“Who?” Dumbledore stared mystified at his charms professor. “I was going to have to call an auror out of retirement.”

Flitwick smiled. “An old friend of mine. He was my partner in the men only duelling trials until he found work elsewhere.”

Severus felt his blood freeze. Not many duellers were fast enough to keep up with Flitwick. In fact the number was growing smaller and smaller as everyone began ageing. There was only a handful left. Myself, Bellatrix, Dumbledore, Minerva, and i think a few of the Death eaters.  Snape thought as he ran through the list in his head. Oh, and maybe Kingsley Shacklebolt.

But Snape didn't need to ponder the thought any longer. The first part of the new Defence professor to enter the office was his cane. It was made of polished obsidian and the elegant hand holding the top gasped it lightly in order to show off the fancy snake head. Only one man had a cane like that.

“Severus.” Lucius Malfoy stepped into the office. His appearance screamed wealth and Severus noticed that several of his rings had secret compartments. “How is Draco? I was nervous about sending him back to school so soon after he returned from St. Mungo's.”

“Lucius.” Snape nodded to the man. “I've only seen Draco in class and for dinner on Saturday. He appears to be adjusting to Slytherin well and so far his work in my class has been acceptable. I expect to continue at his current level.”

Dumbledore looked over the two ex-Death Eaters standing in front of his desk. He already had four teachers of questionable background on the staff. With a half giant who was expelled, a squib, a fraud of a see, and two ex-death eaters, what harm is one more? He asked himself.

“When can you start Professor Malfoy?” He asked the pureblood. “There are no other applicants for the job.”

Lucius smirked. “As soon as possible. Tomorrow most likely.” He gave Dumbledore a calculating look. “Will my wife be permitted to stay here?” He asked, almost anxiously, but Malfoys don't get anxious so it must have been something else. Perhaps his breakfast hadn't agreed with him.

“Narcissa is welcome to live here.” Dumbledore smiled. “Although, I don't believe we have a position for her at this time.”

Severus stepped toward the door. “I've got work to do. Please excuse me Headmaster.” At Dumbledore's nod he left the office as quickly as possible. With a true Death Eater in the building he needed to start securing things. His classroom, quarters, office. There was no way he was going to let his students get hurt. Especially the muggleborns.

The afternoon passed quickly. Severus taught his classes mechanically, not pausing to think about anything. He assigned detentions, took points and insulted as many of the Gryffindors as he could. By the end of the day he was much happier and in a much better mood. And the fact that Lucius wouldn't start teaching until the next Monday.

“Professor Snape!” Tiffany Trotter, a Gryffindor fifth year called as she ran up behind him. “Professor Snape.” She stopped and looked fearfully up at him when he spun around to face her. “The Headmaster wanted you to have this.” She stuffed the parchment into his hand and ran off as quickly as she'd come.

The note was short and to the point.

Severus,

The Aurors will be here momentarily. Please bring Bellatrix and your Veritaserum to my office.

Albus.

Snape spun on his heel and headed away from the Slytherin dorms where he'd been about to hold a house meeting and started striding through the halls toward his own quarters. At least Bellatrix hadn't been confined to a Ministry holding cell or forced to use badly brewed Ministry Veritaserum. But that was all Dumbledore's work.

“Bellatrix!” He called as he entered their quarters and hurried to his lab. Veritaserum loses its effects when summoned. At least good Veritaserum does. “Time to go!”

A muffled noise came from their bedroom and Snape headed in there as soon as the potion phial was in his hand. “Come Bellatrix. It's time to clear your name.” He told her.

Bellatrix put the enchanted piece of parchment she'd been writing on down. As soon as she stopped touching it all of the writing became invisible. “Already Severus?” She asked, standing up and casting a cleaning and ironing charm on her robes. “All right then.”

The two Snapes head up the stairs towards Dumbledore's office. Neither of them were nervous. Dumbledore was going to witness the questioning and he wouldn't let them do anything to her and Bellatrix knew that she was innocent. As long as they didn't ask her anything about her Death Eater days. There was enough crime in her past to send ten people to Azkaban for life.

But it still seemed like it had taken far too short a time to arrive outside the gargoyle. “Pop tarts.” Snape told the ugly stone thing. It moved and they stepped quickly onto the moving staircase as it climbed toward the ceiling.

“Bellatrix, Severus.” Dumbledore nodded regally as they came in. “I'm sure you know Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks.” He motioned to the man and woman in the blue and black Auror uniform.

Severus nodded to them. He'd fought with Kingsley in the war and Nymphadora was his niece in law. And she'd been one of his Potions students. “Miss Tonks. Shacklebolt.”

Bellatrix gave his hand one last squeeze before she stepped forward. She'd never met Shacklebolt, although she had been her niece's seventh year Defence professor.

“Let's get this over with.” Kingsley took the phial from Severus. “The Veritaserum?” At Snape's nod he drew a tiny phial out of his own pocket. “I do have to test it.” Tonks handed him an eyedropper and her carefully added three drops of the liquid to the jar. It stayed clear. “Amazing.” He took the Ministry issue Veritaserum and added three drops of it to another testing phial. But unlike with Snape's it wasn't perfectly brewed and the water took on a greyish colour.

“It is satisfactory?” Snape asked, raising and eyebrow. He knew the brew was perfect and untampered with. Luckily the Ministry testing potion was brewed well enough that it could recognise a flawlessly brewed potion.

Kingsley nodded and pointed to a chair across from his. “Please sit down Mrs. Snape. This shouldn't take long.”

Bellatrix took the chair and sat nervously in it. “It's Professor Snape.” She corrected Kingsley with a slight smile. Now there are two Professor Snapes at Hogwarts.”

Tonks groaned. “Oh no! How does poor children ever survive?” She asked sarcastically. “One Snape was bed enough.” Then she glanced quickly at Severus. “Forget I said that Uncle.” A sly look appeared on her face. “Uncle Sev.” She burst out laughing.

Kingsley gave a quiet chuckle too. “Very funny Tonks. Now be helpful and administer the Veritaserum.” He turned to Severus. “You'll have to leave Severus. They've changed the rules and only the witness can attend the questioning.”

Snape nodded and headed toward the door. He stepped out and the silencing charm took effect and he couldn't hear anything. Just relax. He told himself. Tonks and Kingsley aren't going to treat her like Moody treated you and she'll be home tonight.

Harry was in the library with Su and Stephen. They were all working on the homework that had been piled on. All the teachers seemed to think that the best way to deal with grief was too distract them. Even Snape had given then an enormous project with a presentation due the next week. They all had to read up on a different Advanced Potion and make a speech and poster to tell the class about it.

“I can't find anything on this stupid potion!” Stephen protested. They'd all drawn the name of a potion out of a box and most people had no idea what they were researching.

Su looked over at his paper. “Polyjuice potion? That's easy enough.” She hadn't started her project yet since she still had to do an essay for McGonagall. “I'll give you a hand.” She led him into the potions section for a book on transformation potions.

Harry had been expecting the project to be easy. After all, his father was a Potions Master. He already knew about Polyjuice, Veritaserum, Wolfsbane and Felix Felicis. Of course his father knew this and had used a tricky little spell to make sure that Harry got a special potion. One that he wouldn't know.

And none of the books in the library covered Liquid Cruciatus potion. It was illegal and very difficult to make. Harry was almost certain that he would have to ask for a pass to the restricted section. But why would a first year be studying illegal and highly dangerous potions?

Stephen came back with a large stack of books that mentioned the Polyjuice potion. Only Moste Potente Potions actually contained the formula, but he didn't need to have it for the project. And Snape didn't want first years attempting to brew Mastery level potions.

Not that his rules applied to everyone. Harry had been having private lessons with his father since he was old enough to be trusted in the lab with an adult. And there was already advanced lessons planned for Draco and himself that summer. Snape wanted his son to be good at potions, as good as he was. But Harry didn't have much interest in becoming a Potions Master.

Harry leaned back in his chair. He could always work on his homework later. “Is it dinner time yet?” He asked the other two Ravenclaws. “I'm starved.”

Stephen checked his digital watch before he remembered that it didn't work in Hogwarts. “I hate all this magic stuff sometimes.” He complained. “There's so much homework and so many classes. My watch doesn't work here and no one has even heard of any of the bands I like.”

Su shrugged. “I really think that they should have a Wizard Studies course. Like Muggle Studies.” She made some more notes from her transfiguration textbook. “I mean, there are plenty of people with a muggle background. Half of them can't write with quills, let alone run a marathon in robes.”

Harry nodded in agreement. “There are the Ravenclaw tutors. And the muggleborn classes for the first years.” He reminded them. “Shouldn't those help?”

“But not everyone has access to them.” Su pointed out. “I think we should talk to the Headmaster. It would be a good class. And all muggle raised kids could take it. I'd take it too, since I lived with muggles for a few years. I really want to get back into the Wizarding world.” She smiled at Harry. “I know that you'll be able to convince him.”

Harry glanced at the clock on the wall of the library. “I'll talk to him after dinner, at least I'll try to talk to him. He's really busy.” He stuffed all of his books and supplies into his green shoulder bag. “Let's eat people!”

Su smiled and muttered something about boys being bottomless pits while Stephen heartily agreed. “I'm ready for some food.”

After checking out the books they needed the four headed down to the Great hall. They were running slightly late, the clock in the library was rather slow. And no one wanted to get stuck with the Hufflepuffs. Everyone felt sorry for them, but their weepy sadness was starting to annoy some of the nastier students that didn't care if another muggleborn was dead.

Harry took his seat at Ravenclaw table and glanced up to the Head table at the front of the room. It was reassuring to see his parents sitting together, although Bellatrix did look slightly out of it. Almost as if someone had given her a sleeping potion and then woken her up to early. But she looked happy enough to be there and she smiled at him after he caught her eye.

As the second last bell of the day rang, Dumbledore stood up and looked over the hall. “Students, Staff. It is my pleasure to share with you a much more pleasant message. First of all, Professor Malfoy will be taking the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts.” He motioned to the blond man.

Several sighs could be heard when Lucius Malfoy stood up. His robes were beautiful and tailored to fit him. Not to mention his long blond hair that gave him an air of superiority and gracefulness. He nodded to the hall and took his seat.

“It is also my pleasure to announce a new project that will be taking place at Hogwarts.” Dumbledore told them. “28 students have been paired up with seven different teachers and they will be working together on an amazing research project. The list of names can be found on the announcement board at the double doors leading into the hall.”

The students ears perked up at the idea of the project. Harry already knew that it was for building better relationships between muggleborn and pureblood students. And he was already in a group. His father was the teacher and Hermione, Stephen, and Draco were his partners. But is would be more fun now that they had a project to work on.

Then Dumbledore picked his goblet and raised it up. “At toast. To success and happiness.”

The rest of the hall raised their goblets, but as Dumbledore brought this goblet back to his face, it shattered in millions of sharp metal shards.