Sunday morning at breakfast, Scorpius passed out copies of the maps Albus made to the students of Slytherin, starting with the first years. When Scorpius handed a map to Bellatrix Hanley, the fifth year female prefect for Slytherin, she snapped at him, "You did not have permission to make or hand out these maps. Give them to me."

Scorpius held up the maps, and Albus summoned them. Bellatrix stormed over to Albus, and while she was advancing on Albus, Scorpius pulled out more maps and kept handing them out.

"You ASK before doing anything in the Slytherin dormitory," Bellatrix screamed, trying to snatch them away from him.

Albus smiled, but did not say anything, as the other MELLs students took the maps from Albus and began passing them down the table.

"ANSWER ME, YOU MISERABLE MUDBLOOD!" Bellatrix raged, getting in his face and glaring at him.

"You didn't ask a question, however if you have any complaints, please complain to Professor Ollivander," Albus quipped. "Complain to Professor McGonagall. Or better yet, if you can, make your own maps to pass out."

"You DO run Slytherin," Henry Edington jested. All of the MELL Slytherin students, and several others, laughed, as Bellatrix stormed away.

At the end of breakfast, Robert Rosier sat down next to Albus. "I've been appointed captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team, Albus," he noted. "I would like to find new members and start training as soon as we can. Could we hold tryouts this afternoon?"

Albus looked at the new first and second year students. "Are any of you good on a broom?"

Henry Edington promptly boasted, "I've played chaser in games in Switzerland, and played a similar position in America. I have been told I'm pretty good."

"I've played seeker, Albus," Adel Brandt piped in with, "I have been told I have a lot of potential. I know you are an excellent seeker, but I would like to learn."

"I've played a position comparable to your beater in some really rough games we play, and played beater in Swiss games as well," Harry Eseven bragged. "I have been told I have a lot of potential as well."

"I will let the older students know we are holding tryouts this afternoon," Robert confirmed with a nod, "but assume all of you will be meeting us right after lunch."

"Albus, I need to talk to you alone," Robert implored as Albus rose to leave with his friends, so he sat back down, nodding at them to go ahead. Once they were alone, Robert complained, "Look, I'm on the side of my dad when it comes to letting, letting, Oh, cram it. You are not Pure Blooded, and yet you and your brother are the best seekers Hogwarts has seen since your father. It would help with my father if you could find out if your allies are Mud ... I mean, are they pure? Slytherin just feels dirty with all these ... At least you are three-quarters pure, but some of these people are not even a little pure."

"If you want to win Quidditch games, pretend it doesn't matter," Albus suggested as he got up from the table. "If you want all the team to accept you as their leader, pretend it doesn't matter everywhere, not just on the Quidditch pitch. Cleo and I have to meet the Habsburgs in a few minutes, but you and I can talk after practice this evening."

"I would like that," Robert Rosier confirmed.

*

Albus and Cleopatra knocked on the door of Gabriel and Hermeli Habsburg's quarters precisely at 9:15 AM. Hermeli answered the door, and chuckled. "We were warned that often, when you asked for Albus, Albus and Cleopatra would appear."

Albus grinned, and did not apologize. Cleo beamed, acknowledging Hermeli's comment as if it was the biggest compliment. Cleo held onto Albus' hand as the two of them entered the Habsburgs' quarters. Hermeli waved the couple in, and invited them to sit on comfortable chairs. Albus noticed that what was probably a living room had been transformed into a modest sized meeting room.

Gabriel dived right in, asked Albus, "Do you have one of the student mobiles?"

"No." Albus admitted as he pulled his phone out and showed it to Gabriel, "They put the Portkey spells on my personal mobile. I purchased my own Magi Muggle Mobile with some of Cleo and my money."

"You should not have joint funds," Hermeli protested, shocked at the idea of two twelve year olds having joint accounts.

"We own a soap and perfume business together," Albus explained. "So, we do have some joint money." He and Cleo had been warned by the Gringotts goblins and Albus' parents not to talk about their joint account in Gringotts.

Gabriel told Albus, "You are not supposed to use mobiles like that, sending video of the meeting of the Slytherin students. It could get you into all sorts of trouble. Don't get me wrong. We are glad you did, since Tom Riddle Hanley should not have been in the dormitory in the first place. I'm not here to enforce Hogwarts rules. I'm just concerned about keeping you safe when you seem to ignore rules when it suits you."

"I really try to obey all the rules," Albus stressed, "when I can."

"But you do occasionally break them," Gabriel stated.

"Like using magic to save my life and the life of others, even though I am underage, absolutely," Albus argued. "What is the right thing to do is not always to follow the rules."

Neither Gabriel nor Hermeli could argue with Albus. From the time when Albus was three, when he had summoned wands and had saved the life of his family, to several other incidents, he had used his magic powers to save lives. Albus had violated the rules on under age magic for all the right reasons.

"I can make magical maps of Hogwarts for you, if you want," Albus told the Habsburgs. "I can make maps of other places if you want me to."

"Professor McGonagall has given me a copy of a map of the castle that your father made. I will ask you, if I need a special map, Albus," Gabriel answered. "Thank you."

Promptly at 9:30 AM the rest of the students raised with Elves, along with Galadriel and Luthien Lothlorien and Thorin Oakenwand, appeared at the Habsburgs door.

When they were all settled in the Habsburgs living room, Gabriel asked, "Do all of you have a Magi Muggle Mobile?" Everybody, including the two Elves and the goblin, indicated that they had the mobiles, and that the mobiles were set up as Portkeys.

"We want all of you to get to know the Hogwarts Elf or Eves taking care of your dormitory," Hermeli announced. "If you are captured or need help urgently you should be able to call for your dormitory Elf as well as the Elf you have been raised with."

There was more discussion on security, and after about half an hour everybody except the students in Slytherin were dismissed. When only the Slytherin students were left, Hermeli asked, "Are there any Slytherin students we should be watching closely, and are there any who could be allies in changing the nature of the house?"

Albus told the Habsburgs, "We really should have Cleo and Rose rejoin us. They are in the same year with us. Cleo learned something about many of the Slytherins when she examined them to make the special individual shampoo, soap, and perfumes Cleo and I make. I am sure they have insights that will be helpful."

"Alright, call them back," Hermeli agreed.

Albus send a quick text message to Cleo and Rose. He also called Cleo mind to mind so she would look at the text message as soon as it came through. A very short time later Cleo and Rose were knocking on the door, and were let in.

Albus looked over and asked Scorpius, "Could you read off the students one by one, please."

Scorpius started, "Tom Riddle Hanley. He is an eighth year, but I think he wants to keep running the Slytherin dorm and students. His sister Bellatrix is a prefect. He is worse than she is, but she isn't good.

"Tom Higgy is the boy seventh year prefect. We are not getting any help from any of the prefects. Bill Bletchley and Marshall Lestrange are firmly on the side of the Pure Blood faction. Paul Pettigrew and Caradoc Dearborn might be able to be persuaded, but they are seventh year students, and I don't think there is any way we can change them before they graduate.

"Archana Lucy is the girl seventh year prefect. I don't expect any help from her or Delilah Rosier. I do not know anything about Tomasina Nott, although some of the Notts are on our side. "

Albus looked at his list of students, declaring, "Orion Cowley is the boy sixth year prefect. I cannot see getting any help from him or from Tom Gudgeon Jr, Burley Bulstrode, or Felix Yaxley. None of them are the smartest student. I'm talking to Robert Rosier, Rosie as we call him. Rosie is the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team this year, and he seems willing to work with students who are not pure blooded. I think we may have an opening with him.

Rickie Nott is the only other sixth year female. I'm not sure how she is related to Tomasina, although I think they are cousins."

Scorpius and Albus went through all of the Slytherin students, trying to identify ones that their group of MELLs could try and befriend.

Cleo volunteered, "I'm not sure all of the Slytherin girls are as firmly on the side of the Pure Blooded people as the boys are. Some of the boys are cruel, and I get the feeling that some of the girls are forced to marry boys they don't like. Witches are as powerful as wizards, and many of the Wizarding communities give boys and girls equal rights. I'm sure that some of the Slytherin families are very patriarchal, and not very nice."

The meeting broke up just before lunch, with everyone thinking there was much more to talk about, especially after the students had a chance to know their classmates. It was agreed that they should meet again in two or three weeks.

*

That afternoon Albus met with Robert Rosier, and the two of them walked to the Hogwarts Quidditch field for tryouts. Robert told Albus, "I have some additional potential members. I am going to have everyone introduce themselves before the tryouts, and tell a little something about themselves."

When they arrived at the field several people where already there. When Robert thought everyone was there, he started by introducing himself. "I am Robert Rosier, a sixth year student, and the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team. Most people call me Rosie. I am pure blooded, but all I am going to care about is how good a player you are. I play chaser. I would like everyone to introduce themselves, tell all of us what position you play, and if you were on the team last year."

An older girl started. "I'm Rickie Nott, and I'm in sixth year. I've played beater in a few casual games, to the horror of my mother, who says girls should not play Quidditch. I'm sick and tired of the male chauvinism of the Slytherin boys, and I want to show people I can play with the best of them."

Albus looked at Rickie. He had never seen her in anything but a dress, and from her clothes alone he could believe her mother wanted to force a certain view of femininity on her. She was dressed in a blouse and three quarter length trousers that advertised that she was female, with shoes that were utterly impractical for any athlete game except for one played in the air on a broom. She was as average as you could be, neither skinny or curvy, with long hair that was a totally forgettable brown. For the first time the hair was piled on top of her head instead of unbound.

"I'm Giles Bletchley Jr., fifth year, and this will be my fourth year as keeper."

Giles was reasonably tall and lanky, a good shape for a keeper. Albus could not remember ever talking to him about anything but Quidditch.

"Victor Valsey, fifth year prefect, beater."

Victor was a beefy guy, and not nice. Beaters were supposed to be aggressive, but only on the playing field. Albus had avoided him last year, feeling that he would be just as happy hurting someone off the playing field.

"I'm Terrance Teddy. I'm in fourth year, and I'm a reserve chaser. I've played mostly in practice, and that's OK."

Terrance was nice, one of the students Albus thought they were going to have to get to know better.

"I'm Abraham Stanford, third year. I'm also a reserve chaser. I would like to stay on the team, even if I'm not very good. I will do my best to help Slytherin win."

Abraham was the son of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, a typical thirteenth year old in looks, and a real nice young man.

"I'm Patsy Hepplewhite, third year. I started last year as a fair beater, but I've grown and practiced a lot over the last year, and I look forward to showing how much better I am this year."

Patsy had started last year as a small twelve-year-old just starting puberty. He had grown over the last year. That plus exercise and this year he looked like a beater. Albus knew he was a good beater, but not a mean person.

"I'm Albus Potter, second year, seeker."

Albus knew he was still a little boy, puberty still on the horizon

"I'm Henry Edington, second year, chaser."

Henry looked vaguely Oriental. His father was mostly Northern European, but his mother was Korean, and he looked like a mix of both parents. Other than that, he was a typical twelve-year old boy.

"I'm Harry Eseven, second year, beater."

Harry looked very Native American in color, with the slightly heavy body type typical of people who lived around the Artic.

"I'm Adel Brant, second year, seeker. I'm not trying to take over your job, Albus, but if you are hurt or cannot play is doesn't hurt to have a spare."

Adel was small but not tiny, and looked typically Northern European, with light brown hair and blue eyes.

"I'm Helena Rosier, second year, chaser."

Helena was big for her age, with long blond hair and blue eyes. She also wore a dress all last year, and it looked like she and Rickie purchased their clothes at the same store. Her blouse and trousers were similar to the ones Rickie wore. She was just starting to develop a female shape. She had been unpleasant to Albus all last year, and Albus had avoided her. Since she seemed uninterested in custom shampoo or soap, Cleo had not had a chance to examine her either, although they had attended the same classes.

Robert had everyone fly, practicing the positions they were trying out for. At the end of practice he announced, "I would like all of you to stay on the team and practice. I'm not ready to announce who will be on the first squad. I'm just thrilled that we have backup for all but the keeper position."

*

Albus looked at Rosier's Quidditch practice schedule. It conflicted with the band practice, and with some of the revision schedules that Rose was trying to schedule. He secretly hoped that Adel was a good enough seeker. He would give up Quidditch promptly if he could.

Albus met up with Scorpius for dinner. After dinner they met Cleo and Rose, and went over the class schedules and talked about schoolwork. There was a study room on the first floor, close to the Great Hall, that held portraits of most of the people who had been killed fighting Tom Riddle. It was a comfortable room for groups of students who were from different houses to meet. Albus, Rose, Cleo and Scorpius talked until it was time to go back to their houses.

*

Once Albus and Scorpius were back in the Slytherin Dorm, Rosie approached them. "I know a good place to talk privately," Rosie told Albus.

"Do you mind if Scorpius comes along," Albus inquired.

"How do you feel about Blood Purity?" Rosie asked Scorpius as the younger boys got up and followed him out of the Common room.

"Bunch of dragon dung," Scorpius scoffed. "I don't think anyone is as totally pure as they think. We have a couple of Muggle ancestors six to ten generations back. Great-grandmother Black is ashamed to talk about it. Rose's mum isn't the only Muggle born Magi with more talent than most of the Pure Blooded snobs in Slytherin."

"We should be able to talk privately in this room," Rosie told Albus and Scorpius, as he led them into a private room and closed the door. He locked the door, and did a privacy spell. Albus followed with two more privacy spells, advance sixth or seventh year spells. Rosie looked at Albus with wonder and a little awe. "How many six or seventh year spells do you know, Albus."

"Most of them," Albus admitted. "I'm a freak. When it comes to raw magical power, I'm off the charts, and I'm not Pure Blooded by any means. Even the Weasley blood, although it is pure enough to be considered Pure Blood, has Muggle ancestry. Depending on who you talk to, one eight to one thirty-second Muggle doesn't keep you from being considered Pure. Since the scientists in Switzerland have started analyzing DNA, since they found the magical Alpha and Omega DNA that seems not to exist in our normal three-dimensional world, they have tried to trace magical DNA. Much of it is inherited in the normal way, which is why magical parents usually have magical children. Magical genes are very dominate. Often they can just magically appear. That is what seems to have happened at one time, since Magi appeared all over the world, in all the races and locations, at about the same time.

"Aunt Hermione Granger-Weasley had an uncle she did not know about who was magical, but she and her mother have traced her ancestry back five hundred years without a trace of anyone else being magical. At the same time, we've tested DNA from many Muggles, and it is not typical to find someone who doesn't have at least a little magic in their blood."

"Do you know anyone with absolutely no magical DNA?" a curious Rosie wondered.

"Uncle Dudley's father, the man my dead grandmother's sister married," Albus replied. "We guess ten to twenty percent of the people on earth do not have any magical DNA."

"Cleo is the witch who almost levitated the whole Hogwarts Castle last year," Rosie observed. "How pure is she?"

"Not," Albus announced. "She has more magical genes than anyone we've ever tested, but her ancestry isn't pure magically or Mugglly."

"I can't tell my father any of this," Rosie signed. "I have a great-great-grandfather who really runs the family. I am terrified of him, because he can be so sadistic. Great-grandfather isn't so bad, but grandfather is just as cruel. The only reasons they were not Death Eaters was their age, I guess. I don't want to be like them, but I think people who oppose them have a way of dying early."

"Just concentrate on your studies and Quidditch," Albus advised. "I will understand if you have to be on the side of Hanley and his henchmen right now."

"Thank you, Albus," Rosie replied.

2021