51 50. Strings that hold us.
[ Room of Requirement ]
Traver and Emmeline informed all the other members as instructed by Severus.
All eight members arrived with this week's reports, hoping that this day Severus would stop the training.
They carefully avoided the eyes of ghosts and students by using Cave inimicum, which Severus modified, by increasing its effectiveness and making the spell last longer.
As soon as they reached the Room of Requirement, they saw Severus discussing something with Lily Evans and Narcissa Black.
Taking their seats without making any disturbance, waited for Severus to complete his discussion with them.
Most of them expected Severus to introduce Lily Evans and Narcissa Black sooner or later. They didn't have any issue with Severus's decision on allowing them to join the group, and they believed in his judgment.
Severus completes his talk with Lily & Narcissa and turns toward the group, aware of their presence since their arrival.
"Good Evening, everyone. This day will be the last day of debriefing before I leave for a while, so please keep it short." gesturing to Lily & Narcissa, Severus says "This Lily Evans of Gryffindor House and Narcissa Black of Slytherin House, They will be joining us from today. Both in the light and the shadows. Does anyone have a query with my selection?"
"No," Said the other eight in sync.
"Good. As you all have been informed I will be taking a leave of absence for at least 1 month, I have laid out the schedule for you all to follow. The room on the left corridor of the 3rd floor of the castle is assigned to our club. I want you all to start phase 2 of Operation H. Get as many required students as possible to join the club. This club will be our outlet. Find those who you believe are capable of joining the shadows. Get close to troubled students, those who are not going to be part of the shadows, and make them open up. Send me a complied report after a month." instructs Severus.
"The instructions are clear but do you think students are willing to relocate and leave their houses?" questioned Dorcas.
"Yes, while those who have suffered will be exhilarated, others might not want to join the organization?" asked Ashton.
"what Ashton speak is true. No matter what benefits the organization might provide, some might not join it. It will be hard to wash out the years of wiring installed in them. Pure-blood might have been cooperative in school till now but they fear their parent's wrath." Explained Benjy further.
Looking at them in amusement, Severus asked them a question of his own, "What made you join me?"
" Operation War and Operation H," said Emmeline
"Operation H," said Ashton.
"Operation H and Operation War," said Amelia
"Operation H," said Noelle
"Operation H," said Travers
"Operation H and Operation War," said Dorcas
"Your magical powers," said Barty Jr.
"You," said Benjy, startling everyone including Severus.
Though Severus knew what Benjy meant, he was still startled at the fact Benjy framed his word that way.
All the other occupants of the room looked at Benjy in confusion.
Emmeline nudges Travers to get his attention, and whispers in his ear.
"I didn't know Benjy was gay. I am confused about whether to support Benjy to pursue our boss or I should our boss and his new girlfriend, though I prefer to support the gay ship since it's exciting and seems forbidden," said Emmeline with a crazed expression.
While Emmeline was a talented witch, she was an avid reader of male romance.
Traver's brows rose into exhaustion, he was done with Emmeline's weird fantasies.
"You should control your thoughts and words near Severus; if he learns even a bit of your fantasies surrounding and other people of this group, he will make sure that you never think of him that way. By god, If Narcissa Black over there finds out about your explicit writings, she would not hesitate to crucio you. I told you hundred times that it is not nice to write a real person into your fictional stories." said Travers, satisfied with the look of fear that dawned on Emmeline's face at the mention of Narcissa.
Gulping, Emmeline grumbled "Fine, I won't talk about my creative imagination that is above your level of intellect. You can ban me from talking but you can't stop a writer's imagination."
"Be careful, Em, If you continue to torture me with your fantasies, I might let it slip to Severus and if you piss me off more, I will sell you out to Miss Black," said Travers with a smile, making Emmeline grumble and swear.
"Okay, I will stop it but you have to promise me that you won't tell the boss and lady boss about this." pleads Emmeline.
"Hmm--Okay, But I am sure Severus already knows about it. He has been in our minds for a long time during Occlumency Practice. That is why you get harder training than us." Replied Travers, leaving Emmeline shocked.
Benjy looked around the room, realizing the silence that dawned on the room after his statement for the first time.
Looking around the room, he found others gazing at him with weird expressions.
Getting a grasp of how his statement is taken by the others, he corrects them " I didn't mean it in that way. I just don't swing that way. What I meant is that I joined the group because I believe in Severus and his resources. I mean he is not bad looking but I prefer girl--"
"We get the point, Benjy. We understand what you meant." Severus stops Benjy from embarrassing himself more.
Benjy might be an analyst, but he is a bit too forward and formal for social interactions.
Severus sighed in disappointment; he thought at least one of them see deeper than just the surface.
"I am disappointed. I thought one of you might answer me correctly-- though your answers are part of the correct answer. Your answers were the reason you decided to join me. Operation War and Operation H weren't the reason you walked into the bar that day,--" looking at each one of them in the eyes, Severus said "I sent a letter to each one of you with the things you desired, desires you wished would become true, goals that seemed hard, almost impossible to achieve. Each of you had a different goal, which I know you won't want me to share with others. The promise of fulfilling those goals made you step into the bar that day. Similar to you, most humans have a goal, a desire, a wish, even the laziest have to fight to keep their laziness. Just like I found yours.---Forgive me, if you still hold it against me for using Legilimency on you. I would be a fool not to use the best weapon in my arsenal to get information. Believe me, I don't want to be in your minds, they--they are peculiar places to be in, some worse than the others. What I mean to say is that You have to find the string that motivates the person to live. You can only convince those who have a string that we can use, those with no goal or a desire are hard to convince or be saved. And you have to remember I am not running a charity, we will take those who are willing, no crying at every door possible. Those who have a worth will see the opportunity, the ignorant aren't worth the effort. You just have to learn where to look and pull the string when required."
Complete silence descends on the room with everyone staring at Severus in realization.
Why didn't they think of it?
Everyone thinks of what Severus said, some with Severus's method, some still a bit uncomfortable with it, but all in agreement.
"So want us to use Legilimency to see who would be willing or not?" questioned Lily, something on everyone's mind.
"No."
"Huh?"
"No, It would be up to you if you want to use it or not. What I want you to do is, find the string and pull it. While I needed to use Legilimency, you might not. Most of you have a good image going on for you, use that. Understood?"
"Yes."
"Okay."
"Okay, Boss"
Sounds of agreement rang through the room.
"Now, that is out of the way, here---" With a flick of Severus's wand, a pile of books along with a few papers appear on the table."-- these books are handwritten by me so use them wisely. Each book has spells, potions, hexes, curses, and charms in them with detailed explanations. --And these papers contain the details about the other 14 students who work under me." The papers and books floated directly into everyone's hand.
"You have other students working or you?!!"
"14 ?!!!"
"For how long?"
"Why didn't you tell us?"
"Since when?"
"Why did you need the?"
"Why is the paper empty?"
"You lied to us,"
"How can you hide such a thing from us?"
"We are supposed to be a team."
Chaos erupted in the room; everyone was shocked, including Lily and Narcissa.
For most of the evening, Narcissa was distracted and focused on Severus's words in the morning, thinking about what she wanted to be, but Severus's words about having others work under him caught her off guard. Severus never told her about them, not even a mention.
"Silence!!" Severus's voice echoed through the room, silencing everyone.
"First, I did inform you that I had three groups of eight students planned; whom I wanted to approach. You eight were just the first group I met and inducted into my organization. After I formed a team with you all, I have been n contact with the other 16, 2 of them didn't want to be a part of the organization. Second, do you think students were so easily swayed by the newfound help from just you eight? With the other 14, I made it easy for you all to shine and be the beacon for them to seek. You may have done your tasks wonderfully, but it was not exceptional. I brought down the difficulty of your task for you just so you could perform well. And third, DON'T EVER raise your voice at this table You are civilized people so behave like one. Now, You can questions that are bothering you."
"Why are these papers empty?" asked Lily, breaking the awkward silence.
" Well, Lily, they are not empty, just the text is invisible. It will turn visible after I have left. You meet them at the club, you will find them out soon."
"But why?"
"Cause who doesn't like a little surprise."
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Hi, guys, the reason I didn't post for the whole week was that I was on a vacation trip with my family. Enjoyed a lot, I must say.
Even as a writer, these couple of chapters feel like fillers. I just want to be done with them but I still need to write them. This chapter was supposed to be 4.5-5k words completing the Severus initial arc at Hogwarts with a small Arc about the start of Prince Inc in the next chapter, but I cut the chapter in half since I wouldn't have been able to complete it today. I feel as if I am dragging it on and my writing seems a bit messy now & then, so forgive me if you feel the same. I am trying to find the time to write properly. Learning through writing you can say.
I need a proofreader; is anyone willing to be one?
