Corvus Black and the Timeline

There was a problem.

Not a large one per say, but a problem it remained.

Corvus had been chipping away at it for some time now, though progress was slow.

At first it was nothing. A minor nuisance if anything.

It was now a problem.

One that was growing by the day and could upend some of the plans he had made for the future. There was a timeline to take into account after all and he couldn’t have someone interfere with it.

Which was why he was chipping away at this problem but gaining very little in the way of results.

That irked him.

Elections for King Slytherin were coming up and that was not a usual thing.

Corvus himself had been elected when Bellatrix named him her heir. He had won by a landside and retained his position for all the years following. But this was his last year at Hogwarts.

There was only so much more time before elections had to take place and therein was the problem.

The Pink Toad was gaining support. Too much support.

He had several plans that hinged on Narcissa being Queen of Slytherin for her seventh year. She would be able to mitigate the damage of Andromeda opening up about her relationship, and upcoming marriage, with Tonks. She would be able to handle and steer the younger years in the right direction while she still could.

Most importantly, Narcissa would be in a position to provide Regulus with a guiding hand for his first year in Slytherin.

In the beginning of seventh year, it had looked like a guaranteed thing. Now there was a real chance that Narcissa could lose the election.

Dolores Umbridge was gaining influence and swaying opinions in her favor. She was throwing what political weight she had around and was getting results.

Umbridge’s father worked at the Ministry. Corvus wasn’t able to track down what the man actually did, having been blocked or led astray at every attempt. It was clear that whatever the man did, he had enough influence to keep prying eyes out.

Enough influence, that he had all but guaranteed his daughter a job at the Ministry. Something that was used as an incentive, or threat, by Dolores Umbridge in order to garner support.

Several of the fifth-year students were already in her corner, Corvus didn’t know if they were being blackmailed or if they actually supported her, but they were clearly part of her circle.

She had basically locked down the female half of the fifth-years. Males… not so much. They were busy focusing on either their O.W.L.s or quidditch to really care about what Umbridge was spouting. It also didn’t help her cause that she had broken one of the Sacred Rules of Slytherin.

Umbridge had informed on one of the fifth-year boys leading to a year long detention and a near expulsion.

This was a massive breach in protocol. Slytherins were supposed to stick together. A united front was supposed to be shown to the rest of Hogwarts. It didn’t matter if you absolutely hated one another. The moment you stepped out of the common room however, you were to act on a cordial level.

The odds were stacked against them, so they had to use every advantage possible.

Umbridge defied that rule by nearly getting that kid expelled. That fifth-year boy hadn’t even done anything that serious. Sneaking out to Hogsmeade and starting a tavern brawl wasn’t the worst offence in the world.

Though to hear the professors put it, you’d think that the kid had just murdered a child on school grounds.

It didn’t help that both the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress were both Gryffindors. The favoritism was very blatant during that case and Corvus had to work his ass off to save the kid from being expelled, while also keeping his involvement of helping the kid sneak out unknown.

(He had very nearly exposed some of the Triumvirate’s rather illicit businesses.)

The line was drawn that day and the fifth-year boys were firmly on the side against Umbridge. With that, the fifth years were firmly set in who they were supporting. Narcissa had the fifth-year boys and Umbridge had, or would blackmail and strong arm into having, the fifth-year girls.

That left the first through fourth as well as the sixth-year students and their votes up for grabs. Seventh-year students didn’t have a vote in the election, and it turned out that Corvus had no power to change that. It was apparently written into the Slytherin House Charter. He was surprised that they even had a charter in the first place, though in hindsight it did make sense.

Apparently, the students of medieval era took the concept of the Hogwarts Houses being governments very seriously.

The sixth-year students were almost all in favor of Narcissa for being the next Queen of Slytherin. Malfoy mostly led the boys in his year and since he was in a relationship with Narcissa, it would mean Narcissa having the support of the boys.

The sixth-year girls were mostly in support of Narcissa, mainly because she acted like a decent human being and didn’t throw her supposed political influence around for the smallest of things. Umbridge herself had two lackeys that would jump off a cliff if she ordered them to.

The sixth-years students were effectively all decided already.

The first through fourth was another problem, however.

Voting in the election for the next monarch of Slytherin House was mandatory.

That didn’t mean that everyone took it seriously.

The first-year students generally didn’t care who was leading Slytherin. They had to focus on their first year at Hogwarts.

The second-year students were too busy riding off the high that was passing first year. They also generally focused on their schoolwork instead of inner house politics.

The third-year students were the ones who were confident in their abilities enough that they started to focus on politics. Whether they were the heir to their family or were involved in a betrothal mattered not. All it meant was that they must have gotten the talk over the summer and now they had other expectations from their parents to keep. Mainly networking with the other kids in Slytherin. Playing at politics.

The fourth-year students were the ones that were stuck in that awkward stage of knowing all the expectations demanded of them, but not being fully experienced to actually fulfill said expectations. The fourth-years were also in that state where they didn’t have any other years to interact with.

First through third was seen as the lowerclassmen. The kids playing at being an adult.

Fifth was the obvious choice for interactions, but O.W.L.s basically made that impossible. The fifth-years didn’t have time to interact with anyone else because they had to study.

The sixth and seventh were the upperclassmen. They were bigger, older, stronger, and generally more intimidating. There was also no real way of interacting with them outside of tutoring.

It just so happened that Narcissa helped with the tutoring of the younger kids, mainly the first through third and some of the fourth. Corvus decided not to look too into it and just lumped it with the “mothering tendencies” that Narcissa tended to have towards the younger kids.

All of that aside, it meant that she was a familiar face to the younger kids. So, they would vote for her.

Right?

Umbridge didn’t involve herself with the tutoring at all. She seemed to hate children. As well as any species that wasn’t magical humans. She also disdained half the professors at Hogwarts.

How anyone could hate so many different people was beyond him.

There was no way that she could win the election. All the facts spoke otherwise. Narcissa and Umbridge were the polar opposites. The nice motherly figure and the bitch.

There was no way that Narcissa would lose.

Right?

“Would you stop brooding? We’re trying to have an enjoyable picnic here.”

Corvus looked towards Fiona, the frown on her face, and then the rest of the courtyard.

Picnic would be a very loose definition to what they were doing. A picnic would evoke images of a basket full of food, wine, and a sunny day to enjoy it in. A preferable location would be somewhere near the Mediterranean coast, warm but not hot.

That was not what they had here. It was the end of January, on a cloudy day, in the Scottish Highlands. Their basket full of food was in fact just a paper bag with beef jerky and some cornbread. A good wine was instead just a flask of Scottish whiskey, muggle kind, that was being passed around.

Picnic, this was most certainly not.

“I’m not brooding, simply contemplating a problem.”

“Well, you were contemplating it with a frown, thus you were brooding.”

“It’s a rather serious problem.”

“We’re not here to be serious, we’re here to… what are we here for?” Albert said.

“This was supposed to be a study session. Though, we’ve certainly gotten off track.” Fiona said and took a bite of beef jerky.

“I fail to see any textbooks with you, am I mistaken or are there no textbooks.”

“I don’t see any either Albert. I think Fiona just wanted an excuse to drink.” Corvus said and grabbed the flask and some cornbread. He took a drink, immediately regretted it, and then a bite of cornbread.

“Well apologies if I wanted to drown my alcohol in sorrows.”

“You mean your sorrows in alcohol?” Albert asked.

“That’s what I just said.”

Corvus motioned for Albert to stop and change conversation topics from behind Fiona.

“Well, you know me and Corvus are here for you.” Albert said and Corvus had never felt more betrayed in his life.

“Oh, you guys think I’m good... right?” Fiona said and wrapped an arm around both Corvus and Albert. Any chance of escape was gone. How did she have such a strong grip?

“Uh… of course! You’re Fiona Clearwater. The very best.” Corvus didn’t know what they were even talking about. He was busy broo-er… contemplating a totally different problem.

“Yes, it doesn’t matter what anyone else says. We support you.” Albert said and nodded solemnly.

“So, I’m better than the bitch?”

“Er… yes?” Corvus didn’t know who the bitch was referring too. Hopefully it was someone who deserved that title.

He sent Albert a questioning look and got a shrug in return. The one time he needed his resident raven to know something, and he fails at that task.

“Really? I’m better than her?”

“Yes? Uh… ahem… yes!” Corvus really hoped that was the right answer.

 “So, I can really do it?”

What in Morgana’s tits were they even talking about?

“With the right attitude, you can do anything.”

That was a good answer. Plain and supportive, while also vague and open-ended.

“Your right… I am better than her. I can do it.” Fiona said and stumbled up from the bench they were sitting at.

“Wait, Fiona, what are yo-”

It was then that Corvus saw something pink enter the courtyard.

“UMBRIDGE!”

Everyone who was present in the courtyard, which was surprisingly a surprisingly large amount large amount of the student population, turned to look towards Fiona. Corvus really regretted brooding over his problems right now. What the fuck was Fiona yelling about?

“You besmirched House Clearwater’s honor, and I demand satisfaction!”

Corvus was pretty sure his eyes bugged out of his head.

What the hell was going on here?!

When did Umbridge even have time to insult Fiona’s family.

Even more importantly, how didn’t he hear about it until right now?!

“Ahem, its clear that you aren’t in the right frame of mind Ms. Clearwater. You shouldn’t let the drink get to your head.”

Corvus had to concede that Umbridge had a point. Fiona was a lightweight if he ever saw one. She also wasn’t thinking straight.

“You insulted my family! I demand satisfaction!”

They were drawing a sizable crowd now and Corvus could already see the number of problems that would arise.

“I was only stating the facts. If they happen to shine bad light on certain families is entirely coincidental.”

Corvus had to physically restrain Fiona less the girl launch herself at Umbridge. He needed to kill this now before it escalated any further.

“Fiona, mayb-”

“What is the meaning of this?”

Of course, he wouldn’t be able to get a single sentence out before the situation got worse. Professor Flitwick entered the courtyard at exactly the wrong time.

“Professor this can all be expla-”

“She insulted my family! I want justice!” Fiona yelled over him and tried to throw herself at Umbridge, again.

“Is this true Ms. Umbridge? Did you insult Ms. Clearwater’s family?” The professor said with a raised brow.

Corvus saw how Umbridge’s smile became rather fixed. Ah, she can’t help but hate Professor Flitwick. The man was half goblin after all.

Yeah, she totally earned the title of bitch.

“Of course not professor. It was merely just a misunderstanding between myself and Ms. Clearwater.”

“This is not an accusation to take lightly Ms. Umbridge. If what Ms. Clearwater says is true, then there will be repercuss-”

“It is true! She assaulted my family’s honor! By Right of Magic, I demand satisfaction!”

The moment she had finished that sentence, a wave of magic burst from Fiona. Everyone in the courtyard froze and Corvus didn’t know what to do.

Shit!

Fiona had invoked Right of Magic. She wanted reparations for the attack on her family and Magic itself had agreed.

Not only that, but it also sealed the deal.

Satisfaction would be given no matter the consequences.

Corvus looked towards Professor Flitwick for any other solution to this massive problem they were all in now.

But the Professor just frowned and shook his head.

They both knew what a magically sanctioned demand for satisfaction meant.

There was only one way to resolve such a demand.

Honor Duels.