Title: Wings of the Past
Book: Harry Potter
Pairings: Harry/Draco, Blaise/Luna, Hermione/Neville, Ron/Zayne, Pansy/Ginny, Severus/Sirius, Tom/Shiro
Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me. If it did then it would be messed up beyond belief. Though I do own Shiro and Zayne and the plot idea. This is my second Harry Potter fan fiction so please tell me what you think of it. Flames will be ignored.
"Talking"
'Thinking'
Flashbacks/Dreams
"Parseltongue"
*"Thought Talking"*
Some parts of the potions class are directly from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I own nothing from the book.
Chapter 5: Past
I'm seven years old and Severus brought Harry and I to Hogwarts with him. Sirius has been in prison for almost a full six years now. For the past four years Severus has us to work with him since Bellatrix is in prison and Walburga is dead. Severus is teaching a class and Harry is watching McGonnogall teach one. I was walking calmly around the school grounds when several sixth year Gryfindor boys spotted me. I started running as they started toward me. Gryfindor's hated Severus and he warned Harry and I to stay away from them if we were alone. I wasn't one to argue with that. I stopped when I neared the Black Lake. I didn't know how to swim yet and there was no where for me to go.
The Gryfindor's surrounded me and started picking on me. One of them turned my white hair the Gryfindor colors. Then suddenly another one grabbed me. I started struggling, kicking, twisting and trying to hit the teen. Another stunned me and I went still, unable to move. Fear filled me and then suddenly I was flying through the air over the lake. The Gryfindor who had been holding me had thrown me out over the lake. I hit the water hard and immediately went under. The spell lifted as soon as I hit the water and I started flailing my arms and legs, trying to get to the surface. I broke the surface a few times, but my soaked clothes were dragging me down. I could feel my limbs starting to hurt and it was an effort just to stay moving. I managed to take one last large breath before falling under for the last time.
The water was cold and dark and it just seemed to get worse as I sank further. My lungs were screaming in pain as the need to breath increased. I tried to hold my breath for as long as I could, but my body won. I opened my mouth and water poured down into my lungs. I started coughing and that only made it worse. The edges of my vision started going black and my head hurt like a troll was crushing me. My vision completely went black as I lost consciousness.
~/~/~/~/~
When I opened my eyes again I was once again in the train station. I stood up and grimaced at my wet clothes. Well that outfit was ruined. I looked up when I heard someone chuckle. There sitting on a bench was Conductor. He looked the same as he did last time. There was no difference what so ever. However, now I was seven and soaking wet and much different than how I looked the first time I died.
"What do you want Conductor?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
"I don't want anything, Shiro," Conductor said. "You died. That's all there is."
"You said that you didn't want to see me any sooner than you planned to. If that's true than you wanted to see me now," I shot back. Conductor chuckled amused. He waved his hand and a chair appeared several feet across from the bench.
"Come sit young Shiro," he said. I hesitated but walked over, climbing onto the chair. "How are you doing in your new life?"
"Fine," I said. "I have a question though."
"What is it, Shiro?" Conductor inquired.
"Why leave me an albino? It wasn't necessary and it only reminds me of my other life." I crossed my legs and put my hands on my caffs. Conductor leaned back and crossed his right leg over his left, stretching his arms over the back of the bench.
"You can say that I still wanted to feel connected to my son," he said honestly. I literally fell off of my chair in shock. Conductor leaned forward, putting his elbows on his legs. "Your mother never told you did she? I can take a tangible form and walk among humans. I've done it before, but your mother was the first woman I've ever slept with. I normally stick with men since there's no risk of pregnancy. When she told me she was pregnant I told her who I really was and that I couldn't say. She resents me and most likely wanted to get back at me by killing you, but she hadn't counted on me giving you a choice I was never supposed to give."
"Why let me live then? Why not keep me here with you? Why did you let someone else raise me twice!?" My voice ended in an angry shout and I stood up, glaring at Conductor.
"You weren't ready then and you aren't ready now. Even after living for twenty four years you aren't ready to stay with me. When you're ready I will come for you, but until then you will live with your family. You've been with me for long enough, young Shiro. There are people back in the world of the living that need you more than I do right now," Conductor said.
I jolted upright in my bed, breathing heavily and covered in a cold sweat. I hadn't had that dream for years and I knew it was from being back at Hogwarts. I still wasn't able to go near water without shaking from fear. It's times like these when I'm glad I habitually put silencing charms around my bed. A weight on my legs made me shift my attention to the foot of my bed. Nagini looked right back at me.
"Is everything alright Hatchling? You seemed distressed," she said to me.
"I'm fine Nagini. It was only a nightmare of a bad memory," I said.
"My master is concerned for your well being," Nagini said. "He wants to speak with you."
"Alright," I said. Nagini's head bobbed up and down in a nod and her eyes turned red showing that Tom had control.
"What was scaring you Shiro? Are you in danger?" Tom's voice asked confused.
"I'm fine Tom. It was only a nightmare of something that happened almost ten years ago. I'm not in any danger," I told my older mate.
"What was it about?" he asked gently.
"I don't want to talk about it. I'll tell you when I next see you in person," I said defiantly.
"Good night Shiro," he said. I knew he wouldn't forget about this, but was trusting me not to lie when we did see each other again.
"Night Tom," I said. He hissed in annoyance my use of his muggle name, but Nagini pushed him out before he could say anything. She settled back down on the bed and I laid back down. It took me awhile, but I finally fell back to sleep.
~/~/~/~/~
The next time I woke up it was from Draco shaking me awake. My blonde haired cousin didn't say anything, just got ready for the day. I showered quickly and dressed in my usual black outfit. Nagini curled up in the middle of my bed and I cast a warming charm over it. She hissed a thank you at me before I left the dorm I now shared with Draco, Blaise, and Theo. We met up with Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy in the common room before going up to breakfast. Toward the end of breakfast Severus passed out our schedules and then we went to class.
Classes proceeded without a hitch mostly until Potions. This year Severus was teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts and Professor Slughorn came out of retirement to teach potions. We had class with the other three houses. I waited for Harry to come in and then pushed him toward Draco who still did not have a partner. Harry blushed slightly but gave me a small smile and started toward Draco. I took a few steps after him and reached out, grabbing Blaise's arm. The black teen looked at me, an annoyed look beneath his indifferent mask.
"Let Harry sit with Draco," I told him. He nodded and I released him. Blaise sat next to Theo and I sat next to a Gryffindor named Hermione Granger. She got her things together for class even though Slughorn wasn't in the room yet. Slughorn came in, closing the door behind him and walking to the front of the class room.
The dungeon was, most unusually, already full of vapors and odd smells. I saw several students sniff interestedly as they passed large, bubbling cauldrons. The students were mostly gathered by house and I saw Zayne sit on the other side of Hermione. The three of us were sitting closest to a gold-colored cauldron. I could faintly smell all of potions through my headscarf, the vapors soaking into the black clothe. My breathing became labored, but I managed to hide it.
"Now then, now then, now then," said Slughorn, whose massive outline was quivering through the many shimmering vapors. It made me slightly nauseous. "Scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget your copies of Advanced Potion-Making. ..."
"Sir?" said a red haired Gryffindor, raising his hand.
"Yes, m'boy?"
"I haven't got a book or scales or anything. I didn't realize I'd be able to do the N.E.W.T., you see –"
"Ah, yes, Professor McGonagall did mention … not to worry, my dear boy, not to worry at all. You can use ingredients from the store cupboard today, and I'm sure we can lend you some scales, and we've got a small stock of old books here, they'll do until you can write to Flourish and Blotts. …"
Slughorn strode over to a corner cupboard and, after a moment's foraging, emerged with a very battered copy of Advanced Potion-Making by Libatius Borage, which he gave to the red head along with a set of tarnished scales.
"Now then," said Slughorn, returning to the front of the class and inflating his already bulging chest so that the buttons on his waistcoat threatened to burst off, "I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, just out of interest, you know. These are the kind of thing you ought to be able to make after completing your N.E.W.T.s. You ought to have heard of 'em, even if you haven't made 'em yet. Anyone tell me what this one is?"
He indicated the cauldron nearest the table Draco, Harry, Blaise, and Theo sat at. I sat straight and saw what looked like plain water boiling away inside it. I knew what it was instantly.
Hermione's hand hit the air only seconds after mine did; Slughorn pointed at me.
"It's Veritaserum," I said, my voice muffled by my headscarf.
"Can you remove your headscarf and repeat that m'boy? I can't quite hear you," Slughorn said to me. I reached up and removed my headscarf, placing the black clothe on my lap.
"It's Veritaserum, a colorless, odorless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth," I said calmly.
"Very good, very good!" said Slughorn happily. "Now," he continued, pointing at the cauldron nearest the Hufflepuff table, "this one here is pretty well known. … Featured in a few Ministry leaflets lately too … Who can – ?"
Hermione's hand was the fastest once more and I kept mine in my lap.
"It's Polyjuice Potion, sir," she said.
I could tell that Harry too had recognized the slow-bubbling, mudlike substance in the second cauldron, but did not resent Hermione getting the credit for answering the question. I was proud of my younger brother for letting another student have a chance to answer a question.
"Excellent, excellent! Now, this one here … yes, my boy?" said Slughorn. This time it was Harry's hand that hit the air since I had grabbed both of Hermione's wrists beneath the table. She shot me a sour look and I let go of her wrists.
"It's Amortentia!"
"It is indeed. It seems almost foolish to ask," said Slughorn, who was looking mightily impressed, "but I assume you know what it does?"
"It's the most powerful love potion in the world!" said Harry.
"Quite right! You recognized it, I suppose, by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?"
"And the steam rising in characteristic spirals," said Harry enthusiastically, "and it's supposed to smell differently to each of us, according to what attracts us, and I smell cinnamon and fresh paint and –" He turned slightly pink and did not complete the sentence.
"My I ask your name, my boy?" said Slughorn, ignoring Harry's embarrassment.
"Harry Potter, sir."
"Harry Potter?" His voice was shocked and Harry's face instantly closed off. He noticed and looked toward me. "And you my boy?"
"Shiro Black," I answered calmly. Slughorn must have seen the cold look in my eyes because he looked at Hermione.
"What is your name, my dear?"
"Hermione Granger, sir."
"Granger? Granger? Can you possibly be related to Hector Dagworth-Granger, who founded the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?"
"No, I don't think so, sir. I'm Muggle-born, you see."
"And now," said Slughorn, "it is time for us to start work."
"Sir, you haven't told us what's in this one," said Zayne, pointing at the small black cauldron standing on Slughorn's desk. The potion within was splashing about merrily; it was the color of molten gold, and large drops were leaping like goldfish above the surface, though not a particle had spilled.
"Oho," said Slughorn. I was certain that Slughorn had not forgotten the potion at all, but had waited to be asked for dramatic effect. "Yes. That. Well, that one, ladies and gentlemen, is a most curious little potion called Felix Felicis. I take it," he turned, smiling, to look at Harry, who had let out an audible gasp, "that you know what Felix Felicis does, Mister Potter?"
"It's liquid luck," said Harry a bit cautiously. "It makes you lucky."
The whole class seemed to sit up a little straighter. Even the ones who had previously been talking to their friends were now giving Slughorn their full attention.
"Quite right, take ten points for Gryffindor. Yes, it's a funny little potion, Felix Felicis," said Slughorn. "Desperately tricky to make, and disastrous to get wrong. However, if brewed correctly, as this has been, you will find that all your endeavors tend to succeed … at least until the effects wear off."
"Why don't people drink it all the time, sir?" said Terry Boot eagerly. Or at least I thought it was Terry Boot.
"Because if taken in excess, it causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence," said Slughorn. "Too much of a good thing, you know … highly toxic in large quantities. But taken sparingly, and very occasionally …"
"Have you ever taken it, sir?" asked Michael Corner with great interest.
"Twice in my life," said Slughorn. "Once when I was twenty-four, once when I was fifty-seven. Two tablespoonfuls taken with breakfast. Two perfect days." He gazed dreamily into the distance. Whether he was playacting or not, I thought, the effect was good.
"And that," said Slughorn, apparently coming back to earth, "is what I shall be offering as a prize in this lesson."
There was silence in which every bubble and gurgle of the surrounding potions seemed magnified tenfold.
"One tiny bottle of Felix Felicis," said Slughorn, taking a minuscule glass bottle with a cork in it out of his pocket and showing it to them all. "Enough for twelve hours' luck. From dawn till dusk, you will be lucky in everything you attempt.
"Now, I must give you warning that Felix Felicis is a banned substance in organized competitions … sporting events, for instance, examinations, or elections. So the winner is to use it on an ordinary day only … and watch how that ordinary day becomes extraordinary!
"So," said Slughorn, suddenly brisk, "how are you to win my fabulous prize? Well, by turning to page ten of Advanced Potion-Making. We have little over an hour left to us, which should be time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. I know it is more complex than anything you have attempted before, and I do not expect a perfect potion from anybody. The person who does best, however, will win little Felix here. Off you go!"
The class all got their supplies and started brewing the potion. Harry and I didn't follow the set recipe, we didn't even need to look at the book. Severus had had us brew this potion before during the summer and had taught us a better way to make it. By the end of the class Harry and I were the only ones who were almost done with the Draught of Living Death. The entire class and Slughorn was stunned.
"Brilliant boys! I never expected to have a tie for the potion. You must tell me who taught you how to make this," Slughorn said.
"Our father, Severus Snape," Harry answered. "He also told us never to go anywhere near the Felix Felicis potion. Neither of us can accept your...prize."
"Are you sure? I'm sure Severus will make an exception this one time." It was clear that Slughorn was trying to persuade Harry into taking the small vial of Felix Felicis he held. I stepped forward and next to Harry, staring Slughorn down.
"No our father will not make an exception. You can speak with him about it, but we will not take the potion. Give it to Hermione; she did much better than anyone else on the potion," I said coldly.
Before Slughorn could say anything else, the class ended and we all got our things together. I wrapped my headscarf back around my head and gathered my things. I left the classroom with Harry, Draco, Blaise, Theo, and Pansy. We all went to lunch and again I didn't eat. I couldn't eat with how brightly lit the Great Hall was. I really hated Dumbledore. He knows about my condition, but he won't make an exception so I can eat breakfast and lunch separate from everybody else. I saw Harry discreetly place food into his bag and I smiled, knowing he was sneaking food for me to eat later. I love my little brother.