The Prince of Flame.
DISCLAIMER- So, here is the promised re-write of "the potion master's assistant." Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, Halo Spencer, however, is mine. Hope everyone enjoys the new version, and I swear I'll finish this one.
"I went to sleep last night wondering how I'd feel if I woke up tomorrow and you were almost healed. If you could use your hands, what would you use them for? Would it be to strangle me? Because you just can't... Hold down, why don't you just be the wave that washes over me? Hold down, why can't I just be the one that carries all of you? And I can see it in your eyes. I'll rest my head tonight, thoughts I can't reveal. The shame inside of me, the fate they've tried to seal. If you could use your hands, what would you use them for? Would it be to strangle me, or just try to ignore, the fact that they don't care, why they stop and stare? Why they put you in that dusty dirty chair? Everyday is hard, hard for you to survive while we maintain this materialistic paradise." Finger Tight- "Guilt."
Chapter 1
"Would you like a lemon drop my boy?" Headmaster Dumbledore asked, holding out the little metal tin. He was an aging wizard with long silver hair and beard, his lively blue eyes sparkling as he looked down his crooked nose at me,
"Yeah, thanks." I took one of the little yellow candies and popped it in my mouth.
He smiled at me and his eyes sparkled again behind his half-moon glasses. I gave him a lopsided smile of my own. "Your qualifications Mister Spencer-"
"Call me Halo, Headmaster." I said. "I'm still too young to be considered a 'mister' just yet."
Dumbledore smiled at me again. "Very well then Halo. I was just going to say how impressed I am with everything you've accomplished since you graduated from Salem at the top of your class. Then you interned with our ministry before joining the American Federal Bureau of Investigation. You're intelligent enough to do anything, go anywhere you want."
I just shrugged; I'd already heard the little speech from my grandparents anyway. I realized the Headmaster was still speaking so I had to leave my thoughts for the time being.
"-to work at Hogwarts, and why so suddenly?"
"I was getting antsy in the States." I said, omitting a lot of the truth and just giving him the gist. "Europe is a very nice change of scenery, even though I've been here before, I wanted to come back and work somewhere interesting."
"Was the FBI not interesting enough for you?" He asked.
"I don't think interesting is the appropriate word, Headmaster." I muttered.
"Did you pick this time to return because of the sightings of Lord Voldemort?"
I knew he expected me to flinch or to show some sign of fear at the dark wizard's name. Truth be told, it's hard to scare me now days. And anyway, the part of the brain in charge of fear is a little smaller than the tip of a pin. A simple name didn't scare me.
"No Headmaster," I said, feigning innocence; sort of. "It's just like I said, I wanted a change and I wanted it like yesterday. And with all due respect Headmaster, I've spent the last few years chasing Muggle serial killers. Voldemort's just a self-righteous megalomaniac with a bone to pick and an itch to scratch. I've put handcuffs on scarier Muggles. Hell, I've had more deadly pets sleeping at my feet."
And the most dangerous man I've ever met sleeping in my bed on occasion. I thought but didn't say, last thing I needed was one of the living paintings in Dumbledore's office telling everyone I was a faggot. That would just fuck things up.
Dumbledore gave me another of his winning smiles, I smiled back. What can I say? Smiles are fucking contagious.
"I greatly admire your courage." He told me.
I shrugged; it was more indifference and my repressed death-wish than anything akin to courage. "All I can say Headmaster is I've been told I have a pair of brass ones."
He smirked at me this time.
….
Dobby the House Elf led me to my room and he chattered nonstop the entire way from Dumbledore's office. He made me think of a squirrel toking up on crack after drinking a gallon of Red Bull. I grinned at the mental image but otherwise ignored him.
Dobby stopped before a large oaken door. "It's this one!" He screeched.
I shouldered my back and switched my briefcase to the other hand as I pushed the door open. It had looked heavy, but it really wasn't. "Thanks Dobby," I dismissed him, closing the door in his face. God, House Elves set my teeth on edge. "Lumos! … Whoa,"
From where I stood at the door I could see a large armoire, possibly that largest bed I've ever seen and the door to the bathroom. There was also another door; I assumed it led to a study or a setting room. I could look at them later, when I had time and wasn't so tired.
I set both my bag and my briefcase down on the bed. The comforter of which was deep green with a silver snake embroidered on it; I peeled back one corner to reveal black cotton sheets. I decided I could definitely get used to this. I just had the bathroom to look at, I needed a shower anyway.
"Lumos," I muttered again. Light from a dozen or so candles filled the room and I suddenly felt like a prince. "Jesus-tap-dancing-Christ!" It was a phrase I normally said when I was pissed off, but I was very far from that emotion at that moment.
The bathroom was made completely of white marble, very beautiful white marble actually. The claw-foot tub was separate from the shower-stall which had a frosted glass door. The toilet was sectioned off in its own little corner and a gold mirror was on one wall. I was fighting the urge to run my fingertips over every surface, just to compare the textures of everything. I eventually gave in, sliding my fingers along the sink and faucet. The marble was cold but not unpleasantly so.
"Hello there my dear," A cheery voice said behind me. I turned, left hand sliding toward my wand while my right reached for my Kimber semi-auto. Not that the gun would do me any good inside the boundaries of Hogwarts but touching it made me feel better. Safer.
"Hello," I said to the painting hanging on the wall that I hadn't noticed before. I must be losing my touch. The painting was of a witch that even I found to be pretty with her bright eyes and brown hair.
"You must be the new assistant the House Elves were gossiping about!" She exclaimed. "I'm-"
I pointed my wand at the painting and cast a silencing charm. Mostly because I didn't care or want to know what her name was and because talking paintings had always creeped my out. I made a mental note to ask a House Elf to remove it, I didn't want it in my room, I just wasn't used to them and I knew I never would be. The painting silenced, I used another charm to temporarily blind it while I showered. I had never been much of an exhibitionist, though I knew a man that would argue that fact.
I stripped away my shirt and jeans, tossing my dark sunglasses onto the pile and stepped into the shower before I'd even turned it on. As soon as I turned the dial, the water hit me ten degrees hotter than my own body temperature. It felt great, perfect, soothing muscles I hadn't even realized were sore and aching. I sighed contentedly, leaning my face into the spray.
I loved long showers, always had, but I only spent fifteen minutes bathing. I got out, towel dried my short and wavy black hair before wrapping the towel around my waist. I fell onto the bed and slept nude curled next to my bag and briefcase.
A loud knocking woke me up. "Just a minute!" I yelled, rolling out of the bed and pulling on some shorts, a pair of faded jean and a moss green shirt. I put on my sunglasses before I opened the door.
Dumbledore stood just to the side of me when I poked my head out the door. "Hiya Headmaster,"
"Good evening Halo," He said. "The Start of Term Feast is in two hours and I thought I'd escort you to the Great Hall and introduce you to the rest of the professors."
"Cool," I said, holding my hand out absently for my wand which flew into my hand instantly, I slipped it up my sleeve then locked my door. "So, who will I be working with?"
"You'll be working with all the professors," He told me as we walked. "However, you'll work mostly with our potion's master, Professor Snape."
The name rang a bell somewhere in the back of my head. "So why him more than anyone else?"
Dumbledore led me throw long and winding halls and I easily kept up with him even though his legs were much longer, I wasn't the one wearing a constricting robe. "Professor Snape could benefit with an assistant."
"What you're not saying Headmaster, is that the Professor is getting on your nerves for whatever reason and having an assistant underfoot and hassling him will be a welcome distraction."
Dumbledore gave a hearty laugh, patting me on the back. "How right you are my boy."
He pushed open two very large doors. And at my very first sight of the Great Hall I stopped dead in my tracks. "Holy shit," I whispered in awe.
The Great Hall was decorated for the arrival of the students, both new and old. The domed ceiling reflected the starry night outside the castle in such a way that for a moment I wondered if there even was a ceiling. Candles floated high above each of the five tables that dominated the very large room. There were tables for each of the four Houses and their banners hung in the air above said tables. The last of the tables was at the front of the room and it was the staff table; where I would be eating from now on. I had rarely seen anything just so freaking cool. I turned to Dumbledore.
"Would you believe I'm actually surprised by what I'm seeing here?" I asked.
The deep and dark voice that answered me was so close to my ear that I nearly jumped out of my shoes. "Just like all the First Years will be I expect…"
"Ah, Severus, there you are." Dumbledore exclaimed. "This is your assistant, Halo Spencer."