Disclaimer – I don't own it, I am not making any money off of it, and I am not trying to infringe upon it.
Chapter 9 – Bound and Determined
Albus walked as quickly as he could down the halls of Hogwarts 5th floor - that is, as quickly as he could with a toddler in tow. Severus would never abide Albus carrying him, except for that very first day nearly two months ago. He allowed Minerva to carry him though, Hermione too, and even Poppy. Indeed Poppy had paced the floor last evening, singing decidedly Hufflepuffian songs to the boy, as he lay with his head upon her shoulder, listening intensely. But he would not allow Albus the same honor. "No doubt," thought Albus many a time, "his father had seen to it that he has little trust in men."
After taking a full five minutes to cross a single hallway, and having stopped and pulled the child away from investigating several open doorways along their way, Albus finally resorted to levitation. At first Severus seemed apprehensive, and then a bit indignant at being drawn along in midair, but eventually the boy seemed to find it quite good fun. Indeed, by the time they had arrived at the classroom which was their destination, Severus was turning flips and performing other acrobatic feats.
Floating the boy gently to the ground, Albus stepped into the room. Minerva was already there, as was Filius Flitwick, who had summoned the Headmaster. Albus had no idea what he would find when he arrived, but as Filius seemed quite nervous (and as he was not prone to exaggerating such things), he had come as fast as he could.
The room was a former classroom, currently in use as a storeroom. It was filled with various supplies in no real pattern. Empty cages used to house transfiguration assignments, old textbooks, a few spare wands kept for students who lost theirs, and even some old school Quidditch broomsticks, decorated most of the old stone room.
Not sure what to look for, Professor Dumbledore turned to his diminutive Charms Professor and asked, "What was it you wished me to see, Filius?"
"I was just looking for a few items for the Fall Term. Some heavier objects for the third years to levitate, when I came across that."
Professor Flitwick pointed towards the left side of the room, which due to the waning sun was deep in shadow. There was a large dark area on the wall, even darker than the otherwise gray shadowed stone. Albus approached the area carefully. Severus was holding on to the side of his robes and Albus placed a protective hand on the boy's head. With an unobtrusive flick of his wand, the Headmaster cleared a path directly to the area in question. Then he muttered "Lumos", and his wand tip flared with light.
Reaching the spot in question, the old wizard realized that the dark spot on the wall was really no wall at all. There was a hole there, and not just any old hole, but rather one that looked like the outline of a man.
The Headmaster ran his wand along the edge of the orifice, and then reached into the opening to see how deep it went. Not able to find the end of it, Albus moved his lit wand in front of him and stuck his head into the hole. Severus apparently thought he should follow suit, and went one step further by moving his entire body inside the opening. Albus grabbed the back of the boy's small robe and tried to pull him backward, but found that the child would not budge.
Holding Severus as tight as possible, he called loudly for both his instructors' help. The two rushed, wands drawn, to offer assistance. It seemed that while the top half of the toddler's body was intact, his lower half had taken on a translucent look. Something akin to the ethereal look of Hogwarts' spirit residents.
Professors McGonagall and Flitwick surveyed the situation with their illuminated wands, and then Filius made a suggestion. "Albus, this looks somewhat similar to those occasions when one of the building's ghosts get accidentally lodged in a piece of the castle. It happens to Peeves all the time when he's not paying attention to what he's doing. May I try a spell or two?"
Albus consented, and while Minerva lay a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder – Albus still retained a death grip on the child's robes – little Flitwick squeaked out an incantation. A moment later Severus stumbled backward, held upright by only the Headmaster's sturdy grip.
Minerva shook her head at the boy. "More trouble than a warlock at a witches' coven. That's what you are!" Then she promptly lifted the child into her arms and held him close. He did not struggle to get away, although he did look a bit put out by all the fuss.
Albus emerged from the opening and shook his head. "I haven't the foggiest idea what this may be. But I am certain that it is hardly likely to be good. Filius, most of the teachers are back from holiday. I should like to arrange a room to room search, to see if anything may be found. Have the faculty meet in the staff room at a quarter past. We will go in pairs only, with the Heads of Houses supervising their portions of the castle. Ask the ghosts to search as well. I will have the portraits interviewed by Headmaster Nigellus, to see if any of them saw anything."
If this last order surprised the Head of Ravenclaw, he did not say anything. He only nodded and headed out to alert the others.
Minerva, still clutching Severus, looked seriously at Headmaster. "It could take all day to search, Albus."
The old wizard nodded. "I know my dear. Could you see who from the Order might be available to assist us? And if Molly's home, I want you to leave Sebastian with her. I can't assume he will be safe going room to room with us, and if we are to try and reverse the spell tomorrow, then he also needs to be relaxed and well rested."
Albus gave the boy a few lemon drops from his pouch and Minerva carried him out. The Headmaster then made haste to the staff room to await the other.
He did not have long to wait, for in short order all the present staff had assembled, including Minerva who had deposited the boy at the Burrow. Dumbledore explained the situation and they all headed out in pairs to their respective destinations. Albus went with Poppy to take the common areas of the castle.
Madame Pomfrey and the Headmaster searched the infirmary, the great Hall, the Room of Requirement, the Staff Room, the main supply closets, and even the lavatories on the main floor, but found nothing amiss. The others, however, were not that fortunate. Over the next six hours, Dumbledore responded to five separate summonses. Each time another opening in a wall in some far flung classroom or cupboard. Because all the rooms involved were at the moment in a state of disuse, it was difficult to tell if anything had been touched or removed. Indeed some of the rooms still remained locked or warded, indicating that whatever had come out of the stone, had returned the same way.
After a few more hours Albus concluded the search for the time being. The teachers were exhausted, and getting a bit jumpy as well. They were advised to stay out of the lesser used parts of the castle and it was decided that the Ministry would be notified of what they had found. Albus assured Minerva that he would request Tonks and Kingsley, so that they would not have to worry about interference at their attempt tomorrow to restore Severus' magic. With that assurance Minerva requested to be allowed to retrieve Severus from the Burrow and take him into Hogsmeade for a bit, while it still remained light outside.
"A stop at Honeydukes, perhaps?" asked Albus with a twinkle.
Minerva frowned. "Really Albus, as if you don't provide the child with enough sugar already. I thought perhaps I might purchase him a robe or tunic for the occasion. Those black jumpers, and that hideous lime green shirt, are hardly appropriate for such an important event."
The Headmaster chuckled and gave his consent. He could use a few more peaceful hours without the child presence in order to speak with Phineas and get the results of his interviews with the other portraits. He also needed to contact the Ministry and make sure they sent the proper aurors.
It was not that he didn't miss the child, indeed he hadn't been away from him this long since the Ministry hearings; it was just that it was often difficult to concentrate on anything when the child was in the room. When he wasn't pulling on Fawkes tail feathers ("no doubt he thinks they are potential potions ingredients," chuckled Albus), or attempting to climb up bookshelves to retrieve books – despite the fact that he could not yet read, or misusing one of Albus' expensive and rare gadgets, then he was intensely watching Albus' every move making it nearly impossible to concentrate.
Still, the old wizard had grown very fond of the boy, and was looking forward to being able to give him back the gift of his magic at tomorrow's ceremony. He only hoped that Harry's wand would be a sufficient substitute for Voldemort's. In theory it should work, but Albus knew from experience that theory and reality were two separate realms.
The old wizard soon made his way back to the office and consulted with Phineas. The Slytherin Headmaster was not very forthcoming however, and Dumbledore was suspicious that he was not getting a full report. Instead Phineas was refusing to look Albus in the eye, and reporting nothing more than vague inferences.
"Phineas," said the Headmaster with a sigh, "reporting that someone may have seen sometime, sometime ago, in the Ravenclaw tower, is not much help."
Phineas shrugged casually, reminding Albus quite forcefully for a moment of Severus when he was being evasive of one of Albus' queries.
"If my answers are not sufficient," drawled the former Headmaster, "I suppose I could always make something up for you that would suit you better?"
Albus ran weary fingers behind the frames of his half moon glasses and rubbed his eyes. Phineas was holding back information, of that much he was sure, but he was uncertain as to why. He was also too tired from the search to press him at the moment. Usually Phineas would speak when he was ready to, and not before. That's how Slytherins' were.
"Very well, Phineas, you win. I am going to take a bit of a nap. Tomorrow is a big day you know and I am meeting with Ms. Granger and Mr. Potter tonight to prepare. Let me know if you hear anything more." He then headed into his private bedchamber.
Just before he turned the corner he saw what he thought was a bit of a sad, and perhaps a bit guilty, look on the former Headmaster's face; and then Phineas promptly turned and fled his frame in a swirl of old fashioned robes.
****
That evening Minerva arrived back with Severus and a bundle of packages. They had gone to 'Wee Apparel', a children's clothing store, but had also managed a stop in a few other places. One of them was 'Zonkos'.
"Surely you didn't, Minerva?" asked Albus when he saw the package, his face lighting up in delight
"I assure you Albus, there are no exploding anything in here. Just a few items that change color or transfigure into something else. He can use them to add some realism into his 'potions making'.
Severus just stood there quietly next to McGonagall. He was smirking, although he had obviously realized it was best to hide it, and was desperately trying to work the corners of his mouth down.
"I see," said Albus as he peered into the bag. "Just a few items, eh? There must be a wizard's dozen in here."
"Oh really Albus, let's not make a mountain out of this, shall we?" And with that she handed Albus all the packages, except one "I will bring the tunic in the morning. I have a bit of work to do with it still. Now, tell me what Headmaster Nigellus reported."
Glancing up at the still empty portrait, Albus related the former Headmaster's obstructiveness.
"He's hiding something, then?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"Most probably," agreed the current Headmaster.
"Minerva nodded. "No doubt whatever it is it involves another Slytherin then. They will cut each other down without a second notice, but when it comes to outsiders they never betray each other."
Albus thought about this for a moment. "You may be right Minerva. I don't know whether it is a Slytherin ghost wandering our castle walls, or just a disoriented ghoul, but I fear it may be bound to the castle by now."
At Minerva's questioning look Albus continued. "The magical structure of our Hogwarts, as you well know from the battle, is as alive as the magic that courses through our bodies. If a creature inhabits the inner structure of the castle for too long a period of time, some of that magic will invade the creature, and he too will become part of the castle."
"You mean it will not be able to get out?" asked the Gryffindor Head, quite horrified.
"As I said, it will be bound to the castle. It may be determined to get free, but it will not be successful."
Minerva swallowed dryly. "Could this creature be perhaps one of the Death Eaters that were forcibly drawn into the castle's walls, during the battle?"
Albus shook his head. "No, the creature would have to be far less corporeal than a wizard to survive. The pressure of the stone alone would kill a man, even if he could survive the lack of air, food or water. If it is a Death Eater, he is a dead one."
Minerva nodded, satisfied. "Very good. I will be back in the morning for the ceremony." With a pat on the head for the boy, and one on the shoulder for Albus, the Head of Gryffindor took her leave.
Albus went over to the boy and tried to lift him into his arms, but Severus shook him off. The boy took the bag from his caretaker and headed to the nursery. Albus followed him and made himself comfortable in the room's rocking chair. For the next hour he watched the boy experiment with the new toys, pouring his potions on them and watching them transfigure before his eyes. Severus was clearly pleased with this 'magic' and it made Albus more confident that he was doing the right thing.
As the old wizard watched the boy, thoughts tumbled through his mind. Tomorrow, if all went well, Severus would most likely be the recipient of a great deal of magical power. How would he use that power? Would he be able to handle it? It would be ideal if his powers could be released slowly, but that was something that Albus would not be able to tell until he tried. The Headmaster knew however, that once the magic was released, he would have to teach the boy how to put limits on his expressions of power. Perhaps he could ask Minerva to be of assistance in that area?
Eventually the child tired of his experiments, and Albus helped him to clean up and then took him down to the kitchens, so that they could have one last quiet meal together before the monumental changes tomorrow would bring with it.
Authors note:
Next chapter will definitely be the ceremony to return Severus' magic. Sorry to make you wait so long.
I also apologize for throwing another mystery into the story at this late a date. But it is an absolutely essential one and hopefully won't detract from the main focus of Severus' magical powers. Next chapter we will be back to focusing on the little Potions Master.
Thank you for the lovely reviews. Honestly, they make my day!
