"A House Divided against itself cannot stand." -Abraham Lincoln.

Ethan woke up the next morning still in the warm cave with an arm around him. The same arm belonging to his girlfriend who was sleeping peacefully next to him. "Well... I'd say that was a success last night." He commented to himself. 

"Hello, you." Penny greeted with a smile as she woke up to see Ethan. 

"Morning, Penny." Ethan greeted back. "Um... I think it's morning." He told her. 

"So it is." Penny replied. "We should probably get back to the Castle before they think to look for us." She suggested. 

"Probably." Ethan agreed. He looked at Sickleworth who was enjoying his time in the water. "I'll... have to remember this place for later." He thought to himself.

Later that morning, Ethan and Penny were really careful about sneaking back into the Castle. And luckily they knew how to get back without Filch noticing. As if that Squib despite knowing his way around the castle, Ethan just knew it better. "Okay... all clear." Ethan whispered to Penny. 

"Hard to believe that Filch wouldn't come looking for us." Penny whispered back. "See you later?" She asked.

Ethan nodded. He let Penny get back to her Common Room. And he went back up to his Dormitory. And he could see the Fat Lady standing in her portrait.  

"Ah, Ethan? Where did you go last night? I don't remember seeing you return to your Dorm." The Fat Lady asked. 

"Nothing in particular. Just spending some alone time with the Girl." Ethan answered. 

The Fat Lady laughed. "Just like your brother and Miss. Maxson when they were students here." 

"Caput Draconis." Ethan said. 

The Fat Lady let him in. And Ethan walked through. 

He could see Charlie sitting on the couch and listening to Jae and Ben speaking about something. 

"What's up with these two?" Ethan asked Charlie. 

"E. Missed you at dinner." Charlie told him. 

"Sorry. Had something to attend to." Ethan apologized. 

"Eh, you didn't miss much." Charlie admitted. "Just..." 

"Well, what happened to you?" Percy interrupted walking down the stairs. 

"What's it to you, Percy?" Ethan asked. 

"You didn't return to your dormitory last night." Percy noted. "So it stands to reason that you would be breaking School Rules. And you call yourself a Head Boy." He scoffed. 

Ethan rolled his eyes. "Percy, I don't have time for this, do you?" He asked.

"I have time for everything around here. I'm-" Percy started to say. 

"Still the second youngest Weasley in this building." Charlie interrupted while glaring at Percy.

Percy sighed. "You're very lucky that Charlie is your friend. But rest assured that no one will be doing such levels of provocaty when I become Prefect and on my way to Head Boy." He declared.

"You know they will." Charlie commented. 

Percy grunted. He then stormed off. 

Charlie sighed. "Sorry about that. Percy's been a little on edge."

"On what?" Ethan asked. 

"Bill's M.I.A. The war is still going on in Iraq, but there's been no word for him." Charlie answered. 

"Still?" Ethan asked. 

Charlie nodded. "Mum and Dad are worried naturally. But they're trying to remain strong as ever, especially for Ron and Ginny. That's all we can be." He answered. 

Ethan put a hand on Charlie. "He'll be fine. Bill's smart." He assured. 

"What's up with them?" Ethan asked looking at Ben and Jae who just noticed Ethan had walked in with the room. 

"We were just talking about my idea." Ben answered. 

"Your idea?" Ethan asked.

"Yeah... about what we discussed last night." Ben clarified. 

Ethan looked confused. "That?" He asked.

Ben nodded. "Ethan. We need to call the Circle of Khanna." He suggested.

"All of them?" Ethan asked. 

"They've all sworn to come when we would call, right?" Ben asked. "Now I'm ready to present. Let's go." 

Jae gave a concerned look to Ethan. And when Jae looks concerned about something that was when Ethan knew it was serious. 

Ethan gathered the Circle of Khanna at the Front Courtyard. It was everyone that was still loyal to Ethan and the Circle. Ben, Penny, Tonks, Tulip, Barnaby, Talbott, Charlie, Andre, Jae, Chiara, Badeea, Diego, Liz, Fred, George, Beatrice, Cedric, Corey, Skye, Murphy, Orion, and Rath. 

"Right then..." Ethan began. "Thanks for coming on such short notice." 

"Can we cut to the chase, Ethan. We had to cancel Quidditch Practice for this." Skye interrupted. 

"Sorry, Skye. But when it concerns the future of Hogwarts. We have time for this." Ethan explained. 

Skye shrugged. 

"Yeah... Ethan. We should probably get back to the Ministry soon." Liz added. "I don't want Amos Diggory to get mad at us for missing an assignment with the Magical Creatures." 

"Oh, don't worry about Dad. I told him that Ethan needed us for something." Cedric assured Liz. 

"And your Dad just supports us doing this?" Beatrice asked. 

"Sure does." Cedric answered. "Though, I'm pretty sure he just wants me to be the big shot on Hogwarts or something like that. Which probably would explains all the trophies that I've earned in my time as a Quidditch player." 

"Um, Cedric... you know you've only been playing for 2 years, right?" Tonks reminded. 

"Yeah... and Dad says that there's still plenty of time to get out there and make some great news. Says that one day, I'll out score even Harry Potter... assuming that Harry even plays Quidditch." Cedric replied a little too embarrassed to admit that.

Ben cleared his throat. Everyone looked at Ben. "Thank you. Now we've got something important to speak of-" 

"Did somebody say, something important?" Victor interrupted as he walked over. 

Chiara, Jae, Ethan, Ben, Rath, Beatrice, and Penny all groaned. "Victor. We're in the middle of something." Ethan told him. 

"And you didn't invite me? And here I thought we were friends, Ethan." Victor replied. 

"We're not friends, especially if you insult Chiara like you do." Ethan told him. 

"It's not an insult if it's true." Victor shot back which made Chiara steam through her ears. 

"Could you go literally somewhere else?" Ben requested. 

"I go where I want to go, Copper Head." Victor told him in a striking tone that didn't impress Ben, but for some reason it did for Tulip. 

"Tulip... could you please not drool over my shoulder?" Andre asked. 

Tulip regained her senses when she realized that she was drooling. "Oh, sorry. Andre." She apologized. 

"Look who's keeping their focus now." Diego thought out loud. 

"Is it, Tulip?" Barnaby asked.

Everyone looked at Barnaby. "Because I thought it was Penny." He said. 

"What?" Penny asked in disbelief.

"PEOPLE!" Ben yelled. And everyone looked at Ben again. "Before I was so rudely interrupted. I wanted to tell you guys something."  

"Is this about Chiara's new Golem friends?" Fred asked. 

"Not just that." Ben answered. "But I think it's time that the Circle of Khanna think about our next move." 

"Our next move?" Tonks asked. 

"Against Trotsky." Ben answered. "There's no telling what he's going to think when he finds out what we've found in the Labyrinth." 

That was when George raised his hand. Ben groaned. "Yes, George?" He asked. 

"Um, yeah. I was just wondering, who put you in charge of the Circle of Khanna." George explained. 

Ben glared at him. "I'm one of the leading figures of the Circle." He told him. "And I think that I deserve some say into our next strategy. We did create this circle to fight R after all."

"I thought we agreed to form this circle to avenge Rowan." Badeea chimed in.

"Well that's pretty much the same thing." Ben replied. 

That was when Victor chimed in. "Well, I for one think that we should have another leading figure. And with the absence of Merula Snyde. I think it only natural that I take her place-" 

"No." Chiara interrupted. 

"No?" Victor asked offended. 

"You're not even a member of the Circle of Khanna. And personally, you don't even deserve to be a member of the Circle." Chiara told him off.

"Well, you're rude. You really want to hang around this Werewolf, Tulip?" Victor asked. 

"You really want to try and flirt with a sharp fanged A-hole, Tulip?" Chiara shot back. 

"There's a 65% chance of this really escalating." Murphey whispered to Skye. 

"And I thought my rivalry with Rath took it too far at times." Skye whispered back. 

Rath could hear what Skye was saying too. And she also knew that the feud between Chiara and Victor was caused by an ancient rivalry that had been happening for centuries.

Tulip remained silent. She still thought fondly of Victor, but Chiara was one of her best friends. 

"Ben, can you please kindly state your business?" Diego requested getting back to it. 

"Yeah. You're talking about something with Trotsky." Corey added. 

"I'm talking about hitting Trotsky like he's been hitting us." Ben announced. 

That made everyone look at Ben. 

"Um... Ben? We don't know where Trotsky even is." Penny pointed out. 

"I bet we can find someone who does though." Ben suggested. 

"And where do we start?" Charlie asked.

"Somewhere." Ben answered. "I mean it's not like we can just ask Merula." 

"Yeah... though it wouldn't be a problem if Ethan hadn't-" Victor started. But Ethan shut him up. 

"If Ethan hadn't what?" Ben asked. 

"Nothing. It's just Victor being an Asshole." Ethan answered while glaring at Victor. 

"Or what about, Ismelda?" Andre asked. "Couldn't we just go ask her?" 

"She's gone." Talbott reminded. 

"Oh, yeah." Andre remembered now. 

"Ben, even if we do find someone who knows where Trotsky is, I seriously doubt that they're just going to be willing to talk to us." Ethan said. 

"Which is why... I was thinking we just have to make them talk." Ben replied.

"You mean, we just straight up beat up a Dark Wizard for information?" Penny asked. 

"Is that a problem?" Ben asked. "I mean did you forget that this is the organization that locked you up, Penny? By Trotsky, Psycho Slayton, and Chiara's crazy cousin Talos."

"I haven't forgotten." Penny answered. "And for the record, Chiara's cousin Talos was not crazy. But if we just go making people talk in the same way that Trotsky's been doing to us, then we're no better than they are." 

"Pretty sure, we're past that point." Ben countered. 

"No we're not." Chiara chimed in.

"Well do you have a better plan?" Ben asked. 

"Yes I do. Actually." Chiara answered. "I say we stay on the defensive. We defend Hogwarts so that Trotsky can't ever threaten us or this school." 

Ben wasn't satisfied with that answer. "That's the same as doing nothing." 

"I disagree." Ethan said. "We can't just go in guns blazing. What if Trotsky is waiting with an ambush? What if he wants us to attack him?" He asked. 

"Wherever he is." Cedric added. 

"I don't believe that." Ben snapped. "That's exactly what Trotsky would never expect. He expects the Ministry to play it defensive. That's why he's always attack after attack. I say we counter him and take him down. We can end this threat for good." 

"That's well said." Victor commented.

"Nobody asked you, Fangs." Rath snorted. "Ben, much as I love a good fight. I don't think it's just a good idea to risk everything to bring down Trotsky in one fell swoop." 

"Why not?" Ben asked. 

"Well for starters. You have a concept in theory for how to win a war. But you don't have great execution of that plan." Rath answered. "It's like going into a game of Quidditch without conceiving any formations to play. And then you get your ass kicked." 

Ben however was not going to be swayed. "I'd come up with a plan." 

"Murphy, help me out here." Rath sighed. 

"Do you want me to tell Ben about the probability about taking action without a plan?" Murphy asked. 

"Never tell me the odds." Ben answered sounding like Han Solo. 

"We can't just go on the offensive." Ethan told him. "We don't even have an army we can use to take on Trotsky all by ourselves." 

That was when Ben had an idea. "We do." He snapped his fingers. "Chiara's Golems."  

"What about my Golems?" Chiara asked. 

"Chiara's Golems. We find out where Trotsky is and then send in the Golems. We don't have to worry about casualties and we take down Trotsky." Ben answered.  

Chiara didn't seem to be budging on that idea though. "You're not taking my Golems." She told him. 

"Why not?" Ben asked. 

"Well for starters, the Golems only obey me. And 2. I'm not going to risk all of my new Golems going for one all out assault on Trotsky. Knowing him, he'd probably bring them all down and reprogram them against me." 

"But don't you wield that what ever thingy?" Liz asked. 

"You mean the Control Rod." Penny clarified. 

"That Control Rod stays with me." Chiara insisted. "And don't bother taking it Ben. It can only be wielded by those of Noble Blood." 

"Then how can- oh right, you're a Gallic Noble." Ben remembered before he turned to the others. "Well what about the rest of you? Are we just going let Trotsky keep us on our paranoid feet?" He asked. 

The rest of the Circle was thinking on their feet.

Ethan grabbed Ben. "Ben? What are you doing?" Ethan asked. 

"What we have to." Ben answered. "We can't play defensive anymore. It's high time we went on the offensive and play fire with fire." 

"You want us to risk everything on one assault. That's not courageous. That's more like suicide." Ethan warned. 

"And playing defensive while a Mad Man tries to destroy everything we've worked so hard to create isn't?" Ben asked. "It's time we stopped being afraid and take action." 

"And if we take too big of a risk, then we lose everything." Ethan countered remembering his vision. "I've seen what happens if it all fails." 

"And we may never get an opportunity at this." Ben shot back clearly done with Ethan's supposed inaction. "Well I guess you leave me no choice." 

"No choice in what?" Ethan asked confused. 

"I'm going to form my own organization." Ben declared. "One that specializes in taking action." 

"Wait, what?" Ethan asked clearly not expecting that. He half expected Ben to just run away from Hogwarts and attack Trotsky wherever he was.

"You heard me, Ethan. Last time I checked, it was Slayton that has one ear off and not you." Ben replied. "See, the truth is that I'm kind of tired of the Circle of Khanna's inaction. It's time to fight fire with fire." 

"You want to leave the Circle of Khanna?" Ethan asked. 

"He's doing what?" Charlie asked overhearing them. As were the rest of the Circle that were overhearing them. 

"Ben's leaving the Circle of Khanna." Ethan told them. 

"You're not serious." Penny commented. 

"I am serious." Ben informed. "I'm forming a new organization. Now who's with me?" He asked around him. 

"I'll join you." Victor declared. 

"What a shock." Ethan sarcastically thought. 

"Will any of you naysayers stay with Ethan?" Victor asked walking up to Ben. And Ethan could swear that Victor's eyes were glowing red for a split second. 

Tulip immediately jumped up and said. "Yes! I mean... Sorry Ethan. But this is as far as we go." She told him walking up to Ben and Victor. 

But Rath had started to raise an eyebrow. She had noticed that split second red eye glow that Victor made as well. She was quite observant. 

"What is it?" Orion whispered to her. 

"Did you notice that red glowing eyes?" Rath asked.

"You think that Victor is up to something." Skye also figured.

Rath nodded. "Either way. I don't trust that pretty boy. We need to figure out what he's up to." 

"You want someone on the inside you can trust?" Skye asked.

Rath nodded. Skye immediately understood what she had to do. "Hey, Ben. Victor. What say you need another person on your team?" She suggested. 

Ethan was about to say something, but Rath gave him a look to let this happen. And Ethan could see Rath mouth out: "We'll talk."

And Ethan figured that it was a good time to talk. "Well, if anyone else wishes to join us. The offer stands." Victor offered. He then left with his entourage. All the while putting an arm on Ben's shoulder with him. 

And Ethan watched as one of his oldest friends walked away in the arms of a Vampire. He then looked at Rath for an explanation. Which she was planning on giving.

"Why did you let them just walk away?" Ethan asked Rath when they were back in the Artefact Room along with Penny, Beatrice, Jae, Diego, and Chiara. 

"Because I saw something happen with Victor. Did anyone else notice?" Rath answered. 

"I was... kind of distracted with the whole idea of Ben forming his own organization." Diego admitted. 

"I always knew that Ben was a bit of a arrogant man. But I never thought he would go that far." Chiara commented. 

"I have a theory. Victor might be manipulating Ben's impulsive attitude. Or rather he's-"

"Enhancing it." Beatrice finished. 

"Exactly." Rath replied. 

"But why? It doesn't make any sense." Penny asked. 

"Because he's a Vampire." Chiara answered. "You can never trust a Vampire." 

"But you didn't just figure that out on your own, did you Rath?" Ethan asked.

"No. Another thing that happened. Victor's eyes were glowing red." Rath explained.

"Glowing Red?" Penny asked.

"No. They were glowing Green. It was pretty obvious that it is going to be Red. Of course it is, Red. It's well established for Vampires." Beatrice answered. 

"How do you know that?" Penny asked. 

"I know because I learned it in DADA Class." Beatrice answered. "Back when Bill was teaching it." 

"Oh yeah." Penny remembered how last year when Bill took a part time job as an Interim Defense Against the Dark Arts. And both Dumbledore and Bill knew that Bill's position wouldn't be permanent. And she and Ethan remembered when Bill talked about Vampires on one advantage that they have is that they can manipulate who they wish thanks to Glowing eyes and Mind Control being a power. And they all remembered Bill telling the tale of Dracula. And how he lived over multiple lives over his time because of his immortality. It reminded Ethan of the Old Comic Book Villain, Vandal Savage. One of these eras being from the time of Ferenc Nadasdy. During that time Dracula led Hungary to multiple victories over the Ottoman Empire. Even going so far as to impale Ottoman Soldiers on giant wooden stakes. Along with Dracula's Wife, known in that era as Elizabeth Bathory. Who would manipulate young girls to their death which Dracula's Wife would drain of her life to expand her immortal life of her and their children.

"Even if that's true. Why would Victor manipulate Ben?" Ethan asked. "What does he have to gain from it?" 

"Or he could be working for R." Diego suggested.

"Or somebody else." Beatrice added. 

That was another problem for Ethan to think about. "If he is working for someone. The question is... who was manipulating who, and why?

"So... what do we do?" Ethan asked. 

"We need to figure out what Victor is up to and if he's hiding something." Rath answered. "That's why I motioned for Skye to follow them." 

"And do you trust Skye to get it done?" Beatrice asked.

"Not on her own." Rath admitted. 

"I'll help her." Diego decided. 

"You will?" Ethan asked. 

"I will." Diego answered. "I am not besieged by Victor's Vampire manipulation." He informed.

"Huh?" Beatrice asked not getting it. 

"He means he's not going to effected by Victor's mind control." Ethan translated. He turned back to Diego. "You sure about this, Diego?" He asked.

"Ethan I joined you on your mission to Mexico to rescue Penny. I will handle this knave sake that is Victor." Diego answered. 

"Um... we might need to send another person to help." Penny suggested. 

"Yeah..." Rath agreed. "Um, Diego. You think that you can ask Andre to assist?" She asked.

Diego shrugged. "Okay." He answered. "I will ask the help of the charming Andre-" 

"Thank you." Ethan interrupted. He knew that Diego had a tendency to over state his own achievements. And that was when Diego left. 

"So... now we wait?" Ethan asked.

Rath nodded. 

And Ethan suddenly felt like he was Grand Moff Tarkin. "We're taking an awful risk. This had better work." He thought.

Meanwhile in the thick of the night in the Forbidden Forest. Victor had a dark cloak on. He was waiting for his informant to arrive. That was when a figure in a dark cloak arrived.

"He's taken the bait." Victor informed.

"You've done well, Victor. You have performed a glorious service to both your fellow Vampires, and the future of the Wizarding World." The Dark Cloak told him. 

"It was easy to manipulate Ben. He was already on a war path once. All I had to do was just manipulate him without that much effort." Victor mocked. 

"Good work. Now keep it up. And let the Circle of Khanna be fractured." The Dark Cloak told him. 

Victor smiled. It was all too easy now.