Presvyteros Daimonas Book Two

by JaydenWhitehouse

Summary:

Follow Silvius Black and his In Dolus Intortis as they make their way into the Lair of the Phoenix. Under the watchful eyes of Albus Dumbledore, how will Silvius manage to continue working on his faction and live up to the name of the Dark Prince, all while keeping his and his team's identities a secret?

Chapter 1

Silvius slides the compartment door open, grinning at Draco when he is tugged and manhandled into the seat beside Blaise, who drops his book to his lap and turns to face him. Draco flops down onto the bench opposite, running a hand through his hair as he smiles over at his cousin.

“It is about time you got here, Silvius. I was beginning to worry that your father had changed his mind about allowing you to come to Hogwarts.”

“Of course, he wasn’t going to change his mind. Father and Uncle Marvolo just didn’t seem inclined on letting me leave the manor until they had rechecked my trunk and ensured that I was one hundred percent certain that I wanted to come.” Silvius answers with a chuckle and a wave of his hand. Leaning into Blaise’s side, he sighs when an arm instantly moves to wrap around his waist, tugging him to rest fully against his boyfriend’s side. He feels a press of lips against his head and closes his eyes. He had missed speaking to Blaise that morning over breakfast as he had been dragged back to Malfoy Manor by Draco for one final sleepover before they returned to school. It had only been since dinner the previous day, but he still missed Blaise more than he thought he would.

“He was beginning to twitch,” Blaise mutters against his head, chuckling when Draco splutters in indignation, his cheeks blooming with a light pink flush.

However, before Draco has a chance to respond, the door to their compartment slides open, and the rest of their Slytherin friends walk in. Pansy collapses into the seat beside Draco, with Daphne and Millicent sitting next to her. Theo and Tracy sit next to him and Blaise, each one calling out greetings as the door clicks shut behind them.

“So, what has been keeping you three busy this holiday? We haven’t seen you much,” Daphne asks, smoothing her skirt down over her knees as she gazes from Blaise to Draco and then to Silvius, who clears his throat and smirks.

“We have been quite busy planning out some of the training sessions for the In Dolus Intortis. I may have also managed to convince my father and Uncle Marvolo into allowing us to join them on a Death Eater mission sooner rather than later if we can keep our grades up with our… other duties…” His voice is suggestive, causing a ripple of excitement to shift through the room, each student shoots him wide-eyed stares and he nods. He hadn’t been sure how they would take the news, but he was pleased that they were excited about being allowed to work with the Death Eaters as opposed to being scared or worried.

“When did you do that?” Blaise enquires, voice impressed. He squeezes Silvius’s waist.

“Just before they allowed me to Floo to the Station. Uncle Marvolo and Father were very adamant about our grades, though. If we want to be ready in time for a raid, then we are going to have to work doubly hard with our training. I want us to be on par with the Death Eaters, if not better. You are my personal team, and I do not wish for any of you to get injured severely on a mission because we were ill-prepared.”

“We won’t let you down, Prince Jupiter!”

“Yes, we will work extra hard!”

“With you as our teacher, I am sure that we can learn anything!”

“Yea, even we heard rumours of your DA sessions last year, I am impressed that you managed to teach almost three-quarters of our year, as well as some fourth years, while still doing what you did.”

Silvius feels his cheeks beginning to burn from the compliments. It had been a real struggle at first whether he would tell his entire team about his past as Harry Potter, but he didn’t want there to be any secrets between them. Besides, the decisions had been taken out of his hands when he had introduced Neville and Luna into his ranks. He couldn’t tell everyone besides his friends in Slytherin. It wouldn’t have been fair and probably would have backfired on him in the future if the truth were to come out. He hadn’t told them about the abuse, but he had informed them about the events surrounding how he had found out the truth behind his identity.

He couldn’t begin to describe the wave of relief that crashed through him when they had informed him that their opinions on him hadn’t changed. In their opinions he had never truly been Harry Potter, he had always been Silvius Black, even if he, himself hadn’t known it at the time. He was a pureblood, the Heir to the Houses of Black and Slytherin, as well as the Lord to the Potter, Emrys, and Gryffindor houses. He was one of them, their friend and leader. They wouldn’t turn their backs on him, no matter what. He had never felt so grateful to have been accepted into such a loyal and dedicated friendship group.

“Well, it wasn’t very easy, I can assure you, but I didn’t have much of a choice. The Mudblood told me that she had only informed a few people, mainly close friends, but when we met at the Hogshead, almost half of our year had turned up. Plus, Luna, the Weaselette, and a couple more fourth years. They practically coerced me into running a club for them all; I didn’t exactly get a say in the matter.”

“Still, you must have been an excellent professor if you could teach all those fifth-year students to cast a corporal Patronus.”

“Fourth years, as well. Luna, Weaselette, and Colin Creevey all managed to conjure a corporal by the end of our sessions. Before Umbridge caught us anyway.”

Exclamations of surprise echo around the compartment, and Silvius resists the urge to curl up closer to Blaise at that moment. He also resists the temptation to climb on his boyfriend’s lap and bury his burning cheeks in his robes. He hears Draco and Blaise laughing, a groan pulling from his lips as he drops his face into his hands instead.

“How old were you when you first cast one?”

“Astraeus taught me during Third year. I found out that I had a very adverse reaction to the Dementors who were patrolling the school grounds. Especially when I first encountered them on the train at the beginning of the school year. One came into my compartment looking for Sirius Black, and I passed out. I heard what I thought was Lily screaming as she was murdered.”

The compartment falls into silence at his confessions, facing paling at the explanation. No wonder Harry Potter always seemed to draw the Dementors in more so than any other student if he could remember the night his parents died. Draco settles his hand on Silvius’s knee, offering him a silent apology for his attitude that year, but Silvius brushes it away. There was no need for his cousin, nor anyone else in the compartment to apologise for something that happened years ago. Especially seen as they had seen each other as their archenemies.

“What do you mean by you thought you heard Lily screaming?” Theo whispers. However, in the silence, everyone can hear him. The compartment turns towards Silvius, anticipating his answer, while a deep, unsettling feeling of despair forms in their guts. They had their suspicions about what they thought he was going to say, and it tugged at their heartstrings.

“Well, when I heard the woman screaming the first time, I didn’t see anything. So, I thought it had come from somewhere on the train, but the Mudblood told me that no one was screaming. Then, during Proteus’s lessons, I heard the same thing every time the boggart-dementor came too close. Then again, that time during the Hufflepuff-Gryffindor quidditch match. It wasn’t until I had found out who I truly was and how I came to be in the Potters’ care did I even think to reconsider the screams. I came to the conclusion that it must be a fragmented memory from my kidnapping.”

Blaise releases a breath and tugs Silvius against his chest, running a hand through his Mate’s hair to soothe him. It couldn’t have been easy to recall his mother’s screams and pleas while she fought against his would-be kidnappers. It must have been so hard for his Mate to remember such a thing, even if it was just a small segment.

“I heard my mother’s screams as she was attacked and taken down. I heard her screaming, pleading with the Light wizards to spare me. I heard someone telling Lily to take me and run.”

Once again, silence blankets the compartment as his friends try to process his words. Each offering their own pats or squeezes of sympathy and any body part they could reach, which draws a small smile from their friend and leader. They didn’t want to make Silvius relive his darkest memory; it wasn’t fair of them. Silvius didn’t deserve to remember such a horrific memory, especially seeing as he had only been a few months old at the time of his kidnapping. It was a cruel twist of fate. However, before anyone is able to move the conversation along, the door to their compartment is thrown open violently.

Turning towards the now open doorway, Silvius scowls at the sight of the Weasel and Mudblood blocking the light from the corridor and frowns at their features as they gaze around the compartment. He hadn’t expected the pair to approach any of them, not until after they had arrived at Hogwarts, at least. They didn’t have Harry Potter around to draw Draco to them, and they had never been the ones to seek out the Slytherins before. It had always been his cousin who was coming to find them on the train.

“I heard that you are Silvius Black.”

Silvius blinks, peering around Theo so he can eye the Blood Traitor. He raises an eyebrow in surprise. He had met them before; how had they not known his name? He had seen them, even spoken to them during the reading of Harry Potter’s Last Will and Testament, and they still couldn’t remember his name. Had they not been paying attention?

Then it dawned on him that the Will had never mentioned him by name. It named him Lord Potter and eluded to him being one of the closest living relatives to Harry Potter, but it had never given away his name. Not that he had felt very inclined to give such information out and introduce himself to bigots and prejudiced Light wizards. Then again, they had never really asked for his name then, either.

“Indeed. I am Silvius Black; who is asking?”

“I’m Ron. Ron Weasley.”

“And I’m Hermione Granger.”

The two Gryffindor students stand in the doorway, smug grins stretching across their faces, but none of them say another word as they glance toward Silvius expectantly. He doesn’t move and keeps his eyebrow raised at them. He doesn’t know what they are expecting him to do with this information. It wasn’t like he knew them or could read their minds, not that he was particularly willing to read the thoughts of Blood Traitors and Mudbloods. Besides, his godfather hadn’t gotten around to teaching him Legilimancy yet.

“I believe that it is quite rude of you to waste our time if you have nothing interesting to say, Weasel.” Draco drawls, glancing down at his nails to show his disinterest, and Silvius buries his face in Blaise’s shoulder to hide his sniggers. Blaise’s fingers continue to card through his hair, tugging him closer to his side.

“Why didn’t you tell us that you were Silvius?” Weasley ignores Draco and directs his full attention back to Silvius, who schools his expression. He pulls himself away from Blaise and glances over at the pair. He releases a heavy sigh.

“You neither asked for my name nor did you make a good enough impression for me to wish to introduce myself. If I am not mistaken, then you and your Mudblood girlfriend were the hailed friends of the previous Heir Potter, and I wouldn’t wish to associate myself with such disloyal and despicable people. You were more offended and outraged by the fact that Harry Potter left you nothing in his Will than by the fact that your friend was dead. It was none of your business who I was."

“But we are Gryffindors, and you shouldn’t hang out with this lot?”

“Oh? And why not little Gryffindors?”

“They’re Slytherins.”

Draco scoffs and drops his hands into his lap. He turns to glare at the Weasel with a bored expression, though Silvius can tell that his cousin is mere seconds away from hexing them out of their compartment or the train itself.

“I am rather impressed, Weasel. Did it take you the last five years to figure out which house we belonged to, or did your Mudblood have to tell you that?”

Ronald’s face explodes in an angry flush, such a deep red that it almost blends in with his ginger hair, Silvius muses. It certainly wasn’t a good look for the Gryffindor. He watches as Ronald’s hands twitch towards his wand, and he tenses his wrist, prepared to call his own from its holster if the Weasel decides to attack. However, he quickly thinks better of it, and Silvius cannot decide if it was the realisation that it would be two against eight or the hand Granger lays on his arm, which stops him. He is almost disappointed.

“Shut up, Malfoy!”

Silvius pushes himself to his feet, his scowl firmly in place, as he turns to glare at the two still blocking their compartment door. His anger spikes at the spat words. Standing in the middle of the compartment, his silver eyes flashing amber for a split second, Silvius feels a vindictive smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth when the Gryffindors take a small step backward.

“If all you barged, quite rudely, I might add, into our compartment was to insult us, then I suggest you depart before I decide to have an impromptu spell practice.”

“We came to take you with us. The headmaster doesn’t want you going around making friends with the wrong type of wizards.” Hermione explains, her smug smile coming back as she flicks her hair over her shoulder as if she had just revealed something spectacular.

Silvius, on the other hand, can’t help the snort of amusement that escapes at her wording. It reminded him of Draco’s attempt to make friends with him back in their first years, and by the smirk shaping his cousin’s lip, he knew that he was thinking along the same lines. Glancing at the confident Blood Traitor and know-it-all, he smirks, stepping closer to the pair.

“Wrong type of wizard? I don’t think I quite know what you mean, Weasley.” Silvius tilts his head to the side, feigning confusion at the other’s words. A vindictive pleasure builds in his chest as he conjures up various torture methods he could use against the self-righteous headmaster for thinking that he could dictate his friends once more. Maybe he could gift the Blood Traitor to Draco or Lucius; his cousin had always hinted at his desire to test out a few spells of his own on the little prat. It would be rather entertaining for himself as well; Draco could be quite sadistic when he wished to be.

“They are Death Eaters. They are followers of You-Know-Who.” Ronald shouts, pointing around the compartment.

Silvius gasps, slapping a hand to his chest as he spins around to stare wide-eyed at his cousin, who is valiantly trying not to burst out laughing at his overly dramatic display. His lips twitch before he forces them into a frown.

“Draco? Is this true? How could you not tell me that you were a Death Eater? How come you never told me that the Dark Lord had come back to life and indoctrinated you, a sixteen-year-old, into his ranks of evil minions? I am deeply hurt, Draco. I thought we told each other everything.”

Draco snorts, covering his mouth with his hand, and rolls his eyes at Silvius, who drops his hand, grinning maniacally down at his cousin, and shrugs. Winding Draco up was always fun, especially if it resulted in his cousin breaking his pureblood mask. He tried to do it as much as possible. Draco’s face, as well as Lucius’s, when he managed to make his cousin pounce on him like an uncouth Muggle in front of his godfathers, uncle, and father.

“Oh, please, Sil. As if the Dark Lord, who is, according to our esteemed Minister, still dead, would allow underaged children to fight in his ranks for him. The Dark Lord, unlike the Order, clearly values the lives of magical children. This just shows how stupid the Gryffindors can be.”

Neither Ronald nor the Mudblood noticed the sarcasm lacing their exchange. No, Granger merely huffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest impatiently as if she couldn’t understand why he hadn’t just complied with their suggestion straight away. She glares over at Silvius and Draco.

“Come with us, Silvius. These people are evil and Dark.” She takes a step forward, arms dropping to her sides before she reaches towards him, and Silvius stares in disbelief. Was she threatening to grab him and forcibly drag him away from his friends if he didn’t actually agree with her? He takes a step backward, glaring the girl into freezing and flicking his wrist. His wand shoots into his hand.

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t threaten me nor insult my cousin, my friends, or my boyfriend in front of me again, you filthy Mudblood.”

Granger flinches back at his harsh words, silver eyes darkening to a molten grey. His smirk darkens and becomes more vindictive as he glares at her. She should learn when to keep her mouth closed if she didn’t want to find herself on the other end of his wand. It wasn’t his fault that neither of them could take no for an answer. His grin is full of teeth when he hears quiet gasps filter around the compartment, and he realises belatedly that he hasn’t actually told any of his friends besides Draco about his relationship with Blaise. Turning to glance down at his Mate from the corner of his eyes, he relaxes minutely when he sees the adoration softening his expression.

“Boyfriend?”

Silvius, what?”

“Who?”

“How come you never told us that you had a boyfriend?”

Silvius snickers, reveling in the surprised expressions shaping his friend's face. Turning away from the cowed Gryffindors for a moment, Silvius smiles. He doesn't really understand how his friends, as observant as they usually were, hadn't realised that he had been practically draped across Blaise's lap from the moment they had walked into the compartment. Nor had they paid attention to the small displays of affection Blaise had showered him with. He winks down at Blaise before adopting an innocently confused expression. Ignoring Draco's snickers, he winks.

“Oh? Didn’t I tell you guys? I could have sworn that I had. Blaise and I are dating, well courting and have been for almost three weeks now.”

“Congratulations!”

“This is amazing news!”

“We are so happy for you both!”

“I always thought there was something going on between you two. You always did seem closer than the rest of us.”

“Blaise, why didn’t you tell us?” Theo throws out, reaching across the bench to slap Blaise across the arm, who merely chuckles in response and shrugs his shoulders.

“I didn’t mean to hide it from any of you. It just never came up in conversation.”

“You’re courting?” Silvius nods his head, offering a hand to Blaise, who instantly accepts and drops a kiss on his knuckles before interlacing their fingers.

“Yes, we have decided to traditionally court each other and we have already exchanged our first courting gifts and letters,” Silvius explains, his free hand coming up to play with his bracelet. He hadn’t taken it off since he received it, especially when he had realised that it had been linked to the matching bracelet that his Mate wore. A bracelet that would heat up if ever he was in trouble while also showing his emotions in colours. Sort of like a Muggle mood ring he discovered. It was a clever little piece of magic and worked almost identically to the pendent he had gifted Blaise. Pansy gasps when she catches sight of the bracelet.

“Is that…?”

“Yes, this emotion bracelet was the return gift that I received from Blaise.”

Blaise takes his pendant out of his robes when his friends turn expectant gazes toward him. He strokes a finger down the two dragons, a soft smile dancing on his lips, and tightens his hand around Silvius’s.

“Yes, Silvius gave me a gift first. I hadn’t been sure if he wished to follow the full courting traditions or not, but he surprised me with this and his handwritten letter.”

“They are so beautiful,” Daphne sighs, and the rest of the girls follow suit, looking between the two boys with longing.

“Stop ignoring us!”

The Slytherin students turn towards the door, eyebrows raising in surprise at the sight of the Weasel and Mudblood still standing in the doorway. They had completely forgotten that they had company, as unwanted as it were, but still, it was time to rid themselves of the small annoyances.

“You should have figured out by now that we do not want anything to do with you. Maybe you should take the hint and leave us be. Since you so rudely barged into our compartment, you have done nothing but insult my friends and family. I wouldn’t wish to become friends with such obvious prejudiced bigots even if you paid me. Now, get out of my sight.”

Silvius smirks over at the duo. Waving his wand, he watches in satisfaction as the Gryffindors are forcibly pushed out into the hallway. Twin yelps of surprise filter out from the group as the door slams shut. For good measure, Silvius is quick to raise a locking and silencing ward to ensure that they wouldn’t be disturbed again. Releasing a sigh, Silvius settles down on the bench against Blaise’s side. He buries his face in his Mate’s chest; when everyone turns to watch him, his cheeks burn.

“It is rude to stare.” His voice comes out muffled against the material of Blaise’s robes. His friends chuckle at him while a hand cards through his hair. The compartment descends into a comfortable silence as he snuggles down further. His boyfriend drops a kiss on his head before cracking open his book once more. His quiet timbre voice soothing Silvius as he reads out loud; he always loved it when Blaise read to him.

-----

It doesn’t take long for the Slytherin students to cast the Gryffindors’ unwanted visit to their compartment out of their minds as they decide to spend the rest of their journey interrogating Silvius and Blaise about their relationship, as well as catching each other up on their holidays. They even find some time to question Silvius about the plans he had come up with for the In Dolus Intortis and what they all hoped to achieve by Yuletide.

So engrossed in their conversation, no one notices the passage of time until their peace is broken by a quiet knock on the compartment door. Everyone breaks into a flurry of movements when Silvius slides the door open to reveal the bright smiling face of the trolly lady. Each grabs a handful of Galleons and decides to grab a single sweet each, paying for enough so they can pass them around the group. Many of them were scandalised to discover that Silvius had never had the opportunity to really try many sweets from the Wizarding world. Ronald, for one, liked to stuff his face whenever Harry would buy something from the trolly on the way to Hogwarts or the way home. He didn’t really have many opportunities to explore Honeydukes in Hogsmeade with Ronald and Granger, besides his trips to the wizarding village were always under his invisibility cloak and unauthorised.

He laughs out loud when one of each treat is dropped into his lap, despite his protests. He bemoans that his friends were merely using his lack of wizarding sweats as an excuse to try and fatten him up in the long term. It doesn’t stop him from nibbling on the various sweets, however, feeding the ones he isn’t partial to, to Blaise, who brushes a kiss to his forehead after each bite in thanks. They descend into a contented silence before Tracy smiles down at Silvius, her expression unusually affectionate, which puts Silvius on edge.

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s just… I always knew that you were closer to Blaise and Draco than the rest of us, and I didn’t realise it before, but you and Blaise make a really cute couple. I have never seen Blaise express his emotions so readily in front of so many people before.” Tracy shakes her head, biting the head off a chocolate frog with a smirk, and Silvius can feel his flaming. He tries to bury his face in Blaise’s robes, which earns him a chuckle from his Mate.

“I was thinking the same thing. They do look good together. However, I believe I feel for the female population of Hogwarts when they find out. They are going to be sorely disappointed.” Daphne says, eyes alight with amusement. The rest of their friends nod along with her statement, much to Silvius’s befuddlement.

“Why are they going to be disappointed?”

His question spurs unreadable expressions to form around the compartment. Silvius glances up at his boyfriend and is intrigued when he catches sight of the pale flush dusting his cheeks and ears. Curiosity heightened; Silvius turns his attention to his cousin. If there was anyone who knew what the girls were going on about, then it was his cousin; it was just an added bonus that Draco wasn’t able to resist his puppy dog eyes. Sometimes he swore that Draco was a worse gossip than Pansy.

“Blaise, for his status as the ‘Attractive and Mysterious Slytherin’ is constantly on the receiving end of some rather lustful stares from our female peers. He had been hounded by several offering him all sorts of opportunities…” Draco coughs to clear his throat, smirking over at Blaise as his blush darkens. He ignores the dark glare his friend directs his way and turns to snicker along with the girls. Silvius cocks his head to the side; he didn’t understand what his cousin was trying to imply, not what they all found so funny.

“What opportunities?”

Their laughter halts, and everyone turns to stare down at Silvius, incredulity coating their expressions. This causes him to shrink against Blaise’s side as anxiety begins to creep over his skin. Blaise tightens his arm around Silvius’s waist, almost pulling his boyfriend into his lap, and drops a kiss to his temple.

“Well… you know… they would…”

“Draco.” Blaise releases a growl, cutting off Draco’s stuttering before he has a chance to complete his trail of thought. It draws a frown from Silvius, but he doesn’t want his Mate to come to the wrong conclusion because of his friend's thoughtless teasing.

“The girls would often proposition Blaise.”

“You mean…?”

“With sexual favours.”

“Theo!” Blaise shouts, his face exploding in a mix of embarrassment and annoyance. His friends needed to learn to leave well enough alone. He seriously hoped that Silvius wouldn’t take any of their words the wrong way. He really hoped that Silvius, his Mate, his Destined partner, wouldn’t think he was some sort of man whore who slept with anyone who asked because of their comments. He shoots another glare toward Theo and Draco, daring them to say anything else before he glances down at Silvius, who is scowling fiercely.

“Well, they can’t do that now,” Silvius mutters, his voice just as hard as his gaze, irises swirling with power. His magic crackles in the air around him as his irritation at such thoughts bubbles just below the surface. Taking a deep breath, and capturing Blaise’s hand in his own, interlacing their fingers allows him to pull the escaped tendrils back into his core, though his annoyance doesn’t lessen. Blaise sucks in a breath, and Draco makes the mistake of scoffing down at his cousin, raising an eyebrow.

“Why not?”

“Because Blaise is my Mate. He is mine. None of them can have him, and I will hex any one of them who tries to take him from me.”

Blaise shivers at the tone of his boyfriend’s voice. It wasn’t loud, he didn’t shout, no he spoke quietly but the possessiveness undertone was enough to send sparks shooting down his spine. Squeezing his arm around Silvius’s waist, he nuzzles against his temple, a large smile tugging at his lips. He loved how his little Mate was becoming jealous over the potential of him having any past relationships, casual or otherwise. Even the thought of it was sending irritation through his veins, and Blaise couldn’t help but love it. It was further proof that Silvius cared about him.

“None of them succeeded, Tesoro. I have never been interested in anyone else before you, and I never will be interested in anyone but you, my Mate. You are my world, Silvi, my life, and I will never let you go now that I have you. You are stuck with me.”

“Good,” Silvius states firmly. He draws his arm back from around Blaise and wraps it around his neck instead. Pulling Blaise forward, he brushes their lips together. Sighing when he feels soft lips gently caressing his own for a moment before he pulls back, he brushes another kiss to the tip of his Mate’s nose, giggling when a responding kiss caresses his cheek.

“You know, I think I may just develop a cavity from all this tooth-rotting sweetness.” Pansy snickers drawing Silvius and Blaise from their private bubble, equal blushes shading their cheeks a pale pink as they are met with smirks from around the compartment.

Only a few minutes later does a crackling voice break through their conversation, announcing that they are fifteen minutes away from Hogsmeade station, that they should change into their uniforms, and that their luggage should be left on the train to be transported up to the castle separately.

Silvius, with a kiss on the cheek to Blaise and a shout of reassurance that he would return soon to Draco, slips out of the compartment and makes his way to one of the bathrooms on the train so he can change. He slips into his unmarked uniform and strokes a finger down the Hogwarts emblem before shrinking his casual robes down. He slips them, as well as his trunk, back into his pocket and makes his way back through the corridors to slip back into his compartment and snuggle back into Blaise, who chuckles at his need for affection but still drops a kiss on his head.

They are quick to jump off the train when it comes to a halt, skirting around Hagrid, who is towering over the crowd, bellowing for the first years to make their way over to him. Following the crowd of students making their way towards the carriages, Silvius slips his hand into Blaise’s and interlaces their fingers. Climbing into a free carriage, the Slytherin students continue their chatter as they make their way up the twisting cobblestone path toward the gates of Hogwarts. Silvius follows his friends nervously, hand tightening around Blaise’s as they climb the staircase and spot Professor McGonagall standing at the top. She offers him a grim smile when he reaches her, gesturing for him to stand over by him and allow his friends to continue on to the Great Hall.

Swallowing thickly, Silvius’s nerves spike, and he turns towards Blaise and Draco, his eyes blown wide with panic. He really didn’t want to be left on his own, not when, by her expression alone, McGonagall looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but there with him. Blaise and Draco take turns to wrap him in a reassuring hug, whispering words of encouragement in his ears while their other friends step back to give them some semblance of privacy.

“You are going to be fine, Silvi. I promise.”

“We are going to be right inside waiting for you. Besides, your Uncle Severus is going to be just behind you at the staff table; none of us are going to let anything happen to you, Tesoro.”

“Just try to remember that we will stand by you no matter what house you are sorted into, alright?”

“Okay, I will see you inside.” Silvius takes a deep breath, brushing a quick kiss to Blaise’s cheek before he turns on his heels and drops his pureblood mask back over his features. Walking toward Professor McGonagall, Silvius resists the urge to turn around and watch his friends disappear into the Hall. He ignores the curious expressions of the crowds of students as they make their way past him, muttering between themselves about his un-sorted uniform and his obvious age difference from the first years.

“Mister Black, I presume.”

Silvius bristles; he didn’t appreciate the way Professor McGonagall was looking down her nose at him in disapproval. He hadn’t done anything wrong to warrant such a look from the deputy headmistress, nor did he approve of her blatant unprofessionalism. Sneering up at her to show his disinterest, he inwardly smirks when he reels back, no doubt at the remarkable resemblance to his father.

“You presume correctly, Miss?”

“Professor McGonagall, I am the Deputy Headmistress and the Head of Gryffindor House.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Professor McGonagall. I am Silvius Black.”

“Yes, well. I will be in charge of your sorting, Mister Black, and I wish to have it out of the way before the First Years arrive. Your House at Hogwarts will be like your family. If you break any school rules, then you will lose house points for your house; any good behaviour will reward you with points. The house with the most points at the end of the school year will win the House Cup. Do you have any questions?”

“No, Professor. My cousin spent apt amounts of time drilling the rules and regulations of Hogwarts into my head before he deemed me fit for school, by his standards, that is.”

She cracks a small smile at his comment, something he considers a small success, seeing as she had already come to the conclusion that she wasn’t going to like him very much. He wonders if there was a chance, no matter how slim, that he could warm her up to himself enough to consider a quick change of sides or maybe even neutral for now. It was something he could ponder over later.

“I may just have to thank your cousin for his insight.”

“Well, his family is quite big on first impressions, Professor. In his mind, it was the very least he could do lest I embarrass his family by mere association.” Her smile grows a little.

“Oh? And your cousin is?”

“Draco Malfoy, of course.”

Her smile drops into a scowl again, eyes scrutinising him over her spectacles before she gestures towards the doors leading to the Great Hall. It seems that she had had enough introductions for the time being. He follows closely behind, his apprehension gnawing at his gut as every set of eyes turns to watch as he walks down the center of the Hall. His eyes instantly seek out the familiar onyx gaze of his godfather, and he almost stumbles in shock. He fights against his need to widen his eyes when he meets the sheepish grin of Remus Lupin sitting on Severus’s right and the smirking face of his father sitting on Severus’s left. He would be talking to the three of them later that evening, even if he had to hunt them down throughout the entire school. They could have told him that they were coming with him to the school.

His gaze sweeps along the Slytherin table, smirking at the shocked looks on his friends' faces, their own stares fixated on the staff table. At least it wasn’t just a surprise for him then; none of his friends had known about this and chose to keep it a secret from him at least. He rolls his eyes when McGonagall directs him to stand at the bottom of the steps while she stands with the Sorting Hat in her hand. It wasn’t like there was anyone else to sort at the moment. Dumbledore stands to his feet, eyes twinkling as he sweeps his gaze across the sea of students, hands gesticulating.

“I would like to welcome our brand-new student, who is joining our sixth-year class. This is an unusual occurrence even within our halls. Please make him feel welcome.” He sits back down and gestures for McGonagall to proceed with his sorting. He could have done without the unnecessary theatrics.

“When I call your name, you will sit on the stool, and I will place the Sorting Hat on your head, where you will be sorted into your House. Black, Silvius!”

Silvius rolls his eyes again and makes a show of looking around him for any other students before he walks up to the rickety stool. The Hat drops on his head, and unlike when he was a first year, it doesn’t fall over his eyes and encase him in darkness which he is thankful for.

Ah. I see that you have returned, but this time you know the truth.

If you knew who I was from the beginning and what happened to me, then why didn’t you say anything to me?

Heir Black, it was not the time for you to know the truth. You were blinded by the Light side’s prejudices, and besides, I need a little bit of entertainment in my dismal life, don’t you think?

If you say so.

Oh, I do say so, Heir Black. Now, where to put you? You don’t have any argument for me this time? Are you not going to ask for a specific house? No, well then, I know just where to put you, young Silvius. Yes, you will achieve great things with the House of Snakes; my original decision still stands. Pull one over on the old coot for me, Silvius Black. I know that he deserves it!

Before Silvius could ponder the Sorting Hat’s request, to question the Hat what he meant and why he would want Silvius to do anything bad to the headmaster; he would have assumed that the Sorting Hat was a follower of Dumbledore. He hears a loud voice echoing through the Hall.

“Slytherin!”

Silvius exhales. Expelling a breath, he hadn’t realised he had been holding as his anxieties dispersed. Glancing over his shoulder at his father, Silvius smirks at the proud gleaming shining in silver eyes, as well as the small smile Remus and Severus are sending his way. Taking the Hat off his head, he places it back on top of the stool and heads over to the Slytherin table which is on its feet clapping. Making his way down the table, he gratefully slips between Draco and Blaise, accepting the congratulatory pats on the back from his cousin and the kiss on the cheek from Blaise.

His new housemates reach over, those close enough to him anyhow, to shake his hand as others call out a chorus of welcomes and congratulations at him for ending up in their House. He glances up, meeting burning hazel eyes, and allows a devious smirk to stretch at his lips when the Weasel and Mudblood glare daggers at him. Clearly, they were still sore over him rejecting their friendship and throwing them out onto their arses so spectacularly. He turns his attention to Neville and sees the nervous boy grinning at him, he would have to call a meeting soon so he could speak to the boy. No doubt the two poor, slighted Gryffindors would try to plan something against himself or his friends. Nodding his head towards the Weasel and know-it-all, he gets a subtle nod in response. Neville would keep an eye on them for him.

“I told you that you would end up in the snake pit.” Silvius turns towards his cousin, raising an eyebrow at the smug expression shaping his features, as well as the pompous tone of voice.

“Oh, I apologise that I didn’t listen to your all-knowing words, dear cousin. I wasn’t aware that you were a seer.”

“As you should, you prat.”

He chuckles and rests his head against Blaise’s shoulder just as the doors swing open to allow a gaggle of tiny, nervous-looking eleven-year-olds into the Hall. He tunes out the sorting, not at all bothered about students who are five years younger than himself. It wasn’t like he was going to interact with most of them, if any, anyway.

“See, you needn’t have worried so much, Silvi. We knew you were going to be one of us.” Blaise mutters against his hair.

“Alright, alright. You guys know all. I shall never question your superior knowledge ever again. I was a fool to do so.” Silvius shakes his head, as the Slytherin’s in hearing range chuckle at his words. Daphne leans forward, elbows resting on the table in a very un-pureblood like manner, eyebrows furrowing as she rests her chin against steepled fingers. Her stare makes him want to squirm, but he manages to reframe himself.

“Speaking of knowing everything. Did you know that your father and Lupin were going to be Professors this year?”

“No, neither of them said anything to me. If they had, then I would have told you all. There are to be no secrets in the faction, not mine anyway. I wasn’t even told that they had been contemplating this, but by the looks of Uncle Severus’s scowl, he hadn’t been informed either. This does present us with a bit of an issue, however…” He trails off, tapping his chin with his finger as he pushes himself to sit up properly again. He stares between the three adults at the staff table before turning back to his friends.

“What do you mean, Silvius?” Theo questions from his seat opposite Draco.

“Well, I chose Astraeus to be my second in command because he was one of the few people who didn’t have a job overseas or something that would hold his attention much. It would have been easier for him to attend my uncle’s meetings. However, now that he is a professor then I may just have to appoint a new Second, one who will be able to be our bridge with Uncle Marvolo while we are stuck here.” Silvius explains to his In Dolus, not bothering to set up any silencing wards around them as the only people in hearing distance were fellow Slytherins who wouldn’t mention anything about their conversation to anyone outside of their house and affiliation. His faction members nod in understanding and turn to glance up at their new professor before they fall silent.

“Well, what about Virtus or Mars? They have been stationed back in Britain now. Virtus works with the Goblins in Gringotts and Mars in one of the Welsh Dragon Reserves. It would be easy and less suspicious for them to attend our meetings as well as the Dark lord’s.”

“I guess so. I am going to have to call a meeting in the next few days and ask them. I would rather give them a choice. I am also going to be expecting a report from Saturn about certain annoyances, and it would be good to catch up with Antevorta. She always has trouble with her housemates.”

Chapter 2: Slytherin House Rules

“I fear for the Hogwarts population…” Severus mutters, his voice low enough not to draw attention as he leans towards Regulus. His eyes are fixed on Silvius, who, after skirting the hall, is talking to his friends and looking deep in thought.

Regulus follows Severus’s gaze and watches his son, chuckling a little when the sixth-year Slytherin students stare at Silvius, hanging off his words as he shakes his head in response to one of their questions. The group turns to glance up at the staff table for a brief moment, and he knows that they are questioning Silvius about their appearance within the school.

“He is plotting something. Have you noticed how he is already dishing out silent orders to members of his team? I have just seen him glance at Longbottom, then motion to something or someone else while the other nodded in acceptance. I am so proud of him.” Regulus comments.

Severus nods his head. He had seen the little exchange as well, and he had a sneaking suspicion that it pertained to the two Gryffindors who were currently glaring across the Hall at Silvius, practically spitting feathers. Something must have occurred on the train ride to school to cause such animosity from the Gryffindor students. He shifts in his seat when Silvius’s face falls into a troubled frown, his eyes glancing back up at the staff table before he looks around at his fellow Slytherins, talking in hushed tones.

“I do believe that Silvius is not best pleased with Remus’s placement at the school.”

Remus sighs at Severus's words and leans over to join the conversation. His voice is pitched low as he subtly casts a form of confundus around the three of them. It wouldn’t be good if someone on the faculty were to hear them talking and turn on Silvius as a result so early on in the school year. Besides, who would want to listen in on a conversation that sounded like an in-depth discussion over lesson plans and House Point systems.

“You know that he appointed me to be his Second, and I think he has just realised that it isn’t going to work out for the best now that he knows I have been reinstated as a professor. I wanted to tell him before so that he could appoint a new Second before the school term began, but Marvolo wished for it to be a surprise.”

They continue to watch as the small faction shares nods of agreement around their small group, glancing around between themselves before Blaise shares something with his friends while Silvius listens to each one in turn before contemplating their words.

“I am so proud of how far Silvius has come. He seems to be coming into his own incredibly well, especially since Marvolo gave him his own faction to manage. He is a fair leader and listens to his members' wishes while still making sure that they stay in line. It is something I have only ever seen Marvolo achieve. He is a natural-born leader.”

“It is a marvel to witness, especially as I have seen him grow from a young eleven-year-old who barely knew the right way to hold his wand to the brilliantly intelligent young man he is today.” Before they could discuss anything more, Dumbledore stood from his seat once again, arms sweeping out to his sides, and Remus quickly dropped the wards.

“To our old students, I say welcome back, but to our new, I merely greet you in welcome. I am happy to announce that there have been a few changes to our staff table this year, as I am sure you have all noticed. First of all, I would like to issue a huge welcome back, by popular demand, to our new History of Magic professor, Professor Remus Lupin, as Professor Binns has decided to take an extended leave of absence!”

Loud, rambunctious cheers and shouts of congratulations arise from the fourth years and above. The noise echoes around the hall, a whistle joining in when Remus stands up and bows, offering up a shy wave to the sea of students staring up at him; a light blush dusts his cheeks. He had not been expecting such an outburst at his reinstatement. Not after the threatening letters he had received from several parents when his werewolf condition had been exposed and he had been forced to resign three years ago.

"Well, well, well. Isn't someone a student favourite?" Regulus teases, clapping along with the students while Severus merely smirks at the werewolf. He had profusely apologised to Remus once the man had chosen to join their side and had accepted not only Fenrir's position as his Mate but also a place within the Alpha's pack. Not that Remus had expected such an apology or thought one was necessary in the first place; he had still accepted, and they had begun a tentative friendship.

"You know, I wonder how a certain Alpha would react if he could see just how many students are drooling over the sight of you, Remus. I think we could blame Silvius for this; that new wardrobe is a lot better than those old rags you used to walk around in. However, maybe we should place a few extra-strength wards around the school." Severus muses and Remus groans, burying his face in his hands.

Although Remus knew that Severus was only teasing him, the potions master wasn't exactly wrong either. If Fenrir did hear about the intense scent of pheromones he could smell drifting up from the crowd of students in his presence, his Mate would flip a switch and maul or severely injure anyone who dared to look at him with such intentions in mind. Not that it mattered much to him anyway; he only had eyes for his Alpha, something his Mate knew very well, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t enjoy watching Fenrir releasing his wolf on people. It had happened once before, when Fenrir had first introduced him to the pack, and no one had looked at him in such a way since.

“Yes, welcome back, Professor Lupin. Second, I would like for you all to give a big welcome to our new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, Lord Regulus Black.”

There is silence for a moment following Dumbledore’s announcement before, once again, the Hall is filled with loud cheers and claps. Regulus pushes himself to his feet, smirking around the room at the students, causing more than a few older females to swoon. How bows lowly, chuckling when Severus sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, shaking his head.

“Yes, yes. Thank you, Professor Black. Finally, there is delightful news from one of our most beloved Professors. Our resident potions master has claimed his Lordship and will, from now on, be known as Professor Prince. Now, just before I allow you all to dig into our wonderful feast, I have a few quick start-of-term announcements for you all. The Forbidden Forest, for those new students and those older students who have a habit of forgetting, got its name for a reason, and any student found near it will find themselves in detention. Flitch would also like me to remind you all that the list of banned items, including all products from Weasley Wizard Wheezes, is pinned to the office door if you wish to familiarise yourselves with it. For now, however, I shall say, dig in.”

Platters of food appear on the tables, and the students instantly begin to fill their plates. The Hall fills with the sounds of excited chatters as students begin to settle back into their lives within the halls of Hogwarts.

-----

"I have to wonder if Dumbledore will try and come up with some new seating arrangements for the staff table shortly. He may just regret allowing Severus, Remus, and Father to sit with each other." Silvius muses, filling his plate with an assortment of food while fending off Blaise's hand when he tries to subtly sneak a few more vegetables and roast chicken into the small pile he already had. He falls back onto the thoughts he had been having on the Express, about how his friends and family were all conspiring against him, plotting various ways of fattening him up without having to actually state that that is their intention. He couldn't help the smile that made its way across his lips; however, his expression softened. Silvius catches Blaise's hand, pressing a kiss to his knuckles before he turns his attention back toward his father.

"What makes you say that, Silvius?" Tracy asks, swallowing a fork full of broccoli and sweetcorn before speaking.

"Because whatever is being said must be entertaining. Father is snickering, and Uncle Severus has quite the evil smirk on his face, while Professor Lupin appears to be trying his hardest not to spontaneously combust on the spot. I have a feeling that it has something to do with the rather loud welcome Remus received from the students."

"I bet that it also has something to do with a rather possessive Alpha werewolf who would not like it if the students were fantasizing about his Mate," Draco mutters, pouring himself a goblet of pumpkin juice while the other chuckle, nodding their heads. They had all heard stories of the Alpha wolf's attitude toward anyone who even dared to look at his submissive mate with even a small semblance of lust and desire. The poor wolf who had tried it on with Remus still couldn't walk properly, let alone look Remus in the eye anymore.

“That is without a doubt. Poor Uncle Moony.”

"Yes, yes, I agree, poor Remus. I mean, we should all sympathise with the werewolf who has found his Mate, a mate who cares about him so much that he would do anything to protect his lover, even from unwanted lustful stares and attention," Theo chuckles, shaking his head. "Can we all just make sure that no one mentions any of this in front of Fenrir? As much as I would love to see a possessive, overprotective werewolf tearing through Hogwarts, I don't think that is how Remus wishes to out his allegiance."

They break into chuckles again, envisioning the responses of their peers and the professors if Fenrir did happen to appear outside the school gates, howling and snarling, clambering to break into the school to either attack the students who dared try to take his Mate away from him or merely have his way with his Mate to assert his dominance over the younger wolf.

Dessert comes and goes, and Silvius can feel himself tiring rapidly. Even though he hadn't really done much of anything that day, he always found that a long day of traveling always seemed to tire him out. Now, he just wanted to find some way of wishing his Father a good night, settle down in his bed, and dream the night away, ready for his first day of lessons tomorrow. Pouring himself a goblet of milk, Silvius snatches Blaise's free hand and begins to play with his long, slender fingers as he impatiently waits for Dumbledore to stop talking and dismiss them. It doesn't come a moment too soon.

“Now that you have all been watered and fed, I bid you all a good night. We will see you bright and early for breakfast tomorrow.”

Without wasting a second, Silvius jumped to his feet even before the headmaster had finished speaking, dragging Blaise up with him. He ignores the snickers coming from his friends and begins to follow the other Slytherins through the Hall and down the winding corridors of the dungeons. Pulling his cloak tighter around his frame when the temperature drops. A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth when Blaise drops his hand in order to wrap an arm around his shoulders and draws him against his side. Silvius wraps his arm around Blaise’s waist in response and sighs. His Mate always seemed to radiate heat; maybe it came with being a Cambion.

“Thanks, Love.”

“No worries, Tesoro. Though you could just use a warming charm.”

“I could, but then I wouldn’t have an excuse to walk with you like this and steal your warmth.” Silvius splutters, almost screeching to a halt as his words register. His face burns with embarrassment at what he had just admitted to not only Blaise but his faction as well. Blaise doesn’t judge him, though; he merely drops a kiss on his hair and tightens his arm around Silvius’s waist.

“You are welcome to cuddle up to me whenever you wish, Tesoro. You don’t need to make up an excuse.”

“Alright, can we keep the PDA to a minimum when there are other people around to hear it, please? As adorable as the two of you are, think I am about to lose my lunch.” Draco drawls from behind them, smirking down at his cousin. The expression soon falls when Silvius, instead of turning red, smirks back at Draco.

“Now, now, Dray. There is no need for you to feel jealous of Blaise and I. I am sure that you will find your Mate soon, and then you can act as mushy as you wish with them.”

“I am not jealous.” He pouts, crossing his arms over his chest to the uproarious laughter from his fellow Slytherins.

The group arrives at the common room after a second and utter the password. Stepping through the portal hole into the pleasantly warm common room. Silvius is quick to tug Blaise and Draco over to the various armchairs and sofas surrounding the fireplace; pushing Blaise down, he crawls into his boyfriend’s lap and curls up, practically purring when fingers begin to card through his hair.

-----

They don’t have to wait around for long after the first years are all settled down on the floor, facing the entrance to the common room, while the older years scatter around the common room and rest against any available surface and walls. The door swings open, and in steps, their Head of House, arms folded, and a scowl firmly etched onto his face as he surveys the room while making his way towards them. What surprises the students is the fact that their new professors, Professor Black and Professor Lupin, followed him through the portal, wide smirks stretching their lips. Very few teachers were friendly with the Slytherin House and preferred to leave them completely under the management of Professor Snape than get involved with the Snake Pit if they didn’t have to.

Severus clears his throat, expression softening, his expression softening minutely when he glances down at the nervous first-year students. Seeing many of them relax, he steps up, standing in the center of the room to ensure that all can see him, and he gains their attention before he begins his start-of-year speech. Silvius startles, Professor McGonagall had never took the time to see to her students during the first night, and certainly never gave a welcome speech to her new students, she had never opened up her office for out of school hours in case they had need of her or had something to discuss with her. She tended to just leave them to the prefects.

“First of all, I would like to welcome you all to Slytherin House. I am Professor Severus Prince, and I will be your potions Professor and also your Head of House. If you encounter any problems then you are welcome to come speak to me. I must warn you now that stigmatism will follow you everywhere outside of these walls because you are a snake because you embody ambition, cunning, and sly traits. Many people will not trust you, nor will they be friendly towards you, and therefore, we have House rules that each and every one of you must endeavour to follow.” Severus pauses for a moment, allowing his words to sink in, for the first years to nod along before he presses on.

“Rule number one. No Slytherins, no matter their age or proficiency, travel around the castle on their own. For students in years five and above, you may travel in pairs; however, I recommend years three and below travel in your year groups if possible. Rule number two. You will try your very best in each one of your classes. If you are having difficulties then a list of students willing to tutor in specific subjects will be pinned to the common room notice board tomorrow morning. However, if you are caught bothering a student not on the list then you will not like the consequences. Rule number three. Do not get caught. By all means, break the rules, hex a student in the corridor if they have wronged you, and prank those who deserve it, but do not let yourselves get caught. If you are then deflect the blame, do not admit to anything. You are Slytherins. You are cunning and sneaky.”

Silvius grins at his godfather. He liked that rule a lot. He had managed to get away with a lot of stuff during his previous years, mainly thanks to his cloak and his map, but still, this rule would give him an excuse to cause as much havoc as he could. Settling further into Blaise’s embrace, Silvius drops his head to his boyfriend’s shoulder and sighs when a hand cards through his hair, the other tightening around his waist.

“Rule number four. You will conduct yourselves with the height of pureblood decorum outside of these rooms. You will look presentable, in the correct uniform, at all times; walk with dignity, and never let me catch you acting like those common buffoons in Gryffindor. You represent our House, and I will not let it be ridiculed by children who do not know how to conduct themselves. Rule number Five. You will not let any disagreements leave this room. All arguments and disagreements will be settled within these walls, and you will not let any inter-house hostility show to the other houses. We are segregated and isolated from the other Houses enough and will not show them any weaknesses. You will show a united front at all costs.”

“It made a lot more sense to Silvius now. Why he had never seen any of the Slytherin students arguing with each other or even insulting and mocking one another through the halls of Hogwarts, between classes, and out at Hogsmeade. He frowns, deep in thought. If he had allowed the Sorting Hat to sort him into Slytherin from the very beginning, would his housemates have stood by him during his second year when he had been accused of being the Heir of Slytherin? Would they have backed him and believed him when his name had come out of the Goblet of Fire? Even if it had been just in public, it would have been preferable to face ridicule all day, every day.

“If I catch wind that any one of your have broken any of these rules then detention with Filch will look like a dream compared to what I will put you through. I show favouritism to my Slytherins outside these walls because they will picked on and singled out by the other professors, but if you break our House rules, then I will punish you. Though I doubt that I will have to. Now, first years and second years, your bedtime will be at 8 o’clock and I expect to see you all following these times that I set out. Third and fourth years will be expected to go to bed at nine. The fifth and sixth years have until 10 o’clock, and the seventh years have until 11. These will extend by an hour each year on Friday and Saturday nights. There will also be a schedule set up where each year will be required to attend a study session night with me so I may assist in any homework issues and see how you are progressing in your lessons. Make sure you check the time and date for your year tomorrow morning.”

All students nod their heads in agreement while Silvius stares at his godfather in confusion. As far as he remembered, none of the other Heads of Houses were as involved in their students’ lives. He couldn’t remember Luna ever mentioning something about this to him and Neville when they were questioning her about Professor Flitwick. Maybe it was just as Severus said, because of the stigma surrounding Slytherin House.

“Now, before I forget. The professors behind me, as you well heard, are Professor Lupin, History of Magic, and Professor Black, Defence Against the Dark Arts. If you are in need of any assistance and you are unable to find me, then feel free to go to one of them. Professor Lupin and Professor Black will aid you and will not act out against you because of your house or family affiliations. Now off to bed with you all. I expect you to be in the common room tomorrow morning at seven to receive your timetables.”

A flurry of movement ensues as soon as Severus dismisses his students, and Silvius watches as the Slytherins are quick to disperse to their dorm rooms, the little first years being directed by Prefects. So intent on watching his new housemates, Silvius doesn’t notice the adults making their way toward them until he is tugged out of Blaise’s lap and into a hug. Quickly wrapping his arms around his father’s shoulders when a familiar scent catches his attention, Silvius snuggles close before he pulls back and scowls up at the man, pouting.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you had applied for a position here? You let me believe that I wouldn’t see you again until Yuletide!”

“I am sorry, Silvius. Your godfather wished for it to be a surprise for you.”

“Well… I was definitely surprised, Father… but you!” Silvius rounds on Remus, pointing a finger at the man who is quick to raise his hands in the air as a sign of surrender.

“What did I do?”

“I am going to have to call an In Dolus Intortis meeting earlier than anticipated because of you! You were supposed to be my Second!” Silvius would deny it for eternity when questioned but he wasn’t pouting. He had wanted to spend the first week relaxing and settling back into his life at Hogwarts before he had to deal with reports and meetings. Now, however, because of the mess in his ranks, he was going to have to find time to spirit Neville and Luna away from their housemates, Bill and Charlie away from their work, and attempt to find a secure enough place to hold his meetings. Remus at least has the forethought to look guilty.

“Sorry, Cub. Marvolo told me to keep it a secret.”

“It is alright, Uncle Moony. Blaise had already put forward two possible candidates for the position. I think I am going to wait about two or three days before I call our first meeting though. That will give Neville enough time to gather the information I am waiting for. After that, we can begin our mischief.” Silvius shrugs his uncle’s apology away, smirking at the looks of trepidation passing between the professors, which makes him and his friends chuckle.

“Don’t worry so much, professors. There is just a weasel and beaver who need a slight attitude adjustment is all.” Draco reassures, inspecting his nails.

“Do we even wish to know what they have managed to do already?”

“Probably not, Uncle Severus. All you need to know is that we will not be breaking any House rules. Speaking of which, do you know if the other houses have them because I know that Gryffindor doesn’t. McGonagall doesn’t even give a start-of-year speech. All of that is left up to the prefects.”

“As far as I am aware, Professor Sprout does have something similar, though hers is mostly giving her badgers access to her office at all hours of the day when she is not teaching. Her schedule is posted in her House common room. Professor Flitwick has set out of office hours as well, but I do not believe they are as involved with their students as I am. Nor do any of them have such strongly enforced house rules.”

“Oh, well, that is more than what happens in Gryffindor. The Gryffindor students rarely see Professor McGonagall. She doesn’t give them open hours, nor does she come to the common room unless it is to tell them to keep the noise down or if she receives a complaint about a certain student.”

“That doesn’t surprise me, Silvius. She has never been very interested in her duties as Head of House unless it involved winning the Quidditch and House cup at the end of the school year. But with the Weasley Twins doing everything in their power to prevent that, she lost interest.”

Silvius rests his chin in his hand; his godfather’s words made a lot of sense and didn’t surprise him in the slightest. Professor McGonagall had always been devoted to their quidditch team and allowed them to get away with so much if it heightened their chances of winning the House Cup. He watches as the three professors prepare to leave for the night and tugs his father back into one final hug, resting his head against the man’s shoulder.

“I am so proud of you, Silvius. Did you know? Your uncle and godfather will be as well. Marvolo has the other two-way mirror now because I am here with you for the year.”

“Alright, I will be sure to call him tomorrow and tell him about my sorting and the upcoming In Dolus Meeting. By the way, who is looking after Narcissa not that you are trapped here until Yuletide?”

“Your Uncle Marvolo ever so kindly offered to keep her in line for us until we return home.”

“Ah, yes. I am sure the Dark Lord is pleased with being made to babysit a 40-year-old woman who acts more self-righteous and immature than half of the first years at Hogwarts. He must be having a blast.”

“Go to sleep, you brat, and do not forget to speak to your godfather tomorrow. I neglected to mention your promise of waking up at 6 a.m. to speak over the mirror.”

“I won’t. Have a good night, Dad.” Silvius chuckles, picturing his uncle startling awake at six o’clock in the morning because he called.

“Good night, Silvi. I love you.”

“Love you too. Night, Uncle Severus, Uncle Moony.”

“Good night, my Snakes. Now, off to bed; you have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow.”

“Good night, papa.” Draco kisses his dad’s cheeks and follows his friends, who all stand from their seats, stretching stiff muscles as they stifle yawns. The adults make their way out of the portal hole to turn in for the night themselves.

Silvius follows Blaise to the dorm rooms and smiles when he sees that unlike the Gryffindor dormitory, which houses all male sixth years in the same room, he is just rooming with Draco and Blaise. This makes him and Blaise smile at each other while Draco groans in despair, though he can’t quite squash the smile lightening his features.

-----

A soft murmur close to his ear pulls him out of his dreams the following morning. Silvius rubs his eyes tiredly, peering through his eyelashes at the figure standing by the side of his bed. Blinking a couple of times, Silvius smiles when Blaise’s face comes into view; he can certainly get used to this sight every morning.

“Good morning, Tesoro.”

“Morning, love. What time is it?”

“Six am.” Silvius groans, slumping back against his pillows. He shoots a grumpy glare towards Blaise when he hears his Mate laughing at him.

“I know that it is early, Silvi, but we have an hour to shower, dress, and gather our books. Severus will be here at seven to hand out our class schedules, and you know how long Draco takes in the shower.”

Knowing that Blaise was correct and that he needed to get up, Silvius slowly pushed himself up and rubbed a hand down his face. Swinging his legs over the side of his mattress, he slung the covers back and stood up, gasping at the cold assaulting his bare feet. Hunting down his slippers, Silvius brushed a kiss to Blaise’s cheek, picked up his uniform and wash kit, and traipsed into the bathroom to take his morning shower.

It doesn’t take him very long to wash off before he is wrapping a towel around his waist, casting a non-verbal and wandless drying charm so he can dress as quickly as possible in order to stave off the cool air of the dungeons. Feeling refreshed and clean, Silvius bounces back into his shared room, placing his pajamas on his pillow, and picks up his hairbrush, only to frown when it is promptly plucked out of his hand. He is guided to sit on the edge of his mattress, back turned towards Blaise, who gently begins to tease the brush through his hair, untangling any knots he comes across that had formed from his shower. He sighs at the gentle treatment, smiling when he feels Blaise’s fingers working through the strands, styling them into his usual plait.

As soon as the tugging stops, Silvius turns around and brushes a grateful kiss against Blaise’s cheeks just as Draco rushes out of the bathroom in his uniform, his shirt untucked and robes draped over his arm. Silvius chuckles at his cousin; it always amused him when he saw the proud Malfoy Heir looking anything less than his usual stellar self. He watches as Draco fills his head with various potions and elixirs so he can style it into his typical slicked-back fashion, adding ones that make it shine, ones to make it softer, and so on and so forth.

Not knowing how long Draco would make them wait until he deemed himself presentable, Silvius reckons he will have enough time to call his godfather. He settles himself down more comfortably on his mattress, dragging Blaise close enough so that he can press their arms together. Pulling his two-way mirror out of his shirt, Silvius enlarges it and calls for his uncle.

“Uncle Marvolo.”

“Good morning, Little Salazar.”

“Good morning, Uncle Marvolo. How have you been coping with all of us gone?”

“The Manor is far too quiet now that I am the only one here. You and your father brought so much joy and liveliness to this run-down old house, Silvius, and now it just feels too big.” Silvius chokes up a little at hearing Marvolo’s words, smiling at the image of his uncle. Silvius feels a hand slipping into his and squeezing. He allows his head to fall against Blaise’s shoulder.

“Don’t be too upset Uncle Marvolo you can always spend your free time evilly plotting with Uncle Lucius or I hear you have kindly taken Narcissa under your wing, I am sure that she wouldn’t mind your company. Besides, we will be back home in a few months.”

“I would much rather deal with Fenrir and his entire pack on the night of the full moon than subject myself to more of that shrew’s time willingly. I am looking forward to seeing you far sooner than the Yuletide holidays my Little Salazar, you still have your In Dolus meetings that I will be attending when I have time. Now, enough about me, Silvius. How did your sorting go?”

Silvius sighs heavily at his godfather’s question, eyes filling with tears so they shine in the morning light, and he has to bite the inside of his cheek to keep his smirk at bay when Marvolo’s eyes crease in concern. He did so love messing with his uncle at times. It was always nice that he was one of the only people that his godfather would let his pureblood mask down around.

“Well… I ummm I was sorted… you promised you won’t be disappointed?” Silvius enquires, forcing his eyes to widen in fear even as he subtly digs his elbow into Blaise’s side when he feels his boyfriend shaking with laughter at his acting skills. However, he does feel a little guilty when his godfather sits up straighter, his own expression shifting into alarm at his hesitation.

“You know that I will never be disappointed in your Silvius. No matter which House the Sorting Hat thought suited you best. I love you, my Little Salazar, and nothing is going to change that, especially not a schoolhouse that will mean very little when you graduate. You are my Heir, my godson.”

“Okay. I love you too, Uncle Marvolo.”

“Now, don’t keep me in suspense much longer; you know that I am not known for my patience, Silvius.” Silvius giggles at his uncle’s understatement. The man was well-known for having the patience of a Hippogriff when offered freshly caught ferrets.

“Alright, I was sorted into Slytherin.” He allows a smirk to shape his features when Marvolo freezes in his seat, his eyes narrowing as he tries to register the words he has just heard, scrutinising the image of his godson.

“You little imp. You had me worried for a second there, Little Salazar. I am so proud of you.”

“Thank you, Uncle Marvolo. I am so happy that I get to be with Draco, Blaise, and the majority of my In Dolus Intortis—all but Neville and Luna, but it will be easy enough for me to see them as well.”

“I am happy for you, Silvi. I am sure that your father is also pleased with your placement.”

“He is. He told me so last night when he came to the common room with Uncle Moony and Uncle Severus to meet the new Slytherin first years. Ah, that reminds me…” Marvolo raises an eyebrow at the sudden change in tone and resists the urge to shift in his seat when Silvius turns to glare at him. “You stole my Second from me, Uncle Marvolo. Now I am going to have to pick a new Second in Command from those who will be able to attend your meetings as well as my own and I really wanted to relax the first week of school as well.”

“I am sorry, little Salazar. I know how much you wished to allow yourself and your faction time to settle back into Hogwarts before you began your club activities, but Remus came to me and asked if there was any chance that he could become a professor to keep an extra eye on his cub, I couldn’t say no to that. Lucius and I managed to subtly encourage the Board of Education to reinstate Remus as the History of Magic Professor.”

“So that is why I kept seeing Remus sneaking into your office when you and Father hid yourselves away for days. It is okay, Uncle Marvolo. I knew that you would have had good reasons for it, Besides, Blaise and Draco have already given me a few ideas as to who I could appoint.”

“I am glad, Silvius. Now, you and your friends should really be heading to breakfast before you are late. I will speak to you shortly, my Little Salazar. Stay safe and cause mischief.”

“I will, Uncle Marvolo, I promise. I love you.”

“I love you as well, Salazar.” The image of Marvolo fades from the reflective glass making it appear as a normal mirror once again. Silvius stares down at it for a moment longer before shrinking it down and slipping it back under his school shirt. Cuddling against Blaise’s side, Silvius giggles when a feather-light kiss brushes against his head.

Sighing, Silvius glances over at his cousin and reluctantly pushes himself to his feet once he realises that Draco has finally finished messing with his appearance and deems himself appropriate for the day ahead. Silvius and Blaise stepped out of their dorm with Draco trailing behind; they had decided to leave their bags behind, not seeing the need to pack every book they owned only to have to return over half of them to their room before they went down to breakfast. They would pack their bags once they had received their schedules from Severus and then head on up to the Great Hall.

Their Head of House was already in the common room when they made it down, a pile of parchment held in his hands as he made his way through the students by year group. Sending them off to the Great Hall as soon as he had given them their timetables. Having handed the prefects their own schedules earlier to allow them the time to escort the first years through the maze-like corridors of the dungeons. He slowly makes his way year by year before he makes it to Silvius and his year mates, grimacing when he hands the parchment sheets over.

“You have got to be kidding me? I swear he gets more insane every year.”

“There must be something seriously wrong with that old codger.”

“What is he planning this time?”

“He can’t still be claiming to be promoting House unity. It hasn’t worked the past five years; I doubt that it is going to work this year.”

Silvius racks his eyes over his schedule and sees that he has double potions first thing that morning with the Gryffindor students, followed by Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and a double period of Defence Against the Dark Arts before they are released with a free session before dinner. He eyes the rest of his schedule and blanches at most of his days. Even though he only had three sessions of each subject a week, he still only had five free spaces a week for homework and additional studying. That’s what he gets for choosing to take ten N.E.W.T subjects he supposes.

“I am not really looking forward to Wednesday. Have you seen this?” Silvius questions, looking at Draco, Blaise and Theo as he knew that they were taking almost the same number of classes as himself that year. Though he believes they were only taking the nine. Pansy had elected for Care of Magical Creatures and Divination with Tracy, while Daphne took up Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures. Blaise blanches at where Silvius is indicating on his own schedule, eyes widening. Arithmancy is followed by a double of Ancient Runes, Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration, and History. It was the only day they didn’t have a free period.

“They are trying to kill us off slowly. My schedule is the same, except I have extra free periods while you are in ancient studies, Silvius.” Blaise points out, holding his own timetable out for Silvius to compare, while Draco and Theo glance over their shoulders as well.

“I wonder how long they are expecting us to survive.” Theo bemoans, earning him snorts from the others.

“Oh, come on. It can’t be that bad, can it? You guys are so dramatic,” Pansy says, crossing her arms over her chest. She raises an eyebrow at Blaise, Draco, Theo, and Silvius, who are beginning to look incredibly pale.

“Pansy. Kindly shut up.”

“We have a full day of Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration and History… Silvius here doesn’t even get to have more than one free period a day because of his packed schedule.”

“Just how many subjects did you sign up for, Silvius?” Daphne questions, taking his schedule and looking it over.

“Just Charms, DADA, Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology, History of Magic, Advanced Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Alchemy and Ancient Studies.”

“Ouch. Well, I wish you good luck, Silvius.” Daphne sniggers. She didn’t feel the least bit sympathetic for her fellow Slytherins, not when they had opted to take more than the recommended amount of N.E.W.T subjects. She was glad that she had chosen at least one Easy subject in comparison now. Hooking her arms through Tracy’s and Pansy’s, Millicent adding herself to the end, they begin to make their way towards the common room entrance. Calling back over her shoulder, Tracy laughs.

“Come along, boys, breakfast.”

The four boys are quick to dash back into their dorm rooms and pack their bags with the needed textbooks for the day before they follow behind their friends toward the Great Hall. They didn’t know how the girls were going to eat and make it back to the dorms to collect their belongings before their classes started, even if it was potions. Ladled down with books and parchments, they make their way out of the common room and after the girls who had already disappeared around the corner.

Notes:

Woohoo! Another Chapter down and completed! I am almost on a roll this week XD
I hope you all enjoy this one

Chapter 3: Potions Class and Ancient Runes

The sixth-year Slytherin students stand gathered outside potions classroom five, waiting for the girls to rejoin them after having left breakfast early in order to collect their books, with the promise to meet up outside the classroom before the Gryffindors arrived. Which they had. Silvius chuckles at Draco, rolling his eyes skyward at his cousin as he holds Blaise’s hand when a loud gaggle of voices makes their way toward them.

Instantly and without a word, the Slytherins straighten up, brushing hands down their robes and setting their masks back over their faces just as a sea of black and red comes marching down the dungeons, all clutching their cloaks a little tighter around their bodies. The Slytherins sneer at the lack of warming charms; it was like they didn’t realise they were magical. It was one of the first spells they made sure to teach the first-year students during their first study sessions, mainly so they could mitigate the cool temperatures of the dungeons.

Silvius sighed, moving Blaise’s hand to wrap around his waist when he saw that the Blood Traitor and Mudblood were making a beeline for them, their faces set in determination, and he almost laughed at their idiocy. Did they really think that it was a good idea to start something whilst standing outside Professor Prince’s classroom? He knows by the set of their jaws that he and his friends are in for another round of pointless insults and prays to Merlin that Severus will arrive in time to dole out some punishments. He suppresses a smirk.

Of course, he should have expected the duo to confront him as soon as possible. They probably didn’t appreciate the humiliation they felt when being kicked out of the Slytherin student’s compartment empty-handed.

"I should have known that you would end up a slimy snake, like your dad. Going to be a Death Eater when you are older.”

Silvius stares for a moment, blinking as he glances from the Blood traitor to the Mudblood and back again, his eyebrow-raising. It would seem that Granger had finally found her voice after the Express debacle. Silvius cocks his head to the side, studying the bushy-haired girl as a smirk tries to make its way across his features. He could tell that his prolonged silence was setting the pair on edge. However, before they have a chance to repeat their insults and questions, he responds. His words were measured and calm but also held a mocking undertone.

“Actually, Granger I could have very well ended up in Ravenclaw if we are going by family placement. My mother was a Claw, after all. And here I was told that you were intelligent. Are you incapable of reading, or do you merely choose to remain ignorant of facts that you have decided not to believe in? The Daily Prophet released an article earlier this summer stating that all speculations surrounding my father being a Death Eater were rumours spread around by those wishing to discredit him and his family. Isn’t that right, guys?” Silvius throws over his shoulder, snickering when his friends all call out their agreements.

“But then again, you wouldn’t understand the trials one will deal with when faced with speculation surrounding you merely because of your family affiliation, would you, Mudblood?”

“You can’t talk to her like that!” Weasley shouts, making it as if he were going to step forward before thinking better of it.

“Oh? And why not, little Weasel? Your friend here seemed to believe that it was okay to generalise me because of my father. Not even my parents, but she chose to focus on information that has already been proven false because it fits into her own built-up world quite nicely. I can talk to her in any way I deem necessary to defend myself from those who refuse to see the truth because they simply do not wish to.”

“You are nothing but a disgusting Snake, just like your dad!”

“Now, now, Weasley. There is no need to get so aggressive. You and your girlfriend over there decided to approach me and started insulting me, so why should I curb my tongue in return? If I were you, I would stay out of things that you don’t understand. I mean, it isn’t like you would understand how others can attempt to discredit your family, now would you? I mean, your father seems to do a stellar job all on his own.”

Silvius watches as Weasley's face explodes in anger, his eyes narrowing and lips thinning just as his hands clench even tighter at his sides. He wonders if it was an attempt to prevent himself from reaching for his wand or whether he wished to jump across the hallway and pummel him. His friends snicker at his words; there was nothing more entertaining to a Slytherin than pulling one over on a Gryffindor student. Especially one as irritating and quick to anger as Weasley.

“Don’t bring my dad into this!”

"And why shouldn't I, Weasley? You, Gryffindors, believe that it is perfectly acceptable to bring My father into our conversations every time. Besides, I believe it was your girlfriend who accused my father of being a Death Eater, whereas everything I have said is the truth. I thought that was only fair, and you Gryffs are all about fair play, right?"

“My dad has nothing to do with you; leave him alone!”

“Your dad has nothing to do with much, really. Arthur Weasley is a disgrace to the Wizarding World. He condemns people for traditions that his ancestors used to follow and backs a family member who not only committed infidelity against his bound spouse but also committed murder and ended up in Azkaban. Your family is nothing but a bunch of filthy Blood Traitors."

The Gryffindors gasp at the cruel words, shaking their heads while their yearmates continue to laugh. It was a well-known story throughout the wizarding Elite about the Weasley family, which is why none of them are overtly surprised that Silvius knew of such a tale, even if he had been missing for fifteen years or so. Especially seen as his uncle was none other than Lucius Malfoy, and Silvius seemed to be friends with the devilish duo of Gryffindor. Blaise squeezes Silvius's waist while Draco pats him subtly on the back for making such a quick and witty remark, and he can't help but inwardly preen at receiving their support. Even some of the Gryffindors looked marginally impressed by his retaliation, almost as if they were agreeing to his statement to some degree. And seeing as most of them were half-bloods and purebloods, they probably had heard about the events he had alluded to before anyhow. He can see Neville hiding at the back of the group, valiantly trying to stifle his laughter behind his hand at the look of utter indignation spreading across Weasley's face. 

"You little-" Weasley manages to splutter out, his face turning a rather disturbing colour of prunes in his anger. Without hesitation, he rips his wand from his inner robe pocket and holds it in a trembling fist toward Silvius, who merely raises an unimpressed eyebrow at the Gryffindor. A smirk makes its way across his lips when a shadow falls over the Gryffindor students, and even without looking around, they pale, taking a couple of paces backward. Looks of terror spreading across their features as they stare over at their housemate.

"Put your wand away, Mister Weasley. I am sure I don't have to remind you that the use of magic in the corridors is strictly prohibited. That will be 10 points from Gryffindor."

Weasley jumps, dropping his arm down to his side, and clambers for his wand when it falls from his grip. He spins around to face the towering figure of their potions professor, whose sneer is dark enough to bring younger students to their knees and Ronald Weasley into a simpering, quivering mess. However, he is quick to draw on his false bravado and glares up at Severus.

“Snape.”

“That will be another 10 points for the lack of respect.”

“But-”

“Would you like me to make it 30, Mister Weasley? No? Then I suggest you put your wand away and get into the classroom.” Severus holds the door open, watching as the Gryffindor students scramble to their seats, all apart from Neville, who is still smiling faintly in amusement and shoots a grin at Severus before settling along the back of the classroom on his own. He sets up his equipment.

His Slytherins follow their year mates at a more sedated pace, the occasional snicker still breaking through their masks as they settle on the remaining tables. Slamming the door shut and cutting of any attempts of engaging each other in conversation, Severus stands in the middle of the classroom, staring down at his students for a moment.

“This is the first year which will prepare you for your N.E.W.T examinations. I will not accept any inappropriate behaviour within this class as you are all here because you received an O in the O.W.L. examinations last year, though I doubt that for some of you. If you come out with three fails during any one term, then you will be asked to leave this class and never return. I have no time for dunderheads who cannot tell their Mortar from their pestle.” His voice is soft, yet stern letting his students know that he was not to be tested.

Potions was a severely intricate system, and one little mistake could cause serious injuries which could have been prevented if students simply read the instructions properly or didn’t mess around as much while brewing. He allowed his Slytherin students to mess with other student’s potions because he knew that they knew which ingredients wouldn’t cause harmful reactions unlike the Gryffindors who thought they could get away with the basic knowledge.

“Today, you will be working on a potion you should all remember from last year. Turn to page 27 in your textbooks and begin. I hope you enjoy your desk mate’s company because they will be your partner for the remainder of this semester.”

Silvius freezes and looks towards his godfather in surprise. He hadn’t been expecting Severus to allow them to work with their desk mates. Normally, he liked to pair his students up with people from other houses, or at least those they didn’t get along with. A warm breath tickles the back of his neck, and he has to fight back the blush that threatens to bloom across his ears, especially when he starts to feel Blaise’s warmth filtering through the back of his robes.

“It is a good thing that I sat next to you then, isn’t it Tesoro?”

Silvius jumps up from his chair, almost knocking it over as the whispered words caressing his ear have a more profound effect than he would have anticipated. He clasps a hand over his ear, ducking his head to hide his reaction from Blaise’s all too pleased expression.

“I’ll go and get our ingredients.”

Silvius grabs his book from the table and practically runs across the classroom to the potions storeroom, where he selects the best ingredients he can find and walks out again. Taking a deep breath when he makes it back to his desk at a more sedated pace to see that Blaise has just about finished setting up their cauldron, knives, stirring rods, mortar, and pestle. Luckily, his blush had faded.

“Alright, do you want to collect the water, or do you want me to?”

“How about you get the water while I apply the shield.”

“Shield?”

Silvius drops the ingredients onto the table, turning to glance up at Blaise, who is staring down at him, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. He had been sure that Silvius would know how to cast a shield over his potion to prevent anyone from tampering with his cauldron. Severus or Draco surely must have mentioned it to him in one of their tutoring sessions over the holidays, if not Regulus. Though by the look of curious confusion on Silvius’s face, he had no idea. Drawing Silvius against his side, he drops a kiss to his forehead.

“Potioneers often use a specific type of shielding charm over the lip of their cauldron to prevent anyone other than themselves and their partners from tampering with their potion or sabotaging it. If something which wasn’t added by me or you, for example, would simply bounce off the shield.”

“Oh. That would have been so useful to know these past few years. I wouldn’t have failed so miserably at potions if I knew that.”

“It is okay, Silvius. How about I teach you the charm later on if you would like? Now, I think we best get started on our own potion brewing; we have a double this morning, so we should have plenty of time to finish.”

“Okay, I will go and get the water.”

Silvius bounds off towards the sink after darting up to press a kiss to Blaise’s cheek, who rolls his eyes when he notices that many of the Gryffindor students are only just filtering out of the supply cupboard. Silvius carefully measures out 24 fluid ounces of water before he carries it over to his and Blaise’s table, adding it slowly to ensure that none of it spills over their desk and ingredients.

-----

Silvius sighs a breath of relief when he is allowed to follow his friends out of potions. The class hadn’t gone as badly as they had initially feared. The Gryffindor students had been properly cowed by Severus at the beginning of the lesson and had been on their best behaviour so as to not bring down his wrath upon themselves. He had found it highly amusing when many of the Gryffindor students stood staring with their mouths hanging open like uncivilised beasts when Neville had handed in an almost perfect potion at the end of their double and even received a veiled compliment from Severus. Saturn sent a wink to Silvius, and he had to muffle his snickers. The masks were well and truly down this term; Neville was going to show his true colours to the school, something for which he was thankful for having front-row seats.

Traipsing down the corridors with his housemates, Silvius heads towards Ancient Runes with Draco, Blaise, Daphne, and Theo close at his heels. He can’t help but scowl when he sees the know-it-all already commandeering the front table closest to the professor’s desk. It was almost as if she had run from the dungeons to claim her seat. It tickled his amusement to know that despite being sixteen years old, the girl was still of the mind that being closer to the professor meant that she would be called on more. The only major flaw with that logic was that Professor Babbling, so he had been told, was one of the strictest professors on the faculty and was also highly excitable. His friends had explained to him that she never liked to stay in one place for more than a few minutes, bouncing from her blackboard to the wall displays to the back of the classroom and back again. It had been described to him as watching a rather intense quidditch match.

There weren’t many students in the class as few students actually wished to apply themselves in such an intensive and mentally challenging study such as Ancient Runes. They didn’t see the need to learn an entirely new writing system, nor did they wish to spend years learning the various meanings behind the different symbols. But even Silvius, who had never formally studied Ancient Runes before, knew that there was more to the subject than that. His godfather had explained the various uses for Runic combinations and symbols, including how they could be used in spell crafting and the creation of wards. Bill had been particularly enthusiastic in asking all his questions about ward creation and Runes.

He follows his friends to a cluster of desks at the back of the classroom, sitting with Blaise, and, surprisingly enough, it is Daphne who commandeers the seat on his left, leaving Draco and Theo to sit at the desk in front of them. Draco sends a playful glare towards Daphne, who merely flicks her hair over her shoulder and plonks down in the chair with a grin. Silvius snickers at the pair. Settling down, Silvius is quick to pull his textbook as well as a roll of parchment and quill set out of his bag; his grin stretches into a smirk when the Mudblood turns to glare at them. Sending a jaunty wave to her just as Professor Babbling skips into the classroom. She throws a wide smile at them all.

“Good morning, students. I am Professor Babbling. For those of you who do not know me, and before we begin, I am pleased to announce that we have a new student in our midst this year. Mister Silvius Black who received the highest mark on the O.W.L examination that we have seen in years. Congratulations Mister Black.”

Silvius inclines his head in gratitude, fighting back his smirk when Granger practically spits feathers at being knocked to, in her mind, second place. Though Silvius knew that Draco had only been a mark or two behind him. Then again, all of his housemates had received an O in their exams except for Daphne, who missed the boundary by a minuscule margin, much to her chagrin.

“Thank you, Professor. I am looking forward to learning more from you over the next two years.”

“Then I will look forward to seeing your future progress, Mister Black. Now, students, I welcome you all to Further Ancient Runes, also known as Advanced Ancient Runes. This year you will be delving deeper into the meanings behind our Futhark Alphabet, as well as learning more complex sequences. Your end of year individual projects will be to combine a series of Runes together in order to create a new version of a previous spell.” Professor Babbling explains, clapping her hands together in excitement.

Silvius exchanges smiles with his friends. Their tutoring sessions, sparingly as they had been during the summer, had involved a few introductions into the safe combinations of Runes and which ones should never be etched side by side in magical sequences. The adults had stressed the dangers of this enough that they had all happily memorised the forbidden combinations as thoroughly as possible. Their professor scans the room, allowing her words to sink in before she picks up a pile of parchment. She grins at her students and waves the parchments in the air.

“Here, I have gotten my hands on some Runic scriptures that were found in Egypt over a year and a half ago. It would seem that the curse-breakers and Runic experts over there have been having difficulties translating these combinations and as a little test of your aptitude and patience, had allowed you to have a go at cracking them. They assured me that if one of our students does manage to crack the code and translate the scripture, then they will receive full credit and a reward.” She explains and begins to make her way around the classroom to hand out the sheets of parchment.

Granger almost snatches the worksheet from her hand in order to begin working on the Runes as quickly as possible; by the set of her jaw, Silvius could tell that she was determined to try and prove that she was the better student than anyone by doing what fully trained curse breakers couldn’t do in a year or so. Silvius rolls his eyes, thanking the professors when she arrives at their table and hands the sheets to them. Looking over the Runic sequences, Silvius wonders for a brief moment if Bill had been one of the team members tasked with translating them.

He ducks his head, running his gaze over the Runes, studying them. He ignores Draco and Blaise voicing their complaints at never having seen such Runes before. There was something oddly familiar about the numerous squiggles, flicks, lines, and dots decorating the page. Silvius frowns, nibbling the end of his quill as he narrows his eyes. The answer is dancing just out of reach in his memories. He knew these shapes; he knew he did.

Silvius startles, flinching back away from the parchment when the strangely familiar characters begin to shimmer, moving similarly to that of ripples through water. He blinks rapidly, rubbing his eyes when the lines begin to rearrange themselves, glittering as English suddenly appears on the parchment in front of him. Staring down at his parchment in shock, Silvius glances subtly around the room and realises that none could read them like he could. A thought enters his mind then, and he resists the urge to smack himself. It was ParselScript! The passage was written in Parcel; no wonder he was able to read it so easily; he was a Parselmouth, and only a Parselmouth could read the Script. However, when he turns back to study the scripture, he realises that it wasn’t a magical sequence at all! It was a passage.

Grabbing a clean roll of parchment, Silvius quickly begins to write down the English translation, his magic humming as if to reassure him that the translation was correct. His bond with his godfather and the small fragment of the man’s soul still embedded in his head allowed him the ease to translate the ancient language. It takes him a full fifteen minutes of careful copying before he manages to write the entire translation down; reading back the words, he nods once before raising his hand. Nerves shoot through his system as he waits for Professor Babbling to notice him.

“Yes, Mister Black. You have a question?”

“Ummm. I didn’t exactly have a question, Professor. I have translated the script.”

“You have? Bring it here.”

Silvius pushes himself to his feet, smiling at the confused looks from his friends as they stare between him and their own copy of the Runes. He would have to explain things to them later. He fights back a smirk when Granger glares at him, eyes narrowing so much that she is genuinely baffled as to how she could still see him. Her burning gaze follows him as he walks down the aisle and hands his translation to the Professor.

“This is correct?”

“I am completely certain, Professor. There is not a doubt in my mind.”

“How did you manage to solve it? It is not an Alphabet many have seen before…”

Silvius smiled shyly at her skepticism; it was completely understandable for her to be wary of his supposed ease with translating something that even professional curse-breakers and Runic translators hadn’t been able to make heads or tails about for over a year. He scratches the back of his neck.

“My godfather is very well versed in many Ancient Runic languages and thought it prudent to the continuation of my education if he were to teach me as many alphabets as he could before I started at Hogwarts. With him being Lord Slytherin and a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin himself, he was also able to instruct me in ParselScript.”

“This is ParselScript?”

“Yes, Professor. As the Heir to the House of Slytherin, it is required, by accounts put in place by Salazar himself, that I at least be able to read and write in ParselScript, as Parseltongue cannot be taught. My godfather took it upon himself to instruct me in their runic system as his sworn Heir.” Silvius bows minutely at his professor to hide his growing smirk when she smiles at him. He had a feeling that he was becoming one of her favourite students already, much to Granger’s displeasure. The girl was already despising his aptitude in the class, and now he was surprised that there was no smoke billowing from her ears as her frustration and anger reached new heights.

“Well, I believe congratulations are in order, Mister Black. I will be sure to send your complete translations to the Curse Breakers in Egypt and ensure that you receive complete recognition and credit for such exemplary work.”

“Thank you, Professor. I appreciate the praise. If there is anything else written in a similar script that the Breakers are struggling to translate, then I would be all too happy to offer my assistance again.”

“I will let them know, Mister Black.”

Recognising a clear dismissal when he hears one, Silvius inclines his head once more before he turns on his heels and makes his way back to his seat. He smirks down at his friends’ surprised expressions, blushing faintly when Blaise rolls his eyes and brushes a quick kiss to his cheek. Settling back down into his seat, Silvius relaxes when he feels Blaise resting his arm across the back of his seat, and he leans back enough to rest his head against his forearm. He glances over at Granger, watching her hands clenching around her quill and the translation worksheet; he wouldn’t put it past the girl to try something after his success, despite them being in the classroom still.

“Wow, Silvius, that was impressive.”

“Yes, I don’t think I have even seen your quill move so fast since we started studying together.”

“Do you think your godfather would mind you trying to teach us some Parsel Runes?”

“That would be pretty cool; it could be like a secret code for our club, though I would highly recommend that we not infuse any magic into them if we were to write them down…”

“Thank you, Theo. It was just a fluke that Uncle Marvolo decided to teach me to read and write Parselscript this summer. I will have to ask for his permission to teach you, though, Daphne. Usually, Parsel is kept within the Slytherin family to save it from falling into the wrong hands.” Silvius explains, though his friends already knew that he didn’t need to be taught how to read the Runes seen as he was a natural Parselmouth, not that he could allow for that to get out around the school. Not if they wished to discredit Dumbledore before killing him.

Luckily, his friends had all known who he was before, and they all knew just how much scrutiny he would be under once he entered the school and how much that would increase his Parsel speaking abilities to get out. But that was what they were hoping for someday: something to use against Dumbledore in order to lay weight to their own plans, and Granger was going to be a catalyst for the job. If she reacted how Silvius anticipated that is.

“Only He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and Harry Potter can speak Parseltongue.”

Speaking of the Mudblood. Silvius looks away from his friends and raises an eyebrow at the bushy haired girl standing next to their group with her arms crossed over her chest. Silvius smirks up at her, exchanging an amused look with his friends before turning his attention back to her. He was sure, by the disapproving expression shaping the girl’s lips, that as soon as class let out, Granger would find herself standing inside the headmaster’s office reporting the class incident to him. If he wasn’t called up to Dumbledore’s office by the end of the day, then he would be surprised.

“What is your point, Mudblood?”

“We already know who Lord Slytherin is, and he won’t get away with what he is planning.”

Silvius raises his eyebrows, attempting to hold back his snickers, when Granger sticks her nose up in the air as if her words would really do anything to deter them. She wasn’t the slightest bit intimidating. Draco and Theo have no such qualms, however, and laugh outright, going so far as to point at the girl. Her face glows with anger.

“Who is this we, you speak of Granger because I haven’t seen you nor any of your associates around my godfather’s manor this summer so you couldn’t possibly know who he is. And what exactly is he supposed to be planning? All he has done is claim his birthright, which, as far as I know, there is nothing illegal or even untoward about claiming a Lordship.”

“She is merely spouting her mouth, Silvius. The Mudblood is clearly just jealous of your intelligence and is resorting to vague threats to make herself feel better.” Daphne consoles, smirking at Granger, who turns her glare down on the blonde girl. Clearly, Daphne had hit a sore spot as Granger's fists clenched at her sides and her mouth thins into a tight white line. She huffs petulantly, making Silvius snicker into his hand before patting Daphne on the shoulder.

“He won’t get away with taking over the Ministry. Not while Professor Dumbledore is around.”

“Lord Slytherin has no interest in becoming the Minister. Too much paperwork for his liking. Besides, I believe that your precious headmaster has more to worry about at present than the goings on of the Ministry Wizengamot, or have you forgotten that he is under scrutiny for his hands in the abuse, neglect, and murder of Harry Potter? He may wish to keep to himself for a while.” Draco sneers, contempt dripping from his tone, which makes Granger flinch away from them. Her eyes widened at the reminder that Headmaster Dumbledore had been implicated in the alleged torture of her supposed best friend. A friend she hadn’t thought much of recently, not with Ronald taking up much of her time with his hateful scorn.

“You seem to be under some impression that we actually care for your opinion, Granger.” Silvius rolls his eyes at the girl, praying that she will come to say what she really wants to or leave them in peace for the remainder of their lesson.

“I will tell Professor Dumbledore that you are a Dark Wizard and that you were speaking Parseltongue in class. He will expel you from the school.”

“First of all, Granger, you seem to be mistaken. I cannot speak Parseltongue, seen as only direct descendants of Salazar Slytherin are gifted enough with such an ability, and unfortunately, I am not a descendant. Secondly, you mentioned that Harry Potter, a past student at this school, could speak Parsel; therefore, if I did hold such abilities, the headmaster would not be able to expel me without my father or me bringing this to the attention of the Board of Governors and filing for obvious favoritism. Thirdly, I am not a Dark Wizard.”

Granger falters, hands going slack as they hang by her sides, her eyebrows furrow as she gazes down at Silvius with her mouth working to form words she wishes to throw back at him. His unfazed attitude unnerved her, and she couldn’t seem to think of a legible sentence. Daphne scoffs at the Gryffindor and Silvius glances towards the girl, he had never been very close to anyone besides Draco and Blaise, sometimes Theo when they found a book they had both read, but maybe he could change that. Daphne was very gifted in Charms as well; maybe he could offer a mutually exclusive study exchange; he could tutor her in Defence while she helped him develop his Charms.

“It looks like the Mudblood isn’t as intelligent as everyone had led her to believe.”

“You just translated Parselscript in front of the whole class!”

“Yes, that is correct, Granger. I read and translated ParselRunes. I didn’t speak a word of Parseltongue.”

“I know that you are a Dark Wizard!” She shouts out, clearly at a loss with his constant rebukes.

Silvius and his friends snigger at her impatience, her words tumbling out of her mouth without much forethought. They continue to laugh as her face blossoms with hatred and frustration, the fact that she held no higher ground over them just dawning on her as she stands in the middle of the aisle of their Ancient Runes classroom.

“Really? How?”

“What?”

Silvius shoots a smirk at his cousin when he hears a quiet muttering of ‘Eloquent as ever, Granger.’ He leans back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest as he gazes at the girl in front of him; he feels Blaise’s arm flexing under his head. If he had known that he would have this much fun winding the girl up, then he would have done it years ago; it was becoming one of his favourite activities.

“How do you know that I am a Dark Wizard, and by that, I am assuming you mean Death Eater. Have you seen me perform the Dark Arts?”

“Well, no, but…”

“Have you seen me torturing anyone?”

“No, but…”

“Have you seen a Dark Mark on my arm?” Silvius pulls the sleeve of his robe up, displaying his unblemished left forearm for the girl to see. He even goes so far as to cast a finite on his arm so she can see for herself that he is not glamouring the mark with any charms. His friends smirk when Granger begins to crumble, her mind whirling with thoughts as each one of her arguments and precognitions are torn down before his very eyes.

“No, but…”

“What makes you believe that I am a Dark Wizard then, Granger?”

“You are a Slytherin.”

“Congratulations, Granger. I am glad that you have finally recognised the symbol for our House.” Blaise drawls, wrapping his arm further around Silvius’s chair so his fingers could brush against his boyfriend’s shoulder, making a tingle run down Silvius’s arm. He turns his head to smile at Blaise before settling his head back against Blaise’s arm and turning back to Granger.

“All of You-Know-Who’s followers are Slytherin.”

“Peter Pettigrew.” His response draws her up short, and she stares down at the growing smirk on Silvius’s face.

“What?”

“Peter Pettigrew was a Death Eater, I believe, and he was a Gryffindor.”

“Well, yes, but…”

“Barty Crouch Junior was a Ravenclaw, and he was a Death Eater. As was Quirinus Quirrell.”

“Well, yes, but…”

“I do believe that Merlin himself was sorted into Slytherin when he was a student here… So was Madam Pomphrey, the school MediWitch. Andromeda Tonks. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Severus Snape. All of those were Slytherins, and yet, you do not believe them to be Dark Wizards and Death Eaters, do you?”

“Be that as it may…”

“No, Granger, your childish prejudices have been proven false and are based on little evidence besides, the headmaster said. You came into this World and listened to the first authoritative figure you found without a moment’s hesitation. I thought you were supposed to be smart. All about the research and the facts. Not fiction spouted by moronic imbeciles who can’t think for themselves. I thought you would be smart enough to come up with your own conclusions, but you won’t even see past your own prejudices to read up on a world that you are a part of. You refuse to learn about the culture and traditions of the Wizarding World because you deem them wrong and propaganda. Now, if wizards went into the Muggle World and began to change their traditions, religious holidays, and celebrations for wizarding ones because they thought them to be wrong, you would take offense to such things, would you not? And yet here you are doing the same to an entire populous.”

“We are not the racists here; we are not the bigots. No, that is you and anyone else who enters the Wizarding World and condemns our traditions. You, Granger, are the one who slanders and denounces an entire group of people for their culture and way of life; you discriminate against Wizarding people solely because they are different. You, Granger, are a filthy, close-minded, discriminative bigot.”

“…Professor Dumbledore said…”

Silvius scoffs, glaring hatefully at the witch, her voice tapering off at his expression. He is impressed by just how unsure she looks now; her mind seems to be a mess of thoughts swirling around, trying to make sense of what he had said. Clearly, she is beginning to listen to him, which would be a first. Maybe there was hope for her yet, not that he would ever invite her into his In Dolus Intortis; no, he might be able to be convinced to let her live at the very least.

“Oh, yes, how could I forget about our esteemed Headmaster Dumbledore? The man who threw Sirius Black, my uncle, into Azkaban for 12 years for a crime he didn’t commit. The headmaster who allowed a teacher who was possessed by the supposed Dark Lord to enter the school. The same headmaster who, if I am not mistaken, allowed a group of fifteen-year-olds to fight a battle against the highest trained circle of Death Eaters.”

“He didn’t know we had gone.”

“Please, someone who is supposedly as powerful as Dumbledore. The man who has eyes and ears everywhere? He knew that you were going probably before any of you did. He could have easily stopped you from going if he really wanted to. I mean, if he really is the most powerful wizard in wizarding Britain, then how come he was bested by a group of half-trained, rogue fifteen-year-olds? Doesn’t sound very powerful to me.”

“He…well…he didn’t…I mean…”

Silvius sneers at the Gryffindor know-it-all, his temper simmering at the continued stupidity of the brightest witch of their age, if this was what was considered the most intelligent then he was deeply worried for the future of the wizarding world. There was nothing smart nor intelligent about someone who could do nothing but take peoples’ words as gospel. Even if those people were incredibly powerful. You always needed to take things with a grain of salt, there was always another side to every fact, every story and only those who actively tried to find and understand both sides could be considered intelligent.

“Why don’t you run on back to your seat like the good little Gryffindor you are and leave us well-meaning students to get on with our work, Granger.”

Granger bristles at Daphne’s tone, hands re-clenching at her sides as she spins on her heels with a huff and goes back to her seat. Silvius smiles gratefully at his friend and breathes a sigh of relief when he is alone with his friends once more. Shuffling in his seat, Silvius leans against Blaise’s shoulder, smiling when the arm on the back of his chair slips down to settle around his waist.

“That was absolutely brilliant, Silvius.”

“Yes, I am sure that the Mudblood will think twice before starting anything with you again.”

“Does anyone think that her brain is going to explode if she continues to think so much? She looks like you just told her someone had AK’s her parents when you called her a racist bigot. I swear I was about to die from suppressing my laughter.” Draco adds with a snicker, causing them all to glance towards Granger, who indeed appeared to be thinking extremely hard about something. Silvius chuckles, directing his attention down to the new worksheet Professor Babbling is bringing around the room. It looks like they had some new Runes to learn.

Notes:

I didn't think I was going to get this one out on time this week.
So, I was in the hospital Sunday night because I suffer from really intense migraines, and this particular resulted in me not being able to walk or see anything clearly. I had the shakes, hot flushes, and was throwing up quite badly, and I ended up in A&E.
Had some blood tests done... but was left sitting in the waiting room for 7 hours without hearing a word... and was told that it was going to be a further 4 hours before I would actually hear anything about my blood tests. The nurse on duty said that I would be able to phone my GP and get my results that way and that I could go home... It turns out that you can't get blood test results from your GP if you had the tests done in the hospital and the nurse lied to me...
So... I have to now try to find time to phone A&E to try and get my blood test results... and my GP has requested that I get another set of blood tests done so they can have a copy on file because this is the second time in less than a year I have been admitted to A&E because of my migraines :'(

Anyway, I should be able to get one more chapter out of this story before I go to Comic Con the weekend of the 23rd! So I may not be able to get the one after that out XD

I hope you all enjoy this chapter and will look forward to the next one XD

Chapter 4: Headmasters and Founders

Just as Silvius and his friends had predicted, he received a summons from the headmaster for after dinner that evening. One of the second-year Slytherins had come up to him in the common room and handed him the missive written in the headmaster’s handwriting, asking him to come up to his office for a quick chat. Silvius shakes his head; he has a feeling that it has nothing to do with whether he has settled into the school or a conversation asking about how his first day has gone. No, Granger had already been up to speak to the Headmaster about their Ancient Runes class, so he wasn’t looking forward to this conversation much; it would be nice to find out just how far Dumbledore was willing to go to get him to admit to the Dark Lord’s return or see if he could convince Silvius to re-join the Light.

He informed his friends that he was now off to speak with the headmaster and would be back later. Silvius drops a kiss on Blaise's cheek, waves goodbye to his friends, and checks his arm holster to ensure that his wand is sitting securely before he makes his way out of the common room. There was no need for him to rush. There was no time indicated on the missive, so he decided to take a leisurely stroll through the castle. He wasn't going to make anything easier for the headmaster. Not by a long shot. If the man was going to call him so soon after dinner, then he was going to make the man wait for him. Besides, this meeting was cutting into his homework schedule.

Standing in front of the large gargoyle statue, which stood guard outside the headmaster's office, Silvius stared at the figure for a moment, wondering how he was supposed to get up to the office door if he hadn't been given the password. Studying the gargoyle for a moment, he shrugs his shoulders. It was worth a shot, anyhow.

“I am here to speak to the headmaster.”

Instantly, the gargoyle jumps to the side and allows a spiral staircase to begin forming at his feet. Silvius waits for the stairs to form completely. There was no way he was going to chance slipping, attempting to climb them while they were still moving. He climbs the stairs and knocks on the door, slipping into the circular room when he hears the headmaster calling for him to enter. Closing the door behind him, Silvius walks towards the headmaster’s desk.

“Good evening, my boy. I hope you are well.”

“Good evening, Headmaster. I am well, thank you.” Silvius stares at Dumbledore, eyeing the man who appears to be studying him in return. He stands in front of the desk, wondering just how long it would take the headmaster to get to the point of his summons. Dumbledore doesn’t move, nor does he speak, merely choosing to watch Silvius and resting his chin on his steepled hands.

“Is there a reason for my summons, Headmaster? For you see, I have homework to be getting on with and would appreciate it if we could get to the point rather than having you stare at me. It is rather unsettling.”

“Of course, my dear boy, of course.”

Dumbledore smiles, the expression looking far too strained on the man’s wrinkled face, and Silvius has to withhold his shiver of disgust. How he had ever fallen for such a false expression was beyond him. Huffing at the lack of manners offered to him, Silvius pulls out the chair opposite the old man and sits down. Did Dumbledore really expect him to stand for the duration of their meeting?

“Now, it was brought to my attention earlier today that you spoke Parseltongue in front of your peers. This is a very dark trait that very few have, my boy.”

“Well, whoever brought this information to your attention, Headmaster, was mistaken. I never uttered a word of Parsel, as I am not a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, which I had to explain to my entire class during our lesson.” Silvius shrugged his shoulders, meeting the headmaster’s intense stare with a bored expression; he was not going to give the old man anything, especially not to a man who found joy in playing with people’s lives. He feels a slight pressure against his mind and curses inwardly. Ripping his gaze from Dumbledore’s, Silvius pushes himself to his feet and slams his hands against the desk, separating them. He shoots a heated glare towards the headmaster.

“I should remind you, Headmaster, that performing Legilimancy against an underage student without the consent of their parent or guardian is illegal and something a headmaster should refrain from practicing. If you would care to try again, then I am sure that my father and my godfather, or maybe even Uncle Lucius, would love to witness such an act?”

“I was merely trying to learn the truth, my dear boy.”

“First of all, Headmaster, I am not your dear boy, nor are we of any relation, so I would appreciate it if you would refer to me by my family name. Secondly, what did you wish to learn the truth about? If it had to do with the happenings in class today, then I have already told you the truth. However, if you still doubt me then I will be happy to show you my memories of the class. However, I should warn you that if you ever attempt to use Legilimancy on me again, then my father and the Ministry will be informed. Or were you trying to discover the truth behind something else, headmaster?”

Dumbledore sits back in his chair; a frown firmly etched on his face as he stares across at Silvius. He sees the silver eyes swirling with power, which bleeds a pale orange. Dumbledore knows now that he is going to have to tread carefully if he wants to persuade this child back to the Light. He sighs inwardly, he wouldn’t have thought that Harry, if this truly was Harry could have been corrupted so heavily against him in such a short amount of time. Or become so magically advanced that he could now recognise a Legilimancy attack before he had even broken through his barriers.

“Harry, there is no need for thre-” His words get cut off when Silvius’s eyes bleed amber, and his canines elongate.

“That is not my name, headmaster, which you are fully aware of. I am not Harry, nor have I ever been, despite your delusions to the contrary. I think that there is every need for threats under these circumstances, don’t you?”

“Mister Black, I was merely-”

“I am afraid, headmaster, that you have lost what little trust I had in you, what with your blatant favouritism towards your Gryffindor student when dealing with such a matter as rumours and lies. Besides, your casual disregard of the Law which I am sure that you had a hand in creating, is worrisome. I wonder how long you will keep your job if word were to get out?”

“Mister Black, I understand that they have done something to you. They have lied to you. They wanted to turn you against me so they could win. Do you not see what they have achieved now that they have pitted us against each other, my boy?” The headmaster tries to reason once more, staring over at his student with pleading eyes, but Silvius just scoffs and stands back to his full height.

“I am afraid that I do not know what you are referring to, Headmaster. I may have just recently been reunited with my father and my family, but they have not poisoned me against anyone. Besides, I have never met you before this summer, you were a stranger to me so why would they attempt to turn me against someone I have never met before?” Silvius argues, vindictive pleasure coursing through his veins at the expressions of complete loss on Dumbledore’s face, and he wonders what conclusions the headmasters had come to. Did he think that he was merely being played by a student, or could he believe that Harry had somehow been the victim of mind manipulations?

“I am merely concerned for you, Mister Black.”

“No, you are not. You were curious to see whether or not my godfather taught me to speak Parseltongue, which I can assure you that he did not. As I said before, only descendants of Salazar Slytherin are gifted with such a talent. You were curious to see if I could speak Parsel so you could try and convince me to play the role of your Saviour, as I have heard he was the only other Parsel speaker which you knew of and therefore I would make a good substitute. Am I correct, Headmaster?”

“My dear boy… It would be for the greater-”

Silvius grinds his teeth together, eyebrows furrowing as he shoots a dark glare toward the headmaster, hands tightening into fists against the smooth surface of the desk. He fights against his creature, which is bursting to break free and tear the old man apart. He takes a deep breath, promising his Daímonas that they would be back with their Mate soon and that Blaise would be with them to soothe them. He hadn’t realised just how biased and senile the headmaster could be, nor had he realised how the Slytherin students might have felt when the entire school, baring their Head of House, was against them so blatantly. It was ridiculous, and he hated it.

“I am not you dear anything, Headmaster, and I would appreciate it if you did not accuse me of something I have never done simply off the words of a single Gryffindor student. You could have cross-referenced Granger’s statement with anyone else in that class, including Professor Babbling, and they would have told you the same thing I have. I never uttered a single word of Parsel, nor do I have that ability. I translated some ParselRunes, that was all.” Silvius runs a hand through his hair and sighs heavily. His temper calming at the ashen expressions paling Dumbledore’s features. He stands to his full height once again, turning on his heels he makes his way to the door of the office, practically daring Dumbledore to act out against him and try to stop him.

“Oh, and one more thing, Headmaster. If you ever bring up the plot you have conceived to have me pretend to be the Saviour just to save your own arse again, then I will hex you so severely that no one will recognise you. You will not try to turn me against my family, nor will you use me in your pathetic little war. If you even so much as look at me wrong in the next coming weeks, then Hogwarts will be looking for a new Headmaster. If you will excuse me, Professor.”

“Very well, Mister Black. Off you go.” His voice is weak as if he were responding on impulse, but Silvius knows that as soon as his words register and he is out of earshot, the tantrum he throws would most definitely put Narcissa to shame. He snickers at the thought.

-----

Silvius sighs again, running a hand through his hair as he traipses through the darkening corridors of the dungeons as his thoughts settle on the clear favouritism blanketing the school, some of which he hadn’t actually considered before. Mostly because he didn’t care; he had been on the positive end of such actions, so it hadn’t phased him.

He remembers how the Gryffindors had won the House Cup every single year since he had joined the school, where Slytherin had held the cup for seven consecutive years before that. He remembers how Dumbledore hadn’t really punished any Gryffindor student for breaking the rules, himself, Hermione, and Ronald being the primary examples, but Seamus did have an attraction for pyrotechnics. Fred and George had never really faced any serious punishments either for their pranks, even when some had been pretty vindictive and had landed students in the Hospital wing on more than one occasion.

Dragging a hand down his face, exhaustion claws itself deep within his bones, causing him to look up at his surroundings. He should have been nearing the common room entrance by now. Glancing around at the damp stone walls, Silvius’s eyes widen. This wasn’t familiar to him at all. The torches across the walls looked rusted and out of use as they attempted to shine their lights down on the floor. Shaking his head, Silvius drops his head down into his hands only he would be the only Slytherin stupid enough to get himself lost in the dungeons.

Deciding that he could do with a small distraction before returning to the common room, Silvius choses to continue on his way, hopefully his friends wouldn’t worry about him too much. Besides, he was perfectly capable of looking after himself for an hour or so. Casting a tempus charm as he walks, Silvius is pleased to see that he still has some time before curfew hits. Plenty of time to explore the unfamiliar corridor and make it back before he would be in serious trouble.

Following the corridor down to the right, further under the lake, Silvius watches as the walls become more damp, tiny puddles of water pooling on the floor and he has to try not to slip on the slime coating the stone floors. He pulls his cloak tighter around his frame, waving his hand to cast a warming charm. He comes to a halt, eyes squinting against the encroaching darkness, when the sound of rustling fabric catches his attention. Surely, someone else wouldn’t be walking so far in the dungeons this close to curfew.

“Hello?” He calls out quietly, hoping that whatever, or whoever was down here with him was nothing dangerous, he didn’t wish to end up in the hospital wing so early on in the school year, nor did he want to think about what his father would say when he found out. He wasn’t really supposed to walk around the castle on his own, as it were, not with his House rules stating so and him being so far under Dumbledore’s radar. Glancing around the deserted corridor, Silvius tries to make out any shapes in the darkness.

“Ah, hello there, young Slytherin. What brings you so far away from your common room this evening?”

Silvius was startled, flinging his arms out to prevent himself from falling, when his foot slipped on the floor, and he jumped. He turned to the right and was surprised to find a portrait hanging on the wall. Stepping towards the moving picture, Silvius smiled when he recognised the man standing in the frame. His dark green robes gave him away, as did the sneer shaping his lips.

“It would seem that I took a wrong turn while lost in thought, Lord Slytherin.”

“It is good to see that the younger generations still know who I am, though I am no longer Lord Slytherin, young Slytherin.”

“No, I suppose you are not. That would be my godfather now.” Silvius chuckles, running his left hand through his hair, which allows Salazar Slytherin a good look at the Slytherin Heirship ring nestled beside his Black and Peverell Heirship. Salazar Slytherin’s eyes widen in surprise before a soft smile replaces his sneer, much to Silvius’s shock. He didn’t think Salazar Slytherin would be capable of displaying such a warm expression or warming up to him so fast.

“Who are you, young Heir? I can make out three Heirship rings.”

“Yes, Salazar Slytherin. I am Silvius Orion Black, Heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, Heir to the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Peverell, and Heir to the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Slytherin. It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.”

“A pleasure to meet you as well, little Heir. You say that you are the Heir to the Black and Slytherin Houses?”

“And the Lord of the Gryffindor, Emrys, and Potter Houses.” Silvius chuckles again, watching as Salazar’s eyes widen at his confession.

“How is this possible?”

“That is a long story, Salazar Slytherin. My father is Lord Regulus Black, and my godfather, Marvolo Slytherin, and seen as he doesn’t have any children of his own, then he made me his Heir. I was also named the Heir to the Potter Household and all that came with it by a couple of Light wizards who thought it prudent to kidnap me while a babe.”

“You should not have been able to become the Slytherin Heir unless…”

“Unless I can speak Parseltongue.” Silvius continues with a small smile.

You speak?

I do, though we believe it is mostly due to my connection with my godfather through the errant soul shard in my head because I am no descendant of yours.

How peculiar. You will have to regale me such a story at a later date, little Heir. I would also like to speak to you about your godfather. I knew the previous Heir of Slytherin, a young thing. Opened my Chamber of Secrets when he was just sixteen.

Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, is my godfather. He has been labeled the Evillest Dark Wizard in British History. Professor Dumbledore, the current Headmaster, made him out to be a ruthless, heartless, and murderous villain.

I see that he has made his dreams come true then. How is he doing?

He has been made to see that torturing and murdering all those who oppose him is not going to help him achieve his goals and has therefore taken to infiltrating the ministry through his Lordship's claims. He is currently a member of the Wizengamot and is trying to gather enough support to undo all the restrictions on Dark Magic as well as those against Creature Blood.

Yes, a more fitting career path for one from my house. As it’s Heir, have you had the pleasure of visiting my Chambers yet?

Silvius shuffles on his feet. Scratching the back of his neck as he drops his gaze to the floor, he didn’t want to tell Salazar Slytherin that he had killed with Basilisk within the Chambers, nor did he really want to tell the man that he had been an avid Light supporter before the summer holidays. Glancing back up at the Founder of one of his houses, Silvius sighs; the man deserved to know that he had killed his pet, at least.

He begins to regale the tale of the Chamber of Secrets to Salazar Slytherin, informing the man that he had been lied to and manipulated his entire life and telling him that he hadn’t known who his real parents had been. He tells Salazar that he had gone down into the Chamber to save his, at the time, best friend’s younger sister and how he had had no choice but to kill the Basilisk as she wouldn’t listen to him. He even showed Salazar the scar on his arm from where he had been bitten. Even his inheritance hadn’t been able to get rid of that mark.

“I am truly sorry for the pain I may have caused you by killing the Basilisk. I didn’t want to; she was such a beautiful creature, but I didn’t have any other choice. I am really sorry.”

“It is alright, Snakelet. You have done nothing wrong, if Persephone wouldn’t listen to a Parseltongue than she may have been deteriorating mentally. It was kinder for you to put her down than allow her to suffer through her pain. Thank you, Silvius.”

“You are welcome, Salazar. I have something of a request to ask of you. My godfather has given me my own faction with the Dark Sect., and I was hoping to use the Chamber of Secrets as a training grounds and meeting room if you are not opposed to it?”

“I have no problems with that, Snakelet. Do you know how to get into the Chamber from the dungeons?”

“There is another entrance? I always thought there was just the one on the second floor.”

“No, that one was an emergency entrance if I found that I was not near my dungeons and I needed access to the Chamber. If you walk down this corridor a little ways, then you will come to a portrait of the Forbidden Forest, tap the edge of the frame with your wand and speak in Parsel for it to open for you. The passage will lead you straight to the Antechamber.”

“Thank you, Slytherin.”

“Call me Grandpa Sal, youngling. You are, after all, a member of my Household, despite there being no blood relation between us.”

“Alright, thank you, Grandpa Sal. I appreciate this.”

“You are most welcome, Little Snakelet. Now, there is a preservation charm surrounding the Chamber, so Persephone’s body should still be as fresh as the day she was first slain, you are free to collect her remains to use as potions ingredients if you so wish. There is also a library and my own personal bedchambers which you are free to use if you need to, little Snakelet.”

“Thank you so much, Grandpa Sal; I am sure that we will make good use of the library.”

“You are welcome, youngling. Now, I am sure that your friends and professors are worrying about your whereabouts. It is past your curfew, as I recall.”

Silvius freezes at the other’s words, staring at Salazar for a moment before he tugs his wand out of his holster and casts a tempus charm. The glaring red letters mock him as they indicate that it is indeed almost an hour after his set curfew. Cursing under his breath, Silvius thrusts his wand back into place before turning back down the corridor he had come from. After a quick explanation of how to get back to the common room by Salazar, Silvius takes off at a run, speeding down the slippery corridors as he tries to mitigate the inevitable blow up, he is going to face.

What he doesn’t expect when he comes flying through the portal hole is for his father, Remus, and Severus to be pacing around the common room, faces pale as they whisper furiously to each other. Nor does he expect to see Blaise being pinned to one of the cushioned armchairs by Vincent and Gregory, his Mate fighting against their grip and snarling viciously when he is unable to escape. That is until his dark eyes shift around the common room, nose twitching as he picks up on his Mate’s scent, and his eyes widen as they land on Silvius’s panting form.

Silvius’s eyes widen when he hears the low growl emitting from Blaise’s throat, the sound vibrating around the room which draws an unintentional whimper from Silvius. The submissive noise is enough for Blaise, and he somehow manages to find the strength to throw both boys from his shoulders, causing them to crash into Draco and Theo, who had been standing behind the guards. Blaise jumps up from his seat and runs across the room before anyone can react. Silvius whimpers again when solid arms wrap around his trembling form, and he sinks into the secure embrace, ignoring the sudden attention on him as his whimpers turn to purrs.

Wrapping his arms around Blaise in response, Silvius curls tighter against his Mate’s chest, knowing that Blaise would like to keep him close for a while, he hadn’t anticipated just how worried everyone would have been for him which was both warming and irritating. He hadn’t even been missing for that long. He looks up at the gaggle of people heading towards him, many of their expressions stony, and he whimpers in fear this time. He shrinks into Blaise.

“Silvius Orion Black, where in Merlin’s name have you been?”

Silvius can’t help but flinch away from the harsh tone, which causes Blaise to shift his submissive Mate behind his form, his violet eyes gleaming as he growls at the approaching adults. They paused, not sure how to approach the protective Cambion before they took in the teary-eyed form of Silvius hiding from them. He had never liked it when people raised their voices, let alone directly at himself. He stares at his father and sees the man trying to let go of his anger. It made him feel a little better.

“I’m sorry. I took a wrong turn…” His voice comes out a whisper, and he hates it. Hates how affected he still was by the Dursley’s treatment during his childhood. He didn’t want to look like a weak and pathetic child who needed everyone to watch over him and protect him. Especially when he was the leader of his very own faction. What sort of leader would he be if he needed to be constantly shielded? Stepping out from behind Blaise, Silvius strokes a hand down his Mate’s arm, calming him enough for him to face his father on his own. He steels his nerves and buries them deep.

“You could have been spotted by a teacher or a Prefect!”

“No professor nor Prefect would be patrolling that far into the dungeons; I wasn’t going to be spotted by anyone.” Silvius bristles; his fear and trepidation quickly turned to frustration at the anger in his father’s tone still. He scowls at the man, watching as Regulus crosses his arms in front of his chest, glaring down at him. He stood his ground, though; he wasn’t going to allow his father to intimidate him. He clenches his fists when he sees them beginning to shake.

“If you were lost, then why didn’t you call for one of us?”

“Because I didn’t think of-”

“Of course you didn’t.”

Silvius pauses. His father had just shouted over him, spat words in anger over his explanation while he had just been trying to answer a question the man had asked him. He wasn’t aware that his father could act in such a way against him, and it scared and angered him. He glares back at his father, nerves once again being pushed to the side, and he smirks inwardly when the expression on his father’s face falters for a second.

“I was going to say that I didn’t think to call anyone because when I realised that I was lost, I still had time before curfew. I went to explore the Dungeons and got caught up talking to a portrait of Salazar Slytherin!”

“I don’t want you wandering the castle on your own from now on; you will have at least one person with you at all times.” Regulus continues as if Silvius hadn’t spoken, which annoyed his son even more. It was as if he were back at the Dursleys that his thoughts and feelings didn’t matter to Regulus, and he had to fight back his tears at the implications. Shoulders quivering, Silvius pushes every bit of anger, pain, and loss he had felt living with the Muggles into his expression. His teeth grind together before he completely blows up, a sudden icy anger exploding out of him.

“I will not be babysat at sixteen years of age! No one is going to be with me 24 hours of the freaking day, and you are out of your bloody mind if you think I am going to agree with that! Why are you acting like I have done something terrible?”

“Because I will not lose you again, Silvius!

“I took a wrong freaking turn! It is not that big of a deal!”

“Not a big deal? You could have been in trouble somewhere. You could have been injured, and I didn’t know where you had gone off to!”

“I would have sent a Patronus if I was too injured or lost to make my way back on my own! I am not a child, and I can take care of myself!”

“You don’t have to anymore, Silvius. I am here to protect you!”

“Protect me or control my life? I will not be put under lock and key like some incompetent toddler!”

“I don’t need your permission; I am your father, and you will do what I say!”

Silvius scoffs, the sound harsh as he crosses his arms over his chest in anger and as a defense against any possible physical attacks, not that he thought his father would resort to hitting him or anything, but he had come to expect it if he showed any form of defiance.

“Maybe I don’t want you to be my father anymore then! You are starting to act just like they did! Are you going to put bars on my windows and lock me in my bedroom, only letting me out when I have classes? I took a wrong turn. Found Salazar Slytherin’s portrait. Told him about the Chamber. He gave me directions on how to get back. End of story. I am going to wash up for bed unless you wish for someone to time me in the shower as well?”

Silence reigns around the room, and Silvius brings himself up short when he registers what he had just shouted at his father. His eyes widen in horror, and he stares up at Regulus, seeing the devastation fighting to be covered up by previously felt anger. Silvius feels himself tearing up. He didn’t mean that. He didn’t mean to say any of that. He loved his father and didn’t want to lose the man, but he had just been so angry. He didn’t even know where the anger had come from.

Taking a hesitant step back, Silvius has to throw his arm out to stop himself from collapsing as his knees shake with the effort of trying to hold himself up. He is in shock. Turning to glance at his godfather, who is shaking his head at the turn of events, Silvius can feel his gut clenching. He feels sick. He couldn’t take it anymore; couldn’t take what he had said. His tears begin to fall from his eyes, and he releases a broken sob before he feels from the room.

His father probably hated him now. He was going to give him away and forget all about him. Slamming the door behind him, Silvius throws himself down on his bed, his body shaking violently with the force of his sobs. He would need to apologise to his father soon. He felt completely devastated. Why would he even say something like that to his father, to the man who had loved him unconditionally, who had taken a position at the school just so he could be closer to him? His sobs come more forcefully, choking him as he fights to catch his breath.

-----

“What just happened?” Regulus whispers, standing frozen as he stares off in the direction his son had just run off in. His anger melted away, dispersed as soon as he saw his son’s tears, as soon as his son shouted that he was just like those filthy muggles who had abused his child and locked him away. Guilt claws at his gut. He had promised himself that he would never allow his son to feel so low again, that he wouldn’t make Silvius cry. He hadn’t wanted to hurt his child, but it seemed that he had done just that. Shaking his head, he makes a vow to apologise to Silvius tomorrow, maybe he had overreacted a little bit.

Severus steps up to his friend and places a comforting hand on his shoulder. He had seen the devastation in Silvius’s expression when he had realised what he had shouted at his father, and he knew that Silvius hadn’t meant anything he had said. He worries about the anger coursing through Silvius, however, knowing that it would rear its head every now and again, but he makes a note to keep an eye on his godson just in case there is something more cynical at play there.

“Silvius just isn’t used to having someone worry about whether he is hurt or not. He is used to adults brushing him to the side and locking him out of sight so they don’t have to deal with him. He doesn’t know how to be someone’s priority. I am sure that he will have calmed down by the morning.”

“He is terrified that you will want to send him away still Regulus. Despite the number of times, we have all reassured him that that is the furthest thing from your mind. He worries that every time he makes you angry, you are going to get sick of him and toss him away. His reaction was probably him trying to protect himself if that ever did happen. He loves you, Reggie.” Remus adds in, a sad smile on his face. It had taken him from third year all the way through to the end of the summer holidays before Silvius’s fifth year to convince Silvius that he and Sirius weren’t going to abandon him, that they loved him completely and were proud to have him as part of their family.

Blaise takes a step forward as well, hand rubbing at the back of his neck. He was extremely worried about his Mate and wanted nothing more than to curl around Silvius and make him feel better. He hated seeing the tears streaming down his Mate’s face, hated the tremors he could see raking Silvius’s smaller frame and he wanted nothing more than to wrap Silvius in his arms and never let him go again. He glances towards his dorm before forcing himself to focus on his professors.

“Ummm. Professor, if you want, I can try and talk to him for you…”

“Thank you, Blaise. I am sure that he will talk to you above anyone at the moment.” Regulus glances down at Blaise and offers the nervous boy a strained smile. He nods his head and almost laughs when Blaise doesn’t hesitate another second and hurries across the common room after his mate. He ignores his friends’ chuckles. He needed to make his Mate smile again; he needed to make sure that Silvius wasn’t beating himself up too much for what he said.

Pushing the dorm room door open, Blaise winces, heart clenching at the desperate sobs coming from his Silvius. He closes the door with a soft click and makes his way across the room, quieting his footfalls as much as possible. Once he reaches Silvius’s bed, Blaise climbs up and, resting his back against the headboard, he stretches his legs along Silvius’s side. Carding a hand through his sobbing Mate’s hair, Blaise releases a sad smile when his actions cause the sound to stutter as Silvius tries to halt his cries.

“Hey, Tesoro.” His voice lifts Silvius’s face from his pillow, and Blaise frowns. Silvius’s cheeks are bright red and flushed with sorrow. His eyes began to swell with irritation from his tears. He leans forward and wraps his arms around Silvius’s chest, managing to pull Silvius up enough so he can rest against his chest. He tightens his arms when Silvius immediately cuddles against his chest, knees resting on his thigh.

“Are you alright, Silvi?”

Silvius sighs and rubs his face against Blaise’s robes, tears silently running down his cheeks. Blaise is quick to pull a handkerchief out of his pocket and gently wipe the streams away. He drops a kiss on Silvius’s forehead, tugging his closer, his arms tightening their hold.

“I don’t know, Blaise. I just got so angry, and I don’t know why. It just appeared there.”

“It’s alright, Silvius. I know. Your father, as well as the rest of us, were worried about you, Tesoro.”

“But why? I can take care of myself.” Silvius whispers, burying his face in Blaise’s neck. He takes a deep breath of his boyfriend’s soothing scent, which brings a light flush to Blaise’s cheeks. He didn’t know why Silvius was so obsessed with his scent; he didn’t know if it had something to do with his creature blood needing his scent to calm down, but he wasn’t going to begrudge Silvius this. Not when his scent truly did seem to rid Silvius of some of his anger and nerves.

“We know that you are capable, Silvi. Merlin, I have seen you in action against those Muggles, so I know what spells you are packing. But Sil, curfew was over an hour ago, and no one knew where you were. We hadn’t heard anything from you since you had been called up to Dumbledore’s office. We didn’t know if you had just gone off somewhere to cool off or if he had done something to you. Hurt you or something.”

Silvius remains quiet for a moment, and Blaise worries that he had cried himself to sleep when he shifted. Blaise loosens his grip, allowing Silvius to push himself up, his red-rimmed eyes meeting his own. He can see the confusion battling with remorse behind silver eyes, though he watches when his point brings clarification to Silvius’s thoughts.

“I didn’t realise that. I am such an idiot.” Silvius collapses back against Blaise’s side, hiding his face in Blaise’s neck again. He snuggles close when his Mate’s arms tighten back around his waist.

“No, you are not an idiot, Silvius. You are just used to being looked after by anyone, nor are you used to having anyone around you who cares for you, but you should apologise to your father tomorrow.”

“I don’t even know why I got so angry at him though. It was like this small bubble of anger just popped, and I couldn’t control it.”

“Well, you have had a long and strenuous day; how about we get some sleep and see how you are feeling in the morning?”

Silvius nods his head, but he gives no signs of moving away from Blaise, especially when his arms come up to wrap around his boyfriend’s waist. He really didn’t want to move away from the comforting warmth that Blaise emitted, nor did he wish to be alone. He was still worried that his father would hate him because of the words he shouted at him, and he couldn’t stand the thought of that happening. He would do anything, and he meant anything if it meant he could keep his father.

Tilting his head back, Silvius’s eyes meet Blaise’s, and he feels his cheeks heating up a little. He spies the confusion shining in calming violet eyes and bites his lips. Would Blaise be bothered by his request? Would Blaise want to share a bed with him again, just to sleep? It would be almost like that time when he had lost control of his creature, and Blaise stayed with him. There was only one way to find out. Taking a deep breath, Silvius drops his gaze, fingers dancing across Blaise’s shirt-clad chest.

“Will you stay with me tonight, Blaise? Please.”

“Of course I will, Tesoro. Come one, let us get ready for bed.” Blaise whispers against Silvius’s temple, his lips brushing over the skin in an almost teasing caress, drawing a pale flush to Silvius’s cheeks. Blaise chuckles and slowly untangles himself from his boyfriend so he can fetch his pajamas and change out of his uniform for the night. Walking into the bathroom, Blaise makes quick work of brushing his teeth before he heads back to Silvius’s bed. He settles himself down under the covers while watching his pajama-clad boyfriend scurrying into the bathroom to complete his own bedtime rituals. It is only a couple of minutes later that Blaise finds himself pulling Silvius back against his chest, head resting on the pillow while he settles his Mate against his torso, arm tightening around Silvius’s waist to keep him close.

“Good night, Tesoro. Sleep well.”

“Night, Love. Thank you for staying with me.”

Blaise turns his head and glances down at Silvius as best as he can while Silvius’s voice trails off, his eyelids fluttering as he allows himself to fall into an emotionally exhausted sleep. Blaise raises a hand to brush a stray lock of hair away from his Mate’s face before he allows himself to snuggle closer to Silvius, a gentle smile coming to his lips.

“I would happily and readily do anything for you, Silvi. Anything.” He whispers, voice echoing around the otherwise silent room, and he finally joins Silvius in sleep. Dropping off almost immediately now that he knew his Mate was safe and sound in his arms. Both boys are so deeply asleep that neither stirs when someone walks into their dorm room, their smile sad, filled with concern and guilt as he gazes down at the two sleeping teenagers wrapped tightly around each other. The figure makes his way silently around the room and cards a hand through Silvius’s hair as he drops a kiss on the boy’s forehead.

“I love you, Sil. Always and forever. Good night, Son.”

Notes:

Another chapter is completed! I hope you all enjoy this one.
However, the next one may be late. I leave for Comic-Con at midday tomorrow and won't return home until Sunday evening. Then I have work on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday XD I am going to be soooooooo tired but extremely happy with my life XD

Chapter 5: Light Vs Dark Magics

"So, Silvius, what exactly were you doing last night?"

Silvius pauses, his fork halfway to his mouth. His eyes shoot up to glance around at his friends, only to find them all staring expectantly at him. He knew that they were going to start questioning him about his whereabouts, but he had thought they would at least wait until he had finished his breakfast. Then again, he had dropped the fact that he had been conversing with a portrait of Salazar Slytherin so he could understand their lack of patience. Sighing, Silvius takes a bite and then drops his fork back to his plate; he chews thoughtfully, wondering where he should begin. He was still feeling out of sorts, a little shaky due to the altercation with his father, and he didn't want to go into too much detail until he had at least apologised to the man. However, Blaise man-handled him through the corridors, telling him that he had to eat something before he could speak with his father.

"Well, after Dumbledore had soundly interrogated me about my parseltongue abilities, or lack thereof, he informed me, rather bluntly, that he was taking Granger's words over mine and believing me to hold the ability to speak Parsel, no matter how many times I attempted to protest the contrary. I even offered to show him my memories and informed him that if he was still skeptical then he was welcome to launch a full investigation and question the entire class. However, he refused. He shut up pretty quickly after I threatened to bring my uncles and the Board of Governors into the matter." Silvius cracks a small smile when his friends break into snickers. 

"What I would give to have seen the look on his face," Tracy chuckles, and the others nod in agreement. It would have been one for the pensieve.

"It made for quite the sight, Trace. If I remember, I will show you the memory tonight. Anyway, when I left his office, I was fuming. I didn't want my anger to get out of control and hurt any of you, so I decided to go for a short walk through the dungeons in hopes of calming down. I didn't mean to walk as far as I did, but I had been completely engrossed in my thoughts. It wasn't until I paused to glance around did I realise that I had no idea where I was or how to get back. I noticed that I still had a while until curfew, so I continued down the corridor, wishing to explore a little. That is when I found Salazar Slytherin's portrait and found myself in conversation with him." Silvius sighs and cards a hand through his hair. He shovels another forkful of eggs into his mouth and leans against Blaise's side. His smile widens marginally when Daphne pushes a goblet of pumpkin juice towards him.

"I told him all about the Chamber of Secrets incident, how it had been opened four years ago during our second year, and how Marvolo Slytherin, the newest Lord Slytherin, is my godfather and has chosen me to be his Heir. Salazar told me all about this secret passage further down the corridor that leads to the Chamber, even going so far as to give me permission to transform the Chamber into a training grounds of sorts for the In Dolus Intortis. He even gave me a couple of ideas that may help us out in the near future. Grandpa Sal said that we could make use of his private study, which had been spelled to be kept up to date. It should hold the same books from the Slytherin family library as well as the Hogwarts Library, alongside all of Grandpa Sal's personal journals."

Silvius throws his head back, hands gripping the edge of the table so he won’t fall. He gazes, watching the clouds floating by, as he ponders on anything else he neglected to tell his friends about his evening excursion. He didn’t think so. Glancing around at his friends, Silvius flushes at their open-mouthed stares. Or they would have been if they weren’t pureblood Heirs. Their stares make him self-conscious, and he fidgets in his seat.

“What?”

“Did you just call…”

“Salazar Slytherin…”

“You are an enigma, Silvius.”

“What? Why? I didn’t say anything weird, did I?”

“No, Tesoro, you didn’t say anything strange. It is just a little surreal that you are referring to Salazar Slytherin, the Salazar Slytherin, the founder of our House, as Grandpa Sal…”

“I don’t see why that is weird; he said I could.” Silvius shrugs his shoulders. “I wish to clean up the Chamber of Secrets before any of us can use it for training, so there will be none tonight. My… father, Severus, Marvolo, and the rest of our In Dolus Intortis will be joining us in the Chamber for our first meetings. However, that won’t be for another few days yet, as I want all of our members to get used to using the various training activities I am going to set up before I allow anyone from Uncle Marvolo’s sect. to see us. It will give them more confidence in our abilities and show them that we know what is expected of us. It should also enforce that we are serious about assisting when we can.”

His friends nod along; they're giving away their excitement at seeing what their new training ground is going to look like, rising with each tidbit of information Silvius leaks. If what Silvius said was true, then there were going to be various sections dedicated to all sorts of subjects to aid them. Silvius glances around the Great Hall, eyes locking on Neville, who rolls his eyes towards the Blood Traitor and Mudblood before smirking. Silvius inclined his head; Neville had come across some dirt pertaining to the Gryffindors. He skirts his gaze over to Luna, smiling as the young Ravenclaw skips out of the Great Hall, a large smile on her face as she ignores the glares she is receiving from her Housemates.

“I think I am going to head on up to Defence a little early; there are a few things that I need to discuss with my father.” Silvius pushes himself to his feet, bending forward so that he can drop a kiss on Blaise’s cheek before he shoulders his bag and walks out of the hall. He didn’t want any of his friends to witness him breaking down while he apologised to his father. “I will see you all in a few minutes.”

It doesn’t take him long to make it to the Defence classroom, so he is lost in his thoughts as he tries to figure out the best way to apologise to his father. That he doesn’t notice the corridors he trails down. He knows that it is where his father most likely is seen, as the man hadn’t been at breakfast that morning. Taking a deep breath, Silvius pushes the door open, wincing when the hinges creak in protest. Poking his head around the door, Silvius smiles sheepishly when he comes face to face with his father, who is sitting behind his desk, piles of parchment scattered across its surface. Stepping into the room, Silvius walks over to Regulus.

“Dad…” His voice stutters, cracking as tears begin to sting the back of his eyes, but he pushes them back. He didn’t want to cry again, not when it had been him who had hurt his father, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. The look of devastation on his father’s face, when he had lost control of his anger, was heartbreaking, and he kept replying in his mind. He flinches when his father’s chair is pushed back, the wood scraping across the floor. Silvius’s eyes widen when Regulus pulls him into a tight embrace, arms wrapping around his shoulders and waist to keep him close. His grip is almost tight enough to leave bruises, but Silvius doesn’t care. He throws his arms around his father’s shoulder.

“I am so sorry, Dad. I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean to say that to you; I don’t even know why I did. You are nothing like those beasts, I promise. I love having you as my dad and I wouldn’t know what I would do without you. I love you so much, Dad. I am sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Silvi. I know that you are used to being independent and depending on no one but yourself, and I understand that, but you have me now. You have me, your godfathers and Uncle, Blaise, Draco, and all of your friends. You have your entire In Dolus Intortis willing to offer you any help you may need, look after you, and keep you safe. It doesn’t mean that we think you are weak; we just care for you so much that we don’t want to see you hurt.”

“I know, Dad. I don’t know why I got so angry. It was just like this little bubble of anger just appeared, and I couldn’t stop it. I love you so much, Dad. I love you all so much.”

“I love you too, Son. You are always going to be my little boy, even if I haven’t been there for you through your childhood. You are always going to be my little Silvius, and I am always going to want to protect you.”

“I know, Dad. I am always going to be your son, and I am always going to need my dad, even when I am bonded and have children of my own. I will always be your baby.”

“I promise that we will work on this together, Silvius. You on accepting help and worry from those around you who care for you and me on not wrapping you up in cotton wool and restricting you too much. How does that sound?”

Silvius chuckles and wipes his cheeks as he draws back from his dad, getting rid of the tears that had escaped his eyes. A large wave of relief washes through him when his father chuckles along with him and ruffles his hair. He yelps, pouting up at his father when the man’s laughter increases, though he can feel his lips upturning at the familiar action.

“That sounds like a good plan, Dad.”

“Good. Now, we have a bit of time before your classmates arrive; why don’t we sit down and discuss this meeting with Dumbledore?”

“Okay. I am sorry I didn’t come to you first, Dad.”

“It is alright, Silvius, but next time you receive a summons from Dumbledore, I want you to take either myself or your Uncle Severus with you. There is no use in giving that old coot a chance to try something against you when we could prevent it.”

“Okay, Dad. I will come and get you if he tries anything again.”

“That is all I ask, Silvi. Now, what did that old fool want?”

-----

“Well, Professor Babbling handed out some Runic scripture that the Egyptian curse-breakers and Runic translators haven’t been able to translate in over a year. They gave her permission to show them to us and promised that if any student solved it, then they would receive 100% of the credit.” Silvius begins, pulling a chair over so he can sit with his father.

“Did anyone solve it?”

“I did. Dad, they were Parsel Runes. They just arranged themselves into English on the page, so I wrote them down and handed them to Professor Babbling.”

“Alright, but what does this have to do with Dumbledore wanting to speak to you?”

“It seems that Granger didn’t like the fact that I solved it when she couldn’t. She came over to us afterward and threatened to go to the headmaster because I was an evil Dark wizard who could speak Parseltongue. When I informed her that I hadn’t spoken to Parsel but read some runes, she spouted on and on about us being Dark wizards and Death Eaters just because we were Slytherins.” Silvius shakes his head, grinning at Regulus, who cards a hand through his son’s hair.

“What did you say to her? I know you wouldn’t take that lying down?”

“Not much. I just told her that she was supposed to be smart, but it wasn’t very smart of her to take the headmaster’s words at face value. I told her that she was a prejudiced bigot who came to the wizarding world and criticised our traditions and values simply because she thought they were wrong. That she discriminated against an entire group of people because of hearsay and had no evidence to back any of her opinions up.”

Regulus rolls his eyes at his son; Silvius could have a wicked tongue on him when he wanted, but he couldn’t fault the boy for what he had said, seeing as nothing was incorrect. The girl had discriminated against and generalised most pureblood wizards because of their beliefs and connection with Mother Magic.

“I am guessing she went to the headmaster?”

“Yes. Dumbledore called me to his office straight after dinner and wanted to ask about my Parseltongue abilities. When I tried to tell him that I couldn’t speak Parsel but read it, he obviously didn’t believe me. He tried to use Legilimancy on me, but I-”

“He what?” Regulus almost jumps out of his seat, face paling with rage as he stares down at his son. That old codger had tried to use Legilimancy on his son, on an underaged wizard with no parent or guardian present. It was grounds enough to have the man fired from his position.

“He didn’t get past my barriers. I tore my gaze away before he could even scratch the surface. I told him that if he tried anything like that again, then I would be bringing you, Uncle Lucius, and Uncle Marvolo in so he could try it again if he wanted.”

“I can’t believe he would even try something like that.”

“I think he used to do it to Harry Potter all the time; it was almost like second nature for him to use it, but I don’t think he expected me to be able to sense his presence as soon as he attempted to penetrate my mind. He looked surprised.”

“I can imagine. If he knows that you used to be Harry and that you had no mental shields last year, then he would be surprised to find that not only have your mental blocks been reinforced but that you could even sense his presence at all.”

“It is a good thing that I have my Heirship rings then. I don’t think I would have been able to sense him without them.” Silvius strokes his fingers over his three Heirship rings, smiling down at them before he sighs and drags a hand through his hair. The visit to the headmaster’s office last night had wound him up so much that he had snapped at his father, he can admit that now. He had taken his frustration out on the one person who would always support him, and he hated that the old man could have such an effect on him still.

“What else did he say to you, Silvi?”

“He called me Harry and tried to convince me to come back to the Light. That you had done something to me. Had lied to me and used mind manipulations to trick me into believing that I am your son… but I am Silvius, I know I am.”

“Of course, you are, Sweetie. You are my son, and that is never going to change. If he made you doubt that, then I would happily swear an oath of Truth to you right now. You know that I would never lie to you, Silvius. It wouldn’t be fair to you.”

“I know, Dad. I just didn’t think he would call me Harry outright. He just confirmed to me that he had some part in my kidnapping and knew who I was this whole time. Though, I do believe I managed to throw him off enough to leave me alone for a while.”

“What did you do?”

“Nothing terrible. I just pretended like I didn’t know who Harry Potter was and that I had never met the headmaster before. I tried to ask why you would want to pit me against a man I had never spoken to before and what benefit you would gain. I think Dumbledore concluded that you or Uncle Marvolo managed to lock my old memories or replaced my life as Harry Potter with other memories so that I couldn’t remember ever being the Saviour.”

Regulus and Silvius fall silent for a moment, digesting all that had been discussed between them and Regulus cannot help but pull his son into his side, carding his hand through Silvius’s hair and drops a kiss to his temple. It wasn’t right that the headmaster of a school could attempt such things against his pupils and get away with it, but there was nothing he could do just yet. If Dumbledore had done more than heavily suggest that Silvius pretend to be Harry Potter and become the Saviour, then he would have been able to bring it to the governors. Not that he wanted the man to try and curse his son, but his hands were tied until they had some solid proof against the headmaster.

“Alright, I don’t want you to be left alone when the headmaster is about, Silvius. You do not have to have an escort twenty-four/seven because I know that you are capable of handling yourself, but I want you to keep your two-way mirror on you at all times. If Dumbledore does try anything else, at least you will have a way of contacting your godfather if you are unable to access your wand to send me a Patronus.”

“Okay, father. I really am sorry that I yelled at you last night. I think I was still feeling frustrated with the headmaster, and I didn’t like the way Blaise was being held down in the common room when I came in. Seeing my Mate like that unsettled my creature, and I think that also sparked my anger.”

“I will try not to overreact as well, Silvius. You were right when you said that I couldn’t keep you under lock and key. I didn’t mean to make you feel like you did when you lived with those beasts. I am just so scared that I am going to lose you again, and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if you were taken away again, Sil.”

“I know, Dad. I would fight back with everything I had if they even thought of taking me away from you this time. They wouldn’t stand a chance.” Silvius nods decisively, leaning his head against his father’s shoulder when the man chuckles.

“And I wouldn’t stop searching until I found you this time, Silvius. I would tear this castle apart brick by brick until I had you back again.”

“I know, Dad. And Uncle Marvolo would help you.”

“As would your Uncle Severus and Lucius and your In Dolus Intortis. Merlin forbids anyone who tries to take you away from Blaise.” Silvius giggles when he feels a shiver running through his father.

“I almost feel sorry for anyone who would even try.” Regulus presses another kiss to Silvius's head just as his friends enter the classroom, and he knows that it is time to head to his seat and wait for the lesson to begin.

Leaning forward to give his father one final hug, Silvius feels something in his chest loosening now that he knows his dad didn’t hate him, that his dad didn’t hold what he said against him and wasn’t going to send him away. He is soothed by the breathy laughter echoing in his ear. Pulling himself out of his father’s embrace, Silvius turns towards Blaise, whose eyes are staring at him in concern, and he grins. His expression brightens when Blaise walks over to him and brushes a kiss against his lips, concern shifting to relief.

He is dragged across the classroom and pushed into the seat beside Blaise as Theo commands the chair on his other side while Tracy, Daphne, and Draco settle down in front of them. Silvius’s smile softens when he feels Blaise’s hand wrapping around his own, fingers slotting between his, and he leans against his boyfriend as the Gryffindor students filter into the room. Their voices are loud, actions rambunctious as they push each other, shouting to be heard over each other. All except Granger who appears to be deep in thought, ignoring Ronald as he calls her name.

“Alright, sixth year, settle down.”

The Slytherin students reach into their bags, getting their quills, parchment, and Defence textbooks out while the Gryffindors scramble for their seats, tripping over their feet while Regulus watches them with a raised eyebrow. Silvius covered his mouth to hide his smirk; he could see the amusement shining in his father’s silver eyes.

“As you should all be aware by now, I am Professor Black, and I will be your instructor this year for Defence Against the Dark Arts. We will be learning a few new, more advanced spells than the ones you have been taught in previous years, as well as having a look at Non-verbal casting. However, before we can get onto that, I have a question to pose for you all. Who here knows the difference between Light Magic, White Magic, Neutral Magic, Dark Magic, and Black Magic?”

The class remains silent, mutters breaking out amongst the Gryffindors as they cast incredulous glances at Regulus as if they couldn’t quite believe that he would ask them such a question. The Slytherin students merely sit back in their seats, smirking. They knew that it was more of a rhetorical question, though they did raise their hands to indicate that they did, in fact, know the difference.

“Light Magic is good, and Dark Magic is evil. Everyone knows that.”

Silvius sighs, he catches Daphne’s eyes when the girl turns around to look at them, rolling his eyes skyward he grins when he pulls a quiet giggle from the girl. His friends sneer over at Ronald for his typical biased answer. Clearly, he hadn’t even bothered to learn about his own magical core and affiliation. Nor why the Light hated the Dark so much. Regulus doesn’t respond for a second, staring down at the Weasley with a scowl on his face.

“Mister Weasley, if you believe that you know the answer, then I would appreciate it if you raised your hand. However, if you are just going to shout out the wrong answer, then I recommend that you keep your biased, unjustified opinions to yourselves. Ten points from Gryffindor.”

Weasley blushes, his cheeks heating in anger as he takes to glaring at Regulus. His mouth opens to respond when Granger smacks him with her elbow. Her eyebrows furrow as she turns her attention to their professor. She shifts in her seat, and Silvius has to cover his smirk. She was curious to know the answer and obviously hadn’t heard of White or Black Magic before.

“Alright, if no one has any other guesses. Now, many people have labeled Light, or even White Magic, as good magic while Dark and Black Magic are referred to as evil and bad, but this is not the case. First off, every witch and wizard is born with an affinity for magic. A branch of magic which they will find easier to perform, a branch of magic which will work well with their core.” Regulus leans back against his desk as he explains, smirking at the enraptured attention he is receiving from his students, though he knows that the pureblood students will already know much of what he is saying.

“If you spend a moment thinking about it, then you will realise that Light and Dark Magic and, to a lesser extent, Neutral Magic all have their own versions of certain spells. For example, they all have their own healing spells, some of which heal ailments better than others, but they do the same job. The only difference is that they will work to varying degrees for different people depending on their affinity to magic. And no, Light, Dark, or Neutral cores are not necessarily hereditary either.”

“But sir,” Granger raises her hand, lowering it again only when Regulus motions for her to speak. “I thought that Dark Magic was classified as bad because it used negative emotions to work?”

“Excellent question, Miss…?”

“Granger, Sir.”

“Miss Granger. While some Dark Magic spells rely on the intent of the Wizard to cast, it is true. However, only the Unforgivables use negative emotions to work in most cases. Tell me, Miss Granger, how would you go about casting a simple unlocking charm?”

Hermione glances at Regulus, eyebrows dipping at his question. She ignores Weasley’s scowl as she actively engages in a lesson taught by a ‘Dark Wizard’. She knows that she isn’t going to hear the end of it later, but she doesn’t care. Professor Black was willing to answer her questions about Dark Magic, something which other teachers were reluctant to do.

“I would make the wand movement and utter the spell while imagining the lock unclicking?”

“Exactly. For any magic to work, you need to use your Will to make it so. There is no use in waving your wand around and shouting words in Latin as nothing would come about from it. You need a strong will to make any and all spells work. Now, I want you all to think of Light spells that you have been taught in Hogwarts that could be used to harm someone. Dark Magic has been labeled as such mainly due to the Unforgivable Curses; it is referred to as Magic used to harm or injure another when this is not always the case. I want you to think of a Light spell which could do just as much harm, if not more.”

A hush once more falls over the classroom as students stare over at their professor with eyes blown wide. The Gryffindors gape at Regulus, highly offended that he would even imply that the Magic they were taught in school could be used to harm anyone, let alone more than a Dark spell. Silvius slowly raises his hand into the air, face impassive when his classmates turn to gaze at him. Regulus smiles, gesturing for his son to answer the question.

“Mister Black, if you would give us one example.”

“The Reducto Curse. If one were to use the Reducto on an inanimate object, then it would slice through the object with little difficulty. However, someone with a strong magical core, or someone who accidentally overpowers the hex when in a duel, could very well end up either slicing through someone’s skin and severely injuring them or killing them by slitting their throat or blowing off a limb.”

“Quite the violent example you have given us, Mister Black, but yes, you are correct. If a student, or even a fully qualified Auror, accidentally puts too much power behind such a hex as the Reducto, then it can have fatal consequences. Anyone else?”

Slowly, hands on the Gryffindor side of the room begin to rise, and Regulus smiles. It was nice to see his students become engaged in his lesson and think for themselves for once instead of adhering to the genuine opinions of the mindless sheep plaguing their world. Regulus points to one of the students.

“Yes, you. Your name?”

“Dean Thomas, Sir. Expelliarmus. We have all witnessed what can happen when you overpower that defensive spell, sir. Professor Prince sent Professor Lockhart flying backward in our second year when he demonstrated the spell.”

“Wonderful. Well done, Mister Thomas. Yes, Expelliarmus is a great defensive spell for ridding your opponent of their wand, but be warned that you do not overpower the spell, or it could lead to some nasty injuries. Five points to Gryffindor, and Five points to Slytherin, Mister Black. Anyone else?”

“Seamus Finnigan, Sir. Wingardium Leviosa. You could levitate a person a few feet into the air and then drop them; it could seriously injure them or kill them depending on the height, Sir.”

“That it would, Mister Finnigan. 5 points to Gryffindor. I think I will take just one more answer before we move on. Yes, Mister Malfoy?”

“Lumos, Sir. Not as obvious or messy as they others I am afraid, but I am sure it can be just as effective. If I were to overpower a simple lighting charm, then I could either permanently damage their vision or imagine the unfortunate state they could find themselves in if their opponent was standing at the top of a flight of stairs or on the edge of a cliff.” Draco smirked, his eyes alight with the prospect, and Silvius knew that his cousin would be researching more light spells to use against his opponents whenever he got the chance. Not that he wouldn’t either, it sounded rather intriguing to find simple and obscure spells which professors taught to underaged wizards in order to torture or harm someone. He shares a mischievous glance with Blaise and Draco, which could be something they researched down in the Chamber.

“Thank you, Mister Malfoy. Five points to Slytherin. Alright, now that you have all re-evaluated the Light Magic you are taught in school, I want you to think of any Dark spells that you know that could be used for good, that can be used to save a life or help someone in need. Not including any healing spells.”

Blaise raises his hand this time, tightening his fingers around Silvius’s. He smiles when Regulus calls on him and knows that his answer is not going to sit well with a few people in the room, especially those so far on the Light side that they couldn’t think for themselves. He smirks at the Weasel before turning a blank expression on Regulus.

“The Imperious Curse, Sir.”

“What? How can that be used to help people? I knew you were nothing but a disgusting Death Eater!”

“Mister Weasley!” Regulus thunders, his voice echoing around the room, causing Weasley to freeze with his hands on the table, balancing halfway between sitting and standing at his desk. His face pales drastically when Regulus pushes himself to his full height. “I would suggest that you kindly keep your opinions to yourself and refrain from insulting your classmates before I start to hand out detentions. Now, Mister Zabini, if you could explain.”

“Of course, Sir. As we are well aware, the Imperious Curse is an Unforgivable known for taking away a person’s free will and forcing them to listen to the Caster’s orders. However, if someone is standing on the edge of a building or a bridge about to jump, then it can be used to safely guide them back. It can be used to save the life of someone who is trying to harm or kill themselves, or even threatening the lives of others.”

The Gryffindors stare at Blaise in surprise, some of them even nod their heads in agreement, they hadn’t thought of it that way before. Maybe Dark spells could be used for good after all. Regulus feels his smirk widening when he sees many of the Gryffindor students falling into their minds, trying to come up with their own examples. Theodore raises his hand, and Regulus calls on the shy bookworm.

“The Killing Curse could be used to help people, Sir.”

“I am sensing a pattern here. Would you like to explain, Mister Nott?”

“Of course, Professor. Say, for example, if a patient in St. Mungo’s is suffering from a painful illness that cannot be healed and is inevitably going to end in their death. Instead of letting them suffer for months or even years with the pain, they can be given the choice to have a humane and instant death. The end results are the same, but it would be less painful for the patient.”

“That is very insightful, Mister Nott. I believe that the Muggle medical practice also has something along those lines called Euthanasia. Ten points to Slytherin. How about some Gryffindors this time? Does anyone have any ideas?”

Granger raises her hand slowly, her face flushed, and she refuses to meet anyone’s eyes.

“Yes, Miss Granger?”

“Ummm, well, I was thinking… the Cruciatus Curse. It can be directed at the nerve endings in the body to trick the brain into thinking that it is in pain. It doesn’t actually do any damage to the nervous system. Therefore, I was thinking if you could tweak your intentions when casting the spell, then you may be able to send waves of pleasure or numbness through the body. It can be used to direct a person’s attention away from the pain of a broken bone. It may also be able to be used in place of anesthetics.”

“I am sure that we could find another use for that curse, couldn’t we, Silvius?”

Silvius blushes violently, choking on his breath when Blaise’s words brush against his ear, the warm, moist air caressing his skin. The whispered words make his brain go into hyperdrive, images filtering into his mind at the thought of using such a spell during such times. He certainly wouldn’t mind experimenting with it with his Mate when they were ready.

Theo elbows him in his ribs, smirking at the glazed expression shaping his features before he motions to the front of the classroom once Silvius turns his attention toward him. Silvius closes his eyes in mortification; he knows exactly what he is going to face when he raises his gaze, and he jabs Blaise when his Mate just chuckles at him. Glancing up, Silvius groans and immediately drops his head into his hands when he catches the amusement shining in his father’s eyes. The Gryffindor students turned to stare at him in confusion; clearly, they either hadn’t understood the implications behind Granger’s words or didn’t hear her.

“Would you care to share your thoughts with the rest of the class, Mister Black and Mister Zabini?”

Silvius shakes his head and glares across the room at his father, who merely raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms in front of his chest in challenge. Blaise chuckles again, squeezing his fingers as he steadily meets the gaze of his Mate’s father. A smirk stretches across his lips, and he leans casually back in his chair.

“I don’t think that our answer is quite suitable for a classroom setting, Professor. I would much prefer it if the lesson stayed suitable to an educational environment. Besides, I don’t think Silvius and I would wish to share our private lives with anyone else in the room, Sir.”

Silvius groans again and drops his head to the table, his cheeks were burning with embarrassment at Blaise and his father’s actions. He couldn’t believe that his boyfriend would say such a thing in front of his father in the first place, let alone the Gryffindor students. Though tilting his head to the side, he is glad to know that by their blank expressions, he knows that few understood the sexual innuendo. Besides, Grangers, whose face was almost as flushed as his, and Neville, who appeared to be struggling to hold in his laughter at his plight.

“Alright, if you are certain, then we will move on. As you can see class, Light and Dark Magic can be used for both good and bad, it is the intent or the will of the user which defines such actions and even then, it would not make the witch or wizard bad or good. For example, if you are fighting for your life, if you have been attacked, and there is no way out if you cast a Reducto on your assailant and accidentally kill them, you will not be a bad or evil person. Dark and Light Magic merely refers to which branch of Magic you are more comfortable with casting. The Blacks, my family, are known for having Dark affinities meaning that I am able to cast Dark spells easier than I am able to cast Light spells. This does not mean that I am unable to use Light Magic; it just doesn’t agree with my Magical Core as Dark Magic does.”

“Now, moving on from this, White Magics and Black Magics. These are further branches of magic; however, they are vastly different from Light and Dark Magic. White and Black magics are not affinities; they are known as talents within affinities. An example of this would be Necromancy. Necromancy is Black Magic, and only very select people, mainly those with Dark affinities, though there have been some witches and wizards with Light affinities who are able to perform such magics. These talents are usually passed down through family lines. Who here has heard of Nymphadora Tonks?” Every student in the room raises their hand.

“She is what we call a Metamorphmagus. Tonks has the ability to change a feature of herself that she wishes with a mere thought and without the use of Polyjuice potion or Glamours. This is a White Talent ability that has been passed down from her mother through the Black family line; the Blacks are one of the only families with this Talent despite their Dark Affinity. Another example of these Talents would be the passing down of Creature Inheritances. For those of you who do not understand what a Creature Inheritance is, I will explain.” Regulus pauses to take a breath, pleased to see that many of his students had taken to writing down his words on their parchments. It brought a small smile to his face.

“A creature Inheritance is something which many families, be they pureblood or half-blood, have within their bloodlines. The addition of Creature blood within a family does not equate to one’s family becoming Half-blood, nor does it lessen one’s Blood Purity. This is mainly due to the fact that Creatures whose inheritance can come from are magical themselves. Centuries ago, when the world was young and before Hogwarts was built, Magical Creatures roamed the world, intermingling with wizards and witches. Some of these Creatures married into human family lines and created offspring, which were both wizards and Creatures. Over time, various members of these families would come into an Inheritance depending on the age of maturity pertaining to their ancestor's creature. Depending on the creature itself, this talent can be classified as either Dark or Light. For example, Veela has been classified as Dark Creatures, and many witches and wizards come into their Veela inheritance when they are sixteen years old. Are there any questions so far?”

Granger slowly raises her hand again, biting her lip to show her nervousness. Regulus smirks down at the girl, hoping that his lessons are going to convince the children to think for themselves and not take everything at face value without at least researching it first. He gestures for her to ask her questions.

“Sir, if wizards and witches have Creature Inheritances, why do they treat Werewolves, Vampires, and other Magical Creatures so cruelly?”

“An interesting question, Miss Granger. Does anyone have any answers?” Daphne puts her hand up.

“Yes, Miss Greengrass.”

“Thank you, Sir. Granger, it is not all witches and wizards who belittle those with Creature blood. Especially those of Pureblood and many Half-blood members of the Wizarding World, mainly because many of us have Creature blood running in our families. There is no reason for us to restrict Werewolves and Vampires from having such afflictions when we ourselves are the same. If you care to look into the matter, then I am sure that you will find that almost all of the Laws restricting those with Creature Blood, those who have been labeled ‘Magical Creatures’ were put forward by Headmaster Dumbledore and his supporters. The Dark affiliated families on the Wizengamot have been trying to reverse the restrictions for decades.”

“Daphne is correct. It was many of the Muggle-born witches and wizards started to fight for the Magical Creature restrictions because of the stipulations and fairy tales that painted Werewolves, Vampires, and other Magical Creatures as evil and vicious monsters. In the Wizarding world, Magical Creatures are no different from a witch or wizard who holds a Creature Inheritance, except that they can infect others into turning. For example, from a Vampire's bite and a Werewolf's scratch. Magical Creatures do not come into an inheritance either.” Tracy adds in, staring at the Gryffindor students.

The rest of the Slytherins nod along. It had been a long time coming for them to actually be able to explain their views and goals to their classmates. They weren’t evil, not in the sense that everyone assumed. They fought for the equal rights of all creatures and wished to live in a world where everyone was equal. Where no one was discriminated against or sanctioned for the magic they practiced. They wished to protect their world from Muggles who wished to harm or experiment on them. They wanted to limit the amount of contact they had with the Muggle World in order to keep themselves safe from discovery.

“Please,” A harsh voice scoffs.” That is the crappest excuse I have ever heard. Do you really expect us to believe that? You guys are nothing but Death Eater scum! You enjoy torturing and killing! You want to kill all Muggle-borns and Muggles, you sick freaks!”

“Mister Weasley! Fifteen points from Gryffindor for your foul language and insults against your fellow students. I am appalled by the behaviour you have displayed today, and if I hear you insulting anyone in such a manner again, then you will find yourself serving detention with myself and Professor Prince until the end of the year. Do I make myself clear?”

Weasley’s fists clench, his lips clamping shut into a thin white line as he glares up at Regulus, who is glaring back down at the redhead, his eyes flashing with fury. He hated ignorant, sycophantic fools more than anything in the world, and this child was just that. He didn’t have an original thought in his head and merely went around spouting off other people’s ideologies. It was sickening.

"My Uncles are Werewolves." Silvius comments, his voice devoid of emotion, but everyone can see a wave of simmering anger burning behind his silver eyes. He stares across the classroom at Weasley, arms crossed over his chest.

"What?" Weasley manages to stutter out.

"You said that Dark Wizards are the ones who wish for the eradication of Dark Creatures. That were are the sick freaks, but that can't be true when two of my Uncles are Werewolves."

"My family is very well known for having Veela blood running through our veins." Draco pipes up, sneering over at Weasley.

"My family has Succubi and Inccubi blood."

"What creature blood runs in your family, Weasley? Because that last I check, the Weasley family didn't have any."

Ronald doesn't answer, merely slumps down into his seat with a sore frown forming at the corners of his lips and the Slytherin students exchange looks of victory before they allow themselves to settle back in their seats. Regulus shoots a small smile towards the sixth years, shaking his head with a fond roll of his eyes when he receives several smirks in return.

“Well done, Miss Greengrass, Miss Davies. Ten points to Slytherin for your answers. Now, as our first lesson is coming to an end, I would like you to go away and write a 2-foot essay on the differences between Dark and Light affinities. Please include examples of talents from each affinity and, if you can, families that traditionally have these talents. No, you cannot use the House of Black and the Metamorphmagus Talent in your essays.”

Regulus chuckles at the various groans he can hear around the classroom before he gestures for them to pack their supplies away. The students mill around, talking quietly between themselves, their eyes flicking over Regulus, who seats himself back behind his desk.

The Slytherin students share smirks between themselves. It seemed that their Lord’s plans for slowly coming to fruition. He had wanted them to begin instilling doubts about Dumbledore into their fellow students and make them start to think for themselves. What better way to do that than to introduce them to the real difference between Light and Dark Magic and allow them to research it for themselves? Not only would it endear them to the other ideologies of the Dark Sect. but would subtly turn them away from Dumbledore and his ideals if they found out for themselves through individual research just how off-base the headmaster's plans were. The bell rings and Regulus allows his students to file out of the classroom, he smiles when Silvius drags Blaise up to his desk, the rest of his friends gathering around them, each sporting wide grins.

“I take it you enjoyed my lesson?”

“You were brilliant, Professor.”

“Yes, it was very entertaining.”

“If those fools don’t start realising how blinded they have been by Dumbledore now, then I don’t know how they are going to survive on their own.”

“It was very well executed. Granger, Thomas, and Finnigan especially seemed intrigued by your explanations, Professor.”

“Yes, Dad. I think we may just have a new student favourite by the end of the week if this keeps up.”

Regulus chuckles at the Slytherins’ enthusiasm. He had been pleasantly surprised by how little opposition he had faced during his first class with the sixth year Gryffindors, he had taught the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws the previous day and they had been just as receptive. In fact, they had even ended up spending half of their lesson debating between themselves the difference between affinities and Talents. He had barely had to lift a finger.

“Alright, brats, off you go. You do not want to be late for your next lesson.”

Notes:

I am so so so sorry that this is as late as it is. I honestly haven't had a chance to relax since the end of Comic Con. Not only has my manager gone on holiday for the past two weeks, right in the middle of a big season for our store, but he has left me alone to run the store when half of my staff are so bad at their jobs that I have had to do several display moves all on my own.
I am going to try and get more time to spend on my stories over the next couple of weeks, and hopefully, I won't leave you all waiting this long again XD

Chapter 6: The Chamber of Secrets

Silvius had been having a blast. His time at Hogwarts, despite being a mere three days so far, had flown by. His friends, his true friends, and the members of his In Dolus Intortis had been keeping him busy just as much as he had them. Their schedules were filling up quickly with classes, homework, and extra-training sessions, which he had begun to lead in one of the spare classrooms deep in the dungeons while he worked on fixing up the Chamber and even relaxing when they found some spare time.

His still partially strained relationship with Draco had mended seamlessly, and he felt like he could now fully believe in and trust his cousin wholeheartedly again. Especially seen as he had shouted harsh words at his own father when he was frustrated and angry. It had brought his cousin's experience into perspective, and they had had a lengthy heart-to-heart one night to sort through everything. It had ended with them playing a rather animated game of chess, where their pieces had gotten so frustrated with their deliberately wrong moves that they had refused to play anymore.

Skipping through the corridors after his final class of the day had been released, Silvius smirked at the now two-and-a-half hours he had free before dinner. How he loved Fridays. He had no homework to distract him, nor did he have any additional training sessions to keep him from finally making a start of the Chamber of Secrets. He waves jauntily to Salazar Slytherin, smiling at the man’s greeting as he continues to make his way down the abandoned corridors, following the man’s earlier instructions. Coming across an old-fashioned oak doorway, something which reminded him of a magical door you would find in a Muggle fairy tale. He pushes the door open slowly and illuminates the hallway with a quick flick of his wand.

He stares. The room, or rather Chamber in front of him, was large, not large enough to conduct a meeting in but certainly big enough to be used as a receiving room for his father, uncle, godfathers, and his outside In Dolus Intortis forces. He could use the ornate fireplace tucked into the corner to allow them to Floo through or set up the coordinates so they could apparate straight in. It would allow for the anticipation of seeing his fully furnished training and research facilities to heighten.

Grinning to himself, Silvius quickly cleans the walls and lights a couple of torches around the Chamber, sparking life into the long-since abandoned area. He walks through the room, waving his wand to dispel the smell of dampness and mold clinging to the stone before he continues through an intricately carved stone archway leading him through twists and turns of the castle’s depths, the ground inclining downwards, showing that he was traveling further and further underground. His breath quickens as he follows the tunnel, casting cleaning charms as he goes; he didn’t wish for his father to be put off by the sights and smells of the decrepit corridors. Nor did he think his slightly snobbish cousin would appreciate being made to traipse through the filth. Though the imagery was amusing to picture.

Coming to the end of the corridor, Silvius is faced with another door, this one just as ornate as the previous one, though it seemed to be made out of some sort of metal. Widening his smile, Silvius pushes open the door, wincing when the hinges creak in protest at being used after so many decades. Stepping into another much larger chamber, Silvius laughs, his eyes sparkling as he glances around at the innermost Chamber of the Chamber of Secrets.

And just as Salazar Slytherin had said, the corpse of the Basilisk is still lying in the center of the room, still as fresh as it was the moment he had driven the Sword of Gryffindor through its mouth. Giggling, Silvius proceeds to empty his bag of potion vials and other glass containers. Casting his own preservation charm on the containers, Silvius quickly and meticulously begins to gather various ingredients from the corpse. He sections the ingredients into various piles and labels them with their contents. They would make brilliant Yuletide presents for certain members of his ever-growing family.

Placing the now full containers into his bag, Silvius proceeds to send cleaning after cleansing after repairing charms around the Chamber, clearing the spilt water from the floors, the collapsed and cracked statues, and the ceiling from the ground all back to its rightful places. He washes the grime, slime, and other nasty surprises from the Chamber before he grins at his handy work. He was so pleased that his godfather and father had taken the time to tutor him in everyday household charms alongside his Defensive spells during their tutoring sessions.

The Chamber was looking a lot more impressive and useable now, with little to no risk of infections festering in open wounds, which they were all bound to receive from their training and practice duels. Nodding his head at his handy work, Silvius casts a quick tempus and sighs. He had spent a little too much time cleaning. If he was going to complete everything he wanted to, then he would need to hurry up. Especially if he wanted to make it to dinner on time. He didn’t want to know what Blaise and his friends would say to him if he were late, not after he had ditched them with little to no explanation.

Shifting the potion ingredients to the side, Silvius proceeds to gather some supplies from his bag, placing them neatly and carefully on the floor before he begins to slowly, carefully weave sectioning wards around the Chamber to split the space into various sections. First, he summons three large potion tables to the section in the left-hand corner. Setting up various shelves, cupboards, and storage rooms to house their finished potions and ingredients as they work on potions for class or potions that they would need for their In Dolus Intortis missions. He lines the walls with multiple types of cauldrons, varying sizes, and materials, and smiles at how close it resembles the potions lab back at the Manor.

Moving on to one of the largest sections, Silvius summons four advanced training dummies, the ones that can replicate human movement and fire off an array of spells from Light, Neutral, and Dark classifications. He ensures that a safety ward is set up around the outside to keep any spectators safe as they watch the training. Also, ensuring that the space is well protected is important when people wish to move the training dummies to the side and commence with real/practice duels.

He set up a bookshelf to one side, one that could summon any books from Salazar Slytherin’s private study, the Slytherin family library, and the Hogwarts library for extra research. He set up individual tables and an array of group tables for anyone who wished to work through some of their individual research or work through projects in a group.

Another area he sets up with various listening equipment, most of which he had acquired from Fred and George, who were all too happy to purchase for him from the Muggle World and which they had spent copious amounts of time working on in order to allow them to work within a magical environment. He was hoping to set up a surveillance section where they could keep an eye on various locations through listening and recording devices. One such place was the Burrow, where Bill and Charlie had happily offered to place such devices around to test and keep an eye on their parents. He would also add a variant of the Marauders Map, a 3-D map of the castle laid out in the middle of the room for easy access.

Finally, he set up a small classroom-like area, rows of tables lining the section, all facing a large blackboard that he had stationed at the front of the room. Smiling at the layout, Silvius quickly conjures up a large square table, one his father and Uncle Marvolo had helped him to make. It was a magical device that would allow him to project any place he wished as long as he could think of the layout. It would come in handy when briefing his troops on their latest missions and give them a clear view of the layout of their targets.

Glancing around the Chamber, Silvius smirks at the overall picture it presents. It would tell his uncles and father that he and In Dolus Intortis were definitely taking their duties seriously. His gaze sweeps over the potion’s lab, training grounds and fighting arena, research area/library, surveillance room, briefing room, and knife and gun range; he hadn’t wished for his faction to rely only on their magic to aid them. He smirks, proud that he had managed to pull off such a feat by himself in such a short amount of time. He sighed in relief, knowing that he was almost finished. Gathering the shrunken-down equipment that he had taken out of his bag earlier, he walks over to the only available station left. Placing the equipment down on the floor carefully, Silvius sweeps his hand around to enlarge them all.

It had taken some convincing for his father and godfather to allow him to purchase various muggle exercise equipment, as well as the martial arts training gear that he had wished for, but he had managed to persuade them that it was to help his faction's agility as well as their overall fitness. He didn’t want his team to be like most wizards who didn’t train their bodies at all and only focused on their magical prowess. He had told his father and Marvolo that it would give them an additional advantage over their enemies, especially if he was going to train them all in acrobatics and martial arts he knew from when he had been forced to attend in place of Dudley when he decided he didn’t want to go to his classes anymore. He still wasn’t sure why Petunia and Vernon had even allowed their son to sign up for gymnastics in the first place.

-----

Slipping into the Great Hall a couple of minutes after dinner had begun, Silvius waved a hand over himself subtly to brush a quick cleaning charm over his robes and hair to get rid of any grime still clinging to him after his trip down into the Chamber of Secrets. Walking down to his seat at the Slytherin table, Silvius drops a chaste kiss on Blaise’s cheek and settles himself down between his friends, smiling. His smile soon turns into a smirk when he notices the open stares he is receiving. Ignoring them for now, Silvius piles some food onto his plate, using all that magic had really taken it out of him and he found himself absolutely starving. He begins to eat when a throat is cleared across from him and he has to bite his tongue to keep himself from chuckling. Raising his head, Silvius raises an eyebrow at the impatient pouts on his friends' features.

“Yes, Daphne. Is there something I can do for you?”

“Oh, don’t give me that, Silvius. You have been gone for over two hours with little to no explanation as to where you were going or what you were doing except that we will see in due time. I think you owe us an explanation.”

Silvius clicks his tongue at her tone. Yes, he didn’t want to run his faction like his godfather ran the Death Eaters, but he still expected to receive the same amount of respect as their leader. If he was going to work on something that he didn’t think they needed to know, then they had no right to demand anything from him. He certainly didn’t owe them anything. He allows his eyes to grow cold, his mouth thinning as he stares around the table at his In Dolus Intortis. They flinch at his gaze, sitting up more in their seats, muscles rigged as his gaze passes over each of them in turn.

“I owe you an explanation, do I, Daphne? And why is that? Hmmm.” Placing his knife and fork back down on his plate, Silvius steeples his fingers and rests his chin on the bridge they form. He allows a dark smirk to tug at his lips, one much different than his usually playful demeanour. His magic bleeds out of his form minutely, just enough to caress his members, causing them all to shiver. “And here I thought that I was the Leader of our little faction. Is that not the case anymore, Daphne Dear? If I say that I am working on something and you will be told in due time, it means that I do not think you need to know at the present time. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Jupiter. I meant no disrespect.”

“Alrighty then!” Silvius claps his hands and pushes himself back up, grinning happily as he instantly reverts back to his meal. He hums happily at the flavours exploding across his tongue. His friends slump in their seats, eyeing him warily for a moment, feeling unnerved by his abrupt personality change. However, they quickly take his lead and return to their meals. Blaise chuckles and leans against Silvius’s side to gain his boyfriend’s attention.

“So, Tesoro. When are you willing to tell us all about this secret mission you have been working on? Can I not tempt you into telling us sooner rather than later?”

Silvius grins, ignoring his heated cheeks as he leans forward to brush a kiss to the tip of Blaise’s nose. He knows that he shouldn’t allow Blaise to have this much sway over him, but he couldn’t help but melt every time his Mate sent him one of those endearingly sweet smiles—not when his eyes shone with tenderness every time.

“Alright, Love. You win; just stop giving me that look. I have already finished what I set out to do this afternoon, so there will be no reason for me to disappear again once dinner has finished. So, if you are all agreeable, I believe we may be able to do our training somewhere more fitting for the faction of Prince Jupiter…”

“You don’t mean…?” Draco stutters out, his eyes widening as he leans around Blaise to stare at his cousin in delight. Surely, Silvius was implying what he thought he was implying.

“Indeed I do, Draco. What I meant was that I have spent the past two hours or so cleaning and organising the Chamber of Secrets for the intensive training regime that I have set up for us. I have added everything which I wished to add, and it is ready for use. I have layered the Chamber with protection wards so no one but those baring my Mark or those I personally allow entrance can enter. It means that we are going to be completely safe and undetectable from Dumbledore and his little Flaming Chickens. They will be unable to sense or pick up on any Dark Magic we practice right under their noses, and they will not be able to sense who has breached the wards. So, Uncle Marvolo will be protected as well while he is here.”

Various exclamations follow his explanation, and Silvius has to cover his mouth to muffle his snickers when they all begin to eat their dinners with extra vigour. Glancing across the Great Hall, Silvius is quick to catch Neville’s attention. He sends the Gryffindor a small parchment note informing him to collect Luna and meet him in the dungeons as soon as dinner is over. He smirked when he received a quick nod in response.

“Can you please tell us what you did?” Pansy leans across the table, almost balling Theo over in her haste to garner Silvius’s attention and have him soothe her curiosity. Silvius’s smirk widens, and he relaxes back in his seat as he ponders over what he would tell his friends or whether he should just leave them in suspense for a little while longer.

“Yes, please, Silvius.”

“We really want to know.” The others join in, and Silvius can feel his enjoyment at having them begging for him to answer increases. He holds off for another moment or two, wanting to know if he could wrangle some sweet words from his faction members when he freezes. A large hand casually begins to brush along his left hip, across his lower back, and to his right hipbone, where it settles almost innocently. Warm breath ghosts the shell of his ear, causing a shiver to run down his spine, and his face heats up when his Mate nuzzles his nose against his temple, his lips brushing his skin. Attempting to clear his throat, Silvius’s breath stutters when a deep, rumbling voice murmurs against his ear. He tries to ignore the snickers muffled around the table as he sags against Blaise with a pout.

“Come on, Tesoro. Won’t you tell us what you have been working on, My Mate?”

“Alright. Alright. Fine. I will tell you. Just don’t do that again.”

“Do what, Tesoro? I merely asked for you to divulge your plans to us.”

Silvius turns to glare up at Blaise, scoffing when he is met with nothing but an innocent smile, and he sighs in exasperation. He wasn’t even the slightest bit annoyed that Blaise had managed to cave his will with just a few words and an action or two. He presses a kiss to his Mate’s lips and drops his head to rest against Blaise’s shoulder, smiling when the hand on his hip tightens. He ignores the suggestive and knowing expressions shaping his friends' features.

“That isn’t going to work all the time, you know, love.”

“Would you like to bet on that, Tesoro?” Blaise smirks and squeezes Silvius’s hip again as he tugs his boyfriend closer to his side, eyes glittering with mirth.

Silvius snorts his own eyes, lighting up with mischief when he glances up at the self-satisfied expressions stretching across Blaise’s face. Sneakily, so no one else can see his movements, Silvius allows his hand to fall casually on Blaise’s thigh. Not quite high enough to touch anything appropriate, but high enough to insinuate and tease. He smiles in concern when Blaise chokes on his pumpkin juice, his cheeks developing a flush dark enough for their friends to take note of. Especially when he begins to move his hand marginally from side to side a few times.

“Blaise, are you okay? You look a little flushed.” Draco questions, eyeing his friend warily, to which Blaise just nods his head. He turns to glare playfully down at Silvius, who giggles when soft lips brush against his forehead. Focusing back on his friends and bringing his hand down to rest against Blaise’s knee instead, Silvius clears his throat. He may as well sate his friends’ curiosity before Blaise could recover from his actions.

“Well, as well as cleaning up the corridors and the Chamber itself, I also got rid of the Basilisk corpse and fixed up any of the broken statues, walls, and ceiling. I decided that it would be best if I were to split our training grounds into various sections, with each area focusing on a different aspect of skills I wish for us all to work on. I have set up a dueling platform, some practice dummies, a potions laboratory, some exercise equipment, a target range, a tutoring section for when we want to work on homework and group projects and such, a library/research center as well as a surveillance room and briefing/conference room. I will go into more detail about what each section can be used for when I take you all down to the Chamber later on. It would be a lot easier that way.”

“That sounds amazing, Silvius.”

“We are going to be able to learn so much.”

“It will also allow all of us to use the training grounds at the same time without being disturbed by whatever everyone else is doing.”

“Theo is correct. There are wards surrounding each section to keep the privacy, though you are still able to see everything going on inside, and they are not completely muffled by outside noise. There are some sound-blocking wards, not dissimilar to Muffliato, surrounding the Research and tutoring sections as well as wards which will prevent any stray spells from entering any other segment from the dueling platform and training arena.”

“Wow, that is an impressive feat of magic, Silvius.”

“Thank you, Draco. It took me a while to learn how to erect those particular wards, but Virtus has been invaluable in tutoring me.”

“When did he have the time to teach you such complicated warding?”

“During the summer. He was visiting the Manor quite often in the beginning because he had some matters to discuss with Uncle Marvolo, and I asked him if he had enough time to teach me any wards that would act as noise-canceling and protection wards. He taught me a few and I decided to try and combine them together in one web of protection. It worked out pretty well after a few hours of testing. I even managed to set them so that if we are attacked, then the wards will absorb the power of the spell and recharge themselves using the caster’s magic.”

“That is really impressive, Silvius.”

“It is no wonder that the Dark Lord wanted you as his Heir as well as the Heir to the Dark Sect.”

-----

“You know, Regulus. I do not think that I will ever get used to seeing that.” Severus mutters around a mouthful of chicken and rice, his eyes alight with mirth as he watches the interaction between Silvius and his followers.

“What do you mean?”

“Severus is referring to Silvius and his faction. It would appear that Silvius has accomplished something, a new training ground apparently for his faction to use. It has sent the Slytherin sixth years into quite a flurry and I believe that he has hinted at showing them the finished product as soon as they are finished with their food.”

“Already? I have to admit that I am surprised. He informed myself and Marvolo of some of the ideas he had for his secret evil lair, as he kept calling it, and I am impressed if he has indeed managed to develop such a place in such a short space of time. He really is coming into his own.”

“That he is, Regulus. I heard that he also sent his Twins out to gather some supplies for his secret evil lair. He apparently had them traipsing around Muggle London looking for something, but I couldn’t discern what they were buying for him. Nor what he could possibly want from the Muggle World.”

Regulus shrugs his shoulders, his eyes skirting over to glance at Dumbledore. He knew that his son had wanted to develop something that would allow him to spy on the old coot, but even he hadn’t been privy to that part of Silvius’s plans. No matter how much he had pleaded with his son. Turning his attention back to his child, Regulus smiles; he had never seen a group of Slytherin’s spluttering and acting so uncouth before, not that many could tell the difference, but he thought the sight amusing.

“He has just promised to take them all down this evening.”

“Did you manage to apply a listening charm around them or something, Remus?”

“No. With the blocks surrounding my magic off and with Fenrir’s training, my werewolf senses seemed to have heightened to what they were supposed to be from the beginning. If I focus enough, I can hear their conversation, which is rather enlightening. Silvius is able to demand their respect and loyalty without having it tampered with by fear or trepidation. We all trust Silvius completely and would happily follow him in anything he plans to do.”

“I get what you mean, that is what we feel like when we serve Marvolo as well. Though, I have to admit that it is amazing to see how Silvius conducts himself during his meetings. I have only witnessed the one, and it was only the introductory briefing he gave after welcoming the Longbottom Heir and Lovegood to his ranks, but it was impressive. I am so proud of just how far he has come.

“From that scrawny, bashful, affection-starved eleven-year-old to this commanding sixteen-year-old, it is hard to believe that they are the same child sometimes.”

“You know, he definitely reminds me of how you used to be in school, Reg.”

“Really? I don’t think I had such a flare for dramatics as Silvius does, nor did I have such a command of those around me. I see more and more of Cassie in him every day.”

“I have to agree; he does show some of Cassie’s traits, but there are moments, more so than not, that I am struck by how alike he is to you, Regulus. He most certainly is your son, and no one is going to be able to dispute that at all.”

“He even looks like you did when you were his age.”

Regulus glances down the hall toward his son and feels his lips tugging into a small, indulgent smile. He couldn’t help but agree with Remus and Severus, Silvius does look remarkably like himself when he had been that young, but that was to be expected with family magics as strong as the Blacks running through his veins. It is a marvel that there was as much of Cassie’s features in him as there were.

“I fear that the children may be slightly disappointed this evening, however.”

“Why is that Severus?”

“Because I do believe that they have forgotten that Slytherin House is holding our weekly house meeting after dinner, and therefore, whatever it is that they are planning is going to have to wait for another day, I am afraid.”

“Oh, Severus, they are going to be so crushed. Just look at how excited they are.”

The three professors return their gazes to the sixth-year Slytherin students and smile at the excited chatter spilling between them. They smirked when they witnessed Blaise’s effects on Silvius, and they knew that Silvius was going to have a hard time saying no to his Destined Mate in the future.

“I believe that Silvius is about to give in and tell them what he spent his time down in the Chamber doing. Blaise really is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Silvius.”

“I wouldn’t speak too soon if I were you, Remus; I think that Silvius has just as much of an effect on Blaise as Blaise has on himself. If the blush dusting his cheeks are anything to go by.” Remus and Severus turn their attention to Blaise, chuckling at the faint flush they could see dusting the boy's dark skin tone and the sly smirk stretching across Silvius’s lips as he curls against his Mate’s side.

“I believe that you may have to have a certain conversation with your son and his Mate very soon, Regulus. With the way your child is fondling Blaise’s leg under the table and the grip Blaise has on Silvius’s hip, is anything to go off, you may have a few things to explain to both of them. Especially Silvius.”

Regulus pales, his eyes widening at Remus’s words. He turns wide eyes towards Severus and Remus. His son had only just been returned to him; he didn’t even want to think about having any form of conversation with Silvius that pertained to him engaging in acts that could result in his having children of his own. Or explaining methods and spells that would prevent him from having children of their own. Not until he was out of Hogwarts, at least. Silvius and Blaise hadn’t even finished their courting period yet. He shakes his head, knowing that his friends are right, that he is going to have to make sure that Silvius is fully aware of the risks of such intimate relationships… he is not looking forward to such a conversation. Maybe he could trick Marvolo into doing it for him.

“No, thank you.”

Severus chuckles while Remus lets out a bark of laughter at Regulus’s response. Their out-of-character behaviour brings their conversation to the attention of their colleagues. However, their attention is quickly pulled elsewhere once they realise that Remus, Severus, and Regulus are completely absorbed in whatever they are discussing. They couldn’t deny feeling amused by the bright flush coating Regulus’s cheeks, however.

 “Uncle Marvolo may just have to take one for the team in this matter. I am sure he wouldn’t mind explaining such things to Silvius.”

Remus’s laughter splutters to a halt, his eyes widening as he stares over at Regulus, who is nodding sagely down to his plate. He turns his gaze to Silvius, who is once again surrounded by avidly listening followers.

“Oh, my Merlin. Can you imagine Marvolo actually giving such a talk to Silvius? The poor boy would be traumatized into never consummating his bond with Blaise. Ever. I know I would be if I had to listen to Lord Slytherin, the Dark Lord, giving me a once over in sex education…”

“It is what he signed up for when he agreed to be Silvius’s godfather.”

“I do not think that he had this in mind when he agreed…” Severus adds, his lips twisting into a gleeful smirk at the imagery.

“He has no choice in the matter…”

-----

Silvius sits on one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace in the Slytherin common room, his arms crossed over his chest as his In Dolus Intortis, the Slytherin members anyhow, settle themselves around him. Their own expressions sporting various pouts, scowls, and glares gave them a wide birth from their fellow housemates, but they couldn’t bring themselves to care. Their expressions deepen when Severus steps through the portal hole just a moment later, Remus and Regulus following close at his heels. Regulus smirks over at his son, chuckling when the boy huffs in annoyance and turns his face away as his arms cross tighter against his front.

“I told you that they were going to be annoyed with you, Severus.”

Severus scrutinizes the group of sixth-year Slytherins and sighs inwardly at the uncouth behavior they are employing. Though he couldn’t exactly fault them. From what he had heard from Regulus and Marvolo and from what Remus had overheard, he had delayed a much-anticipated trip down into the Chamber of Secrets. He pinches the bridge of his nose, there wasn’t much he could do about it when a house meeting had been called. One which he had reminded the students of that morning. One which has been stated in a notice on the Slytherin board for the past two days.

“They will get over it in no time, I am sure.”

“I would have to disagree with you, Severus. They look pretty peeved off with you already.” Remus manages to whisper through his snickers. The werewolf hadn’t expected Silvius Black, Heir to the House of Black and Slytherin and Lord to three more households, to sulk in such a splendid fashion, but here he was witnessing such a display. However, the Heirs and Heiresses of the other prominent households were not faring much better.

“I would get this meeting over with if I were you, Severus. Before they burn a hold in your head from the ferocity of their glares. The Muggle phrase, if looks could kill, springs to mind.” Regulus mutters, seeing that the expressions on his son’s friends are turning stormier the longer they are made to wait for the reasoning behind their presence at such a meeting. However, that may be due to the fact that they no longer would have enough time to go down into the Chamber of Secrets before curfew hit.

“You would be right about that, Regulus. Poor Severus. I do believe that Lucius would miss him terribly if he were to spontaneously combust.” Regulus and Remus break into uncontrollable snickers at the glare Severus shoots their way for their teasing comments.

Stepping forward, Severus clears his throat as he glances around the room at his gathered Slytherin students. However, he does neglect, quite intentionally, to pay attention to the sixth years, who he can feel still glaring at him from their secluded space around the fireplace.

“Good evening, Slytherin. As many of you are aware, every week, we will hold a house meeting where I will inform you of any important and pressing information that I believe you have a right to know about the school, your lessons, and so forth. I will also inform you of anything which the headmaster deems you unfit to know, but I deem you ready. All students must be in attendance without exception because you will not be made privy to any information you have missed. Do I make myself clear?”

His voice deepens as he stares coolly at his disgruntled sixth years, and he waits patiently for them all to nod, however reluctantly, at his request. He had already given them permission to hold their private study sessions without needing to seek him out like their housemates. He had even given them to okay to disappear from the common room as long as they were all present for curfew. However, the house meetings were non-negotiable. Inclining his head at their acceptance, Severus sweeps his gaze over the room once more.

“Good. This first meeting will be brief as it is the first week back after the holidays. Firstly, the first-year flying lessons have now been scheduled for Thursday afternoons, and you will be escorted down to the training grounds by one of the available Prefects. On these days, I ask that you wait in the common room after lunch for your elected guide. Second, due to multiple positions opening up on the Quidditch team this year, Mister Vaisey and I have decided to move the tryouts forward to early next week. If you wish to participate, then please sign your name up on the try-out sheets which I will pin to the notice board after the meeting. If you neglect to put your name down, then you will not be able to try out. Is that understood?”

Everyone in the room, bar the first years, nods silently, eyeing the notice board with gleeful expressions. Many of them would be signing their names up as soon as their Head of House was out of the way. Vaisey shakes his head in exasperation. It happened without fail every year. They held tryouts to determine the new team, and the majority of people who turned up were nothing short of novices on a broom. Barely able to stay upright, let alone perform some of the more advanced maneouvers.

He almost resigns himself to another disappointing tryout when he glances across the room at the new sixth-year student, Silvius, who believes his name to be Heir to the House of Black and the son of their new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. He feels himself smirking in return at the look of sadistic glee shaping not only his face but the faces of Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini. He had watched the older students play in a few skirmish matches and knew that they were needed on his team; even though Malfoy had played for Seeker since his second year, the boy was much better suited for a Chaser Position.

“Alright, now that that is settled. I am pleased to inform our sixth- and seventh-year students that due to popular demand this year, both Alchemy and Ancient Runes have been added to the curriculum. If you were one of the students who signed up for this class, your professors will arrive sometime in the next few days, and your classes in these subjects will commence next week.”

Excited mutters break out across the room, the sixth- and seventh-year students smiling as they turn to their friends, discussing the new subjects that they are going to be allowed to study. Something which would be a great help to them when it came for most of them to take up the mantle as Heads of their families and also for their side if and when war broke out between the Light and Dark sects. Severus raises a hand, and the common rooms instantly quieten down, the students focusing their attention back on their Head of House.

“One final thing from me this evening: I would like to congratulate you all on a brilliant start to the school year. Slytherin House is in first place for the House Cup and has suffered the least loss of house points so far this term. You should all be immensely proud of yourselves, and keep up the good work. Is there anything you would like to add Professor Black, Professor Lupin?”

“Nope, I think you have just about covered everything.”

“Yes, I have nothing more to add either.”

“Alright, this meeting is adjourned for now. Please try not to leave the common room for the remainder of the evening as it is getting late, and we will soon be approaching curfew.” Severus directs this last part towards the sixth years who scowl at him in frustration but resign themselves to having to wait another day before they would be allowed to see their new training grounds.

Notes:

Another chapter down and dusted! YAY!
Sorry about the delays guys, I have zero motivation to pick up my writing for the past couple of weeks and this story is only getting updated as often as it is because the next few chapters are all written and just need a once over in editing XD

I hope you all enjoy this new chapter, and don't forget to leave me any thoughts on what you may want to happen next!!! I am always open to suggestions!

Chapter 7: Animagus Transformation and Creature Inheritances

Silvius sighs and tightens his hand around Blaise’s as they walk into the Transfiguration classroom the following day. They settle down on one side of the classroom as the Gryffindors follow closely behind, shouting, screaming, and jumping on each other, tripping one another up as they make their own way to their desks. Clambering for a seat while Professor McGonagall merely sits behind her desk and watches the commotion. McGonagall waits a few minutes for the Gryffindor students to settle down before she finally pushes herself to her feet a scowl firmly in place as she surveys the room of students in front of her. That was something she didn’t approve of teaching to such young students, but Dumbledore had insisted after what had happened with the Marauders back in their fifth year, and she couldn’t exactly fault him. How three students had managed to become animagi at the age of fifteen without any of their teachers suspecting a thing was beyond her comprehension.

“Welcome to Transfiguration. This year, you will begin the preparations for your N.E.W.T examinations, which are, as you know, the most important examinations you will sit in your schooling career. They will determine your career path. For you to be here, the majority of you received no less than an Exceeds Expectations on your O.W.L exams last year and have proven to myself and the board of governors that you are serious about furthering your Transfiguration knowledge over the next two years.”

The class is silent, hanging off McGonagall’s words as she commands their attention. Her strict demeanour allows her to take control of a classroom with a few uttered phrases. She glances around the classroom and folds her hands over her stomach as she settles back against her desk with a firm frown.

“I will not allow for any misbehaviour to happen in this classroom, as I believe that you are all old enough to know how to conduct yourselves in a classroom environment. Therefore, I will also be implementing a new rule in my classroom. If you are to fail any assignment I hand out three times, then you will leave my lessons, and you will not be permitted entrance back. Do I make myself clear?”

Everyone nods their heads, too stunned to speak in the presence of the even stricter than usual behaviour of the Head of Gryffindor House. Looks of confusion are shared around while McGonagall turns to the front of the classroom and motions for her students to direct their attention to the blackboard. Tapping the side of the board with her wand, the students gasp in surprise when a title appears at the top in their professor’s familiar scrawl, ‘Animagus Transformations’.

“Headmaster Dumbledore had insisted that I begin to teach you the more basic aspects behind the Animagus transformation process, what it entails, and Merlin helps us; by the end of these two years, some of you will even be able to transform into an Animagus form and back with no problems. This, however, will not be a part of your N.E.W.T examination, but for those of you wishing to take your Mastery in Transfiguration and wish to gain the highest marks possible, this will earn you extra points. Now, students, get out your textbooks, and we will begin.”

Silvius reluctantly releases Blaise’s hand in order to gather his textbook, quill, and parchment from his backpack before he turns his attention back to Professor McGonagall. These lessons were going to be immensely boring for himself, Draco, and Blaise. He had recently read in one of the books his father had bought him that wizards and witches who come into a Creature Inheritance, like himself, would not have an Animagus form in the traditional sense. This is mainly due to the fact that their Animagus form is taken as that of their Creature transformation.

He had attempted to meditate because he wanted to find out if this was indeed correct or whether it had been written due to the author’s own limitations. During his meditation, he felt an impulse running through his magic, almost like a gentle caress urging him to attempt to transform into his Presvýteros Daímonas while manipulating it into a form of Animagus Creature instead of the humanoid variant. It had taken him a couple of tries and many hours of concentration to get it right but in the end, it had worked. He had been able to bound around his bedroom as a small pup-sized dragon hatchling. He had even been able to fly in that form which had been an exhilarating experience.

Now that he had technically manipulated his Creature Inheritance into forming an Animagus form, though it had been stated to be impossible, Silvius was tempted to teach Draco and Blaise how to do the same. Though he wasn’t exactly sure what sort of Magical Creature a Veela and Cambion would turn out to be, it would be interesting to find out. Maybe it would be something worth researching and practicing at a later date.

An elbow connecting with his ribs breaks Silvius out of his thoughts, and he quickly glances around the classroom, flushing gently when he notices that every set of eyes is staring at him. Smirking sheepishly, Silvius turns his attention back to Professor McGonagall who is scowling at him something fierce, if his godfather wasn’t the most deranged and evil Dark Lord in history and he wasn’t surrounded by the Elite Death Eaters so often then he would have felt cowed.

“Seen as you see fit to ignore my teachings, Mister Black, then you wouldn’t mind answering a few questions for me.”

“Of course. I apologise, Professor.”

“What, Mister Black, is the difference between an Animagus and a Werewolf?”

Silvius withholds a scoff and eye roll, is she trying to trick him with such a simplistic question, or did she honestly believe that he wouldn’t know the difference between the two. Especially seen as he knew werewolves and wizards who could transform into an Animagus. Staring up at the smug smirk on his professor’s face, Silvius contemplates his answer before he smirks back.

“An Animagus is a magical transformation that allows a witch or wizard to transform into a single creature, usually of the non-magical variant. However, there have been rare cases, especially when an individual holds great magical strength, that someone has transformed into a magical creature. A werewolf, on the other hand, is forced through their transformations once a month during the full moon. However, there have been some instances where werewolves who are powerful enough and have fully integrated with their wolf have been able to use their wolf form as an Animagus form, or as close to one as they can achieve.”

“Werewolves cannot transform at will like an Animagus can.” Granger cuts in, her tone signifying exactly what she thought of his answer, and he sneers at her.

“Actually, Granger, there are plenty of records which state otherwise. In certain history books which dictate some of the more gruesome and debilitating battles of the First Wizarding War, there were multiple witnesses who claimed, and evidence has been found, stating that Werewolves assisting the Dark Sect could be seen on the Battlefields despite it not being a full moon. This indicates that werewolves are capable of using their transformations as a form of Animagus ability if they have enough magical power to control the wolf. This ability also allows them to have better control over their minds during the actual Full Moon transformation.”

“Those books are decades old, Mister Black. How in Merlin’s name did you find them?” Silvius turns back to Professor McGonagall, tipping his head to the side.

“I apologise, Professor, but I have to disagree with you on that. Those books are not, nor are the accounts, decades old. The wizarding war I believe only ended towards the end of 1981, a little under sixteen years ago now. The war is still fresh in peoples’ minds, and as one of the most hailed heroes of such a war, shouldn’t you know these accounts better than anyone? Besides, any decent pureblood family will have copies of such tomes in their family library. They were not at all hard to find.”

Silvius settles back into his seat and slips his hand under the table in order to grip Blaise’s, who interlaces their fingers and squeezes. Blaise’s lips up turn into an adoring smile, bringing heat to Silvius’s cheeks. Draco pats his cousin’s shoulder in acknowledgment and support of his response, drawing a smirk from Silvius’s lips. He loved being surrounded by his friends.

“Alright, how long would it take for one to become an Animagus, Mister Black?”

“That solely depends on the witch or wizard themselves and their magical abilities, Professor. For example, I believe that it took a couple of fifth-year students a mere few months to find their forms and complete the transformation. However, it can take weeks, months, or even years of mediation to find one's Animagus form and then further months or years to manipulate oneself into said creature. Bearing in mind that it can take a month to initially brew the Animagus potions and the witch or wizard attempting such a transformation would also need to hold a Mandrake leaf in their mouth for an entire month before taking the potion… it is a long process.”

Professor McGonagall, as well as the majority of his classmates stare at him for giving such a lengthy answer, both in surprise and a little disappointment. Clearly, many of the Gryffindor students were put off attempting such an advanced piece of magic now that they knew just how much time and effort they would need to put into it. He smirked at them in return, pleased to know that he didn’t have to worry about such things now, not when he had his Creature Inheritance and his own form of an Animagus.

“Very well put, Mister Black. Ten points to Slytherin. Alright, students, I would like for you all to read the first chapter of your textbooks, make notes of all the relevant information you come across, and try to answer any questions the book poses. I will be walking around in case you need assistance.”

Silence blankets the classroom as the students pull their textbooks open, parchment rustling as they all begin their assigned tasks, all except for Blaise, Draco, and Silvius, who lean over their desks and begin to talk quietly amongst themselves. Until McGonagall spies them after all.

“And pray tell boys why you are not completing your classwork.” Silvius squeezes Blaise’s hand and settles the other on Draco’s shoulder telling them that he would handle this while he turns to smile up at the Gryffindor head.

“Well, you see, Professor, what you and the headmaster neglected to take into account with these lessons is that some students, especially those from Pureblood or even half-blood families, will not be able to take part in these sessions due to some very interesting circumstances.”

“And what would these circumstances pertain to Mister Black, that would prevent yourselves from doing your work?”

“Creature Inheritances, Professor. You see, when a child comes into their Creature Inheritance, then they are usually between the ages of fifteen and seventeen. Those who have a Creature Inheritance are unable, or so they state, to have an Animagus Transformation. Therefore, wouldn’t it be a waste of time for us to participate in the lessons when we do not possess the ability to transform into Animagi?”

Professor McGonagall stares down at Silvius, her eyes flicking from him to Blaise and then to Draco, who are all smiling up at her innocently. She didn’t believe this; no one had informed her that three of her students would not be able to take part in her lessons for that year. She scowls.

“You expect me to believe that all three of you came into your Creature Inheritances during the summer?”

“Of course not, Professor. Blaise came into his Inheritance at the end of the last year while he had still been in school. Draco and I came into our Inheritance during the summer months.”

“How come that school was not informed of this?”

“Because the school does not need to be informed of a student’s creature status. Our Inheritances do not affect our abilities to perform in the classroom. I am sure that I don't just speak for myself when I say that my core was given a nice little boost after I received my inheritance, which would no doubt increase my performance in school. Why didn't the school inform the sixth-year parents that they would be trying to teach their children such a dangerous transfiguration as the animus? Surely parents would wish to know in case something went wrong.”

McGonagall pauses for a moment, blinking down at the three boys. She has never heard of three students all coming into their creature inheritances in the same years before. This has never happened in all her years of teaching, and she isn't sure how to proceed. The last incident she could recall where a student couldn’t take part in certain lessons because of a Creature Inheritance was when Lucius Malfoy came into his Veela Inheritance, and she had been a new professor on the faculty then. Though why Dumbledore did not send out the required notice to parents was beyond her.

"You should have received a letter with your school supply lists this year?" McGonagall states, glancing around the room only to see her Gryffindor students shaking their heads and muttering between themselves. Shaking her head, she lets out a deep sigh and pinches the bridge of her nose. She will be having a strong word with Dumbledore by the end of the day.

"It is alright, Professor; it isn't your fault that none of us were informed. Besides, you will be very pleased to know that I get very bored when I have nothing substantial to do and experiment with my own Inheritance during the summer holidays." Silvius assures, waving away the professor's words. "You see, I wanted to find out if it were at all possible to use my creature transformation and manipulate it into becoming or even allowing an Animagus transformation as well. It would seem that the textbooks pertaining to the matter were written by someone identifying their own limitations instead of a generalisation of wizarding folk."

Silvius shoots a wink at his professor and pushes himself from his seat. He ignores the raised eyebrow she is directing his way and the questioning expressions on Draco and Blaise’s features. He would offer to teach them as a way to apologise for keeping this a secret from them for so long. Closing his eyes and focusing his magic on his Creature blood, Silvius allows his limbs to bend and twist into the familiar shape of his Animagus.

Professor McGonagall gasps in surprise. Standing on the desk in front of her, where Silvius had just been standing, is a small dragon-like hatchling only slightly larger than her own Animagus form. His wings are leathery black with silver outlines, and his entire body is pure black. The only bit of colour on his small frame is the bright, swirling amber eyes, which seem to sparkle with mischief.

Silvius quickly transforms back and collapses into his seat. He sighs happily when Blaise drops a kiss on his temple as an arm snakes around his waist, and Silvius relaxes. His boyfriend wasn’t upset at him for not telling him about this before now. Snuggling into Blaise’s embrace, Silvius smirks up at McGonagall, who is looking down at him in wonderment, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

“A marvelous achievement, Mister Black. Your father must be incredibly proud of you. Fifty points to Slytherin.” Professor McGonagall turns around to make her way back to the front of the classroom, ignoring the outcries coming from her Gryffindor students at her generous offer of points. Silvius chuckles and smirks over at Weasley and Granger, sending them a jaunty wave as their faces flush deeply with resentment and anger at having been bested by him once again.

“Wow, that was amazing, Silvius. You are going to teach us how to do that as well, aren’t you?” Draco demands, turning to face his cousin, who nods in agreement, giggling lightly.

“Of course I will, Dray. I will add it to the list of things we are going to be learning. However, I believe it would only benefit us if everyone in our club knew what their Animagus Forms were. We could try to incorporate them into our missions and our dueling techniques.” Silvius smirk is answered with two matching expressions, his friends knew exactly what he was hinting at.

They would need to find the recipe and brew the potion, which would allow someone to immediately take on their Animagus form without all the hassle that went with it. There was no way that Silvius was having his entire In Dolus walking around with a leaf in their mouth for an entire month. It was ridiculous and not necessary. After they had all taken on their forms, they would be able to incorporate them into their dueling styles as well as work them into missions when they needed to be stealthy and sneak up on unsuspecting targets. It could also be a way that they distance themselves from their true identities because no one would believe that an entire group of sixth-year students had managed to figure out their Animagus transformations so quickly.

"We are going to be able to see it tonight, aren’t we, Silvius?”

“See what? You just saw my animagus form.” Silvius questions, scratching his cheek in order to hide his smirk when Draco scowls at him, though he decidedly doesn’t look at Blaise, knowing that he would cave in an instance if he looked into those violet eyes and saw his pouting lips.

“You know very well what I am talking about, Silvi. Please. Can you show us tonight?”

“Oh, alright, yes. I will take you all down there tonight after dinner. I will have to sneak away to find Neville and Luna so I can tell them where to meet us and at what time. I will contact Uncle Marvolo and ask him to inform my outside forces and to see if there is anyone in his faction who wishes to come and see our training grounds. They are going to be so jealous.”

“I still find it hard to believe that those twin menaces actually went behind their parents' backs and joined our club. It is incredible. They are both geniuses in their own rights, and yet they completely failed their N.E.W.T examinations.”

“My. My. My. Do my ears deceive me, or did Draco Malfoy just compliment two Weasleys?" Silvius snickers, patting his cousin's shoulder. "Fred and George have always found school to be too boring for them; they didn’t care whether they passed or failed their exams. As long as they held the knowledge they would need to make their inventions, then they were happy. Fred is absolutely brilliant at Charms and spellwork, while George excels in potions and herbology. They are a formidable team.”

“Either way, they are brilliant. I mean, they are what? Eighteen years old, and they already own one of the most successful businesses in the Alley. They must be loaded about now, and WWW only opened for business a couple of months ago.”

“Draco is right. With the help of Marvolo, Lucius, and your father, Silvius, those two were able to set up their shop and open for customers within a few weeks. Their stocks are flying far above the rest.”

“They are doing exceedingly well for themselves, as far as I am aware. I believe they are making more than their forecasted rates by at least 25% a week."

“How would you know?” Draco questions, and despite his words, his tone is more curious than accusatory, and Silvius smirks at his cousin.

“Well, initially, I did give them some start-up money for their store, the Triwizard Tournament winnings, in fact, and they decided to make me a silent benefactor and business partner. They refused to take my name off their business, and so I receive 10% of their monthly income… it was the lowest rate they would accept from me.” Silvius admits with a slight pout. The twins had refused to even consider not giving him a fraction of their profits and had insisted on making him a silent investor and benefactor. Threatening to do it without his permission if he didn’t agree. When they found out about his true identity, they switched over to transferring his share directly into the Potter family account.

“Wow. Really? Why did you give the money to them?”

“Because I didn’t need it, nor did I want it. I was forced into that tournament without so much as a by-your-leave. It wasn’t until later that we realised that because I hadn’t put my name in the Goblet, I wouldn’t have lost my magic if I had refused to participate. The person who put my name in the Goblet would have lost their magic because it would have been their magical signature that got recorded and not mine. Besides, Fred and George needed it more than I did.”

“You really are too good for this world, Tesoro. You are one of the few people I know who has never discredited the twins of their dream of building their own joke shop, nor did you ever belittle their choice to spend their time inventing instead of studying. You are also one of the few people who can tell them apart, I hear. No wonder they would come to the Dark Side and stay to serve you as part of your faction.” Silvius blushes at the awed expressions on Blaise’s face. He ducks his head to avoid looking at such a heartfelt gaze.

“I admit that I felt sorry for them in the beginning. Their parents spoke about them like they weren’t even part of the family, and it made me feel a connection with them. When Ronald got offered the Prefect role, Mrs Weasley actually said that’s everyone in the family now. Fred and George looked devastated. I remember them responding with What are Fred and I? The next-door neighbours? It was heartbreaking to listen to, and I hated it. Those two are brilliant, they are loyal to a fault to those they trust. They are intelligent and cunning, and they were the only ones who believed me about the… about my past. I owe them my life and I can never pay them back for that. They are my brothers in all but blood, and I love them dearly.”

“Besides, it isn’t that difficult to tell the two apart.” Draco puts in with a wave of his hand. He settles a comforting hand on Silvius’s shoulder while Blaise squeezes his hand again. A chuckle breaks from his lips at Blaise's muttered, 'They best just be brothers.'

“How do you know how to tell the Weasley twins apart?”

“Fred tends to be a little more immature than his brother despite being the older twin. George is a mother hen. Whenever I used to see them fussing over Potter, it was always George who did most of the fussing. Fred’s voice is also slightly deeper than his brother’s.”

“Spent a lot of time observing the Twins, have you, Draco? I did notice that you never mentioned how shocking it was for Bill and Charlie to join the Dark or even be the ones to bring their brothers along...” Blaise teases, a sparkle entering his eyes as he stares across the desk at his long-time friend. Silvius giggles when a light flush coats Draco’s cheeks.

“No, I was just curious as to how they could even be related to the Weasleys with how they acted most of the time. And I thought it was only a matter of time before the older Weasleys joined the Dark. I mean, they weren't exactly the epitome of Light Wizards, were they?” Draco defends, his voice dropping to a hissed whisper when all Blaise and Silvius do is laugh in response to his flustered words. His ears burn a little, cheeks warming and he lets out a huff.

“You know, I always wondered the same thing, to be honest, but I still can’t tell them apart. Now I only can when they wear their uniforms for meetings and such… that is if they don’t swap colours when no one is looking…” Blaise mutters, and Silvius muffles his laughter behind his hand. He knows that the twins were most likely going to swap with each other at some point and even he will have some difficulties telling them apart then.

“That is true. I wonder how they are faring with the Metamorphmagus sweets and the Wristbands.”

“The last time I checked in on them, they were almost done with the wristbands. It is the sweets that are giving them trouble. They keep blowing up in their faces, apparently.”

“Damn. That isn’t good.”

“Nope, but they are the twins. They will find a way to make them work even if they have to go without proper sleep and meals for a few days. They will figure it out, and if not, then we will have our Animagus forms.”

“That is so very true, Silvius. You are an evil genius; has anyone ever told you that?” Silvius chuckles.

“A few times, I always do love hearing such things, dear cousin.”

“Then I will make sure to compliment you often, Tesoro.” Blaise leans forward, whispering against Silvius’s ear, which draws a deep flush to the younger boy’s cheeks and a delighted smile to his lips at the familiar term of endearment.

“I will hold you to that, Love.”

“Merlin, can you two be any mushier? We can't even make it through one lesson without you two making googly eyes at each other.” Draco complains, sticking his tongue out at his two friends, who merely laughed at his expressions. Blaise drops a kiss on the back of Silvius’s hand while his boyfriend responds by kissing the tip of his nose. “You two are ridiculous; you do know that, right?”

“Of course we do, Dray. I live to make your life a living hell. Isn’t that what cousins are for? Besides, you really should get your jealousy in check, dear cousin; I am sure that you will find your Mate soon enough.”

Draco splutters, the tips of his ears turning red in embarrassment as his cousin smirks up at him, hand tightening around Blaise’s just as the bell rings to signify the end of their class. The trio turns to pack their books and parchment away when a voice breaks through their bubble.

“Did I happen to overhear you guys talking about Animagus transformations and the possibility of seeing our new training grounds this evening?” Daphne stands at the end of their table, eyes alight while she still retains her pureblood mask of indifference. Tracy holding no such qualms as she bounces on the balls of her feet in her excitement, a wide smile stretching across her lips. Silvius inclines his head, smirking at the two girls.

“Yes, we will be visiting them after dinner. Spread the word amongst our group, and I will make sure that our other friends hear about it before dinner.”

Daphne and Tracy nod their heads in understanding, lips twitching into the shadow of a smile at the long-awaited show of their new training grounds finally happening. The details Silvius had given them very sparingly had left them with more questions than answers, much to their chagrin. Even questioning their Defence professor about the grounds didn’t yield them any results. It seemed as if Silvius wanted the results to be as much a surprise for them as for the Dark Sect.

------

Silvius is quick to ditch his friends again when the bell signals the beginning of their lunchbreak, he drops a quick kiss to Blaise’s lips, throws a casual wave over his shoulder before he disappears around the corner in hopes of bumping into Luna or Neville at some point. It is why he isn’t all too surprised when he finds the pair seemingly waiting for him in a deserted corridor. Smirking at the Ravenclaw and the Gryffindor, Silvius shakes his head.

“I am not even going to ask how you guys knew where I was going to be or that I needed to speak with both of you…” Luna giggles at him and links her arm with Neville, who smiles down at the girl despite the light flush painting his ears.

“Luna came to me at the end of my lesson. I don’t know how she knew my timetable, but she told me that we were to meet someone at the beginning of lunch. She wouldn’t tell me who or why, but then again, our Luna is an enigma.”

“That she is, Neville, and we love her for it, but she was right. I am here to inform you of some much-awaited news. It has been hard work trying to keep my Slytherins calm enough without Severus throwing a wrench into our plans last night.” Silvius gestures for the others to follow him into one of the nearby classrooms. He didn’t want their conversation to be overheard by anyone who could be simply passing by on their way to the Great Hall. Closing and locking the door behind them all, Silvius throws up a borderline Dark silencing charm around the walls and an anti-eavesdropping ward just to be on the safe side. Turning his attention back to Neville and Luna, he smiles brightly.

“Alright, I have already informed the Slytherin students and will contact our outside forces of an impromptu training session this evening in our brand-new Chamber of Secret training grounds. I will also be extending an invitation to my father, godfathers, and uncle. As well as Fenrir Greyback if he is agreeable to see if they wish to see the regimes we are going to be going through in order to u our magical abilities and fighting prowess. Before they turn up, however, I am going to indite all of the In Dolus Intortis, I will explain the layout and hopefully get you all settled into the various segments so that we can make a good impression on Uncle Marvolo and my father.”

“Just what have you done to the Chamber, Silvius? I remember hearing from Weasley that part of the ceiling had collapsed, and it was partly flooded. Not to mention the large Basilisk corpse that was down there.” Silvius grins at Neville, clapping his hand in front of his chest and giggling. Neville shakes his head with a chuckle.

“Oh, Neville, I can’t just tell you that. You are just going to have to be patient and wait until we go down there this evening. I have been very busy getting it all pretty for us. Make sure that you wear your uniforms or bring them with you to change and only refer to each other as your guise names whilst we are there.”

Neville and Luna nod in understanding, knowing that they are not going to get much else from their leader about their new training grounds. However, with Silvius so excited to show everyone his work, they know that it will be impressive.

Silvius allows the two to exit the room before he pulls his two-way mirror out of his shirt and enlarges it. He ensures that the wards are still in place before he calls for his godfather to answer. In a matter of seconds, Silvius is staring at the familiar face of his Uncle Marvolo, a soft smile shaping his lips when he sees Silvius smiling down at him.

“Silvius, my little Salazar, what a nice surprise. How are you?”

“I am very well, thank you, Uncle Marvolo. School has been going fine, though I am finding most of the subjects rather tedious thanks to your and my father’s tutoring.”

“I am glad to hear that, Silvius. Now, what do I owe the pleasure of your call? I know it wasn't just to talk about your lessons.”

“Nope. My In Dolus Intortis are being introduced to their new training grounds later this evening, and I was wondering if you, Uncle Lucius, Uncle Severus, Father, and Fenrir would wish to accompany us and have a sneak peek as well?” Marvolo regards his godson for a moment, noting the nervous smile stretching his lips and his own expression softening.

“We would love to, Little Salazar. We have been anticipating having a look around the Chamber ever since you first informed us about your plans and refused to tell us what exactly you were planning to do besides asking for our help in purchasing some equipment for you. I am surprised that you have managed to put it together so quickly.”

“Thank you, Uncle Marvolo. You will need to apparate to these coordinates at eight o’clock this evening.” Silvius holds up a piece of parchment with a series of numbers scrawled across and Marvolo meticulously jots them down with a nod, excitement rising in his chest.  “I am going to give my In Dolus Intortis enough time to settle in before I allow you guys to have a look around, and I will even give you a grand tour before I begin the first official meeting of the school year. That is why I ask that you come slightly later. There are a few things I need to discuss with my faction, and I feel that you would also be interested in some of it as well.”

“Of course, Silvi. I am looking forward to seeing what you have come up with.”

“Uncle Marvolo? Would you mind passing on the message to my In Dolus Intortis on the outside for me? I fear that any owl I send out now may get intercepted or may not arrive in time. I wish for them to arrive at the same coordinates I have given you but at quarter to seven.”

“I will inform them straight away for you, Silvi. Now, I suggest that you go ahead and get something to eat before I inform your father that you are skipping lunch to speak to your favourite uncle.”

“Oh? Is Uncle Lucius there with you? Why didn’t you say something earlier?” Silvius asks, attempting to glance around his godfather through the mirror. A large smirk spreads across his mouth, and when Marvolo glares at him, he sticks his tongue out.

“Cheeky brat. Go and eat something, and I will see you later, little Salazar.”

“Okay, Uncle Marvolo. Just for the record, you know that you are my favourite uncle, right? Just don’t tell Fen, Remus, Severus, or Lucius I said that. I love you.”

“My lips are sealed, Silvi. I love you too, little one.”

The image in the mirror slowly fades, and Silvius sighs. He missed his uncles terribly and couldn’t wait until he got to see them all again this evening. Even if it hadn’t been too long since he had actually spoken to them all, especially Fenrir, Marvolo, and Lucius. Turning on his heels, Silvius tears down his wards, makes good on his word, and heads towards the Great Hall for some much-needed food.

-----

“So, what did your godfather say?” Theo asks before Silvius can even settle himself down on the bench at the Slytherin table.

"Hello to you as well, Theo." Smirking at the excitable boy, Silvius sticks his tongue out, rolling his eyes when his friend returns the gesture. He glances up at the staff table when his other godfather is just entering. Onyx eyes meet his as a slight grin shapes Severus’s lips. It looked as if his uncle Severus had already been informed of their plans for the evening. He sees the potions master seating himself at the table and immediately engaging his father and Remus in conversation. Hopefully, Severus was telling them about their training sessions tonight.

“Uncle Marvolo would be all too happy to inspect our secret evil lair as well as how we are all coping under the watchful eyes of Dumbledore. Uncle Marvolo has also happily agreed to inform our outside forces as well as his own faction, those who have been invited anyhow, to meet me in the apparition Chamber so that I can escort them through and give them a proper tour.”

His In Dolus Intortis nods along, grinning between themselves. Silvius, when he hears his stomach rumbling, manages to pull himself out of his thoughts and glances along the table to spot what foods are on offer that afternoon. He furrows his eyebrows. His plate had already been filled with his favourite foods. Glancing from Draco on his right to Blaise on his left, his smile brightens, heart fluttering when Blaise gestures to the plate with a gentle smile of his own. It seems as if Blaise was determined to get him to eat something as soon as possible, not that he minded at all.

However, what did surprise him was the fact that Blaise knew all of the foods he preferred to eat for lunch and had taken his preferences into account. That his boyfriend paid such great attention to him that he was able to figure out his likes and dislikes so easily. It made him feel loved and cared for, and he knew then that he was wanted. That Blaise wanted to have him around; that he wanted him to be safe and healthy. That his Mate wanted to look after him. His Creature preens, purring in contentment.

The mere thought of someone other than his close, immediate family caring for him to such a degree brings an explosion of warmth to his chest, and he can’t help the stuttering breath that escapes his throat while his chest constricts. He trembles lightly at the sparks of magic thrumming just below the surface as his creature continues to respond to its dominant’s actions. His shell-shocked, awe-filled expressions must have caught Blaise’s attention because his Mate is quick to drop his cutlery and turn his full attention on Silvius, who is gazing up at Blaise with eyes so filled with adoration, unconditional love, and respect that Blaise chokes up. His eyes widened, cheeks flushing, hands shaking.

“Sil-” His name is a mere sigh.

Silvius turns in his seat and takes one of Blaise’s hands in his own while the other cups Blaise’s cheek gently while his thumb brushes against his cheekbone almost reverently. His silver eyes meet Blaise’s violet, the air around them charging with small charges of magic, so much so that it appears as if a light bubble had manifested around them. They were so lost within their own world that neither of them noticed the eye rolls and envious looks being directed their way from their fellow Slytherins. They only had eyes for each other. Their Creatures keening for the other as they bask in the cocoon they had formed around themselves.

“I love you, Blaise.” His voice is quiet, whispered words meant only for his Mate to hear, but his friends can hear the depths of emotions behind those three simple words, and they can’t help but smile. Especially when a tear escapes Blaise’s eye only to be wiped away by Silvius. Their smiles are so soft, so open that even Draco chokes up at the display. He doesn’t understand what brought such emotions out of his cousin, but he is happy for Silvius and Blaise. He could practically see their love for each other manifesting in the sparks of magic around them, and it was beautiful to see. A mixture of purples and blues.

“Merlin, I love you too, Silvius.” His voice cracks, but he doesn’t care. Not when he sees the sparkle expanding in Silvius’s expressions at his return, not when soft lips press against his own. He isn’t sure why his little Mate decided to confess his love for him at that moment, in the middle of the Great Hall where anyone could be watching them, nor does he understand why he is feeling so emotional, but he doesn’t mind it. Not even that they are still sitting in the Great Hall where several Light supporters could use their lapse as a weakness to exploit further down the line. He only has eyes for his Mate, his love.

He moves his lips gently against Silvius’s. Their exchange loving, adoring. There is no heat behind their exchange, no arousal, nothing which would lead to anything more, not yet at least, and he is content with that. He was pleased that Silvius felt so relaxed and happy that he was willing to knock down a few more of his reservations. He sighs into the kiss before drawing back. His smile widens, completely unreserved, as he rests his forehead against Silvius’s. he takes in the happy glow that seems to surround his boyfriend and feels his creature purring in response. He did this. He had made his submissive so elated and content. He sighs again when Silvius leans forward and brushes his lips against his own, one against the tip of his nose, before he pulls away and rests his forehead back against Blaise’s.

“Not that I am complaining, Tesoro, but what bought this one?”

Silvius giggles, feeling deliriously happy as he turns to snuggle against Blaise’s side. He lifts his Mate’s arm up and loops it around his waist, leaning his head down to rest on his boyfriend’s shoulder. The arm around his waist pulls him closer, and a soft kiss is brushed against the top of his head. Their hands join on Silvius’s right hip before they both pick up their forks again to continue eating.

“I just wanted to let you know that I love you, Blaise. That I appreciate everything you do for me, how you look after me and protect me and make sure that I am happy, healthy, and safe all the time. I know that we haven’t had much time alone together since we came to school, but I promise that I will make it up to you soon.”

“Silvius… I know that you have been busy; I don’t blame you for this. Not in the slightest. Any time I get to spend with you is precious, and I cherish every second. Whether we are in class or just doing homework. You are the leader of the In Dolus Intortis, the Heir of two prominent houses, and the Lord of three more. I love you and will stand by your side, offering you all my support through everything we go through because you are my Mate, the one I am going to love for the rest of my life. You may be my submissive but you are by no means weak. I know that you are capable of looking after yourself but any time I get to, I will be spoiling you rotten and trying to alleviate the burdens you may face and the challenges you come across.”

Silvius can feel his eyes filling with tears, wondering how he could have gotten so lucky to have such an understanding and loving Mate standing by his side. One who understands that as a Lord to several households and the Dark Sect, he will have to put himself in danger and will become stressed and over-worked, but Blaise was willing to put up with all of that, was willing to stick by his side and offer to help wherever he could. Pressing a thankful kiss to Blaise’s cheek, Silvius smiles and smuggles closer to his boyfriend.

“I still want to make it up to you, Blaise. You know that I feel the same way. You are it for me, and I couldn’t be happier that it is you that I have by my side now and always, Destined.” Blaise feels his breath catch at the new endearment, his heart fluttering lightly against his ribcage, and he can’t help but press another kiss to Silvius’s lips.

“Awwww. Aren’t you two just the cutest.” Pansy coos at the couple, drawing them quite abruptly out of their private bubble; their cheeks explode with colour at the various expressions from their friends as if they knew that they had been forgotten for a while. Silvius and Blaise are surprised to even see tears shining in their eyes.

Blaise clears his throat, dropping one final kiss to Silvius’s head before tucking back into his meal without another word. Silvius giggles and rests back against Blaise’s shoulder as he, too, goes back to his food. He felt so light and airy at that moment.

“I know. I know, Pansy. Blaise and I are adorable. In fact, our relationship should be the envy of all.” He deadpans, a smirk shaping his lips when Draco chokes on the mouthful of pumpkin juice he had just sipped. He glares down at his cousin, accepting the napkin Theo offers him.

“Alright, you big sap. Maybe you can stop this show before my lunch decides to make a reappearance.”

“Awww. Dray, it is okay. You will find your Mate soon.”

“I am not jealous, you prat.” Draco scowls down at Silvius, their friends breaking out into delighted laughter, while Silvius adopts an innocent expression and tilts his head to the side to regard his cousin.

“Did I say anything about being jealous, dear cousin? I do not believe those words ever left my mouth.” Silvius smirks, watching as realisation dawns on Draco’s features before his cheeks blossom with a bright red, his lips down-turning even further as he huffs, and Silvius laughs. “You are a git. Did you know that, Silvius?”

Silvius giggles again, rubbing his cheek against Blaise’s shoulder, which is shaking with repressed laughter at his friend’s plight. It had always been fun riling Draco up, who was very easily annoyed if you knew which buttons to press—something Silvius seemed to excel at.

“I know, but you love me anyway, Dray.”

“Well, that just goes without saying…”

Notes:

A day early, but I wanted to get this out before I am working every day until Saturday, where I will be travelling to London for the Stray Kids Hyde Park performance XD
Hope you all enjoy this one!!

Chapter 8: Long-Awaited Training Grounds

Silvius struggles to withhold his laughter as he watches his In Dolus Intortis. Looking at the group of sixteen-year-olds, one wouldn’t immediately associate them with one of the private factions of the Dark Sect. not with how many of them were grinning manically and bouncing on the balls of their feet as they waited impatiently for the stragglers of their group to join them. Silvius rolls his eyes and lifts a hand to cover his mouth, muffling the sounds of his snickers when Tracy lets out a loud sigh of impatience, her lower lip forced so far out he is surprised that she hasn’t hurt herself yet.

Ignoring their various pouts and frowns of desperation for him to simply allow his Slytherins to go on ahead as best as he can, Silvius pushes himself away from the wall just as two familiar figures round the corner, both breathing heavily, cheeks flushed as they come to a stop in front of their friends. Neville offers them a sheepish smile, while Luna merely glances around the dungeons with a dreamy smile shaping her lips as she begins to hum a non-descript tune.

“Sorry we are late, Silvius. It took longer than anticipated for us to lose the Weasel and Mudblood. They have both taken to following me around at every given opportunity as of late.” Silvius cocks his head to the side, an eyebrow raised, though Neville just shakes his head. “I will tell you all about it during the meeting. I think this is best left to be explained during an official report, Jupiter and where we have less of a chance of being overheard.”

“Of course, Neville, as you wish.” Silvius concedes and inclines his head. His grin widens as he turns on his heels, clapping his hands together in delight. He gains the attention of his faction. Now that we are all here, or those whom I can direct, shall we head off?”

He doesn’t try to conceal his laughter this time when Tracy stands up so quickly that she trips over her own feet and stumbles into Daphne who catches the girl with a roll of her eyes and an exaggerated sigh. The rest of his friends do not fare much better as various nods of agreement follow his question, and a flurry of movement ensues as they all brush their hands down their robes, making sure that their masks are attached to their belts. Capturing Blaise’s hand, Silvius begins to make his way through the corridors of the dungeons, waving his greeting to the portrait of Grandpa Sal, who calls back his own as they continue past.

Coming across the familiar ornate door, Silvius mutters ‘Grant me entrance’ in Parseltongue, his hissed words drawing a round of gasps from his faction and a sharp intake of breath and a shiver from Blaise much to his own amusement. Who knew that the older teen would find the language of the serpents a turn-on? Or, at the very least, attractive. Shooting a devious smirk over his shoulder at his Mate, Silvius leads them all through the door. Maybe he would be able to use this to tease Blaise back at some point.

"Alright, we are going to have to wait here for a few moments while we wait for the others to Apparate through.” Silvius gestures to the large apparition Chamber he had set up, smirking when quiet groans of disappointment reach his ears. Turning his attention to his boyfriend as they settle around the room to wait for the arrival of their final members, Silvius raises an eyebrow.

“So, Parseltongue?” Silvius takes a step forward, eyes locked on the vibrant violet shining down at him.

“Honestly, I forgot you could speak it…” Blaise confesses. he didn't know how he could forget about that particular ability when he had seen Silvius writing and deciphering parselrunes several times before, but he had all the same.

“Blaise…” Silvius takes another step forward, watching in delight as another shiver runs through Blaise’s body, and a flush begins to stain his cheeks. His eyes drift closed for a second.

“What in Merlin’s name did you just say?”

“Just your name, my Destined. Would you like me to speak more?” Silvius knows that Blaise has no idea what he is being asked or that he is even being asked a question, but it was amusing to watch the older, usually more collected boy lose his composure so much, especially over just a few muttered words. He takes another step closer to Blaise, giggling when hands shoot out to grab his hips and tug him closer to his Mate. He stares up at intense violet.

“You, my darling Mate, are a tease. Do you know that?”

“It is a recently discovered trait, Destined. Do you not like it, Blaise?”

“No. No, you will hear no complaints from me, Sil. None at all.” Blaise smiles. Leaning down, he captures Silvius’s lips in a kiss, caressing his lips for a few seconds before he pulls back.

“That is good because I am having too much fun to stop now.” Silvius raises his arms and drapes them over Blaise’s shoulder to pull his boyfriend down into another kiss, this one slightly longer than the last but no less innocent.

“Silvius, would you at least try to behave? Imagine what your father would say if he saw what you were doing to poor Blaise.”

Silvius turns to face his cousin, his smirk still in place. The arms around his waist tighten, tugging him more firmly against a warm, solid chest, and he relaxes completely against Blaise. He giggles as feelings of love and safety surround him. Draco merely rolls his eyes at the couple and shakes his head. He knew that Silvius was just teasing Blaise, that the pair were much too cautious and unused to being in a relationship to take anything much further than the few chaste kisses they had shared, but still. It was his duty as Silvius’s older cousin to make sure that he didn’t do anything he may regret, not that he thinks Blaise would allow Silvius to.

“I do not know what you are referring to, Draco. I am on my very best behaviour. It is not my fault that Blaise happens to be highly susceptible to my speaking Parseltongue now, is it? Especially seen as it is the only way for us to enter the Chamber of Secrets.”

Blaise’s arms tighten, cheek resting against Silvius’s head as the couple watches Draco, who doesn’t respond to his cousin’s words. He merely crosses his arms over his chest and shakes his head again, leaning back against the wall. Silvius giggles. Tilting his head back to rest against Blaise’s shoulder, he stares into his boyfriend’s gaze, and Blaise can sense what Silvius is asking for and is all too happy to oblige his Mate’s silent request. He leans forward and presses a quick kiss to Silvius’s lips just before several pops sound in the room. Reluctantly pulling himself away from Blaise, Silvius brushes his hands down his uniform, double-checking that his mask is still secured at his side while he waits for his newly arrived members to gather their bearings.

“Good evening, my In Dolus Intortis. I am glad that you could all make it on such short notice.”

Bill takes a step forward at his greeting, places a fisted hand over his chest, and bows to Jupiter, his brothers, and the rest of his group, quickly following, much to Silvius’s confusion. Even Blaise slips around him to join in. He hadn’t told them to bow to him, nor had he particularly wished them to, and he had told them as such in their very first meeting.

“We were pleased with the invitation, Prince Jupiter and are looking forward to laying witness to your hard work and planning in assisting our growing progress.”

"However, it was absolutely terrifying to receive a Floo call from the Dark Lord this afternoon," Charlie mutters, scratching the back of his neck while his brothers nod along. "I thought I was in trouble for something. Or that Fred and George had blown something up again."

The group stands up as one, their hoods gathering around their necks and their masks swaying from their belts even as their uniforms wrap around their figures perfectly. Silvius sweeps his gaze around his faction, a satisfied smile forming across his lips as he takes them in in all their glory. They were going to be a splendid sight to behold on the battlefield. Figures cloaked in the night, splashes of colours distinguishing them from the Death Eaters, and if people weren’t awestruck by the mere sight of them or the mere mention of their name, then he was going to be disappointed. Circling his shoulders, Jupiter bows back, copying Virtus’s movements before he gestures for his faction to follow behind him. Each one attempts to keep their excitement contained as small mutterings trickle through the group, and Silvius grins.

Silvius once again whispers Parseltongue to the innermost door, his smirk returning when he feels Blaise trembling behind him, and he reaches back to grab his Mate’s hand. Slowly, as if to make sure that he holds everyone’s attention, Silvius pushes the door open, motioning for his faction to proceed him into the Chamber of Secrets while he secures the door behind them again. Sweeping in front of his gawking members, Silvius grins at the wide-eyed looks of awe before he throws his arm out dramatically. He was immensely proud of his Chamber.

“Welcome my In Dolus Intortis to the Chamber of Secrets. This is where we will be conducting the majority of our research, our training, mission planning, and so on and so forth. I will teach you all the activation phrases for the doors so that you may come here without me in the future. You are all free to use these facilities whenever you have free time but for those of you who are still in Hogwarts, I expect your grades to stay on top. If not, then I will be restricting your time here until you can maintain your schoolwork. Do I make myself clear?”

The In Dolus Intortis straighten their backs, faces falling into serious expressions once they sense the tone shift in their leader. They all nod once, throwing their fists over their hearts in order to bow slightly. An intoned collection of ‘Yes, Prince Jupiter’ echoes through the halls, and Silvius grins. Maybe having them bow to him every now and again wasn’t too bad.

“Excellent. Now for a quick rundown. I wish for you all to be keeping yourselves busy when the Dark Lord and his selection come for a visit shortly. Follow me.” Silvius leads his faction towards the center of the hall, arms gesturing around him to allow everyone to take in the various segments as he briefly explains what each is for and how they will work.

“To your left, you will see the Professional dueling platform I mentioned briefly before. I have layered it with protection charms and wards, which will keep any and all stray spells within the section. Two people may duel here at any given time and there may be spectators, the only exception I will allow for this will be if Remus and Romulus are training as I know that you two prefer to duel in a partnership rather than individually. Next, I have set up some spell training dummies, these figures are created to perfectly replicate the movements of the average Auror trained within the academy, if you cannot hold your own against at least two fully trained Aurors, then you have some work to do. We will find ourselves facing multiple opponents if we go against the Order and their supporters. The dummies can also be moved to the side if people are wishing for a large open space to practice their duelling, or if multiple people wish to duel against each other.”

Silvius once again waits for everyone to acknowledge his words before he points to the next segments and chuckles when he sees the instant spark shining in Draco and Tracy’s eyes when they recognise half of the equipment he had stocked. He is surprised that neither of them is drooling yet.

“Moving on, this is our fully stocked potions laboratory. This section has also been protected with wards that will disallow anything to disrupt or tamper with the potions being created while protecting anyone from being injured, whether they are inside the lab or outside if ever an accident should occur. Feel free to experiment with old potions and create new potions as well if you so wish. The next two sections are pretty similar. The first is a research center; the bookcases you can see lining this room are connected to not only the Hogwarts libraries but also the Slytherin family library and Salazar Slytherin’s private study, and therefore, they are able to bring you any book on a selected topic that you could ever want to research. Though I must caution you against attempting to read any ParselScript books; they do not like non-Parsels to read them.”

He waits for everyone to nod again, a few taking slightly longer than others as their eyes stay transfixed on the various sections around the room, and he can’t help but feel pride spark in his chest. He shakes his head at their reactions, muffling his snickers behind his hand. Theo was almost twitching to get to the library and research centre.

“The section next to this one is the study/tutoring nook. I decided to create these two rooms separately in order to separate those who wish to work on individual research projects from those looking for some assistance with their homework and school projects. The Tutoring section works the same way as the research center. However, there are more group tables than individual desks here, so we are able to work together easier. It can also be used for any research we may need to conduct before going out on a mission, especially when I send various groups out on different missions simultaneously.” Silvius takes a breath, the next couple of segments were the ones he knew were going to cause some, if any discourse between himself and his members but he wasn’t going to compromise.

“I have concluded that in order to keep on top of our enemies and to hold onto the element of surprise, then, we must not only train our magic but also in various forms of defense. This brings me to the next two sections. The first one you see, over there, near the potion’s lab, is a target range of sorts. Each of you will be trained by myself in the art of throwing knives and gun handling, yes these are muggle weapons. Each of you will practice these techniques until you are competent and can hit a moving target every time. The following section, next to the tutoring nook, houses various muggle equipment that will work on your general fitness and stamina. It will also allow for you to practice some hand-to-hand combat skills, also known as Martial Arts. I will be running a class twice a week for two hours, and I expect everyone to be in attendance unless you are completely unable to. Virtus, Mars, I will accept if you are unable to make it because of your employment obligations.”

“Thank you, My Prince.” The two bow politely, both silently vowing to make themselves available no matter what for all classes and training sessions personally held by their leader if only for the experience and invaluable knowledge he was sure to teach them.

“Muggle equipment?” Draco questions, voice laced with disgust and tone dripping with contempt. Silvius turns on his heels, his expressions stormy.

“Yes. Muggle equipment. Most wizards and witches neglect to train their bodies alongside their magic and, therefore, lack the physical stamina to conduct an effective and efficient defense. Many depend heavily on shielding charms and protection spells in order to keep themselves safe from, and hexes sent their way. However, with this training regime, not only will you be able to fight for longer periods of time, but you will also be able to save your magical reserve by twisting, flipping, and dodging out of the way of any oncoming fire. You will be able to overpower any opponent, no matter how magically powerful they are, because they will undoubtedly tire before you. If you refuse to improve your physical stamina and your combatant skills then I have no use of you, and you will be asked to leave the In Dolus Intortis. I will not have my faction put at risk because any one of you refuses to get over your hatred and anything Muggle, even if it can be used for your own benefits.”

Silvius glares at his faction, especially those who had been brought up in heavily traditional pureblood families, because he knows that they will have the biggest issues with using the muggle Equipment. The Weasleys were probably more used to their father bringing home various muggle artefacts that they wouldn’t bat an eyelid at being introduced to the training equipment. Draco bows his head.

“I apologise, Jupiter. I meant no disrespect. We will work hard not to disappoint you.”

“Thank you, Asclepius. I know that you will all do me proud. I just want to know that you are all as protected as you can possibly be.”

“You have already seen to that, Jupiter. Our uniforms are layered with every variant of protection charms, our masks with voice distortion charms and wards which will protect us against Legilimancy, truth serums, the Imperious curse, and any other harmful potions. We are protected, but we will train hard. We won’t let you down, My Prince.” A flurry of agreements echo around the Chamber after Blaise’s words and Silvius can feel himself relaxing marginally. He knows that he has done everything he can to ensure that his members are as protected as he can possibly make them, but he will still worry about them. They are his faction, his team, and his friends, and if he were to lose any of them to the Order, then he would never be able to forgive himself.

-----

After everyone had calmed down a little from his announcement, Silvius directed their attention to the final rooms on their right and smiled brightly. These were the rooms he was most proud of, and he was going to show them off to anyone who would listen to him.

“These two rooms here, this is where most of our planning and spying on the Light is going to commence. The first room you see here is known as a surveillance room. I have kitted it out with various muggle recording devices and listening devices, which just need to be connected to their counterparts, which we will have to make sure are placed in various locations frequented by the Order. I was thinking of the Burrow and Dumbledore’s office to begin with. Asclepius, is the Order still using the Black townhouse in London?”

“Yes, Prince Jupiter. I have yet to seal the house against them.”

“Alright, we will place another device there as well, then. Virtus, Mars, Remus, Romulus, and Astraeus, do any of you know what they have done with their plans and notes or whether they have been left in Grimmauld Place?”

“They have yet to move anything out of the townhouse, Jupiter. They do not believe that Asclepius will follow through with his threats of kicking them out because they do not think that he will have the courage to go against the Great Albus Dumbledore.”

“Excellent. Thank you, Astraeus. I believe that one of our first missions should be to infiltrate the Order Headquarters and acquire or copy all of their plans and notes to see what they are trying to achieve and if they are close to capturing or apprehending any Dark Sect members. We will discuss this more later, however. The room next to it is our briefing and conference hall. This is where I will be informing you of our missions and what they will entail, this is also where we will convene after every missions to discuss what we have found out and to reiterate anything of importance. It is also where we will be conducting our usual meetings. Are there any questions?”

He is met with silence and multiple rapidly shaking heads. He grins, knowing that they are all eager to try out the different sections of their new training grounds, and he doesn’t want to keep them much longer. Rolling his eyes at his faction, Silvius sweeps his arms out and chuckles.

“Alright then, off you go.” Silvius laughs when the group disperse before the words have even left his mouth, and he sighs.

He watches as Asclepius and Discordia make a beeline for the potions station, excited chatters being exchanged between them while Minerva and Phoebus head towards the library and research centre. He grins when Virtus, Mars, Remus, and Romulus all head towards the exercise equipment, gathering around the machines as they discuss what each one did and how they could get them to work. Antevorta and Saturn head towards the dueling platform with Astraeus, while Bellona makes her way towards the training dummies to practice her spell work. The girl, Silvius learnt, had an immense arsenal of spells and wasn’t afraid to use them if she needed to. His smile widens when Fama walks over to his surveillance station, familiarising herself with the cameras, computer monitors, and microphones.

An arm settles around his waist, and he startles out of his observations. Turning to glance over his shoulder, he grins when he sees Pluto staring down at him with a soft smile. He fights back his blush and turns to smirk up at his boyfriend before he gestures around the Chamber.

“Why are you still here, Pluto? You should be off marveling at my hard work?”

“You have done an amazing job, Jupiter. The Chamber looks magnificent, and I cannot believe that you managed to do all of this on your own in just one afternoon. You truly are a marvel yourself.” Silvius loses as a blush explodes across his cheeks; he glances away from Pluto for a moment.

“Are you not going to make use of all my hard work?”

“Well, I have to admit that I find myself interested in this target range you mentioned. Would you mind teaching me how to throw knives and how to shoot a gun?”

“I would be happy to, Pluto.” Silvius takes Blaise’s hand in his own and guides the other around the various sections before he gestures for Pluto to stand behind the yellow line he had painted along the floor. Picking up an array of knives and a small hand pistol, Silvius places the gun in Pluto’s hand, showing the correct way to hold the small weapon. He takes a deep breath when he wraps his arms around Blaise, steadying his hands as he points the gun at the target.

“Because you are new to this, then it is best to begin with a two-handed hold. This will give you more stability when firing. Once you are proficient enough to hit the target every time, then you will be able to drop to a one-hand hold and even score a hit whilst your targets are moving around. Place your left hand along the bottom of the grip here and place the forefinger of your right hand on the trigger. Line up the sights at the top of the gun with the center of the target and slowly squeeze the trigger.”

Pluto follows Jupiter’s directions as best as he can while the other is pressed against his back. He takes a steadying breath, eyes focusing on the tiny sight on top of the weapon, and lines it up with the white painted circle at the other end of the target range. Releasing his breath slowly, Pluto begins to tighten his finger on the trigger when the arms around him disappear and place something cold over his ears. He jumps a little when a loud bang sounds on his face, but it has been muffled by the things Silvius has slipped over his head. He glances up just in time to see the circle exploding into splintering pieces, and he grins. Pulling the headphones from his head, Pluto spins to face Jupiter, who immediately takes the weapon out of his hands and aims it toward the floor before he is pulled into a tight embrace.

“I did it!” Though it hadn’t hit dead center, he still managed to hit the target, and he was pretty proud of himself.

“I am so proud of you, Pluto. Keep this up, and soon you will be as good a shot as I am.” Jupiter teases with a wink.

“Show me?”

“What?”

“Please, can you show me? I want to see how you do it?”

“Alright. Come with me.” Jupiter smiles up at Pluto and clicks the gun's safety on. He slips it into one of his holsters, something which Pluto hadn’t noticed earlier as well as the matching one strapped to his other side. They make their way over to the spell training dummies, where Bellona is still practicing against her own. Silvius moves two of the remaining dummies out of the way of his teammate and sets up some extra layers of protection around himself and the small area he will be demonstrating in. Slipping his cloak off his shoulders for the duration of his demonstration, Jupiter throws it to the floor, and increases the difficulty level up to their max. Making sure that Pluto was standing outside the wards, Silvius flicks his wand and the two dummies instantly flare to life.

Jupiter immediately spins out of the way of the two incoming spells, flipping backwards he pulls one of his knives out of its holster on his leg. Dropping to the floor, Jupiter runs at one of the dummies, leaping up and tumbling over its head to dodge another spell, he throws the knife just clipping the targets non-dominant arm. Grinning as a familiar rush of adrenaline begins to pump through his veins, Jupiter flicks his wrist and calls forth his wand as he throws a non-verbal Incarcerus at the dummy he had just nicked with his blade. He fires a quick Expulso at the second when it spins around to face him and shoots off a barrage of spells, causing him to tumble along the floor and spin out of the way. The second dummy stumbles back a few paces. Reaching for one of his guns, Jupiter fires an Incendio at the first dummy, and anticipating it jumping out of the way of the path of the spell, he fires a single shot from his gun and grins when it hits the target's shoulder, incapacitating their wand arm. Jumping out of the way of another round of spells, Silvius shoots a quick succession of spells of his own at the second dummy. Incarcerus, Expelliarmus. He watches as the second target falls to the floor, its arms secured to its side as its wand flies through the air. Spinning around again, he throws another knife at the first target, finishing it off with a Bombarda. Which blows the figure to smithereens.

Standing up from his defensive position, Jupiter jumps when he hears thunderous applause coming from all over the Chamber and he glances around to find that all of his faction members had been watching him with wide grins. Blushing lightly, Jupiter bends down to slip his cloak back on, his knife shining on the floor from where it had been thrown in the explosion. It disappears a second later and settles itself back into its holster, and Jupiter clicks the safety of his gun back on and slots it back into its holder on his hip. Pluto walks over to him and draws him into a deep kiss.

“That was amazing, Jupiter. When did you learn to do all that?”

“Dudley would always beg his parents to allow him to sign up for various activities and clubs after school, but once he found out just how physically demanding they could be or that they included the slightest bit of actual work, then he would just force me to go in his place. I learnt how to fire a gun when I was twelve and thirteen during the summer months, I was taught how to defend myself with Martial Arts in primary school and I kind of just learnt to incorporate it into my duelling techniques.”

“It was stunning to witness, Jupiter. If we all practice hard and have you teaching us, then we are going to be a deadly force to be reckoned with in no time. No one is going to stand a chance against us when we are done.”

“Thank you, Pluto. I am sure that I can whip you guys into shape. Now, if any of your teammates wish to learn how to fire a gun or throw knives, then they can ask me or you for assistance. Come on, Pluto.”

Pluto laughs when Jupiter grabs his hand and drags him back over to the target range, this time handing him a small knife.

-----

Jupiter is standing in the center of the Chamber, his eyes flicking from each section as a small smile settles across his face. All of his members were busy at work, each training and researching Merlin knows what, but it pleases him to see the delighted smiles on their features. Despite the fact that Asclepius and Discordia had already blown something up in the potions laboratory twice, much to his own amusement, their excited grins and constant chatter made him aware that they were not injured and that his wards were in working order. He was glad that they had come out of their experiment unharmed.

Turning to Astraeus, Jupiter shakes his head when he sees the werewolf still overseeing Antevorta and Saturn as they duel back and forth, throwing insults and taunts at each other. Virtus, Mars, Romulus, and Remus had finally figured out how to work the Muggle exercise equipment and were messing around as they pushed the speed too far and fell off the back of the treadmills. He watches as Pluto teaches Phoebus how to handle a gun, something which he hadn’t expected the quiet bookworm to be interested in, but by the look of awe on his face, he is enjoying himself quite a bit. Fama stands close by, testing the weight of a knife in her hand before she throws it at one of the targets and cheers when it sticks not too far off the center.

He is just about to make his way back over to the spell dummies once more when an excited call of his name catches his attention. Spinning on his heels, Jupiter smiles when he sees Blaise handing the gun to Theo and makes his way over to him.

“Jupiter, Duel me!” Jupiter stops short at his Mate’s request, raising his eyebrow in question.

“What?”

“I want to practice my dueling, and you are the only other person I know who can perform Martial Arts, so can we duel?”

“You know hand-to-hand?”

“Yes, after what happened with my father, Mother bought in private tutors to teach me every single defensive skill she could think of that would help me protect myself and my future Mate. I know Martial Arts, acrobatics to an extent and more hand-to-hand.”

Jupiter studies Blaise’s hopeful expression and feels himself giving in. He had wanted to practice his own duelling techniques some more, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to battle against one of his In Dolus members for a change. He nods his consent and leads Blaise over to the training arena once again.

“Alright, there will be no using guns or knives during our duel. We can use any spell in our arsenal unless it is a fatal attack.”

“Yes, this is going to be so much fun.” Pluto cheers and peels his cloak from his frame, setting it down just outside the protective wards while Silvius does the same. They withdraw their wands and take up a defensive stance, grinning widely across at each other before Silvius calls for them to begin. Silvius doesn’t waste any time in flicking his own wand out and calling forth his first spell.

“Ascendio!”

Blaise rolls his eyes at the spell and rolls out of the way. There was no way he was going to allow Silvius to best him with such a weak and ridiculous cast. He stops in a crouch, aims his wand at Silvius, and smiles full of teeth.

“Confundo!”

Silvius laughs out loud and spins out of the way, it was a good hex to try and use against your opponent, especially one you know holds more experience and knowledge than yourself. They couldn’t really do much if they were hit by such a spell and ended up walking around the battlefield in confusion.

“Do you really think that is going to work on me, Pluto? Densaugeo!”

“I was only following your example, Jupiter. And really? Teeth enlarging? Save that for the Mudblood!” Pluto shouts back after he has flipped over the light shooting towards him. Silvius breaks into laughter at the reminder of their second year. “Furnunculus!”

“Hey, I used that one against Narcissa! Don’t ruin my pretty face. Impedimenta!” Silvius giggles, running towards Blaise; he jumps and tumbles over his boyfriend's head so he can direct the spell at Blaise from above, though he is disappointed when he dives out of the way and lands in a crouch.

“What can I say, Jupiter? You inspire me. Levicorpus!”

Silvius spins out of the way again just as Blaise is pushing himself to his feet, and they stand opposite each other for a moment, sizing each other up before raising their wands again.

“Nebulus!” A thick fog flows from Silvius’s wand, and he watches as Blaise’s face falls into a troubled frown. Shuffling across the floor, the cloud rapidly approaches and covers them both, debilitating their sight.

“Really, Silvius? Meteolojinx Recanto.” Blaise incants, eyes zeroing in on where Silvius had been standing less than a second ago, but he is surprised to find his boyfriend missing. Casting his eyes around the training arena, his eyebrows furrow when he can’t see Silvius anywhere.

“Langlock.” A voice whispers from behind him, and Blaise jumps up and flips backward, shaking his head when he comes almost face to face with a grinning Silvius.

“Diffindo.”

“Ah. Ah. Ah. Pluto, I don’t think so. Duro!” Silvius laughs, running away from Blaise as his boyfriend spins out of the way of his attack with a chuckle.

“Petrificus Totalus! Come on, Jupiter. Are you going to get serious or not?” Blaise taunts, wand pointing steadily at his boyfriend, who raises an eyebrow, his grin dropping to a malicious smirk, and Blaise cannot help but take a step backward. Maybe he shouldn’t coerce the other into taking this duel completely seriously; he did value his life.

“Alright, I will take this seriously. Prepare yourself, Pluto! Rectumsempra! Reducto! Stupefy! Confringo!”

Blaise’s jaw drops, movements flagging as he tries to dodge away from and flip over the numerous spells Silvius shoots his way. He is so focused on the multicoloured light that he doesn’t see Silvius moving, running around to his back and aiming his wand at the side of his neck. He lands in a crouch, wand arm outstretched at his side and head down while he attempts to regulate his breathing.

“Incarcerus! Expelliarmus!” The spells hit Blaise in the shoulder, and he falls to the floor, his arms and legs tied together while his wand flies through the air for Silvius to catch. He stares up at the ceiling for a moment before he breaks into laughter. He had gotten what he wanted.

“Silvius, that was absolutely amazing!” He shouts when his Mate walks over to him and releases him from the curse, handing back his wand and pulling him to his feet. Blaise draws his boyfriend against his chest and drops an ecstatic kiss on his lips, chuckling against Silvius’s mouth as his adrenaline continues to flow through his veins. Silvius chuckles along.

“You didn’t do too bad yourself, Pluto. That was a very interesting duel.”

“Tell me about it. I can’t believe you started firing second-year spells at me.”

“I can’t believe you got taken down by an Expelliarmus.” Silvius teases, pushing his lips back against Blaise’s for a moment.

“I haven’t quite managed to master many spells wandless just yet. I am going to have to work on that in the next coming weeks.”

More cheers echo around the room and Silvius rolls his eyes, the wards were supposed to keep his member focused on their tasks and not allow them to be distracted so easily by a duel happening between their fellow members. He shakes his head, pulling away from Blaise after brushing one more kiss to his Mate’s cheek. He is just about to send Blaise some encouragement when a throat clearing behind him catches his attention. Spinning on his heels, Jupiter allows a brilliant smile to stretch across his lips when he sees the group of adults standing in front of him, their eyes trailing around the room in wonderment.

“That was an impressive duel, Silvius; Blaise, congratulations.” Severus comments, inclining his head to the two sixteen-year-olds.

“Yes, I have to agree. I find myself impressed by just how many Hogwarts-taught spells you managed to use against each other. A very inventive accomplishment, I believe.”

“Thank you, Uncle Severus. Thank you, Uncle Lucius. Actually, it was Father who gave us the idea to try and incorporate more lower-level spells into our arsenal when he was teaching us about Light and Dark Magics.”

“We thought it would be a good way to stick it to Dumbledore that what he spouts is a bunch of dragon dung.” Blaise agrees, drawing a quiet chuckle from the adults.

“Well, I can see that you are taking your training very seriously, Silvius. This place looks amazing, Son. You should be proud of yourself.”

“Thank you, Father. The In Dolus Intortis seem to be enjoying themselves as well.”

“I am so proud of what you have managed to accomplish here, little Salazar. This is impressive work.”

“Uncle Marvolo, thank you for taking the time to come here.” Silvius inclines his head before he steps forward to give his godfather a hug.

“It is our pleasure, Silvius. Now, how about that tour we were promised?” Silvius bows his head to the group of adults, smirking as they continue to glance around the room in awe. Turning on his heels to begin his promised show, Silvius chuckles when Theo shouts over the Chamber for Blaise, gesturing for the boy to come over and help him on the target range again. Blaise shakes his head and drops a kiss on Silvius’s forehead before he jogs over to help his friends.

“Right this way, if you would be so kind.” Silvius motions for his uncles and father to follow him as he begins to lead them over to the far left of the Chamber to begin his tour.

Notes:

Who would have thought that I would manage to upload a chapter for each one of my stories today? Certainly not me, but here we are XD
I hope you all enjoy this chapter, the duels were so hard for me to try and write, but it was also so fun XD

Chapter 9: Officially Begun

Notes:

A quick note before we begin the chapter. I was asked to put a list of the In Dolus Intortis Colours and names because it can become a bit confusing as the chapter goes on. I have tried to refer to each character by their name when in the story and only referring to their guises when a character is speaking about or to said character to try and ease the confusion a little.

Silvius - Dark Green - Prince Jupiter
Remus - White - Astraeus
Neville - Light Pink - Saturn
Luna - Dark Blue - Antevorta
Draco - Ice/Light Blue - Asclepius
Tracy - Burgundy - Discordia
Bill - Red - Virtus
Fred - Orange - Remus
George - Yellow - Romulus
Charlie - Purple - Mars
Blaise - Black (silver accents) - Pluto
Pansy - Dark Pink - Fama
Theo - Light Green - Phoebus
Daphne - Gold - Minerva
Millicent - Brown - Bellona

“So, here we have our dueling platform where Astraeus is overseeing a friendly duel between Antevorta and Saturn. They have been at it for the past forty-five minutes and still show no signs of stopping. Now, before any of you ask, this area has been layered with multiple wards protecting the rest of the room and, therefore, its occupants from any potential stray spells. While a sound-reducing ward blocks most of the noise from the rest of the Chamber from filtering through to allow those within to focus completely on their duel." Silvius continues on, watching in amusement as Fenrir’s eyes zero in on his Mate. He guides them over to the next section.

“This area is where we can practice any new spells that we find, a space that will allow us to test our power control. If we do not wish to duel against one of our comrades, then we can come here to practice our dueling. However, as I am sure you saw, Pluto and I used this section for our own duel because we are both proficient in acrobatics and such, so I didn't think it would be wise to practice on a platform where one of us could have fallen off and inured ourselves. These dummies have been spelled to replicate the movements and spell levels of fully trained Aurors to ensure that we are prepared for any battles we may find ourselves in in the future."

"What happened to that training dummy?" Regulus draws his son's attention to a lone mannequin lying on the floor a few feet away from the others, several limbs having been splintered across the space. "It looks like it has been obliterated." Silvius can feel a blush rising across the tips of his ears, a bemused smile stretching across his lips. He pulls out his wand, wordlessly fixing the practice dummy he had forgotten to repair after his demonstration. Dropping his wand, Silvius turns to glance from his father's raised eyebrow to Marvolo.

"That would have been my fault. I was asked by one of my members to demonstrate how we could go about incorporating knives and guns in our arsenal of spells during a duel... so I showed them."

"You did that?" Fenrir whistles, his eyes widening at the state of the dummy, and he takes a nervous step backward. He would try his damndest to never get on the wrong side of Silvius Black, not when that was the result of a mere practice round.

"Yes, I didn't want to go all out for a simple demonstration, so I only set up two of our training dummies... I may have put a bit too much force behind my final spell with that one."

"I am incredibly proud of your magical prowess, Silvius. That is some remarkable spellwork."

"Thank you, Uncle Marvolo. I kind of forgot to fix it until Father pointed it out." Silvius admits with a chuckle, scratching the back of his neck. He gestures for everyone to follow him and leads them off.

"Your duel with... Pluto?" Silvius nods his head at the questioning lilt to his uncle's question, "was also very impressive, even if none of you were taking it seriously." Lucius comments, ruffling Silvius's hair."

"What do you mean I wasn't taking it seriously, Uncle Lucius? Pluto and I were working out which Hogwarts-taught spells we could add to our fighting arsenal; I am planning on using all those spells against Dumbledore and his Order at the first opportunity." Silvius manages to keep his expression serious, watching with veiled amusement as the adults all exchange glances, not knowing whether to laugh or take the sixteen-year-old seriously. "Besides, I didn't want to hurt Pluto if I managed to accidentally overpower one of my more... dangerous spells."

"In any case, we will look forward to witnessing a full practice duel of yours in the future, Little Salazar. I am sure it is going to be spectacular."

"Hmmm. Instead of that, what if we decided to duel each other, Uncle Marvolo? I have always wanted to try and see how long I could last against the almighty Dark Lord." Silvius smirks up at Marvolo, halting the group in front of the potions lab where Asclepius and Discordia are now arguing back and forth over a singular cauldron, a second happily bubbling away in the back corner. Marvolo cuffs him around the back of the head.

"We will have to see about that, Silvi."

Silvius turns his head to grin up at his godfather, and before he can give a cheeky quip in response, a loud explosion echoes through the Chamber. Spinning on his heels to face the laboratory, Silvius breaks into peals of laughter at the scene before himself. Draco's blond hair is streaked with black soot from the explosion, while Tracy's is smoldering in places. It seems that the girl had been standing a bit too close to the cauldron when it decided to react to what she had been putting inside. Hands clasping his stomach, breath stuttering, Silvius makes his way over to the pair.

"Honestly, if I didn't know any better, I would think that you were trying to blow up our new training grounds. This is the third time you have managed to make something explode in the last forty-five minutes."

"Well, I would have been successful in creating a sort of paralysis potion, which we could drop on the floor in the middle of the bunch of Order members to paralyze them during a duel when someone decided to butt her big nose into my work."

"Yes, well, I was trying to inform Asclepius that you can't use Chamomile with Wolfsbane. The two ingredients would counteract each other, and the victim would most likely be poisoned to death instead of paralyzed!" Tracy comments, flicking her hair behind her shoulder.

"It wouldn't have poisoned anyone because, before you threw in that Flobberworm mucus, I was going to add the juice of a bezoar, which, if allowed to simmer for ten minutes, would have counteracted the poison while still keeping the effects of the Wolfsbane!"

"That wouldn't have worked, you imbecile!"

"It would have if you hadn't exploded my potion! Go back to your own workbench and explode your own!" Draco gestures toward the bubbling cauldron at the back of the lab while Silvius merely rolls his eyes at the duo, snickering behind his hand. He turns back around, leaving the pair as they descend back into another argument about potion experimentations; it was amusing to Silvius that neither Draco nor Tracy had acknowledged the members of the Dark Sect. standing right in front of them during that ordeal. 

"As I am sure you have guessed, that was our potions lab. I set it up so that we can go and practice our skills or attempt to modify existing potions as well as create our own for the cause. I would heavily suggest that you stay away if you see Asclepius, Discordia, Romulus, or Remus anywhere in the vicinity. Those four are terrible for blowing things up."

"Are you sure that it is safe to allow your lot to experiment with potions?"

"It is completely safe, Uncle Lucius. YOu do not need to worry about losing your heir or him becoming incapacitated. I have placed several wards around the lab to make sure no one inside or outside gets injured from the resulting explosions. As you just witnessed, Asclepius and Discordia are a little soot-covered and sindged but otherwise unharmed by the explosion. Besides, I needed somewhere safe to stick Romulus and Remus when they wished to invent some new products..."

Lucius and Severus shiver at the thought of having the twins experimenting with anything within the vicinity, and Marvolo scowls at the reminded of that one time Fred and George snuck into one of the Manor's potions labs to try and create something new, their reactions draws a smirk to Silvius's lips. He leads his visitors onto the next section. smiling when he sees that Pansy has now joined Daphne in researching. He didn't know what, but he had a feeling that he didn't want to know either. He gestures to the area, as well as the one next to it.

"The first section you see here is our research center and library. The bookcases lining the walls are connected to the Hogwarts library, the Slytherin family library, and Slytherin's private study, courtesy of Salazar Slytherin himself. It allows us to summon any books pertaining to a particular topic we happen to be researching at the time and will transport a copy to the bookshelves. The section to the right is more of a tutoring nook where people can focus on their homework and class assignments and receive help for any subjects they may be struggling with.

Continuing around the Chamber, Silvius can't help the smile that blossoms across his features at the sight of the Weasley brothers. He chuckles when he sees them all breathing heavily, their cloaks and shirts long since discarded around the area as they fight to be the last one standing. Contemplating the thought of trying to stop them all from working out too much, but quickly decides against it when he hears the telltale beep of the machines being upped in speed. They were going to be incredibly sore tomorrow if they kept at it, but he found the imagery far to amusing to do anything about it.

"This are here," Sylvius makes a wide sweeping gesture at the space filled with strange machinery. "is courtesy of you, Father and you, Uncle Marvolo. The equipment that I asked for you to purchase for me is this. It is muggle exercise equipment that will allow us to hone our physical prowess, stamina, muscle strength and the like, alongside our magical abilities. We will be able to work on an area of fitness that many wizards overlook because they have access to magic, while also learning hand-to-hand combat and various forms of martial arts with the equipment in the back and the mats. And as you can see here, Virtus, Mars, Romulus and Remus are making good use of it all."

He continues to move, waving to the brothers as he passes by and grinning when Fred loses his footing for a moment and almost goes flying off the back of the treadmill again. He motions for his father and the Dark Sect to follow him again, and he leads them over to Phoebus and Pluto, who are still practising their knife and gun handling.

-----

“This here is our target range, another Muggle area. This is where everyone on my team is expected to learn how to throw knives and fire handheld pistols. I wanted to add this to our arsenal to give us a greater advantage over witches and wizards. Especially those like Alastor Moody who prepare themselves for every magical scenario they could ever face. It also gives us an advantage through the element of surprise. Being shot with a gun or stabbed with a knife is excruciatingly painful, and many people will never fully recover from their injuries as these weapons can sever and explode through the human body with ease. One slice from a knife or one bullet from a gun can kill instantly.” Silvius explains to his captivated audience, watching as Blaise aims his gun at the target and cheers when the wooden board explodes in a shower of splinters.

The adults watch in horror at the damage such a small muggle contraption could cause, and Silvius’s smirk widens. Good, he wanted to show his family, the Elite Death Eaters from the Dark Sect, that his faction was not going to be anything to snuff at, that they were going to be the best of the best. He guides the stunned adults over to the final set of rooms and smiles happily. He claps his hands to show his glee and turns to grin at his godfather; Silvius gestures for the man to step forward.

“Uncle Severus, I believe that you are going to enjoy these rooms the most.”

The man raises an eyebrow in question but still does what Silvius suggests and takes a step forward. His eyes narrow at the array of computers, microphones, headphones, and monitors covering the tables' surfaces. He looks around in confusion for a moment before his eyes snap over to Silvius, who merely nods his head at the man’s unasked question.

“You have managed to allow the use of electronics within Hogwarts?”

“Yup!”

“And set up a surveillance room?”

“Double Yup!”

“What is a Surveillance room?” Lucius questions, eyeing his partner with trepidation as he takes a few steps forward to study the strange contraptions, his arm slipping around Severus's waist.

“A surveillance room is essentially an area where we can spy on other locations. We are going to set up devices that will allow us to watch and hear what is going on in a set location in real-time. We will be able to spy on certain individuals as well as places without leaving the comfort of the castle.”

“Where are these locations?” Marvolo asks.

“We were thinking the Burrow, Dumbledore’s office and Grimmauld Place to start off with.”

“Why Grimmauld? I thought Draco was going to seal it off to the Order and claim it as his?”

“He was going to do that at first, but then we found out that despite the threat of having Headquarters seized from them, the Order has neglected to move any of their plans or notes of their movements. The Order has decided to ignore our threats because they do not think Draco would want to go against the Great and Powerful Albus Dumbledore. This has spurred us into coming up with our first official mission as the In Dolus Intortis and gives us the opportunity to introduce ourselves to the Order.” Silvius explains, and Regulus cocks his head to the side, watching his son.

“What mission are you thinking of heading?”

“Well, we haven’t hashed out any of the finer details yet, but essentially, Asclepius is going to take a small team of people to Grimmauld Place and either steal or copy all of the Order’s plans that still reside in their Headquarters. However, in order to empty the house long enough to allow this to happen, I am going to take the remaining In Dolus Intortis and cause a distraction big enough to draw the order away from their HQ.”

“That is a very thought-out plan, Son. I expect you all to be careful still.”

“Of course, Father. Now, how would you all like to bear witness to the first ever official In Dolus Intortis meeting?” His family nods in agreement, looking forward to watching Silvius in action as he takes control of his faction.

“Good, because it is just about time that we begin,” Silvius states and waves his hand in the air just as a noise sounds through the Chamber, the chiming of a bell or the tingling of a wind chime. The adults are stunned into silence when every member of the In Dolus Intortis stops what they are doing, dons their uniform in its entirety, including their masks, and makes their way to the briefing room, where all tables and chairs are magically moving out of the way to create a large open space in the center of the room.

Silvius motions for the others to follow behind him as he slips his own masks on over his face and resettles his cloak so it wraps around his ankles. He directs the Dark Sect members to stand out of the way at the back of the room, giving them a good vantage point to watch the proceedings. Taking his place at the front of the classroom, Silvius smiles when his faction bows to him, fists over their hearts as they quietly mutter his name in greeting. Bowing in return, Silvius clears his throat, expression dropping into his pureblood mask.

“Alright, straight onto business. Virtus, Remus, Romulus, Mars. Do you have anything to report from the Order?”

The four named In Dolus take a step forward and bow once more to their leader before a deep voice drifts around the room, the Dark Sect, from their position behind the sea of black cloaks, cannot tell who is talking nor can they tell the brothers apart now that they were donned in their complete uniforms, faces covered and hoods pulled up. Silvius really did a good job at choosing their uniform.

“The Order have yet to hold a meeting since the term began, that is merely due to many of the main members being stationed at the school as professors, however, Dumbledore has hinted at holding one very soon. He is not at all pleased by the little information he has been able to find out about the recently claimed Lordships.”

“He has also hinted that the next meeting may include various ways to convince Silvius Black to join his ranks and potentially turn his back on the Dark Sect. Though he is still unsure if the young Heir has actually been indited into the Sect yet.”

“I do not think we will have to worry about Dumbledore plotting anything against Silvius Black anytime soon, not after the disastrous meeting he held with me the other day. You will be informed of this, no doubt, and I want a full report on the meeting when it happens.”

“Yes, Jupiter.”

“The Order have officially offered Romulus and I a place in their ranks now that we are out of school and have asked if we would allow them to use our shop as a base on occasion. We politely declined as our shop is full of dangerous experiments and such, which would not be helpful to the cause.”

“Though none of our experiments are left out for anyone to injure themselves.”

“I am sure they didn’t take your refusal, polite or otherwise, lightly. What was their reaction?”

“They tried to have our mother and father threaten and cajole us into allowing the Order to use the store, but once they figured out that we were not going to change our minds, they tried to ask us for money in order to aid their fight.”

“We said that we were not going to give them any money to help because they seemed to have been doing fine without any money up until then, and if they needed money to run a voluntary vigilante group, then can they not just use the vault they were getting the money from before.”

“They didn’t answer that one, but they did seem very uncomfortable with our questions.”

“Yes, they did indeed.”

“Yes, I bet they did, Romulus, Remus. They were siphoning funds out of the Potter Family account to fund the Order, though I am unsure as to what they were using the money for, seeing as no one in the Order was paid for being in the Order, nor did they have any weaponry to buy as they all use wands.”

“Alright, was there anything else that we need to know?”

“Besides them still keeping the majority of their files, notes, and plans within the walls of Grimmauld Place and refusing to acknowledge that Heir Malfoy is now the rightful and legal owner until he forcibly kicks them out or changes the wards, there is nothing more, Prince Jupiter.”

“Alright, thank you, Virtus, Mars, Romulus, and Remus. You have done well to gather so much already. Keep an eye on the Order members for me and report straight to me if you hear anything more on their plans for Silvius Black, or the information they manage to dig up on the Lordships. I want you to keep an ear to the ground on the Dark Sect. or In Dolus Intortis as well.”

“Yes, My Prince.” The four intone before they step back into the line of cloaked figures.

“Oh, sorry. I have one more favour to ask. Would one or more of you be able to head into Muggle London for me? I would like for you to pick up some Muggle hearing devices, however, unlike the ones which we will place in the Order HQ, Dumbledore’s office and the Burrow, these ones will be for our own personal use. They will be situated in our ears so that we may talk to each other at any given opportunity. It will make organising meetings and relaying information easier.”

“Remus and I would be happy to assist you with this, Prince Jupiter. We already know what devices you are after.”

“Thank you, Romulus. I will give you the money later on. Astraeus, what news do you have on the werewolf front?” A figure donned in black and white steps forward, bowing slightly to Jupiter before he stares straight ahead.

“The werewolves injured in the attack during the summer have all made a complete recovery thanks to the potions Severus made for us, and everyone has been safely settled within Merlin’s Castle. The refurbishments are completed, and we are just waiting for the last of the supplies to turn up so we can complete the workshops and outhouses. We have also begun tutoring the cubs, but with how under-educated the adults are, it is not going well, though the books you sent through have been exceedingly helpful.”

“Alright, I will try to find some pro-werewolf tutors for you as soon as I can, Astraeus. I will also find time to make a visit so we can discuss the business proposals I made to you back in the holidays. How is your own training coming along?”

“Thank you, Jupiter. The additional support is much appreciated. My training is going very well at the moment. Fenrir is a good instructor, and I have almost completed the regime he had set aside for me. It also helps that I am surrounded by our pack during the Full moon transformations.”

“That is excellent news, Astraeus. I am glad that you are doing much better. Send my thanks to Fenrir for me as well.”

“Thank you, Prince Jupiter. I will pass the message along.”

“How has teaching been for you this time around? No defence this year I am afraid.”

“It is going really well; I have been teaching the students all about the true history behind the Founders, the real reason behind why Slytherin left the school, and many of the younger years have taken my teachings to heart. I have seen a lot more House unity around the corridors recently as well. I have also taken to teaching the older years about the first wizarding war and how and why the statute of Secrecy first came about. I have plans to explain and introduce the history behind many pureblood traditions next term as well.”

“That is wonderful, Astraeus. With you as their professor, I am sure that House divides will be a thing of the past soon enough. Well done. I am looking forward to learning more from you this year, then.” Astraeus bows once more in acknowledgement before shuffling back in to stand next to the brothers, and Silvius grins at his In Dolus Intortis. This meeting was going a lot better than he had hoped.

“Antevorta, Saturn. Anything to report from your end?” Two figures dressed in deep blue and light pink accents step forward.

“The Beaver and Weasel have taken to following me around the Castle as of late without reasoning. However, I was able to overhear a conversation about Dumbledore’s plans of announcing the Longbottom Heir as the real Saviour of the Wizarding World and the grave mistake he made back in 1981 now that Harry Potter is out of the picture. I am guessing that those two want to be seen as friends of the real saviour. Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan, however, have taken to avoiding the duo and helping me escape their clutches as often as possible. As have many of the Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and even the majority of Gryffindors, they do not agree with how the two are acting after learning the news of their supposed friend's death and abuse. This seems to have escalated after Professor Black gave us lessons on the differences between White, Black, Light, and dark Magic. It has made a lot of people stop and think about the prosecution of Dark families.”

“The Ravenclaw students have set up a weekly debate club in their common room, and there has been talk of moving it to one of the abandoned classrooms due to the number of applicants wishing to join. They are discussing the various prosecutions against Dark wizards and witches as well as the development of Laws against various magical creatures. They have concluded that many things that have gone wrong for the wizarding world, including the tightening of restrictions on werewolves and vampires, as well as the bans on Dark Magic, have only gotten a lot worse since the downfall of Grindelwald and subsequently when Dumbledore gained the majority of his political power.”

“That is amazingly well done. Dumbledore is beginning to lose his influence within the school, which should only get worse within the next few weeks. If this keeps up, then few students will be willing to listen to him, let alone follow him against the Dark Sect. Well done, you two. Keep up the good work, and report back to me if you hear anything else.”

“Of course, My prince.” The two bow and fold back into the line of their peers.

“Does anyone else have anything they wish to report?” Silvius questions, to which he receives multiple murmurs of ‘no, Jupiter’ and ‘no, My Prince’. Nodding his head, Silvius eyes his friends for a moment, the silence stretching.

“Alright then, I have a few small missions to hand out and a couple of things to go over before we can depart for the evening. First things first, Virtus, I need you or Mars to infiltrate the Burrow and place the listening and recording devices in the most frequented room by either your parents or the Order. Contact me when it is done, and I will set it up on this end. Fama, I am putting you in charge of the Surveillance room, you are more than welcome to ask others to help you, but that room is yours.”

“Yes, Prince Jupiter.” Virtus and Fama respond immediately, bowing to their leader.

“Remus, Romulus, I want an update on those wristbands and the Metamorphmagus sweets as soon as possible, please.”

“Actually, Jupiter, we were going to tell you at the end of the meeting. The wristbands have been completed. We just need to make another couple so we have enough to hand out to the Elite and the Inner circle, but the ones we have now are ready for use.”

“That is excellent news, boys. As soon as you have enough for everyone in the Elite to have one, then hand them to the Dark Lord and explain how they work, he can distribute them around his followers. Keep me posted on the sweet development.”

“Yes, My Prince.”

“Phoebus and Minerva, I need you two to find the recipe for potions which will allow the drinker to immediately transform into their Animagus form and which unlocks permanently.”

“Yes, Jupiter.”

“As soon as you have found it, give the recipe to Asclepius and Discordia. I want you two to make enough for everyone in the In Dolus Intortis and enough spare for the Elite and Inner Circle of the Death Eaters as well, just in case they wish to find their forms as well.”

“Understood, My Prince.”

“Good. Now as we all learnt from Virtus and Mars, the Order are still using the Black townhouse in London as their main safe house and Headquarters. In a few days’ time, no longer than a week, we will be heading out on our first mission. Asclepius, seen as this house is yours, the Fidelius Charm will not work against you. I want you to plan out an infiltration mission in order to steal or copy all of the Order files in that house.”

“Yes, Jupiter. Would you like for us to copy them or take them?”

“It is completely up to you, Asclepius; I trust your judgment. This is your mission. You are in charge.”

“I will not disappoint you, My Prince.”

“To ensure that Asclepius and his team have as easy a mission as possible, I will be leading the rest of you on a diversion mission. We will attack a known but isolated place and lay in wait for the Order to turn up. We will then keep them distracted long enough to give Asclepius and his team time to complete their mission before apparating back here. Are there any questions?”

“Prince Jupiter? Who will be on each team?” Minerva questions.

“Virtus, Remus, Romulus, Minerva, and Phoebus with go with Asclepius as most of you are not fighters. Mars, Antevorta, Saturn, Astraeus, Pluto, Discordia, and Fama will come with me. Asclepius, you will confer with your team about how you wish to enact your mission, but I will need to know the basics before we set out. You have four days to plan starting tomorrow. We will initiate the attack on Wednesday evening.”

“Understood, My Prince.”

“Now, my team, I expect you to train hard for this mission as we will be going up against the Order of the Phoenix, and although blinded by their prejudice, their combat skills are nothing to sniff at. If you encounter Dumbledore, then I want you to use every tactical retreat manoeuvre you know to disengage. I do not want any of you fighting the old codger if you can help it, not on your own. If you have no choice but the engage, then make sure to have someone watching your back.”

“Understood, Prince Jupiter.”

“Alright. Now, just a few more points to make before we retire for the evening. I wish to set up a blackboard in the research centre on what we wish to learn and research over the next few weeks. Anyone is welcome to add topics to the board as long as they are unanimously agreed upon. Does anyone have any suggestions to get us started?” Silvius summons up a small blackboard, pointing to Asclepius who raises his hand.

“Our Animagus Transformations should be added, even though we have already been given the task to research.”

“Alright, I will add that to the list. Animagus Transformations. Anything else?”

“Everyday spells taught in Hogwarts which could be used in combatant situations?” Theo suggests, his tone dipping at the end to show his nerves but Silvius smirks.

“I like the way you think, Phoebus. Spells that will stick it to the old man.” His In Dolus chuckles at his wording and shakes their heads. Hopefully, they will remember what that was referring to tomorrow when they come to train.

“Combatant potions?” Discordia questions, and Silvius turns to write it down on the board.

“Stealth techniques and Martial Arts. We will be learning it anyway, but it will be nice to have a reminder. Besides, we could always try and find more obscure hand-to-hand combatant skills to add.” Blaise offers, shrugging his shoulders when Silvius turns to look at him before he adds it to their list.

“Healing spells, both Light and Dark,” Mars shouts out, and Silvius laughs.

“I am sure we are going to become quite proficient in those by the end of this year, Mars. I am sure you could show us a thing or two?”

“More than you would think, I suppose, Jupiter. My healing capabilities include deep gashes, burns, and broken bones for the most part.”

“Alright, I will add it to the list as well. Is there anything else for now?” He is met with silence, and Silvius goes over the list they had come up with. It was already looking impressive. “I believe we have enough to get us started for now. If anyone thinks of anything else, add it to the list, and we will discuss it later. Now, on to the final thing I wish to announce for this meeting.” Silvius calls, banishing the blackboard back to the Research center; he draws back his shoulders.

“I ask that Virtus steps forward.” The figure cloaked in black and red steps forward with noticeably hesitant paces, hands balling into fists at his sides. Silvius smiles under his mask at the man. “Virtus, you are one of my most skilled warders and fighters. You are knowledgeable in all areas of magic, and because someone decided to steal away my original second-in-command and have him play professor, I am tasked with appointing another. Virtus, would you consent to taking up the mantle of my Second in Command?”

“I would be honoured, My Prince.” His voice is filled with reverence like he couldn’t quite believe what he is hearing, and he bows lowly to Silvius.

“Excellent. And no, Uncle Marvolo, you cannot steal this one as well; otherwise, I will be very unhappy.”

“I will endeavour not to, Prince Jupiter.”

Notes:

Another chapter has been edited and completed!
I will be adding in some thoughts from Neville's point of view to try and capture his thoughts on having to work with the Lestrange brothers, or at least for the same cause as them because it has been brought to my attention that I haven't touched up on that yet. I only haven't because Neville hasn't really had to interact with Rodolphus and Rabastan yet. He has seen them for a short while during the very first meeting, but again, he was too focused and nervous about being indicted into the In Dolus Intortis to really process the fact that he is going to have to work with the men behind his parents' torture.
Maybe I will have him conversing with Silvius or even Luna in the greenhouses to show his thought process. I haven't really decided yet. If anyone has any suggestions please feel free to drop a review XD

Chapter 10: Provocation has it's Consequences

Silvius is walking through the corridors, a slight bounce in his step as he hums non-descript tunes under his breath. The first meeting with his In Dolus Intortis had gone off without a hitch, and he had even shown his godfathers, uncle, and father that they hadn't made a mistake when they had chosen him to head his own faction. Or when they decided to make him Heir in the Dark Sect. He had shown them that he and his friends were going to be a massive aid to the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. He smirked as he headed back to his common room from the Ancient Runes classroom; Professor Babbling had asked for him to stay behind so she could speak to him a little more about his extra Runic studies at home. He had, of course, been all too happy to regale tales of his genius godfather who had taught him all that he knew to her and who had promised to teach him even more during the Yuletide holidays.

Professor Babbling had had a wide grin stretching across her face when she had finally sent him on his way with a pat to the head. She had even gone so far as to slip a chocolate frog into his hand before the door had gently closed behind him. Slyvius taps the pocket in which he had placed the confection; he wasn’t the biggest fan of chocolate, so he planned to give it to Blaise when he got down to the Slytherin common room for a small session of R&R before heading down to the Chamber for the first Martial Arts lesson.

His team had really taken his words to heart, and he had been down in the Chamber every free chance they could get since the previous evening. Going so far as to bribe the House Elves into bringing their lunch down there so they could continue their research and practice more spells. It warmed his heart to know that he wasn’t going to be just some figurehead who gave them orders, that they happily and readily included him in their research projects and their practices. He knows for a fact that the Elite Death Eaters didn’t do that all the time with Marvolo unless they had to, and it would help their cause. His father was probably the only one who told the Dark Lord everything, but Regulus was smitten with the Dark Lord, even if he wouldn’t admit it out loud to anyone. Maybe he could speak to Uncle Lucius about it, he had a good feeling as to what was preventing his father form giving in and acting on his feelings for Marvolo. Maybe Lucius could reassure his father that he wouldn’t be disrespecting his mother’s memory.

Heading towards the final staircase leading to the Entrance Hall and, therefore, the entrance to the Dungeons, Silvius pauses in his steps, the hair on the back of his neck standing on ends, spinning out of the way just in time to see a spell whizzing past his ear. If he had been a second later, that spell, whatever it had been, would have hit him. Eyeing the corridor, eyes narrowing as they pass over alcoves and statues, Silvius sighs when a very familiar figure with bright red hair steps into the corridor, a twisted smirk playing on his lips as he steadies his wand at Silvius.

“A little Silvius wandering the corridors all alone. Don’t have your bodyguards with you today?” The Weasel sneered, tone dripping with contempt, but it didn’t bother Silvius, not in the slightest. Not when he knew he could tear the Blood Traitor apart with a single spell.

“A Weasley, and here I thought you would be smarter than this. I don't have a bodyguard; I have friends, which is more we can say for you. Are you really looking forward to spending a few months in Azkaban that much?”

“Shut up, slimy Snake! You don’t know what you are talking about!” Ronald bellows, his face reddening, and Silvius chuckles. He did so enjoy his encounters with the youngest Weasley male.

"Funnily enough, Weasel, I most certainly do know what I am talking about. Attacking a fellow wizard without due provocation is grounds for a few months in Azkaban. Aggravated assault would go down as the charge, I do believe, as would Grievous Bodily Harm. That is, if you can actually manage to land a hit on me. But more to the matter at hand, firing spells off in the halls of Hogwarts is against the rules, little Blood Traitor."

“Expelliarmus!” Weasley incants, firing the bright ball of light at Silvius. In his anger, his aim was off, and it flew over Silvius’s shoulder and slammed into a nearby wall, shattering rocks along the corridor. Silvius raises his eyebrow at Gryffindor. It seemed he was more inclined to hex first talk later when he was on his own without his friends surrounding him.

“I wouldn’t do this if I were you, Weasel. Besides breaking the school rules of not using magic in the corridors, I am sure you are aware that you are not supposed to aim your wand at another student unless under direct professor supervision, and with your abysmal track record, I wouldn't even attempt to beat me until you have a few more years training under your wand.”

“Incarcerus!”

Silvius sighed and shook his head; the Weasel was not even going to attempt to talk to him now. Twisting out of the way of the approaching spell, Silvius smirked at the look of bafflement shaping Ronald’s features; clearly, the other had expected him to stand still and let the spell hit him because there was no way he was going to pull his wand out in time to cast a protection charm. Not that he would draw his wand anyway, not when the Blood Traitor would just try to use that to indicate that Silvius had attacked him first. Rolling his eyes towards the ceiling, Silvius glances towards the corridor leading to the dungeon. If only he already had those earpieces, then he would have been able to call his friends to assist him.

"You know," Sylvius begins almost casually, wand held loosely between his fingers. "I can't help but wonder, Weasel," He side steps another spell. "Why the sudden attack? I have done nothing to you to warrant being attacked on my way back to my common room," Ducking under another spell shot toward his head, Silvius chuckles. "I haven't even done anything against the House of Gryffindr. Why are you attacking a fellow student unprovoked, Weasel?"

“You are a Snake! Your Dad is a Death Eater, and so are you!”

“Am I? I am sure that You-know-who was announced dead fifteen years ago; isn’t that what the Minister of Magic has been saying all these years? That he died back in 1981? How can he suddenly come back to life, and why now? Besides, if he, or someone pretending to be him, is back, why have there been no raids? Where are his followers, and why would he recruit underaged witches and wizards who haven’t even completed their education? What would an uneducated youth with an undeveloped core and inability to use magic outside of Hogwarts do for his side?”

“You are a Dark Wizard. You’re a Death Eater! Expelliarmus!” Silvius spins out of the way again, the repeated spells getting rather tedious, not that he could blame the weasel for that. Hogwarts left a lot to be desired.

“A Dark Wizard, I may be. My core is more affiliated with Dark Magic; this does not make me a Death Eater. I do not bear the Mark, and neither does my father. We have an easier time casting Dark branches of Magic, but that does not make us evil, nor does it make us bad wizards. Were you not paying any attention during Professor Black’s lesson?” Silvius pulls the sleeves of his robes up, showing his clear forearms to Weasley, who stares at him, his face reddening beyond what Silvius thought possible. He drops his hands and rolls his eyes again. If this didn’t end soon, then he was going to send a Patronus to his father and Uncle Severus. Maybe one of them would be able to come in time to prevent him from murdering the little git in the middle of the corridor.

“Your dad is a Death Eater; everyone knows that and should have died! He should have just died instead of faking his death! They should all just die!”

“An entire classification of wizards and witches deserve to die because of their affiliation? Now, now, Weasley, you could get into some serious trouble for spouting off such prejudices. Especially in front of the wrong people. You could even be classed as a terrorist if you go about trying to make that particular phrase come true.”

“They bloody deserve it! Your dad is tricking everyone! You-know-who put him up to it! He is making everyone turn their backs on the Light. He is making everyone question Dumbledore! He deserves to die! You all deserve just to die! They all would deserve it! They kill well-deserving Light families.” Those words send a shiver down Silvius’s spine, recalling a passage from Lily Potter’s diary that claimed almost the same thing. Eyes narrowing at the youngest Weasley male, Silvius takes a deep breath and steps backward. Something wasn’t right here, not right in the slightest. There was something off about the Weasel; his movements were jerky, and his eyes were unfocused, but this didn’t look like the Imperious. He wasn’t under the control of the Unforgivable, that much he could tell, but something really wasn’t right. It was as if his words weren't his own, and he was just spouting off regurgitated words he had heard somewhere else, but his anger was what unnerved Silvius the most. It wasn't the boy's typical rage, no this was manic, uncontrolled and dangerous. Almost deranged.

“Well, what makes you Light wizards so well-deserving? You Light wizards who think that it is okay to condemn an entire classification of wizards simply because you do not agree with their way of life? You Light Wizards who claim to be righteous and good and then go on to vigorously restrict and regulate the lives of every single magical creature living in our world to the point where many of them cannot get jobs or even afford food to feed their young? You who claim to be everything right in the world were the ones who prosecuted and murdered Dark witches and wizards, as well as magical creatures to begin with!”

“They deserved it! It was their own fault for turning Dark! They all deserved everything they got!”

Silvius's magic explodes out of him at the redhead’s words. He thinks of all the carefree, joyous little cubs running around Merlin’s Castle without a care in the world, not knowing just how cruel the world would turn as soon as they reach adulthood. He thinks of all of the family seats sitting empty on the Wizengamot because the last of their line had been killed off by the Light wizards in the name of protecting the wizarding world. He thinks back on his mother, a simple stay-at-home mother who spent all of her time caring for him and raising him before he was cruelly taken away from her—a woman who had been so gentle that she had been heartbroken by the loss of her child. A woman who had been abducted, tortured for days, and then dumped like a piece of garbage. His mind goes almost blank as rage shoots through his veins, boiling his blood, and he has to fight to suppress his creature so he doesn’t actually end up murdering the boy.

“You are a sorry excuse for a decent wizard. You and your Mudblood friend who left your supposed best friend to be subjected to years of abuse and torture without lifting a single finger to help him! You Light wizards who claim to be good, honest people, but you are the worst sort of backstabbing, lying, fake people I have ever had the displeasure of meeting in my life! You kidnap children! You torture and murder innocent bystanders, all in the name of the greater good. You segregate against Magical Creatures! There is nothing good or just about a sorry bunch of sycophantic fools who can’t think for themselves!” His words come out as snarls, his eyes flashing amber as they narrow in a harsh glare. He can feel his magic whipping around him in angry waves, manifesting as sparks of silver and violet.

He growls against his Creature's attempts to break free, hands clenching into fists when he feels his wings pushing against his back, fighting to be released. His teeth elongate, and he growls at the Weasel, watching as the boy shifts slightly and raises his wand back up as his own anger increases. The action only serves to aggravate the creature in front of him further.

“Expelliarmus! You are just like them! You Monster! You deserve to die just like all the rest! You should have died along with your bitch mother! My parents told me all about that pathetic hag! She deserved everything she got! She went Dark and turned her back on the Light! She deserved to die just like you should have done!” Ronald spits out, and Silvius’s creature lets out a roar of outrage. Silvius struggles to contain his true form at the disrespect shown to his mother, to the woman who had been tortured for no other reason than she was a born Malfoy with a Dark affiliation.

His vision tunnels at the force it takes him to hold himself back from ripping the Gryffindor to shreds, black spots flashing across his sight as his hearing begins to fade. He staggers forward, struggling to catch himself as he teeters on his feet; the fight had drained his magical reserve rapidly. He stumbles, feeling his magic releasing on his creature form just as a spell shoots from behind him and hits Weasley in the chest, his wand flying from his hand as he watches the scene in front of him in surprise. Silvius thinks he hears someone calling his name before he falls backward, vision fading to pitch black as he collapses.

-----

Silvius wakes up abruptly; his head pounds fiercely, and his ears ring. He winces, whimpering as the bright lights which seem to burn his retinas and he cannot withhold a hiss of pain as he squeezes his eyes shut to block out as much of the offensive beams as possible. He feels a pressure on his hand before the light dims enough for him to try and pry his eyes open. He is groaning at the aches which shoot through his entire body as he shifts a little. Silvius blinks, squinting into the room he is lying in.

“Silvius?” a gentle voice calls, so soft that he almost doesn’t hear it. Turning his head in the direction of the gentle voice, his head throbs in discomfort at the movement, but he tries to smile up at his father. He wants to soothe some of the worry he can see shining in the man’s familiar silver eyes.

“Hi, dad.”

“How are you feeling, Sweetie?”

“Tired, sore. My head hurts, and I ache all over. I just want to sleep.” He answers honestly, knowing that his father is going to take care of him and that there is no need to hide anything from his dad. Not that he wanted to hide anything from the man who took him in and showed him what it was like to be loved. Even after thinking he had been dead for almost sixteen years.

Silvius manages to crack a smile before he coughs, wincing at the dry, scratchy feeling at the back of his throat. Before he can request a glass of water, a goblet is being held in front of his mouth. Glancing at the cup in surprise, Silvius turns to his side and feels himself relaxing more when he sees Blaise coaxing him into drinking. He doesn’t hesitate to do so, even as amusement settles around him when his Mate refuses to hand him the glass.

“Thank you, Destined.”

Blaise chokes, his eyes filling with tears. He places the empty cup on a nearby table and carefully pulls Silvius into his chest, wrapping the much too pale boy into his arms as tears begin to stream down his cheeks. He buries his face against Silvius’s neck. Silvius, baffled as to what is happening, wraps his arms around his boyfriend in return, being mindful of his aching muscles. He pulls Blaise closer and begins to stroke a hand down his back soothingly. Turned questioning eyes toward his father.

“What happened?”

“We don’t know much, Silvius. I felt your magic spiking from my office and immediately knew that something was wrong and that you were in danger. I followed the trail of your magic and found you fighting against the release of your creature. Blaise was just making his way out of the Dungeons, and I knew that he had felt the shift in your magic as well. It felt like it was calling for someone to come and protect you. It reached out to me as your father and Blaise as your dominant mate. The youngest Weasley male was standing a few feet away with his wand out, and I could only surmise what had happened. I shot an Expelliarmus as the boy and went to calm you down, but you collapsed just after your Creature form came forth.”

Regulus breaks down then, his own tears trailing down his face as he stares down at his son in sorrow. He silently asks for his son to forgive him for not being there fast enough to protect him and save him from the magical drain. Blaise pulls away from their embrace and cups Silvius’s cheeks in his hands, his thumbs stroking across his cheekbones.

“You were standing at the top of the entrance staircase when you collapsed, and before any of us could reach you, you fell. I managed to catch you about halfway down, but by then, you had already suffered a fair few injuries. I am so sorry, Silvius.” Blaise drops one of his hands and gently takes hold of Silvius’s, which, he only just notices, is bandaged and throbbing a little in pain. Staring down at his injured arm, he glances back up at Blaise, who has moved the hand on his cheek to stroke against his forehead, and he guesses he has a decent-sized bruise forming.

“Luckily, it was not broken but severely sprained. You cracked your head on the stairs and most likely ended up with a concussion, which would explain the slight memory loss, but we couldn’t wake you up to check. No matter what we tried, you wouldn’t wake up, so we had to leave you to wake up on your own. You have a bruise on the side of your head from the fall, your ankle was badly twisted as well, and a few of your ribs had been bruised.”

“it is not your fault, Blaise, nor is any of this your fault, Father. The Blood Traitor attacked me when I was on my way back to the common room after I was asked to stay behind to speak to Professor Babbling. He shot a spell at me from behind and then proceeded to tell me that all Dark wizards and witches deserved to die. He wouldn’t stop telling me that we all deserved to die because we were Dark and had turned our backs on the Light. He informed me that the well-deserving Light had the right to kill any Dark witch or wizard they felt like because they were all righteous and just. That they were honest and good people. I just got so angry, Dad. I don’t even remember what I did or what I said to him, but all I could think about was that I had to keep my Creature from killing the Weasel, that it wasn’t the right time for him to die yet.” Silvius takes a deep breath when he feels his anger spiking again at the words the Blood Traitor had dared to spout in front of him. It was despicable behaviour, something which would be seen as deliberately provoking a Creature into harming others. It could seriously get people thrown in Azkaban.

“Oh, Silvi…”

“I remember wishing that you and Blaise were there with me, that you would come and save me, or at least help me soothe the Creature and chase away my anger. I wished and prayed to Merlin that you would come for me… and you did. You both came for me… and you both saved me. Thank you… thank you.” Silvius breaks into sobs, then cries, wrecking his slender frame, and two sets of arms wrap around his body, holding them close. He feels tears soaking into his shoulders from Blaise and his father and can’t help releasing a watery chuckle at the situation. Lifting his arms, Silvius traps the two in their embrace, wrapping an arm around their shoulders with a sigh.

“I love you guys so much. I am so glad that I learnt the truth about who I am, and I am so happy that you took me back in, Father, and that you accepted me as your Destined Mate, Blaise. I can’t imagine my life without either of you now. I love you so much. I love you.”

“I love you too, My Son. You have always and will always be my pride and joy, my baby boy, my little Silvius, and nothing is going to change that.”

“I love you as well, Tesoro; you know this. I would happily do anything for you. Anything you need from me or wish of me is already yours, Silvius. I am lucky to have such an amazing person as my Destined.”

“I see that you are finally awake.” Another voice cuts through their teary confessions, and Silvius pulls back from Blaise and Regulus in order to shoot a dazzling, albeit watery smile up at Severus, Marvolo, and Lucius, who is standing just inside the doorway watching him in trepidation as if he were about to break right in front of them. The thought makes him relax completely.

“Uncle Severus, Uncle Lucius, Uncle Marvolo.”

“How are you feeling, little Salazar?”

“I am feeling a little better, thank you, Uncle Marvolo. I am a little sore everywhere, and my head hurts. I am still tired, as well.”

“Well, that is to be expected after you tumble down a flight of stairs after collapsing from magical exhaustion, Silvius,” Severus responds, his mouth pressing into a thin white line to showcase his worry. Silvius smiles. Carefully pushing himself up from the small sofa he had been lying on, Silvius limps over to his uncles and wraps them in a large hug, which they are quick to return.

“I really am sorry for worrying you, Uncle Severus. It won’t happen again.”

“With you, we will never know, Silvius,” Lucius answers, chuckling. He ruffles Silvius’s hair when the boy turns to pout at him.

“It really wasn’t my fault this time. That blasted Weasley was asking for death, and I was seconds away from granting his wish. He should be thanking Merlin that he is still alive right now. If I didn’t want to ruin your plans, Uncle Marvolo, I would have turned him to shreds on the spot.”

“What did he do this time?” Marvolo questions quietly, leading his godson back to the sofa so he could get his weight off his injured foot. He helps Silvius to settle down and watches in amusement as he is manhandled to settle back against Blaise’s chest, arms wrapping around his waist to hold him in place. Not that Silvius seemed to mind as he snuggles back into his Mate.

Marvolo settles himself down next to Regulus, offering the man some silent reassurance. Regulus had been entirely beside himself with worry when they couldn’t wake Silvius up after his fall; he was practically inconsolable until, according to Severus, he had come through the Floo. His eyes widen when he feels a hesitant hand slipping into his, fingers slotting themselves between his own, and he tightens his grip. He refused to glance at Regulus for fear that he would cause the younger man to retreat away from him, so he settled for leaning slightly closer to his friend, pressing his shoulder against Regulus’s to remind him that he was there for him.

“You mean after he cast a spell at my back? Or after he told me that all dark-affiliated witches and wizards deserved to die? Maybe how he told me that I should have died alongside my mother all those years ago and how she deserved everything she got because she was a pathetic bitch and turned her back on the Light by going Dark.” Silvius shakes with rage, his eyes flashing amber, and he coughs. However, he is quickly soothed by Blaise, who nuzzles along his neck, whispering soothing notions in his ear while one of his hands strokes up and down along Silvius’s stomach.

“He. Said. What?” Lucius spits out between gritted teeth, hands clenching into fists at the mere thought of someone, a mere child at that, saying such things in front of his nephew. In front of his sister’s child. Severus places a hand over his fist, forcing the appendage to relax enough for him to slip his fingers between his Mate’s.

“It just made me so angry. What right does he have to declare someone else’s torture and death as warranted or even welcomed simply because of the family they were born into or the affiliation of their magic? If that were the case, then the entire Weasley clan, sans my Weasleys, deserve to die because they are despicable ingrates who offer nothing to the Wizarding World.”

“And you are justified in your anger, little Salazar. We can take him to court if you wish, the Wizengamot would vote in your favour because of your Creature Inheritance, for the fact that he attacked you from behind unprovoked and that he threatened an entire classification of wizarding kind.”

Silvius ponders his uncle’s offer for a moment before he shakes his head, a vindictive smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as ideas filter through his mind. He didn’t want to take him to court, he didn’t want the snot nosed brat to get off as lightly as dealing with dementors for a couple of months or even a few years. It was much too light of a sentence. No, he would enjoy playing with the Weasel first.

“You know what, Uncle Marvolo? I think I will save his imprisonment for later. I believe the Blood Traitor should get exactly what he deserves. Maybe Draco would like to help me, or maybe Fred and George, they never did like their youngest brother, always thought he was too righteous and pig-headed. I am sure that you wouldn’t mind assisting me either, would you, Blaise?”

“Of course not, Tesoro. I would gladly help you teach the little Weasley what happens when he upsets my Mate.” Blaise growls, bringing a light flush and happy smile to Silvius’s cheeks. His uncles and father exchange expressions of delighted surprise as the malicious glee pouring out of Silvius at the mere thought of torturing another wizard. Though they couldn’t say they were completely surprised, he did successfully Crucio Bellatrix the previous year and tortured the Muggles who had abused him for years.

“Wait, how long was I actually asleep for?” Silvius questions, turning to face his father and uncles as he cuddles back against Blaise’s chest and wraps his boyfriend’s arms around his stomach, his own hands resting against the toned arms. Severus shakes his head in amusement, trusting Silvius to be one of the only patients not to question the time he had spent unconscious unless as an afterthought.

“Not too long, just a little over ten hours. It is just before breakfast.” His father answers, smiling down at his son. Silvius frowns at the information before tilting his head back and resting it against Blaise’s chest. He glares up at his Mate in accusation.

“You haven’t been awake this whole time, have you? You have slept, right?”

“Your father sent me away around eleven last night, but I couldn’t sleep much because I was too worried about you. I did sleep a little. I will be fine now that I know you are okay.” Blaise mutters, brushing his lips against Silvius’s forehead, arms tightening around the other’s waist.

“Well then, I suggest we go and get some food into you, Destined,” Silvius cheerfully claims, withholding a wince when his wrist throbs a little in response. Pulling Blaise up as he stands to his feet, carefully testing his weight on his sprained ankle, he hisses in pain. He turns to walk out of the room when a hand clamps down on his shoulder, holding him in place.

“Silvius, you don’t honestly believe that we are going to let you leave when you have been unconscious for the entire night. You cannot possibly expect that we will let you go to classes, do you?” Silvius stares back at his father, face slack in surprise. He had assumed that, actually. He had never been able to slack off before, not when he had broken bones, not when he had a concussion, either. He had always been expected to, or rather, they had demanded he continue with his chores.

Regulus sighs, of course his son wouldn’t expect to be allowed to take it easy. Of course, his child, his precious little boy, wouldn’t expect anyone to care enough about him to want to look after him, to make sure he was utterly alright before sending him off again. Holding out his hand to his son, Regulus watches as Silvius takes the appendage and lets his father pull him down onto his lap. He is slightly surprised at this gesture, seeing as he is sixteen years old, but he doesn’t make a move to get up. He doesn’t mind it in the slightest, actually.

“Silvius, you were hurt. You were unconscious for several hours and don’t even try to tell me that you are feeling fine because I saw that wince as you tried to stand up, and I know that you cannot put your full weight on your ankle just yet. You are still in pain, and we would like to make sure that you are 100% okay before letting you go back to classes. Just take it easy today, and I promise that you can get up to as much mischief as you wish tomorrow.”

Silvius ponders the request momentarily, head tilting to the side as he considers his father’s words. He allows his gaze to sweep the room, eyeing his family, something which he had resigned himself never to have the chance to have before, and spies the hidden concern and worry shining in their eyes. Worry for himself. Turning to gaze up at Blaise, he frowns when he just notices the skin pulled tight around his eyes, the bags decorating under his eyes, and the slightly paler pallor of his skin. He had made them all worry. He had made them all lose hours of sleep because he had lost control of his anger and injured himself. Turning his gaze back to his father, Silvius nods his head in agreement, tears swimming in his eyes.

“Oh, Silvi, we don’t blame you for any of this. Nothing that has happened to you in the present, not the past, is your fault. You were so brave yesterday. You tried so hard to keep control, even if it meant harming yourself in the process. I am so proud of you, My Son. I am so proud of you.”

“Can someone stay with me, please?”

“Of course, Silvius. Your Uncle Lucius and Uncle Marvolo are going to stay here with you while your Uncle Severus and I attend to our classes. Your friends will no doubt come to visit you during lunchtime as well, if you are up for seeing them?”

“I would like that.”

“Very well, I will inform them that you are resting up in the godfather’s quarters when I see them later. Now, you rest up, okay?”

“Okay, Dad.” Regulus inclines his head and stands up. He settles Silvius back down on the small sofa and tugs the blanket around his son’s legs, tucking him in before he brushes a soft kiss to his forehead, Severus following closely behind.

“Be good, Silvius.”

“You know me, Uncle Sev.” Silvius chuckles when Severus rolls his eyes and cracks a small smile.

“That does not reassure me in the slightest, you brat. Don’t cause too much trouble for you uncles, okay.”

“Yes, Yes, I will be on my best behaviour. I promise. Love you too, Uncle Severus. Now shoo before you are late.” Silvius chuckles again when Severus pulls him into a tight hug before he follows his father out of the room, both shooting one final glance at him over their shoulders before they finally disappear from his line of sight. Silvius turns his attention to Blaise, who is still standing by his side, eyebrows furrowed, mouth set in a thin line, and eyes slightly glazing.

“Blaise?”

“Sorry, Silvi. Lost in thought. I will need to be heading off as well before I actually miss breakfast. Promise me that you are going to be good for your uncles, alright? And that you are going to rest up as much as possible?”

“I promise, I may try and get some more sleep, but only if you come and see me at lunch. If you don’t, then there is nothing that will stop me from attending classes just so I can see you.” Silvius threatens, drawing a chuckle from Blaise, who leans forward to pull his Mate into a warm embrace, brushing a chaste kiss to Silvius’s lips.

“I will definitely come to see you at lunch, Tesoro. I don’t think my Creature will settle completely until I can assure you are completely fine anyway. Not even the great Albus Dumbledore could keep me away from you today.”

“What about the Dark Lord?” Marvolo questions with a growing smirk. Blaise bows, an answering smirk of his own shaping his features.

“I apologise, My Lord, but I must obey the Dark Prince. He is my one and only master and his orders are absolute, I will endeavour to do all he wishes, and no one will prevent from me from doing as such.” Silvius blushes deeply at Blaise’s words, and although they hold a hint of teasing towards Marvolo, Silvius knows that Blaise is being entirely truthful in his words, and it warms his heart.

“A good answer, Blaise. I am pleased to know that Silvius has surrounded himself with some trustworthy and loyal followers.”

“You do not have to worry about that, My Lord. The In Dolus Intortis are more than just followers of Silvius. We are his closest friends and his family. Silvius’s priority, as our leader and friend, is the top priority of the faction; we will do whatever we can to ensure he is safe and unharmed to the best of our abilities.” Marvolo’s expression softens at the look of devotion and dedication shaping Blaise’s features, as well as the besotted grin shaping his godson’s.

“I know you will, Blaise. Now, you really must be off before you do indeed miss breakfast.”

“Yes, My Lord. I will see you in a couple of hours, Tesoro.” Blaise turns on his heels after dropping another kiss on Silvius’s head.

“See you later, Destined.” He makes his way towards the door.

“Oh, and Blaise,” Marvolo calls out. “You are still allowed to call me Marvolo, except for when we are in a meeting.”

“Of course, Marvolo.” Blaise disappears out of sight, and Silvius sighs. He settles further against the sofa cushions and turns his attention to his uncle and godfather.

Notes:

Another chapter has been completed and posted for you all to read! I hope you enjoy it XD

Chapter 11: True Feelings

Notes:

Members of the In Dolus Intortis and their Guise Names
Prince Jupiter - Silvius
Astraeus - Remus
Antevorta - Luna
Saturn - Neville
Asclepius - Draco
Discordia - Tracy
Virtus - Bill
Remus - Fred
Romulus - George
Mars - Charlie
Pluto - Blaise
Fama - Pansy
Phoebus - Theo
Minerva - Daphne
Bellona - Millicent

“Uncle Marvolo, may I ask you a question?” Silvius mutters almost half an hour after he wakes up for the second time. He had been idly staring between his Uncle Lucius and Marvolo, watching them battle each other over a complicated game of chess. By the looks of things and the numerous Parsel curses his godfather was spitting, Lucius was actually winning for once. The book he had summoned to entertain himself was now lying abandoned on the cushion by his side. Marvolo hums in acknowledgment, eyebrows furrowing as he stares down at the board in contemplation.

“You don’t have to answer if you do not wish to, but… do you like Father?” Sinking his teeth into his bottom lip, Silvius begins to twist his fingers in the folds of his robes, shortened nails catching on a minor loose threat, which he continues to pick at in favour of looking at his uncles. So focused on his nervous movements, Silvius doesn’t see when Marvolo freezes, his hand pausing over the chess board while his eyes widen a fraction—forcing himself to remain focused on the pieces and relax.

“Of course I like your father, Silvius. He is one of my favourite followers and my closest friend. One of the people I trust the most in the world.” Marvolo answers truthfully, although Silvius knows that his uncle didn’t answer as truthfully as he would have liked.

Scowling and huffing out a breath, Silvius leans his elbow on the back of the sofa, levering himself up marginally so he can stare over at Marvolo. He narrows his eyes, knowing that his godfather knew very well what he meant by his question and was deliberately being vague and evasive. The Dark Lord should know that such wishy-washy words were not going to fool him, nor would they deter him from getting the answers he wanted out of the man. He has a foolproof way of getting his godfather to cave in; the man always falls for his puppy-dog eyes.

“That is so not what I meant, Uncle Marvolo, and you know it.” Silvius crosses his arms, settling his feet underneath himself so he can keep his vantage point. He widens his eyes before dropping his scowl into a pout.

Marvolo, within a matter of seconds of gazing at his godson, sighs, dragging a hand through his hair. He commands one of his Knights to take a rook from Lucius’s side. Lucius, in response, merely shoots a slight smirk at his nephew. Clearly, the teenager had noticed what he had figured out as well. Not that the Dark Lord had tried to keep his feelings for Silvius’s father much of a secret over the past few months. Nor had Regulus done anything to really fight off Marvolo’s advances. He had even initiated some of their contact recently. If he managed to play his cards right, then he would be able to aid his nephew in soothing Regulus’s unnecessary fears and doubts his friends no doubt had.

“Does it bother you that I may be developing feelings for your father, Silvius?”

“Of course it doesn’t, Uncle Marvolo.” Silvius waves his hand in front of his face, batting away Marvolo’s question. “I am very happy for you, in fact. Besides, I know that Father fancies you in return.” Shrugging his shoulders, Silvius kind of liked the thought of his father finally allowing some semblance of happiness back into his life and of the thought of his father not feeling so lonely anymore. He didn’t want his father to refuse his godfather’s advances or even his confession because of his mother. Despite knowing that his father will always have a special place in his heart reserved for the woman who birthed him, Silvius knew that it wasn’t healthy for the man to keep his growing feelings bottled up like this. As harsh as it may seem, and some people may even judge him for thinking such thoughts, his mother had died fifteen years ago. His father deserved to move on and find someone who would love him just as deeply.

“I doubt that very much, Silvius. Your father barely gives me the time of day recently. I seem to recall the last letter I sent to him being left without a response.”

“That isn’t because he doesn’t like you back, Uncle Marvolo. I can promise you that. I mean if he did only see you as a friend and Master, then he would not have initiated holding your hand earlier. It is because he is afraid and worried.”

“I don’t understand what else it could be, Silvius. Other than Regulus concluding that the feelings he holds for me are not and will never be more than a friend.” Marvolo sighed again, giving up all pretenses of paying attention to the chess game between himself and Lucius.

“He probably doesn’t wish to offend the Malfoy family by seemingly disregarding my mother. Nor does he wish to upset Uncle Lucius by seeming to move on from his sister almost as soon as he gained his son back and allowing himself to fall in love with another.” Silvius tries to explain, smiling gently at the surprised, though still slightly sceptical expression on his godfather’s features. He is sure that he can spy a glimmer of hope shining in red-tinted brown. Turning to stare at his uncle, Lucius smirks over at Silvius, nodding along with the boy’s words.

“Silvius is correct, Marvolo. Regulus is a very loving and caring person; he needs someone to dote on, and at this point in time, it is going to be his son. However, very soon, Silvius is going to go off with his own Mate, and Regulus is going to need someone he can give his heart over to. Walburga Black, of all people, also bought him up. That woman drilled it into her son’s heads that you marry for life; that if your spouse were to perish in a fight for our cause, then that would be it for them.” Lucius begins to explain, fingers playing with the pointed tip of his bishop.

“Regulus is aware that his feelings for you are shifting and have been for a while now, but he doesn’t wish to risk his relationship with myself and my family. He loved Cassie, and in a way, he still does, but he is also moving on with his life. He is seeking happiness, and he doesn’t know how to cope with it properly. Not to mention his worries over your friendship if ever a relationship between the two of you should ultimately fail.”

Lucius falls silent, settling back in his seat as he and Silvius watch the conflicting emotions that flash across Marvolo’s face as he tries to process their words. Much of what they were saying did make sense. Regulus was very set in his ways, a telling sign of the type of upbringing he had under the tender care of Walburga Black and her husband, Orion. He contemplates the likelihood of him ever wanting to separate from Regulus if he were to enter into a relationship with the man and almost shudders at the thought. He wishes to ask Regulus to allow himself to be courted; he does not want to begin a substandard relationship with the man.

“Alright, then how am I going to convince him that he will face no such consequences if he were to allow himself to love me as I, him?”

“Tell him that you would be willing to wait for him. Tell him that no matter what he chooses to do, no matter how long it may take for him to be ready to open himself up to you, you will still love him. That you would be willing to wait however long for him. He will come around in time, Marvolo.” Silvius nods his head along with his uncle’s words.

“Uncle Lucius, do you think there could be a chance for you to speak to Father about the situation? Maybe try to find some way to reassure him that you will not abandon him, despise him, or think anything less of him if he were to enter into a courtship with Uncle Marvolo. I think he will be more inclined to listen to you than he would myself. Maybe you could settle his fears and doubts?”

“I will see what I can do for Regulus, Silvius. Your father is a very good friend of mine; he is my brother in all but blood and not just because of his marriage to my sister. Even if he were to confess his undying love for your godfather suddenly, that would never change. I will always consider your father and yourself as part of my family, and you always will be. No matter what happens.”

Silvius allows his smile to brighten, eyes twinkling at the thought of his father finally being able to release his insecurities and doubts. To allow himself to fall in love with another. He may argue that he doesn’t need a relationship. That he was content with his life as it stood in the present day because he had been gifted his son back, but Silvius knew better. Yes, his father was utterly over the moon. Silvius had found his way back to him, and his child was still alive and healthy. Still, he would also get lonely over time, and Silvius was aware that it was a particular type of loneliness he could help with.

Silvius had already found his Destined Mate and would, no doubt, focus on beginning his own little family as soon as they won the war, and he had graduated from Hogwarts. Or, at the very least, get rid of Dumbledore. He wasn’t going to abandon his father or forget about the man, but of course, he was not. Regulus would be as involved with his life as much as Silvius could allow; the man would be even more engaged in the childhoods of his grandchildren, but it would be good for Regulus if he had a partner of his own to keep him company as well.

“You are oddly set on this, Silvius.” Marvolo points out, his eyebrow raising in question as he takes in his godson’s determined gleam and a deep-set frown.

“I just want Dad to be happy.” Silvius sighs. “I don’t want him to be alone anymore. I already know that I am not going to be around forever. I am going to want to go off sometimes with my Mate and future family, and I don’t want him to be lonely. He deserves to be happy and know what it is like to be loved unconditionally again by a partner and not just his son and close friends.”

Marvolo and Lucius exchange a quick glance before they return their gazes to Silvius, their thoughts stagnating for a fraction of a moment over how such a kind, caring, and selfless child could have possibly been the same person who had been not that long ago, spouting off their desire to torture and murder someone in cold blood. How could Silvius be so open and warm-hearted to those he truly cared about while still holding this air of untouchable power around himself? It was an intriguing thing to bear witness to, something which initially gave them the idea to allow Silvius to control his own faction within the Dark Sect.

Silvius can feel himself blushing at the continuous stares, the adoration and love he can see in his uncle’s expressions. He is nervously shifting on the sofa and picking at the blanket over his lap. He ponders whether he said something wrong until Marvolo’s expression softens, and Lucius smiles down at him. Their facial expressions were so open that Silvius could feel his heart fluttering in his chest, and he could feel himself relaxing, an answering smile stretching across his lips.

“And we will make sure that your father sees some sense soon, Silvius. I will speak to Regulus. You will not have to worry about him being on his own for much longer. I will beat some sense into him if I have to, or just lock him in a room with your godfather until he accepts his feelings and confesses.”

Silvius giggles at Lucius’s words, even more so when he sees that slightly worried expression spreading across his godfather’s features. He knows that his uncle would gladly follow through with his threats if it meant making his father, his own brother in all but blood, happy in the end. Not to mention that Marvolo would do everything he could from his end in order to ensure that his father felt loved and cared for. Even if his father was a very stubborn man.

Besides, if push came to shove, then Silvius would team up with his uncles and his In Dolus Intortis, enforcing his puppy-dog eyes to give his father the last little nudge to act on his feelings for his Uncle Marvolo or to just cave in and allow Marvolo to court him.

“I would pay good galleons to see that, Uncle Lucius… but you really wouldn’t mind?”

“Mind what, Silvi?” Lucius questions, however, by the lowering of Silvius’s gaze back to the loose thread he had been picking at and the hunching of his posture, Lucius could hazard a guess that Silvius was still referring to Regulus’s pending relationship with his Lord.

“That Father has feelings for someone else? That he likes Uncle Marvolo?”

“I do not mind in the slightest, Silvi. I know that Cassie would feel saddened if she saw Regulus now and knew that he was refusing to act on his feelings for someone else. She would not like for him to continue mourning her passing and using it as a blockade, preventing him from ever being happy again. Your mother, if she would, would tell Reg that he is being completely ridiculous and to pursue his second happily ever after, especially since they didn’t get the ending they deserved. She would tell him to follow his heart. I am happy for him, Silvius. Never doubt that. Besides, you and your father helped me achieve my happily ever after with my True Mate, so it is now my turn to help him.”

Lucius reaches around the table and rests his hand over Silvius’s knee, patting the joint in comfort to convey the seriousness of his words and how, honestly, he believed them to be true. It makes Silvius feel a little calmer and secure within his own family, knowing that they would support his father and his godfather in their relationship. Despite the multiple times, the adults around him had reminded him that he was a part of their family, no matter what. He smiles at his uncle, dropping his hand over the man’s before he turns to gaze up at Marvolo, who ruffles his hair.

“You had better not even think about hurting my dad.” Silvius glares playfully at his godfather, drawing a chuckle from the older wizard.

“I would never dream of hurting Regulus, Silvius. Your father is a very dear friend of mine. I would never try to do anything to harm him, even if it turned out that he didn’t return my feelings and wished to remain friends. He is my most trusted advisor, and I would be lost without him around.”

-----

He was finally free! Not that he had been held prisoner at all, but Silvius couldn’t stop the wide grin from spreading across his lips as he walked out of Severus’s quarters later that afternoon. His father had allowed him to leave the watchful eyes of his uncles just after dinner, only after Severus had given him the all-clear to go and join his In Dolus down in the chamber. His Uncle had been very thorough in his diagnostics charms, checking and then double-checking to make sure all of his injuries were healed and that he had no lingering aches and pains.

Regulus had even gone so far as making Silvius promise to be extra careful on his way to the Chamber, despite him not having to leave the safety of the dungeons to get there so he wouldn’t have the opportunity to bump into anyone who would wish to attack him again. Silvius had crushed his father in a tight embrace for his concern, kissing his cheeks before exiting his godfather’s private quarters, being mindful of his still aching ankle and wrist. Not even magic could fully heal his sprains.

Slipping into the Chamber, Silvius is pleasantly surprised to find that all his friends had split themselves off into the teams they would be working in for their encroaching mission. Making his way over to Draco and Bill, who are bent over one of the desks in the research center, severe frowns on their lips as they whisper between themselves, the rest of their team milling around with various textbooks and tomes spreading out across the tables surfaces.

“I am thinking that it would be best for all of us to simply copy the plans and notes, Virtus. I mean, think about it: if we merely steal the plans, then Dumbledore and his flaming chickens are going to know or heavily suspect that I am one of the In Dolus Intortis. If they manage to figure out my identity through this mission, then not only does it put myself in danger, but it would also make it that much easier to find out the majority of our faction identities by association. I am the only one who is going to be able to bypass the Fidelius Charm and allow people into the townhouse without alerting Dumbledore. If the plans just disappear, then Dumbledore will know that I was in the house.”

“Okay, yes, I can understand that. It actually makes a lot more sense, and even if I do love the imagery of Dumbledore and Alaster Moody frantically looking for their plans and notes, accusing other members of the Order of stealing them and being spies, your method sounds safer. Besides, we are going to be in our full uniform, muggle weapons included, so if we are spotted, then at least they are going to be able to associate us with the group of In Dolus working as a distraction somewhere. If they can link you to the group, then yes, I agree that it is going to make everything a lot more complicated for Our Prince and the Dark Lord.”

“Exactly, and I would rather give up my own life than put Jupiter in danger like that. I think it would be for the best if we left a little earlier than Prince Jupiter’s team. If we wait outside their headquarters until everyone is called away to deal with Prince Jupiter and his members, then we will have a good window to enter and copy all of the plans and files. That way, we can leave, and the Order will be none the wiser for our infiltration.”

“As long as no one stays behind.”

“If that is the case, then I suppose I could rely on yours and Astraeus’s superior dueling capabilities or Romulus and Remus’s inventions to keep them at bay while we proceed with the mission. However, we may have a hard time trying to explain the disappearance of a member or two.”

“I believe I may have some ideas as to how we can solve that. We could always attempt to create a Gollum of anyone left behind and program it to go through their day-to-day life for a few days before it disappears. That would allow us a good enough window to get away with it, and the Order would have no good reason to suspect someone broke into Headquarters. Or I could set up a Ward around the front door which would Obliviate anyone walking through to the fact that one or two members stayed behind in the house. It would seem like they haven’t been heard from since the previous meeting.”

“Alright, do you know how to make a Gollum?”

“Yes, we used them quite often in Egypt when exploring tombs and such. We would craft simple ones and send them through smaller spaces to check for any traps, wards, and hexes before sending in a team of curse breakers. But I may have Phoebus and Minerva researching the topic anyhow, so we have several people who can help, which will make the process a lot quicker.”

“Excellent. We can ask Phoebus and Minerva to work on that leg of research in a little while. If it only needs to be active for a few days, then I suppose it won’t have to be all that complicated. Now, does everyone coming with us know how to use the Copying Spell?”

“As far as I am aware, Remus and Romulus know it rather well. I am sure that they even use a slightly more complicated version to mass produce some of their less volatile products in their store. Only when they do not have the time to create more manually.”

“Excellent. As far as I am aware, Phoebus and Minerva do as well. We all use it to copy our notes when one of us is in the hospital wing or otherwise indisposed and has to miss a few classes.”

Silvius chuckles at the pair, drawing Asclepius and Virtus’s attention to his presence. The duo is quick to jump to their feet, hands clenching over their chests as they offer him a short bow, wincing when one of their chairs tilts a little too far back and clatters to the floor. Returning their bow with one of his own, Silvius couldn’t stop another chuckle from escaping when Virtus bends down to pick up his chair and seat himself at the table again. Glancing down at the parchment Draco and Bill had been scribbling their plans on, he is surprised by just how detailed it was already.

“Merlin, Jupiter! How long have you been standing there?” Draco breathes out, collapsing back into his seat with a huff, a slight pout spreading across his lips.

“Not too long. Just enough to hear you discussing the reasoning behind copying the parchments in the Order headquarters instead of outright stealing them. However, I must confess that I would rather you not die for our cause, Asclepius; I would miss you terribly.” Silvius watches as Draco’s face explodes in a light flush, and he ducks his head to hide the growing redness across his cheeks and ears. He hadn’t intended for Silvius to hear anything he had been saying, which is precisely why he had said it.

“Shut it, Jupiter.”

“I am impressed with how much of your mission you have been able to plan out already, which means that I expect it to go off without a hitch.”

“Of course, My Prince. You have nothing to worry about.” Bill inclines his head as he steals the parchment from under Draco’s lax hands and jots down another series of notes in the top corner. He snickers at Draco’s rising embarrassment.

“If something goes wrong while you are there, an Order member or two stays behind, or our distraction doesn’t work half as well as we are hoping, then I expect you all to deal with it as members of my In Dolus Intortis. If things go south, Virtus, I want you to take over that side of the mission and try to leave Asclepius with the chance to continue copying the spells. I am going to have the Dark Lord set up a cell in Riddle Manor, just in case. Before you leave, I am going to have some port keys crafted, which will transport anyone to the Manor if they are to be left behind to protect the house.”

“Of course, Prince Jupiter. We will continue to plan for such an occurrence.”

“Thank you, Virtus and Asclepius. I am impressed by your thoughts on using Gollums; however, that was a stroke of genius. Congratulations, you two.”

“Thank you, Jupiter. We won’t let you down.” Draco mutters, finally managing to get his blush under control.

“I know you won’t.” Silvius smiles gently at the pair. He truly did love his faction, his teammates, and his friends; they were hardworking and so diligent that he didn’t really have many opportunities at the moment to take charge, but that is the way he preferred things. He didn’t want his friends, those he saw as his extended family, cowing at his feet when he walked into the room. “While you are at it, I want one of you to place the recording and listening devices in the kitchen and situate it out of sight of the Order members. We will link it up once you are back to see what the Order thinks of our little group outing.”

“Yes, My Prince.”

Leaving the pair to their continued planning, Silvius goes on a hunt for his own team and smirks when he finds them all gathered around one of the larger group tables hiding in the back of the research center. Walking over, Blaise is the first one to notice his approach, and Silvius can feel himself smiling when his Mate welcomes him with a softening expression, one which melts the bright violet eyes into a soft purple, appearing to make them shine even brighter. Without hesitation, Silvius drops himself down into Blaise’s lap, wrapping an arm around his mate’s neck. He brushes a quick kiss on his boyfriend’s cheek.

“Jupiter,” the others intone, bowing their heads so they didn’t have to stand up from their seats.

“How are you faring now, My Prince?” Fama inquires, eyeing him as if she could see through his clothing to check him for any remaining injuries.

“I am well, Fama. Uncle Severus has already given me the all-clear. I am back to 100% now, just my ankles and wrist still twinging every now and again, but they should be healed by tomorrow morning.”

“That is good to hear, Jupiter.” Silvius smirks. He leans back against Blaise’s chest when arms wrap around his waist in a tight embrace. Placing his hands on top of Blaise’s, Silvius squeezes the appendages, chuckling when he feels fingers slotting between his own. He turns his attention back to half his faction.

“It is, indeed, Discordia. It means that I am now considered well enough by the Dark Lord's standards, and my father’s, to begin planning for our own mission.” His members sit up a little straighter. “Now, as you are all aware, this mission is merely a means to distract the order and lead them out of Headquarters and into our midst, giving Asclepius and his team enough time to copy all of their files and make their escape.” The others nod along with his words, shifting excitedly in their seats as they exchange unconcealed expressions of glee.

“Alright then, our first order of business. We are going to need to decide on a good place to attack or cause enough of a disturbance that the Order will have to come out and stop us. With our uniforms on, people are going to assume that we are Death Eaters, or wannabes at least, and therefore, we may even have to face a few Aurors if they catch wind of our attack. You may even find yourselves on the end of some rather unsavory curses and hexes, maybe even a killing curse or two. I wouldn’t put it past them, but I am hoping that with the introduction of an entirely new and unheard of before alliance growing within the Dark Sect, the fools may just prefer to ask questions rather than fight us.”

“Do you have any places in mind, Jupiter?” Mars questions, quill poised over a roll of parchment.

“Yes, I believe one of the best places would either be Diagon Alley, Godric’s Hollow, or Hogsmeade. These places are well known enough to bring the Order running when they catch wind of a possible Death Eater attack.”

“That sounds good, but what about the public? Aren’t we aiming to have the public backing our forces in the future? They won’t want to if we harm innocent civilians and children.” Neville remarks, and Silvius almost facepalms. Of course, public morals would have to throw a wrench in his works.

“And this is why I am in need of members who can think rationally and call me on aspects I have overlooked. Thank you, Saturn. You are correct; if we are seen attacking innocent bystanders, then it will, indeed, reflect negatively on us later, but if we do not cause enough of a stir, then I am not sure we will be able to gain the Order’s attention. However…” Silvius mutters, summoning a piece of parchment so he can jot down his own plans and ideas.

“If we were to cause a disturbance in Godric’s Hollow, then there would be a significant reduction in the number of citizens living in the immediate area in danger of injuries. It is also a place that holds personal significance to every member of the Order. If we attack Godric’s Hollow, specifically the house where the Potters were attacked and murdered, then it will definitely bring the Flaming chickens out to play. I bet that old codger even put perimeter wards around the land to alert him to anyone stepping near the cottage.”

Silvius grins maniacally while his team chuckles. It would be amusing to see just how devastated Dumbledore and his sycophantic followers became at seeing their beloved and misguided monument destroyed. Especially seen as many of them seemed to have been kept in the Dark about what the Potters had been involved in when they were alive and how much pain their action had caused the Malfoy and Black families.

“I believe that it is probably the best cause of action. Besides, the people living in Godric’s Hollow are very private people. The attack probably won’t even make it into the newspapers unless Dumbledore reports it or the Aurors show up.” Blaise intones, his breath brushing against Silvius’s neck and ear, dragging a shiver down his spine.

“The Order will likely get there first if we attack the Potter Cottage, and because of the desolate conditions of Godric’s Hollow, Aurors are less likely to show up at all. Alright, Godric’s Hollow it is.” Silvius nods his head. “Mars and Pluto, you will be with me, and we will begin the attack on the Potter’s Cottage from the main street. Try to leave as much of the surrounding area intact as possible. Saturn and Antevorta, I want the two of you to attack from the rear. Be as destructive as you like. Fama, Discordia, Bellona, I want you guys to cause as much discord around us as possible. Blow up any shops that you see to be derelict and abandoned, but do not destroy anything that may be lived in. Try not to harm any citizens while you are at it, but make as much noise as you can. Controlled explosions can be used as well; ask Romulus and Remus about that. I am sure those two have something of use for us.”

“Yes, My Prince.”

“Great. Virtus and Asclepius are going to lay the camera and microphone once they are finished copying the plans and files. Fama, you are going to be in charge of listening to the footage and feeding back to me what the Light thinks about our little display. You know how to use those devices?”

“Yes, Prince Jupiter. I have read through the manuals and will sync the devices as soon as we return.”

“Thank you, Fama. Now, I want everyone to be on their guard when we go up against the Order. Some of them are Auror-trained and will not hesitate to incapacitate you if given the chance. As I mentioned before, I do not want anyone to face Dumbledore on their own. By all means, if he starts attacking you directly, then pair up and fight him, but do not let me catch you fighting him alone. Otherwise, I will deal with you once we return. Do I make myself clear?” His words are harsh, but they have their desired effect. His team shifts in their seats, eyes lowering to the surface of the table even as they nod their heads in understanding. He would not have his teammates, his faction putting themselves in danger, not when he could help it.

“Yes, Jupiter.”

“Excellent. We will reconvene in the debriefing room once everyone has returned for a full breakdown of how each mission went. Fama, I will catch you up to date later on that evening as you will be occupied in the surveillance room. Otherwise, keep practicing your spell work and make sure you are keeping your stamina up to par. I do not wish to see anyone raising a shield when you can easily dodge an attack. Even better if an Order member gets struck down by one of their own comrades during the attack because of it as well.”

“Understood, My Prince.”

Silvius nodded his head, pleased to see that some of his plans were coming together nicely. He will need to go over them and tweak them a little before they are due to leave in two days’ time, but he could do that a little later. Pushing himself up from Blaise’s lap, Silvius pulls his boyfriend up before he moves over to the training arena. He would need to practice his own spell work if he was going to fight against the Order and show his Godfather that he would make a good Heir to the Dark Sect.

Blaise, Tracy, and Millicent follow him, each one setting up their own training dummies in order to practice while Charlie and Pansy head over to the dueling platform. Charlie explains a few spells that would help them in destroying the surrounding areas without the uncontrollable elements. Neville and Luna make their way over to the muggle gym, shedding their cloaks over the side of the workbenches so they can work on their stamina a little more.

Silvius, after noting down his team’s actions, takes a deep breath. He blocks out any and all distractions as he heightens the dummy’s settings to the highest, and they will go. He flicks his wrist to begin the duel. Maybe he should think about purchasing a few more or even just duplicating them for future practices. He was sure that he would not be facing a single Order member on their own all of the time.

When the first spell, a low-power Expulso, heads towards him, Silvius laughs with manic glee and spins out of the way of the bright flash of light. Firing off his own Incendio, Silvius runs at the target and leaps over its head as he throws one of his knives down at them. He grins when it embeds itself into the Dummy’s shoulder with a dull thud and imagines the spurt of blood that would coat the ground. Landing back on the ground, making sure to tread carefully on his still injured ankle, Silvius twists around to face his opponent; grin firmly etched into place as he shoots off a quick bone-shattering curse, Afflicto, which strikes the dummy straight in the chest and throws them backward. He can almost hear the sounds of ribs breaking as the training machine picks itself back up off the floor.

Silvius laughs when he can actually hear the target gasping in pain, its limp hand coming up to cover its chest for a brief moment, and he has to marvel at just how realistic these things are. Sadistic pleasure washes through his system as he slips one of his guns out of his leg holster and hides it in the folds of his robes. He fires a non-verbal, Parsel Expelliarmus at the dummy, marvelling at the change in colour of that spell as it shoots towards his target with rapid precision. A non-verbal Incarcerus follows to ensure that his opponent is well and truly incapacitated before he raises his gun and sends one bullet through the shoulder of the target’s wand arm. Watching as the joint blows up, Silvius is almost disappointed that this wasn’t an actual member of the Order.

Summoning his knife back to its holster, Silvius slips his wand back into the strap on his forearm. That was a lot easier than he thought it was going to be, he contemplates after stepping up to glance down at the beaten dummy lying in pieces across the floor.  Maybe he really should try his hand at battling several training dummies all at once next time.

Setting about repairing the training dummy for another use, Silvius startles when the sounds of clapping and cheering reach his ears. It reminds him all too much of the first time he had shown Blaise, and unintentionally, the entirety of his faction, how he conducted himself in battles using his magic, gymnastics, and muggle weaponry. Smirking over at Blaise, who hadn’t even begun his own practice yet, Silvius spins around, allowing his cloak to billow out around himself. He bows lowly, throwing his arms out to the side, earning himself a chuckle and eye roll from Blaise, who begins to make his way over to his boyfriend. Pulling Silvius into his arms, Blaise drops a kiss to his lips.

“It is always a delight to see you battle, My Prince, and I find myself looking forward to watching you fight against members of Dumbledore’s fool of an army. You will never cease to amaze me.” The words are whispered against his ear, warm, moist breath ghosting his neck as a delightful shiver travels through his body, his skin tingling at the sensation. Silvius smiles, his ears flushing a little at the awe and desire he can hear in his mate’s voice. He still couldn’t quite believe that Blaise, of all people, would want him. Brinign his arms up, Silvius drapes them around Blaise’s neck and uses his new vantage to pull Blaise down into a deeper kiss, their lips caressing each other gently.

“Thank you, Pluto. However, I do hope that you are not going to be getting this distracted during our mission. I do not wish you dead so soon, Destined.” Silvius snickers when Blaise rolls his eyes and nuzzles Silvius’s cheek, brushing a kiss against his cheekbone.

“I am afraid that you are going to be stuck with me for many, many decades to come, Silvius. You are not going to be rid of me so easily. No matter how many times we may find ourselves fighting Dumbledore and his chickens.”

“Good,” Silvius breathes, his eyes sparkling as he pulls Blaise back down into another gentle kiss. He sighs when they pull apart, knowing that he will never get used to the tingle that spreads from his lips whenever he feels Blaise’s caressing his own. Nor the warmth he feels seeping through his clothes from where Blaise’s hands are pressed to his waist and the small of his back. “I would like to keep you around for a while.”

“Long enough for me to give you several kits of our own?”

“Long enough for our kits to have children of their own.” Silvius counters, earning himself a chuckle against his temple and a kiss on the forehead.

“Now that is definitely something I can find myself getting on board with, Tesoro. You will be by my side until our children get so sick of watching us struggling up and down the stairs in our Manor that they stick us in a cottage somewhere in the countryside.”

“That sounds nice. Just the two of us, living out the rest of our days alone in the countryside. Visiting the Kits for the holidays and spoiling the grandkits rotten.” Silvius sighed happily, resting his head against Blaise’s shoulder as he imagined just how big his future family was going to grow and just how many children Blaise would allow them to have together.

“We will obviously need to have at least an entire Quidditch team of children so we will never be short of grandchildren to entertain.” Blaise concedes, almost as if he were reading Silvius’s mind.

“Really? You would want that many?” Silvius questions, lifting his head back up so he could stare up at his mate. A mate who had been brought up in a pureblood society that saw having one or two children as the norm. A smile begins to tug at the corners of his lips.

“Well, as you have stated before, Tesoro. We will need to have at least one boy to take over my lordship. One boy to take over your Potter Lordship, the Emrys Lordship and the Gryffindor Lordship. Let alone how ever many daughters we will have in the middle of all this and whether your father and godfather have any children of their own to take over their Black, Peverell, and Slytherin Lordships. We would need at least seven boys if we were to have one for each Lordship unless you wish for them to hold two each.”

Silvius’s eyes light up at the confirmation. He was looking forward to the idea of having so many children running around in a good couple of years’ time. He had always been alone when he was growing up, despite having a cousin, or someone he had thought was his cousin, of the same age as himself. He had always been left out, left with no one to play with or even talk to and he had hated it. He had despised the fact that he was the only child of the Potters, and now he was the only child of his Father and Mother. Though he couldn’t begrudge his parents for this. It wasn’t their fault that he had been kidnapped and his mother brutally tortured and murdered before they could have any more children. He knew this, and yet he didn’t want his children to grow up without that sibling relationship.

Besides, he could recall the conversation he had held with Blaise before, back in the Weasley’s shop, but he had thought his mate had been playing along with him, that his mate wouldn’t remember making such a comment about a quidditch team of children. But now, Blaise was willingly offering up the chance to have an entire army of children again. Though he shouldn’t be that surprised, the Zabini family was not a typical Pureblood line, and Blaise also had felt the loneliness of growing up an only child.

“I can’t wait until we graduate and have our Bonding ceremony so we can start our own family.” Silvius sighs again, his thoughts turning back to his future family, to the children who were going to be various mixes of himself and his Destined, his Blaise.

Blaise, however, freezes for a moment at his words. They had never actually spoken of holding a bonding ceremony before. It was a little more binding than a typical wedding, something which bound you to your partner for the rest of your life, something that could not be undone until death. He hadn’t wanted to assume that Silvius would want to actually Bond with him, despite them being Destine Mates, soulmates. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life with Silvius; he did. Merlin, he wanted that more than anything else in the world, but they hadn’t discussed it yet, and he hadn’t been sure about Silvius’s stance on holding such a prestigious ceremony. He didn’t know if Silvius merely wished to finish up their courting and the Mating process between their creatures or if he wanted to be Bonded and married.

“You wish to be Bonded? To be Bonded to me completely?” He questions, a warmth building in his chest, but it isn’t until the words have already left his mouth that he realises the other implication behind his words.

“You don’t?”

“No! I do. Merlin, do I? Silvius, you are my Destined Mate. My love. My one true Soulmate. I would have to be completely insane if I let you get away from me now. I wish to be Bonded to you in the deepest way our world will allow. In every way possible. I wish to have children with you, and I wish to spend the rest of my life with you. Merlin, Silvius, you are it for me.”

“I feel the same way, Blaise. Completely. We need to finish up our courting soon so that we can become officially engaged.”

“I promise you, Silvius. Right here and now that, we will be engaged by the end of this academic year. Before we break up for the summer, you will have a ring on this finger.” Blaise kisses Silvius’s left hand to ensure that his message has been appropriately conveyed, and by the bright smile stretching across Silvius’s features, he knows that it has.

“I love you, My Destined.”

“As I love you, Tesoro.”

Notes:

I have been trying to get this chapter edited for the past two days but have been working almost 10-hour shifts at work with 1.5 hr travel to and from the shop daily. It has been a killer, but I have finally managed to finish and get it posted XD
I hope you all enjoy this new chapter! The In Dolus Mission is fast approaching, and I am super excited to hear all of your thoughts on the battle XD

Chapter 12: The Founding Four

Silvius sighs and shuffles in his seat in the History of Magic classroom while he waits not-so-patiently for their lesson to begin. However, he didn't think he was going to be able to concentrate properly, if at all. That evening, if all went to plan, he and his team were going to set off on their very first mission, and he could not wait. He casts a subtle glance around at his In Dolus Intortis and tries to hold back his snickers. They weren't faring much better than he was; he knew that they wished to be down in the Chamber of Secrets going through their plans one more time, as well as perfecting their spell work, weapon handling, and hand-to-hand combat skills. He couldn't blame them either. As much as he moved Remus, he didn't want to be stuck in a classroom all day. Not when he could see the jittering nerves of his professor out of the corner of his eye.

"Alright, you lot. Let us settle down now," Remus calls to his students, smiling when the stragglers scramble to find purchase in their seats. "So, I have heard all about your rather exciting History of Magic lessons under Professor Binns, and trust me when I say that I know perfectly how you feel. Believe it or not, he was my professor when I was a student here, and he wasn't any more lively back then, either. I know that my own lessons thus far have been a bit dry and drab, but I assure you all that you are going to be happy to hear that I am going to be adding a touch of magic from now on." Remus allows his smile to break into a wide grin when he flicks his wand into the air and creates motion images of various historical events around the classroom. His students' 'ooh' and 'aah' in wonderment.

"Now, while dear old Professor Binns seemed to have developed a bit of an unhealthy obsession with the teachings of the Goblin Rebellions, Goblin-Wizarding treaties, and Goblin Revolutions at some point during his tenure at Hogwarts. I find myself more partial to the long-since-forgotten history of our world. The way we began. What has shaped us into the stagnated yet thriving community we see today. Therefore, for the remainder of the year, I will be transporting you through time to discover the secrets behind our beloved castle, the Founding Families, and their stories, as well as all you could possibly wish to know about the Statute of Secrecy and the previous wizarding wars under the Dark Lord Grindelwald and the Dark Lord Voldemort. Does anyone have any questions for me before we begin?"

A few students, mainly the Slytherins, raise their hands, and Remus can feel his own excitement for history rising for the first time in years. He had been waiting for this lesson to arrive since he had planned out his syllabus with the help of Marvolo and Regulus during the summer holidays. To have an excuse to teach the younger generations about the truth behind their world and why Light and Dark were so at odds with each other. Allowing his gaze to sweep the room, Remus indicates to one of his team members, a subtle smirk dancing across his lips.

"Yes, Mister Nott. You have a question?"

"Well, Professor, you mentioned how you were going to be teaching us about the Founders. What exactly will those lessons be including?" Theo questions, an excited gleam shining in his eyes, and Remus cannot suppress the grin that wants to break free. Dumbledore was not going to be happy with his lesson content when he found out what he had planned for his students over the next coming months, but the headmaster would be useless to stop him. Every professor had the right to teach their students however they saw fit, and seeing as the History of Magic professor wrote the N.E.W.T examination papers, or at the very least helped, they could teach whatever they wished. Besides, Remus couldn't bring himself to care much about what the headmaster wanted. Not when the man had deliberately kept him from his Mate, changed his very nature, and poisoned him away from the pack that would help him control his wolf.

"I will be teaching you everything you could ever wish to know about the Founders, Mister Nott. From their origins to the formation of their friendships. From the founding of Hogwarts itself to the eventual split between the four, which saw one of the Founders leaving the shores of Britain, never to return."

"Please, Professor. Everyone already knows that the Founders kicked Slytherin out of the school because of his backdated views on Muggleborn students and against those who didn't share in his ideals. He wished everyone to be the perfect witch or wizard." A harsh voice scoffs across the classroom, and Remus raises his eyebrow, pushing himself up from his chair so he can stare around the faces of his students.

"Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for speaking without raising your hand, Miss Granger. I am tolerant of a lot of things as far as professors go in this school, but the one thing I will not tolerate is bigotry in my classroom; thank you very much. Now, if you could tell me which historical book you received your information from, I will let this mishap slide." No references come forward, so Remus continues. "If you must know, Miss Granger, the Founders did not kick Salazar Slytherin out of the castle. He chose to leave of his own free will and not because they disagreed on which students belonged at this school. If the other Founders hadn't agreed with what Slytherin believed in or who he chose to take on as his students, why would the Slytherin House still exist today? Surely, the other Founders would have done away with the Fourth House and attempted to write off Slytherin from their records?" Remus straightens up, glancing down at the bookworm for a moment. He enjoys the slack-jawed expression more than he should as an educator, but he would not allow this girl to spout off any more of her one-sided accusations.

"Wha-" Granger's splutterings go ignored by the rest of the class as Remus turns to face the classroom as a whole once again.

"Many people in the wizarding world choose to remain blissfully ignorant to the happenings of events which have shaped not only the world around us but also the way in which we think and interact with those around us. Many people refuse to research the truth behind such events because of their own preconceived ideologies, which fit nicely around long-standing family teachings on what should be deemed right or wrong in accordance with the rest of the world. This is especially true for the Founding Four. However, there are very few records which regale the truth surrounding such events; they can still be found, but only by those who are willing to find out the complete truth." Remus leans casually back against his desk, arm crossed over his chest as his gaze slides across the intrigued expressions turning in his direction. Quickly locking eyes on a student who raises their hand slowly, Remus can feel his eyes softening.

"Yes, Mister Black?"

"Professor, by what you are saying, you have implied that many of the books that have depicted the events surrounding the Founders' lives have been falsified or have been based on little actual evidence. How have you managed to come across the truth of such events which happened more than 1000 years ago? How do you know that what you have read in those books is the truth? Couldn't the information you came across be just as fabricated as the rest of them?" Remus nods his head along with Silvius's questions. They were valid, and they were precisely the types of things he wished to hear coming out of the mouths of his sixth-year, soon-to-be N.E.W.T level students.

"Of course. Many of the books depicting the lives of the Founding Four are little more than fictional books written to appease the masses. There is always a chance that the information we read in books has been falsified to some extent or that the author's own personal biases have twisted the information. This is why we have to broaden our reading scopes and note down information from multiple sources, taking into consideration who wrote the text and when it was written. However, I can say for sure that the information I have come across is 100% accurate and a complete retelling of what happened between the Founders.

"But how can you be so sure, Professor?" A Gryffindor student, Remus believes he recognises as Dean Thomas, questions as he leans forward in his seat, and Remus smiles down at the boy. It was clear to him that, despite Binns' drivel the previous five years or so, Mister Thomas's interest in history had not been diminished.

"Well, Mister Thomas, a very close friend of mine recently received some journals as a gift, and these journals were written by an individual who was not only alive at the time of the events taking place here in the Highlands of Scotland but witnessed everything that happened between the Four Founders. The journals depicted conversations between the four friends, how they solidified their friendship, the decision to create Hogwarts, the split between the Founding Four, and even some events that took place afterward. Once my friends heard the news of me taking up the post of History of Magic Professor here at Hogwarts and my plans on what it was I wished to teach, he translated the journals for me and allowed me to keep a copy."

Remus pauses for a moment, allowing his words to sink in, as his gaze sweeps across the class of enraptured sixteen-year-olds. He could see the scepticism shaping some of their features while others looked to be hanging off his every word. Some others merely looked confused, and he couldn't really blame them either. It had taken him a while to wrap his head around the ideas this author was spouting off: what the written words would mean for the wizarding world if they were known facts. He had spent hours discussing the journal with his friends outside the school to make sure he understood everything, and even then, it had been hard to comprehend. However, it did get him thinking of publishing his own history book recounting the Founders' lives using the information in the journals, with his friend's permission, of course. It would be a great way to begin mitigating the damage done by falsified interpretations and biased retellings.

"I must admit that in the beginning, I was in denial as well about what I was reading. If everything that was written in these journals were the truth, then everything we have been taught about our world would be proven false. That is until I managed to find the Ancient Runic symbol for truth inscribed on every page corner. I discovered the truth serum mixed into the ink. Whoever had written this recollection of events would have been compelled to write the truth, and nothing but the truth."

"Do you know who wrote this journal, Professor?" Theo asks, his voice soft but heavy with suppressed excitement at finally hearing more about the Founders. For some reason, the majority of books depicting their lives had been removed from the Hogwarts Library. Remus inclines his head.

“I do, indeed, Mister Nott.”

“Then may you tell us, Professor?” Draco adds in with a voice dripping with suppressed sarcasm when Remus makes no moves to sate their rapidly growing curiosity and impatience.

"These inscriptions were written by none other than Salazar Slytherin himself." Remus intones, and Silvius finds himself pressing a hand to his mouth in order to cover up his snickers when exclamations of denial explode from the Gryffindor side of the classroom. He has a solid idea of where Remus could have gotten those journals, and he cannot help but find the irony in such a situation. Their professor shakes his head at his students, tapping his fingers along the crook of his elbow while he waits for them to settle back down. Pushing himself away from the desk, Remus makes his way over to the Gryffindor side of the room and folds his hands behind his back.

"That has to be a lie. There is no way that Slytherin would write anything like that... and be compelled to tell the truth? What is to say that he didn't just add those runes in later to make it look like what he wrote wasn't a lie."

"Seamus is right. I bet he wrote it all out and then made it look like he wrote the Truth Rune. He probably just wanted to make himself out to be the victim in all of this."

"Slytherin was the original Dark Wizard, which means that nothing he created could ever actually be of any use to us decent wizarding folk. I bet that everything he wrote in that journal is complete rubbish."

"Seriously, Granger, when are you going to get a hint and grow up? The only thing that has been spouting out of your mouth recently is all about Dark Wizards this and Dark Wizards that; it is getting really repetitive, you know? Besides, I thought you studied Ancient Runes? Dean and Seamus, I can understand, but you? The so-called smartest witch of our generation? You should know that if Salazar Slytherin had inscribed the Truth Rune after he had written his journals out, then magic would have burnt away anything that wasn't true. It would have blasted the words right off the page." Neville cuts in with a huff, earning respectful nods from his housemates as Granger rolls her eyes and returns her gaze to the front of the classroom with another huff.

"Just because Ron is still holed up in the hospital wing doesn't mean that you get to take his place as an obnoxious jerk who spouts nothing but his parents regurgitated skewed logic." Seamus quips, his ears still slightly red at Neville's subtle knockdown. He doesn't notice the Slytherins raising their eyebrows and exchanging glances at the information; none of them had noticed that the Weasel hadn't been in the classroom at all. However, they should have with how quiet it actually was.

Silvius stares across the room at the Gryffindor students, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion, thoughts skirting through his mind like a tornado of chaos. He couldn't quite put his finger on what had changed, but it was clear that something different was happening with his ex-classmates, and he didn't understand what it could be. Not only had Ronald's and Hermione's behaviour toward Dark Wizards and Slytherins, in general, had gotten a lot worse as the weeks passed, but the rest of their housemates seemed to have little patience for the Blood Traitor and Mudblood. He wasn't vain enough to think that this huge change had something to do with the disappearance of Harry Potter. However, he couldn't deny that his mysterious kidnapping/running away and subsequent death had probably started the splinting of bonds between the House of Lions. Perhaps the 'new' curriculum pushed forward by Professor Black was having more of an impact than any of them had foretold. Shaking his head clear of his thoughts, Silvius vows to keep a close eye on the Gryffindors in the coming months,

"Alright, that is enough. Salazar Slytherin, despite what many of you have been fed over the years, was still one of the Founding Four of Hogwarts and the Wizarding World as we know it today. He was a hardworking, ambitious individual who wanted what was best for wizarding Britain based on the difficulty magical children had with making it to adulthood. His journals foretold events surrounding the formation of Hogwarts, the persecution magical people faced on a day-to-day basis, and the events that led him to leave Hogwarts and Britain altogether. He settled in Egypt for some time to broaden his magical prowess with hopes of continuing on his family lines before the records ended abruptly."

The class lapses into contemplative silence after his deliverance, their mouths standing agape while the Slytherin students merely nod along with their history professor. They may not have known as much about Salazar Slytherin as Remus or even Marvolo did, but they knew that he was the one Founder that everyone seemed to misunderstand more so than not, without any real rhyme or reason. They knew that Slytherin hadn't been as evil as society liked to make him out to be. It was a reasonably common lesson taught in the majority of pureblood families, whether they were dark-inclined or not.

"That is a load of rubbish, Professor. I don't know where you got those journals from, but obviously, that person is nothing but a conniving sneak and a Dark Wizard. They would have to be for trying to pass Salazar Slytherin off as a victim. It was good for Wizarding Britain that the other Founders kicked him out. Who knows what he would have done to the students who didn't meet his ideals if he had been allowed to stay." A scathing voice breaks the silence, and Silvius almost groans out loud; he rolls his eyes at the ridiculousness.

"Another five points from Gryffindor for your continued interruptions, Miss Granger. These journals were gifted to Lord Slytherin, who has kept them as heirlooms for his household. As an upstanding member of our society and someone who has promised to fight for the rights of all species and beings in our world, I would say that Lord Marvolo Slytherin is far from Evil, even if he is a Dark Wizard."

"Hermione, would you just shut up already? What gives you the right to judge someone you have never met?" Seamus hisses at the girl, a deep scowl forming at the edges of his mouth.

"Yes, we have already lost ten points because you can't keep your opinions to yourself." Dean backs up his friend, sliding an arm around Seamus's shoulders when the girl turns around to glare at them.

"I am only telling the truth."

"No, you are not, Hermione. You are spouting off nothing but your own prejudiced biases in a world that you didn't grow up in. You are discounting an entire side of this story because it is a side you don't want to hear about. Would you go to a different country and try to force them to live by your culture and values? Because that is what you have been doing since you came into the Wizarding World. One of these days, those bigoted, prejudiced thoughts are going to get you in some serious trouble, and you can discount me when you come crawling back asking for our help." Neville sneers down at his housemate. His Grandmother and his parents may have switched the Longbottom House to the Light side just before the outbreak of the first wizarding war, but before that, they had been neutral in their magics. Even now, they follow several of the old pureblood traditions and celebrations, including the annual Pureblood Yule Ball.

"Miss Granger, I would listen to your Housemates. The Wizarding World, although not as large as it once was, is still a thriving community that you are judging and insulting by only learning one side of the facts. You snub long-standing traditions; you disregard rules that have been put in place for centuries because they work at keeping our children safe from exposure, and you throw a fit when people who were raised in a different culture do not bend to your wimbs. I want you to go away from this lesson with something to contemplate about this behaviour and come back next time with a slightly more open viewpoint. I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Still, suppose you are unable to explain why you feel this way about an entire classification of magic without using the words Ministry, Dumbledore, or Evil. In that case, you have not researched the topic adequately and, therefore, are ill-informed."

"That is what History of Magic is all about. You will be learning about topics that we may not all agree with, but you will be learning about them in an unbiased, constructive way. You are free to conduct your own research into the topics, and you are also welcome to write up additional research papers about any given piece of history. So long as it is unbiased, you may even receive extra credit and points for your House."

"But you are an Order member. You should be on my side."

"I am no one's side, Miss Granger. I am your professor, and I will hold you in the same regard I do the rest of your classmates while you remain in my classroom. Now, are you going to continue interrupting my lesson, or am I free to move on? However, I should warn you now that if I hear any more baseless accusations and comments, you will find yourself in detention faster than you can apologise."

The mudblood nods her head, cheeks glowing a deep red as she slumps down into her chair. She folds her arms across her chest, trying to stave off her impeding embarrassment. Granger had never been reprimanded in front of her classmates before; whenever she had done something wrong or spoken out of turn, then her professors would take her aside at the end of the lesson and tell her off so she could at least save face. Remus wasn't supposed to tell her off at all, let alone take points from her. He was an Order member, and they were fighting on the same side against the Dark. Here he was, supporting the original Dark Wizard, Salazar Slytherin.

"Alright, now we will begin by learning some of the basic background information on the Founding Four and continue on from there. First of all, who can tell me the names of the Founders?" Remus settles back against the edge of his desk, clapping his hands. His gaze travels around the classroom before they settle on Dean Thomas again. The boy practically bounces on the rim of his chair, waving his hand in the air.

"Yes, Mister Thomas, before you jitter through the floorboards. Why don't you give me one name."

“Godric Gryffindor, Sir.”

“Correct. Five points to Gryffindor. Now, as I am sure you are all aware, Godric Gryffindor was a man of many talents and redeeming factors; he believed that any child who displayed magical prowess before the age of eleven should be given the chance to attend Hogwarts. He valued courage and bravery above all else but also held his students to high standards of chivalry. It is believed that Gryffindor was also the original owner of the Sorting Hat and allowed it to be passed down from Headmaster to Headmistress to be used in the sorting of any and all students coming to Hogwarts every year. He was a well-renowned swordsman during his time, and due to his adept skills with a blade, he was gifted with a specialised, commissioned sword hand-crafted by the then ruler of the Goblin Race, Goblin King Goldring. This sword, the Sword of Gryffindor, is said to present itself to any 'true' Gryffindor in their time of great need. The Gryffindor family, even descendants from the more diluted branches of the line, have been known to hold onto one such Magical Talent that has set them apart from several old families for centuries. I am sure that you will all recall the lessons held by Professor Black about Magical Talents. Well, the Gryffindors' Talent was not a widely spread note and was kept closely guarded for many centuries, with only blood relatives in the know. Godric Gryffindor and several of his descendants were well-known and incredibly talented Necromancers, a Black Talent that was labeled illegal several centuries ago, leading any descendants who came into this talent to hide for fear of punishment."

The entire classroom is enclosed in rapt silence, students sitting on the edges of their seats, eyes wide and mouths even more expansive as they stare up at Remus as their professor rattles off small facts about the Man of Fire, as Godric Gryffindor had been dubbed in more than one of their school textbooks. Though Dean Thomas and Theodore Nott were scribbling away on their parchment, making sure they didn't miss a single piece of information, several Gryffindor students snorted or cringed when he mentioned the fact that the Gryffindor family had been well-known and even celebrated for their talents in Necromancy. However, not wishing to bring the wrath of the werewolf down upon themselves, no one made any comments.

"Alright, Mister Zabini, how about you give us the next one?"

"Helga Hufflepuff," Blaise responds, ignoring the looks he receives from his classmates at the slight hesitation in his voice. Clearly, they had been expecting him to state his own House's Founder straight off the bat, but that would have been much too predictable for a Slytherin. Besides, he had a feeling that their professor had something planned for the 'revealing' of Salazar Slytherin. If the amused glint shining in his eyes and slight smirk were anything to go by.

"Correct, Mister Zabini. Five points to Slytherin. Now, Helga Hufflepuff was the youngest of the Founding Four and was treated as such by her friends. She was a kind and warm-hearted woman who was known far and wide for her exceptional healing capabilities. Even going so far as to bypass the laws of trade by offering free healing and potions to those who could not afford such luxuries. She valued loyalty, patience, and hard work above anything else. A fact that is not commonly known throughout the wizarding world is that it was Helga Hufflepuff who brought the House Elves to Hogwarts in order to save them from prosecution and extinction due to a rather detestable Muggle King who insisted on leading a nationwide Witch Hunt. She went so far as to link their magical abilities and life expectancy to the Castle itself. Helga Hufflepuff even received a Golden Chalice, crafted by the Hogwarts Elves, which improved the potency of any potions drank from its contents. The Huffle Puff family was also known for holding their own Talent, which set them apart from their fellow witches and wizards of the time, a Light Talent that is still passed down through their bloodline to this day. Helga Hufflepuff and her descendants were well known for their abilities in herbology, managing to grow any type of plant in any environment, cross-breeding plants to make something new, and even bringing back plants that have been long since thought to be extinct. She was also known for her natural Talent in Occlumancy and Legilimancy."

Remus allows his gaze to drift around the classroom once more, his eyes lighting up when he sees many of his students fighting to pull out their quills and parchments to take note of all the information he is feeding them. He can see the Slytherin students noting down the facts, pointing across each other's parchments, and whispering to one another, and he knows that they were trying to add their own knowledge of each profile on the founders. He glances over at the Gryffindor students, withholding sniggers at the speed at which Mister Thomas and Neville were jotting down his words, quills flying across the pages almost too quickly for him to follow. However, he does spot a frown playing across Neville's features and wonders if there is going to be a Gringotts visit in the boy's future. After all, there was no real explanation as to why he had such a natural talent for Herbology, the likes even Professor Sprout couldn't help but praise every time she had a lesson with the child.

"Mister Longbottom, the next one, if you will?"

"Rowena Ravenclaw. Sir."

"Correct, Mister Longbottom. Another five points to Gryffindor. Now, little is actually known about Rowena Ravenclaw. Other than the fact that, she was unparalleled in her intelligence and wit. She valued wisdom and intellect above anything else, though she was known to be jealous of Helga, who was repeatedly praised for her fair features and superior looks. Ravenclaw had been, on the other hand, heavily praised for her work in spell crafting and warding. Contributing more so than the others when it came to stabalising and setting up the wards surrounding Hogwarts. It is also said that Rowena Ravenclaw's idea was to introduce the moving staircases to the halls of Hogwarts, passwords to various portraits, and even trick steps/passages throughout the castle. She owned a small diadem, which helped increase the wearer's intellect, but it was stolen by her own Daughter and lost centuries ago. The Ravenclaw family has also been known to produce a long line of powerful Seers who had the uncanny ability to see the future but didn't fight their talents and so came across as rather far-away or odd to their peers at times. And finally, Mister Black?"

"Salazar Slytherin." Silvius rolled his eyes at his uncle; he knew that the man was going to call on him for the last one as soon as Neville had neglected to mention the Dark Wizard. He was not amused in the slightest, not when Draco, Blaise, and Theo all snicker around him. He elbows Blaise and Draco in the ribs before slapping Theo around the back of the head. Keeping his gaze fixed steadily on his professor, shaking his head when Remus's smirk widens and shoots him a suggestive wink, his inner Marauder shining behind his expression, and Silvius can't help but try to brace himself.

"Well done, Heir Slytherin. Five points to Slytherin House." Silvius drops his head into his hands and quietly groans at the fact that his uncle would never miss an opportunity to tease him. " Now, Salazar Slytherin is probably the most misunderstood character within the Founding Four, as well as the oldest in their tight-knit group. He looked after the others and made sure they were taken care of to the best of his abilities. Slytherin was an ambitious, cunning, and sly man who excelled at potions and even began a charity potions business with Helga Hufflepuff to aid those who couldn't afford the potions they needed, including but not limited to various healing aids. Although it is stated that he refused to allow Muggleborns and even Halfblood witches and wizards into Hogwarts, this is untrue. Salazar Slytherin believed that Muggleborns whose families reacted negatively to their child's magic should be taken away from their families and adopted into the wizarding world. He wished to introduce lessons into the curriculum to teach all children about the traditions of the wizarding world and to help muggle-born and muggle-raised half-bloods to integrate into this new world. He wished to teach all students the basics of magical theory before they began their formal education at Hogwarts to make sure all students began their magical education on equal footing. He owned a solid gold locket embedded with emeralds that were gifted to him by a colony of woodland elves, with whom he aided in the battle against magical folk who wished to enslave the powerful creatures. It is also a well-known fact that Slytherin and his descendants are all able to speak to Snakes and other similar reptiles, a Black Talent known as Parseltongue."

"Sir, do you know where any of these Founding Heirlooms are now? Or have all of them been lost forever?" Dean questions, hand poised above his parchment as he stares over at their professor with a gleam in his eyes. Remus, chuckling to himself, sees that many other students are eagerly awaiting his answer and rests his pals against the desk by his side.

"Godric Gryffindor's sword, upon his death, has been safeguarded in Gringott's, in the Gryffindor family vault, awaiting the next House Heir to step forward and claim the Lordship and kick start the family vaults once more. Helga Hufflepuff's chalice was last seen in the possession of Hepxibah Smith. However, the heirloom was discovered missing when Hepzibah's body was found poisoned one evening by the family's loyal house elf. It has not been seen in the last 50 years. Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem, as I said, was stolen by Helena Ravenclaw, but she was later murdered by her lover, the Bloody Baron, who had been sent to retrieve her after she had run away. No one has seen the Diadem since. Salazar Slytherin's locket had been passed down from generation to generation as a Heirship gift to the eldest child of each generation. However, the Slytherin line within England died out centuries ago, and no one has seen the locket since."

Silvius inwardly snickers at Remus's words. The werewolf, his In Dolus Intortis, and the inner circle of the Dark Sect knew that every single one of the Founders' artifacts was still under his godfather's protection—all but the Sword of Gryffindor, which had indeed been returned to the goblins after Harry's stint within his second year.

"Are there any other questions for me to answer? As we are arriving at the end of our session for today. No?" Remus remains silent for a moment, his eyes trailing across each of his students in turn. "Alright then. I want to give you each a little piece of homework, which is due for our next lesson. I want each and every one of you to create a family tree based on your own families. You can go back as far as you wish, but I want everyone to include at least five generations. They will include yourselves, your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents. You may include any aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives as distantly as you wish, or you can include as few details as you wish. Just yourselves, siblings, parents, and grandparents if you wish."

A shrill noise echoes through the classroom, and everyone begins to pack up their belongings. Chattering among themselves at all they had learned that day about not only the founders but their professor in general. It was nice, they thought, to be able to learn about something that wasn’t Goblin wars and such. The Founders were always something akin to gold dust when it came to information, just being described as some of the greatest witches and wizards to grace the wizarding world, besides Merlin, of course, and they couldn’t wait to learn more.

Silvius waits for most of his classmates to leave, leaving only his closest friends behind. Then he barrels to the front of the classroom and wraps himself around his uncle, giggling when he is surrounded by the smell of parchment and woodlands. Pulling back, he leans into Moony’s touch when his uncle cards a hand through his hair.

“Are you alright, Silvius? No lingering injuries? I am sorry I couldn’t be there for you yesterday when you woke up. Fenrir needed me to consult with some of the parents about the education of their young, and the call took longer than I thought it would.”

“It is alright, Uncle Moony. I am alright now. Father refused to let me go to class at all yesterday and insisted that I get plenty of rest and stay off my feet in Uncle Severus's private quarters. He wouldn't even allow me to go to the Great Hall for lunch or dinner! I had to eat with Uncle Marvolo and Uncle Lucius. But Uncle Severus did a diagnostics charm on me and gave me a clean bill of health. I am completely healed and all better now."

“I am glad to hear that, Sil. I could barely concentrate on my lessons yesterday until Severus cornered me before lunch and told me to get a grip and that you were going to be fine.” Remus rubs the back of his neck when Silvius laughs at him before he finds himself with an armful of giggling cub again.

“Why is the Weasel still in the hospital wing? I didn’t injure him.”

“I am unsure, Silvius. I am sure that he is just milking everything to get attention. I am sure that he is going to run to Dumbledore soon and tell him how the evil, nasty Slytherin student attacked him.” Silvius rolls his eyes at his uncle’s words.

“That wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest. I know that he is going to go to Dumbledore and tell him about my transformation. Just before I lost consciousness, my Creature form broke free, and I am sure that he was terrified out of his mind. I wish I were conscious enough to see that.”

“Expect a summons shortly if that is the case, Cub.”

“If Dumbledore asks me to go for another meeting with him, then I will ask my father and maybe Uncle Severus to come with me as well. At least that way, he can’t try to convince me to pretend to be Harry Potter again.” Silvius rolls his eyes again, shaking his head while his friends laugh.

“That is good. I would go with you if you didn’t tell your father in any case.” Remus comments, and Silvius grins up at him.

“I am just hoping that he will summon me during lunch of my free period because there is no way that I will postpone our mission tonight. He will just have to wait until tomorrow; I am sure that I can make up some excuse about the magical exhaustion still working against me, so I was too tired to deal with him or something.” Silvius shrugs, leaning harder against Remus’s chest when his uncle cards a hand through his hair again.

“I am sure he would want to speak to you sooner rather than later, Silvius. Now, off you go. You have classes to attend, and I have classes to teach.”

“Alright, we are going. Don’t torment the children too much, Uncle Moony. See you later.”

“I make no promises, Cub. I will see you tonight.”

Notes:

So, I went to Bristol for three days with a close friend of mine the weekend gone and realised that I would have to upload a chapter of this while I was away to ensure that it came out on time... but with how busy I was while away and I became really ill on the travel back home with a severe migraine and nausea, I couldn't get this chapter wholly edited until today XD
So, I apologise for the delay and hope you all enjoy this chapter! It is the long-awaited First mission of the In Dolus Intortis next time!!!

Chapter 13: Meeting with Dumbledore

Summary:

Sorry guys! Someone made a suggestion to me about this chapter, and it sounded like a fun idea, so I had to rewrite this entire chapter and reshuffle a few things around, but that just meant that the main bulk of the mission doesn't actually start until the next chapter now XD

I hope you all enjoy this chapter and look forward to the actual mission in the next one XD

Just as Remus had predicted, Silvius received a summons from Dumbledore just later that day. The old codger had at least given him some time to come up with a plan of action. Now that he was expected to have some sort of conversation with the headmaster, he would have to speak with his faction and maybe even have them deal with the first few minutes of the distraction, just long enough for news to reach Dumbledore and the Order so Silvius had the opportunity to make his escape. Naturally, he couldn’t leave his father nor his head of house out of the loop, just in case the old codger returned early and saw Silvius missing.

Sighing, Silvius takes the message from the trembling hands of a tiny little Hufflepuff student, thanking them as they scamper away. He so didn’t wish to spend any more time with the manipulative old codger, but he also didn’t want to give the man any reason to suspect him of plotting against the Order with his refusal to attend such a meeting. Traipsing through the corridors with his friends, Silvius slips the parchment into his pocket and continues to make his way toward the Great Hall. He would need to inform his father about his up-and-coming meeting; Regulus would not be impressed if he found out that his son had consciously chosen to be alone with the headmaster again.

Waving his friends over to the table, Silvius drops a kiss on Blaise’s cheek and then proceeds to make his way up to the staff table, noting that Dumbledore was not in attendance. His father and head of house were conversing quietly between themselves, Remus adding his two knuts in every now and again. However, their conversation comes to a halt when Regulus spots his son.

“Silvius? Are you alright, my son?”

“I am perfectly alright for the moment, Father. Professor Dumbledore seems to have sent me a summons and requested my presence in his office after dinner. I promised you that I would inform either you or Severus the next time he wished to speak with me. If none of you are busy, would you mind escorting me?” Silvius shrugs his shoulders, handing the note to his father when the man holds his hand out in askance. Waiting for Regulus to read over the scrawled words, he hands it over to Severus and then Remus, a deep frown on his lips.

“I am baffled as to how the headmaster can think to get away with this. He had specifically asked for Silvius to come alone.”

“That old codger is treading on thin ice, Regulus, but I will be present so that we may have a written report of the meeting to go alongside our memories in case the headmaster attempts anything untoward against Silvius in the future.”

“Thank you, Severus. I believe a certain somebody would also like to make an appearance as the Lord of one of Silvius’s houses.”

“Would Uncle Marvolo wish to make the trip to the school for something as simple as this?” Silvius questions, even as a smirk begins to tug at the corner of his mouth. Dumbledore wouldn’t know what hit him if he was faced with Lord Slytherin-Peverell, Lord Prince, and Lord Black. He couldn’t wait to see the look on the old man’s face.

“I believe your godfather would be all too happy to rub Dumbledore up the wrong way. Besides, with the headmaster specifically asking you to come alone, he is breaking at least two rules in the Hogwarts Charters, something he, as headmaster, is not allowed to do.” Remus adds in, shaking his head.

“Okay, well, I still need to have some lunch and explain everything to my friends. I will meet you at the entrance to the Dungeons just a little after dinner?” Silvius lays slight emphasis on the fact that he would have to speak to his friends, and the adults immediately catch on. The In Dolus Intortis were supposed to be going on their mission tonight, but if Silvius were going to be stuck in the old codger’s presence, then their plans would need some revision.

“Alright, Silvi, go and have something to eat. You don’t want to be late for your next lesson.”

“I won’t. Love you, Dad.”

“Love you too, Silvi.”

Silvius grins over at his father before he spins on his heels and makes his way over to the Slytherin table, where his friends are eagerly awaiting his arrival. He rolls his eyes when he slides into his seat and sees that Blaise has already filled his plate with food while his goblet is filled with pumpkin juice. Snickering at his friend’s over-protectiveness, Silvius digs into his food while waving his hand under the table and casting a quick, wandless, and wordless Muffliato around himself and his friends.

“So, the old codger has summoned me to his office for a ‘quick meeting’ after dinner.” He reveals, snickering even more when his friends break out into loud protests, thinking that their mission is going to have to be canceled or postponed. “Calm down, would you?” He manages to call through his laughter, watching with sparkling eyes as his year mates settle back in their chairs, light flushes coating their cheeks at their outburst.

“I am neither postponing our mission nor am I going to cancel. Not now. We have worked too hard for this even to be considered an option. Besides, I am going to need some major R&R after this meeting, and the look on the old codger’s face when he is informed of the attack is going to be priceless. Draco, you and your team are going to leave as normal. There will be no changes to your schedules, nor to your mission whatsoever, so there is no need for you nor your teammates to worry.” Draco and his team nod their heads. “As for the section that is supposed to come with me, I will send a message to Charlie explaining the situation. You lot will leave as planned, but with Charlie as your commanding officer. He will take charge until Dumbledore is summoned. Once Dumbledore is out of the office, I will use his Floo system to make my way down into the Chamber and Apparate to Godric’s Hollow. Hopefully, before the Order and Dumbledore can arrive.”

“How are you going to manage that?” Pansy asks, eyeing her friends before she turns to face Silvius once more.

“Because Dumbledore and any Order members on the faculty are going to have to make their way to the Order Headquarters to meet up with their cohorts or wait until they are outside the castle wards to be able to Apparate. Whereas, if I can Floo straight into the Chamber, I will be able to Apparate straight away. It will take me a lot less time to Floo than it will be for Dumbledore to run through the castle.”

“Oh, I forgot that the Chamber has its own set of wards.” Theo comments.

“Yup, Salazar Slytherin was really thorough when he created the Chamber. He didn’t want it to be so easily found by his friends and by the students, so he created it after the Hogwarts wards were settled and then layered his own around it.”

“So, Bill is still going to be coming with me? Even though he is your second in command?” Draco questions, his fork playing in his food as his voice wavers slightly.

“Yes, while Bill is incredibly powerful, Charlie is a far better fighter. Charlie is more adept with Muggle weaponry and martial arts. I think it comes from years of honing his physical skills when working with the more magically sensitive Dragons. Besides, Bill is incredible at warding and such. He will be able to help better if there is someone left behind in the house.” Silvius explains, relaxing when Draco says no more about the topic and allows it to close with a simple nod of his head.

“Does anyone else have any questions for me about the mission? If not, then I want all of you to meet up with Bill, Charlie, and the rest of our Intortis when I leave for my meeting with Dumbledore.”

“Is Remus going to be with us for the entire mission?” Daphne questions, halting Silvius when the boy goes to return to his meal. “I mean, isn’t Dumbledore going to expect both himself and Severus, as well as Bill and Charlie, to show up to face off against the In Dolus Intortis as soon as he receives the warning?”

“Ah, yes, I was wondering when someone was going to ask me about that.” Silvius chuckles. “I have already had someone help me find a solution to that. Do not worry; everything has been planned out so that Dumbledore will not suspect a thing.”

-----

“Alright, seeing as we do not know how long the old fool wishes to keep you, we best be off. Did you manage to eat plenty at dinner, Silvi? If not, then I am sure we can have one of the House Elves drop something off for you once we get to the headmaster’s office?”

“I am alright, Father. Blaise made sure that I ate plenty.” Silvius snuggles into his father’s embrace when he meets up with the three adults outside the dungeons; he nuzzles against the man’s shoulders before being tugged into another hug by his godfathers. “Hello, Uncle Marvolo."

“How are you feeling, Snakelet?”

“Fine. I am a little annoyed that I cannot be there for the beginning of my study session with my friends, but the end results should be the same either way. It is sure to be entertaining when I arrive.” Silvius chuckles, shaking his head to straighten his hair after he feels Marvolo’s hand ruffling his hair.

“I am sure that you will survive, Silvius. Besides, there are always pensieve memories.” Regulus sighed, wrapping his arm around Silvius’s shoulder as soon as they began to walk through the entrance hall on their way to meet up with Dumbledore. “Severus, as your head of house, is going to be making some notes on this meeting, and if anything else should break any rules of the headmaster’s summons, he will log it for us. If anything else happens to you after this, then we will go straight to the Board of Governors. Especially after the last meeting he conducted with you.” Regulus explains once they are out of earshot of the Great Hall and, therefore, some of the nosier portraits and ghosts.

“We will need for you to tell Dumbledore as much of the truth as possible, Silvi. If he doesn’t believe you, then I have the parchment list of all injuries you sustained and the resultant Magical Drain you suffered from fighting back your creature in an attempt to save Mister Weasley from harm.”

“Alright, but what if he asks me about my Creature inheritance directly? That Blood Traitor has no doubt spun some tales about how I almost killed him or some other sob story.”

“Then we will inform that old codger of the truth. That your creature reacted in such a way due to the vicious words Weasley saw fit to throw at you. If Dumbledore tries to fight us on this and still blames you for the fight, then we will threaten him with a court case. He will soon back down. Do not worry yourself, Silvius.” Marvolo explains as Regulus draws his arm back and pats Silvius on his shoulder in a show of both comfort and reassurance.

“Besides, Dumbledore will not have a leg to stand on. The Wizengamot will see Weasley’s words as a deliberate and malicious verbal attack against your character and kin. They will charge your classmate with slander and aggressive assault and possibly Dumbledore with aiding and abetting. You have done nothing wrong in this situation, Silvius.”

“Okay, if you are sure, Father, Uncle Severus, Uncle Marvolo. What if he doesn’t end up backing down?”

“Then we make good on our threat and take him to court. I know that you do not wish to bring much attention to yourself, Silvius, but this is a direct violation of the law protecting those with Creature Inheritances. If you had not been able to force back your Creature and ended up injuring or maiming the Weasley boy, then you would not have found yourself in Azkaban. Nor would anyone be able to hold it against you. As I said, this incident will be taken as that child deliberately provoking your Creature Blood and your character as well as attacking you unprovoked.” Regulus responds, slipping his arm further around Silvius’s shoulder as the sixteen-year-old takes a deep breath and forces himself to relax.

“I guess I am just a little nervous. I don’t want to bring any unnecessary attention to myself, but I also do not wish to spend the entire year trying to deal with Dumbledore breathing down my neck, especially now that he knows about my Creature Blood. Do you think he is going to tell the rest of the faculty?”

“Luckily for us, Dumbledore will not be allowed to inform anyone inside the school about your inheritance without your express permission, Silvius, and if he does, then we will simply get him fired for misconduct.” Marvolo sneers, a low grumble sounding from his chest at the mere thought of the old codger trying anything against his godson and Heir. He pats Silvius’s arm for a moment and smiles down at the nervous boy.

“Besides, if you begin to feel too upset by anything Dumbledore has to say to you, then just picture the look on his face tonight when you reveal your faction to him.” Silvius chuckles at Severus’s whispered words, already feeling a little better than he had before. He would try to make sure that he landed at least one good shot on the headmaster tonight to make up for all the stress the man seemed to love putting him through. Maybe a death or two within the Order would make him feel better as well.

“Sherbet Lemon,” Severus calls out to the gargoyle protecting the headmaster’s office, and the trio proceeds to walk up the winding staircase. Knocking on the door, they wait, Silvius shifting on his feet, until they hear Dumbledore calling for them to enter.

“Ah, young Mister Black, I was wondering when you would be joining me-” The headmaster’s words cut off when Silvius is quickly followed by not only Regulus Black but Severus and Lord Slytherin as well. He scowls at the two staff members, steepling his fingers as he watches the three making their way over to his desk. “This was supposed to be a meeting between young Silvius and me here.”

“I think not, Headmaster. As Silvius’s father, I have a right to know about any summons you make towards my child, and seeing as I received no message as to what this meeting was going to pertain to, then I thought I would find out for myself. Besides, we all know how well the last meeting between you and my child went.” Regulus glares over at Dumbledore, summoning enough chairs for the three of them to sit down when Dumbledore merely glances over his glasses at them.

“And as I am Silvius’s Head of House, the Hogwarts Charter permits me to be in attendance at every single meeting held with a student from my House. Something which you neglected to maintain the last time you called Silvius up here, Headmaster.” Severus cuts in, bringing out a small notebook from the pockets of his inner robes in order to jot down any notes on the topics discussed in the meeting and how it was being conducted.

“Seen as your summons was directed towards the Heir to my Houses, and I would wish to subject my own memories to the Wizengamot if you were to try anything untoward, Headmaster, I thought my presence would also be prudent. Especially, as Regulus said, how the last meeting you held with Silvius ended up.”

“There was no need to disrupt either of your busy work schedules, Severus, Regulus, Lord Slytherin. It was only a short meeting between young Silvius and me last time.”

“Be that as it may, Headmaster, by refusing to inform me of the meeting you planned to hold with a student from my House, it is within my right to log a formal report about the incident, and therefore, I will be observing this meeting to ensure that you are upholding the Hogwarts Charter and performing your duties of Headmaster in a just, fair and unbiased manner. Besides, we wouldn’t wish for you to attempt the use of Legilimancy against a student again, now would we, Headmaster?”

Dumbledore frowns down at Severus, resting his chin down on his steepled fingers as he contemplates just how he is going to fish for more information on the events that transpired a few days ago with Mister Weasley if the boy was surrounded by his father and his Head of House, not to mention one of the most prominent members of the wizarding elite, coaching him in what to say. His eyebrows furrow and he sighs inwardly; he would just have to try to prod cautiously.

“Alright then, let us commence with this meeting then, shall we? I was informed of an altercation between you and Mister Weasley the other day, Silvius. Now, I am sure that I do not need to remind you that it is against the school rules to perform magic outside of a classroom setting without the proper instruction and even more so to conduct a direct attack against a fellow student.” Dumbledore begins, glancing over his glasses at Silvius.

“I never attacked anyone, Sir.” Silvius interrupts, shrugging his shoulders as he tries to maintain his mask of indifference when Dumbledore turns intense twinkling eyes toward him. He averts his gaze just in case the headmaster wishes to perform Legilimancy on him again, though he seems to have learned his lesson from last time. He drops his gaze to stare at a small stake of parchment scattered across his desk.

“Mister Weasley said…”

“Mister Weasley may have spouted some half-witted story to get himself out of trouble, but I distinctively remember having a similar discussion last time, Headmaster Dumbledore. About your blatant favouritism of the Gryffindor students? And taking their words as Merlin’s own truth? I am sure that you are aware of the consequences of taking one student’s words as truth without consulting any other participating parties, are you not, Headmaster? You did the same thing when Granger came to you about my alleged Parcel speaking abilities, which proved to be entirely fabricated. Yet here you are accusing me of something else that I have not done based on accusations of a vindictive little Lion. You have yet to enquire about my version of the events.” Silvius takes a steadying breath when he can feel his irritation rising, unclenching his fists when his father lays a hand on his knee. He hadn’t even realised he had clenched them.

“Alright, my dear boy,” Dumbledore sighs. “Why don’t you tell me your version of events.”

“Gladly, Headmaster. I was coming down the corridor in order to head back to my Common Room after Professor Babbling asked me to stay behind. She wished to question me more about my impressive Runic knowledge, you see. When I got to the staircase leading towards the Entrance Hall and, therefore, the entrance to the Dungeons, a spell shot past my ear, and when I turned around to see who would attack me in the middle of the corridor, Weasley stepped out from an alcove with his wand raised at me.”

“Mister Weasley stated that you had attacked him on his way back from the library that evening, Mister Black.”

“Well then, clearly, he has lied to you, Headmaster. Not only did the incident happen several floors below the library, and certainly several floors down from the Gryffindor Common Room, but I also did not have my wand out, nor did I cast any spells against the Weasley’s youngest son.”

“I am just stating what young Ronald told me, my dear boy.” Dumbledore sighs again, looking over the rim of his glasses as if speaking to a young, disobedient child and not a sixteen-year-old student almost reaching their majority. The tone makes Silvius bristle, and he has to hold himself back from snarling at the headmaster.

“Then I will state for you the true events which occurred, Headmaster. After Weasley seemingly cursed me for no reason, I questioned him about it. I had done nothing to him to provoke him to attack unless you deem walking through the corridors as provoking. I attempted to reason with him and remind him of the rules in place to prevent firing spells off against fellow students, but every time I tried, he would curse me. Afterward, he began spouting off derogatory words and phrases, claiming that all Dark-affiliated families deserved to die. How I should have died alongside my, how did he word it again? Ah, ‘Pathetic bitch of a mother’.” Silvius snarls out, almost trembling with anger at the reminder of such disgusting words.

“I am sure young Mister Weasley didn’t mean that; children tend to speak before they think.” Dumbledore tries to appease, a simpering smile decorating his features.

“Didn’t mean it? He didn’t mean to tell me that I should have died as a fifteen-month-old baby because I find Dark spells easier to cast than Light? That my mother, a loving, caring, kind-hearted, stay-at-home mother who wanted nothing more than to bring her child up, deserved to be tortured and killed simply because of her family name? He didn’t mean to claim that all Dark families deserved to die and that they would all get what was coming to them. That student insulted an entire classification of wizarding folk and threatened half of our population with death and torture, with restrictions and an end to their traditions and family lore! He attacked me while my back was turned and continued to attack me after I showed him no threat. And you wish me to believe this to be the misguided actions of a teenager?”

“I am sure that he-”

“Headmaster, I am sure that you were not about to deny such claims bought before you by another student and brush these accusations aside because their words go against that of a Gryffindor?” The temperature in the room seems to drop when an icy voice cuts through the room, and Silvius would have laughed at the slight shiver he could feel traveling through his father if he wasn’t so irritated with the headmaster’s spiel. He glances at his godfather out of the corner of his eye, a smirk wishing to break free when he sees a dark glare spreading across Marvolo’s features, an expression that could make Death Eaters cower at his feet.

“Of course not, Lord Slytherin. I am just finding it hard to believe that young Mister Weasley would say such things to a fellow student.”

“Then would you like to view my memories, Headmaster? Would you like to watch the events for yourself and then come to an unbiased conclusion? Or are you going to take the words of a Gryffindor student who came to you after our altercation with no injuries and no signs of distress to show for it?” Silvius settles back down into his seat under his father’s soothing gestures. He stares at the headmaster, eyebrows raised as he folds his hands into his lap.

“I don’t think that will be necessary, Mister Black.”

“Not necessary, Headmaster? I believe it is completely necessary, especially seen as it is quite clear that you would rather trust the words of a Gryffindor student who has done nothing but harass my son since he arrived at this school. If you refuse to treat this matter with unbiased opinion and professionalism, then I will be forced to take this matter further.” Regulus adds in, cutting the headmaster off before he can spout any more lies and half-truths to them all.

“We do not need to get the Governors involved, Lord Black. This is just a small dispute between Houses. A little rivalry is all.”

“A little House rivalry, you say, Headmaster? A little rivalry had me spending almost twelve hours unconscious from magical exhaustion. A little House rivalry made me suffer from a sprained ankle and wrist, multiple bruised ribs, and a concussion because your Gryffindor student corralled me towards the edge of the staircase when I held no wand in hand? I collapsed at the top of that staircase and fell down, resulting in several injuries, while that student gets off scot-free?”

“Mister Black, it was an unfortunate accident-”

“Oh no. Don’t you dare, Headmaster. One of my students was injured as a direct result of another student’s actions, and he will face the consequences whether I have to set them myself or not!”

“Severus is correct, Headmaster. If you refuse to do anything about this little incident, then I have no choice but to take the Weasley boy to court for unprovoked assault with the intent to harm and injure another seriously.” Marvolo pushes, finding the tag team offense they seemed to have adopted against the headmaster rather amusing to be a part of, especially when beads of sweat seem to be constantly making an appearance along Dumbledore’s brow.

“He is just a child.” The headmaster tries to defend, his voice sounding almost desperate to Silvius’s ears, and he very nearly misses the smirk twitching at the corner of the old man’s mouth.

“He is a sixteen-year-old wizard, a year of his majority; he should know better than to attack someone from behind. If it had been the other way around, and I attacked the Weasley without due cause, which resulted in him collapsing and falling down a flight of stairs, If he had remained unconscious for almost twelve hours, then you would be threatening me with expulsion. However, because I am a Slytherin student bringing these complaints and accusations against a Gryffindor students then it doesn’t matter, does it, Headmaster? After all, I am just a Dark wizard, and we all deserve to die, don’t we, Headmaster?” Silvius sneers at the old man, a dark glare beginning to form across his features while his magic begins to crackle just beneath the surface. Enough so that pressure begins to fill the room, shadows extending, but not enough to startle anyone.

“Silvius,” Severus warns., dropping his hand to Silvius’s shoulder for a brief moment to soothe the boy. He could feel the magic beginning to permeate the air around them and didn’t want Dumbledore to catch on to just how much Silvius’s core had darkened in the past few months. He knows that with the rigid posture of his godson, the child was mere moments away from saying something he really shouldn’t say in front of the leader of the Light.

“That is not true, Mister Black. I care about all of my students equally.” Dumbledore attempts to console the agitated student in front of him. He couldn’t have the child going to the Board of Governors, especially not if he was so willing to show them his memories of the event. If the Board of Governors saw those memories and concluded that Ronald acted with deliberate intent to harm, then the boy could face months in Azkaban as a minimum punishment. Not to mention the monetary repercussions of the attempt against an Heir to an Ancient Household.

He had known that Ronald had started the encounter, had known some of the words the boy had used against Silvius, but he hadn’t realised the true extent the youngest Weasley son’s words would have against the young Black Heir. Didn’t realise how delicate the situation could become due to an unknown creature inheritance.

“Prove it, then. Give Weasley the punishment he deserves for performing magic outside a classroom environment without the proper instruction. For attacking a fellow student unprovoked. For attacking with the intent to cause injury and for his actions resulting in said injuries.”

Dumbledore sags in his seat at the demands of the student in front of him, but by the determination gleaming in Silvius’s eyes, he didn’t see any way for him to manoeuvre himself out of meeting such requests without it being noted down. Not when the boy’s father, godfather, and Head of House were scrutinising his every word and action. He sighs inwardly. How did it come to this? This was supposed to be a short meeting to try and convince Silvius to abandon his family and rejoin the Light’s cause. To find out more about a boy who shouldn’t even exist anymore. He glances up at the child.

“I will make sure that Mister Weasley serves a week’s worth of detention, and I will even oversee it myself.”

“I do not think so, Headmaster. You are well known for your favouritism of your Gryffindor students. I do not believe it would be a good idea to have you overseeing any of Mister Weasley’s detentions.” Severus interjects and makes another note in his book, which causes a twitch to form in Dumbledore’s eyebrow.

“I also believe that a week’s detention is much too lenient for the boy. I mean, if I were to take the incident up in front of the courts, then he would be serving time in Azkaban. A week is too little.” Regulus argues, raising a well-groomed eyebrow at the headmaster, who frowns between himself and Severus before he sighs and nods his head. Mister Weasley was not going to be happy with this turn of events.

“Who would you suggest take his detention, Severus?”

“Well, I am far too busy to be dealing with bigoted dunderheads with no manners, and Minerva would mollycoddle the boy too much to be of any use. So, how about Remus Lupin? He is a fair professor who treats all of his students equally, no matter their House and family name. I believe that if he were to be made aware of the situation, then he would deal out the correct punishment.” Severus suggests, hiding his smirk when Dumbledore visibly relaxes behind his desk at the name of one of his own Order members. Remus was a well-meaning wizard but was firmly under his own thumb due to his gratefulness towards Dumbledore for allowing him to attend Hogwarts despite his Lycanthropy.

“Alright, I will inform Remus of his duties at breakfast tomorrow morning. He is to oversee Mister Weasley’s detentions for the next month, and he shall receive a deduction of 75 points for his rule-breaking. Is this satisfactory for you all?”

“No quidditch,” Silvius interjects, staring across the desk at the headmaster, who raises an eyebrow at Silvius; he frowns over at the boy, who merely shrugs his shoulders. “I overheard Weasley bragging to his friends that he was going to try out for the Gryffindor team this year, and I believe that due to the severity of my injuries that, it is only fair that he is banned from trying out. Besides, if he is capable of attacking an unsuspecting Slytherin student walking down the corridors, what do you suppose he could do if he ever lost a game against my House?”

“Alright. I will inform Mister Weasley that he is not allowed to participate in Quidditch until his detentions are over. That way, he will have missed the tryouts, and the Gryffindor team will have found their reserve players as well.”

“Thank you, Headmaster. It is nice to finally see that you can be as just and benevolent as everyone claims you to be.” Silvius comments, smiling up at the headmaster with the perfect air of innocence despite the little vindictive spark that settles in his stomach when Dumbledore seems to age in front of him. “If there is nothing else that you need from me, Headmaster?”

Silvius begins to push himself to his feet, his father, godfather, and Severus quickly following his lead. But before they could even take a single step away from the desk, Dumbledore halts them with a raise of his hand and a gesture for them to retake their seats. Silvius inwardly sighs, sharing a glance with his father and godfathers before he drops back down into the chair.

“There is one more thing that has been brought to my attention that I wish to discuss with you, Mister Black. Professor McGonagall came to me after one of your lessons the other day claiming that you refused to take part in her lessons, Mister Black?”

“I did no such thing, Headmaster. If you are referring to the Animagi lessons Professor McGonagall began earlier this week, then I merely informed my professor that it was practically impossible for me and a few of her other students to take part in her lessons at the moment.”

“And why is that Mister Black?”

“Because, as I said, Headmaster, she is teaching us about the Animagus transformation, Sir. It is a well-known fact that those with a creature inheritance are incapable of having an Animagus form.” Silvius's thoughts screech to a halt momentarily as he thinks back on the lesson Professor McGonagall held on Animagus transformations; it was clear to him that the Transfigurations professor hadn't mentioned anything about his Animagus form to the headmaster. Maybe she didn't think that little detail was significant enough to bring up in front of the headmaster, or perhaps she wasn't under Dumbledore's thumb as much as Silvius had first assumed. It would be good to keep an eye on the woman and see what she will do in the future.

“I find it hard to believe that you came into a Creature inheritance, Mister Black. Neither your father nor your uncle showed any signs of having creature blood when they attended Hogwarts. Why was the school not informed about this?”

“Because the school doesn’t need to be informed when a student comes into their Creature Inheritance. It is at the discretion of the individual, and Silvius did not and does not wish to inform the entire school of his Creature Blood.” Regulus answers, standing behind his son’s seat so he can rest his hands against Silvius’s shoulders.

“I still should have been informed about this, Lord Black. Then we could have found an alternative way for Mister Black to participate in his lessons.” Dumbledore attempts to compromise, resting his elbows on his desk with his chin once again resting on his steepled fingers as he glances over his spectacles at his two professors and Silvius. He didn’t understand why everything was going so wrong recently, but he knew that it had something to do with the Black family. Everything had begun to unravel when Silvius Black was found, and Regulus Black returned from the dead. Everything started to fall apart during the summer, and he didn’t know what he could do to fix it. Not with Harry Potter now legally dead in the eyes of the wizarding world and his support wavering through the public.

“There was no reason for us to inform you about Silvius’s Creature Inheritance, Headmaster. Silvius came into his inheritance during the summer holidays and has already mastered how to control the majority of his powers. We are not obligated to inform anyone of his Creature Blood, nor do you have any right to attempt to claim to the contrary. Now, if anyone else finds out about my son’s inheritance after this meeting, before he is ready, then you will find yourself without a job before you can even spout your own title. Do I make myself clear, Headmaster?”

“Of course, Regulus. I would never go against the words of my students. Your son’s secret is safe with me, but I must inform you of the importance of learning to control a Creature Inheritance. Young Silvius gave Mister Weasley quite the scare the other night.”

“Well, if that Gryffindor Prefect hadn’t threatened those Silvius counted as his family and hadn’t claimed that Silvius’s mother deserved to be kidnapped, held hostage, tortured, and murdered, then his Creature wouldn’t have fought so hard to break free. Besides, Silvius had to fight with his entire strength to prevent Weasley from being torn to shreds. Maybe you should teach your students to be open-minded and to not judge people based on their family names or their school House which will mean very little once they have graduated. Maybe then, this incident would not have happened.” Regulus sneers, his hands tightening around Silvius’s shoulders as his glare darkens with each word out of Dumbledore’s mouth.

Silvius allows the contact with his father to soothe his ruffled creature, his mind conjuring up several different scenarios that he could picture with the headmaster that evening and how much he would like to make the old man suffer as much as he had made him suffer his entire life. He thinks about the types of spells he could send the codger’s way when he was least expecting it. Maybe something time-delayed? A prank of sorts that would make him spill his darkest secrets. Or even something mundane as a mild truth spell that would be triggered by specific words said by the headmaster himself or those around him? He would have to think a little more about that at a later date.

He glances back up at Dumbledore, watching as the old coot opens his mouth to speak once more. The door to the office is thrown open with such force that Fawkes screeches and jumps from the perch he had been asleep on throughout the entire meeting. The portraits shout, some swearing quite creatively while others fall off chairs and drop goblets and cutlery with loud clatters.

Turning to face the individual who had interrupted their meeting, Silvius finds his amusement climbing when he spies Minerva McGonagall standing in the doorway, breath stuttering as if she had run the entire length of the castle, her hair falling out of its usual bun, while her robes sat in disarray. The Deputy Headmistress scurries through the room, ignoring Silvius and his entourage in favour of whispering a few short, frantic words into Dumbledore’s ear.

“We will continue this meeting at a later date.” Is all the headmaster has time to throw at the Slytherins before he is on his feet and trailing McGonagall out of the office to what Silvius has, no doubt, is the apparition point just outside the Hogwarts wards. Turning to grin up at his family, Silvius accepts the quick hugs from his father, then Marvolo.

“You best leave quickly if your plan is going to work, Silvius.”

“Thank you, Uncle Marvolo. I will see you all later.”

“Stay safe, Son, and make sure you land a few good hits on the old codger for me.”

“I will, Father. I will be back before you know it.” With that, Silvius spins around and heads towards the Floo. The last thing his father and godfathers see of the sixteen-year-old is a devilish smirk beginning to take form over his features and a blur of black robes.

-----

He was excited, and he could tell from a quick sweep of his gaze around the debriefing room that his temporary team was trying their hardest not to express their own excitement and nervous energy. If they were not the Heirs and Heiresses of prominent Pureblood Houses, then he could picture them bouncing on the balls of their feet. He could tell that everyone was counting down the minutes until they would be able to leave. They had decided to wait until after seven o’clock that evening to strike as this would mean that the majority of Order members who were living or staying at the Headquarters would be home from work. It decreased the risk of anyone walking into the house halfway through Asclepius’s mission.

It would also mean that Silvius would be well secreted in his meeting with the headmaster, alongside his father, Severus, and Marvolo, all of whom the headmaster and the Order would no doubt think of first in their suspicions behind the attack. At least with this way, Dumbledore would have no reason to think Silvius or the Dark Lord were behind the attack… at least not directly anyway.

It was a few minutes before they were due to leave, and everyone present was quietly muttering between themselves. Whispered words of excitement, the sharing of various battle tactics and spells they had all researched and practiced to be ready for today, made their way around the room. It was amazing to see.

Charlie sits back, his feet kicked up on one of the desks as his teammates’ voices continue to wash over him. He had already seen Asclepius and his team out to lie in wait for the Order to leave. Though it would be much easier to conduct such a mission as this one if he had access to those earpieces, Remus and Romulus had yet to acquire them from London, and Silvius had made no more mention of them as of late. Not that he could blame the pair, but their shop had been doing ridiculously well, more so than any of them could have predicted, and they hadn’t had much time to slip away yet.

Casting a quick Tempus to ensure that they were on schedule, Mars jumps to his feet. He slips his mask over his face as his teammates turn to face him, anticipation clear in their eyes. Noticing his actions, the others are quick to follow suit; they throw their cloaks over their shoulders and slide their masks over their faces before pulling up their hoods. Double-checking that their wands, knives, and guns are all secured in their holsters, they stand ready and waiting for Mars’s signal.

“Alright, everyone. It is time. You all know your positions and the coordinates. Disapparate in your groups, but do not start firing until you see my signal,” Mars instructs as he secures his own hood over his features and grins.

He watches as his teammates disappear one by one, small pops echoing around the room before he is just left with Pluto. The younger ones are awaiting his nod before they follow their teammates and disapparate to await their leader’s arrival. It was time to mess with the Order and introduce their faction to the old man.

Landing in the decrepit, abandoned streets of Godric’s Hollow, the half-ghost town seems even more rundown than he would have assumed, despite the devastations caused to the Potter cottage during the first wizarding war. Taking his time, Mars observes his surroundings, spying a dingy-looking pub just a few short meters to his left and what looks to be the giant wrought iron gates of the Godric’s Hollow cemetery down the lane to his right. That must be the final resting place of the late Lily and James Potter.

He takes a deep breath of fresh air, letting his heart rate calm down for a moment before he shoots a spell up into the air. A spell Jupiter had created with the help of his Uncle Marvolo to leave their own Mark hanging in the sky like the Morsmordre. He smirks when he sees the In Dolus Insignia shining a vivid purple in the air above his head, his expression widening when a flurry of sparks begins to fill the night sky—loud distorted cries of spells alerting the remaining residence that something was amiss that night.

Joining the fray, Mars, flanked by Pluto, begins to tear down the preservation wards surrounding the Potter home, allowing themselves and their teammates to fire off an array of destructive spells at the misguided monument. A Bombarda collapses the remaining walls, while Incendio burns what little furniture survived the original blaze, and a Fenestra shatters any remaining windows within the structure. A well-placed Reducto from Pluto destroys anything that survives the collapse of the ceiling. Loud explosions sound from the direction of the cemetery, and Mars knows that some of his members had found the Potter gravestones, shattering the stone monuments as James and Lily Potter were undeserving of the titles ‘War Heroes’, especially with everything they had done.

It isn’t long before a single pop of apparition catches his attention; turning to his left, Mars shakes his head, a grin stretching from ear to ear, when he sees Jupiter standing in the middle of the street, looking as imposing as ever in his uniform, wand held loosely in his fist. Their leader makes his way through the streets, effortlessly stepping over rubble before he comes to a halt between Mars and Pluto.

“My prince, I was beginning to think that you were not coming.” Mars comments, chuckling when he is nudged out of the way as Jupiter raises his wand and fires a high-powered Incendio at the collapsing monument, throwing his head back to laugh as the remains turn into a roaring inferno, casting eery shadows and lights dancing across the deserted street.

“And miss this opportunity to mess with the Flaming chickens? Never.”

“You were cutting it close, though, Prince Jupiter.” Pluto cuts in, directing his head to a section of the road a short way behind them. Silvius and Charlie spin around to see the Order apparating onto their makeshift battlefield, and wasn’t it weird for all those involved to see several of their own members mixed in with the concerned expression of Dumbledore’s men?

Skipping over to meet up with the Order, Silvius gestures for his faction to stay hidden in the shadows until he calls for them. Sending out a brief spark of magic through his link with his In Dolus Intortis, those present anyhow, he makes their Marks tingle for a second to alert them to the arrival of their enemy. He turns his attention back to the approaching group, grin widening when he recognises several members of the Order who had fought with him in the Ministry of Magic at the end of the previous year.

Chapter 14: We Are The In Dolus Intortis!

Notes:

In Dolus Intortis Members:
Silvius Black - Prince Jupiter
Remus Lupin - Astraeus
Neville Longbottom - Saturn
Draco Malfoy - Asclepius
Tracy Davies - Discordia
Bill Weasley - Virtus
Fred Weasley - Remus
George Weasley - Romulus
Charlie Weasley - Mars
Blaise Zabini - Pluto
Pansy Parkinson - Fama
Theodore Nott - Phoebus
Daphne Greengrass - Minerva
Millicent Bulstrode - Bellona

“Who are you? And what are you doing here?” Dumbledore’s familiar voice shouts out over the sounds of fire crackling and walls splintering, concrete crumbling to their floor while support beams bend and snap under the pressure. It makes Jupiter snicker; it seems as if the Order is going to question him first and fight them later. Their stupidity was a marvel to witness, something he revelled in. However, their means didn’t bother him in the slightest. The longer he managed to keep them here, the longer her could give Asclepius to copy the files they needed.

Spinning in a complete circle, allowing his robes to spill out around him, ensuring that the Light wizards got a good look at the insignia on his back, Jupiter throws his arms out to the side once he faces them again and bows dramatically. He sees a few gazes flickering up toward the ominous mark hanging in the sky above their heads, making the connection rather quickly.

“Why, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, I am surprised that you have yet to hear of me. I am Prince Jupiter.” Silvius giggles, making sure to use the headmaster’s full name to give the illusion that he was an old acquaintance of the man’s or an old friend rather than a sixteen-year-old boy who Dumbledore had been in a meeting with just a mere ten minutes ago. His laughter picks up a little when not a single member of the Order even attempts to draw their wand towards the wreckage to put out the flames destroying their precious monument. They were much too focused on himself.

“I don’t know who you are…” Dumbledore admits, almost haltingly, as if wracking his brain for any mention of this stranger’s name before. He eyes the lithe frame in front of him, it was clearly a male, and a young one at that, but other than this unknown character’s gender, Dumbledore had no clue who this person could be.

“Ah. Well, now, isn’t that a pity? I know all about you, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock to the Wizengamot, and Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As I said before, I am Prince Jupiter. Leader of the In Dolus Intortis.”

“And who does your organisation work for?” Dumbledore continues, eyes squinting across the road, his wand held loosely between his fingers.

“Me? Work for? I think you have me, and my team confused with someone else. I do not work for anyone, not in the sense you are thinking of anyhow. No, the In Dolus Intortis work alongside the Dark Lord and his Sect., but I do not work for him. I guess you could call us colleagues with a common goal.” Silvius explains, shrugging his shoulders.

“You are Death Eaters!” A voice shouts from the middle of the crowd, and Jupiter almost believes it to be Bill until the redhead jerks his head minutely, gesturing to a nondescript member of the Order who Jupiter believes to be called Doge. Pouting, Jupiter crosses his arms.

“Clearly, you were not listening to me! And here I was being all polite and answering your useless questions. I am Prince Jupiter, leader of the In Dolus Intortis. We are not Death Eaters; we merely work with them.” Silvius makes a widespread gesture with his hands and smirks when he watches the blood draining from the faces of the Order members.

He would have to retrieve the memory from one of his Order-secreted members afterward. He could just picture what his team looked like, bleeding out of the shadows behind him. His two bodyguards flanking his sides make for an intense image. Each masked figure was dressed in solid black, an individual colour shining in the embers glow, and each one was sporting a mark not unlike the Dark Mark, and yet different all the same. “Albus Dumbledore, I would like to introduce you personally to my team. This is my In Dolus Intortis, the very best in their league.”

Silvius sweeps his hand out again, gesturing to the collection of intimidating masked figures standing scattered at his back, along the roads, and at the sides of the burning building. Their wands were gripped in their hands, pointing lazily toward the group of Order members as if taunting them, daring them to make a move against their leader or themselves. Several Light wizards take a step back, fear and trepidation rolling off them in waves, something which Jupiter relishes in.

“Why are you doing this?” Dumbledore tries another method of questioning, his tired eyes dragging across the street to gaze at the sorry state of the Potter Cottage, the wrought iron gates of the cemetery hanging off their hinges precariously, and he sighs. It would seem that James and Lily’s graves had not been spared. Glancing at the leader decorated in dark green colouring, Dumbledore has to wonder whether this figure could be someone in the know about the Potters. That this stranger somehow knew all of the dirty deeds he had asked them to help him in.

“What? This?” Silvius glances over his shoulder, the bottom half of his face glowing ethereally under the dying flames while his mask paints an imposing image in the darkening skies. “You should know more than anyone, Dumbledore. I do so abhor falsehoods, and the legends surrounding such a sickeningly Light family such as the Potters are exactly that. A lovely little bedtime story to lull children into a false sense of security and righteousness.” Jupiter begins to explain as he turns his attention back to Dumbledore and his gaggle of followers.

Inspecting his nails, Silvius dismisses Dumbledore as someone insignificant, as someone who was nothing more than a bump in the road of their life. He knows exactly what this act would do to the esteemed headmaster, who was used to everyone worshiping the very ground he walks on, to everyone taking his words as Merlin’s own truth.

“You sick freaks! How could you do something like this?” Jupiter glances up from his hand, eyebrow raised, despite his audience being unable to see such a gesture. He stares across at Molly Weasley, her vice grating on his ears as she screeches across the street at him. She reminded him a little of Narcissa Black, especially when the woman was throwing one of her usual temper tantrums. He withholds a sneer, rubbing his ear.

Since when did the Order start allowing Dark Creatures in their ranks? I would have thought that you had more sense than to hire a banshee to scare away your enemies, Dumbledore.” Jupiter comments, earning himself spluttered chuckles from his faction and cries of outrage from the Order members.

“Freaks? I do not know what you mean, Molly Weasley. I am not the sick freak here.” Silvius pulls himself up, back ramrod straight. “I am not the ones who worship a couple who are far from the saintly Light wizards they have been portrayed as now am I? I am not the side that deems it acceptable to kidnap children from their families because they would have been raised wrong. I am not the one who assisted in the kidnapping, torture, and murder of countless defenseless Dark Witches simply because of their family name, the name they married into, or the fact that they found it easier and more comfortable to cast Dark magic than Light. I, Molly Weasley, am not the one who condoned several innocent children back into abusive situations and sent them back to be neglected, starved, and beaten merely because it was too much effort to find them a proper home. I am not the one who stole money out of an orphaned child’s family vaults under the guise of payment for taking care of them and acting like a family!”

He doesn’t raise his voice as he speaks directly to the woman, though he does make sure to flick his eyes toward Dumbledore every so often so he can watch his expression slacken and a hint of worry grow behind his grandfatherly twinkle. He allows a smirk to tug at the corner of his mouth when the majority of the Order, baring his own faction members, exchange looks of confusion. It would seem that not every Light wizard had been made privy to Dumbledore’s other dealings.

However, Silvius doesn’t see the complete lack of surprise on the Weasley Patriarch’s face or his wife's, as well as Alaster Moody's and Albus Dumbledore's at his spewed accusations. Shooting a quick glance over his shoulder at his team, Silvius snickers. He can see that their patience was wearing extremely thin, eagerly awaiting the opportunity for them to test out their honed duelling abilities against their enemies.

“Lies!” A voice hisses, which only serves to heighten Silvius’s laughter.

“Oh? You don’t believe me? I mean, I can understand why you would have your reservation. Who would believe that the ambassador for all things good and pure would actually condone such horrifying acts of cruelty? Who would believe that Albus Dumbledore was the instigator behind one such kidnapping that made front-page news across the globe due to the family that was targeted? It was you who led a small army of Light wizards into the witch’s manor when you knew that her husband was away when you knew she would be at her most vulnerable. You knew that with just a few simple spells, the kidnapped child would be able to be manipulated and moulded into being a child of the Light. But then you didn’t make sure he was constantly looked after when the Potters died, did you, Dumbledore? You allowed for this child, a child you stole and glamoured, to be abused and neglected at the hands of known magic-hating muggles. You abandoned him and got him killed in the process. It was because of your ridiculous notion that you know best that those Muggles you paid to beat him actually took things a little too far! You didn’t count on the fact that he would be killed before he could actively take his place as the wizarding world martyr. That he would die before his time.”

“That isn’t true! None of that is true! Dumbledore wouldn’t do something like that! You filthy Death Eater scum!” A vaguely familiar voice yells out, and Jupiter believes it to be Podmore, whose face is reddening alarmingly quickly.

“Seriously, I am beginning to understand why the Dark Lord would much rather torture and kill you all rather than attempt to hold any sort of conversation. To be part of the Order, you must be discriminative in your worldviews. Hate all things non-Light. Excel at acting like victims, even when you are the ones at fault. Never take responsibility for your actions, and finally, have selective hearing.” Silvius rolls his eyes, snickering when he hears light laughter echoing eerily from the shadows behind him. “I. Am. Not. A. Death. Eater. Besides, it doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me or not because I have evidence showing all Dumbledore’s dirty little deeds. You will have no choice but to believe me when I ask the Daily Prophet to publish the evidence for the entire world to see.”

Silvius raises a hidden eyebrow at the crowd, delighting in their silence, and the unsure glances passed between them all. No doubt they were becoming nervous, wondering just what evidence he had managed to collect against their precious Light leader. He couldn’t wait until he could follow through with such a threat and send Lily’s journal along with his own memories of the attack and his meeting with Dumbledore to the newspaper and Ministry.

“Dumbledore would never hurt a child!” Molly Weasley’s voice calls out from the gaggle of Light wizards, and Silvius chuckles. The Weasleys were very much aware of where the monthly stipend they received had come from and why they had received such monetary persuasion. Silvius was exasperated by their strong belief in the headmaster but also a little wary. Clearly, something was not right here.

“The Imperious! He is using the Imperious!” It was a hilarious accusation, as everyone knew that even the Dark Lord couldn’t hold Albus Dumbledore under such a curse for too long, so unless these idiots assumed he held more power than Lord Voldemort, there was no way he would be able to. And where had such an accusation come from? Dumbledore hadn’t so much as twitched since he had questioned his identity. He hadn’t lifted a finger to defend himself or confess to such crimes, so he would never understand how they had concluded that Jupiter was using the Imperious.

“Dumbledore is a good man!”

“He is the Leader of the Light! He would never do something so evil!”

Jupiter allows the Order to continue shouting, their words bouncing around the deserted streets. Laughing loudly at their proclamations, he clutches his stomach as his breathing begins to stutter. He did enjoy causing conflicts between people, he was discovering that it was one of his favourite things to do. Forcing close friends and family members to argue amongst themselves, fight each other, and watch as they pull themselves apart at the seams. To the point that there was nothing left to salvage, just like what his father must have felt after his son had been kidnapped and his wife brutally murdered. The Order had done the same thing to his own family. So, really, he was just repaying them the favour.

He could reveal the truth to the blithering idiots right now. He could show them what had been done to three little abused children who had trusted Dumbledore and begged him and his followers to save them from the beatings and the starvation. The young boys who had grown up with their last threads of hope crushed before their very eyes watched as an entire society turned their backs on them and allowed them to be thrown back to the wolves time after time—year after year. Not knowing what love even felt like until they had found each other. Until all that was left for them to do was create their own families within the Dark.

Jupiter could inform them all how Dumbledore was the driving force behind the creation of Lord Voldemort. He could tell the Light which side Severus was indeed on and, why he had turned his back on Dumbledore all those years ago, why he had chosen to spy for the Dark Lord, despite them believing the contrary. Jupiter could even tell them all that the Harry Potter they had depended on all these years wasn’t even the actual Harry Potter at all. But he wanted to watch their hopes and dreams slowly grind to dust, to watch the light fade from their eyes before he completely squashed their spirits just like they had almost done to him.

But no. He wouldn’t reveal the ending just yet. Not when the Order of the Phoenix still stood as a single united entity. No, he would wait for their plans to take hold, for their spy network to whittle away at the trust between the members before he cripples them entirely. Maybe he could even begin his own publication to begin revealing little tidbits against Dumbledore and his followers. To spread the true message of the Dark Sect. without exposing himself and his team first.

If he could genuinely set up such a thing with the help of Antevorta, no doubt, then it could be a huge help not only for his faction but for Uncle Marvolo as well. Maybe he would bring it up with his faction during their next meeting. Though it would take up a considerable chunk of their already sparse free time, but if they were willing to assist him in this endeavour then it would be worth all the added stress.

“Ah. Of course, of course. How silly of me, indeed. It must have been another Albus Dumbledore I was thinking of then. I mean, that name is just so popular nowadays, my apologies.” The In Dolus Intortis snickers sound from behind him, their distorted voices sending shivers down the Orders spines much to Silvius’s amusement, and he couldn’t help but marvel at his own genius.  He was immensely proud of himself for that little piece of handy magic and his own ward weaving capabilities. Even if he had to ask Virtus for a bit of advice, he did only have six years of magical education under his belt, after all.

Turning back around to smirk at the members of Dumbledore’s Order, Silvius has just enough time to jump out of the way of a rapidly approaching spell. Spinning to the side, his cloak fluttering around his ankles, Jupiter can’t contain a snarl that rips from the back of his throat as a beam of red light whizzes past his ear and explodes part of the pavement. Without missing a beat, Jupiter flings an Accio at the caster, and a low-powered levitation charm lifts his attacker high into the air for all to see. His smirk returns as he watches Diggle struggling against invisible binds, face reddening in his humiliation and anger.

“Now. Now. Now. Where are your manners? That was incredibly rude.” Jupiter tuts, shaking his head as if speaking to a small child who had misbehaved and not someone who had just thrown a spell at his back.

“You monster!”

“Me? A monster? I haven’t done anything wrong. If anyone around here is the monster, then it is your friend who thought it was a good idea to attack a wizard while their back was turned. Is this what the Order of the Phoenix has come to nowadays? Defenders of the defenseless attacking people when their backs are turned when they least expect it. Do you believe you are incapable of winning a fight if you do not use such deplorable tricks? Talk about bravery.” Silvius tilts his head to the side, gazing up at the man still struggling in the air while none of his friends make any moves to help him down. It was a pitiful sight if ever he saw one.

“Poor Godric Gryffindor. I bet you were one of his students in school, now, weren’t you? An ex-Gryffindor employing such Slytherin tactics, such a cowardly, devious thing to do. At least my faction and I are standing here in front of you, all going along with your useless means of interrogation. We could have shut you down immediately and fought you until your last breaths, but we humour you. It is a shame you couldn’t offer me the same courtesy.”

“You scum!”

Silvius cackles when Diggle finally seems to lose control of his already frayed temper and attempts to throw another spell at him. However, the bounds surrounding his wrists make it exceedingly difficult for the man to take aim, let alone hit anywhere close to his target. Rolling his eyes, Jupiter concentrates on the man dangling in the air and raises his left hand. Furrowing his eyebrows while keeping his mouth firmly closed, Jupiter tries his hand at some relatively advanced, wandless, non-verbal magic. A sickly green spell shoots from the tips of his fingers just as he releases the levitation charm. He watches as Diggle is blasted from the air, and the man skids across the floor, only coming to a halt when he crashes into his fellow Light witches and wizards—a drop of blood dribbles down his chin.

“My Prince, I do not believe murder was on the agenda for this evening,” Pluto calls from behind him, and Silvius turns around to shoot a wide grin at his boyfriend, his eyes alight with a vindictive sort of amusement as he turns to stare down at the crumpled figure.

“It is not supposed to be on any of ours at all,” Mars adds in with a serious tone, but Jupiter merely snickers.

“No. It is on mine, but it will not be until next Wednesday. I got a little ahead of myself.” He throws back, drawing even more laughter from his In Dolus Intortis and cries of outrage from the Order, who seem to take his words as a threat. Allowing some of his magic to flow out of his core and surround him with tiny sparks of green and purple sparks, Silvius shoots a dramatic wink toward Molly Weasley, smirking maliciously when the woman reels back at such an obvious threat.

All hell breaks loose then. The Order of the Phoenix, after having watched one of their own being hit with an unknown Dark curse, jumped into the fray. Loud battle cries echo around the street as his In Dolus Intortis are quick to follow suit, their eyes widening with delight. It is complete carnage.

Spells of various colours fly through the air as they all begin to engage in their own battles, almost two Order members fighting against one of his teammates, but he isn’t too worried. Not when at least five of the old man’s men are actually working for him. He shakes his head when he sees Bill Weasley running straight over to Mars, engaging his brother in a friendly duel alongside another Order member. He shakes his head when Remus Lupin begins to engage Saturn in a battle.

Racking his eyes over the battlefield, Jupiter sends an Incendio at Diggle when the man attempts to push himself to his feet, fighting against the curse that is making its way through his system. Silvius can’t help but marvel at the rapid damage. If the Order didn’t want one of their own to die in the next hour or so, then they needed to get Diggle to St. Mungo’s. He watches in fascination as the spell brushes against his thigh, dragging a scream from his blood-stained lips.

Seeing Dumbledore standing off to the side, eyes tracking his Order members instead of engaging in battle himself, Jupiter takes the opportunity to observe his own team and is delighted to catch Mars, taking out Elphias Doge with a knife to the abdomen. At the same time, Saturn aims his gun at Alaster Moody’s back, which is turned towards him, and his attention is focused solely on Antevorta. The sound of him firing startles many Order Members, causing them to falter for a split second, but Jupiter doesn’t pay much attention to them. Not when he is busy watching the bullet tear through Moody’s shoulder with deadly accuracy, the pain causes him to stumble a few paces, giving Antevorta enough of an opportunity to incarcerate him. For good measure, the girl jabs her hand against the side of his neck and renders the ex-Auror unconscious.

He watches as Fletcher charges through the streets, screaming at the top of his lungs, his eyes gleaming as he attempts and fails to take down any of his In Dolus Intortis. Still, before he can make it even halfway through the battlefield, a knife appears out of nowhere and embeds itself in the base of his neck. Jupiter’s eyes are wide at the blood spurting out of the wound when the knife is summoned back to its owner. Fletcher struggles for breath for a moment before his body crumples to the floor.

Spinning on his heels to examine the area in which the knife had been thrown from, Jupiter’s heart stutters in his chest when he only just manages to catch sight of Pluto. His hand is still outstretched, the knife glittering in his hand even as it drips with fresh blood. A sadistic grin stretches across his boyfriend’s mouth and Jupiter feels a spark a desire flooding his veins like a wave of inferno.

A spell whooshes past his head, a warning. It draws his attention back to the battle going on around him, and he smirks when he sees Dumbledore finally making his way onto the battlefield. A scowl is planted firmly across the old man’s features, and Silvius feels he doesn’t like watching a bunch of unknown witches and wizards actually besting some of his more devious members. Sending a quick pulse of magic to Mars, calling the older wizard to his side, Jupiter raises his wand to point at Dumbledore just as a shadow appears on his left, deep purple accents identifying him to Jupiter.

“My Prince, you called for me?”

“Yes, Mars. You are my most skilled fighter out of the lot we bought with us today. Would you care to do me the honours? I will allow you to hit the old codger with your knife.” He questions and gestures toward Dumbledore, who is narrowing his eyes at the pair standing before him, almost casually, as if they didn’t feel threatened by his appearance at all.

Dumbledore did not like to be ignored, nor did he not like not knowing something, and this, the In Dolus Intortis, was something he knew nothing about. How was he, Albus Dumbledore, the only one Lord Voldemort feared, utterly unaware of a separate faction within the Dark Sect.? How had his spy not informed him of such a development? He shoots another glance around the battlefield; it appears that Jupiter had not been lying when he claimed his team to be the best of the best. They were battling his Order, seasoned fighters head-on, and barely any of them had a scratch to show for it.

“It would be my pleasure, Prince Jupiter, though I do believe that the correct terminology is stab.” Mars raises an eyebrow at Jupiter, not that the other could see the action, but he breaks down into snickers anyway. “I am surprised not to see Pluto anywhere?”

“Semantics are a mere formality, Mars. Pluto is around here somewhere; I do believe that he is slipping between the shadows as we speak. Did you not see his beautiful work on Fletcher?” Jupiter responds as he turns his attention back to Dumbledore, inwardly snickering when the man tightens his grip on his wand.

“That was him? I couldn’t see anything because of all the spells exploding by my head. That Bill Weasley is a right bastard, almost took my head off with a Diffindo, then the next thing I see is Fletcher with a knife in his throat.”

“I told you that he was hiding in the shadows. What happened with Weasley? I thought you were battling Doge?”

“I was fighting against Doge until I embedded my knife too far in his right hip when he came a little too close to my person. Weasley thought it was his duty to try and avenge one of his fallen comrades… it wasn’t my fault that he seemed a little distracted, and I managed to knock him out with a well-aimed Expelliarmus. He flew through the air beautifully.” Charlie and Silvius break into snickers at the imagery; Bill was not going to be best pleased with his brother once he came to. “So, why didn’t you call him?”

“Because I need to stay focused on the battle in front of me, thank you very much. Do you know what seeing him do to Fletcher did to me?” Jupiter remarks, his voice increasing an octave or two, only to roll his eyes when Mars throws his head back and laughs at his plight. The pair spin out of the way of a spell that zips past them. It would seem like Dumbledore had gotten tired of waiting for their attention.

“Probably the same thing that would happen to me if I saw my own Death Eater lover taking down an Order member like that.” Mars winks over at Jupiter, firing off a bone-shattering curse at the old man, while Silvius catches Dumbledore with an Incendio when he side-steps Mars’s spell.

Dumbledore growls in frustration, putting out the flames eating through his clothing with a small auguamenti, though he only has a moment to breathe when he finds himself on the defensive. Glancing up, he could see that Jupiter and Mars had finally taken his appearance seriously and were barely taking a breath as they fired spell after spell at him. Jumping to the side and throwing up several consecutive shielding spells, Dumbledore barely recognizes half of the curses and hexes crashing against his protections. However, it didn’t help that half of them were being cast without so much as a mutter from the pair in front of him.

Dumbledore had no idea that when the wards he had set up around Godric’s Hollow went off, they would be faced with a completely unknown entity. He had assumed it would be a small allotment of rogue Death Eaters wishing to cause some mayhem. Or that Voldemort had finally decided to announce himself to the world by striking the wizarding world where it would hurt the most. He had not even entertained the idea of a new enemy joining the fray. And with how many members of his Order had already been downed, he knew these individuals were heavily armed and very well-trained. Two members had already been killed, with one fatally wounded and several others seriously injured.

Besides, focusing back on the two battling against him with ease, Dumbledore didn’t like the insanity gleaming in the leader’s eyes. It reminded him a little too much of Tom. Making a snap decision, Dumbledore strengthens his shielding charm and dashes over to Diggle, who is barely clinging to life, small moans escaping his lips as he attempts to pull himself to his feet only to have a fresh wave of blood dribble down his chin. His injuries were worsening with each passing second, the burn on his leg dripping pus, and Jupiter delighted in this knowledge.

“Order Retreat!” His shout echoes around the street, and Silvius knows the man has used a non-verbal and wandless charm to enhance his voice. The Order members waste no time following his orders, grabbing hold of their fallen comrades before disappearing out of Godric’s Hollow in a matter of seconds, leaving the In Dolus Intortis alone once more.

Cheers ring out, and Silvius cannot help but chuckle at his team. He smiles indulgently, knowing that they would be running off adrenaline for the next few minutes. He allows them to celebrate their first proper battle against the Order, despite the short duration before he gestures for them all to make their way back to the Chamber. Removing his Mark before he joins them, he couldn’t have Dumbledore being believed if he tried to spread the word about his faction just yet. He smirks.

-----

Asclepius, Virtus, Remus, Romulus, Astraeus, Phoebus, and Minerva cloak themselves in strong disillusionment charms as they quietly make their way down the road toward Number 11 and 13 Grimmauld Place. They gathered around the area where the Order Headquarters was going to appear and lay in wait, eyes alert for any signs of the missing house. They remain silent, not wishing to alert anyone, muggle, or wizard to their presence before the appropriate time.

However, they are not left for long before they see a dingy-looking house appear between the others. Its door crashes open, and a crowd of people runs out into the street, disappearing away in a flurry of movements. Within a few seconds, the street is quiet again. Asclepius gestures for his team to follow him, knowing that he knew Mars and his team had already begun to cause trouble. He creeps over to the house and slowly begins to manipulate the Fidelius charm into allowing him and his friends in without alerting the old fool to their plans.

He throws up his hand, waving the rest of them through the distorted ward and into the house before he quickly follows suit, they would be able to remain in the house for as long as possible now without the Order ever realising that they had been there. As Asclepius begins to make his way through the hallways, he grimaces in disgust at the cobwebs clinging to the walls, the cockroaches and other insects crawling through thick layers of dirt-encrusted to the flooring. It was deplorable how anyone could even think to live in such a dwelling. He allows a scowl to shape his features; how could these fools allow his house to get in such a state? Did they have no respect for a property that wasn’t theirs?

“This place is absolutely disgusting.” Minerva cringes away from a bug on the floor.

“How could they even stand to stay here for five minutes, let alone the entire summer holidays?” Phoebus agrees, holding his hands against his chest lest he accidentally touch anything and have to burn his uniform to protect himself from some unknown disease infesting the air.

“I wouldn’t even let my House Elves live in such a decrepit building, let alone human beings.”

“There is a ward surrounding the building. If it is used by someone who is not the rightful owner, then it will basically refuse to clean itself. No matter how many cleaning charms are used or banishing hexes are cast against the dust; the house will merely reset itself or just attract more dirt. The Black Family must have hated the idea of their properties falling into the wrong hands. If Asclepius were to kick the Order out and officially recognise the house as his own, then it won’t look as bad, and the Black or Malfoy family house-elves would be able to clean this place up in a matter of seconds.” Virtus explains, his voice filled with wonder at sensing such complex and intricate wards weaved around the property. If he hadn’t spent years studying the more complicated and rare wards, he wouldn’t have been able to sense it, let alone know what it did. The Blacks were indeed a formidable family.

“That is a fascinating piece of magic.” Phoebus mumbles, his hand tapping against his chin as he contemplates other uses for the ward. Minerva nods along with him, sinking deep into her thoughts.

“Even our flat doesn’t look this bad, right Romulus?”

“Right you are, Remus, and we have had our fair share of explosions happening there.”

“A fair few explosions indeed.” The twins add in, their speech cutting back and forth as it usually did when they were in the company of people, and they feel comfortable around them. It only serves to amuse their teammates, who merely shake their heads, chuckling at the idea of Romulus and Remus blowing up their own apartment with their experiments.

“You know, it is a good thing that Jupiter allowed you to use the Chamber for your more volatile experiments now, isn’t it? I mean, at least this way, you won’t have to blow up your shop anymore.” Asclepius throws back as amusement shines in his eyes, and he pushes open the door to the kitchen. His eyes scan the room for any Order members that may have stayed behind. He lets out a breath when no one emerges from the shadows and steps into the room.

“Did you hear that, Romulus?”

“I did indeed, Remus.”

“We didn’t know you cared so much for us, Asclepius.”

“I know what you mean, Remus; I feel so loved.”

“Let it be known. Be still my racing heart.”

Asclepius splutters, shooting a withering glare over his shoulder at the chuckling twins, his cheeks heating up at the implication behind their words. Of course, he cared for their wellbeing; they were Jupiter’s pseudo brothers and a part of his team and, therefore, his family, which made them his own family by association. One of the most important things to a Malfoy was family. Be they blood or not.

“Shut up, the pair of you, and help me copy these plans before the Order comes back.”

“Of course, our darling Asclepius.”

“How could we ignore such a sweet plea for help.”

Virtus chuckles at his brothers’ antics. He knew that they had always harboured a slight crush on the blond Malfoy Heir, a crush which they had thought impossible to act on due to their different stances within the war. It had been one of the reasons why he and Mars had initially contemplated extending the invitation to join the Death Eaters to the twins. They had hated seeing their little brothers pining for someone so desperately. However, now that they were all a part of Jupiter’s own faction, they seemed to have begun the task of wooing Asclepius. He just hoped that they were both the boy’s Destined Mates; otherwise, they would be heartbroken.

Virtus gestures for Minerva, Phoebus, and Astraeus to assist as well, and soon all seven of them were painstakingly making their way through the piles of unorganised files, reports, plans, and various bits of information collected on the various known Death Eaters. Astraeus collects copies of files and organises them into multiple stacks pertaining to the information they contain. It would make it much easier to go through the information once they returned to the Chamber. Rather, it is much easier for Phoebus and Minerva to read through the two who had been tasked with such a workload, and he almost feels sorry for the two researchers and information gatherers.

It is only a few minutes into their mission that they begin to hear a faint sound from above their heads—the creaking of floorboards, which has them freezing in place. At first, Draco would have dismissed the noise as the Black family House Elf, Jupiter had warned them about, but the footfalls were much too heavy to belong to such small creatures. Pausing in his steps, Asclepius gestures for Virtus and Astraeus to join him on either side of the door while he gestures for the others to hide over at the side of the kitchen for a moment.

The footsteps continue to creep down the stairs, the banister cracking under the weight of someone leaning against it as they traipse through the house. Draco would have assumed this person to be half asleep or injured with the strange way one of their footsteps seemed to be heavier than the other as if leaning more weight on one side of their body.

He grips his wand a little tighter in his hand, straightening his shoulders when a shadow blocks some light at the bottom of the kitchen door. Holding his breath, Asclepius glances across the doorway to Virtus, who has his gaze focused on the door handle, watching as the warn golden globe slowly turns. As the door swings open, Asclepius raises his wand, shuffling backward to remain in the shadows as a small female shuffles her way through the kitchen, not noticing the group of black-clad individuals standing off to the side, watching her every move.

Asclepius shakes his head, relaxing marginally in the face of such a character. She hadn’t even thought to check her surroundings before entering the kitchen. Then again, whoever this woman was probably thought she was incredibly safe, hidden away in the Order of the Phoenix headquarters, despite all of the threats to the contrary. Gesturing with his head toward the Order member, Draco snickers when the woman seems to sense something wrong and spins on her heels.

Her eyes widen when she spies the seven robed figures scattered throughout the kitchen and opens her mouth to scream. Fumbling for her wand, she doesn’t get very far before Astraeus shoots an Immobulus at the girl. She freezes in place, mouth hanging open unattractively, even as her eyes continue to follow them as they all relax and move toward her.

“Emmeline Vance, you should have gone with the rest of your rag-tag band of miscreants because now you are going to have to disappear.” Asclepius consoles, stroking a hand down the woman’s cheek. He pats her head before throwing a careless gesture over his shoulder. Virtus and Phoebus immediately begin to pull supplies out of their pockets, crouching down on the floor to start working.

“Alright, come on, you lot. Let us get the rest of these files copied, and then we can get out of here.” Asclepius makes his way back over to the table, setting about coping the remaining files and reports while Virtus and Phoebus do quick work on creating a Gollum of the Order Member. He hadn’t actually thought they were going to have to employ such magics while they were here, but then again, he had assumed that if a member of the Order had stayed behind, then it would be an all-out battle. He hadn’t expected to come in contact with such a useless witch.

With them all working together, it doesn’t take them long to work their way through all of the files and place the originals back on the table in roughly the same position they had found them. They didn’t want to risk tipping off the Order too quickly about their infiltration or at all if they could help it. Asclepius waits for a signal from Virtus and Phoebus before he throws a portkey at the still-frozen witch and snickers as she is immediately whisked away to a holding cell in the Chamber of Secrets. One of Silvius’s ideas because his cousin thought it would be amusing to watch the Order freak out over the disappearance of their members when they were being held right under their noses. Literally, Phoebus sends the magical Gollum on its way, snickering when she stumbles up the stairs before disappearing back up the stairs.

Grabbing a pile of parchment each, the group prepares to make their way back out of the house when Virtus remembers the listening and recording device sitting in his innermost pocket, placing his stack back down on the kitchen table. Virtus makes his way across the room to one of the cabinets with a glass door; he stations the camera just inside the cupboard and spells the device invisible before connecting the microphone to the underside of the table. Double-checking to make sure that both devices were switched on and concealed from human eyes, he nods in satisfaction.

“I had almost forgotten about them.”

“I don’t think Jupiter would have been best pleased if we had left here without setting those up. It would mean we failed half our mission.” Astraeus states, shaking his head at the oldest Weasley child, and snickers when Virtus scratches the back of his neck, a sheepish grin on his lips.

“No, I don’t think he would have been.” Virtus agrees, picking his stack of parchment back up. The group turns to leave the house, proud smiles shaping their lips as they allow Asclepius to manipulate the wards once more before they are off. They escape from the house and disappear to the Chamber just as multiple cracks alert them to the arrival of the Order. Jupiter must have scared them into retreating already.

Notes:

We have finally made it to the first mission of the In Dolus Intortis!! I did change a few things around and add a couple of extra bits before uploading, but I realised, that if I didn't upload today, then it wasn't going to be looked at for another few days because... work.
But, it is all good because I am going to be writing a very strongly worded email of complaint to my Regional Manager against my Store Manager after work tomorrow XD Let us hope it all goes well.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this next chapter and look forward to the next one XD

Chapter 15: The Order In Panic

Asclepius and his team land in the middle of the Chamber of Secrets with a quiet pop, tightening their hold on the stacks of parchment balanced in the crook of their elbows as they wait to overcome their brief loss of equilibrium from apparating the hundreds of miles from London to the Highlands. Making their way into the debriefing room, they are happy to note that their friends have already returned. It is a sight of quick healing spells and potions dealing with minor injuries and large grins that greet them when they walk through the door, and Asclepius is relieved to note that no one had been seriously injured when going up against the Order.

Taking a seat, Asclepius’s team places their parchment bundles on the tables before they direct their attention to Jupiter, who has his feet once again kicked up on his desk, mask hooked to his belt as he smirks around the room at his In Dolus Intortis. Pushing himself to his feet, gesturing for the others to take off their masks and relax.

“Asclepius, I take it that everything went well?”

“Yes, My Prince. Everything went according to plan. One member of the Order had stayed behind in the house, but we managed to deal with her pretty quickly. All flies, and plans belonging to those fools have been copied as well. Virtus has also managed to set up the camera and microphone for Fama to start using.”

“Good. Good, I have already sent Fama along to the surveillance room to connect with the two devices, so hopefully, we have rattled the Order enough for Dumbledore to call an immediate meeting. Do you know the identity of the Order Member left behind?”

“Emmeline Vance. We managed to Immobilise her before she even knew what was happening. Virtus and Phoebus created her Gollum before we sent her to Slytherin’s lair via Portkey.”

“Excellent work, guys. I would say that this was a mission well done.”

“Jupiter?” Astraeus calls out amidst the cheers and catcalls. “We have managed to organise the information as best as we could under the time restraints. However, we have found some rather personal information about some of the inner circle Death Eaters and the Elite. I scanned through one of the files briefly, and it appears that the Dark Lord has a spy in one of the Outer Circle ranks. It may be worth sending a quick note to the Dark Lord to inform him of this dilemma and allow him time to fix it.”

“Alright, thank you for bringing this to my attention, Astraeus. I will contact the Dark Lord once this meeting has concluded. Phoebus and Minerva, I believe you have already guessed what I wish you to do. I want the two of you to go through all the information collected, consolidate it, and then inform me of what you have found out next time. Start with the files on the Death Eater Elite.”

“We will start working right away, Prince Jupiter.” Phoebus intones, collecting all the files being slid across the desks toward himself and Minerva.

“Good. When you are finished, I will look through your notes and inform the Dark Lord and his Elite faction of any relevant information they may need to know. There is no need to waste our time giving them a full report filled with trivial information that the Order has deemed as important. Remus, Romulus, how are you two doing with those earpieces?”

“We have managed to purchase them, My Prince.”

“We just seem to be having a little trouble getting them to work around magic.”

“Yes, these seem to be a little more difficult to manipulate than the cameras and microphones.”

“Blew up in our faces the other day.”

“But don’t you worry, Asclepius, we weren’t injured!”

“Would the two of you kindly shut up!” Asclepius hisses at the twins, who merely grin over at the blond unrepentantly. Jupiter raises an eyebrow at the interaction, smirking at the light flush that begins to dust the tip of his cousin’s ears. Shaking his head at the strange occurrence, maybe he could find some time to question the twins about their flirtations later. Something seemed to have sparked the twins into finally acting on their crush on the Ice Prince of Slytherin after all these years.

“Alright, inform me as soon as they are ready. They are going to be imperative to many of our future missions, especially if we have to split up again as we did this evening.” Jupiter smiles around the room; he feels so proud of his team. They had all performed exceptionally well for their very first mission, better than he initially thought they would do under pressure. Even though Asclepius’s team didn’t face much danger when breaking into the Order’s Headquarters, if Asclepius had made one little mistake when bending the Fidelius Charm, then their distraction in Godric’s Hollow would have been for naught.

“Now, before I dismiss you all, I would like to get your opinion on something that I have been thinking about for the past couple of hours. Something that could be highly beneficial to our cause and that of the Dark Sect as a whole, but also something that will eat into our already limited free time. If done correctly, this will allow us to send out our true goals to the wizarding public without being censored by those imbeciles in the Ministry. Thus allowing us to convert more people to our side. It may assist us in taking down Dumbledore and his sycophantic followers.” Jupiter smirked around the room, watching as the others shifted in their seats, anticipation palpable in the air, and he knew that they would agree to take part in his ideas, no matter what.

“Come on, Jupiter. You can’t just pause after telling us that!”

“Alright. Alright. You guys really need to learn some patience. What would you say if I suggested we set up our own newspaper or magazine? We would research, write, and distribute it across Magical Britain.”

“Like the Prophet?” Mars questions.

“Sort of. I was thinking more along the lines of the Quibbler. I wished to get your opinion before coming to a decisive conclusion because if you believed you were already swamped down with School, homework, additional research projects, and training, then I would postpone the creation for when we have graduated.”

“You know, I think that if we make this publication a fortnightly occurrence and schedule some time just to sit down and research our topics, then it will be able to work around our schoolwork and personal training programs. We could even release smaller, special editions when something big happens with the In Dolus Intortis, in the Wizengamot meetings, or against Dumbledore.” Pluto adds in, tapping his chin in thought, and Jupiter grins.

“That is an excellent point. It would often be enough to make us known in the publishing industry while also allowing us to release small bits of information about our goals and such without them knowing that they are the plans of the Dark Sect.” Asclepius agrees.

“We could even subtly add in Wizarding Traditions around the calendar months. For example, the issue before Yuletide could include all kinds of traditions that people tend to celebrate around that time of the year. Rituals, decorations, feasts. It would open Muggleborn and Muggle-raised witches and wizards up to our traditions without them feeling forced into following them.” Virtus puts in with a smile of his own, his voice portraying his own excitement.

“And explain why we follow the traditions we do and how it helps connect our children to Mother Magic.”

“I agree with all that, but what else would we put in it? We can’t just have a magazine filled completely with Dark Legislation and goals.”

“You make a valid point, Phoebus. It would be a pretty boring magazine if we only included that, and we would soon run out of content.”

“Well, I have been giving this some thought and came up with a few ideas that I believe could work. Of course, we will add in some of the goals of the Dark Sect but not label them as such lest Dumbledore and his Order try to have us shut down. We could introduce these by interviewing Wizengamot members to see which laws and legislations are being pushed through, which ones are being revised, and by which members. This will, hopefully, allow people to come to their own conclusions. They will see that Lords and Ladies from families such as the Slytherin, Black, Malfoy, Nott, Zabini, Greengrass, and such are voting in favour of weaker restrictions on Creature Rights and legislation to make it safer and more accessible for magical beings to live.

“Especially while those who have dubbed themselves as Light and fighters for justice are voting against such changes.”

“Or fighting to have them increased…”

“Exactly, Saturn, Antevorta. We can include a small section on useful spells that may have been forgotten, those that aren’t illegal and that haven’t been used for a few decades. This will allow us to reintroduce ancient, traditional magic back into the Wizarding World. Articles about big news happening around the continent, in our partner schools at Durmstrang and Beauxbaton. Articles depicting members of the Order of the Phoenix in a negative light.”

“That all sounds fascinating, Jupiter. Do you really believe we are going to pull this off? Won’t Dumbledore and his Flaming Chickens realise that it is us writing this new publication?”

“That is a small possibility. However, I believe Dumbledore will be more inclined to suspect the In Dolus Intortis of being the Authors behind the sudden appearance of a Dark aligned magazine. Besides, there is no way for him to link our identities to the new faction within the Dark Sect. Unlike Dumbledore, the Dark has never employed anyone underage before, so why would they suddenly start now? As long as none speaks about the magazine in hearing range of the Order, we should be fine.”

His faction nodded along with his reasoning: It wouldn’t make that much difference to the rules surrounding the In Dolus Intortis anyhow. They would need to consolidate their ideas and appoint jobs and articles to various people, but other than that, it was a good idea. It would help them greatly without putting themselves in immediate danger of being discovered by their enemies.

“I can ask Daddy to help us learn the mass copying charm?”

“Why not just use the one we used today? That one works well enough.” Remus questions, leaning his elbow against his brother’s shoulder as they turn to glance down at Antevorta.

“That spell will only copy one sheet of parchment at a time. The publishing charm Daddy uses for the Quibbler can copy a magazine multiple times over all at once. It will make the copying process much quicker.” Silvius thinks about Antevorta’s words before he nods his head.

“Yes, that is a good idea, Antevorta. You ask your father about the charm. If he isn’t comfortable telling you how to perform it, then ask him where we can find it for ourselves. I am sure that it will be in one of the books in the Hogwarts or Slytherin libraries.”

“I will send him a letter right away, Jupiter.”

“Thank you, Antevorta. Saturn, you go with her. I would rather not have someone trying to pick on either of you this year. If you have to, then I suggest you practice some of your new spells on anyone who tries. Though I doubt you will face such issues, Saturn. An excellent show you put on during History of Magic this morning.”

“Thank you, Jupiter. The Mudblood has been spouting nonsense about Dark Wizards all year, and she was really getting on my nerves. It was the least I could do.” Neville bows his head, lips stretching into a wide smirk. The pair bow formally with their hands clenched over their hearts before vacating the room to send the letter to Luna’s father.

“Does anyone have any more questions about the magazine?”

“What are we going to call it?” Discordia calls out, eyeing Silvius, who merely smirks over at her, his eyes sparkling with mischief while his eyebrow raises.

“He won’t tell us until the first issue is ready for distribution, are you, Silvi?”

“I am offended that you would insinuate that I could ever be that cruel, Destined. I was actually thinking of waiting until you receive the First Edition along with everyone else.” Blaise rolls his eyes at his Mate, lips twitching in amusement at his boyfriend’s response. This was going to kill so of their friends, especially those who lived on gathering gossip, something which Silvius knew all too well—people like Pansy and Draco.

“Well, if there are no more questions, then you are all dismissed.”

-----

Fama sniggers, she loved the way Silvius’s mind worked sometimes and loved how, as their leader, he tried to incorporate each individual member’s interests and hobbies into their roles within the faction. She found the surveillance room fascinating and the fact that Muggles had come up with some devices that could not only listen to peoples’ conversations and record their movements but could also transfer said images across vast distances. From what she could gather from overheard conversations from Silvius and with her knowledge of how long it took to travel from London, where the Black townhouse is based, to the Highlands, these voices and images were traveling a significant distance.

It doesn’t take her long to set up the listening and recording devices, microphones, and cameras. She thinks she heard Silvius and the twins calling them to allow her to actually see the moving pictures of a very chaotic and panic-stricken Order of the Phoenix. It doesn’t look as if Dumbledore allowed any of his members to be healed before he had demanded a meeting be held. A few moments longer and, their frantic voices finally reach her ears through the headphones hooked up to the computer's monitor.

“…have we not heard of these people before, Headmaster?”

“I am unsure. Tom has never utilised the use of a separate faction before, except for the werewolves he has under his control, but they are still not their own entity. He has too much control over his Death Eaters for any of them to wish to break off. Maybe they are not as closely linked with the Death Eaters as their leader would like us to believe.”

Fama muffles her chuckles as she watches the members of Dumbledore’s Order trip over themselves when the headmaster gestures for them all to take a seat around the large dining room table. Their eyes were still blown wide from the surprise of facing an unknown enemy and being thrown into a battle completely blind. She feels an immeasurable gleam of pride, knowing that she had been one of the fighters who had unnerved the Order to such an extreme degree. She had been one of the people who had managed to hold her own pretty well against those who were hailed for keeping the Dark Sect at bay during the Wizarding War over a decade ago.

“Is there any evidence to suggest that they are even in league with the Death Eaters?” That was Astraeus’s voice, and Fama could not contain her mirth, her shoulders shaking in delight at the acting of one of her own comrades. She does ponder for a moment on how he had been able to make it to the Order Meeting in such a short space of time that she would have to ask him later. The last she had heard, he had been part of the debriefing, taking part in the room next door, and by the looks of it, he was sporting quite the nasty gash on his arm.

“Besides their leaders, what was his name again?”

“He called himself Prince Jupiter, and that one member who came forward in the purple robes called him ‘my Prince’.” Moody’s gruff voice crackles through the microphone, hissing in pain when McGonagall presses on his shoulder in order to remove the small bullet still lodged in his shoulder.

“Besides Jupiter’s heavy implication that he was working in partnership with Voldemort, we have no such evidence. Can we trust that this is just some dream of grandeur, or maybe we are better off treating this as fact and plan accordingly.” Podmore questions, voice wheezing as blood continues to dribble from the corner of his lips. Pansy makes a note to ask Silvius about the curse he cast on the man.

Dumbledore steeples his fingers, his gaze sweeping the room as he glances over his half-moon spectacles, the usual twinkle shining in his eyes. Fama rolls her eyes, and some people think that their Lord has fixations on absolute power.

“I don’t think that we are in any position to underestimate this new group of Dark Wizards, Albus. They seem to know what they are doing all too well, and I am sure that I saw more than one of them implementing Muggle fighting techniques into their duels.” Minerva frowns, staring up at Dumbledore with some sick form of sycophantic worship sparkling in her expression, and Fama has to withhold a gag.

“You are correct, Minerva. We underestimated Tom and his Death Eaters before and have allowed them to reform stronger than before and with alliances to groups we have never heard of.” Albus sighs, dragging a hand down his face. “Remus, where are we standing with the werewolf tribes?”

“Not in good lights, I am afraid, Albus. Fenrir Greyback has been made Alpha of the biggest werewolf pack in Europe, and many of the smaller tribes and packs have allied themselves with him for protection. I am a rarity but well known amongst the werewolf community as having turned my back on the Wolf, and therefore, I am unwelcomed in many of their territories.”

“Keep trying to gain access to these smaller tribes, Remus. We need to make them aware of the winning side of the war as soon as possible. Try to appeal to them.”

“But Albus, we are offering them nothing of significance in relation to the development, preservation, and protection of the werewolf packs. According to many of the wolves who have permitted me to speak with them, Lord Voldemort is offering them freedom; he is promising open schools for the werewolf cubs, helping in housing them, and setting up work for many of the adults who are struggling. He is promising to lift most of the restrictions condemning them to a life of poverty and suffering.”

“They will soon see sense, Remus. Keep trying. It is all for the Greater Good. Hagrid is also trying to gain us more favour with the giants.” Fama rolls her eyes as she wonders just how long it would take before more Order members are questioning their leader as he continued to hand out half-truths and vague statements, it was ridiculous. How much longer it would be before they opened their eyes to the truth.

“Minerva, you mentioned something about Muggle fighting techniques?” Podmore grumbles out, wiping the last of the blood from his mouth, his arms crossing in front of his chest as he stares across the room at the Deputy headmistress.

“Yes, I am quite sure that while we were battling the team from this new faction that, I saw the majority of the members using Muggle martial arts techniques to dodge out of the way of oncoming spells; rarely did I see any of them raising a shield against us. A few, especially the one dressed in the pure black robes, employed Muggle weaponry. The one dressed in Black killed Fletcher by impaling a knife in his throat while the one dressed in light pink shot the gun at Alastor.”

“Knives?” an unknown member asks as others begin to shift in their seats. They knew nothing of muggle weapons, and here they were about to fight against a group of Dark wizards who employed them.

“Yes, throwing knives, to be precise; every single member had holsters strapped to the arms, legs, and hips, which I am guessing is where these weapons are kept.”

“Then we should be able to summon them, and they will be left with only their magic to rely on, right?” Tonks calls from her seat at the back of the room, a smile beginning to form until Minerva shakes her head.

“I am afraid not, Tonks. While I was battling against the one dressed in dark pink, I attempted to summon one of the knives from its holster, but something was preventing me from doing so. I believe all muggle weapons have been spelled against summoning charms or banishing charms.”

“Why would they employ muggle weapons, though? Aren’t they Dark wizards?”

“Yes, this is the main reason why I am dubious to believe that Jupiter is in an alliance with the Dark Sect or even a known faction to Voldemort himself. I do not believe that Tom would permit anyone under his control to use anything Muggle-related, let alone martial arts, knives, and guns.” The Order nods in agreement with Minerva’s argument, and Fama can feel her ribs beginning to twinge with her laughter. The stupidity of the Light faction was just getting worse, and it always amused her; they never listened when people spoke to them.

Fama distinctly remembers that Jupiter had informed the Order when he had formerly introduced himself and his team that they were not subordinates of the Dark Lord. That the In Dolus Intortis were a completely separate group who happened to have the same aims and goals of the Dark Sect. that they had formed an alliance with the Dark Lord. Jupiter never told them that in so many words, but he had heavily implied that they shared information and were in regular contact with the Dark Lord, but clearly, the Order was just going to ignore those small details.

“Yes, I agree with Minerva. I do not believe Tom would associate himself with anyone who willingly allows themselves and their team to delve into muggle fighting techniques. However, there is something which has been playing on my mind since we spoke to young Jupiter…” Albus glances around the table, pausing in his thoughts to ensure that everyone’s attention is on himself before he presses on.

“Jupiter mentioned that those with him were only a team. When he called forth the one he called Mars, wearing the deep purple accented cloak, he mentioned how this Mars was the most proficient fighter amongst those they bought with them. This suggests that the people we faced today were just a portion of his entire faction. I am attempting to determine why he did not bring all his numbers with him. Were some of them indisposed at the time? Did he think those numbers would be enough to deal with us when we arrived? Or were the rest of his subordinates sent away on another mission? Did he just bring his more able fighters, and if so, then did he know our fighting prowess beforehand, which caused him only to bring his most competent fighters.”

“Another mission?”

“I am unsure at this present time, but he did imply that the members with him were only a team from his faction.”

“What if he is just trying to play with us, Albus? You can’t believe the words of a Dark Wizard. He was probably bluffing.” Alastor exclaims, slamming his uninjured hand on the table, causing more than a few Order members to jump, startling them out of their pits of worry. Albus’s words had unnerved them more than any of them would like to admit.

“Is that a risk you are willing to take, Alastor?” The man in question bows his head, his hands curling into a white-knuckles fist as he shakes his head. From what their Lord and Silvius had initially mentioned, Fama knew that the man was always over-preparing for anything, his paranoia increasing exponentially from the end of the wizarding war. Maybe this could be something to exploit in the upcoming months.

“This new faction, the In Dolus Intortis, will be put on our most wanted list from this moment on. They are to be approached with caution as they are still a widely unknown factor in this conflict. We are unsure as to their purpose nor just how far they are willing to go to achieve their goals.” Albus sighs heavily, stroking a hand down his beard, his eyes dimming as he skirts his gaze around the dining table.

“Severus, you have been awfully quiet. Do you know anything about this new faction?” The room sits up at once, their expressions shaping with hope as they turn their attention to the dour man shrouded in darkness at the back of the room with a scowl firmly down, turning his lips and his arms folded. He sneered at his colleagues; he had wondered how long it would take for them to question him about the appearance of this new faction. To question him about his knowledge of this unprecedented threat.

“I was only made aware of this new faction during the last gathering of the Dark Lord’s forces. The Dark Lord called every single Death Eater and sympathiser to his headquarters in order to inform them of a turning of the tides. The Dark Lord informed us all of an alliance that had been formed between himself and this new faction, though he refused to disclose any personal information about their members except for their names. He told us that the leader was no servant of his but was to be seen as an equal in status. This new ally would hold some deciding power within the Dark Sect and would not bow down to the Dark Lord but would work alongside him. As the leader was introduced to us, the Dark Prince, Jupiter, and Heir to the Dark Sect would work as a completely separate faction to the Death Eaters, but they would still be required to report their findings and activities to the Dark Lord. Though the Dark Lord has no say in the goings on of the In Dolus Intortis faction, nor what missions they undertake and how they accomplish their tasks.”

Severus takes a deep breath, allowing his words to sink in. He glances around the room, fighting back a smirk at the increasingly pale faces of the Order members, the fighting forces behind the Light side. If this news unnerves them to such a degree, then he wonders how they would cope when facing the In Dolus Intortis in an all-out battle. It would be amusing to see, and he hopes that he has front-row seats to watch the slaughter when it begins.

“The Dark Prince was given leave to choose his own members and was even given permission by the Dark Lord himself to indoctrinate some of the Dark Lord’s own Death Eaters into his ranks. I know of four Death Eaters who willingly gave up their Dark Marks to be indited into the In Dolus Intortis. His Heir’s audacity rather amused the Dark Lord as I have heard it.”

“What is the main purpose behind this new faction? Surely, as this Jupiter implied, they are not just an additional fighting force to back up the Dark Lord.” Minerva questions, leaning around Alastor so she could look at her colleague.

“I am unsure as to their main purpose; the Dark Lord has been incredibly tight-lipped when it comes to his new alliance with the In Dolus Intortis. I have yet to catch even a glimpse of any of their members around headquarters. All I know is that they are a force to be reckoned with; as many of you witnessed this evening, even the Dark Lord is wary of displeasing their leader too much. This faction does not only rely on magical methods of attack and defence. That Dark Prince insisted on training all members of his faction in muggle martial arts and muggle weapon handling, mainly handguns and throwing knives.”

A shudder goes through the room at Severus’s words, everyone’s faces dropping in worry at this new information. No one from the Order knew quite how to deal with a band of Dark wizards who incorporated Muggle defenses into their dueling techniques. They didn’t know how to deal with a completely unknown entity. If they knew the main purposes behind the group, then maybe they would be able to come up with some form of defense against their muggle attacks and potentially prevent them from completing whatever dastardly missions they attempt to complete.

Fama sniggers at the looks of horror spreading around the room. She can tell by their expressions that they are rapidly losing hope in ever winning the upcoming war now that they are being faced with an entirely new unknown factor, and she relishes their hesitance. She jots down a few more notes on her parchment, reading through what she had gathered from the Order meeting before focusing back on the congregation of wizards in front of her.

“You said that you had been informed of their identities? What are their names?” Podmore snaps, legs jittering beneath the table as a bead of sweat trails down his temple.

“All I was told was their guise names, as they do not refer to each other by their true names when in uniform. As you all know, Prince Jupiter is the leader and is always dressed in the Dark green. Mars was the one flanking him, dressed in purple. Saturn was in light pink, while Fama wore a dark pink cloak. Antevorta wore the deep blue. Discordia wore burgundy, and Bellona wore brown accents. The one who took out Fletcher, dressed in the pure black robes, is called Pluto.”

“Those are just the names of the ones we battled today. Do you know the names of the others and how many there are, Severus?” Albus questions with a sense of urgency, and Severus very nearly rolls his eyes at his employer.

“I do, Headmaster. Virtus is the Second in Command in bright red—Asclepius in ice blue. Phoebus wears light green, while Minerva wears gold. Astraeus wears the white. Romulus is in yellow, and Remus wears the orange. That is all the members of the In Dolus Intortis, Headmaster.”

“Do you know what the others were up to? Were they given a separate mission?”

“I was never told, Albus. The In Dolus Intortis do not report to the Dark Lord until after their missions are completed. I will not find out until the Dark Lord deems it necessary for others to know.”

“Alright, Severus, thank you. I want you to keep your eyes and ears open. Report to me immediately if you learn anything else about this new faction. Identities, purposes, and such.”

“Of course, Albus. I will inform you immediately if I learn anything new.”

“As for the rest of you, I would like for you to keep your guard up as well. We do not know who this new faction is, what they are fully capable of, or even where they came from, but I am sure that they will try to garner information from any one of you at any given time. I want you to be wary and not give any information about the Order or our meetings to anyone outside this room.”

A chorus of ‘Yes, Albus’ echoes around the room, and Fama marvels at how similar a Death Eater meeting this has been. She watches as the Order stands from their seats, the noise increasing as they discuss the information they had been given with their peers as they make their way out of the dining room. Albus watched them go with a slight smirk, shaping the corner of his lips. She watches Severus Prince exit the room, his robes swirling around his ankles as he sweeps out of the kitchen.

“Alastor, I want you to keep an eye on Severus. I believe there are things he is keeping from us.”

“Of course, Albus. I will watch him closely.”

Fama sucks in a sharp breath, eyes glittering as she scribbles something down on her parchment before running from the room, she had some fascinating findings to share with Jupiter.

Notes:

Another Chapter finished!!!!!!

So, so, so sorry for how long this has taken. My manager at work royally f***ed up all our moves the other week, and I have spent the past week to two weeks trying to fix and finish everything while also keeping up with all weekly deliveries and jobs. It has been exhausting, but I am finally caught up... for the most part XD

The next chapter will hopefully be up soon!!!

Chapter 16: All Manners of Mayham

Notes:

In Dolus Intortis Guise Names:
Remus - Astraeus
Luna - Antevorta
Neville - Saturn
Draco - Asclepius
Tracy - Discordia
Bill - Virtus
Fred - Remus
George - Romulus
Charlie - Mars
Blaise - Pluto
Sylvius - Jupiter
Pansy - Fama
Theo Phoebus
Daphne - Minerva
Millicent - Bellona

Silvius startles awake to the feeling of a hand gripping his shoulder, rocking him from side to side to force him out of his subconscious. His eyes snap open, but he refuses to move for a moment, allowing himself to wake up fully and his vision to clear before grumbling under his breath.

“This will not end well for you, Draco.” Blaise chuckles when Draco pales. Startling silver eyes latch onto his own pale blue over Silvius’s shoulder. A hand shoots out to clasp over his wrist to stop his cousin from shaking him anymore.

“Come on, Silvius. You need to wake up. We have thirty minutes before breakfast; you need to start getting ready.”

“I don’t want to,” Silvius mutters, extracting himself from Draco’s grip. He rolls back over, snuggles into his pillow, and tries to go back to sleep.

“Come on, Tesoro. You need to get up now. You don’t want to be late for class, do you?” Blaise chuckles and drops a kiss on Silvius’s forehead, watching in amusement as his boyfriend pulls himself up from his burrow of blankets, tangled locks draping over his shoulder. A fierce scowl settles on his lips.

“I sense a very different reaction here, Silvius. How come it is ‘I don’t want to’ when I tell you to get up, but as soon as Blaise asks, you get up straight away.” Draco mumbles, crossing his arms over his chest. He stares down at his cousin, who is rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with a fisted hand.

“Well, when you start waking me up with a kiss and not violently shaking me, then we will see. You should just be happy that I am getting up at all.”

“Oh yes, I am ecstatic that you have finally decided to drag your lazy arse out of bed, Silvius. Now, come and get dressed before I decide to drag you down to breakfast in your pajamas.” Draco draws, walking over to his own bed in order to get himself ready for the day. Blaise chuckles at his friend, shaking his head when Silvius stumbles out of bed, sticking his tongue out at his cousin.

“You wouldn’t do such a thing to me, Draco, would you?” Silvius pushes his lower lip out, widening his eyes as he stares over at Draco, who turns to look away from his cousin so he can avoid the sad puppy eyes he always gives in to.

“I might if you do not start getting dressed now and end up making us late for breakfast.”

“I hate to break it to you, my dearest cousin, but you are not dressed either. It takes you significantly longer to get ready for the day than I, and I think that if anything, it is going to be you who makes us late.” Silvius laughs, dancing over to his wardrobe. He pulls out his freshly laundered robes. He runs into the bathroom to brush his teeth and change before Draco has time to respond. Blaise’s chuckles follow behind him.

It doesn’t take too long for both him and Draco to be entirely prepared for their day. Their robes lay pristinely against their frames, their packed school bags slung over their shoulders. They turn to exit the dorm room with Blaise at their heels when Silvius feels his two-way mirror pulsing with heat under his school shirt. Eyes widening, Silvius’s steps falter. Reaching beneath his shirt and ignoring Blaise’s and Draco’s questions, his surprise deepens when he sees the blurred faces of the Weasley twins.

“You guys go on ahead without me. I will catch up to you guys in the Great Hall.”

Blaise nods his head, walking forward to brush a quick kiss on Silvius’s cheek before he follows Draco out of the dormitory. They call out their goodbyes to Silvius, who smiles after the pair and waves. Turning his attention back to the small mirror, Silvius shoots a spark of magic through his hand to answer the call. He smirks down when the twins' grinning faces come into focus.

“What can I do for you this fine morning, Romulus, Remus?”

“A fine morning it is indeed, our dear Prince Jupiter. We come bearing great news for you and our fellow In Dolus Intortis teammates.”

“Yes, we have been slaving away, day and night, with nary a wink of sleep in sight, to produce this for you, our esteemed Jupiter!” Silvius rolls his eyes as the twins break into snickers. It was almost too early to be dealing with Fred and George’s chaos. Then again, he didn’t want to think about how boring his life would be without his devilish twins around.

“Oh? And what have you got for me today?” He raises an eyebrow, smirk widening when the twins exchange an excited grin before they turn back to glance up at him. He can see them almost bouncing in their seats in excitement.

“Well…”

“You see…”

“The Dark Lord is now in possession of the wrist bands we have created, so now many of his Death Eaters will have plausible deniability against any accusations of their involvement in various Death Eater activities, and it will lead to the Light-oriented wizards to make many false accusations. Therefore, hopefully, it will aid in decreasing the trust within the Ministry of Magic by the public and allow us to sweep in and steal the show right from under Dumbledore’s nose.”

“That is brilliant news, gentleman; well done. I am sure Uncle Marvolo was pleased with the results?”

“Oh, he was, Jupiter.”

“Indeed. I almost had to question my sanity when he smiled at us, Remus.”

“Yes, and it wasn’t one of his evil, sadistic, I am going to have fun messing with Dumbledore smiles either, was it Romulus?”

“It was not, Remus. In fact, it was a pretty normal smile but no less intimidating.”

“I concur. I would pay to see the expression on Dumbledore’s face if the Dark Lord sent him a normal smile during one of their fights instead of his maniacal smirks.”

“It would be a beautiful sight, indeed, Remus.”

Silvius couldn’t help but snicker at his twins, calling Marvolo intimidating just because he was smiling like a normal wizard. Silvius thought it made his uncle look more handsome, but he may just be biased toward the man. He had seen his uncle smiling quite often and didn’t understand how anyone could feel unnerved or uncomfortable by seeing Marvolo smiling. Then again, many of those people were Death Eaters or people who had grown up listening to stories of the evil, megalomaniac, insane Dark Lord. He probably would have acted the same if he was still posing as Harry Potter, and Voldemort smiled like that at him in the middle of a battle.

“Was there anything else, gentlemen?”

“Why, yes. There was something else.”

“Ah, yes. We have some more good news for you, Jupiter. This one is directly involved with the In Dolus, we believe.”

“We think you will be thrilled to hear about it.”

Fred and George snicker, wide grins stretching further across their features as they stare through the mirror at Silvius, whose eyebrow twitches as the silence stretches on. Sighing, Silvius pinches the bridge of his nose before he glares down at his twins.

“Well? What other good news do you have for me?”

“We are so glad that you asked, My Prince.”

“So glad indeed.”

“We are pleased to inform you that we have purchased the earpieces, as you already knew…”

“And have managed to attune them to run on magic instead of those Muggle batteries…”

“We have distributed them around your outside forces and…

“Have sent the remainder to you via our own trusted owl, Archimedes…”

“They should be with you by the end of today.”

“Excellent. Well done, Romulus, Remus. I am surprised that you have been able to complete this task so quickly. Perhaps a reward will be thought up to congratulate you on a job well done.”

“Thank you, Prince Jupiter. We live to serve you.”

“And cause chaos to our enemies.”

Silvius laughs, smirking down at his twins. His mind already filling with various ways they would be able to use their new earpieces to create even more mischief and havoc for the Order. At least now, he wouldn’t have to use his uncle as a messenger anymore; this way, he could at least speak to his forces all at once, no matter where they were or what they were doing.

“I will allow the two of you to discuss between yourselves a reward you would like to receive for your excellent work, and I will endeavour to deliver, Remus, Romulus. You have done well.”

“Thank you, My Prince.”

“Before you two go, I just have one more question for you.” The twins raise their eyebrows at him, smirk tugging at their lips. “How did you manage to get the mirror away from Uncle Marvolo?”

He sniggers when the twins’ eyes widen, cheeks flushing slightly as they break into a flurry of movement. Their arms wave around frantically; voices garbled as they try to talk over each other. He could just picture his uncle marching through the Manor in search of the devil twins who had somehow managed to steal the two-way communication mirror from him.

“Oh… Well, it seems like we are going to be late opening our store.”

“Yes, you are correct, Remus. We will talk to you later, Jupiter!”

“Give our regards to our darling Draco when you see him!

“Bye, for now, My Prince!"

-----

Silvius skips down the corridor towards the Great Hall, a large smile stretching across his lips. The impromptu report from the Weasley twins had brightened his day immensely, as had the briefing he had held with Fama after she had returned from observing the Order meeting the other evening. The success of their first mission had yet to fade, and the news from his devil twins had increased his mood significantly; he didn’t see how anything could possibly destroy it at any point for the rest of the day. He was even prepared to take on both Ronald and Granger if they decided to start anything.

Coming to a halt outside the double doors leading into the dining hall, Silvius takes a deep breath and locks his occlumency shields tightly over his swirling emotions. Allowing his Slytherin mask to cover his features, Silvius pushes the doors open, wincing at the increase in noise as he glides through the hall towards Blaise and Draco, who wave him over. Settling himself down between his friends, Silvius brushes a quick kiss on Blaise’s cheek and starts to fill his plate while his friends stare at him in question.

“You know, I think today is going to be a perfect day, don’t you, Theo?”

“Ummm. What? I suppose.” Theo answers and glances around their group, which merely shrugs its shoulders at the leader’s behaviour.

“Yes, it is going to be a perfect day today. The Weasel’s detention begins today under the just and fair guidance of Professor Lupin. The sun is shining, and the birds are singing. It is going to be a great day.” Silvius snickers when his friends glance up at the enchanted ceiling, eyebrows furrowing when all they see are dark clouds covering the sky.

“Alright, Silvius, knock it off and tell us what that call was about?”

“Knock what off, my darling cousin? Am I not allowed to state my happiness to the world?”

“Stop being a prat. You are scaring poor Tracy. I mean, look at how pale she has gone.” Draco points to the girl in question, and Silvius breaks into peals of laughter. The girl looks as if she has seen a ghost; she is so pale. Her eyes are wide as she stares across the table at him. He waves jauntily at her, muffling more laughter behind a mouthful of sausages.

“What call? Did your godfather get in contact with you?”

“No, it seems that the devils somehow managed to steal the two-way mirror from Uncle Marvolo at some point and were hiding out in the Manor to call me.” Silvius shrugs his shoulders and reaches for the jug of pumpkin juice so she can pour himself a goblet.

“They stole the communicative mirror from the Dark Lord…” Millicent mutters, eyes gleaming with the daring of her teammates. Though she doesn’t notice the slight glare Draco is sending her way at her expression, Silvius does.

“So, what did they want?”

Silvius chuckles at his friends’ impatience, breakfasts long forgotten as they continue to stare at him from around the table. He swallows his scrambled eggs, drinking down another sip of his juice before he glances over at his cousin, smirking at the raised eyebrow and frowning with irritation. Turning his attention to Blaise, who is attempting to look as nonchalant as possible, Silvius’s smirk widens when he spies the curious glint shining in his eyes as well.

“Very well, seen as you all asked me so nicely. I received a call this morning from our devilish duo. They informed me that they have now completed the order for the wristbands and have passed them on to the Dark lord so he can distribute them to his followers. They also informed me of their completion of amalgamating the earpieces with magic and that they are en route to us as we speak. I should be receiving them by the end of the day; if I do, then I will distribute them in the Chamber this evening.”

“This is going to be brilliant.”

“I cannot wait for them to arrive.”

“I know what you mean. We will be able to communicate with each other across undeterminable distances, which will make it a lot easier to carry out our missions. If you wish to speak to a select group of people or individuals instead of the entire team, then you simply have to think of those you wish to speak to. It will save everyone else from having to listen to private reports and information.”

“Those Flaming Chickens are not going to know what hit them!”

“They are going to be in for the surprise of their lives when all this comes out!”

“I just want to see the light fade from their eyes when certain members come to mind.”

“Like Silvius’s prankster twins.” Draco and Blaise throw comments over his head, much to his amusement, and he chuckles. At some point, everyone, including his father and uncles, had started to refer to the Weasley twins as his twins, and he didn’t know why. He just saw them as his brothers, just like Bill and Charlie, but that didn’t mean they were his. He smirks at Blaise.

“They may be my pseudo brothers, Blaise, but I don’t think they are my twins anymore.”

“What? Why not?” Theo questions, picking up his knife and fork again. Silvius’s smirk widens before he turns to gaze up at Draco, who shifts in his seat, gaze dropping to his lap.

“Well, they wanted me to send their regards to their darling Draco. Care to explain, Dray?” Silvius teases, elbowing Draco in the side, laughing when a blush explodes over Draco’s cheeks.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. Your twins just started teasing me out of nowhere, and now they won’t stop!”

Their friends break into laughter at Draco’s whining tone, lifting a hand to ruffle his own hair as he turns pleading eyes toward his cousin, which only serves to make Silvius laugh more. Draco was in the twins’ sights now, and there was going to be no way of deterring them until Draco rejected them outright or accepted their feelings. It was going to be an amusing couple of weeks.

-----

They had arrived just as the twins had said. Just after dinner, a majestic owl had swept through the Chamber, and Silvius was distracted for a moment, wondering how the bird had managed to make it through the Parsel-protected doorways. A light nip on his fingers brings him back to the beautiful owl sitting on the table next to him as he works through some of his homework from his Transfigurations class. Pushing his parchment and quill aside, he strokes a finger through the owl’s plumage, smiling at the quiet trill he receives in response. He grabs the small parcel tied to the bird’s leg and unwraps the box, smiles widening when he spies the small individually wrapped earpieces nestled amongst rolled-up pieces of parchment to keep them from getting damaged.

Summoning some owl treats and water for the tired owl, Archimedes to enjoy while he sends a spark of magic through the Chamber, chiming the bell to call his In Dolus into the conference room so he could distribute the packages between his members. He watches as his Hogwarts-bound members don their cloaks, masks hanging off their hips, and begin to make their way across the Chamber. Pushing himself to his feet, Silvius pets Archimedes one final time and makes off after his faction.

Silently entering the room, Silvius watches as his housemates, Neville and Luna, take their seats around the room while he settles at the front. His gaze casts around the room, taking in his friends' confused expressions as they whisper amongst themselves about the impromptu meeting and the lack of any of their outside forces. He smiles and places the box down, gaining their attention.

“Alright, everyone. This isn’t a meeting, nor is it a briefing of any kind, so you can relax. I just received something, and this was the easiest way to distribute it without calling you all individually or walking around the training grounds.” Silvius pats the parcel, bringing his friends' attention to it, and they shuffle in their seats. They all had a pretty good idea as to what this delivery contained, and they were excited to try it out.

“As you may have already guessed, this parcel is a gift from the twins, and they have been kind enough to wrap them all up in your corresponding In Dolus colors.” Silvius chuckles and begins to pull each small, wrapped present from the box. He lines them up along the table, watching as his faction continues to shift in restraint, and he knows that it is taking all of their efforts to remain seated. Silvius picks up the box wrapped in dark green and holds it up for his members to see. Pulling the paper from the small devices, Silvius once again holds it out for everyone to see.

“These are small listening devices that will allow us to communicate with each other even if we are not in the same city, let alone spread out across the country like some of our In Dolus teammates are. You can talk to everyone all at once or think of the specific person you wish to speak to and communicate necessary information through them. These will be mainly used when people cannot make it to one of our meetings, but they will still be able to listen. It will be used to convey any urgent information such as reactions to our very own magazine or Daily Prophet articles.”

“Those little devices can do all that?” Discordia questions, squinting at the barely visible contraption Silvius is holding up.

“We can speak to each other and listen in on some events going on around our members. However, I do not want to see anyone using them in Order meetings or front of Dumbledore unless you know he cannot hear you speaking. I have asked Remus and Romulus to enhance the device's frequency range so it should pick up anyone’s voice if they are speaking around you.”

“That is very impressive.” Phoebus remarks, eager to get his hands on the little device so he can study it and see how it works.

“The twins are knowledgeable individuals and almost unstoppable when they are working together.” Silvius agrees, shooting a smirk at Asclepius, who frowns back and crosses his arms with a huff. “I know you are all eager, so I will stop being cruel now. Come up and collect your earpieces, and we will test their usability.”

Silvius breaks into laughter when everyone in the room jumps to their feet, some of their chairs flying into the tables behind in their haste to collect their own earpiece. Silvius chuckles, watching as the small parcels are seized one by one, and his members return to their seats so they can open them up and attach them to their ears. He hooks his own around the top of his ear and spells it invisible so no one would be able to question him about such a muggle contraption in his ear and why he had such a thing. His faction is quick to follow his example.

“Right, you guys stay here. I am going to walk over to the library, and I want you to confirm if you can hear me or not. Understand?”

“Yes, Jupiter.”

“Excellent.” Silvius quickly makes his way out of the room and over to the research center. Settling himself down at the table housing his Transfiguration homework, he concentrates on talking to his entire faction and smirks when a faint crackle sounds in his ear.

Jupiter: Can you all hear me?

Everyone: Yes!

Mars: Wow, these are brilliant, Jupiter.

Virtus: Yes, where are you guys now?

Minerva: At Hogwarts, Silvius was just handing out our earpieces.

Phoebus: He wanted to test their function.

Romulus: I am hurt that you would doubt us, Jupiter.

Remus: Right you are, Romulus; I am wounded.

Jupiter: Oh, Please, save the dramatics for Asclepius, you two.

Asclepius: Hey! I do not agree with that!

Astraeus: Alright, you lot, as your professor, I am obligated to ask you if you have finished your homework, and please stop shouting down my ear…

Jupiter: Awww. The Poor puppy has very sensitive ears, guys.

Saturn: I bet he jumped when you opened the connection, Jupiter, and your father questioned him.

Antevorta: And Professor Prince. It must have been awfully frightening, Astraeus.

Astraeus: I just wasn’t expecting to hear Jupiter’s voice all of a sudden.

Jupiter: Sorry about that, Moony! We were just testing the connection. Well, guys, I want you all to make sure that your devices are spelled invisible so you are not caught with them.

Everyone: Understood, Jupiter.

Jupiter: Great. I am going to close the connection. Have a great evening, everyone!

Astraeus: Go finish your homework!

H.B: Yes, Professor

Silvius closes the connection with a chuckle and makes his way back to the conference room, where his team is still milling around, their faces filled with wonder. He grins.

“Silvius, that really is amazing.”

“You will have to express your amazement to the devilish duo, Bellona. I am sure they would be thrilled at the stroke to their ego.”

“Their ego is big enough as it is. They do not need it stroking.” Asclepius snaps, glaring over at the girl as he expected her to go out and find the twins right at that second. Silvius chuckles at his cousin before he makes his way back to the front of the room.

“Poor Remus and Romulus, they will be heartbroken to hear you say such things, Asclepius.”

“Shut up, Jupiter.”

“Right, there was actually another reason I wanted to get you all together like this. I believe that we have been at the school long enough to settle down and that the professors have had time to acclimatise themselves to their students once again.” Silvius begins, clapping his hands to gather his team’s attention. He waits for them all to take their seats once again before he grins.

“So, while we have been in the school, there have been certain annoyances that keep cropping up, and I believe that it is now time for us to deal with said annoyances. The detentions with Professor Lupin and his banishment from quidditch I do not feel is enough to curb the discriminatory attitude of the youngest Weasley, and so I was thinking of helping him along a bit.” Silvius smirked at his In Dolus Intortis and could see the shivers traveling down their spines at his expression, which pulled a laugh from his throat. “Does anyone wish to help me?”

“I will, Jupiter!”

“So will I!” Blaise and Draco call out, raising their hands. Silvius nods and sweeps his gaze around the room before they settle on Fama and Tracy, who also nod their heads.

“We would be happy to help as well, Silvius.”

“Brilliant. Alright, so I was thinking. Suppose we can set up a ward around the entrance to the Great Hall that allows people to express their deepest desires or secrets to the entire hall. It would capture everyone except for those who are spelled against it. We will also have to allow some of the Slytherin students to get caught in the ward.”

“We will have to do something directly against the Weasel, though,” Fama states, looking from Jupiter to Discordia, Asclepius, and Pluto.

“And we will. If Asclepius can acquire us some truth serum, then we can persuade one of the house elves to lace his pumpkin juice and dinner with it. Obviously, a few of the other Gryffindors would be caught in the crossfire, but that is a price I am willing to pay. A few drops will have him speaking nothing but the truth for an hour, so a vial should make him spill his secrets constantly for an entire week.” Silvius grins full of teeth when his faction breaks into laughter. Imagine just how many detentions the Weasel would get from the professors, as well as how quickly the Gryffindor's points would go down.

“I will begin making the truth serum tomorrow, Jupiter.”

“I will help, Asclepius!”

“Then I will help you work on the ward surrounding the Great Hall doors, Silvius.”

“Thank you, Pluto. Fama, could you work with Minerva to see which spells we need to cast to repel such a ward?”

“Of course, Jupiter. I would be happy to.”

“What about the Mudblood?” Bellona asks, and Silvius ponders for a moment.

“Why don’t you be in charge of that prank, Bellona? Is anyone willing to help get our own back on the Mudblood?” Silvius gestures to the girl, who nods her head, a manic grin stretching across her lips. Saturn and Antevorta raise their hands, grinning at Silvius, who smirks back. He knew just how much Granger's attitude had wound Neville up the past couple of weeks, and he was happy that his friend was feeling confident enough to get his own back on the girl once and for all.

“Alright, do any of you have anything in mind?”

“How about something to do with her book? Trying to make any book she reads appear in a different language or gibberish so she can’t read them?” Saturn suggests.

“Or adding a potion to her ink so everything she writes disappears after a few hours? Her professors will be really confused when their top student starts handing in blank pieces of parchment instead of her homework.” Antevorta counters, and Silvius nods. They were both good ideas. He turns to Bellona.

“What do you think, Bellona?”

“Why not do both? I mean, can you imagine her reaction if she finds out that she can’t read anything anymore and then, to top it off, she keeps getting pulled aside by the professor to question her homework? Not only will she lose her top student status, but the stress would kill her.” Bellona snickers alongside her fellow Intortis members, and Silvius can’t stop the flicker of pride he feels welling up in his chest.

“I will leave the final decision up to you, Bellona. Confer with Saturn and Antevorta, and then tell me your final plans and when you intend to initiate them. I will schedule the Weasel’s for the same day.”

“Yes, Jupiter.”

Nodding his head in satisfaction when Bellona bows her head, Silvius dismisses his team back to their earlier activities, snickering when he hears them breaking out into conversation about the upcoming pranks and their new In Dolus Equipment. He needed to finish his transfiguration homework and begin researching the wards he would need to set up around the Great Hall entrance to ensure that it forced the individual under the archway to spill their biggest secrets.

Maybe he would confer with Virtus when he had some free time and pick apart his Second’s substantial knowledge of warding and Runic configurations to see if they could come up with their own undetectable ward, which would protect it from being discovered by a professor. If they could come up with their own ward, then there was less of a chance for some surprise stipulation to appear halfway through the prank, and they could tailor it more to their own preference.

He would need to figure out how to make the ward stick the individual in place for a couple of seconds in order for the truth to come out of them before it allowed them to walk through the archway and into the Great Hall. The Weasel was always late for breakfast, which meant that the Great Hall would be filled to the brim with staff and students, all unknowingly waiting to hear the deepest desires and darkest secrets that most of their peers were hiding.

He settles back down at his table in the research center and reopens his textbook. Releasing a sigh, he didn’t know why McGonagall was still trying to force him into completing the work for Animagus Transformation, seeing as he could already transform into one, but she was, and it was tedious. Half of the information in her chosen textbook didn’t make sense, and the bots that did were later contradicted by something else the author was trying to say. He was making note of the page numbers he was collecting his information from so he could argue against using such a useless piece of text again during his next lesson.

-----

“Alright, so you said that we were going to set everything up tonight?” Draco’s voice breaks the silence surrounding the Slytherin sixth years as they gather around the fireplace in the common room, working through any homework they had left to complete before they retired to bed for the evening. They didn’t have any training sessions scheduled for that night because they already had plans to finalise and implement.

“Yes, we have finished the preparations for our task, and Milli informed me earlier that the preparations for her missions have been finalised as well,” Silvius mutters, his eyes still glued to the mess of parchment in front of himself as he tries to plan out his History of Magic essay on the founders and what knowledge he already holds on them all.

“What are we going to do about the wards? Did you find anything that would stop them from affecting us at all?” Theo crosses out a sentence from his assignment, inclining his head to Blaise when the boy slides over a different textbook and points to a paragraph containing the information he needs.

“I was reading through a book earlier, and it stated that all wards that force an individual to speak the truth or to do something against their will won’t work on anyone wearing a Heirship or Lordship ring. The magic infused with the stones contained in any family jewel or talisman will prevent the wearer from being affected by anything which could take away their free will or force them to spill something they wish to keep secret.”

“So as long as we are wearing our Heirship rings, we shouldn’t be affected by the ward?” Daphne nods at Theo’s question, her eyes drifting back down to her essay.

“Let us just all pray to Merlin that Draco remembers to wear his ring tomorrow then.” Blaise comments, smirking over at his friend, who scrunches his eyebrows and frowns.

“What are you going on about? I never forget my ring.”

“It is just as well. We wouldn’t want you to spill anything about your secret crush on Romulus and Remus in front of Dumbledore and his Light supporters.”

“It would look very suspicious, indeed.” Pansy joins in, her grin widening when Draco flushes hotly, spluttering at her and Blaise before he huffs and turns back to his homework.

“I do not have a crush on the devil twins.”

“But you can tell them apart better than anyone, except for Silvius, that is.” Daphne nudges Draco in the side, giggling when he returns to glaring around their group, though he stubbornly doesn’t spout another word in his defense.

“And you worry about their wellbeing every time you get news of something in their apartment or store exploding on them.” Silvius goads, scribbling down some extra information to add to his essay.

“They are your brothers, Silvius. That makes them my family by association, and family is one of the most important things to a Malfoy.”  Draco tries to defend, but by the multiple eyebrows raising in response to his outburst, his friends don’t believe him in the slightest, and he sighs. “Let’s just get back on topic. The plans. What is happening tonight, then?”

“Well, Blaise and I are going to go out when everyone is asleep and the Prefect rounds have ended. We will be using my cloak and map to sneak down to the Great Hall and layer the wards around the doors so they have time to settle before breakfast tomorrow morning. Draco, I want you and Tracy to make your way to the kitchens and convince the House Elves to lace Weasley’s goblet with the Truth Serum.” Silvius commands, placing his quill into his inkwell as he casts his gaze around his friends, who nod along. He turns to Millicent, whose smirk widens.

“Neville is going to put the potion in the Mudblood’s inkwell tonight, and if he can, then he is going to try to add it to her ink store as well. Antevorta is going to cast the hex on Granger tomorrow morning at breakfast as she will have a better vantage point from the Ravenclaw table if she sits facing the Lion table.”

“Good. That is good. Draco, Tracy, the two of you know how to cast a Disillusionment Charm, don’t you?” Silvius turns to his cousin and his partner in crime for the evening, smirking when they both nod at his question.

“We learnt it last year while Umbridge was restricting our practical sessions. We needed a way to sneak around the school and practice our defensive spells without her catching us.” Tracy smiles at her friends; it had been a fun year last year. They had created their own private training sessions and study periods so that they wouldn’t fall behind in their studies. Though because of the rising patrols by Umbridge around the school, they had learnt to Disillusion themselves to hide out while travelling to and from the classroom they had commandeered.

“Excellent. Try to keep your eyes and ears peeled for anyone still roaming around the castle. I do not want you getting caught outside the common room by anyone, especially any teachers who may still be out on patrol.”

“We will be careful.” Draco inclines his head to Silvius, grinning at his cousin, who returns the gesture.

“This is going to be so much fun.” Tracy claps her hands together, giggling at the idea of sneaking anywhere after curfew. She was excited at finally being able to exact some revenge against the Weasel and Beaver for insulting their families and hurting Silvius. It was unforgivable and something which would not be tolerated by anyone in their faction. Silvius was their leader and friend, and he was their reason for fighting as hard as they did. They didn’t want to disappoint him, but they didn’t want him to feel ashamed of them either.

“Milli? Are you finally going to tell us what you have planned for the Know-it-all?” Blaise questions, pouting at Silvius when his boyfriend shoots him a smug grin. He had tried to get the complete plans out of Silvius earlier that day, but Silvius had been tight-lipped about the whole thing, telling him that he was going to have to wait just like the rest of their friendship group. Millicent’s smirk widens.

“You are just going to have to wait and see, Blaise. Trust me, it is going to be worth the wait.”

Notes:

A second Chapter was posted in one night XD
This is an apology for how long it has been since I have posted. Hopefully, I will remember to get the next one up by next week XD

Chapter 17: Got What They Deserved

Silvius giggles as he creeps through the common room with Blaise at his side. They had already sent Draco and Tracy off to the kitchens to try and convince the house elves about slipping the potion into Ronald’s drinking goblet the following day, and, hopefully, they would be successful. Otherwise, they would have to try and come up with a new way of getting the Weasel to ingest the truth serum. They make it out of the common room, slipping down the darkened corridors of the dungeons with Silvius gripping tight to the Marauder’s Map while Blaise carries his invisible cloak. They didn’t need that later just yet, not while they were still safely secreted in the dungeons. No one, professors or Prefects, bar their own Head of House and Slytherin prefects, would dare to venture down into the cold, dark, and dingy corridors of the Slytherin House territory.

They only slip the velvety material around their shoulders, pressing closer together than strictly necessary, when they arrive at the entrance hall and have to sneak through towards the Great Hall. They take one step at a time, casting a silencing charm on their feet to prevent any noise from echoing around the empty corridors. Blaise with his arm around Silvius’s waist to ensure that his boyfriend stays close, even though it makes it slightly difficult to walk without tripping over each other, and with Silvius’s eyes keep darting down to the Marauder’s map to make sure the way was still clear.

Once they arrive at the large double doors keeping them from entering the Great Hall, Silvius deactivates the Map and slips it into the pocket on his robes while Blaise takes the cloak away and folds it down until he can slip it into his robes. They share a quick, chaste kiss before making their way to opposite sides of the doorframe. Silvius had spoken to Virtus excessively about the type of ward he wanted to create and where he considered putting it. Bill had stated that doing it with two people from either side of the intended area would be the quickest and easiest way to ensure it stuck.

Silvius had agreed after a little more research. If he started to cast a spell on the left-hand side and Blaise on the other, then their casting would meet in the middle and merge together. It would take half the time than if he were to have done it on his own, but it would also make it easier for their magics to merge instead of trying to fight against each other if they had started at the same place. Virtus had also warned Silvius of the intensity of such a ward. Still, Silvius had warned the older wizard that they had everything sorted in that department and that he had people looking into anything that would be able to block the wards from affecting most of the allies and some of the other students.

Slipping his wand from his holster, Silvius slowly raises it up and begins to enchant the doorway. He smiles when he hears Blaise’s voice mixing with his own in the quiet corridors and relaxes. His eyes lock on the translucent light flowing from his wand to the doors, awe shaping his expression as he watches an almost invisible film beginning to stretch across the frame.

It didn’t take them very long to get the spells to meet, and it wasn’t very difficult to get their magics to bend around each other and merge. Not as tricky as Virtus had been implying at the beginning, though Silvius had a sneaking suspicion that it was primarily due to the fact that he and Blaise were Destined Mates. Feeling his magic snap into place, Silvius cuts the spell off and grins. Taking a step back, Silvius feels a hand slipping into his and grins up at Blaise when his boyfriend comes to stand by his side. They take a moment, their breathing slightly laboured by the amount of magic which a ward that size could drain. Watching as the film shimmers in the faint light cast by dimming fire hung along the corridor walls, they allow the silence of the night to settle around them like a blanket.

Silvius startles when he feels Blaise stiffening at his side. The hand wrapped around him tightening is the only warning he gets before he finds himself being tugged into a small alcove just off to the side of the Great Hall doors. His breath catches as he glances up at his Mate, whose eyes are wide with panic, staring out into the corridor they had just been standing in.

“Blaise?” His voice comes out as a whisper, hands raising the clench around the material of Blaise’s shirt when his boyfriend drags a hand through his hair and shushes him with a gentle smile. Silvius huffs, not used to being silenced by anyone, and is just about to make his displeasure known when something captures his attention.

The sounds of multiple footfalls echo around the corridors and Silvius tenses. He presses himself closer to Blaise, hands slipping around Blaise’s back while the hand in his hair falls down to his waist to join the other, which tightens to hold him firmly against a muscular chest. Silvius begins to worry. He was pressed so tightly against Blaise that neither of them had a chance to grab the cloak and drape it around their shoulders to hide them from the people heading their way—not without making any noise, anyway.

His worry and nerves rise the loud the footsteps sound, and he buries his face in Blaise’s shoulder. He really didn’t want to be caught here. He wouldn’t even know what to say to a professor if he was caught in such an uncouth position with his boyfriend in a dark and tightly enclosed alcove in the middle of the night. He didn’t know what he was going to say to his Uncle Severus, nor his father, if they were to be told about his and Blaise’s behavior, and he didn’t want them to misunderstand their actions. He didn’t want his father to be disappointed if he believed that he had snuck out of the common room to find a private place to mess around with his Mate.

However, those thoughts do give him pause. He buries his face deeper in Blaise’s shoulder, arms tightening around Blaise’s waist when his mind starts to go down that route. He didn’t want to be caught in such a position with Blaise, but he certainly didn’t mind being pressed so tightly against his Mate that there was barely an inch of space between them. He feels himself tensing for a different reason this time. Significantly, when Blaise shifts in front of him, his strong muscles flex under his hands, and he has to bite his lip to prevent a whimper from escaping.

It was unfair that Blaise could have such an effect on him. So lost within his own spiraling thoughts, Silvius didn’t realise that he had begun to nuzzle into Blaise’s neck, sniffing at his skin to catch his Mate’s scent. He doesn’t realise that Blaise startles at the attention nor that his hands begin to stroke up and down his back in slow but firm patterns. He doesn’t take much stock when Blaise leans forward to press his nose into Silvius’s hair. However, he is startled when warm breath ghosts the shell of his ear, and a soft whisper sounds so close that he almost jumps.

“They are gone, Tesoro.”

Silvius doesn’t move, doesn’t really respond except for to make a quiet whimper in the back of his throat when Blaise goes to pull himself away. He tightens his arms around Blaise’s waist, drawing a startled grunt from his Mate, who turns to glance down at him as best as he is able to when Silvius is still nuzzling against his neck.

“Come on, Silvi. Won’t you look at me?” Blaise tries to manoeuvre his boyfriend so he can look into his silver eyes, wondering if the possibility of being caught had panicked the younger teenager so much that he needed a moment to regain his bearings. What he doesn’t expect to find is silver eyes blown so wide and darkened to the point that they look grey. His breath catches, and before he can think of his actions, Blaise’s lips cover Silvius’s.

Silvius gasps in surprise when he feels a firm mouth pressing against his own, but he soon melts into the action. Blaise had never been this forceful before; no, Silvius corrects himself. Blaise wasn’t being forceful, not by a long shot. His lips pressed against his, but he didn’t feel smothered. He knew that his Mate would allow him to pull back when he wanted. The kiss was passionate. Silvius could feel more heat behind this one than any of the others they had shared previously.

He leans further into Blaise’s embrace and follows his boyfriend’s movements as best as he could while rocking on the balls of his feet. Blaise seemed to feel how unsteady he was becoming because the next thing he knew, Silvius felt himself being turned around and pressed against the cooling stones of the alcove. Blaise pulls back, pressing a chaste kiss to Silvius’s nose before resting his forehead against his boyfriend’s and meets shining Silver eyes. Silvius felt his breath catching at the flush coating Blaise’s cheeks, barely visible in the dim lights; his violet eyes even seemed more intense at that moment than they had been before.

“Is this okay, Sil?” Blaise’s voice is breathless and tense with what Silvius can make out as restraint, and a spark of desire shoots through his veins. Blaise wanted him, or at least wanted something more from him than their usual kisses, but he was holding himself back. He was restraining himself and making sure that Silvius was okay with what he was doing before continuing. Silvius can feel his heart skipping a beat, the love he feels for Blaise expanding even more, and he feels a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Nodding his head, Silvius manoeuvres his arms so they are wrapping around his Mate’s neck instead of his waist. He uses the position to tug Blaise closer.

“More than Destined.” He doesn’t give Blaise a chance to respond before he presses his lips back against his Mate’s, moving them against Blaise’s.

It takes a moment before Blaise responds to his actions, but when he does, it is with an intensity that Silvius can barely keep up with. Their lips move against each other in a firm dance, caressing each other and bringing a tingling sensation to Silvius’s mouth. He knows that his lips are going to be bright red when they are done, and his mouth is slightly swollen, but he doesn’t care. The tenderness, as well as the heat he could feel penetrating his skin from Blaise, was too intoxicating to even think about pulling back now.

Silvius shudders when he feels Blaise’s tongue swiping across his lips, a gasp leaving his throat, and his knees almost give way at the sensation of a tongue gently prodding his own. Caressing, encouraging him to join in such a new dance. He stumbles a little, stuttering as he tries to follow Blaise’s lead, but he can hardly think straight, let alone consciously, about his actions. Blaise’s tongue tangles around his own, brushing the sensitive veins under his tongue, and Silvius shivers again. He knows that he would have collapsed right then if Blaise hadn’t anticipated the reaction and pressed him even closer to the stone wall. The cool material digging into his back was a nice contrast to the fire burning through his veins.

Tightening his arms around Blaise’s neck, Silvius tilts his head to the side and gives himself completely over to Blaise, who groans deep in his throat, the noise rumbling through his chest and into Silvius. The dominant sound, a sound of pleasure, almost forces the submissive whimper to crawl up his throat as he all but melts into Blaise’s embrace and allows Blaise to control the kiss completely. He feels the fire spreading through his entire body when the arms around his waist tighten for a brief moment before Blaise slows the passion behind their kiss. He brings the tempo down, the speed to a gentle caress before he finally pulls away.

“You, my Mate, are irresistible.” Blaise murmurs, stroking a hand down Silvius’s face. He chuckles when Silvius leans into his touch, nuzzling against the palm of his hand before he feels a kiss against his skin. His expression softens further.

“You took the words right out of my mouth, Destined.” Silvius giggles, leaning his head against Blaise’s chest so he can allow his legs to regain their strength. It felt as if Blaise had been sucking his life force out during their kiss, but he knew that wasn’t really the case. A Cambion couldn’t drain the essence from their mate or their kits. However, it didn’t stop him from feeling deliriously happy and jittery on his feet. Blaise sighs and rests his head against Silvius’s for a moment.

“We really should return to our dorm, Tesoro. We wouldn’t want to be caught outside so late after curfew.” His voice is a murmur, vibrating against Silvius’s head, and draws a quiet chuckle from his Mate.

“I really don’t want to move.” Silvius sighed but still pushed himself away from Blaise, not enough to dislodge his Mate’s arms, but enough so he could look up into those mesmerizing violet eyes. His smile widens, and added adoration shines behind his expression. He leans up to press a chaste kiss against Blaise’s lips.

“Nor do I particularly wish to let you go, My Mate, but we must go back and rest so we will be awake to watch your genius at work.” Silvius sighs but relents. He didn’t really want to see the playout of his and Milli’s pranks at breakfast the following day, and he couldn’t do that if he overslept. Nodding his head, Silvius pulls out of Blaise’s embrace completely, dropping his hand so he can interlace their fingers instead. He leads his boyfriend out of the alcove and waits for Blaise to unfold the invisibility cloak so they could slip back down to the common room without fearing getting caught by anyone still roaming around the castle. Not that anyone should be nearing one o’clock in the morning.

“Won’t you stay with me tonight, Blaise?” Silvius whispers as they begin to make their way through the dungeons, careful of the uneven flooring as they slip past Severus’s private chambers.

“Always, Tesoro. You only ever have to ask.”

-----

The next morning, Silvius is awoken by a soothing sensation tugging at his hair and a slight scratching feeling across his scalp. Sighing against the light abusing his tired eyes, Silvius buries himself in Blaise’s side, grumbling at being disturbed from his sleep. Blaise chuckles and brings Silvius further onto his chest, allowing his boyfriend to cuddle closer for a moment while he wakes up properly. He wasn’t going to force Silvius to get up right away, not when they had had a busy night and hadn’t made it back to their dorm room until well after one o’clock.

He continues to drag his hand through Silvius’s hair, his other wrapped tightly around his boyfriend’s waist. He glances across the room and sees Draco just pulling himself up to rest against his headboard. His blue-grey eyes blink his vision into focus, eyebrow raising when he turns his attention to his cousin’s bed only to see Blaise and Silvius cuddling together and by the looks of it, they had slept together all night.

“What time did you two get back last night? Tracy and I waited up for you in the common room, but you didn’t show?”

“I have no idea. Sometime after one.”

“What? Why so late? Did you have some trouble setting the wards?”

“No, the wards merged and settled pretty quickly. We had to hide ourselves in one of the alcoves in the entrance hall because someone was walking through the corridors.”

“You were almost caught?” Draco sits up, eyes widening as he stares at his friend for a moment, only calming when Blaise rolls his eyes with a smile.

“We wouldn’t have gotten caught anyway, Dray. We had the Map and the Cloak.” Silvius grumbles, pushing himself up to drop a kiss on Blaise’s lips before he levels a glare at his cousin for making so much noise early in the morning. He wanted to sleep.

“You couldn’t have had the cloak to hand if you had to hide in an alcove…” Draco deadpans, raising an eyebrow at Silvius, who shrugs his shoulders and shares a smirk with Blaise, a light flush dusting their cheeks and a glint in their eyes, which Draco really didn’t want to try and understand.

“Well… Blaise had the cloak in his pocket when he pulled me into the alcove… it was a bit of a tight squeeze, so we couldn’t pull it out without making noise…” Silvius’s voice holds a tone that Draco couldn’t reasonably interpret, but he knew something had happened last night between his cousin and Blaise by the expressions on their faces. He blanches.

“I so don’t want to know just what the two of you got up to in that alcove…”

“Oh? How about in the corridors on the way back?” Silvius questions innocently, his head tilting to the side as he smirks at the rapidly paling pallor of Draco’s complexion. He chuckles when he sees a shiver traveling through his cousin and leans back against Blaise, who cards a hand back through his hair.

“Ewww. No. Just no. We are so not going there, Silvius. If you do not shut up now, then I am going to hex you. Seriously.” Draco continues to mutter to himself as he drags himself out of bed and makes his way to the bathroom to get ready for the day. Silvius and Blaise chuckle at their friend, shaking their heads before they follow Draco’s example. They were going to be late for breakfast if they didn’t get up soon.

Within thirty minutes, the three make their way into the Great Hall, settling themselves down on the bench next to the rest of their friends who are already digging into their food. Their faces are bright with anticipation as they continuously cast their eyes towards the doorway. Silvius has to muffle his laughter behind his hand at the jittery excitement he can see shining behind their masks. Not that he could blame them. He was just as excited, maybe even more so, to finally be getting his revenge on the Weasel and Beaver for ever daring to go against him.

“Just how long have you guys been sitting here?” Blaise enquires as he begins filling his own plate, glancing around the empty hall. Only McGonagall and Professor Vector were in attendance from the staff while Neville was seated at the Gryffindor table.

“Not long, just a little before seven,” Tracy answers, her voice barely containing her glee as she bounces in her seat.

“Anyone would think you were enjoying yourself, Tracy.” Silvius chuckles.

“I would be even more so if Milli actually told us what she had planned for the Mudblood.” Tracy pouts at Silvius before sending a glare over to Millicent, who smirks behind her pumpkin juice at her friend. Silvius could tell that she was enjoying this a lot.

“Why would I want to do that, Trace?”

“Because we are best friends, and you are a nice person who doesn’t want to see me suffering.” Tracy tries only to earn herself some laughter from her friends, which just makes her pout even more.

“You won’t even have to wait that much longer. We all know that the Mudblood likes to drag her boyfriend down to breakfast early, so she has to go to the library before class to return any books she has out.”

“Yes, but even Silvius has told us what he is planning. The only people who know about your prank are Saturn, Antevorta, and Jupiter!”

“Saturn and Antevorta were the ones who helped me set up the plot. I couldn’t have done it without them as I am not in Gryffindor Tower. Nor do I have any excuse to get anywhere close to Granger without looking suspicious and drawing attention to myself.”

“I told you about my plans because I already have kept plenty of things from you, and I didn’t see much point in not telling you about my plan. Besides, you only know the full extent of my prank, Tracy, because you were tasked with making the potion and with convincing the House Elves to place it in Ronald’s goblet.” Silvius joins in just as he catches a glimpse of the doors opening, and Hannah Abbot walks through the entrance.

The Slytherin students glance up from their meals, eyes eagerly watching the girl as she freezes in place. Her eyes are blown wide with surprise when she tries to move but finds herself glued to the floor. A glaze falls over her expression before they can see her fists clenched by her sides, and Silvius knows that she is trying her hardest to fight against the wards, but he knows that it will do no good. The ward he used was too powerful. Even Dumbledore would have a hard time trying to fight against it.

“I think Professor Black is really attractive and would offer him favours if he would pay attention to me!” Her face explodes into a violent blush just as the ward releases her. She stumbles forward a couple of paces and throws her arms out to regain her balance.

The Slytherins are dumbstruck by the confession; Silvius’s face turns pale at the imagery the girl's secret desire conjures up in his mind, and he wonders if one of his friends would mind obliviating him. His horror is short-lived, however, when his friends break into peals of laughter at the embarrassment spreading across the Hufflepuff's face. They couldn’t actually believe that Silvius’s plan had worked fully. Silvius leans against Blaise’s shoulder, breath stuttering as he struggles to stop his laughter.

However, it turns out to be moot when Draco chokes on his own breath and taps Silvius on the shoulder. When he is sure he has his cousin’s attention, Draco points towards the front of the Great Hall where Regulus and Severus are standing, their faces mortified as they stare down at the girl. Silvius’s laughter picks up more, so much so that his ribs twinge in pain as he gestures for the rest of his friends to glance over at the staff table.

“Oh, my Merlin. If the rest is going to be as good as this, then I am going to need a trip to the hospital wing.” Daphne stutters as she wipes a tear from her eye. The rest of their group nodded along with her; they were going to collapse if they laughed anymore.

Silvius settles back down, his smile a little too wide as sporadic snickers break out throughout his friendship group as more and more students begin to fill the Hall for breakfast. The confessions start to get more and more ridiculous. From finding Remus Lupin’s sexy librarian look to be attractive but wishing they could see his more animalistic side to a third-year student confessing that they wanted to hijack the Hogwarts Express because he wanted to know what it was like to drive a magical train. From wanting to know what it would be like to live as a Centaur to some Ravenclaw seventh-year admitting that she wanted to get to know Silvius Black a little better.

The boy in question had laughed himself silly at that, almost falling backwards off the bench when his waist was snagged, and Blaise glared over at the terrified student. Silvius chuckled some more when he could feel the vibrations from Blaise’s growl through his ribcage; he loved it. He loved how possessive Blaise felt about him and adored his boyfriend every time he decided to drop his pureblood mask long enough to showcase his true feelings like this. It makes his heartbeat increase, his palm sweat, and his lips stretch into a wide, loving smile.

Cuddling into his Mate’s embrace, Silvius wraps his arm around his own stomach and interlaces his fingers with Blaise’s before he picks up his fork and continues to eat his breakfast. He glances up at the staff table, chuckling when he sees almost every professor frantically muttering between themselves about the incident that seemed to be playing out before them. Yet not a single one of them seemed willing to investigate the doorway, nor did they seem particularly inclined to find out the culprits behind such a mass-scale prank.

It is then that Luna skips through the door. Silvius turns his attention towards the spacey girl, his eyebrows furrowing. He had asked Luna if she wanted him to create an amulet or trinket, which would prevent her from being affected by the wards seen as she wasn’t an Heiress to a Noble house and therefore wouldn’t be wearing anything that would protect her. He was slightly confused when Luna shook her head with a little giggle and skipped off.

“I like Neville Longbottom but think I am too strange for him to like me back!” Luna, unlike the others caught under the power of the ward, doesn’t try to fight it and shouts her confession out for the entire hall to hear. She doesn’t even look embarrassed, and Silvius almost groans out in realisation. Luna had rejected his amulet because she knew what she was going to say and most likely knew how it was going to play out, so she hadn’t been worried.

Silvius sits back, taking a sip from his pumpkin juice, when Neville pushes himself up from his seat and makes his way over to Luna, who hasn’t moved from her spot under the doorway. She smiles over at Neville, hands clasped in front of herself as she rocks on the balls of her feet. Silvius watches as Neville stops just in front of the younger girl and takes one of her hands in his; his eyes widen when the once-shy Gryffindor brushes his lips against Luna’s knuckles before drawing her into a deep kiss in front of the entire student body. He gives the boy a nod of approval. That took guts.

The Slytherin students continued to watch the exchange, regretting the fact that the Slytherin table was so far away from the Great Hall entrance when they saw the pair drawing back and whispered words exchanged between them. All they see is Luna nodding her head at what they assume to be a question from Neville before her arms are thrown around his neck, and his wraps around her waist in a tight embrace. Silvius grins; it seems they had a new couple to introduce to their team at the next opportune moment. He sends a subtle thumbs up to Neville and Luna when they draw back and make their way to the Gryffindor table.

Silvius and his friends settle back down in their seats, chuckling lightly to themselves when the chattering at the staff table raises in volume marginally. Though Silvius isn’t sure if it has something to do with the public display of affection happening in front of them, the new couple of Neville and Luna, or because they were trying to determine who could be behind such an elaborate scheme when Fred and George were no longer in attendance. He watches as Remus, Severus, and his father turn their attention to him and his friends, eyebrows raising in silent question, and Silvius can’t contain his smirk. They knew it was him, but he could tell that they were not going to say anything. He and his friends hadn’t broken any school rules, nor had they been caught in the process, so there was nothing to be done.

The doors to the Great Hall swing open once again, and Silvius sighs. The hall was already pretty much full, and still, there was no sign of the Weasel or Know-it-all yet. He is about to resign himself to the fact that they were running late or weren’t going to show up when Draco slaps him on the arm and gestures towards the front of the hall. Turning his head, Silvius sits upright in his seat, and his friends are also waiting eagerly as they spot a head of bright red hair and a bushy mane stepping into the hall. He sees their eyes widen when their feet magically glue themselves to the floor as the wards wash over them.

“I think Pansy Parkinson is the fittest girl I have ever seen and would dump Hermione for her if she wasn’t a Slytherin!”

The Slytherin sixth years’ mouths drop open in shock, mouths pressing together so they wouldn’t break out into laughter at the disgusted look spreading across the Weasel’s face or the heart-broken expression shaping his girlfriends. Silvius turns to glance at his friend and almost breaks when he sees the horrified disgust on her face.

“Well, Pansy. It seems that you have an admirer.” He chuckles, ducking his head when Pansy goes to make a swipe at him.

“I feel ill. There is no way that I would be willing to date a Blood Traitor and not one who would happily date a Mudblood. Clearly, his taste in women is questionable.”

“I’d say. He fancies you, after all.” Theo shoots back, snorting with laughter, when Pansy turns in her seat to smack his arm.

“Shut up, Nott. I’ll have you know that I am a catch.” The girl tosses her hair over her shoulder, smirking over at Theo when he just shakes his head and rolls his eyes.

“I think that Professor Prince’s voice is really sexy, which is why I sometimes mess up my potions.”

Silvius spits out his pumpkin juice, apologising to Daphne as he turns to stare wide-eyed at the Gryffindor bookworm with dawning horror. The girl was a Light wizard through and through, a model student who was always harping on about the proper respect to show to professors and such. Yet here she was, claiming that her potions professor’s voice distracted her to the point of making mistakes in class.

Glancing quickly up at the staff table, the Slytherins snicker at their Head of House when they notice the utter revulsion masking his features. It didn’t surprise them in the slightest. Not when Severus was the Mate of a Veela and exceedingly loyal to Lucius and Draco as his Destined soulmate and adopted Kit. Silvius turns to Draco, mouth opening to make a sly comment about Lucius now having competition when he snaps it shut.

“I lost my virginity at thirteen to Finch-Fetchley.” Ginny stands just behind her brother and Granger, face reddening as her shouted confession echoes around the silent hall.

“Yeah, that’s not a secret!” A voice shouts from across the hall, and quiet chuckles begin to ripple as the girl’s face glows.

“I bet you have even slept with half your year by now!” Another voice adds in, and soon, more and more jeers are being shouted at the fifteen-year-old Weasley, who stands in the doorway with tears swimming in her eyes. She drops her gaze to the floor when Ronald turns to stare down at her with horror, and Silvius cannot help but laugh; what he wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall in the Gryffindor Tower later that evening. It was going to be spectacular to witness the argument between brother and sister, as well as the Blood Traitor and Mudblood, about the secrets they had shared that morning.

“Who wants to bet that the Golden couple is going to break up by the end of the day?” Millicent whispers across the table, her eyes darting from the doors to her friends and then back again just as Granger turns on her heels and flees from the hall.

“That is a suckers bet, Milli. No one is going to go against the inevitable.”

“I will.” Silvius holds his hand out to his friend, smirking when she raises an eyebrow at him. “I bet that they will break up before lunch.” Silvius wiggles his hand in the offering, a smirk widening when Milli sits back in her seat with a huff.

“I am not taking that bet. You have an uncanny ability to predict what is going to happen. I already know that you are right.” She shakes her head when Silvius just laughs in response.

“I don’t have an uncanny ability. I am just observant and pick the most logical outcome from the information I have obtained.”

“I suppose. I mean, you would have to be if you are to be in charge of planning missions and predicting the reactions of the Order to our activities.” Theo mutters, stroking his chin as he glances across the table at Silvius. The rest of their friends nod in agreement.

“Well, I think we can call part one of Silvius’s plan a raging success. Now we just need to see if Millicent’s cohorts have kept up their part of the deal and accomplished theirs.” Pansy states, glancing over at Neville and Luna, who were snickering between themselves, arms wrapped tightly around each other as they continue to eat their breakfast.

“I believe we can also call the second phase of my plan a success.” Silvius comments, nodding over to the Gryffindor table where the Weasel had seated himself, mouth falling into a pout as he takes a deep gulp from his pumpkin juice. He shares a smirk with his faction, the next few days were going to be very interesting indeed.

Notes:

Another chapter is done and dusted for you all! I wanted to get this one edited and uploaded before I am swept away in the mad rush of working in a card/party store over the month of December. I am working the next six days without a day off, reaching almost 50 hours of working time and 3 hours of travel there and back every single day.
I will apologise now if I am unable to post anything until after Xmas :,(
I hope that you will all enjoy this chapter

Chapter 18: Quidditch TryOuts

Silvius stands in the cold, a biting wind whipping through his robes and freezing the tip of his fingers as he grips his new broom tightly in his hands. His father had practically forced the new Firebolt on him just before he was due to leave, worried that his son would be coerced and questioned over owning a matching broom to Harry Potter. To stave off the confusion, he had requested that all accents of the broom be done in deep purple instead of gold and that Silvius’s name be carved in a matching colour on the handle. He grins over at Draco who is gripping his own Firebolt, his hair falling into his eyes as the earlier rain had washed out any hair products, he had put in it that morning.

He watches as a few stragglers make their way down to the quidditch pitch for try-outs, their brooms hanging over their shoulders and looking a little worse for wear which draws a sneer from the captain as well as himself and Draco. How could anyone who wished to try out for the quidditch team allow their brooms to get in such a state? He knew, thanks to Draco and Blaise, that at the end of the year when the four houses were fighting for their final places in the Quidditch House Cup, some scouts would come to observe the matches. He had always wondered how Oliver Wood had managed to be recruited for the Holyhead Harpies straight out of school.

Listening in to the conversations going on around him, Silvius feels a smirk stretching across his lips. Apparently, several of the fifth and seventh-year Slytherins who had made their second homes in the library this year had overheard Granger almost screeching as she ran from shelf to shelf, frantically pulling book after book out of the bookshelves. There had been some confusion as to what had the usually calm Gryffindor bookworm acting so out of character, but it hadn’t taken them long to find out.

“Apparently, she can’t read anymore.” One fourth-year who was loitering around told his friend. “My brother told me that he saw her the other day. She had a huge stack of books in her arms and couldn’t read a single word.”

“What do you mean she couldn’t read anything?” Another student questions, butting into the conversation and drawing more attention to the fourth year.

“I don’t know. The Mudblood keeps raving to anyone who will listen that she must have been hit with some curse because, after that incident in the Great Hall where every student was forced to reveal their deepest secrets, every book she has tried to pick up just looks like a foreign language to her.”

“What spell could have made it impossible for her to read?” Vaisey jumps in, eyes skirting the surrounding field to check on how many students he had for his tryouts before turning back to the conversation.

“Well, if you think about it, I am sure that there is a spell out there somewhere, let’s say in an ancient family’s personal library or the restricted section of the library. I wouldn’t put it past someone who wanted to exact revenge on the little Mudblood to be able to find something that would render her unable to find pleasure in the one thing she enjoyed above everything else.” Silvius adds in, his tone dripping heavily with suggestion and vindictive pleasure. An evil smirk playing at the corners of his lips. Draco and Blaise snicker behind him, their expressions just as satisfied as his own.

“Do you know anything about these incidences, Silvius? It seems like both the Weasel and Mudblood were hit with something the same day as that ward was woven around the Great Hall.”

“I have absolutely no idea what you are implying, Vaisey. Why on earth would I know anything about it? It isn’t like I would want to hurt anyone else. I am just a child who is trying to find their rightful place in the world after being kidnapped by some deplorable Light wizards.”

“Alright, now why don’t I believe you,” Vaisey smirks. “It was an impressive feat of magic anyway. I employ anyone who managed to weave such intricate wards around the Great Hall without alerting Dumbledore and to the ones who managed to hit Granger with that curse.”

“Wait. What happened to the Weasel?” The same fourth year, someone Silvius didn’t recognise, asks Vaisey who smirks around at his fellow Slytherin’s.

“I overheard some of the little Gryffindors talking about how Weasley had somehow ingested a rather large dose of Veritaserum or some other Truth potion because he has been telling anyone, student and professors alike some rather unsavoury truths.” Urquhart rolls his eyes, his face showing just what he thought of the idea, several other Slytherin students snicker at the imagery that brings up.

“McGonagall gave him two days’ worth of detention just yesterday because he told her that he thought she was an old hag who was too busy shagging the headmaster to pay attention to her House.” More laughter fills the quidditch pitch at that comment from Vaisey.

Even Silvius and his friends cracked up, leaning on each other and their brooms at the additional information. They hadn’t had a chance to question Neville or Luna about the effects of their pranks on the two Gryffindors just yet and so they didn’t have any clue about how effective their efforts had been. Hearing about it now, however, they were impressed by just how much entertainment everyone seemed to be getting out of their little pranks. It was nice to be appreciated.

“Alright, you lot, enough gossip the Slytherin try-outs are about to begin. Anyone loitering around from the other houses scram before I inform Madam Hooch of cheating.” Vaisey shakes his head, dragging a hand through his hair a few stray chuckles escaping as he makes a shooing motion with his hands.

A few people dressed in Gryffindor colours grumble to themselves as they quickly make their way back up to the castle, they didn’t want to risk having Gryffindor in the negatives before the season had even started. Madam Hooch had always stated that watching another team’s practice or even their try-outs would be taken as cheating and could result in the House losing points before their next game. It made Silvius smirk, if they wanted to spy on a different house then they shouldn’t have worn their House robes. He knew that the Slytherin team had managed to observe some of the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw practices the previous year, and because they hadn’t been caught at the time then they had gotten away with it.

“Right, now that that is sorted. Anyone who hasn’t serviced their brooms in the last week is dismissed as well. I will not allow those who are not serious about quidditch to play on my team. If you have no passion for the sport, then you have wasted your own time by turning up.”

The crowd thins out some more, those whose brooms were in devastating condition left with huffs of annoyances, but Silvius didn’t care. It would be a disgrace for the Slytherins to play with such unrefined players. Besides, he didn’t want to have to work with people like that anyway, it would be bad for his morale and he was sure that they were only doing it so they could gain the attention of some close-minded partner anyway.

“Finally, anyone still around who is here to merely observe the try-out please make your way off the pitch and to the stands. I am going to introduce you all to myself and your potential future teammates before beginning with this year’s Chaser tryouts. As many of you already know, I am Arcturus Vaisey, the Captain of our House team and Chaser. This is Elphinstone Urquhart, the second Chaser. These two are Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, our Beaters. Today I will be looking for our third Chaser, a Keeper, and a Seeker, if you are here to try out for any other position then you too may leave now.”

Two people huff in annoyance and turn to storm away from the pitch. Silvius guesses that they were hoping to kick one of the Beaters out of their positions that year, though from what he could remember from the past quidditch season, Crabbe and Goyle had been absolutely vicious on the pitch. He wouldn’t have been willing to give them up either if he had been Captain.

“Now we are good to go. Everyone trying out for the Chaser position step forward. You will be being tested on how well you can work in a team as well as the willingness and efficiency of how well you can perform various Chaser manoeuvres. If you fail at any point, then you will be dismissed. Am I understood?”

Silvius walks over to Blaise, the pair of them standing back to watch as a huge group of Slytherins take to the skies. There must have been at least fourteen people trying out for the one Chaser vacancy. It was the biggest group by far today seen as there were only a handful of people left on the ground. Blaise wraps his arm around Silvius’s shoulder and drops a kiss on his boyfriend’s head as they spot Draco flying with a third- and fifth-year also trying out for the Chaser position.

“Do you think he is going to get in?” Silvius questions, biting his lip as he watches the third year almost fall off his broom when trying to attempt one of the manoeuvres, the young boy’s eyes filling with tears when he is immediately dismissed.

“Of course he will, Silvi. Draco spent his entire summer holidays practising his moves. You saw him flying when we played that game of quidditch on our last day.”

“Yes, but there was only the three of us playing and I didn’t exactly help you two out much. I was focusing on catching the Snitch.”

“Be that as it may, you were practicing your Seeker skills, not that you needed much to begin with.” Silvius feels his cheeks heating up at this, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips much to Blaise’s amusement. He leans down to brush a kiss against the heated skin, only for one of Silvius’s arms to wrap around his neck and hold him in place so he could steal a kiss. “I am serious here Silvius. I have never seen someone take to a broom as quickly as you did in our first year. Nor have I seen someone looking so comfortable in the air as you. You are a natural Seeker, Tesoro.”

“I wouldn’t say that-” Blaise rubs his nose with Silvius’s frown tugging his mouth at the way Silvius is trying to avoid his eyes biting his lip. He knew that his Mate still had some trouble with accepting compliments from people and it always tugged at his heartstrings. Wrapping his arm around Silvius’s waist, Blaise pulls the smaller boy to rest completely against his chest and smiles when Silvius glances up at him through long eyelashes. He drops a kiss to Silvius’s lips.

“Really, because I would, Silvius. You are brilliant, the best Seeker I have ever seen. Any team would be lucky enough to have you playing for them. You are capable of performing some of the most complex and complicated Seeker tactics ever. Never have I seen a sixteen-year-old, Merlin most professional players can’t even perform a Wronski Feint without injuring themselves. Though I do foresee one issue if we both were to make it onto the team this year…”

Silvius freezes, almost pulling away from Blaise, opening his mouth as he stares up at his boyfriend. He forces himself to relax against Blaise again however, when he sees the soft smile still decorating Blaise’s sharp features and the glint of mischief shining in his eyes it is more soothing than he thought possible. He leans up to brush his lips against Blaise’s.

“I do not think that I will be able to keep my eyes off you, Tesoro.”

A dark blush explodes across Silvius’s face, stretching up to his ears and down his neck as he self-consciously tugs at his quidditch robes. A warmth settles in the pit of his stomach, contentment filling his soul at knowing that his Mate found him attractive, that his Destined had just told him that there was a chance of him becoming distracted during a game because of him. Although he didn’t want their team to lose, or for Blaise to be scolded by their Captain for letting in several goals because of him, it does make him feel loved and cherished.

“Just as I couldn’t take my eyes off you during our In Dolus mission, My Destined.” Silvius wills away his blush and teases back, a smirk forming when Blaise stares down at him.

“The mission? Against the Order?” He questions and Silvius nods, resting his cheeks against Blaise’s shoulder so he can whisper into his boyfriend’s ear.

“Do you not realise how attractive you were when you took Fletcher out with that knife, Blaise? How mesmerised I was by the absolute sadistic glee shaping your features. How desire sparked through my very core when I saw you slipping between the shadows and taking out Order members as you went?” Silvius places a kiss on Blaise’s neck, smiling when he feels the arm around his waist tightening and the deep inhale of breath his words cause.

“Merlin, Silvius, I thought it was just me.” Blaise stutters and Silvius draws back slightly, only enough to meet his Mate’s eyes.

“Just you?”

“During that mission, when you were facing off against Dumbledore before we even started battling, I was completely mesmerised by how you looked. You were… breath-taking, Tesoro and I had to stop myself from stealing you away. It was a wonder how I even managed to focus enough once the fight broke out to take out Fletcher like I did.”

Silvius grins at Blaise and almost drops his broom when he throws his other arm around Blaise’s neck forcing his boyfriend to take a step backwards lest they fall into a heap on the floor. He peppers small kisses along Blaise’s cheeks and nose before capturing his lips in a slightly heated kiss. Their lips move together, pressing firming against each other and Blaise’s arms wrap around Silvius’s hips.

“We will just have to make sure that we do not distract each other too much during our next mission then, My silent shadow. However, if I become distracted during a game of quidditch now that you have put those ideas into my head, I am going to get you back.”

“I will await your punishment, My Prince.” Blaise and Silvius chuckle. Shaking his head, Silvius rests his head back down on Blaise’s shoulder, brushing his lips against his boyfriend’s pulse point one final time.

“Merlin, can you guys go five minutes without flirting with each other for once.”

The pair spring apart, deep flushes painting their cheeks when they see Draco standing behind them with one hand on his hip while the other holds his broom over his shoulder. He narrows his eyes at the couple before huffing out an exasperated breath and shaking his head.

“Were you even paying attention to the tryouts?”

“Of course we were. Congratulations on making Chaser, Draco.”

“Thank you, Silvius. At least one of you was watching.” Draco shoots a scathing glare at Blaise who glances from his friend to his boyfriend and back.

“Wait. What? How did you know he passed Silvius? Should I feel offended that I didn’t do a good enough job at distracting you?” Blaise inquires, a lilted tone filtering through his words as he turns around so he can pull Silvius back into his side. He brushes a kiss to the tip of Silvius’s nose.

“Oh no, you were sufficiently distracting, Destined. I just figured that Draco wouldn’t strut over here with a grin on his face, looking so relaxed if someone managed to beat him out of the position.”

“That is a very good point, Silvius. Congratulations, Draco.”

“And you guys wonder why I dislike hanging out with you so often. That was just mean, Silvius.” Draco pouts, dropping his arms to his side while Silvius and Blaise chuckle.

“You don’t dislike hanging out with us, Draco otherwise you wouldn’t have agreed to be part of my extracurricular club, or part of my magazine. You love us really.”

“Sometimes I seriously question that, Silvius.”

“No, you don’t. You love me and we all know it.

“Shut up.” Draco mumbles, but Silvius can see the small smile hiding at the corner of his mouth and he laughs in delight, cuddling back against Blaise’s side.

“Love you too, Dray. Now all we need to do is get Blaise and I onto the team and we will be all set.”

“Alright, you lot. Those of you who want to try out for the Keeper position step forward. Your try-out is going to test your speed and decision-making skills under pressure. Whether it is the right decision to go after a shot or not. Some goals thrown will not make it through the hoop even without your assistance. Your job will be to observe the trajectory of the Quaffle and make a snap decision of whether you need to block the shot or not.”

“Try not to get too distracted, Tesoro.” Blaise drops a kiss on Silvius’s head as he pulls away, chuckling when Silvius begins to splutter behind him. He heads off to gather with the other two Keeper wannabes, shooting a flirty wink over his shoulder which draws a giggle out of his boyfriend, and he finds himself relaxing at the sound. He really did love Silvius’s laugh. They take to the air; each being directed to a set of hoops in order to highlight their skills. Draco walks closer to his cousin, patting Silvius on the head when he sees how his eyes are fixated on Blaise.

“You are going to burn a hole through him if you carry on, Silvi.” He mutters, amusement coating his words at the gleam shining in Silvius’s eyes. He had seen loads of people, male and female, looking at Blaise over the past couple of years. So many of them Heiresses from less prominent families wanting to get with the Zabini Heir in order to raise their own social status. He had never understood how Blaise could simply walk past them all and ignore them but now, looking at the appreciative gleam in Silvius’s eyes and the small hints of love he could see growing day by day. It would mean everything to him to have someone looking at him with the same tenderness as Silvius looks at Blaise and vice versa. It would mean the world if he could find that one person who was his other half, his soulmate just like his cousin and best friend had.

“I’m not… It is so not my fault.” Silvius mutters with a pout, but his gaze still doesn’t move. “He was the one who put this stupid thought in my head in the first place.”

“I believe that when I want to. Silvius, Blaise distracts you all the time.” Draco shakes his head when Silvius turns to glance at him before pointing to where Blaise is diving for another Quaffle.

“Well, can you really blame me, I mean just look at him!” It was almost a whine, Draco notes with amusement but he does follow Silvius’s gesture before he rolls his eyes.

“Silvius, I hope you did not just ask me to check out one of my best friends… because I love Blaise, really but I will leave the ogling of his assets to you, thank you very much.”

“That is not… I wasn’t… I mean… That wasn’t what I meant, and you know it, Draco.”

Draco just laughs at the flush coating Silvius’s cheeks, ruffling his cousin’s hair as they go back to watching Blaise diving in and out of the hoops, his flair for dramatics making an appearance as he performs insane tricks on his broom while still effectively preventing any Quaffle from entering the goals. It was amazing to watch, and Draco could admit that he understood why Silvius was having trouble looking away. The Slytherin Chasers Urquhart and Vaisey were trying every single trick in the books in an attempt to throw Blaise off but not a single one seemed to faze him, nor was he falling for them.

It was a sight to behold and doesn’t take much longer for the three try-outs to touch back down on the ground. One of the younger students throws his broom on the floor after speaking to Vaisey for a moment, his face bright with anger. The other nods his head and turns to shake Blaise’s hand before traipsing back up to the castle with his broomstick in tow.

“Well done, Blaise. If your try-out hadn’t ended soon, then I was in fear for Silvius’s sanity. Or my own as I would have had to start wiping the drool from his chin.”

“I wasn’t that bad,” Silvius mutters, wiping at his mouth self-consciously. He feels the heat rising to his cheeks again and ducks his head. Blaise walks over to his Mate and wraps him up in his arms.

“I don’t mind Silvius. You can look at me as much as you want, as long as I can return the favour. Thank you, Draco for the congratulations as well.” Silvius grins, wrapping his arms around Blaise in return.

“Like we even needed to hold a try-out for you. You haven’t missed a single shot since we started playing those pick-up quidditch games. I am surprised that it has taken you this long to join the team.”

“You know I am not the biggest fan of attention, besides I only agreed to try out this year because you and Silvius wouldn’t stop pestering me about it,” Blaise explains and Draco scoffs.

“That is a lie, and you know it. You wanted to join first because you thought it would impress Silvius, admit it.” Blaise laughs and tightens his arms around Silvius. He drops a kiss to his head and shrugs his shoulders in an attempt to act nonchalant, though he doesn’t know how well he pulls it off when Silvius tilts his head back to meet his gaze.

“Impress me?”

“Yes, back before the two of you found out that you were Mates and he was pining so hard for you, Silvius. He thought that if he joined the quidditch team then you would notice him more because he knew just how much you loved the game.” Draco jumps in before Blaise can answer which earns him an eye roll from his friend.

“Really? I always noticed Blaise though. Right from when I saw him at the Initiation meeting, I even asked my father about him.” Silvius confesses, glancing from his Mate to Draco and then back again. Blaise presses a kiss to Silvius’s lips and laughs in delight.

“As you can see, Draco. I no longer have any need to impress Silvius. He is mine and mine alone, just as I am his.” Blaise delights in the sneer Draco sends him when he nuzzles against Silvius’s temple.

“Well, as long as I no longer have to listen to either of you pining over the other, then it is all good… As long as Silvius never asks me to check you out again…” Draco adds as an afterthought, drawing a flush back to Silvius’s cheeks while Blaise just raises an eyebrow at his Mate.

“I didn’t ask you to check him out. I merely asked if you could blame me for being distracted by him, I mean did you not see how he looked flying around on his broom like that!” Silvius turns around to stare at his cousin, gesticulating widely as he settles with his back resting against Blaise’s chest. A choked cough breaks him out of his thoughts and his eyes widen, glancing over his shoulder at his boyfriend whose cheeks were stained red.

“Like I said earlier. You can look as much as you wish, Silvius so long as I can return the favour.”

“All those wishing to try out for the Seeker position, make your way over here. We will begin testing you now!” The stern voice of the Slytherin captain breaks through their conversation, drawing their attention to Vaisey who is standing in the middle of the pitch with a container of, what Silvius guesses to be golf balls. The sight makes him smile.

Extracting himself from Blaise with a kiss on the cheek, Silvius tightens his grip on his broom and scurries over to the captain alongside one other person. He grins down at the little student, not much older than thirteen, he is going to crush this competition easily.

“Alright, you two, Urquhart and I are going to throw these golf balls at you, and we are expecting you to catch as many as possible. Afterward, I am going to release a practice Snitch. The first one to catch the Snitch is the new Seeker, the other will be automatically written down as the reserve. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Captain.”

Silvius and the third year mount their brooms. Kicking off into the air, Silvius took a deep breath, he had always loved flying, it had always been a great way for him to relax and forget about the stress of being the Boy-Who-Lived. Glancing down, he smiles when he sees Draco and Blaise both watching him from the ground. He would do his best. He would try his hardest to not only impress the team captain but to also show his Mate and his cousin that he was able to handle himself and make the team just as they had.

It happens in an instant. As soon as he lifts his eyes to face Urquhart, he instinctively throws his hand to his left and catches the small white ball hurtling toward his face. Not for the first time he is relieved that he no longer requires glasses otherwise they would have shattered in his face at the impact. Dropping the ball, Silvius grips his broom and narrows his eyes at the Chaser. He flies around the pitch catching the fake Snitches, sometimes having to attempt to catch two at the same time and he grins. It was a good thing that Draco and Blaise decided to try this same technique while helping him to hone his Seeker skills during the holidays, otherwise, he would have been suffering drastically.

After a few minutes, Silvius is breathing heavily from the excursion, sweat beginning to trickle down his brow and he breathes a sigh of relief when Vaisey waves his hand telling Urquhart to halt the practices. Silvius wipes his forehead, smirking at Urquhart when the older boy grins down at him; he hadn’t missed a single ball so far. Now, all he had to do was catch the practice Snitch before the third year before he could be indited into the team.

“Right, both of you over here. I am going to call up our main team as well as our reserves. We are going to play a quick game of Quidditch and you two are going to fight for the Snitch while dodging Bludgers, Quaffles, and other players, alright? The first one to capture the Snitch will be our starting Seeker.”

“Understood, Captain.”

“Excellent.” Urquhart takes off to gather the rest of his team and the reserves together to begin their quick practice game of quidditch. Silvius pushes off from the ground soaring high about the pitch so he can look down on the players while avoiding most of the dangers that would knock him off his broom. It wouldn’t do him any good if he stayed on level with the Chaser and Beaters, no, he would not be able to focus on searching for the Snitch not if he were dodging Quaffles and other players all the time. He rolls his eyes when he spots his competition flying just under the teams, eyes scanning the skies above their head.

Silvius’s eyes home in on Vaisey, narrowing in delight when the sunlight glitters off the practice Snitch before it is released. Standing fast, Silvius sends a smirk towards Blaise and Draco just as Vaisey throws the Quaffle up into the air. He is off like a shot. As soon as the Quaffle touches down into Urquhart’s hands, Silvius is flying around the pitch keeping his eyes peeled for any sighs of the Snitch. He pulls to a halt, hovering above the players, watching as the other wannabe Seekers seem to realise their mistake in position but couldn’t do much about it since they were now stuck beneath rapidly flying quidditch fanatics. A glint flies past his peripheral vision.

Turning on a knut, Silvius bends forward, letting his chest brush against the handle of his broom as he wipes down past Goyle, the surprise almost causing his housemate to fall from his broom. Zipping around one of the goalposts, Silvius presses himself flatter against the broom, feeling the wooden handle digging into his ribs. He urges his Firebolt to fly faster, sight locked on the path of the Snitch. He follows its path, first up. Climbing higher and higher into the sky before the Snitch abruptly turns around and aims back down towards the ground.

Silvius yanks his broom around, pointing it straight at the floor, and flies without abandon, much like he had done during the holidays. He flies through the game of players, weaving around his teammates and ignoring their yells of surprise as he continues to dive. The wind whips around his face, but unlike the holidays he can see the ground approaching, closer and closer. He stretches his hand out to catch the Snitch, closing the distance.

The Snitch veers off at the last second and Silvius curses. Eyes latching onto the golden ball, he directs his broom after it once more. His lips down turning into a determined frown as he follows the Snitch down into the stands, weaving up and over the wooden beams. His tail clips off one such broom when he has to press himself down as flat as possible to fit between the crisscrossed bars, but he rights himself in seconds and pushes his broom faster yet. He can see the Snitch a short distance away and smiles. He follows it as it flies back out of the stands, staying low to the ground as they both soar around the pitch. His hand stretches out once again.

As soon as he feels the cold bite of metal against his fingers, Silvius snatches his hand closed trapping the ball inside his fist. The beating wings tickle his palm before the Snitch settles down in his grip. Glancing up from his mission, Silvius is surprised to find the starting players as well as the reserves hovering as if they had halted in the middle of their game. He holds the Snitch up, shouting his victory as the entire team flies down to meet him, cheering for his success. His smile broadens as hands are slapped on his back, fingers ruffling his hair, and even as he is bought into several embraces. Vaisey walks over, elbowing his way through the crowd in order to clap a hand over his shoulder, his smirk turns into a victorious grin.

“Welcome to the starting team, Black.”

“Thank you, Captain. I look forward to training with you.”

“Professor McGonagall can kiss that Quidditch trophy goodbye this year! Silvius that was some impressive flying skills there!” Urquhart shouts, ruffling his hair again drawing laughter from their teammates.

“Thank you, Urquhart.”

“Alright, you lot. We have our team now! Practices will be held after dinner every Thursday and after breakfast every Saturday. If you want to have more practice time, then feel free to come out to the pitch at any time so long as no other team is holding their practices.”

Notes:

Hey everyone,

First of all, I would like to apologise for the absolute mess I have made out of my uploading schedule for this story and my other HP fanfiction. The past few months have been a complete disaster. I have been scheduled in to have another blood test (the fourth one in the past 2 years) to try and find out why I am tired all the time, why I am having random dizzy spells, and why my migraines are becoming so bad that I end up in a&e.

I also have an appointment with my doctors tomorrow morning to discover why I am suddenly experiencing extreme pain in my lower back, to the point that I am unable to get out of bed. I have been told to request yet another lot of blood works to be taken and for an x-ray to be performed to rule out a few things while a full investigation on my back is being launched—the joys.

I have also been told by another doctor that they highly recommend that I go for therapy because my moods have been steadily decreasing since this time last year and it doesn't seem to be getting better no matter what I have tried. If this load of therapy doesn't work then I have been told I am going on anti-depressants. Something I have no choice about now because of how long I have been having low moods.

Fourth, I received a letter from the GIC that I am finally going to receive my second appointment which will hopefully lead to me getting somewhere in my transition. Only 8 years after I started socially transitioning, but better late than never, I suppose XD

But on the plus side, I suddenly had some inspiration to get this chapter uploaded for you all XD So please don't be too mad at me.

I hope you like this chapter and will patiently wait for the next one to come out

Chapter 19: Wizengamot Meeting

At first, Silvius wasn't too sure what was happening to him. He felt a slight heat traveling down his right hand and spreading out from three of his fingers. His pulsating Lordship rings had startled him out of his whirling thoughts, his mind had drifted away from Professor Lupin's lecture on the origins of the Founding Four and their roots. He hadn't been listening for a while now, so he didn't actually have any idea what the werewolf was going on about as he pointed to a map of Scotland. Luckily, he hadn't been holding his quill when the first pulse had gone off, otherwise, he was sure that he would be clearing up score marks through any notes had had taken. No, instead he had almost knocked over his inkwell and elbowed Draco in the arm when he jerked upright.

“Silvius, are you okay?”

Silvius doesn't answer or doesn't hear Draco's concern. Choosing to lift his hand and splays his fingers in front of his face so he can stare at his Lordship rings just as a second pulse of heat, this one slightly stronger, goes through them. His eyes widen in comprehension. He quickly recalls a conversation he held with his father about what would happen when a Wizengamot meeting is called; his rings would heat up and send pulses of magic through his hand as a warning. He would have fifteen minutes to make it outside the anti-apparition wards before he would miss the first Portkey to the Ministry. The second, and final Portkey would activate five minutes later.

Raising his hand completely into the air, Silvius smiles sheepishly when Professor Lupin pauses in the middle of his sentence to glance down at him. Blaise and Draco watch his movements closely. Silvius does his best to ignore the inquisitive stares of his fellow classmates when Remus smirks down at him and gestures for him to ask his question.

"I apologise for interrupting your lesson, Professor, but a Wizengamot meeting has just been called and I am afraid that I am required to attend. I promise that I will catch up with any missed work by the next lesson."

Remus nods his head and smiles down at Silvius. Of course, at the beginning of the year when Silvius had first joined their student body, the professors had been informed that Silvius had taken up the mantle of Lord Potter, as per his cousin's Last Will and Testament, and could be called away from his lessons to attend various Ministry functions. They had been informed of his obligations to go and that it was illegal for any of the professors to try and prevent him from attending. A warning to Dumbledore mainly as the headmaster had fought against allowing a sixteen-year-old boy to leave the school premises during term time. His arguments had mainly been ignored by the rest of the faculty members as they knew all about the duties of the Lord of a Household, even one as non-traditional as the Potters.

"No worries, Mister Black. Off you go before you are late. I will make sure that your friends bring you a copy of the homework once you return, and if there is anything you don't understand, then feel free to come and see me." Silvius inclines his head in thanks and turns to drop and kiss on Blaise's cheek.

"I will take your things back to the dorm later on, Silvius."

"Thank you, Blaise. I will catch up with you guys later." Silvius pushes himself from his seat, ignoring the mutterings erupting around the classroom at his supposed special treatment. Waving a hand quickly down his school uniform as he makes his way across the classroom, he transfigures his clothes into formal dress robes suitable for his introduction into the Wizengamot, inciting awe-filled gasps from his classmates at his wandless abilities or how well he cleans up, he isn't too sure. 

He couldn't wait to see the looks on everyone's faces when he, a sixteen-year-old Hogwarts student, walked into the meeting chamber for the first time with his father, Lord Black; his uncle, Lord Malfoy; and his godfathers, Lord Prince, and Lord Peverell-Slytherin. Especially when Minister Fudge welcomed him using his full titles as was customary with any Lord's first introduction.

Silvius makes his way through the castle, taking every shortcut he can think of to save time. His footsteps were hurried but measured as he didn't wish to turn up at the Ministry unkempt and sweaty. Taking a deep breath to calm his hammering heart, Silvius reassures himself with the knowledge that his father promised to meet him in the Atrium, in order to escort him to the meeting hall so he wouldn't get lost and embarrass his houses. Though Silvius knew it was to keep both himself and his father calm during their first official introduction into the wizarding elite. Besides, who didn't want to form a united front, as father and son, against the multitude of posh gits who would much rather stab anyone in the back than make friends. He would have to be extra careful about what he said and who he said it to.

Making it to just outside the wards surrounding Hogwarts grounds, Silvius has a moment to soothe his breathing and allow his pureblood mask to fall over his features before his Portkey is activated. Feeling a sudden, sharp tug behind his navel, a force pulls him as magic makes him squeeze through a minuscule gap and throws him across the country. Silvius lands on his feet and forces himself to walk through the momentary disorientation, blinking the blurry images of witches and wizards hurrying past from his line of sight. Only relaxing when he manages to remain on his feet and continue walking.

Silvius manages to make it a few more paces, his vision coming into focus, when he feels a hand lightly squeezing his elbow. Glancing in his peripheral vision, Silvius relaxes further when he catches sight of his father and godfather flanking him. He allows them to lead him through his throngs of people gathered in the Atrium and towards the elevators off to the side. Hearing more footfalls falling into step behind him, Silvius knows that Severus and Lucius had joined their group, and for a brief moment, he allows a smirk to shape his lips at the gawking he can make out around the Atrium. Clearly, these Ministry workers and visitors were unused to seeing such a large group of prominent wizards stalking through their midst. One wizard had been so awed by their presence that he had tripped over his own two feet and fell to the floor with an undignified grace as his paperwork fluttered to the ground around him. It takes all Silvius's restraint and a tightening of his occlumency shields to prevent himself from laughing out loud at the display.

Piling into one of the available elevators, Silvius allows himself to break his pureblood mask marginally when no one else steps on with his family. He glances around and smiles lightly when his father squeezes his elbow again, an answering smile lighting up his eyes.

"Your entrance today was perfect, Silvius. You should be proud of yourself, as I am."

"Thank you, Father. It is all thanks to your additional tutorage that I didn't end up falling flat on my face. I also remembered Uncle Lucius's advice on forcing myself to take those first steps upon arrival in order to keep my balance."

"You did exceptionally well, Silvi," Lucius murmurs, placing his hand on the young boy's head for a moment.

"Those old coots are not going to know what hit them when you are finally introduced." Marvolo agrees, snickering.

Silvius tries his best to fight back a blush at the showering of praise, his smile stretching a little and he sighs. His shoulders relax further as he allows himself to soak up the warmth surrounding him from those he considers to be his immediate family. A moment later, the elevator pings, alerting the occupants inside that they have arrived at their destination and a shift befalls the group. After one final, reassuring smile to their young charge, everyone adopts their pureblood masks once again and walks out of the elevator. Silvius follows closely behind his family, settling himself between his father and Marvolo on one of the long benches once they enter the meeting hall, while Lucius and Severus take their seats on the bench in front. 

The young boy watches in silence as the room slowly fills up, some people he recognises as having attended the Triwizard tournament mishaps back in fourth year, while others he recognises through family resemblance to students he has seen around Hogwarts. He watches as Lord Shacklebolt greets Lady Longbottom by kissing the back of her hand before he takes his seat. Lord Nott, Lord Flint, Lord Parkinson, Lord Bulstrode, and Lady Zabini make their way over to their expanding group, each one inclining their heads in greeting. There were no words passed between them, but Silvius didn't think any needed to be. The glints of anticipation were enough for Silvius to know that even associates of his godfathers were excited for his first-ever Wizengamot and the introduction of so many Dark-affiliated houses. He continues to watch as many people cast curious glances his way, muttering amongst themselves at his clearly underaged status and the fact that he was surrounded by some of the most prominent members (Light and Dark included) within the halls.

Keeping one eye on the entrance, Silvius sees when an attendant finally closes and locks the doors, anyone who was not in the hall now would be written up as absent and fined a hefty sum for missing a meeting. Minister Cornelius Fidge makes his way to the front podium, his large, round face dripping slightly with sweat already, and his cheeks coated in an explosive red. His gaze skates around the room nervously, but Silvius isn't too sure just what the man has to be nervous about yet.

"Ahem. Ahem. Before we begin the Wizengamot meeting, there are a few new faces with us today, and I am delighted to introduce them to you. I am sure that you have all been keeping up with the announcements in the Daily Prophet and therefore, I am happy to formally introduce to you all, Severus Prince, Lord to the Nible House of Prince."

Silvius hides his snickers at the barely noticeable blush rising up his godfather's cheeks when the Wizengamot members clap politely, a few calling out soft welcomes to the dour man. Silvius cannot help but notice the strain surrounding the Light wizards when they catch sight of one of their own allies, a member of the Order of the Phoenix sitting with a known crowd of Dark witches and wizards, but knowing what they do about Severus's affiliations with the Dark sect during the first wizarding war (no matter how fake they assumed it to be) they didn't want to put Severus's position of spy in question by questioning the man's actions. 

"I would also like to welcome back, after an extended absence, Regulus Black, Lord to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black." Regulus receives the same welcome as Severus, though the words 'welcome' had been replaced with calls of 'welcome back'. Silvius also notices how few people scowl up to his father and his godfather, but he doesn't wish to pay too much attention to any of them, it isn't like they are important. Just incessant Light wizards who probably followed the words of the Prophet like they were Merlin's own truth.

"Next, we are pleased to welcome the Lord of a family we have all feared would never be rejuvenated after centuries of the post standing open, but a descendant has stepped forward to claim their rightful titles. We welcome Marvolo Slytherin, Lord to the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Slytherin and Lord to the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Peverell." Silence reigns for a few moments as people take in the words Fudge had just announced, before a loud cheer echoes around the room, especially from many of the Dark and Neutrally-affiliated Houses. A couple of the Lords and Ladies from Light families politely clap along at the news that one of the Founders' seats had been made active again after such a long time, but it was obvious that they were displeased by the identity of said Founder's family.

"And finally but certainly not least, we would like to offer a warm welcome to our youngest member to these humble halls. A sixteen-year-old who has been blessed with the Lordships of his familial homes, as well as the responsibility to step foot in our meetings with the rest of us. Silvius Black, Heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, Heir to the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Slytherin, Heir to the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Peverell. Lord to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter, Lord to the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Gryffindor, and Lord to the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Emrys." The chamber falls deathly silent as everyone turns to look at the sixteen-year-old boy sitting between the Lords of his Heirship houses before shouts of greeting and claps echo around the room; loud enough that Silvius almost winces at the volume suddenly flooding his ears. 

It took Fudge a few minutes to call everyone's attention back to himself after they had all calmed down from the exciting news of four houses that had been left standing empty for much too long being activated again. Silvius can't even hide his smirk this time when he sees the disgruntled look spreading through the sea of Light supporters at hearing that the majority of the new Lordships were from notoriously Dark-affiliated families, while the Light Houses had been taken over by a wizard heavily secreted in one of the Darkest families the wizarding world had ever seen. He holds back a shiver of disgust when he spies a few faces looking up at him with unconcealed glee in their eyes and he makes a mental note not to be left alone with any of the Lords or Ladies from those houses. No doubt they would be trying to curry favours from him in no time.

"Alright, then, now on to business..." Fudge is immediately interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

"I would just like to bring everyone's attention to the fact that a sixteen-year-old child is currently sitting amongst us when it is most certainly a school day, should he not be attending his lessons?" Lady Longbottom sneers across the room, the expression looking quite out of place on her wrinkled face.

"I can assure you, Madame, that despite my young age and my inexperience, I have just as much right to be here as yourself. In fact, due to the extensive list of titles I own, and your own teetering status, I would argue that I assuredly have more rights to be here."

"You are a mere child playing at being an adult."

"And yet, it has already been proven, Ms Longbottom that, not only do I hold more maturity than a woman such as yourself, but I also am not the one attempting to usurp the power of the Ministry of Magic while he is in the room no less, by pointing out a fact he, himself announce mere moments ago. Was it not the Minister who introduced me as the youngest member of the Wizengamot, as a sixteen-year-old Hogwarts student? Therefore solidifying my place amongst the rest of the Lords and Ladies here. Is your advanced age affecting your hearing capabilities, Ms Longbottom? If so, then it is you who has no right to be here."

"You dare show such disrespect to me, I am Lady Longbottom!"

"I think you will find, Ms Longbottom, that you are not and never have held the title of Lady Longbottom." Gasps echoed around the hall at the audacity of one so young, but Silvius didn't care. This was the woman who had damaged and chipped away at Neville's confidence and self-worth to such an extent that the boy could barely get out a legible sentence without stuttering when he was eleven. She had forced her own grandson to use his father's wand in a twisted attempt to force Neville into becoming the perfect replica of the son she had lost.

"According to the Wizengamot ledgers, which I studied prior to my appointment here, Frank Longbottom is still legally Lord Longbottom, and therefore his wife, Alice Longbottom currently holds the title of Lady Longbottom. You lost such an address when your husband died and passed his Lordship on to his son, as indisposed as Lord and Lady Longbottom may be at the present time, their status within the Wizarding community has not changed. You, Ms Longbottom, are a proxy to the House of Longbottom until your Grandson, Neville Longbottom, takes his place here next summer once he becomes of age. If you continue to claim such a title for yourself, then not only are you disrespecting your son and his spouse, but you are committing a grave grievance against the system and quite simply fraud."

The woman, Ms Longbottom, flushes hotly at his words, her lips pursing when chuckles break out across the halls. Silvius smirks down at the elderly woman and wonders just how one of his most trusted Intortis members could be related to such an abysmal, hateful woman. He glances around the room and sees many Lords and Ladies nodding along with his words and he knows that many in attendance today were going to try and validate his words by checking the Wizengamot ledger after the meeting. Maybe he could even convince Neville to begin the proceedings of filing a lawsuit against his grandmother for her illegal use of his mother's title and, no doubt, the Longbottom family vaults.

Silvius feels a hand squeezing his knee and glances over to see that his father is smirking proudly at him, his chest warms at the silent praise and he allows himself to relax invisibly back into his seat. He didn't appreciate people he didn't know questioning him, especially ignorant witches and wizards who had no idea what they were talking about. Ms Longbottom could have at least waited until the end of the meeting to at least judge his performance. He hadn't even done anything yet to warrant being judged so harshly, and for what? His age.

"As the young Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys has stated, despite his age, he has been given prior permission from the Board of Governors and the Ministry of Magic to attend all Wizengamot meetings and events as any Lord and Lady of their House." Fudge confirms once the room has quietened down again. He wipes the sweat from his brow with a light blue handkerchief and takes a deep breath. "Now onto business. A few weeks ago, an anonymous proposal was placed on my desk and after some deep consideration, I have decided to bring the proposal before the Lords and Ladies of our nation. A copy of the suggested changes to our legislation should be in front of you all now. I will give you a few moments to familiarise yourselves with the document."

Fudge steps back from the podium, his own copy of the documentation in his hands as he takes a deep pull from a glass of water. Silvius glances down at the small table in front of their bench and is surprised when a rather small stack of papers appears in front of him.

Silvius can immediately feel his blood boiling in his veins when he catches sight of the title. Whoever had put this proposal forward should count themselves lucky that they had submitted it anonymously, otherwise, Silvius would have found himself a brand-new training dummy for his target practice, and when he had gotten bored of such an individual, he would ship them off to Fenrir and his pact to have their fun with. Each page stated harsher and more drastic ways to imprison and monitor werewolves across the country, from forcibly neutering anyone with werewolf blood in their veins, even if it hadn't manifested into full-on Lycanthropy, to locking them in sanctuaries away from society. This anonymous individual had also suggested injecting werewolves with tracking devices so that the Ministry would always know where they were. It was barbaric. Werewolf restrictions were bad enough as it was, without introducing laws that threatened to turn these people into nothing more than livestock. Didn't anyone realise that these new laws weren't going to keep anyone any safer from werewolves, if anything it would make Wizard kind more of a target. Silbius's hands grip the documents, curling the parchment in white knuckles.

“… another way to keep our society safe from those despicable beasts…”

“…should have done this long ago…”

Silvius sits back, his breathing restricted the more he listens to the vile comments coming from the people surrounding him, spewing all sorts of nonsense about living beings. He thinks of Remus; kind, caring, tender Remus Lupin who only wanted to spend the rest of his life teaching children and creating a safe environment for his pact. To pass his knowledge on to the next generation and assist those most in need, like the little werewolf cubs and vampire fledglings. He thinks back on all the little innocent children living in Emrys Castle and how they are restricted and blacked at every turn from the moment they are born. He takes in the various arguments forming around the room, for and against the added restrictions, planning his own rebuttals. Casting one final glance around the squabbling Lords and Ladies, Silvius clears his throat. The chamber falls silent.

"I am ashamed to think that by this time tomorrow, I am going to be grouped together with any one of the members sitting with these walls. I have heard more well-constructed arguments put together by the children residing in Hogwarts than the ignorant, incessant rages of misconstrued facts that I am hearing here." Silvius pauses, takes a deep breath, and sweeps his gaze around the room, many of the more experienced members of the congregation had the decency to look marginally ashamed of themselves, while others merely looked indignant.

"I am honestly disgusted that any one of you sitting here can argue that these beings, these people need any more restrictions put on their livelihood. Useless restrictions mind you. I have one question to ask all those who are for these restrictions to be put in place; Are Muggleborn witches and wizards at fault for being born into non-magical families? Are abused children to be blamed for being born into families who do not love them? Are poor children to blame because their parents do not have ample money to supply their needs?"

"Of course not! This is why a child shouldn't be allowed into these meetings. What a silly notion!" Augusta Longbottom is quick to argue, bringing a smirk to Silvius's lips. She had walked right into his trap.

"Ms Longbottom, you claim that magical children born to Muggle families should not be treated differently than any other child due to them being born to the families they are, correct?"

"Yes, of course, it is not the fault of the child."

"Excellent, thank you, Ms Longbottom. Now, would you care to enlighten me as to why you were just claiming that all werewolves should be locked up in cages or reserves, with no access to outward employment or society at all? What about their cubs? Werewolf cubs did not ask to be born with Lycanthropy, nor did they ask to be born into a werewolf pact. Yet, wizarding society as we know it believes that it is perfectly acceptable to abuse, neglect, abandon, and restrict these children's lives from the minute they open their eyes. Is it any surprise that they grow up into adults who resent witches and wizards who want for nothing? It is a little hypocritical of you to claim that all children should be treated equally no matter their circumstances of birth, and yet you people, those same individuals idly sit back and watch as an entire society of children are denied food, clothing, shelter, and education all because they had a slight furry problem once a month. It is disgusting and downright ludicrous."

"Besides, once we have set up these so-called sanctuaries to house all of the werewolves across England, who is going to fund their food? Who is going to provide these camps with potions and medicines for when they are ill? Who is going to help build houses, man schools, shops? All of this costs money and without the ability to get jobs, then how are these individuals supposed to live? If you set them up in these locked enclosures without relief, they are going to eventually find ways to break out. If you introduce all these new restrictions then it is going to cause more and more werewolves to go underground and hide. If they disguise themselves and we do not know who is a werewolf and who is not, then how are these new restrictions even going to work? Not one single werewolf is going to willingly walk into the Ministry to allow themselves to be injected with a permanent tracking device."

Several noises of affirmation follow his speech and Silvius can feel his nerves at speaking in front of so many prominent members of the wizarding elite fading with each nod. He watches, taking a little break to observe the halls, and allows a small smile to begin curling the edge of his lips. Staring down at Augusta Longbottom, Silvius feels amusement filling his heart at the scowl on her face. His arguments were sound, the children had done nothing wrong, and the only perceived slight against them was that they happened to be born with Lycanthropy.

"Now see here, Werewolves are bloodthirsty dangerous creatures!"

"I apologise, but I am going to have to disagree with you there, Lord Shacklebolt. I happen to know quite a few werewolves and they are the most loyal, trustworthy, hardworking, family-orientated group of people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Besides, correct me if I am wrong Head Auror Shacklebolt, but have you not worked in close quarters with Remus Lupin before? I am sure that you were once a part of the Order of the Phoenix, a group of wizards known for opposing the Dark Lord and his followers during the wizarding war, were you not? One of the members of that very same organisation was Remus John Lupin, a well-known werewolf who also taught at Hogwarts School a few years back. I am sure you will not find one person in this room who has anything bad to say about such a book lover. so I am confused as to how you can claim that all werewolves are blood-thirsty."

"Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys is correct. Besides, if you had done even a lick of research to back up your claims, then you would know that more witches and wizards are killed by their fellow witches and wizards a year than those killed by werewolf attacks. In most circumstances, those who have been attacked or killed by werewolves were out deliberately hunting werewolf pacts during a full moon and provoked the wolves into defending themselves." Lord Nott adds his own argument into the mix, sending a subtle wink toward Slivius who smiles down at the man in thanks.

"Exactly, they are out of control!" Another person shouts from the other side of the room, someone Silvius recognises as being one of Dumbledore's Order members, but he couldn't recall their name. Sneering down at the man, Silvius clears his throat.

"People who are stupid enough to go out looking for werewolves during a full moon and deliberately provoking them are the ones out of control in this scenario. The werewolves most certainly are not. I know for a fact that Lord Prince here created a potion that allowed werewolves to keep their minds and clarity during a full moon transformation, however, due to the ridiculously pressing restrictions banning werewolves from gaining or holding employment for long, they are unable to afford such a luxury. How do you expect these people, be they creatures or beings to abide by your laws and rules if you set them up to fail from the very beginning? I say that we lessen the restrictions, allow werewolves and other magical beings the right to work and gain employment, and set up their own businesses. This will increase their chances of being able to afford the Wolfsbane potion, and therefore stopping these rare attacks. Put laws down protecting werewolf pacts, punish those who seek to harm wolves and you will be gaining their favour instead of alienating large groups of people. Be seen as the governmental body who fought to help their citizens instead of shunning them!"

“We can’t do that!”

“Oh? And why not?”

“These creatures are vicious, mindless beasts, they should be locked up! Think of the poor children.” Silvius wants to laugh at this. Think of the poor children indeed.

"The children of our world face dangers every day. Are we going to put a stop to practical defense classes just in case one of your children gets hit with a stray spell? Are we going to ban quidditch games because a child could fall from their broom, break their arm, or be hit with a bludger? Perhaps you wish to stop teaching your children how to apparate in case they splinch themselves. Are we going to start layering our children in protective wards to make a simple potion just in case or minor burns or explosions? We cannot wrap our children up in wards and pray to Merlin that they become fully functioning members of society that way. All we would be teaching our children would be to fear the outside world." Silvius glares across the room at Dumbledore's followers when he sees them attempting to open their mouths. He wasn't finished yet and he was not about to have people spouting off any more idiotic arguments before he could finish what he was about to say.

"All of the children who have graduated Hogwarts in the last three years and those in their last two years of schooling were born during the Wizarding War. Do you believe that their parents should have been sterilised because they were stupid enough to continue on with their lives and build their own families despite the imminent dangers? You all sit here stating that all werewolves are dangerous, deranged creatures who kill. But I ask this, who here fought in the war?" Silvius pauses and sees several people hesitantly raising their hands. "Great all of you are going to be put to death because clearly, you are all deranged killers who need to be curbed. We are also going to round up all of your family members, lock them in sanctuaries, revoke their rights to work, kick them out of school, and have them sterilised so they are unable to reproduce. We cannot have your ability to murder passed down through your next of kin, can we?"

Silvius enjoys the cries of outrage coming from a few members of the wizengamot, but what he enjoys more is the contemplative expressions shaping the majority, as if they were finally coming to understand his point of view. It was ridiculous notions like the ones currently passed down through the wizarding world that were damaging their society. The sooner people realised this, the sooner everything could turn out for the better.

"You all claim that werewolves are dangerous, mindless killers but for those of you who are not aware, for any werewolf who has fully integrated with their wolf blood, they do not lose their minds during the full moon. As I have stated before, I have many friends who just so happen to be werewolves and I have been in their presence during the full moon. Although Werewolves are highly territorial, if you are seen as their pact, then even in wolf form, they will protect you with a fierceness all their own. It is admirable. Due to the harsh hand, they have been dealt throughout life, they have adapted incredibly and begun to do things without the need for outside help. Werewolves, make their own furniture out of raw materials, build their own structures, craft their own clothes, and grow their own food because they have had no other choice. They are self-reliant, hard-working, and dependable. How many people here can claim to do all of those things without the use of magic?"

"They are creatures..." Another man begins, his voice wavering as Silvius levels his glare on him completely. It is then that Silvius realises that he may well be on the verge of winning this debate. 

"How are werewolves, centaurs, vampires, veela, and any other magical creature that you condemn any different to a witch or wizard with creature blood strong enough to trigger an inheritance? I can confidently say that every single person sitting in this room has some margin or creature blood running through their family line and even some of your descendants will come into a creature inheritance. Are these children to be restricted, disowned, and abandoned? No. A witch or wizard who first comes into their creature inheritance cannot control their creature side completely; they may even lose control of the creature-specific powers they gain at some point. Most magical users do not gain full control over their inheritance until well over a year after going through the change, and most do not until they have found their destined mate. Are these witches and wizards going to be persecuted next? Why are witches and wizards with creature inheritances integrated fully within wizarding society while magical creatures and humanoid creatures, who are no different, not given this opportunity? Many of you are pureblood witches and wizards who claim that all magical children are precious and that all children are a gift from Mother Magic herself. Yet, here you are, sitting back and watching as these magical children; these innocent children are starving and condemned for something they don't even fully understand yet."

"Now, I want you all to take another look at these new restrictions and tell me if these are of any use to us as a society. The forceful castration is a recipe for disaster which is going to cause more harm than good. If you prevent werewolf couples from having their own children, then what is going to be their most logical response? They are going to pose as witches and wizards and adopt. They are going to adopt children and, to make their lives easier to live within a werewolf pact, they are going to turn them. They are going to turn these children into werewolves to give them the best chance to survive in their new families. If this happens, then you haven't stopped anything from going out of control. In fact, you have merely worsened the situation. Can you honestly tell me that these new restrictions are for the safety of the wizarding world because from where I am standing, this proposal was written by some sick, twisted individual who seems to have a personal vendetta against werewolves?"

Silvius takes one final glance around the silent room before he settles himself back down in his seat. Clenching his shaking hands into fists before tucking them into his lap. He had always hated confrontations; didn't like getting into arguments but he knew that if he didn't wake these people up now, then it was going to be too late to save their world from utter destruction. He glances over to his father, then his godfather, relaxing further when he sees the proud smiles dancing almost invisibly at the corners of their expressions.

The chamber is silent, each member taking in Silvius's words while some flick back through the proposal with renewed vigor. Others glance around the hall, waiting to see if anyone else is going to participate in the debate, if anyone is willing to go against Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys. Silvius could see a few cautious glances shooting his way and knew that no one was going to speak up now, not when he had successfully rebutted every single argument thrown his way. Not when he had proved that he was to be taken seriously as a Lord of his households despite his age. After a moment of shuffling around, many purebloods avoiding eye contact with one another, Minister Fudge stands from his seat and makes his way back to the podium in the middle of the floor.

"If there are no more points to be made, then we will bring this meeting to a close with a vote on this new werewolf legislation. All those in favour of these regulations being passed, please raise your wands." Silvius holds his breath, muscles tensing as he forces himself to keep his gaze steadily forward so he would not gape around the room counting wands like a common muggle. Releasing the breath only when he feels a warm hand squeezing his knee gently. Shooting a soft smile toward his father in thanks, Silvius allows himself to relax.

"All those opposed to this new proposal?"

Silvius calmly raises his wand into the air, the tip glowing a soft white. He happily notes that Marvolo, Lucius, Severus, and his father were all voting against the proposal as well and feels a warmth spreading through his chest. It would appear that the Dark Sect really were the only ones fighting for the equality of all citizens, creatures, beings, and others. The support he can feel surrounding him makes a lump form in the back of his throat and he has to cough a little to dislodge it. He lowers his wands, subtly leaning closer to his father for a moment before Fudge is clearing his throat.

"The proposal for tighter restrictions on werewolves has been denied and as a result of Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys's sound arguments, I will be tasking a few of our best legislators to re-evaluate our existing magical creature restrictions. The wizarding world is supposed to be a place of freedom, we should not condemn a race of people based on fiction and hearsay. As long as Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys does not oppose being a close advisor on such an important matter?" Minister Fudge smiles up at the stunned sixteen-year-old.

"I would be honoured that you find my opinions of such importance, Minister. I would be happy to assist in any way you deem necessary." Silvius responds with a short bow.

"Excellent. So I say it, so mote it be."

“So mote it be.”

As soon as the last echo dissipates from the chambers, the members of the Wizengamot stand from their seats and the majority of them immediately begin to make their way out of the halls while discussing the outcome of the meeting with their peers. Silvius and his family, however, remain seated for a moment allowing some of the Dark-affiliated families, most of which Silvius recognises from the Death Eater meetings he had been allowed to attend during the summer, to come up and offer their congratulations. Some of which he guesses are merely sympathisers, or supporters and not actual members of the Dark Sect.

"Congratulations to you, Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys, a real sound victory for your very first meeting. You must be so proud of your son, Lord Black."

"Immensely so, Lord Nott. Silvius here is a truly gifted young man, and I couldn't be prouder to call him my own."

"I bet, my Theo is the same. Very quiet, loves his books more than anything but he is an argumentative little bugger."

"Ah, but you see, Lord Nott, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a healthy love for books, but the best thing about Theo is that he prefers to sit back and observe his surroundings. He never involves himself in an argument until he has heard both sides and he knows that he is going to win." Silvius comments, smirking up at the elder man in front of him who merely laughs.

"Right, you are, Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys. Right, you are."

"I would also like to thank you for your assistance back there, I feared that I would have lost my temper with the sycophantic sheep we call our brethren, but your timely additional allowed me time to collect my thoughts once more."

"It was my pleasure, Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys."

"I find myself agreeing with Lord Nott's original point, Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys, your arguments today were sound. Your delivery was professional, and if I didn't know any better then I would have thought you had been dealing with these prejudicial fools for years." A soft, feminine voice joins in the conversation and Silvius smiles. He had been looking forward to officially being introduced to this woman for a very long time. He takes in her appearance subtly and confirms that the rumours he had heard about her were all true. Her beauty knew no bounds, and he now knew where Blaise got his dashingly good looks from, and his stunning violet eyes.

"A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Lady Zabini. I have heard much about you and might I be so bold as to say that the rumours about your beauty do not do you justice."

"My, you are a little gentleman, aren't you dear? I dare hope that you have heard good things about me?" Her laugh tinkles delicately and Silvius finds himself chuckling along.

"Of course, Madame. Blaise has regaled the most wonderful tales of you, whenever he can, and I have found myself intrigued to learn more."

"You are such a charmer, Lord Potter-Black-Emrys. Now I know why my Blaise seems so enamoured with you in his letters. If I didn't know my son as well as I do, then I would have thought him under a strong love potion." Madame Zabini winks down at Silvius, laughing in delight when a blush explodes across Silvius's cheeks at her words, but the glow of love in his expression speaks volumes. "I must apologise for not introducing myself to the young man who stole my Blaise's heart earlier. If you permit, then I will happily regale to you stories of my Blaise when he was just a wee thing."

"It would be a pleasure and an honour if you would allow me to correspond with you over the next few weeks at Hogwarts Madame, and perhaps if you are finding yourself lacking company this upcoming Yuletide, you wouldn't be opposed to spending it in our company?" Silvius questions, bowing deeply to the woman who had raised his destined. He really wanted to know more about the little things that made up Blaise, learning about what boyfriend had been like as a child sounded interesting. He just hoped that Blaise wouldn't mind.

"Of course, my dear. Feel free to owl me any time you wish, and I seem to find myself free this Yuletide if your father is not averse to mine and my son's presence for such festivities?"

"Of course not, Zafria. You are always going to be welcome in our home. However, this year we will be spending our Yuletide holidays at the Slytherin Mansion with Marvolo. I am sure we can find room for two additional bodies."

Silvius grins when his godfather nods along with his father's words. Blaise hadn't mentioned spending the holidays anywhere specific yet, but then again it was only October. He briefly contemplates whether Blaise would be angry with him because he had essentially made plans for him for the Yuletide break but quickly shakes off the thought. His boyfriend would be just as happy to spend more time with him as he was with Blaise, they were Destined Mates, after all. Silvius smiles up at his father, leaning into the man when he drapes an arm around his shoulders.

"I must apologise for our abrupt exit, Madame Zabini, but we must take our leave now. We have someone here who needs to be returned to the school as soon as possible. I will be in contact with arrangements for our Yuletide gathering at a later date."

"Thank you for your upcoming hospitality, Lord Peverell-Slytherin. I look forward to seeing you again, Young Silvius. Please take care of my Blaise for me and write to me soon." Madame Zabini places a gentle kiss on Silvius's cheeks before making a swift exit, leaving Silvius standing there with burning cheeks.

"I don't want to go back to school just yet, Uncle Marvolo. I haven't seen you or Uncle Lucius for ages." Silvius pouts, huffing out a breath when Marvolo chuckles and reaches over to ruffle his hair.

“You will see us again soon, my little Snakelet, I promise.”

Notes:

I didn't realise how long it had been since I updated this story! I am so sorry it has taken me so long, but it is here now and I am going to apologise for leaving it on such a cliffhanger XD

Chapter 20: Aftermath

Silvius makes his way out of the meeting hall with his family in tow, turning to wave over at Zafria when he spies her talking to a member of the Wizengamot he couldn't quite place. He really liked the woman and hoped that she would be able to make it over to Slytherin Masion for the Yuletide holidays. Speaking of which, Silvius turns to glance up at his godfather, a small frown tugging at his lips.

"Uncle Marvolo? Are we moving? Did something happen?" Silvius watches as his godfather glances down at him before sending a sly smirk toward Regulus, who returns the gesture with an eye roll and a chuckle.

"I spoke with your father a couple of days ago and suggested that we all relocate to the Slytherin Mansion, just in case Dumbledore discovers that we are residing in my Uncle's ancestral home. With everything that Dumbledore and his followers have done against you thus far, Silvius, I thought it was for the best. Besides, the wards surrounding the Mansion are stronger and virtually impenetrable. It will keep us safe from anyone wishing us harm while also preventing people from being able to track us down. We also feel like Riddle Manor just isn't a suitable home for so many prominent Lords on the Wizengamot."

"You wouldn't mind Father and I coming to live with you, on a permanent basis, in Slytherin Mansion?" Silvius tilts his head to the side as they enter the elevators so they can head back down to the Atrium. He notices the light coating of red forming on the tips of his father's ears.

"No, of course, I do not mind, Silvius. In fact, I was the one who insisted to your father that the two of you remain living with me for as long as you wished. I already missed out on so much of your life growing up, Silvius. I do not wish to miss anymore. Not when you will be married and moving out with your Mate very soon." Marvolo smirks down at Regulus, chuckling when his friend shakes his head. Expression softening when he sees a small sheen of tears shining in Silvius's eyes at his words.

"You did no such thing, Marvolo. It was an order. You merely veiled your commands with sweet words and niceties."

"Regulus, I would never," Marvolo exclaims, pressing a hand to his heart in mock offense, and Silvius breaks into peals of laughter, giggling at the antics between his uncle and his father.

"I think you are just using me as an excuse, Uncle Marvolo. I think there is another reason you wish for Father and me to continue living with you." Silvius teases, raises an eyebrow at his godfather, eyes flickering over to his father who turns his head away to hide his own blush at Silvius's implication.

"The insults, would I really use my adorable godson, who just terrified an entire room filled with uptight pureblood Lords and Ladies for my own gains?"

"Yes, you would." Lucius throws out, a smirk dancing across his lips as he settles back with his Mate to watch the interactions.

"He would." Silvius nods his head sagely, fighting against a grin.

"Silvius! Not you too. And here I thought that I was exempt from the bullying, as your favourite Uncle?" Silvius's laughter breaks free once he picks up on the looks of outrage flickering across Lucius and Severus's features at the smug grin stretching across Marvolo's features at his own comment. Trying to muffle the sounds of his mirth, he hides his mouth behind his hand.

"Excuse me, but I think you will find that I am his favourite uncle."

"Nope, you can't be his favourite Uncle, you are a professor at his school and actually teach him, My Love. Besides, I think you will find that I am his only actual uncle and therefore I automatically win." Lucius argues, a smug grin settling across his features and Silvius does have to concede to Lucius's point. That man was, in fact, his only biological uncle, but he didn't have any other way to refer to Severus and Marvolo. 'Uncle' always sounded more personal when referring to the three men anyway. He always developed a tick in his brow when he even thought of referring to his godfathers as 'godfather Severus' and 'godfather Marvolo', it was abysmal and so unnerving.

"Then I must be his favourite godfather," Severus counters, smirking over at Marvolo when the Dark Lord schools down at the potions master.

"I think not, Severus. I am the most powerful Dark Lord in recent history and made Silvius the Heir to my Houses."

"I tutor him in potions and am actually Mated with his biological uncle, which essentially makes me his uncle-in-law, and therefore just as much his Uncle as Lucius is."

"I am teaching him ParselScript and ParselMagic."

Silvius ends up leaning against his father's shoulder for a moment as his ribs begin to twinge and his muscles seize up with how much he is laughing, struggling to draw in a deep enough breath, he feels tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes. By the shaking of the shoulders he is steadying himself against, Silvius knows that his father isn't holding out much better. Glancing from Severus to Marvolo, and then over to Lucius who is still smirking rather smugly in the corner, he watches as they continue to argue good-naturedly back and forth, even as the elevator doors open and allow them out.

"What about Uncle Remus and Uncle Fenrir? They are werewolves." Silvius couldn't help himself but throw that little fact into the conversation. He snorts when his godfathers turn to glare down at him, though the glittering of amusement behind their expressions lets him know that they were having just as much as he seemed to be. 

"What does being a werewolf have to do with being your favourite Uncle?" Severus grumbles, crossing his arms as they make their way across the hallways, back the way they had come. Across the much emptier Atrium towards the Floo grates.

"Werewolves are cool."

"I am the Dark Lord! I am much cooler than a werewolf could ever be." Marvolo mutters, a petulant pout stretching across his lips and Silvius has to turn his head into his father's shoulder in order to muffle his chuckles at the supposed Dark Lord sulking.

"Werewolves have had to adapt the way they live their lives because the majority of them don't have to rely on magic as much as Witches and Wizards. They can grow their own food from scratch, and make all their own furniture and clothing." Silvius continues to tease, smirking when Severus and Marvolo lapse into silence after exchanging expressions filled with narrowed eyes and frowns.

Silvius allows them to sulk for a moment longer before he slips out of his father's grip and sidles up between the pair. Inserting himself between his two godfathers and linking his arms through theirs, Silvius pouts up at them, eyes widening as he forces small tears to gather at their corners. He glances up at Marvolo then shifts his gaze to Severus, inwardly smirking when their expressions begin to crumble instantly.

"Please don't fight with each other, Uncle Marvolo, Uncle Severus. I don't like it when my family fights. Can't I love you all the same? I have never had so many people who love me and are willing to spend time with me and I love you all for it. You are all my uncles, honorary or not, and I don't want to have to choose between you."

"Okay, we apologise, Silvius. We won't fight over it anymore, I promise." Marvolo sighs, carding a hand through Silvius's hair, his expression softening when his godson's expression brightens marginally before he turns his gaze back to Severus who inclines his head and brushes a kiss to Silvius's temple.

"I also apologise, Silvi. You know we all love you just as much, Little Snake."

"Awww. I love you both as well," Silvius cuddled into their embrace, sighing when two sets of arms settled around him just as they arrived at the Floo systems. Turning to glance around at his uncles and father, Silvius pouts. He really didn't want to return to the school so soon, no when he would have to face Dumbledore and his sycophantic followers attempting to gauge what happened in the wizengamot meeting. Not that he would be able to say anything until it was announced in the papers. The only people he would actually be allowed to speak to about the Bill that was announced and people's opinions were the individuals who had been in the hall present for such a meeting. Dumbledore would just have to wait like everyone else. Throwing his arms around his uncle Lucius, Silvius buries his face in the man's robes and holds on tight. He had missed his uncle terribly, being the only one who didn't have much reason to visit them in school as Marvolo did. 

"Come now, Silvius. You will be seeing me again soon. It is not like we will be unable to communicate with each other once you go back. Besides, the Yuletide holidays will soon be upon us."

"I know, but whenever I have seen you lately, I am always expected to be the Lord to my houses or Prince Jupiter, leader of the In Dolus Intortis, and it is hard to allow myself to drop my guard in such situations and give you a hug when I want to."

"You know that I would never be averse to giving you any such affections if you so desired, Silvius. You are my nephew,  a nephew whom I believe I would never have the pleasure of seeing again. I will never deny such any sort of affection, ever." Lucius states firmly, wrapping his arms around Silvius just as tight, maybe even a little more so and Silvius sighs.

"I know, Uncle Lucius, but it is hard. I don't want to look weak in front of my faction, and certainly not in front of Dumbledore and his flaming chickens."

"And you won't be, Silvi. Your faction and your friends will never see you as weak. Not when you wish to seek out comfort from your father and certainly not when you wish to display your feelings for your family through affectionate touches and embraces. They do not perceive you as weak when you are wrapped up in Blaise, do they?" Lucius mumbles quietly against his head, stroking a hand through the young boy's hair while placing a kiss on his temple.

"No."

"Then they will not view you as weak now, Silvi. I promise. Besides, your friends know what you have been through; know that you have just been reunited with us, and they will not judge you so harshly. And as for those Light wizards, allow them to think what they wish, be it on their own heads. If they perceive you as weak because you are affectionate and love your family, then the bigger shock for them is when you show them your true strength."

"Thank you, Uncle Lucius. I love you," Silvius whispers before he pulls back and offers the man a sad smile. Shuffling his way over to Marvolo, Silvius wraps his arms around his godfather. "I am going to miss you, Uncle Marvolo."

"I am going to miss you as well, my little Salazar. Promise to make a lot of mischief."

"I will." Silvius chuckles.

"You mean that you already have?" Severus cuts in and Silvius sticks his tongue out at his second godfather. Nodding his head against Marvolo's shoulder, even as he tilts his head up to grin at the adults around him.

"That cannot even be counted as mischief, Uncle Severus. Just a little bit of revenge against a certain Weasel and Beaver."

"You somehow managed to ward the entrance to the Great Hall and forced the majority of the student body to spill their deepest secrets..."

"It was amusing. However, I will never be able to look at half the student populace again. Not with how many seem to be crushing on my father, uncle, and godfather." Silvius shrugs his shoulders, it had been amusing to witness the sheer number of students who seemed to be harbouring crushes on their professors, even if it had been disturbing what some of them desired. No, what had actually amused him the most had been Blaise's reaction to the number of students, both male and female, who had confessed to finding him attractive. He had earnt quite the mark on his neck the following day, and he had loved it.

"Excuse me?" Lucius hisses, a dark glare on his face as he wraps his arm around his Mate as if he were seriously debating disallowing Severus from returning to the school filled with hormonal teenagers. Silvius snickers.

"Well then, I should say to keep up the mischief then." Marvolo comments, tightening his arms around Silvius and dropping a kiss on the boy's head.

"Thank you. We also dosed Weasley with enough truth serum that he was spouting off harsh truths for an entire week before Madam Pomfrey managed to flush it from his system. And Milli managed to find a spell that rendered the Beaver unable to read anything. The last I heard, she still had not gone to a Professor to see if they could reverse the spell for her."

"You little sneak, as long as you do not get caught."

"Of course not, Father, who do you take me for? Granger and Ronald actually believe it to be the result of their Gryffindor Housemates ganging up against them, they don't suspect us Slytherins in the slightest." Silvius's grin is rather shark-like drawing chuckles from his family as they gesture for him to step toward the floor system.

Silvius nods his head with a heavy sigh and turns towards the grate. Brushing his hands down his robes, he shoots another smile at his uncles and father before reaching forward to grab ahold of some Floo powder. "Oh!" He drops the powder back into the pot. "Uncle Marvolo there was something I wanted to tell you!"

"What is it, Sil?"

"After our club activities the other day, I sent someone to our surveillance room in order to observe the Bumblebee's reaction to meeting a certain Dark Prince and his entourage for the first time..." Silvius immediately sees the shift in the others. Their stances go rigid, faces collapsing into emotionless masks and he raises an eyebrow at their actions. He had double-checked their surroundings before he spoke and even tried to be as vague as possible so no one would be able to listen to his words without being seriously confused.

"We shouldn't speak about this here. What do you say to heading back to Riddle Manor for a little while? Silvius has already missed two hours or so of school, what is one more?" Marvolo questions, turning to glance over at Regulus who inclines his head. He had wondered just how strong a reaction the Order had to meeting an unknown faction of the Dark Lord without any warning. And what they had concluded.

"I believe that would be for the best. Severus, are you going to join us?"

"Yes, I think I will. The less time I spend around blundering dunderheads, the better."

"You just want to spend more time with Uncle Lucius," Silvius comments, sticking his tongue out and ducking behind his father when Severus aims a smack to the back of his head. He snickers, linking his arms between Regulus's and Marvolo's. "I wouldn't blame you, Uncle Severus. I feel the same way when I have been away from Blaise for even a couple of hours, so it must be hard for you to be away from your Mate for so long."

"Let us be off." Severus turns towards the Floo, drawing quiet snickers from the rest of the group as they catch sight of a faint red hue spreading out across the man's ears before he is whisked away in a flash of green light.

-----

"Alright, tell us everything, Silvius." Regulus starts off by requesting, staring over at his son who halts his shifting and turns into Prince Jupiter. His gaze sweeps around the room, a slight frown tugging the corners of his lips down. Tightening his occlumency shields around his errant thoughts, Silvius allows his nerves to be sealed away before he forces himself to relax marginally.

"Well, as we had expected, the Order gave a rather comical response to finding out that there could potentially be a new threat for them to deal with. In the beginning, they were a bundle of chaotic energy, riled up and shouting over each other. Panicking. They were almost inconsolable about this unknown entity within the Dark, even though they didn't know much about us besides my name and the name of my faction. Dumbledore certainly was not pleased to learn that we were apparently not Death Eaters. Even though, he and his followers refused to accept the fact that we were allies of the Dark Sect."

"Why would they not accept the fact you were with the Dark?" Lucius questions, wrapping his arm around Severus, who cuddles into his Mate's side with a content expression and Silvius couldn't help but smile at the display.

"Why would they be unhappy at the fact you were not Death Eaters?" Regulus adds in.

"The Death Eaters are a well-known entity and Dumbledore would have an easier time dealing with an existing threat because he is already familiar with the way my followers operated." Marvolo answers, shaking his head at the simplicity of the Order.

"Not counting the fact that all of your Death Eaters have been made aware that there will be no more raids, muggle torturing and hunting to be done this time around. That we are taking a purely political approach this time round." Regulus comments, settling further back into the sofa cushions, ignoring the warmth that passes through his hand when Marvolo hesitantly drops his hand on his friend's forearm.

"They didn't believe the Dark Lord would willingly ally himself with my faction because McGonagall brought to everyone's attention that we incorporated many Muggle aspects into our dueling techniques. To ensure that my members do not run out of magical energy prematurely, I have been coaching them in martial arts moves which will ensure that they are able to dodge out of the way of oncoming spells instead of raising shields. She was also rather horrified when she watched Pluto launch a knife into Fletcher's neck, killing him instantly. They also witnessed Saturn shooting Moody in the shoulder with a gun rendering him unable to mobilise his arm for the remainder of the fight. After hearing this, Dumbledore was certain that the Dark Lord, Voldemort would never allow anyone associated with himself to even think about using muggle means in a wizard's duel."

"I guess that would make sense with what Dumbledore has seen and assumes about the Dark Sect. What else did he have to say?" Regulus concedes to his point, nodding along. It would make perfect sense if the Dark Lord this time was exactly the same as the Voldemort from fifteen years ago.

"Besides discussing the likelihood of me forming an alliance with the Dark Lord, they spent much of their time wondering about the rest of my faction." At the raised eyebrows, Silvius elaborated. "When Dumbledore made his way through the crowd after the fighting commenced, he tried to corner me, but before he could get more than a few words in I had already called Mars to my side. Mars commented on the battle, and how he was surprised not the see Pluto glued to my side, I stated that if we were to go head to head with Dumbledore, then I wanted to have my strongest fighter of those I bought with me, by my side. Which just so happened to be Mars. Apparently, this was enough for Dumbledore to conclude that the people fighting behind me were only a small group of my team."

"What did he believe the others to be doing?" Marvolo questions this time, his gaze fixed on Silvius who merely smirks in response, shrugs his shoulders, and settles back in his chair.

"He wasn't too sure, all speculative guesses. He said that they could have been indisposed, not quite sure what he meant by that seeing as this was our first mission and they couldn't have gotten injured already. Or that they were not fighters and I only wished to have my very best warriors with me for this mission. Or that they had been sent on another mission, but he couldn't recall hearing of anything else pressing that needed to be dealt with and he couldn't think of anything the Dark wanted to achieve that would require a separate team to infiltrate or attack."

"Anything else?"

"Not really about myself and my team, though I do need to offer you my thanks, Uncle Severus for your lovely introduction. You practically had the Order shivering in their seats. though I do believe that this reaction will pale in comparison to when they are finally introduced to my team in full in the future."

"What information did you ask Severus to leak?" Marvolo once again jumps in before anyone else can question the sixteen-year-old. He glances from his godson to Severus, raising an eyebrow. He had not been told that Severus would be revealing some information about Silvius's faction at the last Order meeting.

"Nothing incriminating, My Lord. Silvius merely wished for me to inform Dumbledore and the Order of Prince Jupiter, the Heir to the Dark Sect, and the Leader of the In Dolus Intortis. How the Dark Lord has no real say in the goings on of this separate faction, but he can request for the In Dolus Intortis to perform specific missions for him. He must be aware of all information gathered by the Intortis through reports, but ultimately it is Prince Jupiter's discretion about what information is significant to warrant such communications. That the Dark Lord does not control them as he does his Death Eaters. I also informed the Order of the members' guise names and their associating colours."

"Why would you wish for the Order to know your names and colours?"

"Because I will not go around having the Order of the Flaming Chickens refer to us as the one in the Dark green robes, or that one dressed in orange the entire time. Can you imagine the news coverage? Besides, we chose guise names to keep our real identities anonymous, we may as well make the most out of them while we are at it." Silvius shrugs his shoulders again. Lucius nods his head, it makes a lot of sense.

"There is one more thing, Uncle Marvolo. After the meeting was dismissed, Albus Dumbledore requested that Moody keep an especially close eye on Unle Severus. I think it had something to do with the meeting we had during school after the Weasel attacked me. Dumbledore seems to think that Uncle Severus is hiding more than he is letting on, and he doesn't like that thought very much. I believe that we need to do something to get the old man to back off for a while."

Silvius chews his lip. He didn't like the thought of one of his family members being put in danger because Dumbledore was too powerful for his own good and thought he could dictate other's lives. He watches as his godfather leans back in his chair, descending into thoughtful silence as he contemplates what they should do to keep Severus safe from the old coot and his meddling while still allowing him to keep the secrets of the sect. from Dumbledore.

Silvius sinks deep into his own thoughts while he allows Marvolo time to contemplate. He glances across the room, watching his father playing with Marvolo's fingers which were still resting gently against the man's arm as if it were the most normal thing in the world. A strained smile fixes itself to his features as he recalls how Dumbledore had spoken about taking his father out, how the old codger had so callously stated that he would be more willing to move over to the Light side if he thought the Dark Lord had disposed of his father. It was almost laughable because Dumbledore didn't know what was going on between Marvolo and Regulus, therefore he wouldn't understand just how ridiculous of a notion it would be to believe that the Dark Lord would 'tie up loose ends' by killing the Black Lord. 

"Why doesn't Uncle Severus tell Dumbledore of your intent to collect your Horcruxes, Uncle Marvolo?" Silvius suggests once he manages to pull his thoughts away from the panic of having his father kidnapped. He offers a small smile to his godfather.

"Silvius."

"No, Dad, hear me out, please?" Silvius cuts his father off, waiting until he receives a nod before he continues. "I know that Uncle Marvolo has already collected them, but Dumbledore doesn't know that. Not only would it confirm what the headmaster already suspects, but it would get Severus back in his good graces while not actually revealing anything about you or the Sect. He could tell Dumbledore that you revealed your intent to retrieve the Guant Ring from the old Guant House by the end of this month, to your Inner Circle."

"I believe my son may be on to something here, Marvolo. Do you still have those wards set up around the hidden compartment you had the ring sealed in?"

"Yes, every ward surrounding where the Horcruxes used to be is still intact, why?"

"Because if Dumbledore were to take the bait, then he would go to the Gaunt House without backup and attempt to unpick the wards which would activate the curse I know you had set up." Regulus hints, a smirk dancing across his lips when realisation sharpens a malicious grin across the other man's features.

"I love the way your mind works, Regulus." Marvolo drops a kiss on Regulus's head, not realising what he is doing until the action has been completed. He clears his throat "Yes, that would be a fitting punishment for that meddling old fool. Severus could inform Dumbledore as to the location of one of my Horcruxes and warn him that there may be some unknown, harmful Dark hexes in place to protect them. Dumbledore would try to unpick the ward and before he can realise what is happening, he will be at death's door."

"What about allowing Uncle Severus to contain the curse? That would make Dumbledore trust him even more and allow for the imbecile to live long enough to see the Dark win, or on the verge of winning. It would be a great day when he was to witness someone from a prominent Dark family being voted Minister of Magic. Of course, we would have to introduce him to the true identities behind my In Dolus Intortis before he dies as well." Silvius smirks over at his father, snickering internally as the flush dusting his cheeks refuses to dissipate no matter how much his father wishes it to.

"You are a devious child, Silvius. That is an excellent idea. What do you think, Severus?"

"I believe that it could play out well. Dumbledore most likely distrusts me more now because of my Mating with Lucius and with how much I am finally sticking up for my Slytherin students. Especially seen as I am fighting back more this year more so than before."

"Alright, keep us posted on your position within the Light and if any other issues arise. Silvius, I want you to come to me as soon as you hear anything else about my Death Eaters." Silvius bites his lip, dropping his gaze from the intense brown of his godfather, but still nods his head. "There is nothing else, is there Silvius?"

"No, nothing that would be of much anyhow. Dumbledore loves the sound of his own voice, so most of his meetings were filled with the ramblings of an old man." He lies, ignoring the look he is receiving from Severus, but he doesn't care, he wanted to get the old codger back himself for thinking of harming his father when he just got the man back. He would make Dumbledore pay. "I promise, that I will tell you if I hear anything."

"Okay," Marvolo lets it go for now. "Now, we really should be getting you back to the school before your professors begin to question your whereabouts." Marvolo sighs, drawing a similar reaction from his godson. His uncles and father laugh quietly at his actions.

"Alright, Uncle Marvolo. I suppose I have no choice. I will see you soon." Silvius pushes himself to his feet and walks across the room so he can give his godfather a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He offers the same goodbye to Lucius, smiling when the man brushes a return kiss to the side of his head. "I will see you later at school, Father, Uncle Severus. Love you all."

A chorus of 'Love you, too' follows him out of the room, as he makes his way through the corridors of Riddle Manor and toward the Floo room. Dragging a hand through his hair, Silvius releases a heavy sigh, he really didn't want to leave the company of his family, but knew that if he didn't leave straight away then he would find it harder and harder to leave for the remainder of the day. Snickering to himself, thought skipping to the welcome he is going to receive once he sets foot back on the school grounds. His friends were going to bombard him with questions about the meeting, and although some of them will be joining the Wizengamot with him within the next year, he would be unable to reveal anything until it is printed in the papers. He is going to enjoy watching them sulk.

Though with the amount of reporters he had spotted secreted away in the corner of the meeting room then his friends wouldn’t have to wait long for the Daily Prophet to announce the news of the brand-new Lords who graced the Wizengamot for the first time since claiming their Lordships. Nor for the reporting of the new legislation brought forward and his vehement denial of such regulations. He was going to enjoy watching everyone’s, student and staff, reactions to his obvious passion for the equality of creatures but also for the freedom, which the wizarding world loves to preach about, to finally come to fruition.

He couldn’t wait to log the reactions of Dumbledore and his sycophantic supports, McGonagall, Weasley, and Granger in particular, but he also wanted to see just how well his friends supported his goals and if they were willing to help him achieve his passion for an amalgamated Hogwarts and a few separate schools for non-magical (wizard and witch) werewolves, vampires and other creatures. He didn’t want those who couldn’t or didn’t wield a wand to be left out when they had their own Lore, traditions, and magic to teach to their fledglings, cubs, and kits. It would go against his battle for equality for all magical beings and creatures.

-----

Silvius cannot contain his smirk when he is pulled down to breakfast the next morning for breakfast. He had stuck to his original thoughts and refused to tell any of his friends, including Blaise, about the Wizengamot meeting because he knew that it was going to be amusing for him to watch their reactions. Though he had given in and told them about the meeting with his godfather afterward.

He had seen so many reporters with their quick quotes’ quills hiding away in the back corners of the conference hall from both the Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly and knew that the happenings and outcome of the Wizengamot meeting were going to be plastered over every single copy of the newspapers that morning. It was going to be an exceedingly amusing morning for him. Especially watching everyone’s reactions to his own actions and his fight for lessening werewolf rights.

He wanted to see his friends, as well as the rest of the schools, reactions to not only the introductions of the new Lords, which he knew everyone had been anticipating since it had been initially released, but him being a Dark wizard and fighting against the Light families who claimed to right for freedom and equality for the right of Magical beings and Creatures. This would work in his favour especially when arguing against any claims from the Order and their supporters about him turning evil and Dark; what evil wizard would fight for racial and species equality, but it would also help him to sow the seeds for his new ideas and turn more people to his side.

Settling himself down between Draco and Blaise, Silvius brushes a quick kiss on his boyfriend’s cheek when he immediately pours them both a goblet of pumpkin juice before he begins to fill his own plate. Silvius begins to eat, picking his way through his breakfast while fending Blaise and Draco away from adding more food to the already mountainous pile. A wide smirk still plays on his lips as he continues to ignore his friends' pouting and pleading expressions. All except for his Mate who had finally given up trying to weasel the information out of him the previous night; Silvius had dropped his own expression into his renowned puppy-dog eyes and paired it with a quiet mumbling of ‘I just don’t want to ruin the surprise’. The actions had Blaise caving instantly with a kiss of apology on Silvius’s forehead.

Silvius is halfway through his meal when the mail finally begins to arrive. He watches with veiled amusement as every single student with a Daily Prophet subscription ignores their personal mail in order for the front page article when they catch sight of the title. Silvius could feel his cheeks flushing at the picture one of the reporters had managed to snap of him standing up as he argued his point in front of his fellow Lords and Ladies. He has to admit that he looks like an intimidating individual, powerful and in control as a Lord of a prominent household should be. It is the title which causes his breath the lodge in his throat, groaning into his hands.

“Oh no. Please tell me they didn’t…” His voice is muffled, shaking his head when all his friends do is laugh at his plight as they begin to read their own copies of the paper. Murmurs build around the room as both staff and students become absorbed in the well-written, Silvius has to admit, article. However, this does not prevent him from slumping down in his seat, sighing before he snags up his own copy and resigns himself to reading the article alongside his peers.

New Lord of the Wizengamot: A Voice for the Voiceless.

Here at the Daily Prophet office, we are pleased to inform the Wizarding World that we have now been given the go-ahead to reveal the identities behind the new Lordships of those long-thought-destroyed family seats in the Wizengamot claimed earlier this summer. Yesterday afternoon, a meeting was called to not only introduce these new Lords who have gotten the entire country on their toes with curiosity but also to go over a new proposal put forward by an anonymous source.

The meeting first commenced when Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge welcomed Hogwart's very own Severus Prince, Lord of the Noble House of Prince to the conference. Followed by the introductions of Regulus Black, Lord to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. Then came the Lords everyone was highly anticipating. Marvolo Slytherin was introduced as Lord to the Most Ancient and Prestigious House of Slytherin and Lord to the Most Ancient and Prestigious House of Peverell. Though, as you are aware dear readers, the introductions did not stop there. Many other house seats, long since forgotten had been claimed alongside these Lordships during the summer months while Hogwarts had let out. Minister Fudge proceeded to introduce Hogwarts’ very own sixth-year student, Silvius Black as the holder of these seats with a complete introduction. Silvius Black was introduced as Lord to the Most Noble House of Potter, Lord to the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Gryffindor, and Lord to the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Emrys as well as Heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, Heir to the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Slytherin, and Heir to the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Peverell. Making Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys the youngest Lord to grace our Wizengamot council in the last two centuries, and the most politically influential.

Now, before the meeting could bring forward its main issue of the afternoon, many Lords and Ladies attempted to refute Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys’ rights to attend any official meetings, congregations, events, and discussions held by the Wizengamot due to his age and the fact that he still has two years of schooling left to complete. However, Silvius Black argued against all these claims with the maturity and eloquence expected of a member of society in his position. Ms. Augusta Longbottom was one such individual who seemed to take personal offense to Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emry's appointment until he stated that his rights to attend far outweighed the elderly woman’s, with words of power, using the law to back his standing.

"And yet, it has already been proven, Ms Longbottom that, not only do I hold more maturity than a woman such as yourself, but I also am not the one attempting to usurp the power of the Ministry of Magic while he is in the room no less, by pointing out a fact he, himself announce mere moments ago. Was it not the Minister who introduced me as the youngest member of the Wizengamot, as a sixteen-year-old Hogwarts student? Therefore solidifying my place amongst the rest of the Lords and Ladies here. Is your advanced age affecting your hearing capabilities, Ms Longbottom? If so, then it is you who has no right to be here."

"You dare show such disrespect to me, I am Lady Longbottom!"

"I think you will find, Ms Longbottom, that you are not and never have held the title of Lady Longbottom."

Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys followed this up by stating facts he had come to learn as he prepared for his new role as part of our council.

"According to the Wizengamot ledgers, which I studied prior to my appointment here, Frank Longbottom is still legally Lord Longbottom, and therefore his wife, Alice Longbottom currently holds the title of Lady Longbottom. You lost such an address when your husband died and passed his Lordship on to his son, as indisposed as Lord and Lady Longbottom may be at the present time, their status within the Wizarding community has not changed. You, Ms Longbottom, are a proxy to the House of Longbottom until your Grandson, Neville Longbottom, takes his place here next summer once he becomes of age. If you continue to claim such a title for yourself, then not only are you disrespecting your son and his spouse, but you are committing a grave grievance against the system and quite simply fraud."

Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys truly did astound his fellow Wizengamot members with his knowledge of the council while he pointed out the difference in power between himself and the Proxy to the Longbottom House, Madam Longbottom. This reporter can also confirm that Lord Frank Longbottom and his wife, Lady Alice Longbottom, indeed were legally recognised as the heads of the Longbottom estate and therefore if Madam Augusta Longbottom continues to use the Lady title then she will be eligible for a few years sentence in Azkaban for impersonating a Noble household and fraudulent address. Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys’ words were an inspiration to all.

As the meeting progressed, Minister Fudge brought forward the anonymous proposal and encouraged our Wizengamot members to read through the legislation before they could debate the possibility of such a proposal being accepted or rejected. Now for those of you who are unaware of what this proposal entailed, I am pleased to say that we at the Daily Prophet hold such knowledge, dear readers. This proposal indicated the tightening of restrictions and legislations on the werewolf population of Wizarding Britain, with heavy implications leaning towards forcing all werewolves to be castrated and banned from breading in order to reduce the werewolf population. If this disgusts you as much as it did us here at the Daily Prophet then I am happy to claim that this is where Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys’s kind-hearted nature shone through.

As many Light supporting Lords and Ladies argued for the tightening of restrictions surrounding the werewolf population, Silvius Black laid in wait, biding his time as he listened to the poorly claimed reasonings. After allowing the Light Lords and Ladies to argue themselves in circles, Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys stuck like a cobra. It was a marvel to witness my dear readers. Silvius Black was lethal in his arguments, cutting all those who hadn’t thought through their own reasonings like a knife. He argued against the tightening of restrictions and even heavily leant towards re-evaluating all of the laws and legislation currently in place pertaining to Magical creatures in general. His arguments were sound and well laid out.

This beautiful display of eloquence and power not only showed us all, dear readers, that Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys is not only a ‘defender of the defenseless; a saviour of the voiceless but that he is also the most compassionate, incredibly kind-hearted young person we have in our society. Silvius not only argued for the rights of werewolf cubs and their families to be able to obtain a better quality of life, but he opened the eyes of many of his fellow Lords and Ladies ensuring that the vote implemented on these proposals was rejected in a landslide of 27 to 6 with 4 abstaining from voting. Minister Fudge also closed the meetings by agreeing to re-evaluate all previous restrictions and legislation surrounding all Magical Beings and Creatures to make our world more equal, fair, and just and we owe all this progress to Silvius Black.

If you would like to read a complete version of Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys’s speech then go to page 3.

For a copy of the current restrictions on all magical Creatures and Humanoid Beings turn to page 5.

Evangeline McKinnon.

Silvius groans once more as he drops the paper back onto the table and covers his face with his hands. He can feel his cheeks burning when he builds up the courage to flip over to page three and sees that the Daily Prophet really had printed his speech word for word. Including his complete rebuttal against Madam Augusta Longbottom for her denial of his rights as a Lord of three households. He was exceptionally pleased that Miss McKinnon had painted him in such a good light for the rest of their society but there was absolutely no need for her, or anyone else in the Daily Prophet Office to print his entire argument in full for the entire world to read. Reading his own words back now, he feels his flush deepening, a noticeable flame coating his cheeks, neck, and ears so intensely that he was sure that even those sitting at the Gryffindor table could see it.

An arm wrapping around his shoulders draws him out of his embarrassment and he smiles up at Blaise, skimming his lips against his boyfriend’s cheek, Silvius settles his head down on the other’s shoulder as he reads over the article and other details once more. It was a very well-written piece; he couldn’t deny that. He loved the part when Miss McKinnon had slipped in that all those opposed to his opinion of lifting and re-evaluating the magical Creature and Being legislation were all from well-known Light families and that every single Dark family had voted against the new proposal.

Saturn: Thank you, Silvius.

Silvius glances up from the Daily Prophet article, searching the Great Hall for one of his closest friends from his past, and smiles when he catches Neville’s eyes from over the top of his own copy of the article.

Jupiter: You don’t have to thank me, Nev. That woman has gotten away with holding a position of power not meant for her. She is the proxy to your house and when you come of age over the summer, she will have no power over you at all.

Saturn: It is just hard to believe, you know. Ever since I could remember it has always been her word is the word of Merlin himself. I would have to do as she said, no matter what but soon it is going to be her having to do as I say.

Jupiter: and if she refuses then you can banish her from the household or punish her as you see fit.

Saturn: I like the sound of that. Maybe I should do all the things she did to me as a child to help my magic manifest to her? Or press charges against her for using Mum's title.

Jupiter: A fitting punishment, I think. It will be entirely up to you, Neville. You will be Lord Neville Longbottom, Lord to the Most Noble House of Longbottom. You can even join me in the Wizengamot meetings!

Saturn: On second thoughts… maybe I should get another proxy. I am not good with politics… hey, Silvius? The suggested lilt of his tone has Silvius’s eyes widening. He lifts his head from Blaise’s shoulder, almost shouting down his earpiece at the boy.

Jupiter: No! Neville breaks into peals of laughter, ducking his head down behind his paper so none of his housemates would question his sudden break with sanity. Silvius shakes his head and rolls his eyes, sometimes he wonders how he put up with his Intortis.

Saturn: Awww. Fine, I suppose I can join you. Isn’t Blaise taking over his Lordship soon?

Jupiter: He turns seventeen three months before we break for the summer holidays, but his mother doesn’t want him to take up the mantle until he is out of school.

Saturn: That makes sense, it would be too much for anyone to handle while sitting their N.E.W.T exams. Who else is joining the Wizengamot this year?

Jupiter: No one else as far as I am aware. Draco won’t be until his father retires, and neither will Theo. Maybe Bill if Dumbledore reacts how we are expecting him to with this morning’s article. Possibly Fred and George as well. Though I am not too sure.

Notes:

One more chapter down! Hope you all enjoy it!

Chapter 21: Gryffindor Loyalties

“Silvius?” A soft voice near his ear startles his attention away from his conversation, almost sending his goblet of pumpkin juice flying. Turning to glance up at Blaise, he raises an eyebrow in question, smiling sheepishly, he hadn’t realised that his friends had been trying to get his attention. “Are you alright, Silvius? You have been staring into space, mumbling for a while.”

“I haven’t been talking to myself,” he chuckles, shaking his head. He gestures over to Neville, who still has his head buried in the newspaper, shoulders shaking with repressed laughter. “Neville just wanted to thank me for standing up for him against his witch of a gran and for finally putting her in her place. Did you need something?”

“Nothing significantly important. We just wanted to congratulate you on such a flattering article, Tesoro.”

“Yes, it is a wonderful piece, Silvius.” Theo compliments, a smirk tugging at his lips when Silvius’s ears begin to turn a light pink, watching as his friend cuddles into Blaise’s side.

“I didn’t know that you were such an advocate for Magical Creatures and Being Rights, Silvius.” Draco teases, sticking his tongue out at his cousin, who returns the gesture with a chuckle.

“A real defender of the defenceless!”

“A saviour for the voiceless!”

“That is our Silvius for you!”

“Would you guys shut up?” Silvius hisses, casting a cautionary glance around the great hall to see almost every eye staring over at his friends’ boisterous exclamations. An unusual sight for them to behold, he is sure. Shaking his head, he glances up at the staff table, meeting Dumbledore’s heated glare with a raised eyebrow and a beaming grin. “I can’t believe they printed this.”

He sends a glare around to his friends, who merely shrug their shoulders or smirk back at him. He knows that they are merely trying to mess with him, that they just wanted to tease him and were pleased with the new views people would have on him, and by extension, the Dark families, their own families who had voted in favour of Silvius’s arguments. It made them incredibly proud to be a part of Silvius’s innermost circle. His trusted followers, even if Silvius refused to see them as such.

“This is really good publicity, though, Silvius. The Wizarding population will begin to see that not all Dark-affiliated families are evil and self-centred. Besides, with the loosening of restrictions against werewolves, it will gain more favour with Fenrir, but it will also assist massively in producing a better quality of life for the werewolf packs.”

“I know that, Blaise, but there was absolutely no need for them to print my entire speech word for word. It is embarrassing to read it back.”

“It is embarrassing to read it, but you didn’t feel any embarrassment in spouting such things in front of every single prominent figure in our society?” Draco teases, ruffling Silvius’s hair with a widening smile when his cousin pouts up at him, running a hand through his hair to try and smooth it back out.

“I didn’t really have the time to be embarrassed by what I was saying when I was in the meeting. I was much too focused on trying to prevent them from passing this law. It is unfair that someone thinks it is a good idea to castrate an entire species of people for something that they cannot control. I couldn’t stop picturing Fenrir and Remus, who have just been allowed to consolidate their Bond. This legislation would crush them both. Not to mention the hundreds of fully fledge werewolves and little children living in Emrys Castle at the moment.”

“You really are much too good for this world, Tesoro. The magical Creatures and Beings of our world are so lucky to have you fighting in their corner.”

“I just… those poor children. Their lives are already hard enough as it is because of the circumstances of their birth, and most of them do not even realise just how much harder their lives are going to be when they reach adulthood, unless we can do something now. It would just be too cruel to make them live like this as well. Whoever tried to put this through must be perversely unstable.” Silvius argues, and his friends can tell that he is getting emotional by the tremors they can hear in his voice and the sheen of tears shining in his eyes. They don’t notice the softening expressions of their housemates who are in hearing range, nor do they see the determination steeling their gazes as they nod decisively and turn to their companions, mutters travelling up and down the house table.

“I have to agree with what you said at the end there, Silvius. Whoever wrote up this proposal didn’t do this to protect the children or the Wizarding World, as they may have claimed in the document, but to embarrass the werewolves. This proposal does absolutely nothing to keep anyone safe from rogue werewolves, which are the ones causing the stigma between werewolves and wizards, but it was trying to punish the innocent.” Theo joins in, leaning over the table to pat Silvius on the shoulder. He smiles when he manages to pull a watery chuckle from his friend.

“I couldn’t find anything in the document that would better the lives of witches and wizards or keep them safe from rogue werewolves. This… it was just cruel.”

“I think it is good that Minister Fudge is going to re-evaluate the legislation.” Daphne put in, reading through the current restrictions pressed on all magical beings and Creatures with a thoughtful look on her face.

“I agree. It is about time that fool actually did something good for once in his career.” Pansy sneers, shaking her head, and the rest of their group nod along. The current Minister was incompetent, and they all knew it. If he wasn’t being led by the nose by Dumbledore, then he was being bribed behind the scenes by their parents. They needed a new Minister, one who would do what was right by the people and not fall to the temptations of bribes and hearsay.

“I just don’t understand how anyone could think that something like this would even pass.” Milli slaps a hand down on the article, indicating the proposal, and Silvius releases a sigh, resting his head back against Blaise’s shoulder. He feels his Mate’s arm sliding from his shoulders to his waist, tightening once it settles.

“Who knows, Milli. Clearly, this person didn’t want it to get out that they had been the ones to put forward such a proposal. I mean, they surely didn’t think it would pass either, otherwise they would have put their name on the document. They didn’t have confidence that their proposal would be voted for and didn’t want to receive any backlash from those who voted against it.”

“That is just ridiculous. Why would you even put forward a proposal if you didn’t have confidence in it in the first place? That is just a waste of everyone’s time and effort.”

“They probably just wanted to rant and let off a bit of steam. Whoever put this proposal through just has a vendetta against werewolves.”

“Too true, Tracy. If I didn’t know better, then I would say that Umbridge was back in the Ministry.” Blaise chuckles, leaning his head against Silvius’s as their friends turn their attention to him.

“Why, if you didn’t know any better?”

“Because I am pretty sure that at the end of last year she wandered into the Forbidden Forrest and insulted the herd of Centaurs living there. She hasn’t been seen since.” He explains, and their faces brighten in recognition.

“Actually, she didn’t exactly insult the Centaurs…” Silvius comments, snickering at the memory. “The Mudblood and I led her into the Forbidden Forrest after she caught us trying to Floo call Sirius last year. When we got there, she met Grawp, Hagrid’s half-brother giant and proceeded to be captured by him after she insulted him and aimed a wand at me. The Centaurs arrived then and saw what was happening; they thought Grawp was viciously attacking, and so they tried to protect Umbridge. Grawp dropped her when they started firing arrows at him, but then instead of thanking the Centaurs for helping her, Umbridge decided to scream out how she didn’t need help from a bunch of filthy half breeds. That is when the Centaurs kidnapped her.”

“Do you know what happened to her?” Pansy questions, leaning forward in her seat, and Silvius chuckles at the girl. She was always interested in collecting gossip, no matter who it was about.

“The last I heard, Bane said that she had been executed for crimes against the herd and threatening a newly born foal.”

“Ah. It couldn’t have been her then.” Theo chuckles, shaking his head when Pansy lets out a huff.

“Nope. She is well and truly dead. I bet it was one of the Light.”

“An Order member, probably, Silvius. I guarantee that they would try to get it pinned on the Dark, implying that it had been one of the Dark families who had suggested putting it forward.” Draco agrees, looking around at his friends who nod along, it would make sense.

“I guess, but they won’t be able to do that anymore. Not when it has been reported that Silvius had the backing of every single Dark Lord and Lady in the Wizengamot.”

“And the neutral families.”

“I just really want to know what Dumbledore is going to have to say about all of this. It isn’t going to look good for his supporters now that it has been publicised that the Light were the ones who voted in favour of the restrictions.” Silvius smirks, earning him several chuckles from his friends as they all turn to glance over at the headmaster, who is scowling down at the newspaper in his hands. They turn their attention to Regulus, Severus and Remus, who are all smirking between themselves, heads bent as they discuss the article. Remus glances up as if sensing their stares and grins. Silvius taps his ear.

Astraeus: A wonderful article, Silvius. You are a real voice for the voiceless.

Jupiter: Shut up, Astraeus. How did the old codger react?

Astraeus: Oh, I am sure he would have thrown a tantrum had he not been in the Great Hall surrounded by students.

Pluto: Well, that is a shame. What I would pay to watch the esteemed headmaster throw a fit.

Saturn: I think Fama is going to have a great time in the surveillance room.

Fama: Oh, don’t you know it, Saturn?

Jupiter: All those in the Order, just remember to tell me when a meeting has been called and we will be in standby to receive a report.

Virtus: Of course, Jupiter. I am sure one will be held soon. I can’t imagine Dumbledore waiting long to complain about such negative publicity.

Romulus: If this is his reaction to a wonderful article written by the Daily Prophet…

Remus: Then we can’t wait to see his reaction to our magazine when we publish it for the first time.

Mars: Do you have an idea of when that will be, Sil?

Antevorta: I have gotten the reply from Daddy, he has given me the spell for mass production.

Jupiter: That is brilliant news, Antevorta. Has everyone finished with their articles?

All: Yes, Jupiter.

Jupiter: Alright, I am going to have to have a look through them all and put the magazine together when I can find some free time.

Astraeus: Silvius, your father wants me to remind you that you have classes in a few minutes and to stop evilly plotting.

Jupiter: I am not evilly plotting, thank you very much.

Asclepius: Besides, we are prepared for classes, Astraeus.

Bellona: The bell hasn’t even rung yet.

Silvius snickers into his hand at his friends' whining tones coming over the earpieces, though he had to admit that it was a little weird to hear their whispered words and then hear an echo of them slightly louder directly in his ear. He glances up at the staff table and sticks his tongue out at Remus, who rolls his eyes and leans over to whisper something to Regulus and Severus, who snicker. Silvius shakes his head and pulls himself away from Blaise so he can pick himself up from the desk and make his way to his first class.

Jupiter: Inform me when there is an Order meeting, guys, and I will schedule a meeting for just after so you can report back their reactions.

-----

Silvius couldn’t help but chuckle when he turned up to Potions, It would seem that Granger had decided to forgo breakfast in the Great Hall that morning in favour of borrowing a new book from the library. Though by her furrowed brow, and the downturn of her lips, it was not the relaxing, light reading she was used to. He turns his head away as he continues to make his way down the corridor, watching as the Blood Traitor mutters rapidly to the girl who is valiantly trying to ignore her friend. He couldn’t hear what the other was saying to her, but by the reddening of his face, it wasn’t anything good. It made him wonder if the truth serum was still working or not.

“Come on, Hermione. You still can’t be mad at me. There was a ward around the door. It wasn’t like I meant to say that. Besides, you don’t see me throwing a fit because you said you found Snape attractive. Snape of all people!” Ronald’s voice becomes clearer the closer the Slytherins walk to the couple, and Silvius has to burrow his face in Blaise’s arm to stop himself from chuckling. He didn’t want to interrupt their conversation. Not when it just seemed to be hitting its peak.

“Hermione, come on. At least talk to me! You haven’t said a word to me in almost two days. I told you it wasn’t true. Can’t you just trust me? It was those slimy snakes. They set all this up just to make you hate me. You know they have been trying to destroy the Light since the beginning of the term.” Ronald whines, resting his hand on Hermione’s, and Silvius is surprised that she doesn’t pull away.

Until she does. Slamming her book shut, Hermione turns to glare over at her boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, Silvius wasn’t sure at this point. She drags a hand through her hair, which was looking decidedly more frizzy than usual and releases a deep sigh. Her lip was bright red from where she had been chewing on it. Wrenching her arm out of Ronald’s grip, she scowls down at the large tome.

“For Merlin’s sake, Ronald, would you just shut up for five minutes? If you haven’t noticed, I have bigger problems than wondering who else in the school you find attractive, other than that pug-faced cow from Slytherin!”

The Slytherin students stand stunned for a moment at the utterly vile things coming out of Granger’s mouth, and they turn as one to Pansy. The girl is glaring over at the Mudblood, mouth pressed into the thin, white line, but they could see the insecurity shining deep within her eyes. They all knew that Pansy was incredibly sensitive about her small facial features, that she didn’t like them and wished she could somehow change them. Despite how much they told her she was attractive and that there was nothing wrong with her features.

It doesn’t surprise Silvius when Theo places his arm around the girl’s shoulders. He had always known that the quiet bookworm had always harboured a crush on Pansy, though he had buried his feelings deep down when it had become clear that Pansy had not been interested in anyone but Draco throughout the first five years of their schooling. Silvius almost felt sorry for the older boy. He couldn’t imagine what that must have been like.

“What other problems could you be having?” Ronald is dumbstruck, and Silvius cannot help but snicker. Trust the boy to think that his girlfriend had nothing better to do than stew over his stupidity.

“I can’t read! If you had been paying the least bit of attention, Ronald, I haven’t been able to read since that day! Every single book I pick up just looks like a random collection of letters, and I can’t make sense of the words!” Her voice is shrill, almost as grating as Molly Weasley’s and all of the Slytherin students withhold a wince as the noise assaults their ears.

“What do you mean you can’t read?” Ronald questions, leaning forward over the girl’s shoulder, when she cracks the book back open again. She indicates the page. “Although potions are an intricate science which requires concentration and the ability to follow precise instructions, it is also an art which allows a witch or wizard to become in tune with intuition, creativity, and patience. The art of potion brewing and the ability to craft new potions is best left to those wizards with an incredible intelligence and a strong sense of will. I don’t get what you mean, Hermione. I can read it.”

Hermione stands agape. She stares down at the page for a moment, eyes frantically searching for the passage Ronald had just read out, but she couldn’t make heads or tails of the seemingly random collections of letters, numbers and symbols spread across the page. Silvius couldn’t help but snicker at the girl’s obvious distress. He would have to think of a fitting reward for Antevorta, Saturn, and Bellona for a prank well commenced. Though he is impressed with the fact that Hermione hasn’t yet gone to a professor for assistance, just yet.

“What? No, that can’t be. I have been staring at this page for hours, and I can’t read it.”

“Maybe you just can’t read anymore,” Ronald states with a shrug of his shoulders, stumbling backwards when Hermione turns to glare over at him and smacks him in the arm with her book. “Oww. What was that for?”

“You, Ronald, are an insensitive jerk!”

“What? Hermione, come on. I didn’t mean it like that! Did you ever think that someone cast a spell on you so you can’t read?” Ronald huffs, rubbing at his arm. “And you are supposed to be smart.”

Silvius snorts again, covering his mouth with his hand when he gestures for his friends to follow him down the remainder of the corridor. They settle along the wall outside their potions classroom, ignoring the two Gryffindor students who fall silent at their arrival. Though by the contemplative expression stretching across Granger’s features, he knows that she is considering Weasley’s words. Clearly, it hadn’t occurred to her that someone could have cursed or hexed her.

“What are you lot doing here?” Ronald spits while raises eyebrows travel through the group of Slytherin students.

“We don’t know what you two are doing down in the dungeons so early in the morning, Weasel, but we are waiting for potions class to begin.” Draco draws, raising an eyebrow at the two Gryffindors whose faces flush at his words.

“Besides, if you wanted your lovers’ spat to be private then maybe you shouldn’t have chosen the dungeons where we have our first lesson.” Daphne puts in, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She glares over at Granger who huffs.

“We are not having a lovers' spat,” Granger argues, arms crossing over her book as she pulls it in front of her chest in a protective manner and the Slytherin’s smirk.

“Oh? And here I thought you were still discussing Ronald’s preference for the finer things in life. Has he finally decided to pursue his desire to date Pansy?”

“Though, we will have to warn you that she is so far out of your league, Weasley, that you don’t stand a chance.” Blaise and Silvius pull themselves up, smirking across at the redhead whose face is progressively shifting to match the colour of his hair.

“I wouldn’t date that pug if you paid me!”

“Don’t you know it is rude to speak to a Lady in such a deplorable and untruthful manner, Weasel. Just because you are embarrassed to find yourself attracted to Pansy, not that we can blame you. She is a remarkably attractive girl. It doesn’t give you the right to spew all your dragon dung to cover it up.” Theo defends his friend, dropping his arm from around Pansy’s shoulders so he could step in front of her in a protective display.

“I don’t fancy Parkinson!” Ronald bellows, his voice echoing around the corridor just as the rest of the Gryffindors clamber around the corner, conversations halting at their housemate’s outburst.

“Yeah, right. That’s not what you said in the Great Hall, Ron.” Neville pipes up from the back of the group, drawing snickers from his fellow Gryffindors.

“Shut up, you squib. No one asked for your opinion!”

“That is cheap coming from the boy who wouldn’t leave Neville alone for more than a few minutes the other day. Just because you are ashamed of a crush you have been harbouring for years, doesn’t mean you can take it out on everyone.” Seamus argues, and Silvius is surprised to see the Gryffindor boy sticking up for Neville, the boy he used to bully just as much, if not more, last year.

“Oh, my Merlin! It was one of you!” Granger shouts over the commencing argument, her tone accusatory, and Silvius wants to snicker at her belated response. He glances over at the girl, a defence on his lips when his lips upturn into a wicked smirk. The girl wasn’t facing the Slytherins at all; in fact, she was pointing the finger, quite literally, at the Gryffindors.

“What are you going on about, Hermione?” Dean questions, stepping up beside Seamus.

“You put this curse on me!”

“What curse?”

“What are you going on about?” Lavender and Pavarti join in, glaring over at the know-it-all.

“You put a curse on me which prevents me from being unable to understand written words! I can’t read because of you!”

“What are you rattling on about? Why would any of us put a curse on you? If I were to put a curse on you, it would be for you to be unable to utter that drivel you have been spitting for weeks now.” Neville interjects, and Silvius has to turn his head away to keep his smirk from stretching across his lips. He shares a look of amusement with his friends. It would seem that they didn’t even have to join in to create discourse within the Lion house now, Granger and Weasley seem to be doing fine all on their own.

“I don’t know! Since the beginning of the year, all you guys have done is belittle me and find every little thing to argue with us about! I bet it was you who pulled that stunt in the Great Hall as well!”

“Now you are just throwing around baseless accusations, Hermione. Why would half of us have been caught in the trap in the Great Hall if we were the ones who had planted it? Wouldn’t that defeat the object of a mass school-wide prank?” Seamus scoffs, glaring across at Granger and Weasley. “Besides, something decidedly good came out of that little prank.”

“Besides, we have been arguing with you this year because the two of you think it is perfectly acceptable to go around throwing accusations of people going Dark or being Death Eaters! It is ridiculous. Most of the people you are accusing haven’t even done anything wrong!” Dean continues, stepping closer to his friend, who grins over at him and clasps their hands together.

“Those wizards are evil. You just don’t see it!”

“Silvius Black defended werewolves, Veela, Centaurs, Vampires, and every other Dark creature or magical being from being treated like nothing but livestock! He prevented that new, harsher Bill from going through because he cares about people, no matter their species! I wouldn’t exactly call that evil.”

“Neville is right. It was the Light-oriented wizards and witches who fought to oppress werewolves more than they already are! They were outsmarted and lost to the arguments of a sixteen-year-old who wants nothing more than to ease the lives of those innocent children, no matter what blood runs in their veins. How can you call someone like that a Death Eater?”

Silvius can feel his ears burning at the Gryffindors’ defence of himself, and he elbows Blaise in the side when he feels his Mate chuckling at his side. He would never get used to the fact that he now had Gryffindor sympathisers, not that they knew that is what they were at this point but at the rate this was going, he was going to be able to turn the Gryffindor sixth years into neutral or even unknowing supporters of the Dark agenda by the end of the year, if not Yuletide. Though he did find it amusing how the Gryffindor students seemed to have forgotten that they were in the presence of the boy they were praising.

“He is going against Dumbledore! There is nothing good about him! Silvius Black is evil, and so is his Death Eater father!” Ronald adds in this time, fists clenching by his sides.

“An advocate for species equality and a defender of those who do not have a voice is evil? I thought it was the Light who proclaimed themselves fighters of equality and justice, but it seems like they were nothing but lies.” Neville mutters, his quiet voice stretching in the silent corridors, and Silvius cannot help but chuckle when the rest of his housemates nod along.

“A well put argument, little Gryffindor. I wonder what else the Light has lied about then. Professor Black has also given us information which has heavily implied the manipulations of the Light, has he not?” Silvius decides to join in the conversation, smirking when the Gryffindor students turn around to face him and his friends.

“How long have you guys been standing there?” Dean stutters and Blaise raises an eyebrow. He didn’t think he would be able to hold a normal conversation with the Gryffindor students any time during his schooling, but the question wasn’t followed by an insult, nor had they been accused of eavesdropping which was a huge improvement.

“We were here before you lot showed up, thank you very much, Thomas.” He drawls, keeping his tone level as he glances around the group of lions. “I must offer you my sincerest thanks for sticking up for my Mate and his father. And possibly a congratulations as well.” He pointedly glances down at their conjoined hands, a small smirk stretching across his lips.

“Oh. Uh. It was nothing… You are welcome. And thank you. If it wasn’t for that prank on the Great Hall, I never would have gathered my courage to confess to Dean, so I guess it did work out in our favour.” Seamus stutters out, glancing from Blaise to Silvius and back again.

“We will have to find these people and thank them ourselves.” Dean agrees.

“It was a really well written article, Black. I can’t wait to read up on what else you come up with.” Lavender’s voice begins at a quiet murmur before her excitement becomes palpable and her voice grows in volume which draws a smirk from Silvius.

“Thank you, Brown. My father and I, as well as my uncles, have quite a few plans which need to be finalised before they can be implemented.”

“What other plans have you come up with? More to help the werewolves?” Parvati adds in, leaning forward to stare over at Silvius, who grins over at the two girls. He withholds a snicker at the burning glares directed his way from the Mudblood and Blood Traitor.

“I am afraid that I cannot indulge you at the present time. Our plans are not completed yet. Though I can say that we are working towards a better, more equal world where werewolves and other magical beings and creatures will not have to hide away in fear. I hope I can count on your continued support with these endeavours in the future?”

“Of course, Black. We would be happy to support you!”

“You have my thanks, Brown, Patil.” Silvius offers the two giggling girls a short bow before he turns to glance up at his Mate who is scowling down at the pair. Silvius snickers, he can feel the arm tightening around his waist when the blushes coating the two girl’s faces deepens at his actions.

Twisting in his Mate’s grip, Silvius allows his smile to soften when Blaise turns to glance down at him, face still stubbornly set in a pout even as Silvius brings his arms up to wrap around his neck. Silvius chuckles again and brushes a kiss to his boyfriend’s cheek, then the other, the tip of his nose and finally a chaste brush of lips against his mouth. He releases a sigh when Blaise pulls back enough to nuzzle the sensitive skin behind his ear before he drops a kiss to his pulse point.

“You know I don’t want any of them, Blaise.”

“Brown was one of the girls who confessed her attraction to you in the Great Hall. Forgive me if I am not her biggest fan right now, Silvius.”

“I know, Destined, but I am not interested in her. You are my Mate, my love, and I wouldn’t even think about looking at anyone else when I have you with me. You are deliciously possessive, My Destined.” Silvius murmurs against Blaise’s temple when his boyfriend pulls him into a tighter embrace, the pair ignoring the crowd gathered in the corridor.

“You do not think me too possessive?”

“Never. You know I love it when you show me your dominance, Destined. I am your submissive. You are my dominant. I feel cherished and know that your feelings for me are true every time you become possessive of me. When you feel jealous of another showing me attention, I know that you care for me a great deal and love me. I find your possessiveness endearing, Destined.” Silvius continues to mutter to his Mate, stroking a hand through Blaise’s hair, when his boyfriend decides to nip at the skin just behind his ear.

“You know I also love it when you become jealous, Tesoro. I cannot seem to help myself when it comes to you, and now that I know just how many students within these halls are looking at you in such a way, I fear I am going to become more protective and possessive of you, Silvi.” Silvius chuckles, pulling away from his Mate just enough to drop another kiss to his lips.

“I look forward to it, Destined.”

Before anyone has a chance to break the two apart or comment on their sweet display of affection, a shadow looms over them, causing most of the Gryffindor students to jump at the sudden appearance of their potions professor. They scramble into the classroom when Severus opens the door for them and gestures them inside, the Slytherin students ribbing Silvius and Blaise for their public display as they begin to pull their textbooks out of their bags alongside their quills and inkwells.

“Maybe I should leave my Mark on you to show everyone who is lusting after you that you are taken, my Mate.”

Silvius stutters, almost knocking his inkwell over when his arm jerks at the whispered words ghosting over the shell of his ear. His face explodes in a violent blush, though not from embarrassment, no. He can feel the desire sparking through his veins at the offer, pictures conjuring up in his mind of having Blaise’s marks decorating his neck and chest for his friends to see. He draws in a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment to regain his composure.

“Maybe we should explore those possibilities at another time, Destined. I wouldn’t be opposed to sporting your mark, as you wear mine.”

“As long as you do not accept this offer from any of your other Intortis members, I believe I can live with that, Silvius,” Blaise mutters, poising his quill over a sheet of parchment when Severus makes his way to the front of the classroom to begin their session for the day. Silvius snickers.

“Definitely not, Destined. The only mark I would be willing to allow to grace my skin would be yours. No one else will have the privilege.”

“A privilege I will use well, I can assure you, Silvius.”

Notes:

Hey guys,
I am so, so sorry that this has taken me 5 months to post and update. This year has been a real shit show so far and I am still not full recovered.
So not only have I been stuck in therapy for the past 2 months, which, luckily for me, seems to be helping me a little, so I am actually finding myself wanting to look at my stories again and type. However, as soon as I got myself in the right frame of mind to start writing again, I had an accident at work, and my Carpal Tunnel flared up rather intently. I have been wearing a wrist brace for the past month, and am to continue wearing it for the foreseeable future, or at least while I wait for news back about the possibility of having steroid injections in my wrist, which means that I am down to one usable hand.

Chapter 22: Another Enemy

Notes:

Woohoo! I am officially back and ready to continue with my writing XD I am so sorry about the delay in updating all of my storie,s but I have finally been discharged from Therapy and just have one or two more sessions of Physio to go before I am deemed better for the time being XD
On even better news, I got a new job!
As many of you may be aware, I have been trying to find a job where I can teach English as a foreign language and have finally been given the opportunity! I am flying out to Thailand for a TEFL job at the end of October, and I am super excited!

Thank you to everyone who has stuck by my side during the past few months. Thank you all for your patience and understanding as I try to find myself again, and thank you all for reading and enjoying my stories. Your comments, reviews and suggestions are the highlight of my days and I love reading and responding to each and every one of you where I can XD

The Cunning Intelligence.

We here at the Cunning Intelligence welcome you, one and all to this new and exciting magazine filled to the brim with all the wizarding world could hope to learn about local, national and international affairs; Polices which are running through the Wizengamot; current legislation; ancient legislation still in use today, old magics which have been long forgotten and all the news you could ever wish to follow! The Cunning Intelligence will be a magazine written by the people, for the people, and we here at the Headquarters will do our very best to answer any and all inquiries you put forward to us in our brand-new ASK US segment. Please send in your questions; give us your comments, and a lucky few will have one of our staff members publish a response in the next publication! If you wish to send any special messages to someone, we will be happy to publish such requests! The Cunning Intelligence, as a new publication, is looking for subscribers and would like to offer the chance for each and every witch and wizard, from the students gracing the halls of Hogwarts, to witches and wizards of all ages, to all those creatures and magical beings who wish to keep an eye an ever changing legislations to sign up using our built in and warded registration form printed at the back of this, our first official edition! And all for a small fee of 1 Knut.

NEWS TO US ALL!!

It has been brought to our attention here at the Headquarters of the Cunning Intelligence Magazine that the wizarding world has been set to change for the better, and although we may be a little late to the mark with this news, we will endeavour to deliver every scrap of information we have collected thus far. Not only has the Wizengamot introduced some very politically powerful individuals into its halls this past summer, some individuals from long since thought extinct family lines, it has also been exceedingly busy with the additional work these new members have been making by arguing up a storm in the pursuit of justice against discrimination and prejudice we find ourselves holding in the wizarding world against Werewolves, Veela, Vampires, and all magical creatures and beings in general.

Lord Marvolo Slytherin of the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Slytherin and the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Peverell; Lord Regulus Black of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black; Lord Severus Prince of the Most Noble House of Prince and Lord Silvius Black of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter, Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Gryffindor and of the Ancient and Most Prestigious House of Emrys banded together under, what appeared to be the leadership of sixteen-year-old Silvius Black, the newly appointed Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys to push forward the veto and rejection of a brand-new anonymous legislation which condemned werewolf kind to some unspeakable and underhanded restrictions and laws which served no other purpose than to humiliate and further alienate all those innocent children and werewolves living in harmony throughout our world despite wizard kind doing everything in our power to give them the worse start to life we can.

However, despite the harm we have all contributed to, subconsciously and unknowingly, we here at the Cunning Intelligence HQ have been made privy to some inside information which will set the minds of all our future readers at ease. Despite the fact that this proposal was rejected by the majority, many Light-oriented Lords and Ladies, those who have advocated themselves as fighters of justice and peace for all, fought to have these restrictions tightened, worsened, and this new proposal passed into law. Though we can ask you all not to despair at this chilling news, as the number of Dark families and Neutral Households who vetoed such a disgusting proposal outweighed those in favour, managed to catch up with a few Lords and Ladies from those Dark families from the Wizengamot who voted against this new proposal. We asked for them to share with us their opinions on the rising contempt shown towards magical creatures and what their next plan of action is going to be.

‘I cannot understand why so many people would see fit to condemn entire species of beings simply for having a slight problem every so often when they do not hold any grudges against wizards and witches who hold a creature inheritance. For werewolves, they transform into a wolf once every full moon, and even then, most of them can control their wolves; the most we have to worry about it newly turned wolves who may have difficulties controlling their wolf for the first few transformations. For vampires, it is bloodlust when food supplies are in short supply. Issues such as these can be easily resolved if we all put our heads together and think up a solution. How is this any different from a witch or wizard who has recently acquired their creature inheritance?' Lord Nott commented after the Wizengamot meeting.

‘It is a real shame to see so many innocent children going through their lives without proper food, shelter, warmth, and even a decent education because of their circumstances at birth. It is like Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys said, these children do not choose to be born into the family they are, and yet they are condemned for it. It breaks my heart to know that there are many children out there who are suffering when, with a few simple words, we could make our world a better place for them and increase their quality of life.’ Lady Zabini added, her eyes brimming with tears, and we couldn’t help but agree with her.

Is this what our world is coming to? Is the Wizarding World of Britain becoming a place of damnation and discrimination, a place that condemns and disregards the suffering of the innocent because of our own ignorance and unwillingness to change? Because of our unwillingness to seek out the truth?

It is a sad truth to be faced with, and we pray to Merlin that going forward we, as a collective force, will be able to stand up for those who do not have a voice of their own; who are unable to fight against the oppression which is suffocating them right before our eyes. We here wished to gather more evidence of the justice system fighting for the rights of magical beings for you all dear readers to prove that not all hope is lost, and to show that the Wizarding World is not filled with those who would rather turn their backs on the needy, that it is not filled with selfish, ignorant fools who would rather wait around until someone else fixes our mistakes for us. This is why we are pleased to announce that we were granted a short interview with the young boy who has softened all of our hearts with his caring words and silver tongue. We asked Lord Silvius Black what his goals were for the future, and his answers were uplifting to hear.

‘Despite my young age and lack of experience in the political field, I wish to assist Minister Fudge in lifting the restrictions surrounding all magical beings and creatures and to re-evaluate the categorisation of creatures themselves, as I do not believe that we have listened to the truth surrounding such fascinating beings at all. Lord Malfoy, Lord Black, Lord Prince, and Lord Slytherin-Peverell, with their political standing and vast world experience, have all agreed to aid me in my goals of fighting for justice, peace, and equality for all who live in our world.

I believe that each child, each cub, and fledgling should have the right to an education, whether magical or otherwise. I believe that we should open up a Primary school, a preparatory school where children of all races and species can learn all about other species, cultures, the traditions surrounding the wizarding world, and allow each child to arrive at Hogwarts on equal footing. If cubs, fledglings, kits, and children are born without magic, then courses should be set up to accommodate them and teach them about their own lore and traditions while allowing them to also learn about other species alongside their peers. We could teach lessons such as infrastructure, engineering, business, and agriculture to aid them in starting up their own non-magical businesses. This integration, I believe, will assist us in our missions of shrinking the inbuilt discrimination and prejudice our society has been built upon.’

After expressing our agreement with the young lord, we further questioned Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys on his goals surrounding these schools and what he planned to do afterwards, if anything was set in stone for him and his supporters.

‘These schools will hopefully allow, as I said, our minds to open and for the wizarding world to become a haven for all creatures and beings alike, whether they be born with magic or not. Whether they are holding wizarding magic within their cores or not. I believe that we can make Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry a co-species school, which could dedicate itself to becoming not only the best wizarding school on the continent but a model example of integration for others to follow. We could achieve this by including courses catering to each individual species in attendance, as well as every single individual student that crosses the threshold. I believe that we should set up most schools like Hogwarts to appeal to those individuals who do not wish to send their children to Hogwarts. Or those individuals who do not wish to educate their children on a wide range of subjects. Specialised schools should be set up for Vampires, Werewolves, goblins, Veela, Centaurs, and many more species up and down the country and be allowed to operate however they wish as long as they introduce a mandatory class which teaches about all the other species in an unbiased and non-prejudicial way.’

We here at the Cunning Intelligence Headquarters were delighted to hear such wonderful and inclusive plans forming behind the scenes as Minister Fudge begins his re-evaluation of the restrictions and legislation surrounding Magical Creatures and Beings living within our society, with a team of specialists. We, for one, will offer our continued support to such righteous and upstanding goals for the future of the wizarding world and hope that many of you will also be willing to show your support for Lord Potter-Gryffindor-Emrys and his ideologies for loosening the reins on most of our population.

We promise to keep you all up to date with anymore developments we come across in the shifting agenda surrounding the Wizarding World. This has been The Cunning Intelligence.

Dumbledore couldn't believe that drivel he had just read. He was not expecting anyone within the Dark Sect to begin their own newspaper, let alone to have it distributed around the wizarding world with some new, exclusive information which not even Rita Skeeter had been able to dig up. He knows, just from keeping closer tabs on his colleagues and the students' reactions to this new publication, that they were going to have just as many, if not more, subscribers than the Daily Prophet by the end of the day.

He stares down at the article written clearly as crystal in front of him and mentally curses, a frown marring his forehead while his hands tighten around the small magazine. That is not what he needed to happen right now. Not when the majority of Wizarding Britain was already beginning to question his integrity and his significance within their society through the articles written about himself and his supporters earlier that summer. He was still doing damage control. He didn't even know how any of this had happened, nor how he had not been aware of such a huge shift in their daily lives before the events had transpired. Usually, he at least had some gut-wrenching feeling to warn him about a major issue. He had strong wards set up around the Dursley household to inform him whenever Harry left the property or used any form of magic. Including wandless and non-verbal, which was highly illegal in a Muggle area, but the Ministry didn't have to know. Yet, somehow, the boy had been able to not only escape from under the watchful eye of his relatives but had made it across the country to Tom.

He had racked his brain for days on end trying to figure out just how Harry Potter had managed to find out that he had been born Silvius Black, and how he had been able to track down where Tom and his followers had been hiding themselves away for the summer weeks. He hadn't been aware that Harry had been in contact with anyone, let alone in correspondence with someone close enough to Voldemort to know his address, his place of residence. Nor had he been aware of any Dark Wizards with a soft spot for Harry Potter, enough to willingly aid the boy in meeting the Dark Lord, no matter their thoughts on the child, or their orders to bring Harry in alive for Voldemort to kill himself. He had spent several hours interrogating his spy extensively, but Severus had been unaware that Silvius Black had any relation to the missing Harry Potter.

Severus had informed him that a strange young boy had appeared at the gates of the manor one day with news to share with their Lord, and that it was something that couldn't wait. The Dark Lord, after speaking with the child for a few minutes privately, had dismissed all his forces, except for his closest and most loyal. He had then demanded a full explanation from the strange child, who revealed to the Dark Lord that he had found evidence that he was the missing Silvius Black. Another point that had baffled Dumbledore more than he would like to admit. Why had Tom allowed Harry Potter to explain all he had found out about his past, without harming the boy? Harry couldn't use any magic without being traced by the Ministry, so he couldn't have put himself under glamours to change his appearance, and his abysmal potions skills wouldn't allow him to brew a polyjuice potion. As far as Severus had explained, the Dark Lord hadn't even raised his wand against the child. Not in warning, and not to cast a truth spell at the fifteen-year-old, which led Dumbledore to believe that Harry had found irrefutable proof of his claims.

The events surrounding the summer continue to run rampant through his mind, no matter how he tries to explain what had happened. Tom hadn't tortured Harry at all for turning up at his place of residence without permission. Tom had not questioned Harry on the likelihood of him actually being Silvius Black, which once again pointed to Harry somehow finding proof of his birth parents, and possibly even the events surrounding his kidnapping. That he had not been the child of Lily and James Potter. Leading him to believe that Harry most definitely had some outside help. The only way he could think of that Harry would have been able to find anything which would point to the truth surrounding his birth would have been hidden deep inside the Potter family vaults, a place which Harry shouldn't know anything about, let alone how to access.

It was very clear to Dumbledore that Harry had been tipped off from somewhere within the Dark. By someone who had been close enough to the Potters to know about their child's illness but also close enough to the Dark Lord to know about the disappearance of Silvius Black, and yet, he could think of no such person. It would have had to be a person that Harry would trust enough to even think about leaving the safety of the blood wards. For him to travel across the country in order to pay a visit to Gringotts and learn about his true parentage and inheritance. It would have to be someone familiar with the proceedings of Gringotts and someone close enough to Tom that they would survive bringing Harry Potter, their Lord's sworn enemy, to his home without prior warning.

In the beginning, Dumbledore had truly believed it to be Severus who had aided Harry Potter, but he had just as quickly brushed that thought aside. Although Severus had been in the know about the Potter child's illness, he hadn't been close enough to the Potters to know that the potion hadn't worked or that young Harry Potter had passed away. Severus was not at all familiar with the proceedings of Gringotts, not enough to aid Harry in claiming his Lordships and accessing his vaults. Besides, Severus wouldn't have known to insist that Harry take an inheritance test. And on top of all that, Harry certainly wouldn't have trusted anything written to him by Severus during the summer, not enough to go traipsing to London against Dumbledore's orders anyhow. The animosity between Harry and Severus had been at an all-time high due to the disastrous Occlumency lessons he had set up between the pair. Therefore, he had cleared Severus of any suspicions.

His thoughts had then jumped to Lucius Malfoy. The Malfoy Lord was incredibly close to Tom, had even housed the Dark Lord and his recovering followers who had escaped Azkaban for the duration of Harry's fifth year. Dumbledore knew that the Malfoy patriarch was highly familiar with the happenings of Gringotts as he had been quite young when his father had died and the Malfoy Lordship had been passed down to Lucius. Lord Malfoy was politically powerful enough and close enough to the Dark Lord to know all about the missing child of the Dark Sect. Not mentioning the fact that the kidnapped child had been Lucius's own nephew. If anyone had the means and motive to turn Harry Potter against the Light Side, then it would have been Lord Lucius Malfoy. But, as with Severus, Harry would not have willingly listened to anything Lucius Malfoy would have had to say, and he certainly wouldn't have left the safety of the Dursleys' house to follow the Malfoy Lord unless he had been cursed. 

But that couldn't have been the case either because the Goblins at Gringotts are meticulous in checking their most valued clients for such a curse, especially if they notice their clients acting in any way suspicious. As soon as the curse or mind control vanished from Harry's system, the young teen would have made a scene, which definitely would not have gone unnoticed by a single person from his Order. Especially seen as he always ensures to have someone patrolling the alley in case of Death Eater activity. If the boy had been imperioused, which would have been almost impossible as Harry had been able to throw off the unforgivable since he was fourteen, then he would have been able to sense it around the boy when he had first run into Silvius Black at the Will Reading of Harry Potter during the summer. But there had been nothing untoward, curse or otherwise, surrounding the child. Harry Potter had been sitting there as calm as anything, Pureblood mask in place as if he had been trained since birth to maintain it. He hadn't twitched in the face of Dumbledore, and Harry would have known most, if not all, of the truth surrounding his kidnapping by that point. He hadn't even spared the man who had been the driving force behind his kidnapping a second glance. 

Such thoughts had done nothing but lead him directly back to square one. Silvius Black had not been cursed, nor could he have been taken out of the house and told about his past by Severus or Lucius. He would not have trusted anyone deeply secreted on the Dark Side. Which left Dumbledore in a jumbled mess of thoughts, questions with no answers swirling around his mind in a never-ending loop. Multiple thoughts all pertaining to one Harry James Potter, now Silvius Black, and how a child of fifteen, which barely 4 years of magical experience, could befuddle one of the greatest minds the wizarding world had ever seen. The only possibility this train of thought was leaving him with was that someone within his Order was playing both sides.

Besides, now, he has to figure out whether he truly has a spy within his ranks, but he also has to try and solve the mysteries surrounding Silvius and Regulus Black, and on top of that, he glances down at the magazine in his hands, he would have to deal with the individuals behind such a piece but also the brand new In Dolus Intortis. A new and unheard of faction within the Dark Sect, which consisted of members all trained in Defensive spells, some of which even fully qualified Aurors had trouble performing, as well as Muggle weaponry and martial arts. Some of those members, according to Severus, had also been taken straight from the Dark Lord's own ranks, with Tom's permission as well. This new leader was a worrying individual; if everything he had said that night turned out to be true, then the Light Side was in deep trouble.

Dumbledore drops the magazine to the table, interlacing his fingers before he rests his chin on the bridge of his hands, eyes staring across the room as his thoughts continue. He had never even heard of Tom contemplating sharing the Dark Sect. with anyone before and now, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, there was this young man claiming to be a friend of the Dark Lord, an ally and not a servant. Someone who had the audacity to pick which missions he went on for the Dark Lord and what information he would relay back to Tom from any missions he ended up completing. It was completely unheard of before, and Dumbledore would be lying if he said that he wasn't unnerved by the implications behind such an alliance forming behind his back.

Severus hadn't been able to tell him much about the mysterious faction, besides the colours associated with each member, their names when they were in uniform, and how many people seemed to be in the faction. He had been able to tell them all about the basics behind the organisation, that they seemed to be a close-knit group, before he claimed not to know much else. Apparently, this new group was even more paranoid than the Dark Lord about letting their identities out to the world and refused to remove their masks when in the company of anyone who wasn't the Dark Lord. Severus had told him that only Tom knew the band of Dark Wizards' true identities, or even what they truly looked and sounded like beneath the layers of disguises and distortions.

He glances back down at the magazine, idly flicking through the various innocent articles pertaining to random snippets of news from across the channel, all happening on the mainland. Small anecdotes that could subconsciously sway people to believe in this new Dark Order. Like the influx of new students signing up to go to Durmstrang Academy. While others were insignificant, the French Ministry elections were going to take place in the next few weeks. He reads through small articles depicting the use of old household spells that hadn't been used in decades, and his confusion multiplies. This magazine was very obviously written by the same band of wizards who had attacked Godric's Hollow the other night, who had allied themselves with Tom, but he couldn't see what their end goal was. There was nothing extremely malicious behind the articles, no subtle mind arts linked to the magazine to help sway people to the Dark side. The only real issue, for the moment, was the reminder that it had been Light-oriented families who had voted for the tightening restrictions against Werewolves. 

Dumbledore sighs. He had even tried every single revealing charm he could think of to reveal any secret messages hidden within the magazines, several mundane articles, but he had drawn a blank. Nothing about the Dark had been making any sense, and it hadn't made sense since the beginning of the summer, and he was starting to worry. How was he supposed to lead his Order, the Light side, into a battle against the Dark when he couldn't even predict their movements anymore? It had been easy during the first war. The Dark would attack, the Light would defend, and conquer. But now? Tom was playing in the political field? He is going to have to come up with some way to increase his own support within the Wizengamot, to mitigate the power he was losing due to being scrutinised over the disappearance and abuse of Harry Potter.

Maybe he could speak to Arthur Weasley, Dumbledore muses, tell the man to pass over the Weasley Lordship to his eldest son so they could regain just that little bit of extra standing, a little more power over the voting for new legislation. The Weasley twins could also take up their place as Co-lords to the House of Prewett, which would give them more support. Especially from those neutral houses who have been pushing for the expulsion of Septimus Weasley from the Weasley family tree for decades. Many Dark families would feel wary of the new Weasley Lord, and would figure out that it was a play from the Light side to gain more supporters. Tom and his followers would know that the Light had made their next move.

He would have to speak to Molly and Arthur, as well as their three boys, when the time comes to hold their next meeting, as he didn't think the couple would be receptive to his plans if he went straight to Bill, Fred and George to convince them to take on such stressful work.  Besides, he wasn't sure how the Weasley parents would react if he suggested banishing Septimus from the family tree just to increase their fighting power for the war. He didn't with to force Arthur into agreeing with him, but he wasn't above using a little manipulation to make the Weasley Patriarch see just how much a small thing could aid their side when standing up to the Dark. Besides, there was nothing in the fine print that forbade them from adding Septimus back into the family after they had put an end to the war and come out victorious. He could reward them by allowing them to do what they wished.

Leaning back against his chair, Dumbledore casts his gaze around his office, eyes flitting over his various trinkets spinning, twirling, and shifting along the multiple shelving units he had spaced around the circular room. He had been quite proud of his collection, even if some of them had been stolen from the many Dark families he had fought against and exterminated. Even if some of them were now considered illegal and Dark for their uses of tracking and keeping tabs on various individuals through blood. He couldn't help but feel the need to keep an eye on some of his volatile, untrustworthy members, like Fletcher. Well, before the common thief had been killed by a member of Prince Jupiter's team. An almost instantaneous lethal blow to the neck, one that even Madam Pomfrey's skills couldn't save Fletcher from.

That battle still played round and round in Dumbledore's mind when he lay in bed at night, snippets jumping to the forefront of his mind as new details made themselves known, and he didn't know what to make of the details he was beginning to recall and collect. For example, the one dressed in black and deep purple robes had been at least half a head taller than his leader, obviously male and older as well. He had been a terrifying warrior, vicious in his attacks but never straying far from his leader's side, allowing Dumbledore to come to the conclusion that this fighter, this warrior, had been cast in a role of bodyguard to the Prince. And one close enough to the Dark Sect to be dating one of the Dark Lord's own Death Eaters, apparently.

The one who had fought against Minerva McGonagall during their brief battle had been a young female, petite in frame but quick on her feet, and favoured overpowered spell chains rather than casting spells separately and at a typical standard level. It had thrown Minerva on the defensive from the very beginning and hadn't given her much opportunity to jump on the offensive against the clearly, highly trained female fighter.

However, it had been the one dressed head to toe in black robes that had him worried the most, the one with his insignia outlined in a thin strip of white to identify him as part of this new team. He had been uneasy when he had seen this young male seemingly vanishing and blending in perfectly with the shadows cast by the burning houses around them. Had felt his gut rolling when he had torn through order member after order member with quick precision and a vindictiveness he hadn't seen in years. Which spoke volumes about the man's state of mind. This individual had tried everything and anything in his arsenal to protect his teammates, taking down those who had snuck up on his faction members with deadly accuracy. Though he had not strayed too far from Jupiter's side, from the moment they had arrived at the scene, the black clad Intortis member had been situated at Jupiter's left-hand side. 

However, throughout the very brief conversation Jupiter had held with Mars, the purple-clad member, it was clear that there seemed to be something brewing between the leader and the silent assassin of the group. He had overheard Jupiter and Mars mentioning one of the members by the name of Pluto, and later, through Severus's report, it was clear that Jupiter and this Pluto member were a lot more than mere master and servant, more than mere friends outside their activities as well. Even though this tidbit of information didn't aid him in narrowing down their identities, it did give him some ideas on how he could bring down this new threat in the quickest and easiest way possible. If only he had the means of capturing the one called Pluto, then Jupiter would fall directly into his lap without him having to lift a finger. It would cripple this new faction and Tom would then flounder without his additional support system. It would allow him to take his place as the most influential figure in the wizarding world once more and keep Tom from gaining any more political influence within the Wizengamot and Wizarding Britain.

Dumbledore steeples his fingers, dropping the magazine back down onto his desk as he drops his chin to rest against the bridge of his hands. His gaze stares off across the office as he falls deep into his thoughts. He contemplates his next course of action while trying to predict just how this new Tom and Dark Sect would react to him going after the In Dolus Intortis so early on. However, no matter what is going to happen, this time, Dumbledore is going to be ready for them. This time, he wasn't going to allow their plans to go their way. He was going to put an end to Tom, the Dark Sect, and this new team once and for all.

He ignores the shrill cries coming from Fawkes as he becomes lost in his thoughts, cackling to himself at the plans forming in his mind. Plans on how he could, not only, get back at Silvius Black for coming back and beginning the downfall of his plans, but also how he could drag the boy back to the Light side and have him back acting as Harry Potter. A smirk stretches across his features at the amount of influence, of power he would regain for being the person to find and return the Saviour of the wizarding world, back to the Light. To complete such a goal, he would probably have to get rid of the boy's father. A goal that wouldn't take too much planning either. Regulus, as a professor of Hogwarts, would need to leave the premises, the protective wards, at some point, and Dumbledore would be lying in wait. The Order would have a chance to finally finish what they started all those years ago.

So lost in his own thoughts, he doesn’t hear the knocking on his office door, nor does he pay much attention when Fawkes trills again, this time to gain his attention. He doesn’t listen when the knocking on his office door becomes more insistent, nor when one of the trinkets on his desk begins to beep to alert him of a visitor outside his door. He doesn’t pay attention until his door is thrown open and Severus bursts into the office, his hair in disarray, hands on his knees as if he had just been running through the castle. The potion master’s dishevelled state draws Dumbledore from his thoughts, and he furrows his eyebrows at the usually composed, dour man. Something must have happened.

“Headmaster, I have some news about the Dark Lord.” His breathing is frantic, stuttering over his words as if he couldn’t get them out fast enough, and Dumbledore is on instant high alert. Severus wasn’t one to get flustered easily; it usually took a lot to rattle the master spy, but there was no other word to describe the expression pinching Severus’s features at that moment in time. He looked rattled.

“What is it, Severus?”

“You were right, Headmaster. The situation is much more dire than we first assumed. He had created them. Six of them, to be precise, and he is thinking of reclaiming them all, Headmaster. He is planning on having them safeguarded under intensive blood wards where no one will ever be able to reach them.”

“What has he created, Severus? Who are you talking about?”

Severus takes a deep breath, calming his racing heart as he drags his feet across the office and settles down in the seat opposite the headmaster, slumping down in the visitor’s chair, he drags a hand down his face and through his hair before he meets the headmaster’s gaze.

“Horcrux’s, Albus.”

Chapter 23: Consequences

Notes:

Hey guys,

So, AO3 decided that it was a good idea to try and reload the page while I was editing and rewriting segments of this chapter, 3 times. Every single time was when I was in the second-to-last or last scene in the chapter, so I lost hours worth of work :( At this point, I have edited and rewritten parts of this chapter four times in the past 3 days, and I am so done with it XD

Anyway, as I was adding little bits here and there, I somehow managed to extend this chapter to just shy of 10,000 words, which, even to me, is a tad long, and therefore, I made the decision to cut the last scene from the end and save it for the next chapter XD

Hope you enjoy this next installment and don't forget to leave me your comments!

~Jay-Jay

Dumbledore can feel his eyes widening at the word passing Severus’s lips. He didn’t know how Voldemort had gotten wind that someone could potentially be hunting his Horcruxes or that someone could even know about such a thing enough to understand that he had created more than one. He stares over at the pale complexion of his potion’s master, taking in the reddened skin of his lip, the tight pull of skin around his eyes, and the flickering of his gaze, and he knows that Severus is just as worried by this development as he is going to be.

He settles back against his chair, hands interlacing over his stomach as he ponders what the Dark Lord could possibly know about his hunt or if he was even aware of Dumbledore’s knowledge of the Horcruxes to begin with. He contemplates what his next course of action should be before bringing himself to a halt. He should ask Severus for all the information he could gather before he jumps to any conclusions.

“Horcruxes, Severus?”

“Yes, Headmaster. The Dark Lord called a meeting for the Elite Death Eaters only. He informed us that during his search for immortality, he discovered a method that would enable him to tether his soul to the mortal realm, effectively making him immortal. He claimed these vessels, these objects, would house small fragments of his soul, to be Horcruxes.”

“I was afraid of this,” Dumbledore mutters, more to himself than his employee. He drops his eyes down to the desk and releases a heavy sigh. He had always known that Tom was on the lookout for something, anything that would allow him to live forever. He had known for years about the young boy’s wish to escape death. It had been the one thing which had scared Tom more than anything else, the unknown domain of the End.

“Headmaster?”

“Tom was always a strange boy. Always looking for ways to avoid death, and it wasn’t until young mister potter handed me the destroyed Diary and told me all about the memory of Tom Riddle living within its pages, did I begin to suspect how Voldemort had managed to remain alive even after being hit with a rebound killing curse.”

“He informed us of his quest and that an old acquaintance of his gave him the answer many years ago. He told us about his Horcruxes.”

“What did he tell you, Severus?”

“Everything, Headmaster. He used the death of the young girl that the Basilisk killed to create his first ever Horcrux. How he turned the murder of his uncle into his second. He told us how he eventually made it to six Horcruxes before he had been defeated by the Potter spawn.”

“Six horcruxes? Are you sure that is the last of them?”

“Yes, Headmaster. That is all he informed us of.” Severus inclines his head, poking his tongue out to wet his dry lips, his hands clench into fists in his robes as he gazes across the desk at Dumbledore who is now stroking his beard in contemplation.

“Alright, continue, Severus.”

“Thank you, Headmaster. The Dark Lord then proceeded to inform us of his rising paranoia that someone was going to find out about his Horcruxes and attempt to go after them as a way of preventing him from achieving his goals. He didn’t understand how anyone could know about his soul shards, but he was convinced that someone was going to hunt them down and find a way to destroy them all.”

“So, he has decided to collect them all himself first?” Dumbledore states rather than asks, but Severus still inclines his head.

“I am afraid so.”

“Did he happen to mention where any of them were? The Protections surrounding them? Or even how one would go about destroying them?” Dumbledore questions, placing his elbows on the desk, his chin resting on the bridge his interlaced fingers creates. He stares over his half-moon glasses as Severus.

“All he mentioned about the Horcruxes themselves was that they were to be found in places that held sentimental value to him during the time in his life when they had been created. He used objects that held significance to himself. According to the Dark Lord, there are very few ways to destroy a Horcrux, none of which he was willing to divulge to us at that point in time, I am afraid.”

Severus drops his gaze to his lap, locking his Occlumency shields as tightly as he can when he feels the urge to smirk growing with each passing second. Silvius’s plan was working wonderfully well, and it surely wouldn’t take long before Dumbledore decided to go after one of the Horcruxes. Even if he didn’t have a clear way of destroying them for good yet. His Lord was surely to be pleased with this outcome in any case.

“Hmmm. Alright, what else did Tom have to say, Severus?”

“The Gaunt Ring. He mentioned that he felt as if the Gaunt Ring Horcrux was the most vulnerable out of the ones he created and therefore, he would be going to retrieve that one before anything else.”

Dumbledore sits forward completely, hands dropping to slam down on the table at the added information. He didn’t think Tom would be foolish enough to feed his Elite Death Eaters such closely guarded secrets, which would potentially bleed out into the wizarding world. Then again, Tom still believed Severus to be one of his most loyal followers, despite him being so heavily secreted in the Light. It had always amused him how much paranoia the Dark Lord showed, but then didn’t hold much distrust in the one member of his faction who was surrounded constantly by Light wizards and openly part of the Order of the Phoenix.

“Did he say where he had hidden it?”

“Yes, the Gaunt family home.”

“A commemoration to his first out-of-school murder, I suppose.” Dumbledore mumbles and sits back in his seat once again.

Severus doesn’t say anything, just watches as various emotions flicker past the old man’s face. He doesn’t even dare to move for a moment as the information settles within the headmaster’s mind, and he can almost feel his heart stuttering in his chest as he waits for Dumbledore to either take the bait or brush this all off as something to sit on the back burner for now. He clenches his fists tighter in his robes, crinkling the material at his knees.

“I believe that I will be making a quick trip to the Gaunt family home in the next couple of days, Severus.”

“Of course, headmaster. Would you like me to come with you?”

“No. No, that is not necessary, Severus. I would hate to put you in any more danger if word were to get out to Tom about his Horcrux being taken away. Besides, we do not know just what protections he has put around the area hiding his soul shard. We do not know if taking the Horcrux will alert Tom to its removal or if there will be any traps waiting for anyone wishing to remove such an important object. I would like for you to remain within the school grounds when I go to retrieve the Ring.”

“As you wish, Headmaster. I will await your return.”

“I believe that would be for the best. I would rather have you treat me for any ailments I may find myself facing from protection runes and wards than suffer under the watchful eye of Poppy in the Hospital Wing. You know I won’t hear the end of it.”

Severus forces a chuckle to slip past his lips at the friendly grin stretching across Dumbledore’s features, feeling his insides crawling at have to play nice to such a manipulative old codger. He forces his eyes to remain on the wooden surface of the desk so the headmaster couldn’t see the contempt he knew shone behind his expression.

“Poppy always does like to bring your advanced age into the topic of conversation, Headmaster.”

“That she does, Severus. I have told her that there is absolutely no need for her to bring my age into it every chance she gets, but she refuses to listen to me.”

Severus snickers inwardly, of course, Poppy would not listen to the nattering of an old man who refused to slow down in his advanced age. She was always trying to ward Dumbledore away from his beloved sweets, as the sugar was not good for him now. She was always harping on about the headmaster trying to fight as he had done back when he fought Grindelwald, but he was not as fit and healthy as he used to be. Severus knew that the more Poppy tried to help the headmaster, the more Dumbledore was likely to attempt to prove her wrong by going against her orders. It was just the type of bull-headed, stubborn thing Dumbledore would like to do.

He can’t help but try to imagine just what the headmaster’s expression would look like if he were to return from collecting the Horcrux with no reward to show for it, bar a cursed arm and a limitation of his already shortening life. He imagines what the headmaster would say to him upon his arrival back at the castle with no Horcrux in tow and a wagon of disappointment trailing behind him.

“Moving back to the topic at hand, Severus. Did Tom happen to mention when he was going to retrieve such a Horcrux?”

“Not in specific terms, I am afraid, Headmaster. He merely stated that he wished to retrieve it as soon as possible.” Severus comments, shaking his head, and Dumbledore merely nods once.

“Yes, I figured as much. It wouldn’t do for him to inform you all of his completed plans. Tom is not one for implicitly trusting someone so deeply. I will set the time for three days from now, and we will see how things play out from there. If you hear anything more regarding this matter, Severus, I want you to come straight to me.”

“Of course, Headmaster.” Recognising a dismissal when he hears one, Severus pushes himself from his seat and begins to make his way towards the door. He would need to inform his Lord about the success of such a deception.

“Oh, and Severus,” he turns to face the headmaster. “I would appreciate it if this little mission stayed between the two of us.”

“Of course, Headmaster. I will not breathe a word to anyone.” He inclines his head and makes his way out of the office, a smirk stretching across his lips at the slight undertone of fear he could detect in Dumbledore’s voice and finds it highly amusing that the almighty Dumbledore was still afraid of the reactions of not only the Dragon of a MediWitch who resided in their school, but of his deputy Headmistress who would definitely not approve of him risking his life on such hearsay.

-----

Silvius is walking through the halls of Hogwarts, returning to the library where he had been studying with Theo, Blaise, and Daphne for a nice change of scenery while the rest of his In Dolus Intortis worked away in the Chamber. He grips his textbook tightly against his chest, eyes flicking back and forth as he walks past darkened alcoves and unlocked abandoned classrooms in search of anyone who wishes to ambush him again. He wouldn’t put it past the Gryffindor students to try and attack him, especially not after the article on his involvement at the Wizengamot meeting was published. Or the fact that he had dared speak out against Dumbledore and the Light, showing them to be discriminatory and bigoted against werewolf kind.

He can't help but release a sigh when the doors to the library finally come into sight. He drops his arms back to his side and quickens his pace. There was some Charms work he wanted to look over with Theo to see if they could incorporate anything into their already growing repertoire of spells. His hand reaches out to push open the door when a heavy pressure slams into the side of his face, smashing against his temple and sending him barreling through the air to land several feet down the corridor. He presses a hand against his head, picking it up from where it had snacked against the stone floor, his books skidding in all directions, as he tries to blink the black spots from his vision.

Taking a quick stock of his injuries, Silvius notes that his palms were skinned, and his head throbbed with the beginnings of a headache. His knee was pulsing in pain from where it had landed awkwardly against the uneven floor, and his ankle had somehow managed to twist under him when he landed. All-in-all, he was in a pretty precarious state, and to make matters even worse, he didn't know who his attacker was. Let alone what they wanted with him. And, he grits his teeth against the rage bubbling in his veins, he couldn't even fight back if he wanted his professors to continue to believe he was a weak, pushover who would never hurt a fellow student, no matter what.

"Not so tough now, are you, Black?"

Silviuis releases another sigh, willing the turbulence in his mind to dissipate as he turns himself around to glare up at the towering figure standing over his fallen form as a wand points towards his head. He should have known that the only person stupid enough to attack him from behind would be Weasel. Maybe he should have accepted Blaise's offer to walk with him down to the dungeons while he retrieved his books.  But he shouldn't have to, son to Regulus Black or not, a member of the Dark Sect or not, he should not have to look over his shoulders constantly while at school. And this attack wouldn't reflect badly on his character; it would highlight what had already been pointed out to the wizarding population. That the Light side discriminated and attacked anyone who didn't fit into their views of the world.

"Well, I don't think you would be able to withstand being attacked from behind either, Weasel. Then again, that is what you Gryffindors are known for, isn't it? Playing dirty, cowardice, and making it seem like you are doing the world a favour when you are really only a bully." Silvius grumbles; he wasn't in the mood to deal with the blood traitor now. Not when his head was swimming, his hearing had this odd ringing to it, and his entire body was aching from the impact he made with the solid, ice-cold floor.

Securing his hands beneath his body, Silvius slowly pushes himself off the ground, trying his best to ignore the pain shooting up his leg as he teeters on his feet for a moment. Closing his eyes against the onslaught of light, overwhelmed by vertigo for a second, he releases a breath and calls his wand into his hand. A slight smirk shapes his lips when he sees Ronald planting his feet, his grip tightening around his own wand in preparation for a fight, but Silvius doesn't give in to the temptation.

Instead, he aims his wand down at his ankle, slips off his shoe, and fires a quick 'Episkey', followed by one to his knee. He sighs in relief when the injuries begin to slowly mend. To keep the injuries from getting worse in what he knows is going to be a stupid battle between himself and the Weasley, Silvius aims one final spell at his ankle, 'Ferula'. Nodding in satisfaction when layers of bandages wrap around his ankle and secure it in place. 

"You slimy snake! You got me kicked off the Quidditch team!"

"I don't recall doing something so spectacular, Weasel. As far as I am aware, you have never been a member of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and therefore couldn't be kicked from the team."

"I couldn't try out because of you!" Ronald shouts again, his rising volume wreaking havoc on Silvius's already delicate hearing, and he winces away from the noise. He really didn't want to be dealing with loud-mouthed Gryffindors. Not when he couldn't use any of the spells he had in mind for the Weasel, no, he would have to save them all up for another day. A nice kidnapping of a bigoted Light wizard. Maybe after he convinces his father to take the twerp to court for harrassment and assault. He didn't suppose Weasley would garner much sympathy after being found guilty of assaulting the long-lost child of Lord Black. A child whose mother was kidnapped and tortured because of the blood running through her veins. He is sure Draco and Blaise would love to lend him a hand.

"You couldn't try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team because you decided somewhere in that pea-sized brain of yours that it was a good idea to attack a student, from behind, mind you, and continue to attack them until they fell down a flight of stairs. You have absolutely no one to blame but yourself." Silvius responds with a wave of his hand and a step backwards. He could tell by the reddening of Weasley's ears that he was reaching peak anger, and it wouldn't be long before the first spells were fired.

"No! You did something, I know you did. Dumbledore wouldn't have punished me for trying to take out a Dark wizard! He would have praised me, and I would have been rewarded! You blackmailed him!"

Silvius stares in shock at the youngest Weasley Male. How could he spout such nonsense in the middle of the corridor, especially if Dumbledore didn't want anyone to know that this was what he was teaching his students? It was okay to attack those in the Dark because Dumbledore would praise him. Is that really what Ronald thought, had thought through their entire friendship? It was laughable, incredible how stupid the boy could be. He couldn't be sure whether or not Ronald believed it was because he was a Gryffindor, a Weasley, or a Light wizard. But whatever the redhead thought, it was completely ridiculous.

"If by something, you mean that I requested that you face a harsher punishment, which was within my right as the injured party, then yes, I suppose that I did do something. However, what you did then, Weasel, would have earnt you a one-way ticket straight to Azkaban if the Board of Governors were to get involved, like my father wished. You should be considering yourself lucky."

"Lucky? Lucky! Lupin has had me clearing the castle of Boggarts and collecting doxies and pixies out in the grounds for hours! He has even handed over half of my detentions to that greasy git Snape!"

"Snape? I do believe you mean Professor Prince, the Head of Slytherin House. I would rather you not insult my Godfather to my face, Weasel. Besides, is this not what you rightfully deserve? You attacked another student unprovoked and caused said student to almost lose control of their creature blood, by deliberately spouting nonsense you knew would infuriate them. If the Board of Governors had gotten involved, then you would have had your wand snapped and thrown in Azkaban before you could even utter a word about Quidditch. Besides, if I had lost control of my creature, as a newly transformed fledgling, I would have been in the clear even if I had murdered you. Those who have recently come into their Inheritances are exempt from punishment under specific circumstances."

"Shut up, you slimy Snake! I know that you tricked Dumbledore into punishing me! This is all your fault, you blackmailed him!" Ronald belows, and Silvius winces away from the harsh noise assaulting his ears. He watches with an eyebrow raised, wand slipping down into his awaiting hand when he sees Weasley raising his own to point unsteadily across the corridor. Silvius rolls his eyes. He really didn't want to have to deal with this pathetic excuse of a wizard. Not now, and preferably, never again.

"For the last time, Weasel, I didn't trick anyone into doing anything. You are just throwing a temper tantrum because you are forced to face the consequences of your actions for the first time, it would appear. Now, if you don't mind, I have some studying to finish up and friends waiting for me." Silvius takes a step backward, eyes glancing toward the library doors to gauge how far he would have to travel if he wanted to make it out of the Weasley's range of spells. No matter how much he wished to beat the snot-nosed brat into a pile of internal mush, he was sadly unable to at the present time. Not that he couldn't fantasize.

"You are not going anywhere, you disgusting Snake! Not until you have paid for what you have done!" Ronald tries to steady his quivering hand, raising the wand to point directly at Silvius, who merely drags a hand through his hair and sighs. He didn't want to fight against the other, but that didn't mean that he was going to let the Weasel get away with insulting his godfather and threatening him. He had several spells in his arsenal that he could use against Ronald without causing the boy much harm. It was going to rile the other up, cause him to give in to his anger and allow Silvius to come out looking like a perfectly innocent bystander, yet again.

"Are you seriously looking to lengthen your punishment, Weasel? Because if you fire one offensive spell against me, I won't be so lenient. You will be facing not only the Board of Governors, but I will make sure that you never see the light of day again." Silvius draws in a death breath, feeling for his magical core before he sends a small burst of magic towards the back of his mind where his bond with Blaise is situated. He sends a wave of frustration, pain, and worry, hoping that Blaise would somehow be able to sense that something was wrong. That their bond had at least developed this far. 

"Shut up! Shut your mouth, you stupid Slytherin! Expelliarmus!"

Silvius shakes his head and steps out of the way of the encroaching spell, a smirk dancing across his lips even when the pain in his head throbs at the jarring movements. He inwardly chuckles, amused by Weasley's incessant exclamation of annoyance when his spell doesn't land. Silvius would have assumed that Ronald would have learnt his lesson from their last interaction. That he wouldn't still expect Silvius to just stand still and allow the overpowered disarming charm to hit him. Allowing himself just enough time for his vision to stop swimming, Silvius raises his wand and fires off his first spell.

"Avis!" He snickers when a large flock of brightly coloured birds fly directly as the Gryffindor, not really attacking but obscuring his vision and distracting the other enough so that Silvius could focus on his own magic. Taking a small strand, Silvius guides the magic to untie the Weasel's shoe laces, only to tie them together with the ones from the opposite foot. He could just picture Ronald attempting to jump out of the way of an oncoming spell, only to land on his face.

"Reducto!"

Once more, Silvius allows himself to take a few steps to the side to avoid the spell, lifting a hand up to cover his eyes when the spell shatters against the wall a little ways down the corridor. Watching as the rocks shatter, and he is showered in a wave of dust and debris, Silvius tightens his grip on his wand, eyebrows furrowing as a glare begins to form across his features. Silvius widens his stance just as he sees Weasley getting rid of the last of his birds, knowing that he had succeeded in pissing the other boy off. 

"Crinus Muto!" Laughter once again bubbles up when Ronald begins to sport a lovely head of hair almost as bushy as his girlfriend's; however, his had turned out a vivid pink, contrasting quite horribly with the red staining his cheeks and ears. What amused Silvius the most about his creation was that he had managed to make the Gryffindor's hair partially sentient, thin strands twisting together and pulling uncomfortably at the other's scalp.

"I am going to kill you, you disgusting snake!"

"You are throwing around death threats again, Weasley? I am so disappointed in you. You seem to have this habit of promising to do all these nasty things to me, and yet, I still haven't seen you deliver any of them. Maybe one day you will get lucky to actually uphold your promises." Silvius taunts, dropping his shoulders while he pouts at the other boy, as if he truly were disappointed.

He slides out of the way of another flurry of spells, raising an eyebrow at the same chain of spells. Surely Ronald would have taken something more from the DA than three spells. But he didn't have the energy to think more about the matter. Not when he could feel his knees shaking from the effort it was taking to dodge out of the way of these spells. Not when he can feel his ribs throbbing with each breath, and his head pounding every time he blinked his eyes to clear the black spots swimming around. 

"Incendio!"

Silvius tries to move out of the way of the disarming charm he knows is heading his way, but all he can see is a thick blur heading in his direction. Knowing that he won't be able to throw up a Protego quickly enough in his condition, Silvius braces himself for the impact. And not a moment later, does he feel an intense pressure slamming into his already tender ribs. Feeling his feet lifting from the air, Silvius tightens his grip on his wand and throws a cushioning charm out in front of him, praying to Merlin that the spell sticks and manages to take some of the impact from his flying down the corridor.

Wincing when rocks dig into his palms, scrape down his cheeks, and slice through his uniform to graze his skin, while digging into his knees before he can find the strength to twist himself around and settle down on the floor with his back pressed against the damaged walls. He sends another more powerful blast of pain, anger, and worry through his bond with Blaise, willing his magic to reach his Mate. He clutches to the hope that Blaise would come to his aid like he had done previously, as he grips tight to the bracelet hanging off his wrist. He feels some of the pain subsiding when he feels the magic surrounding the bracelet, Blaise's Cambian magic pulsing around the piece, and allows the familiar feeling to wrap around him.

 “Bombarda!” A garbled voice shouts, and Silvius can just about make out the words.

He winces, pressing himself further down on the wall, ignoring the pain as loose stones and debris dig into his shoulder blades. Tightening his grip around his wand, Silvius knows that he won’t be able to raise a shield in time, not in the state he was currently in, anyhow. Trying to figure out some way to protect himself from the curse about to blast into him, and most likely kill him if it was a direct hit. Silvius closes his eyes, pulling on Blaise’s magic to settle his quivering nerves, when he feels the spell about to land.

“Protego!”

“Protego! Incarceros!”

A bright blue blur pops up in front of him, and Silvius opens his eyes in surprise when he hears two familiar voices. Slumping completely against the wall, supporting his weight, Silvius stretches his legs out and feels his magic finally giving in, holding his glamours in place. Vaguely aware of his wings popping out and his horns solidifying on his head and his tail unwrapping itself from his leg, he feels his Daimonas beginning the slow process of cataloguing his injuries and healing them.

 Two sets of footsteps run toward him. While he knows one of them seems to be heading across the corridor toward the Weasley, Silvius can hear the second set heading in his direction and feels his entire body tensing up. Allowing a growl to build up in his chest, Silvius freezes when an answering growl sounds in response. A whimper escapes next, and Silvius immediately feels magic surrounding the other person, releasing its hold on magical glamours of their own. He feels a hand settling on his shoulder.

“Silvius? Are you okay? Can you hear me, Tesoro? Oh, please be alright.”

“Blaise?” He questions, his voice shaky but strong enough for the other to hear him, a smile tugs at his lips when he hears a deep exhale.

“I am here, Silvius. I am right here. You are going to be alright. I promise that you are going to be okay.” A forehead gently rests against his own for a moment, and Silvius can almost feel the relief pouring off his Mate. “Professor Lupin, he is conscious!”

“Thank Merlin. Look after him, Blaise, while I deal with this disgusting beast.”

 “Will do. How are you feeling, Silvius?” He turns his attention back to his little Mate, brushing matted hair away from his face and frowning when he sees dried blood that had trailed down from his temple.

“I am okay, Blaise. I am always alright. Just give me a minute.”

Silvius takes a deep breath, shooting a pained smile towards Blaise before shifting as if to push himself to stand. Except, he couldn’t move. Two hands had settled on his shoulder, holding gently but firmly enough, so he was stuck sitting on the ground. A pout forms on his lips.

“I don’t think so, Silvius. You don’t think Blaise and I are just going to allow you to try and walk this off, do you? And if that is what you think, then you have another thing coming. I have just sent a Patronus to your father telling him to meet us at the hospital wing. You are going nowhere but to Madam Pomfrey.”

“Please, Tesoro? You are covered in cuts and bruises. Your uniform is torn, and I can see the dark bruise on your ribs. If they aren’t bruised themselves, then you may have cracked a few. And I am pretty sure you have a concussion.”

Silvius rolls his arms, pout fading into a smile at the concern he can hear in the others’ voices, and allows himself to relax back down. He doesn’t raise any protests when he feels arms slipping under his knees and around his back. Only moving his arms around Blaise’s neck when he feels himself being lifted from the ground. It felt nice. Especially when a pair of lips brushes lightly against his hair, a contented sigh flows out of his chest.

“Silvius? Can you tell us what happened?”

“I don't really know. I was walking back to the library because I had to get some books I had forgotten. Oh! My Books!” Silvius tenses, trying to peer over Blaise’s shoulder to spot the books he had dropped earlier.

“It is alright, Silvius. I have your books with me. I will give them back to you later, okay?”

“Okay, thank you, Uncle Moony.” Anyway, I was almost to the library when I felt this heavy pressure against my head, and the next thing I knew, I was on the floor several feet back down the corridor.”

“I insisted that I go with Silvius when he noticed that he bought his Defence book instead of his Charms one, but seen as it was a straight trip to the dungeons and Silvius knows loads of shortcuts, I didn’t press much when he wanted to go on his own. Next time, I am going with you, Silvius. There will be no debate.” Blaise growls, tightening his arms around Silvius, nuzzling against his boyfriend’s temple when he hears a quiet purr in response. “I got to the point where he had been gone a lot longer than he should have been, and I was getting ready to go look for him when I felt a huge wave of pain that wasn’t my own.”

“This wasn’t your fault, Blaise. None of it was, and I know Silvius will agree with me on this.” Remus places a soothing hand on Blaise’s shoulder.

“Uncle Moony is right, Blaise. None of this was your fault.” Silvius mumbles, raising a hand so that he can run the back of his fingers against his boyfriend’s jawline, a smile twitching the corners of his lips when Blaise leans into the caress.

“I am never going to allow you to leave my side after this, Silvius. I am going to go with you everywhere you go, unless your uncles or father are with you. I can’t have you being attacked like this again.”

“Okay. That sounds nice.” Silvius consents, earning two glances of surprise from Remus and Blaise. They had expected a little fight from the boy, a little resistance to being constantly tailed by a member of his In Dolus, but they weren’t going to argue. Even if this was a result of the concussion.

Silvius, oblivious to the stunned silence around him, raises a finger to tap Blaise on the nose before he traces his Mate’s eyebrows, cheek, and finally cups the other’s face in his hand with a tiny giggle. His eyes were blinking faster than usual.

“Good, because I wasn’t going to give you a choice next time, Tesoro. You are my Mate, my submissive partner, and although I know that you are perfectly capable of handling yourself in normal situations. This is not a normal situation. You are severely limited in what you can do to people like Weasel without Dumbledore breathing down your neck. Allow me to protect you while I can.”

“Okay, I will await your rescue, my Knight in shining armour.” Silvius drops his hand to rest against Blaise’s chest, fingers flexing over the steady beat of his heart. “We need to go on a date.”

“A. Date?” Blaise questions, glancing down at the boy in his arms with a raised eyebrow and a quirk of his lips. He couldn’t understand what was running through Silvius’s head at the moment, and he guessed it was mostly down to the concussion, but it was a bizarre jump in conversation topics. But, looking down at the sweet smile stretching across his Mate’s lips, his eyes closed tight, he couldn’t find it in his heart to say no.

“Yes. I have been neglecting my Mate for much too long, and that is simply deplorable! I am going to spirit you away from our friends and take you for a nice, romantic date, just the two of us. No one else.”

“Silvius. You have not been neglecting me anymore than I have been neglecting you. We have both simply been busy with the In Dolus these past few weeks. I understand this and I am not upset in the slightest. But, if you wish to take me out on a date, then I will not argue.” It did sound really nice, if Blaise were being completely honest with himself. A simple arrangement between himself and Silvius before he gave his Mate the second of their courting gifts.

“Good, because that is an argument you will not win, Destined. I want to have you all to myself for a while. Even if I have to kidnap you.” Silvius coughs, turning his head to bury his face in his boyfriend’s robes for a moment when the light begins to hurt his eyes and he feels an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. Blaise drops another kiss on Silvius’s hair.

“What are we going to be doing on this date, Tesoro?” Blaise questions, hoping to distract Silvius a little from the pain he is feeling, and also to try and help his boyfriend to stay awake until they can get him to Madam Pomfrey. He presses a kiss to Silvius’s nose, nuzzling his Mate, until he hears a contented sigh.

“I can’t tell you that, it would ruin the entire surprise!”

“Alright, Tesoro, you keep your secrets, I guess I will find out soon enough.” Blaise shares an amused glance with Remus before tightening his arms around Silvius once more, allowing his wings to brush soothingly against Silvius’s when they unfurl. “What if I wish to surprise you with a date as well, Silvius? Would you allow me the honour?”

“Of course, the more dates, the merrier! What would you want to do with me, Destined?”

Blaise’s face flushes when he hears Remus choke on his breath and cough at the wording Silvius chose in his state. There were plenty of things he wanted to do with Silvius, but they hadn’t gotten there in their relationship yet. Shooting a glare over at his professor, Blaise rolls his eyes and smirks down at his Mate, loving the small wrinkle in his brow when he glances between them, confused.

“A picnic sounds like a plan.”

“That does sound really nice. What sort of picnic?”

“How about a picnic under the stars?” Blaise asks, he knew how much Silvius loved lying down, staring up at the stars. They had done it a few times while he had been staying at Riddle Manor over the summer, and Blaise loved the way Silvius’s eyes would light up.

“Yes! We could eat, watch the stars, relax, and maybe even dance a little. That sounds like so much fun!” Silvius whispers, his voice filled with longing and excitement, drawing a chuckle from his boyfriend. Though Blaise could see the fight in Silvius to stay awake was quickly draining out of him. His eyes were fluttering, while his breathing had begun to slow down.

“I do hope that neither of you is planning to sneak out of the castle after curfew in an attempt to achieve this date?” Remus questions, his eyes twinkling with amusement, even as he attempts to remain stern. Silvius may be his cub and his leader in the In Dolus Intortis, but here, at Hogwarts, he was still their professor. Though he wouldn’t do anything to stop the two youngsters if they did wish to have a picnic out on the school grounds.

“Of course not, Professor Lupin. I am offended that you would even suggest such a thing. Silvius and I are model students.” Blaise’s teasing expression softens when he hears a breathy giggle from Silvius. “I was actually thinking of commandeering the Room of Requirements for the day. It would give us the perfect illusion of the night sky without us having to sneak out in the middle of the night.” Blaise explains, his expression perfectly innocent, a sight that does nothing to soothe Remus in the slightest. He shakes his head at Blaise, watching as Silvius curls closer to his Mate, a happy grin on his features.

“Besides, it's not like you didn’t sneak out of Hogwarts several times when you were a student, Uncle Moony.” Silvius quips, sticking his tongue out at the Werewolf, laughing softly when his uncle does it back. “We could have the House Elves make us up a picnic basket filled with all our favourite things to eat and drink. I want to go on this date right now.”

Blaise and Remus laugh at the whine they can hear in Silvius’s voice.

“How about this, Tesoro? I will take you up to the Room of Requirements as soon as you are fully recovered from his incident.”

“You promise?”

“I promise, Tesoro. I want you to be good for Madam Pomfrey, take all your potions and rest as much as possible, okay? And then, we will go for our moonlit picnic.”

“Okay, fine. I will be good and take all my potions. Eugh. I hate potions. Haven’t I taken enough already to last a lifetime?” Silvius pouts.

Remus rolls his eyes at the teenagers, knowing that Silvius was going to be in very good hands during his recovery. That is, if the boy’s father doesn’t lock Silvius up in his quarters and refuses to allow his son out. He glances over his shoulder, checking up on Ronald to make sure the boy is still bound and silenced. Raising an eyebrow when he sees hostility still shining in his eyes, while an expression of disgust twists his features.

Turning down the corridor leading to the hospital wing, Remus opens the doors and gestures for Blaise to proceed him while he calls out for the Mediwitch. Breathing a sigh of relief when he sees the woman immediately sprinting out of the office with her wand held tightly in her hand.

Her worried expression soon falls into a disapproving frown when she sees Silvius curled up in Blaise’s arms and Ronald Weasley levitating and bound behind the Defence Professor. Shaking herself out of her surprise, Madam Pomfrey gestures for Blaise to settle Silvius down on one of the hospital beds, while Remus deposits Weasley down at the other end of the room.

“What in Merlin’s name happened to this child?”

Notes:

Chapter 23 finally finished XD

The next chapter will be Silvius's family reacting to this second attack. Regulus is going to be out for revenge and blood.

Chapter 24: Increasing Influences

Notes:

Ahahaha, I swear this site hates me at the moment. Not only did I spend 3 days re-writing and editing the latest chapter for my 'Cunning Intelligence' series because it deleted my progress three times, but it continued to do so with this chapter X'(
But, two deletions later, I finally managed to get this chapter finished, though it is longer than I anticipated it to be XD

"Unfortunately, we are not entirely sure. Blaise and I came across Mister Weasley attacking Mister Black just outside the library. From what we have been able to gather from Silvius, this was another unprovoked attack." Remus explains, closing the curtains around Ronald's bed before he makes his way back over to the Mediwitch.

"I don't understand what has gotten into Mister Weasley this year. His attitude seems to be getting worse the further into the school year we get." Madam Pomfrey shakes her head. She tightens her grip on her wand, aiming it at the semi-conscious teenager lying on the bed, and begins to perform diagnostic charm after diagnostic charm. Working around his tail when it whips out to the side, almost hitting her several times. "Were you aware that a group of second years were admitted to my infirmary yesterday for some calming draughts? The poor dears were terrified."

"What did he do to them?" Remus asks, standing at the edge of his cub's bed so he wouldn't get in the way of the mediwitch, nor the summoned parchment and quill, which was following her around, making notes of all the ailments found on Silvius. He feels the corners of his mouth twitching when he hears her quiet mumbles to herself as she flurries around Silvius. It always reminded him of when he had been a near-constant visitor during his Hogwarts years.

"According to Mister Longbottom, who bought the young dears to me. Mister Weasley overheard them talking rather enthusiastically about your lessons about the Founders, and Regulus's lessons on the various branches of magic. They were working on the homework for Regulus's lessons, claiming that he was one of the best teachers they had. Mister Weasley didn't like the stuff they were saying about the 'Death Eater scum' and 'that disgusting flee-bitten mutt'."

"Did he curse them?" Remus questions, feeling his hackles rising with each incident he hears about Ronald Weasley. It was hard for him to associate the bigoted bully who was prowling around the school this year with the same child he met back in 1993. The child who would do anything to protect his friends. No matter what.

"No, thank Merlin for small miracles. He simply lost his temper at them, as he is known to do these days. Mister Longbottom and I had to administer the calming draughts before we could even gather the entire story out of them. The poor little dears were almost inconsolable with fear. I reported the incident to Minerva as soon as I finished up with them, but nothing has come of it thus far."

"And nothing ever will," Blaise snorts. "Not if Dumbledore has anything to say about it. He only punished the Weasel last time because Professor Prince was taking notes from the meeting for the official school logs, and Professor Black threatened to get the Board of Governors involved if Silvius, as the injured party, wasn't satisfied." He strokes a hand through Silvius's hair. Using some water that he had summoned and a wash cloth he found in one of the bedside drawers to clean some of the dried blood and dust from Silvius's face.

"Ronald doesn't think that he will get punished this time, unlike last time. He strongly believes that, if I hadn't of Blackmailed the Headmaster somehow, then he would have been praised and rewarded by the old codger, instead of punished. He believes we won't have the same power this time."

"He said that?" Remus questions, at the same time, Blaise almost drops the wash cloth.

"He does realise that you will hold more power this time, right? This was his second offense, and with your memories, plus the medical report from both incidences, Weasley will find himself in Azkaban before he can blink." 

"And there would be nothing old Dumbles could do about it. I would love to see the look on his face." Silvius's laughter devolves into a coughing fit, his throat dry and scratchy. Blaise casts an augmenti. Filling up a glass on the side table before handing it over to Silvius for the other to drink from.

"Oh dear." Madam Pomfrey gasps, grabbing the parchment sheet from the air and scanning through the list of injuries. She bypasses the small cuts and abrasions, eyes widening at the more severe injuries. Knowing that the boy's father was going to be incessant with rage once he arrived and saw the damage Ronald had done to his son this time round.

"What's wrong, Poppy?" Remus walks over to the Mediwitch, gesturing for Blaise to take a seat in the visitor's chair next to Silvius's bed. He had a feeling that they were going to be there for a while, and he didn't need to end up caring for an overly exhausted Cambion, on top of the injured Daimonas. Especially not when Blaise was still running partially on instincts and had yet to stop touching Silvius with at least one part of his body. His hand still carding through his boyfriend's hair even as he refills the glass once Silvius had downed the first one.

"The poor dear has a broken ankle, but it seems as if his Daimonas form has already started working on rectifying that. Not to mention, there are signs of basic healing spells, which I am assuming Silvius cast himself. He has abrasions covering his knees and palms. One of his wrists has been severely strained. He has bruising forming along his ribs, knees, ankle, elbow, and temple. A slightly deeper gash on his head and a cracked rib. And that is not including the fact that he also has a concussion."

Remus, Blaise, and Madam Pomfrey fall silent, staring down at the teenager sprawled out across the bed, varying degrees of worry shaping his features. Blaise leans down and places a soft kiss on Silvius's forehead, dropping his head to rest against the other's shoulder. He takes a deep, shuddering breath, his heart aching at the thought of his partner being in so much pain, at Silvius having to deal with being attacked again. He wouldn't have guessed that his Mate was suffering from so many injuries by the way he had been acting, by the carefree smile on his face. It took all his restraint to keep himself pressed close to Silvius, to not give in to his creature instincts to fly across the room and flay Weasley right there and then.

Blaise nuzzles gently against Silvius's shoulder, inhaling the soothing scent of his submissive, and has to fight back tears. Guilt racks his frame. He didn't know what he was supposed to do with himself now that he had failed to protect his Mate for the second time. He hadn't been able to stop Silvius from getting attacked by the Weasel, and because of his failure, Silvius had ended up having to suffer all over again. Releasing a deep grumble at himself, Blaise is startled to feel a hand dragging through his hair.

"Blaise." 

His head shoots up, and one of his hands flies up to grasp Silvius's hand, detangling it from his hair so he could press a kiss to his knuckles. A small growl escapes the back of his throat, not quite in anger but more disappointment in himself and a non-verbal apology to Silvius. Especially when he sees the weariness dulling his boyfriend's usually bright silver eyes, and the tightness to his skin as he fights against the sleep that wishes to claim him.

"Please stop," Silvius whispers.

"But Silvi... I couldn't protect you... again... I let you get injured."

"I am going to be fine, Destined. Anything that my Daimonas form can't heal, Madam Pomfrey will fix right up for me. I will be good as new by tomorrow morning, I promise."

"But you sent me your emotions. I felt it, but I couldn't get to you in time. I wasn't fast enough. I knew that you needed me, but I couldn't do anything to stop it."

"That is not your fault, Blaise. We just need a little more time to develop our bond, and then we can apparate directly to each other when we are in danger. But you have to remember, Weasley is no real threat to me. We will just pay him back threefold when the time is right. I am not letting him get away with attacking me twice like the snivelling coward he is." Silvius raises his voice just enough for Ronald to hear him across the room. "Besides, I am not giving Dumbledore the chance to brush this under the rug, like we know he is going to try. We will make that brat pay."

"Alright, I am sorry, Tesoro. I was just so worried about you." Blaise sighs, his shoulders sagging. He leans forward again and nuzzles himself back in the crook of Silvius's neck, trying to force himself to brush away his guilt. He drags his nose down his Mate's throat and drops a chaste kiss to his pulse point before simply allowing himself to rest against Silvius, sighing when Silvius's other hand, the one not held in his own, returns to his hair.

"And I love you all the more for it, Destined. You are the best thing that has happened to me, and I promise you that soon enough, Dumbledore isn't going to be able to stop us. I will never have to be in a situation like this again, I promise you."

"Good. He is going to be lucky to be alive once I have finished with him." Blaise mutters, earning himself a chuckle from his Mate before Silvius begins to cough again.

Pulling back from Silvius, Blaise steals a pillow from the next bed over and, as gently as possible, lifts Silvius's torso enough to slide the pillow behind his head, elevating Silvius up enough to open up his airways and allow him to breathe a little better. He brushes a kiss to Silvius's forehead before taking his hand in his again.

"Alright, Mister Black, I am going to have to keep you here for an overnight observation. Two concussions in such a short space of time can be worrying at the best of times. However, as I am sure you are already aware, the rest of your injuries will be a quick fix. Especially when I can already see your healing abilities kicking in, so here," She hands him two vials of potions, one of which he recognises as skelegrow, and the other a pain relief. He downs them one after the other before he allows Blaise to help him wash the taste out of his mouth with some more water.

"Your father should be here in a moment, Silvius. Why don't you get some pajamas on and get yourself settled?" Remus steps forward and cards a hand through Silvius's hair. He watches as Silvius smiles before tugging Blaise out of the visitor's chair and onto his mattress, allowing the older boy to transfigure his tattered robes into a pair of comfortable pajamas. He raises an eyebrow when Blaise slips under the covers and allows Silvius to immediately curl up against his side, an arm wrapping around Silvius's shoulders to keep him close.

"Thank you, Uncle Moony. Father isn't going to be happy." He grumbles, nuzzling his cheek against Blaise's shoulder.

"We may just have to convince him to allow you to stay at Hogwarts after this," Blaise jokes, chuckling when he pulls a quiet groan from his boyfriend.

"If not him, then Uncle Marvolo when he receives wind of this. Seriously, they are already understandably protective of me as it is. I can only imagine what they are going to do to me when they actually find out what has happened." Silvius bemoans his fate, burying his face completely in Blaise's shoulder. And Remus can't argue with the young boy. Regulus and Marvolo were both extremely protective of Silvius, and not just because he had only just been returned to them after fifteen long years, but because he is their son or their heir. A part of their family, and if he knows anything about purebloods, it is that the most important thing to them is family.

"I am sure that your father will allow you to come up with a solution to this all on your own if you ask him. He may wish to have some input, and they both will stand by your side through the entire process, no matter what you choose. Especially if you do wish to bring the Board of Governors into this."

"I have already told the Weasel that I will have less mercy for him this time. Seeing as detentions and a loss of House points didn't seem to do the trick and teach him a lesson, I was going to take it a step further. I think I want to go to the Board and see what they have to say about the entire situation. But I am just really not looking forward to having this entire thing plastered all over the newspapers. I don't need anyone thinking that I am too weak to handle myself."

"I don't think the population of wizarding Britain is going to see you as weak, Silvius. If anything, they are going to see a brave young man who is going against The Albus Dumbledore to stand up for what he believes in. They are going to sympathise with a young wizard who just wants to finish his education but can't because of bigoted classmates and teachers who play favourites. They are going to turn on Weasley faster because you are a child who has been lost to us for over a decade, a child who has only just been reunited with his biological family, and is now being targeted, for reasons unknown, but the Light." Blaise explains, gently carding his hand through Silvius's hair. Allowing his wings to wrap around his boyfriend for a few moments before they unfurl again and flutter softly to the sides.

"I am just going to continue pretending that I hear none of this, Mister Black, Mister Zabini. However, I will agree and insist that you get the Governors involved, as this cannot be allowed to continue. If this is what Mister Weasley can accomplish in an unprovoked attack, then I fear what he will do to someone who does provoke him. If needs be, I will even provide a statement and will come forward as a witness if this matter should be taken to court." Madam Pomfrey offers, winking down at the sixteen-year-olds.

Silvius stares at the Mediwitch in surprise. He hadn't had much contact with the woman since he returned to being Silvius Black, so she couldn't have formed any real connection with him yet. He hadn't even been to the hospital wing, that he can recall, since the beginning of the school year. But here she was, Mediwitch to Hogwarts and a long-standing employee of Dumbledore, willing to put her career on the line and help tear Dumbledore from the pedestal which the wizarding world had set him upon.

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey. I will speak it over with my father and see what he has to say on the matter. I really appreciate you helping us out."

"Do not forget to speak to those Uncles of yours. I hear that Lord Malfoy and Lord Slytherin-Peverell are quite protective of you, Mister Black." The teasing lilt to her voice catches Silvius off guard for a moment, but it draws a light flush to his cheeks and a pleased grin to his lips nonetheless.

"My uncles are the best, are they, Uncle Moony?"

"That is because we have the most powerful, intelligent, and adorable cub to look after." Remus teases as well, chuckling when Silvius's grin widens, a happy glow permeating the air around him, even as a light purr rumbles from the back of his throat. Remus can't resist dropping a kiss on Silvius's head.

"I didn't know you were so close to Regulus Black, Remus? I mean, I knew the two of you hung out occasionally while you were students, but I didn't think you still would be in communication now. Not with Regulus's very recent return to the land of the living."

"Ah. Yes, well. We seemed to have rekindled our friendship when I found out that he was friends with the man I found to be my Mate." Remus scratches the back of his neck, a sheepish smile stretching across his lips as he glances at the Mediwitch. Poppy smiles at the young man, happy to see him looking so much better, happier, and healthier than when he had come to the school to teach back in 1993.

"You have finally found your Mate? Do I get to know who it is?"

"Ummm." Remus hesitates. He had always held a soft spot for the school's Mediwitch. She had always been so attentive and caring after each and every full moon, ensuring that he was healing right after Moony attacked himself during the transformation. She had always gone above and beyond to make sure that he was alright and that he had everything he could possibly need. She cared for the students first and foremost.

"Let me take a guess. Your Mate is someone Dumbledore wouldn't approve of?" She sniffs, taking his hesitation for what it was. "Who cares what that old codger believes anymore. I am guessing that it is another werewolf?" Pomfrey chuckles when a light flush covers Remus's cheeks and ears. The boy had always been easy to embarrass, and it was good to see that trait hadn't left him in his adult years.

"Yes, he is another werewolf. During the summer, just before I was offered the Defense position here again, I found out that my Mate bond had been suppressed at some point, which is why it had taken me so long to identify who my Mate was, and why I thought I may not have one." Remus admits, watching with a small smile as Pomfrey shakes her head in disgust as she fusses over Silvius by tugging his blankets further up around the two boys and fluffing the pillows to make them both more comfortable.

“No doubt it was our wonderful employer who suppressed it. Who is it?” She questions.

“He did. When the bond was released, I found out that my Mate was Fenrir Greyback. It was one of the reasons he made the agreement with my parents to turn me as a child. That and to save me from a serious illness which would have killed me before I turned five.” Silvius and Blaise watch the exchange in silence; they didn’t know just how disillusioned their school's MediWitch had become when it came to Dumbledore, but then again, she probably saw the results of interhouse fighting that took place.

“And he treats you right?”

“He does,” A gentle smile stretches across Remus’s face. “Fenrir is teaching me all about how to fully integrate with my wolf to make my transformations less painful and to allow me to control the wolf without Wolfsbane. He is training me in the ways and traditions of the werewolves and is very protective. He cares for me, Poppy, that I can assure you.”

“Where is my son?” A voice calls out, breathing slightly laboured as the doors to the infirmary open up to reveal the slightly dishevelled figure of Regulus Black flanked by not only Severus, but Lucius and Marvolo as well. Each one looked incessant with rage, worry shining deep in the expressions, and Silvius could not help but smile over at the four.

“Father!” He calls drawing the man’s attention over to himself and Blaise, who still refused to release his Mate from his embrace.

Regulus makes his way over to his son and pulls both boys into a tight embrace, carding a hand through Silvius’s hair as he tucks his son’s face into his shoulder. Pulling back after a while, Regulus trails his eyes down his son and sighs, brushing a finger lightly down the side of his face when he sees a nicely forming bruise appearing across his temple and cheek.

“Silvi.”

“I am okay, Dad. I promise.” Silvius sighs, wrapping his arms around his father in return as he pulls the man into another embrace.

“What happened?” Marvolo questions, conjuring up several seats for them all to sit down. He stares down at his godson for a moment, an invisible smile working its way across his expression, when Silvius pouts over at him.

“That no good Weasel attacked me.”

“He what?”

“Oh yes, he decided that it was a good idea to sneak up behind me when I was on my way back to the library, and the next thing I know, I am flying several feet down the corridor. I cracked my head off the floor, and it sent me dizzy. Otherwise, I would have been able to fight back more. He then proceeded to fire spell after spell at me before an Expelliarmus smacked me straight in the back during a dizzy spell, and I went flying into the wall.”

“Did he mention why he attacked?” Severus questions, his hand slipping into Lucius’s as the couple take a seat on the opposite side of Silvius’s bed to Regulus and Marvolo.

“Despite the fact that I am an evil, slimy Snake. He said it was my fault that he wasn’t able to try out for the Quidditch team this year and that I am the one who clearly managed to do something to Dumbledore because otherwise he wouldn’t have been punished at all.”

“He blamed you… for him being punished.”

“Yes, apparently, Weasley is convinced that I managed to either cajole or blackmail Dumbledore into punishing him because he wouldn’t have gotten detention otherwise. It was my fault that he was having to rid the castle of Boggarts and help Uncle Severus in his detentions. He believed that without my nasty influence, Dumbledore would have praised him and given him a reward for taking down a Dark wizard.” Silvius shrugs his shoulders, cuddling back against Blaise’s side and sighing when his boyfriend continues to smooth a hand through his hair while looks of outrage pass through his family.

“That boy has no sense of responsibility at all. He is being punished because he attacked a fellow student with the intent to injure. He should consider himself lucky that he still has his wand intact.” Marvolo snarls, hands clenching into fists, and Silvius wonders if his godfather was a few seconds away from jumping from his seat and hunting down the Gryffindor. He turns his head, burying his face against Blaise’s shoulder when he sees his father slipping his hand into Marvolo’s, the touch instantly calming his uncle down. He makes a mental note not to tell them that Weasley was still incarcerated on one of the beds further down the room.

“We will ensure that he knows the consequences of his actions, Marvolo. Silvius? What would you like us to do?”

“Me?” Silvius questions, turning his attention to Lucius, who smirks down at him.

“Yes, you, Silvius. These attacks happened against your person, so we will follow your lead on this one. What do you want us to do about this?”

"I wasn't too sure at first, we were talking about bringing this incident up with the Board of Governors. I wasn't too keen on the publicity such a move would elicit, but Blaise informed me that it would actually help us out quite a bit. You can have your memories copied, and the notes from the meeting Severus attended. Imagine the headlines when it gets out that a child from one of the well-known Light families, and Dumbledore's biggest supporters, is charged with unprovoked assault and attempted murder of the recently found, Black Heir?"

"And with the evidence we have collected from the two attacks against Silvius, and Dumbledore's reaction to the first attack during your meeting, you will have plenty of proof to convict Weasley of several decades in Azkaban." Blaise reaffirms, tightening his arm around Silvius.

"What is this about attempted murder?" Regulus growls out, silver eyes flashing as he stares hard at Silvius.

"After Weasley hit me with an Expelliarmus the second time, I couldn't really move. My head was spinning, and I was sitting up against the wall. All I remember is a garbled voice shouting a spell and then this flash of light. I couldn't tell really what spell it was, but all I could sense was this impending doom. Like, if that spell hit me, then I would be dead right now."

"He tried to kill you?" Regulus's voice is constrained, shaking with repressed rage. He jumps to his feet, fists clenching by his sides at the thought of anyone trying to harm his son, let alone kill him, on the school grounds in a heavily travelled corridor.

"He didn't, Reggie. Silvius is here with us; he is going to be okay. You need to calm down." Marvolo soothes, hand outstretched for the other to reach for if he so chooses.

"Calm down? You want me to calm down, after I found out someone has just tried to kill my child?" Regulus shouts in return, eyebrows drawing together as he redirects his anger at Marvolo.

"I understand how you are feeling, Reg, but losing your temper will do nothing. We need to remain calm so that we can help Silvius come up with a plan."

"You understand? You understand nothing, Marvolo. That is my child who was threatened; who has been attacked several times now, and I will not stand for it to happen a third time."

"Okay, you are right, Reggie. I don't know what it is like to have a child of my own flesh and blood threatened, but I do understand." Marvolo pushes himself to his feet and slowly makes his way over to the Black Lord. "I know what it is like to have those important to me threatened. I know what it is like to have something important to me taken away. You forget that you made me Silvius's godfather before he was taken. That you were my right-hand man, my most favoured, and when I found out that you were being targeted? I understand, Reggie. Maybe not entirely, but I do understand." Marvolo once more holds his hand out to Regulus and waits with bated breath to see what his friend will do.

Regulus stands in front of the Dark Lord, stunned by the other's words. He hadn't meant to shout at Marvolo as he had; he hadn't meant to get so riled up, but he just couldn't help himself. Someone was after his child. Dumbledore and his Light were still going after his family, and he couldn't understand why. It wasn't like they were the most influential family around, nor were they the richest. It was frustrating. To have his child in so much danger and not being able to do anything about it, but Marvolo was right. There was no point in getting so angry. Not when Silvius needed him. Not when they would need to keep a clear head if they were to go head-to-head against Dumbledore.

"Merlin, you are right, Marvolo." Regulus allows the Dark Lord to take hold of his hand and lead him back to their seats. "I am sorry for losing my temper and implying that you couldn't understand what I am going through."

"I get it, Reg. I really do. You have nothing to apologise for, but know this, we will stop Dumbledore, and we will see this ankle-biter arrested for his crimes against Silvius. I promise." Marvolo raises Regulus's hand and presses a kiss to his knuckles, as if sealing the deal between them.

"Okay." Regulus turns back to Silvius, "So, you wish to bring the Governors into it now?"

"I believe it will be the best course of action, and besides, I want to watch the Weasel squirm when he realises that Dumbledore isn't going to be around to save his backside this time. I think, like Blaise was saying, the publicity could be a great help to our cause. Especially when it comes to crumbling Dumbledore's support base. We can supply all the evidence to show Dumbledore trying to brush the first attack under the carpet and trying to give Ronald nothing but a slap on the wrist for his crimes. We can supply copies of the medical reports Severus acquired from the first assault, and one from Madam Pomfrey from this attack, to get Weasley thrown in Azkaban." Silvius grins over at his father and uncles, snuggling further into Blaise's embrace when he feels the tips of his wings brushing against the others in an accidental caress. 

"I believe you are correct, Little Salazar, but... is this the right place to be discussing such things?" Marvolo cautions, eyeing the Mediwitch who was still flitting around their group as she places another potion on the bedside table next to Silvius, a large pitcher of water, and the parchment filled with ailments.

"A little late to be worrying about that, isn't it? I will have you know, Lord Slytherin-Peverell, that my hospital wing has been warded shut to anyone unless there is an emergency, and has been ever since you walked in. I know of only one Heir to the Slytherin line, so I know exactly who you are, and Dumbledore will not like you being anywhere in his castle."

"And you are not worried about having me here?"

"Worried? Why in Merlin's name would I be worried? It is not like you are going to go on a murdering spree in a castle filled with innocent children, even I know you better than that, Mister Dark Lord. Besides, I can see that you came here with one goal, and one goal only in mind. To check up on the welfare of your godson. I will not deny you such a thing. If you just so happen to plan that old codger's downfall while you are here, then I believe I have become temporarily deaf. Besides, it is about time the old fool got what was coming to him, don't you agree?"

Once again, their group takes to staring up at the Mediwitch for a moment, processing her words before they all begin to relax. Silvius chuckles against Blaise's side, rubbing his cheek against his Mate's shoulder when Madam Pomfrey turns to wink down at him.

"I believe that the Board of Governors and the wizarding population as a whole deserve to know the truth behind our esteemed headmaster. I mean, can you imagine the uproar it would cause when they find out that Dumbledore has been such an advocate for House rivalries that he has allowed one of his students to be attacked quite viciously twice, and it hasn't even been a month."

"Not taking into account that you are the Lord to three prominent houses and the Heir to three more, Silvius."

"Now, that is just an added bonus, Destined. Dumbledore's support system will crumble beneath his feet, and we will have front row seats to the show." Silvius snickers, a smirk dancing against the corner of his mouth, sparkling in his eyes. Especially when he sees the proud smiles spreading across his uncles' and father's expressions at his words. 

"Alright, I will bring it up with the Board this afternoon, with your permission, My Prince?"

"Thank you, Lord Malfoy. I am sure you will handle this case with the utmost urgency." Silvius responds, breaking down into chuckles when his uncle rolls his eyes at the byplay.

"I will go with Luc. I believe it would be for the best, seen it has been a direct attack against my son."

"I believe that I will accompany you as well. Silvius is my godson and the Heir to my houses as well." Marvolo smirks down at Regulus, shifting their hands so that their fingers were interlaced together, smiling when it draws a soft grin and a pale flush to Regulus's features.

“Let us pray to Merlin that we will be able to get this all sorted out before the Yuletide holidays,” Blaise comments, pulling sniggers from around the infirmary.

-----

Fama finds herself sitting in the Surveillance room late the next evening. She had received news from Silvius that Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, and Remus had all been called for an ordering meeting after the final lesson of the day. She had been tasked with noting down all that happened, which could be significant to their cause or the Dark Lord.

She watches in anticipated silence as the Order members begin to filter into the dining room of Grimmauld Place, the notes and plans Asclepius had copied were still spread across the table's surface. She could tell most of the Order members were too busy to even attempt to organise and tidy up their important documents because the kitchen looked like it hadn’t been touched since their first mission. She shakes her head, knowing that Phoebus and Minerva were still trying to make their way through the documents whenever they found some free time.

Quill poised over a blank sheet of parchment, Pansy stares at the growing group in boredom. It was like not a single Light witch or wizard had any sense of urgency in their bodies at all. Dropping her cheek to rest in the palm of her hand, Phelm rolls her eyes when Dumbledore finally stands to his feet, and a hush falls over the kitchen.

“I have some grave news to share with you all this afternoon. It seems that the Dark Side is on the move once again. While we have not heard anything more on the group that calls themselves the In Dolus Intortis, it would seem that they have not been idle.”

“What do you mean, Headmaster?” Tonks shouts across the room, hair its usual blazing pink, and Phelm cannot help but wonder how she could get away with such a colour in the Auror department. Weren’t they supposed to be professionals? It didn’t seem right to have an individual on the Auror team, who was known for their stealth missions, to have such a bright, eye-catching hair colour.

“This new publication,” He holds up a copy of the magazine. “I felt that something was not right when I was reading through the articles. Not only does this hold some information pertaining to the Dark Sects. goals they are hoping to achieve, but the name of the magazine felt familiar to me.”

“Familiar? How?” Moody’s gruff voice cuts in, and Phelm snickers, his arm was still out of use for the most part by the looks of his stiff movements and thunderous expression.

“The Cunning Intelligence. In Dolus Intortis. The name of this new faction for the Dark Lord is Latin and can translate into The Guise or, in some instances, ‘Cunning Intelligence’. I fear that we have not heard the last of the In Dolus Intortis and that they are going to attempt to fight a battle against us on three fronts from now on.”

“Three fronts, Headmaster?” Bill questions, his voice wavering ever so slightly, and Pansy knows that he is employing his Occlumency shields to prevent himself from laughing at the worry creasing the old man’s brows. Though the rest of the Order would perceive his voice tremors as fear or concern, she would have to compliment him on his superb acting skills later.

“A physical battle is fast approaching between the two sides. I fear that in the future we will be forced into a position where we will have no choice but to engage the entire In Dolus Intortis as well as Tom’s Death Eaters in an intense battle for control over the wizarding world. Second, they will fight us through the press and attempt to win the favour of the wizarding population by painting our cause in a bad light while praising their own members and feeding the population with enough detail to satisfy their curiosity while not telling the entire story.”

“And the third method?” Charlie puts in when Dumbledore pauses for a moment too long.

“The third method would be through political means. I fear that with the addition of so many Dark family seats to the Wizengamot this year that we are now vastly outnumbered and out-ranked in terms of power. Our influence over laws and legislations has dramatically decreased, and if we do not rectify the situation soon, then we will lose the Ministry without even having a real chance to fight.”

Dumbledore collapses back into his seat and strokes his beard while a flurry of murmurs flies around the room as members turn to their neighbours to discuss the dire situation. They hadn’t faced such uncertainties since the end of the wizarding war, when they had been certain that Voldemort was going to come out victorious. They didn’t know how they were going to manage to fight a war on three different fronts, especially when the majority of people within the Dark knew their way around the Ministry and Wizengamot political fields like the back of their hands.

“What do you suggest we do, Headmaster?” Molly’s simpering voice crackles over the headset, and Phelm cringes. She still couldn’t believe that Silvius had been able to stand being around the woman for weeks on end for several years without completely losing his mind. The woman’s voice was one of the most irritating she had ever heard.

“I am glad you asked, Molly. I have a favour to ask of both you and your husband, as well as your children. I feel as if this will be the best course of action for the moment.”

“What can we do for you, Headmaster?” Arthur mutters, wrapping an arm around Molly while he glances around at his four children, initiated into the Order. He wonders what the headmaster could possibly want with his family.

“I believe that it would be best for Bill, Fred, and George to take up their mantles as Lords of their rightful houses.” Silence blankets the room, and Phelm has to stifle her giggles. She couldn’t believe that Silvius had been right in his prediction.

“What?”

“I know that you will not agree with me, Arthur, but this is the only way we will be able to raise our influence and power in the Wizengamot and therefore have a chance to prevent the Ministry from falling into the hands of the Dark. I know that you rejected the Lordship because you did not wish to cast Septimus Weasley out of the family, but I believe that this will be for the best.”

“I’ll do it.” Bill breaks in, a small smile shaping his lips as he tries to reassure his parents. “Mum, Dad, Dumbledore is right. This will be a good opportunity to increase our influence in the Ministry. Besides, it would be better if I took the Lordship rather than you, Dad, because none of the Lords or Ladies on the Wizengamot would trust you enough to allow you to claim the seat, let alone anything else. It would be too suspicious.”

“What about you? Wouldn’t they find it suspicious that you are taking up the Lordship now?” Podmore almost demands, and Bill rolls his eyes.

“Maybe, but it will decrease suspicion if it were me. I have been working for the Goblins out of the country since I left Hogwarts, and the Lords and Ladies of the courts will believe that I have been influenced by their teachings into having a more neutral mindset.”

“That is a good point.” Remus concedes, an invisible smirk stretching across his lips at the oldest Weasley child.

“I don’t know. I don’t know if I feel comfortable enough to allow Septimus to be cast out of the family completely…”

“How about this, Dad. Bill can take up the Lordship, but he can separate the family by claiming a difference in opinion. Bill and I, as the secondary Heir, will make up the Main Branch of the Weasley family, while we claim that you, Mum, and the younger children have been labelled as a secondary branch? This way it will lessen suspicion around Bill as Lord Weasley even more and give him more validation in the eyes of the Wizengamot.” Charlie adds in, excitement rising in his chest at the prospect of one of their plans coming to fruition so easily. They hadn’t thought that Dumbledore would actually suggest that they claim their Lordships so easily.

“Besides, there was nothing in the stipulation saying that we couldn’t reinstate Septimus in the Weasley family tree after claiming the Lordship if we so chose, Dad,” Bill adds in as he sees his mother beginning to cave to their arguments.

“Arthur, I think we should let them do this. It will help our cause.” Molly persuades, wrapping an arm around her husband in return, and he sighs.

“Alright, who will be joining you in the main branch?”

“Just Charlie and I for now. I don’t think Ron or Ginny would wish to leave you guys, and I wouldn’t have the right of guardianship over them anyhow. I think it would be best to keep them with you.”

“Alright. What about Fred and George, and Percy?”

“Percy wouldn’t agree to moving to the main branch with me, despite his clouded judgement and reverence with the Ministry, he still believed that Septimus Weasley was the innocent party in this situation and wouldn’t have agreed with me if I suggested casting him out of the family. I think he should stay with you for now. If he wants to switch over later, then we will discuss it. Fred and George, I believe, are all sorted in their own rights, right, Headmaster?” Bill explains with a small smile towards his parents; besides, he didn’t really want to have Percy in his branch of the family. The pompous git got on his nerves more often than he didn’t.

“You would be correct, Bill.”

“What are you going on about?” Moody questions, his arm crossing over his chest while the other lay motionless by his side, and Phelm snickers again. For one of the most renowned Aurors in the world, he wasn’t the brightest Lumos out there.

“Seen as the Headmaster wishes to increase our influence in the Ministry and has asked for Bill to claim the Weasley Lordship, then it would make sense that he would want Fred and George to take up the mantel of Lords Prewett.”

“Why both of them? Wouldn’t only one of them be able to claim the Lordship? George, as he is the oldest.”

“I’m not the oldest. Fred is.”

“Yeah, Dad. Come on, you should know this.” Fred and George complain, earning chuckles from around the room.

“Sorry, Fred.”

“The Prewett Lordship has always been claimed by a set of magical twins and is a stipulation when it comes to the family’s seat on the Wizengamot. Only Fred and George are eligible for the Lordship.”

“Nice. You hear that, Gred?”

“Of course, I did, Forge. Can you believe it?”

“Lords. Us. It is unbelievable.”

“But completely understandable.”

“Oh, completely. We always knew we were destined for greater things.”

“Right you are, Forge.” Fred and George high-five each other, grinning over at their brothers, who return the expression.

The rest of the Order watch the pair with rising trepidation, and Pansy can’t help but laugh at their expressions. She knew that the twins were just putting on airs; she knew that they were intelligent enough to claim their Lordship and have their family prospering within weeks, especially seeing as how well their shop was doing in the couple of months it had been open. It was refreshing to see the jokester side of the Weasley twins seen as they were always competing and duelling each other when they were in the chamber, and she didn’t get to see them experimenting much for their products.

“Alright, so we will have an additional two seats in the Wizengamot. Is this going to make much of a difference?” Podmore questions eyeing the Weasley children.

“Have faith, Podmore. When the Light and Neutral families see that Bill, Fred, and George are voting in accordance with the Light side's polices and fighting for the right cause, then it will convince them all to do the same. We will be able to fight against the Dark families in their own field in the very near future.”

Phelm snorts as she continues to jot some notes down on her parchment. She couldn’t actually understand how so many people could believe the dragon dung which spouted from the headmaster’s mouth at every turn. It didn’t make sense. If they looked at the significant difference in voting during the last Wizengamot meeting, there was almost a twenty-vote difference between the Dark side and the Light side. It was ridiculous that these people could hang off the words of an old codger so easily without a single thought to their own opinions and feelings.

Then again, she couldn’t complain much, because of their shortcomings and complete lack of original thought processes, it would make their job so much more simplistic. They would be able to battle against a bunch of sheep who didn’t feel as connected with their goals because it wasn’t truly what they wanted to do, while everyone in the Dark Sect held the same goals, just to varying degrees. No one in the Death Eaters or In Dolus Intortis was shamed for holding a different opinion on how things should be run or how everything should work out. No one was ostracised because they didn’t bow down and prostrate themselves at Dumbledore. After all, the sun apparently shines out of the man’s ass.

Even if the rest of the Death Eaters didn’t have as much freedom to speak their minds as the inner circle and Elite faction, their Lord still listened to them and changed his plans accordingly if something was brought to his attention that could shift the outcome. It wasn’t as much of a dictatorship as Dumbledore always liked to make it out to be, and Phelm couldn’t wait to see the looks on the Order’s faces when they finally figured that out.

“Alright, so Bill will be breaking away from Arthur and Molly and forming the first Main branch of the Weasley family seen in over fifty years. Fred and George will be taking co-Lordship of the Prewett family, and both will be joining the Wizengamot shortly.” Remus summarises, and the rest of the Order turn towards Dumbledore, who nods his head, stroking a hand down his beard.

“Yes, I believe that would be for the best. However, there was one other thing I was hoping to discuss with you all before we disperse for the evening.” Everyone turns their complete attention to Dumbledore, who steeples his fingers and leans against the dining table. “I believe that we should finish what we started all those years ago at the end of the wizarding war.”

No one speaks for a moment, the younger members pondering on what Dumbledore could be going on about, while the Dark Sect members can feel their hearts dropping, icy shooting through their veins at the grim expression shaping Dumbledore’s features. Surely the headmaster was not suggesting what they thought he was suggesting. They share a quick look with each other.

“What do you mean, Headmaster?”

“My dear, I believe it would be for the best if we continue to rid the world of those who stand in the way of our goals. We need to pave a path for our goals in order to win against the Dark, who are trying to snuff out the Light as we speak.”

“How are we going to do that, Headmaster?” Minerva questions, pushing her glasses up her nose as she stares across at her employer.

“Our next target, of course, Minerva. I believe I have figured out who our next target should be.” Clarification settles around the room as Order members relax back against their seats, nodding their heads in agreement with the headmaster’s words. They would need to get rid of anyone powerful enough to cause them trouble in the future. It was just common sense.

“Who is it, headmaster?” Charlie asks, sharing a look of trepidation with Bill.

“Why Regulus Black, of course. We have received some heavy inside information about Regulus Black stating that he had been reinstated as the right-hand man of the Dark Lord, now that he has officially been reinstated as alive and as the Lord to his family seat.”

“But Regulus isn’t a Death Eater… the Daily Prophet-”

“The Daily Prophet can be fooled, you stupid girl. Regulus Black joined the Dark Lord’s forces as soon as he graduated from Hogwarts. Now that he is back, he has taken his place back by his master’s side.” Alastor snaps at Tonks, who slumps down in her seat with a pout.

“Alastor is correct. Right now, Regulus Black is one of our top priorities.”

“What about his son?” Kingsley enquires, an eyebrow raised at the headmaster, who merely sighs.

“Silvius Black has proved to be a difficult case. I will continue to persuade him over to the Light, though I believe we will have an easier job of it were his father to be out of the picture. If we can remove Regulus, then I am sure Silvius will see sense and come over to our side.”

“Isn’t Silvius the Heir to the Dark Sect, though? Wouldn’t the Dark Lord have him under heavy protections if Regulus were to disappear?”

“Silvius Black is not the Heir to the Dark Sect. He was made Heir to the Slytherin and Peverell Lordships, but he is not the Heir to the Dark.” Severus puts in, his arms tightly crossed over his chest as he scowls around the room at the sycophant fools.

“That Jupiter was the Dark Sect Heir, wasn’t he?” Charlie throws in, and the rest of them nod in understanding. Severus had mentioned as much during their last meeting.

“How can we be sure that they are not the same person?” Arthur throws in, and Severus sighs. This was not going according to plan. He needed to steer them away from this line of thinking immediately before they decided to go after Silvius instead.

“How many people in here are professors or have at least interacted with Silvius Black? He may have a strong sense of vindictiveness running through him, but he is the sweetest child ever. He is studious, hard-working, and a very intellectual child. I am sure that Regulus would not like his child to be put in danger so soon after being reunited.” Minerva argues, and Severus almost breathes a sigh of relief.

“Besides, Jupiter was adept at fighting and managed to hold his own against us when we battled in Godric’s Hollow. Silvius, although a bright student, has not shown the same aptitude during his Defence sessions. His father has admitted to giving his Son additional tutoring sessions to aid in his studies.” Remus adds in, fighting back a smirk when others begin to nod in agreement. There was no way Silvius could be the experienced fighter they met in Godric’s Hollow if he needed extra help to keep up with his peers.

“He has also been beaten up by my Ronald twice now.” Molly practically brags, and Severus has to place a subtle arm on Remus’s wrist when he hears a faint growl emitting from the wolf’s chest at the woman’s words. He can feel his own anger rising, but placates himself with thoughts of the woman’s face as her youngest son is escorted to Azkaban for his attacks. Her expression won’t be smug for very long, not after the board of governors is done with her son.

“Yes, someone that weak can’t possibly be the Heir to the Dark Sect. Besides, the Dark Lord wouldn’t be stupid enough to name the same child as the Heir to his houses and the Heir to his faction; it would be much too obvious, and with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’s rising paranoia, it wouldn’t be a smart move to make.” Alastor states, and the rest of the Order nods along in agreement. Severus had to fight back a smirk; it seemed that he didn’t have to do much to dispel their thoughts. He always loved it when his colleagues convinced themselves away from the truth through their own logic. He glances around at the various Dark Sect members, most from the In Dolus Intortis, and can see the relief swimming behind their expressions at the fact that Silvius’s identity as Jupiter will remain safe for the time being.

“What are your plans for Regulus Black? Wouldn’t it be bad for us if we were found out to be plotting against a Lord of a household?” Kingsley brings to topic of conversation back to the matter at hand, and Severus can’t help but raise his eyebrow at the man, this coming from a top Auror.

“I believe we should stage a kidnapping. Make it look like the Dark Lord has sent his Death Eaters to get rid of any loose ends seen as Regulus is pretending to be an innocent in all of this. If we can stage a kidnapping to look like a group of Death Eaters were getting revenge against Regulus, then the wizarding population would have no reason to set their sights on the Order.”

“How would we manage that?”

“It is simple. We figure out where Regulus is going to be, when he plans to leave the school grounds for an extended period of time, and we will strike when he is alone.”

“You wish for us to dress up as Death Eaters to kidnap Lord Black? Won’t the Dark Lord know the Light has kidnapped him and try to get him back?” Bill questions while looking around the room at the nodding Order members, this plan couldn’t really satisfy them. There was so much that could go wrong, even if they weren’t there to inform Silvius of the plans. There was no way that their leader was going to allow his father to be kidnapped.

“Tom will know Regulus is under our control, and he may well try to retrieve his right-hand man, but we will secure Regulus under several wards and undetectable charms so no one will be able to find him. When news of Regulus’s disappearance travels and people begin to wonder about the truth behind my claims of Voldemort returning, then Silvius will have no choice but to join our cause or be forced into filling his father’s role as Voldemort’s right-hand man.”

The Order murmurs in agreement to Dumbledore’s words, and Fama cannot help but cringe at the sycophantic worship the Order had going on in its ranks. She couldn’t picture herself sitting in one of Silvius’s meetings acting like this. No, they acted like one unit with multiple ideas, playing on everyone’s strengths and weaknesses to make their teamwork flow perfectly. They didn’t rely on Silvius to come up with all of their plans for them; they didn’t blindly follow Silvius’s every command. If they thought something would work out a little better if they went about it a different way, then they would say something. Silvius would always listen to their opinions and rework their plans accordingly. They were no mindless sheep, like the Order of the Phoenix.

“I will keep an eye out for Regulus to watch when he leaves the school. I want you all to prepare yourselves for this mission and be ready to strike at a moment’s notice. We will only get one shot at this, so I do not want any mistakes to be made.”

“Yes, Headmaster.”

“Excellent. There is nothing more that I needed to say this afternoon, and if there is nothing more to report, then I will bid you all a good night.” Dumbledore doesn’t give anyone a chance to respond before he pushes himself up from his seat and walks out of the kitchen at Grimmauld Place with his hands clasped behind his back, a pleased smile stretching across his lips.

Severus rolls his eyes, smirking over at the Weasley brothers and Remus when they meet his eyes across the hustle of bustle of the end of the Order meeting. It was a good thing that he had nothing serious to report on the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters this evening because Dumbledore hadn’t stuck around long enough for him to get a word in edgewise anyhow. He stands up, sighing at the thought of returning to the school, when his eyes widen. He couldn’t return to the school just yet; he would need to inform his Lord of the recent plans surrounding Regulus and Silvius.

Chapter 25: Fruition and Deception

Notes:

Hey guys, so I have been working on an original novel over the past week and have been able to write over half of the story. I got so distracted trying to get it finished as soon as possible, and almost forgot about the next chapter update for this story XD Luckily, I remembered at the last minute and managed to spend the last hour editing this piece for you all.

Hope you enjoy XD

Silvius hadn’t known what to make of the summons, if the small note could even be called that, that Blaise had sent to him during lunch earlier that day. He had tried multiple times to question his Mate throughout the rest of the day, but all he had received in response had been secretive smirks and a glittering of mischief shining in Blaise’s eyes. He wasn’t worried, though, not when he was standing alone in the quiet corridors now that everyone else had made their way to the Great Hall for dinner. He wasn’t worried about being accosted by any stray Gryffindors, not when his father had made it perfectly clear that Ronald was going to be taken to court very soon.

He leans back against the wall, breathing calmly as he tilts his head back to glance up at the ceiling, his fingers lift to gently brush over the bandage still taped to the side of his head where it had collided with the stone floor the other day. Pondering on his injuries, Silvius shakes his head. The weasel had been extremely lucky that his head had collided with the ground; otherwise, he wouldn’t be standing here today with his sternum still intact and his heart still beating. Besides, practically all of his injuries had been healed by Pomfrey during his brief stay in the hospital wing.

Brushing his hands down his robes, Silvius takes another second to cast a critical eye over his outfit consisting of a pair of plain black dress trousers, a deep purple shirt with a sleeveless black robe thrown on over the top. His trousers were tucked neatly into the top of his Dragon hide boots. Nodding his head at the well put-together ensemble, he would have to remember to thank Draco later on. Silvius runs his hands through his hair. Pulling the loose strands over his shoulder, he begins to gently twist them around each other in a loose plait. He didn’t know what Blaise had planned for them tonight, but he didn’t want his hair to be constantly getting in his way.

Quiet footfalls pull Silvius out of his musings, and he turns towards the noise, knowing that it could be none other than his Mate at this time. His breath catches in his throat when his gaze locks on his approaching Mate, stuttering as he allows his eyes to slowly trail down Blaise’s form. He was wearing skin-tight black formal slacks, paired with a bright white dress shirt, which Silvius thought contrasted beautifully with his dark complexion. A purple robe, just a shade of two lighter than Silvius’s shirt, was draped over his shoulders and clasped with the broach Silvius had gifted him for their first courting present. Silvius strokes a finger around his own bracelet.

“Tesoro, you look beautiful,” Blaise mutters as he approaches his Mate, a single finger stroking down his cheeks, and he chuckles when Silvius’s eyes close.

“You look breathtaking, Destined,” Silvius responded, his tone backing up his words. He leans up to brush a kiss against Blaise’s mouth. “So, what have you got planned for me this evening?”

Blaise pulls back, slips his hand into Silvius’s, and bends down into a bow as he brushes his lips against Silvius’s knuckles. He looks up at his mate with a smirk dancing on his lips, and Silvius sighs.

“You aren’t going to tell me, are you?”

“Nope. I am afraid that you will have to wait a moment longer, Tesoro.”

“I could just demand you tell me, my dear Pluto.”

“You could, and I would very much tell you if you did so, My Prince.” Blaise teases back, his smirk widening when Silvius draws himself up like he does when he is Jupiter, and he can already feel the shiver passing through his body.

“You shouldn’t admit to weaknesses that someone could use against you, Destined.” Silvius steps forward, pulling Blaise back up so he could wrap his arms around his Mate’s neck and brush their lips together.

“But what if I want you to use it against me, Tesoro?” Silvius doesn’t respond except to roll his eyes at Blaise, who snickers before pulling his little Mate into a much deeper and prolonged kiss, which Silvius all but melts into.

“Come on, Silvius. I have everything set up for us.” Blaise mutters against his lips before he drops another chaste kiss to Silvius’s cheek. He pulls away and spends a moment just staring into the bright silver eyes of his boyfriend. Taking a step backward, Blaise wraps his hand back around Silvius’s and proceeds to lead his Mate through the empty halls of Hogwarts, climbing up several flights of stairs and skirting around corners.

Silvius finds his curiosity piqued when Blaise leads him all the way to the seventh floor, but instead of turning down towards the Gryffindor common room, they take the next turning and make their way down a familiar corridor, which makes Silvius’s heartbeat increase. The Room of Requirements. For some reason, Blaise was leading him towards the Room of Requirements. He watches, heart thumping away behind his ribcage, as Blaise releases his hand and paces back and forth three times, muttering under his breath as he does.

A large door appears in the middle of the stone wall, and Silvius can feel his anticipation increasing when Blaise takes a deep breath and wipes his hands down his trousers. A smile stretched across his lips, his Mate, his dominant was nervous, and that made Silvius’s love for him swell in his chest. Walking over to Blaise, Silvius presses his lips against the sensitive skin just beneath his mate’s ear and smiles.

“Blaise.” His voice is a whisper, nothing more, just an utterance of the other’s name, but that simple word was enough to draw Blaise out of his worries and smile down at the slightly shorter male standing by his side.

“Come on, Tesoro.” Blaise wraps an arm around Silvius’s waist and leads his boyfriend into the room he had just created.

Silvius stops in the doorway. His eyes widened at the beauty that lay out before him. The ceiling looked like the inside of a Muggle observatory, the walls covered in constellations, stars, and galaxies, most of which he couldn’t even begin to name. The ground was a large grassy field covered in a red and white checked blanket, which pulled a chuckle from Silvius. He couldn’t believe that Blaise had taken the time to set all of this up for him. His throat clogs up, and he can feel tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes.

“Blaise… this is… I mean… this is just… thank you.”

“I always keep my promises, Silvius. I told you that we would have a picnic under the midnight sky as soon as you are healed from your attack, and I will always keep my promises to you, Tesoro.”

“Promises?” Silvius tears his eyes away from the scenery, smiling when Blaise takes his hand and guides him over to the blanket where a large brown wicker basket is sitting, and he can’t help to settle down closer to his Mate than necessary, resting his head against Blaise’s shoulder.

“When Astraeus and I found you, you were semi-conscious and riddled with pain and a concussion. It is no surprise if you forgot, Silvius, but I wanted to keep this promise to you. We have had so little time alone together since we arrived at Hogwarts, and you sounded so excited when I told you that I was going to set this up for you.”

“I don’t remember.”

“I know, Silvi, but that isn’t your fault. I wanted to prepare something special for you. You have done so much for everyone else. You have been so busy trying to prove yourself to your father and godfather, to those inside and outside your faction, and I am so proud of you, Silvius. I truly am, but I know that you also deserve a break. A little time where you can simply relax and be yourself.”

“How did I ever get so lucky to have you as a Mate, Blaise?” Silvius sighs, curling closer to his Mate when an arm snakes around his waist and tugs him closer for a moment.

“It should be me saying that to you, Tesoro. I love you so much.” Blaise drops a kiss to Silvius’s temple and draws back so he can begin to unpack the food he had the House elves had prepared for them. Silvius settles down, his smile stretching into a wide grin.

“I love you as well, Destined.” Silvius watches as Blaise pulls out plate after plate of food, all of which Silvius recognised as some of his favourite dishes from both Hogwarts and back home. His mouth begins to water as his stomach grumbles, much to his own embarrassment and Blaise’s amusement. “How many people were you expecting, Blaise? This much could probably feed our entire friendship group for a meal.”

“I told the House elves that I was taking my Destined Mate on a date in the RoR and asked if they could pack some food for me. This is what they ended up giving me.” Blaise shrugs and picks up a small sandwich filled with tuna and cucumber and holds it out to Silvius, who grins and bites down.

“I swear these House elves do not have any concept of how much an average human being can stomach before they begin to feel stuffed.” Silvius snickers between mouthfuls of the delicious food.

“I don’t think it is just Hogwarts House elves. I believe it may just be house elves in general.” Blaise answers, and Silvius can’t help but chuckle at that. He nods his head because his boyfriend wasn’t wrong.

“True. The House elves at Riddle Manor are the same. Oh, speaking of Riddle Manor, did I tell you that I am moving?”

“No. When was this decided?” Blaise questions, helping himself to some more nibbles while Silvius shrugs his shoulders and pours two glasses of pumpkin juice. He slides one over to Blaise, who drops a kiss to his cheek in thanks.

“I don’t know. I just found out about it after the Wizengamot Meeting when your mother came over to speak to us and we-” Silvius cuts himself off, he didn’t know if Blaise was going to be angry with him for the plans they had made for him during the Yuletide holidays.

“We, what?” Blaise gestures for Silvius to continue, raising an eyebrow in concern when Silvius bites down on his bottom lip and takes a deep breath.

“When we were discussing our plans for Yuletide.”

“Oh, did mother mention anything about her plans?”

“Ummm. She said that she had nothing planned so far, and I may have extended an invitation for both your mother and you to spend the holidays in Slytherin Mansion with me, Father, and Uncle Marvolo.” Silvius drops his gaze to the platters in front of him. He picks up a small chicken wing and begins to pick at the chicken, slowly peeling it off before placing it in his mouth.

“And she agreed?”

“Well, she said that she would let us know. If something crops up, then she would have to decline, but because she doesn’t have any plans as of yet, she accepted.” Silvius glances at Blaise through the corner of his eye before dropping his gaze back to the chicken. “Are you angry at me?”

“Angry?” Blaise questions, turning to face Silvius. “Why in Merlin’s name would I be angry at you, Tesoro? You have given me a place to spend the holidays, a chance to spend Yuletide with you and your family. I couldn’t be happier.”

Silvius squeaks in surprise when he is drawn into a tight embrace by an exuberant Mate, and he is quick to drop his food back to the plate and wrap his arms around Blaise in return. He allows his form to relax into the warm embrace, nuzzling against Blaise’s shoulder when a hand begins to stroke down his back.

“I didn’t want you to think that I was forcing you to spend the holidays with me, but I really, really wanted to have this extra time with you.”

“It is fine, Silvius. Truly. I am looking forward to spending the holidays with you, and I am glad that you extended to invitation to Mother as well. Her last conquest ended rather abruptly, so I was worrying that she would end up alone this year.”

“That is good. Your mother is a very nice woman. She congratulated me on my arguments in the meeting and also told me that she really wanted to meet the boy that her son gushed about in his letters to the point she worried I had you under some love potions or charms.” Silvius chuckles when Blaise scowls over at him, a pout forming on his lips. “She even promised to keep writing to me!” This earns him a groan from his boyfriend, and he soon finds Blaise’s head resting on his shoulder, his ears turning an impressive shade of red.

“Why is my mother writing to you?”

“She said that she was going to tell me loads of stories about you when you were a child!” Silvius giggles, his grin stretching even wider, and Blaise couldn’t even find it in him to argue against having his embarrassing stories exposed when he catches sight of such a look. He merely shakes his head and drops a kiss to Silvius’s neck.

“Oh, the joy for me. At least the photo albums have not made an appearance.”

“Nope. She said she would bring them over for Yule!” Silvius laughs when Blaise groans again, but this time, instead of just hiding his face in Silvius’s neck, he tries to curl up almost on his boyfriend’s lap. Silvius doesn’t complain; he just cards a hand through Blaise’s hair.

“Please tell me you are joking.”

“Of course, I am. Though I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to seeing pictures of you as a child. I am sure that you were the cutest baby in the world.” Silvius sooths, giggling once again when Blaise pulls back to glare down at him. Though it doesn’t have much of an effect when Blaise places a kiss on Silvius’s temple.

“Nope, the cutest baby in the world is going to look like a mix of me and you.” Blaise comments, causing Silvius’s breath to stutter in his chest. He always loved it when Blaise would say things like this to him because it further solidified their long-lasting relationship. He already knew that they were going to be together for the rest of their lives, but it was always nice to hear these little comments from his Mate.

“Your complexion with my eyes.”

“Your hair as well.” Blaise agrees, before he pulls Silvius down so they can stare up at the starry sky printed around the room as the remaining lights slowly fade. Silvius sighs, he couldn’t think of anywhere he would rather be in this moment as he curls up against Blaise’s side to watch the glittering stars.

They stayed like that for a while, neither saying a word, but they didn’t need to. Blaise cards his hand through Silvius’s hair, his other wrapped tightly around his boyfriend’s waist so he would stay close. While Silvius had one hand wrapped around Blaise’s stomach, his fingers drawing delicate patterns across the taut muscles. He sighs, snuggling further into his Mate’s embrace, his head resting on Blaise’s shoulder.

“This is really nice.” His voice is barely above a whisper, just loud enough for Blaise to hear him.

“It is. Maybe we could do this more often.”

“Really?” Silvius pulls away from Blaise, leaning up on his elbow so he could stare down at his Mate, who merely looks up at him with an open expression filled with love and adoration.

“Of course, Silvius. I would gladly spirit you away from our friends if it meant I could get you alone for even an hour. I love our friends dearly, but there are times when I wish I could have you all to myself.”

“I feel the same, Blaise. You know I do, and I wouldn’t be at all opposed to your stealing me away.” Silvius confesses, voice still soft. He bites his lips, gaze slipping away from his Mate’s for a moment as he contemplates his next move. Locking his gaze with Blaise’s vibrant violet, his courage soars when he sees the unconditional love shining within his expression.

Swinging a leg over Blaise’s hips, Silvius settles himself down on top of his boyfriend, smirking down at Blaise when the other’s eyes widen, but his hands still automatically grip his waist. Blaise’s breath leaves his lungs at once, cheeks reddening to match the flush dusting Silvius’s.

“I will have to remember that Tesoro.” He raises a hand, stroking the back of his fingers down Silvius’s cheek before they slip over his ear, into his hair, and down to the nape of his neck. He stares up into the molten silver gaze of his Mate before he tugs Silvius down against his lips.

Blaise almost moans out at the added weight practically pinning his body down to the cushioned floor, but he holds back. He didn’t want to push Silvius, not when his Mate was still so shy when giving any form of physical affection, excluding hugs. He smiles into the kiss when Silvius presses his lips harder against his own, and Blaise tilts his head to the side for a better angle.

Silvius whimpers when he feels Blaise’s tongue tracing the seam of his lips, and before he can even think about it, he is opening his mouth to allow his Mate entrance. He loved it when Blaise kissed him like this, loved it when his Mate completely dominated their kisses. It was like an addiction, a drug that kept pulling him back in and calling out to him. He didn’t think he would ever get used to the boiling blood rushing through his veins when he felt Blaise’s tongue wrapping around his own. Nor would he ever get used to the tingling feeling that ran across his skin where he could feel Blaise’s fingers skimming over his clothed figure.

Giving himself completely over to his dominant, Silvius doesn’t fight it at all when Blaise rolls them over so that Silvius is sprawled across the grass and picnic blanket. He runs his fingers through the loosening plait and carefully pulls the tie from the end, fingers delicately working to undo the style so he could better card his fingers through the soft strands. He settles himself down between Silvius’s spread legs, ensuring to keep himself raised so he wouldn’t crush his Mate or push him any further than he was willing to give.

He feels a growl of approval rising in his chest when Silvius melts in his arms. His chest rises with each sharp intake of breath when they break apart long enough to inhale some much-needed oxygen before they are back kissing each other again. He growls when he feels teeth nipping at his bottom lip, and an answering whimper almost has him completely losing all control over himself. He pulls himself away from those tempting, reddening lips to trail some gentle kisses down Silvius’s neck.

Silvius whimpers again when he feels Blaise running the flat of his tongue along the pulse point of his neck before his teeth come out to nibble on the sensitive flesh. He tilts his head to the side, allowing Blaise better access to his neck, and squirms when he feels his Mate attaching himself to a part of his neck down near his collarbone. He bites his lips, whimpering deep in his throat, a hand coming up to rest against the back of Blaise’s head when his Mate begins to gently suckle against his skin. A shiver travels through his body when he thinks of the dark bruise that was going to form by tomorrow morning, marking him as his dominant’s Mate.

“Blaise.” It wasn’t a call, more like a reverent whisper, a gust of breath escaping his lips when teeth worry against the skin Blaise had just paid attention to.

“Merlin, Silvius. You are too tempting.” Blaise utters, face still buried in Silvius’s neck as he tries to regain control over his emotions. He was in overdrive with all the feelings coursing through his body at having his submissive Mate squirming and whimpering beneath him. He pulls back enough to see the bruise already forming on Silvius’s neck, and he couldn’t stop the self-satisfied smirk from stretching across his features at the sight. Everyone was going to know that Silvius was his and his alone by tomorrow morning. He kisses the mark for the final time before going back to claim Silvius’s lips in a demanding kiss. One which Silvius is all too happy to return.

It was safe to say that it was another half an hour or so before the pair felt ready enough to leave the Room of Requirements for the evening.

-----

Severus is pacing around his private quarter’s chewing the inside of his cheek as he contemplates the possible success of their plans. He had received a missive earlier that day from Dumbledore explaining the old man’s plans to go and retrieve the Gaunt Ring that evening. His nerves instantly began to bleed through his Occlumency shields, and he couldn't stop his hands from shaking. It all came down to this mission. It would all come down to whether Dumbledore came back in full health or whether their plans had succeeded, and the headmaster came back a step closer to death than he had been when he left.

He continues to pace back and forth, ignoring Lucius, whom he had called through his Floo just a little after dinner when Dumbledore had told him to prepare some healing potions. There was no way the headmaster was going to go to the infirmary upon his arrival back to the school; not only because he didn’t want the rest of his staff to know of his plans to attempt to retrieve the Gaunt Ring, but he didn’t want to listen to the MediWitch rant on and on about putting his life in danger in his advanced age. Not that Severus would disagree with the woman. Dumbledore was not as young as he used to be. His reflexes were not as fast and sharp as they once were, which is what they were banking on.

Severus spins on his heels, preparing to walk back across the floor in front of his fireplace, when his waist is snagged in a tight hold, and he falls backwards against his sofa. Startled at the abrupt action, Severus turns to glare over at his Mate, who is half leaning over his sprawled frame. His mouth opens to snap at the man before he curbs his tongue at the shining concern swimming in Lucius’s eyes, and he sighs.

“Speak to me, Severus.”

“There is nothing to speak about, Lucius.”

“Severus, you forget that I know you all too well. Therefore, I know when something is playing on your mind. Please, my love.” Lucius implores, dropping his forehead to rest against Severus’s, who closes his eyes and allows himself to rest completely against the arm of the sofa. He wraps his arms around Lucius’s shoulders, drawing his Mate closer, savouring the warmth soaking through their clothing.

“I am worried, Luc.”

“About my love?” Lucius whispers, nuzzling his nose against Severus’s before he brushes a kiss against the other’s cheek.

“I am worried that our plans will fail. That Dumbledore will sense the cursed wards and be able to defend himself against them.” Severus gently pulls the tie holding Lucius’s hair back at the nape of his neck and frees his hair, so it cascades down his back. He runs his hands through the long strands, pulling Lucius even closer so he is practically sandwiched between his Mate and the arm of the sofa.

“Our plans will not fail, my love. Dumbledore is completely unaware of the curse entwined with the Wards our Lord installed to protect his horcruxes. His reflexes are not as they once were, and the curse is undetectable unless you are specifically looking for it. The old codger will have no way of knowing until it is too late.”

“But what if it does fail?”

“Then it fails. Severus Dumbledore will still die. Whether he is cursed or not. Our Lord and the Dark Prince will see to it. He has done too much wrong in this world to be allowed to live.”

“Thank you, Luc. I know that I have nothing to worry about, really, but I am worried. I cannot seem to help myself.”

“I know, Severus. I know. The closer we come to achieving our goals, the more anxious I get. The more I feel as if something big is going to happen and turn the tide of this war against us. I fear that the Order has something big planned that we know nothing about.” Lucius sighs and drops his forehead against Severus’s shoulder, drawing in a deep breath. He nuzzles in the crook of Severus’s neck, taking in his Mate’s scent in hopes of soothing his own fraying nerves.

“I feel the same way, Lucius. For so long we have been fighting against Dumbledore and his Light army that I fear we are never going to see the end.” Severus scratches his nails gently against Lucius’s scalp, a small smile coming to his lips when he feels his Mate practically sagging against him, and he drops a kiss to Lucius’s head.

“And in the next year or two, it will end. With Silvius and the Dark Lord joining forces. The assassination faction is working alongside our Lord to take out any outright threats to our side, then we will see an end to the war.”

“I just hope Silvius knows what he is doing. It would only cause problems for us later on if it were to get out that it is the In Dolus Intortis, the Dark faction, assassinating these people.”

“I heard from Regulus and the Dark Lord that Silvius and his faction are very well prepared for that to happen and are going to work some of the Order's plans out in their favour, so it will be Dumbledore and his followers who receive the immediate blame for such actions,” Lucius answers with a chuckle. He hadn’t been privy to knowing the details of such plans, but from the snippets of conversations he could hear whenever he had overheard the Dark Lord firecalling Regulus, the plans were set in motion.

“I have no idea how none of us could see just how Slytherin that child could be.” Severus shakes his head, arms tightening around Lucius as he pushes himself to settle more comfortably on the sofa.

“It is a real mystery to us all, My Love. Though I believe it worked out better for us now that he is on our side. Can you imagine the trouble we would be in if Silvius hadn’t realised his true parentage and was fighting against us with these newly released Slytherin traits?” Severus chuckles at Lucius’s words and allows his Mate to manipulate him into resting his head down on Lucius’s shoulder while an arm snakes around his waist.

“We wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

The pair descends into silence, absorbing as much comfort from each other as they could before the inevitable summons comes from Dumbledore. Severus snuggles closer to Lucius, one hand wrapping around Lucius’s back while his other draws random patterns along Lucius’s chest and stomach. He settles completely against Lucius, swinging his legs up to rest along Lucius’s lap, and he cracks a gentle smile when the arms around his waist tighten.

“I love you, Severus.” The whispered words breezing past his ear draw a shiver from Severus. He lifts his head and turns his gaze to Lucius, who is staring at him with an expression so filled with love that Severus can feel his heart stuttering in his chest. He didn’t know what brought this confession out of his Mate, but he wasn’t going to question it.

“I love you too, Lucius, so much.” Lucius brushes their lips together in a chaste kiss and brushes his nose against Severus’s.

“I am so glad Regulus offered to dissolve my marriage contract with that shrew. I never thought I would get to hold you like this, My Love. I despaired of never getting to take you out on a real date.”

“I was mere months away from accidentally slipping a poison into her morning tea. Her attitude towards you and our Kit only got worse over the years, and I was pleased to hear Regulus was willing to bring her back into the Black family to give us a chance to be together again.”

“I agree, Severus. Now, we are a family. A real family.” Severus smiles at the reverence in Lucius’s voice and brushes their lips together again.

“We have always been a real family, my Mate. Just now, we can display this to the wizarding world. Without fear of backlash.”

“I promise you, Severus, that I am never going to let anything come between us again. We will be a family. You, I, and Draco and any future children we may conceive together.”

“Siblings for Draco and cousins for Silvius.”

“I fear that any children we may have in the future will be spoiled rotten by Draco and Silvius. Draco has always wished to be an older brother, and he is going to dote on any siblings we manage to give him, and Silvius is a naturally paternal person who adores all children.” Severus chuckles; he could just picture it now. Draco and Silvius with arms laden with gifts on birthdays and Yuletide. The hand he has wrapped around Lucius’s back starts to play with the ends of Lucius’s hair.

“In a couple of years’ time, Silvius will have his own children to spoil.”

“You believe he will have children so soon?” Lucius asks, lifting his head away from Severus to gaze into stunning Onyx eyes, he raises an eyebrow.

“According to Regulus, Silvius and Blaise are already planning out how many children they wish to have together. Blaise has promised Silvius a ring by the end of this academic year, and I can bet that they are going to be wed immediately after graduation.”

“That does not actually surprise as much as it probably should. Silvius is a caring child and would wish to have a large family to surround himself with. Blaise is so smitten with the boy that he would be willing to give Silvius as many as he wished for. Have they planned out the numbers?”

“The last I heard, Silvius stated that they would need at least four boys.”

“Four?” Lucius questions, leaning back against the sofa and dragging his very pliant Mate with him.

“One for Blaise’s Lordship and three to take over Silvius’s Lordships when they both retire. However, Silvius has also mentioned that they may need to have at least seven boys if Regulus and Marvolo do not have children of their own…” Severus admits, and Lucius whistles.

“That is a lot of children, and that does not include how many daughters they will have in between.”

“Indeed. Silvius and Blaise are going to have a family that even the Weasleys will envy.” Lucius chuckles again. he could just picture what Yule would be like with that many small children running around Slytherin Mansion. No doubt that his own son will have a couple of his own once he finds his Mate, and he and Severus will be cajoled into joining the crowd with their children as well.

“I do hope Marvolo is not going to mind all those children running around his home.”

“I believe he is quite pleased with the number of children Silvius is planning to have. He is even contemplating having at least two or three himself once he can get Regulus to cave to his advances.” Severus snickers, tucking himself closer to his Mate’s warmth.

“That is a day none of us can wait for. I have promised Silvius that I would try to speak to Regulus about his developing feelings for our Lord.”

“Because of Cassie?” Severus questions gently, fingers still tracing patterns across Lucius’s torso.

“Indeed. We believe that Reggie is so reluctant to give in to the Dark Lord because he may feel guilty about developing feelings for someone else, a male someone. It would feel as if he were betraying Cassie by moving on with his life.”

“I believe he may also feel worried about offending you, Luc. You know how Reg is.” Severus nods his head, agreeing with Lucius’s words.

“You would be correct, Severus. I know Reg is needlessly worrying, and I can only pray to Merlin that my words will be enough to soothe his worries. Not to mention that Regulus has just gotten Silvius back, he may be worried about Silvius’s reaction to Regulus replacing his mother and possibly himself if they have children together.”

“I do believe Silvius is all for his father and Marvolo getting together and is quite excited about the prospect of becoming a big brother.” Severus chuckles. he had heard snippets of conversations from the rest of their group, comments about Silvius complaining about how oblivious his father could be and the woes of never having younger siblings he could spoil.

“I would not blame Regulus for holding such thoughts, but that is something he is going to have to speak to Silvius about, himself. I will make some time to speak to Reggie soon. Marvolo is not known for his patience, after all.”

Severus nods once again, rubbing his cheek against Lucius’s shoulder when the arm around his waist tightens, he smiles when he feels lips pressing against his head, and opens his mouth to comment back when a bright white Patronus bursts into his living chambers. Snapping his mouth shut, Severus sighs. It was time for him to leave. Glancing up at his Mate, Severus feels his lips twitching upward when Lucius leans down to give him a quick kiss.

“Go, my Love. I will still be here when you get back.”

“Alright. I will see you in a bit, My Mate.”

“I love you, Severus. See you soon.”

“I love you as well, Luc.” Severus pushes himself up from the sofa with a heavy sigh. He stoops down to place a lingering kiss against Lucius’s lips before he turns on his heels, slams his pureblood mask in place, and exits his quarters in a flurry of robes. He would deal with Dumbledore and return to his Mate soon.

-----

Severus doesn’t knock on the door when he finally makes it up to the headmaster’s office. He simply walks in, face carefully blank as he walks around the threshold and into the main section of the office, when Dumbledore is slouching over on the sofa, sitting opposite a roaring fire. His pace is unhurried as he crosses the floor, though he does make his eyes widen in perceived horror as he glimpses the slightly blackening skin on Dumbledore’s fingers, smoke still billowing from the appendages.

“What happened, headmaster?” He questions, coming to settle on the armchair adjacent to Dumbledore, concealing his glee when the old man turns pained eyes towards him.

“It would seem that we underestimated the Dark Lord’s paranoia, Severus.” His voice is weak, trembling as his left arm clutches around his wrist to try and control the pain stemming from the very tips of his fingers. Though Severus knows it is not working when the headmaster’s expression crumbles in a wince.

“What do you mean?”

“I cast a detection charm around the house before entering and found where the ring was being secured due to the concentration of magic surrounding the front room. I cast more in-depth detection charms, as many as I could think of before I began to unpick to protection wards surrounding the Gaunt Ring…” Dumbledore cuts himself off with a hacking cough, and Severus has to force himself not to cringe away from the old man. Instead, he wraps an arm around Dumbledore, patting his back gently to try and soothe away this new attack.

“What happened after?”

“Apparently, the Dark lord has mastered a way to lay undetectable curses and tie them into the protection wards. As soon as I began to unpick the ward and make a grab for the loose floorboards, I was hit with a curse I couldn’t identify. Nothing seemed to come of it to begin with, and so I continued to unpick the wards but-”

“But? Headmaster, did you retrieve the ring?” Severus questions, carefully taking the headmaster’s hand in his own and making a show of inspecting the damaged skin, which was beginning to peel away.

“I did not. It appears that we were too late in our planning, Severus. The Dark Lord has already managed to retrieve this horcrux before I managed to leave the school.” Dumbledore shakes his head, wincing once more when Severus pokes and prods at the damaged appendage.

“I am surprised that the Dark Lord would reset any of the protection wards after removing the Horcrux.” Severus mumbles and begins to pull his travelling healer's kit out of his robe pocket and unshrinks it. Placing the headmaster’s crippled hand down on his lap while he rifled through the various potions he had on hand to see if there was anything he could use to heal the skin or at least slow down the process.

“It would appear that Tom did not want anyone to know that he had retrieved the artefact. It seems as if Tom knows that someone, if not me specifically, has caught wind of his soul shards and does not want them to realise that Voldemort knows they know. If he resets the wards, then the one trying to retrieve his Horcruxes will be none the wiser until it is too late.” Dumbledore explains, stroking his good hand down his beard as he lifts the blackened fingers to inspect the withering skin.

“It does seem like something the Dark Lord would do,” Severus says as he takes the hand back and pours a salve over the peeling skin. He watches along with his employer as the peeling skin slowly knits itself back together and re-fuses with the blackened skin of Dumbledore’s fingers. Pulling his wand out of his holster, Severus mumbles a string of Latin under his breath, casting a diagnostic charm on the injury before his lips thin.

“What is the damage, Severus?”

“It would appear that the curse used to protect the Horcrux is one that has no cure. I am afraid to admit that I am unable to reverse the damage, Headmaster.” Severus allows his frown to deepen as he continues to cast various diagnostic charms on the appendage, lips thinning further.

“Is there anything which can be done, Severus?” Dumbledore questions watching his potions master closely for any tells that the other had been aware of the curse before he had allowed him to go and attempt to retrieve the Ring. However, he is pleased to find only deep concern shining in Severus’s eyes as he tries spell after spell, healing charm after potion, to try and rectify the damage done to his hand to no avail.

“I may be able to slow down the rotting process, headmaster. I could contain the curse on your arm for the time being while we research a way to counter it completely. However, if it is not stopped, then you will die. I am only able to slow down the process.” Severus mutters, shaking his head in sorrow as he aims his wand at the headmaster’s hand and pauses. Staring from his employer to the damaged appendage, he waits for permission.

“I believe that will be for the best right now, Severus. Thank you. How long will I have?”

“If I can successfully contain the curse in your hand and arm, then I suspect you to have over a year, maybe closer to two.”

“Thank you, Severus.” The headmaster bows his head to Severus, who takes that as permission and sets to work containing the curse in the headmaster’s hand and arm. He knows that the skin will continue to blacken and wither, but there was nothing he could do to speed up the process without giving away his position on the Dark side.

He grimaces inwardly. He didn’t want to help the headmaster, not after everything the old codger had forced him to go through as a young boy at the hands of his father, not after learning that he had sent the Dark Lord back to an abusive orphanage when he was just a young boy. Certainly not after he had kidnapped one of his godchildren and forced them to pose as someone else’s child. The man didn’t deserve to live an extra year or two, but he would do it for his Lord, for his Lord’s plans to succeed.

“I will need to cast the containment charm once a week to ensure that it sticks. With the power fuelling the curse, then the protection wards I have cast will melt away if it is left any longer.”

“Alright, thank you, Severus. It seems that I owe you my life.”

“Nonsense, Headmaster. You offered me a chance to redeem myself by allowing me to join the Order and become a spy in order to bring down the Dark Sect. This is the least I could do.” Severus feels ill at uttering such words, even more so when he spies the self-satisfied gleam shining in the headmaster’s eyes, and all he wants to do is leave the old codger’s presence and curl up with his Mate for the remainder of the night.

“You chose the right path, my boy,” Dumbledore claims, pulling his hand out of Severus’s grip and examines the blackened skin at the tips of his fingers, he curls his fingers, clenching his hand into a fist and smirks when he feels a significant difference in the levels of pain shooting down his arm. The curse had indeed been slowed. Maybe now he would have enough time to see an end to the war and the demolition of the Dark Sect once and for all.

“If there is nothing else, Headmaster…” Severus questions, he really didn’t want to spend any more time with the manipulative coot than he had to. He begins to push himself from his chair, eyeing Dumbledore for a moment, and feels relief flooding his veins when the headmaster shakes his head.

“No, there is nothing else, my boy. You are free to go.” Severus inclines his head and makes his way towards the entrance before Dumbledore’s voice calls out to him. “Inform me of any moves the Dark Lord plans to make, Severus.”

“As always, Headmaster.” He sweeps out of the room without a backward glance, missing the smirk shaping Dumbledore’s features at having finally proven that Severus was firmly on the Light side of the war.

There was no way that his potions master would have healed him to such an extent if he had been behind any of the planning of such a setup. It was obvious that the Dark lord had set him up to be cursed to death by going after the Gaunt ring out of every Horcrux he made. However, it was clear that Tom hadn’t considered that Severus was not as loyal to the Dark Sect as he was to Dumbledore and the Order. Dumbledore lifts his hand back up to admire the nice healing job Severus managed, a chuckle escapes his throat at finally seeing the end of the war coming. Tom was going to fall, and he was going to be alive to watch it happen.

Chapter 26: Fairy Tales Do Exist

Notes:

Finally! Finally! Finally finished with this chapter XD
It has taken me slightly longer than usual because I have been filling out several forms for my new job starting in October, and I went to London for a few days last week as an early birthday present for myself XD
But all of that is done now, for the time being, so I should be able to focus more on my stories for the foreseeable future at least! Hope you all enjoy this new chapter!!

“Alright, I will now call this meeting to order by offering up my congratulations for the complete success of our first publication. The number of subscriptions we have received has already surpassed that of the Quibbler and is steadily increasing as the days pass. Asclepius, that introductory segment was very nicely written, and Phoebus, I loved your article on the Dark Sect, Silvius Black, and the interviews with the Dark families explaining more of our views.”

The In Dolus Intortis jump to their feet, cheering out their success at Jupiter’s words, and Silvius cannot help but laugh at their excitement. Then again, he can’t blame them really, he had been just as pleased when Antevorta had reported back on the number of subscribers flooding through the post to their headquarters in the Chamber. He had been exceedingly glad to note that most of the students of Hogwarts, as well as the staff, had put in their subscriptions straight away.

“Yes, yes, a very well done to all of us. We just need to keep it up now and hope that we can continue to deliver such satisfactory news to our clientele from now on.” Jupiter claps his hands, smirking around the room as his members settle themselves back down in their seats.  “Now then, onto some more serious matters. There was an Order Meeting the other day. Is there anything to report?”

Mars stands up from his seat, hand fisted over his heart as he bows to Jupiter. He had discussed the meeting with his brothers and Remus and had come to a decision over who should do the reporting once they held their own faction meeting with Jupiter. It wouldn’t do well to attempt to speak over each other while giving their reports; besides, it would look rather ridiculous, and they didn’t need the embarrassment.

“The first order of business Dumbledore mentioned was the Cunning Intelligence. He felt as if the name was familiar and grew worried when he noticed that the entire magazine was filled with subtle hints leaning towards the Dark Sect's agenda. Our real agendas and not the half-cooked dribble he tends to spout. He informed the Order how the magazine was named after the In Dolus Intortis and how he suspected that we were the ones who had written the articles.”

“Of course, I chose the name because I suspected that Dumbledore would grow more concerned with the addition of our faction going about the fight a completely different way from how the Dark Lord played it out last time.” Jupiter nods his head, tapping his chin in thought.

“Dumbledore was rightfully worried, My Prince. He further cautioned the Order against our faction as he believed that with our additional efforts, they would find themselves fighting a war on three fronts and they were severely unprepared for such a feat.” Mars continues, a smirk dancing across his features, matching his teammates as they look up at him while he gives his report.

“Three fronts? Which fronts is he expecting?”

“A Physical battle between the Order and the Death Eaters and In Dolus Intortis.”

“Are we planning on fighting against the Order again?” Pluto questions, directing everyone’s attention over to Jupiter, who shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders.

“If the Dark Lord battles against the Order and wishes for our cooperation, then we will, I am sure that we will find ourselves facing the Order again at some point. I wish for them to grow fearful of our prowess by going against our entire team at some point, but it is not one of our main jobs. I wish for us to remain mainly in the shadows, to fight against the Order from the sidelines. We will be focusing our attention on taking out various groups of people, or individuals who are standing in the way of our goals.” Jupiter explains, and his team nods along; they had thought as much. "Besides, the Wizarding World is more likely to follow us and allow us to take over and change the world if there is no evidence of violence on our side."

“The second front was through the press and via public opinion. They believe that with our new publication, we will stand a better chance of shifting the opinions of the wizarding world in our favour, and he hinted at trying to use the Daily Prophet to push back against the Dark Sect ideologies.” Mars continued once everyone had settled down again. “The third way was through political power and social standing. He expressed his concern due to the increase in power the Dark had gained over the past couple of months through the addition of multiple Dark-affiliated seats, and that three Light family seats had been claimed by the Dark wizards.”

Jupiter grins over at Charlie, snickering along with his faction at the worry Dumbledore was showing now that the seats he had so desperately tried to keep to himself, the Potter, Gryffindor and Emrys seats had been snatched up right from under his nose. Jupiter gives a quick spin, dramatically bowing to his Intortis members and throwing an arm out to the side which serves to draw more laughter from everyone.

“I do try.”

“Dumbledore did mention something which had us worried for a moment,” Astraeus adds in, pushing himself up from his seat while Mars bows to Jupiter and sits down. “Someone questioned whether Silvius Black was the Heir to the Dark Sect; however, when Severus attempted to dispute these claims, Arthur Weasley asked if there was any chance that Silvius and Jupiter could be the same person.”

Out roar echoes around the room as everyone begins to shout out concerns for their leader, at having his identity exposed to the Order, and Jupiter rolls his eyes. He allows them to shout and panic for a moment before he releases a shrill whistle, halting their arguments. Glaring around the room, Jupiter crosses his arms and waits for them all to take their seats again before he gestures for Astraeus to continue.

“Minerva spoke up, referring to the Dark Lord as too paranoid to have Silvius named the Heir to his houses as well as the Dark Sect, as it would be too obvious. This had the entire Order almost completely dropping the issue and forgetting all about it because it made so much sense that they couldn’t even dispute the validity of such a claim.” Astraeus states, and the In Dolus Intortis begin to snicker, of course, it would only make sense in the Order’s skewed logic. Offering his own fisted bow to Jupiter, Astraeus settles back in his seat while Virtus takes his place and garners everyone’s attention.

“Just as you predicted, My Prince, Dumbledore was so worried about the shift in power within the Wizengamot that he had decided that it would be a great idea to have me take up the Weasley Lordship out from under my dad. Naming Mars as my Heir.”

“What did Arthur and Molly have to say to such a decision?”

“They were unsure at first, however, when I offered to make a separate branch of the Weasley family and have them delegated to the secondary branch to cement our divide in opinions about Septimus Weasley, they began to come around. Mars further convinced them by saying that as the secondary Heir, he would follow me to the Main branch while Ronald, Ginny, and Percy remained with Mum and Dad in the secondary branch. I also added that there was nothing stating that we couldn’t add Septimus back onto the family tree after I had claimed the Lordship.” Virtus smirks over at Jupiter, who chuckles at the deception.

He knew that Bill wouldn’t add Septimus back into the family after he had disowned the man. Not only did Bill, Charlie, and the Twins know the full story behind the Weasley-Malfoy blood feud, but they didn’t agree with anything their ancestor had done. He shakes his head at his second, chuckling when Virtus merely shrugs his shoulders. His parents were going to find out about his deception sooner or later, but he wasn’t worried about that yet; he was sure that he could come up with some logical excuse to use with the help of Silvius and his brothers anyway.

“Fred and George were also told to claim the Prewett Lordship, after someone had questioned which branch of the Weasley family they would join. Dumbledore further explained that it could only be Fred and George because they were magical twins and one of the stipulations surrounding the Prewett Lordship was that it had to be claimed and co-managed by a set of magical twins.”

“Was everyone in agreement with the additional Lordships?” Jupiter questions, tilting his head to the side, he needed to know just how much trust the Order members still held in Dumbledore.

“Many were sceptical at first because it was just an additional two votes in the Wizengamot, but as soon as Dumbledore claimed that many of the Light and Neutral Lords and Ladies would follow our lead when they saw that we were following the Light agendas. He was convinced that many would turn their backs on the Dark families once there were more people openly supporting Dumbledore’s ideas.”

“Now, imagine his face when you vote for the new proposals supporting magical creature rights.” Pluto throws out, arms crossing lazily in front of his chest, and his friends laugh along with his words. It was definitely something they were looking forward to.

“Alright, is there anything else to report from the Order meeting?” Jupiter asks through his chuckles, turning his attention to Phelm when she pushes herself to her feet and bows in respect.

“Before Dumbledore dismissed his Order, he mentioned something which rightfully alarmed me, Jupiter. Dumbledore commented on how he wanted them to finish what they had started all those years ago during the previous war against the Dark Lord.”

“What do you mean?” Minerva shouts out, eyebrows furrowing in confusion, and the rest all mutter along in agreement.

“Dumbledore mentioned a mission he set for a few of his members during the previous war. How they had planned to snuff out the Dark by targeting high-ranking Death Eaters and those known for being close to the Dark Lord before anything else. My Prince…”

“You have never hesitated to speak out before. Why now, Phelm?” Jupiter feels a knot forming in the pit of his stomach when Phelm bites her lip.

“He mentioned a plan to get rid of Regulus Black-”

“What?!” Jupiter slams his hands down on the desk in front of him, arms trembling as he glares over at the girl giving her report. He wasn’t angry at Phelm, of course, he wasn’t. No, he was furious at Dumbledore for wanting to take his father away from him again. He waves a hand for his friend to continue while he fights to regain control over his anger.

“He wants to catch Regulus when he leaves the school grounds and goes out alone. He wishes for his Order members to dress up like Death Eaters and stage a public kidnapping so that none of the blame can be deflected back to the Order. They wish for the wizarding population to finally begin to believe Dumbledore when he spouts that the Dark Lord is back by having it look as if Regulus had been kidnapped by Death Eaters for defecting out of the Dark Sect.” Phelm’s voice trembles as she continues to give her report. She hadn’t wanted to be the one to tell Silvius about Dumbledore’s plans against his father, but it had made sense for it to be her. The others all had something more personal to report while she was an outsider, someone who had witnessed the entire Order’s reactions to Dumbledore’s plans.

“Why does he want to go after my father?”

“He believes that your father, as soon as he rectified his death, re-joined the Dark Lord as his most loyal and trusted follower again. He believes that with Regulus out of the way, it would be easier to convince Silvius Black to join the Order and aid them in their battle against the Dark. They want to keep Silvius from taking Regulus’s place as the Dark Lord’s right-hand man.”

Silence descends around the room as everyone takes in what Phelm has just revealed to them. They knew that Silvius would never join the Order, especially if they had been the ones to kidnap his father in the middle of the street. It wasn’t like Silvius wouldn’t be able to find out who had taken Regulus either, one question to his godfather, the Dark Lord, and it would be revealed that it had not been on the orders of Marvolo. They knew that Silvius would team up with the Dark Lord to get his father back; that they both would tear the wizarding world to shreds to bring back their father and potential future partner.

“They won’t get away with this.” Jupiter hisses out through clenched teeth, hands twisting into fists as they continue to shake against the table. His head is bowed, but when he lifts his gaze to sweep his teammates, they gasp in awed surprise at the fury and power swirling in silver eyes.

“We won’t let them succeed, My Prince. You know this.” Pluto tries to soothe his Mate without going up to him and drawing him into a warm embrace.

“What is the plan, Prince Jupiter?”

“We, your humble servants, are awaiting your commands.” Romulus and Remus chip in, sweeping their arms out in an attempted bow while they remain in their seats, and the rest of their friends nod in eager anticipation.

“We will lay in wait for them. Virtus, Mars, Astraeus, Phelm, Remus, Romulus, I want all of you to keep your ears to the ground and listen out for anymore plans forming around the kidnapping of my father and report it straight to me if you hear something. I will ask one of the Slytherin family house elves to place another camera and microphone in the headmaster’s office sometime tomorrow so that we can listen in to see if the old codger will give away any more information as well.”

“Will we be going out in uniform?” Bellona questions and Silvius nods his head.

“Yes, I believe it would be for the best. If we are seen fighting against those staging a public kidnapping, then we can publish an article about it in the Cunning Intelligence.”

“It would be nice if we could somehow prove it was the Order, but I suppose claiming it to be the same group of misfits who attacked the World Cup and staged the disappearance of Harry Potter, then that is as good as we can hope for,” Saturn grumbles, which draws a snicker from Jupiter.

“I am sure that we could spin it in a way that benefits our course greatly. If we play this right, then we could be seen as a group of people who protect the people from misguided individuals. I am sure that it would make it that much harder for the Order to make our group out to be Dark, evil witches and wizards who are trying to restart the war.” Astraeus puts in, his tone thoughtful even as his eyes glitter with mirth at the idea.

“Alright, you lot, keep your eyes and ears open for any developments in this plot. I am sure that Severus has already informed Father and Marvolo about the plans, so we will have to make sure that we arrive on the scene before the Death Eaters.”

“Why don’t we try to keep this from getting back to the Dark Lord. I know you would much rather deal with this yourself, My prince. Papa would probably agree with you as well. Who knows what your father will try to do if he finds out that the Order is trying to break you two apart again.” Asclepius comments, and Jupiter freezes. His father would actually try to fight Dumbledore on his own if he found out about the plans, and he chews on his bottom lip.

“Maybe you could speak to Uncle Severus, for me, Asclepius. Try to get him to see it from our perspective?”

“I will do my best, My Prince. I will speak to him tomorrow.”

“Thank you.” Jupiter intones, and Asclepius inclines his head.

“There is one more thing I found out, My Prince. Severus told me that the plans you came up with in regard to Dumbledore were successful.” Asclepius raises an eyebrow at the growing smirk stretching across Jupiter’s features at the vague message.

“What plans?” Phelm questions.

“What did you do to Dumbledore?” Bellona joins in, the two girls leaning forward in their seats in anticipation of their leader's answer.

“Well, you see, to regain Severus's trust with the old man, we thought it prudent to inform the Headmaster of the Dark Lord’s plans to retrieve his Horcruxes.”

“But the Dark Lord has already regained his Horcruxes, hasn’t he?” Discordia asks, her voice hesitant, shoulder relaxing when Jupiter smiles over at her and inclines his head.

“Yes, he has. However, he reinstated all protection wards and undetectable curses, so it would appear that the Horcruxes were still being protected.” Jupiter chuckles at the growing smirks appearing around the room. He so did love his Intortis members and their vindictive streaks. “Severus managed to convince Dumbledore that the Gaunt Ring was Uncle Marvolo’s next target, and so the headmaster thought he would get to it before the Dark Lord. However, what he didn’t realise is that my godfather tied a fatal curse into the ward, which would activate as soon as someone attempted to unpick the ward.”

“So that means…” Saturn begins, voice reverent as he stares up at Jupiter, his smirk shifting into a wide grin, and Jupiter responds with a matching expression.

“Severus, if he is saying our plans were successful, managed to contain the curse and slow down the progression in order to further cement the old man’s trust, but Dumbledore is dying.”

“How long does he have left?” Antevorta asks the question everyone was dying to know the answer to, but it is Asclepius who answers.

“Papa said at most the old codger has two years.”

“Plenty of time for him to watch the Dark taking over the Ministry and winning the war,” Pluto comments with a wide wolfish grin, and the Intortis break into excited chatters at the sheer idea of them nearing the end of the Light rule. It had been a long time coming, and none of them could wait to see the time when the Dark would finally have their voices heard.

Jupiter shakes his head at the loud cheers which echo around the meeting hall at the prospect of having the ending of the war so close, at having their goals and plans recognised by the general public as being the right way to live their lives. He smiles at them all, before his expression falls. His thoughts go back to what Phelm had mentioned and how his father was now under the Order’s radar. How his family was under threat of being torn apart once again because of Dumbledore and his need for power and control.

He presses his hands onto the table, head dropping as anger swims in his eyes. He can feel himself beginning to shake as he thinks up all the torture methods he could use against anyone who even dared to kidnap his father. He did not doubt that the Order, especially Dumbledore and Alastor Moody, would attempt to extract information from his father through various methods of torture themselves. Much like they had done to his mother all those years ago and he wasn’t going to stand for such things.

Startling out of his thoughts when an arm wraps around his waist from behind, Silvius glances over his shoulder and allows some of his anger to melt away when he sees the silent determination shining in Blaise’s eyes. He feels the tension seizing his Mate’s muscles, eyes slightly guarded as his gaze shifts around the room to make sure that none of their faction are watching his movements, and it makes Silvius love him even more.

Blaise wanted to offer him comfort, to show him that his mate would be there for him no matter what, but he didn’t know if Silvius would be willing to accept such comforts. Didn’t know if Silvius would want to show such an obvious weakness in front of his faction. He wasn’t sure himself until Lucius’s words floated through his mind, that no one would think any less of him if he did need to seek comfort in his Jupiter guise. That no one would begrudge him despite him being the Dark Heir.

Relaxing back against Blaise, Silvius allows himself a couple of moments of silence as he basks in the sturdy form protecting him from the world, which was determined to steal his only remaining blood family away from him again. He knows that Blaise would do anything he asked him to do in this moment, when a strong arm wraps around his stomach, the other coming to card through his hair as a kiss brushes against his cheek. He knew that his mate would readily put himself in danger if it meant protecting Silvius and their growing family from Dumbledore and his Order; not that Silvius would permit him to do such a thing either. Not unless he was there to watch his back. He didn’t like the thought of asking his Mate to wilfully put himself in harm’s way, but he knew that Blaise would do it without a second thought anyway.

Silvius’s form is racked with shivers at the thought, successfully chasing images of his father’s tortured body from his mind for even a second. Turning on his heels, Silvius allows himself to cuddle into his mate’s embrace, sighing when the hand around his waist begins to stroke down his back while the other guides his chin up so Blaise can mould their lips together in a brief but reassuring kiss.

“Nothing is going to happen to Regulus, Silvius. No one in this room will allow for him to be taken away from you again.”

“I know, Blaise and I love you all for standing by my side like this.” Silvius rests his forehead against Blaise’s shoulder, slumping further into the other’s embrace when two arms circle his waist and tug him into an even tighter hug.

“Nothing is going to happen, Silvius. All of us, your Intortis, your father, uncles, and your werewolves. We are all going to stay by your side, through thick and thin. There is nothing that is going to take us away from you. Nothing.” Blaise reassures, shooting a small smile over toward his fellow followers when they gaze down at their leader in concern.

“Dumbledore will pay for even entertaining the idea of kidnapping my father.” Silvius mumbles, his own arms coming up to curl around Blaise’s neck once he had waved his hand to dismiss his friends from the meeting.

“And we will be right by your side, helping, Silvi. I promise.”

“I know, Pluto.” Silvius plants a chaste kiss on his Mate’s neck, burying himself closer to the security he feels when those muscled arms tighten around his waist and back. Once he could manage to pull himself out of his mate’s embrace, Silvius was going to drag Blaise away so he could see his father. He needed to spend some time with the man, felt like he wanted to sit in his father’s company, even if his father focused on his marking. After the news he had just received, he needed to be near Regulus.

-----

Silvius is walking through the corridors of Hogwarts; he had just come from having dinner with his father in the man’s private quarters instead of the Great Hall with his friends. Regulus had been slightly surprised by his request when he had walked through the door a few minutes before dinner had begun, but had accepted without any questions, which Silvius was thankful for. He didn’t want to explain to his father that he wanted to spend as much time with the man, just in case the Order’s plan actually succeeded. He also didn’t want his father to fly off the handle when he told him about a summons he had received from Dumbledore to meet him after dinner. This time with explicit instructions to come alone.

He wasn’t stupid. He knew that going to the headmaster’s office alone was a ridiculous move. He would rather walk around the school with a giant target spelled to his back. He knew what Dumbledore was going to try and do. The man was getting desperate now, what with the curse withering and eating through the living skin of his hand and arm. He knew that he didn’t have much time left, and so he wished to convince Silvius to join their side before it was too late. But Silvius wasn’t much inclined to listen. He was not going to listen for goodness knows how long when all the headmaster was going to spout was a series of ridiculous lies about him being confounded.

It was ridiculous. He wonders what could have possessed the headmaster to try and demand his presence in his office, with no support or accompaniment. Especially after the outcome of their last meeting. It was as if Dumbledore were just asking to be fired on the spot. Silvius had kept the missive from the headmaster, had hidden it away in his trunk as extra evidence to use against the headmaster when the time was right. He would need to hand it over to Severus and his father at some point, if they truly decided to go to the Board of Governors against the headmaster and his obvious favouritism of his Gryffindor students and the complete disregard of the rules.

He walks down the corridors, body on high alert just in case the Weasel decides to try and jump him for the third time. Though he really doesn’t see the youngest Weasley male leaving the Great Hall anytime soon. Not when the Halloween feast had promised to be spectacular. ‘In honour of the great loss they had suffered this year,’ Dumbledore had claimed. That had made Silvius roll his eyes. He was playing on the students’ sympathies, reminding them that Harry Potter had been killed. He did find it a bit twisted that Dumbledore was bringing this back to the students’ attention on the anniversary of the boy’s parents’ deaths, but who was he to judge? Simply not feeling up to partaking in the celebration, or mourning, or whatever was going to happen in the Great Hall, Silvius had sought out his father for some company.

“Ah. Silvius, there you are, my dear boy. I was beginning to wonder if something had happened to you.” Silvius pauses in his walking and sighs. Did the man have some sort of tracking charm on him or something? How on earth had he managed to hunt him down in such a large castle?

“Good evening, Headmaster. Has the feast ended already?”

“Alas, not, Mister Black.”

“Then I do not understand why you have been tracking me down. As your missive specifically asked for my attendance in your office after dinner.” Silvius turns around to face the elderly man, eyes zeroing in on the blackening fingers before his view is obscured by Dumbledore hiding his hands behind his back.

“Well, my dear boy, I noticed that you were not at the feast this evening and wished to check up on you.”

“I am perfectly well, thank you, Headmaster. If you had noticed, my father was not in attendance earlier either. I simply wished to hold a private Samhain celebration with my father in celebration of my mother’s passing.”

“Ah, yes. Dear Cassie, a real asset to the school when she had been a student. Well, seeing as I am here, why don’t we move this conversation to my office then?” Dumbledore takes a step forward, reaching a hand in Silvius’s direction as if to grab his arm and guide him to the headmaster’s office. Silvius takes a step backwards.

“I am afraid I will have to decline your offer, Headmaster. For you see, I am not allowed to follow you to a private meeting. Not without my Head of House or father present and seen as you have specifically asked for them not to be in attendance, then I have no choice but to decline.” Silvius takes another step back, opening up his earpiece connection for Blaise and his Hogwarts inbound Intortis to hear the altercation. If the headmaster tried anything untoward, then at least his friends would be made aware.

“Mister Black, there is nothing to fear. I just wish to have a conversation with you.”

“Is that not what we are doing right now, headmaster? Why do you need to secrete me away from the populace merely to have a chat with me? It should be fine to hold such discussions here unless you are planning something that you do not wish for the other children to overhear. Besides, I have nothing to fear. Not from you anyway, Headmaster. I believe it is you who has something to be afraid of if this altercation were to be added to your record.” Silvius inwardly rolls his eyes at the headmaster, unless he was being taken to retrieve his father or Uncle Severus, then he was not going to go with the man, something Dumbledore knew.

“Mister Black, it will only take a short while.” Dumbledore tries again, but Silvius takes yet another step away from the approaching headmaster.

“And I reiterate, why not here, Headmaster. People may begin to talk if they hear rumours about you attempting to persuade underage witches and wizards to follow you back to your office without any guardianship.”

“I merely wish to find out if you truly are alright, Mister Black.”

“In terms of what, Headmaster? Madam Pomfrey and Professor Prince both fixed me up after one of your students attacked me for the second time this year. I am physically healthy. My grades are also some of the top in my year group, and therefore, we have nothing to discuss. No,w may I be on my way?”

“No one has done anything against you, my boy?” Dumbledore tries a different route, stepping closer to Silvius, until the boy is backed up against one of the corridor walls. Though Silvius wasn’t worried, Dumbledore couldn’t do anything physical against him. Not in the middle of the corridor, and not if he was really trying to persuade Silvius to join his side.

“Your question is unclear, Headmaster. To what are you referring?” Silvius raises an eyebrow at the headmaster, his ears twitching when he can hear the static travelling through the earpieces as silence reigns and he knows that his friends are all listening in to their conversation. It makes him feel a little better to know that his friends and Remus would be able to make their way to him if trouble did, in fact, crop up.

“I merely wish to assess that no one has done anything to your mind, Young Mister Black. If you would allow me to check…” Once again, the headmaster attempts to bridge the distance between them, but Silvius twists himself around, back facing the open corridor once again. He holds his hands out to the side, fingers twitching.

“The only person who has attempted any form of mind arts against me in the past couple of months has been yourself, Headmaster, when you tried to use Legilimancy on me during our first meeting.” Silvius can feel a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth when Dumbledore frowns over at him.

“I was merely trying to find out the truth then, Mister Black.”

“And as we discussed back then, headmaster, you were trying to figure out whether I spoke Parseltongue or not. You couldn’t have been less interested in the truth because I did not see any punishments being handed out to the Gryffindor student who attempted to slander me in such a manner.”

“This is not you, my dear boy?”

“And how would you know this, Headmaster? I am Silvius Black. I have always been Silvius Black. How else do you expect me to act?” Silvius’s smirk widens marginally when Dumbledore glances across the corridor at him.

“You are Harry Potter, the son of Lily and James Potter…”

“No, I am not. Nor was I ever Harry Potter. Headmaster, just because your saviour has been murdered by the disgusting muggles you left him with, that does not give you the right to try and replace him by getting random students to masquerade as the Boy-Who-Lived until you can find an adequate solution.”

“You have been raised your entire life as Harry Potter. Lily and James loved you from the moment you were born. You are not Silvius Black.” Dumbledore’s voice rises slightly, and Silvius can feel his mirth rising. He couldn’t believe the headmaster was actually shouting all this out in the corridors. What if some innocent students walked past?

“I have no idea what you are talking about, Headmaster. I was born Silvius Black, the child of Regulus Black and Cassiopeia Black, nee Malfoy. I have never been Harry Potter, nor was I ever the child of Lily and James Potter. I was kidnapped when I was but a couple of months old.” Silvius takes a step forward this time, hands clenching at his sides, smirk becoming visible across his features when he spies to worry hidden behind the grandfatherly twinkle.

“Headmaster, I fear that you are implicating yourself in matters that are best kept out of the public eye, don’t you? Can you imagine what the wizarding world would have to say if they found out that their dear, sweet, grandfatherly headmaster could be behind the kidnapping of a child from a well-known, politically powerful family such as the Blacks.” Silvius continues to advance on Dumbledore.

“My dear boy, I am merely concerned…”

“No, you are not, Headmaster. You never were. You wish to discover whether I have been confounded by my father, my godfathers, or my uncle, though I can assure you that I have not been. All of my memories are still intact, and I still retain everything I have ever witnessed during my time of being held hostage away from my dear family. I know who kidnapped me, where I was hidden away, the things they did to me, and how everyone perceived me when I was forced into a role that was not mine to play. No mind games have been played with me; this is who I am, headmaster. These actions and thoughts are all my own, and I would appreciate it if you would not accuse my family of doing something illegal.”

Dumbledore’s face paled drastically as Silvius stopped just a foot or two away from the aged Headmaster, his hands swinging down to his side in surprise. He didn’t think that Silvius would be able to recall his kidnapping so clearly that he knew who had been involved. He hadn’t thought that Tom or Regulus would like it if Silvius managed to remember his life as Harry Potter, especially as it would have given the Light more of a foothold to try and convince the boy to return to them. He stares at the silver eyes slowly bleeding amber and knows that he should back off for a while.

“Your father would go to Azkaban for being a Death Eater before the wizarding world turns its back on the Light.”

“Is that a threat, Headmaster? Are you threatening my father? The man who feared for his own life and the life of his stolen child so much that he faked his own death? The man who has only just been reunited with his only child after close to sixteen years? Because, if you are, headmaster, then I will have you done for slander against an Ancient House. My Father does not bear the Dark Mark, so therefore he could not be a Death Eater. Your accusations are baseless.” Silvius brushes the man’s words aside with a wave of his hand, which only serves to infuriate Dumbledore more.

“The Dark Mark is unable to be hidden; all I have to do is expose his left arm for the world to see, and he will be secreted behind bars for the rest of his life.”

“Be my guest, Headmaster. My father is no Death Eater, for he does not bear the Mark. You are welcome to find it for yourself, though I doubt you will have any luck.”

“Silvius!” A voice calls out to him, and Silvius can feel his annoyance shifting to amusement when the headmaster takes a step backward, eyes widening marginally when Blaise walks over to them and slips an arm around his waist. “I apologise, Headmaster, am I interrupting?”

“No, we were just about finished, Blaise. The headmaster was just attempting to spirit me away for another secret meeting in his office.” Silvius rolls his eyes, brushing a kiss against Blaise’s cheek when his Mate turns to glare in disapproval at the aged wizard.

“Oh? Is he not aware that it is school policy for a student to have their Head of House present for all private meetings?”

“He is. Professor Prince made him quite aware of such a fact when he attempted to get me alone the last time. However, he is quite determined, you see.” Silvius turns back to watch the headmaster, smirking when he sees Dumbledore taking another step backward, his eyes glittering with rage.

“I apologise for the inconvenience, Mister Black. I will allow you to get back to your friends now.” Without another word or allowing his students to respond, Dumbledore turns on his heels and storms off down the corridor. Silvius snickers.

“Thank you, Blaise.”

“You are welcome, Silvi. Though it is not just I who came to your rescue this time.” Blaise snickers and, using his grip on Silvius’s waist, turns them both around to see their friends all peeking out from behind the corners just a short ways down the hall. Silvius laughs.

“You guys are the best; do you know that?”

“Of course, we are, Sil. When you opened up the connection and we heard Dumbledore’s voice, we couldn’t believe that he was trying to corner you in broad daylight where anyone could see you.” Pansy shakes her head and walks over to him alongside the rest of their Intortis.

“Then again, with the success of Severus’s mission, it isn’t too surprising. He is becoming desperate enough that I wouldn’t be surprised if he tried to actually kidnap Silvius from the school.” Neville claims, shaking his head and smiling when Luna curls herself under his arm.

“I just can’t believe he was shouting about forcing you to act under the pretence of Harry Potter for all those years, in the middle of the corridor! What if some gossiping, nosy brats walked past?” Pansy shakes her head, falling into step with Silvius and Blaise as they begin to traipse down the corridor.

“Then it is a good thing you were not in the vicinity then, isn’t it, Pans.” Theo teases, raising his arms to defend himself against the girl when she turns round to slap him, both of them laughing.

“I fear that the headmaster is going to be more unpredictable in the coming months, though hopefully he will not try to kidnap me again, thank you very much, Nev. You guys won’t be able to hold back my father, godfathers, and all my uncles at once if the news were to get back to them.” Silvius and his friends break out into chuckles at the mere thought of all Silvius’s adopted uncles attempting to break into the school to save Silvius from the hands of the Order. Or better yet, being let in to Grimmauld Place by Asclepius.

“Speaking of kidnapping, does anyone feel up for a bit of research to prevent Dumbledore from trying to kidnap my father?”

Silvius rolls his eyes and shakes his head when his friends all begin to cheer their agreement. Cuddling further into Blaise’s embrace, Silvius allows himself to be guided through the corridors towards the dungeon entrance of the Chamber. He was thankful to have such good friends who would come to his aid like they had today; he couldn’t picture what would have happened if he had still been Harry Potter. Though he does know that Granger and Weasley wouldn’t have rushed to his aid if he had been accosted this time last year. No, they had simply told him to keep his head down and his mouth shut.

He glances around at his mismatched group of friends, most of the Slytherins in his year were actually play grappling with Neville, the outcast of Gryffindor, and Luna, the strange girl who spoke of imaginary creatures all the time. He watches as Neville begins to fight back against Theo, locking the boy in a headlock, which draws laughter from the rest of their friends. For a brief moment, he ponders what Dumbledore and his Light supporters would say if they came across such a mismatched group of students, but then he shrugs his shoulders. It was none of their business.

The staff didn’t pay close enough attention to their students to see anything that was happening directly under their noses. They didn’t see that Luna was no longer being bullied, not since she had been seen on more than one occasion in the presence of older Slytherin students. Her housemates were much too scared of what Silvius and his friends would do to them if they continued to pick on the spacey girl. The professors hadn’t noticed the reasons behind Neville’s sudden boost in confidence; they don’t see that he is developing in leaps and bounds with his magic now that he has his own wand. They don’t see the rift forming between the Gryffindor students, the longer the Mudblood and Blood traitor are allowed to spew such nonsensical accusations through the halls.

Not that the professors’ lack of attention meant anything to him now anyway. Because of it, he had gained two more outstanding people for his own faction. Had been able to keep close the only true friends he had had as Harry Potter. He had been able to merge the greatest things from his past life with everything from his previous life into one seamless gathering of friends and family. Sighing happily, Silvius raises his hand just enough to slip his fingers through Blaise’s, which is still resting around his waist, before he drops his head to his Mate’s shoulder and closes his eyes.

He doesn’t see Blaise glancing down at him, nor the softening smile shaping his friends' features when they turn back to watch him. None of them makes a comment when he leaves Blaise to guide him through the deserted corridors as he continues to block his own sight. They don’t make any comments when Blaise leans down to brush a kiss on Silvius’s head as they finally round the corner into the dungeons. They didn’t know what thoughts had brought such a serene expression to their leader’s face, but they were not going to begrudge him such pleasantries. Especially not when they were about to delve deep into researching how to prevent his own father from being forcibly taken away from him again.

Notes:

The first installment of the second part of Presvyteros Daimonas is here!!!! Now doesn't that just read weird XD

I hope you all enjoy this continuation, and I will try to post as regularly as I can, as I did with the last segment, but I will apologise now if some of the chapters are a little late XP

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of Presvyteros Daimonas