in specially on her own; I know that much about it though I don't know what the ceremony entails. Go away; I want to go back to sleep."
oOoOo
The six were together giggling nervously when the blindfolds came out of nowhere and they were seized and manhandled through passages some of which were narrow and with rough walls until they were thrust through a door and the blindfolds whipped off to see the other members.
"CRUMBS!" said Rence.
Hiob had at least half expected to see the headmaster there but it was a surprise to the others.
Severus rose and held up his right hand.
"Repeat after me, 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good'" he said in now time honoured fashion.
"Attaboy Scales" said the portrait of James Potter.
oOoOo
Blood magic was swiftly explained to the six.
"We wanted to protect Law from those who might learn of his dreams and send him ones of their own devising" said Severus "Or I should have left this another year round, maybe two. But the Order of the Dragon prides itself on its ritual and even relative amateurs CAN get things right sometimes. I don't want you doing a Harry Potter on me, young Law, and hiding what you're seeing either; I need to know if you're dreaming. I shan't be able to eavesdrop with a simple blooding unless you permit it; though if you project strong images everyone will see them. You need to know all this to make the informed decision to join the blood group."
"Aren't we wasting time discussing it, sir, if we have to bleed on midnight exactly?" said Law.
Severus gave a harsh bark of laughter.
"Well nothing like a positive decision!" he said "As to the rest of you, if any are uncertain about it, then nobody is forcing you."
"Like he said, isn't time passing?" said CuHH; and the others were nodding and reaching for the silver knives the initiated members had brought for them.
And the new members were brought in – with a few tears from Jade and Erica Nuffield – and the healing spell cast in an area of effect, Dione's offering; and cocoa and iced biscuits were brought on to finish up the ceremony.
"I dub you the Questing Marauders" said Severus solemnly "Because it would be unfair to pick the divination aspect of your means of distinguishing yourselves but to quest is to seek; and somehow I fancy the lot of you are seekers after truth as well as justice."
The Questing Marauders were very pleased with their title.
And the six of them were glad to get back to their beds to sleep off the draining effect of the blooding; and the two babes were carried back to THEIR beds already asleep, Dimsie delighted that she was now in touch with Jade Luytens whom she so admired, and was now a Parselmouth like her beloved husband!