I hadn't actually planned on cutting 64 out altogether, but I couldn't figure out how to only cut some of it out without it looking awful and unfinished. So you get a short section this time.

Part 65/?

To those who had been left behind, it had been five long days. To those who had been gone, it had been four even longer months. But finally they had returned. Ehlana, Hermione and Thyme walked into the Great Hall for lunch as if they'd never been gone. The only difference to be seen being the clothing they were wearing; light, gauzy and very flattering to their figures, figures some of the boys never even knew they had.

"Hermione!" Ron yelled across the room as soon as he saw her. He jumped to his feet and ran towards her, sweeping her into a hug as soon as he reached her. Neville was right behind him, though much more reserved in the hug he laid on his girlfriend. At the very least, he didn't pick her up and try to squeeze the stuffing out of her.

Draco was much more refined in his manner, quietly walking over to Ehlana, and placing a kiss on the back of her hand in greeting. "Are you well?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Draco. Thank you for asking," Ehlana smiled prettily at him.

Draco, with the help of Blaise and Roan, managed to get all of them out of the hall and down to one of the unused classrooms they had taken over. At which point Ron finally noticed what his girlfriend was wearing and started having a snit fit over it.

"Do be quiet, Weasley," Draco sneered. "She looks quite nice." He gave her a measuring look, and was surprised that she didn't even blush. "I wasn't aware you had a figure, Granger," he said, in the closest thing to a compliment he would give Weasley's girlfriend.

"It's not my fault you're blind," Hermione shot back.

Draco just grinned at her while Ron gaped.

"It seems as if you all had a good time during your absence," Professor Snape's voice could not be mistaken for anyone else's.

Thyme pulled away from Neville's arm with an apologetic glance. She walked over to her Head of House and handed him a sheet of parchment. "You need to make this," she explained.

"What is it?" Severus asked, frowning. He read over the recipe. It was nothing he'd ever seen before, and in fact some of the ingredients he'd never even heard of.

Ehlana handed him a bag. "This is the Rialus flower," she handed him another, "and this is Trakorus powder."

"And what exactly, does this potion do?" Snape asked as he took the bags. He wanted to go start on it immediately. New potions were very rare, new ingredients were even more rare; he wanted to find out the properties of the items in the bags. But, most of all, he wanted to know what the girls had been doing that would cause them to be gone for so long. And what they had learned about Dumbledore.

Thyme looked up at him with begging eyes. "Please, Professor, it's really important that this is made as soon as possible, especially before we start talking about what happened." Snape looked at her and seemed to be about to ask more questions. "On Salazar's Honor, sir, it is that important."

Severus' eyes widened slightly before narrowing infinitesimally, but he nodded sharply and left for his workshop.

"What just happened?" Ron blinked.

Blaise, who had come in behind the professor, explained, "The oath Thyme gave is only used when it's something not quite 'end of the world' important, but close."

Thyme nodded. "It is that critical," she explained. "Will you all sit down? There's something I need to do. I learned how from a Healer in Underhill."

Slowly, but willingly, everyone followed her directions. One by one she walked over to them and looked deep into their eyes, with her hands on either side of their heads. Once she was done, she sat back down with her patient boyfriend. "What was that all about?" Neville asked, lightly.

"I'll tell you when the potion is done," she murmured.

"Hopefully, it's not a potion that will take long to brew," Draco might not have been asking anything, but Thyme understood the nuances.

"It shouldn't be," she answered back easily.

"Well, since we can't talk about anything serious until that potion is done, or whatever, I will ask again; what in Merlin's name are you wearing?" Ron spouted, still scandalized.

Hermione laughed. "This is normal daywear Underhill," she explained. She'd felt dreadfully on display the first couple of days, but it was better than looking dowdy, like she felt in her school clothes.

"But this isn't Underhill," Ron complained.

"Yes, I know, it's much colder here," Hermione agreed with a shiver. The other two girls chorused their agreement. The boys carefully hid their reactions to the predictable female physical response to the chill air.

Ehlana immediately felt herself cocooned in warmth and she smiled over at Draco, who she knew had to be the one to put the warming spell on her. She would have preferred if he'd put his arm around her like Neville and Ron were doing with their ladies, but she understood his type of reputation, even here among friends. Of course, what he couldn't do, she could. She scooted over next to him, and pulled his arm up and around her shoulders, snuggling into his side.

They talked of minor things for the fifteen minutes it took the Potions Master to brew the new potion. He brought the cauldron with him into the room they were using. "I believe it's done," he offered.

Hermione got up and went over to examine it. "It looks and smells right," she admitted.

"So, now will you explain what it is?" Snape asked.

Thyme shook her head. "Not quite yet, I'm sorry. Will you sit down, please?" She got up and walked over to him, taking his head into her hands. "It's okay, I just need to check something. Just relax. Salazar's Honor, professor, I'm not going to hurt you."

Seconds later, she backed away and walked over to the cauldron. She conjured up five cups and filled them with the potion. "Everyone except for Blankenship needs to drink this," she said, handing the cups around.

"What about you?" Ron asked, pointing to all the girls.

"We already had it," Hermione explained.

All five of those holding the cups looked at each other and then at the girls, who were watching them carefully. As one, they all, even Snape, drank the potion down.

Ron and Neville were the only ones to show much reaction, and that was simply rapid eye-blinking and shaking of the head, as if to get cobwebs out.

"Now, what exactly was that, and why did we drink it without knowing what it was?" Severus asked. This time, he would not accept anything except a full answer. And it had better be a good one.

"It was a compulsion breaker," Ehlana explained. "Miach, he's the God of Natural Healing, taught Thyme to spot compulsions. You can't use the potion on anyone that isn't under one, so unfortunately we can't just give it to the entire school. Luckily, you don't have to know what the compulsion is to break it, like you do with the way you and Neville do it."

"Unfortunately, that means we also don't know what Dumbledore was trying," Severus said thoughtfully. "However, I do believe having the compulsions removed is preferable. You made the correct choice. And of course, since we don't know what the compulsions were, not knowing they were being broken was the best choice, since we might also have been under a compulsion against such breaking."

"Exactly," Thyme agreed.

"So Roan didn't have any compulsions on him?" Blaise asked.

"That's right," Thyme answered. "I guess since he wasn't a part of our group until just recently, Dumbledore had no reason to place one on him."

"Does that mean you're going to have to go through the entire school to find out who has a compulsion on them?" Ron asked in disbelief.

Thyme nodded. "It's the best way we can think of. Dumbledore's stubborn, and he hasn't told the Sidhe anything important. It shouldn't be too hard. I do want to start with the teachers, though."

"Probably the best idea," the Deputy Headmaster agreed.

"So, now will you tell us what happened while you were gone?" Blaise complained.

The girls looked at each other thoughtfully. "Nah," they said in unison.

"Not until Harry and his husband are here," Hermione told them.

She got frowned at by the ones who thought they'd been patient enough already, but Draco pulled out his mirror and called the last two wizards needed for the meeting. Ten minutes later, Jade and Lucius walked through the door; both of them in a good mood that nobody really wanted to know the reason behind.

"How are you?" Severus asked immediately, pulling his son, who was dressed as a girl, into his arms.

"I'm fine," Harry murmured, hugging back with all of his might. He pulled back and lifted up his shirt. "Here, feel," he ordered.

Severus did, and looked up at his very happy son in confusion. "What is it?"

"It's where my baby is growing," Harry explained happily.

Before any more could be said, Harry was practically smothered as the girls ran forward to feel. Draco, however, got there first. After all, the baby was his little brother.

Only once everyone had managed to feel the small bulge, did they all get down to business.

Ehlana practically bounced in her seat. "I met Merlin!" she crowed.

"You did?" practically everyone shouted. Questions started flying, fast and furious.

"You've got his eyes, Harry," she explained. "They're exactly the same color. However, he says that you might be his blood heir, but you're not his true Heir. His true Heir has to be the child of two mages."

Harry's hands immediately flew to his stomach. "Which means what?" he asked.

"We're not sure," Hermione admitted. "We've been searching through the entire library at High Court, and we never managed to find out, but it was obvious that some of the people knew what it was about. They just wouldn't talk to us about it."

"Perhaps someone else should go *talk* to them about it," Lucius murmured, his voice dangerously soft.

Hermione shook her head. "I really doubt you'd be able to intimidate King Nuada," she offered.

"What did O'Feahr say about all this?" Snape asked, every bit as dangerously unhappy as his friend.

"Connor?" Ehlana blinked. She looked around the room. "He's not here, so how would he know? Where is he, anyway?"

Glances were exchanged around the room. "He didn't find you?" Draco asked carefully.

"Find us where?"

Snape explained. "Four hours, our time, after you left, he followed you Underhill."

Hermione shook her head. "We never saw him," she answered. She looked around at the two other girls in the room, but they shook their heads worriedly as well. Neither of them had seen him and forgotten to tell her.

"Where could he be?" Ehlana asked worriedly.

Nobody had an answer.

Part 66/?

The next several weeks went by quickly, though more quickly for some. Thyme found herself busier than she had ever been, first checking through the teachers, all of whom needed the potion, and then through the school population. Her grandmother had luckily returned to the school by this time, and she managed to keep Thyme from overworking. As expected, most of the younger students were compulsion free, except for three Ravenclaw second years, a couple of Slytherin third years, and a Gryffindor first. Why those students, and those students alone out of the younger three grades needed the potion, was unknown even by them. As Snape had pointed out, getting rid of the compulsion they didn't know they had didn't bring forth an answer, but at least it eliminated a possible problem source.

Once the younger grades were certified safe, Harry took a place in the DADA teaching roster. He and Draco teamed up, he teaching the bookwork while Draco took the practicals. Ron and Hermione also began to team teach in the same way. Not wanting to be the only one stuck doing both, Blaise dragged his boyfriend in to take over the lectures. Even Ehlana found herself teaching at least one class per grade on the differences between wizarding magic and that of the Tuatha de Danaan.

That still left the top three grades for Lucius and Severus to instruct. Although they felt confident that the Sixth Years, and one Seventh, could handle Fifth Year as well, they didn't believe it would be fair to anyone. Especially not with the O.W.L.s coming up.

Ehlana had sent a message Underhill, asking after the whereabouts of Connor, but no reply had been received. Headmistress McGonagall had decided to give him one more week before searching for someone to take his place. Everyone would be happy when that time came, since none of them had any free time to do the research they desperately wanted to do, or for anything else for that matter. And, any time for fun was simply out of the question.

The middle table was being used, but it was not really necessary any longer. The Houses were no longer jealously guarding their tables; no one cared anymore where people sat, except during feasts.

Harry was at least reasonably happy, but only because Lucius managed to stay overnight several times a week. Of course, that led to other problems, mainly couples who wanted to have Promise ceremonies and be allowed to live together. So far, McGonagall had managed to put them off, but some of them would not be put off for much longer. That would, of course, mean a meeting of the Board, since it would require changing school guidelines. Lucius and Harry had managed to bypass those by having the ceremony during summer vacation, but there would be some people who would complain that he got preferential treatment. Harry had noted that really, they hadn't been assigned special rooms. Could Harry help that as a Parselmouth, he had access into the Chamber of Secrets? Too bad that was not a politic response.

Another problem came up that should have been considered earlier. Now that the contraceptive potion was no longer in the pumpkin juice, there had been a couple of *accidents*. It was decided that a special class on contraceptive spells and potions would be given. Severus got roped into helping the two mediwitches give the class, something that put him into an even worse mood than he'd already been. His students were surprised; they had been sure *that* couldn't happen.

Severus Snape was being an absolute bear to practically everyone, but refused to give a reason. Harry was the only one that could stand him for any length of time, and even they ended up yelling at each other if they spent much time together. Harry kept going back, though. He knew that no matter how loudly Severus yelled, or how viciously he cursed, there was no way his father was going to actually harm him, and Harry could give as good as he got. Too bad others didn't feel the same way.

Sirius and Remus had returned once again; this time thanks to a note sent by Hermione. She had finally decided it was better for all concerned that those two wizards take care of the DADA classes. There were a number of red faces once it was explained what she had done, mostly by people who were wondering why they hadn't thought of it themselves. The two men had been exploring Hufflepuff's home, with the full permission of the first owner, and hadn't realized what was going on back at the school before they received the letter. Once at Hogwarts, Remus gathered together most of the students who had been teaching their peers, to find out what they'd been doing, while Sirius headed towards the dungeons, to talk to Snape and Harry.

"What the heck is your problem?" Harry was yelling as Sirius approached the doorway.

"I don't have a problem," Severus hissed back.

Sirius slowed to a stop. He didn't actually *want* to eavesdrop, but he couldn't bring himself to leave if Harry might be in trouble. Or so he told himself.

"Oh, right, because you always throw things while grading third year essays," Harry said in a patronizing tone.

"Don't take that tone of voice with me," Severus growled.

"Or what? You'll take House points? No one really cares too much about those anymore. Perhaps you'll ground me? A little severe for giving my father a talking to," Harry shot back.

"It's not your job," Sirius could practically hear the scowl he knew must be on Snape's face.

"Who else is going to do it? You've got everyone so scared of you that they're not coming anywhere near you! Even Spitfire doesn't want to spend time with you right now!"

"And that should tell you something!"

"Yeah, it tells me you've got a problem you're not telling anyone about!" Harry yelled right back.

Sirius was frowning from where he was eaves... er, listening. Snape shouldn't be yelling at his godson like that. Harry was just trying to help.

"And if I do have a problem, it's just that. *My* problem!" Snape snarled.

Sirius jerked as he heard something shatter. That was it. If the greasy git was throwing things at Harry, it was time to intervene. Without thinking any more about it, Sirius burst into the room, wand out.

He found himself Stunned before he got more than five paces into the room. As soon as Harry realized who it was, he released the spell, and happily threw himself at his godfather. "Sirius!"

The animagus wrapped his arms around his godson and glared at his rival over Harry's head. "What was going on in here?" he growled.

Harry just grinned at him. "Oh, dad's just being a prat," he said airily.

Severus scowled at his son, glared at the man he was holding, then turned on his heel and headed out the door.

Harry frowned and separated from his godfather to run after him. That was not the reaction he'd been expecting. He'd thought Severus would yell at them some more. He was hoping that if they yelled at each other enough, his father would eventually get to what was bothering him. After all, nothing else seemed to work.

He reached the door Severus had walked through, only to find it locked. He looked at it in confusion. Severus had never locked him out before.

"Dad?" he called uncertainly through the door.

There was no answer.

"Harry, if he doesn't want to talk to you, let him go," Sirius ordered.

Harry turned to look at him. "I can't do that," he frowned.

Sirius frowned right back. "He was throwing things at you."

Harry shook his head before nodding towards one corner of the room where there was a collection of glass. "He would never do anything to hurt me. I thought you'd gotten that by now," he said, annoyed.

"I didn't think he'd yell at you either," Sirius said, displeased.

"It's better than the brooding he's been doing," Harry replied. "He's been a complete bear lately, and nobody knows why."

"Maybe he needs to get laid," Sirius snorted.

Harry tilted his head. As he thought about that, he grinned slightly. "Could be," he admitted, though he didn't actually believe it. "After all, everyone else is paired up." He walked back over to the door and knocked. "Hey, Dad!" he called out. There was silence, but he didn't let it dissuade him this time. "Sirius thinks your problem is you need to get laid. You want me to set you up with someone? I hear the Weasley twins think you're sexy."

The door was pulled violently open. "If you even *think* of doing such a thing, I'm going to ground you until your *child* is seventy!" he growled.

Harry just laughed at him, not worried in the least.