"Hermione?" Nikolas walked into the room and shut the door behind him.
"Nikolas? What are you doing here?" She asked looking at all the books that just appeared. Hexes. Curses. A book on the Dark Arts!
"I was walking. I wanted to find a place to practice some spells I learned, and read some more about curses." Nikolas said. It was the truth, maybe not the whole truth, but enough. "What are y-" he started to ask when the door opened again.
Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna walked in. They stared at him and Hermione for a moment in confusion, but no one had a chance to say anything as more students walked in. In about a minute what was left of D.A. and a few newer people stood in the room and stared at Nikolas accusingly.
"What is a Slytherin doing here?" someone called, but Nikolas could see whom. Hermione pushed her way forward.
"He found the room by mistake. I will show him out. You all start on," Hermione glanced around; she pulled a few books on hexes and curses from the shelves and stuffed them in Nikolas' arms. "On something." She pushed the Slytherin out of the room. "Here. Take these books. I don't know where you can practice, but not here. I wouldn't advise coming back here either. Sorry." She shot him an apologetic smile.
"No problem. Thanks for getting me the books." He turned and left. They were going to continue D.A. Hermione would be a good teacher. I wouldn't advise coming back. He frowned as the words played in his mind again. 'Hermione. You of all people should know it's me!' He sighed and stopped mid-step. He needed a new place to practice now. 'I could try the dungeons. I doubt anyone but Snape goes there unless absolutely necessary.' The teen thought to himself as he headed down towards the dungeons.
There were more rooms down here then he would have thought. He needed to stay away from the potions class though. Somewhere he wouldn't be heard or interrupted by accident. He reached a room a good ways away from the potions class and set his things down. He glanced around the room and found only a few small tables and three chairs. He broke the objects into decent sized pieces, and proceeded to practice charms and curses on them.
~
Nikolas read and reread the passage in the book and then turned back to the tabletop that sat propped up against the wall. While doing this he didn't notice the figure that entered the room.
[*]"Victus Ignis!" He called and a small flame erupted from his wand, burned for a moment, and then vanished. Nikolas cursed under his breath. "What am I doing wrong? I must've tried a hundred times already!"
"You aren't doing the correct hand movement, and you are not specifying what object you want burned." Came a quiet voice from behind. Nikolas jumped in surprise at the voice. Severus glided over to him, wand out.
"Victus Ignis, table top!" Snape called, moving his wand in a figure eight motion as he did so. A large flame burst from the elder's wand, it seemed to come to life and dance around the wood before engulfing it completely, educing the wood to nothing more then a pile of ashes, and then vanishing. "The living flames curse? You do know that is classified as dark magic, don't you?"
"I know. I wanted to try it though." Nikolas replied. The teen then turned and said 'Victus Ignis, table leg!' then watched as the small fire creature jumped forward and began chewing on the wood until it was gone. Nikolas laughed. "I like this curse." He said to himself.
"Where did you learn it?" Severus asked, taking notice of the remaining furniture pieces and shards of wood on the floor as well as the cuts on the boy's arms and face. "And what else have you been doing?"
"This book. I've been practicing these curses. I can't very well expect to meet Vol-" Snape glared. "The dark lord again and win using defensive curses alone. I got this book so I could teach myself a few useful curses because I doubt Professor Lupin would teach me hexes even if I wasn't acting as your son." Nikolas jumped and gave a soft 'oh!' He then went to his discarded bag and pulled out a small box. "Also, these are the headache potions." The student handed Snape the box, shocked that he hadn't yet got a detention for being here and practicing dark magic. Snape looked him over curiously and then nodded, shrinking the box and placing it in his pocket.
"Well. It seems you do have half a brain. If you insist on practicing curses in the school I would suggest using some that wouldn't get you in serious trouble. Dumbledore would not be pleased to learn that you are practicing dark magic." The potions master looked through the few books that Nikolas had been given by Hermione. Nikolas suppressed a laugh as the professor clicked his tongue and shook head. "The book you've been reading is the only decent one. The others are just pathetic first year curses. Come with me. I will get you some proper books. I can't have my son reading such pathetic material, can I?" Snape left the room, books in hand. Nikolas stood awestruck that the professor was being . . . well…nice. The teen grabbed his bag and followed though. The two spent the remainder of the evening practicing curses most students wouldn't learn in school at all, but were perfectly legal.
~ & ~
The sound of arguing could be heard in the potions classroom and both Snape and Nikolas stopped what they were doing to listen. It wasn't late enough for students to get in trouble for being up, but it was well after 8 o' clock.
"Wait here." Snape left the room quickly as the sound of spells being thrown started. Nikolas nodded and leaned back against the wall. He glanced around idly, a piece of pink parchment catching his eye. He laughed at the thought of the potions master writing on pink parchment. Stepping forward he realized the pink was actually the cover of a small book. He could see a few words in silver etched on it; ' To Severus – From L' and a small heart drawn beside the L. Again Nikolas laughed and he opened the book. His eyes widened in shock as he stared down at the first page, then the second, third, fourth. They were all pictures of a young Severus Snape and Lily Evans. His mother. There was writing on it that he knew did not belong to the potions master. He turned back the pages and looked on the inside of the cover. On it was a note with tearstains blotching some of the words.
Severus. I made this for you as a way to say good-bye. It's pictures of us from first year in Hogwarts to the day we finally admitted our love. I hate the way that things turned out, but I'm afraid there is nothing we can do. I made this for you to remember me by, but I understand if you don't want it. It's probably a typical stupid Gryffindor thing for me to do, but I didn't want you to forget me.
I love you.
Nikolas dropped the book, his eyes bulging. He couldn't find words to describe how he felt, but if that weren't enough a letter fell from the back of the book. He was almost too afraid to open it, not sure if he wanted to know what the letter could hold. In the end though he pulled the letter out. A photo was pinned to it. It was a picture of his mother holding a small child that had to be himself. He then looked at the paper. It was a birth certificate that read Damien S. Snape; son of Lily and Severus Snape. Born July 31, 1980 at 10:32 p.m. Nikolas gasped. He looked at the photo again, turning it over and finding one small note. I had this made for you. It's what I wanted, but I fear can never become reality. Everyone else will know him as Harry J. Potter. Love Lily.
"You just don't know how to mind your own business do you?" Severus said shakily, for once showing an emotion other then anger or irritability.
"I-I'm" Nikolas stammered. He was about to apologize but then he shook his head and looked up at the man in front of him. "It is my business! These are not about just you, it's about my mother, and me!" Nikolas held forward the image and birth certificate. "How could you know something like this and keep it from me? No! How could you be such a damn git to me all these years when I am your son?" Nikolas yelled in fury.
"Because no one was supposed to find out! Not even the headmaster knew! It was a secret from everyone, especially you!" Snape yelled in return. "No matter how much we loved each other we could never be together! It would have been far to difficult, and I thought both you and Lily would be safer with Potter then you would ever be with me." Severus calmed and placed a silencing spell on the room before sitting down. He breathed a heavy sigh. "Sit. I'll explain everything to you."
~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~
There we are! The next chapter! I'm on a roll, ne? Just think. Next chapter you will have the explanation! The whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me Merlin! xD
Review please. It is most appreciated and spurs me on! Reviews are food for the inspiration!
* Victus Ignis means Living Fire in Latin.
J-Chan.