After the attack the forbidden forest was searched thoroughly but there was no sign of Pettigrew. With the news that Pettigrew had once more escaped Harry changed his focus to his upcoming game with Slytherin.
The weather that Saturday was abysmal. The heavy storms had left a layer of water on the pitch and everyone that came out to watch were constantly having to reapply heating charms to stay warm.
The game was particularly fierce once one team had the Quaffle it was hard to keep hold of it. This on top of the fact you could only see a few metres in front of you meant that both teams were struggling to make any headway. About half way through the game Montague, due to his impaired vision flew straight into Malfoy and was unseated from his broom. Unfortunately for him he had hit his head on the stands and knocked himself out cold.
Rose, feeling happy she would get to play, was very glad that she had not inherited her dad's poor eyesight and didn't need glasses. She could see Harry really struggling to keep the water off his own.
The game went on for another hour before Harry and subsequently Malfoy saw any sight of the golden snitch. Rose, despite having a job to do, couldn't help but watch as the two seekers flew higher and higher into that black sky.
It was impossible to see just what was happening up there and for a long minute the entire stadium was on edge. What they saw first was a green blur flying as fast as it could toward the ground. Rose was pretty confused by this since she did not see the snitch anywhere.
What she saw next made her heart stop. Harry was falling through the air, his broom was nowhere in sight. Rose in that moment felt an anger like never before, Malfoy must have seen what happened and decided to save himself, she would not let this pass.
Abandoning the game Rose flew up to her brother and grabbed him. This was not entirely the best plan because it was incredibly hard to stay seated on her broom and slow Harry's fall. Thankfully Dumbledore was quick on the uptake to and had cast his spell to help lower Harry to the ground safely.
It was at that moment at least ten dementors descended onto the pitch clearly they had been following Harry. Despite the terrible situation Rose couldn't help but watch in awe as the sky suddenly lit up by many different Patronuss'.
She could see many different animals all shimmering in the black sky driving away the dementors. A lone silver Phoenix was leading the charge and Dementors were fleeing from the silver animals.
Capella ran up to Rose and asked how Harry was distracting her from the Patronus' and she quickly checked Harry's pulse.
"He has a pulse but he is very cold."
Without needing to hear more Capella quickly started to cast a warming charm on Harry. While this helped warm his body back up he stayed passed out. It wasn't long before Madam Pomfrey was by the girl's side and she took Harry off to the Hospital Wing.
Rose and Capella refused to leave Harry's side and were joined not too long later by Sirius and Marlene.
"Malfoy doesn't have the snitch, does Harry?" Sirius asked, earning a scowl from his wife that made him shut up.
Thankfully Harry woke not too long later, doing so he reflexively opened his hand releasing a golden orb.
"What happened?" He asked seemingly unaware of the snitch leaving his hand.
Capella quickly grabbed the snitch before it got too far from them and started laughing.
"Even when facing dementors he grabs the snitch."
"Ha I knew he had it." Sirius exclaimed happily, thrusting a fist into the air.
"Dementors?" Harry asked, feeling confused. Before anyone could answer his brain caught up to the events and he started smiling. "Wait, I caught the snitch? Did we win? What were the points on?"
"Yeah you won 210 to 160." Sirius told him.
"If you boys are quite finished, how about we find out if you are okay Harry." Marlene said, raising her voice slightly.
"To answer your earlier question Harry. Dementors for unknown reasons descended onto the pitch. Albus believes they were drawn by the excitement and couldn't help themselves. From what we can gather, which isn't much because it was too dark to see, they attacked you causing you to fall. They attempted to follow you and were driven off by the professors patronus'"
"And ours of course." Sirius added making his wife roll her eyes.
"I heard screaming, a woman." Harry said, looking at Marlene and Sirius.
"That was probably due to the Dementors. They make you think about the worst possible things." Sirius said after shuddering at what he had heard. Marlene pulled her husband close and gave him a quick kiss.
Despite Madam Pomfrey's attempts to remove the guests from her Hospital wing no one wanted to leave Harry alone. After much argument Capella and Rose were sent to bed, with Sirius and Marlene promising to keep an eye on Harry.
Once in her dorm room Rose called Daphne and Astoria to her room. Daphne was a little confused at being summoned by Rose but came without question, Astoria seemed happy to be invited to join and was bubbling with excitement.
"What is wrong Rose, you look positively fuming." Daphne asked, looking a little worried.
"I've decided I'm done letting Malfoy run Slytherin. He is a coward and a bully. It is time to do what I was put in this house to do. We are going to change how people look at Slytherins."
"Not that I am not happy to hear you're ready to fight but what brought this on?" Daphne asked, looking around the room and making sure they were alone.
"That git Malfoy, I know he doesn't like Harry but he just flew away and left him up there." Rose was seething as she said this and even a kiss from Capella wasn't helping her calm down.
"Malfoy has a lot of friends." Astoria commented a little hesitantly.
"He does but we aren't the only ones fed up with his shit. Capella replied thinking about some of the younger students.
"We need to really think this through before we act. I want this change just as much as you do but we can't just attack Mafoy and his cronies; he would spin it so we get into trouble. Professor Snape is his godfather after all" This comment made Capella and Rose look at her stunned.
"I take it you didn't know that? Why do you think Snape never punishes him?"
"He does need to be taken down a peg though." Astoria added.
"We know that Voldemort will return and if we don't fix this house he is going to have plenty of new generation death eaters." Capella looked around to see how her statement would fall. It was something that hadn't really been thought about by Rose until now.
"I think some of the first and second years are more open to change but the older ones will be stuck in their ways. It will be hard. Astoria can work on feeling out the lower two years. Capella should help since she is still only a second year. Daphne you are a pureblood and noble house so you would have more luck with years 6 and 7. That leaves 3, 4 and 5 to me"
"We shouldn't be too forthcoming with our plans. Our objective is to see who would join us when we go hard with this." Capella added.
"I hate to say it but we should talk to Blaize and try to get him to understand Same sex isn't bad. He is only following Malfoys lead because he feels like he cannot support Rose anymore." Daphne commented looking at the bed rather than the group.
"Sis? Do you like Blaize?" Astoria asked, causing Rose, Capella and Daphne to look at her shocked.
"I see being perceptive really does run in the family. I don't know if I do or not. I thought I did and I was interested to see how it went but then he walked out on us."
"I am sorry about that. It's our fault that happened.
"I don't blame you Capella. I blame the backwards thinking of Purebloods. They think If you cannot produce an heir you shouldn't be together but It's stupid."
Rose upon hearing this started to hug her friend. This shocked Daphne a little since it wasn't something they did all that often .
"Are you sure you want to do this? From what sis told me you have kept out of it for the most part since you got here."
"Sometimes Astoria it's about doing what is right despite how you feel about it. I wish someone else could make everything right but I don't see it happening. People hate all Slytherins just because some are bad or because we had two really bad role models. I don't see people hating Gryfindor because of the mass murderer Pettigrew. We need to show people that the Slytherin house can still produce good wizards."
Rose paused here for a moment and looked at the friends gathered.
"I can't do it alone though. I don't like bringing you into my schemes because it may backfire but I need you guys. I have an idea."
The next few days were some of the longest Rose had ever had to deal with. After her lessons she would hide away in her dorm room working on her plan and how to get the most out of it. She had yet to tell anyone just what it was because it had to be perfect.
With Christmas fast approaching Rose wanted to be done quickly and just as sign ups to go home appeared she was done. Capella, who Rose could hide nothing from, was eager to see just how this plan would come together.
December 18th was another hogsmeade visit but instead of asking to go and getting rejected Rose made plans to meet Professor Dumbledore. She took with her Capella, Harry and Daphne who was staying in support of her friend.
To say Professor Dumbledore was intrigued would be an understatement. He had heard that something had Rose disappearing for long periods of time, not much happened at Hogwarts without him knowing.
"How can I help you four?" He asked once he had conjured enough seats to seat them.
Harry and Daphne who really didn't know anything looked to Rose to respond.
"I am here to formally request the sanctioning of a new club. The club would be open to all houses and run by those Professors that are not head of houses, that way it wont take away time from their pastoral duties and we can rule out any biases. With the position of DaDa seemingly cursed I asked Professors Vector and Babbling to sponsor us."
"You have my interest peaked. What would this club do?" Dumbledore responded and seemed genuinely interested.
"I want this group to be composed of an equal number of students per house. I was thinking 2 for each year. The purpose of these students coming together would be to work together to plan activities for the entire school. Since coming to the school I have noticed there are next to no inter house activities. Yes we can join clubs such as gobstones, chess and Quidditch but the first two only appeal to some students and Quidditch is a competitive sport that doesn't promote school unity. The group I have proposed would organise school wide events. An example would be a ball, parties themed events for a time of year."
Rose paused here to see just how her suggestion would be taken. It looked like Dumbledore was seriously thinking about it and taking in what had been suggested.
"Muggles host big events that invite parents to come and gather to see what their kids are doing with their time. I was thinking we could work to host events like that too. We need to work to reunite the wizarding world and if that doesn't start in a school where kids can be changed and moulded, when will it?" Rose challenged trying to get the headmaster on board.
"This wouldn't just be a committee that forces our choices; either the people that get invited to the group would reach out to the other students in their year to see what they would enjoy doing then we see what stands out from the suggestions. I was thinking of 3 to 4 major events a year."
Deciding Rose had nothing more to add she slid a folder of her ideas and plans across Dumbledore's desk. Her friends had watched her quite surprised by just what she was planning. Capella was smiling happily.
"I can see that a lot of planning and thought has gone into this. I wish to present this to the staff and board of governors and see if they believe this is an idea that can work. I promise to get back to you shortly."
While not the answer Rose had hoped for, she knew that she could do nothing more to push her idea at the back of her mind; she wondered if she had done enough to sell her plan. Capella, who was becoming more adept at understanding Rose's feelings thanks to their bond, pulled her into a hug.
"You did great. It is a good idea that we do need more things to do here."
Despite a promise that he would get back to them shortly the answer did not come before christmas break. Harry, Rose and Capella had decided to go home for the christmas. The Weaslys, Greengrass' and Hermione too we're going home.
Not wanting to be separated from Harry on the train ride again, Rose sat in his compartment, with the excuse of making space Capella was sat in her lap. With Daphne and Astoria sitting close together they just about fit everyone into the compartment.
"Some of you are going to need to hook up so you can share laps too." Capella joked and leaned into Rose enjoying being this close to her.
"Why don't you sit in Harry's lap Ginny?" Rose added, causing Ginny to punch Rose on the arm.
The comment made Harry blush dark red and Ron to look extremely confused.
"Ginny doesn't like Harry?" He said in a questioning tone. The comment made most the occupants of the compartment laugh and poor Ginny hid her face in Rose's arm
"I'm going to kill you." She whispered so Rose could hear. This just made Rose laugh harder and put an arm around Ginny's shoulder.
"I doubt it" Rose added
As the trip progressed Hermione seemed to remember something Ron had told her.
"I have been meaning to ask about something Ron mentioned. He told me that His house was pledged to the Potters now. What exactly does that mean?"
"Well It means that his family is prepared to support house Gry.. Potter." Astoria responded happily showing she knew what she was talking about.
"You don't need to correct yourself in front of Hermione, we were going to tell her at some point anyway." Rose said to Astoria, catching the slip up and not wanting the girl to feel bad.
"Was she about to say Gryffindor?" Hermione asked, confused.
Looking around Harry answered once he saw no one looking in.
"The Potter family is the heir family to Gryffindor. For the first time in a long time the Potters had two children. In this situation the eldest or the male can claim the long unused title of Gryffindor."
Hermione was now thoroughly intrigued; it looked like she had a thousand questions.
"I as the second child and female took the mantle Potter. This allows us a few benefits. Instead of one seat, the Potter seat, on the Wizengamot we control two, the Potter and Gryffindor. Harry as Lord Gryffindor also has a seat on the board of governors at Hogwarts."
Upon hearing what Rose had added Hermione looked quite perplexed.
"What do the Weasleys hold?"
"We have a Wizenagmot seat. But Dad doesn't like to attend the meetings… They are kind of corrupt. So he says" Ginny answered. Ron looked thoughtful for a moment.
"At any point one of us kids, Bill or Charlie being able right now, can claim the Prewitt line once grandma Prewitt passes. That would give us two seats too but the Weasleys are not the best politicians so I can't imagine us doing it."
Hermione was soaking up the information before turning to Daphne.
"We hold one seat on the Wizengamot and one board of Governors seat." Daphne told her, seeing her gaze.
"The black family holds one board seat and can claim a few Wizenagmot seats under the right circumstances. Our family branched out quite a bit. The lestranges are both in prison so because Bellatrix was a Black we could take the Lestrange seat. The Blacks have one of our own of course. If I had a sibling and they took the name McKinnon that would be a seat too. If the houses Malfoy and crouch had no heir we could take those too when the last died."
"So everyone here but me has a say in the way the wizarding world runs?"
Hermione asked, trying to understand.
"Technically Harry and I are not old enough to take our seats unless we get emancipated so our seats remain empty." Rose said, looking at Capella.
"My dad, now cleared, can claim our seat but hasn't yet so I guess technically we don't yet either.
"Why has Sirius not claimed his seat?"
"Dad is waiting for the time where it would make the biggest wave, at least that's what he told me. I don't really know what he is waiting for though. I haven't cared enough to ask in all honesty."
"Could I ever get a seat for my family?" Hermione's comment made nearly everyone a little uncomfortable with only Harry and Hermione not understanding the reaction.
"Right now. The way the Ministry is, it could never happen. I hate to admit it but Muggleborns don't do well in our government right now. Most division heads are stuck up Purebloods that don't like change." Astoria finally said seeing that the compartment was not too keen to admit how bad the society was right now.
"It seems really hard to be a Muggleborn in the wizarding world. I wonder if I could do anything to help that. Well I guess not this year, It's hard enough as it is."
It was clear Hermione was talking to herself and not the occupants of the compartment but her statement drew everyone's attention.
"Hermione? Is everything okay with you?" Harry asked tentatively.
"What? Yes, everything is fine."
Despite wanting to help Hermione it was clear that the conversation was over and she would say no more about it just now. Harry and Ron looked at each other and both decided with that look to keep more of an eye on Hermione.
A somewhat awkward silence formed for a short while after Hermione's withdrawal thankfully the trolley lady came by not too long after and the conversations went back to normal for the rest of the journey.
On the platform Sirius and Marlene were talking with Mrs Weasley. The hope was to install a little of the lost faith back into her so she would not withdraw her children from Hogwarts.
As the children got off the train there were many hugs and Harry invited the friends from the compartment to come over to the castle for christmas or boxing day.
"Let's agree for boxing day. I would like just our family on christmas day." Marlene said to the group and after everyone agreed.
The groups shortly after said their goodbyes and apparated back to the castle. Upon arriving in the main hall the children could see that the castle had been decked out in a sea of reds and greens. Every inch of the house seemed to be covered in tinsel and Christmas themed banners.
The first sitting room that they entered, the one they used the most, had a very large christmas tree in the corner of the room, the fireplace held a stocking for each member of the house.
Heading back into the hall the children were surprised to see their trunks had already been moved, presumably to their bedrooms.
"The only non decorated room is the war room." Sirius told them as they entered the kitchen.
"I think that the elves went a little crazy." Capella announced, laughing.
"Maybe a little but It doesn't look bad. Is uncle King coming round this year?"
"We invited him to Christmas dinner and he agreed to come over." Marlene told Rose, smiling at her. "Like I said, family."
Rose gave Marlene a hug and smiled at her.
"Thank you."
"Mimsey has taken on the role of chief tonight to welcome you home. She told me to tell you guys to be ready to eat by six pm" Sirius informed the children.
"We want to teach you a new kind of magic over the break but we will talk about that later." Marlene added.
The dinner that night was magnificently cooked Italian food. It was clear that Mimsey had put her very best effort into making the food and once finished they called her back to thank her. For dessert she had prepared a few options. Harry was made a treacle tart. Rose and Capella shared some apple crumble and custard with Sirius and Marlene choosing a lemon meringue pie.
Once full and well fed the group headed for the main sitting room. As soon as they arrived in the room Mimsey was there and preparing a fire for them.
"What are we going to learn Mommy?" Capella asked once they were comfortable.
"We are going to try our best to teach you the Patronus charm. It will be hard and I wouldn't be surprised If none of you get it before we leave but we will try. This spell is a N.E.W.T grade spell so if you don't get it we will work on it at a later stage."
"The Patronus charm is what The teachers and you used to drive away the Dementors at the game?" Harry asked, wanting to confirm.
"That's right Harry. The charm when done correctly will form a silver animal to protect you. Mine is Padfoot, Marlene is her owl form. Though your patronus will not always reflect an animagus form and may change depending on circumstances in your life."
"I hope I get a cool animal." Rose announced.
"Will you show us your Patronus'?" Capella asked. Sirius smiled and cast his spell followed swiftly by Marlene's.
The rest of the night was spent relaxing and talking about how their schooling was going. Rose decided to omit the fact that she was planning on shaking things up in Slytherin.