A/N: At last I seem to have found a cure for the dreaded Writer's block that has plagued this story for so long! Please enjoy my latest chapter of The Love of Meme Brown.
Chapter 9 A Bit of Truth Revealed
The Headmaster stopped in front of the five teens and looked around curiously as he had sworn he saw what looked like a basilisk from the astronomy tower. "Good morning. I see that the five of you are contributing to school and house unity. Have any of you seen anything out of the ordinary today?" the Headmaster asked the teens.
"No, sir! What are you looking for, Professor? Maybe we could help you find it," Hermione asked?
"Oh, no, I don't think so, but thank you. Please, you fine friends have a good day," Albus said as he turned to walk back to the castle.
The friends watched for a moment as the Headmaster moved away and then tried not to laugh or vomit as the old man suddenly tripped over something. That neither himself nor they had seen, to land hard on his face, breaking his nose, and sending his robes up to reveal the fact that he was not wearing any underpants. Hermione covered her eyes and blushed while the boys tried not to gag or throw up in disgust.
Albus got to his feet and righted his robes while covering his bleeding nose as he limped back to the castle. Then they all turned to face the black lake as they all heard the sound of hissing laughter coming from behind them. Naga then appeared before their eyes rolling and coiling in laughter. "Naga, that was just wrong," Toby laughed!
"Then why are you all laughing along with me?" Naga said, still laughing.
"I don't know, but why did you trip him up like that?" Toby asked the serpent.
"Missstresss told me to not allow the old codger to bother you and your friendsss. I wasss jussst following her ordersss. I can't help it if the old man doesssen't know how to pick up hisss feet," Naga hissed with a happy tone making the teens all laugh.
"Naga, you are something else," Draco said as he ran his hands over her smooth scales.
"What was that letter that Ron brought," Hermione asked, bringing them all back to the world of common sense.
"Oh, right, it's from my grandmother. Let's see what she has to say; it could be something important if she insisted that Ron bring it to us," Toby said as he opened the purple envelope with emerald green writing addressed to Toby.
"Dear Toby, Hermione, Draco, Neville, and Ron,
It will please you all to know that as of seven-thirty this morning, Sirius Black has been pardoned for the actions and crimes that Peter Pettigrew (A.K.A. Worm tail, or Scabbers) committed against the Potter family and the thirty muggles that lost their lives tragically. You will find enclosed a newspaper clipping that Sirius insisted that you all have. He is now happy to move on with his life. It is all because of your kindness to a shaggy stray dog.
Love,
Mimi."
The newspaper clipping was then pulled out. The friends all saw a very exuberant looking Sirius Black standing beside Professor Brown, and to their great surprise, Professor Snape, along with the Minister of Magic. There was then a smaller photo under that, which read, "Sirius Black framed for murders of the Potters and thirty muggles, by Peter Pettigrew. It has been discovered that Peter Pettigrew, a childhood friend of both Sirius Black and the Potters, was the secret keeper responsible for protecting the Potters. After betraying the trust of his childhood friends and selling them out to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, then murdered thirty muggles before cutting off his own finger and vanishing, leaving authorities to believe that Sirius Black had done the job. Upon reviewing Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew's pensive memories, it was determined that Pettigrew was, in-fact, a Death Eater working under the orders of You-Know-Who. Sirius Black is now free from all charges and has been given back all of his family's holdings and his seat in the Wizengamot. Peter Pettigrew was executed via the Dementors Kiss at precisely noon upon the conclusion of the hearing."
They all gaped at the paper; Ron shook upon thinking that he and his family had been harboring the actual murder of the Potter family. Today had been filled with many revelations; just the fact that Naga had informed Ron that he was actually related to Helga Hufflepuff; had him thinking that perhaps his family had it wrong. For many generations, his family had either been embarrassed being descendants of Hufflepuff; or maybe they were simply ashamed for not being related to the bravest of the Hogwarts founders. It certainly explained Percy's behavior. It also had him wondering why the sorting hat had placed them all where they were.
The rest of that year passed peacefully well into the summer when the five friends attended the quidditch world cup. Nevil's grandmother purchased tickets for Nevil and all of his friends. Even Draco had joined them much to his mother's pleasure and his father's displeasure, though he didn't care what his father thought to be truthful. It surprised everyone that Nevil's grandmother was so excited about the cup, and the fact that Marry had accompanied them made her happy.
The five friends were thoroughly enjoying the quidditch match, although admittedly the boys were enjoying the match far more of the Hermione who rolled her eyes at their antics. As the match when on Toby couldn't help notice his grandmother's disturbed look on her face. He had seen that look several times before and knew that it could not be good. And as the match came to an end Mary acted swiftly and gathered all of the children up together in a group, it was at that point that Agusta finely noticed the disturbing expression on her friend's face and asked what was wrong.
"Mary, what's wrong," Agusta asked in a worried tone as she helped to gather the children closer together?
"Meme, what did you see," Toby asked as he huddled closer to his grandmother?
"Death Eaters, are going to cause bedlam, and the Dark Mark will be cast! Agusta, could you take Hermione to safety with you and Nevil? I'll take, Ron, Draco, and Toby with me," Mary started before their box was suddenly bathed in a bright light cutting off her words. As the light faded they saw none other than Foux the phoenix sitting upon Toby's shoulder singing into the air. Only a select few knew that Foux was truthfully now one of Toby's Familiars so Agusta was shocked to say the least upon taking note that Dumbledore's familiar was there.
"Meme, Faux says that it's to dangerous for you to apparate with us all. He insists on taking us all back to Prince Mannor until this is over," Toby announced as the phoenix flapped his wings and let his long flowing tail feathers hang between the gathered children and two adults.
"Everyone, take ahold of his tail feathers! Phoenix's can teleport us all to safety," Hermione said as she grasped one of Faux's tail feathers gently while her friends did the same followed quickly by the two adults as the terror-filled screams sounded out. There was another blinding flash of light and they were all whisked away as if they had never been there in the first place.
As the light faded, they all found themselves standing in the grand entryway of Prince Manner. None of Toby's friends had ever been to his home, so they were all very shocked to say the least, when Toby's cat, dog, and the Basilisk that all of the children knew that he had suddenly rushed down the main staircase all expressing their joined worry at once, making the five friends all cover their ears at once. Agusta screamed at the sight of the basilisk fainting and landing in an undignified heap on the marble floor as Nevil quickly cast a cushioning charm on the floor so that she wouldn't get hurt.
"I guess Gran, thought that I was telling fibs about Toby actually having a basilisk for a familiar," He said as he knelt and held her head in his lap.
"What's going on in here," came the angry voice of none other than Professor Snape, which stunned everyone who didn't live there even further?
"P-p-professor Snape, what are you doing here," Nevil stammered in shock as he peered up at their Potions Professor?
"I happen to live here, with my son, and his grandmother! That's now what we need to worry about at this exact moment. Did Lady Longbottom hit her head when she fainted," Severus asked as he lifted the elderly witches' body from her grandson's lap and carried her into the family sitting room?
"No, Nevil cast a cushioning charm just in time to save her from hitting her head. You truly don't give the boy enough credit," scolded Meme making Severus roll his eyes at her.
"Meme had a vision that Death Eaters were going to attack the Quidditch world cup, and Faux arrived to bring us all home just as we heard people screaming in terror," Toby announced patting Faux gratefully as she perched upon his shoulder never leaving the boy's side!
"Forgive, me Uncle Severus, but you never told me or my family that you had a son," Draco said in a stunned tone.
"Before anything more is said let me help Lady Longbottom come back to her senses! This is more serious than any of your knowledge, and I must insist that you all make a wizard's vow that what we are about to share with you will never be revealed to anyone," Meme said as she drew her wand and pointed it at Agusta to revive her.
"Meme, that's not needed! My friends have already taken the vow. They all know who my mother is and exactly why I no longer go by the name of Harry Potter," Toby announced making Severus and Meme both gape at him in shock. "The only thing that they did not know was exactly who my father was and why we are handling things in the way that we are," Toby announced as his friends gathered around him nodding in agreement with his statement.
"Draco, does your family know who Toby is," Severus asked in a worried tone?
"No sir, we've all been using Occlumency since Naga insisted that we all learn it after we all became best friends last year. I am very careful about what I say around my family because I don't want to die for betraying Toby's trust and friendship! Naga has promised that she'd be happy to eat anyone who betrays Toby or threatens either him or our bond of friendship," Draco announced firmly as he stood by Toby's side.
Both adults finally feeling more at ease Meme revived Agusta, and Severus helped her to sit up carefully as Dobby appeared and handed her a hot cup of tea to soothe her. "So, this is where you disappeared after father mistakenly released you! Dobby, I'm so glad to see that you are finally safe and happy," Draco said as he knelt and granted Dobby a loving hug! He had been worried about the little elf ever since his father had raved angrily about the incident.
"Dobby would like to thank Young master Draco for sharing his worries over Dobby's wellbeing with Master Toby. It was Mistress who came to my rescue and tricked young master Draco's father into releasing me. Thank you, sir," Dobby bowed before popping out of the room.
Agusta finally looked around fearfully in search of the basilisk who had coiled up on her favorite spot by the fireplace with Snuffles and Rainbow each resting peacefully within her coils. She blinked and rubbed her eyes before looking Mary and Severus Snape in the eye. "Why do I have the feeling that there is so much that I am not aware of," she asked as Nevil sat beside her?
"Gran, I wasn't telling you fibs! I did tell you the truth when I said that my friend Toby actually had a basilisk as a familiar," Nevil soothed!
"I'm so very sorry that I doubted you, Nevil. Now, will someone please tell me why professor Snape is here, and exactly where did Dumbledore's Phoenix take us," Agusta questioned upon seeing the phoenix still sitting in the room observing everything with a look of interest?
"Agusta, we will explain everything, but first I want a wizard's vow, that you will never divulge any of what is said here," Mary said as she leveled her brown eyes at her old school friend.
"I do swear, that I will never speak of anything mentioned here today to anyone, or risk my own death. So mote it be," Agusta said as she glowed when the magical vow had taken effect.
"Agusta, to start off Lily Potter was my daughter. She was never a muggle-born, but was indeed a half-blood like Severus," Meme started as Snuffles suddenly leaped from the coils of the basilisk and stunned them all by transforming back into his human form in front of all of them, instantly causing Severus to slap his face with his palm and draw his wand.
"Calm yourself, Severus! You did agree to his after all," Meme started as Severus remembered his promise and lowered his wand with a groan.
"What in Salazar's cauldron! Cousin Sirius! You've, I've, does my mother know that you're an animaigus," Draco asked in a rush!
"No, and you'll keep that a secret unless you want me to tell her that you are the one who is destroying your boxer shorts because you'd rather go commando," Sirius snapped with a smirk making Draco go red with embarrassment while his friends all covered their faces in shuck over knowing more about Draco than some of them wished.
"Can we please all get back to the subject at hand," Severus snapped!
"Right, It's my fault that Lily's husband James didn't spend his wedding night with her forcing her to seek comfort in her old childhood friend's arms and bed. I use to think that I regretted, it, but truthfully, after knowing James as I did, Lily would have been better off had she married Severus instead! Toby, Is in truth Lily's son Harry Potter, though only in name. In actuality, James always knew that Harry wasn't his child but Severus's. He chose to raise Harry as his own because of Severus' delicate position as a spy for the light," Sirius announced shockingly them all with a tidbit of information that James had only shared with him alone.
"How did James know that Harry wasn't his," Severus asked stunned upon finding that bit of hidden truth?
"Well after you sent Lily that letter warning her of the Dark Lord searching for not only her child but any child that fitted the prophecy, she told James the truth! He was hurt about it, but he realized that she would not have slept with you for the first time, and you would not have warned us about the danger if you didn't really love her. He decided then and there to let bygones be bygones. I've been hiding in my animagus form to act as another layer of protection for my godson, Toby Harrison Prince. He may have not been James's son, but I was still made his godfather and was ordered to protect the boy if it was needed," Sirius admitted.
After hours of explanation, Agusta left Prince Manner taking Hermione home to her parent's home along the way! Sirius decided to take Draco home, and face his cousin Narcissa after not speaking to her for so long, while Meme took Ron home to the burrow and Toby stayed home with his father. It had been a long day for all involved. Narcissa was so relieved to see Sirius had brought Draco home safely, and she hugged her cousin for the first time in a long time, while her sister Bellatrix slapped him hard and scolded him for keeping them all in the dark for so long. "Why Bella, I never knew that you cared about me so much," Sirius teased rubbing his red cheek where she had hit him.
"I haven't given a damned about you since you teased me after my daughter had died. I am only angry at you because you hurt Narcissa's feelings. You flea-bitten mongrel," she snapped before leaving just as quickly as she had come.
"She's still mad over that," Sirius said as he watched his cousin leave?
"Sirius, I was there, when Bella's daughter was born! She was their light, and when the next day Bella and Rodolphus were told that she had died, Bella went mad, and that was what made them both take the mark. You've never married, so you have no children of your own, so you could never understand the depth of harm such a loss of life can cause when you've spent nine months of that life growing inside of you," Narcissa said as she opened a locket that held a picture of her newborn niece within and gazed at it sadly! Sirius looked at the locket in her hand and blinked in shock upon what he saw there! He recognized that face very well.
"Narcissa, what was Bella's daughter named after her birth," Sirius asked in a tone of shock?
"She was named Hermione Rowena Lestrange after Rodolphus and Robastian's mother who had passed away before she was born. Why does it matter now," Narcissa asked?
"It's nothing at the moment, I just have a hunch to follow up on and if I'm right, then I'll need you to convince Bellatrix to come to Grimauld place later," Sirius said as he quickly left Malfoy Manor before Lucius returned.