A Second Chance
Summary: Harry Potter never went to his relatives. Why not? Because there was someone who took him away first. Someone who knew the future before it happened and decided to change it.
Pairing/s: None.
Warnings: Dumbledore bashing, Gryffindor bashing, siding with Voldemort-fic, fake Prophecy, Smart!Harry and Dark! but not Evil!Harry. Oh, and there will be three Weasleys siding with Harry; the twins and Bill. Possible Charlie as well; I haven't decided yet.
Disclaimers: I will never, ever in my whole life be able to own Harry Potter /cries/ He belongs to JK Rowling and no one else.
-
Thankie for all reviews and yet again sorry for the late update! I recently graduated so I've been busy with preparations and parties held for me (not that I care about those; I hate parties but everyone is so fucking ignorant and doesn't care what I think). Not that it's a good excuse but that's the only one I got! Oh except for major writing block…
Maybe you want to know who is in Greece; I never said that before did I?
Anyway, here is the list:
Diablos
Lucius
Salerna
Bill
Sirius
Remus
Fred
George
Harry
Draco
Hermione
Ginny
Padma
Neville
Oh, and Coran as well! Nearly missed the little guy!
Another thing; MorinBlack on deviantArt has been kind enough to submit some sketches of what she thinks Diablos, Arsenic and Odium looks like and I approved of them. She wanted to make better versions though, but says she still has some troubles making the people "come alive" from the paper (hence the reason why she submit so seldom, claiming she sucks). If you want to have a feel how they look like, go and check it out. She also has some sketches from one or two others stories I've written.
It's: morinblack dot deviantart dot com
-
Chapter Twenty-Five
Harry woke up to Diablos gently shaking his shoulder. He looked up at his uncle sleepily and yawned.
"Come on, Lucius, Narcissa and Draco has already arrived," Diablos said. "Get dressed and come to the dining room."
"'Kay," Harry mumbled and got up.
Diablos rose up from the bed and exited as Harry walked to the bathroom.
-
"Are we all set?" Lucius asked, looking around.
They all nodded, holding onto the Portkey that would take them to Greece. As Italy and Greece were on friendly terms Portkey-travels were allowed between the two countries.
They had split into two groups as they were too big for one Portkey. Lucius was in command of one of them, Diablos of the other. They both counted down and made sure everyone touched it.
A moment later, they vanished.
-
"That was uncomfortable," Hermione grumbled as she and Padma steadied each other on their way up from the ground.
"You get used of it after a few times," Remus soothed her and dusted away grass from her robe. "No one got hurt?"
"I'm good," Harry said. "Dia, did you even move from your position?"
"… Not really, why?" the man asked as he dropped the Portkey to the ground. It would be picked up a bit later by some people from the Greece Ministry.
"How come you're so good with the Portkey?" Sirius demanded to know.
"You just suck at it," Diablos oh so nicely replied and looked at him. "You still fall down, Sirius?"
"I don't like Portkeys!" the man protested.
"You call that an excuse?" The raven-haired raised an unimpressed eyebrow.
"No, it's a reason!"
-
"This is awesome! Dia, look, we got our own pool!"
Diablos smiled at Harry's excited yelling and said:
"Yes I see but come on now. You all decided on sight-seeing first."
Harry grinned even wider and dragged Diablos with him as he went inside again.
"Dia, what should I wear? I don't really know what stuff to wear when it's hot…"
"Well, you didn't dress that differently in Italy."
"But it's hotter here!"
"Alright, alright… this one perhaps?"
Diablos held up a white T-shirt and Harry agreed on that. He also took a pair of beige pants and sandals.
"What about you, Dia?"
"I'm on my way; it was you who wanted help."
Diablos went to his own room, opened his trunk and pulled out the first outfit. Within minutes, he had changed from robes to white chopped off trousers, an emerald-coloured T-shirt, a white shirt over that and sandals. He came out again and saw not all had changed yet. The girls ran into their room, chatting excitedly about what they were going to wear. Neville, Draco and Harry were done while Bill fought to get the twins to change. They insisted to walk in their normal clothing, shirt and jeans but Bill was not going to carry them home due too much sun. He himself wore shorts, T-shirt and sandals, looking quite different from his normal self.
Lucius, Salerna, Sirius and Remus appeared already to be outside; their voices came drifting inside once in a while.
"Dia!" Harry cried happily and threw his arms around the man's waist.
"Alright, who snuck you a hyper-potion?" the man demanded to know, mock-stern.
"Dia!" the young teen whined. "Not hyper!"
"Then what are you? Calm?"
"Exactly!"
"Harry that must be the worst lie I have heard this year so far. Care to try again?"
"Dia!"
Coran stuck his head out from Harry's shirt and screamed desperately:
"He's hyper, Diablos! Make him quieeeet!"
"Coran!" Harry shouted while Diablos had to turn away to hide his laughter. His shaking shoulders gave him away though.
-
Harry happily ran around with all the other children amongst the ruins of an old temple, white marble shining under the hot sun.
Diablos, Lucius, Salerna, Sirius, Remus and Bill had installed themselves in the shadow of the temple, the temperature more comfortable. The raven-haired man had put his hair up in a pony-tail and Salerna had earlier commented he looked like a seventeen-year old to which Diablos responded with hexing the man. Salerna had run around chased by angry snakes for a good fifteen minutes before Diablos let him off the hook.
But now Diablos sat and read a book, once in a while looking up to see what the children were doing. The rest of the adults had gotten down on the ground, adding cooling spells on the hot stone and were conversing easily between each other.
Harry came running and leaped onto his uncle. Diablos fell to the ground with a bang, groaning when Harry's full weight settled on his chest. He was not that big but the young teen seemed to believe it.
"Harry, if you please… can you move? I'm afraid I can't get much air right now," Diablos wheezed out.
The raven-haired hyper being got off him and proceeded to drag him up.
"You've read the history about this place, right? I saw you with the book that explained the history! Come on, tell us!"
The red-eyed man had no real chance to protest before Harry dragged him off to the group of children. The men shook their heads; Diablos was not having a rest with a hyper Harry around.
-
Diablos finished folding the last blanket when the door to Harry's, Draco's and Neville's room opened and the raven-haired teen peeked outside.
"Hi," he whispered and got out.
"What's wrong, Harry? You can't sleep?" Diablos asked, circling an arm around his nephew.
"I wanted to see the stars for a bit," Harry said. "Can you follow with me?"
The man smiled a bit and grabbed a blanket before they went outside on the terrace. They had rented a house near the ocean, really on the beach, and the terrace had the perfect view of the white sand beach, the ocean and then the sky. Harry sat down and looked upside. It was not really cold in the air, but it had cooled off a lot so Diablos wrapped the blanket around Harry's shoulders. He himself had changed into night clothes, a T-shirt and pants but had a robe over those.
"It's pretty," the teen said and leaned onto Diablos.
"And you are falling asleep right where you are sitting," Diablos chuckled.
"I wanna stay," Harry said. "You can wake me up if I fall asleep…"
The raven-haired man shook his head a bit at the teen, amused and proceeded to look over the ocean.
When he looked down a few minutes later Harry was snoozing peacefully in his lap, and Diablos raised a silent eyebrow to that. He wondered whether go get the teen inside or stay out for a few more minutes.
He opted to stay out.
-
Salerna came walking out of the room the next morning and saw Bill spread out a blanket over something on the terrace.
"Bill, what are you doing?" the white-haired man asked.
"I just don't have the heart to wake them up," the redhead replied and Salerna, confused, walked up to see who it was. He had to smile at the sight.
Diablos had Harry wrapped up in his arms, one of his hands buried in his nephew's hair. Harry lay with his head in the crook of Diablos' neck snuggled up in a blanket. Bill had just laid a second blanket over them, this time covering Diablos as well.
"Did they sleep here all night?" Salerna asked.
"I'm not quite sure. Looks that way though."
Diablos moved his head a bit after they had spoken for a little while and slowly opened his eyes. Salerna crouched down and said:
"Morning sunshine. Slept good?"
"… Fucking hard floor."
"Oh, I can't imagine why. Come on, let's get you both up."
Salerna carefully lifted Harry up, the teen waking up briefly. He stared up at Salerna sleepily and then curled his fingers around the blanket around his shoulders.
"Only seven in the morning, go back to sleep," Salerna said to the teen.
"What about Dia?" Harry mumbled even as he snuggled into the warmth.
"He's going to sleep as well," Bill replied as he steadied the elder man. Diablos cracked his neck uncomfortably before walking back inside, one hand on Bill's arm to steady himself.
Once Diablos reached his bed he fell down on it, and ignored Bill's chuckles in favour to curl into the warm sheets.
"Who added the warming-spell?" he mumbled out to the redhead.
"I did. Figured you would be a bit cold."
"Thank you for that."
"You're most welcome. Now catch some sleep; the children won't be up for another few hours."
Diablos happily did so.
-
A soft rustle woke him up a half-hour later and he opened his eyes to see Harry crawl under the sheets.
"What's wrong?" he asked even as he let the teen cling to him.
"Bad dream, I'm fine," Harry said and relaxed into the embrace. "Just need you for a bit."
"I hope you don't mind I sleep."
"Not at all."
Although worried, Diablos felt he was too tired to be able to stay awake. And Harry seemed fine as long as he could have his uncle close by. With that reassurance (and mantra in his head) Diablos went back to sleep.
-
"Ah, this is life…"
Diablos glanced over at Salerna who took a sip of his wine before closing his eyes due to the strong sun. Ginny giggled at him; she knew he was a bit of a lazy person whenever he could be.
"Lazy," Diablos said and returned to his book.
"I am most certainly not!" the white-haired man exclaimed.
"Your tone indicates something else. Getting so upset when it's not true says a lot," the red-eyed man said and looked over at him with a small mischievous smile.
"Dia wins!" Harry laughed.
"Diablos!" Salerna said, as if offended. "Do you wish for a duel right now to see who the best is?"
"No thank you. You are such a sore loser."
"Diablos!"
The children laughed at their bickering while Lucius, Bill, Sirius and Remus only shook their heads.
-
"We should really get inside."
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Because it's one in the morning and this floor is uncomfortable," Diablos said. "Plus you are heavy."
"I'm not," the young teen protested.
"You are to me. I'm not that big you know."
"Alright, alright," Harry said and slid off so he could lie snuggled into Diablos' side, this time they were lying on a thick comforter on the terrace with a thick blanket over them. "I like it here."
"You didn't find it uncomfortable?"
"Not really."
Diablos turned so he could Accio some pillows and some more blankets. Harry gave a startled yelp as they all fell down on the two, and Diablos chuckled. The two arranged the pillows and blankets until they lay comfortably, and then Harry looked up at the stars.
"How many stars are there?" he asked suddenly.
"Don't you have Astronomy?"
"Yeah, but we don't learn really much about the stars. It's mostly about the planets."
"Alright… but I don't know how many stars there are. Astronomy was not a strong subject for me."
"I thought you had Outstanding on everything," Harry said with a grin.
"Merlin no, not everything."
"Well? What did you learn in Astronomy?"
"Well, the movements of the planets," Diablos said, thinking back. It had been a while. "That was the centre of it all. Don't you do it as well?"
"Yeah, and it's boring."
"I know that but do your best. How do you feel about your choices to the third year?"
"I think Divination is just a try, I'll drop out of it if I don't like it."
"Sounds like a good idea. What about the others?"
"I'm excited about Ancient Runes. They are really useful in wards and the like, right?"
"Yes, so if you are in need, you can ask Bill."
"Aren't you good in Ancient Runes?" Harry asked, peering up at his uncle.
"Nowhere as good as Bill. He's a warder for Gringotts Harry. That means he knows his stuff."
"Oh, okay. That's good."
"What else did you pick? You didn't really tell me much."
"I chose Muggle Studies as well."
"Why that?"
"Interesting to hear about the Muggles from a wizard perspective? Plus I might learn something you don't know."
"Excuse me, but I know more than the average wizard about Muggles," the man said.
"I know that. I just want to learn more. Hermione would love it, so she could talk more Muggle-stuff with us."
"I never thought of like that, but it sounds like a good plan. How nice of you to think about Hermione."
"Of course! She is one of my best friends, Dia!"
"Alright, don't wake them up now… was there any other subject?"
"Nope. No other looked interesting enough. Besides, learning Dark magic and such won't be very successful at Hogwarts, right?"
"Point," Diablos agreed.
"What subjects did you have?" Harry asked curiously. He had never laid much thought about his uncle's education at Hogwarts.
"Ancient Runes, Divination, Arithmancy and Swordsmanship."
"Swordsmanship??"
"I believe they took that one away some years ago," Diablos said. "It was a bit dangerous."
"So you know how to fight with a sword?" Harry asked.
"Please, no. I'm horrible at it, haven't practiced in years."
"Maybe you should start again. I would love to see it! Hang on a minute; you conjured a sword during your fight with Voldemort!"
"If you so wish to see me stumble on my own feet and fall flat on my face," Diablos said with a smile. "And the fight with Voldemort, I would hardly call it showing off my skills with a blade."
"Oh shut up!" the young teen said to his uncle before curling up under the blanket. "I'm sleepy now…"
"So we're sleeping here again?"
"Hey, at least it's more comfortable this time."
"… True."
-
Salerna looked at the two sleeping Potters, a cup of tea in his hand and a robe thrown over his night-clothes. At least they had bundled themselves up this time, and Diablos seemed content enough. He was skinny so his bones almost always dug into the hard parts extra much, but now he was resting peacefully upon the comforters, blankets and pillows. Harry was lying half on his uncle, his head resting on Diablos' shoulder and the man's hand in his nephew's hair.
"They've slept here again?" Remus asked from behind Salerna.
"Yeah. I don't know if it's Harry's or Diablos' idea."
"I would reckon Harry. Diablos doesn't seem like the type."
"True," Salerna said. "Want some tea?"
"That would be wonderful. Is the ocean water cold?"
"I have no idea, why?"
"Sirius kept me up last night with his normal hyper chatting, so…" Remus trailed off. Salerna chuckled and said:
"I now can see where Harry got the gene of pranking from. Diablos say you two are just like James."
"Well, I'm not as bad as Sirius and James were in their prime," Remus said. "Sirius is still the big kid who likes to mess around while I actually grew past that stage."
"Thank Merlin for that," the white-haired man muttered. "One is enough to deal with…"
Remus laughed behind his hand as he follow Salerna back inside.
-
Diablos was woken up by the strong sun and he groaned. Harry moved a bit and then dragged the blankets over his head, clearly not wanting to go up. Diablos sat up carefully and stretched his arms up. A crack came from his spine and he managed to get up. He was too old to sleep on a floor.
"Awake now?"
He turned around to see Salerna hold out a cup for him. He accepted it and said:
"What, no wine-drinking for you?"
"It's nine in the morning silly," the white-haired man said. "I haven't gone that far."
"Hn."
Diablos took a sip and rubbed the tiredness from his eyes. With a snap of his fingers his hair was combed and looked decent, and with another snap he was dressed. He only shrugged when Salerna looked at him.
"Draco and Padma are up, but not the other children," Salerna then said after a short silence. "They suggested for us to stay close by the house today; they wanted to test the pool."
"Sure," Diablos said.
Harry stirred again and this time peeked out from his mountains of blankets.
"What time is it?" he asked.
"Nine in the morning," Salerna replied and crouched down. "You and your uncle making a habit of sleeping on the floor?"
"No, it just happened."
"It just happened? What about this mountain of blankets and pillows then?"
"Comfort."
"If you say so," the man said and glanced up at the raven-haired man. Diablos only shrugged again, cradling the cup to his chest.
-
Diablos shot out with his hand, creating a shield just before a wave of water would have hit him. Harry came up from the water and said:
"That wasn't fair, Dia!"
"I am reading, Harry," the man said and looked at his nephew. "I will join you in a few minutes."
"Always a few minutes," the young teen whined but moved towards his friends. Diablos lowered the shield and finished the chapter. He marked the page and put the book away. He looked over the pool and scoffed. Sirius was the biggest kid of them all, trying to dunk Remus underneath the surface. The raven-haired man got up and took off the bathrobe, leaving him in chopped off shorts, good enough for have a dip in the water with.
He slid down into the water on the place he knew he would only be waist-high and noticed the children had not noticed him. Or anyone else for that matter. The only one not bathing was Bill but that was because he had burned himself the day before and wanted it to heal before moving out in the sun again.
Diablos got under the surface and swam over to where the others were. He broke the surface in the middle of where the children were and they all shrieked in fright. He laughed, and it made Harry choke on his breath. First of all Diablos joined them quicker than the raven-haired boy thought, and he seemed to be so happy.
Shock over though, and Harry was over the man.
"Dia, don't do that ever again!" he shouted. Diablos, feeling playful, simply grabbed onto his nephew and dove under. The two wrestled a bit under water before they got up again. Harry spluttered and with a war-cry threw himself on his uncle. The children joined Harry with shouts and grins. A sudden spray of water made them shriek and Salerna joined the fight. Soon all of them were involved in a water fight, and it seemed like it was everyone against everyone.
Diablos and Salerna fought together though, used to do so, and successfully dunked Sirius under water more than once, making Remus laugh helplessly. Lucius managed to avoid getting dunked but was defeated when his son took the Weasley twins, Neville and Padma to help to get him under water.
After some time they had all worn themselves out, now floating on mattresses and relaxing. Sirius and Remus got up, Sirius shaking his head like a dog would do and Remus yelped and moved to get away. Diablos snorted at the Sirius' actions before closing his eyes. Harry pushed his mattress over to Diablos' and grabbed onto his uncle's so they would stick together.
"I like it here," the raven-haired boy said dreamily.
"It's nice," Diablos agreed and looked at Harry with half-lidded eyes. The young teen rather liked the look Diablos had; completely and utterly boneless. For Diablos in this moment, all was well with the world. Harry could not agree more.
-
When lunch came around, Harry went out to retrieve his uncle who had opted to stay in one of the sun beds and reading. But when he arrived he came to a stop a bit away from the bed.
Diablos was asleep, book on his chest and the bathrobe over his legs. His breathing was deep and even, indicating he was deep asleep and Harry crept closer. He sat down next to Diablos' right hip and carefully took the book. He marked the page and closed it, putting on the table next to the bed. He then tugged the bathrobe up a bit and was surprised that the man did not even stir.
"Harry, what's taking so---? Oh." He turned around to look at Lucius who lowered his voice before continuing, "Are you going to let him sleep?"
"Yeah," the young teen said. "We'll just save some for him."
They both went into the house again, and neither noticed the soft glowing of the sword-shaped necklace around the raven-haired man's neck. When Diablos stirred it glowed stronger until the man had settled down. Once he was calm the glowing lessened. A soothing whispering voice could be heard if you listened really closely. Diablos' features relaxed more, and the voice only vanished once the man was completely boneless in the sun bed.
-
Salerna came out an hour later, intent on waking the man up but when he saw the sight he stopped and stared.
The raven-haired man looked so small curled up in the sun bed, one arm dangling over the edge and not a single line in his usually troubled face. Salerna walked closer but Diablos did not even react. To be sure, the white-haired man took his friend's pulse. It was beating steadily underneath his fingers.
Salerna looked at the necklace and saw the glowing. He frowned and moved to touch it. Diablos' hand was around his wrist within an instant and red eyes gazed calmly into violet.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the man said.
"What is it?" Salerna asked.
"… A friend."
"What?"
Diablos sat up and stretched.
"Did I miss lunch?" he asked.
"Diablos…"
"Not now. Did I miss lunch?"
"Harry saved some for you. They are on the beach with Lucius and Sirius."
"Remus and Bill then?"
"Bill fell asleep and Remus is on the terrace. He'll hear them if they want something."
Diablos rose up and walked into the house again. Salerna looked after him and then sighed. The man was very good when it came to avoid answering on questions… a bit too good.
-
A few days later they were on the beach again after having been sight-seeing and shopping but this time they all were there. Diablos was for once not reading a book but had opted to look at seashells, dressed in a white tank top and white pants along with a pair of gladiator-like sandals. His hair had been put up in a ponytail and at the moment he was exploring amongst the sand for seashells, running his hand over the smooth surface. He already had some seashells next to him in a small pile.
Harry looked at his uncle where he was and sighed softly. Diablos looked to be at peace which brought Harry's mind at ease. He resumed his work with the sand-castle he and the Weasley twins were building. He knew Fred and George would destroy it with some spectacular trick but did not complain much. It was a wizard-beach after all, so there was no need to hide.
Lucius walked over to where Diablos was, dressed in beige shorts and an open white shirt and sandals in his hand. He sat down next to the raven-haired man and said:
"Enjoying yourself?"
"It's nice," Diablos admitted. "Vacation is nice."
"You haven't taken vacation before Harry?"
"Not really," Diablos said. "Or rather, I went to wrong places."
"Such as?"
"Went to Alaska once actually, with Harry. He was too young to remember though."
"Alaska? Why there?" Lucius asked and looked at his friend.
"Don't know really," Diablos said. "It was not long after the war. Alaska was… untouched by it in a way. No one even spoke of the war."
"That sounds nice."
"Yeah, and it rained most of the time," the raven-haired man said with a small smile.
"Less nice."
"Yeah. Harry didn't mind though. I could have gone to North pole, he would have just been happy to be with me."
Lucius smiled. Diablos picked up another seashell and held it up. It was light pink and smooth. Lucius watched the seashell as well before it was laid in one of Diablos' hands.
"Having fun?" the blonde asked.
"I've never looked for seashells, so hush," Diablos warned.
-
Diablos faintly heard the children's laughter amongst the ruins and looked around. He spotted Padma for a moment before she dove behind a colonnade. He shook his head in amusement and continued reading the runes, Coran snoozing quietly around his neck. The raven-haired man figured if the snake went with Harry he would not have a calm moment. Coran had agreed after watching the children run around for a while, and promptly sought for the perfect nap-place around Diablos' neck.
They were at some old wizard ruins, looking rather alike the Muggles ones with the marble colonnades, stark white against the sun. Diablos wondered why the wizards had not put up spells that would preserve the bright colours the colonnades once had been painted with. Or at least added it to the various protection runes.
He traced the symbols with one of his fingers, the other hand absently rubbing the necklace he was wearing although he was careful not to wake up the sleeping snake. It heated up momentarily and he said:
"Don't even try it, Fred, George."
"Damn, how do you do that?!" the two shouted.
Diablos smiled as he looked over his shoulder. With one finger he calmed Coran down who had woken up momentarily at their shout. The snake muttered something, his head swaying back and forth for a moment before dropping down. He was out cold.
"Let me guess; cold water?" Diablos asked the twins due to the bucket they were holding.
"… Yeah," they said.
"Bill is nearly not as observant as me at the moment," Diablos said.
The twins gave each up a feral grin and ran off with the bucket of water. A few moments later Bill let out a shriek followed by:
"Fred! George!"
The Weasley twins laughed and ran away from their raging brother. Diablos shook his head as the other children laughed as well. The necklace cooled down and he could return to watch the runes, Coran happily sleeping around his neck.
-
"I can't believe we're leaving already," Harry muttered as he looked up at the night sky. He was sitting with his back against his uncle's chest; Diablos leaned against the wall on the terrace with his knees drawn up so he could rest his arms on them.
"Time flies when you have fun," Diablos said. "But when you get home it's your birthday, so you will have more fun."
"Yeah," Harry said. "And then it's only a little while before school begins again."
"Can't be that bad, right?" the man asked.
"No, it's not that… I just…"
"What?"
"I have a feeling something will be different," Harry said and turned so his side was pressed against the thin chest. He wrapped an arm around Diablos' neck and leaned his head onto one shoulder.
"Different how?" Diablos asked.
"Just different," the young teen said.
Diablos closed his eyes for a brief moment. It would be different… Harry was just not aware of how different their lives would be.
-
31st of July 1993
Harry walked into the dining room, still dressed in his nightclothes and yawned. He looked up and saw Diablos sitting by the table, reading a book while absently stirring his tea. Coran lay curled up around the cup, hissing once in a while and seemed pleased when Diablos now and then abandoned his spoon and stroke with one finger along the snake's spine. Harry walked up to the two, dragged forth a chair and sat down next to his uncle.
"Slept well?" Diablos asked, taking his eyes from the book.
"Mm…"
"Still sleeping?"
"Noooo… I think."
The man smiled as Dora popped in with breakfast.
"Eat up, master!" she chided, pulling Diablos' sleeve. He had not touched his breakfast.
"I will, Dora," Diablos promised. He stroke Coran again and then gently lifted the tea cup even as he put away the book. Coran hissed in displeasure but did not complain as Harry lifted him up and around his neck.
"Lazy snake," he said fondly.
"Heard that," Coran hissed.
Diablos only smiled as he sipped his tea.
-
Harry watched his uncle from afar and saw the man was distracted, and perhaps nervous. Distracted the young teen was used to, nervousness he was not used to. He could count the times he had seen his uncle nervous on one hand.
Why was the man nervous, and why did he keep fingering on that necklace? Harry wanted to know where he got it from, and what it meant for him. Diablos never took it off nowadays.
When his uncle looked his way, Harry only smiled before turning back to his friends. They were playing Exploding Snap except for Harry himself and George.
Fifteen minutes later a startled Hermione was declared the winner and Dora announced it was lunch. Feeling hungry, the group of children whooped with joy and rushed to the dining room. The adults laughed at their children's antics (nephew for Diablos, grandchild in Augusta's case and brothers in Bill's case) and moved to follow them. Diablos mentally gave himself a hit on the head and removed his hand from the necklace. He was getting annoyed with his new bad habit of fingering on it.
A soothing voice rang in his ears for a brief moment but it was enough to give him a dizzy-spell. He braced himself against the wall for a moment, closing his eyes momentarily.
"Are you alright, Diablos?"
He turned to look at a worried Remus and smiled weakly in return.
"Fine," he said. "Must have eaten too little to breakfast; I'm feeling a bit dizzy."
Remus did not look fully convinced and to satisfy the werewolf Diablos walked slowly and let the man walk with him. He seated himself on his usual spot and looked over the table. Everyone was chatting while Dora levitated the food onto the table. She set out a plate at Diablos already filled with all of the food.
"Half of the food shall be gone before Dora returns," the house-elf warned Diablos.
"I think I will manage that," the man said and the others chuckled at the self-declared mother who huffed and continued levitating dishes up on the table. Diablos took water instead of wine, inwardly praising himself. He was getting better at withstanding the welcoming numbing of alcohol.
Diablos really tried to eat as much as he could, but whether he was nervous or his body simply refused he could not eat very much. After a third he was feeling nauseous and he closed his eyes for a moment. Something that went unnoticed except for Harry and Salerna. The two shared a look, both wondering what was wrong.
-
After lunch Diablos opted to lie down instead of following the others outside. He eased down on his side on the bed, feeling nervousness trying to force the food up again. He did not like it one bit and forced the nervousness back.
"Are you feeling sick, Dia?"
Harry's voice startled him and he turned his head to see his nephew cautiously step into the room.
"My stomach is mean today," Diablos said, "so yes, I feel a bit sick."
"Why?" Harry asked as he sat down.
"I don't know," the man lied. "Don't worry about me; go out and have some fun."
"I can't have fun if you're hurt."
"I'm not hurt, I just have a small stomach-ache. I've already asked Dora to get a potion to calm it down." It might help, it might not. Either some he was taking one.
The raven-haired child looked at his uncle, unsure whether to walk out or stay.
"Promise me that it's gonna be better later?" Harry pleaded.
"It's going to be better later," Diablos confirmed.
-
Or maybe not. Diablos convulsed once more and Dora held back his hair as he gagged. He leaned back against the wall tiredly and felt the house-elf gently clean his face. He had the sour taste of vomit in his mouth and nearly puked again because of it.
"Water, master. Rinse out the taste."
Diablos was now convinced Dora somehow had learned to read his thoughts as he accepted the glass. He moved the water around before spitting it out in the toilet. Dora flushed the toilet and said:
"Anything you require, master?"
"No," he said. "I'll just go to bed. Don't tell Harry."
"Little master shall enjoy his day," Dora said, "but if little master asks, Dora will tell."
"Evil creature," Diablos muttered as he slowly stood up on shaky legs. He held onto the wall for support and Dora said:
"Should Dora call for someone?"
"No, it's fine. I got you, don't I?"
The house-elf blushed at that, and Diablos took a deep breath. He slowly pushed himself from the wall and exited the bathroom. He managed to walk to the bed and slowly sat down. He unbuttoned his robe when he felt cool hands on his shoulders. He turned around and met grey eyes.
"I won't even ask how you managed to get in," Diablos said with a sigh to Odium. The man smiled and helped the raven-haired one to remove the robe.
"I am very sneaky," Odium concluded as he folded the robe neatly and gave it to Dora. She took it without hesitation and said:
"Something master or master Odium requires?"
"Nothing for me, Dora dear," Odium said. "Have you given Diablos a potion for his stomach?"
"Not yet," Dora said and pointed at a bottle. "Master was already ill when Dora came."
"Alright, then I'll give it to him. You may go."
Dora bowed, put away the robe and then vanished. Odium crept over to the table and snatched the potion from there.
"Drink this," he said gently and lifted Diablos' head a bit. The man drank it without questioning.
"What if Harry comes in?" Diablos asked even as he sank down into the comfort of his bed.
"I will not linger long," Odium said. "I just wanted to see what was wrong. Dora will look after you for us, she always has."
Diablos let himself be tucked in by the man and closed his eyes. He felt lips pressed against his temple and Odium said:
"Sweet dreams, little brother."
A moment later the man was gone. Diablos opened his eyes briefly before closing them again, curling up tighter underneath the covers.
-
Harry walked into the room a few hours later when dinner began to close in. He had met Dora who had told him Diablos had not been feeling well, and now the young teen was worried.
He walked up to the bed and saw Diablos asleep. A bottle to calm the stomach was on the night-stand, the potion already gone. Dora must have given it to the raven-haired man.
Harry sat down and gently shook his uncle's shoulder. Slowly the man's eyes opened and Harry was startled when he saw almost only blue. Normally the blue was merely around the edges of Diablos' eyes but now the red seemed to have retreated more than usually.
"Hi," Harry said as Diablos blinked at him. "Dora said you didn't feel well."
"My stomach…" the man mumbled.
"Are you feeling better now?"
"A bit… and hungry…"
"You're hungry? Well, it's dinner in a half-hour. Do you want to get up or should I ask Dora to bring some dinner to you?"
"I can get up," Diablos said and sat up. "How long did I sleep?"
"A few hours I think."
The man nodded and rubbed his eyes. Harry noted the man's robe was gone. Even if he had taken it off, he would have put it on the bed and Dora would have done the same. But now the robe was nowhere in sight. Why? He decided not to ask, as he knew his uncle would not answer.
Diablos rose up, now dressed in black slacks and a forest-green shirt that were wrinkled. He frowned as he looked at his clothes and snapped his fingers, smoothing the clothes out. He looked around for his shoes and said:
"Great, can't even remember where I put the shoes…"
"They are here," Harry said in amusement as he pulled them out from underneath the bed. "Dora always put the shoes underneath the bed."
"Oh… does she?"
"Yeah, when she thinks they are in the wrong spot."
"Evil creature," the man muttered as he slipped them on. "Shall we go then?"
"You sure you're fine?"
"I am pretty much fine now," Diablos said and to his embarrassment his stomach growled. "And hungry it seems."
"Good. I don't want to watch you starve."
-
Harry was nearly asleep when Diablos carefully entered the teen's room. He looked up with blurry eyes as Diablos sat down. A hand stroke his head and Harry let it fall down again.
"I never got the change to ask how your day was," Diablos said.
"It was good," Harry said. "Lots of fun… why did I get so many presents now again?"
"Because you have charmed every teacher and student on the school," Diablos said. "I and Salerna will have a mock-duel in a few days. Care to come and watch?"
"Yeah! I wanna watch!"
"I do think Lucius was going to bring his lord over," Diablos said and smiled. "Want us to go all out?"
"You guys never do anyway," Harry mumbled and looked up at Diablos. Red eyes glittered in the darkness. Somehow Harry felt Diablos was looking forward to it. That was never a good sign.
-
Voldemort looked around the platform and said:
"Is Italy's Auror school the only school with a complete duel-room?"
"I'm not quite sure," Lucius replied and looked at him. "But the teachers here sometimes duel to show the students a real fight. You wished to see Diablos fight; today it's his and Salerna's turn to do a duel."
"Salerna?"
"An Endurance teacher. He can fight for hours without getting tired."
"So can Dia!" a voice chirped.
They both turned around and were met by a grinning Harry.
"Harry?" Lucius asked.
"Dia promised me I could watch!" the teen said. "Plus I love to watch when he fights; he even said he was going to start swordsmanship again!"
"Does he teach that class or what?" the blonde asked as the teen bounced up to them.
"Nope; he took that class when he was young. He's going to start fighting with swords again is what I mean. He did it a little bit with him," at that Harry jabbed a thumb at Voldemort whose eyebrow twitched a bit, "but that was barely a fight."
"What?!" Voldemort said.
"Dia didn't even fight for real, neither did you," Harry said. "You saw it as a test, he as a game."
The students began to fill in now on the platform above the first floor. The platform was there so the duellists could have the whole first floor to themselves, and so that no one could be hurt. It was high in roof the room so the people who duelled had the space they needed. Voldemort looked down and saw the two teachers had entered the first floor.
Diablos was dressed in a silvery kind of robe, perfect for battle. He also wore thin black gloves, knee-high black boots and his hair up in a ponytail. Salerna had violet battle-robes on, and his hair was flowing free. His boots were low, and the robes looked slightly better than Diablos'.
"Who are the students?" Voldemort asked.
"The classes Salerna and Diablos are supposed to have this lesson," Harry said.
"Hi Harry!"
"Hi Michelle."
A girl, maybe nineteen years old, came over and gave the teen a hug.
"So Diablos couldn't keep you away any longer?" she asked.
"Nope! I'm gonna be here every day! It's so boring in the manor alone and no friends," the teen told her.
"Maybe he'll go easy on us then," Michelle said with a smile.
"Heh, not likely," Harry replied.
"Damn… oh well, you could always hope!" she said. "Gotta run!"
She ran over to her friends and dug out parchments and a quill from her bag before making her way over to the heightened desks the students could use to make notes.
"Are the students always this friendly?" Lucius asked.
"Yeah, they know me," Harry said. "Oh they are going to begin!"
The two snapped their heads down to see Salerna and Diablos standing a bit from each other in the middle of the room. Then Diablos spoke up, looking around at the students with a voice than suggested nothing else than a teacher's orders:
"On no conditions are you to interfere or try to help. We know what we are doing, and does not need inference. Today I will use Dark magic in combination with swordsmanship."
"I will use endurance and summons," Salerna stated and looked around. "Hence the reason I don't have my wand." The last was said cheekily and he grinned at the students, some of them laughed at their teacher's silliness. Diablos shook his head.
The red-eyed man slowly eased into a duel-position, quirking an eyebrow at Salerna. The white-haired man spread out on hand, fingers positioned as claws, and magic began to build up between them, looking like shards of electricity. Voldemort watched it with interest.
Salerna blurred out and a moment later Diablos stopped a well-placed kick with a shield. He whirled around and shot away three curses nonverbally, each of them in bright colours. Salerna swore and twisted his body around. They hit the wall and exploded. Diablos jumped backwards, two swords in his hands and his wand in the holster. He swung them around, creating a boost of magic around them, slick flames moving along the blades. The flames turning from blood red to black, shifting between the colours as Diablos' eyes glittered.
Voldemort and Lucius stared at the raven-haired man as he landed on the floor again. Salerna ran forward, his progress barely seen due to the speed and he summoned water to drop on Diablos. However the man got away and threw one of the swords towards Salerna like a boomerang, the flames widening for each turn the blade made. Salerna ducked quickly and blurred away again.
Diablos stood still and looked around, body tensed and ready to move. He only had one sword now, the other one was imbedded to one of the walls. He started off in a sprint suddenly, moving rapidly towards the sword.
Voldemort followed the man's progress across the room, eyes wide. He now realized he needed to train some more to catch up with this man. Diablos was considered a rather young wizard yet he was more powerful than Voldemort and Dumbledore.
What was his secret?
-
Harry bounced over to his uncle after the duel had been finished with both as winners; Salerna with his hand around Diablos' neck and one of the red-eyed man's swords at Salerna's neck. The raven-haired man was currently healing a rather nasty cut on his arm that Salerna managed to inflict but looked up as the teen closed in.
"Enjoyed it?" he asked.
"Yeah, although I didn't like it when you got hurt. Did you have to do that?"
"I wasn't planning on letting Salerna hurt me," Diablos shot back with mock-anger and then saw Lucius followed by Voldemort. "I didn't know you two were here." Harry rolled his eyes; like hell he did not know the two were there.
"He wished to see you duel," Lucius said and inclined his head to Voldemort. He could not call him 'my lord' or anything like that without waking curiosity from the crowds around them.
"Was I any good then?" the man asked, looking at the Dark Lord.
"Rather," Voldemort replied. "Pray tell me, how did you stick yourself to the wall? It takes a ridiculous amount of magic in order to do so."
"I know. I used a spell that makes the shadows cling to you, holding you up wherever you are," Diablos said. "It wasn't meant for sticking yourself to a wall standing straight, but it works due to my light weight."
Voldemort nodded thoughtfully. Harry sat down next to Diablos and said:
"Do you have another class now?"
"No, I have lunch."
"Yay, I was getting hungry!"
"Alright you brat, why don't we invite Mr Malfoy and Mr Riddle for lunch then?"
Voldemort's eyebrow twitched hearing his real name but did not say anything. Lucius gulped and looked at Diablos. The man had an unreadable glint in his eyes.
-
Harry was almost bouncing on his seat when Diablos allowed him dessert after lunch, and was looking through the various choices.
"Is he always this hyper?" Voldemort asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Hey!" the teen said, looking offended.
"Constantly," Diablos said.
"Oi!" Harry exclaimed. "Still here you know?"
"Yes, and?" Diablos asked with a sweet smile.
"Dia!"
"You know I'm evil, Harry, so why even questioning it?"
Harry stuck out his tongue and said:
"I want that one!"
Diablos looked where he pointed and said:
"You can have that one. Go and get it."
"Yay!"
The teen ran off and Diablos leaned back in his seat.
"Children and sugar are never a good combination," Lucius said with a shudder.
"Don't I know that," Diablos said.
"Why did you allow him then? He's going to be here for the rest of the day."
"A Harry high on sugar is a Harry who will torment my students," the red-eyed man said. "And he's rather good at it."
Lucius and Voldemort were slightly disturbed on the dreamy smile the raven-haired man wore.
-
Diablos heard a shriek at the back of the room and looked up briefly. Harry ran from the desk there, and a girl laughed helplessly at the teen's antics. Diablos merely smiled and returned to his grading.
After a while Harry came up to his desk and dragged forth a chair so he could sit as close as possible to his uncle.
"Is the sugar disappearing?" the man asked.
"Uh-hu."
It was the last class of the day so Harry had managed to have his sugar-rush for a good few hours. Now the teen looked a bit tired and Diablos chuckled.
"I dare say you managed to rile up my students a good bit."
"I try my best," Harry said with a grin.
-
"I don't want to go," Harry said stubbornly.
"Yes you want to," Diablos said as he continued to fold clothes. "You want this with you?"
Harry looked up at Diablos and nodded his head at the shirt. Diablos folded it as well and put it down in the trunk, continuing:
"You will feel sad for a few days before you get into the routine of the new year, and now you have the new subjects. In no time you will feel better."
"But I want to stay with you!"
"I know, and I want you to stay with me, but school is school and work is work," the red-eyed man said as he began unpacking the new books. "Are there any books you want to bring with your from the library?"
"No, I got all of the books I want right here," the teen said and pointed at the small pile of books. "Do I have to bring with me the old books?"
"From the previous years?"
"Yeah."
"It would be a good idea, if you need to check something up."
"Oh okay. The old books are already in the trunk, in that compartment."
Diablos opened and checked the shrunken books then nodded.
"Seems like they're all there."
He began to pack down the new books, and Harry watched him. Normally the teen would pack his stuff himself but he had put up a fight and Diablos had started packing. Even though Harry had calmed down by now the man had not stopped.
"I think that's all," Diablos said as he reached for the last book and put it down. "Anything else you want?"
"How about you, living with me?"
"Sorry, can't pack myself down. It's a bit cramped."
Harry cracked a smile at that but then it vanished and he moved to hug his uncle.
"Harry…"
"You're hiding something from me," the teen said and looked up at the man. "Or at least you're reluctant to say it."
"Harry…"
"Don't 'Harry' me and drop the subject. Say yes or no."
"I am… keeping something from you," Diablos admitted. "But it's… complicated… and I need time to figure it all out myself."
"You're not going to hide from me forever?"
"No," Diablos said, firmly this time. "You will know, I give you my word on that. I just… give me time, Harry, please."
They looked at each other and then Harry nodded. Diablos sighed in relief and said:
"Thank you."
Tbc…
Phew, finished. That just took a hell of time to write, gaaah! Need to get better on writing!
Chapter 26: Return to Hogwarts, and a lot of things happens. Up to Halloween. I admit I was lazy with this preview plus I don't really know what to write. I'll come up with things as we go along.
Until later,
Ja,
Tiro