Great Hall
Dinner
Once again, Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement, this time looking much more severe.
"Students, I regret to inform you that we have not found the missing students, and so regrettably, the Auror department is being called in. They will be interviewing all weekend, and students will be asked to stay behind and not go to Hogsmeade. Please try to cooperate to the best of your abilities." The Headmaster said with a resigned tone.
Daphne schooled her features into a mask devoid of emotion while inside, she was mentally panicking. However, she was reassured when he saw the calm smile on Ares' face.
She could almost hear him speaking in her mind telling her everything would be fine.
Now that she thought about it, she knew a couple of Aurors under Greengrass's family control; if they were interviewed by them, she would have nothing to worry about.
Although that remained to be seen, she would send a letter to her grandfather, as non-incriminating as possible, just in case it was intercepted and ask for his help.
Meanwhile, Ares was cursing out loud now that he had realised this would interrupt his Hogsmeade weekend.
"Do you have a problem with that, Mr Peverell?" Professor McGonagall said with a voice dripping with suspicion.
"Yes, Ma'am, I don't like having my weekend ruined because of two idiots who got drunk." He shouted back.
The rest of the Great Hall seemed to agree as other students began shouting about how unfair it was.
"Quiet! There is nothing the Headmaster or we can do, so you will all have to live with it!" Minerva roared, silencing the entire hall.
There were mumblings and a few words of dissatisfaction, but everyone had calmed down.
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February 5th, 1994
Start of the investigation
It began at breakfast with the appearance of Head Auror Rufus
Scrimgeour and Aurors Gawain Robards, Nymphadora Tonks, Proudfoot, Savage and Dawlish.
Six Aurors to interview over 280 students and teachers and search for two boys in a massive castle.
"I hope they have more manpower than half a dozen; otherwise, this will be a tedious waste of my weekend." Ares drawled to the Slytherin table.
He was already getting used to having a mandrake leaf in the top of his mouth. But, in truth, the venom it gave off was slightly refreshing because of his immunity.
A few people laughed; it was well known that Fudge was afraid of Amelia Bones taking his job and refused to give any funding to the DMLE.
Without funding, the department severely lacked personnel, which was a running joke with those who knew.
"This is ridiculous! Wait till my father hears about this." Draco complained as he was led off to be 'interviewed' although, from the look on Dawlish's face, it was going to be quite the interrogation.
Ares knew that Dawlish was very prejudiced and couldn't help but feel a little pity for the blonde git.
The rest of the day usually passed, with the occasional student being taken out of class.
When Aurors Proudfoot and Savage came looking for the young Peverell heir, they were surprised to learn he was not attending any classes like his year mates and instead had to search half the bloody castle.
They finally found him in the restricted section of the library, and already irritated, they dispensed with the civilities.
"Oi Peverell! We need to talk to you about your friends Warrington and Montague."
"Sure."
Both men were pleasantly shocked, having expected a lot more resistance.
"Where were you at 11 pm on February 3rd?" Savage asked.
"With my fiancée Daphne Greengrass." He answered immediately.
Both men looked at each other and started laughing.
"Aren't you a little young for that?" Proudfoot asked with a smirk.
"Doing what, sir?" Ares said with an innocent smile.
This just caused both Aurors to start laughing even more.
"We'll leave you alone now," Savage told him with a smirk, "To be honest, there's been a breakout at St Mungo's Janus Thickey Ward, and we believe the suspect may be related to this case."
Ares could only facepalm as they failed to ask him all the required questions.
"Bloody illogical wizards." The Dark Lord muttered.
When they heard about the investigation, he had made sure to get his story straight with Daphne.
He hadn't expected it so easy to convince the two professionals that he was innocent.
"I despair for wizarding Britain." He declared with a sigh throwing his arms into the air.
Although he couldn't quite put his tongue on it, there seemed to be something he forgot about related to St Mungo's.
Daphne had been interviewed earlier that day and found the same thing to be accurate. She hadn't even been questioned by Proudfoot and Savage, her grandfather's spies, and she had still felt no panic at any time.
She was beginning to wonder if it might be a good idea to remind her grandfather about the importance of Auror's competency.
Inside her mind, she was already coming up with plans to improve the department when she and Ares took over as the ruling power couple of Britain.
She knew they would have to contest with Potter and Granger when they got together like everyone knew they would, but by then, she was sure Lord Peverell would have the entire Wizengamoat wrapped around his finger as a wedding present for the two of them.
To be honest, her thoughts had been scattered since earlier that morning.
It scared her to see how easy it was to kill two people in Britain's most heavily protected place, but it also gave her a weird sense of pleasure.
Deep down, Daphne could feel that she had been broken and changed by what had happened that night. She had always felt a small satisfaction that other people's pain gave her, but now it was far more acute and immense.
For most of her life, she had only had a fake sense of control and power. She had yearned for actual control and coveted power.
Something no ordinary thirteen-year-old girl should be thinking. Now she was the predator, and everyone else was the prey. Everyone but Ares. What had happened that night would never happen again. He had unlocked this side of her, and because of that, she would be eternally grateful.
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Later that night, two people met in the Chamber of Secrets. One blond-haired person and one raven-haired, both no one would make the mistake of describing as sane anymore.
"I never did ask you if you wanted to come to the Quidditch World cup with me..." Ares said with a smile as they cuddled in a conjured bed surrounded by warming charms.
"Will I be all on my own?" Daphne asked with an innocent little smile.
"A few veela, maybe."
She smacked him lightly on the arm for that.
In response, the Dark Lord pulled her closer, nuzzling her hair with his chin.
"Is that a yes?"
Ares could practically feel her eye roll,
"I suppose."