Summary of last Chapter:
- Houses Bristlecone and Fingerling need to be replaced on the Wizengamot, the usual shouting match begins, multiple houses are recommended, Arcturus and his allies vote for House Copperfield who along with House Rockwood is elected as new temporary member of the Wizengamot
Chapter 19:
Patch Notes:
Fixed a few grammatical errors in Chapters 1,2,7 and 10.
6th September 1976, England, Sayre Manor:
„Now Atticus why have you called me here again? Something to do with the recent Wizengamot session?" asked Arcturus after he sat down.
„Indeed my friend. But please let's cut the pleasentries for today. By Merlin, why would you ever vote for the Copperfields?" Atticus demanded to know as he stood up.
„Hmmm you mean why my faction didn't vote for your guy when we didn't propose one ourselves?" Arcturus replied but he got no answer.
„Thought so, well it was sort of a gamble. You see, we thought we might be able to get the Copperfields and the Scamanders in our faction if we voted for them." he explained to his friend who sat back down again.
„Hah well that gamble failed hard. Great. Now we have another Terrorist and another Unaffiliated on the Wizengamot".
„Well it's not like you or I for that matter do anything against Voldemort either"
Arcturus reminded his friend who thought about that sentence for a moment.
„Too true and maybe we should change that"
„Yeah maybe" but Arcturus didn't really want to act against Voldemort... not yet atleast. His family's standing wasn't threatened yet and he knew that most families that had made a move against Voldemort had been attacked almost immediately.
8th September 1976, Scotland, Hogwarts:
Severus Snape had been using more and more dark magic over the years. The more he used it, the harder and harder it was for him to resist the temptation. But what to do? It's not like he could go to his friends.. Or to Dumbledore for that matter.
'But there is another one that might be able to help you' a voice, that suspiciously sounded like Lily, inside his head whispered to him.
But could he really go to her? Would she understand?
…
He really didn't want to go to Lily... but did he have another option?
'Probably not' Severus thought with a grimace.
Fearing that he could soon be lost to the dark arts, Severus decided to reach out for help from a trusted source.
Lily ultimately couldn't help him personally, and how could she? The innocent girl had never used Dark Magic, she didn't even know any Dark Magic.
What she could however was pinpoint him to Black... and oh boy had he been angry when she suggested he'd ask Black for help. Sure they weren't antagonising eachother anymore but he still hated those blasted pranksters.
But apparently his flower had been taking summer lessons from an uncle of Sirius Black and Sirius himself was apparently learning the Dark Arts from grandfather, one Lord Arcturus Black.
It took Lily a while but she managed to convince him of asking Black for help.
And so it was decided.
He sent an owl to Black and requested a private meeting. When they met at the astronomy tower Severus was still not completely convinced of actually asking Black for help. Now, Severus wasn't a wimp, he really wasn't but Black hadn't been far behind Potter when it came to bullying Severus.
Flashback start
„So Snape why has Lily asked me to meet you here? Also why me and not lets say Remus for example?" asked him Black after they had sat down in the astronomy tower on chairs Severus conjured.
„Okay just to be clear Black, I am only approaching you because I can't find anyone better alright?... I have a problem. I've been using the Dark Arts for quite a while and am quite good at them if I may say so myself. The thing is that they are quite addicting and it is slowly becoming a problem" Severus replied.
„Well I have no idea what your buddies told you all this time but that should have been obvious no?" Black asked back with a raised eyebrow and Severus knew that Black was right but he couldn't help having the urge to strangle him and so he just looked at Black without any expressions whatsoever.
„Right of course you know that yourself. Well Snape, I don't know what to tell you. Why am I here? You probably haven't made the effort to get Lily to make me come here just to state that you use the Dark Arts so yeah... why am I here Snape?" asked Black. Severus took a while to gather himself. This was an important moment and he could basically feel that this might change his whole life. He had no idea how right his feeling was.
„Heir Black. I, Severus Snape, descendant of the Prince family, formally ask House Black to help me with my addiction to the Dark Arts" Severus eventually said visibly shocking Black. It was then Severus' turn to get surprised.
„Yeah sure Snape, why not?"
Flasback end
That of course hadn't been the end of it. Black would get a favour of Severus at some point in the future as compensation for his efforts in helping Severus. That favour wasn't allowed to threaten Severus' life or wellbeing however. It was only allowed to inconvenience him.
Severus could hardly believe that getting Black to help him would end up being that easy. He was a little suspicious however.
'Black would hardly do this because of good will, no... What are his true intentions?' Severus thought.
Sirius had changed though even if Severus didn't believe him. Sirius ended up telling Lily and the other Marauders that it hadn't been anything too serious and that the situation was resolved.
Behind the scenes however, he began teaching Severus how to control his emotions when it came to using dark magic and encouraged him to practice meditation and visualization techniques in order to become aware of his own thoughts and feelings before acting upon them. After a few weeks Sirius loaned Severus an Occlumency book that he had asked his father deliver him from the Black family library. Severus began learning Occlumency not from a Death Eater like in canon but from a Marauder. It would prove vital to his survival.
22th September 1976, England, Lestrange Manor:
Voldemort had changed his base of operations. Riddle Manor (not that his followers knew that this wasn't the manor of the Gaunts) was at some point just not enough anymore. Voldemort wanted more. He of course had a number of followers whose Manors he could choose from but he chose Lestrange Manor to be his next base of operations as it was the largest amongst them and thus worthy of being the seat of power of the glorious Voldemort. It wasn't the nicest but since he couldn't get into either Sayre Manor, Bones Manor, Burke Manor, Potter Manor or Black Manor it would have to be enough for now. For now... Houses Burke and Bones would do well under his command wouldn't they? Lord Bisonis Burke was well into his 100s already and should perish within the next 10 years or so. Bertram Burke (his grandson) was already Voldemort's follower, Bovis (his son) unfortunately was not so he would have to be taken out once Bisonis died. But that was still well into the future. Voldemort would focus on showing Britain that Dumbledore couldn't save them for now.
It would soon be the time to also expand their fields of operations into... other areas.
„Tell me Lucius what would a great next target be?" asked Voldemort to his follower who had recently become part of his inner circle. Despite being only in his mid 20s, Lucius was already quite the skilled fighter. Lucius thought about this question which Voldemort allowed him to do. Lucius was one of his few truly intelligent followers and often came up with good ideas.
„Hmmmm difficult to say my lord. The Ministry has been increasing their efforts in building up an actual Auror force ever since Munchim was elected into office and those efforts are slowly bearing fruit. They are no larger threat for the moment but it's unknown how long we can just walk into enemy territory without suffering casualties"
„Ultimately it depends on what your goals are for the next attack? Is there someone that needs to be taken out? Someone who needs to be kidnapped?" Lucius continued after thinking about it some more.
„I think it is time for something more... larger Lucius. Something that will really hurt Dumbledore"
„Then my Lord may I suggest Hogsmeade? The students will be there next weekend and I doubt that the security forces there during those two days will be larger than on previous Hogsmeade weekends" Lucius said.
Hogsmeade had never been attacked by the death eaters so far which caused the Ministry to reallocate their forces to other areas, Diagon Alley for example.
„Hmmmmm splendid suggestion Lucius. This will be a perfect opportunity to show Britain that Dumbledore isn't as powerful as they believe him to be... Muahahahaha" he praised his follower which ended in him laughing maniacally once again.
28th September 1976, Scotland, Hogsmeade Village:
„So Lily where do you want to go first?" asked James his girlfriend whose waist he had an arm around.
„I thought this would be a proper date James? Shouldn't you have planned where we'd go?" Lily asked back, looking at James incredulously when he just smiled peevish at her.
„Seriously? You haven't planned this out? Ugh boys... alright mister I will let this slide this time but you better make that up next time" she said huffing at her furiously nodding boyfriend.
„Aren't they cute together?" asked Marlene McKinnon her friends who giggled in return.
„I swear I am so jealous of her. She doesn't know how lucky she is that James only had eyes for her. My heart melts whenever he smiles at me" gushed Greta besides her. The daughter of the famous Cedric Catchlove had once thought of slipping him a love potion but had chosen against it. Not only would such a relationship just not be the same as a genuine one, it also was really risky. If he managed to fight the potion off or she was caught by someone else than she'd probably land in Azkaban. The Potters were notoriously lenient when it came to punishing those that had wronged them... except for a few cases. Love Potions was one of those cases unfortunately.
„Mhmm it's unfortunate that noone besides Lily ever had a chance. My parents were very disappointed when they learned that a marriage contract would most likely be rejected by the Potters. My brother used to mock me endlessly telling me that I was even rejected by a blood traitor" Jennifer behind them muttered. The Pyrites daughter had never hidden her desire to become a Potter one day. Marlene sighed.
„Speaking of... how is your brother? Is he still.. you know?" she asked her friend.
„Totally in love with You-Know-Who? Threatening to punish me if I continue to be friends with a mudblood?... Sadly yes. Nothing I can do about it however except to find a husband before I leave Hogwarts for the last time." Jennifer replied.
„And your parents do nothing about it? You guys are a light family after all" said Marlene confused. The Pyrites were part of the Light Moderate faction and henceforth regarded as a Light-Neutral family.
„It's sadly not so easy. Great-Grandpa Jonathan ordered the entire family to stay beneath You-Know-Who's radar as much as we can. Besides, Adolphus assured our parents that he wasn't even thinking of joining You-Know-Who. The coward is too scared to do the dirty stuff himself" Jenner said scoffing at the thought of her weak brother ever managing to beat someone in a duel.
„I am still amazed how you're not afraid of him" Greta said.
„Me? Afraid of Adolphus? Pah, he can't do nothing especially since he isn't at Hogwarts anymore. The only time I have to be cautious is during the holidays but even then it's not like my weakass brother can do much to harm me." Jennifer said scoffing again. Marlene raised an eyebrow. Lily's use of muggle curses had apparently gotten to Jennifer.
An explosion occured and someone was calling for help. The small group of friends turned around to see smoke rising somewhere in the distance, at the edge of the village. Then more explosions. People began screaming and the three were starting to panic.
Death Eaters had come to Hogsmeade.
Boom cliffhanger. Hope you're not too angry with me. Until next time :D
**End of Chapter**
Characters in this chapter and the amount of chapters they have appeared in so far:
- Arcturus Black (13)
- Atticus Sayre (2)
- Severus Snape (4)
- Sirius Black (9)
- Voldemort (5)
- Lucius Malfoy (2)
- Lily Evans (6)
- James Potter (7)
- Marlene McKinnon (2)
- Greta Catchlove (1)
- Jennifer Pyrites (1)