"Has there been any updates Amelia?"
The woman shook her head, "I am sorry Albus, but so far there does not seem to be any indication as to who murdered your professor. How has the replacement search been?"
"Difficult, no one is looking for a teaching job half-way through the school year. Luckily there are quite a few former students and private tutors who have agreed to help out. Otherwise I do not know what we would do."
"From what I heard Quirrell was a pretty poor teacher to begin with, mix in the fact that the man was possessed…"
"I know Amelia I know. I had a suspicion early on but nothing concrete."
"Next time Headmaster I want to be informed when you start having these suspicions. I am tired of Hogwarts being run as its own country."
"I agree, and I promise that should such a situation arise again I will contact you at the start."
The woman's features softened before giving a nod and departing through the Floo, leaving the elder man to his thoughts.
Whoever had killed the man was obviously powerful enough to overwhelm him without any serious injury. All of the blood had been identified as Quirrell's, and there was no evidence of a duel save for a single spell cast by the professor.
Who could have done such a thing? It resembled an animal attack but if so why was the remains merely thrown about, why were there no tracks as Hagrid had pointed out? Even more distressing was the fact that the Half-Giant had followed the mysterious set of humanoid tracks back to Hogwarts, meaning that a student might have been involved in some way. Luckily the number of students actually at the school during the holidays was very small, meaning that their list of potential suspects was equally small.
Still, they could not go around checking shoe sizes and impressions without a warrant, and there was no chance of them obtaining one for the students without revealing all of the facts. The murder would be easily pushed aside by the fact that Voldemort had managed to infiltrate Hogwarts, and no one would be permitted to interview the suspects.
A child killer, such an idea sent sorrow through the old man's bones as he rose from his desk and strode to the window. Outside a Quidditch match was beginning… perhaps he needed to take a small break to clear his mind.
...
"H-Harry"
"Ah heir Longbottom, to what do I owe the honor?"
"I-I…" taking a deep breath the boy seemed to gather what little courage he had. "I want to take you up on your offer. I want to be greater, I want to change ."
"Excellent, how have your studies been thus far?"
"B-better, I am still barely passing P-Potions but…"
"Oh don't worry about that, Professor Snape is simple biased towards Slytherin. If you decide to spend more time with us then…"
"I want to! I-I mean I would like to. I don't have any friends in Gryffindor and…"
"Then consider yourself an honorary Slytherin. However, before we go any further there is a rule I would like you to be aware of." the boy paused, his eyes darkening, and Neville swore for a second that the lights flickered. "I do not tolerate any of the blood purity nonsense that is thrown around. The word 'Mudblood' is not acceptable in my presence, nor by those who stand in my presence. Do you understand?"
"O-o-of course. I-I don't use th-that word anyway."
And like that the room brightened once more, and the tension that the overweight boy felt was gone. "Excellent! Then walk with me Neville Longbottom."
...
"Uh… Harry?"
"Yes Blaise?"
"Any reason that Longbottom is with you?"
"Yes"
The other Slytherins paused, waiting for an explanation that was apparently not going to be given. "And that is…"
"I wasn't aware that I owed you an explanation for my actions Blaise."
"O-of course n-not my Lord."
"Lord?"
Harry rolled his eyes as the dark-skinned boy began stuttering out for an way to explain the title he had accidentally given the emerald-eyed boy in front of the Gryffindor.
"Yes, apparently they see fit to call me that. I am not quite sure why though."
"Because you are our Lord Harry."
Neville blinked in confusion, before giving a shrug and taking the seat he had been offered.
"Hey Longbottom, you are good in Herbology right?"
"Uh yeah Malfoy, why?"
"I'll trade you, I will get you a decent grade in Potions and you help me raise my Herbology grade one letter."
"Deal"
...
"Come on move out of the way let me see!"
"Oh please like you need to check the top students…"
"Shut it you prat!"
Draco rolled his eyes as he managed to maneuver past the old bickering students and to the parchment that had just been added to the announcement wall. In the last week, once grades were in, the professors posted a list of the top five students, academically, in every year. Would he be on it? Sure there were smarter students than him in their class but maybe he had made fifth place?
5 th Ernie MacMillan
4 th Daphne Greengrass
3 rd Padma Patil
2 nd Hermione Granger
1 st Harry Potter
The Malfoy heir's eyes widened. Sure he knew that his Lord was smart but… he didn't realize that he was this smart. From the corner of his eye he noticed that a certain bushy-haired witch had also caught sight of the results, and had froze in shock before turning to hide her tears.
....
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