I know I've been gone for a while. My mental health took a nosedive and I had to be hospitalized for a while. I'm doing better now. Although updates are still coming they might be sporadic. Please leave a review before you go.

Harry winced as he caught a glimpse of his face on a nearby newspaper that morning.

Marcus noticed and threw Harry a narrow smile. "Feeding the hippogriff is never pleasant."

"What does it say?"

"Don't you want to read it?" Marcus nudged a spare paper toward him.

Harry grimaced as he looked down at his own face. It was an old picture from second year. They crudely cropped Lockhart out but you could still see an arm gripping his shoulder and pressing him into his side. "No. I'd rather not."

"I don't blame you. It's an ink rag at the best of times." Marcus smirked impishly while looking over Harry's shoulder.

"Hey!" Colby came up from behind and made Harry jolt as he sat down with a thump "That's unfair."

"Totally fair."

"Hmmph." Colby retaliated by swiping a biscuit off Marcus' plate. "Don't worry about it, Harry. This issue is all about the emotional upheaval of the Malfoy house. Amorous Attack by Malfoy Heir! Malfoy heir accused of courting misconduct! Parkinson betrothal to be annulled? It's all kinds of delicious drama on the front page. Clearwater did a fantastic job. Nobody will look twice at the small article over the speculation of a possible werewolf governor all the way down on page 16."

"Oh. Um," Harry looked uncomfortable,

"It's okay Harry. This is just what we have to do for now."

"But Remus will be governor?"

"He should be. The board has already approved his nomination. Now we wait for Lucius' move."

"What do you think he'll do?"

"More than likely he'll call for a meeting of the upper houses and try to overturn the nomination." Marcus looked coolly unaffected as he buttered a scone.

"And will that work?"

"I doubt it. Certainly not if my brothers Maximus and Michael have anything to say about."

"What do they do?" Harry asked.

Colby stuffed a piece of toast in his mouth and frowned as he chewed. "Wait, which ones are they? I always get confused with the order of you guys."

Marcus let out a long suffering sigh. "Maximus is the oldest at 26. He's a mid-level politician. And Michael is the fourth oldest. He's a lawyer. He's also the one in charge of dealing with Skeeter."

"I'm still amazed your mother can still walk. Didn't she just have another?"

"Yes. Malta. She's six months old." Marcus smirked good-naturedly. It was clear he was fond of his littlest sibling.

"So, another sister."

"Yes. Mother is very pleased."

"I'll bet; after ten boys."

"Nine boys." Marcus emphasized.

"Whatever," Colby rolled his eyes dramatically buttering a croissant, "Any word on the tournament? It's only a few weeks before the first event."

"I'm working on it. Any news on Skeeter? "

"Your lawyer brother has already filed a civil demand for assault of a minor. Against Rita specifically. My uncle has put her on admin leave." Colby grinned. "The whole office had a party. Apparently, Rita was less popular with her coworkers than we thought. Clearwater has been getting anonymous gifts left in his new office. Everything from fire whiskey to gold watches."

"New office?" Marcus raised an eyebrow.

"Uncle moved him into Rita's old one."

"Isn't that a little premature? She hasn't been fired yet."

"He didn't really have a choice. The whole floor insisted that he gets the office. Apparently, it was quite a moving staff meeting."

"I'll bet."

-(LINE INDICATES A SCENE CHANGE)-

Augusta Longbottom steadied herself on the arm rest as she wobblily sat down. She was just a smidge less graceful than the years before, but just a smidge. Her faithful house elf Gangly, set a bundle of letters on her tea table next to her cuppa.

"Anything from Neville?" Augusta croaked, then firmly cleared her throat of the phlegm.

"No Mistress. None from young master."

"Hmmph. Well isn't that surprising. Well, then what do we have?" Augusta wasn't surprised that Neville didn't write. He never did. She didn't show how much that hurt her whenever Suzette Smith spoke of how her dutiful grandson Zachariah wrote to her during their weekly tea.

Gangy pulled a thick yellow envelope from the pile. "A post from Master Albert sir!" The house-elves ears were wiggling with delight. Augusta knew that her elf favored her old friend Albert Kingsley. Mostly because the old dog snuck her honey candies whenever he thought Augusta wasn't looking. Augusta smiled as her little elf hopped up to her. "It's no doubt another of his daft adventures or some such nonsense. Might as well put it on the bottom for now."

Gangy pouted but flipped to another. "Lady Odile has sent a letter."

"She's still harping about that niece of hers I imagine. As if I would arrange a betrothal for Neville with that girl. She's twice his age! Next."

"Yes Mistress. The next post is from Lady Prewitt."

"Muriel? Oh, very well then, Read it for me then if you would, my eyes are feeling frail today."

"Yes, Mistress."

"My Dear Aggy,

My friend I can scarcely wait for you to receive this letter. Today will be recorded as the funniest day of my not insignificantly long life! Lucius (Or Luci: as I enjoy calling him, much to his chagrin) has been or will soon be tossed onto his boot from his governor position. Now I know what you're thinking; How on earth is that possible? Because only a Black can occupy that seat! Well my dear Aggy, it seems that it's only been the idiocies of the justice department that is to blame for the years that I and my fellow governors had to suffer his delightful company. From what I can gather is what that old rascal Sirius Black (Please do keep reading Aggy, I'm sure you'll enjoy this part)-"

It was a good thing that Muriel wrote that part or else Augusta would have thrown that letter in the fire. Muriel knew that Augusta wouldn't tolerate any mention of that disgusting traitor in her home. With a bracing breath the Longbottom matriarch huffed as she tapped her cane against the hardwood floor. "Well get on with it then. What else does she have to say?"

"-hasn't ever received a formal trial! Strictly speaking he's never even been questioned about the Potters or anything about the War! Can you believe that? Now, after his escape (and believe you me, I want to be the first to know how that rascal managed that) he has apparently named little Harry Potter as his heir. And that little dear is the one who got the ball rolling with that smart young professor as his nomination. Surely your dear grandson Neville has mentioned him? A Mr. Lupin from last year? Such a bright, polite, young man. I would be delighted to have him next to me on the board. He's done so well for himself despite his health, the poor dear.-"

His health, right. Augusta knew exactly who she was talking about. The Lycan professor. Neville well enough sung his praises to pieces and for the most part Augusta agreed with him. Anyone who could manage to get her grandson to fire a competent spell had to be a good teacher.

The school did manage to handle his condition well enough for eight months or so but failed in keeping the poor man's secret just that; a secret. Now Augusta knew that there had to be hundreds of Lycan infected wizards and witches in the isles, but because of Dumbledore's actions (or lack thereof) Lupin is the only publically known one in the entire country besides Greyback. That certainly can't be a comfortable situation for him.

Augusta frowned and nodded for Gangy to continue reading the letter.

"Apparently Luci isn't very pleased about this turn of events. (I for one am extremely pleased by it.) I heard some rumors that he's going to try to usurp the nomination with a wizengamont. I have already written to that daughter and son in law of mine. I know that Albert has sent an owl to his grandson Kingsley (He was quite proud about his promotion this year) about the mis-trial going on with Black. Please tell me that you're going to be present during that meeting. I know that I will be some way or another. I can't tell you how much I want to see Luci knocked off his podium. How that darling Abraxas raised such a pompous and ignorant son I'll never know.

All my love,

Muriel Prewitt

Gangy finished the recitation of her letter and quietly let Augusta absorb what she just heard. "Gangy, Go get a quill and some parchment. We have quite a few letters to send."

Now Augusta's in the middle. And you know she's gonna make some waves. Please leave a review before you go!