Ug Ⅵ….

Before Professor Sprout can speak up, a pale, fourth-year with straw-colored hair and freckles stood up, Barty Crouch Jr. "Professor Sprout," he persuasively began, "the mentorship program has done wonders in aiding our transfer students and nipping any problems in the bud. But what of some of our other first years, who are just as new this year? I propose that they also be assigned a mentor from the fourth year's. I for one personally volunteer to be Lorcan D'Eath's mentor."

Professor Sprout moves to decline, but Barty firmly interjects, "Professor Sprout, my grades shan't be affected and unlike those fifth years and up, I am not studying for my O.W.L.'s and N.E.W.T.'s nor have I already been assigned a protégé. "

"I believe that the idea holds merit, Mr. Crouch," Professor Sprout said, before turning towards the rest of the Hufflepuffs. "I will not dock house points for your past actions, children, but this ends now. The garlic wreaths are to be removed immediately, Mr. Cauldwell. And as for everyone else, clearly, we are missing a unison in house spirit, and as such for the next two weeks, we shall all gather together in the common room in the evenings to play games and other such activities to further get to know each other."

A loud groan is heard from the 5th and 7th years, but they quickly fall silent under Professor Sprout's stern gaze. "As for those that have caused physical harm to Mr. Lorcan, they have already been docked house points FIFTY each and have detention for the next month!" More than a few Hufflepuffs glares at the group of boys that had easily lost them over 200 house points and forced them down into single-digit house points!

"Now it is lunchtime, and I expect everyone to be on their best behavior," Professor Sprout firmly instructed leaving no room for misunderstandings. Under her stern gaze, the Hufflepuffs meekly begin to move and exit the common room.

The thin figure of Barty Crouch makes his way over to the still crouched-down figure of Lorcan D'Eath. "Mr. D'Eath as your mentor, I must ask as to why you are so pale and gloom?" Barty teased.

Unable to resist, Lockhart in a loud booming voice answers, "It's because he's half-vampire!"

Glenda glares at Lockhart for being a great big nincompoop! Seeing that Glenda is inches away from throwing herself at Lockhart, Jacob gently pulls the girl away. "C'mon, Lockhart, let's give them some room to talk," Jacob firmly said leaving no room for Lockhart to weasel his way out fine.

"Fine," Lockhart loftily answered, before patting Lorcan on the back. "Cheer up, old chap, we'll meet you in the Great Hall." Turning around, he completely changes the topic. "Golly, I'm starving! What do you reckon will be served in the Great Hall?"

Jacob hurried away with Glenda forcibly in his grasp lest he lost his grip on his friend, who trembled with the urge to throw herself at Lockhart and strange him. Lockhart wasn't a bad person, he just well…. He was just the sort of thick-headed person that couldn't take a hint.

With the common room rapidly emptying, Barty nudges Lorcan over to the comfy round cushioned chairs. Peering between his eyelashes, Lorcan's soulless black eyes study the fourth year with straw-colored hair and freckles. The two of them hadn't interacted much since there were three years apart, but Lorcan knew that the older boy was rather fair and told anyone off that needed it.

Barty Crouch was often seen in the company of his friends, Dick Creswell, a Ravenclaw, Regulus Black, a Slytherin, and his possible girlfriend, Leticia Bones, a Gryffindor. Not that Barty didn't have friends in Hufflepuff, because he did. And even the pureblood faction within their house wouldn't go against the fourth year considering, who his father was in the Ministry of Magic, Bartemius Crouch Sr. a member of the Department of Law Enforcement, a member of the council for magical law, and a powerful pureblood. And considering that Barty Crouch Sr. was also a Black through his mother, there were far easier enemies to have.

Lorcan only knew all of this because of Frederick Baddock, their friend and Jeremy's dorm mate. Since the two of them were in Slytherin, the two of them liked to discuss and debate the powerful or influential figures in wizarding politics. And well, Jeremy's mentor was Terry Greengrass and he believed it to be an important topic for his protege to learn. Otherwise, Lorcan and the rest of his friends wouldn't have a clue about the power infrastructure within the wizarding society.

That and Frederick didn't want his friends to get on the wrong side of those who could cause harm. Frederick and Jeremy had drilled the identity of purebloods into all of them. It was better to avoid potential trouble than to trip and suddenly find themselves in a bad place like crossing Mason Cauldwell. Ironically, that hadn't saved him, but with Barty volunteering to be his mentor, Lorcan would be well protected from Cauldwell's antics, since Barty Crouch was of a higher pureblood standing.

"Why'd you stick up for me?" Lorcan inquisitively asked the pureblood. "You didn't need to, and we aren't friends nor much less in the same year."

"I've been meaning to," Barty ruefully answered with a sigh. "I'd been asked by Rowan to keep out an eye for any trouble, and I'd noticed some occurrences here and there, but I thought a warning was enough. Apparently, it wasn't, and for that I am sorry."

"Rowan?" Lorcan blinked in confusion. "Wait! Do you mean Prefect Prince?"

"That's correct," Barty answered with a bit of a mile. "Rowan has mothering tendencies, but not that she would ever admit in public to such a thing. But in all solemnity, NEVER TELL HER I SAID THAT!" Barty shuddered fiercely imaging his friend's wrath.

Lorcan nods his head in agreement as Prefect Prince seemed rather fierce at times. But he also knew she was rather kind and nice in her own way. No matter how annoying Lockhart got, she was always patient with him and genuinely helped them when tutoring them.

Seeing Lorcan's lost expression, Barty with one finger rubs the bridge of his freckled nose. He furrows his brow before his face lights up. Leaning back in his seat, he says, "On the train ride to Hogwarts, I met my three best friends, Regulus, Leticia, and Dirk. I'd always been told I had to live up to my father and being a pureblood, I thought for sure I'd end up in Slytherin."

Barty paused with a rueful smile on his face. "But Rowan, who'd come to check on Regulus met Leticia and me in the hall since she is good friends with Regulus's older brother, Sirius. Later that day she said something to me that I'll never forget. She said it was up to me to decide the path that I wished to take. And so, here I am a Hufflepuff."

Lorcan blinks a bit in disbelief until he recalls the way Prefect Prince took care of him on the Hogwarts Express and ever since then. Prefect Prince did have a cold face, but she had a good heart. And no doubt she'd always had a good heart ever since the very beginning.

However, Lorcan's quickly wilts as he recalls other events. "But I'm still a half-vampire, Barty, and I'm certain that the truth of my existence will be all over the school by dinner! And then the parents will right, and mum's name will probably even end up in the Daily Prophet! That's if I don't get expelled outright by the Hogwarts Board!"

"That may indeed occur in the worst possible of instances and I cannot completely rule that out," Barty calmly replied not reassuring Lorcan at all with his words. "However, that being said, you have one of the most influential figures on your side."

"Who?" Lorcan asked in confusion.

"Rowan," Barty replied with great satisfaction. "The Prince's hold great power especially Reginal Prince, her grandfather. And so, if worse comes to shove, she'll write to him and I can readily assure you that the media's tongues will cease to wag and any more talk of being expelled will cease to be."

"I guess," Lorcan stammered as plain relief dawned on his face. "You really think that will be the case?"

"I know so," Barty confidently replied. "And you forget, I'm here as well and I have an influential father within the Ministry of Magic and not to mention friends with powerful families as well."

Feeling a bit more convinced, Lorcan murmurs, "I guess, but still I want to write to mum telling her to prepare just in case."

That and his mum had begun to see someone. Apparently, the wizard hadn't taken no for answer and persisted. From what his mum said in her letters, he was kind and sincere if not a bit too jolly at times. And mum didn't seem to truly mind.

Apparently, it wasn't anyone that Lorcan knew, but he wanted his mum to be prepared. He knew that the wizard that his mum was seeing didn't mind the fact that she was a widow nor had a son from a prior marriage. But he doubted his mum had explained his half-vampire lineage to the wizard who was courting her. He just hoped that the wizard truly liked his mum and wouldn't abandon his mum for such a petty reason.

Lorcan had felt a bit uncomfortable with the idea at first, but then he realized that his mum must have been lonely all these years without his dad. He was gone most of the year now with school and all, so even if he ended up with a stepdad it wouldn't be so bad. It would only be for a few months out of the year, and then he would be all grown up.

Seeing that Lorcan was lost in deep thought, Barty waited for some time without interrupting. Seeing Lorcan pulling himself out his thoughts finally, Barty said, "As I was saying before there's nothing wrong with that, but first I suggest we eat Lunch."

"I'm not feeling very hun-," Lorcan began to lie when his stomach loudly roared causing his face to turn aflame.

"Lunch it is," Barty confidently said as he pulled the much smaller first-year boy to his feet. "I just know that we're just going to become good friends," he cheerily said as he pulled the reluctant Lorcan after him.

Lorcan had the disturbing feeling that Barty was a rabble-rouser. Somehow, he had the inkling that he had unknowingly boarded a pirate ship. A cheerful pirate ship, but a pirate ship nevertheless…... And pirates are the adventurous sort, really.