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Snape's search history headcanon:
Yes, so hear me out! So basically, if Snape had a phone, his search history would be a huge subject of interest and some sort of trophy to obtain for all those who hate him. Hence:
Harry, Ron and Hermione (after an exhausting attempt and many, many hours of planning) manage to obtain and get into Snape's phone. They're all convinced his browsing history is going to be all creepy and slimy (given he's not wiped it) but instead, when they open it, it goes something like this:
Harry: Got it. Oh, this is going to be good. First one on the list...
Ron:
Hermione: ... "how to be more approachable"?
Harry:
Ron: That's kind of sad, to be honest.
Harry: Scroll down, Hermione.
Ron: Yeah, I bet it's all weird further down.
All three:
Hermione: "...where can happiness usually be found ... ways of tolerating children ... how to be patient ... wholesome fiction with happy ending ... fast, effective headache relief..."
Ron:
Harry:
Hermione: I feel awful.
Ron: Yeah, it's not great. We should probably put this back.
Harry: Yep.
And they end up doing all their homework on time and concentrate in Snape's lessons. Hermione (after dragging Harry and Ron into it) ends up making headache draughts and secretly leaving them on Snape's desk morning and noon. They always say good morning/afternoon whenever they pass him on the corridors and Snape has no idea why the three kids which hate him the most in the school are suddenly going out if their way to excel in his lessons and be nice to him.
(I might actually turn this into a fan fiction, who knows; I love the concept)
Update: The first part is now written and you can find it here. 🍰☕
A Kingdom Split in Song and Blood
The Great Hall had not looked like itself in days.
Whatever fragile, academic dignity Hogwarts once possessed had been thoroughly, enthusiastically dismantled by Albus Dumbledore and rebuilt into something theatrical, feverish, and barely contained.
Banners of gold and crimson draped like cathedral wounds from the enchanted ceiling. The sky above had been forced into a constant, oppressive twilight—heaven and hell stitched together in a violent, shifting gradient. Long tables had been pushed aside, warped into tiers like an amphitheatre, leaving the centre open as a stage.
Students filled every inch of space.
And every single one of them was dressed for war.
Or judgement.
Or both.
The Slytherins—no, the angels—stood out immediately. Wings. Not delicate, not decorative—vast, sharpened things, feathers edged like blades. Armour gleamed beneath layered robes, halos not soft but blazing, almost violent in their brightness. Some had taken on the forms of biblical figures with unsettling dedication—names whispered through the halls like myths given flesh.
And at the centre of them—
Regulus Black.
Adam.
Except whatever Dumbledore had intended Adam to be, Regulus had rewritten it.
There was nothing gentle, nothing holy, nothing reverent in him.
His halo flickered like a broken crown. His wings were dark at the tips, scorched as if heaven itself had burned him and he’d decided to wear the damage as decoration. His robes had been hacked apart, reassembled into something jagged and deliberate, leather threaded through silk, chains catching light when he moved.
And the weapon—
God.
The weapon.
A massive axe slung over his shoulder, its blade engraved with something that glowed faintly gold—
—but the handle was wired.
Strung.
Modified.
An electric guitar fused into divine violence.
And he played it like he meant to split the world open.
Around him, his circle—Barty, Evan, Pandora, Dorcas—stood like a constellation of bad decisions and worse intentions, every one of them dressed as something angelic and acting like it was a threat.
Behind them, the rest of Slytherin had followed suit.
Angels, yes.
But not the kind anyone prayed to.
Across the hall—
The Gryffindors—demons.
And they had committed.
Horns. Claws. Burnt edges of clothing. Smears of ash across skin. Some theatrical, some disturbingly convincing. Sirius Black had gone all in—dark, sharp, feral in a way that felt too natural. James Potter leaned into it like it was a joke he refused to drop, grinning even with fake blood painted across his cheek. Remus Lupin looked tired but dangerous. Peter Pettigrew hovered close, twitchy.
Lily, Mary, Marlene, Alice, Frank, Fabian, Gideon—
All demons.
All watching.
Because this—
This was the culmination.
Days of improvisation.
Days of chaos.
Days of Regulus Black deciding—deciding—that angels did not guide.
They purged.
He had stood, three days in, in this very hall, and rewritten the entire structure of the play with a grin and a guitar.
He had declared exterminations.
Yearly.
Mandatory.
Divinely ordained.
Angels descending on Hell like executioners.
Not protectors.
Not judges.
Killers.
And the Slytherins had followed him like he’d handed them permission to become exactly what they wanted to be.
And Mary—
Mary Macdonald had refused to let it stand.
Princess of Hell.
Charlie.
Hopeful, bright, relentless.
She had spent days trying to build something else in the ruins.
Rehabilitation.
Redemption.
A way out.
She had gathered demons, spoken to them, argued, planned—
She had built something fragile and stubborn and good in a world Regulus had turned into something sharp.
And now—
She stood in the centre of the Great Hall, practically vibrating with determination, hands moving as she spoke, eyes bright.
Regulus stood across from her, already smiling like this was going to end badly.
Everyone knew it.
Everyone leaned forward anyway.
Mary took a breath.
“Okay, I’ve got a lot to get through, and not a lot of time,” she said quickly, words tumbling over each other, “and I feel like you weren’t really hearing me before, so here it goes—”
Lily was already nodding from the sidelines. “Go on, Mary—”
“I know Hell’s population is out of control,” Mary continued, pacing now, hands slicing through the air, “it’s a bad situation, it’s taking a toll—”
Marlene leaned into Dorcas, whispering, “This is either going to fix everything or get her killed.”
Dorcas didn’t look away from Regulus. “Killed.”
Mary pressed on, voice rising with urgency, “If we rehab these sinners and cleanse all their souls at my Hazbin Hotel—wait, I’m getting ahead of myself!”
James choked on a laugh. “Her what—”
“Right! Extermination!” Mary clapped once, refocusing, bouncing slightly. “I know you guys fly down just to kill once a year, and it must be annoying to schlep all the way here—”
Barty snorted. Evan grinned. Pandora’s eyes lit up like this was already entertaining.
Mary kept going, unstoppable, “If they join you in Heaven, that trip disappears! You can wave that chore farewell! It’ll be a happy day in He—”
The first note cut her off.
Loud.
Sharp.
Electric.
Regulus dragged the pick across the strings of the axe-guitar and the sound ripped through the hall like lightning splitting wood.
Every head snapped toward him.
He tilted his head slightly, smiling.
“Let me stop you right there.”
Mary blinked. “Oh—”
He stepped forward, slow, deliberate. “Save us all precious time.”
“Okay—”
He leaned in just enough to make it personal.
“If what you’re suggesting is letting them climb up the ladder, oh, they’d rather cross the Pearly Gates?”
Mary faltered. “Well, um—”
And then—
He didn’t just speak.
He performed.
“Sorry, sweetie but there’s no defyin’ their fates,” Regulus sang, voice smooth and cutting, fingers moving effortlessly over the strings as the guitar snarled beneath his hands, “’cause Hell is forever, whether you like it or not—”
The Slytherins moved.
Like they’d rehearsed it.
Like they’d been waiting.
They surrounded Mary in a slow, tightening circle, wings casting shadows, halos burning.
“Had their chance to behave better now they boil in a pot,” Regulus continued, grinning wider, eyes bright with something unhinged, “’cause the rules are black and white—there’s no use in tryin’ to fight it—they’re burnin’ for their lives until we kill ’em again—”
The last line echoed.
Because the hall answered him.
Not with silence.
With sound.
Clapping—sharp, rhythmic, violent. It cracked through the space as the Slytherins fell into perfect, predatory harmony behind him.
“—kill ’em again—”
“—again—”
“—again—”
It echoed, layered, hungry.
Mary stood in the middle of it, wings of shadow at her back, horns catching candlelight, staring at him like she was trying to hold onto something fragile while the world kept trying to rip it out of her hands.
“Okay, but—” she tried, voice smaller now, still pushing, still trying.
Regulus didn’t even let her finish.
He pivoted, spun the axe-guitar up, fingers striking harder now, louder—
“Just try to chillax, babe, you’re wasting your breath,” he sang, mock-sympathy dripping from every syllable, pacing around her like a circling blade, “did I hear you imply that they don’t deserve death?”
Behind him, Barty leaned in with a grin that bordered on feral. “Did she just say that?”
Pandora tilted her head, delighted. “I think she did.”
Evan laughed under his breath. “Bold.”
Regulus pointed the neck of the guitar at Mary like a weapon.
“Are they winners?” he continued, voice sharp, rising. “Are they sinners? ’Cause it’s cut and dry—”
Mary tried to push back, breath catching. “Well, actually, if you take a look—”
“Fair is fair, an eye for an eye,” Regulus cut clean across her, not even looking at her now, because he didn’t have to, “yeah, when all’s said and done—there’s the question of fun—”
The word fun hit like a spark in dry air.
The Slytherins reacted instantly.
Grins.
Teeth.
Something electric snapping through the air between them.
“And for those of us with divine ordainment—” Regulus’s voice dropped, then surged—
“Extermination is entertainment!”
The hall lost it.
Actual screaming.
Gideon Prewett slammed his hand against the table, howling. “THIS IS INSANE—”
Fabian doubled over laughing. “He’s made genocide a concert—”
James had both hands in his hair, shouting, “WHY IS THIS GOOD—WHY IS IT SO GOOD—”
Lily smacked his shoulder. “DON’T ENCOURAGE HIM—”
Sirius—
Sirius wasn’t laughing.
He was watching.
Eyes locked on Regulus, something dark and sharp and familiar flickering there.
Because he knew that look.
Knew it too well.
“Bow-now-now-now-now, guitar solo, fuck yeah!” Regulus shouted, and then he played.
Not just noise.
Not just chaos.
Actual music.
Fast. Aggressive. Controlled. His fingers flew across the strings like he was born with the instrument in his hands, like this was the most natural thing in the world—violence turned into sound.
Barty whooped. “That’s my boy—”
Evan clapped in time. “Oh, he’s feeling himself now—”
Dorcas, arms crossed, smirked. “He’s insufferable.”
Pandora, glowing with delight, whispered, “He’s magnificent.”
The angels behind him moved as one, swaying, stepping, harmonising—
“—oh, da-ah-ah, now-n-now, now-now-now-now—”
Regulus swung back into the verse without missing a beat.
“Hell is forever, whether you like it or not,” he sang, voice cutting straight through the noise, “had their chance to behave better—”
Mary finally snapped, looking around wildly.
“Where did all of you people come from?” she demanded, half hysterical, half outraged.
Barty leaned over her shoulder, grinning. “We’ve been here the whole time, sweetheart.”
Pandora waved cheerfully. “You just didn’t notice.”
Regulus didn’t even acknowledge it.
“Now they boil in a pot,” he continued, relentless, “’cause the rules are black and white—there’s no use in tryin’ to fight it—they’re burnin’ for their lives until we kill ’em again—”
The word landed heavier this time.
Not just echoing.
Settling.
Like a verdict.
The harmony behind him tightened, the Slytherins’ voices dropping lower, darker, wrapping around the sound of his guitar like something alive.
Mary stood her ground anyway.
Breathing harder now.
Eyes bright, furious, refusing to back down even as she was completely surrounded.
Regulus stepped closer.
Close enough that the edge of his wing brushed her shoulder.
Close enough that the grin on his face felt like a threat carved in gold.
“Fuckin’ Hell is forever and it’s meant to suck a lot,” he continued, voice almost conversational now, like he was explaining something obvious, “so give up your dumb endeavor, ’cause you don’t have a shot—”
“Oi—” Marlene snapped from the sidelines, glaring. “Watch it—”
Mary didn’t even look at her.
She was staring at Regulus like she could will him to understand.
Like she still thought there was something in him worth reaching.
“Long as I’ve got your attention,” Regulus went on, flicking the pick across the strings again, the sound sharp, deliberate, “I guess I should probably mention—”
There was a shift.
Subtle.
But real.
Even the Slytherins felt it.
Pandora’s smile faltered, just a fraction. Evan stilled. Dorcas’s eyes narrowed.
Barty leaned forward slightly, curious.
Because Regulus—
Regulus sounded pleased.
“And we’ve made the determination—” he said, dragging it out just enough to make the anticipation bite—
“To move up the next extermination.”
Silence.
Not total—
But the kind that drops suddenly, like the room forgot how to breathe.
Mary blinked.
“What?”
The word came out small.
Disbelieving.
Regulus tilted his head, watching her like this was the best part.
“Oh, don’t look so surprised.”
He slung the guitar back against his shoulder, fingers still idly brushing the strings like he couldn’t quite stop.
“Can’t wait a whole year to slaughter those little cunts,” he said, bright and easy, like he was announcing a festival date, “I know it’s just been a week, but we’ll be back in six months!”
The reaction was instant.
“WHAT—” Lily shouted.
“ARE YOU MAD—” Frank barked.
Alice grabbed his arm. “He’s improvising—he’s improvising, right—?”
“HE’S NOT—” Fabian wheezed, half-laughing, half-horrified.
Gideon slapped a hand over his face. “He’s escalating—he’s actually escalating—”
Peter made a strangled noise. “Six months?! That’s not even—why would—”
Remus dragged a hand down his face. “Because he can.”
James just stared, eyes wide, something like awe and alarm tangled together. “He’s rewriting the whole structure—again—”
Sirius—
Sirius stepped forward.
Just a fraction.
Enough to be noticed.
Enough that Regulus’s eyes flicked to him for half a second—
—and then away again.
Like it didn’t matter.
Like he didn’t matter.
Sirius’s jaw tightened.
“Reg—”
But Mary—
Mary broke first.
“Um, wait, didn’t you—” she started, stumbling over the words, trying to catch up, trying to fix it—
“Dah-oh-guh-dah—” she choked, completely derailed, hands flying up in frustration—
“Aw, shit!”
The hall erupted.
Not just laughter.
Not just shouting.
Everything.
Noise crashing into noise, students yelling, cheering, arguing—
“That’s not how this was supposed to go—”
“WHO GAVE HIM CREATIVE CONTROL—”
“Dumbledore—” someone shouted from the back.
“OF COURSE HE DID—”
“THIS IS BRILLIANT—”
“THIS IS TERRIFYING—”
“THIS IS BOTH—”
Through all of it—
Regulus stood still.
Calm.
Satisfied.
The centre of it.
Barty leaned into his shoulder, grinning sharp. “Six months, yeah? That’s generous of you.”
Evan crossed his arms. “I was getting bored waiting a year anyway.”
Pandora tilted her head, thoughtful. “We could refine the methods in that time.”
Dorcas glanced at Mary, then back at Regulus. “You’ve made an enemy.”
Regulus’s smile didn’t falter.
“I had one already.”
Across the hall—
Mary straightened.
Slowly.
Breathing hard.
But not broken.
Not even close.
Lily stepped beside her immediately. “We’re not letting that stand.”
Marlene cracked her knuckles. “Absolutely not.”
Alice nodded sharply. “We adapt.”
Frank’s voice was steady. “We fight it.”
Gideon grinned, feral. “Now it’s interesting.”
Fabian laughed. “Oh, it’s on now.”
Remus exhaled, already thinking. “We need a counter-structure.”
Peter swallowed. “We’re… doing this, then?”
James’s grin came back, wild and bright. “We’re absolutely doing this.”
And Sirius—
Sirius didn’t look at any of them.
He was still watching Regulus.
Something burning behind his eyes.
Not anger.
Not exactly.
Something older.
Sharper.
More dangerous.
“Yeah,” he said quietly.
“Let’s see how far you take it, Lux.”
Regulus didn’t react.
But his fingers tightened, just slightly, against the strings of the guitar.
And above them—
The enchanted sky flickered.
Gold.
Red.
Gold again.
Like heaven and hell couldn’t quite decide which one was winning.
Or maybe—
Which one Regulus had decided to become.
The shift didn’t happen slowly.
It snapped.
Like tension pulled too tight finally giving way.
“Six months?” Marlene barked, stepping forward like she might actually swing at him. “You don’t get to just decide that—”
“You don’t get to decide anything, actually—” Lily cut in sharply, voice ringing across the hall, eyes blazing.
“Yeah, no, we’re not just letting you—what—schedule a massacre?” Fabian added, incredulous, already halfway laughing because this had gone so far off the rails it looped back into absurdity.
Gideon pointed straight at Regulus. “Who do you think you are—”
“Oi!” James shouted, grinning but heated now, stepping up beside Mary. “You can’t just rewrite the rules every five minutes—”
Peter chimed in, nervous but loud anyway, “That’s not fair—!”
Remus didn’t raise his voice, but when he spoke it cut cleaner than all of them. “You’re turning this into something no one else agreed to.”
And underneath all of it—
Sirius, arms folded, head tilted, watching.
Waiting.
The noise built.
Layered.
Overlapping.
Demons shouting.
Arguing.
Pushing forward.
And Regulus—
Regulus smiled.
Slow.
Sharp.
Delighted.
“Oh,” he said softly, almost lost under the chaos.
Then louder—
“Well if you’re going to be like this—”
He dragged the pick once, hard, across the strings.
The screech of it sliced through everything.
Every voice cut off.
Every head snapped back to him.
“—why,” Regulus continued, voice dropping into something dangerous, something theatrical, something commanding, “should we wait to get rid of the problem?”
Silence.
Thick.
Heavy.
And then—
He grinned.
“Exterminators.”
One word.
And the hall moved.
The angels stepped forward.
Not just Slytherin.
Hufflepuff.
Ravenclaw.
Anyone assigned to heaven—
They answered him.
Masks slid into place—bone-white, gold-trimmed, eyeless things that turned them into something inhuman. Armour shifted, gleaming under candlelight. Weapons appeared—spears, blades, halberds, things that looked ceremonial until you realised how easily they could kill.
The demons—
Had nothing.
And they felt it.
You could see it in the way they stepped back without meaning to.
Regulus lifted his chin slightly, scanning them like he was choosing pieces on a board.
“Azrael,” he called.
From Slytherin—Mulciber stepped forward, already smirking beneath his mask, twirling a wicked-looking blade like he’d been waiting for this exact moment his entire life.
“Michael.”
A Hufflepuff—Edgar Bones—straightened, adjusting the golden edge of his armour with a calm, almost noble air, wings flaring slightly behind him.
“Raphael.”
From Ravenclaw—a quiet, sharp-eyed girl named Lysandra Vale—stepped forward, serene and eerie all at once, staff glowing faintly in her grip.
Each one—
Preened.
Just a little.
Because of course they did.
Because Regulus saying their names like that felt like being chosen.
The angels shifted closer together.
Forming something structured.
Something unified.
Something dangerous.
Then Regulus tilted his head again, like he’d just remembered something.
“Oh,” he said lightly. “Family.”
That—
That broke the tension just slightly.
Confusion flickering through the room.
And then—
“Cain.”
From Ravenclaw—Benjy Fenwick stepped forward immediately, grin bright, eyes alight with mischief, bowing exaggeratedly. “Present.”
“Abel.”
Amos Diggory from Hufflepuff followed, laughing under his breath, clapping Benjy on the shoulder as he joined Regulus’s side. “Didn’t expect to be promoted, but I’ll take it.”
“Eve.”
From Slytherin—Emma Vanity glided forward like she’d been waiting for that exact cue, flipping her hair over one shoulder and sliding into place beside Regulus with effortless confidence. “Took you long enough, darling.”
The hall—
lost it.
Actual, genuine laughter cutting through the tension.
“HE GAVE HIMSELF A WIFE—” Gideon wheezed.
“And kids—” Fabian added, doubled over.
James pointed, cackling. “Oh, that’s insane—Regulus, you absolute—”
Mary choked despite herself, half-laughing, half-exasperated. “Are you serious right now—?”
Even Lily pressed her lips together, trying not to smile.
Up on the table—
Emma leaned into Regulus slightly. “You didn’t tell me I married into this level of chaos.”
Benjy grinned. “I’m the favourite child, obviously.”
Amos scoffed. “You’re absolutely not.”
Regulus glanced at them, utterly unbothered. “Behave. You’re representing me.”
Emma smirked. “That explains everything.”
Then—
Just like that—
The humour snapped back into tension.
Because Regulus turned.
Stepped up.
Onto the Slytherin table.
Above everyone.
Wings spreading wide behind him, casting long, jagged shadows across the hall.
And then—
He pulled the mask over his face.
White.
Gold-lined.
Featureless.
Terrifying.
The guitar shifted in his hands.
No longer just an instrument.
An axe.
He dragged it across the table.
Hard.
The sound—
Metallic.
Screeching.
Violent.
It ripped through the hall like something dying.
The demons flinched.
Actually flinched.
Some stumbled back.
Because now—
Now it didn’t feel like a game.
Regulus laughed.
Sharp.
Bright.
Unhinged.
“Oh, look at you,” he called down, voice distorted slightly behind the mask, somehow louder, more commanding, “you finally realised you brought nothing to a war.”
“THIS ISN’T A WAR—” Mary shot back immediately, even as her voice wavered just slightly.
“Isn’t it?” Regulus tilted his head.
Then—
He launched into it.
Full.
Dramatic.
Unapologetic.
A monologue built for a stage and a crown.
“I am divinely ordained,” he declared, spreading one hand wide, the other gripping the axe-guitar like a sceptre, “chosen, appointed—crafted in the image of something far greater than anything you could ever hope to be—”
“Oh my god—” Sirius muttered, but he was grinning now, shaking his head.
“—angelic,” Regulus continued, voice rising, “eternal—untouchable—”
“Merlin,” Sirius snorted, louder this time, nudging James, “he really is my brother.”
James grinned. “Yeah, yeah, where do you think he got it from?”
Sirius smirked, eyes never leaving Regulus. “Obviously me.”
Regulus didn’t break.
Didn’t falter.
If anything—
He leaned into it harder.
“And you,” he gestured lazily toward the demons, “you think you can bargain your way out of judgement? Redeem yourselves? Rewrite the nature of existence because it makes you feel better?”
He laughed again.
Low.
Mocking.
“There is a system,” he said, voice dropping, dangerous now, “there is order, there is consequence, and above all—there is authority.”
He turned—
Slowly—
Toward the staff table.
“And I,” he said, almost reverent now, “do not answer to you.”
All eyes followed.
To the head table.
Where—
Horace Slughorn was already halfway through a sip of wine, clearly delighted.
Regulus inclined his head slightly.
“My God.”
Slughorn choked.
Then laughed.
Actually laughed.
“Well, I say—” he puffed, straightening up immediately, playing along with zero hesitation, chest puffing out as he raised his goblet slightly, “carry on, my boy, carry on—”
McGonagall pinched the bridge of her nose.
Flitwick was clapping.
Dumbledore—
Dumbledore looked like he might cry from how pleased he was.
Regulus turned back.
Victorious.
Certain.
“Do you see?” he asked softly.
Then louder—
“Do you understand?”
His wings flared again.
The angels behind him tightened formation.
Weapons gleaming.
Masks blank.
Terrifying.
“You never had a chance.”
Silence.
Then—
Mary stepped forward.
Again.
Despite everything.
Despite the weapons.
Despite the numbers.
Despite him.
“You’re wrong,” she said.
Quiet.
But steady.
And behind her—
The demons moved.
Not armed.
Not armoured.
But together.
Lily at her side.
Marlene just behind.
James, Sirius, Remus, Peter—
Alice, Frank—
Fabian, Gideon—
All of them stepping forward.
Matching the line.
Meeting the threat.
Up above—
Regulus watched.
Still.
Silent.
And then—
Very, very slowly—
He smiled again behind the mask.
Because this—
This was exactly what he wanted.
For a while—
it was perfect chaos.
The kind that only worked because everyone knew it wasn’t real.
The first clash came like a wave breaking.
Angels surged forward, wings flashing, weapons raised—not to strike, not really, but to sell it—to make it look like something holy and violent and cinematic.
“FOR GOD—” Mulciber shouted, voice ringing through his mask as he lunged dramatically at a group of Gryffindors.
“FOR DIVINE ORDER—” Edgar Bones called, sweeping his staff in a wide arc that sent three demons staggering back, clutching their chests like they’d been struck down.
“FOR HEAVEN—” Lysandra Vale added, serene even as she absolutely shoved someone onto a bench.
Behind them—
“FOR YOU, MY LORD—” Avery declared loudly, turning toward the staff table with theatrical reverence.
And all of them—
All of them—
turned, just slightly, toward Slughorn.
“My God,” someone echoed.
Slughorn lost it.
Actually lost it.
He wheezed, clutching his chest, goblet sloshing dangerously as he laughed. “Oh, this is magnificent, absolutely magnificent—carry on, carry on—!”
McGonagall gave him a look that could have melted stone.
Flitwick was clapping again.
Dumbledore was smiling like this was the greatest idea he’d ever had.
Below—
The fight exploded properly.
Demons fell—dramatically, beautifully—like they’d rehearsed dying their whole lives.
“NO—MY SOUL—” Gideon cried, collapsing across the table in an overly theatrical sprawl.
“Tell my story—” Fabian gasped, clutching his chest as he slid down beside him.
“You don’t have a story—” Marlene snapped, immediately dropping into a spin and “getting struck” by an angel’s halberd, falling backwards with a thud and a grin.
Peter yelped every time someone so much as looked at him too aggressively, throwing himself to the ground with alarming enthusiasm.
Remus took hits with quiet dignity, staggering, falling, rising again just to be “cut down” once more.
James—
James was having the time of his life.
“YOU’LL NEVER TAKE ME—” he shouted, ducking under a swing, laughing breathlessly—
—and then—
“POTTER.”
Severus Snape.
Already sprinting.
Already grinning in a way that was frankly unsettling.
“Oh, you’re joking—” James wheezed, immediately bolting.
Snape chased him like it was personal.
“Oh, I’ve been waiting for this,” Snape said, voice low and delighted as he lunged—
James yelped, dodging. “THIS IS TARGETED—THIS IS TARGETED—”
Lily—
Lily clapped.
“Get him, Sev!”
James looked betrayed. “LILY—”
She tried—she tried—to stay in character, but she was laughing too hard. “For Hell—James, just die already—”
“I REFUSE—”
Snape caught him anyway, tapping his shoulder with exaggerated precision.
James froze mid-run, staggered dramatically, then flung himself backward onto a bench. “I’ve been slain—betrayed—by love—”
“Good,” Lily said sweetly.
Through it all—
Regulus moved like a storm.
He dropped from the table into the fray, wings folding in tight, mask gleaming, guitar-axe swinging in wide, controlled arcs that looked lethal without ever quite landing.
He shoved, spun, ducked—every movement sharp, deliberate, beautifully choreographed chaos.
Barty was at his side, cackling as he “cut down” three demons in a row.
Evan moved like he was dancing through it, precise and efficient.
Pandora looked delighted, humming as she twirled her weapon.
Dorcas fought clean, controlled, terrifying.
Benjy whooped every time he “died” and immediately got back up again.
Amos laughed, dragging him back into formation.
Emma moved like she owned the entire stage.
It was loud.
Bright.
Ridiculous.
Perfect.
And then—
It broke.
It happened fast.
Too fast.
One wrong movement.
One step out of rhythm.
A Ravenclaw boy—Theodore Boot—caught in the chaos, misjudged distance, misread intention—
And swung.
Not a tap.
Not a staged hit.
A real one.
His fist connected with Regulus’s face with a sickening crack.
Everything stopped.
Regulus’s head snapped to the side.
The mask flew off his face.
His heel caught on the edge of the stone.
And then—
He went down.
Hard.
The back of his head slammed against the edge of a bench with a dull, awful thud.
For a second—
There was no sound.
Then—
Regulus screamed.
Sharp.
Raw.
Real.
“—ah—!”
It tore through the hall.
Not theatrical.
Not performed.
Pain.
Actual pain.
Blood followed immediately.
Bright.
Too bright.
Running from his nose, spilling down his lip, dripping onto his chin—
And at the back of his head—
Dark.
Worse.
The hall froze.
Completely.
Like someone had cut the strings holding everything together.
“REG—”
Sirius was moving before anyone else.
Already there.
Dropping to his knees beside him, hands hovering for a split second like he didn’t know where to touch without hurting him more.
“Hey—hey—hey—look at me—look at me—”
Regulus was already shaking.
Gasping.
Eyes wide and unfocused.
“Don’t—don’t—” he choked, voice breaking, one hand flying up to his face, coming away slick with blood—
He gagged.
Hard.
“Fuck—”
His breathing hitched violently.
He went pale—fast, frighteningly fast—colour draining from his face as his pupils blew wide.
“I—” his voice cracked, high and panicked now, “I feel—”
His eyes rolled slightly.
His hand slipped.
He swayed.
“Regulus—” Sirius grabbed him, steadying him immediately, voice sharp with panic now, “Reg, stay with me—hey—don’t you dare—”
“Blood—” Regulus whispered, horrified, staring at his hands, gagging again, shoulders shaking, “I can’t—”
He gagged harder.
Nearly retched.
“MOVE—”
Barty’s voice snapped through the silence, furious, already pushing people back.
“What the fuck was that—”
Evan was right behind him, eyes blazing. “Who did that—”
Pandora dropped beside Regulus, hands shaking just slightly as she tried to assess the bleeding. “That’s not staged—that’s not—”
Dorcas was already scanning the crowd, expression cold and lethal. “Who hit him.”
Around them—
Slytherin surged.
Mulciber swore loudly, shoving someone aside. “No one was hitting for real—”
Avery looked ready to start a second war. “Are you stupid—”
Edgar Bones stepped in, pushing people back to make space. “Give him room—”
Lysandra knelt on the other side, calm but tense. “He’s going into shock—”
Benjy’s grin was gone.
Completely.
“What the hell—” he snapped, furious, crouching down. “That wasn’t part of it—”
Amos looked equally pissed. “Who did that—”
Emma was already pulling her sleeve off, pressing it gently toward Regulus’s nose. “Hold this—careful—careful—”
Across the hall—
Theodore stumbled forward, hands up, panicked. “It was an accident—I didn’t mean—he moved—I thought—”
“Shut up,” Barty snapped, not even looking at him.
“ENOUGH.”
The voice cut through everything.
Professor McGonagall.
Sharp.
Cold.
Furious.
“I think that is quite enough of that.”
The staff were already rising.
No more amusement.
No more indulgence.
Dumbledore was moving.
Quickly.
Down from the platform, robes sweeping behind him as he crossed the hall and knelt beside Regulus.
“Easy, my boy,” he said gently, voice steady, calm, “easy now—”
Regulus whimpered, eyes unfocused, clutching at Sirius’s sleeve like he was trying not to fall apart completely.
“I don’t—” he choked, breathing uneven, “I feel sick—”
“I know,” Dumbledore said softly, already checking the back of his head, wand appearing in his hand, “I know. Stay with us.”
Around them—
Everyone else stood still.
Angry.
Shaken.
The game—
Gone.
Ruined.
James swallowed hard, all the laughter gone from his face. “That wasn’t—”
“No,” Remus said quietly.
Lily crossed her arms, glaring toward Theodore. “That wasn’t okay.”
Marlene looked furious. “We weren’t actually—”
“Yeah,” Fabian muttered, jaw tight, “we were pretending.”
Gideon shook his head. “Idiot.”
Sirius didn’t look away from Regulus.
Not once.
His hand was steady against the back of his neck, grounding him.
“I’ve got you,” he said quietly, voice low, firm, “you’re fine—just stay with me, yeah? Don’t pass out on me.”
Regulus made a weak, shaky sound, still gagging slightly, eyes glassy.
And in the middle of the wreckage of what had been—
just moments ago—
the most chaotic, brilliant, ridiculous war Hogwarts had ever seen—
There was only one thing left.
Silence.
And the sound of someone trying very hard not to fall apart.
Which Hogwarts professor would you most enjoy being taught by?
McGonagall 🐈
Lupin 🌕
Lockhart 💘
Moody 👁
Slughorn 🍍
Hagrid 🐲
Snape 🧪
Sprout 🪴
Quirrell 👳♀️
Flitwick 💫
Trelawney 🔮
Umbridge 🎀
First Year Frantics
Hi everyone! Welcome to to a new fanfic about my HPHM MC, a Ravenclaw named Cato Reese. In this story it will be explored how he and his new friend Rowan Khanna faced the antics of the Slytherin school bully Merula Snyde in their first year and the consequences her actions would have on Cato's life at Hogwarts.
Fascination and excitement await in most, if not all first year students coming to Hogwarts. Cato Reese was no exception. The expulsion and disappearance of his older brother roughly a year before had been a point of contention in his family but it had been set aside by the busy working of their parents and the prospect of Cato's first term at the prestigious magic school.
However, it was inevitable that the young boy would become caught up in the social drama, rumors and discourse that circulated in the student body like many kids before him. It is important to note that the Daily Prophet had already been running stories on the Reese brothers before Cato first arrived at Hogwarts. From these articles many only knew him as a weird kid at risk for falling into the same dangerous path and misdeeds as Alex. This assessment came about from the Prophet's intrepid, scandalous reporting and the ignorance that collected as a result of little evidence of Alex's behavior at school available to the public. The coverage of his drama had a long-term impact on Cato's Hogwarts education as he arose into his teenage years.
What follows is a recount of a few encounters early in Cato's first year establishing his conflict and rivalry with the school bully Merula Snyde and other bullying and drama incidents later on. Through overcoming these hurdles, he became stronger, mature and confident as an individual.
While on their way to their first Potions Class with Professor Snape, Cato's new friend Rowan was ahead of him when they crossed paths with a Slytherin girl in their first year.
"Just look at what we have here in the halls on their way to potions." She said smugly. "You. Let me deal with your little friend here first and then you're next, Reese."
Back in Diagon Alley, the two Ravenclaws had agreed to look out to each other as friends. While reluctant at socializing, Cato was loyal and he would do his best to stand by his friends if they got into trouble.
Merula started to escalate her confrontation with Rowan. As Cato watched from a few inches back, shocked that this girl he didn't know knew his name, more so stopping them right there regardless, his brows slowly furled.
"What's your name, bookworm? Merula demanded. "R-Rowan, Rowan Khanna." Cato's friend answered nervously. "Oh, I see. You won't amount to anything, just like him." She said. "What do you know about Cato? He's just my friend." She continued "Reese is bound to be a heap of trouble just like his hothead brother, he'll only spell doom for this school. I won't let that happen again, for I will become the most powerful witch at Hogwarts."
Rowan didn't buy her proclamation "What? I seriously doubt that you're gonna earn any friends with that attitude" questioning Merula.
"Silence!" She snapped. "Admit that I'm the most powerful witch at Hogwarts." Rowan froze for a second with a shocked look on his face. "Admit it!!" she then yelled at him.
Cato had enough. He stopped in telling Merula "Please get away from my friend. Just leave him alone." in a serious tone.
"Coming in to save your weak little friend like a hero, Weirdy Reese? That will only make things worse. You're only gonna get exp-"
She was cut off by the school bell ringing and an agitated Professor Snape coming out of the potions classroom wanting to know what's taking them so long. He told the three to step inside the class and have a seat before he started taking off house points before being late, dismissing their tattles against each other.
The lesson went smoothly until the very end. Cato had just finished his Cure for Boils when the cauldron started smoking then burst. Everyone at his table springed back to avoid the many small debris flying everywhere while a very dismayed Snape confronted him.
"I knew you would only be trouble, Mr Reese." He said as he put his hands on the table in front of what remained of the cauldron. "Blasting the cauldron on your first day. Not looking good at all for you. Now explain yourself for this dire mishap."
"Professor, I swear, I didn't put anything in my potion that made it blow up." the Ravenclaw told Snape. "Is that true? Who may be responsible other than your very careless self?"
Rowan chimed in "I-I believe it was Merula, sir. She attempted to trifle with us in the halls but Cato told her to leave us alone."
"Is that true, Miss Snyde?
"No, professor." She denied "I'm telling you, they would do anything to make mine and others' time here difficult."
"Yes, Miss Snyde, I understand you come from a highly respected family and will do well to maintain and carry on the good name of their time-honored legacy." She nodded in agreement "Much obliged, professor."
"As for you, Mr. Reese, the mess and shame is on you. 20 points from Ravenclaw." Merula smirked and winked at Cato as the potions master deducted points from the eagle house. He looked down in shock and disappointed as Rowan looked at him with a hint of worry and concern.
The bell then rang. "Class dismissed." announced Snape as Cato and Rowan left their station. He then turned to the two Ravenclaws. "I've got my eye on you, Mr. Reese. On your best behavior you must be, the consequences for further fumbles will be servere. Carelessness and pranks have no business in my classroom, ever. Now get out of here before I take more points away from Ravenclaw."
Feeling rather intimidated by the imposing, cold and towering demeanor of the potions master, Cato was led out of the class by Rowan.
-
Later that day, Cato and Rowan explained what happened during potions to their perfect, Chester Davies. He produced a note addressed to Cato from Professor Snape.
It read:
Mister Reese,
Perhaps there is some truth to the claim that Miss Snyde botched your Cure for Boils. I have evidence proving that she may be guilty. I want you to head down to my storage and gather a few jars of Pickled Slugs I need for my next class. Return to me in my office adjacent to my classroom with them. Then will discuss the possibility of getting your lost 20 house points back for Ravenclaw.
Directions to my storeroom are on the back of this note.
Professor Snape
"I hope he means it and returns our points back."
Cato was skeptical. "I wouldn't be so sure, Chester. Professor Snape told me he would keep a close eye on me in his classes. He sounded quite serious about it. It doesn't make sense that he'd suddenly change his mind and want to work with me."
"He's right." agreed Rowan "Snape kept on denying our side of the matter. He constantly defended Merula because of her affluent family and her resolve to live up to that reputation."
"Perhaps," consider Chester. "I mean, Snape strongly prefers Slytherin students over other houses in his class. After all, he is the Head of Slytherin."
Cato nodded "That makes some sense, though the professor is still siding with a student just because of her family connections."
Raising an eyebrow, Chester pointed out "what's most peculiar about this message though is this handwriting. I can't argue that it looks like Snape's handwriting. It may be his." he noted. "If I were you, I would still go and check out what he seeks. Snape is no teacher you want to keep waiting at all."
Sharing Cato's skepticism, Rowan offered to accompany his friend to the potion master's storeroom. "It's the least I can do to help you after you stopped Merula." Without any second thoughts Cato agreed. "Sure, Rowan. Snape's letter seems real but I can't shake the feeling this may be a trap. We'll go together."
Following the directions on the note, they arrived at the supposed storeroom in the East Tower.
"Strange," said Rowan. "I thought the storeroom was in the Tapestry Corridor." His friend replied "True, like there may be others, but I don't know what's behind this door. Let's pull out our wands and be ready. Good thing Professor Flitwick already taught us Lumos."
Rowan nodded in agreement. The boys drew their wands. Cato went first and slowly creaked open the door, revealing a pitch black room. "Lumos!" he quietly called out. From the tip of the wand a powerful ball of light flashed out and around. It illuminated the room, revealing a huge array of large green spiked tentacles that revolted and let out a loud hiss in reaction to the blinding light. Cato went "No!" in a panicked gasp upon seeing the menacing green mass. He banged the door shut at once without forethought.
"Rowan! That isn't a potions storeroom. We've been duped. I saw what looked like a huge plant with tentacles in there." Cato's friend immediately knew what he was talking about. "That's a Devil's Snare, Cato. Those plants try to strangle their victims with their tentacles and tighten their grip when they try to resist. Weak to sunlight. They literally hate it and will pull back when any light source hits them." Rowan explained to him. "I know my mum mentioned them a few times. She used to be an herbologist. But I never expected to see such a dangerous plant at Hogwarts." Cato added.
Watching from behind a pillar about a foot away was Merula, she had been secretly observing the entire situation unfold. When she learned that Cato and Rowan had seen through her plan to scare them, she was angry that the Ravenclaws outsmarted her. The Slytherin girl left in a huff when Hagrid showed up to investigate the commotion. Determined to keep her ego covering her own insecurities and traumas afloat, she sought to learn some fighting spells with the intent to get back at Cato and Rowan.
-
Following the trouble on the first day, Cato was more wary of others outside of the security of his common room. Besides Rowan and those he knew since childhood, he didn't interact much with many others outside his house. An exception was Ben Copper, who spoke to Cato in the following days. The muggle-born Gryffindor boy admired his ability to stand to Merula, Ben was also a target of her bullying because of his blood status. She called him "mudblood" on the train while chasing him. This wrecked poor Ben's confidence in being able to meet new people. He elaborated that he had been watching the first encounter between Merula and the Ravenclaws unfold and observing her so that he would be able to avoid a future confrontation with her in the hall.
Cato understood the poor Gryffindor's predicament. He let Ben know that he got his back and that he would try his best to keep Merula at bay. More than grateful, they introduced themselves to each other and parted ways, Ben feeling a bit better that he found someone at Hogwarts who could be his friend and protect him from the Slytherin girl's tyranny.
To distract from Merula, Rowan helped Cato introduce himself to their fellow Ravenclaws. Out of the group, they got along with Badeea the most. Talbott was silent and distant, Tulip, who was still working with Merula at this point, wanted nothing to do with "weirdy Reese" and while Andre was friendly, he was cautious about getting close with Cato because of the rumors. Badeea however did not pay attention to the news as much. She liked to stay in the peace and quiet of painting pictures. Badeea happily invited Cato and Rowan to come and watch her paint after they complimented her artwork.
The two boys liked to watch her paint on weekends and offered her constructive advice. Badeea got to know them as they all conversed together during her work sessions. They would all bond over their shared appreciation for art and disdain for the drama surrounding the Reese family. Non-judgemental, Badeea assured both Cato and Rowan that they could always confide in her and she would be supportive of them.
-
In addition to watching Badeea paint, the boys found shared pleasure in the wizarding favorite gobstones. During these games, Cato and Rowan exchanged details about their respective lives at home and their family situations. Yet their peace would soon be disrupted by Merula.
The Ravenclaws were in the middle of a game one day when Merula noticed and approached them, obviously displeased with their presence. "I thought you two would have already been on the train home by now. You're just a danger to the school lurking around like this, weirdy Reese." The boys stood up. Wiith a scaredy glare, Cato responded "I thought I told you to stay away from us." Rowan spoke on his friend's side. "Don't we want anything to do with you? You tried to verbally pummel me on our first day." Cato then added "You blew up my cauldron! You put Bulbdadox powder in my Cure for Boils and made it bust."
Merula wasn't having any of it. "You two aren't making any of this simple. Should've just left quietly when you had the chance. Time we settle this in a duel, Reese." He was shocked. "What!? I don't know how to fight!" Rowan was just as well "M-m-me neither! They haven't taught us those kinds of spells yet." Not looking to fight or be in one, Cato then told Merula "Just me and Rowan alone and go back to your miserable day. You're the one who's a danger, not us."
The witch's face turned red. "That's it, weirdy Reese. I'm gonna make something out of the cowardly little Ravenclaw you are!" She quickly pulled out her wand at him and shouted "Flipendo!" ferociously. There was a bang and the beam from Merula's wand struck Cato, knocking him down to the cobblestone. He yelped and grunted in pain as he went down. Rowan shouted "Cato!" as he went to his side straight away. "Ow! Merula! What's wrong with you!? You just hit me with that spell."
She showed no remorse for hitting Cato, gloating instead. "Look at you spread out on the cold floor. Again if you only had just le-."
Angered that his best friend had gotten hurt over someone's stupidity and brashness, Rowan cut her off "Quiet, Merula! If a teacher saw this, they'd make sure your house would go down with you. This is not at all okay!"
She went "Hmph. You two are very lucky I'm backing off now. It would be too… dishonorable for me to hit someone wounded and needing tending to."
"How in Merlin's beard did you learn that spell?"
With rolling eyes, Merula answered "I've been training while you Ravenclaws have your heads stuck in books and homework. I don't see why any of you couldn't learn how to fight, spending all that free time in the library, not that it matters."
"Why?" asked Rowan.
"Cause I'm going to be the most powerful witch at Hogwarts and show you all I cannot be beaten. I hear you've been giving that poor mudblood Ben company."
The remark about the Gryffindor boy disgusted both Ravenclaws. "Merula!" Cato shouted at her while Rowan glared at her.
"Once I'm through with that filthy little horklump, I'll be after you both. Be ready, or not. Mark my words." the Slytherin ended before departing.
Cato exhaustedly told his friend as he lay on the cobblestone "We've got to learn how to defend ourselves if we're going to stop her." A concerned Rowan agreed "You're right, Cato. Merula doesn't appear that she's going to let up if no one does anything. She's been causing a ruckus all over Hogwarts."
This did not help the mood of Rowan's friend. "No one should have to be in fear of her."
"I'm with you on this and will be all the way, Cato. I will do my best to help you. Our common room should have some spell books for dueling."
"Yeah," said Cato. Defence Against the Dark Arts is a load of rubbish. Maybe we can also ask Professor Flitwick for help." Rowan agreed with his suggestion. "Our head of house was a dueling champion when he was a student here. He must know a few charms that can help you protect yourself against Merula."
"We'll have to ask him later," said Cato. We should get back to our common room now before our prefect gets too worried."
Rowan helped his friend back up onto his feet and they returned to the Ravenclaw Common Room together.
-
While Merula's attack on Cato was flagrantly past the line, it was an isolated incident they could not do much else about. A concerned Chester agreed with their assessment about learning self-defense to keep Merula at bay, but he advised Cato and Rowan to keep the matter on the down-low. Dueling was tightly regulated and unauthorized matches were not taken lightly by the teachers.
Cato's social confidence was also negatively impacted by Merula's actions. He was more avoidant of others and jumpy out in the halls. Already a shy boy with anxiety, the Slytherin's aggressive behavior only made Cato's situation worse. While his boundaries had been pushed greatly by Merula and others shoving the drama of his expelled brother and the Cursed Vaults in his face, Cato's loyalty and devotion to his friends kept him going as he gradually built up his strength studying dueling spells with Rowan in the event should they be pulled into such a confrontation with Merula again.
As they always did though, rumors of Cato and Rowan's struggles with Merula circulated throughout Hogwarts. They resonated with many others who had the misfortune of being subject to her torment and bullying. The boys did not know much of it, but many students were rooting for Cato to step up and put the menacing Slytherin in her place.
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Chapter 27
Warnings: Mentions of nudity
Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.
🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡
------------------By Order of-----------------
The Ministry of Magic Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-nine. Signed: Cornelius Oswald Fudge MINISTER OF MAGIC
This was an insulting decree of course considering that Professor McGonagall- as deputy Headmistress- should have taken over.
"Dumbledore will be back before long." Ernie said as Ernie, Hannah, Susan, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I were walking from Herbology. Harry had been recounting the story from his point of view which was a bit more descriptive than mine had been. I'd never been good with details. "They couldn't keep him away in our second year and they won't be able to to this time. The Fat Friar told me that Umbridge tried to get back into his office last night after they'd searched the castle and grounds for him. Couldn't get past the gargoyle. The Head's office has sealed itself against her. Apparently she had a right little tantrum. . ."
I laughed out loud. "Amazing!"
"Oh, I expect she really fancied herself sitting up there in the Head's office. Lording it over all the other teachers, the stupid puffed-up, power-crazy old-"
"Now, do you really want to finish that sentence, Granger?" Malfoy asked. "Afraid I'm going to have to dock a few points from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff." He drawled out, looking maliciously at me.
"It's only teachers that can dock points from Houses, Malfoy." Hermione said.
"Yeah, we're prefects too, remember?" Ron snarled.
"I know prefects can't dock points, Weasel King, but members of the Inquisitional Squad-"
"The what?" Hermione asked darkly.
"The Inquisitional Squad, Granger." Draco pointed to a second badge that was underneath his prefect one. It was silver with the letter I on it. "A select group of students who are supportive of the Ministry of Magic, hand-picked by Professor Umbridge. Anyway, members of the Inquisitorial Squad do have the power to dock points. . . So, Granger, I'll have five from you for being rude about our new headmistress, five for contradicting me as well. . . Five because I don't like you Potter. . . Weasley, your shirt's untucked, so I'll have another five for that. . . Macmillan, five for talking about our headmistress as well. . . oh yeah, I forgot, you're a Mudblood Granger, so ten for that. . . and Kane, your not expelled and your a werewolf brat so 15 points for that." He ignored Susan and Hannah whom he didn't seem to be able to find a punishment for.
Ron pulled out his wand, but Hermione pushed it away, whispering, "Don't!"
"Wise move, Granger. New Head, new times. . . Be good now, Potty. . . Weasel King. . ." Draco said and moved away with Crabbe and Goyle following him.
I snorted, "'Select group of students'. They're probably all Death Eaters."
"He was bluffing." Harry said, "He can't be allowed to dock points."
"It would completely undermine the prefect system." I agreed, "But look. . ." I pointed to where the house points were. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw had been tied for second this morning, Hufflepuff in first. Now, Hufflepuff had dropped to second, Ravenclaw in first, and Gryffindor in third.
"Noticed, have you?" Fred's voice said. We all looked over at him.
"Malfoy just docked us all about fifty points!" Harry said furiously.
"Yeah, Montague tried to do us during break." George said.
"What do you mean, 'tried'?" Ron asked quickly.
"He never managed to get all the words out due to the fact that we forced him headfirst into that Vanishing Cabinet on the first floor." Fred said and I laughed.
"But you'll get into terrible trouble!" Hermione gasped.
"Not until Montague reappears, and that could take weeks, I dunno where we sent him. . ." Fred said coolly. "Anyway. . . we've decided we don't care about getting into trouble anymore."
"Have you ever?" I asked with a grin.
"Course we have." George said. "Never been expelled, have we?"
"Good point." I muttered.
"We've always known where to draw the line." Fred agreed.
"We might have put a toe across it occasionally." George corrected.
"But we've always stopped short of causing real mayhem." Fred continued.
"But now?" Ron asked.
"Well now-" George said.
"- what with Dumbledore gone-" Fred continued.
"-we reckon a bit of mayhem-"
"- is exactly what our dear new Head deserves."
"You mustn't! You really mustn't! She'd love a reason to expel you." Hermione whispered, looking around.
"You don't get it, Hermione, do you? We don't care about staying anymore. We'd walk out right now if we weren't determined to do our bit for Dumbledore first. So anyway, phase one is about to begin. I'd get in the Great Hall for lunch if I were you, that way the teachers will see you can't have had anything to do with it." Fred said, smiling around at all of us.
"Anything to do with what?" Hermione asked anxiously.
"You'll see, run along now." George said.
He and Fred turned to walk away. I hesitated and then ran after them and called, "Fred!"
Fred turned and I said, "It's going to go great!"
Then I turned and ran back into the Great Hall. I sat down at the Gryffindor table and to my surprise, Susan and Hannah sat down with us. I saw Filch was taking Harry with him. "Where's Ernie?" I asked.
"He went to the library to do transfiguration homework." Susan said. "I think he wants to be as far away from whatever the Weasley twins are going to do."
"What are they going to do?" Hermione asked nervously.
I grinned mischievously. "Why would I spoil the surprise?"
We quickly bolted down lunch and then, there was a large BOOM. Many students in the Great Hall looked around but Hermione, Ron, Susan, Hannah, and I all jumped to our feet and sprinted out the door. I led them to the first floor and we stared in amazement. It was much better than the visions.
There were Dragons that were made up of green-and-gold sparks, flying up and down the corridors emitting fiery blasts. There were pink Catherine wheels five feet in diameters, whizzing around the corridors like saw blades. Rockets were bouncing off walls and sparklers were writing swearwords in midair. Firecrackers were sounding like mine explosions. Every so often, a firework raced after a student and they would run, screaming their heads off.
Umbridge showed up a moment later along with Filch and then Harry appeared behind her too. There were a handful of students that were observing the fireworks and I noted that some of them were escaping out into the rest of the rest of the school.
"Hurry, Filch, hurry! They'll be all over the school unless we do something- Stupefy!" Umbridge shouted as the dragons started down the door she'd just come through.
A jet of red light shot toward a firework which exploded with a much larger force, shaking dust from the ceiling.
"Don't stun them, Filch!" Umbridge shouted angrily as though Filch was the one who'd made the suggestion.
"Right you are, Headmistress!" Filch said and grabbed a broom to swat at them. The broom head caught on fire. Ron was roaring with laughter and even Hermione looked pleased.
"Try vanishing them!" I shouted towards Umbridge and then ducked behind a column. I supposed she tried just that because the fireworks suddenly multiplied by ten. "Come on." I said to the others. "We're going to be late for class."
We hurried away to our separate classes. We rushed into potions, nearly two minutes late. Professor Snape looked up as did the other students.
I sat down in my seat. Suddenly however, a bunch of firecrackers came hopping into the room, exploding. The students looked at Professor Snape, wondering how'd he react and also trying to keep their eyes on the firecrackers so they didn't explode near them.
"Right!" Professor Snape shouted over the bangs, "Firecrackers and Potions don't mix. Class dismissed."
The entire class rushed from the room as a firecracker exploded against a cauldron. I dove to the floor so that I didn't get in the way of the explosion. I felt Severus hands helping me to my feet and dragging me over to where his office was.
"And now-" He said, hungrily against my throat. "We have about an hour and a half together."
"Good." I murmured as he started unbuttoning the front of my shirt, his mouth moving from my lips to my neck. We didn't even make it to the bed.
Umbridge spent the entire day, running around to the summons of the other teachers who didn't seem to be able to get rid of the fireworks alone. And considering the fireworks were making such a distraction, it was hilarious that none of the teachers seemed to care about them.
Professor McGonagall for instance watched a dragon firework fly around her classroom and then said sardonically, "Dear, dear. Miss Brown, would you mind running along to the headmistress and informing her that we have an escaped firework in our classroom?"
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I were walking up to Gryffindor Tower when we watched a tottering, sweaty-faced Professor Umbridge come out of Professor Flitwick's office.
"Thank you so much, Professor! I could have gotten rid of the sparklers myself, of course, but I wasn't sure whether I had the authority..." he said in his squeaky voice, and beaming, he slammed the door in her face. We quickly hurried passed her and then burst into laughter as we neared the portrait.
I congratulated Fred and George on their fireworks and wrote my name down on an order sheet and gave them 20 galleons for my order. I knew one day I was going to use it and it would be worth it.
Since I knew Umbridge was going to be exhausted from the long day, I headed back to Severus' office. He was already laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling and he smiled warmly when he saw me. "Couldn't get enough this afternoon?" He asked, jokingly.
I blushed, locking the door behind me on instinct. "I just wanted to spend the night with you." I climbed into bed and he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead. It didn't take long for me to fall asleep.
I was dreaming about walking down a corridor, a plain black door at the end. I reached the door, opening it and stepped inside. I was now in a circular room lined with doors and I walked towards the one in front of me. It opened too. I was in a long, rectangular room full of an odd, mechanical clicking and there were dancing lights on the walls. There was another door at the end of this room too.
"Wake up!" A worried voice said. I bolted straight up. Severus had shaken me awake again. I felt pale and clammy and my clothes were sticking to me.
I gasped for breath and swung my legs out of the bed, standing up. I felt disgusting and I needed a shower.
"Are you alright?" He asked, still sitting on the bed.
"No." I protested, my cheeks going red. "I feel disgusting. I need to go take a shower."
He sighed, pulling me into his arms again. "The shower can wait for a few more hours."
"What time is it?" I asked, looking around for a clock.
"3:43." He whispered.
"At least let me change clothes." I mumbled back. "I feel disgusting in these sweaty clothes."
He let me up and I tore them off, still feeling clammy and sweaty. How embarrassing! It was just my luck that it had happened tonight! Severus was tapping the bed with his wand and then stood up, coming over to me and tapped me with his wand too. I immediately felt better, much cooler.
"You don't need clothes." He whispered and I laid back down in the bed. The sheets and comforter were much, much cooler. It felt so much better and I laid my head on his chest like a pillow.
"Thank you." I mumbled, holding myself to him for comfort. One of his hands wrapped around my waist, holding me to him.
"Anything for you." he said softly, stroking my hair and that was the last thing that I felt.
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𝖂𝖍𝖊𝖓 𝕴 𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙 back the next night, he was absolutely livid. His face was white, his lips pulled back thin as Professor McGonagall's. I froze. "Er-" I racked my brain and then realized that Harry would have been here tonight. What had happened?
I tried to concentrate on the future and then found what I was looking for. So, tonight Harry had gone into the pensieve. Oh dear. I looked further into the memory and was able to see what he had seen. It was a memory of Snape as a boy. And Wormtail and Sirius were there too. Sirius was extremely handsome. Lupin and Dad were there too. I watched the memory through Harry's eyes as James flipped Severus upside down. And mum had come too, yelling at James to let him down, asking what Severus had ever done to him. All because Sirius had said he was bored. And Dad- Lupin- just sitting there under the tree, reading a book. And Severus calling mum a Mud-blood.
"Elizabeth?"
I looked up at Severus. I didn't know how long I'd been standing in the doorway but I realized that there were tears falling from my eyes. I quickly wiped them away, turning from him.
"Elizabeth, what's wrong?" He asked, turning me back to face him.
"I- I saw what Harry saw." I said reluctantly, watching his face turn white again. "The scene by the lake with dad and mum and Lupin. . . I. . . you were always right. . . dad was always arrogant. . ."
I felt horrible and I wished I'd never looked into that future bit. I sat down in the chair, looking at the floor. "And then Lupin was just sitting there. . . doing nothing. . . and I. . ."
Severus didn't say or do anything. He just watched me struggle, trying to accept the reality that my parents weren't. . . mum had been decent. How could dad have just sat there though? How could James have done that, just because Sirius was bored?
Finally, Severus sighed and then said, "That wasn't the only memory he saw."
I looked up, frowning, wiping the tears away. "But that was the only one-"
"Because he saw a memory about me and you." Severus said reluctantly now.
I froze. "Oh no."
Severus still looked extremely angry. "He didn't see much of it. . . though. . ."
I put my face in my hands. I'd been hoping for a nice night and now. . . well who knew what was going to happen now. "I'm gonna. . . I'm gonna go to bed, I think." I said weakly, standing up. Severus grabbed my arm.
"I'm sorry." he pleaded. "I don't want you to be-"
"I'm not mad at you or anything." I said softly, touching his hand. "I just. . . I didn't want you to be right about my dad. . . that's all. . . and I think I need to be alone to cope with that fact. . ."
I turned around and I walked back out of the room, leaving him behind, and headed to the Hufflepuff common room. I laid down on my bed for a long time, thinking.
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𝕴 𝖜𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖙𝖔 talk to Harry. I wanted to converse about our parents and I couldn't. Every time I opened my mouth to tell him I was his sister, my throat closed up and I ended up saying something else. So I assumed now wasn't the right time to tell him.
Harry and I did, however, talk about the second vision- the one of Severus and me.
"He wouldn't tell me what you saw." I said, partially honest. "What'd you see?"
"Er- you two were just kissing really. I mean, it was weird to watch, obviously. It was at Grimmauld place." Harry said awkwardly.
I was much relieved to hear this. "Sorry you had to see that." I muttered. Then we looked at each other and burst out laughing.
But he was distracted too. I knew he was thinking about the other vision too. I overheard him muttering to himself the words, ". . .force her to marry him?"
I hated the idea that Dad might've forced mum to marry him. I didn't think that was it but at the same time. . .
But I had the memory from the dementors. Lily had been scared that James was going to die. So something must've happened so that they fell in love, right? And Severus had called her a Mudblood even though he loved her. . .
I groaned, slamming my head down on my book.
"You alright Eliza?" Ginny asked. I looked up, not having noticed her at first.
"No." I muttered.
"Harry, I'm talking to you, can you hear me?" Ginny asked, snapping her fingers under Harry's nose. Harry was sitting next to me? I'd definitely been lost in thought.
"Huh? Oh, hi."
"A package just arrived, it's only just got through Umbridge's new screening process. . ." Ginny said. She hoisted a brown box up on the table. A red note was scribbled across the top that said INSPECTED AND PASSED BY THE HOGWARTS HIGH INQUISTOR. "It's Easter eggs from Mum. There's one for you. . . there you go. . ." Ginny said, handing him a chocolate egg decorated with small iced snitches. She handed me over a milk chocolate egg with iced chicks on them. Apparently it contained sour gummy worms inside of it.
"Are you okay, Harry?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine." Harry said gruffly.
"You seem really down lately. You know, I'm sure if you just talked to Cho. . ." Ginny said.
"It's not Cho I want to talk to." Harry said and I nodded unconsciously.
"Who is it, then?" Ginny asked.
"I. . ."
"Dad." I whispered. "I want to talk to dad."
"Sirius." Harry said, putting a piece of chocolate in his mouth. I put a piece in my mouth too and felt better. Dad was right, chocolate was a healing agent.
"Well, If you really want to talk to Sirius, I expect we could think of a way to do it. . ." Ginny said.
"Come on, with Umbridge policing the fires and reading all our mail?" Harry asked dully.
"The thing about growing up with Fred and George, is that you sort of start thinking anything's possible if you've got enough nerve." Ginny said.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" An angry voice shouted.
"Oh damn, I forgot." Ginny said, jumping to her feet. I shoved my things into my bag as Madam Pince swooped down on us.
"Chocolate in the library! Out- out- OUT!" Madam Pince said, wiping out her wand and making Harry's things chase us out of the library, hitting us over the head as we ran.
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𝕬 𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖕𝖑𝖊 𝖉𝖆𝖞𝖘 before Easter holiday ended, there were pamphlets and brochures that describe all the different possible jobs that could be done outside of Hogwarts. I briefly wondered why they didn't show these to us when we were choosing our classes in second-year because there were certain careers that required certain classes and if you hadn't signed up for the class before third-year. . . tough luck to you.
There was a notice on the board that read:
CAREER ADVICE All fifth years will be required to attend a short meeting with their Head of House during the first week of the Summer term, in which they will be given the opportunity to discuss their future careers. Times of individual appointments are listed below.
I looked and found myself in the middle of the list. I was supposed to meet Professor Sprout in her greenhouse office at 11:20 on Monday. This meant I would be missing Care of Magical Creatures but at this point, I was okay with not seeing Umbridge for a little bit.
"Well, I don't fancy healing." Ron said, perusing through the brochures. "It says here you need at least an E at N.E.W.T. level in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. I mean. . . blimey. . . Don't want much, do they?"
"Well, it's a very responsible job, isn't it?" Hermione asked. "You don't seem to need many qualifications to liaise with Muggles. . . All they want is an O.W.L. in Muggle Studies 'Much more important is your enthusiasm, patience, and a good sense of fun!'" She read from one of her brochures.
"You'd need more than a good sense of fun to liaise with my uncle. Good sense of when to duck, more like. . . Listen to this." Harry said, "'Are you seeking a challenging career involving travel, adventure, and substantial, danger-related treasure bonuses? Then consider a position with Gringotts Wizarding Bank, who are currently recruiting Curse-Breakers for thrilling opportunities abroad. . .' They want Arithmancy though. . . you could do it, Hermione!"
"I don't much fancy banking." Hermione said.
"Hey" A quiet voice hissed. "Ginny's had a word with us about you. She says you need to talk to Sirius?"
It was Fred and George. George, keeping a lookout and Fred talking.
"What?" Hermione asked sharply.
"Yeah. . . yeah, I thought I'd like-" Harry said casually.
"Don't be so ridiculous." Hermione said and I avoided her eyes. "With Umbridge groping around in the fires and frisking all the owls?"
"Well, we think we can find a way around that. It's a simple matter of causing a diversion. Now, you might have noticed that we have been rather quiet on the mayhem front during the Easter holidays?" George asked.
"What was the point, we asked ourselves, of disrupting leisure time? No point at all, we answered ourselves." Fred continued and I giggled. "And of course, we'd have messed up people's studying too, which would be the very last thing we'd want to do." He nodded toward Hermione and put a hand on my shoulder.
"But it's business as usual from tomorrow. And if we're going to be causing a bit of uproar, why not do it so that Harry can have his chat with Sirius and Elizabeth with her dad?" Fred continued. I blushed, wishing he hadn't mentioned me.
"Yes, but still, even if you do cause a diversion, how is Harry supposed to talk to him?"
"Umbridge's office." I said promptly. "It'll be the only fire that isn't being watched."
"Are- you- insane?" Hermione asked in a hushed voice.
"I don't think so." Harry said, shrugging his shoulders.
"And how are you going to get in there in the first place?" Hermione asked, looking between Harry and I.
"Sirius's knife." Harry said.
"Excuse me?"
"Christmas before last Sirius gave me a knife that'll open any lock. So even if she's bewitched the door so Alohomora won't work, which I bet she has-" I said.
"What do you think about this?" Hermione demanded to Ron.
"I dunno." Ron said, looking uncomfortable. "If Harry wants to do it, it's up to him, isn't it? And Eliza?"
"Spoken like a true friend and Weasley." Fred said, clapping Ron so hard on the back the pamphlets went flying off Ron's lap. "Right, then. We're thinking of doing it tomorrow, just after lessons, because it should cause maximum impact if everybody's corridors- Harry, Eliza, we'll set it off in the east wing somewhere, draw her right away from her own office- I reckon we should be able to guarantee you, what, twenty minutes?" Fred finished, looking at George.
"Easy." George said.
"What sort of diversion?" Ron asked curiously.
"You'll see, little bro. At least, you will if you trot along to Gregory the Smarmy's corridor round about five o'clock tomorrow." Fred said with a wink.
My stomach twisted as I watched them go and a sick feeling filled my stomach. But I wanted to talk to Dad, didn't I? I wanted to ask him why he didn't stop James from messing with Severus. . .
But before I had time for the real nerves to set in, I was sitting in front of Professor Sprout the next day in the greenhouse office. I'd never been in here before. It looked a lot like the Hufflepuff common room. It was round rather than square or rectangular shaped. There were plants hanging everywhere and dirt was on the floors. It was like a garden office.
In the corner was Professor Umbridge with her stupid little clipboard, but both Professor Sprout and I were determinedly ignoring her.
"Well Elizabeth," Professor Sprout said in a cheerful manner, "this meeting is to talk over any career ideas you possibly are thinking about and I'm here to help you decide subjects that you should continue with in her sixth and seventh years. Have you any ideas about what you want to do?"
"Well. . ." I said slowly. "I've had a couple. I'm trying to decided between becoming an Auror, a Healer, or. . . or um. . . an experimental potioneer."
Professor Sprout looked a bit surprised. "Really?"
"Well an Auror would be a great career considering the times we're in." I explained. "but I also love helping people which I could do as a Healer and. . . well ever since I was a little kid I wanted to make a cure for. . . for werewolf bites. I know it'll be difficult but I think I really could do it."
Professor Umbridge made a very small cough and we both ignored her. Professor Sprout smiled, "I think those are all wonderful career options. Now, let's go through the careers one by one, we'll start with Auror. It is a difficult career path, of course, because you'll have to study once you leave school as well. I don't see that being a problem for you at all though."
Professor Umbridge coughed a little louder and Professor Sprout raised her voice a bit. "Of course, you'll need to take most of the main courses like Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Potions, and Charms-"
"Not Herbology?" I asked.
"No." She said, shaking her head. "It's an option, of course, but not a necessary one. However, if we move on to healing-"
Professor Umbridge coughed very loudly and Professor Sprout turned to her and said, "Are you quite alright Professor?"
"Oh yes, but I just wanted to inquire if you believe that Miss Kane here has the right er. . . temperament for becoming an Auror?"
"Oh yes." Professor Sprout said, nodding and still smiling. "Miss Kane is a sweet girl, very brave, extremely smart. No doubts at all that she will succeed no matter what career she goes into. Now," she turned back to me, "You'll have to take Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Charms for Healing. After all, it's an incredibly important job- one that should not be taken lightly as there can be consequences for inept healers."
"Like the healer who was supposed to be taking care of Bode." I said, nodding.
"Exactly. Now with the experimental potioneering, that's not really an official-" Professor Sprout was interrupted by an extremely loud cough. Her smile flickered, becoming extremely annoyed and said, "yes?"
"Well, experimental potioneering is a very dangerous job and I don't believe that Miss Kane here will be employed by the Ministry for the job."
I gritted my teeth. "I'm trying to create a cure for werewolves, of course they'll employ me."
"The Minister certainly will not." Professor Umbridge said, smiling.
"Well!" I said hotly. "Fudge isn't going to be Minister anymore by the end of the year."
Professor Umbridge jumped to her feet, "I knew it! I knew Dumbledore-"
"Dumbledore isn't going to be Minister either." I said bitingly. "Granted, the next Minister is going to be a bit better but nothing like Dumbledore."
Professor Umbridge looked a bit unnerved and Professor Sprout quickly claimed my attention back, "I think a cure for werewolves in a wonderful idea." She said sweetly. Professor Sprout's sweet voice was so much different from Professor Umbridge. "It'll give so many people their lives back. Do you have any questions?"
I shook my head, "I don't think so."
"Alright then. You may go back to class." Professor Sprout said, marking something down on a piece of parchment and stacking it onto of a small pile on her desk.
I stood up and left the room without looking back. Stupid Professor Umbridge.
I wanted to hear Harry's interview with Professor McGonagall and knew that I'd have to be there sometime around half-past two. I went back to Care of Magical Creatures where we were still working on Knarls. Bloody boring.
I went up to the castle for lunch and then sat through charms. Potions was after that.
Severus held me back after Potions though and I felt my anxiety increase. "Look, are you mad at me?" He asked quietly as Hannah left the room.
I looked at him blankly, "Mad at you? Why would I be mad at you?"
"I don't know!" He said, sounding a bit exasperated. "You haven't been down once in nearly a week and a half though."
"Sorry." I whispered. "I've been busy- which isn't an excuse, I know. . . I thought you'd be er- mad at me?"
"Why would I be mad at you?" He asked, bewildered.
"Well you were pissed at Harry. . ." I said quietly. "And I'm his sister and James was my dad and lily was my mum and. . ."
"Oh." Severus said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his robes. I wrapped my arms around him.
"I'll come back tonight, I promise." I got up on my tiptoes and kissed his lips. I turned to leave and found I couldn't.
He'd grabbed my tie and drew me back to him, pushing me down on the desk and kissing me fiercely. I forgot where I wanted to be at that moment and wrapped my arms around him. We heard footsteps outside the door and we pulled apart. I grabbed my bag and passed Draco on the way out.
I hurried to where Professor McGonagall's office was and listened outside the door.
"Yes." Harry was saying, "Defense Against the Darks Arts, I suppose?"
"Naturally." Professor McGonagall said in a crisp voice. "I would also advise-"
There was a cough and I knew that Umbridge was in the room too.
"I would also advise Transfiguration, because Aurors frequently need to Transfigure or Untransfigure in their work. And I ought to tell you now, Potter, that I do not accept students into my N.E.W.T. classes unless they have achieved 'Exceeds Expectations' or higher at Ordinary Wizarding Level. I'd say you're averaging 'Acceptable' at the moment, so you'll need to put in some good hard work before the exams to stand a chance of continuing. Then you ought to do Charms, always useful, and Potions. Yes, Potter, potions. Poisons and antidotes are essential study for Aurors. And I must tell you that Professor Snape absolutely refuses to take students who get anything other than 'Outstanding' in their O.W.L.s, so-"
Professor Umbridge coughed even louder.
"May I offer you a cough drop, Dolores?" Professor McGonagall asked curtly. I grinned, only able to imagine the look on her face.
"Oh no, thank you very much. I just wondered whether I could make the teensiest interruption, Minerva?" Professor Umbridge's voice was farthest from the door.
"I daresay you'll find you can." Professor McGonagall said through what sounded like gritted teeth.
"I was just wondering whether Mr. Potter has quite the temperament for an Auror?" She asked sweetly the way that she had in Professor Sprout's office a couple hours ago. I wondered if she was only sitting in mine and Harry's interviews.
"Were you? Well, Potter, if you are serious in this ambition, I would advise you to concentrate hard on bringing your Transfiguration and Potions up to scratch. I see Professor Flitwick has graded you between 'Acceptable' and 'Exceeds Expectations' for the last two years, so your Charms work seems satisfactory; as for Defense Against the Dark Arts, your marks have been generally high, Professor Lupin in particular thought you- are you quite sure you wouldn't like a cough drop, Dolores?"
Susan and Ernie came over. "What are you doing?" Susan mouthed. I put a finger to my lips, still listening. I was joyful too- Professor McGonagall had mentioned dad. I loved hearing people talk about dad- for good, of course
"Oh, no need, thank you, Minerva. I was just concerned that you might not have Harry's most recent Defense Against the Dark Arts marks in front of you. I'm quire sure I slipped in a note. . ."
"What, this thing?" Professor McGonagall asked sharply and Susan, Ernie, and I heard the sound of parchment rustling. "Yes, as I was saying, Potter, Professor Lupin thought you showed a pronounced aptitude for the subject, and obviously for an Auror-"
"Did you not understand my note, Minerva?" Professor Umbridge interrupted, forgetting to cough.
"Of course I understood it." Professor McGonagall's sounded muffled as though her teeth were glued together.
"Well, then, I am confused. . . I'm afraid I don't quite understand how you can give Mr. Potter false hope that-"
"False hope? He has achieved high marks in all his Defense Against the Dark Arts tests-"
"I'm terribly sorry to have to contradict you, Minerva, but as you will see from my note, Harry has been achieving very poor results in his classes with me-" Professor Umbridge interrupted.
"I should have made my meaning plainer. He has achieved high marks in all Defense Against the Dark Arts tests set by a competent teacher." Professor McGonagall said coldly.
Ernie and Susan dropped their mouths in shock and I grinned broadly. We all looked at each other.
"A werewolf is not a competent teacher!" Professor Umbridge said angrily.
"Well Professor Lupin was the most competent teacher that we ever had for the class so I must contradict you. Any questions, Potter?"
"Yes. What sort of character and aptitude tests do the Ministry do on you, if you get enough N.E.W.T.s?" Harry asked, sounding as though he was trying not to laugh.
"Well, you'll need to demonstrate the ability to react well to pressure and so forth, perseverance and dedication, because Auror training takes a further three years, not to mention very high skills in practical defense. It will mean a lot more study even after you've left school, so unless you're prepared to-" Professor McGonagall answered his question.
'I think you'll also find that the Ministry looks into the records of those applying to the Aurors. Their criminal records." Professor Umbridge said in a cold voice. Susan shook her head.
"-unless you're prepared to take even more exams after Hogwarts, you should really look at another-"
"-which means that this boy has as much chance of becoming an Auror as Dumbledore has of ever returning to this school!"
"A very good chance, then." Professor McGonagall said.
"Potter has a criminal record!" Professor Umbridge practically shouted.
"Potter has been cleared of all charges!" Professor McGonagall said even louder than the Umbitch.
"Potter has no chance, whatsoever, of becoming an Auror!"
"Potter." Professor McGonagall said in a ringing tone. "I will assist you to become an Auror if it is the last thing I do! If I have to coach you nightly I will make sure you achieve the required results!"
Susan, Ernie, and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows and shocked expressions.
"The Minister of Magic will never employ Harry Potter!" Umbridge said in a trembling voice.
"There may well be a new Minister of Magic by the time Potter is ready to join!" Professor McGonagall shouted so loudly, students passing by looked at us curiously.
"Aha! Yes! yes, yes, yes!" Professor Umbridge shouted and I motioned to Susan and Ernie that it was time to leave.
"Wow." Susan said in a shocked voice. "I would never have thought Professor McGonagall would say things like that."
"My Dad was a good teacher, wasn't he?" I asked, pleased, still basking in that memory.
"Professor Lupin was the best." Ernie assured me.
Harry bolted out of the office at that moment, rushing to whatever class he was supposed to be going to. Professor McGonagall and Professor Umbridge were now yelling at each other, the door still open. Students started to look up as they passed, some of them slowing to listen in.
"Let's get out of here." I muttered to them and we hurried off the library.
I finished up a majority of my homework and then said good-bye to Susan and Ernie and made my way stealthily to Umbridge's office. I waited around a corner until I heard footsteps and saw Harry. He threw the Invisibility cloak over us and unlocked the office door and we hurried inside.
Harry pulled off the cloak, grabbing floo powder and threw it into the fireplace. "Number twelve, Grimmauld Place." Harry said loudly. We both stuck our heads in at the same time. I'd never done this before. There was the familiar spinning sensation and then I was seeing the kitchen.
Dad was sitting at the table, bent over a piece of parchment.
"Sirius?" Harry asked.
Dad jumped and looked around. "Harry! Elizabeth! What are you- what's happened, is everything all right?"
"Yeah. I just wondered- I mean, I just fancied a- a chat with Sirius." Harry said awkwardly. I was looking down at the kitchen floor, unable to look dad in the face.
"I'll call him. He went upstairs to look for Kreacher, he seems to be hiding in the attic again. . ." Dad hurried from the room.
"He must've gone to the Malfoy manor." I muttered. "Sirius keeps telling him to get out."
"This is painful." Harry muttered and I knew what he was talking about. My knees were starting to seize up. Dad returned moments later, Sirius at his heels.
"What is it?" Sirius asked and I thought of how handsome he was and looked back down at the kitchen floor. "Are you all right? Do you need help?"
"No, it's nothing like that. . . I just wanted to talk. . . about my dad. . ." Harry said. He immediately launched into the story about Severus' pensive and what he saw inside of it- not talking about my part of course.
"I wouldn't want you to judge your father on what you saw there, Harry." Dad said and somehow, I knew he was including himself in that. "He was only fifteen-"
"I'm fifteen!" Harry and I said together in heated voices.
"Look, Harry. James and Snape hated each other from the moment they set eyes on each other, it was just one of those things, you can understand that, can't you? I think James was everything Severus wanted to be- he was popular, he was good at Quidditch, good at pretty much everything. And Snape was just this little oddball who was up to his eyes in the Dark Arts and James- whatever else he may have appeared to you, Harry- always hated the Dark Arts." Sirius said.
I gritted my teeth but said nothing.
"Yeah, but he just attacked Snape for no good reason, just because-"
"Because you said you were bored." I said, attempting to sound sorry for accusing Sirius but wasn't entirely capable of doing it. My voice was to tense, to angry, and both Dad and Sirius flinched slightly.
"I'm not proud of it." Sirius said quickly and I snorted.
"Look, Harry, what you've got to understand is that your father and Sirius were the best in the school at whatever they did- everyone thought they were the height of cool- if they sometimes got a bit carried away-" Dad said.
"If we were sometimes arrogant little berks, you mean." Sirius said.
Dad smiled.
"He kept messing up his hair." Harry said, sounding pained. Both dad and Sirius laughed.
"I'd forgotten he used to do that." Sirius said affectionately.
"Was he playing with the snitch?" Dad asked in an eager voice. I felt like I'd faded into the background but said nothing. Dad's attention didn't have to be on me 24-7 and James had been his friend too.
"Yeah. Well. . . I thought he was a bit of an idiot." Harry said, sounding like he couldn't comprehend why Sirius and Dad looked so reminiscent.
"Of course he was a bit of an idiot! We were all idiots! Well- not Moony so much, that's where Eilís gets her brains too."
Dad shook his head. "Did I ever tell you to lay off Snape? Did I ever have the guts to tell you I thought you were out of order?"
So dad hadn't stopped James because he believed he wasn't brave enough. I supposed that made sense. If Harry had done the same to Malfoy. . . would I have told Harry to lay off? Of course, Draco's dad had also tried kidnapping me so that was a bit of a different story. Ron wouldn't have said anything either- but Hermione. . .
"Yeah, well, you made us feel ashamed of ourselves sometimes. . . That was something. . ." Sirius said.
So dad had rebuked them, just not in Snape's memory. I felt properly ashamed of judging dad so harshly and I felt tears sting my eyes.
"And, he kept looking over at the girls by the lake, hoping they were watching him!" Harry exclaimed.
"Oh, well, he always made a fool of himself whenever Lily was around. He couldn't stop himself showing off whenever he got near her."
"How come she married him?" Harry asked in a miserable voice. "She hated him!"
"Nah, she didn't." Sirius said.
"She started going out with him in seventh year." Dad said.
"Once James had deflated his head a bit." Sirius said.
"And stopped hexing people just for the fun of it." Dad said.
"Even Snape?" Harry asked.
"Well, Snape was a special case. I mean, he never lost an opportunity to curse James, so you couldn't really expect James to take that lying down, could you?" Dad said in a very slow, cautious voice.
"And my mum was okay with that?" Harry asked and I snorted again.
"She didn't know too much about it, to tell you the truth. I mean, James didn't take Snape on dates with her and jinx him in front of her, did he?"
Harry looked unconvinced and I felt miserable. This talk wasn't helping at all, they were just defending their best friend.
"Look. Your father was the best friend I ever had, and he was a good person. A lot of people are idiots at the age of fifteen. He grew out of it." Sirius said.
"Yeah, okay. I just never thought I'd feel sorry for Snape." Harry said heavily.
"Now you mention it, how did Snape react when he found you'd seen all this?" Dad asked, frowning.
"He was so angry when I went to see him the same night." I whispered, "I'd never seen him so angry before."
Sirius face contorted.
"He told me he'd never teach me Occlumency again, like that's a big disappoint-" Harry said indifferently.
"He WHAT?" Sirius shouted and I jumped, smacked my head against the fireplace, and then inhaled ashes. I coughed spasmodically, tears in my eyes and then pulled my head out of the fireplace to find some water. I could hear Harry making noises in the fireplace but not the full context of words.
Once I'd drank a bit of water, I stuck my head back in.
"Harry, there is nothing so important as you learning Occlumency! Do you understand me? Nothing?" Dad asked sternly.
"Okay, okay." Harry said.
"Harry, Filch is coming." I said, my eyes half glazed over, "He just got an order to. . . to whip misbehaving students. . . oh that's just lovely."
"Stay out of detention Elizabeth." Dad said sternly.
"Yeah that's a bit difficult." I said and then pulled my head out to throw the Invisibility cloak over myself and Harry. I was still a bit annoyed with dad and was trying to push that feeling away.
We made it out of Umbridge's office, just as Filch came around the corner. We slipped past him and made our way to the Entrance hall. Harry threw the cloak off of us, tossing it into his bag.
Students were standing around the entrance hall just like the night of Professor Trelawney's sacking, some of them covered in some sort of substance. I could see ghosts and teachers scattered throughout the mix. Peeves was floating up close to the ceiling and Fred and George were standing in the middle, looking exceptionally pleased with themselves.
"So!" Umbridge said triumphantly. "So. . . you think it amused to turn a school corridor into a swamp, do you?"
"Pretty amusing, yeah." Fred said, catching my eye and winking.
'I've got the form, Headmistress !" Filch said, nearly crying with happiness and rushing towards Umbridge. 'I've got the form and I've got the whips waiting. . . Oh, let me do it now. . ."
"Very good, Argus. You two, are about to learn what happens to wrongdoers in my school."
"You know what?" Fred asked. "I don't think we are. George, I think we've outgrown full-time education."
"Yeah, I've been feeling that way myself." George said lightly.
"Time to test our talents in the real world, d'you reckon?" Fred said.
"Definitely." George said and as one, they lifted their wands and said "Accio Brooms!"
There was a crashing sound and Harry and I ducked along with a few other students as Fred and George's brooms- having broken through Umbridge's door the iron pegs and chain still attached- came hurtling towards them.
"We won't be seeing you." Fred said, swinging his leg over his broomstick. I grinned at him, catching his eye again, blowing him a kiss, and winking.
"Yeah, don't bother to keep in touch." George said.
Fred looked around and then said. "If anyone fancies buying a Portable Swamp, as demonstrated upstairs, come to number ninety-three, Diagon Alley- Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Our new premises!"
"Special discounts to Hogwarts students who swear they're going to use our products to get rid of this old bat." George said, pointing at Umbridge.
"STOP THEM!" Umbridge screamed.
"Give her hell from us, Peeves." Fred said and Peeves swept his hat from his head and sprang to a salute as Fred and George flew out of the Entrance Hall.
Students ran out of the castle and down onto the lawn to watch them fly far away into the sunset.
⬅️➡️
The Expelliarmus spell, known as the Disarming Charm, has been a staple of dueling and defense in the magical world for centuries. By the late 14th century, circa 1379, the spell had become not only a practical tool but also a cultural phenomenon, influencing both magical practice and wizarding fashion.
In the 1370s, magical dueling was a prominent activity in Europe, and wizards were developing more refined techniques for both offense and defense. The Expelliarmus charm, with its ability to disarm opponents without causing significant harm, gained popularity as a more honorable way of resolving disputes, compared to darker or more destructive spells. Its non-lethal nature aligned with the period’s growing emphasis on chivalry and fair play within the dueling community.
Around 1379, Expelliarmus began to shape wizarding fashion as well. The spell’s association with quick reflexes and precision led to the development of dueling robes that were tailored for agility and style. These robes featured intricate designs that symbolized a wizard’s dueling prowess, often incorporating motifs like wands, lightning bolts, or even stylized representations of a wand being flung from an opponent’s hand — an homage to the Disarming Charm.
Additionally, accessories such as lightweight gloves, often enchanted to improve grip and spellcasting speed, became popular among duelists. These gloves were sometimes embroidered with runes or magical symbols that hinted at a duelist’s preference for defensive spells, including Expelliarmus. Wearing such attire signaled not just skill in magic but also a commitment to the ethos of clean, fair combat.
Expelliarmus’ rise in fashion and prominence around 1379 marked an important period in magical history, where elegance and honor were just as valued in duels as raw magical power. It cemented its place as an iconic spell, one that continues to represent both self-defense and moral high ground in the magical world to this day.
Christmas - part 2 (1)
