14

Chapter 14 – Another confrontation

Saturday 7th September 1991

Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts

After a lengthy and heated discussion that saw Monica and the Grangers strongly supportive of having the children withdrawn from Hogwarts, the adults eventually agreed that they would only do so as a last resort.

Harry and Hermione were both averse to abandoning their attempts to make friends with their peers in the Wizarding World and Hermione in particular was reluctant to be persuaded to quit Hogwarts when she still had so much to learn about the place.

It was decided that Sirius and Monica would form the delegation. Sirius thought it best for Harry and Hermione to remain at the school to learn with others their own age and to get to enjoy the experience of living away from home, though he was more than happy to hold the threat of Harry's withdrawal over Dumbledore's head.

Whilst Remus could have joined them, he thought it best not to, as a current Hogwarts professor, and although Helen was keen to find some way of kicking Snape's (and Dumbledore's) stones firmly through the lining of his stomach, she was eventually convinced that this wouldn't help matters.

Doug and Helen made it clear though that if there wasn't any action taken to rectify the situation, they were quite happy to homeschool Harry and Hermione if Sirius and Monica were prepared to cover their magical education, and hire whatever specialists might be needed to cover areas that they didn't feel comfortably qualified to teach.

Although Dumbledore welcomed Sirius and Monica into his office, it was clear that he was disturbed by their presence.

"I'm afraid I wasn't expecting to see either of you," he noted as Sirius held out a chair for Monica then sat himself too. "I don't normally get many visitors from the parental cohort. What may I do for you?"

"We're here to talk about Harry and Hermione's first week at Hogwarts, Headmaster," Sirius began. "And I'm sorry to say that we are rather concerned about what we've heard."

"Leaving aside the question of the quality of the teaching," Monica added, "since we can appreciate that it might take a certain amount of time to be able to rectify that, and we do appreciate that you have – or rather Minerva has – already started making strides in the right direction as far as that is concerned."

"So what appears to be the problem?" Dumbledore asked.

"Shall we start with the fact that you've essentially employed Voldemort to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts-"

"Not that anyone is learning much from Quirrell's stutter," Monica interrupted Sirius to say.

"True. But you've still got him here in the castle, with my Godson, a parasite in possession of a teacher! How can you be so reckless?" Sirius demanded.

"Professor Quirrell is no threat to the children," the Headmaster insisted.

"Really? How can you know that?" Sirius demanded. "And it's not Quirrell we're really concerned about, as you well know."

"Voldemort is nothing more than a spirit at the moment waiting, as I have always said, for his opportunity to reincorporate. As a spirit possessing a body he can harm no one."

"What utter rubbish," Sirius snarled. "He's already harmed Quirrell just by possessing him. Or do you suppose his nerve was shot even before he went exploring in Albania?

"Besides that, not only have you got unicorns nearby in the Forbidden Forest that he might prey upon in order to sustain himself, you've essentially drawn him into the castle with the temptation of getting hold of an object that might help with his efforts to regain a body – or at least to be able to maintain a possession for much longer than he would otherwise be able."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Don't play the innocent with me, Dumbledore. I know you've set the Philosopher's Stone as the bait in a trap to try and expose Voldemort."

"What? Who told you that?"

"It's blatantly obvious. Why else would Hagrid pick up a secret package from Gringotts to bring here, then procure a Cerberus in order to protect it. I trust you've warded this 'third floor corridor' that is supposed to be out of bounds to the students from here to eternity, because otherwise you might just be looking at students being ripped apart by that Cerberus."

"Hagrid assures me that Fluffy is perfectly harmless."

"Fluffy!" Sirius said with a snort. "Only Hagrid could name a Cerberus 'Fluffy'."

"Headmaster," Monica put in, "you can't have it both ways. Either the Cerberus is an adequate protection for the Stone, or it's perfectly harmless. It can't be both."

"There are plenty of other protections in place, I assure you," Dumbledore insisted.

"The best protection would be not having it in a school full of children!" Sirius ranted.

Monica placed a hand on his arm to calm him down.

"Either way, Headmaster," she said, "it's not acceptable to use the school as a trap for Voldemort, nor for it to house a vicious creature like a Cerberus."

"I think you'll find that I am the Headmaster here, and it's my school to use as I wish," Dumbledore replied haughtily. What a pain in the backside this woman was. How was he supposed to engineer a confrontation between Harry and Voldemort if she insisted on preventing the two coming into contact.

"Not quite, Dumbledore," Sirius pointed out. "You're only the temporary custodian. If word were to get to the Board of Governors about this, I'm fairly sure your reign would be short-lived."

"Not to mention what might happen if the Daily Prophet got wind of this," Monica added. "You might just find yourself with a great number of parents knocking on your door and wanting words with you about it."

"Are you threatening me?" Dumbledore asked, his voice rising slightly in volume.

Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, as a matter of fact we are, Headmaster," he said coolly. "Let me spell it out for you: if you don't get rid of Quirrell, and you don't get rid of the Philosopher's Stone and the dangerous 'traps' you've got surrounding it, then you can expect to see changes happening around here fairly swiftly, the first of which will be your dismissal once the Hogwarts Board of Governors hear what you're up to."

"You don't have the votes to see it through, nor the ability to persuade those who would otherwise reject your proposal."

"We'll see, Dumbledore. They might start paying some attention to your record of poor decision making of late if we let it play out on the front page of the paper.

"Make sure that both Voldemort and the Cerberus are removed from the castle by this time next week, or I'll make an appointment with Rita Skeeter to give her the 'juicy details' about your mad social experiments in our children's school. Then I'll start proceedings with the Governors."

Dumbledore ignored the threat. He was quite sure that there was no way that Black could sway enough members of the Board to get his sacked; too many of them owed him favours or were personal friends. Even if the Prophet hounded him about this, he had outlasted so many previous attempts to unseat him as Headmaster that this would be just another one for him to brush off.

"Now, to the other matter we came to address," Monica stepped in. "It has come to our attention that one of your Professors spends much of his class time verbally abusing the students."

"Severus has my complete confidence, Miss Wilkins. I'm sure that whatever imagined slights have been reported to you they have been overblown by the natural rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin."

"Since I didn't mention which Professor was involved, Headmaster, I think it's quite telling that you immediately sprang to the defence of your Potions master."

Dumbledore leaned forward over his desk to emphasise his point, clasping his hands in front of him.

"I am well aware of the repeated and unsubstantiated complaints that have been made against Professor Snape," he said. "I hear them every year. Yet there is no evidence that this is anything more than petty rivalry and a distaste by the students for one of their teachers."

"Is that so? Exactly what steps have you taken to check on Professor Snape's classroom demeanour then? Have you inconspicuously audited his lessons, perhaps, to see for yourself?"

"There is absolutely no need for any such action. I have spoken to Severus and he assures me that any complaints are unwarranted. I understand he is not the most cheerful of characters, unlike Professor Flitwick, perhaps, but a pupil's dislike for their teacher is something to be expected.

"I can't simply go around accusing my teaching staff of impropriety on the word of their students!"

"In other words you're simply taking his word for it?" Monica asked disbelievingly.

"Of course."

"Then perhaps you might ask Professor Snape to explain why he thinks it is reasonable to pick out one student and insist that their fame is handing them opportunities that they don't deserve? Or why he considers it acceptable to refer to an orphaned child's dead mother as a means of shaming him?"

"I am sure these are just exaggerations."

"They are not. I've seen the relevant memories, Headmaster. I've given you the chance to suggest an investigation, but you seem unwilling even to listen," Monica noted. "Your Deputy even reported to you last year that she had attended a number of Snape's classes and that his demeanour was unprofessional and abusive, yet you refused to listen to her. What will it take for you to see the light, here? How many parents have been fobbed off with some excuse about how you 'trust Professor Snape implicitly'?"

Inside, Dumbledore fumed at the inference that his Deputy had been talking to others outside the school about the audits she had been doing of the other teachers' classes. How dare she spread that to outsiders!

"Indeed," Sirius added. "And as of now, as Harry and Hermione's respective guardians in the Wizarding world, we are withdrawing both from Snape's Potions classes."

It took a moment for this to register with the Headmaster.

"You can't do that," Dumbledore insisted after a moment. "Potions is a core class that has to be taken until at least an OWL is attempted."

"That's quite alright," Monica replied. "We've made arrangements for them to continue learning from a private tutor. I understand that their Potions classes are held on Wednesday and Friday mornings, straight after breakfast. They will Floo home from their Head of House's office each of those mornings and return in time for their next class."

"That's not acceptable – they have to take Potions with Professor Snape."

"No they don't, Headmaster. And given Snape's demonstrated attitude, neither should the rest of the pupils under your care. Lessons are supposed to be educational, not abusive."

"They need to remain with their year group," Dumbledore insisted.

"For what purpose?" Monica queried. "It's two lessons a week."

"They shouldn't be given the privilege of leaving the school during the week? None of the other boys and girls are permitted to do so."

"What utter drivel," Sirius told him. "There's no real reason why they even have to spend any time here at all other than class time. Ilvermorney and the other American schools have day pupils as well as boarders. You know as well as I do that if any of the children show a particular aptitude for a subject they can be tutored elsewhere"

"And why should I make an exception for just two children?"

"It's not an exception. It's completely within the rules. But if you don't, I'm sure we can always arrange for them to go to a different school!"

"No!" Dumbledore half-shouted, before controlling himself. "No. That won't be necessary," he said more calmly.

"Good," Monica said. "Then perhaps for the benefit of the other students you should take a closer watch over the Potions classes."

"And don't be surprised when I raise this with the Board of Governors as well, Dumbledore," Sirius added. "You've provided us with just about enough rope to hang you with. Every time you defend Snape you make us more likely to hook it up to the gibbet.

"Now, tell us how your hunt for the Horcruxes is going? How many have you found?"

"My dear boy! I've already told you that Harry isn't yet old enough-"

"And we have made it clear to you, on multiple occasions, Dumbledore, that it has nothing to do with Harry!" Sirius barked, furiously. "Forget the Merlin-damned prophecy and think for yourself for once! You are wasting time that Voldemort may well be using to plot his resurrection – you've already got his damn spirit in the castle; how much more evidence do you need that he is already regaining his strength and looking for a way to return to power?"

"It's not as simple as that, Sirius."

"Then make it that simple!"

"There will be all sorts of protections-"

"Yes! We know! We've already located and destroyed two of the damn relics!"

"What? Why didn't you come to me?"

"Why on earth would we need to?" Sirius asked. "You've been sat here in your ivory tower doing absolutely sod-all other than wistfully sigh at how poor Harry will have to confront Voldemort when he's older, when you could have been seeking the Horcruxes out and getting rid of them. Even if there were any truth to your postulation that Harry has to deal with Voldemort, don't you think it would have been better for him to have the groundwork already done by getting rid of them?"

"What objects were they?" Dumbledore asked, seemingly letting Sirius's rant flow over his head.

"One was a locket that once belonged to Salazar Slytherin," Sirius replied. "It had apparently been entrusted to my brother, Regulus, before he died. Agnes and I discovered it at Grimmauld Place." Sirius's nose wrinkled at the reminder of what the town house had been like when he had re-entered it for the first time since his youth.

"The other was apparently given to Bellatrix Lestrange for safekeeping, as it was in her vault when the contents were turned over to me by Gringotts and the Ministry as compensation for unlawful incarceration. It was a golden chalice that had once belonged to Helga Hufflepuff."

"So, my theory was right," Dumbledore mumbled, more to himself than anything else.

"What theory?"

"Young Tom Riddle seemed to be particularly attracted to relics that had once belonged to Hogwarts' founders," he explained. "A number of memories I have acquired over the years indicate that he had a strange fascination with them, and it appears that at least two of the items that I had seen in these memories were used as his Horcruxes. I surmised that, having split his soul that many times, he would likely have done so to create seven pieces."

"Well if he split his soul into seven, we still need to find the other four pieces."

"Four? Don't you mean five?"

"No. Four. Seven pieces of soul in six Horcruxes and one human body – that piece must have been lost when Voldemort was defeated by the Potters. Or perhaps this is how Quirrell came across him, encountering the roaming earthbound shade seeking a soul whilst he was supposedly vampire hunting in Albania."

Dumbledore held up a hand for Sirius to pause whilst he thought for a moment.

"I may have an idea of what two of those pieces may be," he said, tentatively. "One is, I believe a diadem that was created by Rowena Ravenclaw. I must confess that I have no clue where it might be, other than it appears that Tom Riddle may have left it here somewhere. I've had no success in locating it though.

"The other is a ring with a black stone that was once possessed by Godric Gryffindor. I believe it may have powers of its own, but it was last seen at the old Gaunt shack in Little Hangleton back when Tom's mother and grandfather still lived there. The Gaunts supposedly descended from Salazar Slytherin, so why they would have had an artefact belonging to Gryffindor is unknown, but they lived in squalor and it was perhaps the only item of value that the family could lay claim to.

"Riddle would, of course, have seen it as a family heirloom as well as a treasure from the Founders, hence his interest in it. It's likely that he stole it when he returned to Little Hangleton and framed his uncle for the murder of his grandfather."

Dumbledore was unaware, of course, that Sirius already knew this. He knew from Monica that the stone was the Resurrection stone, but given the likelihood that there were significant magical protections around the item as well, he had been leery of trying to obtain the ring by main force.

Monica had suggested to Sirius and Agnes that Voldemort could not have know about the Resurrection stone, or he would have found a means of using it in some way to return already. Certainly, he wouldn't have risked warping the innate magic of it by making it into a Horcrux.

"Have you been back to that shack to investigate?" Sirius asked.

"No. I had thought it folly to believe it would have been left there," Dumbledore admitted.

"Perhaps you'd better investigate that more thoroughly then. I have a lead on the one Horcrux that you don't seem to have any idea about, which I think may have been left with Lucius Malfoy."

"Are you sure it is wise to approach Lucius?" Dumbledore asked. "He's a very dangerous wizard."

"So am I, Dumbledore, but I'm hoping I don't have to resort to violence."

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Monday 9th September 1991

Gringotts

Hiring a room at Gringotts where they wouldn't be able to use magic against one another seemed the safest method of reaching any arrangement with Lucius Malfoy, in Sirius's estimation.

It was almost a surprise, though, that Malfoy had agreed so readily to the meeting, despite the restraints that it would put on him. From Sirius's understanding of the man, putting himself in harm's way wasn't a trait that he possessed.

He was already waiting when the goblin teller showed Sirius into the meeting room, sneer fully in place just like his well-coiffeured mane of pale hair. He lounged comfortably on the far side of a large wooden table that had eight seats per side.

"I appreciate you agreeing to meet, Lucius," Sirius began politely.

"Narcissa insisted," Malfoy replied. "She seemed to think it might have something to do with the House of Black. Besides, I was curious as to what might make you even seek out such a meeting with me."

"It's not directly House of Black business, but I can see why she might think so," Sirius acknowledged as he sat across the table from Malfoy.

"I'm not aware of any upcoming political business on which we might have common ground, or think that the other could be swayed to a point of view, so why don't you enlighten me?"

"Very well, Lucius.

"I'm wondering how deep your.. devotion.. to the erstwhile Dark Lord might be?" he began.

Malfoy gave him a strange look.

"I think you might need to explain further," he said haughtily. "I'm fairly sure you'll find that the record makes it clear that any involvement I might have had was under the sway of the Imperius."

Sirius snorted.

"In which case you would have no problem in publicly denouncing him and all that he stood for."

"Not likely," Malfoy said with a sneer. "Even if I didn't agree with some of his... political.. aims, there are many who think he is not completely gone, and that he'll be back, as strong as ever. I'm not about to be the one he uses as an example of betrayal. Neither would I risk myself or my hard-won position among my peers."

"And if he did come back?" Sirius asked. "How would that make you feel? Do you like the power you have now? Would you still be the same, respected, rich pure-blood icon if he came back? Would your wife and son welcome him into your household?"

Malfoy was silent for a moment.

"Between you, me and these four walls, Black, I am hoping as much as anyone else that he's completely gone.

"I find myself... moderately satisfied... with my current life. I have a good deal of influence among Ministry circles, including with the Minister, even if he is a little too fond of my galleons. My wife provides good companionship and my son is a leader among his own peer group and – hopefully – will learn to temper some of the impetuosity of youth.

"You are right that the Dark Lord does not treat his servants well – not once they are Marked and committed to him. He expects and gets devotion through the fear he engenders and the curses he doles out to those who fail him."

"So, if he were to return...?"

"If he were to return, I would, willingly or otherwise, return to his side and do his bidding. I would have no choice. I have a family to think of, whom he would have no qualms in hurting to ensure that I did as he wanted.

"I also expect that if he returns, it will be with fire, brimstone and vengeance, and with his power I would expect the country to fall before him. It came very close to doing so once before."

"And you would welcome that?"

Malfoy squirmed, his aristocratic features marred by his uncertainty.

"I would have no choice but to welcome that. Sitting here, now, I do not welcome the possibility, though I could hardly tell others of my cohort that. It would neither protect our way of life nor provide me with power and influence I cannot already obtain."

"And if I knew of a way to prevent his reincorporation... or at least to ensure that he was completely mortal if he did manage to find a new body?"

"Then I'm sure the whole Wizarding World would thank you for it, Black," Malfoy sneered. "But since not even Dumbledore seems to have come up with anything beyond his semi-regular scaremongering that the Dark Lord may return, I can't help but doubt you've got anything that could do any better."

"And from a political perspective... do you really think that the Dark Lord is focused on the primacy of pure-bloods? He's a half-blood himself."

"Lies!" Malfoy growled, half-standing in his anger to loom over Sirius. "He is descended from Salazar Slytherin himself! He has Slytherin's gift of serpent command!" he insisted, leaning forward and balancing over his fists on the table.

"Not lies at all, Lucius," Sirius replied calmly, gesturing for Malfoy to return to his seat. "He is of Slytherin's line. Almost certainly the last direct descendant, if I understand things correctly. He comes from the Gaunt family, known to have been heirs to the Slytherin legacy.

"But the Gaunts were dirt-poor. Whatever wealth there may have been in Slytherin's line had long gone by the time it reached our grandfathers' generation. You might ridicule the Weasleys for their lack of money, but compared to the Gaunts they had vast riches. The Gaunts had become little more than hedge-witches by the start of this century, and lived in an utter hovel.

"What's more, they had become so in-bred that their magical talents had become limited to the instinctual. Their behaviour was little better than animalistic. You certainly wouldn't have welcomed them into your circle of friends, pure-blood or not!

"Marvolo Gaunt, the Dark Lord's grandfather, went to Hogwarts, but barely passed a couple of OWLs and wasn't invited to stay on for his NEWTs. Neither of his children even got a Hogwarts letter, though both had some innate magical ability – they too, for example, were parselmouths, and could brew some basic potions – and their lives were rude and simple.

"Merope Gaunt, the Dark Lord's mother, lusted after the handsome son of a local minor noble who rode past their shack on a regular basis as their shack was very close to the road that led to his Manor House. When he showed no interest in her at all despite repeated advance, she managed to dose him with a love potion, keeping him under it for many months and eventually became pregnant with his child.

"When she stopped feeding the potions to him – out of some false feeling of security – he abandoned her. She had the child alone in St Mungo's and died not long afterwards, naming the child Tom Marvolo Riddle after his father and hers."

"Where did you get all this rubbish from?" Malfoy asked impatiently.

Sirius shrugged.

"Most of it is from other peoples memories. People who knew or visited the Gaunts on an official basis, who came across Merope in the months she was pregnant or immediately after the birth."

"What utter rot. This is just propaganda that Dumbledore and his cronies have put about to discredit the Dark Lord."

"Is it? Why does it all come as a surprise to you, then? I thought you were the one who guided the propaganda around here? I told you the child's name was Tom Marvolo Riddle. Here, let me show you something."

Sirius showed Malfoy the way that the name anagrammed to 'I am Lord Voldemort'.

Malfoy hissed in displeasure.

"You've just made that up."

"Not at all," Sirius replied. "The Dark Lord himself showed that to someone I know. In any case, I'd hardly call you here to spend the afternoon on a wind-up. I know I'm considered foolish and juvenile, but I've got better things to do with my time than that.

"Perhaps this will convince you: I have reason to believe that the Dark Lord may have left for safekeeping with you a thick diary, around this size." Sirius motioned with his hands the size of the diary. "It has T. M. Riddle embossed on the front of it."

Malfoy looked up at him with a start.

"How do you know about that?"he asked, a flicker of fear crossing his face.

"I didn't know for certain, but I suspected you might have it," Sirius told him. "Did he tell you what to do with it?"

"Only that eventually there would come a time when I would realise it would be needed, and that I should see that it got to Hogwarts in the presence of a child."

Sirius winced.

"I trust you haven't sent it with Draco?"

"No.. I saw no need. Why?"

"Because it's very likely that it would have possessed him, if you did, and used him to open up Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets to release the monster that still lives there."

"That's just a myth!" Lucius sneered disbelievingly, though he had paled at the thought of his son becoming possessed.

Sirius shook his head.

"No, it isn't. The Dark Lord opened that chamber whilst he himself was at Hogwarts, fifty years ago. Only a parselmouth could have done so and commanded Slytherin's monster – which is a huge basilisk, by the way."

"That's insane!" Malfoy exclaimed. "He could have killed off a whole generation of magical heirs!"

"Indeed. And still could, if he's allowed to do so."

"Why would he want that?"

"Because it would be one way to ensure he was restored to a body. The diary contains an imprint of his soul, and it works to encourage the victim to continue to write in it every day, pouring out their hopes and dreams. And the more they write in it, the more that he is able to take over their body, until such time as he is able to completely re-absorb the soul element into that body... or possibly to create a new one with the life force that he drains from the victim, I was never completely sure about that.

"That's one of the ways that he has left himself to be able to return, Lucius. And he's willing to risk everyone at Hogwarts in order to achieve it."

Malfoy blanched again, reminded that his own son was at risk.

"What would you have me do?" he asked.

Sirius paused.

"I'd like to take that diary off your hands, Lucius," he said carefully. "I have a way of neutralizing the soul imprint within."

"And this will prevent the Dark Lord from returning?" Malfoy asked shrewdly.

"It will prevent him from using this means of returning," Sirius assured him. "I've got others looking for any other similar artefacts that might serve the same purpose."

Malfoy nodded thoughtfully.

"It's possible that your cousin Bellatrix might have also been entrusted-"

"I've already dealt with that item," Sirius said with a smile, trying to lead Malfoy away from the thought that he was betraying the Dark Lord.

"And in return...?" Malfoy asked.

Sirius sniggered. "I rather thought I was doing you a favour..."

Malfoy looked down his nose at him.

"You know my life is worthless if it gets out that I've handed over part of the Dark Lord's soul to you to be destroyed," he said in exasperation. "Make me an offer worth my while, damn it!"

"Very well," Sirius sighed. Both Monica and Agnes had been sure that Lucius would want something in return, whilst he had thought he could get away with simply taking the item. Fortunately they'd put some thought into an exchange.

He pulled an item out of his pocket and placed it on the table between them.

"This is a locket, once coveted by the Dark Lord, which genuinely belonged to Salazar Slytherin. I suspect that the exchange of one artefact for another might be appropriate."

Malfoy picked the locket up and looked it over. The piece itself was golden and the size of a chicken egg. An ornate letter S inlaid with many small green stones decorated the front and glinted brightly in the golden surface. The golden chain attached to it was just long enough for it to go over a man's head.

A greedy light shone in his eyes as he considered the piece. No doubt, Sirius thought, weighing up how much the item would be worth even if it weren't a former possession of one of the Hogwarts founders.

"It looks genuine enough," he noted calmly, and placed it back on the table. "I agree, but with the added condition that you tell nobody about this discussion."

Sirius nodded.

"Very well," Malfoy said, beginning to stand. "I believe we have a deal."

Sirius stood too, and they shook hands, though it was clear in both their faces that they would rather not.

"I'll meet you here again this time next week, with the diary," Malfoy say by way of a parting comment.

"Agreed," said Sirius. "Oh, and if cousin Narcissa has any House of Black business herself that she wishes to bring before me, all she has to do is ask."

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Monday 9th September 1991

Grimmauld Place

"Did he agree?" Agnes asked, almost as soon as he came into her parlour.

"Yep. Not sure he completely believed everything I told him. But it was enough to get him to promise to give up the diary."

"When?"

"Next week."

"Monica will be pleased."

"I'm sure she will," Sirius said.

"Did I win my foot rub?"

"Yes, I suppose you did," he sighed.

"I'm not sure I want to ask what you promised Monica."

"Agnes!"

"Only kidding, love. I take it he had no clue that the locket also used to be a Horcrux?"

"Not that he gave any indication of. He looked more interested in the price he might get for it. Oh, and I never actually mentioned the word 'Horcrux', just in case. He looked scared to death as it was at the thought of Draco getting possessed or of a huge basilisk roaming around the school."

"You ought to do something about that."

"I'd need a parselmouth to get us into the Chamber of Secrets. I only know of two – one of them is barely eleven-years-old and the other one is the shade of the Dark Lord."

"Fair point. Did you tell him about Quirrell?"

"Not until we actually get our hands on and destroy the diary. Preferably also not until Dumbledore has dealt with the ring and diadem, as well. If Malfoy thinks his son's likely to be in danger he's not going to want to give the Dark Lord the slightest whiff of possible disloyalty, and if we tell him that he's already possessing Quirrell there's a fair chance he'll refuse to ante up the diary."

"True."

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Friday 13th September 1991

Great Hall, Hogwarts

"Ugh! I'm not sure you've done us any favours, you know," Ron Weasley said to Harry and Hermione as he parked himself a couple of seats down the dining table. "Snape was utterly brutal this morning."

"What? You think he's taking it out on you guys that we aren't in his lessons any longer?" Harry asked.

"Pretty much," Ron responded. "He can't help but comment about 'those who are clearly not able to deal with Potions' and other lousy remarks about every five minutes. And he nearly threw a fit when all the Gryffindors put those safety goggles of yours on – demanded that they remove them or be expelled from the class. When Neville told him that we had permission from the Headmaster he took twenty points off for speaking out of turn."

"Is Neville okay?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, he's fine. I think he went straight to McGonagall to protest the points deduction. Plus he nearly melted his cauldron, and Snape tried to blame him for not following the instructions properly."

"I heard that she's planning to audit half his classes," Lee Jordan put in as he and George Weasley arrived. "I'd make sure you avoid him for a while – he's going to be steaming the whole weekend, I reckon."

"Make sure you get your homework right then Ron," Hermione suggested.

He wrinkled his nose.

"Yuk!" he said. "Eleven inches on the properties of porcupine quills and their use in boil-healing potions."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other. That was the kind of information that they had learned well before coming to Hogwarts, and Uncle Sirius certainly wouldn't have made them waste eleven inches of paper, let alone parchment, on something so basic and trivial.

"Sorry, but well," Harry began.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Ron mock-groused. "Not all that sorry you don't have to put up with the greasy git."

"Yeah, pretty much," Harry agreed with a grin.

"If Professor McGonagall catches him acting like that, he'll be in big trouble, though," Hermione said.

"I dunno about that," Ron replied. "Even Bill and Charlie told me that he was a right bastard-"

"Language, Ron!"

"-back when they were here, and that was years ago. Surely if he's been getting away with being nasty for that long, McGonagall's not going to be able to do anything about him now?"

Hermione frowned and worried at her lower lip with her teeth.

"But it's not right," she insisted.

Ron shrugged.

"Dunno what we can do about it," he said. "If McGonagall knows, and Dumbledore knows, and he's still here..."

"Maybe you should ask your parents if you can have Potions lessons at home, too," Hermione suggested.

"Nah. She'd never go for that," Ron said with a sigh. "'sides, she'll remind me that we can't afford the cost of a tutor, and I think I'd rather put up with Snape than have Mum teaching me herself. Can you imagine?"

He shuddered at the thought.

"No. Definitely better to put up with Snape," he concluded, "though if you could do something about getting us out of Defence with Quirrell that might be another thing."

Harry laughed.

"I think you'd end up with the same problem , Ron," he replied. "You'd still have to get your Mum to agree to withdraw you from the classes and she might decide she could teach you Defence, too!

"Ugh!" Ron opined. "You're probably right," he sighed. "Just wish we could get some proper teachers instead of the likes of Quirrell. I can barely understand half of what he says with that stutter, and it's not like History where I can take a nap instead."

The rest of the Gryffindors made noises of agreement from around him.

As they were settling down to their lunch, Neville joined them with a smile on his face.

"What's got you so happy?" Hermione asked him.

"Best news ever!" Neville said as he sat down next to her and started loading his plate with food. "McGonagall gave me back the twenty points that Snape took off for the goggles and cancelled my detention. She said she'll contact Gran directly if Snape keeps acting like this and will recommend I get Potions tutoring separately!"

Ron looked grumpy at the news.

"Even more reason to avoid Snape if she tells him that," he said. "He's gonna go bananas if people start dropping out of his class!"

"Look on the bright side," George told him. "If enough people drop out then you'll have him all to yourself."

Ron blanched.

"Me and the Slytherins, you mean," he said unhappily."'cos you know they aren't gonna complain about him."

He banged his head on the table, lucky that his plate had just been removed.

"Never mind, Ronniekins," George reassured him, "at least it's only twice a week!"