Descend to Darkness
By: Kyuubi04
HARRY POTTER FANFICTION
Chapter 10: Interlude – Sirius' Apology
Summary: Harry defeated Voldemort through some unknown magic and has been in a coma for months. Upon waking up, he had somehow changed, in both attitude and stance, and was confusing everybody. During a visit to the infamous Chamber of Secrets, he discovered the reason behind this change along with the confirmation of one Albus Dumbledore.
Warnings:There will be slash... Harry is Salazar Slytherin and will be calmer and colder than before. It will be a Dark Harry but he's not evil. There will be Ron and Ginny Bashing as I don't like the two of them and they will be the main antagonists along with Seamus Finnegan and Lavender Brown. Pairings would be HPDM, SSRL, LMSB, NLLL, DTPP, BZHG, and TNPP. This will probably be a short series and updates will probably range from twice to once a month. Also, there will be mention of male pregnancies but only in theory. 'Coz I don't know how to write lemon fictions.
Notes:"Fall Prey to the Eternal Darkness" – regular speech
-Fall Prey to the Eternal Darkness- parseltongue
+Fall Prey to the Eternal Darkness+ gobbledegook
=Fall Prey to the Eternal Darkness= temporary mind-speak between Harry and Draco
-x-x-x-o-o-o-x-x-x-
The next four days were a blur for Harry. He was only thankful that the students refrained from asking him questions about the All Hallows Eve incident. It also seemed to him that Ron and Ginny were avoiding him. Well, Ginny was avoiding everybody in fear of getting humiliated again. Ron, however, was caught in between getting mad at his sister for her stupid plan or being sympathetic about what had happened during the feast. It didn't help that as soon as their mother heard about it, Molly Weasley had sent a howler during breakfast the next day and was further shamed in front of their peers. Even the groupies that he had acquired left him as soon as Ginny's scheme had been revealed, and by Harry, himself, no less.
Unfortunately, his luck ran out, and the emerald-eyed teen was bombarded with questions. Some even had the gall to pity him for realizing that Ginny was a no-good girl after all. As if! He never ever did show any romantic interest for the girl. Really, these people were so damn nosy that it's irritating. Why couldn't they just stay out of his damn business? But he guessed that he was at fault too for causing such a spectacle on that night. He joined Draco as soon as he was done with his homework for that day and gave the blonde boy a grateful look since, Draco never did inquire about the incident. He decided that since it was weekend tomorrow, he'd visit his godfathers again and probably remind Sirius of their deal.
-x-x-x-
Draco Malfoy was curious but he knew that something would break if he tried to satisfy his curiosity now so he decided to allow the shock to pass before he'd question his partner about it. He understood that Harry was grateful for his silence and he wanted that gratitude to remain for now lest he lose the tentative trust that the scarred boy had given him.
It shocked his friends to discover that he was willing to let things go. They knew that he was the kind of person who demanded answers whenever he wanted to know something but this time, he decided to keep his lips tightly sealed even though it irked him not to know what had really happened. He somehow knew that Harry had affected him more than he wanted to believe. Right now, he was being very patient and it surprised his peers to see how he'd been doing so far.
So, in order to distract himself from his current dilemma, he focused himself on his schoolwork and improved his performance that Blaise was more than willing to thank Harry personally for motivating his best friend to further his academic standing. Although, it sure was a surprise that after all what they did during the last five years just to force Draco to perform up to his full potential, this was the first time that he did without much prompting and it confused him to no end.
As for Theo and Pansy, they were just only too glad to see that Draco wasn't obsessing too much about it like what he would have done had he not been living with Harry before. They knew that Draco's focus on the orphaned boy was because of the stories that he had heard as a child and the hurt at the refusal that he had received at age eleven. Really, it's obvious to see that the blonde was still hung up over it although it wasn't as intense as it was before.
-o-o-o-
Remus was worried for his godson. From what he had noticed from his scent, Harry was in pain right now. What he didn't know, however, was why. Sure, he understood the feeling of betrayal that Harry must be feeling right now but what caught his attention was the constant darkening of his godson's mood and it's making him anxious. He decided not to inform Sirius about it but he couldn't just let it go like that. He needed to confront the teen and he must do it carefully lest he estrange himself from Harry.
Luckily for him, it was a weekend and he was free to communicate with the teen, only he was surprised to learn that the boy had the same intent as he. When he was about to leave his quarters, he was met with dulled emeralds belonging to sullen Harry. He immediately noticed that the pain and anger, that he assumed the boy was feeling, was already consuming him. Although it's not really visible to the naked eye, a good observer with heightened senses such as he could decipher the miniscule changes on the teen's expression and body language.
He motioned his godson to enter and asked if he wanted to have Sirius there as well. Harry, however, declined saying that it would only upset the animagus if he was to learn about what he was going to say now. And adding the fact that Sirius had a temper of a five-year-old, it would not do to have him cause more trouble. Nodding in understanding, Remus prepared two cups of tea, giving one to Harry while taking the other for himself. He sat down on the couch beside the chair that the younger wizard was currently occupying. With both of them seated, the two settled into a comfortable silence, each welcoming the calm that the other had given.
After finishing their tea, Harry began their conversation by relating to him the events that he had witnessed the day of the feast. However, he left the fact that he had an alternative entrance to the Chamber of Secrets in fear that old prejudices would stand true at the most inopportune moment. He waited until the werewolf got hold of his outraged expression before continuing his tale. He, then, told him that this was the third time that he had been betrayed like this and it both saddened and angered him that it was done by those he considered closest to his heart. He recounted Solivan's hand in his assassination, Ron's desertion and subsequent reclamation of their friendship during their fourth year, and now, Ginny's plot to manipulate him into being her husband. He gave an almost mournful sigh and asked, "Say Remus, what is it that makes the people I trust go behind my back and betray me in such a manner? First, there's Solivan who caused my first death. Then, there's Ron with his biases and petty jealousies. Now, there's Ginny who can't even try to win my heart in the right way. Can't you tell me what I did wrong to make them do this to me, can you?"
Remus, for his part, showed his anguish, fully knowing that the boy in front of him couldn't muster up the ability to cry for his own misfortune. Even, Moony, his wolf side, cried out for the pain that its self-appointed cub was enduring and trying to contain within himself. He knew that words of encouragement weren't the ones that this boy needed, so he replied using the words that he knew came from the bottom of his heart, "I don't know, cub. After all, it was their twisted hearts that made them do what they did. But heed me when I say that if they were truly worthy of your trust, in their heart of hearts, they wouldn't even be able to contemplate the idea of betraying you."
When he saw that the boy was about to contradict him, he continued, "Harry, in this lifetime or the last, human nature has always been twisted. You should be able to understand this due to your situation. However, even in their own twisted manner, humans have the innate ability to care for someone. And the closer they hold a person to their hearts, the harder it is for them to do something to cause harm to that someone. So, in hindsight, it's only safe to say that in your life as Salazar, your brother, being unable to be with you, despite understanding the importance of family, doesn't really hold you in high esteem especially when his birthright went over him in order to be passed onto you, therefore, instilling within him a form of righteous anger that had twisted itself into blind hatred, causing him to plot for your demise. Taking that into account, Ron, who have grown up with the idea of befriending a hero, in addition to trying to come out of the shadows of his brothers' accomplishments, was blind to the 'you' who was merely a person and not an icon. Probably, when you became a champion of the school, he had found himself on the sidelines once again and it hurt his pride as well as reinforced his feelings of inferiority towards you, thus, the cause of his abandonment. As for Ginny, I guess that being told stories of the mighty 'Boy-Who-Lived' must have given her the idea that if her brother managed to get you as his best friend then there's no one else that suited as your lover but her. Therefore, since you never did show any inclination to court her, she must have decided to take things in her own hands."
Deflated, Harry gave an understanding nod and accepted Remus' explanation with some doubt. Nevertheless, after hearing and accepting it as such, the teen's heart lightened and he gave a soft smile indicating that he wouldn't allow the experience to lead. In addition, it solidified his belief that something had to be done in order to straighten this current society and he'd be one of those who'd start it. Even if it means using all the power and influence that he now had in the palm of his hands. He also decided that if he wished to achieve his goal, he must first determine whether his other friends were not as fickle as the other two, especially Neville and Hermione who holds five powerful families even though two of them only exist in name and not in blood.
Seeing the relieved look on his godson, the werewolf grinned and began to chat amiably with the boy, recounting situations that had occurred during their classes with the lower years. They were chuckling heartily when Sirius entered the room asking, "Aw man, you guys aren't making fun of me, are you?"
The two guffawed at this seeing that the animagus was wearing a bright red and gold jumper flashing his face with the words 'A Seriously Serious Sirius'. They turned to him and asked almost at the same time, "What in the blazing hells is that monstrosity?!"
Indignant, Sirius replied, "Monstrosity? Monstrosity! What monstrosity?"
In between laughter, Harry pointed at his jumper and said, "That is."
The ex-convict huffed and said, "I'll have you know that this is my best masterpiece ever! It took me two weeks to spell this you know."
Remus' eyes lit up at that, "So that's what you've been doing after class. I've always wondered what you've eaten to last being cooped up in your quarters."
Still laughing, the teen continued after his werewolf godfather, "Really Sirius, aren't you embarrass to wear such a horrendous outfit?"
"Why you brat! This is an art that only I, 'The Great Sirius Black' could ever hope to accomplish." The childish man puffed his chest proudly and flaunted his jumper rather smugly. While the two muttered some like 'who would want to accomplish something like that anyway?' which made Sirius pounce on them in his dog form, slobbering drool over their robes. At this, the two 'victims' laughed light-heartedly while trying to push the dog away from them.
Their mock-wrestling done, Sirius returned to human form while the other two scourgified the clothes and other places that got caught by the dog animagus' sudden attack. After a few moments, the three continued to share stories, the two pointedly ignoring the flashing jumper that the newly-arrived wizard was wearing for the sake of their burning eyes.
During the middle of their conversation, Harry shot up like he had an epiphany. Bewildered, the two adults asked about it only to receive a smirk in reply. Turning his gaze on Sirius, who gulped, Harry asked, "Say Sirius, aren't you forgetting something, something that you have promised to do during our stay at Grimmauld Place?"
"Huh?" Came the ignorant reply.
"You know, an apology to a certain potions master about a certain treatment that he had received from a certain prankster group who called themselves the 'Marauders'."
Remus, recalling that conversation, turned expectantly to his friend as well.
He was tempted to say 'no' but seeing that he was being cornered by his family, he gave a look of mock despair and sighed in defeat, "Okay, okay. I remember it, sort of, anyways."
"Good. Then you could do it now, here at Hogwarts." The teen said with an appraising glint in his eyes, challenging Sirius to disagree.
Gulping, Sirius asked weakly, "Here?"
"Yup! After all, there's no better place than Hogwarts, is there?" Harry added smugly.
His earlier smugness deflating, Sirius pouted, causing Remus to laugh out loud due to his predicament, and said, "Hmph! Alright, alright. I'll do it." And he mentally added, But I'll do it my way. After all, I have to makes sure that I'd get a few laughs over it.
Not sensing his thoughts, his two companions nodded for different reasons. Harry nodded because he believed that having his godfather apologize would bridge the gap between the two men. Remus did so because he thought that the apology had been overdue ever since that incident.
Harry said his goodbyes and left his godfathers to their own devices, which means leaving a plotting Sirius and a satisfied Remus.
-x-x-x-
Another week had passed and Severus Snape suddenly had a sense of foreboding that was usually triggered by his "Marauder Radar", which meant that a certain prankster was probably planning to do something to him. This so-called radar of his was developed in order to avoid being accosted by James Potter and his crew during his Hogwarts years and had constantly improved due to being overly exposed to a certain mutt who owned their previous headquarters.
Not doubting his senses, he decided to take the necessary precautions in order to avoid any disasters that might befall him and cost him his dignity. He checked himself for any spells that might have leeched themselves into his person and after finding none, he began to cast several protection spells that would most spells from affecting him. Then, he prepared a batch of potions that could probably negate anything that the mutt would throw at him. Sighing grimly, he began to ascend the familiar steps from his dungeons towards the Great Hall where he was required to at least appear during one of the meals.
As he was walking towards his destination, his thoughts carried him to the idea of wanting to find a suitable apprentice to train and be his possible replacement as Potions Professor. He knew that apart from his own house, none of the students gave him the proper respect as an educator. He didn't care about it though. Briefly, he wondered if he would have been a more patient teacher if he had been able to find students with the aptitude and patience to become passable potions brewer during his tenure. As he was thinking about it, his mind showed him the image of a blonde aristocratic heir who approached him six years ago demanding that he take him as his apprentice. Smiling, he thought that if his godson still wished to become his apprentice, he would gladly take him even though he was still as impatient as ever, only if he would ask him again. As his thoughts pondered about Draco, he then connected the boy to another teen that bore the eyes of his best friend. He could not shake the feeling that something major would soon happen and that boy would trigger it dragging his godson along with him.
Shaking his head in an attempt to shake the images off his head, he finally noticed that he was already in front of the side door that connected the Great Hall to the teachers' corridor. Feeling apprehensive, he cautiously opened the door, hoping to find his senses false for the first time. Truthfully, he didn't want to have any kind of encounter with the mutt and had avoided being with him for over a month now. Bracing himself, he walked towards the designated table, robes billowing behind him.
As he was about to take his usual seat on the edge of the table, an explosion of noise suddenly came from the opened front doors of the Great Hall, bringing with it someone who was probably spelled to looks exactly like himself, although instead of wearing his usual scowl, his copy was sporting a huge triumphant grin that belied identity of his impersonator.
He watched darkly as his double gave a mock bow of respect towards the teachers present before reverting into his original form. As he dispelled himself from his glamour, Sirius Black emerged holding a bouquet of multi-coloured roses. Assuredly, the animagus walked the remaining paces towards the scowling potions master. Bowing once again, this time courteously, Sirius schooled his face into a stoic expression and offered him the flowers. Seeing that he was reluctant to take anything he gave him, Sirius muttered a short incantation and the roses glowed giving an eerie sound that must have translated into, "I, Sirius Orion Black, formally sends my apologies to one Severus Tobias Snape for all past transgressions that have been committed to him by myself and by that of my peers. In hopes of earning his forgiveness, I offer him these roses as a symbol of my sincerity and promise of refraining from tormenting him in any form whatsoever. And if ever I fail to do so, these roses would become proof as every purposeful acts of torment from myself towards his person would cause each of its petal to wilt as a sign that I have dishonoured my vow. So mote it be."
As the speech ended, Sirius added to him personally, "This is not a trick on my part, Snape. I made a promise to do this since someone enlightened me to see the error of my treatment with you." Silently, he was berating himself from destroying his own idea of merely giving the flowers to Severus and waiting for him to mock his gift so that he could retaliate like he usually did whenever the other man told him something caustic.
Stunned and a bit apprehensive, Severus accepted the offered gift and replied formally, "I, Severus Tobias Snape, accept this offered apology upon the belief that no transgressions would be committed upon his person and the promise of one Sirius Orion Black to refrain from accosting myself in any form whatsoever. So mote it be."
Suddenly, the silence that encompassed the Hall during their exchange erupted into an applause that reminded the Severus that he had been made into some kind of spectacle once again. Not bothering to finish his lunch, he glided towards his quarters in order to maintain whatever dignity he had left, all the while cursing his carelessness for being caught off guard in such a situation.
As soon as he had entered the privacy of his rooms, he settled the gift into a magically conjured vase and was surprised to have the mutt's words prove true since as soon as he placed the flowers inside the vase, a protective shield encircled it in order to prevent any form of harm to come upon it. Giving a sigh of resignation, he sat on one of his couches, holding a cup of brandy, and contemplated the possible effects of the interchange that he had partaken into with calculating sureness.
-o-o-o-
Sirius watched as Severus walked away from him carrying his offering and smiled a bit wryly. He never thought that by merely making his apology public would cause such a response from the people present, which were merely a quarter of the actual population.
He swivelled his head to search for his godson only to find him staring at him with a prominent frown on his teenage features. Unsure of what he had done wrong, he gave the teen a look that seemed to ask, 'What? It's not like this happened according to plan.'
Thankful for his aptitude in mind magic, Harry merely read the thoughts from his godfather and raised an inquiring eyebrow at his childish guardian.
Feeling a trace of legilimency coming from his godson, he realized that the teen was probably making him aware that he'd just read his thoughts about the whole incident from his mind. Deciding that it was best for his relative safety to explain mentally from that distance, he thought once again, 'I was actually counting on him to disregard my offering so that I'd have one last reason to taunt him, y'know. ' He mentally pouted and imagined a picture of himself publicly taunting Severus while the other man was facing him with nose upturned and mocking him for his choice of offering.
Upon reading those thoughts and seeing the image conjured by his godfather, Harry resisted the urge to quirk his mouth in amusement. Seriously, he should have expected this from his godfather and yet he did not. Shaking his head a bit ruefully at his miscalculation, he thought that he should have added that Sirius apologize in private. Well, there's no use crying over spilt milk. He just hoped that the potions master wouldn't take it as a personal offence.
He gave an understanding nod towards the animagus and proceeded to eat his lunch. Relieved, Sirius grinned and settled himself beside Remus, who merely watched the whole interaction between his pack members amidst the sea of oblivious witnesses. The werewolf merely sighed at the outcome of the event and deeply wished that Severus wouldn't be too incensed about the matter. He was also thankful that there were only a few witnesses of the actual event, although rumours would probably circulate about it, including himself, Minerva and Filius as the only professors present. He didn't know what Albus' reaction would be and didn't want to be in the vicinity while the aged headmaster did something strange in order to show his joy at having two of his previous students reconciling on Hogwarts' grounds.
After that incident, the students present seemed to have forgotten about it as their voices and claps died down as they proceeded to eat their lunch. As for the Slytherins present, they were silently mulling over the events that took place and the effects that this would cause to their Head of House and their general environment. The wheels of their head were turning non-stop as they ate their food in a seemingly perpetual silence.
-x-x-x-
On the other side of the castle, the headmaster received the news of the event that took place in the Great Hall via the spying portraits that reported every happening to him. Albus Dumbledore knowing that none could witness it whooped in joy despite his age. He knew that it was a reluctant reconciliation on Severus' part but, nonetheless, he was overjoyed by the end of the dispute between the two men, whom he considered as one of his precious people.
As he mentally cheered, the headmaster sat on his chair and happily sucked on his lemon drops and merrily continued on tackling his worst enemy, paperwork.
-x-x-x-o-o-o-x-x-x-
Well, that's the end of this chapter...
Just like what I had said to one of my reviewers, I am utilizing the pros and cons of human nature to my advantage...
You would notice that this story is focused more on the political aspect of our society as well as the showcasing of all the nuances of human beings like their disregard for something that they have grown accustomed with to the point that they fail to notice changes in the degree with which they feel these things.
As for the next chapter, the story would move on with Harry ensuring the truthfulness of his other friends and his complete detachment from Ron and Ginny. I'm also going to show some of his excursions outside of Hogwarts as Gerald and hope that it would enlighten most of you to what I want to achieve in this story.
And as soon as I cemented Harry's identity as a character of this story, I'd probably move on into building up the other major characters. The build up would probably follow this order: Draco, Hermione, Blaise, Neville, Pansy, Luna, Theo, Remus, Severus, Sirius, and Lucius. I still don't know whether I'd make Dean and Parvati into a major influence on Harry's campaign so I'd like your opinion about it.
Thank you for reading this story and please review and give me some feedback, Kyuubi04...