Lupin's True Love Returns

Carey Ann Lupin

Story Summary:
Eighteen years have passed since Veronica was at Hogwarts. The Memory Charm is failing and Veronica is beginning to remember the times of fun and horror at the school. As a teacher she knows how to make class fun. She learned a lot while away including how to fight. Will she be able to teach Harry all she has learned or will she have to bring others in to help

Chapter 39 - Chapter 39 - First Class of the New DADA

Chapter Summary:
“Don’t know and don’t care. They attacked one of the men I think of as a father. They must pay.” Regina hunched over a notebook she had pulled from her bag. She tapped her wand to the cover. “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.” Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked a little shocked at the use of the password for the Marauder’s Map. Regina flipped open the notebook and smiled. “And I think I have just the thing.” She tossed the notebook at Harry. “Harry, you need to read that. It’ll come in handy.”
Posted:
08/31/2006
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September 16, 1996

Veronica shuffled the papers on her desk as Logan lounged in the chair in front of it. She slammed the drawers open and closed as she searched for the schedules she had worked so hard on the night before. She threw her hands into the air and flopped back into her seat.

"I give up, Logan. I can't find the bloody schedules or even the curriculum for class."

Logan climbed to his feet and moved several folders before lifting the folders that she had been looking for. "You're too stressed out."

"You see how stressed you are when you find out that you're pregnant with triplets!" Veronica grabbed the folders from Logan's outstretched hands and stomped toward the door.

"I've got to get Pomfrey to give her something for her hormones." Logan followed her out of the office.

Veronica leaned on the banister and looked down into the crowd of students as Logan came up behind her. "You'd better get down to the Great Hall, Logan. We've got some students to teach."

"You need to eat too, 'Roni." Logan moved down the stairs.

Veronica watched him meet up with Ororo and Jean while Scott and Alex, who had returned to his normal size, were talking to Harry, Regina, Ginny, Kitty, Piotr, and Jessica. She saw Allison Bulstrode, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy sneaking through the crowd. She started to push past several second years when a loud bang echoed through the Entrance Hall. Kurt had appeared beside Logan and Ororo just as Veronica saw Draco starting to pull out his wand.

"Logan! Watch your back!" Veronica hurried through the students standing on the stairs just as Draco fired a cutting curse at Logan.

Several slashes appeared on Logan's back. Ororo took off into the air as Sessho-Maru jumped from the floor above Veronica. Veronica quickly started pushing the students to the floor as the wind whipped around them. No one noticed that Kitty had phased Harry, Ginny, Piotr, and Jessica into the floor. They came up just as an ash griffin attacked Allison and held her to the floor. Crabbe and Goyle were trying to pull the griffin off the screaming girl when they were both hit with stunners. Harry and Ginny held their wands ready as Piotr transformed into Colossus. Jessica was dueling with Pansy while spells bounced off Piotr's metal body. Draco was hit by a stray stunner and fell to the floor. Piotr managed to get behind Pansy and lift her off the floor, effectively taking her out of the duel. Inu-Yasha watched from his perch on the fourth floor as Pansy struggled to get out of his arms. Veronica stalked through the cowering students and glared at Allison, who was still struggling under the griffin's powerful paws.

"I've told you a hundred times not to mess with the Gryffindor students. You didn't listen so I took points. But apparently that hasn't even fazed you. I've had it. Detention for the lot of you as well as twenty points each!" She waved her hand lazily at Crabbe, Goyle, and Draco. They scrambled to their feet and hurried into the Great Hall. "Now that you've gotten a taste of what the X-Men can do, I suggest that you don't mess with them again." She turned to the griffin letting Allison up off the floor. "I want to know, Evelyn Regina Rose Croft-Lupin, how exactly you became an Animagus without anyone knowing about it?"

The griffin bowed its head as it disappeared and Regina stood before her mother. "I don't know. It happened a few months ago when Xavier's was attacked by Striker. I just changed and helped Piotr get the kids to the tunnels. Once they were safe I crashed through the window and flew to safety. I swear, Mother. I don't know how it happened."

"Has this happened any since then?" Veronica saw Regina shoot a glance at Harry and Ginny.

Ginny stepped forward. "Yes, ma'am." She gave Regina a look that said 'I'm sorry.'

"When?" Veronica turned back to her daughter.

"At Diagon Alley." Regina's head seemed to bow even more as Veronica sighed.

"What form did you take?" Veronica squeezed her nose slightly as if to get rid of a headache.

"A tawny wolf." Harry placed a hand on Regina's shoulder and squeezed it gently. "She was standing up for Remus. Umbridge was insulting him."

"Are there any others?" Veronica watched as Piotr and Kitty both nodded. "What are they?"

"It was a Siberian tiger, Mother." Regina looked like she was ready to bolt into the Great Hall. "That's it. I swear."

"Like mother like daughter." Veronica sighed deeply as she turned to look at Remus, who shrugged slightly. "You know that I change into a lioness."

"Yeah." Regina looked up at her mother.

"That's why you can change like you do. Your uncle and I used to change to stay with Moony on the nights of the full moon. Him a lot more than me. And you know what your father is." Veronica laid a hand on Regina's shoulder. "Just remember that sometimes an animal can do things a human can't."

"Yes, Mother." Regina grinned as she turned back to her friends.

"At least she didn't yell at you." Harry moved toward the Great Hall.

Regina shrugged slightly. "I can only imagine what Logan's going to say."

"What I'm gonna say is that you kids did good today. But next time let me take out the snakes." Logan stalked past Harry and Regina, making them laugh aloud.

"Always the same Logan." Regina hurried into the Great Hall. She saw her mother talking to several of the professors.

Sessho-Maru placed a hand on her shoulder, making Regina jump slightly. "You did well today, pup." He looked around at the whole group. "You all did but there is still much for you to learn."

Harry glanced at his cousin. "Did he just compliment us?"

"Yeah, I think." Jessica sank onto the bench as Ron and Hermione hurried over with Leo.

Ron sank onto the bench beside Regina as Piotr reached for the scrambled eggs. "What the bloody hell happened? Filch is complaining about cleaning up a puddle of blood in the Entrance Hall."

"The Slytherins made a ...fatal... mistake this morning. They attacked Logan." Regina buttered her toast slightly.

Ron turned to look at the staff table and saw Logan arguing with Severus. "He doesn't look hurt."

Kitty rolled her eyes. "Of course not, moron. It's his mutation. He can heal very quickly. It's kinda neat."

"If you're into that sort of thing." Marie dropped her books onto the table making several first years jump a foot into the air. "Why'd they attack Logan?"

"Don't know and don't care. They attacked one of the men I think of as a father. They must pay." Regina hunched over a notebook she had pulled from her bag. She tapped her wand to the cover. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked a little shocked at the use of the password for the Marauder's Map. Regina flipped open the notebook and smiled. "And I think I have just the thing." She tossed the notebook at Harry. "Harry, you need to read that. It'll come in handy."

"The Color Changing Potion? What's this rubbish?" Harry handed the notebook back to Regina.

"It's not rubbish. This stuff is brilliant. It's what Mother and Aunt Lily used on Uncle Sirius and Uncle James for changing their hair colors back before third year. Uncle Sirius managed to get the recipe from the guy that gave it to Mother." Regina smirked slightly. "If you had stayed up that night, you would have heard the story too. Hermione, your mother was in on it too."

Hermione's jaw dropped slightly. "My mother? She did a prank?"
"Yep. According to Uncle Sirius." Regina gave her a smile. "Uncle Sirius wrote down every prank the Marauders, Mother, Aunt Lily, and Mrs. Granger ever did. They're all here. In this notebook. Mother doesn't know that Uncle Sirius gave it to me."

Harry eyed the notebook skeptically. "I'm not too sure about this. I mean, how do we get the potion onto the Slytherins?"
"Easy." No one had heard Sirius come up behind them. "You have a bunch of balloons ready and leave the rest up to Peeves. Don't forget to wipe that notebook, Paws." Sirius waved as he strolled toward the staff table.

"Isn't he the greatest?" Regina grinned as she tapped her wand to the notebook again. "Mischief managed." She climbed to her feet and glanced at her schedule. "Looks like the Seventh Years have DADA first today." She leaned over to ruffle Leo's hair. "I'll see you guys at lunch."

Piotr helped Jessica to her feet. "We'll join you."

Meanwhile Veronica watched the group from her seat at the staff table. "I think we're going to have a problem."

"Why do you say that, dear?" Professor McGonagall looked up from her breakfast.

Veronica shrugged slightly. "It's just a bad feeling I'm having." She looked down at the folder sitting on the table in front of her. "Do you think it's wise to have this many kids in one classroom, Minerva?"

"Perhaps we should hold class outside today, Lady Veronica?" Sessho-Maru sipped at his orange juice.

"Sounds like a plan." Veronica looked down the table at Logan who was arguing with Madam Pomfrey. "I think I'd better go and save Logan before Poppy hexes him." She climbed to her feet. As she moved closer she could hear the argument.

"I say you need to head up to the Hospital Wing and let me make sure that you're okay." Madam Pomfrey had her hands propped on her hips. "This will keep an infection at bay."

"Look, lady. You don't need to worry about me. I can take anything that's thrown at me and walk away from it." Logan rolled up his sleeve and grabbed a steak knife from the table. "Watch this." He pulled the knife across his forearm. Blood dripped from the gash and Madam Pomfrey looked like she was going to have a fit.

Veronica stopped her before she reached for her wand. "Just watch, Poppy." She pointed at the gash. The wound had begun to close on its own. "That's his mutation. He can heal very fast. No need for potions or wand waving with this guy. He can do it all."

"Very well." Madam Pomfrey looked like she was getting upset. "I suppose you aren't going to let me look at the wounds on your back, are you?"

"Not a chance, lady." Logan gave her a slight grin, making her blush terribly. "You're just going to have to wait until later. I'll make sure we send a few students to the Hospital Wing for you to fuss over."

"We'd better not, Logan." Veronica playfully slapped his arm. "Lord Sessho-Maru suggested that we hold class outside. No point in breaking up the desks in the classroom."

"Good." Logan noticed that some of the Seventh Years were lingering over their breakfasts while Piotr, Jessica, and Regina had headed out into the Entrance Hall. "I guess we need to herd them outside."

"Let's go." Veronica raced Logan the length of the Great Hall, laughing all the while. "Come on, old man. You can do better than that!" She skidded to a halt when she saw Regina and Piotr trying to tell Jessica that they should wait for at least one of the professors. "She's right, Miss Sauls. We're having class outside."

Regina let out a whoop and raced out the front doors. Veronica leaned against the doorjamb and watched her daughter throw her bag onto the grass and twirl in a circle. Piotr and Jessica sank onto the grass and watched Regina flop backwards and stare at the passing clouds. Roberto, Rahne, and Sam followed Katie Bell outside. She joined Regina on the grass and looking at the sky. Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe edged their way past Sessho-Maru and Inu-Yasha. Miroku's right hand was twitching slightly as the girls passed him and Sango. Soon there were forty-five teenagers scattered across the grass. The Slytherins were whispering together. Remus and Logan kept a close eye on them as Veronica stepped toward the front of the class.

The bell in the castle rang, making the students jump slightly. Veronica laughed as Scott and Jean joined her at the front of the group. Scott cleared his throat slightly. The entire class turned to look at him. The Slytherins went back to their whispering.

"Listen up!" Scott stood before the group in his black leather uniform with the X logo on the belt buckle and his left shoulder. "Before we begin, we have a few rules."

Jean was wearing the same type of outfit. "Rule number one - When one of us tells you something, you do it. No questions asked."

"Rule two - Don't piss Logan off. He might take off your heads." Veronica grinned. She had transfigured her robes into the same type of outfit.

Logan joined the three main teachers. "Rule three - You'll wear outfits like ours to class. None of this idiotic robe stuff. You'll need to move and these uniforms are made for just that. We'll give you the uniforms in a moment."

"Rule Four - You are to call us by our code names. We will tell you these in a minute." Ororo landed beside Veronica and Jean, her cape fluttering in the slight breeze she was creating.

"And the final rule - You will work together as a team. We have a war to fight and we need all the help we can get." Remus laid a hand on his wife's shoulder. "If you can't work as a team I suggest you tell us now."

No one raised their hand so Veronica stepped forward. "Let's begin with the Gryffindors." All thirteen Gryffindors climbed to their feet. Regina slipped her robes over her head to reveal her uniform. She shook her head slightly to free her hair as Sam and Piotr followed her example. Veronica raised her wand and in an instant all the robes transformed into the same leather uniforms. Instead of the X logo they each had a golden lion on a ruby red background. "Next up is Hufflepuff." The Hufflepuffs jumped to their feet, eager to begin their first lesson with their new teachers. Their uniforms were also black but with a black badger on a canary yellow background. "Ravenclaws." Rahne and Roberto pulled off their robes as Veronica transfigured everyone else's. Their uniforms had a bronze eagle on a sapphire blue background. "Next is the Slytherins." Veronica changed their robes into the same leather uniforms with a silver snake on an emerald green background.

Four of the Slytherins changed the uniforms back into robes. Logan extended his claws as Scott approached them.

"What do the four of you think you're doing?" Scott's visor glittered in the bright sunlight. "We said that you have to wear the uniforms."

"I'm not wearing something that a Muggle wears." Allison glared at Scott. "And you can't make me."

Logan stomped toward her. "You either wear the uniform or you fight me, girly." He tilted his hand slightly allowing the sunlight to shine onto his claws. "And I think you'd rather wear the uniforms."

"Y-You d-don't s-scare m-me." Allison took a small step away from Logan.

Jessica jumped to her feet and stepped into the small space between Logan and Allison. "Professor Logan, she doesn't understand that these uniforms are to help protect us. Please give her another chance." Jessica gave Logan a dazzling smile. He growled slightly as Jessica turned around to face Allison. "Allie, I knew that Slytherins were hard-headed but didn't you hear the second rule? 'Don't piss off Logan. He might take off your head.' Just change your robes back into the uniforms and he won't hurt you." Jessica smiled again as Allison took one look at Logan and changed her robes back into the leather uniform. She glanced at the other three Slytherins. "You, too."

The other Slytherins changed their robes back into the uniforms as Jessica went over to Piotr and flopped onto the grass beside him. Piotr nudged her slightly.

"Nice work, Miss Sauls. Ten points to Gryffindor." Veronica turned back to the class. "Now before we begin, we're going to tell you our codenames. I'm known as Lioness."

Remus stepped forward. "I'm Moony."

"Cyclops." Scott gave the teens a slight nod.

"Phoenix." Jean floated slightly above the ground.

"Polaris." Lorna scared some of the teens by lifting them by magnetizing the change in their pockets.

Henry bowed to the students. "A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet. I am known as Beast."

Storm shook her head slightly. "I am Storm." A small rain cloud formed above a tree and started to rain.

"Havok." Alex aimed at a boulder and blasted it with the beams from his hands. "Sorry about that folks."

"You know me as Professor Wagner. But in the Russian circus I was known as the Nightcrawler." Kurt took his image inducer off to reveal his black-blue fur.

"I am Lord Sessho-Maru." Sessho-Maru cracked his poison whip slightly.

Inu-Yasha swung a leg back and forth in the tree he was sitting in. "Inu-Yasha."

Kagome shook her head as she loaded an arrow into her bow and aimed at a distant tree. "Kagome." She released the arrow. The teens gasped as the arrow hit the tree.

"Miroku." Miroku bowed to the teens as his staff jingled slightly.

Sango flung her Hiraikotsu toward the lake. She caught it as it started to pass her. "I am Sango." She pointed to Kirara standing behind her in her full form. "This is Kirara."

"I'm Koga, leader of the wolf tribe." Koga perched himself on a large boulder.

Ayame stood before him. "I am his mate, Ayame."

"Ginta." Ginta raised a hand slightly.

"Hakkaku." Hakkaku ran a hand over his hair.

Tori rolled her eyes slightly before stepping toward the teens. "I'm Tori. Don't think you guys will get away with anything."

Obi-Wan flipped the switch on his lightsaber. He did several moves with it before turning it off and looking at the amazed teens. "I am Master Kenobi."

Anakin stepped forward and bowed. "Anakin."

Rin smiled as she waved to the teens. "I'm Rin." She stroked the neck of Ah-Un beside her. "This is Ah-Un. He won't hurt you."

Shippo stepped up beside Kagome. "I'm Shippo."

Sirius waved from his seat on the grass. "Padfoot."

"And I'm Wolverine." Logan extended and retracted his claws.

Veronica stepped forward and held her hands out. "Let's get started. Six students to four teachers. Three groups will have seven students."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Inu-Yasha dropped from his tree and landed in a crouch. "Care to spilt us up?"

Veronica opened her file folder. "I'll go with Lord Sessho-Maru, Rin, Logan, and Anakin."

Remus nodded. "I'll take Sango, Storm, Ah-Un, and Ayame with me."

"Can I trust you with all those women?" Veronica's laugh was cut off as Remus pulled her into a deep kiss. "I'll take that as a yes." She looked at the blushing teens. "Meow. He's mine, ladies."

Sirius shook his head slightly. "I guess we need to hose the two of you off." He slung an arm around Kagome's shoulders. "I'll take Havok, Inu-Yasha, and Kagome with me."

"I'll go with Cyclops, Koga, and Obi-Wan." Tori moved toward the three men.

"Storm, Ginta, and Nightcrawler are with me." Polaris stood off to one side with her group.

"I'll go with Obi-Wan, Beast, and Kirara?" Miroku looked at his wife who nodded approvingly.

"That means that Jaken, Hakkaku, and Shippo are with me." Jean moved toward the three demons. "Now, who gets seven?"

"Me, Remus, and Sirius. Since our groups each has a wizard we'll take seven. We'll also come around to see how the magical aspects of the students are going."

"Sounds like a plan. Can we go?" Inu-Yasha stomped away from the rest of the group. He turned around when he noticed that no one was following him. "Are you guys coming?"

"Coming, Inu-Yasha." Kagome shouldered her bow and quiver of arrows before racing after him.

Two Gryffindors, a Hufflepuff, two Ravenclaws, and two Slytherins followed after them. Sirius and Alex brought up the rear. Veronica shook her head as Jessica, Rahne, and Piotr came over to her. They were followed by two Hufflepuff boys, Andrew Anderson and Jason Pope, and another Ravenclaw girl, Cho Chang. Allison also joined their group. Slowly the rest of the class split up and moved off with their teachers.

Veronica conjured a comfortable bench swing for herself, and Logan. She leaned back and started the swing to rock slightly. Logan shook his head as Veronica conjured them clipboards. Sessho-Maru stood regally before them. Anakin stood a step behind him.

"Some of you pups have been trained to fight but some have yet to learn." Sessho-Maru inclined his head slightly as Jessica raised her hand.

"Why are you calling us pups?" Jessica cocked her head to one side.

"In an inu pack you would be the young or pups." Sessho-Maru flicked an invisible piece of dirt from his kimono. "Your test will be to best Anakin and me. You have five minutes to arrange your strategy."

"Okay." Jessica turned to the other students. She picked up a small stick and started to draw in the dirt. "We've got to get the advantage on them."

"What's Anakin's weakness?" Andrew ran a hand over his crew cut hair.

Piotr shrugged. "I don't know. We must attack him first and then Lord Sessho-Maru."

"Right. I'll keep a shield up around Rahne while she's attacking." Jessica pointed to one section of the map she had drawn. "We'll take this side."

"Right. I'll go with Cho and we'll cover over here." Jason pointed to a spot near the lake.

"I will team up with Allison and Andrew. We'll go up the middle." Piotr looked at Allison and Andrew.

"Sounds good." Andrew gave Piotr a short nod.

Allison huffed once. "I'll use my own plan, thank you."

"You know rule number five is that we have to work together as a team." Jessica growled slightly as Allison fired a stunner at Sessho-Maru.

Sessho-Maru jumped to one side. "Anakin, to the left."

Anakin force jumped to the left and lit his lightsaber. Veronica smiled softly as she erected a shield to protect the ones just watching. Jessica and Rahne raced off to the right while Jason and Cho ran to the left. Piotr transformed into Colossus and ran straight toward Anakin with Andrew right behind him firing several spells at Sessho-Maru. Rahne changed so that she was mostly upright and attacked from the right. Sessho-Maru managed to keep her at bay with his poison whip. Rahne maneuvered around the whip before jumping up into the tree. Jessica and Cho took advantage of her distraction technique to fire several curses at Anakin. The tickling jinx hit Anakin head on, causing him to double over laughing. Piotr flung Allison to the ground as the poison whip cracked over their heads. With the next crack, Piotr managed to grab the whip and he yanked hard moments before Andrew and Jason's combined stunners hit Sessho-Maru. The teens congratulated each other on a job well done. Allison hung her head in shame as she cancelled the tickling jinx on Anakin and revived Sessho-Maru. Veronica and Logan scribbled down what each student had done wrong as Sessho-Maru and Anakin approached them.

"Do you think they're anywhere near ready to fight?" Anakin dropped onto the grass beside Rin.

"Maybe Colossus and Wolfsbane are ready but the others need to step it up a bit. They're relying on their magic too much." Logan stretched slightly as Sessho-Maru took his clipboard. "They're all going to need to learn hand to hand combat."

"Stealth wouldn't hurt either." Anakin rubbed his left knee. He had hit it hard when he had been hit with that jinx. "If Allison would have followed their plan they might have gotten the drop on us sooner."

"They must also learn to rely on one another is what you are saying, Anakin. There will come a time when they will be all the other has." Sessho-Maru handed the clipboard back to Logan.

"They've also got to learn to control their magic. If a hex goes stray it might hit anyone that's on their side. They also need to learn wandless and nonverbal spells. This will help them get the jump on a person if they can. Occlumency will have to be taught as well." Veronica climbed to her feet as Piotr changed back to his human form. "They've also need to work on putting up a shield. Swords and weapons would also work. We can't always rely on magic. But mostly they need to work as a team. And that's going to be hard to do with Gryffindors and Slytherins at each other's throats all the time."

"Well, at least this year is giving us a basis for what the other classes should know." Logan stretched slightly. "I think we're going to need Chris and Smokescreen to help out with stealth classes."

"I know you're right." Veronica vanished the swing and motioned for the students to head back to the clearing by the lake. "I wonder how Regina's group did."

Logan laughed when he saw Regina sitting beside Remus and trying to bandage up the cut on his arm. "You can ask her yourself."

Regina looked up as Veronica and Logan approached them. "I'm so sorry, Lioness. Moony told us to attack him and I did the first thing that came to mind. I turned into a tiger and pounced. Trace also sent a cutting curse at him and Storm." She lifted on corner of the bandage. "I can't get the bleeding to stop."

"I've been hurt worse than this, Regina." Remus placed a hand over the makeshift bandage. "These kids need to learn field healing."

"Right. Add that to the list of everything else." Logan looked at Veronica kneeling next to Remus. "Anyone else get the feeling that I'm talking to thin air?"

"Sod off, Wolverine." Veronica pulled out her wand and pointed it at the gash on Remus's forearm. "This will only hurt for a moment, Moony." She healed the bleeding cut. "You might what to let Poppy look at it later to make sure that there isn't an infection." Veronica turned to Regina. "So, Rosebud? How long did it take you to get the drop on Moony and the others?"

"Less than a minute. We went further into the woods..." Regina cowered slightly as Veronica started to fume.

"You went into the Forbidden Forest? Without a teacher?" Veronica's gaze turned to her husband. "And you let them?"

"You said it yourself, Lioness, she's of age." Remus ducked as Veronica swung her fist at him.

"But there are things in the forest that would eat them!" Veronica took a deep breath as she glared at Remus. "Never mind. I want to hear their strategies to get to you."

"Well, we were to attack Moony, Storm and Ayame. Moony told us that we had five minutes to get ours plans together. Trace Watson and I took the left while Katie Bell and Karina McNeil went to the right. Alger McNair and Alaric Zahn went up the middle. Lorelei Zahn brought up the rear with several complex spells. She's the reason we got them when we did." Regina sent a grateful smile to the Ravenclaw girl. "I think we would have had a time with Ayame if not for her."

"I take it you've got a list of what needs to be worked on?" Veronica reached for the clipboard in Sango's hand. She read down the list and nodded. "These kids are sorely lacking in a lot of defense stuff."

"We've got our work cut out for us." Sirius emerged from the forest. He had Alex's arm slung over his shoulder. "They managed to take Havok here out."

"Not my fault." Alex collapsed onto the ground. "I forgot they know magic."

Remus chuckled as he reached for the clipboard in Kagome's hand. "Well, we know that they need a good bit of help."

"Yeah. I heard the pups coming a full minute before they attacked." Inu-Yasha perched himself on the banister of the stairs heading into the castle.

"Remus, Sirius, and I had better see what the other three groups are doing." Veronica pulled Remus to his feet and dragged him in the direction of Obi-Wan's group.

Obi-Wan was spinning his lightsaber in a tight circle while the two Slytherin boys, Eric Baddock and Reginald Bletchley, fired stunners at him. Koga jumped from the trees and flattened the boys while Marietta Edgecombe screamed shrilly and Richard Fox fired a stunner at the wolf demon. Jarrod Dean, a Gryffindor, fired a cutting curse at Kirara as she flew above him. She lifted him in her jaws and dropped him on Nora Wood, a Hufflepuff. Veronica stepped into the clearing and shook her head. Remus was also shaking his head as he took the clipboard from Cyclops.

"This is pathetic." Remus handed one clipboard to Veronica.

Veronica frowned as she read the comments. "Can't work as a team." She glanced at the two Slytherins groaning on the ground. "You are a bunch of bloody idiots that can't work together with someone because they're in a different house than you! I'm ashamed to say that I'm your teacher!" She turned to Marietta. "You, Miss Edgecombe, were in the DA last year. You should at least remember a bit of what Harry taught you!"

Remus tugged Veronica's arm slightly. "Memory Charm."

"Damn it, Moony. I forgot." Veronica turned back to the crying girl. "Oh, suck it up. If Logan were here, he'd tell you that you shouldn't have screamed." She turned to Jarrod, who was nursing a twisted ankle, and Nora, who was now sporting a black eye. "Nice work, Mr. Dean. You managed to try and keep Kirara at bay but you forgot that she's able to fly. And Miss Wood, you need to learn to keep all options open." She motioned to the group to head back to the main clearing. "Head back. Miss Edgecombe, go and get Madam Pomfrey. I've got a feeling that we're going to have quite a few injured." The uninjured teens ran back to the clearing as Jarrod leaned on Obi-Wan and limped behind them.

"This is ridiculous, Lioness. We've only seen one group and they were terrible." Remus stared at his wife. "What are we going to do?"

"The only thing we can. Moony, go and gather the other two groups. The rest of us are going back to the clearing." Veronica started to stomp toward the clearing until Kirara butted her head against her back. "What, Kirara?"

"I believe she wants you to get on and ride." Koga grasped Veronica's thickening waist and lifted her onto Kirara's back. "This way you can relax."

"Hands to yourself, wolf." Remus pretended to slap Koga.

Veronica laughed as Kirara moved through the forest. Remus ran to the right toward one of the remaining groups. Koga, Cyclops, and Obi-Wan moved beside Veronica and Kirara. They left the shade of the forest and felt the lingering sunlight of the morning. Veronica waved to the students as they approached the group. Logan ground out a cigar as Kirara lay down on the ground. Sessho-Maru reached for Veronica and lifted from the back of the neko-akuma.

"I trust you have discovered how the rest of the class is doing." Sessho-Maru set Veronica on the ground.

"Yeah and they suck." Veronica shook her head. "We're going to need to step up the class. I'm guessing lessons five days a week and on Saturdays for anyone that wishes to learn even more. That class we'll only open for fifth year and up." She glanced toward the forest and saw three Gryffindors, Sam, Blanche Goen, and Jimmy Owens, whooping and hollering as they ran from the forest.

"That was awesome. I didn't know that you could do that, Sam." Blanche laughed at the look on Regina's face. "Not to worry, Lupin. I know he's taken. Besides, I don't think that Jarrod would be too thrilled with me if I did that."

"Did you see the look on Padfoot's face when you took off and crashed into him?" Jimmy clapped Sam on the shoulder. "Classic."

"Did you see the look on Pucey's face when we managed to get the drop on Shippo and Hakkaku?" Leslie Redmond, a Hufflepuff, dropped onto the grass beside Jimmy. "I still can't believe that he didn't think that our plan would work."

"That's a Slytherin for you." Murray Zuiker, a Ravenclaw, leaned back on his elbows. "So, Sam. Does everyone from the States have your kind of power?"

"No, just Mutants." Sam wrapped an arm around Rahne. "We all have a different type of power. No one is the same."

"And when we are having class, or in battle, he's known as Cannonball and I'm Wolfsbane." Rahne smiled slightly. "Regina is called Rosebud. I don't know how she got that name."

"Well, Padfoot's been calling me Paws so I guess I can go by that now." Regina doodled a small paw print on the cover of her notebook. "After all, all three of my Animagus forms have paws."

Sirius was leaning on Hakkaku as they emerged from the forest. "Damn teenagers."

"Really. I didn't really need to see the lake from a bird's eye view." Hakkaku led Sirius over to the class.

"It served the two of you right. You were to test the children not scare them." Jean landed beside Cyclops. "Besides, I think everyone in our group did really well."

"They still need to work on stealth." Shippo rubbed the back of his head. "I heard them a few seconds before they attacked."

"Right." Jean scribbled a few more notes onto the clipboard. "Anything else?"

"Nope." Sirius dropped onto the ground with a groan as Ah-Un landed in the middle of the class and let Lorna and a Hufflepuff girl, Danni Sparks, and two Slytherin Girls, Marny Flint and Mariska Belzer, slide off his back. "Let me guess. They got the drop on you guys too."

"No. These two wouldn't stop fighting with each other." Lorna pointed at the fuming Slytherins. "They both tried to take charge and give orders."

Three boys left the forest with Ginta and Kurt. They were laughing about the mock battle. Derek Meloni, a Gryffindor shoved Elliott Molina, a Ravenclaw, slightly. Richard Fox, another Ravenclaw, just shook his head and turned back to Kurt and Ginta to resume their discussions about mutations, demons, and magic.

Logan pulled the two girls toward the steps and shoved them until they sat on the bottom step. "One of the rules is to work as a team. A team is only as weak as the weakest member. If you two don't like each other than that's tough shit because you're going to learn to work together!"

Mariska bowed her blonde head. "Yes, Wolverine."

Marny stuck her nose into the air and turned away from them. "You are not my father or even the Dark Lord. What makes you think...?" Marny struggled against the hand wrapped around her throat.

"Did you say Dark Lord?" Sirius had climbed to his feet the moment that he had seen Logan move. "Lift her left sleeve, Wolverine."

Wolverine pulled up the left sleeve of the leather uniform. There, etched into the girl's skin, was the Dark Mark. The snake writhed as it darkened. "What's happening?" Logan dropped Marny to the ground as Sirius and several of the students pulled out their wands.

"She's a Death Eater. And Voldemort's calling her." Sirius watched Marny grab her arm in pain.

"He will destroy you Mudbloods!" Marny scrambled to her feet and ran toward the lake.

"Stop her!" Sirius fired a stunner at the fleeing girl just as Sam got a running start.

Sam's lower body disappeared into a column of flame and smoke moments before he slammed into Marny. "Gotcha!" They rolled down the hill slightly. "You're not going anywhere."

Piotr had changed into Colossus and easily lifted the girl as Sam pulled her wand from the pocket along the side of her thigh. He slid it into his sleeve as he and Piotr marched Marny back to the class. Piotr threw her to the ground as Veronica took the girl's wand from Sam.

"Good work, Colossus, Cannonball. Wolfsbane, keep her there." Veronica patted the red furred wolf growling at the cowering girl. The ash griffin that had attacked Allison that morning was shrieking at Marny as well. "Good idea, Paws. Miss Sauls?"

"Yes, Lioness." Jessica stepped forward slightly. "I want you and Colossus to go and get the Headmaster. Tell the gargoyle that it's an emergency and it'll let you pass."

"Yes, ma'am." Jessica grabbed Piotr's hand and the two of them ran into the castle as Remus finally emerged from the forest with the last group.

Marina Alba, a Slytherin, ran over to her tied up friend. "What are you doing? Let Marny go!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Miss Alba." Veronica turned to the young lady.

"Why not?"

"She's a servant of Voldemort." Veronica watched as Marina rounded on her friend.

"How could you? You promised that you wouldn't join him." Marina stared disbelievingly at the girl on the ground.

"Why would I promise a half-blood like you anything?" Marny turned her head slightly so that she couldn't see Marina.

"You know why I'm only half. Mother was raped by a Muggle. She had no choice but she never turned to serve him because of the pain." Marina dropped to the ground beside her friend. "You always told me that your father wanted you to serve him but you didn't."

"So I lied. What's it to you?"

Sirius stepped forward. "Don't think you can get out. My brother tried and he died for that effort. To this day, I don't know who killed him."

"My family is safe." Marny glared at Sirius. "You are a blood traitor."

"I might be a blood traitor but at least I'm free to live my life as I want." Sirius whirled around on his heel and stomped away from her.

Veronica jabbed her wand at Marny. "Silencio!" She turned to Marina. "Come on. She's made her choice and she's not going to change her mind."

Marina nodded slightly. "It's a shame. She really is quite brilliant."

"Most of those that follow Voldemort are but mostly they're all muscle and no brains." Veronica led Marina over to Regina, Sam, and Roberto. "Now, you need friends that understand you. These three know what it's like to be different. I think you all will become good friends."

Marina bowed her head slightly. "Hello."

Regina smiled as she held out her hand. "Hi. I'm Regina. Want to sit with us at lunch?"

"I'd like that." Marina gave the trio a small smile as Roberto slung an arm around her shoulders.

"A pretty girl like you shouldn't be crying. You should be kissing someone." Roberto wiggled his eyebrows slightly. "And I'm glad to volunteer." He grabbed Marina and dipped her.

As he was about to kiss her, Sirius thumped him on the back of his head. "Knock it off, DaCosta. If anyone's going to kiss her, it's going to be him." He pointed at Richard Fox with his hands clenched into fists. "Let her go."

"Of course, Padfoot. I know when I'm beaten." Roberto placed Marina on her feet. "Just remember that if he doesn't treat you right I will pound him within an inch of his life."

Marina looked at the ground as Dumbledore stepped from the castle. She glanced over at her old friend and frowned slightly as Veronica explained what was happening. Wolverine hauled Marny to her feet just as Remus turned to the class.

"The uniforms are to be worn for every class. Failure to do so will earn you a detention. You will be dismissed now so that you may return to your Houses to change back into robes. Classes will dismiss early so that you may change." Remus gave the class a wide smile. "Class is dismissed!"

Regina, Sam and Roberto walked beside Marina, mostly to protect her from the rest of the Slytherins. Richard came over and stood before Marina. Marina glared at him slightly.

"I'm Richard Fox. We take Ancient Runes together." Richard smiled as he lifted Marina's hand to his lips.

"Marina Alba. I need to go." Marina pulled her hand from Richard's and raced into the castle.

Richard sighed deeply. "What did I do?"

"You can't rush her." Regina giggled slightly. "Why don't you join our group for lunch? I'll talk the House Elves into making us a picnic lunch."

"Why invite me? I make her nervous." Richard kicked the grass as they made their way toward the towers.

"Because you like her. This way she'll get to know you before she snogs you." Jarrod had joined them as they climbed the stairs. "Richard, I've known you since we both were in nappies. You're not one to pussyfoot around an idea. She needs time to get to know you and the same goes for you."

"All right. I meet you on the grounds around noon." Richard hurried after Roberto and Rahne as they continued toward the Ravenclaw common room.

"Now we've got to convince Marina that he's good for her." Regina stood before the portrait of the Fat Lady.

The Fat Lady looked down on the thirteen Gryffindors standing before her in their new leather uniforms. "Password?"

Regina smiled slightly. "Gryffindor's Pride."

The portrait swung open and the Gryffindors hurried inside. Regina dropped her bag beside one of the tables and grabbed a quill and some parchment. She quickly penned a note to the House Elves and had Ginny take it to the kitchens while she went to her dorm room and changed her clothes. She knew that Richard and Marina might not like each other but they should be able to get along well enough. They just needed a slight shove in the right direction and she was just the person to do the shoving.


I can't believe they found a Death Eater in the Seventh Year. I wonder how many more they're going to find.