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Time flew by during the next few weeks. Life at Hogwarts didn't take much getting used to. Albus soon got into a daily routine of when to do preps, when to have lunch and which routes to take to avoid Anthony. He received a letter back from his dad on second Monday that he was conscious.

Hey Al,

DON'T HIDE THE PARCEL.

I'm doing the talk on Tuesday, so make sure to come early to Defence against the dark arts, and we can talk.

The parcel contains a small muggle device called a tape recorder, but if anyone but you sees it, they will see a book called "Muggle doings in the 20th century. Try it on Rose if you don't believe me. Just put it on your bedside one evening and press the red button. Then wind Anthony up a little (I know this sounds like putting your hand in the lion's mouth, but it doesn't have to be too drastic. Just ask to go to the loo or something) and record what he says. Afterwards, press the red button again, and give to me.

The reason I asked you not to hide the parcel is that it would have looked terribly suspicious if you hid a book like that. (The letter is disguised, too).

Dad

Albus leant back to Rose, who was sitting directly behind him at the Ravenclaw table. "What is this?" he asked her quietly, discreetly showing her the metal box that his dad had given him.

"A book that was tomorrow. Albus placed the tape recorder on Firebolt's cage, and gave the rat a bit of carrot. It was after supper, and Anthony would be here soon, so all he could do was start his transfiguration essay and wait.

Right on cue, Anthony strutted in. Albus hurriedly pushed the red button on the recorder. "No point trying to hide it now, Potter, 'cause I've seen it now. 'Muggle doings of the 20th century," he said, picking it up. He snorted. "You read this trash? Well, you can keep it, by all means. I don't want this filth." He dropped it like it was already contaminating him. Albus returned it to back on the cage.

"Anthony?" Anthony, who had been leaving the room, froze, and swivelled around.

"What?" he said through gritted teeth. He narrowed his eyes.

"I- um- can I use the loo?" Albus blurted out.

"Remind me of rule one."

"No one uses the bathroom but you."

"Exactly. So, Albus- what caused you to temporarily forget this little rule of ours?"

"I" He glanced at the tape recorder. Anthony followed his gaze. Albus looked back.

"I have my eye on you, Potter. Oh, and try and be less forgetful, or your rat will become snake food."

"Dad!"

"Hey, Kiddo. How's it going?" As he pulled him into a hug, his dad muttered into his ear, "Have you got the tape recorder?"

"Oh, I forgot to say; you sent the wrong book," said Albus, aloud. "I asked for "wizard" doings, not muggle. Don't worry because in the end I got it out of the library." He looked nervously up at his dad, who gave the subtlest of nods.

"That's fine. Mum wants it, anyway, for a project she's doing with Lily." He took the recorder off him. "C'mon, let's go somewhere more private."

He led Albus to a little study off the DADA corridor. "This is my little study. Lily," he added to a name plate that was squeaking at him expectantly. The door swung open. "Feel free to come in here any time to get away from Anthony. Bring Rose, too. Is there anyone else you're particular friends with?"

"Yeah. I made friends with Scorpius, like you said," Albus told him, collapsing into an arm chair. "He's really insecure, and Anthony always picks on him, but he is nice."

"Good. So, about this Dark Mark. When Voldemort first fell, we used a fake one like Voldemort's to call in the extra back up who had been waiting for him to call. We tried it a couple of times, but they soon got used to the trick. The Auror office did get a lead a couple of years ago about someone with the surname "Serpent", but we followed it to no avail."

"But I know that it was the Dark Mark!"

"I know, I know. It looked a bit like this, then?" He showed him a picture.

"Yes, yes, that is exactly it! Except," said Albus, looking at the picture more carefully, "is this in black-and-white? It's just that the one I saw was coloured."

His dad paled. "Are you sure? Albus, are you sure? This is very important. You need to be certain."

"Yes, I'm sure- well, I think so." Albus frowned. "Why? What's wrong?"

"I- never mind." He got up. "You need to get to class. Just make sure you look at that picture again. Send me an owl when you do."

The talk was interesting. It was on the kind of work Aurors do. He could see all the Gryffindor boys puffing out their chests, and boasting to their friends that they were already ready to be Aurors. Anthony snorted all the way through. Albus overheard him saying later that "if a Potter can do it, it's hardly going to be as challenging as they make it out to be."

He, Rose and Scorpius were relaxing in his dad's office on the next day, discussing the odd reaction of his father when he told him that the Dark Mark he saw was coloured. "And I checked. It definitely was. It was a close shave- Anthony came in just after I finished."

"You need to write that letter," nagged Rose.

"I'll use the fire." Albus knelt over the roaring grate and dropped a little floo powder in. The flames flashed up emerald green. "He's off work. Lily has the flu." He had done this often when he was staying with Rose over the weekend. He told the fire his address, and held his breath as he plunged his head into the flames.

The sitting room swam into view. Lily was reading on the sofa, covered with blankets. "Hey, Lil," Albus called softly. Lily started. "It's Ok. It's me, Albus. I'm in the fire." She spotted him and grinned. "Is Dad here?" Lily nodded, held up her hand to indicate for him to wait and trotted out the room. Albus drummed his fingers on the fireplace of his dad's office impatiently. It was Saturday, so they were in no rush, but he was impatient to speak to his dad.

"Hey, Al. Lily's lost her voice. Mum's bringing back some medicine tonight. Hey, Lil, could you pop to your room a minute? I just want a word with Al." Lily picked up book and walked slowly upstairs with her blanket trailing behind her. Dad knelt by the fire. "So, was it?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, I checked."

"Al, you said that Anthony bullied Scorpius. Why?"

"I dunno. Because his dad's a death eater, I suppose." Dad cursed under his breath. "Dad, what has this got to do with the Dark mark?"

"Nothing. Everything. You'll see. I'll tell you soon."

"Ok. Well- bye then."

"Bye."

Albus withdrew his head from the fire. Rose and Scorpius were looking at him expectantly. "I know that it's important, and I think that it's bad. He says that he'll tell me soon. For some reason, why he picks on you," he added to Scorpius, "Is 'highly relevant'."

As they walked outside the office, they nearly bumped into Professor McGonagall. "Good gracious, Potter! What on earth have you been doing?"

"Just contacting my dad, using the floo powder in his office," said Albus, startled.

"It's Saturday, so he is allowed to do that, Professor," added Rose, helpfully.

"Yes, I know, I know. Honestly, you say goodbye to one Potter-Weasley-Granger triangle, and another pops up! Just when it was beginning to feel calm here," She muttered to herself as she continued down the corridor.

"What was all that about?" asked Scorpius.

"Let's just say," grinned Rose, "That our parents were, if you remember, more of the- how should I put this?- 'get up and do stuff' type."

They spent the rest of the day thinking about the possibilities. "Maybe," suggested Scorpius as they sucked on mint humbugs after a meal of lasagne, "Anthony, or rather his parents, are death eaters, looking to eliminate anyone who deserted or defied Voldemort. That would explain why he targets you and me- I find it unlikely that either of our dads are in the death eaters good books right now."

"That's a good idea, but why the colour?" This was the point that bugged Albus.

"I- um- I'm not sure. Come on, let's go to bed."

On Monday, they had their first flying lesson. "This will clear up that mystery of familiar faces once and for all," Albus told Rose.

A tall, burly man strode onto the pitch. "I," he announced, "am Professor McLaggen."

Rose, Albus and Scorpius collapsed on to the pitch, laughing.