Sirius rose at the head of the table. His smile was bright as he stretched out his arms to either side like he wanted to hug them all. He looked good. Like the young lord that he was. Not much was left of the years in Azkaban, a regiment of potions and healthy food provided by Kreacher had seen to that. Only rarely there were moments, where this shell broke and showed the inner torment that the man held so closely guarded. The cold that never really left his body.
But this wasn't one of these moments. While Sirius looked down the table, he smiled brightly. On his right side were Narcissa and Andromeda, deep in conversation. To think that both weren't talking for over fifteen years up until half a year ago, no one would guess when he saw them right now. Their talk was quiet but with no hesitation and with the ease of people who grew up very close. Ted Tonks, next to his wife was in a conversation with Hagrid. Shortly after the tense scene in the sitting room, his daughter had decided that she and her boyfriend would leave to visit his family too.
On Sirius other side sat Lord Greengrass, followed by Amelia Bones and Augusta Longbottom. It had been a short discussion last evening about the seating but it had been clear quite quickly that Harry wanted to sit with his friend and Sirius wasn't one to stand in his godson's way. So the table was somewhat divided into a younger and older part. Professor McGonagall and Hermione's parents were sitting further down at the table opposite of each other, with the young at the end. Harry had taken up a place at the foot of the table and even though they were the furthest from each other, Harry and Sirius sat opposite and looked at each other. The smile on Sirius faces only broadened as the boy gave him a soft smile back.
"Friends, family. Thank you all for coming here. While I don't want to keep you from Kreacher's wonderful cooking, I would like to say a few words before we eat, if it is okay with you all."
A murmur went around the table as people nodded. Sirius nodded in return, still smiling.
"Thank you. Christmas is a holiday to be with your loved ones and I know of no place I would rather be right now than with the people who are around this table. We are friends, some" He looked over at Remus with a wink. "are with me for so long, others came to more recent." He nodded to Lord Greengrass. "But no matter the amount of time we spend together, I am very glad to have you all here. There is nothing that makes up for that."
Then his smile fell a little. "And I know what I'm talking about. This is a gloomy topic, but I have to talk about it. I spend the last twelve years without the people I loved. I never knew the exact date of Christmas, as we weren't told but I could guess." The people around the table looked down at their empty plates at that, imagining what it was like in that hellhole of a prison. Sirius took a moment.
He shook his head slowly. "It wasn't a happy time and I don't wish it to anyone. It isn't the haunting halls or the cold that is really bad there. It is the feeling that the world keeps turning and you just miss out. I missed out on so much. I missed my best friends time as a teacher. I missed out on my niece graduation. I missed out on my own godson growing up. I..."
His voice trailed off a little and a small tear came to the corner of his eye. "I missed out on the funeral of James and Lily."
The fluttering of wings echoed through the silent room, as Dawn left Harry's shoulder and landed on Sirius. The man gave a sad smile and rubbed her belly as she cooed.
"I missed out on a lot. But being here, with you, even though we have lost loved ones, it makes it better." All around the table people thought about those they lost.
Lord Greengrass and his daughters thought about his late wife. She had died years ago due to a blood curse and even before she had been frail. But mostly all three didn't remember those times she was lying in bed, her pale waxen skin or her sunk in eyes. They remembered her laughing at Christmas morning, how she commandeered the kitchen every year and backed herself, banishing the elves from the room.
Minerva thought about her late husband Malcome. His smile and the feeling of his warm body lying next to her in bed so many years ago made her raise a napkin and dab the corners of her eyes.
Family Granger thought about grandma Granger, a fun-loving woman who first woke the thirst of knowledge in Hermione's heart. All had the same picture in their minds, grandma, standing in her kitchen, wearing a padded vest and cooking soup. Grandma's soup was one of a kind and none of them ever got close to recreating it.
A sad smile on his own face, Rubeus Hagrid thought about his own father. The man had raised him all by himself and even though he had a heart of gold, Hagrid knew he had been a handful for the short man. So often he got in trouble, so often did he need help from his old man. And when he had been cast from Hogwarts, the old chap simply had smiled and said 'We will find something for you Rubeus. We always do.'
Other than almost all at the table, Narcissa and Andromeda didn't think about someone who died, but someone who was very much alive. Of course, Narcissa thought about her baby boy. Nothing had changed since summer, he was still the apple of her eye the one she loved more than anyone and being separated from him was still weighing down on her hard. But she and her sister also remembered her youth, the time before Bella had become so unstable. Yes, she had always been a little bit of an angry child and could be a bully, but she was their sister in a family that didn't have much contact to the outside. And while she was crazy now, back then she had been someone both of them cared about.
Like this everybody thought about those who were not with them, the ones they wished for them to be here. Some about the dead, others about the living. Neville and his Grandmother for Alice and Frank, the Bones about Susan's parents, Remus about Lily and James and also his own parents.
Harry, of course, thought about his parents, but also his aunt and uncle. It had taken him quite a bit talking with Andromeda, but he came to terms with the realisation that even though he never really liked them and they had been mean, there was also the fact that he always believed them to be invincible. Like children often think their guardians are exempt from the norms. Parents don't die. Of course, we know they do, but deep down, we all have this feeling that the universe, when it's blows fall, those fall somewhere else entirely.
But life wasn't that way and those near us aren't safe from the moment when destiny decides to throw a wrench. And while yes he had disliked the Dursleys, Harry didn't wish them their deaths. They were bad but not that bad. He couldn't think of anyone he really wanted dead, maybe Voldemort but even there he wasn't totally sure. In prison and never able to harm anyone anymore but dead?
While he contemplated, Amelia Bones rose slowly to her feet, raising her glass. "To those we lost!" She exclaimed and quickly everybody grabbed their glasses and repeated her words. For a moment it was quiet around the table, all still hanging on their thoughts, but then Sirius shook himself, like a dog after getting wet.
"All right, enough of this gloom, it is Christmas after all. Let's enjoy the meal that Kreacher has cooked, or he will be cranky for days!" And as he said it, a large Christmas dinner appeared on the table. A stuffed bird, grilled vegetables and much much more. Harry turned to the door, where he knew the house-elf stood. Smiling he raised a thumbs up at the small creature.
Kreacher looked over at him with a strange look, before bowing deeply and popping away. Reminding himself to save some of the meal for the elf too, the boy turned back to the table and started loading his plate.
It was one of the most joyful and funny dinners he had ever attended, right up there with the first feast at Hogwarts and their first victory at the house cup. He talked animatedly with Neville and Susan, while Daphne had a civil conversation with Hermione. They were discussing a certain style of transfiguration. Even though it was stilted and a little awkward, Harry thought it went better than Astoria. He tried multiple times to integrate her into their conversation but the girl just brushed it off like she couldn't care less for what he said. She seemed to be angry about something but wouldn't give him a hint about what he did. But whatever it was it didn't seem to include Dawn, as the phoenix walked around her plate and accepted all the pets she got from the youngest Greengrass.
On the other side of the table, Sirius entertained the adults with stories about some of the Marauders pranks, supported by commentary from Professor McGonagall. The elderly teacher had some choice words for her former student and his antics, while Remus blushed a few times when there were more embarrassing memories being retold. Hagrid's laughter made the whole table vibrate more than once, making Dawn chirp loudly in return.
After the main course, it quieted a little until Daphne dapped the corner of her mouth with a napkin delicately and turned her deep green eyes to Harry.
"Lord Peverell, do you have a moment?" She asked rising from her spot.
Harry blinked in surprise, noticing the icy glares Astoria shot her sister, before returning to petting Dawn. Harry nodded and rose from his seat. Dawn fluttered her wings and flew over to his shoulder, earning Harry some cold stares from the younger Greengrass sister too now, who huffed a little annoyed. Confused, Harry followed Daphne out the room into the next sitting room. The Greengrass Heiress walked to the couch before turning herself to Harry. In the golden light from the hearth, she seemed to glow almost, her pale blond hair glistening. Harry swallowed a little. Of course, he knew Daphne was beautiful but up until now he had only noticed in the same way he knew that painting was beautiful, because the rational part of his brain knew it. This time he noticed what his dorm mates made placing her at the top of the unofficial girl's list. For a moment he only stared at her.
After blinking surprised, Harry shook his head slightly. "W-What is going on with your sister? If I didn't know any better I would think I stole her favourite pet." It was obvious that he wanted to cover the awkward silence but Daphne was Mercyful, letting it slide.
"Oh, nothing." She made a throwaway gesture. "She is moody because you stop her from going to the New Year Ball."
Caught on the wrong foot, Harry's mouth opened in confusion. "I did what now?"
Daphne looked at him down her nose at him before she gave a faint smile. "Sometimes you are too easy Lord Peverell."
"Harry." The boy answered automatically and got a nod by a blond head in return.
"Harry. It is not your fault. Astoria is put off because she can't attend the ball, cause her date had to cancel. Only fourth years and up are allowed to the ball unless the younger years are there with a date."
Harry frowned walking a little closer. Dawn took that opportunity and landed on Daphne's index finger again, preening her wing feathers. "And what does this have to do with me?"
Daphne sighed a little, shaking her head. "This morning I got a letter from Miss Black. She explained your problem to me, asking me for help. I think she wanted to ask if I had any friends to ask for help. Sadly I couldn't help with that as I have only one person I would trust to ask for that and Tracey is already going with someone. But having the heir of an allied house and one of the school champions go to the dance without a partner wouldn't do at all. So I cancelled my date to be going with you."
Then it clicked in Harry's head. "You were going with your sister?"
Daphne inclined her head, looking at the phoenix now. Dawn shook her head, looking into deep green eyes. "Yes. It was the most convenient option."
Harry frowned. "Huh, why is that?"
Dark green eyes turned to the black-haired boy and this was one of the moments where had the feeling that he said something obscenely stupid. "Harry, I am, as you know the heiress of one of the wealthiest and most important families in all of Britain. I don't have many options for a proper date for these situations. Whoever I go with, the public and the person themselves might get wrong ideas, no matter if I tell them it is only platonic. Unless..." She trailed off.
"Unless you go with someone who everybody knows is a platonic date. Like your sister."
Daphne nodded. "Quite right. Also, it sends a clear message to those who tried to get me as a date."
Harry tilted his head. "You were asked a lot I take it?"
Daphne nodded. "About thirty times, until I fed the rumour mill that I was taken."
Harry frowned. He hadn't been asked by anyone but on the one hand, he was a boy and it was custom that the boy asked the girl and on the other hand his relationship with Ginny had been public at that time. "I see. But why me? I mean won't people assume things when you go with me too?"
Daphne tilted her head slightly, before turning her eyes back at Dawn, smoothing her back feathers. "Maybe. But our houses are in an alliance. Maybe they will but this is the most optimal situation for me and you are in dire need for a respectable date too, so it works out for everyone."
"Except for your sister," Harry said with a frown.
Daphne sighed, nodding a little dejected. "Yea, Astoria is quite mad about it and rightly so. She was really excited about this. All her friends got in through certain means."
Harry crossed his arms stepping next to her. "What do you mean?"
Daphne raised her head. "She has two best friends and those made a deal with two fifth years who were planning to go as friends. Each of them took one of Astoria's friends and everybody is happy or was at least."
Harry frowned, thinking about it, then his face lit up and he snapped. " Astoria only wants to go to the dance, not with someone special or something right?."
Daphne nodded, frowning slightly. "Yes, she is too young for dating really. She just wants to have a good time with her friends."
Harry grinned, taking Daphnes free hand. "Come on, I got an idea."
"Harry!" She called out.
It wasn't really proper to pull a pureblood heiress out of a room by hand but Harry was not deterred. He was only half aware that her thin wrist was clasped in his hand as they returned to the dining room. There he let go of her as he Harry walked over to Astoria.
"Astoria Greengrass?" He asked, his voice soft and quiet.
The girl turned her glaring gaze to him and even though she knew her father sat at the table with them, she couldn't keep the venom from her voice. "Yes?" She almost hissed out.
Taking Dawn from his shoulder and placing her on Astoria's shoulder, Harry bowed slightly. "Would you do me the honour to accompany your sister and me to the New Year ball?" Finally, the hours this summer learning from Narcissa, it paid off big time.
The girl just looked at him for a moment, while the conversations silenced around the table. Astoria blinked slowly.
"What? I thought you go with Daphy." She asked. Her sister scrunched her nose at the nickname her sister insisted her on calling.
Harry smiled nodding. "Yeah, and I want to go with you too. I know for a fact there is not a rule against that." And it was true. It was an open secret that Cassius Warrington had asked two girls to the dance, two sixth year Slytherins.
Somewhere down the table, McGonagall scowled, crossing her arms. "As I said to Mr Warrington, there isn't a rule against doing so, but it is still highly discouraged. Feelings could get hurt quite easily this way."
Still smiling he nodded to the deputy headmistress. "I know, but feelings are getting hurt if Miss Greengrass is to be left out since her sister wanted to go with her first and couldn't because house duty calls upon her. She wants to spend the evening with her friends, so everybody wins."
The girl turned her head to her father, looking at him with pleading eyes. Lord Greengrass had always trouble to deny his daughter something, so he slowly nodded. Astoria threw her head around almost making Dawn topple from her shoulder.
"I would love to go with you and Daphy." She said eagerly.
McGonagall still didn't look happy, but her gaze softened a bit. She still disliked this, but she knowing that it was done so the younger Greengrass sister doesn't feel being left out, she was fine with it. While she never had an older sister, McGonagall had seen it quite often over the years, sad and crying children, who felt like their parents loved the sibling more than themselves or something like that. Sibling love was a difficult thing and standing in the shadow of a firstborn, an heir was hard.
Lord Greengrass stopped her musing, as he spoke up. "Lord Peverell, I entrust my daughters into your care for that evening. I take it you will not betray my trust or take any liberties."
"Of course, Lord Greengrass."Harry nodded to the man briskly, with a serious look on his face. The gruff man returned the nod.
Hagrid smiled, leaning forward. "I will keep an eye out for you too." He said to Astoria.
The girl returned the smile. "Thank you, Hagrid. How are the young Thestrals doing? I didn't have time to visit the young foal you told me about."
The smile on Hagrids face broadened as most people around the table looked surprised. Other than Daphne and her father, to the others, it was news that Astoria had any contact with the large Gatekeeper. But like him, she loved animals of all kind. Even though she had a more cuteness orientation instead of as fanged and claw armed as possible. So it was a given that Care for magical creatures was her favourite class and other than her sister Astoria didn't despise getting dirty or sweaty. So she and her two best friends spent quite a lot of their time down and Hagrid's hut, helping him with different kinds of animals. Quickly the young girl turned to the gatekeeper and they started an animated discussion about Thestral care. The bad mood the girl carried around the entire day seemed to have disappeared like nothing.
Daphne leaned a little closer to Harry. "Thank you, Harry." Was all she whispered before turning and sitting down at the table, starting a conversation with professor McGonagall about a thesis the teacher had written during the summer.
Harry sat down with a small sigh of relief, looking over at the younger Greengrass sister. She had Dawn sitting on her hand while talking to Hagrid and it seemed like the small phoenix was very content with getting her tummy tickled right now, yet when Harry's eyes swept over then the black-feathered head turned to him and young but at the same time, very very old golden eyes looked back at him, making him smile. For a moment he just watched his familiar's gleeful cooing, before he turned his head to his best friend.
"I missed to ask, did the duel between Ulrich and Warrington happen?" He tried picking up a topic before they could ask him about Astoria.
Hermione frowned slightly and nodded, while Susan started grinning lopsided. "Oh yeah, it did!" The bluenette exclaimed, diving into telling the story.
"Come on, we are going to be late!" Susan was as energetic as ever. She tapped her foot rapidly, her arms crossed. Hannah was folding her blue winter blouse, shaking her head.
"Relax Blue, it is still thirty minutes before the duel starts." The brown-haired girl reprimanded her impatient friend.
Susan groaned throwing herself onto her bed. She already wore none school clothing a sweater and jeans. Technically it was still a school day but since they had no classes today too, Susan was quite sure that Professor Sproud would overlook it. Quite a few Hufflepuffs wore normal clothing on the day they would return home. Swinging her legs back and forth while lying on her stomach, she watched her friend floating her clothing in a calm and meticulous manner. She wasn't swayed by her friend's impatience and twitching. Hannah knew Susan since she was in her nappies and ever since then the heiress of family Bones couldn't sit patiently in one spot once. Always moving in some way r form, like she had way too much energy, to begin with. Hannah was used to it and wouldn't be rushed to it. She was the counterweight in their friendship, reigning her bubbly friend in when she was too hyper to notice and calming her down somewhat.
Where the bluenette was rapid and prone to fast mood and interest swings, Hannah was down to earth and the very definition of all that was Hufflepuff. Hard-working, frugal and undemanding, she was happy with her life. Sometimes she wondered how Susan had not ended up in house Gryffindor, but she knew that Susan was the most loyal friend you could have and hardworking too. She just was always looking to the horizon, to something new and exciting and Hannah was there to look out for her friend, so she didn't tangle her feet in something while her head was in the clouds.
"Will we meet her?" Hannah asked while placing her belt rolled up in the corner of her trunk. For a moment, she glanced over at Susan's own luggage, where everything was thrown in without care, a sleeve of a grey sweater hanging through the gap between trunk and lid. She shook her head, pushing a book of Susan in the corner of her own trunk. She knew full well her friend had forgotten to pack a few things but also knew it was futile to tell her. Instead, she simply packed the few things she knew her friend would miss once they were home. It was easier this way.
A blue-haired head rose from the blanket looking over. Hannah didn't need to explain who she meant with her. It was Susan's girlfriend. The bluenette frowned a little. "No, not for the duel. She has to stay with her people, wouldn't be proper hanging out with us during a formal duel and you know I feel awkward hanging out with them and I know you do too."
Hannah held back a snort. It was a talking point between the two of them for some time now. Hannah wasn't overly happy about Susan's choice of partner. Not because it was a girl, Hannah knew her friend was a witches witch for years now and never really cared. No, that girl was pretty self-absorbed in Hannahs opinion and her friends were stuck up assholes.
Susan, on the other hand, had the little feeling in her mind that Hannah had problems with the fact that she spends time with someone else. While Susan was a social person, Hannah was not so much and had always clung to the friendship with the bluenette. Susan knew that she was, together with her parents, the most important person in Hannahs life and she felt the same way about her friend too. Hannah was her best friend. But still, Hannah seemed to think she was losing her childhood friend.
The brown-haired girl nodded closing her trunk. "All right then. Let us go before the best spots are gone."
With a whoop Susan jumped from her bed, looping her arm around Hannah's shoulders. "Yeah, let's go. And remember, this Christmas we will spend almost the entire time together, like when we were young."
Hannah gave her a short smile. "Yeah, except for the day after Christmas."
Susan snorted. "You know full well that Auntie is attached to Lord Black. That is one day, we will survive. You sure I shouldn't ask Harry?"
Hannah shook her head. "No, he is your friend. I can handle myself for one day, might be nice to actually sleep one night without you snoring loudly."
Susan gasped fakely. "Hanna! How dare you? I sleep like a princess."
Hannah laughed smaking her friend over the arm. "A troll princess maybe. At night one might think you are secretly related to Goyle."
Laughing Susan shoved her timid friend in good nature and the continued bantering while they climbed the stairs to the main hall and moved to the Great hall. Someone, Susan would have guessed the head of house Ravenclaw, seemed to have redecorated the room. The four big tables were gone and in their stead the middle of the room was dominated by one big platform. It was made from wood and covered with padded the floor was a large black ring and in direction of north, south, east and west were smaller circles. At the sides of the Hall were rows and rows of benches staked like bleachers. Over the windows, there was cloth hanging strangely enough. The students gathered roughly divided by houses, making the two girls turn right where most of Hufflepuff was sitting, talking.
While they walked over, Susan swept the crowd with her eyes and saw Hermione, Neville and Ron sitting with the Gryffindors. The red-heads sister and brothers were noticeably absent from the hall, but Susan had seen the girl cry her eyes out the last three days and her brother comfort her, so she took it the youngest of the red-headed clan was avoiding the public. The two other girls she had seen Ginny with, gathering they were her friends, looked a little lost without their "leader".
"Did we miss anything?" Susan asked leaning forward over Cedric Diggory's shoulder. The housemate was all right, had helped her and Hannah in their first year with homework. She wouldn't say they were really friends but he mostly knew what was going on and was all in all a nice guy.
Brown hair moved only a little bit as he shook his head. Damn, how does he do it to always look perfect, Susan thought, while Cedric explained. "Nothing happened so far. Professor Flitwick changed the hall and that is it. But it should start soon I think, almost the entire school is here and look there come the delegations."
Susan followed his finger, seeing that in fact the Japanese and the German delegation just came in. At least most of them. Miss Greif and their champion were missing. The Japanese sat down in front of Ravenclaw with their own champion at the centre noticed Susan, while the Germans took a seat in the front of Gryffindor opposite of her. The group of Dwarfs that accompanied the German delegation came in, carrying a large chest between them. Under the guidance of their captain, who was smoking a pipe and got a displeased look from Susans own head of the house, the armour clad non-humans heaved objects out of the crates. It was marble obelisks approximately the size of an adult human and headed with a Grimm bearded face, carvings of Anvils, Flames and Dragons. Runes covered every free surface and glowed in soft light. When they turned one of the steles the right way, Susan light glistening in rubies the size of her fist, which were the eyes of the faces.
"Hrmm, some are missing." Her eyes searched the stands of the Slytherin crowd. Warrington wasn't there either.
Cedric nodded slowly, pointing at the door in the back. "Yeah. It seems that McGonagall, Snape and Warrington are behind that door, together with Warrington's parents and Greif, Kurfürst, and someone I think is Kurfürsts father are behind that door." He pointed at a second door.
Susan raised an eyebrow. "Kurfursts father is here? Isn't that the..." She trailed off and again Cedric nodded.
"Yeah, the vampire. Only saw him shortly. Looks the part. Wearing dark robes and had a pale hairless head. Red eyes and pointed ears. Honestly, looking more like death warmed over." As he said that, the door opened and McGonagall strode outside. She stepped behind the lectern that was Dumbledores for years and Susan couldn't help but ask herself when the headmaster would return. Probably after the trial tomorrow. But, Susan had to hand it to her, McGonagall looked good behind the stand. She spread out her arms.
"Students, quiet please." The respect for the stern teacher made the command unneeded. Her gaze swept over the gathered students as she nodded once.
"We are here together today to witness the settling of a dispute with a duel of honour. Before we begin, I will say a few words. This." She pointed down at her lectern. "is a rarety. It is the first honour duel in Hogwarts history for over forty years. As honour duels are a privilege of the nobility I hope it will stay the only one for the next hundred years."
She looked once over at the Slytherins and the Gryffindors before she resumed talking. "I don't want this to set an example. Those of you who try to reenact this event WILL suffer consequences in the form of detention with Mr Filch, are we clear?"
An agreeing murmur went through the room and the deputy nodded once. "All right, let us begin. Please welcome the impartial judge, representing Gringotts, Sharptooth." A goblin who was standing next to the platform bowed once, stepping onto it. Susan noticed the dwarfs quieting considerably and staring daggers at the long-nosed suit-wearing none human. Sharptooth seemed to not notice or more likely not care for the poisonous gazes he got.
"Today we have come together for the duel of the noble house of Warrington and the family of Duke Von Carstein. Both parties have agreed to a duel to third blood. Killing the opponent is forbidden. Should both combatants be knocked out, this duel has to be redone until there is a winner. Should either one drop his wand willingly and or utter a verbal surrender the duel will be over. Should one of you be disarmed or knocked out the duel is over. Cassius Warrington's second is Adrian Prucey. Ulrich Kurfürsts second is Sebastian Müller. Would both seconds please step up to the platform."
Müller and Prucey both rose from their seats, while Susan leaned over to Hannah. "Have any idea why he is called Kurfürst, not von Carstein?"
Hannah shrugged. "No idea."
After the burley german boy and the Slytherin had shaken hands with as much disdained as Susan had ever people seen people do, the doors opened and both parties came out.
Snape led Cassius out of the room. The potions master looked like he always did, hair greasy and his face scowling, while his black robes billowed before Warrington's feet. The boy didn't show his usual smile, instead seemed focused, with a frowned brow. He wore duelling robes made from Dragon Leather in the dark grey and red of house Warrington. Over his heart was the coat of arms, a black crow on a red field. Behind him came his mother and father, both also wearing fine robes, showing their house colours.
Susan stretched her head a little to get a better look at the german delegation. At the front, like Snape before Warrington was Madam Greif, wearing the same dark blue robes with a high collar. Her face was stony and her back rot straight. After her came Ulrich, wearing something that would have been right in the dark ages. A white crest rock with a large Black cross and the double-headed black dragon of Hohenehr on his chest. His missing left arm was a crass contrast to his calm and collected demeanour. He looked like he had done this many times before but still managed to look tired. After him came the vampire.
Susan's aunt had talked with her lengthy about vampires. How they weren't all bad, how they only tried to life their lives and that they weren't that different from the werewolves. How they just had a bad name. Yet Susan just knew this wasn't the case with this one. Manfred von Carstein looked like a shroud of darkness made human form. His pale skin showed veins clearly on his shaved or bald head. Two large fangs probably the length of Susan's index finger stuck out of the corners of his mouth. While Snape always wore flowing black robes and dressed like a piece of darkness, this vampire looked like he was really dressed in a cloud of pure blackness. But it was the look he gave them all that made her shiver. He looked at them with the same superiority and disdain as if they were all pigs running around his dining room. He looked down on them as he moved to the for him prepared seat.
"Get this over with quick boy. The Emporer has invited me for dinner." Even though the sneering voice of the vampire was quiet it still reached everyone in the room. Ulrich scowled at the towering cloud of darkness but stepped up to the arena. Both boys glared at each other. Sharptooth nodded once raising his voice again.
"Please both combatants step into the circle. The heads of all four houses have declared that they would raise the wards. Please step into the smaller circles."
Both boys shrugged off their outer coats handing them to their seconds. Not that they needed one in the warm inner of the castle, but it was a custom to do so. Susan noticed that the blond german student, one Susan herself wouldn't throw out of bed, looked pale biting her nails while watching. Then the german boy pulled a potions flask from his robes gulping it down in one swig. No one seemed to be interested in it as he moved on towards the circle. But Susan had her eyes still at the blond and saw her pale even more.
Cassius and Ulrich stepped to both sides of the circle, staring at each other, as the four heads of houses stepped closer, placing the tip of their wands on the obelisks. For a second a glowing dome appeared around the circle before getting transparent again. Only the stronger glowing runes on the obelisk showed that something had changed at all. Cassius and Ulrich brandished their wands and bowed to each other, both barely doing the minimum in that gesture.
"Begin!" Sharptooth called out.
Cassius sprang into action instantly, stepping sideways, raising his wand. He brought it down in a slashing manner, energy pooling on the tip of the wooden object as he called out "Flagellum Ignis!" And a large whip of flames sprung forth slashing across the circle. Ulrich didn't seem to move but the whip missed him barely, crashing into the invisible dome with a loud cracking sound. Cassius swung his wand around a second time the whip crashed down and a second time Ulrich dodged it without looking like he wasn't moving at all.
Cassius swung his whip a third and a fourth time, before huffing. Raising his wand and pointing, he made a stabbing motion.
"Fulgur!" And a lightning bolt struck from his wand. This time Ulrich moved moe, bending on the hip out of the way. With a flash and a thunderclap, the lighting bolt crashed into the dome again. Then the german boy raised his own wand, bringing it down with a sashing motion and Sharptooth called out.
"First Blood!" Was the verdict and true there was a gash on Warrington's forearm, not too deep but bleeding.
Snarling in anger, the Slytherin threw his wand around in a wide ark, again a flame whip crashing across the arena. Ulrich bends in the hip like he would do dancing limbo and the whip sliced above him harmlessly.
Cassius got more and more infuriated. He was unable to hit his opponent and everybody could see that he was playing with.
"Bastard!" The Slytherin called out before sending a purple curse in Ulrich's direction that didn't seem all that far away from dark magic. But once more the curse flew past the agile teen harmlessly colliding with the dome.
Ulrich raised his wand and send some curse on his own. This time Cassius was fast enough to raise a shield blocking it at the last moment. His counter of sprayed acid didn't find its mark either and when he brought forth a flame whip once more, he was too slow and a bludgeoning curse to his face left Cassius with a broken nose and blood over the front of his robes.
"You damn bastard! Fight for real you coward!" The infuriated Snake called, raising his wand.
"Tergora! The skinning curse borderlines the dark racing towards the german. This time Ulrich didn't doge. Instead, he raised his wand and...
Slapped the curse to the side, like it was an annoying insect. The entire hall gasped in surprise. Spellswatting was a thing but it was extremely difficult to hit a spell with the exact same amount of power at exactly the right moment to redirect the trajectory of said spell.
Cassius was as surprised as all the other, his mouth hanging open as Ulrich raised his wand in a swirling pattern. Suddenly dark tendrils rose from the floor, snaking around Cassius' legs, creeping up around his torso. It looked like shadows had come to life or a Kraken from the deep attacking a ship. The tentacles wrapped around the chest, throat and arms, pulling those back in a nasty snapping sound that made the whole hall flinch.
Cassius started turning red, as Ulrich walked closer to his bound and hurt opponent. The eyes of the Slytherin almost quelled from his head, as his mother cried out in worry. When Ulrich was almost chest to chest with Cassius, he leaned in.
"Now say the words, scum!" Ulrich snarled out his accent making his word even harsher.
"I yield!" Cassius choked out, his face already turning purple. Ulrich nodded once and the tentacles puffed into nothingness, dropping the mangled Warrington child.
"Cassi!" His mother called out as she rushed up to the arena and to her broken heap of a son. Sharptooth stepped up.
"Winner, Ulrich Kurfürst!" He called out as Madam Pomfrey rushed up as well. The whole hall sat there in stunned silence before the first tentative claps came. No rushing applause, no calls nothing. Most were still shocked at the brutal end of the fight that first looked like a fun exercise.
Madam Greif stepped closer to Ulrich, speaking to him in a harsh whispered manner. She also didn't seem too happy with the end of it, just as Von Carstein rose to his feet making his way to the back door.
"You leave already?" Ulrich called after the creature.
Manfred turned his head, sneering at his son. "I came here as you fought in the name f my house. I will not waste any more time with your child's play, boy." And with that, the cloud of darkness disappeared through the door he had come from.
Whatever Ulrich might have thought about it, he soon had the blond throwing her arms around him but Susan wasn't sure whether she was relieved or angry with the gaunt-looking teen, as she cried, hugged and yelled at the boy all at the same time.
"So, Ulrich won I take it." Harry summarised the tale. Hermione and Susan nodded grimly.
"Yes, but it wasn't pretty. I kind of felt bad for Warrington even if he is a git. That was unnecessarily cruel."
Down the table, McGonagall nodded. "Mister Kurfurst went way overboard with his display. We hade young students there and this was too much for a dispute between students. I'm pretty sure if he wasn't protected for diplomatic reasons Lord Warrington would try to drag him in front of the Wizengamot. I know why I was against it all." She huffed again, shacking her head.
Harry nodded. Ulrich seemed somewhat unstable to him the entire time. Not a bad guy but he seemed to stress a lot and a little manic at times.
"And his father? He told me they didn't get along." Harry asked.
"Yeah, that was obvious. I think it cost the guy quite a lot of temper not to spit at the vampire's feet. But that seemed to be the other way around too. He didn't seem like he cared a lot for his son."
"I think we-" Whatever Harry wanted to say, he was interrupted by a popping sound. Kreacher appeared in the room, bowing deeply.
"Kreacher's apologies Lord Black, but an owl has brought a package for Heir Longbottom a minute ago. It seemed...nasty." The elf scrunched his nose as if it had smelled wrong. All turned their eyes to Neville who looked back in confusion.
"Who would send me a package here? Does it say?"
Kreacher shook his head. "There is no origin marked on the package but Kreacher recognised the writing even though it was rapid and hard to read."
It got quiet until Sirius cleared his throat. "So you know how to send it."
Kreacher bowed to his master nodding again. "Oh yes, Kreacher knows. Tih package is sent by Mrs Lestrange nee Black."
For a second there was quiet before Amelia, Augusta and Sirius jumped to their feet. "WHAT?" All three called out. After a second they had calmed down enough to act instead of gaping.
"Kreacher bring this package to the sitting room. Melia, Minerva, Mooney?" Sirius asked them. The three nodded and together the adults left the room. The rest sat there quiet before Lord Greengrass explained to the confused Mr and Mrs Granger what was going on. Andromeda and Narcissa were speaking in a hushed tone with each other while the others tried to digest these news.
Leaning closer to Neville, Harry frowned a little "Are you okay, mate?"
Neville nodded pale, but his entire demeanour showed that he was not, and Hermione patted his back trying to comfort him.
Cornelius Fudge walked down the cold and wet corridors of Azkaban. His steps, as well as the steps of the two Aurors that accompanied him, echoed through the halls. He could think of better places to be at Christmas eve than the drafty damp fortress in the middle of the ocean. But the opportunity to enjoy Albus Dumbledores misery as he handed him his Christmas gift was too tempting to not act on it.
The gift from Lord Peverell, a simple pair of socks, was secure in the Ministers pocket as he smirked thinking about it. He had underestimated the young lord. Yes, he had heard that Peverell and Dumbledore had a falling out, but to send such an insult of a gift was still surprising. Of course, it was helpful for one in a biting cold prison to have warm socks but still, it was still a pretty mocking gift for the greatest wizard in the entire world.
"Uhm Minister?" One of his two Auror guards spoke up. Cornelius Fudge turned to the side looking at the tall man. After he had worked so well at Dumbledores trial, the Minister had promoted him to his personal detail. He was smart, competent and also looking just the right amount of professional and dangerous to look like a good bodyguard. Yet, right now he was looking around in a nervous manner.
"Yes? You aren't afraid of the inmates are you Proudfoot?" Mockingly he tilted his head.
The man shook his head. "No of course not Minister. I just wondered." He looked around again. "Where are the dementors? Up here?"
Cornelius Fudge frowned. Now that the man said it for two floors now they hadn't seen any of the creatures. Yes on the ground floor there had been a couple but up here none of them was floating around. And this was the maximum prison. There should be double the amount of the floating horrors, keeping the prisoners docile.
"Minister?" Now his other Auror bodyguard was getting his attention, pointing in the direction they were going. A short distance ahead there was a warm light in the tunnel, like a fire or something, coming from one of the cells. Frowning, even more, Fudge moved faster down the hall, coming to said door.
As he looked inside, Cornelius' mouth dropped open. On the other side of the bars was no cell. Instead, it was a room that looked like a comfy sitting room. The floor and walls were made from wood, with thick carpets lying on the floor. In the wall there was a hearth, where a strong fire burned, warming the entire room. At the side, a four-poster bed was standing thick blankets on it. Before the heart stood an armchair and in it sat Albus Dumbledore.
The man wasn't wearing the stripped prisoner clothes. Instead, he was wrapped in a morning robe made out of green and red wool had had a nightcap on his head. In his thin hands was a newspaper and it looked like he was doing a crossword puzzle. When they stopped in front of the cell, Dumbledore looked up with a smile over his half-moon glasses.
"Cornelius, Marry Christmas. I have been waiting for you" The old man said with a wide smile, setting down the newspaper.
Fudge blinked, trying to comprehend what was happening.
"W...W-What? How did you? What did you do?"
Dumbledore chuckled. "Oh, I redecorated. I wasn't sure when I would see you so I prepared for a longer stay. But the cell was looking so dire so I thought that could be nicer. And it is don't you think? I like the way the stone turns to wood at the threshold. Don't you think too?"
On instinct, a dumbfounded Minister looked down to the place where stone turned to wood. After a moment where he blinked rapidly, Cornelius Fudge turned to his Aurors.
"Has no one searched him for a wand you imbeciles? He transfigured all this stuff!"
Dumbledore shook his head. "Calm down Cornelius. Your aurors searched me for a wand and I have none here."
Fudge's eyelid twitched as he turned red. "Liar! Proudfoot, Savage, search him!"
"Yes, sir!" The Aurors spoke pulling their own wands. With a frown, Dumbledore waved his hand at them and suddenly both dropped like a sack of potatoes.
"Now Now Cornelius. There is no need for violence. Come, sit." And with a second wave, the door opened and a second chair floated in from the side. The Minister blinked in surprise, ready to turn and flee as he saw that there was suddenly no corridor to both sides of the door anymore. Just the square where he and the unconscious bodies of the two Aurors were. He blinked again, totally surprised. Like in a daze he walked into the room sitting down. Dumbledore smiled at him like a peaceful grandfather, folding his hands.
"I'm glad you come to visit me. It is awfully quiet in the last two days." Suddenly he had a cup of tea in his hand handing it to the totally lost Minister.
Like an automaton, Fudge reached into his pocket and handed over the pair of warm socks. "Lord Peverell sends these."
Dumbledores eyes lid up, while a bright smile rose to his lips. "Ah young Harry, how lovely. I wondered if he remembers. The youth is such a wonder really." With a smile the old man put the socks into his pocket, smiling to himself.
"What...what did you do to the Dementors?" He finally brought out. Dumbledore shook his head tiredly.
"Nothing. We had a little talk you know? I dislike it extremely to have all my bad memories pulled up to the front of my mind really. In a long life you gather quite a few of those you know? Anyways, I asked them to go to the lower levels as I wanted to enjoy this little holiday from work as good as I could. They agreed fearing I would destroy them if the kept...iritating me."
Cornelius, still holding his cup, blinked. "Dementors can't be destroyed." He mumbled.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Oh, I think they can. Only no one has succeeded until now, but here I have a lot of time on my hand my boy. No one and nothing lives forever my friend. Not even Dementors."
Cornelius sipped on his tea, still in a stupor. The tea was calming and it was almost like one of the evenings in his early years as Minister when he had come to the headmaster for his wisdom.
"How did you?" He waved his hand around.
"Oh, well magic." Dumbledore said with his normal twinkle in his eyes.
Now Cornelius frowned, before throwing the cup away. "Enough of this." The peaceful scenery was shattered again.
"What are you doing here? What is this?" The Minister jumped from his chair, pointing his wand at Dumbledore. The old headmaster sighed and made a slapping motion with his hand. Fudges wand clattered into the corner of the room.
"I have no time nor patience for your temper tantrums Cornelius. Listen to me and listen well. Voldemort is back!" He said this with the same voice he used for students how had been found out of bound.
"Liar!" The Minister yelled.
Dumbledore sighed, shaking his head. "You are unteachable Cornelius. Do me one favour though, if nothing else. Tell Minerva, if she needs me, she knows how she can reach me." With these words, Dumbledore raised his hands and snapped one time.
Suddenly Cornelius Fudge stood in a dark and freezing prison cell. The walls were wet and scratched from countless fingernails of crazy inmates. In the corner stood an old bucket for the inmate to relief himself and a hard broken cot in the corner. Scratches that seemed to count the days filled the walls and the door squeaked as it swayed in the wind slowly.
Nothing had left of the warm lid room that had felt so out of place, no wood no carpet, no hearth, no four-post bed.
No Dumbledore.
Only Minister Fudge and two unconscious Aurors in the hallway.
Minerva sighed as she stepped into her quarters in Hogwarts, dropping her handbag and shrugging off her outer robes. It had been a long evening after all. Together with Remus and Amelia, they had inspected the small parcel. It itself wasn't cursed but when they opened it, they found some sickening things in it.
One were a few pendants that had a compulsion charm on it as well as a poison that would kill whoever wore the pendant for a short amount of time. With it was a note. In it Lestrange wrote a sickening sweet message for her lovely 'Nevi' and that he should hand out those pendants to the 'mudbloods'. The other object in the was a teddy-bear-like you would gift to a newborn. But it had some dark spots which Remus confirmed was human blood. Bellatrix wrote in the note that she had taken this from a family she had murdered and he would deserve her spoils of war, as he was her 'baby-boy'.
Minerva walked over her side table, picking up the tumbler with whiskey that sat there. This evening demanded something stronger than tea, that was for sure.
For a moment, she stopped looking at the kitty litter that was shoved into the edge of her living room. Sirius attempted to be funny with a Christmas present and one she intended to make him pay for. Today she didn't get the chance but one day she would. But today was not a day to hatch revenge plans as this day felt way too dark. Amelia had taken the entire package to the Auror office, trying to get any information out of the content. Not that it was likely. Yes, Lestrange was as mad as a bag full of raving dogs, but she wasn't stupid. It would probably lead to nothing yet they hopped she might have missed something.
Of course, no one had shown Neville what had been in the package. They had said it was distasteful and that was it. Still, the boy had looked like he was remote-controlled as he moved and talked with a pale face for the rest of the evening. Minerva knew the other children had tried to lift his spirits but it seemed rather pointless. Neville was scared and no one would blame him for it. Not only was there a crazy person out there with him as a target, but she also knew that the boy would be at the Black household for that evening.
Sirius had instantly offered both Longbottoms to stay at the Grimmauld Place 12 for the rest of the break, a suggestion they had accepted, considering that the mad witch out there still might be able to get into Longbottom Manor.
Minerva took a sip from her whiskey, swirling it in its glass, while she walked through the room, thinking. Hogwarts was safer than any place, even without Dumbledore here. Yet, she felt pretty out of place without her mentor. He had always been there, for as long as she could remember. For him not being headmaster, it just felt wrong.
And now they would get that Umbridge woman. Minerva had only taught her the last two years Dolores had been in school but she remembered a rather unpleasant person. Hopefully, the years have been good on her, making her calmer, but somehow Minerva doubted it.
As she moved past her desk, McGonagall noticed a scroll on the dark wooden surface. Picking it up, she saw the seal of the head of house Slytherin in green wax. What does Severus want? Frowning she broke the wax, rolling out the note.
Minerva,
this letter is my resignation. With Dumbeldore gone there is no more guaranteed for my safety in Hogwarts. The Dark Lord is on the move again and life will change soon. A new war is coming and I want no part of it. I lost once everything in this conflict and I will not do that again, as neither side holds anything of interest for me. Don't worry about me, no one will find me. I worked as a spy long enough, I know how to disappear.
As a last act of generosity, I will tell you about the plans the Dark Lord has at the moment. He will not attack for some time. He tries to gather strength and allies, with the werewolves, giants as well as other dark factions here in the UK and on the continent. But there is one more thing. He searches for something. I could figure out what exactly it is, Lucius only spoke about THE Tomb! Like there was only the one.
Severus Snape, potions master
Now THIS was a long one, one I thought would end about two thirds in but then this evening it just came out of me and I wanted to finish and then the Dumbledor eChapter came, so yeah.
Only a few things as it is two in the night where I am and I want to go to sleep. I hope you are all fine with Harry going with Daphne. The whole he takes Astoria with hi too was something I had to do since I wrote myself into a corner. I wanted these two to go together but Astoria being left behind wouldn't fit a well mannered Harry, so this is the conclusion.
Next to the Duel. I hope it was interesting. I wanted to give a little more background and also not only has he shoots disarming, now he. I hope it was a little bit more interesting.
As for what Ulrich drank beforehand, you will see, it will come up soon. I wanted him not to be too nice of a guy. Also, his father is a real dick.
It was fun writing away from the main people that is why I wrote from Susan's perspective. Can you guess her girlfriend? I have laid a few hints and she already was coming up in the story.
Dumbledore. THAT I wanted to do for a long time. I love the idea of Dumbledore being so powerful that even going to Azkaban doesn't stop him at all. Like he said in the Books 'Do you really think Azkaban could hold me?' Or something along those lines. In case you wonder, as I never will explain it in canon because we won't see him for quite some time now, he used house-elf magic. I like the idea of Dumbeldore being the only one who takes the time and is unorthodox enough to know elf magic. That is why he uses no wand. How he learned it and when I will not tell. Also, I like the idea of him not doing magic with his wand unless it is really really dire. As if Dumbledore pulling his wand is like holy shit now the shit hits the fan that kind of thinking.
Finally Severus leaving. As I said, I don't want this to be a redemption story for the dungeon bat. I kind of like him right now but not enough for that. I think this is the best way. He will stay out of this war. He has fought his fight, has suffered and sacrificed enough and lost what he had fought for. I didn't want him evil but also felt wrong having him on the good side.
So what do you say? Did you like the chapter? was it over the top or okay? Let me know.
Next Up: Returning to Hogwarts