AN: Thanks to SuNoYo for the quick work on this chapter. It is much better because of her. Yen popped in and made it that much better. ^-^

Answers

As they ran towards the ward line and the forest on the other side of it, Albus was glad he didn't need to implement his plan. The guards' conversation had given him a fair idea of what the ritual would entail so he was counting on their wands being given back to them, but if not, he would fight however he could to protect the other three. The moment he spotted his wand in the circles, he had clasped tight to the torn fabric hidden in his hand. He probably would have been injured as he would have had to break the ritual circle, but his plan was to snatch up his wand and get to his students, make a quick portkey with the scrap of fabric and get them all out of there. He would then send the Aurors out to get the group and retrieve the three's wands. Severus' potion made everything easier.

Every time Severus looked back at the plateau he could see the group still standing about, waiting for something that was never going to happen. He wondered how many were still going to be standing there thirty minutes from now. Turning his attention back to the others, he continued to run.

It took ten minutes for them to make it to the stone cauldron.

Four owls dove out of the trees and landed on the cauldron, offering their letters up to the person they were intended for.

"Post?" Panting, Albus leaned down to retrieve his missive. Unscrolling it, he scanned it quickly and smiled. "Thank you, Severus." The parchment rolled back up as he surveyed his three professors. "What happened to you?"

Potter, Weasley, and Granger were breathing hard and staring at their look-a-likes, obviously dying to ask the same question while their opened letters dangled from lax fingers.

Minerva stepped forward, her eyes scanning the woods as she spoke. "The Headmaster – someone who is impersonating you, possibly with the same potion as we were given – gave us a potion soaked gingerbread man biscuit which changed us into these shapes. He then brought in three members of Constella to teach our classes. We attended classes and Severus created an antidote for the potion. Pomona is currently watching over the school and keeping our whereabouts a secret. We are here to rescue you. Now we really need to return to the school so that we can capture the fake Headmaster and the substitutes."

"Albus," Filius turned to face the Headmaster. "Do you think we can use magic? We were uncertain if the Ministry would be alerted since we are in the forms of minors at this moment."

"Wouldn't the Ministry be confused right now since there are two of us, then?" Harry looked at his spitting image and frowned slightly. "You're Professor Flitwick, right, sir?"

Filius nodded. "Yes, I am, Mr Potter."

"And Professor McGonagall is Hermione." Harry nodded towards the stiffly standing version of his friend, who nodded back. "That makes Professor Snape Ron."

Ron's eyes widened, staring at the man whom he had slowly started to respect over the school year, but still had no great love for. "You're wearing my clothes."

"Yes, Mr Weasley. Mine were inaccessible and would not fit." Severus brushed a hand over his coat, flattening the wind blown pocket flap. "We need to leave. Albus, do you think we can Apparate without repercussions?"

Bright blue eyes looked over them. "Pair up with your counterpart. Professors, I want you to Apparate to just outside the gates."

Severus shook his head. "This potion will allow us to Apparate onto school grounds. May I suggest near the greenhouses? We can slip in the back door, I can alert Pomona to our return so she can help us guard against them from escaping. Once that is done, we go to the Headmaster's office and capture him at the very least. We shall attempt to collect the other three also, but the Headmaster is the only one we currently has a case against."

A worried look crossed Albus' face. "What is this potion, Severus?"

"I'll explain it to you once we have finished and we have a moment." Severus walked over to Weasley and offered his arm. "Shall we go?"

"What about your cauldron, Severus?" Filius waved towards the upraised stone.

Moving quickly, Severus lifted it from the resting stones and placed it back into the stream. Minerva and Filius shifted the rocks while Albus spelled the ash away.

"I'll come back for it later." Grabbing Weasley's arm, he pulled the student close and then Apparated away, knowing the others would follow.

Sʂ/Fʄ/Mɰ

"Severus, I think that we should all go see Pomona." Minerva strode through the dungeon halls with the others on her heels.

"It would make planning easier," Filius added.

Even as Severus nodded, Albus grinned. There were very few people that his Potion Master would listen to. A quick glance at Ron, Hermione, and Harry's face caused his grin to broaden.

"The three students should wait outside. It would be unseemly if they were to come into the room." Albus gestured for the students to wait in the hall near a suit of armour.

Severus tapped the door knob with his wand as he spoke. "Everyone, make sure you include Pomona Sprout to the list of the ones who can see and hear you."

Opening the door, he led the way into the living room. Gesturing to Minerva, he turned back to Albus. "Let the students into the sitting room, you know she would not mind them being in here."

Minerva slowly opened the study door and slipped inside the dim room. "Pomona." Her voice sounded loud in the quiet room. Waiting a moment she called out again. She would not cross the room until her friend answered her.

"Minerva? Are you already back?" Pomona look at where the voice was coming from. Her eyes widened in shock and then sadness filled them. "You're dead? No! What happened?"

"No! It's a potion that Severus pulled together. We're all alive." Minerva sighed lightly. She hadn't wanted to scare Pomona and she ended up doing so anyway. "The others are in your sitting room. It's time to take care of our infestation."

"I'm coming." Hauling herself out of the armchair, Pomona headed for the door. She sought out Severus the moment she entered the room. "Why did you use a potion that makes you all look like ghosts?"

Severus crossed his arms as he answered. "It is a side effect that is inconsequential compared to the benefits it gave us. Besides only the people we let see us can."

"How'd you know that he was Professor Snape?" Ron looked between Sprout and Snape, waiting for an answer.

"Mr Weasley, it's nice to see you returned to Hogwarts. I knew he was Professor Snape by his deportment." Pomona turned towards Albus. "It's nice to see you as well, Albus. Your replacement is sorely lacking."

She gestured the students towards the sofa. "Welcome back, Mr Potter, Miss Granger."

"Pomona, do you know which rooms the substitutes are staying in?" Severus paced behind the sofa, his mind whirling with plans that needed information to decided between.

"No need to go to their rooms; just capture the impersonator in the Headmaster's office, and they will react. Those four always know when something happens to the others." The fake Headmaster had commented on third floor incident before it was brought up by anyone else, unless the same student who mentioned it at lunch told him. She had also passed him heading for the Transfigurations' classroom when Fomalhaut was locked into the training room.

"Then we need to block all the exits as well as having someone with Albus in the Headmaster's office to guard his back." Minerva looked at the other Crest members before nodding to herself. "Filius, Pomona, and I will guard the exits out of the castle. Severus, you go with Albus to the Headmaster's office."

"Harry and I should help guard the exits as well." Ron craned his head to see McGonagall better. "Hermione should go with them to the Headmaster's office."

Filius frowned slightly. "I do not like using students to help."

Harry jumped in. "It's us – we're quite used to getting mixed up in things we're not supposed to be involved in. This time, we're already involved. Let us help capture them."

Pomona looked from one to the next before speaking. "They should be involved. Maybe they can let the infiltrators see them looking like ghosts and scare them, or at least shock them."

Albus nodded while he looked from person to person. "All your ideas are good ones. So, Minerva, Pomona, Filius, Harry, and Ronald you will work together to block the exits and track down the substitutes if they opt to flee. Severus, Hermione, and I will head up to my office and deal with the one there. Severus, when will this potion wear off?"

"When the sun rises tomorrow morning."

"Then we shall lock them up in a room for the night and get a good night's sleep. The Aurors will be called in before breakfast tomorrow. Head out." Albus waved the group out the door.

The separated ways at the top of the dungeon stairs. Minerva took Ron with her to guard the front doors and Pomona took Harry with her to watch the stairwells. Filius placed himself on the route to the Headmaster's office and near the windows.

Severus walked with Hermione and Albus to the Headmaster's office. The gargoyle opened immediately causing Albus to cast a questioning look back at him. He kept the surprise off his face as the continued into the office.

"Hermione, wait here, please." Albus gestured for Severus to go with him.

A sweeping look about Albus' private quarters showed the changes the imposter had made. Chairs were shifted, pictures changed, and some of the more outrageous colours muted. Severus glared at the man who was standing in a magical circle near an open window. He watched as Albus crossed the room and studied the runes encircling the imposter.

"Severus, can I obliterate these runes without getting hurt?" Albus walked around the glowing circle another time.

Severus nodded slowly. "Yes, Albus. It is the main use of the Crone's Potion – to work with already charged runic patterns and rituals. We have just been enjoying a number of the side effects: invisibility, silencing, and passing through wards."

Albus placed a foot over one of the chalked lines. "Good, then prepare for a possible explosion."

His foot wiped the line away and light exploded from the circle, smashing the furniture in the room, breaking the glass of the window, and knocking the imposter to the floor. Stunning the man, Albus turned back to Severus.

"You know what you did to the main ritual circle, don't you?" Blue eyes searched black ones looking for an answer.

"They deserved it, Albus. They should not be allowed to walk away from this without repercussions. Why don't you bind him?" Severus walked back into the main office, Albus' voice trailing after him.

"He is lucky I broke the circle. If I had been a minute longer, he would have lost all his magic, Severus."

Severus just waved off the statement as the door closed behind him. Yes, he knew that most would consider it evil that he had manipulated the runes in the ritual circles to pull the magic of those connected to them and send it into the ley lines, but if they broke their connection then they would be saved. It was their greed that kept them connected to the ritual circle, their desire to have part of Albus and the Golden Trio's power. He did give them thirty minutes to break free.

He spotted Granger spinning about, watching him with a question on her face. "The Headmaster is binding him as we speak. We need to be alert for his underlings."

Sʂ/Fʄ/Mɰ

Pomona paced through the shadows, her eyes searching the darkness. A movement near the second floor's moving staircase caught her attention. "Mr Potter, are you ready?"

"Yes, Professor Sprout."

The glowing form moved onto the stairs. Pomona had told Potter the substitutes' names earlier and she was rewarded by a screech as Ursula Major spotted Potter. A quick Impediment curse and then an Incarcerous caught the Charms substitute.

Potter added Stupefy to the mix, and she fell over.

Sʂ/Fʄ/Mɰ

Filius spotted Grus Fomalhaut as he turned the corner. The Transfigurations substitute made it to the Headmaster's office before Filius could catch up with him. Rushing through the door, he watched as the man fell over, Severus' wand pointed at him. The smile on Granger's face made him wonder just what happened.

"Severus?" Filius knew his question would be understood. A quick movement of his wand had the unconscious man bound.

"He had the nerve to attempt to banish Miss Granger." Severus turned his head as Albus floated the imposter behind him. "He is just out, and most likely will not wake until morning."

Albus nodded. "We need to find a room to store these four in until tomorrow."

Filius felt a grin curve his lips. "I know just the room. There is a storage room at the base of the Ravenclaw tower. We can transfigure beds, and store them there. The door is already charmed to keep people out and it can be easily spelled so that it cannot be opened from the inside."

Albus headed for his office door, his prisoner floating behind him. "Severus, if you will let Minerva and Pomona know, we will meet you there. Filius, bring that person with you. Miss Granger if you would be so kind as to accompany us."

Sʂ/Fʄ/Mɰ

Minerva watched as Polaris ran up the dungeon stairs. Her wand was out before she could even determine if he was heading for the door or the stairwell. Weasley's stunner hit him the same moment her Incarcerous did.

Severus felt a small grin tug the corner of his lips as Polaris fell over, bashing his head into the floor. "Albus wishes all the prisoners in the storage room at the base of Ravenclaw."

With a quick swish of her wand, Polaris was floating behind Minerva as she headed up the stairs. Weasley and Severus followed her.

Sʂ/Fʄ/Mɰ

Severus rolled over, his eyes closed, his body sinking into a familiar mattress. The covers, soft and warm were familiar as well. He was in his room, and in about three hours he would be himself again. Sitting up, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before stretching. Swinging his legs off the edge of the bed, Severus let his mind wander while he dressed.

Last night, after locking their prisoners up tight, which Albus refused to let him have a hand in doing, the Headmaster had opened their personal quarters. His was the last set of rooms opened, and Albus had stayed once he was done. 'And after a million questions on the Crone's Potion and about half a million on how I changed the runes in the main ritual circle, I could finally enjoy my own bed.'

A glance at his living room clock showed him the early hour. 'What to do? Can't be seen wandering around the castle, not with the real Weasley asleep in the tower. No papers to grade – can't get into the office until the Aurors come later today since they need to check the magic on them.'

Looking down at the clothes he chose, Severus was glad he chose ones that magic could be used on. Shrinking them to fit, he cast a disillusionment charm over himself and headed to his personal laboratory. There was always something to do in there. A thought struck him as he opened the door; he needed to brew another antidote potion for the man disguised as Albus just in case it wasn't regular Polyjuice. Grinning, he got to work.

An hour later, Severus lidded and sealed the cauldron. Placing a vial of Veritaserum into his robe pocket along with a shrunken set of dosing goblets, he picked up the cauldron and headed for the Ravenclaw storage room. Not a student was in the halls at this time of the morning, breakfast was still at least an hour off. Knocking on the door, he waited, his cauldron partially hidden by his robes.

"Severus." Pomona lead Kingsley Shacklebolt and three other Aurors that Severus did not know towards the door. "Albus was about to send Filius to track you down."

"I was brewing a potion that we need this morning." He gestured towards the door. "I take it everyone else is in there?"

The door opened before she could answer.

"Severus, you made it." Filius opened the door wider and gestured them in. He held the door open when he spotted Minerva escorting the three students. "Minerva, Miss Granger, Potter, Weasley." He shut the door after the greeting.

Severus watched Kingsley's face, enjoying the utter bafflement reflected on it.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, can you explain what is going on here?" Kingsley looked at the duplicate children and then noticed that there was another Dumbledore lying on a bed.

Albus ran a hand through his beard before answering. "This is for your records, correct?"

"Yes, sir." Kingsley gestured towards one of the other Aurors who was currently recording the scene. "Everything that takes place in this room shall be recorded for the official report." He let his gaze rest on the Weasley that they called Severus.

"Good." Albus smiled and clasped his hands behind his back. "Several weeks ago I was called to help with a matter near Galloway Forest. There is a small Wizarding community in Newton Stewart that needed an issue dealt with; I am unable to discuss the issue as that is a sensitive matter with the Wizengamot. I was taken by surprise by a large group of wizards, who succeeded in overpowering me. I was then imprisoned in a compound deep in the Galloway Forest. A week later Harry, Hermione, and Ron joined me." Here he motioned for the three teens to continue the story.

Harry looked at the other two before speaking. "We were called up to the Headmaster's office, but no reason was given. Well, we up went right after breakfast, and the Headmaster offered us tea and sherbet lemons as usual. I remember the tea tasted funny, but by then it was too late. We woke up in the compound and were placed in a suite of rooms with the Headmaster. It was there that we learned that the one at the school had to be an imposter."

Hermione took up the tale. "We looked for ways to escape, but they had the compound locked tight. No in or out by any means that we could discern as we were escorted to and fro. Our suite was the same. Last night they escorted us to a plateau and made us participate in a ritual. During the ritual, Professor Snape," Here she nodded towards the Weasley that was dressed like Snape. "appeared and told us to take a potion when we were to hold up our wands. He gave it to us, we took it, and then ran out of the circles like he told us. We came back here and captured these people."

Kingsley turned to the three teens who were dressed like professors he knew. "Your part of the story?"

Minerva once again told their tale. "Now that you have seen and heard what has happened to us, may we finish testing Severus' potion?"

"You have your antidote potion here?" Kingsley looked at Severus.

Severus pulled the dosing goblets out and resized them. "Pomona, did you bring them with you?"

Wordlessly, the Herbology Professor handed them over.

"Shall I take mine first?" He looked between Minerva and Filius after he finished pouring the doses. A quick flick of his wand had his robes back to their correct size as well as his shoes.

"Go ahead." Minerva took her goblet from Severus along with Filius.

"I'll pay attention to all the changes." Filius smiled at Severus as the latter lifted his goblet to his lips.

Halting the goblet, Severus shot a thankful look at Filius, and then downed the potion. Standing completely still, he willed the potion to work. Shaking, he felt his body stretching and filling out. Bones shifted and changed as skin and muscles fit themselves to the new form. One last shake and Severus opened his eyes.

Without a word, Minerva transfigured a full length mirror from the goblet he used. Gazing into the reflective surface, Severus was happy to see himself. Turning from the mirror, he looked at the other two. "Who is next, or do you both want to go at the same time?"

His answer was both goblets being lifted and drained. He watched both carefully, wishing he had his journal to take notes. Soon, both Heads were standing there in their correct forms.

Pulling off his glasses, Filius passed them over to Harry. "I believe these are yours, I found them on your night stand."

Harry slowly shook his head, a finger touched the frame of the glasses he was wearing. "These are my only pair. I was wondering where you got those from."

Both of them looked at the fake Headmaster, obviously believing that he would know the answer.

"Do you have enough of the potion to give to the man posing as Dumbledore?" Kingsley was glad that Severus looked like Severus again even though the look directed at him said he was a dunderhead.

"Of course I do, though it is not finished, I need his wand to stir the potion and then we can administer it to him." Moving over to the man, Severus was pleased to see that Filius' sleeping charm held him. "Do I have your permission to use his wand?"

"Will it harm it?" Kingsley knew it wouldn't change his answer, but he was curious.

"I do not know. There are ingredients in the potion that could potentially cause damage to a wand."

Nodding, Kingsley waved his permission.

Searching the sleeping man, Severus found the wand in a robe sleeve. Taking the lid off his cauldron, he dipped the stick into the grey potion and stirred. The hissing and smoke was enough warning that the wood would not come out unscathed. Pulling out the pitted wand, he set it back on the bed next to its owner.

"Do you wish to wake him first and question him before we administer the antidote, or would you prefer the antidote to be given while he is still asleep?"

"Wake him first. Do you have some Veritaserum with you, Severus?" Kingsley hoped the Potions Master did, as they didn't and he wanted only the truth spoken.

Severus pulled a vial out of his robe and held it out towards the Aurors. As it was a controlled substance, he needed it to be approved for him to administer. "This is part of the batch I am mailing out this afternoon to the Ministry. Do you accept the early receipt of it?"

"It is recorded that I received one vial of Veritaserum from Severus Snape, Potions Master. I now grant permission for him to administer the potion to the specific prisoners. The answers of the first prisoner, the man impersonating Albus Dumbledore, shall determine which of the other three shall receive it." Kingsley took the vial from Severus and then handed it back to him. "Bind and wake the first prisoner."

Filius moved closer to the bed. Two sets of swishes and flicks had the man waking and restrained.

Kingsley moved into the man's line of sight. "You are under arrest for impersonating Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry; for kidnapping three students; and for dosing three of the professors without their knowledge with an unknown potion. You shall be administered Veritaserum to determine how your actions in relationship to these accusations."

The man's mouth fell open as Severus stepped into his line of sight, making it easy to administer the three drops necessary.

"You... how … there is no antidote to the Doppelgänger Potion. You should not even know who you are. Your mind … Severus Snape's memory, personality, identity should have been wiped out in twelve hours of taking the potion, at the maximum." Blue eyes darted about and widened when they landed on Filius and Minerva. "It is not possible. I saw you take the entire dose. Even taking the amount I did leaves me fighting for my own mind half the time."

Severus tipped his head to the side, curiosity shining in his eyes, but he held his tongue; the man was Kingsley's to question.

Kingsley snapped out the first question. "What is your name?"

"Leiolepis Serpens." Blue eyes widened even though the had the glazed look of one under Veritaserum.

After a quick questioning look at Severus, he continued. "Serpens, are you a member of Constella and did you administer a potion to these three professors without their knowledge or consent?"

"Yes I am. I also fed them the gingerbread men knowing it had the potion in it, but they shouldn't remember that." He looked at the three professors but his face remained fairly expressionless.

Ploughing on, Kingsley decided to get the pertinent questions handled before the potion failed. "Were you involved in the kidnapping of Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger?"

"Yes." Serpens then spotted them standing near the door. "How are they here? They should be in the stars now. That's what the ritual was to do."

"What ritual?"

"The Constellation Maker. We decided the Heroes of the War and their constant companions should become a constellation. Their names would be known forever more, students would study about them, their fame secured for all eternity. Their power and the power of the new constellation would then be divided among those involved with the ritual."

Tipping his head to one side, Kingsley tried to judge if the man was still under. As his eyes were still glazed, he continued. "And nothing could go wrong with this ritual?"

"It is a tried and true ritual. How do you think all the constellations were made." Serpens flung a hand towards the ceiling. "Heroes have historically been sent to the Heavens to light the night sky and bring hope and power to the mortals that are Earthbound."

"You were involved with the ritual?"

"Of course. I do not know what went wrong – they must have escaped before the ritual could be completed." A look of scorn passed over his face. "They have rejected the chance of a lifetime."

"Professor Snape, administer the Doppelgänger Potion's antidote."

Severus tipped the dosing goblet, emptying the contents into the man's mouth. Albus made sure he swallowed the liquid.

It took less than a minute for him to change into a small, redhead man. Watery green eyes glared at Severus. "How?"

"I created an antidote. Who brewed the potion you used on us?"

"Polaris brewed it."

Severus glared at the sleeping Potions Master, and Kingsley took back over the questioning.

"And the other two, what were their level of involvement in these events?"

"They knew the honour being granted to the heroes, but other than that, they were not involved."

"Put him back to sleep." One of the Aurors did as ordered.

"We shall question Pyxis Polaris, Potions Master next." Kingsley gestured for him to be woken up and bound. Filius complied.

"What's goin'on here!?" Polaris glared about him, confusion evident in his expression.

"You are currently being held and questioned about the potion you brewed that was administered to three professors and your involvement in the kidnapping of three students of this school and its Headmaster, as well as the ritual that was being performed with those four." Kingsley watched as the man's face closed off. "We shall be administering Veritaserum to obtain the answers we desire."

Polaris scoffed. "Go ahead, it won't help you. I have brewed and dosed all four of us with a counteractive potion; one that keeps Veritaserum from working."

Kingsley shot Severus a questioning look, that would explain how Serpens acted while dosed. Severus shook his head before walking over to Polaris with the vial.

"The counteractive was brewed according to Constella's potions procedures as taught in Celestial potions, correct?" Severus slightly tipped the vial he was holding, watching the liquid move gently to one side of the container.

"Of course! I would only brew the most effective potions."

Severus nodded. "As anyone who is a Potions Master should do. This Veritaserum was begun on the day of the full moon starting at the solar noon. It finished at the same time, one lunar month later. Shall we test the power of the celestial potion making process compare to the lunar-solar method?"

Polaris just opened his mouth, a confident look on his face. Severus looked at Kingsley, waiting for permission to dose the man. A simple nod had him dosing Polaris with three drops. It took a minute, but the glazed look finally filled his eyes. Severus smirked. Solar noon and a full moon – the light of both did not allow for falsehoods to hide.

"What do you know of the potion that Professors Snape, McGonagall, and Flitwick were dosed with?"

"The Doppelgänger Potion, it is one I invented the potion, but was unable to create an antidote. Those three," he waved at Hermione, Ron, and Harry, "are permanently confined in those forms. Do not bother telling them who they once were, they will not believe you." He glanced at Dumbledore. "I am surprised you are not killing the other Albus Dumbledore. Every person that we tested the potion on attacked their other until one was dead. They were almost driven insane by the presence of another one of themselves; much like if someone was using a time-turner and spotted themselves. There was no difference in the number of time the original or the created one won. It's a good thing that those other three are in the Heavens where they belong."

Kingsley looked flabbergasted so Severus stepped in, raising an eyebrow while he asked, "You did not attempt to prevent the deaths? Did the people agree to the tests knowing what would happen?"

"No." Polaris looked as smug as one could under the truth serum. "It was a test, they didn't need to know, and it would not affect their life that much. They would just step into the spot left by the original, or the original would carry on. Much like those three are doing."

"Those three are the originals." Severus watched the surprise fill the man's face. "I am Professor Snape, and the other two new faces to you are Professors McGonagall and Flitwick. I created an antidote for your potion in two weeks."

Stepping back, he turned the questioning back over to Kingsley.

"What was the ritual supposed to do, and what were the benefit for you?"

"The ritual places the heroes of our era into the stars. When they join them, the energy released from both the Heavens and from them themselves, can be harvested and shared by the selected ones bound to the ritual. There was no benefit for me as I wasn't a selected one."

"Put him back to sleep."

Kingsley sighed lightly while Flitwick once again cast the sleeping charm. "We will question the other two at the Ministry, but these two … what they attempted to do … I can't believe it." He looked up at Albus. "There were others connected to the ritual, who knows how many."

Filius flashed a small smile. "About thirty were at the ritual site. I don't know if any more were connected long distance like Serpens. Severus, you had a chance to study the runes longer than I did, do you know?"

"There were thirty five connection points. Once you discover the number of people at the Galloway Plateau you will know how many more you are looking for. They might be having issues with their magic if they did not pull out of the connection early since we disturbed the ritual." Severus refused to look at Albus, he felt no guilt at making them squibs.

"I'll send a team there as soon as these are safely in a cell." Kingsley gestured for the prisoners to be bound and headed out.

Sʂ/Fʄ/Mɰ

Severus sank into the coils of the snake as he watched the other three relax onto their own chairs. The Hogwarts Crest was glowing beneath their feet.

"Done." Minerva smiled, her head relaxed against the lions tail. "Severus, you've done the seemingly impossible."

"You and Filius also did the seemingly impossible. You defeated the potion, you kept your mind." Severus looked at them and let a small smile curl his lips. "Well done."

"Pomona did an excellent job keeping the castle together while we were hunting. With planning and execution of those plans." Filius nodded towards the Hufflepuff. "Without her, this wouldn't have been as easy."

"The Crest did its job, and I, for one, am glad it is over." Pomona laughed in relief. "Severus, did you get into Polaris' quarters before the Aurors?"

Severus raised an eyebrow as he answered. "Kingsley asked me to enter first. He wished me to determine and record what potions were brewing and then vanish them. While I was there, I copied all his potions journals. I will be working on antidotes for everything that he had in them and submitting them to the Ministry for record."

"We just have the next term to work through, but before that, Christmas and Albus' faculty party." Minerva searched their faces before standing. "Shall we prepare?"

She turned when she reached the door. "Severus, have you spoke to Albus about the Crone's Potion yet?"

"Last night, when he let us into our room, he stayed and we talked about it. It was decided to keep its ability to allow its drinker to cross through ward lines a secret. It was not mentioned to the Aurors, right? Neither Albus nor myself brought it up. Albus says that the trio did not either."

Filius shook his head. "I didn't."

"And neither did I." Minerva pushed the door open, letting them out into the hallway. "There are just some things that should not be on an official record."

With parting smiles, the four Heads of House left wondering what to get each other for the upcoming holiday.