A/N: Sorry it's been a while - this chapter just did not want to come out! As previously stated, we're coming to the end of the Fifth Marauder, couple more chapters to go methinks. Enjoy, and review! x

One day later, Ministry of Magic, in the Office of the Minister for Magic:

“Cornelius?” Dolores Umbridge, Senior Under-secretary to the Minister, asked, as she stepped through the door to the office. The squat, toad-like woman held in her hands a number of thick folders, all filled with newspaper clippings, sheets of parchment covered in notes, and official Ministry documents. Each was labelled in the Undersecretary’s own flowery script, the topmost reading ‘Harry Potter’. Beneath that, there were files for ‘Elizabeth Potter’, ‘Dawn Potter’, ‘Potter Vaults and Properties’, and ‘Potter Holdings’, amongst others.

“Yes, Dolores?” the Minister answered, glancing up from the pile of parchments in front of him. Realising it was time for that meeting, Fudge twirled his lime-green bowler hat in his hands, in a pitiful attempt to conceal his nervousness.

“I have the files, and the latest missive from Miss Potter – why they had to turn up now, just when we had nearly discredited the brat, is beyond me.”

“Now, now, Dolores, it isn’t all bad – the return of the Potter sisters will look good for the Ministry, and me. After all, the Prophet prints what I want it to print!”

The toad-woman shuffled the files she had just placed on the oak desk, taking a seat as she did so. Pulling one file out of the stack, she opened it and passed it to Fudge.

“Not anymore it won’t – the Potter family have always owned the majority of the Prophet, and it looks as though Elizabeth has been reminding them of that. This is to run in tomorrow’s edition.”

She passed over another folder, this time open to a press cutting, with the headline: “Our Sincere Apologies, To Mr Harry Potter”.

Fudge blanched, suddenly his affability had vanished. His control of the Prophet had been crucial in his smear campaign, and with the newspaper changing its tune his control would undoubtedly slip.

Although at least he’d gotten Dumbledore out of the system – both the Wizengamot and the International Confederation had thrown the elderly Headmaster from their ranks due to his urging. Then again, would a Potter be any better? Fudge couldn’t be sure if the backlash the Prophet’s article would create would be worth it.

“Has Miss Potter petitioned for the family seat yet?”

“Yesterday, with a completed St. Mungo’s evaluation. There’s no way we can block her, the public is too happy that she and the sister have returned to us.”

Fudge felt his last hope die. Even the boy’s trial would be affected – he couldn’t be anywhere near as hard on the boy, not with his Aunt on the panel. And damn it all, he could almost guarantee the boy would have proper representation, and a case all prepared. He’d been banking on the boy seeming delusional, and easy to incite – all the better to prove his ‘wild and unbalanced’ press. No, the entire plan would have to change.

“We cannot even suggest she doesn’t worry herself with the full load of leading the family too soon – the petition explicitly asked for the seat to be held by both sisters. By sharing the seat, the eldest Miss Potter also covers the possibility of timing clashes.”

“Dolores,” the Minister interrupted, scowling, “do you have any good news for me?”

“The younger sibling, Dawn, has been entered for both OWLs and sixth year examinations. I was able to push them as far forward humanly possible – she will be notified today, and her first examination will be in two days. Both levels of test for each subject will be sat in one day: meaning the girl will have four per day, and with no clear days in the middle. Of course, all so we can have them marked and returned to her before Hogwarts needs her results,” Umbridge smiled, looking more frog-like than ever, “Two other students have been entered into the same examinations: Connor Aurelius and Nicholas Selva. Neither boy has any confirmed magical bloodline, but both are friends of young Miss Potter.”

“Excellent, Dolores! The last thing we need is another Potter at Hogwarts, and to keep her friends out as well… genius.”

The Teenagers’ Lounge, Number Ten, Grimmauld Place. The Same Day.

“Two days,” Connor scowled, throwing the now-crumpled letter away from him, “they’re giving us two freaking days?! They’re mental.”

“No, Con, they’re smart,” Dawn contradicted softly, “They don’t want us to pass. The Ministry – Fudge, I’m guessing – don’t want Harry to have too much support. It’d be too easy for him to convince everyone he’s not lying.”

“So they’re trying to keep us three out of Hogwarts. If you think about it, it’s actually really clever,” Nix mused.

“Except they don’t expect us to have a chance of passing, which we do,” Dawn added, smirking.

“About that…” the twins said in unison, both draping their arms over the three Scooby teens and leading them over to the longest sofa. Once the three were all seated, Fred and George loomed over them, with Ginny and the Golden Trio off to one side, listening in.

Fred started the trade off of speech:

“Out of interest – ”

“Just wondering – ”

“We were thinking, you see – ”

“Did it hurt?” Dawn interrupted, eyebrow raised. The identical redheads glared at her for a second before Fred continued:

“Well, yes, a little – ”

“ – but that’s not the point! The point, my dear Miss Potter – ”

“ – is we can’t understand – ”

“ – how the three of you – ”

“ – are learning – ”

“ – six years of school – ”

“ – in the past two weeks – ”

“ – when we didn’t learn it – ”

“ – in six years!” the twins finished together.

“And you’re not even studying all the time,” Hermione added, frowning.

The three teenage supernaturals looked at each other. At least, that was all the four Weasleys, Harry and Hermione saw. In reality, the lounge was filled with mental voices.

There’s no way we’re talking ourselves out of this, is there? Connor sighed.

We could use the ‘supernatural minds are faster and stronger’ approach. I mean, it’s technically true. Nix suggested.

If any of them looked it up – and Hermione just might – they’d know it doesn’t work that way. Our instincts and recall are better, but six years in two weeks? It’s impossible. Well, with standard book-learning anyway. Dawn replied.

So what do you suggest? Nix asked, complete with mental eye roll.

We tell them the truth. Came the calm response.

WHAT?!?

ARE YOU MENTAL?!?

Dawn winced internally at the boys’ mental shouts.

We tell them the truth. We’re not breaking any rules, and Dumbledore knows. It’s just … an alternative learning method. And Connor, as far as I know, I am almost perfectly sane.

It’s the almost that worries me, Sunrise.

Yeah, yeah. Now, we telling?

Do we have a choice, Dawnie? Nix put in sarcastically.

No, not really. the girl replied blithely, sending both boys a mental grin.

Fine. Nix groaned.

If this goes wrong, I’m blaming you. Connor answered in all seriousness.

You always say that! Dawn shot back indignantly.

It’s always your fault. Connor countered before the connection broke.

“Well, we… um, we…” Dawn started.

“Are you actually lost for words? That has to be a first,” Harry grinned.

“I’m working out how to put this, thank you very much,” she answered, mock glaring.

“You know, telling the truth was your idea, love. I was all for the deceit and immorality, but no…” Nix put in, accent thickening.

“We’ve been… absorbing the information, I guess. Only literally. Nix or I will absorb a text book, and then transfer it onto everyone’s minds. It takes about 5 minutes per book. We do half a year’s worth after patrol each night, and while we sleep the information just … slots into place. All the work we’ve had to do is a quick test of all the spells, and a test run of some of the potions from each year to check we haven’t missed anything. We’ve just got the second half of sixth year left. We’ve even been absorbing all the different options, so we can choose after our results.”

“You’re… you’re not even studying? But that… that’s CHEATING!” Hermione exclaimed. The three Scooby teens resisted the urge to back up – and Nix muttered:

“Hell hath no fury…”

This only had the effect of turning the glare directly on him. Dawn and Connor suppressed sniggers as the Shade Prince recoiled minutely. Hermione continued to rant, and after a minute, Dawn cut in:

“Hermione, I know it’s not right, per se, but it’s also not against any rules or laws – I checked – and Professor Dumbledore knows.”

“That doesn’t make it right, Dawn! It’s completely unfair and immoral!”`

“We had no other option!” Connor exploded, pushing himself upright. “Even if the exams were at the end of the summer, it would have been impossible!”

This time it was Hermione who recoiled, faced with the furious Destroyer. As he opened his mouth again, moving forward at the same moment, Connor was suddenly and inexplicably thrown across the room and into a wall. He slid onto the floor and looked up, his murderous glared settling on Nix. The Shade grinned sheepishly, dropping his outstretched hand to his side.

“Yeah, I didn’t mean to throw you that hard…”

Before Connor could react, Dawn almost snarled:

“If you hadn’t, I would have.”

“Dawn…” Nix cautioned, as Connor became visibly more angry, if that were possible. When neither responded, he tried a different tack, and focussed on the other problem. “Hermione, we know it’s wrong, but we honestly have no choice. We’re going to be needed at Hogwarts, and not just to support Harry – the reason the Ministry want to keep us out. To keep the school safe. Buffy says that as Voldemort gathered more power last time, more demons joined him. Word in the underworld is that he’s calling in old allies, and building up his demon ranks all over again. He wants to use them to weaken Hogwarts this year, reckons they’ll be able to get past the wards –and they will. The Forbidden Forest’s always got a few demons in it. The three of us need to be there to fight them. There really was no other way, and we’ve all sworn to Dumbledore that we’ll sit this year as normally as we can. Nothing short of an apocalypse just before exams is going to get us out of studying.”

Harry and the Weasleys held their collective breath, while Nix and Hermione held each other’s eyes. Connor scowled from the armchair he’d flung himself into. Dawn glared at him, resisting the urge to start one of their previously epic fights.

“You’ve promised Professor Dumbledore?” Hermione questioned after a pause.

“We offered to take the Unbreakable Vow, but he said it wasn’t necessary,” Nix responded, smiling slightly.

“Alright then,” Hermione acquiesced, sitting down. Ron and Harry raised their eyebrows at each other, both wondering if that was the closest the brunette girl had ever come to an apology.