Albus Potter and the Pureblood's Secret

11. Spying

Stuart Boone’s trial was set for the end of November. In the days following the announcement, either an article or an editorial about Boone appeared in every edition of the Prophet. Some of the articles were truthful and merely told his life’s story, from the tragic death of his parents up until he was bitten and disappeared. Others were not so kind. Quite a few of the editorials called for Boone to be locked up for life and others slammed werewolves in general, claiming lycanthropy turned a person onto a life of crime. Breakfast was not a pleasant affair when it was accompanied by these articles.

“You shouldn’t read them,” Rose said as she took Thursday’s Prophet out of Matt’s increasingly shaky hands. She set it down on the table and Kaden picked it up.

“I’ll read it in Divination,” Kaden said, standing up and shoving it into his bag. “Maybe it’ll keep me awake. I’ll see you lot later.”

“It’s like a train wreck,” Albus muttered after Kaden left. “You can’t look away.”

“But you should,” Rose said to Matt. “There is nothing to gain from reading those editorials.”

“How can they print stuff like this?” Matt asked. “It’s not true!”

“Editorials are opinions,” Amanda said. “Of course, they could choose not to print them.”

“But they’re not,” Matt said, lowering his voice. “They are printing them. And everyone’s going to read them and start believing them and demanding more legislation and restrictions and-“

“Matt, stop,” Rose said, cutting him off.

“This is exactly how it starts,” Matt continued, his hands shaking more than they had when he read the editorial. “It’s not like everyone wakes up one day and demands stricter legislation. It starts off slow, with just a few people planting the idea. And it just grows from there until there’s so much pressure on the Ministry to make new laws and then they make them and soon-“

“Matt,” Rose said loudly. “You’re getting ahead of yourself. This is not Australia. Breathe. It won’t get that far.”

“It might!” he said, his voice cracking. “You don’t know that it won’t.” He stood up and nearly tripped over the bench in the process. “I’ll see you in Charms.”

“Where are you going?” Albus asked, but Matt didn’t turn around to answer.

“He really shouldn’t read the editorials,” Rose said quietly, once Matt left the room.

“Could what happened in Australia happen here?” John asked. “Will the laws get that restrictive?”

“No,” Rose said. “I mean, I suppose it could. There’s always a chance, but it’s not a significant one. One werewolf going on trial for a murder he didn’t commit is not going to spawn a lot of restrictive laws. This isn’t about lycanthropy. Stuart Boone just happens to be a werewolf and the Prophet is using that to generate drama and fear to sell more papers. It’s about Laurentis and Johnson looking good by convicting someone of murder.”

“Can’t you explain that to him?” John asked.

“It’s not that simple,” Rose said as she stood up. “Come on. We’ve got to get to Charms.”

“Can you explain it, then?” John said.

Rose ignored him until they reached the Entrance Hall. She glanced at her watch, sighed, and pushed open the door to the antechamber next to the Great Hall. Albus, John, and Amanda followed her inside. The room was filled with mismatched furniture and stacks of well-worn books. A thick layer of dust covered everything, giving Albus the sense that no one had entered in decades.

“I don’t want anyone overhearing,” Rose explained. “Look, what you have to understand is that rational explanations about what they’re anxious about don’t work for people with anxiety. You can tell someone who’s afraid of heights that they’re perfectly safe on the Astronomy Tower and it won’t make them any less anxious. Anxiety isn’t rational. I could tell Matt a hundred times that what happened in Australia won’t happen here, that the whole country won’t find out about his lycanthropy, that nothing awful will happen if someone does find out, and it won’t matter. He’ll still panic about it. If rational explanations worked, the world wouldn’t need therapists.”

“So there’s nothing anyone can do? He’s just always going to worry about that?” John asked.

“He can take his potion and go to his appointments with Healer Norlam,” Rose said.

“Forever?”

“Probably,” Rose said. “There will be times when it’s better and times when it’s worse. I think it’s bad now because he’s having to face what he’s going to do after Hogwarts, and seeing what happened to Stuart Boone isn’t helping.”

“But he’s much better off than Boone!” John argued.

Rose sighed. “I know. And maybe he’ll see that, eventually. We’d better get to Charms.”

Albus wished there was something he could do for Matt, but from how Rose described it, all he could really do was be there for him. But it was only sixth year. They still had the rest of this year, as well as seventh year before they had to join the real world. If Matt’s anxiety was this bad now, what would it be like at the end of seventh year? Albus hoped the Stuart Boone fiasco would be over by then, at least. One thing was certain, however, and that was that Albus planned to hide any copies of the Prophet at breakfast before Matt could see them.

Matt never turned up in Charms and Albus was grateful for his free period after so he could make sure Matt was okay. Rose had to go to Ancient Runes, but John and Amanda went with Albus up to the Marauder’s Den. The room was dark when they arrived, but Matt was laying on the couch, staring at the ceiling.

“Hey,” Albus said. “Missed you in Charms.”

“Sorry,” Matt said as he sat up. “Madam Pomfrey told me not to go.”

“You didn’t miss much,” John said. “You’ll catch up next week.”

“Full moon’s on Monday, so I’ll have to skip Tuesday,” Matt said. “I didn’t mean to freak out on you at breakfast, but-“

“Don’t worry about it,” Albus interrupted. “Do you have Occlumency tonight?”

Matt shook his head. “It’s too close to the full moon. It’s…not going well. I don’t know if it’s going to work.”

“Aunt Hermione wouldn’t continue if she thought it wasn’t worth it,” Albus said. “She must still think there’s a chance.”

Matt didn’t look convinced, but if anyone could teach him Occlumency, it was Aunt Hermione. Albus had yet to encounter anything she didn’t know anything about. Whenever he needed a question answered, Aunt Hermione was the one to go to.

“What are you doing the rest of the day?” John asked.

Matt shrugged. “I’ll probably go see Cedonia to find out what I missed and what she’s teaching us on Tuesday. Might go for a walk around the lake. What are you up to?”

“I need to go to the library,” John said.

“Why do you need to go to the library this early on in the term?” Amanda asked, raising her eyebrows.

“I need to learn how to do a complicated duplication charm,” John said.

“Why?” Albus asked.

“No reason,” John said. “Unless you’re interested in helping me and Kaden with this year’s Mischief Night prank.”

“No thank you,” Albus said. “Don’t say anything else.”

“Want to come with me?” John asked Matt. “After lunch.”

“Sure,” Matt said. “But I’m not helping. I’ll work on that Defense essay and maybe I’ll have it done for one of you to turn in for me on Monday.”

“You’re not going to make it to Monday classes?” Amanda asked.

“Probably not. I’ve been getting awful migraines the day of the full moon lately. Healer Sterling said it’s either part of getting older or a side effect from Burke’s potion. He’s trying to find a potion that will help, but hasn’t yet.”

“Maybe Burke can make you one,” Albus joked. “He can have us make it after we’re done with the Polyjuice. He’s having us finish that up on Tuesday, because the fluxweed will be fresh.”

Matt stiffened. “Don’t tell me he’s having you harvest that again.”

“Er,” Albus began. He hadn’t planned on telling Matt about the fluxweed harvesting, but now there didn’t seem to be a way to avoid the question. “Not us…Malfoy and Limbert are doing it, with Hagrid.”

Matt groaned. “I don’t know if that’s better or worse than you lot. He’s going to be unbearable after that, making all sorts of full moon jokes in class.”

“At least he’s going with Hagrid,” Albus said. “Hagrid won’t let him hint at anything about full moons while they’re out there.”

“That’s true,” Matt replied. “It’s not like they could go with Burke, anyway.”

***

Albus’s first tutoring session was that night. He wasn’t expecting many people to show up, given that they’d only had three weeks of class. He also had a feeling fewer people would need help now that his father was the Defense professor. Dad was a good teacher, and he made class interesting. Two things Professor Young severely lacked.

But Albus wasn’t at all surprised when Elsie Willinson showed up two minutes after he did, setting up shop on the opposite side of the table without a word to Albus. She didn’t even look at him. Albus snuck a glance at her work and saw she wasn’t even working on Defense; she had an Herbology book open and was working on some sort of essay. Albus watched as she worked and was even more conflicted about whether Matt or John were right about her. She did act like she was hiding something, but she was also so similar to how Matt was when he was a first year. There were even similarities between Elsie and present day Matt. However, Albus had no way of knowing whether Elsie had anxiety problems or was simply shy.

Someone set a stack of books down on the table, jolting Albus out of his thoughts. He turned and was surprised to see John was the owner of the books. John sat down next to Albus, but didn’t open any of the books.

“Need tutoring?” Albus asked.

John snorted and nodded at Elsie. “Just thought I’d pop by.”

Albus nodded. John had come to the library to spy on Elsie, in an attempt to gain proof for his theory. Albus sighed and stood up, beckoning John to follow him. He led him to the stacks, where they wouldn’t be overheard.

“I knew she’d show up again,” John said. “See? It’s weird!”

“I know it’s weird,” Albus said. “What do you think you’re going to find out?”

John shrugged. “That’s the whole point of coming. I want to see if she does anything strange.”

Albus groaned. “Do you know how pissed off Matt would be if he knew you were here spying on Elsie? He really thinks she’s got some sort of issue, and I think he might be right.”

“That’s why I didn’t tell him. He’s asleep anyway. But you believe him instead of me? She’s obviously hiding something.”

“I never said I didn’t believe you,” Albus said. “I just don’t know. There’s proof for both. Or it could be something completely different. But you coming here just to watch her is kind of creepy.”

“Then I’ll just do homework, and if I happen to notice something while I’m doing it, then that’ll be that,” John said.

Albus sighed and walked back to the tutoring table. John followed. When they got back, Elsie was no longer alone. Felix was there, holding what looked like a letter, and was whispering to her. He glared at Albus and John when they sat down.

“Can’t you see we’re using this table?” Felix said shortly.

Elsie opened her mouth, but apparently thought better of it and didn’t reply. Instead, she looked down and stared at her Herbology book.

Albus gestured to the tutoring sign. “It’s my table for the next hour. Defense tutoring. Unless you need help with Defense, clear off.”

Felix narrowed his eyes. “Fine. Elsie?”

Elsie closed her book and shoved it into her bag. She stood up and followed Felix out of the library without a second glance back at Albus and John.

“You can’t deny that was weird,” John said once the door shut behind them.

“I wasn’t planning on it,” Albus replied.

“Can we go talk to Angie tonight?” John asked.

“We can try,” Albus said. “I have to stick around here for another forty-five minutes, but we can go after that. I don’t know if she’ll know anything we don’t, though.”

Forty-five minutes later Albus and John set off for the common room. No one else had shown up at the tutoring session, but Albus was happy about that since he hadn’t been able to concentrate on Defense after the bizarre interaction with Elsie and Felix.

The common room was packed and very loud. James and his friends were closest to the fire, claiming their rightful place in the good armchairs. Albus spotted Gemma, Bethany, and the twins at one of the tables, their heads crowded over something in the middle. He didn’t want to know what they were doing, and hoped they wouldn’t notice him and John.

“There she is,” Albus said, finally finding Angie amidst the crowd of Gryffindors. She was at one of the tables near the back, with another third year.

Angie was one of Albus’s quieter cousins, and she didn’t like Quidditch. Albus wasn’t sure where she got either trait from since she was Uncle George and Aunt Alicia’s daughter.

“Hi, Angie,” Albus said once he and John reached the table. He sat down in the only empty chair, and John dragged one over from an adjacent table.

“Hey, Al,” Angie said, without looking up from her notebook. Albus glanced at it and saw she was in the process of drawing some sort of dragon.

“Angie, can I ask you something?” Albus said. “And it might be a little strange.”

“Nothing is strange here,” Angie said. “What’s up?”

“Do you have any classes with Elsie Willinson?” Albus asked.

“That weird Slytherin girl?” Angie replied, finally looking up from her drawing. “Yeah, I’ve got Potions, Herbology, and Magical Theory with her. Why?”

“What’s she like in class?” Albus asked, glancing at John, who nodded.

Angie raised her eyebrows. “Um…she’s quiet. Really quiet. She won’t say anything unless a professor asks her a direct question. She doesn’t even talk to the other Slytherins, and I’ve never seen her even make eye contact with anyone who’s not a Slytherin.”

“She never says anything?” John asked.

“Nope,” Angie said.

“I was surprised when she joined the Quidditch team,” piped up the other girl. Albus had no idea what her name was. “I heard her brother wasn’t too happy about that.”

“It’s like she and her brother think they’re above everyone else,” Angie said. “They’re the stereotypical pureblood Slytherins.”

“They are one of the few pureblood lines left,” John said. “And they still believe in blood purity, which makes them even more rare.”

“Have you ever seen her with her brother?” Albus asked.

“He picks her up from class sometimes,” the other girl said. “It’s really weird.”

Amy picked Matt up from class during first year, Albus thought. But Elsie was a third year now, so she knew her way around the castle and must be plenty used to Hogwarts. Would Amy still pick Matt up from class if she was still at Hogwarts? Probably. So far Matt’s theory of Felix just being a good older brother still fit.

“Wasn’t she the one who wound up in the Chamber of Secrets with you two years ago?” Angie asked, her eyes suddenly growing wide. “I just remembered that.”

“She got dragged into that by her brother,” Albus said.

“And she snuck into Hogsmeade last year and thought she saw Professor Young running away from the murder scene,” the other girl added.

“She did see Professor Young,” Albus said. “Well, she saw someone Polyjuiced as Professor Young.”

“Why do you want to know about her anyway?” Angie asked.

“Er…” Albus began.

“She comes to all of Albus’s tutoring sessions,” John said. “She never has any questions, but she sits there and does homework. It’s weird.”

Angie gasped. “You’ve got another mystery, don’t you? That’s it! You think her and her brother are involved with something evil!”

“No, that’s not it!” Albus said quickly. “Seriously, Angie, forget we had this conversation. Swear you won’t say anything to anyone.”

Angie laughed. “I knew it. You’re always involved with something, Albus. I swear. I won’t say anything.”

“You, too…,” Albus said to the other girl.

“Megan,” she said. “And I swear.”

Albus breathed a sigh of relief. He knew he could trust Angie, possibly even more than any of his other cousins (except Rose), and hopefully she’d keep her friend’s mouth shut, too. “See you later, Angie.”

“Let’s go,” John muttered, eyeing his sister. “I don’t want Gemma to notice me.”

Albus and John hurried back out into the corridor and set off for the Marauder’s Den, without even discussing that they were going there. This year more than ever, the Marauder’s Den had become their common room.

“Now Angie thinks I think Elsie and Felix are doing something evil,” Albus said, groaning. “And I don’t think they are.”

“They might be,” John said. “Aren’t they related to that maniac from the Australian Ministry who took us to the outback in third year? The one who forced Matt into that transformation center when he was little?”

“I think so. Distantly. They’re cousins by marriage or something. But that doesn’t mean they’re like him. Elsie and Felix’s cousins are the evil ones, and they’re in Azkaban.”

“Thank God,” John said. “Hey, don’t tell Matt about this. He’ll just get mad at me.”

Albus nodded. “I do think you’re right about them being a little…off. I just don’t know whether they’re hiding something awful or not.”

“Of course they’re hiding something awful,” John said. “They’re from an old pureblood family. They probably know loads of things that could land people in Azkaban. All the old pureblood families do.”

“Including yours?” Albus asked.

John laughed. “Maybe decades ago, but not anymore. We’ve got too many blood traitors now, just like the Weasleys. But the Willinsons? They’re worse than the Blacks, before they died out.”

“Walburga Black’s portrait still knows all their secrets,” Albus said as they arrived at the Marauder’s Den.

“Maybe Felix Willinson will have a portrait painted of himself in order to keep his secrets from dying with him.”

Albus laughed and opened the door, imagining Felix Willinson sitting for a portrait. Kaden and Amanda were sitting at the table. Amanda had a book open in front of her and was scrawling on a roll of parchment. Kaden had a book of his own, as well as a rook from a chess set, which he was jabbing with his wand. Matt was asleep on the couch.

“Where’s Rose?” John asked.

“Patrolling,” Amanda answered.

“With James’s girlfriend,” Kaden added. “I still can’t believe James has a girlfriend who’s a prefect.”

“I still can’t believe James has a girlfriend,” Albus said. “At least, one that’s lasted this long.”

“What are you doing?” John asked.

“Essay,” Amanda said.

“Working on the duplication charm,” Kaden said, sighing. “It’s not going well.

“I still don’t understand why you need so many rooks,” Amanda muttered.

John and Kaden exchanged a glance. “You don’t want to know,” John said. “It’ll be easier to plead ignorance if you really don’t know what’s going on.”

Albus groaned and turned to Amanda. “Want to go for a walk and let these two work?”

Amanda slammed her book shut. “Yes, please.”

“Hey, Matt,” Albus said, jabbing Matt in the shoulder. “Matt, wake up.”

Matt cracked open his eyes and groaned. “What do you want, Al?”

“John and Kaden want to work on their prank. Unless you want to be involved-“

“I’m up,” Matt said, climbing off the couch. “Let’s go.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing,” Kaden said as Albus, Matt, and Amanda left.

12. Liability

Albus’s weekend was filled with Quidditch practice and dueling practice. James booked the pitch for both Saturday and Sunday mornings, a time when the other three Quidditch captains didn’t want to practice. While James liked taking advantage of the morning hours, Albus and the rest of the team silently cursed him for taking away their only two lie-in days of the week. Grudgingly, they practiced three hours both mornings, and then spent another hour working on strategy in the empty common room. Both John and Grace Hinman fit in well with the team, although they did make a very mismatched set of Beaters, considering how tiny Grace was and how tall and solid John was.

Sunday afternoon was devoted to the first dueling practice of the year. With Peter and Blair having left Hogwarts the previous year, Mary George and Jansen Peck were now co-captains. Albus and Marina were no longer the newbies on the team, as they welcomed Heidi Hinman (Grace’s older sister) and Thomas O’Malley (Ryan’s younger brother) as the fifth year members. Mary had Albus teach them the shield charms Professor Balladanis taught him and they were quite impressed, although Albus downplayed it just as he had the previous year.

The weekend’s good weather disappeared with the dawn of Monday, and Albus awoke to the sound of rain splattering against the dormitory window. While he was very happy it hadn’t rained during Quidditch practice, he would’ve preferred the rain over part of the weekend rather than Monday morning, when he had Care of Magical Creatures. Maybe since there were only five of them, Hagrid would hold class in his hut.

“Is that rain?” John asked from his bed.

“Yeah,” Albus said, turning away from the window. “You better get up. It’s almost eight-thirty. Billius and Ethan have already gone down to breakfast.”

John pulled the curtains back and got up, already dressed in his robes. “We probably shouldn’t have stayed up so late.”

“We had to finish those Defense essays,” Albus said, scrambling to shove his essay into his bag. He dove back onto his bed to change into his robes and when he opened the curtains again, John had located his bag and was waiting by the door.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Wait,” Albus said, walking over to Matt’s bed and pulling back the curtains. “We ought to at least check to see if he wants to go to class.”

The covers were up over Matt’s head and when Albus pulled them down, he saw Matt was already awake, his face pale and glistening with sweat. He immediately shut his eyes.

“Go away,” he muttered.

“Not going to class?” Albus asked.

“No,” Matt whispered. “But can you take my essay to your dad? It’s on the bedside table.”

Albus grabbed the essay and stuck it in his bag alongside his own. “Got it.”

“Thanks,” Matt said. “Can you shut the curtains and turn off the lights? And draw the curtain on the window?”

“Sure,” Albus said. “Do you need anything? Water? Madam Pomfrey?”

“I just need to not move,” Matt said.

Albus nodded and closed the hangings. He shut the curtain on the window and turned the lights off on his way out.

Albus and John only had time to grab a muffin each from the Great Hall, before running back upstairs for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Albus doubted his own father would give him detention if he was a few minutes late, but he didn’t want to risk it. When they arrived, everyone else was already seated, and the bell rang just as they slid into their seats at the table next to Rose and Amanda’s.

DADA had become the favorite class amongst most of the Hogwarts population. The sixth and seventh years, who had Albus’s dad for the class years ago had been very excited to have him back, and those who had never had him as a teacher learned within the first week that he was far better than any of their previous DADA professors. The sixth year DADA class was even larger than the sixth year Charms class, which always made practical lessons interesting. Dad had taken to sending half the class to an adjacent classroom to practice and left Albus and Rose in charge of it.

That day the class was practicing the same advanced shield charm Professor Balladanis had taught Albus in third year, so he mostly watched Rose, John, and Amanda, and helped them with their technique. They were sharing the second classroom with the other Gryffindors and the Hufflepuffs that day, and they didn’t pay any attention to Albus and his friends. As an extra precaution, Albus cast Muffliato against the rest of the room.

“Did he have any nightmares last night?” Rose asked as she threw up a shield to protect against Amanda’s jelly-legs jinx.

“I don’t know,” Albus said. “He puts a silencing charm around his bed every night, ever since he started the Occlumency lessons.”

Rose nodded. “I’m not surprised he’s skipping. The full moon puts him on edge and makes the anxiety worse.”

“I think he had a migraine,” Albus said. “I doubt he’ll leave the dormitory before he has to go to the Shack.”

“It’ll be his first time transforming there since Boone,” Rose commented.

“Oh, I’d forgotten about that,” Albus said as he sent a jelly-legs jinx at John. “It’ll probably be pretty bad.”

“But Boone’s in Azkaban,” John pointed out, throwing up his shield at the last minute.

“It’s more what he represents,” Rose explained. “The fact that he got in means someone else could theoretically get in. But the more time goes by without anyone else getting in, the better he’ll be.”

“Bell’s about to ring,” Albus said as he took the charm down and turned to the rest of the class. “All right, great job everyone! Time to put the tables and chairs back.”

The bell rang just as Albus shoved the last chair into place, and he and John hurried off to Care of Magical Creatures while Rose went to Arithmancy and Amanda to the library. Albus was right about Hagrid holding class in his hut, where he regaled them with the story of Norberta the Norwegian Ridgeback, a story Albus had heard no less than a dozen times, but one John, Emily, and Justin found very fascinating.

When Albus, John, Rose, Amanda, and Kaden went down to dinner that evening, they found the Great Hall to be far chattier than usual. Albus was hesitant to ask why, for fear of some new information about Stuart Boone and his upcoming trial, but he didn’t see any copies of the Evening Prophet lying around the table, so chances were that wasn’t it.

As soon as they sat down, Gemma, the twins, and Bethany converged upon them, their faces giddy with excitement.

“John, guess what happened!” Gemma shouted.

“What?” John said as he ladled soup into his bowl. “You look like one of your professors just canceled exams for the year.”

“If that happened, I’d be dancing around the room,” Gemma said. “But I just heard that Professor Burke dropped a cauldron in the second years’ Potions class this afternoon. The potion went everywhere! Half of them are in the hospital wing!”

“How is that exciting?” Albus asked, wincing. “That’s awful.”

“It’s crazy!” Bethany said. “That’s the sort of thing that happens here?”

“I told you,” Lindy said.

Kaden dropped his fork onto his plate and stood up. “I’ve got to go.” He rushed out of the room, leaving his empty plate behind.

“What’s with him?” Gemma asked.

“Burke is his mentor,” Albus explained. “And he’s ill…very ill.”

“You four should go eat,” John said.

The first years left to find empty spots at the table, leaving Albus and his friends alone.

“This isn’t good,” Albus muttered. “It’s only September. He’s not going to make it the rest of the year.”

“Maybe it was a fluke,” John said.

“You know it wasn’t,” Rose replied, sighing. “He can’t keep teaching if this keeps up. I don’t know how many more times Kendrick will tolerate it before he sacks him.”

“Or Madam Pomfrey,” Albus muttered, thinking of how irritated the nurse got when Burke accidentally injured his students.

The second years (Ravenclaws and Slytherins) who had witnessed the incident but hadn’t wound up in the hospital wing spent all of dinner spreading the story around, and the size of the cauldron and amount of potion inside seemed to increase with each retelling. None of the younger students seemed to understand how serious the incident actually was, or what it meant for Professor Burke.

Kaden didn’t reappear after dinner and Albus suspected he’d be in the dungeons long past curfew, assisting Burke with whatever brewing tasks needed doing.

Albus had the early patrol that night, with one of the new fifth year prefects, which gave him a little less than an hour to work on homework before setting off. Professor Kendrick had extended the times of patrols that year, so that the first patrol was from seven until eight-thirty and the second from eight-thirty until ten-fifteen. He no longer wanted the younger students wandering the castle unsupervised until their eight o’clock curfew.

Before setting off a little before seven, Albus checked on Matt, who was fast asleep. Albus almost woke him up and offered to accompany him to the hospital wing, but didn’t have the heart to do it. He’d get an additional fifteen minutes of sleep if he waited. Rose and Amanda had gone to the library, but John was in the common room if Matt needed anything.

Albus met Annie Morgan, the Hufflepuff he was patrolling with, in the Entrance Hall and they set off for the second floor together. Albus didn’t know her well, and had never patrolled with her before.

“You’re friends with Kaden Dursley, right?” Annie asked after they told off a few first years for dueling in the second floor corridor.

“Yeah. He’s my cousin,” Albus answered.

“Oh,” Annie said. “I hadn’t realized Kaden had any magical relatives.”

“His dad is my dad’s cousin,” Albus explained. “My dad’s mum’s sister is his grandmother. And my dad’s mum was a witch. Why?” Albus seriously hoped this girl didn’t have a crush on Kaden. After Meg Johnson the previous year, he didn’t want to assist any other girls in starting relationships with his relatives.

“I was just wondering if he knew anything about Burke,” Annie said. “You know, because he’s always helping Burke. And after today….”

“Right,” Albus said, nodding. He wasn’t sure whether Burke wanted his illness kept a secret or not, but he wasn’t going to be able to keep it secret much longer. “He’s…ill.”

“Burke?”

“Yeah.”

“I figured. It seems like it’s getting worse, which is a pity because he’s a good teacher.”

Albus nodded, but didn’t say anything else. Burke was a good teacher, but his morals left a little to be desired. Albus wasn’t particularly attached to him and only wanted him to stay because of Matt and Kaden.

The two patrolled the third and fourth floor in silence. Annie still seemed to be contemplating Professor Burke, and Albus couldn’t blame her considering what had just happened. They passed the hospital wing and Albus wondered how many second years were still there, recovering from the incident earlier.

“Albus, did you see that?” Annie asked suddenly, stopping to stare at a row of suits of armor.

“See what?” Albus replied, seeing nothing but the empty corridor.

“I swear one of those suits of armor just moved. Don’t they usually only move if commanded?”

“Yeah,” Albus said. “Unless someone’s playing a prank.”

Albus walked toward the armor just as another one shifted a few inches, accompanied by a muffled bang and a flash of white trainer. Suddenly, Albus realized what was going on. He hurried forward and groped the air near the armor until he felt something solid. He grasped the fabric and pulled, revealing Matt under the Invisibility Cloak. Albus stepped back, surprised, as he had been expecting John in the middle of a prank.

Matt did not look good. His face was both flushed and pale at the same time, and he looked very panicked. “Al,” he whispered.

“You don’t look so good,” Annie said.

Albus turned from Matt to Annie, thinking fast. “Annie, go find Rose. She’s in the library. She’ll finish the patrol with you.”

Annie looked confused, but nodded. “What do you want me to tell her?”

“Just tell her I had to take someone to the hospital wing,” Albus answered.

Annie set off for the library and Albus took the Invisibility Cloak from Matt and steered him toward the hospital wing.

“Where’s John?” Albus asked.

“I don’t know. I woke up late, which is weird, so I grabbed the Cloak and left. But I got dizzy, and-“

Matt froze and winced in pain. He doubled over and Albus caught him, silently cursing John for not being as attentive as should’ve been. If Albus hadn’t been patrolling, he would’ve waited in the dormitory until Matt needed to leave, and as it was, he regretted not waking Matt up before leaving for patrol.

“Do you have time?” Albus asked, getting a little nervous as he helped Matt to his feet.

“Half an hour…or so,” Matt said, breathing heavily.

They made it to the hospital wing a few minutes later, Matt leaning heavily on Albus. Albus opened the door and led Matt inside. The look of panic in Matt’s eyes increased exponentially when he saw how crowded the place was.

More than half the beds were full, and quite a few adults, whom Albus assumed to be parents, milled around, talking amongst one another and trying to get Madam Pomfrey’s attention. The nurse bustled from bed to bed, administering potions and answering questions. On her way back to her potion cupboard, she noticed Albus and Matt.

“Oh, dear God,” she said, hurrying over. “Matt…I forgot, with all the chaos….”

Matt looked like he was struggling to keep his composure. “I-“ he began, but cut himself off as he was hit with another stab of pain.

“You’re going to have to Floo,” Madam Pomfrey said. “There isn’t time.”

Matt groaned. “I can’t-“

“You can’t walk there in time, not like this,” the nurse said softly. “Come on, directly from my living quarters. Mr. Potter, if you could help him.”

Albus hadn’t known the Shrieking Shack was hooked up to the Floo Network, but figured this wasn’t the time for questions. He slung Matt’s right arm over his left shoulder and helped him walk toward Madam Pomfrey’s living quarters. She held the door open and hurried them inside.

Madam Pomfrey’s living quarters was decorated with a lot of hand-knitted things, many of which Albus hadn’t been aware one could knit, such as a lampshade and a chair. The fireplace was located next to the knitted chair, so Albus sat Matt down on it while Madam Pomfrey located her Floo Powder.

“I’ll be right back, Albus,” Madam Pomfrey said as she grasped a handful of Floo Powder and took Matt’s hand in her other hand. Matt slowly rose to his feet and followed Madam Pomfrey to the fire. The nurse tossed the Floo Powder into the flames, they lit up green, and she stepped inside, pulling Matt with her. “The Shrieking Shack,” she shouted.

Albus sat down in the knitted chair to wait and realized it was simply a knitted chair cover covering a normal armchair. He wondered if Madam Pomfrey had knitted it herself or had a sister or friend who enjoyed knitting odd things.

Madam Pomfrey returned a few minutes later, muttering to herself. Albus got up and followed her back into the hospital wing.

“Thank you, Albus,” she said quietly. “I’ve never forgotten a moon…. Six kids injured in that potion accident. I swear, if Burke weren’t making that potion for Matt….”

Madam Pomfrey returned to her other patients and Albus took that as his cue to leave. With all those parents, he wondered if maybe this was the last straw for Burke. He didn’t want to think about it. Kaden would be devastated.

***

Albus searched the common room for John after leaving the hospital wing, but didn’t find him. Wondering what could’ve happened, Albus went to the Marauders’ Den and paced the perimeter, his mind racing with thoughts about Professor Burke and Matt, while waiting for Rose to return from the patrol. He only hoped Rose would be able to quell any curiosities Annie had about how awful Matt looked when they found him.

A few minutes later John burst through the door, looking panicked, which was an odd look for John. Albus couldn’t remember a time where John was anything but cool and collected, with the exception of his brief moment of anxiety about his O.W.L.s the previous year.

“There you are,” Albus said, his frustration with John rising. “Where the hell have you been?”

“What are you doing here?” John asked. “I thought you were patrolling. And have you seen Matt? I can’t find him anywhere.”

“I was patrolling! Until I found Matt trying to get to the hospital wing on his own. You were supposed to be checking on him! You said you would because Rose and Amanda had to go to the library.”

John groaned and sat down on the couch, putting his head in his hands. He looked up a few seconds later. “I’m sorry, Al. I screwed up.”

“He cut it very close,” Albus said, sitting down next to John. “He had to Floo to the Shack from Madam Pomfrey’s flat, and the hospital wing was swarming with parents because of what Burke did. It was a disaster. Madam Pomfrey had forgotten about the full moon.”

“The Shack is hooked up to the Floo Network?” John asked. “Isn’t that dangerous?”

Albus shrugged. “I didn’t ask Madam Pomfrey about the details. But where were you? Why weren’t you checking on him? You know he always goes to the hospital wing at seven during the autumn and spring.”

“Gemma,” John muttered. “She mastered Wingardium Leviosa and decided to spend the evening levitating things in the common room, including people’s books, bags, and even chairs. Samantha and Lindy egged her on and even Bethany got into it. She refused to stop until I threatened to tell Mum. One of the fifth year prefects even gave her detention and took away points, but that didn’t do anything. By the time she stopped it was seven-thirty and Matt was gone. I figured he’d gone down without me, but I wasn’t sure.”

Gemma, of course. Albus should’ve known. He was incredibly grateful his own sister wasn’t that annoying and obnoxious. But John had three sisters, and they seemed to span quite the range of personalities, since Ashtyn was relatively normal.

“If Madam Pomfrey’s flat is hooked up to the Shrieking Shack via the Floo Network, why doesn’t Matt use that to get there instead of walking?” John asked.

“I don’t know. He didn’t want to do it tonight. He told Madam Pomfrey he couldn’t, but she insisted because they were so short on time. He’s never liked Flooing. I wonder if it makes the transformation worse.”

“Still, it seems easier,” John said, shrugging. “Rose is going to be so pissed off at me.”

Albus nodded. He was slightly pissed off at John, although less than he had been when he found Matt stumbling down the corridor on his own. At least John had a good excuse. Still, if Matt wasn’t going to wake up in time to make it to the Shrieking Shack in time on his own, they’d all have to be more vigilant at future full moons.

Rose and Amanda arrived at the Den together after the patrol was over. Both looked confused, but Rose narrowed in on John and stalked over to him, demanding to know what had happened. John explained about Gemma, but that did nothing to appease Rose’s anger. Only when Albus explained what had happened after he found Matt in the corridor did Rose sink onto the couch, silently shaking her head.

“I thought things would get better with the Occlumency lessons,” Amanda said.

Rose looked up. “I thought so, too. And I still think they will, but it’s just this in between time that’s bad. Until he’s able to do the Occlumency, having my mum cast Legilimency on him over and over again just makes things worse. A lot worse.”

“I don’t think seeing the hospital wing that crowded and Madam Pomfrey so frazzled helped, either,” Albus said.

Rose groaned. “Has Kaden reappeared yet?”

“No. I wouldn’t expect him soon,” Albus said. “Was Annie suspicious of anything?”

Rose shook her head. “She just thinks Matt’s really ill, which isn’t a lie.”

“Good,” Albus said.

“You said there were parents in the hospital wing, Al?” Rose asked.

“Yeah. They didn’t seem happy.”

Rose sighed. “If Burke isn’t sacked over this, it’s only a matter of time before he’s sacked over something worse.”

Albus didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to admit that Rose was probably right. Burke’s illness was progressing so quickly it was not only hindering his ability to teach, but also causing harm to his students. More harm than is normal for Hogwarts, that is. Kendrick wouldn’t be able to keep him on if it got much worse; Burke was too much of a liability.

13. Nonverbal Spells

Albus half-expected Professor Kendrick to announce that Potions class wouldn’t take place until further notice the next morning, and he certainly didn’t expect Professor Burke to be at breakfast, but there he was, seated in between Professors Cedonia and Longbottom. Kendrick didn’t make a single announcement about Potions, Burke, or the previous day’s incident. He must’ve been able to smooth it over with the parents.

Kaden never returned to the Marauders’ Den after assisting Professor Burke and Albus was eager to talk to him before Charms, but Kaden was usually late to breakfast on a day he hadn’t stayed up half the night, so Albus wasn’t hopeful. He kept stealing glances at the door in between bites of sausage, hoping to see Kaden.

The arrival of the post owls provided a distraction, as John’s parents’ owl brought Gemma her second howler of the year. Mrs. Brickston’s shrill tone rang throughout the whole Great Hall, earning Gemma stares from all four house tables and a few from the staff table as well. John sighed after the howler burned itself up and caught Ashtyn’s gaze. Ashtyn rolled her eyes and whispered something to Lily and Hugo.

“You told me you weren’t going to send an owl home!” Gemma shouted at John.

“I didn’t. But Longbottom does whenever you get a detention. This one’s on you,” John explained. “What did he set you, anyway?”

Gemma consulted another piece of parchment, which had been deposited by a school owl during the howler. “Lines. Tonight.”

John nodded, apparently satisfied.

Kaden rushed into the room moments later, his bag swinging behind him, his robes askew, and his hair disheveled. Albus had a feeling he’d woken up ten minutes ago. He slid over and Kaden sat down in between him and John, pulling the nearest plate of bacon toward him as he sat.

“What happened last night?” Albus asked.

“Burke was having a really bad time of it,” Kaden said in between bites. “I guess whatever illness he’s got flares up so that he has really awful days and decent days. Yesterday was a bad one, I suppose. He couldn’t do anything, not even mixing. I did all of it for him.”

“Wow,” Albus said, wondering what Burke would do if Kaden didn’t enjoy brewing the way he did. “When did you get back?”

“Eleven. I had to do all his potions and then prepare all the fluxweed once Malfoy and Limbert harvested it from the forest,” Kaden said. “Then I had to write an essay for Patil.”

“I’d forgotten about the fluxweed,” Albus said. “That means we have to finish the Polyjuice today.”

“He must be doing better today,” Rose said, nodding to the staff table.

The warning bell rang and Kaden swore loudly, before inhaling another piece of bacon. “I’m gonna be late for Divination.” He took off as quickly as he’d arrived.

Albus, Rose, John, and Amanda took a more leisurely pace to Charms, arriving just in time to see Scorpius Malfoy loudly showing off his brand new watch, which he’d received for his seventeenth birthday.

“It’s pure silver,” Malfoy drawled, his eyes fixed on Albus and his friends. “Very expensive. Mum and Dad sent it on Saturday, just in time for my birthday. I’m of-age now. I could do magic outside of school, if I desired. I could even take my Apparition test if I wanted to.”

“Except you haven’t had any lessons,” John muttered under his breath. “Bloody git.”

“And that watch isn’t pure silver,” Rose added. “Pure silver is too soft for a watch.”

“I’ll bet anything he’ll brag about buying firewhisky at the October Hogsmeade visit,” Amanda said. “Honestly, bragging about turning 17 first. As if any of us had control over when we were born.”

“Settle down, settle down,” Cedonia said, walking out from behind her desk. “Today we will begin nonverbal spells. If you haven’t already started them in Defense and Transfiguration, you will soon. By the end of the year, you’ll be expected to do most of your spell work nonverbally, and you’ll be using nonverbal spells while brewing Potions, if you’re still taking Potions.

“Many spells can be done both verbally and nonverbally, and those will be the ones we will start with. After Christmas, I’ll introduce you to spells which only work nonverbally. They’re generally more difficult, as you have never used them before. It is very important that you work hard before we begin those, not only for your spell work but also for Apparition. Those who have difficulty with nonverbal spells often have difficulty with Apparition. Today I want you to practice Wingardium Leviosa nonverbally. Use the feathers I’ve left on your tables. Think the spell, but don’t say it out loud. Concentrate on what you’re trying to do. Ignore everything else. I’ll be around to help.”

“Matt’s going to be upset he missed the first day of nonverbal spells,” Albus said as he pointed his wand at the feather in front of him.

“Yeah, rotten luck,” John said. “You want to go first?”

Albus nodded and concentrated hard on ‘wingardium leviosa.’ He stared at the feather and inched his wand closer to it, but nothing happened. The feather didn’t so much as twitch.

“Let me try,” John said, pointing his wand at the feather. He closed his eyes and scrunched up his face so much he started turning purple, and began to resemble Kaden’s grandfather.

Albus burst out laughing. “I think breathing is an important part of it.”

“If I breath I’ll accidentally say the spell,” John said.

Albus and John took turns, but neither one of them improved. Albus was quite happy to see that Scorpius Malfoy, despite now being of-age, couldn’t levitate his feather nonverbally either. Rose managed to do it after fifteen minutes, earning praise and ten points for Gryffindor from Professor Cedonia. By the end of the class she remained the only Gryffindor able to do it, although two Hufflepuffs, three Ravenclaws, and one Slytherin managed it.

“Potter!” Malfoy called from the corridor as Albus left the Charms room. “Oi, Potter!”

“What, Malfoy?” Albus asked, walking hesitantly toward him. It was never good when Malfoy wanted to talk.

“Where are you doing your internship?” he asked, smirking slightly.

“Auror Department,” Albus answered. “Why do you want to know?”

“Figures,” Malfoy muttered.

“What, did you want the Auror Department?” Malfoy never struck Albus as the type who had desires to be an Auror.

Malfoy snorted. “No. But I have friends who did.”

“Where are you doing yours?” John demanded.

Malfoy smiled wryly. “I didn’t get Gringotts. They gave me my second choice. Eckerton will find it interesting. Werewolf Control Unit.”

Albus felt a sudden surge of anger. Why had Malfoy put that down as his second? Just on the off-chance he’d be able to lord it over Matt?

“You do realize his dad’s in charge of that one, right?” Rose asked, smirking. “And he does know who you are. I can’t imagine he’ll make it pleasant for you.”

Malfoy looked taken aback for a split second, but regained his composure. He fingered his new watch. “I’m not worried. I can handle myself. See you in Potions.”

“I need to get to Ancient Runes,” Rose said, shaking her head. “Are you going to visit Matt?”

“I thought I would,” Albus said. John and Amanda nodded.

“Be…delicate about this,” Rose said.

Albus nodded and turned in the direction of the hospital wing, flanked by John and Amanda, while Rose headed off in the opposite direction to the Ancient Runes classroom.

Why had Matt’s dad approved Scorpius Malfoy as his intern? Had he momentarily forgotten the name of the Slytherin who had tormented his son for the past five years? Or was he trying to remain impartial?

***

The hospital wing was far quieter than it had been the previous night. Judging by the amount of beds being used, most of the second years affected by the potion had been discharged, and no parents remained. Madam Pomfrey was at her desk, a stack of paperwork in front of her. She looked up when Albus, John, and Amanda entered, but when she saw it was them, she merely said hello and let them continue.

The curtains were drawn around Matt’s usual bed, but Albus took it as a good sign that Madam Pomfrey hadn’t thrown them out. Albus slid the curtains open and Amanda shut them once all three were crowded in. Surprisingly, Matt was awake. He looked exhausted, his face was scratched, and there was a large bandage on his right arm, but he was awake. What Albus noticed the most, though, was that he looked calmer than last night, and that fact, despite his injuries, made him look better than he had last night.

“How did it go?” Albus asked as he cast Muffliato.

Matt shrugged. “Average.”

“I’m sorry, mate,” John said, sighing. “About last night. I should’ve walked you here-“

“Forget about it,” Matt said. “It’s my responsibility to get here in time. Always has been.”

“But-“ John began.

“I said forget it. It was stupid. But it doesn’t matter now. Madam Pomfrey wants me here by six every time because of last night, five during the winter, and that’s probably a good idea. It’ll give me enough time to walk there.”

“Can’t you just Floo?” Albus asked, the question having nagged him since last night. “Like you did yesterday? I never knew the Shack was hooked up to the Floo Network.”

Matt averted his gaze and stared at the curtain. “It’s just hooked up to Madam Pomfrey’s flat, so she can bring me back in the morning, and Professor Kendrick’s study for emergencies. There are spells in place so no one can get there even accidentally from another Floo.”

“Wouldn’t that be easier than walking?” John asked. “Or does it make you too ill? I know you don’t like Flooing.”

“I don’t like Flooing,” Matt said quietly. “And it does make me feel ill, but so do Portkeys and Apparition half the time. But I hate Flooing, especially before a full moon.” He sighed and stared at the blankets on the bed. “When Lubar kidnapped me…when I was eight…he took me through the Floo Network to the safe house. Ever since, I’ve hated Flooing. It gives me flashbacks if I do it the day of a full moon.”

“Did it last night?” Albus asked quietly.

Matt nodded. “I don’t want to talk about it. Point is, I hate Flooing and that’s why I always walk through the tunnel. So what did I miss during Charms?”

“Nonverbal spells,” John answered.

Matt didn’t look nearly as disappointed as Albus thought he’d be. Instead, he smiled. “I was wondering when we’d do those. Can you hand me my wand? It’s on the bedside table.”

Albus did as he was asked, confused. “Why-“

“Watch,” Matt interrupted. He pointed his wand at the goblet on his tray and levitated it without uttering a sound. It floated across the bed and Matt directed it to the bedside table, where he set it down.

“How…?” John began, his voice trailing off.

“Dad taught me over the summer,” Matt said, grinning.

“Why?” Amanda asked. “And what about the underage magic law?”

“That really only works for Muggleborns. It detects magic being done, not who’s done it. So if you live with a witch or wizard who is of-age, the Ministry has no way of knowing who did the magic. They just rely on parents making sure their kids don’t do magic in front of Muggles or blow anything up.”

“That’s not fair,” Amanda muttered. “So you got to learn nonverbal spells over summer. Why?”

“They’re a prerequisite for Apparition,” Matt said. “Dad wanted to teach me so he could start teaching me how to Apparate.”

Albus’s mouth fell open. “You already know how to Apparate?”

“Bloody hell,” John said, shaking his head.

“I’m not very good yet,” Matt said. “But I did managed to go from one side of my yard to the other without splinching myself before term started.”

Albus had never heard of any parents teaching their kids how to Apparate before the Ministry lessons at Hogwarts. His parents had certainly never offered, and neither had any of his aunts or uncles.

“How did you get your dad to agree to that?” John asked.

“It was his idea,” Matt explained. “In Australia, a lot of parents teach their kids to Apparate. The Ministry gives lessons at school, but mostly the parents do the teaching, since their school breaks are more spread out throughout the year. Plus, Dad thought it would be good for me to have a head start in case the Apparition lessons fall on or near full moons. I’m not allowed to Apparate in the three days leading up to a full moon, the day of, or the day after.”

Matt lowered his voice. “He also told me he’ll feel better once I have my Apparition license. He thinks it’s good for me to have an easy way to…escape, if something bad were to happen, or if the laws were to change, or something. Especially given my dislike of Flooing.”

“I wish my parents were from Australia,” John muttered. “If I asked them to teach me to Apparate they’d laugh.”

Matt snorted. “It is dangerous. I think that’s why so many parents don’t want to try. Splinching isn’t something to mess around with and if you can’t get medical care straightaway, it can be bad. But my parents have learned a lot of healing spells over the years, because of me.”

“My dad’s a healer,” John said flatly. “He’d still laugh.”

Albus laughed. “My parents wouldn’t do it either.”

“I guess you didn’t miss anything in Charms,” Amanda said. “But you did miss Malfoy bragging about turning seventeen and getting an expensive silver watch from his parents.”

“But he couldn’t do nonverbal spells either,” Albus said. “Oh, I wish you’d been there to show him how well you do it.”

“Next class,” Matt said. “I’ll levitate his chair with him in it.”

That reminded Albus of the conversation they’d had with Malfoy after class. He didn’t want to tell Matt about it, but it’d be better coming from him than Malfoy himself.

“Malfoy told us what his internship was after class,” Albus said quietly.

“What is it?” Matt asked.

“Don’t freak out,” Albus said, remembering what Rose had said. “Rose told me to say it gently.”

“Erm…okay,” Matt said hesitantly, looking at Albus as if he’d grown an additional head.

“He’s in the Werewolf Control Unit,” Albus muttered.

Matt’s eyes grew wide and he swallowed hard. “Seriously? He wasn’t joking?”

“No,” Albus said. “Apparently it was his second choice. His first choice was Gringotts.”

“But- But…why…he can’t…that’s-“ Matt stammered. “I don’t…what do I do?”

“It’s not as bad as you think,” John said quickly. “He already knows you’re a werewolf. What’s the worst that could happen? He’ll torment you with all the stuff he finds out in there, about laws and everything, but that’s it. He still can’t tell anyone you’re a werewolf, or Kendrick will expel him.”

“John’s right,” Albus said, wishing he’d thought of it.

“You don’t think he actually wants to work there, do you?” Matt asked, his voice cracking.

“No,” Albus said. “I think he probably was so sure he’d get his first choice, he picked the Werewolf Control Unit as his second choice as a joke or something. His third choice was probably the Muggle Liaison Office.”

“Why would your dad even pick him?” John asked.

“Probably to be fair,” Matt said quietly. “Or out of sheer curiosity.”

“You’re taking this surprisingly well,” Albus said, noticing Matt’s lack of panic.

“It’d be different if my dad weren’t in charge,” Matt said. “He’ll be supervising Malfoy’s every move, so it’ll be okay. And it may seem weird, but this is the best time of the month to tell me things like this. The anxiety gets worse as the full moon gets closer and it’s at its worst the day of. It’s best the day after. That’s why I can handle Flooing the rest of the month. I might not like it, but it won’t give me a panic attack.”

“That makes sense,” Albus said. “When do you think Madam Pomfrey will let you leave?”

“She said maybe after dinner. Healer Norlam is coming by later because Madam Pomfrey thinks I need a higher dose of the anxiety potion and I think she’s right. You’re finishing the Polyjuice today, right?”

Albus nodded. “Right after lunch.”

“Good luck,” Matt said.

“We should probably go to lunch,” Amanda said. “Do you want us to stop by before dinner?”

Matt yawned. “Don’t bother. I’ll just see you later tonight. I can’t wait to hear how the Polyjuice goes.”

Albus was dreading finishing his Polyjuice. He’d screwed up the first part so badly because he was distracted that there was no way his would turn out decent. He’d be lucky if he didn’t blow up his cauldron. Rose would be the one to win the contest; Rose had to win the contest.

***

Professor Burke didn’t even attempt to get up from his chair when the bell rang signaling the start of Potions. Instead, he carefully slid his chair to the right, so that his face wasn’t blocked by the smoke emitting from his experimental potion. Albus noticed he the bags beneath his eyes were more pronounced and his hair somehow seemed wispier than it was the previous week. They weren’t even a month into term, but Burke looked in need of a few days off.

“Your cauldrons are where you left them the first day of class,” Burke announced. “I must say I am disappointed with a few of them. The fluxweed harvested by Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Limbert is on the front table. It was prepared by my brewing assistant last night. Instructions are on the board.”

Albus retrieved his cauldron from the back table and noticed the potion inside had congealed into a jelly-like substance. Burke must’ve been talking about his potion when he mentioned being disappointed, although Albus didn’t care.

“That’s your potion?” Malfoy said with a laugh, as he passed Albus’s table on his way to get fluxweed. “How did you even get in this class? All this time I thought Eckerton was the reason your potions never turned out right.”

“Shut up, Malfoy,” Albus muttered. He couldn’t wait until the next Charms lesson, when Matt would show Malfoy how good he was at nonverbal spells.

Albus lit a fire beneath his cauldron, in the hopes it would melt his potion enough that he could add the fluxweed. He knew there was no chance of him winning the contest, but he didn’t want to receive a T on the assignment.

Rose’s potion was the precise color and consistency it needed to be at this stage. She stirred it with a determined look on her face, but without a hint of the excitement she’d usually have while brewing a perfect potion. She paused to add the fluxweed, which caused the potion to emit a slight amount of greenish-yellow smoke, just as it was supposed to.

“Is it awful of me to wish he’d gotten sacked?” Rose whispered as she continued stirring.

Albus gave his potion another poke and slid closer to Rose. “No. Then you wouldn’t have to brew Polyjuice.”

“But it would be awful for Matt and Kaden if he were sacked,” Rose said. “And we don’t know for sure he’s going to have me brew Polyjuice for him.”

“Why else would he set us this contest? Look at him. He hasn’t even gotten up from his chair. He probably can’t.”

“What if I told him no?” Rose asked. “He can’t force me to brew for him. What do you think he’d do?”

“Ask someone else, if there’s someone else who does as good a job as you. He’s probably set the same task for the seventh years,” Albus said.

“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that. I don’t know, Al. I don’t really feel comfortable about this. Selling Polyjuice is illegal.”

“But it’s not illegal to brew it. You looked that up. He’d be the one doing something illegal, not you.”

Albus really didn’t want to know what would happen if Burke were sacked and Matt no longer had access to his anxiety potion. Hopefully Burke would relinquish the formula to Amy, but what if he didn’t?

“I know, but I’d still be involved. I just don’t know, Al.”

“What about Matt?” Albus asked quietly, as he took Rose’s leftover fluxweed and added it to his cauldron.

“I know, Al,” Rose snapped. “It’s an awful position to be put in. Let’s just wait and see what Burke says after he’s done marking the potions. I’m not deciding now.”

Albus nodded, almost wishing he hadn’t screwed up his own potion so badly. He’d brew Polyjuice for Burke without a second thought if it meant Matt could continue getting his potion, no matter what the consequences were. Albus hadn’t ever gotten up the nerve to come right out and ask Matt, but he had a feeling without that potion, Matt wouldn’t be able to handle going to class.

14. Rose’s Decision

It took Professor Burke a week to assess the potions and assign marks. He still remained in his seat for the duration of class, and rather than handing out the marks himself, he called Amanda to his desk to take the stack of parchment and hand them out. Rose tapped her quill nervously on the table while Amanda handed out the results and Albus was uncertain whether she was hoping for an O or not.

Albus was unsurprised to see a T on his paper and chose not to read the comments Professor Burke had left him. If he hadn’t been so distracted during the first day of brewing, he wouldn’t have done so poorly. It had nothing to do with skill. After folding his results sheet into a tiny square, Albus peered over Rose’s shoulder to see hear mark. It was an O, complete with praise from Burke written in the comment box.

“I was quite pleased with most of your results,” Burke announced after Amanda had sat down. “Picking one winner was hard, but I decided on Miss Weasley.”

There were a few groans from the Slytherins and even one from the Ravenclaws. Rose blushed deeply and gave a slight smile. Albus’s stomach churned, hoping he wasn’t right about the “prize.”

“See me after class for your prize,” Burke said. “Now, if everyone could take out parchment, a quill, and ink….”

Albus didn’t pay any attention to Burke’s lecture on appearance-altering potions. His parchment remained blank except for a terrible drawing of Burke, which Albus tore up as soon as the bell rang. In an effort to try and eavesdrop on Burke’s conversation with Rose, Albus purposefully spilled his ink after class, but rather than ignoring him, Burke stared at him as he siphoned it off the floor and neglected to talk to Rose before Albus left.

Wishing he had an Extendable Ear with him, or that Matt was there, Albus stood outside the closed door with Amanda and waited for Rose. Malfoy lurked a few feet away for a couple minutes, but slunk off to the Slytherin common room before Rose emerged. Albus had a feeling he was jealous of Rose’s win and wanted to see what the prize was.

Rose emerged a few minutes later with a large bar of Honeyduke’s finest chocolate, but the unsettled look on her face told Albus the chocolate wasn’t all Burke had for her.

“What did he say?” Albus asked.

“Well, you were sort of right,” Rose said quietly. “I’ll explain when we get upstairs.”

Matt, John, and Kaden were all in the Marauders’ Den when Albus, Rose, and Amanda arrived a short while later. Matt was on the couch, reading a novel, and clearly trying to ignore the fact that John and Kaden were surrounded by piles of chessmen.

“What are you two doing?” Albus asked, pausing in the doorway. “Why do you need that many chessmen?”

“You don’t want to know,” Matt said.

“Charms practice,” Kaden said with a wicked grin. “We’re duplicating them.”

“I was right about Burke,” Albus announced as he shut the door and stepped over the piles of chessmen.

“He wants someone to brew Polyjuice for him?” Matt asked as he slid over and made room for Albus on the couch.

“You were sort of right,” Rose said, sitting down next to Albus. “It’s like last year, when he had Albus, Kaden, and I help him brew, except even more responsibility. He held the contest for sixth and seventh years and picked me out of both classes. My potion was the best.” She shrugged and grinned.

Albus smiled. Despite the circumstances, Rose could never hide her delight at being the best at something.

“What exactly does he want you to do?” Matt asked.

“Brew his some of his potions,” Rose said quietly.

“But I already help him out,” Kaden said.

“He wants another person besides you, due to all the work,” Rose explained. “He wants me to do the Polyjuice and a few other potions that aren’t experimental, so he can concentrate on his experimental potions.”

“Like mine,” Matt said under his breath.

Rose nodded. “He never said what he does with the Polyjuice or the other non-experimental potions.”

“Obviously he sells them,” John said. “What did you tell him?”

Rose bit her lip and glanced at Matt, before turning back to John. “I told him I’d think about it, that I have other responsibilities and am not sure I have time.”

“But you have to do it,” Matt said quickly. “You have to.”

“I don’t know if I can!” Rose pleaded. “It’s so sketchy! I don’t know-“

“Please, Rose,” Matt interrupted. “What if he leaves if no one will help him?”

“He won’t leave,” Kaden said. “He’s got nowhere to go, and there’s no other place where he can get brewing assistants to work for free.”

Rose stood up suddenly. “I have to think about it. I know what’s riding on it, on both sides. I just…I need to think.”

“But-“ Matt began.

Rose ignored him, and hurried out of the room. Amanda got up and followed her without a word to any of the boys.

“I- I thought she was going to do it,” Matt said. “I thought she’d agreed-“

“She’s having second thoughts about the morality of it,” Albus said quietly. “I’m sorry, mate.”

“Kaden’s right,” John said. “He won’t leave. He’ll pick someone else.”

“And what if that person is Malfoy?” Matt asked, his voice cracking. “He already knows I’m a werewolf. He can’t find out about the anxiety, too.”

“Burke wouldn’t tell him who the anxiety potion is for,” Kaden reasoned. “He’d keep that confidential.”

“There’s aconite in it,” Matt said flatly, staring at the floor. “Malfoy isn’t stupid. He’d figure out it’s for me. It has to be Rose. It just has to.”

Albus wished more than anything that he hadn’t screwed up his own potion so badly. He had no qualms about doing something in a moral grey area if it helped the mental well-being of his best friend. But Rose saw things as more black and white than Albus did; she always had, ever since they were kids. Rose was a stickler for the rules, always the one to tattle on Albus and James when they were little. Yet, there were occasions where Rose ignored the rules if it meant helping out a friend. Albus hoped this would be one of those times, even though they weren’t simply rules, they were laws.

Nor did Albus want Matt and Rose to come to blows over this, like they had in third year when it came to letting Linda into the Marauders’ Den. Matt needed Rose as a friend; she had quite possibly done more for him than Albus had over the years. And Albus had a feeling if Rose had never met Matt, she wouldn’t be looking into a career in psychiatry. Albus knew the decision was tearing Rose apart, but he didn’t know if Matt could see past his anxieties to look at it from Rose’s point of view.

“What if it’s not Malfoy?” Kaden asked. “What if it’s one of the seventh years, who has no idea there’s a werewolf at Hogwarts? Would that make you feel better?”

Matt said nothing for a full minute, but then nodded slowly. “Yeah…I suppose…if they don’t know I’m a werewolf, they’d have no idea who the potion was for. It could be for someone not at Hogwarts, for all they knew.”

“Then we need to find out who came in second,” Kaden said. “I’ll ask Burke tonight.”

“Good,” Albus said.

“Do you think she’ll say yes, Al?” Matt asked quietly.

Albus sighed. “I really don’t know.” It wasn’t a lie. Albus had no idea whether Rose’s loyalty to Matt would triumph over her desire to follow the rules.

***

Rose and Amanda didn’t join the boys for dinner that night. Instead they sat a few seats down, and didn’t talk to anyone except each other. Albus knew Rose was only trying to collect her thoughts and make the best decision, and she couldn’t do that with Matt around, but Matt took it to mean she was leaning against brewing for Burke and spent most of dinner moving food around on his plate and not eating it. After dinner, Kaden hurried off to the dungeons, promising to find out who came in second place in the brewing contest. Albus had dueling practice after dinner, but knew he’d be back long before Kaden.

Albus hoped Rose would make a decision by the time he returned from practice. It was the not knowing that made him nervous, if only because it put a slight rift in his group of friends, even though the rift was unintentional. Albus was distracted during practice, and was happy when Jansen called it off early, telling Albus he needed to regain his focus by next week’s practice.

When Albus returned to the Marauders’ Den after practice, he only found Matt and John. They were both seated at the table, with homework spread out, but neither was working on it. John was building a house of Exploding Snap cards and Matt was nervously tapping his quill on his closed Transfiguration book, paying no attention to John’s meticulous stacking.

“Hey,” Albus said upon entering.

John startled and the cards fell over, exploding as they did so. A cloud of ash filled the air and covered John’s face. “Dammit!” he shouted. He cleaned the ash up with a wave of his wand.

“Sorry,” Albus said. “What are you two doing?”

“Waiting for Kaden,” Matt said, setting his quill down.

“Have you seen Rose and Amanda?” Albus asked.

“No,” John said. “They’re probably in their dormitory or the library.”

Albus nodded and sat down at the table. He turned to Matt, who still looked on edge. “Look, I’m just going to come out and ask this. And I don’t want you to get pissed off.”

“Okay,” Matt said slowly.

Albus sighed. “Are you going to be upset with Rose if she doesn’t brew for Burke?”

Matt toyed with the cover of his Transfiguration book for a few moments before responding. “No. I mean maybe, but not for long. I know she has to think about herself, too.”

Albus breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. “That’s why she’s having a hard time with this. She wants to help you. You know she’d do anything for you, and so would I. If it were me, I’d brew for him, screw the consequences. But Rose? She thinks about the consequences, of everything. That’s why she’s so obsessive about school work.”

“I get that,” Matt said. “I still hope she does it, but I won’t be that pissed at her if she doesn’t.”

“Good. Now, John, if you’re done making castles, let’s actually play Exploding Snap until Kaden gets back.”

Kaden didn’t return until past curfew, and by that point, Albus, Matt, and John were all out past curfew as well. Rose and Amanda never stopped by, so Albus assumed Rose still hadn’t made a decision. Kaden arrived looking exhausted, his hair nearly as crazy as Burke’s. Albus wondered if crazy hair was a side-effect from the smoke emitted from Burke’s experimental cure. If it never worked as a cure, he could at least market it as a hair volumizer.

“It’s not Malfoy,” Kaden announced as soon as he’d shut the door. “The bloke who came in second place. Not Malfoy.”

“Oh thank God,” Matt said from his spot on the couch. They’d long since given up on playing Exploding Snap.

“Who is it?” Albus asked.

“Some seventh year Slytherin,” Kaden said. “Ed Harper. I don’t know him.”

“Neither do I,” Albus said. “But a Slytherin isn’t a bad thing. A Slytherin probably won’t go running to Kendrick if asked to do this, so there are less chances he’ll be sacked.”

Matt nodded. “Good point.”

“Let’s go back to Gryffindor,” Kaden said. “I need sleep.”

They walked back to Gryffindor in silence, Albus checking the map every so often for professors or Peeves, but the corridor remained empty. It was past eleven, and the last prefect patrol of the evening had ended long ago. The common room was quiet when they returned, the last embers nearly gone from the fire, but it wasn’t empty. Rose and Amanda sat in the good armchairs, curled up under blankets. They both looked up when the boys entered.

“There you are!” Rose exclaimed, sitting up. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming back tonight.”

“We were waiting for Kaden,” Albus said. “He was with-“

“Burke,” Rose muttered. “Speaking of Burke-“

“Rose, I need to tell you something,” Matt said as he sat down in the chair next to Rose’s.

“No, I need to tell you something first,” Rose said, looking determined. “I…I can’t brew Polyjuice for Burke. It just isn’t right, and I can’t get past that. I’ll understand if you’re mad at me, but I hope you can see it from my perspective to. I can’t risk my future by doing something possibly illegal. I’d do anything for you, but not this. And if Malfoy is picked next and makes life difficult for you, because of what he’ll figure out, I’ll defend you from him. I’ll even punch him in the face if needed-“

Albus burst out laughing at the thought of Rose punching Malfoy in the face.

“Rose,” Matt said, unable to contain his laughter. “I’m not mad at you.”

“Really?” Rose asked.

“Really,” Matt assured her. “And it’s not going to be Malfoy. Kaden asked Burke, and next was some seventh year Slytherin. Ed Harper.”

“Good,” Rose said, nodding. “Good. A Slytherin probably won’t tell Kendrick. Burke was offering me extra credit for this, so Ed will probably be willing to brew just for that. Burke will be able to stay.”

“You’re not going to tell on him?” Kaden asked.

“Of course not,” Rose said. “Not when he’s brewing that potion Matt needs. Is he still brewing that on his own?”

“Mostly,” Kaden said. “He won’t let me do anything with it aside from preparing ingredients. Same with his cure.”

“He’s still trying to fix the side effects,” Matt explained. “It still gives me awful migraines, especially around the full moon. He’s adjusting the amount of aconite in it every month. Then he’ll let Amy brew it and send it off for testing so it can be marketed as a real medication.”

“How did he get involved with brewing your potion?” Amanda asked. “He brews that cure for himself and Polyjuice to fund his other potions, so why your potion?”

“We don’t know he’s selling Polyjuice!” Kaden said, exasperated.

“There’s nothing out there like it,” Matt said quietly. “I’d tried other long-term anxiety potions, but they never worked well, especially around the full moon. Healer Norlam and Healer Sterling came up with the idea of putting aconite into an anxiety potion, but neither of them are brewers. They wanted it done properly, so they approached Burke, because he’s known as the greatest living brewer in the U.K.-“

“And the world, according to some,” Kaden interrupted.

“They didn’t think he’d do it, because he’s got so many other experimental potions, but…” Matt’s voice trailed off.

“But what?” Kaden asked.

“My parents offered him a load of gold,” Matt said, sighing. “They offered to fund the potion completely, and then some.”

“Wow,” Kaden said. “The amount of money it takes to brew an experimental potion like that, for…how long has it been? A year?”

“Over a year. I started taking it last summer. And, yeah, it costs a lot,” Matt said.

“But shouldn’t that mean he’d keep brewing it even if he got sacked from Hogwarts?” Albus asked.

“He won’t keep brewing it if he gets sacked from Hogwarts,” Matt said. “He likes seeing the results first hand. That was part of the deal. Kendrick had already put out the advertisement for a potions professor when my healers approached Burke about the potion. Burke had already been thinking about applying since he knew he’d be able to get students to help him brew, for free. The gold my parents offered for making my potion sealed the deal.”

“It all comes back to gold, doesn’t it?” John mused.

Albus wasn’t at all surprised Matt’s parents enlisted the help of the world’s greatest brewer to make a potion for him, considering all they’d done for him in the past. They’d do whatever it took, no matter the cost, and they could because they had a lot of money. Matt’s grandparents had even more, too.

“Why didn’t they just pay Burke to make a new version of Wolfsbane?” John asked.

“He wouldn’t do it. They already tried to get him, and a number of other brewers, to do that ages ago. But none of them will touch it because Belby, the bloke who came up with Wolfsbane, is still alive, and apparently has quite a temper. Burke also said it was too difficult and too time consuming. I never understood that back then, but now it makes sense. He’s living on borrowed time. And now? I need the anxiety potion more than Wolfsbane. Even if I did have Wolfsbane, I’d still need the anxiety potion.”

“Is that why Amy gets it once it’s finished?” Albus asked.

Matt nodded. “That was the deal. Burke would make it, but once it was perfect, that’s it. He doesn’t want to keep making it. Amy gets the recipe once it’s finished, and then my parents will pay Burke the rest of his fee.”

“And Burke leaves Hogwarts,” Kaden said quietly.

Matt nodded. “He told us it’d be two years max. Even back then he knew he wouldn’t survive much longer than that.”

“Unless he cures his own disease,” Kaden said.

“In which case he won’t stay at Hogwarts,” Rose pointed out. “If he gets that second chance, he won’t stay here, either.”

“Right,” Matt said. “So if he finishes that cure, you could work with him after you graduate.”

Kaden nodded, but didn’t reply. Albus hoped Burke would finish his cure, but what were the chances? He got worse everyday, and the further it progressed, the harder it would be for him to work on his potion.

***

The following morning Albus had two owls at breakfast. One from Victoire and one from Teddy. The one from Victoire was also from Amy, and was addressed to both him and Matt. Curious, Albus opened that one first and set it down in between himself and Matt, so they could read at the same time.

Dear Albus and Matt,

We passed our intern exams! Got the
results yesterday. As of today, we are
officially residents. For the next year,
we’ll continue to float around the
hospital and work in every department,
but a year from now, we can pick our
specialties. Feel free to spread the news!

Love,
Victoire & Amy

P. S. Albus, you ought to be getting an
owl from Teddy today, and if you don’t,
please let me know. -Victoire.

“I knew they’d pass,” Albus said.

“Me, too,” Matt agreed. “Amy’s had her specialty picked out since she was fourteen.”

“Creature-Induced Injury Ward. I remember her saying that,” Albus said. “Victoire’s not so sure. I wonder what Teddy needed to tell me.”

Albus took the envelope from Teddy and opened it. Teddy rarely ever sent post, since he was so busy with Auror training.

Dear Al,

Victoire’s been on about me to do this for
months. She picked three girls to be her
bridesmaids (Gabriella, Rose, and Amy),
so I have to pick three groomsmen. I’m
picking you, James, and my friend,
Landon, from Hogwarts. You won’t have
to do much. Just stand with me at the
alter. Ginny will get you new dress robes
for it. Owl me back and let me know if
you’re cool with this.

-Teddy

“He wants me to be a groomsman in his wedding,” Albus announced, setting the letter down.

Rose snorted. “He hadn’t asked you yet? Victoire told him to do it ages ago. She asked me over the summer.”

“And you didn’t think to mention it?”

Rose sighed. “I did tell you, Al.

“He’s asked me to be his best man,” James said as he sat down across from Albus. “Sent me a letter this morning.”

“When is it again?” Matt asked. “The wedding?”

“Christmas,” Albus said. “In the evening, at Shell Cottage, where Victoire grew up.”

“Brilliant,” Matt said. “We won’t be able to go to Australia over Christmas! Mum and Dad wouldn’t miss Victoire’s wedding.”

“Place is going to be a madhouse,” James said, shaking his head. “Shell Cottage is smaller than the Burrow, and the Burrow can hardly hold all the Weasleys. It’ll be the Weasleys, plus the Delacours, and anyone else Victoire and Teddy are inviting.”

“They aren’t inviting many other people,” Rose said. “They want to keep the amount of non-family guests small, since there are so many Weasleys. The only family Teddy’s got is his grandmother-“

“And the Malfoys,” Albus muttered.

“They wouldn’t invite the Malfoys, would they?” Matt asked, his eyes wide.

James laughed. “No. Teddy’s gran never reconciled with her sister, who is Scorpius’s grandmother. They won’t be there.”

“Good,” Matt said.

“Then it’ll be Victoire’s other grandparents, her Aunt Gabrielle, cousins Eponine and Jean, Matt and Amy, their parents, Landon, possibly his parents. maybe a few assorted work friends. Not many.”

“Still, it’s going to be insane,” James said.

“The good news is between Nana Molly and Aunt Fleur, we won’t be expected to do anything except show up,” Albus pointed out.

“And the stag night,” James said with a wicked grin.

Albus felt his cheeks redden. “Er…stag night?”

“Don’t worry,” James said. “Teddy doesn’t want that kind of stag night. I’ll come up with something classy.”

Rose snorted into her oatmeal, unable to contain her laughter. Albus smirked and exchanged a glance with Matt. The chances of James pulling off a classy stag night were nearly as slim as Moaning Myrtle leading the school ghosts in a cheery rendition of ‘Can You Dance Like a Hippogriff.’

15. Auror Headquarters

October fourth arrived with the sudden realization that term had been in session for a full month. For most of the sixth years, it was the day internships began, and that spawned a wide variety of emotions. John, for example, was nothing but excited, and kept up a seemingly endless one-sided conversation about Puddlemere United and their statistics from the past decade. Amanda spent hours in the library the night before, researching the various witches and wizards who sat on the International Confederation of Wizards, and practiced her French and Italian with Miss Walsh. Rose alternated back and forth between excited chatter and nervous silence, until she retired early to her dormitory, with a thick encyclopedia of psychiatric disorders. Matt, despite the fact that he was working with Albus’s grandfather, spent Monday morning and early afternoon attempting to contain his anxiety, and wound up having to leave Transfiguration early to compose himself. Albus spent all of Monday wondering what tasks he’d get to do in the Auror Department and hoping he’d get to shadow his uncle Ron rather than Auror Johnson. Auror Johnson made him nervous.

By the time two forty-five arrived, Albus was a bundle of nerves and was beginning to understand what Matt felt like when overwhelmed with anxiety. What if interning in the Auror Department was a big mistake? What if he screwed up so badly they wouldn’t accept him when he applied the following year?

“Al,” Rose said, poking him in the back. “You okay?”

Albus jumped and turned to look at Rose. The five of them were waiting in Neville’s study, along with Janie Creevey and Marina Jordan-Bell, whose internships were also that afternoon. Janie, who was first in line, was taking Floo powder from the pot in Neville’s hand, in order to go to the Charms research facility where she would be working with Professor Flitwick.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Albus muttered as Janie stepped into the fire. “Just nervous.”

“Maybe you should’ve taken some of Matt’s potion,” John said.

“Shut up,” Matt whispered, jerking his head in the direction of Marina, who was next to use the Floo.

“Good luck,” Rose said, stepping around John to join Marina, as they were both going to St. Mungo’s. “You’ll be fine, Al.”

John Flooed to Puddlemere’s headquarters after Rose and Marina went to St. Mungo’s, and then it was time for Albus, Matt, and Amanda to go to the Ministry. Albus went first.

Albus slid out of the fire in the Atrium and looked around. He hadn’t been to the Ministry in ages, and it felt weird being there knowing his father wasn’t. Turning back to the Floo, he watched Amanda arrive, and then Matt, who shivered as he shook the ash out of his hair.

“Can’t wait until I have my Apparition license,” he muttered.

“This looks nothing like the Muggle Ministry,” Amanda said, gazing around in awe.

“Oh, right, you haven’t been here, have you?” Matt asked.

Amanda shook her head. “No. What’s that?” She pointed to a large statue in the middle of the floor.

“Fountain of Magical Brethren,” Albus explained. “The centaur, goblin, and house-elf used to be staring up at the witch and wizard, but after the war, Kingsley Shacklebolt had it redesigned.”

The new fountain featured the same components, but all five were looking off into a point in the distance, rather than the centaur, goblin, and house-elf staring at the witch and wizard.

“It’s supposed to show equality,” Albus said.

Amanda snorted. “All for show, I take it?”

“Things are better than they were before the war,” Albus pointed out.

“But there’s still a long way to go,” Amanda said. “Come on. Is that where we sign in?” She pointed to the welcome desk.

Albus nodded and he and Matt followed Amanda. They signed in and had their wands checked by the witch at the desk. She told them to wait off to the side for their supervisors. While they waited, Scorpius Malfoy appeared, as did one other Slytherin, two Hufflepuffs, and three Ravenclaws.

Albus’s grandfather, Matt’s dad, and Robert Johnson arrived together, making up the most unlikely threesome Albus had ever seen in his life. Robert Johnson strode a few inches ahead of the other two, who were talking to each other about something.

“Potter,” Johnson said, making eye contact with Albus only. “Follow me.”

Albus said a quick goodbye to Matt and Amanda and joined Johnson, who picked up his stride as soon as they passed the welcome desk.

“I trust you are familiar with the layout of the Ministry?” Johnson said as they reached the lifts. “You do not require a tour?”

“No,” Albus said.

As they rode the lift together, Albus couldn’t help but wonder what Auror Johnson thought about his daughter dating James. Johnson was strict, stiff, and formal. James would sooner be described every other adjective in the world before strict, stiff, and formal.

The lift clanged to a stop and Albus followed Johnson out into the corridor. On their way to the Auror Headquarters, Albus noticed that everyone who they passed averted their eyes and only acknowledged Johnson with a quick nod of the head, before hurrying along a bit faster. Johnson didn’t bother introducing Albus to anyone they passed.

The Auror Headquarters itself was a very busy section of the Ministry. It consisted of one large room filled with a dozen small cubicles. A secretary’s desk was parked near the door, and on the wall opposite the door was another door, which Albus knew led to Johnson’s office, as it used to belong to Dad. Albus hadn’t been to the Ministry since before Laurentis was elected, but the Auror Headquarters hadn’t changed.

“Welcome to Headquarters,” Johnson said. “This is where you’ll be, for the most part. You will shadow me, unless I am away or busy with confidential work, in which case I’ll assign you to another Auror.”

“Albus!”

Albus turned and saw Teddy peeping his head out of his cubicle. It disappeared for a moment, only to be replaced by all of Teddy, as he walked toward Albus and Johnson.

“Teddy,” Albus said. “I wasn’t sure you’d be in today.”

Teddy nodded. “Paperwork.”

“Auror Lupin is behind on his paperwork,” Johnson said. “Don’t pick up any bad habits while you’re here, Potter.”

Teddy’s hair turned slightly pink at the ends, to match his cheeks. “I’ll just get back to that paperwork….”

“Lupin, wait,” Johnson said. “What did you do with that post from Azkaban?”

“Sent it back, return-owl,” Teddy replied. “As per protocol.”

“You document it?”

“Doing that now, sir,” Teddy answered. He turned to Albus. “Greyback sent me his fingernail clippings.”

Albus shuddered. “That’s disgusting.”

“He’s a nasty bloke,” Teddy said.

“Back to your paperwork, Lupin,” Johnson said.

Teddy nodded and returned to his cubicle. Albus followed Johnson to his office, pausing briefly to say hello to Uncle Ron and a few other Aurors Albus knew.

The Head Auror’s office under Robert Johnson looked vastly different than it had under Albus’s father. When Albus’s father had occupied it, it had been cluttered with boxes of paperwork, stacks of books (most of them gifts from Aunt Hermione), and the walls covered with photographs of the entire Weasley-Potter clan. The clutter made it feel homey and Albus always liked visiting. But now, the room was perfectly neat, down to the shiny surface of the mahogany desk. Not a single quill was out of place, and not a speck of dust sat on the bookshelves. The walls were barren, although there were three picture frames on the desk. Albus wandered around until he could see the other side of the frames, and saw one was a wedding photo of Johnson and his wife, and the other was a fancy family portrait featuring Johnson, his wife, Meg, and a younger boy who looked just like Johnson. The third frame featured a girl older than Meg sitting on a large rock in front of the sea.

“That’s Jessie, my daughter from my first marriage,” Johnson explained. “She was a seventh year when you were a first year. She’s studying weather charms in Seattle. And I believe you know my other kids, Meg and Rob Junior?”

“I know Meg. We’ve patrolled together before,” Albus said, deciding to avoid the topic of James altogether.

“Have a seat,” Johnson said, gesturing to the armchairs positioned in front of the desk, while he took his chair behind it.

Albus sat, remembering the time he sat in this very seat at the age of six and watched as James stood on top of the mahogany desk and jumped off, cracking his head on the arm of that same chair, resulting in a trip to St. Mungo’s. Albus’s mother never managed to vanish the blood stain on the carpet completely, and bought an area rug to place on top of it. Johnson must’ve had the carpet replaced, because it was now dark brown rather than cream, and there weren’t any stains.

“You will do a great deal of observing in this internship,” Johnson said, folding his hands together on the desk. “The Auror position is a dangerous one, and therefore there will be very little hands-on experience in this internship, despite the trouble you have gotten yourself into at school every year.”

Albus blushed. None of those had been his fault…entirely. But he’d been hoping to go on a few trips into the field during his internship. He didn’t want to spend all his time at Headquarters.

“I will take you on a few visits,” Johnson continued. “Contrary to popular belief, not all of Auror work is dueling with bad guys. We are first and foremost investigators, and a lot of investigation is observing and interviewing. You’ll get to go on those types of trips. I have a few interviews scheduled over the next few weeks, and I’ve scheduled them for your internship time.”

Albus nodded. It wasn’t quite as good as getting to duel bad guys, but interviewing and investigating mysteries were two of Albus’s favorite things to do.

“Today, I want to go over how things work around here,” Johnson continued. “We currently have twelve Aurors, not counting myself. Eight of them are Senior Aurors, and four are Junior Aurors. We also have two trainee Aurors. Auror training is approximately three years, and then you become a Junior Auror. After five years, if your performance has been good, you can become a Senior Auror. Our numbers are low at the moment, due to a few retirements and lack of good applicants. But we need fewer Aurors than we have in the past. In the time of Voldemort, for example, we had twenty-eight Aurors at one point.”

“Wow,” Albus said. That was when Teddy’s mum had been in the department.

“Moody and Shacklebolt were the heads back then,” Johnson said. “I don’t plan on letting the department become that large, unless necessary. Interestingly, you were the only applicant for this internship who shows a desire to become an Auror.”

“Really?” Albus asked. Usually Auror was a fairly popular career choice, not that many people wound up entering the Academy.

Johnson nodded. “I only took you, because of that. I didn’t want students who have no desire to become Aurors wandering around the department. Why do you want to become an Auror, Potter?”

“Er,” Albus began, thrown by the question. “I like solving mysteries and I like dueling. I want to become an Unspeakable, ultimately.”

Johnson smiled. “Interesting. Putting that desire to stick your nose in everything to good use.”

Albus didn’t know what to say to that, so he chose to keep his mouth shut. No point in getting on Johnson’s bad side on the first day.

“Continuing with my explanation. Our cases are generally referred to us by the regular MLEs, but we are also contacted by the public directly. That’s another thing I’ll have you work on while you’re here. Sorting our post. It’s easy to figure out who the crackpots are, and which cases are legitimate. Most of these cases are sent to the regular MLEs. Old ladies wanting someone to stop teenagers from throwing eggs at their houses, bar brawls, runaways, that sort of thing. Every so often we get something that requires investigation, however. One of the current cases came about that way. Got a tip some of the apothecaries are selling Polyjuice Potion illegally. You’ll get to go on a few interviews for that.”

Albus felt his eyes grow large, and hoped Johnson wouldn’t notice. The Aurors were investigating illegal Polyjuice? That meant Burke was in danger of being caught. It also meant Albus had information on an ongoing investigation. Did he have a moral or legal obligation to tell Johnson?

“Shocking, isn’t it?” Johnson said, misreading Albus’s facial expression. “The tip was sent about a year ago, but we didn’t make any progress until Boone was arrested for identity theft. He somehow managed to procure Polyjuice, but isn’t saying whether he purchased it or brewed it himself. I’d put my money on the former, since he had no place of residence in which to do the brewing, and Aurors found no evidence of brewing in the Shrieking Shack.”

Albus nodded, his heart pounding fast. He was very glad no one else had gotten the Auror internship, because someone else might’ve told Johnson about Burke’s Polyjuice brewing. But Albus couldn’t turn Burke in.

Johnson smirked. “And we owe the Boone capture to you, Potter, and your friends. But I have always wondered why you were there in the first place. Your father never told me. He always told me it was classified. Even now that he’s not here, that information isn’t in the file.”

“I’m not going to tell you,” Albus said. “It has nothing to do with the case.”

“It’s still very odd.” Johnson stood up. “Let’s go. I’ll show you how to sort the post.”

Albus followed Johnson back into the main room and over to a small alcove behind the secretary’s desk. Inside was a table, two chairs, and a large tube protruding from the wall. A bloke a few years older than Teddy sat at one of the chairs, reading through a stack of mail.

“Walters,” Johnson said.

The bloke looked up and cleared his throat. “Sir.”

“This is our new intern, Albus Potter,” Johnson said.

“Potter, as in-“

“Harry Potter’s son,” Johnson interrupted. “Yes. He’s here to help you sort the mail.”

“Have a seat,” Walters said, sticking out his hand. “Russ Walters.”

“Albus Potter,” Albus said as he shook Walters’s hand, feeling slightly awkward because Walters already knew his name.

“I’ll check on you in a bit,” Johnson said. He nodded to Walters and left.

“Sorting the post is easy,” Walters said as Albus sat down. “All the post comes through this chute from the mail room. The people who work there check it for minor jinxes and then send it to the appropriate department. The trainee Aurors and Junior Aurors have to sort it. We send the stuff that’s for the regular MLEs up the chute and to their department, get rid of the crap, and give the stuff that might be important to the Senior Aurors. Since it’s your first day, you can open the envelopes and hand me the letters. We’ll both read them, and then I’ll tell you which pile they go in.”

Albus nodded. “Sounds easy enough.”

“It is,” Walters said. “And usually it’s dead boring, but sometimes you get a real funny one. We usually send the real funny ones around the department before binning them.”

Albus reached for an envelope and carefully opened it. He unfolded the parchment and set it on the table in between himself and Walters.

Aurors,

My neighbor keeps leaving her rubbish bins in between
our gardens, and her bins cross over onto my property
by precisely 7.8 centimeters. Please send someone
to deal with this immediately.

-George Coddington

“Is that a serious inquiry?” Albus asked, laughing.

“Wouldn’t matter if it was. Bloke didn’t give an address,” Walters said, crumpling the letter and tossing it into the bin.

“That one isn’t funny enough to pass along?” Albus asked, still chuckling.

“Believe it or not we see that exact letter at least five times a week. People are very particular about their gardens.”

It was a wonder the Auror department ever go anything done, Albus thought. How anyone could possibly think rubbish bins crossing over into a neighbor’s yard warranted Auror intervention was beyond him.

“What did the letter about the illegal Polyjuice say?” Albus asked.

“Did Johnson tell you about that?” Walters replied as he reached for another envelope.

“Just that the investigation started with someone sending in an anonymous tip.”

Walters nodded. “I opened the letter. It didn’t say much, just that certain apothecaries were selling potions illegally. A few of us went out and did random checks of the apothecaries named, but they turned up nothing. We kept the letter, as is protocol for tips about illegal substances, but nothing came of it until Boone was arrested. Now Johnson is opening the investigation again.”

“But if the raids didn’t turn anything up, what’s the point?”

Walters crumpled up the letter he’d just opened and tossed it. “It’s not unusual for raids to turn up nothing. In fact, it’s unusual when they do. Apothecaries that have been dealing in illegal potions for a lengthy period of time tend to keep their illegal potions behind false walls, bookcases, or trap doors into basements or attics. Only the inexperienced keep them out in the open or simply in a work room. The store owners change the locations often to throw us off. In order to look beyond what we can readily see, we have to get the proper warrant, which we can only get with probable cause. Probable cause can be anything from someone claiming they purchased a certain potion from a certain apothecary to evidence of illegal brewing, but an anonymous tip isn’t considered probable cause.”

Burke brewing illegal Polyjuice and quite possibly sells it to apothecaries would probably be considered probable cause, Albus thought.

“Have you ever found any illegal potions?” Albus asked.

“Plenty of times, but never in an apothecary. I’ve only found them in private homes.”

“Can’t people brew whatever they want?” Albus asked, trying to think back to the laws Rose researched the previous year.

“For the most part, yes,” Walters said. “Brewing gets really tricky when it comes to private use. But there are certain hallucinogenic potions that are never legal to brew or have in one’s possession. Polyjuice is even trickier, because it’s legal to brew it and use it, but only if you have permission from the person whose identity you’re using, and as long as you are not masquerading as that person in any sort of legal or medical capacity. And it’s illegal to sell it.”

“Who would get in trouble if you found it at one of these apothecaries?” Albus asked tentatively. “The apothecary or the person brewing it?”

“Both,” Walters said. “The apothecary would get a lesser penalty if they gave the name of the supplier, just like a person who bought it from the apothecary would get a lesser penalty if the gave the name of the apothecary. The main goal is to stop it at its source. The person brewing it would get the harshest penalty.”

Burke, Albus thought. Burke would get in the most trouble. Albus had no doubt the apothecary in Knockturn Alley would turn Burke in if it meant they’d get a lesser penalty.

“Could Boone get his sentence lessened if he gave up the name of the apothecary or person he bought Polyjuice from?” Albus asked.

“Boone is in far more trouble than identity theft,” Walters said quietly. “I don’t think it will matter.”

“And what do you think?” Albus asked. “Do you think he did it?”

“No,” Walters said. “But don’t spread that around. Johnson likes to think he solved the murder himself.”

Albus nodded.

“But he didn’t,” Walters said, lowering his voice even more. “We all know it. You caught Boone. You and your friends caught him. Don’t forget that, Albus. Don’t let it go to your head, but don’t forget it, either.”

Albus didn’t know what to make of that, so he didn’t respond. Instead, he reached for the next envelope, which contained a letter from a witch complaining about the price of owl food.

“Not many fifth years could’ve done that,” Walters continued. “I certainly couldn’t have.”

Albus nodded. But he hadn’t caught Boone. Matt had. The entire thing had been orchestrated by Matt, the only one in their group who could never, ever become an Auror. Yet he was the one who had caught a criminal at the end of their fifth year. In that moment, as he was sorting through the Auror department’s post, Albus realized why Amanda was so determined to change laws.