Chapter 35: New Week New Plans

Summary:

Wednesday first day of week 3.

Notes:

Nicknames:

Nasty Master-Sirius
Fleabag/Wolfie-Remus
Screeches-Molly
Missing Cheese Dumbledore
Trashy-Ginny
Master Vampy-Harry
Master Smells-Snape
Master Blondie-Lucius
Darkness-Dark Lord
Grampy Vampy-Rosely
Dead Guys-Radu and Vlad
Cat-Minerva
Gobby-Filius
Meddy witchy-Poppy
Idiot Place (or Idiot anything)-Ministry or Minister
Red hair menace (also Moron Twin)-Ron Weasley
Stupid One (also Moron Twin)-Hermione
Quill Lover-Umbridge
Fruit Loop-Moody
Can't Decide-Tonks
Quiet No Speak-Bode the Unspeakable

Snape groaned as he felt his wand alarm go off. He slid his hand under his pillow and turned it off. He lifted his head, glancing around the room. Lucius was missing, he looked at Potter. "He is getting ready to go and meet Madam Bones; you slept through his wand going off."

Snape was surprised. He always prided himself on being able to wake at any type of noise or movement. He was a spy, he needed that skill. "I never did that before."

Potter gave him a kiss. "I am glad you slept, you need the sleep."

Lucius came out of the bathroom. "Severus, may I borrow your Slytherin cufflinks?" Lucius was wearing Slytherin green open robe with black trousers and a white button-down silk shirt.

"Yes, they are in the box on top of the wardrobe." Severus was still confused as to why he slept through the wand going off. He realized suddenly he felt safe with Potter and Lucius. He knew that he was protected.

"Thank you." Lucius gave Severus a kiss. "I just need to get some Danishes from the kitchen then I am off. I don't think we will be doing any trials today, so I should be home earlier than yesterday."

Snape started to get up but Potter pulled him back down. "I need to get up too, I have a first-period slot today. Thankfully it's Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, though I will say that since Missing Cheese has been gone the house rivals have gone down a lot."

Potter turned Snape, pushed Snape to on his back. Potter leaned down and licked Snape's neck. Lucius laughed. "Harry, the wards, please."

They felt the wards go down and Snape heard Lucius open and close the door. The wards flared back up as Potter bit his mark. Snape started to moan in pleasure. When Potter withdrew his fangs, he leaned down and kissed Snape. "Mine."

"Yours, and you better finish or I will find a way to get even."

Potter grinned. "I was going to, but now I am not sure if I should make you wait or not."

"Harry, please." Snape moaned in pleasure as Potter ran his hand down Snape's body before he could speak again, Potter was kissing him again. He arched his body up against Potter's. Potter froze and let out a growl. Snape wanted to scream but instead got out of bed as Potter started to head towards the door. "Potter, don't." They were suddenly dressed in their dressing gowns. The wards came down and Potter entered the main living area, with Snape right behind him. Aurora was coming out of Radu's room with Radu. "Aurora, don't move." Radu froze.

Potter was growling, Aurora froze and looked at Radu. Confusion and panic on her face. Snape moved to stand in front of Potter, earning another growl. "Aurora, let me get Potter back into our bedroom." Snape took a step backward. Potter pulled him behind his back and growled again. Snape didn't say another word.

"I am not challenging you." Radu pulled Aurora to him. "She is my mate." Radu bowed his head. "Aurora, kneel."

Aurora knelt with Radu kneeling next to her. "Radu?"

"He is in charge and we are in his nest, we need to let him know we don't mean any harm. It's his instincts again." Radu explained.

"I just wanted to go to my quarters before breakfast." Aurora said.

"He knows that this is just the first time you stayed in Radu's. While he watched you enter Radu's room last night, his instincts, however, are kicking in." Snape said from over Potter's shoulder. Potter growled at Snape. "Fine, but I was just explaining."

"Aurora, when you stand up, you need to either head to my room or to the door." Radu instructed her. "He isn't exactly a morning person."

"That is an understatement." Snape responded, earning another warning growl.

Aurora got up, with Radu rising with her. Aurora headed for the door. "I will see you at breakfast."

Radu headed to his room. Snape started to head back to the bedroom. Potter was behind him, Snape let out a yelp as Potter smacked his arse. "You and your protectiveness." Snape felt the wards go back up and he headed to the bathroom. "Potter, come and take a shower with me, we still have some time."

Potter looked at him. "You stood between us."

"I know." Snape said. "They wouldn't have harmed me."

"Not the point, you stood between us." Potter snapped. "You know better."

"I do." Snape moved to Potter, he knelt down. "Yours."

"You endangered yourself." Potter answered.

Snape knew Potter was right. If it had been anyone else but Radu or family, he could have been hurt. He knew Potter wasn't happy with his actions. While he had in the past stepped between Potter and whomever he was going after, it was to prevent Potter from hurting someone. "Potter, I knew they wouldn't harm me." He looked up. He saw Potter's face, he knew he was in serious trouble.

"You endangered yourself." Potter repeated.

Snape sighed, knowing what he needed to do. "Yes, I did. If it was anyone else but Aurora or Radu I could have been hurt."

"Tonight." Potter informed him.

Snape got up, headed to the bathroom. "Are you going to join me?"

"Yes, you know I will be." Potter answered as he removed their clothing.

Minerva arranged for all the students to be in their common rooms for their Heads of House to speak to them. Potter followed Snape and was standing the shadows as Snape spoke to his snakes.

"I know most of you are worried about the changes that might be happening. Some of you believe you won't be snakes any longer, but you are family, once a snake always a snake, no matter what house you might be sorted into. We know there are others who should be snakes, we will welcome them into our house. Slytherins are a united house, we stand together." Snape looked at each student. "Do you have any questions?"

"What is going to happen? Draco is gone, Potter is a Royal Living Vampire, we have vampires protecting us. Dumbledore-" Pansy started the questions.

"Missing Cheese." Most of the students reminded her as Potter growled low. Snape turned his head quickly to look at Potter; he gave him a slight smile.

"Missing Cheese as done a lot of crimes, what aren't you telling us?" She finished asking.

"I could lie to you, but I won't. Missing Cheese and his cohorts have done unspeakable things. We are still learning what he had done. We are working on figuring out everything and finding solutions. As soon as we know what is happening, we will tell you. We aren't going to stop the Daily Prophet from being delivered. We aren't going to shut down the floo network nor are we stopping trips into Hogsmeade." Snape looked around the room quickly, he could see the sense of relief in his snakes at his words. Those were the methods that Missing Cheese had used to control things, and Minerva wasn't going to do allow that.

Potter stepped forward as Blaise stepped away from his friends. He moved closer to Snape and Potter. "Potter, you have protected us. We have spoken among ourselves and we have decided to follow you and your father."

"We know there is more to come, and we want to offer our support." Theo added. "We know Potter is a snake, even if he was sorted into the lions."

"He was meant to be a snake, Missing Cheese forced him into the lions." Snape informed them. "I want to add that I am very proud of all of you. You have been united and haven't wavered." He paused. "I know you are aware that Draco is getting some help. He will be returning as soon as he is well."

"When is the resorting?" Daphne Greengrass asked.

"We aren't sure if we'll be doing a resorting." Snape answered. "We are aware of the problem, but we don't know if the Board will be doing a resort or not. We are going to be looking for the founder's portraits and speaking to the Sorting Hat for additional information before the decision is made."

"Is Harry's father really the Dark Lord?" Aidan Whitmore asked.

"Yes, he is. Tom Marvolo Riddle is the Dark Lord, the Dark Lord is now your DADA Professor." Snape answered. He could feel Potter wanting to hide in the shadows. He knew Potter how much he hated being stared at.

"The stories in the Daily Prophet are true? I mean most of us have seen the shows, we got to see the wedding and then the memory, but are the rest true?" A small first year asked, by the name of Bruce Boxer.

"I am not sure what you are referring to, however, most of the stories, as far as I know, are true. I can't go through each story, but we have been trying to keep you informed and up to date in what we know. Any more questions?" No one voiced another question. "If you have any concerns, please feel free to ask me, also know you can go to Headmistress McGonagall and any of the other staff. They know the Dark Lord is here and they are aiding us."

"Thank you, Professor." Pansy stated. "We are grateful for letting us know." Snape heard the surprise that the Headmistress knew the Dark Lord was here. He was staying and teaching.

"You're welcome. Now get ready to head to lunch." Snape said. "I expect you to hold up the Slytherin House traditions." Snape turned and head out of the common room, he knew Potter was close behind him.

Lucius, with Rosely and Vlad, arrived back at Hogwarts shortly before dinner. They quickly and quietly made their way to the Great Hall. They took their seats and waited for the students and staff to arrive. When Lucius saw Minerva, he stood up and quietly spoke to her. After a short discussion, Lucius retook his place back at the table. Minerva remained standing. "Students, there has been a decision regarding the issue regarding the sorting. Professor Malfoy will speak of the decision."

Lucius stood up. "After speaking to the Wizengamot and the Board, we have decided that if a student wishes to be resorted it will be allowed, no questions asked. If you decide you want to be resorted, please let your current Head of House know. On Friday, we will do a sorting ceremony. Some adults might be attending, as we will be extending the invitation to anyone who has attended Hogwarts. After the sorting, we will have a feast and party."

The students let out a cheer as Lucius sat down.

Chapter 36: Some Days It Pays To Stay In Bed

Summary:

Wed evening first day of week 3, Thursday

They all settled into their usual spots, as Severus took his place on Potter's lap. Lucius sat down next to them and Potter pulled him closer. "What happened, Lucius?" The Dark Lord was relaxing against Vlad.

"This morning when we arrived, Amelia was waiting for us with Cornelius in her office. Last night after we left, one of the Aurors went to check on Hermione Granger. They found a Chameleon Ghoul in the cell. All the glamours failed because there was no magic feeding them. Now the really strange part of this is, when they went to put her into a tank, she actually faded from view, she tried to run out of the cell but Kreacher caught her. He put her into the tank and we got to see her true colors. She turned into white Chameleon Ghoul."

"Does it matter about the colors?" Poppy asked.

"Yes, white means that isn't her true form, she is hiding it." Snape answered. "The most common of the Chameleon Ghouls is green, then blue, after that it's red, black and yellow. White isn't a natural Chameleon Ghoul color."

"Correct. Amelia called Rookwood and two other Unspeakables. When they started to unravel all the bonds and rituals, it turned out Miss Granger is actually a gnome. They found her in the Weasley's yard shortly before Ron would have turned ten. Missing Cheese set up the background for the Granger family. Their real daughter had died from cancer." Lucius explained.

"So what are they going to do with her?" Minerva asked.

"They put her out in Dean Forest." Rosely informed them. "There was no sense in punishing a creature who was obeying their orders. She doesn't have any magic and is back to her original form." He was holding Minerva's hand. The humans realized that their vampire mates needed their mates' touch and while normally public displays of affection were discouraged in Hogwarts, this really wasn't public.

"He means the Forest of Dean." Lucius gave the man smirk. Rosely couldn't get the name correct.

"What about Bode?" The Dark Lord asked.

"No luck regarding him. They searched every place they could think of, but he has disappeared for now. I don't think he is gone for good. He has too much riding on this to just disappear. I believe he will come back looking different, for all we know that wasn't his original form." Rosely answered. "He didn't look that old as an Unspeakable."

"We did, however, turn up some interesting information when Rookwood and some of the other Unspeakables searched his office." Lucius stated. "They found the basic outline of the plan, stuff we already pieced together but really couldn't do anything about. Amelia asked Rookwood and Dawlish to go through everything and pull anyone else they might need for it."

"Do we have any information regarding Alastor Gumboil?" Radu asked. He had Aurora tucked under his arm and was holding Aurora's hand.

"No, that was a bust. Ginny and Ron didn't know the name. When we tried to speak to him today, we got nowhere. However, this was interesting. When we informed Caradoc Dearborn and Missing Cheese that Bode was missing and left them hanging, both seemed pleased by the information." Rosely added. "I couldn't read anything in their shadows about it, so I believe they couldn't have told us anything even if they wanted."

A book flew out of their bookcase and landed with a thud on the desk in front of Snape. "Potter?" Snape asked as the pages began to turn. "MacFusty? We already know his family name."

Potter growled and continued reading, clearly ignoring everyone as they wondered what was going on. "Harry?" The Dark Lord asked again, and Potter finally lifted his head from the book.

"His family. Look at them. They all have bright blue eyes, Bode didn't. Why? They all have that dirty blond hair, his was dark, and some places he looked like he was balding. Why? He has been hiding his true appearance. He looked more like the toad than a MacFusty, like Umbridge did." Potter answered. "His age didn't match either."

Lucius pulled the book towards him. "He is right. There are some very strong family traits, like with the Malfoy blond hair, the Prince family with their tall, slender frame. Same with the Gaunt family."

"We can give Amelia and the others a more detailed family traits for them to be aware of." Rosely told them.

"Wait; give me the description of the basic MacFusty family." Minerva said.

"They all have bright blue eyes, dirty blond hair, seems to be on the shorter side, heavier than average, not hugely overweight. They all seem to have Umbridge's build. They clearly have muscles, I think from working with dragons." Lucius answered her.

"Oh, I know who it is. He is an Order member. One who disappeared about ten years ago after the Potters were killed. What was the name?" Minerva began to think. Everyone waited as the woman was trying to remember. "He was in the Order as Oakden Hobday, he wanted us to call him Oakie. None of us understood why. Missing Cheese had him on staff for some early planning DADA Professor list he was created, this was before Hogwarts got known for the yearly DADA position curse. During the first war, he wanted to hire a DADA Professor for each year, seven DADA professors. The idea was rejected and they thought of dividing the job. NEWTs to be handled by one professor and OWLs for another."

"That would have enabled him to get more of his people to recruit if they did a professor for each year." The Dark Lord stated. "Especially if they wanted to form mentor bounds with select students, which we know they were already manipulating students."

"True, but he stuck out because I remember wondering why he was being hired because even though the man claimed he had his Masters and a Teaching Certificate, he couldn't stand teaching or children, not that it ever bothered Missing Cheese. He looked like a dirty blond version of the Toad, with bright blue eyes. Severus, you have to remember him. You dueled and you took him down in three spells and you weren't even trying. That was enough for all of us to veto him getting hired." Minerva stated.

"I do remember him, and you are correct, he did look exactly like that." Snape answered.

"I will let Amelia know." Lucius informed them. "May I get a copy of the memory so she can see what he looks like?"

"Certainly." Minerva allowed the Dark Lord to take the memory and Lucius put it on his desk to bring with him in the morning.

"He will be better at defense now if he is an Unspeakable." Poppy cautioned.

"No, not really, most Unspeakables are great with spells and knowledge, but doesn't mean they can defend themselves or duel. The ones with that knowledge and skill are usually hit wizards." Snape told her.

"So we know Bode is missing but have a description of him, hopefully, an accurate one. We know Granger is now a gnome in the Forest of Dean." Vlad summoned up. "Anything else?"

"There weren't any trials today, as the goblins came and spoke to the Wizengamot. They are going to see if they can find a way around Missing Cheese stealing from the muggle-born vaults. We spent most of the morning trying to work out a plan, but as they said until we find a way around everything or make a new law giving them some exemption they really can't do anything without breaking a treaty or two. Also, another concern was since Missing Cheese used magical binding contracts if or how they could be broken without causing problems for the muggle-born students." Lucius informed them.

"Do you think that was his aim? I mean he wanted to break the one with the Vampires and other creatures. Maybe he is hoping we will try and break those contracts?" Filius asked.

"It seems so. The money is sitting in his vaults. It's sealed so no one can remove it, but it's still sitting there. After the goblins left, everyone decided to work on creating a law to work around it. They have Yaxley and Parkinson along with Lady Longbottom and Lady Roberts working on creating it with some other minor Ministry workers and two barristers. The main focus is protecting those he damaged." Lucius answered.

"After lunch, the Board of Governor's arrived. The Sorting Hat was very helpful. It was an easy decision to decide to do the resorting after the Hat explained that Missing Cheese took the concept of the Houses and changed how they should work. The hat explained it was actually Missing Cheese who created the rumor back when he was in school that the founders fought and Salazar Slytherin left. Missing Cheese and a few of his cohorts were the ones who hid the portraits. They are down in the lower bowels of the dungeons, frozen, and hidden behind a secret door. This weekend we can go and get them. Now, when he started as a Transfiguration Professor, he was the one who actually set up the classroom schedule. Housemaster Dippet actually promoted house unity, but Missing Cheese didn't like that idea and he set up the idea that all Slytherins were evil. He started grouping the Slytherin and Gryffindor classes together to help force the rumor into reality." Rosely informed them. "He relied on the brassiness of the Gryffindors to upset the more reserved attitude of the Slytherins."

"You mentioned the sorting is open to adults, Lucius, I know you said any student can get re-sorted without being asked any questions, how about former students?" Minerva asked.

"That took a bit to hash out, but in the end, we decided it was only fair to open it to everyone. Tomorrow and the next few days paper will reflect that all the houses are going through this and it will mention that Missing Cheese set it so that the houses weren't accurate in their placements. Anyone who wants a resort could and should be proud of any house they were from and the house they might resort to. The Board will recognize either house if they find themselves in a new house, with no questions asked. If will be mentioned that you don't have to be resorted if you desire it."

"So we might be doing a lot of sorting on Friday night?" Minerva asked.

"I hope not, in the paper we asked anyone who wants a resort to owl and ask which night was better, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. We explained that the students would be done on Friday and the paper will state that we will try to do them over the course of the year to give anyone who lives overseas a chance to get resorted if they wish." Lucius suddenly found a glass of water in front of him. He looked at Potter, took a sip of the water. "Thank you."

Potter nodded, but suddenly stood up, pushing Snape behind him and headed for the door. "What now?" Vlad asked. They all got up and started to follow Potter, as he was clearly stalking something. Potter faded out and they all wait in the hall until they heard a thud around the corner and rushed to find out who Potter found. They arrived to see Potter with his fangs out and some stranger screaming, "help."

"Harry, no." The Dark Lord ran forward as Rosely, Vlad, and Radu tackled Potter to the ground. Minerva and Snape cast a quick Incarcerous on the man standing there. The man looked like Umbridge with slightly lighter hair and blue eyes.

"Who are you?" Lucius asked the bound man. They knew it wasn't Bode, he wouldn't walk in here with all the vampires around. He wondered how the man got into Hogwarts in the first place.

"I am a friend. I came here because of what I saw in the paper and I have some information for you." The man said. "My name is Darren MacFusty and my worthless great uncle is destroying our family name. I was able to get by the vampires because of my cloak, and a masking spell." He tilted his head to the floor, where they could see Vlad, Radu, and Rosely were trying to control Potter, who they could only see half of, wrestling with Vlad, Radu, and Rosely. The cloak was tangled around Potter.

"Do you mind if we use Veritaserum to prove that?" The Dark Lord asked. "Severus?"

"You will need to move him before he will calm down." Snape answered. "Can you hold him a few minutes until they move him away?" He looked at Rosely, Vlad, and Radu, who had all of their weight on a tangled Potter.

"Yes." Rosely answered. "It will be tough but we can do it if you move fast. We only got him by surprise. He is still tangled in the cloak."

"I wouldn't expect nothing less." Darren MacFusty answered. "I have been waiting years for someone to put a stop to those two clowns and their grand plans."

"Get him into the Great Hall." The Dark Lord stated. "Severus, Lucius?"

"As soon as you leave, we will get him calmed down." Lucius answered. They moved closer to Vlad, Radu, and Rosely. They could hear Potter growling. "This isn't going to be pretty."

"No. He really hates intruders." Rosely stated.

"Ready when you are." Radu said.

"They are almost there, give them three more seconds and on the count of three, let him up and we will take over." Snape informed them.

"One, two, three." Rosely, Vlad, and Radu jumped away as Potter jumped up growling.

Snape moved to stand in front of Potter. He knew he was going to be punished for what he was about to do, plus this morning, but he wasn't going to let Potter go after the intruder. Lucius was behind him and wrapped his arms around Potter's chest, as Snape slowly walked closer to Potter. "Harry, you know you can't eat him. You also know we aren't in any danger." He hoped Potter would view this as he did the earlier attempts to keep Potter from eating someone. "Come on, let's head to our quarters. Lucius will draw us a bath, and then we can head to bed. It's been a very long day."

"It has Harry. Let them deal with the intruder." Lucius said into Potter's ear. "Severus has a great idea, plus I haven't seen either of you all day."

Potter growled and tried to move around them. "Harry, please." Snape moved into his arms, wrapping himself around Potter's chest. "Harry."

Potter growled. "Harry, remember the no-kill clause is still in effect." Lucius kissed his neck as he finished saying that.

"Harry, let your father get the information. You know he will. He has the Veritaserum too." Snape informed him. He nodded to Lucius who moved to stand next to Snape and they slowly walked Potter backward until Potter wrapped his arms around them and shadowed them into the Great Hall.

"Not where we wanted to go Harry." Snape mumbled.

"Harry?" The Dark Lord looked at them. "Is he in control?"

"Define control?" Lucius asked, eyeing his mate wearily. "If you mean he won't kill him, then yes. He is growly." They pushed Potter towards his normal seat and Snape sat in his lap. Lucius pulled his chair close and leaned into Potter.

Snape leaned back into Potter's chest and felt his arms wrap around his waist. "Harry, remember no killing."

Potter tilted his head down and kissed Snape on the cheek as he growled. "Yes, we can take a bath after this." Lucius didn't need the rest of them knowing they liked baths, so he answered Potter in a quiet whisper.

"Well, let's get started, I would like to actually go to bed before midnight sometime this month." Poppy remarked.

"Ready when you are." Darren opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue for the drops.

They waited for a few seconds and the Dark Lord asked, "What is your name?" They had already decided that the Dark Lord would ask the questions.

"Darren Matthew MacFusty."

"Are you married?"

"No, wouldn't want to subject anyone to my great uncle."

"Why are you here?"

"To help, my great uncle is nuts. I get he is upset about his sister, but this whole revenge against everyone's a bit much. He doesn't care who he or that old fart destroy. They need some kind of meds or locked away in a closed unit in St. Mungo's."

"Do you know of any of their plans?"

"They had some plan for a young kid, sick part was it was the old fart's great-grandson. They planned on killing him, stealing his money and seats. They did that to a lot of kids actually, well, not the killing. Now the really weird part of it was, they stole his kid from his real family. They set him up with the old fool's family. Not only that, they also set up a bunch of others, not sure of the names but they wanted to make sure they died. I know the Potters were ones they set up to die. They also had that sick cousin of mine come here with the blood quill, they wanted her to make sure the students viewed the Ministry has bad, so when they took over they would be grateful for the change." Darren paused, "My great uncle returned home two nights ago, in a panic, he started ranting about getting people together and storming the Ministry."

"When? How?"

"It isn't going to happen, he calmed down and rethought things, he went back to his original looks and is going to show up tomorrow at the Ministry and try to get a new job. He has some fake Defense Mastery. I don't know what name he is planning to use, but he wants to get onto the Hit Wizard team or some such rot. He couldn't hit the board side of a barn with a spell, that is why the family sent him away from his working with the dragons, he can't cast."

"What does he plan on doing with his new job?"

"He wants to kill the ones who know who he is, and start fresh. He has some people, some woman name Marchbank who has lined up people to take the places of the ones he wants to kill, he even has a pair that will allow him to fake their deaths. He wants to kill a few Professors here and someone name McGonagall. He believes he can set it up like he just did with the old fart. He is going to make it look like accidental deaths or try and get the vampires or the one he calls a mistake to eat the ones he needs dead. Something about going after their mates and making sure the treaty gets broken."

Potter let out a growl, Snape let out a sound of pain as Lucius landed in his lap along with Vlad and Radu to keep Potter in place. Potter growled again. "Get off of me." Snape snapped. "He wasn't going to go anywhere. Lucius, why did you land on me?"

"I didn't. I was picked up."

"I dumped him on you." Vlad said. "I was hoping Harry wouldn't move if you were both on him."

"He wasn't going to attack. He actually asked a question." Snape stated. "He wanted to know if Mr. MacFusty knew how it was going to be done."

"Do you know how Bode was going to achieve this?" The Dark Lord asked.

"He plans on poisoning the lot of you." He paused. "Some house elf by the name of Nix or something like that."

"Nixi. Missing Cheese's elf." Minerva explained.

"Can we stop it?" The Dark Lord asked.

"Yes, as the Headmistress I can take charge of the elf. It's not a personal one, she is one of Hogwarts." Minerva answered.

"Yes, kill the elf or break the bond." Darren also answered the question.

"What else can you tell us?" The Dark Lord asked.

"Well, I can tell you he wasn't expecting you to be here, actually nothing that happened he was expecting. Their mating, the Dark Lord being here, and certainly not the mass of vampires that showed up. He has been wondering why none of the Treaties have been broken. That is driving him nuts actually. He also has some idea of kidnapping Potter and seeing if he can gain control over him. The old fart suggested that one." Darren paused. "His followers have two different marks. The ones who know what is really going on have a bunch of runes tied into theirs, he put a tongue-tying curse on some of the runes, the ones he considers expendable just have a little goose on their backs. The ones you need to worry about are the ones with their mark on the back of their necks, below the collar line. He likes to tie them to a family member if they aren't family so he can use old family magic on them through the markings."

"Anything else?"

"Yes, he is planning on going after the Centaurs in the Forbidden Forest. He originally was hoping the Dementors would kill about half of the school and blame it on Potter being a dark creature and summoning them. When that didn't work he decided to set it up so that Potter would be viewed as the one who attacked the Centaurs, he plans on doing that late Friday night, early Saturday morning. After he attacks them, he is going to go for the werewolves, make it look like a vampire attack and get the two factions fighting."

"Who is he going to use to do this?"

"No idea, he really doesn't have anyone with the skills to do it. The ones in the Order who know and trusts are old like him and the old fart. He wears glamours to appear young. The ones who don't know the truth, he knows they follow Potter as he has been watching the papers and the Ministry. He has been losing a lot of people, most have abandoned him when they learned the truth. Marchbanks has been trying to keep them united, but most want nothing to do with either of them."

"How many people does he have the will follow him fully?"

"I would say about fifty, of those fifty, about ten are my age or younger, most are over eighty, a few of them are over hundred. I know that isn't old by our standard of living but for engaging a bunch of werewolves, vampires or even centaurs, it's a death sentence. Most of them are not fighters, he recruited a group of people that are all transformation students. Granted, I know transformation can be dangerous in battle, but you need duelers, you need defense, you need charms in a real battle, having everyone with one specialty makes it a quick battle. It wouldn't take much to disable any force he used to attack."

No one said anything for a few seconds, wondering what kind of nut they were dealing with. "How about potions?" Snape asked.

"None of them can brew. They usually have to hire someone out of the UK to get anything special they need."

"So no poisons?"

"They have ordered some and have some, but they really have no idea how to use them effectively. He tried to poison Dearborn two nights ago, and it failed. Just made the man slightly sick."

"What about the old fool and the others in the Ministry cells?"

"He is going to leave them to rot, including the old fool. He figures the man got himself caught and can't get out of it, it's his own fault."

"Does he know anything about Potter being a Royal and what it means to be a Living Vampire?"

"No, he thought Rosely was an undead one. He has no clue what a Living Vampire is and still doesn't, not a lot is written about them, I don't think he knows Potter is a Royal."

The Dark Lord gave Darren the antidote. "Thank you. Listen, I don't know how much help I can provide to you in the future, but if I hear anything else I will let you know."

"Thank you, we appreciate that, but don't get yourself killed trying to find out anything, we knew most of what you already told us. We already figured out he was under glamours."

Darren laughed. "I knew it. Something that toad said made me think you did. She was telling him about the resorting and how Potter acted after the potion accident but the biggest thing that made me wonder was how she was played and didn't even realize it. I mean she walked right into the Ministry into her own arrest. That was just priceless. Most of the those in the family had a good laugh. We don't support him, but he is the Head and it makes it hard."

"We did enjoy that ourselves." Poppy grinned, she liked the young man. "Do you think he knows you came here?"

"No, I usually disappear at night so he won't think anything of it. He also believes that everyone in the family supports him. He couldn't be more wrong. Most of them are just afraid of him, so they don't say anything to him." Darren answered. "If he gets too bad, I will just disappear, or head to one of the dragon reserves. They are always looking for willing and experienced people."

"If you need any help, we have a friend who works in the Romanian one." Minerva told him.

"Charlie?" At their nod, he laughed. "I will mention it to him when I see him later tonight."

Potter nuzzled Snape and let out a bit of a grumble. "No, we aren't going Weasley hunting." Snape earned another low grumble.

"Harry, there isn't a Weasley here." The Dark Lord stated.

"Actually Charlie and Bill are in Hogsmeade waiting for me. He is the one who got me the cloak. Bill did the masking spell." Darren enjoyed this group. He could see why they were able to beat his crazy relative and the old fool.

Potter humphed at them. "Fine, you were right." Snape responded. "I can't believe you smelled a Weasley on him."

Potter grumbled again. "Really?" Lucius asked. "So you aren't married to a Weasley?"

"Nope, but we will be bonded next month, now that someone is after my uncle." Darren grinned. "Charlie and I."

"I am never doubting your nose again." Snape realized he shouldn't doubted Potter to begin with. Potter could smell what he eat the first day he was turned.

"How about I shadow you back to Hogsmeade?" Rosely held up the worn looking invisibility cloak.

"That would be great. I don't want to have to sneak through all the vampires out there, again." Darren answered. "I also don't want to be seen walking out of here, too many eyes on this place."

"I have to agree with that." Vlad responded. "We have been finding all kinds of people watching Hogwarts."

"I will be back in a few seconds." Rosely stated, taking hold of their young intruder.

"Do we need to talk about any of this tonight or can it wait?" Poppy asked.

"I think it can wait, we already knew most of it. I will mirror call Ironclaw, Fenrir, and Bane tonight and warn them, just in case. I am sure Vlad and Radu can inform the vampires. I don't think we can do much more than that tonight." The Dark Lord answered. Rosely arrived back and took his previous seat.

"I agree." Minerva added. "The Centaurs and the rest will make sure nothing will happen, especially if they are aware of the situation. Maybe see if the Centaurs and werewolves can seek asylum at Gringotts until this is over?"

"I am sure they will work it out. I don't want to add to our own workload. Bane also knows where the caves are, Fenrir showed him." Rosely told them. "It one of the things we spoke to him about a few days ago." Reminding them of the meeting the Dark Lord and he had with Bane.

"Good." Poppy answered.

"Let's call it a night." Filius stated as he cast a tempus. "Look, it's only slightly after nine."

"Considering how busy our evenings have been, I am impressed by how well behaved the students are acting." Aurora commented as they rose.

"Yes, I think it's because our Prefects and Head Boy and Girl have been right on top of everything. Filch has been handling all of the detentions and has actually been really wonderful about them." Minerva stated as they started to walk out. "No threats of whipping, chaining students by their thumbs, and I think it's a personal favorite of his, but he usually mentions a rugby bat."

"Potter?" Snape asked as he turned and looked at him, he didn't get an answer, instead, he felt the shadows enveloped him and they were in their bedroom. "How much trouble am I in?"

Potter growled a bit and sat down on the bed. "What did you do?" Lucius asked.

"I stood between Radu, Aurora, and him this morning when Aurora left the Radu's bedroom."

"You have stood between him and eating someone before." Lucius was confused.

"This was different. He was establishing that this was his nest and I stopped him and endangered myself because if Radu wanted to protect his own mate, I was between them." Snape answered.

"Yes, you are in trouble." Lucius answered. "We aren't for this evening?"

"No, we have done that before and most likely will again." Snape answered. "Harry, you know I wasn't trying to interfere, I just didn't want Aurora or Radu hurt." Potter glared at him and got up and walked out of the room.

"What was that about?" Lucius asked.

"I agreed to the punishment earlier, but I don't know why he just left." Snape started to follow Potter. They found him sitting at the desk, with a book opened. Potter pushed the book toward Snape. Snape read it and paled. "I am sorry Harry I didn't know."

"What?" Lucius was getting very confused.

"When I stepped in between them, if Radu was anyone else, he could have killed me and Harry wouldn't have been able to do a thing about it. Radu could have said he was protecting his own mate and been justified in my killing. Harry wouldn't be able to take another primarily mate or any other mate until you were also killed." Snape answered.

"Wouldn't that kill Harry?" Lucius asked taking the book from Severus.

"No, but it would make him wish he was dead because, without two mates, he would feel hungry all the time. It would be too much of a strain on you and if he fed off of others it wouldn't be as filling." Snape answered. "Harry, I honestly didn't know, you know that."

Potter pulled him into his lap and licked his mark. "I know, no more?"

"No, I won't do it again. Punishment?" Snape asked.

"No." Potter nuzzled into him.

Lucius grinned. "Let's have a bath."

Snape stood up, elated about not being punished, though he had enjoyed his previous punishments. "Come on Grumpy."

Lucius groaned as his wand went off. He felt around under the pillow, trying to find his wand when he heard two growls of irritation. "I can't find it." Lucius lifted his head off of Potter's arm, trying to find his wand, only to have Potter hand it to him. "Thank you. Go back to sleep. You don't need to be up for another three hours."

Snape groaned. "Lucius, you need to go back to sleep. You don't need to be at the Ministry until 8, it's only 4."

"I know but I need to get everything together for Amelia. I need to check the files, make sure we don't have anything mixed up. I don't want to give her our files on what we can't prove. I also want to make sure to include what Darren told us last night."

Potter tightened his hold on Lucius. "Sleep."

"Harry, I had a good night's rest. I need to get up." Lucius didn't see Snape move away as he was suddenly pinned under a very determined mate. "Oops."

"Oops is right." Snape told him.

Potter growled down at him, his fangs came out and he moved Lucius' head to expose his mark. He ran his tongue over the mark and as Lucius moaned Potter said, "mine" and bite Lucius on his mark.

"Yours." Lucius moaned in pleasure. He laid there enjoying the pleasure until Potter withdrew and as he was about to move he found himself over Potter's legs and his butt felt a sting. "Ouch."

"Say yours." Snape told him, as another smack landed.

"Yours." Lucius said. "I am yours."

Smack. "Mine."

"Yours."

Smack. "Mine."

"Yours."

Smack. "Mine."

"Yours."

Smack. "Mine."

"Yours."

Smack. "Mine."

"Yours."

Smack. "Mine."

"Yours."

Smack. "Mine."

"Yours."

Smack. "Mine."

"Yours." Lucius yelped, as the last one landed. He was turned in Potter's arms and moved so that he was laying down almost on top of Potter. Snape moved in closer. "I will reset my alarm for another hour." At Potter's growl. "Two?" He got a nod of approval. Potter pulled the quilt over them as they settled back into bed.

Snape groaned Lucius' wand went off. Potter growled as Snape lifted his head and they watch Lucius grab his wand and get out of bed. "I will wake you in an hour." Lucius' butt didn't feel sore but he wasn't going to push his mate.

Potter growled, turned, taking Snape with him. "I have my wand set." Snape smirked as Potter molded their bodies together.

"I am not sure how long I will be at the Ministry today. I don't believe we will be doing another trial until next week since we can't get anything out of Dearborn and Granger isn't a witch anymore. Missing Cheese, will most likely next week after, Amelia wants to make sure we really can nail him for everything." Lucius informed them. "I want to make sure his barrister doesn't try to push for Harry to come to the Ministry."

Potter grumbled as he pulled the covers over his head. Snape pulled them back down. "Lucius, you are doing a wonderful job, and I know you and Amelia will make sure he doesn't get off, however, unless you plan on rejoining us in bed, may I suggest you head to the bathroom before our grumpy mate pulls you back into bed."

Lucius smirked as he headed to the bathroom. At the door, he stopped. "So I am taking it you don't want me to wake you for a goodbye kiss?" He ducked into the bathroom as some pillows were tossed his way.

Chapter 37: Bode

Summary:

Thursday

Snape woke up to Potter moving him onto his back. He felt Potter's tongue over his mark and he tried to hold back a moan but he heard it escape. He knew Potter was grinning. "Harry, don't tease me, please."

"You like it." Potter gave him a kiss and Snape found himself, as he always did with Potter, yielding. He never submitted to anyone before, but Potter was different. He found himself loving the position and attention Potter was giving him. "You are mine." He loved knowing he was Potter's and loved how much Potter showed them not just in making love to them, but in all of his actions.

"Yours." Snape answered. "Now show me." He didn't have to look at Potter to know that Potter was smirking, he knew that the blasted royal living vampire would do exactly that. He was also looking forward to the attention he was about to receive.

Snape felt Potter's fangs sink into his mark and he moaned again, as he arched into Potter. His erection pressing into Potter and he let out another moan as pleasure as Potter began to caress his erection. He tried to arch into Potter's hand, but Potter laid his chest over his chest, leaving just his legs free to move. "Harry." Snape's desire was poured into that one word. He felt Potter's fangs retract. Potter gave him a kiss when Potter pulled back Snape gave Potter's lips a swipe with his tongue.

"I want you on your belly." Potter ran a hand down Snape's thigh.

Snape turned over and lifted his arse up, wiggled it. "Pillow."

Potter placed a pillow under Snape's hips. Snape felt Potter starting to prepare him, the slow movement of the fingers stretching him, opening him for Potter. He was being tormented, he knew it. The slow burn, mixed with the desire, was driving him out of his mind. "Harry, please."

"Patience." Potter began to drag out the opening of Snape, slowing moving his fingers in and out, caressing Snape's back with his other hand. He was enjoying all the writhing and moaning that the normally stoic man denied them outside of this room. When he was ready he entered his Snape. "Not until I say so."

"Harry." Snape knew he was repeating himself and did it over and over. He didn't care as long as Potter kept hitting that pleasurable spot that sent him sailing into a pool of pleasure. He was going to need a throat soother after yelling Potter's name. He never knew he could be so wanton, that he would enjoy sex this much. He wasn't a virgin but usually, sex was just sex, this was all about pleasure. He never experienced so much pleasure from one simple act. Potter brought him to heights of pleasure he had never experienced before. He briefly wondered if he would have enjoyed sex before if he had been on the receiving end as he was now.

"Cum." Potter ordered him and they came together. Potter didn't remove himself right away, instead, he laid himself over Snape and just enjoyed their closeness, as they recovered.

"Can you get off of me now?" Snape, while he enjoyed waking up in Potter's arm, found Potter was heavy. "You weigh a ton, you aren't the skinny little twerp you were a month ago." Which he was extremely thankful for. He loved how Potter looked and acted.

"My Severus." Potter commented as he got up off of him, he kissed Snape on the temple as he pulled him into his arms.

"My Vampire." Snape retorted. "We need to get up, we have to start our day." He didn't want to look at the time, but he knew they had to get up, they had classes today.

Lucius calmly walked from the entrance of the Great Hall to the Head Table. He was trying to keep the joy off of his face. He finally arrived at the Head Table, and gave them all a quick glance, he looked back to the Dark Lord. "We need to speak, all of us." He gave them a meaningful look.

"Important?" The Dark Lord was looking at Lucius, he realized the man was trying to hold back something that made him very happy.

"Very." Lucius looked at Potter and Snape, he continued. "It's something we were hoping for." He glanced again at his mates, he really wanted to grab them and start jumping with joy.

Rosely and Vlad shadowed in. "I see you beat us here, I was hoping to see how well you did on holding it in." Rosely had a huge smile on his face as did Vlad.

"Yes, what delayed you?" Lucius wondered how he beat the vampires back.

"Shadow reading." Rosely answered with his grin still on his face.

"May this wait until after the classes end for the day?" Minerva asked.

"It can, but I can tell you, you will be very happy to hear this information." Rosely teased them with that.

Minerva stood up. "Classes are dismissed for this afternoon if you have any detentions they will be served with Mr. Filch." The students cheered. "We will still share any information we get as soon as we are able to do so. Do remember tomorrow night will be the resorting and a party afterward."

They quickly made their way to Snape's quarters. Everyone taking their usual seats and Lucius, who hadn't stopped grinning, sat next to Snape and Potter. "Do you want to tell them?" He asked Rosely.

"No, you can." Rosely answered, trying to contain his glee.

"They caught Bode. He walked into the Ministry, and they got him as he applied for to be a Hit Wizard." Lucius said. "We gave Amelia the description this morning. They had some vampires and three Unspeakables and some Aurors in the Hit Wizard room. Since we caught Caradoc Dearborn, they moved the office. He walked right into the office next door to Amelia's and calmly filled out the application. As soon as he walked in, however, the clerk recognized him and sent the warning signal out. The vampires and the rest waited until we arrived. You should have seen his face when Amelia said he was under arrest." Lucius told them.

"May we see the memory?" Poppy asked.

"We can't since there were Unspeakables in the room, Cornelius and Amelia asked us not to." Rosely told them. "Something about not giving away who they are, but as Vlad and I pointed out, who can tell with their hoods."

"We got told, that since we picked out Bode, what can stop us from picking the others out." Lucius supplied.

"So what happens now?" Aurora asked. "We got the head."

"We do, but Marchbanks and the others are still out there, and who knows what he set up for alternative solutions if he got caught. They are going to use Veritaserum on Bode, but they want the goblins to do a complete system purge, have some of the vampires and Unspeakables make sure he isn't wearing anything that could stop the potion from working. So it will be a few days before we get anything useful out of him." Lucius was anxious to get the man on trial. He really didn't want any more surprises.

"Good news is, Missing Cheese looked sick when we told him. He didn't believe us until Shacklebolt, with Dawlish, walked Bode to his cell. They are at opposite ends. I think Kreacher already has an elf watching Bode." Vlad laughed. "The man looked so pale, it was like he was drained of all of his blood."

"Is there a plan to catch the others?" Filius asked.

"Not really, they are looking but without knowing what they have planned it's going to be hard. The Aurors are all looking and posting their pictures about. They have wanted posters all over. They are also issuing warnings over the Wizard Wireless Network." Rosely replied. "We have some vampires working on tracking them down also."

Potter nuzzled into Snape and Snape turned his head, looked at him. "Potter?" He questioned quietly.

"Something is off on that whole walking in there." Potter told him, but he isn't quiet about it. Snape could tell Potter was thinking of something, something they weren't going to like. He looked at the Dark Lord.

"I have to agree." The Dark Lord replied. "Bode wouldn't give himself up that easily, he has something planned. While we know he planned on applying, it is too weird he did it the next morning after we talked to Darren."

"Do you think it was a setup?" Minerva asked.

"No, but I think he wanted Darren to know and I think he knew Darren wasn't as loyal as he led Darren to believe." The Dark Lord answered.

"We have vampires and the elves watching each cell." Radu said. "I made sure to have everyone on a six-hour shift."

"Six hours?" Potter looked at the Dark Lord and to Rosely. He was clearly thinking of something.

"Yes." Vlad and Radu answered. Everyone was beginning to wonder what was going on. Potter had clearly thought of something important.

"Harry?" The Dark Lord asked. "You don't think they would do that."

"I do." Potter answered.

"What are we missing?" Vlad asked, thankful he wasn't the only one confused by this.

"How many people are at the Ministry during the day?" The Dark Lord asked.

"I am not sure, hundreds." Lucius answered.

"Bode knows the vampires will change shifts after six hours, since they changed at 8, they will change at 2. If something goes off in the Ministry, everyone is going to run one way or another. It will create chaos. Some will run towards whatever they have planned, to control the situation while others try to get out of the building. We also can't forget the emergency personnel who will also be trying to floo in, creating more chaos. Now at 2 if everyone is all running around, vampires are changing of the guards, that is the perfect time to get his people and get them out. No one is going to be looking at them." The Dark Lord explained. "It's what I would do."

Rosely jumped up. "We will warn them and make sure they can't escape and change the timing of our schedules." He took hold of Vlad and Radu, shadowing them back to the Ministry.

"Let me floo Amelia." Lucius got up and walked to the floo. He should have thought that Bode would do something like that, it was too easy catching the man.

"Filius contact Ironclaw and make sure he knows we are working on controlling it, we don't want them hurt if they are doing a purge and his people attack during it." The Dark Lord said. "Harry, warn the Centaurs, Severus, warn the werewolves, and Minerva, warn the other vampires in Hogsmeade. We don't know if they will also be attacking anyone else."

Everyone who had mirrors started warning their respective group and had everyone work on warning the other creatures. They wanted to make sure everyone would be ready and they knew that Bode wouldn't have counted on that. Bode knew that in reality wizards, while had magic, were notorious slow on uniting to stop a threat. Once everyone was warned and plans set in motion, they all sat down. "Now to find out what they saw in their shadows." Poppy said.

Chapter 38: Waiting

Summary:

Thursday afternoon and night

Everyone was reading and waiting for news when Kreacher popped in. "Master Vampy, Master Smells, Master Blondie, Darkness, Grampy Vamp, Dead Guys, Cat, Gobby, Meddy Witchy, Starry. It a mess at Idiot Place, some fruitcakes tried to rescue Missing Cheese and Quiet No Speak, but it didn't work. A group of morons comes into the cell area, and they were surprised to find that no dead guys had left, and they couldn't rescue their friends. Brownies arrested them." Kreacher looked around the room. He liked this group of people, he knew his Mistress would have liked them if she was still alive. They were working on getting rid of Missing Cheese, the person she believed stole her son away from her.

"How many Kreacher?" The Dark Lord was glad they made everyone aware of this possibility. He looked at his son, he was glad the boy was on their side, and not Dumbledore's. He would have had lost badly if his son had listened to the old fool.

"Thirty or more. Brownies and dead guys catch the ones who attacked too. They set off explosion in the Mystery room. No one was hurt, but the idiot who set it off." Kreacher explained. "Dead guys and Brownies were all in place."

"Thank you, Kreacher. Anything else?" The Dark Lord wondered how they got to the Department of Mysteries but that would be another issue for them to discuss later. He knew his son was already wondering about it, by the look on his face.

"No, still watching Missing Cheese, he tried to pass some notes off." Kreacher dumped a small pile of parchment on the table. "He wanted his friends to protest in wizard judgment, but they no get the messages. Dobby stopped them." Kreacher gave them a grin, he really liked doing this work, he and the other house elves felt they were actually doing to help all magical creatures.

"They wanted to protest in Wizengamot?" Snape asked as Potter pulled him closer, and turned his head to look at Potter, wondering why his arm was tight around his waist. "Potter?" He asked quietly.

"Later." Potter answered. Snape noticed Lucius was wondering what was going on.

"Yes, Master Smells, they not bright." Kreacher answered.

"That is very true." Lucius stated. "I wonder what he hoped to accomplish by that?" He could see the Dark Lord and Potter were clearly thinking about some things, he wasn't sure what, but knew they would find out soon. He had seen Potter pull Snape closer and tighten his arm around Snape's waist. He felt when Potter put his other hand on his leg. He looked at Potter, he moved a bit closer. The hand stayed on his leg.

"Delay tactics? He might have known about an escape plan, so if there was a protest in Wizengamot, it would have delayed his trial and given them more time to escape." Minerva wondered. "Missing Cheese and Bode had been planning this for decades, and while they hadn't been caught until now, they still might have had a lot of alternate plans. Missing Cheese used to use multiple plans at once, to confuse people. Like when he would send Lupin on a mission but not tell, say Severus, where Lupin was. He then would send Snape into a pack of werewolves, not tell him, and use it as a way to show Lupin was part of the werewolves group. I think he sent Severus looking for some weird potion ingredient for a potion Missing Cheese found and wanted Severus to brew."

"He did that a lot. During the last war, the Mutt and Lupin seemed to appear at the strangest places, and I would have to defend myself, while I got called Death Eater." Snape stated. "I figured it out after he did it to me twice. He liked to create "believable" scenarios for his spies to use as a way to get into a group."

"Sounds like they had this one already set up." Filius added. "The way they have been working, it really wouldn't be a surprise if they did."

"True, it sounds like they did." The Dark Lord answered. "Kreacher, keep an eye on all of them, using any elves you need." He needed to find out what else was going on. Why a protest in Wizengamot? It wouldn't accomplish anything, but a slight delay if that.

"Take them from Hogwarts if you need to." Minerva added. "We have plenty here."

"I will." Kreacher looked over at Snape, Lucius, and Potter. He snapped his fingers and some fruit appeared by Snape's elbow on the desk. "Iron."

"Thank you." Snape picked up his favorite, a strawberry. Potter growled a bit but rest his head on Snape's shoulder.

Kreacher disappeared and the Dark Lord glanced around and his eyes finally settled on Potter. "Harry, what are you thinking?"

"The delay tactic." Potter answered. "Something is off in that. Why a protest? That is such a muggle thing."

"I am wondering about that too. It is a muggle thing, so why would Bode and Missing Cheese use it?" The Dark Lord asked.

"It might not have been a delay tactic in how we are thinking of it." Filius answered. "Protests have been around for centuries. The first recorded one was in 1688. It was the first organized protest against slavery in the Americas. The protest, however, was a written piece of work by four Pennsylvania Quakers from Germantown Meeting, a particular meeting under the care of Abington (often called Dublin) Monthly Meeting. Gerret Hendericks, Derick up de Graeff, Francis Daniell Pastorius, and Abraham up den Graef wrote this protest and presented their opposition to slavery and the trafficking of human beings at a Monthly Meeting at Dublin in Philadelphia. So you see if his allies in Wizengamot could do what these four did."

"At the meeting, the Dublin Monthly Meeting took this protest under consideration and sent it the Quarterly Meeting who also considered the matter and resolved that they could solve the problem alone and passed it off. The four Germantown Friends were advised to present it to the Yearly Meeting. The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting at Burlington responded to the protest in their minute records. Now it wasn't resolved at that meeting either, but it wasn't dismissed either. This protest allowed the friends to speak out in opposition to slavery and the slave trade, gathering others to join their now movement. This protest didn't solve itself until 88 years after the initial Germantown Protest when the Society of Friends officially denounced slavery." Filius could see that they were understanding that while it might work in the short term, it could work in the long term.

"This protest they have planned might be in written words, instead of actions. If they presented some facts, like say Harry being Missing Cheese's great-grandson, and how he was protecting Harry. It might be the way to get others to sway to their side, allowing doubt to creep in." Filius finished explaining.

"So like that protest, it would linger and while they might not benefit quickly they could benefit over the longer period of time, getting others to join their beliefs and getting them more followers, more people to see creatures as evil and dark, while getting their revenge on the Ministry, because people of their following would want changes and join the Ministry. So even if they served some time in Azkaban, their followers would get them out." Potter said.

"Exactly." Filius could see the rest of them understood what they meant and was glad they had spoken. It was easier to take care of things ahead of time, instead of waiting until they needed to be fixed.

"As long as we kept the messages from getting out, we can control that aspect." Poppy nodded at Minerva, who was sitting next to Rosely. She wondered briefly when she would find who her mate was. She gave an inward smile as she realized who her mate was. She had spent several hours a day with him, already.

"Not really." Potter answered. "Yes, we can keep the messages from getting out, but I have a feeling there is more to this than we are seeing. They have covered protesting, escaping, and even attacking, so far we have blocked their attempts but I have a feeling they are building for something bigger." After he was finished speaking, he gave Snape a lick on his mark, causing Snape to wiggle into him. He did it again and got the same results.

"I agree. While these attempts have failed, it won't mean they are finished. Until we get them and their followers arrested and in Azkaban, we don't know what they will try." The Dark Lord could feel Vlad reacting to something and realized that his son was playing with Lucius and Snape in some subtle way that only the vampires could sense.

"We have changed the vampires guarding schedule, some are on six-hour shifts, some eight and some are doing five and three-hour shifts. A lot of overlapping and all of them have orders to never leave off watching Missing Cheese, Bode, and anyone else that will be placed in the cells." Radu pulled Aurora closer to him.

"We have also added a few things we picked up from the Weasley Twins." Vlad was close enough that his breath went by his mate's ear.

"What?" Snape wondering what the twin menaces could have given the vampires. He dreaded the very idea of what their products could do in Hogwarts. He had seen enough of their pranks.

"Their swamp holes and darkness potions." Vlad give one of his rare smiles.

"What do they do?" Aurora knew the twins were pranksters, but couldn't think of what they could possibly have that would be useful enough for them to use. She also never really experienced the twins pranks because of her sleeping and class schedule.

"The darkness potion, we can toss and it will make the rooms completely dark, we can see but humans can't." Radu explained. "The swamp holes are just that, holes, if we toss a darkness potion, throw out some of the holes, we can trap anyone."

"Do the twins know you are using their products in that manner?" Minerva thought it was a very smart way of handling any escape attempts.

"Yes, we actually got them designing some new stuff for us to use." The Dark Lord told her. "I spoke to the twins yesterday and gave them an idea of what we wanted and needed."

"They loved it, I bet." Snape knew the twins will most likely have stuff ready for them within a day or two. They two may not have cared about their school work but they were geniuses when it came to creating stuff. He also briefly wondered if they didn't care about their school work because of the way Molly treated them and their dream.

The Dark Lord grinned. "They did." He knew he was creating monsters in the twins, but if their genius could be used to stop Missing Cheese and Bode, he wasn't going to complain.

"Should we warn the students?" Minerva asked.

"I would say we do." Filius answered. "They already know something happened. If we are the ones to tell them before they see the paper, it would give them more reasons to believe us, trust us in telling them what is going on, and it will allow us to be able to keep the students calmer."

"I do agree." Poppy said. "That was one of Missing Cheese' biggest flaws, hiding everything. They also have had so much on their plates because of that man, we need to let them know."

"So Minerva will let them know at dinner. In the meantime, I believe I am going to go to my quarters and do some research. Vlad, you want to join me?" The Dark Lord said.

Potter smirked, causing Snape to look at him as he felt Potter's trying to hold something in. At Potter's face, Snape understood what the Dark Lord really meant and added. "I believe we have some research to look into."

Lucius looked at him, and then to the Dark Lord. "Yes, research." Everyone understood what they all meant by research, they started leaving Snape's quarters, some not hiding their knowing grins. After everyone was gone, Snape and Lucius got escorted into their bedroom. "We have a few hours to kill." Lucius was sitting down on the bed.

"We do need some exercise." Snape informed them.

"I have some exercise in mind." Lucius smirked, pulled Snape down next to him. "Let's see if Harry is up for some."

Potter raised an eyebrow at them, reminding them of his father. "Are you doubting me?"

"No, but we wouldn't mind a lesson in how much more stamina a younger lover has." Snape grinned, he soon found himself under a living vampire ready to give Lucius and him another lesson. No, he didn't mind these types of lessons at all.

Chapter 39: Re-sorting

Summary:

Friday -day, night, resorting and party

Lucius' wand went off and he woke to mumbling about wands. "We need to get up." Lucius wasn't an early riser per say, his mates hated mornings. "You have classes." He reminded them. "It's Friday." Hoping that would work. He needed to find a sure fire way to get them up in the morning that wouldn't result in him getting hexed by either of them or worse both.

Potter opened his eyes and looked at him, as Snape lifted his head off of Potter's shoulder. "The sorting is going to be a mess, and so is that party afterward. The students are not going to want to pay the least be of attention in class which means, Harry will be down to not speaking as the cauldrons go off and he gets on edge. Can't I call in sick?"

"No, while I agree with the students, maybe Harry can stay here." Potter opened his eyes at that and growled. "Fine that is out, but the good news is that we're not going to be at sorting or the party afterward. Your father has agreed to help chaperone with Vlad and Radu." Lucius saw Potter close his eyes again.

"True, but you know he is going to be a grouch tonight with all the strangers here." Snape sighed as he sat up. He knew he had to get up and start the day. He sent a lecherous look to Lucius. "We can make it fun for him tonight."

"I am right here." Potter told them. "If we stay in here, as long as no one bothers us, I will be fine. What is that noise?" He lifted his head up. "It's annoying."

Snape and Lucius looked around and finally Lucius located the noise, it was in his robes from last night. "It's my mirror, I wanted it to sound different so that I would know it was Narcissa or Draco." He opened it. "Narcissa?"

"Oh, thank Merlin. Lucius, someone named Auror Davidson is demanding entrance into the Manor." Narcissa looked frantic. "Him and two others, one is an older looking woman, they just showed up here and demanded entrance, we have had the wards on semi-lockdown so they couldn't get in."

"There is no Auror Davidson. Narcissa, get Draco. Have him do a complete lockdown of the Manor. I will send Herman to get you." They could hear Narcissa giving Draco directions. "Severus, get Herman on the mirror and tell him what is going on." He didn't want to close the mirror until he knew Narcissa and Draco were safe.

Snape got off of the bed, went to his own robes and pulled out his mirror, as he noticed Potter was pulling out his. Potter called his father to let him know what is going on. "Rosely." Snape waited for the mirror to be answered. "Emergency at Malfoy Manor, get Narcissa and Draco out. Bode's people are trying to gain entrance."

"On my way." Rosely closed the mirror. Talk about what a way to wake up. He glanced at Minerva who nodded her understanding and she got out of bed also.

"Dark Lord." Potter said into his mirror.

"Lucius, Herman is going to bring them to our main living area." Snape closed the mirror. "He should be there any second."

"He is here now." Narcissa said. "I will have the house elves get our stuff later." Closing the mirror.

"Harry?" The Dark Lord was instantly awake.

"Dad, Bode's people are trying to get into Malfoy Manor. Grandpa is on his way to get them, but I don't believe they will think they have left."

"I will let Madam Bones and Dawlish and a few others know. They should be at the Ministry since it's after six thirty. I will let you know." The Dark Lord closed the mirror.

Lucius was looking at the door as Potter said. "Dad is calling Madam Bones and some of his followers who are in the Ministry to get them some help too." Potter glanced at the door. "They are here."

"Harry, are you going to be alright with this?" Snape was worried about Potter and Draco meeting. He wasn't sure if Potter had gotten over Draco tossing the Killing Curse at him. While they made up over the floo, Potter's instincts at Draco being close to his mates might say differently.

"As long as he stays away from you and me." Potter answered. Snape handed them their robes. He looked closely at Potter and nodded his acceptance of the answer.

"Lucius, they are here and are fine. Nothing happened to them." Snape gave him a kiss on the temple, as he felt Potter next to him.

"Thank Merlin, if Harry hadn't insisted on everyone getting mirrors, who knows what could have happened." Lucius' voice was filled with relief that Narcissa and Draco were safe. He didn't even want to think of Narcissa and Draco trapped in the Manor until helped would arrive. If Bode's group was as good as he thought they were, they would have cut off floo access and put up an Anti-Disapparition Jinx.

"Lucius, let's go and see your son. I am sure they are scared." Potter pulled him Lucius into a hug. "However, try not to hug him too long, as it is I know I won't like it in general. The bond is still too new."

"I know. I understand." Lucius gave Potter a kiss.

"Kreacher." Snape said.

"Master Vampy, Master Smells, Master Blondie." Kreacher looked around and snapped his fingers, making the bed, and putting the dirty clothes into the laundry basket.

"Draco and Narcissa are out in the other room, can you provide us with some breakfast, add extra as I have a feeling we will be joined by the others soon." Snape told him.

"Will do enough for all." Kreacher popped out.

Potter growled a bit. "He is too close." Potter warned as they heard a knock on their bedroom door.

Snape pulled Potter into back to their chair as Lucius opened the bedroom door. "Draco, while I am very grateful and happy to see you, you need to remain over by the couch. You are in Harry's territory." Lucius wanted to pull his son into his arms but knew it wouldn't be a good thing. "Give us a minute and I will greet you properly."

"Draco, what are you doing?" Narcissa said as she exited the kitchen area. "I warned you to stay away from the door. I know you know about a vampire's nest and the rules."

"I'm sorry. I forgot." Draco honestly did. He just wanted to see his father and his godfather. He started to move away. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"I am aware, Draco, just give us a minute?" Lucius gave him a slight smile to reassure him that he wasn't upset with him. He closed the door at Draco's nod of acceptance.

"Lucius, I will get him to our chair and sit on him, you do the whole family thing." Snape told him. Snape got up, looked at a frowning Potter. "What?"

"Something is off." Potter replied. "Lucius, was Draco checked for potions?"

"We checked him before he started seeing the healer, but we can go and talk to Cissa about it." Lucius answered.

They headed out to the living area. Snape and Potter made their way to their chair when Snape sat down on Potter's lap, Draco snapped. "Get off of his lap." He was glaring at Potter. Who just looked at him.

"Excuse me?" Snape hoped this wasn't going to go the way he thought it would. They all watched as Draco face's filled with anger.

"GET OFF OF HIS LAP. YOU'RE MINE." Draco screamed. The Dark Lord with Vlad, Radu, Minerva, and Rosely arrived in Snape's quarters as Draco was screaming.

Lucius whipped out his wand and stunned Draco. "Cissa did you get him checked for potions or spells recently?" He now knew why Potter said he smelled off.

"No, do you think? Oh." Narcissa and the Dark Lord started to run some scans. "Potions, but I don't understand, the only person he has been seeing is his mind healer, otherwise he has been at the Manor. He flew every day there and back, he was always on time and did his school work."

"No he hasn't. I got a report from Healer Schneider, two days ago, that he never showed up." The Dark Lord told her. "I had forgotten about it until now. I do apologize. I should have made sure."

"My Lord, you can't expect to keep track of everything, with all the bigger issues going on. Draco has been seeing Healer Parks, originally it was Healer Tallon, but he got sick and Draco was transferred to Healer Parks."

"Parks?" Snape looked at the Dark Lord and to Potter. That name was very familiar.

"Yes, three times a week. He was doing so good too." Narcissa looked at her son.

"Parks is on the list of people that Missing Cheese and Bode know." Lucius told her. "He must have slipped the potions to Draco."

"Let me tell Amelia and we will get Healer Parks arrested." The Dark Lord stepped into the kitchen to speak to Madam Bones via the mirror, while they tried to figure out what to do.

"Can we do a system purge here?" Minerva was looking down at Draco. "He really doesn't need any more problems."

"I have the potion here, but he will need a place to sleep off the effects." Snape told them.

"Use my room, I can sleep with Aurora if need be." Radu told them. "There is room enough in there to add another bed for Lady Malfoy."

"Narcissa please. I feel we have been through enough to warrant first names."

"Let me get the potion. I expect my shadow will follow." Snape got up and sure enough, Potter started to follow. Potter grabbed Lucius as he passed by him. No one spoke until Snape arrived back with the potion. "Here Narcissa, I know you know how to give it."

"Thank you, Severus, can someone carry him into Radu's room please?" She asked.

"I will do it." Radu stepped forward. "I believe Rosely and Vlad, with Marvolo, are going to be heading to your Manor."

"We are." The Dark Lord answered as he stepped back into the main room. "They are sending people now. The watchers said that that Auror Davidson and his group are still there. Minnie, Amelia asked that you inform the students that yes, Bode is caught and the Ministry is doing everything to round up the rest of them. The sorting will still take place all weekend. She has a very large list of people wanting a resort. She and Cornelius will be here for all of the resortings to make sure no one can claim undue influence. They set up a schedule to do the ones on Saturday and Sunday at the front doors, so there won't be people entering Hogwarts. The vampires will also be around for protection."

"I will let them know." Minerva responded. "I am going to head back to my quarters and get ready for the day."

"We all need to get ready." Lucius said. "I was hoping for a peaceful morning." He muttered to himself.

The day passed slowly for Snape and Potter, who was as edgy as Snape feared he would be after a cauldron exploded on the other side of the room from Snape. The rest of the day, Snape went with surprises quizzes or lectures. He didn't want a living vampire shadowing his every move. He stayed leaning against the desk, with Potter behind him doing what he liked to do, research.

Snape looked at the pile of parchment Potter was writing on during the last class of the day, the students were completing a quiz. "I didn't know that." Snape said quietly from next to Potter.

Potter looked at him with a slight frown on his face. "It's magical law, I was trying to find a way to make sure that any of their group didn't do anything if we didn't catch them and I was thinking of their marks."

"I can see that, I think it's an excellent idea. You should show it to your father."

"I will. I just want a bit more information on marks before I do." Potter responded.

"Harry, I am serious about you doing some apprenticeships. You have the skill and talent." Snape quietly told him. He looked around the room and no one was listening.

"I know and after all of this is over, I want to do them." He answered.

"You do know, the research you have already done into Magical Law and Government, might already have given you the Mastery in it. Talk to Lucius about it later." Snape informed him. "I know if you create two potions and research two more, provide some counters to the potions you do create if needed, you will have your Masters with me." He saw Potter give him a smirk. "You already have some of that done, don't you?"

"Yes, I do own part of WWW." Potter told him. "I am the one who helped them create the Darkness Potion and another one which I think you will enjoy."

"I look forward to reading your potion journal." Snape didn't try to hide his genuine smile. If someone had told him a month ago they would be in a relationship and that he actually liked Potter as a person he would have cursed them. He inwardly did the Snoopy Dance, he had two mates now and knew that the three of them would protect each other, Potter would kill to protect him and he had.

"No blood?" Snape asked as he got off of Potter's lap and began to get himself ready to head to the Great Hall for dinner. He wasn't looking forward to the students in the hall. They were going to be loud and annoying as they had been all day.

"No, fangs and growl?" Potter asked.

"Of course." Snape answered.

"You know I want to show them the memory of this when we are old." Lucius told the Dark Lord in a whisper, who was touching the healing bite marks from his son.

"I don't think I will forget it." The Dark Lord responded quietly.

"I heard you." Potter told them. "The only way anyone will see any memories of this is if you both wear pink into the Great Hall, and Snape wears Gryffindor red."

"That isn't happening." Snape commented. He faced Potter, grinned, he knew why Potter said it and wondered how soon they would catch on to it.

"Harry, first of all, I have seen Lucius wear pink, I, however, will never wear pink as I know Severus won't wear anything but black." The Dark Lord responded. Potter gave them a slight grin. "No, no pranking me." The Dark Lord said. "If you prank me and I end up wearing pink, I will show the memory of your little routine to every student during dinner in the Great Hall, with popcorn."

Snape knew the Dark Lord was going to be pranked, oh he wouldn't be wearing pink, but Snape thought of some of the Twins' invention and thought he might be seeing a canary soon. They exited the room and headed towards the Great Hall.

"Lucius, do you need to stay for the sorting?" The Dark Lord asked as they were walking, he noticed the students seem to be rushing towards the Great Hall and heard Snape take some points for running.

"I should, but I don't think our resident living vampire would enjoy it."

"I can show the memory later." The Dark Lord replied. "I am still unsure how I ended up volunteering to chaperone tonight."

"It's Minerva, she has this way of getting you to agree to it, without even realizing it. My first few years here, she snagged me each time, after my fifth-year teaching, I caught on and only got stuck doing it according to what was in my contract. Missing Cheese added it in there." Snape said. "The idiot thought it would be a good idea for the students to see me in a relaxed environment. After five more years of that, it changed to when they were desperate, usually during the holidays."

"I wonder why?" Lucius grinned, not expecting an answer.

They entered the hall and everyone turned. "You know Potter, I think we need to do something about your hair, that must be why they are looking at us." Snape told him.

Potter growled, flashed some fang. "I think it's the lack of glasses." Lucius commented.

"I thought it was us, I mean we are good looking." The Dark Lord said.

"Now we know who got all of the ego in the family." Snape added to Lucius, but not quietly enough to not be heard.

The students started laughing as they continued their walk towards the head table. They arrived in time to hear Minerva say, "I would have never have guessed that Severus had such a sense of humor."

"I do try." Severus retorted as he took his usual seat.

Minerva smiled. Glad to see her favorite Slytherins relaxing in life, letting themselves have some fun. "I need to make a few announcements. Harry, you are requested to stay for the sorting, since you have already been resorted we don't have to worry about you." Minerva responded.

"Minnie, do you think that is wise with Harry? He isn't going to want a lot of students near him."

"We are moving the stool to in front of the platform. Down on my side." Minerva responded. "It's part of Amelia's idea to make Harry seem less of a threat, but still been seen as a protector."

"Harry?" The Dark Lord looked at his son, he wasn't sure how he was going to handle it.

Potter looked at them, the students and back to the staff. He nodded his agreement. Minerva rose from her seat. "Tonight, as you all know is for any student who so desires to be resorted. You are not required, if you just wish to make sure you are in the correct house, please consider it, if you feel you aren't, please get it done. This isn't your fault. It's Missing Cheese's." She paused, letting the students understand, she hoped, that the students realized she meant by her words. "Now, more good news, besides tonight's party, starting next week, we will also have a mixed house common area, the elves are already preparing the third-floor right side as an area for all houses. There will be a dance room, a study room, a game room. It's being wired for electric power so that anyone who has those muggle devices can bring them now and show the rest of the school those gadgets." A lot of cheering went up. "We will be in the future adding a movie room, and a few other room. Eventually, the whole third floor will be for all houses." She sat down.

"That is a great idea." Lucius looked at Snape and Potter as Potter was letting out a low growl.

"To much noise." Snape quietly told him. "The volume." Lucius looked past Snape and could see Potter found the noise bothersome. Platters of food soon appeared and the feast was on.

"All vampires find it bothersome." Radu added sourly from his other side. "We never get used to it."

"Harry's idea." Poppy told them, not hearing what was being said quietly at the other end of the table. "He submitted the idea years ago to Missing Cheese, Minerva found the idea in his stack of papers."

After dinner, Minerva summoned the Sorting Hat. "Ah, it's about time we fixed the mess Missing Cheese has made." The Hat said as it surveyed the room.

"We have a lot of students to sort through." Minerva began, she held up a very thick scroll. This was just the students, she didn't even want to see the ones for adults.

"If I may?" The Sorting Hat said.

"Hat?" Minerva asks.

"It would be faster and easier if I just made the changes. If you don't like the change, you may stay in your current house. I will say where you were to be when you were eleven. Now a word of caution, just because I said that is where you were to be, doesn't mean it's where you are meant to be now. The years change a person. I originally used to sort students first-year and then their fifth-year, as experiences do affect us all. So if you are happy with your house, remain, just say quietly you wish to stay and no change will be reflected. If you wish to join your new house or want a resorting after I say your original house, please come up front." The Hat ordered everyone.

"It will make it faster and while I do not want to rush anyone, I feel none of us want to listen to hours of people being sorted." Minerva told the students. They got a shout of agreement from the students. "Well, Hat, I believe we shall begin."

"I will not do it by year, but by your last name." The Hat told them. "Please welcome all newcomers, and remember, there was house unity at one time and can be so again. Now, Roland Abberley, Gryffindor" Everyone clapped, setting the tone for the rest of the sorting. "Hannah Abbott-Hufflepuff, Euan Abercrombie-Ravenclaw, Stewart Ackerley-Ravenclaw, Uchi Akimbo-Gryffindor, Dennis Aldermaston-Slytherin, Pamela Alton-Hufflepuff, Scott Ancrum-Slytherin, Patrick Bagby-Ravenclaw, Ethan Bexley-Gryffindor, Trevor Birch-Gryffindor, Sally Birchgrove-Slytherin, Philip Blagdon-Ravenclaw, Susan Bones-Ravenclaw, David Boorman II-Hufflepuff, Terry Boot-Gryffindor, Wayne Bostock-Slytherin, Robin Botesdale-Hufflepuff, Eleanor Branstone-Ravenclaw, Nerissa Brody-Ravenclaw, Sheila Brooks-Gryffindor, Felix Brunt (II)-Ravenclaw, Millicent Bulstrode-Hufflepuff, Trisha Buttermere-Gryffindor, Flora Carrow-Hufflepuff, Hestia Carrow-Gryffindor, Owen Cauldwell-Slytherin, Diane Carter-Slytherin, Luca Caruso-Ravenclaw, Poppy Caxton-Hufflepuff, Stephen Challock-Hufflepuff, Cho Chang-Slytherin, Luke Cholderton-Gryffindor, Iain Claverdon-Gryffindor, Rachael Codnor-Slytherin, Hortense Cooper-Ravenclaw, Ritchie Coote-Hufflepuff, Martine Copplestone-Slytherin, Michael Corner-Slytherin, Daisy Corran-Gryffindor, Fergus Cowley-Hufflepuff, Vincent Crabbe-Hufflepuff, Irving Cram (II)-Ravenclaw, Lisa Cullen-Ravenclaw, Terry Davies-Hufflepuff, Helen Dawlish-Ravenclaw."

"Is that John's daughter?" The Dark Lord asked Lucius.

"Yes, she was in Hufflepuff, which made no sense, but now it does." Lucius responded.

"A lot of these are making no sense, why remove so many out of Gryffindor?" Snape asked.

"Look at who he put in Gryffindor, all light families, or ones he hoped he could control. Since he couldn't all the ones who belong in there, in addition to the ones he wanted in there, he needed to shift some out. I wouldn't be surprised if they made a list up each year." Lucius answered. "Most of them are muggle-born or half-blood in Gryffindor, as most of the pure-bloods went to Slytherin or Ravenclaw."

"Bowen Duffield-Ravenclaw, Fay Dunbar-Ravenclaw, Craig Dunn-Slytherin, Patrick Fincher-Gryffindor, Seamus Finnigan-Slytherin, Amelia Fittleworth-Ravenclaw, Astoria Greengrass-Ravenclaw, Daphne Greengrass-Ravenclaw, Niles Hanley-Gryffindor, Maynard Hatton-Hufflepuff, Jason Huntingdon-Slytherin, Lucy Hurst-Gryffindor, Shoma Ichikawa-Slytherin, Nandini Johar-Ravenclaw."

Potter started growling low, Snape and Lucius looked at him. "Too many people moving, he can't keep track enough to feel we are safe. I am going to take him out the back, plus we really don't need to be here for all of this."

"That is fine, Severus. Lucius?" The Dark Lord asked. He knew his son wasn't going to like the sorting ceremony.

"I am going to with him, I think it will take both of us to calm him down a bit." Lucius stated.

"If I didn't have to sit through it, I would be leaving too." Minerva quietly commented. "There is still over a one hundred and fifty names to go through."

"I am glad the Hat suggested this way." Poppy told her.

"I agree." More than one Professor said as Cornelius and Amelia asked, "is there a way to make it faster?"

"Not if we want to keep it legal." Minerva told them. "The Board thought of a few different ways, but none of them would have worked for the whole school without bringing up issues later. Just be thankful we are going to do the ones who are coming over the weekend as they arrive and at the front doors."

Snape and Lucius got up and follow Potter out of the Professor's entrance in the back of the room. "I couldn't take that any longer." Potter told them.

"I am so glad you did that." Snape gave him a kiss on the cheek in thanks. "I was about to fall asleep listening to it all."

"Me too, besides I want to check on Draco and Narcissa. Amelia told me they arrest the group. Harry, I would like for them to stay with us."

Potter stopped, looked at Lucius but didn't respond, he started walking away. "Not a good time to ask." Snape told Lucius.

"I know but I didn't want to get to our quarters and mention it while he was staring at Draco, either." Lucius told him.

They entered their quarters to find Narcissa sitting on the couch. She looked up, you could tell she had been crying. "He is sleeping. I did another scan and he is clean, he also apologized for what happened. I was looking through the list and it's a lust potion that was keyed to Severus, and a hate potion keyed to Harry." She sighed. "I don't understand why they felt the need to do all of this."

"I wish I could tell you I had an answer that made sense, but it all boils down to the fact they want total control. They wanted our world to be made in their vision, how they wanted it to be." Lucius told her as he sat down opposite her. Snape and Potter sat down next to him. Snape in Potter's lap and Lucius close to him.

"Draco is very confused. I mean he knows he was under potions but he didn't understand why they went after him."

"He is my son. I believe they were hoping Harry would kill Draco and break us up that way." Lucius answered her. "They aren't stable Narcissa, they are doing it all for revenge."

Narcissa stood up. "Amelia said they caught them, but I was wondering if it would be alright with all of you, if we stayed a few more days, I want to meet up with Healer Schneider and make sure Draco will be protected."

"I believe Marvolo will have Healer Schneider visit you at the Manor." Snape tried to wiggle a bit, but Potter's hold was tight, he looked at Lucius and saw he was pulled close to them. Merlin, he wished he could hex those muggles, Missing Cheese, and everyone who had hurt Potter.

"I am not sure how to ask this, but I am hoping the three of you will consider moving into the Manor for holidays." Narcissa said. "Don't answer now, I don't think Harry is really feeling secure right now, judging by how he holding onto the two of you, but do think about it."

"We will. Thank you, Narcissa for being you." Lucius gave her a small smile. She was truly his best friend and he appreciated all she did for him and their son.

"You're welcome, now I best be going to bed, I know he will be up early and we do need to talk before he sees any of you." Narcissa got up and headed to Radu's room.

"Come on grumpy, we will speak in our room." Snape told him.

"Not grumpy." Potter retorted. "Just growly."

Chapter 40: Rough Saturday

Summary:

Saturday week 3

Potter sat up in bed, growling. Lucius and Snape knew exactly what was going on. Draco and Narcissa had to be in the main living area. "Go, Lucius. I will deal with him." Snape told him. "Harry put the wards down."

Potter growled and picked Lucius up and dumped him next to Severus on the bed, he was at the door before they can recover. "Don't move Draco, Narcissa." Lucius shouted as they finally got off of the bed and entered the main living area and saw Potter crouching down on the ground ready to spring if either of Draco or Narcissa moved. "We forgot, again, to warn you not to come out of your room, until he had a chance to wake up." He should have remembered that since Draco went to sleep so early he would be up early, Narcissa was always an early riser, she enjoyed having the morning to herself.

"What is going on?" Draco was trying to remain calm.

"We have had too many invaders, so he doesn't like strange people in our quarters. He will be fine once we get him back into our room, but first, let us get him out of the idea that you are prey." Snape said. "So don't move."

Snape and Lucius approached Potter from behind but didn't go past him. They crouched down and slowly touched him. "Harry, it will be fine, Draco and Narcissa are going to go back to Radu's room." Lucius said.

"Potter, focus on us, we are safe." Snape ran his hand down Potter's back, getting a slight tilt of his head toward him. "Come on, let's go back to bed, breakfast isn't for two hours."

"I so-" Draco didn't get to finish as Narcissa put her hand over his mouth.

"You really need to learn when to be quiet." Narcissa spoke softly. "You don't taunt a predator. Harry is a predator."

"Exactly." Lucius said. "Harry, come on, they're family." They kept rubbing their hands up and down as Potter kept a careful eye on Draco.

Severus pressed himself against Potter's back. "Harry, he is your friend, your mate's son." He quietly told him. Potter stood up before Snape could remove himself and fell to the floor with a thud. "Get in your room while he is distracted." Snape said from the floor as he was looking up at a confused living vampire. "I wasn't holding on." Snape answered the unasked question when he heard the bedroom door close.

Lucius laughed as Potter pulled Snape up and into his arms. "I wasn't expecting him to stand up." Snape said in his defense. "You can put me down now."

Potter carried Snape into the bedroom and as Lucius closed the door the wards went up again. Potter dumped him on the bed and pulled Lucius to the bed. He stood there looking at him. "Did we do something?" Lucius asked.

Snape moved so that he was now leaning against the headboard. "No, but he is acting strangely." He watched Lucius as he moved to join him. Potter was still looking at them. He suddenly disappeared. They scrambled off of the bed and head to the door only to find the wards are still up. "What is he doing?" Trying not to panic, they heard their mirrors going off.

They answered them to see a glaring Dark Lord. "What is wrong with my son?"

"We don't know, he was here a second ago and suddenly he shadowed out and left us warded in here." Snape told him.

"He clearly is bothered by something and I can't understand anything that he is trying to tell me." The Dark Lord snarled. "We are on our way down. I will have Rosely brings us to you."

Fifteen minutes later Rosely with the Dark Lord and Vlad were outside of their bedroom door. "I couldn't get past those wards." Rosely told them. "When I appeared in Marvolo's quarters, Harry tossed up his hands in frustration and shadowed out."

"We have no idea what is going on either." They didn't get far before they hear their mirrors going off.

They opened them and saw Ironclaw looking at them. "Lord Potter just appeared in his vault, looking for something. We can't figure out what he is looking for or how he got in."

"He is able to get through any wards, it's from the phoenix tears in his system combined with his shadowing. He isn't causing any problems?" The Dark Lord asked.

"No, we were wondering how he got in, but that does explain it. He seems intent on finding something and doesn't appear to be upset or anxious." Ironclaw reassured them.

They all felt their tension ease away. "Thank you Ironclaw. I am sure he will find what he is looking for and return." The Dark Lord said.

"Well any ideas?" Rosely asked.

"None, what happened this morning?" The Dark Lord asked. Vlad took a seat and tried to recover from his mate's son appearing in their bedroom.

Lucius quickly explained but they still didn't have a clue as to what is going on. "Any ideas?" Snape asked, talking through the door was getting annoying.

"No." They answered.

Minerva said from behind them. "Family is the key."

"Family, family law, Bode." The Dark Lord connected the pieces. "Harry is looking for some of the ancient law books we have in the vaults. I remember him saying he wanted to read them, but we never got around to getting them out because he was turned."

Lucius groaned. "He could be hours."

"He does get lost in his books." The Dark Lord commented.

"How did he not get into Ravenclaw?" Severus wondered aloud.

"I believe Hat was correct, we should sort again for students in their fifth year." Minerva said. "Harry is certainly proving to be a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw. I came down here to warn you that we have some people arriving to be sorted, but since Harry isn't here, why don't you two join me."

"Did you hear her?" The Dark Lord asked through the door to Severus and Lucius.

"Yes, we will be fine, hopefully, he won't be gone long." Lucius answered.

"I am going to kill him if he is." Severus quietly told Lucius. "I can't believe we are locked in our own bedroom."

A few hour later Harry appeared in their bedroom with three pouches and a stack of books in his arms. "I ran out of expandable pouches and couldn't find any more in the smaller vault I was in." He explained as he put the books down on the table. "I think I have the answer. I know it's here. I saw it." Potter was muttering to himself.

Snape was now in a foul mood and glared at him over his "Potions Today" journal. Lucius looked up from the book he was reading, neither said a word to him. Potter sat down in his chair and began to read, summoning parchment. Snape looked at Lucius and they had already discussed the fact that Potter hadn't feed and his clothes he wore were clearly ones he transfigured as they weren't his usual jeans and sweater. "Do you have something to say to us?" Snape asked, in a very deceptive even tone of voice. They were sitting across from him.

Potter didn't even respond, he kept his eyes focused on one of the books and summoned another with his hand, when it landed, opened it up to where there was a bookmark sticking out of it. Snape slammed down his magazine. Potter looked up at them and went back to his books. "Harry, I believe we have a problem." Lucius said.

Potter placed the bookmark in the book at the spot he was reading. "Problem?"

"Yes, you left us here, with the wards up." Lucius answered.

"You really didn't think I would leave you unprotected." Potter answered them. "I wasn't gone that long. I only grabbed a few books."

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose has Lucius sighed. "Harry you were gone for almost five hours." He could see Snape was trying to control his temper. They already realized that Potter wouldn't realize how long he had taken and they also knew he wouldn't have let them leave the room with him outside of Hogwarts.

"I was?" Potter replied. "I got the answer I just need to find it."

"Harry, yes, you were. You also didn't feed. Do you understand why we're upset?"

"No, you knew I wouldn't let you leave the room with me gone, I know you know how lost I get when it comes to books, research and time. I also know you I don't realize at times when I am hungry, I am getting better at recognizing the signs but I know I will always forget to eat when I know the answer but need the reference." Potter answered.

"You idiotic boy, are you so uncaring for how we felt about being stuck in a room for almost five hours?" Snape snapped at him. "Are you that selfish that you ignore what we saying? Are you that much of a glory hound that your answers mean more to you than how you treat us?"

Potter stood up, gathered his books and everything, removed the wards and disappeared. "Severus." Lucius growled at him. "I warned you not to insult him or snap."

"He needs to learn." Snape told him. "Lucius, he left us here for five hours."

"Yes, and we knew exactly why. You also know how his relatives treated him. How he has been treated by almost everyone but us and the ones we sit with almost nightly working on this. You know how a lot of the ones we sit with nightly also ignored him over the years." Lucius replied. "He doesn't trust people that well, and I know you calling him an idiotic boy was a flashback to when you did it all those years and all the other insults he has endured. I won't even mention what else you said. That was totally uncalled for. I understand why you're upset, but frankly Severus, it's not that you were locked in here for five hours, it's that you couldn't do your potions for five hours and had to sit here with me instead. That is why you are upset."

"He is. Yes, I would have liked to be doing my potions." Snape stormed out of the bedroom and headed straight to his potions lab.

Lucius sighed, he hoped he could fix this. He headed out to the main living area and saw Narcissa with Draco. He sat down on the couch. "What has Severus upset?"

"This morning. Harry returned a bit ago. He didn't realize he was gone for so long. It went downhill from there." Lucius answered.

"They both have tempers." Draco said. "Harry, however, is more stubborn than Uncle Severus is."

"I am aware." Lucius responded. "I will deal with that them once they calm down. How are you doing on your school work?"

It's shortly before dinner time when the Dark Lord knocked and Lucius opened the door to allow him to enter Snape's quarters. "I switched with Severus for evening feedings since I was going to be helping with the sorting."

"You mean Harry didn't go and feed on you?" Lucius asked as they walked towards the sitting area.

"No, I haven't seen him all day. Why?" The Dark Lord took his usual seat. "Where is he?"

"We don't know." Lucius answered. "I was hoping he would have returned by now." Lucius had thought Potter had head to spend time with his father.

"He is still at Gringotts? I would have thought so too. I know he gets lost in the books but over nine hours?"

"There was a bit of an issue when he returned." Lucius told him. "Harry left upset, Severus is in his lab, brewing."

"When did he last feed?" The Dark Lord didn't like how this is going. He knew they would fight, and didn't want to interfere but he was worried about his son.

"Last night." Lucius answered him. "He won't feed on anyone else but us three unless he is desperate."

"That is what I am afraid of." The Dark Lord sighed. "You better tell me what happened."

"I am not sure that would be a good idea, Marvolo. We need to work it out."

"I would normally agree, but he hasn't eaten for almost twenty-four hours. He is a newly turned living vampire, I believe his safety overrides your personal concerns about the relationship."

"He is right Lucius. Harry could be in danger." Narcissa said. "I have seen how worried you have been all day."

"I am worried about both of them." Lucius responded. "We will need to find Harry first, hope he doesn't shadow walk or use his phoenix abilities to leave before we speak to him. We also need to get Severus to listen to us. Let me go and get him from his lab."

He headed to Snape's private potion lab, knocked, entered when he heard Snape say "enter".

"Severus, we need to go and find Harry." Lucius told him.

Severus stopped stirring his potion. He looked at the time. "He hasn't returned?"

"No and he hasn't feed since last night." Lucius informed him.

"Idiotic boy."

"SEVERUS, I am telling you right now if you say that again, I will punish you myself." Lucius snapped at him. "He isn't an idiotic boy."

"This stunt proves he is, just like this morning."

"You know what, don't come, stay here and do your potions. They obviously mean more to you than either of us." Lucius turned around, only to be stopped by a hand grabbing his arm.

"Lucius."

"What?" Lucius didn't face him.

"I shouldn't have spoken to him like I did. I let my temper get the better of me and I have spent the last few hours with potions being ruined because I could only think of how to fix this. When you arrived I was in the middle of berating myself."

Lucius turned, faced him. "Severus, I left you alone because I know your temper and I figured you needed to think and cool off. Right now, however, we need to find Harry. As much as he is mature because of abuse, he is also very insecure because of that same abuse."

"I know. You may not understand about abuse, but you understand us." Snape told him. "Now to find him, let me see if I can find his map."

"Map?" Lucius asked.

"Yes, it's a map of Hogwarts and shows everyone, no matter what form they take." Snape answered as they head out of his lab and towards Potter's stack of books and papers on Snape's desk. "It will be rolled up, you can't open it without the password."

"You are looking for his map?" The Dark Lord asked.

"Yes. Do you know where it is? We can use it to at least rule out spots. I swear he knows Hogwarts better than anyone else." Severus said.

"I have it. I wanted to see if we can create more of them." The Dark Lord reached into his robes and pulled it out. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." The map unrolled and they start looking for Harry's name.

After several minutes, they didn't see his name on the map. "He's not in Hogwarts." Snape was suddenly afraid. They didn't know where Potter was and he didn't like that idea at all.

"I have an idea. Kreacher." Lucius said.

Kreacher popped in and was glaring at them. "What did you do to my Master Vampy? He has been at the Slytherin Castle all day."

"Thank you Kreacher, we will head there and take care of it." The Dark Lord told the elf.

"See that you do, he finally gets happy and I don't want to see you ruin it." The elf popped away.

"I will bring you to the Castle, I will stay away from any quarrel you three are having but after I make sure Harry is fed and no one is in danger. However, that being said, I am going to say if anything happens to my son because of whatever is going on, I will make sure you two pay dearly for it." The Dark Lord warned them.

"Yes, my Lord." They know the man meant it.

"Good. Now let's go." He snarled at them.

They found Potter in the main study on the second floor with a pile of books around him, however, he was just staring out the window. He didn't say a word when the three of them enter the room. He didn't even make a move or sound.

"Harry?" The Dark Lord asked, walking closer to his son. He touched his shoulder and Harry flinched. The Dark Lord turned his head and glared at his two son-in-laws to be. "Come, let's sit down on the couch and we can talk."

"No need to. Snape made his feelings clear." Harry responded. "I found the answer. Family law can be overridden, if the Head of the Family is organizing a revolt, tries to overthrow the government or uses it to protect people in an organization of his own creation to bypass any lawbreaking that is classified as a major crime. It was created after a man marked over five hundred of his soldiers after they tried to have a revolt in York against their current Lord, after the Battle of Hastings."

"Harry that can wait. They came here to talk to you. I only came to make sure you had eaten. You haven't since last night and I am worried about you." The Dark Lord told him.

"Not hungry." He picked up the book of runes that he had gotten from the Department of Mysteries. "I have the runes and bindings on the marks almost worked out."

The Dark Lord took the book out of his son's hands. "Severus isn't rejecting you." He told him. "He lost his temper, I don't know what was said or why. I am going to assume it was because of this morning. I also know from reading that you're not hungry because you are shutting down everything to avoid being hurt again. Harry, you will be hurt again, it's part of life, but you can't stop living."

"Harry, I didn't mean what I said. I lost my temper and you know my temper." Snape moved close to Potter. He didn't want to get too close because he wasn't sure how Potter would react.

Potter glared at him. "You see me as a boy. How many times over the years have you said those same sentences to me? Am I to hear them every time you lose your temper? Am I to be referred to as boy each time you get annoyed? When I am sixty will you still call me that? Do you know for the longest time I thought "Boy" or "Freak" was my actual name? Are you going to scream at me like my relatives did? I won't allow myself to be placed in that position ever again."

"Harry, I am so sorry. I was angry at being denied spending time in my lab, being locked in a room for over five hours. How would you have felt if you were denied your books?"

"You don't get it do you? When I have been upset with you since I have been turned, did I call you names? Did I accuse you of things that you didn't like? Did I make fun of you in any way? Yes, at times I know I haven't been all that much of a conversationalist, I have been growly, but I have never demeaned you."

"Harry, I can't change overnight. I have been treating students like that for twenty years."

"However, you expect me to?" Potter snapped at him. "You accuse me of it always being about me, fame and anything else, but when have I put myself first?"

"Today, when you spent all that time away and left us warded in the bedroom." Snape smugly told him. He saw Lucius and the Dark Lord shake their heads no.

"You win, just like you always want to. You can't admit you're wrong or lose an argument. Yes, I forgot the time. Yes, I got lost in my books and I should have returned as soon as I found the books, instead of reading them." Potter told him. "Now if you excuse me, I have some work to do." He picked up a book and before anyone could say another word was gone.

"You're unreal." Lucius said. "You really think all the research he has been doing it for himself? To become more famous? To get the glory? You see how he reacts when people stare at him. You admit you turned it into a game to make it easier for him. Severus, are you so set on destroying this relationship? Do you really want out of it so badly that you won't see what is in front of you?"

"Lucius, show me exactly what has happened today." The Dark Lord demanded. "Severus you will sit on that couch and you will think about what Lucius and Harry have told you. If you still believe you are in the right and want out of this relationship, we will find a way. I will unmark you." He saw Severus' shock on his face. "After that, you can do whatever you want, but not at Hogwarts nor Hogsmeade."

Severus looked at Lucius, seeing the disappointment on his face. "If you leave, Harry will still live, since you are still alive. We can continue to feed him. So don't let that bother you." Lucius took the memory phial and put his memories in it. He gave it to the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord left the room, to head to his office to watch the memories.

"Lucius?" Severus asked.

"What?" Lucius snapped at him.

"I don't know what to do." Severus sank down into the couch. "I feel lost."

"Severus, why were you being, well frankly, the former you?" Lucius asked.

Severus put his head in his hands. "Fear, insecurity, lack of control in my life. So many things Lucius. When I took the Dark Mark, I became a servant. Missing Cheese may not have cursed me, he wasn't much better than an insane Dark Lord. You know my past, now I am finding myself submitting to Harry. I honestly love our relationship but when we were in that room, unable to leave, all I could think of was the what ifs? What if he won't let us have any freedom? What if he won't let us eventually leave our quarters? What ifs just filled my head and the longer we sat in the room, the longer the list got. Lucius, I had him putting us in chastity devices and tying us up when he left us."

"It really did go out there." Lucius responded.

"I know, I was honest about what I said the lab until I lost my temper again. I don't want to lose either of you." Severus said to him. "How am I going to fix this?"

"Tell him what you just told me." Lucius answered him.

"He doesn't have to, I came back to get a book and heard the what-ifs." Potters said as he stepped out of the shadows. "Severus, why would you think I would do that?"

"My fear and insecurity went wild. It was like on some kind of drug and just took off. No matter what I tried to think of I would jump back to the what-ifs. I ruined a lot of potions and ingredients today." Snape told him.

"He did. His lab is a mess."

"So what do we do?" Potter asked.

"Go forward? I sincerely am sorry Harry. I knew the reasons why you left us in our bedroom. I can even understand it given all the stuff we have been through over the last three weeks, but please if you are going to ward us in someplace make it our whole quarters?" Snape asked, trying to keep the fear of reject out of his trembling voice.

Potter walked over to the couch, sat down, pulled Snape into his lap. "I'm sorry too. I could give you a lot of reasons from Draco being at our door, to the books, they are all true. I am still sorry. I missed both of you today." He summoned Lucius to him and they all wrapped their arms around each other.

"I have too." Snape said into Potter's neck. He pulled away a bit. "I am so used to the three of us being together in our quarters it felt strange."

"I agree with that. I did feel strange. I know the two of you spend more time together since I am at the Ministry a lot right now, but soon I won't be so much." Lucius gave them a lecherous look, with his head laying on Potter's shoulder.

"May we go home now?" Snape asked. "I know you need to feed and I am starving myself."

"I agree. We just need to tell Marvolo."

"Is he in his office?" Potter asked.

"Yes, you aren't shadowing us like this." Snape informed him. "Your father will kill us if you did."

"No, I won't, but I am glad to see you worked it out." He handed the memory phial back to Lucius. "I decided I didn't want to see it."

"Let's return to Hogwarts, feed my brat and then head to dinner. I am sure there will be more for sorting tonight. Filius and Pomona are covering the entrance with a group of vampires and some Death Eaters until dinner is finished. After that, it will be Aurora and Poppy with a different group of vampires and Death Eaters until 9."

When they were finally back in their room for the night, Snape sat down on the bed, his head down. "Harry, what is my punishment?"

"For what?" Potter stepped out of their bathroom.

"For my behavior." Snape looked at Lucius who was standing by the wardrobe pulling out their sleepwear for the night.

Potter walked towards him and sat down next to Snape on the bed. "Severus, we're going to have our arguments. I am not going to ever punish you for that."

"What I said-" he got stopped by a kiss on the lips.

"While I have punished you in the past and will in the future I will not ever do it for you voicing your opinion. If we have an argument, which we will or if we can't agree on something, I am not going to punish either of you for that. I will punish you in the future if you doubt us again. If you say any of those things you said tonight to me. If you put yourself in danger or doubt that you are indeed mine. Deal?"

Snape looked at him and searched his face, looking to see if Potter was being sincere. "Deal. I am very sorry."

"I know, I am too. Now let's shower and head to bed, it's been a long day." Potter stood up and pulled Snape with him to the bathroom. Lucius and Snape were both naked before they entered the bathroom.

"I need to learn those spells." Lucius muttered to himself.

Chapter 41: Family

Summary:

Sunday week 3

Potter pulled Snape closer to him when he heard Lucius get up to go to the bathroom. Snape opened his eyes. "It's too early." Neither of them were morning people and would spend the day in bed if they could.

"I agree, we aren't getting up. Severus, you know I really didn't mean to be gone that long or to lock you in the room." Potter caressed Snape. They had all fallen asleep pretty quickly last night. It had been an emotionally draining day in a lot of ways. He wanted to make sure Snape realized he didn't want to hurt him.

"I know, I knew it when it happened, I knew you were still tense from Draco. Lucius and I discussed it while we waited for you to return. Just try to make sure next time, as I know there will be one, that it covers are quarters or even Hogwarts." Snape lifted himself up a bit and kissed Potter. "We both have our insecurities to deal with and our past to process. We're good."

"Day in bed?" Lucius asked, returning to bed. He didn't know what they were talking about. "You know there are going to be a lot of visitor for resorting, so I think we can safely stay in bed all day."

"I do like that idea." Snape snuggled down as Potter adjusted the quilts. "No alarms." He felt Lucius move into position, a position that was very comforting as well as comfortable.

Lucius tried to sit up in bed, but he had Snape laying across his back. He was laying on Potter. He tried to think what woke him. He opened his eyes, seeing Potter staring at him. Potter had a slight frown on his face. "It's the sorting." He watched the frown smooth out. He knew Potter had been feeling the witches and wizards arriving for their resorting.

Snape leaned forward and licked Lucius' ear, he enjoyed hearing Lucius moan in pleasure. "I say we make up for our lack of exercise yesterday." He hid his grin as he saw Potter's eyes snapped open at his idea. He kissed Lucius as Lucius tilted his head towards him.

Potter moved them quickly into position, Snape on his back, with Lucius next to Snape. "I believe we do need to make up for our lack of exercise yesterday." Lucius laid his hand down Potter's thigh. "However, before we do it, I want to say something, it will kill the mood for a bit."

Snape sat up, leaned against the headboard, Potter leaned against the bedpost, with Lucius in between them. Lucius inhaled. "I am hoping in order to avoid issues like we had yesterday, I want to discuss some ground rules."

Potter made a slightly confused face but nodded his agreement. Snape, however, didn't respond for a bit. "Lucius, right now? To be honest, I am still trying to adjust to what happened yesterday. I am in agreement about some ground rules."

"The way things have been going, I am not sure when we will get this kind of time to discuss it." Lucius said. "We have had so many issues arising that I am not sure when we will get this time to speak about this."

"We spoke this morning about yesterday, while you were in the bathroom. I really didn't mean to lock in you the room." Potter took hold of Lucius' hand, he felt Snape nudge him with his foot.

"We know." Lucius gave him a quick kiss.

"One rule I want is that I will put your safety first. If I say something about concerning your safety, you will obey it. The second rule I want is no doing anything that would violate the rules concerning the Vampire Council." Potter held up his hand. "I know there will be times that those two rules might be in conflict with what is going on but I don't want to have anyone to be able to hurt you. A good example is what happened with Radu and Aurora."

"Agreed." Lucius replied.

"I believe we knew those would be rules." Snape felt they had already experienced these rules in one form or another.

"One rule I want to say, is no insults, no matter how upset someone is." Lucius stated. "I believe it's an important to not call each other names."

Snape looked sheepish, as insulting was his usual defense mechanism. "I will try, but it will be hard." He admitted. He spent so many years protecting himself with the ability to demean others, it was going to be difficult.

"I believe as long as you avoid the ones you used on Harry in the past, it will make our relationships stronger. I know for the last twenty plus years Missing Cheese as basically encouraged that attitude, but he's not in charge and you don't have to worry about him." Lucius gave Snape's hand a squeeze.

"We are sounding like Puffs." Snape commented. "I do request that no punishment will be banning me from my potions. They are my escape and I use my research to think."

"Severus, if I banned you from potions, it would be more along the lines of limiting your time. I know you need your potions as Lucius loves his deal-making and politics and me with my research. I believe all of us need things that will allow us to escape." Potter ran a hand up Snape's leg, Snape rubbed his foot along Potter's thigh.

"Punishments?" Lucius looked at his mates. "I happen to like how we are punished now, but Severus' fears were valid, we haven't discussed limits."

"Lucius, I went a bit overboard on my delusions. I know Harry would never do anything like that."

"I won't. Anything beyond the spanking or basics punishments, we will discuss. I know the two of you have a lot more experience than I do. Whatever we decide to do in the future regarding anything kinky, we will discuss limits, from fears to desires."

"There are a few things I wouldn't mind experimenting with later on." Lucius gave them smoldering look. "Nothing too extreme."

Snape moved a hand over Lucius' thigh, caressing Lucius' butt. "Me too. I know I mentioned being locked in a chastity device and tied down in our rooms when you leave, which while I was panicking yesterday I have to admit it's a bit of a thrill, I wouldn't mind being tied down, locked in a device while you played with Lucius." He watched them react and grinned, it seemed he wasn't the only one who thought that was erotic.

"Do we need to establish rank?" Potter asked.

"No, I think when Lucius said he would punish me yesterday, I knew I would accept it. I am not sure if we need a rank. We get along without one." Snape gave them a slight smile, he wasn't sure he was willing to admit that he wanted Lucius to hold him accountable in ways that Potter wouldn't.

"Severus, while I agree in the bedroom we get along fine, well more than fine, but I think a rank might help you with your tongue." Lucius paused. "I know for years your intellect and sharp tongue have protected you but as you protect us, we protect you."

Snape glanced at Potter. "We're mated."

Potter got off of the bed, took down the wards and went left the room. Snape and Lucius exchanged a puzzled looked and before they could get off of the bed, Potter was back in the room. "I found this in the vaults yesterday." He held out a box.

Snape touched the box. "Lucius, touch the box, feel the power."

"I can feel it from here." Lucius responded. "Where did you get it? What is in the box?"

"I found them in the Peverell vault. Look inside." He was going to wait until everything quieted down to show them, but this discussion changed his mind.

Snape opened the box and inside were three white gold bracelets, laying on a bed of black silk. The box was yew wood with deep green inlaid druid designs. "Read the inscriptions on the inside of each of them." Potter pointed at the bands.

Snape pulled out the bracelets, reading each one, passing them to Lucius. "Was there anything else with them?" The three bracelets felt light, they were clearly magically adjustable, the runes were a complex protection charm.

"No. The box was with the family books."

"These are bonding bands based the runes etched in them. The inscriptions are also unique. The more detailed the band the more runes were depicted on the band. The bands were clearly made for a trio, I wonder who they were made for." Lucius passed them back to Snape.

"Do you want to use these?" Snape was reading the inscriptions again. "United together forever."

"I wanted to if you agree. You know as long as I live, you do also." Potter touched the bands. "They called to me. How do they feel about them?"

"The magic in the bands is old, powerful. Filled with a lot of protection charms." Lucius stated. He touched one of the bands, Snape passed it to him.

"I want to use them." Snape answered. Lucius and Potter smiled, Snape was going to get his way.

"How about we finish what we started?" Lucius didn't really get to say much more as Potter claimed his mouth.

Snape moved next to Potter, he could see the pleasure on Lucius' face and when Potter reached for him, Snape was a bit surprised. He hadn't realized they had stopped kissing. "Are you waiting for permission?" Potter asked.

They watched Snape nod, Potter gave him a slight grin. "No permission is ever required unless we are playing that way. The three of us are mated, now let's give Lucius some pleasure for putting up our moods yesterday."

Snape gave Lucius an evil smirk as he leaned into Potter, Snape whispered, "he has always had a secret fantasy about being tied down and denied his pleasure for a long time, while he was teased."

Potter glanced at Lucius, Lucius looked surprised. "How did you know that?"

"You got very drunk one night before you left Hogwarts, dragged me to your room, and told me what you wanted me to do. I didn't because you were so drunk you passed out as you described how you longed to be taken." Snape was enjoying the blush that coated Lucius' body.

"You both love to be teased, I could spend hours teasing you."

Snape and Lucius knew that statement to be true, they had experienced Potter teasing them before he granted them their release, but he never tied them down. "Make my dream come true." Lucius said.

Snape pulled out his wand, conjured some silken ties, handed them to Potter. "I will tell you my fantasy after we fulfill Lucius'."

"We need to make an appearance at dinner." They had spent all morning and afternoon in bed.

"How do you think he is going to handle all the people coming to Hogwarts if we are outside of the wards?" Lucius asked.

They had been awake for several minutes and realized no one had bothered them all day. "I don't want to get him grumpy." Snape said. "You know he will be protective and growly if we go to the Great Hall."

Lucius' mirror started chiming. He found it, opened it. "Marvolo?"

"Just checking to make sure everything is fine. We have had a busy day with wizards and witches coming to get resorted. Draco and Narcissa have been helping but we haven't heard from you."

"We're fine. Harry is sleeping. We weren't sure if it would be a good idea to come to the Great Hall for dinner."

"Stay there, better safe than sorry. Everyone that has come here today has only been saying positive things about the changes. They seem excited about the direction Hogwarts and the Ministry are now heading in."

"I wondered how people would react to the vampires, but it seems all of Missing Cheese's warnings about dark creatures are being overturned." Snape commented as he moved to stand behind Lucius to speak to the Dark Lord.

"Yes, a few people have spent the time talking to various vampires. Herman heard from the Vampire Council. They acknowledge Harry's claim and are now willing to work with us and the Ministry. Ironclaw also sent a message saying that they had an influx of wizards who were much more respectful."

"That is good news. Nothing new on Bode's group?" Lucius was trying to ignore Snape's roaming hand, said hand was caressing his back.

"No, Bode has been quiet too. He hasn't spoken to anyone, refusing to speak at all, not even to ask for something to drink or eat. Kreacher, elves, and vampires have noticed something interesting. None of them, except Missing Cheese, are speaking except to ask for things, like the paper or specific food." They saw Vlad behind the Dark Lord. He had a book in his hand, that he passed to the Dark Lord.

"That is weird. I mean usually, people after a time, start talking to the others in the different cells, even if it's taunting. Missing Cheese has been spouting off about the greater good, he's been trying to send notes, but the notes need to have Harry look at them. Vlad noticed there was this strange symbol on them. It's not a runic symbol, and I have never seen it before."

"I have been looking into the older languages, and haven't found nothing." Vlad said. "I think Harry might have more books in his vaults that might have information."

"He might." Lucius answered. "There are also a lot of books here, he brought at least two bookcases full from his vaults."

"He didn't even open the expandable bags, he only returned yesterday because he ran out of them." Severus pointed to the bags on the table that Harry never got to opened yesterday.

"I can look, if they can send me a copy of the symbol." Potter sat up in bed. "Dinner?"

"We're staying here." Snape told him. "Are you hungry?"

"Not yet." Potter got up, picked up his sleeping pants from the floor.

"We will have Kreacher bring you a copy of the notes. Amelia has the originals. She is looking into connecting the notes to what they are planning." The Dark Lord told them. "I will have Kreacher give you the note tomorrow, everyone is taking the night off to relax after the sorting is finished. Tomorrow we are going to be very busy."

They watched Vlad say something to the Dark Lord, who smirked. "We will speak more tomorrow. We have to head down to the Great Hall. If you need us, mirror us."

"Night Dad." Potter closed Lucius' mirror before anyone could speak. "Now, let's have some fun." Lucius and Snape were naked. "I believe we need more exercise."

Chapter 42: WHAT?

Summary:

Monday 3rd week

Potter growled as someone's wand went off. Snape lifted his head off of Potter's body. "Lucius, wake up."

"I'm up." Lucius muttered, only to get his pillow, namely Potter, to start lifting him up. "It's under my pillow, let me get it."

Snape handed Lucius' wand Lucius. "It was under my pillow, for some unknown reason." He looked at Potter, who just stared back at him, gave him a small grin and closed his eyes. He knew Potter tried to hide the wand so that Lucius wouldn't wake them in the morning. He turned his head to keep from giving it away.

They listened to Lucius walk his around their room as he got ready. "Lucius, your cufflinks are on the top of the wardrobe. Severus put them there last night with his. Your tie will be there also. Dobby brought more of your vests, robes, and shirts."

"Thank you. You two have another hour before you need to get up. Draco and Narcissa will be up soon, just to warn you. Narcissa put Draco on a regular schedule, with Minerva and the others giving him the assignments he missed."

Snape jerked up at that. He glanced at the door, then to Lucius. "You warned them?"

"I believe Narcissa's words on it were that she believed Draco would not be forgetting to stay away from the door and they said they would stay in their room until after I entered our main living area."

"They are already up, Draco has been pacing in the room, Narcissa has been trying to get him to sit down." Potter gave Snape a kiss.

"Are you alright?" Lucius asked as he stopped by the bed.

"I'm working on it. They have been up for an hour. Draco has been complaining about doing his hair. How much gel does he use anyways?"

Snape laughed, he couldn't help it. He knew his godson was vain and spent hours in the morning getting ready. He used to think Lucius was bad when they attended Hogwarts, but his godson made Lucius' time in front of a mirror seem like mere seconds. "I will speak to him."

"How long have you been awake?" Lucius knew Potter and Snape were not morning people, and Potter was usually grumpy when woken up.

"For a few hours, something I was thinking about. The runes, the marks, something is off on it. I feel we are missing a key piece of it all. Like it's staring at us in the face, and we are so busy looking at all the minor details that the biggest ones we aren't seeing."

Snape sat up, pulling a blanket over him. "Harry, when you were reading about those runes, the mark, and how he set it up. You said he based it on family law, what if he actually based in on clan law? It's similar but with the clan, a broader alliance, without a blood tie, and would still allow him to use family law, as most the laws are similar."

Lucius joined them on the bed. "He is correct, if he based it on a clan system, he would also be able to set up different factions with a ruler who would be answerable to him." Lucius looked at them. "That is why there are the different symbols and different aspects of it. He set it up on clan-based law foundation, with the leaders having the tie to him, and the ones like Trashy linked to Missing Cheese."

"So we just need to find the different leaders of the different factions. We know Missing Cheese is one, Marchbanks might be one, Bode is the head, now we need to find the ones in the Ministry." Snape stated.

"Marchbanks had to be a faction leader. There is no way she isn't. I am wondering if he allowed Dumbledore free reign with the Auror department since most of the ones in that department are Gryffindors." Potter stated. "Fudge is an idiot, so he's not involved, or is he?"

"Harry?"

"Fudge didn't get to be Minister being stupid. I think he has been playing us. He takes bribes, as we know, but really how did he get into position being so stupid?"

The three of them smirked. "He would be the one to provide the information on the guard rotation. He was also the one that permitted the Unspeakables to stay during a Wizengamot session, before his time in office, they only were in a session if they were needed." Lucius summoned some parchment and began to make some notes.

Potter summoned some parchment to him. "I researched him earlier but didn't think anything about it. Now Fudge attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he was a Gryffindor. Before he became Minister, he was-" Potter looked through his notes "the Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes."

"He was also one of the first on the scene after the Mutt seemed to kill Peter Pettigrew. Fudge watched the Mutt laughing maniacally; it was one of thing he mentioned in an interview. I remember because he mentioned the huge crater the explosion caused." Severus remembered that lined because he thought how could the Mutt laugh about the Potter's deaths.

"Well, here is where I think we are on the right course. Missing Cheese was the top candidate to succeed Millicent Bagnold as the next Minister for Magic. Almost everyone requested him to accept the position, but he refused multiple times. He always refused, there were numerous articles in the Daily Prophet, usually with him saying how he wanted to shape the minds of our youth. Now, that left the door opened for Bartemius Crouch, he was favored because of his fight against the Death Eaters." Lucius began to write out a timeline.

"His son getting caught as a Death Eater killed his career. You know that never made any sense. How did they get caught?" Potter wondered.

"You think it was a set-up?" Snape asked.

"It could be, it's just too smooth that suddenly Fudge shows up at a crime scene. Why? He had no reason to be there. Next, the person everyone wanted, bows out, like normal, than the one who is predicted to win, has a huge scandal, paving the way for Fudge. Who was riding the glory of capturing the Mutt." Lucius looked at his notes. "Harry, can I take your information with me?"

"Sure, I am sure Amelia will want to know about it. I will make a copy for my father too." Potter waved his hand and the parchment was now in four separate piles.

Potter was glaring at the group of fifth-year Slytherin and Gryffindor students, who were too busy watching Potter, to pay attention to their potions. "You should be adding the crushed garlic to the disgrace you call a potion. It should be light green, not yellow Mr. Thomas, nor should it look like ground earth, Ms. Parkinson."

"Duck!" Blaise yelled out, as Longbottom's potion went shooting into the air, spewing forth some bright red goo, covering most of the students who didn't duck under their desks, and from the growl that Snape and the students heard, some had landed on Potter has he had pulled Snape into his arms to protect him.

"Longbottom what part of crushed garlic didn't you comprehend? I wrote it on the board, it's in your books and I even stated it, yet somehow, in your thick-headedness, you dropped a whole clove into your potion. Detention with Filch." Snape snapped out, as the rest of the students were standing against the wall, after hearing Potter growling. "Zambini, Greengrass, Thomas, and Finigan start cleaning this mess up. Those of you who are hurt, follow Longbottom to the infirmary. Everyone will have until the next session to submit to me their attempt. Dismissed."

Snape kept Potter away from the remaining four as they cleaned up the room. Potter was watching them closely and Snape knew the day's classes weren't going to get any better. He was going to have a shadow.

Snape was a bit surprised when his mirror chimed, he heard Potter's too. He looked at his students, who were currently doing a pop quiz as he pulled his out. Potter already had his out. He cast a Silencio, they opened their mirrors. "Lucius?"

"Get everyone into our quarters, it's important, I will be there in a few minutes. Hurry." Lucius said and was gone. Snape dismissed his class.

Soon everyone was in Snape's quarters when Rosely shadowed in with Vlad and Lucius. "I am just going to say it, then we will explain what we think happened. Missing Cheese is dead."

No one spoke for several seconds until finally, Minerva said, "I don't know if we should be thankful or saddened." Several of them agreed with her. They were close to the man, they didn't like what he had done but they had known him for several decades.

"What happened?" The Dark Lord wanted the man to face a trial, get all of his misdeeds out in the open so that no one could turn him into a martyr.

"It was another failed breakout attempt. However, it was also an assassination." Rosely stated. "At eight, a group of trainee Aurors spilled into the holding area."

"They weren't aware of the changes we made, so we were able to catch them off guard." Vlad added.

"It was the only thing that prevented Bode from escaping. There were two groups of six and a group of about ten. The group of about ten attacked anyone they could see, while one group of six went for Bode, to release him, and the other group went after Missing Cheese. They were firing the Killing Curse at the man. They were determined to kill him and they did. As soon as he was dead, they joined the group trying to release Bode. Needless to say, it failed, but it proved your theory correct. After giving all of them some Veritaserum, we learned a few interesting things."

"The trainee Aurors were under someone named Butterfield." Lucius informed them. "He is an older trainer Auror. He hasn't been in the field since before Mad-Eye was an Auror. He mostly did the lectures on law."

"Butterfield is already under arrest. He had the goose on him but the goose was a bit different in design also, it had a red collar around its neck, instead of the red feet." Rosely stated.

"Amelia is going to start a department by department search for connections to Missing Cheese, Bode, Marchbanks and anyone else they have identified so far. The trainees didn't have much information, as this was a plan by Butterfield to free Bode. It seems that Bode wasn't even aware of the situation."

"Bode wouldn't have been so blatant about it, he is more about subtle." The Dark Lord explained. "Are they sure Missing Cheese is dead? That it isn't some ploy? The Killing Curse has to be meant for it to work, they could have used another spell in between saying the words."

"They already thought of that. Dawlish, Amelia, and Vlad made sure he was dead." Lucius sighed. They really needed to be able to get more information out of Missing Cheese. The man had so many links to so many. "They didn't want him to talk, and judging by what they said, they were afraid of Missing Cheese telling the truth with Veritaserum or making a deal for himself, while hanging the rest of them."

"How did Bode react?" The Dark Lord asked.

"That was an interesting event. He kept yelling for them to not kill Missing Cheese. When he was declared dead, he went on a mini-tangent about how they ruined his plans." Lucius remarked. "The vampires already had everything under control. The Aurors were in the process of making sure no one else was hurt and he was ranting about his plans being ruined."

"He wanted to pin everything on Missing Cheese. From what I saw briefly, he had some hidden evidence he planned on introducing showing that Missing Cheese was the mastermind, however, it all relied on the man being alive. It's now useless information, as it was linked to Aberforth, blackmail, murder, and treason." Rosely gave Minerva a quick hand squeeze. "The man is a fruitcake, but he's smart."

"So the information would have supported Aberforth's statement. However, since Missing Cheese was killed in the Ministry holding cell by trainee Aurors, there will always be those who will believe it was a plot by the Ministry to keep Missing Cheese quiet, and if Bode used that information, he would be in danger of losing those who followed Missing Cheese, despite what they have been reading." The Dark Lord sighed. "So while we have Missing Cheese out of the picture, it just got harder for us to discover what he knew."

"Minerva, was there any notes, books, or parchments in his quarters or in your office?" Potter asked. "Could you also ask the portraits if they saw any special hiding spots?"

"I will do that as soon as I return to my office." Minerva wiped her eyes, and she noticed she wasn't the only. "I will also speak to the Board, I don't believe his portrait should be hung nor should he be buried on the grounds."

"I agree, and I will approach the Board with you." Lucius told her. "Classes?"

"Cancel them, it will be a lot for everyone to process. They did know him, while I agree he wasn't well liked towards the end, he was here for decades and affected everyone who attended Hogwarts." Filius stated.

They all agreed. "Minerva, do you want to make the announcement at lunch?" Lucius asked.

"Yes, it would be better, I don't want them to hear it from someone else, or in the Daily Prophet tonight. I believe we should be the source of the continued information for the students." Minerva replied. "I want them to trust us."

"Well, no one can say I munched on him." Potter quietly told Lucius and Snape, but the vampires in the room heard and snorted.

"Mr. Potter." Minerva tried to rebuke him but failed. "Really, eating the Headmaster would have just given you indigestion."

Chapter 43: Kreacher

Summary:

Kreacher's POV

"Kreacher, Kreacher."

Kreacher heard his name and groaned that crazy, bouncing elf needed to be tied down. "What you want weird one?" He knew the elf's name was something that started with a D. The elf was good at stopping messages and information, however, and he would keep him on that job.

"More, look." Kreacher had parchments dumped in front of him. All different sizes, some just folded, some sealed. He wondered why they kept trying to write to each other? The wizzies weren't getting any responses. Stupid wizzies weren't just little wizzies any longer, they came in all ages and sizes, he thought as he watched the growing pile in front of him. "Keep doing it."

"I will give to Master Vampy and Darkness. Teach young ones to do it too. News?" Kreacher put the folded parchments into one of his numerous hiding spots. He knew Darkness liked the information as soon as possible, so after he heard the information from others he would deliver it.

Poor Masters having to deal with Missing Cheese and the Idiots. Wizards were weird things. He was never going to understand why there weren't more like his Masters and his friends. He liked them. They knew how to keep an elf busy, didn't beat them, but the best was they listened. Yes, it was weird to be listened to, but he liked it.

"They be pacing." Drunk One stated. "We tried to stop wizzies from casting but couldn't get into cells."

Kreacher knew the ones in the cells were getting scared. He had seen them pacing before, but now with Missing Cheese dead, it seemed to scare them more. That was good, scared meant they would make more errors and might let more information spill.

"Speaks No More wasn't happy with Missing Cheese's being dead. We find out why and give what we find to Master Vampy and his Darkness." Kreacher declared. "Search everything. Find his elves. See if we can into Missing Cheese's and Speaks No More house." The elves would find whatever the wizzies might have hidden. Even if they couldn't remove the information, finding it and letting his Master knew would be good.

"No elves at Speaks." An older house elf spoke. Kreacher knew the older elves were feeling useful, like him, again. So many hadn't had anyone to look after or care for in a long time. The last war had killed so many wizzies, left them without a wizzie to care for.

Kreacher recognized the elf from his Master's properties. "We get in?"

"Yes. I popped there."

"Get more there and look." Kreacher ordered. That saved him from having to get elves from breaking their bond. "The rest of you start searching the houses from those in Idiot Place's cells. We give to our Masters." Kreacher knew his Mistress would be so proud of him and his Master. Master Vampy was bringing back pride to Black name that Nasty Master ruined. "White and Cooks Too Much, go to Missing Cheese and see if we get in."

"We do." The two elves popped away and came back equally as fast. "We can. No elves. Place is mess."

"Take who you want, get information from there. Go search both." Kreacher ordered. He watched two smaller groups head out. He would tell his Masters when he would bring Master Smells and Master Blondie their lunches. Darkness would be informed after that.

"Kreacher, we keep the young ones with us to learn?" Nanny asked.

"Yes, make sure three go with the Crazy One, teach them to get messages." Kreacher stated. "Also have him and Drunk teach them how to guard cells, we need more there now that the dead ones are around. We provide food for them. No munching on us that way."

"They won't." An older one reassured one of the younger ones who had let out a whimper. Kreacher knew many of the stupid wizzies taught others to fear the creatures, but the creatures weren't to be feared.

"No, they won't. They good. We just make sure to take care of Master's people." Kreacher said in a moment of kindness to the younger one. They had too much to teach the younger ones. They needed to get them working and shut up that Stupid One about freeing their kind. He knew many didn't want to listen to her but it only took one idiot to do a lot of damage. Like Speaks No More or Missing Cheese. Idiot Wizzies.

"Who at Darkness?" Kreacher asked and saw five hands raise. "You need more?"

"No, we sent three to Idiot Place to help. We fine." The Head Elf stated. "Master Darkness and his Dead Guy spending time working on our information."

Kreacher could see the pride fill the elves that heard and knew the news would spread. He loved his wizzies they made big change to his kind, good changes. "What about Master Blondies house?"

"We secure it. No one can get in." Blondie's head elf stated. "Mistress Blondie and Mini Blondie at Master Vampy's."

"Take care of them there." Kreacher ordered. "We need to find more fresh fruit and other things for those who feed the dead ones. Cook 1 use more elves to search for food they will need."

"I took more. We searching all markets and found sources." Cook 1 responded.

Cook 1 was the head cook of the elves. She was the one that knew every recipe, every spice, every flower, well anything to do with cooking. She taught the young ones how to do it. Kreacher had learned from her. "Iron."

"Yes and fresh blood for back." Cook 1 replied. "No need so far, but told Meddy Witchy we have it."

"Hoggies?" Kreacher asked.

"We have plenty and teaching more to watch little wizzies and help clean now that girl is gone. We make sure the dead ones are protected too. Showed them places to sleep." Olden responded. "Mistress Cat is searching Missing Cheese's areas for more information, might want to send some elves to her."

"Do it." Kreacher ordered. "We take care of our wizzies and dead guys, we make sure Speaks No More can't do anything else."

Kreacher watched all the elves nod their agreement. It was time to make wizzies good again. They had waited a long time for this. Missing Cheese had damaged so much. Kreacher wasn't going to miss that one. Why anyone ever believed anything that came from that wizzie he wasn't sure.

"They see now." Kreacher turned and saw his mother standing there.

"Know."

"You doing good. Take care of them." She smiled at Kreacher. "I was worried for a while."

"Nasty Master failed."

"He followed the crazy ones. Now it's being fixed. No more talk about freeing us, no more talk about laws against us. Your Master united the creatures and wizzies." Kreacher saw the pride in his mother's eyes. "Go and give Darkness those notes. Our work never over."

Kreacher watched her pop back to the Black Castle. He popped over to Hoggies. "Master Vampy, Master Smells, Master Blondie, Darkness, Grampy Vampy, Dead Guys, more notes." He dumped the piled on the small table. "We going to Missing Cheese and Speaks No More place and search."

"Thank you, Kreacher." Master Vampy said.

Kreacher looked at Master Smells and Master Blondie and summoned some fresh fruit for them. He glanced at Darkness and did the same. "Eat."

"Pushy elf." Master Smells stated but he took some fruit. "Eating see."

"Good." Kreacher responded. "We training young ones to watch cells and gather messages."

"No one was hurt earlier?" Master Blondie asked.

"No, we be fine. We couldn't get into cells to keep them from killing Missing Cheese. Wards to keep us out, bad for once."

"Keep everyone safe Kreacher. We don't want anyone hurt from their attempts to get Bode out." Master Vampy stated.

"We do." Yes, the elves made the right choice in banding together to aid his Master and Darkness. Kreacher popped away to make sure everyone doing their job.

Chapter 44: Returning to Normal? Or Normal for Hogwarts

Summary:

Monday the rest of the day and Tuesday

Monday:

Everyone was subdued as they processed that Missing Cheese was now dead. Minerva, Lucius, and Rosely provided as much information as they could, explained that classes were canceled for the rest of the week. "We will inform you when the funeral is if you wish to attend. He will not be buried here." Lucius stated.

They heard a lot of agreement with that statement. "If you wish to go home for the week, please speak to your head of house." Minerva added.

As they started dinner, a special edition of the Daily Prophet arrived and students read the same details they were just provided. Potter tilted his head, listening to everyone speaking. "Anything interesting?"

"No, most seem thankful we provided them with the details and are in agreement with him not being buried here. Some are in a bit of shock, some are going to write to their parents to go home for the week." Potter answered.

Potter was looking through the law books, researching the differences between clan and family law. "Lucius, regarding family law, does that take into account family magic?"

It was just them in their quarters, Snape was at his desk marking assignments, while Lucius was working on the different family accounts. Draco was in the Slytherin common room, Narcissa was with Poppy discussing the latest healing techniques.

"It's a bit of a grey area. Family law is controlled by the head of the family, but it can also be controlled by the head of the individual family unit. There are a few things that the head of the family unit can't do without permission from the head of the family." Lucius explained.

"Like disownment?" Potter asked.

"Exactly. It can also vary according to the family charter."

"That explains why everything in this book won't give a solid answer." Potter closed the book. "I have read it a few times and all it says is could, might, or should."

"Wait until you read the clan ones." Lucius replied. "I really don't think the answer will be in those books. We will need to find the main family charter, find the different heads of the clans, and the -" Lucius stopped, got up and headed to the bookcase. Not seeing what he was looking for he opened his mirror. "Dark Lord."

"Lucius?" The Dark Lord was a bit surprised by Lucius' mirroring him.

"Harry gave me the answer to our problem." Lucius explained. "We don't need to find the different heads of the clans Bode might have. We know he is the head, so therefore, his family charter will override it all. I couldn't find my book on the houses, but I think the MacFusty clan might be under one or two of the bigger lines, I am not sure."

"Bode won't speak to us." The Dark Lord reminded him.

"I agree, but it only takes three members of the family to remove the head of the family, no matter the charter. Some will put in a different reason for members to be removed, but all of the family charters have that if a head of the family causes duress, three male members may remove him. If Darren MacFusty can get two others or even speak to other members in a higher house, we might be able to get rid of the clan and family law aspect of Bode's group."

"I will send a message to Charlie Weasley." The Dark Lord informed them.

"Draco and Narcissa are arriving." Potter didn't look up from his task. Lucius and Snape were sitting on the couch, drinking some tea, while he was cleaning up his desk.

As Draco and Narcissa entered, Lucius moved a bit over and Snape stood up, as Potter sat down, pulling Snape into his lap, and Lucius closer to him. Draco arched his brow and Narcissa hit his arm. "Get used to it."

"I don't want to see my father with his lovers." Draco was really trying not to think of anyone having sex with his father and godfather, never mind together.

Potter started growling, as Snape took hold of his hands. "Mates, Draco. I thought you understood that." Lucius really didn't want to see Draco hurt.

"I do, but seeing it-" Draco made a face.

"Draco what is bothering you about this? You know how creature inheritances work. You also know you are partly responsible for triggering this." Narcissa thought Draco was over this issue.

Draco looked uncomfortable for a few seconds before responding. "At first, we know why, I wasn't acting under my own mental abilities. Now, I think it's just well, it's my father, my godfather-"

"Normal reaction." Snape stated. "I am sure we can relate to not wanting to see our parents in a relationship." He didn't even want to think of his parents being loving in front of him. He was still getting used to the three of them being loving in the privacy of their own quarters.

"I can't, personally, I think it's done my father a world of good." Potter muttered. "He isn't cursing everyone."

Lucius and Snape agreed, while Narcissa and Draco tried not to laugh. "That is true. I thought he was going to kill me." Draco finally stated. "I am not adverse to your relationship, but it's just seeing it."

"Draco, we understand. As long as you are living here, we will keep it in the bedroom. However, our seating arrangements are for a reason."

"I believe your father is very politely saying is that they are sitting so that Harry won't kill anyone."

Draco swallowed. "I think it's time for bed." He got up and before anyone could ask him anything he disappeared into their temporary bedroom.

"I wasn't going to eat him." Potter whined, he did lean forward a bit and licked Snape's neck.

"I believe I will join him." Narcissa rose. "I will make sure we stay in our rooms in the morning."

"Thank you, Narcissa." Lucius said.

"I agree, it's late, time for bed." Potter gave Lucius a lustful look as Snape wiggled a bit on his lap. As soon as the door to the guest room closed, Potter picked up Snape, tossed him over his shoulder and grabbed Lucius' hand. "Bed."

"I am capable of walking." Snape stated as he smacked Harry's butt.

"After that wiggling in my lap, you are lucky I am dragging you to the bedroom, and not just bending you over a chair." Potter responded. "Hit me again, and you will find yourself getting a spanking."

"Promise?" Snape asked as he raised his hand to do just that.

Lucius beat Snape to it and smacked Potter's right butt cheek with his free hand. "I believe I know how to handle the both of you."

As soon as the door was closed, they were naked and Snape and Lucius were on the bed, on their backs, looking up at Potter. "Now I believe I need to address an issue regarding spanking?"

Tuesday:

Snape woke, it was too early to be up, he didn't hear Lucius' wand alarm. He looked around the room, but nothing seemed to be out of place. He snuggled down into Potter again, as he felt Potter tighten his arm around him. "Harry?"

"Sleep, it was Kreacher, he is picking up our living area." Potter moved Lucius' hair away from Snape's face. "We have a few hours more before our favorite blond wakes us."

"It's too early." Lucius muttered. "Why are you up?"

"We aren't." Snape leaned close to Lucius, kissed him on the forehead. "Go back to sleep."

Three hours later:

Potter growled as Lucius' wand went off. "I'm going to break it one day." Snape muttered as he tried to bury his head under the blankets.

Lucius turned off his alarm, as he sat up. "Are they up too?"

"Yes." Potter snarled. "Draco is whining about his clothes, bath products, hair gel, and not having the right color towels."

"I will have Narcissa put up a silencing charm." Lucius knew his son was always very concerned with his appearance. He knew it was in part from him but mostly from Narcissa. Narcissa always made sure that Draco had everything exactly has Draco wanted it. He got up out of bed, stretched a bit.

"You need a potion?" Potter asked as he watched Lucius.

"No, I am actually fine, Harry." Lucius walked to the bathroom, as a pillow was thrown at him. "Severus, you almost got me."

"Almost doesn't count." Snape mumbled into Potter's chest. He felt Potter's hand caress his back. "We have a few hours."

Lucius stuck his head out of the door, "I will be here for lunch." He headed back into the bathroom.

"Was that a warning to get out of bed or to stay in bed?" Snape asked.

"I vote we stay in bed." Potter switched positions so that Snape was now under him. He stopped Snape from speaking by covering Snape's mouth.

"Lucius is home." Potter told Snape. They had spent the morning after Lucius left reading and just enjoying their time alone. Snape had fed Potter earlier.

"Kreacher should be here with lunch soon." Snape answered. "I have him bringing Lucius' favorites for lunch."

Lucius entered their bedroom. He looked tired. He sat down in the chair opposite Snape. Potter got up and pulled him into a hug.

"Lucius?" Snape's voice was filled with worry.

Lucius sighed. "I just spent the morning listening to them demand that we actually hold a funeral service for Missing Cheese, how it's important that we give still remember his past deeds."

"They don't know all of the truth." Snape reminded him.

"We were able to keep him from being buried on Hogwarts' grounds. They want to bury him in Godric's Hollow." Lucius sighed. "We tried to stop it, but they did provide a good reason. It came down to the fact that he has to be buried someplace. They did compromise, a simple gravestone, nothing big. They will announce the funeral will be on Thursday."

After guiding Lucius to the bed, undressing him, giving him some lunch, Snape pulled him closer, as Lucius said. "I made a note of who it was, Amelia is going to look into their backgrounds and make sure they aren't part of Bode's clan."

"Good, now rest." Potter climbed into their bed, with a sleeping potion for Lucius, after banishing their lunch dishes. "Drink."

Once Lucius was curled into Potter, Snape leaned against Potter. "He needs the rest."

"I agree. He is staying with us until the funeral." Potter replied. "Too many late nights and early mornings, with a lot of interruptions in between."

"Agreed. He won't like it, but he needs it." Snape pulled out his mirror and they informed the Dark Lord of what they learned and their decision to remain in their quarters.

Chapter 45: Funeral

Summary:

Thursday (week 5)

Everyone was sitting in the Great Hall, listening to Minister Fudge give the memorial of Albus Dumbledore. There were a variety of members from the Ministry, Wizengamot, Diplomatic Corps, and regular wizards in attendance. They would be burying the man later today.

The Dark Lord had pulled Mad-Eye aside earlier in the morning and explained what they learned about the marks and asked him if there was any way he could tell if anyone had the marks Bode used. They showed him the marks they had found. Mad-Eye was eager to help, he had felt useless since Missing Cheese wasn't around any longer to use him.

Minerva had arranged for the Aurors, ones they trusted, to be in the Great Hall, and Potter was sitting in his chair, with Snape and Lucius by him. Potter was watching Mad-Eye walk around the room, but he was mumbling quietly, so only the vampires could him. "I see a few people who have the marks. The magic isn't dark like you would associate with the dark mark, but it's not light either." Mad-Eye commented. "No students, so far."

The Dark Lord had already arranged for Mad-Eye to have a vampire follow him so that the vampire could make a note of names and descriptions. "Merlin!" Mad-Eye stated. He was currently standing behind Fudge, facing the main doors to the Great Hall. Fudge was standing on the raised platform, in the middle, where Dumbledore's chair used to be.

Everyone looked at the man. He looked embarrassed and moved behind the Dark Lord. "You were right. Fudge has one. It's on his lower back." He wasn't expecting that. "It's a goose."

The Dark Lord exchanged a look with Rosely. They were wondering what game Fudge was playing. The man certainly appeared surprised and confused by all they had presented, but it also explained a few things. Like how Bode knew they were going to arrest him, the times the vampire guards changed, but also confused them. Why didn't Fudge warn him about Dearborn? Why didn't Fudge stop them from arresting Bode? Fudge had to be a pawn. They listened to numerous politicians make their speeches, with Mad-Eye still standing behind the speakers. After two hours of speeches, it was being wrapped up. "Those who wish to attend the graveside services of Albus Dumbledore, please follow the Aurors, who will see everyone arrives safely at Godric's Hollow if you don't know the way." Fudge instructed.

Soon everyone was heading out of the Great Hall, except for a few who were lingering. Potter got up and sat by his father. "Dad, I don't think Fudge is that high ranking. It would explain his lack of knowledge. He is a pawn like Trashy was."

"I was just thinking that. I am going to be speaking to Amelia afterward. I heard back from Charlie. He said that Darren and his two brothers, three cousins, two aunts and five or six uncles want to remove Bode from the family tree. I want to see if Amelia would allow it to happen in front of Bode."

"It would fit with his own idea of revenge." Rosely commented.

"Umbridge too." The Dark Lord added. "According to Darren, her family has been wanting to disown her for a long time. So as soon as they remove Bode, both sides of her family are going to remove her."

"Couldn't happen to a nicer toad." Potter responded.

"We need to attend the funeral. So we better get going." Lucius really didn't want to attend, but he agreed with the Dark Lord and Minerva, as a member of the Wizengamot and a Lord, he needed to attend. "I will be back as soon as I can."

"We will be fine." Snape was a bit surprised by how calm Potter had been and wondered if the two days hidden in their quarters was able to settle him a bit. He knew Lucius was more relaxed and so was he.

Lucius gave them each a quick kiss on the cheek since the only people left in the hall were those they considered family.

Lucius, followed by everyone else, entered Snape's quarters. They were all trying not to smirk since it was a somber occasion, but they couldn't stop themselves.

"Do you get the feeling we missed something?" Snape asked Potter, as everyone sat down in their usual spots.

"I do." Potter looked at his father, who had mischief in his eyes.

"We really shouldn't be laughing, but honestly, it was funny and yet disrespectful." Minerva stated.

"True." Rosely agreed. "However, I believe no one will ever be able to call him anything else."

Snape and Potter exchanged a confused look. "What are we not understanding?" Snape asked.

"At the funeral, everyone was respectful. The small blessing was well thought out. The problem arose when they tried to place the grave marker. No matter how many times, no matter who cast the spell, the stone kept only producing one name."

"No!" Snape was surprised. "You're kidding?"

"No, even when Kingsley tried, Missing Cheese, AKA The Cheese Slide off His Cracker. Nothing else would appear." Minerva told them.

"That wasn't even the worst part." Vlad remarked.

"No, it was the laughing and people saying leave it there." Minerva responded. "No one wanted to have it changed. When Cornelius asked who was doing the prank, everyone laughed harder."

"I don't think it was a prank." Radu commented. "They tried different markers, different spots, and different casters."

"You don't think Lady Magic had something to do with it?" Snape asked.

"No, I think some house elves got their revenge." Potter responded.

They all thought about how the elves had been working to keep Bode, Dumbledore, and their people out of power, and it made a lot of sense. Kreacher was proof that house elves were more than just servants.

"Now onto a more serious subject, Mad-Eye was able to give us a list of those with the marks. I informed Amelia what we discovered." The Dark Lord stated.

"She has been looking into our dear Minister and found some interesting facts. She is just waiting for more evidence before arresting him." Lucius said.

"Really?" Filius asked.

"Yes, it seems the goblins linked some of the bribe money to Bode, Missing Cheese, and a few others, including some foreign diplomats. She is going to be submitting the information to the ICW." Lucius responded.

"Should we worry about the ICW deciding to come in and clean house?" Minerva asked.

"That was a concern, but after she explained what we had already done and the direction we're going, they agreed to leave it in our hands. They will provide any help if we needed it. Herman was able to calm them down about stepping in, explaining how he supported Amelia and Lucius." The Dark Lord stated.

"The goblins are going to handle the minor players, so they will be arresting them as they arrive in Gringotts. They are going to send out some notices about changes to their accounts." Rosely explained. "The fact that we are in agreement with magical creatures was a good sign of faith in the ICW's eyes."

"Amelia did request some help from them in regards to searching through the Hogwarts archives to see who actually should have received their OWLs or NEWTs." Radu added.

"Yes, and also they are going to be providing funds for aiding in setting up abuse awareness events, helping with abused children and really anything to do with abuse. They had offered before but Missing Cheese always declined the funds. I gave them your name Poppy, along with Rookwood." The Dark Lord told her.

"Thank you." Poppy responded.

"Did we miss anything?" Radu asked.

"I don't think so. Most of the ICW people seemed relieved that we were doing something instead of letting things continue as they have been." The Dark Lord told them.

"I vote for an early night. This has been a very stressful last month." Minerva commented. She also was still having conflicting feelings about the death of Dumbledore. She knew most of the staff were, and knew Hogwarts would move forward.

After dinner:

Potter was sitting in the chair in their room, as he watched Lucius enter after speaking to Narcissa. He smirked at the man as he walked behind Snape, who had been rearranging their wardrobe. Snape had expanded it using wizarding space since it would now be holding all of their clothes. They all knew Lucius was a clothes horse.

"What you doing, Sev?" Lucius whispered into Snape's ear. He used his right hand to unbutton a few of Snape's famous buttons on his robe, sliding his hand under the material. His cane in his left hand kept Snape from turning his head.

Potter and Lucius saw Snape close his eyes, in pleasure, he finally answered. "I'm making room in our wardrobe for all of your clothes."

Potter stood up, walking toward them. "I want to see you undress each other. All those buttons."

Lucius didn't remove his hand from Snape, he flicked his tongue out, briefly touching Snape's ear. "What do you say, Severus, shall we find out what it's like to tease Harry for a change?"

Potter moved behind Lucius. "Who said I was going to be teased? I believe you are to undress each other, I never implied I wasn't going to have my fun."

Both men felt their bodies respond to something and realized their holes were prepped and before they could ask a question, they felt a small plug was inside them. "I really need to know where he learned these spells." Lucius muttered.

"I agree." Snape thrust his butt into Lucius' groin. "However, start undressing me, we can learn spells later."

Lucius felt Potter take his cane, and he wrapped his left arm around Snape and started to unbutton all of the man's buttons. He growled when he was only about halfway done with unbuttoning Snape's robe. "I need to learn the spell."

"It's worth the wait." Potter commented.

"I like the one that makes us naked, instantly." Snape turned and faced Lucius. "You are going to slow." He began to undo Lucius' multi-layered chest. He started with the robe, moved to the vest.

While they were doing that, Potter was running his hands up and down their backs, giving them kisses every once in a while. Once they were finally naked, they turned and started on Potter, only to find themselves on the bed.

Potter froze and started growling. "What is it?" Snape asked as Potter got up, was dressed as he walked towards the door. They tried to get up and get dressed to follow, but they knew they wouldn't catch up to Potter.

"Students to your common rooms." They heard announced over Hogwarts. "Students to your common rooms. Any student found out of their common room in ten minutes will be suspended."

Their mirrors started going off. Lucius found his mirror. "There is a battle out in front of Hogwarts. The Aurors, vampires and magical creatures are fighting Umbridge and Fudge." Minerva stated. "Marvolo, Vlad, Radu, and Rosely are already out there."

"So is Harry." Lucius almost shouted. They quickly finished dressing and raced to the main entrance of Hogwarts. Minerva, staff, and a few of the older students were already standing there. "I didn't think he could move that fast." Poppy stated.

Lucius and Snape pushed their way to the front. They stood next to Minerva, who was clearly shocked. The staff watched as Potter, the creatures of the forest, with a group of Aurors, were wiping out Umbridge and Fudge forces. "Anyone know what happened?"

"I saw the Minister, with Umbridge, coming towards Hogwarts. They were leading all those who have that pink band around their arms. The group of Aurors arrived to try to stop them, but Umbridge used the Killing Curse on two of them. Next thing I knew there were vampires were coming out of the shadows, followed by the Centaurs and werewolves to stop them." Filius stated.

"We were coming from the library." A few others stated.

"I honestly wasn't expecting Fudge to be that big of an idiot." Minerva comment.

"He is doing it in a bid for power. The moron. I bet it was Umbridge's idea." Lucius commented.

They watched as Potter, the Dark Lord, Vlad, Rosely, and Radu were leaving a line of corpses as they worked their way towards Umbridge and Fudge. Lucius exchanged a look with Snape, they knew who would get to Umbridge first.

Potter reached Umbridge and ripped her head off her shoulders, in less than a second. He started to head towards Fudge. Fudge, being the true chicken he was, started running towards the apparition point. He didn't make it very far before he was headless too. Potter roared, causing the battle to freeze. Those who were with Fudge and Umbridge realized they lost and threw down their wands.

Chapter 46: Muggleborn Problem

Summary:

Thursday (week 5)

Evening, Friday morning

Snape glanced to Lucius as they watched the last of the attackers either die by a vampire or lay down their wands. The Aurors quickly restrained those who dropped their wands, while the Dark Lord, Potter, and the rest finished off anyone who continued fighting.

"More Aurors are arriving." Poppy pointed to the apparition spot, as another group of Aurors clearly ready for battle arrived. They watched the last of Fudge's people got rounded up.

Potter was beginning to look for anyone who was a threat. "Severus, Lucius, I believe it's going to up to you and Marvolo to get Harry to settle down." Filius thought it was a bit amazed by what he had seen.

Snape didn't even respond but started walking out onto the battlefield, with Lucius behind him. The Dark Lord was already guiding Potter away from the masses. Snape and Lucius suddenly were engulfed in Potter's arms. "Harry, we are fine." Lucius didn't resist, as Potter was doing his check.

"Potter, are you hurt?" Potter just started purring as he held onto them. "I see blood, but I don't think it's his." Snape could see that Lucius was trying to see if Potter was injured.

"Severus, Lucius, may we speak to him?" Kingsley asked from where he was standing with the Dark Lord.

"You can try, from there, but I don't think he is up to speaking right now. Do you just want his memories?" Snape hoped they weren't expecting Potter to give a full statement.

"That will be fine. We have enough evidence that it was all self-defense. Amelia was already working on arresting Cornelius and Dolores when we heard about this." Kingsley, along with almost everyone, couldn't believe that Fudge tried this.

"Yes, I had been already speaking to her about them. We were going to meet tomorrow morning to discuss what was to be done." Lucius informed Kingsley

Two Aurors moved up to Kingsley, which caused Potter to focus on the group, Snape and Lucius felt Potter tense. "Relax, they won't come close." Snape whispered.

"We won't come closer." The senior Auror handed some parchment to Kingsley. "There are 43 in the holding cells, 84 are at St. Mungo's under guard and 159 have been declared dead. Madam Pomfrey and two other healers will finish the death certificates. The only ones deceased are from Fudge's people, as well as most of the injured."

"Any issue with the creatures getting treatment?" Lucius was hoping their new stance on creatures acceptance would work. He knew most of the healers didn't care who they treated, they all took the same oath, and in the oath, it didn't just say humans.

"No, everyone is getting treatment. Some of the minor injuries are being treated here at Hogwarts and released." The Auror answered. "The cleanup crews will start once we finish gathering the evidence. We found the port-keys, they were set outside of the apparition spots for Hogwarts, just on the edge of Hogsmeade."

"Gentlemen, I am sure this is interesting, but I would like to get my son inside Hogwarts tonight, so perhaps we can discuss this a little bit away from them?" The Dark Lord asked.

"Yes, there is no reason for us to discuss this here." Kingsley responded. "I believe we only have a few more things to clear up. We have all of the memories?" Kingsley glanced at the trio and guided everyone a bit away.

Snape wanted to smirk, as he hoped that Kingsley didn't think Potter wouldn't know what they were discussing. "Potter, let's go back to our quarters." Potter, still purring, licked Snape's neck. He shadowed them back.

Snape woke up, he didn't hear any alarms, he saw Potter and Lucius were still asleep. He used his magic to feel around the room, nothing appeared out of order, but he knew if it was, Potter would have already woken up. He wiggled his way free of Potter. He was about to sit down when a bowl of fresh berries appeared on the table. He picked up his book and started to read as he ate. He would glance at his mates once in a while, but otherwise, he was enjoying the quiet. It was almost an hour later when he glanced up and saw Potter watching him. "How long have you been awake?"

"Since you got up an hour ago. I just dozed while you were reading." Potter answered as Lucius buried himself under the blankets. "Coming back to bed?"

"No, since I know Lucius needs to head to the Ministry, I was thinking we could do some work in the lab, I have a few ideas for your Mastery." Snape had been thinking about Potter's mastery programs and he believed, with the work Potter had done with the Weasley twins, that Potter would be the second youngest to get his Masters in Potions.

"So it's my turn to say it's too early to be up?" Lucius stuck his head from under the blankets. "My wand hasn't gone off."

"You have about twenty minutes before it does. Do you want some tea and fruit?" Snape asked. "I have the morning for feeding Potter." When Lucius agreed, Snape didn't have to say anything before more fruit and some tea appeared. Lucius headed to the bathroom, as Potter sat up. Snape knew Potter was going to do something, and he wasn't going to move. Potter tilted his head. "No, don't you dare summon me."

Snape heard Lucius laughing as he found himself, on the bed, next to Potter. "I think it was the dare." Lucius laughed from the doorway to the bathroom. Lucius suddenly was on the bed next to Snape.

Snape laughed. "Harry, we don't have a lot of time to play."

Potter lifted his head. "Plenty of time." He returned to teasing Snape.

Snape and Potter entered the Great Hall from the Professor's entrance so that they were at the Head Table when the Dark Lord, Rosely, and Vlad arrived. "Lucius?" The Dark Lord asked.

"He's already on his way to the Ministry with Radu." Snape answered. "He wanted to speak to Amelia."

"I am heading there in a few minutes with Vlad." Rosely held Minerva's chair as she sat. "I will, Marvolo." The Dark Lord nodded, and seeing the confused faces, he continued. "I am going to see about a new Minister election."

"I wonder who will be nominated." Poppy quietly asked.

"It will be interesting. I will bet Lucius will be mentioned." Aurora stated.

"Not taking that bet." Snape commented.

Lucius shadowed into Snape's quarters with Rosely, Vlad, and Radu. Soon Potter arrived ready to fight until he saw Lucius. "I am fine Harry, we just have a lot of news but didn't want the students to know as of yet, for it will be released tonight. Herman is going to gather everyone."

"Snape is in his office. I will need to get him." Potter commented after several quiet moments passed. Rosely disappeared to gather everyone else.

"I will protect him." Radu added. Potter shadowed out.

Soon everyone was gathered in their normal seats. "First, I am the interim Minister until the elections. Second, Bode was removed from the family, he now looks older the Missing Cheese did, and his magic is almost all gone."

"How did he react to that?" The Dark Lord wondered if this was the end. Granted they had a lot to fix in their world, but with Bode and Missing Cheese finished, they had to be on the way out of the long tunnel of darkness that those two had entered the magical world into.

"Not well. He started screaming at his family, saying how they were ruining his plans. You should have seen Darren arrive with Charlie Weasley and about thirty members of his family. Bode clearly isn't at all mentally stable. He started trying to scream about how they were ruining everything that he had set up. He went on about his sister's death, how magical creatures were dark and would destroy the magical world. How the creatures of the magical world needed to be destroyed. He was going on about enslaving them, too. The really interesting thing is when he was removed from the family, it broke that mark he had placed on people. A lot of people in the Ministry and Diagon Alley started screaming in pain, dropped to the ground. It allowed the Aurors to gather up his remaining supporters. We learned most were recruited by Marchbanks, who they arrested yesterday in London." Lucius explained. "Nicholas provided a complete list of those who were linked to Missing Cheese, Marchbanks, and some others he said Missing Cheese got jobs for. One was Arthur Weasley, who Charlie and Bill dragged to Gringotts and was purged of all the potions. The memory charms took a bit longer but he was able to give some more information on the link between Molly and Missing Cheese. Molly was one of the students he aided in passing her NEWTs, and he encouraged her to keep having children and get them those jobs. He wanted her children in key places. I guess he wanted Charlie to work here at Hogwarts, Bill at Gringotts, Percy at the Ministry, the twins were to follow at the Ministry but in the DoM, Ron in the Aurors, with Ginny, being married to Harry."

"It would have given him complete control over almost all of the world because he would expect Molly to get information from her kids." Minerva stated. "That explains why he was so upset when Charlie went to work with the dragons and the twins dropped out. Remember the fit Molly had when they mentioned opening their store or their mail-order business?"

"Yes, I think that is why the twins went with not passing their NEWTs. She kept pressuring them to return. At the Order meetings, she wouldn't stop ranting about them." Snape commented.

"Her rants, they fit her nickname." Minerva commented.

"So did it break the tongue-tying curse also?" Aurora was thankful she never joined the Order. She didn't care for the way that Missing Cheese had run the school and knew he was a control freak.

"Yes, and Aberforth was speaking to Kingsley, Mad-Eye, John, and Amelia as we left. From what I saw in his shadows, he will be able to confirm what we already knew, and give us the unmark people." Rosely added.

"So Bode, his cronies and others are all rounded up. The Ministry is going to slowly hire people to fill those spots. We are going to have a few special sessions to allow the new Lords to take their places. No one wants to rush anything, we want to make sure nothing like this can happen again." Lucius felt exhausted.

"The goblins want to speak to Potter." Potter growled. "He got a letter from Ironclaw. It concerns Missing Cheese's vaults." Snape added.

"Do they have a solution for the Muggle-borns money?" Minerva asked.

"It's actually going to be in Potter's hands. Since only he can get into the vaults, the goblins believe that with Potter's assistance they can return all the money without worrying about breaking any magical contracts. They are going to use the weekend to gather all the contracts, work out the interest, and make sure nothing gets violated. Potter will also be able to create a way to make sure it doesn't happen in the future. Ironclaw mentioned revamping their contracts based on this. Lucius, I expect them to submit the new contract revisions on Monday. The goblins want to use some new wards that they crafted and want to add them to their banks, they want to use a speaker for crafting them." Snape explained.

"Well, at least his death has a good benefit." Minerva commented. "Poppy, the mind healers fund has also been extended, I got the notice this morning."

"I got a copy of it. St. Mungos also has given us a reduced rate to make sure we have everyone covered for as long as the person needs help. There are a few who are working for free." Poppy had been relieved at how helpful the mind healers and St. Mungo's were being. She had spent many hours arguing with Missing Cheese about getting students help after his yearly events.

"What is the Daily Prophet going to print?" Filius asked.

"They are going to print almost everything. They are going to leave off some of the aspects about the marks, but they are going to write about everything else. They are also going to inform everyone that the goblins are going to get in touch with everyone regarding any money or vaults they might have had access to. They are also going to suggest, strongly, that everyone get an Inheritance Test, and have stated they will have extra staff on hand to handle anyone." Lucius stated.

"As Head of Houses, I would like all of you to check on everyone in your houses. The Muggle-born students will need someone to handle their legal affairs."

"I already arranged that some of the members of the Wizengamot put their names in with the goblins to sponsor the Muggle-born students. They will also assist them in learning the rules of Wizengamot." Lucius stated. "Most of them are also willing to adopt some of the younger ones if they are in bad homes, with the understanding that their vaults will have a goblin advisor, who will invest the funds."

"An advisor for anyone under the age would be a good idea." The Dark Lord stated.

"They are going to present that plan during the first new session of the Wizengamot. They have the outline all worked out. They are going to use the stats from the last war, with the number of stale vaults to show how it will help underage wizards." Rosely stated. "Amelia heard from the ICW and they are impressed at how well everything is going."

"So it's over?" Aurora asked.

"Kind of a letdown." Radu said.

"Well, it's over in one aspect. No more Missing Cheese or Bode's plans, but we still have a lot of work to do. We have to work on getting a lot of new contracts, fixing some laws, getting classes passed, working on getting Knockturn Alley fixed and the scholarship programs fixed. We also have to deal with the Vampire Council. They are arriving on Tuesday." Lucius stated.

"They want to meet Harry." Rosely stated.

"That isn't going to go over well." Snape commented.

"We have a few days to get him used to the idea. I am not sure how we are going to arrange it." The Dark Lord began to think how it could work.

"Great Hall." Minerva stated. "We can have him stay in his usual spot, have Herman and the rest escort them in."

"No snacking." Snape told Potter, who gave him an innocent look. "That look won't work on me." Potter turned his innocent look into a lustful look. "That one works." Snape informed him quietly.

Chapter Management

Chapter 48

Summary:

Friday to the arrival of VC on Tuesday (week 5)

Potter was pacing as he could feel the arrival of the goblins, ministry people, and family members of the muggle born variety. They were going to be here for the weekend to help aid some students in getting an inheritance test.

Snape was sitting at his desk working on reading essays and grading exams, while Lucius was reading. They were trying to act as normal as possible while Potter was clearly not happy with the invaders. Snape looked up as Potter passed by their bedroom door. "Harry, how about we spend the next few days at your father's?"

Potter stopped pacing. He glanced at their bedroom door, then back to Snape and Lucius. "No, Harry. I need to finish reading these changes so I am ready for when the Vampire Council arrive." Lucius said, and Potter growled as he went back to his pacing.

"Lucius, is he going to be like this all weekend? Can't you read those files at Marvolo's?"

Lucius glanced towards Potter as he began to gather his files, scrolls, and notes. "Yes, it would be better."

The Dark Lord arrived at his home to find his son sleeping on the couch in his study, while Snape and Lucius were sitting and clearly working. "Too stressful?"

"Yes." They replied.

"We figured this would work out better. He does feel safe here." Snape watched Potter start to shift. "He is going to wake up if we keep talking."

"I am already awake. Dad's arrival." Potter sat up. "Sorry, Dad, I know we didn't ask."

"This is your home too. I wish we had thought of it before you got aggravated." The Dark Lord sat down. "Hungry?"

"Starving." Potter moved into position to feed, and soon they heard Potter purring.

"I will let everyone know you are here. There shouldn't be any problems. Herman and Minerva are working on arranging Hogwarts to get ready for the Vampire Council. The Ministry, with Vlad and Radu's aid, is creating rooms in Hogsmeade and at Hogwarts for the members. The ICW isn't going to send anyone. They have already met with the Vampire Council." The Dark Lord felt his son shift into a better position as he started to fall asleep.

"Sleeping?" Snape was a bit worried about how much Potter had slept since they arrived.

"Yes, but I was actually expecting him to sleep a lot. Herman mentioned that since a lot of the stress at Hogwarts is now gone, added by the fighting, Harry would sleep a lot this weekend to recoup."

"We will return Monday night unless you need us before then." Lucius handed the Dark Lord some parchment. "Here are some of the changes you suggested."

"Herman feels most of the meeting will be just a formalization of them recognizing Harry as a living vampire, and their new leader. Since Harry doesn't want that kind of power, it's more of a meet and greet, unless someone does something stupid. They have already been warned of how Harry deals with problems."

"That will be good, as I don't think Harry will take it well if someone does do something stupid." Lucius knew that with the way their luck was going, combined with Potter's luck, someone was going to do something stupid.

"Vlad and Radu have been setting up patrols for the vampires. Minerva opened up the empty part of the fourth and fifth floors for all the vampires to have their own rooms."

They carried on talking about minor things until Potter started to wake up again, and before anyone could realize it he had Lucius and Snape in their bedroom. Kreacher popped in as they were getting ready for bed. "Master Vampy, Master Smells, Master Blondie, Darkness said good night, mirror if problem."

"Thank you, Kreacher. Any news?" Potter asked as Kreacher got their bed ready for them. None of them were going to stop the elf, as they didn't want Kreacher to be upset with them.

"No, elvies watching cells and so are Brownies."

"Thank you, Kreacher." Potter climbed into the big bed. Kreacher popped out.

Snape and Lucius took their places when Potter wrapped his arms around them. Snape realized how comforting it had become, the feeling of Potter's arm around him. He glanced at Lucius and knew the man felt the same way. For years, he knew he wanted someone who could see past his exterior and he knew Lucius wanted someone who would protect him. They had that in Potter, yet Potter didn't stop them from being themselves. Granted, at times, it was a bit hard to handle a living vampire. "Severus?"

"I am fine, Harry, just thinking." Snape kissed his mate. "How about you nox the candles and we get some much needed sleep?"

The next few days passed fast. Potter was doing his research when he was awake, while Snape worked in the potion lab. Lucius was going through all the stuff that Amelia had sent him. Kreacher appeared to make sure they ate and kept their iron levels up. Soon, however, Monday night arrived.

Chapter Management

Chapter 48 Vampire Council

Potter was not a very happy living vampire, to put it mildly. Hogwarts was swarming with Ministry personnel, unknown vampires, and of course, reporters. This was after a meeting with the goblins at the Dark Lord's home, in which the vaults situation was explained. Lucius had arrived back at Hogwarts about thirty minutes ago with the Dark Lord and Rosely.

Over the weekend, the Dark Lord and Lucius, with Rosely at times, spent a lot of time working out the details concerning the vaults and the muggleborn reimbursements with Potter and Snape's insights. Lucius and the Dark Lord got a few headaches trying to figure out the mess that Missing Cheese left his vaults in, which resulted in a mirror conference with Ironclaw and a few other goblins. Missing Cheese had a very bad habit of robbing Peter to pay Paul until he could snag money from someone else's account. Even Ironclaw and two assistants wondered how the man's vaults hadn't crashed. They had traced over fifty years of transactions, all of them working on their proposal to present to the Goblin Council on Monday morning.

When Monday arrived, Lucius, the Dark Lord, Rosely, Ironclaw, and a few other goblins met with the Goblin Council. It had been a lot of hard work to finalize exactly how to make sure it didn't happen again, and how to make sure they kept everything legal, without dragging the whole wizarding world into financial decline. At times the tension rose, but not because of insults or disrespect between the two races, but because they were so frustrated at what Missing Cheese had done.

The goblin in charge of Missing Cheese's accounts had been found to be under a number of potions and controlling spells. The healers were a bit surprised at the results and demanded to test everyone. Their wish was granted and a complete check of all the goblin account managers, their assistants, and even the tellers was performed. They discovered a large number were under the control of Missing Cheese, and all of them had connections with Missing Cheese's business dealings. Bode's accounts, thankfully, were easier to fix, and that money went into the funds to reimburse the muggleborns. Bode's family allowed the goblins to take whatever wasn't gained by lawful means and remove it from the family vaults.

Finally, it was decided that the goblins were going to start encouraging all the pure bloods and half-bloods to come in and take inheritance tests with a magical inheritance skill test. It was agreed that the Wizengamot and ministry, with the ICW's approval would hire two people to assist the half-bloods in guaranteeing they were tested. Since it was still midterm, they were going to hold off until the new term to start on the muggle-borns. The muggle-borns, when the new term started, would go year by year during the weekend to get their test, also provided support by the new assistants. The assistants would have to be able to blend into the muggle world and be able to explain all the details of what the testing meant.

"So who did they decide on?" Snape had been wondering, since he didn't believe anyone in the ministry or Wizengamot would be able to do the job. Lucius had been explaining all the details of the meeting as they knew Potter would have never been safe to travel to Gringotts.

"Amelia is actually going to speak to the parents of some of the half-blood families, the ones who reside in the muggle world about the jobs. She is going to send out a letter asking some of the professors for good candidates." Lucius was in the process of changing for their meeting with the Vampire Council.

"That is a great idea. No one would be able to claim they're biased, and since they live in the muggle world, it would aid in keeping the Statute of Secrecy safe." Snape liked the idea. "I tested some of the venom today."

"Interesting results?" Lucius knew they were doing the small talk to keep Potter from focusing on what was happening outside of their quarters.

"Yes, it was as we thought. He has two types of venom, and something I am not sure what to call exactly, but it allows him to make people into a Dhampir. The venom in us is scent based, as we assumed. The other is a deadly poison, as we also assumed. However, the interesting part is, they all have the same base factor."

"This is going to be more muggle stuff that I am not going to understand, right?" Lucius said, making a mental note to investigate muggle courses and get them introduced at Hogwarts.

"I will make it simple." Snape smirked. He knew Lucius wasn't interested in this but was willing to listen because it mattered to him. "Potter has a base venom. The base adds either the poison, the scent marker, or the Dhampir marker based on his desire."

"So, not a blood thing?"

"Yes, in a way, as his blood carries the venom, but his saliva produces it." Snape knew Lucius would understand that part.

"That is interesting. Why the two hours?"

"Scent marker, like we thought." They heard Potter growl, followed by a knock on their bedroom door.

"Minerva wanted me to remind you to get Harry to the Great Hall before the students arrive for dinner." Narcissa's voice floated into the room.

"Thank you, Cissa, we will be right out. Why don't you head to the Great Hall? Draco's friends will be expecting him in the common room." Lucius knew his wife already had Draco waiting by the door. Draco was actually responding to the real mind healer they had wanted. He had been getting daily sessions, and it seemed to be working.

"Rules Potter. No eating anyone. No ripping their heads off, unless it's in self defense. Play nice with your food." Snape instructed. Potter growled a bit. "Yes, I know, it does take all your fun away." Snape rolled his eyes.

Lucius smirked as Potter lowered the wards and they headed towards the Great Hall. They didn't meet anyone on their way and knew it was because the vampires had made sure of it. No one wanted to get Potter any more anxious than he already was.

Everyone was seated in their usual spots. Goblins were at the other end of the extended table next to the few Ministry officials in attendance. All the students were confined to their houses. As they sat down, the doors to the Great Hall were opened again and the regular vampires who had been guarding Hogwarts and her residents filed in, spacing themselves out along the walls.

As they settled into place, vampires dressed in deep sapphire blue robes filed in but stood where the Great Hall doors ended. Before the last one was in place, three vampires wearing soft, muted toned robes of burgundy entered. The middle one was the tallest of them, with completely white short hair that barely reached his base of his skull. He was looked thinner than a piece of parchment paper and his face was all angles, matching his long body.

The one to his left was the exact opposite. He was short, overweight with a pot belly that the robes barely concealed. He had deep auburn hair, and his face looked like he suffered from the pox when he was a child. He had buck teeth and a hawk-like face, including the pointed nose.

The one to the right was average. Average everything. Average height, average weight, bland brown hair, a face that was a bit round, his nose was average, lips were average. The man looked like he could blend in with a wall. He even made the dress robes look average.

"Illusion." Potter muttered. "He is hiding."

Rosely rose from his seat as the three walked towards them. No one spoke until the three arrived in front of the head table. "Greetings, Leader Rosely. We are here to meet with the Royal." The middle vampire stated, ignoring the slight hissing from those with Potter's party of vampires.

"I see time has not improved your manners, Coven Leader Reign." Rosely eyed the one to the left. "Coven Leader Tickson." He eyed the one to the right. "Coven Leader Milson. I wasn't aware only the Europe branch of the Vampire Council would be represented."

"The others of the Council have selected to believe your representation of facts. We are here only as an envoy, to extend our greetings to the new Royal and work out how this will affect our Council." Rosely indicated the three chairs that appeared in front of head table. The three coven leaders took their seats in the same order as they arrived.

"As we stated, it won't affect anyone's position. The Vampire Council will remain intact, with Mr. Harrison James Riddle Potter at the helm." Rosely sat down.

"Why should we accept this?" Shorty asked, clearly bored and wanting to get the meeting over with.

Snape inwardly groaned; they found the idiot. He only hoped the man didn't do anything stupid. He glanced at Potter and with his right hand nudged Lucius. Lucius nodded his understanding. Snape looked further down the table and noticed everyone was on alert. They all recognized the idiot in the trio.

"You have no choice." Potter snarled. "I already returned a coven to you. I would rather not repeat that process." He warned, and they could see Potter's words had impacted the vampires who arrived with the Vampire Council, as the ones remaining by the doors were unsettled by his words.

"Yes, the dust." Shorty snorted. "As if we believe that."

The other two closed their eyes, clearly a bit surprised by idiotic friends' words. "Please excuse Coven Leader Tickson's words and Coven Leader Reign's lack of manners. It was a bit of a trying journey. The Vampire Council has no desire to create a war within. We have heard about the changes here in Britain, and have been impressed." Coven Leader Milson spoke. "You spoke of leaving the council intact. What function will the council now serve?"

"Same as before, the exception being that we are going to work with all species." Rosely explained. "There is still a lot of work to be done here. The wizard who ran this school did a lot of damage, along with some of his associates."

"I see. So no changes, basically, except those mentioned." Coven Leader Milson looked at his two associates.

"Please, it's a lie. There is no way that-" Shorty pointed to Potter "-is a Royal, or that he defeated a whole coven."

Potter snarled, and the only thing that stopped him from ripping the vampire's head off was Snape muttering "the rules" for Potter to hear, as well as Snape's hand on Potter's leg.

"Do you wish to challenge?" Rosely knew Tickson was a coward at heart, and the only reason he was even a Coven Leader was because of his age. The silence stretched out, and they knew nothing could be done until an answer was given.

It had already been decided that since Rosely was well known and a leader in the Vampire Council, that he would handle the meeting. They all agreed it wouldn't be a good move to have Potter do it, as they didn't want to explain to the Vampire Council why they were returning another group of ashes.

"No, I will accept this decision." Shortly finally snapped out.

"The terms of the peace treaty will remain. The Vampire Council is welcomed here in Britain." Rosely informed them.

"We want a representative on the governing body." Coven Leader Milson looked at the wizards and witches at the table, trying to figure out who the new Minister was.

"There are already two members on the Wizengamot body of government. Lord Potter, who has numerous seats, along with me, who will be representing the Vampire Council in my role as liaison."

The three clearly looked a bit surprised, as they expected they would have to fight get vampires admitted into the Wizengamot. Anger flashed over Coven Leader Reign's face. Snape wondered why they sent these three, none of them could mask their emotions, the guards in the room were better at it. Before he could voice his thoughts, Potter rose from his seat. "They lie."

"Harry?" Rosely wondered what was going on. He knew these three were from the council, so he wasn't sure what his grandson was speaking about.

"They are on the Council, but they aren't here on behalf of the Council." A new voice announced. "Please forgive my lateness. I was a bit tied up." Behind him were a bigger group of vampires. The vampire disarmed those that had arrived with the three coven leaders.

"Head Coven Leader Polanski, I had wondered why you weren't in attendance." Rosely watched Minerva summon another chair, as Hogwarts' vampire guards moved in closer to the three.

"They will be punished for their deeds." Polanski stated as he arrived at the three coven leaders. The man radiated power. He was above average in height but he appeared taller. He had a well developed body, with blond hair, and sky blue eyes. He looked like a sports model. His face was clear, round, but not fatty looking. His blond hair was pulled back with a tie that matched his black robes. "It seems they were affected by the loss of our fallen comrades." He ignored the chair. "I heard what was spoken, and the Vampire Council will have no issue with the terms. I will not delay your meal any longer."

"It was our pleasure, Coven Leader Polanski." Rosely replied. "I will be in attendance at the next meeting in my usual role."

"Excellent. No reason to change anything, since we have an accord." Before anyone could respond, all the vampires faded out.

Potter didn't wait, he grabbed Snape and Lucius and shadowed them back to their quarters. "So what is my reward for following the rules?"

"Us." Snape pulled Potter to him, giving him a kiss. "Do that thing with the clothes." He ordered.