The Two Defence Teachers

"Kiki?""Yes, Draco?""You know your birthday?"

"Hmm … I'll have to think about that one, I'm afraid. Oh – wait; it's coming to me! Ah, yes. They day I was born."

"Ha, ha. Anyway, what do you want?"

"I dunno. World peace would be nice."

There was a short silence and then both Kiki and Draco looked up in surprise as a sharp knock sounded on the door.

"C'mon in!" shouted Kiki.

James walked in (seeming for some reason embarrassed). He was closely followed by Sirius (who had an extremely mischievous grin on his face), Remus (who was looking at Sirius disgustedly) and Peter (who had a mildly interested expression).

"Yes, James?" Draco asked, taken aback by the sudden appearance of the 'Marauders'.

"I –" James started, but was interrupted by Sirius.

"Get on with it!" he said, practically jumping up and down with excitement.

"Oh, bugger it," James said, and he leaned forwards and kissed a shocked Kiki. On the lips.

When he was done, red in the face, and uncomfortable, Kiki grinned at Draco, who looked a little irritable at James, turned back to the Marauders, and spoke.

"You know, James, you're not bad."

James, if possible, went even redder.

"But Draco beats all."

This time, a pale pink tinge appeared on Draco's cheeks.

"Well that was certainly … enlightening …" Remus said, as they made their way back the common room.

"In what way was that 'enlightening'?" James asked.

"We finally found out what their favourite pastime is!" Peter smirked.

"Shut up," a mortified James said.

"How dare y—! Blue cows go 'Moo moo'–" Peter said the password and the Fat Lady opened and admitted them

"I still can't believe that McGonagall chose that …" Remus muttered.

"I think she was drunk," James said, happy to be off the subject of the Defence teachers.

"I think –" Peter started, but Remus stopped him from speaking with a Silencing Charm.

"We all know very well what you think on that matter, Peter, and we don't need telling again," James added.

Peter sulked (silently), and the other two plotted to trick Dumbledore so that he would end up floating – naked – on the ceiling of the Great Hall if he offered anyone a lemon drop or a sherbet lemon, for a week.

Kiki turned to face Draco shamefacedly.

"Will you ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever forgive me?" she asked. "Please?" she added.

Draco considered. On one hand, he could get one over on Kiki for turning his hair green in front of the whole class (of fifth years). But on the other hand, he could forgive her and she wouldn't do it again.

Subconsciously, he ran his hand through his now-blonde-again hair (Kiki hid a smile) and nodded, sighing.

"I never realised how much effort it is being a teacher. I always used to hate them, and never thought about the hard work they had to do. For example, Snape –"

"Snape? You hated Snape?" Kiki said, disbelievingly. "He was your godfather!"

"Of course I hated him! One: he was a Death Eater. Two: he reported everything I did to Dumbledore – I hated that I couldn't kiss a girl, or throw a party, or anything, without him sweeping in and asking what I was doing. And three –" his face turned grim – "he was the one who forced me to get this." Upon saying those words, he pulled up the sleeve of his left arm. There was the ugly brand of the Dark Mark. "He made me go to the Dark Lo— I mean, Voldemort, and he made me get this." There was a slight noise from the side of the room, as though somebody had stumbled, and they both glanced over curiously. When she saw nothing there, Kiki looked sadly at the tattoo. "So that's why you did it …" she murmured sorrowfully.

Draco stared at her with pain filled eyes. "I had to – I had to get back to you. You were the reason I did it. I had to stay alive … for you."

Kiki looked once more at the repulsive blemish and pulled his sleeve down to hide it once more.

At the first possible moment, Sirius rushed out of the room. His thoughts ran through his head in a constant stream.

… Snape … Death Eater … Dark Mark … Draco not evil … forced … said the name … love …

He had to tell his roommates as quickly as possible.

Draco Malfoy was forced into becoming a Death Eater, and had not wanted it. However, he had stayed alive for Kiki, and was left with a mere tattoo.

Reaching the portrait that hid the Gryffindor common room, and therefore dormitories, he shouted the password. "Blue cows go 'Moo moo'!" he panted.

Rushing in, Invisibility Cloak in hand, he didn't notice a smaller figure slip into the shadows and run away.

The next day, Regulus Black received a letter. It was attached to a large black raven, which cawed and nipped Regulus's hand when he tried to detach the envelope. Sirius frowned at the bird – he recognised it from his childhood days. His father had used it to send important letters to the Dark Lord.

The question was, what was he doing sending it to Regulus?

Sirius might have hated his parents, but he would die to save Regulus.

Anytime.

Sirius had told James of Draco's and Kiki's conversation. What they didn't get was the implication that Snape was a teacher.

Draco had been forced to be a Death Eater, or at least to take the Mark, but that didn't judge his character. What James knew of Draco was that he was a fun-loving and generally accepting guy – well, he had to be, especially with Kiki for a wife (well, he assumed they were married – they shared a name, and they had implied that they kissed). Somehow, his thoughts drifted to Lily, and how wonderful it would be to marry her.

My Dearest Regulus,

As you have probably heard, your father was recently killed during a fight against Dumbledore. Do not worry – his corpse could not be identified; we still have our political influence.

This, as you will know, has led to a problem. There is no Black male in the ranks of the Dark Lord. Since Sirius failed on us, you are my only hope. The Dark Lord will not accept me, as I am now an old woman, nearing the end of my life: my reflexes are not as good as they used to be, Reggie, and I fear that I will hinder rather than help.

Your father is dead, Sirius has failed the family, and I am not fit to fight.

So will you, Regulus Black, willingly accept a place in the lines of the greatest wizard since Salazar Slytherin?

Will hopefully see you soon,

Mother.

Staring at it, eyes bulging, Regulus reread the last line over.

His 'friend', George Nott, stared over his shoulder.

"Whoa!" said George, "The Dark Lord wants you in!"

Staring at the piece of paper as though it were a death sentence, Regulus stood up, said he was going to the common room to write a reply, and gestured inconspicuously to Sirius, who stood up immediately.

Finding an empty classroom, Regulus showed him the letter.

After reading it through, Sirius looked up at his brother. "She wants you to join Voldemort." It wasn't a question.

Regulus nodded grimly. "But – but I don't want to … I want to be known for doing something for the world, not for killing, and murdering, and whatnot, I want to be known as me. Not 'a Death Eater'."

"I agree."

Chaos reigned through Hogwarts.

There were three pigs running through the school. One had the number one written on its back, another had the number two, and the other had the number four. But no one could find pig number three.

Hidden, James and Remus high-fived.

"Today's been exciting, don't you think?" Kiki said to Draco.

"Mmm …"

"I mean, Regulus Black got that message from his mum –" As the Defence teachers, they were required to read through lots of student mail; Kiki thought it was fun, Draco said it reminded him of Voldemort – "no one could find the third pig, and Potter snogged me."

Noticing a faint hint of anger on Draco's face, she changed the subject, pronto.

"Nice weather for the ducks, eh?"

- – — – -

Another chapter done! And the plot thickens … (I always hate that saying when I read other people's stories, but I think that it's rather appropriate, here. Oh, alright, I just wanted to be cliché).

Another thing; I need more prank ideas – can anyone think of a good one? (And don't say 'change everyone's hair pink', because that's just stupid: you can't just dye someone's hair a different colour and call it a prank – hello; overused!)

Also – my mum just had a baby! It's a girl (again), and she's called 'Vita'. I'm the Greek goddess of love, and Vita means 'life' in Latin. You know the saying 'Live, laugh and love'? Well, that's what we are named after (I have another sister called 'Risi', which means 'Laugh' in Latin). I'm named after a goddess because I'm oldest, apparently, and besides, who'd be thick enough to call their child 'Amor L'amour'?

Another thing, I do not know why all the text has bunched up together; I will try and sort it out.

And finally; I got an A star on my French mock (obviously)!