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Ripples

Ins Wasser fällt ein Stein

Ganz Heimlich, still und leise,

und ist er noch so klein,

er zieht doch weite Kreise.

(“Ins Wasser fällt ein Stein“, German text by Manfred Siebald, original song “Pass it on“)

Into the water drops a stone,

All unnoticeably, silently and quietly,

And however small it may be,

It still has wide impacts (literary “draws wide/large circles”).  

The students were all gathered in the Great Hall, one of the last few usable rooms of Hogwarts after the chaos of the previous day. They’d all had to sleep there as well and now, after breakfast, were curious to hear how and where the lessons were supposed to take place.

No one was quite certain how it had come to this, though many suspected that the Marauders were involved somehow, especially the ones who had seen them cast a spell at Snape in the jostle while everyone was leaving after breakfast the day before, though Snape, even more twitchy and erratic since a prank that had resulted in a prolonged stay in the hospital wing no one was talking about, had managed to evade it. Instead the spell had hid Andrew Maddox, a Ravenclaw sixth-year. He had not seen who cast it, however, so he suspected Terry Shaw, a fellow Ravenclaw he had been fighting with recently, and swore to himself that he would get back at him.

Scott Palmer, a fourth-year Ravenclaw, had unfortunately chosen that same day to try and humiliate his fellow fourth-year student Regulus Black in Potions by sabotaging his potion. He’d waited until the potion was almost finished and Regulus had turned away to get the vials they were supposed to fill with their potions to throw in a handful of Boom Berries. The berries that landed in the potion resulted in thick, stinking smoke being emitted from the cauldron. Unfortunately Palmer’s aim was not the best and some berries had landed in the fire beneath Regulus’ and Reynold’s cauldrons where the berries did what they been named for: they exploded. To make matters worse, the explosion caused the two cauldrons to capsize and the two potions landed in the store-cupboard where they set off a chain-reaction that resulted in the dungeons having to be evacuated.

Since his lessons were suspended for the rest of the day, Slughorn had decided to move his more valuable or unstable ingredients and potions out of the dungeons to an unused classroom, though he had needed a Bubble Head Charm to deal with the stench still in the dungeon. He was just getting off the staircase and passing the classroom where the sixth year Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students were having their Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson when an explosion rocked the floor. Maddox had chosen this lesson to get back at Shaw. The spell he had chosen had spooked the creature their DADA teacher had brought in for the day and it had blasted a hole in the wall to escape. The resulting shockwave had made Slughorn loose his balance and he had dropped the boxes he’d been carrying down the stairs. Students in the surrounding classrooms had fled their rooms in a panic. In the resulting hustle and bustle, spells were soon flying all around.

No one could really explain how but the mixture of potion ingredients, potions and spells had interacted with the magical staircase. Some parts had turned invisible, others had shrunken and others had plain vanished. So since the staircase was pretty much unusable, making the upper floors, including the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw towers unreachable, the dungeon filled with an unbearable stench and the outside wall of the first floor damaged and unstable, all lessons had been cancelled for the rest of the day and the students had been moved to the Great Hall. The house elves had brought bedding down so they would all be able to sleep there but that was hardly a long term solution, so the students were curious to know what the teachers had planned.

Finally Dumbledore stood up. He did not have to wait long for everyone to quiet down. “My colleagues and I have studied the effects on the staircase but I’m afraid we have not found a way yet to restore it. The repairs to the wall and the damaged wards will also take some more time.” He looked to the Ravenclaw table and the Gryffindor table. “Please do not worry, the house elves will bring your trunks and belongings to you.” The Slytherin and Hufflepuff students were unhappy but not surprised that he made no mention of their rooms in the dungeon which were still filled with the stench from the potion lesson. “So I’m afraid we will not be able to continue with the lessons any time soon.”

He was interrupted when almost all students started cheering at the prospect of days, perhaps even weeks or longer with no school.

Though not all students were happy about it. Sirius Black was frowning. While he loved the idea of missing school, he did not want to have to return home to his family. Being at Hogwarts was a relief, a time of safety, away from his parents’, especially his mother’s abuse.

“I’m sure you can stay with us again,” James Potter said quietly, taking care the other students weren’t able to overhear it. He knew some of what Sirius suffered at home and had finally convinced him to spend the holidays with him and his family. He was sure they would let him stay now as well.

At the Slytherin table, Severus Snape was likewise threating an early return home where he would have to face his father. He wondered how he would be able to get around it. Perhaps he could take up Avery or Mulciber on their offer to stay with them, no matter how uncomfortable some of their talk of pureblood supremacy made him?

Dumbledore waited again for the students to settle down somewhat, then continued: “In order to keep the missed lessons to a minimum, I have discussed matters with headmasters and headmistresses of other wizarding schools. A number of them have offered to take in a small group of students each for the rest of the semester at least, potentially even until summer.”

Another rush of eager whispers, students eagerly exchanged what knowledge of other wizarding schools they possessed.

“Your heads of houses will go around and let you know where you will be going,” Dumbledore said. “You will have until lunch to prepare your trunks. After lunch, you will depart. Your heads of house will explain how and when exactly.”

James Potter was very happy when Professor McGonagall read out that he would be going to Germany, to Burg Schreckenstein and Schloss Rosenfels, with both Sirius and Lily Evans. Remus, however, was going to Duncraig Castle, a smaller school also in Scotland, and Peter to Beauxbatons.

Remus exchanged worried looks with his friends. They had only recently found out just how much of a relief it was for him to spend the nights of the full moon with his friends in their animagus forms and now he would have to spend months without his friends, without their assistance, without other students knowing about his condition yet still accepting him.

“Perhaps you can switch with someone?” Sirius suggested.

“I understand that you might prefer to stay with your friends, Mister Lupin,” Professor McGonagall said quietly, having overheard his words, “but I’m afraid Duncraig Castle is the only school with the resources and knowledge to deal with your... particular health concerns.” She turned to Potter and Black. “And no, you cannot switch with other students to go to Duncraig Castle as well instead.”

Remus briefly closed his eyes, swallowing hard. “I understand, Professor.”

Severus looked over to the Gryffindor table, wondering where Lily was going. He allowed the other students heading outside to push him along, hoping to get close enough to ask her or at least overhear her talking to Alice Bowen or one of her other friends. He had not heard about Burg Schreckenstein before. He wondered what it was like. Better than at Hogwarts, he hoped.

“Well, it’s not Durmstrang,” he overheard Kaelyn Marsh, a sixth year Slytherin say, “but at least I’ll be going to Germany, not France and Beauxbatons.”

“You have better luck than me then,” Arya Higgins said. “That’s where I have to go. At least you get to go to Grindelwald’s home country.”

“I can’t wait to get there,” he heard Black say eagerly, now that he was closer to the Gryffindors. “I heard my uncle complain how undisciplined they are and that they have a reputation for regular pranks at Schreckenstein.”

Well, so much for things being better at Burg Schreckenstein. Perhaps going back home would not be that bad after all?

~*~

Florian was nervously drumming his fingers on his desk, waiting impatiently for the lesson to finish. It was not that he was not interested in the subject, he normally quite enjoyed Runes. It was simply that his dreams of the previous night would not leave his mind. Repeatedly he’d seen crossroads in front of him, different in appearance and yet still repeatedly the same symbol, accompanied by a feeling of urgency, of danger.

He had already prepared a short letter to his aunt Thekla, a renown seer. Hopefully she’d be able to offer some advice.

 ~*~

The students going to schools in continental Europe were the first to be picked up, as they would be travelling by train to Belgium, where they would then be picked up by representatives of Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, Koldovstoretz, Burg Schreckenstein and Schloss Rosenfels. Students going to Illvermorny, Uagadou and Mahoutokoro would be using international portkeys. The students assigned to go to Duncraig Castle, of course, would be able to simply travel by carriage, since the school was also in Scotland.

At the train station in Hogsmead, the Hogwarts Express was waiting already, though it was considerably shorter than at the beginning and end of each school year, since less students were taking it. Professor McGonagall and Professor Hayes, the professor for Muggle studies, were waiting on the platform.

“We will be accompanying you until we reach Antwerp and you have all been picked up by the representatives of the schools that have taken you in,” McGonagall explained. “I expect you all to be on your best behaviour and to serve as representatives of Hogwarts.” She ignored how everyone was side eyeing the three Marauders on the platform at her words.

“Now, take your trunks and board the train,” Hayes said. “We have to leave soon.”

“But Professor, how are we to travel to the continent by train?” Lily Evans asked. “Won’t we have to change to a ship?”

McGonagall smiled at her student. “Do not worry, Ms. Evans, there will be no need to get off the train until we reach Antwerp. You will soon see why. Please, get on the train now.”

Regulus frowned when he noticed both his brother Sirius and Scott Palmer on the platform. He really hoped that they would not be both coming to Germany as well. Having to deal with one of them and the “pranks” they liked to play on him was more than enough, he had been hoping for a reprieve from either or both. He stayed back a moment to see which compartments they would choose, then boarded the train as well.

He glanced inside each compartment, trying to find one which promised a peaceful journey. He stopped when he found a compartment where only his cousin Narcissa, the youngest daughter of his uncle Cygnus, a seventh year Slytherin, and Malachi Walsh, a sixth year Slytherin. He greeted them politely, then took one of the free seats and pulled out a book. Palmer at least would not risk disturbing two older students and hopefully Sirius and his friends would be distracted.

Severus was also walking down the corridor of the train, looking for a free place. He hesitated briefly in front of a compartment when he saw Lily sitting inside, talking with her friend Alice Bowen, Alice’s boyfriend, Frank Longbottom, and Amelia Bones. Alice was usually tolerant enough of his friendship with Lily, for a Gryffindor, but he was not so sure of Longbottom. From past experience, he also knew that sooner or later Potter would show up to ask Lily out again and to demand that he stop talking to her. Since things were also still tense between him and Lily after their last fight about how much time he was spending with Avery and Mulciber, he finally decided to keep looking.

Lily looked to the door when he walked away. She had been waiting for Severus to join them but also threading it a bit. It was getting tiring, always having to defend their friendship. Still, she would have liked the opportunity to ask him how he was doing and where he would be spending the next months.

“Lily?” Alice asked when she’d been quiet too long. “Is something the matter?”

“It’s nothing,” Lily assured her, “Just wondering what these other schools are like.”

Alice nodded. “Well, I have heard of Beauxbatons, of course, though I don’t know anyone currently going there. So I’m just glad that Frank is coming with me.” She squeezed her boyfriend’s hand. “What about you, Amelia?”

“Most wixen families do send their children to Hogwarts. I had barely heard of Duncraig Castle. It’s very rare for a British wix to go to a school on the continent. I think I’ve heard someone mention that Jude Mason’s cousin went to Beauxbatons but that was years ago. I’m curious to see what it will be like.”

Frank looked out of the window. “This does not look like the usual way to London,” he said.

The girls joined him at the window. “It’s not,” Amelia agreed.

“I wonder where we’re going now,” Lily said.

“Let’s ask, shall we?” Alice said when she noticed Hayes passing by the compartment. She opened the door. “Professor? We just noticed that we’re no longer of the usual way we travel. Can you tell us where we are?”

“We’re currently travelling through Suffolk,” Hayes said. She smiled. “I suggest you stay near the windows, you won’t want to miss the sight.”

They exchanged confused looks but went back inside to the window.

The train continued on. In the distance, they could already see the sea, no town or train station far and wide. Suddenly the ground seemed to drop away in front of the train and they were passing through a tunnel. They’d barely had a moment to register the sudden darkness, then they were back in the light – just that they were now under water. They stared, mouth open, as fishes were swimming around the train.

Amelia glanced over her shoulder when she noticed a commotion outside in the hallway. Some of the others were pushing each other in front of the window where a shark was lazily swimming alongside the train. She joined them, eager for a closer look.

“But how does that work?” Morgan Thompson, a Ravenclaw in her fifth year, was asking. “How can the train run under water?”

“It’s a charm not too different from the Bubblehead charm,” Hayes explained. “Muggles cannot see the tracks leading into the sea, of course. There are also special wards at the seaboard on each side that transport the steam outside while the train is passing underneath the sea.”

“So it’s basically a tunnel under water?” Danielle Lewis, another Ravenclaw, asked. “Like the one they were planning between England and France?”

Hayes stared at her for a moment, obviously not knowing what she was talking about. “Uh, yes. Probably.”

“I wonder if this tunnel is where they got the idea,” Danielle mumbled, ignoring her teacher.

The three Marauders were far less interested in what was happening outside the train. Instead Sirius and James were making plans for their time at the new school, especially since they had found out that Regulus and Snivellus would be going as well. Peter on the other hand was getting more and more restless the closer they got to Antwerp. “I could come along with you,” he finally blurted out. “To Germany. As a rat, I mean.”

Sirius barked out a laugh. “Well, it’s not like it would make a difference for your grades. But I doubt you’d manage to stay as a rat for so long.”

James was less amused. “If you are so eager to spend months on end as a rat, you could have stayed with Moony instead of leaving him alone in Scotland.”

Peter shrunk back. “I didn’t think of it then,” he protested quietly.

“Come on, Prongs,” Sirius said, “you know Wormtail isn’t the best when coming up with plans. It’s surprising enough that he thought of it at all, he just forgot the little fact that everyone saw him board the train.” He shook his head. “Seriously, Peter, how were you going to explain how you vanish from a running train?”

Peter shrugged, avoiding their gazes, instead looking around for a distraction. “Hey, it seems we’ve reached the continent. Then we’ll soon be in Antwerp.”

Just then McGonagall walked down the corridor. “We are about to reach Antwerp. Get your trunks ready, shrink them and put them in your pocket. We will be meeting the representatives in the Muggle part of the train station.”

The boys quickly scrambled to get everything stowed away, Sirius and James making sure not to accidentally take Peter’s things or for some of their stuff to end up in Peter’s trunk since they would have not chance to exchange it for who knows how long.

Before they knew it, the train was pulling into the station. Contrary to King’s Cross, the station here did not have a magical platform. Instead the train stopped on a regular platform. Professor McGonagall got off first, then led them all outside where three busses were waiting.

A man stepped forward from one of the busses. He had short blonde hair and a harsh face. A thick coat was carelessly thrown over his arm. “Right, I’m Ravel Lundberg from Durmstrang Institute. Please hurry and get on the bus, those of you who will be going to my honourable institute. Our ship is waiting in the harbour. Those going to Koldovstoretz are coming along, we’ll be dropping them off.”

A woman standing near one of the other busses gave him a dirty look. She looked to be around McGonagall’s age, though she wore her brown hair open. “Bonjour, I’m Amandine Couturier. I ‘ope you ‘ad a pleasant journey?” She shook hands with McGonagall and Hayes, then waited a moment for the students to mumble something passing for an answer. “I am a teacher at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.” She pointed to one of the busses. “This will take us there in time for dinner.”

“And I’m Sonja Waldmann, teacher at Schloss Rosenfels,” another woman said. She was quite a bit younger than the other teachers, only in her thirties. Her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, with some strands having come free and framing her face. She also shaking McGonagall’s and Hayes’ hands, then turned back to the students. “As you can surely guess, the last bus will take you to Germany.”

“Very well then,” McGonagall said. “You all know where you are going. We will let you know when lessons at Hogwarts can be resumed. Until then, I expect you all to be on your best behaviour,” she reminded them.

“Yes, Professor,” they replied dutifully.

“Then I will be seeing you in a few month, I expect.” With that, McGonagall nodded at them again, then turned back towards the station with her colleague.

Severus stayed back while the others got on the bus, taking a moment to see who would be coming along to Germany. Potter and Black, he’d unfortunately known about already. Lily as well. Hopefully they would have time to talk again there, with less Gryffindors around to interrupt. Two other Gryffindors, Fabian and Gideon Prewett, both a year younger than him, were also coming. They were pranksters as well, though not as vicious as the Marauders and not ones he had had much contact with before. Fortunately there were also four other Slytherins coming to Germany, Regulus Black, a fourth year, Narcissa Black, a seventh year, Malachi Walsh, a sixth year, and Kaelyn Marsh, another fifth year. Kassandra Moran, one of the two Ravenclaws, and Amelia Bones, a Hufflepuff, he knew somewhat from the classes they shared. The other Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were two older girls. He had no idea who they were, since he rarely spent time with the other years.

When he boarded the bus, he was surprised to see another young, dark-haired man a few years older than himself already sitting in the first row. After the doors had closed and the bus put into motion, he stood up to face them. “Hello, I’m Ottokar Schimmerding, the school captain of Burg Schreckenstein. I’m here to tell you a few things about Schreckenstein and to take the boys there after we have dropped off the girls.”

“Right. That’s one of the first things. Burg Schreckenstein and Schloss Rosenfels are originally two separate schools, one only for boys, the other only for girls,” Professor Waldmann said. “While some of the classes and activities have recently been combined, with the aim of combining the two at some point in the future, for now they remain separate for the most part.”

The Hogwarts students exchanged uneasy looks, not certain what to think about this.

“Schloss Rosenfels is the older of the two schools, at least in their present form. It has been a traditional all-girls boarding school for centuries,” Sonja continued.

“Burg Schreckenstein on the other hand was only recently established. I’m one of the first students and will be in the first class to finish school there next summer,” Ottokar said. “In central Europe, there are few magical boarding schools but a number of smaller local schools where the students go home every afternoon. Schreckenstein was originally such a school but had to move to the castle due to lack of space. It became a boarding school because the journey home would have been too far to make every day. There are some rules you will be expected to follow but we can get to them later.”

“From what I understood from your headmaster, there are some lessons we offer which you do not have at Hogwarts, so you might not have all lessons with your year mates but some with younger years,” Waldmann said. “You will each get your timetable at breakfast tomorrow.”

“If you are struggling with a subject or finding it too easy, the teachers have offered to tutor you or let you test for advancing a year in that subject,” Ottokar added.

As the bus, much like the Knight’s Bus in Britain, was a magically travelling bus, they had soon reached the south of Germany.

“The lake you see in front of you is the Kappellsee,” Sonja said. “We’re passing through Wampoldsreute, a mixed Muggle and wixen town. You will be allowed to visit it on the week-end after you have been given some information on how to fit in.”

The bus continued on along the lake until it came to a stop in front of a white renaissance style castle.

“So, this is Schloss Rosenfels,” Waldmann said. “Come on, girls, let me show you to your rooms and introduce you to Dr. Horn, the headmistress.” She let them off the bus.

“And our best wishes to her,” Ottokar said. He waited for the girls to enter the castle, then nodded to the driver. “We can continue on the Schreckenstein now.”

“Or we could go to that town. Wampus-something,” Sirius said.

“Wampoldsreute,” Ottokar corrected. “And why would we do that?”

“There’s no teacher here, so why not? We can have some fun before we’re missed.”

“And would that be such a feat?” Ottokar replied. “What would that achieve? Apart from proving yourself unreliable and your word untrustworthy.” He shook his head when they all stared at him, speechless. “We are going to the castle.”

 ~*~

Sonja gathered the girls around her. “We will first go to the office of Doctor Horn, the headmistress, so she can introduce herself. You can leave your trunks here, they will be taken to the rooms you have been assigned. I will take you there after the meeting, so you can get to know your roommates and freshen up a bit before dinner.”

She led them into the castle and up the stairs to the second floor. “On the second floor in this wing, you can find the headmistress’ office and the teachers’ lounge. If you need to talk to a teacher during the day of the early hours of the evening, your best chance is to try here. The other rooms here are mostly empty but can be used for meetings with individual students or parents or for private lessons with a teacher.”

She stopped in front of teacher with the sign Dr Adele Horn. She hesitated for a moment, then said quietly: “The headmistress is strict but not unreasonable. Be polite and respectful, to make a good first impression.” Then she knocked without waiting for them to reply.

“Come in,” Doctor Horn called. She was an older witch, quite a bit older than Professor McGonagall. She had a narrow face and her grey hair was pulled back in a tight bun. She regarded them all, one after the other. “Welcome to Rosenfels,” she finally said. “I understand from what my colleague has told me that you are here due to the consequences of a number of pranks.” The dislike in her voice at the last work was clearly audible. “Such foolishness will not be tolerated here.” She paused to let her words sink in. “While your stay with us will only be temporary, I expect you to do your best to fit in with the other students here and to do your best in all subjects, not just the ones you have at Hogwarts.”

“Yes, Professor,” they agreed dutifully.

“Very well. Professor Waldmann will take you to your rooms now. Tomorrow you will begin your lessons here.” She nodded to Sonja, signalling her that the meeting was over.

Sonja led them back down one floor, then over to another wing of the castle. “This floor and the floor above are where the rooms of the students are. Those of us teachers who live here have our rooms at both ends of the two corridors. You will each room with three students from Rosenfels.”

She walked down the corridor, knocking at different rooms at introducing each of them to their new roommates.

Lily looked at the three other girls she would be sharing a room with for an indefinite period of time. Her experiences at Hogwarts had made her cautious when meeting new wix. “Hello.”

One of the girls who seemed to be around her age, gave her a friendly smile. “Hello. I’m Bettina. That’s Ines,” a younger girl with long, silvery blond hair waved, “and Sabina.” The third girl, dark hair carefully styled and obviously expensive clothes, nodded in greeting.

“I’m Lily.”

“Nice to meet you, Lily.” Bettina shook her hand. “So what year are you in?”

“Ah, I’m in fifth year,” she replied.

“So are Sabina and I,” Bettina said. “Ines is a fourth year.”

Lily was a bit surprised. She would have guessed Ines to be more than just one year younger than her. “So I guess we will have lessons together from tomorrow. Or are you in different classes per year?”

“No, there aren’t that many students. I don’t think there’s a year with more than 30 students here, so we have most lessons together. It’s just the foreign languages which are taught in smaller classes,” Bettina explained.

“Those are also some of the few subjects we have together with the Ritter,” Sabina added.

“It’s what the boys over at Schreckenstein call themselves,” Ines explained, seeing Lily’s confusion.

Lily said down on the free bed. “Can you tell me some more about Rosenfels and Schreckenstein?”

~*~

“When we arrive at the castle, I’ll take you up to your rooms,” Ottokar explained to the male Hogwarts students. “It’s currently the study hour, so everyone will be in their rooms doing homework or studying. We keep strict silence during that time, so I’d ask you to respect that. Since you don’t have any homework to complete at the moment and haven’t received your timetables yet, you cannot prepare for the lessons tomorrow. So you are free to do what you want until dinner but please be quiet so that you are not disturbing anyone.”

“Will we be rooming with Schreckenstein students?” Regulus asked.

“Yes. You will each room with three Ritter,” Ottokar replied. “Schreckenstein students,” he clarified when he noticed their confusing at his calling them Ritter. He nodded to the Prewett twins. “We were informed of the special circumstances in your case, so you will be able to room together with two Ritter.” Even among Muggles there were cases of twins who seemed to share a mind. For some wixen twins, this was literally the case. While they had rarely problems being apart while awake, there were many cases of twins using accidental or rather unconscious magic in their sleep to bring themselves to their other half. To save everyone the headache, it had been decided that they should simply be assigned the same room.

Sirius and James frowned, not liking the thought of not sharing a room anymore. “Can we switch with some of you to room together instead?” James asked.

“You can ask, of course, but you should remember that you are guests at our school and that we don’t know how long or how short your stay with us will be. Asking people to give up their room and move their belongings because you would rather room with your friend might not give the best first impression. If the room assignment is not a good fit, we will of course try to find a solution but you should at least give it a try.”

“How are the rooms assigned?” Palmer asked. “Will where we’re sorted affect it?”

“What do you mean by ‘sorted’?” Ottokar asked in reply.

“Well, at Hogwarts, we are sorted by the Sorting Hat into the four houses on our first day at school. The houses all have separate common rooms and dormitories,” Walsh explained.

“We do not have something like that at Schreckenstein or Rosenfels. There is just one school community,” Ottokar said.

“But then how do you figure out if someone is the right sort?” Palmer asked. He gave Regulus a dirty look. “You know, make sure they’re not dark.”

Ottokar just stared at him, not understanding the question. “The usual way? By getting to know them?” Inwardly, he shook his head. How else were you supposed to tell?

~*~

While eating dinner later that evening, the seven female Hogwarts students kept looking up and down the room, trying to figure out the seating order, trying and failing to understand the underlying group structure. Finally Evelyn Fraser, a sixth year Hufflepuff, turned to some of the Rosenfels students sitting around her. “How are the places assigned for the meals?”

“Seats aren’t really assigned. We’re supposed to keep the years a bit mixed up, so the older students can serve as an example and we can correct the younger student where necessary without involving the teachers,” Ingrid, one of the oldest girls, answered.

“So students aren’t assigned into groups?” Kassandra Moran asked, having overheard them.

“Apart from year group?” Ingrid replied. “No, nothing.”

“Of course teachers might split up students if they are disruptive because they keep fighting or talking when they should be paying attention,” Amanda added, “but generally not.”

“But then how do you figure out who to cultivate a relationship with? How can you tell if you have similar opinions?” Narcissa Black asked.

“You can tell who you get along with as you get to know them,” Ingrid said matter-of-factly.

“Or who you don’t get along with anymore, as you and circumstances change,” Renate said. She glanced towards Beatrix and Anke, sitting apart and ignoring each other. The way they had gone from friends to rivals (boy trouble, ugh!) and now the carefully displayed neutrality showed quite clearly how much and how quickly relationships could change.

“We are not revisiting that!” Sophie stated firmly.

“I should hope not,” Ingrid muttered. Getting Beatrix to snap out of the way she had acted when Stephan, one of the boys from Schreckenstein, started showing interest in Anke suddenly when everyone had more or less considered him and Beatrix an item, and then preventing a repeat when he had reconciled with Beatrix and officially started dating her had been enough the first time around. She was not interested in a repeat or a revisit. To the visiting students, she said: “The boys over at Schreckenstein might have some rather foolish ideas with their chivalry and rules but they’re not wrong about preconceptions being wrong.”

Narcissa and Kassandra exchanged disbelieving looks.

~*~

The Ritterrat, a council made up of eight of the older Ritter, met up in the old torture chamber later that evening. They started by having Ottokar, sitting in his habitual place in one of the three stone judgment seats, report about the drive from Antwerp to the castle, especially how they had acted and his impression of their guests.

“Do you think any of them will be trouble?” Dieter asked.

“Probably, from what happened at their school and from what some of them said,” Dampfwalze, the strongest and tallest Ritter, replied, leaning back on the rack.

“No prejudgment,” Mücke rebuked. “We need to give them an honest chance.”

“While still keeping an eye on them, in case anyone causes trouble,” Stephan added, having watched Ottokar carefully during his report from one of the others stone seats, their long friendship letting him pick up on some of things he wasn’t saying. He noticed how some of the tension left Ottokar’s shoulders and smiled at the thankful look he got.

“I think that would be better,” Ottokar agreed. “Not singling anyone of them out, just paying attention to how they all fit in and that they don’t take advantage of the freedom we have here.”

They discussed it some more but finally agreed that they would be on the lookout for pranks or them going too far against the school rules.

On the way back to their room after the meeting ended, Stephan knocked his shoulder against Ottokar’s. “Feeling better?” he asked. He knew all too well that Ottokar, as school captain and oldest student, often felt responsible for everything and everyone at the school.

“Yeah. Thanks for your support there.”

“Always.”

~*~

“Get up, morning run!”

The call at 7 o’clock in the morning shocked the male Hogwarts students out of their sleep. “What’s going on?” Regulus asked his roommates.

“Every morning, we start the day with a run in the princes’ garden,” Eugen explained.

“A run? Every morning?” Regulus repeated, sure he was dreaming. “Why would you do that?”

“To keep fit,” Pummel said. “Are you coming along?”

“No?” Regulus said, “We don’t... we don’t do things like that. I don’t even have anything for a run.”

Eugen and Pummel exchanged a look, then shrugged. “Suit yourself. But if you change your mind, you can borrow some of our sportswear.”

Regulus stared after them. Finally he got curious. He got up and went them from the north wing where their room was to the west wing. If he remembered the layout correctly, he should be able to see the princes’ garden from there. Through a partially open door, he saw Severus standing at a window, staring outside. He went to join him, looking out at the symmetrical garden where all the students were running, led by Rolle, one of the teachers.

“They’re running. In shorts,” Severus said in disbelief. He wasn’t sure what was harder to belief, that they were running or that they were doing so wearing only shorts, a stark contrast to all the layers students at Hogwarts were wearing.

“They say they’re doing that every day,” Regulus said.

“Why would they do that?” Severus asked.

They were still standing there when the Ritter returned from their run to fetch their clothes for the day before their showers.

“Are you getting ready?” Beni, one of Severus’ roommates, asked. “Breakfast starts in twenty minutes.”

When the students entered the dining hall, they stopped short. James and Sirius were floating over the tables, both of them bound in rope. The two of them started wriggling when they realized that they were no longer alone.

“Get us down!” James demanded.

“This isn’t funny!” Sirius added, noticing some of them grinning or laughing at them.

Headmaster Meyer, called Rex by the students and some of the teachers, looked from the two bound students to the Ritterrat, waiting for an explanation.

“We are the last people to say anything against pranks,” Andi said, looking at James and Sirius, “but what we caught you doing last night wasn’t a prank.”

“A prank is supposed to be funny, something everyone can get a laugh out of,” Mücke added. “Destroying other people’s property isn’t funny or a prank, it’s an offence.”

“Consider this your warning,” Stephan said. He cancelled the spell, letting them down, then Dampfwalze and Klaus freed them from the rope.

James and Sirius looked to the teachers appealingly, hoping one of them would punish the students for humiliating them like this but the headmaster just nodded once in acceptance. “Was anyone else out after curfew?”

There was a moment of expectant silence, then Fabian and Gideon hesitantly raised their hands. “We were not playing pranks,” Fabian started.

“We were just curious,” Gideon continued.

“And having a look around,” Fabian finished.

The Ritter exchanged pleasantly surprised looks and the Rex smiled at the twins. “Thank you for telling the truth.” Then he sat down for breakfast, as did the Ritter.

“That’s it?” Gideon asked.

“No punishment?” Fabian asked.

Dieter, sitting across from them, just shrugged. “You told the truth and you were up in time for breakfast, so no, no punishment.”

Towards the end of breakfast, the timetables for the Hogwarts students were distributed.

“What are all these subjects?” Palmer demanded to know. “Geography? Languages?”

“Gym class?” James said, staring at his timetable. “And three times a week?”

“There has to be a mistake here,” Sirius said. “I don’t take Arithmancy.”

“It’s not a mistake,” Schießbude, one of the teachers sitting at his table, said. “Arithmancy is an obligatory class here. Since you didn’t have it before, you’ll have the subjects with the younger years.”

“Great,” Sirius muttered sarcastically.

“Think we can have lessons with the girls? Perhaps they have better timetables,” James said.

~*~

It turned out that they did not, as they found out when the girls arrived for the French lessons they all had with the third years, since they had just started the language as well.

“I’m actually quite excited about social studies,” Evelyn said on the way to lunch. “I haven’t been able to find many books at Hogwarts about how politics and economy in the wizarding world works.”

“Why would you want to?” Lily replied. “The wizarding world in Britain is so old fashioned. It’s about time things change.”

“But how can you decide what to change and how without knowing how it currently works and why?” Danielle contradicted.

“I can deal with having some additional subjects while we are here,” Narcissa said, “but we are expected to exercise like some common Muggles.”

“So you can’t imagine why wix benefit from regular exercise?” Mücke finally asked, having had enough of their complaints.

“I’m a light wizard, I have nothing against Muggles,” Palmer said, “but real wix don’t need physical exercise.”

The Ritter and Hühner in earshot exchanged looks.

“Okay then,” Ingrid said, stepping up beside her twin brother, “how about you prove yourself?”

“Let’s have a duelling competition this afternoon,” Mücke continued, understanding what his sister had in mind.

“Whoever of you wants to try themselves against some of us,” Ingrid said.

“Sure, I’ll show you how a real wix duels,” Palmer said.

“I will as well,” Kassandra said.

“We will compete as well,” James said, pointing to himself and Sirius. They were eager to prove themselves and to get back at the Ritter for the humiliation this morning.

Narcissa considered the German students, taking in their confident stance. While she agreed with Palmer that real wix should not exercise like some Muggle, she decided not to take part in the impromptu duelling competition and to instead observe for now.

~*~

During lunch break, Ottokar was talking to the Rex and Rolle, the Defence teacher. All the Ritter and Hühner were watching eagerly. Words of the proposed duelling competition had spread quickly and now everyone wanted to know if the teachers would give their okay.

Finally the Rex rang his small silver bell to signal the end of lunch. The students of Schreckenstein and Rosenfels quickly fell silent. “We keep silent to properly listen to the announcement by the school captain,” Andi hissed when Fabian opened his mouth to ask. “Now sh.”

The first few announcements were the usual ones. “Strehlau is missing his book on advanced runes. Who has seen it or knows something about it?”

Bastian raised his hand. “I found one in the living room and brought it to Mauersäge’s library. I thought it was one of his.”

“A camera was found on the hill towards the landing stage. Is someone missing theirs?”

Eva stood up. “I’m looking for mine. I thought I had lost it in Rosenfels but perhaps it fell from my bag here.”

At last he came to the one everyone was waiting for. “We have proposed a small duel competition, some Ritter and Hühner against some of our guests. It will take place after the rest period. Rolle has agreed to act as referee. The gym class is cancelled for today.”

“Rest period?” Fabian asked his roommate Herbert while they were leaving the room.

“We have one hour long rest period now. Like during the study hour in the evening, we are silent during that time, though you can do what you want as long as you are not disturbing others,” Herbert said.

“Some take a nap or start on their homework,” Eberhard added. “Or they read or play chess.”

“We can pass by the editorial office of the school newspaper,” Herbert suggested, “and pick up some of the old issues for you.”

“What do they write about?” Gideon asked.

“Everything, how we established the school as it is now, impressions about the atmosphere and how it is going, accounts of especially successful pranks...”

“Pranks?” the twins repeated eagerly. “Where did you say the editorial office is?”

~*~

Rolle had decided to have the duelling competition take place in the castle courtyard. There was enough room and some of the spectators would be able to watch from the windows towards to courtyard instead of all having to stand around the duellists.

Narcissa had chosen a place on the outside staircase. A number of other girls were standing there as well, so no one would think twice about her position. Standing on top of the staircase also allowed her to watch the other students as well as the competitors.

Moran had quickly been beaten by a fourth year from Rosenfels who had been introduced as Johanna, because she had been unable to react quickly enough to the way Johanna was able to seamlessly switch between defence and offence and Potter was currently failing miserably against another fourth year, someone the other boys were calling Eberhard. Eberhard was deflecting, avoiding or shielding against Potter’s spells, yet was not even the least bit out of breath while Potter was gasping for breath, despite barely having moved since the start of their duel. Finally Eberhard fired of two stunners in rapid succession. The first one made Potter’s shield stutter out, the next had knocked him out.

Narcissa shook her head. “Lost against a fourteen-year-old,” she muttered.

“Thirteen,” Martina, one of the oldest girls, corrected from where she was standing near her.

Narcissa started. “Pardon?”

“He’s thirteen, not fourteen,” Martina said.

“I thought he was a fourth year,” Narcissa said.

“He is but we start at the magical schools at ten, not eleven,” Martina explained. “We finish school after our eighth year.”

Narcissa considered the implications. “So the other seventh year I had transfiguration and potions with today...?”

Martina simply shrugged. “Mostly sixteen-year-olds.”

~*~

The Ritterrat stood together in the court yard, watching the rather short duels and, more importantly, the reactions of their guests to their losses.

Dampfwalze crossed his arms. “I would have liked to get some duelling practice in.” Since they were two years older than Black, the oldest competitor from Hogwarts, they had decided to stay out of the competition.

“Duelling them would hardly be sporting,” Mücke said, shaking his head at how out of shape they were.

“Or much of a challenge,” Andi said, frowning. He had to agree with his friend, it would have been nice to get to properly duel again but seeing the way the Hogwarts students were being beaten by students years younger than them, they had collectively decided that the upper years should stay out of it.

“We could arrange another duelling tournament with Ebert, Franz-Joseph and Rosenfels,” Klaus suggested. The Friedrich-Ebert-School and the Herzog-Franz-Joseph School were two local wizarding schools in the area. Contrary to Schreckenstein and Rosenfels, however, they were only day-schools. They regularly competed against them in duelling or sports competitions.

“I can pass it on to the Rex and ask him ask the other headmasters if they are interested,” Ottokar said. “We had the athletic competition in summer but it has been a while since we had a duelling competition.”

“And who knows,” Mücke said, considering all of their guests, “some of them might surprise us until then.”

~*~

Regulus had to repeatedly remind himself that it was undignified to bounce in place out of eagerness and Blacks were never undignified. He considered the way his brother was gasping for breath just a few spells into his duel with Eugen, one of his roommates. There were exceptions, of course. And surely it should be taken into consideration just how satisfying it was to see his tormentors being shown up with laughable ease. Seeing Palmer being beaten by a fourth year had been the highlight of this year for him.

Perhaps he should ask his roommates for pointers about duelling?

“Stand still, damn it!” Sirius finally exclaimed when Eugen once again ducked one of his spells. His expression showed clearly that he would have liked to say more, if he just had the breath for it.

“What, do you think your opponent in an actual duel is just going to stand there?” Eugen asked, deflecting another of his spells. Then he sighed. This was hardly enough to qualify as a warm up and Black obviously didn’t have the breath for at least a verbal sparring. Before he had time to react, he cast a quick “Expelliarmus”, thus ending their duel.

Rolle checked the time. It wasn’t even 3 o’clock, still over an hour until tea. Still, they had said that gym class was cancelled, so it would not be right to just have it take place after all. “Alright then,” he said after a moment of consideration, “those of you wanting to get some training in can follow me to the sports ground. It still warm right now, so if you want, the rest of you can go swimming in the lake or take out some of the boats.”

Pummel had joined Eugen. They looked at each other. “Sailing?”

“Sailing,” Eugen confirmed.

Regulus hesitated a moment, then went up to Eugen and Pummel. “Ah, guys?”

They turned to him, surprised. “Yes?”

“You said this morning that I can borrow some sportswear,” Regulus said. “Is that offer still open? And perhaps you have some suggestions for my getting started?”

“Of course,” Eugen said. “Let’s go up and we can take a look at what fits you.”

“I’m sure we can find something for you until you can go buy your own on the week-end,” Pummel said.

“I won’t be allowed to go on the week-end,” Regulus said. “We have to attend some lessons with your headmaster in the evening and pass a little test before we are allowed to go out among Muggles here.”

Eugen shrugged. “Then you can borrow some of ours until then or we can get some for you, if you prefer.”

Regulus stared at them, surprised by the offer. “Why?” he finally asked.

“Why what?” Pummel replied.

“Why would you offer that? You don’t know me,” Regulus clarified.

“Because you are a school mate,” Eugen said, “for now at least.”

“Because it’s the right thing to do,” Pummel said.

~*~

After dinner, the male Hogwarts students met up with the Rex in his office. “Normally only first year students are required to attend Muggle and Magical Studies,” the Rex explained. “It’s partly to prevent cultural misunderstandings and partly to prepare them to fit in in a mixed town like Wampoldsreute or a mostly Muggle town like Neustadt. Of course you will not have these lessons a whole year long, just for a week to get you acquainted with some peculiarities here.”

“Are there many mixed towns in Germany?” James asked.

“Yes. In fact most towns are, only very few areas are populated only by wix,” the Rex said. “This was intended to appeal to Muggleborn wix and children of mixed households, to convince them to settle there.”

“Why would they do that?” Palmer asked, shocked. “Why would they go out of their way to appeal to Mud... Muggleborn?”

“I take it you haven’t covered the recent history of Wizarding Europe?” the Rex asked.

“No. Actually, we have mostly covered the Goblin Wars,” Regulus said. To tell the truth, they have covered nothing but the Goblin Wars.

“Very well then. You see, Germany, as a connected country of approximately this present size, has only existed for a little over 100 years. Let me just get some maps to show you.” He pulled out a book. When he opened it and tapped it with his wand, a map of Germany appeared in the air above it. “This is a map from shortly before 1789. As you can see, there are a number of small territories, many of which were independent. While Muggles in general were no longer aware of the existence of magic, the ruling families were kept informed, the same way that, even today, the leaders of the magical governments keep in contact with the Muggle government. It was a matter of pride for every sovereign territory to have their own magical school. They were mostly day schools, since boarding schools are not as common here in Germany, and different years often shared the same lesson but it was still their own school. Accepting only pureblood children or those with two magical parents would not have been enough students to keep the schools open, so the schools started trying to attract Muggleborn students, to bolster their number of students. As King Friedrich of Prussia decided to accept people willing to move to his country, no matter their religious beliefs, many wix leaders have decided to accept wix willing to join their community, no matter their blood status.”

He closed the book again, making the map vanish. “Now, enough of that for now. You’ll hear enough of that in your history lessons with me. While there are now far fewer sovereign German states, the attitude towards Muggleborns has changed little, which, as I said, is why there are so many mixed settlements. It makes things quite a bit easier for those of you unfamiliar with trying to fit in in the Muggle world. Many of the Muggles living in Wampoldsreute are aware of magic because they have wixen family members and there is a camping ground near the town, so if you slip up, Muggles will either figure that you’re a student here or that it is a cultural difference since you are British.”

“So why do we have to have these lessons then?” Sirius asked. It wasn’t the learning about Muggles things he found annoying, not like his family did, it was that they had to have lessons while the other students had free time.

“You are because, while your actions might not endanger the statute of secrecy, you might still accidentally cause problems for yourself or others. So here we will cover some basic information to make it easier for you to fit in, things like money, clothes and how to get around,” the Rex replied. “Travel between here and Rosenfels, as you have already seen, is usually by boat or broom. Instead of the notice-not charm, brooms here are often charmed to look like modes of transportation Muggles are more familiar with, so they will typically see you riding bicycles or, if you are flying over the lake, a boat. So if you are travelling to Wampoldsreute by broom, you are expected to stay quite low. If you are going to Neustadt, on the other hand, you can travel the first part were you are unlikely to encounter Muggles high up but are required to travel the last part and in the city lower to the ground. I suggest that on your first trip to Neustadt you accompany some of our students and they can show you the quickest and safest way.”

~*~

Severus stretched, glad that the corridor was empty. He had not even noticed how tense he had been during the lesson with the headmaster. It was simply too ingrained by now to try and hide how and why he was familiar with the Muggle world. His last name might be a constant reminder that he was not a pureblood but at least by now he had proven himself useful enough and proficient enough with curses that the other Slytherins were less likely to try and attack him over his paternity. He would be glad to be bad in the relative safety of his room.

He stopped short when he suddenly heard music coming from one of the rooms. Since the door was open, he glanced inside. He started and blurted out: “A recorder? I thought electronics don’t work around magic!”

Ottokar turned to him, surprised. “You know what a recorder is?”

Ottokar smiled reassuringly, trying to calm the panic he could see in Severus’ eyes. “Come on in,” he offered. “Now, it’s true that electronics normally don’t work around magic but it is possible to shield the more delicate parts.”

“You mean a shield charm? Or runes?” Severus asked, hesitantly coming closer.

Ottokar laughed. “Sorry, I should make myself clearer. The more delicate electronics inside are isolated from the ambient magic. It took me a while to figure out the proper material but there is certainly an advantage in one’s parents owning an electronics store.”

Severus stared at him for a long moment, mind working. That almost sounded like... “You’re a Muggleborn?”

“I am, yes,” Ottokar confirmed.

Severus tried to wrap his head around that. The school captain was a Muggleborn. True, at Hogwarts the Gryffindors, many of which were Muggleborn or Halfbloods, were getting preferential treatment but it was still rare for a Muggleborn to be made headboy or headgirl. And while Gryffindor and Hufflepuff student did not seem to mind Muggleborns, at least when in public, it was very different among Slytherins and, to a lesser extent, Ravenclaws. So he could not imagine admitting so easily to not being a pureblood.

“So you know what a recorder is?” Ottokar repeated his earlier question.

Severus hesitated a moment, then nodded slowly. “Yes.” He braced himself for the follow-up question but Ottokar simply asked: “Are you also familiar with other electronical devices?”

It took him a moment to answer, too busy trying to figure out how to deflect the question about his own blood status. “A little bit.”

“Well, it’s getting late now but if you don’t mind, I’d like to pick your brain about electronics and magic in Britain,” Ottokar said.

Severus considered it for a long moment, then nodded, offering a shaky smile. “Okay.”

~*~

Narcissa glanced up over the top of the book she was reading towards the other seventh, no eighth year students. They were sitting together on two sofas and discussing their plans for after they finished school.

“So, have you decided yet on a field of study?” Beatrix asked Ingrid.

Ingrid shrugged. “I haven’t quite decided yet. Then again, who says I have to choose?”

“Are you planning on a double mastery?” Sophie asked.

“For starters, yes,” Ingrid confirmed. “I’m considering arithmancy and spell creation. Perhaps later on I’ll get a degree in either field. What about you?”

“I have started the application process to study healing,” Sophie said. “If all goes well I will be starting my studies in the fall.”

“I have received my acceptance letter from Gringotts last week. I will begin my training to become a Curse Breaker in summer,” Beatrix said. “What about you, Martina?”

“I’m becoming an auror,” she said.

The other three exchanged startled looks. Oh, all of them had figured that she was well-suited for it, considering her affinity for defence and her martial arts training. They had just been unsure if she would be willing to pursue a career as auror, since her father, who had abused her and her brother Beni, had been a martial arts trainer and instructor for future aurors.

“You will make a fine auror,” Ingrid finally said. Then, deciding to change the subject, she turned to Beatrix and Sophie. “And do you have any plans yet for your living situation?” she asked with a teasing smile.

“Ingrid!” Sophie protested with a laugh. “We are not moving in with them.”

“Yet,” Beatrix added unapologetically. “No, the two of us will be sharing an apartment for now.”

“Good for you,” Martina said. “Make Ottokar and Stephan work for it.”

“Shut up!” Beatrix said, grinning, and threw a pillow at her.

Narcissa looked back at the page, not seeing what was written there. It was so different from what she was used to at home. Her parents had always been rather insistent that she and her sisters marry soon after graduation and to marry well. Her oldest sister, Bellatrix, had married Rudolphos Lestrange, the wizard their mother had picked out for her, shortly after graduation. Her other sister, Andromeda, had rebelled by marrying a Muggle instead of the pureblood wizard picked out here, though she too had married early. Her own husband was also picked out already. She would marry Lucius Malfoy, the heir to the Malfoy family. Not that she minded, she liked him well enough, he was good looking and had seemed quite nice during their meetings. Still, her mother had always just insisted that she look pretty, that she prepare to be a good pureblood wife. A career of her own was never considered.

And yet these girls were casually planning their careers.

As she listened, she started when she recognized Amelia Bones’ voice. “Ah, excuse me, Martina? Can you tell me more about how the application to become an auror works here? I’ve started researching it for Britain already but I’m curious if there are many differences.”

~*~

When they were woken up the next morning for the morning run, Regulus got up with his roommates and put on the sportswear Pummel and Eugen had lent him. He got some approving nods when he joined the Ritter in the garden but no one commented on it.

The run itself was hard on him. He soon fell back, unable to keep up with the far more trained Ritter. Still, he promised himself that he would not give up. He was a Black and Blacks persevered.

Then he noticed someone running on either side of him. Looking up, he was surprised to find that Pummel and Eugen had let themselves fall back and were keeping to his pace. He didn’t understand it. He didn’t understand them. Why were they helping him, both by lending him clothes and now by not leaving him to run on his own? Back at Hogwarts, he would have expected it to be because they wanted something from him or from his family. But here? They did not seem to know about the Blacks. So why were they being so nice to him?

~*~

By the time the week-end came along, the Hogwarts students had arranged themselves with life at Schreckenstein and Rosenfels for the most part. They were not overly pleased that they had to stay at the schools instead of going to Wampoldsreute or Neustadt but since they would likely be able to go the following week-end and many of the German students were also staying behind, it was not as bad to take.

Most of the girls were taking advantage of the sunshine and were relaxing on the hill towards the lake. Some, like Lily, had chosen a place under the willow hanging over the small, natural harbour, hiding it from view when on the water, preferring the shade. Sonja Waldmann and Miss Böckelmeier, the music teacher, were there to act as teacher on duty to satisfy Headmistress Doctor Horn but were quite happy to let the girls enjoy themselves.

Evelyn Fraser sat up, surprised, when her year mate Danielle Lewis passed by her down to the lake. At first she’d thought that she wanted to go swimming, as some others were, but she was wearing sturdy shoes and carrying her school bag. “Where are you going?”

“To Schreckenstein,” Danielle replied. “I asked and got permission to take a boat and row over.”

“You know how to row?” Evelyn asked. “And why do you want to go there?”

“My dad, grandpa and brother all went or go to Eton. Even though it was clear I would not be going there, there often took me rowing. Crossing the lake is no problem,” Danielle said. “And I’m going there to meet Malachi.”

Now she had the attention, overt or not, of all the other British girls.

“Malachi?” Evelyn repeated. “You mean Malachi Walsh?”

“Well, as far as I know, there is no Schreckenstein student called Malachi, so yes, I’m visiting Malachi Walsh,” Danielle said.

“But why would you visit him?” Evelyn asked.

Danielle gave her a look that clearly said she was questioning her intelligence. “Because he’s my friend?”

“But he’s a Slytherin,” Evelyn protested.

“I don’t care what house he is in. He’s my friend. We met and got along well on the train back in first year. That didn’t change just because I was sorted into Ravenclaw and he into Slytherin,” Danielle said.

“But you’re a Muggleborn,” Evelyn continued.

“What does that have to do with anything? Just because some Slytherins – and some Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, for that matter – have fucked up ideas about Muggles and Muggleborn doesn’t mean the two of us cannot be friends,” Danielle said. “Sure, we keep our friendship quiet at Hogwarts because otherwise we wouldn’t have a moment of peace but I’m not letting prejudices dictate who I’m friends with. And since we don’t have to worry about that here, I’m going over there to visit him.” She considered her. “You could come along, meet him instead of getting stuck in your prejudices.”

“Come on, Danielle,” Martina said, getting up from where she was laying. “If you’re rowing either way, I’m coming along and checking up on my brother.”

The other Hogwarts girls watched them go, speechless.

After a moment, Evelyn pushed herself up. “Wait up!” She hurried after them. “You’re right, I shouldn’t judge him because of his house. Are you serious about letting me come along?”

Danielle shrugged. “Sure.”

Lily watched them go with mixed feelings. It occurred to her suddenly that she had not even considered visiting Severus or sticking up for their friendship like that. Sure, their decision to keep their friendship quiet had been a mutual one, born of the bad relationship between their houses, but Danielle was right, that excuse was not valid here. So why had she not considered visiting Severus?

~*~

James and Sirius were sulking, though they would not call it that. They had been looking forward to a school known for their pranks. Their pranks until now hadn’t be well-received however. At Hogwarts, everyone laughed with them and cheered them on when they humiliated Snivellus. Here, they had been even interrupted in their pranks and had been told that it was not funny. Perhaps people were right in saying that Germans had no sense of humour.

They preferred to ignore that Fabian and Gideon were quite successful in pulling off pranks, some with their roommates Herbert and Eberhard and their friends Kuno and Egon, some on their own. They were even getting praised for their ideas.

And pranking Snivellus had got even more difficult recently, since he was spending a lot of time with Ottokar, the school captain. Likewise Regulus, their second-favourite victim was rarely seen without his two roommates, Eugen and Pummel. Even now they were out on the lake, having offered to teach Regulus how to sail.

Then they noticed the third Slytherin, Walsh, hurrying towards the lake. They exchanged a look, then followed him.

They stopped short when they saw him help pull a boat with one of the older Rosenfels girls, Fraser and Lewis up, then help the girls out of the boat. They were even more shocked when Lewis hugged him. “What the hell?” James exclaimed.

“What do you want, Potter?” Lewis demanded. “No, let me guess, you’re about to go on about another of your bigoted rants about Slytherins. Well, bad luck for you, I have no interest in having that conversation again.” She pulled Walsh’s arm. “Come on, let’s go.”

Walsh gave them a mocking bow. “Potter, Black.” Then they left.

Palmer had watched the exchange from the top of the hill. “I don’t get it,” he said to Stephan, who was just passing him on the way to the sportsground. “Why are you letting wix like Walsh or Black just run around like that? They’re dark, have to be, to have been sorted into Slytherin. I mean, I get that a Muggleborn like your school captain might not understand that. Not that I have something against Muggles or Muggleborn, I’m a light wizard, after all, but they just don’t get it. That’s why positions like head boy and head girl – or school captain, here – should go to purebloods like us and not Mud- ugh!” He stopped mid-word when he suddenly found Stephan’s wand pointed at his face and the older boy glaring at him.

“Do not ever talk like that about my friend again,” Stephan hissed, stressing every word, “or use that disgusting word again or I don’t care that you are younger than me, you won’t be getting out of the healing ward for weeks when I’m through with you.” Then he stalked off.

~*~

Walter and Fritz barely glanced up from their chess game when Severus slipped into the room. Over the past few days, they had got used to him visiting to be quizzed by Ottokar about electronical devices in Muggle Britain. They did look up, however, when he let out a pained sound after setting down his bag.

All the seams, not only of the bag but also all the books within, had vanished.

Severus stared down at the parts of his books, for a long moment not comprehending what had happened. Then the anger took hold. He crumpled the pages in his hands. “Those damned Marauders,” he hissed. He dropped the pages and instead grabbed his wand. “I’ll make them pay.” On second thought, he grabbed the pages where he had scribbled some of the curses he had developed.

“Wait,” Ottokar said, a quick wave of his wand closing the door. He took the pages from Severus, frowning down at the notes there. “You know the rules here by now,” he rebuked gently. “Cursing another student, outside of duels or self-defence, is not allowed.”

Severus glared at him, dark eyes glittering. “You saw what they did!”

“That still does not give you the right to break the rules,” Ottokar said. “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

Severus turned away, stung. “So what, I’m supposed to ignore it?” And here he’d been starting to hope that things were better here.

Ottokar grinned. “I didn’t say that.”

Walter and Fritz nodded sagely. “Revenge pranks to get back at someone are not unusual, after all.”

“As long as they follow the rules for pranks,” Ottokar stressed.

Walter smiled at Severus. “Just say the word if you’d like advice or help with the prank.”

“Help with a prank?” someone asked from the door. Fabian and Gideon stood there, grinning eagerly.

“Count us in,” Gideon said.

~*~

Fabian and Gideon were practically giddy, though they did their best not to show it. Not only were they allowed to plan a prank with three eighth year Ritter but they were able to go up against the Marauders. At Hogwarts, they were well-known and admired for their pranks. The twins had been among those who admired them. They themselves were pranksters and had been planning to follow in their footsteps.

But things had changed. Reading about the pranks played by the Ritter and Hühner had been eye opening. Barricading classroom doors with wooden blocks under the doorknob, hiding or switching clothes, dressing up a statue of a cherub as knight, gifting a potato salad but hiding the dishes to make the other students eat it with their hands, ... Funny pranks, pranks which were amusing to the victim or victims of the prank as well. Not cursing a fellow student or destroying their things.

So yes, they were quite interested in being involved in a prank to get back at them.

And, if they were being truthful, they were also a bit intrigued to plan a prank with Severus Snape. It was pretty much impossible at Hogwarts to know the Marauders’ reputation as pranksters without knowing about Snape’s creative and often vicious revenge pranks.

“If you need help with repairing your books...” Fabian began.

“...we know a spell that might work,” Gideon finished.

“You do?” Severus asked suspiciously.

They grinned. “Our sister has two sons, four and two years old.”

“Makes you learn those kind of spells.”

Severus couldn’t help but grin at the way they nodded gravely, just to burst out laughing after a moment. “You can give it a try.”

The other four watched, fascinated, as they cast two spells, making the pages first sort themselves, then bind themselves to the spines of the book again.

Severus gently ran a finger down the spine of one of the books. “Thank you,” he said quietly.

“You’re welcome.”

Realizing that he needed a change of topic, they looked around for a distraction.

“Hey, are those Muggle things?” Fabian asked, looking at the wires and metal bits on one of the desks.

“Yes,” Ottokar said calmly.

Fabian grinned broadly. “Cool. Can you help us...”

“...find something fun for our brother-in-law?” Gideon finished.

“Your brother-in-law?” Ottokar repeated.

They shrugged. “He’s fascinated by all things Muggle.”

“I can show you some shops in Neustadt,” Ottokar offered. ‘And make sure you know what you’re buying,’ he added to himself.

~*~

Regulus was smiling broad enough that his cheeks were hurting. Sailing was amazing!

He had been unsure at first when Pummel and Eugen had invited him along. Sure, back in his first year he had travelled to Hogwarts by boat and he had crossed the Kappellsee once or twice in a boat rowed by one of the Ritter but a sailing boat was something else entirely. Now however he was glad that he had given it a try. He couldn’t remember the last time he had had such fun.

He wondered if he would be able to find somewhere he could continue his sailing lessons went he had to go back to England.

They secured the boat, then walked up the hill to the castle again.

“Say, wasn’t that your brother in that boat we passed at the end there?” Eugen asked. “And his friend James?”

Regulus sighed. “They’re probably on the way to Rosenfels so Potter can bother Evans again.”

“So that’s normal?” Pummel asked.

“I guess, yes. It’s pretty much guaranteed that, sooner or later, he will show up wherever Evans is,” Regulus replied.

Eugen and Pummel both frowned. Sure, they were all used to Dampfwalze typically showing up and showing off when Ingrid was there but that, generally speaking, did not involve anyone else and he did not actually proposition her since she had never shown any interest in him. James on the other hand had often tried to show off by humiliating someone and then asking her out, even though she had repeatedly made it clear that she was not interested.

They would have to pass it on to the Ritterrat and ask them to discuss it with the older girls at Rosenfels. Perhaps it was just a matter of him annoying her but just in case.

Eugen decided to change the topic for now. “Say, it’s almost November already, though you wouldn’t know it from how warm it is today. Do you have plans already for yule break?”

“I’m probably going to stay at school. I don’t know if that will be here or at Hogwarts but I’m not going home,” Regulus said.

“Why not? Don’t you want to see your parents?” Pummel asked.

“Yule isn’t too much fun at home,” Regulus admitted. “Sirius and our mother do not get along at all and his relationship with father is not much better. It makes holidays at home... tense.”

“Okay, I guess I can understand why it would then be preferable to stay in school,” Pummel said. “We don’t have any definite plans. I mean, obviously we’ll visit our other family members but that’s it as far as plans go.”

Eugen grinned. “My parents and I are spending the break in Italy.”

“Lucky you,” Pummel said. “Are you flying or driving there?”

“Driving. Dad did consider flying but mom is a bit afraid of planes,” Eugen explained.

“Driving?” Regulus repeated, confused. “What do you mean?”

“You know, driving by car,” Eugen said. “I’m afraid my dad does not have a permit for driving anything else.”

“I don’t know, travelling to Italy on a motorcycle sounds like fun,” Pummel said.

“Sure, but not in December,” Eugen pointed out.

Regulus’ thoughts were racing. The way Eugen was so casually talking about travelling by car or by plane (planes, before their lessons with Headmaster Meyer Regulus had not even known they existed!) suggested that he was either Muggleborn or Muggle-raised. Regulus didn’t know what to do. In his head, he could suddenly hear all his mother’s rants about filthy Mudbloods, the way she had been cursing his cousin Andromeda for marrying a Muggleborn before blasting her off the family tapestry.

He needed to go, needed to think. “I... I just remembered, I need to write to my parents. I’ll... catch up to you later.”

Then, not waiting for them to reply, he quickly took off, leaving them staring after him in confusion.

~*~

It had already been dark for a few hours when Ottokar and Stephan rowed across the Kappellsee to Rosenfels. They had arranged to meet Beatrix and Sophie in the bay. They had not quite decided yet if they would row back out onto the lake or go into the outbuilding the Ritter had stayed in that winter a few years ago when the heating in the castle had broken.

“You’re being very quiet,” Ottokar commented after a while.

“I’m surprised you noticed, considering how much time you’ve been spending with Severus recently,” Stephan snapped. He instantly regretted it. “Sorry, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped.”

“Yes, you shouldn’t,” Sophie agreed. The boys had not even noticed that they had arrived. “Because if you start acting like Bea did, I’m throwing you overboard so you cool off.”

Beatrix huffed a laugh and Stephan couldn’t help but grin a bit. “And here I thought you’re one of the level-headed ones.”

Sophie snorted. “I am but I also know that the others will have our heads if they have to go through that again. It’s why the four of us agreed that we need to improve our communication.”

“Yeah, better not let the others hear this,” Beatrix agreed. “Come on, we have some bouillon prepared and you can warm up.”

They silently sneaked to the outbuilding. They had barely closed the door and cast a spell to prevent others from eavesdropping when Ottokar said: “I’m sorry I’ve been neglecting you. I’m not interested in Severus, it’s just that I got lost in a new project I’m planning and his input has been helpful.”

Stephan sighed. “I know. I didn’t actually think you’re interested in him. And not just because he’s only 15. I also know by now how you get with a new project. So I should just have said something sooner instead of getting frustrated.”

Ottokar grinned and nudged his arm. “Considering how often I’ve snapped at you because I was frustrated or overthinking, I think you’ve been due.”

Stephan laughed. “Well, if you put it like that.”

“But I’m curious now,” Beatrix said, leaning forward. “What is this new project of yours?”

Ottokar’s smile was rather apologetic. “I’d prefer not to say just yet. It’s still in the very early stages.”

“Oh, very well then,” Beatrix sighed, pretending to be put-upon.

“Who knows, perhaps it’s a present,” Sophie said.

“What do you think, birthday or anniversary?” Beatrix asked.

“Well, thanks to the new law, we’ll reach the age of majority when we turn 18 these next few months,” Stephan pointed out.

“I’m not telling you yet,” Ottokar laughed. Then he grew serious again. “There... is another reason why I have been keeping an eye on Severus.”

The other three, noticing his tension, fell silent and turned to look at him.

“This is just a feeling, a suspicion now,” Ottokar qualified, “but I noticed some similarities to Beni. When he first came here. When he talks about his family.”

“You mean...” Sophie couldn’t finish.

“I don’t know,” Ottokar said. “I have nothing concrete, just a feeling.”

“But your feeling has rarely been wrong,” Stephan pointed out.

“You could ask Beni or Martina for their opinion,” Beatrix suggested. “Martina’s coming to our meeting tomorrow, you can bring it up then.”

Ottokar relaxed slowly. He really should have learned by now to bring it up with them instead of letting himself get lost in his worrying. “You’re right.”

“But until then, we should turn our attention to more pleasant things,” Sophie said.

~*~

Regulus didn’t like admitting it but he was hiding. After he had run off from his roommates, he had gone up in the attic, one of the few places in the castle he could be reasonable certain he would not run into anyone. There he had stayed until curfew, trying to get his head around it. He had returned to his room just in time, though he had long lain awake, thinking.

His parents, especially his mother, were always talking about what a waste of magic Muggleborn were, how inferior they were and what should be done with them- though the latter was mostly his mother. His father was more of the opinion that they should stay in the Muggle world instead of “tainting magic” with their ideas and presence, instead of seducing good, pureblood wixen.

He had believed his parents, of course he had. Why should he not? Surely they were more experienced than him, had seen more than him.

Now, however, he found himself... doubting.

The gym class and physical training they did at Schreckenstein was clearly a Muggle idea or at least inspired by Muggles and yet he couldn’t deny their effectiveness. They had all seen how easily his brother, Potter, Moran and Palmer had been beaten in a duel, often by younger students. The four were all purebloods and for all his parents complained about Potter, they would have most certainly considered him superior to a Muggleborn or a Halfblood. And yet they had still lost.

And now that he thought about it, he could not even begin to guess which students of Schreckenstein and of Rosenfels were pureblood, Muggleborn or halfbloods. If Eugen had not mentioned travelling by car or plane, he would have never figured it out. So then how could his parents be right, how could some wix be inferior if there was no difference between them?

Then there was the matter of how Pummel and Eugen had treated him. They had been so kind and helpful, more than he had experienced before. His year mates in Slytherin were more concerned with forming alliances instead of friendships. Oh, they might help him but he knew that it was more a question of them helping Lord Arcturus Black’s grandson than wanting to help Regulus. As far as he knew, his grandfather’s influence was nearly non-existent here in Germany and yet Pummel and Eugen had helped him, had lend him their things without asking for repayment.

He wondered if that was what the other houses meant when they talked about the importance of friendship.

Still he was left unsure what to do. He liked them. He genuinely liked them and wanted to spend more time with them and learn more from them. Yet he also feared his family’s reaction. He remembered only too well the family tapestry at home. He remembered only too well all the family members who had been blasted off the tapestry for their positive relationship with Muggles or Muggleborn, most recently his cousin Andromeda for marrying a Muggleborn. He had always been an obedient child, following his parents’ plans, and the thought of going against his family, especially on such a big subject, scared him.

And yet...

And yet he did not want to end this budding friendship. For once he wanted to find his own way, instead of just fulfilling the role his parents had chosen for him.

For once he understood why his brother had turned his back on their family.

The waking call “Get up, morning run!” came all too early for him, considering how little sleep he had got. Still he sat up with the others. “I’m sorry for running off yesterday,” he blurted out, before even saying “Good morning”.

“It’s okay, forgiven and forgotten,” Pummel said.

Regulus stared at them. “Just like that?”

“Yes, that’s how we do it here,” Eugen said. He held out his hand. “We shake hands and the matter is closed. Like he said, forgiven and forgotten.” He considered Regulus. “Though if you do want to talk about it, whatever it is, we’re certainly willing to listen.”

Regulus thought about it for a moment, then asked: “After breakfast?”

“After breakfast,” they agreed.

~*~

“So what did you think?” Danielle asked Evelyn.

“About what?” Evelyn asked back.

“About Malachi, now that you’ve actually talked to him,” Danielle clarified.

“He seems nice,” Evelyn admitted, “not at all stuck up or anti-Muggle and anti-Muggleborn as...”

“... as everyone says Slytherins are,” Danielle finished for her. “I think the girls here at Rosenfels and the guys over at Schreckenstein have the right idea. All those preconceptions based on where we’re sorted at 11 is bullshit. Malachi and I have been friends for six years now, even though we’re in different houses, while there are some in my house I very much prefer to ignore.”

Evelyn wanted to contradict her out of house pride but she had to admit, at least to herself, that there were some other Hufflepuffs she simply did not get along well enough with to consider them anything more than classmates or acquaintances.

“And it’s not like Schreckenstein and Rosenfels are the only school to disagree,” Danielle continued. “In fact, Hogwarts is among the minority with sorting so young.”

“What do you mean?”

“I express-ordered a book on magical schools when they told us that we would spent some time away from Hogwarts. It arrived earlier this week and I’ve finished most of it. Hogwarts and Illvermorny are the only ones who sort their first years and Illvermorny probably mostly because it was created by British immigrants copying what they were used to from Hogwarts. But there is hardly any information on other schools or on higher magical education to be found at Hogwarts. Sure, if you look up the Triwizard Tournament, you will find some information about Beauxbatons and Durmstrang but that’s it. And even the book I ordered barely mentions all the local schools, apart from saying that they exist.”

“Wait, you mean there are more smaller local schools like Rosenfels and Schreckenstein?” Evelyn asked.

“Sure. I mean, there have to be. Considering how many different cultures and traditions there are, especially on such big continents like Asia, Africa or the Americas, it seems unlikely that there are only one or two schools for the whole continent,” Danielle pointed out.

“True. I wonder what those schools are like,” Evelyn said, more to herself.

~*~

Stephan sat down on his bed, looking around the empty room. It seemed the others had taken their scheming elsewhere. He considered how he could pass the time until the meeting between the Ritterrat and the older girls this evening. He’d been training yesterday and tomorrow afternoon was the regular sports training, so he figured he could give it a pass today. Perhaps he could practice some new songs on his accordion for the Horror Rock Jazz Band, the school band he had founded shortly after joining the school. He did not really feel like revisiting for any of the subjects, final school year or not.

He looked up when the door opened and Ottokar came in.

“Hey. Did you forget something?” he asked.

“No. I asked Beni to join the others and to keep an eye on them. It’s good practice for him since he is likely to become the school captain next year, and it gives him a reason to be around Severus, to get an impression like we discussed yesterday,” Ottokar said. “I figured I could spent time with you instead. If you have no other plans already, I mean.”

“No. No, I don’t,” Stephan said. He looked him up and down, considering. “So, you have no pressing commitments until our meeting later?”

“No, nothing.” Ottokar gave him a mock-questioning glance. “What ever will we do to pass the time?”

Stephan grinned. “We are both rather inventive, I’m sure we can come up with something.”

~*~

Beni had gladly joined Walter, Fritz, Severus, Fabian and Gideon in planning a revenge prank and not just because of Ottokar’s other request.

“They used that spell on your books...” Fabian began.

“...because they know how important they are to you,” Gideon finished.

“So we should aim the spell at something that important to them,” Fabian concluded.

“But without actually damaging anything,” Beni reminded them.

“What is important to them?” Walter asked.

Severus considered it. “I guess that golden snitch Potter’s always playing with.”

“And for Black? His looks?” Fabian asked.

“Their reputation, their popularity,” Gideon pointed out.

“Well, they’re already not too popular here,” Fritz said.

“Remember their reaction when they lost their duels?” Severus said. “Perhaps something to make them look bad?”

~*~

Ottokar checked the time. They still had a moment before they had to get ready for the meeting. He went to his desk and got out his new notebook.

“Ottokar?”

He offered Stephan the notebook. “Here, take a look.”

Stephan gave him a questioning look but when Ottokar didn’t say anything else, he started leafing through it. “These are... plans for the wiring of a house?” He personally had no interest in it but had grown familiar with it from working with Ottokar on a number of pranks or helping him with projects.

Ottokar nodded. “I’ve been in contact with the examination office, both Muggle and Magical. They’re willing to let me sit the theoretical Muggle exam during the break and use some of the wiring I did here and at home for my practical. If I pass both, I get my Muggle apprenticeship diploma and, after another oral exam in summer, my wizarding one as well.” He tapped one of the pages. “Wiring that house to work for both muggle and wix is to be my mastery project, If I can get it approved. I just need a suitable house.”

“What are you looking for in a house?” Stephan asked, looking through some of the notes and ideas on the other pages.

“Big, enough for a larger family. Multiple adults, some children.”

Stephan looked up, surprised. He stared at his friend, trying to tell if he meant it the way he’d understood it. Then he smiled slowly. “You know, we could ask my father for assistance.” As a lawyer, his father had both the connections and the financial means to help Ottokar.

Ottokar considered it. “We can bring it up the next time we see him in person.”

~*~

The girls were already waiting in the old torture chamber, watched closely by Mücke, Klaus and Hans-Jürgen to make sure the girls didn’t use the opportunity for a prank. When Ottokar and Stephan arrived with the other members of the Ritterrat, Sophie and Beatrix were relieved to notice that the atmosphere between the two was far less tense that it had been last night. Ottokar, Stephan and Hans-Jürgen took their customary seats in the three stone judgement seats and Dampfwalze on the rack, though he remained sitting today to leave room for others to sit as well. Beatrix and Sophie sat on the armrests of Ottokar’s and Stephan’s seat and the others found seats on the table, the rack and the wood blocks.

Mücke waited for Hans-Jürgen to prepare his quill and parchment, then nodded decisively. “Right, our guests. What are our impressions until now? Anything we need to keep an eye on? Anything we need to take actions on?”

“It’s pretty mixed, I think,” Dieter said. “Some, like Regulus or Fabian and Gideon, are fitting in very well and following the rules with no complain.”

“Or they’re at least respectful enough of your rules not to break them here,” Beatrix said. “I saw Malachi share a smoke with some of the girls over at Rosenfels who are smokers.”

Mücke did not look too happy but said: “I guess we need to remember that they are guests, not new students, so that’s probably the best we can expect.”

The other boys grumbled their agreement.

“I think we need to watch out for blood-purism,” Stephan said. “One of them almost slipped and used...you know... when talking about Muggleborn.”

“So that’s why you’ve been reaching near the dream distance in training yesterday,” Dampfwalze realized. The dream distance was a long distance in shot put that was only very rarely reached.

Stephan shrugged. “Guess you’re not the only one to achieve better distances when angry.”

Beatrix wordless leaned stronger against him in wordless support.

“None of the girls have slipped like that yet,” Amanda said, returning to the topic, “probably because they don’t know who of us are purebloods, but from what some have said, there are definitely some prejudices.”

“That’s definitely something we need to keep an eye on,” Hans-Jürgen said, noting it down. “We need to make clear that it’s not acceptable here at once when we hear something like that.”

“I’m still a bit worried about Severus,” Mücke said. “He’s very defensive and has reacted rather aggressively to some of the taunts and attacks from James and Sirius, though he’s been getting better these last few days.”

Ottokar, Stephan, Beatrix and Sophie exchanged looks, then the other three nodded to Ottokar to tell them. “I suspect that his home life is... troubled. He hasn’t outright said anything but some of the things he says, the way he speaks about his family...” He shook his head. “I’ve asked Beni to spend some time with him, to get his impression.”

Martina nodded. “Waiting and watching is probably the best you can do for now. Given him some more time to confide in you. If it looks like they need to return to England before the matter is settled, Beni and I can talk to him.”

“Speaking of James and Sirius,” Klaus said. “I get that they consider themselves pranksters but many of their pranks are far from funny.

Mücke nodded. “Their aim is to humiliate others and they are willing to risk damage to belongings, victims and bystanders.”

“Beni, Fritz, Walter and I are currently assisting Severus in a revenge prank. The Prewett twins have also offered their help,” Ottokar reported.

“That’s good but I think we need more,” Andi said. “Not just a revenge prank but teaching them a lesson to make sure that they understand that what they call pranks it not accepted here.”

“All true,” Ingrid said, “but your usual approach is not enough here. I know how important the autonomy your teachers leave you is to you and that you tend to deal with such cases on your own but they need to see that the adults don’t approve either. From what I’ve seen and heard of them, they have taken the silence until now, both here and at Hogwarts, as approval.”

“I hate to say this but Ingrid might be right,” Mücke said.

“Thank you, brother dearest,” she replied sarcastically.

“It doesn’t mean that you should leave it entirely to the teachers,” Sophie added. “It’s more that they need to experience that there is no one here who is willing to accept that behaviour any longer.”

“I will talk to the Rex today,” Ottokar said, “and request a meeting with all teachers tomorrow after breakfast.”

“It’s good that we have decided on a course of actions for them now,” Mücke said, “but we should not ignore the others. People like Regulus and the twins are not only fitting in so well because they want to but also because they have found some activity with students here that they enjoy. We should try inviting them to clubs and groups, see if something doesn’t hit the spot and encourages them to integrate themselves better.”

“We could ask them if one of them is interested in writing an article for Wappenschild,” Andi mused, thinking of the school newspaper and how it had helped him when he had started here.

“I can see if some of them are musically inclined, either to play something with the Horror Rock Jazz Band or I can send them to Strehlau if they are more interested in classical music,” Stephan offered.

“Some of the girls have shown an interest in self-defence lessons,” Martina said. “If some of the guys are also interested, Beni and I can figure something out.”

“We pass it on to the others, see if anyone else has an idea,” Mücke said.

Everyone nodded.

~*~

As they had discussed, Ottokar spoke to the Rex that very evening. The next morning, Ottokar and the teachers cut their breakfast short to meet in Headmaster Meyer’s office. He told them what they had discussed the evening before and the conclusion they had reached.

“You are right,” the Rex said. “We need to show a united front.”

“So we call them on it when we see it,” Doctor Waldmann said. “Assign detention? Additional work?”

“The usual punishment of assigning a march as punishment doesn’t really work,” the Rex agreed. “We cannot trust them to actually do it, so someone would have to go along to supervise it.”

“If detention and loss of privileges, like access to brooms or being allowed to go out on the weekend, isn’t enough then one of us will just have to do that. Perhaps that will make an impression on them,” Gießkanne said.

“Any other suggestions?” the Rex asked.

“I might have one,” Rolle said. “One of my friends, the one I learned English from, is probably a relative of James Potter. I can write to him. Perhaps he has more influence on him or has suggestions how to handle him.”

The Rex considered it. “Write to him,” he finally said.

~*~

Later that day, Michael Potter flood to Black Manor.

A house elf appeared after just a moment. “What can Liddy do for Master Potter?” she asked.

“You can let Lord Acturus know that I urgently need to talk to him,” Michael said.

Michael had barely reached the door to Arcturus’ office when it was ripped open. “Michael!” Arcturus exclaimed. While a Muggle at 74 would have already been considered elderly, as a wix Arcturus was still in his prime. His temples were just beginning to grey but otherwise his dark locks still reached his shoulders, not very different to his older grandson Sirius. He reached for Michael. “Did something happen with Dorea?”

“No, mother is fine,” Michael quickly assured him, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, uncle. I did not mean to worry you.” Few people realized just how close Arcturus Black was to the main Potter Line. Though Arcturus was seven years older than him, he was close friends with Charlus Potter, the current Lord Potter, a friendship which had only got closer after Charlus had married Dorea Black, Arcturus’ favourite cousin. It was because of this friendship that he had been asked to become the godfather of their son, Michael Altar Potter. Dorea liked to say that it was quite fitting, considering that, in appearance at least, Michael took more after the Black side. Not only had he been spared the usual Potter bird’s nest hair, he had only inherited his mother’s blonde hair, which framed his face in soft waves.

Michael had not paused to consider that, knowing that Dorea had been recently diagnosed with Dragon Pox, Arcturus might misunderstand the reason for his visit. “I’m actually here to talk about Sirius.” He paused. “Well, him and James.”

Arcturus sighed. “What has that rascal done now?” Then, deciding that this was a conversation he wanted to have sitting down and in reach of a drink, he invited his godson into his office.

“Are you aware that Hogwarts had to be closed down for an indefinite time, resulting in many of the students being sent abroad?” Michael asked.

Arcturus started. “No. This is the first time I hear of it. Why wasn’t I informed? As Head of the Family of three students, I should have received a letter from either the Headmaster or his Deputy, so I could either confirm their intended actions for them or make other arrangement.”

Michael nodded. “I figured. Father also was not informed, though Uncle Fleamont got a letter saying that James is in Germany until the situation at Hogwarts is resolved. He didn’t pass it on because he figured father would have received a separate letter. I presume Orion and Cygnus has received letters as well. You can ask them for news about Regulus and Narcissa. I know that Sirius is in Germany as well both from a letter Fleamont received from James and from another letter from Germany I received today.” He briefly closed his eyes, cursing his younger cousin. “Heinrich Rolle, a friend of mine, is teacher at the German school Sirius and James were sent to. He has written to inform me that James and a friend – I can only assume Sirius, from the context – have been repeatedly breaking rules, in the course of which they have destroyed other students’ property and put another student in harm’s way. He is asking for advice and assistance with their discipline.”

“Wonderful,” Arcturus sighed sarcastically. Since it was just Michael and him, he allowed himself a moment, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I thought it best to involve you, both because of Sirius and because I would prefer to leave father out of it for now, let him concentrate on mother,” Michael said after a few minutes. “As father’s heir, I can act in his stead but I think it would have more... impact if you were to come along.” He was, after all, still only 33. Old enough not to have been a playmate of his cousin’s but also not old enough to claim much respect from James. Arcturus on the other hand had both his age, position and reputation of being quite strict that would play in their favour.

“Of course I will,” Arcturus said. Then he frowned. “Though I have to wonder that this is the first time we have heard of their rule-breaking going overboard to such a degree. If they did such things at Hogwarts, wouldn’t letters to the family be sent out, at the latest when their punishments escalated? If it only started in Germany, then something must have happened there to set them off.”

Michael considered it. “You’re right. What do you propose that we do?”

“Let’s go to Hogwarts, talk to their Head of House about their actions and, while we’re there, talk to the Headmaster about his not following protocol,” Arcturus said. “Depending on what we learn there, I’ll need to talk to Orion and Cygnus. Then we can start preparing our trip to Germany.”

Michael made a face. “I’d prefer not to come along when you visit Cousin Cygnus and Cousin Walburga.” He shuddered. “I still can’t understand what your father was thinking when he decided on Orion’s betrothal to that harridan.”

“Michael!” Arcturus chided. Then, against his will, his lips started twitching. “I suspect he was drunk, confounded or starting to get senile. Unfortunately it was already too late to change it when I succeeded him.”

~*~

Arcturus didn’t take the time to call ahead, he flooed directly to the headmaster’s office in Hogwarts, ignoring Dumbledore’s attempts to get him to make an appointment at a later time. To their surprise, they found not only Dumbledore but also Minerva McGonagall, Lord Fawley and another wizard. All the portrait frames were filled, though most were at least trying not to make it obvious that they were listening very closely.

“I told you, Dumbledore, I will not make an appointment. I demand to know the details about the students of my family, the details you kept from me.” Arcturus looked around the office. “Though from the looks of it, things might soon be resolved and all the students back at Hogwarts.”

“I’m afraid it’s going to take quite a while longer,” Fawley said. “I’m here on behalf of the Board of Governors. We were informed by Noah Cole,” he nodded to the man Arcturus was not familiar with, “a warder from Gringotts, that, while the repairs of the castle itself are almost finished, there are... issues with the wards.”

Cole snorted. “‘Issues’?” he repeated. “That’s putting it mildly. They haven’t been properly services in decades, if not centuries, and some amateurs have tried to change things. It will take a few month yet until the wards are in working order again.” He shook his head. “I will be going back to Gringotts to prepare everything.”

“And what is the matter that has you seeking the headmaster out?” Fawley asked Arcturus after Cole had flooed out.

“I am here because the proper protocol was not followed when the students were sent out to the other schools. Neither myself nor Lord Potter were informed that children of our houses had been sent abroad,” Arcturus explained.

“Is that true, Heir Potter?” Fawley asked.

“Yes, sir,” Michael confirmed. “I received a letter from an acquaintance at Schreckenstein, otherwise I would not have any details about James’ whereabouts.”

“I see,” Fawley said. He glared at Dumbledore. “I believe that is another thing I will have to bring up at the next meeting of the Board.”

“We would also like to view James’ and Sirius’ files,” Arcturus said, “especially the part concerning any punishments they received.”

“Now, I do not see why this is necessary...” Dumbledore began.

“We have received a letter of their teachers after less than a week in Germany,” Arcturus said dryly. “We would like to know when this started.”

Minerva’s lips pressed into a thin line. She had told them to be on their best behaviour. Though she should not be surprised that it was the two of them who were acting out. Still it was surprising that, after barely a week, the teachers had felt it necessary to involve the families.

“He’s shaping up to be a true Black,” Phineas Nigellus called down from his portrait.

Arcturus turned to him. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Why don’t we go to your office, Minerva?” Dumbledore quickly cut in.

“We can discuss this here or I can talk to my grandfather’s portrait later on one of the Black properties, it’s up to you,” Arcturus said. When Dumbledore did not reply, he turned back to the portrait. “You were saying?”

Phineas came down to one of the lower frames, elbowing other wix out of the way. “The way he is targeting his enemies, for example. Though it’s a pity he did not manage to kill that bastard halfblood. It’s galling that that halfblood dark lord running around now was able to murder a schoolmate while still at school and a Black hasn’t,” he said.

Arcturus closed his eyes and took a few deep breath to try and keep a hold of his temper. “Who did he target and are you certain he meant to kill him?” He finally asked.

“Like I said, that bastard halfblood. Well, not certain he’s a bastard, definitely a halfblood though.” At Arcturus’ expectant look, Phineas sighed. “Eileen Prince’s son.”

Prince. Wonderful, Sirius had to go and pick a fight with, had to endanger, a member of the one family who rivalled the Blacks were pride and holding a grudge were concerned. Arcturus was really not looking forward to having to inform Tiberius Prince.

Phineas continued, ignoring his grandson’s reaction: “And what else would have been his reaction if not to kill him by sending him to a werewolf?”

Minerva gasped. “Albus!” She had not known about this. Oh, she had been aware that Snape had spent some time in the healing ward after a prank earlier this year but she had thought that it had only been an accident during the prank, not Sirius endangering Remus like this and risking another student.

“Now, Phineas, I’m sure you must have misunderstood something,” Dumbledore said chidingly.

“You talked to them about it here, in this office,” Phineas replied dryly.

Arcturus nodded in understanding. “And while the portraits would normally be required to keep the Headmaster’s confidence, the first priority is always their family, which is why you can tell me.”

“But where would he have found a werewolf? Are there some in the Forbidden Forest?” Fawley asked.

Arcturus considered his answer for a moment, then just said: “Perhaps you could postpone this for a moment. We have almost finished and will be on our way then.” He turned back to Dumbledore and McGonagall. “We expect their full files within the next three days, including all infractions and the punishments assigned, the files we should have been receiving already.”

Michael touched Arcturus’ arm, stopping him from turning to floo back home. He went to stand in front of the frame Phineas was still occupying. “What did you mean about the Dark Lord? Are you speaking of Voldemort?”

“Phineas!” Dumbledore warned.

“I’m a Black, as much as a Potter,” Michael snapped. “He will answer me.”

“Yes, Voldemort is a halfblood called Tom Riddle,” Phineas confirmed.

Fawley exploded. “And why is this not common knowledge?” he demanded. “Perhaps that knowledge would help the Ministry deal with that threat!”

“Now, my boy...” Albus began.

“We will leave you to it,” Arcturus said. He doubted Fawley would let Dumbledore talk himself out of this any time soon.

~*~

James and Sirius were not having a good day. Their attempts at pranks still kept being interrupted, the Ritter insisting that pranks had to be “funny” and “not harm the victim”. At Hogwarts, their pranks had been considered funny and who cared if a dark wix got hurt?

Now even the teachers were getting involved. Doctor Waldmann, the Deputy Headmaster, had called them out in front of the whole class for calling Snape Snivellus and Doctor Schüler had even assigned them detention because of the ingredient they had tried to throw into Snape’s cauldron which would have made it explode. It was so unfair.

“I’m telling you, Mauersäge is having family over again,” they heard someone say.

James and Sirius stepped closer, eager for a distraction. They had not yet met Mauersäge, actually called Graf Bodo von Schreckenstein, the owner of the castle, but they had heard about him from both the Ritter and the teachers.

“I don’t know. I managed to catch a glimpse of those visitors in the Sternenhof,” another Ritter replied. The Sternenhof was the name of the courtyard in Mauersäge’s part of the castle, called that because of the stones arranged in the form of a star on the ground. The north wing bordered the Sternenhof, allowing the students with room there to see inside. “They did not look anything like Mauersäge, though I guess they did look aristocratic.”

“Perhaps they are related by marriage,” the first Ritter suggested.

“Aren’t all aristocrats?” the second replied.

“James, Sirius, would you come with me please?” Headmaster Meyer said, suddenly having appeared behind them.

They exchanged long-suffering looks. What now?

To their surprise, they were not taken to his office but rather led to the north wing and through the door connecting the school with the knights’ hall, which was part of Mauersäge’s rooms. They curiously looked at the suits of armour standing along the walls of the hall, trying to tell if they were magical or not, but Director Meyer continued on to a receiving room. It was not overly big, so it had originally probably be intended to receive friends and family, not to intimate and impress opponents. Directly opposite the door was a fireplace with a merrily burning fire inside. Four armchairs were arranged in a half circle in front of the fire, two small side tables beside the two armchairs on the left and the two on the right. Much of the other three walls was taken up by rows upon rows of books. They could not help but think that Remus would have loved it.

An older man stood in front of the fireplace. He was tall and skinny, with little hair but remarkably bushy eyebrows. The most obvious feature, however, was his big, thin nose. This was likely Mauersäge.

“I hope...ks... you will stay a little... ks... a little longer. I would like to...ks... talk to you some more,” Mauersäge said to whoever was sitting in the armchairs closest to them, turned too far towards to fireplace for them to see who it was. The Ritter had openly talked about his nasally way of speaking and the way he “shifted” while speaking, as they called the sound he made, but they had thought they might be exaggerating. They weren’t.

“We would be glad to accept your hospitality for the night, though I’m afraid we will have to return to England tomorrow. But I expect we will have to visit some more times,” someone replied from one of the armchairs.

James started. That sounded like... “Michael?” No, impossible, what would his cousin be doing here?

To his surprise, it truly was his older cousin who rose from one of the armchairs. “James,” he briely acknowledged, “Sirius.” Then he turned back to the other two adults. “Thank you for giving us the opportunity to talk them in private first.”

“Not at all. We are grateful for how quickly you were able to visit,” Headmaster Meyer replied.

James and Sirius looked at each other, confused. ‘Us’?

They barely noticed when Mauersäge and the Rex left the room, too startled and dismayed when the man in the other armchair stood up, revealing Arcturus Black.

“What are you doing here?” Sirius demanded to know.

“We were called because of your behaviour,” Michael said, staring at them seriously with his arms crossed. “And we had an interesting conversation with your teachers at Hogwarts before coming here.”

Sirius unconsciously mirrored his stance, crossing his arms defensively. “I don’t see why you were called. We didn’t do anything wrong.”

“You didn’t?” Arcturus asked mockingly. “So you have not been bullying other students? You haven’t landed a number of them in the healing ward? You haven’t almost caused the death of two students?”

Sirius bristled. “What, afraid I’m going to make the family look bad?”

“Actually, you might be pleased to learn that Phineas Nigellus is quite proud of you and considers you a credit to the family,” Arcturus snapped back.

Sirius drew back as if slapped.

“Uncle,” Michael cut in quickly before both their temper could cause the situation to escalate.

“What do you mean, ‘the death of two students’?” James asked. He knew that Sirius sending Snape after Remus during the full moon could have got him killed, which was why he had pulled him away, but when else had a prank been that dangerous?

“What do you think would have happened to Remus if he had injured, killed or bitten Snape?” Michael asked. “Did you forget that, according to the law, a werewolf who attacks a human is to be instantly executed?”

For a long, silent moment, they just stared at him, then Sirius asked: “You know about Remus?”

Michael rolled his eyes. “You invited him to visit over the holidays. Of course the wards registered what he is. You’re just lucky it wasn’t near the full moon or the defensive wards might have been triggered.”

James sank back against the door. He had not even thought about that possibility when he had invited Remus.

Sirius glared at Arcturus. “And what are you going to do with that knowledge? Demand we join You-Know-Who? Because you can forget that. I’m not joining him. Dumbledore has told us about him and we’ll fight him and-”

“You are children, you have no place in this war. And Dumbledore has no business talking you to about this or trying to recruit you,” Michael said. “In fact, Dumbledore you be talking and sharing information with the Aurors and the Wizengamot.”

“And in case it was not clear to you, no, we are not asking you to become a Deatheater,” Arcturus added.

Sirius stared at him, eyes squinting suspiciously. “Mother said...”

Arcturus snarled, thinking back to his visit to Orion and Walburga to talk about their two sons. “Your mother, as well as the rest of the family, has been informed that I will not accept any member of the family joining or supporting that upstart halfblood calling himself a dark lord.” He forced himself to calm down. “In fact, she has been confined to Grimmauld Place for the time being. I have also revoked Walburga and Orion’s custody of you and your brother. Melania and I will assume custody and you can expect that we will be considerably less willing to let you act out as you have been.”

“That goes for both of you, of course,” Michael said. “I still have to discuss it with Uncle Fleamont but as father’s heir, I will assume your discipline.”

James and Sirius exchanged a look. Today really sucked.

~*~

Once again Beni was supervising the prank planning session with Walter, Fritz, Severus, Fabian and Gideon. It was actually quite fun, the three Hogwarts students were rather creative, though they sometimes needed to be reined in, to be reminded not to break the rules for pranks.

“Are there any Muggle things that might help in pranking them?” Gideon asked.

“They’re at least as ignorant of Muggle things as us,” Fabian added.

They looked to Severus. “Do you have any idea?” Gideon asked.

“Something you used for pranks as a child?” Fabian asked.

Severus snorted. “I’d be dead if I had played pranks at home.”

The other student froze. “Pardon?”

Severus nervously cleared his throat. He had not meant to say that. “I don’t mean... he would not have killed me.” Well, probably not. Not purposely and not while sober, at least. Not that he could remember a time when his father had been sober for long. “Just...” He trailed off, not certain what to say.

After a moment of silence, Beni gently continued: “He just would have hit you. It would have been a perfect excuse to beat you up.”

Severus’ head snapped around to stare at Beni, surprised at what he had thought to hear in his tone. He carefully scrutinized Beni’s expression, trying to tell if he was right.

“Do you know how I came here?” Beni asked, seemingly abruptly. At Severus’ blank look, he explained: “My sister and I ran away from home, away from our abusive father. We came here to see a family member of a friend, a lawyer specializing in family law. He arranged our stay here and for our father to loose custody.” He waited a moment, then asked: “Would your father have beaten you up? Did he beat you up?”

~*~

After their conversation with James and Sirius, Arcturus went in search of his younger grandson while Michael went to join Graf Schreckenstein for the promised conversation. Headmaster Meyer had suggested to Arcturus that should look for Regulus at the lake, something which rather surprised him. He would have expected to find him in the library or his room, perhaps a common room, but not outside.

Arcturus descended to the courtyard they had arrived in, then passed through the gateway towards the garden. He was surprised to see some students working in the garden. Perhaps a herbology project? From the garden, a path led down to the lake. He could see a number of boats out on the lake, most of them rowing boats, though there was also a sailing boat moored down at the landing stage beside the boathouse.

Arcturus had barely started down the path when he saw Regulus coming his way, accompanied by two other boys, around his age or perhaps a bit older. One was blond and almost head taller than Regulus, the other dark haired, about Regulus’ height but a bit heavier. They were talking and laughing together. Something else rather unexpected. Arcturus had never known Regulus to be particularly outgoing or to easily make friends. From the looks of it, somehow he had found two here. And Regulus looked happy, happy and animated. His hair was windswept and he was a bit flushed, like he was actually spending more time outside now.

The smile vanished when Regulus noticed him. He stopped for a moment, then continued the way up to where Arcturus was standing, though considerably stiffer now. “Grandfather,” Regulus greeted him formally.

“Regulus,” Arcturus replied, trying to put him at ease. Had he really spend so little time around his grandsons recently that they could no longer read his expression and body language?

Then Regulus straightened up, resolutely meeting his gaze. “Grandfather, I understand why you are here, though I don’t know how you found out. B... but I’m not going to do it. I don’t care that they’re halfbloods or Muggleborn or whatever. I’m not going to end it.” His voice wavered just slightly, though Arcturus was impressed by his confidence.

Though Arcturus wondered just what it was Regulus understood, because he certainly didn’t. He considered the other two boys who were watching carefully but staying out of it for now. “Are you dating them? Either or both of them?”

“What?” Regulus exclaimed, voice breaking embarrassingly. “No! I’m not... they’re...No. We’re just friends.”

“Then why would their blood status matter?” Arcturus asked. “The inheritance rules of the House of Black might only allow a pureblood to claim the title of Lord Black but there is nothing policing friends or business partners.” It was, in fact, not too unusual for purebloods to turn a blind eye for a profitable business agreement.

Regulus stared at him, completely thrown now. “Then why are you here?”

“I was asked here because of Sirius,” Arcturus explained. “I simply wished to take the opportunity to visit with you, to see how you are taking to this school. Dumbledore might have ignored protocol but, as Head of your family, I can overrule their decision of which school to send you to.” He smiled slightly. “Though, from the looks of it, I doubt that you wish to change schools.”

Regulus smiled, embarrassed to have overreacted like that. “No, grandfather, I want to stay here.”

“Then you can,” Arcturus assured him. He stepped closer, placing his hands on Regulus’ shoulders. “You should also know that Melania and I have assumed guardianship of you and your brother. Your parents are confined to Grimmauld Place but you will stay with us in Black Manor during the holidays,” he explained, voice lowered so no one would overhear. He gave Regulus a moment to work through the revelation, then took a step back and said: “Now then, how about you introduce me to your friends?”

~*~

Severus hesitated, unsure how to answer Beni’s question. His gaze nervously jumped from one fellow student to the next. The Prewett twins looked distraught, staring at him with huge eyes. Walter and Fritz looked angry on his behalf while Beni’s expression was patient and understanding. Finally Severus found it in him to nod, throat too tight to speak.

“Okay then,” Beni said calmly. “What do you want to do now?” When Severus just stared at him, not speaking and not seeming to understand what he meant, he clarified: “We can arrange a meeting with the lawyer who helped me get away from my father. Or you could talk to Andi’s father. He is the chief constable of Neustadt. Obviously England is way out of his jurisdiction but he can give you advice or we might be able to argue that you are currently in his jurisdiction and it is therefore his right and duty to take the case. You could talk to the teachers, see if they have any other idea. Or you can do nothing and we keep it to ourselves.” His lips quirked in a slight smile. “But if you choose the latter, I suggest we try and figure out a way for you to stay elsewhere during the holidays.”

“You could stay with us,” Fabian and Gideon offered, not even having to think about the offer.

Severus started, not having expected them to speak up or to make such an offer. His first instinct was to lash out, tell them to stay out of his life, to leave him alone. To protect himself, in case they would turn out not to be trustworthy. And yet... and yet he found himself wanting to trust them. And he wanted it to be over. He wanted to finally not fear the holidays anymore.

But could he do it? He suspiciously regarded Beni, trying to find any sign of him lying or trying to trick him.

There was nothing.

He took a deep breath, then said: “I’ll talk to the lawyer. And... and perhaps the others, the chief constable and teachers and...” he trailed off.

“Okay. I’ll try to get in touch with the lawyer for now,” Beni said. “Then we can see about speaking with the others.” He considered Severus thoughtfully, taking in how tense he was, and decided to change the subject for the time being. “Now, back to our prank.”

The twins seemed about to protest but fell silent at a look from Beni.

“So, about the Muggle things...” Fabian began.

~*~

Arcturus had chosen to apparate to Rosenfels, instead of taking a boat or a broom. The headmistress was waiting for him. He bowed lightly and kissed her hand. “Miss Dr Horn.” He straightened. “I’m very grateful that you are giving me this opportunity to talk to the daughter of my House.”

She gave him a thin smile, though she was quite flattered by the greeting. Her weakness for aristocracy and good manners was well known, both to her students and the Ritter, as well as the teachers at Schreckenstein. “It is a pleasure to have you visit,” she replied. “It is good of you that you are showing such care for your family.”

He politely inclined his head at the compliment, then followed her to office where Narcissa was waiting for him.

She stood when he entered. “Grand-uncle Arcturus,” she said. It was not quite correct, of course. His father had been the brother of her great-grandfather but she and her sisters had been allowed to call him grand-uncle.

Arcturus smiled at her. “Hello, Narcissa.” He had to admit, he and Melania had a bit of a soft spot for her, as the youngest girl of the family. “And how are you enjoying yourself here? Do you wish to stay or would you rather I make alternative arrangements.”

“No, thank you, Grand-uncle,” she said. “I quite like it here.” Then she took a deep breath and stood up straight. “Grand-uncle, I intend to start an apprenticeship after I finish school.” Then she fell silent, waiting for his reaction.

He just simply looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to elaborate. When she didn’t, he asked: “Do you wish for me to arrange an apprenticeship for you? Or do you need me to re-negotiate your betrothal with Lucius Malfoy? It’s not unusual for a wedding to be put off until both spouses have finished their apprenticeship.”

She started. “I’m allowed an apprenticeship, a career?” she asked.

“Of course. Though you will need to discuss the details of your career with your husband,” Arcturus replied.

Narcissa still looked confused. “But mother and aunt Walburga said that... that a girl’s job is to look pretty, to be a good wife and mother. It’s why all three of us had our wedding arranged for shortly after graduation.”

Arcturus stared at her for a moment, then closed his eyes in resignation. “Come, let us sit down.” He gently led her to the two chairs that had been left for her. He took her hand, then said: “Narcissa, dear, you are aware that your parents are very young yet, aren’t you?” He waited for her to nod. “Have you ever calculated how old they were when they had you or when they had Bellatrix?”

Narcissa frowned. “No?”

“Druella was 13 when Bellatrix was born. Her father insisted that Cygnus should take responsibility and marry her, even though he was also just 13. Pollux agreed, obviously. That first time, we all thought it to have been an accident, a matter of them being so very young, of having forgotten to use a contraceptive spell. But two years later she fell pregnant again, with Andromeda, and again in her last year, with you. Melania and I suspect that Druella and her parents were hoping the title would fall to Pollux if Cygnus had an heir already when father died or that it would fall to Cygnus if Orion and Walburga had no children. As the title can only be inherited by a male member of the family, neither you nor your sisters are eligible but if you should have a son while neither Sirius nor Regulus have a pureblood son, then they would be able to claim the title upon mine and Orion’s death.”

Arcturus paused briefly. “Druella and Walburga are the exception where careers for the female members of the House of Black are concerned. The three pregnancies during her school years, especially in her OWL and NEWT year, meant that Druella simply did not have the grades for a good apprenticeship. The price any master would have demanded for accepting her would have been far too high. Your aunt Walburga might have the ambition to make something of herself but not the patience and willingness to work for it and to pursue a career. Dorea is a Charms Mistress, though she had to stop working because of her illness. My Melania crafts jewellery with protective charms.” He nodded to the chain with a pendant showing the narcissus flower she was named after. “She made this for you. Lucretia is a healer.”

Narcissa looked down at the table, needing a moment to process this. She had to admit, thinking the way her parents were talking and pushing them to marry and have sons, it was very likely that they were after the title. It would also explain why they were stressing the need for them to have children, to have sons, as soon as possible, even though none of their intended husbands had inherited yet and it would be decades yet before they were too old to have children. She nodded to herself. “So they would not have protested Andy being disowned for marrying a muggleborn,” she murmured to herself.

“What did you say?” Arcturus asked. “What was that about her marrying a muggleborn?”

Narcissa was confused now. “Andy... Andromeda, Bellatrix and my parents all told me that she was disowned because she refused to marry the wizard arranged for her.”

Arcturus frowned. “You parents and Walburga informed me that she was pregnant due to... promiscuity... at Hogwarts, was unable to name the father or willing to marry one to give the child a father, that she intended to... having it seen to in the muggle world.”

“No!” Narcissa protested at once. “Grand-uncle, I promise, she was not pregnant or... or promiscuous. Just... just in love with a Muggleborn.”

“I will see this cleared up,” he assured her. “For now, you just concentrate on deciding on your future.”

“My parents...” Narcissa began.

“...are no longer your guardians, Melania and I am. If you want a career, you will have one.”

~*~

Beni had decided to meet with Jerry in the ice cream parlour Capri. It was popular enough with students from Schreckenstein and the local Friedrich-Ebert-School and the Herzog-Franz-Joseph School that it was considered neutral ground.

Jerry arrived on his cousin Udo’s motorcycle. He parked it, then came to his table and let himself drop into the chair opposite of him. “What do you want, Beni?” he asked. “I didn’t think a Ritter would need help from someone else.”

Beni took a deep breath, trying not to be hurt by how the reminder how much he and his once best friend had drifted apart. “Remember why we came here three years ago?” he asked. “I need to talk to your uncle again about such a matter.”

Jerry abandoned his relaxed sprawl, attention now riveted on the other. “Beni?”

“One of our guests is from an abusive home. His father hits him. We need to get him away,” Beni said.

“Okay, I’ll talk to my uncle. He can come out to the castle and talk to them.” He put the helmet back on and went back to the motorcycle. He stopped before mounting, however. “Hey, Beni?”

“Yes?”

“You doing okay? With the similarities to three years ago?” Jerry asked.

Beni was startled for a moment, then smiled. “I’m okay, thanks. I know Schreckenstein wasn’t right for you but it’s a good fit for me.”

~*~

After their return from Germany, Michael went to see his uncle. He did not expect it to be an easy conversation but he still preferred it to Arcturus’ task, which was to explain what had happened to Lord Tiberius Prince. In comparison, this family matter seemed far less daunting.

Euphemia greeted him first upon his arrival. “Michael, what a nice surprise. It must have been years since you last visited. Is your mother doing better?”

Michael smiled sadly. “I’m afraid not. But mother isn’t why I’m here. I need to talk to you and uncle Fleamont about James.”

“About James?” Fleamont asked, coming down the stairs. “Did something happen to him?”

“No, he’s fine, don’t worry,” Michael assured him. They went to the family sitting room. “I was contacted by his teachers in Germany because they are bullying other students.”

“Bullying?” Euphemia repeated, stunned. “Surely they must have misunderstood something. Our James isn’t a bully.”

“You know how he is, Michael,” Fleamont said. “He and Sirius have always been rather mischievous and they enjoy their pranks but it’s just harmless fun. You know, just boys being boys.”

Michael shook his head. “I talked to their teachers at Hogwarts and to James and Sirius themselves. It’s not fun and it’s definitely not harmless. In fact, they have landed a number of students in the hospital wing. This year, they almost killed two of their year mates.”

“That can’t be true,” Fleamont protested. “Perhaps someone is trying to get back at them by spreading these lies.”

Michael bit back a sigh. “Uncle Fleamont, they admitted to it. In fact, they see nothing wrong with harming or almost killing a fellow student, after all he’s ‘only a Slytherin’.”

“Well, they’re just boys, they can’t be expected to always take the consequences into account. And if he’s a Slytherin, then surely he knows ways to protect himself,” Euphemia argued.

“They are 15, they’ll be of age in less than two years,” Michael pointed out, at the end of this patience. “I should bloody well hope they are able to see if their actions might end of killing someone. Or should I ban him from Potter Manor to be on the safe side?”

“Ban him?” Fleamont gasped. “Why would you even consider this?”

“If you say that he can’t recognize yet if a prank might kill someone, how can I risk him accidentally killing my mother? After all, she’s ‘only a Slytherin’. If he’s a threat to her, to the Lady of his Family, isn’t it my duty to keep him away?” Michael replied.

“He would never hurt her!” Fleamont exclaimed.

“Can you be sure? You know she is ill, you know he thinks nothing of playing dangerous pranks, especially on Slytherins. Can you swear that he will not endanger her unthinkingly?” Michael asked.

They fell silent. They could not swear it. They wanted to, their darling boy, their unexpected surprise when they were beginning to despair of ever having a child of their own, he could not be a bully, like Michael was saying. But they all knew him and even if they did not want to admit it, they knew how unthinkingly cruel he could be. They could not be certain that he wouldn’t play a prank on Dorea that she might react badly to, considering her illness. And killing or even harming the Lady of their Family, intentionally or not, would have horrible consequences for James and for them, if they swore it.

Michael sighed. “Yes, he is still underage now. But soon he won’t be and then he might end up before the Wizengamot for injuring or killing another wix. Even now, the Head of a Family who’s member he has harmed might demand recompense. And neither father nor I are going to pay for his actions in his stead.”

Fleamont stared at his nephew for a long moment, then slumped. “I understand.”

“Fleamont!” Euphemia protested.

“No, Euphemia, Michael is right. James needs to learn.”

~*~

Arcturus waited patiently for Tiberius Prince to receive him. They knew each other, of course, since they were both Lords of Noble and Most Ancient Houses and were of the same generation, though Prince was five years his senior, but they had not really had contact in years. Prince had never been the most outgoing wizard but he had become rather reclusive these past years.

“Lord Black,” Prince greeted him when he was finally shown into his study. “What brings you here?”

Arcturus bowed to him, not sitting down yet. “I am here to offer recompense for the offence my grandson has committed against your family.”

“Your grandson?” Prince asked. “I was not aware that he had committed any offence against me.”

Arcturus resisted the urge to fidget uncomfortably. “I was speaking of what he did to your grandson.”

“My grandson?” Prince repeated, stunned.

Arcturus was confused now. Had Phineas Nigellus misunderstood something? “Yes, the son of your daughter, Eileen.”

Prince sank bank against the back of his chair. “She had a son? A wixen son?” Then he straightened and gave Arcturus a stern look. “What did your grandson do to him?”

~*~

Tiberius Prince had decided to visit Gringotts first thing in the morning the very next day. Ten, twenty years ago, he might have thought differently but now he had a better understanding of just how important family was. He had put matters off for far too long as it was.

“I wish to speak to Grannott, my account manager,” he informed one of the Goblin tellers.

“Name?” the Goblin asked disinterestedly.

“Lord Tiberius Prince.” He resisted the urge to needlessly straighten his robes.

Moments later Grannott appeared. There were some advantages to being the Lord of an Ancient and Most Noble House, one of them being that the artefacts and fortune accumulated over the centuries made them priority clients at Gringotts. As a result, he was led to an office so his business could be discussed in private instead of the counter hall where everyone might overhear.

“Our regular appointment regarding the running of your estate was just last week,” Grannott stated. “Has something urgent come up that could not wait until the next one?”

“Something has, yes. I was informed yesterday that I have a heir, a grandson. I intend to set up a suitable trust fund and wish to have the paperwork and heir ring prepared for him to take up,” Tiberius said.

“A grandson through your daughter?” Grannott asked. “As you are aware, only legitimate offspring can inherit your title.”

“Yes, my daughter’s son,” Tiberius confirmed.

Grannott checked the files on his client, especially his family tree. “Then it is fortunate you did not get around to actually disowning her or she and her son would now not be considered legitimate where the Prince family magic is concerned,” he said, not looking up.

Tiberius winced. Their family was quite well known for their temper, which could often lead to them saying things they did not actually mean. He had thought he had trained himself not to be as rash but when Eileen had informed him that she intended to marry a Muggle and worse, one with little ambition and no intention of getting in contact with the wizarding world, he had lost his temper and had threatened to disown her if she would not change her mind. She hadn’t.

“For when should we schedule the appointment to have him claim the heir ring?” Grannott asked.

“I don’t know. I will have to find him first,” Tiberius said.

Grannott looked up. “What did you say?”

“I require assistance finding them, which is the second point I came here for,” Tiberius said. “They live in the muggle world and I do not know how to find them there.”

“Well, we might be able to help, for a suitable fee, of course.”

~*~

Torsten Rohrbach, Udo’s father and Jerry’s uncle, put the quill he’d used to take notes down and ran a hand through his blond hair. It was worn rather short for a wizard, though the length made it easier for him to be taken serious as lawyer in the Muggle world. “Well, Mister Snape, I believe your chances are quite good.” His nephew had passed on Beni’s request the previous day. Luckily he had the time to drive out to the castle. He would simply drive to his next appointment from here, which was also why he was wearing a Muggle suit with a robe thrown over it. As a halfblood himself, he specialized in cases of family law concerning mixed families, which often meant both magical and muggle law applied. A good deal of his cases were divorces and custody matter. Unfortunately the second most common kind of case was cases like this or Beni’s case, child abuse and domestic abuse. “Between your testimony and the file the healer here will prepare, I should be able to achieve a decision so that you will not have to return to your father”

Severus nodded wordlessly, still a bit overwhelmed by the whole situation.

Rohrbach waited a moment, then continued: “The way Beni has adjusted and fit in here on Burg Schreckenstein sets a good precedent and Headmaster Meyer and Graf Schreckenstein have already agreed to let you stay here, so we might be able to have you finish your remaining school years here. I will have to check with a colleague in Britain first, though, to see if there are no options where student can stay during the holidays and ways to cover the tuition costs for Hogwarts.”

Severus turned to state at the Rex who was attending the meeting with him in loco parentis. He had not been aware that they had discussed that option or that they were willing to over him a place at the school. “Thank you,” he managed, somewhat belated.

“I know that you will turn 16 in a few month, so it’s just a little over a year until you are of age but in the meantime you still need a guardian. Again, Headmaster Meyer and Doctor Waldmann have both volunteered to act as legal guardian until you turn 17 but it would be easier to name someone you are related to as your guardian. Do you know if you have any relatives, apart from your parents?” Rohrbach asked.

Severus considered it. “As far as I know, I have no living relatives on my father’s side. I don’t know about my mother’s side.”

Rohrbach nodded. “I can research it. Do you know her maiden name?”

“Prince,” Severus replied. “She says her birth name is Eileen Prince. I think she was a pureblood.”

“That would make things easier. Pureblood families, especially the older ones, are easier to find and often inter-related, so even if there is no other Prince living in Britain, I might be able to find another relative,” Rohrbach said. He carefully spelled the ink of his notes dry and put them into his briefcase, then stood a shook their hands. “Headmaster Meyer, Mister Snape, I will contact you as soon as I have new information.”

“Thank you,” Severus said. “Again, thank you very much for helping.”

Rohrbach smiled at him. “Not at all.”

~*~

Kaelyn Marsh sat alone on a bench on the edge of the lake, purposely sitting apart from where the Rosenfels students and most of the other female Hogwarts students were enjoying their free time. She had placed her bag on the bench beside her to dissuade anyone from joining her.

Some, it seemed, did not get the hint.

“Do you mind if I join you?” Kassandra Moran asked.

Kaelyn hesitated a moment, then moved her bag to the side to make room for her.

They were silent for a moment, then Moran said: “I don’t understand how they can do it.”

Kaelyn was startled out of her contemplation of the lake “Pardon?”

Moran nodded towards the other British girls. “The others. How are they interacting that way with all the other students here and over at Schreckenstein? How do they know what they can talk to them about?”

Kaelyn nodded, relieved to have found someone who understood. “I know,” she agreed. “There are things a Muggleborn or a halfblood simply can’t understand. Isn’t it unfair to involve them in a discussion they cannot contribute to?”

“Right. Some wix simply have less to contribute. I mean, can you imagine talking to a Hufflepuff about making it to the top or asking a Gryffindor for assistance with research or homework?” Moran said.

“Aside from the fact that I would never ask a Gryffindor for assistance, that seems like a recipe for having to do twice the work.” Kaelyn suppressed a shudder, surely no one in the dungeon would willingly work with a Gryffindor.

“But how do they avoid that here? There are no houses to help with that,” Moran said. “I’ve been trying to figure out where they’d be sorted, to help me figure out who I can approach for help with a subject but I can’t manage.”

“I know. I mean, some are easy. Surely Ingrid would be in Ravenclaw or Slytherin,” Kaelyn said.

“I’m not sure. She’s one of the best students, ambitious and with a sharp tongue but she’s also one of the main instigators in pranks,” Moran pointed out. “But I think Beatrix would have been sorted into Gryffindor. Just look at her temper.”

“But she says she was accepted for training as a Curse Breaker by Gringotts. That requires good grades and above average intelligence,” Kaelyn replied.

“And how does that friendship between the three of them even work?” Moran exclaimed, completely exasperated by still failing to understand.

~*~

In the end Narcissa had decided to approach Professor Waldmann, the youngest Rosenfels teacher, for assistance. Given her parents’ and her aunt’s attitude, she had never seriously considered having a career or what she would like to do and how to go about turning it into a career, so she had been at a loss how to proceed. But since she surely could not be the only student with no definite plans for her professional life, she had figured a teacher might be able to help.

“Of course,” Waldmann had said when she had sought her out in her office. She had pulled a paperback book out of her desk. “This is an overview of different professions, with the necessary prerequisites and potential career paths. Obviously the book is for professions here in Germany but I expect the main difference to professions in Britain will be prerequisites, so it should at least give you an idea of what your options are and what might interest you.”

Since then, Narcissa had spent much of her free time reading the book. Some of the other girls here at Rosenfels had even offered to tell her more about apprenticeships they were familiar with, either because they were going to pursue it soon or because they had a family working in that profession.

Narcissa was surprised when Amelia Bones joined her at her usual table in one of the common rooms one day. “You’re looking into apprenticeships and studying, right?” Bones asked.

“Yes, I am,” Narcissa replied guardedly. It was one of the few times she had ever talked to Bones.

Bones pulled a folder from her bag and offered it to her. “These are my notes from when I started looking into which profession might interest me. It’s mostly professions related to law and law enforcement. Still, it might help you see where some differences between Germany and Britain are.”

Narcissa looked from Bones to the folder and back again. “Thank you.” She considered it a moment, then asked: “Perhaps you can tell me how you went about researching it?”

~*~

James glowered, trying his best to ignore his glittering hair. It was so unfair.

He and Sirius had been pulled from their beds one night, bound and blindfolded, then carried off. When their blindfolds had been taken off, they had found themselves in a dark tunnel, from the feel of the walls underground. Without their wand, they could not even cast a lumos. They had stumbled around, not knowing where they were and if anyone else, anything else was there with them. They had no idea for how long they had been stumbling around in the dark, hearts in their throats. There had been a strange, cracking sound, then suddenly the voices of the older Ritter could be heart, telling them that this was their final warning, that their bullying would not be permitted any longer. They had tried to find them but there had been no one there and no further sound, aside from their own breath and steps. After an uncertain period of time, there had been a sudden light, blinding them. While they had been disorientated, they had been overwhelmed and bound again, then taken back to their room.

After lunch he and Sirius had been discussing how to get back at them for it. James had pulled out his snitch, absentmindedly starting to play with it. When his hand closed around it again after letting it fly for a moment, they’d suddenly found their clothes transfigured to dresses and their hair green and pink, glittering and sticking up every way. Everyone had laughed at them.

They wouldn’t be laughing for long. James had written to his father and told him what had happened. He would take care of this, of those people who didn’t know who they were dealing with.

He smiled, full of satisfaction and anticipation when he saw that he had received a reply already. His smile slipped quickly once he started reading however. His father told him that he saw nothing wrong with the pranks, that, if they wanted to play pranks, they should be able to take a prank aimed at them as well.

He was sure this was Michael’s fault.

~*~

Lord Fawley made his way through Diagon Alley, trying his best to ignore all the people clamouring for his attention, as they had been since he had passed on the information on Voldemort to the Wizengamot and the Auror corps. People were demanding to know if he was certain, if he had been right to make the information public. Those sympathetic to Voldemort’s cause were claiming that it was all lies, that he had to be a pureblood.

Kenrick, the current Head Auror, had privately asked him to allow this. While the majority of the Wizarding public was distracted with the fight whether the information was correct or not, the Aurors were covertly doing going through any information on Tom Riddle they could get their hands on, looking for anything that might prove useful in their war against him and his Death Eaters.

“Are you certain your source is trustworthy?” he was asked when he finally reached Flourish and Blotts.

“Since the source in question is my grandfather, I assure you it is trustworthy,” Arcturus answered in his stead, having just stepped out of the shop. He and Michael had met up to see if they would be able to find some appropriate study material for the remedial lessons they had arranged for James, Sirius, Regulus und Narcissa over the holidays. Arcturus had been appalled by how lacking their education at home had been until now. He’d had to acknowledge that he had failed to consider the consequences of leaving their education mainly to Walburga and Druella. Now he would have to see about filling the gaps and correcting many of the things they had taught them.

The people in earshot started muttering to one another. Arcturus had to bite his tongue when he caught some questioning whether anything said by a dark wizard such as a Black could be believed.

“It is your right to question any information presented to you but you should not simply ignore it due to your prejudices against who it came from,” Michael rebuked, joining his godfather outside the shop.

The muttering grew in intensity. A light and a dark wizard out together?

Michael almost rolled his eyes at those prejudices. He’d heard it all too often, considering who his parents were. Really, they needed to get over it or they would be working into the hands of the dark lord of the next.

“The aurors and Wizengamot are following all leads and information on Voldemort,” Fawley said. “There is currently nothing disproving that Tom Riddle is, in fact, Voldemort.”

Horace Slughorn had followed the exchange from inside Flourish and Blotts. He knew, of course, that they were right, that Tom Riddle had indeed become Voldemort. He watched the way his school mate and ex-student stood up for what they knew was right, regardless of whether their family was traditionally considered light or dark, how they worked with the aurors who came to check on the cluster of people having formed outside the shop. And suddenly he found the idea of keeping quiet, likely for the rest of his life, unbearable. He hesitantly approached. “Excuse, I believe I might have information on Tom Riddle.” He paused, struggling with himself, then added: “It concerns the most horrific, foulest kind of magic.”

~*~

Severus was surprised when he was pulled from his lessons a few days after the meeting with Rohrbach. He nervously fidgeted on the way to the headmaster’s office, fingers playing with the frayed edges of his sleeves.

“You called for me?” he asked upon entering the office.

The Rex nodded. “I have Mister Rohrbach on the phone right now.”

A phone, in a magical school. Severus still found himself constantly surprised by the differences to Britain.

“He was contacted by Lord Prince, your grandfather. It seems he was also looking for you,” the Rex continued.

Severus was shocked. A grandfather? He had a living grandfather? One who was looking for him.

“He would like to visit, to get to know you. Do you agree to a meeting?” the Rex asked.

Severus hesitated. Did he? What if he was disappointed again? But he needed to know. He had so many questions, about his family, his place in the wizarding world. So ... “Yes, yes I would like to meet him.”

~*~

Severus looked out of the window from where he was sitting at his desk for the rest period, taking a break from the letter he was writing. Since his room was in the west wing, he could see the Princes’ Garden through the window. When they had arrived back in October, the leaves of many of the plants in the garden had still been green. Now, in early December, there was little green to be found, though it had not snowed yet. It was a strange reminder how little time had passed and yet how much had changed for him. At Hogwarts, Lily had been his only friend, though they had been drifting apart for a while now. Looking back, he could understand that it had been mostly because he had been spending a lot of time with Avery and Mulciber. They had seemed like his only chance of escape, encouraging his anger and hate of his life in the Muggle world, promising him ways of not having to go home, promising him recognition and a better life. For that, he had been willing to ignore how uncomfortable a lot of what they said made him and how he and Lily were talking less and less.

Now he had surety that he would not have to return to Spinner’s End, would never have to see his father again. Rohrbach had informed his that his grandfather, Lord Tiberius Prince, had signed all the necessary paperwork to become his legal guardian, stating that, even if their meeting went badly, even if they did not get along, he was part of the family and deserved a place in the wizarding world.

The meeting had, in fact, gone rather well. His grandfather had explained very frankly about his falling out with Eileen. “I disapproved of them man she had fallen for. Partly because he’s a Muggle but mostly because he showed no ambition or willingness to fit in with the family. I demanded that she leave him or leave the family.” He’d sighed. “You might find that our family tends to have a horrible temper. We both said things we shouldn’t have, things we did not mean. And then I was too proud to look for her and apologize.”

Knowing his own temper and pride, Severus could imagine that all too easily.

“I should have. I should have considered that she might have children with him, children with magic,” his grandfather had sighed.

Which had brought the discussion to the topic of Eileen and what would happen with her. “We were able to convince her to leave him. She is not ready to return to the family seat but I set her up in an apartment in Tinworth,” Tiberius had. explained. “You are welcome to stay with her, with me or with friends during the holidays, whichever you prefer.”

For now they had agreed that they would exchange letters during the school year and Severus would spend the Yule holiday with Tiberius at Prince Manor. Tiberius had even offered to let him invite friends to stay with them, so Severus would someone else, someone he knew, to spend time with. Severus was considering inviting Lily, giving them a chance to catch up again, but he was hesitant since he didn’t know Tiberius good enough yet to judge how he would react to him inviting a Muggleborn. As a result, he was still struggling with his letter back to Tiberius.

Beni, who was also one of his roommates, squeezed his shoulder when the rest period ended. “Everything okay?”

Severus started. That was another thing he had to get used to. He had friends aside from Lily now. “I’m fine, just struggling with my plans for the holidays.”

Beni nodded in understanding. It had been strange for him as well at first. “Well, you still have two weeks until the holidays.”

“Two weeks?” Severus had expected three.

“Yes, the holidays start around the middle December. That way students are home in time, no matter if they celebrate Yule and Christmas. School resumes after New Year in January,” Beni explained.

Fabian and Gideon joined them on the way to the afternoon program, Expansion and Improvement. Once a week, the students worked on small repairs and maintenance work, mostly around the castle but sometimes also elsewhere under the direction of construction manager Böck from Wampoldsreuthe.

“Do you have plans...”

“...for the weekend?” the twins asked.

“I’m probably going to Neustadt,” Severus said. “The Christmas market sounds interesting, from what I’ve been hearing.”

Fabian and Gideon exchanged nervous looks. “Would you like to...”

“...go to the Christmas market with us?”

“Sure. I think Ottokar said something that they are going to the Christmas market on a date. Walter and Fritz want to stay here, if I remember right. What about you, Beni?” Severus said.

Beni had to turn his head away and pretend to be looking for something in his school bag to hide the way his lips were twitching. Severus’ obviousness to the way the twins had taken to following him around was hilarious. From the way some of the other students around them started coughing, he figured he was not the only one to think so. “I’m also going to Neustadt. I can show you around the Christmas market, give you some tips.” And then slip away, for a bit at least.

~*~

Mücke and Ingrid were reading through the latest contribution by Malachi, Evelyn and Danielle for Wappenschild and Marzipanbrot, the school newspapers at Schreckenstein and at Rosenfels. After they had offered to print articles by the British students, the three of them had offered an article on the different magical schools. Some of the information had been from a book Danielle owned but they had also written to some of their classmates who were the other schools right now, asking for their impressions. Now they had offered them a follow up article. They had sent copies of the article and sometimes the whole issue of the newspapers to the classmates who had contributed. The interest the article had created, both here and at the other schools, had led to them coming up with the idea of an international pen pal project. They had even contacted Gringotts and arranged for post boxes in the branches nearest the different schools. The article not only contained the outline of how they expected the project to work and how it would be financed (everyone would contribute as much as they wanted and could and they would cover the difference) but also already short introductions by students at other schools interested in finding a pen pal.

“I’m adopting them,” Mücke said. They were definitely printing this. He read through the introductions again. A number of them sounded appealing to him.

“Get in line, brother,” Ingrid replied. “Two of them are girls, so I’m calling dibs.”

“You’re printing it as well?” he asked.

“I’ll have to talk to the rest of the editorial team, of course, but I’m sure they’ll agree,” Ingrid said. “Hell, if need be, we’ll print a special issue to fit this in.”

“I wonder if they are interested in pen pals,” Mücke pondered. “It would be interesting to see how this goes and what else those three come up with.”

Ingrid grinned at her twin. “We can go ask them.”

~*~

James and Sirius were sitting on the outside staircase, covered in warming charms. It was good to get out and get some air. While it was getting colder, it was still considerably warmer than Scotland in winter.

“Grandfather has ordered me back to England for the holidays,” Sirius said, still annoyed at the letter he had received. “And I’m required the spend the whole time at Black Manor with them Regulus and Narcissa in private lessons.”

“Well, good news is that we will be seeing each other for those lessons,” James said. “Michael convinced my dad that I need them as well.”

Sirius frowned. “That’s something, I guess. Though I still don’t get what those lessons are supposed to be on.” He paused when something occurred to him. “What about Remus? I doubt they’ll let him visit, since they know about... his little fury problem.”

“I got a letter from him. He’s staying at that school, Duncraig Castle. It seems everyone staying for the holidays knows and they have a good arrangement to deal with it,” James replied.

“I guess that’s good,” Sirius said. “Though at least one of us is enjoying himself. I can’t wait until we get to go back to Hogwarts.”

“Yeah, I –“ James stopped short when he caught sight of Lily. “I’ll be right back.” He ran a hand through his hair, relieved it was back to his true hair colour, then jumped up and hurried in her direction. “Evans! Hey, Evans!”

“Not interest, Potter,” Lily sighed.

“Aw, come on, Evans. You don’t even know what I was going to say,” James said. “Let’s go to the Christmas market together on the weekend.”

“Like I said, not interest,” Lily replied.

“Sure you are. Come on, I’m sure we’ll have fun together. I’ll take you out,” James said.

“I’ve told you often enough, Potter, I’m not interested in you or going out with you. Ever,” Lily said.

“You don’t mean that,” James dismissed. “Just give me a chance, I’m sure I can change your mind. How about it?”

“She said no. How about you respect her and her decision?” Dampfwalze cut it loudly.

“Stay out of this! This is none of your business,” James shot back.

“Like hell I am. I have seen more than enough of your harassing her,” Dampfwalze said.

James reared back. “I’m not harassing her!” he protested, insulted.

“What else do you call it then?” Dampfwalze demanded. “You keep asking her out, pressuring her to say yes, even though she’s made it clear she’s not interested. You keep disrespecting her and her choices, like you did just know. What would you call that?”

“I’m not harassing her,” James repeated, shocked at the accusation. “I’m not pressuring her.”

“Yes, you are.”

James’ head swivelled around to stare at Amelia Bones who had spoken. “What?”

“What you’re doing is harassment,” Amelia said seriously. “It’s why us girls make sure not to leave her alone with you, especially at Hogwarts, considering what you away with there. We can’t be sure you won’t be ignore a ‘no’ in other circumstances as well.”

“You can’t mean that,” James said, shocked at the very suggestion. He looked around the courtyard, for the first name noticing the other girls nearby, all of them watching him suspiciously, a number of them with their wands in hand. “You can’t think I would...”

Amelia shrugged. “We’re not going to risk it.”

James shook his head, trying to deny what he was hearing. “At Hogwarts...”

“At Hogwarts, a number of girls are too young to know better or feel safe enough to risk a brief encounter as long as you’re so fixated on Evans,” Narcissa said, stepping up beside Amelia.

“I get that you have unrequited feelings are painful and frustrating, that you want to impress her,” Dampfwalze said, a bit calmer now. “But that doesn’t excuse the way you ignore her telling you ‘no’, the way you try to put others around you down to make yourself appear better. Your feelings for her are on you, not on her. She doesn’t owe you a thing, not a chance, not her attention, nothing.” He didn’t wait for a reply, instead he turned around and stalked off out of the courtyard.

Sirius glanced at James’ stricken expression and started off after Dampfwalze. “Don’t talk to him like that!” he called. “Perhaps in your case no girl –“ He broke off when Ingrid stepped in front of him, wand out and looking furious.

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence!” she hissed, furious that he’d dare use Dampfwalze’s feelings for her to hurt him. “Or I swear I will make you regret it! Yes, I might not return his feelings but he’s my friend and a better man than either of you can ever hope to be. In all the years I’ve known him, he has never pressured me to return his feelings, to give him a chance, or made me feel unsafe.”

James felt his cheek burning with shame. Unable to bear everyone looking at him, judging him, he turned and hurried inside towards his room.

“James!” Sirius exclaimed and hurried after him.

Ingrid watched them go, making sure they were really leaving, then followed after Dampfwalze.

She found him sitting on a bench in the garden, head in his hands. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly, sitting down beside him.

He looked up at her and gave her a slightly crooked smile. “Like I told him, my feelings for you aren’t on you. You have nothing to apologize for.”

Ingrid frowned. That might be true but she still didn’t like that it was hurting him. Oh, they’d all joke about his weakness for her sometime, he himself included, as he did in that play they’d put on after Schreckenstein had been quarantined that once, but it was never with the intention to hurt. “Whoever you get with will be a lucky girl,” she finally said quietly, then they both fell silent.

~*~

The Christmas market was on one of the central squares in Neustadt and in some of the surrounding pedestrian streets. Beni led Severus, Fabian and Gideon around the market once, explaining what the goods sold at the different stalls were, what they were used for and if the prices were acceptable.

Fabian and Gideon grinned. “This is perfect.”

“We can get enough gifts for...”

“...Arthur for the next years.”

Severus looked around. “I wonder if I can find a gift for my grandfather here as well.”

“Perhaps Fabian and Gideon can help you look,” Beni suggested. “As purebloods, they might have a better idea what would be suitable than either of us.”

They quickly nodded. “We would be...”

“...happy to help,” they assured him.

Severus hesitated. “If it’s really no bother...”

“It isn’t,” Gideon hurried to said.

“We’d love to help,” Fabian added.

“I’ll just get something to drink here,” Beni said. “We can meet back here in an hour or two.”

“Better make it two,” Fabian said.

Gideon nodded in agreement. “Gives us more time to find a gift.”

Beni bit back a grin. “Does that sound okay for you, Severus?” he asked.

Severus shrugged. “Sure.”

Beni finally allowed his grin to be seen as he watched the twins drag Severus off. He started when a cup appeared in his line of vision. When he turned, he found Jerry standing beside him, holding a cup out to him.

“Non-alcoholic, I promise,” Jerry said. He nodded in the direction the other three had vanished into. “That him?”

Beni took a small, careful sip. It really seemed to be non-alcoholic. “Yes.”

Jerry watched him carefully, trying to tell if he was dealing well with the reminder of when he had been in that situation, when he had ran away because of the abuse.

Beni met his gaze. “Thanks.”

~*~

Severus found himself smiling as he browsed the stalls with the twins, surprised that he was actually enjoying himself. He made a decision. “Would you like to visit me during the holidays?”

They stopped short and turned to look at him. “You mean it?”

“We’d love to.”

Severus smiled. “I’ll write to grandfather then.”

~*~

The last days until the holiday had passed far too quickly as far as Sirius was concerned, something he never expected himself to think or say, but now he found himself sitting down for dinner with Arcturus, Melania, Regulus and Narcissa at Black Manor. At least they were not having dinner in one of the opulent formal dining rooms but in the small family dining room.

Regulus was animatedly telling Arcturus and Melania about his time at Schreckenstein. Sirius was rather surprised how patiently their grandparents were listening, especially considering that a lot of the things Regulus was talking about were Muggle or Muggle-inspired things.

“So, those friends of yours...” Melania began.

Sirius glanced up from where he was poking at his food, expecting them to start with the anti-Muggle rhetoric now.

Regulus groaned and covered his eyes. “No. I told grandfather already, I’m not dating them or interested in dating them.”

Melania smiled teasingly. “I don’t know, you talk about them a lot.”

“Because they’re my friends, my first real friends,” Regulus replied. And off he went again.

Sirius shook his head. It had been a while since he had heard Regulus talking so much. At Grimmauld Place, meals had been a silent affair or it had been Walburga talking, mostly to berate him or to rant about non-purebloods. For all that she preferred Regulus to him, she had never had much patience to listen to them talk.

There was something about the way Regulus was talking about his friends, Pummel and Eugen, the way he was practically gushing, that stuck with Sirius. It seemed familiar somehow, though he could not pinpoint why. He believed Regulus that he was not interested in them, it sounded more like hero worship.

And then it occurred to him why it seemed familiar. When they had been younger, he had been Regulus’ hero. Before they had started attending Hogwarts, Merlin, even when he had first started at Hogwarts, Regulus had followed him around like a duckling, admiring and trying to emulate his big brother. But then it had changed. He had started to push not only his parents but also Regulus away. Regulus had become the victim of their pranks almost as often as Snivellus and finally Regulus had stopped following him, had stopped talking to him or talking about him.

Before he could decide how he felt about that, a house elf showed up. “Master’s guests have arrived.”

“Right on time,” Arcturus said approvingly. “Show them in.”

Guests? Sirius wondered. And guests who were invited to the family dining room even. He wondered who it was. Hopefully not some pureblood girls his grandfather was planning to engage with an Regulus to.

Narcissa gasped when she saw who their guests were. “Andy!” She jumped up and ran forward to embrace her.

“Cissi,” Andromeda sighed, closing her eyes in relief. She had missed her little sister so much since she’d been forced from the family and had worried that she might resend her for choosing Ted over her family. Now it seemed she needn’t have worried.

Melania gave the two sisters a moment, then cleared her throat. “Hello, Andromeda,” she greeted.

Andromeda turned to look at her. She hesitated a moment, then offered a curtesy. “Lady Black, we thank you for the invitation.”

Melania wrinkled her nose. “Let’s drop the formalities. We’re family after all.” She raised her hand, signalling her to wait before replying. “Thanks to your sister, we know now that Druella and Walburga lied to us to get you disowned. Arcturus has put everything to rights, they are facing the consequences and you are welcome to return to the family again.”

Andromeda looked from Melania to Arcturus. “Do you mean that?”

Arcturus nodded. “You know that any child you and your husband have will not be eligible to inherit the Black Title but you are both welcome in our family.”

Andromeda relaxed. “In that case I would like to introduce my husband Ted Tonks and our daughter Nymphadora.”

Ted cancelled the spell that had kept their two-year-old daughter in his arms hidden.

“Oh, Andromeda, she’s gorgeous,” Melania sighed. She reached out a hand. “May I?” When Andromeda nodded, she gently cupped Nymphadora’s cheek. “Hello, sweetie.”

The girl giggled and grinned at her, then changed her hair to match Melania’s dark blond hair.

“A metamorphagus,” Arcturus breathed. “There hasn’t been one in our family in generations.”

Andromeda nodded proudly.

Sirius watched, completely bewildered, how Arcturus started getting to know Ted Tonks, Regulus cutting in sometimes with questions or comments on Muggle things while Melania, Andromeda and Narcissa talked about Nymphadora and Narcissa’s upcoming wedding to Lucius Malfoy, now that he had agreed to Arcturus’ stipulations that Narcissa be allowed a career of her choice and that Lucius would not join Voldemort.

“Uncle Arcturus!” Michael rushed in, then stopped short when he saw that Andromeda and Ted. “Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot that you’re having guests today.”

“What’s the matter?” Arcturus asked. “Did something happen?”

“No, nothing happened, at least nothing bad,” Michael said. “I ran into Lord Prince at the Ministry.”

“And you managed to get away?” Arcturus asked. “He’s bragging about his grandson to anyone standing still long enough.”

“You’re one to talk,” Melania said. “You are no better, like when Lucretia was promoted a few years ago. And you and Charlus were nigh unbearable, the way the two of you were strutting around, when Michael was made the Gryffindor prefect.”

“I was not strutting,” Arcturus replied, dignified.

“Like two of Malfoy’s peacocks,” Melania teased.

“You were a Gryffindor?” Sirius asked Michael.

“Yes,” Michael said casually. He grinned. “I’m told it’s one of the few Potter traits I have.” He shook his head. “But I’m here because Lord Prince offered to repay us for informing him that he has a grandson.”

“I’m not surprised he’s thankful,” Melania said. “If he hadn’t learned of him and named him his heir, then the Prince line would have ended with Tiberius Prince.”

“And I expect he will be even happier, having him nearby again soon,” Michael said. He looked to the three students. “I’m not sure if Arcturus has told you already but you will be able to return to Hogwarts in January.”

Sirius breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully things would go back to normal once they returned. Regulus however frowned. He hesitated a moment, then said: “Grandfather, would it be possible to make alternative arrangements for me? Could I... could I transfer to Schreckenstein for my remaining years of school?”

Sirius turned to stare at his brother in shock, certain he must have misheard.

Arcturus considered him. “You understand that it will mean more obligatory events during the holidays, to build connections with your peers here in Britain?” When Regulus nodded seriously, he smiled at him. “Then I don’t see why not. I will write to Headmaster Meyer tomorrow to ask.” He turned to Michael. “But back to your meeting with Prince. I would have thought his thanks would be offset by the recompense we owe him for Sirius’ actions against his heir,” Arcturus said.

Sirius flinched at the look Arcturus sent him, though he was rather surprised that no curse was following. Whenever Walburga had been angry at him, she certainly had not hesitated. But he wondered who they were talking about. He did not remember playing a prank on anyone called Prince.

“Has be offered something specific as thanks?” Melania asked.

Michael’s smile was blinding. “He offered a potion he is working on which might cure Dragon Pox.”

~*~

Epilogue

Florian was meeting his aunt Thekla in Wampoldsreuthe.

“I kept my eyes open, trying spot the moment my dream about all those crossroads was supposed to warn me about,” he was telling her. “But I could not spot anything significant enough for how strong the vision was.”

She shook his head at him. “Ah, Florian, you’re forgetting that it’s sometimes the small things that can set off far-reaching consequences.”

~*~

In 1976, Lily Evans dissolves her friendship with Severus Snape after he calls her a “Mudblood” after a fight with the Marauders.

In 1976, Lily Evans and Severus Snape start to rebuild their friendship. The pen pal project organized by Malachi Walsh, Evelyn Fraser and Danielle Lewis starts very successfully with dozens of students from each school interested in writing with other students, in addition to all the students writing to stay in contact with the friends they made abroad. Sirius and Regulus Black are the among the students regularly exchanging letter, trying to rebuild their relationship.

In 1977, Dorea Potter, née Black, succumbs to Dragon Pox. In their grief, Michael and Charlus Potter withdraw from the public eye.

In 1977, Dorea Potter, fully recovered thanks to a potion developed as thanks by Tiberius Prince for helping him reconnect with his daughter and grandson, reveals to her startled family that she is pregnant with her second child.

(“Well, if you’re not giving me a grandchild to spoil, I guess I will have to settle for spoiling your sibling.”

“Mother!”)

Voldemort’s final Horcrux is found and destroyed and Voldemort killed in a raid soon after.

In 1979, Regulus Black disillusioned by the reality of being a Death Eater, defects. He is killed by Inferi in the cave where Lord Voldemort has hidden one of his Horcruxes after drinking the poison to reach the locket.

In 1979, Regulus Black returns to Germany for a visit to attend the wedding of his two best friends, Eugen and Pummel, where he is their best man.

In 1980, Sybill Trelawney makes the prophecy concerning the defeat of the Dark Lord during a job interview with Albus Dumbledore in the Hog’s Head. She is overheard by the Death Eater Severus Snape, who brings it to Voldemort.

In 1980, Severus Snape leaves on a trip around the world with Fabian and Gideon Prewett. The trip is a present from his grandfather on the occasion of his getting his potion mastery and his engagement to Gideon and Fabian.

In the summer of 1981, Fabian and Gideon Prewett, two members of the Order of the Phoenix, are attacked by five Death Eaters. They fight like heroes but are still killed.

In the summer of 1981, Fabian and Gideon Prewett return to Britain with their fiancé Severus Snape from their trip around the world and they start preparing the property they have chosen as their future home.

On October 31, 1981 Lord Voldemort murders James and Lily Potter in Godric’s Hollow and attempts to kill Harry Potter but the Killing Curse rebounds and destroys Voldemort’s body.

On October 31, 1981 the Potter family and Black family celebrate Samhain together at Black Manor. Michael’s girlfriend Ariana Bennett attends a family event for the first time.

In 1990, Lucius Malfoy considers sending his son Draco to Durmstrang instead of Hogwarts but Narcissa refuses, not wanting her son to go to school so far away.

In 1990, Narcissa Malfoy agrees with husband not to send her son to Hogwarts but convinces him to send him to Schreckenstein instead of Durmstrang.

She figures they would be able to deal with any foolish ideas her husband might have taught their oldest son.

In 1991, Harry Potter learns that he is a wizard and begins attending Hogwarts.

In 1991, Harry Potter and his friends Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom and Susan Bones begin attending Hogwarts.

“Did Draco leave for Germany already or is he still home?” Neville asked.

“Aunt Narcissa took him yesterday,” Susan said. “I’m really glad we can use the magical post box set up by Walsh, Fraser and Lewis to keep in contact with him, even if we’re not part of their pen pal community yet.”

“I don’t know, we’re writing to a student at another magical school, sounds to me like it should count as belonging to the pen pal community. I don’t remember it saying anywhere that you cannot know them beforehand,” Harry pointed out.

The door opened and a bushy haired girl stepped in. “Excuse me, are you first years as well?”

“Yes, we are,” Susan said. “Do you want to ride with us? I could use another girl.”

“Sure, thanks. I’m Hermione Granger, by the way.”

They all introduced themselves.

“Do you know which House you’ll be in or want to be in?” Hermione asked.

Ron shrugged. “It doesn’t really matter, does it? I mean where you’re sorted today doesn’t really say anything about your future and the teachers aren’t supposed to let the house a student belongs to influence their grading.”

“I guess,” Hermione said.

“Ron, some of your brothers are still at Hogwarts. Did they tell you anything about the teachers?” Susan asked.

“A bit, though it’s not that different from when our parents were students. It’s not like there are new teachers at Hogwarts. Fred and George said that the most interesting thing about Potions is that Professor Slughorn, their Head of House, was the one who to give the information to the Aurors that led to Voldemort being defeated but the lessons itself aren’t very challenging,” Ron replied.

“Yeah, well, not everyone gets private lessons with one of the youngest potion masters in Britain before Hogwarts or during the holidays,” Susan replied.

“Uncle Sev offered,” Ron said unapologetically. “And it’s not like your Aunt Amelia doesn’t give you lessons in Defence.”

“Come on, guys. No need to fight,” Harry said. “I’m sure we’ll have a fun time at Hogwarts.”