Chapter Seven: Workouts, Birthdays, Twins and Dumbledore

Emerald Blade Book One: The New Trainees

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and co. don't belong to me. Assassin's Creed and co. don't belong to me. I'm just taking some credit for the plot and original characters. Fire Lizards belong to the talented Anne McCaffrey. In no way, shape or form am I making money from this.

Betas: Inuyasha-loves-Hanyou-Kagome, CrazyJanaCat

Edited On: 12/20/17

Main Story Warnings: A.U.-severe-, characters are OOC, canon is only a minor guideline, crossover, swearing, violence, gore, character death, Light Grey!Harry, Assassin!Harry, modern technology, OC's abound, Ron!Molly!Ginny!Bashing, Dumbledore!Bashing

Pairings: James/Lily, Sirius/Kano, Remus/Emma, Harry/Luna, Neville/Hermione, Dean/Millicent

Author's Note: I'm so happy with on how many people love this story! Thank you all for the wonderful feedback and support! One thing I've noticed is that people are rather pleased with the way I'm 'bashing' characters. I intend for Albus to be seen as a misguided and manipulative person. However, he's not fully evil. He can see the good in certain things which is why he's so supportive of the advancements the Ministry has been making. Molly and Albus have more 'depth' to their characters and motives which will be shown throughout the stories. Now, this chapter introduces a new element that will be common and also a surprise! Also, I know this story may not seem that it's earned its 'M' rating. I rated it such for safety. I do plan on having violence in a later chapter and I've also rated it for swearing as well. Anyway, thanks again and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Challenge: DZ2's Way of the Warrior challenge. For more information look to the first chapter or DZ2's forums.

[Parseltongue]

[Telepathic Speech]

Emphasis on words/Spells

Text

Chapter Seven: Workouts, Birthdays, Twins and Dumbledore

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As the students and professors of Hogwarts passed into the second week of the new schoolyear, things began to settle down. Students found a pattern and were beginning to balance out their responsibilities of classes, assignments, social life and clubs. Harry, Dean, Susan, Hannah, Jillian and Eliana wrote home with their ideas for Hermione's gifts and were soon receiving packages which were quickly wrapped and stored away in their trunks. The group was also planning out Hermione's party, in which the girls and Neville were very impressed with the idea of a beach party. Of course they happily agreed, though Neville wasn't too sure about being around the others in just swimming trunks though all of them explained that it'd be fine and they were still growing which meant their bodies were constantly changing. This also had a rather interesting effect in the blonde boy as Harry and Dean found out four days before Hermione's party.

"Hey, Harry, Dean, can I talk to you?" Neville asked, watching as the two boys paused in pulling out their uniforms from their trunks.

"What's up, Nev?" Dean asked, walking over and sitting down on Neville's bed beside the boy.

"…I…I was wondering if I could join you on your morning runs. I'm tired of being made fun of because I'm…overweight." Neville muttered.

"Harry and I were actually planning on using the Room to work out in the mornings. We'd be happy to show you how to use different workout equipment. I'm sure it'd work out better for you if we worked out together in the evening. Maybe the girls would like to join us as well." Harry offered, smiling kindly as Neville blinked before smiling back.

"I'd like that. Thanks." Neville said, happiness in his voice as his friends grinned.

"No problem. Though, it might be a good idea for you to ask Healer Briggs about a good workout routine and diet that'd be good for you." Dean suggested, making Neville nod.

"Good idea. I'll speak with Healer Briggs today." Neville said, smiling again as Harry and Dean grabbed their uniforms and headed to the bathroom.

The pair went through their morning routine, though both were thinking about how they could help Neville and the girls. They were glad that Neville had seemed almost, relieved, when they suggested working out at a later time during the day and had eagerly accepted that idea. Their morning runs with Tonks and now Rachel were times when they could freely talk about their training and the Brotherhood, something they couldn't do if any of their friends decided to join them. However, they also agreed with the idea of working out more than once a week which was all that Neville and their friends were getting. Yes, they've all used the school pool since they learned about it but it still wasn't enough to consider a solid workout.

Meeting up with Hermione, Eliana and Jillian in the common room, they all headed down to the Great Hall where they sat at the Hufflepuff table with Susan and Hannah. As they ate, Harry and Dean asked the girls what they thought of the idea of working out after classes and their assignments were finished. The girls were surprised at the idea, but after some discussion, agreed that it would be a good idea. They could even have the Room form a pool for them to use along with changing/shower rooms. They also agreed that they could even set up a kind of shooting range where they would be able to practice their accuracy and casting speed against dummies. After breakfast, they headed off to their first class. Between classes Harry and Dean talked with the others about the various workouts they knew of and the different machines. Hermione and Eliana were all too happy to tell the other girls about Yoga and Gymnastics.

After Charms, Neville made his way to the hospital wing where he spoke with Healer Briggs. The man was surprised when Neville asked him about the best workout routine and diet for losing weight and becoming healthier. However, he was also pleased that Neville had come to him. Neville talked about what he would like to see happen and what Harry and Dean had told him about the various workouts, along with what he had learned during Physical Education. Healer Briggs confirmed that the preteen would need to change his diet somewhat and the exercise he was already getting from constantly traveling throughout the castle and going up and down stairs would help build his endurance and leg muscle. He soon helped Neville devise a good workout routine that would help the boy loose the excess baby fat and gradually build muscle and strength. Thanking the man, Neville headed out of the hospital wing and rejoined his friends in the Room. The others were rather interested in what Healer Briggs had told him and Harry and Dean nodded in approval of what Neville had been told by the man. They all agreed to begin their workouts after Self-Study; that way they could get their assignments out of the way first.

The day seemed to go by rather quickly for the group and after Self-Study finally finished they headed to the gymnasium to collect their workout clothes. Heading back to the seventh floor they were surprised to see that the door was already there. Upon entering they were surprised to see a room that rivaled the size of the Great Hall. At the back of the room was a shooting gallery style area which had training dummies against the wall. To the right was a gym style area with workout machines while to the left were mats and equipment for gymnastics. Hermione, Eliana and Hannah were very surprised to see a trampoline that was built into the floor. Harry and Dean were already in the center of the room doing stretches and grinning at them.

"Over there are the changing rooms. Go ahead and change." Dean said, nodding off to the right where there were two doors marking the changing rooms.

The others headed into the changing rooms and stripped out of their uniforms and into their workout clothes. Stepping back into the main room Harry and Dean helped the others perform stretches in order to, hopefully, prevent them from cramping. Harry and Dean then led their friends on a light jog around the room; in which the two boys jogged alongside their friends encouraging them to continue even when they began panting and started to slow down. By the time their jog ended, all of them, bar Harry and Dean, were panting and out of breath. Hermione and Eliana fared slightly better since they had gym before and were used to jogging and running more than the others. The room thankfully provided them with a drinking fountain and Harry and Dean had thoughtfully brought bottles of Gatorade for their friends. Before the others had come into the room they had quickly used their communication mirrors to tell their parents that their friends wanted to work out. Their parents had been happy and rather surprised but had encouraged them to help their friends out.

After regaining their breath and resting for a moment, Hermione and Eliana happily took Jillian, Susan and Hannah over to the gymnastics side while the boys took Neville over to the workout equipment. Harry and Dean showed Neville how to use the different equipment and machines, in which they were glad that the room had made it so the machines ran off of magic instead of normal electricity. Neville explained what Healer Briggs had told him, to which Harry and Dean helped Neville go through the workout routine Healer Briggs had devised for their friend. Meanwhile, Hermione and Eliana smiled and encouraged the other girls on the balance beam and in using the resistance bands. Hermione was happy to find a wireless against one of the walls and soon had music playing in the room for all of them to enjoy. She was rather happy that the Magical world has begun to play Muggle music and songs from Muggle bands instead of playing songs from just Magical bands and singers.

Once six o'clock rolled around, Harry called everyone to the edges of the room and focused on turning the room into a room with a large pool and a hot tub. The room around them became a blur as the others willed for Harry to get what he wanted. After the room came into focus, Harry grinned at the excitement in the others. Heading into the changing rooms they all soon came back out in their swim suits, in which Harry and Dean, again, didn't notice that the others were looking at them in shock and appreciation. They all happily swam around and played in the pool before relaxing in the hot tub and letting their muscles relax from the workouts. Neville admitted that he would likely be rather sore tomorrow, in which Harry told him that he could always ask Healer Briggs for a Muscle Relaxant salve. Close to dinner they got out of the hot tub and headed back to the changing rooms to shower and change back into their uniforms. The group split up and put their things away in their trunks before heading to the Great Hall for dinner. After working out and swimming around for so long all of them were starved. Their Housemates were rather surprised on how they practically attacked their evening meal.

"What's gotten into you?" Lavender asked, sniffing delicately as Eliana piled potatoes, fish and peas onto her plate.

"Working out really helps you build an appetite." Eliana answered, Jillian nodding her head as Lavender looked at them as if they were insane.

"You actually worked out at the gym?!" Parvati asked, her and Lavender looking at each other in shock.

"Why not? With all of the rich foods we eat we need some kind of workout in order to keep and develop our figures. Having Health and Physical Education once a week isn't nearly enough." Jillian said, making the two girls frown lightly.

Neither of them could understand why Eliana, Jillian, Hermione and the three boys would even want to work out. Okay, yes, the idea of a nice figure was appealing especially since it would mean boys would be even more interested in them but still. Running around a room or outside and working up a sweat wasn't appealing in the slightest. Not only that, but they had enough on their plate in trying to keep up in class and complete their assignments. Yes, yes Hermione had offered to help them on their assignments many times but they didn't want to admit that they were struggling, especially since Hermione seemed to have such an easy time with the class work. However, the idea of asking Hermione for help was slowly becoming more and more appealing. Ron and Seamus didn't really pay too much attention in class and she and Parvati struggled to get the pair to focus on their assignments and actually complete them.

"Harry, how often should we work out?" Neville asked, making Lavender look down the table towards the boy.

"At least once a day. However, we can have a day where we don't have to work out. It's up to you, honestly, and what you feel comfortable with." Harry answered, making Lavender look at the boy with a critical eye.

When she first saw Harry, she had been in shock. The boy looked nothing like the stories and rumors that had going around said he'd look like. He didn't wear glasses, there was no lightning bolt scar on his forehead and his hair wasn't an unruly mess. Instead, here was this drop-dead gorgeous boy with shaggy black hair streaked with blonde and intensely bright emerald green eyes that have a ring of bright blue on the outer edges. He was tall and obviously muscular underneath his robes and, from the few times she'd seen him take off his school robe in Herbology, he took care of himself and his body. Her father had told her a few years ago that Harry's adopted parents had refused a betrothal contract between herself and the boy. At the time she hadn't been too upset but when she first saw Harry her opinion had changed. She'd love to have a chance with Harry; not just because he was the wealthiest boy in the school.

Looking over at Dean, she made the same decision with the other boy as well. Dean was very obviously well built; even more so than Harry. His shoulders were wider and his arms more defined and she had to admit that there was something really attractive about an artist. It was common for Dean and his friends to sit around the fireplace in the common room doing various projects while they talked. Dean often had a sketch book and pencil in hand and Hermione frequently worked on her knitting. All of them had been surprised when Harry had brought down a guitar; especially when he began playing rather well. Eliana had joined along with his playing and often hummed or sang along with whatever song he played. If Harry wasn't playing then he had sheet music out and was composing his own songs which he would then test out. It had actually become a common thing for Hermione or Jillian to bring down their violins and play along with Harry. Neville often sat there reading or just listened to the music during his free time.

She and Parvati had often wished to join the group, but they never really got the chance to insert themselves into the group. Even though it was nearing the third week of the schoolyear, the seven had already become a rather close-knit group with only Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott joining them. She had seen Ron's many attempts to join their group, all of which have been rebuffed. Of course Ron's attempts included sitting down in the seat next to where Harry normally sat in one of their classes which would mean Dean wouldn't have a place to sit, along with Ron belittling Neville, Dean and the girls. She didn't know what else Ron would try, but whenever she, Parvati and Seamus mentioned him giving up on the idea he got really angry and claimed that he was better than all of Harry's friends and it would simply take some time before Harry realized it and came begging Ron for his friendship.

-Even though it'd be nice to be considered one of Harry's friends I highly doubt Harry would end his friendship with the others anytime soon.- Lavender mused, turning back to her best friend and listening as Parvati starting talking about some of the latest rumors.

"Did you see Percy and Penelope Clearwater?" Parvati whispered, her dark brown eyes alight with eagerness.

"No, what?! What happened?!"

"Well, from what I've heard she's been getting love letters on her pillow every morning. Some of the older 'Claws were talking about it." Parvati whispered, though the soft squeal that Lavender let out made others around them look at them with curiosity.

"Oh my gosh! Does she know who's sending them?" Lavender asked, nearly bouncing in her seat as Parvati shook her head.

"Only that it's one of the Prefects and they're not from Slytherin."

Nearby, Hermione rolled her eyes as she picked up some of what Parvati and Lavender were gossiping about. Even though it had only been a few weeks the pair already became the gossip queens of their Year. She also noticed that the pair hung around Ron and Seamus and were the ones who really tried to get the two redheads to do their assignments and take notes in class. While Seamus had been a nice guy the first few days, he turned into a real prat since befriending Ronald. There was little doubt in her mind that the pair would continue to cause trouble for her, Harry and the others. It was hard, admittedly, ignoring the jibs and jeers Ron and Seamus sent her way in the hallway. They along with Lavender and Parvati frequently made fun of her hair and her front teeth along with her…eagerness to answer questions in class. Eliana and Jillian were steadily helping her in getting used to not being the first one to answer questions, but she still had this…need to prove herself among the others in her classes.

"You okay, 'Mione?" Neville asked, making Hermione blink and turn towards him.

"Huh?"

"I asked if you're okay." Neville said, watching as the brunette smiled.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Nev. Just thinking about how different everything is." Hermione said, making her other friends look at her with interest.

"Oh?" Eliana asked, smiling gently as Hermione nodded.

"I didn't really have any friends in primary school. I just…well I never really understood the appeal of gossiping." She admitted, watching as Susan, Hannah, Jillian and Eliana looked at each other with a hint of sadness at Hermione's revelation.

"Well, you're not the only girl around here now! I think you should get a subscription to Teen Witch Weekly. We're gonna have some serious girl time from now on." Jillian said, the other girls nodding as Hermione smiled tearfully at them.

"Thanks." She sniffled, making her friends smile.

"You hear that, Nev, De? I guess we'll have to spend those times when they're off having 'girl time' with some guy time." Harry said, the girls laughing as Dean and Neville grinned.

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September 19th

Hermione yawned as she slowly woke; her mind sluggish to fully leave behind the last dredges of her dreams. However after her mind finally caught up with her she realized that it was her twelfth birthday! With eyes wide with excitement the brunette hurriedly got out of bed and rushed through her morning routine. Thankfully Lavender and Parvati didn't wake early and Jillie and Eli were slowly waking up by the time she finished getting dressed in her workout clothes. Tying her hair back, she huffed as a few locks instantly escaped, making her friends giggle softly as they got out of their beds.

"It's not funny!" Hermione hissed, keeping her voice soft so she wouldn't wake up the two gossip queens.

"Oh don't worry, 'Mione." Eliana said, pulling off her pajamas and digging through her trunk for her workout clothes.

"Happy birthday." Jillian said, pulling out a beautiful handmade card from her bedside table.

"Yeah, happy birthday!" Eliana added, handing over her own card happily.

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise before a beautiful smile broke out across her face. She eagerly accepted the cards and read them before hugging her two girlfriends tightly. Her voice was thick with emotion as she thanked them before carefully putting the cards on the built-in shelf on her headboard. Once they were all dressed and had a change of 'normal' clothes in their bags, they headed down to the common room where they met up with the boys. Neville, Harry and Dean happily presented Hermione with their own cards, in which the brunette actually cried silently in happiness. Neville hugged Hermione warmly and offered her a handkerchief to dry her eyes and cheeks. She thanked the three boys before they headed to the Room of Requirement for their morning workout. Thankfully Harry and Dean had told Tonks about working out with their friends in the mornings instead. Tonks had understood and had assured them that she and Rachel were now going on their runs together so she wouldn't be lonely without them there.

Meeting up with Susan and Hannah, Hermione was given two more cards which she thanked the girls for before adding the cards to her bag. Inside the Room, they took it easy with their workouts; mostly using light weights and cardio machines before swimming and relaxing in the hot tub for longer than normal. The others, besides Harry and Dean, were still sore from working out so much. However, their muscles weren't nearly as sore as they had been after the first day. Harry and Dean had actually had to help Neville and Jillian down to the infirmary while Hermione and Eliana limped behind them. Healer Briggs and Madame Pomfrey were concerned, especially since Susan and Hannah were already there, though they gently scolded the group for over taxing themselves before giving them muscle relaxers and warning them to take it easy for the rest of the day.

Now, their bodies had gotten used to the work outs thanks to slowly building up their work outs and the routines they developed. They were very pleased with the results since Neville had noticed that he was slowly losing weight and the girls noticed that they were slowly developing some tone and losing some of baby fat that had clung to their bodies as well. Not only that, but their accuracy and speed in spell casting was improving steadily and all of them were becoming faster in their movements. Harry and Dean were proud of their friends and they were also keeping a careful eye on their friends in case any of them showed any potential of being fellow Assassins. They hadn't spotted anything yet, but they were planning on continuing their surveillance of their friends and any strange abilities their friends might have that were noticeable.

After their workout they group showered and dressed before splitting up to put their things away. They met up in the Great Hall where they had breakfast. Like most Saturdays the Great Hall was mostly empty early in the morning since many students and even some professors took advantage of not having classes and slept in. Breakfast was also made available for a longer period of time, until ten instead of eight like normal. After breakfast, they headed back up to the Room to finish their assignments and just hang out and do some further research in their classes. Hermione and Eliana eagerly spoke about the fieldtrip coming up for their Wizarding Customs class. The class was going to be visiting the Ministry soon to learn more about their government and the different departments. Jillian, Susan and Neville talked about the planned fieldtrip in Muggle Studies to the Prime Minister's office and Buckingham Palace, which was pretty exciting for them. Harry, Dean and Hannah smiled at that; all of them glad that Hogwarts had the funding needed to allow students to go on such trips.

The day seemed to pass relatively quickly for the group. They spent some time wandering around the castle where Harry finally revealed the map he had of Hogwarts. Hermione, Neville, Eliana, Jillian, Susan and Hannah were shocked when they saw the map and eagerly looked it over while asking questions. Susan explained that the map would be a great security device and asked Harry and Dean about the possibility of Sirius and Remus creating one for the Ministry for the Auror department or even the Minister.

"I don't think that'd be a good idea. Yes, it'd help ensure security in the Ministry but what would happen if someone learned about the map? Someone who wasn't so…understanding?" Harry asked, watching as Susan opened her mouth before closing it as understanding dawned on her.

"Auntie and others would be accused of spying and would be forced to resign or even be put in prison." Susan said, Harry and Dean nodding.

"Exactly. We mostly use it to find the secret passages and to get to the kitchens for a late night snack." Dean said, the others nodding lightly in understanding.

They continued exploring, though Hermione and Susan kept them far away from the forbidden corridor. Lunch was a calm affair, though Eliana, again, had to deflect Ronald's poor attempt of convincing her to hang out with him. Thankfully Fred and George managed to get their younger brother away from the group when Ronald began insulting Hermione. Hermione was surprised when the twins wished her a happy birthday though she quickly learned from Katie Bell that Lavender and Parvati had told all of them that it was her birthday because they had seen the cards Eliana and Jillian had given her when they had woken up. Hermione blushed as many of the older students in their House wished her a happy birthday, though there was no denying the happiness she felt in finally having people who cared.

After lunch they all headed outside to enjoy the last full warm afternoon of the year. Wandering around the grounds, they ran into Hagrid and Professor Hurst. Both of them taught Care of Magical Creatures and Hermione and Eliana were in awe when they saw Hagrid leading two full grown Unicorns out of the Forbidden Forest while Professor Hurst led two Unicorn foals. The two professors led the beautiful, silver/white colored creatures to a corral where they contentedly began grazing. Of course Hagrid and Professor Hurst had no problem with them watching the Unicorns and Hagrid handed them some sugar cubes which the preteens happily held out to the majestic creatures. The girls giggled at the feeling of the Unicorns eating from their hands and Hermione gasped when one of the adult Unicorns nickered at her and nuzzled her cheek.

"He likes you, Miss Granger. Unicorns are rather…picky about humans." Professor Hurst said, her eyes bright as she looked at the dazed brunette girl.

Even after they left the corral, Hermione continued to lightly touch her cheek where the Unicorn nuzzled her with a beautiful smile on her face. Wandering around, they caught sight of a good number of students using the school's workout room thanks to the wide windows of the building. They only headed inside as it neared dinner, though all of them agreed that it'd be a good idea to head to their dorms to freshen up after running around and playing outside. Susan and Hannah held back with Harry and promised to head up to the Room with their swim suits after freshening up. Harry hurried up to Gryffindor tower where he packed up his swim trunks and Hermione's present. Mira happily headed down to the common room with him; perched on his shoulder like normal. Jillian was the first of the girls to join them, in which she hurriedly told Harry, Dean and Neville that she had managed to get Hermione's swim suit from her trunk.

They waited until Hermione and Eliana joined them before Harry grinned and quickly blindfolded Hermione. The brunette gasped; clutching onto Harry's arms tightly.

"What's going on?!" She demanded, scowling as Harry took her hands and held them.

"It's time for your surprise, of course. We're not having dinner in the Great Hall tonight." Harry said, carefully leading Hermione out of the common room with their friends following behind.

Throughout the journey to the Room Hermione kept badgering them with questions about where they were leading her and what was going on. However, much to her frustration, they kept their answers vague and minimal. Reaching the wall that hid the Room, Harry and the others were pleased to see Professor McGonagall walking up just as they reached the hallway. Neville took over in keeping Hermione steady as Harry paced in front of the blank wall and thought of the setting for Hermione's party. On his third pass, a white door appeared in the wall and Harry grinned as he opened it. Stepping inside, he was pleased to see a white sand beach with various cabanas to relax under. A long table was set up with beach chairs surrounding it while another table stood nearby waiting to be filled with food and drink. Harry called out to Jeeves, the head Potter family Elf. Jeeves appeared in front of him and soon had the second table filled with pans of handmade pizza, chips, dip, various kinds of drinks, hotdogs, hamburgers, corn-on-the-cob and potatoes.

There were also a few changing tents stationed around the cabanas so they could change into their swimsuits when ready to swim. Harry also spotted a small storage shack which, he guessed, was filled with toys and floats they could use in the clear-blue water. Only when the room was ready did he beckon the others inside, in which Hermione stumbled when she stepped onto the sand. Jillian happily whipped off the blindfold from her friend's face, making Hermione blink rapidly as she held up a hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight. A gasp escaped the girl's mouth as she stared at the scene in front of her; her eyes widening in disbelief when she saw balloons tied to the backs of the chairs along with a tiara sitting front of the head of the dining table with the words 'Birthday Girl' written on it.

"I-Is this for me?" Hermione whispered, tears gathering in her eyes as the others gently led her towards the table.

"Of course it is. Jillie and Eli told us about the picture of the beach you went to during the summer and how you talked about all the good memories you had with your parents. Jillie also brought your swimsuit for you." Dean said, grinning as Hermione looked at them with teary eyes.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." She sniffled, hugging each of them tightly.

Minerva felt a smile threaten to spread across her face as she watched the group. She had loved the idea of a small party for Hermione and had been rather impressed that Harry and Dean had thought of using the Room to create the perfect party room for their friend. She watched as Hermione's friends urged the girl to the buffet table where Hermione chose some of her favorite dishes. The brunette blushed and complained half-heartedly when she was sat down at the head of the table and the tiara was placed on her head. However, the smile never left her face and her eyes never stopped sparkling. Minerva joined them at the table after getting a small selection of some of the dishes. The preteens happily chatted away and included Minerva in their conversations as well much to the woman's delight. She was pleased that so many of them asked her questions about class and what they'd be learning in the future.

After dinner, the group hurried into the changing tents and were soon sprinting towards the warm water lapping at the sand. Minerva contented herself by laying back on a padded beach chair with a good book, though she kept a careful eye on the group. If any of the children's parents found out about the party she could truthfully say that they had adult supervision. There was plenty of laughter and shrieks of delight as the group splashed around, swam and played games in and out of the water. The Room had provided them with a volleyball net and Hermione, Dean, Harry and Eliana had a lot of fun teaching the others how to play. Minerva kindly played the role of referee for them after she 'learned' the rules of the game. Hermione's team won, which generated a lot of cheering and squealing as Harry and Dean chased the girls around and into the water since their team lost. They continued playing for a while longer, in which they even made sand castles and other sand sculptures which was rather entertaining to watch.

It was an hour later when they rinsed off and changed back into their normal clothes. Moving back to the table, Hermione was seated once more before a pile of presents was placed in front of her. She opened Eliana's gift first and beamed when she saw five new Nancy Drew books neatly stacked in order. Thanking her friend, she pushed the books to the side before grabbing the next gift. Neville grinned when Hermione opened his gift; revealing the two mailboxes. Hermione was in awe over the beautifully made boxes and listened intently as the others explained what the mailboxes did. With tears in her eyes, Hermione tapped her wand against the boxes, activating them. She made a mental note to visit the Owlery in the morning to send off her parent's new mailbox. Next came Dean and Harry's present, in which Hermione's eyes widened in shock as she unwrapped a slender, small jewelry box. Her hands shook as she slowly opened it before she let out an 'eep' and dropped the box onto the table.

The girls all crowded around her, gasping and squealing at the sight of a delicate, white gold charm bracelet which had two charms: a book and a wand. Harry and Dean grinned at each other while Neville looked rather surprised though he smiled and nodded in approval. Hermione's hand shook slightly as she pulled out the bracelet and slipped it onto her left wrist. She gasped softly as the cool metal flashed before shrinking to fit properly on her wrist. Looking up at Harry and Dean, she got up and hugged them tightly, whispering her thanks to which the pair smile and hugged her back.

"Hermione, that bracelet is charmed to protect you." Harry said, the brunette looking at him with surprise and confusion.

"It protects you from school level hexes and jinxes. It also vibrates if it detects any harmful potions that might've been slipped into your drinks." Dean added, watching as the other girls looked at him with wide eyes.

"Woah! Hermione, don't take that off!" Susan said, the other girls nodding in agreement.

"W-Why?" Hermione asked, frowning in confusion as she looked at the three girls.

"Harry, Dean, Neville, Sue and I all have Head of House rings. These rings are enchanted to protect the future and current head of House. Because you don't belong to a magical family, you don't have such protections. I'm betting Han's Heiress ring has some protections as well." Jillian explained, Hannah nodding as understanding dawned on Eliana and Hermione's faces.

"We briefly touched on Head of House and Heir/Heiress rings. But isn't it exp-"

"Don't focus on the potential price tag, 'Mione. Harry and Dean went together on this. I wish they would've told me since I would've helped." Neville said, glancing at his two friends with a raised eyebrow.

Harry and Dean simply smiled and shrugged before they encouraged Hermione to continue to open her gifts. Hermione gushed over the book series Jillian had gotten her and absolutely loved the children's books such as Tales of the Beedle and the Bard and a few more. Opening her last gift, Hermione's eyes watered when she saw the large bottles of shampoo and conditioner. Susan and Hannah explained that the hair products were specially made for her and would help her 'tame' her hair. They explained that, because she's a Witch, normal ways of taming hair wouldn't work because her body, including her hair, had magic embedded in it. She hugged the two girls tightly, thanking them profusely as tears streamed down her cheeks. Hermione sniffled lightly as she dried her cheeks and gently packed away her new gifts. As she was doing so, Jillian softly explained that Madame Pomfrey or Healer Briggs could actually shrink her teeth for her. All of them had learned that Hermione's parents were dentists and she that she had been planning on getting braces before her Hogwarts letter came. Sadly, because she was not attending Hogwarts, she wouldn't be able to get her braces tightened or loosened properly.

Hermione was wide eyed at learning that her teeth could be fixed. When she asked why neither Healer had told her about it, Susan explained that it was against the oath all Healers took. At Hermione's desperate expression, the other girls all decided to take Hermione down to the hospital wing tomorrow after breakfast. After the wrapping was banished, thanks to Professor McGonagall, a beautiful ice crème cake was brought in by Jeeves and Hermione happily cut into the cake and distributed slices to everyone. Conversation was bright and cheerful as they ate with a wireless playing in the background. Once the cake was finished, they goofed around and played in the water for a little while longer before Professor McGonagall called them in to change and pack up. The Room changed from a beach setting and provided a plain room with changing rooms for them all to use and shower off to get rid of the sea water and sand.

"Now, it's four minutes to curfew. Head directly to Gryffindor Tower, no wandering or else I shall be deeply disappointed with you. I shall escort Miss Bones and Miss Abbott to their common room." Minerva said, the preteens nodding in understanding.

"Thank you, Professor." Hermione said, smiling at the stern woman.

"You're most welcome, Miss Granger. I was more than happy to supervise you all today. Also happy birthday." Minerva said, surprising the students by giving the brunette a small smile.

-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-

The next morning Hermione woke with a renewed sense of excitement. Grabbing her new hair products, she hurried into the bathroom; thankful that only Jillian and Eliana were waking up. Stepping into one of the shower stalls, Hermione hurriedly undressed and turned on the taps. As she went through her morning routine, she read the directions on the back of the bottles of shampoo and conditioner. She was surprised that she simply had to do the same thing as she normally did. Eliana and Jillian walked into the bathroom, talking softly as they attempted to wake up. They said their good mornings to Hermione when they noticed that she was already in the shower. Finishing up her shower, Hermione dried off and wrapped a towel around herself. She moved to the mirrors, which were charmed not to fog up, and brushed her hair. She used a simple drying spell on herself and her eyes widened when, instead of steadily becoming more bushier, her hair simply became rather curly.

"I'm glad it worked." Eliana said, smiling as Hermione looked at her friend in the mirror.

"H-How did Susan and Hannah get the shampoo and conditioner?" Hermione asked, lightly touching the curls in disbelief.

"Jillie and I got the hair needed for the potion masters to make the shampoo and conditioner specifically for you. Normally they'd take a small cutting from the hair underneath the outer layers. However they honestly just need enough to get a magic sample along with a skin and hair sample. We got the hairs from your hairbrush and passed them off to Susan and Hannah." Eliana answered.

"Thank you."

The girls finished their morning routines and headed down to the common room together, though not before Lavender and Parvati stared at Hermione in shock. All of them had agreed to hold off on their training until later that day; in which Neville happily agreed much to their amusement. While they hung around the common room waiting for the time for breakfast to come around, many of the older girls in their House approached Hermione and complimented her on her new hair style. Hermione smiled brightly and thanked all of them; though she blushed whenever a male member of their House complimented her as well. When the time for breakfast approached, they headed down to the Great Hall and met up with Susan and Hannah on the ground floor. They sat down at the Slytherin table across from Daphne, Tracy, Millicent and Blaise. The four Snakes were surprised but happily accepted the group and talked with them about their shared classes and assignments. Daphne, Tracy and Millicent gushed over Hermione's new hairstyle while Blaise smiled at the brunette and complimented her. All of them pointedly ignored Pansy and Sabrina's snorts at the compliment.

After breakfast, Jillian and Susan took Hermione to the hospital wing to get her teeth seen to while Hannah, Eliana and Neville headed outside to relax. None of them wanted to wander around the castle, which was what Harry and Dean wanted to do. All of them agreed to meet up in the Room after lunch. Harry and Dean set out exploring the school, often ducking into various hidden passages to avoid Filch and his horrid cat Missus Norris. It was during one of their explorations of a hidden passage when the pair found what appeared to be a small box. Looking at each other, they frowned lightly and crouched down beside the box. Their rings weren't going off which meant that there wasn't anything harmful inside it. However, before they could open the box, two shadows covered them.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here brother of mine?"

"Looks like two curious Firsties."

Harry and Dean stood and spun, their eyes widening in surprise when they saw Fred and George grinning at them. The two pranksters didn't look mad; rather they looked interested and pleased that Harry and Dean were in the passage.

"Let me guess, the box is filled with some of your prank items?" Dean asked, grinning as the twins chuckled.

"Of course!"

"Can't have Filch discovering where we keep everything."

"Now, how did you two find this passage?" Fred asked, looking at the pair with interest.

The two younger boys looked at each other, silently debating if they should reveal the map to the twins. Their time working with the Weasley twins at Remus and Sirius' shop proved that the twins were nothing like their youngest brother or mum. Nodding, Harry pulled out his map and unfolded it, though he blinked when the twins looked at him with shock and confusion before Fred pulled out a similar, though older looking piece of folded parchment from his back pocket.

"How do you have a map?" George asked, glancing at his brother as Fred activated the map.

"Moony and Padfoot made this one for us." Harry answered, making Fred and George look at him with surprise.

"Where did you find that?" Dean asked, frowning as he looked at the twins.

"We…we nicked it from Filch's office near the end of last year. Our oldest brother, Bill, uncovered the password. He's a Curse Breaker, you see-"

"So things like this are child's play for him." Fred and George explained, Harry and Dean listening with interest.

"You know, Moony did say he lost his map near the end of his last year." Dean said, looking at Harry who nodded.

"True. It's likely that's the one you two found. Sirius and Remus made this for us to use. We've been exploring and wandering around since the second day." Harry explained, the twins looking at him with interest.

Harry and Dean showed the twins a few features that they hadn't known about the 'original' map that they carried. The twins were shocked and eager to learn about the search feature of the map and followed Ron on the map for a minute before asking more questions. They were in awe over the new map and asked plenty of questions about the new features that Remus and Sirius had added into the new map. Harry and Dean showed the twins some of the features, though they kept others a secret since they didn't want the twins to know everything. Fred and George happily showed Harry and Dean a few more of their stashes so the boys wouldn't accidentally run into any of the stashes and destroy them. The two younger boys promised to keep the boxes safe and even asked if they could help the twins with some of their pranks. Fred and George were surprised, but they grinned and eagerly agreed; stating that they and their best friend Lee Jordan could always use some more partners in crime.

The twins happily told the two boys about some of the pranks they had planned, all of which had Harry and Dean laughing. Harry and Dean told the twins about some of their future prank ideas, to which the twins were grinning though they began giving the pair suggestions on how to make their pranks better and ensure that others would have a hard time connecting the pranks to them. Fred and George took the pair through the castle, explaining a few things that they had learned about the school and the various professors. As they walked, Harry and Dean noticed an odd…flickering in the twins' eyes at different times. Before exiting one of the hidden doors leading in and out of the passage, the twins waited a few moments, allowing the two First Years to activate their Eagle sight spot Filch passing by slowly. How the twins knew he was there was a mystery, though Harry and Dean were quickly becoming suspicious. Were the twins Assassins? If so, how the bloody hell would they get their training?! There was no way their mum would let them go through training…unless…

There were some Assassins in the Brotherhood who had been trained in secret from their families. It wasn't the preferred way of doing things but sometimes it needed to happen. It wasn't too uncommon for some Assassins to come from a family that supported the Templars and their training had to be done in secret. Even though the twins would have to keep their training a secret from their mum and youngest siblings, perhaps Arthur Weasley would be supportive of their twin sons. Looking at each other, Harry and Dean nodded slightly, silently confirming that they would tell Professor McGonagall about their suspicions. It would certainly make things interesting if the twins were Assassins and came to the estate during the holidays for training. Even though they've only had limited interactions with the twins, they already considered the pair friends.

In return for showing them their stashes and the original Marauders Map, Harry and Dean showed the twins the Room of Requirement. Fred and George were in awe over the possibilities of the room and eagerly agreed to join the two First Years and their friends in the mornings for their workouts. However, they claimed that they'd be unable to join them during the times when they had practice for Quidditch. While on the topic of the sport, the twins complained about their new Seeker: Cormac McLagan. The Second Year was severely cocky and a horrible team player. However, he was the only one who showed any kind of talent for the position during tryouts and they hadn't won the Quidditch cup since their older brother Charlie left the team. Dean told the twins about Harry's uncanny talent as a Seeker, in which the twins bemoaned the fact that First Years couldn't join the team.

"I'll try out next year, promise." Harry said, grinning as the twins beamed at him.

After hanging out with the twins and showing them what they normally did in way of workouts, they all split up to do their own thing. However, Harry and Dean headed to Professor McGonagall's office. Reaching the door, they knocked a few times before waiting for the woman to answer. When Minerva called out for them to enter, Harry and Dean opened the door and walked inside, closing the door behind them. Minerva looked up from grading Sixth Year papers and instantly saw the serious looks on the two boy's faces. Pulling out her wand, she flicked it a few times, casting a locking charm on the door along with putting up a privacy ward.

"What is it?" She asked, her voice stern as the boys looked at her.

"Master Assassin McGonagall, we've discovered two possible Assassins." Dean began, making Minerva's eyes widen.

Instead of answering, she rose from her desk and walked to her fireplace. Tossing a handful of floo powder into the low flames, she knelt and called out for Severus' private office. After passing a coded message to the man, she stepped back and they only had to wait a few seconds before Professor Snape stepped through the fireplace. The man's hair is held back in a low ponytail and his sharp eyes took in to the two trainees before he looked to Minerva.

"Who are the two possible Assassins you've discovered?" Minerva asked, making Severus look at the pair sharply.

"Fredrick and George Weasley." Dean answered, watching as the two Master Assassins looked at him in shock.

"Are you sure?" Severus asked, frowning deeply as the boys looked at each other.

"Not long ago we were wandering through some of the hidden passages here in the school. We ran into the twins and we started talking to them. They decided to take us around the school and showed us more of the hidden passages. On two occasions they paused before stepping out into a hallway and their eyes flashed like ours do when we activate our Eagle sight. Dean and I used our sight during the last instance and saw that the twins were waiting for Filch to turn a corner. Mister Filch made no sound that would've given away his presence unless the twins had the sight." Harry explained, the two professors frowning thoughtfully.

"It would explain how they've only been caught four times since they've come here." Minerva mused, Severus nodding curtly.

"As much as it pains me to admit: they are much more intelligent than they let on. Their potions are…at a higher level though they've begged me to keep their scores low. Apparently Missus Weasley wishes them to join their father in the Ministry which is exactly what they don't want." Severus said, his voice soft as Minerva nodded lightly.

"Thank you for alerting us to this. We shall handle it from here and will send you and the other trainees a message should the twins be Assassins." Severus said, Minerva smiling lightly at the two boys.

"Keep an eye out for any others you might suspect." She added, the boys nodding before they left the room after Minerva took down the locking charm.

Relocking the door, she turned her attention back to Severus. The young man had a thoughtful look on his face as he looked at the door. She knew that it had been a huge surprise all those years ago when he learned that Lucas and Delilah had taken in the son of his sworn enemy. Yes, James Potter had mellowed out in his Sixth Year and had officially called off targeting Severus and the entire Slytherin House with their pranks in the middle of his Sixth Year but that hadn't done too much in way of bridging the gap between Houses. Severus had been in love with Lily since they were children and he had been the one who introduced her to the Brotherhood. When she renounced her claim as an Assassin and left the Brotherhood, Severus had been devastated; especially when he learned that she had done it because of her new husband and unborn son. Minerva knew that it had been a tough pill for Severus to swallow when he learned that Harry carried the same abilities as his mother and Lucas and Delilah had spoken with the potions master about his hatred towards James. It had taken some time for Severus to get over his past hatred and his dislike for the one-year-old simply because he was the son of James.

It did help that Harry grew up with none of the arrogance or ego that had been present in his birth father. Harry proved himself to be his own person; not a copy of either of his parents. Yes, he did have Lily's temper and James' mischievousness but he was his own person. When Sirius apologized to Severus it had taken awhile for the Slytherin to forgive his former enemy but he eventually buried the hatchet. Minerva knew that it was because Sirius was no longer an 'egotistical prick' like he had once been. The war and the death of his friends had finally made Sirius grow up and he was better off because of it.

"Harrison and Dean seem to have a knack for discovering possible Assassins." Severus said, drawing Minerva out of her thoughts.

"We'll have to be careful about this. Molly will never accept that two of her sons are Assassins. She'll make complaints and spill the word to all the wrong people; including Albus." Minerva said, Severus nodding in agreement.

"Hold the pair after class and cast the spell. If they are Assassins then we shall pass the news to Lucas and Delilah. We should also tell them about Molly and Arthur. I think Arthur is the more…sensible of the couple and would agree that his son's need training." Severus explained, Minerva listening and nodding.

"I'll let you know about the results." She said, Severus letting out a faint hum before he stepped back into the floo to head back to his office.

-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-

September 28th

Arthur Weasley was a polite, level-headed and amicable man. Despite being a Pureblood, he had never bought into the whole Pureblood superiority dogma that had dominated their world for so long. He knew all too well that Muggles were intelligent, inventive and creative people. He had always thought that their world would advance much faster if they studied Muggles and learned from them; something that had placed him among the 'trash' of their world. When Molly Prewett had come into his life he had fallen in love with the kind young woman. She listened to him, truly listened to him. She hadn't dismissed his ideals and instead made an attempt to learn more about them. When they were married and he began going to a Muggle university, she would stay up late to see him come home and ensure that he had a good meal and someone to talk to as he studied and did his assignments. Yes, Molly was a very strong opinionated woman, but it had been something that he had loved about her. She wasn't afraid to let others know what she thought of them.

Okay, yes, it had caused a few arguments between them in the past. However, Molly had never crossed the invisible boundary that he had set on their wedding day. He would allow her to run the house and ensure the children were kept in line; however he would only allow her so much control. He'd had to step in a few times when Molly had pushed too close but his wife had quickly backed down and let him handle things. Things had gotten a lot better for all of them since Minister Matthews pushed through the reforms and gave him a high position with a large pay increase thankfully. Things had gotten easier around the house now that they didn't have to worry about the possibility of being unable to send one of their children to school and worrying about food and clothes. Molly had certainly been in a much better mood since then and it pleased him to see the worry and stress leave her face.

However, now he had a dilemma on his hands. It was well known to many old Pureblood families that Assassins and Templars existed. Arthur also knew that his own great-great-great-great grandmother had been an Assassin and a very talented one at that. However, no one in his family had ever possessed any of the special qualities that Assassins had. Yes, there had been a few times when he suspected that Bill or Charlie might have the abilities but no one had ever approached him about his eldest sons. Now, he had just received a rather…vague letter from Minerva about Fred and George. Oh he had always suspected that an Assassin would be in Hogwarts to seek out any potential new Assassins among the students and he had always suspected that Minerva was more than what she let on.

Sighing, Arthur knew that he would have to head to Hogwarts on his own. Molly would blow up if their sons are in trouble. Her temper is famous and it took very little to set her off. Standing up, Arthur headed up to the second floor and pulled on a robe. Minerva had sent him a letter asking for him to come to the school to discuss something dealing with the twins that evening. He had sent Molly off with Ginny for a girls day out, figuring that his wife and daughter could use some time together and it would also allow him to meet with Minerva without bringing his wife with him. Walking back down the stairs, Arthur walked to the fireplace and, after adding the Floo powder, flooed directly to the Deputy Headmistress's office. His mind was a whirl of thoughts as he watched the various fireplaces and exits flash by before the spinning began to slow down. As he came to a stop, Arthur ducked and stepped out, pulling his wand from a wand holster and banishing the soot and ash from his robe and thinning hair.

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Lord Weasley." Minerva said, rising from behind her desk and walking over to shake the man's hand.

"It was no trouble Professor." Arthur said, realizing that this must be a serious discussion for Minerva to use his title.

They were soon seated and a House Elf brought a tea service for them. With cups of tea in hand, Arthur settled fully into the chair and looked at Minerva as she slowly stirred her tea.

"Let me begin by saying that Percival, Fredrick and George are doing well in their classes. Percival has been doing an outstanding job in his role as Prefect. The First and Second Years look up to him for guidance in getting around the school and he seems to greatly enjoy helping them out. I can easily see him becoming Head Boy in his Seventh Year. He is currently one of the top three students of his year." Minerva began, watching as Arthur smiled warmly.

"Percy has always tried to do his best. We encourage him at home and I believe he'll be looking for a clerking job in the Ministry come summer." He mused.

"Fredrick and George, while being troublemakers, have been doing rather well in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. However…I fear that they are…'fudging' their results in their other classes to make it seem like they're average students." Minerva said, making the Weasley patriarch blink and look down at his cup thoughtfully.

"While I don't care for discussing…familial problems with others, I believe I know why my boys are doing this. My wife is…outspoken when it comes to her wishes for our children. It's no secret at home that she wants all of our children to have solid jobs in the Ministry. That Bill and Charlie didn't and actually moved out of the country upset her. Percy seems content and even eager with acquiring a position in the Ministry. I believe he might try to get into the Department of Research and Development or my own department. The twins, however, have set their sights on owning a joke shop. I have to admit that I've seen some of their work and it's…very impressive. However my wife gets angered at the idea and puts the twins down whenever they even hint at becoming shop owners.

"She doesn't think that it's a respectable job. I had to overstep her when the twins asked to work for Lord Black and Mister Lupin during the summers. Myself and my oldest boys encourage the twins, though I'm constantly getting after them for teasing Percy and Ron." Arthur explained, a fond smile on his face as Minerva chuckled softly.

"Now…as for Ronald." Minerva began, her tone making Arthur dread what she was about to say.

"Ronald is proving to be a…worrying case for us professors. He hardly pays attention in class and when he does turn in assignments they're barely at a passing level. He has also taken to verbally harassing Misters Longbottom, Thomas-Woods and Potter-Othello along with Misses Granger, Michaels and Grace. Miss Michaels and Miss Grace are of different races Lord Weasley. Miss Michaels is the daughter of Lord Gary Michaels and the Immortal Vampire Lady Evangeline Michaels nee Dracula. I believe I don't have to go into Miss Grace's parentage to impress upon you the danger your youngest son faces if he continues to harass the others." Minerva said, watching as Arthur paled before he cleared his throat.

"No, no you don't."

"So far Ronald has been given three detentions because of his behavior. Not only that, but his friends: Mister Finnigan and Misses Brown and Patil, have taken to teasing Mister Potter-Othello and his friends as well. However, Misses Brown and Patil have slowly begun to back off after having gotten detention. The young girls have also been seen trying to encourage Ronald and Mister Finnigan to study more and pay more attention in class. Sadly, should Ronald's grades fail to improve over the rest of the year he will find himself having to repeat his First Year." Minerva explained, watching as Arthur sighed and shook his head.

"I shall talk to Ron. There has never been a Weasley who has needed to repeat a school year. Should he fail this year I might just keep him home and have him home schooled. The fact that he's disrupting others and causing them discomfort and even emotional pain is…concerning." Arthur said, Minerva nodding lightly.

"Now, something else has been brought to my attention Lord Weasley. However, I must ask you to take an oath to not speak of what I am about to tell you to anyone besides Fredrick and George. If the…wrong people were to learn this then it could spell disaster." Minerva said, making Arthur look at her sharply with a frown.

Arthur looked at Minerva in silence for a minute; wondering what this was about. However, the wording and the way she had asked for secrecy set his heart racing. Releasing his wand into his hand, he held it up and slightly pointed towards his chest. He made an oath, swearing to not reveal whatever was said in Minerva's office without her express permission to do so otherwise. Minerva watched as Arthur's body flashed as his magic recognized the oath before the man sent out a few sparks from the tip of his wand. Nodding, she relaxed slightly and took a drink of her tea before getting down to business. Because Arthur was a Pureblood she didn't have a need to tell the man that Assassins and Templars were very real. Rather, all she had to do was explain that his twin sons both have the abilities to become Assassins.

"Arthur, it was recently brought to my attention that your twin sons both have the necessary abilities to become Assassins. I am an Assassin myself, a Master at that. I was given permission from the leader of the Magical Brotherhood to seek out possible new Assassins and train those who are here in Hogwarts. Myself and another Master Assassin have kept a watchful eye for new trainees and it came as a shock when one of our pupils brought your sons to our attention. I have already spoken with Fred and George and have casted a simple spell that let me know if they were Assassins or not." She explained, watching as Arthur looked at her with shock.

"And the…results?"

"They are both Assassins, Arthur. After careful consideration it began to make sense. Your twin sons are highly skilled in seemingly 'vanishing' whenever trouble is around and it's becoming increasing difficult to pin any kind of trouble or pranks on them. Of course there are times when they happily take the blame for certain pranks." She answered, watching as the man snorted softly with laughter.

Arthur's hand shook slightly as he refilled his cup. He had always figured that one of his children might be an Assassin and, honestly, deep down he figured that one or both of the twins 'fit the bill' as Muggles would say. There was no doubt that what Minerva said was true. However, now there was the problem of keeping this from his wife and other children. He knew that he was told because he's the more…level headed of him and his wife. Molly would've exploded or even demanded that all of her children receive training from the Assassin's which wasn't possible. He didn't want to keep the twins from their rightful place and wanted them to make the decision of if they wanted to begin training or not. Looking at Minerva, he saw the understanding in her eyes as he sat there.

"Fredrick and George will be given the option of beginning their training along with their fellow trainee's. During the holidays it would be ideal if they visited the…complex to get more training though they can visit for a few hours a day instead of simply staying there for a period of time, unless you'd like that instead. You'll have a special Knowledge Fidelius charm placed on you to protect the knowledge that your sons are Assassins." Minerva explained, Arthur nodding his head.

"I know it wouldn't be…wise to have my wife and youngest know about the Brotherhood. Molly would be…irate to put it nicely." Arthur said, Minerva humming faintly as she watched the man.

"Go ahead and bring my boys in. I had always figured that one of my children might carry on the Weasley legacy of being an Assassin. It's in our blood." Arthur said, smiling ruefully as Minerva raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"My four times great-grandmother: Rosalie Weasley; had been an Assassin. It's not very well known, but I found some of her journals in the family vault. My Occlumency shields are strong and I've locked away her journals deep in the vault. Molly has her own vault so she doesn't know about the journals and other…things I've found that belonged to Rosalie. All of those are safely stored in a multi-compartment trunk under a Stasis charm." Arthur explained, Minerva's eyes widening in great interest and surprise.

"I never knew your family had an Assassin bloodline. However, it does explain a few things. I'll summon the twins up. I've already spoken to the leader of the Brotherhood and they've confirmed I can tell the twins." Minerva said, Arthur nodding in understanding.

Minerva summoned a House Elf wearing the McGonagall clan tartan which alerted him that she was using a personal Elf instead of a Hogwarts Elf. They made small talk while they waited for Fred and George to come up. Minerva, again, expressed her concern about Ron's behavior and Arthur promised to speak with his youngest after speaking with the twins. He didn't need Harrison or anyone else to write to their parents/guardian and express their displeasure with Ron. It could cause trouble for their family and could create a feud between them and the family that was offended. Thankfully, Molly would hopefully agree with him and would understand the trouble that their youngest son was causing them. While she didn't conform to many of the Pureblood dogma and teachings, she did understand the politics and dangers in insulting others; especially other Purebloods. They couldn't afford having to pay a fine to another family; their wealth was slowly increasing thanks to his job but it'll take much longer before they're back to where the Weasley fortune had been before his older brothers had gambled it all away.

A knock at the door made him jerk slightly and he watched as Fred and George were called into the office. Smiling at his twin sons, Arthur set down his cup and stood; pulling the twins into a warm hug. Fred and George were shocked to see their dad, but they smiled brightly and returned the hug.

"Is everything okay?"

"Did something happen at home?"

"Everything's fine, boys. Your mum and sister are perfectly well." Arthur soothed, watching as the twins nodded before they sat down in the two chairs Minerva conjured for them.

Fred and George sat down and gladly accepted a cup of tea. After all of them were settled with drinks and 'nibbles' Minerva began telling the twins about Assassins and Templars. The twins, of course, knew about the two 'groups' though they were still in awe as they listened to what their Head of House told them. When she explained that she, herself, was an Assassin, they didn't seem too surprised though they both exclaimed that it was cool. However, when Minerva told them about a trainee's suspicions about them and further explained that she had performed a simple spell on them that confirmed that they were, indeed, Assassins themselves; they were shocked. Minerva told them about some of the abilities that Assassins had, to which the twins gained a look of understanding and acceptance. The pair admitted that they used their Eagle sight to detect anyone coming upon them while they were setting up their pranks and even used the sight during Quidditch since the Bludgers turn a different color as do the members of the opposing team.

Minerva told them about the training that would be offered to them should they wish to become full Assassins. She also told them that they'd be expected to train at the complex during the holidays by either visiting during the mornings every day or by staying there for a few weeks. After explaining what they'd be learning from her and the other Master Assassin in the school, she left her office through a door to the left in order to give the boys and their dad time to talk and discuss what they wanted to do.

"What do you think, Dad?" Fred asked, turning to look at Arthur.

"Honestly, I think it's a good idea. Yes, you'll have to keep this a secret from your other siblings and from your mother, but it'll be good for you. I know there are likely some children of Templars here at the school and if they discover your abilities before you train then that could spell disaster for you and the Brotherhood. Besides, I have a feeling that you'll make more friends that you'll get along with better." Arthur explained, smiling as his sons looked at each other.

Fred and George were silent as they looked at each other. Like many twins around the world, they seemed to be able to communicate with each other without uttering a single word. The idea of helping others and meeting people who understood their abilities was highly appealing. Training sounded rather exhausting, but after all that Wood puts them through for Quidditch training and with their workouts for Physical Education they wouldn't be too bad off. Besides, any chance to get away from the Burrow during the holidays was a good thing. Their mum was overbearing when it came to chores and they got tired of listening to her complain and harp about their grades. Being a part of the Brotherhood could open doors for them and would greatly help them in the long run. Besides, it seemed like being an Assassin ran in the family from what their Dad had said and they'd like to help continue that line. Nodding to each other they watched as their dad knocked on the door and Minerva walked back inside. She retook her seat and looked at the twins, watching as they grinned at her.

"We'll join!"

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Over the next few days, Fred and George were introduced to the other trainees and to Severus as a Master Assassin. They weren't too shocked in learning that Severus was an Assassin given the man's history, though they were surprised in learning who the other trainees were. Both of them chose the first language they wanted to learn; in which Fred chose German while George chose Italian and attended daily lessons where they learned history and etiquette. Yes, they were late to the game in their training, but they worked harder than normal in order to try and catch up with others in their age group. Harry and Dean were a great help; even more so when the boys welcomed them into their group of friends and they were able the Room freely with the others.

It was Hermione, Jillian and Harry who convinced the twins to stop fudging their results. Both boys were ingenious at potions, arithmancy and ancient runes. They used their talents to develop prank items and had even begun expanding on items that Remus and Sirius created. Harry convinced the twins to get in contact with his uncle and godfather, to which the twins did so and told the two men about some of the changes and improvements they had made or thought of on the men's products. Sirius and Remus were shocked, but were also greatly impressed and promised to give the twins a share of the profit made from the improved products. Remus also hinted at future jobs with their company so long as the twins continued to do well and continue to find inspiration to improve and create. The twins were overjoyed and, after sending word to their dad, signed a contract with Sirius and Remus to become employees/partners with the two men. Arthur happily set up a vault for the twins, pleased that they'll be getting money doing what they loved.

Meanwhile, Minerva and Severus found themselves becoming increasingly suspicious of Albus. During every meal Albus carefully watched Harry and those he interacted with. He also asked questions about how the boy was doing in his classes and, when told that he and his friends were at the top of their classes, expressed concern of all things. Severus, of course, was privy to the Headmaster's plans for Harry and knew that the old Wizard had hoped that Harry would be an average student; never mind that James and Lily had been two of the smartest of their age. Severus continued to keep up appearances that he despised Harry and the other Gryffindors though he quietly passed Minerva the House Points book at the end of the day so she could slip the points back that he had taken from her House that didn't have a valid reason. Severus also found out that Albus was still trying to come up with any plan possible to remove Harry from the Othello family.

"The man is getting desperate, Minerva." Severus said, running a long finger along the rim of his glass of Firewhiskey as he sat in the older woman's office.

"He cannot lawfully remove Harry from the Othello's. All of the students undergo heath checks every month and Poppy and Aaron report any signs of abuse to the Heads of House and the Headmaster. Both of them also keep their files heavily warded." Minerva said, watching as Severus shook his head.

"His obsession with that damnable prophecy is…unsettling." He muttered, his colleague nodding.

"I know but there's nothing we can do about it, Severus. He's like a starved dog with a bone when he's set his sights on something. So long as he doesn't learn about Harry's true powers it should be okay. Albus would…well there's no telling what he'd do if he learned that Harry is a trainee Assassin." Minerva said, watching as the man sighed and nodded.

On the second of October, Minerva was rather concerned when Albus asked her to bring Harry to his office so he could speak with the boy. When she asked him for his reasoning behind wanting to speak with Harry, he had just smiled and gave her a vague answer. After lunch, Minerva approached Harry before he could leave the Great Hall and asked him to follow her. His friends looked at him and Minerva with concern, but promised to see him after his meeting. Harry handed Dean his bag before following Minerva out of the Great Hall and towards the staircases.

"Professor?" Harry asked, looking up at the stern woman.

"Headmaster Dumbledore has asked to speak with you." Minerva explained, glancing down and watching as Harry's brow furrowed.

"I haven't done anything wrong, have I?"

"No, Mister Potter-Othello, you haven't." She said, a faint grin on her face as Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Have my grades dropped?"

"No. You and your friends are still at the top of your year."

Harry's frown deepened, though he instantly understood that this 'meeting' would likely be about his home life. While the headmaster could ask about a student's home life, it was normally only if the student had shown signs of having been abused at home. He already knew of three First Years who wouldn't be returning home because of their parent(s). He also knew that a few of the older students in Gryffindor lived in the orphanage and in the homeless shelter because of problems with their family. Yes, he had been warned that Headmaster Dumbledore would take an…unhealthy interest in him but his parents, Sirius and Remus had prepared him for these encounters.

"Remember your training. If you feel a Legilimency probe call Albus out on it. Severus is there as well on Albus' wishes. Even though Albus will expect me to leave, I won't. It's against the rules for a student to be meeting with the Headmaster without their Head of House present. Lord Othello has told me that you do know about your Aunt so feel free to tell Albus about them should he attempt to claim that you would've been well off with her and her family." Minerva explained, Harry nodding as he listened to her advice.

Reaching the stone gargoyle that stood guard in front of the Headmaster's office, Minerva gave the password to the statue which caused it to jump aside. Stepping onto the staircase, Harry shifted slightly as the stairs moved on their own. Reaching the top, Minerva didn't even have to knock before the Headmaster called them to come in. Opening the door, Harry stepped into the office and looked around with interest. The office was circular with two rather large windows looking out over the grounds. In the center of the room was the Headmaster's desk which was rather large and ornate. On the walls behind the Headmaster were moving portraits of the school's previous Headmasters and Headmistresses. There were curved bookshelves to the left and right, filled with odd little trinkets which spun, smoked and whistled along with thick and rather old looking books of various sizes. A wooden perch sat near the Headmaster's desk where a beautiful red colored phoenix was perched.

Albus sat behind his desk and Severus was seated on a chair to the man's left and slightly behind. Severus scowled something fierce at Harry, though the boy knew it was all an act. Instead, he focused on Albus; ensuring that he was looking either slightly above or below the Headmaster's eyes to avoid direct eye contact.

"Ah, Harry, thank you for coming my boy. Minerva, thank you for escorting Mister Potter; you may leave." Albus said, smiling as Harry sat down in a chair in front of his desk.

"Headmaster, you seem to have forgotten one of the rules in the school's charter. No student shall be in a meeting with the headmaster/mistress without their Head of House present. I shall be staying." Minerva said, inwardly smirking as the twinkle in Albus' eyes disappeared for a moment.

"Ah, yes…" He said, watching as Minerva sat down beside Harry in the other chair.

"Now, Harry-"

"Excuse me, Headmaster. I don't believe I've given you leave to be so familiar with me. I don't know you and I've never met with you before. Besides, my last name is not just Potter. It's Potter-Othello, Sir." Harry interrupted, mentally smirking at the surprise in Albus' eyes.

"Yes…well I apologize for the error on your last name H-Mister Potter-Othello. I was good friends with your parents and I've known you since you were an infant." Albus said, watching as Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Still, Sir. You haven't seen me since I was an infant." Harry said, fighting down his laughter at the slight frown on the Headmaster's face.

Albus cleared his throat lightly and shifted to make himself more comfortable. Looking at Harry, he fought down his frustration when the boy refused to meet his gaze. It made him wonder just what his…'parents' had told him. Again, it angered him that all of his plans for the last ten years had fallen and shattered around him. He had hoped, with Harry away from his new family, the lad would be easy to mold and shape. He had hoped that Ronald would have already integrated himself with Harry's circle of friends. Instead the redhead appeared to be pushing Harry and his friends away with his constant jibes and teasing. It's also concerning that the boy had made friends with Miss Bones and Mister Longbottom. Both of those families were firmly out of his line of influence since the war. However, he had noticed that Harry and his friends seem to have included the Weasley twins into their circle. Perhaps all hope wasn't lost.

"How are things at home, Mister Potter-Othello?" Albus asked, his voice holding some concern as Harry blinked and raised an eyebrow.

"Things are great at home. I have a little sister and my parents are wonderful. I also have an adopted uncle in Remus Lupin and I see my godfather weekly." Harry said, happiness in his voice even though Albus sighed.

"I still worry for your safety, Mister Potter-Othello. I had placed you with your Aunt and Uncle for your safety. There are still many people who would wish you harm." Albus said, watching as Harry finally looked into his eyes and frowned.

"My Mum and Dad had gone to Petunia Dursley's residence a few days after they adopted me. They told Petunia about her sister's death and do you know what she said?"

Albus blinked in shock, surprised by the venom in the voice of someone so young.

"Petunia was happy that her younger sister was dead. Said that the 'freak' deserved it for marrying another freak and abandoning her 'normal' life. When my Mum explained that I was alive, Petunia snapped and said that if I was ever dropped at her house then she'd either drop me off at the nearest orphanage or in an alley and let the rats take care of me." Harry hissed, his eyes glowing in anger as Albus listened in horror.

"My parents have kept me safe, Headmaster. All incoming mail is screened and any portkeys and harmful substances contained within letters were and still are sent to the D.M.L.E. so they can handle it. You can find records in their offices with all of the things they've handled. If I had been placed with my…aunt I would have been oblivious to my heritage and likely would've been abused mentally and physically. I'm healthy, I'm strong and I know my future place in our society. Not only that, but I know my birth parents; I've grown up on stories about them and I know what they would've wanted for me." Harry said, watching as the aged Wizard in front of him bowed his head slightly.

"I never thought that Petunia felt that way about her sister." He muttered, blinking when Harry scoffed lightly.

"Because it's not your place to know, Headmaster. What happens outside of the school isn't under your control. It only is when a student has shown signs of abuse. If I did then Madame Pomfrey and Healer Briggs would've brought it to your attention." Harry snapped, struggling to contain his anger.

Harry scowled something fierce when he felt the Legilimency probe and quickly batted it away, making the Headmaster wince slightly.

"Stay out of my head." Harry hissed, his eyes flashing as Albus cleared his throat.

"Yes, well, I do believe you need some time to calm down. We shall talk sometime later." Albus said, Harry scoffing as he stood and walked to the door.

Minerva glared at Albus as she stood. Walking to the door, she opened it and followed Harry out of the man's office. Severus shook his head as the headmaster closed the door with a flick of his wand. He honestly couldn't believe that Albus had tried to convince Harry that he would've been safer with his aunt and uncle. He remembered Petunia from his childhood and how she had teased and bullied Lily as a little girl because of her powers. Obviously Albus hadn't thought that Petunia would be so heartless and would've taken in the boy without question. Albus still struggled with the fact that there are so many students who had been abused and were now in the orphanages.

"Were you able to get anything from him, Severus?" Albus asked, drawing the man from his thoughts.

"No, Albus. He batted away my probe without a thought. His mind is fully shielded." Severus said, watching as Albus sighed and lightly pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Would…would Petunia really have done what she had threatened?" Albus asked, a desperate note in his voice as he looked at his Potions Master.

"Petunia was always jealous of Lily; her intelligence, beauty and her zest for life. When Lily began displaying accidental magic Petunia became afraid of her younger sister. That fear turned to hatred and loathing. When their parents died in Lily's Fifth Year, Petunia blamed her sister and flat out said that she wished that Lily had died instead. I have no doubt that Petunia and her husband would've abused Potter or would've abandoned him." Severus said, watching as Albus sighed.

"How could she even think of doing that to blood?"

"Albus, you've always told me to be honest with you. You ask that question and yet there are constant displays that blood means nothing. Black was kicked out by his own mother. I have three Slytherin students who are in an orphanage because their parent abused them." Severus snapped, making the aged man nod absentmindedly.

Albus shortly dismissed Severus, making the man roll his eyes and mentally scoff. He was mildly impressed with on how Harry had handled his first meeting with the Headmaster though. Harry had shown that he was knowledgeable about the school charter and about his aunt. He was respectful, even when he lost his temper at the old Wizard. He wasn't too surprised that the boy had lost his temper. Albus had practically stated that Lord and Lady Othello were unable to keep Harry safe. He had been very tempted to speak out, but that would've blown his cover. Walking out of the Headmaster's office, he walked through the hallways and down the stairs. No doubt Albus would try and speak with Harry again; likely about who he'd made friends with or about where he would be going for the holidays. He already knew that Albus would try to refuse Harry from going home on Halloween, even though other students had been allowed to leave the school to grieve for their lost family members. However, knowing Minerva, she wouldn't alert the Headmaster to Harry leaving until a few minutes before the boy would actually be leaving.

-He won't know what hit him.- Severus thought, a faint smirk on his face as he thought of Albus going up against Lucas or Delilah.

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