Brave New World

A/N: Here is my new chapter. I\'ve been out of town unexpectedly, so I didn\'t have the opportunity to update sooner. Hope you like.



Rated: M



Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or concepts of the Harry Potter verse. No profit was made from this writing.





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Chapter Twenty-One



Severus Snape was a man who lived his life carefully balanced on the edge of the sharpest of blades. Always circumspect. Always aware. He knew that with any wrong decision he could be rent in two, tortured and slain, and no one would speak up on his behalf. No one would mourn his passing.



Not any longer.



He played servant to a madman and a master of manipulation knowing both used him for whatever suited their purposes.



The dark mocked him cruelly, he was never truly trusted, but he held no affection for them either. They were the inner circle of a crazed wizard who kept faith with none bar his own, reveled in the cruelty of his punishments and gloried in the blood and death meted out to those considered inferior. This was the path he had chosen as a blind child. Seduced by the lure of power and respect that he received neither at home nor amongst his peers. A naïveté he would have derided in anyone else.



Only to betray those he called ally and run to the light, begging for forgiveness. And those blue eyes had granted absolution. At a price.



Now he bowed at the feet of the \'greater good\' and silently accepted the distrust and suspicion of those he would fight alongside. For yes, he had been a Death Eater and it was only due to their leader that he wasn\'t locked away in Azkaban with the worst of his old crowd.



Each day was a testament of will, the threat of the blade pressed against his throat. It was his job. His place in the war. The only way he could bear to live with himself after all the unforgiveable things he had done. Yet twisted in his resolve were anger and hatred and bitterness. These emotions had imprinted themselves just as unmistakably as the black lank hair he inherited from an abusive alcoholic muggle father or long hooked nose that bastard Potter and his pet mongrel had broken more than once.



Sullen hostility was all he had left and he wielded them with the same efficiency and veracity he had once employed when casting a spell that would eviscerate a mudblood.



For he was a betrayer and nothing he ever did would ever erase the mistake he had made or bring back the life that was stolen because of him.



The cold in the air sent a shiver down his spine; instincts he relied upon warned him of the direction of his thoughts. A lapse he could not afford. This hidden fortress was the strong hold of the Dark Lord\'s forces and his inner thoughts while within this stone fortification were never his own. It was rare to be summoned during the day but Severus knew that if he had ignored the call, the consequences would be worse than any rumor spread about Hogwarts could ever be.



When he entered the small room, as usual he was disgusted. The Dark Lord had taken on too many of his familiar\'s characteristics, proven by the dank humidity in the air. Severus wondered if the Dark Lord had ever connected his reptilian need to be under a rock with his fortress. Even this room intended for meetings of the inner circle was now mere mockery as most of the wizards who held that vaulted position were currently residents of Azkaban after their failure in the Department of Mysteries.



Deep in the shadows of the chamber a stone throne sat between two columns that extended up to the ceiling. Both were carved with intricate snakelike designs in honor of the Dark Lord\'s Slytherin heritage. Green tapestries and rugs were illuminated by dim candle light. A wave of malice and hatred washed over him, reminding him of his place, immediately sending him to his knees to crawl the remainder of the distance across the room.



He wasn\'t alone, the only remaining inner circle member was already genuflecting before her Lord with near mindless babble in a voice that skipped manically from a sultry woman to a wild hysterical child. Both were indications of her insanity. It was a lunacy he wasn\'t sure she suffered from the start, from her years in Azkaban or if her mind had been broken over the years by the master she was so slavishly devoted to. Occasionally Bellatrix\'s frail form would tremor, proof she was already suffering the after effects of the torture curse.



"Severus," the dark hiss caused him to flinch before he rapidly strengthened his mental defenses, allowing this master to see only what he dared show.



"My Lord, I apologize for my tardiness, Dumbledore has made the protections of Hogwarts even more of a nuisance. I was forced to apparate from Hogsmeade."



Severus dared a glance at his master; tonight he wore a hooded cowl of the darkest of red, visible only when a fracture of light happened upon the material. The material moved fluidly like spilt blood in shadow. It was a comparison the Dark Lord would appreciate, if Severus dared risk speaking the words aloud. Cold serpentine features were concealed except for the burning crimson of the Dark Lord\'s eyes.



"Your excuses are not my concern, Severus."



Since the disaster in the Department of Mysteries, something had changed about the dark wizard. In the beginning, the Dark Lord was powerful, charismatic. He had the ability to draw people in, to listen and actually consider the things he believed. That power changed, became destructive as the wizard\'s sanity fractured more and more until he thought nothing of murdering a mere child who was the prophesized cause of his destruction.



Even at his resurrection, the wizard\'s focus remained on Potter. All of his plans designed to learn the remainder of a seer\'s prediction in fear of a child. Now it was as if something had filled in those cracks and smoothed the edges of the Dark Lord\'s mind. He was still powerful but now there was a malevolence there coupled with that insanity and Severus knew if this evil wasn\'t stopped it would be the end of not only the Wizarding world but for everyone and everything.



"Forgive me master," Severus begged, slipping into his role thoroughly. He grabbed the hem of the Dark Lord\'s robe, kissing it with passion before lowering his head to the feet before him. He wasn\'t surprised when one of those feet struck him viciously in the face as the signal for him to scramble back next to Bellatrix.



"Forgive you?"



Despite the angle, Severus could sense when the Dark Lord leaned forward to study him. His instincts were correct, the foreboding he had been experiencing from the moment he had been summoned was soon to reach fulfillment.



"What word do you bring me tonight?"



"My Lord, Dumbledore is still reeling from your slaughter of that village of mudbloods and blood traitors. They are scrambling for reasons but your brilliance is far beyond their comprehension my Lord. He sends his pet mongrel out to the dark creatures seeking alliances and he constantly tries to get that fool Minister to add more protections to Azkaban."



Severus knew that last had the dark wizard\'s attention. "And has Fudge done so?"



"No, my Lord," Severus sneered, his reaction quite real. How many times did the idiot have to be told Voldemort would come for his men before listening to reason? It was only a shame Fudge didn\'t guard the prison himself, so that men who could be of use in battle wouldn\'t be sacrificed due to a dim-witted Minister\'s pride. "Even with the Dementors gone, he refuses to take action to ward the prison further."



"Good. It will be your responsibility to remove Dumbledore\'s focus from Azkaban. Though he is an old fool, Dumbledore is correct. I shall soon be reclaiming my followers. I believe they have been punished enough for their failure."



At this Bellatrix looked up eagerly, practically foaming at the mouth and her long black hair a rat\'s nest around her face. She looked like a mad dog. "It\'s time, my Lord?"



"Yes, Bella," the voice still malicious but carried a trace of humor. "Samhain will soon be upon us and I need the magic of my twelve most faithful. The first stage will soon be complete and by Yule nothing will be able to prevent me from ridding us of those filthy mudbloods and blood traitors."



Bellatrix cackled happily, "Soon, soon, poor baby Potter will be crying over his disgusting friend\'s bodies. And the blood, we will dance in blood, my Lord, and their screams shall be our music," she moaned, breathless, almost sexual. Severus supposed it was. The witch had always enjoyed pain whether she was causing it, watching it or experiencing it.



"There are several potions you will need to brew Severus before Samhain."



"I will need a list," he began but was silenced by a wave of the Dark Lord\'s hand.



"When it pleases me, Severus and not before."



"Of course, my Lord, I would not presume." Severus bowed quickly, his mind already racing over the possibilities of the potions he would be commanded to brew and what could be done to subtly alter them so they failed.



"The attack on Hogsmeade will proceed as planned."



"Yes, master."



Nothing he said could convince Dumbledore to cancel the Hogsmeade visit. The Headmaster chose to fall in line with that brat\'s belief that the Dark Lord would attack regardless. Severus\'s next task would be to speak with the students of his house and ensure they were aware of the attack and stay out of danger.



"The Carrows, Thorfinn and Gibbon will lead the raid along with twenty of my more expendable members."



"It is the perfect way to eliminate the weak and unworthy." Severus was trying to figure out what could possibly be the reason for this attack when the Dark Lord revealed it for him.



"My diversion serves two-fold."



"Of course, my Lord," Bellatrix smiled, daring to reach out to touch the hem of the Dark Lord\'s robes before her hand shook and was snatched back. "You are most wise and powerful."



"While Dumbledore rushes to save the filth, Bella will lead the assault on Azkaban along with Yaxley and Pettigrew. The incompetent Aurors will be easily dealt with and my servants will return to me."



And Severus understood the underlying meaning of his involvement. This was a test of loyalty. He and Bella were the only two who would know the full extent of the Dark Lord\'s plan. If Azkaban was warned somehow, his status as spy would be revealed.



"You will keep all eyes on Hogsmeade, Severus. I am not yet ready for the old fool to know of my plans for Samhain. Not that it matters. For he scorns the old ways and there in lies the path to his destruction and my ultimate rule. Should you fail in this, I shall be very displeased."



"As you wish will it, my Lord."



"One more question, Severus." The Potions master watched a long bony finger caress the length of the yew wand and barely contained a wince of fear. "How is it that Potter is concealing his mind from me?"



The brat had succeeded? "I wasn\'t aware he was capable my Lord," he answered carefully.



"Something for you to discover before you are in my presence again, Severus." The hand closed loosely around the wand and rose into the air. "You are supposed to bring me vital information, as my spy, and yet you cannot tell me how Potter has managed to hide his mind away under unbreakable magic."



"Forgive me, my Lord," he begged futilely, as seconds later he was writhing on the floor under the lash of a Cruciatus curse. He bit his lip in order to hold back the shriek of agony that wanted to burst free, the metallic taste of blood filling his mouth where his teeth sliced hard and deep.



"You have three days to bring me that which I seek." The curse was delivered again and this time Severus was held under it\'s weight for much longer than that horrible first two minutes. "At that time, I shall have the list of potions for you. Fail me in this Severus, and you shall be punished accordingly."







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"Harry, it\'s good to see you."



Remus was looking better these days, Harry was pleased to admit. While his robes were still worn and faded, and the ravages of the full moon continued to take their toll, there was a light in his former Professor\'s eyes that had been missing since Sirius\' death.



The werewolf was the last of the Marauders with two having been murdered and the third turned betrayer. Harry knew how loneliness and loss could burrow deep inside until that was all that was left. So it was nice to see Remus happy. Hopefully, the flirty glances he had witnessed between Remus and Tonks were the cause.



"Hello Remus," Harry greeted the wizard with a small smile, accepting the brief hug and handshake. "How have you been?"



"Good. I returned just yesterday from a mission and I was hoping I would see you tonight before the meeting started."



Dumbledore had brought him to Grimmauld Place early in the hopes that he and Mrs. Weasley would manage some sort of reconciliation. Mrs. Weasley still prepared a large lunch for the members who had the chance to arrive early. She still looked on in disapproval when he, Tonks and Fleur performed a blessing before beginning their meal.



Though they had spoken, Ron\'s mother continued in her belief that he should neither be following the old ways, nor be allowed to attend the Order meetings. It was times like this that Harry appreciated the patience that Leo was trying to help him find. He liked Mrs. Weasley and didn\'t want to hurt her feelings but he wasn\'t her child so she truly had no right to order in him around.



Given that Voldemort would love nothing better than to capture Harry and kill him this War concerned him more than anyone. Dumbledore may not have told the Order the contents of the prophecy but even Remus understood that a confrontation between him and Voldemort was inevitable. Cosseting him wasn\'t going to help him survive that encounter. This had most of the interactions between him and his best friend\'s mother stilted and polite, leaving her to fuss over Bill and the Twins who looked like they would prefer otherwise.



"Was there something you needed to speak to me about?"



"I received a letter from the Goblins and your steward, Harry, about this Marauders foundation you started that I\'ve been chosen to run." Remus looked so uncomfortable it might have been funny if the man\'s self-respect wasn\'t on the line. "Harry you can\'t do this."



"I didn\'t do anything," Harry pointed out, appreciating the surprise on the older man\'s face. "My parents made that allotment in their will. Because I was raised by the Dursleys, the will wasn\'t read until I got in touch with Gringotts about my inheritance and I had no idea my father made these arrangements."



"It\'s too much, I can\'t accept this."



"And why not?"



Pride was one thing and Harry understood how sensitive that could be, especially for Remus who the Wizarding world reviled and ridiculed because of his curse. There were laws prejudiced against werewolves making it difficult for those who wanted a better life. Gaining decent employment, adequate housing was nearly impossible. Remus would never accept money he felt he hadn\'t earned. Harry understood the bitter taste of pity well enough to know Remus would hate charity.



"Mum and Dad left the money for that foundation, not just to help you Remus. Do you think it\'s fair how the Ministry treats werewolves?"



"Of course not Harry," Remus sighed heavily.



"Then why can\'t you believe that my parents believed that as well? And who better to run a foundation to help those inflicted with lycanthropy than my father\'s best friend who understands what it\'s like on a personal level? Who else to trust with their wishes but a fellow marauder?"



Remus still looked like he wanted to protest. Harry placed a restraining hand on his arm, his voice filled with a conviction not even Remus could argue against. "Just think about it. The werewolf packs that have sided with Voldemort have done so because of the promises he\'s made them. Promises we both know he has no intention of keeping. We can offer them a better alternative, Remus. Somewhere safe to run during the full moon. Hopefully, we can find a potions master skilled enough to brew Wolfsbane."



"I could have wards set so they couldn\'t leave the property until dawn," Remus suggested hesitantly.



A tentative smile touched his lips. "Think how much better those negotiations would go if you could offer this."



"And this committee you\'ll need to head? When will you have time to do this, with your training and the War? And who do you ask or how do you even know if they can be trusted? This is too much to put on your shoulders."



"The day to day running will be your responsibility. The other members of the Order have jobs, so that shouldn\'t be a problem. As far as your missions from Dumbledore are concerned, I think he would agree that this is a good reason to reassign some of them to someone else. And you can help me decide on the other committee members, though I have two in mind that I think will immediately say yes."



"Ron and Hermione?" Remus asked with a knowing grin.



If Remus had asked him that question at the beginning of the school term, the answer would have been unequivocally yes. He would have said that Ron and Hermione were his best friends and he could trust them with his life, so there was no one he would trust with a legacy from his parents more than the two of them.



Now he really couldn\'t be so certain. The relationship between him and Ron was shaky at best, with the two of them getting along only at a superficial level most days as long as nothing Ron deemed threatening was brought up. How could he trust Ron when he continued to behave this way? What happened when an important decision needed to be made and they were on opposing sides? Perhaps their friendship would be repaired but this foundation needed to be up and running now.



Hermione, he was hesitant to ask, though he knew he could trust her to want what was best for the foundation. She had a tendency to see things only in black and white. Things between them were better since she joined him for his training session and they had a chance to talk. It wasn\'t just that she took his side against Ron. He had no desire to cause friction in their relationship. He had just needed proof that she still valued their friendship as much as he did. She had refocused on her school work and prefect duties as well, now that the honeymoon period of their romance was ending.



"Hermione, yes. She\'ll be happy to help and I think she will make a convincing advocate for werewolf rights when we\'re bombarded by the Ministry for daring to set up a foundation to actually help rather than agree with those bigoted laws they prefer to enact."



"You should definitely consider getting a solicitor involved as well. Tonks\' parents operate a small firm that handles cases in both the Wizarding world and the muggle world, they might be able to recommend someone," Remus suggested.



"You\'ve met the parents already?" Harry teased and watched Remus turn an amusing shade of red as he stuttered out a quick denial. "From what I understand, all boyfriends have to do it at some point."



"You\'re not very funny, Harry. Things aren\'t like that between the two of us."



"And why not?" He frowned, remembering exactly how Tonks looked every time she was near Remus. The witch practically vibrated with pleasure, making her clumsier than usual.



"First of all, I\'m several years older than Tonks." At his scoff of derision, Remus quickly continued, "And let\'s not forget the changes I go through each month Harry. If Tonks and I were to begin a relationship, she would face all the prejudices I face and I don\'t want to put her through that."



"I think that if you\'re lucky enough to love someone, you shouldn\'t allow what other people believe to stop you from being together. Life is too short to waste love," he finished in near whisper.



This was part of the reason why he was open to exploring a relationship with Blaise. Harry couldn\'t say where things would end between them. He couldn\'t even say with any amount of certainty that he would live through this War. Yet he knew that life had a way of changing without any notice. He didn\'t want Blaise in danger, so he wanted to keep things private for as long as possible but after Sirius\' death, he wasn\'t going to deny himself something as simple as affection because some other people didn\'t approve.



"Harry," Remus placed a hand to his shoulder in commiseration, both of them thinking of the man who was gone. "Are you sure you don\'t need to speak to someone about Sirius, even if it\'s not me. We all care about you Harry and are more than happy to listen."



"We talked about it this summer when you asked," Harry reminded him. He hadn\'t thought he would survive those first few weeks alone locked in at the Dursleys. He had cried and silently raged against a fate that would take Sirius when he had only begun to live again after his wrongful imprisonment in Azkaban. Guilt ate at his insides relentlessly, as he suffered from the knowledge that it was his poor decisions that had brought this upon his godfather.



He didn\'t need to speak with anyone. He had come to terms with his role in Sirius\' death on his own and continued to handle his grief. He didn\'t need well intentioned individuals telling him it wasn\'t his fault, or that no one blamed him, in the hopes of helping him. Those words tended to feel more like he was being placated, so he would hurry and get over his grief so they wouldn\'t have to see it. Surprisingly, he had already spoken to Blaise a little about Sirius and knew that if he needed to again, Blaise would simply listen and not try to offer advice on how he should be healing.



"I\'m fine," he told his former professor, offering a reassuring smile at Remus\'s look of disbelief. "I\'ll be fine eventually, is that better?"



"I guess I\'ll have to accept your word for it."



Remus glanced down at his watch and stood, gesturing to the ballroom where the Order meeting would be held and Harry followed, grabbing his unfinished bottle of butterbeer from the table. As they walked, Remus tilted his head to the side to give him a look that was both curious and worried.



"I noticed that you didn\'t agree with me totally about the two you would ask for the foundation. Are you and Ron having problems again?"



"Yes but they\'re more his problems than mine." They would have to see if six years of friendship couldn\'t be resolved. He had already made his stance clear it was now Ron\'s move.



"I\'m sorry to hear that Harry."



Harry only lifted a shoulder in response. There was nothing he could say to that so perhaps it was best to just set it all aside. As they entered the meeting, he immediately caught Septima and Leo\'s eye across the room where they sat together with a third seat waiting for him. In the row across from them Tonks waved Remus over eagerly.



"I\'ll speak to you again before I head back to Hogwarts."



The three only had a chance to exchange greetings before Dumbledore called for the meeting to begin. The next thirty minutes were spent going over old business and reporting on the various missions each member had been out on. Harry was surprised to hear the various alliances the Order sought with different clans of magical creatures and disappointed to learn how many had already sided with Voldemort due to the policies and laws the Ministry had created and the promises Voldemort had made them.



"Severus, I believe you have new information for us?"



The subtlest of glances passed between the two wizards. From what Harry could tell no one else seemed to have noticed. He probably wouldn\'t have either if he hadn\'t been looking directly at the potions master and even then he barely caught it. Whatever Snape was about to reveal, Dumbledore had already been warned and the information carefully censored for the ears of the remaining Order members. Harry had realized this summer that the Headmaster kept his secrets close, no matter what his eccentric grandfatherly persona might pretend. Secrets that tended to get people killed.



Snape was setting up the reveal perfectly. He stood slowly from his chair, waiting until he had the attention of all present. He gave them all a look of smug disdain and then his lip curled into a sneer.



"The Dark Lord intends to strike Hogsmeade during the Hogwarts visit next week."



The delivery received exactly the intended response. In fact, judging from the twinkling in Dumbledore\'s eyes, this little performance was being executed at his command.



It did make Harry wonder. Was this how all Order meetings were run? His first was a complete waste of time, with little to no information discussed as they were all so focused on his presence. Now Harry was dreading the impending arguments about Hogsmeade.



Dumbledore kept very few order members in his confidence. No doubt Snape was one of them considering how much Dumbledore\'s trust in the bitter man was stressed. Moody was possibly another but not at the same level as Snape considering he was compromised during the Tournament back during fourth year.



"I still believe the visit should be cancelled." Mrs. Weasley\'s vitriol rose over the bickering voices. Definitely not one of Dumbledore\'s inner circle. "How can we knowingly place children in danger?"



"If the visit is cancelled won\'t that compromise Snape\'s position as our spy?" Bill pointed out, earning him a hostile glare from his mother.



"Not if it\'s done at the last minute," someone spoke up who obviously agreed with Mrs. Weasley.



"What reason can be given to cancel the outing? Most Death Eater activity has been focused away from both Hogwarts and Hogsmeade," Kingsley reasoned from his seat next to Bill. His appearance was impeccable as usual though he looked just as exhausted as Leo. Whatever the two had been working on was clearly dangerous and draining. He would have to ask Leo after the meeting to see if he could gain a bit more information now that they were back.



"Perhaps if the visit was limited to NEWT level students?" Tonks looked to Kingsley and Moody for support. "They should be capable of defending themselves if a situation arises and most important it puts Harry in the village protecting Severus\' cover."



"It\'s a reasonable compromise," Remus added, ignoring the heated look Mrs. Weasley threw his way that proclaimed him a traitor. She probably believed he should be the most vocal against Harry\'s presence in Hogsmeade with the potential of an attack.



"You should be trying to protect Harry not leading him into danger!" Mrs. Weasley shouted with her hands thrust tightly on her hips in indignation. "He\'s a child! He shouldn\'t even be involved in this war!"



Harry released a pained breath, scrubbing a hand through his hair and strangling the comment he almost made. He had decided before coming tonight that he would try to keep his thoughts to himself for the most part to avoid the disintegration of the meeting, since it was obvious Dumbledore would do nothing but smile and indulge them like they were children.



The discussion unfortunately continued on in this vein with both sides divided on how the attack should be handled. Harry could tell from the Headmaster\'s expression the Hogsmeade visit would go on as planned. Harry just didn\'t understand why the wizard allowed this meeting to be so unorganized and unruly, getting nothing accomplished.



"Has anyone researched Samhain?" He leaned over to whisper the question to Septima.



"Not that I\'m aware of," she murmured back.



"But we know that Voldemort has something planned, shouldn\'t we be trying to discover what it is and ways to stop or counter it in some way?" By the time he finished speaking, the voices had silenced and they had drawn the attention of the people present to their conversation.



"I believe Mr. Potter has a valid point," Dumbledore agreed with a knowing smile. "Perhaps it would be wise to investigate what Voldemort\'s intentions for Halloween could entail?"



That was another thing Harry was curious about. Clearly Dumbledore didn\'t follow the old ways. All who did never referred to the thirty-first of October as Halloween. Neville and Hermione were still compiling information and they had planned to go over it after he returned from tonight\'s Order meeting but Harry saw that hope sliding down the drain.



"You mean no one has even bothered?" Harry had to ask. He might hate Snape but Harry knew when the spy gave them information, regardless of how small it appeared to be, it was worth investigating.



The expression on Snape\'s face was damned near priceless. The wizard looked positively shocked that someone other than Dumbledore or Moody had taken his words to heart.



"Harry it isn\'t that simple. Each of us has our own duties and missions to be carried out," Remus tried to explain.



"But we know that Voldemort has something planned for Samhain," Harry argued. "That should be our focus, not sitting here arguing over a Hogsmeade visit!"



"It has yet to be decided how to best protect the village." Remus barely seemed to believe his own excuses.



"So Kingsley, Moody and Tonks come up with a security plan. They\'re the Aurors. Let them assign duties for those best suited to fight. It doesn\'t take all of us to decide how to defend Hogsmeade."



"Harry, you just don\'t understand." Mrs. Weasley\'s condescending voice made Harry snort in disgust.



"I understand that Voldemort is going to attack Hogsmeade and I understand that something is going to happen on Samhain. I also understand that it doesn\'t take an entire Order to put together a defense strategy when there is an entire War to worry about." His voice was cold with a ill-concealed fury. "I understand that if we aren\'t prepared, something worse than the slaughter of an entire village is going to happen and we\'ll have sat back twiddling our wands arguing when we could actually be trying to stop Voldemort\'s plans!"



"It wouldn\'t take many of us to compile information about Samhain," Septima spoke up in support of his stance, placing a gentling hand on top of his. "A group of three or four working shouldn\'t take away from any missions already in place."



That group would be days behind Neville and Hermione. At least some of them were taking the threat seriously. There were some who still believed he should have no say at all and were continuing the argument. To those he wanted to ask how many Death Eaters they had fought. He wanted to demand how many times they had confronted Voldemort and survived to tell the tale.



"Perhaps you wouldn\'t mind heading that group, Septima," Dumbledore interrupted the disputes, though it seemed to Harry that he didn\'t want to agree at all. "You have access to Hogwarts\' library as a Professor."



"Of course," Septima agreed immediately, flicking a glance at Harry. Good, he would have one more person to help. "If Remus isn\'t too busy, I\'d appreciate his assistance."



"I\'m available as my missions to the other werewolf packs must be temporarily suspended. I\'ve recently discovered a new bargaining position that may sway more to our side."



"Is that so?" Dumbledore queried and Harry had to restrain the smile that wanted to spread across his face. It wasn\'t often the Headmaster wasn\'t in possession of information. "And what have you found Remus?"



"A sanctuary of sorts. Privately funded. Hopefully with provisions for Wolfsbane but at least a safe place they can go during the full moon. I also have it on good authority the funders are firm advocates of werewolf and other magical creatures\' rights with some influence in Wizengamot."



Bill gave a sidelong glance of surprise. "I thought Severus was the only reputable brewer of the Wolfsbane potion?"



"Severus is a renowned Potions Master but not the only one. He would be the ideal wizard to approach for brewing but given his standing at Hogwarts and his other activities it would be wrong to ask him to take on more responsibilities. Perhaps he could recommend a capable Master?"



A private commission of this magnitude almost guaranteed a profitable compensation and Harry could tell Snape wanted this opportunity for himself. Harry actually preferred the bastard since he had a reliable record in producing the complex potion. However with the war it would be foolish to place Snape in a position where his spying might be compromised. In fact, it might be best to find more than one Potion Master.



"So you\'re willing to help?" Septima asked, bringing them back to the subject at hand



"Yes and I\'d be in a position to help with security for Hogsmeade as well."



"Hermione is thinking of restarting the DA, perhaps you could help her with that?" Harry asked earning a sneer from Snape.



"Ah yes, Potter\'s little group of miscreants. Let\'s encourage them to disregard school rules."



"There are no rules against the formation of study groups. Not since Umbridge\'s stupid decrees were overturned."



"We aren\'t seriously thinking of training children for War!" Mrs. Weasley shouted.



"Whether we like it or not, Molly, the War will come to Hogwarts. Vo-Voldemort will see to that. I believe it is better to prepare now than regret later," Septima chided mildly.



"If it\'s permissible, I have no objections to helping the study group." Remus agreed.



"Of course, Remus, provisions can be made for you at Hogwarts, thought it may be best to limit those who are aware of your presence in the castle." Dumbledore suggested and though Remus agreed, Harry could see the wizard was hurt by the knowledge that so many would oppose him trying to help the students simply because of his curse.



"And who shall be your third Septima?"



"Perhaps I can help?" Fleur volunteered in a voice that was thick with her accent. "My duties are not so strict at Gringotts. I can floo to Hogwarts in the evenings. Also the Delacour family library is one of the most extensive in all of France. I can owl my parents for materials."



"I welcome the help," Septima smiled and inclined her head to Fleur in thanks.





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Harry walked into the Gryffindor common room clinging to the edges of a calm anyone would have been amazed he maintained for so long. He wasn\'t known for having a mild temper, he thought and even managed a small grin as he pictured the look on Hermione\'s face had he said such to her. He just hated feeling helpless and that\'s exactly how he felt whenever he returned from an Order meeting.



Perhaps that was Dumbledore\'s intentions all along, to get him utterly frustrated so that he wouldn\'t want to be apart of the Order until he was older. A case of being careful of what you wish for. He wanted to know what was going on with Voldemort and the War but knew he wasn\'t ready to join the others in fighting. Now he had exactly what he demanded and still wasn\'t satisfied.



After quickly changing into a pair of flannel sleep pants and a grey t-shirt, he risked opening the storage box that contained his family Grimoire since the others were still downstairs. The book was about as large as Hogwarts, A History but had been magically enhanced so it was in actuality more than three times its size with pages remaining for him and generations of other Potters to add to it. It was much like the Curious Half-Blood book, divided into sections with an index and contents page.



The Grimoire began with the history of the House of Potter and the family legacy, including an interactive family tree that was self-updating. He traced a finger along the lines, smiling when he touched his parents\' names. The Potters had married into many of the other pureblood families, he was startled to note he was distantly related to Sirius but Malfoy\'s connection was closer and that\'s why he was able to claim the title. There were several second generation witches in the family tree who married into the Potter family, Harry noted, but his mother was the first muggle-born in several centuries that had married into the Lord line.



The book had chapters on just about everything in magic with particular emphasis on the practice of the old ways. Some divisions were Charms & Spellcraft, Rituals, Runes & Artifacts, Protection & Warding, Healing and Potions. There was a very large section on the Divine that focused on blessings, meditation, divination and something called summoning that he had never heard of before. What surprised him was the section on Sexuality that was just as complex.



When he found the chapter on Elemental magic, he smiled and got comfortable, intent on figuring out how to determine which element he resonated with and if Septima was correct in her belief that it was air. He had gone no further than the first paragraph when Neville entered the room. There was a bounce in the wizard\'s step and he hummed lightly as he strode toward his bed.



"Hey Neville, you\'re in a good mood," Harry spoke in a casual teasing way, enjoying the large smile on his fellow Gryffindor\'s face.



"I had some good news tonight, that\'s all." Neville grabbed his toiletries and clothes and headed to the bathroom leaving Harry alone once again.



Initially, Harry wanted to go over the Order meeting and Samhain when he returned but Hermione and Ron were off somewhere alone and the last thing he wanted was to dampen Neville\'s happiness with thoughts of Voldemort and War. There would be time later to deal with the monster\'s plans; tonight he would concentrate on better things.



He took a moment to store his Grimoire and by the time he had settled Neville returned from the bathroom. "Mind if I ask what your good news was?"



"Not at all," Neville stored his things away and returned to stand in front of his bed. "Luna\'s father sent his agreement to discuss betrothal contracts at Yule."



"Betrothal?" To say he was surprised would have been a major understatement. "I knew you and Luna were dating but I had no idea the two of you were that serious. I mean aren\'t you a little young to be considering marriage?"



"I love her Harry," Neville answered with a simple honesty that Harry couldn\'t argue with. "I know we both have a few years of school left but I know she\'s the one I want to spend my life with."



He had never felt that way about anyone before, never known a love like that before. Sure he loved Hermione like a sister, and he loved Sirius so much that his death would always cause him pain. He cared about Ron and the other Weasleys, even Remus but he had never loved anyone before. Not the kind Neville spoke of. He could barely understand that kind of devotion. Though he and Blaise were together, and there was attraction and passion between them, Harry didn\'t know if that would lead to love.



"I\'m sorry if it sounded as if I doubted you," he said, hoping Neville hadn\'t taken offense.



"That\'s alright Harry. A lot of the people our age are going to have the same reaction. Marriage and bonding are big steps, especially for those of Ancient and Noble Houses. There are many issues to consider before joining two families."



"Sounds like something else I\'ll need to learn about eventually." Though he wasn\'t really in a hurry to marry now. Not with the War and Voldemort to contend with before he could even think about a future.



"As the Head of your House you have a great deal more latitude when you decide to marry and bond. Your Uncle might offer advice or suggestions but the decision will ultimately be yours."



"And you chose Luna. Congratulations, I\'m happy for you, Neville. Luna\'s a great person."



Neville accepted the accolade with a nod and a grin. He sat down on the edge of Harry\'s bed so that they were facing each other. "Thanks, Harry. I\'m glad she has a good friend in you. Too many people make fun of her. Except for many of the Slytherins actually, and that\'s strange in and of itself. Things got better for her with the other houses when they realized she was friends with you."



"I don\'t know if I had anything to do with it but Luna did tell me about some of the things going on. The girls in her dorm used to steal her things."



"That\'s stopped," Neville\'s face twisted briefly in anger before clearing again. "Right about the time the gossip started about the Department of Mysteries and who all was involved. Now they mostly just whisper about her behind her back."



"It\'s still hurtful," Harry felt a spark of anger of his own. He knew how painful it was to have everyone talking behind his back, especially after all the damaging articles in the Daily Prophet. Words weren\'t supposed to hurt but sometimes they could cause the worst anguish of them all.



"Yeah, but she knows who her friends are, so Luna\'s better now. Besides, it\'s never easy for seers when they\'re young and still training their abilities."



"I didn\'t know Luna was a seer." Though it did explain the otherworldly aura about her. "She\'s nothing like Trelawney."



"That fraud," Neville chuckled, "And I\'m so glad I didn\'t go for NEWT Divination."



"She\'s real enough, aside from her predictions of death and destruction in class." Harry told Neville how she had given at least two correct prophecies that he knew of. "I just don\'t know what\'s wrong with her \'all seeing eye\'."



"Maybe if she stopped with the incense," Neville quipped.



"Or the alcohol," Harry snorted in response. "But I guess that\'s a mystery right? Maybe her gift is erratic or maybe it\'s too overwhelming for her to deal with. Either way her reputation is shot. It\'s a shame it reflects so badly on her class."



"Luna hates her class and it\'s really hard to get Luna to feel so negatively against anyone. After Hogwarts, she\'s going to Greece to study with the oracles."



"Greece? I guess you two will get married before then right?"



"Our marriage and bonding ceremony will take place in the August after she finishes Hogwarts if all goes well. I\'ve been looking into apprenticeships there as well, so I can get my Mastery in Herbology."



"Do all marriages in the Wizarding world start with betrothal contracts?"



"Usually those of the Houses and the older more traditional pureblood families, yes. After the contract is finalized we\'ll have an engagement ceremony a few weeks after my seventeenth birthday. When Luna is legal of age we\'ll make wedding plans."



"It seems so strange to be discussing marriage. I mean we\'re still young. I know Mum and Dad married young but I thought that was because of the War but listening to you, I\'m starting to think differently."



"They may have married early for several reasons. At the time your father was the Head of his House, children may have been a deciding factor in marrying early. Gran said that\'s why my parents married right after finishing school. But Harry, marriage and bonding typically occur at a young age in the Wizarding world, especially for women."



"I guess I just wanted them to have married because they wanted to."



"I\'m sure they did, despite the things going on around them."



"Is that the reason you and Luna are getting married so soon?"



"I\'d be lying if I tried to deny it. Ideally, our engagement would last until I turn twenty-one and took my seat on the Wizengamot. Waiting isn\'t a possibility for me. Regardless, I love Luna and I know she is the woman I want to spend my life with. Both of us are ready to marry and bond."



Confused, Harry scrubbed a hand behind his neck before asking, "You keep saying marriage and bonding, aren\'t they the same thing?"



Neville grew quiet and a very pained expression crossed his face. "You know Harry, I\'m sure you have your reasons for not bringing charges against Dumbledore but that man should be held accountable for the disservice he\'s done you."



The quiet fury in Neville\'s voice was more powerful than had he violently lost his temper. "As much as I want Dumbledore held accountable, my personal issues can\'t be put ahead of the War. He\'s manipulative and he keeps secrets that he shouldn\'t but he\'s also the best chance the Wizarding world has against Voldemort. The only problem with that is I think Dumbledore has figured that out as well and he\'s allowed it to affect his decisions. Though he would immediately say his actions were all for the \'greater good.\'"



"It doesn\'t seem fair that there are no consequences for his actions."



"I think t\'s safe to say that most of my life hasn\'t been very fair." Harry lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "So, there is evidently a big difference between marriage and bonding. I think I would prefer to hear about that than discuss Dumbledore."



"Alright," Neville nodded, accepting his decision. "The biggest difference is that marriage is a legal contract. A betrothal contract announces your intentions to marry. It states the dowry given by the bride\'s family and the bride price offered by the groom. The finances of the groom are discussed along with the settlements to be made. There are usually clauses for children as well."



"I get that," Harry told him.



"Well, the marriage contract solidifies the arrangement and adds any other clauses necessary if they weren\'t discussed in the betrothal contract."



"That sounds very impersonal."



"And it\'s meant to be," Neville agreed. "Marriage in the Wizarding world can be dissolved. They\'re known to occur in families seeking to increase their wealth or between same sex couples who need to produce children."



That definitely caught his attention. He knew things between him and Blaise couldn\'t remain a secret forever and he was curious at what the reaction of the Wizarding world would be when it was discovered the Boy-Who-Lived was possibly bisexual. "So gay couples are acknowledged?"



"Sure," Neville said in such a way that Harry felt a small pressure lift from his chest. He had stopped caring what they thought of him but he hasn\'t been looking forward to the first reactions. "There are those who are totally prejudiced against homosexual couples but I think that\'s more personal ignorance."



"There are muggles who think gay and lesbian couples are amoral. Freakish," he finished in a murmur, remembering the disparaging remarks his relatives made about anyone who didn\'t live up to their standard of normal.



"There are idiots everywhere then," Neville sneered. "The Wizarding World mostly concerns itself with producing children, not who\'s having sexual relations with whom. That\'s why there is a difference between marriage and bonding. Those who follow the old ways know how truly different the two are."



"I guess that means bonding can\'t be dissolved the way marriage can."



"A bonding is never broken Harry. It is a five part binding ritual involving the heart, mind, body, soul and magic. Some couples never bond, that kind of commitment too intimidating. Others will marry first and then bond later as a condition of their contract, usually to be certain there will be at least one child."



"So technically a same sex couple could bond and marry?"



"Yes, if children aren\'t an issue. If so the couple usually bonds and the line that needs an heir will marry to produce children."



"A marriage of convenience."



Neville was silent for several minutes before he looked up again. Harry saw the question in his eyes before he dared speak the words. "Harry, um, I, well, are you."



It made Harry chuckle really, because this reminded him so much of the eleven year old Neville he knew and not this more mature version who had changed so much over the years. "Am I gay?" To which Neville quickly shook his head. "I don\'t know for certain. Am I attracted to men, yes, I discovered that recently but then I can safely say I\'m attracted to women as well. For the moment I\'m just going to say that my preferences lean toward the individual rather than their sex."



"Are you dating Blaise Zabini?"



Harry didn\'t have a chance to conceal his surprise, "Why do you ask?"



"I thought so," Neville nodded, changing once again back to the man who Harry considered a good friend. "I saw him outside of the Room of Requirement the night of Hermione\'s birthday party. He was talking to Luna. At the time, I wondered if he was there to see you, especially after you told us you rode the train back to Hogwarts together."



He ran a nervous hand through the front of his hair. No matter how he claimed he didn\'t care what others thought, he found he didn\'t want Neville to disapprove. He wondered how he would deal with Ron and Hermione learning the truth. "Does it matter?"



"No," Neville frowned as if he didn\'t understand, then his mouth opened in realization. "Oh, you mean, no Harry, I don\'t care if you\'re gay or not. And if you trust Zabini, then I\'m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He hasn\'t been apart of the usual Slytherin/Gryffindor rivalries and I heard he has very little tolerance of Malfoy."



Harry remembered Blaise telling him how he had punched out Malfoy and couldn\'t resist a smirk of pleasure. "We haven\'t been together long, just started really."



"You should probably speak to Ginny soon then." When Harry asked what he meant by that Neville explained, "Luna told me that since she\'s broken up with Dean, she has been focused on getting together with you. I\'m surprised no one has said anything to you yet."



"Hermione mentioned it briefly the other night. I\'ve never given her any indication that I thought of her as more than a friend." He sighed, heavily, "I know she had a crush on me when we were younger but that should have ended by now, right? She\'s dated at least three other guys and I barely know her and I\'m definitely not attracted to her. I mean she\'s pretty but then so is Hermione and I\'m not looking to snog her."



"And you haven\'t been in a relationship aside from Cho. She has most of the girls convinced that the two of you are going to get married and live happily ever after."



"Not really interested in doing the sequel to James and Lily Potter, thank you very much," Harry muttered, more than a touch angry. "And she\'s pushy and more than a tad domineering like Mrs. Weasley. I\'m not looking for someone who will try to direct my every thought and action and can\'t respect my privacy."



"Then I think it would be in everyone\'s best interest if you made that clear to Ginny." Neville said with sympathy.



"This is just one more thing to come between Ron and I, isn\'t it?"



A new lash of grief ached in his chest, as one more thing seemed to be contributing to the destruction of their friendship. What infuriated him was that Ron was such a prat about things he had no control over. He didn\'t ask to be born into the wealthy Potter family. He didn\'t ask for Voldemort to murder his parents leaving him a famed orphan in the Wizarding world. He didn\'t want the attention and the press. And he certainly couldn\'t control Ginny\'s feelings and couldn\'t be responsible for being unable to return them.



"I don\'t know what to do anymore, Neville. And sometimes, I wonder why I\'m holding on while he can\'t be bothered."



"If he\'s your friend, then this won\'t matter. If not, isn\'t it better to learn that now rather than when it truly matters?"