A/N: Summer is at an end so time for me to continue writing. Up first, my latest chapter to this story, hopefully, I will have the time to correct the next chapter tomorrow or Thursday. Anyhow when we last left things... Harry had help from the Underground in tormenting Lockhart, the headmaster was determined to end the trials, Ron was suffering through detention with Trelawney, Ginny had the Journal and Tom was determined to have her give it to Lockhart. As for Jareth and Sarah, she was visiting her family in the States.

PS will also be updating my Sirius story where he is celebrating National Appreciation Day.

Chapter Twenty-One

Dueling Lessons

Harry and Hermione were studying together in the common room at a table off in the corner, for their transfiguration test the next day when she looked up and asked. "Harry, what was up with your grandfather's reaction to what you told us?"

The young wizard leaned back in his chair and sucked on his quill before looking around. Putting up a small silencing charm, he told her. "Among the animals, I can speak to, like dragons, and other reptiles..."

"Snakes!" She said suddenly, her face showing her surprise, glad she had figured it out. "You can speak to snakes. Its why you know so much about them."

"Yes, among my skills is the ability to speak parseltongue." He replied. "Most British wizards though, are like Weasley and think of it has a dark trait, so my dad suggested that I keep that to myself. My grandfather feels differently, he thinks that if it were to become common knowledge it might change a few peoples minds."

"What do you think?" She asked.

"That unless it needs to become public, I will keep it to myself. I have enough reasons for people to stare at me and I would prefer if the headmaster was kept in the dark." He replied.

The two of them saw something going on at a nearby table, so he dropped the silencing charm in time to hear the youngest Weasley, shouting at her brother who had a small battered leather book which he was keeping away from her due to his taller height. To their amusement, the redhead girl snarled at her brother and used the bat bogey curse on him before grabbing her book back when he landed on his back holding his face while frantically trying to bat the bogies away.

"You are so immature, Ronald." She snapped then stormed up the stairs, leaving her brother to be rescued by the twins.

One of the twins, Harry believed it to be Fred, used the finite charm to end the disgusting hex, then suggested that he leave Ginny alone. "Aren't you in enough trouble with the parents?"

"I have nothing to worry about, you two should be worried when Mum and Dad hear about how you are messing with Lockhart." Ron smugly told them. "I recognized the latest prank as one of yours. If you don't wish for Mum to hear about you pranking her favorite author, you should help me get out of detention."

Scoffing, the second twin told him. "We haven't done anything to Lockhart except watch as he has been pranked to hell and back. As for your detention, you have a snowball's chance in hell of getting out early. We learned our very first year to leave Snape alone."

Hermione looked at Harry who chuckled and told her. "The headmaster has been going to Lockhart's quarters every morning to rescue him. Rumor is his hair fell out one morning, the second morning he was stuck to his bed. According to rumor, he was naked."

"That is something you could have kept to yourself." She said shuddering at the thought.

"He has also had to deal with itching powder someplace personal, he had red round spots all over his face and tomorrow morning he is going to wake up with fairies nesting in his quarters."

"Fairies?" She asked skeptically.

"Yup, fairies." He replied drolly before returning to his notes to study for McGonagall's test.

"Why fairies?" She asked sounding curious.

"Because fairies aren't the sweet innocent little creatures that Walt Disney has made them out to be. In truth, they are vindictive little shits who don't offer wishes, instead, they attack and bite people." He replied with a smug grin on his face. "And I doubt that the headmaster knows how to get rid of them let alone Lockhart."

At breakfast the next morning, Hermione found the need to giggle when she saw Lockhart fighting against the small and very fast fairies that seemed to be attacking him and only him. Padma, Neville and the other second-year Gryffindor boys were also taking pleasure in it, while Lavender and Parvati were furious with their crush as he was harming the small helpless fairies.

"Where is the headmaster?" Harry asked Percy Weasley who was shaking his head at the sight of Lockhart losing the battle and how the rest of the professors seemed to be ignoring the situation.

"Headmaster Dumbledore went to the Ministry this morning," Percy told the second year. When Lockhart was raised from his chair by the flying creatures until he was high enough that it would hurt if dropped, the fairies seemed to suddenly be obeying his request to leave him alone.

They dropped the moron fifty feet and into a most awkward position then popped out of existence.

"Interesting." Harry looked at the sixth year student who said. "I always wondered if the weather could be brought inside."

Turning back towards the head table, Harry saw that Lockhart had a personal rain cloud over his head and that it was currently having a huge downpour. "I wonder if that also has thunder and lightning."

Percy was pleased to report a few seconds later while grinning, "Apparently it does, Potter. As I said, interesting. It looks as if Lockhart won't last the year. I guess I can safely place my bet with the twins."

"What day?" Harry asked. Seeing the older student's suspicious glance, he stated. "Your brothers insisted on only taking bets from the fourth year or above."

"My guess he doesn't last past spring break," Percy replied while writing Fred and George a note looking pleased with himself.

Hermione meanwhile had finished her discussion with Padma and was looking around for Harry. Waving him over, they quickly told him they had finished the book of myths and were asking for more books explaining how must myths were based on true people.

Harry was chuckling as he filled them in on some while promising to arrange for the books to be sent from their aboveground library.

"How do you know so much about this?" Padma asked.

"My dad told me would tell me those types of legends as bedtime stories. He used the time between dinner and bedtime to teach me about the legends of both worlds." Harry replied as the trio exited the Great Hall and down to the dungeons for potions class.

Listening as the Slytherins were walking down the class, Hermione grimaced when she realized that the second-year students were shunning Draco. Even if the boy was a prat, she hated bullying in any form.

Harry nodded that he saw and stopped Hermione and Padma a small distance away from the classroom and told her. "Rumor is the Flint was furious with how Draco messed up the quidditch match for them, but he held off on dealing the situation until he had attempted to do the same in practice again. When the other snakes began to insult him, Flint told them if they couldn't be civil to be silent."

With a sigh, Padma stated. "Malfoy is the most unSlytherin like Snake I have ever meet. Weasley also has been missorted. Did you hear him trying to convince his brothers to intervene with Professor Snape regarding his detentions, they threatened to tell their mother and he completely caved."

"We heard last night," Hermione replied then with a thoughtful expression on her face she told the others. "Malfoy's problem is that he is trying to claim alpha status and he isn't an alpha. Weasley...well Weasley wasn't a fit for any of the houses, I think we got stuck with him because of family tradition. But he doesn't even fit in with the Weasleys who are in school."

"He does remind me of something, but I can't figure it out," Padma replied.

The rest of the students arrived and Snape who had been already standing in the corridor to watch over his snakes and how Draco was behaving, backed away and came down the hallway urging his students into the classroom and began to speak about the mild healing potion he would be teaching to his students that day, his mind on what he had heard the trio saying about young Weasley and his godson.

When the headmaster had returned from the Ministry having been ordered there in his capacity as Chief Warlock as they had found out that the unknown auror slash death eater had been arrested. Claudius Yaxley was now under arrest and to be tried in front of the Wizengamot later this week.

Arriving at his tower, he was about to enter when Minerva approached and with an exasperated tone told him. "Lockhart's bad luck continues. His day started with being attacked by fairies before a storm cloud began following him around for the day. He is in the infirmary where Poppy is trying to heal him from being struck by lightning while soaking wet."

Albus wanted to blame the students but not even his professors were skilled enough to create weather clouds. Frowning, he asked. "Has the storm cloud been disbursed."

"It only goes away when someone is in his immediate vicinity." She left off that no one wished to be stuck with that job. Not even Trelawney could deal with him. "We have another issue. Ron Weasley..."

The headmaster was inwardly groaning at that familiar name. He wished he could suspend the boy but he was his best chance of ending the Potter boy's friendship with those he didn't feel belonged around him. "What happened, now?"

"He wrote to his mother about his constant detentions, she flooed to demand that they end, claiming that they are why her son has been doing so bad on his homework and practicals." Minerva knew that the exact opposite was true, that the only reason he was handing in his homework was because of his detentions. "She also sent him some new robes now that his weight is back to where it was before, and requested that we end his ban from eating what everyone else does."

"Have you spoken to Poppy about that?" Albus inquired as they arrived in his office.

"Yes, she said that he is back to his weight, but did express concern about his eating habits, but we can't require the boy to remain on the diet restrictions when his parents allow him to eat like that during the summer." She replied with a sigh. "Molly did mention to me that when she went to order Ron's robes, that Madame Malkin had closed shop."

This caused alarm with Albus as the lovely woman often generously gave him his annual order of new robes for free. "Did she say why?"

"She was unaware of it until she went to purchase Ronald's new robes. She did mention that she ordered them through the same mail-order company many of the muggleborn students used this year." Minerva replied.

"Wait, what mail-order company?" He questioned, He had heard nothing of this and was not happy that the students were not using the approved Diagon Alley store. How had he not know about this?

"Wondrous Wardrobes for the Young Witch or Wizard," Minerva replied. "They are a French company that recently was purchased by an old pureblood family. A family member had a bad experience when purchasing robes from Madam Malkin so they decided to import robes. By not having a storefront they can get around the rules requiring students to purchase their robes from Madam Malkin, which I have always disagreed with. As long as they all have the same style of robes, who cares who tailors them?"

Albus was not a happy wizard and he was unsure what to do about it. Normally he would have spoken to the Minster like he had Bagnold when she had been in office about such things, but Arthur Weasley was proven to be a much tougher wizard to manipulate. Still, there the loss wasn't total, it was at least another pureblood family who he was sure would be following the traditional methods of hiring which was all he was concerned about, well, other than the discount that the very understanding Madam Malkin had always given to him. With that, he decided to speak to Molly, after all, she had been a good customer of Madame Malkins as well...

The second-year Lions are annoyed when they realize that Ron Weasley was back to eating with them. They had enjoyed their meals for the last nine weeks with the shield between him and them that had allowed them to leisurely decide what to eat. Neville was scowling at they walked towards Herbology while Seamus and Dean were speaking in whispers while glaring at the redhead who already had food on his new robes.

As the students worked with the mandrakes, Harry found himself in a battle with one particularly determined male who refused to be repotted. When Neville had helped him get the teenage plant repotted, Weasley who was partnered up with Parvati, snickered and pointed at the young wizard, ignoring his plant which reached over and head-butted him in his midsection,

Weasley fell over landing onto his back for the second time in a matter of twelve hours, losing his ear muffs. Shaking her head, Professor Sprout directed Lavender and Parvati to take the young wizard to the infirmary while the rest wrapped things up. Once they had finished, the students were heading back to the castle when they rejoined the two girls who were standing at a pillar which had a poster for an upcoming dueling club.

"I wonder who is going to be teaching it," Dean stated as they hurried to shower and change before heading to transfiguration.

"As long as it isn't Lockhart." Was the heartfelt response from his fellow Lions including Brown and Patil as they were upset with Lockhart attacking those poor innocent fairies.

Jareth was debating making a trip to Connecticut to visit his beloved, she had been gone for only a few days but he found himself missing Sarah's mind as much as her companionship and love. With a heavy sigh, he reminded himself that she was only going to be gone for three weeks and that he had been apart from her for a longer period of time while she had grown up but to him, each day felt like a week.

Looking at the paperwork generated by his aboveground businesses and the laws involved in running them, Jareth just groaned and got to work, amused to find a notice from his manager of the clothing company that the headmaster had finally learned that his favorite tailor was no longer in business.

The goblin king was debating what business to open in the former storefront when he received a note from his aboveground goblins informing him that the robe store had been leased from the Potter family and that when the lease had ended, the property had mysteriously turned back up in the real estate portfolio.

Ordering them to look into how it had gone missing, Jareth decided to use the open space for the new apothecary that his trained potions workers had been suggesting he open. Looking through his personnel records, he found a talented muggleborn who had worked hard for the company and promoted them to running the store and moving into the open apartment above.

With that, he informed the Gringotts goblins to let the companies who sold Sleekeazy products that as their current contracts ran out, they would not be renewing them.

Madame Malkin had forgotten that the apartment above her store was not hers and that it had come with the lease for the store. When she had tried to deny the goblins paperwork evicting her, she had been furious when they had informed her that they were looking into how she had been allowed to keep that location without having paid one galleon in rent for over ten years.

The witch had nervously claimed that she had an arranged for the deal with James Potter before he had died, but knew that without paperwork her words would not be enough and with the way the headmaster was ducking her floo calls, she was sure that he would hang her out to dry rather than deal with the goblins. What was worse was that she knew that the late pureblood had stopped shopping in her store after an incident with his muggleborn wife to be.

The witch had also received a note from the headmaster mourning the loss of her store and asking in a roundabout fashion what had gone wrong. The enraged witch had been making plans to send a howler to the arrogant wizard when the goblins had come knocking and she along with all of her worldly goods were now in installed in the small family cottage she had inherited from her parents all those years ago in Godric's Hollow.

As she frowned at being back where she began, Madam Malkin saw her great grandmother's old friend Bathilda Bagshot exiting the nearby apothecary and felt something cross her mind and then a mild charm telling her to pay it no attention so Glenora Malkin did just that, while a slight frown crossed her face as she began to unpack her worldly goods and then with a heavy sigh, realized that she was going to be doing small assignments for a pittance once again as she had done before Dumbledore had offered to help her get her store all those years ago.

Two nights later, the students from all four houses and years were gathered in the Great Hall after dinner as they wished to attend the first meeting of the Dueling Club. There was great speculation as to who was going to be in charge of it. Speculation was running rampant and students were co-mingling to speak to anyone who wanted to hear their guess as to who their teacher would be.

The Ravenclaw students were smugly guessing that it would be their Head of House, bragging how Professor Flitwick was a former World champion duelist and the Snakes were hoping it was their head of house who was no slouch at dueling himself. The Lions were discussing with the Puffs that it could be the headmaster, but most audibly groaned when they saw the pompous nitwit Gilderoy Lockhart with green skin and red hair strutting through the large doors.

The normally blond terrible excuse for a wizard strutted to the front of the room, with the disappointed eyes of the students upon him. Lockhart seemed to not realize that the students were unhappy as he waved to one side and the other. When Professor Snape entered, there was a sigh of relief from the gathered group, even some of those in red and gold.

When Lockhart began to speak, talking about his so-called honors received and then brought up his best smile award, Hermione snickered along with most of the second-year students. Harry in the meantime was debating finding a way to end up dueling with the idiot and using an accident to take him down.

Great minds think alike as that was what was currently going through the head of Severus Snape as the pouncy moron smiled inanely at the students and then with a wink towards himself, suggested that they have two student volunteers to step up.

"Perhaps we should show them the correct way to duel before letting them face one another." Snape smoothly offered. "Unless you feel I am unprepared?"

Harry and co watched as the two very different men went to opposite ends of the dueling platform. While Snape had ceased to annoy him, he still wouldn't mind if Lockhart got a lucky shot in, but Snape wore a slight smirk and he could see the nervousness that Lockhart was trying to hide.

When Lockhart began with a count of three, then fired on two, there was a slight gasp at his audacity, but when the blond git threw up a hasty and week shield, to the students thrilled amusement Snape slowly drawled. "Expelliarmus."

Lockhart went flying about twenty feet into the stone wall behind him, his wand landing in Snape's left hand and to the dark-haired wizard's bemusement, pandemonium reigned as the students, ALL of the students present began to clap and call out, "Great job!"

With a sharp nod of appreciation, Snape looked at the gathered students, then hearing Lockhart moan, began pairing up the students so that they could practice shielding. "Nothing stronger than the tickling charm or you will be in detention with me. "

Snape was walking around the great hall, checking on those paired, explaining the shield charm to a few younger students, correcting a few of the older students stances.

"Sir, should we do something for Lockhart?" Percy who was standing near the second years and dueling with Wood asked reluctantly.

"I am open to suggestions," Snape replied with a scornful look towards the wizard who was now explaining to anyone who would listen how Snape had taken advantage of how ill he, Lockhart had been feeling and how if he had not been so devoted to his students, he would have remained in bed.

Percy looked over at the professor feigning illness and replied to his potions professor in an uncertain tone..."Maybe send for Pomfrey?"

"I will take that under advisement, Mr. Weasley," Snape replied as he walked away with a small smirk on his face that grew into a smile when he heard Wood and Weasley speaking.

"I should have suggested giving him a red card."

"What is a red card?" Wood asked as he shielded against his roommate's tickle charm.

"It's a muggle term. I learned of it this summer. It means he is faking so badly, that he deserves to be tossed out." Percy replied.

"Tossed out?" Wood asked then added, "Of Hogwarts...if only..."

Snape could no longer hear the two Gryffindors as he entered the area with younger students. Most seemed to be working hard on the Protego charm but to his annoyance, he heard loud shouting between his godson and the youngest Weasley boy. Moving quickly, he was soon within their grouping and found that the two boys had tossed down their wands and were now dueling like muggles.

"Take it back!" Weasley was shouting as he attempted to punch the blond as he threw a roundhouse punch and it hit only air. He could see that the two had been already throwing punches as both were bloody.

"No," Draco replied as he moved forward to confront the other boy. Ron recklessly charged the blond but ended up tripping over a nearby bookbag and falling onto his back."I am only saying what others are thinking. Even Goyle and Crabbe are smarter than you."

"I said take it back!" Weasley's face was as red as his hair as he scrambled to his feet and screamed at the blond. "You take it back, I am telling you to TAKE IT BACK!"

"What do you two idiots think you are doing," Snape demanded as he grabbed the back of their robes and yanked them apart. "Weasley! Malfoy, I warned all of you. Detention both of you, and twenty points from Slytherin and the same from Gryffindor. Now both of you shut up."

Taking stock of the two idiots, he shook his head. Weasley had a black eye and a busted lip, his godson's nose looked a bit less pointy than usual and his robes were torn. Fixing them up, he looked over at the others then called out. "Flint, Weasley take these two to Pomfrey. Wood, escort your Defense Against Dark Arts professor."

With that, Snape stepped back to allow them to do as he had directed before ordering the other students to get back to work unless they wished for him to cancel the club.

Using his wand to charm the mess away, he waited and watched as the other students shrugged and went back to practicing their protego charms. As he began to wander through the second-year students, he watched as Potter bowed using the proper form then began to duel with Longbottom who was laughing as they took turns defending and going on the offensive.

Young Ginny Weasley had skipped the Dueling club, she had been in the Great Hall when she had heard the headmaster permitting Lockhart to arrange for the dueling club. She didn't bother attending, wishing to be as far away from Lockhart as possible.

Her friend Tom was very eager to have her hand over her diary to that particular wizard and she didn't wish to do so. So, she had gone to the library where she had worked on her Charms and Astronomy homework with Tom's help.

When it was close to curfew, she hurried to return to the tower, slipping in the portrait portal just in time as she saw her head of house exiting at the same time. "Cutting it close, Ms. Weasley."

"Sorry Professor. I was finishing up my Charms work and Tom and I lost track of time." She replied with a slight smile at the older woman.

"Well, be a little more vigilant next time. By the way, I was impressed with how much detail you put into your essay about the laws of transfiguration. Most first-year students aren't so aware of the nuances."

"I had help from an older student." She replied proudly and then winced when she heard her brother Ron's loud voice complaining in the common room. "I guess, I had better go find out what Ron did now."

With that, the young redhead nodded at her head of house and joined her year mates just in time to hear Colin Creevy telling some of the others what had gone on with the dueling club. "It was cool, Snape sent Lockhart flying into a wall and Ron Weasley got into a fistfight with Draco Malfoy."

Groaning, Ginny looked at her brothers. The twins were forcing Ron to remain seated as Percy stood over their brother from the looks of things lecturing him. Moving closer, she heard "Ron, I can't believe you mouthed off to Professor McGonagall that way. If she tells you that you have detention with Trelawney, you don't get to argue about it. Especially when the only other choice is detention with Professor Snape."

"I would rather have detention with the git," Ron muttered with a scowl on his face. "At least he wouldn't make me read books."

The four heads of house met in McGonagall's office, money passing hands and Snape's smirk for once bearable for the head lioness. "I do believe you owe me a galleon."

"It will be worth it. According to Poppy, he will be staying under her tender care for a few days." Minerva replied then looking at Poppy told the witch. "Your idea of assigning detentions to Sybil is beginning to pay off. Young Mr. Weasley just told me he would rather serve detention with you Severus, than with her."

"I see enough of that particular Weasley in class, thank you." He sniped. "Sybil and her offer have made assigning detention to that boy much easier to deal with. As for Draco..."

"What will you do with him?" Filius asked.

"He would not be upset to be assigned detention where he could work on his homework. I am thinking of asking Hagrid to have him muck out the stables." Snape replied then with a bow their way, said: "I have a certain twelve-year-old waiting in my office I am rather certain that he has had more than enough time to ponder his crimes."

With that, Snape left and Pomona looked at Minerva and asked. "Have you found out anything yet. He has been almost... dare I say it, pleasant to the students recently."

"No, but something is up." She replied wearing a thoughtful expression on her face. "Either way, the dueling lessons were less of a disaster than I expected them to be.

In the infirmary, Headmaster Dumbledore thanked Poppy then when she had left, the old wizard glared at the open window and gave a deep sigh. He had spoken to Lockhart and had suggested having young Malfoy duel with Harry but the other wizard had not followed through with his suggestion.

Now Lockhart was once again out unable to fulfill his job and he was going to have to arrange for someone to teach the DADA class for the next two days. Looking with dissatisfaction at the file regarding the trial the next morning of former Auror Yaxley, the headmaster was once again reminded how nothing was going his way.

Even the dark object that the wards had warned him was to be found within Gryffindor tower had not created a situation he could use to gain control of the young boy. Albus knew from the wards that it was the darkest magic, but so far the one possessing it seemed to be free of the darkness which completely confused the headmaster.

Debating finding a way to have young Mr. Potter interact with the dark magical item, Albus was once again flummoxed how nothing had gone him with since the return of the Potter boy the previous year.

As November passed into December, the winter weather and snow returned to Scotland, Harry found himself amused at the package of Hostess snack cakes he had received from the newly returned Sarah which he had quickly shared with his friends.

Ron now that he no longer was serving nightly detention was once again being forced by Percy to do his homework in the common room, so the remaining Lions were sharing the snacks in the Boy's dorm room.

"We need to speak to McGonagall about his behavior at meals." Padma was insisting. "Weasley was bad before but now, I can't bear to watch him eat."

Hermione who was seated in the window seat looked over at Harry and asked. "How do you deal with his mess?"

Dean quickly pointed to the opposite corner and said "We have been putting up silencing charms since our first year at night. As for his mess, we can only ignore it, until his brother comes in once a week to force him to clean up after himself. I know from talking to Jordan and Wood that the other Weasleys clean up after themselves,"

Shaking his head, Harry told the others. "Dad suggested that we ask for him to be placed in a different room once the holidays are over. We are going to vote on it the day we get back from the winter break."

"I have already told you that I vote for him to be kicked out," Seamus replied while Neville and Dean nodded in agreement. "I would ask he be resorted if it was at all possible but Neville looked it up and once sorted, you are what you are."

Jareth had exiled the common goblins from the castle, had given direct orders that he was not to be disturbed under pain of death as he awaited Sarah's arrival in the castle at the center of Goblin City.

The vain wizard double-checked in his mirror to ensure that not a hair was out of place as he awaited his love. It had been a very long four weeks but now she had returned to England and was about to join him for dinner. He had everything set up in the nearby rose garden and he was eager to finally propose to his beloved. Creating a crystal with his gift to Sarah inside, he began to pace back and forth across the very clean throne room floor as the clock ticked away each minute more slowly than the last. Hearing footsteps, he turned and froze at what he saw.

Sarah was standing in the archway wearing muggle jeans and a thick sweater, looking as lovely as always, but to his joy, when her eyes met his, they lit up with delight as she rushed over to throw herself into his arms.

Arms wrapped around each other, lips gently met then with more urgency as their hearts began to beat faster with each brush of skin against skin. Eventually, they reluctantly drew apart and Sarah admitted: "I missed you."

"Of course you did, I am very missable." He arrogantly replied while guiding them to his throne where he sat and pulled her onto his lap with the very obvious intent of kissing her yet again.

"Missable isn't a word, Jareth." She argued and then relinquished the argument as Jareth decided to distract her from her thoughts by pressing kisses to her lips, then her ears and finally down her neck and then back to her lips.

When she was finally able to breathe again, she breathlessly asked. "How is it we aren't being shocked?"

"Its been a year and a day." He murmured as he pressed his index finger to her lips and then looking into her emerald green eyes told her. "I missed you with every single breath I took. Not even helping to torture that idiot Lockhart helped. Hoggle has been hiding from me and father has threatened to disown me if I wouldn't stop complaining about not being able to give you a real kiss goodbye."

The two went back to the more enjoyable pass-time of kissing and touching when they heard the sound of an amused cough. "Jareth..."

When they paid no attention to the regal sounding voice behind them, the fae king repeated calling his son's name only a little louder. "Jareth..."

"Did you hear something?" Sarah asked when they had taken the time to breathe.

"No," Jareth replied as he leaned down to kiss her yet again. "Nothing important."

With a chuckle, Oberon with a flick of his hand placed a shield between their lips.

"What..." Jareth turned and glared at his father. "What do you want?"

"Your mother sent me to speak to you." He replied then with a soft smile greeted Sarah. "I do apologize for the interruption but I must speak to my son alone."

"Is it Hereweald?" Jareth asked.

"No, your son is fine," Oberon replied.

"Is the Underground at war?" He asked sounding a bit tenser.

"No," Oberon replied with a lilt in his voice that was annoying his son.

"Are you in danger of dying other than by my hand this minute? Is mother in danger of dying?" He asked. "Are my sisters in any danger?"

"Not that I am aware of." He replied then watched as his son tossed a crystal his way that removed him from the castle. Oberon shook his head in amusement then popped himself back past the wards his son had brought up. "Now that isn't very nice Jareth."

Jareth lift his head and glared at his father.

"Sarah, might I suggest a walk in the gardens," Oberon said and winked at the confused young woman. Sarah nodded and was moving towards the stairs when his son growled at his father. Handing his son the note from his mother, Oberon moved to stand out of reach of his son.

Jareth was not a happy king at firs then with wide eyes looked at his father then closed them. "I can't believe I forgot this."

"Your mother and I had a bet. She won. You now owe me a huge favor. I would suggest that you go and speak to her." Oberon replied and when his son had popped out muttering curses as he realized he had forgotten something that important, he chuckled and shook his head spoke out loud. "Ah, the impetuousness of youth."

Arthur Weasley was preparing to go home for the evening when he saw Amelia Bones heading his way and with a various serious look on her face. With a groan, he put down his hat, then sat back down behind his desk. "Why do I think you are about to ruin my dinner plans?"

The middle-aged witch looked at her boss and told him. "Sir, I have been assigning a different auror to each of the convicted death eaters and have them going over their previous trials and convictions. We have a problem, sir."

"Amelia, what sort of problem?" He asked.

"I have reams of parchment for each and every conviction, minus one. The auror assigned to the case didn't do his due diligence as he reminded me that we were not going to be looking into the case until next spring. He began researching his assigned case this week. He found nothing."

"Nothing?" Arthur asked wearing a quizzical frown. "I am guessing that the files were wiped clean for some reason? Surely, Croaker has the files that are automatically written into the record if nothing else. Those records should still exist, surely."

"Sir... Arthur, I already spoke to Croaker after Robards came to be. All he found was the death eater's employee file and everything that the hall of records has on him. Croaker finds no record of a trial at all. I can find no evidence of a trial, only paperwork signed by the former Minister, Bagnold, the former head of my department, Crouch, and the Cheif Warlock order the prisoner be taken to Azkaban." She reported then told him the rest. "Sir, I spoke to Moody, he told me that Fudge was the arresting officer. I checked, within a week, Fudge had gotten an entirely undeserved promotion over several more qualified people to be Bagnold's Undersecretary. The rest of the officers there, their reports are incomplete at best. I have Moody looking into it because when I questioned him, something clicked and he urgently suggested keeping this in house and to a small group of people."

"What set Moody off?" Arthur asked, knowing the retired wizard's infamous paranoia.

"The file I gave him, in it was the former employee's files, including arrest records, his conviction rate..."

Arthur frowned and interrupted her. "Conviction rate? How many times was he sent to Azkaban?"

"Sir, he was a former auror." She replied and saw the redhead frown then sit up. "Yup, we only had one former auror arrested as a death eater."

"Black, you are telling me that Sirius Black had no trial and that...surely you aren't suggesting that he was ...no, after all, Albus..." Arthur's voice faded as he looked at her. "Why are you so sure he wasn't convicted."

"Sir, besides not finding a trial, one small thing. In his files in the Hall of Records, we found the will of James and Lily Potter, a copy that was missed when Dumbledore convinced the Wizengamot to seal it claiming state secrets. I read it this evening...sir, their will stated that Peter Pettigrew, NOT Sirius Black was their secret keeper and that Dumbledore knew as he was the one who cast the charm. Also, they list an entire group of witches and wizards who were hale and hearty to take in their son in case of their deaths, excluding two people very specifically. One was the Headmaster who they stated was to have nothing to do with their estate, and the second was Lily Potter's muggle sister as she loathed magic."

"The Potter boy...I heard something...not sure where that the boy was raised in the muggle world." Arthur replied.

"It was also stated in the will that that was NOT TO HAPPEN. Albus knew what was in the will as he was a witness at the signing along with Alice and Frank Longbottom. Sir, the headmaster has been very possessive of Black, has repeatedly refused to allow us access to him. Sir, I don't like what I am finding out and we need to talk to him. Sir, we might have sentenced an innocent man to eleven years in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit."

TBC