Demon Contract
9foxgrl
Year Two
'Rynder!'
"Huh? What just happened? I was taking a nap."
'The Old Geezer needs to see me. Wanna bet he wants hi puppet to behave again?'
"Tell your Head of House to go with you. I don't trust the bastard."
I will go sir, could you stay as my proxy during the meeting? I have a nasty feeling that he might try to blame me or something or try to seize control of his 'broken puppet'."
The Potion Master nodded. "He's waiting, lets go."
"Take notes for me okay Dray?"
Draco nodded.
"Did Professor Dumbledore say why he wanted to see me?" Harry asked as they left the Great Hall.
"No, nothing." Snape replied as they walked to the Headmaster's office.
Harry paused. "Can he peek into people's mind's sir?"
Snape looked at him stunned. "He can, how did you-"
"I sensed someone attempting to slip into my mind when I first started school…I wondered who it was."
"Just don't look him in the eye." he warned.
Harry stared at Severus with absolute amusement in his eyes. Rynder had taught him a trick to Occlumency. Image an obstacle that many would see as difficult to pass through to surround your mind.
"Don't worry, he will get a very nasty surprise if he does try anything of that sort."
Snape looked at the boy with a brief look of shock before they arrived at the Gargoyle.
"Tootie Fruits." Snape said dryly.
"Are you fucking kidding? Tootie fruits? What kind of password is that?"
"Are you kidding?" Harry asked dryly. "I'm sorry such a noble beast has to listen to that choice of a password."
The gargoyle seemed to sighed in response as they ascended the stairs.
"Ah, Severus, Harry my boy come in. Lemon drop?"
"No thank you." Harry said out flatly.
"You don't have to stay Severus."
"I would prefer he did sir." Harry replied tilting so one of his eyes was uncovered by his long bangs. Almost instantly he felt a jolt as Dumbledore entered him mind.
'Idiot took the bait.'
"My turn!" Rynder cheered.
Harry's was a pitch black graveyard with dense fog and creepy birds flying around making threats. Of course Harry knew this freaked people out. The only way to get at his memories was to open up the coffins, and half of which were filled with zombies or fiendfyre and other disturbing things. At the center was a mausoleum where Rynder's essence was stored.
Harry bit his lip to keep from laughing at the man's expression as he opened one to revealing a hideous laughing clown with sharp bloody teeth and a chainsaw. An apparition of Rynder dressed like a Grim Reaper with a scythe appeared behind him. His eye were glowing in the dark scenery.
"Get out or die a painful death mortal."
Dumbledore quickly fled as the apparition swung down his scythe. Rynder took the opportunity to see out of the eye still hidden by Harry's bangs. He smirked inwardly as the man tried to regain his composure. He did catch a glimpse at Snape's expression as well who looked both shocked at his defenses and fighting the urge to laugh. The man had peeked into his mind and was surprised, at least he didn't open the coffins like Dumbledore had.
"I kindly ask that you not enter my mind again sir." Harry said rather lightly with his eyes closed and a smile. "It can be rather…*Harry opens his eyes* dangerous."
Severus felt a chill go down his spine as he remembered the last person who used such a technique before. It still gave him the creeps. 'Dear Merlin…he is a near duplicate of Lily…'
"My apologies, I was just checking to see if you had any idea who the Heir of Slytherin was." Dumbledore said in his grandfatherly tone.
"I have not heard of you doing this to other students. What makes me so different? Is it because I'm a parselmouth?" Harry asked.
"Preach it Harry!"
"Oh no not at all. Tell me Harry, do you truly want to leave Hogwarts in two years time?"
Harry's face became blank. "I was against the idea at first but seeing as how I will be reunited with true family I can stomach it. I still have my friends here."
"Tell him brother!"
'SHUT UP!'
"I'm sure that we could arrange it with the Dark family-"
"It's D'Ark! Not Dark! And I have already accepted the terms so that I may take on the mantle of the family. I have signed a contract with my grandmother to begin my training as her Heir! You cannot nullify it seeing as how they have already set my spot in Verona."
Dumbledore was silently seething. "Well I'm sure your friends will be pleased I here Miss Weasely was hoping for you to stay."
Harry abruptly stood up. "If you only called me up here to meddle in my life then this meeting is over! You have not only wasted my time, but Professor Snape's as well! I advise you not to do it again!"
"Are you threatening me Mr. Potter?"
Harry glared, his one visible eye seemed to glow. He pulsed a low frequency of magic. "No, just warning."
There was a awkward pause as he left before the portrait of a former headmaster spoke up.
"I like that kid. He's got spunk."
"You hate spunk!"
"But for him I'll make the exception."
o~0*0~o
A few months passed and Christmas rolled around. This year Harry was to spend it at the D'Ark villa in Milan in order to get to know his new family and see where he stood on the family's hierocracy. He had two cousins and who wanted to challenge him for the Heir spot. Harry agreed to duel them. A neutral friend of the family would greet Harry at the train station and take him directly to the villa.
The woman had short brunette hair with a few ruby red streaks in it tied in a loose pony tail stood amongst the crowd at Kings Cross. She wore a simple modern Lolita gothic dress with an emerald brooch at her throat. On her waist was a wand holster with the symbol of a Healer on it. At first she had frazzled orange eyes then calm blue ones.
She walked up to Harry an politely bowed.
"Greetings young sir. My name is Calypso Casanova, I was sent by Lady D'Ark to escort you to the family villa."
"A pleasure madam." Harry replied. "Are you by chance an Emapthy? Your eyes seem to change colors with you emotions."
Calypso grinned.
"Harry, do you want to come over for tea before heading off to Italy?" Draco asked as he waiting for his mother.
Harry turned to Calypso. "May I?"
"It's acceptable, we will be using the International Floo System anyway, as long as we arrive in time for dinner at the D'Ark Villa. I hope I will not a bother to you or your family."
"You are welcome to join us." Narcissa said as she approached from talking to Mrs. Greengrass.
Calypso turned to face her and paled. Her eyes shifted many colors in a rapid sequence.
"Is something wrong?"
"We need to talk in private at your home Mrs. Malfoy, it would be best if your husband was there. Harry do you know a trust worthy Potion Master?"
"Our head of house Professor Snape."
"Get him."
A few minutes later Calypso was seething, she paced the lounge of Malfoy Manor with her magic crackling angrily around her. The Malfoys were sitting on the sofa looking startled. Harry had flooed to the Ministry to fetch Lucius while Draco got his Godfather. Harry was sitting nearby looking wary of the anger Empathy. Rynder once told him that an angry Empathy was never a good thing.
"Of all the audacity! To place such a curse on a woman! By the law if they are ever caught they should have their magic stripped from them and thrown to into Mt. Vesuvius!"
"Can she really do that?" Lucius asked Harry.
"It's the legal death penalty in Magical Italy. Why bother with the ark of Death or a Dementor when you can shove them into a volcano alive." Harry explained to Lucius.
The Floo flared as Draco came out with Severus.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"WHAT'S WRONG? WHAT'S WRONG? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S WRONG! THOSE FUCKING BASTARDS AND DISGRACE OF HEALERS NEGLECTED TO NOTICE THAT SOMEONE HAD PLACED A CURSE ON THIS WOMAN DAMAGING HER WOMB WHILE SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH HER SON HERE! IT'S A MIRACLE HE WAS NOT STILL BORN!" Calypso ranted. "THE DAMAGE THAT REMAINS IS ENDANGERING THE LIFE OF HER UNBORN FETUS!" Calypso raged making her magic flared like flames around her.
Narcissa and Lucius looked shocked. Draco and Severus were walled while Harry looked mildly amused.
'This is better then the soap operas.'
"I agree."
'Rynder when did you get here?'
"I've been here this entire time."
"What-? What do mean?" Narcissa asked in a shaky voice. "I. I can't be pregnant…"
"Deep breathes Calypso." Harry commented.
Calypso used her Occlumency to shut off her Empathy abilities then turned to Narcissa and her husband.
"Lady, as an Empathy and a Healer I can sense injuries that are placed on people, especially if has gone unnoticed for long periods of time. When I sensed the fragile life inside you just barely hanging on I had to act before it was lost. My sight showed that sometime during your first pregnancy you were hit with a curse that not only made the birth difficult, but rendered you nearly barren. It's a miracle you are alive, let alone pregnant at all now."
Narcissa placed a hand on her stomach. She and Lucius had wanted another child after Draco but she had not been able conceive due to complications from the his birth.
"Cissy…is pregnant?" Lucius repeated. Draco's eyes widen.
"Can you determine what the curse was?" Severus asked.
Calypso frowned. "It was a organ destroying curse, improperly done by what I suspect was either an Imperioed trainee Healer or someone who has not idea of the human anatomy. If had been done right your womb would have been destroyed and you son died along with you from a breeched birth after it was cast."
Draco paled considerable. Harry patted his shoulder.
"What can we do?" Lucius asked. "Will our child live?"
Calypso resumed her pacing. "It won't be an easy pregnancy. We need to undue as much of the damage as we can before you have a miscarriage." She turned to Severus. "This is where you come in. I need assistance in brewing a potion that will help support the child's life until it is born. There is another that will have to be administered to both the mother and child immediately after birth as well to prevent any lasting damage to the internal organs. I have the potion recipe and the supplies, but not the skill to make them."
Severus nodded. "I will do what I can."
"I thank you." Calypso sighed and whistled. There was a flash of light as a white bird flew in holding a rolled up parchment which she handed to Severus.
"A nightingale? So suiting for you Calypso." Harry said with a smile.
Calypso glared at him. Harry put up his hands in immediate surrender. Severus and Draco raised a brow.
"You don't argue with an Empathy. When they get mad…even the most vile demons of Hell quakes in fear." Harry explained.
"Can you tell how far along I am?" Narcissa asked.
Calypso waved her wand at Narcissa. "Three and a half months. That little one is a fighter. You haven't shown any signs yet because your magic is subconsciously protecting the child. With luck, a proper Healer, and this potion it should prevent her from being stillborn."
Narcissa lit up at Calypso's claim. "H-her? As in…a little girl?"
Calypso nodded. Narcissa squealed as she hugged her shocked husband. She was finally going to have a daughter!
"I thought the child's gender could not be determined for another month?" Severus asked.
Calypso grinned. "Added benefit of being an Empathy and a Healer."
Narcissa jumped up. "Tilly!"
Pop
"Lady Malfoy called Tilly?"
"Clear one of the empty rooms! We have a nursery to design!" she cheered. "Bring me one of my design books! So many ideas to choose from, names to select, godparents, outfits make!"
Little known fact. Narcissa had wanted to be a fashion designer when she was younger. Now she was an event planner.
"Yes Lady Malfoy!"
"If she's like this now, imagine how she'll be when you marry Draco." Harry mused.
Draco paled. "I think I should invest in that Muggle thing?"
"…a fallout shelter…"
"Yup. Both Mother and the Bride…scary."
"You have no idea." Severus and Lucius retorted as they shuddered from the memories of how Narcissa planned her wedding.
Harry sensed the atmosphere lightening up and decided to chance the topic.
"Five galleons says that Calypso and Professor Snape get married in two years and start a family two months after the wedding." he said calmly while looking the man dead in the face.
Needless to say, the results were hilarious. Calypso flashed between anger and embarrassment while Severus blush…BLUSHED! Draco busted out laughing and Harry took out his trusty camera in order to preserve the image forever swearing to send it to Hermione and Neville. Especially when Lucius took on the bet much to Severus' annoyance and Narcissa demanding to be godmother to their first child.
9foxgrl Rant: So the Diary is gone and Draco is going to be a big brother! Who would have thought? REVIEW PEOPLE! PLEASE?
