Chapter 18
Severus had a small shop that was only open by appointment where he sold his potions. He had it warded exquisitely, but even he knew such strong wards might not stand against his old friends, the Death eaters.
So when the entire shop moved like an earthquake, he apparated to another hiding place.
His first act was to seal the wards and his second action was to floo Minerva McGonagall. Now she had felt quite betrayed after she learned of Severus' dark mark and hadn't talked to him since, so it was difficult to get her attention.
"What do you want, Severus?" she asked, "I am very busy."
"Voldemort is among us Minerva. You must close the wards against him and prepare the children."
"How can I believe you?" she asked and the anger in her voice told him that she wouldn't take his warning, "You received the dark mark."
"I took the mark to spy for Albus, Minerva. I know now it was stupid, but please, protect Hogwarts."
Then there was a great shaking again and Snape knew he was discovered. He ended up battling alone against many and was finally taken alive. He despaired for Voldemort loved torturing his victims and he would probably go mad before the Dark Lord finished with him. As he felt the blackness of unconsciousness start, his last thought was of young Harry being sad that his friend never visited again.
Harry Harry Harry Harry Harry Harry
Harry woke up with a scream passing his lips. Scar woke and raced to the corner where Harry usually slept. Scar had a cold and his sneezes had Harry waking up with his hard-made blankets on fire, so Harry had moved deeper into the cave until the cold ran its course.
"Sire," cried Harry, "Our Professor has been captured by evil men, very evil. They are hurting him!"
"Can you find him?" asked Scar, ready to fly to the human lands and fight to free the professor.
Harry stilled and looked up at his Sire, "You can't go. Magic forbids you going with me. You would be hurt. This is why Magic wanted me to fill the staff up with extra power, so I could do this alone."
He hugged Scar who wept great boiling dragon tears. Then the boy kissed Scar's great nose and whispered, "I love you, always, Sire of my heart," and he left. As he flew he heard Scar roaring behind him.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Voldemort and Dumbledore battled for a very long time. The children were kept up against the walls by their professors, who maintained shields to protect them from missed spells. Death eaters guarded all the exits, and the two combatants moved so quickly, that it was difficult to see who was doing what. The shields the two professors had put up shivered and shook with the constant pummeling
Finally a horrible blast that broke the enchanted ceiling knocked Dumbledore down and he was quickly tied up magically, and his wand broken.
Voldemort laughed happily and turned to his death eaters. "Where is the traitor?" he roared, and Snape was brought forward, bruised and tied up.
"Do you regret now, Severus, turning your back on me?" he asked after a round of crucios had the man lying on the floor and spasming in pain.
"I regret much, but serving you I regret the most," said Severus through bloody lips.
Furious, the Dark Lord continued his torture and then stopped, confused. Severus had stopped twitching and suppressing screams.
"My Lord," a voice called in warning and Voldemort turned. There in the middle of the great hall stood a small boy. He was dressed strangely and carried a large staff covered with runes.
"How did this miserable child get in here?" he asked, eyeing the calm child with hatred.
"He just appeared, My Lord," said Malfoy. "We sensed no build-up of magic."
The child ignored this and walked quietly to Severus Snape and touched him. All marks of pain, every bruise immediately disappeared.
"Why did you hurt him?" the boy asked.
"Who are you to question me?" demanded Voldemort.
The boy touched Severus' cheek gently. "Does no one try to help this man who tried so hard to protect you from evil?" he asked looking at all the teachers and children there.
"We're scared of the Dark Lord," said one bold child, "but even then, no one likes him. They kicked him out of the school when they kicked Dumbledore".
"So you only help people who are your friends?" asked the boy.
"Answer me," Roared Voldemort and send a power crucio at this impertinent boy who showed no proper fear.
Nothing happened. No shield shot up, the boy just looked at him. And, miraculously to all, the boy didn't fall to the ground screaming.
Voldemort screamed in rage and cast the death spell on the boy, "Avada Kadavra" and the green light hit the boy but instead of dying, the light bounced off his face and hit Voldemort, who promptly shielded himself with a giant rock to protect himself from his own murderous blow.
Then another shield went up, keeping Voldemort and the boy trapped. Voldemort was enraged. "How dare you. Do you really think you can hold me prisoner?"
The boy said, sternly, "The shield is to protect the children and teachers." Then almost sadly he flung a golden spell at Voldemort that the Dark Lord had never seen before. He shielded, and it spun around him and sank into the shield which melted.
Voldemort began to feel pain and fear that crumpled him to the ground, "What spell is this?" he grated out.
The boy stared at him, "This is magic's revenge and judgement. All the pain you caused is coming back to you. All the good you did protects you. It looks like you did little that was good."
Voldemort screamed finally, a hideous noise that made the children cover their ears and hide their faces. He tried to fight back but the boy seemed impervious to each blow. Spells turned to rocks and fell at the child's feet.
Then the Dark Lord made a noise that no one had ever heard before. It was worse than a scream. It was inhuman and frightened and ugly. He began to shake and tremble and with a last noise, blood from the Dark Lord's strange nose splattered the shield and he fell at the boy's feet. Moments later, his red eyes opened and he pointed his wand at Harry. Nothing happened.
"What have you done?" he hissed.
"Magic has judged you and removed itself from you," said Harry quietly. "You are now what you call a muggle. There is not enough magic in you to even be what you call a squib."
Voldermort screamed again, this time with a note of terror. "NO!" he cried and fainted. The man disappeared. Harry looked up. "He's not dead, he's just back in the muggle world, where he has no memory of any ritual or magical spell. If you need to arrest him, I can bring him back, but most of you will be invisible to him."
After an astonished silence, people began to shout and cheer while the death eaters found themselves in chains, their magic muted with their wands useless.
The boy walked to where Voldemort had stood. "This man has committed many crimes, but he also split his soul in pieces and hid them in items so he could resurrect and kill again." The boy looked sadly at the old man Dumbledore, now free, "It isn't necessary to go into that, my boy, you have won the day and that is enough." He said, unwilling after all this time to give up any secrets.
The boy looked at him with disappointment in his green eyes.
"You are the man who sent me to the Dursley's," he remarked. The he stamped his staff on the floor and objects appeared. Dumbledore started in surprise.
"These are items known as Horocruxes. They are made by murdering a human and then putting part of the murderer's soul into a physical object. These are all belonging to Voldemort and are all highly evil.
Fire flew out from his great staff and consumed all the items. All felt the fire and all hid their eyes from the conflagration. When it died down, shining objects lay but the sense of power and evil was gone. "He cannot hurt anyone with magic ever again," said the boy calmly. Dumbledore stared at him and eyed his scar. Harry pointed to it and said, "It's gone too. Nothing remains to bring him back."
With the famous scar exposed, one of the children realized who this young hero must be, "You're Harry Potter!" he shouted in glee.
And the once terrified children surrounded the gentle child who had slain the Dark Lord, He who must not be named. Because of the dignity and kindness the boy showed, they didn't touch him but stood near him, smiling and thanking him for saving them.
"We mourned you," said one girl. "You were murdered by muggles."
"My Aunt," he said, "she pushed me into the ocean to drown. But dolphins saved me and took me to Avalon."
A sigh went up, and the older people gasped, Avalon was the home of dark magic, lost to them all centuries ago in the time of Merlin. It was holy but sometimes frightening in all the tales.
A little girl with blond hair asked shyly, "All alone?"
"Oh no, I have many friends there, good friends," said Harry, "Although the only human was my professor."
"My boy," said Dumbledore, hoping for many things, "You must stay now and learn to control your magic."
The boy stared at all those assembled, especially Professor Dumbledore.
"Do you really want me to stay here to learn from you?" he asked; his voice gentle, but true curiosity in his tone.
"I no longer teach here," said Dumbledore, "but you need to learn about your magic, if only to protect yourself."
In answer the boy slammed the staff on the floor and amazingly cracked it with the force of the blow. Feeling an upsurge of power, the children fell back and watched. The boy's slight body began to grow larger and larger and to the horror of all except the children, he transformed into a huge and magnificent dragon. The death eater prisoners shivered and cringed, convinced of execution by dragon fire. The children ooh'd and ah'd in joy. The dragon gazed about and then spoke in a human but much deeper voice, "I think I can control myself and my magic very well, sir."
Then the dragon quietly shrunk down to the boy.
"I did not come here to be with people who gave me to the Dursley's. My aunt tossed me into the ocean to murder me. I came here to rescue my friend, Professor Snape."
"He no longer has the honor of being called a professor," said Professor McGonagall fiercely.
"He will always be my Professor," said Harry softly.
The boy took out a knife and cut his hand and let his bright blood drip on the floor. Then once more he slammed the staff on the ground in the place that held his blood and a great hole appeared. More amazing then the dragon form, a tree grew swiftly from the hole and started to ascend past the broken ceiling and into the sky. Leaves appeared amazingly fast and turned silver. Golden Fruit began to appear and the top of the tree apparently went past the clouds above. The wind blew through the leaves and sang. The trunk grew to the size of a house. A small fountain sprung up and watered the tree. The air seemed brighter.
"Blood magic is forbidden," someone whispered. Harry looked in the crowd and laughed.
"This is not any kind of blood magic. It is love magic. Sometimes, bleeding for someone is a high form of love. Those who take blood unwillingly practice the blood magic you fear." He looked at Dumbledore, "Those who force others or manipulate them to give blood for the good of all perform dark magic as well. It is only when warriors shed blood for their families and land freely that it becomes love magic."
Dumbledore staggered as though given a mortal blow.
Harry continued, "I leave this magic as a gift to you. Those who are worthy can eat this fruit and gain knowledge of the land and magics you need greatly to survive and bloom in the world. This castle now must accept any who come to commune with the tree, including those you scorn as less than human. Centaurs and dragons, dwarves and goblins, spiders and griffins. They will not be able to harm you, and if you try to harm them, then you will be cast out, and the castle given to better teachers. But if you welcome them, you will be blessed beyond the magic you know."
The boy then went to where the healed Severus Snape sat on the floor and threw his arms around him, kissing the sallow cheek. Both turned into a whirlwind, then a flock of singing phoenixes and then nothing but the smell of springtime. All that was left were the memories of Voldemort and his tied up death eaters.
Dumbledore looked older now, even though they had won. The old man walked away, his shoulders hunched and his eyes downcast.
Everyone stood staring at the tree. Neville Longbottom walked over to it and touched the trunk very lightly with his hand. A clear bell-like tone rang out and a fruit dropped into his hand.
"No, Longbottom," cried Headmaster McGonagall, "You don't know what it will do."
"I accept this gift of love from Harry Potter, who we abandoned, and who just saved us. I hope to live a better life and to tend this tree in peace and learn the same kind of love he showed us," said Neville solemnly, and before anyone could stop him, he took a bite, closing his eyes.
He ate the fruit quietly and everyone waited to see what would happen.
The fat boy they all despised and accused of being of low power, turned to the tree and bowed, "thank you, my friend" he said. The tree rustled in a wind and seemed to dance at him.
And Neville's eyes glowed and his tubby body grew taller, and rippling muscles replaced fat. The face they thought childish showed strength and nobility.
Everyone gasped and several students started to run to the tree.
Neville held up a restraining hand. "No one who eats this fruit planning to kill, destroy and control can live," he said in a ringing voice. "This is high magic and must not be taken up for foolish greed or pride. If you eat this freely given fruit, you have to give of yourself too. Take it up to be better and for love's sake, or not at all lest you lose your life or your magic."
One of the death eaters stood and walked, his leg chains gone, to the tree. "I have done terrible things thinking I would protect and honor my family," he said, "But instead I destroyed it. I showed my son how to be a bully and neglected my true-love." His arm chains fell off and he drew back the sleeves of his robes. The dark mark was there.
"I have been merciless and cruel and I hate what I have become. That little boy was a better king than Voldemort could ever dream of. "
He looked up at the towering tree and the clouds high above.
"Tree, if there is hope for me to do good and change the bitter roots of my life into a tree with good fruit, let me know. Otherwise, it would be better to lose all magic or to die at your hands. I ask you, as humbly as a proud man can, to help me."
A fruit fell into his hand and he ate. And tears of silver and gold fell from his eyes. He waited, looking patient and then a breeze rolled about the room. A centaur came into the broken door to the great hall and Lord Malfoy held out his hand and danced with the centaur around the base of the great tree, a slow majestic dance filled with joy.
"Father," said a young voice, and Draco, his son, ran to his father and hugged him and then shyly bowed to the centaur, "Merry meet wise one, may your eyes ever see the wisdom of the heavens," said Draco Malfoy. Fruit fell and Draco handed it to the Centaur, named Bane, who took it in his hands and gazed at the older man, "you were set on the path of evil and now have a chance to be the best of hero's. I was filled with bitterness and hatred towards humans. Never fear, the child of the stars will come back to us. He is saving magic for us all."
Both the Centaur and the young pure blood ate the fruit, giving it to each other solemnly and then in a delight that made those gazing on them weep.
Then the centaur and Neville and the Malfoys danced more, together, holding hands, a complex and majestic dance.
All the children started to dance, until they formed moving circles around the base of the great tree.
It was impossible to start classes again after that.
Severus slept for a thousand peaceful years in gentle bliss. He was loved. Lily's son had come for him and he was completely healed of all evil.
Finally he woke and found himself on Harry's humble bed in the Dragon's lair. Harry was curled up next to holding him.
"Harry," he whispered, "You came for me."
Those green eyes opened and the boy smiled at him. "Do you feel better, my professor?" he asked happily.
"Better than I ever have before," said Severus.
They ate loaves cooked by the fire in a ceramic oven, and goat cheese. Harry brought him juice from the trees. "Are you sure I am worthy to drink this?" asked Severus, recognizing the fruit as the essence of magic.
"I think so, but I am only a boy and the keeper of Avalon. I could be wrong."
Severus drank and a great weight from his life dissolved like a soap bubble in sunlight. His eyes brightened and he smiled at Harry.
They spent the day gathering rare and wonderful herbs. They made candies, and tinctures and sleep pillows and tisanes. They hung drying herbs in the cave until the sleeping dragon sneezed.
Then Harry went to the darkest place in the island where the trees hid the canopy of the heavens and a huge branch fell from the biggest tree, a branch of dry perfect oak. Harry gave the tree wine and bread as thanks and brought it back to the cave. That night he amazed Severus as he drew silver, gold copper and jewels from the earth by singing and then watched as the branch and the fruits of the earth danced together to form a great staff with swirls of inlaid minerals and gems and silver runes.
"Who is the staff for?" asked Severus, a little nervously, because he knew with his temper he was unworthy of such a staff.
"It is for Neville," said Harry, "he is the keeper of the tree now and he needs it to protect it. Do you want to come with me?" he asked.
"Always, son of my heart," said Severus.
Minerva McGonagall was at first most put out with the tree and all the happenings here. She was put out that Dumbledore couldn't defeat Voldemort. She was put out that the great hall had turned into a religious center of some type. She was put out that the Boy who died was alive and not coming to school and called Snape of all people his professor. She was put out with centaurs with muddy hooves making a mess of the floors.
But after Hogwarts made her another great hall and she watched Professor Flitwick dancing with Lucius Malfoy and a huge group of firsties, she started to calm down. Magic, she reflected, was not to be expected to be tame or to stay the same. Magic sometimes changed everything so she should change too. Therefore she went to the tree, ate the fruit and joined the dance.
The Minister of Magic was much put out with everything. Voldemort had killed a bunch of people, blown up his house and several important land marks and then a dead boy had killed him and not stuck around to get an order of Merlin. Now one of the death eaters, who was responsible for a lot of his campaign funding, was dancing around a damned large tree with children and thinking he was getting off scot free. The first auror group he had sent to arrest them had returned all the other death eaters and then went back to dance. It was a breach of discipline, a travesty, a mockery of his august power. He was very put out.
So he got another group of aurors to come with him and Dolores Umbridge who was a damned fine secretary, let me tell you, and headed off for Hogwarts to put things right again.
So when he arrived and found out that creatures, yes creatures, were walking in and out of Hogwarts he was doubly put out. Dolores, who hated all creatures but kittens, was extremely upset and ready for war.
They walked into the great hall of Hogwarts and found incredible things dancing around a freaking tree. Malfoy and children were dancing around the tree with the creatures. It was obviously time to put things in order again.
He nodded to Dolores.
"Hem, hem," she said, "Do you have permits for these creatures?"
A tall rather handsome boy turned to her and looked at her like she was insane.
"Greetings Lady. We don't need a permit. Everyone is safe,"
"Young man, that may be your opinion, but we're the Ministry of Magic and you have broken the law," said Dolores firmly. "Aurors arrest these wizards and take the creatures into custody."
The children all stopped and Malfoy stopped as well. He wasn't that far gone, apparently.
Cornelius looked at some of the creatures there and was glad he was not an auror. A large snake with enormous fangs was curled up near the tree base and regarding them sleepily. He didn't want anything to do with even getting near the awful thing.
At that moment, a smaller boy appeared, in odd clothing with a travesty of a pretend Wizard's staff in old patterns.
"This building is not under the authority of the Ministry of Magic," said the child. "This building belongs to me and you are no longer welcome here."
Dolores was furious, "How dare you, this is the Minister of Magic," she said pointing to Cornelius. "You must learn to respect your betters. Hogwarts is of course under our authority." She smirked and Cornelius began to feel things would be taken care of properly. Dolores was good at taking down miscreants.
The boy handed another staff to the tall boy and said, as though they weren't in enough trouble, "Neville, this is for you. I just finished making it and in good time too. You are now the keeper of the tree."
He turned to Cornelius and Cornelius recognized green eyes and a scar made of legends.
"I am Harry Potter of the ancient and noble house of Potter. However, I am also the heir of Slytherin by right of combat and my mother's blood. This land is my property as last heir of a founder and is exempt from all rulings made by the Ministry of Magic when they are found to be against magic. You dare to go against the magic of Avalon. This is an area where all creatures are safe. It is a holy sanctuary for children to learn about magic in and for all creatures to learn greater magic. If you want to stay and commune with the magic, you may, but if you interfere with the magic on these grounds, your magic will be taken away. Do you understand?"
Cornelius suddenly wanted to leave, very, very badly. Dolores, who didn't have his survival instincts, huffed, "How dare you, little boy, how dare you go against the Ministry and the Minister. This is treason. Arrest them!" she ordered raising her wand.
"Don't," said Cornelius.
But it was apparently too late. Dolores' wand exploded and they could feel her magic die. Cornelius could even feel it and he wasn't that sensitive to magic. Dolores opened her mouth and screamed in horror.
The aurors began to back up. The senior auror said, "We have no right to be here; our business is concluded," and they hustled Cornelius out of the building.
Dolores followed them, weeping pathetically. Cornelius had always depended on Dolores but now she was a mere muggle and he had no intention of keeping her around. It made him nervous. When they got back to the Ministry he arranged to have her retired with a nice amount of money and had the aurors take her away, protesting loudly and helplessly.
In the great hall of the Tree, Harry was sitting and talking to Neville Longbottom. Neville was holding his new staff with a look of wonder on his face, "Harry, I have little magic, you know. There are rumors I am a squib."
Harry smiled, "You are very powerful in magic, Neville. I can feel the magic of plants and the earth in you and I can also tell that your old wand is burned out. The fact that you could do some magic with a burned out wand shows just how powerful you are. Use the staff now. The tree will teach you what you need to know."
Lucius Malfoy came over to the two young men. "My lords, I am greatly honored that the tree and magic are helping me to be a new person. I wonder… I heard you say this is a sanctuary. Is this why no one has arrested me for my crimes?"
Harry looked up at the tall and handsome ex-death eater. "My Lord Malfoy, you are now safe here from those evil people who were your companions. You are also safe in the Forbidden Forrest and may even enter Avalon. Your family can come here and Hogwarts will make a place for you to dwell with one another. I fear that the Ministry will try to steal all that is yours and I don't know enough about it to help but you will not want for food or clothing or knowledge here."
Lord Malfoy's face crumpled a little, "You are kind to me when I did very evil things, young men. I deserve to lose all I own and my life as well, but I would like to save some of the family fortune for my son and wife. They may not want to live here."
A young voice cried out, "Father, please don't send me away," and Draco Malfoy ran to him. "I love you, Father and I would rather be poor and stay with you." Lucius kissed his son's forehead gently and said, "You make me proud, my son, but I have to be careful. Pride was my downfall before, though I think this pride is earned, because it is not from me, but instead pride for you."
He looked at Harry and Neville. "If it pleases you, I will provide counseling. And if it pleases magic, I would like to work with Gringotts to make reparation to those I have harmed as well as to provide housing for widows and orphans and those who were crippled in battle."
Harry looked very happy, "That is a good decision, Lord Malfoy." Then the boy held out his staff and raised one hand, which instantly was awash in golden light. Lord Malfoy grasped at the now dim tattoo adorning his arm and cried out in joy. The cursed mark was absolutely gone.
A goblin warrior strode forward and gazed up at the Lord Malfoy who had treated goblins and all folk not human very rudely in the past.
Malfoy smiled at him and bowed. "If it pleases you, oh noble goblin warrior, I would be honored if you could tell Gringotts that I need to make reparation to many."
The goblin smiled too and his sharp teeth glinted, "even to goblins?" he asked.
Malfoy laughed, "All the items in my household and vault that were kept from the Goblin Kin will be identified and returned as you please, oh warrior. I beg you to check them for dark magics first.
Then he heard a silky voice talking in parseltongue and turned. Severus Snape, healed and wearing green instead of his customary black was conversing with the large snake that had taken residence by the tree.
"Severus," he said, hoping that his old friend might forgive him for all his foolishness.
Severus looked up and smiled at him, "Lucius, this magic agrees with you." He observed.
"Although I have done evil, this magic has given me a second chance when I gave myself to it for justice. I feel like a child again, full of hope."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Piers had painted his Mum's room. It was interesting work, and he had especially enjoyed doing the trim work that formed a border. Mum was coming home soon, and the paint was already dry, the windows were open and most of the smell was gone. He planned on having Mum sleep in his room and he would take the couch. He was excited.
The door to her room opened and Mum stood there, "Oh Piers, this is beautiful," she said and hugged her son.