"Calm down, Lily. We'll work this out." Severus rubbed her shoulders comfortingly. "First we have to get the rest of our family together, and them we'll worry about the details."
"Umm, excuse me?" Damien asked, confused. "What do you mean- the rest of the family, Dad?"
"Oh shit!!!" Lily swore. "Don't tell me we forgot-"
"Whoops." Severus sat Damien down. "Son, you have a sister."
"What???" Damien, Ron, Draco and Hermione yelled in unison.
The three Gryffindors stared at Draco, who shrugged. "It's news to me, as well."
"We found out we were pregnant again about six months before October 31, 1982," Severus began. "Lily gave birth again in the United States, this time in California's leading Magical hospital. The nurse told us that the baby had been stillborn, but when we demanded to see the body, she didn't produce one. So, yet another child of ours had been abducted by Dumbledore. However, this time, he sent our daughter to a convent-"
"The same one he sent me to," came a musical, feminine voice from the doorway. They turned and stared as a middle aged nun in full habit walked into the room.
Voldemort stood up and hugged the newcomer enthusiastically. "Ceilia!!!" he yelled.
"Hello, Tom. It's been a while. How's my favorite twin?" He gestured for her to sit.
Draco, Ron, Harry and Hermione gaped at each other, mouthing the word 'twin' disbelievingly.
"Ceilia, meet your grandnephew, Damien," Voldemort said with pride, "and his friends, Ron, Hermione, and Lucius's son, Draco."
"Hello, everyone," Ceilia said with a smile. "Call me Aunt Ceilia," she said, seeing their hesitation.
"I came to tell you that Angela is doing well and wants to come home," she said to Voldemort, getting to the business at hand. "I think it's calmed down enough that we can risk it."
"Come home also, Ceilia. You don't belong there, you know that," Voldemort persuaded sadly.
"Tom, I have been there my entire life. It is all that I know. Besides, we magical nuns run New Orleans's finest magical academy. What would happen to my students?" she argued.
"But there were three more attacks on your school in the last month. Muggles hate Wizards, you live it first hand. American law treats you like second class citizens at best. You live in fear of your lives. Come home where it's safe. Bring everyone. You can set up school here."
"Well, that's a new argument," Aunt Ceilia said thoughtfully. "It would be safer for my students, and Angela wouldn't have to leave all her friends. But I thought that you didn't want anyone to know where Slytherin Manor was."
"Considering that Dumbledore's only hope to save the Wizarding world from Voldemort just joined his side," Damien said wryly, "I don't think it'll be a problem."
"Is that old fart still causing trouble?" Ceilia asked, wrinkling her nose. "Wait a minute! I thought Harry Potter was Dumbledore's weapon! He's a Death Eater now?"
Damien sighed and, remembering what the Glamour looked like, transformed. Aunt Ceilia let out a startled gasp.
"Damien! You're Harry Potter? But- How?" she asked, staring at him suspiciously.
"I was taken from my parents, Lily and Severus as a newborn, and raised by James Potter and a Metamorphegus Auror, Andromeda Tonks. They found me and tried to take me back, resulting in Grandfather dying the first time around. Dumbledore put me with the Dursleys, Mum's adoptive family, and the rest is history," Damien transformed back, shuddering slightly.
Hermione and Ron hugged him and Draco patted him of the back. "It's ok, Damien," they soothed. "You don't EVER have to go back to being Harry Potter again."
Aunt Ceilia rounded on Voldemort accusingly. "How come you never told me???" she snapped, hurt.
"My dearest twin, if you were ever captured by Dumbledore and forced to tell what you knew, it would have been disastrous."
"But still! Dumbledore hasn't been back since he left me there seventy one years ago! It's unlikely that he would come any time soon. He thinks I know NOTHING of the magical world. Being the Mother Superior of the Dominican Order of Nuns for our convent gives me a lot of leeway."
"So Angela is coming home?" Lily asked, a huge smile on her face. "Our family is coming together again, Sev," she murmured, burying her face into his shoulder.
Voldemort's lip twitched. "So, when can we come get her?" he asked.
"I'd give it a few days, a week at the most, just so I can inform my students' parents about the change in school address, as well as make portkeys so they can reach the new school. Oh, and I have to move several other students here as well, including our transfer student from Hogwarts, and..." Ceilia walked back to the fireplace, tossed in a handful of Floo Powder, yelling, "Saint Christina's!" She turned to Voldemort and hugged him. "I'll be back in several days, brother. Take care."
Voldemort hugged her back. "Bye Ceilia. And, bring as many as you have to. I'm not losing a single Witch or Wizard to that Muggle trash you call neighbors."
She walked into the Floo without a backwards glance.
Damien, Ron and Hermione scratched their heads. "Um, Grandfather, not to sound stupid or anything, but why does Aunt Ceilia live near Muggles? Is she in a Muggle convent or what?" Damien asked curiously.
"Her order is composed completely of magical nuns, but, in America, there are no magical communities. They have to live and work among Muggles and are treated abysmally. Witches and Wizards aren't protected by the government, either. They're treated like second class citizens at best. At worst, it's the Salem Witch Trials all over again, this time with modern weapons and methods of torture. It's not unusual for a discovered witch or wizard to be beaten by her or his neighbors, forced to move, ostracized, or even killed. It's horrifying." Voldemort wearily massaged the bridge of his nose, sighing.
Draco looked thunderstruck. "Then why did you send the Zambinis to recruit in America??? She's like a sister to me!! She could be killed!!!"
"Our people need help, Draco," Lucius chided him gently. "Besides, who better than Johann to gain support for our cause? He already has contacts in America, and his cousin lives in New Orleans already." Lucius stared at the fireplace thoughtfully. "Also, I heard Ceilia say that she had a Hogwarts Transfer student attending her school. Blaise will be here in a week, along with her soon to be classmates."
And maybe Blaise will finally be able to act on that unrequited crush she's had on Weaseley for the last three years, Draco thought wryly.
Ron choked. "Excuse me?" he sputtered, Damien pounding his back.
Draco scowled, kicking himself mentally. "If you do ANYTHING to hurt her, Weaseley," he warned angrily, "I'll kill you myself!"
Ron held up his hand. "Easy, Malfoy. I won't hurt her. In fact, I've had the same, umm, problem myself," he admitted sheepishly, his ears turning bright red.
Draco stared at him. Damien nodded his head vigorously. "He talks about that cute Slytherin all the time, but he's never had the balls to do anything about it," he offered brightly.
Ron scowled and tackled Damien, slugging him in the chest. "You shit! why- how- What in bloody hell do you think you're doing?" he yelled angrily.
Draco pulled Ron off of Damien, and held him back by the collar of his robes. "Easy, Weaseley. I can hook you up with her, you know." Ron immediately stopped struggling and stared at the Slytherin suspiciously.
"Why would you do that?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Because it'll make my sister happy," he answered simply.
Ron smiled. "You really are okay, Malfoy," he said with wonder, holding out his hand. They shook hands briefly, Draco wearing a lopsided grin.
"It took you this long to figure that out?" Draco asked, pouting playfully.
Damien raised his eyebrows, he and Hermione watching the interaction. Love, I think we have to apologize for our words last week, as well as eat them, Hermione told her boyfriend ruefully.
Damien nodded thoughtfully, his eyes narrowed. They had caught Draco covertly checking out the both of them over the last week, a slightly wistful expression on his face. I think Mum and Dad were right about us having another soul mate. He certainly acts like he wants to join us, and we both think he's damn hot. Plus, he's been almost pleasant to be around. I think he really wants to make amends.
Hmmm, Hermione thought. Let's go. We need to talk. Some things happened a few days ago that you need to be made aware of. She dragged Damien from the room, neither of them missing the longing look that flashed across Draco's face before his icy mask returned.
Two Hours Later
Damien and Hermione sat under a tree on the edge of Voldemort's private lake, talking quietly. Draco walked up behind them, lost in thought. Hearing voices, he stopped, listening.
"Damien, I'm serious. He was nice and I think Draco is all right! I don't know if he changed or was always all right, but he's different to us," Hermione said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"One word, 'Mione. Mudblood. Technically, you are Muggle born. How is he going to treat you and how are his parents going to react? He's going against the pureblood ideals he was raised with." Damien sighed, resting his head on his girlfriend's hair. "It's too bad, because I'm just as attracted to him as you are."
"What are we going to do?" Hermione asked softly, burying her face into Damien's chest.
Draco decided to make his presence known. "Hey, could I sit down?" he asked quietly.
Damien patted the grass next to him and Draco gratefully sat, his back to the ancient tree. "I knew you'd find your way out here," Damien muttered quietly, his tone neutral.
"Is that a problem?" Draco asked, hiding his slight hurt behind an icy veneer.
Hermione shrugged. "We wouldn't have invited you to sit down if it was."
"You know, we really don't stick to the whole pureblood issue all the time," Draco said with a slightly abashed look. "And my parents think very highly of you, Hermione. They wouldn't have a problem with this."
"To bloody hell with your parents, Draco!" Damien snapped. "What do you think about all this??"
"I think that I spent the entire time hurting you two because I couldn't understand why I wanted to be around you all the time, even though I was supposed to stay as far away from you three as possible once Damien, as Harry, seemed to be under Dumbledore's thumb. I couldn't even talk to you because you could tell Dumbledore what I said and then my family would be locked away in Azkaban. What about you, and don't give me any of that Gryffindor versus Slytherin crap. I know where the both of you belong."
Damien glanced at him from the corner of his eye, mulling something over. He and Hermione looked at each other. "Well, what do you want out of this?" Hermione asked quietly. "We know what we want; now the question is what does this mean to you?"
I want whatever you're willing to give me, Draco thought desperately before he could stop himself. "Umm, I- that is-" Damien leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips, eliciting a startled gasp from the blond. Hermione snuggled into the blond as well, trailing kisses down his jaw, before switching with Damien. They broke apart, breathing heavily.
"Something like that?" Hermione asked softly, still sitting halfway on both of their laps.
"Are you fucking with me?" Draco asked, unable to process that the two hottest people he knew and the people he fantasized about daily were actually kissing him. "Is this all a joke?"
Hermione and Damien grinned, their fingers reaching for Draco's temples. As soon as their fingers made contact, a flood of warmth, security and certainty rushed through him. We aren't messing around, Draco. We're sorry for all the shit we pulled, horribly sorry. We're sorry that we let other people's prejudices influence our own judgment. We know that we were wrong and we want this, not only to make it up to you, but because we belong together, with you. The question is, do you want this as much as we do?
HELL yes, he thought.
"Good," Damien growled as Hermione expertly kissed Draco again. We should move this elsewhere, he thought with amusement.
I'm comfy here, Hermione pouted, gently nibbling up and down Draco's neck. Damien captured Draco's lips with his own, his hand sliding under Hermione's shirt to fondle the clasp of her bra. Oh. Yes, let's move, shall we? she asked, grinning.
They stood up and raced into the Manor and to Damien's room, locking the door behind them.
Three Days Later
Damien, Lily, Severus and Voldemort stood in front of the Floo, ready to go to collect Angela and help Celia move the school to Slytherin Manor. "St. Christina's!" Voldemort yelled, throwing the Floo powder in. He quickly disappeared, everyone else following suit.
Damien stepped out into the foyer of church and stopped, amazed. Oh, wow. Hermione would love it here, with all the beautiful Gothic architecture! He looked down the hall and gaped. A teenage girl with vibrant crimson, curly hair sat on a bench about fifty feet away, writing in a notebook. "Mum, she's here!" he whispered excitedly.
Lily and Severus turned. "Angela," Lily called gently. The girl looked up and smiled, closing the book and standing up. She ran over and threw herself at Severus. "DADDY!" she yelled in a thick Creole accent. Severus swung her around, laughing.
"How ya doing, Baby?" he asked fondly, ruffling her hair.
"I'm doing fine. Aunt Ceilia says we're all going home and my classmates are coming too!"
Lily walked over and gently pried Angela from her father's grasp. "She's right, Angel. Everyone from St. Christina's will use Slytherin Manor as the school. We don't want you children getting hurt any more."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mama, I didn't mean to ignore you. I just saw Daddy first," Angela hung her head before enveloping Lily in an enormous hug.
"It's all right, Angela Rose," Voldemort said, gliding over. "How about a hug, too?"
"Grandfather!" she exclaimed happily, enveloping the Dark Lord in an enormous hug. "I missed you!"
"We missed you too, Angel," Lily said happily. "All right, time to find Aunt Ceilia."
"No need to, I'm right behind you." Damien turned and hugged his Aunt. "Hello, Damien," she said, attracting Angela's attention.
"Oh, I didn't see you there," she said, walking over. "Who are you?"
Lily grinned. "We found him, Angela. It's Damien."
"Damien?" she asked softly, her obsidian eyes wide. "Oh my-" She looked him up and down hesitantly before embracing him.
The two telepaths gently brushed minds, reveling in the feeling of their family being complete. Wow, they thought giddily, joined by their parents, Grandfather and Great Aunt.
The portkeys are done and distributed to the students, as well as an emergency one to a trusted family member in case the Government ups the raids.
What raids??? Voldemort asked sharply.
The ones the Feds say they don't know about, the ones that involve snapping wands and killing our kind, but how come the leaders wear FBI or CIA jackets? Angela asked, toying with a crimson curl.
We need to step up the operations and start to move to places other than Europe, Voldemort thought grimly. They can't do this! We're better than them! We're the evolved species, not them!
Damien kept his mouth shut, torn. On one hand, his Grandfather actively promoted genocide of perhaps 95% of the entire world's population. On the other hand, they were going to kill all the witches and wizards. I hate having to choose either us or them. It sucks. Why can't we get along?
The church suddenly shook, and Damien rushed to the window. Get along and preach about peace later, right now we have to defend ourselves! Lily snapped, rushing next to him. About two hundred and fifty people were outside, waving signs and brandishing rifles, semiautomatics, and one person even had a grenade launcher. They were chanting about killing the evil spawn that had taken over the church. They ducked back, out of the line of fire. Smoke filled the vestibule, and the six of them ducked back over to the Floo, coughing. They could see flames licking the beautifully oaken walls. Angela and Lily concentrated on putting out the fire and banishing the smoke, but as soon as they had put one out another one sprung up.
"I have to get the rest of the order! They'll kill my sisters!" Ceilia yelled over the noise, running back into the burning convent.
Voldemort let out a string of curses that would have had most sailors blushing. "Right, Damien, Severus, we need distractions so Ceilia's convent can get out of here without anyone getting hurt." Damien and Severus moved to the windows, both of them firing off curses left and right at the angry mob. Lily and Angela took care of putting out fires and shielding the others from bullets and the occasional grenade, and Voldemort called for Death Eater backup through the Mark. Black robed figures began pouring out of the fireplace and joined the two at the windows, adding to the curses.
"It's too bloody bad our shields only work for curses," One Death Eater remarked to another.
"Yeah, otherwise I'd just go out there and blow the lot of them to hell," the other replied.
Damien thought a minute. Damn it, where's Hermione when you need her? She'd know what to do! Voldemort nodded and called to Slytherin Manor, Ron, Draco and Hermione tumbling out of the Floo seconds later.
"Hey, what's the prob?" Hermione asked, the three of them crouching next to Damien.
"I'm picking your brain, all of yours. How do we shield to stop bullets without having to redirect every bullet?" he asked, ducking as yet another one whizzed by. "AVADA KEDAVRA!!!" he roared back, the person who shot at them falling dead to the ground. Ron followed suit, and the two of them took out several more gunmen, as well as someone in a FBI jacket. "The FEDS are out there!" Damien hissed angrily. "This is madness!" He looked behind him at a sudden movement to see a group of forty nuns, ranging in age from barely older than himself to the late seventies, all carrying wands and shoulder-bags, come creeping up the isles and into the vestibule. Two had crystal gazing balls under their arms, and another had a satchel full of shrunken potions ingredients. They were followed by several Death Eaters, Lucius Malfoy included, who were leading twenty students behind them.
Hermione and Draco put their heads together for a minute, then shouted, their wands and wand hands conjoined, "Impervious Protego!" A translucent, flexible shield shot out of their wands and encircled the entire church. The gunmen, determined to destroy the magical beings inside, continued firing, the bullets ricocheting off the shield and back into the crowd, killing and wounding several dozen Muggles. They stopped firing, confused and terrified.
Damien, Draco, Hermione and Ron eased away from the window, Severus and Voldemort following them as they herded the terrified nuns, as well as the students, Angela included, over to the Floo, gesturing for everyone to go to safety. Voldemort turned, and seeing the four of them still by the window, gestured for them to leave as well.
"But we want to help," Draco resolutely responded, gripping his wand.
"Go!" Voldemort hissed, pointing towards the Floo. "It's only a matter of time before they get through the shields!"
"And we want to help," Damien stood next to Draco proudly, his face set. Hermione nodded, while Ron looked indecisive. Suddenly, a bullet pierced the shields and flew through the window, striking one of the students in the arm. She let out a soft cry and fell.
"BLAISE!!!" Draco yelled, diving and catching her.
Ron's face blanched. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, he chanted mentally, taking the trembling girl from Draco.
"I'll take her back," he said quietly. Draco stared him in the eye for a second and nodded. Ron stumbled to the Floo carrying her in his arms. "It's all right, Blaise, he murmured softly. "I've got you. Slytherin Manor!" he called, throwing the Floo powder into the flames and stepping through.
Damien, Draco and Hermione nodded and continued firing Killing Curses, Incendios, Stupefies, and Crucios rapidly into the crowd. The Death Eaters joined them at the windows as soon as the civilians had left, firing curses of their own. "We need to shield this place again," Voldemort warned. "I'm not losing a single person to this trash."
Damien, Draco and Hermione joined their right hands together, holding their wands conjoined. "Impervious Protego!!!" they yelled again. Silver shot from their wands and formed a slid barrier almost a foot thick. "Wow," they breathed, staring at it in wonder.
"Everyone MOVE!!" Lily snapped, the Death Eaters piling into the Floo and some, the stronger ones, Apparating across the Atlantic. Draco, Damien and Hermione were ushered into the Floo and found themselves back at Slytherin Manor. Ceilia and Voldemort Apparated last of all, making sure that everyone was gone. Five minutes later, when the shield fell, the Muggle left alive stormed the cathedral, only to find that everyone had vanished.
Slytherin Manor
Damien, Draco and Hermione fell into a heap on the floor of the Library, their limbs tangled and askew. "Gerrof!" Damien yelled, laughing.
Draco rolled off of him, sniggering. "Ok, whoever was tickling me had better stop!" he gasped. Hermione grinned and rolled away from them and stood up, her face suddenly coloring. Damien poked his head up to stare into the amused faces of Lucius, Narcissa, Voldemort, Ceilia, Severus and Lily.
"Oops," he muttered, standing up and hauling Draco to his feet as well.
"Oh, please, don't stop on our account," Lucius smirked, his fingers intertwined with his wife's.
"Yes, don't let us interrupt a tender moment," Severus sniggered.
Damien blushed slightly, as did Draco. Hermione just stared at the adults coolly. "Indeed." Without warning she deeply kissed Draco on the lips, grinning slightly at the strangled moan that escaped.
Damien scowled. "What, you're just going to ignore me?" he asked, mock irritably. Draco swung around and kissed him, grinning slightly, Damien, against his better judgment, purred softly, causing Hermione start as well, rubbing herself against Draco's back, and Draco smirked at the two of them.
That could be interesting. He turned, grinning openly at the gob smacked expressions on the adults faces. "Well, you did tell us not to stop, so we aren't. Come on!" he laughed, grabbing Damien and Hermione's hands, pulling them out of the Library.
Voldemort stared at the slamming door in amazement. "I did NOT just see that," he muttered. Lucius sighed.
"So, when do we implement the plans?" Severus asked, desperate to change the subject. Everyone brightened and much planning ensued.
The Next Morning
Hermione, Draco and Damien strode into the Library, grinning like the cat that ate the canary. Angela and Ron were sitting on one of the couches, talking intently, and Blaise was curled up, her head resting on Angela's lap, the other girl stroking her hair. "I mean it, Blaise," Angela said softly. "I don't mind at all. Besides, Ron, you feel good, familiar almost. I'm willing to give this a try."
"Ron's a telepath," Damien said quietly, coming up behind him. He recognized 'the talk' when he saw it. "Hermione, he, and I have been able to talk since First Year when we met, but while she and I knew we were attracted to each other, with Ron he feels like our sibling."
Angela stared at her brother for a minute. "Good morning to you, too," she said in her soft Creole accent. Damien gave her a hug. She turned and stared at Ron appraisingly. You can hear me? she asked hesitantly.
Of course. Hey, you feel... good. Interesting. Like home. The slightly jumbled thoughts filled Angela's mind. Ron blushed.
Damien, Hermione and Draco looked at each other. All right, what's going on? Draco asked suspiciously.
I could be wrong, but I think they're a triumvirate like we are, Damien said, his eyes wide.
Wait- you three are together??? Blaise gasped mentally.
You're a telepath? Draco asked, confused.
Hermione and Angela started to laugh.
What? Ron and Damien asked, confused.
You all are so funny, the two girls giggled, Hermione sitting down on Ron's lap and hugging her brother.
"Good morning," she chirped. Draco and Damien laughed, settling on the other couch. Hermione stood up and settled herself across their laps, snuggling into Damien's chest.
"You're in a good mood. Someone must have gotten laid last night," Ron remarked.
Blaise and Angela grinned, smirking at him. "Yes, and it was wonderful," Angela deadpanned.
Ron threw up his hands in exasperation. "Am I the ONLY one NOT having sex around here???"
Draco grinned at Blaise, who blushed. You didn't- YOU DID! she screamed mentally, throwing herself at Draco and pounding him. YOU TOLD!!!
Damien grinned. Yes, well, he has the same problem, you see, he thinks you're bloody hot and- he was cut off by Ron launching himself at Damien, beating him black and blue in an effort to shut him up.
Blaise stared at him appraisingly. So, while Angela and I are already dating, Ron and I like each other and he and Angela's minds mesh in the most delicious way. You really think we're a triumvirate as well?
Draco smirked. Yes, little sister, I think you three get along very well and should look into the idea. Besides, three in bed is so much fun.
Ron perked up at the though of being in bed with, in his opinion, the two hottest girls on the planet. Angela and Blaise looked at each other with matching smirks.
Voldemort and Ceilia walked into the Library, deep in conversation. Sirius and Remus walked a few steps behind, also intent in their conversation. They barely noticed that anyone else was there as they disappeared amongst the books, still intent on conversing with each other.
"I wonder what they're talking about?" Ron asked suspiciously.
"No clue." Damien stretched, covering a yawn.
"For your information, we were discussing the lesson plan." Voldemort glided up behind Ron, Angela and Blaise. Ron jumped almost a foot in the air, swearing.
"Don't DO that!" he snapped, clutching his chest.
"Today, we will continue with the curses we started yesterday, continue with a version of Polyjuice that lasts for a month at a time as well as it's counter potion, and then Angela will begin Animagus training, as she is the only one who can't yet transform. Judging by her bondsmates, she will be a wolf of some sort."
Ron looked at Blaise. "What're you?" Blaise transformed into a jet black wolf with ice blue eyes. Angela sighed and transformed into a pure white wolf with ebony eyes.
"On second thought," Voldemort said, staring at his granddaughter in surprise, "let's all just transform and play in the forest for a while." He transformed himself, an enormous black Phoenix with silver tipped wings and glowing red eyes.
"SWEET!!" Ron yelled. "He's a Shadow Phoenix!" Damien reached over and stroked the inky feathers, admiring him. The enormous bird let out an impatient trill, gesturing for them to transform. Remus and Sirius transformed at will, curling up on the carpet in front of the fire next to the slumbering Nagini.
Lily and Severus walked in and watched as Lord Voldemort flapped his wings impatiently. Ceilia rolled her eyes and, adjusting her habit, transformed herself into a Treasure phoenix, her brilliant green and brownish gold plumage flashing in the light.
What are you waiting for??? she called impatiently, joining her twin in a burst of song. Transform!
Lucius and Narcissa walked into the room and, getting the idea instantly, transformed as well, two adorable marmosets, one a dark brown and gold, the other golden brown and white, playfully scampered across the floor. Draco sighed and transformed into his panther form, the two miniature monkeys climbing onto his back. Damien and Hermione transformed, leaving Severus and Lily.
Severus went first, and a Siberian tiger joined the throng of animals. Lily transformed, and a Burmese tiger stood in her place. Everyone quickly ran out of the library and down the hallways to the front entrance where they raced or flew to the lawn and into the forest. There, Draco let his parents off and the two chattering marmosets took to the trees, chasing each other through the branches.
Damien, Draco and Hermione curled up, Angela, Blaise and Ron joining them. Lily and Severus ambled over, followed by Remus and Sirius and curled up as well, content to just lay there. Damien nudged Angela, who swiped at his tail, and the two took off chasing each other and mock fighting, rolling on the soft moss and lush vegetation. Draco and Hermione extracted themselves from the dog and cat pile to climb the nearest tree. They lounged on the lower branches comfortably, watching as Damien chased his sister in and out of the trees, only to have the tables turned and scamper off, Angela on his paws.
They played for several hours, until they were joined by forty four animals, ranging from a green tree viper to an alligator, to a harpy eagle, who then transformed into the twenty nuns from Ceilia's convent and their twenty four students. Voldemort transformed back, impressed. "You taught all of them Animagi already?" he asked.
The deputy mother superior grinned. "Well, they caught us transforming and wanted to learn. Besides, as none of them have magical forms, it makes it easy if there's a raid. We just pretend we're an animal hospital, not a magic school."
"How about we have lessons out here?" she continued, looking around. "I can spot several hundred exotic magical plants and potions ingredients, which we could have them harvest- I mean, identify for us," she said with a smirk.
Voldemort grinned thoughtfully. "And since we were going to practice those dark- I mean defense spells, they have plenty to practice on out here. Yes. All right, transform back," he called to everyone. Within minutes, there were twenty eight adults and thirty students crowded around him. "We're going to work outdoors, so get into groups of six and we'll get started."
Damien, Hermione, Ron, Draco, Blaise and Angela grouped themselves together, grinning. No matter what they were going to do, they knew it would be fun.
Three days later, the Grounds of Slytherin Manor
"Remus, how did you know?" Damien asked idly while reading a Dark Arts book that had belonged to Salazar Slytherin himself.
"Know what, cub?" Remus asked absently, leafing through One hundred Most Deadly Potions.
"Know that I wasn't Harry Potter and switch sides?" Ron lifted his head from his study group with Blaise and Angela. Draco and Hermione did the same, eager to hear the story.
Remus sighed, marking his page. "Well, cub, first of all you didn't SMELL like a Potter. You may have looked like James, but you were NOT his son. That much I could tell right away. Second, Lily Evans Potter didn't smell or even look exactly like the Lily Evans we had known at school."
Sirius walked in. "Third, Lily was never pregnant."
"What?" Draco asked curiously. "How the hell could they think you were so stupid?"
"I dunno," Sirius admitted, sitting next to Remus. "But, James changed our seventh year. He almost stopped talking to us for three months and then suddenly acted all buddy buddy, as if nothing had happened. Also, he was obsessed with Lily Evans, always staring at her and trying to chat her up when he hadn't ever talked to her. He even managed to break her and Severus up for about a week, and he tried to move in on her immediately, but she didn't go for it. And, then somehow he winds up married to a chick he tells us is Lily Evans, and she looks like Lily Evans, but she doesn't know anything that happened during school. It was so strange, and we couldn't tell you sooner because Dumbledore had you under his control."
"So, when did you switch sides?" Hermione asked.
"I switched in Azkaban," Sirius admitted. "I talked to some of the Death Eaters sentenced there, and realized that Dumbledore let me go into Azkaban. He knew all along that Pettigrew was a spy, but let the Potters switch secret keepers. he even knew that Pettigrew was still alive and all. It was horrible."
"I switched when Siri talked to me about what he suspected. Siri contacted Voldemort, asking questions and I tagged along for the ride." Remus stretched and put down the book. "Any other questions?"
Just an idea on how to get you free from Dumbledore completely," Draco offered. "We perfected the plan and we're ready to implement it."
"Do tell," Remus said eagerly.
"Well, it's Damien's idea," Draco began, only to be interrupted.
"It's not just my idea. Everyone helped," Damien protested.
Draco rolled his eyes. "Quit being so damn noble, Snape! You came up with the idea, so shut it!" Quickly, he laid out the plan, outlining all the major points.
Remus looked impressed. "And how soon can we implement this?" he asked, grinning. Sirius stared at his Godson proudly.
"Actually, we'll be doing this at the next Death Eater meeting," Draco warned.
Remus nodded. "So, that gives us what, less than a week?" he asked.
"Four days," Damien interjected. "We'll be ready in four days."
"All right, let's get started," Draco grinned, standing up. "I hope we'll be given a pass on lessons for the next couple of days, as this'll take all our time."
Voldemort grinned at him from the doorway. "Oh, everyone is getting the next couple of days off," he smirked. "We have to get everyone fitted for Death Eater robes and masks. It'll give the old bat something to worry about, that our numbers have suddenly grown without his spy being aware of it."
"Let's get started," Ceilia ordered, standing next to her twin. "It'll be really funny to think that my twin's padding his numbers with nuns..." she mused, earning giggles and snorts from everyone.
Four Days Later, Riddle Manor
Damien and Draco took their places, both slightly nervous. Are you ready? Draco asked, his mental voice extremely anxious.
As ready as I will ever be. Its better that we have the masks, so the spy won't know who we are. Damien adjusted the leash and solver studded collar on the 'werewolf' he was guiding. In reality, the 'werewolf' was a transfigured mouse who had been transfused completely with Remus's werewolf blood prior to transfiguration. The mouse was therefore allergic to silver, playing the role perfectly.
They waited in the library at Riddle Manor, the 'werewolf' scratching itself and nosing around. Suddenly, it let out an excited yip and bound forward, pulling Damien across the room. "Down, boy! DOWN!" he yelled ineffectively, Draco snickering helplessly. "HEEL!!! HEEL!!!" Damien yelped, slamming into the suddenly still wolf. Well, almost still. It was happily munching a bag of sunflower seeds Hermione had dropped the day before.
Draco grabbed his sides, laughing hysterically as Damien tried to drag the munching wolf from the bag. It wouldn't budge.
It's time, Voldemort called.
Tactical error. The mouse found the sunflower seeds!!! Draco called back, laughing.
Voldemort snickered mentally. I suppose I'll have to cover for you. Do arrive a little bloody and bruised, would you? he asked wryly.
Draco and Damien shook their heads. "I supposed he expects us to punch each other?" Draco asked wryly.
"I can't!" Damien rolled his eyes. "You don't deserve it!"
"I can." Draco punched Damien square across the face. Damien snarled and jumped on him, tearing the other's boy's robes and yanking at his hair. Draco fell to the floor with Damien on top of him and they froze.
"Well, well," Damien began a little huskily. "What have we here?" He leaned down, kissing Draco harshly.
Draco moaned, pulling at Damien's hair.
COME ON!!! Voldemort yelled. This is NO time for an unplanned make out session!!! They hastily straightened their robes and donned their masks, steeling themselves.
The two of them managed to drag the protesting werewolf away from the sunflower seeds and through the hallway into the meeting room. They coolly strode through the assembled Death Eaters to Voldemort's throne. "My Lord," Damien intoned gravely. "The spying werewolf, as promised."
"Very good," hissed the Dark Lord eagerly. "Cage him for me, my loyal followers." Damien and Draco dragged the suddenly howling and writhing beast into a large silver cage in the center of the room.
Grandfather, your acting skills are amazing, Damien thought admiringly.
Voldemort grinned. Who said I'm acting? I'm enjoying this.
Damien's face twisted in disgust behind his mask. Ummm, ok, he muttered.
Draco grinned. You know, you DID ask the Dark Lord for help. He isn't the Dark Lord because he cuddles bunnies and collects Beanie Babies. He grinned sadistically at the caged and trembling wolf, its paws burned form where it was touching the silver bars.
Damien could only stand next to the masked and robed Hermione, Ron, and Angela and watch, extremely sickened, as his parents, the Malfoys, Blaise, and his Grandfather tortured the transfigured wolf to death, putting on a show for the spy to take back to Dumbledore.
That is disgusting, Damien thought, his eyes wide as the wolf finally died, after hours upon hours of agonized howls and whimpers. So, the Revels I saw, where you tortured entire Muggle families, raping those little children and torturing them to death- that was real? You ACTUALLY enjoyed that?
Of course, Voldemort said, his voice coldly logical. We're superior to them in every way. They're nothing but filth that pollute our planet, waste our resources, and try to exterminate us at every turn. We have to hide ourselves and what we are because of their hatred of being inferior and their hatred of anything different.
Damien stared at them, sickened. I don't believe this, he muttered. He, Ron and Hermione walked out of the Revel, unable to deal with the revelations.
Damien suddenly sprinted to the nearest bathroom, vomiting violently. Hermione soothed him, rubbing his back as he dry heaved, tears streaming down his face. "Why?" he managed to gasp out. "Why? Why can't there be peace?"
"Because they hate us," Angela answered coolly, sitting on the sink. Draco and Blaise stood in the doorway, their eyes burning with intensity. "You didn't live it, I did. I lived the hate and the rage and the fear for fifteen years! My home, my life was attacked on a weekly basis! I couldn't go outside for fear of my LIFE. Every Muggle in New Orleans knew I was a witch, and they hated me! They threw stones! They shot at the convent and burned it down twice! Do you think that what happened last week was unusual? It happened every other month! Two nuns were murdered and the police did NOTHING!!! We are superior to them! They should be bowing down and kissing our feet, and yet they try to kill us!" She stared at Hermione eerily. "You know," she said quietly. "You know what it's like to be hated and feared because of who you are and your powers. That man I saw in your dreams feared you and wanted to hurt you. You are a witch, the continuation of an exceptionally powerful bloodline, a fresh influx of magic in your Squib heritage. You know what it's like to be hated for something that sets you apart."
Hermione's eyes misted over and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I don't want to be a child murderer!" she spat. "I don't want to be no better than that filth that tried to hurt me!!" Sobs wracked her body and Damien wiped his mouth, leaving the toilet to hold her close.
Ron nodded tersely in agreement. "I don't like hurting people like that."
Angela stared at him, her gaze unreadable. "What happened to you?" she asked finally.
Ron's mouth opened and closed helplessly. Draco pulled the girl aside and whispered in her ear, Ron's eyes glazing over and tears rolling down his cheeks. Angela's eyes tightened and her sneer became more and more pronounced as he talked. Finally, Draco backed away and she turned to Ron, her face cold.
"Don't say anything, I know you're disgusted that I let it happen," Ron whispered miserably.
Angela's eyes widened. "No, I'm furious that they hurt you and I'm going to rip their entrails out their anus and that'll be the LEAST of what I do to them," she said firmly, hugging Ron close, motioning to Blaise over Ron's scarlet mop of hair. Blaise took the hint and joined the hug, stroking Ron's hair comfortingly.
"I think a trip to the Burrow is in order, don't you think?" Angela asked the other girl. At Blaise's confused look, she hastily explained in an almost inaudible whisper what the Twins had done. Blaise snarled and nodded eagerly, ready to hurt the people who had dared to hurt her bondsmate.
Draco stared at Damien coolly. "Well, Snape, it's up to you. Will you return to Dumbledore and stick your head in the sand or will you face what is actually happening? The Dursleys are a normal Muggle reaction to Magic. If they hadn't have already hated you and magic, they wouldn't have been able to stomach hurting you the way they did. It's up to you, Snape. Which, to you, is the lesser of two evils? Do we ignore the way Muggles treat witches and wizards, or do we fight back?"
"I don't torture people for the hell of it. That's WRONG!" Damien protested. "Regardless of whether or not they're magic, they're still people!"
"And if they had their way, they'd kill every last one of us," Blaise coolly shot back. "I dare you do go through the streets in America, or China, or even England with your wand, doing magic. People have, you know. They were killed- burned at the stake or stoned or had their throat slit... after the Muggles broke their wands. Without our wands, we're defenseless. Well, the rest of us are, anyway. You three though... Wandless magic."
"Yeah, they solved that problem for themselves," Draco grinned. "And, thankfully they taught us as well."
Damien scowled. "I can hurt the Dursleys for hurting me, and I WANT to, but it isn't right!!"
Draco rolled his eyes. "Will you stop moralizing everything? You KNOW how it feels to do the Dark Arts! The rush of power is incredible! Where do you think the power comes from? It's from knowing that you can do that to another human being and get away with it!"
Ron stared at them with a slightly pensive look. "Does that mean I can hurt the twins as badly as they hurt me without any fear of getting caught?" he asked, quietly, drawing strength from the two girls holding him.
Draco nodded. "In fact, we could go tonight or tomorrow, if you want to." Ron grinned evilly, nodding hastily.
Hermione stared at them calculatingly. "I have Muggle friends who know I'm a witch," she said quietly.
Draco's eyebrows rose, as did Angela's and Blaise's. "And they just accept that? They didn't turn on you or try to hurt you?"
"No, they thought, think it's cool. They wanted to see me do a few spells and Katie, my best friend outside Hogwarts took me into her home when it got bad with my parents, even after I told her."
Draco cocked his head to the side, thinking. "So you say there are Muggles who wouldn't hurt us if they had the chance. I wouldn't have a problem with leaving them be, but I'm sick of hiding!"
"So, how about we limit the torturing and killing to the people who deserve it?" Damien asked quietly.
"Does this mean you've chosen?" Draco asked coolly.
"Yes. I choose my family. But, I don't agree that all Muggles need to die. The ones in positions of authority, yes. The ones who hate us, yes. People like Hermione's friends do exist, and I don't think they should be hurt for something they didn't do."
"I can live with that," Voldemort said quietly for where he had been standing behind Draco, listening. Lily, Severus, Lucius and Narcissa nodded. "I think we can all live with that. We're not complete monsters, you know. If you can produce names of people that shouldn't be hurt or killed, we'll leave them alone."
"I can live with that," Damien said thoughtfully. He grinned slightly. "And I could learn to enjoy seeing the people who deserve it suffer."
Hermione shook her head. "I'll never enjoy watching children suffer. That's just wrong."
"Why is it wrong?" Lucius Malfoy asked, confused.
"Because children can be reeducated, reprogrammed if you will. Especially at a young age. Really, until a child is seven they just parrot what their parents tell them to say. I've taken Muggle psychology coursed over the summers I was at my parents' house. The psychologists were right when they said the age or reason is eight. Before that, they don't think on their own."
"Hmmm," Voldemort said. "What would we do with all the children left over?"
Hermione stopped, her mouth open. Reluctantly, she admitted, "I don't know."
Draco chuckled. "So, all these Muggle children will be left, with no idea of what to do with them." Hermione nodded soberly.
"If I come up with something, will you consider it?" she asked, mind in overdrive.
Voldemort nodded. "Now, could we get back to the Revel? The Spy will be questioning our disappearance." With nods all around, they walked calmly back into the meeting room, their Death Eater robes and masks in place.
Slytherin Manor, The Next Morning
Blaise dragged Ron and Angela into the Library. "We are going to the Burrow to deal with those shits whether you like it or not, Ron and that's final!" she snapped, dragging them to the fireplace. Draco, Damien and Hermione looked up from the essays they were writing, intrigued by what was going on. They heard Blaise throw Floo powder in and yell "THE BURROW!!" and immediately understood.
"We're coming too," Damien announced firmly, following after Blaise. Ron went next, followed by Hermione, Draco and Angela.
They found themselves in the kitchen of the Burrow. Damien took one look at Ron and grasped his friend's hand reassuringly. He took a look around himself and immediately understood. Fred and George stood in front of them, wearing identical sneers of contempt.
Hey, don't Slytherins hold the patent for that look? Blaise wondered idly, her hands on Ron's shoulders. Angela held Ron's other hand, squeezing his fingers.
"Well look, it's Ickle Ronnikins," Fred sneered.
"He's back from his trip into Death Eatersville," George spat, his hand on his wand. Ron wavered slightly, unsteady on his feet.
Ron, don't you dare pass out! Draco snapped, his hand glowing an eerie silver color. Blaise stared at his hand in wonder.
Wandless magic?? She gasped mentally. It's beautiful!
It may be beautiful, but it's hella draining, Damien grimly retorted, his hand glowing viridian. On his other side, Hermione's fingers glowed cobalt. Ron looked at the colors playing around his friends' hands and his fingers tinged crimson.
You are so teaching us how to do that, Angela remarked.
"We've come to give you what you deserve," Damien growled.
"Who the bloody fuck are you?" George snapped.
"Voldemort's Heir," Draco snapped, his entire arm glowing silver and his hair ruffling from the wind Hermione was creating.
Damien grinned. This is fun! he laughed, his entire body wreathed in viridian green.
Fred and George stared at the glowing man before them uneasily. "Bloody hell, man, why are you glowing?"
"Because I'm a mage," Damien replied easily, watching as their faces blanched and they stepped back, gripping their wands so tightly their hands were white.
You know, you shouldn't call yourself that, Draco warned. Especially since you aren't one.
Technically, we all are magi, Hermione intervened. We all have the arcane magic mastered. Me, Damien and Ron do, at least. You almost do, the same as Voldemort, Lily and Severus. So, he's not wrong.
"You hurt my brother," Damien purred, his eyes flashing.
"Bull shit. Has he been lying again??" Fred burst out angrily.
Damien transformed into Harry Potter. "Say you're lying again, you shits. I saw you two summers ago. You thought I was asleep. Didn't you know that I have natural shields? Only very strong people can successfully cast spells against me. You two aren't powerful enough. So, the Dormis didn't work."
"What???" snapped Fred, his face pale. "You little BITCH!!" he hissed at Ron, his expression contorted in hatred and rage. "You just try to do anything to us, you weak little bitch! Come on, whore, time for some punishment."
"I don't think so," Hermione, Angela and Blaise growled, wands and glowing fingers leveled at the twins.
"And what do YOU think you're going to do to us?" George asked, sneering. "You're younger than us and weak. You hang out with my pathetic loser of a brother, Ickle Ronnie, so you must be pathetic."
Damien growled, his eyes flashing red, glowing so that he eerily looked like a much younger Dark Lord. Fred and George backed up and stared at the glowing boy fearfully. "That was a little weird," Fred muttered. "Stupefy!"
Damien threw up a hand and the curse bounced right off.
"Petrificus Totalis!" George tried. Again, Damien threw up a hand and the spell ricocheted into the wall, knocking over a pan. It fell to the floor with a loud crash.
"This isn't working, George," Fred warned, his face pensive.
"I concur, Fred." They immediately tried to Apparate, but Hermione and Ron threw up and AntiApparation ward, keeping them in place. As one, they turned to the six of them fearfully.
"What are you going to do?" they asked in unison.
"Hmmm," Hermione grinned evilly. "What do you think, Draco?"
Draco hissed something unintelligible and they were instantly transfigured into a pair of matching weasels. Blaise grinned and waved her wand, the Weasels suddenly bouncing off the walls, ceiling, and the furniture. Damien transfigured them back with a wave of his hand and they stood, gasping for air.
"Crucio," Damien hissed as he reverted back to his natural body. The two of them twitched and fell to the ground, screaming in agony.
Ron's mouth fell open. "I- um... Damien, could I take a turn?" he asked quietly, his eyes welled with tears.
"Sure!" Damien grinned evilly, releasing the twins from the Wandless curse. They crumpled into the fetal position, sobs wracking their bodies.
Ron raised a hand. "Inferno!" he snapped, and Incendio's big brother from hell sped towards the twins, engulfing them. Shrill screams filled the air, and Damien idly wondered where Molly Weaseley or anyone else was.
Someone should be here, Hermione thought worriedly. Where are they?
Damien stood and watched, part of him screaming it was horribly wrong, and part of him reveling that the twins were dying right in front of him. They deserve it, the filthy bastards, he reminded himself and the part of him that hated the sight protested a little less loudly.
You see the attraction now, Damien? Draco asked, his arm around the other boy's waist.
They deserve it. They deserve every thing we've done, Damien growled angrily, watching proudly as Ron killed his tormentors.
The Dursleys deserve it, too, Damien, Hermione reminded him, rubbing his back soothingly.
They do, don't they, Damien thoughtfully remarked. I didn't handle it too well when I saw them last.
"Umm, excuse me?" Damien asked, confused. "What do you mean- the rest of the family, Dad?"
"Oh shit!!!" Lily swore. "Don't tell me we forgot-"
"Whoops." Severus sat Damien down. "Son, you have a sister."
"What???" Damien, Ron, Draco and Hermione yelled in unison.
The three Gryffindors stared at Draco, who shrugged. "It's news to me, as well."
"We found out we were pregnant again about six months before October 31, 1982," Severus began. "Lily gave birth again in the United States, this time in California's leading Magical hospital. The nurse told us that the baby had been stillborn, but when we demanded to see the body, she didn't produce one. So, yet another child of ours had been abducted by Dumbledore. However, this time, he sent our daughter to a convent-"
"The same one he sent me to," came a musical, feminine voice from the doorway. They turned and stared as a middle aged nun in full habit walked into the room.
Voldemort stood up and hugged the newcomer enthusiastically. "Ceilia!!!" he yelled.
"Hello, Tom. It's been a while. How's my favorite twin?" He gestured for her to sit.
Draco, Ron, Harry and Hermione gaped at each other, mouthing the word 'twin' disbelievingly.
"Ceilia, meet your grandnephew, Damien," Voldemort said with pride, "and his friends, Ron, Hermione, and Lucius's son, Draco."
"Hello, everyone," Ceilia said with a smile. "Call me Aunt Ceilia," she said, seeing their hesitation.
"I came to tell you that Angela is doing well and wants to come home," she said to Voldemort, getting to the business at hand. "I think it's calmed down enough that we can risk it."
"Come home also, Ceilia. You don't belong there, you know that," Voldemort persuaded sadly.
"Tom, I have been there my entire life. It is all that I know. Besides, we magical nuns run New Orleans's finest magical academy. What would happen to my students?" she argued.
"But there were three more attacks on your school in the last month. Muggles hate Wizards, you live it first hand. American law treats you like second class citizens at best. You live in fear of your lives. Come home where it's safe. Bring everyone. You can set up school here."
"Well, that's a new argument," Aunt Ceilia said thoughtfully. "It would be safer for my students, and Angela wouldn't have to leave all her friends. But I thought that you didn't want anyone to know where Slytherin Manor was."
"Considering that Dumbledore's only hope to save the Wizarding world from Voldemort just joined his side," Damien said wryly, "I don't think it'll be a problem."
"Is that old fart still causing trouble?" Ceilia asked, wrinkling her nose. "Wait a minute! I thought Harry Potter was Dumbledore's weapon! He's a Death Eater now?"
Damien sighed and, remembering what the Glamour looked like, transformed. Aunt Ceilia let out a startled gasp.
"Damien! You're Harry Potter? But- How?" she asked, staring at him suspiciously.
"I was taken from my parents, Lily and Severus as a newborn, and raised by James Potter and a Metamorphegus Auror, Andromeda Tonks. They found me and tried to take me back, resulting in Grandfather dying the first time around. Dumbledore put me with the Dursleys, Mum's adoptive family, and the rest is history," Damien transformed back, shuddering slightly.
Hermione and Ron hugged him and Draco patted him of the back. "It's ok, Damien," they soothed. "You don't EVER have to go back to being Harry Potter again."
Aunt Ceilia rounded on Voldemort accusingly. "How come you never told me???" she snapped, hurt.
"My dearest twin, if you were ever captured by Dumbledore and forced to tell what you knew, it would have been disastrous."
"But still! Dumbledore hasn't been back since he left me there seventy one years ago! It's unlikely that he would come any time soon. He thinks I know NOTHING of the magical world. Being the Mother Superior of the Dominican Order of Nuns for our convent gives me a lot of leeway."
"So Angela is coming home?" Lily asked, a huge smile on her face. "Our family is coming together again, Sev," she murmured, burying her face into his shoulder.
Voldemort's lip twitched. "So, when can we come get her?" he asked.
"I'd give it a few days, a week at the most, just so I can inform my students' parents about the change in school address, as well as make portkeys so they can reach the new school. Oh, and I have to move several other students here as well, including our transfer student from Hogwarts, and..." Ceilia walked back to the fireplace, tossed in a handful of Floo Powder, yelling, "Saint Christina's!" She turned to Voldemort and hugged him. "I'll be back in several days, brother. Take care."
Voldemort hugged her back. "Bye Ceilia. And, bring as many as you have to. I'm not losing a single Witch or Wizard to that Muggle trash you call neighbors."
She walked into the Floo without a backwards glance.
Damien, Ron and Hermione scratched their heads. "Um, Grandfather, not to sound stupid or anything, but why does Aunt Ceilia live near Muggles? Is she in a Muggle convent or what?" Damien asked curiously.
"Her order is composed completely of magical nuns, but, in America, there are no magical communities. They have to live and work among Muggles and are treated abysmally. Witches and Wizards aren't protected by the government, either. They're treated like second class citizens at best. At worst, it's the Salem Witch Trials all over again, this time with modern weapons and methods of torture. It's not unusual for a discovered witch or wizard to be beaten by her or his neighbors, forced to move, ostracized, or even killed. It's horrifying." Voldemort wearily massaged the bridge of his nose, sighing.
Draco looked thunderstruck. "Then why did you send the Zambinis to recruit in America??? She's like a sister to me!! She could be killed!!!"
"Our people need help, Draco," Lucius chided him gently. "Besides, who better than Johann to gain support for our cause? He already has contacts in America, and his cousin lives in New Orleans already." Lucius stared at the fireplace thoughtfully. "Also, I heard Ceilia say that she had a Hogwarts Transfer student attending her school. Blaise will be here in a week, along with her soon to be classmates."
And maybe Blaise will finally be able to act on that unrequited crush she's had on Weaseley for the last three years, Draco thought wryly.
Ron choked. "Excuse me?" he sputtered, Damien pounding his back.
Draco scowled, kicking himself mentally. "If you do ANYTHING to hurt her, Weaseley," he warned angrily, "I'll kill you myself!"
Ron held up his hand. "Easy, Malfoy. I won't hurt her. In fact, I've had the same, umm, problem myself," he admitted sheepishly, his ears turning bright red.
Draco stared at him. Damien nodded his head vigorously. "He talks about that cute Slytherin all the time, but he's never had the balls to do anything about it," he offered brightly.
Ron scowled and tackled Damien, slugging him in the chest. "You shit! why- how- What in bloody hell do you think you're doing?" he yelled angrily.
Draco pulled Ron off of Damien, and held him back by the collar of his robes. "Easy, Weaseley. I can hook you up with her, you know." Ron immediately stopped struggling and stared at the Slytherin suspiciously.
"Why would you do that?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Because it'll make my sister happy," he answered simply.
Ron smiled. "You really are okay, Malfoy," he said with wonder, holding out his hand. They shook hands briefly, Draco wearing a lopsided grin.
"It took you this long to figure that out?" Draco asked, pouting playfully.
Damien raised his eyebrows, he and Hermione watching the interaction. Love, I think we have to apologize for our words last week, as well as eat them, Hermione told her boyfriend ruefully.
Damien nodded thoughtfully, his eyes narrowed. They had caught Draco covertly checking out the both of them over the last week, a slightly wistful expression on his face. I think Mum and Dad were right about us having another soul mate. He certainly acts like he wants to join us, and we both think he's damn hot. Plus, he's been almost pleasant to be around. I think he really wants to make amends.
Hmmm, Hermione thought. Let's go. We need to talk. Some things happened a few days ago that you need to be made aware of. She dragged Damien from the room, neither of them missing the longing look that flashed across Draco's face before his icy mask returned.
Two Hours Later
Damien and Hermione sat under a tree on the edge of Voldemort's private lake, talking quietly. Draco walked up behind them, lost in thought. Hearing voices, he stopped, listening.
"Damien, I'm serious. He was nice and I think Draco is all right! I don't know if he changed or was always all right, but he's different to us," Hermione said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"One word, 'Mione. Mudblood. Technically, you are Muggle born. How is he going to treat you and how are his parents going to react? He's going against the pureblood ideals he was raised with." Damien sighed, resting his head on his girlfriend's hair. "It's too bad, because I'm just as attracted to him as you are."
"What are we going to do?" Hermione asked softly, burying her face into Damien's chest.
Draco decided to make his presence known. "Hey, could I sit down?" he asked quietly.
Damien patted the grass next to him and Draco gratefully sat, his back to the ancient tree. "I knew you'd find your way out here," Damien muttered quietly, his tone neutral.
"Is that a problem?" Draco asked, hiding his slight hurt behind an icy veneer.
Hermione shrugged. "We wouldn't have invited you to sit down if it was."
"You know, we really don't stick to the whole pureblood issue all the time," Draco said with a slightly abashed look. "And my parents think very highly of you, Hermione. They wouldn't have a problem with this."
"To bloody hell with your parents, Draco!" Damien snapped. "What do you think about all this??"
"I think that I spent the entire time hurting you two because I couldn't understand why I wanted to be around you all the time, even though I was supposed to stay as far away from you three as possible once Damien, as Harry, seemed to be under Dumbledore's thumb. I couldn't even talk to you because you could tell Dumbledore what I said and then my family would be locked away in Azkaban. What about you, and don't give me any of that Gryffindor versus Slytherin crap. I know where the both of you belong."
Damien glanced at him from the corner of his eye, mulling something over. He and Hermione looked at each other. "Well, what do you want out of this?" Hermione asked quietly. "We know what we want; now the question is what does this mean to you?"
I want whatever you're willing to give me, Draco thought desperately before he could stop himself. "Umm, I- that is-" Damien leaned over and kissed him softly on the lips, eliciting a startled gasp from the blond. Hermione snuggled into the blond as well, trailing kisses down his jaw, before switching with Damien. They broke apart, breathing heavily.
"Something like that?" Hermione asked softly, still sitting halfway on both of their laps.
"Are you fucking with me?" Draco asked, unable to process that the two hottest people he knew and the people he fantasized about daily were actually kissing him. "Is this all a joke?"
Hermione and Damien grinned, their fingers reaching for Draco's temples. As soon as their fingers made contact, a flood of warmth, security and certainty rushed through him. We aren't messing around, Draco. We're sorry for all the shit we pulled, horribly sorry. We're sorry that we let other people's prejudices influence our own judgment. We know that we were wrong and we want this, not only to make it up to you, but because we belong together, with you. The question is, do you want this as much as we do?
HELL yes, he thought.
"Good," Damien growled as Hermione expertly kissed Draco again. We should move this elsewhere, he thought with amusement.
I'm comfy here, Hermione pouted, gently nibbling up and down Draco's neck. Damien captured Draco's lips with his own, his hand sliding under Hermione's shirt to fondle the clasp of her bra. Oh. Yes, let's move, shall we? she asked, grinning.
They stood up and raced into the Manor and to Damien's room, locking the door behind them.
Three Days Later
Damien, Lily, Severus and Voldemort stood in front of the Floo, ready to go to collect Angela and help Celia move the school to Slytherin Manor. "St. Christina's!" Voldemort yelled, throwing the Floo powder in. He quickly disappeared, everyone else following suit.
Damien stepped out into the foyer of church and stopped, amazed. Oh, wow. Hermione would love it here, with all the beautiful Gothic architecture! He looked down the hall and gaped. A teenage girl with vibrant crimson, curly hair sat on a bench about fifty feet away, writing in a notebook. "Mum, she's here!" he whispered excitedly.
Lily and Severus turned. "Angela," Lily called gently. The girl looked up and smiled, closing the book and standing up. She ran over and threw herself at Severus. "DADDY!" she yelled in a thick Creole accent. Severus swung her around, laughing.
"How ya doing, Baby?" he asked fondly, ruffling her hair.
"I'm doing fine. Aunt Ceilia says we're all going home and my classmates are coming too!"
Lily walked over and gently pried Angela from her father's grasp. "She's right, Angel. Everyone from St. Christina's will use Slytherin Manor as the school. We don't want you children getting hurt any more."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mama, I didn't mean to ignore you. I just saw Daddy first," Angela hung her head before enveloping Lily in an enormous hug.
"It's all right, Angela Rose," Voldemort said, gliding over. "How about a hug, too?"
"Grandfather!" she exclaimed happily, enveloping the Dark Lord in an enormous hug. "I missed you!"
"We missed you too, Angel," Lily said happily. "All right, time to find Aunt Ceilia."
"No need to, I'm right behind you." Damien turned and hugged his Aunt. "Hello, Damien," she said, attracting Angela's attention.
"Oh, I didn't see you there," she said, walking over. "Who are you?"
Lily grinned. "We found him, Angela. It's Damien."
"Damien?" she asked softly, her obsidian eyes wide. "Oh my-" She looked him up and down hesitantly before embracing him.
The two telepaths gently brushed minds, reveling in the feeling of their family being complete. Wow, they thought giddily, joined by their parents, Grandfather and Great Aunt.
The portkeys are done and distributed to the students, as well as an emergency one to a trusted family member in case the Government ups the raids.
What raids??? Voldemort asked sharply.
The ones the Feds say they don't know about, the ones that involve snapping wands and killing our kind, but how come the leaders wear FBI or CIA jackets? Angela asked, toying with a crimson curl.
We need to step up the operations and start to move to places other than Europe, Voldemort thought grimly. They can't do this! We're better than them! We're the evolved species, not them!
Damien kept his mouth shut, torn. On one hand, his Grandfather actively promoted genocide of perhaps 95% of the entire world's population. On the other hand, they were going to kill all the witches and wizards. I hate having to choose either us or them. It sucks. Why can't we get along?
The church suddenly shook, and Damien rushed to the window. Get along and preach about peace later, right now we have to defend ourselves! Lily snapped, rushing next to him. About two hundred and fifty people were outside, waving signs and brandishing rifles, semiautomatics, and one person even had a grenade launcher. They were chanting about killing the evil spawn that had taken over the church. They ducked back, out of the line of fire. Smoke filled the vestibule, and the six of them ducked back over to the Floo, coughing. They could see flames licking the beautifully oaken walls. Angela and Lily concentrated on putting out the fire and banishing the smoke, but as soon as they had put one out another one sprung up.
"I have to get the rest of the order! They'll kill my sisters!" Ceilia yelled over the noise, running back into the burning convent.
Voldemort let out a string of curses that would have had most sailors blushing. "Right, Damien, Severus, we need distractions so Ceilia's convent can get out of here without anyone getting hurt." Damien and Severus moved to the windows, both of them firing off curses left and right at the angry mob. Lily and Angela took care of putting out fires and shielding the others from bullets and the occasional grenade, and Voldemort called for Death Eater backup through the Mark. Black robed figures began pouring out of the fireplace and joined the two at the windows, adding to the curses.
"It's too bloody bad our shields only work for curses," One Death Eater remarked to another.
"Yeah, otherwise I'd just go out there and blow the lot of them to hell," the other replied.
Damien thought a minute. Damn it, where's Hermione when you need her? She'd know what to do! Voldemort nodded and called to Slytherin Manor, Ron, Draco and Hermione tumbling out of the Floo seconds later.
"Hey, what's the prob?" Hermione asked, the three of them crouching next to Damien.
"I'm picking your brain, all of yours. How do we shield to stop bullets without having to redirect every bullet?" he asked, ducking as yet another one whizzed by. "AVADA KEDAVRA!!!" he roared back, the person who shot at them falling dead to the ground. Ron followed suit, and the two of them took out several more gunmen, as well as someone in a FBI jacket. "The FEDS are out there!" Damien hissed angrily. "This is madness!" He looked behind him at a sudden movement to see a group of forty nuns, ranging in age from barely older than himself to the late seventies, all carrying wands and shoulder-bags, come creeping up the isles and into the vestibule. Two had crystal gazing balls under their arms, and another had a satchel full of shrunken potions ingredients. They were followed by several Death Eaters, Lucius Malfoy included, who were leading twenty students behind them.
Hermione and Draco put their heads together for a minute, then shouted, their wands and wand hands conjoined, "Impervious Protego!" A translucent, flexible shield shot out of their wands and encircled the entire church. The gunmen, determined to destroy the magical beings inside, continued firing, the bullets ricocheting off the shield and back into the crowd, killing and wounding several dozen Muggles. They stopped firing, confused and terrified.
Damien, Draco, Hermione and Ron eased away from the window, Severus and Voldemort following them as they herded the terrified nuns, as well as the students, Angela included, over to the Floo, gesturing for everyone to go to safety. Voldemort turned, and seeing the four of them still by the window, gestured for them to leave as well.
"But we want to help," Draco resolutely responded, gripping his wand.
"Go!" Voldemort hissed, pointing towards the Floo. "It's only a matter of time before they get through the shields!"
"And we want to help," Damien stood next to Draco proudly, his face set. Hermione nodded, while Ron looked indecisive. Suddenly, a bullet pierced the shields and flew through the window, striking one of the students in the arm. She let out a soft cry and fell.
"BLAISE!!!" Draco yelled, diving and catching her.
Ron's face blanched. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, he chanted mentally, taking the trembling girl from Draco.
"I'll take her back," he said quietly. Draco stared him in the eye for a second and nodded. Ron stumbled to the Floo carrying her in his arms. "It's all right, Blaise, he murmured softly. "I've got you. Slytherin Manor!" he called, throwing the Floo powder into the flames and stepping through.
Damien, Draco and Hermione nodded and continued firing Killing Curses, Incendios, Stupefies, and Crucios rapidly into the crowd. The Death Eaters joined them at the windows as soon as the civilians had left, firing curses of their own. "We need to shield this place again," Voldemort warned. "I'm not losing a single person to this trash."
Damien, Draco and Hermione joined their right hands together, holding their wands conjoined. "Impervious Protego!!!" they yelled again. Silver shot from their wands and formed a slid barrier almost a foot thick. "Wow," they breathed, staring at it in wonder.
"Everyone MOVE!!" Lily snapped, the Death Eaters piling into the Floo and some, the stronger ones, Apparating across the Atlantic. Draco, Damien and Hermione were ushered into the Floo and found themselves back at Slytherin Manor. Ceilia and Voldemort Apparated last of all, making sure that everyone was gone. Five minutes later, when the shield fell, the Muggle left alive stormed the cathedral, only to find that everyone had vanished.
Slytherin Manor
Damien, Draco and Hermione fell into a heap on the floor of the Library, their limbs tangled and askew. "Gerrof!" Damien yelled, laughing.
Draco rolled off of him, sniggering. "Ok, whoever was tickling me had better stop!" he gasped. Hermione grinned and rolled away from them and stood up, her face suddenly coloring. Damien poked his head up to stare into the amused faces of Lucius, Narcissa, Voldemort, Ceilia, Severus and Lily.
"Oops," he muttered, standing up and hauling Draco to his feet as well.
"Oh, please, don't stop on our account," Lucius smirked, his fingers intertwined with his wife's.
"Yes, don't let us interrupt a tender moment," Severus sniggered.
Damien blushed slightly, as did Draco. Hermione just stared at the adults coolly. "Indeed." Without warning she deeply kissed Draco on the lips, grinning slightly at the strangled moan that escaped.
Damien scowled. "What, you're just going to ignore me?" he asked, mock irritably. Draco swung around and kissed him, grinning slightly, Damien, against his better judgment, purred softly, causing Hermione start as well, rubbing herself against Draco's back, and Draco smirked at the two of them.
That could be interesting. He turned, grinning openly at the gob smacked expressions on the adults faces. "Well, you did tell us not to stop, so we aren't. Come on!" he laughed, grabbing Damien and Hermione's hands, pulling them out of the Library.
Voldemort stared at the slamming door in amazement. "I did NOT just see that," he muttered. Lucius sighed.
"So, when do we implement the plans?" Severus asked, desperate to change the subject. Everyone brightened and much planning ensued.
The Next Morning
Hermione, Draco and Damien strode into the Library, grinning like the cat that ate the canary. Angela and Ron were sitting on one of the couches, talking intently, and Blaise was curled up, her head resting on Angela's lap, the other girl stroking her hair. "I mean it, Blaise," Angela said softly. "I don't mind at all. Besides, Ron, you feel good, familiar almost. I'm willing to give this a try."
"Ron's a telepath," Damien said quietly, coming up behind him. He recognized 'the talk' when he saw it. "Hermione, he, and I have been able to talk since First Year when we met, but while she and I knew we were attracted to each other, with Ron he feels like our sibling."
Angela stared at her brother for a minute. "Good morning to you, too," she said in her soft Creole accent. Damien gave her a hug. She turned and stared at Ron appraisingly. You can hear me? she asked hesitantly.
Of course. Hey, you feel... good. Interesting. Like home. The slightly jumbled thoughts filled Angela's mind. Ron blushed.
Damien, Hermione and Draco looked at each other. All right, what's going on? Draco asked suspiciously.
I could be wrong, but I think they're a triumvirate like we are, Damien said, his eyes wide.
Wait- you three are together??? Blaise gasped mentally.
You're a telepath? Draco asked, confused.
Hermione and Angela started to laugh.
What? Ron and Damien asked, confused.
You all are so funny, the two girls giggled, Hermione sitting down on Ron's lap and hugging her brother.
"Good morning," she chirped. Draco and Damien laughed, settling on the other couch. Hermione stood up and settled herself across their laps, snuggling into Damien's chest.
"You're in a good mood. Someone must have gotten laid last night," Ron remarked.
Blaise and Angela grinned, smirking at him. "Yes, and it was wonderful," Angela deadpanned.
Ron threw up his hands in exasperation. "Am I the ONLY one NOT having sex around here???"
Draco grinned at Blaise, who blushed. You didn't- YOU DID! she screamed mentally, throwing herself at Draco and pounding him. YOU TOLD!!!
Damien grinned. Yes, well, he has the same problem, you see, he thinks you're bloody hot and- he was cut off by Ron launching himself at Damien, beating him black and blue in an effort to shut him up.
Blaise stared at him appraisingly. So, while Angela and I are already dating, Ron and I like each other and he and Angela's minds mesh in the most delicious way. You really think we're a triumvirate as well?
Draco smirked. Yes, little sister, I think you three get along very well and should look into the idea. Besides, three in bed is so much fun.
Ron perked up at the though of being in bed with, in his opinion, the two hottest girls on the planet. Angela and Blaise looked at each other with matching smirks.
Voldemort and Ceilia walked into the Library, deep in conversation. Sirius and Remus walked a few steps behind, also intent in their conversation. They barely noticed that anyone else was there as they disappeared amongst the books, still intent on conversing with each other.
"I wonder what they're talking about?" Ron asked suspiciously.
"No clue." Damien stretched, covering a yawn.
"For your information, we were discussing the lesson plan." Voldemort glided up behind Ron, Angela and Blaise. Ron jumped almost a foot in the air, swearing.
"Don't DO that!" he snapped, clutching his chest.
"Today, we will continue with the curses we started yesterday, continue with a version of Polyjuice that lasts for a month at a time as well as it's counter potion, and then Angela will begin Animagus training, as she is the only one who can't yet transform. Judging by her bondsmates, she will be a wolf of some sort."
Ron looked at Blaise. "What're you?" Blaise transformed into a jet black wolf with ice blue eyes. Angela sighed and transformed into a pure white wolf with ebony eyes.
"On second thought," Voldemort said, staring at his granddaughter in surprise, "let's all just transform and play in the forest for a while." He transformed himself, an enormous black Phoenix with silver tipped wings and glowing red eyes.
"SWEET!!" Ron yelled. "He's a Shadow Phoenix!" Damien reached over and stroked the inky feathers, admiring him. The enormous bird let out an impatient trill, gesturing for them to transform. Remus and Sirius transformed at will, curling up on the carpet in front of the fire next to the slumbering Nagini.
Lily and Severus walked in and watched as Lord Voldemort flapped his wings impatiently. Ceilia rolled her eyes and, adjusting her habit, transformed herself into a Treasure phoenix, her brilliant green and brownish gold plumage flashing in the light.
What are you waiting for??? she called impatiently, joining her twin in a burst of song. Transform!
Lucius and Narcissa walked into the room and, getting the idea instantly, transformed as well, two adorable marmosets, one a dark brown and gold, the other golden brown and white, playfully scampered across the floor. Draco sighed and transformed into his panther form, the two miniature monkeys climbing onto his back. Damien and Hermione transformed, leaving Severus and Lily.
Severus went first, and a Siberian tiger joined the throng of animals. Lily transformed, and a Burmese tiger stood in her place. Everyone quickly ran out of the library and down the hallways to the front entrance where they raced or flew to the lawn and into the forest. There, Draco let his parents off and the two chattering marmosets took to the trees, chasing each other through the branches.
Damien, Draco and Hermione curled up, Angela, Blaise and Ron joining them. Lily and Severus ambled over, followed by Remus and Sirius and curled up as well, content to just lay there. Damien nudged Angela, who swiped at his tail, and the two took off chasing each other and mock fighting, rolling on the soft moss and lush vegetation. Draco and Hermione extracted themselves from the dog and cat pile to climb the nearest tree. They lounged on the lower branches comfortably, watching as Damien chased his sister in and out of the trees, only to have the tables turned and scamper off, Angela on his paws.
They played for several hours, until they were joined by forty four animals, ranging from a green tree viper to an alligator, to a harpy eagle, who then transformed into the twenty nuns from Ceilia's convent and their twenty four students. Voldemort transformed back, impressed. "You taught all of them Animagi already?" he asked.
The deputy mother superior grinned. "Well, they caught us transforming and wanted to learn. Besides, as none of them have magical forms, it makes it easy if there's a raid. We just pretend we're an animal hospital, not a magic school."
"How about we have lessons out here?" she continued, looking around. "I can spot several hundred exotic magical plants and potions ingredients, which we could have them harvest- I mean, identify for us," she said with a smirk.
Voldemort grinned thoughtfully. "And since we were going to practice those dark- I mean defense spells, they have plenty to practice on out here. Yes. All right, transform back," he called to everyone. Within minutes, there were twenty eight adults and thirty students crowded around him. "We're going to work outdoors, so get into groups of six and we'll get started."
Damien, Hermione, Ron, Draco, Blaise and Angela grouped themselves together, grinning. No matter what they were going to do, they knew it would be fun.
Three days later, the Grounds of Slytherin Manor
"Remus, how did you know?" Damien asked idly while reading a Dark Arts book that had belonged to Salazar Slytherin himself.
"Know what, cub?" Remus asked absently, leafing through One hundred Most Deadly Potions.
"Know that I wasn't Harry Potter and switch sides?" Ron lifted his head from his study group with Blaise and Angela. Draco and Hermione did the same, eager to hear the story.
Remus sighed, marking his page. "Well, cub, first of all you didn't SMELL like a Potter. You may have looked like James, but you were NOT his son. That much I could tell right away. Second, Lily Evans Potter didn't smell or even look exactly like the Lily Evans we had known at school."
Sirius walked in. "Third, Lily was never pregnant."
"What?" Draco asked curiously. "How the hell could they think you were so stupid?"
"I dunno," Sirius admitted, sitting next to Remus. "But, James changed our seventh year. He almost stopped talking to us for three months and then suddenly acted all buddy buddy, as if nothing had happened. Also, he was obsessed with Lily Evans, always staring at her and trying to chat her up when he hadn't ever talked to her. He even managed to break her and Severus up for about a week, and he tried to move in on her immediately, but she didn't go for it. And, then somehow he winds up married to a chick he tells us is Lily Evans, and she looks like Lily Evans, but she doesn't know anything that happened during school. It was so strange, and we couldn't tell you sooner because Dumbledore had you under his control."
"So, when did you switch sides?" Hermione asked.
"I switched in Azkaban," Sirius admitted. "I talked to some of the Death Eaters sentenced there, and realized that Dumbledore let me go into Azkaban. He knew all along that Pettigrew was a spy, but let the Potters switch secret keepers. he even knew that Pettigrew was still alive and all. It was horrible."
"I switched when Siri talked to me about what he suspected. Siri contacted Voldemort, asking questions and I tagged along for the ride." Remus stretched and put down the book. "Any other questions?"
Just an idea on how to get you free from Dumbledore completely," Draco offered. "We perfected the plan and we're ready to implement it."
"Do tell," Remus said eagerly.
"Well, it's Damien's idea," Draco began, only to be interrupted.
"It's not just my idea. Everyone helped," Damien protested.
Draco rolled his eyes. "Quit being so damn noble, Snape! You came up with the idea, so shut it!" Quickly, he laid out the plan, outlining all the major points.
Remus looked impressed. "And how soon can we implement this?" he asked, grinning. Sirius stared at his Godson proudly.
"Actually, we'll be doing this at the next Death Eater meeting," Draco warned.
Remus nodded. "So, that gives us what, less than a week?" he asked.
"Four days," Damien interjected. "We'll be ready in four days."
"All right, let's get started," Draco grinned, standing up. "I hope we'll be given a pass on lessons for the next couple of days, as this'll take all our time."
Voldemort grinned at him from the doorway. "Oh, everyone is getting the next couple of days off," he smirked. "We have to get everyone fitted for Death Eater robes and masks. It'll give the old bat something to worry about, that our numbers have suddenly grown without his spy being aware of it."
"Let's get started," Ceilia ordered, standing next to her twin. "It'll be really funny to think that my twin's padding his numbers with nuns..." she mused, earning giggles and snorts from everyone.
Four Days Later, Riddle Manor
Damien and Draco took their places, both slightly nervous. Are you ready? Draco asked, his mental voice extremely anxious.
As ready as I will ever be. Its better that we have the masks, so the spy won't know who we are. Damien adjusted the leash and solver studded collar on the 'werewolf' he was guiding. In reality, the 'werewolf' was a transfigured mouse who had been transfused completely with Remus's werewolf blood prior to transfiguration. The mouse was therefore allergic to silver, playing the role perfectly.
They waited in the library at Riddle Manor, the 'werewolf' scratching itself and nosing around. Suddenly, it let out an excited yip and bound forward, pulling Damien across the room. "Down, boy! DOWN!" he yelled ineffectively, Draco snickering helplessly. "HEEL!!! HEEL!!!" Damien yelped, slamming into the suddenly still wolf. Well, almost still. It was happily munching a bag of sunflower seeds Hermione had dropped the day before.
Draco grabbed his sides, laughing hysterically as Damien tried to drag the munching wolf from the bag. It wouldn't budge.
It's time, Voldemort called.
Tactical error. The mouse found the sunflower seeds!!! Draco called back, laughing.
Voldemort snickered mentally. I suppose I'll have to cover for you. Do arrive a little bloody and bruised, would you? he asked wryly.
Draco and Damien shook their heads. "I supposed he expects us to punch each other?" Draco asked wryly.
"I can't!" Damien rolled his eyes. "You don't deserve it!"
"I can." Draco punched Damien square across the face. Damien snarled and jumped on him, tearing the other's boy's robes and yanking at his hair. Draco fell to the floor with Damien on top of him and they froze.
"Well, well," Damien began a little huskily. "What have we here?" He leaned down, kissing Draco harshly.
Draco moaned, pulling at Damien's hair.
COME ON!!! Voldemort yelled. This is NO time for an unplanned make out session!!! They hastily straightened their robes and donned their masks, steeling themselves.
The two of them managed to drag the protesting werewolf away from the sunflower seeds and through the hallway into the meeting room. They coolly strode through the assembled Death Eaters to Voldemort's throne. "My Lord," Damien intoned gravely. "The spying werewolf, as promised."
"Very good," hissed the Dark Lord eagerly. "Cage him for me, my loyal followers." Damien and Draco dragged the suddenly howling and writhing beast into a large silver cage in the center of the room.
Grandfather, your acting skills are amazing, Damien thought admiringly.
Voldemort grinned. Who said I'm acting? I'm enjoying this.
Damien's face twisted in disgust behind his mask. Ummm, ok, he muttered.
Draco grinned. You know, you DID ask the Dark Lord for help. He isn't the Dark Lord because he cuddles bunnies and collects Beanie Babies. He grinned sadistically at the caged and trembling wolf, its paws burned form where it was touching the silver bars.
Damien could only stand next to the masked and robed Hermione, Ron, and Angela and watch, extremely sickened, as his parents, the Malfoys, Blaise, and his Grandfather tortured the transfigured wolf to death, putting on a show for the spy to take back to Dumbledore.
That is disgusting, Damien thought, his eyes wide as the wolf finally died, after hours upon hours of agonized howls and whimpers. So, the Revels I saw, where you tortured entire Muggle families, raping those little children and torturing them to death- that was real? You ACTUALLY enjoyed that?
Of course, Voldemort said, his voice coldly logical. We're superior to them in every way. They're nothing but filth that pollute our planet, waste our resources, and try to exterminate us at every turn. We have to hide ourselves and what we are because of their hatred of being inferior and their hatred of anything different.
Damien stared at them, sickened. I don't believe this, he muttered. He, Ron and Hermione walked out of the Revel, unable to deal with the revelations.
Damien suddenly sprinted to the nearest bathroom, vomiting violently. Hermione soothed him, rubbing his back as he dry heaved, tears streaming down his face. "Why?" he managed to gasp out. "Why? Why can't there be peace?"
"Because they hate us," Angela answered coolly, sitting on the sink. Draco and Blaise stood in the doorway, their eyes burning with intensity. "You didn't live it, I did. I lived the hate and the rage and the fear for fifteen years! My home, my life was attacked on a weekly basis! I couldn't go outside for fear of my LIFE. Every Muggle in New Orleans knew I was a witch, and they hated me! They threw stones! They shot at the convent and burned it down twice! Do you think that what happened last week was unusual? It happened every other month! Two nuns were murdered and the police did NOTHING!!! We are superior to them! They should be bowing down and kissing our feet, and yet they try to kill us!" She stared at Hermione eerily. "You know," she said quietly. "You know what it's like to be hated and feared because of who you are and your powers. That man I saw in your dreams feared you and wanted to hurt you. You are a witch, the continuation of an exceptionally powerful bloodline, a fresh influx of magic in your Squib heritage. You know what it's like to be hated for something that sets you apart."
Hermione's eyes misted over and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I don't want to be a child murderer!" she spat. "I don't want to be no better than that filth that tried to hurt me!!" Sobs wracked her body and Damien wiped his mouth, leaving the toilet to hold her close.
Ron nodded tersely in agreement. "I don't like hurting people like that."
Angela stared at him, her gaze unreadable. "What happened to you?" she asked finally.
Ron's mouth opened and closed helplessly. Draco pulled the girl aside and whispered in her ear, Ron's eyes glazing over and tears rolling down his cheeks. Angela's eyes tightened and her sneer became more and more pronounced as he talked. Finally, Draco backed away and she turned to Ron, her face cold.
"Don't say anything, I know you're disgusted that I let it happen," Ron whispered miserably.
Angela's eyes widened. "No, I'm furious that they hurt you and I'm going to rip their entrails out their anus and that'll be the LEAST of what I do to them," she said firmly, hugging Ron close, motioning to Blaise over Ron's scarlet mop of hair. Blaise took the hint and joined the hug, stroking Ron's hair comfortingly.
"I think a trip to the Burrow is in order, don't you think?" Angela asked the other girl. At Blaise's confused look, she hastily explained in an almost inaudible whisper what the Twins had done. Blaise snarled and nodded eagerly, ready to hurt the people who had dared to hurt her bondsmate.
Draco stared at Damien coolly. "Well, Snape, it's up to you. Will you return to Dumbledore and stick your head in the sand or will you face what is actually happening? The Dursleys are a normal Muggle reaction to Magic. If they hadn't have already hated you and magic, they wouldn't have been able to stomach hurting you the way they did. It's up to you, Snape. Which, to you, is the lesser of two evils? Do we ignore the way Muggles treat witches and wizards, or do we fight back?"
"I don't torture people for the hell of it. That's WRONG!" Damien protested. "Regardless of whether or not they're magic, they're still people!"
"And if they had their way, they'd kill every last one of us," Blaise coolly shot back. "I dare you do go through the streets in America, or China, or even England with your wand, doing magic. People have, you know. They were killed- burned at the stake or stoned or had their throat slit... after the Muggles broke their wands. Without our wands, we're defenseless. Well, the rest of us are, anyway. You three though... Wandless magic."
"Yeah, they solved that problem for themselves," Draco grinned. "And, thankfully they taught us as well."
Damien scowled. "I can hurt the Dursleys for hurting me, and I WANT to, but it isn't right!!"
Draco rolled his eyes. "Will you stop moralizing everything? You KNOW how it feels to do the Dark Arts! The rush of power is incredible! Where do you think the power comes from? It's from knowing that you can do that to another human being and get away with it!"
Ron stared at them with a slightly pensive look. "Does that mean I can hurt the twins as badly as they hurt me without any fear of getting caught?" he asked, quietly, drawing strength from the two girls holding him.
Draco nodded. "In fact, we could go tonight or tomorrow, if you want to." Ron grinned evilly, nodding hastily.
Hermione stared at them calculatingly. "I have Muggle friends who know I'm a witch," she said quietly.
Draco's eyebrows rose, as did Angela's and Blaise's. "And they just accept that? They didn't turn on you or try to hurt you?"
"No, they thought, think it's cool. They wanted to see me do a few spells and Katie, my best friend outside Hogwarts took me into her home when it got bad with my parents, even after I told her."
Draco cocked his head to the side, thinking. "So you say there are Muggles who wouldn't hurt us if they had the chance. I wouldn't have a problem with leaving them be, but I'm sick of hiding!"
"So, how about we limit the torturing and killing to the people who deserve it?" Damien asked quietly.
"Does this mean you've chosen?" Draco asked coolly.
"Yes. I choose my family. But, I don't agree that all Muggles need to die. The ones in positions of authority, yes. The ones who hate us, yes. People like Hermione's friends do exist, and I don't think they should be hurt for something they didn't do."
"I can live with that," Voldemort said quietly for where he had been standing behind Draco, listening. Lily, Severus, Lucius and Narcissa nodded. "I think we can all live with that. We're not complete monsters, you know. If you can produce names of people that shouldn't be hurt or killed, we'll leave them alone."
"I can live with that," Damien said thoughtfully. He grinned slightly. "And I could learn to enjoy seeing the people who deserve it suffer."
Hermione shook her head. "I'll never enjoy watching children suffer. That's just wrong."
"Why is it wrong?" Lucius Malfoy asked, confused.
"Because children can be reeducated, reprogrammed if you will. Especially at a young age. Really, until a child is seven they just parrot what their parents tell them to say. I've taken Muggle psychology coursed over the summers I was at my parents' house. The psychologists were right when they said the age or reason is eight. Before that, they don't think on their own."
"Hmmm," Voldemort said. "What would we do with all the children left over?"
Hermione stopped, her mouth open. Reluctantly, she admitted, "I don't know."
Draco chuckled. "So, all these Muggle children will be left, with no idea of what to do with them." Hermione nodded soberly.
"If I come up with something, will you consider it?" she asked, mind in overdrive.
Voldemort nodded. "Now, could we get back to the Revel? The Spy will be questioning our disappearance." With nods all around, they walked calmly back into the meeting room, their Death Eater robes and masks in place.
Slytherin Manor, The Next Morning
Blaise dragged Ron and Angela into the Library. "We are going to the Burrow to deal with those shits whether you like it or not, Ron and that's final!" she snapped, dragging them to the fireplace. Draco, Damien and Hermione looked up from the essays they were writing, intrigued by what was going on. They heard Blaise throw Floo powder in and yell "THE BURROW!!" and immediately understood.
"We're coming too," Damien announced firmly, following after Blaise. Ron went next, followed by Hermione, Draco and Angela.
They found themselves in the kitchen of the Burrow. Damien took one look at Ron and grasped his friend's hand reassuringly. He took a look around himself and immediately understood. Fred and George stood in front of them, wearing identical sneers of contempt.
Hey, don't Slytherins hold the patent for that look? Blaise wondered idly, her hands on Ron's shoulders. Angela held Ron's other hand, squeezing his fingers.
"Well look, it's Ickle Ronnikins," Fred sneered.
"He's back from his trip into Death Eatersville," George spat, his hand on his wand. Ron wavered slightly, unsteady on his feet.
Ron, don't you dare pass out! Draco snapped, his hand glowing an eerie silver color. Blaise stared at his hand in wonder.
Wandless magic?? She gasped mentally. It's beautiful!
It may be beautiful, but it's hella draining, Damien grimly retorted, his hand glowing viridian. On his other side, Hermione's fingers glowed cobalt. Ron looked at the colors playing around his friends' hands and his fingers tinged crimson.
You are so teaching us how to do that, Angela remarked.
"We've come to give you what you deserve," Damien growled.
"Who the bloody fuck are you?" George snapped.
"Voldemort's Heir," Draco snapped, his entire arm glowing silver and his hair ruffling from the wind Hermione was creating.
Damien grinned. This is fun! he laughed, his entire body wreathed in viridian green.
Fred and George stared at the glowing man before them uneasily. "Bloody hell, man, why are you glowing?"
"Because I'm a mage," Damien replied easily, watching as their faces blanched and they stepped back, gripping their wands so tightly their hands were white.
You know, you shouldn't call yourself that, Draco warned. Especially since you aren't one.
Technically, we all are magi, Hermione intervened. We all have the arcane magic mastered. Me, Damien and Ron do, at least. You almost do, the same as Voldemort, Lily and Severus. So, he's not wrong.
"You hurt my brother," Damien purred, his eyes flashing.
"Bull shit. Has he been lying again??" Fred burst out angrily.
Damien transformed into Harry Potter. "Say you're lying again, you shits. I saw you two summers ago. You thought I was asleep. Didn't you know that I have natural shields? Only very strong people can successfully cast spells against me. You two aren't powerful enough. So, the Dormis didn't work."
"What???" snapped Fred, his face pale. "You little BITCH!!" he hissed at Ron, his expression contorted in hatred and rage. "You just try to do anything to us, you weak little bitch! Come on, whore, time for some punishment."
"I don't think so," Hermione, Angela and Blaise growled, wands and glowing fingers leveled at the twins.
"And what do YOU think you're going to do to us?" George asked, sneering. "You're younger than us and weak. You hang out with my pathetic loser of a brother, Ickle Ronnie, so you must be pathetic."
Damien growled, his eyes flashing red, glowing so that he eerily looked like a much younger Dark Lord. Fred and George backed up and stared at the glowing boy fearfully. "That was a little weird," Fred muttered. "Stupefy!"
Damien threw up a hand and the curse bounced right off.
"Petrificus Totalis!" George tried. Again, Damien threw up a hand and the spell ricocheted into the wall, knocking over a pan. It fell to the floor with a loud crash.
"This isn't working, George," Fred warned, his face pensive.
"I concur, Fred." They immediately tried to Apparate, but Hermione and Ron threw up and AntiApparation ward, keeping them in place. As one, they turned to the six of them fearfully.
"What are you going to do?" they asked in unison.
"Hmmm," Hermione grinned evilly. "What do you think, Draco?"
Draco hissed something unintelligible and they were instantly transfigured into a pair of matching weasels. Blaise grinned and waved her wand, the Weasels suddenly bouncing off the walls, ceiling, and the furniture. Damien transfigured them back with a wave of his hand and they stood, gasping for air.
"Crucio," Damien hissed as he reverted back to his natural body. The two of them twitched and fell to the ground, screaming in agony.
Ron's mouth fell open. "I- um... Damien, could I take a turn?" he asked quietly, his eyes welled with tears.
"Sure!" Damien grinned evilly, releasing the twins from the Wandless curse. They crumpled into the fetal position, sobs wracking their bodies.
Ron raised a hand. "Inferno!" he snapped, and Incendio's big brother from hell sped towards the twins, engulfing them. Shrill screams filled the air, and Damien idly wondered where Molly Weaseley or anyone else was.
Someone should be here, Hermione thought worriedly. Where are they?
Damien stood and watched, part of him screaming it was horribly wrong, and part of him reveling that the twins were dying right in front of him. They deserve it, the filthy bastards, he reminded himself and the part of him that hated the sight protested a little less loudly.
You see the attraction now, Damien? Draco asked, his arm around the other boy's waist.
They deserve it. They deserve every thing we've done, Damien growled angrily, watching proudly as Ron killed his tormentors.
The Dursleys deserve it, too, Damien, Hermione reminded him, rubbing his back soothingly.
They do, don't they, Damien thoughtfully remarked. I didn't handle it too well when I saw them last.