A/N: thank you so much for the incredible reviews, everyone! *TAKES A BOW*
please, please, hold your applause *Sniff!* it's just too much! Anyway,
here's chapter 13
Chapter 13
Dumbledore stood and walked quickly to the still unconscious Deputy Headmistress. He knelt down by her, and quietly whispered "Enervate." She sat up, blinking and rubbing her eyes.
"Albus, did I actually see that? Are Lily and James alive, and HERE?" She asked desperately, wide eyed.
Dumbledore nodded, eyes twinkling. Grasping her hand, he pulled her to her feet. She stood, wobbling, in front of the stunned student body. Dumbledore handed her the scroll. "Why don't you finish sorting the students, Minerva?" he asked her gently. McGonagall nodded resolutely.
"Ramero, Juan?" a scared looking boy walked forward.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Seymour, Selena?" She called, voice wavering. A dark haired girl with brilliant green eyes skipped forward.
"SLYTHERIN!" the Hat bellowed immediately.
"Thomas, Angela!" Dean's younger sister walked up to the front of the room.
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Umbridge, Jordan!" A chubby boy resembling the bitch from hell who had tried to destroy the school last year crept forward.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Zambini, Marianna?" Blaise's little sister walked forward, smirking.
"RAVENCLAW!" With that, the sorting was finished, not that anyone had been paying attention.
Dumbledore strode to the doors of the Great Hall, intending clearly to open them and greet the Potters. Selena and Griffin, two of the first years, suddenly disappeared from their respective seats at the Gryffindor and Slytherin Tables and appeared right in front of him. The Headmaster stopped short in shock and stared at them warily.
"You cannot go through," Selena stated calmly, regally.
"Give them time alone. They deserve it," Griffin chimed in, smirking.
Dumbledore drew himself up. "Children, move out of my way." He tried to push past them, but the stood firm. "What the- OH MY GOD!" Dumbledore yelped as the two of them transformed. Selena shifted into a fifty foot Basilisk, and Griffin transformed into a fifty foot lion. He roared, and the Hall shook to its core.
Dumbledore jumped back in fright then recovered. "Knock it off. Please, just let me past."
"NO!" hissed the king of the serpents. The lion roared again, shaking the rafters. The assorted demigods and goddesses (The ones in chapter 12 without last names- all the transfer students except for Emily) disappeared, reappearing in front of the two enormous animals. They stood, glowing their respective auras.
Alanna and Xander walked over to stand just behind Dumbledore. "I'd like to introduce our siblings. They have come to prepare for war, as well as train the most proficient students. They are, in order, Gaila and Raphael," the pair inclined their heads, "Damien and Nicholai," they nodded regally, "Olivia and Michael," they nodded, "and Rowen and Gabrielle" They grinned and nodded. The two in Animagi forms changed back into their human forms.
Selena Seymour stood proudly then her form wavered. A tall, dark haired man with startling green eyes stood there. He looked eerily like Harry Potter, without the lightning scar. Dumbledore gasped. "I am Salazar Slytherin" he stated regally, then returned to his chosen form.
Griffin stood next to her then changed as well. "And I am Godric Gryffindor," the tall, muscular golden blond quietly stated before returning to his chosen form as well.
Dumbledore stared at the living legends in his school. *Oh MY GOD* he thought, and then tried in vain to collect himself. "Why can't I pass?" he asked, trying to sound commanding, but failing miserably.
"You can't because they haven't seen each other in fifteen years. Give them some time," Alanna tried to reason with him. "He's their son and they missed him."
Dumbledore still refused, stubbornly. "No! Miss Weaseley, Mr. Malfoy, Severus, and Remus are out there!"
Harry was wrapped in the loving arms of his parents, Uncle, and Remus. *OH GOD, this is the happiest moment of my life!* he thought, tears streaming down his face. Lily kissed his forehead. Harry slid out of his robes, anxious to be rid of them.
*My beautiful boy. Who'd of thought you'd turn out so well. Although, the clothes are a little much, the earrings and a TONGUE BAR??? SEVERUS, WHAT DID YOU LET HIM DO???* Sev jumped guiltily, blushing.
*That's nothing, Mrs. Potter, Uncle Sev got a really cute tattoo that likes to curl up and purr on his left shoulder,* Draco's amused voice cut in. Lily and James turned to look at them confusion on their faces. Draco and Ginny had discarded their robes as well, revealing the gothic clothing underneath.
*Harry, love, who are they? I can tell they are important to you.* James asked, an arm still slung around Remus's shoulders.
Harry grinned. *Mum, Dad, this is Draco Malfoy, my soul mate, whatever that means, and Ginny Weaseley. I'm going to adopt her like you and Uncle Sev did.*
Lily stared at Draco, an unreadable expression on her face. She studied him, and he stared back at her. *Um, Mrs. Potter, what is it?* he asked, worried.
*Oh, just wondering what your punishment should be if you ever hurt my son, that's all.* Draco turned a sickly shade of green as she sent him various images of what she would do to him.
*MUM! STOP!* Harry turned to her, infuriated. She stared at him, surprised and hurt.
*What?* she asked. *I haven't been there for you your whole life. Why won't you let me be all maternal and protective?*
*It isn't that. Draco's father let Voldemort torture him this summer, which is how everything got started. He did some of that.*
Lily gasped and hugged Draco. *I'm sorry. That was incredibly stupid of me to do.* Draco hugger her back, smiling weakly.
*It's all right. I know that you had no idea.*
Lily turned back to her son.* So, Harry, how have you been? Have Siri and Sev been treating you well? Where have you been living?*
Severus pulled her aside. He, James, Lily, and Remus stood a few feet away, conversing intently. Harry, Ginny and Draco stood there, listening.
*Lily, the letter never reached me. It was inside the will and they found it when the wills were read six weeks ago. None of us knew, and Siri was sent to Azkaban for being a Death Eater.* Snape winced, knowing the storm that was about to break.
*WHAT???* James and Lily shrieked. *SIRI WASN'T A DEATH EATER!!! PETTIGREW WAS THERE, THE SLIMY -* Severus grasped her hand.
*I know, Lily. I've seen him at the meetings.*
*How- is that bastard still making you put your life on the line???* Lily ripped his sleeve up angrily and gasped. A cute, black kitten blinked large golden eyes at her. *Where's the Mark?* she asked, astonished. *Cute replacement. I like it.*
*Alanna healed it and broke the link. I never have to go back again. And, thank you.* Lily threw her arms around his neck.
*Sev, that's wonderful!* she gasped happily. He hugged her back.
*Oh God, Lily, I missed you.* he murmured.
Lily leaned back in his arms. She looked at her husband, then back at her brother suspiciously. *Sev, you never told me where Harry was sent. If you didn't know to take him, and Siri was in Azkaban then- TELL ME HE WASN'T-*
Sev nodded miserably. *Dumbledore had Hagrid take him to the Dursleys.*
Lily and James turned white. Lily broke from Sev's grasp, power whipping into frenzy. James strode next to her, doing the same. *That FUCKING BASTARD!!! HE KNEW!!!! WE FUCKING TOLD HIM!!!!!! HE KNEW AND THE PROOF WAS IN THE LETTER!!!* They strode to the doors.
Harry whimpered hearing and feeling their anger. *They hate me, Ginny, Draco, they hate me.* he thought miserably, mistakenly thinking they were angry at him. Ginny and Draco hugged him, trying to soothe him.
*No, bro, I swear, they really hate Dumbledore right now, not you.* Ginny said, rubbing his back comfortingly.
*Harry, they aren't mad at you.* Draco echoed. Severus and Remus put their hands on their shoulders, looking grim.
*Oh boy, Sev, you better calm her down. She's going to kill him. You take her, I'll take James. I'd forgotten about their tempers.*
*Let them. He deserves it after what he has done.*
The demigods stood, bored by Dumbledore's ranting. Suddenly, they looked around, terror plain on their faces. They apparated immediately to a position behind Dumbledore, and threw a combined shield over the students and faculty.
Just as they completed the shields, the doors exploded outward with a roar. The splinters were driven forcefully through the stone wall on the other side of the room. Lily and James stood in the now mangled doorway, expressions of fury on their faces. Dumbledore stood before them alone and exposed.
"Lily! James, how wonderful to see you again! We have so much to discuss!" Dumbledore stood there, grinning, unaware that he was in mortal peril.
Lily, with a scream of rage, threw her hand out. Dumbledore's eyes widened comically in surprise as he was lifted violently from the floor and thrown into the crackling shields. He rebounded with a snap, slamming into the floor. Professors McGonagall, Hooch, Vector, Sinistera, and Flitwick rushed to the edge of the shields, anxious looks on their faces. They watched helplessly as James and Lily advanced on Dumbledore.
"You contemptible PIECE OF SHIT!" screamed James, water whirl pooling around him. "YOU KNEW, AND YOU SENT HIM THERE!! HOW COULD YOU???"
Dumbledore blanched and backed up until he was flush against the shields. Trapped, with nowhere to run, he licked his lips nervously. "The Blood Protection! I thought-"
Lily cut him off angrily. "There WAS NO BLOODY BLOOD PROTECTION SPELL! BESIDES, SEVERUS HAS MY BLOOD!"
"He was spying! If Voldemort had found out, he would have killed them both! We couldn't risk it!"
Lily's face twisted. She, James and Dumbledore suddenly disappeared. Alanna stood outside of the shields.
"Prefects, take your students to their dorms. It's safer there. DOBBY!" she yelled, and the house elf appeared.
"Dobby, could you have the House Elves take dinner up to the common rooms? I don't think the Great Hall is too safe right now." Dobby nodded and disappeared. All the students filed out, giving the demigods and demigoddesses a wide berth.
"Severus, Gaila, Olivia, you are on calming duty. We have two extremely pissed demigods to calm down before they take out the school. The rest of you, go to your common rooms. Shield the students in case the worst happens." Alanna handed out orders with precision, sounding like a military commander.
Severus, Remus, Olivia, Gaila, Draco, Harry, and Ginny quickly ran outside, looking for Lily, James and Dumbledore.
Lily held Dumbledore in a choke hold high above the school. James held the terrified Headmaster in a full body bind with an evil grin on his face.
"You stupid, senile bastard. You let my son LIVE with a CHILD MOLESTOR!!!" James screamed, enraged beyond all point of reason.
"WE TOLD YOU!!! We CAME to YOU with PROOF!!! WHY DID YOU LET HIM STAY THERE??? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL MY BROTHER????" Lily shrieked, bursting into flames. She whipped up a wind around her, fanning the flames brighter and higher until she looked like a human torch.
Severus, Draco, Harry, and Remus ran around the side of the school and looked up. Severus grinned and started to rise from the ground. Harry, Draco, and Ginny did as well, leaving Remus on the ground below them. Severus hesitated, and finally extended his hand to Remus.
"Need a lift?" he asked casually. Remus's eyes widened at the gesture, but shook his head. Screwing his face in concentration, he slowly began to float from the ground. Severus watched, flabbergasted, as the werewolf joined them quickly in the air, beads of sweat dripping from his nose.
"You sure you don't need help? Who showed you how to do that?" Severus asked, still trying to remain casual.
"I'm just out of practice. I haven't properly flown since Harry was born. Funny how much easier this was when Siri was around. Besides, I hung out with a demigod who knew about his powers from the time he was two. He taught us all how to fly and do wandless magic. If I concentrate hard enough, I can even read thoughts, though I could never read you. That was always strange." Remus hovered for a few seconds, regaining some wind.
He nodded, and they hastened to Lily and James's sides. Olivia and Gaila appeared next to them, faces set in grim determination.
Lily turned to face the newcomers, eyes fiery. "So glad you could join us. Harry, this is what happens when you piss off a person powerful enough to destroy a solar system without breaking a sweat." She turned back to Dumbledore and he started to scream.
"MUM!" Harry yelled, terrified that she would kill him. "Mum, please. Don't. I know that he really hurt me, but he can't die."
"Why not?" asked James, his eyes a deep cerulean from the power he was exerting. "Why can't he die? He hurt you horribly. He deserves to die for what he has done. No one hurts my son and gets away with it. He knew, Harry. He knew and he still sent you there. He knew that Vernon would do that to you."
Harry shook his head. "But it's still wrong. Killing is wrong."
"That's the beauty of it, Harry. We aren't mortal. We don't play by mortals' rules. We can kill. We kill mortals every day." Lily smirked from where she had Dumbledore in a death grip. Ginny's eyes widened, and Draco looked slightly sick.
"Then how does that make us any different than Clautius? We aren't God. God decides that stuff, not us." Gaila and Olivia watched, stunned, as Harry tried to talk his parents out of killing the man who had sent him to live in that hell hole.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM???" Gaila asked Harry angrily
He blinked. "What do you mean? I thought Alanna wanted you to calm them down. I thought you'd be backing me up, not disagreeing with me."
"No, why the fuck ARE YOU calming them down? Why don't you want him to die like your parents?" Olivia asked sensibly.
"Oh. Well, um, my whole magical life I've been told that I'm going to kill Voldemort. That's the only reason I exist, to save everyone's asses. I'm tired of all the killing. It's boring. Besides, he's already lost so much. He isn't in control, and he no longer has me under his thumb. I'm not 'Gryffindor's Golden Boy' any more. He is insignificant and not worth killing."
Dumbledore opened his eyes and stared sorrowfully at his former Golden Boy. "You really think that of me?" he rasped.
Harry nodded, face stony. "I don't give a shit about anything you say, old man. Ever since Siri went through the veil, I just don't care."
Lily and James stared at him incredulously. "Siri went through WHAT VEIL?" they screeched.
"The one in the Department of Mysteries. Do you know where it goes? Alanna thinks it might actually lead somewhere instead of him dying instantly like everyone else thinks."
Dumbledore stared at him, his face an unreadable mask. "You really believe everything she says?" he asked, finally.
"Unlike some people around here, she's never lied to me. I've seen her mind, and everything is the truth."
Dumbledore looked away, visibly stung. "Are you sure she isn't tricking you?"
"Positive." Harry turned to face Gaila and Olivia. "Is what my parents say true? Do we really have the power of life and death over mortals? Do we really get to decide all the time?"
Gaila and Olivia looked at each other and put their heads together, whispering intently. After about two minutes of animated discussion, they turned back to Harry.
"Yes and no. We decide on a small basis, like when to intervene or not. Also, most evil people that drop from coronaries or step in front of buses is our work. But, say we wanted to take out a planet. That we'd have to talk to Mom about. She doesn't like us ending whole races. It takes a while to restart." Olivia cracked her knuckles and Gaila played with her spiked bracelet and a black bandana she had tied around her wrist.
"So, we do have that kind of power." Harry stated calmly, trying to believe what he was hearing. Ginny and Draco stared back and forth between them, not liking where the conversation was going.
"Of course. We are in charge of our quadrants. What we say goes." Gaila assured him happily.
Harry's jaw dropped. "I don't want that kind of responsibility! I have too much as it is!" He started to pace in midair. Lily wrapped her arms around him and he rested his head on her shoulder.
*Mum, please don't kill him. Everyone would see us as the enemy and might join Voldemort and Clautius. That's the real reason I don't want him dead. He has all the good guys on his side.*
*How about we take all his supporters from him, and then kill him?* she asked in all seriousness.
*How about he dies in the final battle?* Harry countered, warming slightly to the idea of the idiotic, old coot's death.
*Deal. James, we wait until the final battle and let him die there.*
James pouted. *But I want the asshole dead now!*
Harry frowned. *We can't. Please, Dad, let this one go.*
*Okay, okay. Fine. We wait. But, I want to see him die.*
*Damn, Dad, no one ever told me you were this blood thirsty!* Draco and Ginny started to laugh, startling the ancient Headmaster. Dumbledore stood in midair, massaging his neck.
"Get this straight, you decrepit, old coot. You are not to come near my son again. He is no longer a part of your stupid little games. He is one half of the most powerful soul mate bond in all of Heaven. Not even Clautius and Mother have a bond this strong," Lily hissed at him, her face still contorted in rage.
Harry and Draco looked at each other in fascination. *Most powerful? What does that mean?* they asked each other.
*It means, little brother, that you have a shot in Hell of kicking Clautius's ass and bringing him home to Mother,* Olivia informed him.
*Oh.*
They watched as Lily hung Dumbledore up by his robes on the steeple of Gryffindor Tower. "I'd like to see you get out of this one, old man." With that, they all apparated back into the deserted Great Hall.
"So, Harry, how has your summer been? And all your summers? What have you done?" Lily asked as they all sat around the Slytherin Table.
"Well, I flew to Malfoy Manor six weeks ago to rescue him from Voldemort while carrying his pet cobra which had come to give me directions. We wound up here in the Hospital Wing. I still don't know exactly how that happened. But, that's how we met Alanna and Xander." Harry paused to take a breath.
"So, you FLEW? On your BROOM?" James asked, disapprovingly.
"I had a bite happy cobra wrapped around my body and I can't drive, and as of six weeks ago, I couldn't Apparate. Flying was really the only way to go. Dobby?" Harry asked the empty air. Dobby appeared instantly.
"Yes, Harry Potter? What is it you want?" The House Elf turned and saw James and Lily. His eyes grew wide as saucers. "Mister James! Mrs. Lily! You are here! How is you doing?"
"We are fine, Dobby" Lilly smiled at him.
"Dobby, could you bring us dinner, please?" Harry asked politely. Dobby nodded happily and waved his hand. Several platters appeared before them and they happily filled their plates. Dobby bowed and disappeared.
"All right, I can understand your need to put yourself in mortal danger. You two are soul mates," James said sourly. Lily glared at him from across the table.
"Actually, until all this happened, we really disliked each other. He got me kicked out of Quidditch, and we turned him and his thugs into giant, oozing slugs with tentacles." James gaped at him.
"So, why did you help him?" he asked incredulously.
Harry shrugged. "It was the right thing to do." He chewed and swallowed a mouthful of food.
They finished dinner quickly and everyone except for Gaila, Ginny and Olivia, who went up to Gryffindor Tower, moved their discussion to Severus's quarters in the Dungeon. They talked for hours, catching up. It was well after midnight when Harry started yawning.
"Harry, I'll walk you up to the Tower," James offered. He stood up, but Draco held up a hand.
"Actually, he's been in the Slytherin Dorms pretty much since we got here. We have nightmares almost every night and it helps to be close to one another," Draco said quietly. He stifled a yawn. "Uncle Sev, it's time for us to get to sleep." He stood and pulled a very sleepy Harry to his feet. Lily and James stood up, too tired to protest their son's living arrangements.
"Lily, there is another set of quarters right down the hallway, if you two want to have private rooms. I don't think you want to be traumatizing the little ones, do you?" Sev asked, a slight smile on his face.
Lily smirked. "Sev, darling brother of mine, what makes you think we'd want to do anything different?" Severus had visions of McGonagall obliviating students night after night after accidentally walking in on the two. He shook his head.
"No, you get your own quarters right next to the Slytherin Dorms so you can be close to your son. James, do try not to traumatize my students with your Gryffindorness. They can be quite fragile." Smirking, Severus led a fuming James and an annoyed Lily to their new quarters.
Lily and James summoned their trunks and quickly settled in, quite pleased with the arrangements.
"You know, Lily," James conversationally spoke after Severus had left. "We haven't been corporal in a LONG time."
Grinning, they made up for fifteen years.
Draco walked slowly to the Slytherin Dorms, Harry almost fast asleep in his arms. Severus walked beside them, making sure the already tired Slytherin didn't drop Harry or crash into a wall. They quietly said the password they had been using, only to find that someone had changed it.
"DAMN!" swore Severus viscously. Harry opened his eyes and stared in confusion at the wall.
"Why won't it open?" he asked, half asleep.
Draco tightened his grip on him. "Because the password has been changed."
"Oh. Put me down then." Draco gently set him on his feet, and he wobbled over tot he wall. He stared at a brick at eye level. There was a serpent carved into that brick.
"OPEN" Harry hissed in Parseltongue. Draco and Severus stared at him in shock as the wall slid open, revealing the still busy Common Room.
"Of course!" Draco exclaimed and led Harry inside. The commotion in the Common Room stopped and everyone turned to stare at them.
"Draco, what is HE doing here?" sneered Pansy, who had moved into plain view from where she had been sitting on the couch.
"To make an extremely long and boring story short, he's staying down here. He has been all summer. Anyone who has a problem with that can shut up." Blaise stepped forward, answering Pansy for Draco. He walked over and took Harry from Draco. "Draco, sit down before you fall over. You look like shit."
"Actually, Mr. Zambini," Blaise morphed into a girl. "Would you stop doing that? As I was saying, they need to get into bed. Who has the third bed in their dorm room?"
A boy named Eric McKnight poked his head up. "I do, sir. Is that Potter's trunk in there in the other bed?"
"Yes, Eric, it is. He has been here all summer, and I do not wish to move my nephew. He has been through enough as it is." Everyone's eyes widened at that proclamation.
"Um, sir? Since when has Potter been your nephew?" Eric asked. There were nods around the room.
"Since his mother and I bound our blood in a ritual in our fourth year." Severus answered simply.
"Then why did you hate him?" Theodore Nott asked, a crafty smile on his face.
*Oh boy, we have to watch that one.* "Since when do I have to explain myself to you?" Severus asked, his temper rising.
Nott stared him directly in the eye. Severus almost missed the slight movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned, just in time, as Pansy drew her wand.
"Diffundo!" she snapped, and a pale light sped towards Harry and Draco. They turned, and their auras flared to life, swallowing the curse. Harry waved a hand, and Pansy' face was transformed into a Pug's features. She let out a high pitched, yipping scream.
Ginny ran into the Slytherin Dorms, hissing "Open" to the wall before dashing inside. Pansy's back was to her, and suddenly the dog- girl yelped, her hands rushing to her backside. Ginny grinned evilly and strode over to her brothers. No one noticed that her black painted nails had actually become claws, and that her eyes had an eerie red glow to them. She grabbed Harry under the arms and lifted him, carrying him to his dorms.
"Ginny, lemme down," he protested feebly, already almost asleep. Draco followed them up and made sure Harry was safely tucked in before he and Ginny ran back to the Common Room.
They found it in an uproar. Nott had tried to use Crucio and Imperio on Snape, who had easily blocked the curses. Nott was now lying on the ground, bound hand and foot. His sleeve had been pushed up to reveal the Dark Mark, hastily covered with Muggle Makeup. Pansy was still sobbing in a corner over her canine features and boil laden ass. Her sleeves had been pushed up, revealing her own Dark Mark. Draco quickly stunned her and bound her as well.
Severus levitated Nott through the opening in the wall. Another sixth year levitated Pansy, the only two of them stupid enough to want the Dark Mark. Severus led the way down the hall. *Draco, please tell them something. I have to take them to Dumbledore. I wonder if he made his way down from the Tower yet?* Draco sniggered.
"Ok, people gather around. Now that the traitors have left, there are some things you need to know." Everyone sat down on couches, chairs, footstools and the floor. "First, Harry Potter is living in our dorms from now on, no complaints. Second, Ginny, and Potter are off limits. Leave them alone." Draco recapped the events of the summer, leaving nothing out, including the abuse Harry had suffered at the hands of his uncle. By the time he was finished, there wasn't a dry eye in the room, himself included.
"So Potter really isn't a goody-goody like the rest of them?" a third year asked.
"Ginny snorted. "Hey," she called back, good-naturedly. "I resemble that remark!" Several people laughed.
"Too much has happened to him in order for him to be considered a goody-goody. He's gonna take a lot of flak from his house about this. He doesn't need any more from us, understood?"
The new transfer student, Emily George, raised her hand. Spike bracelets gleamed against her wrists "I don't get it. Why the pow wow? Maybe it's because at my old school we didn't have houses, so none of us had this kind of rivalry. It seems kind of silly. We are all students, and we, except for those two losers, are on the side. What's the point? Why can't we just get along?" Everyone stared at her, incredulous.
"What do you mean, no houses? How did you do your dormitories?" Blaise asked.
"Well, I came from Southern California School of Magic. We had three thousand students per grade, seven grades." Everyone's jaws dropped. "And we were considered a small school. Salem University has ten thousand students per grade. My dad's U.S. Military, Navy SEALS, and we were transferred here. But, we didn't have houses. There was a girl's wing and a boy's wing. The dorms were seven stories above ground with four underground."
"So no one was separated out?" Eric asked, his eyes traveling up and down her body, taking in her tight black tee shirt and dark blue jeans. Draco saw his gaze and laughed quietly to himself.
*What?* came a foreign voice in his head. *What's so funny?* Draco stared in shock as Emily met his gaze, a confused expression on her face. *I know you can hear me, damn it. What's so fucking funny?*
*Easy, Em. Eric just has never really shown an interest in girls before. We thought he was gay.* Ginny answered her. Emily stared at her.
*You aren't human, are you?* Ginny raised her eyebrows in surprise.
*Damn, you're good.* Draco drawled, settling back in his chair. *How'd you tell?*
*Demigoddess in the family. Alanna's little sister Rowan is my Great Aunt. I have the knack for telling who is human and who isn't.*
*What else can you do?* Ginny asked curiously.
*Fire and mind. You?*
*Fire and mind as well, plus demon.* Ginny answered casually.
*That would explain the glowing eyes and black claws. Have you had your first transformation yet?*
*No, not yet.* Ginny sighed then kissed Draco on the cheek. "Bro, I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted." Everyone watched, awestruck, as she disappeared from sight.
"She better not have splinched herself." Draco groused and went upstairs. He crawled into bed after checking to make sure Harry was asleep. He was asleep as soon as his head touched his pillow.
The next day, at promptly seven o'clock, Harry and Draco were awakened by an incredibly chipper Alanna.
"Go-way" mutter Harry, pulling the pillow over his head. Lily and James waltzed into the room, also awake, and cheerfully pulled the covers off their son.
"I- AARGH!" growled Harry as he sat up. Severus walked in as well.
"Harry, Draco, you are being excused from classes today. We need your help. We have to sort fourth years and up for any sign of Elemental ability and it's going to take all day. We have to get started in an hour, so get ready and grab some breakfast. Lily and James will help as well. We need to meet back in the Room of Requirement at exactly eight o'clock," Alanna chirped, a maniacal grin on her face.
Draco got up and headed for the bathroom. *POTTER, WAKE THE FUCK UP!* Groaning, Harry followed him into the bathroom.
Exactly twenty minutes later, Harry and Draco made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. The Gryffindors looked at Harry suspiciously as he sat down. "Morning, everyone," he casually stated as he reached for a piece of toast.
"Harry, mate, where were you last night? Why isn't your stuff in our dorm?" Seamus asked, glaring at him.
"Didn't anyone tell you? Ron and Hermione knew where I was. I was in the Slytherin Dorms. I sleep there now." Harry ate his toast, mindful of the fact that everyone was starting at him with a mixture of disgust and anger.
"What do you mean, you sleep there now?" Seamus asked, angrily spearing a sausage with his fork.
"Why do you sleep with the snakes?" Lavender asked, sneering at the thought.
"Maybe because his uncle and parents are down there?" Ginny asked sarcastically, resting her forearms on Harry's shoulders. "Do you have a problem with that?" she asked, this time deadly serious. Seamus caught the look on her face and he shook his head.
"No, I guess I don't. I just don't understand why."
Harry rested his forehead on his hands." I found a cure for my bad dreams, but it's down there. I'd rather not have any nightmares and wake you guys up with my screaming." Seamus nodded, accepting the explanation.
Harry looked at his watch. "Oh shit! DRACO! WE GOTTA LEAVE!" he called across the hall. Draco nodded and they stood up and left the room, ignoring the shocked gasps from three fourths of the hall. Once they were out of the hall, they apparated to the Room of Requirement, making it there at exactly 7:57.
True to their word, Alanna and Xander made Harry and Draco test every student from fourth year on up. By the end of the day, they had a list of nineteen names, not counting any demigods or demigoddesses. Surprisingly, they had a lot of double elementals. Harry sighed as he turned in their list to Alanna.
Emily George- fire, mind
Eric McKnight- water, mind
Ginny Weaseley- fire, mind, demon
Dean Thomas- water
Vincent Crabbe- earth
Gregory Goyle- earth
Millicent Bulstrude- water, air
Blaise Zambini- earth
Seamus Finnigan- air
Hannah Abbot- water, air, mind
Ronald Weaseley- water
Hermione Granger- fire
Dudley Dursley- fire
Neville Longbottom- earth, mind
Luna Lovegood- air, mind
Susan Bones- mind
Maxine Romero- mind
Michael Corner- air, earth
Cho Chang- earth, fire
Harry and Draco left the room with Lily and James and they headed down to dinner. As they walked to the staircase, they sat Professor Flitwick dragging Marianna Zambini by her ear up the stairs.
"Professor Flitwick, what's the matter. Marianna, what's going on?" Harry and Draco asked in unison.
"This little devil flooded MY CLASSROOM!" yelled Flitwick angrily. Harry's eyes widened. "I can't do anything with her! Her wand backfired in class and she turned a fellow student into a purple fish! Then she somehow managed to stun me and make a cascade of water flood the room! I have four feet of lake water that I have to clean up! You deal with her!" Flitwick thrust the poor, terrified girl at Harry. The tiny professor spun around and rushed back down the stairs.
"Marianna, come on. I think Alanna would like to talk to you." Draco led the now sobbing girl into the Room of Requirement. Alanna was just packing up to go to dinner when Draco guided Marianna into the room.
"What's going on, Draco?" she asked, looking them up and down.
"Test her. Her powers are so strong she's out of control." Marianna gave a loud sniff and water flowed from her hands, creating a waterfall. Alanna stared at her, concerned.
"Oh, little one, it's all right. Come here." Marianna sat on her lap, and the water stopped flowing. Alanna rocked her to sleep, softly singing. Blaise came running into the room.
"Is she all right?" she panted. "I heard she caused a flood, and I came as fast as I could." Alanna shushed the older girl.
"How long has she been able to do this?" the demigoddess asked.
"Since she was a few months old. She could even swim before she could walk. But she's never gushed water like that before."
"Blaise, your sister cannot use a wand. That is what brought this on. I will train her personally in wandless magic, but her wand malfunctions whenever she uses it. I don't know how well she will function in class. They are based around wands, and well, you know." Blaise nodded and scooped her sister lovingly into her arms.
"What should I tell her?"
"Tell her that she will train with me every day instead of going to classes for the next week. She will be responsible for the class work she misses in the other classes, but it won't be difficult. We will be covering the same things in our sessions, but without the use of a wand." Blaise nodded and left, carrying her sister.
"Oh damn, first a demon, then runaway powers." Draco said lightly. Alanna glared at him.
"Those aren't runaway powers. She's a water nymph."
"WHAT?" Draco screeched, whipping around.
Severus came walking into the room. Draco, I just came in to tell you- " he broke off suddenly, seeing his Godson and Nephew's faces. "What?"
"We have a water nymph here. Marianna Zambini."
"You have got to be joking." Severus stared at them in consternation. "Great! First demons, now nymphs."
Ginny appeared in the doorway. "You called?" she asked. "Uncle Sev, I have a request."
"Yes, Ginny?"
"I just tested out of my Charms, DADA, Transfiguration, and History of Magic classes. Can I take Experimental Potions?"
Harry and Draco joined the plea. "Uncle Sev, we will test out of all those classes. Could we join too? Please?"
"I don't see why not. You will most definitely have free time available. Plus, I only have four students, one being your mother, Harry. In fact, that was what I was going to tell you all."
"WhooHOO!" yelled Harry as they apparated back to the dorms.
A/N: Well, it's 12:50 AM, and I'm finally finished. Hope you liked it.
Chapter 13
Dumbledore stood and walked quickly to the still unconscious Deputy Headmistress. He knelt down by her, and quietly whispered "Enervate." She sat up, blinking and rubbing her eyes.
"Albus, did I actually see that? Are Lily and James alive, and HERE?" She asked desperately, wide eyed.
Dumbledore nodded, eyes twinkling. Grasping her hand, he pulled her to her feet. She stood, wobbling, in front of the stunned student body. Dumbledore handed her the scroll. "Why don't you finish sorting the students, Minerva?" he asked her gently. McGonagall nodded resolutely.
"Ramero, Juan?" a scared looking boy walked forward.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Seymour, Selena?" She called, voice wavering. A dark haired girl with brilliant green eyes skipped forward.
"SLYTHERIN!" the Hat bellowed immediately.
"Thomas, Angela!" Dean's younger sister walked up to the front of the room.
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Umbridge, Jordan!" A chubby boy resembling the bitch from hell who had tried to destroy the school last year crept forward.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Zambini, Marianna?" Blaise's little sister walked forward, smirking.
"RAVENCLAW!" With that, the sorting was finished, not that anyone had been paying attention.
Dumbledore strode to the doors of the Great Hall, intending clearly to open them and greet the Potters. Selena and Griffin, two of the first years, suddenly disappeared from their respective seats at the Gryffindor and Slytherin Tables and appeared right in front of him. The Headmaster stopped short in shock and stared at them warily.
"You cannot go through," Selena stated calmly, regally.
"Give them time alone. They deserve it," Griffin chimed in, smirking.
Dumbledore drew himself up. "Children, move out of my way." He tried to push past them, but the stood firm. "What the- OH MY GOD!" Dumbledore yelped as the two of them transformed. Selena shifted into a fifty foot Basilisk, and Griffin transformed into a fifty foot lion. He roared, and the Hall shook to its core.
Dumbledore jumped back in fright then recovered. "Knock it off. Please, just let me past."
"NO!" hissed the king of the serpents. The lion roared again, shaking the rafters. The assorted demigods and goddesses (The ones in chapter 12 without last names- all the transfer students except for Emily) disappeared, reappearing in front of the two enormous animals. They stood, glowing their respective auras.
Alanna and Xander walked over to stand just behind Dumbledore. "I'd like to introduce our siblings. They have come to prepare for war, as well as train the most proficient students. They are, in order, Gaila and Raphael," the pair inclined their heads, "Damien and Nicholai," they nodded regally, "Olivia and Michael," they nodded, "and Rowen and Gabrielle" They grinned and nodded. The two in Animagi forms changed back into their human forms.
Selena Seymour stood proudly then her form wavered. A tall, dark haired man with startling green eyes stood there. He looked eerily like Harry Potter, without the lightning scar. Dumbledore gasped. "I am Salazar Slytherin" he stated regally, then returned to his chosen form.
Griffin stood next to her then changed as well. "And I am Godric Gryffindor," the tall, muscular golden blond quietly stated before returning to his chosen form as well.
Dumbledore stared at the living legends in his school. *Oh MY GOD* he thought, and then tried in vain to collect himself. "Why can't I pass?" he asked, trying to sound commanding, but failing miserably.
"You can't because they haven't seen each other in fifteen years. Give them some time," Alanna tried to reason with him. "He's their son and they missed him."
Dumbledore still refused, stubbornly. "No! Miss Weaseley, Mr. Malfoy, Severus, and Remus are out there!"
Harry was wrapped in the loving arms of his parents, Uncle, and Remus. *OH GOD, this is the happiest moment of my life!* he thought, tears streaming down his face. Lily kissed his forehead. Harry slid out of his robes, anxious to be rid of them.
*My beautiful boy. Who'd of thought you'd turn out so well. Although, the clothes are a little much, the earrings and a TONGUE BAR??? SEVERUS, WHAT DID YOU LET HIM DO???* Sev jumped guiltily, blushing.
*That's nothing, Mrs. Potter, Uncle Sev got a really cute tattoo that likes to curl up and purr on his left shoulder,* Draco's amused voice cut in. Lily and James turned to look at them confusion on their faces. Draco and Ginny had discarded their robes as well, revealing the gothic clothing underneath.
*Harry, love, who are they? I can tell they are important to you.* James asked, an arm still slung around Remus's shoulders.
Harry grinned. *Mum, Dad, this is Draco Malfoy, my soul mate, whatever that means, and Ginny Weaseley. I'm going to adopt her like you and Uncle Sev did.*
Lily stared at Draco, an unreadable expression on her face. She studied him, and he stared back at her. *Um, Mrs. Potter, what is it?* he asked, worried.
*Oh, just wondering what your punishment should be if you ever hurt my son, that's all.* Draco turned a sickly shade of green as she sent him various images of what she would do to him.
*MUM! STOP!* Harry turned to her, infuriated. She stared at him, surprised and hurt.
*What?* she asked. *I haven't been there for you your whole life. Why won't you let me be all maternal and protective?*
*It isn't that. Draco's father let Voldemort torture him this summer, which is how everything got started. He did some of that.*
Lily gasped and hugged Draco. *I'm sorry. That was incredibly stupid of me to do.* Draco hugger her back, smiling weakly.
*It's all right. I know that you had no idea.*
Lily turned back to her son.* So, Harry, how have you been? Have Siri and Sev been treating you well? Where have you been living?*
Severus pulled her aside. He, James, Lily, and Remus stood a few feet away, conversing intently. Harry, Ginny and Draco stood there, listening.
*Lily, the letter never reached me. It was inside the will and they found it when the wills were read six weeks ago. None of us knew, and Siri was sent to Azkaban for being a Death Eater.* Snape winced, knowing the storm that was about to break.
*WHAT???* James and Lily shrieked. *SIRI WASN'T A DEATH EATER!!! PETTIGREW WAS THERE, THE SLIMY -* Severus grasped her hand.
*I know, Lily. I've seen him at the meetings.*
*How- is that bastard still making you put your life on the line???* Lily ripped his sleeve up angrily and gasped. A cute, black kitten blinked large golden eyes at her. *Where's the Mark?* she asked, astonished. *Cute replacement. I like it.*
*Alanna healed it and broke the link. I never have to go back again. And, thank you.* Lily threw her arms around his neck.
*Sev, that's wonderful!* she gasped happily. He hugged her back.
*Oh God, Lily, I missed you.* he murmured.
Lily leaned back in his arms. She looked at her husband, then back at her brother suspiciously. *Sev, you never told me where Harry was sent. If you didn't know to take him, and Siri was in Azkaban then- TELL ME HE WASN'T-*
Sev nodded miserably. *Dumbledore had Hagrid take him to the Dursleys.*
Lily and James turned white. Lily broke from Sev's grasp, power whipping into frenzy. James strode next to her, doing the same. *That FUCKING BASTARD!!! HE KNEW!!!! WE FUCKING TOLD HIM!!!!!! HE KNEW AND THE PROOF WAS IN THE LETTER!!!* They strode to the doors.
Harry whimpered hearing and feeling their anger. *They hate me, Ginny, Draco, they hate me.* he thought miserably, mistakenly thinking they were angry at him. Ginny and Draco hugged him, trying to soothe him.
*No, bro, I swear, they really hate Dumbledore right now, not you.* Ginny said, rubbing his back comfortingly.
*Harry, they aren't mad at you.* Draco echoed. Severus and Remus put their hands on their shoulders, looking grim.
*Oh boy, Sev, you better calm her down. She's going to kill him. You take her, I'll take James. I'd forgotten about their tempers.*
*Let them. He deserves it after what he has done.*
The demigods stood, bored by Dumbledore's ranting. Suddenly, they looked around, terror plain on their faces. They apparated immediately to a position behind Dumbledore, and threw a combined shield over the students and faculty.
Just as they completed the shields, the doors exploded outward with a roar. The splinters were driven forcefully through the stone wall on the other side of the room. Lily and James stood in the now mangled doorway, expressions of fury on their faces. Dumbledore stood before them alone and exposed.
"Lily! James, how wonderful to see you again! We have so much to discuss!" Dumbledore stood there, grinning, unaware that he was in mortal peril.
Lily, with a scream of rage, threw her hand out. Dumbledore's eyes widened comically in surprise as he was lifted violently from the floor and thrown into the crackling shields. He rebounded with a snap, slamming into the floor. Professors McGonagall, Hooch, Vector, Sinistera, and Flitwick rushed to the edge of the shields, anxious looks on their faces. They watched helplessly as James and Lily advanced on Dumbledore.
"You contemptible PIECE OF SHIT!" screamed James, water whirl pooling around him. "YOU KNEW, AND YOU SENT HIM THERE!! HOW COULD YOU???"
Dumbledore blanched and backed up until he was flush against the shields. Trapped, with nowhere to run, he licked his lips nervously. "The Blood Protection! I thought-"
Lily cut him off angrily. "There WAS NO BLOODY BLOOD PROTECTION SPELL! BESIDES, SEVERUS HAS MY BLOOD!"
"He was spying! If Voldemort had found out, he would have killed them both! We couldn't risk it!"
Lily's face twisted. She, James and Dumbledore suddenly disappeared. Alanna stood outside of the shields.
"Prefects, take your students to their dorms. It's safer there. DOBBY!" she yelled, and the house elf appeared.
"Dobby, could you have the House Elves take dinner up to the common rooms? I don't think the Great Hall is too safe right now." Dobby nodded and disappeared. All the students filed out, giving the demigods and demigoddesses a wide berth.
"Severus, Gaila, Olivia, you are on calming duty. We have two extremely pissed demigods to calm down before they take out the school. The rest of you, go to your common rooms. Shield the students in case the worst happens." Alanna handed out orders with precision, sounding like a military commander.
Severus, Remus, Olivia, Gaila, Draco, Harry, and Ginny quickly ran outside, looking for Lily, James and Dumbledore.
Lily held Dumbledore in a choke hold high above the school. James held the terrified Headmaster in a full body bind with an evil grin on his face.
"You stupid, senile bastard. You let my son LIVE with a CHILD MOLESTOR!!!" James screamed, enraged beyond all point of reason.
"WE TOLD YOU!!! We CAME to YOU with PROOF!!! WHY DID YOU LET HIM STAY THERE??? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL MY BROTHER????" Lily shrieked, bursting into flames. She whipped up a wind around her, fanning the flames brighter and higher until she looked like a human torch.
Severus, Draco, Harry, and Remus ran around the side of the school and looked up. Severus grinned and started to rise from the ground. Harry, Draco, and Ginny did as well, leaving Remus on the ground below them. Severus hesitated, and finally extended his hand to Remus.
"Need a lift?" he asked casually. Remus's eyes widened at the gesture, but shook his head. Screwing his face in concentration, he slowly began to float from the ground. Severus watched, flabbergasted, as the werewolf joined them quickly in the air, beads of sweat dripping from his nose.
"You sure you don't need help? Who showed you how to do that?" Severus asked, still trying to remain casual.
"I'm just out of practice. I haven't properly flown since Harry was born. Funny how much easier this was when Siri was around. Besides, I hung out with a demigod who knew about his powers from the time he was two. He taught us all how to fly and do wandless magic. If I concentrate hard enough, I can even read thoughts, though I could never read you. That was always strange." Remus hovered for a few seconds, regaining some wind.
He nodded, and they hastened to Lily and James's sides. Olivia and Gaila appeared next to them, faces set in grim determination.
Lily turned to face the newcomers, eyes fiery. "So glad you could join us. Harry, this is what happens when you piss off a person powerful enough to destroy a solar system without breaking a sweat." She turned back to Dumbledore and he started to scream.
"MUM!" Harry yelled, terrified that she would kill him. "Mum, please. Don't. I know that he really hurt me, but he can't die."
"Why not?" asked James, his eyes a deep cerulean from the power he was exerting. "Why can't he die? He hurt you horribly. He deserves to die for what he has done. No one hurts my son and gets away with it. He knew, Harry. He knew and he still sent you there. He knew that Vernon would do that to you."
Harry shook his head. "But it's still wrong. Killing is wrong."
"That's the beauty of it, Harry. We aren't mortal. We don't play by mortals' rules. We can kill. We kill mortals every day." Lily smirked from where she had Dumbledore in a death grip. Ginny's eyes widened, and Draco looked slightly sick.
"Then how does that make us any different than Clautius? We aren't God. God decides that stuff, not us." Gaila and Olivia watched, stunned, as Harry tried to talk his parents out of killing the man who had sent him to live in that hell hole.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM???" Gaila asked Harry angrily
He blinked. "What do you mean? I thought Alanna wanted you to calm them down. I thought you'd be backing me up, not disagreeing with me."
"No, why the fuck ARE YOU calming them down? Why don't you want him to die like your parents?" Olivia asked sensibly.
"Oh. Well, um, my whole magical life I've been told that I'm going to kill Voldemort. That's the only reason I exist, to save everyone's asses. I'm tired of all the killing. It's boring. Besides, he's already lost so much. He isn't in control, and he no longer has me under his thumb. I'm not 'Gryffindor's Golden Boy' any more. He is insignificant and not worth killing."
Dumbledore opened his eyes and stared sorrowfully at his former Golden Boy. "You really think that of me?" he rasped.
Harry nodded, face stony. "I don't give a shit about anything you say, old man. Ever since Siri went through the veil, I just don't care."
Lily and James stared at him incredulously. "Siri went through WHAT VEIL?" they screeched.
"The one in the Department of Mysteries. Do you know where it goes? Alanna thinks it might actually lead somewhere instead of him dying instantly like everyone else thinks."
Dumbledore stared at him, his face an unreadable mask. "You really believe everything she says?" he asked, finally.
"Unlike some people around here, she's never lied to me. I've seen her mind, and everything is the truth."
Dumbledore looked away, visibly stung. "Are you sure she isn't tricking you?"
"Positive." Harry turned to face Gaila and Olivia. "Is what my parents say true? Do we really have the power of life and death over mortals? Do we really get to decide all the time?"
Gaila and Olivia looked at each other and put their heads together, whispering intently. After about two minutes of animated discussion, they turned back to Harry.
"Yes and no. We decide on a small basis, like when to intervene or not. Also, most evil people that drop from coronaries or step in front of buses is our work. But, say we wanted to take out a planet. That we'd have to talk to Mom about. She doesn't like us ending whole races. It takes a while to restart." Olivia cracked her knuckles and Gaila played with her spiked bracelet and a black bandana she had tied around her wrist.
"So, we do have that kind of power." Harry stated calmly, trying to believe what he was hearing. Ginny and Draco stared back and forth between them, not liking where the conversation was going.
"Of course. We are in charge of our quadrants. What we say goes." Gaila assured him happily.
Harry's jaw dropped. "I don't want that kind of responsibility! I have too much as it is!" He started to pace in midair. Lily wrapped her arms around him and he rested his head on her shoulder.
*Mum, please don't kill him. Everyone would see us as the enemy and might join Voldemort and Clautius. That's the real reason I don't want him dead. He has all the good guys on his side.*
*How about we take all his supporters from him, and then kill him?* she asked in all seriousness.
*How about he dies in the final battle?* Harry countered, warming slightly to the idea of the idiotic, old coot's death.
*Deal. James, we wait until the final battle and let him die there.*
James pouted. *But I want the asshole dead now!*
Harry frowned. *We can't. Please, Dad, let this one go.*
*Okay, okay. Fine. We wait. But, I want to see him die.*
*Damn, Dad, no one ever told me you were this blood thirsty!* Draco and Ginny started to laugh, startling the ancient Headmaster. Dumbledore stood in midair, massaging his neck.
"Get this straight, you decrepit, old coot. You are not to come near my son again. He is no longer a part of your stupid little games. He is one half of the most powerful soul mate bond in all of Heaven. Not even Clautius and Mother have a bond this strong," Lily hissed at him, her face still contorted in rage.
Harry and Draco looked at each other in fascination. *Most powerful? What does that mean?* they asked each other.
*It means, little brother, that you have a shot in Hell of kicking Clautius's ass and bringing him home to Mother,* Olivia informed him.
*Oh.*
They watched as Lily hung Dumbledore up by his robes on the steeple of Gryffindor Tower. "I'd like to see you get out of this one, old man." With that, they all apparated back into the deserted Great Hall.
"So, Harry, how has your summer been? And all your summers? What have you done?" Lily asked as they all sat around the Slytherin Table.
"Well, I flew to Malfoy Manor six weeks ago to rescue him from Voldemort while carrying his pet cobra which had come to give me directions. We wound up here in the Hospital Wing. I still don't know exactly how that happened. But, that's how we met Alanna and Xander." Harry paused to take a breath.
"So, you FLEW? On your BROOM?" James asked, disapprovingly.
"I had a bite happy cobra wrapped around my body and I can't drive, and as of six weeks ago, I couldn't Apparate. Flying was really the only way to go. Dobby?" Harry asked the empty air. Dobby appeared instantly.
"Yes, Harry Potter? What is it you want?" The House Elf turned and saw James and Lily. His eyes grew wide as saucers. "Mister James! Mrs. Lily! You are here! How is you doing?"
"We are fine, Dobby" Lilly smiled at him.
"Dobby, could you bring us dinner, please?" Harry asked politely. Dobby nodded happily and waved his hand. Several platters appeared before them and they happily filled their plates. Dobby bowed and disappeared.
"All right, I can understand your need to put yourself in mortal danger. You two are soul mates," James said sourly. Lily glared at him from across the table.
"Actually, until all this happened, we really disliked each other. He got me kicked out of Quidditch, and we turned him and his thugs into giant, oozing slugs with tentacles." James gaped at him.
"So, why did you help him?" he asked incredulously.
Harry shrugged. "It was the right thing to do." He chewed and swallowed a mouthful of food.
They finished dinner quickly and everyone except for Gaila, Ginny and Olivia, who went up to Gryffindor Tower, moved their discussion to Severus's quarters in the Dungeon. They talked for hours, catching up. It was well after midnight when Harry started yawning.
"Harry, I'll walk you up to the Tower," James offered. He stood up, but Draco held up a hand.
"Actually, he's been in the Slytherin Dorms pretty much since we got here. We have nightmares almost every night and it helps to be close to one another," Draco said quietly. He stifled a yawn. "Uncle Sev, it's time for us to get to sleep." He stood and pulled a very sleepy Harry to his feet. Lily and James stood up, too tired to protest their son's living arrangements.
"Lily, there is another set of quarters right down the hallway, if you two want to have private rooms. I don't think you want to be traumatizing the little ones, do you?" Sev asked, a slight smile on his face.
Lily smirked. "Sev, darling brother of mine, what makes you think we'd want to do anything different?" Severus had visions of McGonagall obliviating students night after night after accidentally walking in on the two. He shook his head.
"No, you get your own quarters right next to the Slytherin Dorms so you can be close to your son. James, do try not to traumatize my students with your Gryffindorness. They can be quite fragile." Smirking, Severus led a fuming James and an annoyed Lily to their new quarters.
Lily and James summoned their trunks and quickly settled in, quite pleased with the arrangements.
"You know, Lily," James conversationally spoke after Severus had left. "We haven't been corporal in a LONG time."
Grinning, they made up for fifteen years.
Draco walked slowly to the Slytherin Dorms, Harry almost fast asleep in his arms. Severus walked beside them, making sure the already tired Slytherin didn't drop Harry or crash into a wall. They quietly said the password they had been using, only to find that someone had changed it.
"DAMN!" swore Severus viscously. Harry opened his eyes and stared in confusion at the wall.
"Why won't it open?" he asked, half asleep.
Draco tightened his grip on him. "Because the password has been changed."
"Oh. Put me down then." Draco gently set him on his feet, and he wobbled over tot he wall. He stared at a brick at eye level. There was a serpent carved into that brick.
"OPEN" Harry hissed in Parseltongue. Draco and Severus stared at him in shock as the wall slid open, revealing the still busy Common Room.
"Of course!" Draco exclaimed and led Harry inside. The commotion in the Common Room stopped and everyone turned to stare at them.
"Draco, what is HE doing here?" sneered Pansy, who had moved into plain view from where she had been sitting on the couch.
"To make an extremely long and boring story short, he's staying down here. He has been all summer. Anyone who has a problem with that can shut up." Blaise stepped forward, answering Pansy for Draco. He walked over and took Harry from Draco. "Draco, sit down before you fall over. You look like shit."
"Actually, Mr. Zambini," Blaise morphed into a girl. "Would you stop doing that? As I was saying, they need to get into bed. Who has the third bed in their dorm room?"
A boy named Eric McKnight poked his head up. "I do, sir. Is that Potter's trunk in there in the other bed?"
"Yes, Eric, it is. He has been here all summer, and I do not wish to move my nephew. He has been through enough as it is." Everyone's eyes widened at that proclamation.
"Um, sir? Since when has Potter been your nephew?" Eric asked. There were nods around the room.
"Since his mother and I bound our blood in a ritual in our fourth year." Severus answered simply.
"Then why did you hate him?" Theodore Nott asked, a crafty smile on his face.
*Oh boy, we have to watch that one.* "Since when do I have to explain myself to you?" Severus asked, his temper rising.
Nott stared him directly in the eye. Severus almost missed the slight movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned, just in time, as Pansy drew her wand.
"Diffundo!" she snapped, and a pale light sped towards Harry and Draco. They turned, and their auras flared to life, swallowing the curse. Harry waved a hand, and Pansy' face was transformed into a Pug's features. She let out a high pitched, yipping scream.
Ginny ran into the Slytherin Dorms, hissing "Open" to the wall before dashing inside. Pansy's back was to her, and suddenly the dog- girl yelped, her hands rushing to her backside. Ginny grinned evilly and strode over to her brothers. No one noticed that her black painted nails had actually become claws, and that her eyes had an eerie red glow to them. She grabbed Harry under the arms and lifted him, carrying him to his dorms.
"Ginny, lemme down," he protested feebly, already almost asleep. Draco followed them up and made sure Harry was safely tucked in before he and Ginny ran back to the Common Room.
They found it in an uproar. Nott had tried to use Crucio and Imperio on Snape, who had easily blocked the curses. Nott was now lying on the ground, bound hand and foot. His sleeve had been pushed up to reveal the Dark Mark, hastily covered with Muggle Makeup. Pansy was still sobbing in a corner over her canine features and boil laden ass. Her sleeves had been pushed up, revealing her own Dark Mark. Draco quickly stunned her and bound her as well.
Severus levitated Nott through the opening in the wall. Another sixth year levitated Pansy, the only two of them stupid enough to want the Dark Mark. Severus led the way down the hall. *Draco, please tell them something. I have to take them to Dumbledore. I wonder if he made his way down from the Tower yet?* Draco sniggered.
"Ok, people gather around. Now that the traitors have left, there are some things you need to know." Everyone sat down on couches, chairs, footstools and the floor. "First, Harry Potter is living in our dorms from now on, no complaints. Second, Ginny, and Potter are off limits. Leave them alone." Draco recapped the events of the summer, leaving nothing out, including the abuse Harry had suffered at the hands of his uncle. By the time he was finished, there wasn't a dry eye in the room, himself included.
"So Potter really isn't a goody-goody like the rest of them?" a third year asked.
"Ginny snorted. "Hey," she called back, good-naturedly. "I resemble that remark!" Several people laughed.
"Too much has happened to him in order for him to be considered a goody-goody. He's gonna take a lot of flak from his house about this. He doesn't need any more from us, understood?"
The new transfer student, Emily George, raised her hand. Spike bracelets gleamed against her wrists "I don't get it. Why the pow wow? Maybe it's because at my old school we didn't have houses, so none of us had this kind of rivalry. It seems kind of silly. We are all students, and we, except for those two losers, are on the side. What's the point? Why can't we just get along?" Everyone stared at her, incredulous.
"What do you mean, no houses? How did you do your dormitories?" Blaise asked.
"Well, I came from Southern California School of Magic. We had three thousand students per grade, seven grades." Everyone's jaws dropped. "And we were considered a small school. Salem University has ten thousand students per grade. My dad's U.S. Military, Navy SEALS, and we were transferred here. But, we didn't have houses. There was a girl's wing and a boy's wing. The dorms were seven stories above ground with four underground."
"So no one was separated out?" Eric asked, his eyes traveling up and down her body, taking in her tight black tee shirt and dark blue jeans. Draco saw his gaze and laughed quietly to himself.
*What?* came a foreign voice in his head. *What's so funny?* Draco stared in shock as Emily met his gaze, a confused expression on her face. *I know you can hear me, damn it. What's so fucking funny?*
*Easy, Em. Eric just has never really shown an interest in girls before. We thought he was gay.* Ginny answered her. Emily stared at her.
*You aren't human, are you?* Ginny raised her eyebrows in surprise.
*Damn, you're good.* Draco drawled, settling back in his chair. *How'd you tell?*
*Demigoddess in the family. Alanna's little sister Rowan is my Great Aunt. I have the knack for telling who is human and who isn't.*
*What else can you do?* Ginny asked curiously.
*Fire and mind. You?*
*Fire and mind as well, plus demon.* Ginny answered casually.
*That would explain the glowing eyes and black claws. Have you had your first transformation yet?*
*No, not yet.* Ginny sighed then kissed Draco on the cheek. "Bro, I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted." Everyone watched, awestruck, as she disappeared from sight.
"She better not have splinched herself." Draco groused and went upstairs. He crawled into bed after checking to make sure Harry was asleep. He was asleep as soon as his head touched his pillow.
The next day, at promptly seven o'clock, Harry and Draco were awakened by an incredibly chipper Alanna.
"Go-way" mutter Harry, pulling the pillow over his head. Lily and James waltzed into the room, also awake, and cheerfully pulled the covers off their son.
"I- AARGH!" growled Harry as he sat up. Severus walked in as well.
"Harry, Draco, you are being excused from classes today. We need your help. We have to sort fourth years and up for any sign of Elemental ability and it's going to take all day. We have to get started in an hour, so get ready and grab some breakfast. Lily and James will help as well. We need to meet back in the Room of Requirement at exactly eight o'clock," Alanna chirped, a maniacal grin on her face.
Draco got up and headed for the bathroom. *POTTER, WAKE THE FUCK UP!* Groaning, Harry followed him into the bathroom.
Exactly twenty minutes later, Harry and Draco made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. The Gryffindors looked at Harry suspiciously as he sat down. "Morning, everyone," he casually stated as he reached for a piece of toast.
"Harry, mate, where were you last night? Why isn't your stuff in our dorm?" Seamus asked, glaring at him.
"Didn't anyone tell you? Ron and Hermione knew where I was. I was in the Slytherin Dorms. I sleep there now." Harry ate his toast, mindful of the fact that everyone was starting at him with a mixture of disgust and anger.
"What do you mean, you sleep there now?" Seamus asked, angrily spearing a sausage with his fork.
"Why do you sleep with the snakes?" Lavender asked, sneering at the thought.
"Maybe because his uncle and parents are down there?" Ginny asked sarcastically, resting her forearms on Harry's shoulders. "Do you have a problem with that?" she asked, this time deadly serious. Seamus caught the look on her face and he shook his head.
"No, I guess I don't. I just don't understand why."
Harry rested his forehead on his hands." I found a cure for my bad dreams, but it's down there. I'd rather not have any nightmares and wake you guys up with my screaming." Seamus nodded, accepting the explanation.
Harry looked at his watch. "Oh shit! DRACO! WE GOTTA LEAVE!" he called across the hall. Draco nodded and they stood up and left the room, ignoring the shocked gasps from three fourths of the hall. Once they were out of the hall, they apparated to the Room of Requirement, making it there at exactly 7:57.
True to their word, Alanna and Xander made Harry and Draco test every student from fourth year on up. By the end of the day, they had a list of nineteen names, not counting any demigods or demigoddesses. Surprisingly, they had a lot of double elementals. Harry sighed as he turned in their list to Alanna.
Emily George- fire, mind
Eric McKnight- water, mind
Ginny Weaseley- fire, mind, demon
Dean Thomas- water
Vincent Crabbe- earth
Gregory Goyle- earth
Millicent Bulstrude- water, air
Blaise Zambini- earth
Seamus Finnigan- air
Hannah Abbot- water, air, mind
Ronald Weaseley- water
Hermione Granger- fire
Dudley Dursley- fire
Neville Longbottom- earth, mind
Luna Lovegood- air, mind
Susan Bones- mind
Maxine Romero- mind
Michael Corner- air, earth
Cho Chang- earth, fire
Harry and Draco left the room with Lily and James and they headed down to dinner. As they walked to the staircase, they sat Professor Flitwick dragging Marianna Zambini by her ear up the stairs.
"Professor Flitwick, what's the matter. Marianna, what's going on?" Harry and Draco asked in unison.
"This little devil flooded MY CLASSROOM!" yelled Flitwick angrily. Harry's eyes widened. "I can't do anything with her! Her wand backfired in class and she turned a fellow student into a purple fish! Then she somehow managed to stun me and make a cascade of water flood the room! I have four feet of lake water that I have to clean up! You deal with her!" Flitwick thrust the poor, terrified girl at Harry. The tiny professor spun around and rushed back down the stairs.
"Marianna, come on. I think Alanna would like to talk to you." Draco led the now sobbing girl into the Room of Requirement. Alanna was just packing up to go to dinner when Draco guided Marianna into the room.
"What's going on, Draco?" she asked, looking them up and down.
"Test her. Her powers are so strong she's out of control." Marianna gave a loud sniff and water flowed from her hands, creating a waterfall. Alanna stared at her, concerned.
"Oh, little one, it's all right. Come here." Marianna sat on her lap, and the water stopped flowing. Alanna rocked her to sleep, softly singing. Blaise came running into the room.
"Is she all right?" she panted. "I heard she caused a flood, and I came as fast as I could." Alanna shushed the older girl.
"How long has she been able to do this?" the demigoddess asked.
"Since she was a few months old. She could even swim before she could walk. But she's never gushed water like that before."
"Blaise, your sister cannot use a wand. That is what brought this on. I will train her personally in wandless magic, but her wand malfunctions whenever she uses it. I don't know how well she will function in class. They are based around wands, and well, you know." Blaise nodded and scooped her sister lovingly into her arms.
"What should I tell her?"
"Tell her that she will train with me every day instead of going to classes for the next week. She will be responsible for the class work she misses in the other classes, but it won't be difficult. We will be covering the same things in our sessions, but without the use of a wand." Blaise nodded and left, carrying her sister.
"Oh damn, first a demon, then runaway powers." Draco said lightly. Alanna glared at him.
"Those aren't runaway powers. She's a water nymph."
"WHAT?" Draco screeched, whipping around.
Severus came walking into the room. Draco, I just came in to tell you- " he broke off suddenly, seeing his Godson and Nephew's faces. "What?"
"We have a water nymph here. Marianna Zambini."
"You have got to be joking." Severus stared at them in consternation. "Great! First demons, now nymphs."
Ginny appeared in the doorway. "You called?" she asked. "Uncle Sev, I have a request."
"Yes, Ginny?"
"I just tested out of my Charms, DADA, Transfiguration, and History of Magic classes. Can I take Experimental Potions?"
Harry and Draco joined the plea. "Uncle Sev, we will test out of all those classes. Could we join too? Please?"
"I don't see why not. You will most definitely have free time available. Plus, I only have four students, one being your mother, Harry. In fact, that was what I was going to tell you all."
"WhooHOO!" yelled Harry as they apparated back to the dorms.
A/N: Well, it's 12:50 AM, and I'm finally finished. Hope you liked it.