Another short chapter…Or normal chapter. Whatever.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

::Mindspeech::

-Parseltongue-

Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Slytherin's Plot

The next month was very busy for Harry and his friends. Without any hint of direct involvement (except for that one instance when he had talked to Skeeter as Harry about Sirius) Harry managed to cause turmoil in the wizarding world. More specifically, he was doing his best to make them rewrite laws concerning 'fair' trials. If he had it his way, witnesses would all be required to drink ministry-brewed truth potions (but he grudgingly accepted that he wouldn't get it his way for some time). He still found wizarding trials hopelessly disorganized and backwards but at least Harry felt like he was making progress. Nobody was out of jail yet but they were safely away from the dementors for the time being.

Harry's 'unofficial tutoring sessions' had expanded so much that he had been forced to grudgingly make it official. The Hogwarts Tutoring Club (Harry was surprised that the obvious name hadn't already been taking but all of the other Hogwarts tutoring clubs had fancy names) opened in mid-November and had caused a temporary sensation. Over a hundred students had showed up on the first day; mostly to see Harry Potter teaching potions. However its fame was short-lived; once students realized that it was a more-or-less normal club, many left in disgust.

Dubiously nicknamed HTC by some of the regular members, the Hogwarts Tutoring Club didn't get any of the clever nicknames that other clubs did. Some daring students had attempted to call it 'Hoggy's' for the first week or so but the business-like air of the club didn't fit with the name and they soon gave up. Not that the meetings themselves weren't fun but the whole club was strictly organized. Harry, Luna, Draco, and Ginny, each taught HTC for a couple of hours a week, going over things that the students had just learned in class and segregated by grade-level. However, they were starting to branch out to different areas of study not taught in the regular Hogwarts curriculum. Luna, however, had disappeared from most of her tutoring lessons (almost from sight altogether) as she dug deeper into her research. There were still a few pranks signed by her but Harry suspected those to be either the work of Claire or otherwise planned weeks in advance.

Like the DA, the HTC was hosted in the Room of Requirements but it absolutely refused any affiliation with the infamous club. To the best of Harry's knowledge, Ron and Hermione had re-opened the DA only to be met with failure. The spirit of rebellion and Harry's fame had been the key ingredients to keeping the DA running and, without either, the DA could only boast a handful of members (all Gryffindors).

Aside from causing political turmoil and starting a new club, Harry was juggling his duties to look after forty-odd renegade Death Eaters (thank Merlin for the help of the other founder reincarnations and spirits) and Dumbledore's constant pestering. Oh, right, Dumbledore…Harry pulled his attention back to the man in front of him. He was sure that he hadn't missed anything important but cast his memory back to the last couple minutes just incase.

"Now, Mr. Potter…" blah blah blah "…but poor Severus is quite beside himself with anger…" blah blah blah "…really must learn to control yourself…". Harry's hands tightened into firsts before he forced them to uncurl; 'Poor Severus' indeed. He had been right; he hadn't missed anything important. Dumbledore was just upset at the pranks because Harry was trying his hard to disrespect authority, not because of the school's reputation or anything else that Harry would believe for more than a second.

The half-Slytherin was sure that he'd been called to Dumbledore's office more in the past couple of months than most of the other students in Hogwarts put together. He absentmindedly wondered if he could get Rita to write an article on pedophiles with some nasty insinuations pointed towards the Headmaster…

Snape hadn't kicked up nearly the fuss that Dumbledore was implying, anyways. Actually, Snape had been rather quiet for a while. The potions teacher had shown almost no reaction to any of the latest pranks. Now the question was: was Harry supposed to take this as a peace offering and leave his potions teacher alone, or take his pranks one step further to start riling the other up again?

On the other hand, Dumbledore's compulsions were getting steadily worse and his infinite patience was cracking. Harry thought it was time for a new tactic. Pointless defiance was very fun and nice but it wasn't getting anything done (apart from impressing a few people which was a goal in itself). No, Harry thought he knew what would make things move along better. He just had to get everything prepared…

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Harry was busily scribbling Parseltongue on a long piece of parchment while the students around him were waiting for the class to begin. A few minutes later, Snape swept into the classroom, robes billowing and an intimidating look on his face (as always). Harry didn't pause; he hadn't actually gotten the chance to brew a potion in the class for several weeks due to Snape always finding fault in his behavior. He knew that his potions grade must really be suffering but couldn't bring himself to care overly much, no matter how proud he was of his potions skills.

"Today we will be working on Love Potions," Snape sneered as means of introduction; obviously, he thought little of such potions, "starting with the Venustas Potion. However, we will not start working on said potions until tomorrow. Due to the violate nature of Love Potions, I have to spend the next two hours attempting to beat into your thick little skulls proper safety procedures. Whether or not you are capable of retaining such knowledge remains to be seen.

"Now, can anyone tell me the key ingredient in most Love Potions?" The classroom was completely still and silent except for Hermione, who held up her hand half-heartedly. Predictably, Snape ignored her, looking around the classroom. His eyes fell on the table where Harry sat between Neville and Draco. Neville turned white; Draco looked at his godfather with a reluctant, somewhat guilty look on his face; and Harry scribbled away, not bothering to look up. After all, Snape had been ignoring him for months.

"Potter."

Harry snapped his head up to look at Snape, disbelief clear on his face,

"Excuse me?"

"Love Potions, Potter," Snape said impatiently, "I asked what the key ingredient usually is."

"Pomegranate seeds," Harry said somewhat mechanically. Well, this was a change. He wasn't sure whether he should be mad, curious, hopeful, or something else.

"What is the rarest ingredient?"

"Ashwinder eggs." Except ingredients from snakes were never hard for Salazar to find.

"Which mundane plants are of most use in Love Potions?"

"Peony, carnation…and sometimes mistletoe or rose."

"…Good, Potter." There were thuds from around the room as students fell of their chairs or banged their elbows on their desks in their hurry to look over at their teacher. Several Gryffindors were looking faint. Harry, himself, stared at Snape in outright shock for a second before narrowing his eyes and making his face blank.

Snape merely moved on and continued teaching the class.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Harry stood in front of the HTC, ready to re-teach today's potions lesson. Nearly all of the regular members were there; everyone in Harry's class had questions on the earlier lesson, younger students (Ravenclaws, mostly) wanted to study ahead or were there for later potions lessons, and older students wanted to review the topic incase it came up in their NEWTs. However, Harry had already used a spell that had people disloyal to HTC (mostly spies for Dumbledore like Ron and Hermione) rushing to their dormitories for books, the hospital wing (feeling suddenly nauseous), or the bathroom.

Now, casting a weak Sonorus charm on himself so that his voice would be heard, Harry spoke to the whole room,

"Excuse me. Can I have everyone's attention for a minute? I'd just like to say something…Over the next few days, there might be some…changes…around Hogwarts. No matter what happens, this club will remain neutral and lessons will remain the same. I'm about to undertake a task which will require me to act like a different person; one which is strictly secret. Therefore, if you are incapable of keeping the secret, you will forget what I have told you before you disclose any information to anyone not in this club or if you are outside of this room." The Slytherins in particular were listening with complete attention.

"You might notice when the change is about to happen; during a meal, I will act as if I have a headache and leave the Great Hall early. Anything I say or do after that will be an act, unless it is in this room. That is all."

Canceling the charm on himself, he calmly began his lesson,

"We will now be reviewing Love Potions. You all know how this works; if you have any questions, they are to be asked at the end. Now, who can tell me the three 'types' of love?"

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Lunch in the Great Hall was the same as usual. There was a cheerful buzz filling the hall as many hungry students were able to fill their stomachs. As usual, the Ravenclaws were reading as they ate or else groaning over their latest tests ("I did so badly on that last test! A ninety-four out of a hundred? I was so stupid to have put that last answer! What did you get?"), Slytherins were talking politics ("I heard something really interesting was going to happen to the power balance pretty soon. Yes, here in Hogwarts. No, I can't tell you more."), and the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were just chatting.

As had been the case since the newest wave of Marauders had hit Hogwarts, such (relative) peace did not last long. There was a bang and a poof of blue smoke (there were only a couple screams this time; most of the students were getting used to it) at the teacher's table. The whole school turned to stare incredulously at Dumbledore…who was now wearing a bumblebee suit.

Suddenly, a pair of giant hands clasped shut around the Headmaster and a childish voice began to sing,

I'm bringing home my baby Dumble-bee
Won't my Mommy be so proud of me
I'm bringing home my baby Dumble-bee -
OUCH!! It stung me!!

The hands dropped Dumbledore but then one of the giant thumbs fell upon the Headmaster and none too gently.

I'm squishin' up my baby Dumble-bee
Won't my Mommy be so proud of me
I'm squishin' up my baby Dumble-bee -
EW!! What a mess!!

Dumbledore was once again released from his latest abuse, only for a giant tongue to appear behind him.

I'm lickin' up my baby Dumble-bee
Won't my Mommy be so proud of me
I'm lickin' up my baby Dumble-bee -
ICK!! I feel sick!!

"I would feel sick too," Harry muttered under his breath as he watched the scene unfold.

The tongue vanished and what looked to be several buckets-full of orange goo splattered over the 'Dumble-bee'.

I'm barfin' up my baby Dumble-bee
Won't my Mommy be so proud of me
I'm barfin' up my baby Dumble-bee -
OH!! What a mess!!

A giant cloth descended out of the ceiling, held by the two giant hands. Using the cloth, the hands proceeded to 'wipe the floor' with Dumbledore. Literally.

I'm wipin' up my baby Dumble-bee
Won't my Mommy be so proud of me
I'm wipin' up my baby Dumble-bee -
OOPS!! Mommy's new towel!!

Cheerfully, the hands picked up the cloth and gently lifted Dumbledore out of it, setting him down inside a large bowl of some sort of pudding (or were they mashed potatoes?) on the teacher's table.

I'm wringin' out my baby Dumble-bee
Won't my Mommy be so proud of me
I'm wringing out my baby Dumble-bee -
Bye-Bye baby Dumble-bee!!

The hands finally vanished, leaving behind spirally letters spelling out 'Talon' on the wall behind the teacher's table.

Dumbledore wouldn't be able to get the striped costume off for the rest of the day.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Snape sat in his classroom after classes had just finished. Having thought about the subject for a while, he took out a piece of parchment and listed out all the strange things about Harry and 'Evan' that he had thought of the previous afternoon.

After some deliberation, he added to the list:

- Glasses are definitely fake (on closer inspection, lenses don't distort things seen through them)

- Nicknames? (Do Sal, Rick, Rena, and Stripe mean anything? Is Stripe the same Stripe as in the Marauder's Rulebook?)

- Strange memory (if not Potter's, who's?)

The last one, he felt somewhat uncomfortable writing down on paper. It was one of the many bigger puzzles but memories were generally private things. Not to mention that he was taking a large risk that someone would be able to find the paper. Snape briefly considered burning it but decided against it, instead layering the single piece of parchment with all of the privacy spells that he could think of (including Dark ones).

Why did the number of questions always multiply whenever he started looking for answers?

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It was the second day after his announcement at HTC that Harry finally decided to make his move. He had already discussed it with all the other founder reincarnations, so everyone knew what was coming. Now he just had to throw away his pride…

Harry swirled his goblet of pumpkin juice contemplatively. He knew that it had to be today. The Slytherin-Gryffindor had been surprised and angry to find a strong Devotion Potion in his pumpkin juice, several steps up from the steadily escalating Compulsion Potions of the past several weeks. Then he had been uneasy.

Devotion Potions were very similar to Love Potions and contained several similar ingredients. As its name implied, it inspired pure devotion to the brewer (or the person who added a piece of themselves to the potion). The Headmaster was not a potions Master and therefore any potion that he used against Harry was very likely to be completely ineffective. This potion, for instance; Harry could tell without drinking it that Dumbledore had gotten his ashwinder eggs from a unreliable source and that he'd added the Crup Saliva too early. But it was only a matter of time, Harry thought with a shudder, before Dumbledore thought to grab one of Snape's potions and then Harry would be in trouble. So far, Dumbledore seemed to think that Harry was merely unusually resistant to potions, not completely invulnerable to all but those brewed perfectly.

Dumbledore was watching him very closely.

Harry casually fiddled with his goblet a bit more before drinking some of its contents. His eyes widened. The reincarnated founder all but threw the goblet down with a loud clunk and grabbed his head.

"Hey, you all right?" Draco asked at his side. Neither Ginny nor Luna was present.

"I'm…fine…" Harry said distractedly, rubbing his scar and putting a confused expression on his face, "I've…got a headache. Look, I'll see you tomorrow, okay? I think I'll go get some sleep." He left the Hall hurriedly, perfectly aware of several pairs of eyes that were watching him closely.

After he had stumbled out of their line of vision, however, he allowed himself to straighten up and walk calmly towards the Gryffindor common room. He didn't walk too fast; no doubt Dumbledore was monitoring his progress through something similar to the Marauders' Map. Hogwarts, however, would warn Harry if it was anything more than that and the castle would also prevent any portraits from telling Dumbledore that Harry was not actually suffering a strong headache. Harry even made sure to make particularly slow progress on stairs, pausing occasionally for breaks.

Reaching the Gryffindor common room, he staggered upstairs to his bed and then collapsed there. Harry then pretended to sleep, when in reality making sure that the potion made its way safely out of his bloodstream. Once finished with this task, he burrowed deep into his own mind, making sure that his Occlumency shields remained strong an all the right memories were on the right sides of the shields.

Finally, several hours later, Harry was interrupted by a soft tap on the window. The half-Gryffindor looked around, noting that all the Gryffindors were already asleep in their beds. The tapping came again and Harry got out of bed and opened the window. A large barn owl swooped silently in through the open window and landed on Harry's bed. It then stuck its leg out imperiously, allowing Harry to take the letter tied around its leg.

He was completely unsurprised to recognize Dumbledore's handwriting.

Dear Mr. Potter,

I would like to talk to you about a certain Order that we are both familiar with. However, if you truly desire to have nothing to do with me, you may choose to stay away. I have no intention to force you to do something you don't want to.

I only have your best interests at heart, my dear boy.

My office is always open to you.

The password is 'sugar quills'.

Knowing very well what the effects of the Devotion Potion dictated, Harry set off immediately, pausing only to grab his wand and invisibility cloak. His imaginary headache would, thankfully, be mostly gone by now but he still walked slowly as he made his way to the Headmaster's office. Of course, he was wearing his invisibility cloak (it was long past curfew, after all) and all of its better effects would be completely nullified if he didn't walk quietly. Not that he thought he'd be caught; he just didn't want to have to meet Dumbledore any time soon.

Finally reaching the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office, Harry whispered the password. The gargoyle instantly sprang aside and, though Harry delayed as much as he could on the stairs, he was soon standing behind the large oak door. Plastering the most confused look that he could manage on his face, Harry raised his hand to knock on the door…

"Come in," Dumbledore called, before Harry's hand made it to the door. Harry quickly hid his scowl and pulled open the door.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Cliffhanger? Where? Looks around innocently

Oh, and the Dumble-bee song doesn't belong to me either (apart from the obvious substitution of 'bumblebee' for 'Dumble-bee'). It's just a children's song that was too tempting to not put in. Ah, nostalgia.

Writer's block…building…36700 more words to go…That's what, twelve normal chapters? -.-U

Review?