Chapter 27: Meetings

"Ah, Harry." Percy Weasley said in greeting from behind the multiple piles of library books that he was using. "I believe I saw Hermione leaving about five minutes ago, so if you're after her, I'm afraid she isn't here."

Harry blinked. "Thanks. Did she happen to mention where she was going?"

"No, but she seemed to be concentrating on something on her wrist." Percy frowned.

"Then she'll want some privacy for a while." Harry nodded, earning a confused look from the older boy. "Thanks."

"Harry."

Percy's call stopped Harry as he was about to leave and he turned back to face the Head Boy.

"I was wondering… how is Ginevra getting on? I haven't actually seen her around for the last week…"

"She's doing extra practice for Quidditch." Harry said, moving to the chair opposite Percy and sitting down. "Although our next game isn't until we take you on in May, she's working hard to become the best Chaser that she can be."

"Good." Percy smiled. "Could I impose on you to inform her that if she needs any help, I will do all I can to aid her. Except for letting her win the game in May, that is."

Harry stared at Percy in near-shock for a long moment. "You know, the twins were quite insistent that you didn't have a sense of humor."

Percy gave a tight smile. "I do have one, I just prefer to wait for the perfect time to use it."

"It works." Harry laughed. "You need to get your brothers with it at some point, the looks on their faces will be incredible."

"Yes, but then they will come after me expecting a repeat performance." Percy countered before looking thoughtful. "Although I do suppose that getting them with a well-timed comment after I've completed my exams would be quite satisfying while leaving them with insufficient time to seek revenge. Yes, I do believe I shall do that. Thank you for the idea."

"Give me a heads-up so I can watch."

"If you promise to bring Ginevra as well so that she can see I'm not as boring as she constantly accuses me of being, then yes, I will."

"You have a deal." Harry grinned and Percy smiled in return.

.

"Ah, Severus. It is good to see that you remain loyal to me." Voldemort waved a goblet of fine Firewhiskey at the Potions Master, who was bowing deeply in the doorway to the study that the Dark Lord had appropriated for the meeting.

"You summoned me, My Lord." Severus replied as he straightened. "I came. How may I serve?"

"I need you to use your other skills for me, Severus." Voldemort stated, waving for Malfoy to hand him a folder with several sheets of parchment in it. Severus gave him a quizzical look and Voldemort motioned for him to take a look.

"These are… the Schema for Hogwarts Wards?" Severus asked after a moment.

"Very good, Severus." Voldemort smiled. "Yes, I gained them through a trusted source, but what I need to know is… are they accurate? I know it is traditional for Headmasters to tweak or add to the Wards, but many were not trained in setting up Wards and ended up weakening them, which is why they had to be torn down and re-cast barely two centuries ago. I need to know, what have the Headmasters done to alter these Wards?"

Severus closed the folder and tucked it under his arm. "When do you wish me to report by, My Lord? Doing this under Dumbledore's gaze without arousing his suspicions will be… tricky."

"There is no need to rush." Voldemort shrugged. "My other plans need time to mature and I have many paths of research to spend my time on. Given that, though, I would appreciate a reply within the next month."

"That should be more than enough time, My Lord." Severus bowed. "Your generosity is appreciated."

"I do believe that is all for now." Voldemort took another sip of his Firewhiskey. "Do not let me detain you."

As Severus departed, Lucius gave Voldemort a confused look. "My Lord?"

"Yes, Lucius?"

"I… was unaware that you had other plans…"

"That is because what you do not know, you cannot be forced to reveal by, for example, Dumbledore." Voldemort stated. "Rest assured that I know what I am doing. Now, we are expecting another guest, one I will greet personally. You will remain inside, so as to not risk annoying him. After all, Fenrir has such a quick temper and no social skills whatsoever, but the forces he commands mean that it is more than worth the effort to recruit that brute back into our ranks once more…"

.

"Crap." Severus stated and, standing in the memory beside him, looking at the piece of parchment sticking out from underneath a book, Albus could only nod in agreement. A long moment passed, then both men vanished, reappearing in Albus's study.

As Severus retrieved the memory from the Penseive in which they had been viewing it, Albus sagged into his seat.

"He knows the Prophecy in its entirety." Albus sighed, his eyes closed as he fought to comprehend the changes such a simple fact would cause. "For over a decade, I hoped that he would not be able to reach it… but when did he do it? I need to check with the Unspeakables… as quickly as possible."

"He's tasked me with checking to see what alterations have been made to the Hogwarts Wards." Severus nodded towards the folder that he'd placed by the Penseive and Albus reached out to leaf through it.

"Hmmm, the original plans… he's really very good at collecting information, isn't he? Very well, the file you need is in the cabinet over there, but I can tell you that although the Wards have been tweaked, it was by professional Warders at the request of the Headmasters. We did not want to have to lose most of out financial reserves recasting the Wards again, after all. It's taken us almost two centuries to rebuild our reserves so that we no longer are beholden to the Ministry for the ability to meet our costs. Our financial independence was finally restored barely forty years ago and as such, I have no wish to lose it."

"I don't know why the Dark Lord wants it, but when I find out, I'll tell you." Severus said, going to the indicated filing cabinet and opening it. Rummaging through it, he extracted a file. "I'll return it to you once I've finished copying it, then I can use it to make the notes that he wants. The Dark Lord can wait a fortnight or so, long enough to make it clear how difficult the task is…"

"And how efficient and capable you are." Albus finished, the ghost of a smile on his face. "Very well."

Severus bowed and exited the office while Albus leaned back.

"Perhaps I should check the Wards myself… or hire a team to check them. There may be a weakness that Tom has deduced… but what could it be? Perhaps I should ask young Harry how to place Wards under the control of a ghost… but which of them could I trust to perform such a task? All of them have biases that have only grown stronger since they died… what a conundrum…"

.

.

Severus paused in his marking as a knock sounded on the door.

"Enter." He called, putting down his quill and scowling at the messy scrawl that was supposed to be an essay.

"Sir?" A familiar voice asked and Severus looked up to see Harry stood in the doorway.

"Mr Potter. What seems to be the problem?"

"It's not school-related, sir, but… sir, what do you know about werewolves?"

"Remus Lupin." Severus leaned back in his chair, enjoying the shock that crossed Harry's face. "You are here to inquire about something regarding Remus Lupin, correct? Perhaps… Wolfsbane Potion?"

"Yes, sir." Harry said, moving to the chair that Severus had waved him to. "I know it helps in… taming the inner wolf, but… is there a way to turn a Werewolf into an Animagus?"

Severus stared at Harry long enough that the younger boy started to fidget.

"That… is a very interesting question." Severus finally allowed. "I can see why you may think that, both involve transformation from human to animal and back again… and while the werewolf change is unwanted whereas the Animagus process is about the wish to gain another form… it is not outside the realms of possibility."

"I thought a potion would be the best way of doing it." Harry offered. "And since you're a Potions Master, who better to look into it? Possibly as a NEWT Project?"

Severus' lips twitched slightly. "You are wasted in Ravenclaw, Mr Potter. With such cunning, you would have done well as one of my Snakes."

Harry shook his head. "Nah, I'm too straightforwards and I have a strong right hook. If I was in Slytherin, I think quite a few of them would be semi-regular patients of Madam Pomphrey and needing a lot of teeth regrown."

"Somehow, that does not surprise me." Severus agreed. "Of course, I will need to perform some diagnostic spells on a werewolf during the change to know just what's happening."

"Already done." Harry said, rising from his chair and moving to the Map Table. "May I?"

"Go ahead." Severus replied, curious as to what Harry intended. Harry pulled out his wand and touched it to the Map Table.

"Potter over-ride, code phrase Hope, contemplation and serenity. Access Potter Communications Network. Jor-El, can you hear me?"

The Map blinked out of sight, only to be replaced by the transparent figure of a man. "I am here, Lord Potter."

"This is Potions Master Severus Snape. He is to be granted Beta-level access on project Wolf Tamer."

"Very good, sir."

"Jor-El is a guardian spirit sworn to my House." Harry explained. "He is totally loyal and never forgets anything. Tell him what you need and he will do his utmost to see that you receive it. Jor-El, show magical readouts of werewolf transformation."

Jor-El vanished, only to be replaced by an image of Remus Lupin which morphed into a wolf and back. As it did so, several screens opened up, some showing wiggly lines and changing numerals while another showed a view of how the skeleton changed.

"I have no idea what I am looking at." Severus finally admitted and Harry face-palmed.

"Jor-El, repeat display but use standard Arithmancy Notations and formulas."

"Very good,sir."

Severus watched the multiple screens intently, then leaned back once more.

"I will need to consult with Professors Vector and Babbling, but you may have stumbled across something, Mr Potter. I shall certainly give this idea of yours my attention. You may leave."

"Thank you, sir." Harry smiled as he left the office and Severus turned back to the image.

"Again, Jorel, but this time at half speed and show me the biological changes too if possible."

"Very good,sir."

.

Harry entered the Study Room (which Flitwick had expanded again, using the last of the three previously-unused classrooms on that side of the corridor) and looked round.

"We're over here, Harry!" Hermione called from where she was helping Su Li with an essay while in one carefully-warded corner, Morag coached Neville through one of the charms that Flitwick had directed everyone to practice. "Did you do whatever it was that you didn't explain to us?"

"I did." Harry confirmed, noting with amusement the way that Hermione was obviously bursting with curiosity but not letting herself act on it. "It's a long-term project aimed at curing a specific magical problem. I'd like to tell you more, but it needs to remain quiet for now, so…"

Harry broke off with an apologetic shrug and Hermione sighed.

"Okay. Need any help with your homework?"

"I've done most of it, but I could use someone to proofread my Defense essay."

Hermione held out her hand imperiously and Harry smothered a laugh as he pulled his essay out of the bag he was carrying. Hermione accepted the folder and opened it, scanning the neatly-written words with a speed that most would envy.

"Pretty good," She admitted, "But you made a mistake here in the wand movements. It's swish-and-stab, not swish-and-point."

Harry looked at the sentence in question, then nodded.

"Good catch, Hermione, thanks. Fortunately, I'll only have to re-write half a page."

Hermione smiled and turned back to helping Su Li.