Sensing Magic
by Teddylonglong
Please refer to chapter 1 for my disclaimer and warnings. Thank you.
Marvolo sighed in anticipation, as he relaxed in his favourite armchair in front of the fireplace, carefully balancing a fragile, old book on his knee. 'Tomorrow, I am finally going to meet Harry in person,' he thought, before he wondered why he felt so attached to the child. 'Never before in my previous life have I felt such a kind of attachment.'
"It isssss cold," Nagini, his familiar, complained, as she slithered into the room and right onto his chair to attach herself to his body, craving the warmth.
"Dolly!" Marvolo inwardly smiled, when the elf popped up a mere instant later. "Can you please switch on the fireplace? Nagini thinks that it's too cold here."
"Of course." With a flick of her hand, the fire was lit, and moments later, a pleasant warmth began to spread around the room.
"Why do you need an elf, when you have me?" Nagini somehow sounded annoyed. "You ssssimply could have lit zzze fire yoursssself."
Marvolo looked at his familiar in amusement. "Are you jealousss?" he asked in disbelief. "Dolly worksss for me, while you're my familiar. That'sss completely different."
"Ssso you don't pet her?"
"No," Marvolo reassured the snake, as he gently caressed her skin. 'She won't ever have to be jealous of anyone, as she is special due to being host for one of my souls,' he thought, feeling very much attached to his familiar.
All of a sudden and much to Nagini's apparent annoyance, another elf popped up in front of them. He was wearing a black jumpsuit decorated with a pattern of what seemed to be felines, however, without any specific crest on it.
"Marvolo, sir."
"Good evening. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I is Draht. It is done."
Marvolo narrowed his eyes at the elf in front of him. "Hello Draht. What is done, and who sent you to me? Please explain."
To his annoyance, the elf vanished from the sight without as much as a forewarning.
Marvolo remained pensive for a moment, before he uttered, more to himself than to Nagini, "Remember to never crossss elvesss. They sseem to be unpredictable."
HP
Severus' thoughts went haywire, as he accompanied Richard and Robert Rosier to the headmaster's office. Only a few days ago, Marvolo had told him about Theodore Rosier. Could it be by chance that the old man had died tonight?
He quietly entered the headmaster's office after his students, one of them a sixth-year prefect, the other a second-year. A young man was waiting for the boys. Severus recognised Felix Rosier, who had been one of his prefects until his graduation a few years ago.
"I'm sorry to tell you that Granddad died earlier tonight." Felix was wearing a blank mask, as he addressed his younger brothers.
"How?" the youngest enquired, tears beginning to run down his cheeks.
Felix shook his head. "We were just having dinner, when he suddenly collapsed. The healers from St. Mungo's couldn't help him. They examined the food and apparently found some residue of an unknown poison in his wine. Sorry, but that's all I know. I think they're still investigating. Anyway, Mum wants you to come home over the weekend."
Severus quietly uttered his condolences to the boys, before he excused himself and returned home, deep in thoughts.
"I don't know what to think anymore," he admitted to Regina. "I really thought I might be able to trust this new Dark Lord."
"Considering the timing, this can't be just by chance," his wife agreed, sighing. "At least, he gave you an oath that he wouldn't harm Harry or us."
Severus let out a small scoff. "He could still order someone to get rid of us. Oh well, at least Harry can simply pop away in case there is any danger, no matter if he puts up wards against Apparition or Portkeys."
"That's true, and we should remind him of his ability, before you leave in the morning." She cuddled close to him, putting his hand onto her belly, where their younger son seemed to be doing flipflops again.
HP
"I know." Harry's voice was soft, as he added, "Marvolo is not evil though. I'm sure."
"Nevertheless, be careful, son. Remember we love you and want to have you back here safely."
"I love you, too," Harry replied, smiling at his adoptive mother. "I will be careful."
"That's all we can ask for. Now, are you ready to leave?" Severus leaned over to Regina, and Harry was glad that Lucy did not relay the images of his adoptive parents kissing.
"I'm ready. Shall I pop us?"
"Well, you can either pop us, or we'll have to walk down to the Apparition border, which probably wouldn't be much fun in this ugly weather."
=I don't like the rain.= Lucy shook her fur in apparent annoyance, causing Regina to chuckle upon Harry's translation.
"I don't like the rain either," Teddy voiced, shuddering in a movement mirroring Lucy's.
"Popping it is I believe," Regina quipped.
Harry nodded. He carefully gripped Lucy's paw, holding out his left hand for Severus to take, before he motioned Teddy to hold on to his arm. "Bye, Regina," he said, before he popped the four of them to where he could sense the man, who had so far been his mind friend.
HP
"Harry. I am very happy to finally meet you."
It took a moment, before Lucy showed him the older wizard, who seemed about the age of his adoptive parents and greeted him with apparent enthusiasm.
"Hi Marvolo," Harry replied, suddenly feeling somehow shy.
"My Lord," Severus said, giving the man a light bow.
"Severus."
"These are Teddy and Lucy," Harry introduced his familiars, smiling, when Lucy showed him an image of her licking Marvolo's hand in apparent approval of the man.
"Dolly!" Marvolo shouted, and to Harry's surprise, an elf popped up an instant later. 'I don't know why I had assumed that Marvolo wouldn't have an elf,' Harry thought in surprise, smiling, when Marvolo introduced Dolly to him.
"Harry Prince, the saviour of the elves." Dolly cast him a broad smile. "You're famous on the Isle of Elves."
"Thank you, but I didn't really do anything," Harry replied in a small voice, trying to not let his voice reflect his bewilderment at the elf's words.
"Oh no! The elder elves informed all elves that Harry Prince is the saviour of the elves, as it is because of him that three Hogwarts elves and a couple more elves were freed from the human suppression." Dolly's voice was firm. "The elves are very grateful to the great Harry Prince."
Harry smiled, as Lucy went ahead and nudged Dolly's hand, before she gently licked the elf's ears, which were almost as large as her own.
HP
Once they had made themselves comfortable around the table in front of the fireplace, where refreshments had popped up as soon as Dolly had vanished, Severus spoke up. "May I assume that you are satisfied with your revenge on Lord Rosier?" His voice did not give away any emotion.
Harry listened in surprise, recalling that two boys' grandfather had died the previous evening. 'Wasn't that the same name?' he wondered, only to become startled at Marvolo's response.
"I am what? No, I did not do anything. Is Theodore Rosier still pestering the living world with his most annoying presence?"
"He was until last night, when he is said to have miraculously perished during dinner with his family. Considering that you told me about him the other day, this does not sound like a coincidence or so I thought. I apologize if I interpreted this in a false way."
Marvolo cleared his throat. "No, I was not involved in this. However, this might be the explication to another mystery. Dolly!"
"Dolly, do you know Draht, and if so, what can you tell me about him?" Marvolo sounded urgent.
Dolly let out a small sigh. "Draht is one of the elves currently living on the Isle of Elves. For many years, he served a family but somehow managed to trick his master into giving him clothes. He was an evil master."
"Could that have been Lord Rosier?"
Dolly remained pensive for a moment, before she replied. "I am not sure, sir, but it is possible. Should Dolly fetch Draht here?"
"Yes please." Marvolo's voice was friendly but firm.
An instant later, Lucy showed him the image of another elf, and Harry inwardly chuckled at the feline pattern on his black jumpsuit. He listened in surprise, when Draht told Marvolo everything about his former master. He explained that Bandhu had informed him of the man's actions against Marvolo, who was a good friend of the saviour of the elves.
"Last night, I took revenge on yous, sir, and put something into his wine for his dinner," Draht finished his explanation with a light bow towards Marvolo.
"Do not bow. You have done extremely well. Thank you, Draht."
Harry listened in surprise with a small smile playing on his lips. 'Of course, Marvolo isn't evil, even if he might have been criminal in the past. He must have been. He's the one who killed my parents. Although he told me once that it wasn't his fault.' His thoughts went haywire.
"Unfortunately, as Lord Rosier is dead now, it will be difficult to prove your innocence, sir." Severus' voice was soft, as he stated the obvious. 'Oh no, that's true,' Harry realised, feeling sad at the idea.
Marvolo let out a deep sigh. "Draht, do you wish to work for me together with Dolly as free elves?"
Draht once again bowed lightly. "I would like that, sir."
"Dolly, would that be all right with you?" Harry smiled, when Marvolo asked his first elf in a soft voice.
"Yes sir. Dolly would like to work together with Draht."
"Hello Dolly, hello Draht, I am Teddy, Harry's elf," Teddy suddenly spoke up, causing Harry to inwardly groan. 'I should have introduced him to the elves in the first place,' he thought and sent a quick 'Sorry for not introducing you sooner' to Teddy.
'That's fine, Harry,' Teddy replied, while the other elves greeted him with apparent enthusiasm.
Once his two elves left, Marvolo explained to him in detail how the late Lord Rosier had kept him under the Imperius curse over the course of approximately forty years. From time to time, Severus added small explanations to him, knowing surprisingly well when Harry did not understand Marvolo's words.
"I can't believe it. He totally ruined your life," Harry said in disbelief, once Marvolo had finished his tale.
"And in extension yours," his friend added, looking at him with a sad expression.
Harry nodded, feeling very sad knowing how unnecessary his birth parents' deaths had been.
"As to your plans for the future…" Severus slowly trailed off, quirking an eyebrow in silent question.
Marvolo nodded. "I intend to call my former followers together tonight and explain everything to them. The question is to where I should summon them. This old muggle house might not be exactly adequate."
Severus nodded in apparent understanding. "Before, you usually held your meetings in Malfoy Manor if I am not mistaken."
"Yes, but considering that Lucius claimed having been under the Imperius curse, I cannot intrude in his place anymore. Perhaps, I should have spoken with Artemis Nott sooner. He was my friend, even before Rosier acted up."
Severus nodded. "Nott manor might be a better option than Riddle manor. Why don't you ask him over, once Harry and I have returned to Hogwarts?"
Marvolo remained pensive for a moment, holding out the plate with the last biscuit to Harry. "I shall do so. Will I see you tonight?"
"Yes sir. Good luck for your conversation with Nott."
"Thank you and thank you both for visiting. Harry, I will see you again soon." Once again turning to Severus, he said, "Once, I get my main problems under control, I plan on doing some research for a ritual that will help Harry's eye sight."
Severus let out a deep sigh. "The elves tried a ritual, which, however, did not work. I believe that it might be most efficient using a potion in a ritual." He seemed strangely smug, which became clear, as he continued. "My student assistants are already working to develop an adequate potion. I suggest that you work together with them for the combination in a ritual."
"Agreed. As soon as I am ready, I shall ask you to introduce us." Marvolo seemed contented; however, Harry's mind screamed, 'The twins? The greatest trouble makers of all times are trying to find a way to heal me?'
He was brought back to reality, when Severus called him, Lucy and Teddy together. "We're leaving. Harry, are you ready to pop us back home? Right in front of the Great Hall please, as lunch is going to commence any minute now."
"Yes," Harry agreed and uttered a quick "Bye" to Marvolo, before he popped them back to Hogwarts.
HP
After lunch, Harry spent some time with Regina, and Lucy was in dire need of a nap. He suddenly felt through the link that Marvolo seemed anxious about something.
'Marvolo, is everything all right?' he thought to his friend. Like so many times before, he wondered why he was even able to sense the man's moods and feelings; however, he did not have the chance to ask the man when he met him earlier. When he asked his adoptive father before, Severus had merely shaken his head, admitting that he did not have an idea.
'Yes, sorry, I am just explaining to Artemis Nott what I already told you this morning,' Marvolo explained, shortly before Harry could feel the tension make space for apparent relief and happy feelings.
HP
At the same time, Severus held a lengthy conversation with his student assistants in his private lab. He told them everything about one Tom Marvolo Riddle, the former Dark Lord alias You-Know-Who, before he suggested combining their potions research with a possible ritual as suggested by Marvolo.
"The one who killed Harry's parents…"
"… all of a sudden is not evil anymore?"
Four eyes stared right at him in apparent disbelief, causing Severus to partly repeat his earlier explanation.
"Excuse me, Professor…"
"… but is there any proof…"
"… that this story is true?"
Severus let out a deep sigh. "Unfortunately, one of the elves on the Isle of Elves attempted to take revenge for Marvolo and killed Lord Rosier last night, so that he cannot be questioned anymore."
"Do you…"
"… and Harry…"
"… believe him?"
Severus nodded. "Harry was the first to state that he could sense that Marvolo was not evil. The elder elves also seem to believe this; otherwise, they would not have helped him regain his body. Therefore, yes, I believe that his claim is true, and he seems neither evil nor mad anymore."
"All right," the twins agreed, simultaneously.
"In that case…"
"… we shall work together with him…"
"… and look out for a series of Howlers…"
"… once our mother will find out about it."
Severus inwardly groaned at the prospect. "Perhaps, it might be wise to not alert your mother to the fact right now. It will take a few months for Marvolo to get his life into order, before he will be able to work on the ritual anyway."
"We won't tell anyone," the twins promised, sincerely.
tbc...
Thank you so very much for the kind reviews for the previous chapter. I appreciate it very much, and my muse really needs the feedback. Thank you.