Zingaro
Chapter 35
I own nothing from the Harry Potter universe. It all belongs to JK Rowling.
Zingaro
Chapter 35
On Friday evening, eleven students were told to meet with Professor Vance at 7:30 sharp. They were to wait inside the defence classroom and tell no one where they were going.
At 7:10, Paula, Severus and Albus were in Paula’s office.
“Here is the list of candidates you asked me to draw up for you Paula.” Albus held out the piece of parchment.
Gryffindor:
Graeham Bradlock 5th yr
Ronald Weasley 6th yr
Ginerva Weasley 5th yr
Hufflepuff:
Edward Blake 7th yr
Georgina Hales 7th yr
Melissa Mendez 6th yr
Slytherin:
Coryn Parkins 7th yr
Blaise Zabini 6th yr
Ravenclaw:
Emily Hawarth 7th yr
Daniel Rivent 7th yr
Steven Rivent 7th yr
“Severus, I assume you would like to see it.” Paula passed the list to Severus.
“I notice there are only two from my own house, whereas the other houses have three. How so?”
“Because Draco Malfoy has issues he must deal with, otherwise he would have been joining us.” Paula told him. “Severus, you will need to take an oath not to reveal anything you hear tonight. I thought you might prefer to do so privately, before the students arrive.”
Severus was peeved, he still did not see why he needed to take an oath when both she and the headmaster already knew he was completely trustworthy. He wanted to know what was going on however and took the oath anyway.
When the curious, and somewhat nervous looking students arrived, the first thing Paula did was to ask them each to take the same oath Severus had just taken.
Since the Headmaster was in attendance, they readily agreed, knowing that if he was there, they had nothing to fear, even from their Potions Master.
“Each one of you has been invited here tonight because of certain abilities you have shown during the course of the last few months. All of you have noticed, and commented on the fact that I have not seen fit to include you as much as the rest of your peers when it came to duelling. That is because I wished you to continue doing something that you all do extremely well. Watching, assimilating, the other students and myself. Each one of you has absorbed the strengths and weaknesses of your classmates, studied their moves and rightly assessed their preferred mode of attack and defence.
Because of this, I … we have decided that you all will be trained to a higher standard that that of your peers, that standard will include learning a good deal of dark arts magic. How to apply it, defend against it, protect others against it. There will be no house conflicts between any of you, nor will you be in competition against one another. If any of you do not wish to pursue this extra training regime, you are at liberty to refuse right now and leave. No one will think any the less of you and you will be unable to speak of it with anyone in the future. You will not however, be allowed to change your minds at a later date. Whatever decision you make this evening will be binding by another oath. The training will be rigorous and most times painful. These sessions will take up most of your weekends and that will interfere with Hogsmead trips. They will take place on Saturday and Sunday mornings so it will not prevent you from playing quiddich, but if training clashes with quiddich practice, training will come first. There is juice and biscuits provided over there,” Paula indicated a small table to the side of the room. “Go chat amongst yourselves and come to a decision.”
Severus turned his back on the students, glaring at Paula and the Headmaster. He spoke in a low hiss. “Perhaps you might want to explain why I was not informed of this sooner? If I am to be party to this … this … whatever it is, I think I at least had a right to be informed in advance.”
“Because I only got the go ahead the other day, that was the letter I got from the ministry. Then kak had to talk with the centaurs and appease them so we can use the forest to train in, otherwise we could not have gone ahead. It is only today that they have given their answer.” Paula told him in a low voice so the students would not hear. “No one was trying to keep anything from you Severus, but until everything was agreed, there was nothing to tell.”
“You said Malfoy has issues, what kind of issues?”
“I think you and kak already know the answer to that one Severus, probably in more detail than I do. I cannot change what may happen, but I will not assist in it either. In class he is quick, confident and eager to learn, but he is out of his depth through no fault of his own and I will not give him more stress or the ability do himself harm than he already has.”
Severus narrowed his eyes, flicking his gaze to the Headmaster who gave him the briefest of nods. Both wizards knew she was referring to a task Draco was set by the Dark Lord, though how much she knew they weren’t sure.
“And the students here now, what is the purpose of training them in the dark arts?”
“These students Severus will be the ones on the front line so to speak. They will develop the skills to fight the Death Eaters with as much venom as is thrown their way, maybe more. They will be the ones who will protect those less able and more vulnerable. They will be fast, lethal, and above all, loyal to each other and everyone in this school.”
The students began returning from the refreshment table, the Slytherins and Griffindors still keeping a good distance from each other.
Paula stood and watched them approach. Stepping forward she moved each student into line, mixing the houses, placing Gryffindor with Slytherin with Hufflepuff etc.
“I have already told you, there will be no house rivalry, no segregation. If you are willing to learn, you lean as a team. Who is in and who is out? Be sure of your answer before you give it.”
“We’re all in Professor.” Several voices piped up at once.
Ron Weasley spoke up. “There’s just one problem, if we can’t talk about this, what excuse do we give our friends? They’re bound to notice us missing.”
That problem is already dealt with, thanks to your twin brothers and something they call ‘Forget-me-gone-fondants’. Eat one before you re-join your friends and they will forget that you have been missing for up to a day. The Headmaster has a good supply.”
Paula stepped forward and looked each individual student in the eyes for a minute at a time.
To the students it was slightly unnerving but they held her gaze even as her eyes changed colour several times.
When she stepped back, each was handed a piece of parchment by the Headmaster and each read them out loud, invoking an oath to learn to the best of their ability, to never use what they learn to intentionally hurt an innocent, and to protect those same innocents from the forces of darkness. They were never to discuss anything outside of their training session, not even with each other, and under no circumstances were they to try and use any of there newfound skills without Paula‘s, Professor Snape’s, or the Headmasters permission unless under threat of life.
“I want you all to stand in front of me one at a time. I will press something against your skin, it will burn for a moment and you will be left with a small mark. They can be dissolutioned if you wish and when the final battle is over, they will disappear completely of their own accord. Open your collars and give me access to you left shoulders. However, the oath you have taken this night will remain with you for the duration of your lives.”
TBC