Tonks stood in line with the other aurors, a mix of Captain Goyle, Bones, and Longbottom's officers, as the former and latter two captains continued to go back and forth reminding them of their duties today. Keep an eye out for suspicious movements, pay attention to anyone who comes in late, pay attention to anyone who comes in early, make the Ministry look good. Only a few members of the press had arrived early to take photos and make observations for the upcoming speeches, so for now they more or less had the space to themselves.

They were in the main amphitheatre of the Ministry of Magic, standing on the 'sidelines' around a swathe of seats that had been conjured up for the awards ceremony. Up in front of the hall was a marble stage with a built-in podium carved into the shape of… Atlas, if she remembered studying the muggle deities for Hydrus right, holding up the top of the podium like it was the weight of the world. Six massive chandeliers were hanging from the ceiling, perfectly spaced and providing enough light to leave hardly any shadows to hide in. A part of her wondered if she'd ever be up on that stage…

"Tonks!" Goyle snapped, and her spine straightened like she'd been whipped. "I expect your best today, no mistakes. Do I make myself clear?"

'Bastard,' she thought. "Yes, Captain Goyle."

"Spread out!"

She didn't have to move far, only a few steps to her left where she was responsible for rows thirty through thirty-three, near the back but not so far back as to be important. The other aurors, both veterans and newbies alike, said nothing to her despite the small conversations that broke out as they got into position.

Ever since the Black Sheep's fuck up, she'd become persona non grata at work. No one talked to her, her 'friends' from the academy abandoned her, and the only captain who even acknowledged her existence was Goyle, who was her direct supervisor after a 'random' transfer from Captain Longbottom's squad.

Tonks had gone from having all the expectations of the world dumped on her shoulders, just like the stupid podium, to having everyone in the world hate her for something she didn't even do.

Her eyes snapped to the auditorium's doors as they opened, but she quickly looked away and tried to hide her scowl when she saw it was just Captain Bones. She heard the woman's steps clap her way, because of course she wouldn't choose the other side of the stupid amphitheatre to get to the stage from,. Tonks kept her eyes straight ahead, even when Bones passed, but to her fury the woman paused and stepped back to face her.

Unlike herself, Bones wasn't bothering to keep a professional expression, and was glaring at her with a scowl. "Do we have a problem, Auror Tonks?"

"No, Captain Bones." It was hard to keep her face and tone neutral, a skill she'd had smoked into her at the academy. "No problems here, ma'am."

"Your hair colour suggests otherwise."

Tonks' eyes widened, a heat came rushing to her face, and when she looked up she could just barely see that the fringe of her bangs was a bright, toxic red that probably matched her cheeks.

'Oh no.'

"Why don't you and I step outside for a moment." Bones said. "I think we need to have a chat."

"N-, No, ma'am, I promise that isn't necessary." God she sounded like an idiot. "I can't leave my post—"

"I'll cover you." She glanced over to glare at Captain Longbottom. "Go ahead, Amelia."

'Asshole,' Tonks thought as she glumly followed after Bones. 'First thing he's said to me since kicking me off of his squad, and it's to throw me under the bus.'

The two women made their way out of the hall and Bones pulled her into a private conference room, shutting the door behind her. Unlike the grand and archaic amphitheatre, this felt more like something you'd see in one of those muggle tv shows her father liked to watch. Just a large table in a room surrounded by chairs.

"Well?" Bones asked. "What's your problem?"

"As I stated earlier, I don't—"

"Stop the bullshit, Nymphadora," Bones snapped. "I didn't put up with it when you're uncle—"

"That! That is my fucking problem!" The captain paled and Tonks realised her own face and hair were probably doing something horrific, but she didn't care anymore. She didn't care if she lost her 'dream job' anymore, it had already become a nightmare. "Everyone in this whole stupid department hates me for something I didn't even do! Sirius Black is not my god-damned uncle, I have absolutely nothing to do with the Black Sheep, but because he fucked you over and everyone just loves you, they're making my life a living hell!

"Do you see this?" She yanked on her lapel, showing off both the name 'Tonks' embroidered onto the uniform's breast and the very obviously open space where a family's crest would've gone. "I am not a Black, I never was, never will be. But thanks to you and your bullshit with a man I have met all of ONE times in my life, which you were there for, by the way, I am getting treated like human garbage.

"I don't deserve this, I am better than this, but, but, but…"

As Tonks ran out of steam and things to say she realised she had tears in her eyes so she wiped them away and gave a hard sniff to clear her nose.

"Just leave me alone. I can't control my stupid hair, so just ignore it or fire me or whatever." She gave another snort, praying that her nose didn't look like a pig's, and turned to the door. "I don't care anymore."

"Wait." Amelia had grabbed Tonks' shoulder to stop her and it took every ounce of self-control the metamorphmagus had to not curse her back. "I'm sorry, Nym—, I mean, Tonks. I'm sorry. I'll put in a transfer to move you to my squad as soon as we're back in the office."

Tonks blinked and whirled around. "What?"

"I promise I'll talk to the other captains as well. I had no idea this was going on," Amelia continued. "I… Might've avoided you a bit myself, but it was only because of things that, like you said, had nothing to do with you. I never wanted, let alone asked for, you to be treated this way." The woman gave her shoulder a squeeze. "I promise, I'll take care of this, and you, from now on."

"I…" Tonks frowned, now suspicious. "I don't need you to 'take care' of me, I just—"

"Too bad." Tonks blinked. "I might be out of the running now for being the next department head thanks to Sirius's bullshit, but I still take my job very seriously." The woman patted her on the shoulder before turning to make her own exit. "And that means looking after every last one of my aurors."

As Tonks watched the woman leave, her only thought was, 'She thinks she's out of the running…?'


Hydrus stood, arm in arm with Bella, and waited for Shacklebolt to wrap things up. The man was giving a long and tiring speech about just how dangerous the threat of those inferi had been, how much damage it could've done to the world itself let alone the magical community, all in a 'grand' build up to announcing Hydrus's award. With a sigh, he turned to his love.

"I need you to do something for me," he said. "You'll have the most important job out there."

His father was already out on stage, along with Albus Dumbledore, some Auror captains, and… Hydrus blinked. When the hell had Gregory, Mrs. Herschel's husband, gotten here? Why was he here? Sirius was standing on the opposite side of the small grouping as Amelia Bones, but Hydrus would have to be blind to miss the way the two kept shooting glances at each other when the other wasn't looking. He rolled his eyes as Bella finally responded, purring in his ear.

"What can I do for my little water snake?" she asked. "Hm?"

"Keep an eye on Sirius," he said. "Somethings going to happen during this, and you're the only person I trust to keep him in check."

"Wait, what?" His fiancee frowned at him. "What do you mean something's going to happen? What's going to happen? What—"

She was cut off by a large round of applause, and Hydrus had to 'drag' her out onto stage. He released her once they got half way to the podium so he could embrace Shacklebolt, and he leaned up to whisper in the man's ear.

"I'm going to tell a lie, make it the truth." The man tried pulling back but Hydrus gripped him a bit tighter. "You owe me."

He finally released the minister, who wasn't brazen enough to try and respond in front of so many people, and stepped up to the podium. Bella kept walking, and he waited till she was settled beside Sirius with her arm entwined around his, like proper family, to speak. Hopefully Sirius, who'd gotten the same warning and job about Bella that he'd given her about him, wouldn't mind it too much.

"Everyone," Hydrus started, lifting up the disk-shaped trophy. "Thank you for this honour. On the names of everyone, my own ancestors included, who have earned the Order of Merlin, First Class, I promise to continue to uphold the dignity and responsibility that comes from such a prestigious title and merit.

"To add more specificity to my gratitude, allow me to thank those who directly contributed to my deed that day, starting with Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." He held out his arm and the award to his fellow recipient, and a round of applause broke out. "Although there are many who can claim to have had a part in making me into the person I am today, there are none who so directly influenced and encouraged me as him. It's a bit embarrassing to say, but I think of Professor Dumbledore like a grandfather, and I hope to continue to uphold his values and goals as I continue to grow into an adult myself."

The crowd lapped it up. The new saviour revealing his roots lie intertwined with that of the old hero. It was the best place for him to start, get everyone in the mindset that he was one-hundred percent backed and influenced by the greatest and most morally righteous man in the world.

"Next, I would like to thank a man I doubt any of you have ever heard of. One of my father's closest friends, one of the smartest men I know, and one of the kindest men I could ever hope to be encouraged by: Remus Lupin." A few whispers broke out at his declaration, reporters asking each other who that could possibly be. "He is a werewolf." The crowd stilled immediately. "Bitten as a young boy, and grown into a man who has lived far brighter than the moon torturing him could ever be. His first hand experience and tales with the dark creatures that stalk the night was what saved me on more than one occasion in the third trial."

A truth whose subject would know to be a lie as soon as he heard it. But it would be valuable and important for pushing his werewolf agenda forward, and making sure that there weren't any issues when the man was chosen to be the next Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor at Hogwarts. Hopefully the man would forgive him for shining a spotlight on his 'affliction'.

"Lastly, I would like to thank someone else in attendance here." He held up his hand once again, and the woman's eyes widened. "My cousin, despite her protest at such a title, Nymphadora Tonks."

He hadn't meant to let a pause go there, but the audience was far too rambunctious for him to try and continue. Cameras were flashing, Tonks' hair was flying through a rainbow of colours as they were all aimed at her, and he smiled as he cleared his throat and brought the attention back to himself.

"I asked for the help of several people in my preparation for the Triwizard Tournament, including the likes of Albus Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, and even Nicholas Flamel himself," he said. "Although some of the people I asked were more helpful than others, none were as useful to me as her.

"I was able to make several breakthroughs with my family magic, and widened my horizons in general, thanks to her. She may be young, may still need experience out in the field as an auror, but I know for a fact that she has the potential to surpass my recently retired father, Sirius Black, the Black Sheep." Again the din of the crowd grew louder. "I may have been the one to cast the spell that incinerated the inferi, but I never would've been able to save all those people, keep the evils that Minister Shacklebolt described at bay, if it wasn't for her and her alone."

The woman's hair had grown nearly two inches and was such a rich shade of pink that it nearly glowed. To her credit, Tonks at least managed to stare straight ahead, even if it wasn't all that useful and did absolutely nothing to make people think she didn't care about his words, wasn't embarrassed by them. Hydrus licked his lips before continuing.

"The spell I used that day… I don't have some fancy name for it, but it is something of my own creation," he said. "Not the fiendfyre, obviously, the one that came after. What I used to direct the normally dark and uncontrollable flames.

"As you might suspect given my… family's reputation, I have a strong curiosity towards and about what is rightfully called dark magic." Now that definitely got him the full attention of the crowd. "To put it more bluntly, I'm obsessed with finding ways to counter it, to mitigate it, to redirect its foul nature into something positive for both myself and wizarding kind.

"Fiendfyre is a working that, normally, can destroy anything and everything in its path. That isn't in and of itself evil, but the fact that it can't be controlled has forced civilization to swear it off and do away with it entirely." He shook his head. "It's a waste, a waste of all of our ancestors' time and struggle to create such a magnificent thing. But. But,I managed to find a way to control it."

He drew his wand, and before anyone could stop him said, "Pestis Incendium."

A lick of flame spooled out of his wand, he'd been thinking of calm oceans when he cast it, and before it could fully form into a wild phoenix he cast the materventus spell. The still-forming phoenix took off above the crowd. He cast his spell again and the phoenix looped back around towards him atop a chorus of 'ooh's and 'aww's. It kept flying straight for him, and everyone gasped in unison when it slammed into his torso, dying against his person without leaving a mark on him.

"That evil spell, which has killed countless people, taken countless innocent lives, has been tamed."

The crowd leapt to their feet and began to cheer. Hydrus cut them off with Ron's old trick again, clapping his boot against the enchanted podium.

"It still needs work," he said, forcing a look of shame onto his face. "We nearly burned poor Professor Dumbledore's beard off when he tried it."

'Please don't fuck this up for me.' He turned to see Dumbledore just smiling, and stroking his beard, not at all showing that Hydrus had just lied. "But still. Sometimes, even the darkest things in life can be turned to a better and more productive purpose through careful intervention. Just like what happened in the third trial."

He knew everyone's minds would turn towards the third trial, the example of what he'd just shown, and think he was repeating himself.

"Just like I had to use magic with the ill intent of cutting off the tip of Fleur Delacour's finger." Confusion rolled through the audience, mumbled 'what?'s and 'huh?'s. "Without doing so, I wouldn't have been able to quickly and easily heal her wound. I, and we us all, have a responsibility to each other to not just look down our noses at that which is deemed evil. We should seek out what can be taken from such things, and force them into blossoming into something that can benefit us.

"I am no fool, I know there are some workings such as the killing curse which can never be turned to proper task, but shy of that?" He leaned forward and the crowd leaned in to meet him. "Shy of that? There is so much we can do to make the world a better place. And that, above all else, is my goal in life."

He turned to the special guests gathered together to his right like the aurors and Dumbledore. He turned to Shacklebolt, who was standing back and to his left, and winked to signal him.

"Even now I find myself exploring ways to turn the dark and the damned into that which can better our world. For example, perhaps the Cruciatus curse can be used to better study the human body's reception of pain so we can make greater anaesthetic spells. If the Ministry will allow it, thus far they haven't despite my countless requests for a unique and first-of-its-kind permit, I would like to hatch and raise a basilisk to study its venom. I have already begun to meet with various leaders and people of importance within the werewolf community to see how we can make them into valuable members of the wizarding population.

"This is an uphill, one-sided battle that I fight, and I thank my goddess every day that it paid off when I needed it most, on that fateful day in the desert." He bowed his head. "I hope you will all continue to follow along, cheer on, and support the journey."

He kept his head bowed over the podium even as the audience rose to their feet and began to applaud. There were shouts of approval, shouts at Shacklebolt to give him the permit to own a basilisk, shouts asking Hydrus questions that he wouldn't answer here. Now he just had to wait for—

A bludgeoning curse caught the top of his skull and nearly caved it in. He more flopped back than straightened up, sliding one foot backwards to steady himself as his eyes shot over towards where Bellatrix and Sirius were standing, his eyes doing their best to warn them not to interfere.

Screams rang out as one of the members of the crowd was quickly given space. It was Augusta Longbottom, Lady of House Longbottom, and there was a madness unique to her and her alone in her eyes. Hydrus reached up, too slow to stop it entirely, and tried to keep any more blood from the top of his skull from pouring into his eyes. No one was saying anything, the aurors who were supposed to be there for his protection were paralysed by fear of reprisal from the Lady of one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, and it all fit perfectly into his plans. He spared one last glance at Bellatrix and Sirius and saw the two glaring daggers at the other, as if daring them to try and move.

"Give me back my grandson you wretch!" the ancient lady screeched. "I ain't falling for all your bullshit!"

'Why do I always have to have a problem with old people?' Hydrus wondered. "Lady Longbottom, as I already explained—"

"No!" Augusta screeched. "I demand you—"

The woman locked up and would've fallen over if it weren't for her son Earl catching her. Unlike the other aurors he wasn't here on duty, and his pallid complexion betrayed how terrified he was of what was happening. The auror who'd paralysed the old woman stepped forward, and Hydrus frowned when he saw it was Tonks. The fledgling legend pushed past the tightly-knit crowd until she'd broken into the bubble that had formed around the assailant.

"Augusta Longbottom, you're under arrest for assault." Her voice didn't carry the way Hydrus's spell-backed words had, but it was still easy to hear her commanding presence. He gave a nod of approval. "You will be held until such a time as you are no longer deemed a threat to others, your penitence has been assured, or your innocence proven true."

There was a small commotion beside him so Hydrus turned and saw Amelia Bones holding back Frank. The man wheeled around but Amelia's eyes quickly silenced any protests he could've offered. Hydrus grinned slightly as the woman pulled him back beside her, his head low and shoulders slumped. He waited until Tonks had escorted the senior citizen out before saying anything.

"To answer questions I'm sure you blood-suckers want answered," Hydrus said. "Before my school year was up, Neville Longbottom, son of Frank Longbottom." He gestured at the auror captain who tensed. "Grandson of the recently… evacuated, Augusta Longbottom, asked me if I wouldn't mind taking him to a summer camp.

"He told me that his mother and father were far too busy with their jobs to pick him up from school, and that he didn't want to waste a second before getting to a duelling camp where he intended to learn and grow into a 'proper wizard' after all the time he'd spent hearing from his family how worthless he is."

There were no reactions from the crowd this time. Everyone was too tense with the bloody teen speaking before them calmly despite being assaulted, and the auror captain in the wings clearly and unabashedly barely containing himself.

"I agreed, only to find out later that he had lied to me, and that his parents weren't at all aware of the fact that he was going to a 'summer camp'." He sighed. "I took Frank and Alice Longbottom to the woods where I had Bellatrix Black apparate us to, but he wasn't there."

Hydrus sighed again, dramatically, and shook his head.

"I'd thought I'd come to an understanding with the Longbottoms, but I'd only talked with Captain Frank here." He gestured at the man again. "And I suppose now I know why he wasn't keen on letting me meet his mother. I… I had thought that as a bastard son I just didn't have the right to meet with her."

He bowed once again to the crowd. It took a tricky bit of controlled magic that would hopefully be buried away in the locks of his long hair, but he reopened the wound on the top of his head and a few drops of blood came pouring out.

"I hope you'll all forgive me and my naivety leading to this unfortunate incident," he said, keeping his voice quiet despite the podium enhancing it. "And I hope you'll all have patience with Lady Longbottom as well for her frustration. It may not be entirely be rational, but it is completely understandable."

Hydrus had expected a few quiet murmurings for his apologetic posturing, but instead a question rang out.

"Hydrus, are you alright?" He straightened up at the sound of Percy Weasley's voice, and once more found his feelings for the former nuisance growing. "You're bleeding."

"I'm fine, Percy, thank you." Despite his desire to sell the image he was portraying, he healed the wound. "Sorry, I should've healed myself sooner, I got distracted."

He made his way off stage before the other reporters could take that as a sign that he was open to questions, and it was obvious that his family members were following after him. Once he'd gotten a few steps backstage he spun around, wanting to take control of the situation before either one of the mad folk could do the same.

"Well done, you two," Hydrus said. "I was expecting the attack, and you both did a fabulous job of keeping an eye on one another to make sure your madness didn't spill out and ruin everything."

"What?" Sirius demanded. "I thought I was… Did you…"

"Yes, I did," Hydrus answered the unasked question. "I'll expect similar behaviour in the future from the two of you. I don't care what the situation is, how badly I might seem to be hurt, do not make a move, and do not let the other make a move, unless its something I permitted ahead of time." He began to stroll away forcing the two 'adults' to follow after him. "By standing still, you allowed me to manipulate the situation to our advantage, and didn't give the Longbottoms anything to publicly hold against us. Again, well done. I'm proud of you both.

"Kreacher!" he called. "Take us home."


Neville and Hydrus stepped out from behind the massive, mostly rusted doors of the building. The Slytherin boy took a few steps further than his peer, but stopped when he realised Neville was still waving goodbye to people. He waited a few whole seconds before slamming the doors shut with a flick of his wrist, sending Neville jumping.

"Oh, uh, sorry, Hydrus." The boy sheepishly rubbed at the back of his head, grinning. "Just can't believe I'm already leaving. I thought I'd be here all summer."

"Of course not." Hydrus stretched, seemingly bored with everything. "They broke you down, now I'm off to bring you to someone who will build you up."

The Dominican sun was something else. The grassy sand they stood on nearly melted their soles with how hot it was getting. Well, maybe not Hydrus's, the teen's boots seemed to be made of some kind of leather that probably cost more than—

"Actually, I…" Neville swallowed. "I'm ready to go home."

The Slytherin cocked an eyebrow at him. "You're trying to give up?"

"No! Well, I mean, yes, but." Neville paused and took a breath, straightening his head and looking into Hydrus's eyes before continuing. "I mean, I mean I'm good. I don't care about impressing my parents or my nan or anyone else in my family anymore."

"Huh. Is that right?"

"Did you see that guy back there, the one I was sitting next to? The one with the black eye?" Neville pointed his thumb back at the doors. "His mother gave him that, just because he lost one of the three qualifying matches he was in the other day. He still got to the tournament but she… She…"

The boy shook his head.

"My family… Well, mainly Nan, but my family may… No, they are too hard on me." He took another breath. "But they aren't like that. I've never been through anything like those people back there. There were people who hated duelling, and they weren't doing it to make their family proud, they were doing it not to starve."

"Neville—"

"I really appreciate what you did for me, Hydrus, and it really did help me get over some things I was dealing with, so much so that I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay you." Pride swelled inside the onlooker's chest. "But I don't want to be a duellist or anything like that. And I don't care if my nan never speaks to me again, I'm happy just being good at the things I like doing, and I want to focus on that instead."

The Black heir took in a breath, slowly nodding, then sighed it back out. "Damn. If I had known it was this easy to get one of you stubborn kids on the right path, I'd've dropped Draco off here months ago."

Neville laughed. "So yeah. I'm ready to go home."

"No."

"What?"

"Sorry, Longbottom, but your 'nan' recently assaulted me at a press conference, and I'm not giving her her baby back that easily." Hydrus ran a hand through his hair as Neville's jaw dropped. "If you don't want to be a duellist 'or anything like that', that's fine. But I promised to make you into something your family can be proud of, and I'll be damned if I don't do that. Kreacher!"

"Wait—"

"Kreacher, take Longbottom to the summer home and get him and all his clothes washed." He hummed. "Put a proper meal in his belly while you're at it."

"Yes, Lord Master Hydrus."

"Wait, Hydrus, I just want to—"

With a crack the elf and the boy were away, and Hydrus turned to where he was standing. Exactly where he was standing, somehow. "Well, Scion Longbottom?"

Frank removed the invisibility cloak James had lent him and gave a frowning nod. "I know."

He'd first met Hydrus when the teen came to visit him at the start of Hogwarts' summer break to discuss what really happened with Neville after Frank's mother caused a scene in Platform 9 3/4. The boy had told him about what Neville had said to him, how his family had made him feel, how he'd begged him to help him; and the all-but-named heir of the Longbottom family tried to deny it.

So, Hydrus had forced him to watch the memories of the boy's performance in school in a pensieve.

A rather foul-smelling one, for some reason.

"Then you know why I'm reluctant to allow my father to encourage his own father to let your mother out on bail." Hydrus rubbed at his forehead, the over-acting shit. "I'm still deciding where to send Neville now that my original plan is out the window, but I assure you it will be somewhere he can grow into someone who won't be verbally abused by his own grandmother anymore."

"He wasn't, she didn't…" Frank sighed. He didn't have a leg to stand on. "Alright. I understand. I'll… I'll make the arrangements on my end like we agreed."

He'd gone to warn Hydrus about what his mother might do at the award ceremony the other day, and the two had made a 'bet'. If Neville really wasn't growing here, and if Augusta acted reasonably, then Hydrus would send Neville home early with an agreement from Frank that he would spend more time with his son. If his son was growing, and if his mother did act out, then he'd allow Hydrus to keep training him. More importantly…

"I'm sure my father will be tickled pink to see you at those 'boring and stuffy' Wizengamot meetings then, Lord Longbottom." Hydrus bowed his head. "If there's anything my family can do to help yours with the transition of power, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Yeah right…" Frank muttered. "So what was your original plan, anyways?"

Hydrus smirked, an eerily similar but totally different smile than the one his father wore on their matching faces. "I was originally going to bring him to the best man in the entire world when it comes to taking 'green as goose shit' young men like him and 'putting some steel in their wands'." The teen laughed. "The man who did exactly that for you and my father, Alastor Moody."

"What?" Frank blinked. "You got him to come out of retirement? For Neville?"

"Who do you think you're dealing with here, Lord Longbottom?" Frank flinched at the use of a title he hadn't even taken yet. "I am a man of means beyond your wildest dreams, who has a passion for helping out those around him. Believe me when I say getting a bored and cranky old man to do what he does best for a pittance isn't that hard."


'Thank Magic I don't have to figure out how to get him to listen to me.' Hydrus thought as Neville stared in wonder at the house he'd finally realised was the perfect place for him. 'I was planning to just dump him on his doorstep and hope for the best.'

He knocked on the door, startling Neville out of his reverie. "Where are we?"

"You'll see."

"This is so incredible, how did—" The teen gasped when the door swung open. "Nicolas Flamel!"

The most ancient wizard in the world stared down at the two boys, bushy brows furrowed so tight his eyes were nearly slits in a sea of wrinkles. He was wearing a set of clothes so out of date he might've looked like a matching pair with the vampiric lord who'd visited Hydrus recently. Shit, that reminded him, he still needed to let Zara out.

"What the hell is this?" Flamel demanded. "What on earth makes you think you can just bring strangers into my home and—!"

"We're not here for you, old man." He pushed a stunned Neville past the legendary alchemist. "Mrs. Flamel! Are you home!"

"What do you want with my wife?"

Unfortunately for Nicolas, Perenelle stepped out and was beaming from ear to ear. "Hydrus! Oh, I just knew you'd come by again. No one tries my biscuits and tea and doesn't come back for more."

He nearly scoffed. That was, at best, his third priority for this visit.

"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Flamel," he said as she squashed him in a hug. "This is my friend, Neville Longbottom. I was hoping to introduce you to him, and see if you needed a hand around the garden."

"Come now," the woman said, sucking her teeth at Hydrus. "I told you to just call me Perenelle, or Perry, or anything that doesn't make me sound so old." She gave him a matronly wink. "And of course I'd love to meet your friends! How do you do, dear?"

"This is preposterous," Nicolas grumbled, even as he was already stomping away towards his basement laboratory. "What's the point of building a house in the damn sky if brats just…"

The rest faded away down the stairs as Neville cleared his throat.

"I, i, it's a pleasure to meet you too, Mis-, I mean, uh, Perenelle." The ancient witch beamed at him. "Thank you for, um, inviting me to your home."

"Mrs. Flamel here—"

"Perenelle."

"Mrs. Flamel here is the one who grew the home, she told me all about it when I first met her," Hydrus said, refusing to be bowled over any more than he already had been by the stubborn woman. "Neville here has a true talent for herbology as well. He hasn't always been able to shine in our classes together thanks to some personal issues, but he's settled those now, and I was hoping you might be interested in bringing out the best in him."

"Is that right?" Perenelle gave Neville an up and down look. "Tell me, what's your favourite kind of plant?"

Neville's face dropped in a panic. "I… I don't know." Hydrus cocked a brow at him, why was he falling apart now? That should be an easy question to… "It's, it's hard to choose just one."

Perenelle's face lit up and she 'punched' Neville's shoulder. "That's the best answer you could give. Come on you two, let's have some tea."

Hydrus decided that he could consider his disruption of Flamel's peaceful and isolationist life a success, and could be crossed off his list, thus moving the biscuits that would come with the meal up the priority list. His last reason for coming to visit, discussing the nature of his familiar with the only mind that could equal or even surpass Albus Dumbledore, could still wait.


"I'm sure she was over the moon to see you," Albus said with a chuckle, just imagining his former mentor's wife bouncing with joy. "And how was Neville? Everything alright there?"

"He's fine and dandy," Hydrus answered, obviously distracted with the delightful sight of Fawkes tearing a newspaper into thin strips which he immediately tucked into his feathers and burned. "His father will be replacing Augusta in the Wizengamot soon, so you're welcome."

"I've always found her presence to be rather invigorating for the sessions," Albus lied. His apprentice's face told him he didn't believe him, there was no game to be had there, so he offered a grin and moved on. "Most importantly, how have you been, Hydrus? I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that my brother has been stunned and awed with the outpouring of support from the community towards his further understanding of the written word."

Hydrus snorted, clearly amused by the lengthy and misleading way of saying how furious the younger Dumbledore was. "Glad to hear it. And I'm doing well, just practicing my spellwork and herding the cats I call my family."

"Good, good. Is there anything you'd like to discuss today?"

"Not really." The time traveller shrugged. "Floor is all yours."

That was how things usually began with these 'therapy sessions', as Hydrus called them. He was rarely the one to get the conversation started, but that was fine. The fact that he was willing to be here, willing to open up to the ancient warlock so they could at least try and work on his issues, was more than enough room for Albus to try and help.

"I've been pondering something recently, inspired by the old tale of Herpo the Foul that the portrait told you." The thing was currently blacked out with the rest of them, far too impetuous to be involved in such talks. "It made me consider the nature of souls, of art, and of the future of young Giannis."

Hydrus blinked. "Giannis?"

"Yes. You had told me that you believed it was powerful and ever-lasting intent built into the golems by Leorex, but I wonder if perhaps it was in fact pieces of his very soul." It broke his heart just to think about. The child had made countless trips to visit him ever since Dobby had first introduced the two, and it was easy to see how the boy was able to strain the boundaries put up by Hydrus's bargain. "Just like how magical painting takes an infinitesimally small piece of the creator's soul, perhaps in creating his monstrosities he was doing the same."

Hydrus hummed, seemingly not at all bothered by the potential and horrific nature of the creations. "You might be onto something. His soul would've been in a devastated state already thanks to the countless murders he was committing, it might've made it more volatile and easily broken into pieces, albeit small ones. It would certainly explain why, magically speaking, he was so weak."

"The child very well might've been eviscerating his very being thanks to his hatred of mankind," Albus near-whispered. "It's… It's terrifying to think about."

"No need to be scared," Hydrus assured him. "I already swore to myself that if he ever crosses that line, I'll put him down myself." The ancient warlock stiffened. "Just like you'll have to do to me, should you ever deem it necessary."

Albus stared at his apprentice, his grandson in all but blood, and wondered where the boy's confidence in him came from. He'd already been tasked once with putting down a dark, young wizard, twice if you counted the other timeline, and he'd failed both times. Why on earth did he believe that Albus had the strength, of both wand and character, to 'put him down'?

"Don't worry so much, Professor," Hydrus said with a wink. "It's bad for your heart."

"Yet another jab at my age," Albus said with a mock sigh. "For as much as you claim to be straightening out Sirius, it would seem its you who's becoming more and more like him."

Hydrus stiffened. "What do you mean?"

"I mean the 'pranks' you've been pulling on people such as my brother or poor Remus," the ancient warlock said. "The casual dismissal of things that should terrify anyone. The cavalier, reckless abandon towards your own safety. Your propensity towards alcohol."

"That's—"

"It's not a bad thing, Hydrus." Albus held up his hand to stop a potential misunderstanding. "I mean the act of reflecting him itself, not the specific traits you've somehow wound up with. We should really discuss your alcoholic tendencies before it grows to become too large a problem."

"I've… I've never once, to you in private, said I don't love and respect the man," Hydrus said, quickly moving past the 'joke'. "He was my hero from nearly the moment I met him till the day he died. I just didn't want him to have to suffer any more than he already has because of me."

"But now that choice has been taken away from you," Albus said gently. "And there is nothing you can do short of something that would hurt him even worse to change that."

"More or less," his apprentice agreed. "It's not just being around Sirius more, though. I don't think so, anyways. I just… Just feel more comfortable acting like myself. I'm unwinding, untensing. I've been having less nightmares lately, though that might just be the dream catcher Bella gave me."

"That's wonderful, Hydrus," Albus said. "I'm very happy to hear that."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm still going to keep him at an arm's distance to prevent the worst from happening." Hydrus was pointedly staring at the now-sleeping Fawkes. "Me acting like him isn't a choice, it's what I was raised into being. Just like how people say I remind them of you."

"A compliment towards me that I couldn't be more proud of," Albus assured him. "I know you worry about what his reaction would be if he learns more about you, but I believe its important for you to try and connect with him more."

The boy winced, but Albus spoke up quickly before he could try and argue.

"We both know that your 'unwinding' and 'untensing' has been a good thing for you, Hydrus. You've become so much brighter, so much happier these days because of it." Albus reached out and took a lemon drop, prompting the young man to do the same. "The best thing for you to do, for your own sake and the sake of everyone around you, is to continue to eliminate things that are causing you stress. That includes the struggle between your fear of rejection and unending desire to be with your father again."

This time Hydrus didn't try to speak up, so Albus took the moment to finish unwrapping his sweet and savouring it.

"A wise young man, wise beyond his years, once told me to 'watch where you walk, but never hesitate to take the next step'." He smiled as the boy grunted a small laugh and looked away. "Although you can be cautious and careful about the process, you mustn't let fear keep you from furthering your progress towards leading a happier, and healthier, life.

"There is nothing I can recommend more, nothing that would make me happier and more comfortable, than you becoming happier and more comfortable. It is our best defence against the potentiality for me somehow having to, as you phrased it, 'put you down'." Albus's expression became more sombre, and Hydrus reflected that as well. "So please, even if not for you or your father's sakes, for mine, try and work towards that. Hm?"

"Yeah, I will," Hydrus muttered. "I'm not making any promises, however."

"Thank you." Albus nodded his head. "Now, tell me, what did Nicolas have to say about young Apophis?"


Lord Arnulf Raalbs, the former sixteenth lieutenant of King Dracula, elder vampire born in the year 862, official representative of Germany in the High Council of Death, sat in waiting. The evening moon's light was dripping through the gaps in his curtains, unfortunately allowing him sight of his own trembling hands. He pressed them together to try and still the tremor, but the animal instincts that his god had blessed him with through his lord's embrace refused to allow him any peace. Not since he'd come face to face with that devil.

His sacristy, attached to the temple annex of his manor, was silent for once. He'd dismissed all of his castrati and even his organist, and the only sound left was the near-silent ruffling of his own cuffs as they were shaken by his arms. The smell of ash and smoke that usually comforted him instead filled him with dread as they teased out thoughts of his own future cremation.

The doors to the antechamber slammed open.

"Daddy!" He looked up to see the traitor had returned. "Where have you been! Why is that awful little human still ali—"

Arnulf launched himself at the whelp and wrapped his hand around her throat, cutting off her voice. The stupid thing didn't need air to breath, but it at least kept her silent, and stilled his hand as it pressed harder and tighter around her throat until the skin popped. He continued to squeeze though, continued to push through the flesh muscle until his hand was wrapped around her spine, hopefully sending shocks of pain throughout her entire undead body.

"Do you have any idea what you've done, you impudent little tot?" he hissed. "Do you realise who that human was?"

Zara's eyes were rolled back in her head, but he knew she could still hear him.

"That was Magic's chosen, the champion of our enemy, and you sent me directly into his den!" He gave one last squeeze to her vertebrae before tossing her limp form aside. "I had to make a fool of myself just to escape. You humiliated me in front of the most dangerous being alive!"

As his daughter's neck slowly knit itself back together, her eyes finally fluttered open again, and stared into his own. The candles atop the sideboard behind him came alight with purplish flames, a message from their god that he was too terrified, too enraged, to even try to read.

"This is all because of you and that wretched human you brought home with you." He finally turned away from the brat, and stared deep into the already dying flames, too late to understand them. "You are never to see him or any other member of that family again. I haven't lived for over a thousand years just to be dragged down to hell by your idiocy."

It seemed Zara's voice had returned to her as she hoarsely whispered, "Yes, Father."


BBaRtS


Forty-Nine, seven times seven, a proper and magical number.

A lot going on this chapter, between Tonks' current state, then hints at her future. Amelia and Sirius baiting. Augusta Longbottom being a Karen. Frank Longbottom having gotten, in the background, sucked into Hydrus's games. Neville Longbottom finding a new home to crash in. I wonder what Alice Longbottom's up to? We also got to see Hydrus receiving the Order of Merlin, First Class, and giving a speech that helped further a lot of his agendas. Another therapy session exploring why he's been acting more 'childishly' than before, as well as some fun lore building about Giannis's potential. Finally, a double twist on the vampire lord's character. It turns out, he really was that guy, but Hydrus just so happens to be THE guy.

Next week we'll definitely get more Bellatrix, but beyond that I can't say for certain what will be coming up on Hydrus's long summer plans. Maybe go visit the werewolves?

Idk if I did the scene from Frank's POV well, trying to set up the reveal of him being there without breaking the flow too much. Again, like I've said a thousand times, I'm writing this story to practice my writing, so we'll see how it goes or if anyone really notices it. Also, for some reason, the commas in this chapter got fucked up when transferring it around? I think I caught them all, but there might still be a few instances where the space after a comma is missing, Idk what happened with that.

Anyways! On to reviews.

"That'll be a fun dinner, and maybe give Death another shot at smoothing things over or clearing up misconceptions." - Hydrus's precense really does just have this ripple effect of fucking up the gods' moves...

"I've been thinking, and it's a bit confusing how these bargains work. Like couldn't anyone just make some pact with one of these deities and get whatever they want like Hydrus?" - This is one of those things that, when the opportunity comes up I'll in-fic explain it better, but it's not a huge spoiler or anything. Hydrus isn't getting run-of-the-mill treatment from Magic, he's getting that VIP, white-glove service. We saw in this chapter someone on Death's side that, despite being powerful and dangerous and important, is literally trembling in fear after meeting him just once. Magic didn't just snag a big fish with Hydrus, she got a leviathan, and she knows better than to let him off the hook.

"at what age did Hydrus appear? He isn't actually Sirius' son right?" - I like to keep ages vague, mostly because its a pain in the ass to try and keep track of them all, but he's generally in the same ballpark as James/Sirius/Lily mentally, and between 14-15 physically. Maybe a bit younger or older, but in a close enough ballpark that he doesn't look out of place in school. And no, he's Harry Potter in his original body, and a like, 90% clone of Sirius in his new one, with small changes from the other portions he added, like having slightly more unruly hair from his natural body or a slightly bigger nose from Dumbledore.

"Also, was, fear is the mind killer, a dune reference?" - Ye just a little nod to (that version of) Dumbledore manipulating a child of prophecy lolol

"The fact that Regulus thought he was some badass thief who worked for a ruthless kingpin, only to have it revealed he was thought of as more like a silly pet, made me cackle!" - Haha, yeah, silly Regulus...

"When he threw James into Sirius I was chuckling at envisioning the scenario." - I feel like Hydrus doesn't really have anything against his 'real' father, just feels a bit awkward around him, but now he's in too deep to give up the game. Sirius really was a bad influence on him.

"Dark Albus is a dick." - 'I learned it from you, Dads!'; the portrait to Hydrus and the real Dumbledore.

And that's all! Again, lot's of things I can't answer thanks to spoilers, and again again, FF is dying so keep an eye out for the story on AO3 if it does kick the bucket. Thank you all so much for the reviews and comments, kudos and favorites, and everything else. Love you all, see you all next weekend, lessthanthree!