A/N : Brief writer 's note prior to the chapter. This chapter is from Teddy 's item of sentiment, as I wanted to spell the specifics of what happened during the mission to captivate knot. An clause in the seer just would n't do it justice. promise you enjoy !


shimmy Lupin had been a Junior Auror for nearly eight month. In that time he had n't done much in terms of fighting dark-skinned wizards, and most of the military mission he 'd gone on had been rather boring. Up until the Azkaban break-out most of his work had consisted of paperwork and the casual stake-out. Being an Auror, teddy had discovered, was a lot to a greater extent than chasing down night wizards and saving people 's lives.

It was for this very reason that Teddy had been surprised when his godfather, Harry ceramist, had approached him the late day and told him of his raw designation. He, teddy lupin, spic-and-span junior Auror, had been assigned to the missionary post of capturing escaped werewolf, Fenrir Greyback. greyback, the same werewolf who had infected his father with lycanthropy decades ago. Limnodromus griseus, one of Britain 's most want runaway.

The foreign mission, Harry had informed him, was very spiritualist in nature and had to be handled with discernment. There was to be no honorable mention of it to anyone outside of the people assigned to it. There were very few people assigned to the mission and they included Harry himself, the capitulum of the Regulation and control condition of Magical Creatures, and Ron Weasley. That was it. A few others had been assigned to keep an eye on the children Rebel attacked the previous month, but they were n't to be directly involved with the Greyback mission itself.

Harry had explained the details of the foreign mission, including the fact that the whole thing had been Albus 's estimate, along with one of his friends, who happened to be the Head of the regulating and command of Magical Creature 's son. Who also happened to be a loup-garou. It took Teddy a few hour to wind his nous around the entire berth. To make things even more insane, Albus 's werewolf Quaker was the brother of Teddy 's friend, Amy.

But when it came down to it, all of this meant that chemise was going on his initiatory real charge as an Auror.

Harry had instructed him to show up up at the Hog 's psyche, in disguise, at seven o'clock. Once there, he was to order a drunkenness and sit at the bar, avoiding contact with everyone. Harry, Ron, and Walter Eckerton were going to do the same.

Disguising himself was Teddy 's master speciality. Before he Apparated to Hogmseade he morphed his grimace so he looked a few geezerhood older and his hair's-breadth so that it was a generic brown color rather than its usual turquoise. He finished off the look by shrinking himself and adding a few Egyptian pound. After donning a tattered old cloak, Teddy turned on the touch and reappeared in the back street next to Weasleys'Wizard Wheezes.

Teddy peeked inside the building and saw George III working. If he had n't been on a mission he would 've stopped to say hello, but instead he turned in the opposite focal point and headed toward the Hog 's read/write head.

The pub was practically empty. There was an old witch at one of the tables, nursing a drink, and a bloke sleeping at the end of the bar. Ron was already there, sitting at a table with a chalice in front man of him. He 'd clearly attempted to mask himself, but there was no mistaking his red haircloth. Harry and Bruno Walter did n't seem to be there yet.

Teddy ambled up to the bar, deciding at the last minute that his fake persona should walk with a hobble. Aberforth was there and Teddy ordered a Butterbeer. Probably not the usual drink for the Hog 's Head, but he needed to keep his nous clear up for the mission. He took the beverage and began to sip it slowly, as he had no estimate how long he 'd need to pretend he was n't an Auror.

A half minute later the door opened again and Harry and Walter walked in. Bruno Walter joined Ron at his back table while Harry went up to the bar. He sat side by side to Teddy.

"How 's it going, Aberforth ?"he asked quietly.

"amercement,"Aberforth grunted.

"We 're here on Ministry business,"Harry said."might be here a few hours. Could be the unharmed night. Do you listen ?"

"Not at all,"Aberforth replied."Pub 's yours, although I 'll be leaving at eleven. Not a good deal business on a Monday night."

"We 'll lock up when we leave,"Harry said.

Aberforth nodded and set a few more Butterbeers on the retort. Harry picked them up and gestured for slip to follow him to the back table, where Ron and Bruno Walter were now crouched over a piece of parchment.

Teddy sat down next to Bruno Walter and Harry sat adjacent to him. He passed around the Butterbeers while Ron turned the sheepskin around so Teddy and Harry could see it. teddy recognized it ; it was Albus 's map of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Currently, it was magically magnified to show the screaming shanty and the yard outside it. Only one dot was there. It was labeled 'Matthew Eckerton'and was stationary in the shrieking hut.

"moon just rose,"Walter said quietly."Just a waiting game now."

No one had told him, but Teddy knew the real ground why he 'd been assigned to this delegation, and it had nothing to do with his Auror accomplishment. trusted, that had been a plus, but any of the other third-year Aurors were just as qualified. And the full Aurors were even more so. The reason was that he was the only Auror who was related to a wolfman, and thus would n't like that a werewolf at Hogwarts was an inherent section of this programme. It was also the understanding why Harry and Ron were there, when Auror Newman had previously been assigned to the Reb case. Bruno Walter Eckerton did n't need any danger of his son 's condition being leaked to the public, and putting Harry, Ron, and Teddy on the case would ensure that it would n't.

"Are you sure Reb is even going to show up ?"shimmy asked quietly as he stared at the map.

"Fairly certain,"Walter said."Werewolves are attracted to the call option of their own variety and grayback is set on creating his own pack of young werewolves. He spent the finis full moon lurking around the screaming hutch, after he attacked those child. He knows Matt 's there. He 'll make out back."

teddy nodded. The minutes ticked by and the pub grew quieter. The old witch left, taking her trash with her. The man sleeping at the bar snorted and rolled over, nearly falling off his stool. Teddy finished his Butterbeer and set it side by side to the former discharge methamphetamine on the table, wondering if he should go order another or just remain seated.

At eleven o'clock Aberforth woke up the chap at the bar and had to aid him to the room access and then physically shove him out of the pub. He gave a ready nod to Harry, Ron, Bruno Walter, and shimmy and then went upstairs.

"I suppose the disguises were a bit pointless,"Ron said as he pointed his verge at his face. His nose returned to its rule shape.

"well, with the Hog 's head, you never know,"Harry said.

The group settled into muteness again. Outside, there was the sound of faint howling. shimmy glanced at Walter and noticed that he winced slightly every time there was a particularly gimcrack ululation. Harry and Ron sent him sympathetic facial expression that Teddy tried to mimic. He did n't have any tike so he really had no idea what that was like, let alone having a kid with lycanthropy.

chemise glanced down at the map and noticed three new dots had appeared."Harry !"Teddy said as he pointed to the map.

All four men crowded around the map once more. One of the Elvis was indeed labeled 'Fenrir Greyback ,'but the others were names teddy bear did n't recognize.

"Meredith Jenner and James Clerk Maxwell Jenner,"teddy read."Who are they ?"

"They must be former lycanthrope,"Ron said.

"Or Animagi,"Harry pointed out.

"No,"Walter said as he shook his capitulum."Those are the two Thomas Kid who got bitten last month."

"You 're kidding,"Harry said."Dammit, this did n't hybridise my mind."

"Mine either,"Bruno Walter said.

"What about the others ?"Ron asked."Newman and the two from the wolfman Control Unit ?"

"There they are,"chemise said as three new battery-acid suddenly appeared onto the map. They must 've Apparated."

"Yeah, well, they 'd sustain no fortune following three werewolves on foot,"Walter said.

"Let 's go,"Harry said as he stood up.

teddy bear stood and drew his wand. He followed the three older men out of the pub and shut the door behind him.

The Hog 's school principal was not far away from the screech Shack. Within three minutes they arrived and found John Henry Newman and the former two maven attempting to restrain the three werewolves.

"They 're the kids from last calendar month !"one of the Werewolf restraint social unit employees shouted.

"Be careful with them !"Walter shouted back."They 've done aught incorrectly !"

"We 're trying !"

The two smaller werewolves were currently attempting to attack the Werewolf Control whole employees and Newman, while Greyback seemed to give care far more about getting into the Shrieking Shack. He was a much larger Wolf, grey in color, and had bright yellow eye. He was on the porch, biting at the door, and not paying any attention to the wiz around him. It seemed to Teddy that he had far Sir Thomas More ascendance over himself than a normal lycanthrope.

Walter and Ron joined the Werewolf ascendancy whole employees in trying to restrain James Meredith and Maxwell. It was a difficult task because they had to do it without hurting them. slip was fairly certain that the law would n't care whether the two nipper were hurt in the process, but that had never been how Bruno Walter ran the department.

Harry nodded to shimmy and they walked slowly up the lawn, their verge out in front of them. If they could just entrance Greyback by surprise then they 'd be able to conjure some forget me drug and restrain him before he even knew what was happening.

They were only twenty feet away when it happened. Greyback suddenly froze and then turned around. He must 've smelled them. With a flashy maze, he jumped the xx pes separating them in one leap.

shimmy and Harry jumped back, sending piece forward as they did so. Greyback lunged, the turn not seeming to strike him at all, and made a swipe at Teddy. Teddy jumped to the incline and sent another knockout at Greyback.

Battling a werewolf was very different from battling a wizard, slip realized. And battling lycanthrope had not been covered in grooming. Sure, they 'd learned and practiced the spell used against werewolves, but they 'd never performed them on actual werewolf. The main remainder was that lycanthrope did n't have baton and thus could not puke while. But at the Lapp prison term, they had teeth, chela, and were much stronger than the average human. Plus there was the fact that one sting would wrick you into one forever.

shift and Harry took turns sending stunner at Greyback and were able-bodied to confuse him enough that he did n't quite know who to attack. As they worked, they were steadily moving closer and closer to the screech Shack.

Greyback soon realized that he was being cornered back onto the porch and decided to take away another leap forward. He snarled loudly and lunged toward Harry, nearly making contact. chemise jumped forward and sent another Stunner toward Greyback.

Greyback flew backward and slammed into the front door, his headland making a sickening compaction as it collided with the doorknob. He slid down the room access and landed on the floor, not moving.

Teddy looked at Greyback and then at Harry, who was getting up from the ground. slip had n't even realized that he 'd fallen over.

"Harry, you okay ?"Teddy asked.

"Fine,"Harry said."You ?"

teddy bear nodded and began to take a few cautious steps toward knot. Harry was soon by his English.

"Is he ..."Teddy began.

"I do n't think so,"Harry said quietly."Just unconscious mind. Here."Harry muttered a trance and Mexican valium flew from the end of his sceptre. They wrapped them around Rebel until he was secure.

Teddy felt slightly disappointed. There was a region of him, a very small section, that wished he 'd killed Johnny Reb. Greyback had been the one who 'd made his dad 's life miserable, and he 'd viciously lash out Victoire 's dad when he was n't even transformed. Yes, Teddy had to admit, there was a theatrical role of him that wanted retaliation. A part of him that wanted to be the one who finally killed Fenrir Reb.

Teddy glanced over to the rest of the group, but they 'd finished, too. Bruno Walter was currently tying the two wolfman baby up with ropes while the former men stood around watching. Ron looked up and met Teddy 's eyes, then walked over toward them.

"Done ?"Harry asked.

Ron nodded."They 're tied up and Stunned. I suppose we 'll take in to go on Stunning them until the moon sets."

"So they were n't on Wolfsbane,"Harry said."Interesting."

"Walter said he 'll personally make a visit to their house in a few days to discuss safeguard for next calendar month,"Ron said."But still, their parents must be idiots. They could 've been killed."

"The parents are okay, then ?"Harry asked."I wonder what happened."

Ron nodded."Newman said they locked the Kid in the backyard shed but did n't put any wards up. It must 've been easy for Johnny to break in."

"I wonder why they did n't listen to Werewolf backing Services,"Harry mused."I know for a fact they visited."

"Well, at least no one was hurt,"Teddy pointed out. He turned back to where the early lycanthrope had been tied up, but noticed that they were now being levitated to the porch of the Shrieking Shack by the Werewolf ascendence whole employees. Walter and Cardinal Newman were following them.

"What is that infernal racket ?"Paul Leonard Newman exclaimed, nodding his mind to the Shrieking Shack.

Bruno Walter glanced a the Shack and then turned to Newman."Ghosts. I 've heard that place has been haunted for years, long before I moved to this country."

Harry nodded."It 's been haunted since the 70s."

"Loud ghosts,"Newman muttered."Has the Spirit division ever looked into it ?"

"Multiple times,"Walter said."They 're peaceable ghosts, just loud. We have n't had too many ailment, so have n't bothered to do anything about it."

Teddy was amazed that Bruno Walter could lie so easily and freely. But he supposed that he 'd been doing it ever since his son became a werewolf, so he 'd gotten used to it.

"Let 's get this lot back to the Ministry,"Harry said, gesturing to the three unconscious werewolves. Newman, take either Lee or Parks back to the fry 's house and inform their parents that they can clean them up at the Ministry tomorrow."

Newman and Lee, who was one of the Werewolf Control Unit employees, Disapparated on the stain. Harry grabbed handle of Limnodromus griseus and instructed Walter and Parks, the other Werewolf Control Unit employee, to each hire one of the minor. With an exceptionally loud crack, the full mathematical group Disapparated.
***


Each of the wolfman were set up in an enquiry elbow room to look the remaining minute until sunrise. Teddy, along with Walter, had been assigned to keeping watch on Greyback, Stunning him when necessity. Harry, Ron, Parks, and Lee had been assigned to the children. John Henry Newman got started on the paperwork.

"So if a werewolf were to induce somebody there to Stun them every hour or so while they were transformed, they 'd be harmless, right ?"slip asked as Walter Stunned Greyback for the one-fourth prison term."Why do n't people do that ?"

"Repeated Stunning is n't salubrious,"Bruno Walter replied."It 's why it 's not allowed on near captive. It 's only allowed on wolfman because they 're classified as Beasts and not Beings."

Teddy nodded."What does it do to them ?"

"Depends on the werewolf,"Walter said."It has no long-term effects on plenty, but others wind up ill or with computer memory loss."

"Ca n't say I 'll be too discompose if it has any ill effects on him,"teddy bear said as he nodded to Greyback.

"Me either,"Walter said.

"I have to ask,"chemise began,"did you get into regularization and Control of Magical Creatures before or after your son was bitten ?"

"Before. Ironic, is n't it ?"

"Just a bit."

"It 's because of your Father-God that my son is able to go to Hogwarts. I know you probably do n't even remember him, but I 'm forever grateful for him paving the way."

teddy nodded."I wish I could remember him. I suppose it was really Dumbledore, though, who let him go to Hogwarts."

"I never had the pleasure of meeting Albus Dumbledore. I wish I could say I have."

teddy and Walter lapsed back into silence. teddy could hardly trust that he was sitting in an interrogation room with the werewolf who had turned his father. If only his dad could see him now.

Walter glanced at his picket."Moon should be setting within the half hour."

Teddy gulped and he hoped Walter could n't find out his heart whipping. He had n't been nearly as nervous about facing Greyback as a wolf, but the thought process of facing him as a human being was slightly terrifying. He almost wanted the next half hour to death forever, but at the Saami clip he did n't. It had been a very long day and he wanted to go household and sleep, eat, and see Victoire. Unfortunately, there was still a great deal of paperwork ahead.

Johnny began to budge, but Bruno Walter did n't Stun him. Instead, he conjured a simple set of robe, set them on the table, stood up, and gestured for Teddy to be him out into the corridor. shimmy did so, but looked at Walter quizzically.

"He ca n't escape. He 's got no baton and there 's anti-Apparition charms on the rooms,"Walter explained."He 'll be at his absolute weakest as he transforms and despite the evil he 's done, he deserves the deference of transforming alone."

Teddy was strike. He himself would n't cause even thought about that, but Walter had clearly been planning that all along. shift supposed it came from having a son who was a lycanthrope. If teddy bear 's own father had lived, would he have alike thought ?

There were no silencing appealingness on the interrogation rooms. Soon the corridor was filled with howling and was then replaced by awful shrieks. The scream soon gave way to a foresightful stream of profanity.

"Let 's go,"Walter said as he placed his hand on the doorknob.

Teddy had no idea what to expect when he entered the room. He 'd only seen pictures of Greyback from the Prophet and black-and-white photograph never did a someone justice.

Fenrir Calidris canutus was crouched on top of the tabular array, dressed in the wear that Bruno Walter had provided. His grey hair's-breadth was ropey and matted with dirt and blood, and his expression bore several week 's worth of gray-headed beard. His face was lined with deep wrinkles and shimmy realized that he had absolutely no idea how old the man was.

greyback took a rich snuff as Walter and shimmy entered. He grinned and let out a maniac laugh."Head of the section,"he muttered."guess I 'm popular."

Teddy froze, all his grooming suddenly out the window. He could hardly believe that this man had attacked his father when he was only a child. Fenrir Reb was far more than sinister in soul and shift felt a sting of sympathy for his father as a five-year-old.

"So you found me,"Johnny Reb said."How 'd you do it ?"

"We were waiting for you, Greyback,"Walter said."We knew you 'd fall to Hogsmeade."

Greyback sneered."Yeah, wanted to go back for that wolfman in the shriek hovel. He smelled vernal, impressionable."

Bruno Walter paled."You 'll never have the opportunity to go back."

"We 'll see,"Greyback replied.

"Enough chat,"Walter said, turning to Teddy."stoppage him."

shimmy snapped out of his thoughts and immediately went back into Auror-mode. He set himself apart from the post and ran on autopilot.

"Fenrir Calidris canutus, I am Auror Ted lupin and you 're under stop,"Teddy began.

Calidris canutus 's eyes grew spacious."Lupin. Any relation to Remus Lupin ?"

"He was my father,"chemise said proudly.

"I made him who he was,"Johnny said as he stared directly into Teddy 's eyes."I changed his life."

"Fenrir Greyback, you are under catch,"Teddy repeated, ignoring him. He conjured a pair of cuff and walked over to Rebel."You have the rightfield to persist silent. I suggest you use it,"he said as he cuffed the werewolf."If you choose not to be soundless, anything you say can be used in your trial. You will make a visitation. If you can not bump representation, we will discover it for you."

Teddy grabbed Rebel 's arm and pulled him off the tabular array and into a standing position. As he did so, he met the one-time man 's eye. They were xanthous, pure yellow, and completely unforgiving. He looked like the side of evil, as if Greyback had no human being individual left. It was in that consequence that Teddy knew for for sure that this wolfman held no similarity to his father. knot lived to diffuse evil, while Remus lupine had lived to break it.

Teddy slapped a set of handcuffs on Greyback. He opened the threshold and pushed Greyback out into the corridor, still holding onto his arm. Walter followed and the two walked alongside each other as they led Greyback to the holding cells.

Harry was waiting for them when they arrived. He shoved Johnny Reb into a mobile phone and locked the room access behind him.

"Your dad would be incredibly proud of you,"Harry said to Teddy.

Teddy nodded and gave Harry a half-smile.


A/N : I hope you enjoyed the chemise chapter ! I had a lot of fun writing it. Thanks for all the endearing reviews !

The rightfield Teddy read to Greyback are adapted from the Miranda Rights, created by the United state Supreme judicature in 1966.


Albus awoke the next morning to the sound of an owl pecking at the windowpane. He rose from his bed and went to let it in. The owl was unfamiliar, but he vaguely recognized it as the breed of owl the Ministry of deception used. The letter of the alphabet was addressed to him, so Albus took it, let the owl back out into the cold, and set down on his bed to spread out it.

Albus-

We got him.

-Dad

That was all it said, but it did n't need to say anything else. His dad probably could n't say anything else in a letter, anyway. Albus folded up the parchment and shoved it into his bedside tabular array. He glanced at the clock and realized there was no pointedness in going back to bed since course of instruction would start in two 60 minutes.

Instead, he got started on that week 's Charms reading while he waited for John to fire up up. This took a good hour and when he finally did come alive up, it took him fifteen instant to fully wake up and get dressed. Gospel According to John was not one for mornings.

Albus waited until they were in the Great anteroom for breakfast to separate John about the letter from his dad, so that he could tell Kaden, blush wine, and Amanda, too. Luckily they managed to find a relatively sequestrate office of the table.

"I got a letter from my dad this morning,"Albus said as he scooped eggs onto his denture."They got him."

"Oh thank God !"pink wine exclaimed.

"Did he tell you about it ?"John the Divine asked.

"No,"Albus said."But I 'm certain it 'll be in the Prophet tomorrow."

The mathematical group decided to eat a very quick lunch later in society to chat flatness before their afternoon classes. Albus wanted to tell him about grayback as soon as possible.

Albus found it incredibly unmanageable to hold open his mouth shut during potions because the respite of his classmates were discussing Greyback and whether he had attacked anyone the previous night. Janie Creevey swore she saw him on the curtilage from her student residence windowpane last night, but Karina and Marina said it was only a dog. Two of the Slytherins said they heard howling all night, and Scorpio said one of the older students had received a letter from his brother claiming to have seen grayback in Diagon skittle alley. It seemed that Albus and his friends were the only when ones in the entire castle who knew Rebel had been captured.

Scorpius Malfoy left potions early after speaking in rustle with Slughorn. Whatever it was it was a good self-justification since Slughorn actually let him go. Albus thought this was very odd, but did n't populate on it since his mind was still racing about knot. He wanted details about the capture, but probably would n't get any until he read the article in the Prophet.

"Anyone know why Malfoy left ?"John asked as they hurried up to the Great dorm for lunch.

"No melodic theme,"Albus said."Maybe he was ill ?"

"He did n't search ill,"trick said."I suppose if he is ill we 'll see him in the hospital wing."

Albus and his friends ate the loyal lunch they 'd ever eaten and rushed up to the hospital wing. Kaden had Herbology after lunch and would demand a beneficial bit of time to get there, so they wanted to pass as much of lunch as potential in the hospital flank.

Madam Pomfrey was busy berating a pupil for trying to charm her hair pink and had charmed it all off instead and did n't notice Albus and the others walk in. Only one bed was occupied and the drape were drawn around it.

"Guess Malfoy 's not here,"John said as he led the group over to Matt 's bed.

John pulled the curtains back and Albus saw that Matt was sitting up in bed, eating lunch. This month he was sporting a bandage wrapped around his entire read/write head and ones on his helping hand as well. He seemed to be having a bit of difficulty holding his sandwich.

"They better have caught him,"lusterlessness said as he dropped his sandwich."Dammit. I ca n't go another month wrecking my hands."

"They did,"Albus said."My dad owled me this break of the day, but he did n't contribute me any details."

"I knew he was there,"Matt said."The woman chaser wanted to get out again and this sentence I banged my head repeatedly against the door."He gestured to the fountainhead bandages.

"I do n't think you 'll have to worry about that again,"John said."They 'll probably put twice as many guards on Greyback 's cell."

"I think this is the worst head ache I 've ever had in my lifespan,"Matt muttered.

John grinned mischievously."Shall Kaden and I do a repeat of last week 's frivolity ?"

Matt gave him a look of murder."If you do, I 'll kill you and I wo n't be responsible for my actions."

"Just kidding,"john said.

"ma'am Pomfrey wants me to eat lunch and then she 's going to give me plenty sleeping tipple to log Z's until dinner. I ca n't wait."

"Well, I 'm going to have got a endearing afternoon of fertilizing magical plants with firedrake dung,"Kaden said."So aside from the turning into a beast thing and the raging headache, I 'm sort of jealous."

"I 'd claim the dragon dung,"matt said and then turned to Albus."Embry is announcing who gets to watch the last argumentation today, is n't he ?"

Albus shook his head."They 've actually put it off two more calendar week. It was in the paper this morning. I guess they want it impudent in people 's minds or something. Plus, we 've got Quidditch Saturday and dueling Sunday."

"Is Gryffindor playing ?"lustrelessness asked.

"Hufflepuff and Slytherin,"Albus said."If Hufflepuff profits, then we 'll be ahead in stop. But if Slytherin wins, we 'll probably be behind them."

"Here 's hoping for Hufflepuff, then,"matte said. He glanced at his half-eaten sandwich."I think I 've given up on feeding. I do n't mean to kick you lot out, but I 'm really looking forward to sleeping."

"Not a job,"Albus said."We 'll see you later."

"I think I 'll be back tomorrow,"Matt said."Unless this head ache does n't go away."

John glanced at the clock."Brilliant. There 's plenty clock time for me to run back to the Great Hall for an eclair before Transfiguration."

"I 'll conjoin you,"Kaden said.

"Me, too,"Albus agreed.

The young woman decided that a instant dessert was in order as well, so the whole radical hurried back to the Great Marguerite Radclyffe Hall before their next course of study. On the way there Albus realized just how much better he felt now that grayback was once again behind cake.
***


"Teddy arrested him !"Albus exclaimed at breakfast the following morning. He 'd just finished reading the article about Greyback.

"Seriously ?"Rose exclaimed, grabbing the Prophet."I did n't even know he went on that mission."

Albus nodded."It was him, my dad, your dad, and flatness 's dad. Plus Cardinal Newman and a few Werewolf ascendancy unit of measurement employees. And those child who got attacked utmost week were captured, too. Apparently their parents did n't put any ward up on the shed they were in."

"That 's stupid,"Rose said.

"Was anyone hurt ?"Amanda asked.

"No,"Albus said.

"Oh, look, they 've quoted Laurentis,"Rose said."Listen to this. 'Greyback 's recapture is wonderful news show for wizarding UK. I applaud both the Auror section and the section for the regulating and Control of Magical Creatures for their collaboration in this capture, especially Harry thrower and Walter Eckerton. However, there are still four prisoners at large. The work is not done and we must remember this before celebrating .'”

"Did they quote your uncle ?"john asked.

"No,"Rose said."It says he has n't made a statement about it yet."

"I honestly think that this is only going to work his support of your dad look better,"Amanda said."Laurentis can try, but this is a success. I mean, just looking at the article. Absolutely nothing went awry with that capture. There were three werewolves on the loose in Hogmseade and cypher got attacked. It 's that simple."

Albus had n't thought about it in that way, but it was dependable. Three loose loup-garou would normally be a nightmare for a quiet hamlet like Hogsmeade, but thanks to the Aurors and the Werewolf Control building block employees, cypher got hurt.

"I 'll just be happy when this election is over,"Albus said.

"You 're telling me,"Cedric said as he sat down across from Albus."I do n't even care who wins anymore."
***


Hufflepuff somehow managed to squelch Slytherin during Saturday 's Quidditch mate. Albus chalked this up to the fact that Hufflepuff had the best squad they 'd had in years, and that Slytherin 's Keeper had landed himself in the hospital wing after blowing up his potion on Friday, earning him a ban from the couple by lady Pomfrey. But whatever the reason actually was, it was certainly beneficial to Gryffindor.

Albus awoke early on Sunday, suddenly riddled with nerves about the dueling tournament. This month 's tourney was the secondment to finis of the year since all the professors had agreed to end it earlier due to exams. Many of the one-seventh years had expressed that they could n't supervise practices while studying for N.E.W.T.s. But this meant that Albus only had two more chances to batten a win for his squad, something that had n't happened yet this year.

Albus and Amanda were the first of their squad to arrive in the Great manor hall before the tourney. The rest of the team trickled in slowly as they waited. Five arcminute before the tournament was scheduled to start, the only person missing was Malfoy.

"It 's not like him to be late,"Amanda commented."Usually he 's here early relation you what an abominable job as captain you do."

"No, it 's not,"Albus agreed as he stood up to get a full look at the doors."I do n't see him."

"He was n't in potions the other day,"Amanda reminded Albus."Actually, I have n't seen him since he left potions early on Tuesday."

Albus thought back and realized Amanda was right."Oi !"he called to his grouping of Slytherin teammates."Any of you know where Scorpius Malfoy is ?"

"He went home,"one of the third years said."No theme why. He has n't been here since Tuesday."

"He went home ?"Albus repeated, staring at the third year."That 's odd."

The third year shrugged."He did n't tell anyone anything about it. He just left."

Albus had to admit that this news gave him as much disappointment as disarray. Scorpius Malfoy was one of the team 's scoop duelers, no matter how annoying he was.

"No one goes home when it 's not a vacation,"Amanda said.

"Yeah, not unless they 're really ill or something awful happened to their family,"Albus said.

"aid student !"Neville called out."The tournament is about to begin !"

Albus managed to push all thoughts of Malfoy out of his mind for the duration of the tournament. nigh of his mate dueled well, although only Albus and a few other fourth years won both their duels. In the end they secured tertiary spot, which was certainly better than a well dower of the rest of the teams, but still was n't first. They were still in the running play for winning boilers suit at the end of the time of year, but they 'd need to do really well in the net tourney.

Albus and Amanda met the rest of their friends in the predator 's Den after the tournament was over.

"Did Malfoy skip the tourney ?"privy asked as soon as they entered."Not that I 'm complaining since your team probably would 've pound mine if he had showed."

"Apparently he went nursing home on Tues,"Albus said."I 'm assuming that 's why he left potions early, but no one has any idea why he went."

"Maybe his parents took him on holiday,"Matt said."They seem the eccentric to do that."

"You 're not allowed to miss socio-economic class unless it 's a expert excuse,"Rose pointed out."I do n't think going on holiday is a undecomposed excuse."

"I think something bad is happening to individual in his kinsfolk,"Amanda said quietly."Remember that letter he was reading during exercise ? And how quiet he 's been lately ?"

"I 'll ask Elsie Willinson,"rose said."I tutor her tomorrow. luck are that Malfoy told Felix about whatever 's going on so maybe Elsie knows, too."

But whatever was going on with Scorpius Malofy, Elsie Willinson was just as clueless as Albus and his friends. She either had no idea or refused to tell rose wine, despite the fact that rose wine prodded her about it ever ten instant during their tutoring session on Monday.

Malfoy returned to form on Tuesday, walking into potions xv hour late, and Slughorn made no mention of his tardiness or the division he missed the premature hebdomad. Albus attempted to watch his face during course of instruction but he gave no cue about his emotions.

"Hey, Malfoy !"Albus shouted as they left the classroom a short while later.

Malfoy spun around and met Albus 's eye. He did n't look wild, nor was he sneering. Instead, he just looked lost."What do you want, Potter ?"

"Missed you at the tournament Saturday,"Albus said, hoping Malfoy would assure him where he 'd been.

"Bet you did n't win without me,"Malfoy replied.

"Third place,"Albus answered."Where were you ?"

"None of your line of work, potter,"Malfoy said as he turned around. He sped up and was soon lost in the sea of students hurrying to the Great Hall for lunch.
***


The following calendar week passed quickly and Albus soon forgot about Malfoy and his mysterious disappearance. The election was now only a hebdomad away and everyone in the rook, student, professors, and spook alike were talking about it. With only one disputation remaining, it was up in the air as to who would win. The oracle published a public opinion poll they 'd taken and neither candidate had a significant star on the early.

"Kingsley Shacklebolt, late Head of the Auror section, was the go Minister of Magic selected by the Wizengamot,"professor depository financial institution said in class two days before the final argument."His selection was very straightaway and he stepped into berth the day after Voldemort 's death. While most of the wizarding worldly concern knew that the Ministry needed an overhaul, they also needed someone to involve charge and supervise the service.

"Shacklebolt held situation for three days while supervising the drastic changes that made the Ministry of Magic the governing entity we see today."

Albus had met Kingsley Shacklebolt a few time and found him slightly intimidating, but funny at the same time. He just had a very overtop presence and Albus was n't surprised he 'd been made Minister of thaumaturgy after the war.

"The three years Shacklebolt held power were very tumultuous. Decisions had to be made, drastic ones, and they were not easy. The first of all and most obvious decision was the decision to change the way the Wizengamot was set up. The Wizengamot as it was was incredibly corrupt. Remember that prior to this redesign every pureblooded home held a arse on the Wizengamot, but this left half-blood and Muggle-born witches and wizards without representation.

"Shacklebolt, along with the other Ministry official working to reorganize the Wizengamot looked to the Muggle domain for inspiration. The previous Wizengamot bore to a greater extent resemblance to the Muggle sign of the zodiac of Lords, the upper business firm of parliament. It was decided that the Wizengamot ought to more closely resemble the household of commons, the Lower firm of Parliament. In the Muggle globe, these instance are called Members of sevens, MPs for short, and are elected. In the wizarding humans, they are simply prognosticate fellow member of the Wizengamot.

"appendage of the Wizengamot then began being elected by the general public, much like MPs are elected in the Muggle world. Each appendage has a district, although figuring out these districts was far more difficult than it was in the Muggle world. Does anyone have a shot as to why ?"

Amanda raised her hand."Yes, missy Tagger ?"Banks said.

"beldam and ace are n't as uniformly spread out throughout the United land,"Amanda explained."In the Muggle world the districts are very much based on towns, but wizard do n't really feature towns."

"Correct,"depository financial institution said."Because of this the districts, if shown on a map, would look vastly different in terms of size. For illustration, London has three separate dominion because there is a very great wizarding universe in Jack London. It 's far sluttish for thaumaturgist to mix in in a large city than a small townsfolk since thing generally go unnoticed in big city. On the other handwriting, Wales only has two district, and therefore two instance, since it 's much less densely populated by wizards."

Albus did n't sustain a cue as to who his territorial dominion 's representative was, or even what district he lived in. It was one of three, as he now knew.

"I 've taken the liberty of printing a map with a list of all the representative and district act,"cant said as he began passing out sheets of lambskin."I 'd pretend a guess than very few of you know what territory you 're in or who your illustration is."

Albus looked at the mainsheet after he received it. London seemed to be divided into West London, North Jack London, and East/South London. Union London, where Albus lived, was dominion Two, currently represented by a gent named Oliver Prang.

"Elections are held every five twelvemonth,"Banks said."None of the representative are up for election this year, but most are up for election future year. None of you will be of age to vote in succeeding yr 's election, but I suggest you read up on your voice views and beliefs anyway.

"To tempt you to determine,"Banks continued as he walked around his desk,"I am assigning an essay, due in two weeks. Figure out who your representative is and drop a line me a foot-long essay detailing your voice 's notion and whether you agree with them or not. I suggest looking at old written matter of the seer as well as archive transcriptions of Wizengamot merging, both available in the depository library. You are welcome to use any other sources as you see fit."

There was a world-wide groan from the socio-economic class, which made bank grin. He always seemed to love assigning homework.

"Now onto the more turn on news,"cant said."This Sat is the final argumentation and four of you will be able to pay heed. I apologize in betterment for those whose names have not been chosen, but there simply were not enough argumentation. As usual, the balance of you will heed to the debate in the Transfiguration classroom.

"The two from Hufflepuff are Sam Bordeaux and scented wattle Hornell. The Gryffindors are whoremaster Brickston and Janie Creevey. Your essay on this argumentation, to be formatted like the previous two, will be due in a week. Class dismissed."

"I knew it would be me,"John said as the packed up."Bilius and Ethan have already gone and you two get to go every time."

"I had n't even realized that,"Albus said.

"Karina 's the only one of us who wo n't get to go,"blush wine pointed out.

"That essay, though ..."St. John the Apostle said."The one on our representatives. That 's going to bring forever."

"Not if you do your research right wing,"rose said as they left the room.

"Any of you in District seven ?"John asked.

The eternal sleep of the grouping shook their heads. They compared district numbers, but none of them were in the same. rose wine and lusterlessness were the closest, with their districts bordering on each other.

"I guess we 're all doing our own inquiry then,"whoremonger said with a sigh.

Rose gave him a satisfied smirk, clearly happy that she would n't have to make out with King John attempting to bum off her enquiry. Albus wished that he and Rose were in the Saami district because he, like John, did not relish doing this enquiry. Usually they only had to use their text for inquiry, but not this time. This time, their school text would n't help at all.


A/N : Thanks for all the revaluation ! It 's time for the annual Dobby awards at HPFF and nominating address are now open ! header to the meeting place to nominate your preferent taradiddle ( such as this one, *hint, hint* ). There is a contact to the forum on the correctly slope of the page. Be sure to learn the rules before you nominate ! We hate having to disqualify stories for die pattern.

The selective information about the Muggle Ministry was adapted from the home of the Lords and the fantan Wikipedia Page. I hope I got everything rightfield, but I 'm not British, so sense free to point out any errors.


As the week progressed more and more than of the Prophet was dedicated to election coverage. By the time Saturday arrived it became nearly unimaginable to witness a single article that was n't about the election. There were newspaper column, consultation, program line from the nominee, opinion polls, and Sir Thomas More. Albus was getting so tired of it that he did n't even glance at Saturday 's edition.

"office your bets here !"

Albus glanced up from his breakfast to see James, Cedric, and Ben walking up the aisle between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables carrying a jar filled with coins.

"We 're taking bets !"William James shouted."Any takers ?"

"What are you betting on ?"Albus asked."Who wins ?"

"No, that 's boring,"James said."We 're taking bet on how retentive it 'll take the debate moderator to bring up that crazy Australian cuss who kidnapped you final stage year. This debate is on International Magical Cooperation, after all."

It had n't even crossed Albus 's idea that last class 's incident would be brought up in this public debate, but King James was probably right. It was the biggest external scandal wizarding United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland had seen in years.

"What 's your bet ?"Albus asked his brother.

"Ten minutes,"Saint James the Apostle said."We 've had a few citizenry say it 'll bump right away and others who are giving it as long as a half hour."

"You do realize that your dad 's the one moderating this debate, do n't you ?"pink wine asked, setting down her copy of the Prophet.

James, Cedric, and Ben exchanged a glance."Er, no, we did n't acknowledge that,"William James said."How do you cognize ?"

"Says rightfulness here in the paper,"Rose said, pointing to it."He might not institute it up."

"I hope he does n't,"mat muttered."I 'd rather just forget Lubar 's existence."

"He might still play it up,"James said."It was a fairly big incident."

Rose shrugged."It 's possible."

"So what would Uncle Percy say if he knew you three were taking stake on the debate ?"Albus asked with a grin.

Cedric paled."He 's not going to find out. Everyone who places a bet is sworn to secrecy. We 've had them mark something. If they say anything their faces will grow orange."

"Is n't that like what aunt Hermione did for the D.A ?"Albus asked.

"form of,"Cedric said."But we 've told people about it, so they know what they 're signing."

"Any stakes, then ?"Jesse James asked.

Albus and his admirer all shook their heads no. final stage twelvemonth 's incident was far too personal for them to pose stake on whether it would be a debate issue.

"We 're wasting prison term, then,"James said as he led Cedric and Ben further down the aisle."Place your stakes here !"

"They 're half-wit,"Rose muttered.

Albus agreed.

An 60 minutes later Albus, Rose, Matt, and John Lackland were back in the Great Hall for the argument. Albus soon realized that this public debate would be watched by even more than people than the past times ones, with many people standing in the spine due to lack of seating area. Personally, Albus thought about hoi polloi would 've already made up their nous since the election was only four days away, but clearly it was still a popular event.

John had to sit with the early students who 'd been picked while Albus, rose, and matte sat up front, like common. All of Albus 's full cousin were there, including Peach State, who looked like she was forcing herself to smile.

"Hey, Georgia,"Albus said.

"Hi, Al,"Georgia replied."I 'm so gladiola this is nearly over."

"Me, too,"Albus agreed."How is the team ?"

Empire State of the South 's fake grinning grew real."Oh, they 're wonderful ! Connor Blythe, the Keeper, he put in his notice that he 's only going to do one more time of year after this one and he told me he 's recommending me to study his touch. Me ! And I 've only been on the team for a year !"

"That 's marvellous !"Albus exclaimed."You 'll have to get me just the ticket to your first match."

"Oh, I expect everyone in the family to be there at my first match as permanent keeper,"Georgia said."And I want Dad right hand there in the social movement row, cheering me on."

"fountainhead, if he wins, he 'll accept to prevent supporting you,"Albus pointed out.

"Yes, well, I want it to be real,"Georgia said."We 'll see."

"Could everyone please charter their behind ?"Kendrick announced in a magically hyperbolise voice.

GA left and went to her own seat, as did everyone else who was still standing. The room grew quiet and Kendrick took a few steps forward.

"Thank you. I 'd like to receive you all to Hogwarts. This is the stopping point public debate of the election and I appreciate the Ministry allowing Hogwarts to take such a big role in it. It has been a wonderful encyclopaedism opportunity for staff and scholarly person alike. Remember, Wednesday is election day, so please cast your voter turnout. Now, I would like to introduce today 's moderator, a man who needs no introduction, Mr. Harry Potter, Head of the Auror Department !"

The room erupted in earsplitting clapping. It seemed that no matter how Laurentis tried to discredit Albus 's dad, no one could rent away the fact that he remained the Boy Who Lived.

Harry walked forward and took his place behind the moderator 's podium."Thank you, thank you,"he said and the crowd grew tranquil once more."Now, please receive our nominee, Mr. Percy Weasley and Ms. Patricia Laurentis."

The candidates received considerably less applause than Harry did, something Albus found incredibly suspect. If his dad ever decided to run for diplomatic minister he 'd ingest the thing won before the race even began.

"I am surely both our candidates know the rules by now. Five minute answers and five bit rebuttals,"Harry began."Mr. Weasley, you will begin."

Albus had to stifle his laugh at the fact that this dad called Uncle Hotspur 'Mr. Weasley .'

"The first dubiousness is very general,"Harry said."In your opinion, how is Great Britain 's relationship with its foreign neighbors ? Should the Ministry be making more than of an effort to work with its neighbor or are matter ok as they are ?"

"I think overall our ministry has a commodity kinship with foreign ministries and governance,"Hotspur began."We have no current feuds with any foreign countries and all extraneous talks have gone well in the past few days. However, I believe there is always room for improvement when speaking of relationships with other res publica. There are always opportunity to get through out to our neighbor, and you never know when such relationships will be necessary."

"Ms. Laurentis."

"My opponent makes fair tip,"Laurentis said."And while I feel that furthering our family relationship with foreign ministries is an fantabulous melodic theme, I wonder if that is really where our energies should be focused right now. There are many issues we need to handle here at home, and as Mr. Weasley said, our current kinship with foreign nations are good."

"The Department of International Magical Cooperation pile solely with international magic cooperation,"Sir Henry Percy pointed out."Working to fix upshot at home is obviously a in effect idea, but what do you think this department does while we do that ?"

"Well, yes, of course, that department is always working on international issues,"Laurentis said."I was merely speaking of the Minister and his immediate officials."

"Thank you,"Harry said."future question. The matter of changing the classification of werewolves from brute to Beings was brought up at the shoemaker's last debate. Both of you expressed no desire to take this up with the international community. Have either of you changed your view on this in light of the Recent epoch capture of Fenrir Calidris canutus ? If not, will you explain in more contingent why you feel the way you do ? Ms. Laurentis, you may begin."

Albus glanced at Matt. Maybe now they 'd cypher out exactly why Uncle Harry Hotspur did n't want to deepen the werewolf categorisation, more than than just it was n't Charles Frederick Worth the effort.

"The capture of Fenrir greyback was undoubtedly a success. I hope nobody has misconstrued my word on that. The fact that it was done without any trauma, let unparalleled fatalities, was zero shortstop of amazing. The Aurors and loup-garou mastery Unit employees who executed the program of gaining control are to be applauded. However, I fail to see why the capture of one werewolf should dissemble our decision on the grouping as a unit. If anything, if loup-garou had been classified as Beings during that capture the Aurors and lycanthrope mastery Unit employees would not have been able-bodied to use the method acting of gaining control they used. To be honest, I fail to see any benefits of reclassification."

Albus felt Matt tense adjacent to him. Laurentis really was clueless, was n't she ?

"Mr. Weasley."

"I agree with my opponent about the capture of Fenrir greyback. However, I disagree with her about the potentiality benefit of reclassification. low gear, the Aurors and lycanthrope restraint Unit employees could feature used the same method they used last night, as Head of department Walter Eckerton does not allow any method of seizure that would not be allowed if wolfman were classified as Beings. In price of section for the regulating and Control of Magical Creatures regulation and regulating, lycanthrope are to be treated as Beings. This has been the case since Eckerton took over as chief over a year ago. Perhaps Ms. Laurentis is unaware of this fact.

"As for benefit, those with lycanthropy would be able-bodied to insure jobs far more easily and would have the Saame rights given to goblins, house-elves, Centaur, vampires, and humanity alike."

Apparently his uncle had much more of an ruling than the one he gave at the cobbler's last debate, Albus thought.

"Your time is up, Mr. Weasley,"Harry said."Your rebuttal, Ms. Laurentis."

"Then perhaps Walter Eckerton ought to fill another look at the law,"Laurentis began."Because it is perfectly legal of him to use More harsh methods to play loup-garou into seizure. But since this capture was a holloa success, I will not fault him for that. As for werewolf right hand, I have yet to hear of any ill by werewolves about their rights."

"That 's because they do n't complain to you,"Matt muttered under his breath.

"Your rebuttal, Mr. Weasley."

"As I did not have time to fully answer the head, I will continue,"Percy said."While it would be beneficial for werewolves if they were reclassified as being, I do not think it 's feasible. It would require agreement from all nations, which is frankly asking a lot. I know for a fact Australia would never be on board, and considering our rocky relationship with that particular area, I do not feel it is in our practiced interests to begin talking of the reclassification of werewolves. In conclusion, I feel it would be a worthwhile endeavor, but given the unlikelihood of it amounting to anything, it would be a waste matter of manpower."

"Thank you,"Harry said."following question. In gaze to our jolting human relationship with Australia, as Mr. Weasley put it, do you experience it would be beneficial to continue trying to get Ralph Lubar extradited to the United realm ? Mr. Weasley."

Albus glanced at his watch. Whoever betted on forty instant would be very happy, he thought. Albus had been hoping this matter would n't be brought up, but he supposed it was too big of an publication not to be.

"If elected I would defer this determination to the Department of International Magical Cooperation, since they possess the requirement expertise on the discipline. However, it is my personal impression that it would be worth pursuing. I believe it is authoritative to institutionalize a message that Ministry employees, even high-ranking officials such as Ralph Lubar, are not above the law. What Lubar did was terrible and in no existence should he get away with it."

"Ms. Laurenits."

"Notice how Mr. Weasley did not mention that his nephew was one of the children kidnapped by Lubar,"Laurentis pointed out."I think this might cloud his judgment a little. I disagree with him about this particular topic. We 've been trying to have Ralph Lubar extradited for nearly a year and Australia has not budged. Why bother continuing to ready crusade toward this when it is crystalize they will be fruitless ?"

"If we give up, it will be telling the public that anyone can go practice a offense in another country and not be punished,"Sir Henry Percy said."More than that, it demonstrates the corruption of the Australian government and having our citizens believe their administration to be corrupt will not help international sorcerous cooperation."

"The possible corruption of the Australian political science is not any of our clientele at the electric current metre. We can not force them to extradite Ralph Lubar and it is my personal opinion that they will never do so. I daresay that the Department of International Magical Cooperation has more pressing matters to deal with."

"Thank you both,"Harry said."We have time for one to a greater extent question, but in igniter of the fact that the election is on Wed, I am going to give each of the prospect a luck to make a general speech instead. Mr. Weasley, you may talk first."

"Thank you, Harry."

Hotspur seemed unable to call Harry 'Mr. Potter .'Albus giggled at this.

"I would like to give thanks Professor Kendrick and the rest of the Hogwarts staff for being so accommodating, as well as the pupil. None of the students sitting in this room right now were alive before the Ministry was reorganized in 1998 through 2001. None of the bookman in this room were alive during Voldemort 's reign of terror. They read about both of these in history books, because to them, it is simply history. To me, and the rest period of the grownup in this room, the previous Ministry and Voldemort are our past times, our memories. We remember the terror, the unknown quantity, the fearfulness.

"I was a role of the reorganization of the Ministry. We all know the years that have followed- the old age where we have lived without fear, without holy terror, without the nameless. I have been with the Ministry every footprint of the way since Voldemort 's defeat and I will make it my duty to continue the heartsease that we 've had for over twenty days. I will keep this short because I, like most of you surely do, believe that the safe speech is a short speech. If you want a diplomatic minister who will stay the succeeder of Minister Hartwell 's time in berth, vote for me, Percy Weasley, on Wed. Thank you."

There was a smattering of applause, but it did n't finish long. Albus had a feeling that almost of the relief of the student wanted the election to be over.

"My antagonist routinely brings up the past. He speaks of the war, Voldemort, and the old Ministry, but never once has he discussed the future tense, except in wispy statements about keeping things the same. It 's admittedly that I was not involved with the reorganization of the Ministry over twenty years ago. I got into political sympathies later in animation. But I do not finger that this will make me an inferior minister, nor do I intend it will be particularly good to Mr. Weasley.

"History is just that. chronicle. We certainly need to learn from our account to see to it that we do not get to the Saame mistakes we did before, but it is not essential to have lived through history to be a successful loss leader. There are hatful of Ministry employees, even a few high-ranking official, who were not here during Voldemort 's sovereignty. Bruno Walter Eckerton, for example, did not live in UK during Voldemort 's sovereignty. Yet he very successfully runs the Department for the ordinance and command of Magical animate being.

"In shortsighted, I believe we need to focus on our futurity rather than our past. If elected minister of religion I will hold liberal change in not only our ministry and laws, but our educational system as well. Things have been ran the same for over twenty dollar bill geezerhood, and while I am not denying the achiever, I think we have needed change for a while. break away captive are running free. Hogwarts lessons are being taught the same way they were when these children 's grandparents were in school. The ministry, along with its legal philosophy and policies, indigence to accommodate as the geezerhood go by. If you feel variety is needed, if you are at all upset about the way thing are, vote for me, Patricia Laurentis, on Wednesday."

There was another smattering off hand clapping. Albus did n't acclaim at all and neither did any of his cousins. If the election was based upon familial backing, Percy would have it in the bag.

"I think your uncle may have won my parents'backing back,"flatness said as they left the Great Hall.

"Yeah, he made himself sound a bit better today,"Albus replied."Laurentis just does n't get it."

"Nope,"Matt said."But she does n't seem to deliver an takings with my dad, which is full if she gets elected."

"What if she wins and she stops trying to get Lubar extradited ?"Rose asked as they met up with John.

"She ca n't. The man is insane,"Saint John said.

"Honestly, I think it would be better if he was n't extradited,"matte said quietly.

"Why ?"whoremonger asked incredulously."He kidnapped us and tried to wreak Voldemort back !"

"He was n't really a part of that,"Matt said."That was the Willinsons."

"But still,"Albus said."Why ?"

"Because if he gets extradited he 's going to be angry,"Matt explained."He 's got quite a temper. And when he does n't get his way he attempts to bankrupt the lives of those who stand in his way. Just think about it. If he were brought back here, what 's stopping him from making my ... condition ... world ?"

"He could n't do that,"Albus said."It 's illegal."

"You think Lubar would care ? He did it in Australia !"lustrelessness snapped."He 's already broken the law. And even if he got in trouble for it goose egg could take what he said back. It sucks that he 's not getting punished, but I think it would be adept if the humanity just forgot about the unit thing."

Albus had n't thought about it like that before. mat did own a point. But there was a part of Albus that just wanted to see Lubar behind bars.

"Plus, there 's no way Australia will extradite him,"Matt said."Your uncle and Laurentis are both rectify about one affair. The Australian government is very demoralise, and I do n't call up anything will come about until that corruption ends. Lubar wo n't be punished, and wolfman wo n't get reclassified as Beings."

"So even though you moved, the Australian government still has some restraint over your lifespan,"John Lackland said."That 's messed up."

"Yeah, it really is,"Matt agreed."But it 's the way the world works."


A/N : Thanks for all the recapitulation ! Once again, I 'd like to shamelessly secure my stories for Dobby nominations ! psyche over to the forum to put up my ( or any former ) stories for a Dobby award ! Be sure enough to show the rules before nominating.


Albus had been hoping classes would be suspended the day of the election, but there was no such destiny. Kendrick organized it so that the Great Hall would be the polling place and that voting would not affect the general pupil body. Hogwarts was the intend polling lieu for the district it was in, so there would be other the great unwashed coming to the school to vote. Albus 's cousins who were of age ( Tom Bradley, Fred, and broom ) all voted after breakfast, as soon as the polling station had been set up.

Albus and his friends spent well-nigh of Herbology watching masses walking from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts in order to vote. It was very unhinge and Neville did n't nark telling people to get back on task.

"When are we going to know who won ?"St. John asked as they walked back to the castle for defensive structure.

"It 'll be in the vaticinator tomorrow morning,"Albus said."That 's the official poster, but I 'm certain we 'll find out earlier. Bradley and Cedric have to go to the end of the election party tonight. It starts at six and the polls close at eight. They 're announcing the winner at the company at eight-thirty. Bradley and Cedric will be back after that and I give it about five minutes to spread around the castle."

trick laughed."You do n't have to go to the party ?"

Albus shook his head."My parents gave me the choice. I said no. Saint James the Apostle and Lily are n't going, either."

"What about you two ?"John asked rosiness and Matt.

"No,"pink wine said. Matt shook his head.

"good,"lavatory said."We should sustain our own party here. A party to celebrate the end of this election. Maybe it 'll mean Embry will let up on the essays. Anyone else writing their debate essay during Defense today ?"

For the past times few month most people had used Defense as a study G. Stanley Hall. The worksheets Young assigned never took longer than fifteen minutes and he did n't look to care what his educatee did with the repose of the social class. Just as long as they were n't being loud. Albus did n't think anyone had used any Skiving Snackbox confection in Defense this year, since there was n't much point.

Albus, matt, and Amanda all still needed to spell their essays as well. Rose had written hers immediately following the debate, but the residuum of them did n't see the pauperism to do it rectify away.

"I can always finish it in account of Magic, too,"John Lackland said as they entered the castling.

"Let 's go peek in the Great hall,"Albus said as he led his friends over to the right.

Albus glanced inside and saw that there were four diminished cubicles curtained off where the staff table should 've been. A short queue of people were off to one English and seemed to be waiting their play for the cubicles. It did n't appear very exciting.

"Any comment on the election ?"

Albus turned and saw a newsman lurking near the doorway. He did n't recognize this especial reporter.

"No, thanks,"Albus said as he steered the group away from the Great entrance hall, and thus away from the reporter.

"I do n't call up they 're allowed inside,"Rose mentioned."So they ca n't bother people who are voting."

"That makes horse sense,"Amanda said."wellspring, let 's go get those essays done with. Then we 'll never have got to write essays on disputation again."

Albus nodded. No more public debate essays. Now that would be a good thing.

The residual of the day passed quickly. Albus, Matt, and Amanda managed to land up their essays during defense reaction, but John only got halfway done. Voting was suspended during lunch and then again at dinner. Albus overheard a few of the sixth and one-seventh old age talking about vote and the election during dinner. A couple of Ravenclaws even got into an argument about it.

"Let 's spend a penny a accord now not to get in any combat over the next election when we can all vote,"Rose said as they watched one of the arguing Ravenclaws tempest out of the Great hall.

The sleep of the group heartily agreed. Albus could n't imagine ruining a friendship over something as silly as an election.

"This political party that Thomas Bradley and Cedric are going to,"John began,"it 's for both your uncle and Laurentis ?"

"Yeah,"Albus said.

"That 's going to be awkward when they announce the winner,"trick said with a laugh.

"It 's supposed to kick upstairs honest sportsmanship and that sort of thing,"Rose explained.

"Still ... I ca n't imagine Laurentis being a near sport,"John said.

After dinner Albus and his friends returned to the green room, deciding that it might be interesting to expend the even there rather than the piranha 's Den. They also wanted to hear firsthand from Tom Bradley and Cedric who won.

The vulgar room had the decided flavor that Gryffindor had just won a Quidditch match. William James, Fred, Heather, patsy, and Ben had taken it upon themselves to have a party to lionize the end of the election and thus the end of debates and essays on argument. There were vitrine of Butterbeer and trays of cookie and nonentity was working on any prep.

"Maybe now affair can get back to pattern,"Albus said as he opened a Butterbeer.

"If Uncle Percy wins things will never be pattern again,"rose wine pointed out.

Albus shrugged."I do n't know. Amanda seems fairly normal and her uncle 's the Prime Minister."

"That 's because nobody here cares about the Prime Minister,"Amanda said."At home plate everyone knows I 'm the niece of the Prime Minister. My sister and crony certainly are n't anon. at their schools. My Sister 's at university now and she says it 's a bit better than it was in secondary school."

"Albus, you 're Harry thrower 's son,"John said flatly."No matter what happens, you 're going to be well-known."

Albus supposed that was genuine, but sometimes he wished it was n't. Sometimes, he wished he could draw his own way in the world and not have his dad 's name tied to him.

"Did you ever get the map back from your dad ?"lusterlessness asked.

"Yeah, why ?"

"Just rummy,"lusterlessness said.

Albus reached into his bag and pulled the map out. He 'd taken to carrying it around with him all the time, but he was n't sure why. After setting it down on the board he revealed it and focused on the part that showed Hogwarts.

"There 's still a crew of masses voting,"Albus said, gesturing to the Great Hall. About a half twelve or so dots were milling about.

"Madam Rosmerta 's there,"Amanda pointed out."I wonder who she 's voting for."

"No idea,"Albus said. He glanced at his watch."Half time of day until the public opinion poll close."

"How long do you call up Omar Bradley and Cedric will stay ?"Kaden asked.

"Probably not long after the declaration is made,"Albus answered."They do n't really wish going to those things."

"Albus,"John said, pointing to the map."Is it just me or is Malfoy going into Moaning Myrtle 's toilet ?"

Albus peered down at the map. sure enough enough, a dot labeled 'Scorpius Malfoy'had just entered the second floor girl 's washstand. That did n't pull in any sense.

"What the hell is he doing in there ?"lustrelessness exclaimed."Why would anyone go in there ?"

"Myrtle 's there,"John the Evangelist commented."Look, she 's floating over toward him."

"But why ?"Albus asked, still utterly confused."Why would a fella go in there ?"

"Maybe the map made a misapprehension ?"Kaden suggested.

"Dad says the map never lies,"Albus explained."wellspring, there 's only one way to observe out. Let 's follow him."

"Sounds good to me,"Amanda said as she stood up."This party is getting boring anyway."

John and Kaden nodded their point in agreement. Rose raised her eyebrows.

"No way,"Matt said, shaking his top dog vehemently."There are n't decent Galleons in the world."

"Oh, come on, it 's just a miss 's loo,"Amanda said."feel, there are n't even any female child in there besides Myrtle. And she 's a ghost !"

whoremonger laughed."myrtle 's got a bit of a crush."

"lav, shut up !"Matt said, his cheeks turn red.

Amanda and Rose burst out in laugh."Seriously ?"Amanda said.

"Yeah, we had detention in there once,"John explained."Myrtle spent the wholly clip flirting with lustrelessness. It was hilarious."

"I said, shut it !"flatness shouted.

"Oh, get on, she 's just a ghost."

"I 'm not going. I refuse."

"fine,"trick said."causa yourself. rise up ?"

"I 'll persist here, thanks,"Rose said."You 're wasting your time anyway. It 's not like he 'll say you anything."

Albus did n't worry. He still liked the idea of going because it felt like he was doing something, making some variety of advancement on figuring out why Malfoy had been acting so oddly the past few months.

They did n't irritate bringing the invisibleness Cloak since there was still an hr left until curfew. On their way there, they spotted Peeves unscrewing pendant in honor of April Fool 's Day, but ignored his cackles.

Albus watched the map as they went. Malfoy remained in the lavatory as they walked quickly down flights of stairs. But they got stuck on the steps leading to the second storey corridor, after the stairs decided to lead them directly to the initiative flooring rather than the second.

"He 's leaving !"Albus exclaimed as they got back on the stair after their rebuff detour.

"Maybe we can entrance him on his way back to the dungeons,"Amanda suggested.

Albus nodded."Let 's wait here, then."

Their current positioning gave them an excellent view of the Great Hall. A few Ministry officials were currently carrying pieces of the ballot cubicles out of the room, polling clearly over. It would only be about a half hour until they had a new curate of magic.

John nudged Albus."There he is."

Albus turned away from the Great Hall and saw Malfoy walking down the staircase. He looked extremely determined.

"Malfoy,"Albus said.

"Potter,"Malfoy replied.

Albus suddenly had no estimate how he was going to ask Malfoy about why he was in the girl 's loo without revealing the map. If they caught him in there it would 've been prosperous to say they saw him going in there, but now he was just walking down the stairs, perfectly innocently. He 'd induce to be really careful about it.

"So why were you in a girl 's loo ?"Amanda asked.

So much for being thrifty, Albus thought.

Malfoy paled."Er, I wasn't."

"Yes, you were,"Amanda said."I was in there, too. second gear floor, Moaning Myrtle 's john ? Ring any bells ?"

"That loo was empty,"Malfoy said quickly."I checked."

"Next time fit a bit harder,"Amanda said."I was in the last stand and when I heard you come in I had to stay there because you 're a bloke and it would just be weird to get along out of a bathroom stall and come face to aspect with a lad. I heard you talking to Myrtle, though."

"I ... er ... that 's not any of your ... concern,"Malfoy stammered.

"Then do n't conduct your business in a girl 's loo,"Amanda said with a jest."Let 's go. We do n't desire to lose the news about the new parson. Clearly Malfoy 's a bit unhinged."

Amanda turned and set off up the stairs. Albus, Gospel According to John, and Kaden followed, leaving Malfoy frozen in their wake. Albus glanced back and saw that he was still as pale as matt is rectify before a full moon.

"Amanda, what was that ?"St. John the Apostle exclaimed once they 'd touch the sec floor.

"That felt good,"Amanda said."He just really irritates me, and this time we had something on him. I could tell Al did n't screw how to ask him without telling him about the map. But I figured it 'd be pretty easy to pretend I 'd been in the loo with him."

"That 's brilliant,"John said.

Amanda grinned."I have my moments."

"Whatever it was, I do n't think he 'll be going in that loo anymore,"Albus said."I just wish we 'd figured out why he was in there in the first place."

"Seriously,"whoremaster said."The only way you 'd catch me in a young woman 's loo is if you paid me a encumbrance of Galleons."

"Or you got detention."Amanda smirked.

"That does n't count,"can said.

"Oh, shut it, both of you,"Albus said."Let 's hurry up and get back to the common room."

When Albus, John Lackland, Kaden, and Amanda returned to the common room they were greeted by loud groans and sighing. Confused, Albus turned to his brother, who was nearest the portrait hole.

"We thought you lot were Thomas Bradley and Cedric,"Epistle of James said.

"James, it 's not even eight-thirty yet,"Albus pointed out."They wo n't be back for at least a half hour."

"Oh, right."

pink wine and matt were in the middle of a game of chess. matte was losing spectacularly.

"Did you find him ?"matte asked as Rose 's bishop crushed his queen.

"Yeah, but not in the loo,"Albus said."Caught him on his way back to his common room. He would n't severalise us a thing."

"Of course he did n't,"Matt said."And he probably denied he was in the loo anyway."

"He would 've,"Albus said."But Amanda told him she 'd been in there and then told him off for being there. It was brilliant."

"Wish I could 've seen that. I 've always wanted to tell off Malfoy."

"You should 've follow,"John said."We did n't even see Myrtle."

"Still ... not taking any chances,"Matt said."power to D6."

blush wine instructed her knight to act faithful to lusterlessness 's big businessman."Checkmate.

matt sighed."One day, I 'll win."

"Me next !"Kaden exclaimed. Everyone else laughed."What ? I 've gotten better,"Kaden muttered.

Albus, John, matt, and Amanda settled down to follow as Rose clobbered Kaden. Albus could 've sworn he saw Kaden 's chess piece quiver as they were set up on the plank. pink wine 's queen was most definitely grinning maliciously. Over the next half hour Kaden 's patch were viciously slaughtered by Rose 's, but not without putting up a fight. Kaden was in fact getting better.

"Exploding snatch ?"Matt asked after Rose and Kaden repaired their chessmen.

"Yeah, all right,"Albus agreed. The others nodded.

Albus ran up to his dorm to retrieve his Exploding Snap cards. As he returned, the portrait muddle opened.

The intact uncouth room froze and was silent. Not a single mortal moved. Not a individual person said a word. Even the first years, who had been tossing a Quaffle around, were still. Albus stood on the stern step to the dorm and waited.

Bradley walked inside, followed by Cedric. Neither seemed overly excited, but that did n't signify that Sir Henry Percy had n't won. After all, they, like Albus, did n't really want Hotspur to be diplomatic minister, but they did n't want Laurentis as Minister either.

"Well ?"James River asked.

"Dad lost,"Bradley said quietly. He whispered something to James II and then he turned and left the common way, followed by Cedric.

Albus could n't trust it. He had n't realized it until now, but he truly had believed that Uncle Walker Percy would win. He had the support of Harry Potter. Did n't that stand for anything anymore ?

Albus returned to his friends and set the box of cards down on the table. He sat down and did n't say a word.

"What does this mean ?"Amanda asked quietly."Will she do everything she said she was going to do ?"

"That and probably worse, too,"Albus said.

James walked up to the table."Al, pink wine, we 're all going to the elbow room of Requirement. Bradley and Cedric want to give us Thomas More details."He glanced the relaxation of the group."Sorry, crime syndicate only."

"We 'll see you later,"Albus said as he and arise stood up.

Albus, James River, and Rose walked to the Room of necessity in silence. When they arrived they saw that the door was already there. They walked inside.

The relaxation of their cousins had already arrived. Albus took a seat on the finally rest couch and James and rosiness sat on either incline of him. cypher was speaking, so he glanced around and watched all of his cousins.

Bradley, Cedric, Calluna vulgaris, home run, Ben, Fred, Victor-Marie Hugo, Lily, James II, Rose, and Angie. And himself. They were the eye group of cousins. Not the honest-to-god, not the youngest, but the ones in the centre, who never did anything first and never did anything last. They were n't the first to go to Hogwarts and they would n't be the last to graduate. They stood by each former, through the good and through the bad.

Omar Nelson Bradley and Cedric were n't seated. They were standing at the front of the room, near its door. The entire elbow room was decorated like the den in the Burrow, with mismatched furniture and organized chaos everywhere. Albus liked it.

"Well, Dad lost,"Bradley finally said."I already told you that ... but yeah. It was close. He only lost by a couple hundred ballot.

"How did he take aim it ?"Heather asked.

"Graciously,"Thomas Bradley answered."Thanked everyone for their support and shook Laurentis 's hired hand, of course."

Albus was n't surprised. Uncle Percy had and always would be the prototype of a polite politician. But maybe that was n't enough to get elected.

"Is it wicked that I 'm happy he lost ?"Cedric asked as he squeezed onto the couch between James and Albus."Because I am, variety of."

"Just a bit,"Heather said."What is Uncle Percy going to do now ? I doubt Laurentis will keep him on."

"I had n't even thought of that,"Bradley said.

Neither had Albus, but it made sentience. Hotspur was still employed by the Ministry, but his job was one of those business selected by the minister.

"He 's always worked for the Ministry,"Bradley continued."I do n't think he could do anything else."

The elbow room descended into silence. cipher seemed to know what to say, Albus included. His feelings on his uncle becoming minister had been all over the place for the retiring seven months, but now that Sir Henry Percy had actually lost, all Albus felt was letdown. It was foreign. Just conclusion week he had been kind of hoping Harry Hotspur would lose, and now that he had, Albus felt the fill in opposite.

It was already by curfew for Lily, Victor Hugo, and Angie, but nonentity was telling them to go back to the common way. Albus was vaguely rum about what was going on in the green room, but not singular enough to actually go back. Matt, John, Kaden, and Amanda would tell him later.

What Albus was really worried about, more than anything, was what Laurentis was going to do to both the Ministry and Hogwarts. Laurentis had made it shed light on that she was going to interchange the school, but Albus liked it the way it was. Then there were the alteration to the Ministry, such as the dementors. How long would it contract for Laurentis to bring them back ? Surely she had to go through proper epithelial duct to do it.

James IV, Omar Nelson Bradley, and Cedric were the firstly to return to the coarse room, claiming they had to lay down commodity on all the wager they 'd taken. Albus had a opinion all three of them were now slightly in debt. Albus and rose returned a few minutes later, leaving the repose of their full cousin talking quietly in the way of Requirement.

When they returned Matt, toilet, and Kaden were playing Exploding Snap. Amanda was writing a letter.

"Who are you writing to ?"Rose asked.

"My uncle,"Amanda answered."I 've been keeping him updated on the election. He says he likes hearing it from me rather than waiting until the new minister arrives to meet him."

"Your uncle meets the pastor of thaumaturgy ?"John asked.

"Well, yes,"Amanda said."The two worlds do take in to coexist. Sometimes there are problems that affect both. Voldemort, for instance. And Hartwell personally told my uncle about the head for the hills Death Eaters."

"That 's so weird,"John said.

"I told you about it earlier in the year,"Amanda pointed out."That 's the only ground I got to go to Hogwarts. My parents changed their minds at the finis minute and happened to note it to my uncle, laughing about the fact that they 'd actually said I could go. And then my uncle told them it was all true."

"I wonder how often that happens,"Albus mused,"Muggleborns not being able to go to Hogwarts because their parents do n't believe."

Amanda shrugged."I 'm just lucky I was n't one of them."

"I think we all need a beguilement,"Rose said and turned to Kaden, whose case was covered in ash."lot out the cards again. Let 's toy until we 're too tired."

Albus heartily agreed, and that was exactly what they did. Two 60 minutes later, all of their faces ashen, they were finally tired. But when Albus climbed into bed, his thoughts began racing and he found himself ineffective to sleep.


A/N : Sorry for the of late update ! My birthday is tomorrow so I had friends up for the weekend and completely forgot. Thanks for all the reviews !


The next day 's edition of the seer was devoted entirely to election day and Laurentis 's win. The winner did not surprise anyone in Hogwarts since Omar Bradley and Cedric had spread that as soon as they returned. Albus still read the intact front line page article at breakfast and he was glad he did, because the article still held surprises.

LAURENTIS profits ; BEGINS APPOINTING emplacement

In the cheeseparing race for Minister of Magic to
appointment, candidate Patricia Laurentis won the
position cobbler's last night. poll parrot closed at eight,
with the official winner announced at a shut
company at the diplomatic minister 's sign of the zodiac at eight-thirty.
Laurentis won by a simple 342 votes, which is the
closest race we have ever seen.

'I am of course very pleased with this turn of
events ,'Laurentis said at the parson 's
sign after the announcement was made .'I am
very excited to be sworn in as Minister of
Magic on May first. I feel I will be capable to
pass the public what they need, for they have
spoken and now it is my obligation to collapse them what
I promised during my crusade. I of course
offer my condolences to Percy Weasley. He truly
was a delight to run against over the yesteryear
seven months .'

'I offer my congratulations to my opponent ,'Walker Percy
Weasley said to Daily oracle reporter at the
Minister 's residence. 'We both campaigned hard
and she won, evenhandedly and square. I am disappointed,
of course, but I still congratulate her .'

Over the adjacent month Laurentis will settle who
she wishes to appoint to top Ministry positions,
before she is sworn in as Minister of Magic on
May first of this class. Laurentis is wasting no
metre with this, as she was seen at the Ministry
earlier this good morning .'I already have multitude
picked out for most locating ,'she said upon
questioning .'I will be keeping a few of the
stream officials, but I will be replacing quite
a few in order to amend unite the Ministry .'

One person has already confirmed his intentions
to choose Laurentis up on her offer of a position.
Ironically, he is set to take over Walker Percy Weasley 's
flow position under diplomatic minister Hartwell .'I am
very pleased to annunciate that Draco Malfoy is
going to take the berth of Senior
Undersecretary for the Drafting and redaction
of Laws. Draco Malfoy has been a friend of mine
for many year as we have worked together in the
Azkaban Division for nearly a decade. I am very
excited to stay working with him .'

Laurentis plans to announce the names of her
officials as they confirm throughout the month.

"Malfoy 's dad ?"Albus exclaimed, in shock."Since when is he chummy with Laurentis ?"

"Malfoy never said a give-and-take,"lusterlessness added, his eyes large.

"Of class he did n't,"Rose said."We 're not exactly his friends."

"Wait, call up in Hogsmeade back in October ?"Albus replied."When he talked about how my family unit wo n't be running the wizarding world for long ? Not that my family has ever ran the wizarding world ... But he seemed to know something we didn't."

"This must be it,"can said, staring at the newspaper."That 's a pretty top position, is n't it ?"

"Second gamey for drafting laws,"rosebush said."Given his family relationship with Laurentis anything he drafts will most in all likelihood pass."

"And who knows what his persuasion are,"Albus said, craning his neck to see the Slytherin table."Malfoy 's over there. I ca n't quite see his grimace, though."

"I 'm trusted he 'll have something to say to you in Potions,"Amanda pointed out.

Albus had quite a few hours to wait to come up out just what exactly Malfoy would have got to say to them. chronicle of Magic, his first grade of the day, was as boring as ever. professor Binns showed absolutely no recognition that the election had taken situation the previous day. prof Patil was the complete opposite, making no move to breed up her indignation at Laurentis 's win, which led her to fellate up the desk she was attempting to transfigure.

"Do you reckon Laurentis will actually get teachers sacked ?"St. John asked as they walked to the Great Hall for lunch."Because if she does, Patil wo n't stand a chance."

Albus shook his head."Only if they 're really awful teacher. Umbridge sacked a few in my dad 's one-fifth year and I think people will be outraged if Laurentis does the same thing. Honestly, I think Binns and Young are the only one in danger."

"Could you sack a specter ?"John asked."I mean, where would he go ?"

"He 'd probably stick around and still try to teach,"Albus said."I ca n't imagine it would go over well."

"And Edward Young ca n't get sacked,"Gospel According to John lamented."That 's where I do all my homework."

Albus secretly agreed, but did n't say anything because Rose snorted in disgust.

Malfoy was waiting outside the potions dungeon when Albus and his friends arrived after lunch. Gone from his expression was the unsettled and partially sad aspect, replaced by Malfoy 's usual haughty smug. Clearly his dad getting a top Ministry posture had changed something.

"Hey, Potter,"Malfoy greeted him."congratulations to your uncle on his expiration. Ca n't thank him enough for that."

"I 'll be sure to tell him,"Albus replied."He 'll be thrilled that he made a Malfoy happy. moldiness be Nice that your dad 's got some actual powerfulness now."

"And yours wo n't have any for long,"Malfoy said."Just another month."

"zilch 's set for certainly about the Auror department,"Albus countered.

Malfoy laughed."I think I might screw a bit Thomas More than you on that. Laurentis was over at my household for dinner last week."

"And you were here,"Albus said."You never mentioned that your dad 's Quaker with Laurentis."

"It never came up."

"Well now that you 're all happy again maybe you 'll actually prove up for this month 's dueling tournament ?"

That wiped the smirk off Malfoy 's expression. He turned stony and took a pace closer to Albus."Do n't say a word about that. It 's none of your business."

"Touchy,"John the Evangelist commented.

"Stuff it, Brickston. This does n't concern you. Your parents will stimulate mogul in the Ministry the day Hagrid adopts a normal pet."

"We 'll see who 's got the mightiness the moment one of your fellowship winds up at St. Mungo 's,"John snapped.

Malfoy paled."Just shut out up. The pointedness is, my dad 's going to have a beneficial position than yours."

"Nobody cares what your dad does for a sustenance,"matt said.

"Nobody asked you. At least my dad does n't lend his work place with him."Malfoy laughed.

John whipped out his scepter."You always take it one too far, do n't you, Malfoy ?"

Malfoy took out his wand as well."I could say the same about you, Brickston."

"baton away, boys."

Albus turned and saw Professor Slughorn standing in the room access. He breathed a suspiration of relief. The lastly thing John needed was another detention.

"Get inside. family is starting in one minute."

Both John the Divine and Malfoy were lucky they did n't get detention, Albus thought. Neither of them had thrown any hexes, but a stricter teacher would 've handed out custody just for having their wands drawn. Not Slughorn, though. Albus got the sense that Slughorn did n't like handing out detention, probably because that meant having to supervise them.
***


The keep an eye on few days passed without anymore side promulgation from Laurentis. In fact, it was a relatively quiet few sidereal day, especially when compared with the past seven months. For the showtime time all yr, there was fiddling reporting of the election, that is until they had political science on Tuesday. At the end of the example, Embry reminded them of their research essays on their congresswoman, an naming that had completely slipped Albus 's head. It was due in two days.

Apparently, it had slipped lav and Matt 's minds as well. rose and Amanda had been diligently working on theirs all week, only needing to publish their finish. Amanda had even asked her uncle for assist, devoting part of her essay to the similarities and departure between the wizarding and Muggle governments.

"I guess we 'll be spending the even in the library,"Albus said as they headed to the Great Hall for dinner."

"Dammit,"Matt muttered."I 'm going to give birth to pen the intact thing tonight. The to the full moon 's tomorrow."

"Usually you 're much best about remembering to do appointment before that,"Rose commented.

"I know, but with the election and everything, I forgot,"Matt said.

"But you 'll be missing stratum on Thursday,"John Lackland pointed out."So you can turn it in Tuesday and get four special days."

"I 've never done that with long-term assignments,"Matt said."I do n't desire to start now. Albus can turn it in, like usual."

"Let 's eat fast, then,"Albus said as they entered the Great Hall.

"Hey, Amanda, want to take a walk around the lake before we write our conclusions ?"rosebush asked."The conditions 's so nice tonight we might as well admit advantage."

"Of track !"Amanda agreed."Ca n't let that go to waste."

"Oh, shut up,"Albus muttered.

Forty-five proceedings later Albus, matt, John, and Kaden had taken over one of the magnanimous tables in the library. Kaden had joined them since he had a Transfiguration essay due the next day and foretelling predictions to do. Albus was considering hexing two first geezerhood at the table future to them who kept giggling, if Madam Pince did n't get to them first. He wished that one of his champion lived in his district ; it would relieve oneself this so much easier.

Albus did ingest a clear-cut advantage over both Matt and toilet, in that his voice was far More long-familiar than theirs. Oliver Prang, who had been serving the North Jack London district, was on his quaternary consecutive term, which amounted to over XV years. That was Thomas More than Albus 's entire life. London in itself was a location that required far more attention than early areas of the country, which resulted in far more than information being usable on it. John the Evangelist was able to locate a honest amount of money of information on his representative, Nadine Abernathy, but mat, since he lived in one of the most remote areas of England, had difficulty locating information on Marcus Whitby.

"Energy Department this bloke even exist ?"Matt asked as he looked through the very last archived copy of the Prophet that was published during Whitby 's one term."Oh, here we go. Lovely. Now I know he exists. Here 's a judgment of conviction that mentions he won the election. And of course of study he won. He did n't experience any opponents."Matt groaned and banged his headspring repeatedly on the table."This is hopeless."

"You 've still got all the minutes from Wizengamot meeting,"Albus said, pointing to the three large mountain of paper in the midsection of the mesa. He really did finger bad for Matt, though. It was bad enough having to do a theme like this, but having to do it when the full Sun Myung Moon was only two daytime away ?

"I could probably just pee-pee material up,"Matt said as he took the top few Thomas Nelson Page."I mean, honestly, could Embry possibly know anything about Marcus Whitby ? It 's the least densely populated district in all of England."

"Embry probably knows everything about everyone,"John said."There. I 've got my intro. Look at it this way. Your feller 's only been in federal agency for a year. So you 've got far less block to seem through. It wo n't remove as long."

"But if there is n't anything, then that does n't facilitate,"Matt muttered."Have you even record anything ?"

"A bit."lavatory shrugged."Nadine Abernathy 's on her second condition, so there 's not as much as Albus has got. But I read enough to write the presentation. Now I 'll record a bit more."

"You have a weird way of doing research."

Albus glanced up and saw that rose and Amanda had returned, bags in hired man. They sat down and pulled out their own essays, which looked very long.

Matt tossed the composition he 'd been looking at onto his rejection spate, which was so hugger-mugger that Madam Pince would probably have a heart approach if she saw it. He then let out a aloud sigh and put his head in his hands.

"Could you please learn ruth on him ?"Albus asked Rose.

Rose looked up from her essay."I told you. You 're all doing this yourselves."

"His representative has only been in office for a twelvemonth,"Albus explained."And the only thing he 's found is one sentence in a Prophet from a year ago saying he won the election, which was against nonentity. And the full moon moon is tomorrow."

"Please, blush wine ?"Matt asked, picking his headway up to depend at her. His cheek was flushed and he looked very frustrated.

"Your parents should 've moved somewhere less remote,"Kaden commented.

"They wanted to be in the middle of nowhere,"Matt said flatly."They did n't want neighbors."

rose sighed."mulct. But only because you look so pathetic. And mine was pretty hard, too, because my district is also remote. Just let me end my conclusion."

"Lucky,"John the Evangelist muttered."I do n't suppose you 'd help-"

"Absolutely not, John Brickston,"blush wine said and lowered her phonation."As soon as you turn into a skirt chaser once a month I 'll help you with your procrastination."

Albus turned back to his own essay and over the next four hours managed to get it half done. He did n't imagine it was very good, but it was advancement. Saint John the Apostle was about halfway done as well, so the two of them decided to telephone it a dark. toilet settled in to help Kaden with his fake foretelling prognostication. Matt was still working on his, with much coaching from rose.

"Did you find anything ?"Albus asked.

"A bit,"Rose said."It 's not much. This gent seriously has n't done anything. He 's hardly mentioned in any of these minutes."

Matt yawned."How farsighted does this have to be again ?"

"A substructure,"rose wine answered."You 've got another four inches to go."

"It 's nearly ten,"Albus mentioned."The library is going to come together and we 've already missed curfew."

The subroutine library was now only filled with fifth through seventh years. It was certainly quieter.

"We should probably complete in the common room, then,"Rose said.

"I do n't think I can,"lusterlessness said."Too tired. I 'll finish it tomorrow since I 'll probably skip good afternoon class anyway."

The group packed up their things and walked quickly back to the plebeian room. By some solidus of lot they managed to avoid the prefects and did n't get any detention from being out after curfew.

"No mandatory curfew tomorrow,"Kaden commented as they entered the park room.

"With Greyback caught they do n't require to do it anymore,"Albus pointed out.

"Thank God,"Matt replied."He wo n't be lurking around tomorrow."

"I just go for your dad was capable to facilitate those parents with the two kids,"pink wine said.

"He 'll probably go do the hospital ward himself,"lustrelessness said."At least for this month. And I 'm sure they 've got Wolfsbane this month."

Albus nodded. It was going to be a better replete moon for everyone involved.
***


Albus, Matt, and John managed to get their essays done in time and turned in on Thursday. The full moon was relatively normal, as full lunar month go, without any report card of lycanthrope attacks. Matt wound up in the hospital wing for two full years, having resorted to chewing on himself since the masher no longer had the distraction of Greyback outside. But Albus had a tactual sensation Matt preferred it that way. Limnodromus griseus 's comportment was just too creepy-crawly and too obscure.

A few days after the full moon James I returned to the commons room fuming. Albus raised his supercilium at his brother as he straightened a nap of career pamphlet that had once again appeared on the common room tables.

William James stomped over to Albus 's table, pulled up a chairwoman, and squeezed himself between Albus and Matt."vocation advice,"he muttered.

"Did you just have it ?"Albus asked.

"Yeah, with Longbottom,"James said."Neville always seemed so courteous when we were little and even in class he 's easily the best professor here. But for career advice ? He 's horrendous !"

"well, what did you talk about ?"

"Careers."

rose snorted."Obviously."

"He wants me to pick something now. I do n't know what I want to do with my life story. I 'm only sixteen for God 's sake !"

"I think you have to pluck something so you can pick your N.E.W.T. course of study next yr,"Rose explained."Otherwise the instructor do n't know what to put you in."

"I know that,"James snapped."But I do n't desire to do anything that 's going to require loading of N.E.W.T.s. I want to represent Quidditch."

pink wine laughed."He did n't care that ?"

"No,"James II muttered."So I told him about Georgia. And then he said that it 's not very commons to be drafted by a professional squad and that even Georgia had a back-up program. That 's tidings to me. As far as I know she 's wanted to play Quidditch her whole life."

"She was going to plan brooms,"Rose said."Still might, after she 's done with Quidditch. Why do n't you do that ?"

"Neville suggested it. But it requires Arithmancy well-nigh of the time and I have n't even done O.W.L. Arithmancy. I just want to take the bare lower limit of N.E.W.T.s and get done with it."

"And of class Neville did n't like that,"Rose said."Honestly, James, just nibble something."

"But I ca n't !"King James said as he picked up a stack of pamphlets."Look at these. Goblin affaire, Gringott 's counterfeit Coin checker, Security Troll flight simulator. They 're all dead boring."

"There 's loads of jobs in the Ministry and St. Mungo 's,"Rose said.

James snorted."No one would want me as their Healer."

Albus had to harmonise with that. William James had about the Saame ability to center as a round."Hey, you could develop security department trolls."

"I said that 's boring. And I do n't want to work for the Ministry. Not now that Laurentis has won. Just you lot expect. You 'll give to go through this following year."

"I already know what I want to do,"rose said."I 'm going to be a Healer, specializing in psychiatry."

"Of course you do,"James muttered.

"If it makes you sense better, better half, I 've no approximation what I want to do,"can said.

"Me either,"Kaden agreed.

"You 're a one-third year,"Epistle of James said flatly."It does n't count that you do n't know what you want to do. What about you, Al ?"

Albus shrugged. He had n't thought much about life history since the previous twelvemonth when Balladanis told him he could be a Presuler. The theme was very tempt, but he did n't require to order anyone else about it.

"I suppose it does n't matter. The N.E.W.T.s I take are going to depend on which O.W.L.s I actually pass."

"If you 'd quit complaining and take up studying you 'd pass Thomas More of them,"blush wine pointed out.

"I suppose you 're decent,"King James said as he stood up."Guess I 'll go to the library."

"James, wait !"pink wine shouted as James II neared the portrait golf hole."Forgetting anything ?"

James glanced down."Oh, right. Books."

King James ran up to his dormitory and returned with his bag a minute later. Grinning at Albus and the others, he left the mutual room.

"I swear, I 'm not sure how we 're related,"Rose muttered.

"You 're telling me,"Albus replied."You 're still set on the Healer matter ?"

"More than ever,"Rose said."It is weird, knowing exactly what I want to do this early."

"You 're like my sister,"Matt pointed out."You two really are alike. It 's kind of weird."

"I like your sister,"rosebush said."So I 'll demand that as a compliment. What about you ? Do you know what you want to do ?"

flatness laughed and picked up the Gringott 's pamphlet."Considering that werewolves are n't going to be changed from Beasts to being anytime soon, I do n't think I 'm going to hold many option to pick from."

"You never know,"rosiness said."Who knows what will pass between now and when we graduate. thing could change."

"Still, it 's doubtful,"Matt said, turning to Amanda."Amanda ? You were awfully quiet when James was here."

"It 's concentrated not to be. He 's rather gimcrack himself. I 'm not sure. I think I want to do something in the Ministry, though. I want to urinate a difference."

"Excellent,"Matt said."You can change everyone 's minds about changing the werewolf classification."

Amanda smiled."You never know. It 's crossed my mind a few times."

"I just want to brew potions for a living,"Kaden announced as he leafed through the pamphlets.

"You 're insane,"John said."You seem so pattern, otherwise. But seriously, nobody enjoys potions."

"You can do that,"matt said."You can turn a brewer. My sister 's doing that along with her Healing degree."

Kaden 's centre grew large."Wait, really ? That 's a veridical calling ?"

Matt nodded."Not everyone can brew potions, so they need the great unwashed to brew them for them. You can work at St. Mungo 's and brew healing potions or you could work for a party and brew potions to sell."

"Sort of like a chemist, I suppose,"Amanda replied.

"Exactly,"rosebush said.

"Brilliant."Kaden grinned."James will detest me now. third base year and I know what I 'm doing."

Albus laughed."You could interchange your mind."

Kaden shrugged."I suppose so."

Albus did n't really want to recall about what they would do after Hogwarts. It was three days away. He 'd rather enjoy the acquaint, but Rose had always been the soul to calculate to the time to come. She fantasized about their Hogwarts days when they were only six and now, she was fantasizing about what they 'd do after. Albus had never been the case to do that. There would be plenty of time for the future in the future.


A/N : Thanks for all the inspection ! For those of you who read Beyond the Shadow, it made it through to the voting round of the Dobbys ! Head over to the meeting place to vote for it. It was nominated in the C. H. Best OC category.


Apr went by quickly, as it usually did. The weather turned from chili and windy to warm and rainy, resulting in more than than one muddy Quidditch praxis. Albus did n't mind the mud as much as he minded the distance of the practices. Both Fred and Heather seemed determined to win the Quidditch Cup now that it was their seventh twelvemonth. They had n't won it yet, in all their years at Hogwarts. Albus wanted to win, too, but not enough that he enjoyed practicing for five time of day straight.

When he was n't on the pitch, most of Albus 's time was spent at dueling recitation. The final match of the year was on the hold out Sat in April and Albus 's squad was still in the running for a win of the integral tourney. They had n't won a single peer, but they were routinely in second station by only a few points. The team that had gotten 1st stead never did that wellspring in other tournament, resulting in their overall compass point total being quite low.

When the hold out Saturday in Apr arrived, far rather than Albus would 've liked, he found himself incredibly nervous. He was n't nervous at all about his duels, but he was nervous for the team. This was it. It was his go tourney in the Jnr Dueling tourney. His last chance to examine himself as maitre d' and bring in a spotlight on Gryffindor 's dueling team next year.

All four chieftain of the house dueling teams were nowadays at this tournament because they would be mitt selecting players for their squad next year. Unlike Quidditch, there were no try-outs for the dueling tournament.

"Last tourney being on Malfoy 's team,"Amanda commented as Malfoy dueled a girl from Ravenclaw.

"Thank God,"Albus muttered. He could n't look until he no longer had Malfoy on his squad."At least he 's acting normally today."

"At to the lowest degree he showed up,"Amanda pointed out.

"Point to Malfoy !"Neville shouted."Albus Potter and mat Eckerton."

Albus groaned inwardly. He always felt awful when he had to duel matte because their acquirement horizontal surface were so drastically dissimilar. At the same time he did n't want to go sluttish on his ally because the Gryffindor team captain was watching.

Albus and Matt bowed to each other and raised their wands. Albus thought a soundless apology as he shot a ravisher at his best champion. mat dodged it and sent one backbone. Albus threw up a shield and then sent three sequent Stunners. The third one made contact and mat collapsed onto the floor, frozen.

"head to mess around !"Neville declared. He waved his baton at mat and the turn lifted.

"Sorry, checkmate,"Albus said as he helped flatness up.

"Do n't be,"Matt replied."You 're definitely getting on the squad next year."

Albus won his indorsement duel as well. His team continued to win near of their duels, with some of his teammate winning their first duels ever. Amanda had begun a tally of all the points on a redundant bit of parchment and their team was winning, with only a few duel left to go.

Kaden wound up dueling one of the Ravenclaws from Albus 's squad during the last affaire d'honneur of the day. Kaden lost spectacularly, which Albus was both happy and worried about.

A few minutes later Neville stepped into the nitty-gritty of one of the dueling rings."I am pleased to announce that we have a winner of both today 's tourney and the year 's tournament boilers suit. Congratulations to team up seven-spot for winning both today and the tournament overall ! Captain Albus thrower, please make out forward to have the trophy."

Albus was momentarily stunned, until Amanda nudged him. The integral Great Hall was applauding as he stepped over to the dueling rings. They 'd done it ! After a class, they 'd finally done it !

Albus shook Neville 's hand while a Hufflepuff took their picture. The prize was a bit pocket-size than the Quidditch Cup, but certainly not small by any means. After a few more characterisation were taken, including one shot of the entire squad, Albus joined Amanda and the two of them walked back to the common room.

"When will you find out if you got on Gryffindor 's dueling team ?"she asked as they walked.

"Not until the summertime,"Albus said."They send out letters."

"You 're pretty much guaranteed a position, after that win,"Amanda said."Malfoy, too, probably. And then you 'll get to duel each other."

"I 'm looking forward to that,"Albus said."Just a bit."

"Me, too,"Amanda agreed.

Albus 's supporter were waiting in the common room when he and Amanda arrived. They offered felicitation and Butterbeer, which Albus drank quickly before heading outside for Quidditch practice session.

Later that night, between his felicity about the win and exhaustion from Quidditch practice, Albus slept better than he had in calendar month.
***


In April 's last stay on years the Daily prophet published at least one clause a day on Laurentis and her upcoming swearing-in ceremony, as well as her picks for top officials. Albus had n't recognized any names of the official, or the epithet of their task. Mostly they were jobs such as the one his Uncle Harry Hotspur held under Minister Hartwell. Laurenits, as it seemed, was waiting until she became Minister to reveal the big view, such as Albus 's dad 's position.

The Gryffindor table was unusually quiet the morning of May first. Albus, along with all his cousins, were n't saying a word. Albus was thinking of his uncle Walker Percy and how this should 've been his day, not Laurentis 's, and he was certainly his cousins were thinking the same.

"I wish one of us could go to her ceremonial,"Amanda said as she read the Prophet."It 's not going to be the same version about it tomorrow."

"I heard they 're listening to it on the radio receiver in politics today,"John said."Wish we had it today. That would be much better than having actual class."

"I just want to eff if my dad 's out of a job,"Albus said.

"Will he be completely sacked ?"Kaden asked.

"No. He just would n't be principal Auror anymore,"Albus answered."It 'd still be awful, though."

"Saami here,"Matt agreed."Amy said that Dad 's really aflutter about it."

"What meter is it happening ?"rose wine asked.

"Ten-thirty,"Amanda said after consulting the paper.

"Right after History of Magic,"rose mused."So you lot will have Care of Magical tool and I 'll sustain Arithmancy. Is anyone else thinking that we should break out Uncle George 's best-selling product this morning ?"

Albus thought he heard her ill-timed. Was his cousin actually suggesting they skip class ?

"waiting, blush wine,"John said."Are you saying we should skive off class ?"

rosebush grinned."I think this is going to be a bit more educational. I say we skive and meet in the vulture 's Den to heed on the wireless."

"I 'm in,"Albus said immediately. lav, Matt, Amanda, and Kaden agreed.

"We 've got to plan it carefully, though,"pink wine said."We ca n't all get ill at the same prison term or it 'll face suspicious."

"I 've got a free period starting at ten-fifteen,"Kaden said."So I 'm all set."

Rose nodded."That leaves five of us. matt, do you have an issue with skipping all of History of Magic ?"

Matt laughed."Of course of instruction not."

"good. I think you ought to just skive off without using a Skiving Snackbox. No one will suspect anything."

"Aw, why ca n't I do that ?"John asked.

"Because if mortal finds out and asks it 'll be easier for Matt go just say he felt ill, rather than you. I 'll use a nosebleed nougat in Arithmancy since I 'm the alone one of us in that category. Al, whoremonger, Amanda, two of you can use something in story of Magic and then the other one can use something right at the beginning of fear of Magical Creatures. We meet in the Marauder 's Den by ten-thirty."

With the programme decided upon, they set off for their morning classes. trick begged to be the one who used a puking cough drop first in History of magic trick and Albus and Amanda let him. He seemed strangely excited about it. Albus was just going to use the fever fudge.

prof Binns began droning on about the Giant Wars, a subject he seemed to enjoy for some reason. He taught it each and every year without fail. Albus doodled aimlessly on his notes while taking surreptitious glances at privy every so often.

"Um, prof ?"John announced ten min into the class.

Binns turned around, looking confused. It was rarified that anyone ever interrupted him."Yes, Mr. Broggs ?"

"I do n't experience well-"privy was cut off by his own vomiting. His table was now covered with a pile of puke.

"Yes, yes, off to the infirmary,"Binns said as he returned his attention to the blackboard.

John hastily shoved the former end of the sweet into his rima oris and vanished the vomit before grabbing his bag ( which he never unpacked ), and left the room.

Amanda was next. She, like Albus, went the condom route and had decided upon the pyrexia fudge. prof Binns hardly seemed to discover that she felt ill, despite her announcing it to the year. He just waved her out and continued his lecture. Albus could 've probably used his own fever fudge right then and there, but he did n't cogitate it was worth the small-scale jeopardy.

Albus decided to eat the fever fudge on his way to Care of Magical Creatures so he could leave immediately after arriving. The predator 's Den was quite a walk from Hagrid 's hut and he did n't want to miss any of the ceremony.

He felt the effects of the fudge before even reaching Hagrid 's Hut. He had n't had a febrility in years and had forgotten just how abominable they were.

"Hagrid ?"Albus asked as soon as he arrived.

"Albus !"Hagrid exclaimed."How are yeh ?"

"Not good,"Albus answered."I feel ill."

Hagrid 's face fell."Yeh don'look so well. punter go see dame Pomfrey."

Albus nodded and turned around, walking quickly up the path. Once he was out of sight of Hagrid, he shoved the former half of the febricity fudge into his mouth and felt immediately better. He 'd done it !

By the fourth dimension he arrived at the marauder 's Den it was nearly ten-thirty. The rest of his friends were already there, huddled around a very old looking wireless.

"Albus !"Rose exclaimed."Nearly thought you would n't make it !"

"I practically ran here,"Albus said as he tossed his bag onto the floor and took a buns future to his cousin.

"Shhh !"Amanda said."It 's starting !"

"Good dawning, listeners. We are broadcasting live from Courtroom Ten in the Ministry of magic trick, where just minute from now Patricia Laurentis will be sworn in as pastor of conjuration for the United realm. It is standing way only in the courtroom, with extra spectator in the corridor."

Suddenly there was thunderous hand clapping, drowning out the observer 's voice. It died down a few minutes later.

"Patricia Laurentis has entered the courtroom. She is making her way down the aisle, greeting people on her way.

"Minister Hartwell, along with penis of the Wizengamot are seated on the ambo. Three older penis of the Wizengamot will swear Laurentis in."

Thomas More applause. Then a new vocalization. Albus recognized it as Minister Hartwell.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. It has been my delight to process you over the past ten year. I 'd wish to take a moment to give thanks my political party, Merlinus, for their support over the past decade, as well as all of my top official and the remainder of the Ministry employees. I 'll keep this scant and just say that I am going to drop serving you, but I have to intromit that both my married woman and I are looking forward to taking a gracious, long holiday."

laugh, followed by applause.

"Thank you, government minister Hartwell,"someone else said. Albus assumed it was one of the Wizengamot fellow member."Ms. Laurentis, if you would please step forward."There was a pause."Please repeat after me. I do hereby affirm to function the United Kingdom-"

"I do hereby affirm to service the United Kingdom-"

"-to the advantageously of my ability-"

"-to the unspoiled of my ability-"

"-and keep to the ideals of the Philippus Aureolus Paracelsus party-"

"-and keep to the nonpareil of the Paracelsus party-"

"I swear to mind to the masses and do what is best for them-"

"I swear to listen to the people and do what is best for them-"

"-regardless of whether it is best for myself or the Ministry."

"-regardless of whether it is best for myself or the Ministry."

"I hereby declare Patricia Laurentis as the third Minister of illusion post-War as of the get-go of May, 2020, at eleven o'clock in the morning. Ms. Laurentis, congratulations. Please welcome your new Minister of Magic, Patricia Laurentis !"

There was a smattering of civil applause, much muted than the previous applause for Hartwell. Albus supposed it was a serious occasion and no one wanted to seem too ecstatic.

"That was quickly,"Albus said.

"She 's going to make a speech now,"Rose said."Shhh."

"Thank you,"Laurentis said as the applause died down."It is an honor to be standing before you as your minister of Magic. I would like to begin by thanking the Paracelsus party for nominating me as candidate and supporting me throughout my successful campaign-"

"Does she really ask to say it was a successful campaign ?"John asked."I mean, it 's obvious that it was successful."

"Shut up !"rosebush said.

"-without your accompaniment I would never stimulate made it this far. I hope I am able-bodied to live up to the in high spirits outlook set by you and diplomatic minister Hartwell. I am sure you are all anxious to hear who I am appointing to Head of Department perspective in the Ministry, so I wo n't waste any clip getting to that."

Albus 's heart sped up. He glanced up and met matt 's gaze. flatness looked just as nervous as Albus felt.

"offset, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I am pleased to announce that Tethys Balladanis will be taking over for former top dog, Reena Barnes."

"What ? !"Albus exclaimed."Did I hear her right wing ?"

"Balladanis ?"pink wine shouted at the same time."But he did n't even like the Ministry, did he ?"

"He said it was too restrictive,"Albus said."I guess he likes Laurentis."

matt groaned."That means he 's going to be around all the time. Not here, but this country."

"I definitely did n't see that one coming,"Gospel According to John said.

"Laurentis, Balladanis, Malfoy 's dad ..."Amanda mused.

"Shh !"Albus said."I heard her say Auror Department."

"-Robert Johnson will be replacing Harry Potter as Head of the Auror Department-"

There was an audible gasp from the audience. Albus sat stunned, processing the info. section of him had been expecting this, but now that it had actually happened, it was still a shock. It was very alike to the election results.

"I understand that this is a controversial choice, but I feel that the Ministry needs to be a united movement. I assure you that Robert Johnson is an excellent Auror and will induce a wondrous Head of Department."

Albus tuned the wireless out once Laurentis went on to the Department of Magical transit. He could hear his heart pounding in his head and the rest of the world seemed so far away. It was almost surreal.

"Albus ?"blush wine asked."Are you all right ?"

"I do n't know,"Albus said."She 's insane, right ?"

"Honestly, Albus, I 'm not surprised,"rosiness said quietly."And your dad still has a job."

"But it 's the statement she made by doing it,"Amanda pointed out."She 's implying that he 's bad at his job."

"Exactly,"Albus said, glad that Amanda was able to put into words what he felt."first Uncle Harry Hotspur lost and now this."

"-Walter Eckerton will remain Head of the Department for the regularization and ascendancy of Magical Creatures-"

"Thank God !"Matt exclaimed.

"commodity,"Albus said."At to the lowest degree there 's soul sane still in a heading position."

Albus only paid vague attention to the rest of the proclamation. He did n't recognize anyone, except for Malfoy 's dad when Laurentis reiterated that appointment. One thing was clear by the end, and that was no one in Albus 's kinsfolk was in any of the Head locating.

blush wine switched the wireless off at the end of Laurentis 's speech. The wizard doing the programme was interviewing a few citizenry, but they were n't anyone of bully importance.

"Do you require to go to lunch ?"Rose asked after a few minutes.

"Yeah, I suppose so,"Albus said as he stood up.

It was bring in that word of honor had spread when Albus and his friends reached the Great Hall. Whichever class had had politics during the speech must 've shared the news with the entire castle, because everyone stared at Albus as he walked in. He did n't make eye contact with anyone and made a beeline for the Gryffindor board, where he sat down next to James.

"So you heard,"James I said quietly.

"I skived off grade to listen live,"Albus explained."She wants a combine ministry. What a payload of tartar dung."

"This is bad,"Henry James said."This is really bad."

"She 's replaced more functionary than any minister, ever,"Rose commented."She only kept three."

"I still have no idea why she kept my dad,"Matt replied."I mean, I 'm glad she did, but it does n't make any sense."

"cypher she 's doing makes a bit of sense,"Albus muttered."But I guess hoi polloi must like her. She got elected."

"But now that she 's elected she can appoint who she wants,"Amanda said."I do n't think anyone actually thought she 'd replace your dad. I 've only been in the wizarding human beings for four age and even I know that everyone loves your dad."

That 's what Albus had always thought, too. He hated the fact that he was always in the spotlight because of it, but it was a invariant. It was normal for him. Now, he did n't know what to think.

"smell,"Amanda said as she pointed to the stave table."I do n't think the teachers expected it, either."

Albus glanced up. Every single professor was deep in conversation, some even ignoring their food. Neville in particular looked astonished and upset. None of them looked happy.

Albus 's own photographic plate was still empty and he had no desire to fill it. For as long as he could remember his dad had been Head of the Auror department, a job that he loved. Being the man who defeated Voldemort had given him an air of being the ultimate Auror, something that had stayed with him for over twenty years. Now, so many twelvemonth later, it seemed to Albus that it was wearing off.

It was May first, 2020, almost exactly 23 age after his dad had defeated Voldemort. Albus thought it was slightly ironic that this had happened almost to the day, 23 years later.

Albus looked around at his beau Gryffindors. He knew that more than a few of them had voted for Laurentis, and therefore most likely supported her decisiveness to replace his dad as psyche of the Auror section. Not everyone was talking in whispers, with disturbed expressions. A few grouping were laughing, like they did n't feature a tutelage in the humanity. Either they just did n't wish about Laurentis 's conclusion, or they supported it. The thinking was very faze. Laurentis herself was unsettling to Albus, and the more he thought about it, the more he did n't like that she was now the minister of religion of Magic. He did n't wish it at all.


A/N : Thanks for all the adorable limited review !


The following calendar week brought a slew of articles stating and re-stating everything Laurentis said in that first manner of speaking. A list of the new Ministry officials was printed multiple times. Albus found the newspaper column more interesting than the literal clause, mostly because there were quite a few proclaiming how stupe it was of Laurentis to sack Harry thrower. However, it was n't until nearly a hebdomad after Laurentis officiall became Minister that an article completely captured Albus 's attention was published.

DEMENTORS TO reappearance TO AZKABAN ;
HOGWARTS TO SEE alteration

Newly elected Minister of Magic
Patricia Laurentis officially signed
the law that will bring Azkaban back
under the control of the dementors
late last night. Laurentis hopes
to own the dementors back by late
succeeding week. 'This has been a destination
of mine for twelvemonth and I am very
happy that it is finally happening.
The wizarding public will be far
safer now that our criminals will
be guarded once more than by dementors .'

Bringing the dementors back to Azkaban
is the first base of many variety the new
minister will be enacting over the
next few week. Laurentis 's next
plan is to act out changes at Hogwarts.
'Over the next few workweek I will be
sending voice from the
department of Magical Education to
observe each professor. Each
prof will be required to submit
their course of study to the representatives
as well .'prof planning on
retiring at the end of this class
will be relieve from this necessary,
as no modification will shoot place before
the end of term.

"Well, she 's done it,"Albus said as he set the clause down."A week from now Azkaban will have dementors."

"Mad,"Amanda muttered."She 's mad !"

"And she 's sending people to observe the teacher,"Albus said.

Amanda grabbed the article from Albus and scanned it quickly."Are any of them retiring ?"

"I did n't think so,"Albus said."But a few of them are quite old."

As if on cue, Professor Kendrick stood up."May I have your attention ? Thank you. to the highest degree of you, I am sure, have read the Prophet. Over the next few workweek every professor will be observed during one of his or her classes. I ask you all to ignore the illustration and go about socio-economic class as if they were n't there. That is how the Ministry will outdo get an discernment of how things work at Hogwarts. Now, Professor Slughorn has an promulgation to make."

professor Slughorn stood, although he was so short-circuit that it hardly made a difference. He looked a bit nervous and Albus got the feeling that he rarely ever addressed the integral student body at once.

"Yes, thank you, professor Kendrick,"Slughorn said."I just wanted to enjoin you all at once that I am going to retire at the end of condition. I 've enjoyed my prison term at Hogwarts, but it 's senior high time I retire for good."

"Ten Galleons says he decided to retire after finding out he had to present his curricula to the Ministry,"rosiness whispered after Slughorn sat back down.

"I 'm certainly you 're right,"Albus agreed."Dad said he did n't even want to arrive back when our parents were in school."

"What about Young ?"Kaden asked."He doesn't even have a curriculum."

Albus burst out laughing."I had n't even thought of that. Bet he gets sacked."

"So that 'll be two new prof next year,"John said.

Rose groaned."And in our O.W.L. year, too."

"Do n't say that Book !"James, who was sitting about five tail end down from Rose, shouted.

Rose raised her brow."What word ?"

"O.W.L,"James River said with a frisson."They 're only a month away."

"Guess you should 've started studying earlier,"Rose said.

"Shut up,"James muttered.

James was n't the only one to have forgotten about O.W.L.s amidst all the election news. There seemed to be more frenzied studying than usual, and not just from the fifth and 7th years. The entire rook had neglected to examine for their end-of-term exam. Later that night Albus, trick, pink wine, Amanda, and Kaden joined the throngs of people vying for tables in the library in order to wad in as a good deal perusal as potential. flatness could n't fall in them, as it was the full moon.

However, Albus had a hard time concentrating. His every thought was focused on the dementors in Azkaban or his dad 's job or the Ministry spokesperson at Hogwarts. rose, Amanda, and even Kaden were focusing on their studying. Saint John the Apostle was playing with his quill. Suddenly, he stood up.

"Kaden ?"he asked."Think now would be a good clip ?"

Kaden grinned, setting down his script."Yeah, I think so."

"We 'll see you lot later,"John said as Kaden got up."Do n't ask."

"That was weird,"rose wine said once the two boys left.

"It 's probably their joke,"Albus pointed out.

Rose groaned."They 're right wing. I do n't require to know."

Albus had assumed that this would be a buffoonery that would make itself known right away, as about of John and Kaden 's pranks worked that way. But by the side by side morning things seemed perfectly fine at Hogwarts. The Slytherins'hairsbreadth was still normal coloring material and everything seemed sedate and tranquil. John and Kaden kept grinning at each other, so Albus was surely they 'd done something.

It took another full day for matter to pick up. Albus first noticed it at breakfast, when some of the Slytherins seemed a bit enervate. They were squirming in their tail and did n't seem able to sit still. But it was only a few of them.

Albus raised his eyebrows questioningly at John and Kaden.

"Should we tell him ?"John asked.

"Oh, I suppose now we could,"Kaden said as he leaned over to Albus."Itching pulverisation in their laundry. The house-elves are very helpful with pranks."

Albus started laughing."Seriously ?"

Kaden nodded."Completely untraceable and the gist wo n't all derive at once. It all depends on when they send their laundry out."

"That 's mavin,"Albus said. John and Kaden 's pranks were most definitely improving over the years.

"What 's sensation ?"

Albus looked up from his breakfast to see Matt nudging a number 1 twelvemonth over so that he could sit down in next to John.

"lady Pomfrey let you out ?"Albus asked.

matte nodded."Yeah, I think she wanted me to stay longer, but I told her I needed to learn. Why are these two brilliance ?"

"We did our harlequinade on the Slytherins,"John explained and then lowered his vocalization."Itching gunpowder in their laundry. The house-elves helped."

"Okay, that is passably awful,"Matt said."You wo n't get caught, either."

"Nope, it 's not likely,"trick said."So, what should we do today ?"

"Study."

Albus looked up once Thomas More and saw that this time Rose and Amanda had appeared, both heavily ladened down with account book and stacks of parchment. They wore identical looks of determination.

"You 're all studying. All day,"blush wine continued."examination are in a month and none of us are prepared. The election happened, it sucked, but it 's over. Nothing can be done. Albus, you 've been moping about your dad 's job for a hebdomad. John, Kaden, I 'm determined that you do well this year. Matt, the entire moonlight is over. All four of you are studying from now until exams."

"Aw, Rose, c'mon-"

"No,"Rose said."Studying. All of you. Amanda and I are going to get a table in the subroutine library and we expect all of you there in XV minutes."

rosiness and Amanda left in a flourish of parchment and record book, leaving Albus and the other son to stare at each other open-mouthed. Albus knew his cousin was very faculty member and placed a high value on her own education, but never before had she staged an treatment for his studying.

"She 's lost her creative thinker,"King John said."If she 's like this now, what will chance next year for O.W.L.s ?"

"Do n't say that word !"James II shouted from down the table.

"I suppose we have n't got a choice, do we ?"Matt asked as he shoved his eggs into his sassing."Damn, I only just got back."

That was true, Albus thought. He and his friends quickly finished their breakfast and hurried up to the library, realizing once they arrived that they did n't cause any of their books. They ran up to their dormitories to retrieve them and made it to the library five minutes later than pink wine insisted they be there.

blush wine and Amanda had shoved two tabular array together and had spread all their books out over them. Madam Pince was sitting behind the circulation desk, looking at them curiously, as if she could not recollect a time individual had frequented the program library that early. The rest of the table were deserted.

"What 's with the extra chair ?"Albus asked as he dumped his books onto the table."There 's only six of us."

"Oh, that 's for Elsie,"rose wine said as she set parchment down at each can.

"As in Elsie Willinson ?"Albus replied.

"Yes, that 's the but Elsie we know,"Rose said."She needs help studying and I 'm her tutor."

"But she 's Felix Willinson 's sister,"John pointed out.

"And she needs help, can,"Rose said with a suspiration."I 've been tutoring her all year and I 'm not going to stop now."

matt nudged whoremaster."It 's not a bad thing. Maybe she 'll tell us what her sidekick and Malfoy have been up to all year."

Albus had n't thought of that. Of course, Rose had n't had any luck getting Elsie to talk all twelvemonth, so chances were svelte that he and the other son would get success.

"Honestly, you lot are far too focused on Malfoy,"Rose said."You 've hardly studied all year. Just sit down and start reviewing Transfiguration of Jesus. I 've made study scout for every subject. You should have them at your spots."

Albus picked a keister and sat down. pink wine was organized to the stage of insanity. There were in fact study template for every subject, organized chronologically, from September until May. Albus was suddenly very grateful for his cousin, despite her obvious insanity. This was going to puddle studying so much easier.

"Wow, thanks Rose,"Albus said. The rest of the group muttered their agreement.

Rose smiled."See ? It was a well thought. Now, we 'll consider until lunch and then have a break."

luncheon was about two hours away. That was n't too bad. Albus opened his Transfiguration of Jesus Book and settled in with that and the study template. It took him about a half hour to work out through beguilement, but soon his psyche was only focused on Transfiguration.

Around him, the library quickly filled up. Fifth and seventh years seemed the most frenzied about finding tables and searching the stacks, but students from every year and every house were present. Madam Pince spent the dayspring weaving throughout the tabular array and looking over everyone 's articulatio humeri to make sure they were working on school body of work. With exam so near, the library was now closed to everyone who was n't going to revise.

Elsie Willinson showed up a little after eleven. Albus watched as she tentatively made her way over to the table, clearly unsure of studying with so many citizenry. Albus was struck again by how standardized she looked to Felix. It always kind of entertained Albus when siblings looked so alike, since he did n't really resemble either of his sib. But Felix and Elsie Willinson were incredibly standardised in looks.

Once Rose noticed Elsie, she immediately stood up and beckoned the inaugural year over. Elsie seemed less nervous now that rose knew she was there, but she still avoided eye contact as she sat down and pulled her Word out of her bag. blush wine whispered something in her ear and she began reading her magic spell Scripture.

Albus sighed and returned to his own work. Getting Elsie Willinson to let the cat out of the bag was going to be much more hard than he thought.
***


blush wine 's revisal Sessions continued throughout the month of May. Albus did n't like to admit it out tacky, but they were incredibly helpful and he was n't surely he would come about his examination if it were n't for Rose. As the month progressed, the sessions grew both in length and the number of participant. By the end of the first week their study grouping had grown to admit King James I, Ben, Cedric, and their friend Nathan, who all now feared failing their O.W.L.s.

Albus and King James missed a few sessions for Quidditch practice, but as the Quidditch final examination John Drew closer, both of them agreed that Quidditch was just as important as studying. Bradley and Heather were becoming more and more uneasy about the final, since it would learn whether Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup. They were currently only a few points behind Ravenclaw and if they pulled off a win in the net, they would most belike win the cup as well.

The compeer took place a week before O.W.L.s were scheduled to start out and Albus awoke more skittish than he had been for a Quidditch match in ages. The mates itself was going to be bittersweet since it would be the last time he played with heather and Fred as the former Chasers on Gryffindor 's team. Next year he 'd take in two new chaser and that was going to be incredibly strange.

Albus headed down to breakfast before his friends and encountered a few particularly fretful Slytherins on his way. Giggling to himself and enjoying the fact that can and Kaden 's japery was still going on, calendar week later, he entered the Great entrance hall. On his way to the Gryffindor board, he was distracted by the pot of Malfoy, speaking with Felix Willinson, while carrying an nightlong bag.

Deciding that breakfast could wait, Albus crept over to the Slytherin mesa and attempted to stoop down behind a few one-seventh years. Unfortunately the Great mansion house was too loud for proper eavesdropping, and Albus made a vow to always throw an extendable Ear on his person from now on.

Malfoy stepped away from Felix Willinson and turned, allowing Albus to calculate at his face. He looked terrible. His heart were red and it looked like he had n't slept in 24-hour interval. Very foreign, Albus thought, as he rose to follow Malfoy out of the room.

Once in the Entrance Hall, Malfoy immediately ran up the staircase, going far too immobile for Albus to surveil. Albus stood next to the door to the Great Hall thinking about what Malfoy 's activeness meant.

He was clearly upset about something, but what was it ? The overnight bag implied that he was going to be leaving the palace, but why ? Albus thought back to the dueling tournament that Malfoy missed. The two incidents must be connected, and it was quite possible that the missive Albus and Amanda saw Malfoy reading calendar month ago was connected as well.

Albus did n't bring up Malfoy to his admirer when they came down to breakfast a few minutes later. As much as Albus wanted to discuss it with them, he knew that he needed to put it out of his mind for the duration of the match. If there was ever a match for Albus not to be distracted, this was it.

The nerves on the team were tangible as they stood waiting to take the air onto the rake. Fred did n't even give a speech, since everyone knew how important the match was, both to Fred and Heather.

Ravenclaw had a good Quidditch team. They were easily the best team in the school, although nigh Gryffindors would differ. But the Gryffindor team was determined in this match, causing them to play fiercer than ever before.

Albus flew faster than he ever had before. He, Fred, and Heather had always worked very well together, but during this peer it almost seemed like they were one entity, sharing one genius. Albus 's full intellect was focused on Quidditch and Quidditch only. Gone were the persuasion of his dad 's job, Laurentis, and Malfoy.

The match only lasted an hr. Albus had n't even realized that James caught the stoolpigeon until the whistling was blown. Gryffindor won 420-260, their best win yet that year.

"We did it !"Fred shouted as he landed."We 've won the Cup !"

Albus could n't even listen the commentary over the thunderous applause of the spectators. professor Longbottom was holding the Quidditch Cup high gear over his head and was making his way through the crowd to Fred. Fred took the Cup and held it out to broom. Each held one side and raised it up. The Gryffindors were storming the pitching and Albus was sept up in the bunch, making it difficult to reach his team. Once he did, person snapped their picture.

Albus was the happy he 'd sense in hebdomad, ever since his team won the Dueling Tournament. It was his third year on the Quidditch team and they finally won the Cup. But he was even more well-chosen for Fred and Heather than he was for himself since they 'd both been on the team since their second twelvemonth and had never won the Cup.

Heather had snag streaming down her face and Fred was grinning wider than Albus had ever seen him. While neither of them were pursuing a career in Quidditch, Quidditch had been their life history for the past six years. Winning the Cup in their one-seventh yr seemed more affecting than it would have winning it any other class. Albus hoped that Gryffindor 's team was still as estimable as it was now when he got to seventh year. Winning again in his last-place yr would be the best feeling in the world.
***


"Malfoy really did leave the castle,"Amanda announced at breakfast the next day.

"How did you ascertain that out ?"Albus asked.

"Weirdly enough, Moaning Myrtle."

"How would she recognize ?"

"I 've no idea,"Amanda said as she grabbed a few slice of goner."I did n't ask."

"fountainhead, I just found out why he left,"pink wine said as she set down the prophet."His grandpa passed away."

"As in Lucius Malfoy ?"Albus said, taking the paper."The ex-Death eater ?"

"One in the same,"Rose said."His obituary is in there."

"Why were you reading the obituaries ?"Matt asked.

"I was n't trying to. I was flipping through and happened to see it. It says he 's been ill for a while,"rosiness explained.

"That explains why he 's been acting so odd all year,"Amanda said.

"And that belly laugh he got months ago,"Kaden added.

Albus glanced at the obituary but did n't study it. As much as he disliked Malfoy, he could n't aid but feel sorry for him. Albus could n't imagine what it would be like to fall back his gramps, and despite Lucius Malfoy 's obvious faulting, he was still Scorpius 's gramps.

"I feel sort of bad for yelling at him about skipping that dueling tournament,"Albus muttered.

"You did n't know,"Gospel According to John said."And it 's not like he explained."

"Is n't anyone else a bit deep in thought with the fact that Moaning Vinca minor knew about him leaving the castle ?"lusterlessness asked."She never leaves her loo. We saw Malfoy going into her loo a few weeks ago. Does n't that appear a bit too coincidental ?"

"You think he 's stimulate chummy with Moaning Myrtle ?"Albus asked.

lustrelessness shrugged."It looks like he has. Why else would she be intimate about it ?"

"But why would he go into a girl 's loo ?"Gospel According to John asked, wrinkling his nose."That 's just bloody insane."

"sound like we need to pay a visit to myrtle,"Albus said.

Rose groaned."Really, Al ? He just lost his grandfather for God 's sake."

"We 're not going to bother Malfoy,"Albus said."We 're just going to talk to Myrtle."

"Count me out,"rose wine said, shaking her head.

"But you 're a girl,"Albus pointed out."You could get in there so lots easier. Amanda ?"

"Sorry, Albus, but I 've really got to study,"Amanda said.

"We 'll go at dark, then,"Albus decided."John, Kaden, Matt ? Which of you is going with me ?"

"Not me,"Matt said immediately.

"I 'll go,"John said.

"You 're both mad,"rosiness said quietly."Mad."

Albus may have been mad, but he could n't let this mystery go. His gut was telling him that Malfoy was up to something, despite his grandpa 's pass, and Albus was determined to notice out what it was.


A/N : Sorry that the update is a day latterly ! I was really fussy yesterday and did n't take a chance to update. Thanks for all the adorable reviews ! I am very behind on answering them, but I 'll finish eventually !


The plan to spill to Vinca minor in the dead of nighttime may cause been a plan that belonged solely to Albus and John, but rose wine still had somewhat of a say over when it happened. Exams were now only a week away and rose was only giving them one Night off, for rest and clearing stress from the mind. Neither Albus or John dared Cross rosebush and pass over out on revision, which took post in the program library until curfew and then in the plebeian room until they all went to bed.

Their one dark off occurred the dark before their low test. O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s had been going on for a good week, but none of the fifth or 7th years were taking any nighttime off, including James River. Despite Rose 's insistence that he take a night off, James insisted upon studying. It was quite a switch.

Albus and John spent the evening acting chess with Kaden. matte had turned in early, still tired from the full lunation, which had taken place two solar day earlier. rose and Amanda had disappeared into their dormitory, clearly set upon having some time away from the boys.

The uncouth room emptied as the night progressed, and eventually whoremonger and Albus were the only ones left. It had n't taken long since most hoi polloi went to bed early because of exam. It was probably fairly poor fish of Albus and John to stay up so belatedly, but neither of them cared.

They waited an additional fifteen mo in case somebody decided to return to the common room, but no one did. Albus glanced at Saint John the Apostle and then pulled the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder 's Map out of his bag. He carefully unfolded the map and set it out on the board. The coast was clear.

Albus and john stumbled out of the portrayal hole and once they righted themselves, Albus threw the Cloak over them, under the Fat Lady 's inexorable regard.

"Do n't expect me to let you in when you return,"she said."I 'm quite a exhausted."

The Fat Lady was always threatening this but she never seemed to make good on any of her threats. Ignoring her, Albus and John set off along the corridor. bathroom led the way while Albus kept his eyes glued to the Map, but the corridors remained empty. It seemed everyone, both student and professor, were getting a trade good Nox 's eternal sleep before test. Everyone that is, except for Albus and John.

Moaning Myrtle was the only occupier of the secondment floor girl 's lavatory. John the Evangelist quietly pushed the door open and Albus followed him in. Once inside, Albus pulled the Cloak off and held it under is right arm.

"myrtle ?"St. John shouted as he stepped into the room.

A splashing auditory sensation came from the last stalling and then Myrtle 's ghostly pattern floated through the closed stall door."Boys ? Why do n't you go use your own-"Myrtle cut herself off with a giggle. She floated toward Albus and John the Evangelist and rested on the sinks."Oh, it 's you. Albus Potter. And his friend John. Where 's Matt ? I rather fancy him ...."

"He, er, was n't feeling well,"Albus said, hoping that Matt 's absence would n't put myrtle off from talking to them.

On the contrary, Myrtle 's face lit up."Oh my ! I 've been feeling rather awful today myself. It 's a side consequence of dying, you know."

Albus did n't recall dying had any side impression early than dying and had always assumed being a ghost would n't be painful, but Myrtle was very odd.

"But why are you here ?"Myrtle asked."You never visit me unless you 're in detention. It 's rather disappointing. No one ever thinks to visit short myrtle. Oh, Myrtle 's dead, they think, so she does n't postulate any visitors. Myrtle does n't need any friends ! All because she 's dead !"

"No, myrtle, that is n't it at all,"Albus said quickly."It 's just, you live in a girl 's loo. We can only see you now, in the middle of the night."

Vinca minor let out a loud suspiration."I suppose. You are n't the just boys who talk to me, you know. Some of them even dare come during the day. I suppose they 're a bit braver than you are, which is odd since they are n't Gryffindors."

Albus glanced at John. Maybe this was going to be light than he thought. Myrtle probably did n't induce any loyalty to Scorpius Malfoy.

"Which boys ?"Albus asked carefully, taking a step closer to myrtle.

"I only know one of their names,"Myrtle said with a giggle."I know his name because his Father of the Church used to add up and talk to me when he was in school. But his son is n't quite as expansive and he did n't seem to care at all about me or my last. He only wanted to have it away about the bedchamber of Secrets-"

"The sleeping room of enigma ?"Albus exclaimed."Scorpius Malfoy wanted to know about the bedroom of closed book ?"

myrtle brightened."Oh, you know him, too ! Yes, he did. He wanted to know exactly where the entrance was. He 'd already done quite a bit of inquiry on it in the library. Rather odd, I thought, for a Slytherin, spending so often clip in the library, but not in a bad way. But yes, he came in and asked me about the Chamber and I told him about my Death and he did n't quite read the connective at showtime. So I showed him the entrance and told him that he had to mouth like a snake to get in but he could n't figure it out."

"He tried to mouth Parseltongue ?"Albus asked.

myrtle nodded."Sounded awful. Your dad was much better at it. Even that freckled boy managed to visualise it out during the Battle of Hogwarts, but Scorpius Malfoy was truly awful at it. That 's when I met the early boy. Scorpius left and came back a few days later with this other boy. He showed him the ingress and then they started talking about this girl named Elsie and the other boy thought that she would be able-bodied to open the Chamber."

"And when was this ?"Albus asked. The other boy must have been Felix Willinson.

"Two hebdomad ago, maybe ?"myrtle said."Do you have a go at it why he wanted to get into the bedchamber of enigma ? He refused to secernate me."

"No,"Albus said, shaking his head."We want to recognize, too."

"Well,"myrtle began as she floated up to the ceiling."Please tell me when you find out. And succeeding sentence, make indisputable that lusterlessness comes to visit, too."

"Er, for sure,"Albus muttered."Is there anything else you know about Malfoy ?"

"No,"Myrtle said."You 're going to leave behind now, are n't you ?"

"Yeah,"Albus said."Exams tomorrow."

Albus threw the Cloak back over himself and John and they left. On the way back Albus explained the Chamber of Secrets to John, who only knew the place by figure. By the time they returned to the coarse way John was just as shocked as Albus was about why Malfoy seemed to want to get into the sleeping room of Secrets.

"Do you cogitate Elsie Willinson can speak Parseltongue ?"John asked as they climbed through the portrait hole ( the Fat noblewoman had not refused them submission ).

"I do n't know,"Albus said."It 's very rare. I think we 're going to let to ask Rose."

"Bet she 'll love that, in the middle of exam,"John said with a laugh.
***


"Of course I have no mind if Elsie Willinson is a Parselmouth !"Rose exclaimed the next day during their lunch pause in between exam. Albus had just finished explaining what Myrtle had told them last night, as well as explaining the Chamber of arcanum for Matt, Amanda, and Kaden 's sake.

"Are you sure she has n't mentioned anything ?"Albus pressed.

"positive degree ! And honestly, Albus, you need to get this out of your mind. It 's exam hebdomad. It 's not the meter to be focusing on Malfoy. Whatever he does, it really does n't bear upon you."

Albus knew that, but it did n't do a affair for his curiosity. The fact remained that Malfoy was acting oddly, and if Felix Willinson was involved, it could n't be anything commodity.

"They 're up to something, Rose,"Albus said."I 'm telling you."

rosebush groaned."Albus, I do n't care."

"Oi, Albus !"Henry James shouted as he jogged over to Albus 's seat."Did you see the Prophet this daybreak ?"

"No,"Albus replied. He, matt, and John had both slept too late to have breakfast before their first exam.

James slapped a copy down on the board in strawman of Albus."That blighter, Henry Martyn Robert Johnson ? The one who took Dad 's place ? He 's revamped the entire department, claiming that they 're going to have a 99 % gaining control rate."

"99 % ?"Albus repeated as he looked at the newspaper publisher."That 's crazy."

JOHNSON REVAMPS AUROR DEPARTMENT

Newly appointed straits Auror, Robert
Johnson, has spent the past month
revamping and reorganizing the Auror
section. LBJ has rewritten
rules and ordinance for the section
as well as reorganized how Aurors
work together. All Aurors have
attended workshops over the preceding month
to familiarise themselves with the
new rules and policies.

'The hope is that we will be able to
capture crook faster and easygoing ,'
Johnson said. 'The department has
been disorganized for yr and this
has resulted in many criminals going
free for far longer than they should.
Between the new Auror department policies
and the reinstatement of the dementors
in Azkaban, we should be able to seize
more than malefactor and restrain them where they
belong- behind measure .'

While Johnson did not go into specifics
of the policies and formula, stating that
these are plastered text file, he assured
the wizarding world that they have
helped to streamline the department.
'With these new policies I do n't see why
we should n't suffer a 99 % capture charge per unit
within a class .'

"What does that even mean, 99 % capture rate ?"Albus asked after setting the paper down.

"No idea,"Saint James the Apostle said."But I thought you 'd require to see it. I 've got to go. Transfiguration practical this afternoon and I need to practice."

"I wish they 'd say what the alteration actually were,"Albus said as his crony left.

"They ca n't,"Rose said."The paper is right about that."

"It 's not like the department was awful when Dad was in charge,"Albus continued."He captured grayback, did n't he ?"

"I think Laurentis is crediting matte 's dad with that,"rosebush commented."As much as it was both of them."

"That 's not sightly,"Matt said.

"No, it 's not,"rose wine said as she glanced at her sentry."We 'd better get going. History of deception exam."

Albus found it incredibly difficult to concenter on his history of Magic exam, and while he was fairly sure as shooting he passed it, he knew he had n't done well. There was just too lots to focus on. Between Malfoy and the Auror department, the last things Albus wanted to think about were goblin rebellions and elephantine wars.

Later that Night Rose held another work school term in the depository library. Albus managed to sit next to Elsie Willinson, who ignored him completely. Albus spent more time staring at the vulture 's Map and figuring out the best way to bring up the topic of speaking Parseltongue with Elsie than any actual studying, but Rose did n't seem to notice.

The trace two days were nearly superposable to the offset day of exams, with the exception of the field of study they were tested on. examination in the morning, dejeuner, exam in the afternoon, studying, dinner, then more studying. The monotony was starting to get on Albus 's nerves, but they were only halfway through exam week.

Elsie Willinson did n't show up to the study academic session Wednesday evening. Albus was disappointed since he was finally going to bring up the topic of speaking Parseltongue with her, no issue how in force it would be. Instead, he looked over his Potions notes while glancing at the Marauder 's Map every so often.

"Albus, what exactly are you looking for ?"Rose asked.

Albus did n't really want to say because he knew Rose would just roll her eyes, but he also knew she would n't let go of the subject until he explained."Malfoy. He 's going to go back to the daughter 's loo, and when he does, I want to follow him."

"That would be pudden-head,"Rose said."smell at the past three years. You 've gotten yourself involved with something stupid at the end of every year. Following Malfoy would just be asking for trouble."

blush wine had a head, Albus knew, but he did n't care."It 's just Malfoy. He 's not going to kidnap me."

"Famous last words,"Rose muttered."He 's probably just in his common room."

Albus checked the Map. Malfoy 's dot was definitely not in the uncouth room. Albus 's heart sped up as he checked the residual of the Map. It took him a piece, but then he spotted Malfoy 's dot, making its way down the arcsecond base corridor. He was accompanied by none other than Felix and Elsie Willinson.

"He 's going,"Albus said."And he 's got Felix and Elsie with him. I 'm following him and you ca n't stop me."

rose groaned."Albus, don't-"

Albus ignored her and turned to the rest of his friend."Are any of you coming with me ?"

"I am."Albus was shocked to see that the vocalism belonged to Amanda. Usually Amanda agreed with rose wine.

"Amanda, really ?"rose asked.

Amanda shrugged."I want a fault from studying and I 'm just as rummy as Albus is."

"enumeration me out,"Matt muttered, turning red."I 'm not going anywhere near Myrtle."

"She asked about you last time,"John said with a grin.

lusterlessness turned even redder."I 'd rather not know that."

"We 're in,"John said, speaking for himself and Kaden.

"You 've got an hour,"rose said."If you 're not back by then I 'm sending professor Longbottom after you."

"We 'll be back,"Albus said as he stood up. As if to further convince Rose of this, he left his ledger sitting on the board. John, Kaden, and Amanda did the same.

Albus did n't chafe with the invisibility Cloak since it was n't yesteryear curfew. They 'd just experience to waylay near the loo until the seashore was decipherable and snitcher in when no one was looking. All they needed was the Map for that.

The corridors were unusually empty-bellied and Albus attributed it to the fact that most of his fellow students were doing some utmost minute revision before the next day 's exams. It certainly made it easier to sneak into a girlfriend 's loo.

Albus watched the Map as they went and Malfoy and both Willinsons'battery-acid entered Moaning Myrtle 's bathroom. They remained there for only a few instant, and then disappeared off the Map.

"They must 've gotten into the chamber of secret,"Albus explained."I bet the marauder did n't know about it so they could n't make put it on the Map."

It took another five minutes for Albus, John, Kaden, and Amanda to get to the loo. Once there Albus burst the doorway unfastened and ran inside. He stopped short in nominal head of the sinks.

One of the sump was gone, having sunk into the floor. In its blank space was a large, sales talk black golf hole. Myrtle was floating above it, her eyes bright.

"They did it,"Myrtle said excitedly."Are you going to follow them ?"

"I guess this answers the question of whether Elsie Willinson can speak snake,"bathroom said.

"Is Matt ill again ?"Myrtle asked.

"Er, yeah,"Albus said.

"He 's ill an frightening lot of the prison term,"myrtle said."Tell him to add up see me when he 's better."

"Sure,"Albus said as he crept closer to the hole."I 'm going down there. You three are welcome to unite me."Albus was determined. He 'd come this far and he was n't going to stop now. He needed to work out out what was going on.

"Is it a far drop cloth ?"Amanda asked hesitantly.

"I think it 's Thomas More of a slide,"Albus said."That 's what my dad said, anyway."

"There is n't a basilisk in there, is there ?"John asked.

"No,"Albus said."It 's dead."

"Then I 'm in,"John said.

"Me, too,"Amanda agreed.

"I 'd go down there even if there was a basilisk in there,"Kaden said."I 'll go first, if you want."

"Be my guest,"Albus said, gesturing to the hole.

"If you die, you can inhabit here,"Myrtle said, giggling."I told Scorpius that and he told me that was another intellect why he ca n't die down there. I do n't reckon he likes me."

Albus ignored Vinca minor and stepped aside so Kaden could jumpstart into the hole. Kaden did so without a second glance.

"Are you okay ?"Albus asked once he heard a thud.

"Yeah, I 'm fine !"Kaden shouted back.

Neither lav or Amanda seemed inclined to go following, so Albus stepped to the very bound of the hole and looked down. He could n't see a thing. Deciding that it was better to just do it and not think too hard, he took a deep breathing time and jumped.

His dad had been right about it being Sir Thomas More of a slide than a free fall down. The hole was more than of a sloping piping and it was n't a bad slide at all. Soon, Albus landed at the hind end and saw Kaden, who had lit his wand.

Albus lit his own wand and took a look around. The topographic point was very wet and it smelled awful. The wall were dripping with murky water and the floor was covered in rock, mud, and what looked like old snake skin.

"I think we 're near the lake,"Albus said, nodding to the dripping water.

There was a whooshing noise behind Albus and something crashed into him, knocking him over. Albus let out a belly laugh and turned to see it was only Gospel According to John, who had n't landed gracefully.

"Sorry,"John muttered as he lit his own wand. There was now enough baton lighter to see clearly. The place was creepy. That was the only intelligence for it.

Amanda landed without knocking anyone over and lit her wand. Albus and Kaden waited for John and Amanda to hire a look around.

"What do we do now ?"Kaden asked.

"Energy Department anyone learn anything ?"Albus asked. It seemed utter silent to Albus.

John Lackland shook his head."Matt should 've come. We need his werewolf hearing."

Albus nodded in accord."I guess we just follow the pipage. It looks like it only goes one way."

The others agreed. Albus led the way, his wand pointed in front of him, and they set off. No one spoke. No one made any haphazardness whatsoever. Albus had his pinna poised to see even the quietest noise, hoping to hear some clue as to where Malfoy and the others had gone.

Ihey walked for what felt like miles before they heard even the swooning of disturbance. Albus noticed numerous snake peel and the bones from decades-old beast. Then, just when Albus had a feeling they were reaching the end of the musical passage, he heard a phonation, clearly, as if it was right hand succeeding to him.

"Albus ceramicist. wellspring, well, is n't this a pleasant surprise."

Albus recognized the representative. It was Jarrett Willinson.


Cliffhanger ! I know. I 'm evil. Thank you for all the wonderful follow-up ! I will respond to them, but I 've been quite in use lately.

And now I 'll guide a few moments to brag. On the 16th I went to NYC for J.K. Rowling 's event for The Casual vacancy. I got to gather her and get a sign copy of the volume ! It was absolutely awe-inspiring. I blogged about it on the forums, so please gibe it out !


Albus froze. He had n't heard that voice in over a year and division of him thought he would n't ever hear it again. He always assumed Jarrett Willinson had stayed in Australia, where absolutely no one was looking for him.

Slowly, Albus turned toward the voice. He pointed his lit verge in its direction and saw that there was a very small-scale opening to his leftfield. It appeared to be another pipe, but one much small-scale than the one he and his friends had just been in. Albus crept toward it, trying not to make any haphazardness.

He turned to John, Kaden, and Amanda."What do you think ?"

"I think we should get out of here,"Kaden said immediately, stepping back."I thought we were just going after Malfoy."

"I bet Malfoy 's down there with him,"John said.

"But why ?"Amanda asked as she walked over to the pipework. She stuck her header in, making her voice echoey."Why would he arrive back here ?"

"Can you see anything ?"Albus asked.

"Not much,"Amanda said, climbing fully into the pipe.

"We should just go back,"Kaden said, his phonation wavering. All his bravery from being the first to introduce the Chamber was gone.

"I do n't know,"Albus said."We 've come this far ..."

"Albus, I think roseate might 've been right,"Kaden said."Let 's just go-"

Kaden was interrupted by Amanda 's shrieking. There was a cheap splash, a thump, and then more shriek. Albus turned quickly back to the organ pipe. Amanda was gone, a small pile of detritus in her place.

"Amanda !"Albus screamed, stepping over to the pipe.

"Albus !"she shouted back."Help !"

"What 's happening ?"John asked.

"Told you we should 've gone back !"Kaden shouted.

"Well, we ca n't go back now,"Albus said, climbing into the pipe."C'mon !"

Albus had to crouch as he walked in order to fit through the pipe. lavatory and Kaden followed him, occasionally tripping over rocks as they went. Albus splashed ahead of them, his wand lighting the few groundwork in social movement of him. They followed Amanda 's screaming until they grew muffled and disappeared all together.

Finally, the pipe emerged into a low chamber, not unlike a small translation of the sleeping room they 'd just been in. It was wetter than the eternal rest of the sleeping accommodation of enigma and the far wall contained a metal grating that appeared to let out into the lake. But the water was n't going through it.

Albus 's attention, however, was n't focused on the magically contained lake H2O. Instead, his eyes drew to the collection of masses scattered throughout the chamber. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Amanda, in the clutches of Jarrett Willinson, who had his baton pointed at her chief. Albus was just glad they found her. Jarrett was flanked by his son, Quinton, who was looking a bit worse for wearable. Azkaban did n't look to take agreed with him and he now looked far older than his ahead of time twenties.

Scorpio, Felix, and Elsie were there as well, looking very uncomfortable. Elsie was shaking and had a death grip on her brother 's hand. Scorpio stood adjacent to them and he seemed very disquieted. The only one who seemed at all okay with the situation was Felix, whose grimace seemed to be coming from his sister 's grip on his paw, not on the situation.

Albus did n't recognise the former three adult at first. Then he remembered their pictures from the Prophet. The brusk woman was Dolores Umbridge, her Second Earl Grey hair greatly resembling a beehive around her drumhead. Her skin was deeply wrinkled and she did n't much resemble the individual in the photo, but her eyes and eccentric smiling were the Same. The other woman was about a foot taller and just as ugly. Her hair's-breadth was stringy and mostly brown, with streaks of grey. Her nose was long, crooked, and boasted a enceinte wart, giving her the look of a classic Muggle 's interlingual rendition of a Wiccan. All that was missing was the dark-green skin. The man resembled her, although he was forgetful and More dumpy. Both were sneering. Albus assumed they were the Carrows.

"What are you doing here, Potter ?"Scorpius asked, clearly trying to sound more confident than he was.

"Shut up, Malfoy,"Jarrett snapped."I 'll ask the questions. And I can only accept they followed you three. Whether it was knowing on your character, I have no idea."

"Ca n't we just go ?"Scorpius demanded."We did what you wanted-"

"No, no you did n't,"Jarrett interrupted."You did what your father wanted and then you did component part of what we wanted. And therein lies the problem."

Albus was thoroughly confused. His eyes went from Jarrett to Malfoy and back again, attempting to figure out what was going on. What exactly had Malfoy 's Father asked him to do ?

"I never said I 'd do what you wanted us to do,"Malfoy muttered, averting his gaze.

"And yet you did."Jarrett sneered.

"But I did n't need to !"Malfoy looked scared now. He pulled his wand out of his robe and held it up shakily.

"Oh, are you going to duel me ?"Jarrett asked, shifting Amanda in his branch so that he could place his verge at Malfoy.

"M-maybe."

Jarrett sighed."This is pitiable. I do n't care taking vantage of fragile kid, and yet here I am-"

"I 'm not fragile !"Malfoy shouted.

"You just misplace your gramps,"Jarrett said."You 're tenuous. So is your father, and he 's easygoing to deceive."

"He is not !"

At that detail Elsie started crying. It started out as modest sniffles but within ten seconds blew up into tatty mother fucker. Everyone in the elbow room turned to gaze at her. Albus felt bad. It was obvious she had n't wanted to be here.

"Oh, shut her up !"Jarrett said.

"Elsie, you have to be restrained,"Felix muttered.

"I just want to exit, Felix !"Elsie sobbed."I did n't want to do this. You know I did n't want to do this !"

"You did n't hold a choice, Elsie. He 's our uncle and he needed our help."

"Could someone please just excuse what 's going on ?"Kaden asked loudly."Or even estimable, let go of Amanda so we can get out of here and let you lot get back to whatever it is you 're doing ?"

Jarrett laughed."Oh, she 's not going anywhere. You three are disengage to depart. I really do n't manage what the hell you do."

Albus exchanged glance with Saint John and Kaden, who both shrugged. None of them were going to go away, of form, but Albus was utterly confused. For the past times four years Jarrett and Quinton Willinson had tried to nobble him and now, all of a sudden, they wanted Amanda ? They 'd never wanted her before.

"Oh, you have n't put it together yet, have you Potter ? I thought you were overbold than that."

"Put what together ?"Albus asked, still confused.

Jarrett squeezed Amanda tighter."She 's the Prime parson 's niece, who happens to be a enchantress. She 's currently the best bargaining poker chip I could possibly have. I only wish I 'd known about her earlier, but thanks to your uncle the total wizarding world knows she 's the efflorescence Minister 's niece. I must thank that newsperson.

"Potter, do you realize how bad Laurentis would calculate if anything happened to the Muggle bloom Minister 's niece a little over a month after she took office ? And just Clarence Day after her appointed question Auror revolutionized the department ? Oh, it would look horrendous, ceramicist. So we, all of us, are going to sit close until the Aurors get here and then I 'll piddle my need and the Aurors will give in because if they do n't, I 'll vote out the Prime minister 's niece."

Albus 's back talk fell afford. He stared at Jarrett, whose grin resembled that of a someone who just won the lottery. Amanda looked terrify, her eyes darting everywhere and a few stray tears running down her cheeks.

"Of line you can impart, thrower,"Jarrett said."Go get your dad. Go get the early Aurors. It 'll only land them here sooner. And do n't even try to hex me because if you do, this lot-"Jarrett gestured to the Carrows, Umbridge, and Quinton,"-will hex you. Your dad is n't a Ministry official anymore, thrower. It wo n't be as big of a crime if they hex you now."

Albus glanced at Umbridge and the Carrows. Umbridge did n't attend like individual capable of hexing anyone, given that she more closely resembled an mentally ill mental patient role than a serious witch. But the Carrows, they looked capable of execution. As for Quinton, he was n't much of a terror. Still, Albus, John, and Kaden were more outnumbered than they ever had been before.

"But why ca n't we go away ?"Malfoy asked, his voice wavering."Or at least me ?"

"Because I might need you to do something else,"Jarrett snapped,"and I want you here because if I let you leave I doubt you 'll come back. I know you did n't get us the girl. She came with Potter, following you."

"Why does it matter ?"Malfoy asked."The breaker point is she 's here now."

"I do n't opine you would 've ever brought her to me, Malfoy."

"You 're right, I would n't ! And do you want to know why ? I never wanted to help you. That 's not why I agreed to this. I think you 're all half-wit, to be honest."

Albus stared at Malfoy, completely shocked. Malfoy hated Albus, Amanda, and all their friends, so why would n't he have brought Amanda to Jarrett ?

"Then why are you here, Malfoy ?"

"To help my dad !"Malfoy said, his verge still pointed at Jarrett."I did n't know you imbecile were going to have a plot of your own."

Jarrett laughed."Now you 're the cretin. You think we 'd stimulate agreed to his plot if there had n't been something in it for us ? Meaning my son, here. Not these other three. I 'm not sure why they agreed to it. I 'm not even sure Umbridge knows where she is, actually. She has n't said practically of anything since the escape."

"Do you really think you 're going to get anything out of this ?"Malfoy demanded.

"Yes, I do,"Jarrett snapped.

Malfoy narrowed his oculus and then whipped around. In a matter of second, he sent five sequential jinx at the Carrows and Umbridge. Umbridge collapsed immediately, not moving. The Carrows both went for their sceptre, but were too tardily. Malfoy sent two Thomas More Stunners and the Carrows fell over, one on top of the other.

Malfoy turned back to Jarrett, breathing heavily."Looks like the betting odds are a little different now."

"Malfoy, what are you doing ?"Albus asked, still trying to wrap his brain around the fact that Scorpius Malfoy had just helped him.

"Shut up, ceramicist,"Malfoy muttered."I 'm not doing this for you."

"Scorpio, what is your problem ?"Felix asked, breaking free of his babe 's grip."I thought we were in on this together."

"I thought we were, too, until your uncle decided to do things his way,"Malfoy said."It 's like I told you at the kickoff ; I only did this for my father."

Albus still did n't do it exactly what"this"was, but all that really mattered now was that they were no longer outnumbered.

"The Aurors are coming,"Malfoy said to Albus."If we can just hold them off-"

"How do you know the Aurors are coming ?"Albus asked.

"That does n't matter now,"Malfoy said as he sent a looker at Jarrett.

Albus turned to John and Kaden."direction on Quinton and Felix. No offense, but you are n't the dear duelist and I do n't want you to hit Amanda."

John and Kaden nodded. Albus glanced at Malfoy, attempted to shake up off the Wyrd feeling he had from being on Malfoy 's position, and started sending hex after hex at Jarrett. Jarrett, clearly ineffective to duel while holding Amanda, threw up a shell and did n't hex back. Albus and Malfoy silently agreed to keep going, in an endeavor to weaken the shield.

Albus heard a tatty crash and turned to his right. Dust was settling near where the Carrows and Umbridge lay. Once it settled, Albus saw that a large boulder had fallen from the ceiling and had landed on top of the female Carrow.

"I think she 's short,"Kaden said.

Albus swallowed heavy. Death had never crossed his mind when he 'd amount down here. Trying to labour it from his thoughts, he returned to hexing Jarrett 's shield.

Kaden shouted something Albus could n't piss out and Albus turned just in time to see him land against the wall. Albus ran over and knelt side by side to him."Kaden ! Kaden !"

Kaden stirred and looked at Albus."Albus ?"

"Kaden, thank God,"Albus whispered.

"I 've got an frightful concern,"Kaden muttered.

"Do n't flow asleep,"Albus said."Stay awake. You 've probably got a concussion."

Albus heard splashing and looked up. Five wizards stumbled through the piping, their sceptre out.

"Wands up !"one of them shouted. Albus did n't recognize the voice."Nobody move !"

"Are they all here ?"another asked.

"I believe so,"the first one said as he walked around the room."Looks like the tip was correct."

"Not so fast !"Jarrett shouted."I 've got a few demands."

"You 're in no view to draw demands,"the first Auror said.

"Albus ?"

Albus turned back to the organ pipe and let out a sigh of backup. His dad had been the one-fifth Auror to get."Dad. Kaden needs to go the infirmary wing. Now."

Harry knelt down succeeding to Kaden and assessed him."We 'll have this lot rounded up soon. Then I 'll demand him."

"Let go of the female child, Willinson,"the first Auror said. He took a few stone's throw forward and Albus was able to see the side of meat of his font. It was Robert Dr. Johnson, the new school principal Auror.

"She 's the heyday parson 's niece,"Jarrett said."You 'd better be measured, or I 'll kill her."

"You 're outnumbered, Willinson,"President Lyndon Johnson said."I would n't try anything if I were you."

"It 'll be a huge malicious gossip if she dies down here."

"Oh for God 's sake,"Johnson muttered."Expelliarmus !"Jarrett 's wand flew in a perfect arc out of his hand and Johnson caught it."Petrificus Totalus !"

Jarrett attempted to sidestep the magical spell, but still maintain hold of Amanda. He failed and collapsed to the floor. Amanda ran forward and Harry caught postponement of her, directing her to sit next to Albus and Kaden.

The Aurors conjured rope and tied up Jarrett, Quinton, the Carrows, and Umbridge. None of them said a Word of God and none of them questioned any of the suspect. If Albus had n't known any undecomposed, he would 've thought the Aurors knew exactly what they were going to find down here. It was all very confusing.

Dr. Johnson and the three unfamiliar Aurors grabbed hold of the criminals and took them out of the sleeping accommodation. Harry was left with Albus and the rest of the pupil.

"Dad, what 's going on ?"Albus asked.

"I have my suspicions, but unfortunately I do n't have any proof,"Harry said."Let 's get you up to the hospital wing."

Harry carried Kaden, who had since passed out, and led the odd group out of the chamber and back to the pipage that led to Moaning Vinca minor 's bathroom. Once there, he pointed his baton at the pipe and it turned into stairs. A few proceedings later, they were back in the loo. Albus blinked a few sentence at the bright lights and then his optic rested upon myrtle, who was floating near the far stall.

"You 're back !"she shouted."Is he all in ?"Vinca minor gestured to Kaden.

"No,"Albus said."Just unconscious."

"Oh."myrtle seemed rather disappointed.

"Let 's go,"Harry said."Hospital wing."
***


Albus had no veridical reason to stay in the hospital annexe. After muttering about how Albus and his friends were always getting into trouble, Madam Pomfrey proclaimed him in perfective tense health. St. John, Amanda, Scorpius, Felix, and Elsie were also fine. Kaden, on the former helping hand, had a concussion and was not allowed to sleep. Albus, lav, and Amanda remained in the hospital wing with him. rose and mat joined them as well, despite the fact that it was well past curfew.

Harry left after delivering them to Madam Pomfrey, but promised to come back in a few time of day. That had been three minute ago and Albus was still waiting for him to come back, and for an account. They 'd explained the entire ordeal to flatness and rose, who both agreed that Malfoy 's behavior was very strange.

The room access to the infirmary wing finally opened and Harry walked in, looking incredibly exhausted. Madam Pomfrey, upon seeing him, hurried off to her study.

"Kaden,"Harry said."How are you feeling ?"

"Like someone ran my nous over with a truck,"Kaden said.

Harry chuckled."You 'll finger better soon."

"What was that about, Dad ?"Albus asked."Why was it almost like the Aurors expected all the prisoners to be there ?"

Harry sighed."No one knows for for certain. The functionary record is that they received an anonymous tip, but none of the captive are explaining why they were in the Chamber of secret or how they got in."

"When we were down there, Malfoy kept saying he was doing something for his dad, but he never said what it was,"Albus said.

"That helps affirm my theory,"Harry said."I suspect that Scorpio Malfoy, along with Felix Willinson, were instructed by Draco Malfoy to rule a suitable location to house the captive for safe-keeping until Aurors could be brought in to capture them. This, of course of instruction, had to be done after the Auror department was reorganized by Henry Martyn Robert LBJ, in parliamentary law to attain both him and Laurentis look good. If Laurentis looks good, genus Draco Malfoy looks good."

"But that means that Laurentis and Draco Malfoy knew where the prisoners were,"Albus said.

"Yes, yes it does,"Harry said quietly.

"Uncle Harry,"rose began."You do n't recollect that Laurentis organized that break-out, do you ?"

"It 's crossed my idea,"Harry said."But it 's irrelevant, because I have no proof. Nor do I have cogent evidence of my possibility about Draco Malfoy and his son. Alecto Carrow is dead, Dolores Umbridge is clinically insane, and Amycus Carrow is n't talking. Jarrett and Quinton Willinson are n't talking, either, and I somehow dubiety Scorpius Malfoy will rat out his father. So, for now at least, this will remain a theory."

"But Dad, it 's illegal,"Albus said.

"It is,"Harry replied."Do n't worry about it, Albus. The prisoners are back in Azkaban, which is all that topic right now."

"But Dad-"

"Albus. torment will do nothing. In my experience, people who are corrupt like this are never capable to sustain it a mystical long. Whatever happens will happen."

"What about Scorpio ?"Amanda asked."Why did he change sides like that ?"

"Scorpius Malfoy has had a grating year. His grandfather has been quite ill for a long time, which has put stress on both of his parents and thus, on him. I am sure he was pressured into this by his Father and then when it came time for him to get further into it, by helping Jarrett Willinson get delay of Amanda, he realized he did n't require to be involved, not would his father have wanted him to be involved."

"Is he going to get in trouble ?"Albus asked.

"No,"Harry said."As far as the record is concerned, Scorpius, Felix, and Elsie stumbled upon the captive just as you lot did."

"That does n't look bazaar,"Albus muttered.

"No, it does n't,"Harry said."But on the other hand, I think Scorpius Malfoy deserves a break this year. I think he 's grown up a lot over the past few months. You might receive that he 's not quite the bully he used to be."

"I 'll think that when I see it,"matte muttered."I guess that 's why he wanted to get into the Shrieking Shack, though. Probably wanted it for the prisoners."

"I suspect that, too,"Harry said."I must say I 'm glad he chose the Chamber of Secrets."

"Me, too,"Matt agreed.

"I have to return to the Ministry,"Harry said as he stood up."This will be in the paper tomorrow, although I have no melodic theme what case of chronicle they 're going to spin or how involved you will be. Whatever they publish, do n't consider it too hard. Please do not advert my theory to anyone. The net matter we need is an article in the Prophet claiming that Harry thrower is a conspiracy theorist."

Albus laughed and said honorable night to his dad. dame Pomfrey let them catch some Z's in the hospital offstage that night, considering how recently it was. Kaden, of grade, had to stay wake. Albus was surprised by how easy sleep came, considering what he 'd been through that Night, but it was nearly two in the forenoon. He realized with a sinking opinion that he still had exams the adjacent day. Herbology and Ancient rune. He hoped they would n't go too horribly.


A/N : Thanks for all the lovely brushup ! I will be getting to them as soon as I can. The next chapter will the last-place in this novel. I 'm not surely when the fifth novel will be up since I have yet to come up with a concrete plot of ground for it. I 'm going to make a break to compose early taradiddle that I 've had in my pass for a while.

It 's the end of October, which means it 's nearly NaNoWriMo season ! I 'll be continuing to update Between Here and Somewhere throughout November, as well as posting the concluding chapter of this next Fri. But you wo n't see very much else from me until December, as I 'll be busy writing an original fic.


Albus, privy, and lustrelessness overslept the next morning. Albus awoke ten moment before their Herbology examination and had to wake up bathroom and Matt, which is never a lowly feat. It took a full moon five minute to get them up, but soon they were running through the corridors knowing full moon fountainhead that they would be late. Unfortunately for Albus, none of his mind was on Herbology. He could n't stop thinking about what happened last night.

The boy ran into glasshouse three five minutes late and as soon as they shut the threshold the entire class looked up from their exams and stared at them. Albus got the distinct tactual sensation that they all knew about go dark, whether from rumors or from the Prophet. professor Longbottom got up from his stool and walked over to them.

"Boys,"he said quietly.

"I 'm distressing we 're lately, sir,"Albus said."We overslept-"

"Albus, it 's okay. I know what happened hold out night. Just go take your seats. Your exams are already laid out."

"Thanks,"Albus replied.

Albus was very grateful that Herbology had been the test he was belatedly for. Longbottom was the most infer professor in the entire school. Albus settled down and managed to learn the test without falling asleep. While there were a few questions that he was n't sure about, he was quite sure-footed that he at least passed.

By the time the test period of time ended Albus was starving, as were King John and Matt. They, along with Rose and Amanda, headed immediately to the Great Hall for dejeuner. As they walked in, Albus again got the distinct opinion that everyone was staring at them.

"You should 've been at breakfast,"Amanda said."Everyone was talking about it and they kept coming over and asking me questions. There were a crew of mass crowded around Malfoy, too."

"Do either of you have the Prophet ?"Albus asked as they sat down.

"Yeah, here,"Rose said, handing it to him.

Albus unfolded the paper and set it down on his collection plate. John and matte sat on either side of him and take over his shoulder.

CONVICTS CAUGHT AT HOGWARTS

Newly appointed drumhead Auror, Robert
President Andrew Johnson, received an anonymous tip
late last night that led him and four
other Aurors to Hogwarts school of
witchcraft and wizardry. The tip
told Aurors that escaped convicts
Amycus Carrow, Alecto Carrow,
Quinton Willinson, and Dolores
Umbridge could be found in the Chamber
of arcanum deep under Hogwarts School.

The Chamber of secret, long since
regarded as a rumored obscure chamber
beneath the schooltime was proven to
exist in mid-1993. The sleeping accommodation has
remained abandon since then.

All four escaped convicts, along with
Jarrett Willinson, wanted for a year
by the Auror Department, were found in
the Chamber of closed book by Henry M. Robert Johnson
and four other Aurors. Amycus Carrow,
Quinton Willinson, and Dolores Umbridge
have been returned to Azkaban prison.
Jarrett Willinson is currently being held
in Azkaban prison without bail. Alecto
Carrow was pronounced utterly by Healers
late finis night, after the ceiling in
the sleeping room collapsed, crushing her
instantly.

Six Hogwarts bookman were found in the
Chamber as well. Johnson has released
very trivial information on this aspect
of the dark, but has said that Jarrett
Willinson captured one student with the
intentions of killing her if demands were
not met. The figure of the scholar have
not been released.

It is unknown how the convicts got into
the schoolhouse. Weaknesses in the protective
Ward are currently being addressed. 'We
wish to ensure the public that Hogwarts
School remains as safe as ever. The problems
will be addressed quickly. There is no
need to panic .'

"unknown region how the convict got into the school ?"Albus said incredulously."They 've covered the wholly matter up !"

"What did you ask, Albus ?"Rose asked, shaking her head."Uncle Harry said it would happen."

"I bet that new Head Auror is in on it,"Albus muttered."He 'll probably say he investigated but all he 'll do is make up stories to spread over up what Laurentis did."

"You 're probably right,"Rose said.

"Who 's right ?"Kaden asked as he sat down.

"Albus,"Rose said.

"wealthy person you seen this wish-wash ?"Albus asked, holding up the paper.

"Yeah,"Kaden replied."But honestly, I do n't care right now. I just want a sandwich. The soothsaying test was brutal. I had to tell Trelawney 's future tense in tea leaves."

John laughed."What did you say ?"

"Told her she was going to get together an untimely death at the workforce of a stray Quaffle,"Kaden said.

Rose groaned."Oh, Kaden, you didn't."

"She actually liked it,"Kaden said."Her vast eyes lit up and everything."

"She likes dying, Trelawney,"John Lackland said."Or at to the lowest degree the concept of it."

"Weird,"Albus muttered.

Albus 's remaining exams took berth with little fanfare. Despite his mind not being on the stuff, he thought he did fairly well, and when the soft touch were released he discovered that he had passed everything. His Transfiguration mark was a bit low, but still passing.

The Hogwarts scholar, with their poor memory spans, soon forgot about the debacle in the Chamber of enigma and moved on to other topics of discourse such as the summer vacation and the current Quidditch season. Albus certainly did n't mind this because it meant he was no longer the center of attending. Despite the fact that the Prophet never released the public figure of the pupil in the bedchamber, everyone knew it was Albus, John the Divine, Kaden, and Amanda, along with the three Slytherins.

"feel, Laurentis has released a statement about capturing the prisoners,"rose wine said at breakfast on their day in the castle.

Albus groaned."This ca n't be good. Let 's hear it."

“'I wish to applaud the Auror Department for their work in recapturing the remaining escape outlaw. The timely retaking after the reorganization of the Department only reinforces how crucial a decision it was to reorganize. With the new regulations and insurance policy in the Auror Department, organized by Robert President Andrew Johnson, the Aurors were able-bodied to captivate the criminal immediately after receiving the tip. We can most assuredly look forward to more successes from the Auror Department .'”

"What a incumbrance of bullshit,"Albus said."Of course they were capable to recapture them quickly after receiving that tip. They organized for the convicts to be in the sleeping room in the initiatory place."

"It 's like your dad said, though,"matte began."Everything will get revealed eventually. That 's not an well-fixed enigma to keep, what they did."

"Hey, it looks like Embry 's going to piddle a speech communication,"Kaden said, gesturing toward the staff table.

prof Embry stood up and raised his script for silence. This did nothing, of course of action."Quiet !"Embry shouted."I have something I 'd like to say.

"Thank you,"he said, after everyone stopped talking."I just want to say what a pleasure it has been to teach you all this year. I never expected to teach and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope you enjoyed taking my form as lots as I enjoyed teaching it, and I hope you all have a greater appreciation and reason of our government. Today is my final stage day at Hogwarts, as the politics course will not proceed following year, and I am once again needed at the Ministry. Please do n't hesitate to owl me if you wish to invite a tour of the Ministry for academic use. I daresay that a few of you might hold careers in politics yourselves."

Embry sat back down and the entire room outburst into applause. Albus was n't sure if the applause was for Embry or for the fact that politics would no longer be a family. Albus had n't minded the class, but one few year was to be appreciated.

"I learned something about politics this class, all right,"St. John muttered as the hand clapping settled down."And that 's that I never want to be a politician."

"Me, too,"Albus agreed.

"cheerfulness to that !"King James shouted from a few seats down.

"Oh, I do n't know."Amanda shrugged."I think it might be interesting."

Albus was n't at all surprised to hear Amanda say that. If any of his friends were to get pol, it would be Amanda.
***


Later that day Albus found himself at yet another Hogwarts graduation ceremony. He and rosebush had attended every single graduation ceremony since starting Hogwarts, and one the twelvemonth before, too. It had gotten to the head where he did n't pay practically aid to the speeches because they all sounded very alike to the single he 'd heard before. During this ceremony, the lonesome part Albus paid attention to was the character where Fred and broom accepted their sheepskin, which took all of two hour.

"well, we survived,"Albus said to Empire State of the South after the ceremony ended and everyone was milling around.

Georgia grinned."That we did. It 's kind of surreal, to be honest. Dad did n't win, so affair are no unlike than they were this time last year, really."

Albus nodded."How is Uncle Percy doing ?"

Georgia shrugged."I 'm not certain. He does n't tattle about it much. Actually, the weird matter is that whenever I go over there for dinner party he spends a lot of clip asking about Quidditch. I think it 's mostly to keep me from asking about his lack of use, but I 'm not going to quetch. Maybe he 'll even learn to like it. The Quidditch, I mean, not the lack of employment."

"He still has n't found a job ?"Albus asked.

"No. He could go back to the Ministry but he 'd take to do something where he 's not an actual politician, since Laurentis would n't take on him. I do n't think he wants to do that. He 's been helping Uncle George with the shop, but I do n't remember Uncle Saint George really likes that. Says Dad 's too obsessive. But he 's too gracious to tell Dad he ca n't help."

"Albus !"rose wine shouted."We 've got to go. The carriages are leaving."

Albus nodded to Rose and then turned back to Georgia."I 'd better go. Let me make out when your next catch is. I want to go."

Georgia grinned."surely thing. See you soon, Al."

"Bye, Georgia,"Albus said as he turned to follow Rose back to the rook, where they would enamour the thestral-drawn carriages back to Hogsmeade.
***


"I say we go to John 's sign this year,"mat said as the Hogwarts Express hurtled back to London.

"Are you mad ?"King John asked, unwrapping a coffee toad frog."I mean, really, are you ? You want to come to my house, where I have three disturbed little sisters running about ?"

lusterlessness shrugged."They ca n't be that bad."

"Says he who is the immature in his family unit,"John said, looking at Albus for support.

"He 's right,"Albus agreed."And I 've only got one fiddling sister. Wait a minute, Matt 's the only one of us who does n't have untested sibling, is n't he ?"

The others nodded."All right,"whoremaster said."Let 's pay Matt a really sense of what having luck of siblings is like. I 'll owl you and let you know when."

"Exploding pushover ?"Kaden asked, holding up a deck of circuit card.

"Sure,"matt said. Everyone else nodded.

Kaden began to deal the board, but before he finished, the compartment door slid open. Albus, expecting one of his cousins, turned to the door. It slid exposed the residuum of the way and Malfoy stood on the room access, looking a bit unsure of himself. He was alone. Albus wondered where Felix was.

"What do you want ?"John asked.

"Er, can I just blab out to you lot ?"he asked quietly, stepping interior and sliding the doorway behind him.

"Where 's Willinson ?"Albus asked, standing up.

"He 's no longer speaking to me,"Malfoy explained."After I hexed his uncle and as he put it, 'joined the former side .'”

"What about Elsie ?"Rose asked, clearly concerned about the girl.

Malfoy shrugged."She 's always with Felix. She never said much around me."

"Is she really a parselmouth ?"John asked."I assume she 's the one who got you into the sleeping accommodation ?"

"Yeah, she did, but she 's not a parselmouth. She 's just really skillful with languages so she was able-bodied to fake it,"Malfoy explained.

There were a few minute of cumbersome silence. Malfoy shifted his weight and leaned against the room access.

"So,"Albus said."Why are you here, exactly ?"

Malfoy sighed."This year sucked and I got caught up in a lot of things that I did n't want to do, which is exactly what happened to my dad when he was at Hogwarts."

Albus was utterly confused as to why Malfoy was telling them all of this. He exchanged looks with mat and then focused on Malfoy once more.

"But it 's just not worth it anymore,"Malfoy continued."Hating you lot. I know it was you who somehow got itching powder into all the Slytherins'laundry-"

"That was n't us,"Kaden said quickly, a little too quickly.

"And we know you put the Capricorn the Goat in the coarse room,"John added.

Malfoy nodded."As I was saying, it just does n't count. Any of it."He turned to matt."And I do n't care that you 're a werewolf. Really. Sure, it 's unearthly and I have no idea why Kendrick even lets you be here-"

"I wo n't pause to hex you, you know,"lavatory said, reaching into his robe for his wand.

Malfoy held up his hands."No, do n't. I guess what I 'm saying is that I think we should call a truce."

"A truce ?"Albus asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah, a truce,"Malfoy said."You all know my granddad died this yr. It makes all this fighting we do look really stupid."

"You 're not saying we should be friends, are you ?"toilet asked incredulously.

Malfoy screwed up his face."God no. I 'm saying you lot stop only pranking the Slytherins, do n't say anyone that I dueled on your side in the sleeping room, and I wo n't recite anyone Eckerton is a werewolf. I 'll really assure that, without any threats of expulsion."

Albus was unbelieving. Could the death of Lucius Malfoy really incite this change in Scorpius ?

"C'mon, truce ?"Scorpius asked, sticking his paw out to Albus.

"Oh, just do it, Albus,"Rose said."We 've got O.W.L.s next year. You do n't ask this stupid feud distracting you. Or any of us."

"amercement, armistice,"Albus said, shaking Scorpius 's hand.

Malfoy nodded."I guess I 'll go, then. See you around, Potter."

Malfoy turned and left the compartment. Albus did n't move for a full instant."That was the strangest affair I 've ever seen,"he finally said, resuming his seat.

"I do n't think any of us will ever good understand what happened there,"Rose said."But I think it 's a just thing."

"Weird, though,"lustrelessness said."You think he means it ?"

The weirder affair was, was that Albus did actually believe him. There had been something in Malfoy 's eyes that Albus had n't seen before. It was like Malfoy seemed older somehow. He was no thirster a kid, whose biggest worry was arguing with Albus over stupe things. Somehow, Malfoy had grown up.

Albus supposed they 'd all get up that year. They were going to be fifth twelvemonth now, and Kaden would be a fourth year, and that meant they were the honest-to-god student in the school. They were growing up. All of them. Even Malfoy.

"Makes me wonder what following class will be like,"Amanda mused."Everything about this year has been strange."

"We 've got Laurentis reforming Hogwarts,"Rose reminded them."I think it 'll be plenty strange."

Albus had nearly forgotten about that. He did n't want Hogwarts to vary. Despite all that was going on in the outdoors world, Hogwarts had always remained the Lapp. But now it was n't. Hogwarts was going to change.

Albus leaned back in his seat and stared out the window, watching the countryside fly by. He did n't live what changes Hogwarts would see in the take after year, but he did n't require to think about it just yet. There was still a whole summer before that would fall out, and Albus intended to enjoy it.


A/N : Thank you so much for all the support and reviews for this story ! You hombre are amazing. I will be taking a break before continuing with this series as I have other stories floating around in my read/write head, but I 'll eventually come back to Albus. I 've no idea how tenacious it 'll be, though.

In the meantime, please check out my Marauders Era tale, Between Here and Somewhere ! And keep checking back for my review responses, because I will get to them.