Chapter 1: Hogwarts and the Lair
N/A: Hello everyone. I would first like to apologize to the people who had subscribed / followed my story and sent me messages telling me to continue this fic. It took me time to gain back interest in writing, but also time as I've been busy with various things including university work, internships and other "everyday" life duties.
I've finally taken to re-write this fic. I am therefore posting again the first five chapters with some modifications (I rewrote some sentences that now looked weird as I re-read them, added other things as well, perfected the format of the chapters).
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I'm using lots of foreign languages here because I simply love foreign languages. I've put a small note at the end of this chapter to help you regarding the names of the characters.
There also is a bit of Old English at the beginning of the chapter. If someone who knows Old English comes across my fic and notices some errors please do tell me. I've "learnt" Old English through small texts read on internet so I'm sure my knowledge is rather poor.
Besides if you notice grammatical or any other error, please do tell me, I'll be glad to improve my English !
Hogwarts and the Lair ‡ A new start in defiance of the Time
Even such is Time
Even such is Time, which takes in trust
Our youth, and joys, and all we have;
And pays us but with age and dust,
Which, in the dark and silent grave,
When we have wandered all our ways,
Shuts up the story of our days:
And from which earth and grave and dust
The Lord shall raise me up, I trust.
Sir Walter Raleigh
4, November 1964. Hogwarts. Infirmary.
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- Dēst þū wīllan tō hwæthwegu, mīn bearn? [Do you wish for something, my child?]
- ...Who?
- Dēst þū wīllan tō hwæthwegu, mīn bearn?
- …Where….
- Dēst þū wīllan tō hwæthwegu, mīn bearn?
- …Who…
- Mīn bearn….þū bist Dryhten… [My child…you will be a prince …]
- …Someone….Someone important….
- Mīn bearn… Mīn b…
- …AÏON !
His eyelashes fluttered. His head throbbed. His legs and arms were numb. In fact, he felt like he was not in his body. It was a strange sensation. As if someone had put him in this body. At last, he forced himself to fully open his eyes. His sight was a little blurry but soon the fuzzy forms took shape. He distinguished a mass of brown long hair. He groaned as he felt a sharp pain in his head.
The sudden sound made the wizard turn around to look at him. He barely stifled a gasp. The brown-haired man was Dumbledore! He inwardly chuckled. It was a childish reaction, he knew it. But he had always seen Dumbledore with his long white beard and snow-white hair. It was a little puzzling to see him so young. But it was a good thing to see him young. That meant he had succeeded. He had managed to get back nearly 50 years earlier.
"Ah, young man! You're finally awake!"
"Err…yes"
"What's your name, my boy?" Dumbledore asked in a kind, soft voice though it held a slight wary tone.
"Harry Evans"
The answer ran smoothly on his tongue. The lie ran smoothly on his tongue. He was not Harry Evans. He was Harry Potter. But Evans was his mother's name. He assumed it would not be a big lie. Just a tiny, very tiny lie. But he could not afford to keep his real name. After all, James Potter was supposed to be here, at Hogwarts. And how would Harry explain his name even though James and he had never really met before? Evans was fine. He would pretend his mother was muggle-born and his father an unknown wizard.
"Do you recall what happened to you?" Dumbledore went on, his demeanor still showing that he was slightly wary of the boy he had never seen before.
"Errr…I don't remember very well. I think I was walking in a forest and then…and then…" Harry put on a distraught face, and fidgeted, scratching his skin above the left wrist with his nails. He noticed his nails had left imprints on the skin which reddened.
His little act seemed to be perfect for Dumbledore stepped closer and put a hand on his wrist. Harry looked up, and avoided drowning in the two twinkling blue pools. If he did, he knew Dumbledore would try to use Legilimency.
"Don't worry, my boy. It's only natural to be a little shaken after such a shock. It seems you've hurt your head pretty badly. We found you in the Forbidden Forest in Hogwarts."
"Err…Hogwarts?"
"Yes. You're a wizard aren't you, my boy?"
"Err yes. It's just that…I don't know why I came here. I'm not a student here."
"Where do you study?"
"…I…I've never been to a wizarding school."
Harry decided it was better to pretend he did not know anything about Hogwarts. Perhaps he could coax Dumbledore in letting him enter Hogwarts as a student. He would have to be careful, he knew that Dumbledore was a true master when it came to playing games…
"Homeschooled then?"
"I've…I've got no parents, sir." Harry replied. Well that wasn't a lie anyway…
"Oh, my dear boy, I'm sorry!" Dumbledore exclaimed with a sad, concerned smile. Harry repressed the urge to scoff. Why feel sorry for someone you don't even know? He was sure Dumbledore was only acting. At least he wasn't the only one doing so…
An awkward, thick silent filled the room. Harry didn't know what to say. Neither did the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Finally, the old man asked:
"If it pleases you, how about studying here at Hogwarts?"
"Uh?"
Harry thought he couldn't have uttered a dumbest answer. What kind of answer was that anyway? But Dumbledore's proposal had really taken him by surprise. He had not expected this to be so simple. He had just popped out of nowhere and Dumbledore was offering him a place at Hogwarts? Yes, it fitted well in his plans but it was so simple…was there some trap?
"Err…I don't know. I mean, yes…Yes I would like it very much but…uh…don't…don't you think I could be one of Voldemort's followers?" Harry asked, eyeing the man who he had once treated as a grandfather suspiciously.
"Ah yes…Voldemort…You see, my boy, I believe you're not one of his followers because you would not have said his name. That is quite rare to see someone who doesn't fear to say Voldemort's name. Quite rare… And you seem to be very pure my boy. Nothing like the Death Eaters. And believe me, I've seen many of them." Dumbledore replied gravely.
"Oh. Um yeah." Harry wanted to bang his head on the wall, just like Dobby. It seemed since he had come here, he had been reduced to doing nothing but stuttering and speaking in monosyllables…
"Besides, I think it's appropriate for a young wizard like you to spend time with other students of your age. Nothing is better than studying and learning magic with other people. Friendship and love are our most important gifts."
Harry smiled what seemed to be a genuine smile. Actually it was more like a condescending smile. Dumbledore and his smooth talks about love and friendship…see where that had led him. Hermione and Ron…Dumbledore…they all had betrayed him when he had needed them the most. Talk about love and friendship! Only Aïon. Only Aïon had been there to care for, to love him wholeheartedly, embracing even his flaws.
"I understand, sir. But err…I…I don't have anything with me and I need to take some of my things."
"You needn't to worry, my boy. You must first think about recovering. You've got pretty bad injuries." Dumbledore all but replied, his unnerving smile still plastered on his face.
"Yeah. Thank you, sir." Harry said, shooting him a brief smile.
Dumbledore nodded, his deep blue eyes never wandering away from the lithe boy. He turned around and walked towards the door. He could feel the intense gaze of the peculiar boy on his back but he did not glance back. He opened the door of the infirmary and walked away, the door closing behind him with a soft thud.
Harry did not know how long he stayed like this, the fluffy pillow propped between his back and the headboard, staring at the door that had closed long ago, his hands tightly gripping each other, his mind swirling with blurred images of Aïon. Aïon with his long, long hair and still so very intimidating, so very dangerous….Aïon with his gentle, awkward smile and still so much hated and feared in that ugly place Harry had learnt to call "the Lair". Aïon and the sweet whispers during the cold, cold nights…So cold that breath formed a pure-white, ephemeral, tiny and soft cloud. And oh Merlin! Aïon and the slow, torturing, and oh! so pleasant, so addicting caresses, touches, strokes, brushes…The fingers, the hair, the skin, the jawline, the hips, the spine….Oh sweet Merlin….Aïon…Aïon…would he recognize him
4, November 1964. Hogwarts. Great Hall.
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"Where is Dumbledore?" Lucius asked in a soft, yet commanding voice.
"I don't know…I think I saw him go to the infirmary but he did not look injured" the black-haired boy seated next to him replied in an equally firm voice.
Lucius glanced towards Regulus Black, one of the few people he considered as a friend, and simply nodded. Regulus Black was a handsome boy. Handsome…quite a euphemism. In fact, had Regulus not been in Slytherin, a flock of the students, males and females, would fling themselves at him. Lucius too was handsome. But the two were Slytherins and Slytherins were not known for being perfect boyfriends or girlfriends…Slytherins deceived, used and threw away other people. It was the main reason why no one ever asked out a Slytherin.
Of course, Lucius knew there were some Slytherins who were going out with Ravenclaws and sometimes Hufflepuffs or Gryffindors, but generally speaking, Slytherins were more feared than loved. Not that it would ever bother Lucius or Regulus. They both found relationships annoying. Both their parents were the epitome of Purebloods marriage: no love, no affection, only money and status. Thus Lucius and Regulus knew well that seeing a new face in the Manor meant that one of their parents had founded a new toy to play with for a few weeks.
Relationships were meaningless. Only power. Power and pride mattered.
He gazed around him. Next to Regulus was Gloria Parkinson who chattered happily with her childhood friend, Agatha Nott. In front of him were the two people he deemed worthy of his friendship along with Regulus: Aristide Rosier and Chrysie Fadway. The former was a spoiled but clever and very Slytherin boy, currently in his 6th year. He had hazel eyes and nut-brown shoulder-length hair tied with a dark ribbon. It made his sharp features stand out even more and his eyes held a bit more contempt and coldness than intended. However, he was still no match next to Lucius' long blonde hair and pale face, nor could he compete with Regulus' patrician features and short blue-black hair that framed a milky white face. Indeed, Regulus and Lucius were the little Slytherin princes.
As for Chrysie Fadway, Lucius did not quite know why he respected her, if not for her wits. She was not a beauty but she possessed a grace and a dignity that clearly showed her Pureblood status. These qualities made her average features shine a little amid the other girls and her waist-length blond hair tended to show the harmony of her well-balanced forms: a thin waist, a small and round face, long legs. Not too bad.
She had not shown particular Slytherin traits, she was not particularly deceitful nor did she like to show contempt towards other Houses. Sometimes he wondered why she had not been sorted into Ravenclaw.
As he glanced back at Regulus he noticed his friend was deep in thought and somewhat glaring at his brother, Sirius Black. Sirius the traitor. The black sheep of the Pureblood Families. The brother Regulus despised. Hated with passion. And liked with the same intensity. Lucius knew nothing of brotherly feelings. He had no brother, no sister and he did not understand why Regulus still harbored brotherly feelings for this traitor, shameful boy, Sirius Black represented.
The doors of the Great Hall opened and the Headmaster walked in, his steps dignified, quiet and light. Lucius snorted. Such a dramatic entrance…. The old wizard sat in his chair and clapped in his hands, gaining the attention of the few students who had preferred eating on rather than staring at the Headmaster. Dumbledore smiled his trademark smile, which Lucius found more disgusting than reassuring.
"My dear students, I would like to reaffirm that you are not allowed to go in the Forbidden Forest. Someone landed there this afternoon. He is not one of our school, though. It seems very likely that he will stay and study here so I expect you to improve the relationships between Houses for our Professor, Mister Curtis Jacobson, told me that Gryffindors and Slytherins have already begun to constantly bicker, fight and sabotage each others' potions. I would like our new student to have a good image of our school, and I'm sure you yourselves want to. With these words, I wish you a good evening!"
Dumbledore turned to speak with Mc Gonagall. Lucius frowned ever so slightly and whispered some words to Regulus who only nodded.
He has started flying in a world where he is nothing…where no one knows him…
4, November 1964. Hogwarts. Slytherins' Common Room.
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It was past midnight and most of the students had gone to sleep. A few remained in the dim Common Room where the fire was quietly dying, its lemon yellow flames turning into small reddish spots amid the ashes. Regulus was sitting on a plain wooden chair in the darkest corner of the room. He might have seemed asleep to others, but he was actually gazing at the fire. His little brother….still causing trouble. How was he supposed to help his brother when he wasn't even allowed near him? Near the black sheep… It had been so long since he had even touched one hair of his brother. The Black family had cut almost all ties with Sirius since he had made Gryffindor friends and "dared" to stand up for them.
It was their 7th year at Hogwarts. It was almost there…the life of slavery they were going to live. All of them. Safe for Sirius and his friends. But for him, for Lucius, Aristide, Gloria, Chrysie, Agatha, and many others, the day they would openly be Death Eaters was approaching. Regulus had no doubts about his allegiance. He was Dark by nature. Sirius too. But Sirius had thrown away his capacities and had chosen to be with his friends. Regulus resented him for that. How could Sirius be so happy when he…when he, Regulus, his brother was on the brink of despair?
"What is it, Regulus?" someone drawled.
"Nothing important." Regulus raised his eyes and met the silver ones of Lucius.
The blonde boy merely nodded, clearly not believing him. But Slytherins knew better than try to openly pry into others' affairs. Even if they were friends. Things like that required subtlety. If Lucius really wanted to know what was wrong he would just ask the other students if they were aware of anything.
"I wrote to Father. Do you think the new student is to be kept under surveillance?"
"I don't know yet. I shall go to the Infirmary tomorrow and have a look at him just as you asked me" Regulus replied.
"Fine."
They stayed there, Lucius standing by Regulus' side. They did not speak any longer nor did they move, both staring at the small flickering flames. Chrysie walked towards them a few moments later. She sat on the floor and sighed. They enjoyed the silence.
In the end, Chrysie was the one who broke it.
"I have some news about that boy." she whispered, making sure that no one was listening to their conversation.
Only the slight concentration that shone through Lucius' eyes and the way Regulus leant towards her showed that she had their full attention. Aristide swiftly came between Lucius and Chrysie, as if knowing what they were talking about.
"You know the Hufflepuff girl named Kathleen Johnson? Well she fell down her broom today during the Quidditch training. Seems like she stayed a few hours at the infirmary. She saw him. She was bragging to his friends that she had seen him, and that he was gorgeous. Strangely enough, she also said that he looked a lot like James Potter but that the boy had assured her he had no ties whatsoever with Potter. Didn't get to have much more information." Chrysie said.
Lucius nodded. Regulus squinted his eyes at Chrysie.
"His name?" The Black heir asked.
"Oh yeah, that's right. Harry Evans" Chrysie replied.
"A very common name if you want to know my opinion…" Aristide butted in. He sneered.
"Quiet, Aristide", Lucius warned him. "Evans may be the name of the Gryffindor Mudblood but it was also the name of a Pureblood family that died a few decades ago, wasn't it, Regulus?" he asked.
"Yes. He could be a distant cousin of Orion Evans, the last descendant of the Evans family though I don't know who Harry Evans' parents could be…However, he could also be the same as Lily Evans".
Aristide repressed his snort, not wanting to displease twice Lucius. After all, Lucius' father was the Dark Lord's favorite follower.
They all left the room without a word, not even saying goodbye or good night.
As soon as he had closed the curtains around his bed, Lucius took out a paper and his quill. With his elegant and precise writing, he swiftly told his father about the new student and asked him whether he should keep an eye on him or not. He beckoned his owl to quietly come beside him. He attached the message to his owl's claws, got out of his bed and opened the window for the owl to fly out.
He would have his reply by tomorrow morning. He sighed with contentment and went back to his bed, snuggling under the silken sheets. He was a Prefect thus he had a room of his own and it was nice. He could read some Dark books he wouldn't dare to read in the Slytherin's Dorm Room in case Dumbledore had some spy within the Slytherins. He could go to sleep late and wake up early without having to put up with others' complaints. He could spend an hour in the shower. He could send his daily reports to his father without anyone peeking at them. It was perfect.
4, December 1990. Ireland. "The Lair". North Wing, 3rd floor.
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He knocked. Three times. The lack of reply made him tense. His nostrils flared, trying to smell anything. Nothing. No smell at all came from behind the door. He could not feel any presence either. He cursed. And opened the door with a loud bang.
The room was empty. The large bed had been made, the sheets well straightened and the pillows hiding half of the headboard. The windows were slightly opened, allowing some air to make the heavy scarlet curtains flutter. Nothing hinted that someone might have stayed here. Safe for the white sheet of paper that had been laid on the large wooden table. He grasped it and clutched at it, gritting his teeth.
Dear Ruler, Vladimir,
As I'm sure that you're the only one who would ever come and check if I'm fine this letter is addressed to you. (If someone else is currently reading this letter…please give it to Vlad). I bet you knocked on my door, right? Too bad I'm not here. I'd love to make fun of you, really…It's silly to see one knocking on the door even though there is no one to tell him to come in, isn't it? I'm sorry if you're disappointed by my decision. Don't cry, okay? Though I doubt Your Highness would ever cry….
I want to thank you for caring for me all this time. I am truly grateful to have met you, Vlad. I know you wanted something more from me but you have to understand what it was like for me to put up with the pain. Anyway we decided long ago to be friends so please don't be mad. I can't forget my mate, no matter how much I wish to. It's so painful to seemingly live in a world where he is not here. You know he was my everything. My heart and my head still hurt. In fact my whole body hurts but my heart aches most. I know it's foolish to defy nature's laws but I used my magic to go back in time. I want to change some things and make sure that we never part. It's not like I had never defied time anyway…by accepting a life by his side I had already broken human rules. I don't know if I'll succeed.
Take care and don't ever forget me.
I hope we'll meet again and by then you'll have found your mate.
Love,
Eliel Kreshnik Harry Potter.
'That boy!" Vladimir exclaimed.
He threw the letter on the floor and glared at the wall. The thin white paper lay flat on the ground, its corners softly waving along the wind coming from the open windows as if to taunt him. His sea-green eyes turned silver and he spun around. There, leaning on the door stood the vampire he hated the most. His young sister Alecto smirked, her beautiful face twisting horribly.
"Has the young serpent left the Lair?" she asked tauntingly, her voice laced with malice.
"You knew didn't you?" Vladimir asked harshly, his cold eyes staring at the lithe figure.
"Aha…I might have…or not…Aren't you supposed to be the 'Prince' who knows everything ?" she replied in a nasal sing-song voice.
"You…" Vladimir growled and abruptly stopped, his gaze hardening.
He stepped out of the room, brushing past his sister, turned left, climbing down the stairs, and went to his room. He vaguely heard his sister laughing with this high-pitched, raspy voice of hers. He forced his claws to retract and waited for his eyes to go back to their normal color.
How could he have made that mistake of leaving the boy alone, even if only for a mere hour? He should have known that Kreshnik would not be here…That he would have escaped. Escaped the "Lair" as he had nicknamed it. The Lair…a perfect name to designate the …house…of the people Kreshnik liked to name the "animals". People whom Kreshnik despised and hated. People who had always, always tried to harm Kreshnik. People who were cowards, even if they were one of the most ancient and powerful magical creatures. People whom he, Vladimir, liked and hated at the same time. Liked because they were his people, they were his friends, his family. Hated because they wouldn't accept Harry. Kreshnik. Eliel.
He had first met the boy four years ago. At that time, "Harry" was 16. He had been surprised upon seeing the "Boy who Lived". He had made a point of staying away from the wizards' war. Vampires would not have any benefit helping either Dumbledore or Voldemort and he wanted peace for his people.
But when he had seen Harry for the first time…He had wondered whether Dumbledore even hoped to win with this…human. Harry was thin, perhaps too thin. And he was not really tall. He also reeked of impure Muggle touches…some beatings, whippings, slaps…his vampiric senses had been quick to detect the smell, and his eyes had swiftly caught the sight of some bruises hastily hidden under a loose T-shirt. He had at first refused to think that this malnourished and beaten boy was supposed to be the wizarding world's savior. He had vanished right before the boy's eyes, catching the sight of his puzzled face before disappearing in a black, thick mist.
The second time he met the boy had been when Harry was 17. At that time, he had discovered that Harry was Aïon's friend. A rather close friend. Vlad had been surprised. Aïon was not known to be close to anyone. As the former General of the now dissolved army, Aïon had not been much in contact with others. Vlad knew his friend liked it, being lonesome and quiet. But at his second encounter with the young wizard he had understood Aïon had found someone to love.
The third time he met Harry was a few months later. The imprint it left on his memory was like the mark of a hot-iron brand on animal's skin. Aïon had taken care of Harry and the result was astounding. The lithe body of the boy did not seem so thin as it was hidden under a rich carmine shirt and a black velvet wizard cape. The round glasses had been removed and the emerald eyes shone vividly. At that time, the only word he could thought of was "Gorgeous". He had glanced at his long-time friend's serene face, and guilt had stabbed him right through his dead heart. He could not lust after the young wizard. Not when Aïon loved the boy.
The fourth time he met Harry, three years later, the boy was with Aïon, in Vlad's manor. He had immediately seen the change. A bit taller, more muscular than before, a paler skin. And the happiness….Merlin…the happiness that showed on his face! Vlad thought Harry had bonded with Aïon. And then he had realized his mistake. Harry had not bonded with Aïon. Aïon had given some of his blood to Harry but had received none. It was the utmost sign of trust. Giving your blood to a human and not asking for anything in return was not unheard of but it was something … only true lovers did. There had not been many vampires who had had a true relationship with a human. Most of the time, vampires had many brief flings and affairs, with other vampires or with human wizards, sometimes with Muggle. And most of the time they killed the humans they had gone to bed with.
Aïon had done something even Vlad had never thought of. He had stared at the couple for a few minutes, his mind trying to process what he had just discovered. Harry had smiled. Brightly. And he had introduced himself. Politely. Aïon had smiled. And as he had thought that Harry had definitely grown up into a gorgeous man, the guilt he had felt three years ago had reappeared, heavier than before.
Harry had not told anyone but Aïon about his situation which Vlad had learnt about only much later. The wizards had given Harry the cold shoulder as soon as they had learnt who this mysterious man he spent most of his time with was. A vampire….it had caused an uproar among the Wizarding Community.
But vampires too had not accepted Harry. They did not acknowledge him. He was a human. Although he had some of Aïon's blood, he was not a full Vampire. Aïon had not bitten and turned him into one of their species… Instead of despising Aïon or Vlad for accepting the "human", they had despised Harry. Innocent, fragile Harry who knew nothing of the Vampire Community.
Alecto had been eager to meet him as soon as she had learnt about Aïon's involvement with the young wizard. Somewhat she had understood that Vlad too desired him. It had only sparked her interest even more. And she too had become enthralled. Not in the same way. By no means did she love him…Quite the contrary. She loathed him and hated him with a passion. Harry was everything she hated. He was kind yet powerful, loving yet dangerous. She, who had always been powerful, dangerous, frightening, cold, harsh, could not understand how that boy could be as powerful as she without being void of any feeling. And she had decided to study, examine the boy.
She had turned Harry's life into Hell. Not only did she stalk him, but tried to "spar" with him any time she could too. Vlad had been forced to intervene more than a couple of times. Aïon had lost his temper a good number of times. Alecto had never backed off. She had even gained the help of a Pureblood Vampire, Arioch Ungureanu. He hated the thought of having to share his environment with a lowly human and had decided to help Alecto torment the boy. Vlad had not taken this happily. He had retaliated. Aïon and Harry had bonded a few months ago. Harry had given his blood to Aïon. But it was not enough. The boy was still no vampire. Merely a human boy gifted with vampiric characteristics and bonded with a powerful vampire.
And the fights had continued. Endlessly.
But now, the boy had left. Kreshnik had left. And he, Vladimir, the Vampires' leader, was alone in his room, thinking about the young boy again and again.
5, November 1964. Hogwarts. Great Hall.
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Lucius opened the heavy doors. He walked in, his head high and his back straight. His steps were carefully measured, and he appeared calm and poised. The very image his Slytherin companions wanted to see.
He sat down at the table where Regulus had kept a seat for him. His only greeting was a slow nod addressed to everyone. Regulus nodded too. Chrysie smiled and Gloria muttered a sleepy "Goo' mornin'…". Lucius glanced at the teachers' table. Mc Gonagall was here but Dumbledore…The Malfoy heir turned his attention to his plate. Could Dumbledore be visiting the new student?
Chrysie's voice drew him out of his thoughts. The girl was looking at Gloria. But she was talking to Lucius.
"I saw Dumbledore go to the Infirmary" she said softly, not letting anything show on her face, as if she was talking about the weather.
"So?" Regulus in.
"I think I saw a glimpse of the boy. Not bad. A little frail perhaps. Seems rather harmless. But that's only what I think" she replied while smiling.
"Harmless?" Lucius repeated, his grey eyes staring at Chrysie's golden hair.
"He doesn't exude any hateful aura….but I'm no magical creature so I can't really tell."
Lucius knew what it meant. He was a quarter Veela, so his powers were not totally those of a Veela but he had enough to tell if someone was light or dark, powerful or not, human or not. However he had not inherited the most important characteristics of a Veela: the ability to read one's feelings, to charm anyone, to communicate with other magical creatures and to use magic which only Veelas possessed.
Any magical creature could naturally use the four elements. It was an inborn capacity, a gift from the mother Magic herself. But Veela were not a race as ancient as Vampires or Elves. Thus they had struggled and learnt to use the elements … and only mastered the use of two elements.
Vampires, Elves, Gnomes, Sylphs, Sirens, Nymphs, Salamanders, Centaurs…they had all mastered the use of the four elements but every race had affinities.
Sylphs liked the air; Sirens and Nymphs, water; Gnomes, earth; Salamanders, fire; Dark Elves, fire and earth; Snow elves known as the "Common Elves" or the "White-haired ones", water and air; Vampires, fire and air.
But what Veela also lacked, was the existence of a magic created and mastered by Veelas.
Gnomes had mastered the control of metal and minerals, using what they had underground.
Sylphs contented themselves with the mastery of the wind.
Sirens and Nymphs had mastered the control of the rain.
Salamanders had enough power with fire and had not tried to create another kind of magic.
Snow Elves had mastered the control of snow, ice and rain using their own language. Dark Elves and Vampires had mastered the control of metal for the Gnomes had actually helped the Dark Elves who were the result of breeding between Snow Elves and Vampires; the control of the snow and ice, and the darkest control of all: the control of blood.
Lucius had tried to master the control of air and earth. He had so far mastered the control of air. But earth…he had been trying for months and nothing, absolutely nothing had changed. His father was not happy. Nor was the Dark Lord.
His thoughts were once again disrupted as he eyed Aristide gloat over Severus Snape's latest humiliating encounter with the Gryffindors. The young Rosier heir was all puffed up, holding his head high, his smirk seemingly glued on his face and his loathing stare directed at the quiet, gloomy Severus.
Lucius would hate to admit it but he acknowledged Severus' skills. The boy was the best in Potions, always meticulous, deeply concentrated, and most of all, serene and seemingly happy when brewing his potions. He was not bad in the Defense against Dark Arts' classes, and was doing fine in Herbology and Divination. Sometimes he talked a bit with Severus. When they were alone. It would not be good if anyone saw him talk with the Slytherin black sheep. After all, "Snape" got along pretty well with a…Mudblood.
He saw everyone's head turn around and fought the urge to do the same. The doors had opened. He recognized Dumbledore's way of walking and his full interest went to the old wizard. How was the new student? At this very moment, the owls flew in, dropping gifts, letters, boxes full of candies or chocolates… He caught his letter but did not open it. He wanted to see Dumbledore's face first. Observing was the most important skill to master when being in Slytherin.
He noticed Dumbledore was smiling. A broad smile. Did that mean the student was fine? Then, his attention was drawn to the object the Headmaster was clutching in his wrinkled hands. A worn hat. The Hat. The Sorting Hat.
The boy was going to be sorted. He was finally going to see the boy. What was he like? What did his aura feel like? What did he smell like?
He pocketed his father's letter and eagerly waited for Dumbledore to speak. His hopes were fulfilled as Dumbledore gently tapped his spoon on his glass. All the students turned to see Dumbledore. The noise slowly died.
"My dear students, I have a marvelous news. The boy I talked about yesterday has already recovered. It is a real miracle that he recovered so fast but it is all for the better! I believe you'll behave and show him around the school. He will now be sorted. Harry, if you would come here…"
Everyone looked back at the huge doors. There, in the shadows, stood a petite figure. No one had noticed him until now. Lucius frowned. If Dumbledore said that it was a miracle that the boy had recovered so fast, did it mean that the boy was…interesting? A magical creature perhaps?
The young boy stepped in. Lucius' confusion deepened. He couldn't feel any smell coming from the boy. No smell, no aura, no magic. Was he a squib?!
But the boy was surely a feast to the eyes. He may be petite, but his demeanor exuded confidence and power. He walked proudly, his head high and his look never wavering, his back straight and his steps poised, never rushed. It was strange looking at him…With such a behavior that boy could surely not be a squib….
Lucius knew power. He had seen the Dark Lord closely twice. And the Dark Lord reeked of power. And somehow, even though his Veela side could not detect anything coming from this boy, Lucius knew that the new student was special. The way he walked, the way he stared at Dumbledore, everything screamed power. He walked as a Pureblood, he stood the same way Lucius, Regulus and Potter did. He obviously was powerful. Yet, why didn't Lucius smell anything?
The girls had not lost the opportunity to whisper about how "gorgeous" the "new boy" was. Lucius snorted delicately. Sure, the boy was nice but…he resembled Potter a bit too much. Chrysie had been right. He glanced at James Potter and smirked, eyeing the gobsmacked face of the Gryffindor. It might have been too much of a shock for Potter to see a lookalike… The girls, whether they were from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin were all commenting the new boy's appearance.
Harry had chosen to wear no glamour, keeping his waist-length hair tied with a black ribbon, his vivid emerald eyes he had gotten from his "mother" (whom he had caught a glimpse of), and he had gone to retrieve his trunk in the Forbidden Forest (not that Dumbledore needed to learn that), picking out some clothes. He had put the dark shirt he had once stolen from Aïon's wardrobe and shrunken to make it fit him, the plain dark trousers Aïon had bought him on their first "shopping-date", and the dark boots made of dragon's skin that Vlad had offered him for his 19th birthday.
However he had gulped down a potion he had prepared before coming here. He had repressed his creature side, and had hidden his aura. He did not need any attention here. He had only come to find Aïon and explain everything to him. Unwanted attention would only hinder his plans.
He sat on the chair and let Dumbledore put the Hat on his head.
"My, my…what do we have here? A student? so late in this year?" drawled the Hat.
"Just do your job and sort me" was Harry's abrupt reply.
"No need to be so aggressive. Now lower your mental shields so that I can look"
"No, I have to keep them up".
"I can't sort you like that." The Hat talked to him as if he was chiding a young child.
"Can't you just randomly sort me?"
"No. That is against the rules and against my morals, young boy".
"….All right. But don't go too far in my mind. I won't warn you twice". Harry threatened the Hat, inwardly knowing that the Hat would not ever harm a student.
"You have my word".
"…"
"…"
"So?" Harry asked, a bit impatient.
"From the future! … Interesting… I shall not ask you what your motives are. Let's see. Slytherin would be good. Ah! but you went to Gryffindor…"
"Not Gryffindor. I wouldn't want my … parents to understand who I am", Harry cut him.
"…Oh I see! Lily Evans and James Potter...your parents, uh ? I see…Ah I see there are some people whom you know too in Slytherin. No…let's see….perhaps Ravenclaw?"
"Ravenclaw? Let's go for it then. What year are Lily and James in?"
"7th year".
"Put me in the same year"
RAVENCLAW, 7th year! the hat shouted.
The Ravenclaw students clapped louder than anyone else. Harry stood and put the Hat on the chair, gently tapping the top of it, silently thanking him.
He went and sat at the Ravenclaws' table. He mentally cursed. There it was….the endless flow of questions. Everyone was staring at him and his neighbor was ready to ask the first question when a girl rose from her seat and walked towards him. He stared at her, a bit puzzled until his eyes fell on the Prefect badge she wore on her robes. He nodded stiffly.
"I'm Elena Rosebury. Here is the list of the classes. And here the planning. You can talk to me at any time if you've got problems. What's your name?"
"Harry Evans." he shortly replied.
Elena nodded. The Ravenclaws all asked him all kinds of questions. Harry lied most of the time. And every now and then, he would glance at Lily and James, at his godfather and at Remus, and his heart would ache.
The whole time, Elena did not stop watching him. Nor did Lucius.
Small Note about the characters' names :
Aïon (Aï- pronounced as in child, -on as in own, not as in on !) is a Greek word that means 'Life' or 'Eternity'.
I here chose 'Eternity'. This is obviously the name of someone who is dear to Harry. I rather like his name….To tell the truth it is one of the first Greek words I fell in love with… *laughing* I want Aïon's character to show through his own name. I think Aïon is a great name, it has a nice ring to it and somehow when you say it, it holds power, dignity and at the same time, it seems to be very loving for there are no harsh sounds. Well, that's just what I think…
Eliel is a Hebrew word/name which means 'My God is God' and designates an Archangel.
It is Harry's first first-name. Yes he has several first names…. You will soon discover why he bears this name. Take it as a hint regarding Harry's character. It is a soft name but the meaning of it shows that only a powerful person can bear it. Somehow, the sound of this name might be a hint of what Harry is… You know, gorgeous, soft and beautiful creatures other than angels…
Kreshnik is an Albanian name/word that means 'courageous'. The goddesses' children were also called Kreshnik and they were said to be unnaturally strong.
That is Harry's second first-name. If you want to know why it is not his first first-name, you will have to wait for the next chapters ^o^. Then again, you can think of this name as a preview of Harry's character. It gives off a much rougher and harsher feeling but you might just as well pronounce the [R] as something between a [R] and a [L].
It is a nice, very nice name. I like it too…Do you like it? ^o^ Bravery is something really important, in my opinion. It is something you cannot help but be drawn to, even if you despise it. Harry shall be courageous in my fic (because I want to *laughing*) and that's one of his many good points. It doesn't mean that he is perfect though…
Vladimir is a name/word that means 'Prince who reigns with peace' and is used in Slavic countries. Vlad means 'Prince' (or 'rule').
I thought it was a name worthy of a Vampire leader. It is a nice name. I don't know why but I fell in love with this name long ago. I know that giving this name to a vampire is a little cliché but I like it like that. *laughing* This Vampire is someone who is trustworthy, he is very independent and cares very much for his friends and for his people. His full name, Vladimir, shows that he is not belligerent and prefers peace to war. He is mature and rarely loses his composure. That might be the reason why I like this character so much…Almost as much as Aïon and Harry (a.k.a. Eliel or Kreshnik). I will often use the diminutive 'Vlad' for the one and only reason that it is shorter thus simpler to write. *laughs* Do you thing I'm being too lazy here?
Alecto is the name of one of the three Greek Furies. She embodies the desire of vengeance that never dies and always, always comes back.
As odd as it may appear, I love this woman. I created her so I like her nonetheless. You know, it's like you've created, taken care of, fed, and watched over a creature that came from your own mind and flesh. She has a nasty, horrible and frightening personality that is totally opposite to Vladimir's even though they are family. She's not really right in her mind too….Another thing she does not share with Vlad. She has a peculiar obsession with Harry and she just does not know when to stop. But then again, her name fits her perfectly. Perhaps she may resemble Bellatrix in a way…But… was Bellatrix beautiful? *laughes* Anyway I hope you like her too. And if you don't like her…then I suppose it would mean I did well when describing her hateful character. *laughes*
Arioch is the name of a demon which is not very famous. He is supposed to stand for vengeance. People who invoke Arioch are usually people who are seeking to take revenge on someone.
I think Arioch forms the perfect pair with Alecto. They are both seeking revenge. Both have the same pretensions to rule the Vampire Community. They are rivals too but they both see our trio (Aïon, Harry and Vlad) as the threat they have to remove from their path. However while Alecto is really tenacious and often is too eager thus fails, Arioch is more subtle and knows when and where to strike. He is the strategist, I suppose. He is the real brain. He does not indulge in his feelings and does not let his revenge overwhelm his mind. He is always controlling himself and always maintains his composure. It makes him a difficult opponent though Alecto too is hard to defeat for her madness makes her rather unpredictable.
Elena is one of the many names that resemble the Greek name Helen. The name Helen might have the same root as the Greek word [lampas] which means 'light'.
I chose to pick up some of Helen's characteristics using Homer's description of Helen and use the meaning of 'Light' to construct Elena's character. She will become a close friend of Harry and she is the kind of person you can rely on. True to the meaning of her name, Elena tends to be the one who lifts everyone's spirits. She is also the one who can touch everyone's bare hearts for she is kind, listens attentively to anyone's worries and fears. However she is a girl who has 'too much of a heart' if I dare say and that will provoke her downfall. Because she tends to let other's feelings affect her deeply she will not be able to resist when faced with very strong and dark feelings.
Chrysie resembles the name Chryseis, daughter of Chryses (in Homer's work) but in fact it is not linked at all. Chrysie is a name I more or less coined, using the Latin word 'chrysius (a, um)' meaning 'made of gold' that comes from the Greek word [chruseos] meaning 'made of gold'.
Chrysie is by no means a beauty. She somewhat is the average girl if one only judges by the look…She has blonde hair, golden hair rather than pale blonde hair like Lucius. However she is very clever. Her name refers to her hair of course but also to some details of her personal life that you will discover throughout the fic. She is discreet, modest and does not seem to be a Slytherin at all. However Lucius acknowledges her and that is an important point in the story. She will be much more of a friend to Harry than Gloria will ever be. As for the young Slytherins, she is the only one I really created : I invented more or less Gloria Parkinson, Regulus Black and Aristide Rosier but their names had already been used by J.K. Rowling. However, for Chrysie, I made both her first name and surname. Her surname too is of great importance, it can foretell what will happen to her.
Gloria is the Latin word that means 'Glory'
It clearly shows Parkinson's character. She is a girl who shines with her beauty first but also with her courage and her devotion. She is not a main character but I think she is worth of your attention. She is not vain like Draco Malfoy used to be in the first books of Harry Potter but she seeks to become loved and acknowledged through her own merits.
She may be (I have doubts about some parts of my plot…) a close friend with Harry though she will stay most loyal to Lucius and Regulus.
Agatha comes from the Greek word that has several meanings : 'good/kind', 'brave', 'virtuous', 'strong'.
She doesn't come much in the picture in this first chapter but she will prove to be an interesting and useful character. Though I wouldn't say that Agatha will be a 'brave' girl, I can tell you that she is kind, virtuous and strong. She is the one who will always talk about morals and dignity when others will not give it any thought. She will be the one to always make everyone face the mistakes they made and she truly holds the role of the judge, perhaps the role of a scale in a world where everyone will inevitably hesitate between what's 'right' and what's 'wrong'. She is the clear-minded one, and even Vladimir or Arioch could not compete with her. She is not devoid of feeling but it is hard to tell what she thinks. However she tends to help and give advice to no one but people whom she trusts and likes.
Aristide comes from the Greek [Aristos]. I added the "suffix" '-ide' though it doesn't really mean anything. [Aristos] has two main meanings: 'the bravest' and 'the best' (thus the word aristocracy….). Besides, Aristides was the name of an Athenian who was famous for his virtue.
Aristide is not a boy who will prove to be very kind. He is the perfect epitome of the Pureblood Heir. More than Lucius and Regulus, in fact. Whereas Lucius and Regulus still have feelings and are able to worry about someone, love someone and loathe someone (though they hide it), Aristide seems to know nothing but how to make himself seem superior to others. He is very vain and you could see him as a very horrible Draco Malfoy. There is no one he truly likes and Harry will be no exception. This boy's name has a meaning, just like all the other characters, but his seems very paradoxical. Indeed I will not describe him as the best, nor as a virtuous boy, and even less as the bravest person. It seems his name won't ever fit him, but he will gradually change.
As for the other characters I either kept the names J.K. Rowling made (Lucius Malfoy, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva Mc Gonagall, Rubeus Hagrid, Tom Riddle and so on…) or used new ones that don't have any meaning (Kathleen Johnson or Curtis Jacobson are rather common names).
I just wanted for my main characters to have names that have a meaning and explain how they are. I hope all those names don't confuse you. If they do, tell me, I'll try to change that but really, it does not matter if you don't remember what name means what, you'll understand how the characters are by reading the fic.