Chapter: Summer's End
A/N: The rest of Harry's summer plays out in what he thinks is a normal way. But what is happening behind the scenes?
Danny surveyed the new home, fully powered up in case something went awry. Molly Weasley merely watched him, hands clasped together in front of her chest. She could sense the hurt radiating off the child. With a flick of his wrist a small ghost shot back through the Floo, signaling to Adam and Harry that it was safe to come through. The young boy stumbled through the fireplace, and was caught by Adam's grip on his arm.
"Ah, Mrs. Weasley! Thank you so much for letting Harry stay." Adam said kindly, bringing his hand out to shake the matron's.
"Not a problem at all! I have heard so much about you from Ron! It's nice for him to have friends." She said with a smile. Honestly, she had been a little surprised when her son had written to her about his two new friends, and even more surprised with the maturity he had seemed to gain. Ron was still a long way away from being mature, but the selfish and bitter boy he was before Hogwarts was gone. "Alright Harry let me get a good look at you!" she said sweetly, beckoning the boy. She noticed Harry look to Danny for both assurance and protection, despite Adam's being the older of the two. Danny gave a curt nod.
"Hello Mrs. Weasley. I like how crazy you house is." He complimented, stifling a laugh as Molly gave a mock glare.
"Run along you little imp, Ron has been excited for you to get here." She turned to the stairs. "RONALD!" Danny winced, rubbing at his ears. "Oh, so sorry dear. I have to say, I don't think I ever seen whatever…uhm…creature…being? I don't mean to be rude." She finished with a slight blush on her cheeks.
"Danny is a human like us." Harry explained, pushing his hand against the teen's cheek. Neon eyes glared at him. "He's just kind of moody sometimes." Danny snapped his fingers and Harry was encased in a green bubble. "Hey!"
"Danny is human, he just has a genetic mutation that gives him the powers of ghosts." Adam explained when Danny refused to speak. Adam didn't let Danny's silence bother him. He had to admit that he was similar to Severus in ways that weren't at first obvious. However, it was never something that could be attributed to their shared DNA, but rather to their separate but similar experiences. Ron appeared, rushing over to the bubbled Harry.
"Wicked! Do me too!" he begged, looking at Danny with admiration. Adam was afraid that the half ghost would ignore the boy, but he shouldn't have worried. Danny snapped again, and the two younger boys began laughing, bumping into each other with their bubbles. Underneath it all, much like Severus, the boy had good intention.
"Alright, to the backyard with both of you." Molly reprimanded, rolling the boys to the larger back door. "Would the two of you like to stay for lunch?" she asked the other two over her shoulder.
"Yes," Adam said at the same time Danny denied the invitation. The blond gave Danny a glare, and the two argued with their eyes. In the end Danny turned into his human half, looking at the floor. "We would love to, Mrs. Weasley."
"Oh, please call me Molly." She replied with a wave of her hand. She gently pulled them to the side as she heard the rumble of the stairs. Danny gave her a confused look, but soon the twins rushed by, casting a spell on each other as they exited the door. Molly pulled her wand and sent a spell her daughter's way as the eleven-year-old shouted for her brothers to wait for her. A pink bubble formed around her as she made it past the door.
"Well you sure know your kids." Adam said with a laugh. "That's four that I saw?"
"The youngest four, yes. Percy is around studying. Bill and Charlie are graduated and moved out already." She explained. Her and Adam spent some time getting to know each other as they made lunch for everyone. Danny kept his eyes on the window watching Harry play with the other kids. He felt a small tug to his powers as Harry used his angel grace to pop the bubble. Danny closed his eyes for a moment to dissolve Ron's bubble as well.
"Check this out." Harry said. "Danny has been showing me some cool fighting moves." Harry did a series of kicks, albeit very poorly. The twins tried to hide their laughs, knowing it was not the child's fault he wasn't nearly as coordinated on the ground as he was in the air. Ron and Ginny however, thought it was 'super cool' and demanded Harry teach them. Harry obliged and soon the three youngest were stumbling through a routine like little drunkards.
"Very cool." Fred told them.
"But we've got something," George continued.
"That's even better." Fred finished, turning to swing at his twin. George barely dodged by leaning back. He at the same time swept his leg out, but Fred was able to jump backwards to avoid it. Fred and George often sparred for fun, but they could never find it in each other to actually hurt each other. A blow never landed, both of the experts in evasion. The younger kids were cheering on their favorite twin. It ended in a stalemate as the twins both got the other in a headlock, rolling around the grass. Molly came rushing out.
"Boys! You will stain your clothes." She said sternly. The twins separated with apologetic smiles. They were reaching the age when they realized just how much their mother did for all of them, and they didn't want to make her life any more difficult. "Lunch is ready, come on in, and leave the top half of the door open for the post." The children came rushing in, the redheads greeting their father who was sitting at the table with Adam and Danny. "Wash up first and get Percy down here." She reminded them, causing them all to detour upstairs. Just as Molly had predicted, the owl Post flew through soon after and she handed Harry's letter over to Danny. Her and Arthur read over their own children's letters, a small frown working itself onto Molly's face.
"Are those our letters, mum?" Ron asked as he took a seat.
"Yes dearie." She said, passing them out to her children. The twins peeked over to their younger siblings' letters as well.
"Lockhart seems popular this year." Fred said.
"Expensive tastes this new DADA professor has." George joked, knowing he and his brother would be able to fix their mother's crestfallen expression.
"We'll manage. Gin you don't mind a few secondhand things, do you?" Molly asked her daughter. Normally Ginny would complain, but they had guests so she shook her head in the negative. Harry awkwardly pushed the food on his plate around.
"Never fear little sister." Fred announced.
"We would never let you wear anything smelly Ronnikins has owned." Ron made a noise of indignation, trying to kick his brother under the table. His foot connected with Danny, making the redhead go pale. Fred produced a flyer with a flourish.
"Ta-da!" Molly took the paper from her son.
"Oh my, Lockhart is doing a book signing next Wednesday, and will be giving the texts away to Hogwarts students. How generous!" she gushed, looking to her twins with slight moisture in her eyes. They gave her an understanding smile and then began to tuck into their lunches. Adam and Danny had already finished and stood to leave, saying their goodbyes.
"Thank you for the food Molly." Adam said, while Danny merely gave a nod. Harry noticed a shade attach itself to Danny and the teen became a bit livelier, offering a smile. Harry's eyes narrowed as he stabbed at his food. He appreciated Danny sending out a copy to inspect that everything was safe, but he also found it kind of rude.
"We would love to help out on Wednesday so you're not overwhelmed with all the kids." Danny offered. Molly accepted the help, knowing the two Muggles were probably curious about Diagon Alley. After the two left Harry started to feel a bit anxious. Afterall he had never had a sleepover before.
"So, who were they then?" Ron asked, not shy about his questions in front of just Harry. Before Molly could hush her child, Harry smiled. Ron always knew how to get him to feel like he belonged and he liked that about his friend.
"Danny is Severus' half-brother and Adam is my Half uncle. Danny is actually a King, which is why he is has to be around Adam, because Adam doesn't care about that and tells him if he's being a bad human." Molly's eyes lit up with joy at hearing this. She had definitely seen the dynamic between the two, but she did not want to disrespect a King either. Ginny asked the question that was on her mind.
"King of what?"
"Of the Ghost Zone, or Soul Sector is another name for it." Harry said plainly, as if this was very normal.
"Adam did mention Danny had ghost powers." Molly offered to her husband who had only seen the boy in his human form. "Although, I don't see how that could work." She admitted.
"Oh, he's dead." Harry threw out. "Adam is studying to be a doctor, and is learning potions from Severus to see if they can help Muggles." He continued on, not noticing how pale the adults had gotten.
"Oh, just like in The Wizard and the Hopping Pot!" Ginny exclaimed. At Harry's confusion, the Weasley children beckoned him upstairs in a rush, looking for their old story book. Percy excused himself, knowing the book was last in his room, and not wanting his rowdy siblings to mess up his papers. Molly turned to her husband with worry in her eyes.
"Oh, come on love, you needn't worry." He assured her. "We can trust Severus' judgment."
"I know…" she said slowly. She did not want to speak ill of Severus who had seemingly turned his life around to actively be good. "But a former Death Eater having a brother who is King of the Dead? Why do either of them care about an adopted American boy?"
"Well, it more than likely has to do with the boy's parents. We know Severus would not put up with a child of someone he hates. The glower he gives anytime Harry Potter is mentioned is evidence of that." Arthur reasoned. At the mention of Harry Potter, their conversation left Harry Winchester behind, never realizing they were one and the same.
Line break line break
Harry, Ron and Ginny sat comfortably on the twins' bunk beds, watching as the fourteen year olds enacted the story of the Wizard and the Hopping Pot. Harry's happiness radiated out of him, unknowingly empowering his friends. The sparkle in the twins' eyes flashed brightly for a second. There was a pecking at the window and Ron rushed over opening the window for their owl Errol.
"Hermione wrote back." Ron announced, bringing the letter over. He didn't know what it was, but he really liked when Hermione gave him attention. "She says he's going to Diagon Alley on Wednesday too. She wants to meet the author of our DADA books." Harry rolled his eyes good naturedly, trying to ignore the fact that Draco had still not written him back.
"Of course, she does." He said with a laugh. "Oh, you're starting at Hogwarts this year, aren't you?" Harry asked Ginny. She gave a nod.
"Yeah, and Luna has to redo first year because she didn't actually do any work this one." Ginny explained. "So, we will be in the same year again. Which is great, I missed her."
"Luna didn't do any work?" Harry asked in surprise. The girl had always told him to do his work and stay out of trouble. A flash of her captive in the cavern moved across his memory and he flinched back.
"Are you okay mate?" Ron asked, concerned. Harry nodded.
"That just happens sometimes. When I remember something I don't want to." He shook his head. "I'm glad she gets another chance, the end of last year wasn't the greatest."
"Yeah, I'm glad she didn't get hurt." Ron added, remembering how the girl had practically skipped out of the infirmary. "But why didn't she do any work?"
"She thought her Grandma was going to force her into a coven, she's half sorceresses you know." Ginny explained proudly. Her friend was special, which is why she had been worried when she left to Hogwarts on her own. But now they would be back together and she would prevent anyone from hurting the girl.
"Is that why she's so Loony?"
"She isn't loony, Ron!" Ginny yelled. The boy was quick to disagree and the two began to squabble. The twins pulled Harry out form between the two.
"Don't mind them." George reassured Harry, who looked uncomfortable.
"That's what siblings do." Fred said with a shrug. Harry looked back over at them and noticed that their body language did not show actual aggression. They had already changed subjects, arguing about Ron's dirty socks always being left in the bathroom the two shared.
"And you're a part of that." They chorused, causing the younger boy to look up in shock.
"Dogpile on the little one!" Fred crowed, tackling Harry to the floor, George flopped on top of them. Ron and Ginny rushed over as well, laughing. And with that the youngest children of the Weasley clan pledged their allegiance to the raven-haired boy.
Line break line break line break
"Welcome back!" Albus greeted as he walked into the Great Hall. The Professors gave their greetings as well. Severus was sitting next to Dean, as opposed to Sam, the taller Winchester resolutely not looking at them. A sparkle entered the Headmaster's eyes. If enough discourse occurred between the Potion Master and his apprentice, perhaps the Hunter would leave. "I hope you are all well rested from the summer break. A few orders of business to address. The Ministry is now requiring students to undergo checkups at the start of term. There was a nasty flare up of Dragon Pox recently and they want to make sure to provide any immune boosters to students who may need them."
"How will this be conducted, Headmaster?" Filius questioned.
"Each Head of House will be in charge of informing me of anyone deficient. Then letters will be sent out to the parents for permission to act." Albus responded. Severus relaxed a bit; glad the Headmaster was not over seeing it himself. He could only imagine what type of extra spells he might try to cast to gauge the power of certain students. "Of course, we will be having a new DADA professor joining us, due to the unfortunate passing of Mr. Quirrell."
"Is it Lockhart?" Dean asked bluntly. Severus could feel the repressed anger around the man.
"You have guessed it in one! Snuck a peek at your son's Hogwarts list I'm sure." Albus said with a chuckle. Dean opened his mouth as if to say more, but a glare from Severus silenced him. Sam watched the interaction uncomfortably. "He was unable to join us, needing to finish up his book tour from his latest accomplishment."
"Oh, where is Professor Novak?" Professor Sprout asked, suddenly noticing he was not in attendance.
"He is still in America, finishing the remodeling to my father's home. He had an accident and was left paralyzed from the waist down." Dean lied. "Castiel will be back by the start of term."
"Oh, you poor dears." She muttered, placing a hand over Dean's. He sent her a quick smile.
"Severus, I believe the Slytherin Seeker graduated last year. Any thoughts on who to replace them?" Minerva said offhandedly.
"I will leave such a trivial decision to the Captain. Unlike your house, mine does not need to make up lost points with Quidditch matches." He said with a dismissive wave of his hand. He in fact had Draco in mind, but he was concerned what state the boy would return to school in. He tuned out the rest of the announcements from his collogues. It was the same issues each year, and nothing changed. He needed to find out what Dean had against Lockhart. Of course Severus disliked the man, due to his annoying personality, but how did Dean know him? Dean had been slightly off since they left Spinner's End. Everyone began to depart and he motioned for Dean to follow him, ignoring the crestfallen expression on Sam's face.
"You have been behaving oddly." Severus prompted once they reached his office. Dean inspected the shelves around them. The Potions Master knew better than to ask again. The man would weigh his options carefully, even now when he knew Severus could give less that a Knut about his morals.
"Lockhart is a fraud." He said, turning intense eyes on the wizard. There was something there that told Severus that the Hunter knew this for sure. But how could he?
"A strong accusation." Severus replied smoothly. He did not like the bastard either, but the man was in great standing to the magical community. "What led you to this conclusion?"
"I was thrown five years into the future when I was supposed to be packing." Dean admitted, causing Severus to pause. He had not wanted to bring it up. It still felt like some weird dream. Such a dark future, but he had left it better hadn't he? He stood by his son and got him his powers back. Harry could fix it. He was sure.
"How?" Severus asked, not liking the uneasiness in the pit of his stomach. Beneath the folds of his cloak he gripped his wand.
"Ms. Lovegood from the future summoned me to fix Harry." Dean began. "I have to believe it's an alternate timeline, but Lockhart being here sets me on edge. If he's here then…partridge pudding pieces." Dean blinked in confusion. "Hallowed bamboo sticks."
"It seems some events will still come to pass." Severus surmised, letting his defensive stance fall. Time travel was a very fickle disciple. While he was certain it was not Ms. Lovegood alone who allowed Dean to travel forward, the comment of Harry needing fixing took priority.
"No. I need to tell you, because I don't know what it is!" Dean rushed to the desk, pulling a quill and trying in vain to write down the words 'Chamber of Secrets.' Only gibberish was written. Severus could tell that whatever was to happen to Harry was serious. "How was I able to tell you able Lockhart then? I learned that in the future."
"Perhaps events are blocked, but persons are not. What can you tell me about those you encountered in the future?" Severus asked, trying to find a work around.
"Right. Well, you never went back to the destroyed Spinner's End, and it seemed like no one knew where you were the entire five years." Severus carefully noted this on his own notepad. So his home had been slated to be destroyed. It did not bother him much, as he expected it to happen by the end of the war regardless.
"Any reason as to why?"
"Harry left after second year, because Albus took his magic." Snape sucked in a breath of shock, too quite for Dean to hear. "I guess you didn't think it was worth sticking around." Dean said bitterly.
"More than likely I was hidden in the shadows watching the boy." Severus snapped back. "I have already placed myself on his side, I would not abandon him. Where were you?" he snarled in retaliation.
"I turned on my son. But I would never, why…" Confusion, hurt, and mostly guilt. Severus steadied his mental state. He did not dislike Dean, but he loath to work with him. He ignored the twinge of missing Sam.
"I will ensue that you don't." Severus said before the man could spiral. He did find it odd that Dean would think badly of his son. Dean gave a jerky nod.
"Harry helps Ginny Weasley escape the same fate with help from Hermione Granger. Ginny had control over flames, and Hermione had apparently dipped into the Dark Arts."
"It is not uncommon for pureblooded families to have children with gifts. William Weasley is a natural Curse Breaker, Charles Weasley an affinity for taming magical creatures, which is the next one…" he muttered to himself.
"Percy." Dean supplied. "He seems normal."
"Yes, I believe he is. As well as the twins and Ronald Weasley. It is not far fetched for the youngest to be able to command fire, but it is a volatile power. Normally it expresses itself as being more proficient in fire-based spells."
"These flames came from within her. She was able to floo Harry and I with them. She said something about Harry being able to pull out people's talents or something."
"We will keep an eye on her. As well as Miss Granger. Although you already know my stance on the learning of Dark Arts." Dean gave a nod of acceptance. Severus saw nothing wrong with learning Darker spells. Afterall, their enemy had use of them.
"And I think you're wrong about the twins. They were guarding Harry's lost angel grace. Their eyes… one had a gold one and the other had a silver one. Uh…what else. Well I mentioned Luna brought me there. Had pink glowing eyes. Neville's magic broke after Albus forced him to be the new chosen one. Harry locked it away. When he pulled it out though it was green, if that helps. Draco! He had turned into a Death Eater, but I think that was planned, he was a spy and had ice powers." Severus' eyebrow crept higher with each admission. "Blaise, Greg, Vincent and Pansy were there as well but I wasn't around long enough to see what they were like."
"Was that it?" he demanded.
"Oh, Ron was there. He…obliviated himself so we could escape with Ginny." Severus wrote down the name with a flourish before flipping the parchment for Dean to see.
"Twelve lives directly affected by a Savior. Familiar?" he asked with a sneer.
"And so, Judas you will be…" Dean whispered. "Harry knew, he called Ron Judas when he refused to just let us go the first time."
"Yes, Ronald Weasley is one to have a temper and stray from the path." Severus mused.
"Dursley was there as well…I don't…he and Hermione were working together to experiment on Death Eaters. Draco would bring them…Hermione would practice her spells…" Dean got a faraway look in his eyes. "Dursley would drain them. I don't know why he was there, how he got there. All the so-called rejects were in the Rebellion. Would Dumbledore really turn away damaged soldiers?"
"Yes." It was simple, but firm. "I will trust in you if you would be willing to be my guide this year." Dean gave a nod of acknowledgement. He would be keeping a close eye on Lockhart. Research would be a priority too, to see if he could find any mention of the Chamber of Secrets.
"There is another name Iocked away. Remus. Neville mentioned him, saying he didn't blame the man, that Remus didn't mean to." Severus had an odd look on his face, half terror, half disgust. "Also, a man who could turn into a dog, I forget the na- "
"Sirius Black." Dean looked at him in concern, hearing the pure malice in his voice. "He betrayed the Potters to the Dark Lord."
"What?" Dean snapped. Severus held up a hand to abate his anger.
"He is currently serving life in Azkaban." Severus looked back down at his list. "What about the other adults in his life?"
"I already said I was an ass in the future, you were MIA, Cas lost his angel powers, Bobby and Adam were dead…" he didn't mention that he had been the one to kill them. "Danny lost his humanity, and shockingly, Vlad regained his. Danny kept absorbing cores until he had four and it stopped his heart. One of them belonged to Vlad. And another Clockwork."
"Why would he do that?" Severus asked tersely. He could tell the man was hiding details from him. More than ever he wished he could look into the man's mind, but his damn tattoo prevented it.
"I killed Adam and Bobby in front of him, when he had risked so much to find them a cure. Not to mention I didn't give a rat's ass about finding Harry." Dean shouted in admission. He felt so much guilt over the actions, even though it had not technically been him.
"You will need to be careful this year Dean." Severus said lowly. "Not only for Harry, but for your own sake." The Hunter gave a questioning look. "If you can be sure that you would not abandon Harry then it may be out of your control. Do not wander alone." Dean swallowed nervously and gave a nod. There was a pause in which Severus seemed to be debating with himself. "What of Sam?" he whispered at last.
"He said yes to Lucifer." Dean said softly, knowing the feelings between the two. "I…will admit, that you aren't exactly what I imagined for my little brother. And I'm not saying you need to chase him down in an airport to confess your feelings or anything…whatever he did, I KNOW he is beating himself up about it."
Severus gave the smallest inclination of considering the words, and Dean took his leave.
Line break line break line break
"I want to speak to Tonks." Severus lifted his eyes from the journal he had been writing in to meet his brother's eyes. He carefully set his quill down, closing the journal.
"Miss Tonks is most likely in training by now." He said evenly, watching for a reaction. Danny gave a slight frown, throwing himself into a nearby armchair with a huff. Severus opened his journal to resume his writings. "Why do you need the attention of Miss Tonks?"
"I don't know." He muttered.
"Perhaps you are seeking companionship of those your own age. It is only natural; you are 19 years old." Danny seemed to go green at the notion. Severus thought that now may be a good time to gain information about Danny's past. "Surely you had friends before?"
"I killed them." Danny croaked out. "My only two friends turned to toxic dust because of me. Vlad said he was doing me a favor. He said Sam's family would sue, would throw me in jail! And Tuck…oh god…Vlad paid for his funeral. There wasn't even a body…I wasn't even allowed to go." Danny was gripping the edges of the chair so harshly that the wooden base was beginning to splinter.
"You're angry." Acid green eyes burned into him. "And you should be. What of your clone? Do you feel remorse for that?"
"No. I did her a favor." Danny said, his eyes dimming back to blue. "She wouldn't have survived either way…I could sense that there was something wrong with her."
"I will see what I can do in regards to having Miss Tonks contact you." Severus conceded. "However, in return," Danny rolled his eyes, but was glad that their talk seemed to be over. He did not like how deep Severus had delved. "I need you to assess the Malfoys."
"Anything in particular?" Danny asked.
"I will not sway your observations with my thoughts." Danny nodded, creating a portal to leave.
"I am helping the Weasleys with shopping this coming Wednesday. I will report to you after."
"Very well." Danny stepped through the portal and was gone. Severus looked back at his journal. Flipping to the back page he added to the list of things he knew about Danny.
Line break line break line break
Rowena Ravenclaw's impression awoke with a gasp, the pile she was resting on swaying dangerously. She threw the diadem from her head in shame, ignoring the clanging it made as it hit various objects around. Tears dripped from her good eye as he held herself. Being aware was torture. Slowly her head rose, her raven locks slipping off her shoulders. She needed to find Salazar. Something very wrong was coming to Hogwarts, and the students would be in trouble. What good would she be to them now? Tainted by Tom Riddle, she was to easily a liability. Rowena lamented for the days she had been a powerful witch. Visions of her friends, the other founders, swam in her vision.
She shook her head in self exasperation. She was STILL a powerful witch, just not in the same way. There were days when she had led students into greatness. Her name was immortalized in this school. She felt the wards of the castle caress her and she smiled. Their dream still stood tall, and she would defend it!
Rowena stood, stepping on serving tray and using it to slide down the pile, her spirits rising as she thought of a solution to the problem. She took off running once her feet hit the floor. Rowena passed through the wall of the 7th floor without any issue, taking the dive from the balcony, calculating her landing on a moving staircase that would lead her to the second floor.
"Who's there?!" cried a voice as she dove into the mirror in the girl's bathroom. She gave a cheerful laugh as the chute twirled her around, recognizing her as a friend. There was hope yet. Her smile only grew as she saw the man she was searching for, leaning against a wall nearby.
"Do you often use my chamber for your amusement?" he said bitterly. His green eyes widened in shock when Rowena rushed to him, hugging him fiercely.
"Salazar!" Tears sprung into his eyes as he slowly wrapped arms around his friend.
"Rowena…" he whispered, afraid that it would be just another dream. When she pulled away however, he knew it was real, for in his dreams they were never tainted by his descendent. His hand came up slightly to brush the part of her face that was affected. Rowena tried to look away in shame, but he did not allow her too. He pulled his shirt aside to show the blackened portion of his chest. "It is alright."
"I saw him…I saw Tom returning." She whispered.
"Just a bad dream…" he tried to assure her. She shook her head defiantly.
"No Salazar. Hogwarts is in danger."
"Then why are you awake and not-" he cut himself off, not even wanting to say the name of the man who had betrayed him. The brother that betrayed you his mind supplied.
"It will happen here. Just as it did before." Salazar shook his head in denial. The fear in his eyes made him look younger. Rowena pulled him close again. "You need to help me. I can't wake Godric on my own."
"I never want to see him again." Salazar hissed, almost slipping into Parseltongue.
"He was the only one left untainted. It has to be him." She argued, though she did not move.
"I am aware now. I will defend the Chamber from Tom. You have exerted yourself greatly coming here. Rest, go on back to your multiroom." Her mismatched eyes gave him one last pleading look. Salazar placed a soft kiss on her forehead, stepping away from her. She faded from him. Salazar ran a hand over his smooth head, looking around the entrance of the chamber. He was lucky to have such an attachment to the Chamber as well. He can only imagine where Tom had left his locket. He would need to add extra defenses, as well as hide his Stone.
It was time for them to come out from the shadows.
Line break line break line break
Wednesday had arrived and it was time for the trip to Diagon Alley. Adam and Danny had Floo'd over that morning, enjoying breakfast with the Weasleys and Harry. The kids all held their lists in their pockets, Ginny excitedly jabbering about wanting her wand to be the first stop. Ron had left Scabbers upstairs in his enclosure, seeing as the rat looked a bit sick. Ron felt it was a bit of a shame as Scabbers always seemed to love Diagon Alley. This had Harry asking his family about his own pets, to which they assured that all three were happy and healthy.
"Seems we're running low on floo powder, Arthur honey remind me to get more while we're out." Molly said as she grabbed a flowerpot off the mantle. Arthur went first, followed by Danny. Percy was the next to go, face pinched in annoyance. The twins went together, even though it was a tight fit. Ron, then Harry, Ginny, Adam and finally Mrs. Weasley. They were in the center of Diagon Alley, stepping out of an ornate public floo the size of a store front. A puff of air passed over them as they stepped onto the cobblestone path, clearing them of any remaining soot. Ron was eagerly looking around, visibly perking up as he spotted what he was looking for.
"Hermione!" he called out, waving his hand in the air. The bushy haired girl turned at the call of her name and dragged her parents towards her friends.
"Hey Ron, Harry you're here too? This is great." Hermione turned to her parents. "Mum, Dad, this is Ron, Harry, Percy, Fred, George…guessing by the red hair this is Ginny, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and oh…" she trailed off, a blush on her cheeks. "I'm not sure…"
"Adam Winchester." The twenty-two-year-old greeted. He was wearing his usual jeans and plaid shirt, but had really grown into himself as a person. Still a bit awkward at times, being with Danny made him more confident, since he was the manners of both of them.
"Oh, an American." Mrs. Granger assessed with a polite smile upon hearing the accent. She had the same hair color as Hermione, yet hers was slick and straight. A bit on the shorter side, she had to look up to Adam.
"Danny Fenton-Snape." Danny greeted. He was of course in his human mode, wearing dark jeans and a black shirt. "American too."
"Darling, didn't you say Winchester and Snape were your Professors?" Mr. Granger asked in confusion. He was a taller man, with slightly curly dark brown hair. He knew for a fact that Snape was a wizard based on his daughter's description, yet both of these young men seemed like Muggles.
"Professor Severus Snape is my half-brother." Danny explained.
"Yes dear, Danny doesn't have the 'deep dark soulful eyes' that Hermione described." Mrs. Granger corrected. The girl's eyes went wide.
"Mum!" she winced in embarrassment as her friends laughed at her description, the twins pretending to swoon. Adam laughed good naturedly.
"Well Danny does have deep and soulful down." He joked. "Professor Winchester is also a half-brother, along with Professor Singer. I didn't join them at the school because my passion lies in medicine."
"Oh, what branch? My wife and I are dentists." Mr. Granger asked.
"What is a dent-ist?" Mr. Weasley interjected. "A muggle job of course. Simply fascinating. Does it have to do with demolition?"
"Arthur, you can interrogate them later, we need to withdraw money first so they kids can get shopping." Molly whispered loudly, not wanting to scare off the muggle adults.
"We need to go as well, to exchange our Muggle money." Mrs. Granger offered as the group began to head towards the bank.
"Us as well." Adam added, pushing Harry to follow his friends.
"Muggle money, you say?" Arthur inquired. In front of them the children were talking about the eldest Weasley brother, Bill, whom worked for Gringotts. Harry thought the man sounded cool, and he seemed so grown up compared to Adam. Then again Adam had still been living at home, in a boring normal life just a short while ago. From the sounds of it, Bill had been pushing to be a Curse Breaker while he was still in Hogwarts. It made Harry think about what he would want to do in the future. Assuming he survived that is. After getting their money the large group split up into smaller ones, going out to explore and buy supplies.
Unbeknownst to them a certain Slytherin was also there with his father. Lucius turned into Knockturn Alley, his son following close behind him, a sneer set firmly on his face. He had been worried about his son lately, and was heading to Borgin and Burkes to see if there was anything there about the condition. He had long forgotten about the effects of the journal. Goyle Sr. had come to retrieve it some time ago and he was happy to see it go. Lucius did not recall that he had given the real journal to his only son. The store was dark and grimy. Draco detached from his father's side, looking around with cold silver eyes. A glass case nearby held a withered hand on a cushion, a blood-stained pack of cards and a staring glass eye. Evil looking masks leered down from the walls, an assortment of human bones lay upon the counter and rusty, spiked instruments hung from the ceiling. There was a large black cabinet to the left, and Draco made his way towards it, reaching out.
"Touch nothing, Draco." Lucius warned. It had been years since stuff like this excited the senior Malfoy. Last year had been a close call if Severus was to be believed about the Dark Lord's attempt of resurgence.
"I thought you were going to buy me a present." Draco responded lowly. He was still angry with his father for what he had done. To give him a cursed book was unforgivable. He was only twelve.
"I said I would buy you a racing broom." Lucius replied, his voice light. He rang the bell on the counter.
"What's the good of that if I'm not on the house team." Draco spat out, turning from the cabinet in a huff. "Winchester was able to get an exception and a Nimbus Two Thousand his first year. He's not even that great, but his whole family works at Hogwarts so of course they let him on the team." Draco bent down to examine a shelf full of skulls, unaware that Voldemort was watching from behind his eyes. "I bet he cheats, the damn half breed."
"I thought you were friends with Winchester?" Lucius was beginning to fear what his son had become. What had happened between the boys? Draco was saved form answering as a stooping man had appeared at the counter. He ignored their conversation, looking around, almost like his body was on autopilot. He found himself standing back in front to the withered hand on the cushion.
"I want this." He called out to his father; his hands neatly folded behind his back as he leaned forward to inspect it more.
"Ah, the Hand of Glory!" Mr. Borgin announced, making his way around the counter to Draco's side. "Place in a candle and it gives light only to the holder! A great tool to thieves." Lucius cleared his throat, realizing he would get nowhere with the store owner if he did not act as someone who belonged in Knockturn Alley.
"I am in something of a hurry, Borgin. I have important business else wear today." He snapped out. Mr. Borgin scurried back to the counter. Draco continued to explore, stopping in front of a piece of jewelry. It was a magnificent necklace of opals, connected with silver accents. Voldemort kept the knowledge of this artifact for later use, letting his consciousness sink back to the journal Draco had tucked in his robe pocket. "Come, Draco." His father called.
"Yes, father."
Line break line break line break
Danny watched everyone around them as he escorted Ron, Hermione and Harry throughout Diagon Alley. Wizards were a weird bunch in his opinion. Everything seemed so archaic. He considered sending a clone to find Adam, but decided against it. The other Muggle was with the Grangers and Mr. Weasley at the nearby pub. Mr. Weasley worked for the ministry and was from several generations of purebloods. He knew how to use his magic. Speaking of purebloods, there was a shock of blond further down the path that Danny knew belonged to the Malfoys. Severus had mentioned his godson various times, and he and Harry seemed to get along. Danny gave Harry a nudge, motioning with his head towards the pair.
"Draco!" Harry shouted, waving his hand. Danny could see that Draco had looked their way, but had directed his father away from them. Harry was not gifted with such sight and let his arm fall. "Must be too far way to hear."
"It's almost time for the book signing. Any more stops before then?" Danny asked the trio. Hermione scanned her list quickly and gave nod.
"We're ready." Danny smiled. He liked Hermione, she reminded him of Jazz. He pushed the thought away before a dark cloud could over take him.
"Race ya!" he said suddenly, taking off.
"No fair!" Ron shouted as the smaller kids began to give chase. Wizards and witches moved to the side with a reprimand ready, that quickly died when they saw the second years with bright eyes and reddened cheeks. Danny skidded to a halt in front of Flourish and Blotts, briefing turning intangible so the trio fell through him instead of into him.
"Ugh, get off of me you idiot." Ginny complained, thumping her brother on his back with her fist. The twins had caught the other two before they hit the ground.
"There you all are!" Molly said doing a quick headcount. "Go on, get in there, the crowds will start showing up soon." The sea of red flooded into the shop; Harry caught in its midst. His good humor was drained when a stranger suddenly grabbed his arm. Lockhart smiled brightly at the boy, moving his hand to his shoulder as he addressed all the children. Harry tried to focus on what the man was saying, but he really didn't like that he was being touched.
"And here is the best part about being early, I can tell you more about my most recent adventures." Lockhart paused briefly as he felt his hand yanked off of the young Winchester's shoulder. He continued speaking, albeit a bit slowly. It was too controlled to be accidental magic and he looked around for an adult with their wand out. The redheaded witch was hanging onto his every word. Blue eyes slid towards the older teen next to her. Acid green eyes stared him down and he flinched. He made it a part of his story, all the females leaning in while the boys rolled their eyes. When he snuck another glance at the black-haired teen, his eyes were blue. The shop bell jingled and the teen turned, seeing the Malfoys. Danny departed from the group to intercept Lucius as Severus had asked him too.
"Lord Malfoy," he greeted with a half bow, the lessons Vlad had drilled into him surfacing. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Daniel Snape, half brother of the esteemed Potions Master."
"A brother! Oh, this sounds like some hot tea waiting to be spilled." Lucius said with a grin. At Danny's confused expression, he gave a chuckle. "Am I to assume I used the slang incorrectly?"
"Uh, no you're good." Danny recovered. He saw Draco leave in a huff, heading towards the second level to browse. "Let's take a seat. Severus tells me you are good friends." Lucius directed the teen to a nearby sitting area as he launched into the story of how he had met Severus. Danny could not see what Severus had been worried about. Lucius didn't seem all that malicious, yet his son…
Draco watched Harry from the second story balcony as he absently flipped through a book. It was becoming harder to separate his thoughts from Tom's. He thought he had found a way out of the manipulative teens reach, but he never went away. He wondered what Harry would say about what he had done so foolishly.
"That you get what you deserve…look at him, down there surrounded by all those Gryffindors. Why would he ever be your friend?" It was faint, like a whisper in the wind. Draco looked down at the book and tore the page out. Crowds began to fill the shop, and Draco remained above them, a glare clear on his face.
Line break line break line beak
Cas stood in front of Hogwarts, emotion swelling in his chest. Home. He made his way forward, relishing in the currents of magic rippling over his wings. There was something quite magical, no pun intended, about this little void that they found themselves in. He pushed the doors open, the castle quiet without the students. Cas rushed to the Great Hall. As soon as he entered Dean was standing, their bond bursting with joy.
"Dean." He said simply, his smile causing his eyes to squint. Dean bounded over the table, ignoring Sam's cry of indignation. The Hunter and his Angel met in the middle of the Hall, embracing tightly. Wings wrapped around the Righteous Man, enduing him with warmth.
"Did you find him?" Dean whispered. Cas shook his head no.
"I am done searching for now. I want to be with my present family, not my absent one." He explained. "I will be here waiting for them when they arrive." Dean have a small laugh, crashing his lips against the shorter male's. Sam startled when he felt something brush against his hand. He looked down to see Severus' pinky brush his own softly. Sam tried to move his hand to cover the Potion Master's, but Severus pulled away, returning to his food.
"Please talk to me." Sam said lowly from the corner of his mouth. The rest of the table was teasing Dean and Cas, and he did not want to gain their attention. Sam sighed when there was no immediate response.
"I am not yet prepared." Severus replied. Sam nodded. He would respect that. The Hunter stood, deciding to head to his rooms. As he left, he did his best to reassure Severus, and relieve him of any fear.
"I am."
Line break line break line break
Danny sat in the armchair near the window, much as he had some days ago, completely at ease. As expected, Severus came into the room following his lunch. He did not immediately see his brother, a pensive look on his face.
"There is nothing wrong with Lucius." He said bluntly. The only indication that Severus had been startled was the quick flick of dark eyes in his brother's direction. "At least, nothing evil."
"And Draco?" he pressed. The look Danny gave him did not bode well.
"He ignored Harry, and was acting like a brat, so either he's under some sort of influence…or you know, 12." Severus had to agree with the assessment. If Lucius was fine, Draco more than likely was, but he would keep an eye on them anyway.
"Miss Tonks' class has the 1st of September off, seeing as some of the Instructors have children of their own that go to Hogwarts. I have let her know that you wish to speak to her, and she agreed, inviting herself to dinner." Danny nodded. He still hadn't mentioned it to Adam, but now he would have to. "Have you figured out why you wish to speak to her?"
"To determine her future within the Kingdom. What did her time in the Soul Sector really mean? How does she truly feel about it? How can this aide Harry in his fights to come?" he rattled off, a faraway look in his eyes.
"This has nothing to do with her Metamorphagus abilities, then?" Severus inquired. Danny looked up at him.
"No, why would it?"
"You show signs of regret over your clone, though you deny it. That same emotion clung to you when speaking of your late friends. What would you say to them if you could see them once more?"
"I don't want to talk about that." Danny said tersely.
"I'll impart to you what I would say to Lily, and even James Potter, if given the opportunity." Severus sat in his desk chair, looking much older than he was. "I would apologize, for my mistakes, and the outcome. I would apologize for holding on to hatred of Harry Potter for 10 years, without ever meeting the boy. I would ask if I was doing enough to right my wrongs." There was a hint of moisture in his dark eyes.
"You don't need them to find that answer." Danny muttered softly. Severus met his brother's eyes.
"And neither do you." Severus whispered harshly, needing his brother to understand. "Pain is not the payment they wish to see for our sins, but progress." With the flick of a wrist, a large tapestry unraveled behind Severus. At the top it broadly proclaimed the name PRINCE. There at the very bottom, next to Severus Snape, was Danny Fenton. Danny moved without realizing, his hand tracing the handstitched addition. "It already holds enough of my blood from the blasted pinpricks I gave myself adding you. All it requires is your blood. I wish to see you as a full member of our family. No halves." The needle that Severus held out gleamed in the low light of the torches nearby. Danny took it, watching, mesmerized as it pierced his skin, a drop of blood welling up. Severus lightly grabbed Danny's wrist, and swiped the bloodied finger over the teen's name.
The blackened roots that connected the family began to glow in time with Danny's name. Danny couldn't stop the tears if he tried. Severus pulled him close, resting his chin on the boy's head.
"Now, don't have me have gone through all that, for you to merely take the Winchester name." Danny snorted with laughter; the sound glorious to Severus' ears.
Line break line eb eak
All across England, Hogwarts students awoke early excited for the year to come. Be they first years or seventh, nothing was quite as amazing as returning to the castle. None could begin to suspect that a great evil would invade the school.
But, as it was, a great ruckus consumed the Burrow.
"Mum! Have you seen my jumper?" Ginny called from the third floor. She gave a disgruntled yelp when Ron threw it in her face from his room. Percy was scrambling around the house, making sure that he was not forgetting anything important.
"My favorite quill?" he asked loudly, standing in the stairwell. A hand dropped it over the banister. Percy snatched it from the air with a grin, rushing back to his room.
"I don't think it'll fit Ron." Harry said from where he sat on top of his semi neatly packed trunk. Ron was jumping on the lid of his poorly packed one, clothes and books sticking up at odd angles. "You may need to restart."
"Bugger that." Ron replied with a huff, getting tired of struggling already. Harry rolled his eyes good naturedly, shoving the boy off the trunk. He took all the books out and laid them in neat stack on top of the bunched-up clothes. The lid fell shut with a thunk. "Show off." The two dragged their trunks to the third-floor landing, Ginny joining them a moment later. A floor above the twins and Percy completed their packing as well.
"Breakfast!" Mrs. Weasley shouted from the kitchen. The children abandoned their trunks and rushed to the table, ravenous from the erratic morning. The atmosphere was light and excited, even Percy joining in the conversations about the coming school year. Lockhart being their defense teacher was a big debate, but they also strayed to things about Quidditch and teachers the younger ones had not experienced. Arthur gave his wife a kiss on the cheek as he finished his breakfast. He stood and began to float down the children's trunks to the bottom floor. All six trunks were stacked up neatly and he cast a Featherlight Charm on them, carrying them out to the boot of his Ford Angelina. One by one his children filed out of the door, a brown paper bag in hand. He held the door open for them as they squeezed into the car. "Oh my, much roomier than I expected." Molly exclaimed as she took her seat beside her husband. Arthur slid in behind the wheel.
"Alright, next stop, King's Cross!"
Line break line break line break
Lucifer stood on the fourth floor of St. Mungo's, his meatsuit beginning to sport decay. Nick would not last much longer, but his time in the man's body had paid off. You see Lucifer had been researching, and planning. Gently he moved the curtain that blocked the Longbottoms from view. It was hard to find those who met the criteria of unconditional love from Lucifer's view. Burnt pink wings extended from Nick's form. Lucifer plucked two feathers off, placing them in the hands of the Longbottoms. See, not many knew exactly what had happened to the Longbottoms that fateful night, but as it went it began very similarly to that of the Potters. A fuzzy rendering rose like mist from the feathers.
Alice and Frank sat on the floor with their son Neville. The boy was beginning to look more like Alice with each passing day, his eyes kind and his little face round. These small moments were what they lived for. Frank detected a disturbance and a second later a small crash sounded. It could only be the front door.
"Alice, take Neville and run." He demanded, getting to his feet, wand sliding into his hand. Alice nodded, scooping up their son and rushing to his playroom. She spelled him asleep, placing him on a mat. Dragging the small table near him, she placed a bowl of food and a sippy cup on it, setting a static charm to last until the boy awoke some hours later. Alice looked around frantically, thinking of anything else her son may need without them there. Her eyes widened and she dug into the depths of the cupboard, pulling out the expensive cloth diaper Frank's mother had bought them. It auto cleaned a child every hour, depositing the mess into the matching trash receptacle. Alice found it grosser than just changing a diaper, but she was glad she had not gotten rid of it.
Frank screamed.
Alice changed her son as swiftly as possible. Laying one final kiss upon his head she made to go, but his hand was tangled in her shirt. Tears crept into her eyes as she removed the hand, leaving the room. She muttered under her breath, her wand moving in small circles. The door began to fade away. When it was finally hidden, she rushed to where she had left her husband.
"Stupefy!" she shouted, knocking a Death Eater clean off his feet. The Unforgivable hit her from behind and she joined her husband on the floor, convulsing in pain. Their hands scrambled for each other and when they finally connected, they held on for dear life.
"WHERE IS THE BOY!" Bellatrix shouted once again. Alice screwed her eyes shut. 'For Neville' she thought. The curse hit them again. A sob only escaped her when she felt her husband's hand go slack in her own. She opened her eyes to see his hair had turned white, and his eyes had glazed over. She knew she could not be far behind.
"I love you Frank." She whispered before she too fell into oblivion.
Lucifer wiped away the single tear that had escaped his eye. Alice would of course be the obvious choice but she was now giving him a strange look, as close as she could remember to anger. Yes, a mother's intuition. Frank it was then. He gently entered the man's mind, finding it in tatters. Deep down, however, was a small light. He followed it, a view of a cake becoming clear. 'Happy Birthday Neville.' It said, the single candle upon it blazing. Lucifer went to touch the cake and hand gripped his wrist. Frank stood there, even insane within his own mind, but not nearly as bad as up above.
"Would you like to see Neville again?" Lucifer asked softly. Frank looked at the cake, reading the name.
"Neville?" he slurred. That was the name on the cake, but who was it?
"Your son. The one you had with Alice." Had Lucifer's Heart not been taken from him, he may have stopped and left the Longbottoms alone. But that was not as it was, not in this existence.
"Alice." Frank sighed. Love was still present. "Yes. Neville, yes."
"I can let you see him, but you have to agree to let me in." Lucifer said, extending his hand. Frank grasped it tightly.
"Neville, yes."
"I will return." Lucifer lifted himself from the man's mind. He would need to leave Nick somewhere safe. The issue would be returning to the wizarding world afterwards. It had been hard enough doing so in a nonmagical meatsuit, but bodyless? He would rest, after all no one was expecting Frank to gain clarity any time soon.
Line break line break line break
Gilderoy Lockhart watched Sam Singer with a calculating eye. The taller man was always casting glances at Severus Snape, though the dark-haired man was quite apt at ignoring them. Blue eyes moved onto Dean Winchester. Stony but not on purpose. It made it all the more charming when he smiled. Castiel Novak. The man always looked at him whenever he tried to spy on him. How did he know? He was supposed to be a mere Muggle. And yet, there was nothing mere about any of them. He needed to sow distrust between them. Dean had already gone off with Severus a few times over the past weeks, this which was noticed by Sam. Castiel seemingly had no issue with it and so Lockhart rejected him as a target. Sam it would have to be then.
"Mind if I take a seat?" he asked in his joyful and theatrical voice. Sam looked up from the paper in a bit of shock. He gestured to the seat. Normally Dean would sit in that spot, but he and Severus were late to dinner yet again. Gilderoy saw the glance that Sam cast at Cas, but the other was not worried. "Now, you simply must tell me! A Hunter! How's that like? I've fought many a creature and can only imagine the terror." He said with a clenched fist.
"Oh, well yeah it can be scary sometimes, but you get used to it…" Severus and Dean had finally entered.
"You do indeed!" Lockhart said with a cheerful laugh, placing a hand on Sam's shoulder. Gilderoy could feel the glare that Severus was sending his way. It was forceful, and possessive and he almost dropped his hand. Ignoring the bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face he continued. He needed a laugh. "Bet you lot neve get recognition for it though." Sam chuckled, thinking of the various wanted posters. Success.
"No, the opposite actually."
"Sam." The hunter turned so fast that Gilderoy's hand slipped off. "Could you pass the rolls." Severus asked neutrally. Sam nodded, turning back to reach for the rolls past Lockhart's place setting. Severus gave a chilling smirk in Lockhart's direction, eyes glinting with dark intent. Gilderoy clenched his jaw to prevent it from dropping open in shock. Severus Snape had changed since his time at Hogwarts. Fine then, he would turn father against son.
He would however win Sam's affections. If only to spite Severus.
Line break line break line break
Harry and Ron ran towards the barrier together, their carts rattling with the intensity. Harry tensed as they neared the wall, but just as last year, he passed though unscathed. Ginny and Luna were chatting loudly, the white and red of their hair clashing beautifully as they hugged. Luna's hair reminded Harry of Draco. He scanned the platform, but he could not find the boy. He shrugged. They had arrived at almost the last minute, Draco was most likely already on the train. Harry dragged his trunk into the compartment that Hermione was waving from, Ron struggling behind him.
"Hey you two!" Hermione greeted, giving each of them a hug once they had stowed their trunks.
"Hey Hermione." Harry replied, "Have you seen Draco at all?"
"No, I haven't. I saw Parkinson and Zambini in the next section over, but I don't know if he was with them."
"I'll be right back. I want to check on him." Harry explained. Draco had spent time with the evil book in Malfoy Manor and then never replied again. Harry was very aware of what evil adults could do to little boys. He pushed the thoughts of his past away. He was a Winchester now. He left the compartment, scanning the halls. Most of the compartment doors were still open as students boarded. Harry moved into the next section of the train, and there towards the end was Draco. Harry wasn't quite sure what the feeling was that bubbled in his chest, but before he knew it, he was running down the hall, angelic grace flaring as he all but tackled the boy in a hug. The two fell to the ground, and Harry felt his necklace burn him slightly. He sat up with a hiss, missing the flicker of red that passed through Draco's eyes.
What Tom feared would happen, did. He had slowly been feeding Draco thoughts of hatred towards the half breed in front of them. But then, what was this power it had? Tom felt a shudder run through the boy when they had touched. So unassuming, the boy with blue eyes was. And yet when he offered a hand to Draco, the brat had the audacity to accept it. Tom cried out as he felt the power again. He retreated to the journal. Draco's silver eyes cleared a bit.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to make you drop all your stuff." Harry apologized.
"It's alright Harry." Draco replied, kneeling down to scoop up his quills and such from the floor. The journal was lodged in the corner of a compartment door, blending into the paneling about three compartments down. Harry picked up a green quill not even four feet from it, never noticing the evil book. The boys rejoined near the center of the section, hands connecting as they walked back to the compartment Hermione had saved. Harry did not ask why Draco was holding his hand in the empty hall, but he found he didn't mind. Draco must have had a bad summer. The further they strayed from the book; the better Draco felt. Harry's angelic radiance slowly stripped away all influence Tom had over the boy as they sat side by side, discussing the coming year.
Line break line break line break
Tom was seething, but he did not allow the dark clouds in the sky to consume him. The book had not been destroyed, merely misplaced. The girls in the compartment which he had been stuck to had closed the door rather forcibly, causing the book to sail into the middle of the passageway. He would not be so kind to his next victim. Yes, victim. Tom had felt what the half breed possessed on his person. And the darkness of the eldest piece of Voldemort had called to him, whispering to him new ways to control. He wanted to be like his future self.
They had reached the halfway point to Hogwarts.
"Anything from the trolley?" doors opened throughout the whole section, including that of Ginny Weasley. "Anything from the troll- "The woman's face fell as she tried to push her cart forward, but it seemed as if she was stuck.
"Allow me ma'am." Ginny said kindly, noticing the leather journal stuck under the front wheel.
"Thank you dear, I am much too old to be stooping like that." The woman said with a slight chuckle. She placed a chocolate frog in Ginny's hand with a wink. Ginny grinned, moving back into her compartment, tossing the journal on the seat. Luna had gone off to the loo, and so Ginny was alone. She happily munched on her candy, tucking away the card of Albus Dumbledore away in her pocket. Her eyes travelled to the journal next to her. Carefully wiping her hands off, she picked up the book.
"I wonder who you belong to." She mumbled, opening up the cover too see if anything was written. It was blank, but then right before her eyes, words appeared on the page.
I belong to you. It said. Ginny smiled. It must be a brand-new journal that someone had lost, so they probably wouldn't miss it. The ink disappeared and was soon replaced.
And you belong to me.
A/N You have no idea how long I was sitting on that last line. I just got a new iPad and work night shift so the fanfiction train is leaving the station once again! These have been stressful times, especially working in the medical field, but I am learning that it is not selfish to take time for myself, and that includes writing this! Shout out to wandamarie, it made me smile seeing my email fill up with review notifications