Aurors

The blond stood up in shock while pointing his finger at the ghost in a strict manner.

"You better not be lying about this, Peeves." Orion remembered this time to keep his voice low as he kept glaring at the grinning ghost. Peeves looked offended for a second before he shrugged.

"Why, I would never lie to you, Your Highness. Seems the castle is showing its sick humour once again. It has become more crafty after the war like it's grumpy about something." The ghost grinned even wider before he spoke again. "Or someone." Frowning, the blond crossed his arms.

"Someone?" Peeves only gave him a cackle in return before he spun around in the air and vanished through the ceiling. Sighing, Orion walked the short distance over to where the young wizard was sleeping. Luckily he had not noticed the noise in the room and woken up which the blond was thankful for. He took out his wand and placed a few charms around the boy to make sure he was alright before leaving the room.

Soon he found himself sprinting up the stairs to the sixth floor and he swore he saw his past self run in front of him like a ghost showing him the way. His feet moved on their own as he twisted and turned around the many corridors and corners of the castle before he stopped in his tracks. This was it. It was the same hallway they had walked down to find the dead end. Orion closed his eyes and took a deep breath to try to calm his emotions enough so that he was sure he was not going to disturb Artemis before going around the last corner.

For once, it seemed that the ghost had told him the truth as he stared at the familiar tapestry from ten years prior. The fabric was torn in several places and the once bright red fabric was now more of a rust orange as it moved to an invisible wind. It was clear it had seen its share of the war. Before he walked closer he wondered if the castle had hidden the classroom up here in hopes that Burns would find it herself to remind her of the wrong she did as a student or if it was for Artemis to find to remind her further of the torture she had faced. Biting his lip again he steeled himself for what he was about to see as he walked down the hall and drew the tapestry forcefully to the side. There was an ordinary classroom door behind it just like it had been ten years ago and Orion swallowed down the taste of bile in his mouth before taking out his wand. When he was sure the door was not hexed in some way he carefully opened it and walked inside.

Relief passed through him when he saw that it was indeed the classroom that was missing and not the old Defence classroom that should never see the light of day again. Looking around it was the same it had been the last time Orion had followed the young Malfoy to class and decided to head straight for the office door. Doing the same for this door he didn't open it before he was sure it was not hexed and opened it slowly. However, this time he was prepared as he took out the antidote to the muscle potion he had been the victim of the first time and swallowed it down quickly. After counting to ten he walked into the room expecting to feel the headache return but was relieved when it didn't happen. This meant that it was the cause of whatever else that was in the room that did it, but whatever it was it was not here at the moment.

The room was dreadfully bare just as it had been the first time. Just a simple desk and a chair in the middle of the room with some almost empty shelves behind the desk. Orion walked over to the closest one and just found some old-looking school books which he deemed useless. Getting more annoyed by the second he waved his wand around again in hopes to find something that was hidden.

After walking around the room three times without the spell picking up anything he was about to give up when he noticed a faint light coming from behind one of the bookshelves to the left of the door. Frowning, the blond walked over to it and peeked inside the little gap and saw what had to be a door. Smirking to himself he tapped the shelf with his wand and watched as it smoothly moved to the side revealing a door behind it. The door was heavily warded, that much was obvious, and Orion started the task of taking them apart one by one. However, after about ten minutes there were still two charms left that would not unlock themselves no matter what he tried and concluded that they must be spells made with this specific door in mind and without help, it would take him all night. He needed Queen's help.

Leaving the room quietly he went out into the classroom and produced his Patronus.

"Queen, come to the sixth-floor landing. There is a door I need you to open for me. Quickly." After watching the raven fly with lightning speed out the door, Orion was quick to follow himself to wait at the aforementioned spot. He had been pacing back and forth a couple of times when he noticed the Headmistress coming toward him and he had to hide his annoyance.

"Headmistress, what a surprise seeing you here at this hour. I thought you stopped doing nightly rounds?" The old witch stopped in front of him and looked at him knowingly.

"Yes, I have but sometimes I walk around just to make sure everything is alright. Albus keeps insisting on it." Raising his eyebrow at the witch he could not stop his smirk from showing.

"Taking orders from a painting?" The witch only gave him a look before studying him.

"What about yourself, Mr Silver? What are you pacing around here for?" Taking a peek down the stairs he sent Zacharias a silent curse before he replied.

"I'm waiting for Auror Zabini. He is late as usual. How that man even finished Auror training is a mystery." McGonagall snorted.

"That is indeed a surprise. That boy was never on time for anything. I'm surprised even Slytherin won that one house cup with how many points he lost for his house that year." Orion had to smirk at the memory as it was that year the dark wizard had at least one lover in each house at all times and spent more nights in other dorms than in his own.

"There was a reason I had to be the golden student I was, Headmistress. Someone had to keep the Slytherin house on the right track." The old witch looked thoughtful as she nodded.

"You were a good student and I see it reflected in your work, Mr Silver. However, I don't understand how you can work with Miss Blackmoore." On reflex, the blond pulled himself up to his full height and gave the Headmistress a hard look.

"I work with her because I trust her completely and I won't tolerate anyone badmouthing her even if it is you, Headmistress." McGonagall stepped a few steps back from him before she shook her head.

"I still don't believe it but I will not question it any further. Have a good night, Mr Silver." Orion watched annoyed as the older witch walked back the way she came and sent another silent hex towards Zacharias in hopes that he would hurry up.

~⚡︎~

Harry was keeping watch with the Map when he jumped as the Patronus came flying straight through the door and stopped right in front of Auror Zabini's face.

"Queen, come to the sixth-floor landing. There is a door I need you to open for me. Quickly." Auror Silver's voice was calm and collected as it always was but Harry noticed the small quiver when he had said 'quickly' as he was overly tense. The Auror in question frowned at the bird as it vanished.

"A door he needs opened? At this hour? I thought you got him to watch over Malfoy, Ace." Auror Zouch had the same frown on his face as the rest of them before he nodded.

"Indeed I did. Something must have happened. Mr Potter, would you mind checking that Map of yours to see where he is?" Harry quickly did as he was told and scoured the sixth floor and soon found him right by the stairs with McGonagall next to him.

"He is standing by the stairs as he said but McGonagall is right next to him." Auror Thompson came over to look over his shoulder.

"McGonagall? What is she doing up?" Harry shrugged.

"Sometimes she walks her old night round. Dumbledore keeps insisting on her doing it she said to me once." The Auror behind him snorted.

"Taking orders from a painting. How stupid." Auror Zabini crouched down by the fireplace again as he had been doing before the Patronus arrived and waved his wand around inside in an intricate pattern. Harry had been paying as close attention as he could to what the Aurors had been doing inside the room while still keeping a close look at the Map. Watching them work so efficiently made him even more clear on his resolve to aim for Auror training after this school year was over and he wondered if one of them would take him under his wing when his training was over. They had quickly figured out that the room itself was nothing special and the older Zabini had been quick to study the floo to see if he could trace where the call had been made from. The wizard sighed then and stood up with an annoyed look on his face.

"Whoever Burns was talking to was using a secure line so I can't track it." Auror Zouch scowled at him.

"The Ministry must have a list of secure lines, surely?" The dark wizard shrugged at him.

"Yeah, the ones that are legal, but I doubt this is one of them. But I'll send a message to some of my pals back in London to give me a list just in case I guess." The Aurors nodded at the idea before Auror Thompson pointed at the door.

"We should get out of here, Queen you should go upstairs to see what Orion wants. I need to get back to my round and Mr Potter you should go back to your dorm." Harry looked at them all a little disappointed but nodded.

"Yes, Sir." He followed all of them out of the room and obediently said good night to them all before walking down the hall towards the Gryffindor common room. However, Harry had no intention of going back to bed as his curiosity got the better of him as to why Auror Silver needed help to open a simple door on the sixth floor, and he ran as fast as he could to the nearest dark nook to take the cloak back on and waited for Auror Zabini to pass him. It was easy to hear when he was coming as the man had a habit of whistling when he walked and after a few minutes the dark wizard passed him at a somewhat hurried pace and Harry was quick to follow.

The blond Auror was tapping his foot on the sixth-floor landing as they were closing in on him. McGonagall was nowhere to be seen so Harry assumed she had gone back to her sleeping quarters in the meantime.

"What took you so long?" The dark Auror grinned sheepishly at him.

"Sorry, Potter came to us as he had found something. I'll tell ya back at the office. So what do you need, King?" The blond wizard sighed before he motioned down the hall.

"Follow me."

~𓅃~

Orion had been waiting too long for the other Auror to show up and his patience was slowly running out but he had to admit that he was curious to know what Potter had found that was so important to get one of the Aurors to look at it. But the castle had ears and it was best not to discuss it out in the hall, that much he could agree with. He looked at Zacharias when they rounded the last corner and the tapestry came into view. The man froze for a second before looking at him with an uncertain expression.

"It's not the classroom is it?" Orion shook his head.

"To quote Peeves, it seems the castle is showing its twisted humour these days. It's Burns's classroom behind the tapestry this time. Maybe it wanted to remind her of what she did as a child. I have no clue." The dark wizard whistled loudly.

"Well, whatever it's doing it's not being funny. That's for sure. Making the Room of Requirement show that classroom straight in Artemis's face was one thing but this is turning into some twisted scheme." The blond nodded as he walked the rest of the way and moved the tapestry aside so that his friend could walk past him. After Zacharias passed him it felt like a slight breeze followed him making him stop and look around before going in himself. Queen was looking around the room and shrugged.

"Looks the same. Where is this door then, mate?" Orion pointed to the office.

"In her office. It was a hidden door behind one of the bookcases. I can't get the last two charms off so it looks like they are personally made." Zacharias grinned widely as his eyes started to glitter in joy.

"My favourite pastime! Removing spells that people have made up!" The blond rolled his eyes as he watched the wizard almost dance up the steps to the office. Something moved in the corner of his eye and he quickly turned around to take a look but confusion washed over him as he saw nothing. Clicking his tongue he took out his wand again and followed the other wizard into the office.

Zacharias was already dealing with the door as he mumbled one spell after the other on it and soon shouted in victory as he got one to let go. In the meantime, Orion went around the office again to look around one more time in case he missed something. Suddenly, he felt something touch his arm for a brief second and stood still. When the feeling didn't return he took a peek at the other wizard in the room. He was still mumbling charms to himself and had not moved from his spot. Frowning, he blamed his nerves and settled to lean against the desk. A few minutes passed before the other wizard shouted in triumph.

"There we go! Zach wins again!" Orion rolled his eyes as he slowly clapped.

"Someone would think you did this for a living." Queen smirked at him in return as he opened the door carefully. Behind it was a simple bedroom and the blond scowled again as he wondered why it had been so heavily guarded. He took one step into the room and quickly backed out again as his head felt it was going to explode. Zacharias was quick to come to his side and give him a worried look.

"What's wrong, mate? Something happening to Prince?" Orion took a few deep breaths as he felt his head clear.

"The thing that blocked the bond back when I was in here last is in that room but I can't enter it. My head will explode from the pain, it must have been lessened from the muscle drug she had in here last time so it was not as noticeable." The worried wizard in front of him nodded as he went back into the bedroom to look around as the blond focused on his breathing. Suddenly, he heard one of the chairs in the room move and he turned around with his wand raised.

"Who's there?" He shouldn't have been surprised when Potter appeared in front of him with his hands raised after his cloak dropped to the floor.

"Mr Potter. What is the meaning of this?" Zacharias came out of the bedroom with a frown on his face.

"So you did follow me, heh? I thought you disappeared too quickly." The boy looked guiltily at the both of them before picking up the cloak from the floor.

"I'm sorry. My curiosity got the better of me and I thought I might be of some help, but I never really got a good opportunity to show myself." Sighing, Orion lowered his wand and motioned to the boy's pocket.

"Then make yourself useful. Keep a lookout. I'll talk with you later about all this." Queen sent him a doubtful look before he went back into the bedroom to keep looking as Potter took out the Marauder's Map and opened it.

The dark wizard started to levitate different things into the main office to see if Orion reacted to them but after what seemed like a dozen of items he was close to giving up. Maybe it was a type of ward instead of an object he thought when suddenly the pain returned full force. He leaned on the desk heavily as he stumbled and Potter left the Map for a second to steady him. With hooded eyes, he saw Zacharias in the door levitating a crystal that didn't look special in any way.

"A crystal, how cliché."

"Auror Zabini get it out of here, it's hurting Auror Silver!" The pain lessened almost immediately as the crystal disappeared from his view and he took another deep breath.

"Mr Potter focus on the Map please." The boy looked at him worriedly but went back to study the Map as told.

"We need to test that thing, Zach. See if you can get a sample from it. If we take the whole thing Burns will notice when she gets her classroom back." The dark wizard nodded at him and caught the vial that Orion threw at him.

"Doesn't this look like the crystals Loftwind sells? Could it be modified somehow?"

"As I've never gotten a reaction from the ones in her shop it has to be. Could just be from somewhere else though." A few minutes passed in silence before Potter spoke up in a panic.

"Bloody hell! Burns is coming this way!" Orion quickly grabbed the Map to have a look and sure enough, Burns had just walked off the staircase and was coming in their direction.

"Fuck, we need more time." The ravenhead took back the map and folded it quickly.

"I'll go and intercept her and make sure she goes another way so you get more time in here!" Before Orion had the time to protest the boy was already out the door and Zacharias started to laugh.

"Bloody Gryffindors, heh? Always have to be brave." Clicking his tongue in response as he looked at the wizard. Queen met his eyes.

"So when are you going to Obliviate him? He must have followed me all the way from earlier so he saw and heard everything." Orion sighed.

"Let's hope the boy keeps his mouth shut for now. Hurry up, he can only buy us so much time." Zacharias looked at him with a knowing look before he went back to studying the crystal. The blond didn't have an immediate plan to Obliviate the boy, but if push came to shove he had no choice in the matter. But as of right now, he had to trust him not to tell anyone.

~⚡︎~

Harry had told the truth to the Aurors when he said he wanted to show himself earlier and he knew he had heard information that was not for his ears but he hoped that by doing this for them he showed that he could be trusted. He was quick to run down the hallway towards where he had seen the Professor's nameplate moving and prepared himself for the impact that he knew was coming, and sure enough, when he rounded the second corner he crashed straight into the older witch. Landing on his back with a grunt he looked over to where Burns was now lying in a similar position in front of him. The second his eyes met hers he knew he was in deep trouble but then again that was also why he was doing it in the first place. The ravenhead put on his most convincing apologetic face as he hastily got to his feet to help the witch up.

"I'm so sorry, Professor! Are you alright?" A frown flashed over the blonde's face before it settled into the normal sweet smile.

"My my, Mr Potter what are you doing outside of bed this late?" She staggered a bit as she took his outstretched hand so that he could pull her up.

"I was just wandering the castle, Ma'am. Thought I saw Peeves doing something suspicious so I followed him but I guess I lost him somewhere. Not easy following a ghost when you can't walk through walls yourself." Burns clicked her tongue at him as she brushed off the dust from her robes.

"Well, I am sure he is up to no good as usual. You should go back to bed, Mr Potter. It is way past curfew." This was what he had hoped would happen and he braced himself for the fight that was about to happen. Stubbornly crossing his arms he tried to pull himself up to his full height to seem more of a threat, just like he had seen Malfoy do many times before. The only thing that got him, however, was a weird look from the witch.

"Mr Potter, didn't you hear me? Go back to the Gryffindor tower." Harry stood his ground before he rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry but you are aware that I'm an adult right? I'm nineteen, so by law, I am free to go wherever I want, whenever I want. Was thinking of going down to the lake now that I've lost Peeves actually." To his surprise, Burns rolled her eyes in return.

"You are under the Headmistress's rules as long as you are a student here Mr Potter. You have no say in this." The ravenhead had to bite the inside of his cheek so that he would not grin at her as she was falling straight into his trap.

"That is not what Auror Blackmoore told me. She told me that I could go anywhere I wanted." That did the trick as he saw anger flash before the witch's eyes.

"She has no say in the rules at this school. You follow the orders of the teachers, not the Aurors. So get back to your tower, Mr Potter." Harry raised his eyebrow at her.

"But the Aurors are here to keep order. It would be kinda weird if we didn't listen to them, besides I am the Hero. I can do whatever I want." Usually, the Gryffindor hated playing the Hero card but at moments like these, it came in handy, especially when he saw the anger rising in the other person. Burns huffed at him as she crossed her own arms.

"The Aurors are merely here to assist, it is the teachers' job to keep order and the war is over Mr Potter. If it was up to me you would have no power at all anymore, war hero or not." The ravenhead wasn't sure how much time had passed or if the Aurors had finished their job in the Professor's office but he didn't want to take any chances. So instead of walking away as he probably should do, he decided to crank the conversation up a notch.

"At least I wouldn't lose my own classroom if I was a teacher here. Are you even looking for it? Oh, no wait, I got it, you know where it is but you are not telling so that you can get out of teaching us, right? I bet the Headmistress would be really angry if she found that out you know." He could tell she was twitching to reach for her wand but he stood his ground and prepared himself before he carried on.

"Auror Blackmoore said that the spell you used would have never worked on getting the room back anyway. What kind of witch are you that doesn't even know that kind of spell doesn't work on the castle? You really must have pissed it off for it to hide it for so long too. Well frankly it's better this way, then I don't have to sit through one more of your boring classes again. Teaching shielding spells to nineteen-year-olds? Seriously?" Luckily for him, Burns then blew up as she shouted at him to shut up as he was running out of things to say on the spot.

"That is enough! 20 points from Gryffindor and you will meet up after today's classes at the edge of the Forbidden Forest for detention! Now. Go. Back. To. Your. Dorm." Harry raised his hands in mock defence as he nodded.

Hastily he turned around to go back the way he came but started to walk at a slow pace as he peeked over his shoulder from time to time to see if she was following him or not. After a few meters down the hall and she hadn't rounded the corner yet he quickly threw on his invisibility cloak and went back. He just managed to see her robe round the corner on the other end of the hallway as he rounded the corner himself. Carefully, he took out the Map and folded it out.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." After a whisper, the nameplates of everyone started to appear. Burns was now on her way down the staircase and he breathed a sigh of relief. At least she was now going in the complete opposite direction of the Aurors whom he then checked next. They had all left the Defence classroom and were going in different directions from the room so Harry took that as a sign that they were done with their work and he folded up the map again. He cast a quick Tempus and was surprised to see that the clock was closing in on four in the morning and figured it really was the time to go back to the tower and started his short journey there not forgetting to study the paintings as he went.

~ཐིཋྀ~

Artemis woke up with a start and for a second panicked at the darkness that surrounded her before she realised it was her own curtains that were closed. She quickly opened them to get a little light in and breathed a sigh of relief that she was in the bedroom. Images flashed before her eyes of the past and she shook her head in frustration only to jump as something touched her. Sky blue eyes met hers and she relaxed as she recognised the face of Septimus in the dim light.

"What time is it?" His eyes softened as he mumbled a Tempus and the time hovered in front of her face. It was closing in on three in the morning and she sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"Did I wake you?" The wizard shook his head as he sat down at the edge of her bed.

"How are you feeling?" Artemis thought about it for a second and she felt better compared to the previous days.

"Better, I suppose. Why are you not asleep?" He made it obvious he was avoiding answering the question when he simply smiled at her.

"I'm glad. You should sleep some more, Prince. I will watch over you, do not worry." Artemis frowned at him when he got up from the bed and gave her another smile. Feeling around the bond she found nothing wrong with Orion and decided it was not the time to ask the dark blond why he was not sleeping. Hopefully, he was just working on something that she didn't have clearance to know about and instead of answering just ignored the questions as he usually did instead of lying. He was about to close the curtains again before she stopped him.

"Leave them open." Looking at her knowingly he left a gap in the curtain so the light hit her face when she laid back down.

"I hope you have no dreams, my Prince."