====== Part 60. The Battle of Hogwarts and the Sticky Truth ==========
Voldemort sat in the centre of the Three Broomsticks café, staring sternly at the Deatheaters standing dejectedly before him. Madam Rosmerta, still trembling even after the Imperius Curse had been lifted, diligently wiped the dust off a bottle of Ogden's, glancing fearfully at Voldemort's back.
"What do you mean, you couldn't even get into the school grounds?" hissed the Dark Lord viciously.
The four masked men immediately fell to their knees.
"My lord. As soon as a wizard with your mark tries to approach the dome-enclosed area, the defences burn him to ashes," one of the Death Eaters muttered hoarsely. "We cannot get through."
"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort barked angrily, and the speaker fell silently to the ground.
The others bowed even lower, awaiting their inevitable death.
At that moment, the front door opened, causing Madam Rosmerta to startle, and Dolohov entered the hall. Seeing the body lying on the floor, he merely grunted and calmly made his way towards Voldemort.
"My lord," the Death Eater said quietly, leaning closer. "I caught Potter at the Hog's Head. The boy fell out of the fireplace and tried to run away.
"Good news, Antonin," Voldemort hissed, baring his teeth. "Bring him here."
Dolohov nodded and quickly left. A minute later, the door opened again and two strong masked men brought in a struggling Potter.
"What an unexpected meeting, my boy," Voldemort hissed mockingly. "I didn't know you liked Cruciatus so much."
"Go to hell, murderer!" Harry shouted, his glasses flashing angrily. "I'll kill you anyway, just like the prophecy said."
"Crucio!" Voldemort raised his wand lazily, and Harry collapsed to the floor, screaming and writhing in pain.
After holding Potter under the Cruciatus Curse for a couple of minutes, Voldemort sighed and cancelled the spell.
"Did he have anything on him?" he asked Dolohov, who was standing near the door.
"Just a book of fairy tales and a wand," Antonin grinned.
"Aha," the Dark Lord chuckled. "Give him back his fairy tales and lock him up, in the storeroom, for example. Let the boy console himself with made-up stories. With that book, he reminds me of the Muggle priest who taught at our orphanage.
"You were taught by a priest, my lord?" Dolohov raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Yes," Voldemort's snake eyes flashed, "and then he died... Rosmerta," he looked at his nervous mistress, "go to Hogwarts and tell Severus that I want to talk to him. Tell him to come here. Otherwise, we'll start killing the residents of Hogsmeade."
An hour later, Snape approached the protective wall, where Voldemort sat in a throne-like chair. Stopping two metres away from the dome, which was visible even in daylight, he looked fearlessly at his former master.
"I'm glad you came, Severus," hissed the Dark Lord insinuatingly. "I have some interesting news for you. Look who we caught today at the Hog's Head."
He gave a signal, and the Death Eaters standing near the throne removed their invisibility. Snape saw with horror the shrunken figure of Potter between two masked men.
"If you don't remove your protection, we'll have to kill the boy," Voldemort hissed softly, looking at Snape's contorted face. Noticing a trickle of blood appearing at the corner of Severus's mouth, the experienced dark wizard realised that a conflict of vows was taking place in the potions master's aura. Deciding not to take things to extremes, he sneered contemptuously and spat out:
"I swear by my magic that none of the students will be harmed, unless they themselves begin to resist us, of course.
Snape staggered but managed to stay on his feet. With a trembling hand, he took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the blood away.
"I can't remove the protection, even to save Potter," croaked the potions master, glaring hatefully at the rings of vows that had appeared on his forearm. "It was activated without my involvement.
"Well, find out who did it, Severus!" Voldemort hissed viciously. "Or the boy will die!"
Snape exhaled through his teeth, nodded, and without looking back, headed back.
The Dark Lord watched him contemptuously, watching the traitor trudge dejectedly back to the castle. He could have subjected several wizards to the Imperius Curse to infiltrate Hogwarts, but Voldemort doubted that any of the inhabitants would be able to oppose the school's professors in either personal strength or skill.
"Never mind," the Dark Lord smiled to himself. "Either he will find the one who put up the defences, or the vows will kill the traitor."
Of course, Voldemort could try to remove the barrier himself, sacrificing a large number of victims, but he wanted to resolve the situation with minimal losses. After all, he might still need his strength if Black was on the side of Hogwarts' defenders. During his last meeting with him, the Dark Lord had begun to have some misgivings. After all, the boy had managed to survive where much more experienced wizards had died.
***
When Snape entered the Great Hall, he was met by the anxious murmur of students and the tense attention of the teachers.
"Don't worry," Snape raised his voice. "Continue with your studies! This is a conflict between adult wizards, we'll sort it out ourselves.
"Sir!" Longbottom rose from his desk. "The Gryffindors are also ready to fight the Death Eaters, don't treat us like little children! I've already sent an owl to Potter, and wherever he is, Harry will come to Hogwarts' aid. Together we can defeat the Death Eaters!
The Gryffindor table applauded Neville loudly, and Snape almost cast Cruciatus on the teenager. The Slytherins also sat gloomy, as the relatives of the "snake faculty" students were on Voldemort's side.
"Calm down, Longbottom," Snape's black eyes flashed fiercely. "The Dark Lord has sworn by magic that he will not touch any of the students at Hogwarts unless you attack them first. And your beloved Potter," the potions master gritted his teeth. "He's my problem now. Bon appétit," he muttered, and with a wave of his robe, he rushed out into the corridor.
***
Cassius fed the Basilisk more cows, watching the playful snake chase the crazed animals through the forbidden forest. Suddenly, a translucent doe appeared out of thin air next to him and asked Snape's voice to come to his office. Surprised by the nervousness of the usually calm and cold potions master, Cassius decided not to delay and headed for the castle. Climbing the stairs past the gargoyle, he entered the headmaster's office.
"Finally," Snape exhaled. "Mr Black, I have a very unpleasant dilemma.
Severus had told him about Voldemort's demand and how the conflict between defending Hogwarts and saving Harry Potter had nearly killed him.
"Well, Headmaster," Cassius sighed. "It seems that the time has come to finish off the Dark Lord. Our first two meetings were somewhat unsuccessful, but now, I think, everything will be different.
At that moment, the fireplace flared up, and Lucius Malfoy emerged, followed by several other wizards, including Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle.
"The cavalry has arrived," Crabbe boomed cheerfully. "Will you let us join the battle, gentlemen?"
The wizards settled into their chairs, and a discussion began about the upcoming plan to defend Hogwarts. According to preliminary estimates, Voldemort did not have many truly strong fighters. The remnants of his inner circle, a few mercenary squads from Europe, and that was it. The rest of the army consisted of rabble gathered from all the islands, ready to feed like hyenas on the back of a lion. Therefore, the first priority was to stop the Dark Lord and his closest associates; the rest of the crowd would simply scatter when they saw that death awaited them instead of victory.
"The battle must take place outside Hogwarts," Snape frowned. "The children must not be harmed under any circumstances. I will order the deans to disperse everyone to the common rooms immediately. Otherwise, Mr Longbottom, who is already from all of Gryffindor, has told me that he is ready to take part in the battle. And he is only capable of blowing up another cauldron!" Snape almost spat out in annoyance.
"Do it, Severus," Lord Malfoy nodded. "None of us want the children to get hurt.
Snape immediately sent his Patronuses to the deans and summoned the house-elf elder.
"Eldri! Check all of Hogwarts and if any of the students are not in the common rooms, you must report it to the teachers on duty immediately.
"Yes, Headmaster!" squeaked the old house-elf and vanished with a pop to carry out his orders.
Lord Malfoy and the other wizards headed towards Hogsmeade, while Cassius and Snape hurried down to the staff room.
"Dear colleagues," Snape addressed those present. "Mr Black and I are now going to negotiate with our uninvited guests, and you, please, make sure that none of the children are wandering around the castle without anything to do. This applies especially to your lions, Minerva," he said with a barely perceptible smirk, glancing at McGonagall. The woman pursed her lips but nodded decisively.
"We'll see you to the exit and start patrolling the school right away," Flitwick squeaked, standing up. The deans rose and went downstairs together. Cassius walked ahead, thoughtfully planning the battle ahead, for it was already clear that things would not end peacefully. Snape did not interfere with Black's thoughts, knowing that the brunt of the battle would fall on him. Of course, Severus himself had also grown stronger, having been empowered by Hogwarts, and his chances of escaping death with the appearance of his phoenix familiar had become much higher, but neither he nor anyone else could stand against the incredible power of the snake-headed monster.
When they approached the main gates of the castle, Severus caught a glimpse of a wand moving towards Black's back from the direction of the little half-goblin and only by a miracle managed to shield him from the purple beam of "Petrificus Totalus". Hearing the sound of something falling, Cassius immediately turned around and at the last moment protected himself with "Protego" from three powerful paralysis spells.
"Are you out of your minds?" he gasped, defending himself from the deans' relentless attack. Flitwick increased the power of his spells, trying to break through Black's shields as quickly as possible before he resorted to truly dark magic. The other deans acted in unison, repeatedly casting "disarming" and other non-lethal spells. A few seconds later, Cassius finally came to his senses and waved his free hand. The knights in the niches immediately jumped out onto the floor and ran briskly from all sides towards the teachers, holding their spears in front of them.
"Hit the golems!" Flitwick squeaked hoarsely, trying to reach Cassius with combat spells, but Black, as if under a spell, did not give in, easily dodging the flying beams. What's more, the power of his spells had increased tenfold, and Filius felt a drain of strength, as if the energy supply from the castle, which had long since become familiar, had been cut off.
"Petrificus totalus trium," Black's voice boomed, and a thick purple beam shot out of his wand, splitting into three streams. Each of them pierced the deans' defences, and they all crashed to the floor at once. With a wave of his hand, Cassius sent the golems back and breathed a sigh of relief. Immobilising the professors turned out to be more difficult than simply killing them. But what kind of Merlin did they attack? Maybe they decided that he was on Voldemort's side and would now hand Snape over to him? Or had he cast the Imperius Curse on the headmaster, and now they were both acting on the "dark" side?
"All right, let's figure this out," Cassius sighed to himself, breaking Severus's spell.
"Mr. Snape, are you all right?" he asked, lifting the potions master by the shoulders. The latter pushed him away irritably and tried to stand on his trembling legs.
"Filius, Lord Black decided to immobilise you for some reason," Snape croaked, "and I didn't have time to get my wand.
"Thank you, sir," Cassius bowed slightly. "I don't know yet why Professor Flitwick and the other heads of house did that, but I think we should revive everyone and use Legilimency.
"It doesn't work very well on goblins," Severus grimaced. "Let's get Minerva.
Cassius broke the spell on McGonagall, prudently leaving her bound, and Snape, pointing his wand at her head, hissed, "Legilimens."
A minute later, the bewildered potions master tumbled out of the old cat's mind and looked at Black in confusion.
"It's all Flitwick," he said, confused. "For some reason, he needed to capture you. The professor cast a 'Subjugation Charm' on Minerva and Pomona.
Cassius did the same to the half-goblin, who, coming to his senses, glared fiercely at the victors.
"What Morda, Filius? Why did you attack Mr Black?" hissed Snape. "Are you mad?
The little professor remained stubbornly silent, glaring at Cassius with his black eyes.
"Filius, please. This is no time for petty conspiracies," Snape snapped. "Voldemort is at the door! Tell me why you attacked Mr Black!"
Cassius's face suddenly twisted into a sinister grin.
"You know, Flitwick. Magic might count that as a breach of contract... How would you like to feel responsible for the death of an entire people?
The half-goblin's face turned deathly pale, and he croaked hoarsely:
"We're dying out anyway, human. A few more generations and there will be no trace of our race left.
"So you wanted the Gryffindor sword because it could help you?" Cassius asked in surprise. "Isn't that the story where your ancestor, Ragnuk the First, tried to deceive the founder?"
The half-goblin wheezed furiously, trying to break free, veins bulging on his forehead, but he couldn't overcome Black's spell and fell back onto the floor with a sigh.
"I am ready to admit my mistakes," the little half-goblin squeaked hoarsely. "I swear by magic that I acted only out of my own desire to protect my people. None of my elders gave me a direct order to go against the treaty.
There were no flashes of magic, no other manifestations. Flitwick was still lying on the floor, staring in bewilderment at the magicians standing over him.
"Did you think, Dean, that the treaty could be so easily circumvented?" Cassius smiled like a snake. "Right now, your tribesmen are dying in the caves, but I know how to stop it. I think Hogwarts would gladly accept a voluntary sacrifice of a dozen or so goblins on the altar. And the new director of Gringotts, as a sign of eternal friendship with humans, will give me everything you promised for the sword. And I advise you all to be completely sincere in your sacrifice when the blade of Gryffindor cuts your throats. Otherwise, the goblins will quickly die in the dungeons," Cassius finished maliciously.
"He's gone," Snape said dryly, looking at Flitwick. Then, grimacing, he summoned the house elves and ordered them to take the deans of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff to the infirmary. Cassius enchanted Professor Flitwick into a tiny figure, put him in his pocket, and looked at the potions master:
"Let's go, Headmaster Snape. We shouldn't keep so many wizards waiting. Although I would prefer you to stay at the school. I'm afraid the other teachers may not be able to cope.
Snape shook his head and moved forward silently. Then he stopped suddenly and turned to Cassius.
"Promise me you'll save Potter, Mr Black — I can't stand that ridiculous copy of James, but still... the boy is my last reminder of the woman I loved... whom I lost through my own stupidity.
Cassius did not answer, continuing to move forward.
When they approached, Voldemort was sitting in his throne-like chair again, with the exhausted Potter lying at his feet. The dark wizard watched the approaching wizards with anticipation. His inner circle and mercenaries took their places behind the throne, forming a semicircle so as not to interfere with each other's lines of attack. There was complete silence, only the heavy breathing of the teenager could be heard.
"Don't worry, Harry," Voldemort hissed, stepping over Potter and standing up to face his approaching enemies. "Your life will end very soon.
Severus, seeing the state of the Gryffindor, turned even paler and grabbed his forearm with his ringed hand. The power of the oath simply compelled him to launch a suicidal attack. A small group of wizards was approaching the gathering from the direction of the Dark Lake. When they approached, a surprised gasp spread through the ranks of the Death Eaters. At the head of the group, leaning on his cane as usual, walked a platinum-haired blond man, whom Voldemort's inner circle recognised with surprise as the long-dead Malfoy.
"How did you survive?!" hissed the Dark Lord in amazement. "I personally sent Avada Kedavra at you!"
"Your abilities are greatly exaggerated, Voldemort," Lucius said coldly. "The Malfoy family has many secrets, you filthy half-blood.
The Dark Lord instantly raised his wand, and the dome above Hogwarts shook with a powerful blow that shook the defences.
"I will kill you again, Malfoy, and turn your body into an infernal," the Dark Lord glared at him with a mad look. "And then I will destroy Narcissa and Draco. I have been too merciful to you for too long.
His red eyes shifted to Snape, and his pale lips stretched into a snake-like grin:
"I see we have a gathering of traitors here. Good, I won't have to hunt you down in dark corners.
Voldemort spread his arms wide and, raising his head, roared:
"Look. Right now, before your very eyes, the boy who survived, your last hope, is about to die.
Severus silently lunged forward, but Malfoy deftly cast a binding spell on him, preventing him from crossing the barrier. Snape bellowed furiously, trying to crawl even while bound, but the unusually serious Crabbe stepped on his back, preventing him from moving, and the potions master could only watch what was happening.
Voldemort grinned at the defenders of Hogwarts, then slowly raised his wand...
"Bravo, bravo," Cassius suddenly applauded. "Such pathos, such expression. I have much to learn from you, Tom. To act like that... I bet you loved participating in theatre productions at the Muggle orphanage. What a ham!
"What?" Voldemort seemed to switch to Parseltongue, his hissing so fierce. "How dare you, boy?!"
Turning to Cassius, he struck with all his might, and the protective dome nearly cracked.
"Do you really think we care about little Potter?" Black continued mockingly. "Congratulations, you've found yourself an opponent worthy of your strength."Voldemort's face turned pale as a corpse, and he bared his teeth in a fierce grin.
"You're next, Black," and then the wizard turned to Potter, who was trying to get up, and hissed with hatred, "A-a-a-va-da-kedavra!"
A green beam shot towards Harry's chest, and he closed his eyes in despair, not wanting to see the last spell of his life. "The first thing I remember is the green flash that killed my mother," Potter thought bitterly. "And the last thing I remember is him killing me..."
However, Harry did not die. Once again, as before, the will of the late Dumbledore intervened. At the moment when the green beam of Avada hit the teenager's chest, the book of fairy tales by Beedle the Bard, which was lying in his bosom, turned into a metal shield, protecting him from the green beam, and then there was a flash, and Potter found himself next to Snape beyond the barrier. Pages flew all around, depicting the great light wizard, and beneath his smiling photograph was an inscription in emerald ink: "Forgive me, my boy, if you can. I hope you never need this gift..."
"No!" cried the Dark Lord, tearing the page from his cheek. "Die, Potter!"
He drew magic from all the marks, causing all but the strongest Death Eaters to fall dead, and, pointing his wand at the shield, struck with all his might. This time, multiplied by hundreds of victims, the spell worked like a battering ram, and the dome flickered and began to crumble. As soon as this happened, Cassius instantly transgressed the barrier and struck with a powerful "Ashes" spell. The veil of the deadly spell spread before him like a grey wave, and those Death Eaters who did not have time or were unable to transgress were immediately turned to ash. Only when he reached the first courtyards of Hogwarts did the grey veil stop and dissipate.
Cassius took a deep breath, his face flushed from the death energy he had received, and his eyes turned completely black. With the next movement of the Elder Wand, he struck Voldemort with dark strands of necromantic energy, and only a truly serpentine reaction allowed him to avoid immediate death. Nevertheless, the Dark Lord's blow threw him across his throne-like chair and dragged him far across the ground. Tangled in his dirty and stained robe, Voldemort rose like a broken doll to meet his killer, who was walking slowly towards him. The Devourers and defenders of Hogwarts scattered, fleeing from the battle between the great wizards. And Black, after the spells he had demonstrated today, could be called that without any doubt.
"It's time to die, you misunderstanding," Cassius grinned. "After your resurrection, Tom, you have become weak and unworthy of the title of Dark Lord.
Voldemort threw Avada Kedavras one after another, waving his wand furiously and trying to destroy the hated boy, but Black only contemptuously held up transfigured metal discs to the beams and moved closer and closer. The black holes in the boy's serene face made Voldemort freeze for a moment, then Black tilted his head to one side and hissed quietly in Parseltongue:
"You've been running from Baron Samedi for so long that he'll be very happy to talk to you, Thomas.
Black ribbons shot out of the Elder Wand, instantly enveloping Voldemort, and with a painful cry, his soul was ripped from his body.
"Stop!" Cassius's head filled with a loud hiss. "Let's make a deal?"
Without lowering his wand, Black looked curiously at the spirit of the defeated Dark Lord.
The black mass, which had recently been a powerful wizard, said that he had one more Horcrux left. Because of this, the wizard's soul was incomplete, and he was doomed to remain in Baron Samedi's retinue as a lowly spirit. But if Cassius promised to destroy this cruciatus, the soul would be whole again and Voldemort could go to rebirth, avoiding the shameful fate of a dark wizard.
Cassius just shook his head mockingly:
"You've confused me with Potter, Tom. What do I care about your afterlife? On the contrary, for attempting to murder my family, I will gladly remember how you spend your afterlife as an insignificant worm.
The spirit struggled violently in its bonds, and then Voldemort's hissing voice rang out again in Cassius's head:
"I will tell you where the two artefacts from the Death Lord's set are hidden if you help me.
"And to get to your Horcrux, I have to storm Gringotts?" Cassius shook his head mockingly.
"Euphemia Rowle is raising my daughter with Bellatrix," Voldemort hissed reluctantly. "The girl is a blood carrier of the Lestrange magic. With her help, you can open the vault at Gringotts and retrieve the Horcrux. In time, she could resurrect me... This is your last chance..."
"Very well," Cassius hissed thoughtfully in response. "I agree to your terms, Voldemort.
It turned out that the Dark Lord had hidden the "resurrection stone" and the "invisibility cloak" in the very cave where he had previously kept the Horcruxes. He had only prepared a lot of new traps and considerably strengthened the previous ones, trying to disguise everything. The key to the cave was his blood and magic. Therefore, Cassius transfigured Voldemort's body into a small red figure and bound his spirit to it with a spell so that the Dark Lord would not be dragged to Albania, where he still had a connection to the old altar.
While Cassius dealt with Voldemort, Lucius and his companions captured the inner circle of Death Eaters, who offered little resistance, and killed all the others. Only Dolohov, Ruvud, Yaksley, Macneir, Pei Tickness, Parkinson, and Pettigrew survived. The others did not survive the battle.
When Cassius approached the arguing wizards, they immediately turned towards him.
"What should we do with them, Lord Black?" Snape asked cautiously, glancing angrily at Pettigrew. Harry was lying on a transfigured couch, asleep under a spell, so Severus could calmly participate in the discussion.
Cassius looked closely at the kneeling Death Eaters, then turned his gaze to Lucius. The latter shrugged imperceptibly, as if suggesting that his son make the decision himself.
"I think we should let them all live," Black said coldly, with a smile. "There's no point in interrupting ancient bloodlines without good reason. There are fewer and fewer of us as it is.
"By the oath of the Malfoy and Black families," Lucius added, smiling just as coldly. For a moment, some even had the absurd thought that these wizards were closely related. The vassals and Nott exchanged sly glances.
"Please, Lord Black," Snape pleaded with unexpected fervour. "Give him to me!" He pointed furiously at Pettigrew, who was cowering in a ball. "I'm sure Harry would also be very happy to see me slit the throat of that vile rat on Lily's grave."
"Take him, Headmaster Snape," Cassius shrugged indifferently. "I don't want him.
Meanwhile, Lucius approached Pius Thicknesse.
"And this one, under the Imperius Curse!" he exclaimed in surprise. "Come here, please, Cassius."
Black approached his father and examined the Death Eater closely. There was no mark on the man's arm, but deep in his eyes was the characteristic glint of someone who had been under the Imperius Curse. Taking out his wand, Cassius removed the curse, and Pius breathed a convulsive sigh.
"Get ready to hand over your affairs to Tickness," Lucius said coldly. "You won't go to Azkaban, but you'll be kicked out of the Ministry. I'll let you know who your replacement will be later."
***
Molly Apparated to Shell. Hearing voices from the kitchen, she smiled and ran lightly up the steps. The children were sitting at the table playing chess. Ron was making snide comments about every move Ginny made, and she snorted contemptuously, not taking her eyes off the board. Harry wasn't with them...
"Where's Potter?" Molly asked cheerfully as she entered the kitchen.
"Hi, Mum," the children jumped up. "We didn't hear you.
Such carelessness would have horrified the former Prutt, but she found the strength to smile.
"Has Harry decided to take a nap? Wake him up, it's time to eat.
"No, Mum," Ron muttered. "Potter went to Hogwarts. An owl brought a message from the Gryffindors. They're waiting for him to lead the battle against Voldemort.
Molly turned pale and collapsed helplessly into a chair.
"I told you not to go anywhere!" she cried.
The thought that they had to flee flashed through her mind. If the Death Eaters captured Potter, it would be easy for Voldemort to see his memories. Her only hope was that he didn't care much about some Weasleys. Perhaps that was the only reason the masked men hadn't stormed the house yet.
Gathering her strength, Molly barked,
"Get ready, we have to leave immediately.
"But why, Mum?" Ginny stared at her in surprise. "It's so nice here, the sea..."
"If Harry is captured by the Death Eaters, they'll quickly find out where we're hiding," Molly sighed, rising from the table.
The brother and sister jumped up and ran to gather their things, while the former Prewett took her wand, climbed onto the roof, and began to watch the surroundings carefully.
Seeing no one, the witch climbed down to the living room, where the teenagers, laden with bags, were already waiting for her.
"Where are we going now, Mum?" Ron muttered resignedly.
"To Aunt Muriel's for now," the woman said, throwing a handful of gunpowder into the fireplace.
Later that evening, once she was in relative safety, Molly went to say good night to the children, who were forced to huddle together in one room.
"Ron, don't worry so much," she tried to comfort her upset son. "You'll stay friends with Harry, everything will be fine. You just chose your family over your friend at that moment.
"It's Ginny's fault he couldn't keep him," Ron muttered angrily. "And now I feel like a traitor to Gryffindor!
"What am I, his babysitter?" his sister snapped. "If he survives, he won't go anywhere, our potion won't let him.
"Dad's potion is useless!" Ron shouted. "Hermione drank it almost every day! She even added it to her own potion at Hogwarts. And what? She never even let me kiss her!
"You're an idiot, brother!" Ginny couldn't hold back. "It worked for Father, so it worked for me. And you tried to spike the potion! She saw right through you. You walked around with donkey ears... you fool.
As the brother and sister argued, Molly felt worse and worse. After all, they were talking about a love potion, the recipe for which the children had received from their father. From the gentle and simple Arthur, who had fallen so deeply in love with her in her youth, but for some reason didn't evoke any emotions in her now. She couldn't even mourn him as any woman in her place should have done. All this led to very frightening thoughts. Could she have lived with him all these years under the influence of a love potion... or could she?
Inside, the woman felt as if she had turned to ice. Her own children had betrayed her...
"Why didn't you tell me before that we were using a love potion in our family?" Molly asked her children in a dead voice. "Do you understand what that means, that Arthur was giving it to me?" In response, there was only bewildered silence...
She realised with piercing clarity that the children had known about it all along and didn't even consider it wrong. Ron and Ginny looked at their mother with contemptuous pity and remained silent. The former Pruett slumped and stood up, leaning against the door. Then she looked in turn at those she considered the closest people in the world.
"Did your brothers know everything too?" the woman asked with a last glimmer of hope.
"Of course they did. What's the big deal, Mum?!" Ron couldn't hold back. "It's a Weasley family strategy. Our father told us when we were children that it was only with the help of this potion that our family survived among wizards. And we managed to steal the best brides from others," his eyes gleamed greedily with anticipation.
"I want to be alone..." Molly exhaled and walked out of the room with wooden steps.
Right now, she simply didn't want to live.
========== Part 61. Rewards for Merit ==========
Today, the Great Hall of Hogwarts was noisy and festive. The tables were laden with food, flags of all the houses hung everywhere, and cheerful smiles lit up the students' faces. Even the ceiling, which had been gloomy in recent years, was brightened by the light of thousands of candles. Almost all the professors were seated at the teachers' table, with only Headmaster Snape and the deans missing. The Gryffindor faculty looked around proudly. After all, Voldemort had been defeated by one of their own, a Gryffindor who had studied there several years earlier. Some of the older female students recalled with admiration how they had seen this handsome young man in the library or by the lake and had even spoken to him.
The name Cassius Black was on everyone's lips, and stories about the battle were multiplied by all sorts of tall tales. Some said that he had fought alongside Potter against the Dark Lord, while others whispered fearfully about green flashes of deadly spells flying over the battlefield.
Only the Slytherin table was gloomy and depressed. Many did not know the fate of their relatives and loved ones, having received owls from their mothers and grandmothers. The children of the inner circle of Death Eaters also knew nothing. A melancholy sense of doom hung in the air. Everyone understood that after the final victory of light, the snakes would be mocked. Children are often cruel to the weak, and the green faculty had lost a lot in every way.
As was already tradition, no one paid any attention to the Slytherin table, and if they did look at it, it was with undisguised malice and anticipation of future entertainment. "Woe to the defeated..." Neville Longbottom spat out with a smirk, trying to make sure he was heard at the Slytherin table.
Among the huddled students of the green faculty, there was only one group that broke the general gloomy mood with cheerful smiles and loud conversations. Finally... having become virtual outcasts in recent years, Malfoy, Nott, Crabbe and Goyle were enjoying their victory. The boys knew all the background to what had happened from their parents' letters, and Draco sat with his chin jutting out proudly of his older brother.
Defeating Voldemort, whom even Dumbledore could not defeat — only a true Malfoy could do that. And despite the fact that, by his parents' decision, his brother bore the surname Black, Draco always considered him a Malfoy. So now his pride in his family knew no bounds, and the young man beamed like a polished galleon. Only when his gaze fell on Granger, who was pensively eating her dinner, did his smug expression give way to a tender and loving one.
Last night in the Room of Requirement, Draco proposed to her by candlelight, gave her an engagement ring, and they spent their first incredible night together. Memories of what had happened awakened in him a kind of aching tenderness for this wayward girl with chestnut hair. But most importantly, she had accepted his proposal to become Lady Malfoy.
Of course, they would have to discuss the marriage with the adults at length, but luckily Lord D'Agwort-Granger had promised to draw up a magical contract that would satisfy both sides. Hermione's parents still had to be brought back from Australia. Draco and his beloved were able to convince them to leave the islands for a short time. Malfoy didn't care about anything. Even in magical vision, the Slytherin looked like a little sparkling sun. The main thing was... she... agreed!
***
Cassius, composed and serious, sat in a throne-like chair in the magically enlarged headmaster's office, with magicians standing before him. There were many of them. Both former Death Eaters and employees of the Ministry of Magic and the Wizengamot. McGonagall and Sprout were also there, looking confused. Standing slightly apart were the wizards from Voldemort's former inner circle. Even the Basilisk was there, its eyes prudently covered with a special leather membrane. The terrifying crowned serpent coiled itself into huge rings near the wall, trying to stay as far away from the headmaster's phoenix as possible, and watched everyone closely.
On either side of the chair where Black sat were Lord Malfoy, Nott, and the other aristocrats who had taken part in the battle on Cassius's side. Standing proudly with his head held high was Snape, his hand on the shoulder of a visibly embarrassed Potter. The wizards shuffling in front of Cassius had tense faces. Realising the power of the young man sitting calmly before them, they waited fearfully for a decision that would affect the future of all magical England.
Lord Parkinson boldly pushed his way forward and, taking a step, fell to one knee before the chair, placing his wand before him:
"My lord, accept the allegiance of the Parkinson family. I swear by magic for myself and my descendants..."
Cassius nodded graciously, and the hall was lit up by the first flash of magic. Following Parkinson, the rest of the representatives of ancient and not-so-ancient families followed suit. There were even those who had managed to escape the hell of battle at the very beginning. After catching their breath in their manors, the magicians realised that they would not be able to escape the victors' judgement anyway, so they wisely chose to surrender themselves. They were followed by the heads of the ministerial departments, and lastly, the members of the Wizengamot bowed their heads. A new power had come to England, and here and now, the future was being decided.
The portraits of former directors watched with a smile, and Phineas Nigelus Black was almost bursting with pride for his descendant. Only Dumbledore grimaced and looked away, still unable to utter a word due to Snape's regularly renewed spell. What's more, the malicious potion maker had made sure that Albus could not move from one portrait to another, even within Hogwarts. Albus would have tried to hide in the darkest painting so as not to see what was happening. And now, the former great light looked sadly at the coronation of the new Dark Lord. Where? Almost in the heart of Hogwarts, which Dumbledore had always considered a stronghold of the forces of light.
All the wizards who had sworn allegiance to the new Dark Lord settled down with relief next to the rest of Black's supporters, while the women remained standing in front of the chair, shifting from foot to foot.
"What will become of us, Lord Black?" McGonagall raised her chin haughtily, her lips pressed into a white line. "Will you kill us for taking part in the attack?"
The good-natured Madam Sprout didn't know where to go, wringing her bonnet in her hands and looking fearfully at Snape, begging him for help with her eyes.
Cassius merely smiled in response to Minerva's question:
"Honourable deans," he said loudly. "What murders are you talking about? You have been captured by that unforgivable goblin renegade Flitwick. And even in such a terrible state," the new Dark Lord shook his head sympathetically, "you continued to fight and did not cast a single truly deadly or even dangerous spell at me. Honour and praise to you, ladies," Cassius bowed his head respectfully. "Not every wizard in such a situation would have been able to resist for so long.
McGonagall seemed to have had the wind knocked out of her, and the woman, tense as a string, swayed after his words.
"I will not punish you or harm you in any way," Cassius continued earnestly. "On the contrary, I ask you to resume your work with the children for the good of Hogwarts. Life goes on, and young wizards must be taught and nurtured. I am sure that you, gentlemen of the aristocracy," he glanced at his new vassals, "will help you make Hogwarts even better. It is high time to restore our school to its true greatness, as the founders bequeathed to us.
McGonagall's eyes lit up with hope, and she unconsciously nodded at every word Cassius said.
"I think," continued Black, "that Headmaster Snape, together with you, will prepare a development plan for Hogwarts for the coming years, and we at the Ministry of Magic will decide where to get the money to implement it.
Minerva bowed respectfully to the new Dark Lord.
"What will happen to Filius?" asked the kind-hearted Sprout timidly, meeting Cassius's heavy gaze.
"He too will serve Hogwarts well," Black said, closing his eyes. "Albeit in a different capacity.
At that moment, many felt a chill... Even the phoenix, dozing in its cage, cawed fearfully as it woke up, and the basilisk hissed furiously. Shivering, Hufflepuff's dean did not dare to ask any further questions.
A warm spring breeze blew through the open windows, carrying the scents of the Forbidden Forest to the excited wizards, and everyone felt somehow lighter and freer. No one said a word.
"Then let's celebrate," Cassius clapped his hands, becoming once again a simple and cheerful boy. "Headmaster Snape, invite the guests to the feast, I think we're all hungry."
The buzzing Great Hall gradually quieted down as such a distinguished company entered through the side door. The house elves immediately expanded the teachers' table and the faculty tables, and the adults were able to sit with their children or next to their professors. The Great Hall was filled with surprised cries; now everyone was really making noise. Never before had so much happiness been seen in the eyes of so many Slytherins. The usually cold and aloof young men and women now joyfully embraced their fathers and brothers, who had turned out to be alive. Pansy Parkinson cried unashamedly on the fat boy's chest, staining his snow-white shirt. The wizard awkwardly patted the girl on the back with his chubby hand, muttering something soothing.
Seeing the embarrassed Potter, the Gryffindor table erupted with joy, and as the bespectacled teenager made his way to a free seat, he was patted on the shoulder ten times, shaken hands with his classmates, and even kissed by some of the girls. He sat down next to Ron as usual, and Ginny, sitting opposite him, gave him a happy smile.
"I'm so glad you're safe, mate!" the redhead said, slapping him heartily on the shoulder. "When we heard that Voldemort was defeated, we came straight back to Hogwarts.
"I'm so happy too," blurted out an embarrassed Ginny, and Harry felt a sweet thrill in his solar plexus. The bitter resentment that his friend and girlfriend had abandoned him was instantly forgotten. He also cheerfully slapped his best friend on the shoulder and gently reached out to his girlfriend. The girl who, he hoped, would become his wife as soon as they graduated from Hogwarts. A warm wave seemed to pass between them, and Harry immediately drowned in her eyes.
As if suddenly remembering his studies, Ron groaned sadly:
"Harry! We have exams waiting for us. How can you forget, mate? Surely they won't give war heroes straight As just like that?"
Potter struggled to tear himself away from admiring his girlfriend, still holding her hand, and stared at the redhead in confusion.
"Yeah. You've got a fat chance of getting kicked out of school without a diploma!" Hermione looked contemptuously at the red-haired slacker.
"Granger, I beg you," Weasley grinned. "Don't ruin my wonderful lunch." Amidst the laughter of those around him, Ron sank his teeth into a piece of well-done steak, chewing happily.
Astoria Granger sighed, put down her fork, and stole another glance at Draco. Malfoy had always been handsome, but now, in the girl's eyes, he looked like a real hero. He sat next to his father and was talking animatedly to Lord Malfoy. The aristocrat, usually cold as ice, smiled cheerfully.
"Astrid, stop it! You'll burn a hole in him," the eldest Green Grass nudged her aside and smiled maliciously.
"Shut up, Daphne!" Astoria blushed. "I wasn't looking at anything."
Her sister giggled again and fixed the blushing girl's hairstyle.
"And you were staring at Lord Black!" Astoria pointed accusingly at the teacher's desk. "Oh, what a handsome man, oh, what hair," she made a silly face, pretending to be in love. "I've had a crush on him since I was a child!"
The blonde beauty flushed and glanced around, afraid someone might have heard.
"Be quiet!" Daphne whispered angrily. "I'm not in love with anyone! Besides, he's a lord, and I'm the heiress of a family. My mother is looking for a husband for me," the girl said sadly. "Everyone's been told that I'm an heiress... that I have to be suitable... But I want to travel to different countries! There's so much to see in the world," Daphne said, looking dejected.
Cassius ate with pleasure, answered his neighbours' questions, and generally had a good time, winning over those around him. When lunch was over, he carefully touched Snape's shield with Legilimency and nodded to the startled potion maker to leave.
The latter stood up and quickly walked over to the Gryffindor table, stopping next to Harry.
"Mr Potter, please follow me, we have some unfinished business to attend to.
Harry stood up, feeling depressed, and, ignoring Ron's questioning look, followed the headmaster.
When they entered the office, Cassius was already there. He was sitting by the fireplace, waving his hand to stoke and extinguish the fire, practising his wandless non-verbal magic. When the door opened and Severus and Harry entered the room, Cassius stopped immediately.
"Gentlemen, we have a rather unpleasant but necessary task ahead of us. I ask you, Mr Potter," he said, looking coldly at the bespectacled young man. "Behave like a wizard. Don't shout, don't fidget, don't cry. Everything that will be done today is in accordance with ancient magical laws. 'An eye for an eye,'" Black's eyes darkened. "We are simply fulfilling the will of the founders of Hogwarts.
Rising, he waved his hand, and under surprised glances, the burning fireplace moved briskly aside, revealing a staircase leading down somewhere.
"Mr. Snape, take the prisoner with you," Cassius snarled. "I think it would be much more appropriate to take your revenge where we are going than to do it on the grave of the person you told me about.
Snape bowed silently and patted his robe pocket."He's with me," Severus replied laconically, and Harry heard a malicious glee in the always cold professor's voice.
Stepping onto the first step of the staircase, Cassius felt it smoothly begin to move and slowly glide downward, like a Muggle escalator. Snape and Harry stood slightly above, gazing in amazement at the marble walls with bas-reliefs of magical battles of the past. Once at the bottom, they passed through tall double doors and found themselves in a large ceremonial hall. In the centre of a huge hexagram laid out in gold on the marble floor was a rough piece of quartz with a sword handle sticking out of it. On the right wall of the hall was an archway with a huge fireplace, apparently used exclusively as a portal for transportation. With a wave of his hand, Cassius sent a shaggy ball of green flame, and a fiery curtain flashed in the archway. After a few minutes of waiting, goblins began to enter through the fire. There weren't that many of them, but when the flames died down, about two hundred short creatures stood before the mages. All of them were dressed in simple canvas cloaks, and only the two standing in front were wearing steel knight's armour. The oldest of the armoured goblins stepped forward and growled hoarsely:
"We have come at your invitation, Dark Lord Black.
Cassius took a figurine out of his pocket and threw it at the speaker's feet. It began to grow in size in the air, and the unconscious Filius Flitwick fell before the leader.
The goblin looked sadly at his son lying on the ground and said loudly:
"Our people acknowledge their guilt and are ready to pay the debt to confirm the Treaty. I, Lord Grintott, swear it.
Cassius jerked the ruby-studded sword of Gryffindor out of the stone. As soon as the blade left its socket, the hexagram in the centre, where Cassius now stood, glowed a piercing yellow, and indentations began to appear on the floor, corresponding to the number of goblins present. The short creatures in canvas cloaks silently took their places, filling the corners of the hexagram. Lord Grintott clenched his sharp teeth and, with the help of a second goblin, placed Flitwick's body in one of the holes. Then they all went to the centre of the nightmarish figure, where Cassius stood calmly with a sword in his hand. Harry, leaning against the wall next to Snape near the staircase, watched in horror.
"To confirm the agreement between the wizards of England and the goblin people," Cassius began loudly and solemnly. "We will perform a ritual.
Lord Grintott knelt heavily before the wizard and removed his helmet. His head dropped, exposing his neck, and in the next moment, to Harry's terrified cry, Cassius coldly severed the bowed head. The body fell sideways, and the blood instantly soaked into the marble floor. At the same moment, the death rattles of the other goblins sounded, their bodies pierced by sharp stone spikes. The blood quickly began to soak into the marble, adding red to the shining gold hexagram. The second goblin also took off his helmet and knelt silently. Cassius placed the bloodied sword on his shoulder, blood still dripping from the blade, and the goblin, his face unchanged, said hoarsely:
"I, the new Lord of Greenott, swear to uphold the spirit and letter of the Treaty between the goblins and the mages. I swear that our people will reaffirm the Treaty on the altar every hundred years.
The blood on the sword flared up, and in an instant, the blade was clean again, flashing red. Cassius thrust the sword into the stone with a swing, and it sank in again up to the hilt.
"The Treaty is reaffirmed... For the first time in a thousand years," Cassius murmured. "Your people have a future again, Lord Grigott. But do not forget," his eyes became black holes, "to whom you owe your existence in this world.
The goblin bowed silently and, slouching his shoulders, went through the green-flashing fireplace, back to the dungeon beneath Grigott's. Despite the fierce hatred he felt for the arrogant wizard who had killed his father and brother before his eyes, Grigott understood that his people now had at least some chance of prolonging the existence of goblins in this inhospitable world.
The females would start bearing young again, and the population of the caves would grow. And the fact that every hundred years they would have to sacrifice their fellow tribesmen was nothing unusual. Often, all the goblin uprisings of the past had ended in exactly the same way. It was also advantageous for the wizards to have impartial guardians of gold in their service.
It was a pity that terrible black magicians capable of wielding the whip were still being born among humans. "But someday," Grigott hissed viciously to himself, "we will break free from slavery! If the Dark Lords cease to appear among the wizards, our people will once again know the sweet taste of human babies and the soft skin of their females." Roughly pushing aside a bank clerk who happened to be in the corridor, Lord Grigott sat down in a trolley and headed down into the caves.
With wide eyes, Harry stared in horror at Lord Black, beginning to understand that the wizards in Snape's office had not bowed to their new overlord for no reason. Just now, this guy, not much older than him, had calmly chopped off the head of an intelligent creature who had done him no harm. What's more! Before Harry's eyes was a terrible sight: stone stakes sprang from the chest of the always kind and good-natured Flitwick, who lay there like a statue, and the professor gasped and twitched like a butterfly on a pin. A picture came to mind of his cousin Dudley entertaining himself with insects he had caught in the garden. He would tear off their wings or pierce their abdomens with a needle he had stolen from Aunt Petunia...
Harry shuddered at the disgusting memories. At least the bodies of the unfortunate goblins had immediately disintegrated into sparks as soon as Black had finished his bloody ritual. And now he was approaching them with a smile, striking terror into Potter's heart.
"Mr Snape, as headmaster, you have the right to call a small ritual circle," Cassius said rather smugly. "Imagine a pentagram, and it will appear there," he waved his hand to the other end of the hall.
Severus looked eagerly in the direction Black had pointed, mentally imagining a pentagram for sacrifices, and immediately an altar stone rose from the marble, surrounded by a magical ritual figure also made of gold.
"Come, Mr Potter," Snape said coldly, but Harry suddenly turned pale and backed away.
"I don't want to be sacrificed!" he cried, snatching his wand and holding it out in front of him.
Cassius snorted softly, and Severus rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"Mr Potter," Snape hissed. "If I were going to sacrifice you, you would be dead already! I swear on Merlin's beard, you are as stupid as your father.
He glared at Harry, who was still hesitant, and spat.
"I foolishly swore a magical oath to protect you, Potter. Today, the last wizard responsible for the deaths of your parents will die on the altar. After that, I hope the oath will cease to have any effect, and I will be freed from this bond," he waved his robe irritably and strode quickly towards the altar. "Come here, Potter, don't make me drag you!"
Harry hesitantly followed Snape, who was almost running, and in a few steps found himself next to the magic circle. The pentagram carved into the stone glowed ominously, casting reddish reflections on the altar.
Snape carefully stepped into the centre of the magical figure, trying not to step on the golden lines, and placed a small stone man on the altar. With a wave of his wand, he enlarged his future victim, and Harry recognised with horror the fat wizard who had performed the ritual in the Little Hangton cemetery. Now, unable even to move, the wizard with small rat-like features on his puffy face lay on the altar, tears of horror streaming from his darting eyes.
"Harry, save me," squeaked the rat, trying to catch Potter's gaze. "It's not my fault, Voldemort made me do it. You know how cruel he was." Pettigrew sobbed convulsively, trying to glance at the grim Snape, who had taken a crooked ritual knife from his robe pocket.
"Harry, don't let Nyunnius kill me!" Pettigrew begged again. "I was your father's friend, and Snape always hated him. Since childhood, Newt has constantly plotted against us. He's a Slytherin," Peter squealed as the potions master took a step towards his head with a grim expression.
"Headmaster Snape!" Potter looked resolutely at the potions master. "Please, enough deaths for today! Yes, this man has done many bad things, but he must be handed over to the DMF! Let him be tried for his crimes, and if he is found guilty, he will go to Azkaban.
"I agree with Azkaban," Pettigrew screeched, trying to distract Snape, who was closing in on him. "Save me, Harry, for your mother's sake. Lily would never have...," Pettigrew croaked as Snape, his eyes flashing with hatred, grabbed his throat.
Peter twitched, trying to say something, but bright red blood spurted from the wide wound, and only a hissing sound came from his severed windpipe. Finally, the little fat man's face froze and his body went limp. Harry watched in horror as Snape raised his hands with the bloody, crooked knife and roared, "The last enemy shall be destroyed — death!"
At that moment, Pettigrew's body crumbled into green sparks, Snape's knife and dripping blood disappeared, and magical threads of vows flared up on the potion master's arm and dissolved into the air.
"Am I free?" Severus whispered, looking at his completely clean forearms. "I'm free!" he shouted at the top of his voice, and there was such wild joy in his cry that Harry shuddered.
Cassius waited for them at the stairs, smiling. It was always nice when a wizard who had dreamed of something for so long finally realised his desire. Severus seemed taller, more confident, and now walked with a beaming smile. It was clear that the previously discontented and bitter wizard with greasy hair had been rejuvenated. Potter, scurrying behind him, looked like a wet sparrow against the backdrop of the potions master."Congratulations, Headmaster Snape," Cassius said, closing his eyes for a moment. "I understand what it's like to gain freedom.
Severus, who had come up close, suddenly hugged him, then quickly stepped back and bowed his head.
"Thank you, Lord Black. I will never forget this!"