Disclaimer: The plot is ours, but the majority of the main characters belong to the imagination of J.K. Rowling. We do not gain any profit from writing this story.
Summary: With the Grimoire in safe hands and James Potter expelled, Severus Snape, Lily Evans, and their friends expected that their remaining time at Hogwarts would be smooth sailing. Unfortunately, the intentions of a few detestable individuals will make their lives more arduous. With the help of a few new friends, they all must join together to fight against the rising tide of evil in the Wizarding World.
A/N: This story is A/U and is NOT canon compliant. If you don't like Sev/Lily fiction, don't read it.
"Holy shite," Sirius broke the silence in the DADA classroom.
"Mr. Black, language." Gabriel said, he ran a hand through his hair. "But yes, holy shite." He grabbed a gingersnap from Clive's tray and popped it into his mouth.
"G-Gabriel! What the hell?! What are we going to do?!" Severus was in total panic mode.
"We are not going to do anything." Gabriel took the tray from Clive and put it on the table. He took a cup and filled it with some tea and handed it to Severus. He led the boy to a desk and sat him down. "Relax. Drink the tea," Gabriel advised him.
He turned to Clive, "Would you be so kind as to throw this mongrel out of Hogwarts, Clive?" Gabriel pointed at the unconscious Charles Potter.
Clive looked at the Defense professor, "You wish me to take out the trash?"
Gabriel guffawed, as the other kids chuckled at Clive's smooth insult towards Charles Potter. "Very good, but yes Clive. Throw the trash out of Hogwarts!"
Clive shook his head and went over to Charles Potter's prone body and with a snap of their fingers, they were gone.
Gabriel took a minute to breathe, he was still pretty angry. He popped another gingersnap to try and calm himself down.
"Thank you, Gabriel."
He looked over and saw Lily a few feet away. Gabriel saw tears had started to form in her eyes.
"Save your tears for those who matter, Lily. People like the Potter's, rarely deserve them."
She sniffled softly and wiped them away.
Gabriel looked at all the other kids in the classroom. "Apologies. I shouldn't have done that."
Regulus surprised everyone by speaking, "The bastard deserved it!"
"Language, Mr. Black! However, you're not wrong," Gabriel admitted.
Things calmed down a bit and conversation started once more with all of Severus' friends. They were all happy to see that Charles Potter got a bit of comeuppance.
He walked back over to the teapot, made himself a cup of peppermint tea, and got himself some gingersnaps. He walked back over to Severus and sat down next to him. Severus looked very hurt from Charles Potter's inflammatory statement about his mother, Gabriel could see it on his face.
"Your mother would have told me to drop it," Gabriel told him.
Severus looked at him, "What would my father have done?"
"Oh Toby would have kicked the crap out of him, and he wouldn't have needed my help doing it," Gabriel explained before laughing softly.
Severus started laughing along with him.
Gabriel began to recall moments he had spent with Eileen, and Tobias. Lily came to sit with them as he regaled them with tales from Eileen's time at Hogwarts.
And life, for a while, was good.
~*~* Page Break ~*~*
Horace, Pomona, and Filius sat in Horace's quarters, studying the Hogwarts Student's Code of Conduct.
Pomona was visibly upset. Caddaric Diggory had told her about Dante and his friends not allowing anyone else into the Room of Requirement and then ordering them out of the refuge they had in the dungeon. She related the facts without mentioning any names. "As far I know, the head boy or girl cannot determine how or where other students spend their time as long as they remain on school grounds and they're not doing anything against the rules!" She snapped, slamming the book shut.
Filius shook his head. "I heard the same thing from one of my House. There are, of course, no rules regarding the Room of Requirement written down, but there has always been an unspoken understanding that if you are able to find it, you can use it whenever you choose. I have never heard of anyone blocking its usage from the rest of the student body in all my years of teaching here."
"Nor I," Horace said. "And I did hear of the very same incident related to me by one of my House. As far as I know, the duties of the head boy and girl are to instruct the Prefects and to aid the student body in whatever way they can and that does not include determining what students may do or not do in their free time as long, as you pointed out, Pomona, that it was not anything against the rules. If they feel a student has done something wrong, then it needs to be brought to the attention of a professor and we have the final determination."
"Minerva needs to aware of exactly how our current heads are behaving and that we object to them taking more power than any head boy or girl has had previously," Pomona said. "I think we should floo her right now, invite her to come down here, and let her know what's going on."
Filius nodded. "Good idea, Pomona." He was still feeling a bit upset by Petunia's accusation.
Pomona flooed Minerva and asked her to come down. In a few minutes, Minerva stepped through the floo, looking confused. She'd was still visibly upset about the nasty and cruel trick played on Remus Lupin and the killing of a wild animal.
Horace poured her a cup of tea and offered her a plate of cookies. "One of my former student's is opening a cookie establishment and she sent me some samples of the cookies her store will be offering."
Minerva took a cookie and sat down with her cup of tea which Horace always managed to procure from the finest tea establishments on the continent. She noticed the open copies of the Hogwarts Student Code of Conduct immediately.
"We are trying to determine what exactly the head boy's and girl's duties are," Filius explained when he noticed where Minerva's gaze lay. "I don't believe it includes blocking the Room of Requirement from other students using it or forbidding other students to have another refuge as long as it is on school grounds."
"What exactly are you talking about?" Minerva asked.
Pomona sighed. "One of my House told me that he and his friends can no longer use the Room of Requirement. They've tried at various times, in the daytime and in the evening, to gain entrance, but were unable to. He said they do know how to gain entrance as they've been using the room for the last two years. Apparently, Mr. Yalarad and his friends have put some kind of spell on the room that doesn't allow anyone else entrance."
"That's not right!" Minerva exclaimed.
Pomona continued, "This student told me that, with help from one of the elves assigned to Slytherin House, he and his friends were able to set up another refuge in the dungeon where they felt they would be safe from Mr. Yalarad, Mr. Doherty, and their associates, but Mr. Yalarad found it and ordered them out, saying they were not allowed to do it. Some nonsense about a rule that five or more students can't congregate without a Prefect or a professor present."
Horace chuckled. "That rule's been in the book for years and I don't believe it has ever been applied since I've been here.
"Or in my time," Filius said.
"Besides wouldn't the same rule apply to Mr. Yalarad and all his friends when they're hiding out in the Room of Requirement?" Horace asked with a shrug. "I don't believe any of them are Prefects."
Minerva cleared her throat. "There is something else I need to speak to you about...it's about Mr. Lupin."
Pomona grasped Minerva's hand and squeezed it. "We all already know Mr. Lupin suffers from Lycanthropy."
Filius nodded. "It would be hard not to notice given how many days he misses every month."
"And I knew Potion Mistress Gold was supplying him with a potion to help him in the days before the transformation takes place," Horace said.
Minerva shook her head. "Poppy has been extra careful when escorting him to the Shrieking Shack where he transforms, but Mr. Lupin is convinced that Mr. Yalarad knows he suffers from Lycanthropy and the poor boy was a nervous wreck before, during, and after his transformation this month."
"Yes, I noticed he seemed more anxious than usual," Filius stated. "His friends seemed unable to calm him, even Miss Evans."
"That isn't the worst of it," Minerva said. "Poppy always gives him a sedative containing a pain reliever when he returns from transforming. When Mr. Lupin awoke, he found his hands covered in blood and the severed head of a wolf at the bottom of his hospital cot. He started screaming and Poppy had to give him a Dreamless Sleep potion to render him unconscious."
"That's horrible!" Pomona exclaimed. "Who would do such a hideous thing and just to torment the poor boy?"
"I think we all know the answer to that," Filius said. "It is obvious, despite Poppy's precautions, that Mr. Yalarad has found out about Mr. Lupin's lycanthropy."
"Could Albus have told Mr. Yalarad, thinking he could trust him because he was head boy?" Horace asked.
Minerva shook her head. "In four years, he's never told any other head boy so why do it now?"
"And he would not want to take the chance that Mr. Yalarad might run tattling to Marcus and Sherwood and then probably to the Board of Governors," Filius added.
"That's the problem," Pomona spoke up. "Can we do anything about Mr. Yalarad without his family and the board becoming involved?"
~*~* Page Break ~*~*
The next evening, Dorian, Tav, and their roommate, Hugh Longworth was revising for Defense when there was a knock on their door. Dorian got up to answer it and found Professor Slughorn. "Hey, Professor. What's up?"
"This note came through my floo from your father. I thought it might be important," Horace replied, handing him the note.
"Thanks, Professor," Dorian stepped out into the hallway and said softly, "This is possibly connected to one of the individuals we previously talked about."
Horace raised his eyebrows. Dorian had been the one to tell him about what Dante, Cassidy and their followers were doing.
Horace's eyebrows raised. "I hope it proves useful, Mr. Andrews."
Dorian went back inside, cast a silencing spell over the room, and then opened the note from his dad. He read it quickly then smirked and said, "Well, well, well…"
"What's your dad got to say?" Tav asked. "Is it about Doherty?"
Even though Hugh was not an actual part of their group, he knew Severus, and had been Dorian's and Tav's roommate for the last five years and they trusted him and had told him about the group's encounters with Dante, Cassidy and company.
Dorian sat down on his bed. "My dad's gotten some information about a Malcolm Burton whom the Grey Twins are looking for. It seems he won a lot of money at their gambling house and they think he cheated them. This Burton guy's not the only one either. There's also a Barclay Mabyn who's wanted by another gambling house, and a Miles Baker who's wanted by a third. Dad says there's probably more he hasn't run across yet. Many of the gambling houses are run by criminals. Notice anything strange?"
"You mean his penchant for gambling at houses owned by these criminals?" Tav asked.
"Or his use of either 'M' or 'B' in his first and surname?" Hugh pointed out.
"Yeah, that's suspicious in and of itself," Dorian said in reply to Hugh. "But then we know Cassidy hasn't got much in the way of an imagination."
"How much did he take them for?" Tav asked.
"In Muggle money, he took all three for close to £3000 pounds so that adds up to a tidy sum in Wizarding currency. From what dad heard, he thinks Cassidy is using magic to cheat the Muggles."
Tav whistled. "If that can be proven, we won't have to ever worry about the git again."
"I'll bet the evidence of Cassidy's gambling would probably be in his account at Gringotts," Hugh said.
"You can forget that," Tav said. "The Goblins won't give out any information about an account, especially to the Ministry. That's a long-held policy of theirs."
Dorian put his finger to his lips. "I'm not sure, but if Cassidy is, say, arrested by either the Metropolitan Police or Scotland Yard for cheating the Muggles using magic, I think they can request that the Goblins let them examine Cassidy's Gringotts account. I think the Goblins will oblige either of those agencies because they don't want any quarrel with the Muggle authorities. My dad did tell me once that there are officials higher up in both Scotland Yard and the Metropolitan Police that know about the Wizarding World."
~*~* Page Break ~*~*
Embershade. The ancestral seat of 'The Ancient and Noble, House of Black.' At least that is what Pollux Black would have everyone think.
Orion, Walburga, and Alphard Black apparated outside of the grounds of the estate.
"Dear Merlin, the old home really looks dreary. Well, more than usual," Alphard mentioned.
"Don't be so disrespectful, Alphard!" Walburga chastised Alphard. "Ever since Mother died, the estate grounds have been neglected." Walburga frowned as she looked upon the gardens that her mother tended to. They were now a pale imitation of what they had once been. It was now overgrown with weeds, and dead flowers.
She collected her thoughts and approached the front doors. They had apparated to the grounds of Embershade because all the fireplaces we're not connected to the Floo Network.
Alphard and Orion followed her lead and stood behind her at the door. "I can't believe we had to wait two weeks just to get an audience with the old man."
"Well, he's been unwell for a while," Orion tried to defend Pollux's inaction.
"It's all in his mind. The old fool is a hypochondriac."
"The old fool is still our father," Walburga glared at Alphard.
Alphard glared back at Walburga, "To you maybe."
Walburga was about to retort when the lock inside unlatched. The door opened inwards, and a gangly house elf with a lazy eye stood before then
"Good afternoon, Sirs and Madam Black."
Orion and Walburga bowed their heads slightly.
Alphard couldn't help but smile, "Hello Foedus. It is good to see you."
Foedus was an old house elf. He was getting on in years. His lazy right eye had always been drifting to the right, but now it had been drifting more with each passing year. Long gray hairs have sprouted out his ears impeding his hearing.
Foedus smiled as he looked up at Alphard. "Master Alphard! It is wonderful to see you again! Please come in, come! Master Pollux will be…erm… well he will see you shortly."
Alphard chortled, "Yeah that's par for the course."
The three of them walked inside of Embershade. Foedus took their overcoats and placed them on the coat rack.
The main entrance hall was still as magnificent as ever. A white Italian marble paneled the floor. A grand staircase made from white oak rose from the middle of the hall to the second story. Paintings and magical portraits of past members of The House of Black were adorned upon the walls.
As the three walked in, a voice addressed them, "What are you doing here?"
Walburga, Orion, and Alphard looked up to see their youngest brother atop the staircase. Despite being Walburga and Alphard's youngest brother, he stood over them a full head in height. His dark hair was wrapped in a ponytail. Cygnus was also dressed in a dark blue robe.
"Hello Cyggy, it's good to see you as well! Such a warm and tender reunion this is!" Alphard dryly remarked.
"Address me with respect, Alphard, or so help me!" Cygnus was not very fond of his older brother.
"Oh, what's the matter? You don't appreciate me calling you by your nickname?"
"I would rather be called by the name our parents gave us, thank you very much!"
Before they could squabble any longer, Walburga stepped in front of Alphard. "Cygnus, it is good to see you again."
Cygnus slowly nodded, "Walburga. It is good to see you as well."
"How is Druella?"
"She is well, dear sister." Cygnus walked down the staircase to meet his family.
Orion walked forward, "And how is Bellatrix?"
Cygnus stopped halfway down the staircase. "My eldest daughter is, again, well."
"Well, I ask because I have heard some disturbing rumors about her. How she has pledged herself to the Death Eaters and this Dark Lord Voldemort."
Alphard noticed the edge of Cygnus' mouth smile softly, but quickly hid it as he rubbed his chin.
Orion saw that as well as he continued, "Now, I would love to sit her down to hopefully dispel these abhorrent rumors."
Cygnus walked down the stairs and approached them. "My daughter is unfortunately away on the continent on holiday at the moment, and I don't know when she will return. However, I will gladly call for you once she does.
Orion knew he was lying. How would love nothing more than to bring Cygnus into the station and interrogate him, but there were rules to situations like this. For now, he would have Rufus place Embershade under surveillance. Looking for traces of Bellatrix.
Orion nodded, "Please do, by all means."
Walburga addressed her brother, "As for why we are here, we are here to see our father."
Cygnus grimaced, "The daft, old curmudgeon is up in his bedchambers."
Walburga and Orion were taken aback, Cygnus had never addressed Pollux like that before, even in secret.
Alphard was loving though, "Hey ho! You've finally woken up and started smelling the roses! I've been saying that for nearly twenty- seven years now Cyggy!"
"It's Cygnus! And he's always been a fool, I've just now come to realize it!" Cygnus called for Foedus. "Foedus?! You ugly cur!"
Foedus appeared from thin air, and sheepishly stood before him. "What may Foedus do for Master Cygnus?"
"Fetch my coat, I am leaving."
Foedus did so right quickly. He summoned Cygnus' coat and gave it to him.
Cygnus grabbed it from Foedus' hands and walked out of Embershade.
Orion looked at his Wife, and Alphard. "What the hell was that about?"
"I don't know." Walburga admitted, "Perhaps we will get an answer when we speak with our father."
Alphard started up the staircase, "Well let's get this over with."
The three then walked up the stairs and made their way towards Pollux Black's chambers.
Foedus popped in front of them before they entered the bedchambers. "Foedus must warn you. Lord Pollux has been quite... confrontational these past few days. Especially with Master Cygnus."
Alphard knelt down to speak with Foedus. "Do you have any idea what started this confrontational mood?"
Foedus looked at the three of them, "Foedus knows not the specifics, but it had to do something with Mistress Bellatrix."
Orion shared a look with Walburga. That couldn't have been good.
Foedus opened the door and escorted them inside.
There on his bed, laid Pollux Black the Third. He was resting upon a small mountain of pillows. Laying down in bed, he still cast a very respectable figure.
Pollux Black had thinning gray hair on top of his head, but still had his signature mutton chops that were now gray as storm clouds with shades of white scattered in it and wore spectacles with thick lenses that would give a normal person massive headache. There on his bed covers were documents strewn all around.
"I don't wish to speak with you Cygnus!" The Head of the House of Black barked.
"Good because he isn't here old man," Alphard shit back with a smidge of disrespect in his tone.
Pollux looked up to see his other two children Alphard and Walburga, and Walburga's husband Orion who he rather disliked.
Pollux took his glasses off and squinted at them. "Well, this is an unwarranted surprise."
Alphard looked annoyed, "Is it? We've been trying to get into contact with you for weeks now."
"This is the first I'm hearing of it."
Orion and Walburga shared a look.
"Let's get to the topic at hand," Alphard brought the attention onto the subject at hand.
"Oh? And what might that be?"
Walburga walked past Alphard and strode towards the side of her father's bedside. "The Unbreakable Vow, father. I wish for you to release Orion from it."
Pollux looked at his daughter and up at his son-in-law. "Is that so?"
"Yes father, this has gone on quite long enough. We have come here to ask you to release Orion from it."
"Walburga, my fair daughter. I must ask, why now? After all these years?"
Orion walked forward, "It is because…"
Pollux lashed out at Orion, "I didn't ask you a damned thing, now did I?"
Orion was taken aback and held his tongue. Pollux looked back at his daughter for her answer.
Walburga sighed, the tension between Orion and her father was always high, but she had to wade through it the best she could. "Father, the reason why I am asking this of you is because we are worried that the day in question will be brought up once again. This time in court before the Wizengamot."
"And you are worried that if your husband was brought before them, he would have no choice but to tell the truth, resulting in his death."
Walburga shook her head, "Please Father."
Pollux sighed; he loved his daughter dearly. "It's not that simple, my dear." He took his daughter's hand. "To rescind The Unbreakable vow, all three participants must once again participate. Myself, your husband, and…"
Walburga's eyes widened in horror, "But that means..."
Orion felt his blood run cold. His head fell into his hands as Alphard put a consoling hand on his shoulders.
"Your mother acted as witness and caster for the Unbreakable Vow. Without her I am unsure if the vow can be rescinded."
Alphard looked at his father, "There has to be something you can do."
Pollux sighed, "Such as?"
"A work around, a loophole? Anything?"
Pollux rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Not that I can think of."
Alphard pointed out, "But that doesn't mean one doesn't exist."
Walburga and Orion looked at Pollux.
Pollux nodded, "That is true. It would require a lot of research, and time."
Alphard walked over to his father, "Then let's get started."
Pollux looked at his eldest son. "You were never much of a scholar, Alphard. That was your brother's forte."
"Well, if it means putting my nose to the books to save Orion, then that's what I'm going to do."
Pollux smirked, "You assume the answers will be found immediately; however, I wouldn't know where to begin."
Alphard looked back to Orion, "Ethan would. His family's library rivals Hogwarts and would surely hold the knowledge we need."
"I'll floo him when we return home." Orion calmed down, knowing that a plan was in place. He looked at Pollux, "What happened between you and Cygnus? Foedus told us there was a bit of a disagreement between you two."
"A disagreement indeed." Pollux nodded. "Cygnus wishes for me to declare loyalty for this supposed Dark Lord."
Orion, Alphard, and Walburga looked at Pollux.
"What?!" Alphard exclaimed.
"I can't believe this!"
"Lord Pollux, you do realize that this claim will have to be investigated," Orion informed Pollux.
"Oh, go ahead and investigate away! And here's one more tidbit of information, Bellatrix has been branded at the hands of that supposed Mudblood Dark Lord!"
Orion was flabbergasted, Walburga was speechless, and Alphard was stoic.
"I will not bend the knee to this supposed Dark Lord. This Mudblood Lord!"
"Father, please," Walburga asked. "Enough."
Pollux sighed in defeat, "Fine, but my feelings on the matter are sound. We will never serve this man."
"I think we all agree on that subject, Lord Pollux."
Alphard crossed his arms, "What about Cygnus? Isn't he your heir apparent? He won't like the fact you aren't falling in line with Ol' Lord Uglyshorts."
"Well, he was my heir up until ten minutes ago," Pollux stated.
"Wait, what?" Walburga looked dumbfounded.
"Then who is your new heir?" Orion asked.
"That's none of your concern! That is for me to figure out now." Pollux gathered the documents on his bed and shuffled them neat before summoning his cane and getting out of bed. "Foedus!"
The Black Family elf popped in, "Yes Lord Pollux?"
"Get some clothing set out for me to change into and corral these three downstairs and give them something to eat or drink while I get ready."
"At once my Lord." With a snap of his fingers a stylish attire was set upon Pollux's bed for him to change into.
Pollux took off his bed robe.
"Would you like some help father?" Walburga offered.
"Please Walburga, I am not decrepit. Just go downstairs and wait for me."
"Don't have to ask me twice," Alphard walked right back out the doors of his father's bedchambers.
Walburga scowled at his brother's actions, while Orion smirked. They followed him out while Pollux was getting dressed.
~*~* Page Break ~*~*
Lily and Alice came down the stairs into the common room the next morning, heading to the Great Hall for breakfast. "Boy! MacDonald's sure been studying her arse off!" Alice remarked.
"I guess her parents must have put the fear of Merlin into her this summer," Lily replied with a laugh. "Maybe they threatened to send her to Durmstrang if she failed again."
"I just realized something last night. Did you know fourth years can go to the Christmas Ball?" Alice asked.
"I did, but do you really want to go with certain people who will definitely be there?" Lily asked. "I don't really want to spend the ball looking over my shoulder."
"That's true and you have to be asked anyway," Alice replied.
"Who would you like to ask you?" Lily teased.
"Well, I'd really like it if Frank asked me," Alice confessed, blushing. "I'm really impressed with him the way he sticks up for everybody, not just Gryffindors."
"Do you know that Sev told me one time that the Longbottom's and the Princes have been allies since the 15th century?"
"Really?" Alice asked. "I think my dad said once they we are allied with the Diggory's who are allied with the Longbottom's, but it was later than the 15th century."
"I'd love for Sev to ask me, but he's so wound up with trying to get this alliance with the United off the ground, I doubt he even realizes there is a Christmas Ball."
"We could get our dresses at Gladrags when we go to Hogsmeade for Halloween, but in all honesty, I've never shopped for clothing without my mum," she admitted.
"Me either," Lily said. She thought for a minute. "I can owl Tuney and see if she's available to help us and if she is, I'll owl Salem and ask if he can bring Tuney to Hogsmeade on that day and then she could help us pick out our dresses."
"Yeah, your sister has really good taste and nobody could say boo because there aren't any rules against Muggles visiting Hogsmeade if they already know about the Wizarding World."
Lily giggled. "We will have to keep Tuney away from Dante and his crew of creeps or she might decide to clock another one of them."
Alice laughed. "And everybody in Hogsmeade would be cheering, I'm sure!"
Dante, Athena, and Cassidy were already seated at the Gryffindor table when Lily and Alice walked in, giggling and sat down at the other end of the table with Frank, Pete, Sirius, Reg, Jane, Emily, Caddaric, and Irene. Severus, Dorian, and Tav walked in a few seconds later and sat down. All three were smirking.
"Well, you guys looked pleased with yourselves this morning," Sirius remarked. "What's going on?"
"We'll tell you later," Severus said.
Cassidy leaned over to Dante. "We haven't seen our little pets for a few days. You don't suppose they've set up another little hideaway for themselves in the dungeon?"
"We'll go have a look around the dungeon after our last class," Dante promised. "I'll enjoy scaring the socks off of them again, especially Lupin!"
"He must be in the hospital still because I haven't seen him around," Athena said.
Cassidy grinned and said, "Maybe we should go visit him tonight and have some fun!"
Dante shook his head. "No, Madam Pomfrey will be guarding him like a dragon, and she'll summon McGonagall at a moment's notice."
Minerva stood up and taped her knife on her goblet. "May I have your attention please," The students stopped talking and looked up at her. "I'd like to remind the students that the Room of Requirement can be used by any student who finds it and is not to be spelled by anyone or any group so others cannot use it. I've have had several complaints about people being unable to enter it, no matter what time of day they try. If I find out anyone is doing so, they will receive detention with Mr. Filch and lose house points as punishment. This is a warning to the entire student body, no exceptions."
Albus looked surprised. When she sat down again, he leaned over to Minerva and asked, "What was that all about?"
Minerva took a sip of her tea. "Just as I said, I've had complaints that somebody is hogging the Room of Requirement and so I decided to warn the students about being discourteous."
"The Slytherins are always complaining about something!" Albus huffed.
"It wasn't just Slytherin, Albus. In addition to Horace, Pomona and Filius have also relayed complaints from their houses about not being able to use the Room of Requirement."
Albus' eyes hardened, "You think it's Dante doing it."
"I don't have any proof, but it wouldn't surprise me to find out he is the one behind it." Minerva finished her tea and got up as the 15-minute warning bell sounded.
Everyone was more relaxed in class because there was no way any of Dante or his crew could attack them in or between classes. Severus figured Sam or his friends wouldn't do anything on their own without permission from Dante. They all cast the Boomerang Hex on themselves before leaving their dorms every morning. Frank, Sirius, Peter, and Remus usually did it while they were showering so none of the United were aware of it.
Pomona, Filius, Horace, Charity and Aurora, took to patrolling the halls between classes as did Minerva when she had time. They were there to watch out for any bullying and put an end to it immediately if they spotted it.
~*~* Page Break ~*~*
Dante and Cassidy went down into the dungeon and began searching. They started with the classroom Clive had transformed for Severus and his friends previously, but it was empty. They continued on down the corridor, checking all the rooms on both sides.
"Exactly what are you two looking for?" A voice behind them suddenly asked.
Startled, Dante and Cassidy turned to find Horace standing behind them. Cassidy wondered how the hell he could creep up on them without making any noise when he was so fat!
"We're just searching for unauthorized clubs and gatherings, Professor," Dante replied smoothly.
Horace crossed his arms over his chest and gave Dante a hard stare. "As I recall from the Hogwarts Student Code of Conduct, that isn't one of the head's duties, Mr. Yalarad, so I suggest you and Mr. Doherty, leave and do not come back unless you have a class." He watched them until they disappeared back up the steps. Once they were gone, Horace went back to his office and called Minerva. "I say, I just caught Mr. Yalarad and his buddy, Mr. Doherty, down here in the dungeon, poking about where they had no business being."
"Did they say what they were doing?" Minerva asked.
"They claimed they were searching for unauthorized clubs and gatherings. I told them that wasn't one of the head boy's duties and ordered them out. I said I didn't want to see them down here again unless it was for a class."
Minerva shook her head. "Well, get ready for a lecture from Albus about trying to curb his head boy's powers."
Horace chuckled. "Let him try. He knows I never listened to his lectures about Mr. Potter, and I won't listen to him if he tries to lecture me about Mr. Yalarad's innocence."
~*~* Page Break ~*~*
Dinner that night at the great hall went off without a hitch.
Dante and his group sat far away from Severus and his friends.
Severus and his group were sitting at Hufflepuff table and were quite content where they were at.
He was eating his corn chowder as he scanned the hall. His eyes came upon Nate Clearwater, and John Slink who were sitting further down the Hufflepuff table.
Bartholomew informed him that Nate was Sam's closest and oldest friend. Slink was a potions prodigy just like Severus was, but wasn't fortunate to skip two years like he had. Those two would be paramount to get on his side. He then looked at Agamemnon and Hippolyta Yalarad. Those two would be a bit more difficult to get closer to, he would have to get Lily's help with them.
Just then an owl flew into The Great Hall and flew over to where Gabriel was sitting at the professors table and dropped a letter upon his Caesar salad.
Gabriel groaned, as he took the letter and wiped the dressing off of it.
"Expecting a letter, Gabriel?" Minerva asked her coworker.
"Not really Minerva, but stranger things have happened." Gabriel opened the letter, read the first lines and started laughing.
Everyone in the Great Hall looked at Gabriel as if he was mad. "Gabriel my boy, what's so funny?" Dumbledore asked.
Gabriel showed everyone at the table the letter, "Potter is finally putting his barristers and solicitors to good use. He's suing me for knocking him out!"
~*~* Page Break ~*~*
Severus' group gathered in their new clubhouse. Clive bought them drinks and snacks.
Clive looked around him and asked, "Where is Mr. Gabriel?"
"In Dumbledore's office, probably getting his arse reamed by either Dumbledore or McGonagall for slugging Potter," Sirius chuckled.
"I takes Potter outside and lefts him in front of the dust bins as told," Clive said.
"That's exactly where he belongs, Clive," Lily said.
Clive smiled, nodded and then popped out.
"Okay," Severus said to Dorian. "What did you find out?"
Just then, Gabriel came into the room, chuckling and shaking his head. "It seems Charles Potter wants to sue me for knocking him out. He says the owner of the Hog's Head found him lying in front of his dust bins in Hogsmeade and called the Knight's Bus to take him home. Aberforth thought Potter was one of the drunks he'd somehow missed the night before. I think Potter was more outraged by that than anything else."
"It isn't the first-time cousin Charles has had to be sent home on the Knight's Bus," Irene said. "Last year he challenged Professor Gold to a duel and the next morning Dumbledore and McGonagall found him wandering around the grounds incoherent and had to call the Knight's Bus then to take him back to Potter Manor."
Gabriel laughed loudly. "I'll bet Bobby didn't even break a sweat! He just stood back and waited for Potter to lose the duel by one of his inept spells backfiring."
"Are you in trouble?" Severus asked uneasily.
Gabriel shook his head. "Potter might try to raise a stink, but nobody takes him seriously anymore." He seated himself behind his desk.
Severus nodded at Dorian who told them what his dad had found out. "Dad said the Grey twins are furious because he's made them look like fools to the entire London criminal organization and they put out a contract on this Malcolm Burton and there's a couple of other gambling places owned by other criminals that have done the same, so he's screwed. He took all of them for about £3000 total."
Gabriel looked up. "Who's this you're talking about?"
"We think it might be Doherty," Severus said. "We know from what Bartholomew told us that Doherty's a crap gambler in the Wizarding world and he's run up gambling debts and we suspect he might be going into the Muggle world to cheat using magic."
"My dad's a wizard, but he's a detective sergeant in Scotland Yard and his informants have been giving him information about this guy with the initials MB or BM, he alternates them apparently, that seems to be winning huge amounts of pounds. He's taken them for at least £3000 total."
"If your dad can get definite proof that it is Doherty and he is using magic illegally, then Doherty's wand will be snapped and he'll be expelled," Gabriel said.
"I wish we could get a picture of him so Dorian's dad could show it around," Lily said. "I have a magical camera, but I don't want to get caught taking his picture. He's vicious and so is Dante."
"No, don't any of you attempt to engage him or Dante in any way," Gabriel said sternly. "Leave that to me and if I might borrow your camera, Miss Evans?"
Lily nodded. Professor Schell was very clever and could probably get Cassidy's picture without him even realizing it.
"The problem is that we don't know if he might be disguising himself," Frank said. "Were it me, I'd probably use Polyjuice Potion."
Severus chuckled. "I don't think we need to worry about that, Frank. Polyjuice Potion is very complicated and it's hard to brew and since he flunked his Potion OWL, he can't brew it and he's not going to ask anybody who could brew it without having to provide them a good reason for it."
Pete nodded. "The brewing of Polyjuice Potion is highly regulated by the Ministry."
"And so, you'd want to get it from somebody you're a hundred percent sure could brew it correctly," Irene added. "But as Severus pointed out, you're going to have a good explanation about why you want it."
Tav nudged Dorian and nodded at him. Dorian looked puzzled for a second than remembered the information he'd just gotten from his dad. He took out a piece of paper and unfolded it. "Dad had Scotland Yard's artist do a drawing of this Malcolm Burton based on a description from an employee of the Grey Twin's." He handed it to Severus.
Everybody gathered around Severus to look at the drawing. "It sure looks a lot like Doherty," Frank said. "I wonder if Dante's getting a cut of the profits."
"If he's having so much success cheating Muggles, using magic, then he's probably keeping it to himself," Caddaric said. "I'm betting none of his cohorts knows."
"I see you've all thought this through," Gabriel complimented them.
"We've also been thinking about getting Sam away from Dante and Cassidy," Severus confessed. "Maybe you have some suggestions?"
"It might be tricky," Gabriel replied. "I don't like the amount of influence Dante has over Sam either but give me a few days to think about it."
Severus nodded. "Okay."
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