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Harry Potter And The Game of Death

Level 1

Chapter Twenty: Of Plans and Machinations

"Servant! Attend to me."

Wormtail grimaced at the sound of his master's shrill voice. He did not want to obey. But disobeying was not an option when it came to the Dark Lord.

With a groan, he stood from the rotted mattress he had been sleeping upon and began to walk. The old wood floor creaked under his feet as he shuffled his way from room to room.

Shivering in the cool night air, he entered the place his master now laired.

A wrinkled, shrivelled claw the size of a child's hand reached out from a baby's manger, beckoning him closer.

Wormtail gently grasped it with both hands, giving it a servile kiss while forcing the revulsion he felt at the act to the back of his mind. "I am here, my master," he rasped, throat still raw and aching from when his master had punished him for a minor failure earlier that evening. "What is your will?"

"Wormtail," a hissing, serpentine voice whispered. "I wish to know the status of tomorrow's operation."

"Yes, my master. My preparations are complete. The guard on your captive servant is lax, what with his father handling preparations for both the World Quidditch Cup and the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Crouch has not been able to properly manage the wards on his home and they are ripe for infiltration. Once I use your ring to neutralize the ones deeper within, it will be a simple job to knock out the lone House Elf tasked with your servant's care."

The clawed hand left gently stroked Wormtail's pale flesh, its owner seemingly pleased with his words. "Excellent. Yes, yes. That is excellent news indeed."

Wormtail made sure to properly bow his head in thanks before he replied. "Thank you, my dark master. Though I do not deserve such words of praise, since all has been done according to your brilliant designs. Without them I would be useless."

"It is a good thing that you know your place. Never forget, Wormtail, that without my guidance you never would have made it this far." An acerbic chuckle followed as the claw continued to stroke Wormtail's hand. "But know this, my servant. Though I am quick with the whip, I am also generous with those I find worthy. I shall not forget what you have done while I was weak. And when I am returned to my strength in full, I shall bestow upon you an honoured place among your fellow servants."

A feeling of euphoria rose within Wormtail at those words. Visions of being at the Dark Lord's side, of torturing his former friends Remus and Sirius, of killing all who had once belittled him, filled his mind and caused his heart to beat fast.

But Wormtail pushed such thoughts to the back of his mind when his master continued to speak.

That was the future. And the future, as Wormtail had learned the hard way, was rarely so pleasant as he dreamed.

As was his wont, Remus Lupin awoke early the morning after Harry's welcoming party. He performed his morning ablutions with practised ease, trimming the faint stubble from his face with a wave of his wand and setting his hair in order just as easily. When done, he dressed himself in a nice linen shirt and complimenting pants before making his way to Harry's room.

He opened the door a crack to peer inside.

A soft hoot from the boy's snowy owl greeted Remus' intrusion.

The drapes were tightly shut, not allowing so much as a single ray of light to enter. The most his keen eyes could make out was a shapeless, silent lump lying still within the bed, with only a mop of unruly black hair sticking out to suggest that it was Harry. Meanwhile, Hedwig's golden eyes gleamed in the darkness as she studied Remus from her position above Harry's head, sharp talons dug into the bed's wooden mantle.

Not desiring to wake the sleeping boy or disturb his guardian animal any further – and what a surprise it had been last evening to learn that the two shared an actual Familiar bond – Remus softly closed the door and made his way down to the kitchen.

Once there he placed a kettle onto the stove top to boil some water while he busied himself with making a light breakfast of scones and eggs over easy. Minutes passed in comfortable silence as he went about the familiar activity, preferring to do things the old-fashioned way rather than with magic.

Ding!

Party Member Sirius Black Has Awoken

Would You Like to Send a Message?

Yes or No

Remus gave a start as the unfamiliar noise and text popped up in front of his eyes. His hand slipped, causing the brace of eggs he had been cooking to fall onto the floor instead of sliding onto his readied plate.

Giving a slight 'tsk' of annoyance at the waste, the werewolf took out a fresh brace of eggs and cracked them into the pan to begin anew.

After studying the strange message and using what Harry had told him about it the previous evening as a frame of reference, Remus pressed 'yes' on the strange notification. He then deftly composed a simple message to Sirius, notifying the man that breakfast would soon be ready.

A muffled bang sounded shortly after Remus selected the 'send' option.

Laughing as his old friend began to curse loud enough to be heard several floors down, Remus finished cooking the eggs and plated them with ease. He then plucked a fresh scone from the oven tray and sat himself down to tuck into the simple yet delicious meal.

Only when he was half finished and more fully awake did Remus do as Harry had instructed the night before and call up his 'Game' stats.

Remus Lupin

Remus is a man tortured by his own sense of guilt and remorse, often over things which are beyond his ability to control. As a young man, he constantly worried over whether he was worthy to have friends such as James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. As an adult, he often thinks about the deaths of James and Lily, trapped by thoughts of how he might have possibly prevented the tragedy which tore them away. (See Character Page for further information)

Age: 33

Werewolf

Marauder

Level 266

Stats:

STR: 93

DEX: 96

CON: 84

INT: 668

WIS: 445

CHA: 181

Traits:

Loyal

Survivor

Dedicated

Downtrodden

Former Prankster

Werewolf Form

Battle Hardened

Half-Blood

Penny Pincher

Expert Duellist

Transfiguration Adept

Charms Adept

Arithmancy Adept

Ancient Runes Adept

DADA Adept

Mental Arts Initiate

Renaissance Man

Educator

Remus stared at the 'stats' which had been revealed by Harry's strange new ability.

According to what the boy had said, Remus' level was the highest he had seen. Most of Remus' attributes, which were apparently important, were quite high as well, which had made Harry quite happy.

Sirius' had been nothing to sneeze at either, despite his long imprisonment in Azkaban, and Harry had laughed when Sirius tried to argue that the Game had gotten things wrong.

The only thing which had brought the boy down somewhat was when the Game had told him that due to the level difference between them, no experience gains – which apparently equated to gaining levels and thus greater strength– could occur until the party was disbanded, outside of the completion of something called a 'quest'.

Remus munched on a bite of his egg as he considered the rest of what Harry had said to them the night before.

After the boy had gotten over his disappointment over the experience issue, Harry had launched into a detailed explanation regarding how levels worked. And that, while they were not a direct correlation, they were useful in a general, 'rule of thumb' manner when it came to judging a person's abilities.

Basically, the higher a person's level the stronger they were. Though exceptions did exist, such as if one person had traits which added additional points to their attributes. Or if they had traits which removed points. All of which both Remus and Sirius had found quite confusing.

The whole thing seemed to be a dizzying quagmire of complexity which only grew worse the longer Harry spoke about it. So rather than attempt to understand the whole of it in one sitting, Remus had narrowed his focus and concentrated his questions on a single topic.

Traits.

Some – like the werewolf ones – were created by actions someone else had taken towards Remus. While others, like the Adept traits, were created due to Remus' own actions. A fact which had thrilled Remus since it would allow him to accurately gauge his own progress on the path of learning. Properly evaluating one's own strength and abilities could be quite difficult, so to have a tool capable of doing so on a whim was rather incredible.

Swallowing his last bite of egg, Remus used a finger to leaf through the various titles and traits that the Game of Death claimed were attached to him.

Werewolf:

A witch or wizard who bears this title has been cursed with Lycanthropy. A snarling, slavering monster will forever dwell within their body. And come every full moon, the affected person will lose all sense of reason and transform into the beast within. Gives an automatic increased sense of smell and sight when not transformed, a heightened desire to consume meat, +5 to all physical attributes, -1000 relationship points with anyone who bears the Pureblood Sympathizer or Creature Phobia traits, and -10000 relationship points with anyone who bears the Pureblood Supremacist or Creature Hater traits.

Marauder:

This title is different from the trait, which denotes a person who commits acts of violence on people and their property. The Marauders were a group of four schoolboys who played pranks together while they went on adventures. Gives an automatic +1 to all attributes, +5000 reputation points to anyone with the Prankster trait, and -1000 reputation points with people who bear rule abiding traits.

Downtrodden:

A sapient creature with this trait has had bad things happen to them throughout their life, and it has begun to sap away at their will. They are more likely to become withdrawn and will often look at anything good that happens in their life with a sceptical eye. Gives an automatic -20 to both of the mental attributes and Charisma. This trait can be removed or changed over time.

Former Prankster:

A person with this trait was once the type of person who enjoyed playing jokes on others. As they have aged, though, other responsibilities have taken centre stage. They still know how to have a good time but are okay with not being the centre of attention. Gives an automatic +40 to charm and +5000 reputation points with current or former pranksters. This trait can be removed or changed over time.

Werewolf Form:

When a witch or wizard afflicted by Lycanthropy transforms, they turn into a creature that is a cross between a man and a wolf. They cannot use magic while trapped in this form, but gain a massive boost to their physical attributes. Gain an automatic +200 to all physical attributes, the trait Lesser Magic Immunity, and the ability to infect other humans with Lycanthropy while the transformation is active. This trait cannot be removed or changed over time.

Penny Pincher:

This person has had to take a budget and stretch it. Some might call them tight-fisted, while others will bow down in awe of their skill. Gives an automatic +10 to both mental attributes, and -5 to the charisma attribute. This trait can be removed or changed over time.

Renaissance Man:

Any person with this trait has led an odd and varied lifestyle. They learn new skills more easily than others and have a balanced outlook on life. Gives an automatic +1 to all attributes, +10% learning speed for new skills, and +500 reputation points with anyone they meet. This trait can be removed or changed over time.

Expert Duellist:

A witch or wizard with this trait has been in a great number of magical fights. They learned the theory, practised their skills and then put them to the test in the real world. Gives an automatic +20 to both mental attributes, +10 to the charisma attribute, +5 to the dexterity attribute, and temporary +30 to both mental attributes and charisma when fighting against a hated opponent. This trait can be removed or changed over time.

Educator:

The bearer of this trait has devoted a large portion of their time, energy, and life to educating others. Gives an automatic +50% ability to help others learn spells or theory in the educator's chosen field of expertise, +1000 reputation points with any other who bears an Educator trait, and -1000 reputation points for anyone with the Ambitious trait. This trait can be removed or changed over time.

Mental Arts Initiate:

A wizard or witch with this trait is skilled in the use of both Occlumency and Legilimens. They know the subject on a functional level and are capable of using it to minor effect. This trait can be removed or changed over time.

Transfiguration Adept:

A Witch or Wizard bearing this trait has gone far on the path to mastering the art of Transfiguration. The trait gives a 50% increase in the speed of learning any spells or rituals in the Transfiguration School of Magic, +30 to both mental attributes, +20 to charisma, and +1000 reputation points with anyone who has mastered a school of magic. The attribute and reputation bonuses are only applied once; additional areas of Adept level only grant the increase in spell learning bonus. This trait can be removed or changed over time.

…

As he poured himself another cup of tea and ruminated on it all, a certain dark-haired man staggered into the kitchen.

"If you ever do that to me again after a night of drinking, Moony, I swear by Merlin's hairy balls that I'll wear your pelt as a fur coat!"

Remus smiled at the unorthodox greeting. "Good morning to you as well, my friend."

"Good morning my lily-white arse!" Sirius' red rimmed eyes stared at Remus in a bleary glare. "Dammit man! Do you know how much I drank last night after Harry went to bed? My head already feels like it'll crack open at the slightest sound. Then you go and send me that… that stupid message thing which burst into my brain with all the grace of a tribal drum!"

Remus ignored his friend's whining – if he fed into it, they would be there until next week – and gestured towards the stovetop. "As you might remember there're a few hangover potions in the third cabinet on the left. I'd recommend taking two of them if you're feeling as bad as you look. More importantly, breakfast is ready, and eating it would do you a world of good."

"I'll tell you what you can do with that breakfast, you mangy furball," Sirius mumbled darkly. But rather than follow up on his threat, the dark-haired man stumbled his way towards the cabinet Remus had pointed out.

Once there, Sirius opened the door and began to rummage inside of it like some kind of giant, demented squirrel, only stopping when he had retrieved three hangover potions from within. He uncorked the vials and downed them in quick order.

A great shiver went through his body as the triple dose of potions shot through his system. He gasped and shook his body like a wet dog.

When he next opened his eyes, the dark-haired man's formerly bloodshot gaze was clear-eyed and energetic.

Remus took a sip of his tea and smiled as Sirius made himself a plate of food. "So, my friend, have you finally returned to the realm of the living? Or do you still feel like keeling over at the first sign of a faint breeze?"

"Just give it a hush already," Sirius said in a low growl as he slammed the first forkful of egg into his mouth. The man was noble born and raised, but at times he had all the manners of a barnyard animal. "You've been in that exact same position more than once, so I don't want to hear anything."

"True. But I don't have much sympathy for you at the moment. We did agree to wake up early so that we could go over our plans for training Harry, remember?"

"Oh… yeah, we did say something like that, didn't we?" Sirius mumbled around a mouthful of food. He scratched his head and had the graciousness to appear somewhat contrite. "Well then. I'm here now. And thanks to the potions I should be good to talk."

"Then let's start with the giant Acromantula in the room." Remus gave a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Knowing what we do about this… Game of Death… I think we need to overhaul the plan entirely. Because while much of it is still valid, this special ability of Harry's opens several new avenues of consideration."

Sirius gave a derisive snort. "That's a helluva understatement there, old pal. By Morgana's saggy tits, Remus, why do you think I drank so heavily last night? Thinking about Harry being connected to an entity that calls itself Death is terrifying! Let alone with how much power it's given to him with this Game thingy. Stuff like that doesn't happen without someone paying some sort of price, and I'm man enough to tell you I'm frightened to learn what that price might be."

Remus gave another sigh at his friend's words. The two of them had stayed up talking well after Harry had gone to bed. And though Remus had been fascinated by the Game, both functionally and conceptually, Sirius had been downright manic in his worry over it.

But other than contacting Dumbledore and asking for the man's thoughts on the matter, neither one could think of any action they could take on the matter. So they had written a letter, sent it off, and tabled the discussion until they heard back from elderly wizard. After which Remus had gone off to bed and Sirius decided to drink.

Since then, Remus had had a chance to think things over.

In his opinion the Game of Death was a unique tool. One that had thus far been rather benign in operation. It could allow the boy to make great strides in his future studies, but only if it was used properly. And to do that would require their guidance.

Remus said as much to Sirius, who gave the idea a slow nod of grudging acceptance.

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right. I guess that knowing what the boy is capable of – and having a detailed readout of how his abilities stack against our own to boot – does mean we can increase the tempo of his training and better tailor it to suit his needs." Sirius took a sip of his tea while he mulled over his next words. "Y'know, despite my worry about its long-term effects, with this thing's help we might be able to get the kid up to the level of a Seventh year Hogwarts student by the time his fourth year begins."

"Erm, no. I think that's taking things a little too far, Sirius," Remus said in disagreement. "Harry might have more power packed into his body than all but the strongest of Seventh years, but the boy still doesn't have the theoretical or practical foundation in spells that learning the more advanced material would require."

"True, true. But we can still aim higher than we initially thought. Our previous plan called for a lot of grunt work; you know, peeling potatoes with your wand, keeping a room set to a cool temperature even with a roaring fire in it, beating Draco in a duel, that sort of stuff. But with this Game of Death thing, we can skip past all that boring nonsense and get straight to the good stuff!"

Remus frowned. "Like making things go boom? Turning someone else into a chicken? Duelling Draco Malfoy?"

"Exactly! As far as I'm concerned, that's the best thing about this damn cat's paw that's been forced on him." Sirius paused for a second as Remus continued to stare at him. "Oh. That uh, duel thing with Draco might be set in stone thanks to a little exchange I had with Lucius after my freedom became official."

"We'll speak on that some more, old friend. It's bad to make decisions for Harry without his consent." Remus felt his frown deepen in disagreement with Sirius.

"Eh, I'm sure the boy won't mind. I'll tell him first thing, okay?"

"Good. Now, as for changing up the boy's training schedule…" After a several minutes of weighing the pros and cons, Remus eventually nodded his consent. "We'll do it. Let's amend the plan, with the new goal being to get Harry to acceptable levels in duelling, theory, and magical history; after seeing how Binns has only gotten worse over the years, I'm worried about the boy accidentally saying the wrong thing to a Goblin and getting himself killed. Or not knowing the difference between Grindelwald's war and the one that preceded it."

"Ooh, yeah. I can see that happening." Sirius gave a shudder as he undoubtedly thought back to the mistakes he had made when using Binns' outdated and biased information. "Oh. What about his physical conditioning? Do you think he can join us for our stuff?"

"Probably. I was concerned at first considering his size and what little I had gleaned of his life with the Dursley's during the summer. But considering how high his physical stats are according to the Game, and how good he is at Quidditch, I think it should be fine to push him harder than we initially thought."

"Great!" Sirius crowed, flinging his arms into the air and sending bits of food scattering from the fork held in one of his hands. "D'you think we can add in silent spell casting too? That'd give the boy a major advantage in any fight he got in since no one would expect a kid his age to be capable of it."

Remus shook his head. "No. At least, not at this time. Harry might be able to pull it off by the end of summer if that's all he focused on, but I'd rather we concentrate on getting his other skills and abilities boosted to higher levels before we bring that in."

"Awww… but why?" Sirius whined. "It'd be so cool! And useful too!"

Remus did his best to hold back yet another sigh at his friend's stubborn enthusiasm. "Because, Sirius, the reason why we usually wait to teach silent spell casting to upper years at Hogwarts is that silent casting takes both greater stores of magical energy and greater levels of focus. Harry has demonstrated immense power, as well as the ability to focus during tense situations, but the boy's overall ability to concentrate could still use some shoring up. For the children in his age group, I would say that only Ms. Granger or Ms. Greengrass would have any hope of achieving it in the span of time we have before school starts. Ms. Lovegood could as well, but she's a year behind him and somewhat of a unique case as it were."

"Damn. Well, there goes that idea." Sirius was visibly disappointed at having his burgeoning plan quashed. "I guess I'll just have to settle for the good ol' verbal jousts and go easy on him for the time being. Although I will teach Harry to start whispering his spells instead of shouting them."

"Agreed. I love his enthusiasm but gaining a dose of subtlety would really help him out in dangerous spell battles."

By the time Harry made his way down an hour later, the two men had moved onto planning other, more enjoyable things, such as shopping trips and fun excursions. Remus cooked the boy a light breakfast of his own and the three of them settled into a comfortable silence, broken only by the sound of the birds fluttering outside of the kitchen window.

Inscrutable in expression and neatly dressed in the latest Pureblood fashion, Lucius Malfoy sat primly before Albus Dumbledore's desk at Hogwarts. The man's perfectly coiffed hair was as oily and unctuous as usual. Which fit perfectly with his expression as he looked around the office, a look of poorly hidden disdain writ clear on his features.

"I see that your poor sense of décor has not changed in the past year, Albus," Lucius sneered. "I mean really, what is it with all these things? They look like something a Muggle might have."

Albus smiled. Few minds indeed could understand the gadgets and gizmos which whirled and whizzed around the room, so different were they from the items found in the shops of most magical artificers. "That is well spotted of you, Lucius. I have found many an inspiration in the devices they come up with and have often sought to adapt them using magic. I could recommend some select reading on the subject if you are interested."

"I think not."

Their opening exchange finished, the two men settled into a tense silence.

Albus feared what would come of this meeting, having some idea as to why Lucius had come unannounced, but being afraid of the inevitable would do him no good. Instead, he studied the man across from him, his sharp eyes picking out small wrinkles in the other man's face which had not been the last time they had met.

Ah, yes. The divorce from Narcissa. Being Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot made it quite easy for certain bits of information to come his way, and Albus had been aware of Narcissa's petition to dissolve her marriage to the man for the past year. It was undoubtedly causing Lucius great discomfort to have his marriage fail in a way that would soon become public knowledge.

Though hopefully some good would come of it for the poor woman. Albus remembered Narcissa from her years at Hogwarts and seeing her dragged into her family's dark mess had caused his heart no small amount of pain.

After a time, Lucius placed his gentleman's cane across his lap, keeping one hand not so subtly placed on the pommel of his hidden wand. "I hear you recently made a trip to St. Mungo's late in the night, Headmaster. I trust you remain healthy? If not, it would be my duty to call a meeting of the Board to discuss finding your replacement."

"But of course. There is no need for either you or the Board of Governors to be worried. I am blessed to have the energy of a man half my years. If the spirits are willing, I might even live to see your own grandchildren walk these hallowed halls."

Albus gave Lucius a genuine smile as he prayed for a golden future for those yet unborn children. "Though that reminds me, how is young Draco doing? Is he getting along well now that he is home with you and Narcissa?"

Lucius' left eye twitched at Albus' subtle barb, a slight crack in the man's artful mask of disdainful civility. He pursed shut his lips and nodded his head stiffly.

"Thank you, Headmaster, but your concern is unwarranted. Draco is a fine boy, as always, and has a splendid relationship with his family. I anticipate he will be amongst the top students of his year this coming semester should he complete the curriculum I have assigned to him this summer."

"That is pleasant news indeed, Lucius." It was not, though, as it most likely meant that the young boy was being drawn further into the Dark Arts. "Thank you for informing me. It is always good to hear that a student is thriving as part of a loving family."

Lucius' eye twitched yet again at the veiled comment.

"Quite," the man stated perfunctorily. "In any case, I believe it is time we got down to the point of this meeting. You see, I have come here today at the personal request of Minister Fudge to discuss official Ministry business with you. It should not take long, but there are several rather important matters which do require… stressing."

Albus nodded gently, his earlier fears proven correct.

It would seem that the price of his actions in freeing Sirius had come due at last. Cornelius Fudge had never been the sort to forgive even the smallest of slights and crossing him over the matter of Sirius's wrongful incarceration had been a very large matter indeed.

Lucius fondled the pommel of his cane as he gave a sneering smile. "You see, Albus, your voice on many matters has become unwelcome. As the Minister's Undersecretary made clear to you at the last meeting of Britain's representatives, you have been removed as the head of all matters concerning the upcoming Tri-Wizard tournament."

"Indeed. I do remember Dolores mentioning that. Though I believe I am still to be involved and kept informed of the latest news and information."

"Certainly. As Headmaster of Hogwarts, you will, of course, be asked to help the Ministry coordinate all matters on the ground. But beyond serving as a glorified administrator, you are to have no further input as to the tournament's composition or execution."

"And what of the matters previously decided upon prior to my removal?"

"All matters previously sent to and agreed upon by the full international committee will remain intact. Any other matter – such as those still in discussion at the delegate level – will be undergoing a review by Bartemius Crouch and myself in the coming months. And we have been given the Minister's full blessings to proceed at our own discretion in determining changes should be made."

Albus did his best to hide a grimace at the statement. While not the worst-case scenario he had imagined, it was still quite bad.

There had been multiple important provisions – on everything from the exact composition of the tasks to the age of potential champions – which had yet to be agreed upon by the full international committee. And considering that he had been the one pushing for more risk averse structures, it was exceedingly likely that the tournament would go in a far more deadly direction than Albus had wished.

"With that being said," Lucius continued snidely, "I was also asked to inform you that all future communication you may have with the ministry officials involved in organizing and executing the tournament must go through me. While Bartemius has been tasked with handling things concerning our international partners, it is I who have been asked to handle things on the domestic side."

A small smile graced Lucius' features as he said that last bit. The man had spent years angling for such an important position, and to have it come at a moment when Albus' influence seemed to be retreating was undoubtedly gratifying to the man.

Given Lucius' immense talents in deception and manipulation, Albus could see the beginnings of a dark cancer growing within the heart of the Ministry. One which could easily grow malignant should Albus' growing fears regarding Tom's impending return be proven true.

Something would need to be done about it. But with his current responsibilities, the upcoming school year, and his nascent investigation into Tom's study of Horcrux', Albus could not be the one to handle it. He would need to find others to do it and would need to do so rather quickly.

A short list of candidates appeared in his mind as Lucius continued to drone about how his new responsibilities would interact with his position as a Governor on Hogwarts' Board. Eventually, though, he reached the end of what he had to say, and the meeting at last reached its conclusion. "I believe that covers everything. Do you have any questions before I depart?"

Albus laced his fingers together as he considered the man's words.

Cornelius' vendetta, fuelled by Lucius' machinations, was only the prelude of things to come. Tom's return was inevitable unless Albus could locate the anchors which underpinned Tom's immortality. But given his former pupil's devotion to secrecy, Tom's return was more likely than not. Which meant that if Albus were to find himself entangled within the twisted web of political struggles at that time, then Tom would undoubtedly take advantage of the situation and twist it to suit his needs.

Albus coldly calculated the effects of various actions he could take against Cornelius and still counter Tom in a shadowy struggle. Given that he was far older now, and the likelihood that the populace at large would be resistant to believing the one they so feared had returned from the grave to terrorize them yet again, what he came up with was dire indeed.

Which meant that as much as it pained him, Albus would have to let Cornelius and Lucius win the coming series of battles in order to keep the conflict between them to a minimum. And hope that Minerva, Alastor and the rest would be able to mute the collateral damage.

Decision made, Albus uncrossed his hands and gave his opponent a friendly smile. "I thank you for coming today, Lucius. I understand all that you have mentioned and do not have any questions for you at this time. I would only ask that you hold the continued safety of my students as the highest measure of success for this coming event, and that you work hard to ensure there are no… unexpected… surprises from any outside influences."

"But of course, Headmaster," Lucius sneered. "After all, my own son numbers amongst this august institution's student body. Any actions I might take would always keep in mind the safety of Draco and his peers."

Ah. What a clever little way to say that only his son and other approved Pureblood children would be kept safe. How Albus wished that Lucius had used his sharp mind for good rather than evil.

Feeling every year of his age, Albus slowly rose to his feet. "Thank you for visiting, Lucius. I look forward to working with you on matters regarding the Tri-Wizard tournament."

Lucius rose to his feet as well, the man's unctuous smile back in full force. "I am sure the pleasure will be all mine, Headmaster. Good day."

The man turned to leave the office, no doubt intending to use the private Floo reserved for the use of Hogwarts staff and the Board of Governors instead of the one in Albus' office. A distrustful action to be sure, but one that was, perhaps, not unwarranted given their coming struggle.

As the man neared the door, though, Albus had one final parting comment.

"Oh, and Lucius," Albus called out in a pleasant tone, "please give my best to Narcissa when you see next her. An owl should be making its way to the both of you shortly with the details of your first hearing. I find myself looking forward to speaking with you both regarding the equitable splitting of your joint assets."

This time Lucius' mask did not crack upon hearing Albus' barbed comment.

It broke entirely.

The man whipped around, pale face drawn with fury. His gloved hands tightened on the wand hidden within his cane. And for an instant, the hate-filled creature which lay underneath Lucius' genteel mask was laid bare for the world to see.

In that brief moment of distraction, Albus struck out with Legilimency.

The mental probe he had kept in waiting for an opportunity such as this was able to slip through the other man's powerful mental shields undetected. Once inside, it darted to and fro as Albus tried to search for any information. Anything which could be used to stop Tom's return, or to foil any plans or machinations Lucius had in place for what was to come with the Tri-Wizard tournament.

Alas, all that the probe revealed before being cut off was the man's desire to hurt his soon to be ex-wife and any who might shield her from his wrath.

Only after the man left Albus' office at last did the great wizard allow himself to hope that the likes of Malfoy, Fudge, and their petty schemes would be the worst he would have to contend with during the upcoming school year.

Even as he feared, and knew, otherwise.

A/N:Edited this chapter a lot in 2022 and again in 2023. Hopefully the changes made for a more enjoyable reading :)

Until Next Time,

~Elsil