Eight Shades of Green

Chapter 1- Octavian's Displeasure

Octavian Malfoy, a tall, thin and very blond man of twenty, sat down at the large mahogany desk that inhabited the east-facing corner of his office and gritted his teeth. It was bad enough that he was in trouble with the ministry, but the large tawny owl's news had further complicated matters, and every wizard knows that complications are rarely a good thing. Trust that Sirius Black to meddle with everything. Sirius Black and that ghastly Potter kid. Octavian found it reassuring to call Harry Potter a kid, as although Harry was old enough to be his father, he seemed to have a childish sort of innocence about him. It was almost as if being allied with Dumbledore and being on good's side made him less experienced a wizard. Although he was half Harry's age, Octavian knew he probably had twice the experience, with a nice solid founding in the Dark Arts. He was glad he had gone to Durmstrang, all that piddling about with Defence Against the Dark Arts would have seriously irritated him, had he gone to Hogwarts. Luckily his mother had had some sense. The best thing she had done during his childhood, possibly the best thing she had ever done, was throwing his father out. The day after he had left their mansion, all of the brass plaques under his father's portraits had been re-inscribed to read 'Draco Malfoy, possibly the biggest Blood Traitor ever.' That had been brilliant.

Another good move had been inviting his grandfather to come and live at the manor with them. Lucius was a true Malfoy. He had insisted upon Octavian's placement at Durmstrang, and would have liked his own son Draco to have gone there too, but his wife, Narcissa, had put a stop to it. When his grandfather had told him this, Octavian's blood had been ready to boil. Maybe if he had had the full benefit of a Durmstrang education then his father might not have turned out to be such a namby-pamby do-gooder. Narcissa had been a Black too. There was something about the entire family, something that was repulsive to any real Death-Eating, Dark-Art loving pureblood family, and he wanted to ensure that no more of their meddling could harm the terrific evil that was about to be unleashed on the wizarding world.

That was why the owl's news had been so infuriating. The Death-Eaters had almost had Black within their clutches; they had been a matter of days away from destroying him, his rotten bloodline and all that he and it stood for forever, when that mudblood and muggle-loving fool Albus Dumbledore had offered him a teaching position at Hogwarts. With all the enchantments and protective wards surrounding the castle there was no way they could get him now. No way unless they had a plan. A very ingenious, devious, cunning plan. And ingenious, devious and cunning plans were Octavian's speciality...

*

"Sirius! It's good to see you again. An owl just isn't the same," said Harry Potter as he walked down one of Hogwarts' many long, richly decorated corridors. It was not until he had reached a portrait of Ptolemy (who was dozing gently, his long, thick, fuzzy beard propping his head up) that he realised just who the tall, thin man with a head of thick black hair was. Sirius spotted him immediately and went over to say hello.

"How's teaching, Harry?" he asked, with a grin that illuminated his otherwise tired and gaunt face.

"It's fine. I happen to have a passion for the subject. The kids are little monsters, though. Could you tell me, was I that bad when I was a fourth year?"

"I don't think so, but memories seem to grow rosier as time passes. Who was causing trouble?"

"Who else? Marlow Weasley and his cousin Jack," Harry gave Sirius a knowing look.

"The same as their fathers, then. I can't believe Fred and George have their own kids now," Sirius suddenly felt very old; he had known the twins when they were seventeen. Now they had their own families.

"I know," replied Harry." Talk about surprise weddings of the year, well, the last few years."

"Harry, it was twenty-two years ago to be precise."

"Thanks for reminding me," Harry groaned. "I feel really old."

"Join the club." Harry paused for a moment and looked at Sirius. He was right. He did look old. Not really old; Dumbledore was over a hundred and seventy but he didn't look a day older than eighty-five, but after having remained youthful for what seemed like ages, Sirius was beginning to age. His cheeks were hollow and pointed, his eye sockets sunken and dark purple circles surrounded the eyes themselves, circles the colour of nasty bruises. When Harry had gone to hug him earlier, he had noticed how much more bony he seemed; he could feel every one of Sirius' vertebrae. Noticing the way Harry was looking at him, Sirius quickly changed the subject.

"At least their weddings were less of a surprise than Percy's. Almost everyone thought he was gay. In fact, I think his wife thought he was gay at first."

Harry laughed loudly, and Sirius realised how much he had missed the sound. Even when he had been with Harry, he had noticed he rarely smiled, at least not real smiles. They all had to keep a brave face on for the children, even though there was precious little to smile and laugh about.

Dumbledore had wanted to tell the students of Hogwarts at first, but it had been Harry who had convinced him not to.

"How would you have liked it if we had kept information like this from you when you were at school," Dumbledore had reminded him during a staff meeting nearly four years ago.

"That's precisely why I urge you not to tell them," Harry had replied, "because I know that if it had been me I would have wanted to join the cause, to fight. And I probably would have died fighting. I don't want to protect them because I feel they can't cope, but because I don't want them to go and waste their lives. If they want to help us, they will be much more use when they have finished school and are fully qualified witches and wizards." Since then, Hogwarts students were only told of the happenings (as the Daily Prophet and all the press were under a strict Secrecy Decree passed by the ministry) when they left school, usually in a meeting of their entire year group held by Professor Dumbledore.

"Anyway," continued Harry, tired of reminiscence. "What brings you here?"

"I got an owl from Dumbledore yesterday offering me a teaching job for a while, " said Sirius, rather loudly. Then, in a lowered voice, "don't you know about the plan? I happen to have an unpleasant group of Octavian Malfoy supporters after me, and this is designed to distract them while I make my escape. There'll probably be some more news at the staff meeting, but meanwhile, keep your eyes peeled."

"Well," said Harry, speaking in normal tones again. "I'll have to see you there. Goodbye, Sirius."

"Bye Harry." They both went their separate ways, Harry to the Great Hall for lunch and Sirius to Dumbledore's office for a briefing, neither realising that, concealed within a nearby suit of armour, was Herridan Longleaf, one of Octavian's spies. Nor did they realise that, thanks to a pair of Weasley's extendable ears (available at every outlet of Weasleys Wizard Wheezes), he had heard every word they said...