Friend Since Birth

*****
Breakfast the next morning caused Ron no small amount of amusement. It was obvious who the barkeep had notified as Dumbledore was glaring, not even pretending to be the doting grandfather today. Umbridge wasn’t much better, but where Dumbledore was glaring at the entire student body, the toad was locked on Harry. And she seemed almost smug…

Normally, the pair of them reacting to something involved a lot of shouting or grandfatherly disapproval. However, while the meal started that way, it did not end that way.

About halfway through the meal, a dark brown owl that Ron faintly recognized swooped in. If the mail hadn’t already been delivered, minus the Prophet, he wouldn’t have found it strange. Then he noticed the red envelope.

The hall fell silent as others started to notice. The owl angled for their table and he was almost afraid it was from his mum but it only swooped low by them and headed to the staff table. It was as the owl was flashing passed that he realized why.

Harry clamped his hand over Ron’s mouth before he could say anything and he looked to his best mate in confusion. Then he realized and started cackling as the bird landed in front of Dolores Umbridge. Hedwig was not amused that the woman screeched at her, holding her leg out imperiously. The color of her wings couldn’t disguise her attitude from those that knew her well and Ron had seen the bird enough to know she hated to be screeched at. He had the nips to prove it when she’d startled him.

Umbridge stared at the letter in horror but didn’t move to take it. The professors around her quickly scooted farther away from the woman but did not get up to leave and if Ron didn’t know better, he could have sworn he saw McGonagall share a delighted smirk with Snape.

When Umbridge continued to refuse to take the letter, Hedwig huffed and reached down with her beak to quickly untie the letter. Which seemed to shock quite a few people. Normally, owls couldn’t remove a letter themselves, but Ron knew Arianna took great care in tying all her letters in a manner that the owl could remove it if necessary. She’d even gone so far as to find simple muggle twine that wasn’t spelled against it. Apparently, it was not uncommon for a letter to get stuck and do damage to the owl trying to get loose without extensive human help. While not surprising in a young untrained owl, Ron was a bit worried by the number of seasoned owls that had suffered similar fates due to tight spaces and uncaring owners. Hedwig and Pig had taken to the lessons quickly.

When the howler was free, she hopped back on the table and was about to take off when Sprout floated a small plate of bacon and sausage over to the bird with a small movement. Hedwig hooted her thanks and tucked in, ignoring the growing tension as the howler stayed silent.

Finally, the timer on it gave out and the sounds of a furious Arianna filled the room, the volume directly correlating to how long the letter had sat before opening itself. It was loud enough to shake the glass in the many windows in the large space...

“HOW DARE YOU TRY AND BLAME EVERYTHING ON THAT POOR BOY YOU’VE TAKEN TO TARGETTING! I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU THINK HE’S DONE. IF YOU DON’T HAVE PROOF THAN I SEE NO REASON FOR YOU TO ATTEMPT TO GET HIM IN TROUBLE WITH HIS GUARDIANS. AS IT STANDS, I HAVE TAKEN CUSTODY OF THE FUTURE LORD BY THE REQUEST OF THE GOBLINS , HIS GODFATHER, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NECESSARY AUTHORITIES. NO ONE APPRECAITED THE LETTER FULL OF LIES. THEREFORE, I, LADY AIAIA, AS THE LEGAL GUARDIAN OF THE HEIR YOU ARE MISTREATING CONDEM YOU FOR POOR DECISIONS, STUPID RULES, AND FALSE ALLIGATIONS. YOU OWL ME AGAIN, YOU BETTER HAVE MEMORIES OF YOU SPECIFICALLY SEEING HIM BREAKING RULES AND NOT HERESAY. OTHERWISE, YOU WILL NOT ENJOY THE CONSEQUENCES.”

With that final threat, the letter tore itself up and burst into flame. No one moved, but the whispers started instantly. Umbridge looked fit to explode in embarrassment and horror.
Ron just laughed. Harry wasn’t much better and the two of them could see many of the professors struggling to contain their own chuckles.

“Mate, that was fantastic,” he howled, ignoring the disapproving glares of some of their housemates.

“Merlin, that was great.”

It was a great few minutes as they tried to stifle their laughs. Then another owl swooped in, the black and yellow bird unknown but very distinctively colored, and the hall fell silent at the second red envelope. This time, the owl made its way to them and Harry froze.

Ron almost hexed the owl to get it to change direction, but thought better of it with so many witnesses.

“It’s her handwriting,” Harry muttered when he’d untied the envelope the owl held out.

“Better open it. Figure she could beat the record for longest howler?”

“No doubt there,” Harry muttered as he sliced through the seal with a knife sheathed next to his wand on his wrist, allowing the shouting to start.

“HARRY, MY DEAR GENT, I APPLAUD YOU FOR PUTTING UP WITH THAT ODIOUS WOMAN! SAYING YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A MISBEHAVING BRAT WHO NEEDS A STRONGER HAND AT HOME, IT’S AS THOUGH SHE THINKS SHE KNOWS YOU! AND AS IF SHE WERE CONDONING BEATING YOU! WE MANY HAVE ONLY MET OVER THE SUMMER, BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT YOU COULDN’T POSSIBLY HAVE DONE ALL THE STUPID THINGS SHE ACCUSED YOU OF. NOR THAT YOUR GRADES ARE THAT POOR. AND YOU COULD NEVER DESERVE THE PUNISHMENTS SHE SUGGESTED I GIVE WHEN NEXT I SEE YOU. I’VE SPOKEN WITH THE GOBLINS AND YOU’LL BE JOINING ME OVER THE SUMMER INSTEAD OF GOING TO THAT HORRID PLACE AGAIN. LORD BLACK AND I HAVE ASSURED THE GOBLINS THAT YOU WILL NEVER RETURN THERE TO BE ABUSED AGAIN. EVEN IF I WASN’T ALREADY PLANNING TO DO THAT, I FEEL IF WE DIDN’T, THEY’D REBEL AGAIN. UNDERSTANDABLE AND I’D HAVE TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER HELPING IF THAT WERE EVER TO COME TO PASS. ON ANOTHER NOTE, FEAR NOT, I HAVE NO INTENTION OF TRYING TO POTION YOU INTO BEHAVING ‘CORRECTLY’ AS THAT BITCH SUGGESTED. WE’LL BE DISCUSSING PROTECTIONS AGAINST THAT AT MY EARLIEST AVAILABILITY SO LOOK FOR A NOTICE OF A MEETING SOON! AND JUST KNOW, I’M SO PROUD OF YOU FOR STAYING COOL AND COLLECTED IN THE FACE OF SUCH ADVERSITY. YOU ARE A TESTAMENT TO WHAT I HAVE HEARD OF YOUR PARENTS AND I KNOW THEY’D BE AS PROUD OF YOU AS I AM. HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND I’LL SEE YOU SOON! ALSO, I RECENTLY ACQUIRED A NEW OWL! HIS NAME IS ARCHIMEDES AND THIS IS HIS FIRST LETTER SO PLEASE REWARD HIM IF HE DELIVERED AT THE MOST OPPORTUNE MOMENT!”

The voice died out and Ron could feel the eyes of the hall on them. She’d not signed that one, but the voice was the same and he knew the entire Hogwarts population was making the connections. That she’d also reiterated the Dursleys’ abuse and condemned potions use against Harry was not missed either. Ron laughed quietly when he noticed the stunned look on Harry’s face and he chuckled when Hermione waved a hand in front of his face.

“Come on, mate, I think we need to take a break before our first class. Let’s head to the second floor.”

Ignoring the whispers and stares, Ron set to work. The bird was quickly petted to reassure him and Colin jumped to give him a bit of bacon and susage like Hedwig had received. Both birds left after they finished. Then Ron turned to his best mate. It only took a moment to pull Harry up and make their way to an empty classroom down the hall from their first class, but in that time, Ron grew concerned. Harry looked seconds from breaking apart and it was not a common look for his friend. Not anymore. When he pushed Harry into the nearest chair, after Hermione had spelled it clean, he knelt in front of the teen and studied his face.

“Harry?” he questioned at the look of heartbreaking sadness and confusion he saw.

“She said they’d be proud of me,” his best mate breathed. “No one’s said they’d be proud of me. No one that actually knew them.”

“Oh, Harry,” Hermione said with a sigh, perching on the arm of the chair and hugging Harry to her side. “How could they not?”

Ron was torn. He knew Harry needed comforting, but he knew they wouldn’t be enough. Quickly, he snatched Harry’s bag from the boy’s numb fingers and rummaged through it until he found the mirror he’d seen Harry speak into more than once. He knew Harry tried to keep it secret, preferring to use the goblin message box or Hedwig when around others, but he also knew Arianna had given this to him. When he had it, he quickly called the woman, hoping it worked that simply.

She picked up almost instantly and Ron breathed a sigh of relief. Harry was still stunned, silent as Hermione played with his quickly growing hair.

“Ron?” she questioned, “what’s wrong?”

Ron quickly explained and then turned the mirror to face Harry and Arianna sighed when she picked up his mumbled astonishment of his parents being proud.

“Oh, Harry,” she muttered. “I’m sorry, kiddo. I didn’t figure you’d react like this or I’d never have sent it during breakfast.”

“Ari,” Harry finally whispered. “You really think they would be?”

“Without a doubt, kiddo,” she assured. “They’d be so proud. And the fact that you seem shocked by the news tells me no one’s ever told you so before…. I’m going to kill those wastes of breath when I get a chance and then smack our godfathers good soon after…. Harry, they’d be proud of you if you decided to drop out of school and open a re-sale shop, as long as you were happy. What you’ve done, what you’ve survived and the amazing man you’re growing into are all things they’d gush about to a ridiculous degree. To continue putting up with that woman when she clearly has a potion to bottle with you is far beyond admirable.”

“It gives me the chance to test pranks,” Harry joked weakly.

“Of that, I have no doubt,” Arianna said, her laugh sounding odd coming from the mirror. “What was the best one so far?”

Ron knew she was trying to get his mind off the howler and he really hopped it worked. Transfiguration was not an easy subject to be scatterbrained in and if Harry didn’t pull himself together, McGonagall would have questions. Something Ron knew Harry didn’t want.

“Well, we sort of glued all her furniture to the ceiling of her office and then dropped a glitter bomb in the room,” Harry offered, smiling slightly at the memory.

Ron chuckled at that one. It had taken a particularly rude remark to a tiny first year by the woman for Harry to come up with that one and the twins had eagerly provided the magical glue. Harry had ordered the muggle version of glitter for the bomb so it was harder to banish. They even now saw bits of glitter occasionally on the woman’s clothing and they’d pulled that prank weeks ago.

Arianna was still laughing and getting Harry to tell of their pranks when Malfoy stuck his head into the room a few minutes later. The mirror was quickly hidden and Arianna silent within seconds, but Ron had his doubts that the snake hadn’t seen. Here’s hoping Harry was right about the ponse.

“Hate to break this up, but class starts in two minutes and you know how McGonagall is with tardiness,” Malfoy announced.

Ron nodded with a wince, remembering their very first lesson when the woman had threatened to turn one of them into a pocket watch, and turned back to Harry. He looked calmer and even had the soft smile he got whenever he talked to Arianna for any length of time, so Ron took that as the signal he needed. Harry would be alright after the shock at breakfast.

The shock at lunch was another story…

*****
The Great Hall was silent when the Daily Prophet was finally delivered at lunch. Severus knew it had been delayed due to the Wizengamot meeting yesterday, but he had figured it was more to do with the revelations than anything else. Now he wondered just how that horrid Skeeter woman managed to get her information…

“Wonders and Woes at the Wizengamot” was not the most creative title, but it summed up the articles pretty succinctly….

It detailed the shame that was Black’s trial again, but it also covered the revelation of the Prewett Lords and Lady Aiaia. It then went on to speculate about the true relationship between the group of four that had disrupted the entire meeting, going so far as to state that they must all be sleeping together. Buried deep in the blatant lies was some actual truths, such as Arianna’s push for better relations with magical creatures and her thoughts on protections for Lords and Ladies. However, it was slanted to make it all sound much more overbearing than she wanted.

The hall was a cacophony of speculation and shouting and Severus dearly wished he’d taken a headache potion before lunch.

The small vile that appeared next to his goblet had him smiling gently. The house elves of Hogwarts always had liked him for some reason.

The look on Dumbledore’s face was almost worth the lies. But Severus was more concerned with young Harry. The howlers from breakfast had caused quite a stir, but adding in that the lady who claimed his guardianship was now the target of a slanderous article? That did not bode well. The cursed paper had been spreading lies about the boy for months at this point and the student body was doing as they usually did. Split in regards to the Boy Who Lived and whether they believed his latest tale or not. When Severus sought out the boy, again ensconced in a table not his own, he was pleased to see the sea of Hufflepuffs instantly guarding the boy.

There had been concerns that they’d hate him due to the death of Cedric Diggory last year, but it seemed the loyal spirit of the badgers was more understanding than they were given credit for. Their loyalty was hard won and Potter had done so in spades, apparently. His protection of the younger years with Umbridge not withstanding, Potter was now constantly demanding that the other houses stop calling any badger a left-over or weak, often citing Diggory as a prime example. And news had spread like Fiend Fyre that Potter had warned Diggory of the dragons for the first task and demanded they win together after Diggory saved his life. So, it was with both hope and heartbreak that Severus watched the houses debate the newest lies from the Prophet.

“Should we say something?” he finally asked McGonagall when the shouting got a bit more than he would normally approve of.

“What is there to say?” McGonagall asked wearily. “We know as much as they and cannot soothe fears.”

“Come, now, Minerva, we can warn against the woman,” Dumbledore interjected.

Severus shot him a poisonous glare for eavesdropping and implying the woman was dangerous in the same breath.

“Now, Severus, it is obvious the woman is dark. She’s mysteriously arrived just after Voldemort’s return? And managed to claim the oldest vault guarded by those creatures? It’s obvious she’s working with Voldemort to undermine the Ministry. Why else would she advocate for the rights of such dark creatures as vampires?”

“Perhaps because, like werewolves, they as a species have done nothing yet are forbidden from eating, working, and even breeding based on the actions of a few? Or are you going to condemn Lupin for Greyback’s actions?” McGonagall asked, tone mild but eyes flashing in a way that had caused no few students to pale, Severus included.

“Surely, Minerva, you cannot honestly agree with this?” Dumbledore asked, seeming shocked. Severus could see the anger burning, though. And feel the brush of magic against his mental shields.

“I have other things to attend to at this time, Headmaster,” Severus growled, pushing his chair back and making his way through the hall before he could hex the man. He would miss out on McGonagall taking the man to task yet again, but had a feeling she’d not remember herself in a few hours. “Potter, with me,” he snarled as he walked past the sea of yellow surrounding the few bits of red.

Severus tried not to sigh in relief when the boy simply followed, his guard not far behind and a certain pair of demon twins disappearing before they’d made it to the great doors. He didn’t even pause before he was making his way to the needed bathroom, a quick flick of his wand sending a message to his Regulus.

Potter seemed to understand and jogged to catch up before they reached his destination.

“Sir?” Potter asked.

“Just open the entrance, Potter. I’ll explain once we get there,” Severus advised. “Though if a certain pair of pranksters could ensure we are not followed…”

The soft snickering behind him caused a small smile and no guilt whatsoever about whomever gained their attention.

*****
Voldemort stalked through Riddle Manor, occasionally throwing curses at the walls and glaring at the few followers that had taken up residence with him. If he didn’t need to get to that cursed prophesy in the Department of Mysteries, he’d be more focused on moving to a follower’s Manor and being surrounded by the trappings befitting his status.

He’d been back in a body for months now and still no success in finding a way to the thing without going himself. Or tricking the boy into going. There had been a time he thought they were connected, a time he could almost feel the brat’s fear and pain. But that had stopped not long after the brat returned to wherever he spent the summer. More’s the pity. It would have been useful.

Now, however, now he had to find another way. And he was losing patience with the lack of progress. He couldn’t proceed with any plans until he knew the full prophesy speaking of his doom in the Potter boy. Not for the first time did he regret not simply killing the boy in the graveyard like Wormtail had done the Diggory boy.
It was not a mistake he’d make again.

He cursed the nearest follower in his anger. The screams didn’t satisfy, but they never did when he was this frustrated.

“My Lord?” the hesitant whine of his least favorite follower penetrated his angry haze.

“What, Wormtail?” he snapped, finally releasing the victim of his latest whim. It took him only a moment to dismiss the still twitching man to focus on the pudgy man that had resurrected him where all others had failed.

“I thought you’d like to see the latest news from the Wizengamot,” Wormtail offered softly, holding out a copy of the newest Daily Prophet and flinching back when Voldemort stalked forward to snatch it.

He read the article quickly, then felt a smile creep onto his face as he read through it again.

“Find me this woman,” he ordered, shoving the parchment back to the sniveling worm. “It appears as though she shares at least some of our goals and could be persuaded to the rest. At the very least, she can enjoy our hospitality until she births an heir so we can claim her seats and vaults. And find out where those bloody Prewetts came from.”

The small man scurried away, much like his Animagus form, and Voldemort smiled before calling for his favorite werewolf.

Fenrir Greyback stalked into the room and grinned ferally at him, bowing only enough to respect his high demands.

“Find Black,” he ordered. “He has knowledge we need.”

“He won’t give it up,” Fenrir denied. “We held him a few times the last time and the man is more likely to try to sleep with his interrogator than reveal any information we ask for. And any attempts to break into his mind are futile.”

“He will face me directly this time,” Voldemort denied, glaring at his follower for daring to question him.

Fenrir studied him a moment before smirking.

“You want the woman,” the wolf stated, grin turning vicious.

“I want many things, but I will not trust only one avenue to achieve any of them,” Voldemort said. Fenrir was an animal, but he was not stupid and he required more explanation than others of his followers. “I’ve others looking into her and the Prewetts. I need someone with power to attempt Black.”

“That I’m likely to be exceedingly vicious to hurt Lupin doesn’t hurt,” Fenrir drawled, crossing his arms and shifting his weight.

Voldemort chose not to dignify the remark with a response, only waving Fenrir off. Perhaps it was time to begin seeding fear in the muggles of the area again. A ghost from their past back to seek vengeance again.