Can You Hear Me Now

Can You Hear Me Now by Pseudonymous Entity

Summary: Harry doesn't save Ginny in the chamber. Instead he tries to befriend the spirit of the Dark lord and as a result learns things he never would have known and meets a side to people he never would have guessed was there. Secrets come unwoven and everything changes.

Warnings: This is a HORROR PARODY. If you have made it to this point you ought to know what you're in for. Also? I laugh in the face of canon.

Characters: Harry Potter/Grimm. The Malfoys. The Weasleys. Sirius Black. Magical Creatures. Neville Longbottom. and ?

AN: I'm back. See? Short time between chapters! I can do it. Sometimes. When life sees fit to let me.

ANx2: The much asked after Sirius POV as arrived. Careful what you wish for, dear readers.

ANx3: I have a brief public service announcement to make: Pseu is not a straight white male. Reasonably, some of Pseu's characters are also not straight white males. If you have a problem with either myself or these characters feel free to click on to some other story. I'm not interested in reading your awful messages. End of announcement.

Ever Yours,

-Pseu (Still good looking and reasonably talented)

"Right away, at first sight I felt the energy of sun rays - I saw the life inside of your eyes

So shine bright, tonight you and I - We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky

Eye to eye, so alive we're beautiful like diamonds in the sky

Shine bright like a diamond."

-Diamonds

There are specific moments in our lives that stand out on the roadmap of our years on earth as big bold landmarks. Moments that have an effect on us. That seriously alter us in some way, even if we're the only ones who know the change exists. Every so often a specific person is responsible.

Sirius Black, current Azkaban escapee, had the remarkable experience of having that same someone create yet another landmark. While unaware of it.

He'd only just entered the room he had been directed to by Lucius Malfoy of all people. At this point, after the day he had had, so many strange things were already experienced it was quite hard for Sirius to be more than surprised at Lucius' lack of hostility. Perhaps he should have seen it coming considering his son Draco hadn't seemed particularly frightened of him. More irritated than anything. It really put a dent in his infamous villainous ego to have two teenagers and a little kid in a mask wave him off. An inconvenience.

That is what they saw him as.

When Lucius asked for his help examining someone damaged by dark magic and possibly cursed he thought he'd be tending to a Death Eater. A Necromancer. Perhaps old Abraxus Malfoy himself, before he remembered the old man died this past winter. Primavera Grimm wasn't on the list.

There in the middle of the bed in front of him lay Prima Grimm. She looked as if she'd been dunked in the Black Lake.

Sirius could feel the anger boiling inside of him and could not find the energy to stamp it back down. Not now. Not with this witch. What was even going on? Where was her family? Why was she at Malfoy Manor and not with her personal healers? Hell, why hadn't she healed herself? How did this happen?

Prima was many things. Not perfect certainly. Mean even, when it suited her. But she didn't deserve this. Those eyes should be open and assessing. That mouth should be twisted up at the end, repressing a smile at his expense. Sharp comments and quick wit should be filling the air, about his appearance, his escape from Azkaban.

She'd probably ask him to tea just to piss off Malfoy.

*CYHMN*CYHMN*CYHMN*CYHMN*

Sirius Black stood off to the side of a circular, airy room next to Walburga Black, his mother, who was currently telling him al the ways he failed her. This wasn't anything abnormal. Around them, young witches and wizards around his age congregated with their own parents. The few who had already managed to escape their parents or guardians made beelines to the farther edges of the room hoping to be forgotten.

These things were the worst.

Alright, perhaps not the worst things imaginable. They weren't ever boring at the very least and as a Black, he lived and breathed drama. Still, it seemed much more like an excuse for his mother to pick out his shortcomings with an audience.

Sirius extracted himself from his mother's clutches the first moment he saw an opportunity. He stood by her side while her words washed over him in a fountain of been there and heard that. His younger brother Regulus was off with the younger children in the garden. Lucky sod.

It was lovely, Sirius would give the gathering that. In a room with high arching windows and a domed ceiling decorated with coloured glass, the rest of them in their fancy robes and skirts paled in comparison. Sirius sidestepped a much-harassed waiter balancing a tray of peach coloured liquid he could only guess at. Then he saw his salvation.

Primavera Grimm was only a few short feet away from him. Not so close as to be on her way somewhere else and not too far away it would be unacceptable to call out to her. Telltale snow coloured braids hung down in thick plaits along the sides of her face, pearls of various sizes woven amongst the strands, and glittering faintly in the sunlight when she turns her head.

He didn't know her as well as other young witches and wizards at the function. But, it was her families gathering, their ballroom and she loved intrigue. If Sirius promised drama or mischief she'd agree to help him readily enough.

Decided, Sirius took a half step in that direction and held out a hand.

"Primavera!"

Golden eyes snapped up to meet grey. Prima tilted her head and her gaze flickered between him and a space behind and above him. It was then Sirius realized his mother must still be ranting at him. Luckily Prima's lips twisted upward in amusement.

"There you are, Sirius!" She called out in return.

Her voice, low and easy, carried well in the space between them. the white noise that was his mouth cut off quickly. Sharp fingers dug into his shoulder.

"Sirius." He looked up.

His mother's eyes were narrowed at him beneath long false lashes and what Sirius had dubbed Hat of Many Feather number 36. "Miss Grimm is soliciting her attention. Go and give it to her." His mother never bothered to use inflexion in her words when her nails could just as easily apply the emphasis she desired. She straightened, eyes off Sirius and on Primavera instead. Her lips spread in a charming smile.

"Miss Grimm. Lovely to see you, my dear. This is a wonderful party your family is throwing."

Prima put one foot behind the other and bent her knee into a shallow curtesy, eyes on his mother. "Thank you Lady Black. We do try to provide a welcoming space for socializing."

Once again Sirius was struck by the difference between Prima and most other witches their age group. Her low pleasant tones such a contrast to the purposely high, small tinkle of other girls.

Sirius' mum tightened her hold on his shoulder before giving him a slight push forward. "I won't keep him any longer dear. You two enjoy yourselves."

Sirius walked as quickly as he dared to Prima's side. For her part she kept her golden eyes rained over his shoulders. "She's placed her attention elsewhere." Prima sated, after a moment.

Sirius felt himself relax, his shoulders drop and his breath leave out in a hard relieved puff.

"Why is it every time we meet your poor mother is giving you a lecture? How do you manage to be so disagreeable Mr Black?" There was no harshness to her question. No judgement.

Sirius raised and lowered his shoulder. "It's a talent."

"I suppose it must be." She said, a small smile on her lips. "No matter how I try I can never manage to get certain people to find me so wanting. I shall have to take notes."

"Ah, but you could simply run away if you felt so inclined." Said, Sirius.

"Something about running from humans seems so undignified." Prima lamented.

Prima turned and started toward a table laden with food. Sirius followed her quickly before his mother could decide the young witch had grown bored with him and tried to drag him back to her side. Prima stopped as she reached the table, turning her head to look at him.

"I was not aware we were on a first name basis."

He winced. "Yeah, about that. We're on a first name basis. Ta-dah." He wiggled his fingers.

Prima rolled her eyes. "That should give Lucius something to tantrum over. I was so worried I'd manage to get through one social function without that. The world may explode if I did." She reached out a picked up a small cake. Tanned fingers popped it into her mouth. She chewed experimentally.

"Any good?" Sirius asked, intrigued.

"You know, I have absolutely no idea." She replied. "Here, you're human. Tell me." Prima picked up another and held it out to him.

Sirius was never one to pass on food. He took it from her and popped it into his own mouth. Lemony. Quite nice. "It's grand." He admitted. Sirius got himself another.

"Is it?" She asked. Her eyes roamed over the table. "Try that there." She pointed at a platter with a collection of thin brown things.

Sirius squinted at the one she held out for him. "What on earth is that then?"

Prima swished it. "A stick?" She suggested.

"I hope not." Said Sirius, taking it from her. "Though yes it does seem more useful as a weapon." Cautiously, Sirius bit a bit off the end. "Meat, I think. Maybe." He looked about quickly before sliding the remainder of the stick meat thing beneath the table.

Prima laughed. A low, earthy sound which set his hair up on end in the best sort of way. "Too bad your wolf can't come. He'd be the perfect tester." She must have noticed the panic he felt at her words for she quickly elaborated. "I can smell him."

Sirius wasn't certain if he found those words as comforting as she meant them. The witch didn't seem inclined to alert the authorities he was fraternizing with a werewolf anyway, which was something.

"We could even play fetch." She continued. "That would liven things up a bit."

Sirius opened his mouth and then closed it. He cleared his throat. "You're...taking this really well. Really, really well."

Apparently bored with the food Prima turned and headed the other direction, skirting around the part of the floor that was set up for dancing. Sirius followed after her. Prim glanced at him over her shoulder, golden eyes amused. "You're wondering why haven't started screeching off with their heads?" She stopped abruptly and turned around.

Sirius skidded a bit to keep from tumbling into her.

"I try not to be that hypocritical if I can help it. And anyway, he's only a monster once a month. I'm never not a monster."

Sirius frowned. For multiple reasons. "Remus isn't a monster. Neither are you. You're both...just you." He finished lamely.

"I do think most of the people in this room might disagree with you, Mr Black."

"Sirius." He corrected.

Prima blinked. "Sirius."

"If most of the people in this room decided the sky was a giant green sponge that wouldn't make it so." Said, Sirius. He didn't much like that she seemed to keep lumping him in with everyone else.

Prima shrugged. Quite suddenly she stood upon the tops of her toes to search over the crowd. Sirius held out a hand to keep her steady automatically. "I can't imagine that's made any difference." He said after a moment.

Prima frowned. "No, it really hasn't. I do wish I was taller." Prima turned to him then and narrowed her eyes. "You're tall. Take a look and tell me if you spot white hair."

Sirius sighed and did as commanded. "Am I looking for your uncles?" He asked.

"No."

"One of the Malfoys then." Said Sirius, knowingly. "Lucius is over by the entrance with his father. Talking with some ministry official I think."

"Excellent." Said Prima. "And don't say it like that. I can look for whomever I wish."

"I can, rather." Said Sirius, grinning.

"I shall endeavour to grow between now and our next meeting Mr Black." She said, dryly. They both stepped to the side when a pair of dancers twirled by. More people had begun to make their way to the dance floor. Whether it was a sign of good company or poor company Sirius couldn't say.

"I don't think you can. Grow I mean. I fear you'll have to grow accustomed to being tiny."

Prima's mouth fell open. "I beg your pardon. Are you claiming superiority to the vertically unendowed? Rude."

Sirius laughed. "Thankfully you'll have plenty of tiny meat sticks for defence from us uppity tall people."

"There is that." She agreed.

*CYHMN*CYHMN*CYHMN*

Attuning his magic to someone else wasn't something Sirius had done in quite some time. It came to him as easily as breathing none the less. A weightlessness filled him, from his head down through his torso and to the bottoms of his feet. A disconnection that provided a wholeness. A sense of being everything and everyone while being something distinct and apart from the body you lived in.

A blanket of malleable completeness wrapping around you and holding you pressed to the heartbeat of magic's essence. Thrump. Thrump. Thrump. Soft but firm against the inside of your chest and throughout your entire being.

He counted himself down, activating and acknowledge his centres of power as he passed them. Crown. Third eye. Throat. Heart. Navel. Sacral. Root. A great vastness pushing wide in the middle of his head and out of him. Into the universe, into everything.

A familiar confusion before his self, his Siriusness found its self again and collected his pieces together in the midst. He sent his magic out like searching fingers to find and attune to Prima's magic. Someone had taught him that knowing yourself better than anyone else did was the best way to accomplish this form of magic.

Lest you never find yourself again.

*CYHMN*CYHMN*CYHMN*CYHMN*

"Can I asked you something?" Sirius said after the third time Prima had him search the crowd.

Prima tilted her head to look up at him, long white braids swinging. "I suppose."

"Why are you friends with him? With Malfoy. Lucius I mean."

She blinked. "I'm fond of him. That's how friendships happen you see."

Sirius scowled. "I'm being serious."

"Who else would you be?" She countered, one of her hands reaching up to pull at her right braid in agitation.

"So you like his cold, bigoted snobbery. I see."

Something flashed in her eyes. He wasn't certain why he was baiting her. He really rather liked Prima. Something mean rose in him each time she looked for Malfoy that he couldn't explain.

"When you are best mates with James Potter you do not get to judge other people's friendships, Sirius Black."

"James isn't evil." Said, Sirius.

Prima pulled her hand away from her braid and twisted on her feet to look at him directly.

"Lucius can be those things at times. But he is also many other things. You, Sirius Black, are the heir to the Black family. You are arrogant. You are irresponsible. Well educated in the dark arts with a dark magical alignment and a family of dark wizards. But that isn't all you are." She said, paying little heed to the dreadful twisting in his heart. "You are also witty when you choose to be. Clever and cunning. Mischievous. You like to hurt people just as much as your mother, but you don't want to be anything like her."

Sirius' eyes were wide by the time she finished. "You are a child of the dark and a pureblood yet you befriend werewolves and vampires. You wear muggle clothing when you think no one is looking and you are capable of being just a wicked as anyone else. We are all complicated beings. Human or no. And there is more to us than the mask we wear for the world to see. Don't you agree?"

His heart beat against his chest like a racing broom. He felt...exposed. Vulnerable. But Primavera Grimm did not seize on the moment as most others might have done. She held out a tanned hand and squeezed his shoulder.

"I like to think it isn't the world's business what we are or what we become. That applies to Lucius just as much as it applies to you or to me. Whether or not you like him."

He swallowed and neither one of them said anything for the next while. Prima seemed quite content to allow Sirius to recover himself. It was an odd thing to have someone else spell out who you were so much better than you would have been able to. At a splotch of white in his peripheral vision, he turned to the left.

"I see Malfoy. I think he's looking for you."

Prima let out an unexpected squeak and hid behind Sirius. "Darn."

Sirius frowned. "I thought you were looking for him?"

"Yes." She muttered against his back. "To avoid him. He wants to ask me about something I don't want to talk about and I have yet to fashion a suitable distraction."

Sirius looked over his shoulder at Prima and then out over the crowd toward Malfoy. "I have an idea. If you're up for it. May make him angry, mind."

She poked her head out. "Excellent. Whatever it is let's get to it."

Sirius grabbed hold of her wrist and drew her out into the room until the dancers swallowed them up. She looked up at him amused when he turned around and bowed. "A dance? I daresay he'll throw a tantrum." She appeared utterly pleased at the prospect.

They twisted and twirled into the ring of dancers easily. No one would know they hadn't been there from the start if they hadn't been paying attention. It was one of the traditional dances and Sirius could allow his body to follow along on automatic without having to put to much thought into it. It appeared to be much the same for Prima.

"You know what would really get him to blow his top? Give James a dance." He suggested, feeling mischievous.

Prima swung out and then twirled back into to him. "First, that was far from subtle. Secondly, James would never give me any peace and you know it. Then there are my uncles. They would never let it go. They're horrid romantics."

"Really?" Sirius asked, surprised.

"Really. They'd convince themselves it was an occasion of opposites attract and would never be convinced otherwise. Honestly, I can't take it." Her eyes were so wide and sincere it took a great deal of effort not to laugh at her.

"At least he has a pretty face?" He offered.

Prima hummed. "I've seen prettier."

Sirius felt that strange meanness come to life in him again. "Malfoys have got the commodity on pretty faces, I reckon."

Prima frowned. "Blacks aren't exactly aesthetically unfortunate either." She pointed out.

"True," Sirius said, pleased. Why did he keep trying to make her angry? "Though James has got some Black in him."

"I suppose." Prima relented. They did two turns together then spun back into the circle. "I suppose it must be who he is rather than what he looks like that puts me off."

"Ouch."

"Offended on his behalf, Mr Black?"

"Sirius," He corrected. "Only a bit. You're not the only witch with the sentiment. Poor Jamie."

Prima snickered. "Maybe one day he'll decide to make a change. You like him well enough. Perhaps there's something worthwhile in there. Buried way, way deep but in there somewhere."

"That is the worst apology I have ever heard." Sirius declared.

Prima spun on her heel and skipped back, grinning. "Don't pretend I was apologizing."

A light, warm feeling filled Sirius as they finished the dance. Finally, it came to an end. He glanced around, then bent toward her. "Your guard approaches my lady."

Prima snuck a glance over her shoulder to see Lucius making his way toward them. "I have found myself well entertained Black. Sirius. Perhaps...we can insult and analyze shared acquaintances again sometime?"

His answering grin threatened to break his cheeks. "It's a date!"

Prima's eyes widened in horror just as Lucius descended upon her. Sirius turned away and hurried off with just enough time to hear Lucius start demonstrating just how displeased he was. "What is a date? Prima? Primavera Grimm, you get back here and answer me or so help me I shall tell on you!"

These gatherings really weren't that bad.

*CYHMN*CYHMN*CYHMN*CYHMN*

He could feel the stirring of a great sadness beneath his searching fingers. He could not find the right words to give it definition. It was something beyond the unearthly, bitter fright and pain and fear of those locked away with him in Azkaban. This feeling was far too innocent and heartbreaking. There was a wrongness to it that pierced right through into his middle and inspired his own answering despair. Someone had done something unforgivable.

Possibly unfixable.

Slowly he pulled himself away from her, after telling Lucius was he could 'see'. Coming back into his body did little to alleviate the phantom sorrow of Prima Grimm.

He let Lucius make his plans around him. Floating in and out of the room, leaving Sirius with the ex auror. Malfoy was hiding something. Not something he had done, but something he did not want Sirius to know yet. That was fine. Azkaban had taught him patience. So Sirius Black would bide his time. Watch and listen.

He would find out who did this to her and he would make certain they lived to regret it.

PseudonymousEntity

2019

Thoughts, questions, theories and limericks always welcome.

NOTES;

As you might have guessed, the past is a bit more complicated than anyone has let on to Harry just yet.

There's a lot more to the story than 'James Potter pursuing Prima before ultimately leaving her for Lily Evans'. As we continue, you readers will get more insight into this past than Harry for a short time. Any ideas on how it is all connected and why it is important? Like Prima said, nothing is ever as it seems at first glance.

ANx1:

We have new faces showing up soon.

Elia and Tom are still out there somewhere.

And Harry really does need to get his birthday sorted out.