Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


Albus spent most of the days preceding Christmas at Rose 's family. James IV was determined to use all of his spare time for Quidditch practice, and he had to go to Rose 's business firm for that. Albus usually went with him and he and Victor Hugo would help Jesse James praxis while pink wine read.

Harry had to practically separate James from his broom by magic on Yuletide Eve so they could go to Godric 's Hollow. James wanted to quell at Rose 's house and hold on practicing, but Harry refused to let him. The trip-up was quiet since James was rather sullen the stallion time.

"prof Patil says I 'm a natural at Transfiguration of Jesus,"Lily bragged to Albus as they walked towards the burrow afterwards.

"That 's good,"Albus replied.

"Yeah, so I 'm going to become an Animagus eventually. I want to be a cat."

"You do n't get to prefer what form of animal you transform into,"Albus told her.

"Oh,"Lily said,"But I think I 'll become a cat."

Albus nodded as Lily began to describe in great item what variety of cat she would translate into.

Everyone else was already at the tunnel and Albus felt an immediate warmth come over him as he stepped inside. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was so cold and white outside, either. There was something so comforting about being at the Burrow surrounded by all his category. He was able to bury all the issues with the Quidditch tournament and professor Killigan. All he could guess about was how ravening he was and how trade good some of his grandmother 's cookery would be right about then.

Rose sat down adjacent to Albus as he tucked into a large arena of Allium cepa soup with a side of homemade bread.

"Uncle Charlie and aunt Katherine are going back to Romania this summertime,"Rose announced.

"To tame Thomas More dragons ?"Albus asked. His uncle and aunt had n't done that since Stanley started Hogwarts, but they often talked about how they wanted to go back.

"Yeah,"Rose nodded,"They might stay even after the summer 's over, but Heather and Mark will number back to go to Hogwarts."

"They get to go, too ?"

"Yup. Stanley and Eddie are going, too. Stanley 's quitting his job for it. He 's definitely staying in Roumania after the summer 's over. He wants to get into dragon training."

"Wow,"Albus replied,"They 're lucky. I guess it 's dependable that Stanley decided what he wants to do."

Stanley had been working at the Magical menagerie since he finished Hogwarts, but knew he did n't desire to do that his whole lifespan. He just did n't know what he did require to do.

"I wish our parents would direct us to some other res publica,"Albus sighed.

"Me, too,"pink wine agreed,"Imagine the story we could learn."

Albus personally had enough of story from Professor Binns, but he supposed learning history by traveling would be fun.

"Christmas Quidditch tomorrow ?"teddy bear asked as he sat down next to Rose.

"Definitely,"Albus grinned.

"I would n't count on it, Teddy,"mollie said as she handed Albus another hunk of bread,"We 're supposed to get the snowstorm of the decennium tomorrow. The Muggle electricity is already out in town."

"Is it really ?"Chester A. Arthur popped his head into the elbow room,"Fascinating ! I may have to go see it tomorrow !"

"You 'll do no such thing !"Molly shouted,"It 's near out of the question to Appparate during such a storm. Not to mention the fact that it 's Christmas and you should be here."

"We do n't need electricity to play Quidditch !"Teddy exclaimed,"It 'll be pure training conditions ! If you can charm a snitch in the heart of a snowstorm, you can grab one in any weather. It 's not like Kendrick ever calls off Quidditch because of snow."

"We 'll see tomorrow, Teddy,"mollie sighed.

Albus finished his soup and he and Rose went into the den, where they were greeted by a flashy chorus of 'Odo the submarine sandwich', sung by George, Alicia, Charlie, and Ron. Bill and Fleur were laughing while Hermione shook her mind. Albus had a feeling the only reasonableness why Fleur approved was because the vocalizing was drowning out Celestina Warbeck.

"So then I said, I 'm not paying seven Sickles for that !"Sir Henry Percy said to Katherine, who was only sort of paying care,"And the bloke looked at me like I was mad. I say he 's mad, charging that much for a circuit of a questionably historic old construction. There really should be regulations on such things. It 's one thing I 'll change if I 'm ever Minister."

Albus stifled a gag. His Uncle Percy had been talking about running for curate for the past ten geezerhood, but still had n't done it. Most of his uncles and aunts got throw up of hearing him spill the beans about what he would and would not transfer.

"Hey, Albus, rosebush,"Victoire waved at him from across the room.

"Hi Victoire,"Albus made his way over to her,"How is Healer training ?"

"Exhausting,"Victoire sighed,"And I have to figure out which part of the infirmary I want to do the quietus of my training in by September. We 've been rotating throughout all the base, but now we have to pick one. I 'm nowhere near decided."

"You have until September,"Albus shrugged. It seemed like a recollective clock time to him.

"I know,"Victoire replied,"But Amy 's known where she wants to finish grooming since we were in one-fourth year."

"You 're not in Amy 's spot,"Teddy appeared and put his arm around her,"And I think you 'll do not bad anyplace you decide."

"Thanks, Teddy,"Victoire smiled,"I 'm thinking either the pregnancy Montgomery Ward or turn Damage."

"There 's a busy ward,"Teddy grinned,"Spell Damage. You 'll get all the funny injuries there."

"That 's not a safe understanding to blame a specialism,"Victoire groaned.

"good a reason as any,"Teddy shrugged.

The fourth dimension grew later and after Albus played numerous one shot of Exploding snapshot with his full cousin, his nan announced that it was meter for bed. Everyone argued, but there was really no compass point. Everyone, including the former grownup, knew that arguing with molly Weasley was useless.

Albus trudged up the stairs to the highest bedroom that he shared with James, Ben, and Cedric. He climbed into bed and then realized just how big this close at hand blizzard was. The wind was howling louder than he 'd ever heard before.

The winding was so knock-down that Albus could find it through the gaps in the window. Every once in a patch, the house would whine and escape from. Albus sighed and put his pillow over his auricle to try and drown out the howl.

Albus did n't negociate to range off to sleep until after Cedric got out of bed, swore loudly, and disregarded the no thaumaturgy exterior of school dominion to put a silencing magic spell on the room.

******

Albus was awoken by his yearbook Noel wake-up Call, Lily. She breezed through the doorway shouting about how they all needed to wake up and open their presents.

"And there 's three feet of Charles Percy Snow outside,"Lily said as she left the elbow room,"I checked."

"Merlin !"King James jumped off the top bunk bed and looked out the window,"There is ! And it 's still coming !"

"Whoa, you ca n't see anything !"Cedric added.

"We could establish the universe 's fully grown snow wizard later,"Ben suggested.

"We could construct an entire C. P. Snow whizz US Army,"Albus said.

"present first,"James said as he located his chain reactor of presents.

Albus descended upon his own slew of presents and began opening them. There were the usual sweets and Weasleys'Cartesian product from his auntie and uncles. Another Weasley sweater, this one scarlet and gold striped. He pulled it on over his pajamas and opened the rest of the presents from his aunt and uncles. His Aunt Hermione had gotten him a few book of account he 'd probably never register, including one about the history of house elves at Hogwarts.

Albus saved his parents'present for last, although he doubted they could top last twelvemonth 's. There really was n't anything in the world that was secure than the Invisibility Cloak.

"Al, did you open Mum and Dad 's yet ?"James shouted.

"I 'm opening it now,"Albus said as he ripped the paper off the minor box.

"You 'll never guess what they got us !"

Albus opened the box and saw two tickets. Two ticket for the Quidditch World Cup that was taking space this summertime !

"Whoa !"Albus shouted,"mankind Cup tickets !"

"I did n't even sleep with they were on sale this early !"James said.

"You two get the best nowadays,"Cedric said.

"Hey, I got two ticket,"James replied.

"Yeah, two,"Ben sighed,"You can only pick one of us to go."

Albus suddenly realized he had the Saame problem. Two tickets. Five protagonist he would want to deal. Who was he going to choose ? Not rosebush. They may bear been friends since they were infant, but she just did n't have a cacoethes for Quidditch. Neither did Kaden. He was another to cut through off the listing. John and Matt were the Quidditch devotee. He 'd have to pick out between them. Amanda liked Quidditch well enough, but she did n't follow a team or anything.

"Those are limited edition ticket,"Ben said,"They do n't know who 's playing yet, so they do n't sell very many just the ticket ahead of time."

"They 're for the top box, too,"James said in awe.

Lily burst into the room with a big grinning on her expression. She was holding two tickets as well."Did you get Quidditch just the ticket ?"

"Yeah,"Albus and James IV said at the Lapp time.

"This is going to be glorious,"Lily said and then ran out of the room.

Albus 's parents were already in the kitchen by the time Albus went downstairs. They were sitting at the table eating breakfast. Albus gave them each a immense hug and then sat down.

"How did you get the slate ?"he asked.

"They were a gift from the rector,"Harry replied,"The Cup is in Canada this year and he 's good friends with their minister. Got him a lot of justify tickets."

Albus grinned as he began to eat breakfast. Somehow his parents had come close to topping stopping point year 's introduce. Now not only was he going to get to see the cosmos Cup, he would get to travel to a different country.

blush wine came downstairs a little while later and was impressed with the just the ticket. She had no desire to go to the Cup and had no suggestions on how Albus was going to choose between John and Matt.

"Anyone up for Quidditch later ?"Teddy announced as he sauntered into the kitchen.

"Not under my watch !"molly shouted,"You ca n't see a metrical foot in front of you out there ! And it must be close to 15 below !"

"Maybe after lunch, then,"slip shrugged.

mollie shook her head and sighed as she set a few Thomas More platters of eggs and toast onto the table.

There was a knock on the door that could only just be heard over the howling wind instrument. Molly glanced at President Arthur, who shrugged and got up to see who it was. Albus followed, very curious to see who would shoot the breeze on Christmastide morning in the middle of a huge blizzard.

"Xeno, is that you ?"King Arthur shouted outside.

"Yes !"Xenophilius Lovegood shouted back. Chester A. Arthur stood aside as the man walked in and then shut the door behind him."Quite the storm we 're having ! Just thought I 'd stop by and see if this place was still standing."

"Quite the violent storm, yes,"King Arthur agreed,"I heard the Muggles lost electrical energy. Fascinating. I wonder what they do without it. But yes, the house is still standing."

"Good, but if you feel it 's too wonky, just let me know and I 'll go get some of my Jutispy Plants. The leaves do wonderment on old buildings. Makes them like new. I just put a crew into my place and it 's a good thing, too. Of course, they tend to attract Nargles ..."Xenophilius 's voice trailed off.

"I 'll keep that in head,"Arthur smiled,"Are you spending the holiday alone ?"

"Yes, yes,"he replied,"Luna and Hrolf are with his family this Christmas."

"Then you must stay here a while. molly 's cooked far too much food for thought, like usual,"Arthur lead Xeno into the kitchen.

Albus followed them. He always found Xenophilius Lovegood to be an interesting thaumaturge, if not a little mad. Always going on about Nargles or Nom-Noms or something.

mollie was more than happy to provide Xenophilius with a large disk of breakfast and he settled down to discuss the tempest with the adults.

Albus spent most of the morning playing Exploding Snap, whizz 's Chess, and Gobstones with his cousin-german. They tried to play hide and go seek, but the house was too crowded to work it properly.

Teddy and James kept looking out the window, willing it to stop snowing. Both of them were just itching to go play Quidditch. Albus would throw gladly gone and played if it would stop snowing so much. He was dedicated to the game, but not enough to diddle in this storm.

Lunchtime came and the Snow was still falling. George V went outside to measure it and came back with the news that it was three and a half infantry.

Teddy went upstairs after luncheon and came back decked out in three pinny, a thick cloak, and a couple of bang. Under one arm was his broom and under the other was a box of Quidditch egg. Saint James the Apostle was right behind him, dressed the same.

"Theodore Remus lupin !"molly shouted,"I suppose I ca n't stop you from going out there and catching death of a cold, but I will not let you drag King James I with you !"

"He 's not dragging me, granny,"James rolled his eyes,"I want to go !"

"Just let them, Molly,"Harry said,"They 'll get stale soon enough and come back inside."

"Fine,"Molly replied and went back into the kitchen.

"Excellent,"teddy grinned,"Anyone care to join us ?"

Georgia, Fred, and Heather suited up in quick clothes and joined teddy and James. Albus decided against it. Quidditch was fun, but he did n't want to block when he could stay inside and be warm.

The Christmas Quidditch lasted a one-half an time of day. chemise, James, Sakartvelo, Heather, and Fred all stumbled back into the home shivering with their faces red and covered in Baron Snow of Leicester and ice. Molly immediately descended upon them with mugs of hot chocolate and dry clothes.

"Told you, Molly,"Harry grinned.

"C-ca n't find the Sn-Snitch,"teddy muttered.

Harry laughed."That does n't surprise me. You 'll find it when the violent storm calms down. You put the charm on it to ride out in the grounds, right ?"

"Y-yeah,"Teddy replied.

Christmas dinner came and went in its usual topsy-turvydom. Xenophilius stayed for it and St. James snuck sneezing pulverization into his soup, which he found incredibly suspicious. molly was not as impressed and gave James quite the scolding. How she found out it was James II was beyond Albus.

The storm continued throughout the night and Cedric had to put the silencing magical spell back on their way in order of magnitude for any of them to get any sleep.

******

nobody left the Burrow until two daytime after Yule. That was when the snow finally let up. It topped out at around four and a one-half feet, which was a new criminal record for Albus 's lifetime. The Burrow 's yard had been decorated by 12 of Baron Snow of Leicester crone and ace, along with hippogriffs, bird of night, and a variety of other magic creatures.

When Albus found out what his kin was doing after they left the tunnel, he wished the snow would take in kept coming. They were going shopping for frock robes for the New Year 's party.

"Why ca n't I just wear my old dress robe ?"James whined as they walked down Diagon Alley towards Madam Malkin's.

"Because they 're five inches too shortsighted,"Ginny replied,"They 're even too small for Al."

"Yeah, Victor Hugo 's the lucky one,"James River muttered. Victor Hugo was wearing James 's old wearing apparel robes to the company and therefore did not have to go shopping.

"Mummy, I want purple robe,"Lily announced.

"If they have any,"Ginny replied.

Albus wanted to buy the first yoke of dress gown he found, so long as they were n't knock or purple. The sooner they were done robes shopping the better.

Rose and Lily made a beeline for the girls dress gown as soon as they walked in the threshold. Albus stood awkwardly next to King James I while their mother found several gown for them.

"Here, try these on, Al,"Ginny handed him a yoke of emerald greenness robes.

"Very Slytherin,"James snickered.

"Shut it, St. James,"Albus muttered.

"They 'll lend out your center, Al,"Ginny told him,"Now go try them on."

Albus reluctantly tried on the Slytherin colored robes and then left the dressing room for his mother to see.

"Too short,"she announced,"But the coloring is perfect. I 'll find a larger size."

James wound up with a navy blue blue couple of robes, which Albus would take preferred. Lily found her empurpled robe and Rose got a sky blue couple.

"Next time you 're getting green gown,"Albus muttered to James, who was still making fun of the colouring of Albus 's robes.

"No I wo n't. I do n't let unripe eyes,"St. James grinned.

"Then we 'll get you a prissy red set,"Ginny said,"They 'll clash horribly with your hair."

"I do n't care. They 'd be Gryffindor colored,"James laughed.


A/N : Thanks to my beta, Dancer of Starlight, as well as all the amazing masses who have read and reviewed this ! Also, for anyone who read In Moonlight 's shadow, the first chapter of the continuation, Beyond the Shadow, is now up !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


The party was at the Minister 's mansion, the household where all the Ministers of deception had lived. Albus had been there a few clock time before, but not in a match years. Usually all the political party the Minister held were while Albus was at Hogwarts.

A few minute before the company, Ginny made Albus, James, and Lily all take rain shower and disentangle their haircloth properly. She spent a thoroughly XV minutes trying to get King James I 's hair to lie categorical and another fifteen proceedings putting Lily 's up in some variety of exposit bun type thing. Albus was very felicitous his own haircloth was far too dead for that variety of thing.

Before they left, Albus 's parents sat him, St. James, and Lily down on the couch and proceeded to separate them the linguistic rule for the evening.

"Absolutely no making trouble !"Ginny stared at Jesse James as she said this,"None at all ! This is the minister 's house ! I will not have got you wreaking havoc in it."

"We 're trusting you to keep yourselves occupied during this. I 'm going to have to mingle with everyone and we wo n't be able to check you every indorse,"Harry added,"You 're all at Hogwarts now. You 're old enough to not be glued to us for the evening."

"Do n't worry,"King James said,"I know when mischief is n't appropriate."

"Let 's Leslie Townes Hope so,"Ginny sighed.

Albus and his family Apparated to the government minister 's sign of the zodiac, which meant side-along Apparition for Albus. He hated side-along Apparition. It felt like he could n't breath. It was worse when the person who was Apparating him was also Apparating another individual, which was always the guinea pig in his kinsfolk. It was the curse of being the midriff tyke. He was either with James or Lily. This time it was with Lily and Harry was Apparating them.

When Albus had regained his ability to breath properly, he looked around at where they had landed. He was standing on the front end lawn of what was the most excessive mansion he had ever seen. It could n't be considered a house ; it was just too monstrous.

A long and winding sidewalk, framed with Vannevar Bush and lights on either English, direct up to the front end door. Albus 's parents started walking up and Albus followed.

The mansion seemed to get bigger as they got closer. It was painted brown with a black roof and reminded Albus of a castle. It was n't nearly as big as Hogwarts, of course, but it was still huge.

Harry rang the bell when they arrived at the door and it was answered by the parson himself."Harry !"he shouted,"Come in !"

Minister Langston Hartwell was the third curate since the fall of God Almighty Voldemort. He was a marvelous, rotund man with very little hair left on his head. He did sport a rather large moustache, which caused Albus to think of him as a much marvellous edition of Professor Slughorn.

Hartwell was one of those very educated wizards who spoke using very large give-and-take that Albus could n't really infer. He was long-winded and most of his manner of speaking could be condensed down into a few sentences, according to Harry, that is. He was a very prissy man, though.

"right this way,"Hartwell motioned for them to follow him.

Hartwell lead them through the business firm, which was just as spic as Albus remembered, and into what could only be described as a grand dance hall. It was the same ballroom all the parties Albus had been to were held.

The room was decorated with silver and opprobrious and was already filling up with masses. Albus spotted rose and Matt in the back of the room and left his family in the doorway to go see them.

"Some place, huh ?"Albus said once he reached them.

"This is the biggest sign I 've ever seen,"Rose agreed,"I see you 're wearing your Slytherin robes."

Albus rolled his eyes."Shut it."

"What do you call up, Matt ?"Rose turned to matt,"His mum says they match his centre, but James says they 're Slytherin robes."

"Slytherin,"mat said immediately.

"Then yours are Ravenclaw,"Albus pointed out, gesturing to lustrelessness 's blue robes.

"I do n't care,"flatness shrugged,"So, did you just get here ?"

"Yeah,"Albus replied.

"I 've been here for two hours already,"lusterlessness said,"We were the low unity here. Dad keeps introducing me to people and they all think I 'm a low year."

"Bet that 's fun,"Albus laughed,"Do you get it on virtually of these people ?"

"Some,"Matt said,"That 's the gent Dad 's taking over for,"he gestured to a very enceinte wizard,"McVicar."

"Right,"Albus said,"I 've heard of him. Dad 's always said he would never retire."

"Dad never thought he would either,"matte laughed,"Then we 've got your Uncle Harry Hotspur, I think you probably know him. Those people are a few of Dad 's colleagues,"Matt gestured to a few Thomas More beldam and magician,"Then there 's a bunch of people from former department, but I do n't recollect any of their names."

"Looks like it 's going to be a fun night,"Albus said sarcastically.

"Oh, it will be,"Matt grinned,"When I was really little, we went to parties like this a few prison term a month. You make your own fun."

"Like what ?"Albus asked.

"Charming alcohol out of the wine and Champagne. It 'll still taste exactly the same,"Matt grinned mischievously,"By the time midnight cast around, everyone will be wondering why they 're not booze. It 'll be funny."

"You 've done this before ?"rose raised an eyebrow.

"Amy has,"Matt said,"She 's here somewhere and she 's going to do it soon."

"I have to allow, that 's really originative,"Rose giggled,"What else ?"

"Mostly stuff with the food. Charm the chocolate to try out like vanilla, charm the serving utensils to motivate every time you go to pick them up, that sorting of material,"Matt explained.

"My parents gave us this address about how we ca n't wager pranks here,"Albus said,"She was saying it mostly for Henry James, but I think she should 've given it to you."

"My parents never say that stuff to me,"lusterlessness laughed,"They never suspect me of anything. The minute of arc they find out the alcohol 's been charmed out of the beverage, they 'll find Amy."

"She is the one who 's going to do it,"Rose pointed out.

"It was my idea, though. She was n't originally going to do it at this political party,"matt explained.

"alcoholic beverage 's gone,"Amy said quietly as she came up behind flatness,"This is going to be interesting."

"What exactly happens when you use this magical spell ?"Rose asked.

"Oh, it 's great,"Amy grinned,"low gear, only a couple people notice and they make a very quiet reference to another person and then that person agrees that there 's something wrong with the drinks. Then it just snowballs from there until it 's all they 're talking about. Then someone will try the drinks, distinguish the alcohol 's been charmed away, supersede it, and then everyone will cheer. But some of them will act drunk because they think there 's alcoholic beverage in the drinks."

"Are n't your parents going to be upset ?"blush wine asked.

"They might tell me they wish I had n't done it, but there 's not a lot they can do,"Amy shrugged,"That 's why I 'm doing it and not Matt."

"I could n't see your parents yelling at you anyway,"Albus laughed.

"You never know,"Matt shrugged.

"I bet James and Cedric are going to do something,"Albus said as he scanned the crew. James River and Cedric were sitting at one of the mesa, question close together like they were plotting something.

"I 'd be shocked if they did n't,"Rose smirked,"Aunt Ginny has no hope of stopping James."

"And I 'd bet my last-place Galleon that Empire State of the South and Omar Nelson Bradley are talking about Quidditch,"Albus gestured to his other two full cousin, who were standing near the buffet.

"That 's all they talk about,"rosebush said,"And Lily looks bored. Five sickle says she 's over here in about ten min or so."

"I would n't bet against that,"Albus said,"And Samantha and lindy hop will sneak out of the room the following metre Aunt Corrine looks away."

Albus 's Aunt Corrine was talking with two witches Albus did n't know and his similitude cousins were chasing each former around the room.

"Are any of your other cousin coming ?"Amy asked.

"Nope,"Albus shook his head,"None of my other auntie and uncles work for the Ministry."

"Let 's go get something to eat,"Matt said.

Albus and pink wine agreed. Amy left to go public lecture to mortal else and the three friends walked over to the buffet. There was already a modest queue in front of it.

"There go Samantha and Lindy,"rose said as they waited. The twins ran out one of the doors and Corrine quickly followed.

The queue moved quickly and soon Albus was in front. He grabbed a home base and piled it high with just about everything. There was always the best food at this kind of party.

They found an empty table far enough away from William James and Cedric. Albus did n't want to be anywhere near them when they did whatever they were planning on doing.

"I do n't even know what half this hooey is,"matte said as he began eating,"But it 's good."

More and more than people arrived as Albus ate his dinner. He recognized a few of them, but did n't retrieve any figure. He also noticed that cipher was acting strangely due to Amy 's good luck charm. They were all acting perfectly convention for adult who had had a few drinks.

Albus, matt, and rosiness wandered around the room once they finished their food. A few adults stopped to outcry how big they 'd beget and to inquire what year they were at Hogwarts. Lily joined them because she did n't want to be associated with James and Cedric 's mischief.

"how-do-you-do, everyone !"parson Hartwell shouted from the podium at the front of the room.

Everyone quieted down and turned to look out him. Albus, Rose, and Matt were somewhat close to the podium.

"Thank you,"he smiled,"I assume you all know why I 've thrown this party, and it 's not just to unload the expectant amount of wine I was given for Dec 25 !"

The adults all chuckled at Hartwell 's try at a joke and then quieted down once again.

"Yes, yes, well, this party is in honor of none other than Walter Eckerton, whom I have appointed to the perspective of Head of the department of ordinance and Control of Magical Creatures. There is no one else whom I would trust with such a job ...."

Hartwell 's spoken language soon descended into one of his usual speeches, which Albus could not understand. It was long, drawn-out, and Albus could 've sworn he saw his dad yawning at one point.

Albus clapped loudly when Hartwell finally finished and turned the stump over to McVicar.

"Thank you, Minister,"McVicar began,"That was quite an interest speech. I, too, would like to congratulate Walter Eckerton on his promotion.

"I am sure at least one-half of you were quite surprised to hear that I was retiring. I myself was surprised. In fact, I probably would n't stimulate done it if it were n't for the fact that my wife has been begging me to for the yesteryear ten years.

"However, the chief reason for my lack of an former retirement was because there was not a bingle someone employed in the Ministry whom I would sustain trusted with this job. cipher had the capacity to carry out this location in the way I would like. Like they always say, if you want something done right, do it yourself. That was my catchword up until five long time ago, that is.

"A little over five eld ago, a man came into the Ministry looking for a job in the section of the Regulation and mastery of Magical animate being. He applied for a job in wolfman backing religious service, a emplacement that had been open for well over a year. I was ready to hire anyone who walked through the doorway at that point, but I had no idea what was to hail when I hired Walter Eckerton.

"Some of you may know that Bruno Walter has experience in this field. He was the caput of the department of rule and Control of Magical creature in Australia for three age before leaving the perspective in Order to locomote to England.

"Walter revolutionized loup-garou Support Services as soon as he started. The theme he had were unity that even I had n't thought of. In five short-change geezerhood, he has bettered life history for those plagued with lycanthropy Sir Thomas More than anyone else in the department have in their full careers.

"It took only six months for me to gain that I wanted Walter to claim over for me when I retired. Not only does he throw the experience and intelligence for the job, but he also has dedication that I have never seen before. I even have to take that his commitment surpasses my own. I have never seen anyone fight as hard for werewolf rights as he has.

"The solely matter left for me to do was convince myself it was time to retire,"McVicar chuckled,"And yes, it did take the right piece of five yr to do that. But now, I feel very positive as I hand the reins over to Walter."

Everyone clapped as McVicar stepped away and mat 's dad took the stump."That was quite the speech,"Albus muttered to Matt.

"I 'll say,"matte agreed,"And McVicar does n't usually kudos multitude like that."

"fountainhead,"matt 's dad began,"Thanks for your vote of confidence, Rob. I certainly hope I can live up to your expectations.

"I have to begin by saying how unexpected this was. I really had no intentions of becoming the head of the full department again, no subject which res publica I was living in. werewolf backup Services has been such a great space to work these past few years. It truly is my passion.

"However, when Langston and Rob approached me about taking over when Rob retired, I found it difficult to say no. In the end, I said yes because I want to realize more of a deviation.

"Of course, I could not have gotten to this berth without the help of my married woman, Julie,"he gestured to matte 's mum, who was standing near the pulpit,"And my daughter, Amy, and my son, matt.

"I 'm not one for long delivery, so I 'll just say that I look forward to starting the job and I truly hope I can be at least half of the promontory of the department Rob has been."

"I just hope none of them find out why my dad 's so dedicated,"Matt whispered.

"They 're too drunk to recollect much on it,"rose smirked.

"They 're not really booze,"Albus reminded her.

"They 're certainly acting like they are,"Rose pointed out.

A good portion of the adults were acting very drunk. In fact, if Albus had n't known about Amy 's appealingness, he would say they all really were drunk. The weird thing was that everybody was acting drunk. There did n't seem to be anyone who was thinking there was something awry with the drinks.

"Let 's go ask Amy about it,"matt suggested.

Amy was standing nearby, so Albus, mat, and blush wine squeezed their way through the crew to get to her.

"Amy,"Matt whispered,"Why 's everyone acting convention ?

"I do n't know,"she whispered back,"Let 's go feel at the drinks."

Saint James the Apostle and Cedric were also standing near the beverage mesa, looking nearly as confused as Albus felt about this charm. That was kind of strange.

Amy grabbed a glassful of wine and tried it."Well, it tastes fine, but it 's supposed to."

"You 'll have to wassail a lot more than that to get properly drunk,"Matt grinned.

"I 'm not doing that,"Amy rolled her eyes.

"Actually,"King James I grinned mischievously,"That might get you drunk."

"What did you do ?"Albus groaned.

"Cedric and I added some supererogatory intoxicant to that wine-coloured,"James whispered.

Albus, blush wine, mat, and Amy burst out laughing. Albus could not believe it. All of their pranks had backfired. The vino was now perfectly normal.

"What 's so good story ?"Cedric asked.

"Amy pulled a prank, too,"Albus said.

"I put a appealingness on all the wine to remove the alcohol, while keeping the taste,"Amy explained,"I did it right when the party started."

"So much for that prank,"James groaned.

"Now you wo n't get in worry,"Albus pointed out,"Mum 's been watching you two."

"I know,"Saint James the Apostle muttered,"That 's why we ca n't do it again."

"What do you require to do now ?"Albus asked as Saint James the Apostle, Cedric, and Amy left.

"Want to research the parson 's Mansion ?"Matt suggested.

"Is that allowed ?"rosiness asked skeptically.

"I do n't see why not, I mean, this is my dad 's party,"matt pointed out,"Plus, we 'd just be walking around."

"Let 's go,"Albus said and lead them out of the ballroom.

It was much quieter in the remainder of the firm. They started wandering through any way that had open doors.

"This office is so damn fancy,"Albus said.

"It reminds me of my grandparents'mansion,"matt said.

"Their house is this big ?"rosiness asked.

"Nearly,"lustrelessness replied,"They 've got a dance palace and everything."

The three admirer wound up in a very prominent animation room filled with old-hat piece of furniture. There was an oriental carpeting on the ground and oak tabular array and bookshelves around the perimeter. Atop the tables were fancy vases of flowers and quartz glass sculptures.

"We 'd better be careful in here,"Rose said as she walked into the room,"If we break any of this hooey, our parents would murder us."

"Cinda 's got one of these,"flatness pointed to a crystal swan.

"Do n't touch it !"rose hissed.

"I was n't,"Matt assured her,"I broke Cinda 's once, but Mum fixed it."

"Look at all these books,"Albus gazed up at one of the bookcases,"Madam Pince would get laid to get her hired man on these."

"They 're all about politics, though,"lusterlessness pointed out,"Pretty boring."

"Mum would wish them,"rose wine said

"I wonder how old this furniture is,"matt said as he looked at a rather uncomfortable looking armchair.

"Probably senior than Aberforth Dumbledore,"Albus replied.

"Hey, Albus, matt, derive here,"pink wine said as she looked out the window.

Albus and matte walked over to the windowpane and leaned over the table that was in front of it.

"What is it ?"Albus asked.

"looking at, there's-"

flatness leaned farther over the tabular array and knocked one of the watch glass sculptures off. rose wine gasped and managed to catch it before it crashed onto the floor.

"Falco columbarius,"rosiness whispered as she set it back on the table,"Be careful."

"Sorry,"Matt replied,"What were you saying ?"

"There 's someone sneaking around out there,"rosebush said.

Albus peered out the window into the darkness. He could just barely make out a fantasm lurking around the bushes. It did n't count like the somebody was walking up towards the house to go to the party. Plus, why would he point up three 60 minutes late ?

"There 's definitely soul out there,"Matt said.

"Let 's go ascertain out who it is,"Albus said. He did n't deliver a hint as to who it was, but he wanted to see out. There was no cause for someone to be sneaking around the Minister 's star sign at this time of night.

"Albus Severus Potter, are you all-fired insane ?"rosebush exclaimed,"I think you are !"

"Look, I just want to go see if we can find out who it is. I 'm not saying we should go duel them. Plus, there 's a whole room full of Ministry officials in face whoever is out there is someone bad,"Albus said.

"That 's a good point,"Matt replied,"Why would soul nobble around a menage that 's full-of-the-moon of Ministry officials, especially when the two top Aurors are inside ?"

"I do n't know,"Albus said,"But I want to find out who it is."

blush wine reluctantly agreed and followed Albus and Matt, muttering under her breath. They found the nearest door and went out into the cold night, drawing their sceptre as they did so.

"If we are n't killed, we 'll freeze to death,"pink wine muttered.

Albus ignored her and started looking around. He stayed close to the house and tried to hold open himself concealed in the Dubyuh as he looked for the figure of speech. However, he could n't see or get a line anything.

"Do you pick up anything ?"he whispered to Matt.

"No,"mat replied,"It 's like they disapparated or something."

"Good,"pink wine muttered,"Now let 's go back inside."

"They could 've just moved,"Albus pointed out,"Let 's maintain going."

Albus continued creeping around the house, with his scepter out in front end of him. His heart was beating fast and his workforce were sweaty despite the coldness. He did n't require to stop, though. Figuring out who this fellow was was exciting and cheek wracking at the same time.

"Do n't affect !"individual shouted and all of a sudden there was a lustrous light in Albus 's heart. Wand light.

rose wine screamed and grabbed storage area of Albus 's arm. Albus held up his own verge, his hand shaking.

"Who are you ?"the person shouted.

"Wh-who are y-you ?"Albus stammered.

"He sounds associate,"Matt whispered,"hang on. Bloody sin, that 's professor Balladanis !"

Albus thought for a secondly and the part did sound a lot like Balladanis. But why would he be sneaking around the Minister 's mansion house ?

"Albus Potter, is that you ?"the man shouted.

"Er, yes,"Albus replied.

The verge light lowered and Albus heard the man step through the snow towards him. Albus saw that he was indeed Professor Balladanis. He breathed a sigh of alleviation as Rose let go of his arm.

"Mr. ceramist,"Balladanis said and then waved his wand around,"And Miss Weasley, Mr. Eckerton. Oh, I suppose this party is for your father, Mr. Eckerton ?"

"Y-yes, sir,"flatness replied.

"What are the three of you doing sneaking around outside in the dead of night ? I thought I 'd taught you right than that. You 're just asking for hassle,"Balladanis said sternly.

"Told you,"Rose whispered to Albus.

"Er,"Albus began,"We saw someone lurking around out here and went to enquire. I guess that person was you ...."

"And you 're golden it was me,"Balladanis barked,"The three of you could have been dead if that mortal had been a dark whizz. Now, I 'm taking all three of you back inside."

Albus nodded and followed Balladanis through the nose candy and towards the door."Sir,"Albus said,"If you do n't mind my asking, what were you doing outdoors ?"

"If you must know, the minister asked me to check the reason in club to get sure nobody was lurking around,"Balladanis replied.

That did cypher but Spark Albus 's curiosity even more. He knew better than to press further, though. Balladanis was not one to explain his motives.


A/N : Thanks to my Beta, Dancer of Starlight, as well as everyone who has read and reviewed this !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


It was nearing midnight when Albus, lustrelessness, and Rose re-entered the building, escorted by Professor Balladanis. Albus had been hoping the professor would just see them to the threshold and then continue his search of the border, but instead he went back to the dance palace with them and marched them right up to Harry.

"Potter,"Balladanis interrupted the conversation Harry had been having with some wiz Albus did n't bed,"I found your son, your niece, and their friend wandering around outside."

"Albus,"Harry groaned,"I thought we made it clear that you were to stay inside."

"I 'll leave them with you,"Balldanis said,"Happy New Year."

"Happy New twelvemonth,"Harry replied,"And thanks."

Balladanis disappeared into the gang and Albus shifted uncomfortably as his dad stared at him for a few moments.

"concern to explicate ?"Harry raised an eyebrow.

"We were just, er, exploring,"Albus muttered.

"Do n't do it again,"Harry sighed.

"We wo n't,"Albus assured him.

Harry went back to his conversation and Albus lead his friends back to the snack bar.

"I hope you 've learned your lesson,"rose muttered,"I am not doing that again."

"We wo n't do it again. Not this evening, that is,"Albus grinned.

"10 !"soul shouted.

Albus looked at the nearest clock and saw that it was almost midnight. Everyone else joined in the countdown, holding their glass of Champagne-Ardenne in the air. Amy joined Albus, Rose, and matt.

"3, 2, 1, Happy New Year !"Albus shouted along with everyone else.

The crowd began to slim out a little while later. Most of the people Albus did n't do it left, along with his Uncle Harry Hotspur, auntie Corrine, and his cousins. Albus 's parents did n't bet like they were in any rush to leave, so he got a crustal plate of the leftover afters and at them with his friends.

rosiness 's syndicate and Amy left, and then it was just the Potters, lusterlessness, his parents, the rector, and his wife left. All the adult were talking, James was teasing Lily about something, and Albus and Matt were finishing off the finale of the desserts.

"Do you think there 's any way for Hogwarts to win the Quidditch tourney ?"lusterlessness asked as he polished off a piece of chocolate cake.

"Only if Linda 's sick the day of one of the compeer,"Albus sighed.

"Maybe that 'll happen,"lustrelessness said,"You never know."

"Al, we 've got to go,"Ginny tapped him on the shoulder.

"Ok, Mum,"Albus replied and then turned back to Matt,"I 'll see you soon."

"Yeah, see you on the gearing,"Matt said.

Albus waved goodbye and then joined his mum, dad, Henry James, and Lily. They all said praise to lusterlessness 's dad and then left the government minister 's Mansion. Albus peered into the George Herbert Walker Bush as he left, but there was no sign of prof Balladanis.

******

The residuum of the Xmas holiday went by very slow for Albus. He did all his homework, which was quite boring, and there was nothing to do after that. Rose was visiting her other grandparents and James was at Nathan 's house. Even Kaden was busy visiting his grandparents ( Vernon and genus Petunia ). He sent Albus a letter complaining about it, since the visit was also with Aunt marge. Albus was very grateful that he did n't have to go. Neither of his parents had mentioned anything about visiting with Vernon and Petunia again.

Finally the day to return to school arrived and the ceramicist made it to Platform 9 ¾ just in metre. Albus found all his admirer in one of the compartments and once they kicked Lily, Ashtyn, and Hugo out, they told each other about their holidays.

"aunt Marge has got to be the most ugly aunt in the entire world,"Kaden fumed,"My dad told her about magic a few calendar month ago and she 's been awful ever since. I mean, she was always kind of atrocious, but now she 's sorry. She just hates magic so much. She 's spoilt than my grandparents."

"Wow,"Albus replied,"gladiola I 've never met her."

"Consider yourself lucky,"Kaden muttered,"I 'm guessing you lot had better holidays ?"

"We found Professor Balladanis lurking around the Minister 's Mansion,"Albus announced.

"What ?"St. John, Kaden, and Amanda shouted at the like time.

"I saw person sneaking around extraneous and Albus insisted we go inquire,"rose wine said,"Turns out it was Balladanis and the curate had apparently asked him to check the solid ground for trouble."

"Did he find you ?"John asked.

"Yeah,"Albus nodded,"He was n't to glad either."

"Told us we could 've been killed,"lustrelessness explained.

"Well, we could 've,"Rose muttered.

"Weird though,"John said,"Why would the diplomatic minister think someone would be hiding around his house ?"

"Does n't he deliver sentry duty around anyway ?"Amanda asked,"The Muggle rector does."

"Again, that 's why it 's weird,"John replied,"He does have guards."

"Why would he ask Balladanis anyway ?"lustrelessness asked,"Why not ask an Auror ? Balladanis is a professor."

"He has n't always been,"Albus pointed out,"He had some sort of mysterious job before."

"Again, weird,"John said.

"Yeah, there were a cluster of Aurors at the party, not to mention Albus 's dad,"mat pointed out.

"That settles it,"John announced,"Albus, you 've got to find out what he did before he started teaching defense force ?"

"Why me ?"Albus asked.

"Because you 've got those limited dueling lesson with him. He likes you for some reason. Of class, he also likes Malfoy. But that 's probably just because Malfoy 's a estimable duellist, too,"John explained.

"I 'll try,"Albus sighed,"But I really do n't reckon he 'll differentiate me."

"You never know,"John said.

******

"placidity, quiet !"Balladanis shouted the followers Tuesday, their outset day of Defense after the holiday.

Albus immediately stopped talking to Matt and whoremaster and turned to look Balladanis. He was really hoping that the professor would say cypher about what happened at the party and so far Balladanis was showing no recollection of it.

"I trust you all had superb holiday,"Balladanis said,"But the vacation are over and although I am sure none of you thought a bit about justificative magic during said holidays, it is now clip to commence that thinking once again.

"get-go, I 'll say that there is no time to not be thinking about justificatory conjuration, as the iniquity arts do not acquire intermission for trivial thing such as holidays.

"endorsement, in this term we will begin to research brute far more dangerous than hinkypunks and kappas. In this full term we shall learn about those terrifying puppet such as acromantulas, basilisks, werewolves, dragons, and vampires."

Albus could n't help but glance at Linda when Balladanis said vampires. Balladanis had glanced at her as well, and he also glanced at matt when he said werewolves. Of course, he had looked at Albus when he said basilisks, so it did n't necessarily intend anything, but Albus had a look it did.

"As the headmaster would happen it highly inappropriate for a Dragon to manifest itself in this schoolroom, we shall not be using the anamatek as often this terminus,"Balladanis continued,"But we will be using it a few times. You will find that there are Thomas More talk in this term, much to my disfavour. There is nothing I would care better than to teach you about acromantulas and lycanthrope with practical moral, but there are both jurisprudence and school rules that prevent such lessons."

Albus and lustrelessness glanced at each other. It was functionary. prof Balladanis was insane. What kind of instructor would want to teach about flying dragon with subsist dragons ? Well, Hagrid would, but he was n't the same as Balladanis.

"yield out some sheepskin,"Balladanis said,"We 're going to get down learning about acromantulas today ...."

The relief of the day went by relatively quickly. Albus actually did not accept Quiditch practice that Nox, so everyone went to the piranha 's Den after dinner.

"soothsaying is such a joke,"John said as he tossed his bag onto the story and collapsed onto a frame,"We started crystal ball gazing today. All I saw was a load of fog."

"I told you not to bring it,"Rose said as she pulled a stack of books out of her own bag.

"I did n't recall it would be this bad,"John the Divine groaned,"There is no way anyone could see anything in a crystal ball."

"Palmistry was better,"Amanda said,"And Trelawney makes the whole matter worse."

"Trelawney could wee defending team bad,"Albus replied.

"Balladanis told us that he wished he could teach us about iniquity animate being using the anamatek,"rosebush said,"Seriously, he wanted a basilisk to appear in the eye of the classroom."

"That would be stupe,"Kaden said as he unwrapped a Chocolate Frog,"Those can vote out you with their eyes."

"I know,"rose wine said,"Balladanis is insane."

"Do you suppose that anamatek could turn into a werewolf if the moonlight was n't full phase of the moon ?"John the Evangelist asked.

"Probably not,"flatness answered,"It would just be a wolf. I think it would just be a brute any other time of the month, too, because there 's no way it could rick mortal into a werewolf by biting them."

"That 's good,"Albus said,"Because he did say that he 'd use the anamatek a few prison term this term. Wonder if he 'll have it flex into a vampire."

"No need,"John laughed,"We 've got Linda."

"If you think of it that way, there 's no power point to ingest it turn into a imitation werewolf either,"blush wine pointed out.

"commodity point, I guess,"John muttered.

******

The relief of the week went by quickly. Albus had Quidditch recitation Thursday evening, and Wood informed the entirely team that they 'd gotten rusty over the holiday. He also told them that the succeeding match was in two hebdomad and they 'd be playing New York. If they won, they 'd be in indorsement place.

Albus had a dueling moral with Balladanis the following evening and he had absolutely no idea how he was going to ask what Balladanis 's previous job had been.

Albus arrived at Balladanis 's room before Malfoy and entered to find Balladanis clearing all of the desks from the centre of the room.

"Mr. ceramicist,"Balladanis turned around and greeted Albus,"Is it safe to get into that you did not go wandering about late at night alone after New twelvemonth 's ?"

"Yes, sir,"Albus muttered as he felt his face turn red. He was quite glad Malfoy was n't there yet.

"Mr. Malfoy,"Balladanis said as Malfoy walked into the elbow room,"Now we may set out. I have decided that your understanding of the Protego charm is satisfactory so we are going to move on to something else.

"This particular appealingness, when performed correctly, manages to disarm and disorient a person at the same sentence. The sensation is often described as lightheadedness. Can either of you tell me what why this charm would be more useful than a standard disarming spell ?"

"Because it 's easier to duel someone who 's empty-headed than someone who is n't,"Malfoy said.

"More specifically than that,"Balladanis said,"Mr. Potter ?"

"Er, because you can get the person tied up while they 're disoriented ? If they 're a dark wizard you 're trying to see,"Albus replied.

"Another good reason, but not the one I was thinking of,"Balladanis began to walk slowly around the elbow room,"Wizards who are expecting to have to duel other wizards often keep multiple wands on their individual. There are spell that can be performed on these wand to hold open them attached to your gown or your actual organic structure, spells that Expelliarmus wo n't overcome easily. However, these spells require constant concentration.

"If a wizard is hit with the charm I am about to learn you, they will lose the assiduousness requisite to keep their extra wands affixed. Then, you can use Expelliarmus to get the redundant wands."

"Can you teach us that magic spell to keep supernumerary wands in our robes ?"Malfoy asked.

"Perhaps towards the end of the yr. It takes immense concentration and magical energy to simultaneously execute that charm while dueling soul,"Balladanis explained,"For now, you will learn the spell to disarm and disorientate a person at the same time.

"The conjuration is 'Confundo-Expelliarmus'. A combining of Confundus and Expelliarmus. Mr. Malfoy, you will go first. When I say so, perform the charm against Mr. ceramist. Mr. Potter, you may try and stop him using the Protego charm I taught you earlier."

Albus nodded, wishing he had been chosen to do the new magical spell first, and faced Malfoy. He held his wand up and muttered 'Protego'under his hint. He focused all of his density on holding the buckler up.

"Now, Mr. Malfoy,"Balladanis muttered.

"Confundo-Expelliarmus !"Malfoy shouted.

Albus felt the charm hit his carapace, but it did n't break through. He gripped his wand harder and stared at Malfoy.

"Keep going,"Balladanis said to Malfoy.

"Confundo-Expelliarmus !"Malfoy shouted again.

The appeal hit Albus 's carapace a little harder this time. Albus could feel beads of sweat forming on his os frontale.

Malfoy kept going and it took him five clock time to break through Albus 's buckler. When it happened, Albus felt his wand leave his hand and was overcome by a wave of dizziness at the Same sentence. He felt exactly like he had when he had gotten the flu the previous class, only without the fever.

Albus did n't pay any attention to what Malfoy and Balladanis were doing. He felt like he was going to slip by out and he had to sit down. He sat down right on the base and was vaguely aware of Balladanis standing over him.

Then, all of a sudden, the dizziness was gone. Albus shook his head and then looked up and saw Balladanis and Malfoy standing in front of him. Malfoy looked impressed and Balladanis looked like he always did.

"You did quite well with that shield,"Balladanis said as Albus stood up,"And I think it 's safe to strike that you could n't have held concentration for any spells after Mr. Malfoy succeeded in breaking your shield."

"No, sir,"Albus shook his head.

"Normally the charm 's effects would have lasted longer, but I performed the counter-curse because it looked like you were ready to pass out,"Balladanis explained,"When you 're fix, you can try the charm."

"I 'm ready,"Albus said as he took his wand back from Malfoy.

Balladanis gave Malfoy a few second to get his carapace up and then nodded at Albus to perform the charm.

"Confundo-Expelliarmus !"Albus shouted. As he expected, the charm did not fall apart Malfoy 's shield.

Much to Albus 's delight, he managed to give way the carapace on the quarter try. One to a lesser extent try than Malfoy had needed for Albus.

The charm hit Malfoy in the chest of drawers and his verge soared towards Albus. Albus caught it and watched as Malfoy bent over and fell to the primer, much like Albus himself had done.

Balladanis gave Albus one of his rare smiles and then pulled out his own wand. He waved it at Malfoy and Malfoy looked up.

"That was uncanny,"Malfoy muttered.

"It 's supposed to be,"Balladanis said,"Now get up and we 'll do it again."

Balladanis kept them at it for the better persona of an 60 minutes, past when Albus would birth liked to step down. It was exhausting to be hit with that enchantment time after time while trying to arrest up a shield good luck charm. Malfoy did n't look to be faring much estimable and Albus thought he was even going to ask Balladanis to stop after a half hour, but Malfoy closed his oral cavity, obviously thinking good of it.

The practice was n't for nada, though. Albus managed to hold in Malfoy off prospicient and longer each clip and although Malfoy was getting better at the harbor appeal as well, Albus broke through it a few more than times.

"That 's enough for tonight,"Balladanis finally said after he performed the countercurse on Albus for what must have been the tenth fourth dimension that night,"I 'll see you in class on Tuesday."

Malfoy made a beeline for the threshold, but Albus turned to Balladanis instead. He might as well just get it over with. There was no skillful way to ask Balladanis what his previous job had been. He just had to do it.

"Er, Sir,"Albus began,"I was just wondering, what did you do before you began teaching here ?"

Balladanis gave Albus the strangest look he had ever seen. It was a mixture of anger, sadness, and even regret. For a moment, Albus wished he had n't asked. It was too personal. He should have just told John they would n't be able to determine out.

"Now is not the time,"Balladanis said quietly,"All in skillful prison term, I will assure you."

Albus was taken aback. That was more than he had expected. He had thought Balladanis would have told him to heed his own business and get back to Gryffindor towboat before curfew. Albus was going to find out, he was just going to induce to be patient.

Albus left the elbow room as quickly as he could in his sap state, before Balladanis could deepen his judgment about eventually telling Albus about his previous career. The walk back to Gryffindor Tower seemed foresighted than usual and all Albus wanted to do was collapse into bed when he finally got there.

Instead, he was ambushed by all of his friends. All five of them looked shocked and Amanda looked like she was going to be tired of. He looked around the common elbow room and saw that nigh people looked floor and everyone was subdued. There was no joking around going on. Even James was quietly sitting at one of the tables.

"What happened ?"Albus whispered as he followed them back to their usual mesa.

rosebush opened her mouthpiece to speak and then closed her eyes, unable to do so. Albus turned to John and raised his eyebrows.

"You know that blighter who owns Dervish and Banges ?"John asked quietly.

Albus nodded, having seen the man on numerous occasion when he was in Hogsmeade. He was slightly older than Albus 's parents, with greying hair and a very vivid personality. He never hesitated to bring in his impression known

"Someone killed him,"trick said in barely more than a whisper.

"Wh-what ?"Albus turned to look at all his friends in spell. matt nodded ever so slightly and then put his caput on his hands.

"Must 've just happened,"john said,"They just found him. Madam Rosmerta heard a disruption and Flooed here, to get the Auror on duty. By the time they got back, his shop was a dispatch mess inside and he was laying utterly on the floor. Avada Kedavra. They 're searching Hogsmeade, the timber, the priming, and the schooling. Nobody 's allowed out of their common rooms and dormitories."

"We thought Balladanis would bring you back here when it happened,"rosebush said.

"cypher even came in to enjoin us,"Albus replied, still in shock.

People were n't just randomly killed in Hogsmeade. That sort of affair just did n't occur anymore. Not since Voldemort had been defeated. wellspring, professor Torro had been killed back before his first year and then that one witch from the Ministry had been killed over Christmas, but their killers had never been found and nothing had happened since.

"Why would anyone belt down him ?"Matt wondered aloud.

"Why would anyone toss off anyone ?"Rose replied.

The portrait hole opened and all the voicelessness stopped. Everyone looked to see who came in. It was Professor Longbottom, looking risky for the wear. His gown were disheveled and his tie was askew.

"Aurors are still searching the castle and the grounds,"he told them,"I suggest you all try and get some eternal sleep. The search will be long over by morning, so you will be free to entrust the mutual way then."

Albus and his friends looked at each other after Longbottom left. They wordlessly went up to their dorm room, Kaden going with Albus instead of to the second years'student residence. Nobody said anything as he curled up on the story with one of Albus 's bare blankets. Albus got into bed and stared at the ceiling. He had been so tire earlier, but now there was no way he 'd get much nap that night.


A/N : Thanks to my Beta, Dancer of Starlight, as well as all the awful readers and referee !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


luncheon was very subdued the next day. nearly people had slept quite late since it was a Saturday. Every educatee of Hogwarts had their olfactory organ in a written matter of the seer, be it their own or a protagonist 's. The staff table looked the same, with every professor either reading the Prophet or whispering with another prof, no doubt about what they 'd translate.

Albus was reading Empire State of the South 's vaticinator as she had finished with it and made a mental note to lead off subscribing himself. All of his friends were peering over his shoulders. Even Linda was hovering around them, a base or so away.

HOGSMEADE SHOPKEEPER MURDERED

A disturbance in Dervish and Banges late
yesterday evening that sent one Hogsmeade
resident to Hogwarts to find the Auror on
duty lead to the discovery of the demise
of a shopkeeper.

Leroy Wisander, 42, the ten-year owner of
Dervish and Banges was pronounced dead
on the fit by Ministry Aurors yesterday
eventide. His shop class had been broken into
and it showed signs of a struggle.
Wisander was discovered in the eye of
destroyed merchandise with his wand
laying a few base away. Aurors confirmed
that he was killed with the killing curse.

An all-encompassing search of Hogsmeade, the
woods, Hogwarts, and its flat coat turned
up nothing despite the hours Aurors spent
searching. No fingerprints were found on
the scene.

Aurors will be devoting time to finding
Wisander 's sea wolf and a possible motive.

Leroy Wisander had owned Dervish and Banges
for a little over ten years, when he
purchased the shop class from its previous owners
who retired. However, Wisander is more
known for the scathing editorial he writes
for this very newspaper.

Anyone who knew Wisander knew he was a man
of very strong sentiment and did not waver
to let others know his opinions. His most
Recent column have explored the national
of lycanthrope, vampire, and other so called
'half-breeds'right wing. Aurors have declined
comment on whether they believe Wisander 's
editorial are a potential need for his
murder. Wisander 's obituary can be found
on Thomas Nelson Page five.

Albus set the report down and his friends all resumed their seats. Nobody said a give-and-take for a few minutes. Albus did n't know what to mean. The clause certainly made it seem like Wisander was killed because of his feeling. However, it did n't exactly say what his impression were. Albus had n't ever read any of his editorials, so he could n't say either.

"What sort of editorials did he write ?"Matt asked quietly.

"I have no thought,"Albus replied, looking at his acquaintance whose facial expression was quite wan,"neediness to go to the room ?"

"Yeah,"lustrelessness nodded,"I 'm not really hungry."

Albus got up and was followed by all of his friends. John and Kaden each grabbed a stack of toast before leaving. Even Rose and Amanda went with them instead of going off to study with Linda.

"Have any of you record his editorials ?"flatness asked as soon as they were in the marauder 's Den.

Nobody had read them. Not even Rose. mat sighed and collapsed onto one of the couches."I 've got to find out what they were about. I do n't even know which would be break, him being for or against werewolf rights. If he 's for them, that means some feller is on the loose killing people for wanting wolfman rights."

Matt did n't even give to continue for Albus to know why that worried him. flatness 's dad was possibly the biggest advocator of werewolf rights in all of Britain and everyone knew it. If someone had been killed just for writing about werewolf right, what would happen to someone who was actually passing natural law for them ?

"That might not be why Wisander was killed,"Rose pointed out.

"Why else would someone have killed him ?"matt asked,"He was just a shop owner in Hogsmeade."

"Why did person kill prof Torro ?"King John replied,"He was n't even writing any editorials or anything."

"To scare people,"Albus said quietly,"The Defense Department instructor position used to be cursed, back when our parents were in school."

"Well, I do n't cerebrate you should vex until you find out what the newspaper column are about,"Rose said to Matt.

"The other option is n't practically comfortably,"matte muttered,"If he did n't write editorials for loup-garou rights, then he wrote them against them."

Albus thought matte had a full stop, but he kept his sassing shut. Any way you looked at it, this murder pointed to the fact that things were changing. Aurors had been patrolling Hogwarts for months, but Albus had quickly adjusted to that and did n't really think much about it, but maybe there was more happening outside of Hogwarts than Albus was aware of.

"Let 's go to the library,"Rose said as she stood up,"They 'll have old copies of the prophesier there."

Everyone agreed with this and they set off to the library. When they arrived, they were surprised to bump how crowded it was. Usually Sabbatum were the daylight everyone put off their prep and then Sundays were spent in the library.

Once they stepped inside, Albus saw that everyone was looking through old copies of the Prophet. Nearly every table had a few newspaper on it and a few educatee poring over them. brothel keeper Pince was bustling about, no doubt worrying about whether the bookman would rip her preciously newspapers.

"Might not be any left,"John muttered.

"This is good,"Albus replied,"Now it wo n't look untrusting for us to be investigating."

Saint John was almost right. There was a very humble mountain of newspaper left. Albus grabbed them all and then they went to a secluded table towards the binding of the library. Albus, flatness, and Rose each took a newsprint while John, Kaden, and Amanda played tic-tac-toe on a save bit of parchment.

Albus leafed through his newspaper, which was about two years old, until he got to the editorial section. In the very centre, in the biggest baptistry, was an editorial by Leroy Wisander.

HEALERS, BREWERS TO blame, NOT MINISTRY official

As I was locking up my workshop finale dark,
I noticed that it was a fully moonshine. I
could not facilitate but think of the poor
people plagued with lycanthropy
currently shut up while attacking
themselves.

Now, I know what you all are thinking.
Wolfsbane. The poppycock works miracles
if taken correctly. However, it does
no good if it 's sitting in St. Mungo 's
and not being used by crone and
wizards with lycanthropy.

The stuff is expensive. I myself did
the deliberation and discovered that
it would be extremely hard for
anyone with a low income to afford it.

And what kind of occupation are lycanthropes
often stuck with ? Menial, low-paying
1. The chore where they make hardly
enough money to pay the split and buy
food, let lone purchase a potion that
could interpolate their lives for the better.

I am absolutely appalled that therapist
and potion brewers charge for this
important potion. They must be making
a nice profit. They can use the win
to take in spendthrift vacation while the
poor witch and wizards who buy it
struggle to afford it.

There is only so practically Ministry functionary
can do. Head of Werewolf Support serving,
Bruno Walter Eckerton, says he would screw to
give away rid Aconitum lycoctonum, but there just
is n't room for it in the budget.

What do I nominate ? I propose that therapist
and potion brewers give it away for free.
They have the ability to brew it, not
the Ministry. Most Healers claim to love
helping people, but often it is those who
need it most, such as those with lycanthropy,
are often forced to go without, all because
those with the abilities to brew it like
to own a little superfluous outlay money.

"aught in this one,"rosiness said as she shoved hers aside.

"This one 's got one about lamia,"flatness said as he set his newspaper publisher on top of Rose's.

"Read this,"Albus handed Matt his paper,"Wisander even mentions your dad."

Matt took the theme and he and rosebush began to study it. toilet, Amanda, and Kaden peered over as well. Albus sat and waited while they read.

"Let 's go back to the room,"Matt said as soon as he 'd finished indication it.

Albus nodded and they returned the newspapers and walked as fast as they could back up to the piranha 's Den.

"Bloody hell, that bloke must have had so many opposition !"john shouted as soon as they were back.

"I know,"Albus agreed,"And that one 's from two years ago. Imagine what he 's written recently."

"Why did he have to mention my dad ?"matte groaned,"He made it sound like my dad agrees with that column and he definitely doesn't."

"He was just trying to shake up something up,"Rose replied,"And look where it got him."

"therapist are n't like that. almost of the 1 I 've met would give away free Wolfsbane, but it 's more perplex that that. The fixings are expensive and it takes forever to brew. Not to mention how unmanageable it is. There are n't many therapist who can brew it and even most brewer ca n't brew it,"Matt explained.

"That bloke did n't know the one-half of it,"whoremaster agreed,"My dad 's a Healer and he 'd make out to give away spare potions. It just does n't work that way."

"My dad 's linked with that cuss,"matt said quietly,"And now that he 's promontory of the total section, he 'll be passing Thomas More Torah. Whoever killed Wisander 's not going to be happy."

"Your dad 's a really good wizard, though,"Albus pointed out to his worried friend,"Plus he works at the Ministry, where there are scads of Aurors milling about. And your home is more protected than any other house I 've seen, well, except the Minister 's Mansion."

"I know, but it 's still not well,"flatness sighed.

Albus could n't argue with that. Something was going on outside of Hogwarts. Something far more important than the Quidditch tourney and the dueling tournament.

******

Albus and his friends scoured the Daily oracle every morning the following week. Every day there was an article about Wisander, the investigation, or both. So far the investigation had turned up nothing. The Aurors had questioned quite a few people, namely those very outspoken against werewolf and lamia rights, but the lookup had proved fruitless.

The article about Wisander were far more interesting. It seemed that his editorial about wolf's bane Potion was one of the tamer ones. Each day petty pieces of his diverse editorials were being published. In one, he stated the ground why werewolf should n't be locked up on full moon. The reasons were quite ridiculous, but the prophesier had printed it anyway. Another editorial talked about why vampire should be allowed access to humans to burn. He suggested using captive and allowing lamia to suck them dry. Thus helping vampires and reducing prison house cost at the Sami time.

"I reckon this bloke was off his cradle,"John announced at breakfast the conform to Billy Sunday. He had just finished reading an article about how Wisander spent a class support with a vampire folk in turkey when he was youthful. They were some of the few citizenry actually up at an early hour, as Albus had Quidditch practice session and St. John had a morning detention with Filch for putting dungbombs in the toilets in Moaning myrtle 's bathroom the previous day.

"That 's a decent way of putting it,"Albus said as he served himself more eggs.

"What are you doing after Quidditch practice ?"John asked.

"After Quidditch ?"Albus laughed,"You mean, I 'm going to get to go forth eventually ? Grant Wood wo n't prepare us recitation for the following workweek ? I thought he was going to keep open going until the actual match on Saturday."

"He 's got to let you out for course of instruction,"John grinned.

"What a shame,"Albus rolled his heart,"Anyway, I 'll probably have to do homework, since praxis will go until late. How about you ? Any program for after detention ?"

"Thought I might earn another detainment,"John Lackland grinned,"But Kaden 's meddling with Bromus secalinus lodge this afternoon-"

"wait,"Albus nearly choked on his succus,"Kaden joined the cheat golf club ? Kaden ? Kaden Dursley ?"

"Know any early Kadens ?"St. John laughed,"rose said they want to instruct him how to play properly, you know, like a challenge of sorts."

"I 'll secernate Rose good luck with that,"Albus said.

"Yeah, so both Kaden and rosebush will be busy with that. Not that Rose would want to earn custody with me anyway. And Amanda 's doing something with Linda today, homework, I think. And I doubt Matt will be up for doing anything,"St. John continued.

"Right,"Albus said, remembering that the good moon was that nighttime,"But you did the dungbombs on your own."

"But it 's not as fun,"John sighed,"I guess I 'll just hang around the den with matte. I can have a nice one-sided conversation."

"You can do your prep,"Albus told him.

"Nope, I 'm waiting until you get back for that,"John said.

"fountainhead, have fun in your detention. I 've got to get to recitation,"Albus said as he got up.

There were a few choice intelligence Albus had for exercise that day. Long, grueling, and intense. Wood was in his fine form as he ordered the team to do practice hour after hour. He seemed to get More and more stressed as the day wore on.

St. James the Apostle did a lot of man-to-man preparation with Teddy and Albus was more than a little envious. Teddy was a much more patient senior pilot than Wood was and yelled a whole lot less. President Tyler Pike mostly helped Wood.

forest let them stimulate a short break for lunch, making sure they knew to come back afterwards. Albus heard the Slytherins on the squad talking about skipping out of the rest of practice, but they were back on the rake at the sentence Grant Wood told them to be.

The afternoon was very like to the morning time and Albus found that he could tune out Mrs. Henry Wood 's yelling quite easily. It was exchangeable to tuning out his mum 's yelling.

Practice finally ended at three, when the New York team walked onto the slant and demanded they leave, because they had booked the pitching for three o'clock that day.

"Remember, practice Tuesday eve !"Wood shouted as the unharmed team rushed to get off the pitch.

Albus trudged back to the castle tired and shivering. He went straight to Gryffindor Tower and took a very long, hot rain shower and then set off to find his ally.

Rose, Amanda, and Linda were in the vernacular way, but the boys were n't. Albus figured they were in the piranha 's Den and set off to reckon for them after saying a warm hello to the girls.

john and Kaden were in the middle of a heated up game of Exploding Snap when Albus walked into the Marauder 's Den a few proceedings later. John 's facial expression was wide-cut of ash, but Kaden 's was rather clean and jerk. There was also a big grin on his face which contrasted the scowl on john 's case. matte was laying on the couch facing them, like he had been watching the game, but he was sound asleep.

"Albus !"Kaden shouted,"How was practice ?"

"Grueling. Grant Wood 's ten prison term high-risk than Georgia. Five hours we were out there. Five bally time of day in the cold !"Albus groaned as he collapsed onto the other couch.

"wagerer than scrubbing Moaning Vinca minor 's bathroom with a toothbrush,"John muttered,"I do n't fuck what was worse, the scrubbing or listening to Myrtle."

"All three of you are so cheery today,"Kaden said,"So many complaints."

"Can you blame us ?"Albus muttered.

"No, not really,"Kaden shrugged.

"How was chess ?"Albus asked.

"I got beaten by every single somebody in the cheat club,"Kaden shook his mind,"But they think I have potential."

"Albus,"John said as the cards blew up in his face again,"Have you done that Defense essay ?

"No,"Albus groaned.

"I need your help,"John said as he got up and started digging around in his bag.

Albus groaned again and fished around in his own bag for his defense book. Balladanis wanted a human foot long essay about basilisks, which were the current dark animal of the hebdomad.

John sat down at the table while Albus lay on the sofa. He just could n't work himself to get up and do his essay. Instead, he mumbled answers to John whenever he asked a question.

"Do you brood the chicken egg under a frog or a batrachian ?"John asked.

"salientian,"Albus mumbled.

"You know, I could rive a rosebush and tell apart you to do your essay,"John replied.

"Do n't even trouble,"Albus said. Even Rose would n't be able to get him off the couch.

"Quidditch seems less grueling than football,"Kaden commented,"I mean, you fly, you do n't run."

Albus lifted his head up and glared at Kaden."Wood had us doing push-ups and running laps."

"Really ?"Kaden sounded surprised,"Why ?"

"To get us into shape after the vacation,"Albus answered,"So yes, Quidditch is a lot of work."

"Ok, ok,"Kaden muttered as he located some of his own homework.

Albus managed to get in a somewhat comfortable position on the couch and wrote his essay with his book and parchment perched on his knee. It beat sitting at the table ; at to the lowest degree he was able to sort out of lie down.

A few hours later both Albus and St. John had their essays completed. Kaden was still scribbling furiously on whatever prep he was working on.

"We should probably come alive him up,"Albus gestured to flatness, who had not moved one heftiness since Albus had came back from practice.

John got up and began to poke at Matt 's arm. It took a good two proceedings for Matt to afford his eyes.

"It 's nearly six,"Saint John told him.

"Then I should probably go,"matt mumbled,"Oh, Albus, you 're back from practice."

"Yeah,"Albus nodded,"It was really long, though."

"I 'll go with you to the infirmary wing,"King John said and mat did not object. Albus assured him they 'd chaffer him the succeeding day and then they left, leaving Albus and Kaden alone in the room.

John returned a little while later and the three of them went down to dinner. They returned to the marauder 's Den afterwards and lav and Kaden continued working on their homework while Albus slept on the couch.

******

"Albus, get up !"

Albus mumbled something incoherently and rolled over in his bed. It felt far too betimes to waken up.

"Albus !"Whoever was shouting was now prodding him in the side.

Albus opened his eyes and saw shimmy standing over his bed. A glance at the clock told him that, yes, it was far too betimes to wake up. It was six in the dawn. On a Saturday. Yes, it was the day of the Quidditch peer against New York, but that was n't until one o'clock and Albus was only a reserve player anyway.

"Albus, you 'd better get up now. Mrs. Henry Wood 's in the common room,"Teddy whispered.

That got Albus 's tending. His eyes shot back surface and he sat up."What ?"

"Fielding 's sick,"shimmy told him,"You 're playing today."

Now Albus was astray awake."Seriously ? What about O'delle ?"Hailey O'delle was the early reserve Chaser, a seventh class Slytherin.

"She 's sick, too,"chemise explained,"The two of them are going out, so it does n't storm me."

Albus took that to stand for that Teddy thought they were snogging and one got the other sick.

"I 'll be down in two minutes,"Albus muttered.

Teddy nodded and left. Albus threw on a t-shirt and a pair of jeans before running down to the common room, where he found Oliver woods pacing in front of the empty fire.

"Albus,"he said as soon as Albus stepped into the commons room,"You 're playing chaser today."

Albus nodded and sat down for what was sure as shooting to be a very foresightful speech. Wood paused and then launched into an account of tactics, which Albus had already heard during recitation that week. He could n't count on out why he had to be woken up at six to be told he was playing. Sir Henry Wood could give birth accomplished the Sami thing at ten.

woods and Teddy left after woodwind finished lecturing Albus and Albus considered going back to bed, but as he was wide awake, it would be pointless.

division of Wood 's speech had been on the atmospheric condition, which was cold and slightly snowy. Could be worse, Albus thought. At least there was n't a blizzard. The conditions were very standardized to those they had been practicing in all week.

Albus sat in the unwashed room reading a Good Book he found laying around until his friends got up around ten.

"There you are,"matte, who was looking significantly better than he had a few twenty-four hour period ago, said,"What clock time did you get up ?"

"Six,"Albus muttered,"Teddy got me up. Wood had to order me I 'm playing Chaser today."

"What ?"Matt shouted,"That 's bright !"

"This is great, Albus !"John grinned,"But why ?"

"Fielding 's sick and so is the early substitute Chaser,"Albus explained,"I 'm just glad we 're playing New York and not Australia."

Albus went to the Great antechamber to eat lunch with his admirer, but he was n't really hungry. He did n't cogitate he had ever been more anxious for a Quidditch match. This was a really authoritative match, as Wood had pointed out numerous times. If they won by a extensive enough margin, they 'd be in endorse place.

Word had gotten around that Albus was playing in the match and numerous people came over to the Gryffindor table to bid Albus luck.

"Al,"Harry sat down next to Albus.

"Dad,"Albus smiled. He had n't been trusted if his dad was coming to the catch or not.

"I 'll be watching the whole prison term. I 'm sure you 're going to do corking. Just think of it as a match against another house. Ravenclaw, I guess, since their robes are gamy,"Harry grinned,"Good luck."

"Thanks,"Albus replied.

Albus left with the rest of the Hogwarts team a few minutes later. All his acquaintance wished him good luck as he left the Hall.

nonentity talked much as they changed into their gown. Everyone sat down afterwards, ready for Wood 's pre-match speech.

However, Wood seemed to be all speeched out. He merely said that they 'd trained well and to pay it their all. Albus was a little shocked by the shortness of the speech, but quickly got over it as he walked out onto the pitch shot.


A/N : Thanks to my Beta, Dancer of Starlight, as well as all the awesome people who have read and reviewed this !

Also, I wrote a new Song dynasty fic ! It 's from Snape 's point of panorama, as I wanted to try something different. It 's on my Author Page if you want to ascertain it out !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


Ten minutes into the match, Albus decided there were four types of Quidditch in the world. Casual Quidditch, like what he played with his full cousin ; schooling Quidditch ; professional Quidditch ; and then there was the type of Quidditch he was playing now.

It was a combination of schooltime Quidditch and professional person Quidditch. The crowd was louder, the players more determine, and the stakes were higher than a normal school Quidditch equal.

Albus dodged one of the New York chaser and flew up to catch the Quaffle, which had been dropped by Waverly as he had been hit by a bludger. As soon as Albus had the Quaffle, he was flanked by the other two New House of York Chasers.

Albus pushed his broom to fly faster and held the Quaffle tighter to his pectus. Then he plunged down to the earth, where nobody else was flying. He was back up senior high two minutes later when he had reached the New York goal stake. After dodging a Bludger, he threw the Quaffle into the leftover goal post. The Keeper was too slow and the Quaffle soared through.

"ceramist of Hogwarts has scored !"Todd Smith shouted,"40-30 Hogwarts !"

James grinned at Albus as he flew past. Albus smiled to himself and joined Waverly and Reilly, who were waiting for New York 's steward to throw the Quaffle out. That had been his first destination of the match.

The Quaffle continued to change hands quickly as the equal went on. An hour later there was still no mansion of the Snitch and both squad were neck in neck as far as compass point went. New York was up by ten.

Albus scored a few more goals and he began to decompress a niggling. The mate began to feel more like a school match and less like a master friction match, even though the stakes were still high gear.

Wood had repeated over and over again that they had to be up by at to the lowest degree fifty points when James caught the stool pigeon, or they would n't be able to overtake New York as far as overall points went.

"New House of York 's Seeker has seen the stoolpigeon !"metalworker announced.

Albus, who had been following one of New York 's pursuer ( the one who had the Quaffle ), turned around and saw that their quester was making a beeline for the top of Hogwarts'center goal.

James River noticed as well and flew straight at the wicket. He had been significantly closer than New House of York 's quester and flew away from the ring with the struggling stoolpigeon in his hand.

The crowd roared and James held the Snitch highschool above his fountainhead. Both squad flew to the ground and Albus saw the offended feeling on Wood 's look. They had n't won by enough to be in 2d home overall.

"I had no pick !"James I shouted to him,"She was going to get it !"

Wood nodded in accord, but he still looked disappointed. Albus chose to push aside this and helped the rest of the team to run up James onto all of their shoulders.

"To update everyone on the points, the Australian School of black art is in first place. New York and Hogwarts are currently tied for second gear. The next peer will take place at the end of Feb !"Smith told the crowd.

Albus did n't run across up with his friends until they were back in the park way. shimmy had gone to Hogsmeade and a party was currently underway in the Gryffindor commons way. shimmy informed everyone that the three other houses were hosting parties as well. The scholar from New York who had been sorted into Gryffindor, including their searcher, were sulking in a corner.

"I think that was your best friction match yet,"John said to Albus as they settled down at their common table.

"I think so, too,"Albus agreed,"I kind of want I could trifle in the next match."

"Maybe Fielding will still be pallid,"John said.

"question it,"Albus replied,"plus, I 'm sure O'delle will get first dibs on the side by side match if any of the former Chasers get sick."

"At least you got to play in one match,"rose wine pointed out.

"Anyway, the next couple you 'll probably be playing Australia,"Matt said.

"Yeah,"Albus nodded,"If we win that one, it 'll be a miracle. But we 're not even playing in the following one. Next peer is New York versus Australia."

The political party continued until dinner clock time, when people began to leave as cipher had snuck down to the kitchens to get food. Harry came in to congratulate Albus and St. James shortly before Albus and his friends left for dinner party. He was also scheduled to patrol the school for the residuum of the weekend and wanted to let his kids know.

******

Life at Hogwarts returned to normal shortly after the Quidditch mate. The prophesier printed fewer and fewer clause about Wisander until there were none at all. Everyone seemed to bury about his death. Everyone except Matt, that is, who was still worried about his dad.

However, the students at Hogwarts were reminded again of the unsolved murder when the next Hogsmeade trip arrived two daytime after Valentine 's Day. A portion of the students were too lovesick to point out the boarded up shop of Dervish and Banges as they made their way to Madam Puddifoot's.

Neither Albus, John, or lusterlessness were too preoccupied to observe the desolate edifice, though. The three of them stopped to bet at it for a while despite the biting fart. Rose and Amanda were spending the day with Linda.

"Who owns it now ?"John asked as they looked at the empty building.

"Dunno,"Albus shrugged,"The Prophet never mentioned any family."

"It 's probably still part of the investigation,"matt pointed out,"addition, who would want a building that someone was killed in ? I do n't even want to go in it."

Albus did n't suppose it was a good time to prompt Matt that Severus Snape had been murdered inside of the shrieking Shack.

"trade good point,"Albus said,"But so far they have n't found anything."

"They wo n't chance who it was,"john said quietly,"They never found out who killed Torro."

"I really hope they find who it was,"lustrelessness replied.

"They will,"Albus said,"They 're still focused on it."

Albus, matte, and lavatory went to the threesome Broomsticks a little while later because all three of them were frozen. They warmed up with Butterbeer and were just thinking about heading back to the rook when Albus heard individual whisper his name behind him.

"Albus,"they said again.

Albus turned around, but no one was there. The voice sounded intimate, though. Albus slowly reached his hand out and it touched something solid, but it looked like no one was there.

"Kaden,"Albus groaned,"Is that you ?"

"Yeah,"Kaden whispered back,"I stole your cloak."

Albus immediately stood up and motioned for flatness and John, who were both looking confused, to take after him. He assumed Kaden would stick to as well. Albus lead them up heights Street until they reached the screeching hut. Nobody was hanging around it that day.

"Kaden !"Albus seethed,"You do realize how dolt this was."

"Yes,"Kaden replied as he took off the cloak.

"Bloody blaze !"lav shouted.

"You stole the cloak ?"Matt asked.

"Kaden, you idiot !"Albus shouted,"I know I first told you this would be a unspoiled prison term, but there was a reason I changed my intellect and told you not to sneak in today. about of the teachers come to Hogsmeade for the February trip. My cousin told me. They want to do indisputable no one does anything stupid because they 're in love or whatever."

"Er,"Kaden muttered.

"How did you get in ?"lusterlessness asked.

"One-eyed witch statue,"Kaden replied,"Leads right into Honeyduke's."

"Kaden, do you bang how hard it 's going to be to get you back unnoticed ?"

Kaden 's grimace turned Stanford White and his mouth dropped exposed. Albus turned around to see what he was looking at and was met face to face with professor Balladanis.

"Quite difficult, I 'd carry,"Balladanis replied,"cum with me, all of you."

Albus groaned inwardly as he followed Balladanis down the street. They had gone all year without Kaden getting them into trouble, but Albus should suffer known better than to think they could go the wholly year.

Nobody spoke until they were shut in Balladanis 's study. Balladanis sat down in his electric chair and looked at Kaden.

"Explain,"Balladanis said.

"They had cypher to do with it,"Kaden said quickly,"Albus was just telling me how stupid I was."

"Then it would seem that Mr. thrower and I agree on something,"Balladanis replied,"Where 'd you get that cloak ?"

"It 's Albus 's,"Kaden said quietly,"I took it. He did n't give way it to me to mouse in or anything."

"Very well,"Balladanis said,"Mr. potter, Mr. Eckerton, and Mr. Brickston, you may return to your mutual room. Mr. Dursley will join you after I arrange his detention."

Albus, Matt, and John could not get out of there quick enough. They walked straight back to the plebeian room, talking about how golden they had been. It must own looked like all three of them had helped Kaden pinch into Hogsmeade. dear thing Balladanis believed Kaden.

Kaden returned fifteen minutes later, looking quite unhappy. He collapsed onto a death chair and stared mutinously at the table.

"detention every Sabbatum for the next month,"Kaden muttered,"Plus he gave me a lecture about how life-threatening it was for me to cabbage out and if I did it again I 'd get a worse punishment than detention. Did n't elaborate on that, though."

"He 'd probably get you kicked out,"John commented.

"Did he say what you have to do for detention ?"Albus asked.

"No,"Kaden said,"guess it 'll be a surprise."

******

Kaden discovered what his custody was that night. Balladanis decided to bear him alphabetize his private library, which was quite extensive. Kaden returned to the Marauder 's Den harangue about the sum of money of Book Balladanis had.

"He 's got more books on iniquity animal than your dad 's got,"Kaden said to Matt.

"That 's impressive,"Matt replied.

"Wish he had less,"Kaden muttered.

Kaden spent all four of his detention alphabetizing those rule book. He almost did n't get by to finish and if that had been the pillow slip, Balladanis would experience given him a fifth part detention.

The next full moon came and went, as did the next Quidditch match. Albus was beginning to suspect that the full moons were becoming worse for flatness, although he did n't make love why.

New York lost miserably to Commonwealth of Australia in the Quidditch compeer. They had been doing pretty well until Linda caught the Snitch a half hour in. Wood insisted that this was a good thing, though. It meant that if Hogwarts managed to hit a in effect measure of goals before Linda caught the stoolie in their next lucifer, they would have Sir Thomas More overall points than New House of York. Wood seemed to bear lost any Leslie Townes Hope that James could bewilder Linda in Seeking, something Saint James fumed about on a approximate day-after-day basis.

MArch arrived and with it a three day rain storm that left the grounds completely flooded. Both Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures had to call for place inside, which resulted in incredibly bore example. Sir Henry Wood continued to hold Quiditch practice and Albus returned to the castling completely soaked and covered in mud after each one.

All of the instructor were piling on the preparation and professor Patil had even gone so far as to mention the O.W.L.s even though they were a whole two age away. The only teacher who was n't talking about the end of terminal figure exams was professor Balladanis.

Balladanis conducted his lessons as if end of terminal figure exams did not exist. He changed aught about his example except the iniquity creature they were learning about.

"We 're starting vampires next week,"Balladanis announced at the end of class on Th,"Please read the chapter on them by Monday."

Albus could n't help but look at Linda before he began packing up his things. He wondered if Balladanis would be teaching them sufficiency about identifying lamia for anyone to visualize out that Linda was one.

"So,"John said as he flipped through his Defense leger the pursue eve. Albus, matte, Gospel According to John, and Kaden were in the Marauder 's Den and John was just finishing the chapter on vampires."tone what 's after vampires.

Albus looked through his own Holy Writ."lycanthrope,"he said quietly and then looked at Matt.

"Yeah,"Matt muttered,"It was bound to pass eventually."

"I wonder if Balladanis is going to seduce you go in for extra assist during that whole,"lav grinned,"I 'm sure you 'll need payload of special assistant in identifying werewolves."

matte rolled his eye."He better. It 'll seem suspicious if I do n't go in for extra supporter. Speaking of extra help, we 're due to go in for it in fifteen minutes."

"We 'd better go then,"trick said,"See you two later."

Albus managed to eat up his Herbology homework while John and Matt were gone. Then it was time for him to go in for his dueling lessons.

The desks were n't pushed to the side of the classroom when Albus entered. Balladanis was seated behind his desk and there was a stone basin sitting on it. Balladanis was pulling silvery strings of something out of his head and placing them in the basin.

It was a pensieve and the strings were memories, Albus realized. For a present moment, he thought that maybe Balladanis had cancelled dueling and neglected to tell him.

"Sir ?"Albus asked hesitantly.

"Mr. Potter,"Balladanis said quietly,"Come in."

Albus stood awkwardly next to one of the strawman tables while he waited for Malfoy. Balladanis stared into the pensieve and acted like Albus was n't there. When Malfoy arrived, he looked up and stared at the two son for a few transactions before speaking.

"We 're not dueling today,"he said,"Instead, I am going to show you something."He motioned for them to unite him at his desk.

Albus glanced nervously at Malfoy. Balladanis was n't one for explanations, but Albus would own appreciated one right then.

"This is a pensieve,"Balladanis said,"It is used to research memories. That is exactly what we 're going to do. Albus, lean forward and put your head into the pensieve. Your body will follow. Scorpio, you will keep abreast. I will add up after you."

Albus 's pulse sped up a little bit as he leaned over the pensieve. Was this a stupefied idea ? He did n't even lie with what he was getting into. But it was just a retention. Nothing could pain him in a memory, right ?

Albus took a deep breath and plunged his brass into the pensieve. He had never been in one before. He landed on the hard grass and looked around.

It was dusk and very quiet. There was a small house in the distance, atop of a rocky hill. In fact, the whole expanse was mostly bumpy. Albus had landed on the one lone piece of grass in the solid place. It did n't look like any place in Britain.

He stood up as Malfoy landed next to him, followed quickly by Balladanis. Balladanis landed on his ft and they waited for Malfoy to get up.

"Follow me,"Balladanis said quietly.

Albus did so, but he still felt like he deserved an explanation. Where were they ? Why were they there ? Whose storage was this ? What did it induce to do with dueling ?

"exculpation me, Sir,"Malfoy said,"Where are we ?"

"Ellas,"Balladanis replied.

This did nothing but increase Albus 's oddity. Why were they in Greece of all places ? But he did n't ask. It did n't appear like Balladanis was in an explaining mood, judging by his short, one word answer to Malfoy.

They walked quietly towards the small theatre. The only noise was their footsteps. There were n't even any owl hooting or heel barking. It struck Albus as very odd.

The theatre must bear been their destination. Balladanis stopped when they arrived at the broken down wooden fence surrounding it. The house reminded Albus of the screech Shack, only modest. It was kind of broken down and did n't look like a place that would be good to populate in.

individual lived there, though. A light was on upstairs. It remained on for a few more minutes and then someone turned it off.

Balladanis made no motility towards the house. Instead, he seemed focused on the woods that lay just beyond it. Albus decided the forest was as good a position as any to watch.

They watched the forest for a one-half an time of day before anything happened. Then five hooded soma practically flew out of the forest. They were at the sign before Albus even realized it. He looked at Balladanis. His brass was hardened.

All was still for two minutes. The chassis entered the house, but did not turn on any lights. Then the howler started. Albus jumped at the sound of the starting time one.

They were agonizing, farsighted screams. Albus wanted nothing more than to go in and assist whoever was screaming, but he knew he could n't. It was nothing more than a memory. Instead, he looked again at Balladanis.

His professor 's face showed goose egg. Nothing but the like hardened aspect he had seen on it so many metre. Malfoy on the former deal, looked horrified. He looked exactly how Albus felt.

The screech was coming from two different masses. There was a high-pitched one that must receive been coming from a woman, and a small one that must consume been coming from a man.

Then, they stopped. commencement the woman, then the man. The hooded figures left the business firm as quickly as they had entered and returned to the forest.

Balladanis, however, made no motion to entrust. Instead he stared at the home. Two minutes later, person fled from it.

They ran from the house, towards Albus, Malfoy, and Balladanis. As they drew closer, Albus could see that the somebody was a boy who looked no older than Albus himself. His case was etched with a lugubriousness Albus had never seen before. It was too dark to recite, but Albus was sure there were bust running down his face.

The boy obviously did n't notice the three people watching him. He ran right past them, up the rocky hill in the distance. It occurred to Albus after he passed that the boy looked somewhat familiar. There was something about his face that Albus recognized, but he could n't quite place it.


A/N : Thanks to my beta, Dancer of Starlight, as well as all of the awesome the great unwashed who have read and reviewed this !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


prof Balladanis did n't say anything for a long time after he, Albus, and Malfoy returned to the Defense classroom. Albus landed next to Malfoy, still confused as to how he managed to get out of the pensieve, in front of Balladanis 's desk. Balladanis landed behind his desk, facing the wall, and did n't wrench around for a few minutes.

Albus glanced nervously at his prof as he thought of doubt he was just burning to ask. In fact, there was goose egg about the scene he had just witnessed that did n't make Albus peculiar. Everything about it had been confusing.

Malfoy looked just as confused. They kept looking at each other and it was kind of strange. They were on the same side. Both of them wanted Balladanis to explain.

Balladanis finally turned around and looked at them. He put his hands on his desk and leaned forward, looking both Albus and Malfoy in the eye.

It happened in a dissever bit. Albus looked at his professor and immediately thought back to the face of the boy in the scene. That was why he looked familiar. The boy was Balladanis. Then, Balladanis shifted slightly and the likeness was gone. But Albus knew it. That scene had been from Balladanis 's childhood.

"Sit down,"Balladanis said.

Albus and Malfoy sat down quickly at the board in front of Balladanis 's desk. They were sitting right following to each former and Albus did n't care. At the moment, finding out what that scene was was more important than staying away from Malfoy.

"A few calendar week ago you asked me what I did before I started teaching here, Mr. thrower,"Balladanis began,"I have always had the intention of telling you, of telling both of you. I was merely waiting for the compensate moment. I feel that that second is now."

Balladanis paused and walked around to the front of his desk. He began to pace in strawman of it.

"There is a reason why I am telling you this now. Why I am not explaining to all of my social class what I did before precept. The reason is that you two are unbelievable dueler. Both of you have accomplishment beyond your years that I have never seen before, and consider me, I have seen mountain of exceptional duelers in my time. This may be a good time to enjoin you how rarefied it is to have two such skilled duellist in the same class at Hogwarts."

Albus turned to look at Malfoy. What was Balladanis getting at ? It sounded like the jump of some sorting of home unity speech or something.

"I know the two of you are n't the estimable of Friend,"Balladanis continued,"But I must say how strike I am that you seem to put the animosity behind you when you step into my classroom for your lessons."

The resole ground for that, at to the lowest degree for Albus, was because of Balladanis himself. Albus doubted he would put up Albus and Malfoy bickering with each other during lessons.

"vertebral column to what I was going to tell you,"Balladanis said,"That scene that I just showed you, in cause you have not figured it out yet, took place while I was a boy of only thirteen. It was the summertime before my thirdly yr at school.

"I grew up in Greece, in that very firm we just saw. My parents, although they loved me deeply, were very miserable and could barely afford to put nutrient on the table. I think they were grateful when I went away to school, the sole grounds being that they would n't induce to worry about me getting adequate to eat.

"I had two blissfully innocent and fun eld at the Grecian School of Magic. I returned home during summer broad of fib about my friends and all the mischief we 'd mother into."

Albus found it difficult to envisage Balladanis getting into hassle at school or doing anything fun in general.

"Everything changed the summer before my third year. It changed on the night you just witnessed. A coven of lamia entered my sign that night. They attacked my parents and toast them dry. I hid in a closet, too scared to do anything. Then, once the vampires left, I fled. I ran until I could not run anymore. I wound up at the firm of one of my friends. His parents took me in, but affair were obviously never the Saame. I changed on that night."

Balladanis stopped talking and Albus sat in complete seismic disturbance. Balladanis 's parents had been murdered by vampires ? That was one thing that had never crossed Albus 's brain.

"I returned to school that September hardened. nix was fun anymore. Nothing was funny. It was then that I decided to commit my life sentence to ridding the macrocosm of such evils. Vampires, nighttime mavin, werewolf, anyone and anything that murders viciously."

Albus could n't help but glare at Balladanis when he mentioned lycanthrope. Balladanis seemed to notice this and gave Albus the slightest of smiles.

"However, I did recognise that not all vampire, werewolf, giants, and early beings are inherently evil. Not all of them want to belt down. It was for this reason that I did not wish to be employed by the Hellene Ministry. The Grecian Ministry prefers to portion out with charming creatures as a whole and not distinguish between them. Perhaps this is because Greece has a very prominent population of vampires.

"gum olibanum, becoming an Auror was out of the question. Instead, I chose to get into a more secretive professing. One that you will not find brochure on when you get career advice from your forefront of home. One that no one except me is going to indicate to you. Yet it is one that I believe the two of you are quite suited for."

Albus 's heart sped up at this. Balladanis was going to devote them career advice ? They were only thirteen. But at the Same time, Albus felt excited. Balladanis thought he was a well enough dueler for this career, whatever it was.

"I am a Presuler,"Balladanis said,"I am sure neither of you have heard of one. A Presuler is somewhat like an Auror, in that we seek out dark thaumaturgist and dark magic trick. However, we not only seek out dark sorcerer and coloured trick, we seek out dark and dangerous creatures as well.

"The biggest difference is that Presulers are not employed by the Ministry. There are very few Presulers in the world and we are often sought out by various Ministries and hired on an as-needed basis. We travel from country to country, whenever we are needed. It is quite close. I suppose Presulers are a compounding of Aurors and private investigators."

Balladanis was right in that Albus had never heard of a Presuler before. The idea intrigued him, though. A secretive form of Auror who did not work for the Ministry.

"I never caught the vampires who killed my parents. I have met one vampire who knew them, but she is not like them. I am still searching for them, however."

Balladanis stopped pacing and leaned up against the front of his desk. He looked at Albus and Malfoy, but did not say anything else.

"Why are you teaching here, then ?"Malfoy asked.

"That is one affair that is between myself and prof Kendrick,"Balladanis replied.

"Are you coming back adjacent year ?"Malfoy asked.

"As of right now, I have no estimate,"Balladanis answered,"It is getting late. I 've kept you here much farsighted than normal. If you think of anymore motion, do not hesitate to see me. I 'll walk you back to your common rooms."

Albus walked alongside Balladanis in silence on his way back to the Gryffindor Tower. His nous was racing with what he just learned. He did n't know what to make believe of it. It was just so much info at once.

The common room was nearly empty when Albus climbed through the portrait trap. It must hold been really previous, since it was Fri Nox. Albus really did n't know what time it was.

"There you are !"Rose shouted,"merlin, you 've been gone for time of day !"

"What did he have you doing ?"Matt asked.

"I 'll tell you tomorrow,"Albus muttered, realizing that all he wanted to do was lay in his bed and think about what Balladanis had just said.

Albus was vaguely aware of his admirer sigh of disappointment as he went up to his hall, but he did n't feel like talking about it right then. He was tired and his thinker was racing at the same sentence.

Albus tossed and turned the full night. He alternated thinking about what he had seen in the pensieve and about becoming a Presuler himself. Then he wound up thinking about Linda and what Balladanis thought of her. He had said he did n't contain a grievance against lamia that did n't kill masses, but who knew what he really thought.

Was Linda the vampire he had met who knew the vampires who killed his parents ? It was possible since lamia never aged. Or maybe she was a completely different vampire. Albus wondered how many vampires Balladanis knew.

Eventually Albus fell into a ungratified sleep, but his pipe dream were plagued by what he had seen in the pensieve.

******

"Merlin, Albus, get up !"

Albus rolled over in his bed and put his pillow over his head. After waking up drenched in exertion at four in the morning after a nightmare in which his completely family had been killed by vampire, he had finally drifted off into a somewhat enough sleep. One that he wished he was still in.

"It 's nearly one o'clock."

"He 's like you are after replete moons."

"Shut it. Seriously, Albus, get up."

"Yeah, we want to live what happened finish night."

mortal pulled the curtain opened and took the pillow off Albus 's head. He looked up and saw can and Matt.

"Did you lose to Malfoy or something ?"St. John the Apostle asked,"Because that would make me require to hole up in bed for the day."

"No, it 's not that,"Albus muttered,"I 'll tell you, but I 'm only explaining it once, so one of you in force discover Rose, Amanda, and Kaden. And I 'll secern you in the marauder 's Den because there is no way Linda can be around to hear this."

The lady friend and Kaden met them in the Marauder 's Den after Albus, John, and Matt had lunch. John kept pestering Albus all through tiffin, wanting to roll in the hay why Linda could n't pick up about it, but Albus said zilch. He was n't even sure if he was allowed to tell his Friend about this, but Balladanis had n't really forbidden him.

"Albus, what in the name of pigeon hawk happened endure Nox ?"Rose asked as soon as they were all in the Marauder 's Den.

"Balladanis told us what he did before he started teaching at Hogwarts,"Albus said quietly.

"And you neglected to tell us until now ?"John gaped,"I 've been wanting to know for the stallion year !"

"I know, lav,"Albus snapped,"But it 's not anything what you 'd think."

"Sorry,"John muttered.

"Balladanis took us into a pensieve last nighttime,"Albus began.

"Really ?"rosebush looked shanghai,"What was that like ?"

"Not that great, to be good,"Albus said,"Probably would let been better if it was a better memory.

"Anyway, he took us without any explanation of what we were going to see. He took us to this really old broken down business firm in Greece. Kind of looked like a belittled more run-down interpretation of the shriek Shack."

"In Ellas ?"Kaden asked.

"Yeah,"Albus nodded,"We watched the house for what seemed like hours and then these material body broke into it and we heard this dreadful screaming. Then the figures left. Then this chap who was about our age came running out with this horrible fright face on his font. Then we left."

"What does that have anything to do with what Balladanis does for a living ?"John asked.

"Everything,"Albus sighed,"That had been his sign of the zodiac. The screams were his parents. The boy was him. He told us this after. His parents were killed by a coven of vampires."

cipher said anything for a long time. Albus looked at his friends and they all wore equal flavour of shock.

"And you watched it ?"lustrelessness asked.

"From a length,"Albus replied.

"merlin, no admiration Balladanis is so bloody insane,"John let out a low whistle.

"He decided to devote his life story to ridding the world of evil, whether it be vampires, dark wizards, or early dark puppet,"Albus continued.

"So he 's an Auror ?"rosebush asked.

"No,"Albus shook his head,"He 's a Presuler."

"What is that ?"Kaden asked.

"It 's like an Auror, only they go after wickedness animate being, too. And they are n't employed by the Ministry. They 're hired by Ministries all around the domain. They 're researcher as well. Apparently it 's all very secretive,"Albus explained.

"Wow,"John said,"I thought he was an Auror or something."

"Me, too,"mat agreed,"Instead he just hunts down vampires. And, werewolves."

"Only ones that kill people,"Albus assured his lycanthropic friend.

"All werewolves have the capability of killing people, Albus,"mat said quietly.

"So does everyone,"Albus replied.

"Whatever his thought on vampires and lycanthrope truly is, it 's going to be worry to see how he teaches us about them,"Rose mused.

"shot this is why you did n't want Linda to hear about this,"John said.

"Yeah,"Albus replied,"Apparently he still has n't found the vampires who killed his parents, but he knows a vampire who knows them. That vampire does n't obliterate people. I wonder if it 's Linda."

"Who knows ?"rosiness shrugged,"I doubt we 'll ever line up out."

"Oh, I 've got to recount you what he said after he told us all of this,"Albus took a trench breath,"He thinks Malfoy and I should go Presulers."

"Seriously ?"Matt asked.

"Yeah, because we 're good dueller,"Albus explained,"But I do n't know."

"You do n't have to know. You 're only baker's dozen. And Albus, do n't settle anything until you 've read about this. Do n't just go on what Balladanis is saying. I think we 've finally discovered why he 's so passionate about fighting the iniquity artistic production, but it might cloud his perspicacity sometimes,"blush wine warned.

"I know, that 's what I do n't get,"Albus said,"Why is he telling us this now ?"

"Maybe because he does n't plan on staying,"lustrelessness replied,"Why would he stop searching for the lamia who killed his parents to teach here anyway ?"

"Malfoy asked,"Albus told him,"But he would n't order us. He said it 's between him and Kendrick."

"Because that 's not suspicious or anything,"lavatory rolled his eye,"There 's still something comic about Balladanis."

"What are you going to do, Albus ?"matte asked.

"I 'm not deciding anything now,"Albus replied,"I 'm just not going to think about it."

******

Not thinking about Presulers and what happened to Balladanis 's parents proved to be easier said than done, especially since Defense class was soon devoted to learning about lamia. Balladanis seemed to learn that particular unit with lots more enthusiasm than usual, a exploit that nobody thought potential. Everyone speculated as to why Balladanis was more enthusiastic than usual, but nearly just attributed it to the fact that he was blooming insane.

A lot of what Balladanis taught about vampire was stuff Albus already knew due to what Matt had told them earlier in the school year. It was still fairly interesting, though. Albus found that the more dangerous the creature they were learning about, the more interesting it was. Not to advert the fact that they did n't use the anamatek anymore, a fact that nearly every student was grateful for.

However, partway through their instant week devoted to vampire, the anamatek 's trunk reappeared in the DoD schoolroom. There was an audible groan from every student who stepped into the room.

"If that thing turns into a vampire, I think I 'm going to get up and allow,"John seethed as they took their seats.

"Maybe we 're moving onto another creature,"Albus suggested even though he knew the chance were slight to none.

"That would n't be any expert. We 're doing werewolf next,"John reminded him,"And Matt said that thing could n't turn into an existent werewolf. speech production of Matt, he 's prosperous he 's missing this."

"I think he 'd say otherwise,"Albus replied. The full moonlight had been the previous nighttime.

"lull,"Balladanis said,"We 'll be continuing our vampire deterrent example today. Today I wish to point you what a vampire looks like, which is why I have brought back the anamatek. However, you will not be fighting it. None of you have the accomplishment necessary to fight a vampire."

"He 's mental,"John muttered.

Balladanis drew his wand and pointed it at the trunk. It snapped capable and out stepped a very pale man with chiseled features. He did n't make a motion, but merely stared out at all the students.

"lamia are the perfect predator,"Balladanis announced,"They 're incredibly fast,"he pointed his wand at the vampire and it disappeared.

It reappeared in the back of the schoolroom, but it had not Apparated. The vampire had moved so fast that Albus had missed it in the blinking of an eye.

"They 're agile,"Balladanis continued,"They 're good looking. They attract you in. Then they kill, they suck you dry until you are all in. The alternative is not nifty, either. From the moment their teeth break in your peel, you begin to transmute into a vampire as well. You will suit one if they do not suck you dry. There is no way to stop it, no potion to undermine it.

"Vampires hunt at night when their visual sense is still splendid, but when human vision is compromised. However, that is not the solely reason. Does anyone recognise the early ?"

rose wine raised her hand. Linda did not.

"Yes, Miss Weasley ?"Balladanis said.

"Vampires are in pith allergic to the sun,"rose wine explained,"When the sunlight hits them, it hurts them. The sun gives them head ache and makes them feel sick."

"Precisely,"Balladanis gave her a rare grinning,"There is no potion to counteract the core of the sun on vampires. Therefore they tend to inhabit region that see lupus erythematosus sun and surface area of dense woods, such as the Northwestern and Northeastern United United States Department of State, parts of Canada, and parts of Russia. However there is also a important vampire population in Greece."

Balladanis pointed his wand at the lamia again and it retreated back into the trunk. Everyone breathed a corporate sigh of ministration. The example continued until the toll rang. Balladanis made no citation of moving onto the future whole, nor had he assigned the common end of the unit essay.

Albus and his friends went to visit lusterlessness late that night after Albus got out of Quidditch exercise. They only had a one-half hour or so until curfew, but they had n't visited at all yet.

"You missed an first-class Defense lesson today,"John the Divine said once brothel keeper Pomfrey had gone back into her bailiwick after leaving to see who had entered her ward.

"Was it any different from the usual ones ?"lusterlessness asked tiredly. He looked ready to return asleep at any moment.

"Balladanis brought back the anamatek,"Albus told him.

"He what ?"Matt shouted, although since his voice was hoarse it was n't very brassy,"We 're still doing vampire, are n't we ?"

"Yeah, he had it wrick into a vampire,"John Lackland said,"We did n't birth to fight it. He just used it to show how fast vampires were and what they looked like."

"That is weird,"lustrelessness replied,"He assign the lamia essay yet ?"

"Nope,"St. John shook his capitulum,"I think we 're in for a few to a greater extent days of vampires."

"fountainhead, the longer we spend on vampire, the Sir Thomas More time we have before we start werewolves,"Matt said quietly,"I really hope he does n't spend as lots meter on them as he has on vampires."

"I do n't think he will,"Albus said,"His parents were n't killed by werewolves."

"Thank Merlin for that,"matte yawned.

"You 're tired,"Rose said,"We should leave."

"We 'll be back tomorrow after lunch,"Albus told him,"salutary night."

"'Night,"Matt said.

They left the ward just as madam Pomfrey was coming out of her study, presumably to tell them to entrust and give mat more potions. Albus and his acquaintance headed straight for the common way, where they got started on all the homework that had been piled on them that day.


A/N : Thanks to my beta, Dancer of Starlight, as well as all the awing people who have read and reviewed this !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.



A few of Albus 's full cousin had begun to subscribe to up bets on how retentive Balladanis was going to spend teaching the third years about lamia. Fred was sure he 'd pass the remainder of condition, but Thomas Bradley was convinced he 'd travel onto the next unit partway through April. None of the tierce year were actually participating in these stakes because they were all afraid Balladanis would retrieve out.

The vampire unit was still well underway when the side by side Quidditch mates came along. This one was the instant Hogwarts versus Australian School of Sorcery match, which meant Wood was in his prime when it came to practice session. Albus considered just moving his bed to the changing rooms since he spent more of his time on the Quidditch Pitch than in the Gryffindor common room.

Albus awoke the day of the match to John 's gimcrack swearing instead of chemise, which told him that he did not take in to play during that match. He could n't help oneself but feel slightly foiled. Figuring there was no distributor point in going back to sleep, he got up and asked Saint John what happened.

"Tripped over lustrelessness 's bloody cauldron,"John muttered, holding onto his right foot,"Why ca n't he just put that stupid person affair away ?"

"Like you always do ?"Albus smirked and gestured to John Lackland 's own cauldron, which was sitting only a few feet away from Matt's.

John muttered something identical and shoved his cauldron under his bed. He went into the privy while Albus woke Matt up. The three of them met Kaden in the mutual way a little while later and then went down to the Great Hall to get something to eat.

A few hr later the boy were in the Quidditch stands, waiting for the match to start. rosebush and Amanda were with them.

"Wonder how long it 'll take Linda to find the Snitch this time,"Albus mused.

"I 'm betting on ten minutes,"John said,"Hey, think of that time we eavesdropped on Killigan ?"

"Yeah,"Albus replied,"Was n't Linda supposed to start flying slower after that ?"

"That 's what I thought,"lavatory shrugged,"But she did n't during the last-place match."

"She probably wo n't this time, either,"matte put in,"I mean, think about it, if James could fly that fast, would he really slacken down to a convention amphetamine ?"

"Definitely not,"Albus sighed.

lustrelessness 's forecasting proved correct. Linda did not slow down in the slightest. She flew at her common abnormally fast hurrying, beating Henry James to the Snitch by a few yards. Luckily for Hogwarts, they had been ahead of Commonwealth of Australia at that point and only wound up losing by forty point in time.

This put Hogwarts quite a bit ahead of New York as far as Quidditch points went. Australia was still in the pencil lead, but they were not faring so well in the dueling tourney. As of the most Recent tournament, Hogwarts was winning. Australia was in endure station and New York was somewhere in between. Albus was pretty surely that if the Quidditch and dueling tournament level were added up, Hogwarts and Australia would be neck in neck. Whatever the final result of the remaining limiting tournament and matches, the finals for both were going to find out the winner of the contest. The points were just too close.

Although there was obviously no celebration in the Gryffindor coarse elbow room after the match, nobody was particularly depressed either. Albus figured this was because cipher had really expected Hogwarts to win anyway.

******

Two calendar week into April, Bradley along with quite a few other older Gryffindors, were able to cash in on their bet about Balladanis. Fred and a few others grumbled loudly about it as they handed over Galleons to the winners.

Balladanis had assigned the long await essay on vampires on Thursday, officially making the vampire building block the longsighted unit they had done. They had spent an entire calendar month and a half on it. The essay seemed to match this distance, as Balladanis wanted it to be two and a half feet.

Albus, matte, and John saved their essays for the last possible arcminute, settling down to solve on them the day before they were due. It was n't a particularly hard essay because Balladanis had given them so much entropy on the subject. It was just a very long essay to write. blush wine and Amanda had done theirs over the weekend, presumably with Linda. Albus could n't aid but be slightly jealous of them because doing the essay with an genuine vampire would hit it the easiest essay ever.

"Bet Linda 's glad this unit 's over,"Albus said as they worked on their essays in the predator 's Den Monday evening.

"She is,"rosebush answered,"She hated every minute of those example. Ca n't say I blame her."

"How long is your essay, Rose ?"John asked as he measured his own essay.

"three understructure,"Rose answered.

St. John groaned."Do you think Balladanis will notice if mine 's three inch short ?"

"Yes,"Rose said,"If there 's any essay he 'll be extremely picky about, it 'll be this one."

"Maybe if we do n't fetch up it we can just skip class tomorrow,"Matt muttered,"After all, I would n't need to show up in year without the essay done."

"But it 'll be worse when you finally do go to class,"Rose pointed out.

"I still do n't particularly want to go to class tomorrow,"matte said,"Whether I 've finished the essay or not."

"You 're going to end up it,"Rose told him,"You 've got two in left."

"Finished,"Albus announced.

"Excellent,"whoremonger said as he grabbed Albus 's essay,"I 'll imitate bits of yours."

"You know,"Albus said quietly,"Nobody found out about Linda being a vampire even after we 've spent a month and a one-half on them. I do n't mean anyone 's going to notice out you 're a loup-garou just because we 're learning about them."

"I know, I 've just got a bad touch about it,"flatness sighed.

"Look on the bright incline,"Kaden put in,"When you get assigned the werewolf essay, you 're sure to get a 100."

"I do n't really deal about the essay,"Matt said flatly.

Both Matt and John managed to polish off their essays before curfew and they returned to Gryffindor tug, and they soon went to bed. Albus did n't believe Matt slept much, though. He heard him tossing and turning all night.

Albus, matte, and John got a late starting time since John had misplaced his lamia essay. After finding it under his bed ( no one was sure how it go there ), the three son rushed down to the Great Hall to snaffle pieces of pledge before running to Defense.

They walked into the room right on time and barely had a chance to captivate their breathing place before Balladanis asked for everyone to helping hand in their vampire essays. Albus passed his essay up and pulled out parchment and a quill.

"wellspring, our unit on vampires is over,"Balladanis said once everyone had handed in their essays,"I trust you have all read the chapter on lycanthrope for today ? If you had for some reason decided not to do that, I highly suggest doing it tonight."

Balladanis began his usual pacing in front end of the classroom. He stopped in front of Rose and Linda 's mesa and then stared out at the class.

"I thought I would set out with werewolf history,"he announced,"cipher is sure when the firstly werewolf came about, but they have existed in nearly every wizarding culture. Not only that, but even ancient Muggle culture have lycanthropy in their histories.

"C of age ago, before the Muggle field of psychology came about and long before Muggles had any discernment of the human intellect, they tried to take sense of people whom they deemed 'insane'.

"One way they did this was to attribute the insanity to the moon. Over the years, the myth of werewolf came about. Thus, werewolf have had a significant role in Muggle narrative. In reality, the mass Muggles accused of having lycanthropy were merely suffering from schizophrenia or bust of insanity."

Albus frantically tried to publish everything down. He knew absolutely nil about the Muggle view of lycanthropy. He glanced at Matt and saw that he was n't writing anything down, but his hand was shaking.

"Muggles of course know zip about very wolfman,"Balladanis continued,"And their Hollywood created wolfman have minuscule in green with the tangible thing.

"Werewolves are plagued with the illness lycanthropy. Does anyone live what that means ?"

Rose was the only one who raised her handwriting. Balladanis nodded to her."It comes from the Greek words 'lykos'and 'anthropos',"Rose explained,"Lykos means wolf and anthropos means man."

"Very soundly,"Balladanis replied,"Lycanthropy refers to the disease and those who have it are called lycanthropes.

"Lycanthropes have been shunned by wizarding society for as hanker as chronicle has told us about them. In recent geezerhood, there has been much guess about whether this is necessary or even a good idea. However, it is difficult to change the minds of the absolute majority when we have been taught to annul lycanthropes and shun them from wizarding companionship for so long.

"It has not been for no reason that this general bias has came about. When in masher form, werewolves can not control their action and thus attack lost people. This has long been construed as wolfman wanting to attack people, wanting to infect them with the horrible disease.

"This can not be farther from the slip when it comes to most werewolf. near do not bid to snipe others. Within the preceding hundred geezerhood, lycanthrope have begun locking themselves up on the full Sun Myung Moon in lodge to avoid attacking others. However, there is one pregnant drawback to this for the lycanthrope. Does anyone know this ?"Balladanis 's centre rested on lusterlessness, but he continued staring down at his discharge parchment.

rosiness and Linda raised their handwriting. This metre Balladanis called on Linda."When werewolves do n't have anybody to lash out, they attack themselves,"Linda said,"They do n't make a pick and they often wind up really injured because of it."

Balladanis took Linda 's persuasion further, but Albus did n't get wind what he said because flatness had knocked over Albus 's ink. He looked incredibly uneasy and Albus was well-chosen that the class was almost over. He quickly cleaned up the ink and tried to pay attention to the sleep of the lecture.

"We 'll pick up next class with what happens before, during, and after full moons for a person with lycanthropy,"Balladanis announced shortly before the toll rang,"If you have not read the werewolf chapter, please do so for next sentence. Mr. Eckerton, if you could delight come see me."

Matt looked, if it was possible, even more nervous at this chance. The rest of the course of study left and Albus tried to put away his matter as slowly as possible, but Balladanis shooed him, along with John, out of the room.

Malfoy was standing outside the schoolroom when Albus and trick left. He had a tenuous smirk on his face.

"Interesting lesson, thrower,"Malfoy said quietly,"Very interesting indeed."

"What do you want, Malfoy ?"Albus asked, knowing perfectly well what he wanted.

"Oh, nothing. Just a very crystallize deterrent example. I 've learned so much,"Malfoy replied and then sauntered off down the corridor.

"Merlin,"John muttered,"He knows."

"If he does n't yet, he 'll bed after next deterrent example. He 's onto it, that 's for sure,"Albus said.

"Onto it ?"Saint John replied,"That 's a decent way of putting it. The whole school 's going to know in two twenty-four hour period, after the next class."

"What are we going to do ?"Albus groaned,"If we tell him what Malfoy said, he 's going to be too scared to do anything. I mean, did you see him during this object lesson ?"

"Yeah,"John nodded,"We ca n't evidence him. Whatever Malfoy 's going to do, he 's going to do it whether Matt knows about it or not."

"I agree,"Albus nodded,"We wo n't tell."

"What are you two talking about ?"Matt appeared behind them, looking no better than he had before.

"naught,"John said,"What did Balladanis want ?"

"Told me I did n't give to go to the extra assist during this whole unless I wanted to,"Matt told them.

"What are you going to do ?"privy asked.

"I do n't know,"matt said as they began walking to Herbology,"I know it 'll look leery if I do n't, but I really ca n't take many to a greater extent lessons like that. Merlin, Thursday 's moral is going to be awful."

Albus saw no point in denying that. Matt did n't have a clue as to how fearsome it would be. They said nothing more about it the entirely way to Herbology.

******

Albus had never been so well-chosen about having ridiculously long Quidditch practices as he was Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. He was perfectly happy to spend all his free meter on the Quidditch pitch and then be too hackneyed to do much of anything else afterwards.

It was just so difficult for him to sustain what Malfoy said away from mat. He wanted nothing more than to warn his friend about it, even though he knew that would fulfill nothing. All it would do was arrive at Matt occupy even more and then act even more anxious during Defense.

Quidditch also kept Albus 's mind off of what would happen after Malfoy 's suspicions were confirmed. It would n't be anything like when Albus found out or even when Kaden found out. No, Malfoy was going to use this to his vantage. Albus was nearly one hundred percentage sure Malfoy would announce it to all of Slytherin. Then, Good Book would spread and the integral schooling would get out. merlin only knew what would happen when scholar'parents found out.

Albus knew that lycanthrope right field had come a retentive way since slip 's dad was in school, but he also knew that near mass would not be happy if their shaver were going to school with a werewolf, especially one that did not assume wolfbane. Not to mention the field day the military press would have with it. flatness 's dad had just become Head of the Department for the ordinance and command of Magical Creatures for Merlin 's rice beer. It would be a repetition of what had happened when Matt and his kinfolk had lived in Australia.

Not to advert what it would do to Matt himself. Albus remembered when there had been a fragile chance that Malfoy found out about the passage under the Whomping willow tree. He had nearly had a terror attack. What would encounter if Malfoy found out he was a werewolf ?

It did not avail that the to the full Moon was that Friday. flatness barely spoke during the brief sentence that Albus was not occupied on the Quidditch slant. He sat in the Marauder 's Den with everyone else, but he stared off into space or slept.

Yes, forest 's long Quidditch practice took Albus 's nous off of all of that, but they did not hold on Thursday from arriving and earlier than Albus would have liked he found himself sitting in Balladanis 's classroom.

Albus and privy exchanged nervous glances as Malfoy walked in with a very smug look on his face. Albus was so focused on Malfoy that he nearly missed the fact that the anamatek 's body was back in front of Balladanis 's desk. Once he noticed it, he poked St. John in the side.

"What ?"John the Divine seethed. Albus gestured to the trunk."Merlin 's beard,"toilet exclaimed,"I do n't even require to know what he 's going to do with that."

"quiet down,"Balladanis said,"We 'll cover our werewolf discussion today by talking about what happens to a werewolf when the moon waxes.

"Werewolves, in a similar way to vampire, are somewhat hypersensitive to the moonlight when the lunar month waxes. For the few nights before the factual wax moonshine, when exposed to moonlight werewolf will feel ill. The moonlight gives them headaches and when exposed long enough, causes them to miss consciousness."

Albus did n't bother writing any of this down, as he knew world-class hired man what happened when a lycanthrope was exposed to too lots Moon shortly before the full synodic month. Instead he stole quick glances at Malfoy and Matt. Malfoy was furiously writing down everything Balladanis said and stealing prompt coup d'oeil at flatness himself. matte was staring down at his sheepskin and Albus was for certain he was trying to ignore everything Balladanis said. He was sick and ill, but Albus was n't sure if that was because of the lesson or because the wax moon was the next day.

"lycanthrope are often too ill to go about their daily activities the day of the full moon and occasionally the day before as well. Before I describe the real transmutation, I wish to show you what a individual with lycanthropy looks like the day of the broad moon."

For a legal brief second, Albus thought Balladanis was going to foretell lustrelessness to the social movement of the room, but then realized that as a professor, Balladanis must induce promised Kendrick that he would n't do anything like that.

Balladanis pointed his sceptre at the trunk and a small man stepped out of it. His pallor looked exactly like lusterlessness 's and he looked just as ill. In fact, the two of them looked incredibly alike. Both of their faces bore scars and had a sickly spirit to them.

Balladanis began to utter about what the anamatek looked like, but Albus paid no attention. Instead he looked to Malfoy. Malfoy stared at the anamatek for a minute or so with shock and then he glanced at mat. Finally, he met Albus 's regard and Albus saw the with child smirk he had ever seen on the Slytherin 's nerve. That was it. Albus knew it. Malfoy had made the connection.

The remainder of the lesson passed by in a variety of fog for Albus. He and John had exchanged glances and the look on whoremonger 's fount told him he had noticed Malfoy 's realization as well. Albus heard Balladanis 's lecture, but he did n't march it.

The example seemed to drag on and speed by at the Lapplander time. Albus wanted it to be over so he could get out of there, but at the Saame time he did not want to know what was going to happen after.

"Next lesson will focus on wolf's bane Potion and the effects it has had on werewolf rightfulness,"Balladanis announced at the end of the object lesson,"Class dismissed."

Albus and Saint John the Apostle looked at each other. Albus did n't know what to do. Should he confront Malfoy ? Or should he differentiate flatness what happened ? Matt seemed forgetful to the solid thing.

They silently decided just to give the classroom and determine what to do after. rose and Amanda had left with Linda with absolutely no idea what had happened.

Malfoy was waiting for them outside the room and Albus was not sure enough if this was a good or a bad thing. He had the sudden urge just to hex Malfoy flop then and there.

"Another enlightening lesson,"Malfoy smirked,"Oh, Eckerton, feeling a bit ill ?"

"None of your business organisation,"mat muttered. Albus and John both stepped a bit closer to him and Albus clenched his hired man around his wand.

"Bet you 'll be feeling even worse tomorrow,"Malfoy replied,"It 's about that time of the month, is n't it ? Tomorrow Nox ?"

That got matt 's attending. His headspring snapped up and he glared at Malfoy. Then he turned around and looked from Albus to John with the most panicked expression on his brass Albus had ever seen.

"It 's going to be a fun broad lunation, is n't it ?"Malfoy whispered, just cheap enough for Matt, Albus and John to hear.

Matt did n't say anything. He shook his head and then ran. He pushed through the crowd, much to the dislike of the bookman who were trying to get to class, and disappeared in a matter of seconds.

Albus suddenly felt more hatred for Malfoy than ever. Not only had he worked out lusterlessness 's hole-and-corner, but he had used it to fright him. In nitty-gritty, Malfoy had threatened him with it. That was one of the bad affair he could have done.

Ignoring all the other scholarly person who were going to class, Albus pulled out his wand and had it against Malfoy 's chest in two seconds.

"If you tell anyone,"Albus growled,"I will personally make for certain you 're so identical that even your own parents wo n't recognise you."

"Is that a threat, ceramicist ?"Malfoy pulled out his own wand.

"You need me to spell it out for you ?"Albus asked,"I think we 're about to rule out just how much better I am at dueling than you are."

"Rictumsempra !"Malfoy shouted.

"Protego !"Albus shouted at the Lapp time.

"Expelliarmus !"John shouted.

The bunch moved away so that there was a circle of onlooker surrounding the duel. Albus ignored them. It was just him, John, and Malfoy. And Malfoy was outnumbered.

Malfoy deflected Saint John 's disarming spell and shot another spell at Albus. It bounced off Albus 's shield and hit a nearby portrait. The portraiture 's occupant shouted in disgust and moved into her neighbour 's frame.

Albus concentrated on his buckler charm and glared at Malfoy."Petrificus Totalus !"he shouted through his shield.

Grateful for Balladanis 's dueling example, Albus watched as his shell held up while the hex crack at Malfoy. Unfortunately, Malfoy dodged it and sent a tickling jinx at John.

This one hit bathroom and he collapsed onto the floor in a fit of giggles. Albus dead reckoning another hex at Malfoy and this one collided with his boldness. Malfoy 's nose started bleeding and he rounded on Albus.

"What is going on out here ?"Balladanis shouted.

Albus did n't take down his wand and neither did Malfoy, but they did n't burn off anymore hex either. Albus let his cuticle down and noticed that the gang had dispersed. John was still rolling around on the ground.

Balladanis pointed his wand at John and lavatory immediately stopped giggling and stood up.

"Follow me,"Balladanis growled.

All three boys followed Balladanis into his study. Albus looked nervously at John. Of all the professors to fascinate them dueling, it had to be Balladanis. Of course, the one full affair about this was that Malfoy could n't announce Matt 's lycanthropy to the entire school while Balladanis was lecturing them.


A/N : Thanks to my beta, Dancer of Starlight, as well as all the awesome people who have read and reviewed this !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


Albus and bathroom sat as far away as possible from Malfoy in Balladanis 's study. Balladanis just stared at them before speaking.

"I can not begin to tell you how disappointed I am in all of you,"Balladanis began,"Especially you, Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy. I am sure I taught you better than this. The two of you especially should know how uncalled for that was. You are well aware of your dueling skills and what sort of responsibility lies with them. I have half a mind to give up our training session. However, I am leave to pick up all sides of this chronicle before laying out any sort of penalization. You may go first, Mr. Malfoy."

"I was just walking to family and Potter pulled out his baton and attacked me. Then Brickston joined in. I was outnumbered, sir. I had to defend myself,"Malfoy said.

Albus had to try hard not to snort. He and John the Divine looked at each other and John the Divine rolled his eyes.

"Very well,"Balladanis said,"Mr. ceramicist, if you please."

Albus took a late breath. He was going to state the story. The whole story."Malfoy was threatening mat, sir,"Albus began.

"Mr. Eckerton ?"Balladanis asked,"I did not see him anywhere."

"He left after Malfoy threatened him,"Albus continued,"You see, Malfoy has figured something out about Matt, after listening to your speech on werewolves."

Balladanis 's middle widened and he looked at Malfoy."Is that true, Mr. Malfoy ?"

"Yes,"Malfoy muttered,"And I was n't threatening him. I was asking him about it. I think I have the rightfield to know if I 'm in shoal with a werewolf."

Malfoy said 'werewolf'with disgust and it made Albus want to hex him once more.

"Mr. Eckerton has the rightfulness to hold on his medical checkup issues to himself,"Balladanis replied,"His health is none of your business organization whatsoever. Please continue, Mr. Potter."

"After flatness left, I wanted to be sure Malfoy was n't going to go recite the entirely school day about Matt 's lycanthropy,"Albus explained,"And I guess we just wound up dueling."

"Just wound up dueling ?"Malfoy scoffed,"You had your wand on me."

"You sent the maiden hex,"Albus muttered.

"Do you have anything to add, Mr. Brickston ?"Balladanis asked.

"No,"Saint John replied,"Albus is telling the truth."

"Very well,"Balladanis replied,"I see this matter goes much further than a duel. All three of you will receive four nights'detention starting tonight at eight. Each of you have lost ten pointedness from your various houses.

"However, I am taking all three of you to see the headmaster. There are things more important to discuss than hold,"Balladanis said as he stood up.

Albus knew wide well what Balladanis was insinuating. He and john said null as they followed Balladanis to Kendrick 's study. Malfoy walked a few foot behind them.

Albus had n't been to Kendrick 's field of study since his first year, when he went to talk to Dumbledore 's portraiture. The place had n't changed in the tenuous. Everything seemed to be in the exact Same place. Both Dumbledore and Snape were awake and in their portraits.

Kendrick was behind his desk writing something when they entered. He looked up curiously at them. Albus, St. John the Apostle, and Malfoy stood near the door while Balladanis strode forward.

"We have a problem,"Balladanis said,"These three have been dueling."

"I trust you to hand out detainment, genus Tethus,"Kendrick replied,"I am busy at the moment."

"It 's not the dueling,"Balladanis said,"It 's what they were dueling about."

"And what would that be ?"Kendrick asked.

"Mr. Malfoy has discovered that lusterlessness Eckerton is a wolfman,"Balladanis answered,"And I believe Mr. potter and Mr. Brickston have known for quite some time."

Kendrick dropped his shaft and looked up."I 'll take this from here. I believe you have a lesson to teach."

"I believe I do,"Balladanis replied and left the room.

Kendrick conjured a few electric chair and gestured for the three boys to get together him at his desk. Albus sat down in the middle electric chair and waited for Kendrick to begin. He noticed that both Dumbledore and Snape were paying rhapsodic attention.

"Well, well,"Snape said,"Deja vu."

"Not now, Severus,"Kendrick said,"Mr. ceramist, perhaps you can severalize me if anyone else knows about Matt 's lycanthropy ?"

"Er, yes,"Albus replied,"rose Weasley, Amanda tagger, and Kaden Dursley."

"I knew that Dursley kid knew something,"Malfoy muttered.

"Not now, Mr. Malfoy,"Kendrick said,"I 'll postulate to speak with them, as well as lusterlessness. I imagine they 're all in class."

"Sir,"Albus interrupted,"I do n't call back matt 's in class."

"You may be rightfield,"Kendrick sighed,"Do you have any approximation where he might be ?"

"Yes,"Albus answered.

"Very well. Please go find him,"Kendrick said,"And Mr. Brickston, please go find the others."

Albus nodded and he and John left the field. Albus went straight to the vulture 's Den while John went to the dungeons as rosiness and Amanda would be in potions.

lustrelessness was sitting on his bed in the Marauder 's Den, staring at the wall and not moving a muscle.

"I suppose Malfoy 's told everyone,"flatness said without turning to look at Albus. His interpreter was hollow.

"No,"Albus replied,"He has n't had the fortune. John and I dueled him after you left. Balladanis gave us all four nights of custody and took points away."

"He 'll tell everyone soon,"matt replied,"I should probably go pack. You know, I really thought I 'd get to end up school. That 's not even the worst part. It 's going to be all over the prophet. My dad 's going to misplace his job again. We 'll probably have to move to New York."

He finally turned around and looked at Albus. He no longer looked unquiet. He looked absolutely terrified, yet sad at the same time.

"Why did Balladanis have to be such a good teacher ?"flatness groaned and laid back on the bed,"If he had been some variety of dreadful instructor then maybe Malfoy would n't birth found out. He 's just so thorough ! He left nada out ! Even the way he described the shift. It was so, it was just so, realistic.

"And that pillock anamatek !"matte sat up and looked at Albus,"That thing looked just like me, only aged. No curiosity Malfoy found out."

"You 're not going to get kicked out,"Albus assured him.

"How do you know ?"Matt shouted,"How do you really bang ? I know Teddy 's dad got to stay after Snape found out, but this is unlike. That was when Dumbledore was here ! Everyone says Dumbledore was barking mad. Kendrick is n't. Kendrick 's perfectly reasonable and he 's not going to desire to dispense with this."

Albus did n't really have intercourse what to say to that. Everything Matt said was true. Kendrick was not Dumbledore. Nobody could compare to Dumbledore.

"Kendrick wants to see you,"Albus said,"He 's got Malfoy up in his report. He wants to let the cat out of the bag to all of us. Me, lavatory, blush wine, Amanda, and Kaden."

"I do n't want to go up there,"lustrelessness said,"I never want to see Malfoy again. I just want to stick here. Merlin, my head is killing me."

"I think you have to go,"Albus said quietly.

"I know,"Matt groaned and got up off the bed,"This just is n't average. I hate it. I hate this unscathed thing. I do n't need to be a all-fired werewolf anymore."

"I know,"Albus said, knowing just how wretched Matt was at that consequence. Albus had never once heard him kick about being a loup-garou. Not when he was too sap to do anything because of the wide Moon or when he was laid up in the hospital wing for days afterwards.

They walked quietly back to Kendrick 's work. Albus muttered the password, that he had overhear Balladanis say, to the gargoyle and they ascended into the study.

Everyone else was already there and they all turned to Albus and Matt when they walked in. Matt froze in place and Albus stopped and looked at him. He was staring directly at Malfoy.

"select a seat,"Kendrick gestured to the two empty chairs, one of which was future to Malfoy's.

Albus took the buns next to Malfoy 's, but did n't bet at him. Matt took the other one.

"First, I want to check you that you do not sustain to leave Hogwarts,"Kendrick said to lusterlessness,"nobody else will be finding out about your lycanthropy."

flatness did n't look reassured by this. Malfoy looked mutinous.

"My Father of the Church wo n't check with that,"Malfoy muttered.

"Your father has no say whatsoever in which bookman I admit to this school,"Kendrick replied,"He works in the Ministry, and may I point out that his position is not very high."

"Matt,"Kendrick turned away from Malfoy,"Energy anyone else screw ?"flatness shook his head."And did you say the others, besides Mr. Malfoy, willingly ?"Kendrick continued. Matt nodded.

"Very well,"Kendrick said,"And how long have they known ?"

Matt seemed unable to verbalise. After a few moment of muteness, Kendrick turned to Albus."How retentive have you known, Mr. potter ?"

"Two year,"Albus answered.

Kendrick repeated this question with pink wine, St. John, and Amanda, who all gave the same answer as Albus. Then he moved onto Kaden and Albus suddenly remembered the Sileo Altus appealingness. He shared one horrified glimpse with rose wine and waited for Kaden 's reply.

Kaden looked at Kendrick and then turned to Albus. His mouth was love feast and he looked a little panicked.

"Are you all right, Mr. Dursley ?"Kendrick asked.

"amercement,"Kaden answered,"It 's just, well ...."

"Professor, Sir,"rose wine began,"We sort of put this good luck charm on Kaden, so he would n't secernate anyone. He can only babble about it with us. He wo n't be able to say a affair about it around you or Malfoy."

Albus braced himself for Kendrick 's response, but before the headmaster could say a tidings, Dumbledore chuckled in his frame.

"The Sileo Altus charm,"Dumbledore smiled,"Ingenious. Who performed it ?"

"I did,"blush wine answered.

"Remarkable,"Dumbledore said,"You must be an unbelievable witch, Miss Weasley."

"Too smart for her own serious, more like it,"Snape muttered.

"That is indeed quite the amazing exploit, missy Weasley,"Kendrick said,"Can you tell me how long Mr. Dursley has known ?"

"About a yr,"Rose said.

"Thank you,"Kendrick replied,"Now I have some things to talk over with Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Eckerton in individual. The rest of you may go to the Great Hall. I believe there is still a one-half time of day or so left of lunch."

Albus did n't really want to leave without finding out what was going to find to Malfoy, but he knew lusterlessness would tell him.

Matt never showed up in the Great lobby for dejeuner, nor did he go to Ancient Runes or Charms. Albus could not pore on either of those classes and was very happy when Charms was over and he was able to leave.

woodwind was not very happy that Albus had acquired four detentions. In fact, he was livid. He spent twenty min telling Albus how he should n't be picking competitiveness with other pupil so close to the next Quidditch match, especially in straw man of teacher'classrooms. The speech had only ended when Albus told him he was late for Charms. Albus had run into Wood in in between Ancient Runes and Charms.

"What do you suppose Balladanis is going to make up us do ?"John asked as they walked towards the vulture 's Den.

"Have n't a clue,"Albus replied,"But whatever it is, it 's going to be bad since we have to do it with Malfoy."

"True,"Gospel According to John agreed.

Rose, Kaden, and Amanda were with them. Albus wanted to go find matte before they went to dinner. They had to look a patch for the corridor to clear out before they were actually able-bodied to get into the room, though.

Matt was fast departed on the couch when they entered."Good thing he does n't have detention tonight,"Gospel According to John pointed out.

"Yeah,"Albus agreed.

John gently shook matte 's shoulder until he cracked his eyes open."Wake up,"John said,"Or you 'll overleap dinner."

"I 'm not hungry,"lusterlessness muttered.

"What 's Kendrick doing about Malfoy ?"Albus asked as he sat down on the other end of the couch.

"He should put that charm on him,"Kaden announced,"The one you lot put on me."

"I wish he would,"Matt sighed,"All he did was secern Malfoy how authoritative it was not to mention anything. He said telling his founder would do nothing. Then he told him that if he ever did tell anyone, he would confront expulsion for revealing another student 's checkup information. But that 's it ! I mean, Malfoy did promise he would n't say anything, but who really knows ? Sure, if he tells, he 'll be expelled, but that wo n't take it back. I 'd still have to leave."

"As much as a git as he is,"Albus began,"I do n't think he 's going to severalize anyone if it meant he 'd be expelled. That would be the ultimate shame in the Malfoy sept, besides being a Squib or marrying a Muggle or something, getting expelled and not being a fully qualified wizard. Malfoy wo n't want that."

"I guess you 're right,"Matt sighed,"It 's just so unusual, knowing that he knows."

"I know,"Albus said,"Do you want to go eat dinner ?"

"No,"Matt shook his head,"You guys go on ahead. I 've got to send off an owl to my parents, let them cognize about this."

Albus nodded."We 'll see you later, then. John the Evangelist and I have got detention tonight."

"Oh, right. Good chance with that,"matt replied.

******

Balladanis 's detention was a bit anticlimactical. Albus had been expecting him to think up some really creative and taxing detainment, but instead he assigned them subscriber line. Lines were possibly the most tedious detention ever thought up, but they were preferable to cleaning the bathrooms or something.

"Potter, Malfoy,"Balladanis said after they 'd been writing for ten second,"Your dueling moral is canceled for tomorrow Nox due to your detention. Detention will be at nine, after my spare help session, something I 'll expect you to be attending, Brickston."

Balladanis said nothing more and began grading essays at his desk. He completely ignored the three male child, which Albus did n't really bear in mind. He just wanted to get his note done and get out of there.

"Where does he go ?"Malfoy hissed at Albus.

"What ?"Albus whispered.

"You know, on wax moons, where does he go ?"Malfoy elaborated.

"I 'm not telling you that,"Albus muttered.

"My dad said a loup-garou used to learn here, and he got fired when everyone found out,"Malfoy drawled.

"He quit,"Albus corrected him,"He was n't fired. He was the best Defense teacher any of our parents ever had."

"Quiet !"Balladanis shouted,"I did n't say you could talk."

Albus was grateful for Balladanis 's objurgation. Malfoy stopped asking doubt and went back to his lines. Albus sighed and went back to his own. How far was Malfoy going to go ? Why could n't he just be satisfied with having worked out matte 's arcanum ?

A one-half 60 minutes into their bank line committal to writing, when Albus was contemplating switching deal despite the fact that he wrote horribly with his right hired hand, there was a knock on the door. Albus looked up and saw professor Kendrick standing in the door, along with none former than Matt 's dad. Albus set down his quill and turned to John. John the Evangelist had set down his own quill.

"Who 's that ?"Malfoy asked.

"Shush !"Albus hissed. The end affair they needed was for Balladanis to remember they were there and secernate them to get out so he could have whatever conversation he was about to have in private.

"Tethys,"Kendrick said quietly,"This is Walter Eckerton."

"We 've met,"Balladanis muttered.

Albus turned again to John. Matt 's dad knew Balladanis ? How ? Matt had never mentioned that before.

"That 's his dad ?"Malfoy whispered.

"Shush !"Albus said again.

"I wish to peach to you about what happened earliest today,"lustrelessness 's dad said quietly.

"What about it, Eckerton ?"Balladanis asked.

"My son told me about your moral,"Mr. Eckerton said,"How, informative they are."

"I teach my pupil what they 'll demand to know in Holy Order to fight themselves,"Balladanis replied.

"I think you go too far with that,"Mr. Eckerton disagreed,"Merlin, showing them exactly what a werewolf looks like before a translation with an anamatek ? Do you pull in how dangerous those are ?"

"Of course of instruction,"Balladanis said, raising his voice a bit,"You 're not the entirely expert on magical creatures. I have perfect control over my anamatek."

"Nobody has perfect control over an anamatek !"Mr. Eckerton said.

"The schoolmaster has already told me I 'm not allowed to use it anymore, so you really do n't need to be lecturing me about this,"Balladanis seethed.

"Oh, it 's not only that,"Mr. Eckerton stepped a bit closer to Balladanis,"It 's how often you taught the third gear years about werewolves. The details about their transformation, how to pick one out of the full general population, what happens before, during, and after transformations. Your example was far more elaborate than a third base twelvemonth textual matter book."

"You 'd find that all my lessons are like that,"Balladanis replied,"Text books do not consecrate enough details."

"I think giving enough particular about identifying a lycanthrope so that a third year would be capable to bring out that mortal not even in their same house is one is going too far,"Mr. Eckerton seethed,"You knew about my son. You should have been a bit more cautious with your lesson."

"Withholding entropy from an stallion class because of one student is not a commodity method of pedagogy,"Balladanis countered.

"It is when it could be serious for that one student,"Mr. Eckerton said,"Fan of the groovy good for the greatest numeral, are we ?"

"There are clip when that is a good doctrine,"Balladanis replied.

"We 'll match to discord, then,"Mr. Eckerton said,"But if I find that your lessons are putting my son in peril anymore, you may retrieve that the Ministry is inquiring into your teaching practices."

"I 'll teach however I like,"Balladanis muttered.

Mr. Eckerton ignored this and turned to the three son, none of whom were writing product line any longer."Is that him ?"he asked.

"The one who found out ?"Kendrick replied,"Yes."

Mr. Eckerton strode over to the table Albus, Saint John the Apostle, and Malfoy were working at. He nodded hello to Albus and St. John the Apostle before turning to Malfoy.

"I realize the headmaster has already gone over this with you,"Mr. Eckerton began,"But I feel the need to repeat that there will be event if you make public my son 's condition."

Malfoy nodded."I know,"he muttered.

"Good,"Mr. Eckerton replied and returned to where Kendrick was standing. He turned once again to Balladanis."I 'll be returning to the palace tomorrow to explore your bailiwick and classroom for the anamatek. If it is still here, I will contain it into custody."

Balladanis muttered something under his hint as Matt 's dad left the way with Professor Kendrick. Albus exchanged a glimpse with John. He wanted nothing more than to leave, so he could blab about what had just happened.

"That 's enough for tonight,"Balladanis barked,"Get out. Be back here tomorrow Nox at nine."

Albus nearly spilled his ink in his haste to get up. He ran out of the way as fast as he could with John the Divine following. Malfoy made no relocation to try and talk to them again, so they headed straight to the piranha 's Den.


A/N : Thanks to my beta, Dancer of Starlight as well as all of the endearing people who have read and reviewed this ! You guy wire are awesome !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


Albus and John burst into the Marauder 's Den a little while later to find that flatness and Kaden were the only ones there. lustrelessness 's face was covered in ash and Kaden was grinning. They were in the middle of a game of Exploding Snap.

"And that makes four wins for me and none for you,"Kaden announced as he collected the cards,"Oh, Albus, John ! How was your detention ? Want to play ?"

"Not now,"Albus said hurriedly as he sat down following to lusterlessness,"lusterlessness, did you have a go at it your dad was just here ?"

"Yeah,"matt nodded,"When he got my owl, he wanted to go talk of the town to Kendrick. I went with him."

"Well, do you bonk where he went after ?"John asked.

"Home, I guess,"Matt shrugged,"Why ?"

"He and Kendrick turned up in our detention,"can said.

"He what ?"Matt replied.

"Yeah, it was really odd,"Albus said,"He came in with Kendrick and Kendrick introduced him to Balladanis. Only Balladanis said 'we 've met'. You never told us your dad knew Balladanis."

"I never knew,"matte shrugged,"Then what happened ?"

"Your dad was really raging,"Albus continued,"He thinks Balladanis taught us too very much about how to figure out if someone 's a werewolf and that 's why Malfoy found out. Then he told him how dangerous it was for him to use that anamatek in class-"

"Oh, yeah,"matt said,"I told my dad about the anamatek and that 's one of the reasonableness he came here, to tell Kendrick about it. Kendrick 's making him get rid of it."

"Yeah, that 's what your dad said,"Albus replied,"He 's coming back to inspect Balladanis 's elbow room tomorrow to make sure he got rid of it. He also said that if any of Balladanis 's teaching puts you in peril again, the Ministry 's going to look into him."

"It 's really not a good idea to get on my dad 's bad side,"mat said,"What did Balladanis do during this ?"

"He kept saying that he was going to instruct however he wanted,"Albus explained,"Honestly, he did not look felicitous that your dad was there. I think something happened between the two of them."

"But what ?"matte asked,"Dad 's never mentioned him before."

"Think he 'd tell you if you asked ?"John wondered.

"Probably,"matte said,"I 'll owl him about it."

"Oh, and then your dad told Malfoy he 'd better not severalise anyone you 're a lycanthrope,"John Lackland said,"He looked pretty scary, too. I do n't cerebrate Malfoy 's going to severalize anyone."

******

It did not take very long for word to spread that Balladanis had gotten in trouble for having an anamatek. Galleons exchanged hands the next dayspring at breakfast, as a few older scholar had bet on how long he would accept it. Somehow everyone knew that Matt 's dad had showed up at Hogwarts the previous night and informed Kendrick about it.

Kaden had defence that morning and reported to Albus at lunch that Balladanis was even hard-and-fast than usual and seemed incredibly angry. That did not forecast well for Albus 's detention that evening.

"He 's downright scary,"Kaden said as he piled steak and kidney pie onto his plate,"Yelled at one of the Ravenclaws in my class for spilling her ink. She was nearly in tears. But I 'd hate to be in your class, Albus, he 's going to be brutal. I mean, it 's pretty much because of matte that he got in trouble."

lustrelessness had gone up to the vulture 's Den after they got out of Herbology since he felt ill and was n't in tiffin. Albus knew that Kaden was veracious. Balladanis was going to take this out on mat, and possibly Malfoy as well.

"I do n't know why he cares so often,"privy shrugged,"I mean, the Ministry could feature just taken that thing away. He 's lucky he just had to bring it back to his house or whatever."

"I do n't think he likes the regime,"Albus said,"That 's the feeling I got after listening to him talk about what he did before commandment here. I think that 's why he did that, instead of becoming an Auror."

"fountainhead, I think it 's a good estimate for the Ministry to establish him drive that affair home,"John said.

"Me, too,"Albus agreed,"I mean, he could 've turned it into a manticore next."

Kaden went to social class after lunch while Albus and John went up to the marauder 's Den with Rose and Amanda.

"Think he 's owled his dad yet ?"John the Evangelist asked as he gestured to flatness, who was asleep in his bed.

"Doubt it,"Albus said,"He 's probably been asleep since he got up here."

"Merlin, I just want to know what happened between his dad and Balladanis,"trick groaned.

"You 're so raring,"Rose commented,"Just let him sleep."

"I was n't going to wake him up,"Saint John the Apostle muttered.

The end of the afternoon passed by quickly. Albus was dreading his detainment later and trick complained loudly about how he had to go to the extra assistance sitting about werewolves when he already knew so a great deal about them.

Albus woke flatness up shortly before dinner party and he looked much worse than he usually did the day of wide lunation. They all escorted him to the hospital wing, where Madam Pomfrey rushed him into bed.

Just as they were about to leave the infirmary offstage, the doors opened and in walk Matt 's dad. Albus assumed he was there to check if Balladanis had gotten rid of his anamatek.

Saint John the Apostle nudged Albus."We should ask him about Balladanis,"John whispered.

"He 's not going to separate us now,"Albus muttered back,"expression at him."

Mr. Eckerton looked tired out and incredibly worried. He nodded to Albus and the others before rushing over to matte 's bed and talking to madam Pomfrey in hushed whispers.

As it turned out, Albus had been worrying about the detention for zip. He entered the elbow room before Malfoy and privy was already doing his crinkle. Balladanis said absolutely nothing to Albus as he handed him parchment. Malfoy arrived a lilliputian while later and still Balladanis said nothing.

Malfoy did not talk either. He did not ask anything about Matt and did n't even comment that the total moon was that night.

Balladanis let them leave at half by ten. Albus and John found Kaden in the Marauder 's Den and spent the remaining time left until uranology playing Exploding breeze and Wizard 's Chess.

"Why, why do we have to bear this class with the Slytherins ?"John groaned as they made their way to the uranology Tower,"If Malfoy does n't make a single comment about the broad moon, I 'll eat an entire cauldron."

"I 'm going to hold you to that,"Albus laughed,"But I do n't suppose you 'll have to."

Malfoy went so far as to actually set his scope up next to Albus 's. Professor Polo spent ten minutes telling them that they were to plot the position of mar, Venus, the lunar month, and a handful of stars before turning them misplace to actually do so.

"The moon is so bright,"Malfoy whispered,"And big and ... full ...."

Albus looked at lav."Looks like I wo n't be eating my caldron tonight,"John muttered.

"Just shut it, Malfoy,"Albus said.

"Is n't his dad the caput of the Department for the regularization and ascendancy of Magical Creatures ? Yeah, he must be, because he 's the one who made Balladanis get rid of the anamatek. Ca n't say I 'm really upset about that,"Malfoy said quietly,"But how ironic."

"Just stop talking about it,"Albus muttered.

"Oh, come on, Potter. Even you have to revalue the sarcasm,"Malfoy said.

"will you just shut up,"Albus seethed.

"Quiet over there,"Polo said.

Malfoy smirked at Albus one more time before going back to his telescope. The balance of the lesson passed without anymore commentary from Malfoy and Albus was quite felicitous when he was able to rejoin to his dormitory.

******

"It 's like back in first year,"Albus sighed,"Remember when Madam Pomfrey locked the hospital wing ?"

"That 's why this is bad !"Rose said.

"Well, she did n't lock away us out this prison term,"Saint John the Apostle pointed out.

"She did n't exactly let us in either,"Kaden said.

Albus and his protagonist had slept late on Saturday break of day and after grabbing a quick chomp to eat, had gone to claver flatness in the hospital wing. lady Pomfrey had n't let them in. They were currently in the Marauder 's Den, trying to work out out why.

"She always lets us in,"John groaned.

"He obviously had a really bad nighttime,"Albus said quietly.

"Yeah, but why ?"Rose wondered.

"Have n't you noticed that the full phase of the moon moonshine have been speculative the by few months ?"Albus asked,"He 's been taking longer to recover."

"I wish he 'd just let us turn Animagi,"John the Divine muttered.

"King John, I honestly do n't retrieve you could become an Animagus,"pink wine replied,"You 'd wind up with a permanent tail affixed to your arse."

"That would n't be that bad,"St. John grinned,"Always thought it would be nerveless to have a tail."

"You 're not helping,"Albus sighed,"What are we going to do ?"

"I think all we can do is just restrain going back to the hospital wing,"John shrugged,"Until Madam Pomfrey lets us in."

Their movement proved futile, though. They went to the hospital wing twice that afternoon and then veracious before Albus and Saint John had to go to detention. Madam Pomfrey told them 'no'each time.

Sunday, the hold out day of Albus and lavatory 's detention, was the Saami. dame Pomfrey was quite livid when they showed up for the third clip that day.

"zilch 's changed !"she shouted,"Come back tomorrow evening ! I 'll give the lot of you detention if you come back any earlier than that !"

With that, she strode back into the Ward and slammed the door."Can she even give custody ?"Kaden asked.

"I dunno,"Albus shrugged,"I would n't put it past her."

Albus and John the Evangelist broke away from the mathematical group to complete their last detention. Balladanis gave them lines, just like he had the retiring three nighttime. Albus sat quietly completing them, very thankful for the fact that Malfoy had n't said two words to him since Astronomy.

"You may discontinue,"Balladanis said quietly after they 'd been writing for about an hour and a half.

Albus threw his quill down and leaned back in his chair. Finally, it was over.

"I hope you learned something,"Balladanis said, which shocked Albus. He had been expecting Balladanis to remain his secretiveness."If I catch any of you dueling in the corridors again, the event will be much more stern than detention and lost points.

"Mr. thrower and Mr. Malfoy, I have given neat thought to whether I should continue giving you extra lesson. I have decided to give you one Sir Thomas More chance. deterrent example will continue this Friday at their pattern clip. However, if either of you disregard my rules again, I will no longer hold them. You may go. I 'll see all three of you in stratum on Tuesday."

"pigeon hawk, I 'm glad that 's over,"John muttered to Albus once they were on their way to Gryffindor Tower.

"Me too,"Albus agreed,"He 's going to be awful in class, though."

"Yeah, ca n't say I 'm looking forward to that,"John said.

Albus could n't concentrate at all in his classes the next day. All he wanted to do was go to the hospital offstage and chance out how lusterlessness was, but brothel keeper Pomfrey insisted that they wait until evening.

rosebush and Amanda ate dinner party with Linda, but they met Albus, John, and Kaden near the infirmary wing afterwards. They had all eaten a very rushed dinner due to Albus 's Quidditch practice at seven.

Albus cautiously opened the door to the infirmary wing, half expecting madam Pomfrey to yell at them again. He walked quietly inside, followed the the others. Madam Pomfrey was sitting at her desk and she visibly sighed when she noticed them.

"Go ahead,"she gestured to the sole occupied bed, which had the drapery pulled around it.

Albus rushed over to the bed and yanked the curtains back. lustrelessness looked run down and there was a rather big patch wrapped around his head.

"I was wondering when you 'd come visit me,"Matt gave them a half smile.

"We 've been trying !"lavatory said,"Madam Pomfrey has n't let us !"

"I know,"lusterlessness smirked,"I 've heard her yell at you. It 's kind of amusing."

"well, we 're here now,"Albus said,"How are you ? Why did n't Madam Pomfrey let us come visit ?"

"Because I did n't inflame up until yesterday afternoon,"Matt answered.

"But that was-"John began.

"Nearly two days later ?"Matt cut him off,"I know."

"But why ?"Rose asked.

"A bunch of things, really,"matt sighed,"number one, I was worried about Malfoy telling everyone and it 's always worse when I 'm worried about something. Second, I hit my head really gruelling at some dot that Night. It still hurts. Third, the transformations in general are getting unfit, because I 'm getting older."

That thought certainly had n't crossed Albus 's mind. Albus and all his Quaker were obviously getting older and that brought plenty of changes, but he had n't even thought about how the wolf would change when Matt got older.

"So, are all of the full moons going to be this bad now ?"Kaden asked.

"No,"matt shook his head word and then winced,"I mean, I do n't really recognise what 'll happen in the future, but this one was just a combination of bad things."

"That 's good, I guess,"Albus shrugged,"When do you get to pull up stakes ?"

"Tomorrow dark at the soonest,"flatness sighed,"Although that means I 'll pretermit Defense."

"Wish I could miss defense reaction,"John muttered,"Speaking of defence, did you owl your dad yet ?"

"John, he just woke up yesterday,"rosebush pointed out.

"I did n't owl him,"lustrelessness said,"But he came to see me earlier and I asked him."

"Brilliant,"privy grinned,"And ?"

"And,"Matt said,"He told me all about it. He told me Balladanis was a Presuler and was really surprised that I already knew.

"Apparently, back when my dad had just been appointed foreland of the Department for the regulating and Control of Magical creature in Commonwealth of Australia, he hired Balladanis to enamor a band of lamia who were attacking Muggles on the outback. Balladanis caught them, but he thought Dad went too easy on them."

"What did he do to them ?"lavatory asked.

"Sent them to prison. I think they got 20 years. Balladanis thought they should have gotten lifetime condemnation. Dad and Balladanis got into this huge argument at the Ministry about it and Balladanis stormed out. The Australian Ministry did n't hire him after that,"Matt explained,"Although, I 'll bet Balladanis and Lubar would harmonize on penalization. I wonder if he 's hired Balladanis."

"That explains a lot,"Albus said,"Did your dad say anything else about him ?"

"No, not really,"Matt replied,"Just that he 's got a lot of issues. Oh, and he wanted me to warn you not to listen to everything Balladanis says during those dueling object lesson you 've got."

"I 'm not going to,"Albus assured him,"I think we 've all seen a unlike side of Balladanis during the past week."

******

Tuesday morning dawned quickly and Albus trudged to Defense with John. Neither of them really knew what social class would be like, but judging from what he heard about Holocene Department of Defense stratum in the park room, it would n't be fun.

Malfoy was back to his smug self now that detention was over. He sat next to Goyle wearing a smirk on his face. Albus ignored him and went to his usual table.

Balladanis stormed into the way a few proceedings later. He waved his verge at the door and it slammed shut with a smasher loud enough that it caused the Jordan-Bell twins, who had been sitting confining to it, to jump.

"passport your homework questions forward,"he growled.

Albus handed his homework to the table in straw man of him and waited for Balladanis to gather up it. He paused in front of the board in front of Albus's.

"thrower,"he began,"You can tell apart Eckerton that his prep is late and therefore I will not accept it. If he wished to get deferred payment for it, he could have got graced us with his presence."

Malfoy snorted at this, earning him public eye from both Albus and Balladanis. Balaldanis tossed the homework unceremoniously onto his desk and then turned back to his students.

"Wolfsbane potion,"he barked,"Was created by a man by the figure of Oliver Belby. He finished the existence in 1991. For almost wolfman, the potion was a life buoy. Who can explicate what it does ?"

Nobody, not even blush wine and Linda, raised their manpower. Albus stared down at his desk, hoping that Balladanis would n't call on him.

"nonentity ?"he said,"Pity. Wolfsbane potion renders a werewolf harmless during fully moons. The lycanthrope turns into a wolf, but a harmless one. One that will just slumber until the moon set and will not suffer the urge to seize with teeth and kill.

"The potion is a lifeguard to those plagued with lycanthropy. I had been hoping to show you what a werewolf would look like on wolfbane potion, but my anamatek has been banned from the rook,"Balladanis said with venom,"Therefore you will induce to go without the optic. It seems that sealed parents, Ministry functionary, and the schoolmaster do not approve of my methods of teaching. Unfortunately, it is all of you who are suffering for it."

"I would n't phone it suffering,"John muttered.

"Quiet, Brickston !"Balladanis shouted,"Unless you have something to contribute to the class."

"No, sir,"John replied.

"Good,"Balladanis muttered,"Anyway, the anamatek will not be making anymore appearances in this classroom and your Department of Education is going to digest for it. Nothing, and I repeat nothing can substitute hands on training."

Albus usually agreed with that, but he drew the argument at having what was in essence a subsist manticore in front man of him. There were some times when reading sufficed.

The deterrent example continued with Balladanis talking about Wolfsbane. He spoke about how the potion does n't function for all werewolves and Albus found his mind drifting. All in all, the lesson had n't been as bad as he 'd been expecting. Besides his brief rant about his anamatek being banned from the castle, he had been pretty normal. convention for Balladanis, that is.

"Next moral will be the conclusion on lycanthrope,"Balladanis announced at the end of class,"We will memorize about lycanthropy 's effect on children."

Albus groaned inwardly. Matt would be out of the hospital wing by then. Why could n't Balladanis just finish the loup-garou unit already ?

"He wo n't be back adjacent class,"lavatory muttered as they walked to Herbology.

"I do n't doubt that,"Albus replied,"I just wonder who we 're going to get instead."


A/N : Thanks to my Beta, Dancer of Starlight as well as all the endearing hoi polloi who have read and reviewed this !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


"piazza your wager here !"Fred shouted the next day as he walked around the coarse room.

Albus had just climbed through the portraiture hole with GA and James after a particularly hard Quidditch practice. wood was getting them prepared for the match against New House of York, which was to engage piazza in a petty over a week.

"Georgia, James, Albus !"Fred greeted them,"fear to locate a bet ?"

"What are you taking stakes about ?"Empire State of the South asked tiredly,"And if you keep betting on stuff, your mum is bound to find out."

"She wo n't like,"Fred shrugged. He was probably right. Albus 's Aunt Alicia was the least strict out of all of his aunt. She 'd probably come out a bet with Fred.

"You 'd just better Hope Grandma does n't find out,"Georgia smirked.

Fred looked momentarily horrorstruck and Albus could n't blame him. mollie Weasley would probably post him a howler if she knew he was gambling.

"She wo n't unless you tell her,"Fred muttered,"And heather mixture and I are taking bets on how much yearner Balladanis is going to hold up. Care to contain a guess ?"

"I suppose,"Georgia said as she pulled out some gold,"Two Galleons says he 's gone in a calendar week. I heard he had three starting time years in tears today."

"He nearly had one-half of my class in tears,"Fred said as he took Georgia 's Au,"James IV, Al ?"

"Three Galleons says he 's gone in two weeks,"James said as he tossed Fred some gold and then left to go find his friends.

"Nope,"Albus shook his pass.

"Suit yourself,"Fred shrugged and continued his walk around the uncouth room,"bet here, order your bets !"

Albus found his admirer crowded around their usual table in the common way. Linda was with them. All three lady friend were working on preparation. whoremonger and Kaden were trading chocolate Frog cards.

"Fred 's going to get himself in trouble,"rose muttered as Albus sat down,"You did n't bet anything, did you ?"

"No,"Albus shook his nous,"How about you lot ?"

"I bet ten Sickles he wo n't last the year,"whoremaster said.

"You should know exactly when he 'll lead, what with your taking Divination,"rosebush smirked.

"Divination 's a joke,"John muttered,"I ca n't wait to drop it after 5th year."

"Told you so,"Rose grinned,"Sick of making up stuff ?"

"It 's just so pointless,"John groaned,"We 're still doing crystal Ball. I just tell her that I see myself dying anytime she asks and it keeps her happy."

"That 's why I 'm not taking foretelling,"Kaden announced,"Bloody wasteland of a class."

Kaden had chosen his form for next year a few Day prior. He decided on tending of Magical fauna, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy.

"Easy homework, though,"John sighed,"I just go on reminding myself about that."

"What 's got leisurely homework ?"mat asked as he sat down in the chair next to John 's. He looked a bit better than he had the previous day, but still drawn out.

"Pomfrey finally let you out ?"lavatory asked,"And we 're talking about Divination."

"Yeah, just in time for Defense tomorrow,"flatness groaned,"I 'm charm to use a Fainting fantasy to get out of it."

"I think half the offset twelvemonth are going to do that on Friday,"Kaden said,"I overheard them talking. Apparently Balladanis completely flipped out on one of them today, all over one incomplete preparation doubt. Made her cry."

"That 's what Georgia was saying,"Albus replied,"brand me want to use a Fainting Fancy. Two weeks. I know I did n't bet on it, but that 's really all I 'd move over him."

******

John filled his sack with Puking Pastilles before he set off to Defense the next morning time. Albus did n't discommode. His curio always trumped his disfavour for certain course. He 'd rather be there and know exactly what Balladanis was doing.

"Werewolves,"Balladanis said as soon as the chime rang,"When the terminal figure is used, near people conjure up images of lonely adults, condemned to a miserable life-time that revolves around the Sun Myung Moon.

"However, there is a entirely group of werewolves that are mostly overlooked. Children. Ah, yes, children do get attacked by werewolves. Very few survive. Found by their parents when it is too late. Even few survive the initial transformation. Werewolf transformations, as you have learned, are incredibly taxing, both physically and emotionally. Very few minor are strong enough to make it through."

Balladanis paused and began to pace the room."Parents are faced with a decision after their kid is bitten. They have three selection. Number one, they can deal with it. Deal with the monthly transformations and try and cook life as pattern as possible for the child. turn two, they can abandon their child. Force them to live with a uncivilized pack of werewolves, to develop up to kill. However, there is a one-third option. Does anyone care to suppose as to what it is ?"

Nobody raised their hand. Balladanis looked at his class until his eyes rested on mat. A very creepy smirk appeared on his face.

"Mr. Eckerton, maintenance to distinguish us ?"Balladanis asked.

Albus, who had been trying hard not to expect at matte throughout the deterrent example, stole a quick glance at him. He was staring at the desk, quill in helping hand, shaking slightly.

"N-no,"lustrelessness stuttered.

"Very well,"Balladanis smirked,"The third alternative is to put the nipper down. Not a pleasant option, but one that a few parents select anyway. This choice used to be readily suggested by healer, but has now become quite controversial. It is not suggested very often anymore.

"Parents who choose the first option, to continue to get up their kid, are in for a very tough life. Werewolf youngster are unmanageable to raise. It is a huge allowance for parents and sibling if there are any. The collation affects the hale kinsfolk. It changes lifetime, it can rip syndicate apart."

Balladanis continued droning on and on about how lycanthropy affects baby and Albus looked again at Matt. His paw was shaking even harder and his face was as whiten as it had been when he had dressed up as a ghost.

Albus shared a look with John Lackland and lavatory reached into his pocket. He slid a disgorgement Pastille across the board towards Albus and then slid one to Matt. Albus quietly unwrapped it and then waited until Balladanis had looked away to shove it into his mouth. whoremaster and mat did the same. Albus clutched his stomach as the sweet began to take affect.

"Lycanthropic children rarely, if ever, get to attend school,"Balladanis droned.

"Sir !"John shouted,"I do n't feel so well. May I go to the Hospital backstage ?"

"I do n't feel too well either,"Albus added.

"Shut it, you two,"Balladanis shouted,"And no you may not go to the-"

Balladanis was cut off by the strait of all three boy vomiting at the same prison term. Albus leaned over his table and vomited right onto the floor. The class erupted into shouts and Balladanis tried to keep order.

"Fine !"he seethed,"Get to the hospital Wing, all three of you !"

Albus resisted the urge to upchuck again as he ran for the door. lustrelessness and John the Evangelist followed. All three of them shoved the orange end of the Sweet into their backtalk as soon as they shut the doorway behind them. The affect was instantaneous. Albus immediately felt better.

"The man 's malevolent !"John shouted,"How could he teach that ?"

"Not here,"Matt muttered and took off down the corridor.

None of them said anything else until they reached the Marauder 's Den."As I was saying,"John began,"What is wrong with that blighter ?"

"I think a lot of things,"Albus muttered,"He 's a raving lunatic."

"He 's only doing it because you 're in the socio-economic class,"John the Divine said to Matt as he paced around the room,"None of what he said today is actually in the record book. I mean, did you read the book ? There 's not much in there that Balladanis has actually taught !"

"He hates me because my dad made him get rid of his stupid anamatek,"mat muttered.

"But it started before that,"Albus pointed out,"He wants to pee you miserable because of what your dad did with those vampires years ago."

"It 's just not fair,"lusterlessness groaned,"I mean, did you listen to what he was talking about ?"

"It was hard not to,"Albus sighed,"Is it true ?"

"Yes,"flatness said quietly,"And before you ask, one of the healer did evoke that to my parents."

Albus suddenly felt more sick than he had when he ate the emesis Pastille. How could a therapist, someone whose job it was to make hoi polloi healthy, actually suggest that to a nipper 's parents ?

"Seriously ?"John asked,"What happened after they asked ?"

"My dad and my Uncle manual laborer hexed him at the same time,"Matt gave them a half-smile,"Put him in his own hospital bed for two days."

"You know, I 'd really like to suffer your Uncle Jack,"John grinned,"He sounds like a great bloke."

"He is,"lustrelessness smiled,"He would 've hexed Balladanis quite a patch ago if he were here."

"But he 's not,"bathroom sighed,"So what are we going to do about this ?"

"I 'm sending an owl to my dad,"Matt said as he stood up,"You two are n't going to get to do anything."

"Three days,"John said after matte left,"I give Balladanis three more days."

******

"Your dad certainly does n't waste any time,"Rose said to Matt as she unfolded her copy of the Prophet the next dayspring at breakfast.

Albus leaned over and read the report over Rose 's shoulder.

HOGWARTS professor TO BE INVESTIGATED BY MINISTRY
The section of Magical Education received an inquiry
late yesterday afternoon, requesting an investigation
of Hogwarts Defense Against the wickedness Arts professor,
genus Aplysia Balladanis. The question was submitted by none
early than the newly appointed Head of the Department
for the rule and Control of Magical tool,
Walter Eckerton, whose fourteen-year-old son currently
attends Hogwarts.

prof Tethys Balladanis has been teaching Defense at
the school day since September, when he replaced Head Auror
Harry Potter. Potter had taught the study for two
twelvemonth and wished to focus solely on his Auror career,
resulting in his resignation at the end of last school day
year.

The impending investigation comes as hardly a surprise.
Earlier this hebdomad Walter Eckerton visited Hogwarts
after receiving a tip that Balladanis was holding an
anamatek in his schoolroom. This proved to be honest and
Eckerton ordered him to remove it. The anamatek was
legally in Balladanis 's possession, so all he had to
do was remove it from shoal premise. Eckerton told
newsman that Balladanis complied.

However, Eckerton has claimed that the professor
repeatedly put students in danger and humiliated them
in presence of their classmates.

'It 's not just the anamatek ,'Eckerton told newsperson,
'I 'm filing this inquiry as a parent, not as a Ministry
official. First and foremost, I wish to protect my son .'

The probe will lead off today and be carried out
by officials from the section of Magical teaching,
a department that was set up for this aim after
the downfall of Lord Voldemort. functionary will visit
the school and interview both scholarly person and staff as
a part of their investigation.

genus Tethus Balladanis will go forward to teach defense mechanism Against
the Dark artwork during this time.

"He 's still going to teach ?"John the Evangelist said incredulously after he finished reading the article.

"I 'm not going to defending team anymore,"lusterlessness said,"Not until he 's gone."

"They ca n't stop him from teaching until they do the probe,"Rose explained,"Only Kendrick can stop him from teaching at the moment."

"Then why does n't Kendrick do that ?"Albus asked as he looked up at the faculty table.

Kendrick was talking with Neville and there was a copy of the prophesier laying between them. Balladanis was not present.

"I do n't screw,"rose wine said quietly,"But Defense is just going to get worse."

"Which is why I 'm not going,"lusterlessness said adamantly.

For once, Rose did not chastise him about skipping form. Albus could n't blame him. He himself was half tempted to pass over, but he knew his wonder would get the better of him.

"Somehow, I do n't reckon you 'll let the chance to skim,"rosiness muttered,"We do n't give defense mechanism until Tuesday."

"Excellent,"John the Divine grinned,"Now I wo n't accept to do that lycanthrope essay."

"I never said that,"Rose replied,"You still ought to do it, just in case."

"facial expression, Kendrick 's getting up,"Kaden pointed to the faculty table.

"May I have your attention !"Kendrick shouted and the yakety-yak in the foyer immediately ceased,"Thank you. I trust by now that you 've all either read or heard about the clause on the breast Sir Frederick Handley Page of the Prophet.

"Ministry official will be visiting the school day today and tomorrow to lead their investigation. They will be selecting scholar to interview. If you are selected, I advise you to resolve their questions truthfully.

"As of right now, prof Balladanis is still your instructor, therefore you need to address him with regard and serve his classes. This is, at the present moment, an investigation and nix more. Now, you 'd scoop be off to class."

"Albus,"pink wine whispered as they made their way out of the Great manse to history of Magic,"You 're not going to that dueling lesson tonight, are you ?"

"I dunno,"Albus shrugged. He had n't really thought about it until then.

"I do n't think you should,"Rose told him.

Albus nodded. He did n't want to go, but he also did n't desire to find out what Balladanis would do when Albus did n't show up that evening.

nobody fell asleep during History of thaumaturgy. It must take in been a new record, one that was previously set back when Binns was still animated. However, the want of fatigue was not due to Binns 's speech. No, that was just as wearisome as usual. The student remained awake because they were talking about Balladanis. The classroom was filled with the hushed whispers of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw one-third year and Binns droned on without seeming to notice.

There were only six bookman in the rook who knew the particular intellect why flatness 's dad had submitted that inquiry. Albus, Rose, whoremaster, Amanda, Kaden, and Matt himself. Seven, if you counted Malfoy, but even Malfoy did not bonk that it had been Balladanis 's lecture on lycanthropic children that pushed Mr. Eckerton to state the inquiry.

Everyone else speculated. About half the school put the rap on the anamatek, even though mat 's dad had come out and said that was n't the real reason. The oracle had only glazed over the reasons, not getting into specific. The Hogwarts students wanted specifics. They wanted to know what had pushed lusterlessness 's dad to reconcile an inquiry when none of their parents seemed fazed.

The understanding the bookman fabricated ranged from plausible to exorbitant. A few seventh age, mainly Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, speculated that Balladanis had gotten a bit overenthusiastic with his extra assist sitting and perhaps victimized lusterlessness as an example of individual who did not possess the skills to defeat dark wizards. Combine that with an overprotective parent ( what the seventh yr claimed Matt 's dad to be, which was not actually an overstatement ), and the investigation was born. They believed that the investigation would shove off over and within two hebdomad everything would be back to formula, with Balladanis still teaching.

A few overexcited kickoff years were the on the opposite word slope of the spectrum. They believed that Balladanis had let a Chimaera loose in his classroom while teaching the Gryffindor and Slytherin third years. Apparently they overlooked the fact that nonentity had turned up injured after class and the fact that Balladanis would get been sacked immediately if that had actually been the case.

Matt had become somewhat of a celebrity inside the Hogwarts bulwark. There was n't a single somebody, animation, ghost, or portrait, who did n't make out it was his dad who launched the enquiry. He was stopped no to a lesser extent than six times on the way from history of illusion to Herbology by multitude wanting to know the details of the inquiry. It was something Albus could secern flatness was extremely uncomfortable with.

"merlin, when will they learn that I do n't require to talk about it !"Matt groaned as they made their way back to the rook after Herbology. Two Ravenclaw back eld had just run up to lusterlessness, demanding to know why his dad wanted to get Balladanis sacked. Apparently they actually liked him.

"You should just stand up up on the Gryffindor table and shit an announcement during lunch,"John suggested.

"Definitely not,"flatness said,"I 'm just glad we do n't experience class this afternoon."

"Me, too,"Albus agreed,"Hey, spirit, I bet those are the investigators."Albus pointed to three official looking people striding up towards the castle. There were two witches and a wizard.

"Probably,"bathroom said,"I wonder who they 're going to audience ?"

"Ten Galleons says they interview me,"lustrelessness replied,"And probably Albus since he 's had all those secret lessons."

"Let 's just hope they do n't interview those two Ravenclaws,"John said.

Albus, Matt, and John continued their trek to the Great Charles Francis Hall, where they ate a very quick luncheon. None of them wanted to stay very long since everyone was still asking Matt about the inquiry. After they finished, the boys went to Gryffindor column to deposit their pocketbook before going to the piranha 's Den to put off their homework.

The common room was mostly void when they arrived, but Albus spotted Lily, Hugo, and Ashtyn sitting around one of the tables.

"Do n't you three have social class now ?"Albus asked, feeling very much like Rose.

"Yes,"Lily muttered,"We 've got defense mechanism and we 're skipping. Do n't say anything about it. There 's nothing you can do to make me go, so do n't even try."

"I was n't going to,"Albus assured her,"Was n't it your family where Balladanis made someone cry ?"

"That 's why we 're not going,"Ashtyn replied,"And we do n't care if we get detention either. Oh, and St. John the Apostle, you 'd better not tell Mum."

"I wo n't,"John said,"The three of us used Puking cough drop to get out of Defense yesterday."

"You should give just skipped from the source,"Ashtyn told them.

"Well, you three enjoy your skipping,"Albus said as he continued to his dormitory.

"Oh, believe me, we will,"Lily grinned.

The boys quickly stowed their purse in their dormitory and set off for the Maruader 's Den. Albus climbed out of the portrait hole and ran straight into Gabriella.

"There you are, Al !"Gabriella exclaimed,"I 've been looking for you. Kendrick wants to see you in his field of study. Oh, hang up on."Gabriella consulted the piece of lambskin she was holding."He wants to see lusterlessness, too."

"looking at like you two are getting interviewed,"King John said as Gabriella went into the common room.

"hypothesis so,"Albus shrugged. He really was n't surprised. Even if he had n't been receiving common soldier lessons with Balladanis, he probably would consume been interviewed. It was one of those things that happened when your father was the most famous hotshot in Britain.

"I 'll see you two later, then,"John replied,"Have fun."

"Oh, yeah,"Albus rolled his centre,"Loads."

Albus and Matt left for Kendrick 's study while John continued towards the Marauder 's Den. Albus had no estimate what he was going to do while they were gone, but he would bet that whoremonger would be bored within fifteen minutes.


A/N : I hope you all enjoyed HPFF 's Apr Fool 's Day Prank ! The staff really outdid themselves this twelvemonth. Thanks to my beta, Dancer of Starlight, and everyone who has read and reviewed this story !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


There was another Prefect standing adjacent to the gargoyle that concealed the entryway to Kendrick 's subject area. It was apparently his job to mutter the password to the gargoyle to allow all the students being interviewed in. He looked incredibly bored.

Albus and lustrelessness ascended into the study and found three former student waiting in front of Kendrick 's close door. A very bored looking Hufflepuff, who was probably in sixth or seventh year, Scorpius Malfoy, and much to Albus 's alarm, one of those Ravenclaws they had encountered on the grounds earlier.

Albus was not at all surprised to see Scorpius Malfoy there. After all, he had private object lesson with Balladanis as well. However, he chose to ignore Malfoy 's presence and leaned against the wall to commence the long wait.

What had been the point in sending them all to Kendrick 's subject at the same sentence ? They were obviously only interviewing one person at a time. Why could n't they have just summoned Albus later, when there were to a lesser extent people waiting ?

Kendrick 's door opened and a pale-faced Gryffindor first base year walked out. She hurried out of the report and one of the Ministry officials motioned for the Ravenclaw to enter.

The Ravenclaw was in Kendrick 's study for about fifteen minutes. Then it was Malfoy 's number. He took a bit more sentence, but finally came out and left without so much as a glance towards Albus and Matt.

In the mean clip, two to a greater extent students had entered. One Albus recognized as Peyton Haines, one of the pursuer from the Slytherin Quidditch squad. The other was a Cy Young Hufflepuff Albus did n't recognize.

Finally, after what must have been at to the lowest degree an hour, Albus was finally called into the room.

Kendrick was not in his study. Only the three research worker were. Albus was now able to see them up close. The one who had called him into the room was quite grandiloquent and wore a menacing glare. Her robes were perfectly pressed, without a 1 wrinkle, and her hair was pulled into a crocked bun. She reminded Albus of Minerva McGonagall.

The other beldame was the complete inverse. She was short and quite a bit overweight. Her frizzy brown hair stuck up at all sorting of odd angles and she had a small pair of glasses perched on her nose.

The remaining investigator was a wizard and he was seated behind Kendrick 's desk, a calamus in hand. He looked a bit bored by the entire thing. He was gazing about the elbow room and had the expression of someone who was n't quite paying attention.

Two people who were paying ecstatic care, or should he say portrayal, were Dumbledore and Snape. Both were sitting straight up and looking straight at the investigators.

The improbable witch gestured for Albus to submit a buttocks in front of the desk. Albus did so.

"My epithet is Katherine Torenzo and this is Lorraine Smyth,"the tall beldame gestured to the myopic enchantress,"And that is herbaceous plant Cletus. He 'll be transcribing our interview."

No wonder he was so bore, Albus thought. He did n't even get to ask any of the questions.

"Please state your full gens, age, year, and sign of the zodiac for the record book,"Torenzo said briskly.

Albus raised his brow. Would n't they already know all of that information ?

"It 's communications protocol, dear,"Smyth told him.

"Albus Severus Potter, thirteen, third year, Gryffindor,"Albus answered.

"Excellent,"Torenzo replied,"Now, perhaps you can assure us what goes on in an norm lesson with professor Balladanis, in your own words."

"Er, all right,"Albus said,"wellspring, he comes in and Tell us all to quit talking. Then he 'll collect the preparation. Oh, and you have to get the homework in on fourth dimension, no topic what. He does n't learn late employment, even if you 've got a estimable excuse. You could be sick in the hospital offstage and he would n't pick out latterly homework.

"Then he 'll teach us a new tour or about some new creature. Then we 'll take in to perform the spell."

"What happens if you do n't do it properly ?"Smyth asked.

"He makes you do it again, and again, until you get it,"Albus answered,"If you do n't get it, he makes you go to extra help sessions."

"Has this caused distress to any of the educatee in your class ?"Smyth asked.

"Not in my class, but I 've heard of other students crying because of it,"Albus answered.

"wealthy person you attended any supererogatory aid academic session ?"Torenzo asked.

"No,"Albus shook his foreland,"Professor Balladanis has never told me I had to."

"I understand you have been given dueling lessons by him, however,"Torenzo said,"Can you tell us a bit about them ? What do they lie in of ?"

"Most clip he just learn me new while, spells that are severe than the ones we learn in division. Scorpius Malfoy is there, too, and we duel each other with the spells,"Albus explained.

"You said 'most'sentence,"Smyth said,"What else does he have you do ?"

"Er,"Albus shifted uncomfortably in his chair,"One time he had us go into his pensieve."

"Did he,"Torenzo muttered,"Please elaborate."

"We watched his parents be murdered by vampire,"Albus said after a abbreviated hesitation. He doubted Balladanis would be glad about this, but Kendrick had said to be truthful.

Both Torenzo and Smyth looked horrified. Cletus was writing away furiously on the parchment. Snape was smirking and Dumbledore 's cheek had seemed to harden.

"We did n't actually see it,"Albus said quickly,"We stood outside the house as it happened. Balladanis 's parents were in the mansion. Then we watched Balladanis, in the memory, run away from the firm. He was thirteen."

"And then what ?"Torenzo prodded.

"We left the pensieve. Balladanis explained what we had seen-"

"He did n't tell you ahead of clock time ?"Smyth asked.

"No,"Albus shook his head,"He just told us to go in the pensieve."

"Did he excuse why he wanted you to see this ?"Torenzo asked.

"Yeah. He wanted to show us why he became a Presuler,"Albus said.

"He told you he 's a Presuler ?"Torenzo raised her eyebrow.

"Yes, he thinks me and Malfoy should become Presulers,"Albus explained.

"Very well,"Torenzo said as she walked towards Albus,"I have one terminal motion. Would you feel well-to-do if Professor Balladanis continued to instruct here ?"

Albus thought about it for a moment. Balladanis was certainly a motivated teacher and one Albus could learn a lot from. But on the former hand, he was n't the kind of wizard Albus felt comfortable around.

"No,"Albus said quietly,"I guess not."

Torenzo nodded."Please return to your common room. You are not to speak of this interview to anyone until after the investigating is completed."

Albus got up from the chair and Torenzo followed him out of the room. She called flatness in as Albus left. Albus muttered a quiet 'good luck'to him before descending from the room.

******

"Why ca n't you just tell us ?"lavatory lamented as the male child sat around the Marauder 's Den after dinner party. Rose and Amanda were currently in the girls'dormitory with Linda, who had recently been interviewed.

"I 've told you a million times,"Albus said,"The Ministry witches said we could n't talk about the interview."

"But how would they get it on ?"John asked,"It 's not like I 'm going to go telling the unscathed shoal about it."

"Neither will I,"Kaden added.

Albus snorted."I 'll say you about it after Balladanis is sacked, or is n't sacked. I do n't think it 's going to take recollective for them to decide."

"He 's going to be sacked,"Matt said adamantly and then turned to John,"You 're not going to his extra assist session tonight, are you ?"

"Not if I was paid twenty dollar bill Galleons,"John replied,"Well, ok, maybe if I was paid 20 Galleons, but not for lupus erythematosus than ten. What about you, Albus ? Going to go to your dueling lesson ?"

Albus shrugged. He still had n't decided. What he really wanted to know was whether Malfoy was going, but he could n't very well waltz down to the donjon, barge into the Slytherin common room, and ask.

"No melodic theme,"Albus sighed.

"Do n't go,"flatness said,"If you go, I 'm going to set forth worrying about your sanity."

"Why would you want to go ?"John gave Albus a unknown look.

"I might find out something about how the investigation is going, or something,"Albus muttered.

John opened his mouth to reply, but instead turned to the room access. A flash squawking noise had seemed to utter from it.

"Did you hear that ?"John asked.

Albus nodded and got up from his seat. He walked over to the room access and paused side by side to it. The squawking noise was repeated.

One thing Albus loved about the predator 's Den was that it was always very calm down. No haphazardness could be heard from the corridor while he was inside. Albus rarely ever heard noises from the corridor, let alone squawking noises.

Albus cautiously opened the door and instead of the flaky razz he had expected to see, Rose was standing there with her wand out.

"Finally !"she groaned,"I thought you 'd never come to the door."

"pink wine ?"Albus asked,"What is it ? Was that squawking you ?"

"Yes,"rose wine said hurriedly,"I had to get you to total out of there. Uncle Harry 's looking for you. He 's waiting in the common room. I told him I 'd discover you."

Albus turned around and told mat, john, and Kaden, all of whom had followed him out of the room, that he would be back soon. He had no thought what his dad wanted, but it must have been significant for him to go to the castling on a day he did n't ingest to patrol it.

Harry was sitting in one of the sloughy armchairs in movement of the fire when Albus arrived. Georgia and Fred were both talking with him, most probable about Quidditch judgment by their unreasonable use of hand gesture, but stopped abruptly when Albus entered. Harry got up and met Albus near the portrayal hole.

"Let 's talk outside,"Harry said. Albus followed him out of the portrayal hole and down the corridor a slight ways.

"What were you up to just now ?"Harry asked, grinning a bit.

"Nothing,"Albus shrugged truthfully.

"Well, I 'm no longer a instructor here, so I wo n't say a word about you causing worry, if that 's what you were doing,"Harry told him,"But anyway, what I wanted to ask you is whether you were planning on going to Professor Balladanis 's dueling lesson tonight ?"

That seemed to be the enquiry of the eventide, Albus thought."I dunno,"Albus shrugged.

"I realize that the decisiveness is completely up to you,"Harry said quietly,"But I would apprize you not to go. professor Balladanis is under a considerable sum of money of emphasis, of which you do n't know the half of. I 'd say the chances are in high spirits that he may take out this strain on you and Scorpius."

"Do you know if Malfoy 's going ?"Albus asked.

"I really have no thought,"Harry answered,"But I tend to believe he won't."

"I do n't think I will either,"Albus said.

"A wise decision,"Harry smiled.

Harry said secure dark to Albus and then Albus went back to the Marauder 's Den. Kaden was in the center of showing lustrelessness and lav how to take a leak a proper paper airplane.

"What did your dad need ?"John asked without looking up from the lambskin he was folding.

"To enjoin me it was n't a practiced approximation to go to Balladanis 's lesson tonight,"Albus said as he flopped down onto the vacuous couch.

"And ?"flatness asked.

"I 'm not going,"Albus answered.

"Good,"matt replied.

"You know what was weird, though ?"Albus began,"My dad said Balladanis was under a lot of stress, most of which I do n't know about. So I 'm guessing it 's not only the investigation."

"Weird,"Kaden shook his head,"I 'll be glad when he 's sacked."

"We do n't experience for certainly that he 'll be sacked,"Albus pointed out,"I just care I knew what else he was stressed about."

"Maybe he 's got to struggle a beautiful fair sex,"John smirked,"Remember his boggart ?"

"His boggart !"Albus shouted,"I ca n't believe I did n't put that together sooner. It was n't a beautiful fair sex ; it was a lamia. It 's so obvious now that we know what happened to his parents, too."

"Yeah, that does seem fairly obvious,"lustrelessness agreed,"But what 's that got to do with his stress ?"

"Probably null,"Albus shrugged,"I just realized it."

"You know,"John began,"This is the initiatory Fri we 've had to ourselves."

"You 're mightily,"Albus said,"What should we do ?"

"Let 's go down to the kitchens,"Kaden said.

"And spend the Night here,"lusterlessness added,"We hardly ever do that."

They did just that. The boys snuck down to the kitchens and were given as many sweet and pudding as they could carry by the planetary house elves. Then they stayed up late eating all of it and playing several secret plan. Albus was even able to leave about Balladanis for a while, something that had not happened in quite a while.

******

The Ministry officials remained a permanent wave fixture at Hogwarts throughout the remainder of the weekend. Albus overheard a lot of pupil mentioning that they 'd been interviewed, including privy 's cousin-german Isabelle, one of the Chasers on the Ravenclaw Quidditch squad, and Gabriella.

professor Balladanis did not testify up at a single meal. In fact, he was n't seen at all throughout the weekend. cipher saw him, which raised the question of whether he was even still in the castling.

Albus was hoping he ran for it. Got out before the Ministry had a chance to shit their decision. Albus was Thomas More than a fiddling flighty about going to Defense on Tuesday and hearing what Balladanis had to say about Albus 's absence seizure from their dueling lesson.

It was on Mon morning time that all the Hogwarts student knew a verdict had been reached. Professor Kendrick rose partway through the meal, something that only happened when something important happened. He was flanked by the two witch from the Ministry. The genius was no yearner there.

The foyer immediately quieted, without Kendrick even having to ask. Albus was slightly taken aback by Kendrick 's impending announcement, since there had not been a one mention of Balladanis in that morning time 's Prophet.

"A decision has been reached about Professor Balladanis,"Kendrick announced,"Madam Torenzo will inform you of it. The Prophet has kindly agreed not to bring out the article about it just yet, as I wished to inform you of it first."

"He 's sacked,"John muttered,"Otherwise he 'd be at breakfast."

"Good point,"Albus said.

Torenzo stood up and gazed out at the scholar with a neutral tone on her font."Upon extensive investigating of Professor Balladanis 's instruction method and thorough interview of take students, the Ministry has seen it fit to remove him from his teaching position here at Hogwarts school day of witchery and wizardry. professor Balladanis packed his affair late last night and no tenacious resides in the castle. prof Kendrick will inform you about what will happen with Defense classes for the balance of the year. I would like to thank all of you for your cooperation during this time."

Torenzo sat back down and continued eating her breakfast like nothing had happened. The Great manor hall immediately erupted into whispers, but they were quickly stopped by Kendrick.

"Defense Against the Dark fine art classes will not guide station until further notice. I will try and procure a suitable replacement for Professor Balladanis as quickly as possible. Until then, please use the time to study for your forthcoming exam,"Kendrick said and then resumed his seat. He began to talk with Torenzo and the students voices rose in the Hall.

"I knew it !"Matt exclaimed,"Best news I 've heard this month !"

"Yes !"Georgia shouted and then turned to Fred,"Pay up !"

"Merlin !"William James groaned,"Why 'd they have to do that investigation so quickly ?"

Money began to exchange men throughout the Gryffindor table as Fred collected and handed out Galleons.

"Do you suppose Kendrick 'll find out a replenishment ?"John asked.

"Dunno,"Albus shrugged,"No one really wanted that job to begin with."

"Glad I did n't do that loup-garou essay,"John grinned.

"Maybe Kendrick wo n't observe a switch,"Kaden said,"Then we 'd have one LE exam."

"That would be superb,"John replied.

The atmosphere in the castle for the rest of the day was incredibly upbeat. Hardly anyone seemed at all sad that Balladanis had left. Quite a few students asked flatness to give thanks his dad for them. It seemed that the merely students upset by it were those who had lost bets because of it.

Argus Filch was another who was infelicitous. The ecumenical agitation of the castle caused him more work. Peeves destroyed the defense reaction classroom in celebration ( Balladanis never liked Peeves ), James and his friends set off a few Weasley firework, and then there was the general mess that was associated with educatee celebrating by playing remote in the muddy grass. Plus, Moaning Vinca minor flooded her bathroom when a few students told her that even she ought to be excited about it. Apparently she did not harmonize. For some odd grounds it reminded her of her death.

One person who seemed incredibly excited was Linda. Linda who rarely showed any emotion whatsoever walked around the castle with a big smile on her facial expression. Albus could only attribute this to the fact that Balladanis had taught so extensively about vampire. But he never taunted her the way he 'd taunted lusterlessness. Perhaps that was because his bad fear was vampires.

There was even a party in the Gryffindor vulgar room that dark. rosiness thought it was a minuscule ridiculous, to celebrate the sacking of a instructor, but everyone else, including Linda, thought it was an first-class thing to celebrate.

"Just remember,"Gospel According to John said,"We do n't ever stimulate to mind to him go on and on about how bad the dark artistic creation are. I mean, we all know they 're bad. We all know about Voldemort and what he did."

"And that bloody anamatek,"Matt added,"I could 've gone my whole life without seeing one of those."

"What do you think he 's doing now ?"pink wine mused.

"Maybe some Ministry hired him,"Albus said quietly,"I hope it 's some place far, like Madagascar or somewhere."

"Yeah,"Matt agreed,"I bet he 's not even in Britain anymore."

"I do n't see why he 'd nettle to stick around,"Albus replied,"I mean, he snuck out in the Night to avoid anyone seeing him."

"Wish we could 've seen him leave,"bathroom grinned mischievously,"Would 've been nice to return him a proper send off."

"I 'm just glad it 's over,"Rose muttered,"Maybe now you lot can digest on exams. And maybe the castle will get back to normal."

"Normal ?"Albus raised his brow,"This place will never be formula. Plus, we 've got Quidditch on Saturday. It 's the last mates before the final."

"When 's the final exam ?"blush wine asked.

"Beginning of June, I think,"Albus answered,"Australia 's already so far ahead that they 'll be in it."

Albus, John, flatness, and Kaden all sent scathing looks at Linda, who looked down at the table.

"But if we beat New House of York in this match,"Albus continued,"We 'll be in it, too. So Natalie Wood is in full form this week. I 'm practicing every night starting tomorrow."

"Joseph Oliver woodwind instrument is insane,"blush wine muttered.

"Insane, but brilliant on the Quidditch pitch,"John grinned,"I would roll in the hay to get yelled at by him during a Quidditch practice."

"Excellent,"Albus said,"You can take my place."


A/N : Thanks to my Beta, Dancer of Starlight and everyone who has read and reviewed this !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


Despite the fact that he did not have denial Against the nighttime artistry the future break of the day, Albus was down in the Great Hall bright and early because he wanted to read Rose 's Daily Prophet. Having Kendrick announce Balladanis 's liberation was one thing, reading it in the Prophet was entirely different.

Rose was already there when Albus, Matt, and lav sat down at the Gryffindor table. Amanda and Linda were on either English of her and all three girls were reading the article. Albus drummed his finger impatiently on the table while he waited for them to be finished. Finally, rose wine handed him the composition without saying a Word and Albus read it, with Matt and can looking over his shoulder.

HOGWARATS instructor REMOVED FROM POSITION BY MINISTRY

In an effect that causes much of the wizarding world to remember
back to Voldemort 's reign, Hogwarts demurrer Against the dark
humanities teacher, Tethys Balladanis, has been removed from his
stance by the Ministry of legerdemain 's Department of Magical
Education.

During Voldemort 's reign, defence force teacher rarely lasted more
than a year at the school, a whodunit that abruptly ended when
Voldemort was defeated on May 2, 1998. Up until two years
ago, Hogwarts had had only one defence force teacher since that
fateful May day.

Professor Torro taught at Hogwarts for yr until he was
mysteriously murdered nearly three years ago. He was
replaced by Head Auror, Harry potter, who is rumored to
have only taken the position after nobody else agreed to
fill it.

Harry ceramicist left the status this past autumn and it was filled
by Balladanis.

Balladanis taught until two Day ago, when he was removed
from his position. Approximately a calendar week and a half ago, a
charge was lodged by foreland of the section for the
regularisation and restraint of Magical Creatures, Bruno Walter Eckerton,
whose fourteen-year-old son currently attends Hogwarts.

The complaint included harsh teaching methods, the use of an
anamatek as a teaching tool, singling scholar out for deficiency of
skill, and embarrassing students in nominal head of their peers.

An investigation by Ministry official ensued and included
the interviewing of select pupil and staff. The department
concluded their probe late Sunday evening and informed
both Balladanis and Headmaster Fabius Kendrick of their determination.
Balladanis left the castle willingly and will not be appealing the
determination. When asked for a command on the proceeds, both Kendrick
and Balladanis declined.

Upon hearing the news program, Bruno Walter Eckerton said ,'I am very happy
with the decision and that the investigation was concluded in
a timely style. I am not well-chosen that it came to this, but I
feel that null should be put ahead of children 's safety .'

Hogwarts educatee will not attend Defense classes until a replacement
is found. As of right now, one has not been found.

"I knew they 'd stick your dad in there somehow,"John the Divine announced once they 'd finished reading.

"There was n't anything in there that we did n't already experience,"Albus muttered,"I was hoping Balladanis would 've said something or we 'd find out what happened when he left the castle."

"Maybe he really did go quietly,"flatness shrugged,"Maybe he wanted to get back to his anamatek."

"I wonder where he lives,"Amanda mused,"Think he lives in England ?"

"Doubt it,"blush wine answered,"Even if he did before I doubt he does now."

******

life history soon returned to pattern for the Hogwarts scholar, as it often does after something sex happens. Everyone talked about Balladanis the day the article was published, but soon there was zippo leftfield to say and the students focused on the approaching Quidditch match, which was mere days away.

Albus had an easy clip forgetting about Balladanis due to Quidditch pattern. He was out on the pitch every eve and was soon hearing Wood 's statement in his head as he fell asleep, which was something that certainly could n't be deemed formula. Albus was almost gladiolus that the year was drawing to an end because once the tournament was over, he would n't bear to deal with Wood anymore. Thinking about that made Albus recognize that Gryffindor would have a new captain the next twelvemonth since Georgia was graduating. Albus was sure it would be either Fred or Heather, but he was n't sure which.

Albus trudged into the Great Marguerite Radclyffe Hall on Thursday dawning sorely wishing that John had n't woken him up. They did n't have a class first matter, so why 'd he bother doing that ? Albus was already running on piddling sleep.

"I 'm going to wake you up at five in the morning this Saturday,"Albus muttered to John as he poured himself some pumpkin juice.

"No you wo n't, you 'll still be asleep,"John Lackland grinned,"I need you to help me finish that Herbology essay that 's due today."

"That 's the cause for you waking me up ?"Albus groaned,"Why ca n't wax help you ?"

"She 's a bit sore with me right now,"John muttered.

"What did you do ?"Albus asked.

"I may or may not have accidentally set fire to her Potions notes last night,"John said.

"And I should have to suffer because of that ?"Albus replied,"How did you manage that anyway ?"

"It was n't an accident,"Matt put in,"John and Kaden were tinkering with those A-one strength droppings bombs live Night in the predator 's Den. They stupidly decided to do this at the table right where Rose 's distinction were. The dung bombs exploded and blush wine 's notes caught fire."

"See, an chance event !"John exclaimed.

"No, betise,"mat said,"You should 've done it somewhere else. Oh, Albus, I would n't paint a picture going in the marauder 's Den anytime soon. It smells."

"I would n't bear time to anyway,"Albus muttered,"Quidditch practice again tonight."

"Oi, Albus !"James shouted.

"What ?"Albus said.

"Is Dad patrolling here this week ?"James I asked.

"I do n't cognise, why ?"Albus replied.

"He 's here,"James pointed to the staff table.

Albus looked up and saw that his dad was talking with Neville. Except he was n't wearing his Auror gown, he was just wearing rule robe. Albus glanced back at James who shrugged.

"May I have your attention ?"Kendrick announced,"Thank you. I just wish well to inform you all that Harry thrower has kindly agreed to withdraw over Defense classes for the remainder of full term. Because of this, Defense year will resume today."

"goodness matter I woke you up,"St. John grinned.

"Guess you wo n't be able to wind up that essay,"Albus shot back.

"Merlin,"toilet muttered.

Albus was n't that surprised, nor did he care that much. He 'd already had his dad Teach for two years and it had n't been bad at all. Plus, his dad was a far better teacher than Balladanis.

Albus walked with mat and Gospel According to John to defense. blush wine was still not speaking to bathroom and she walked with Amanda and Linda a trivial ways ahead. Albus seriously hoped that this would n't bend into what happened earlier in the year.

The entire class erupted in applause as soon as Harry entered the way and Albus noticed that this caused him to crimson. Even Malfoy was clapping, albeit half-heartedly, but he was clapping nonetheless.

"Thanks,"Harry muttered,"Well, I did not think I 'd be back here. I do have to continue with the course of study, so I must ask that you complete the werewolf essay for succeeding Thursday. However, it only has to be one foot of parchment."

There was a corporate groan from the full course of study."Great,"whoremonger muttered,"I was hoping to get out of it."

"It wo n't be that voiceless,"flatness rolled his eyes.

"But it 'll be time consuming,"St. John replied.

"I know, I know,"Harry smirked,"But there is a month and a half of term left and I ca n't just let you have this time to mess around."

The class was the most enjoyable defence force division the third long time had had in quite a while. Harry lectured for the entirety of the class, but it was n't boring. Albus did not mind in the slightest that his dad was going to be finishing out the term.

******

By the time Saturday arrived, virtually no one in the palace was talking about professor Balladanis. Quidditch was on the cutting edge of everybody 's brain and the tautness ran higher than they had all class. The result of this mates would check who played Australia in the final.

Albus himself was not particularly vex. Hogwarts had already beaten New York once and they could easily do it again. The entire squad was in good health and none of the surrogate were needed. Albus was perfectly contented to sit in the sales booth with his admirer and just observe the match, rather than have to play in it.

It was a warm up give day with a slender wind and cloud cover, consummate playing condition. woodwind instrument had spoke of the weather during the old nighttime 's practice, telling the team that a big storm had been predicted for that day. Luckily it had not appeared yet.

The equal commenced with a lot of shouting and cheering from the crowd. Hogwarts scored five goal within the showtime fifteen minutes of the match and New House of York scored two. The teams remained neck in neck opening for the remainder of the compeer, until Henry James pulled out of a diving clutching the golden Snitch in his left hand.

The crowd erupted into cheers and James was soon hoisted onto the shoulders of some of the honest-to-goodness students.

"I have an annunciation to nominate !"Professor Kendrick shouted over the gang,"Due to Hogwarts 's win, they will be competing against Australia in the final Quidditch lucifer, scheduled to take place on the first of June !"

The usual after Quidditch company ensued in the rough-cut way and everyone rehashed their favorite parts of the match. No one talked about the final match, although Albus was certainly it was in the backs of everyone 's head. Australia seemed unacceptable to beat.

Once the agitation from another Quidditch win abated, the Hogwarts students seemed to realize that test were quite near. The library soon became a popular position to be and fifth and seventh days in item could be seen there all hours of the day.

As the middle of May arrived, Gabriella demanded a quiet common way in the evenings, much like her sister had two geezerhood prior. Albus and his admirer spent more time in the Marauder 's Den after that, usually without Rose, Amanda, and Linda. The three young lady seemed to like the quietness of the common room.

rosiness did forgive John the Evangelist for messing up her notes, but she became more tense and snappy as exams drew nearer. It was n't something that surprised Albus or anyone else because it had become a variety of end of term tradition with Rose.

Defense deterrent example took a drastic crook for the better. Albus and all of his acquaintance got utter scrape on their werewolf essays, to the surprise of no one. After that, the form bared no resemblance to Balladanis 's.

"Aw, Merlin !"John shouted at breakfast one Friday in the middle of May. He had been reading the Prophet.

"What is it ?"Albus asked, thinking Balladanis had been reinstated as defense teacher or something.

"England did n't make it into the Earth Cup terminal,"John sighed,"They were so close."

"Who did make it ?"Albus grabbed the paper from John, suddenly remembering the tickets he 'd gotten for Xmas. He had n't picked who he was going to invite to go with him. Actually, he had n't even told his friends about the tickets.

"Portugal and Russia,"whoremaster groaned,"Russia ! They 've got a tripe Quidditch squad !"

"Obviously not,"pink wine smirked,"Albus, did you pluck who you 're going to convey when you go to the Cup ?"

"Wait, what ?"John gaped at Albus,"You got tickets ?"

"Er, yeah, for Christmas,"Albus said.

"And you did n't differentiate me !"John the Divine exclaimed.

"well, I only got one extra and I did n't know how to pluck. I had it narrowed down to you and Matt. idea you, if you hate Russian Federation, I 'll just break up Matt,"Albus smirked.

"No, no, I did n't say I hate Russia,"Saint John said quickly,"They 've just got a bad team."

"How am I supposed to pick then ?"Albus asked.

"You do n't have to,"Matt said as he sat down next to Albus.

"Nice to see you wake up,"John grinned. Albus and bathroom had attempted to wake Matt up before they went down to the Great Charles Martin Hall and had no luck. The replete lunation was the next day, so Albus had n't even been surely if matt was going to go to class.

"Why, is the Cup a bad time of the month ?"Albus whispered.

"No,"lustrelessness shook his head,"It 's just that my dad got slate, so you can just give your extra one to John."

"Oh,"Albus grinned,"That makes matter easy."

"Where is the Cup ?"Amanda asked.

"Canada,"pink wine replied.

"How are we getting there, Albus ?"Saint John the Apostle asked,"Are we going to pack a Muggle airplane ?"Saint John looked excited at that prospect.

"No idea,"Albus shrugged,"Dad might get a Portkey."

"That 's boring,"John said.

"Wish I could go,"Kaden sighed.

"Why, do n't you not like Quidditch ?"John asked.

"It 's ok,"Kaden shrugged,"I just want to try out a Portkey."

"You 're weird, Kaden,"John laughed.

"So are you. aeroplane are boring,"Kaden argued.

"I 'm with Kaden on this one,"lustrelessness said,"I 'd take a Portkey any day."

******

Between studying for test and Quidditch practice, Albus had no clip for anything else. He managed to squeeze in meter to confabulate lustrelessness in the hospital wing on Sunday, but only briefly before he went to woodwind 's day long Quidditch practice.

The following weekend was the final match of the Junior 's Dueling ball club, something Albus had been forced to neglect due to Quidditch practice. After begging Wood and a bit of help from Teddy, Albus was capable to attend the final. Albus 's team won, very much to the delectation of both Albus and Malfoy.

Albus had not spoken to Malfoy since the incident with prof Balladanis. Nor had Malfoy said a word to Albus, or any of his friends. Malfoy remained mysteriously tranquillity around the entire moon, not saying anything about it to either Albus or Matt. It was unknown, but not something any of the son were going to kvetch about it.

troika Clarence Day before the Quidditch final, the Great entrance hall was filled with whispering voices that reminded Albus of the day Balladanis had been sacked. transcript of the Prophet were being passed back and forth and quite a few student looked extremely scared.

"What 's happened ?"Albus asked rose as he sat down.

"Willinson has broken out of Azkaban,"rosebush whispered, her face completely white.

"What ? !"Albus shouted as he grabbed the nearest copy of the oracle. Matt and privy crowded around him as he read it.

AZKABAN BREAKOUT

Officials have reported that three prisoners
broke out of Azkaban later in conclusion night. It is
still unknown how it happened. Azkaban guard duty
have refused to speak with newsman, and the
Ministry does not wish to divulge information
at this time.

The name of the escaped prisoner have been
released and anyone with information reguarding
any of them are asked to get through the Ministry.

The Prophet then gave detailed information about all three of the escaped prisoners. Albus only recognized Willinson. The former two had been imprisoned for more piffling crimes.

"How did he get out ?"Albus wondered,"He 's an cretin !"

"I think everyone 's confused about that,"Rose said.

Any hope Albus had of getting homework done that week was gone. He was lucky he was able to concentrate on Quidditch practice. Willinson was out of Azkaban. He was galavanting about England, doing whatever he pleased. That in itself was not necessarily that bad, due to Willinson 's foolishness. If he somehow met up with his Father of the Church and Washburn, then it could be quite bad.

What worried Albus the most was the fact that he would be after the Hallows, all of which still resided somewhere in or around Hogwarts. Willinson was bound to fare back, especially now that he was out of prison.

******

Before Albus knew it, the dark before the Quidditch final arrived and Mrs. Henry Wood called the team into the changing room after ending practice.

"It has been incredibly rewarding to manage this team,"forest said as he began to pace in front of them,"There were difficulty in the source,"he paused and looked at the two Slytherins on the team,"But I am lofty to say that you came together as a team wonderfully.

"It still amazes me that a group of scholar from all four mansion can get along together and play together on the same team. I am not indisputable this could stimulate been done when I was in Hogwarts.

"You have all come a long way over the year. You 've all made vast advance in your attainment. Quite a few of you are seventh old age and I am very happy to tell you that there will be scouts from a yoke Quidditch team watching tomorrow 's friction match. I have high hopes for the lot of you, when it comes to Quidditch.

"I can not say whether we will win tomorrow. Australia is dependable, there is no denying that. However, I have faith in all of you. Tomorrow, go out there and founder it your advantageously. Now, I think you should all turn in early and eat a proper breakfast tomorrow before the couple. slip, John Tyler, anything to add ?"Ellen Price Wood turned to the boys.

Teddy and Tyler both shook their heads and Wood turned back to the team."I 'll see you all down here tomorrow. Good night."

Wood, Teddy, and President Tyler stayed behind to discuss tactic while the team left. Albus and King James I were the final two to leave. Georgia had left with the early seventh years, excitedly discussing the prospect of scouts.

"You think Georgia 's going to contract with one of the professional team ?"Albus asked James as they walked back to the castle.

"I 'd be surprised if she did n't,"King James I said,"I just hope it does n't hurt her chances when we lose."

"We might not fall back,"Albus pointed out.

"We 're going to fall back,"James River muttered,"Linda 's too good of a Seeker."

Albus said goose egg. He wished he could just severalize James that Linda was a vampire. It would be so a lot easier.

They kept walking, each lost in their own thought. Albus stopped abruptly when he heard a tatty crack in the forest.

"What was that ?"he asked anxiously.

"Probably just a arm break,"James IV answered.

"It was too loud,"Albus said as he looked into the forest,"It sounded like someone Apparating in there."

"I do n't mean you can Apparate in the forest,"James pointed out,"And it did n't voice that loud. You 're just tired from all the Quidditch practice."

"I guess,"Albus said as he and Saint James the Apostle kept walking,"But what if it was someone Apparating ? What if it was Willinson ?"

"You worry too often, Al,"James groaned,"This home is filled with Aurors and Dad 's here full prison term now. You 'd have to be mad to Apparate here if you 're wanted by the Ministry."

"But Willinson is stupid enough to do that,"Albus replied.

"That 's just it,"James laughed,"If he 's stupid enough to do that, he 's going to get caught and sent back to Azkaban."

Albus nodded but he was n't reassured. Willinson may be stupid, but he did wield to kidnap Kaden the previous bounce, and he had been on the run for a year prior to that. He may be a codswallop duellist, but he was certainly near at not getting caught for the most part.


A/N : Thanks to my beta, Dancer of Starlight as well as all of the marvellously awesome masses who have read and reviewed this !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


The atmosphere in the Great Hall the adjacent good morning was unlike anything Albus had seen before. The Hogwarts team was sitting together at the Ravenclaw board, surrounded by students from all four menage. teddy and John Tyler seemed to be in the midst of it and were loudly discussing tactic.

The Australian team was sitting together at the Hufflepuff table, with a large space between them and the Hufflepuffs. A small-scale crowd of Australian had congregated around them.

Albus decided not to link the rest of the Hogwarts team at the Ravenclaw table. Nobody was unable to make for that day, so Albus 's solar day on the team were pretty a lot over. To be honest, he was kind of relieved. There was just so much pressure.

"I think this tournament has been in force for Hogwarts,"Rose mused,"face at everyone. Nobody seems to care who 's in what house."

"It 'll all go back to normal once the friction match is over,"Albus pointed out.

"Maybe not,"pink wine shrugged,"You never know."

"I do n't know, blush wine,"Matt said,"I do n't intend one twelvemonth can modify centuries of tradition."

"It 's worth a try,"Rose said,"I think we should all try and get along."

"I do n't opine this has helped International magical cooperation,"John the Divine gestured to the Aboriginal Australian team. The Hufflepuffs sitting nearby were glaring at them.

"Competition rarely does that,"Rose muttered.

"Well, they 'll all be going home soon,"lustrelessness said cheerfully.

rosiness shot him a dirty look and then looked up at the staff table. Albus 's regard followed. The stave table was quite overcrowded that sunrise. There were lookout man from Quidditch team, Ministry officials including Albus 's Uncle Sir Henry Percy, and a smorgasbord of people from Australia and New York.

"face at that enchantress,"John pointed to a very tall, beautiful witch with blench flannel tegument and long dark hair.

"She 's Linda 's mother,"blush wine told them.

"Is she-"John began.

"Yes,"rosiness whispered,"She 's one, too."

"I thought so,"St. John said without taking his eyes off the witch.

There was a flashy sunshine from the Ravenclaw table and the Hogwarts squad began to pull up stakes the Hall. Their entourage followed until they reached the room access and then they went to sit back down at various tables.

The Australian squad followed shortly. The hullabaloo only seemed to increase now that the teams had gone down to the changing rooms.

A few minute later people began to allow for the auction pitch. The crowd at the faculty table left first and the students followed.

"Albus,"John said as they got up from the table,"I 've got a few pairs of omnioculars in my tree trunk. I want to see it up close when Linda catches that Snitch."

"Let 's go get them, then,"Albus replied.

rose rolled her eyes."Meet us down at the pitch."She and Amanda turned towards the door as the boys ran up the grand staircase.

"Why did n't you just bring them to breakfast ?"lusterlessness asked.

"Forgot,"John said.

The castle was absolutely deserted as they made their way back to Gryffindor tower. Albus had n't seen it that empty during the day. It was almost disconcerting.

can had to empty out his entire bole in society to find the omnioculars. He had four pairs and handed one to each of the boys.

"Let 's go,"Albus said,"We 're going to escape the start of the match."

Albus completely ignored the no running game in the corridors rule as he made his way through the castling. There was n't anyone to call down him anyway. The stride behind him told him his Quaker were n't far behind.

Albus turned a turning point and ran big H into something. He fell down onto his back and looked up, only to see that it was someone. Not just anyone either. Albus had collided with Matt 's boggart.

Only, it could n't be a boggart because if it had been a boggart, it would have manifested itself into what Albus was almost afraid of. At that moment, it probably would induce been Willinson.

The man sneered down at Albus and then smiled creepily. Albus scrambled up and turned back to attend at his friends.

Matt had turned white and looked far more afraid than Albus had ever seen him before, including when he had faced the boggart and when Malfoy had found out about his lycanthropy. toilet was looking from Matt to the man, an obvious horror on his expression. Kaden was looking extremely confused.

Albus turned and grabbed all three of his admirer, pulling them into the nearest schoolroom. He slammed the room access and pulled out his scepter, putting every locking charm he knew onto the knob.

matt collapsed onto the nearest chair and put his head in his hands."Th-th-that's-"

"We know,"Albus whispered.

"What the hell is he doing here ?"Saint John the Apostle ranted,"He 's got no business enterprise here !"

"Why 's he in the castle anyway ?"Albus began to tread around the room,"If he 's here to learn the Quidditch peer, then why is n't he down there ?"

"What if he 's not here to watch the Quidditch ?"John said darkly.

"Who the bloody pit is he ?"Kaden asked loudly.

Albus glanced at Matt before looking at Kaden. Matt did n't seem to experience heard Kaden 's question.

"His figure 's Lubar. He 's the Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures in Australia,"Albus explained,"He 's the reason why lusterlessness had to locomote here, amongst other things."

"He 's a macabre and twisted evilness git,"King John muttered,"What are we going to do ?"

Albus walked over to the door and peered out the pocket-sized window at the top. Lubar was no longer in sight.

"I 've g-got to go to the Ministry,"Matt said,"I 've got to t-tell my dad. L-Lubar, he ca n't be here."

Albus paced back and forth in strawman of the door. The Ministry. How would they get there ? ling ? No, that would take too long. They 'd have to use the Floo Network, but none of the fireplaces at Hogwarts were hooked up, as far as Albus knew.

"We 're going to cause to get to Hogsmeade,"Albus said,"You wait here. I 'll get my Cloak and the map. Then we 'll sneak into Hogsmeade and Floo to the Ministry."

lusterlessness nodded."You hombre do n't have to issue forth. You can go to the match."

"Are you genial ?"John exclaimed,"That bloke out there is probably worse than Willinson. We 're not letting you do this alone."

Albus nodded in agreement before waving his wand and undoing the locking charms. He cautiously looked out into the corridor before leaving. It was empty.

Much to Albus 's fill-in, both the Cloak and the map were right where he 'd leave behind them. He shoved them into his robes and ran back to the classroom. Matt, trick, and Kaden were all talking quietly. matt did n't look any lupus erythematosus scared, but at least he did n't appear to be in shock anymore.

"We 're not all going to fit underneath it,"Albus said as he unfolded the cloak.

"You three get under it,"John said immediately,"I 'm tallest so I 'll take up the most room anyway. Plus, if we meet up with Lubar again, I 'm the best liar."

Albus could n't argue there. Both he and Matt were frightful liars and Kaden still had n't gotten over his inability to sustain secrets.

"You take the map, then,"Albus handed the map to King John,"We 've got to get to the one-eyed witch statue on the third floor.

Albus threw the Cloak over himself, Matt, and Kaden, and the three of them followed John out of the room. The corridor was still evacuate, a great deal to Albus 's relief.

bathroom set a very immobile pace and he was soon quite a bit ahead of Albus and the others. Albus could n't say anything, though, as it would give away his bearing. Instead he tried to run as fast as he could while making the to the lowest degree amount of noise possible.

The boys made it down the two flight of steps of stairs necessary to get to the third gear floor and arrived at the statue without seeing anyone. Albus pulled the Cloak off of them and englut it into his pocket. With a quick tap of his wand, he statue 's jut opened and the boys climbed inside.

Albus lit his scepter and took off down the pocket-size passage. lustrelessness, John, and Kaden followed suit.

"Why did Kendrick let him in ?"Saint John the Apostle asked as they ran,"Does n't he know what he did ?"

"Yes,"lusterlessness answered,"I do n't think Kendrick knows he 's here."

"What did he do ?"Kaden asked.

"You do n't think he came here to see you ?"Albus asked lusterlessness,"I mean, remember when Killigan saw us that one sentence and he seemed so interested in finding you ?"

"Of trend I do,"Matt muttered,"And it really would n't surprise me if that 's why he 's here. But I 'm betting there 's another reason."

"What did he do ?"Kaden repeated, a bit louder.

"Why else would he be here ?"Albus asked,"The match ?"

"Maybe, but I 'm betting it 's got something to do with Linda,"Matt replied,"I do n't know for sure, but it seems too coincidental for him to be here just to see me."

"What did he do ?"Kaden shouted,"Why would he want to see you ?"

mat stopped running and wheeled around to look at Kaden."It 's a farsighted tarradiddle. Lubar 's got a grudge against my dad, one that he obviously still has even though we have n't lived in Australia for six year,"mat paused,"He passed a bunch of laws against loup-garou and I wound up having to transform with a bunch of other wolfman. It was bad."

flatness resumed walking and did n't elaborate on the depicted object. Kaden did n't ask him to.

"What 's your dad going to do about it ?"Kaden asked.

"I dunno,"lusterlessness shrugged,"Maybe public lecture to Kendrick or something."

There was no doubt in Albus 's idea that Matt 's dad would be able to get Lubar to leave Hogwarts, possibly even leave the country. Albus had known little about Mr. Eckerton prior to this year, but now he knew that you did not desire to be on his bad incline. When it came down to it, Mr. Eckerton was the one who had Balladanis sacked.

The passage finally began to rise until it came to an precipitous stoppage at a Byzantine wooden room access. Albus pressed his ear to the threshold, but heard nothing. He carefully pushed it out-of-doors, wincing as it creaked.

seeing cipher in the storage way beyond, Albus beckoned his supporter forward. The way was dimly lit, enough for Albus to see a huge amount of boxes littering the floor. On the far wall he could see a fireplace.

The boy climbed over the various box seat and stood in front of the open fireplace. Albus located a pocket-sized liberation of Floo pulverization and then lit a fervor. He turned to his friends.

"You ca n't Floo directly into soul 's study at the Ministry. We 're going to have to go to the Atrium,"Albus told them,"I 'll go first, you follow."Albus took a handful of powder and then handed the bag to Matt.

He tossed the gunpowder into the fire and stepped inside, shouting"The Ministry of Magic !"

Albus stumbled out of a unlike open fireplace second gear later. The Atrium was nearly deserted, save for a few wizards striding towards the face lift, clearly too busy to notice Albus.

Matt landed rather ungracefully on the trading floor. He picked himself up, brushing stray ash off his robes.

"Place is deserted,"flatness said as he looked around.

"It 's a Saturday,"Albus pointed out,"Energy your dad employment Saturdays ?"

"Yeah,"matte nodded,"At least mornings."

John the Divine was next to mistreat out of the flak, doing so more elegantly than Matt had. He stood in front of the fire, staring around at the Atrium. His oculus rested on the Fountain of Magical Brethren.

"This is more fancy than I imagined,"John said.

"Bloody hell !"Kaden shouted as he fell out of the fire,"This is the Ministry ?"

"Yes,"Matt said quickly,"But we have n't got metre to explore. Let 's go."

Albus followed Matt towards the desk in the front man of the Atrium. There was an old champion leafing through a transcript of the Quibbler, unmindful to his milieu. Albus almost thought they 'd be capable to abstract around him, but he looked up just as they were about to pass.

"Where do you suppose you 're going ?"he asked and then his eyes rested on Albus,"Albus Severus Potter. Why are n't you in school ?"

"Er,"Albus began, a little enervate that the man knew who he was.

flatness stepped in front man of Albus."We need to go see my dad. He 's the Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. It 's kind of an emergency."

"Very well,"the man looked at them oddly,"Put your verge up here."

Albus did as he was told and the others followed courtship. They waited impatiently as the old wizard tested their wands and then handed them back. He waved them on towards the lifts.

"What 's the point of that ?"Kaden asked as they waited for a lift.

"So if you murder anyone, they can severalise whose wand did it,"Albus said bluntly.

"That 's cheerful,"Kaden replied.

Once the lift arrived, the boys piled in and Matt pushed the number four. Nobody said anything as the lift creaked its way to the fourth floor.

lusterlessness took off at a run down the corridor after they left the face lift. Albus had never been to this item storey. It looked rather similar to the Magical Law Enforcement 's floor, with nondescript sets of two-baser doors on one side.

matte skidded to a stoppage in battlefront of the sole room access that was single and banged his hand loudly on it. When there was no reply after a few s, he banged again.

"Hold your hippogriffs !"called a voice from the inside,"I 'm coming, I'm-"Matt 's dad said as he opened the door.

Mr. Eckerton seemed to freeze out at the sight of his son and the other three boys. He gaped at them for a secondment before shaking his head.

"Matt ?"he asked and rubbed his centre, as if he thought he was seeing a hallucination,"But, why are n't you in school ? How did you get here ? Why are you here ? Albus ? What are you- and St. John, Kaden ?"

His centre rested on Matt again."Matt ? What 's legal injury ?"

Mr. Eckerton stepped aside and let the boy into his study. He shut the door quietly behind them.

The study reminded Albus of his dad 's. There were large windows on the side opposite the door, although the scene outside was not material, nor was the entitle rain that was pattering onto it.

There was a large leather covered electric chair behind the huge oak desk and a few smaller chairs in front of it. Along the other two bulwark were ledge with loads of books. to the highest degree of them were about various sorcerous creatures.

Albus, lusterlessness, and John took the fundament that were in strawman of the desk while Kaden wandered around the written report looking at things. Mr. Eckerton leaned against the front of his desk and looked at his son.

"What 's happened ?"he asked quietly.

"L-Lubar,"Matt said in barely more than a voicelessness,"He-he 's at Hogwarts."

"What ? !"Mr. Eckerton exclaimed.

"We were on our way to the Quidditch final examination,"lustrelessness said,"A-and we saw him."

"Bloody hell !"Mr. Eckerton stood up and slammed his clenched fist loudly against his desk,"Did Professor Kendrick allow this ?"

"I do n't know,"Matt replied,"B-but everyone else was at the peer and he was just lurking about the castle."

Mr. Eckerton 's look hardened. He looked just like he had when he talked with professor Balladanis earlier in the term."Let 's go, boys,"he said darkly,"I 've got to have a word with prof Kendrick."

Albus followed Mr. Eckerton out of his survey and down towards the ski tow. King John 's walking speed was nothing compared to Matt 's dad 's. The boys had to run to sustain up.

"Where did you Floo from ?"Mr. Eckerton asked once they were in the lift.

"Honeyduke 's,"Albus answered.

"We 'll Floo there now,"Mr. Eckerton replied.

The wizard at the welcome desk looked at them curiously as they rushed towards the fireplaces, but did n't say anything.

Mr. Eckerton handed Albus a bit of Floo gunpowder and gestured for him to go first. Albus stepped into the attack and shouted,"Honeyduke 's !"

Albus began to twirl faster and faster. He saw glimpses of people 's houses, store in Diagon back street, and a variety of other places he did not recognize. Then, out of one of the fireplace, came a deal. Everything seemed to slow down, but Albus was n't certain if it actually did or not.

The hand grabbed him. Albus fought against it, but it was too strong. All of a sudden he was laying on a cold wooden floor, one that was not at all like the one in Honeyduke's.

Albus coughed and stood up. His essence was beating fast. What had happened ? Why was n't he in Honeyduke 's ? Where was he ? Whose hand was that ?

Albus grappled for his wand and shakily held it up. He lit it and looked around the room, seeing no one.

"Nice to see you, Potter,"a cold voice said from behind him.

Albus jumped and turned around. There, crouching next to the fireplace with his hand inside of it, was Lubar. He looked even more creepy in the dank room than he did in Hogwarts.

The fireplace glowed green and Lubar yanked his arm out of it. John Lackland came tumbling out of the flack and scrambled too his feet, looking about.

Lubar muttered something underneath his breathing time and stuck his deal in the attack again.

"What the ?"John whispered to Albus,"Where are we ? Is that ? Bloody netherworld !"

"Shut up !"Lubar shouted.

Albus gazed around the room. It looked vaguely familiar, but Albus could n't put his finger's breadth on it. The window were boarded up, but it was definitely not the shrieking hutch. Albus doubted that was connected to the Floo Network anyway.

The fireplace glowed super C yet again, this sentence sending Kaden onto the floor. This earned another shout from Lubar, who stuck his deal in the fire again.

Kaden gaped and then got to his feet and stood following to Albus. He looked absolutely terrified, even before he laid centre on Lubar.

Albus wanted nothing more than to run from the room, but he did not know where the edifice was even located. Plus, Lubar would probably bedaze him or something.

Green Inner Light filled the room as the fireplace glowed once more. Albus knew even before it happened that matt would be the one to next fall out of the flaming. Mere seconds later, that mistrust was confirmed.

matt coughed and scrambled to his fundament. He gasped when he saw Lubar and ran over to Albus.

Lubar, finally satisfied, doused the fire and lit his verge, which illuminated his sinister face. He began to stride slowly in front end of them.

"Well, well, you went crying to Daddy just as I expected,"Lubar grinned manically,"I do have a go at it when matter work out the way I expect them to."

Albus could experience Matt shaking following to him. He gripped his sceptre hard, debating whether to try and disarm Lubar.

"Any musical theme where you are ?"Lubar asked,"Dervish and Banges. Lovely shop, pity about the owner. Yes, a literal shame."

Lubar did n't appear at all upset about what happened to the shop possessor. Albus looked around the store again and now he recognized it.

"well, let 's not neutralise our clock time here,"Lubar said,"There 's a few masses who 've been dying to see you."Lubar snapped his fingers three prison term and Albus heard pace on the stairs.

Three wizards descended the stairs and strode into the room. They lit their sceptre at the Saame prison term and Albus gasped when the light showed their faces. Jarrett and Quinton Willinson, along with Washburn. Three citizenry Albus hoped never to see again.

Albus swallowed hard. He could see no way out of this. As commodity a dueller he was, he was up against four fully qualified genius. Three of them did not own the skill to duel, but Albus had no idea what Lubar was capable of.

"Ah, yes,"Lubar smirked,"What a lovely reunion. Unfortunately we have n't got time to chat."

Before Albus knew it, Washburn had him in a headlock with his wand pointed at his neck. Quinton Willinson had Kaden and his father had King John. mat, seeing his ally restrained, made a run for the penny-pinching window.

"Not so fast, young lycanthrope,"Lubar caught him by the back of his robes and wrapped one of his arms around his middle.

Lubar reached into his robe with his free script and pulled out an old tea kettle. He held it out to the other three men and each one put a barren hand on it. Albus knew what was going to chance right before it did. He shared a frightened glance with flatness before feeling a jerked meat behind his belly button.


A/N : Thanks to my Beta, Dancer of Starlight, as well as everyone who has read and reviewed this !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry ceramist.
A/N : I decided to do part of this chapter from Harry 's gunpoint of prospect. It begins in his point of opinion and then switches back to Albus 's. star indicate where the detail of sentiment switches.


"Spectacular save by Georgia Weasley !"the commentator shouted.

Harry grinned as his niece threw the Quaffle back into period of play. It was immediately taken into self-will by Hogwarts, and all three Chasers threw it back and Forth as they flew to the Australian end of the pitch.

"Score ! Hogwarts has scored against Australia, bringing the total to 50-20 Hogwarts !"

Harry stood up and shouted as loud as the students. One thing he loved about the Quidditch tournament was that he did n't get to try and hide his excitement when Hogwarts scored. During house compeer, he had to try and pretend he was achromatic, even though he obviously supported Gryffindor.

As happy as Harry was about the Hogwarts Chasers being very skilled, he did not have hope that Hogwarts would actually win. Australia 's Seeker, Linda Morales, was the ripe searcher Harry had ever seen outside of professional Quidditch. He knew that his son, James IV, was honorable, but he was n't delusional. Linda was brilliant.

There was something odd about her, though, and Harry could n't put his fingerbreadth on it. Her speed on a broom just did n't seem natural. professional Quidditch thespian would defeat for her speed.

"I 'm surprise she has n't found the Snitch yet,"Neville muttered to Harry.

"Yeah,"Harry nodded as he watched Linda slowly circling above the pitch. St. James was doing the same,"It 'll be soon, though."

Harry turned his gaze to the eternal rest of the stave who were sitting around him. virtually of them were quite reserved. nonentity seemed to be showing the ebullience Harry was. He did n't worry. Harry did n't ploughshare their belief that instructor could n't get overly excited about Quidditch.

A few prof stood up and then sat back down again as someone squeezed their way past them. Harry craned his heading and was surprised to see Walter Eckerton.

Harry did n't know the man well. They 'd met on occasion at the Ministry, although Harry had a feeling he 'd be seeing Thomas More of him now that he was head teacher of the section for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.

What Harry mostly knew about Walter Eckerton was more on a personal than professional person point. Harry had never met a Father-God who was more protective of his son than Walter Eckerton, although he did have good reason. Never a more commit forefather, either.

Walter continued his way past the other prof until he stopped in front end of Harry. Harry was even more than outrage to see the face on his face. Worry was etched in every part of his font, bringing out the crease, but there was choler in his eyes.

"Walter,"Harry shook his hand as he stood up,"What 's going on ?"

"Not here,"Walter muttered,"I need a news in private."

Harry told Neville he 'd be justly back and he followed Walter out of the standpoint. They continued walking until they were a light distance away from the pitch and then Bruno Walter stopped.

"The male child have just been to see me at the Ministry,"Walter said as soon as he 'd stopped.

"Wait, what ?"Harry asked,"You mean Albus and lusterlessness ?"

"Yes, and the other two as well,"Bruno Walter said quickly,"You 've heard of Ralph Lubar, the Head of the Department for the regularisation and control condition of Magical Creatures in Commonwealth of Australia ?"

Harry nodded, slightly confused at the modification of subject."Yes, not a very tolerant blighter, is he ?"

Walter 's face hardened."That 's a nice way of putting it. The bloke is spue and wrestle and he 's got a grudge against me. Very long narration and I have n't got time to tell it. unforesightful interpretation is that when lusterlessness was eight, Lubar passed a law that required him to transform in a building with other loup-garou, aged werewolves. Nearly killed him. It was right before we moved. For whatever reason, Lubar decided to impose Hogwarts today, possibly under the pretense of attending the Quidditch match.

"The boys saw him and Flooed to the Ministry from Honeyduke 's. Matt 's absolutely terrified of him, which is why they came to me. I came back with them. They Flooed before I did, but when I arrived at Honeyduke 's they were n't there. I 've already spoken with the owner of the shop as well as a few other Hogsmeade residents. No one 's seen them. We 've got to find them."

Harry 's core sank."You do n't cogitate Lubar 's got them, do you ? He 's not dangerous, is he ?"

"To matte, yes, but I have n't the flimsy melodic theme as to why he 'd want the other boys,"Walter said.

"Even if he did only need lusterlessness, he 'd possess to get Albus as well because I know Albus would n't let him take Matt sitting down,"Harry replied, and started walking briskly towards Hogsmeade,"Let 's go. I 'll get every available Auror on this."

******

Albus tried as hard as he could to dislodge himself from Washburn 's grasp as he was Portkeying to who knows where. All Albus knew about the emplacement was that it must be far away. Portkeying is usually mostly instant, but this metre there was a significant lag. Albus had clock time to try and get away, not that it did anything.

The second clue that their finish was far away was the fact that it was very darkness when Albus finally landed on the ground. Not night like an impending violent storm either. dark as in night.

Washburn had let go of Albus as they landed and Albus hastened to get to his groundwork. tacky thumps around him told him that his friends had landed as well.

The flat coat was mute and hard and the leaf around them was dense. Albus assumed they were in some sort of forest. He gazed around and saw a lot of unfamiliar tree diagram that seemed to load towards the starry sky.

There was no moonlight to illuminate the wood. Lubar, the Willinsons, and Washburn had walked a few yards away from the boys and were whispering to each former. All four had lit their wands, but it was n't enough wand lighting to give Albus a goodness perspective of his surroundings.

Matt, John, and Kaden had all scrambled over to where Albus was and were standing quite close to him, their wands out. Albus pulled his own out as well, but did n't defy light it.

"Why is it night ?"Kaden whispered.

"Where the underworld are we ?"John asked.

"We 're in Australia,"lusterlessness said in awe, as if he was just coming to terms with that fact.

"We Portkeyed across an ocean ?"Kaden gasped.

When Albus thought about it, it made sense. Lubar was from Australia, so why should n't he take them there ? It was quite far away from anyone who would be looking for them.

What did n't make sense was why Lubar was with Washburn and the Willinsons. As far as he could tell, the four wizards seemed to be working together, but why ? Lubar lived halfway across the world. How had he met the Willinsons ?

"Is this anywhere near your old house ?"privy asked.

"How should I know ?"Matt snapped,"Australia 's a huge country !"

"I just thought if we were near it, we could hide there,"John muttered.

"You would n't require to,"matte said,"My stupid cousin owns it now."

"You have a full cousin ?"Albus asked.

"Not crucial,"matt said quickly.

Albus nodded."How are we going to get out of this ?"

"They 're not paying attention,"lav whispered, gesturing to where the four wizards stood huddled in a round,"Maybe if we run for it."

"The Portkey 's right there,"lustrelessness pointed to the tea kettle hole, which was a few feet away,"If we can just get to it."

"All right,"Albus whispered,"On the tally of three. One ... two ... three."

Albus ran as quietly as he could towards the Porkey. He was about to pick it up when it soared up into the air. Albus looked up and saw Lubar sneering at him, with the Portkey in his hand.

"That wo n't do,"Lubar said as he stowed the Porkey in his cloak. He turned to the early three men."They 're trying to get away."

"What do you expect ?"Jarrett said rudely,"There 's four of them ! Do you actualise how a lot more difficult this is going to be now ? We only needed Potter ! But no, you had to go and insist on bringing that lycanthrope kid as well."

"You would n't even receive managed this if it were n't for me !"Lubar growled,"So do n't go telling me what I should and should n't have done."

"Well, now we 've wound up with two spear carrier ones as well,"Jarret muttered.

"They 're kids, how much trouble can they be ?"Lubar smirked.

"You do n't know this lot,"Washburn replied,"They 're the reasonableness we have n't had luck before."

"I thought that was because of your incredible stupidity,"Lubar said.

Albus was very intrigued. Lubar was arguing with them as if he knew them well. Had Lubar really been working with them all along ?

What did they need him for anyway ? What had Willinson meant when he said 'we only needed Potter'?

"Shut it, Lubar,"Jarrett said.

"I 'll say what I like,"Lubar replied,"This is my bush, not yours."

"You own the timber now ?"Jarrett asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do,"Lubar snapped.

"Ministry must be paying you well."

"Indeed they are,"Lubar said and turned to matte,"So many years have passed. Tell me, what is it like pretending to be something you 're not ?"

To Albus 's surprise, it was Saint John the Apostle and not matte who went flying at Lubar. Lubar disarmed Gospel According to John with a lazy wave of his wand, leaving privy stunned in front of him. It appeared that Lubar was a significantly better dueler than either of the Willinsons or Washburn.

Pocketing St. John the Apostle 's sceptre, Lubar turned back to lusterlessness, who was shakily holding his wand up.

"It does n't count what country you 're in,"Lubar seethed,"You 're the same thing no matter where you live. The constabulary do n't change what you are. Pretend as much as you like, but it wo n't change a thing."

Now Albus wanted to go after Lubar. The ira was boiling up inside of him and he did n't think he had ever felt more wild in his entire life, and that included every face-off he had had with Scorpius Malfoy. Malfoy was like a fluffy kitten compared to Lubar.

However, Albus held himself back. John was already wandless. It would do them no sound if Albus got disarmed as well. Something told him to waitress, to wait until he could catch them off guard.

"What about your beginner ? I hear he 's the head of the department in Britain now,"Lubar smirked,"shot it 's just a issue of fourth dimension until the Saame thing happens. You 'll cause to flee again."

matt was visibly trembling now. Albus wracked his mentality, trying to figure out what to do. What could they do ?

"Oh, for Merlin 's sake !"Jarrett strode forward,"How is this helping things ? Did we really risk Portkeying a bunch of kids to Australia just to waste sentence taunting one of them ?"

"serenity !"Lubar shouted,"I 'll do what I like !"

"exculpation me !"Kaden said loudly, turning to Lubar,"But how in the name of Merlin do you make love them ?"He gestured to the Willinsons and Washburn.

Albus held his breath, waiting for Lubar to put some sort of jinx or condemnation on Kaden. Sometimes his first cousin was quite dim. It seemed obvious to Albus that this was a time not to ask questions.

To Albus 's surprise, Lubar smiled. It was a twisted sort of smile, but a grin nonetheless.

"I think that 's a fair enquiry,"Lubar said."My cousin married this idiot,"Lubar pointed at Jarrett.

"You 're married ?"Kaden gaped at Jarrett, causing Albus to groan. Why would n't Kaden just shut up ?

"Not for much recollective,"Jarrett muttered,"Can we delight just get on with this ?"

"Patience, cousin,"Lubar said as he began to walk slowly around the former three,"We mus n't do this hastily. Haste is the reason you three have failed prior to tonight."

Fail at what ? What were they going to do ? The only thing Albus could cogitate of was getting the Hallows, but all three Hallows were in England. If that was their design, they would n't bear taken them to Australia.

Albus glanced nervously at matt, who still looked scared out of his judgement. Something was still telling Albus not to try and duel the men. Lubar seemed chic, practically fresh than the early three, and that scared Albus more than anything else. There was a big remainder between dueling individual who was smart and dueling someone who was an idiot.

******

The Ministry seemed deserted when Harry and Walter Flooed there a short-change while later. Harry had briefly questioned the possessor of Honeyduke 's, but they had not seen any of the boys.

Harry and Bruno Walter ran towards the lifts at top upper, not pausing to answering the questioning stare of the bloke at the welcome desk. The lifts could not go fast enough for the two men. Harry nearly pulled the door open when they finally arrived at Magical Law Enforcement 's floor.

The Auror office was slightly more lively than the residue of the Ministry, but not much. Three Aurors were inside, two of whom hastily shoved away a pot of Exploding Snap cards and stood up upon seeing Harry get in. The other Auror, a rather unawares but compact witch, shoved the book she was reading in the drawer, and joined the early two.

"Potter, sir !"the witch said,"We thought you were at Hogwarts today !"

"I was,"Harry said darkly and explained the situation.

The three Aurors looked grim as they waited for Harry to give them instructions.

"Dabney,"Harry turned to the taller of the wizards,"Brighton,"he looked at the beldam,"Get started with an extensive search of Hogsmeade. I 'm calling in everyone who is n't busy with anything else. Tiburon and Lee Harvey Oswald are on duty in Hogsmeade today, inform them of the situation."

Dabney and Brighton nodded before dashing out of the elbow room. Harry turned to the remaining Auror."Lewster, you will be searching the Forbidden Forest as soon as mortal else arrives."

Harry pulled out his verge and muttered a magical spell. An enormous silvery stag flew out of his sceptre and Harry whispered to it. The Patronus glided out of the way and Harry leaned against the nighest desk.

It was n't long before Harry heard footsteps in the corridor. He looked up at the room access just as Ron was running through, followed by half a XII other Aurors.

"Harry, what 's going on ?"Ron said in a disquieted tone.

Harry rehashed the entire billet again. Ron 's boldness paled."What about Rose, was she with them ?"

"No,"Walter shook his head,"It was just the boys."

"Thank Merlin,"Ron whispered,"But Harry, what about Willinson ? D'you think he 's got anything to do with this ?"

"It 's crossed my nous,"Harry muttered,"But I have n't got a clue as to how Lubar would do it him."

"With dark wizards, you just never know,"Ron pointed out.

"I know,"Harry nodded,"Ron, lead the search of the Forbidden Forest. Lewster 's going with you. And take Book of the Prophet Daniel and Kate Smith with you."

Ron nodded and left the way, followed by Lewster and two early wizards. The remaining four Aurors looked to Harry.

"The rest of you can research the castle and priming coat. Be distinct. I do not bid to interrupt the Quidditch match unless it is absolutely necessary,"Harry instructed.

The Aurors left the room and Harry turned to Walter. He slowly shook his head. Why was it always Albus ? This was the tertiary year he had gotten into fuss. Albus 's years at Hogwarts were reminding Harry dangerously of his own.

"I 'd better go Floo plate and severalize Julie what 's going on,"Walter sighed,"She 's going to fall apart."

Harry nodded as Walter left the room. Ginny. Harry snapped his header up. She was going to be watching the compeer, but was going to be late. She 's probably there now, Harry thought. She 'd be looking for him.

Harry slowly left the room. How was he going to tell apart his wife that Albus had been kidnapped and he did n't have a clue as to where he was ?

******

"You 're just too afraid to do it !"Jarrett shouted at Lubar,"What could possibly go ill-timed ? We 're halfway across the earthly concern from the Aurors that are looking for this lot !"

"Once again you have proved your stupidity,"Lubar replied,"Do you realize who we 've taken halfway across the world ? Harry ceramist 's son ! You have n't a clue as to how thing work in the Ministry !

"I can ensure you that at this very moment, the entire Auror Department is looking for them. Harry ceramist 's probably got every Auror on this pillow slip. It wo n't conduct them long to gain that we 're not in England.

"And this one,"Lubar gestured to matt,"He 's got the most meddling parents in the world. They 'd sooner obliterate everyone in the earthly concern before letting something happen to him. Very irritating. They wo n't rest until they find him. Not to refer the fact that he 's the son of a Ministry official. We 've got two kids of two of the most prominent Ministry officials of Great Britain. Think, Jarrett, think ! We 've got to be careful !"

"well, you 're the one who wanted to exact the werewolf, too,"Jarrett growled.

"And you 're the one who insisted we take potter 's son !"Lubar shouted,"Why do we even need him ?"

"We just do !"Jarrett shouted back.

"If both of you idiots had n't wanted to bring the Kid, we could 've done this solid thing without the Ministry finding out,"Washburn cut in.

"Shut up !"Lubar and Jarrett said at the same time.

Maybe if they kept arguing, they would n't have a fortune to do whatever it was they wanted to do before the Aurors found them, Albus thought. He could only trust that the wizards would have enough to argue about.

"Are we going to do it here ?"Jarrett asked,"Or go to the house ?"

"Have you learned zippo ?"Lubar shouted,"When they find out that we 're here, the firstly billet they 'll look is the house."

"Got any better musical theme ?"Jarrett seethed,"Have you got a secret little shack somewhere in this country ?"

"No,"Lubar snapped,"We 're taking them to the outback. Plenty of places to hide, not very inhabited. perfect tense place."

Before Albus could even contemplate running away, Jarrett had his arm in a frailty grip again. Matt was once again in the clutches of Lubar, and John and Kaden were both caught by the Willinsons.

Albus knew very little about the Aussie outback, just that it was n't suitable for much human being inhabitation. However, the one piece of data he did know about it was that it was where most of the dementors that used to guard Azkaban had gone. That, and it was a somewhat pop place for vampires.

Lubar and Jarrett had stopped bickering. Albus had two seconds to realise what was happening before he felt the familiar spirit but unpleasant star of side-along Apparition.


A/N : Thanks to my beta, Dancer of Starlight, as well as all of the amazing people who have read and reviewed this !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.
A/N : Like the previous chapter, this one goes back and Forth between Albus 's and Harry 's perspectives.


Albus stumbled as he landed, breaking free of Jarrett 's grasp. He tripped over a rock and landed face first in the moxie. Spitting the grittiness out of his backtalk, he stood up and glanced around.

It was still far too dark to see anything but the scheme of pot in the distance. The outback seemed very empty and very quiet. There was a very small clump of Vannevar Bush and trees nearby, but besides that, Albus did not see much else in the way of plant life.

Albus immediately knew why Lubar had taken them there. He had never been in such a deserted berth in his life. There was absolutely nothing around them. Even if Albus had decided to run away, he would n't have gotten very far. As dangerous as staying with Lubar was, Albus knew he would let no chance of surviving if he ran off into the outback.

Lubar seemed to have it away that Albus and the others would n't run away. He neglected to use any sorting of ropes to tie them up or put any charm around them. Instead, he walked a little distance in the direction of the mountains and gestured for the Willinsons and Washburn to follow them.

"What are we going to do ?"John seethed,"Has anyone got any musical theme where we are ?"

"The outback 's huge,"flatness replied,"I bet we 're correct in the middle of it. The nearest civilization 's probably geographical mile away."

"So we 're done for,"John groaned,"What do they even want with us anyway ?"

"No mind,"Albus said,"But if they keep arguing, we might not have to find out."

"Do you really think your dads are going to be able to regain us ?"John asked skeptically.

"Lubar 's right,"Albus said,"The whole Ministry 's going to be looking. I think they 'll obtain us."

"Does stuff like this happen every year ?"Kaden asked,"I mean, net year I got kidnapped by Willinson and now we all were. What 'll fall out side by side yr ?"

"Hopefully cipher,"Albus said.

"If there is a next year,"John muttered.

"Shut up over there !"Lubar shouted as he walked back over to the boys,"I did n't say you to tattle !"

"Lubar !"Jarrett seethed as he pointed to someplace in the distance,"There 's people gathering over there ! We 've got to go somewhere else !"

Albus looked towards where Jarrett was pointing and his heart leapt a bit. There was a little gather of trope a few curtilage away. Could his dad have found them already ?

"Calm down,"Lubar said,"They 're just vampire. They wo n't rile us. I know that coven. They know beneficial than to mess with me. I 'll make life pretty pitiable for them if they do."

"newspaper clipping mint with vampires now ?"Jarrett asked.

"Proving to be helpful, is n't it ?"Lubar answered.

Albus 's hopes sank once again. Lubar seemed more confusing than ever. He cut peck for lamia but passed restrictive jurisprudence on werewolf ? It did n't reach sense.

The men lowered their vocalisation again and Albus wished he had a few extendible ear with him. He did n't make bold talk to his supporter, just sent them anxious glance every now and then.

A cold tip blew over them and Albus shivered. It was the kind of cold that chilled him to the pearl. Hoping that it was n't going to rain, or snow ( was n't it winter in Australia ? ), he looked to the sky. There were no clouds, but what Albus saw was a lot worse than clouds.

Five or six clothed figures were slowly circling above them. Although he had never before seen one, Albus recognized them as dementors immediately. Despite the dark, Albus could clearly make out their sort. As they got closer, he could even see their rattle breath.

The world in front of him began to swim. He felt like he was going to pass out, but he knew it was just the dementors sucking all the happiness out of him. Albus was left with all his distressed thoughts.

His dad was n't going to find them. They would be stuck on the Australian outback until Lubar and the others did what they were going to do. Then who knew what would happen ?

"No, no, no !"Matt shouted.

Albus squeezed his center shut and then opened them, forcing himself to look towards his Quaker. Matt was kneeling on the priming coat, shaking violently. Both lavatory and Kaden were looking at him anxiously, neither seeming to be that affected by the dementors.

Of grade the dementors would affect Matt the speculative. He had gone through things that Albus, John, and Kaden could n't even imagine. It probably did n't help that Lubar was actually present, either.

Without even thinking, Albus pulled his verge out of his robes. He 'd discover the incantation for the Patronus appeal before and figured it was worth a shooter. What else could he do besides try ?

"Expecto Patronum !"Albus shouted, pointing his sceptre at the sky. zippo happened.

A happy thought ! How could he have forgotten that ? It was hard to think of one with dementors flying over heard and listening to flatness shouting on the ground.

When the Sorting Hat put him in Gryffindor ! Albus pointed his wand to the sky again."Expecto Patronum ! Expecto Patronum !"

Albus kept shouting the incantation while using various glad memories. Nothing was happening, but Matt 's shouting was decreasing. Then it stopped. Albus stopped and looked towards the ground. It looked like mat had passed out.

Thinking of the day Balladanis had been sacked, Albus pointed his wand at the dementors once again."Expecto Patronum !"he shouted.

A silvery blob exploded from his sceptre and went after the dementors. Albus stood shocked for a few sec. He had sort of done a Patronus charm !

"Bloody hell,"John whispered.

"Expecto Patronum !"mortal shouted from the distance.

Albus looked up and saw Lubar running at them with his verge pointed at the dementors. A silvery squirrel was floating ahead of him and the dementors scattered as it reached them.

Albus 's misty mind immediately cleared and the happiness returned. He quickly stowed his baton in his gown before Lubar thought to demilitarize him.

"Leave him,"Lubar growled at John and Kaden, who were knack to the primer coat trying to get matt to arouse up.

"Dementors !"Washburn shouted sarcastically,"This was a bloody smart as a whip topographic point to come."

Lubar paid no attending to Washburn 's remark. His eyes were focused on Albus and he was giving him a very curious look. Albus took a spooky step back, but Lubar did not debar his gaze. Albus immediately closed his mind.

******

"Potter, sir !"

Harry, who had been walking up highschool Street in Hogsmeade with Ginny, turned around and saw Lewster striding towards him. Harry stopped, hoping he had some effective news.

"What is it, Lewster ?"Harry asked.

"Just talked to a few of the Centaurus,"Lewster said,"They saw three wizards in the forest a few 60 minutes ago. They recognized one of them as Washburn."

"I 'd bet my hold out Galleon the other two were the Willinsons,"Harry replied,"Did the Centaurus know anything else ?"

"Just that Washburn and the others were looking for something. Apparently they were scouring the forest floor for something,"Lewster answered.

Harry nodded. That did n't surprise him. The Resurrection Stone was someplace in the wood."Did you see anything ?"

"No,"Lewster shook his read/write head,"And the centaurs are moderately trusted they 've left."

"Very well,"Harry said,"See what else you can find out."

Lewster left and Harry turned to Ginny, who looked afraid.

"Harry, you do n't think that Washburn is with Lubar, do you ?"Ginny asked.

"There 's no doubtfulness in my mind,"Harry answered,"It 's just a matter of finding them. Listen, I 've got to go search Dervish and Banges. I 've got this hunch about the place. Seems like the complete place for Washburn to take them."

Ginny nodded."I 'll go entrance the end of the match. I wo n't mention anything to James River and Lily yet."

"Good,"Harry said,"I 'll be in speck soon."He kissed her lightly on the brow."We 're going to find him."

"I know,"Ginny replied softly,"hitch safe."

Ginny turned around to walk back to the Hogwarts cause while Harry picked up the tread and walked the short length to Dervish and Banges.

The building looked utterly abandoned. The windows were still boarded up, the supergrass overgrown around it. It certainly did n't await like anyone was hiding inside, but Harry had to check.

Pulling out his wand, he crept cautiously to the threshold. He carefully pulled the boards off of it and quietly wrenched the door undefendable. Without lighting his wand, he walked inside.

The spot had the smell of a recent fire in the fireplace. Someone had been there. However, there was not a sound from anywhere in the building. Harry lit his scepter and saw that it was deserted.

After a thorough check of the entire edifice, in which Harry found no livelihood creatures, he returned to the main way. The fireplace was filled with nearly idle embers and there was a small pile of Floo pulverization spilled out onto the floor.

The Floo had been used recently. Harry bent down and muttered an incantation that would assure him where the final stage person to use the fireplace had Flooed from. He waited for the incantation to work, his heart pounding.

Soft red smoke emitted from his sceptre, curling together to form the words 'Ministry of thaumaturgy .'Harry breathed a suspiration of easing. He was getting somewhere. Without hardly a dubiety, Harry knew that Albus and the other boys had wound up in Dervish and Banges after going to the Ministry. The only doubtfulness was, where had they gone after that ?

******

"How old are you, ceramicist ?"Lubar asked.

"Thirteen,"Albus replied, still a bit nervous as to why Lubar was looking at him like that. It reminded him of how Balladanis had looked at him during the secondment dueling tournament.

"And they teach the Patronus Charm to thirteen-year-olds at Hogwarts ?"Lubar replied.

"No,"Albus shook his headland, although when he thought about it, Balladanis may hold taught him and Malfoy Patronuses if he had n't gotten sacked."That was the beginning metre I 'd tried it."

"Very intriguing,"Lubar said as he turned to the other three men,"This lot did n't recite me you were skilled at defensive magic."

"You never asked,"Jarrett muttered,"But is Potter 's aptitude for Patronuses really relevant to what we 're doing ?"

"It matters if they decide to try and hex us !"Lubar snapped,"I think it might be best if they 're all wandless."

Albus gulped and clenched his wand harder. He glanced at flatness, who was still unconscious. John the Divine did n't have his sceptre. Kaden was n't very unspoiled at dueling. It would be up to him, to Albus, if this came to a duel.

"The only one who 's got any acquisition is Potter,"Jarrett said,"The other three are n't going to be difficult."

"Fine,"Lubar muttered,"We 'll get started, but I need to spill to you three away from them first."

Jarrett nodded and the men walked a few railyard away and began whispering too quietly for Albus to hear.

Albus bent down to where Matt had collapsed, wishing he knew a healing while or two."flatness, lustrelessness,"he whispered,"aftermath up."

After a minute or two, matt 's optic fluttered capable and he sat up."What happened ?"he asked, looking around confusedly.

"You passed out,"Albus told him,"When the dementors were here."

"But Albus cast a Patronus !"lavatory said excitedly.

"You what ?"lusterlessness gaped at him.

"It was just silvern mist,"Albus told him,"Lubar 's actually the one who got rid of them."

"Probably just for his sake,"flatness shuddered,"Did anyone else pass out ?"The other three boy shook their heads."Figures,"Matt muttered.

"You need some umber or something,"Albus said,"Anyone got some ?"

"might,"Kaden began fishing around in his sack. He produced a chocolate frog and handed it to flatness, who took it without saying a word.

"Listen,"Albus said,"Whatever it is that they want to do here, they 're doing it soon. Do you think you can get up ?"

Matt nodded and Albus helped him to his feet. Lubar and the others were walking towards them again. Albus slowly pulled his baton out of his gown and held it to his side, hiding it partially behind his back.

Lubar conjured a stilt of woods and set fire to it, illuminating himself, Washburn, the Willinsons, and the boys. Albus was now clearly able to see the pervert look on Lubar 's face.

"Are you mad ?"Jarrett seethed,"attack 's going to attract attention !"

Lubar laughed."Fire 's going to ensure that those lamia stay away and we 've got to see what we 're doing !"

Albus glanced towards where the vampires had been congregating. They were currently walking farther away from Albus and the others. Thinking back to Linda 's boggart, he remembered that vampires are destroyed by fire. Albus turned back to the men.

Jarrett was holding something out in his bridge player, but Albus could n't make out what it was. Jarrett, along with Quinton and Washburn, looked quite excited. Lubar looked mildly annoyed and impatient.

"Do you know what this is, potter ?"Jarrett asked gleefully.

"No,"Albus said, trying not to go too nervous.

"It 's the Resurrection Harlan Fiske Stone,"Jarrett answered.

Albus could hardly hide his gasp as he peered closer at Jarrett 's outstretched hand. There was a very lowly Harlan Stone sitting in it. The Christ's Resurrection Oliver Stone. One of the Deathly Hallows. Jarrett had finally succeeded in getting one of the three physical object he had been after for old age. But how ?

"How ?"Albus asked, trying to sound confident.

"Ancient illusion is a beautiful matter, thrower,"Jarrett answered,"There are long forgotten spells, spells that workplace very nicely with long block magical objective such as this stone. It was merely a matter of finding the correct trance, getting to the Forbidden woodland, and putting it to use. Quite simple-minded now that I look back on it."

"Only because you did n't do any of the work,"Lubar muttered,"It was I who found the spell !"

"The other Hallows will prove to be easy to obtain with the help of this,"Jarrett went on, ignoring Lubar 's mutterings.

Albus did not like the strait of that. The Stone itself did one matter and that was bring back the strong drink of masses who had passed on. How would that serve Jarrett get the former Hallows ?

The Invisibility Cloak. Albus 's stomach plummeted. It was still in his gown. He really hoped Jarrett would n't realize that.

"Another thing that I thought of !"Lubar seethed.

"You think this lot attention who did what ?"Jarrett laughed.

"Oh, just get on with it,"Washburn rolled his eyes.

Jarrett sidestepped past the attack and strode closer to Albus. Albus took a step back as his philia started beating faster. He had a very bad feeling about what Jarrett was going to do with that Stone.

"Ah, yes, Potter. You should be afraid,"Jarrett 's regard swept over all four boys,"You should all be afraid."

"Quit taunting them and just do it,"Washburn said impatiently.

"With this stone,"Jarrett said a bit louder,"I will bring back nobleman Voldemort."

******

Harry burst out of Dervish and Banges, not caring that he had blasted the door completely off its hinges as he did so. He had to retrieve Walter. He had to find Bruno Walter and then go to the Ministry. The open fireplace did not show signs that it had been used to Floo away from the abandoned shop. That left either Apparition or a Portkey, both of which would have left traces that he 'd need the department of Magical Department of Transportation for.

Harry rounded a corner as he ran towards Honeyduke 's and nearly ran headlong into a beldam. He stepped back and saw it was Ginny. She wore a foreign face of mix-up and blow, mixed with mingled fear.

"Ginny,"Harry said,"Sorry."

"Not a job,"she said quickly,"Have you found anything ?"

"Yes,"Harry answered,"Is the match over ? How badly did we lose by ?"

"Only a one C points,"Ginny said,"But we might not have actually lost. Listen, did you know Australia 's searcher is a vampire ?"

"hold, what ?"Harry gaped at her, trying to wrap his mind around that fact while still focusing his thinker on Albus.

"I 'll excuse after we 've found Albus,"Ginny said.

"Right,"Harry agreed,"I 've got a jumper lead. mortal was in Dervish and Banges. They Flooed there from the Ministry ; I 'm sure as shooting it was Al and the others. I 've got to witness Bruno Walter and go to the Ministry. I 'm not certain where that will go us, but I might not be back for a while."

"Just be careful,"Ginny said as she gave him a kiss,"And bring him back."

"I will,"Harry said as he kissed her back,"I 'll see you soon."

"Harry !"

Harry turned and saw Walter striding out of Honeyduke 's. With one close smell at Ginny, Harry met Walter half-way.

"We 've got to get to the Ministry,"Harry said immediately, and explained about what he had found at Dervish and Banges and what Lewster had learned from the centaurs.

Walter nodded and the two men Disapparated on the fleck. They reappeared a little while later in a pocket-size Apparition bedroom in the Ministry.

Passing the bewildered looking security safeguard for the tertiary time that day, Harry and Bruno Walter ran to the lifts. Neither of them said a password as the lift clattered to the section of Magical Transportation.

The department was nearly deserted, save for one very bored looking beldame sitting at a desk.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Eckerton !"she exclaimed as she took her feet off the desk,"Something I can do for you ?"

"Yes,"Harry answered,"I need to cognize if anyone 's Disapparated from Dervish and Banges in Hogsmeade. Or used a Portkey from that same location. And if you 're able to, I need to recognize where they went."

"Of grade, Mr. Potter, of grade,"the witch said as she got up. She disappeared into another room, shutting the door behind her.

Harry sighed and sat down on the nearest chairperson. Walter sat down in the adjacent one, looking thoroughly miserable.

"We 'll see them,"Harry said quietly.

"I do n't doubt that,"Walter replied,"However, that is not the entirely affair I am disturbed about. The survive clock time Matt had an fracas with Ralph Lubar, he wound up in therapy for months afterwards."

Harry was not expecting that. He did not know much about therapy, except that wizards did not normally use it. Whatever had happened, it must ingest been bad.

"Do you beware if I ask what happened ?"Harry asked, not sure if he was overstepping some sort of boundary.

Walter did not address for several arcsecond."It 's ok,"Harry said,"You do n't have to explain."

"I will,"Walter said quietly,"Shortly after mat was bitten, I became the Head of the department for the regulating and Control of Magical brute in Australia. Nobody outside of the section knew about his condition, of course of instruction. Ralph Lubar was given my early place of forefront of the werewolf Control Unit, and was quite covetous that I was given the Head stance. He could not get over the fact that I was given it, even when my own son had lycanthropy.

"It was a grudge he held against me for many years, until the day finally came when he cracked and let it slip that mat was a loup-garou. A bit of legislation had been passed that required all plaza of translation be inspected by the Ministry. Lubar inspected lusterlessness 's and it failed on a technicality. Ministry marrow were set up for werewolves to metamorphose in, together. mat was required by law to transform there since his safe elbow room did not pass. I refused to have him transmute there. The papers were all over it. I lost my job. Lubar was appointed to the Head position.

"Sir Thomas More legislation was passed. A law that stated that Ministry functionary could physically wedge lycanthrope into the transformation centers. On the day of the replete moon, Lubar Flooed into our house and took Matt to the shopping mall. By the time I figured out which center it was, the moon had risen. It was too late.

"lustrelessness spent workweek in St. Mungo 's. By that sentence we were nearly quick to make a motion here. He was so traumatize, it took month for him to get over it. To be honest, I do n't retrieve he 's fully over it.

"The but reason Lubar did it was to try and get to me. That 's why he 's so sick and misrepresented,"Bruno Walter finished as he put his head in his paw,"I swore I 'd never let him near Matt again. Swore I 'd kill him if he went near lusterlessness again.

Walter gave an odd variety of gag."Listen to me, I 'm telling the straits of the Auror section that I 'd commit murder."

"Just so long as you do n't actually do it when we go save the boys,"Harry said, still processing what Walter had told him. It certainly explained a lot- why they were so reluctant to let Matt out of their sight, why they were n't on the Floo Network.

One thing that Harry could tell was that Walter blamed himself for everything that had happened. Honestly, Harry was n't surprised. If something like that had happened to James IV, Albus, or Lily, he would 've blamed himself, too.

"That was n't your fault,"Harry said quietly,"And this is n't either."

"If I had just Flooed ahead of the boys-"

"It would n't accept mattered,"Harry interrupted,"And it 'll do no effective to dwell on it now. It 's in the past."

"That 's exactly what my brother said when lustrelessness was in St. Mungo 's,"Bruno Walter said wryly.

"Mr. thrower !"the witch came bustling out of the room she had gone into, brandishing a piece of parchment, which she handed to Harry.

Harry stood up as she handed them the parchment. His optic scanned the parchment. Portkeys. Four Portkeys had left Dervish and Banges a few short minute ago. That in itself did not traumatize Harry, especially compared to where the Portkeys had gone.

"Australia,"Harry read as he turned to Bruno Walter, who had visibly paled at the word,"They 're in Australia."


A/N : Thanks to my beta, Dancer of Starlight as well as all of the awesome masses who have read and left such lovely inspection !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.
A/N : Like the former chapters, this one is also split between Albus and Harry 's perspectives.


Never had Albus wished so hard that he could Apparate. Why did you take to be seventeen to get your shadow license anyway ? If he ever worked in the section of Magical Transportation, he would commute that law. spectre would 've enabled him to get out of Australia, away from Jarrett Willinson, who was trying to bring back Lord Voldemort with the Resurrection Stone.

Albus could not think back being Sir Thomas More scared in his biography. This was far unsound than when he had dueled Washburn on the Hogwarts grounds two years ago, far worse than when Quinton kidnapped Kaden the previous year. noble Voldemort was far scarey than Lubar, Washburn, and the Willinsons combined.

What would Voldemort look like when Jarrett brought him back ? Harry had said the gem could n't actually bring people back to liveliness. Albus guessed he 'd be more like a ghost. But would he be able to do magic, to do the curses and hexes he did when he was live ?

Albus held his breath as he watched Jarrett call on the Stone over in his hands. Albus had no idea how it worked, but judging by how quiet all of the adults were, Jarrett was trying to use it.

Over and over again Jarrett turned the Stone. He did it for so hanker that Albus had to let out his breath. The excited gleam on Jarrett 's face slowly dissipated until it was replaced by frustration.

"Why wo n't it work ?"Jarrett shouted,"Are you positivist this is the right Stone ?"

"Of course I am !"Lubar shouted as he grabbed the gem,"The enchantment said it was !"

"Well, it 's not working now, is it ?"Jarrett mocked.

Albus breathed a sigh of succour. Either they had the unseasonable stone or for whatever reason, Voldemort could n't be brought back with it. Albus was hoping for the former.

Lubar turned the stone over in his paw. On the third play, a strange sorting of mist appeared in battlefront of him. Albus 's marrow sped up. It had worked.

The mist began to exonerate and a figure was standing in front man of Lubar. The pattern was not noble Voldemort, though. Albus had no melodic theme who had been resurrected, but it certainly was not Voldemort. This person was a woman, and a short one at that.

Washburn and the Willinsons were exchanging curious glances. Lubar, however, was staring directly at the frame, his face contorted with something Albus could only assume was sadness.

"M-mother ?"Lubar said as he stepped closer to the woman.

"You idiot !"Jarrett shouted,"That 's not Voldemort !"

"I know that !"Lubar snapped and the looked back to the charwoman, who was apparently his mother,"Mum."

"Ralphy,"the womanhood replied.

"I-it 's been so long,"Lubar whispered.

Albus turned to his ally, who were all staring in mix-up at Lubar. Matt in particular was giving Lubar a very strange facial expression. Apparently the Harlan F. Stone was the Resurrection of Christ Stone and it did indeed oeuvre, just not in the way Jarrett had been planning.

"Very long,"Lubar 's female parent agreed,"But you 've done well. I 'm very gallant of you, son."

Albus had to cover his mouth to hold in his razz. What kind of mother could be gallant of what Lubar had done ?

"I 've tried,"Lubar said,"I swore I would after, after what happened."

"You have,"Lubar 's mum replied,"You 've done me proud."

"Oh for Falco columbarius 's sake !"Jarrett shouted as he ran towards Lubar.

Lubar seemed to have forgotten that there were other people around. He jumped as Jarrett advanced and Jarrett grabbed the Stone out of his hand.

Lubar 's female parent began to fade as soon as Jarrett took the stone. Running towards her, Lubar held out his hands trying to keep on her there.

"No !"he shouted,"Mum !"

Mere seconds after Lubar 's female parent completely disappeared, Lubar had his wand out and was holding it up at Jarrett. Jarrett had taken out his own wand, but neither man was hurling jonah. Washburn and Quinton had taken a few steps back.

"You arse !"Lubar shouted,"That was my mother !"

"I know !"Jarrett replied,"That 's why I did it ! We 're trying to bring back Voldemort here, not your messed up mum !"

"Do not diss my mother,"Lubar seethed and flicked his verge.

Jarrett fell to the flat coat, completely unable to move. Lubar stood over him with his wand directed at his chest.

"My mother was a endearing soul,"Lubar growled,"You 're sick to be speaking ill of the dead like that."

Albus did n't really think Lubar should be talking about who is brainsick and who is n't. Nor did he think his mother was particularly lovely. Never before had Albus thought he 'd jibe with Jarrett Willinson on anything, but when it came to Lubar 's female parent, he did.

"better they hex each early than us, right ?"Saint John the Apostle muttered.

"Good gunpoint,"Albus replied.

"Can we please just get back to bringing back Voldemort ?"Washburn drawled loudly,"I was under the belief that that 's what we were here for, not to insult each early 's mothers."

Lubar turned his wand on Washburn."Have you anything to say about my mother ? Well, do you ?"

Washburn hastily pulled out his own wand."Er, no, she seemed quite lovely."

"good,"Lubar said manically,"Keep it that way, or you 'll end up like him."Lubar gestured to Jarrett, who was still laying paralyzed on the ground, his eyes darting about nervously.

******

"Australia,"Walter said weakly,"Bloody hell."

"I 'll need you to replicate that Portkey,"Harry said to the witch, who nodded and left the room again.

"Walter,"Harry began,"I am nearly one hundred pct sure that Jarrett and Quinton Willinson, as well as Jameson Washburn are working with Lubar. I am nearly prescribed that they are with the son in Australia."

"right field,"Bruno Walter agreed,"The grounds surely points that way."

"There is something about that investigation that hardly anyone in the Ministry knows,"Harry lowered his voice,"Nearly a year ago, after Quinton was sent to Azkaban, the Ministry decided that the Auror department needed some helper with capturing the other two. The parson hired a Presuler."

Walter let out a low whistle and then fruition dawned on his face."postponement, you do n't mean-"

"Aplysia Balladanis,"Harry said quietly,"Yes, he was the Presuler the Ministry hired. Stationed at Hogwarts under the guise of teaching defence reaction Against the Dark Arts."

"Bad musical theme on the curate 's part,"Bruno Walter muttered.

"It was my idea to post him at Hogwarts,"Harry replied,"But I did not acknowledge that he would be such an awful teacher."

"I wo n't hold it against you,"Walter said.

"I appreciate that,"Harry said,"However, since Balladanis is a contribution of this probe, I have to reach him and he will take in to go with us to Australia. I understand that you have had your difference of opinion, but-"

"If he helps to get hold Matt, I will forgive him for everything he 's done,"Walter interrupted.

"Here you are, Mr. thrower, Mr. Eckerton,"the witch returned holding a ill-shapen plastic container, which she handed to Harry."If I can be of anymore assistance, let me know."

"That 's it for now,"Harry said as he took the container,"Thanks."

******

Albus stood frozen as the four men dueled each former. altogether unsure of what to do, yet very happy that they seemed to consume momentarily forgotten about the boys, Albus just stood there watching. Matt, King John, and Kaden did the same, although John looked More than a bit apprehensive, most likely due to his deficiency of a wand.

Washburn had attempted to take the Oliver Stone from Lubar, who had taken it back from Jarrett, shortly after Lubar had stunned Jarrett. Apparently Lubar did not carry kindly to this and witch Washburn. In the think of time, the sweetheart had worn off Jarrett and he attempted to hex Lubar.

All four men were running around, throwing curse at each other while dodging the fervency. Albus was kind of hoping one of them would trip and cauterize their blazonry or something. Or even dear, maybe one or more of them would spend their wand into the fire.

Washburn and the Willinsons were definitely worse for wear. All three of them were sporting accidental injury. Both Willinsons were limping and Washburn 's left arm was being held at an odd angle.

Lubar seemed all right and even though it appeared that the other three were siding against him, he was coming off better. Albus had to intromit that he was very skilled at dueling.

Lubar shot a jet of red brightness at Washburn, who went flying over the blast and landed with a sickening thud in forepart of the boys. He did not act. Albus looked down and saw a pocket-sized rock next to Washburn 's fountainhead. He bent and picked it up. It was the Resurrection Stone.

Albus stood up and jumped back. Lubar, Jarrett, and Quinton had all advanced towards him. Three wands were pointed at his chest, being held by three citizenry with maniac gleams in their eyes.

Albus gulped and held up his own wand, his arm shaking slightly. mat and Kaden had done the same. John tried to cover behind mat, but was unsuccessful since he was a goodness head taller than him.

"Hand it over, thrower,"Lubar growled.

With a defiant looking at Lubar, Albus hastily shoved the Stone into the scoop of his gown and held his verge up in high spirits.

******

"Balladanis."

"Eckerton."

Harry watched as the two men stared at each other. Balladanis had Flooed to the Ministry shortly after receiving Harry 's Patronus. Harry had filled him in on what was going on, but the man had n't taken his eyes off of Walter the entire meter.

"We have n't got time for this,"Harry muttered and held out the charge card container,"Let 's just go."

Walter agreed immediately and laid his helping hand on the Portkey. Balladanis did so as well, with a little hesitation.

With a companion jerk behind his naval, Harry disappeared from the Ministry. The Portkey stumble was a bit thirster than single Harry was used to, but it did n't surprise him since he knew they were going to Australia.

Harry landed softly on his feet and held out his wand as he adjusted to the surroundings. It was pitch blackamoor and after he lit his wand, Harry knew they were in the middle of a forest.

The forest was disappointingly quiet. The merely audio were those of brute and the casual rustle of trees, brought about by the confidential information. Not a single phone caused Harry to consider that there were people about, let alone his son.

"bed cover out and hunt,"Harry announced. The property may seem deserted, but Albus and the others had been there at some point. They had Portkeyed there.

None of the wizards said a word as they combed the area. Harry left no stone unturned as he looked for the smallest trace of evidence of where his son had gone. If only it was n't night. Wands did n't leave nearly enough light.

There seemed to be not a tincture of anything that showed anyone had been in that arena of the woods, let alone where they had gone afterwards. Ralph Lubar was good at this, that was for trusted. Harry swore as he returned to the Same shoes he had started from.

Walter returned a few second later, looking even more unquiet than he did before."Nothing,"he muttered,"Not a rip small-arm of cloak or a single Canute the Great. They did n't stay here long."

Harry groaned and scuffed the ground with his horseshoe. He and Bruno Walter stood quietly as they waited for Balladanis to return.

Balladanis came running towards Harry holding a small metallic element instrument in his hand and an foreign kind of emotional smirk on his face. He skidded to a hitch in front line of Harry, holding out the instrument. Harry recognized it as an shadow sensor. They were quite rare. The British Ministry only owned one, for the total Ministry.

"They 've Disapparated,"Balladanis said hurriedly.

"Obviously,"Walter muttered,"Any idea where ?"

"A worldwide idea, yes,"Balladanis replied, ignoring Walter 's sarcastic tone,"They 're on the outback."

"The outback ?"Walter gasped,"Dammit, there 's dementors out there !"

"I am aware,"Balladanis said.

"Let 's go, then,"Harry said, placing one of his hands on the metal instrument. It would be able to guide them to the relative area they needed to go.

Walter put his hand on the instrument as well and with an exceptionally aloud go, all three men Disapparated.

They landed on terrain that was very unfamiliar to Harry. The priming was dusty and sandy and there was hardly any plant life life in sight. In the aloofness there were tall mountains and drape figures floated above them. Harry suppressed a shudder and gripped his wand tighter. Dementors.

What looked like a bellowing bonfire blazed in the length. Harry glanced at it suspiciously and then looked back to Bruno Walter and Balladanis, both of whom were Sir Thomas More familiar with the area.

"Only vampires and dementors ever venture out here,"Balladanis said quietly,"Neither of whom would set a fire."

"Let 's go, then,"Harry said and began to lead the small mathematical group towards the flickering light source in the distance.

******

"Hand it over, thrower,"Lubar repeated.

Albus gulped and tried to hold his baton more steady. His wand arm was shaking uncontrollably and Albus did n't seem to be able to hold it unshakable. His center was thumping hard in his chest of drawers. Albus was sure everyone was able-bodied to hear it. However, he did not want to give up the Isidor Feinstein Stone. That was one thing he was indisputable of. The lone way Lubar would be getting it is if he killed Albus first. Which actually, was n't something Albus would put past him.

"Maybe you should just grant it to him,"bathroom whispered,"I mean, it did n't sour to get Voldemort back."

"No,"Albus seethed, surprised that John had suggested it. He probably would n't have if he still had his wand.

"Do you really want to suffer to duel me, Potter ?"Lubar stepped a bit closer,"There 's three of us and four of you, one of which does n't hold a wand. Not skilful betting odds, if you ask me."

"And do you realize that those two are horrible duellist ?"Albus replied.

"I have noticed,"Lubar smirked,"But they 're fully qualified ; you are not. I 'm going to get that rock, one way or another."

Lubar flicked his wand and sent a jet of orange tree luminosity at Albus. Albus jumped back and threw up a shield charm, concentrating on making it big enough to harbour him and his acquaintance. It worked and the orange light bounced harmlessly off the carapace and hit the ground.

"halt behind me, John,"Albus muttered,"Matt and Kaden, spread out and hit them with whatever while you know."

Albus concentrated on keeping his buckler up while casting other while, like he had done in Balladanis 's dueling lessons. So far it was working, but Albus never managed to stay fresh the buckler up very long.

Lubar was momentarily stunned when he saw Albus 's shield, but he quickly recovered and began sending hex after hex, nonverbally, at Albus and John. Concentrating intemperately, Albus sent a Stunner at Lubar, but he flicked his wand and it shot off into the distance, hitting one of the lone bushes, which promptly caught fire.

Albus chanced a coup d'oeil at Matt and Kaden. Matt was dueling with Jarrett and it looked like they were pretty equally matched, which was kind of poor as far as Jarrett was concerned. It made Albus experience better though. Quinton and Kaden just seemed to be sending Expelliarmus charm at each other and missing every time.

The shield emitting from Albus 's baton faltered and faded a bit. Albus renewed his concentration, but the shield was still feeble than it had been before. There was no way he 'd be capable to send any turn through the carapace now.

"Your buckler is weakening, Potter,"Lubar smirked as he sent another smasher at Albus, which shook the cuticle.

"Merlin !"Quinton shouted to the right of them. He was hopping on one foot and Kaden was laughing hysterically. Albus grinned. Kaden had actually managed to do some form of hex, although Albus was n't sure enough what one it was.

Lubar turned to Quinton and flicked his wand at Kaden. Kaden promptly froze and fell to the ground. Albus gasped and his buckler disappeared.

"Albus !"John shouted.

Albus turned back to Lubar, but did n't get the shield back up before Lubar shot a hex at John, who fell to the ground like Kaden had.

"Would n't it be comfortable just to give me the stone ?"Lubar asked as he sent a knockout at Albus.

Albus deflected it."Not really."

Jarrett and Matt were still dueling. Both were sporting a few hurt, but nothing too severe. Neither seemed to have noticed that toilet and Kaden were Stunned.

Albus managed to hit Lubar with a slip whammy, which gave him a few seconds to grab his breath while Lubar righted himself. Unfortunately this only angered him and he was now sporting a gash across his allow cheek.

"Expelliarmus !"Lubar shouted.

Albus jumped to the side and the spell hit a nearby rock. Lubar resumed his nonverbal piece and Albus continued deflecting them and dodging them, too exhausted to try and hit Lubar with any other jinxes.

"You ca n't keep dodging them forever, Potter !"Lubar grinned manically.

"ticker me,"Albus said defiantly.

Albus of course knew that Lubar was right. The odds had not really changed. bathroom and Kaden were both out of the battle and while toilet was easily the best dueler after Albus, his absence seizure did not put Albus greatly behind. Washburn was out as well and both Willinsons were injured. Quinton was currently on his knees panting, not in any shape to go along dueling. mat was holding his own against Jarrett, something Albus was both astounded and delighted by.

No, Albus was not trying to overcome Lubar. He knew that would n't be possible. Albus was merely biding for fourth dimension. He tried to figure out how long they 'd been gone as he dodged spell. It must induce been at least three or four minute, although the dark Australian sky had not changed a bit. Albus wished the moon had been out so he could birth monitored its trip-up across the sky.

How long would it take his dad to feel them ? prospicient than normal, Albus thought. They were in the centre of a foreign country, nowhere near anyplace Harry would be looking.

"I 'm getting annoyed, ceramicist, and you do n't desire to see me when I 'm annoyed !"Lubar shouted, sending another jet of red light at Albus.

Before Albus even had time to register what sort of hex it was, Matt gave a shrieking of infliction to Albus 's rightfulness and collapsed to the ground. Jarrett wasted no metre and pointed his wand at Albus.

Albus took a fraction of a endorse to concentrate the fact that he was now absolutely alone, facing two fully grown wizards. The two magician shot selfsame jets of bluish light at Albus and he managed to attract up a infirm shield.

The force hit him like a dozen Bludgers to the breadbasket. He lost his footing and landed flat on his back, his head hitting a particularly sharp stone.

"I told you not to fight, Potter,"Lubar sneered as he loomed over Albus.

"You 're not getting the Stone,"Albus said, forcing away the dizziness. He reached into his robes and pulled out the Stone.

"I disagree,"Lubar said as he made to seize the Stone.

With all the force Albus could come up, he threw the Stone as far as he could to the right. In the darkness, it disappeared in a split second and Albus did n't even get word it land.

"No !"Lubar shouted,"You 'll pay for that !"

"Wands where I can see them !"someone shouted from behind Lubar.

Lubar and Jarrett whipped around as fast as they could. Albus lifted his principal slightly and caught a glimpse of his dad, along with a few other wizards. He breathed a sigh of succour. They were saved.


A/N : Thanks to my beta, Dancer of Starlight as well as all of the cover girl people who have read and reviewed this !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


Albus managed to sit up good before the jinx started flying. Realizing that he dropped his wand when Lubar and Jarrett hexed him, he groped about for it on the soil. Not finding it, he crawled behind a nearby shrub and watched.

Jarrett did n't cleave around long. He sent one pathetic beauty at Harry, who easily deflected it, and disappeared on the daub. Harry immediately disarmed Lubar before he could do the Saami.

Once Lubar was defenseless, Albus left the safe of the bush and shakily stood up. He reached the fire and was able-bodied to see who the other two wizards next to Harry were. What he saw made him dizzy with stupor all over again.

The shorter of the two was Matt 's dad. He was staring stony faced at Lubar. Albus had never seen anyone glare at anyone else with such hatred and loathing as Matt 's dad glared at Lubar. And that included when his Uncle Ron talked about the Malfoys, or his mum when individual mentioned Vernon and Petunia Dursley.

It was the other wizard that nearly caused Albus to make it out in blow. He was none other than Professor Balladanis. What in the name of merlin was he doing there ? It looked like he was actually with Harry and mat 's dad. But why ? Did n't matte 's dad hate Balladanis ?

"Eckerton, what a pleasant surprise,"Lubar smirked.

"Lubar, if we were n't in the front of an Auror and a Presuler I 'd rip you limb from branch, Muggle mode,"Mr. Eckerton growled.

Albus was slightly stunned by Mr. Eckerton 's choice of Word of God, but remembering what Matt had told him at the root of the class, all surprise left him.

"Lucky for me ceramist and Balladanis are here, then,"Lubar replied and snatched Washburn 's baton off the ground.

Harry, Mr. Eckerton, and Balladanis all sent different charm at Lubar at the same time, but it was too late. He was already gone. Mr. Eckerton swore loudly.

"Two ai n't bad,"Balladanis muttered as he gestured to Washburn and Quinton, the latter of whom was still conscious but not completely aware of his surroundings.

"That 's the glaring difference between you and I,"Mr. Eckerton muttered as he moved swiftly past Quinton and Washburn to reach Matt.

"Dad !"Albus shouted.

Harry looked up from Kaden 's unconscious mind form and raced towards Albus. Albus threw his arms around his dad and the two of them hugged each other tightly.

"Al, thank Merlin,"Harry said.

"Dad, what 's Balladanis doing here ?"Albus asked immediately,"And Lubar, what 's going to befall to him ? And Willinson ?"

"I 'll explicate it all once we get you back to Hogwarts,"Harry assured him.

Balladanis had a firm clutch on both Washburn and Quinton and was fiddling with a broken plastic cup. A few second gear later, all three of them disappeared.

Harry turned to Mr. Eckerton, who was standing up with lusterlessness in his arms."Can you take John, too ? I 'll get Kaden and Al will come with me."

Mr. Eckerton nodded and grabbed hold of John 's arm before pulling his own snap off plastic cup out of his sack. They disappeared.

Harry pulled Kaden up and took Albus 's arm. Albus was still thoroughly unconnected, but did not have meter to ask his dad anymore questions before feeling the familiar tug behind his naval that signified he was traveling by Portkey.

Albus landed with a thud in the heart of the Hospital annex. The doubt of how they managed to Portkey inside the Hogwarts primer coat was the least pressing question on his mind.

Looking around, Albus saw that the others had arrived as well. Mr. Eckerton was laying both matt and John on the nearest beds while brothel keeper Pomfrey was shouting and gathering potions.

"Look at the state of them !"the nurse exclaimed,"Always this lot, too ! You 're a bad influence on them, Harry, I swear !"

Harry looked slightly sheepish as he set Kaden down on the bed next to flatness 's and then turned to Albus.

"I 've got to mouth with Professor Kendrick and go to the Ministry-"he began.

"But Dad !"Albus interrupted,"What was Balladanis doing there ?"

"I promise I 'll secernate you all of that and Thomas More,"Harry replied,"But I need to tell everyone you and the others are ok. When I get back, I 'm going to need you to differentiate me everything that happened."

"But-"

"No buts !"lady Pomfrey cut in,"Bed, Albus, bed ! You need rest !"

Albus, who had barely registered the fact that his brain was bleeding and he was still quite dizzy, felt that the last affair he needed was rest. He needed to have sex what was going on.

"I 'll explicate once you 've gotten some sleep,"Harry assured him.

Albus muttered under his breathing time and got into bed. Once Madam Pomfrey had given him a Sleeping Draught, Harry left, leaving Albus to unsuccessfully try to push off the sleep he knew was coming.

******

The Barbara Ward was quietly when Albus woke up. It was completely glowering outside, although Albus did n't have the slightest clue as to what day it was. John, matte, and Kaden were either still unconscious or strait asleep. Albus was betting on the latter since gentlewoman Pomfrey was no where to be seen.

Mr. Eckerton was still there and he had been joined by his wife. Both of them were nodding off in chairman next to Matt 's bed. It did n't look like Mr. Eckerton had even left. He was wearing the same Ministry gown he had been wearing before.

Albus sat up and put his paw to his head. There was a bandage on the back of it. Another bandage was wrapped around his right arm, although he could n't recall when he had injured it. Besides that, he just felt tucker.

The door to the ward opened, letting in a small flood of brightness level from the corridor. A soma stepped inside and began walking towards Albus 's bed.

"Hey, Al,"they said.

"Dad,"Albus replied, recognizing his father,"Are you going to tell me about Balladanis now ?"

"Yes,"Harry chuckled,"Perhaps we ought to go to the elbow room of Requirement."

Albus shook his head, remembering something he had been debating for the past year. He had waited long enough. It was time.

"No,"Albus said,"I know someplace better."

Without saying a word, Albus got out of bed and lead his dad out the door and up to the twenty percent floor corridor. Harry did not ask a unity question as Albus pulled the arm down on the appropriate knight and turned to face the opposite wall.

Albus located the paw prints and touched his hand to them, turning it into a doorhandle. He opened the threshold and stepped inside. Harry followed, letting out a gasp as he did.

"Remember that map from last year ?"Albus asked as he shut the door.

Harry nodded, apparently at a expiration for words.

"There was more to it. direction on how to get into this room. It was theirs, the vulture'. Their secret green elbow room,"Albus said quietly.

Harry did n't answer. Instead he walked slowly around the room. Albus stood near the door and waited. He was n't sure how long he stood there, watching as his dad investigated the room that had once belonged to his grandfather.

"This,"Harry began,"This is just incredible, Al. How long have you known about it ?"

"About a year,"Albus said quietly.

"And you spend prison term here ?"Harry asked.

"Probably more than we do in the common room,"Albus answered.

"Then it is the double-dyed place to talk,"Harry said as he sat down on one of the couches.

Albus sat down next to him."So why was Balladanis there ?"

"I 'll severalise you that,"Harry said,"But first I want you to explain to me what happened."

Albus took a mysterious breath and told his dad everything. Starting with when they saw Lubar in the castle and ending with throwing the Resurrection Stone into the Outback. He explained how they had first gone to a woods in Australia, how they had Portkeyed to the Outback, the dementors, the almost Patronus he had managed to make water, the duel, the fact that the Resurrection Stone did n't ferment to institute Voldemort back.

"Why did n't it go ?"Albus asked,"I mean, I 'm glad it did n't, but why ?"

Harry thought for a few minutes and then looked at Albus."There are a few reasons that might explain it. The resurrection Stone brings back people we love, but it does not bring them back completely. It 's almost as if their soul is coming back."

"Like a trace ?"

"Not exactly,"Harry said,"But standardised. It 's possible that since Voldemort split his individual so many time, he ca n't be brought back with the Stone. The Stone may ask the soul to be intact to work."

Albus nodded."That makes sense."

"It could also be that only loved single can be brought back with the Stone. Washburn and the Willinsons did not love Voldemort ; they did not know him. They wanted to add him back for their own agenda,"Harry explained.

"Is there any way to find out which it is ?"Albus asked.

"No, I do n't suppose so,"Harry said,"Especially now that the Stone is once again gone. Which is something I 'm very grateful that you did."

"wellspring, I figured you left it out in the Forbidden wood for a reasonableness,"Albus shrugged.

"Yes, yes I did,"Harry replied,"I think it ripe if cypher had that Stone."

Albus nodded."Yeah, that makes good sense. But what was Balladanis doing there ?"

Harry laughed."You 're not going to let that go, are you ?"

"Nope, you said you 'd severalize me,"Albus said.

"I will,"Harry replied,"Albus, do you know what a Presuler is ?"

"Yes,"Albus nodded,"And I know that Balladanis is one."

"You do ?"Harry looked impressed.

"He told me during one of those dueling moral he gave me,"Albus explained.

"well, that makes my explanation easier,"Harry said,"A lilliputian over a class ago, shortly after Quinton kidnapped Kaden, the Ministry decided to lease a Presuler to help get Washburn and Jarrett Willinson."

"Seriously ?"Albus gaped at him.

"Yes,"Harry muttered,"The Minister believed the Aurors needed some help."

Albus thought he heard bit of contempt in his dad 's voice.

"When I realized that Washburn and the Willinsons were most in all probability working with Ralph Lubar, I had to reach Balladanis and let him know. He came with us, and I have to admit that he was very helpful. We would not accept found you as fast if he was n't there,"Harry explained.

"But why was he teaching here ?"Albus asked.

"The Minister, professor Kendrick, and I believed it would be good scheme to throw him stationed at Hogwarts, where we all believed Washburn and the Willinsons would hark back to. Balladanis agreed,"Harry said,"Of course, none of us realized that Balladanis would not be able to wield teaching.

"This is all quite secretive, Al. I 'd opt you did n't say anyone. I will be telling flatness, John Lackland, and Kaden, because I feel they have the right field to know, but I do n't require anyone else knowing about it."

"What about Rose and Amanda ?"Albus asked.

"I suppose I 'll tell apart them as well, otherwise Kaden is for sure to tell them,"Harry said.

"What 's going to happen to Lubar ?"Albus asked,"Is Balladanis going to be after him now ?"

"No,"Harry shook his head,"That 's going to be foxy situation. Lubar is n't a Brits citizen. We ca n't do a thing while he 's in Australia. It 's up to the Aussie Ministry to either put him on trial or give him to us to put on trial. And since he 's one of their officials, we 're not trusted they 'll do either."

"But that 's not fair !"Albus stood up angrily,"spirit what he did ! Look what he 's done !"

"I know,"Harry sighed,"I 'd like nothing more than to give him a life-long stint in Azkaban, but unfortunately the laws do n't work that way."

"He and Balladanis get along anyway,"Albus said,"Balladanis probably would n't need to go after him."

"I do n't get it on about that,"Harry said,"Balladanis likes the great unwashed to pay for what they 've done. However, being a Presuler and having no Ministry affiliation, he does not bear to take a typeface if he 's offered it."

"He told me I 'd make a dependable Presuler,"Albus said quietly as I sat back down,"Malfoy, too."

Harry sighed."What do you think about that ?"

"I do n't acknowledge,"Albus shrugged,"I mean, I like dueling, but I do n't really want to determine what I want to do right now."

"You do n't induce to,"Harry replied,"And I do n't want to tell you what to do, but I am going to secernate you something.

"Being a Presuler is a hard job and often a unfrequented one. You have no coworkers. You work with various Ministries, but rarely get to know anyone. You travel a lot, which can make it unmanageable to have a family. It 's not an slowly path to go down. Not one I 'd take for myself."

Albus had n't even thought about that. He did n't conceive he 'd require to rarely ever see his friend and family.

"There 's plenty of other affair you could do that would put your dueling attainment to use,"Harry told him,"And you 're only 13 so no need to settle now."

"I know, I do n't plan to,"Albus replied.

"well, you should probably get back to the Hospital backstage before Madam Pomfrey notice you 're gone,"Harry smirked,"And thanks again for showing me the room."

Harry stood up and gave his son a hug. They left the room and walked back to the infirmary Wing, both lost in their thoughts.

******

As it turned out, Madam Pomfrey had already noticed that Albus was missing. When he returned to the Hospital fender with his dad, she was running about the ward shouting at the top of her lungs. matte, John, and Kaden were all awake, staring at her.

"There you are !"she shrieked,"Where have you been ?"

"Er,"Albus began.

"I had to talk to him in private,"Harry answered for him.

"You should have asked me first !"Madam Pomfrey exclaimed as she ushered Albus back into bed,"He needs rest !"

"I 'm his father,"Harry said incredulously.

"I do n't worry if you 're the curate of Magic !"dame Pomfrey replied,"I 'm the one with the nursing grade !"

"How long has she been shouting ?"Albus whispered to lusterlessness as he got back in bed.

"Fifteen minutes or so,"Matt answered.

Madam Pomfrey returned to her desk and Harry strode over to where the Eckertons were sitting.

"Could I have a intelligence in private ?"Harry asked Mr. Eckerton and then turned to lady Pomfrey."Do I require your permission for that ?"he grinned.

"Very amusing,"gentlewoman Pomfrey muttered.

Albus drifted back to sleep a little while later and when he next woke up it was light out and Madam Pomfrey was bringing them all breakfast trays.

"Er, what day is it ?"Albus asked as gentlewoman Pomfrey set his tray down.

"It 's Sunday, dear, but it 's afternoon,"Madam Pomfrey replied,"I figured you 'd prefer to receive breakfast."

"Only William Ashley Sunday ?"Albus asked. It felt like it had been far more than twenty-four minute since he had met up with Lubar before the Quidditch match.

"Time zone changes are difficult to adjust to,"ma'am Pomfrey explained,"Commonwealth of Australia 's quite a few hr ahead of us."

Albus nodded and dug into his breakfast. Suddenly he was rapacious. When he thought about it, it must induce been at to the lowest degree a day since he 'd exhaust anything.

"I wonder how the Quidditch mate went,"Kaden mused as he shoved toast in his mouth.

Albus choked on his eggs. He 'd block about the catch !"I doubt we won,"he sighed.

"Is your dad going to tell us why Balladanis was with him when he came to save up us ?"John asked,"I mean, he 's had spate of time."

"He will,"Albus said,"He already told me. You lot were asleep."

The threshold to the Hospital Wing banged open and rose wine and Amanda came running in. madam Pomfrey made a move to get up from her desk, but then sat back down, shaking her head.

"Tell us what happened !"Rose demanded as she skidded to a stop in front of Albus 's bed,"When did you get back ? Where did you go ?"

"Who won the Quidditch couple ?"Albus asked.

"Quidditch ? Quidditch ?"Rose groaned,"I 'm not saying a word about Quidditch until the four of you tell me what in the name of Falco columbarius 's saggy left-"

"girl Weasley !"Madam Pomfrey shouted,"If you do n't lower your voice, you 'll have to go out !"

"Sorry,"rosiness turned back to Albus,"But you lot have got to distinguish us what happened !"

Albus launched into the total tale, which took the advantageously part of a half hour to tell. Neither Rose or Amanda interrupted once during the whole matter. Both of them looked absolutely shocked by the metre Albus concluded.

"But, but why was Balladanis there ?"Rose asked.

"My dad 's going to tell you,"Albus said,"He 's already told me. He 'll probably tell the rest of you today."

"Merlin, Albus,"Rose sighed,"How lots problem can you get into ?"

"It 's not my fault,"Albus shrugged,"Now can you tell us about the match ?"

Rose exchanged glances with Amanda, who sighed."It was quite the match, let me distinguish you,"Amanda said.

"Nobody won, Al,"Rose said.

"What ?"John interrupted,"How can nobody win ?"

"About forty-five arcminute into the catch, Fred and Heather ran onto the pitch-"

"The match lasted that long ?"lustrelessness asked.

"Yes,"Rose said,"I do n't hump why. Anyway, Fred and broom ran right up to Ludo Bagman and started talking to him. nobody could discover what they were saying. Then roadman blew his whistle and they went into a time-out.

"commercial traveller left the pitch and had a really long talk with all the headmasters and captains. Then Kendrick announced that the match was called off and told everyone to return to their vernacular rooms.

"Everyone was really angry of trend. Amanda and I were already worried because you lot had n't shown up yet. We thought something bad had happened and that was why they called it off."

"Why did they squall it off ?"John asked.

"I 'm getting to that,"Rose said,"We got back up to Gryffindor and everyone was gathered around Fred and Heather. Linda was n't there, and neither were any of her mate who were Gryffindors.

"We pushed our way to the social movement of the crowd and heard what Fred and broom were talking about. They were claiming that Australia had been cheating the whole time-"

"well, they were,"Matt muttered.

"I know,"rosiness agreed,"And apparently so did Fred and Heather. I 'm certain they figured it out just recently or else they would 've told someone sooner. They found out Linda 's a vampire and now the full schooling knows."

"How did they figure it out ?"Albus asked, completely shocked. Linda hid her secret quite well. Fred and Heather were sixth twelvemonth, they would n't have heard Balladanis 's vampire lecture."

"They 've been trying to figure it out all year,"rose wine explained,"And since they 're bright, they figured it out."

"But what about the compeer ?"Albus asked.

"I think they 're going to cancel the tournament, Albus,"Rose said quietly.

"cancel the tournament ?"Albus gasped,"natural the tournament ? ! They ca n't do that ! We 've spent the whole twelvemonth on that tournament ! Do you know how much fourth dimension I 've spent on the Quidditch pitch this yr ? More prison term than I 've spent in course, probably ! And now they 're going to cancel the bloody tourney ?"

"I do n't bonk, Al,"rosiness said shortly,"And if they do it 's not my fault."

"Sorry,"Albus mumbled,"It 's just a little aggravating."

"I know,"rosiness replied.

"Where 's Linda ?"Matt asked.

"Gone,"rosiness sighed,"Without a watchword. I have n't seen her or any of the Aboriginal Australian since the equal. Killigan 's gone, too."

"Wow,"mat replied,"Ca n't say I blame her, though."

"I guess,"pink wine said,"Anyway, they 'll probably make an declaration about the tournament at dinner."


A/N : Thanks to my genus Beta, Dancer of Starlight as well as all of the awesome mass who have read and reviewed this ! There is only one Sir Thomas More chapter left !


Disclaimer- I do n't own Harry Potter.


Harry returned to separate everyone else about Balladanis later on in the good afternoon. Madam Pomfrey savorless out refused to let any of them leave the hospital Wing, so she agreed to lock the door and go to her subject while Harry explained. Matt 's dad was there as well.

Harry told them everything he had told Albus, although he left out the part about why it was not all that advisable to become a Presuler. Everyone was completely shocked to learn that Balladanis had been hired to avail bewitch Washburn and the Willinsons.

Unfortunately, Harry also brought news of Lubar. news show that was not all that welcome.

"As of right now, he 's completely dislodge and in the make,"Harry sighed,"The Australian Ministry refuses to extradite him, and they wo n't pursue him in Australia either. To them, it 's like nothing 's happened."

Albus noticed that Mr. Eckerton looked positively furious with this. Harry looked quite tempestuous as well, but it did not come close to how Mr. Eckerton looked.

"We 're not going to collapse up,"Harry said,"We 'll celebrate negotiating with them."

Mr. Eckerton had also apparently been told about the Hallows. When Harry had spoken with him the previous Nox, it had been about the Hallows. Albus remembered back to his first yr, when flatness had told them about his dad 's young adult pipe dream of locating the Hallows. Harry must 've trusted him now.

Albus reached over to his bedside table, where Madam Pomfrey had placed the invisibility Cloak the previous night. He wordlessly handed it to Mr. Eckerton, who carefully took it with a look of awe on his face.

"merlin 's beard,"he muttered,"It 's the Cloak."

"That it is,"Harry said quietly.

"Unbelievable,"Mr. Eckerton whispered as he fingered it.

He spent a few proceedings trying the Cloak on before handing it back to Albus."I can not believe I 've finally solved the grammatical case of the Hallows,"he said to Harry,"This is amazing. I would love to portion the tale with my crony. Perhaps I could preface you to him at the mankind Cup this summer."

Harry nodded."That would be ticket. Perhaps I will eventually say him as well."

******

Albus wanted nothing more than to be allowed out of the Hospital backstage in time to go to dinner that night. He was sure prof Kendrick would make some sort of announcement about the tournament and he did not want to miss it.

After a wax ten transactions of begging on his office ( helped out by mat, John Lackland, and Kaden ), Madam Pomfrey told him he was in no fit commonwealth to impart the Barbara Ward. Albus thought this was ridiculous because he felt fine. So what if his arm was still bandaged and in a catapult ? That should n't stop him from eating dinner with the balance of the school.

Instead, Albus was forced to eat a quiet meal in the infirmary Wing and wait anxiously for blush wine and Amanda to say him what Kendrick said.

The young lady showed up right after dinner ended. Albus immediately asked them what Kendrick had said.

"tournament 's canceled,"Rose sighed as she sat down on the end of Albus 's bed,"The kids from New York are staying to cease out the year, but the tourney 's canceled. I expect it 'll be in the Prophet tomorrow."

"Merlin !"Albus shouted,"Why 'd they have to scrub it ? Could n't they just disqualify Australia ?"

"No,"Rose shook her head,"To do that Hogwarts would feature to play New York in another final."

"Why do n't they do that ?"St. John asked.

"Too close to exams,"rose wine shrugged,"It 'll mess up everyone 's studying."

"That 's pudding head,"Albus fumed.

"If it makes you palpate better, I 'm pretty certainly Hogwarts would 've won if Australia had n't cause been here,"pink wine pointed out,"And Kendrick gave one hundred house points to everyone who was on the Quidditch and dueling teams."

"Yeah, well, all the house had people on the teams, so that does n't really help,"Albus muttered.

"Well,"Rose grinned,"I know one thing that 'll cheer you up."

"What ?"Albus asked, even though there was zilch that could barrack him up.

"There were Quidditch sentinel at that match,"rose told him,"And even though the lucifer was disastrous, they did find someone they wanted to draft."

"Who ?"Albus asked, slightly intrigued.

"Peach State !"Rose exclaimed,"She 's been drafted to play for Kenmare Kestrals as soon as she graduates !"

"That 's brilliant !"Albus replied. Rose had been right, that did recreate him up. There was no one he thought who belonged on a professional Quidditch team more than Georgia.

"Yup, she 's their Modern second-stringer keeper,"rose wine said,"She says Uncle Harry Hotspur 's not ingrain. He wanted her to work at the Ministry. She does n't worry what he thinks, though."

"Uncle Percy 's got plenty of other fry to act upon at the Ministry,"Albus shrugged. He could never see Sakartvelo working in government.

"Kenmare ?"Gospel According to John said incredulously.

"Yeah, seriously ?"lustrelessness grimaced.

"They 're nearly as bad as the Cannons,"John groaned.

"She 's just happy to be on a team,"Rose shrugged,"She 's always supported Puddlemere, but she thinks if she 's on any team, she 'll be able to exploit her way up to a salutary one."

"Merlin, I hope so,"toilet shrugged.

"Is she the exclusively one who got drafted ?"Albus asked.

"Only one I know for sure of,"rose said,"I heard a rumor that Anna Reilly got taken on by the Balycastle squash racket, but I do n't get laid for sure."

Albus nodded, feeling slightly better about the tournament. It was n't pointless now that he knew his cousin had been taken on by a master Quidditch team because of it. However, that did n't take all the letdown away.

******

Madam Pomfrey reluctantly let the boys leave the adjacent day after breakfast. She did n't really give birth a choice since examination began that day. Albus felt perfectly fine and was quite glad to leave the place.

Rose handed him a copy of the Prophet as soon as he and the former boys reached the common room. Albus took it, felicitous that he had a few instant before his number 1 test to read the article that was inevitably there.

Aboriginal Australian SCHOOL CHEATS- tourney CANCELED

After a jump find made by two Hogwarts
students, the Quidditch and Dueling tourney
involving Hogwarts, the Adirondack Academy of
Magic, and the Aussie school day of Sorcery
has been canceled.

The tournament 's terminal Quidditch match was
interrupted this past Saturday by two Hogwarts
6th years, Fred Weasley and ling Weasley,
both 17, who claimed that the Aboriginal Australian squad
had been cheating throughout the full
tournament.

A few month ago, allegation were brought upon
the Aussie squad after their seeker, Linda
morale, 14, flew at an exceptionally fast speed.
An investigation found nothing. The tourney
continued.

Fred and ling Weasley accused Linda Morales
of being a vampire. vampire are outlawed
from playing on pro Quidditch team due
to the unfair reward they have.

The lucifer was immediately stopped while all three
headmasters questioned the Weasleys and Morales.

Headmaster Addiar Killigan of the Australian
School of Sorcery admitted to allowing morale
to be the Seeker of his team in rules of order to win the
tournament. The Aussie team was immediately
disqualified from the tournament.

Killigan, morale, and the balance of the Australian
participating in the tournament left Hogwarts late
on Sabbatum, declining to speak with any of our
reporters.

Tournament officials as well as the other two
headmasters have decided to cancel the tournament,
and not declaring a winner.

'It is regrettable that the tournament turned out
this way ,'Fabius Kendrick told reporters, 'Perhaps
we can try it again in a few year .'

"Killigan is an retard,"Albus said.

"face at the adjacent article,"Rose replied.

QUINTON WILLINSON spine IN AZKABAN, JOINED BY WASHBURN

While the final Quidditch catch was ending in disaster
at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry
Potter 's middle child, Albus, 13, was dealing with his
own battle.

Albus Potter, as well as first cousin Kaden Dursley, 12, and
friends Matthew Eckerton and John Brickston, both 14,
were kidnapped by Quinton and Jarrett Willinson, and
Jameson Washburn. The three convicts were helped by
Ralph Lubar, Head of the Department of the rule
and ascendency of Magical beast in Australia.

The four Hogwarts students were taken to Australia
where Harry ceramist and Bruno Walter Eckerton found them.
It is ill-defined what the convicts were after, as well as
why Lubar was involved.

Quinton Willinson and Jameson Washburn were caught and
sent to Azkaban. Lubar and Jarrett Willinson escaped.
Aurors are currently looking for Willinson and the
Ministry is negotiating with the Australian Ministry
about what to do with Lubar.

All four male child have recovered from the ordeal and are
currently taking their end of the class test
at Hogwarts. Harry ceramist has declined comment.

"well, that 's not a very informative article,"Albus said as he tossed the newspaper publisher onto a nearby table.

"I do n't cogitate they can cover much,"Rose said,"The Australian Ministry may be asking them to keep quiet about Lubar in income tax return for giving him some sorting of punishment.

"It wo n't weigh,"Matt said,"They 're not going to do anything to him."

Albus was forced to push Lubar into the backrest of his creative thinker as examination began. They were all significantly laborious than the previous year 's had been, but he was sure he at to the lowest degree passed all of them.

There were short article in the Prophet about Lubar everyday, but they all said the same matter. Australia refused to deport him. lusterlessness was not at all surprised by this, but it infuriated Albus to no end.

The week after exams was a strange one for Albus. There was nothing left wing for them to do. No studying, no preparation, no Quidditch. Rose and Amanda went back to spending all their time with the boys, like it had been before Linda had arrived.

Things were different, though. Both Rose and Amanda were a lot quiet than they used to be. Albus was sure they missed Linda, and he had no idea whether she had said goodbye to them, or even if she 'd had the opportunity.

matt was lost in his own thinking nearly of the time, rendering him quieter than ever. He often went entire evening without saying two run-in to anyone, something that usually only happened around full moon. However, the future good moon was n't until after they left Hogwarts.

Albus was sure this was because of what had happened in Commonwealth of Australia. He never talked about it, but Albus knew that getting kidnapped by Lubar again had scared the day out of him.

John and Kaden remained as knockabout as ever and did not seem to be fazed by what had happened in Australia. They spent their hebdomad pulling pranks and playing dateless games of Exploding snatch that Albus occasionally joined in on.

Albus himself was quieter. His mind was racing with view of Lubar and Balladanis. None of the articles ever mentioned Balladanis, but he knew that was because Balladanis 's job had to remain a secret. He wished more than anything that Lubar would get thrown in prison, whether it was Azkaban or Australia 's prison.

******

The train ride back to London was subdued, the but noise being John and Kaden 's Exploding Snap identity card. Albus and Matt both gazed out the window, mesmerized by the release landscape.

"Linda sent me a letter last night,"pink wine said, breaking the silence.

Albus lifted his head word up and looked at her."What about ?"

"She told us she was blue, and wanted me to tell you that she was sorry about the tournament,"rosebush told him,"She 's on the run with her mum now. They 're thinking of moving to a different country."

"To go to shoal ?"Albus asked.

"No,"rose wine shook her head,"She 's been through school day a twain prison term already. She was n't even a educatee at the Australian school. Killigan pretty much forced her into playing Seeker for them. He 's a really filthy bloke. They have to get out now, though, because everyone knows."

"Where will they go ?"Albus asked, surprised that he was actually feeling sorry for Linda.

"No mind,"rosebush shrugged,"She said she 'd owl me when they find out."

"This wholly twelvemonth has been so messed up,"Saint John the Apostle sighed,"I hope next class 's better."

"Me, too,"flatness agreed.

"We 've got the World Cup to appear forward to, though,"Albus smiled.

"Oh, yeah !"John grinned,"Owl me as soon as you find out when we 're leaving for it."

"Definitely,"Albus said,"Your sister 's going, too. Lily told me she 'd invited her. Hugo 's not really happy about that."

"Neither am I,"John muttered,"I do n't want Ashtyn going."

"well, I 'd prefer Lily not go, but it 's the Cup ! Nothing can really bankrupt it,"Albus said.

"good spot,"John agreed.

"Let me know when the Cup is,"Kaden said.

"Why ? So you can win over your parents to take you ?"John smirked.

"No,"Kaden laughed,"So I can know when to ask over you lot to my sign of the zodiac. My dad said he 'd take us camping."

"Excellent !"John grinned,"Camping like Muggles ?"

"Yep,"Kaden replied,"Living in tents, no electricity, no conjuration either since we 're all underage."

"There is no way my parents will let me go,"matt said quietly.

"Why not ?"Kaden asked.

"I went camping when I was five,"Matt answered,"That was the clip I got bitten."

"Oh,"Kaden looked a little taken aback,"Sorry."

"It 's ok,"lustrelessness shrugged,"Just do n't go during a broad moon. I do n't need any of you having to unite me in the screaming hovel next year."

"I 'll go,"Albus said. He 'd never been camping before, let alone camping like a Muggle. He did feel bad that flatness would n't get to go, but he sort of thought Matt would n't require to go anyway.

The remainder of the trip was spent arguing about Quidditch and Albus felt like things were form of returning to formula. It was almost nice to hear lav and lusterlessness arguing about the Cannons again and Kaden arguing about football.

The train arrived in Greater London and Albus found his parents waiting for him on the chopine. After saying goodbye to his friends, Albus left the place with his household intuitive feeling that just maybe life history would be normal from then on. well, maybe the summer would be at least be pattern. Albus could n't get his hopes up too high.


A/N : Hard to believe it 's finished ! Thanks to Dancer of Starlight for betaing and thanks to all of the awesome the great unwashed who have read and reviewed this ! You cat are so lovely and amazing !

I am working on the twenty-five percent fib but it 'll be a while before the first gear chapter is up. I 'm thinking I 'll update every early week at firstly, alternating weeks with Beyond the phantasma. In the base time, if you want something new to learn, I suggest checking out Remember the Cannons, which is a collab I worked on cobbler's last year and is now currently being updated. It 's all about the Chudley cannon and their downfall. It 's under the username The Golden stool pigeon and is also in my favorite stories so you can regain it that way.