- Occasionally editing, just never in order. I also have dyslexia so... the writing might have errors that I can't even see. If you find a chapter you really like and want to edit, that would be amazing and I'd be very thankful.
-If you see any weak chapters, shoot me a message and I'd love to edit it further, I have officially lost myself within this 58+ chapter write up I did, and I'm sure I've missed some chapters along the way.
- Press that like or Fav, or even send a comment, it helps the heart. :)
- I hope you enjoy the story!
Beginning Story Info:
In my world, the Potters death, Snape joining staff at Hogwarts, all of that are all moved up like, threeish years to accommodate making Kayne (My OC) more compatible age with Draco and the Famous Trio. Fred and George are still in Hogwats because I love them aaaaaand, Sirius is alive.
Summery: Kayne was far more civil with Severus than most. Understandably so, she was in the first classes he ever taught. She'd known him further back than any of these students did, back before the Darkness took his mind for keeps. As the magic world finalizes for war, hound at heel, she takes her place among the Order while keeping her hand outstretched to loyal Dragons and Snakes.
Book – Half blood Prince
Kayne is very early 20's,
Sirius is alive
Fred/George - 7th year
Italic = Thoughts / Personals / Flashback
Lucius is out from "a short stay in Azkaban" and being is back to being his snakey self. (Has a wand)
I don't own the Harry Potter people I just play with them. I made up Kayne, and Vex.
Welcome! Enjoy!
Ode To Our Masqueraded Lives
Chapter 1 -Shadow of a Statue.
"Who you really are and what you have had to do to survive are two completely different things."
Hermione: (POV)
Summer break had near just started for the famous trio, but as they sat in the back seat of the flying magic car, they realized their feeling of freedom was over before it truly got to begin. At the end of last school year, Delores had run off and the Order had become a reason behind a few Deatheater captures. After that, the long-awaited confirmation of the Dark Lords return was made public by the Minister himself. The school would start for another year and while the defeat at the Ministry had those around figuring it should have been enough to push the Deatheaters back into hiding, for whatever reason, the events had only stirred with the Dark Lord and his faithful companions whom now pushed restraint of war to its brink.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron had been picked up and brought to the Order safe house after a brave Death Eater attack in the middle of a muggle park where the trio were having lunch. It had been a few days since then, locked in Grimmauld Place, and the shock was wearing off as the boredom of the usually empty house set it. Harry and Ron were half heartily playing another round of Wizard's Chess while Hermione and Ginny gossiped about various celebrities and events while flipping through pop magazines.
It was a meeting night, which held a nice change from the silence and boredom of day to day at Grimmauld Place. Sirius and Harry had finally been able to spend time together, and even with all the darkness, he had his best friends and family with him now and it all felt like a home to Harry for the first time in his life.
A snapping echoed around the dreary living room as Fred and George apparated into the space where everyone sat, and started going off about a new prank or invention they came up with much to Hermione's disinterest. Soon enough, Hermione's mind moved to the entering adults who passed the opening of the living room on their way deeper into the home.
Seeming to turn brighter at the arrival of each friendly face and each new conversation, a warmth took over the dreary silence as soon enough, the smell of Mrs. Weasley's slow cooking drifted into the room. Hermione felt her stomach growl as her last meal had been that morning and she thought ahead to the deeply marinating meat and veggie stew. The smell though held a heaviness that informed the younger crowd of their imminent send off to the bedroom to be locked away from the meeting's secrets and plans.
As the clock landed on fifteen minutes to seven, the door swung open carried by a strong gust of bad weather from outside. In strolled Severus Snape, the described dark, loathing, glooming bat of the dungeons who looked as unapproachable and bristled as ever. The faces of the students immediately turned to defensiveness as he stepped into view of the open living room doorway casting a dark sneer at the bunch before his attention was quickly brought onto Mrs. Weasley's warm, happy welcomes.
It was something Hermione had always loved about Mrs Weasley. It never mattered who it was, she would always greet them as if they were a friend, even if those greetings were met usually with icy glares and mean sarcasm.
"And Kayne, my darling! It's been far too long! Vex! Look how big you've gotten!" Mrs. Weasley said suddenly.
Hermione's thoughts were halted as a slightly older female appeared from behind the opposite side of Snape, at her side a large black dog obediently resting to a sit by the girl's feet.
"Far too long." The girls' voice was surprisingly joyful and warm for the company she kept, and she opened her arms and gave back the hug the excited Ms. Weasley dropped around her shoulders. Hermione watched Snape fall back on his heel and roll his eyes before taking an irritable breath.
The girl mentioned as Kayne, had taken a step from Snape's side further to hug Mr. Weasley tightly and give a warm smile to his welcomes. Kayne was dressed in loose-fitting, black, ripped jeans held up by a dark coloured psychedelic print belt that held her duel wand holder and knife holster which was kept semi-visible under her heel whispering coat. A black loose hanging robe hung over her shoulders and remained open, exposing a comfortably fit black and purple t-shirt, while on her feet she wore black, well broken in boots with purple shoelaces. Her long black hair was tied back with a braided black, silver capped cord that reached to the middle of her spine along with her hair, while her bangs hung in spiky chunks that fell to jaw level. In her hair, she had tied back a thick white stripe that fell down her back and broke the darkness like stars through the nighttime mane as she moved about. Hermione wasn't the only one surprised, the whole room seemed to be staring at the new face.
As Kayne pulled away from Mr. Weasley's embrace, a simple conversation was exchanged between adults and Hermione noticed Kaynes other hand stroking the dogs forehead and ears in what could be taken as a nervous habit. Mrs. Weasley seemed to give an empathetic smile as the rest of the Order said hello and went through friendship style greetings while Sirius chose to stay back, leaning against the living room threshold. He chose to remain quiet and give Kayne a simple head nod when she addressed him, outwardly displeased by her presence.
At one point in the introductions, Kayne seemed to get overwhelmed and took a tentative step back. A movement accompanied by Snape's outside, and well-hidden hand that went almost unnoticed by everyone except that of Hermione Granger. It was at her retreat when she stepped into Snape's shadow did he place two fingers on her spine, ceasing her steps while threatening a guessed pressure point. His face never faulted and his dark attitude never wavered and no one else caught the movement, but when Molly addressed the younger crowd, who until this point had said nothing or moved an inch and asked them to get up and say hello to Kayne, did Snape's composure fault as did the shadow of his hand. An unfamiliar glint sat in his eye as he stared back at Molly. Nervousness, perhaps? Hermione would ask aloud to Ginny later.
Clearing his throat, Kayne placed herself back at his side loyally, dropping her conversation with a small smile.
"Molly, if I may." his voice trademarked grim, "The introductions that have been had, is the reason we are running late now. Some of us have matters we must attend too before the night is out, you understand?" His voice faded with a deathly calm, but Severus's eyes bore into Molly's bringing the women agree and shuffle the kids upstairs with another friendly smile at Kayne.
Hermione started picking up her books slowly and watched her friends walk past Snape who's glare enough made them drop their eyes from his companion instantly. Hermione came up last, books in both hands and looked Kayne right in the eyes and said with Gryffindor bravery and a happy smile,
"It's too bad we didn't get to chat. I'm Hermione Granger. I hope we get to talk soon. Oh! And I love your dog. He's so majestic." Hermione full heartily smiled at Kayne, whose eyes were hesitant and the response was delayed. Without a look at the obviously snarling Snape, she left the hall and went upstairs.
It was a lie.
It was her first good look at the black shadow of a dog and it looked terrifying. It was huge and black as night, with a thick coat and an intimidating muscle build. His one blue eye/brown eye combo looked threateningly hungry as it's pointed ears perked straight ahead at Hermione as she had spoken. As Hermione ascended the stairs, she had pushed herself to look back and noticed the dog nearly blend into the shadow's of the hallway as if being a shadow himself.
Creepy, Hermione shivered and looked back up the stairs where she was heading.
...
"What the bloody hell was that?! Who was that?!" Ron demanded, breaking the silence as soon as the door was shut. Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Harry and Ginny pulled up chairs and cushions and gathered around the fireplace.
"We're talking about that girl, right?" Ginny asked, "Just so we're clear."
"Obviously," Harry stated a bit harshly.
"Kayne." Hermione spoke quietly.
The conversations carried for at least an hour and Hermione had spent the time silent, thinking about her own questions besides if she was his kid and making childish remarks.
"That poor girl.. having to spend time any time with that git. Especially traveling with him." Fred's sympathetic comment awarded a moment of silence.
"That dog though.." Harry muttered… "Did you see it…?"
"Vex." Ginny replied. "The dog's name is, Vex."
"Yeah." Ron huffed without care, "That was the creepiest thing I've seen in a long time. I don't even know how it got past the security in the house looking that evil." Ron pondered while leaning back in his chair.
"It's a Grimm" Harry started. "The dog was at least part Grimm if that's even possible. I remember when we were studying them in the third year. I knew it by the dark feeling. They can be amazing pets... Loyal and smart but, you have to make it through a feat of death to keep one."
Another moment of silence.
"Hermione… Hermione?" It was Ron.
"Yeah?" Hermione replied bringing her back to the group.
"You haven't said anything. What do you think?"
Lovely Ronald. He always cared and wanted to make sure her opinions were heard. Maybe it was due to the fact she had been usually right. The last part made her smirk.
"On the topic of Kayne. Snape's kid or not…" she smiled as members of the room grimaced, "Why is she here?"
"What are you getting on about?" It was George who asked adjusting his seat.
"I have been paying attention to who has been in and out of these meetings. We have all seen Snape a bunch of times, but, I have never seen Kayne even once, anywhere, or ever brought up. I also noticed that everyone knew her already, none of it makes sense unless-"
"- Unless! She's his long-lost angsty kid!" Ron interrupted gaining a few giggles.
"-Unless…." Hermione growled, "She wasn't supposed to be around then... We all know what's coming.. Maybe there's a reason behind her."
Silence overcame the room with this new idea as the reminder of approaching war set a heaviness in the air. After a while, they all broke off into their own conversations and the question was left unanswered.
...
The clock chimed nine when they heard the doors open downstairs and Mrs. Weasley voice rang for everyone to come for dinner. Hermione raced down, determined to see the girl one more time knowing Snape never stayed long after meetings.
She just wanted one question answered.
Once Hermione hit the ground floor landing, with her analytical gaze she quickly found Kayne standing alone by the door, arms crossed over her chest, Vex laying in front her feet. Snape had gone somewhere and she stood alone and leaning against the wall, her sharp eyes scanning the hectic room.
Well, the fact she has his glares doesn't help the kid theory... Hermione thought, her stomach churning as she thought of the process to make a child and the involvement of Snape. Kayne's bored glances met Hermione's and surprisingly she softened a bit. Hermione brightened as Kayne's fingers wiggled from her crossed arms and Hermione took that as a good sign and began to approach.
"Hi, Kayne? Right?" Hermione greeted confidently.
"Riight. Good Job. Hermione? Correct?" Her voice was short and slightly sarcastic, confusing Hermione because of the warmth and good nature her aura presented.
"Yes," Hermione replied quickly giving the older girl a sheepish smile.
"Severus spoke of a girl with bushy hair and a know – it – all attitude." A smile began to play on Kayne and Hermione wasn't sure if its intentions were kind or insulting. Somehow, Kayne seemed to sense this and added, "his words. Not mine."
A small smile assured Hermione that Kayne meant no harm, and as Hermione opened her mouth to further conversation, she was quickly silenced by an ominous force that came up behind her.
"Ms. Barnett." A dark voice rose from behind Hermione that sent shivers up her spine.
"I'm ready, we were just chatting," Kayne said, pushing off the wall and giving Hermione a nod.
Though Professor Snape's presence sent a sense fear into Hermione, as it did nearly everyone else, somehow Kayne seemed unaffected and only turned her lip upwards at the git of a man. Vex stood ready to head out and Hermione noticed with the large dog's tail wagging and open mouthed panting, he looked a lot nicer, friendlier almost.
Nodding curtly, Snape swept by them and started out the door while Kayne turned back to Hermione and gave a small but genuine smile,
"I'll see you next meeting….. maybe." Kayne said warmly before turning away.
Suddenly recovered, Hermione smiled back and agreed before watching Kayne walk out the open door held by Snape, who glanced angrily at Hermione before rudely slamming the door shut.
That night and a few days after, Ginny and Hermione would sit and talk about this occurrence. They both wanted to know who she was. They wanted to know about Vex, they wanted to know why Snape of all people was her travel companion. But all Hermione truly wanted to know, was why she had never shown up before.
Few meetings had come and gone since then and Kayne showed up each time. When Snape did leave her, he never left for long and no one had time to get into a conversation and ask anything in the time she was alone. Not like she acted like she would answer them anyway. She was always mostly stone-faced when she was in the house, always cold until approached.
There were noticing differences though, in conversation her tones weren't as laced with sarcasm and her words weren't unemotional or intentionally insulting, she seemed very normal in contrast the man she always arrived and left with. And sometimes behind Snape's back, she would nod her hand in Hermione's direction, sometimes wiggle her fingers in a friendly wave.
It wasn't until the summer ended when the day Hermione waited for arrived.
The Weasley 'children', Hermione and Harry sat again in the living room playing games or reading while saying hellos to the Order as they arrived. At one point they began readying themselves to usher off upstairs and leave the adults to talk among themselves about pleasant things before the meeting. Professor Snape and Kayne showed up right before the meeting as usual and stood alone together in low conversation until the announcement the meeting was to gather. Hermione sat with her friends who were spread around the living room table, catching up and pulling things together to move upstairs when Mrs. Weasley, Sirius, and Professor Macgaonall called their attention as they entered.
"If we can talk to you all for a moment," Professor Magonagall began in her teachers' tone as they all turned and listened, looks being glanced around nervously in between.
"If you remember, Professor Snape has been coming with a… guest, who's much around your ages? Yes?" Mrs. Weasley asked the group, all who nodded quietly. "Well, in turn of events, she will be spending the night here,"
"-and we would like to ask if predigests may not bleed over to innocent people." Sirius finished strongly, looking at each one of them individually and receiving a nod before moving onto the next.
Sirius was talking of course about Kayne and her relation with the most hated man ever to cross his or anyone's path. Hermione predicted this was going to be difficult for Harry, and especially Ron. All would be made even harder by the fact it had been seen and pointed out how distant and angry Sirius was towards the girl he now protected.
"And, do try to make her feel welcome, will you dears?" Mrs. Weasley added warmly.
The group agreed, and Molly gave her motherly trademark bright smile "Grand! Meeting time, then dinner time." She said clapping her hands together and leading the way out of the room, not allowing for questions or comments. The group was put in their bedroom and the Order meeting began as normal.
...
As Hermione sat in the designated bedroom with her friends, she sat thinking of Kayne as the room went on around her. Hermione couldn't lie, to herself or anyone, she was a tad excited about being able to actually talk to the mysterious girl.
As the meeting wore on and the hours passed, Fred and George had the "smart idea" to once again try to spy on the meeting. Sighing at her friends' stupidity, she pulled herself from her mind, and followed her friends to the stair barrier, and positioned herself at Ginny's side as Fred lowered the extending ear slowly over the banister across from her.
The conversation they picked up was not one that was expected.
"What do you mean? You're leaving me here tonight?" a female voice snapped quietly but came over louder than expected on the ear. Fred frantically adjusted the volume and after a moment of silence, the conversation continued softer.
"For tonight." Came the grave hiss of Snape, his voice low and dangerous, "I will retrieve you when I'm able."
It seemed that Professor Snape and Kayne had left the meeting and stepped out into the hallway for privacy. Their conversation was the closest thing to the ear now and became the topic of attention immediately and with no argument.
"Well, I'm not.." Kayne's sentence was cut off by the mans venomous bite,
"No." His voice demanded, "Not tonight. With the current state, it would not be intelligent to travel alone."
"But I have Vex..."
Snape must have had his teeth clenched and must have moved away from the mic, but seconds passed with silence before the sound of fabric came rustling from a distance.
"Oh…"
Kayne's voice seemed further away, but she seemed to understand and after another heavy and blind silence, Hermione looked up to see Fred motioning to his left forearm.
A death eater meeting, the group silently decided.
"So…" Kayne started up in a dropped tone of her last attempt, "I'll just meet you tomorrow or something..."
"Enough!" Snape's voice came suddenly and harshly, jumping most of the group on the stairs before quieting again while keeping his cringe-worthy tone, "I'm speaking past our mutual respect and telling you as your superior in Order placement. Tonight you are staying here. I will come and retrieve you as promptly as possible. I will seek you out from within these walls and only from within these walls, which you will reside inside the confines of for the entire duration of my absence. Understood?"
A sort of sting could be felt in the harshness in the Professors voice, one that made those listening feel a tad remorseful for Kayne and her situation. The hardness he used, was the tone that he used to place fear on his worst students and those who bothered him most. Professor Snape was famous for to crippling students verbally, and somehow Hermione knew, Kayne was currently under the same effect.
"Okay."
It was a weak agreement, but an agreement non-the-less and a satisfied noise came from Snape as the sound of opening doors triggered the end of the meeting as an outpour of voices lit up the house once more.
"Dinner!" Molly called out for them from just out of view, and Hermione pondered that if weren't already by the stairs, they would have given more time for Snape to re-distinguish his angry composure.
Not long after, Hermione would watch as Kayne and Snape disappeared into the crowd of people saying goodbye's as Molly fussed about dinner for the ones staying. But, for the one's watching they would see a seemingly sad goodbye from Kayne's perspective as the two exchanged a solemn nod before Kayne straightened her back and Snape billowed out the front door, only stopping as he took his first step out the threshold.
Over his shoulder he said curtly, in what Hermione could only guess from lip reading, Snape placed the order of "Protect, Vex", which brought Kayne to scrunch her pet's scruff as he sat loyally by her side.
With nothing more, not even a look or a word, Severus Snape shut the door and left Kayne feeling dark and alone in a room full of bright happy people.
Kayne:
He was gone...
He left... She thought to herself as she stood staring at the door and it's threshold.
The fucking idiot didn't even look back.
Anger crossed her eyes then settled back into a numbed glare as her fingers bunched the fur on her dog's neck again. She had felt Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing behind her, but did not let it bother her nor did she bring any attention to it.
When she was ready, Kayne gripped her backpack and Vex's black leather leash and turned to meet their confused and eager gazes.
Perfect.. She thought sarcastically.
...
Kayne sat through dinner in silence, listening to the group laugh and talk around her. During introductions and during dinner, she had caught the eye of Sirius a few times, and each time they cast a glare at each other before turning their eyes away. Even though he was to ask for no predigest, Sirius was fueled by hatred for Severus and had claimed her disloyalty, quick to waver heavy caution over their connection.
Kayne looked down at Vex who sat wrapped around the back of her chair and remembered him as a puppy. He had been a gift. Something to protect her, to keep her company, and to also keep the evils away.
Unwavering loyalty and intelligence, matched with dashing looks and master skills, Vex was a force to be reckoned with and his honor was well stone set. There were times she felt as if he could understand the words the world said around him, and there was more in that body and mind of a Grimm than people gave credit for. He could learn, he could plan, he could make decisions and reason intelligently. His secretive, humanoid intelligence only added to the death he could inflict.
And, Kayne would want it no other way.
Feeling the affection, Vex moved his head to lay next to his master's chair leg, which was then awarded a piece of table chicken.
As dinner ended, Molly informed her that she would be staying in the girls' room with Hermione and Ginny.
Even better… Kayne thought as she tried drowning a potato piece in the hearty beef stew with her spoon.
...
As eyelids started drooping, Kayne slipped away to the bedroom where she lay Vex's bed blanket on the corner of the mattress, ignoring the eyes of the two girls across the room who watched her. Kayne wanted to go straight to bed, she didn't want to talk to anyone, she didn't want to make friends, she didn't want memories with these girls. This was a bad position for her, and such connections were not permitted in the rules.
She watched Vex pad over and curl himself up into a big fluffy ball and give a huff, shutting his eyes after a moment of staring off.
"That's a wonderful dog," Ginny said looking at Vex longingly.
"Thank you. He was a gift." The thought of baby Vex with the deep purple bow around his belly, jumping on her bed that first morning, brought a smile to her face.
"So can we ask…?" Ginny flopped down on her bed, trying to make it seem more of girl gossip than personal prying. Kayne knew Ginny was trying to relax the tension a bit but instead, her teeth clenched in discomfort.
She knew this was going to happen, Severus had warned her.
"Depends..?" Her eyes flashed at Ginny, maintaining a friendly, open composure but placing the threat out there to be known. If she gained anything from spending so much time with a man who was so cold.. it was being cold.
"How do you know, Professor Snape?" Hermione quickly picked up the slack of the conversation, glad when seeing a glint in Kayne brighten for a second.
"I was his student when he first started teaching at Hogwarts. I graduated around the same year as Charlie, actually." Kayne said looking up from her dog to Hermione.
"Oh really!" Hermione exclaimed sitting up onto her knees and looking excited.
"Is it that surprising?" Kayne laughed slightly, unaware of the other idea's that had been tossed around that first night.
"Can we guess what house?" Ginny asked.
"Go for it." Kayne pushed with a gleam in her eye and smile on her face.
Ginny looked from Kayne to Hermione before both girls gave a smile.
"Slytherin." was answered in unison.
"Because showing up with Snape didn't answer that for you." Kayne rolled her eyes in friendly sarcasm. She had remained neutral and warm through the entire conversation, but old lessons prodded her conscious. They were prying to close now and were getting too comfortable.
"So how did you become involved with the Order?"
Kayne's hearing perked as the young redhead foolishly spoke, proving her point and bringing her to drop her smile and stiffen her posture.
"No more. Good night."
The two got what they came for and turned to each other, letting Kayne lay down and turn away from the whispering girls though who spoke of different topics, still insisted on talking in general. Kayne pulled the blankets to her chin and drift to sleep using the low chatter as white noise.
Sometime later, the others would fall into slumber as well.
..
Hermione:
It was late that night when the girls' bedroom door of the Burrow opened.
Very late.
But the sound of the hinges and the presence of dark magic entering awakened Hermione. The years had made her sensitive to the feeling of oncoming magic which had bled to when she was asleep. It had become a blessing in her eyes than anything else. Turning only her eyes, Hermione saw a cloaked being creeping towards Kayne's bed, but kept quiet when she noticed Vex seemed happy to see the intruder, his tail thumping ever so quietly. Deciding on watching, Hermione tightened her fingers around the wand under her pillow, and her questions were answered quickly when Kayne lit the candle next to her bed and the figure pulled down the hood.
"Severus," Kayne answered Hermione's question as she whispered his name sleepily before sitting up and placing a hand on his bicep to push him back. She quickly pulled back when he made a noise like he was in pain, a sound he quickly covered with an emotionless mask of daggering glares.
"Are you okay?" Kayne's voice was blank.
"Yes," Snape said quietly and glanced around the room impatiently.
"Can you take me home now?" Kayne asked glancing towards her dog with tired eyes.
"Yes."
Severus headed for the door as Kayne grabbed her bag, slipped her boots on, and followed behind Snape out the door using wandless magic to tie the laces. Vex silently stepped off the bed, taking up the rear, blanket in his mouth, his pads making his footsteps silent as he left.
Hermione waited until after the door shut to roll over to her other side and close her eyes, eager to tell her friends in the morning of what transpired.
