Disclaimer: The itsby bitsy characters
Are not mine I shout
For I have a fear
That J.K will knock me out
There you know the truth now
So ha, my job is done
And with this itsy bitsy plotline
I'll have a bit of fun
Chapter 2: Whose side are you on?
Rising from his bed early the next morning, Romulus groaned in agony. He felt as though
the world was spinning around him. Trying grimly to focus, he made it out of his room
only to be completely disoriented when he reached the stairs. He didn't have to teach till
the afternoon, but it was a hollow comfort. He desperately needed to find the potions
master before he collapsed for good. The Dark Lords price for proof of loyalty was a
horrible potion that every Deatheater is forced to drink if they are acting as a double
agent. Without the proper potion skills, it makes the drinker horribly sick until they return
to Voldemort. Romulus had to find the man with the proper skills.
If Remus saw you now, would your own brother even forgive you? Romulus winced at the
bitter remarks of his conscience. He had not seen his twin for three years, since Peter
Pettigrew had escaped between his fingers. They had agreed to part ways because
Remus' friend Sirius Black had never liked Romulus, and he was not about to encourage
Black to give himself and Remus away.
Turning towards the stairs once again, Romulus saw Harry Potter and his friends.
They still did not understand the truth, but at this point, Romulus had no voice to tell
them with.
Remus said they were smart, they'll figure it out. Romulus thought to himself as his
vision went black. His last feeling before slipping away was falling forwards, the stairs
rushing towards him.
*
Harry, Hermione and Ron were not usually roaming quite so early, but they were
honestly quite afraid of being late for charms on the first day back. When Ron had
discovered he'd left his bag in the library, it had been a mad rush back up the stairs.
Until, that is, they ran into Professor Lupin. To the trio's eyes, he was transformed from
when they had seen him the day before. He had horrible deep bags beneath his eyes and
his face was tinged with green. A fevered sweet was showing on his forehead and he
swayed as he stood on top of the stairs. The best teacher they had ever had barely even
took them in, before passing out to tumble down the stairs, reaching the landing to lay an
abandoned doll. Hermione had screamed in surprise as Professor Lupin fell, and now
rushed towards him. She didn't care what he had said to them in the Great Hall the other
day, he needed help.
Harry came over to Lupin as his eyes opened slowly. The expression they held
was muted by glazed delirium, Harry couldn't help but pity his old ally, no matter what
was really going on.
"Please..." Lupin's voice was a weak raspy in his throat. "Find... the potions
master." His speech stopped there but his eyes did not close. Something was all but
killing him.
"Ron! You heard him! Go and get Snape, quick!" Harry was not about to let
another of his father's friends die, it wasn't right. Ron however, hesitated.
"I heard him say he doesn't know who we are! That's what I heard!" Harry
could've rung his friend's neck in sheer frustration.
"Obviously, something is wrong with him, that's why he said those things! If you
don't go and find Snape right now, you're letting him die!" Ron had turned on his heel at
his friend's panicked words, but had barely gone two steps when a low, unpleasant voice
spoke.
"Really Potter, what could be so bad that you would send for me?" Snape asked
with no show of true concern. He stood above the scene only for a moment, preparing his
cruelty and venom. When he saw who lay on the floor, his face contorted with contempt.
"Remus." Snape spat with distaste. "What is he doing here?" The question went
unanswered however as Lupin cried out in his fevered state.
"We were three and then were two, but I was half and so were you." Snape's
mouth fell open. Harry blinked. He had never seen Snape in such a state of shock before.
Immediately Snape came down the steps to crouch beside Lupin. He brought out his
wand and conjured up a stretcher for the delirious man.
"Is this connected to being a werewolf, professor?" Hermione asked. The three
Gryffindors felt compelled to follow the unconscious Lupin as Snape brought him to his
office. Snape turned around distractedly; he seemed very much in a hurry to save one of
his most hated enemies.
"Don't be foolish Granger, he's not a werewolf." Snape didn't even allow time for Hermione to comment. Reaching his office, Snape rolled the sleeves of his robes up
and left Harry staring as he put together a potion with more speed than he would have
thought possible. Seeing Snape's dark mark flash by as he worked, Harry recalled the
handshake that had burned his scar, but he couldn't help but be more keen to the present
as Snape completed the potion and allowed some to slip down Lupin's throat.
*
As Severus tilted the potion into Lupin's mouth, he prayed it would do its job. Finally,
Severus found himself breathing a sigh of relief. Lupin's eyes cleared and focused. He sat
up in is magicked stretcher and shook himself forcefully. Severus thanked each in every
star personally. The Dark Lord would've killed him if he found his newest sentry at
Hogwarts had died.
As Romulus took in the scenery around him, he met Severus' cruel calculating face. I
can't believe he's betrayed me. Snape thought as he stood back stiffly to allow Romulus
to stand. Getting rid of the stretcher, he watched Romulus with almost as much loathing
as he would Remus, or one of the Potters.
"Thank you, for yet another timely appearance, Severus." Said Romulus. "You
could say I owe you my life." Snape flinched visibly; his memory recalling a chain
covered chair and a cruel, rattling breath.
"I would say we're even, wouldn't you, Romulus?" Snape traced his pale fingers
around his face, drawing the appearance of a hood. Romulus suddenly nodded his head
vigorously.
*
"Romulus, who's that?" Ron burst out. Harry and Hermione were both confused
as well. Was this not their old professor? Romulus turned from Snape to look at Ron, his
eyebrows raised.
"Why, I'm Romulus, of course." He looked at their vacant expressions and
nodded.
"You must've known my twin, Remus?" The three fifth years felt their minds
shooting in all directions. Remus had a twin! He was going to teach them. How much
information had the brothers shared about Sirius, or Snape? Did Romulus and Severus
know each other?
Romulus' knewly freshened expression sagged as he saw the promise of far too many
question bloom in the childrens' faces. How could he keep a low profile with all the
students who knew about Remus?
Fortunately for both Lupin and Snape, the first bell rang and the gaping students were
forced to rush away to their first class. The two teachers stepped inside Snape's office.
Think firmly that charms class would have to wait a few moments; Harry led Ron and a
reluctant Hermione towards the trophy room. Ignoring their pestering questions he rushed
into the room to the left of the trophy room. Stepping inside, the found themselves in a
room whose walls were covered in pictures. They were the graduating classes of the last
few decades.
"What are we here for, Harry?" Ron asked, peering with interest at all the happily
waving seventh years, each sitting in a section depending on their house.
"Something feels off balance with this Romulus guy, I want to see if I can find
him. Look for my father's year, Remus would be sitting with my father, and Romulus
probably wouldn't be."
No longer thinking of the detentions they would get for skipping Charms class, they
began to scan the walls. It was Hermione who finally found the right year.
"Over here you two, I found it!" She cried, waving them over energetically. Harry
and Ron came to look over her shoulder at the picture she was looking at.
"That must be Remus, sitting with James and Sirius and the other Gryffindors..."
Harry bit his lip at the sight of his late godfather, but then found himself frowning.
"Well, where is Romulus?" He asked, squinting at all the cheery, young faces.
Ron suddenly grew very pale; he pointed a slightly shaking finger down at the picture.
The youth he pointed to was surely Lupin's twin, though that was not what caused
Harry's eyes to widen. Sitting among the Slytherins, Romulus was waving happily along
with everyone else. Sitting on either side of him were none other than Lucius Malfoy and
Severus Snape. This, in and of itself was shocking enough, but what Harry saw next
made him unable to breathe. As Romulus waved, his hand knocked accidentally against
Malfoy's. His sleeve slid down, revealing a tattoo on Romulus' left forearm, a tattoo of a
skull, a snake slithering from its mouth.
*
In Severus' office, the two Death Eaters watched each other warily. Severus' black eyes
flashed demandingly in the direction of Romulus' own golden gaze.
"Whose side are you on anyway?" Severus finally demanded, breaking the tense
silence, though certainly not breaking the tension. Romulus narrowed his eyes. The two
former Slytherins had no idea how much their actions mirrored each other.
"Me?" Romulus demanded, "Whose side are you on?" Snape felt another thought besides
the current conversation pull at the back of his head. In his sickened state, Romulus had
accidentally blurted out the riddle that had started their alliance. (A/N: Ha, Riddle)
Had Potter been paying attention to Romulus' words? Seeing Lupin's glaring with
impatience, Snape thought; I'll deal with Potter later.
Sighing, Snape answered the question that had originally been his.
"I'm on the same side I was on in the beginning." Severus' couldn't help the
bitterness in his voice as he thought of the "beginning". He extended his left hand and
waited for Lupin's response. Romulus nodded in satisfaction. He brought out his left
hand as well. The two Death Eaters clutched eachother's forearms in the usual greeting.
"Same side for me aswell" Romulus confirmed.
*
Sitting in Professor Flitwick's class, a strange phrase flew into Hermione's mind. She
knew it was important and she had to discover its meaning. Scribbling the phrase down
on a small piece of parchment, she passed it to Harry and exchanged a meaningful look
with him. They both knew they had to find the truth.
Harry passed the parchment to Ron, who read it to himself in barely more than a whisper:
"We were three and then were two, but I was half and so were you."
Well, dats all she wrote. If anyone even likes this, I beg you for a review. I may be slower in updating because I'm going back to school on Monday but I would love some incentive to speed up a little. Dank, arigato, and merci beaucoup to anyone in advance. Next Chap: the beginning
Are not mine I shout
For I have a fear
That J.K will knock me out
There you know the truth now
So ha, my job is done
And with this itsy bitsy plotline
I'll have a bit of fun
Chapter 2: Whose side are you on?
Rising from his bed early the next morning, Romulus groaned in agony. He felt as though
the world was spinning around him. Trying grimly to focus, he made it out of his room
only to be completely disoriented when he reached the stairs. He didn't have to teach till
the afternoon, but it was a hollow comfort. He desperately needed to find the potions
master before he collapsed for good. The Dark Lords price for proof of loyalty was a
horrible potion that every Deatheater is forced to drink if they are acting as a double
agent. Without the proper potion skills, it makes the drinker horribly sick until they return
to Voldemort. Romulus had to find the man with the proper skills.
If Remus saw you now, would your own brother even forgive you? Romulus winced at the
bitter remarks of his conscience. He had not seen his twin for three years, since Peter
Pettigrew had escaped between his fingers. They had agreed to part ways because
Remus' friend Sirius Black had never liked Romulus, and he was not about to encourage
Black to give himself and Remus away.
Turning towards the stairs once again, Romulus saw Harry Potter and his friends.
They still did not understand the truth, but at this point, Romulus had no voice to tell
them with.
Remus said they were smart, they'll figure it out. Romulus thought to himself as his
vision went black. His last feeling before slipping away was falling forwards, the stairs
rushing towards him.
*
Harry, Hermione and Ron were not usually roaming quite so early, but they were
honestly quite afraid of being late for charms on the first day back. When Ron had
discovered he'd left his bag in the library, it had been a mad rush back up the stairs.
Until, that is, they ran into Professor Lupin. To the trio's eyes, he was transformed from
when they had seen him the day before. He had horrible deep bags beneath his eyes and
his face was tinged with green. A fevered sweet was showing on his forehead and he
swayed as he stood on top of the stairs. The best teacher they had ever had barely even
took them in, before passing out to tumble down the stairs, reaching the landing to lay an
abandoned doll. Hermione had screamed in surprise as Professor Lupin fell, and now
rushed towards him. She didn't care what he had said to them in the Great Hall the other
day, he needed help.
Harry came over to Lupin as his eyes opened slowly. The expression they held
was muted by glazed delirium, Harry couldn't help but pity his old ally, no matter what
was really going on.
"Please..." Lupin's voice was a weak raspy in his throat. "Find... the potions
master." His speech stopped there but his eyes did not close. Something was all but
killing him.
"Ron! You heard him! Go and get Snape, quick!" Harry was not about to let
another of his father's friends die, it wasn't right. Ron however, hesitated.
"I heard him say he doesn't know who we are! That's what I heard!" Harry
could've rung his friend's neck in sheer frustration.
"Obviously, something is wrong with him, that's why he said those things! If you
don't go and find Snape right now, you're letting him die!" Ron had turned on his heel at
his friend's panicked words, but had barely gone two steps when a low, unpleasant voice
spoke.
"Really Potter, what could be so bad that you would send for me?" Snape asked
with no show of true concern. He stood above the scene only for a moment, preparing his
cruelty and venom. When he saw who lay on the floor, his face contorted with contempt.
"Remus." Snape spat with distaste. "What is he doing here?" The question went
unanswered however as Lupin cried out in his fevered state.
"We were three and then were two, but I was half and so were you." Snape's
mouth fell open. Harry blinked. He had never seen Snape in such a state of shock before.
Immediately Snape came down the steps to crouch beside Lupin. He brought out his
wand and conjured up a stretcher for the delirious man.
"Is this connected to being a werewolf, professor?" Hermione asked. The three
Gryffindors felt compelled to follow the unconscious Lupin as Snape brought him to his
office. Snape turned around distractedly; he seemed very much in a hurry to save one of
his most hated enemies.
"Don't be foolish Granger, he's not a werewolf." Snape didn't even allow time for Hermione to comment. Reaching his office, Snape rolled the sleeves of his robes up
and left Harry staring as he put together a potion with more speed than he would have
thought possible. Seeing Snape's dark mark flash by as he worked, Harry recalled the
handshake that had burned his scar, but he couldn't help but be more keen to the present
as Snape completed the potion and allowed some to slip down Lupin's throat.
*
As Severus tilted the potion into Lupin's mouth, he prayed it would do its job. Finally,
Severus found himself breathing a sigh of relief. Lupin's eyes cleared and focused. He sat
up in is magicked stretcher and shook himself forcefully. Severus thanked each in every
star personally. The Dark Lord would've killed him if he found his newest sentry at
Hogwarts had died.
As Romulus took in the scenery around him, he met Severus' cruel calculating face. I
can't believe he's betrayed me. Snape thought as he stood back stiffly to allow Romulus
to stand. Getting rid of the stretcher, he watched Romulus with almost as much loathing
as he would Remus, or one of the Potters.
"Thank you, for yet another timely appearance, Severus." Said Romulus. "You
could say I owe you my life." Snape flinched visibly; his memory recalling a chain
covered chair and a cruel, rattling breath.
"I would say we're even, wouldn't you, Romulus?" Snape traced his pale fingers
around his face, drawing the appearance of a hood. Romulus suddenly nodded his head
vigorously.
*
"Romulus, who's that?" Ron burst out. Harry and Hermione were both confused
as well. Was this not their old professor? Romulus turned from Snape to look at Ron, his
eyebrows raised.
"Why, I'm Romulus, of course." He looked at their vacant expressions and
nodded.
"You must've known my twin, Remus?" The three fifth years felt their minds
shooting in all directions. Remus had a twin! He was going to teach them. How much
information had the brothers shared about Sirius, or Snape? Did Romulus and Severus
know each other?
Romulus' knewly freshened expression sagged as he saw the promise of far too many
question bloom in the childrens' faces. How could he keep a low profile with all the
students who knew about Remus?
Fortunately for both Lupin and Snape, the first bell rang and the gaping students were
forced to rush away to their first class. The two teachers stepped inside Snape's office.
Think firmly that charms class would have to wait a few moments; Harry led Ron and a
reluctant Hermione towards the trophy room. Ignoring their pestering questions he rushed
into the room to the left of the trophy room. Stepping inside, the found themselves in a
room whose walls were covered in pictures. They were the graduating classes of the last
few decades.
"What are we here for, Harry?" Ron asked, peering with interest at all the happily
waving seventh years, each sitting in a section depending on their house.
"Something feels off balance with this Romulus guy, I want to see if I can find
him. Look for my father's year, Remus would be sitting with my father, and Romulus
probably wouldn't be."
No longer thinking of the detentions they would get for skipping Charms class, they
began to scan the walls. It was Hermione who finally found the right year.
"Over here you two, I found it!" She cried, waving them over energetically. Harry
and Ron came to look over her shoulder at the picture she was looking at.
"That must be Remus, sitting with James and Sirius and the other Gryffindors..."
Harry bit his lip at the sight of his late godfather, but then found himself frowning.
"Well, where is Romulus?" He asked, squinting at all the cheery, young faces.
Ron suddenly grew very pale; he pointed a slightly shaking finger down at the picture.
The youth he pointed to was surely Lupin's twin, though that was not what caused
Harry's eyes to widen. Sitting among the Slytherins, Romulus was waving happily along
with everyone else. Sitting on either side of him were none other than Lucius Malfoy and
Severus Snape. This, in and of itself was shocking enough, but what Harry saw next
made him unable to breathe. As Romulus waved, his hand knocked accidentally against
Malfoy's. His sleeve slid down, revealing a tattoo on Romulus' left forearm, a tattoo of a
skull, a snake slithering from its mouth.
*
In Severus' office, the two Death Eaters watched each other warily. Severus' black eyes
flashed demandingly in the direction of Romulus' own golden gaze.
"Whose side are you on anyway?" Severus finally demanded, breaking the tense
silence, though certainly not breaking the tension. Romulus narrowed his eyes. The two
former Slytherins had no idea how much their actions mirrored each other.
"Me?" Romulus demanded, "Whose side are you on?" Snape felt another thought besides
the current conversation pull at the back of his head. In his sickened state, Romulus had
accidentally blurted out the riddle that had started their alliance. (A/N: Ha, Riddle)
Had Potter been paying attention to Romulus' words? Seeing Lupin's glaring with
impatience, Snape thought; I'll deal with Potter later.
Sighing, Snape answered the question that had originally been his.
"I'm on the same side I was on in the beginning." Severus' couldn't help the
bitterness in his voice as he thought of the "beginning". He extended his left hand and
waited for Lupin's response. Romulus nodded in satisfaction. He brought out his left
hand as well. The two Death Eaters clutched eachother's forearms in the usual greeting.
"Same side for me aswell" Romulus confirmed.
*
Sitting in Professor Flitwick's class, a strange phrase flew into Hermione's mind. She
knew it was important and she had to discover its meaning. Scribbling the phrase down
on a small piece of parchment, she passed it to Harry and exchanged a meaningful look
with him. They both knew they had to find the truth.
Harry passed the parchment to Ron, who read it to himself in barely more than a whisper:
"We were three and then were two, but I was half and so were you."
Well, dats all she wrote. If anyone even likes this, I beg you for a review. I may be slower in updating because I'm going back to school on Monday but I would love some incentive to speed up a little. Dank, arigato, and merci beaucoup to anyone in advance. Next Chap: the beginning