34

241Chapter 34

Harry watched the large brown owl as it flew in circles around the Great Hall as its sharp eyes looked around. He was sure that the owl was for him but it couldn't lock onto him, he frowned as he watched the animal. Still unsure why they had trouble finding him.

"One for you?" Albus asked in amusement as he sat next to him and they both watched the animal.

"I think so," Harry replied.

There were only a few students in the Great Hall this early in the morning and it was only Albus and himself at the Head Table.

"Why are you up so early, Blake?" Albus asked as he sat back in what would normally be Severus's seat.

Not that Dracka, Severus and himself took much notice and would take whatever seat was free when they walked in or Harry would sit with the students. Most of the other teachers would stick to their seats but Harry had noticed that Minerva had started to sit between Albus and Severus for some meals.

"Got an early phone call from France and decided I would need coffee before facing the day," Harry replied as the owl winged down and landed on table before them and looked between the two men. "Have you got mail for Blake Sun?"

The owl cocked its head to the side slightly before hopping towards him, Harry reached out and untied the letter, feeling the magic under his fingers and he frowned. It was nothing dangerous, more a signature of the person that had sent the letter than anything else.

The owl gave a hoot before taking flight out of the hall and Harry flicked the letter open and froze as the blood drained from his face.

"Blake?" Albus asked in concern.

Harry's eyes darted to the man before focusing back on the paper in his hand.

"It's from the Dark Lord," Harry said softly. "He wants to meet."

Albus tensed beside him and Harry laid the letter out on the table for the man to see.

'Blake Sun,

I wish to call a meeting between two Dark Wizards under the safe passage pact set forward by my magic and blood and yours.

Dark Lord Voldemort.'

"There is no time and place," Albus said with a frown.

"There is," Harry replied. "You can't see it and I can't tell you due to the spell on the paper."

Harry sat back in his seat in thought.

"Is this a trap?" Albus asked softly, taking the letter in his hand.

"No," Harry replied. "He has stated safe passage, he is bound by his magic. I have no idea what he wants to talk to me about."

"You are both Dark Wizards," Albus pointed out, with no insult to his words.

"So, we have something in common?" Harry asked in amusement. "We are both orphans as well, if you are looking for more similarity."

"That is not what I meant, Blake." Albus snapped. "And you know it."

Harry gave the man a wink but he still felt on edge.

"It is set for two days' time," Harry said as he took the letter back. "That's all I can say. Do you want me to meet him?"

Albus looked taken a back at the question and Harry looked at him in amusement.

"It's your call, Albus." Harry said. "You are the lead on this man."

"It could give us information that could help us," Albus stated, sitting back in his seat as he thought about it.

"Or it could give us nothing," Harry pointed out as more students floated into the hall.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," Albus muttered. "Would you be in danger?"

"At the meeting?" Harry asked. "No, but he can make an attempt before or after, just not at the meeting. He would be bound, the same as myself to give him safe passage."

"Is this just a Dark Wizard agreement?"

Harry looked at the man in amusement.

"Are you saying that Light Wizards have higher standards and don't need to be bound by their magic not to harm the other person they are meeting?" Harry asked.

"Mr Sun," Albus said sternly, but Harry could see the twinkle in his eyes.

"It's more common when a Dark Lord is involved," Harry replied. "See I can answer a question."

Albus gave a chuckle before turning back to the letter.

"Very well," Albus replied. "As long as you will be safe."

"As safe as a rabbit surrounded by lions," Harry replied with a wink.

Harry took a pen out of his pocket and signed the letter with a little bit of his magic coating the ink as he wrote and the letter flashed briefly as magic settled around Harry as the agreement fell into place.

"Done," Harry said and slipped the letter away just as Dracka and Severus moved into the hall talking quietly. "Are you going to break the news to them?"

Albus glanced over at his two teachers and they paused when they saw Albus sitting in Severus's seat.

"Ah," Albus muttered and Harry grinned at him.

"Good luck," Harry muttered as the two men moved forward.

Harry pulled out the letter and held it out to Severus, his lover took it with a frown as Dracka sniffed the air slightly.

"From the Dark Lord?" Dracka asked before Severus could open it and the other man paled.

"I'm playing the Albus card," Harry stated as he leaned back in his seat with his coffee in his hands.

Severus gave him a glare before turning back to the letter as Dracka stood close beside him.

"About time he contracted you," Dracka commented mildly before crashing into the seat next to Harry and filling his plate while the others looked at him. "What are you planning Blake?"

Everyone turned to him and he gave a smirk that had Severus groaning as he passed the letter back to him. Albus moved to his feet with a twinkle in his eye.

"Keep me informed," Albus said calmly as he looked over his half-moon spectacles at Harry.

"Sure thing, boss." Harry said with a wink and Albus gave a groan as he turned away.

xXx

Harry flicked the letter open again that night with a frown, looking at his signature at the bottom of the page under Voldemort's own signature.

"Why?" Severus asked softly as he moved into the room and looked down at him.

"More information is required," Harry said softly as he looked at the other man. "I've been on the phone for most of the day."

"Why did you agree to meet with him?" Severus hissed.

"Albus thinks we might get information out of him."

"And what do you think?"

"That it will be a waste of time," Harry replied as he rubbed his head.

"Then why?"

"Curiosity," Harry replied.

"Do you have any idea why he wants to meet?"

"None," Harry said softly in thought. "It could be the simple reason that we hold some of his death eaters or some other reason that we are unaware of."

Severus looked down at him with dark eyes, face unreadable as Harry watched him.

"Will you be safe?" Severus whispered.

"He and I are bound to give the other safe passage," Harry replied. "It's before or after the meeting that is the concern. More after the meeting. This will also come down to how much the Dark Lord knows when it comes to this kind of ritual."

"So, it is a ritual?" Severus asked in interest as he took a seat next to Harry on the lounge

"Oh, yes." Harry replied as he leaned back and moved his leg to rest over the top of Severus's leg and the man let his hand rest on his thigh. "A lot will come down to what the Dark Lord does."

"You have something in mind?" Severus whispered as he ran his hand up and down his leg.

"Yes," Harry said with a smirk.

Severus gave him an intense look before nodding.

"Should be a busy couple of days," Harry said and shared a smirk with the other man.

xXx

Harry sat at the large table in the Department of Mysteries and looked around at the men and women present. Miller was beside him with his team with Kingsley seated on the other side directly across from him. Dylan Dogwood was at the head of the table looking them all over with a glare, the scar running across his face giving him a rough look, as Ben Filter, the Head of the Auror Department sat next to him, with a few other men and women scattered down the table from files and other smaller departments or aids. All were under the privacy spell that Harry had placed on the room when he had arrived.

Harry looked around with a frown, it was very uncommon for both Departments to work together and as his eyes moved to the Minister of Magic at the other end of the table, every person seated were not happy with him.

"Well," Dogwood growled, once everyone was settled. "You called this meeting, Sun. What mess have you gotten into?"

Harry stood up and pulled the letter from his pocket and placed it on the table.

"The Dark Lord has called a meeting between him and I," Harry said smoothly and looked around the room.

The room went silent, everyone stilling at his words.

"Explain, Sun." The Minister of Magic growled, his gold eyes flashing.

"The Dark Lord has asked for a meeting between Dark Wizards under the terms of a safe passage," Harry explained and whispers started up around the table. "I can't tell you the time or place, due to the spell worked into the letter, only that it is tomorrow."

People started calling out questions and Harry waited them out.

"Enough!" Scrimgeour snapped and the table quieted. "What do you have in mind, Sun? You wouldn't have called us here, otherwise."

Harry gave the man a grin, which the man just glared at.

"After the terms of the agreement ends," Harry said softly. "I will no longer be bound to the safe passage agreement. While the meeting is going on, there is nothing to stop anyone from making a strike either."

"While you-know-who is distracted," Miller said into the silence.

"Correct," Harry replied. "It also won't stop him from having something in place. He may try to make a strike here or somewhere else. Albus Dumbledore is aware and will have the school in lock down until after the meeting. Head Auror Filter and Kingsley, he may make a strike against the Death Eater Prison as well."

"We'll have something in place," Head Auror Filter said softly.

"Sun!" Scrimgeour growled in warning.

"Yes, Minister?" Harry asked innocently.

"I am still the Minister of Magic," Scrimgeour said with a glare.

"Yes," Harry agreed. "I am mainly just putting forward suggestions, Minister."

Scrimgeour glared down the table at him and Harry noticed a few people shifting under the man's glaze, even if it wasn't directed at them.

"I wouldn't be able to handle the paperwork," Harry said with a wink to the man and the tension in the room eased slightly.

"What do you have in mind, Sun?" Dogwood snapped and all eyes turned in his direction. "Since I'll be doing a lot of the fucking paperwork!"

Harry gave the man a smirk and Dogwood groaned before swearing at him.

xXx

Harry walked along the path near the river as he looked around the large park and carefully drop a stone to the ground from his pocket as he moved towards the meeting place. People were still out as the sun started to set and he watched the muggles enjoying the large park in the middle of London. He was unsure why Voldemort had decided on somewhere so muggle and maybe he believed that he would have the upper hand due to the chance of innocents getting hurt.

That's where Voldemort had misjudged him and didn't understand Harry and the network he had. He could already pick out the undercover police moving through the people in the park as Harry walked along calmly. The last ray of the sun disappearing as the lights came on around him as he dropped another stone as he circled around where the meeting was going to be held at. He spotted Voldemort easily standing in the middle of a grassy area with no one around him and noticed a few muggles turning and walking the other way as they reached an invisible wall, so Harry knew the man had placed a ward.

Harry looked the man over while he limped towards him over the grass as he dropped the last stone and marker to the ground. The man stood in the middle of the grassy area, in a long black jacket and pants and a light grey shirt as he stood calmly watching him with red-brown eyes and short brown hair. If it weren't for the eyes and the presence around the man he could have easily blended in with the muggles around them.

Harry passed through the anti muggle wards as he moved closer to the taller man. He stopped a few metres in front of him and could feel the magic of the pact settling around them and the dark magic from the other man as he leaned on his cane and looked the man over.

"Mr Blake Sun," Voldemort said calmly.

"Dark Lord Voldemort," Harry replied as he moved his cane in front of him and leaned on it. "What would you like to talk about this lovely afternoon?"

Voldemort looked him over and sneered and Harry could feel his dark magic brushing over him and the slight whispers in the back of his mind.

"You are a very interesting man," Voldemort drawled. "A very Dark Wizard on the side of the light and yet I can find very little about you before you took over guardianship of Harry Potter."

"You are not the first person to point that out," Harry replied mildly. "I'm a man that likes to travel, I get bored being in the same place for too long."

Voldemort's red tinged eyes looked him over as the dark magic pushed on him slightly. Harry loosened his hold on his magic and Voldemort's eyes widened, the only emotion he had shown so far.

"See," Voldemort sneered. "I can taste your dark magic on the air and yet you bow to Albus Dumbledore."

"I have a contract with Albus," Harry replied calmly.

"Is that what it takes?" Voldemort asked and shifted slightly. "You are a man brought by a contract?"

"I also have a contract to protect Harry Potter," Harry said softly.

Voldemort's eyes flashed at his son's name.

"Yes," Voldemort purred. "I can see the Potter line in you, even if it isn't your last name and I can also see the link you have with Severus Snape in that ring you wear."

Harry smirked at the other man as he moved his hands so that the ring glinted in the lights near them around the park.

"Do I hear a hint of bad feelings there?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"Severus always craved power," Voldemort purred. "You have power, there is no doubt there, but can you keep him? He was always a man to play by who holds the most power, whether it was Albus Dumbledore or myself. Are you sure he won't turn on you? Now that he is no longer bound to me?"

Harry clenched his jaw and Voldemort smirked.

"I can forgive you wanting him," Voldemort smirked. "He has his own dark power to be drawn to…as well as the vampire that seems to be your second."

Harry smirked at the man's words.

"Are you having problems drawing them to your side?" Harry asked softly and knew he'd hit his mark at the glare he received in reply. "Power isn't everything, Dark Lord Voldemort."

Voldemort laughed, sending a chill down Harry's back.

"Power is everything!" Voldemort hissed. "And you, Blake Sun. Have power, both magically and your connections."

"What do you want?" Harry asked as he stood up straighter.

"I have an offer," Voldemort said softly.

"I'm listening," Harry replied.

"Harry Potter and Severus Snape have safe passage," Voldemort said softly. "You will stand as my equal, if you give me the Ministry and Hogwarts."

Harry stilled as he looked at Voldemort with the whispers of the man's dark magic pushing at him and he raised an eyebrow at the other man.

"That is your offer?" Harry asked in amusement.

"Yes," Voldemort hissed and the dark magic increased around them, pushing on Harry.

"You are not offering me anything that I couldn't take tomorrow," Harry replied calmly and Voldemort reeled back from his words. "You call me a Dark Wizard, then forget what I am?"

"You stand on the light side," Voldemort whispered.

"And your point would be?" Harry replied mildly. "Do you have anything else to offer? Or is this meeting over?"

Harry watched the other man carefully, the second that he said that the meeting was over Harry was fair game and he had to work quickly.

"There is a prophecy," Voldemort hissed as he stepped forward and Harry got the feeling that the man was trying to play his trump card.

"Between yourself and my son," Harry cut in. "Yes, I am aware of that."

"Then you know what will happen next?" Voldemort said softly and Harry frowned.

"'Neither can live while the other survives,'" Harry quoted softly.

"Yes," Voldemort hissed as he moved another step closer. "You would risk your son's life on a gamble?"

"I would place my money on Harry Potter any day," Harry replied as he looked up at the Dark Lord before him.

"If you don't take my offer," Voldemort hissed. "I will do more than just kill the boy and don't think for a second that I would stop there. I will destroy everything you have built up and anyone you care about."

"I have no doubt about that," Harry replied as he brought his magic forward and Voldemort took an instinctive step back.

Harry could now taste the magic on the air and he grinned at the other man, dark magic swirling but before the agreement dropped between them, neither man could make a move. This was more a show of power between two Dark Wizards.

"Do you think you can get through me to get to him?" Harry asked calmly.

Voldemort's lips twisted up in a smile and he gave a cold laugh.

"Do you think Severus and the vampire will be able to resist my dark pull?" Voldemort countered with a sneer. "Dark power, pulls dark power, Sun. It may be a lesson that you learn in blood and death."

Harry gritted his teeth as Voldemort's dark power settled on his shoulders. He was in no doubt who held more dark magic, he could never compete with a Dark Lord on power alone. He had to rely on other means.

"You may have power, Sun." Voldemort hissed. "But I am a Dark Lord. This meeting is done."

In a split-second Harry threw up a powerful anti apparation ward as he activated his markers and curled his magic around his body in a shield but Voldemort just looked at him calmly without moving. Both men eyeing each other off, neither one bound by the agreement and Harry was sure that if he hadn't thrown up the anti-apparation ward that someone else would have.

"You trap yourself here?" Voldemort asked in amusement. "Or do you have more to say?"

"You don't think I talk enough?" Harry asked in amusement. "Most people say I talk too much."

A scream split the air but Harry didn't turn as he kept Voldemort in his sights. Harry could feel Voldemort's power swirling around him but he had to keep the man busy. Harry could see movement from the edge of his ward and knew that Voldemort's supporters had started to arrive but he didn't move or lift his wand and Voldemort narrowed his eyes at him.

"Or is this a trap for me?" Voldemort said slowly and looked around.

Harry took a step back, it felt like he was moving through water, the magic was that thick in the air. Both his own and Voldemort's power swirling around them.

"The one thing you should know about me," Harry said carefully as he took another step back. "Is that I am very good at contracts…and their loop holes."

Voldemort's gaze fell on him and Harry gritted his teeth as the man brought his dark magic crashing down on his shoulders. Harry panted slightly at the feeling and pushed it to the side, letting it flow around him, feeling like a pebble in a stream as the magic washed over him.

"Also, that I've had a very long time to work with dark magic," Harry said with a grin.

"So have I," Voldemort hissed as Harry let his cane fall.

Harry smirked and tangled his fingers in the man's dark magic around him and Voldemort's eyes widened. Both men freezing.

"You wouldn't dare," Voldemort hissed, his eyes flashing red.

"Do you want to put it to the test?" Harry asked as he ran his fingers through the dark magic, feeling the magical signals of more people apparating in and crossing his ward.

Voldemort and Harry stood frozen, each staring the other down, both unsure which way this could go. Harry knew he would pay a higher price if he followed through on his threat as Voldemort's eyes bore into him and Harry could see slight doubt in the other man's expression. They had reached a cross road.

Suddenly a net of magic smashed into them and Harry crashed to his knees as pain shot through his head. He heard others cry out around him. His hands clenched into the earth as the magic washed over him and he quickly wrapped his shield around him thickly, but it didn't stop. Voldemort's foot suddenly smashed into his stomach, flipping him onto his back and he grunted at the unexpected attack.

Harry groaned at the pain and looked up into Voldemort's red-brown eyes as the man glared down at him. Still standing as the net of magic pushed on them.

"You think that will work against me?" Voldemort hissed, but Harry could see the strain in the man before his lips twisted up. "Crucio!"

Harry curled up on the ground as pain raced over his body and he swallowed down the screams of pain as he pushed against the spell as the net of magic caged him to the ground. He could feel the darkness gathering at the edge of his mind but the pain kept him from sinking into it. He panted loudly when the Dark Lord lifted the spell and Harry chuckled darkly.

"You think they are after you?" Harry panted as he glanced up at the other man, feeling the trembling in his body from the curse. "And they say I have a big ego."

Voldemort's eyes darted around as Aurors started to move in on them with a sneer on his face. Harry struggled to his knees as both the net spell and Voldemort's dark power pushed at him. He grabbed that dark power and gave it a slight tug and Voldemort's head whipped around, his wand out before him.

"Aurors! Drop your wand!" Someone yelled, but both wizards didn't look away from each other.

"Well?" Harry asked quietly. "Do you want to put it to the test?"

With a snarl the Dark Lord lashed out with his magic and Harry pulled on his as he flared the shield around him. It stopped most of the attack but didn't stop him from going sprawling onto his side with his head pounding. He flinched as Voldemort smashed through his ward as he apparated and he quickly tied the ward back into the ground before his eyes rolled up and he passed out from the magic crashing down on him.

xXx

"Stop the spell!" Kingsley barked into his walkie.

The Aurors eased up on the spell and Kingsley's eyes were locked on the still form of Blake. The man wasn't moving.

"Move in," Kingsley ordered with Miller beside him. "Contain all death eaters."

"Yes, sir."

Kingsley and Miller moved forward quickly towards Blake, they had both seen the green spell hit the man and feared the worse as they moved forward. Blake was sprawled out on his side completely limp and pale and Kingsley dropped to his knees in front of him and reached out.

"He's alive," Kingsley announced. "Call your medic."

"David!" Miller ordered as he spoke into his walkie. "We need you here. Blake is down."

"Yes, sir."

Kingsley pushed Blake onto his back and he rolled limply.

"You have to give him credit," Miller remarked with a small smile as he knelt on the other side of the man and glanced around as the Aurors moved in on the death eaters that had fallen under the net spell. "His plans may be mad, but they work."

Kingsley snorted as David knelt down beside them and quickly ran his wand over the man. Blake suddenly groaned and blinked open his green eyes to look up at them.

"What took you so long?" Blake asked softly.

"Your directions need work," Miller replied mildly. "Maybe next time you should place your marker stones better."

Blake just swore at him and the three men grinned down at him.

"He's fine," David said softly with a grin. "Nice dose of the pain curse but otherwise, he's fine."

Kingsley and Miller shared a look, that spell Voldemort had cast had looked a lot like the killing curse. Blake sat up and grabbed his head with a soft groan.

"Right there, Sun?" Miller asked.

"Fantastic," Blake said, sarcasm dripping from his words. "You try being caught in a net spell."

Miller and Kingsley got to their feet and looked around as the Dark Lord's supporters were being rounded up and shared a grin before looking back down at Blake. Kingsley held his hand out to the man and pulled him to his feet as David scoped up his cane and passed it over.

The man didn't look steady on his feet but he was standing as he rubbed his temple with a slightly trembling hand and Kingsley frowned in concern. He looked over to David and Miller and could see the other men watching Blake in concern as well. Blake looked up and glanced around before focusing on them with a lopsided grin, that they knew well.

"Did we win?" Blake asked, a glint in his eyes.

Miler barked a laugh.

"There should be plenty of work for you for the next week," Kingsley replied with a smirk. "Lots of paperwork as well."

"Dylan should be very pleased when he signs off on your pay cheque," Miller added in, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"Something to look forward to," Blake deadpanned. "Do you need me here?"

Kingsley looked around.

"No," Kingsley replied. "I'll call you tomorrow."

Blake gave them a nod then grabbed his head with a winch, David pulled a potion out and held it out but Blake waved him off.

"Do you want me to drop the ward?" Blake asked.

Kingsley pulled his phone and dialled Severus's number as he watched Blake.

"Yes," Miller said softly.

Blake closed his eyes and the ward dropped as Severus answered the phone.

"You can move in now," Kingsley said into the phone.

Severus apparated with a soft pop and looked around before focusing on Blake.

"Why are you covered in grass?" Severus drawled looking the man over.

Blake's eyes shot open then he groaned.

"I'm feeling ganged up on here," Blake muttered.

Kingsley gave him a smile before the three men moved away leaving Severus and Blake alone.

"Hey," Blake said with a grin.

Severus looked the man over and his sharp eyes picked up the tremble in his hand as he pulled out two potions and held them out. Blake took them with a small smile, before taking them and passing the empty vials back. Blake's eyes looked over the scene around them while death eaters were apparated away before turning to Severus with a tired grin.

"If this keeps up," Blake said with a grin. "It may just be the Dark Lord knocking on the gates of the school."

Severus looked the man over and his grin started to slip.

"That would still be a challenge," Severus pointed out. "That man always seems to gather people around him."

Blake gave him an odd look and Severus frowned.

"Blake?" Severus asked quietly as the Aurors moved around them, giving them looks.

"Sorry," Blake said. "Nothing. Let's go, I hear a coffee calling my name."

Severus gave him a last look over before stepping forward and grabbing his arm and apparating back to the school.

xXx

Severus looked up at the knock at Blake's door around lunchtime the next day. He placed his book on the side table next to the lounge he was sitting on.

"Come in," Severus called.

Albus came in with Kingsley and Dracka behind him. Severus got to his feet and they all moved to the dining table. Severus grabbed up the file on the table and held it out to Kingsley and the man gave him a nod of thanks.

"How's Blake?" Kingsley asked as he took the file and opened it on the table before him and taking a seat next to Albus.

"Asleep," Severus replied.

The man had crashed in his bed the moment he'd gotten through the door, only pausing long enough to strip off. He'd only slept for a few hours before he was up and writing his report before heading back to bed again. Severus had watched him the whole time and if Kingsley noticed that Blake's writing in the report wasn't as neat as normal he didn't say anything.

Dracka moved over to the bedroom and stuck his head around the door and Severus could see Kingsley tensing beside him. Dracka moved into the bedroom and Severus smirked. Dracka quickly skipped out of the room with Blake cursing after him and Severus gave the vampire a smirk as the other man grinned.

"He's awake now," Dracka said mildly.

Albus looked over at the vampire in disapproval and Dracka gave him a smirk. Severus moved over to the kitchen to make up coffee as Blake appeared in the doorway in jeans and a shirt and glared at Dracka, his short hair a mess.

"One of these days, vampire." Blake hissed in warning.

"Always with the threats," Dracka said mildly as he moved to sprawl out in the chair between Kingsley and Albus, putting a buffer between him and Blake.

"That's not a threat," Blake replied as he crashed into one of the seats before turning to Kingsley. "How did we do?"

"About twenty death eaters," Kingsley replied. "You'll need to break through the mark. We tried to get into the Riddle mansion but you-know-who turned up and we had to retreat. We believe that the death eaters we captured are only new members."

Blake sighed and rubbed a hand down his face as Severus moved back into the room and placed the tray of coffee and tea on to the table and passed Blake a cup before taking the seat next to him.

"So not as good as it could have been?" Blake asked.

"Afraid so," Kingsley replied with a sigh. "It was the time frame we had to work with."

"We tried at least," Blake replied as he sipped on his coffee. "The Dark Lord had more time to plan this than we did. We took a chance."

"He did try a play against the Ministry," Kingsley announced mildly and watched as Blake paused. "You're in the Minister's good books for the short term."

"Ha!" Blake barked. "That won't last."

Kingsley gave him a smirk.

"Does that extend down to Dylan?" Blake asked with a smirk.

"The Minister is talking about more joint operations with the Department," Kingsley replied with a smirk.

"Ah," Blake muttered. "Might want to avoid the man then."

Kingsley gave Blake a grin.

"Miller would help you out," Kingsley said mildly.

"Are you kidding," Blake exclaimed with a sigh. "Last time I got on Dylan's bad side, Miller and his whole team disappeared on a 'mission' for a month."

Kingsley snorted in amusement as everyone at the table looked at Blake fondly as the man sprawled back in his chair with his coffee cradled in his hands.

"We heard the story up in the Auror department," Kingsley remarked with a smile. "It's not every day that someone sets off the alarms which leads to the whole Ministry building being evacuated and a room needing to be sealed off."

Blake glared over at the dark man and Kingsley gave him a smile as Dracka barked a laugh.

"What did you do?" Dracka asked.

"Someone put two magical items into my office that shouldn't come into contact with each other," Blake muttered. "Hardly my fault."

"Was that before or after he sent that box of Squirts here?" Dracka asked in amusement.

"Before," Blake muttered. "I need an apprentice or at least an aid to sort through all that stuff they shove in there."

Everyone looked at Severus and he just looked back mildly.

"I've already done an apprenticeship, I am not repeating that." Severus drawled.

Blake looked at him in amusement and Severus was glad the man didn't say anything.

"As entertaining as this is," Albus said softly. "We should get back to the matter at hand."

"Dark Lord Voldemort," Blake said softly, Severus started and looked over at the man in surprise.

The man would say Voldemort's name but not often, due to the spell worked into the Dark Lord's name and it was still odd hearing it from him. The only times he may say the name was behind the wards of the school.

"Yes," Albus agreed as he looked Blake over and Severus was sure that he was thinking the same thing he was.

"I've written out some of the conversation that I had with him in that file," Blake pointed out. "I'll get a better transcript when I get a moment to review my memory of the encounter. Nothing much to report. He offered safe passage for Severus and Ry in exchange for me helping him to take the Ministry and Hogwarts."

Severus started at that and looked over at Blake but the man was looking at Albus.

"So, nothing really gained there," Blake stated.

"Except an attempt on the Ministry foiled and over twenty death eaters to be processed." Kingsley pointed out with a frown.

Blake looked over at him and Kingsley gave the man an odd look.

"What?" Blake asked with a frown.

"We were sure that he used the killing curse against you," Kingsley said softly.

Severus tensed and could feel Dracka and Albus tensing as well.

"What!" Blake exclaimed. "No. The killing curse kills, Kingsley. I am very much alive."

"I'm aware of that, Blake." Kingsley said with a sigh. "It was the same colour."

"It wasn't the killing curse," Blake replied in amusement.

"What was it?" Kingsley asked, sitting forward in his seat.

"No idea," Blake replied. "I thought it was just a wave of raw power. Green you say?"

"Yes," Kingsley said.

"There are a few spells that are similar in colour to the killing curse," Blake stated in thought.

"Right," Kingsley said and got to his feet with the file in hand. "Good night, everyone."

Once Kingsley was out the door, the other three men looked at Blake.

"Well?" Severus drawled looking at his lover.

"Well?" Blake drawled back and Dracka snorted.

"Killing curse, Mr Sun." Severus smirked.

"It wasn't the killing curse," Blake repeated.

The three men paused.

"It wasn't," Blake insisted. "Not a mark on me, so couldn't have been the killing curse. Might have just been my magic and his mixing. I'm fine by the way."

"So," Dracka said with a twist to his lips. "What are our plans now?"

The three men turned to Albus.

"Focus on the school," Albus said softly.

"While I process the death eaters," Blake said softly.

Severus grimaced as he looked at his lover.

"Am I going to get another call about breaking you out of prison?" Severus drawled and Dracka perked up in interest.

xXx

Harry gave Dylan Dogwood, the Head of the Department of Mysteries a look over as the man looked up from the file in front of him.

"Good thing you work for me and not the Auror department," Dylan growled. "We can censor out the parts we don't want the rest of the Ministry to read."

"Sounds like the story of my life," Harry replied with a smirk.

"It is with the way you bloody work," Dylan muttered. "Kingsley sent me down the hours you have been working at the prison. I'm cutting it in half and getting him to pay the other half out of the Auror department budget. If he doesn't fucking like it, he can find his own curse breaker to do his dirty work."

Harry gave the man a smirk and Dylan gave him a look over.

"This Graham Simpson?" Dylan asked as he sat back in his seat. "I need Miller to move out on a mission with his team, I could use you backing them up."

"It's not Simpson I'm concerned with at the moment," Harry replied. "It's the Dark Lord and his move on Hogwarts."

Dylan sat forward in his seat his eyes intense.

"Talk," Dylan barked.

"I'm not leaving Hogwarts undefended," Harry said softly.

Dylan looked him over before nodding.

"I'll send a different team," Dylan replied. "And have Miller and his team available to you."

"Thank you," Harry replied softly. "I'll contact Gringotts to see if they can spare a curse breaker."

"You mean I have to break another one in," Dylan growled.

Harry gave the man a smirk.

"One of your favourite past times," Harry said blandly.

Dylan just swore at him and Harry's grin widened as he gave the man a wink.

xXx

Severus was watching Blake from the high table. The man was doing something with a group of third year Slytherins that he couldn't work out. He had placed a light-coloured wooden box on the table and had it open before him. There were small pieces of what looked like wood or stone before him and cards. At first, he'd thought it was chess but then one of the pieces took to the air dispelling that idea.

"You're staring," Dracka stated as he took the seat next to him.

"What's he doing?" Severus muttered.

"Blake?" Dracka asked, grabbing a coffee. "No idea."

Both men watched him as Blake took something out of the box and placed it on the table. A small something went walking off down the table before Blake reached out and grabbed it.

"Don't tell me that he's making more figurines," Severus moaned.

"He better not!" Professor sprout snapped from further down the table. "My roses have only just recovered from his last one!"

Severus smirked in memory until a dark-haired man appeared at the main doors of the hall. He was dressed in a black suit, which fit him like a second skin. His hair cut short in a military style and sharp blue eyes with an air of a man that expects his orders to be carried out immediately, thank you very much.

"I wonder what Sergeant Miller is here for," Severus muttered as the man looked around the room.

His blue eyes caught Severus's eyes and he nodded in greeting as he looked over the rest of the hall. His eyes lingered on Blake but moved on as he moved into the hall.

"No idea," Dracka muttered.

The man glanced in Blake's direction again before moving towards Potter and his friends instead.

"He's here to talk to the students about enrolling in the Auror program. I'm sure that the Aurors and the Department of Mysteries haven't worked together so much before Blake came along." Albus stated as he took the empty seat next to Severus then he frowned. "What's Blake doing?"

Severus just waved his hand while Dracka snorted. Suddenly something small sprinted off down the table to the giggles of the third years as Blake looked after it.

"Perhaps," Dracka said slowly. "We need a Defence Against Blake Sun class next year?"

McGonagall two seats down snorted into her tea as Severus grinned.

"I have enough trouble filling your position, Mr Dracka." Albus said blandly with a twinkle in his blue eyes. "Which reminds me, are you interested in staying for next year?"

Severus watched his lover for a few more minutes before focusing on Miller as he spoke to Ry and his friends and placed a few pieces of paper on the table. His heart clenching at the thought of such young people moving into the Auror program and realised he had come to care about Potter and his friends.

A squeal from his snakes had him looking over and he smirked when the thing that had run down the table was running back towards Blake and the third years as something else flew around the hall to the amusement of the Slytherins. It was good to see laughter amongst the students at his table. He even spied a couple of Ravenclaws sitting there as well as the Hufflepuffs from the next table over.

Blake had a way of drawing people to him, and he was sure the man didn't even realise he was doing it. It would have been unheard of for different houses sitting together when he was a student, it would have been uncommon only a few years ago. He watched in amusement as Miller made his way over to the Slytherin table giving out forms, mainly to students from Blake's classes, he noted. When he reached Blake, he swiped the back of the man's head with the papers.

Severus heard the yelp from his seat as the man dropped some files before Blake and a form for the Auror program. Blake grinned up at him and grabbed up one of the figurines off the table in his hand and held it out to Miller, which had the students giggling around him.

"He's good for this school," Albus said softly.

"That's if he doesn't destroy a part of it," Dracka muttered from the other side. "I caught him eyeing off the Griffin outside your office the other day, Albus."

The Headmaster gave a chuckle.

"What was he doing up there?" Severus asked.

"It's Blake," Dracka laughed. "Why does he do half the things he does?"

Suddenly Blake jumped up from the table cursing, a small black something attached to his finger as he tried to flick it off as the students laughed around him.

"50 points, Mr Sun!" Professor McGonagall's voice lashed out like a whip. "For swearing!"

Severus found himself laughing, it may be dark times, but Blake Sun could always keep them entertained.

xXx

Severus walked into Blake's rooms to see that wooden box that the man had had in the Great Hall sitting on his dining table with the files from Miller next to it. He moved closer in interest, as he looked it over. It was a plain wooden box with nothing on it to hint at what was inside. He placed his hand on the top of it, feeling the rough wood under his palm.

"If you let them out," Blake purred from behind him, startling Severus. "You have to put them back."

Severus turned to the other man as he looked at him in amusement.

"And just what would I be releasing, Mr Sun?" Severus asked as he drew himself up to his full height.

"Pandora's box," Blake said with a wink then added. "It's a game."

Blake stepped around him and picked up the box and flipped the lid open to reveal cards. Blake took a seat at the table and pulled out a couple of the cards and placed them on the table in a row, face up. Severus frowned when he couldn't see any figurines.

He picked up one of the cards to see a dragon looking up at him. He looked at the other cards to see other creatures, spells, or other things on them. He peered back into the box to just see more cards and Blake looked up at him in amusement.

He gently took the card of the dragon from Severus's hand and placed it on the table face down and a small figure of a dragon appeared. It looked like it had been made from wood, similar to some chess sets, as it uncurled its body and stretched its back. It turned around and faced away from Blake and looked around.

"They had a set when I went down into the Department the other day," Blake explained as he looked down at the dragon. "It's a lost and found. They just shoved it into my office. Like most things they can't work out, but still look interesting."

Severus took a seat at the table as he looked at his lover.

"From the future?" Severus asked softly as Blake placed another card face down and vines crawled across the table.

"Yes," Blake replied. "Quite a way in the future. I used to play this game with my grandchildren."

Severus started at the admission, Blake was very sparse with information about his past.

"Very neat spell work in the cards," Blake continued and placed another card down and a phoenix appeared. "I think there's a vampire in here which Dracka would find interesting."

Severus barked a laugh as the phoenix took flight around the room. He looked up at the bird as he swooped down and the Dragon turned its head to watch it.

"It's a strategy game," Blake explained and looked up at Severus and the other man's breath caught in his chest at the raw look in the other man's eyes and he knew that Blake was caught up in a memory. "One of my Granddaughters was very good at it."

Blake looked away and placed another card face down and it looked like a pond of water appeared on the table. Blake flipped the card right way up and the pond disappeared making Severus gasp. Blake looked up at him in amusement.

"And you like to remind me that we are wizards," Blake smirked and gave him a wink. "I refused to play with Ron, even if he was getting old and forgetful by that point."

Blake's voice trailed off as he looked at the dragon on the table and Severus could almost feel the sadness in the man. Severus moved towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort as the dragon decided to take flight after the phoenix. Blake looked up as the two animals as they chased each other around the room before flipping the three cards on the table over and they disappeared.

Blake placed the cards back in the box and closed the lid, placing it back on the table next to the files.

"It takes both light and dark power to make a set," Blake said softly. "It's a very good teaching tool for students that haven't seen magical creatures before."

"Have you been a teacher before?" Severus asked and wondered why it had taken so long for him to ask that.

"At Hogwarts?" Blake asked, looking up at him. "No. I didn't have much to do with Hogwarts after I left. There was nothing here for me."

"What about one of the other magical schools?" Severus asked instead.

Blake looked up at him and gave him a grin.

"Are you asking for my resume, Mr Snape?" Blake asked with a smirk, deflecting the question.

Severus barked a laugh.

"I don't have time to read a book." He drawled.

xXx

Ry followed behind his father as he moved towards the gates of Hogwarts with some other seventh-year and a few sixth-year students behind him. He looked around at the students in confusion since there were a lot of the students that weren't normally in his father's classes and he was wondering why they were there.

"Where's he taking us?" Ron asked from beside him.

"No idea," Ry replied.

"Why are you here, Ron?" Hermione asked from his other side.

"The message went out to anyone that had applied to the Auror program or the Department," Ron replied.

Blake stopped at the front gates of the school and turned to the group.

"Okay everyone," Blake called out. "We'll be stepping over the wards for today's lesson because the last time I used dark magic the Headmaster yelled at me for a good twenty minutes."

A few of the students looked around unsure while Ry snorted and gave his father a grin.

"You all applied for either the Auror Program or the Department of Mysteries," Blake said softly. "I have gotten the Headmaster's permission to show you what dark magic feels like since it will be something you will come across in your work and I want you to be prepared."

A few students looked pale at the thought since they didn't know Blake as well as his students did. Blake grinned and stepped over the wards of the school.

"Shall we?" Blake asked with a wink and a challenge in his voice.

Ry and his friends stepped forward with all of the students that took classes with his father and the others followed with a little bit of hesitation. His father smiled and moved off towards an area that had been cleared and Ry could see a chalk line already laid out.

"Please remove your wands and any other weapons you may have before stepping into the circle," Blake called over his shoulder as he stepped over the line and turned to the students. "That's it, now spread out everyone. Give yourself space."

Ry grinned over at Ron while Hermione looked concerned as everyone spread out. Blake moved over and picked up a bag of chalk and limped around the line again. The students watched, a lot with large eyes, as he moved back to his starting point and a protection circle flared to life around them.

"Okay everyone," Blake called. "Close your eyes if you want."

Ry stood calmly and closed his eyes and waited as his mind drifted. He could feel something like a mist moving around him but when he opened his eyes there was nothing there. He frowned and looked over at his father but he was looking around at the students carefully.

He closed his eyes again and felt something brush against his arm and he shivered. It felt like someone was standing behind him and he turned to look over his shoulder but nothing was there. He turned back and closed his eyes again and could hear a whisper in his ear but when he looked nothing was there and he was standing alone.

"Most of the time," Blake said softly into the silence. "You will not be able to feel the dark magic but something in your gut will tell you there is something wrong. Dark magic can be used the same way normal or light magic is used. There are certain spells that it likes more than others and if you have dark magic at your core you will be drawn to them, which is the same way if you have light magic at your core."

Ry could see other students looking around just as confused as him. Yes, he could feel something in the air but it didn't feel much different than any other magic he had felt.

"I am using dark magic right now," Blake said softly. "Do you feel any different? Ms Granger?"

"It just feels like normal magic," The girl said in confusion. "Shouldn't it feel different?"

"You are young, so it's harder to tell the difference," Blake replied. "Close your eyes and I'll kick it up a notch."

Ry closed his eyes and could feel something at the back of his head, like a slight pressure but nothing else. Something whispered in his ear and he flicked his head around but nothing was there. It was unsettling.

Then he could see a dark mist gathering around him and he reached out a hand and it brushed over him. He felt angry and frustrated that he couldn't work out that spell he had been working on for the last week. He balled his fists and wondered why he couldn't get it right but Hermione had mastered it on her first try!

Then suddenly it felt like something had lifted from his thoughts and he looked over at Hermione with wide eyes. The girl looked as shaken as he did. He looked over to his father who stood calmly leaning on his cane as he looked over the class.

"Dark magic creeps into your mind," Blake said softly. "It can taint your thoughts, that was a taste of what a dark item would feel like. Unpleasant, yes?"

Murmurs went around the class in agreement.

"Now that you have felt it," Blake said calmly. "Take note of what it feels like and you will have a better defence against it next time. Now light magic."

Ry felt something touch him and he jolted to the side like he had been shocked and he looked around as a few other students yelped.

"It is not subtle," Blake said in amusement. "It is just there."

Ry felt power around him and he ran a hand around him feeling something slide around his fingers. A few students yelped as they got shocked and Ry looked over to see his father smiling in amusement before the feeling was gone.

"Do not be fooled," Blake said softly. "A witch or wizard can cast the killing spell with either dark or light power behind it."

The whole class stilled and went silent at his father's words, then Hermione's hand shot up in the air.

"Yes, Ms Granger?" Blake asked calmly.

"How can you use light magic for the killing curse?" The girl whispered.

"Because magic is still magic at its core, Ms Granger." Blake replied in amusement. "Remember my class with Mr Malfoy with the Doctor casting the killing curse to end his life of suffering?"

"Yes, sir." Hermione said, looking pale.

"It's all about intent," Blake said softly. "Backing a spell with either light or dark magic can boost the spell but you are still crafting it with magic. You will find that a lot of Doctors will have a core tangled with either magic to help them with healing."

A lot of students were looking around with wide eyes.

"You will also find in time that you could have a core with light or dark magic and may have already pulled on that magic without knowing," Blake said with bright green eyes that made even Ry shiver. "Keep that in mind when you move into the Auror Program or the Department. It may save your life one day."

Ry shivered at his father's words.

"Thank you, everyone." Blake called. "You can grab your gear and head back up to the school. If you have any concerns about today's lesson you can talk to your Head of House or me. Now off you go."

"Wow," Ron said coming over to Ry and Hermione. "Are your classes always like this?"

Ry snorted as Hermione smacked Ron's arm.

xXx

"Did you have fun tormenting your students?"

Harry looked up to see Dracka standing in the shade as he walked up the front steps of the castle

"Always," Harry replied with a grin.

"At least your lot look happier than after they've had a lesson with Severus," Dracka replied as Harry came to lean on the wall next to him and they looked out at the students milling around.

"That's because my students know I can't give them detentions or take points and that they can walk away anytime they want," Harry said. "While Severus's students are doomed."

Dracka barked a laugh and a couple of students looked over at the pair.

"And I've seen a few pale faces after they've had a class with you as well, Mr Dracka." Harry pointed out.

"I'm a vampire, I have an excuse," Dracka said, looking down his nose at the other man. "I'm a dark creature you know."

Harry chuckled in amusement.

"It's always good to know where they have drawn the line for that position," Harry remarked with a grin.

Harry stepped away from the wall and took a couple of steps away before turning back to the man with a smirk as he leaned on his cane.

"Can only improve from that! Or there is always a Care of Magical Creatures class!" Harry called out then twisted to the side with a laugh as Dracka sent a spell in his direction to the amusement of the students watching.