Severus watched as the potion strip turned a bright neon pink and frowned.
The light in the oil lamps on the walls flickered momentarily in the dim private potions lab which was located to the side of his Hogwarts' quarters. The lab lacked the state of the art set-up the Dark Lord had provided at his manor for Severus's work but Severus preferred his own space. He had spent several years making it into the lab he wanted after all.
It was a square with cabinets around the walls filled with ingredients, books and equipment and a square centre work-table complete with sink. Pride of place on the work table was the potion he was making as the counter to the Sleeping Beauty Draught with which the Crouch elf and the Dark Lord's former hostage had been dosed.
The potion was at a delicate stage – two ingredients away from a perfect counter but it could still fail. Given the heavy hints that the Summers woman in particular knew something the Dark Lord didn't want to come to light, it was imperative that Severus complete the potion perfectly.
But it was proving problematic. The pink suggested that the potion needed more acid but the obvious counter-agent would make the potion poisonous to the elf but it would be fine for human consumption. The less obvious counter-agent wouldn't be able to be harvested for another five months. They didn't have that much time. The elf would have to wait.
He carefully reached for the crushed beetle heads and added no more than a few small bits to join the potion. They would steep without stirring to get the maximum benefit for a day, Severus mused, as he resisted the urge to reach for the silver stirrer beside him. His work on the potion was at an end for another day. He picked up his discarded wand and cast a spell that would ensure the potion would go into a stasis at precisely one full day from his adding the beetles. The stasis would ensure that he could return at his own pace.
Severus checked the time. He had some time before he needed to leave for the manor and begin the Restoration potion. He couldn't deny that on a purely intellectual level he was looking forward to the challenge of creating the potion. Indeed between Black engaging him on the counter potion for the Summers woman and the Dark Lord giving him the job of delivering the Restoration potion, he was having the most interesting year he had ever experienced in his career. He thought longingly of the career he had once dreamed about where he would always be inventing and creating potions, before he bundled the wistful thought to the back of his mind. He cast one last look around his own lab and, satisfied that everything was in order, left the room.
He wandered back to the sitting room and picked up the newspaper he had discarded. He grimaced at the headline proclaiming the happy news of Lupin's marriage the day before and the accompanying photo which showed a smiling House of Black with a clearly delighted Potter beaming at the werewolf.
He was bemused that the important news that Fenrir Greyback was dead had been buried within the pages of the paper as little more than a footnote. Nothing had been said about Lupin's involvement with credit given to the Bulgarians for the kill. There was no mention at all of the attack on the Black Farm by the Carrows. Severus had been informed of the full scale of what had happened along with the War Council ahead of the wedding ball.
A knock on the door disturbed his ruminating and he called for the visitor to enter, frowning as he checked the time again.
Albus glided in and Severus only just managed to hide his surprise that the Headmaster was back at Hogwarts. He had expected Albus to remain in Bulgaria for most of the day dealing with the fallout of the wedding.
"Severus," Albus smiled at him warmly, "I'm glad I caught you."
"Only just," Severus commented dryly, "I will have to depart shortly."
"Of course," Albus said soothingly, "I won't keep you long."
Severus was certain that Albus would keep him as long as Albus intended. He gave voice to his original thought. "I am surprised you are here and not debriefing with Black."
Albus gave a small shrug. "There was no need." He said with a hint of disapproval. "There was hardly anyone left to question."
Severus found Albus's discomfort with Black's ruthlessness amusing. He personally had no issues with Greyback's demise nor that of Alecto Carrow. "You wished to speak with me?"
"Yes," Albus smiled again, "I wanted to ask how the counter potion is progressing?"
Severus hid his irritation at Albus's question. "Acceptably. I had to make a minor adjustment this morning which will render it unusable for the elf but I believe speaking with the Summers woman is the most important outcome."
"I assume you will return to the matter of the elf another time?" Albus said.
"If Black wishes me to continue." Severus stressed Black's name, subtly trying to convey that it was Black who was funding the project.
"You are due to begin the Restoration potion today." Albus began. "Do you think that Bartemius will be there?"
"Possibly," Severus agreed, "regardless of his request to debate potion ingredients with me, he doesn't trust me. Of course it assumes he will be using the vanishing cabinet he has access to rather than leaving Hogwarts through conventional means."
Albus made a humming noise under his breath. "I need you to warn Bartemius about the search Alastor will perform when term begins."
Severus stilled. He knew Black wanted Crouch found; to force the confrontation with the Dark Lord before he regained his body, before Potter had to face whatever horror the ritual involved. He couldn't blame Black for wanting to give Potter the best advantage in a meeting between the boy and the Dark Lord, agreed with the principle in fact - which begged the question of why if Severus agreed with Black over the matter, the Headmaster didn't share that view.
"If I warn him we will lose the ability to capture him ahead of the third task." Severus warned mildly. "It is more than likely that Potter will end up facing the Dark Lord at full strength."
"The prophecy suggests that they will meet as equals." Albus said in a carefully neutral tone.
"If they are truly to meet as equals," Severus said dryly, "then surely they have to meet before the Dark Lord obtains a new body."
Albus sent him a chastising glance. "There is new evidence provided to support their meeting once Voldemort has performed the ritual." He must have caught the faint hint of a sour expression flitting over Severus's features. "The information is in regard to the potential power Harry has with which he will be able to defeat Voldemort."
And therefore not only was the information being designated need to know, Severus determined, it was definitely too dangerous for him to know given his position as spy.
"What does Black think of this new evidence?" Severus prevaricated.
"Sirius wishes to spare Harry any confrontation." Albus admitted. He tucked his hands into the folds of his lime green sleeves. "I believe it would be better to allow the prophecy to unravel without interference."
Severus stifled his immediate reply that Albus's request could be seen as interference. For once he was in the very uncomfortable position of siding with Black. "My vow is to protect Potter not to enable his death." His tone was biting; a warning to Albus that he wasn't going to be manipulated into following along.
The light in Albus's blue eyes dimmed a little but he rallied. "I truly believe that Harry will prevail."
Severus snorted. "You believe that a fourteen year old barely trained wizard will prevail against a vastly more experienced adult wizard who is a Master in Dark magic?"
"Harry has power…"
"Perhaps," Severus allowed cutting in, "but so too does the Dark Lord, and your wish that Potter will be the one to prevail does not mean that he will."
Albus sighed. "We cannot fight against fate."
"But we do not have to help it on its way." Severus countered. "As much as it pains me to admit it, Black is right to insist we attempt to find the Dark Lord and deal with him before we allow a child to fight him."
"Providing the information to Bartemius would consolidate your position with him." Albus tried another tack. "The War Council as a whole has not considered that as a spy you need to provide information to the other side as much as you share information with us."
Severus stared at him for a long moment. Black had risked his life to ensure Severus's position as a spy was consolidated at Yule by delivering him to Crouch. He couldn't believe Albus was so willing to disregard it – or perhaps Albus believed Severus would disregard it because it was Black. He raised his hand as Albus made to continue. "Crouch is likely to assume there is some trick to my warning him about anything. He doesn't trust me and I don't trust him. We both know this about the other."
"If you warn him, he will owe you." Albus pointed out. "He did make an overture of friendship towards you."
Severus lifted one eyebrow mockingly. "Bartemius Crouch Junior is mad. He is incapable of reacting in predictable ways."
They looked at each other for a long moment. Severus wondered what was going on in Albus's head that he would risk going against Black's wishes in respect to Potter. From what he could tell the Headmaster was already on shaky ground with Black following the revelations of abuse in the home Albus had placed Potter within; for missing the abuse; for attempting to direct events to Albus's will even after Black was made guardian; for the events at Yule. Unfortunately, Severus mused unwillingly, that the venerable old wizard was so prepared to risk his relationship with Black and Potter spoke of how certain Albus must be in regards to the prophecy unfolding.
"You are not prepared to offer Bartemius the information?" asked Albus finally.
"Not without Black's approval." Severus confirmed, surprising himself almost as much as Albus with his reply.
Albus's eyes widened comically before he shook himself. "I find myself rueful at encouraging you and Sirius to come to terms." He admitted.
"Black and I do share the same goals." Severus said evenly.
Albus looked completely disheartened and while Severus took a modicum of pleasure at seeing the Great Albus Dumbledore so off balance, his conscience twinged. Regardless that the root of Albus's care for Severus was the fight against the Dark Lord, Albus did care for him. Severus knew that he had been given a lot of latitude over the years he'd spent teaching at Hogwarts. Perhaps he owed the Headmaster something…
"Bartemius will have anticipated a search." Severus said breaking the silence. "It is highly unlikely that you will be able to pinpoint his identity in the new term."
Albus startled at Severus's words.
"Furthermore, even if he were to be caught, he is mad." Severus repeated. "He is more than likely to kill himself before he provides any kind of information about the Dark Lord's whereabouts especially if he believes that his death will hinder Black." He let that sink into Albus's mind before continuing. "I do not believe that we will discover the location of the Dark Lord before the third task."
"And this is the opinion that you have shared with Black." Albus enquired delicately.
"I have." Severus confirmed, pausing a moment. "It is a view that he shares."
"Then…"
"Both of us are still determined that it would be best if the Dark Lord was found and will do nothing to impede that." Severus said firmly.
Albus deflated, and once again Severus was reminded of the Headmaster's age. "I fear that I am once again proving Sirius's view of me as a meddling old wizard true." He murmured.
Severus determined that his agreement was not needed.
Albus drew himself up. "Severus, I would appreciate…"
"Black will not hear of this conversation from me." Severus confirmed silkily.
"Thank you, Severus." Albus inclined his head, his floppy hat almost sliding off. "I will leave you to your preparations."
Severus watched as Albus swept out in a bustle of lime green robes. He shook his head and checked the time. He needed to depart…
The wooden box on top of the mantelpiece began to vibrate. He swore under his breath and drew out the mirror that Black had gifted him. He glared at the ornate hand-mirror torn between admiration of the Marauders' inventiveness and his usual disgust at the same.
"Black." Severus muttered tersely.
It only took a moment for Black's visage to swim into view.
Black looked tired and worn. The previous day's events no doubt catching up with him. "Snape."
Severus acknowledged the greeting with a frown. "This will have to be quick. I'm due to begin the Restoration potion and the Headmaster has already delayed me." He paused. "I was surprised at his early return."
"The Bulgarians are doing the official clean-up," Black pointed out, "there's not a great deal for the War Council to do." He shook himself making the image waver. "Did Albus tell you that Amycus Carrow was spotted entering Belgium this morning?" he asked, changing the subject.
"No." Severus said, hiding his annoyance at Albus; that was a useful piece of intelligence.
Black grimaced. "You might want to share that with Crouch to take back to the Dark Lord."
Severus gave a slow nod. He understood Black's reasoning; Carrow had failed in his mission and had run away. The Dark Lord's punishment would suffice as Black's vengeance until Black could get his hands on the wizard.
"I will inform him." Severus confirmed.
"If you can do some digging on that Werewolf potion." Black sighed heavily. "We've deemed it need to know. I have some blood samples on their way to you for analysis."
Severus didn't react to the assumption that he would look at them. The potion which had turned afflicted men and women into their werewolf selves without the full moon did need investigation and a counter as soon as it was possible to make one.
"I'll begin as soon as they arrive." He cleared his throat. "I should leave; I have a short window to begin the Restoration potion."
"Watch your back, Snape." Black said and the mirror went dark.
Severus replaced the mirror in the wooden box and summoned his cloak to him. Black was a surprisingly competent leader. He paused a full second, arrested by the thought before he pushed it away. They may have reconciled enough to respect each other's skills and experience but Black was still Black after all.
o-O-o
20 th April 1995
"Dear Merlin!" Clara breathed out beside Sirius. She shielded her eyes with one hand and gaped at the impromptu flying acrobatics above her. "Is that safe?"
Sirius grinned at her and glanced upward. He hid his own wince at Harry's speed and tricks. "Safe, no." He said dryly.
"Maybe he should come down now." Sian commented.
Sirius darted a look at her and she turned away with a faint blush. She'd been weird with him since the attack and Sirius had a feeling it had something to do with pack dynamics and his proving himself a competent beta, even if his canine form was a Grim and not a wolf. Since they usually could still hardly stand to be in the same room together he had decided he was going to ignore the whole thing.
Another youngster went barrelling over their heads and Sirius sighed. Trust Harry to realise the pack's youngsters hadn't had flying lessons and to insist on buying brooms and giving them instruction before they went back to England.
That thought brought on a wave of melancholic resentment at the need to return and Sirius ignored that too. His and Harry's European vacation had been great – vampiric stealth attacks aside – and while a large part of him simply wanted to continue travelling with Harry and thinking about nothing more than the next sight-seeing trip, they did have responsibilities and a life back in England they needed to return to living.
Of course returning to England also meant acknowledging that they would be returning to the thorny problem of Voldemort and the third task; of dealing with Crouch who was most likely hiding at Hogwarts as a student. Sirius had come to the conclusion that Crouch wasn't going to get caught by something as simple as a search for contraband; that Wormtail had helped him subvert the map somehow (Harry had commented that it would explain why George and Fred had never spotted the rat was Pettigrew); it meant that Crouch was taking his disguise seriously. And even if he did get caught Sirius agreed with Snape's theory that Crouch would kill himself before he'd give up information. What they needed was to get hold of Wormy who would clearly sell his own mother if it protected his own hide…
"He's fine." Sirius dragged himself back to the present and the worry of the two women beside him. "He'll be down soon."
"I don't know how you can stand it." Clara admitted. "I'd be worrying about him falling all the time."
"He's a good flyer." Sirius stated firmly. Plus he knew that Harry could change into Snitch at a moment's notice, saving himself.
"He's going to be missed." Clara said fondly.
"When you move into the Black Estate you'll see him more often." Sirius said.
Sian made a tutting sound. "I don't understand why we can't come back now."
"Sian." Clara said warningly.
"Politics." Sirius answered anyway. "We want people to get used to the idea of you before we bludgeon them with the presence of an actual organised pack on British soil."
Sian pulled a face but subsided. "When is Remus due to arrive back?"
Remus and Dora had headed for Paris for their honeymoon once the wedding ball was over. Sirius had gifted them the trip hoping that the semblance of normality would counter the very abnormal wedding day.
"The Alpha and his mate will be back within the hour." Clara confirmed.
Sian gave a huff and walked away quickly.
Sirius shook her head. "She's not going to accept Remus is off the market, is she?"
"She will if she wants to stay in the pack." Clara grinned. "Of course, she's also realised there may be a benefit in hooking up with his beta."
Sirius regarded her with an even grey stare. "I wish Patrick all the best with her."
Clara hooted with laughter.
Sirius smiled back. He liked Clara. He could see why Remus had been so enamoured of her before his friend had found out that she preferred the fairer sex herself. She also seemed genuinely fond of Dora which endeared her to Sirius even more.
"I wish you and Harry could stay for longer." Clara said a touch wistfully as they tracked the youngsters in the sky. "It's been good for the pack having you stay here."
"We've enjoyed it." Sirius said simply.
"I can't believe he's bounced back so quickly." Clara commented quietly, folding her arms and rubbing them slightly.
"He has the advantage of youth," Sirius said wryly, "and Harry's a survivor." Some days he wished Harry hadn't been through as much as he had but he had to admit that he appreciated that Harry wasn't wallowing in angst over the events of the wedding day.
Harry had managed to put aside the terror of being chased by a werewolf, being attacked by vampires, and the sight of a dead witch with surprising aplomb. Either that or he was saving his freak out for the mind healer.
But Sirius worried that Harry was simply getting far too used to life threatening situations. He, himself, was still wrestling with what had happened – had almost happened – enough that he would be keeping their mind healer occupied for months.
He had run the forensics before the Aurors had arrived and removed the evidence of Narcissa's cold removal of Alecto Carrow. Sirius wasn't about to hand over his pregnant cousin to the Aurors for putting down a witch who would have killed their entire family. Narcissa hadn't done anything that Sirius wouldn't have done himself in her shoes.
Which was a rather depressing thought.
But then he and Narcissa had always been ruthless in their defence of the people they loved. Frankly he was impressed she'd simply snuffed Carrow like a candle rather than chopping off her head in the same way her sister and niece had chopped off Carrow's arms (and Sirius took a moment to wonder at how scary all his cousins actually were).
Still…perhaps Albus's disapproval of Sirius's satisfaction at Carrow's death wasn't all unduly warranted.
Then he remembered how Simeon had taken a day to heal before he, Anna and Jason had headed back to Australia; how Ted had spent the last few days in Saint Helga's in the Bulgarian capital recovering from his wounds…and the tiny hint of remorse he felt vanished like snow in sunshine.
Sirius glanced over at Clara. It wasn't just the Black women who were scary, he mused, remembering how she'd taken down the vampire. He thought, not for the first time, that she would have been a good match for Remus. But Remus had Dora now and Sirius was feeling much more optimistic about that relationship after the wedding.
The vows had been particularly poignant and revealing, Sirius mused as he watched Harry demonstrating a sharp turn with marvellous precision. Remus's commitment to building a partnership similar to his parents was a wonderful reassurance for Dora, just as her declaration that Remus was who she wanted was a wonderful reassurance to his worry that no-one would ever see past the wolf.
Maybe, Sirius considered, as Harry demonstrated another move, Remus and Dora would both find the happiness they deserved after all; the happiness that he'd once believed their getting together would engender before the baby had complicated things. Dora was having to grow up faster; Remus needed someone to lean against in the midst of his Alpha responsibilities.
They were going to have to talk at some point about Remus's continuing position as steward when really Remus needed to fully assume his Alpha position; be a leader in his own right. Sirius understood that more having spent time with the pack. But Sirius knew Remus wouldn't want to fully let go of the steward role – Remus was too stubborn and honourable for his own good – but they would need to settle on some form of compromise.
Something else to think about in amongst the reality that they needed to start planning for the third task; for taking down Voldemort once and for all.
"I have to admit," Clara said breaking into his thoughts, "I think Harry is dealing with it better than I am."
"You defended your pack." Sirius said.
"I killed." Clara said tersely. She tightened her arms around herself. "And worse, I killed as a werewolf. I know it was only a vampire but…"
"You were defending your pack." Sirius stated again more firmly. "If you hadn't been given the potion, if you had been a witch in that moment rather than a werewolf – what would you have done?"
Her expression went from annoyed to contemplative to chagrined. "Huh." She sighed and met his eyes. "I don't know if I want to thank you for opening my eyes to the reality that I would have killed that vampire either way."
"I was nineteen when I killed my first Death Eater." Sirius replied. "Odis Branaugh. He was wanted for the murder and rape of an entire muggleborn family – the Perkins. I'd gone to school with the youngest brother, David Perkins. He was a Hufflepuff, a genuinely nice guy. We'd tracked Branaugh down to this crappy little tavern in Wales and…there was a fight. He managed to land a particularly nasty spell on Prongs – James, Harry's father, and he went down, and Branaugh was going to…" He paused. "I might have lost it a touch then. My fire-whip spell cleaved him in two. I thought…I thought I'd just provided the evidence they were right to everyone who said I was Dark because I was a Black."
Clara didn't interrupt as he paused again; she just waited.
"I was in the bathroom, throwing up in a toilet when James and Lily walked in. They held my hair, made me rinse my mouth and do a freshening spell. And then they both hugged the dickens out of me and thanked me for saving James's life; told me that it didn't matter that I killed someone, that I was a good man who'd defended his brother, his family." Sirius reminisced, unaware of the fondness that coated his voice and shone from his grey eyes. "I think when they asked me to be Harry's godfather, it was because they knew I'd kill to protect him. I killed more vampires protecting him and the rest of the pack than you, and while the likes of Albus Dumbledore may not approve, I know I'm still a good man." He reached out a hand and touched her gently on the shoulder. "And you're still a good woman, Clara."
Clara gave a small huff but she nodded. "Thank you."
A rush of wind as Harry buzzed them, coming into land, the young boy he'd been flying with landing just behind him, broke the shared moment of camaraderie and understanding.
Harry patted Dougal on the back and waved him goodbye as the young werewolf scampered off towards the house.
Sirius greeted his son with a wide smile. "Good flight?"
"The best." Harry grinned. "I love this broomstick."
As the broomstick in question had been Sirius's Christmas present to him, his words gave Sirius a warm glow.
"Everything OK?" asked Harry, perceptively picking up on the serious undertones between Sirius and Clara.
"I was worrying about killing a vampire." Clara admitted honestly, winning her brownie points with Sirius for her straightforwardness. "Your father was helping me put it into perspective."
Harry's worry melted away and he darted a look at Sirius. "He's good at that."
Clara nodded. "I'd better go and check all the work on the new Master suite have been completed. I don't want Remus and Tonks coming back to a half-finished room." She waved a goodbye to them and headed off back to the house.
Sirius had declared the space where Carrow had died to be repurposed into a closet. He'd rearranged the rooms on that wing, placing the Master suite into the eaves of the farmhouse. It had been a nightmare finding a wizarding construction company to come and do the work at short notice but both Bogdan and Gregor had provided him with useful references.
Harry poked him in the arm. "Are we still leaving tomorrow?"
Sirius nodded and slung an arm around Harry's shoulders as they began their own walk back. "'Fraid so."
"It'll be good to get back." Harry said, surprising Sirius. "Not that it hasn't been great being out here and seeing everyone but…" he sighed heavily, "is it bad that I just want the whole thing with Tom to be over already?"
"Pretty normal if you ask me." Sirius replied calmly. He just wanted it to be over too. "There'll be a War Council at the beginning of next week," the first week back at school, "we should do some planning then. We'll see what falls out of the Headmaster's raid for contraband and Snape thinks he'll have the potion ready for the Summers woman soon now he doesn't have to worry about trying for a combination that would wake up an elf at the same time."
"Planning's good." Harry said. "We need the alliance members to think about what to do with Crouch in the school? And Hermione said she and Daphne had been talking at the wedding ball about the third task."
Sirius nodded.
"I think they have some more spells for me to learn." Harry frowned. "She said Hannah was saying she wasn't sure she and Sue should come to the meetings after what happened on the second task."
"They think they might get conscripted into the third task as a hostage?" Sirius asked, bemused.
Harry pushed his glasses up his nose and shifted the grip on his broomstick. "They've been acting weird since the whole thing with Sue and Cedric."
It had to have been humiliating for Sue to be chosen as Cedric's hostage in some ways, and certainly the fallout and threatening letter incident hadn't helped. But it seemed like an extreme reaction to back away from helping Harry completely and they had both taken the Heir's oath of fealty which meant magic might judge their inaction. Sirius wondered if he needed to have a chat with Richard and see what was going on. He mentally added it to his list of things to do.
"I think Neville's pretty much reached the end of his rope with Hannah." Harry commented idly as they navigated a set of steps. "And I think Ron's thinking about ending it with Lavender."
Sirius's lips twitched at the teenage angst; remembered with nostalgia when his own life was consumed with teenage romance. "It'll be shame about Hannah and Neville." He commented. "I think both families were hoping it would end up being a match."
"Yeah." Harry blew out a breath. "It just…"
"You're worried you and Hermione might be next to slide onto shaky ground." Sirius said, understanding the unspoken worry that coloured Harry's tone because he'd heard the same in James's too many years before. "Is there any reason to worry?"
"Not really." Harry admitted ruefully. "Just…I know she doesn't expect us to last. She's dropped a couple of hints in the past about how most people don't end up with their first girlfriends or boyfriends and…" he shrugged. "I guess I think the others breaking up will kind of make her point for her again?"
"Well, she's right." Sirius replied. "Most teenage couples don't end up together for life." He brought Harry to a stop; they were within touching distance of the house but Sirius knew the conversation would somehow be deemed over once they were within its walls. "You and Hermione make a great couple, but you are young, and if you did break up it wouldn't be the end of the world even if it would seem like it for a few days or weeks even."
"I don't want to break up with her." Harry toed the ground in frustration. "And I don't want her to get any ideas about breaking up with me because the others are breaking up."
"Well, you just have to trust that she won't." Sirius said. "I don't think she will. Hermione's not the type to be influenced by peer shenanigans."
Harry nodded, a glimmer of relief in his green eyes. "She was pretty annoyed about the whole cat thing."
It had taken Harry invoking the family magic again to change her back. Which she promptly did with no clothes. Minnie had quickly sorted her out with a blanket, but it had been deeply mortifying for Hermione and it had taken a day before she'd talked to Harry without the pair of them blushing furiously.
"If she'd didn't break up with you about you changing her back naked, I think you're pretty solid." Sirius commented as he turned them toward the farmhouse again.
"She knows I didn't do it on purpose." Harry pointed out, a red flush rising in his cheeks again. He looked away and back again. "Do you think it means anything that she isn't…that her form has nothing to do with mine?"
"Your Mum identified heavily as your Dad's wife at the time she took the potion." Sirius answered calmly, having expected the question since Hermione's transformation. "Hermione's determined to be her own person regardless of who she's dating. Her cat form is an expression of her independence in that regard."
Harry nodded slowly. "So it's not a representation of how compatible or not we are?"
"Merlin, no." Sirius snorted. "It's a nice romantic thought that the love of your life will also share your animagus form but it's rare that a couple can even become animagi together. Your Mum might have found her form mirrored your Dad's but she never actually changed into it."
Harry fell silent again.
They entered through the back door, Harry stowing his broomstick in the utility room. Sirius shrugged out of his outer robe and happily wandered into the kitchen where the divine smelling stew permeated the air.
"That smells delicious." Sirius said, beaming with approval at Gilby. The elves had been disgruntled over Harry's orders to be safe (and Sirius understood the protective streak that had Harry wanting to keep the elves out of it even if they could have been useful) but it had quickly been forgiven in the need for the massive clean-up. Kreacher wasn't speaking to any of them since he'd been denied the opportunity to defend Narcissa.
Harry's stomach rumbled. He blushed again. "I guess I worked up on appetite."
"You're a growing boy." Sirius agreed lightly as Gilby sprang into action to make sure Harry had a snack.
"So Remus comes back tonight." Harry said after thanking Gilby for the plate of sandwiches that had been pressed upon him.
"Yes," Sirius said, "and we go back tomorrow."
Harry nodded, chewing on his chicken sandwich thoughtfully. "You know, even though I want to go home and get the whole thing with Tom over with, it's going to be weird being back at Hogwarts after this holiday."
"Weird." Sirius agreed cheerfully.
Harry rolled his eyes expressively. "Can we visit the pack in the Summer? I promised Dougal we'd do some Quidditch."
Sirius felt his heart lighten a touch. It was the first time Harry had suggested plans for after the end of the school year. It gave him hope that Harry was planning to survive his confrontation with Voldemort.
"Yes," Sirius said, ignoring the lump in his throat and reaching out to ruffle Harry's hair, "we can visit again in the Summer."
o-O-o
23 rd April 1995
Hermione gave a sigh of relief and slumped back on her bed. The train journey back to Hogwarts had been long and tiring, the welcome back feast tedious and she was glad to retreat to her dorm and enjoy the peace before her dorm mates arrived.
Crookshanks jumped up beside her and gave her a friendly bump with his head. She petted him absently, chewing on her lower lip as she considered that her animagus form was feline. Had her familiar known? Had that been what had drawn him to her? She knew if she transformed it was unlikely that she would be able to understand him. He'd remain a Kneazle and she'd be a human transformed into a cat. Of course, she had to actually transform first.
She gave another heavier sigh and wondered whether she really wanted to pursue transforming into a cat. She was a touch disappointed in her form. She liked cats, she did. And she loved her familiar, she hastily thought, fingers sinking into his fur again. But she wasn't sure she was ready to accept what it said about her.
There were a lot of positives, Hermione told herself firmly. Cats were intelligent, curious and independent. That was her. They were also sneaky, ruthless and could be stand-offish. OK…maybe that was also her. She frowned. It rankled that she wasn't something else; she could admit it to herself. She liked cats but she'd wanted to be something fiercer…something different.
At least it explained why she and Ron butted heads a lot of the time. Between his inner dog and her inner cat, it was a wonder they managed to connect on any level at all. Well, they wouldn't, Hermione reminded herself, if it wasn't for Harry. Harry who was a raven in his true form.
A bird.
Cats preyed on birds. So what did that say about their relationship? She shook her head, sending her hair flying and prompting Crooks into giving her a disapproving stare. She'd had the lecture from Sirius and Professor McGonagall that she shouldn't read anything into her relationships with others because of her form. And Harry had certainly looked at her admiringly when she'd been naked…
She felt her face go bright red with remembered embarrassment. She reached over and pulled a pillow over herself as though to hide from the memory.
Maybe she should speak with Luna, Hermione mused. The Ravenclaw had become a good friend and always seemed to help Hermione find clarity.
She shook herself lightly and pushed the pillow aside. It seemed selfish to focus on her issues with being an animagus when so much else had happened. The wedding had been surprisingly touching for all it had been prompted by a pregnancy and the aftermath…
The events at Black Farm had been quietly pushed aside in favour of the wedding ball. She and her parents had been transported to the Ministry and looked after beautifully, while Sirius had stayed behind with Aurors dealing with the clean-up. It had been frightening but quickly forgotten. She knew her parents had talked to Sirius about whether it would be safe to attend anything further until the matter of Voldemort was taken care of once and for all, and had concluded they wouldn't let him win by staying away. Hermione was thankful, all the more for knowing before she'd been adopted by the House of Black, her parents may have made an entirely different decision just out of a lack of knowledge and understanding about the wizarding world.
The dorm room door opened and Lavender raced through, throwing herself on her bed with a wail.
Hermione's eyes widened as she struggled up into a sitting position, readying herself to comfort the other girl. Parvati hurried in and closed the door immediately heading for Lavender.
Hermione scuttled off the bed. "What's happened?"
Parvati stroked a hand over Lavender's hair as the other girl sobbed into her pillow. "Ron broke up with her!" Her dark eyes turned accusingly on Hermione.
Hermione held up her hands. "Don't look at me!" She said. "I had no idea he was planning to do that!"
And she hadn't. Boys, thought Hermione exasperatedly.
"I don't understand!" Lavender sobbed. "We were having so much fun!"
Maybe too much, Hermione mused inwardly. She did know that Ron had been taken to task by Molly during the Easter break for the lewd behaviour the couple had engaged in – the twins had teased him most of the journey back. She sighed and tried to pat Lavender consolingly on the arm.
"I could go and see if I can find out something?" Hermione offered slightly hesitantly.
Lavender hurled herself upright so fast, she dislodged Parvati who almost slipped off the bed and forced Hermione to take a step back lest she get an elbow in her face. "Would you?!"
Hermione waved a hand toward the door. "I'll go right now."
Lavender smiled tremulously at her, her eyes shining bright with new tears. "Thank you!"
Behind her, Parvati rolled her eyes expressively. "Thanks, Hermione. While you do that I'll get Lav cleaned up."
Hermione nodded and hastily made for the door. It only took her a few minutes to traverse the stairs down, make her way through the busy common room – and seriously shouldn't the prefects be herding people to the dorms already? – and up the boys' stairs to the fourth year boys' dorm. She opened the closed door and stormed through.
Neville, to her left, yelped and dove over the bed, throwing the curtain across the side to hide himself.
"HERMIONE!" Ron dived for his bed and she caught a glimpse of pale freckled flesh before his body disappeared beneath covers.
By the bed next to him, Harry snatched up a discarded towel and yanked it around his lower body. Her eyes widened as she took in his blushing torso.
A half-dressed Seamus settled his hands on his hips, trousers gaping open to reveal Merlin underpants, and glared at her. "Merlin, Granger! Don't you knock?!"
Thankfully, Dean seemed to be in the bathroom if the off-key rendition of the latest Take That song over the faint sound of a shower spray was any indication.
Hermione felt her face heat up, knew she was red-faced, and averted her eyes from Seamus. She naturally turned to Harry, whose hand tightened into a white-knuckled grip on the blue towel he had covering him. She frowned.
"Why are you here?" Hermione demanded.
"Shouldn't we be asking YOU that?" asked Ron grumpily, huddling into his bed covers.
She glared at him. "Lavender's in bits. I came to find out why you dumped her!" She snapped, ignoring Seamus's exclamation at the revelation, and returned her attention to Harry. "Well?"
"Sirius asked Aunt Min…I mean Professor McGonagall, if I could stay over in the dorm more this term." Harry said, his free hand patting the bed behind him for his robe.
"Oh." Hermione vaguely recalled he had told her something about Sirius's plan to get him used to Gryffindor again while they were in Paris. "But what about Crouch? If he is pretending to be a student, isn't it dangerous for you to stay in the dorm?" She stared at Seamus as though her glare was enough to detect if he was an imposter.
"Seamus and everyone here took a blood identity test and Sirius is going to be right outside the door once lights out is called." Harry shrugged. "Besides, I told you; at the alliance meeting yesterday everyone agreed we act as though we don't really suspect anything so we don't tip Crouch off and just make sure we're never alone so he can target one of us." He grasped his robe tightly.
Hermione blushed lightly remembering how she'd escaped up to her room to spend time alone earlier. She had promised her parents that she'd be extra careful knowing that as Harry's girlfriend she'd be a tempting target for Crouch. Her parents had been close to pulling her out of Hogwarts – actually a lot of the alliance members had been unhappy at the idea of sending their children back to the school knowing it was very likely Crouch was hiding in the student population. It had taken a lot of discussion before it had been agreed that everyone would return and safety measures taken.
"What about Lavender?" Hermione asked changing the subject and glaring at Ron.
"I told Lavender that I thought we didn't have enough in common to keep up being boyfriend and girlfriend!" Ron retorted, answering her primary question. "Not long term."
That was surprisingly perceptive of Ron, Hermione mused, before remonstrating inwardly that she was being unfair to the red-head.
"Best to end it before we went any further." Ron concluded.
"Quite right." Hermione agreed. "That was a very sensible thing to do, Ron."
Ron looked taken aback by her approval.
"Uh, Hermione…" Harry had his robe clutched in one hand, the towel in another. "Do you think…"
She bit her lip as she realised Harry was still blushing. "Oh sorry. I'll turn my back if you want to put your robe on."
"Thank you." Harry said fervently.
"Or alternatively Miss Granger could remove herself and make her way back to her own dormitory." Professor McGonagall's dry voice drifted over Hermione's shoulder.
Hermione slowly swivelled to face the open doorway and she flushed bright red at the sight of the Head of Gryffindor stood between Professor Moody and a beaming Headmaster. "Professors! This is, uh…"
"We heard, Miss Granger." Professor McGonagall said sternly. "Since you have satisfied your curiosity in regards to the end of Mister Weasley's romance with Miss Brown, I suggest you take your leave."
"Of course!" Hermione said immediately, mortified. She glanced over her shoulder at Harry who smiled sympathetically back at her.
"See you tomorrow." Harry said softly.
Hermione nodded and stepped out of the room.
"Perhaps you should consider knocking before entering next time, lass." Moody commented as she inched past him to take the stairs down.
She blushed again but nodded in agreement.
"Right, now!" Moody's voice boomed down the stairwell. "Line up next to your trunks! Spot check for contraband!"
Hermione hurried down into the common room and back up to her dorm. She quickly closed the door behind her and slumped against it.
"Well?!" asked Lavender impatiently, pushing away from Parvati to make her way over to Hermione. "What did Ron say?"
Hermione rubbed her nose tiredly. "Not much." She admitted. She ushered Lavender back towards her bed. "We got interrupted by…"
"Oh, the Professors!" Parvati blurted out. "They'd doing checks for banned items!"
"But Ron said something?" Lavender was like a dog with a bone, her attention never wavering from Hermione.
Hermione perched on the end of the bed. "He said he didn't think you had enough in common for your relationship to go further."
Lavender's hopeful expression crumpled into dismay. "Oh."
"I'm sorry, Lav," said Parvati, sweeping Lavender's hair back over a shoulder before hugging her.
"No," Lavender sniffed, "actually he maybe has a point." She plucked at the coverlet absently. "We didn't really have a lot to talk about once we stopped, you know…"
"Snogging each other's brains out?" suggested Parvati a touch tartly.
Lavender pushed her weakly and grinned. "Yeah, pretty much that." She sighed. "He was a fantastic kisser."
Hermione managed to keep the wince off her face. "Right. Well, I should get ready for bed."
"Thanks, Hermione." Lavender said brightly. "For finding out."
Hermione waved away her thanks as she made for the bathroom. She closed the door and shook her head. To think she'd embarrassed herself in front of the Headmaster, Professor Moody and Professor McGonagall for no real reason…
The farcial nature of her entry into the boys' dorm ran through her head again and a chuckle took her by surprise, amusement bubbling up as she recalled the way they'd all dived for cover. She smiled as she headed for the shower. At least she and Harry were kind of even now, she thought happily. He'd seen her when she'd transformed back from being a cat and now she'd seen him. It did make her feel a lot better about that.
Now all she had to do was feel better about being a cat and half her problems would be solved.
If only Harry's problems could be solved so easily, Hermione considered with a grimace. Her boyfriend was still facing the final task of the tournament and the denouement to whatever dastardly scheme had been concocted by Voldemort. But he wasn't alone and Hermione had every intention of being right beside him for as long as she could – hopefully without either of them having to be naked.
o-O-o
"Well, that was close." Seamus said as soon as the door closed on the three departing professors.
Harry, who was in the process of finally being able to lose the towel and get dressed into his pyjamas, glanced over towards Seamus and wondered again why he'd thought spending time in the tower was a good idea. He sighed inwardly. It was a good idea if he wanted to feel a part of Gryffindor again. But he couldn't help wish for a moment that he was back in the rooms with Sirius and where nobody barged through his bedroom door.
Seamus leaped over his trunk and made his way to the window. He opened it, reached around the window to the ledge on the wall and pulled back with his hand wrapped around a large bottle of muggle Irish whiskey. "Ta da!"
"Blimey!" Ron muttered.
"Sneaked it out of my Ma's kitchen last night." Seamus said proudly.
Dean wandered in from the bathroom, stopped and stared at Seamus for a moment. "Did I miss something?"
"Nothing." Neville replied dryly, smoothing his hand down his pyjama front. "Just the Professors checking we don't have bottles of whiskey and Hermione wanting to find out why Ron chucked Lavender."
"You broke up with Lavender?" Dean blinked at Ron. "Really?"
"Yeah," Ron shrugged self-consciously, "didn't really fit, you know?"
Dean nodded slowly and made for his bed. "Sorry to hear that, mate."
"Sometimes it doesn't." Neville said morosely, slumping down to sit on his bed.
Harry put his glasses on and peered in his godbrother's direction. "You and Hannah?"
"I'm breaking up with her tomorrow." Neville confirmed with a forlorn shrug. "Today was the last straw."
The other boys looked at Neville and then back to Harry.
Harry rolled his eyes at the silent plea that he be the one to step in. He made his way over and sat next to Neville. "You want to talk about it?"
"Here," Seamus said suddenly, "let's gather round and have a drink." He unscrewed the bottle and took a gulp before handing the bottle to Neville.
Neville grimaced but took a drink. He offered it to Harry who shook his head.
"Not unless you want my magic out of control and flattening Hogwarts." Harry said, remembering the Summer and his disastrous drinking with his American friends.
Neville blanched a little and handed the bottle instead to Ron who had stumbled over to sit beside Harry. He took a drink, coughed and spluttered his way through the burn and handed it onto Dean who'd sat on the floor in front of Neville along with Seamus.
"So…" Seamus waved the bottle. "You and Hannah?"
"She and Sue were meant to sit with me on the train." Neville explained. "Only they didn't turn up to the compartment at King's Cross and when I went looking for them Hannah said Sue wasn't up to seeing anyone and made me leave." His voice had risen steadily throughout and Harry couldn't help thinking he was entitled to the note of indignation at the end.
"Wow, mate." Ron shook his head and reached for the bottle. He took a large swig and handed it to Neville.
Neville took a sip, grimaced and handed it back to Seamus who drank again before handing it to Dean.
"It's just…" Neville sighed heavily, his cheeks flushed pink from the alcohol, "I really like her but it's the last straw. She keeps cancelling on me for Sue and Sue just won't buck up from the whole thing with Cedric!"
"That poisonous letter really traumatised her." Harry noted quietly. He had felt for Sue. If he hadn't had owl wards and an overprotective Padfoot, he'd probably have received similar missives through the post himself. He could understand Sue's retreat.
"I know," Neville said, simply passing the bottle to Ron when Seamus handed it to him, "and I'm not saying she isn't right to be upset or anything but is it so wrong to want to spend time with my girlfriend?"
"No, Nev." Harry agreed with a sigh. It was a valid argument and Hannah was making it clear just how unimportant Neville was to her in the way she was ignoring him in favour of Sue. He did want better for Neville who deserved to have someone put him first – or at least maintain some semblance of a relationship while helping a friend.
"Oooh." Ron's eyes widened suddenly and he made a gesture with the bottle that almost had whiskey splashing onto Neville's bed.
Harry grabbed the bottle and handed it over to Dean. "What?"
"I was just thinking about what Moody said about changing habits and…" Ron stared at Harry, horror in his pale blue eyes, "you don't think Crouch Junior is hiding as Sue or Hannah do you?"
They all stared at Ron with varying degrees of horror.
"No!" Neville shook his head wildly. "Just…no!"
"But it explains why they've been so mental!" Ron pointed out passionately. "Whichever one of them's him has the other under the Imperius! They alibi each other! It all makes sense!"
"It does not make sense." Harry stated firmly, crossing his arms over his chest. Although, he mused, he did see why Ron had jumped to that conclusion. They were admittedly acting weird even if they did have a good reason.
"It does!" Dean argued. "Ron's right! Hannah wouldn't have treated Neville this way back at Christmas!"
Neville paled. "But it's…it can't be…"
"Look," Harry said, "Sue and Hannah were home over the Easter and we're pretty convinced if Crouch is masquerading as a student he was here over the holidays. So it can't be them!"
"Or Crouch has a whole group of students he's pretending to be and he's rotating through them or something!" Ron countered.
"What if they are in trouble?" Neville wondered out loud.
Harry dragged his gaze from Ron to look at Neville. "Nev?"
"It's just…" Neville made an impatient gesture, "they are acting weird!"
"Sue was threatened!" Harry said with some exasperation. "Hannah's protective! They've been friends for years!"
"Even so," Ron butted in, "ignoring your boyfriend so completely? Sue hiding away like a meek little thing? She almost took my balls off in duelling class at the start of the year!"
"They have a point." Seamus said from his sprawled position on the floor. The mostly empty bottle of whiskey dangled from his fingers and Harry got hold of it, closing it and setting it aside before it spilled over and the room was drenched in whiskey smell.
"We should investigate!" Ron proclaimed suddenly, standing up on the bed. "We should follow them tomorrow!"
"I don't think stalking them is a good idea." Harry said, trying to keep his voice steady and firm.
"It's a great idea!" Ron argued, slurring his words. "We follow them and when we have evidence that they're him, we jump them!"
Harry pinched the brow of his nose and wished again he was back in his rooms with Sirius. Why did he have to be the sensible one, he mused tiredly. Probably because he was the only sober one.
It sucked.
He sighed and broke into the babbling plans of the group of boys around him.
"You can't follow girls around the school and attack them!" Harry said loudly. "You'll get into trouble! Or expelled!" Merlin, he sounded like Hermione.
There was a stunned silence.
"Harry's right." Ron conceded.
"Thank you." Harry said.
"What we need to do is be stealthy!" Ron declared.
Harry dropped his head into his hands.
"We can sneak out…"
"You can't sneak out!" Harry hissed. "Sirius is out there!"
"Why?" asked Ron, visibly perplexed.
"He's protecting Harry." Neville spelled out. "Harry said before, remember? When Hermione asked him why he was here?"
"Bugger." Ron flopped back, causing the bed to heave in an uneven bounce. "Well, how do we corner Sue and Hannah now?"
"I'll tell Sirius tomorrow." Harry stated with what he hoped was stern finality. "He can raise it with their folks and if there is something else going on, they'll discover it that way."
Ron grumbled but nodded.
Neville gave a quick nod of gratitude.
"Bed." Harry declared. "We've got an early start." He made his way back to his own and the others followed to theirs. Seamus staggering haphazardly over to simply throw himself atop his covers.
The lights went out and Harry turned over, pushing his pillow into a more comfortable position. Could Ron be right, he wondered. He shook his head. Crouch was smart. If he were Crouch he would choose some student who had no visible connection to any of the alliance. In fact he'd choose someone who wasn't friendly with anyone very much so he could fly under the radar…
Harry frowned heavily.
He couldn't see Crouch taking the place of a first year…no, Crouch wouldn't be able to hide his knowledge so he had to be hiding in the upper years. Probably in Slytherin or Ravenclaw somewhere where advanced knowledge of spells wouldn't be unusual…
A loud snore to his left brought his racing mind into sharp focus. He wasn't going to be able to sleep until he spoke with Sirius and confided his suspicions. He slipped out from under the covers and grabbed his robe. He padded over in his bare feet to the dorm door and opened it.
The black Grim on the landing immediately raised its head. Harry stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him softly.
Sirius shifted straight away. "What's up?"
"Can we go back to our rooms?" asked Harry urgently. "I need to talk to you."
Sirius nodded gravely and Harry gave a sigh of relief as they headed down the stairs.
o-O-o
Sirius raised an eyebrow as Harry came to a stumbling halt.
He cleared his throat. "Right, so let me summarise just to make sure I've got this straight." He began. "You went to spend the night in the boys' dorm and ended up thwarting a drunken attempt to spy on Sue and Hannah by promising you'd raise the possibility of them being part of Crouch's schemes to me?"
Harry nodded and sipped the mug of hot chocolate Dobby had given him as soon as he and Sirius had entered their usual suite of rooms at Hogwarts. Sirius took a sip of his own and leaned back into the plush cushions adorning their living room sofa.
"But then you got thinking about who Crouch was likely to be and came up with a…a profile." Sirius pressed his lips together. Harry's logic was hard to argue with.
"You think I'm right, don't you?" Harry said.
"I think you have a very plausible theory of Crouch being one of the seventh years." Sirius confirmed. "I'll speak to the Heads in the morning – well, later this morning, we're likely to narrow that down to the ones that are independent and potentially friendless."
"But there's no proof." Harry sighed, rubbing a hand across his face.
"The contraband check went pretty much the way we thought it would; nothing was found." Sirius gestured with his mug. "I mean, apart from a bit of alcohol, some prank stuff and one hideously fluffy bunny someone was keeping as a pet. And he's definitely not showing on the map."
"So he still has a vanishing cabinet stashed somewhere." Harry bit his lip.
"If we can narrow down the suspects, we can keep watch on them." Sirius said. "Snape thinks Crouch will attempt to maintain his guard duty when Snape is doing the potion as much as he can. If he does then we will catch him using it and verify who he is."
Sirius was still split on whether they should leave Crouch in place if they did identify him. There were pros and cons on both sides. In his heart Sirius wanted Crouch locked up or put down. Sirius grimaced. He knew the time for a decision was fast approaching and it wasn't his alone to make.
Harry yawned. "What about Sue and Hannah?"
"I don't think either of them are Crouch or under his spell." Sirius replied absently, his mind still on the thorny subject of what to do if they found Crouch.
"Me either," Harry said pointedly, "I meant…Ron was right in that something's not right with them."
"I'll talk with Leonard and Richard." Sirius said. "It's likely that the girls are reacting to the attack on Sue but it looks like they're not dealing with it in a healthy way."
Harry nodded, relief flooding his tired face. "Can we just stay here tonight?"
Sirius let his gaze roam over Harry and read the anxious hope that was written there with a frown. It was good Harry felt he could relax in the sanctum of the rooms they had; bad that Harry didn't feel comfortable returning to the dorm.
"You don't want to head back?" inquired Sirius gently. "Wake up with the others tomorrow?"
Harry shook his head. "It's late and…they're all going to be hung over."
"There's that." Sirius sighed and nodded. "Go on then. Up to bed with you. I'll get Dobby to retrieve what you've left in the dorm."
Harry flung himself over the gap to hug Sirius quickly before he called out a brisk 'good night' and was up the stairs before Sirius could draw breath to wish him the same.
It looked like the first attempt to get Harry used to Gryffindor again was a spectacular failure. Sirius sighed and made for his own bed.
The next morning brought with it a flurry of activity as Sirius settled back into the routine of life at Hogwarts. Harry slept late, had a rushed breakfast and made off for his schooling in the company of Bill Weasley with barely a word about their discussions in the middle of the night. Penny arrived on the dot of nine and Sirius wasted no time starting the mountain of work that awaited him. He sent an invitation for dinner to the Abbotts and Bones' before diving into the paperwork Penny had set aside for him.
The day disappeared in a blink of an eye. The time off for a European vacation and a wedding meant there was more than enough to keep him busy. A message to the Heads of Houses, two mirror calls with Remus provided clarity on a few things, and all too soon Sirius was wishing Penny a good evening as Harry arrived back with the news that Neville had ended things with Hannah at lunch.
Sirius pushed him in the direction of the bedrooms to change for the War Council just as Dobby greeted the contingent from the Ministry at the door; Cornelius, Bertie and Amelia. Albus was close on their heels, arriving with both Alastor and Snape. A few minutes later, Minnie arrived and was also ushered into the study. Sirius waited for Harry to join them before he called Remus on the mirror and started the meeting.
"We're almost at the end." Sirius began. "Since we began we've made some good progress; most of the treasures that we've been seeking have been found." He nodded at Bertie. "Only the snake remains as a possible anchor for Voldemort in this life. The Treasure Hunt has taken out his other means."
Amelia raised her cup in Bertie's direction and he accepted the praise with a tilt of his head.
"I'm going to miss young Bill when he heads back to the Goblins." Bertie admitted wistfully. "He and Caro have done a sterling job." He paused. "And we should also remember Lawrence."
"He won't be forgotten when this is done." Sirius promised softly. He turned to Cornelius. "Our power play in the Wizengamot has also achieved a great deal."
Cornelius beamed at him. "Our objectives have been met." He stated smugly. "The Potter alliance holds the majority; we've pushed through the laws on creatures and magical races with improved relations across the board. Our new laws on muggles will be in place within the next couple of months. Financially we're starting to regain stability in the government budget." He nodded sharply. "We're in a good place."
"We couldn't have done it without you, Cornelius." Sirius said sincerely and Cornelius preened at the praise. "And I would agree that our objectives have been met. The wizarding world is changing and Voldemort won't find it quite so easy to take over. His previous supporters are bound by their Marks but there are few who are unquestioningly loyal and the support among their Heirs is minimal."
"But we should not underestimate those who hate and resent the current tide of events." Snape commented slyly. "He still has support even if some of that is based on fear."
Sirius acknowledged Snape's commentary with a tilt of his head and glanced toward Amelia. "I know you think Tag hasn't been as successful as a strategy but it has helped us even if it hasn't always led to arrests and information."
Amelia huffed out a breath but gave a sharp nod. "We've had some successes." She conceded. "But I won't deny we need to do better if we're to catch the bastard." She sighed. "The facts are that the main players remain at large; Riddle, Pettigrew, Crouch, and Travers. We may also need to add Amycus Carrow to that list since he has eluded authorities on the continent and is anticipated to be heading for Britain."
Sirius didn't dispute her take on progress. For all they'd caught Travers Senior, taken down the trap in Italy and had a hand in the arrests at the World Cup, the Squad had failed in its main objective to track down Voldemort and his cronies. It had been Greyback's mission to kill Remus that had led to the old werewolf's death and that confrontation hadn't been one the Squad had played a role within.
"Crouch though is the primary immediate concern." Amelia continued. "Given Professor Snape's information we have reason to believe he's at Hogwarts to interfere with the third task of the tournament and in possession of a vanishing cabinet that would allow a way around the wards. With the threat to the students he represents we need to find him as a matter of urgency."
"Too right." A disgruntled Alastor said. Sirius knew the ex-Auror was furious that Crouch had found a way around the security he'd put in place.
"I believe the tournament and Hogwarts must take some responsibility." Albus commented without a twinkle in his eye. "We have failed to secure the safety of the students in the tournament at every turn. Only Harry's performance in the tournament is a boon as it has most assuredly failed to provide Tom with the victory he wished for when he entered Harry within it."
Alastor snorted but didn't say anything further.
Sirius's lips twitched. "I think Albus has managed to succinctly summarise the position. Harry's tournament strategy remains on course…" he dipped his head in Harry's direction and his son smiled back at him. "But Voldemort succeeded in getting him into it and Hogwarts isn't secure and won't be until this is over." He shifted position, straightening a touch. "Which leads us to what we need to discuss; the endgame." He looked at each of the Council in turn establishing silent agreement before settling on his son. "Harry?"
Harry stepped forward into the centre of the loose circle. He'd dressed in simple open robes with dark muggle clothing of black jeans and an emerald button-down shirt underneath. They conveyed an impression of formality rather than youth and Sirius had been proud at Harry's choice; he was learning the impression he gave was half the battle.
"We all know there are two options to ending this," Harry said, "find Voldemort before the third task and end this then, or wait and plan a counter-attack for after the third task." He clasped his hands behind his back. "The former relies on us finding him before the third task and is plan A. The problem is finding him…"
"Which makes this plan bloody unlikely to succeed." Alastor grumbled, his eye whirling. "He's well hidden and he's not contacting anyone we've got eyes and ears on."
"We do know Crouch is at Hogwarts." Snape sneered.
"We suspect." Amelia corrected. "Although admittedly it's a strong suspicion."
"We have eliminated the teachers who all voluntarily underwent an identity check." Albus said despondently. "Unfortunately that has left the students as the only possible place to look."
"The Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students have been cleared." Alastor confirmed gruffly. "As we don't have permission to check our students it's more than likely Crouch is one of them."
"Speaking of which…Harry had a few theories and we have narrowed it down to a list of suspects based on his profile." Sirius tapped his wand on the table and a parchment appeared.
Amelia was the first one to pick it up. "Two Ravenclaws, a Gryffindor, four Slytherins and a Hufflepuff."
Minnie nodded grimly. "Based on Harry's profile, which Sirius shared with the Heads of Houses today, these are the individuals that conform to the parameters. They all stayed over Easter; are in the upper years; are…solitary or anti-social, and have few ties outside of the school." She cleared her throat. "None of the students seem out of character."
"The map also shows all eight as if they are themselves." Sirius confirmed.
"We believe Wormtail has managed to find a way around it." Remus's voice drifted from the mirror perched on the mantle of the fireplace.
Sirius turned to nod at him. "Or he always had a way around it."
"It doesn't really matter since we know now that the map can't help us." Harry said.
Sirius nodded. "Even with this list it won't be easy finding Crouch amongst them."
Snape inclined his head, his dark hair falling forward. "If we are able to narrow this list," he pointed with his wand to the parchment Amelia held, "to one single individual, the problem remains how to trap them without endangering another student and how to make Crouch speak if captured." He paused for what seemed like dramatic effect to Sirius. "He is insane. I believe he will kill himself and anyone in the near vicinity rather than allow us any victory in taking him alive."
"I agree." Alastor said. "Crouch is a badly timed hex waiting to explode."
"Regardless," Minnie spoke up frostily, "one of these students is potentially being held hostage by Crouch while he uses their identity. We have an obligation to find and save them."
"And Crouch will kill them the moment he believes his cover is known." Snape rejoined. "They are safer wherever he has stashed them and if we do deduce which student Crouch is, we would be better informed leaving him in place and watching him." He glanced around the horrified group. "I may perhaps be able to gain Crouch's confirmation of where he is keeping the student in time so we may secure their safety at the end."
Alastor gave a loud harrumph. "I know we have some hard calls to make but keeping an innocent locked up for months to maybe gain some information isn't one I want to make. I gave an oath to protect and serve, and I know I wouldn't want to be locked up and kept as a potion's ingredient for any longer than I had to, lad."
"Hear, hear." Amelia said forcefully.
Harry raised his hand. "Surely we can't allow Crouch to keep impersonating a student? It puts too many people at risk."
"Well said, Harry." Remus said. "Our initial plan must be to identify who Crouch is and to try to capture him for information on Voldemort's whereabouts."
"But Severus has highlighted the issues with that plan." Albus pointed out.
"Namely that Crouch is mad." Harry said, folding his arms over his chest.
"And a danger to others." Sirius added thoughtfully. He let his gaze rest on his former nemesis. "I can see why Severus is advocating 'identity and leave alone' as the course of action; it provides some surety of getting the student he's impersonating and the rest of the student population out of this without harm – as backwards as that might seem."
"Maybe…" Harry began, his eyes taking on the look that Sirius recognised as his son working things out; puzzling things through.
"What?" demanded Snape impatiently.
Harry glared at him a touch but appeared to bite back whatever retort had been on his lips. He swallowed and began again. "Look, the main reason for pinpointing Crouch is for him to lead us to Tom but he's mad and he's not going to just let us do that either by tracking him some way or by capturing him."
"I believe we've made this point already, Potter." Snape said curtly.
Sirius was the one to glare at him then; Harry rolled his eyes clearly used to the treatment from his Professor.
"So plan A using Crouch is a bust." Harry said simply. "It's a non-starter. There's no point going after Crouch with the aim of him leading us to the others in mind." He stopped Amelia with a raised hand when she would have spoken. "We should just look at finding him so we can help whoever he's holding hostage."
"That makes perfect sense, Harry." Minnie said approvingly.
"Tactically sound, lad." Alastor confirmed.
Albus smiled happily.
"You have an idea, Pronglet?" prompted Sirius proudly, ignoring Snape's slightly sour look at the others' praise of Harry.
"I think so." Harry said, pushing his glasses up his nose. "If we assume he is one of the eight then, if they're willing, we have a house-elf follow them discreetly the next time Professor Snape leaves to deal with the potion. I know there is some risk to the house-elves but nobody notices them and he won't think twice about a house-elf cleaning something near to him if he spots one."
"I think the risk would be acceptable." Albus said thoughtfully. "We can but ask them to participate."
"So the house-elves will identify which of the eight leaves Hogwarts through the vanishing cabinet." Bertie murmured.
"Which will help us spot the damn thing since we had no luck last night." Alastor said.
"Any way once we know who it is, we let him come back to the castle and have the house elves keep following him so he'll hopefully lead them to where he has his hostage." Harry continued. "Then, in the early hours of the morning, we have Professor Snape bundle him out of Hogwarts on the premise that he's been found out, while another team rescues the hostage."
"That does place Professor Snape at some risk, Harry." Albus commented.
"But it is a reasonable risk if we are to save the child Crouch is pretending to be." Snape countered, surprising Sirius – and Harry who looked fleetingly wide-eyed until he covered it up with a head-shake.
"Then, we're agreed?" asked Sirius, giving Harry a proud look. "We give up on Crouch being plan A and focus on saving the hostage he has?"
There were murmurs of agreement from everyone.
"We'll have to put the school on lockdown after." Alastor warned. "No Hogsmeade visits and nobody leaves without an identify check on return."
"I believe I will be able to convince the Board that such a step is necessary once we have proof that Bartemius kidnapped a student so easily." Albus said sadly.
"So am I right in thinking that effectively ends plan A before we've gotten started?" Remus asked from the mirror. "We have no other leads."
"Unfortunately I concur with your assessment." Bertie said.
"What about the Summers woman?" Amelia asked, setting her cup down with a thud. "He's keen that she doesn't get a chance to speak to us."
"I doubt that he would be worried at her giving away his current location." Snape replied. "He has moved a number of times since we found her."
"More than likely it's something to do with the ritual." Bertie said. "He is afraid he has revealed something that would give us an advantage."
"Well, if we're putting plan A on hold pending any kind of lead concerning his whereabouts, I'm right in saying that the ritual will play a large part in plan B?" Amelia asked.
Harry waved a hand towards himself. "Plan B is that we let things play out with the third task and Tom making a grab for me."
Sirius felt his breath catch, just like it caught in his chest every time he thought about Harry being abducted and used in the ritual. He hated the idea of it. Hated it. As if Harry sensed his thoughts, his son moved closer to stand beside him.
"We can use me as bait and when he takes me I lead us to him." Harry said simply. "He does the ritual. We take him and whoever's helping him down."
Nobody in the room looked happy.
"Foolish Gryffindor recklessness." Snape muttered under his breath, just loudly enough for his words to be audible.
"You're agreeing to this?" Albus asked sharply, his full attention directed to Sirius.
Sirius sighed heavily. "Do I want this? No. I'd prefer we spent the time between now and then trying to find a way to make plan A happen so it doesn't ever come to this. I don't want Harry used as bait." He answered just as sharply as the question which had been posed to him. "I don't want that abomination anywhere near my son."
"But it is the easiest way to trap Riddle." Bertie said quietly.
"And it provides an opportunity we can plan for just like we knew they would hit the wedding." Remus added.
"But is it an opportunity we can win?" Amelia asked bluntly.
"I don't intend losing." Harry said as he met her gaze.
There was a steady resolve in his young eyes and Sirius felt himself swell with pride, even as his heart ached with worry.
"And that, ladies and gentlemen," Sirius said placing his hand on Harry's shoulder, "is our endgame."
Harry was going to win against the bastard, Sirius thought darkly, because any other possibility was just not one Sirius could live with.