3SM138

Disclaimer – after 100+ chapters, no it still isn't mine

Chapter 138

Neville had spent a mostly lonely Christmas opening presents while his grandmother watched and made rather acerbic comments about all the presents but her own. Augusta was year by year becoming ever more bitter, along with her friend Muriel Prewett.

Muriel was increasingly unhappy about her sons. She had finally given up control of the family business, tiring of the constant duties to be done. They had promptly welcomed Lawrence, than horrid squib and his half – blood brats Mafalda and Martin back into the family with open arms and ignored her protests.

Augusta felt quite sorry for her friend and said so rather loudly, especially after imbibing freely from the wassail bowl that had a lot of extra brandy in it. Augusta also loudly complained that Mafalda Prewett was obviously so much cleverer than Neville and that even that muggleborn chit Granger was outshining him.

Neville bristled at times, hearing her talk about his old friend that way. Privately he did know that muggleborns and half-bloods could be just as smart as any pureblood. But, those ideas weren't welcome with his new friends, however he figured that they would see that for themselves when Hermione and Mafalda became well-respected and famous witches.

Neville rather resented that his grandmother was unimpressed by his near perfect scores in Herbology. After all their family fortunes were based in the plants they raised in their greenhouses. Nothing he did seemed to win her approval except for his friendships with Blaise and the group of purebloods Blaise ran with.

It was now the day after Christmas and he was bored stiff. The only thing he had left to do was to finish up the potions essay. Even with the new Professor Horace Slughorn he did not like the subject, in spite of Horace's blatant attempts to get him to join the 'Slug Club'. He was quite aware that he was invited on the strength of his family name and not because he was a budding genius like Mafalda and Hermione or had a great talent that Horace wanted to have under his wing. Not to mention Horace always fussed over Potter, declaring that he had his mother's intuitive knowledge of Potions.

There was a pile of Daily Prophets from the past week that he'd been mostly ignoring after reading headlines. He felt no need to read them, the headlines were sickening enough, so he'd totally missed the article about Lord Voldemort's return.

As far as Neville was concerned, Potter had had a melt-down, got kicked out of Hogwarts for attacking a teacher, broke into the Ministry because he was an credulous idiot and then fell through the Veil of Death only to get kicked back out (Death didn't want him either, Neville sneered to himself).

Neville didn't care what ridiculous excuse had been dreamed up by Potter's fawning sycophants, it was just more lies, he was sure.

Augusta and Muriel sneered at some relative's gift that was still being displayed under the tree one last time and staggered to the floo to go visit other friends of their age group with equally acidic tongues. Augusta waved a negligent hand toward Neville.

"Behave yourself; I will return later this evening." Augusta said as she reached for the floo powder. She hoped Neville wasn't upset about the news that Lord Voldemort had returned, she'd avoided the subject all day.

Neville waited until she was stepping into the floo and then yelled. "I might run over to Blaise's, grandmother." She waved a hand with a frown, but was in too much of a hurry to argue.

Neville quickly penned a note to Blaise and sent it off with a swift owl and gave him a couple of 'speed treats' to get the owl there even quicker. The treats were very expensive, but he didn't care. Some of the NEWT level students had made up a batch and sold them off to students to get extra money, so Augusta didn't know he'd spent a pocketful of galleons on them.

Blaise got the note from Neville while Lord Voldemort was giving instructions for the delivery of a 'surprise package' to the Ministry. Madame Zabini and Blaise felt a little faint when they realized that a message for Blaise was interrupting a meeting.

Pius Thicknesse smirked while Voldemort glowered at the pair. Pius had disliked Madame Zabini since she had snubbed him and married her third husband years ago. Pius asked her with a condescending sneer, "Are we keeping you from something, my dear?"

A few Death Eaters snickered rather unkindly. More than one of them, of course, had been kicked aside as not rich enough or influential enough by Madame Zabini.

Madame Zabini grabbed the note and scanned it quickly. "Neville Longbottom wishes to visit Blaise." She answered, voice quivering in terror. Blaise was the only thing left that she loved. She couldn't lose him.

Bella and the LeStrange brothers perked up. "We can finally finish off the brat. We were interrupted after killing the parents." Bella chirped.

Voldemort stopped glowering and looked thoughtful. He looked over at Eli Herron and Morton Trigg. "You said that young Longbottom was leaning toward joining us, as long as he did not realize who I really was?" The pair nodded eagerly to him.

Voldemort smiled maliciously. "Well, once he's here it won't matter what he wanted. He'll be persuaded to join." Voldemort's eyes fell on a nervous Blaise. "You will send him an invitation with a portkey inside. He'll be our guest until he joins. The Longbottom fortune will be of use. I am quite sure that Madame Longbottom will pay well to keep her only heir safe."

Blaise swallowed hard but nodded as if he was eager to deliver Neville into the hands of the Dark Lord. He liked Neville to an extent. Neville had been one of the few who had looked up to him in Slytherin House and had followed his lead. Most of the Slytherins had sneered at him. Even those from dark houses had not respected him.

However, survival was survival and he would have to hope that Neville embraced the idea of being a Death Eater and perhaps Blaise could help him. Of course Neville would have to overlook the fact that Bellatrix would now be a comrade of his, and Neville was likely to get himself killed objecting.

Rabastan LeStrange led him into an anteroom and made up a portkey to bring Neville straight to that room while Blaise wrote a note inviting him for the weekend. They sent the note back to Neville and Blaise sweated while Rabastan smirked at him.

"I will give you a few minutes to persuade Longbottom to cooperate after he arrives." Rabastan told Blaise. "With luck he'll eventually realize the fix he's in and decide we're the best thing since bread slicing spells."

Blaise nodded jerkily and tried valiantly to smile at the joke. Rabastan hovered just outside the room and listened as Neville popped in with the portkey.

Blaise eagerly welcomed him but Neville was confused. This was not Blaise's house, where had he been portkeyed to?

Blaise cleared his throat and strove to think of a persuasive answer. He knew that above all, Neville wanted to be noticed and to be somehow important and receive recognition.

Blaise tried to brighten his expression and smiled at Neville as if very happy. "I have good news Neville. You've come to the attention of the new Lord among the purebloods. I've told him what an excellent student you are and that you'll soon be a wizard of note after graduating. He is quite pleased at the idea of having the Heir of such a distinguished House join in his efforts against Potter's herd of idiots."

This struck a rather pleasing tone with Neville who had been hearing how inadequate he was for years. Blaise and his friends in the higher years – McClaggen, Herron and Trigg all agreed that this new Lord was on the right track. Plus, McClaggen was a Gryffindor, and he wouldn't back anyone that was like Voldemort, surely.

"I would be happy to meet him, Blaise." Neville answered brightly and Blaise smiled in relief. There might be some hope for Neville after all.

Rabastan hid a smirk and walked through the door. He, luckily, looked nothing like his wanted poster. The LeStrange brothers had cleaned up and shaved. They still had a rather manic look in their eyes but they had known Occlumency and their mental status was slowly improving. They both wished they could say the same about Bellatrix.

Rabastan waved for the boys to follow him and they walked toward the ballroom. Voldemort had placed a listening charm on Blaise and had been pleased that the little git had proved clever enough to at least get an initial agreement from Neville.

Voldemort ordered Bellatrix from the room, telling her and a few other very well-known Death Eaters from Azkaban to deliver the Ministry's 'surprise'. He waved to most of the other followers that were there to step back into the shadows. He might see the robes, but the tell – tale masks would be invisible.

Herron, Trigg and McClaggen were there, who he would know from school. Some other Death Eaters who the public had not identified were out in the open, for Neville to see. Hopefully that would put the rich Longbottom brat at ease since it wouldn't be obvious that this was now Death Eater headquarters. He just needed cooperation for a short time and then he could stop playing nice.

Neville and Blaise followed Rabastan into the ballroom, admiring the intricate designs on the walls. The pain needed touching up, and the curtains weren't new but it was still impressive. They were walking down the center, figures in the shadows along the walls. There was a wizard on the other end in an ornate chair, surrounded by quite a few wizards and witches.

Neville knew most of the younger wizards and nodded to them and they smiled back and nodded. Neville stopped a few feet from the seated wizard. He appeared to be in his 40's, perhaps, and a bit pale otherwise he was unremarkable except for his intense eyes and the magical power that surrounded him like a cloud.

Voldemort attempted a kindly smile that fell a bit short of its goal. A glamor hid the slightly melted looking facial features, although they had been working on reversing that as much as possible. They had gotten rid of the greenish tinge. There was nothing to be done about the red eyes except extend the glamor to hide those as well, although that drained magic faster.

"Welcome, scion of the Noble House of Longbottom." Voldemort said. "Blaise and your other friends tell me that you are in agreement with many of our ideas on the direction we all feel the wizarding world should be taking."

Neville nodded agreeably. He did agree that wizarding society was too fixed on 'helping out' the muggleborns and half-bloods. His friends were angry because it slowed down or impeded the purebloods.

Neville felt the rules harmed not only the purebloods, but the muggleborn and halfbloods as well. Many in the ministry, as well as Dumbledore had not wanted to teach wizarding society rules and tradition. Some felt it was too much for them to take in or was too 'pushy'. However Neville suspected from things his grandmother said, that some just didn't want the muggleborn to fit in and encouraged Dumbledore's reluctance to encourage those new to the wizarding world to conform.

If this 'Dark Lord' could make it mandatory that everyone commit to the wizarding world and learn about it, then there would be less danger for all. Plus, anyone that could minimize Potter's influence and popularity was someone to support.

"All the ideals expressed by Blaise and the others, along with the plans they have told me sound quite reasonable. I certainly want to assist you in any way I can." Neville puffed up a bit proudly.

"Very well, I am pleased." Voldemort managed to let only a satisfied grin cross his face when he really wanted to howl in laughter. "You understand that I need an oath of allegiance from you before I can even reveal my name and tell you of further plans or include you in anything."

Neville stepped forward, pulling out his wand, ready to swear to support this powerful wizard. The wizard simply smiled and waved toward Neville's left arm. "There is a spell to give you our protection and allow us to tell you when our meetings occur. It has been misused in the past, but it is still the best spell for groups to use."

Neville's smile grew nervous. Voldemort tried to reassure the young man. "We use a sigil, but don't worry about that …" Voldemort cast a spell, showing Neville a spray of lavender blossoms. Neville relaxed, how bad could they be if their sigil was a bunch of flowers? He raised his left arm, allowing the wizard to hold his arm tightly and press the tip of his wand to the inner part of his forearm.

The pain was unimaginable and Neville let a couple of whimpers escape. But really, he'd suffered worse at the hands of Uncle Algie. When it was done Neville looked down at the sigil and blanched in horror. It was a skull and snake … the Dark Mark. His eyes flew to the wizard, whose eyes were now crimson.

"I didn't say that the flowers actually were our sigil." Voldemort smirked while the Death Eaters in the shadows started emerging and snickering at Neville's alarmed expression.

Neville looked over at Blaise with a look of betrayal. Blaise had a blank look on his face, trying to not flinch. His mother had made luring Neville and others to Voldemort sound easy. She didn't mention how the victim's accusing look could make you feel like a worm. Maybe she didn't feel any remorse for any of her own betrayals.

"Well, will you do my bidding as a loyal Death Eater, or do you require some persuading?" Voldemort asked with studied indifference. It didn't really matter what Longbottom said. If he joined, he would be of use in the plans. If not, he was a good hostage and the Dark Mark would be awkward for the brat and might eventually force him in to compliance since most of the wizarding world would not be very sympathetic to him as it was generally known that the Dark Mark could only be placed on a willing subject.

"I'll never follow you." Neville answered shakily. He was all too aware that under torture he might change his mind.

A pair of Death Eaters of dragged Neville to the kennels and left him in one to contemplate his possible fate along with the terrified muggles.

Theo had watched all this with a sense of horror. He was planning on going to a safe house offered by his old Head of House during the upcoming spring break. He'd wanted to spend one last Christmas with his father; although there seemed to be little of the father he'd known and loved left.

Neville had gotten very tight with Blaise and Theo had not been able to warn him very well. Anything he said against Death Eater rhetoric would have gotten back to the wrong people, so he'd settled for just calling Blaise a self-absorbed git with an overdeveloped sense of entitlement. Even the most fanatical of Voldemort's followers snickered in agreement at that.

Still, Theo hated to see Neville trapped this way. Theo had managed to hold off getting marked, telling his father that he was nervous about Sinistra and was afraid she was going to start checking arms for the Dark Mark.

Theo hoped he could find a way to help Neville, but he had doubts.

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Severus watched Beth and Gigi from the porch. He was nervous about the connection. Part of him understood that Gigi would never harm her chosen human but the paternal part was somewhat terrified of the Horntail. The terror was amplified whenever the three males accompanied her. They usually slunk a safe distance away after Gigi would hiss and snap at them in warning but Severus lived in dread that a fight would break out at some point and Beth would get squashed during it.

The pair finally finished their lengthy conversation, much of which seemed to be about Beth's concerns regarding her pony and Gigi reassuring her that she and her males would never eat friends of friends.

Lunch was just ending when a loud knock sounded at the floo. A rather frantic Hugo Savage was requesting Severus' assistance at the ministry. It was the first day of the Ministry reopening after the holidays. A rather leisurely reopening that started after lunch, opening just long enough to plan what they would do the rest of the week.

Rosmerta smiled in resignation and Beth cheerfully waved and asked him to pick up some ice cream on the way back.

Severus chuckled. Beth had certain priorities and no amount of encroaching darkness was going to sway her. Severus arrived through the floo with a faint smile on his face which disappeared quickly. There was a rather chaotic scene with ministry workers talking in frantic terrified voices and fleeing back into the floos.

Hugo dragged Severus over to a cluster of Aurors surrounding the Minister and his assistants. The object of their alarm was immediately obvious. A body was hanging spread-eagled in the fountain of the atrium. The chains holding him were fastened to the wands of the wizard and witch, making their happy smiles seem quite inappropriate.

"We're fairly certain we know who it is, but the damage to the body makes it difficult to be sure." Hugo looked a little sick, which worried Severus. A seasoned Auror like Hugo didn't get shocked by much. "We're hoping you can confirm his identity."

Severus nodded and got closer. Hugo obviously did not want to give any hints and predispose Severus toward a certain name. He noted the black, cassock – like robes and the Dark Mark on the left arm. He sighed, already guessing who it was. The face was slashed by either a knife or a cutting hex making the features difficult to discern, but Severus was sure. It was Igor Karkaroff.

Severus turned back to the group, who was now anxiously watching him. "It is Headmaster Karkaroff." Severus told them. The group somehow managed to look disturbed and relieved at the same time. The man was dead, but on the other hand they could finally tell the Bulgarian government where the Headmaster was.

"A Dark Mark was hovering in the air above the fountain when the first employees arrived. The Aurors dispelled it after it was examined." Hugo said. "It's brought the Aurors and the Minister up short. They had felt they were doing a pretty good job combating the dark forces. Now the Ministry itself has been attacked … rather successfully."

Severus looked the Minister and his staff over. The Minister and a few of them looked panicked. Severus noted that one or two looked mostly unconcerned with only vaguely worried looks. One of them was Pius Thicknesse.

Well, the last thing they needed was for the Minister to panic and do something stupid. Severus walked over to Cornelius and tried for a reassuring look.

"Quite horrifying, Minister." Severus said and got a jerky nod in response. "Obviously you'll need to expand the security of the Ministry."

One of the assistants sputtered derisively. "What good will that do? The Ministry was locked down completely for the holiday and they got in." He waved toward the fountain. "If they can do this and cast the Dark Mark in the atrium, what can we do?"

Severus firmly told himself that sneering and yelling about cowardly idiots would be nonproductive.

"Getting in was unlikely to be a problem for the Death Eaters." Severus watched as their faces took on a bewildered look at that statement. "I am sure that the Dark Lord has a ministry worker or two either as a follower or is perhaps merely being blackmailed into assisting, but they could easily let it the Death Eaters. After all, the workers can get in, and the spells to ride in on their coattails, so to speak, are not difficult. You just need your wardsmiths to tighten security to as high a level as they and still have the Ministry functional."

Most of the group looked relieved. The mystery of how the Death Eaters had accomplished this was gone and they felt better with a solution presented. Severus grimaced at the nearby Aurors who rolled their eyes. Likely they had been trying to tell the group this and weren't listened to.

A couple of the Aurors looked at him a bit suspiciously, though there wasn't overt hostility. That was fine; Severus was suspicious of everyone on principle as well. He didn't approve of Aurors that took everyone at face value even if that did lead to uncomfortable situations for himself.

Severus interrupted the discussion going on in the Minister's group one last time. "The wards and protection you've suggested the general public make use of have definitely made an impact. There have been very few abductions or killings. Igor was apparently taken soon after the Dark Lord got 'resurrected' for lack of a better word, so the protections weren't in place. I suggest you emphasize that the public use the safety measures and perhaps come up with a few more."

Fudge looked gratified and much calmer after having clear directions. The sour looks from a few advisors told Severus that the suggestions had been made before. Usually Lucius was the one that reassured and pointed Cornelius in the right direction but it seemed he now trusted Severus as well.

Hugo was overseeing taking Igor's body away, but he paused to nod at Severus as he went by to the floo. Severus went home by way of Malfoy Manor. The family was slowly adjusting to living in the huge place. Lucius did not mind it as much now that there was all that noise for the children. Tori adored that place, although Lucius had to be very firm with the house elves that Tori was not allowed to bring the pony inside even if there was plenty of room for him.

Lucius winced at the description of the extensive damage done to Igor, but they had known Voldemort would punish traitorous Death Eaters severely. They suspected at least a part of this was aimed at them, giving them a preview to what they would experience when the Dark Lord caught them.

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Two days before school was to restart the Governors convened the 'inquiry' regarding Harry and his incident with Professor Umbridge.

Pius had gotten himself invited along with the usual Ministry representative. Neither of them had any vote in the proceedings but they could voice an opinion since the Professor in question was on loan from the ministry's Auror academy. His orders from Voldemort were to ensure that Dolores remained at Hogwarts even if he had to suggest that she do detention scrubbing toilets for Filch.

They wanted as many people in the school as possible to assist in Voldemort's planned attack by finding a chink in the castle's armor that would let them in.

Lucius was sitting in his governor's seat, eyeing the remaining governors. He and the rest of his family had made friendly 'holiday' visits to most of the other governors and he had laid out what the Malfoy family felt was an appropriate response to what had happened. They had all agreed that if the inquiry's findings were the same as Malfoy's information that they would side with Malfoy's plan.

There were three governors who, while they might cave to Malfoy's pressure at times, did not socialize with him and Malfoy had simply dropped them an owl asking that they go along with what he would suggest as a punishment for Umbridge. They had responded that if they did not find it inappropriate they would go along.

Rosmerta, Severus and Harry arrived and sat in the seats provided facing the long table filled with governors. Dolores arrived with a superior smile on her face and gave Rosmerta a dismissive look. She was quite disgusted by the social climbing trollop, going and marrying Snape so she could be the 'Boy Who Lived's' stepmum.

Rosmerta gave returned the look along with an up and down look at the unbecoming pink robe that was covered in ruffles and lace. The horrid hag, mistreating Harry this way. If she ever showed up at the Three Broomsticks she would be sorry.

Dolores and Rosmerta gave each other a sniff of disdain and turned toward the governors. Albus presided over the proceedings and called for order.

"Now, this inquiry is to clear up this whole incident." Albus adjusted his spectacles and peered down at a parchment. "Now it appears Professor Umbridge assigned Mr Potter a detention when he denied having stolen a locket belonging to the Professor. When he went to the detention he was told to write lines, but then he found that he was writing them with a blood quill."

There was an outbreak of muttering and looks of disbelief. Albus cleared his throat and the governors were silenced like a group of errant schoolboys.

"Mr Potter objected to using this after writing 'I must not tell lies' a few times and left the detention to come to my office. Professor Umbridge cast a stupefy and Mr Potter returned fire with a petrificus. Neither spell hit its mark. A short duel ensued that I broke up quickly." Albus finished the tale.

"A blood quill?" One governor sputtered in disbelief. "Surely not." It was quite inconceivable that a teacher would use a blood quill in such a manner.

Albus produced the quill and handed it over for the governors to pass around. One by one they peered at the quill and then at Dolores and over to Harry Potter.

One of the governors, an Electra Bode, scrutinized Harry and asked, "I presume that repeated use of the quill might leave scars, Mr Potter?" She glanced at Harry's hands pointedly.

"There were deep scratches in the back of my left hand, but my father was able to heal them over the Christmas Holiday." Harry answered calmly. It was wonderful to not have to fight anger and anxiety all the time.

"Why exactly did you use a blood quill, Professor Umbridge?" Another of the governors asked. They weren't used to questioning professors and students this way. Usually things were more clear-cut, or at least having to do with the school itself – whether to start the 'wizarding heritage class' which had become very popular and well-attended. Occasionally there would be decisions about new teachers – like the yearly search for the DADA teacher. Having a near – criminal investigation was new.

"The boy had stolen my locket. I had no doubt of it." Professor Umbridge answered loftily. "Such a grievous offence deserved a harsher punishment than what the teachers here give the students." She sniffed at the idea of cleaning duties or things of that nature.

"The locket was found on his person, then?" Dunstan Marchbanks, the ministry representative asked, looking disturbed. Harry Potter … a thief? He was quite distressed at the thought. He was new to the job of ministry rep to Hogwarts and other schools and the home-schooled magical students. It was mostly paperwork, filing grades and keeping track of numbers of students. This was a bit more exciting than he'd bargained for, especially with Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape now looking at him as if he was under a microscope.

"No, I didn't search him." Dolores answered uncomfortably.

"Someone saw him take it, then?" Electra Bode asked, what had made the woman think this of Potter?

"Not that anyone has said, but his little friends are unlikely to report him." Dolores answered with another sniff. The governors looked at each other. They'd thought that Malfoy had been exaggerating a bit with his tale of a deranged DADA teacher targeting Potter for her malice. Well, he'd apparently been spot – on.

"Well, what exactly made you think that Mr Potter was guilty?" Dunstan Marchbanks asked, totally baffled. He glared at Pius, this Professor had been sent on his recommendation and it would reflect badly on the Ministry, which the Ministry was not needing right now.

Dolores twitched uncomfortably, not sure how to answer. "Well, we'd just had that Mr Lockhart, a werewolf and Mr Potter's brother, that Riddle fellow there, passing out their tawdry books." Dolores' voiced oozed contempt over all three wizards. "Potter was the last student leaving the classroom when I noticed the locket was missing from my desk. When I confronted him about his theft he was quite insolent, which confirmed my suspicions."

The entire group was struck speechless by Umbridge's thought process. It was Dumbledore that finally broke the silence.

"Although, as you have said, a blood quill is not specifically forbidden it is definitely not an object we would allow to be used as punishment on a student and we're rather concerned about you believing that it would be approved of." Albus said gravely.

"We shouldn't have to tell a teacher that veritable torture is not allowed." Electra Bode said with asperity. She was now quite disgusted with the obviously child – hating hag. Malfoy's suggestion was actually too tame, she now felt.

Lucius felt this was the time to break in, now that all the other governors were looking at him in anticipation. Albus had been sent a pithy letter from Severus that was sent by way of Petunia's most hostile postal owl telling him to let Lucius have his way during the hearing and promised there would be nothing fatal in their revenge.

Albus hadn't liked the tone of the note, but was happy they were conversing with him even if it had cost him several bitten fingers from the owl. Luckily Fawkes had taken pity on him and had dropped a tear on his wounds. Well, he could always over-rule Lucius if he had too draconic a punishment. Albus glanced at Dolores coldly. Not that he was all that worried about her.

"Professor Umbridge." Lucius let her title sound sarcastic. "We feel that perhaps you haven't quite grasped your duties as a teacher at a premier wizarding school. The minimum that the parents who entrust their children to us expect is a lack of physical torture." There were a few snorts from governors, though they were all too disgusted to be really amused.

Dolores literally bit her lip to stop from answering angrily, but Pius had been clear, don't get yourself fired. The Dark Lord wanted her here in Hogwarts and he would not be pleased if she wasn't. She would have to endure this blood – traitor's insults for now.

"Therefore, while you will still teach your class you will have someone supervising you at all times. They will correct any mistakes you might make and they will review any points taken or detentions you might set. They will also review the content of all classes taught." Lucius gave her his most condescending look.

"Won't this overburden the other Professors?" Dolores asked, hopeful that they would cut back on the supervision.

"Oh, we have contacted two former Defense teachers who have agreed to do this." Lucius smiled with a mockingly kind voice. "Gilderoy Lockhart and Remus Lupin will divide the classes between them. If there are any times they cannot cover due to prior appointments then Severus Snape will fill in, as he'll be here often to assist with the upcoming animagus lessons."

Dolores was horrified, "A werewolf?" Dolores' objection came out as a squeak. "You cannot subject innocent children to a dangerous animal like that." She sent a pleading look to the governors.

The governors had been uncertain about Lupin returning, but he would in effect be supervised as well by an over-alert Umbridge. Not to mention that the year he'd taught had seen the highest scores on OWLs and NEWTs in years. Oddly, Barty Crouch Jr's year had very high scores as well. None-the-less, they disliked Dolores more than Lupin. Dolores' pleading look was met by chilly silence.

"If you don't accept the terms, you can always resign. Of course if you do that, I'm afraid we will be formally charging you with assault." Lucius gave her a smile that was merely a show of teeth. "We preferred to take care of this in-house, but if you insist we will involve the Aurors."

Dolores looked around at the angry governors and ministry representatives, an unsympathetic Albus, a smug Harry Potter and Rosmerta and a very malicious looking Severus Snape.

She nodded and acquiesced, "Very well, if that is what you want."

The remainder of her time here was going to be quite unpleasant.

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A/N – Sorry for the hold-up, but I've been locked in marathon sessions of Lord of the Rings Online with my daughter and a few friends.