A/N: The wait is over. I've decided to put you all out of your misery and launch Slytherin Rising 3.

Very little's happened since the end of Slytherin on the Wane, probably down to the fact that this takes up only a month or so after SotW left off. It's set during the 1992 - 93 school year, at the same time as Chamber of Secrets. Re-reading CoS might be of use to you, but it's not compulsory. As long as you've read it before and have an idea of the plot, you'll be fine. You should have read the first four HP novels at least once, (hasn't everyone?) and the first two parts of Slytherin Rising (obvious, but some people may need telling).

Disclaimers: The usual applies. JKR created large amounts of this. Also watch out for references to various other comic works, including but not limited to Red Dwarf, Discworld, Blackadder, Python and anything else that strikes me as amusing.

Rating: As of now, all parts of SR will be R-rated. This is to reflect the fact that there will be scenes of a violent and disturbing nature in this. They won't be explicit, the worst is left to the imagination, and it's integral to the plot, but nevertheless they are there, and they WILL shock you. 13 - 17 year olds may still read this if they think they're mature enough to take it, but consider yourselves warned!

Chapter One is dedicated in part to Rosmerta, one of whose reviews inspired the conversation between Deanna and Luella on the steps outside Gringotts. You wanted Snape/Deanna, you got it!

Now read on.

August 1992. Lovegood Farm, Chudley, Devon. Nine thirty in the morning.

Marlene Lovegood, better known as Marlie, opened her eyes, feeling at peace with the world. The sun was shining in through a gap in the curtains, most of her holiday homework was done and she had very little to do today, other than test the magically adapted plasma globe she was working on. Of course, there was that request from her mother for a few tape recorders and microphones that could be concealed in an innocuous piece of jewellery, but apart from that, she had few problems. In the distance, she could hear hammering coming from her dad's workshop. She made a mental note to ask him later about the feasibility of making a digital sound recorder. After all, finding a tape that'd fit in a ring was pretty much a non-starter, unless her mother was prepared to start dressing all her agents like Narcissa Malfoy.

She was distracted by a knock at the door.

"Who's there?" Marlie yawned.

"Miss Marlie, you has visitors!" squeaked the voice of Sukey the Lovegoods' house elf.

"Visitors?" Marlie stared. "What, this early?" She looked at her radio alarm clock. Nine thirty four. What sort of sick individual was up and about at that time in the morning? "If it's a kid called Draco Malfoy, I don't live here. Throw him out."

"It is Mr. Fred and Mr. George from the Burrow, Miss Marlie." Sukey said, a little confused. Marlie groaned to herself. What on earth those two could want, she had no idea, but it was likely to involve trouble. Getting up, she hastily pulled on her dressing gown and slippers and followed Sukey downstairs.

Fred and George were waiting for her in the living room. Both raised eyebrows when Marlie walked in.

"Nice outfit, Lovegood." Fred grinned. "Pink suits you. It's her colour, don't you think George?"

"Indubitably, Fred. And that pink dressing gown goes so well with the Barbie nightdress and fluffy bunny slippers too."

"When you have quite finished dissecting my nightwear." Marlie said irritably. "What do you want? It's a little early to see you two up and about, isn't it?"

"Well, we didn't want to waste any time." said George. "Marlie, we need your help."

Marlie curled gracefully into an armchair with one fluid movement. "Ah. A favour is required. I should have guessed. What exactly do you want doing?

"Not us. It's our brother Ron. He's a bit worried." said Fred.

"And this concerns me how?" Marlie purred. "I do hope you don't want his room Feng Shuied. It'll cost you if you do."

"He's worried about Harry." George said simply. Marlie sat up. Harry Potter's welfare was something else altogether.

"Harry? What, Potter? What's wrong with him?" she asked sharply.

"That's just it. We don't know. No one does. No one's heard a thing from him since he left King's Cross. It's as if he's vanished off the face of the earth. Errol's on his last legs what with all the letters Ron's been sending him, but there's been no reply. And we're worried about him." Fred said, his usual levity vanishing. "Ron keeps saying how Harry hates his Muggle relatives, how they're always being cruel to him, how they spent the ten years before he started Hogwarts mistreating him. And we're worried something bad may have happened to him."

Marlie gestured helplessly. "Boys, I feel your pain, but what can I do? I'm hardly a social worker, am I? And I'm at the other end of the country."

George grinned. "You might be, but your mates aren't, are they?"

Fred took up the argument. "We were discussing the situation ourselves last night, how we could go over there and see for ourselves what was going on. A reconnaissance mission, you know. But we realised that we didn't know where Harry lived."

"So we went through our mental address books, trying to think if we knew anyone who came from Surrey. And then it hit us." said George.

"Tyler and Martin." Fred grinned. "Tyler and Martin who live practically next door to each other, and as you're so fond of bragging to us, live virtually round the corner from young Harry."

Marlie began to see where this was heading. "Fred, are you asking what I think you're asking?"

"Come on, Marls, please?" George asked. "After all, Lu Martin's a friend of his too. And she knows where he lives. If you were to ask her nicely if she'd like to check up on Harry for us, make sure he's OK, I'm sure she would. And I'm sure Tyler'd be up for it, she loves a good adventure. Please?"

Marlie thought. If Harry really was in trouble, she could hardly stand by and let him suffer, could she? And Luella was a friend of his after all.

"All right." she said casually. "All right. I'll see what I can do."

Harry Potter stared miserably into space. He'd never felt so alone, so miserable, before. And given his childhood, that was saying something. He lived with his aunt and uncle, Vernon and Petunia Dursley, at Number Four Privet Drive, and had done ever since his parents had died eleven years ago. And it had not been fun. His parents had been mages, and so was he. The Dursleys, however, were not, and they hated everything about the magical community. And they'd never lost an opportunity to mistreat Harry.

That was how things had been right up until his eleventh birthday, when he'd received a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry telling him he was a wizard. And off he'd gone, to spend the best year of his life learning magic and making friends, both a novel experience for him. But now, school was over for the summer and he was back with the Dursleys. And ever since they'd found out he wasn't allowed to do any magic over the holidays, he'd been locked in his room virtually round the clock.

Harry sat huddled up on his bed, staring out of the window. What he wouldn't give now for a letter from Ron or Hermione, his two best friends. Or any other witch or wizard, just to prove it was real, that it hadn't been a dream. But he'd heard nothing, nothing from any of them. Not even Ron, who'd promised to ask him to stay with him. Had they all forgotten him? Did they really care about him at all? It was this apparent neglect from his friends, more than anything else, that really hurt. Trying not to cry, he tried to think of something else.

Think of his cousin, Dudley Dursley really suffering. Now that cheered him up. Unfortunately, it was unlikely to happen. Dudley was spoilt rotten by his parents, and he was the leader of his gang. There were only two people who had ever made Dudley suffer, and they were a couple of Slytherin witches two years older than Harry, who also lived in the area and had been to school with him. Luella Martin and Deanna Tyler. Harry wished they were here now. If anyone could get him out of here, it was those two. They had a reputation for cunning, ingenuity and sheer nerve. And while he didn't know Deanna Tyler that well, Luella he did think of as a friend. He cursed himself for not having got her address and phone number. If he'd known where she lived, he could have met up with her over the holidays. It would be someone who could have kept track of him and raised the alarm in case of something like this happening. Too late now.

A sound distracted him. Was it... the door being unlocked? Hardly daring to believe his ears, he turned to see. Sure enough, the door swung open, and Aunt Petunia was standing there. However, she didn't seem to notice him at all. She was just staring blankly into the distance, arms hanging limply by her sides. And standing next to her, pushing past her into the room was...

"Luella!" he yelled with delight. Leaping off the bed and racing towards her, he flung his arms around her and hugged her for all he was worth. "Oh, Luella, am I glad to see you!"

Luella Martin laughed and extricated herself. "What did I do to deserve that? I'm glad to see you too Harry. What gives? We thought you'd forgotten us all!"

"Yeah, Potter, is your girlfriend not worth one lousy owl?" another voice drawled. Harry looked up, blushing. Deanna Tyler had followed Luella in and was watching them both with a grin on her face.

"Deanna, behave yourself." Luella said crossly. "Ignore her, Harry, she's just teasing."

"Oh yeah?" Deanna grinned. "You didn't have to put up with her pacing the floor saying 'Why hasn't he owled? Why hasn't he owled?' for the past month. Do you two want any privacy, by the way?"

Luella let go of Harry and walked firmly over to Deanna, raising a hand to slap her. Deanna dived out of the way, laughing. Luella turned back to Harry.

"Ignore her. She's always like that. Anyway, what's up, mate? Why no owls, eh? You've had us all worried sick." Luella's smile did not reach her eyes, which were giving Harry a very concerned look indeed.

"Couldn't. Uncle Vernon locked Hedwig in her cage and I can't write to anyone. And as soon as they found out I couldn't do magic over the holidays, they locked me in here. They won't let me go back to Hogwarts!"

"Not let you go back!" Luella gasped. "Well then, we've got to do something about that. Deanna?" Luella turned to Deanna, who wasn't listening. "Deanna, what are you doing?"

Deanna had produced a notepad, pen and tape measure and was examining the bars on the window, taking notes.

"Doing what we came here for." she replied crisply. "Reconnaissance. How thick do you reckon the walls are, Harry? And what's on the other side?"

Harry told her, bewildered. "But why do you want to know?"

"Your mates Fred and George asked Marlie to ask us to come over here and check on you." Deanna said. "So here we are. And while we're here, I thought I'd take a few notes, for when we all come back and bust you out of here."

"You're going to bust me out?" Harry said in wonder. "When?"

"We don't know yet. We need to link up with the Weasleys first and discuss things, but I'd say there's a pretty good chance you'll be out of here by the end of the week." said Deanna calmly, returning her attention to the walls.

Harry felt his heart leap at the thought of being free. "Thank you! You two are something else, you know that?"

"We know." Deanna said absently. Harry noticed Aunt Petunia still standing there, keys dangling from one hand, eyes staring out of the window.

"What did you do to her?" he asked in astonishment. Deanna grinned at Luella, who coughed nervously.

"Probably best you don't know." Luella said delicately. "Don't worry, she'll be fine, and she won't remember a thing. Harry, you look starving, fancy some lunch? I'll fix you up with something to eat while Sherlock here gets on with her work." She indicated for Harry to follow her. Harry did so, his mood greatly improved.

It was several hours later that the two girls left the house. Harry had been re-imprisoned in his bedroom, after being given a good lunch, a brief spell in the garden sunbathing and a good shower. Petunia Dursley was sitting in the lounge, coming out of her trance with no memory of anything that had happened. And Deanna and Luella were heading purposefully back to Luella's house with a whole heap of notes covering just about everything anyone could ever need to know about Number Four Privet Drive and its inhabitants.

"That went rather well, don't you think Lu?" Deanna grinned.

"Absolutely, Dee. The Twin Avengers strike again! Now what?"

Deanna patted her notepad. "We go back to yours, then we get on your computer and type all this up into something intelligible. When we're done, we ring Marlie and tell her the good news, then fax the whole thing over to her. She does have a fax machine, doesn't she?"

"I think so. Her mum's got all sorts of Muggle contacts, she needs to keep in touch. I'm sure Marlie gave me the number. Excellent. We can have this done by teatime, and Marlie can owl it all to the Weasleys by tonight." Luella grinned. "Did we tell Harry he'd be free by the end of the week? If I know the twins, they'll have him out of there by tomorrow."

"Devious as Slytherins, those two." remarked Deanna. "And they've enough Gryffindor courage to follow through with all their crazy plans. Aren't you glad they're mates of ours?"

Luella nodded. "Very glad indeed, I'd hate to be their enemies. Come on, we're nearly here. Let's get started."

Sure enough, the whole report had been faxed to an amazed Marlie by six o'clock that evening ("a fourteen page Word document? With a scanned in street plan and an Ordnance Survey map? You two don't do things by half, do you?") and Luella and Deanna had retired to their separate beds in their separate homes very satisfied with the day's events.

However, that night, Luella found herself awake and thirsty. Sneaking quietly downstairs to get a glass of water, she idly glanced out of the window. And saw what looked like a flying car go past. She rubbed her eyes, blinking. Was she dreaming still? She looked again. It was still there and heading in the direction of Privet Drive. And now that she looked, she could see three figures in the car, and the streetlights reflecting off their heads made it look as if their hair had a definite reddish tinge to it. She grinned to herself. Looked like the twins were moving in to action all right.

A phone call to Marlie a few days later confirmed it.

"Yeah, the plan worked perfectly. Fred and George borrowed their dad's specially engineered flying car, used your directions to get to Privet Drive, and busted Harry out. They said to say thank you to you guys, by the way. Your information was most helpful. I still cannot believe you drew a scale drawing of the house layout, by the way. And measuring the thickness of the walls? You guys scare me." Marlie sounded concerned.

"Deanna did all the note-taking, not me!" Luella grinned. "She's very thorough when she wants to be."

"Thorough? Obsessive is the word I was thinking of. Do you have any idea how detailed that report was??"

"Of course I do, I was the one stuck with typing it. And scanning in the drawings, and the maps, and putting it all together so it looked pretty. I'm telling you, Deanna sure knows how to delegate. If she put that much effort into her schoolwork, she'd never get a D again. So how is Harry, anyway?"

"He's fine. Mrs. Weasley is feeding him up nicely. I'm going over there myself later to check on him in person, have a Quidditch session with the boys, that sort of thing, so I'll let you know. Oh, what are you doing next Wednesday?"

"Nothing. Why?" Luella asked curiously.

"We're all going to Diagon Alley to get our school stuff. You and DT are welcome to come along. In fact, I'd love you to, because otherwise it's just me and the Weasleys. I'd feel outnumbered by all those Gryffindors."

"OK, count us in. I could do with the trip out. So, Marlie. What do you know about this Gilderoy Lockhart character then? Because my book list has just arrived and it seems to consist of his entire works."

Marlie's usual Slytherin composure abandoned her completely. "Gilderoy Lockhart! Oh, he's such a fantastic wizard! A real celeb! He's done all sorts of cool things, taking out banshees, vampires and ghouls! We're going to learn so much from those books, I can just tell." Marlie was practically gushing, and although Luella couldn't see her, she could have sworn that Marlie was going red.

"Well, if you say so, although Deanna's never mentioned him and I'm sure she would have if he'd been that good." Deanna, having been raised by one of the country's top Aurors, had devoured tales of fighters of the Dark Arts where other children had watched Disney films.

"Oh, what does she know?" Marlie said carelessly. "All her books are about people who lived over a hundred years ago. All very fascinating I'm sure, but hardly relevant to this day and age is it? Lockhart's part of the here and now! A Dark Arts fighter for the 20th Century, don't you know! And sooo handsome!"

"Handsome, is he?" Luella grinned. "That explains a lot."

"Lu!" Marlie snapped. "Behave. Now, are you coming along on Wednesday or not?"

"Yes, yes, count me in." Luella told her. "We'll be there."

"And where has she got to now?" inquired Deanna, more than a little irritated. It was now Wednesday and the two girls were standing in the lobby of Gringotts bank, waiting for Marlie Lovegood and Rianne Stormosi to turn up.

"They'll turn up." said Luella calmly. "Rianne's pretty punctual and it's unlikely that Marlie'll want to waste any time getting her hands on those Lockhart books."

"Or indeed the author." remarked Deanna dryly. "Apparently Lockhart's quite the stud."

"So Marlie said. Reckon she fancies him, Dee?"

"Marlie fancies anything remotely male. Fussy she is not." Deanna indicated the book list again. "Our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher must be the same way inclined. Funny though, Mum doesn't have any of these, and she's got most of the textbooks on that subject. I hope Lockhart knows what he's talking about."

"What did your mum say when she saw the booklist? Has she read any of them?" Luella asked with interest.

"That's the weird thing. She didn't say anything, just rolled her eyes, laughed, and told me I'd better take a few books from her collection as well. And when I asked if Auntie Mel used any Lockhart books on the Auror training programme, she seemed to think the idea was hilarious." Deanna said thoughtfully. "You know, I'm not at all sure she thinks much of him."

Luella was about to reply, when she heard a voice shouting her name. She turned to see a young girl with lots of bushy brown hair running across the bank towards them, followed by two rather nervous looking adults who Luella guessed must be her parents.

"Hermione!" Luella smiled as the girl propelled herself into Luella's arms. "Are you here to get your school things as well?"

"Oh yes. We're meeting up with Harry and the Weasleys later. Oh, these are my parents by the way. Mum, Dad, this is Luella Martin and Deanna Tyler. They're friends of mine from school."

"So you're Luella!" Mrs. Granger smiled. "Hermione's told us so much about you! How are you doing at school?"

"Very well, thank you." Luella replied. "I'm studying for my OWLS at the moment." "Decided what you're going to do with all this knowledge yet?" Mr. Granger asked. "Hermione's got it all worked out already. Going to be an Author."

"Auror, Dad!" Hermione said, going red. "They hunt down Dark Mages."

The Grangers exchanged indulgent looks. "That's our Hermione, knows it all." Mr. Granger said, grinning fondly. Hermione squirmed, embarrassed.

"Stop it Dad, you're embarrassing me!"

"Oh Doug, leave her alone." Mrs. Granger said. "Now, Hermione, where do we go to change our money?"

Hermione looked a little confused. "Oh, er, I'm not really sure. Either of you two know?"

Deanna smiled and pointed them in the right direction. "That queue over there. Try not to let the goblins put you off. They're pretty honest, they do have a reputation to protect after all."

Mr. and Mrs. Granger thanked her and joined the queue. Hermione lingered to chat.

"I'm so sorry about them! My Dad's always getting stuff wrong about magical things. I think he does it deliberately just to annoy me sometimes."

"Ah, forget it Herm. Parents are always like that. They have no purpose other than to embarrass their children. This is why I leave mine at home." Luella reassured her.

"I don't suppose you've seen Stormer and Lovegood on your travels have you?" Deanna asked. "Only we're meant to be meeting them here."

Hermione shook her head. "No. Don't suppose you've seen the Weasleys or Harry, have you?"

"Not seen Harry since we went round his house last week." Deanna told her. "So, I take it he is safely with the Weasleys then?"

"Yes, Ron told me all about their rescue operation." Hermione said disapprovingly. "Honestly, stealing Mr. Weasley's car like that!" She looked up sharply. "You two went round there?"

"Who do you think did the reconnaissance?" Deanna said idly. "Yeah, me and Lu went round there after Marlie told us no one had heard from him in a while. And after we'd told Marlie what was up, she sent word to Fred and George who had him out of there that very night."

Hermione was impressed. "You spoke to him? But wasn't he locked in his room? How did you persuade his aunt and uncle to let you in?"

Deanna and Luella exchanged looks. Deanna was grinning, while Luella shifted uncomfortably.

"Er, natural charm." Luella said hastily.

"Yes, our Lu's very persuasive when she wants to be." grinned Deanna. She looked up as someone walked past the open doorway. Someone so big, the shadow completely cut off the light.

Hermione recognised the figure immediately. "Hagrid!" she squealed, running out of the bank. Then she saw the small boy standing next to him. "Harry! Harry, over here!" Racing down the flight of stairs at the entrance, she rushed over to Harry and hugged him. Deanna and Luella followed her.

"Harry, how are you? What happened to your glasses?" Hermione was asking in surprise. "Oh, hello Hagrid." She turned back to Harry who, Luella noticed, was covered in soot and whose glasses were shattered.

Deanna had also noticed. "Potter, what happened to you? You look like you've had a nasty accident with a coal-hole."

"Close." Harry said. "I got lost on the Floo network and ended up in the wrong place."

Deanna grinned. "Oh yeah? Where'd you end up? I remember when Luella tried using the Floo network for the first time. Now that was fun. She was aiming for Lovegood Farm, that's Marlie's place, and... well, I won't say where she came out at, but suffice it to say she discovered a whole load of alternative uses for a pair of handcuffs and a tub of melted chocolate. Man alive, the trouble Mum got into over that. You should have heard the comments her colleagues were making afterwards."

Luella wished the ground would swallow her up. "Deanna, shut up! It wasn't my fault the stupid Floo network mistook Lovegood Farm for Lovecraft Adult Supplies. Anyway, Harry, where did you find yourself?" she asked, desperately trying to divert the attention from herself.

"Knockturn Alley." Harry said quietly. Deanna stopped sniggering immediately.

"Knockturn Alley??" she said in a stunned whisper. "My god Harry, are you all right?" She was staring at him, a horrified look in her eyes. Luella shot a glance at Hermione who looked as confused as she was.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Hagrid found me." Harry reassured her.

"Well, thank Hecate you did! Knockturn Alley, my god, my god." Deanna was whispering, trembling with fear.

"It's all righ' now, Deanna." Hagrid said cheerfully. "Found 'im just in time. Ah were there fer some Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent and ran inter 'im just outside Borgin an' Burkes in a righ' old state. Yeh shoulda seen 'im before ah cleaned 'im up, he looked a righ' mess. Yeh won' be goin' there again in a hurry, will yeh now, Harry?"

Harry shook his head. Deanna seemed to have recovered but was still looking pale.

"I should hope not! Knockturn Alley, my god, anything could have happened!" She shuddered.

"But Hagrid, what is Knockturn Alley?" Hermione asked, wide-eyed.

"A place yeh don' wanna be." Hagrid said firmly.

"It's where all the really dodgy Dark Arts stuff is sold." Deanna said quietly. "You get a lot of strange people hanging around there, it's really dangerous. You'd have to be an Auror or an Dark Mage to come out of there unscathed. Mum took me there once."

"Your mum??" Hermione gasped. "But she's an Auror! Why would she take you there?"

"Because I asked." Deanna said miserably. "In fact, every time we went to Diagon Alley, I always begged her to take me there. You know how kids are, always whining to their parents about things. Well, that was me. I was curious about what was kept there, wanted to see it more closely, wanted to know why everyone else kept their heads down and pretended it wasn't there. Eventually Mum got so sick of my whinging, she took me down there and showed me exactly why. After about ten minutes, I was screaming, crying, begging for her to take me home. I was only six. I've never been so scared in all my life. And I've never wanted to go back." Deanna shivered, despite the warmth of the sun. "Dear Gaia, not for all the gold in Gringotts would I go back there. I had nightmares for weeks!"

They were interrupted by the Weasleys running towards them.

"Harry, there you are!" Ron gasped as he staggered up to them. "We thought we'd lost you!"

Mr. Weasley was next on the scene. "We hoped you'd only gone one grate too far... Molly's on her way now... worried sick, we were!"

Mrs. Weasley was next to arrive, dragging her daughter Ginny behind her. "Oh Harry - oh my dear - you could have been anywhere - are you all right?" She let go of Ginny and swept him into a hug.

"Where did you come out?" Ron asked curiously.

"Knockturn Alley." Hagrid said firmly.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley reacted in much the same way Deanna had.

"Knockturn Alley?" they gasped. Mrs. Weasley immediately swept Harry into another hug. "Oh my dear! Hagrid, if you hadn't found him!

Fred and George were in awe. "Knockturn Alley? Brilliant!"

"It is not brilliant!" Deanna snapped. "It's the dodgiest place in London!"

Both twins turned to look at her in surprise. "You're surely not scared, are you Tyler?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, I'd've thought with your background, you'd be well up for going there." George remarked.

"I have been there." Deanna said shortly. "I'm not going back."

"Been where?" came a girl's voice. Luella turned to look. Rianne had just turned up, with Marlie trailing behind her at her usual leisurely pace. Marlie did not believe in wasting energy unnecessarily.

"Harry took a wrong turning on the Floo and ended up in Knockturn Alley." Luella told Rianne.

"Knockturn Alley, you're kidding!" Rianne gasped. "What was it like, we've never been allowed anywhere near it!"

"Not you too." Deanna snapped. "Ri, it's a haven for Dark Mages, Dark creatures and all sorts of things best not mentioned. Trust me, if you did go in, you wouldn't want to stay!"

"When did you go to Knockturn Alley?" Marlie asked, puzzled. "I'm amazed your mother let you, mine certainly wouldn't."

"Mine not only let me, she took me there herself, showed me round, let me look at all the stuff on show and explained in great detail exactly how they obtained it all and what it was all used for." Deanna shivered. "Put me off for life. Which was probably the idea, but still..."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were giving her pitying looks. "You're Caitlin Tyler's daughter, aren't you?" Mr. Weasley said kindly.

"Yes." Deanna said warily. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley exchanged sympathetic glances.

"How is your mother?" Mr. Weasley asked gently. "It's been a while since we heard from her, always did keep herself to herself. Everything all right at home?"

"Yes, things are fine." Deanna said, giving slightly concerned looks to her friends.

"Well, if things ever get too much for you, or if you need to talk, you know you're quite welcome to visit us whenever you want." Mrs. Weasley said, in that same strangely kind, pitying voice.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." Deanna said, looking rather uncomfortable. Luella swiftly decided to rescue her friend.

"Hermione, your parents must have finished changing their money by now." Luella said brightly. "Shall we go in, check up on them? I expect everyone else needs to get money out too."

Harry caught on immediately. "Yes, I really need to get some Galleons in my purse. Let's go!"

And with that, they all said goodbye to Hagrid and filed into Gringotts. Deanna and Luella, having already stocked up on magical cash, decided to wait outside in the sunshine for them. Luella sat down on the steps and waited for Deanna to start talking. Which, after flinging herself down to sit next to her friend, she did.

"I hate that so much!" she said through gritted teeth. "I mean, I know they meant well, but I am really, really, really fed up with people just assuming that just because there's only me and Mum at home that I am some kind of forlorn little waif who needs constant love and affection. See, Lu, this is why I like your parents, they treat me normally, although your mum does overfeed me whenever I'm over there."

"Which I've never ever seen you turn down." observed Luella. Deanna grinned.

"Well, she is such a good cook, I can hardly refuse, can I? Unlike my mother who could probably burn water." Deanna fell quiet and gazed into the distance, all sorts of unspoken thoughts crossing her mind. At length, she spoke. "I'll tell you who else treats me normally. Snapey."

"Snape?" Luella raised an eyebrow. "You're not telling me you actually like him? I thought you couldn't stand him."

Deanna shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I don't. I mean, I didn't. But I don't know. I know he's a slimy bastard and all, but... in his own twisted way, he's been pretty good to me. He was there for me when I was spying on Crabbe for us. He was there after I found out my dad was a Death Eater. And he gave me Nestra." Deanna smiled wistfully. Clytemnestra the peregrine falcon had been a gift from Snape to replace her previous owl, which had died after an altercation with Malfoy. Nestra, as Deanna called the bird, had more than made up for the loss, with Deanna proclaiming her as the coolest present she'd ever been given. She turned sharply to Luella. "He's not so bad really, is he?"

"You're easily bribed, aren't you? Let's hope the future of humanity never rests on you having to resist the offer of a peregrine falcon from Voldie." Luella grinned.

Deanna laughed. "That's not what I mean, and you know it. It's just that... Snape cares but doesn't embarrass any of us by actually showing it. I like that, you know? Then there's the way he always comes up with the best lines. Gods damn it, to be able to always have the best put-downs at the ready...! Malfoy would be in fear of his life, or at least his ego, which in his case amounts to pretty much the same thing."

"Deanna, you always do have the perfect put-down ready." Luella pointed out. "Anyone would think you'd been taking lessons from him."

"Ah, you flatter me. But it's not just sarcasm! He just is cool. I mean, I could sit and talk to him for hours, you know. I bet he's had a fascinating life."

Luella smiled. Yes, Deanna was probably right. She remembered a chance remark of Professor Snape's last year. "I've seen things all right. Don't know if you could call it living though. More like surviving." She felt her spine tingle as she recalled that encounter in his office. Snape healing a cut on her face then gently wiping the blood off her fingers, those deep black eyes gazing into hers. She quickly banished the thought from her mind.

"Fascinating is one word. Scary and dangerous are others. He lived during the Voldemort Years, Dee. Hardly a walk in the park."

"I'd still love to hear about it though." Deanna said wistfully. She blushed suddenly.

"What?" Luella asked, curious. "What is it?"

"You'll probably laugh at me for this." she said shyly.

"No I won't." Luella said gently. "Come on, tell me."

"Well, it's just that... no I can't tell you. It's just too embarrassing."

"What could be so bad? You don't fancy him, do you?" Luella asked, beginning to grin.

"No!" Deanna snapped. "But, well... You know I don't have a dad?"

"Yes."

"Well..." Deanna blushed fiercely. "This is really embarrassing. Promise you won't tell anyone?"

"Promise!"

"Not even Ri and Marlie? In fact, come to think of it, especially not Ri and Marlie."

"I swear it. Come on, tell me." Luella was deeply curious by now.

"Well... all right then." Deanna leaned closer. "You know I don't have a dad?"

"Yes."

"Well, if I could choose someone, if I could have anyone in the world as my father..." She paused, gazing into the distance. "I'd choose Snape." She dropped her eyes suddenly, blushing again. "Told you it was embarrassing! Look, let's drop it. Forget I said anything."

Luella felt a chill go through her. Deanna was closer to the truth than she'd ever imagined. For Professor Snape was indeed her father. However, Deanna was unaware of this, primarily because Snape had managed to ruin Caitlin Tyler's life in the process and really screw up Deanna's childhood. While Luella didn't particularly bear any grudge against Snape for that, she was all too aware that Deanna most certainly would, and it would be all the more painful if Deanna got close to him.

"What brought all this on?" Luella asked, trying to sound nonchalant. "This time last year, you couldn't stand him."

Deanna smiled gently. "You know how when I found out about my dad, I went to Snape to ask if he knew who he was?"

"I remember. Why?"

A look of nostalgia settled on Deanna's face. "He asked me why I wanted to know. And I told him. Told him what the bastard had done to Mum and me, how he'd wrecked her life and robbed me of a normal childhood. You know what Snapey did?"

"What?" Luella asked curiously.

"He listened." Deanna said quietly. "And comforted me. I ended up crying on his shoulder, telling him things I'd never told anyone before. No one's ever done that before, not an adult anyway. I don't think I've ever felt so protected, so safe. So..." Deanna hesitated. "So loved." she said quietly.

Luella felt a pang of jealousy stab at her. The thought of inventing a sob-story of her own and going to Snape with it flitted briefly across her mind before reason prevailed. Stop it, he's a teacher, she told herself.

Deanna was speaking again, chin resting on her knees, eyes staring into space. "Right there and then, I realised what I'd missed out on all my life. And since then, I've been imagining what it would have been like if he and Mum had brought me up. Just picturing me and him doing all these little father-daughter bonding things. Dear gods, it's all I can think of these days, making him care about me, making him proud of me. I want it so badly, and yet he's not my father, it'll never happen. It hurts, Lu. It really hurts." She buried her face in her hands. Luella reached out to comfort her, the feeling of wanting something out of reach all too familiar. At the same time, Luella was aware of this growing sense of fear for her friend. Too late to try and keep Deanna from getting too close to Snape. It looked horribly like she was already in far too deep. Luella didn't know the details of how Deanna had been fathered, not for certain, but she was now absolutely sure that it would destroy Deanna to find out.

"Deanna." she whispered. "Deanna, it's OK." Deanna looked up, eyes glittering.

"I keep imagining him and Mum falling in love, you know?" she said quietly. "The two of them getting married, and him moving in at home. It'd be so cool, Lu. Having him as a stepfather'll do, if nothing else. Don't think it'll happen though."

Luella raised an eyebrow. "Deanna, last time anyone suggested Snape might be sleeping with your mother, you raced straight over to his office to kill him."

"That was different!" Deanna said dismissively. "The way Malfoy put it, it sounded like they were having some seedy affair, like he was just lusting after her. I'm not putting up with anyone screwing my mother like she's some kind of tart. She deserves better. But if they were in love, really in love..." She turned to Luella, eyes burning. "If they were happy together, I wouldn't stand in their way. In fact, not only would I not stand in their way, I'd be bridesmaid at the wedding and do it gladly, even though I hate wearing dresses. If it meant I'd get a normal family, at long last."

Luella didn't get a chance to reply. Marlie came bounding out of the bank, moneybags in hand, with Rianne following.

"All right, are you two finished? Well, I've money to spend and this is a fine day for spending it. Let's hit the shops!"

An hour later, the four girls arrived at Flourish and Blotts. Harry, Ron and Hermione were already there, trying to get in. This was by no means as easy as they might have expected, for there was a vast crowd, composed mostly of middle-aged witches, all fighting to get in as well.

"What's going on here?" Deanna asked in surprise. "Is Tom Jones making a guest appearance or something?"

"Close." Harry told her. He pointed to a banner stretched across the building, proclaiming "GILDEROY LOCKHART will be signing copies of his autobiography MAGICAL ME today 12.30pm - 4.30pm"

"Gilderoy Lockhart!" Marlie and Hermione squealed in unison.

"We can actually meet him!" cried Hermione. Marlie whipped out a mirror and began frantically adjusting her hair.

"Oh my god, I look such a mess!" she said, examining her face in panic. "If only I'd known, I'd have put some make-up on or something."

"Stop fussing." Rianne told her. "You look fine."

"I do not!" Marlie shrieked. "I look hideous, and I swear I've got the beginnings of a spot coming through."

"Lovegood, you don't fancy him, do you?" Deanna asked, beginning to grin. Marlie blushed crimson.

"No." she said unconvincingly. "I just want to look my best, that's all."

"Marlie, you've got more admirers than anyone else in the school with the exception of your older brother." Luella said. "I wouldn't worry! Come on, the crowd's thinning out a bit. Shall we go in?"

The seven of them somehow managed to fight their way into the shop. The queue for book signings wove its way twice round the store and back. Deanna immediately grabbed a basket and a copy of all the Lockhart books on the list.

"Going to get them signed, Tyler?" Ron asked in surprise. "Never had you down as a Lockhart fan. Looks can be so deceiving!"

Deanna gave him a look that could freeze lava. "I'm going to get them signed so I can sell them on for double the money to next year's first years. Do you have a problem with that, Weasley?"

"No, Tyler." Ron said hastily. He decided to change the subject. "Hey, there's Mum and Dad over there. Let's queuejump."

"Spoken like a true Slytherin." Rianne commented, as she ducked under the barriers. The others followed.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were standing near the front, their daughter Ginny next to them.

"Is that him, Mum?" Ginny was bouncing up and down with excitement. "Is it? Is that Gilderoy Lockhart?"

"Yes, dear." Mrs. Weasley said rather distractedly, fiddling nervously with her robes and patting her hair. "Ginny, do be quiet, you don't want to put him off, do you?"

Ginny did shut up, but not because of anything her mother had said. Her eyes had fallen on Harry, and she was now hiding behind her father, blushing furiously. Mr. Weasley greeted the children with a smile.

"Hello there. Come to get your books signed too?"

Hermione and Marlie both nodded breathlessly. Mr. and Mrs. Granger, standing next to the Weasleys, nodded knowingly.

"Hermione's quite the little Lockhart fan, aren't you Hermione?" Mr. Granger said genially.

"Yes, ever since we got the book list, it's been Lockhart this and Lockhart that." Hermione's mother smiled warmly. "Apparently he's quite the celebrity."

"He's amazing!" breathed Marlie. "His books are so exciting, I've read them already, he really knows his stuff! Far more interesting than those dusty old tomes of my mother's."

"Marlie's mother runs the Department of Dark Arts Eradication." Mr. Weasley explained. "So Marlie knows what she's talking about."

"My mum doesn't seem to think much of Lockhart." Deanna chipped in. "I think she thinks he's sold out."

"Blimey." Ron said in surprise. "I never thought I'd have something in common with Tyler's mother."

Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth to tell her son off when the queue moved forward, bringing them straight into Lockhart's line of vision. He glanced up. And saw Harry, who just at that moment was idly scratching his forehead, scar fully visible.

Lockhart shot to his feet. "It can't be Harry Potter!" he cried in delight. Harry immediately cringed and tried to hide behind Mrs. Weasley. Too late. Lockhart had already dived in to the crowd and was dragging Harry forward. Luella noticed Harry's face burning red as he stared firmly at the ground while Lockhart flung his arm around him, posing for the Daily Prophet photographer who was even now taking pictures of them. Poor thing, Luella thought. All of a sudden, she felt extremely glad her own destiny was the closely guarded secret it was.

"Rather him than me." Luella heard Deanna murmuring quietly. "Poor sod." Next to her, Rianne nodded in agreement.

"I'd hate that." Marlie however, looked less sorry.

"The lucky thing!" she whispered. "The lucky, lucky thing! Oh, what I wouldn't give!"

Lockhart motioned for quiet. "Ladies and gentlemen! What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time! When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography - which I shall be happy to present him now, free of charge - he had no idea that he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book Magical Me. He and his school fellows will in fact be getting the real magical me! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that, this September, I will be taking up the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

The crowd cheered wildly as Harry found himself being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Sweet Mother Demeter, you are joking, aren't you?" Luella heard Deanna say quietly.

"This'll be a fun year." Rianne said sarcastically. "Medea's ringlets, Tyler, you'd better get your mother's entire library sent up to school if he's going to be teaching us."

"What's up with you two?" Marlie snapped. "I'm sure he'll be a fine teacher! I mean, his books are so cool and well-written, how can we not learn anything from him?"

Rianne laughed derisively. "I doubt that. From what I can see, he appears to be all words and no action. Full of false joviality and camaraderie that vanishes as soon as you actually need him for anything. Much like my father really. I bet Lockhart was a Gryffindor too."

"Gryffindors do not act all friendly and bugger off when the chips are down!" Ron yelled.

"I never said you all did." Rianne said patiently. "But my father is the type to do that and he was a Gryffindor. And Lockhart strikes me as the same type of person. That's all, Weasley!"

Ron was not convinced but did not press the point. Deanna glanced over towards Harry and immediately took Luella's arm.

"What is it?" Luella asked in surprise. Deanna's face had set in the firm expression that usually indicated trouble.

"There." she said grimly. Luella looked. Harry was giving his Lockhart books to a trembling Ginny. However, that wasn't what had attracted Deanna's attention. Making his way towards Harry was a blond boy they recognised all too well from school. Draco Malfoy.

"All right then." Luella heard herself saying. "Twin Avengers in to action." Diving smoothly through the crowds, she made her way over, Deanna hard on her heels.

Ron and Hermione had also noticed and had fought their way over. Luella arrived just in time to hear Ron saying "Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh?"

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley." Draco drawled. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for that lot."

Ron dropped his Lockhart books into Ginny's cauldron and went for Malfoy, prevented only by Harry and Hermione grabbing his jacket in a manoeuvre Luella recognised all too well from having to stop Deanna doing much the same thing.

Deanna stepped in. "What's this I see?" she raised an eyebrow. "Draco Malfoy in a shop? What happened, Malfoy? Servants on strike were they?"

Draco sneered back at her. "At least my family have servants, Tyler. At least I have a family."

Deanna glared at him, but did not retaliate. Calming down, she grinned evilly and stepped forward, their noses almost meeting.

"My ancestors could beat yours in a fight any day, Malfoy. I didn't get my name because they paved roofs for a living." She smiled sweetly. "Tal-y-Rhys, Malfoy. Remember that name. Your father will explain its significance, I'm sure." She backed away again. "Now leave Harry Potter alone."

Draco looked shaken, but the scowl did not leave his face. "Don't threaten me Tyler. Your ancestors aren't here now, are they?"

"No. But I am." Luella said quietly. She gestured in front of his face. "Leave now." she said, eyes boring in to his. "Leave and don't threaten us again!"

Draco's eyes widened in fear and he took a few steps backwards, trembling. He would have turned and run altogether had another wizard not arrived, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Luella recognised him immediately. She'd never met him before, but the resemblance to Draco said it all. Lucius Malfoy. He didn't say anything, just let his cold grey eyes travel over them. They stopped to linger on her, and his sneer deepened. Luella didn't know exactly what he was thinking, but she suspected the words "Mudblood" and "disgrace to Slytherin" figured strongly in there somewhere. She just hoped he didn't recognise Glamoury when he saw it used, or questions would surely be asked about why a common Muggle-born had a gift found only in pureblood families.

Mr. Weasley, followed by the twins, Rianne and Marlie had by this time fought his way over.

"Ron, what are you doing? It's mad in here, let's go outside once you've got your books..." His voice trailed off as he saw Lucius Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy sneered at him.

"Well, well, well. Arthur Weasley."

"Lucius." Mr. Weasley said coldly.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear. All those raids - I hope they're paying you overtime." Mr. Malfoy sneered unpleasantly. He reached into Ginny's cauldron and came up with a battered Transfiguration textbook. "Obviously not. What's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Mr. Weasley had gone a far darker shade of red than any of his children had. Luella felt a tug on her arm. Deanna was trying to drag her away.

"Better watch it, Lu, I think there's a fight brewing here. Best place for us is out of it." Luella did as her friend said and moved away.

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy." Mr. Weasley said threateningly.

"Clearly." said Mr. Malfoy, eyes passing coolly over Luella and the Grangers, who were standing behind her, watching apprehensively. "The company you keep, Weasley... and I thought your family could sink no lower-"

Mr. Weasley's self-control deserted him, as he launched himself at Mr. Malfoy, sending him backwards into a bookshelf. Books went flying everywhere as the two men grappled with each other.

"Get him Dad!" the twins were yelling. Marlie was also getting quite enthusiastic, cheering on Mr. Weasley for all she was worth. Mrs. Weasley, by contrast, looked quite horrified, screaming at her husband to leave him. As were the shop assistants, all trying to separate them without actually intervening too closely.

Then another voice cut through the melee. "Break it up there, gents, break it up." A flash of magic lit the shop up as someone fired a charm into the air, causing everyone to fall silent. Hagrid pushed his way through the crowd and pulled the two wizards apart. And right behind him was a blonde witch who Deanna and Luella had no trouble recognising.

"Mum!" gasped Deanna. "What are you doing here?"

Caitlin Tyler surveyed the chaos, her eyes blazing. "I came to see how you and Luella were getting on. Got rather bored at home, to tell you the truth." She turned to Arthur Weasley, who was nursing a cut lip. "Arthur, what on earth do you think you're doing? Starting a fight in the middle of Flourish and Blotts, in front of your own children, not to mention mine, what on earth possessed you?" She noticed Lucius Malfoy getting to his feet. "Oh. I see. As you were then, Arthur."

"Well, well, well." Mr. Malfoy said mockingly. "Caitlin Tyler, no less. We meet again. Come now, why look at me like that? You weren't nearly so unfriendly last time we met."

Luella guessed instantly what Mr. Malfoy was referring to - Caitlin Tyler's abduction and torture by Death Eaters way back in the Voldemort Years. Caitlin fingered her wand furiously, but did not lose her temper.

"Why, Lucius." she said casually. "What could you possibly be referring to there? Care to divulge the details? If it's privacy you're after, there's some lovely little maximum security cells back at the DDAE. I'm sure we could arrange for one if there's something you were going to tell me."

Mr. Malfoy didn't answer her, just glared. Instead, he turned on Ginny Weasley, thrusting her Transfiguration book back in to her hands.

"Here, girl - take your book - it's the best your father can give you." He wormed his way out of Hagrid's grip, took Draco by the hand and swept out of the shop. Hagrid and Caitlin turned back to Mr. Weasley.

"Are you all right, Arthur?" Caitlin asked him. Mr. Weasley nodded.

"I'll be fine. Oh, that Lucius Malfoy, I would dearly like to see him get what's coming to him one of these days..."

"As would I, Arthur." Caitlin said darkly. "As would I."

Mrs. Weasley was near hysterics. "Arthur, what on earth were you thinking of, brawling in public like that? What must everyone think of us, Gilderoy Lockhart must think we're the worst kind of family, and in front of your own children too! Caitlin's got every right to arrest you now for breaching the peace like that, and I wouldn't be at all surprised!"

Caitlin raised an eyebrow. "For landing a punch on Lucius Malfoy, I'd be more inclined to give him a medal. Relax, Molly, I've no intention of arresting your husband. I can't say I would have done any differently."

Hagrid straightened Mr. Weasley's robes. "Yeh should've ignored 'im, Arthur. Yeh know what he's like, they're all rotten ter the core, that family. Yeh didn't see Caitlin 'ere reaching for 'er wand and that's some achievement on 'er part, I can tell yeh."

Caitlin grinned. Her somewhat volatile temper was considered legendary by all who knew her. "Hagrid, it was a very close run thing!" she smiled. She surveyed the shop lazily. "I suppose we'd better clear this place up before Belladonna Flourish comes out here demanding to know what we've done to her shop. Restoratio!" She cast charms at the fallen bookshelves, causing them to right themselves, and the books to fly back on to the shelves. The crowd fell back in silence, no one daring to get in the way of the infamous Caitlin Tyler. With the mess eventually cleared up, and the Grangers, Weasleys, Harry and Hagrid leaving the store, saying their goodbyes to Caitlin and the four girls, Caitlin turned to her daughter and her friends.

"So what on earth was that all about, then?" she asked, good-naturedly.

"Draco was picking on Harry." Deanna said simply. "So we stepped in. Then Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Weasley stepped in, and Mr. Malfoy taunted Mr. Weasley into hitting him."

"Why am I not surprised?" Caitlin sighed. She suddenly noticed a Daily Prophet reporter hovering nearby with a notepad and quill, clearly dying to ask her some questions. "Do you want something, sir?" she asked coldly.

"Er... I was just wondering how you were feeling about having to break up a fight in the middle of Flourish and Blotts and what your opinion on Mr. Malfoy is..." His voice trailed off under the look Caitlin was giving him.

"Go away, you annoying little man." she said softly. She intensified her gaze. "Go away and forget that little fight ever happened." she said soothingly. "Just forget you ever saw it. If anyone mentions it again, you won't know what they're talking about. You certainly won't remember that I or my daughter were ever here."

The reporter went into a trance and turned, walking away. As he crossed the room, he shook himself and headed for Lockhart, looking bemused. Lockhart lost no time in flagging down the reporter. "I say, old chap, any chance of working that little confrontation into the story somehow? 'Beautiful Auror heroically breaks up fight between two old rivals' sort of thing?"

The reporter looked at Lockhart as if he'd gone mad. "You what, squire?" Lockhart blinked, shrugged, and turned towards Caitlin, grinning from ear to ear. Caitlin noticed him coming in her direction and groaned under her breath.

"Caitlin Tyler!" Lockhart grinned, striding over to her and putting his arm round her, blissfully unaware of Caitlin's smile going rigid and her eyes silently commanding him to drop dead on the spot.

"Gilderoy." she said through gritted teeth.

Lockhart grinned delightedly and kissed her on the cheek, much to Deanna's horror. Caitlin's eyes widened in shock before narrowing to a look any normal man would have run from in fear of his life.

"Still as pretty as ever!" Lockhart laughed. "Well, fancy seeing you here. Here for the book signing, were you?"

"No." Caitlin said shortly. "I was looking for my daughter."

Lockhart started, before turning to the four girls. He immediately singled out a horrified Deanna. "And what do you want to be when you grow up?" he asked her in saccharine tones.

"Considerably richer than you." Deanna said stonily. Lockhart just laughed and squeezed her cheek.

"She's as witty as her mother and no mistake." he smiled indulgently. "So, still fighting the Dark Forces then?"

"I'm still at the DDAE." Caitlin said coldly.

"Excellent, excellent. You know, if you ever need a hand bringing those villains to justice, just give me a call. I'm always available if you need any assistance. In fact, if you're a little short staffed, I've got a few weeks free, I'm quite willing to step in and give you all a hand..."

"NO!" Caitlin shouted. She swiftly recovered herself. "I mean, no thank you, Gilderoy, we're quite all right at the moment, thank you for the offer."

"Well, if you're sure. I had better let you ladies get back to your shopping then." Lockhart grinned, his teeth gleaming. "No doubt you're all looking for the latest fashions and make-up, so I shall let you all continue in your quest for beauty, not that any of you need it." he flashed them all another grin, which only Marlie returned. Bidding farewell to Caitlin, he sauntered off. Caitlin breathed a sigh of relief as he left.

"Dear gods, the two most annoying people on the planet and I have the misfortune to run into both of them on the same day!" she sighed. "And most amazing of all, no one's been injured yet. I must be losing my touch."

"Did you know him, then?" Deanna asked curiously. Caitlin nodded.

"Two years above me at school. Friends with your father, Rianne. A Gryffindor."

"I thought so!" Rianne laughed. "They just seem to have the same inability to read anyone else's body language, and don't really know when to stop."

"Rianne, I think you've just summed him up nicely." Caitlin laughed. "He worked at the DDAE briefly too. He was the most incompetent Auror I've ever seen, what on earth Barty was thinking of, hiring him, I don't know. We were desperate for recruits, that's the only reason I can think of. In the end, we managed to convince him that he was needed far more desperately by these peasants in Bulgaria whose village was being terrorised by a vampire, and we never saw him again. For which we were all truly thankful."

"He's going to be our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." Luella said.

"He's WHAT? You're joking!" Caitlin gasped. She clutched her head in her hands, almost pulling her hair out. "Oh my word, Mel is going to go ballistic when she hears this! You mean the next generation of Aurors is going to be taught by him?" She turned on her heels, and took Deanna and Luella by the hand, heading for the Anti-Dark Arts section of the shop. "Right, you four. Come with me. I'm personally buying you some proper Defence Against the Dark Arts textbooks. I'm not having your education suffer because of him."

As she began going through Flourish and Blott's shelves, flinging textbooks into a basket held by a highly unwilling Deanna, Caitlin could only wonder what on earth Dumbledore was thinking of, hiring the man. Lockhart had been a fool at Hogwarts, and didn't appear to have changed. However, another thought swiftly occurred to her, which caused a sly grin to spread across her features. If Lockhart was going to be working at Hogwarts, that meant he'd be a colleague of Severus Snape's. Severus Snape, whose temper was even more unstable than hers, and who was far more easily irritated. While she did not suffer fools gladly, Severus Snape did not suffer them at all. Making a mental note to ask Deanna to keep her updated on the situation, she began to cheer up immensely. This year looked like it was going to be fun...

Roll of Honour -

All my lovely reviewers:

Abby; Shearre; Tanasia Maleficarum; Zedd; Anjela; Shanna Seanachai; Lyta Padfoot; Kiara; Katie Weasley; LunarBard; Canis Lupus aka Minnie; Ginger Donahue; AVK; lupinlover; Silverfox; Marie McKinnon; cynical leaf; Elaine Malfoy; Erica; ChinChilla; Rain in Fire; Rosmerta; *Altra*; Queen Helios; Unregistered Reviewer; Technomad; Sphinx; Yuubou; phoenix girl; Spork; Rissa; stardust; Great Milenko; Clio; Strix; Liotale; SKJAM

A million thank yous - I live for your feedback.

No individual review responses anymore - there’s just too many for me to deal with! Sorry about that. If you desperately want a response to your feedback, either email , or join the Slytherin Rising List (visit .com/group/slytherin_rising).

Chapter Two will be out in a week’s time. In which the gang go back to Hogwarts, and we have the first big shock of the story. No, I’m not saying what, but it’s a deviation from canon (obviously!) and not one you’re likely to have thought of.

The Slytherins will be waiting…