Thanks to everyone who took the time to review my story :)
AN: Chapter betaed by the wonderful Miette and dstone12!
Severus felt laughter bubble out of his mouth as he flow-raced Dhaal on Caspian grounds in an attempt to be the first to reach their home's entrance door.
Their stay in Svalbard had done them good, Dhaal getting back more and more of his cockiness as they first individually defeated voktere after voktere, and then even won several of their fights against groups of voktere – a feat they had never achieved before they had adopted their House members, when they had only managed to sometimes hold them at bay.
Even the Vakten had been impressed. He had deigned to duel Severus and Dhaal for the first time that afternoon. Of course, the Vakten had beaten them in a mere five minutes. However, VokJung had admitted to Severus that lasting this long against the Vakten was impressive for most Vampires, and even more so for a Wizard as young as Severus.
It had driven home to Severus how lucky they had been against Dumbledore. If the old man had not toyed with Severus at the beginning, trying to gain information, with Hogwarts' full power at his disposal, the Headmaster would have beaten them as soundly as the Vakten. It almost worried him as he suspected that, thanks to the magical power behind the Marks and his Slytherin's inheritance, Lord Voldemort's power was somewhere between that of Dumbledore's and the Vakten's. Only the fact that they had planned to avoid a fair fight and just drug the man before reuniting him with his Horcruxes let him breathe easily.
Still, he wondered if he should be planning something more, in case something went wrong. A way to help mitigate or perhaps even drain away any surplus of power available to the Lord. Maybe something like the idea used in an Absorball that would just swallow up the intensity of most spells. He should take out the one Evan had gifted him several years ago, when he still had trouble with his wand, and study how it worked. It might give him some ideas.
Severus almost rolled his eyes as Dhaal touched the door first and pranced proudly while waiting for him to catch up.
"Show off!"
"You don't practise your flow-travel enough," replied his Familiar smugly.
"You don't practise your Sensing enough," retorted Severus.
The Thestral tilted his head, looking almost pensive before a spark of mischievousness flared through their bond.
"Neither do you, or you wouldn't be so relaxed. I'm going to play with the girls, be patient!"
Severus blinked as Dhaal disappeared in a flash. Extending his Sense, he restrained a sigh. Andromeda, Pandora, Maverick and Mòr were in the living room.
He had no doubt that they were waiting for him, nor could he fault them for it. After the quick succession of suspicious events in the last two days, he could not hope to placate them only by swearing to tell them everything in two weeks.
They all looked at him when he entered the room, none looking surprised.
Could they Sense him like he could Sense them? Or could they only do so if he was hurt, like Lily had Sensed Lord Potter being poisoned? Did it depend on their Oaths?
He still understood so little of the workings of Magic. It was both exhilarating and frustrating.
"Are you ready to deal with our intruders?" asked Andromeda, a hint of challenge in her voice.
"Shouldn't we wait for Ted and Xenophilius?" countered Severus, side-stepping her question.
"We have already discussed our information and thoughts with them," answered Pandora, lightly patting Andromeda's hand as if to tell her to be patient. "They are now on children guard duty, but they trust us to make the best decision for our House."
Mòr and Maverick nodded in agreement. It would have been easier to deal with House members who blindly trusted him, but they would never have been accepted into House Caspian to begin with. He also would have gone crazy in a couple of days.
"Alright," said Severus, taking his seat at the end of the table. "I understand that you have new information to share," he added, looking at Andromeda.
If they wanted answers, let them lead the discussion.
"While you were off being mysterious, we have been trying to find out who could have hired our intruders," began Andromeda without batting an eye at his behaviour. "I was taught, when I was still being groomed to marry off into a noble House and subtly influence my future husband's politics, that most Houses' alliances are either with other Houses, Families or Dwarven Colonies. I don't include in these alliances the particularities of Trees and Lines. On the other hand, business partnerships most often are with other Houses, Clans, Shoals or Veela Flocks. Lands don't usually mix with Wizard affairs because they think themselves above us. They usually use Goblins as intermediaries when they have to deal with the likes of us. To have even a Half-Fae hired to frame you is an anomaly."
Severus agreed with her, except that she did not know of his close ties with Clan Röykkiö. It might be enough for Faes to consider him more Goblin than Wizard. Though he had troubles imagining Faes poisoning Lord Potter with a potion, even one as complex as the Certa Mor.
"Of course, the strength and specificity of our House's wards, despite their youth, means that they could not hire just anybody, especially as it seems that the aim was to remain undetected and to avoid harm," added Pandora. "It takes different skills to breach wards, and especially to breach wards without any of the House's members noticing. I believe that few Wizards would have the ability to do so, considering that the wards are unusual."
Severus nodded in agreement, earning a pleased smile from Pandora.
"Some Houses, like the Blacks, possess contacts who are used as... middle men, shall we say," continued Andromeda, taking up the thread of their reasoning. "They are the ones who know the underbelly of Knockturn Alley, and who blend in with the lawless and unsavoury citizens of our world. They are the ones who would know how to hire someone for this kind of job. They would also know who to hire depending on the requirements of the jobs."
"However, we must consider that this particular job was complex," said Maverick, speaking up for the first time. "Because of House Caspian's wards, but also because procuring the ingredients that would be planted without being traced to them is not within anybody's reach."
"Why would it be the same person doing both jobs?" asked Severus. "You can buy the ingredients on one side, and give them to the intruders on the other."
"True," admitted Maverick. "However, in our case, the ingredients are very distinctive. I don't believe the mastermind would have wanted to involve many people. As soon as the ingredients were discovered, the seller would have known their use and had leverage on the mastermind."
"I see your point," said Severus slowly. "Unless they bought them in South America, where the laws are more flexible on these ingredients."
Maverick shook his head.
"They would have to hide them when coming back to Europe. You know it's always complicated to hide ingredients without interfering with their potency. It's more probable that they used a big team of multiple talents. The mastermind and his middleman may not even know who they hired, you can have intermediaries of intermediaries in this kind of high profile job."
"But with multiple intermediaries, you lose the discretion," remarked Severus.
"There is a balance to this," answered Maverick. "Half-Fae are very rare, and they are often distrusted by both the Faes and their other genetic half. Seeing Demi and Mimi, I would not be surprised if they were part of a bigger group of Half-Bloods, with one of them who can pass for a Wizard being their representative."
"So you're betting on a mastermind unknowingly hiring a group of Half-Blood mercenaries?" summed up Severus.
"Either that or they are affiliated to a Land who has taken interest in you and either wishes to test or to break you. But the latter would mean that you are a player in more than just the Wizard political arena," answered Maverick.
The glint in the Wandmaker's eyes told Severus that the older man had his suspicions about Severus' non-Wizard alliances.
"The mastermind could be from almost any magical race if we go this way," said Andromeda. "If they are mercenaries, and if House Caspian is a bigger political player than we know, Faes are not the only ones who could have decided to hire them. The potion ingredient plot could also be an attempt by an unknown party or parties to frame a Wizard for the attempt to frame Severus."
"What do you think?" asked Pandora, looking at Severus with open curiosity.
"I haven't heard Mòr's opinion on the subject," said Severus, looking at his silent Chieftain.
The Faery hesitated a brief instant before speaking.
"For all that our Fae kinds can look alike to foreigners, despite our size difference, Faes and Fairies don't mix well usually. I would be very surprised if Mimi had accepted affiliation to a Land."
He paused, choosing his words with care.
"I also find their behaviour surprising. They are being very nice, eager to please their guards despite Demi's apparent nonchalance. Considering their Sensing abilities and the experience they seem to possess, I'm really surprised that Mimi tried to hide in our Tree. It feels more like a test than a true attempt to hide."
"What are you saying?" asked Severus.
"I feel like they tested our worth, and now they are trying to show that they are worthy of House Caspian," stated Mòr defiantly.
"The others don't agree?" guessed Severus from his attitude.
"I think it's far-fetched," said Andromeda. "Why would they need to go to such a length to present their candidature? And would a Fae, even a Half one, really consider a House as worthy of him?"
"It might be a matter of opportunity," offered Pandora. "Bret is adamant that they had to have studied our House and wards for several weeks before attempting their operation. They may have discovered that they were compatible with our House and decided to seize this opportunity. But I agree with Andromeda that it seems quite extraordinary."
Thinking back to Demi's odd comment about "growing on them", Severus thought that it fitted well with Mòr's opinion. However, could thieves really want to integrate an official House?
It also did not answer who had ordered the framing of Severus. However, if his House members were right about the framing being linked to politics other than those of the Wizarding World – and he had the feeling they were – he needed to call Drunek. His Master might know of Demi and Mimi, or about a group of Half-Bloods Fae and Fairy mercenaries.
"Thank you all for your insight. I believe I need to call one of our allies."
He held up his hand to prevent Andromeda's questions.
"I promise to tell you everything in two weeks."
Pandora looked intrigued, Andromeda resigned. Maverick was pensive while Mòr seemed determined.
Severus got up, offering them a last nod of thanks before walking to his office.
He sat at his desk, took off his communicating stone from his neck and settled to call his Master. Soon, he would be able to invite his goblin family into his home to meet with his other family.
"Good evening Daoack."
Severus smiled at Drunek's warm voice.
"Good evening Master."
"I don't think I'm up to dealing with another emergency before dinner," stated the Goblin.
"I don't intend to make a habit of finding myself in these kinds of situations," replied Severus, well aware that in two weeks maximum, he would be facing another Wizard on Dumbledore's level.
"Are you calling to plan a visit?"
Severus grimaced at Drunek's hopeful tone. He had not been to Uusi for three weeks. Not that long truly, but he had not even had the time for a simple call.
"Not yet. I wondered if you knew of a group of thieves or mercenaries mostly composed of Fae or Faery Half-bloods," answered Severus. "I have a name for two of them: Demi and Mimi."
"Hmmm. It does ring a bell," said Drunek after a few seconds of silence. "Something that Richtigk told me I think. You should call him, I can't really remember what it was about."
Severus allowed himself a few minutes to ask his Master about the rest of the family before saying goodbye and calling Richtigk.
"Yíngjiē Daoack!"
"Yíngjiē Master Richtigk," answered Severus, feeling himself smile at the enthusiastic greeting.
"Do you have another challenge for me?"
The Goblin Master sounded almost gleeful.
"I don't think so, I need some information," replied Severus.
"Well, you can't always save me from boring banquets. Fire away."
Severus repeated the same question he had asked Drunek, holding his breath.
"Demi and Mimi? You're sure?"
Richtigk's voice suddenly was razor sharp.
"These are the names they gave me."
"You've met them?"
Severus had never heard the Goblin Master sound so surprised. He barely hesitated before explaining to Richtigk the entire story of his two intruders.
"If they are who I believe them to be... This is as good as your previous emergency. Clan Röykkiö suspect that those two belong to a group of mercenaries under the leadership of Land Jūnuṁ. The Land is allied with Clan Vauraus."
The Korkein's clan. But how would they be linked to Lord Potter's poisoning? They were known for trading exotic goods, but Goblins and Wizards had an agreement in the United Kingdom concerning the restrictions on Basilisk venom and Graphorn's horns. Moreover, how could Clan Vauraus have known that Lord Potter would be poisoned? Could they even take the risk to poison one of the other clans' business partners?
"Of course, it only makes sense when you know that Land Jūnuṁ is also allied with House Dumbledore," added Richtigk.
"A Land is allied with a House?" said Severus, surprised.
A business partnership between a House and a Land was already rare, but an alliance… Richtigk was right, a link between Dumbledore and Faes shed a new light on the recent events. It also meant that by locking up Dumbledore, Severus may have unknowingly won an important round in his clan's political chess game.
"The only alliance of this kind in Europe if I'm not mistaken," answered Richtigk. "It should have been a sign that Dumbledore was not to be trusted."
"Do you dislike Faes too?" asked Severus.
Between Tuei and Manylion, he was lucky he had already met and appreciated Muśkēlī or he would never have approached a Fae.
"I don't dislike them, but I am aware their vision of the world is very different from ours, and their views on Oaths are… slippery."
For a Goblin to say this, Severus had the feeling he had better have any Contract he might sign with a Land proofread ten times.
"Anyway, we suspect that Demi and Mimi's mercenary group is often used by Clan Vauraus to discredit their opponents," explained Richtigk.
Meaning Clan Röykkiö and their allies.
"This is a surprising turn of events. So far, we have only caught whispers of their existence. We have only guessed at their skills considering that up to this point they left no trace. Not to dismiss your skills Daoack, but I am surprised that you managed to catch them. Older and more experienced Goblins and Dwarves have tried and failed," said Richtigk pensively.
"My Chieftain believes that they want to become part of House Caspian," explained Severus, giving Richtigk Mòr's arguments and reasoning.
"I do not know Faerys well," admitted Richtigk, to Severus' surprise. "But if your chieftain tells the truth, we can indeed imagine that they are trying to gain your protection. It would explain why they have suddenly made such a mistake in their planning. From what you told me, the plan only works if the person who hired them was certain that there would be an Auror search in your home. In that case, they could have planted the ingredient somewhere close to your manor, even a garden shed, where the wards would have been a tad weaker. It would not have required Demi to overtly attract your attention but still been easy enough to attract the Aurors attention if they had found nothing after searching all the usual places inside the manor itself."
"It would not have made much sense for a Potion Master Grade I to keep such dangerous ingredients lying around in his garden shed," countered Severus."
"True, but considering the Wizards' unstable political situation right now, it would be more than enough to decrease your ability to support Voldemort, to stop House Caspian in its rise and to make some of your current business opportunities disappear while you work on proving your innocence," replied Richtigk.
"Alright. You really believe that Dumbledore and Clan Vauraus allied themselves through Land Jūnuṁ in order to discredit me, and Clan Röykkiö by extension?"
"You are the ace up Clan Röykkiö's sleeve in western Europe," agreed Richtigk seriously.
The reasoning was sound if Severus could believe the importance it suggested he possessed, especially in Goblin politics. Severus could easily imagine Dumbledore plotting against House Caspian and Lord Voldemort by extension. The old man asking for the help of his Fae allies to reach his goal, especially when the Headmaster seemed obsessed with crushing Slytherins, was completely believable. However, to have Clan Vauraus involved as well because of Severus seemed a lot more far-fetched but also more ominous.
"What have you planned to do with Demi and Mimi?" asked Richtigk.
"I can't call the Aurors on them," said Severus. "For now, they are under guard, but that's a very short term solution at best."
"I would be thrilled to take them off your hands," proposed Richtigk. "There are many questions I'd like to ask them, as would the others who tracked them."
"What kind of interrogation are we talking about?" asked Severus, suspicious.
He liked Demi and Mimi despite himself. He could imagine them among his House. He did not want them hurt.
"No harm will come to them if this is what you wish," answered Richtigk after a long silence.
"Can I have it in writing?"
Two hours later, Richtigk, two other Goblins and one Dwarf were escorting Demi and Mimi out of Caspian Manor. They were not to be harmed in any way, and Severus was free to come speak with them, and even bring them back to Caspian Manor any time he wished.
Severus did not miss Demi's and Mimi's relief when they were told the terms of the Contract between Severus and Richtigk. Relief was also clear on his House members' faces, though he suspected that for the most part, they were glad to know that their intruders were being taken care of discreetly but legally. They were also very curious about Severus' ties with Goblins and Dwarves but did not try to get any information out of him.
Dinner was held in the conservatory since for once, Manylion as well as several Faery had accepted the open invitation to join in. Severus was proud to watch Caspian House take form under his eyes, its various members more and more at ease with each other as days passed.
To his surprise, Manylion seemed to have a soft spot for Ted. Less surprising, she was getting on well with Mòr's Chevaliers. Andromeda and Pandora were slowly getting the measure of each other, with Maverick serving as a surprising mediator between them. Pākiki was a favourite of Nymphéa and Dhaal, to Tuei's exasperation and fondness. Severus was curious to see how Rhys and Fu-Hsi would integrate within the House.
He both dreaded and wished for the time when he could be honest with his two families and friends. Lucius would no doubt be hurt by the secrecy, but he would understand. He had to. Then, Severus' entire family would mesh together. Narcissa might have had a point about getting a bigger living room.
While the dinner was animated, they all went to bed early, most having to catch up on sleep because of the intruders' stay. Severus slept soundly, Dhaal curled between his neck and shoulder.
The morning after, Severus asked Pandora, Maverick and Mòr to join him in his office after breakfast. He settled behind his desk, Pandora and Maverick taking the armchairs across him while Mòr sat on the armrest of Pandora's seat. Pandora was vibrating with curiosity, a stark contrast to Maverick and Mòr's quiet focus.
Severus watched them in silence, repeating to himself the speech he had rehearsed earlier. He could not afford to botch this.
"I need your help. I'm currently stuck on a project with a fast approaching deadline, and I believe that your expertise would be invaluable to get past my current difficulties. However, this project is… delicate to handle. You will be required to swear a privacy Oath before I can share with you its specifics. I won't hold it against you if you don't feel up to taking such a risk."
"You swore to explain everything in two weeks maximum," remarked Maverick idly.
"As I said, my deadline is fast approaching," said Severus.
They were not fools.
"What more can you tell us about this project to help us decide if we should take the risk to help?" asked Maverick.
"I aim to right a wrong. You'll work with a test subject. You'll need to use Sensing. You will have all my notes about what I have already tried, what worked and what didn't. And you will deal with the Dark Arts," answered Severus.
Silence fell, his three House members considering his words.
Maverick was the first to speak.
"I'm in."
One done.
"So am I," stated Pandora decisively.
Severus looked at Mòr expectantly.
"I don't believe I am the best suited to the task you have in mind," finally said his Chieftain. "Would you let me call for another member of my Tree?"
"Of course."
After less than two minutes, there was a knock on the door.
He needed to ask Mòr how he was calling his Tree members.
"Come in," called Severus.
"Good morning Lord Caspian, Bret, Pandora," greeted Mìa, flying into the room. "You called?" she asked, looking at her husband.
He nodded, flying up to her. They spoke in low tones for several minutes before Mòr turned back toward Severus.
"Mìa has agreed to help. I will leave you to it, I don't think I need to know more."
Severus nodded. It might be wiser to keep the Chieftain out of it.
Once he had left, Severus had them swear an Oath promising not to communicate in any form or fashion any aspect of their project to anyone outside of the four individuals currently involved and/or their test subject(s).
"Our test subject is coming today after lunch. It means you have three hours to study my notes before meeting him. I have set up my lab so that we'll have the space to experiment. You also have one table and two boards on which to scribble all your ideas."
"How long will we have to work with the guinea pig?" asked Pandora seriously.
"About thirty minutes just after lunch. Then maybe one hour before dinner, depending on how late our meeting runs," answered Severus.
They all nodded, seriousness and curiosity shining in their eyes. He was so proud. Hopeful too.
He gave them copies of his notes, protected by encryption runes and a magical signature lock. They left his office quickly, Mìa sitting on Pandora's left shoulder.
Alone in his office, Severus hesitated before deciding to work on his Transfiguration Apprenticeship project which he had sorely neglected these past few weeks. Recalling the words of Auror Longbottom, he hoped that Minerva was not hoping to enlist him deeper into Hogwarts' faculty. He did not have time for it, and more importantly, he did not think he would enjoy it. Two days a week was already stretching the limits of his patience and boredom at times.
As was usual when Severus was deep into interesting and complex research, lunch time came far too early. He had a casual lunch sitting around in the living room, listening to most of his House chatting easily between themselves while he occasionally offered sarcastic comments, then retreated to his office until Jonathan arrived.
While his friend hid it well, Severus knew enough of his 'tells' to see his nervousness. In his shoes, Severus was not sure he would have been brave enough to show his Mark to a bunch of strangers, even if they had belonged to Lucius' House.
They went to Severus' laboratory, where Pandora, Mìa and Maverick were already waiting for them. Their table was already covered with various papers and notes.
Severus introduced them, then hesitated, unsure how to bring up the Mark. Jonathan did not falter, rolling up his sleeve to reveal the ugly tattoo. By the time thirty minutes had passed, Maverick's face was grim, Pandora was frowning and Mìa was fly-pacing.
Severus' House members didn't say a word as he informed them that he and Jonathan were leaving them for their meeting and would be back in a few hours, all too deep in thought.
"That was intense. I understand why you choose them," remarked Jonathan.
His anxiousness had faded into boredom after five minutes of the researchers alternating between staring at him in silence and writing furiously on their paper sheets.
"I hope they will help everything click into place so we don't have to fear the effect of the Marks so much during the reunification," said Severus, feeling himself preen at the fact that his friend approved of his new House members.
"If anyone can, it's your House."
Severus often wondered who he would be today if Jonathan and Evan had not been the ones to come together with him in their first year.
"We have some time before the others arrive, can I offer you something to drink?" asked Severus as they entered their secret meeting room.
"I wouldn't say no to Tuei's hot chocolate. You've redecorated," remarked Jonathan, amused, as he took in the children's toys on the floor.
Severus called for Tuei before giving Jonathan a brief summary of the events of the past two days that omitted any Goblin intervention.
Jonathan whistled softly.
"I'm glad everything will be over soon. I feel like the situation could go out of control at any time. There are too many things happening right now, have you heard about McDonald and Mulciber?"
"I can't say I have," admitted Severus, wondering what else could threaten to derail their plan.
"She's finally accepted marriage to Mulciber and the formalisation of the betrothal promise sworn by their parents when the both of them were two years old," announced Jonathan.
"Really?"
Mulciber and McDonald's relationship had cycled between hot and cold for years, during and after their Hogwarts' years. Severus had thought that McDonald felt a mix of nostalgia, fascination and hatred toward Mulciber, with a nice twist of Blood Magic to top the mix. Adding the fact that Mulciber supported Lord Voldemort while she supported Dumbledore and Birkins, Severus did not understand why she would suddenly agree to this union.
"That was my immediate reaction when Evan told me yesterday. Apparently, she asked to speak with Mulciber several months ago, around the beginning of October. She told him that she was disappointed with the do-gooders Gryffindors and their pro-Muggles views, that it wasn't what she had signed for. Of course, Mulciber and Lord Voldemort were suspicious, they thought that Dumbledore was trying to infiltrate the Death Eaters," explained Jonathan.
The latter sounded more likely to Severus too.
"From what I understand, they tested her, giving her false information to see if it would be used by the Order of the Phoenix, and asking her to participate during some raids. She passed with flying colours, according to Mulciber who told it to Evan. Now, she is a spy for us and she's helping with the plan to get to the kids. This is why only a few of us knew about her position, but she's going to officially become one of us in a few days."
"Do you think it means that they will be ready to move on the Longbottoms and the Potters soon?" asked Severus, concerned.
"It's a strong possibility," agreed Jonathan. "I'm not sure we'll get to wait for the vernal equinox."
"I still think McDonald joining the Death Eaters is suspicious," said Severus, unconvinced.
From what he recalled of her, she was ruthless enough to do what was needed to appear to belong with them.
Jonathan shrugged.
"She is from an old Pureblood House. She never openly condemned Mulciber at Hogwarts, aside from the incident in our fifth year, but she retracted her testimony only a few hours afterwards and he was never found guilty. Their relationship has always been complicated and their Houses are allied so… Why not."
Severus was still sceptical. However, when he later asked Augustus and Regulus their opinion on the matter, they both seemed convinced that the probability of McDonald being a spy was weak.
"Honestly, I'm more worried about Dumbledore's supposed disappearance," said Regulus to Severus.
"There were many rumours during training yesterday," agreed Jonathan. "Mulciber is convinced that it's the proof that Dumbledore is afraid of Lord Voldemort. His theory is that Dumbledore cast the Fidelius spell for the Potters then disappeared to ensure that nobody would manage to kill him and thus break the spell."
This was another weakness of the Fidelius spell. Like most protective spells, the death of its caster terminated the spell.
Severus almost frowned. According to Petunia and Lily, Dumbledore was a strong advocate for the use of the Fidelius spell to protect Harry while the elder Potter wanted to rely on their ancestral home's protections. Could this be a reason why Dumbledore might have tried to poison Lord Potter?
"I don't believe it. The old man is far too sure of his power as Hogwarts' Headmaster. This is only Mulciber's wishful thinking," countered Regulus. "He's been putting on airs lately."
"He seemed sure of himself, maybe something that McDonald told him," suggested Jonathan.
Definitely wishful thinking then, in Severus' opinion.
"It's more likely that Dumbledore's looking for ways to help his chosen one. You know that the Prophecy told of the power he knows not," replied Regulus. "According to Father, when Dumbledore was younger, he and Grindelwald were rumoured to be very interested in the Hallows. I bet he's trying to find them."
"The Hallows? What are those?" asked Severus.
The name seemed familiar but he could not remember where he had heard it.
"They are legendary enchanted objects of great power," answered Regulus. "According to the tales, there once were three brothers who managed to each cheat Death and earn a gift of their choice for their accomplishment. The elder brother asked for the most powerful wand in the world – the Elder Wand or the Wand of Destiny. This wand was made of elder wood with a core of Thestral tail hair. The second brother asked for a stone that could resurrect the dead. The youngest asked for a cloak that could hide him from anything and anyone, even Death. The wand, the stone and the cloak are the three Deathly Hallows. It is said that to possess the three is to become the master of Death. Of course, even to find only the wand would be an invaluable asset for Dumbledore," added Regulus.
Severus was intrigued by the core of this supposedly powerful wand which used Thestral tail hair. He was surprised that Ollivander would not use Thestral tail hair for his wands when based on this tale and his own former wand, it made for powerful wands. Could it be that using Thestral parts made it more difficult for the Wandmaker to create a wand? Or, more likely remembering his talk with Maverick, was the ministry worried about too many powerful wands being created and was using Ollivanders to try to control not only which kinds of wands were allowed but how powerful they might be?
"I don't know why Dumbledore has disappeared so suddenly, but this is truly surprising, even with those letters speaking of an alleged urgent mission," intervened Augustus, sharing his opinion for the first time this afternoon. "It seems quite the coincidence that it happened the day that Severus retrieved the Horcrux from Hogwarts. Did anything unexpected happen?" asked the older man, looking at Severus.
"I had not realised that Dumbledore disappeared after your retrieval!" exclaimed Jonathan, echoed by Regulus.
Severus had thought long and hard about what he could safely share with Jonathan and Regulus when they were both marked and susceptible to being influenced by Lord Voldemort. It was one thing to risk himself, another entirely to risk his House and his Clan.
He crossed his arms, looking at his partners in crime.
"I cannot tell you everything without betraying some secrets that are not mine to give, but yes, something happened during the Horcrux retrieval. I know for certain that Dumbledore is currently in another country and far too busy to interfere with our plan. He also possesses strong incentives to remain there."
Silence met his words.
"And so? What did you do with him?" asked Regulus, frustration colouring his voice.
"I can't tell you," answered Severus patiently "but he won't get back before we are done."
He saw the younger man hesitate to push to get a clearer answer. Thankfully, Augustus spoke up.
"I'm sure you didn't have any choice, Severus, but this situation is really worrying. Chances are that Lord Voldemort will try to benefit from Dumbledore's absence and get to the kids as soon as possible."
"Unless he fears a trap from the Order of the Phoenix," countered Severus.
"But he has McDonald to tell him if it's a trap or not," replied Jonathan.
"We definitely need to be ready to act before the equinox," stated Regulus. "Which reminds me, how are we going to get Lord Voldemort alone for the reunification?"
"I was thinking of asking him for a meeting. The last time I did, he received me quickly," answered Severus.
"Do you think he still trusts you as much today?" asked Regulus.
"There's nothing to show that he doesn't," answered Severus. "Have you heard anything to make you think that he's suspicious of me?"
"No, but you're not present as much as other Death Eaters like Mulciber, Lestrange or Beltram, and some of them really dislike you."
"But Lord Voldemort reminded everyone that Severus and Bellatrix were his two favourites only ten days ago," remarked Jonathan. "And Severus has passed every test our Lord has handed him."
"We will be attentive tonight to see if there are any indications that he could refuse a meeting with you," said Augustus. "The best scenario would be if he accepts an invitation to visit Caspian Manor."
"He has never visited Caspian Manor and I could tell him that I want to introduce my new House members," suggested Severus, even though he disliked the idea of endangering even one of them.
"I think that would work," agreed Augustus after a moment of reflection.
"I can't find anything better," said Jonathan. "We already knew we would have to move him after we drug him in order to bring him to Royston."
The town of Royston was situated on the Greenwich meridian, which was supposedly the most stable magical flow in existence. Fox Covert wood was just outside the town and would provide them a quiet place to implement their plan while hopefully helping during the payment of Lord Voldemort's overdue sacrifices to Magic.
"Me neither," added Regulus.
Their plan had several weak points.
They spent another two hours reviewing the details of their plans, from how and when to use the drugs on Lord Voldemort and Nagini to the necessary measures to avoid the interruption of the reunification by the Death Eaters and the order of the Phoenix, with the best timing for Narcissa to get to the Malfoy Horcrux in between.
Then Augustus and Regulus left while Severus and Jonathan went back to the lab.
They could not help but stare when they stepped in. The boards were entirely covered with notes and drawings, while the table disappeared under many sheets of papers written with a more or less legible hand. Severus also noticed that several objects that looked like prototype wristbands representing various stages of development were sitting in a row on one of his lab benches.
Severus was glad that his House Members seemed to be making progress, while Jonathan looked overwhelmed. He must not have visited any researcher's lair before.
Pandora was the first to notice their arrival.
"You're here, perfect. Jonathan, if you could come here, we want to check a few things."
His friend looked at Severus briefly, for reassurance or commiseration at playing the lab rat he did not know, then walked to sit on the stool indicated by Pandora. Immediately, she and Mìa began testing the half-wristbands on him.
"Alright Jonathan. Here is what we are calling our testing blocks. We built them with two parts, a bit like a wand. The exterior is a combination of various materials like stones and woods, while the core is made from plants or creature parts. Of course, we are also testing runes and soaking potions to increase the potency of the blocks," explained Pandora, smiling at Jonathan as she clasped a block on his wrist.
Jonathan did not faint or turn green with nausea. He did not look affected by the block. Severus wondered if it was a sign of failure or success.
Jonathan watched with curiosity as Mìa hovered near him, taking notes on a small notebook.
"Now we are going to ask you some questions to try to evaluate the effect of the block on you," said Pandora. "Mìa, do you wish to go first?"
Severus observed the scene for a time, fascinated with Pandora's ability to put his friend at ease while questioning him thoroughly about how he felt, if he was running hotter or colder, if he could feel a difference in his marked arm,... Mìa added a few questions of her own here or there, but they seem to baffle Jonathan more than anything else.
To Severus' surprise, Maverick did not intervene, instead remaining on the side. Catching Severus looking at him, the older man gestured for him to come speak with him.
"You seem to have made good progress," said Severus, hopeful.
"Your notes helped. A lot," answered Maverick.
"Even though some ingredients and runes seem to have the same effect on the Marks when there is no reason they should?" asked Severus.
"We suspect that to fully understand their effects on the Mark, the Mark needs to be activated," answered Maverick. "I suppose you can't easily bring three other people with the same Mark to play the guinea pigs?"
"I can find another one. However, the rise in activity will be limited at best. You need at least four of them together, and speaking about a subject they disagree on, to really see a change," explained Severus.
"That's what I thought, but when we finish one prototype, it would be interesting to see a second marked one, if only to check if we could manage a generic prototype that would attenuate the effects of the Mark even if it's not attuned completely to it."
"You think that's a possibility?"
"Yes, the true problem is the time limit," stated Maverick.
"How did you choose which combination of ingredients to test?" asked Severus, gesturing at the half-wristbands.
"We used our knowledge and past experiments," answered Maverick. "From your note, I read that you theorised that I could use the same technique as with the Lupacem bridge. I agree, but it means that some ingredients are hard to use together so it limits the possible combinations. Pandora has also lived through a few... intense experiments, which helps rule out some other combinations."
Severus nodded in acknowledgment.
"How are we going to know which one works best if we cannot Sense a difference between their impact on Jonathan?"
Maverick gave him a smug smirk.
"We are going to take advantage of the Faery and Fae's ability to see magic."
Severus looked at him sharply.
"You're kidding!"
"I'm not. They are able to see magic flows and source of magic. Depending on their ancestry, the kind of magic they are best able to see is different," explained Maverick. "We will ask Mìa to share a memory with you so you can get an idea of what they see. The few times I experienced a Faery's memory, I got a huge headache afterward. Our eyes and brain are just not made to see the world as they do."
"Is it linked to their weird eye colour?" asked Severus.
"Exactly," agreed the Wandmaker approvingly. "You'll see, it's really incredible. The colours are really vivid, like a drug induced dream. You can look at a tree and instead of shades of green, you will see a mix of neon green, bright purple and twinkling orange. Some colours may be static, others flowing or morphing between colours."
Severus was so curious. Dhaal would be too. Could his Familiar use a pensieve or would Severus need to share the picture through their bond?
He hoped Maverick had a pensieve to lend him. He really needed to buy one.
Focusing back on the conversion, he asked:
"Do you think that Demi can see magic despite his eye colour?"
Maverick tilted his head in thought.
"I think he still can, especially when you consider that he almost managed to get in and out of the grounds undetected. However, he may not see as well as Full-blooded Fae."
They remained silent for a time, watching Pandora and Mìa work as a well oiled team. Severus would bet they had already conducted experiments together.
"You were wise to focus on blocking the Mark and not removing it," finally said Maverick. "With the way the Mark is meshed into the upper body's pattern, the smallest error could lead to a disaster. I don't even know if the person who created them could remove it."
"Really?"
Severus tended to agree with him, especially as he did not think that Lord Voldemort had planned to give his magic to the marked Death Eaters, and might not even be aware of it. However, he could not dismiss the magical mastery of Lord Voldemort, even if the Lord had gaps in his knowledge. The creation of the Marks already was an impressive feat.
"Magic is intent," explained Maverick. "The fact that you have an exchange of core magic between a web of marked people implies a mix of all their intents can have caused the evolution of the Marks. I wouldn't be surprised if the Marks were not supposed to integrate into the upper body's pattern of the marked people, and yet, they did. But from your notes, you already suspected this."
Severus nodded slowly.
"Speaking of… the creator of the Marks. I don't think you'll be surprised if I tell you that his core is twisted."
Maverick let out a small laugh.
"I would be more surprised if it wasn't."
"Well, the thing is, I don't believe that the Marks are the origin of the twisting of his core."
"Really?" asked Maverick, sounding doubtful.
"Yes. I think I know how to heal his core, but I'm concerned about the impact it will have on the bearers of the Marks. I was wondering if we could create a specific wristband to block his Mark," explained Severus.
The older man frowned, his mind churning.
"This is different from blocking the other Marks, that I would call the "daughter-marks", as opposed to the "mother-mark", which is the one linked to all the daughter-marks. The daughter-mark is well integrated into Jonathan's upper body pattern. The mother-mark could very well have expanded to all its bearer's body's patterns. To block it would be equivalent to blocking the entire body's magic, something I don't recommend. I think the mother-mark would try to use the daughter-marks to break the block. No, this is really something else,..."
Was Severus' own blocking circle dangerous or doomed to fail?
Severus quickly explained the best solution he had come up with, and was comforted that Maverick agreed with his reasoning. He was relieved to have someone else to double check his work in such an uncharted territory.
The both of them joined Pandora and Mìa for the last of their tests, Maverick offering a few colourful wandmaking anecdotes to distract Jonathan.
Severus' friend stayed for a quick dinner of vegetable soup, French cheese and farmhouse bread, then they left together for the Death Eaters meeting.
To Severus' concern, Lord Voldemort was in a foul mood. The beginning of the meeting was tense, focused on speculation about Dumbledore's disappearance.
"There is no way this is not a trap," said Bellatrix sharply, glaring at Mulciber. "I have no doubt that our Lord would win a duel against the Headmaster, but the old coot is cunning enough to be a Slytherin. His disappearance was planned to lure us into a false sense of victory."
"You don't know that," protested Mulciber. "We are close to getting to the kids, and they have been unable to catch any of us despite all the Aurors raids. People are also asking for a date for the elections. I'm telling you, they are getting scared," he added defiantly, turning to look at Lord Voldemort confidently.
The Lord was looking at them darkly. He let the silence last until both Mulciber and Bellatrix began showing signs of unease.
"What do you think, Severus?" asked the Lord, turning his head to face him.
Severus did not let his surprise at being addressed show.
"Well, it's hard to guess how the Headmaster's convoluted mind works," he answered, letting his distaste of the man show. "I would err on the side of caution and plan for the worst.
The Lord let out a hissing laugh that made Severus shiver.
"Spoken like a true Slytherin, Severus." He looked back at Bellatrix and Mulciber. "I agree with Severus, and thus Bellatrix is right that we must think of Dumbledore's disappearance as a trap. When I studied at Hogwarts, I found out that Slytherin's Familiar, a fierce and protective Basilisk, was kept prisoner in Hogwarts' bowels instead of offering him the place of warrior and protector he deserved. Even then, Hogwarts' Headmaster was wary of Slytherins."
He paused, nodding at the whispers of surprise and anger in his audience.
"When Dumbledore disappeared, the barriers holding Baskos prisoner fell. He tried to leave the castle to join me, but Dumbledore sent his Giant "guard dog" to keep him on Hogwarts grounds. He hoped that I would come when Baskos called me for help and that I would fight on Hogwarts' grounds. Then, Dumbledore would have appeared and used the castle's power to defeat me," explained Lord Voldemort, his anger rising.
A thousand year old Basilisk in Hogwarts. He was so glad he had not known about this when he was a student.
It was a weird experience to see how Dumbledore's disappearance was interpreted by those who did not know the truth about it.
Surprise, outrage and admiration for their Lord's ability to understand Dumbledore's convoluted mind and predict the old man's underhanded use of the Basilisk's situation coloured the other Death Eaters' reaction. After some confusing minutes, Bellatrix spoke over the brouhaha.
"I am sorry my Lord, but shouldn't a creature as mighty as a Basilisk be more than a match for a Giant Half-Blood?"
Lord Black was the one to answer her.
"Many have forgotten the role of the Keeper of the Keys. Dumbledore made it so and fooled many when he put Hagrid at this post. The Keeper is linked to Hogwarts as much as the Headmaster is. Don't dismiss his power on Hogwarts' grounds."
"Do you mean that Hagrid possesses an influence on the Basilisk?"
"Yes," agreed Lord Voldemort. "But it would not have been possible without the Headmaster's support. McGonagall is the one playing headmaster in his stead, but Hagrid is the one who now controls Hogwarts' grounds and the Basilisk. Dumbledore handles his pawns well. It was planned."
Gibbon, one of the Black's vassals, spoke up.
"According to my daughter and several other reports from students in Hogwarts, from the four Houses, the faculty was caught unaware. If it was planned, few knew about it."
"I'm teaching at Hogwarts tomorrow. McGonagall has already asked me to come earlier to meet with her. I can try to glean more information then," offered Severus.
"Yes, do so, Severus," agreed Lord Voldemort, his voice sounding a bit less harsh than before.
They debated for another thirty minutes on the subject without reaching any conclusion. However, it did allow enough time to pass for Lord Voldemort's anger to abate.
The rest of the meeting went on without incident. No one was brought to be tortured, no mention of McDonald was made, and no indication was given about whether the group was ready or not to go after the kids.
The only thing of note was when Lord Voldemort used a wand to demonstrate how to cast an effective and precise confounding spell. Neither Nagini nor the other Death Eaters seemed to react. Thinking about Dumbledore, Severus had a bad feeling. If Lord Voldemort was using a wand when he had a Familiar, he had his reasons. Severus just could not find any which would be rational. He doubted the Lord kept a wand on himself just in case he needed to demonstrate a wand movement.
Over the next three days, Jonathan came over Caspian Manor several times for tests and trials. Regulus accompanied him on the third day, to test the wristband in the presence of another marked subject.
It worked.
As Severus had suspected, Maverick's knowledge of wandmaking was essential to their success.
"All right boys, here are your blocks," said Maverick, handing Regulus and Jonathan their respective wristbands.
"Thank you, Wandmaker Maverick," said Regulus respectfully.
"Thank you, Maverick," echoed Jonathan, examining his wristband with interest.
"Be careful to only use it when necessary, their lifetime may be short," warned Maverick.
"What do you mean?" asked Regulus, alarmed.
"It's the same principle as Severus' null circle," explained Maverick. "Your wristband is going to be under a lot of magical stress when Magic tries to reassert her path and finds it blocked. This stress will be amplified if you are in a situation that makes your Mark react strongly. I understand it can be in the presence of several other marked subjects, or if you are in a situation that generates strong feelings. Of course, the entire purpose of your wristband is to protect yourself from the Marks' influence when it is at its strongest, so it means that the wristband can last from several days to a few minutes."
"We'll try to create a few more for the two of you, so you can have back-up," added Severus with a reassuring smile.
"Here is the last one," said Maverick, handing Severus the wristband they had made for Lucius. "It won't be as effective as the other two."
Severus nodded.
"I know that only using your memory of Lucius' wand as a reference is not the same as having him in front of you to study his magical presence."
"True, but even more important, there is a risk that Lucius' Mark is embedded deeper into his body's patterns than what I've seen on Jonathan and Regulus. The fact that Jonathan and Regulus realised their Marks' influence over themselves means that their Marks could not mesh as deeply into their patterns."
From his last serious talk with Lucius about the Mark, Severus was optimistic.
"By the same token, it means that activating the Marks will decrease the effectiveness of the wristbands. When it's activated, they are less aware that it's influencing them," remarked Severus.
"Yes, it's important that you put on the block before your Mark is activated," warned Maverick, looking at Jonathan and Regulus gravely. "The wristband prevents the activation of the Mark by blocking the influx of Magic into it. But if it's already activated, one, the wristband won't be as attuned to it, and two, your Mark will be linked tighter to your upper body's pattern."
"We'll be careful," swore Jonathan, Regulus nodding eagerly beside him.
There was a light in the two young men's eyes that Severus had not seen since they had understood the danger of the Mark for the marked Death Eaters.
Severus felt cautiously optimistic that their plan would work out.
He crossed his fingers that they would be able to implement it on the vernal equinox. They needed all the edges they could get.