Chapter 11

Blood Quills and Roller Skates

"You have to forgive them Merlin. They are a bit in awe." Godric laughed.

"I guess so." He chuckled. "Who might you all be? Are all of you my descendants?"

"No sir. I'm sorry sir. I'm Harry Potter, Heir of Godric Gryffindor."

Tom looked at Professors Sprout and Flitwick nervously. Then he took a deep breath. "And I'm Tom Riddle, Heir of Salazar Slytherin."

Flitwick let out a squeak and fell over backwards, and Sprout let out a terrified gasp. McGonagall quickly took control however.

"It's alright. We already know who he really is. Please trust us."

"Minerva, he's…he's…he's…oh my word!" Sprout gasped.

Flitwick picked himself up off the floor and stared at Tom, who just looked down at the ground. Harry knew that Flitwick was one of Tom's favorite Professors, and he hated lying to him. Sprout he liked too, just not as much.

"I take it I'm missing something." Merlin said, looking around at the terror stricken Professors.

"Indeed my old friend." Salazar said. "Tom is the darkest wizard in our world, and of this time period. Though, to his credit, not by his choice."

"So is this business with Dumbledore is really true?" Sprout asked. "Are you all sure you're not under…" Sprout began, but was quickly cut off by McGonagall.

"We are positive. Our information comes from Death himself. Tom has not put us under any kind of spell."

"Death?" Merlin said, with a slightly amused tone. "How is the old boy? I haven't seen him in…well I don't know how long." He laughed.

"The year is 1995." Professor Snape said.

"A long, long time then." Merlin said with a sigh. "Perhaps you all should tell me what has happened."

It took a few hours, but Harry and Tom told Merlin, Flitwick, and Sprout all about their lives. When they were done, Merlin was angry, to say the least.

"So this man, Albus Dumbledore, has sought fame and glory by attempting to manipulate these two young people?" He asked, and everyone nodded.

"To make matters worse, he's trying to become another you." Salazar said, with a glint in his eye.

"Me?" Merlin asked, looking startled, but then he scowled. "I don't take too kindly to that."

Salazar nodded. "I have kept this to myself and haven't wanted to voice this before now, but my feeling is, he tried to turn Tom into another Morgana. You see Merlin, Tom wanted to be a healer before Dumbledore turned him to the Dark Arts. As I recall, Morgan Le Fey was a dark witch, but an exceptional healer."

"Indeed she was. So Tom is/was a modern day Morgana then. Yes, she was my greatest enemy, and I can see how this Dumbledore fellow would need one similar to her, in his attempts to become more like me. Tell me a few things, how much power does this Dumbledore have? Also, Tom, how many people have you killed willingly and why?"

Tom looked up at him. "I have killed a total of five people willingly. They were Death Eaters who thought it would be fun to torture and kill muggle children. I would not stand for that."

"I don't blame you. I have to admit, I would have done the same. I know that sounds unlike me, but it's true. I killed a number of people because of similar things. Some people just shouldn't be left alive." Everyone just stared at Merlin for a moment. "I never admitted to being a saint." He chuckled. "Now, what about his power?"

"He is Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump, and Grand Sorcerer. Along with various other titles." Harry said. "He's very powerful politically and magically. He once even owned The Elder Wand. He won that from the Dark Wizard Grindelwald."

"The Elder Wand?" Merlin asked. "What is that?"

Godric smiled. "You would know it as, Death's Wand."

Merlin's face darkened into a scowl. "Did it look like this?" He asked, pulling a wand from the sleeve of his robe.

"Yes!" Harry exclaimed. "How…what…"

"This was my wand. Death himself gave it to me when I was a young man. He told me that I would need it one day, and indeed I did. It helped me defeat Morgana. Was this the wand that imperiused you Tom?" He asked, and Tom nodded.

"Death himself told me I was very powerful if I was able to start shaking off the imperius curse cast by it."

"Indeed, you are a very powerful wizard. Tell me Tom, how do you feel about the dark arts?"

"Truth is, I find comfort in them. The Dark Arts have protected me, to a point. I know them, and they know me. I harnessed them."

Merlin nodded. "I can see that, and given everything that has happened to you, I don't blame you. How do you feel now that you have your soul back?"

"Guilt, sorrow, and remorse." He said sadly. "Knowing that so many lives have ended, and that so many families have been ripped apart because of me is…"

"Stop right there lad." Merlin said. "That is all I need to know. Even though your head tells you it wasn't really you, your heart still mourns because of your actions. Even if you didn't do it willingly. This is good. It tells me you won't fall back into that on your own, and for that I'm thankful."

"Is it wrong, that even now I look to the Dark Arts for answers?" He asked.

Merlin shook his head. "No, because you don't look for ways of killing or harming. Truth is there really shouldn't be a difference. This 'light' magic and 'dark' magic business is nonsense. Magic is magic. Magic can harm, and magic can heal. It's the intent of the caster that determines if it is 'light' or 'dark'. In my day, we used the killing curse to relieve suffering in muggles and wizards alike."

"Well Mr. Potter, you are indeed a wise wizard." McGonagall said looking at Harry proudly. Harry stared open mouthed at Merlin.

"I take it you have said something similar?" Merlin asked with a smile.

"Yes sir." He managed to croak out.

"In these days we are trained from birth to think dark is bad, and light is good." Snape said.

"Which is not necessarily a bad thing." Merlin said. "We all need to know the difference between good and evil, but when it comes to magic itself, it's a little different. However, we can discuss this another time. I want to know what has happened to Death's Wand."

"I have it now. I acquired it in my future past life, and Death gave it to me again when I came back." Harry said.

"Good, then Dumbledore doesn't have it, but no doubt he is still very powerful without it."

"He is." Tom and Harry said together.

Merlin nodded. "Well lads, I will most certainly help you in defeating this Albus Dumbledore fellow. I will also help you train your fellow students in the Order of the Phoenix, or Mini Order as you all call the Student Order."

"Student Order." Luna said thoughtfully. "I like that better."

"You coined Mini Order Luna. Do you want to change it?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I think we should." She said with a nod.

Neville grinned at her. "So what does Hogwarts think about Merlin being 'alive'?" He asked.

Luna laughed. "She thinks it's great."

"Don't say anything yet though. I want to see Dumbledore's face when you announce it." Harry laughed, but then he looked at Professors Sprout and Flitwick. "Are you both going to be ok?" He asked.

"Forgive me if I watch you closely for a while." Flitwick said, looking at Tom. "I know your story now, and I admit it all makes sense, especially given the things Albus has done to Mr. Potter, like the theft and spying, but the fact remains you're still You-Know-Who. I can't just ignore that."

"I agree with Filius." Sprout said with a nod. "I will also give you the benefit of a doubt. I trust your story though. So many things just don't add about Albus, and now that my eyes have been opened I can plainly see that. Death himself is on your side, so I will do my best to put aside my fears."

"All I can say is thank you." Tom said with a smile. "I will do everything I can to prove myself to you both."

Sprout and Flitwick nodded, and since it was almost dinner, they decided to head to the great hall. Merlin wanted to see Dumbledore though, so he jumped into Salazar's painting so that the room wouldn't vanish because of his own painting being removed. Harry and Tom took him, Salazar, and Godric off the wall and shrunk them down. They headed to the great hall with grins plastered to their faces.

Flitwick gave the twins full permission to cause as much chaos as possible. He may have not been too sure about Tom yet, but as far as Harry and the others go, he knew what they had been saying about Dumbledore was the truth. After all, Harry had proof of the theft, lies, and manipulations. He was even proud that Luna was Hogwarts, and joked that only a Ravenclaw could pull it off.

Sprout felt much the same way. She was a little nervous around Tom, but as for the others, she was fine. Their plans for a student rebellion was alright with her and she even told them that they could still sit in her class if they got expelled. This cheered them all up even more.

Flitwick, Sprout, McGonagall, and Snape entered at different times, so that the other two professors could be protected as much as possible. No one wanted them to lose their positions, or their jobs. Harry and the others gave themselves time to eat, and when Luna left the great hall after she had finished her dinner, the boys got to work. Harry took Salazar and Godric out of his pocket, and returned them to their original six foot size. The boys propped the founders up the same way they had on the first night, but Salazar shuffled into Godric's so that Merlin could have one to himself. Dumbledore nearly dropped his fork when Merlin began to speak.

"Which one of you is the Dark Lord Dumbledore?" He asked loudly. "As you know, from having stolen my painting some time ago, I am Merlin! It has come to my attention that you strive to be like me, and are less than honorable in your attempts at it. Well, let me just say I don't take to kindly to that. You have created an enemy Albus Dumbledore. I myself may be dead, but because of Salazar's potion, I have been somewhat revived. These lads have told me a very unique story, and unfortunately for you, I believe them. I will do everything in my power to train them and give them my knowledge in order to defeat you. You have been warned." Merlin said, scowling at Dumbledore, who wasn't very hard to miss.

"HOGWARTS! PLEASE RECOGNIZE MERLIN!" Salazar bellowed.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts Merlin. I am honored that you have returned, and I will gladly recognize you as authority. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"NOT AT THIS TIME HOGWARTS! I THANK YOU FOR ASKING. IF I NEED YOU, I'LL BE SURE TO ASK."

"I'll be here if you need me Merlin, and again, welcome back."

Harry jumped up on the bench seat of the Gryffindor table. "As half owner of this castle, I can pretty much do anything I want, so if anyone wants to join the Order of the Phoenix, you are welcome to do so." He said loudly. "We were going to be super secretive about it, but we decided that since Professor Umbridge is a horrible and unqualified defense teacher that we would open our group up to the whole school. Merlin has agreed to teach us Defense against the Dark Arts. Tom and I will also help with the teaching. We ask that you sign the sign up sheet that will be posted on your house bulletin board. For fifth and seventh years taking O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s this will benefit you greatly."

Tom also jumped on the bench seat beside Harry. "We will give you a few days to think about it, but keep in mind that this is not an official class. These classes will be not replace the ones you are scheduled to take with Madam Umbridge, BUT at least you'll be able to use and learn defensive magic."

"That is Professor Umbridge, Mr. Ringo!" Umbridge shouted, jumping out of her chair.

"I refuse to acknowledge you as a Professor!" Tom shouted back.

"I agree!" Salazar said. "If you are not qualified to teach, you should not be referred to as a Professor."

"You cannot do this! As High Inquisitor I will put a stop to it!"

"Educational Decree number Twenty-Four is in coming." Harry muttered in Tom's ear, but then he spoke up. "As half owner of this castle you cannot stop me. Perhaps we can somehow contact Voldyshorts and see what he thinks. Since he is the other owner, perhaps we can have you removed. You see Madam Undersecretary, I have the power to do that. You are in fact, a guest in my house. The only reason I haven't kicked you out yet is because I want to see you running out of this castle in humiliation with Peeves smacking you with a walking stick." He said with a large grin, and Professor McGonagall looked at him and smiled. "However, if you feel the need to leave at any time, please feel free to do so." He continued, motioning toward the doors.

"Harry, I have said this before, you are in danger. Voldemort will kill you." Dumbledore stood up and said.

"I highly doubt that Headmaster." Tom said. "Where is Voldyshorts? Have you seen him? Obviously not, because if you had, he would be out there right now hating muggles and killing muggle borns because you'd have him under your control."

"I was not talking to you Mr. Ringo." Dumbledore said heatedly, but then he looked at Harry. "You're making a mistake. We will not allow students to be taught by a painting and two students."

"And that's where you're wrong Headmaster." Harry said throwing his arms out wide. "I own this place, and I can do what I want." Then he turned to address the great hall. "I will now remind you all that the sign-up sheet will be posted in your house common…"

"Not for Slytherin!" Umbridge shouted. "I am head of Slytherin House now."

"Slytherin, please see either myself, Potter, or Ringo to sign-up." Snape said standing up.

"That is a very good idea Professor." Tom said.

"Severus! You will lose your job!" Dumbledore cried. "I will fire you!"

"Good luck finding a new potions master!" Harry yelled. "Professor Snape, if you in fact lose your job, you are more than welcome to stay here at Hogwarts."

"Thank you Potter." He said with a slight smile and a nod.

"Well, if no one has any questions, we will be going." Harry said, jumping down from the bench seat.

"For all those interested, we will be learning everything from basic defense to more advanced and forgotten defense spells." Merlin said with a smile. "As I understand, many spells have been forgotten over the years, and I intend to resurrect them. Harry, shrink me down. I don't wish to see anymore of this imitator."

"Yes sir." Harry said with a smile.

Tom and Harry shrank both paintings down, and they headed out the door with large grins on their faces for the second time that day.

The rest of Sunday night passed without much happening, but Monday morning came with the expected Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four. It was posted on the bulletin board, and when Harry entered, Hermione looked smug.

"All Student Organizations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disbanded. An Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club is hereby defined as a regular meeting of three or more students." She read out loud. "Looks like your group can't happen without permission."

"And when has the rules ever stopped us Hermione?" Fred asked. "This little thing is not going to make a difference in our plans."

"It says right there Fred…any student that has founded, or that belongs to an organization will be expelled." She said haughtily.

"But the problem is finding the group." Harry said walking down the stairs. "Good luck finding our classroom."

"You're making a mistake Harry." She said glaring at him. "You will be found."

Harry snorted. "Ok Hermione. Whatever you say." He said, then he turned to Tom who had just walked in. "I'm hungry. How about you?"

Tom grinned. "Let's go eat."

They walked to the great hall in silence, but when the mail came, Fawkes flashed into the great hall carrying a large package in his talons. He dropped it off in front of Harry and Tom before flashing out again. They looked at each other in confusion.

"Already?" Tom asked. "We just sent them a note last night."

"Maybe Sirius found an all night store somewhere." He said shrugging his shoulders, as he tore open the package.

"I still don't know about this Harry." Tom whispered. "Roller skates were big back in the fifties, sixties, seventies, but I haven't roller skated in almost thirty years."

"Well it's like I said last night. I've never roller skated before, so it looks like we'll be learning together, or in your case, relearning. Umbridge hates muggles and anything to do with muggle things. This will drive her nuts." He said pulling the skates out of the box.

Tom looked at him uncertainly, but took his own pair of skates and put them on his feet.

Hermione scoffed at them as she sat down. "You're out of uniform. You won't be allowed to wear them."

"Says who? There is nothing about not wearing skates. They are footwear, and we can wear them if we want too." Tom said.

She rolled her eyes as Harry and Tom got to their feet. Tom kind of half rolled, half hopped over to the wall, but when he found his balance, he smiled at Harry.

"It's like riding a bike." He laughed, as he skated down the length of the table. "It's great!"

"Well come and help me then!" Harry cried, as he groped at the wall before falling down with a thump. Tom laughed and skated back over toward him, and with a twirl of his robes he skated around Harry and stopped. "Show off." Harry said looking up at him with a grin.

"I'm trying to get Severus's twirling of the robes down. It's very dramatic." He laughed, grabbing Harry by the hand and hoisting him to his feet.

The next several minutes were filled with laughter and groans as Harry tried to get used to the skates. He wasn't sure if this had been a good idea or not, but what he was sure of, was the amount of pain associated with learning to roller skate. The great hall watched the two of them in amazement as Tom skated circles around Harry and gave him pointers. Dumbledore eyed them curiously, Umbridge watched them red faced with anger, but the other Professors looked on in amusement. The muggle borns cheered them on, while the others asked what they were doing. The Slytherins though, stared at them open mouthed and in shock as they watched Tom skate. Neville, Fred, and George on the other hand, roared with laughter at Harry's facial expressions when he fell.

"Just put one foot in front of the other Harry. You have to keep your balance." Tom laughed, as Harry fell again.

"I'm trying." He said, grabbing at the Hufflepuff table to steady himself. He pushed his glasses back on his face as he steadied himself again.

"Here, grab onto the back of my robes, and I'll lead you around until you get used to them. Obviously it's not going to work if you try on your own."

"Ok, just don't go too fast." Harry said, grabbing at him.

Tom led Harry around the great hall until it was time for potions, but by that time, Harry had almost gotten the hang of it. However, he stared down the stairs that led to the dungeons looking a little panicky.

"I can't do this." He said glancing at Tom.

"Just use the rubber stopper and make your way down carefully. Hold on to the wall if you have too."

"Don't worry Potter, we will be down at the bottom to stop your fall." Draco laughed, edging carefully around the two of them.

"Thanks Malfoy." He grinned.

"Harry you're going to kill yourself." Hermione scolded.

"Watch it Potter." Ron said, pushing him roughly aside, making Harry have to grab onto Draco to keep from falling. "You're in my way."

"Watch it Weasley!" Neville yelled, shoving Ron into the wall.

"Weasley! That is no way to talk to people better than you!" Draco said glaring at them, and carefully standing Harry back up. "Haven't we talked about your place here? You are way at the bottom, and we are way up here." Draco said, pointing to the floor and ceiling respectively.

"Watch your mouth Malfoy!" Ron said, shaking himself loose of Neville and pulling out his wand.

Tom wandlessly swatted it out of his hand, and made it clatter down the stairs. Ron glared at him.

"Oops. Sorry about that Weasley. You must have dropped it or something. Better go and fetch it."

Ron and Hermione glared at all of them, but quickly made their way down the stairs.

"Crabbe, Goyle, you steady Harry and help him down the stairs. Malfoy, make sure I don't fall either. This parts a little new to me." Tom said.

"Neville, will you walk behind me just to make sure I don't fall over backwards?"

"Sure thing Harry." He laughed, as the others made their way around him.

"Potter, this has got to be the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. Do muggles really do this kind of thing with these things?" Draco asked.

"If you mean walking down stairs with them on, no." Tom answered. "But I'm having fun. I haven't skated in years." He said, and Draco looked at him weirdly.

With Neville, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle's help, Tom and Harry managed to reach the bottom without cracking their skulls open on the floor below, but they were a little late in getting to potions. Professor Snape just looked at them and told them to take their seats. Tom skated over with no problem, but Harry almost fell again.

"Potter, take this." Snape said handing him a pain potion. "I have a feeling you'll need it."

"Thanks Professor." He said breathlessly, as he sat down.

Tom snorted, but they settled down for the lesson which thankfully passed silently. They somehow managed to make it back up the stairs without injury, but Harry almost cried when they reached the first floor, and stared up at the grand staircase.

"Harry think of it as building muscles." Tom said cheerfully. "It's great exercise too."

"This was such a bad idea." He groaned, then he took a deep breath. "But I'm committed to doing it."

"Yeah, committed to the St. Mungo's crazy ward." Neville snorted, as he also gazed up at the staircase.

Tom laughed. "It's ok Harry." He said waving his wand at the stairs. "Last night Salazar told me the spell to turn the staircases into slides."

Sure enough, the stairs turned into slides which made it so much easier to climb. Harry grabbed hold of the banister and wheeled his way up.

"Going down is going to be a lot more fun." He grinned.

"If you can stay upright." Neville laughed, jogging up beside them when Tom returned the staircase to normal.

"Why didn't you do that on the way to potions?" Harry asked.

"It's too steep. We both would have crashed at the bottom." Tom laughed.

"You know Messers Potter and Ringo," Professor McGonagall said as she passed by them on the second landing. "If you use the whip spell to turn your wand into a whip, you might make things easier on yourself."

"Why didn't I think of that!?" Harry cried, and Tom told her she was a genius.

They did that on the next landing, and Harry found it was a lot easier to magically pull himself up the stairs. They warned the other students on the stairs before turning them into a slide though. They really didn't want anyone to get hurt because of them.

For the rest of the day, they skated to all their classes. During lunch they skated into and around the great hall, to the laughter of the other students. Some of them even commented that Harry was getting lots better at the activity. A few muggle borns, and those raised by muggles even asked if they could owl their parents and have them send their skates or skate boards, and Tom said they could. Harry went a little further and told them to ask for other muggle things that didn't run on electricity. Namely boats, kayaks, and air beds that you use in pools, though he wouldn't say why.

They barely made it into defense class later that afternoon though. Tom rolled in like he owned the classroom, and Harry managed to make it inside in without crashing into anyone or anything.

Umbridge glared at the both of them. "I will not tolerate this nonsense in my classroom. You are out of uniform, and I cannot allow you to wear those things on your feet."

Hermione turned around and smirked at them.

"Well that is where you are wrong Madam Undersecretary." Tom said, wheeling around her desk and stopping with another twirl of his robes. "Harry owns the castle, and Hogwarts has recognized me as kind of an owner. This is our home, and if we want to turn it into a skating rink, then we can. As for your uniform comment, we are allowed to wear our own foot wear. There is nothing in the uniform dress code, set by the Founders, that says skates are not allowed."

"That's because those things didn't exist back then." She said, already getting red in the face. "Now you two already have detention…"

She didn't get to finish that sentence because Neville, Dean, and Seamus, promptly threw up. It kept going and going, and almost made Harry loose his own lunch. She immediately sent them to the hospital wing, and didn't even have the sense to question why the three of them suddenly lost their lunch.

"As I was saying." Umbridge said glaring at the two boys, who were now sitting at their desks with their feet propped up on them. "You two already have detention with me this week, and I will make it so that you have another week if you don't take those things off."

"So let me get this this straight." Harry said leaning back in his seat. "You are telling us to take off our current foot wear, which is well within the dress code by the way, and want us to walk around in our socks, which is in violation of the dress code. That doesn't make any sense to me."

"Detention for another week!" Umbridge yelled at them. "I will not be made a fool of in my own class!"

"You already make yourself look like a fool." Tom laughed.

"OUT!" Umbridge screamed, pointing toward the door. "Get out, and I expect you both to be here for detention after dinner!"

"Oh dear, it looks like we managed to get kicked out of another Defense Class. What ever are we supposed to do now Harry?"

"I'm not sure. Perhaps we can practice our skating."

"Or in your case falling." Draco laughed.

"You're right Malfoy. I may need another pain potion." He grinned. "I hope Professor Snape has another one in his supplies."

"Yelp, it's been fun." Tom said standing up. "But we have real learning to do, so I guess we will see you all later."

They left a red faced and fuming Umbridge behind them, and skated lazily down the hall. Harry was starting to get the hang of skating, but he wasn't as good as Tom yet. Tom could go careening around the corner of a staircase onto the one below without so much as a wobble, but Harry still had to hold on to the banister to keep from flying into the opposite wall. He also decided to forgo the use of the rubber stoppers, and started to favor crashing into walls or other things in order to stop or slow down, but at least he was able to keep his balance and stay on his feet.

Dinner was much the same as breakfast and lunch. Tom and Harry skated around after they had finished eating. Dumbledore watched them with a bemused expression, while the other Professors laughed, except Umbridge. Draco and Neville had taken to having foot races against Tom while he was skating, even though they both kept loosing. Tom eventually scooped Draco up in his arms and skated around the hall with him, while Draco screamed in his ear for Tom to put him down. Everyone laughed at that, except Umbridge.

Before dinner finished though, Tom skated up to the front of the room, and addressed the great hall. "Listen up everyone! I have a special announcement!" He called out. "Harry and I have talked about this, and since the owl post is likely to start being monitored, you should redirect all in coming packages to either Sirius Black or Remus Lupin. Those of you who have been asking us if you can have your parents send you your roller skates or skate boards will have a better chance of actually getting them if you do this. If they are sent directly to you, they will be confiscated by either Madam Umbridge, the Headmaster, or Mr. Filch. Just have your parents send them to Sirius or Remus with a note attached with your name on them so that Fawkes or an elf will be able to deliver them to you. Sirius and Remus have agreed to do this, so there is nothing to worry about."

Umbridge jumped up, and Tom and Harry turned to face her. "If anyone is caught with these things on their feet, they will have detention and will serve it with me!" She yelled. "I should tell you that by tomorrow morning, Educational Decree Numbers Twenty-Five and Twenty-Six will be posted on your house bulletin boards. Number Twenty-Five states…The High Inquisitor will henceforth have supreme authority over all punishments, sanctions and removal of privileges pertaining to the students of Hogwarts, and the power to alter such punishments, sanctions and removals of privileges that have been placed by other staff members…Number Twenty-Six states…Teachers are hereby banned from giving students any information that is not strictly related to the subjects they are paid to teach...if anyone is caught breaking any of the Educational Decrees, they will be expelled!"

Harry turned around and faced the great hall. "Anyway, so if you are interested in having your skates or skate boards owled to you, just remember to have your parents first send them to Sirius Black or Remus Lupin with your name clearly written on the package."

"What about what Professor Umbridge just said?" Justin Finch-Fletchley asked.

Tom sighed. "If Madam Umbridge is too stupid to read the school charter, then that is not our problem. The Ministry of Magic has no authority at Hogwarts. This was told to me and Harry this afternoon by Salazar and Godric themselves. The Hogwarts's school charter was written and magically sealed by all four founders. Rowena Ravenclaw placed two lines in there that say… any person placed in a position of authority, by anyone except the Headmaster, Deputy Headmaster, or Founders, does not have the power to make decisions or change rules…The other line says…no outside governing body, past, present, or future, has the right or authority to take control, make decisions, or change the rules and practices of Hogwarts…That includes the Ministry, and since the Ministry, not the Headmaster, placed Umbridge here, she has no authority at Hogwarts and neither does the Ministry."

"As of this moment, Madam Umbridge's teaching contract clearly states that she was placed here by the Ministry, because the Headmaster had not found a Professor for the Defense post at the time. They cannot change it now even if they wanted to, because the first one cannot be voided out." Harry added. "So all of these Educational Decrees mean nothing because they come from Madam Umbridge, and by extension, the Ministry. You see, the Board of Governers and the Ministry have been allowed by Headmasters of the past to change rules and govern Hogwarts, but in reality, they have no authority to do so. We technically don't have to do anything Madam Umbridge or the Ministry says. We do however, have to obey legitimate Professors, so I would advise you all to NOT tell Professor Snape to bugger off."

This last comment caused the great hall to burst out laughing.

"So does this mean that Professor…I'm sorry…Madam Umbridge cannot be Head of Slytherin House?" A 6th year Slytherin asked.

"Correct." Harry said. "Even though Professor Dumbledore himself has placed her there, she technically can't be the Slytherin Head because of her teaching contract, so I would advise you all to consider Professor Snape as your Head. She shouldn't even be here in the first place."

A cheer went up at the Slytherin table, but Professor Dumbledore stood up and glared at them all.

"Mr. Potter!" He yelled. "I do not…"

"What no more Harry? Is it because I'm no longer playing by your rules?"

"Mr. Potter, you cannot just come in here and supersede my authority!"

Harry shook his head. "I'm not superseding your authority Headmaster, just Madam Umbridge's."

"Have you not been listening?" Tom asked, glaring at Dumbledore.

"I have been listening Mr. Ringo, but the point is I placed Professor Umbridge as head of Slytherin…"

"Which goes against the school charter." Tom interjected.

"…so therefore she is Head of Slytherin!"

"Not according to the School Charter!" Harry and Tom yelled together.

"Or her teaching contract." Tom added. "How many times do we have to say it before it sinks in? Umbridge doesn't belong here." He said very slowly.

"You two have detention with Professor Umbridge. Is that correct?" He asked.

"Yes sir." They said together.

"I demand you both go to it."

Harry and Tom looked at each other, and grinned wickedly. "We wouldn't miss it for the world." They said.

This took Dumbledore by surprise, but Umbridge got up from the head table.

"Follow me." She said with a wicked gleam in her eye. "And take those things off your feet!"

Harry and Tom just ignored her, and skated to her office.

Umbridge closed her office door tightly behind them with a snap, and glared at the boys.

"You will not take out your wands because if you do, you will regret it. You will not speak because if you do, you will regret it. You will do exactly what I tell you to do." She hissed. "Is that clear?"

They nodded.

"Answer me!" She screeched.

Tom rolled his eyes. "Make up your mind. First you tell us not to speak, then you tell us to speak. Merlin woman." He said, shaking his head.

Umbridge glared at him. "Sit down." She growled, pointing toward two wooden chairs next to her desk.

They did, and the boys watched as she took out two quills and a piece of parchment from her desk drawer. Harry recognized the quills instantly, and nodded slightly at Tom, and Tom grinned at him.

"You will write lines for me." Umbridge said, not even noticing the silent conversation between them. "Mr. Ringo you will write…I will obey Professor Umbridge…and Mr. Potter will write…I must not tell lies…because you know you were telling lies just now in the great hall. Now began."

Harry raised his hand.

"What?" She snapped.

"You haven't given us any ink." He said, inwardly grinning at the déjà vu. "And I wasn't lying and you know it."

"You won't need any." She said ignoring his comment. She smiled sweetly and turned her back on them.

Tom immediately used his wandless magic to shield their non-writing hands, but Harry noticed that the old scar on his hand reddened and started to bleed slightly. There was only a brief moment of pain though, then it went away. Tom quickly cast a spell on the quills which made them glow a blood red for a moment.

Umbridge turned around quickly. "I don't hear quills scratching the parchment." She hissed.

They began to write, and Harry looked at Tom curiously when the ink that flowed out looked blood red. Tom was grinning a sickly wicked looking grin that reminded Harry of 'Voldemort', as Tom continued to write. Harry shivered a bit as he put his own quill back to his piece of parchment and began writing the lines again, but after a minute or so, Umbridge suddenly gasped.

"What…ouch! What in the…ouch…ouch…" Then she let out a blood curdling scream.

Tom ignored her and continued to write furiously, but Harry stopped and looked at Umbridge. She had blood running down her forehead and the inscription said…Lord Voldemort was here. Harry glanced at Tom's paper as Umbridge continued to scream. His lines showed he was writing…I will obey Professor Umbridge…but the cuts getting deeper and deeper on Umbridge's forehead told Harry differently.

Tom glanced up, and seeing the look of horror on his brother's face, jerked the quill out of Harry's hand and threw it against the wall. "Don't write anymore Harry. I'm still going too though."

"I don't think I can write right now Tom." Harry said shakily, as Umbridge still continued to scream.

"It's not in your nature to torture someone." He said calmly. "But she deserves it. If she was willing to do this to us, she's willing to do it to those younger than us. You know what kind of person she is." He said, as he continued to write.

Harry couldn't argue that. "What is it doing to her?"

"More than what it looks like on the surface. I'm boiling her blood, as well as using it to write the words. That's why it's coming out of my quill looking all bubbly and steamy."

"Will it kill her?" Harry asked desperately, as Umbridge still continued to scream writhe around on the floor.

Tom shook his head. "No, but I guarantee she will never use blood quills again. This spell is permanent."

Harry stared at him wide-eyed, but Tom suddenly jumped up, grabbed Umbridge's arms, and threw her against the wall. She stopped screaming the moment he stopped writing, but now she looked like a quivering mess with blood dripping down her face.

His voice was low and cold as he hissed at her. "Now I see the fear in your eyes. You're not such a tough little witch now are you? Fear me woman. Fear me. For you have just been cursed by me. I am Lord Voldemort." He whispered with a grin.

"ALBUS! ALBUS! ALBUS!" She screamed frantically. "HELP ME! HELP ME PLEASE!" IT'S HIM! IT'S YOU-KNOW-WHO!"

"Confundo." Tom whispered, as he wandlessly cast the charm. Umbridge shuddered slightly, shank to the floor, and passed out. Tom turned to Harry. "Get away from the wall Harry. Stand behind me."

Harry did, and Tom wandlessly blasted a whole in Umbridge's wall office wall. The explosion shook the entire castle as the shock wave sent bits of stone and dust flying outside toward the night sky and then to the ground below. Then he turned to Harry.

"Do you want me to confund you as well?"

Harry shook his head. "No, but what do we say?"

"Just look really scared, and follow my story."

"That'll be easy to do." Harry muttered, as the door to Umbridge's office flew open.

"What is…?" Dumbledore started to ask, but suddenly stopped as he looked around at the destruction.

"Sir it was Voldemort!" Tom blurted out. "I don't know what happened, but he somehow got ahold of Madam Umbridge!" Tom said frantically, pointing at the still passed out witch, as McGonagall, Snape, and Flitwick ran in behind the Headmaster. "I think he did something to her, and then he blasted a hole in the wall!"

"Calm down Mr. Ringo. Harry tell us what happened." Dumbledore said.

"I don't know sir. Voldemort just suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She had us writing lines and with no ink, and I felt stinging in my hand. That's when Voldemort appeared. He jerked the quill out of my hand threw it against the wall, and turned to her. He carved things into her face. Then he told her he was Voldemort, then did something to her, and blasted a hole in the wall!" Harry said. He wasn't really lying though, only telling half of the truth.

"Are either of you hurt?" Dumbledore asked, studying them closely.

Harry shook his head. "No sir. It's like…it's like…he was protecting us from her or something."

Flitwick walked over to the quill that Harry had pointed at and looked at it closely. "Mr. Potter was this the quill?"

Harry nodded. "Yes sir. That's the one Voldemort grabbed from me."

"Let me see your hand Harry." Dumbledore said eyeing the quill, and Harry held out his hand.

There, written plain as day, were the words…I must not tell lies. They were still red and bleeding slightly.

"A blood quill!" Professor McGonagall screeched. "That woman, your new best friend, used a blood quill on students Albus!" She spat.

Dumbledore ignored her, and turned to Umbridge. He revived her, and helped her to her feet. She looked a mess. Her hair was matted with blood, she had blood all down her clothes and face, and carved deeply into her forehead and were the words…Lord Voldemort was here.

"Albus, it was You-Know-Who. He just came out of nowhere." She mumbled.

"It's ok Delores. Just sit down." He said calmly. Then he turned to the group. "Severus, search the grounds. Look for any signs of him. Get Mr. Filch to help you. Filius lockdown the castle." They nodded and left, but not before glancing at Harry and Tom.

"My blood started to boil. Then pain in my head. I saw him. He looked snake like. He grinned at me. Said I should fear him. Said he cursed me." Umbridge mumbled.

"I'll take you to the hospital wing." He said, and gently helped her up. Then he eyed Harry and Tom. "Go to the great hall. Minerva, get all the students into the great hall. We have to search the castle." Then he walked out of the room, half holding Umbridge up.

When he was gone, and out of the classroom door, McGonagall looked at them. "What really happened?" She asked.

Tom sighed. "There was no way I was going to let that woman torture us, so I kind of reversed the effects of the blood quills, and made her blood boil as well. I did kind of let my 'Voldemort' side creep up on me. I confunded her so that she would know it was 'Voldemort', but not remember that it was my face."

"Everything we said was the truth, just not the whole truth." Harry added.

"And the wall?" She asked.

"I did that just to make it look like an escape. It can be fixed with the normal repairing charm. I didn't use dark magic for that."

She nodded. "I must say that I don't approve of what you did, but I can certainly understand why you did it. You must not let this happen often though." She warned.

Tom nodded. "I know, and I won't."

"Very well then. Both of you get to the great hall."

"We have to grab Salazar, Godric, and Merlin first, if that is ok." Tom said, and she smiled and nodded.

"Just be quick about it."

"Yes ma'am." They said together, and they quickly took off their skates, and ran out of the room.

They made it to the seventh floor, and burst into the Room of Requirement. Merlin, Salazar, and Godric wanted to know what happened, but Harry and Tom told them they'd tell them when they got to the great hall. Harry called for Dobby, and told him to first go tell Luna that everything was fine, and to meet them in the great hall wearing her cloak. Then to go and get Sirius and the others as soon as he could, and get them to the great hall as well.

On the way back down, they ran into the other Gryffindors making their way to the hall, and they quickly found Neville, Fred, and George. As they headed into the great hall, Harry saw that Sirius and the others were already there, and Tom muttered that Luna had ahold of his cloak. They all found an empty corner of the room, and Harry quickly cast Muffliato, so that they couldn't be overheard. Harry and Tom took Salazar and Godric's paintings out of their pocket, and leaned them against the wall. This time though, Merlin was sharing Godric's painting.

"Ok so what happened?" Sirius asked. "I keep hearing something about an explosion, and the whole castle shook."

"It did." Harry said, and Tom began to tell everyone what happened.

"So she tried to use the blood quills again." Remus growled. "Just wait until the next full moon."

"Why do you say that?" Merlin asked curiously.

"I'm so sorry." Harry said smacking his forehead, and he introduced Merlin to the others.

"Oh I see." Merlin laughed. "You are the werewolf. I'm not prejudiced, so don't worry. I just find it curious that you would say what you did."

"I plan on paying her a little visit." Remus grinned. "But don't worry, I would never harm her or anyone for that matter. I just think a night of unnerving howling at her window will get her attention."

Harry snorted. "I can't wait to see that."

Merlin laughed, but then turned to look at Tom. "How are you feeling lad?"

Tom sighed. "I know I should feel guilty about what I did, but I don't. She tried to torture us first. I know that's not really a very good excuse, but I can't help but feel that she deserved it. She won't have any lasting damage though, except a scar on her forehead. The curse I placed on her will activate again if she ever uses the blood quills again."

"She would have used those quills on other students." Harry said. "Younger ones in fact. She did it last time."

"I see." Merlin said with a nod. "I've said this before, and I'll say it again. I'm not a saint, so I'm not one to really judge what you did. All I can say is, be careful and don't let those feelings over take you."

"I won't." Tom said quietly. "I would never hurt anyone innocent on my own, but I feel that those that truly deserve it, should get what's coming to them. Umbridge is not an innocent woman."

"I know she isn't, but still, be careful in the future. I would hate to see you revert back into the man you were."

"Yes sir." Tom said with a nod.

By that time, Dumbledore had entered the room, and was watching Harry and the others closely. He couldn't hear what they were saying of course, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something just wasn't adding up.