Ink and Parchment ~ blood and bone

26

"That being said if anyone wishes to challenge my leadership I am willing to defend my position right here, right now" she continued, twirling her wand lightly in her grasp. The silence was deafening.

"Nothing?" Eliza said lightly "Perfect"

"Someone make sure Carrow gets to the hospital wing" Eliza said dismissively and turned to face her court. But instead of being behind her Eliza found that they had already vacated the room.

Eliza was beginning to think Samhain was cursed.

Or perhaps maybe just she was.

~

Thomas Gaunt was the Durmstrang champion.

When Albus had first seen Thomas Gaunt he had immediately reached for his wand believing Thomas Gaunt to be Tom Riddle. An image of a boy who haunted him more than his own family ghosts did.

But then after peeking behind Karkaroff's rather flimsy occlumency barriers he now knew something else.

That Thomas Gaunt was in fact Voldemort's own abandoned son.

Whilst still a ludicrous chain of events it still made more sense than Thomas Gaunt actually being Voldemort. Voldemort would never descend to such acts of 'low war' anymore. He would not charm and connive his way into Hogwarts, nor would he go out of his way to manipulate Eliza Potter onto his own side.

Instead he would simply attack and leave destruction and death in his wake.

But that didn't stop Albus from worrying. What was the Gaunt boy like? Did he know of his father and did he plan to join him? Why was he here now?

And just how was he familiar with Eliza Potter?

Eliza was also another rogue chess piece so to speak, Albus could never get a good read on the girl. Vicious and cruel, brilliant and charming, an adcovator for creature rights and yet she seemed so unapologetically dark.

She had always stood up against Voldemort however. Perhaps not out of chivalry like Albus would have ideally hoped but more out of slytherin self preservation, the ambition to live a long life. And what with the prophecy Albus had no worry over Eliza not fighting against Voldemort. When neither can live while the other survives one of their hands would eventually be tipped.

Albus didn't enjoy manipulating the girl like that but the second that prophecy had been made Eliza had been marked as a sacrifice.

It was only fair to the greater good that Albus followed through.

But Thomas Gaunt had shifted everything.

Albus was sure she would not align herself with Voldemort but his son? Almost a shade of the charming intelligent boy he had once known? Albus dreaded to think what could happen if those two were left to their own devices.

So he called upon his closest confidant to put his mind at ease.

"Ah Severus" Albus greeted genially as the potions professor swept into the room.

"Albus" Severus intoned looking much like he'd rather be somewhere else, but Albus didn't let that bother him. Severus always looked like he'd much rather be somewhere else.

"Lemon drop?" Albus offered, picking up one of the muggle treats for himself. He watched as Severus sneered and dropped into the chair across from Albus' desk.

"What do you want Albus?" he spoke tiredly, Albus reminded himself to give Severus some more vacation days.

"What can you tell me about Eliza Potter's relationship with Thomas Gaunt?" Albus inquired and watched as Severus despaired.