Cornelius Fudge sat at his desk, happily smiling to himself. MacNair's autopsy report was on the way to his office. He knew that bastard L/N killed him, he just needed the proof.

The medical officer knocked and entered, walking up to Fudge's giant mahogany desk and handing him a Manila envelope. Fudge eagerly opened it and skimmed to the good part.

"What? What is this? A significant myocardial infarction is the cause of death. What kind of spell is that?"

"Uh it's a heart attack Minister. Just a plain but significant heart attack. The deceased had a significant amount of cholesterol built up in his arteries and-"

The Minister exploded.

"NO! No! No! No! That boy was responsible. I know it. Now get back there and-"

"Minister I assure you there was no magical residue in his system. We triple checked. No cursed magical attack could have killed him without using some sort of trace- a scar, a residue, anything. This was simply a heart attack from a life of poor heath choices. I am sorry for the loss of your friend!"

The coroner turned, looked at Fudge's assistant and smirked, nodding, before exiting his office.

"Leave me please Janus. I wish to be alone".

The small balding man nodded and left the office. Fudge sat alone with his thoughts before feeling the sensation he was being watched. He looked up in horror.

A translucent skull was floating in the air, in front of him. He gasped and then screamed in fear as it charged him.

It evaporated into thin air, leaving only a piece of paper on the desk. The skull logo was at the top with a list of names.

💀
Lucius Malfoy
Corbyn Yaxley
Francis Crabb
Bertram Goyle
Walden MacNair❌
Gerald Rosier ❌

Fudge exploded.

"You bastard! You're behind this aren't you! You're mocking me you bastard! I'm going to make sure you join that cunt you call your father! You hear me!"

He looked down with terror as another name started to materialise on the page.

Cornelius Fudge

He shrieked again as the page erupted in flames which quickly engulfed his desk. His guards kicked his office door in as he screamed in horror.

"Minister! Minister! What's wrong?"

Fudge looked at them like they were fools before looking back at his desk. It was gone. No fire, no flames, no damage. Fudge looked around completely panicked.

"Noth.... nothing my dear men heh heh nothing at all. Thank you!"

Cornelius sat trembling in fear and contemplated what was happening to him.

—~—

Y/N had been sent a message to meet Ruby at the roadhouse. He apparated to be met with a fierce fierce glare as Pam slowly removed her glasses.

"Pam... how are you?" He chuckled nervously. His concerns weren't aided by the chuckles of Ruby, Sam, Ellen and Jo from behind her.

"I don't know why I bother!" She huffed before slowly hugging Y/N.

"Keep this up and you two will be parents before you graduate!"

"Yeah, like that's gonna happen" Y/N chuckled before greeting the others in the same fashion.

"Here you go handsome" Ruby smiled, handing Y/N the two hex bags he had asked for.

"Thanks Rubes. This will keep Hermione safe and I needed to replace the one you gave me, so it means a lot" Y/N smiled.

"Don't sweat it kid" Ruby chuckled.

"So Ruby... how are the knights?"

Her eyes bulged in shock at Y/N's question.

"What... what do you mean Y/N? I'm not in the Knights anymore!"

Y/N raised his eyebrow and chuckled.

"I know. I meant have you had any intel? The hells wrong with you?"

Ruby relaxed slightly and chuckled:

"Right. Intel. Sorry Y/N. No nothing- they've gone really quiet. All these disappearances have them spooked is my guess!"

—~—

The last week of term went quickly for Y/N and Hermione. They were allowed to skip classes, as they were ahead of everything and it was just revision and/or catching up assignments.

Y/N had two exams on the first Monday of the Easter break- Alchemy and Ancient Studies, and so was allowed to revise in the library each day instead of attending class.

As she was also so far ahead Professor Dumbledore allowed Hermione the same privilege. They had set themselves up comfy in a corner of the library, books periodically flying over and flying back when they weren't needed.

They only left to eat, apparating to the hall and back, a shield guarding their desk and belongings when they were gone. After class the three friends would join them, even though Ron had a number of silencing charms placed on him when he wouldn't stop whinging.

—~—

The Hogwarts Express left on Saturday, only about 20% of students remaining at the school. Ron had been forced to after Lavender secretly wrote to his mother, warning her of his impending failure. He had received a howler, at breakfast, stating he would be sleeping with the ghoul in the attic if he didn't pass his subjects and forbidding him from returning home in the break.

Hermione kissed Y/N as he left to go for his Alchemy exam, he walked down and entered the Potions classroom.

"You have two hours to complete the theoretical component of this exam, and then an hour for the practical component. Are you ready?"

Y/N nodded at Professor Snape.

"Your time starts now!"

—~—

Three hours later Y/N was walking back to the Great Hall for lunch with a big smile on his face before he had his Ancient Studies exam. Upon entering the hall he was instantly engulfed by Hermione jumping up on him, legs round his waist and a passionate kiss being placed on him.

"Missed you too!" He chuckled between kisses.

"How was it?" Lavender asked.

"Really enjoyable. I had to compose a treatise on each of the seven functions of Alchemy and then for the practical component I had to undertake argyropoeia. It was a really enjoyable morning" Y/N smiled.

He looked at the blank faces of his friends.

"I turned copper into silver!"

"Oohhh"

He chuckled as he sat down to enjoy lunch before heading to the Headmaster's office. The Ancient Studies exam examined the magical cultures of Egypt, Greece, Babylon and Mesopotamia and the influences each culture had on modern magical society. The three hours seemed to fly by as Y/N wrote a number of essays, smiling to himself the whole time.

Hermione and the others were waiting for him outside the office when the exam ended, and as he excitedly told them about the essays he had written Ron narrowed his eyes.

"There's something very wrong with you!"

—~—

Following dinner Y/N went out to practice on his new broom, Hermione sat next to Lavender on a bench.

"Surprised you didn't ask Hermione for a ride Y/N!" Lavender laughed.

Y/N chuckled.

"This is a prototype Lav. Let me figure out if I'm safe on it before I let Hermione go on it!"

He rose up in the air as the two girls giggled before Hermione registered what he actually said and turned, yelling:

"WHAT??!?"

It was too late as he kicked off and disappeared in a flash.

"HOOOLLLLYYY SSHHhhhhitttt!!!!!"

Hermione panicked before hearing Y/N's voice return.

"Tttthhhiiiss iiiisss FFUUUCKKINNG awwweessoommee!!"

He flew back and forth at extremely high speeds for the next hour.

—~—

Hermione had drawn up detailed revision schedules for the five of them for the holidays and the last term leading to the exams. Most of the holidays were spent in the library, working hard completing the holiday assignments and then heavy revision. Y/N enjoyed secret double days. He always woke before Hermione and so apparated to his estate, working on his secret weapon and training the Bearers before returning to Hogwarts in the early morning.

—~—

The first week of the last term was back to the same, with the exception of the tension rising in the air. Saturday was the day of the Quidditch final and it was definitely Slytherin against the rest of the school.

Harry was copping a lot from Slytherins, as were the rest of the team. Perhaps not surprising, not a single word was said to Y/N, nor in his presence. Much to Wood's surprise and joy Y/N had even came out for the week's training sessions.

"Our last game together Wood, thought I'd put in a little effort for you!" Y/N had chuckled.

"What broom are you on Y/N?" Wood had called out to him.

"Nimbus 2001" Y/N called back.

"Wait- you said you upgraded?"

"I did. Keeping that beauty til game day as a surprise. Just bought this to practice on!" Y/N chuckled.