The Golden Trio Includes More Silver

"We've got to appear still loyal to Dumbledore, Harry, even if you're having doubts now."

"Seeing as I will be reporting to him, I guess I don't have much of a choice."

"It would make you more open to be received once this is over in the Wizengamot or the Ministry."

"Well..."

"Actually, hold that thought. I am going to want to be aligned with Dumbledore slightly anyway. From what I've seen, Voldy is almost impossible to kill. There are other very strong wizards out there, Snape and McGonagall, two of them I know of, yet the Dark Lord Voldy fears Dumbledore. That tells me that the Headmaster or soon to be gone Headmaster, as things are going, might know what can kill him. That is something I would like to have in my back pocket as so far, every single time I have come across the guy, he's tried to kill me."

The "study" group, consisting of Ron, Hermione, Blaise, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and Harry leaned forward over the table, essays seemingly forgotten. They were in one of the rare empty class slots, meeting in the library when the others had class.

"Harry, I learned something new this last year. I got a look at the year ahead of us in the muggle world's studies from my cousin, and apparently the rule of physics says that basically matter doesn't disappear. You need something of like or like and substitute to replace something. I've been taking the time, and it really applies to magic as well. What did the Voldy say when you saw him as a sixteen year-old memory?"

"He said something about Ginny being almost dead and that he was draining her life to become whole. Oh, yes, he also said 'her body shall lie in the chamber forever', or something along those lines."

Blaise and Draco looked up sharply.

"Memories cannot do that. That was something else."

"I guess it looked rather ghost like. I stabbed the book it was leaving with a basilisk fang. It died. Like every time I've come in contact with Voldy at the end of the school year or at Halloween, he's tried to kill me."

Ron sighed.

"Like clockwork."

"So, the Headmaster has probably figured out how to kill the unkillable, or is really close at doing so, and we need to make sure that Harry is still in good enough odour with the Headmaster for him to spread his secrets."

"The Headmaster is getting old; unlike the Dark Lord, he's not immortal."

"So, does this make tactical sense to not completely turn away from the Headmaster?"

"Yes. The owlet hops about under the eye of an adult before it takes it's first flight."

"Otherwise it drops and dies."

"Unless we want to act like wood ducks. We don't know the knowledge he has about him, but we do know what kills them. Between all of us in Slytherin, we should be able to figure out who Voldy trusts. We now know one, maybe two. We don't know for sure that's all he has, though."

"Maybe two?"

"Who he trusted enough to guard himself... Care to go outside?"

"What?"

"Sorry, I need a walk."

"Right."

"Anyway, we should probably not be talking about someone a certain teacher doesn't believe exists in the hall."

"Thanks, Blaise."

The group trouped outside onto the green towards a very large empty spot and recast all their secrecy spells.

"Now what were you saying, Harry?"

"Will you promise not to share this with another person besides the people here on your magic? I know how family can be."

They each swore on their magic, not a full unbreakable vow.

"I have some of him in me. That's where the Parseltongue comes from, or at least so Dumbledore says. It could very well be the link."

"Merlin."

"I knew there was something wrong, Harry, but seriously? You're attached to the one person who wants you dead by the head? That is not cool, awesome, or any such thing."

.

Professor Snape caught Harry Potter as he was leaving Potions again a week later. After scolding the boy over not coming to him about how his hand was not healing, or going to the hospital wing for that matter, he asked if Harry still had Essence of Murtlap. After being told that Hermione was brewing him Essence of Murtlap, he stopped, nodded, and agreed, though still with an acidic tongue, that his ineptitude in class did not make it seem suitable for him to be seen making potions that were of little to no use in that regard. He would, however, if it still had not healed and he had not managed to curb his tendency to disturb his class, he would be requiring another potion. It was quite possible that Harry Potter needed it already and it wasn't made yet, and so the boy was already to be taking up on his time. Harry apologized for the time and thanked him for the gift. Professor Snape sniffed, and turned his back, telling the boy to leave very pointedly.

Harry left.

.

Luna leaned over to him while walking down the halls.

"You're not the only one."

Harry raised his eyebrows.

Luna in response showed him her hand, which was scarred.

"Do you have Essense of Murtlap?"

"Oh, yes. She doesn't target me often, as Daddy owns a magazine, so he can get the word out there."

"Right. She really likes to go after me, because I said that Voldemort was back. Which he is."

"She's ignoring the popular and children of high status. That's why, except for you, Slytherin is basically untouched in your year."

"The others in my year are too well integrated."

"Yep."

"Be careful in the dorm tonight. It might be full of helio paths and nargles."

"Thanks. You too."

.

Umbridge made herself High Inquisitor. What with all the rules and regulations, that made things confusing in the common room. What made it even more interesting in the Slytherin common room was the new patrol she set up besides the regularly mandated one, as if it wasn't enough. Maybe it wasn't, but having people reporting specifically to her made the whole thing feel like the whole castle was under siege from the inside.