Disclaimer—Would love to live in a world where this fanfiction could be canon. Sadly, I don't own OUAT or HP.
Sorry for the delay. College is my excuse.
Note—Excuse any errors.
CHAPTER THREE
Hades stood in front of the door in the Underworld's version of Snow White's apartment. He lurked in a small circle of space as he allowed Snow White and her friends time to gather themselves. He did not want the mortals to be speechless when he finally made his final move in this game of chess. His lips were pursed as he moved forward like a predator that stalked its prey, at last ready for his goal to be accomplished. Hades' eyes latched onto Zelena's form as he ceased to move forward.
"Zelena, what a surprise. What brings you to the Underworld?" Hades asked as he subtly watched the other mortals' brains catch up with what they saw.
Regina blocked her sister from Hades' gaze. "This is none of your concern."
"Don't you have more people to torture?" Hook sneered.
"Killian, don't—" Emma started to warn.
"Don't what, Emma?" Hades laughed. "Antagonize me? Far too late, I'm afraid. If you had wished to let sleep dogs lie, as the saying goes, you shouldn't have gone digging into things that are none of your concern."
Robin raised his bow with a sharp arrow ready to fly. "We're not quite sure what you're talking about, Hades. Regina just wanted a heart-to-heart with her dear sister."
Hades arched an eyebrow. "In the Underworld? During a time in which you are desperate to leave this place and have the dead move on? I think you have far more pressing issues to deal with at the moment for instance . . . my weakness."
"So you admit you have one," Snow White noted.
"Oh, my dear, we all have weaknesses. You just happen to be barking up the wrong tree in this instance. Though Zelena and I were once lovers, we do not share a child. If she has a child, then I am not the father."
David stiffened with his family and friends. He had not been sure that Hades had heard what Emma and Regina had said, but he had hoped that Hades hadn't. They could not afford having Hades knowing what they were planning to do and what weapon they may use against him. They needed to remain at least a step ahead of him, but now they were not. Hades knew and that meant that Hades could block this certain path towards victory.
Hades noticed the stiffening of shoulders. "Oh, you thought I hadn't heard." He laughed. "Well, you know what they say about small towns: there are no secrets. Did you really think that I wouldn't get wind of your plan to uncover my weakness? You really must have left your brains in the land of the living."
Zelena huffed. "Hades, do you mind? My knees are killing me."
"Of course. I apologize for making you wait," Hades replied with a snap of his fingers, the invisible bonds on Zelena's person now nonexistent.
Zelena leapt to her feet and fixed her hair before gesturing to her person. "Thank you. Now do you mind?"
Hades smiled. "Your wish is my command."
With another snap of his fingers, Zelena disappeared in a whirl of blue fire and left no trace that she had ever been in the apartment.
Regina could barely contain her anger. "Where did you send my sister?"
"Where she wanted to be," Hades answered, his words shedding no light. "Now, if you excuse me, I have other things to do."
Hades snapped his fingers again, this time taking himself out of the apartment. No words were exchanged as the mortals processed what had just happened and what it meant to their current plan.
"So who believes what Hades said?" Henry asked, breaking the silence.
"Care to be specific?" Hook questioned the boy as he leaned against the kitchen table.
"That he and Zelena didn't have a kid."
Snow shrugged. "I don't know. It's plausible. Zelena could have had a child with anyone. The father doesn't have to be Hades."
"But he is the only lover that we're aware of Zelena having," Robin pointed out.
"That doesn't mean that Hades is the father. All it means that he could be the father," David said.
Emma jumped in. "We could use the quill again."
Regina nodded. "It is possible. All Henry would have to write is a sentence that would bring Zelena and Hades' son to the Underworld. If there is no shared son, then we know that they have no child together and we then try to summon a child that is Hades' alone. If that doesn't work either, then we know for sure that means Hades doesn't have a child."
"But Hades undid the quill's power on Zelena," Henry said. "And the Apprentice told me that the quill doesn't work on gods. What if it doesn't work on demigods?"
"It works on humans, though. So maybe since the child is only half god, the quill could work enough to summon them here?" Snow suggested.
Hook was not convinced. "And who says that the summoning won't make things worse?"
"What do you mean?" Henry asked, his brown eyes clear with curiosity.
"Think about it: the kid will be half god and half mortal. Even if the god side doesn't nullify the power of the quill, who can say if the kid won't be able to run circles around us? What if this is some kind of trap? What if Hades and his kid have this planned?"
Regina crossed her arms. "Hook, we have an archer, two magic users, the Author, a pirate, Snow White and Prince Charming. I think we can handle a child."
"Hook's got a point. We need some kind of backup if the kid catches us off guard," David said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Oh, well, if that's what you want, I think I saw a god-proof cage in the attic," Regina sarcastically replied before becoming serious. "What do you suppose we do? It's not like I know how to—"
Everyone waited a moment for Regina to continue speaking, but she never did in favor for staring off into space.
"Hmm, Regina?" Emma said, trying to get the woman's attention.
Regina snapped her fingers, a leather-bound book popping into her waiting hands. "I think I have an idea."
"What kind of idea?" Robin questioned his lover, fiddling with his bow nervously.
Snow White ignored Robin's concern. "What do you need, Regina?"
A smile bloomed on Regina's face. "Pomegranate seeds."
The moment Zelena left the apartment, she appeared in Hades' throne room with the separate rivers. Hades had not been lying that she was where she wanted to be. Hades had known that her dear sister was going to summon her to the Underworld and had made plans accordingly. He wouldn't have allow Regina to summon her if he could not use it to his advantage. The only thing that Zelena did not understand was what Hades would get out of this besides being able to see her again.
"Zelena."
She turned. "Hades."
The atmosphere between the two past lovers was charged with repressed feelings and happiness for the chance and ability to once again meet without being suspicious. Their faces softened, the lines that painted their foreheads easing as they hungrily burn the image of the other into their imagination once more.
Hades sauntered forward to cradle Zelena's gloved hands in his own. "It has been too long."
"I've missed you," Zelena whispered back as her heart ached in tune with Hades' heart.
"And I you," Hades replied. "There wasn't a day that I did not think of you and our son."
Zelena sniffed. "You haunted my thoughts constantly. I had no respite."
"At least you were with our son," he murmured.
Zelena's eyes stung from the lie. "Hades . . . Hadrian hasn't been with me since he was three months old."
"What?" Hades said sharply as his back straightened. "Why not? What happened?"
Her laughter was bitter. "Dorothy happened."
"Tell me everything."
She shook her head. "Not yet. I want to know what your end game is first."
"I deserve to know what has become of my son, our son, and if he is . . ." Hades faltered.
"He is not dead, Hades. I swear it. I would know if that had occurred."
Hades studied Zelena before nodding. "I believe you."
"Now tell me why you're allowing my dear sister to summon our son and use him against you," she demanded, the protective instincts of a mother all-consuming.
A smirk danced wickedly on his lips. "Oh, dear Zelena, do you think so little of me?"
She deflated a little. "No, I just . . . I just haven't held Hadrian in my arms in years and I can't stand him being with them."
Hades caressed her cheek. "Don't worry, love. I have it under control. Our son will not be harmed."
"How can you be so sure?" she murmured, wrapping her arms around him as she closed her eyes.
"I have stationed someone outside of the apartment and the moment that those mortals take their eyes off of Hadrian, he'll bring him to us."
Zelena opened her eyes and frowned. "Why aren't you waiting there yourself?"
Hades' cheeks developed a hint of pink. "I have dedicated myself to preparing his room and belongings."
She threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, Hades!"
"It's done."
Emma eyed the complicated, red markings of an ancient language. "I still can't believe you used pomegranate seeds as ink."
"They have a power all on their own. They can actually force gods and goddesses remain in the Underworld," Regina explained as she washed her hands in the kitchen sink.
"Where did you learn that?" Robin asked.
"From my mother, actually. It's a long story," Regina answered.
"Sounds like it'll be a pleasant trip down memory lane," Hook said with an arched eyebrow.
David cleared his throat. "So, Henry, are you sure that you want to use the quill again so soon?"
"Yes."
Regina eyed her son. "You know that you don't have to, right? We can always wait a bit longer if you're feeling strained."
Henry nodded. "I know, Mom, but we don't have forever. We need to get home before Hades writes more names on tombstones."
A collective flinch spread throughout the group, but Henry ignored it as he sat on the couch with the quill in hand. He wasn't the type to be tactful with his words when the truth could not be avoided. It was the only way he could get his point across without more time wasted trying to convince everyone that he was alright. With the quill poised over the blank page, Henry closed his eyes briefly before writing one simple sentence.
Hades' and Zelena's son appeared with the magic circle that Regina had completed minutes before.
Energy that wasn't his own swept from the pen and into his hand, catching a ride within his veins. The energy, after visiting most of his body, returned to the quill with a small faction settling into his eyes and projecting a scene that no one else could see.
Darkness . . .
Pain . . .
Loneliness . . .
Despair . . .
It was all too familiar, but he had managed to mold his life into a slightly better one. So why had he regressed back to this point? He wasn't in the cupboard so it couldn't the Dursleys that decided to revert back to a previous state. No . . . He was somewhere that he had never been before. But where? Why couldn't he remember what had happened?
Hissing . . .
Feathers . . .
Blood . . .
A tooth . . .
Ah, he had faced the basilisk and a younger Voldemort whose name was Tom Riddle. He had stabbed the diary and Ginny was spared. The day had been saved and he . . .
Agony . . .
So much agony . . .
Cries . . .
Wet . . .
Blood . . .
Darkness.
He had died.
A/N— Please review! This was published on 4-18-16 with the length of 2067 words.