Halloween and Yule

The month passed quietly, though I found scrubbing cauldrons to be an annoying task. I wouldn't have minded if it was just a little boring, but the chemicals that you have to use to clean the cauldrons sting your had the whole time your using them.

Classes were great, I'm top of my year in charms and Tranfiguration, Neville is beating me out in Herbology, and Hermione is ahead of me in History of Magic, DADA, and Potions.

My training has been amazing with Blaise and the others we spar almost everyday and discuss useful spells to learn from the bookshelf in the room. We are currently learning Protego but it's slow going, it is a fourth-year spell after all. The dueling book we've read said to focus on basic spells early on and use them in quick succession. We came up with many combos for many different situations, like using Impedimenta followed by an Expelliarmus and an Incarcerous. Our speed increased and I even recommended them getting wand holsters for faster wand drawing and they've been practicing that as well.

Slytherin has been giving our group a wide berth every time we pass them. Draco especially has been keeping for away from us whenever possible. We've noticed some of the older years have been giving us looks as we don't go out of our way to put down other students. They can't really do anything about it since we have taken to walking with in a group everywhere we go.

I am expecting to be approached after Yule for the position of first-year prince, and really it couldn't come any sooner. The protection this would grant us is immeasurable, if someone attacks a prince the whole of Slytherin would come after them. Of course if it was a legitimate challenge then they won't lift a finger to help you, they only help if someone sneak attacks you, that is if you can prove it happened.

Breakfast was a funny affair, Harry's broomstick had come in and when Draco brought the teachers to confiscate it since technically first-years weren't allowed broomsticks, he was made aware of Harry's special circumstances. Then Harry told Draco that it was really thanks to him that he got it because he made the team after the remembrall incident. The look on his face made me wish I had a camera.

The day passed quietly after that, Hermione's LeviOsa incident occurred sending her crying. Apparently, Harry had a row with Ron after that. Dinner fast approached as I sat by Blaise and our group. The rest of Slytherin were ignoring our existence currently. As I eat in the Great Hall, I ready myself for the show. Soon Quirrel burst through the door yelling about a troll in the dungeons. Dumbledore told the prefects to send us to our dormitories. When I first read Harry Potter I couldn't understand why he would do this since Slytherin common rooms were in the dungeons but actually being here it makes since. First, the dungeons at Hogwarts are a labyrinth of underground passages so the chances of the troll being where our rooms are is low. Secondly, Slytherin common rooms are on the opposite side of the castle which also lowers the chances of encountering the troll.

The prefects quickly rush us back and get us into bed. The next morning they let us know that the troll was taken care of, and Harry and gained a new companion in the form of Hermione Granger.

The rest of the time until Yule passed quickly, The first Quidditch game was fun to watch, even though Gryffindor won. Watching Snapes robes catch on fire was one of the highlights of the year so far. Training also progressed fast, we finally finished the Protego spell, and my time in the bludger pit as we've decided to call it has risen to 7 minutes without taking a hit. I dreaded heading home because I knew that I still couldn't do anything to Lucius just yet. Mother told me earlier this week that she found out more about the subject we'd discussed in the infirmary but couldn't discuss it in the letter. I also collected all the ingredients I would need for the growth ritual, the expensive materials nearly cleaned me out but If it works then everything would be worth it. Soon, everyone was boarding the train and we rode back to platform 9 and 3/4.

I said goodbye to Blaise and the girls and departed the train. Waiting for me was my parents and Draco who looked particularly smug. Fathers cold look sent shivers down my spine and I knew that another round of Crucios were on the way. I just hope that I can keep my hands steady enough to draw the ritual circle as the ritual will cleanse me of any impurities and fix the nerve damage.

We arrived home and just as I feared I was subjected to short bursts of Crucio for an hour. He knew no to hold me under it for long as one could lose their minds, but doing it in short bursts gives the mind time to process what's happened and keep it from going insane for longer periods of time.

After the torture Lucius said he didn't want to have any more problems out of me and left me to Mother. As she healed me the best she could , she told me about what she had heard about the Black Lord. Just like I had thought Sirius was still listed as the Lord, this was important because you can't be a Lord and be sentenced to Azkaban, which proves he didn't have a trial. Mother says their wasn't anything we could do about it currently, she said that Father would never allow Sirius to have a retrial as he currently holds the Black seats, but she doesn't know the things I do. Although it would screw up the plot, I could lay a trap for Peter and have Sirius exonerated. I would have to be careful with this though. One word of us trying to free Sirius and Lucius or Fudge would have him killed before he could stand trial.

I asked who was currently the heir and she said that Harry is. An idea started to form in my head. A little known fact about Noble families is that if your an heir and go to Gringotts and ask for them to send a discreet letter to the Lord of your Family, they can get him that letter no matter where they are. Their owls have tracking enchantments on their collars that would be illegal for anyone else to have, but it allows them to send express mail in emergencies so they were allowed to keep them. If I could get Harry to back me and contact Amelia Bones the head of the DMLE. From their I could arrange a meeting and convince her to hide Sirius under the misconception that he broke out. Harry would be able to write him because of Gringotts and we could ask him details about Peter. Then I could spring my trap for Peter and turn him into Amelia.

It's a bit complicated but it all hinges on if I can collect enough evidence to convince Amelia to give Sirius a retrial. I asked mom to gather everything she could pertaining to the trial without alerting anyone. I gave her a run down of my plan without mentioning Peter and she agreed. She had loved Sirius when they were younger and with him free I can escape this hell. I could disown myself and allow Sirius to adopt me into the Black Family.

I went to my room and tried to sleep off the aches and pains. When I woke up I quickly got to work Father was attending a Ministry Yule Ball with Mother, Draco and I were home with only the house elves. I waited until the nightfall and called out for Dobby.

"Dobby!" I called out. Seconds later Dobby appeared in his worn bedsheet that wrapped around his body.

"Yes Young Master Ares sir?" Dobby asked.

"I need you to help me with something and I need you to keep it quiet from Father. Can you do that?" I asked.

"Yes, Dobby can as long as Master doesn't ask Dobby exactly what you be's doing." Dobby said in a happy tone.

"That's great Dobby do you know of any rooms in the Manor to preform a ritual. I can do it outside but I'd rather not." I asked. I didn't know some of the room that we had because I was rarely allowed in certain parts and at those times Lucius escorted me the whole way. I've never been in the basement, he's repeatedly told us to never go in there or we'd get an intense session of Crucio's.

"Well, Young Master Ares sir, Dobby knows of two such places you could have's a ritual done. The first is the sitting room, it be's having enough for your ritual's. The second is in the dungeon." Dobby said while trailing off after mentioning the dungeon. His eyes grew wide and he started punishing himself for mentioning a restricted area of the house.

"Dobby! Dobby stop right now do not punish yourself. We've been over this when you only in my presence you do not have to punish yourself." Dobby nodded as he calmed down. I thought it over while gathering my ingredients. "Does Father have any alert wards for the dungeon?"

Dobby shook his head and that solidified my plan. I've always been curious what Lucius hides away their. So once I was ready Dobby popped me down their. Once we reached there a foul stench swarmed my senses. I looked around and gasped in horror. When Dobby said dungeons I thought it was like Hogwarts and just meant basements, but no there were iron cages down here with shackles along the wall. Luckily no one was here right now but by the dried blood on the ground it hadn't been too long since he'd brought someone. I glanced at the other side of the room and torture devices lined the walls. It was like something out of a horror movie. Of to the side a door extended into a side room and I went in to investigate.

Inside, Death Eater robes adjourned the walls like prize jerseys. A desk sat into the middle of the room and I asked Dobby if there were any protection charms on here. He nodded and I cursed. I guess I can only look at whatever files are on top of the desk. So I started reading through them and what I found was shocking, transactions to fudge that coincides with suspected disappearances of muggleborns and muggles, plans for who he had taken and names of other Death Eaters who had joined him on such excursions. I quickly copied all of the material here and had Dobby take it and hide it in my safety box I keep buried out in the garden. This wouldn't get anybody thrown in jail but it could throw heavy suspicions on those named. I could use this in Sirius coming trial to blackmail Fudge. As for the other documents, I'm no hero, I do what I find benefits me most. But I can't stay silent knowing that people are being tortured in the home I've lived in all my life. I cast a quick Tempus and the time says its 1:00 in the morning. Figuring no one could possibly be working in the ministry this late, I write an anonymous letter to Miss Amelia Bones about what I'm giving her and how she could use this to find patterns in their behavior and maybe catch some of the more clumsy Death Eaters. It's not much but I can't give away the transaction logs.

I searched the rest of the office and found nothing of importance. I then set up and completed my ritual and again it caused me extreme pain and made me pass out, which was fine since I gave Dobby explicit orders to take me to bed as soon as the ritual was finished. The next morning I'd be in for quite a shock.