Harry Potter and the New Marauders (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

The Dogs of War

XXX

The Dogs of War

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"The dogs of war won't negotiate. The dogs of war won't capitulate." - quote, Pink Floyd, album - "The Division Bell"

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Draco Malfoy said nothing at all as the unlikely group of Slytherins and Gryffindors followed him down to the dungeons. His face was unreadable, and he seemed to have wrapped himself in a blanket of cold aloofness. Only the twitching of his wand hand betrayed any emotion at all as he unlocked the door to his private lab.

"We have about two weeks to brew enough Animous Derivative Potion for every known werewolf in Britain," he finally said, his voice flat. "We should have begun this sooner, as soon as we discovered Teddy's secret of domesticity, but the herbs were out of season, you see...and we thought there'd be more time. Bloody Greyback," he groused, his face still calm. "What an ingenious plan! I know that Holiday starts soon, and exams even sooner, boys..." He paused as the boys filed in.

"Cousin?" Teddy asked, which got him a look of surprise from the Slytherins, as if they expected to see him blown to bits for daring to speak to their Head of House so casually.

"Yes, Teddy? Oh, and that's ‘Professor'," Draco reminded him.

"Then you should call me ‘Mr. Lupin', Cousin," Teddy gave him a little smile as his hair changed to a shade of Weasley-ish ginger.

"Quite right, Teddy," Draco finally smiled - a small twitch at the corners of his mouth, which Teddy knew passed for a smile.

"That's a lot of Potion," Teddy went on. "I don't see how the five of us can make enough, even with help, and still be able to study for exams?"

"I'll be back to help," Draco promised, "And your exams will be delayed."

"We're going to need more help than just one teacher, Cousin," Teddy prompted him again.

"No one else knows how to make it, so we'd need another teacher," Draco reminded him, as the Slytherins looked on. Then his eyes seemed to brighten just a bit. "Teddy, would you?" Draco breathed, his face finally showing something. "Would you...call Uncle for me?"

"I can do better than that!" Teddy grinned at him, "My Uncle's already contacted Professor Slughorn, too!"

Draco nodded in satisfaction. "Can I trust you lot to get started without murdering each other while I'm gone?" He then asked.

"Yes, sir," Goyle Jr. and Michael Flint said in unison. "This is too important."

Draco gave them a curt nod and turned to go. "I'm going to go and have words with your fathers, boys. I'll be back when I am finished. Goyle," he added on the way out, "I had no idea about Stephen. Honestly." He then slammed the door behind him.

"You guys are cousins?" Freddie had to ask.

"By marriage," Flint replied.

"'bout every Pureblood is related somehow," Lee reminded them.

"Do me a favor?" Teddy asked, "If you ever find out you're related to the House of Black, please don't try to explain it to me?"

They all had a laugh at that, then got down to business.

"Noh'a very Slyth'rin-ish thing ter be doin', is it?" Ciaran had to ask, as they began setting up. "I mean, you's helpin'us?"

"Don't get us wrong, Leprechaun-boy," Parkinson replied, "For me, it's about my own skin! And for them," he pointed to Flint and Goyle, "It's about family. You can't get much more Slytherin than that!"