Title:
A few days more

Sequel to:
Twenty-one days

Author:
evil minded

Date:
November, 25th 2010

Timeframe:
Fourth year at Hogwarts

Summary:
"A few days more" is the sequel to "Twenty-one days" – read and review this first or you wouldn't understand all that happens in this story.
The fourth year Slytherins and Gryffindor have survived their imprisonment in the potions classroom situated in the dungeons. How will they go on in all-day life after their survival? How will they manage to reintegrate into the castle's routine and their classes? How will they be able to go back to life at all? Watch how those who survived fight for their lives and for their peace.

Disclaimer:
Did you see Severus alive at the end of 'The deathly hallows'? no?
Do you think I would have had him died if I had written those books? no?
Then you know that 'Harry Potter' does not belong to me … nor does Severus … regrettably …
But Hereweald Hrothgar does …

Rating:
M – Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16

Author's Notes:
Uhm … alright … I have to admit … English is not my language by birth … so … please do not kill me while reading … neither for the – perhaps – sad language, nor for the subject of my writing …
Also, this is a story written for NaNo, a story written within thirty days only and even though I go over the chapters before uploading them – I do apologize if it might not have the same quality at one point or another than those stories of mine you are used to by now … thank you …

Warning:
Story contains bad language and swearing.
Don't ever use such, it's neither good manners nor proper use of language and never mind how 'cool' it might sound, it surely isn't a sign of intelligence. It won't get you anywhere and people will think less of you if you are unable articulating properly.
Story contains references to child neglect.
Child neglect is a really, really serious thing, and there are a lot of children in our world that are neglected, children that lack food, clothing, often love, and perhaps even a roof over their head – and closing our eyes, and pretending it does not exist – is no solution …
Story contains references to child abuse.
Child abuse is one of the most evil things, and there are a lot of children in our world that really would need help but have to live without hope – and again, closing our eyes and pretending it does not exist – is no solution … instead show sympathy, and understanding … and handle people, children as well as adults, which are showing any signs – whichever – of once having been abused … with understanding and with help …
What does not mean I am not as evil as I pretend to be … ^.~ … believe me – I am …

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Previously in A few days more

"I see." The man said, leaning back in his chair, still looking calmly, and he looked at the fire, just to take his mind off the upcoming punishment. He'd once displeased his headmaster. The man had magically glued him to sit at his desk, had then cast several crucios at him, and had then, when his nerveendings had already been on fire, started writing. It had been 'You are not to displease your headmaster, or you shall be punished severely', a small line only, he knew students at Durmstrang who'd been punished with much longer lines, but professor Karkaroff had made the quill writing the line two hundred and fifty times on a piece of parchment, slowly – and at the same time the lines had cut open his back over and over again while he'd been helplessly enduring the pain, feeling the blood running down his back. He'd been a wreck after that, and he'd never ever again disobeyed his headmaster ... until now ...
"Did your headmaster bring his quill with him to Hogwarts?" The man asked and he sighed.
"Yes, sir." He then answered. "He has packed it."
"Very well." The Professor said, and inwardly he prepared himself for the rejection. "In this case I expect you to remain here on the sofa for the time being, and until we have a better solution. I will have my house elf gathering your belongings, and I will have a word with Professor Karkaroff as soon as I get the chance. Seeing that this particular house holds lessons here, you will be safe from your headmaster during those, and seeing that we are going to meals together, you won't have him singling you out during meals either. He won't be able to touch you, as long as he is a guest at this school. Tomorrow morning after breakfast, Madam Pomfrey and I will do a thorough long term examination, but for now – from your last visit you know where the bathroom is, so now I expect you to prepare for bed and then lay down on the sofa – and for further notice, Mr. Krum, curfew is at eleven p.m. for you, and I expect you abed by then." – was all the man said before leaving him sitting on the sofa in his quarters, going to a room himself which he was rather sure was the man's private room.

A few days more
Chapter twenty-five
Karkaroff, Molly and Malfoy

"Professor?" The boy got off the sofa to stand before him the moment he left his bedroom and entered the main hall of their private chambers that served as their living room, and he frowned. Did all the children call out this particular word in a questioning way lately? Victor at least was already standing there, awaiting him and looking unsurely, nearly scared, and he realized – world best seeker or not, of age or not, Victor Krum was just a teenager, a seventeen year old boy.

"You are awake early." He simply commented. "I thought you would sleep longer, considering that it had been very late last night. Good morning."

"I just – you von't get into trouble, Professor, vill you?" The boy asked and he lifted his eyebrow.

"Leave that concern to me, please, Victor." He said. "Accompany me to the kitchen, please. I guess your headmaster will by now have noticed that you have been missing from that ship of yours for an entire night." He said while entering the kitchen, followed by Victor – and Diagon, wherever that bloody desert wolf had come from, it hadn't been there a moment ago – and starting to prepare the nutrient potions he'd brewed together with Hereweald a few nights ago. Well, Diagon was always there the moment one of them entered the kitchen, somehow seeing that realm as her private lair. Perhaps because there was food in the kitchen, perhaps because it had been born in there, he didn't know.

"Hand me the bananas please, Victor." He said, then taking the basket the boy was reaching over. "And cut the grapes in half. We won't need much, half a handful for everyone. Well, I am sure that there will be a scene during breakfast this morning, but nevertheless I want you present in the great hall, because not only am I able to deal with your headmaster, but also do I trust not only my colleagues but Professor Dumbledore, too, to keep things from going out of hands and to then reacting according to the situation – preferably in a ban spoken against Professor Karkaroff concerning his freedom to enter the castle. Please hand me the small bottle of chestnut juice, I need a drop in each potion. Not to mention that hiding away is no solution – anyway, I ask you to not leaving the castle during the next few days until things have settled." He said after he had cut half a banana into each potion.

"Vhy Vould you add fruit to that potion, Professor?" The boy asked after nodding at his suggestion while he finished the potions and then sent them to the great hall where they would wait for the children, like always. "Like this they are no potions anymore, are they?"

"Of course they are." He said drying his hands on a towel after having washed them. "Not only will the vitamins of the fruit be important to the children, but also do they like it – and that way I have the potion in them without discussion."

"But that potion doesn't taste bad." The boy said, still not understanding.

"No, for once it doesn't." He agreed. "But that doesn't mean that the children don't need variety in their meals, and I am sure that you understand, the same nutrient potion each morning will not help these children. Now come, let's see how many of them are awake by now and whom we have to wake yet."

Well, that was one hurdle taken, on to the next.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Which came just half an hour later the moment they entered the great hall.

Igor Karkaroff was already waiting in there, discussing with a clearly annoyed Albus, and he took a deep breath the moment he entered. Steeling his face and his stance he ushered the children to their table and had them sitting down, glad that Albus for once didn't say something like "oh, look, there they are" but kept discussing with the Durmstrang headmaster, until his small house had settled. He had them all sitting when Karkaroff turned upon the murmur in the great hall changing, and finally noticed them, and came over – followed by Albus, Minerva and Filius.

"Severus, my friend." The man said but he didn't look like – greeting a friend. "How is it that I find one of my students in your presence after he has been missed an entire night. But I am sure that there is a reasonable explanation to that."

"There is, indeed." He said, not sitting down himself. "Start eating, all of you." He said, hoping that Cameron and Victor would take over the situation and get the younger children – especially Harry, Theodore, Emma and Adrian – eating, something he rather doubted as Victor was nervous and scared himself. "I do not take abuse of students lightly, seeing that I am not only a teacher, but a head of house and a Potions Master, too, and that therefore I am well versed in the arts of healing – and have sworn an oath to never harm a person or allow harm to befall them."

"What is it you are accusing me of, Severus?" Karkaroff asked and he lifted his eyebrow at the act the man was playing. "I expect you in my office right now, Victor."

"You will go nowhere, Mr. Krum." Severus said, not even looking at the boy but keeping his eyes on Karkaroff. "Remain sitting and start breakfast. I am speaking of blood quills you are using on students, blood quills you are writing with while keeping them bound to their desks."

"This is nonsense, but even if, then it is none of your business either." Karkaroff said, and he knew that the man was correct as he came from a different country – and as long as he didn't use them in Great Britain, he couldn't do anything. "Victor is my student and it is in my way how I handle him."

"Actually, Mr. Krum is seventeen years old and therefore of age." He said, calmly, not liking the nervousness the children were displaying. "And he has officially changed schools, something he is allowed doing, as he is of age, and as a Hogwarts student and a student of my house, he is under my protection."

He noticed Oliver Wood, Rodger Davis, Derrik Montague and Cederic Diggory approaching their table from the several different tables of the other houses, and knowing that the Durmstrang students didn't have the best reputation within the walls of Hogwarts he inwardly steeled himself for a fight that would get the situation out of hands.

"I should have thought that you are a traitor, Severus." Karkaroff said and he smirked at the man. "But I would not have thought that you would fall into my back and steal my champion from me. You have one, and now you are stealing mine, too! Are you planning on stealing this French girl, too?"

"I have no interest in this bloody competition, and had I any say in it, then I would cancel it first thing this morning." He huffed at the idiot man, watching the four quidditch captains from the other houses sitting down at their table and – and filling the children's plates and starting breakfast with them. He cast a quick glance at them and gave a short inclining of his head in thanks. "I suggest you leave this castle and I suggest you leave my students alone."

Well, he knew how important it was that they had some help right now – but never would he have thought that help would come from the quidditch captains of all the other houses. Unity, indeed, Hogwarts was showing to the outward dangers, and he was proud of them ... and he could feel ... there was something in the wards of Hogwarts that was changing ... well ... he would – secretly, mind you – award them points, or he would reward them otherwise.

"Are you kicking me out of the castle?" Karkaroff asked, taking a step closer and he lifted his eyebrow at the other headmaster, not even lifting the hand with his wand. He knew Karkaroff, and Karkaroff was a coward with a big mouth, too cowardice to actually attacking him. But whatever the man wanted doing – it was Albus who stepped between the two and in front of him, Severus.

"Please, Igor, take reason." Albus said and he nearly rolled with his eyes – nearly, as rolling with his eyes was anything than proof of dignity. "Severus is right, after all. Mr. Krum is of age, and he therefore has the right to change schools, never mind the reasons. If I am informed correctly, then the young man would like studying potions whereupon potions is not taught at Durmstrang in form of an apprenticeship. It is a side subject only at your school."

"Don't sugar-coat it, Albus." Filius said and he nearly smiled at the small man. "We can't proof the use of the cruciatus, but I'm sure that we'd find some of these quills, were we to have a look at the Durmstrang ship, and if Karkaroff has them with him, then he's ready to use them, never mind the localities."

"You better keep out of this, small man." Karkaroff hissed and he took a deep breath – just before several hexes came hurling towards the idiot man. As it seemed Minerva, Pomona, Septima and Rolanda had less patience than the male staff present for breakfast this morning, and Igor Karkaroff was hit with several rather nasty hexes, some of which he didn't even know how to undo them – these are clearly coming from Minerva, he was sure of that.

"I suggest you best leave the castle, Igor." Albus said, waving his wand and – regrettably – undoing them. "I'm sure you won't have me searching your ship, and you best leave Hogwarts grounds before one or another auror arrives at school."

"Is that a threat, Albus?" Karkaroff asked and this time he really rolled his eyes. What a cliché question – and knowing Albus he surely would answer with – "no, but a promise and I tend to keep my promises." – a just as cliché answer.

"Of course not." Albus answered, smiling and he shook his head. He had known it. "It's a well-meant advice, Igor, and you should heed it. A lot of people have heard this conversation and I think there could be one or another student telling their parents about the use of blood-quills, parents which will be very worried and call for the aurors."

"This won't be my last word." Karkaroff growled at him while allowing Albus to lead him out of the great hall. "You'll hear from my person, Severus!"

"Of course, I will." He murmured while sitting down, deliberately ignoring the idiot man. "Please continue breakfast." He then added towards his house and his guests. "You have my thanks for your support upon a dire situation misters Wood, Davis, Montague and Diggory, it is – a good thing to realize that the several houses can build a unity despite the usual house rivalry, as much as that particular thought causes me a headache. Stop biting your lip, Harry. The toast and bacon surely will be much more nutrient and tastier than them. And you, Victor, please do start your breakfast. The situation is solved for the present time, and we will discuss your near future after breakfast. For classes, today, I suggest a lesson in social studies for all of you, what allows us to discuss our recent situation more closely."

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Settling down in several armchairs and on the sofas, his house – that was slowly growing – prepared for a lesson they had surely not had at school before that.

Some of the students had attended a muggle primary school, and some, few, actually, had attended a wizarding primary school, and he knew that neither of the two taught social studies.

While a muggle school generally would teach a subject like this, the students attending a primary school were simply too young for that particular subject, and he didn't even know of one wizarding school that taught social studies at all. And neither would those wizarding parents that were homeschooling their children, which were most parents, teach such a thing. The children would learn about families, family names, family crests, and family heirloms, about heritage and wizarding law, and how to read and write – but not general social studies, how a community would work, a school, or any other institution.

"You know how to shoot a blue stone eater?" Harry asked Victor while they settled down and tried to get comfortable, the boy clearly trying to ease the older student's fears.

Well, the other four students, the captains of the Quidditch teams from all the houses, had left after breakfast, had gone back to their house-tables and had then gone to their respective classes, and he had started leading his house down to the dungeons – just when a very worried Poppy had approached him, telling him that she had Molly sitting in the infirmary, upset and rather unhappy about being informed about her youngest daughter having left the Gryffindor house.

He had told the other children to go on, had called for Zilly to accompany them – just in case should Karkaroff be still present at the castle – had told them to take a pillow or a blanket – or in Harry's case both – and to then settle in their living room, had told them that he would be there soon. And only after that had he then turned to follow Poppy towards the infirmary.

Flashback

"But I don't understand!" He heard Molly already crying the moment he entered the infirmary. "I'm Ginny's mother! Why would Severus go against my wishes? It's my child! Ginny is my child and why is he taking her away now?"

"No one takes her from you, Molly." He said before Minerva could give an answer, realizing that the situation was more serious than he had thought. This was not the Molly he knew, the Molly he had expected. He had expected a fight, perhaps even a physical fight, he had expected Molly cursing him and telling him to immediately release Ginevra back to the house of Gryffindor – not a helplessly and desperately sobbing woman that was – just lost.

Taking a vial with a calming draught from one of the shelves that lined the walls of the infirmary he approached the woman, waving Minerva off when the Gryffindor tried to explain something – most likely that Molly was in a mixture of shock, panic, desperation and depression, something he already could see upon taking just one look at her.

"But why are you taking Ginny away now, Severus?" Molly asked, crying even harder. "I've nearly lost Ron, and Percy has a girlfriend he wants to stay with, and Bill and Charley are away, and the twins are getting older, too. Have you seen how much they've grown over the summer? And I have only Ginny left now, and now you're taking her away, too! Why would you ..."

"I am not taking Ginevra away from you, Molly." He repeated, reaching over the vial to the woman that got off her chair, sobbing and dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "Drink this, please, it is a calming draught. Ginevra has changed houses only and ..."

"But I don't understand, Severus!" Molly sobbed, ignoring the vial he was trying to hand her but leaning forwards instead, startling him by crying onto his shoulder and for a nearly deafening silent moment he didn't know how to handle the situation. But then he took a deep breath and patted Molly's shoulder.

"Now, now, Molly." He sighed, at the same time waving his wand midair and writing at the wall behind Molly so that she wouldn't see: 'go and fetch the two oldest Weasley children, Minerva'. "Why don't you calm down? There's no reason to be so upset. William and Charles are not out of the world. They are just a portkey, a floo, or an apparition point away. Percival will get back home together with his girlfriend when the first bout of love is over, your twins are not out of the house yet, and they have two more years, and Ronald has survived. You will have several more years of annoying children getting in your way – and after that, even more years with even more annoying grandchildren will follow. Take a few days with your husband and enjoy the peace you have, I am sure that Arthur will be happy to take a few days off. Just give your daughter the same chance your sons had, namely, to learn without the pressure and fear of failure. She has suffered as much as have your sons, and she needs time to recover as much as do they. She will be back in Gryffindor if that is her wish the moment she has caught up and is well enough to live in a large, loud and chaotic house full of daring idiots, but until then she will be happy and well cared for in a small house in which she will be seen and heard. Give your child this chance."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Severus!" Molly sobbed even harder, and he took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.

"I've never wanted to hurt my baby. I've never ... what am I to do now? I'm so sorry, Severus, that you now have the responsibility for all of them ..."

"Nice, one moment you are accusing me of taking your daughter away from you, and the next moment you apologize for things not your fault." He sighed, inclining his head towards William Weasley who just entered the hospital room, closely followed by Charles. "I suggest you get your two oldest sons home, Molly. Prepare a nice cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows for them, and then see that they have a nice morning with you. Just get your mother home and keep her busy, William." He said to the oldest Weasley son, relieved that Molly was now sobbing onto her son's shoulder and not onto his anymore. "See that she's taking this calming draught, and then get a healer from St. Mungo's into the family. I think your mother has gone through enough and there's no shame in seeking professional help. Any mother would reach her limits upon the happenings of the past few weeks."

End flashback

"I don't know." Victor said, settling beside Cameron.

Well, Charles had thanked him while William had led their mother out of the hospital wing and along the corridor, Molly sobbing all the way down the stairs, and he had been really startled.

Molly was not only one of the strongest women he knew, she also was one of the – most boisterous, daring and risking mothers he'd ever seen, standing with her fists raised before her children if necessary.

To see her like that, it had been scary.

"Well, that's easy." Harry answered and he lifted his eyebrow at them while taking the blanket Harry had brought from his room and dropping it over the boy's lap and legs. "Thanks, dad. Well, you shoot him with a blue stone-eater-gun."

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

"Tomorrow morning, we will visit the ministry." Severus said during lunch. The morning had gone past with discussions about what a young wizard could do after school, how he could start an apprenticeship or how he could visit a muggle university if he so wished. Most young wizards started one or another apprenticeship and did one or another mastery, in potions, transfiguration, defense or any other subject, others went to the ministry, but some would like to visit university – the thing was, the wizarding world didn't have that.

"Then you'll be my dad officially and for real?" The boy asked, big eyes on him.

"I am your – father officially and for real." He said, not able bringing himself to using a word like 'dad'. "This ministry meeting will only be for you to get my last name, and for you to inherit after my death, but no one can take away what we feel. You are my son, Harry, never mind what."

"Alright." The boy said, but he didn't sound like it, not at all.

"How, what do you think, can you shoot a red stone eater?" He asked, nearly smirking at the big eyes his son was making.

"A red stone eater?" The boy asked, startled. "I've never heard of a red stone eater, dad. There's no red stone eater."

"There is one, belief me – how do you shoot it?" He asked, lifting his eyebrow at his son.

"Uhm ... dunno, dad." The boy unsurely answered after a moment. "With a red stone-eater-gun?"

"Do you really think it would be so easy?" He sighed, shaking his head. "Of course not, there's no such a thing as a red stone-eater-gun. You choke him until he's blue, and then you shoot him with a blue stone-eater-gun."

Well, he'd barely seen the child laughing as much as he did at that, and he was satisfied. He wouldn't try to distract the boy normally, would rather try to get to the bottom of the troubles, but right now he thought it was better than having a tiring discussion, tiring for both, Harry and him. The child would see tomorrow morning.

He was sure that the boy wasn't even laughing at the joke he'd made, it was an as idiot joke as were all the others – but the fact that he had made it, Snape, the snarkiest and strictest teacher at this school – that was what had the child laughing helplessly.

"What's vrong with your animal?" Victor asked and he frowned, looking over at Diagon.

That bloody desert wolf was – again – running through their quarters, was running from room to room, trying to get up the walls and even though he didn't know much about desert wolf behaviour, he knew that – it was not normal behaviour for this particular species. But well, the wolf was young still, a baby wolf, and so he guessed that the animal needed to – play and run around. He'd made sure that the animal couldn't destroy their things by gluing them to the furniture after the wolf had run over several glasses one morning, spilling juice and destroying the glasses.

He'd quickly cast a softening charm so that neither the wolf nor the children would get hurt by the shards, and since then he'd glued the glasses to the tables – as he'd done with other things. The children were able to grasp them and to get them off the table or sideboards, but they couldn't be knocked over accidentally.

"Diagon is a baby wolf." He answered, leaning back in his armchair. "She's a bit wild, but I guess that this is normal behaviour. She's not a simple wolf but a desert night wolf after all. She's a real huntress, only domesticated because she has become our house animal."

"I haf a brother who works with hunting animal which are endangered, including desert night wolfs and even thought there are few of these animals left, my brother was the keeper of two packs – and both had young." The boy said and he leaned back in his armchair, listening. He himself didn't know too much about the desert night wolf and even though he'd read everything he could get to read since Diagon was a member of their house, it was an entirely different thing if there was someone who was working with them. "And each summer holidays I visit my brother and can watch them. And even though the young are playing around, they're never as furious as this one seems to be. This wolf is hunting something."

"Well, it is a hunting animal." He said. "I know that Diagon is hunting something. I just don't know what she's hunting, though. I've seen a few bugs flying around, but I can barely belief that she's really furious because of them. Perhaps she'd need a playmate."

"I don't think so, Professor." Victor shook his head. "I'f watched some of them being alone. They're proud animals, and they're lazy, only hunting when necessary, even the young. They're playing, but not as much or as wild as this one. This one seems rather annoyed by something, maybe the bugs you'f seen."

"If it is so, then I cannot change it." He sighed. "I have looked for bugs whenever Diagon acts so strange, but I won't find it."

"Isn't there a spell that keeps bugs and other things out?" Harry asked. "Or to get rid of them at least?"

"Of course there is." He said. "But it is, like it is with a muggle insect spray. It is not only harmful for the insects, but for children, too and especially for children with a damaged immune system, lungs, heart or other organs – in other words, I won't risk using them just because Diagon is on a bug-hunting trip."

"Leave her be." Neville said, sitting at the sofa beside him and leaning back – relaxed – and he lifted his eyebrow at the lazy leaning back. The boy was nearly leaning against him even, something he wouldn't have done a few weeks ago. A few weeks ago, the boy wouldn't have been relaxed while being in just the same room with him, nor would he have sat down close to him by free will. "As long as she's hunting, she's happy, isn't she?"

"I don't know, ask her." He huffed at the idiot boy.

"She doesn't look so happy." Harry murmured.

"How do you know what a happy wolf looks like?" Draco asked, coming over to them together with Theodore.

"Dunno, but Victor is right, Diagon doesn't look happy, she looks rather annoyed and furious." Harry answered.

"Maybe we should feed her with small snacks between?" Ronald asked, carefully coming over without approaching them completely. "Just to distract her from the bugs?"

"I don't think that would be a good idea, Ronald." He said, waving the child over. "Even though the thought is a good approach in the first place, take a seat."

Ronald Weasley had still some troubles integrating himself into the group, even though he'd formed a threesome with Dean and Seamus. The remainder of the students were still careful when it came to the redhead.

They didn't avoid him, not anymore, but they didn't invite him either. It had become better with time, but it was clear that most of the others didn't trust the youngest Weasley boy.

"Diagon is a hunter, and as a hunter she has to hunt things, never mind which things." He said when the child sat down – close enough to them so that it was clear he belonged into the group, but still far enough away so that he wouldn't disturb the others. "If we now were to start feeding her, then she wouldn't hunt anymore, and then she would lose the ability. She would always depend on us instead of herself, what is her nature."

"Oh." The boy made. "That wouldn't be so good."

"No, it wouldn't." He agreed. "How do you feel about your sister being in our small house now?" He then asked, knowing that he had to take the first steps with this boy, like he so often had to take the first step in handling a house, any house.

"Oh, that's a good thing." Ronald answered, actually smiling. "I've been worried a bit, and now she's here, and – well, she's one of the few who's talking to me. The others do too, but – they ... it's different, they don't really want to talk to me, and they do just because they need to because we're in the same house."

"Hmm." He answered, seriously. "You do remember that I told you – the others will watch you close for some time, and you will need to give them time until you have regained their trust, what won't happen anytime soon."

Flashback

"Do you think Harry will give me a second chance?" The boy asked, his voice sounding miserable.

"I guess you underestimate your friend, Mr. Weasley." Snape answered, taking another sip of his tea. "Harry has a great capability to forgive. He has forgiven the Slytherins, he has forgiven me, and I am sure he will forgive you, too. If you, however, misuse his trust once more, then you will have to answer me. Your punishment will be an apology. You will apologize to Harry, and you will do so in front of the entire class. You will do so properly, and you will explain your motivations towards him. Never mind Harry's reaction to your apology, however, you will accept it and you will make it up to him in form of acting as a friend instead of a boy that is jealous just because his friend tries to comfort other people as well. And believe me, Mr. Weasley, should you act in such a way once again, you won't get away so easily. Did I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." The boy answered, looking a bit more relieved even though the worry hadn't left his face completely.

"The others may see your actions, they might watch you close for a while, and I guess it will take some time until you have regained their trust. But I expect you to try your best nevertheless their hesitancy towards you. And now I expect you to go back to sleep. It is still early in the morning, and you have missed some of your much needed sleep."

End flashback

"Yes, sir." The boy meekly answered. "But it's a long time now and – and they still don't trust me."

"It is one thing to gain someone's trust who doesn't know you." He said, leaning back and stretching his legs. "But it is an entirely different – and much harder – thing to regain trust you have lost because of a stupid mistake. You have not only just disappointed them, Ronald, you have hurt your friend, and badly so. Twice even. You first attacked him, and then you had his potion exploded, what had caused severe damage to his health, and in a dire situation to begin with, too. It isn't a simple schoolboy joke you have done. You could easily have killed Harry, and they know it. I think, the few weeks that had passed since then are not a long time, considering the seriousness of the situation."

"Oh ... yes, sure." The boy said, but he could hear the disappointment in his voice anyway. But well, he had never been a teacher who'd made things easy for his students, at least not if these students had caused their misery themselves. Ronald would learn not only patience but the seriousness of the situation, too, he would learn to see what he had done realistically, and he would learn to understand other people's reactions and fears. He would grow with it, and in a few years when all of this was over – or maybe not over – he would have become a responsible young man. At least that was what he hoped would happen.

Of course, he knew that for this particular outcome he would need to give the boy a chance. He would need to speak to him, he would need to teach him, and he would need to show him his ways and paths.

And even then there was no guarantee – but well, he could hope, and it wouldn't be the first dire situation he'd had with a student of his house.

He would manage, like he always managed.

And Ronald Weasley, too, would manage, like so many others before him had managed.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Sitting in the bright sunlight of the autumn sun he leaned back on the bench, allowing his thoughts to wander.

He wouldn't do so normally, he wouldn't leave his house alone in times of need – and they were walking through times of need, considering the events of the past few weeks.

But well, Healer Adam had made it unmistakably clear to him – he would either take a rest from the children and their problems every now and then or he would be off the post. And that – couldn't be happening. Well, and so he had asked Filius to look after them for an hour – ignoring the man's furrowed brows because he'd asked for one hour only, Filius surely thinking that two or even three hours would have been more sufficient – and had then flooed to London.

Bloody healers!

And bloody deputies!

And Hereweald wasn't much better either!

Nor was Harry!

Flashback

"Dad?"

"Hmm?" He asked back, less eloquent than he would normally be.

"You look tired." The boy said, and he could hear the worry in Harry's voice. "You alright?"

"Of course, I am, you foolish child." He answered, eliciting a smile on his son's face. It was gone too soon, however.

"But you don't look alright." The bloody brat said, and he frowned down at the imbecile.

"Look who's talking." He huffed.

"I don' care!" The boy angrily shot back, and he lifted his eyebrow. So, the boy was still thinking that he wasn't meant to feel well, but others only. "You've promised, you know?"

"Calm down, Harry." He said, seriously, taking both his son's wrists into his hands to keep the boy from running off, something Harry often was doing when the situation was growing over his head. "What have I promised?" He then asked, not really knowing what exactly the boy meant. He had promised a few things lately.

"That you'd be here!" The boy called, trying to get out of his grip and he increased his hold. "You've promised that you'd be here, always, that you'd care for me! But now you're not well and you'll die and go away and leave me behind again! Just like everyone else! You lied!"

"I surely won't die, you foolish child!" He answered, pulling his son close and folding his arms around the shaking shoulders, glad to feel a bit more than just bones beneath his hands. "I am more tired these days than I've been in the past and I am not in my best form, but I am far from dying. I won't leave you behind, Harry. I promised that I would care for you, and that is what I will do."

"But you're not well ... and ... and you're not looking after yourself either ... and ... and I don' wanna lose you ... it's not fair ..."

"No, I guess it wouldn't be fair." He sighed. "Would you feel better if I took some time for myself every other day?"

End flashback

There hadn't been a verbal answer, but the boy had nodded at him and well – here he was, now, visiting the London Park every now and then – not to do as Adam Chandler had demanded, or Filius, and surely not because Poppy had threatened him with telling Adam. No, it was solely to ease Harry's fears.

That damn bloody and imbecilic little brat had gone through enough in his short life, he wouldn't add to this.

"Lost your job, Severus?" A voice he knew too well asked from beside him and looking up he crossed his arms in front of his chest, his right hand already preparing to grip his wand.

"Why should I lose my job, Lucius?" He asked back, his voice as cold as ice.

"I've heard you have killed Creighton after he has hurt – your son." Malfoy sneered at the word, and coldly he lifted his eyebrow at the aristocrat. "And then you have kicked Moody from school, have killed Karkaroff after he's hurt his student – which you abducted from him – and now you're either trying to take over Hogwarts, or to get into the ministry."

"I always knew that you're holding tight to gossip, Lucius, but honestly, this time you've made a fool of yourself." He huffed, not really knowing if he should laugh at the man's words or if he should shake his head about the idiocy he was displaying. "Where in Merlin's name did you hear these news?"

"Oh, your class has still ties to the Slytherins." Malfoy said and he lifted his eyebrow again, curiously this time. "And I have still some ties to one or another Slytherin parent even though you might have pulled several of them to your side. If you think that you could become the next dark Lord, Severus, don't you need a second? Someone you can trust as your right hand?"

"And you think you'd be the best person for that post?" He huffed at the blond.

"Of course." Lucius Malfoy said confidently. "Not only do I have a lot of influence, but also am I a lawyer and well versed in ministry matters."

"And here I thought you were wearing the same dark mark as do I." He shook his head. "So soon you are to abandon your Master."

"As you have done." Malfoy shook his head.

"He has never been my master." He shrugged his shoulders. "I was a spy, you forgot?"

"Whatever, Severus." Lucius waved it off.

"You must feel the mark getting back to life, Lucius." He then said. "I'm sure you can feel it winding and writhing beneath your skin. And nevertheless, you are about to betray your master."

"I have to look at what I have." Malfoy seriously said. "And what I have is a powerful dark man on one hand and the Dark Lord who has lost his powers because of a mere baby years ago on the other hand. A dark man who has killed and who is overtaking the school and the ministry. Together we could do great things, Severus, and together we could destroy the remnants of the Dark Lord for good."

"I don't think so, Lucius." He said, sighing. "But for the sake of old days, do you see that bird up there in the tree? Yes? And that squirrel over there, too? Well, I'd be very careful if I were you, the ministry has taken a lot of aurors which are shapeshifters, lately, and even though I can see only two right now, I'm sure that there are even more of them."

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

Well, never before had he seem Malfoy leaving – and therefore leaving him alone – so quickly as he had right then. There had been a short "good bye, Severus" and off the blond had been, leaving him behind chuckling. He was still – inwardly only – chuckling while he entered their private quarters, finding Filius and his children playing a game of wizarding Monopoly.

"This class can be very efficient if it wishes to be – when it comes to spreading rumours." He said, sitting down beside Filius.

"What happened?" The small man asked. "You're looking as if you'd just had the time of your life."

"I've just met Malfoy Senior." He answered, watching Draco whose head shot up at his words, his face pale. "And while he somehow thought that I had killed Creighton as well as Karkaroff, he was somehow under the misconception that I were planning to taking over not only this school but the ministry, too, while I was at it, and he wanted to become my second hand."

"And then?" Filius asked as well as several students, and it didn't took even half a minute until he had Harry standing beside him, leaning against him, as if he needed this physical contact to make sure that – he was still alive and Malfoy hadn't killed him yet.

"Well, I fear that several birds, squirrel, mice or other small animal will suffer for the next few years because he thinks they're aurors, watching him."

Well, he'd tell Filius, Minerva, and the others of his dark mark and which words exactly had been exchanged by Malfoy and him, but he knew, he'd scare not only Harry to death but the others, too.

"But we haven't told Mr. Malfoy." Vincent said, casting a startled look at Gregory, and watching the other children he saw the same fear in every face – how had Malfoy heard of what had happened at this school?

"Not only is it no secret what had happened here, but also have you still ties with the Slytherins, seeing that it had been your former house and it is important that you keep these ties, as much as it is important that you keep your ties together with the Gryffindors as that is your former house." He added towards the former Gryffindor students which were his now. "Never forget old ties, and never forget old friends, they could be very important one day. However, these students in Slytherin might have told their parents, and even though most Slytherin parents have turned their backs on Lucius and the remaining Death Eaters, there are still a few who're loyal to the Dark Lord, never mind his lost power."

"If so many Slytherin parents have turned their backs on uncle Voldie, does that mean that he'll have less power should he come back?" Harry asked and he frowned at the boy.

"Should he come back, then he will have less power due to times having changed while he had been powerless – but that doesn't mean that he will have less power generally." He said, sighing. He wouldn't lie to the boy, even though he might scare him. "Should the Dark Lord come back, then he will be dangerous, and he will be powerful – but with less supporters his powers might be less dangerous than they'd been last time – for a few months, at least. Each good witch or wizard on the light will be important to throw the Dark Lord back and to keep him from gaining more power even."

"Then it's a good thing that you've scared him with the animals that could be aurors?" Harry asked, softly.

"Perhaps." He answered.

Perhaps it was a good thing, because if all the Death Eaters were scared, then they would keep low. Perhaps they would meet a lot of dead animal in future. He didn't know. It had been the spur of the moment that he'd said these words towards Malfoy. They would see what the future would bring – he didn't know.

Breåk· … ·~†~*~*~*~*~*~†~· … ·Łine

To be continued

Next time in A few days more
monsters

Added author's note
thank you for reading - and yes, I would be glad if you took the time to review this chapter, thank you
also, of course I have re-installed the house cup – with each review, please state your house, so that your house can get a point. There won't be loss of points, only gains … may the best house with the most reviews win …

House Cup:
At the present time it looks like this:

Slytherin 98
Gryffindor 54
Ravenclaw 27
Hufflepuff 15
Hogwarts 21
Durmstrang 04
Tennessee Institute of Magic & Technomancy 01