Hey, Everyone! Sorry for the delay, but for a while there I tried to make as many of you happy as I could by trying force myself to update my various works, which led to writers-block. I've now realized I can only write and update as inspiration comes, so please no more pressure to update certain works, ok? I promise that I will NEVER abandon a story, no matter how long it takes.

Plus the recent need to replace my laptop was suddenly eclipsed by the sad passing of my beloved cat Shadow, for whom I wrote and posted a memorial one-shot here titled "The Temple".

This chapter marks the return to school after the rather eventful holidays!

Chapter 19: The New Semester Begins

The Daily Prophet

Death Eaters Challenged?

By Eddie Torrial

Magical Britain is still scratching their collective heads at the sudden appearance, and subsequent near-instant destruction by fireball, of the Dark Mark over the ruins of Castle Wyvern just days ago. This reporter had been contacted anonymously earlier that day and told that location might be newsworthy to watch surreptitiously with extreme caution, as risk to my life would be great!

As Reported in my earlier article, this reporter arrived to a hidden vantage point in time to see several figures dressed and masked like Death Eaters hurriedly clearing out with what they could carry! The wards prevented this reporter from getting any closer but another figure shortly arrived who forced his way in rather easily: GFMC Liaison Duncan Rosenblatt!

Moments later were the chaotic sounds of a major battle of some kind within, far beyond a normal wizarding duel, including explosions and shattering stone! The Dark Mark was cast, then quickly destroyed by a fireball; as if to send a message to all those that follow the ideology of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!

The cloaked ones returned quickly thereafter, the wards falling, and the ruins burning. Mr. Rosenblatt had apparently set fire to whatever they had left there. Venturing closer, at great risk to my life, I saw the dark figures stunned at the sight of a half-incinerated manticore and Mr. Rosenblatt grinning as he port-keyed away with the sting-tail of the beast.

Aurors then began to arrive, and the cloaked ones fled quickly by apparition or portkey, taking the burned corpse of the monster with them.

This reporter can now reveal that the DMLE investigation of the castle has revealed that it was being used as a cache-house; storing potions, potion ingredients, wands, and possibly moneys for ready use by these mystery witches and wizards. Although, the casting of the Dark Mark has this reporter suspecting that they were, in fact, Death Eaters, and their guard beast—the infamous escaped manticore known as DoomClaw!—paid the ultimate price for somehow incurring the wrath of Mr. Rosenblatt.

more on the GFMC, pg. 3

more on DoomClaw, pg. 4

more on Duncan Rosenblatt and the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, pg. 5

Harry couldn't help but smile as he read the headlining article again while he, Hermione, and Ron rode the train back to Hogwarts after the holidays. He almost pitied the Death Eaters that had to give Voldemort the bad news.

When Harry and the others returned to Potter Manor, Duncan was there with the good news that Hagrid would fully recover thanks to the anti-venom potion brewed from DoomClaw's own venom. He then regaled them with the whole story; from finding, robbing, and burning the first cache-house(including his little 'chat' via floo with the Dark Lord!) to the first-hand account of his battle in the ruins with the brutal manticore.

Now they were all headed back for the second half of the term.

"So what happened with your muggle cousin, mate?", Ron asked.

"Aunt Margaret is seeing him off to the military boarding school", Harry replied. "But Dudley and I have come to….an understanding. He's come to some appreciation for magick."

"I'll say", Hermione giggled. "He rather happily surrendered his virginity to one of the mermaids a few days before we left the Island."

"What? You must be joking!", Ron choked, then facepalmed at their confirmation. "How? Why?! How can a guy like him get lucky, but I can't get my v-card punched?!"

"Really, Ron?", Hermione huffed with exasperation with her friend. Just then the compartment door opened. Seamus and Neville stepped in, closing the door behind them. "Hello, Neville. Seamus, is that a walking stick or a club?"

"It's an Irish shillelagh", the 'wild Irish lad' replied. "But….it only looks like this right now, and that's only part of it! Look at this."

He took a small stone figurine from his pocket that reminded Hermione and Harry a little of the demon-hounds from the first "Ghostbusters" movie and placed it on the floor. A quick spell, restored it to full-size, taking up most of the compartment!

"Oi, Seamus!", Ron griped. "What gives?"

"Just watch", Seamus grinned looking out the window as the sun finished setting. A series of cracks spread across the surface of the 'statue', then the gar-beast burst free with a growl! It then chuffed happily and licked Seamus' face.

"Friends, meet ShamRock", he said. "ShamRock, these are my friends Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville."

"Whoa! He's a real gargoyle!" Ron gushed. "A beast-type!"

"I thought living gargoyles were extinct?", Hermione said in amazement.

"Not quite", Neville said. "They're still around, just really rare. Where did you find him?"

"It's a long story", Seamus said. "I'll tell you in the Common Room. Too many…..unfriendly ears about around here."

"I'll say", Neville said. "Death Eaters dug their way into my house to try to steal…. something. But Gran and I drove them off. My gran was actually proud of me!

(Flashback)

"Wow. I bet the Grimoire is chock full of lost secrets like that", Neville said, impressed.

"All the more reason to return it as soon as possible", the Dowager Longbottom said. "Those Death Eaters exploited a weak point in our wards, just to make an attempt on this book. It will be safer back in the Bones Vault. Amelia can share any spells within with Allies as she sees fit. But come here, Neville."

He walked over to her to stand next to the armor of Sir Percival Longbottom.

"You showed great courage today, worthy of your family name. And so, as Regent, I think it is time for you to take up a weapon of your greatest ancestor. Take your wand, and tap the one that calls to you."

Taken aback, Neville did as he was told and drew his wand. The Family magick drew him to Percival's shield, so he tapped it. In a flash, it retracted into a bracer.

(End flashback)

"…And here it is", he said, pulling up his left sleeve to show the shiny, goblin steel bracer.

"It seems a few of us had developments over the holidays", Hermione said dryly. "We'll all talk later in the Common Room."

"What the bloody hell is this beast?!", an unwelcome, familiar snarky voice said after opening the compartment door. ShamRock growled threateningly at Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle as they stood there.

"He's mine if you must know" Seamus sniped, his hand on the gar-beast's shoulder, keeping him obediently back.

"A….thing like that can't possibly be allowed at Hogwarts! My father….!"

"He's bonded to me, all the proper paperwork is already filed at the Ministry, and I have permission from my Head of House and the Headmaster", Seamus cut-in smugly. "So you can shove-off, Malfoy."

"Why are you even here, as if we didn't know", Harry said in a bored tone.

"We heard something bad happened to that half-blood oaf you all like so much", Draco smirked.

"Is that all?", Hermione almost laughed, getting a confused look from the three Slytherins. "You're a day late and a knut short! Thanks to Harry's cousin Duncan, Madam Pomphrey was able to treat Hagrid with an anti-venom potion."

"What?!"

"It'll take some time, but Hagrid will make a full recovery", Harry smirked. "Like he'd never been attacked at all."

"So like Seamus said earlier, Malfoy, shove off!", Ron grinned.

Draco scoffed and left, followed by his trained gorillas, to return to their own compartment. Along the way they passed the one occupied by Susan Bones and her best friend Hannah Abbot.

"I still can't get over it, Hannah", Susan said. "You just woke up from a weird dream and boom! You're as big as I am!"

"I know", Hannah said, looking down and hefting her new 'assets'. "I don't get it. I'm just glad you could help me and my mum get me new clothes and robes that fit. Having my tops burst open at school would have been way too embarrassing!"

"And let's not forget the bras", Susan reminded.

"Oh Gods, yes! Before this, I was always glad to get my bra off at the end of the day, but now…..My back would be killing me without this wonder garment!"

"I know, right?", Susan giggled, then turned serious. "A lot more boys are going to pay a lot more attention to you now, you know."

"Oh! Well, um….too bad for them!", Hannah blushed, then thought a moment. 'I wonder if Neville likes busty girls?'

xxXXxx

Later that evening, a tall blonde figure was watching the carriages carry the students from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts. A female centaur, wearing buckskins over her human torso—stretched to straining by her massive breasts!—a bow and quiver of arrows strapped to her back and a claymore sheathed on her left 'hip'. Her long blonde hair was tied in a ponytail and her deep blue eyes watched intently.

"Here again, my love?", a voice said as the taller, bulkier form of a dark haired male centaur joined her.

"Bane", she replied politely, without looking at him.

"What is it that fascinates you so about the children of the human wizards, Centorea?", he asked. "As my wife and sister of Firenz, you know of our meeting with the representative from the GFMC; so you know we are now free of the wizards dominating ways. So what is it? You have been coming here to watch them come and go for more than four years now."

"They are children", she answered simply. "Innocent and defenseless. As my 'husband' you know I feel we should protect them. That very representative asked us to do that very thing."

"*Hmph!* 'Wife?' 'Husband?'", he scoffed. "Some marriage! I desire you more than anything in this or any world! This has been true since we were children! I was elated when we were betrothed! But you ran off to fight in that wizarding war rather than stay here with me. And when you finally returned and we were wed to unite the herds into one, you still refused to let me mate you, or even to touch you! Even now, that is so! We were asked to help protect the school IF it was attacked, not stand guard over it! Your concerns should be with me and the herd, not these human spawn!"

"My concerns are my own!", she snapped, then her eyes softened as she saw a particular carriage rolling by. Or rather, who was in it.

Bane scoffed angrily and galloped away. Centorea sighed as the carriage rolled out of sight. Another male approached at that moment.

"Bane is co-leader of the herd, sister, and your husband", Firenze said. "You should not be so dismissive of him."

"Bane is a brute", she replied a little sharply. "He confuses pride with honor. I could never love him."

"He may be a brute, but he is no fool. Should he ever learn the truth, your life would be in great danger. As would your daughter's."

xxXXxx

"MR. FINNEGAN!" Umbridge practically shrieked as she descended upon the young Gryffindor. "WHAT IS THAT-THAT-THAT…. BEAST WITH YOU?! AND WHAT THE DEVIL IS IT DOING IN THE GREAT HALL?!"

"ShamRock is my bonded guardian and familiar, Professor", the Irish boy told her, holding back the growling gar-beast. "He's a gargoyle, and all the required papers have been filed with…."

"IT MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE SCHOOL AT ONCE!"

"Gargoyles in general fall under the purview of the GFMC, Madam Umbridge", Duncan cut her off. "And beast-types can bond with magical individuals or families as guardians if they choose of their own free will."

"And I personally granted a special exception to the rules in this case, Madam 'High Inquisitor', on the grounds that an additional guardian creature on school grounds would not be remiss", Dumbledore stated. "Are you saying that the school and students should not be protected?"

Umbridge seethed. Out-maneuvered again. This was getting annoyingly tedious!

"ShamRock! No! Don't!", Seamus admonished beside her amid giggles and laughter from surrounding students. Her curiosity was answered by the warm moisture that she suddenly felt flow down her leg from her knee. She looked in horror to see the beast lower its hind leg, chuffing in a manner rather like it was chuckling.

"YOU FILTHY ANIMAL! HOW DARE YOU!", Umbridge screamed and began to chase the gar-beast around the Hall with her wand, trying to hex the creature, while herself being chased by Seamus trying to stop her. The rest of the Hall, staff included was roaring with laughter.

"WELL DONE, SHAMROCK!", the Weasley twins shouted, then pulled from their robes an enchanted saxophone and trumpet they had received for Christmas and began to play a perfect rendition of "Yakety-Sax", which magically caused the chase to become even more zany and hilarious. Snape was added to the chase when he entered the Great Hall just in time for Umbridge to crash into him and knock him down! The students were rolling in the aisles, the teachers were laughing despite themselves; even the usually stern and stoic Professor MacGonagall, and Professor Flitwick had actually fallen off his chair!

Later that night, after the Return-to-Term Feast, Delores Umbridge was fuming in her quarters. She had recently heard of Lucius Malfoy's suspicions that Duncan Rosenblatt could in fact be half-dragon! It would certainly explain that so-called 'wandless magick' he used to destroy her precious blood quill and parchment of lines she'd bled from the Potter brat! 'Incendia Respiro' indeed!

Unfortunately, as the GFMC rep, he was untouchable! She could not even accuse him, let alone have him removed from the school. Now, that filthy half-giant had returned as well, but that bloody healer refused to allow Umbridge to interrogate him on his whereabouts while he was still recovering from whatever happened to him! Bad enough that the oaf's creature-blood placed him under Rosenblatt's protection!

Her only choice was to continue her investigation into this subversive group of students Potter was obviously leading on Dumbledore's behalf. She would catch that boy and those delinquents following him and then she would serve Dumbledore to the Minister on a platter!

xXx

In the Gryffindor Common Room, after most of their housemates had gone to bed, the Golden Trio and their friends shared all their unusual tales of the holidays. All were impressed, then Ron hesitantly cleared his throat.

"I guess it's my turn then", he said, pulling a key that looked as if it were formed of copper bones on a chain around his neck from inside his shirt. The chain was threaded through the skull-eyes of the grip-tab. "My dad gave this to me. A family secret he was keeping, even from Dumbledore; the Skeleton Key."

This drew gasps and the full attention of everyone. The Skeleton Key was ancient and legendary; allowing the bearer to open any lock or pass through any ward, undetected. It was also on the list of artifacts that Voldemort was seeking!

"This has apparently been in the Weasley family for centuries", Ron explained. "Explains why so many of us were such successful aurors. With all that's going on, Dad figured Harry needs all the help he can get, so….. he passed the Key on to me."

"That is so cool, mate!", Seamus said, to which ShamRock barked in agreement.

"It's beautiful, in a… creepy kind of way", Hermione said. "What's it made of?"

"Near as I can tell, orichalcum", Ron answered, having studied a little alchemy in his spare time.

"I suggest you all keep your treasures secret for now, even from the Order", Harry said. "For safety reasons, what with Umbridge and her rats snooping about. I think we can trust my cousin Duncan, and I'll fill him in, but that's it for now. Agreed?"

They all nodded in agreement, and went to bed, with ShamRock taking a 'guard' position on the staircase landing where it splits for the girls and boys dorms.

xxXXxx

The following weeks and months passed normally. Hagrid made a full recovery and was able to take over Care of Magical Creatures Classes again. Umbridge did attempt to interrogate him on his whereabouts during his absence, but he would only say that he was exploring the lore of his giant ancestry, and Rosenblatt prevented her from pressing him further.

Duncan met again with the centaurs, unicorns and werewolves. They all confirmed that the trolls were too stupid and violent to bother meeting with. However, he did speak to the Giant Squid in the lake. As a lesser kaiju, it recognized him as the 'Prince' and agreed to help defend the school from attack. All that remained was the Acromantula nest. But as they were currently hibernating, he would have to wait to meet with Aragog.

xxXXxx

(Malfoy Manor)

"How did this happen, Lucius?", the Dark Lord hissed. "I told you I wanted the 'Truth-Will-Out' Bill defeated, struck down in the Wizengamot!"

"I tried, my Lord!", Lucius said fearfully. "All my influence in the Dark Alliance, the Neutral Families, and Fudge as well! But the Great Alliance has re-formed around the Potter seat, proxied by Potter's aunt! With all the votes controlled by those families, especially the Potter seat with all the Ancient families they absorbed through marriage over the centuries; the Great Alliance alone can make or break any vote in the Wizengamot they wish! Margaret Rosenblatt is already leading the charge to overturn measures suppressing mud-bloods and others rightfully favoring purebloods!"

"This is unacceptable! I want her dealt with! Find where she is staying! Destroy it and make an example of her! Break the Alliance and her son and nephew at the same time!"

"My Lord, she has made no secret of where she dwells", Malfoy gulped. "Potter Manor. Other than going on Holiday to a secret location, she only leaves the impenetrable wards to attend the Wizengamot."

"Then send Krugurath!", Voldmort ordered.

"I'm afraid not, my Lord", Malfoy said. "In ancient times, when ogres still existed in the British Isles, the Potters added a layer of 'Protective Circle' mushrooms to the wards around their entire estate. While others allowed such measures to lapse once ogres became extinct here, they… maintained that safeguard all these years."

Voldemort seethed. Damn those Potters!

Just then there was a commotion and ungodly shrieking from the atrium! As Lucius rushed to see what it was, he heard Narcissa scream, urging him faster! He arrived and his wife hid her face in his shoulder. There in the atrium, amid a mess of blood and white feathers, was a grotesque figure about the size and shape of a pre-pubescent child…..feasting on one of his white peacocks!

"Filthy little vermin!", he hissed, pointing his wand. "Avada…"

"STOP!", a beastial voice snarled, and Krugurath shouldered passed him and his sobbing wife. "My spawn has found me at last."

"You mean this…. thing is your…?", Lucius sputtered with disgust.

"My offspring, yes", the ogre chuckled, petting the horned head of the creature. "Sired when I sated myself with Potter's muggle aunt on Halloween night… again and again and again… HAHAHAHA!"

"So your progeny is blood-cousin to the-Boy-Who-Lived?", Voldemort concluded, having arrived on the scene. "What delicious irony. And it just may provide unique opportunities to cause the boy pain. Name your child, Krugurath."

"He is Vindictus", the ogre announced proudly.

"*heh-heh!*Father", Vindictus chuckled in a guttural voice.

"Just keep it away from my pets!", Lucius hissed. "It can feed from the livestock we keep for you beasts."

xxXXxx

(April)

"Hermione, can we talk for a minute?", Cho asked, catching Hermione and her study-group coming out of the library before dinner. Then looking at the others, "Privately."

"Um, sure, Cho. Go ahead, girls. I'm meeting Harry and Ron for dinner in the Hall anyway", the brainy Gryffindor told her friends. "What's up, Cho?"

"It's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up, and I want you to be 'busy' with Weasley so I can have an actual date with Harry", the Chinese-British witch said sharply.

"Come again?", Hermione said, a bit confused by her attitude.

"We're always hanging out with you two!", she complained. "I want some 'alone-time' with my boyfriend, dammit!"

"What Harry does or doesn't do is his choice, Cho, not mine", Hermione reminded her.

"Oh, please! You practically sleep in his hip-pocket!", Cho sniped. "I'm surprised he goes to the lavatory without checking with you first! And I'm sick of you making doe-eyes at him all the time!"

"Excuse me?", Hermione practically growled, getting defensive.

"Don't even try to give me that! The whole school knows you have a crush on him! GIVE IT UP! He'll never see you that way!"

"Hey! What's all the shouting?", Harry said as he arrived with Ron. "Hermione? Cho? What's going on?"

"Harry, I want to go to Hogsmeade with you this weekend", Cho said sweetly, her whole demeanor completely shifting gears. "Just the two of us. A real date."

"And you're shouting at Hermione about it, why?", Harry asked leadingly.

"Nothing, I was just making it clear to her that I would appreciate it if she kept Ron busy away from us for the day", she replied.

"Cho, Ron and Hermione have been my best friends since 1st year", Harry reminded her. "Not only that, they were my first friends ever, you know that."

"I do know that, Harry", she said. "But I'm your girlfriend. Sometimes you have to put me first. We're always doing things with them! We do enough with them here at school. Other than that, I want you to myself from now on."

"Please don't make me choose, Cho", Harry asked, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, Harry, but I have to", Cho said firmly. "If I don't, we'll never get closer the way couples are supposed to!"

"Then good-bye, Cho", Harry sighed after a few moments. "See you at the next meeting."

Then Harry walked away from the stunned Cho Chang with Hermione by his side. Ron paused a moment before catching up.

"You shouldn't've made him choose", he told her, then hurried to join his best friends.

xxXXxx

"Well if it isn't little Loony Lovegood", Malfoy teased outside the Great Hall, his fellow Slytherins chuckling derisively.

"Hello, Draco", the girl said in her 'normal' dreamy tone, completely non-plussed. "Just going to dinner. Aren't you hungry, too?"

"Why don't you just get your food from all those imaginary creatures you're always blathering on about?", Draco sneered.

"Leave her alone, Malfoy", Raven Thunderbird warned, towering over him as she arrived. "And step aside."

"And just who the bloody hell do you think you are, you filthy half-blood?", Malfoy hissed up at her after taking an involuntary step back from her.

"Are you really that stupid, Malfoy?", Harry said as he got there with Ron and Hermione. "Raven is half-giant, thus is incredibly strong even without her magick."

"If I broke your nose in 3rd year, what do you think she could do to you?", Hermione giggled.

"Shut your trap, Granger!", Malfoy snarled, furious at the reminder of his humiliation at her hands. "How DARE you even speak to me, you disgusting little mud-blood!"
"SCOURGIFY!"
Draco suddenly found himself puking magically conjured soap as the cleansing charm scrubbed his mouth for several minutes, while his friends tried futilely to help him. Through his tear-flowing eyes, he saw Harry Potter lowering his wand and arm. Potter walked up to the still spluttering Malfoy.
"I warned you about using that dirty word, Malfoy", Potter said sternly. "So have all the professors! Maybe washing your mouth out with soap will finally get the point across."
"*Pshluck!*MY FATHER WILL *Haaawhksplutut!* HEAR OF THIS!", he choked as his friends and Pansy led him away to the hospital wing.

"That will be 50 points from Gryffindor and detention for assaulting a fellow student, Potter!", Snape snapped from behind Harry and his friends.

"Which he will serve with me, Professor", Duncan piped up, turning the opposite corner. "I have a project that I need assistance with anyway, and Mr. Potter will serve nicely. Oh, and 60 points to Gryffindor for assisting a fellow student with a lesson in manners, Mr. Potter."

"You", Snape snarled, actually marching right up into Duncan's face, "are deliberately undermining my authority, you-you….. Professor."

"Authority you that you are well known and documented to abuse, particularly against Gryffindors, especially my cousin; and to show blatant favoritism to your own house and godson", Duncan smirked. Then he leaned closer and whispered, "You're damn right I will keep doing everything in my power to un-do your every effort in these regards…. unless and until you start to deal with all four Houses fairly and equally; especially my cousin and his friends! Harry is not his father! It's about goddam time you realized that!"

Snape scoffed angrily and stomped away, his robes billowing impressively.

"AND FOR GODS SAKE, IT'S BEEN WAY MORE THAN 3000 MILES! CHANGE THE DAMN OIL IN YOUR HAIR!", Duncan called out, getting a laugh out of all the non-Slytherin students in the hallway!

xXx

"You asked to see me, Headmaster?", Duncan asked as required by protocol upon entering Dumbledore's office an hour later, not surprised to see Snape or Minerva, but rolled his eyes upon seeing Umbridge.

"Yes, Professor Rosenblatt", Albus said calmly. "Professor Snape claims that you are showing favoritism to your cousin Mr. Potter by essentially negating a point deduction and punishment given by him a short time ago. I would like to hear your side of it."

"I see", Duncan smiled. "I'm certain that if you check the point-tally record yourself, Headmaster, you'll see that I did not overstep my authority by trying to reverse any point deductions at any time. As for the detention he gave Mr. Potter; I simply took it over, as Professor Snape often does for members of his own house when he has need of their assistance."

"He has as point on both counts, Severus", Minerva practically smirked, looking up from the records. "Duncan did not try to overturn your point-deduction."

"And you do frequently take over detentions given to students of Slytherin House", Dumbledore smiled, the twinkle in his eyes a bit more pronounced.

"*Hep!-Hep!*That is beside the point!", Umbridge huffed. "You did this to help your cousin Potter out of trouble! That is blatant favoritism!"

"*Snort!*Hardly! I've done the same for several students this year, including Luna Lovegood and Justin Finch-Fletchly", Duncan laughed. "Granted, most have been from Gryffindor House, but that has more to do with Snape's prejudices than with me."

"Now see here…!", Snape started to snipe.

"Any fool can see that you make a practice of abusing your authority to favor your own house over the others and go out of your way to be as hard and unfair as possible to Gryffindor House!", Duncan called him out straight to his face. "And any 'brainless dunderhead' can see that you are triply so on Harry in particular! Just because you can't let go of the past with his long-dead father!"

Snape scoffed angrily.

"You are still interfering in discipline being dispensed by another professor!", Umbridge squawked like a harpy. "All to benefit your cousin!"

"Why are you even here, 'Professor' Umbridge?", Duncan asked derisively.

"I am the High Inquisitor of the school, and I am…."

"…full hot air and self-importance due to a made-up rank and position that, in reality, means diddly-squat", Duncan cut her off. "Now why don't you go back to that pink nightmare you call an office and finish planning your next visit under Fudge's desk while we talk about things that are actually important?"

"HOW DARE YOU?!", Umbridge screamed, and started to storm out. "THE MINISTER WILL HEAR OF THIS!"

"Could she be related to Draco Malfoy?", Duncan asked Snape after the door slammed shut behind her, and Dumbledore lost it; laughing so hard his chair fell backwards over with him in it. And even Snape, angry as he was moments earlier, had to struggle not to chuckle….a struggle he lost moments later, which then turned into full laughter as well!

xxXXxx

Author's notes: As anyone who has watched "Benny Hill" videos knows, 'Yakety Sax' can make ANY chase funny, so I just had to use it! LOL! Our heroes have compared notes on all the gifts they got by Destiny or design that will help them in their struggle.

More clues on what's going on with Hannah Abbot. Any new guesses now?

I just had to put Umbitch in her place, plus it always bothered me when watching the films that nobody on the Hogwarts staff ever called out Snape for his obvious and blatant favoritism and prejudices, especially his treatment of Harry. So I let Duncan do it, and in a way that both Albus and Minerva had to agree and Snape couldn't argue.

Suggestions and Long reviews are always welcome! Flames will be used to light Jack-O-Lanterns. Have a Happy Halloween and a safe Samhain!