{WARNING: DRAMA & VIOLENCE. A quick explanation for Snape's behavior later: he made his dislike for Harry and Neville known to everyone. So with Leo, Sirius' son and Aries who reminded Snape of Sirius (Black who doesn't care about blood supremacy, best friends with a Potter, prankster, and not a Slytherin) added to the mix, his dislike and barely kept "civility" would have shrunk down even smaller. Hence what will happen.}
"Who would like to read next?" McGonagall asked. "I will." Augusta said. The book was levitated towards her.
Chapter 9. Student Enemy Number 1
"I say Filch." Alice said.
Harry wasn't used to everyone stopping to stare at him. He was used to only having two people actually like him, not being a celebrity for having no family.
People winced at that.
But that was the least of his worries today.
"Why?" Charlus asked.
He and Ron managed to get on Filch's bad side.
The Marauders looked stunned.
They got lost, and wound up on the third floor. Filch was threatening to have them strung by their toes when Professor Quirell came by and helped them.
Liliana nodded.
Harry and Ron were trying to get to class, when they ran into Leo on a staircase. "I HATE these stairs!" Leo yelled in frustration before running to his next class.
"What's his problem?" Septimus asked.
"What's his issue?" Ron asked.
Septimus blinked.
"He has some of the worst sense of direction." Harry told him. "Guess it's worse here."
Shizuka giggled.
Harry didn't blame him. There were a hundred and forty two staircases (Thank you Aries).
"Nerd." James coughed.
Wide, narrow, sweeping, rickety, you name it. Some of them would move some had a vanishing step half way up you had to remember to jump.
The two foreign witches looked puzzled and shocked at the description.
Neville was learning that the hard way.
Frank sighed and Alice looked worried.
Then there were the doors. Some you had to politely ask to open, some you had tickle in the right spot. Or some were just walls pretending to be doors. And the living portraits that could move from frame to frame.
"I like them." Xenophilus said.
Aries loved talking to some of those. Harry ran across him talking to a magical copy of the Mona Lisa one morning.
"She nice to talk to." Xenophilius added.
The ghosts didn't always help.
"The Bloody Baron." The Slytherins hissed.
Some were kind enough to help them. Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction.
The Gryffindors nodded.
The Fat Friar helped Leo out more times than he'll admit.
Ted nodded and Sirius laughed.
The Ravenclaw ghost didn't help really according to Aries.
"She prefers to be alone." Xenophilius said.
But Peeves was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you were running late. He'd sometimes pop out of now where and yell "Got your conk!" while he grabbed your nose.
"Didn't Gideon and Fabian teach him that?" Remus asked his friends.
Or he'd pull the rug out from under your feet or pelt you with chalk.
"A menace I say." Alice added.
Or if you're Aries, getting your hair stuck in a door.
Regulus huffed angrily.
Even worse than Peeves was the caretaker Filch. He had this scrawny dust colored cat named Mrs. Norris.
"Isn't that a kitten he recently got?" Frank asked. McGonagall nodded.
Filch and Mrs. Norris had these large eyes like lamps that would stare out at you. Harry heard of familiars and believed Mrs. Norris was one. If you broke a rule around Mrs. Norris when she patrolled the corridors alone, she'd take off and seconds later Mr. Filch would come wheezing in before threatening to torture them.
"WHAT?" McGonagall hissed angrily.
Filch knew the most about the secret passage ways in Hogwarts (except for maybe the Weasley twins).
The Marauders shared a look and snorted.
Everyone wanted to give Mrs. Norris a good kick. That was on Leo's list of things to do before they graduate along with various things he refused to mention.
Sirius laughed heartily. "Such as?" Arcturus asked. A note folded like a raven opened up in front of him. Various things not going to be mentioned.
Now there were the classes themselves. Harry quickly found out it was a lot more than waving a wand and saying some funny words.
Everyone snorted at that.
On Wednesdays they had astronomy classes at midnight. They'd go up the tallest tower to study the stars and planetary movements.
("I found Leo!" Ron said. "I'm looking for Aries." Harry said).
Everyone chuckled and laughed at that.
Three times a week they went out to the green houses and had Herbology with the Hufflepuff's Head of House. Professor Sprout was a short and stocky witch, who enjoyed teaching the students about magical plants and their properties.
Ted smiled at his old Head of House.
The most boring had to be History of Magic. It was taught by a ghost, Mr. Binns, who drones on and on.
"STILL?" James whined. Everyone knew his pain. "Albus refused to get rid of him." McGonagall said.
They say he died in his sleep, but never noticed it so he continues to teach. Well, he did mix Ulric the Oddball and Emmet the Evil.
"He still does that?" Barty asked.
Harry tried to stay awake, but the droning made that hard. Ron was asleep after the first five minutes.
People snorted or were sympathetic.
The only one who was wide awake was Hermione who was furiously scribbling her notes.
"That's Evans." James said. Everyone his age nodded.
Aries and Leo just occupy themselves with other things.
"With what?" Narcissa asked.
Aries showed the drawings he got done in Binns' class, and Leo would play card games with Velvela.
"We just plan pranks." Remus said. Lily looked at him shocked.
When Harry and Ron asked about the lesson, they just told them to read the text book on their own time, and use the class for free time.
"Good advice." Barty added.
Charms lessons were taught by the Ravenclaw's Head of House.
Xenophilius smiled.
Professor Flitwick was a tiny wizard who had to stand on a stack of books at his desk. During their first class he got to Harry's name and jumped with a squeak. Harry tried to hide himself with his pointy hat.
Liliana and James shared a look. Dorea gushed about how shy he was.
Professor McGonagall was different. Harry was right in thinking that she shouldn't be crossed.
"Too bad his father never caught on." The transfiguration teacher said.
Strict and clever- she gave them a talking to the first thing of the lesson. "Transfiguration is some of the most dangerous and difficult magic to learn." She said "Anyone messing around in my class won't come back to continue. You have been warned."
"But Minnie" James said "You let me and Padfoot come back." "Lying to impressionable firsties. Shame." Sirius added. She sent them a stern look. "Lana she's giving me the look." James said dramatically. Liliana shook her head. "Idiota.(Idiot)."
Their first assignment was turning matches into needles.
"It's easy." James complained.
Hermione was the first to make a difference to her match, it was shiny and pointy. Professor McGonagall gave her a rare smile.
"Not that rare." Sirius added.
Ron and Harry were trying. "Why don't we try to transfigure each other's matches?" Ron asked.
"Why?" Many people asked.
They tried when Professor McGonagall wasn't paying attention to them. Harry managed to make the match all silver and sharp. Ron made the match into a wooden needle after a few minutes.
"And she didn't notice them?" Alice asked looking at the Professor. She just shrugged.
Everyone was looking forward to Defense Against the Dark Arts, but it was a total joke.
"Oh, it's one of those teachers." The marauders whined. The adults looked confused. "What do you mean?" Charlus asked. "Either we get a mediocre teacher." James said. "One that's total rubbish." Sirius said. "Or a great teacher who couldn't stay." Remus finished. The rest of the students nodded.
Professor Quirell would stammer making his lectures useless.
"That'll suck to listen too." Remus said.
The whole classroom reeked of garlic to keep vampires away.
"But garlic's tasty." Liliana huffed. "And it has health benefits." Shizuka added with a nod. "Really what does it do?" Alice asked. "Cleans your blood." Shizuka said seriously.
The turban, he said, was a thank you gift from an Africa Prince in exchange for getting rid of some zombies. When Seamus asked him how he fought the zombies he went pink and rambled about the weather.
"That's a lie then." Moody growled.
The Weasley twins swore the bad smell that came from the turban was from garlic he stuffed up there to keep himself safe at all times.
"That's a bit extreme." Shizuka said. "Don't you carry charms and amulets on you?" James asked. "Yes but, they're not food items." Shizuka said, crossing her arms.
Harry was relieved that he wasn't miles behind everyone. A lot of them came from Muggle families and hadn't any idea they were witches and wizards. Ron didn't have much of a head start either since there was a lot to learn.
"Only really stiff purebloods teach magic early on." Sirius said. He ignored the looks his family sent him.
On Friday Ron and Harry were down in the Great Hall eating breakfast. "What do we have today?" Harry asked Ron pouring sugar onto his porridge. "Double Potions with Slytherins." Ron answered.
James and Sirius groaned. "That's just asking for trouble." Everyone said.
"Snape's head of Slytherin House. I heard he always favors them—we can see if it's true." Ron said.
"Most likely." Sirius said with a glare at the greasy Slytherin.
"Wish McGonagall favored us." Harry said.
"I refuse to lower to blatant favoritism." McGonagall said.
Professor McGonagall was the head of Gryffindor House but that didn't stop her from giving them lots of homework.
"She does that because she cares." James said.
That's when Harry and Ron saw Leo, Aries, and Velvela running towards them. "Hide us!" Leo said frantically.
"What did they do know?" Septimus asked.
"Hide yourselves." Ron said.
"Good advice." Moody said.
Aries hid under the table and Leo was hiding behind Ron. "What did you two do know?" Harry asked. That's when Fred and George came in,
Septimus sighed at that. Everyone else chuckled.
with impish smirks on their faces.
"Oooh, they pranked them again." Sirius chimed.
"These two decided to prank the twins again."
"Called it." The estranged Black son said.
Velvela explained taking a seat next to Harry.
"Oh, are we going to find out about their crushes?" Liliana asked curiously. James smirked.
"Didn't you say you were going to keep an eye on Leo?" Ron asked thinking about their conversation during lunch yesterday.
"What is she, his keeper?" Sirius huffed.
"Yes but they managed to dump honey and sugar on the twins in the hallway." Velvela said
"Weak." The marauders chimed.
snagging a sausage off of Ron's plate.
"Never mess with a Weasleys food." Septimus said.
"Hello Ron, Harry, Velvet." George said.
Everyone laughed. "Velvet?" Frank asked between laughs.
Velvela glared at the nickname. Harry tried not to laugh because the twins smelled extremely sweet.
"Oooh." The marauders groaned.
"Mind handing the two over?" Fred asked. Leo clutched Ron and used him as a shield.
"Meat shield?" Remus asked.
"Protect me from them Ron!" Leo said dramatically. "Protect yourself!" Ron said just as dramatically. "Nooo! I'm a coward." Leo whined with a smile on his face.
Everyone laughed.
Harry felt something tug at his robes and saw Aries looking up at him.
"Why?" Regulus asked.
"Fred, George you can keep them." Harry said.
Everyone laughed except two brothers who were spluttering.
Aries jerked and hit his head against the table.
"Ouch." Many people hissed.
Leo looked wide eyed at him. "I am betrayed!" He cried clutching his heart.
"Over dramatic." Shizuka said shaking her head.
That's when the twins grabbed the two of them from under their arms.
"Hey!" Sirius said. "Let him go." Regulus hissed.
Harry, Ron and Velvela laughed since Aries and Leo couldn't touch the floor and were wiggling.
Everyone laughed at that.
"What do you lot have later?" George asked. "Double potions." Ron answered with a mouth full of pancakes.
Septimus was reminiscing about his sons at that description.
They all grimaced. "Snape's a bigoted git." The twins chorused. "Student enemy number one." Aries and Leo intoned.
James and Sirius glared at the future potions professor. The future mothers gave him steely looks. The only one to defend him visually was Lily Evans.
"He asked Leo advanced potions lessons." Velvela growled.
"Why you-" Sirius growled. "Akan de! (You can't do that!)" Shizuka yelled. McGonagall gave him a stern glare. Snape looked abashed before continuing to glare at the marauders.
Harry looked shocked. "Why'd he do that?" He asked. "He hates me." Leo grumbled
"You pathetic-" "Mr. Black." McGonagall warned. Sirius ignored her. "You would take out your school boy grudge on him!? He's done nothing to you!" Sirius yelled. Snape glared heatedly at him. Shizuka put a hand on Sirius' shoulder but gave the Slytherin a deadly glare.
and tried to break George's grip.
No one was in the mood to laugh.
Aries snorted. "He full on called me a disappointment." Aries said trying to slip free.
If the glare Regulus gave was truly deadly Snape would have been dead twice over.
"He wanted to make you look like an idiot." Ron said with a frown.
Sirius growled. Remus did too.
Everyone turned to look at Ron. "Think about it. If Snape asked him questions he shouldn't know the answer to, he'll look stupid. No offence." Ron said. "None taken."
"Nice deduction." Moody praised. Septimus smiled wryly.
"I have the list of questions he asked with the answers I got from some older Claws." Aries said fumbling for a piece of paper in his pocket. Ron took the paper from him.
Moody nodded. These kids had some promise as Aurors if they continued.
Then the owls came in with their letters. Hedwig came in with a letter from Hagrid. Harry gave Hedwig a piece of bacon before reading his letter.
Dear Harry,
I know you boys get Fridays off, so would you,
Leo and Aries like to come by for tea at three?
I want to hear about your first week.
Send us an answer with Hedwig.
-Hagrid
Harry borrowed Ron's quill to write his reply.
Yes please. Will bring some friends along.
See you soon.
-Harry
"That's sweet of him." Dorea said. Liliana smiled warmly at something good that will happen.
He gave the letter to Hedwig and she took off. Leo and Aries got letters too, but they just pocketed them.
"I wonder what they say." Alice said.
A squeak was heard and Tawny crawled up Fred's arm and nested in his hair before napping. "I think she likes you." Velvela said with a laugh.
"Tawny sounds like a cute pet." Shizuka said.
"So can we take these two?" George asked nodding towards Leo and Aries. "Just return them when you're done." Harry said.
James and Liliana laughed hard . Sirius and Regulus spluttered.
"I need Leo back to help me with astronomy." Velvela said.
Sirius whined like a puppy. Liliana rolled her eyes at him. "Shizuka, comfort your cucciolo(pup)." Liliana said. Shizuka just chuckled and petted her future husband's dark hair.
"Aries said he'd help us with History of Magic." Ron added.
Regulus huffed and crossed his arms in anger.
The twins nodded. Aries gave up struggling and Leo tried biting George.
People laughed at the misfortune of the Black cousins.
They took off with looks of fear and mischief.
"What could the twins do to them?" Remus asked.
"See you guys at lunch." Velvela said before going to her first lesson.
"She seems nice." Shizuka said with a smile. "Ten galleons that Velvet and Lee hook up at some point." Sirius said. Several occupants took part of this bet.
A pair of girly shrieks could be heard. "Did we just doom Lee and Ree?" Harry asked.
"I hope not." Arcturus said.
"Nah, they'll be fine. Fred and George like them." Ron explained.
"What happens to those they don't like?" Barty asked.
Harry was glad he had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because Potions had to be the worst lesson he had.
James and Liliana gave two harsh glares. Dorea's eyes went cold and Charlus' normally friendly face went unreadable.
At the start of term banquet Harry got the idea that Snape didn't like him before his scar burned.
"WHAT!?" His grandparents asked in shock and concern.
Harry was wrong.
Lily looked smug.
Snape didn't dislike him—he HATED him.
Her smugness disappeared. Harry's family looked murderous. Remus growled and Sirius looked every part of a deadly member of the Black family.
When Snape was taking roll call he stopped at Harry's name. "Ah, Harry Potter, our new…celebrity." He sneered.
"Harry doen't even like his fame!" Liliana hissed.
Harry could hear Malfoy snicker with Crabbe and Goyle.
Lucius groaned. Abarax pinched the bridge of his nose.
Leo said that Snape was like his dungeon. "Cold, and creepy, full of pickled whats-its."
"Accurate." James snarled. Lily gave him a glare, but it was a fraction of the one James already wore.
When Snape finished roll call he stood in front of the class. He looked at them all with cold, empty eyes that reminded Harry of dark tunnels.
Snape looked slightly irked.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word. Snape was capable of keeping a class silent with little effort.
"Out of fear not respect." Sirius snarled viciously. "A good teacher like Minnie commands respect without needing to instill fear." James added fiercely. "A good teacher also judges everyone equally, and pushes them to excel." Remus growled. McGonagall looked surprised at her trouble making students' words. Most of the adults looked proud of them.
Snape winced as if their words had actual weight. Lily sent a steely glare at them. They had no right to judge Sev's career without firsthand experience. She thought.
"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
McGonagall sent a stern look at the young Slytherin. He so far showed no skill as a teacher, yet he was teaching. He insulted students, targeted students for grudges from his childhood, and was famously known for favoring his old house. Why did Dumbledore keep him as a teacher?
Harry and Ron exchanged confused looks. Hermione had a determined look on her face as she wanted to prove she wasn't a dunderhead.
"At least she's determined." Alice said.
"Potter!" Snape snapped. Harry jumped. "What would I get if I added powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
"That's a sixth year question!" Andromeda shrieked. James and Charlus gave the Slytherin looks that would make him wish the draught could truly kill.
Harry racked his brain for the list of answers Aries gave them. Hermione was raising her hand high, and at the edge of her seat.
Everyone looked shocked. "How does she know that?" Sirius asked shocked. "She might have bought more books in Diagon Alley." Lily reasoned.
"Why don't you try Hermione sir?" Harry asked. "She seems to know." The class laughed.
"Don't take this laying down!" Dorea cheered viciously. Liliana looked proud of her son for standing up to him.
"Sit down!" Snape barked at Hermione. "That'll be a point for your cheek Potter. Now answer the question." Snape sneered.
"He doesn't know!" Remus yelled angrily. Snape was trying to sink into his seat at the looks he was getting from across the room.
"I don't know sir." Harry said. Snape sneered coldly. "Tut tut… clearly fame isn't everything."
James looked livid. Liliana stood up and glared at the Slytherin with the force of Dante's Inferno. "Figlio di puttana (son of a bitch!)!" She shouted with a scalding voice. "Stronzo! (Dick/shit/turd) she shouted reaching for her wand only to be stopped by Shizuka. "You would stoop so low as to judge my son so quickly to justify your actions!?" She bellowed.
"Leave him alone!" Lily said jumping to her childhood friend's defense. "He can't be held accountable for actions he never did yet!" "I have every right when he unjustly hates my son! He cannot move on from the past, and takes it out on my Harry!" Liliana shouted.
"Enough!" Moody shouted slamming his hand on the table. "You two can bitch later. We need to get through these books and any magical fighting will lead to unknown consequences." Moody growled. Both witches looked angry but sat back down. James gave Liliana a peck on the cheek. It made Liliana smile and Lily glower.
Snape said. "Let's try again. Where would I find a bezoar?"
"That's a fourth year question!" Remus yelled in outrage. McGonagall truly doubted Dumbledore's teacher choices.
"I don't know sir. Try the stomach of a goat." Harry said coldly.
"How'd he know that?" Snape asked in shock.
Snape looked surprised at that. "Correct." Harry tried to hide his shock. He didn't actually know he just heard Leo grumble that once when Dudley lost his computer game.
Snape snorted derisively. Many people turned to look at him callously.
"What's the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"They don't learn that 'till later in the term." Ted said with an angry frown.
"They're the same thing." Harry said quickly. Velvela would often talk to Neville about Herbology and they'd help them out with the homework.
The Longbottoms and Alice looked happy about learning more about Neville.
Velvela and Neville had actually read the whole One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi before the start of term.
Frank looked surprised.
"Correct." Snape sneered.
"Is that his default setting?" Shizuka asked Liliana. Liliana smirked sharply.
"And for your information Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of the Living Dead. Monkshood and wolfsbane are also known as aconite. Well why aren't you writing this down?" He asked the class.
"Cause you never said to." Barty said slowly as if talking to a child. Snape glared at the younger blond Slytherin.
They began to scribble quickly after rummaging for parchment and ink.
Many adults rolled their eyes.
Snape wrote a recipe for a simple cure for boils. They paired up and began to brew.
"That's it!?" The students asked in shock. "Slughorn at least goes over it with us first!" Regulus hissed.
He swept around in his long black cloak as they weighed nettles and crushed snake fangs.
"Do you want to scare them into messing up?" Sirius asked coldly.
He criticized everyone except Malfoy, who he seemed to like.
Abarax shot a look at his son. Lucius made a mental note to keep them apart.
He was in the middle of praising the perfect way Malfoy stewed his horned slugs when an acidic green smoke cloud erupted from the table next to Harry and Ron.
Everyone paled.
Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus' cauldron into a melted blob. Their potion spread across the stone floor and burned holes into people's shoes. Neville got the worst of it and was covered in large angry red boils.
Alice and Frank looked worried. Augusta read the next line and looked furiously at Snape.
"You idiot!" Snape snapped coming towards them.
"Hey!" Alice yelled. Frank gave the Slytherin a severe glower.
He vanished the potion with the wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the potion off the fire." Snape sneered. Neville whimpered as boils spread across his nose. "Take him to the hospital wing." He spat at Seamus before rounding on Harry and Ron.
"Oh you gotta be joking." Sirius said bitterly.
"You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you?
"WHY YOU-"
No doubt like your arrogant friends, the Blacks.
All the Blacks sent deadly looks promising pain and slow suffering.
That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor. How sad the three are hopeless disappointments, how utterly ashamed your parents would be if they were here. " Snape sneered before swooping away.
"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Sirius yelled trying to level his wand at Snape. Septimus and Ted were barely holding him and Remus back. Charlus was struggling with James. "HOW DARE YOU!" James screamed. "HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT!?"
Regulus was wrestling with Barty for his wand. McGonagall and Dorea were holding the two furious future mothers back from attacking the Slytherin first. James managed to break free and charged at Snape. Snape pulled his wand out and a purple curse hit him in the chest.
James fell in a crumpled heap. Sirius, Remus, Liliana and Shizuka rushed to help him before his parents rushed towards him. Then all of a sudden Snape was swallowed by a large black hole that formed below his feet. Everyone stood stock still for a moment.
"WHAT HAPPENED!?" Lily demanded. Liliana was the first to react. "That so called friend of yours just cursed James!" Liliana said fiercely. "Potter was going to attack him!" Lily defended. "He wasn't going to curse him!" Remus yelled. "Yeah, right!" Lily said derisively.
Liliana's anger just grew. She drew her wand and took a dueling stance. Lily did the same. "Ms. Evans! Ms. Evangelista!" McGonagall said. "ENOUGH!" Moody shouted. "What the bloody hell just happened?" Lucius asked in shock. A note appeared in front of them. We warned you not to fight. That's what happens. He's gone and have no memory of what has happened. Everyone looked shocked.
After everything settled down Augusta picked up where she left off.
Harry opened his mouth to say who unfair that was. He was working on his own potion! He had no right to say ANYTHING about his family! Ron kicked him in the shin. "Quiet!" He hissed. "I heard Snape can turn real nasty."
"Turn?" Sirius asked in a growl. Lily glared at him.
"Turn?" Harry hissed back. Harry felt bad. He just lost points for Gryffindor.
"Twos nothing to worry about." Alice said trying to lighten the mood up.
An hour later he was a bit gloomy. "Cheer up. Fred and George lose more points than that and they manage to earn more." Ron said with a friendly nudge.
Septimus smiled at his grandson. James smiled (a bit painfully) at Harry's good friend.
"Can I come to Hagrid's with you?" He asked. "Sure! Leo said he'll bring Vel with him." Harry said.
Liliana's mood lightened up a bit at that. And James holding her hand.
At three they were all down at Hagrid's hut. Harry knocked on the wooden door. Leo was busy looking at the crossbow outside next to a pair of galoshes.
Sirius chucked weakly.
There was the sound of frantic scrambling and several loud barks along with Hagrid saying "Back Fang, back."
"He's probably sweet." James said.
Hagrid opened the door with a cheery smile. "Hang on" He said quickly "Back Fang." Hagrid opened the door for the five of them to enter.
"I like going to Hagrid's." Remus said. His friends nodded.
There was one room and it was full of all sorts of things. Ham and pheasants hung from the ceiling. A large copper kettle was on the fire. A large bed with a patchwork quilt was in the corner.
"Sounds cozy." Xenophilius said. The snobbier purebloods held their thoughts to themselves.
"Make yourselves at home." Hagrid said as he struggled with the collar on a large black boar hound. In the end he just let the hound go, who went towards Ron and started to lick his ears.
Septimus chuckled a bit at that.
"This is Ron." Harry said to Hagrid who was pouring hot water to make tea and placing rock cakes on a plate.
McGonagall and the marauders grimaced at the mention of Hagrid's rock cakes.
"Another Weasley eh?" Hagrid asked looking at Ron's freckles. "Spent half my time chasin' yer twin brothers from th' forest."
"Us too." James said fondly.
Harry was petting Fang's head in his slobbered lap.
Sirius grinned.
"This is Velvela." Leo said with a smile. Velvela gave a shy smile. "She's in Hufflepuff with me." Leo explained. "And I need to keep you on a leash." Velvela said shooting Leo a look with her amber eyes. Leo returned the look with his dark grey eyes before sticking his tongue out.
Everyone laughed at their banter. "What's the bet that they'll get together?" Regulus asked. "six to four." Remus said.
"Any housemates of yers Aries?" Hagrid asked looking at Aries.
"I have been wondering about that." Narcissa said.
Aries shrugged. "Not really. They're nice, but I prefer spending time with these guys or with Fred and George." Aries said before taking a sip of tea.
"I hope he finds a good friend in his house." Andromeda said.
The rest of them used the distraction to spit the tooth breaking lumps with raisins out.
"We had to go to Madam Pomfrey after a tea time." Sirius said rubbing his jaw.
"What did they do to you two during breakfast?" Ron asked.
"I forgot about that." Bellatrix said.
Aries and Leo shared a look. Velvela snorted. "The twins poured salt and vinegar down their pants." Everyone but the two Blacks laughed. "It's a declaration of war!" Leo said with conviction. Aries nodded.
"Hogwarts might not stand." Charlus said with achuckle.
Ron snorted. "They were born pranksters." He explained. "How so?" Aries asked. "Their birthday's April Fools." Aries and Leo looked surprised.
"What a coincidence." Liliana said sarcastically.
"Huh, mines April third." Aries said leaning back into his chair.
Regulus looked very attentive at that detail about his son.
"So what tops salt and vinegar?" Leo asked. "We could-""How were yer lessons?" Hagrid interrupted.
McGonagall looked thankful.
They told Hagrid about their lessons. It was even better since Ron can imitate voices and sounds so well.
Everyone laughed.
They were all delighted when Hagrid called Filch "that old git."
"Yes!" Frank said pumping his fist.
"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere?" They shook their heads.
"Really?" Everyone asked.
"Can't get rid of her - Fitch puts her up to it." Hagrid said.
"Is she his familiar?" Remus asked curiously tapping his chin.
When Harry, Aries and Leo explained how Snape hated them, Hagrid told them not to worry since Snape hardly liked anyone.
Lily spluttered. The Marauders laughed themselves silly. Several others couldn't help but chuckle at Hagrid's words.
"But he really seems to hate me." Harry insisted. "He called me an arrogant brat when I never said a word to the man!" Leo said unhappily. Aries never said anything and just glared.
Everyone looked made or uncomfortable.
"I'm sure he doesn' hate yeh." Hagrid said without meeting their eyes. Hagrid started asking Ron about his brother Charlie and the dragons he worked with.
"He's too easy to read." Moody growled.
Harry picked up a clipping of the daily profit off the table.
Gringotts Latest Break In
Investigations continue into the break in on July 31
Widely believed to be of Dark Witches or Wizards unknown.
Goblins insist that nothing had been taken
as the vault was emptied earlier that same day
"What!?" Everyone asked in shock.
Harry remembered Ron saying that Gringotts was broken into on the train. "Hagrid! The Gringotts break in took place on my birthday. It might have happened when we were in Diagon Alley!" Harry said quickly.
People paled. "I hope they missed them." Regulus said unevenly. The other future parents nodded quickly in agreement.
Aries and Leo shared a look. They remembered a few shady characters during that trip.
Their parents began to sweat nervously.
Hagrid didn't look Harry in the eyes and offered more rock cakes with a grunt.
"He's far too easy to read." Charlus said.
Harry reread that news story. Hagrid emptied a high security vault that day. Was that what the thief was after? And if it was what was it?
"Excellent questions." McGonagall said.
As they all left with pockets heavy with rock cakes they were too polite to refuse they all began to talk. "You said Hagrid too something from a high security vault that day?" Velvela asked as they walked up to the castle.
"Hogwarts business he said." Regulus pointed out.
Ron and Aries looked thoughtful. "Whatever it is, it has to be important." Aries said.
"Definitely." Everyone said.
"But it's so small." Leo said.
"That is true." Lily pointed out.
"Magical items come in all shapes and sizes. It could have some powerful magic in it. I know my Gran Cedrella had this gem as big as a thumb nail and it had some powerful charms on it." Ron explained.
Many purebloods nodded. "Cedrella kept the sapphire?" Arcturus asked with a raised eyebrow. Septimus nodded. "She treasures it." He said.
"You get the feeling that Hagrid's hiding something about Snape?" Harry asked. "Definitely." his friends answered.
"That's the end of the chapter." Augusta said.