A.N Did I spell St. Mongos correctly? I think so, but inform me please if I did not. THis is late, I know, but it happened some of my friends still did not have a life played by the time I called them, so I've been places. Anyway, not much to say this time, but that I hope everyone one is having a good day. (Or good easter vacation if it is their week!)
Oh, and one question for reviewers: tell me what you think, and logically not just fancies, Hermione and Ron would be doing for a living. And any other character that has graduated from Hogwarts in the seven years- which is everyone that was even in 1st year at Harry's 5th. Thank you, remember WHAT YOU REALLY THINK THEY WOULD BE DOING, NO WISHES.
Kjkit, smilez, and danca: a big thank you to you all.
Gaul1: We'll be finding out soon enough. Not only them, but Hermione and Ron. I did the math right before I wrote this chapter and realized they'd be about 22 years old. Out of Hogwarts.
Molly Morrison: their only speaking in code because they don't want to cause a stir, and because you can think of how big the stir would be if suddenly muggles knew about magic! Thank you.
Silvercrystal77: Thank you, neither can I.
Eric2: My fault, I often don't explain things well, because I myself already know. And then when I write it up, I still don't realize the fault, sorry. It will be interest, that I can tell you.
Lily Skylo: yes, the first person to meet, of all of them, Snape. How awful. By the thing at the bottom of your review, I think you'll like the next person.
Athenakitty: I can't tell, are those words that you have question makes after, spelled wrong? I think so, eeks, I can't even tell. They realize, and we'll see what happens.
Wytil: Well, they can't detect it. And the ministry does not follow unfocused magic in young children, there is to much of it. They knew after they 'tested' him at the hospital, obviously after he asked about Dumbledore.
Darak: Hehe, I guess you'll just have to be nice, sit still, and hope I glance at my keyboard soon. Don't worry, I as addicted to it as you are!
Wiccan PussyKat: I am evil, aren't I? I'm glade you loved it. Yes, pain for Harry is good, and so fun to write. Yeah, I think he suspected that the tiny snake could in no way cause more pain than the 60 or more foot basilisk. He was wrong.
Yup, I'm Irish! Because they don't bother to check children, and don't bother to track unfocused' magic.
And of course, Dumbledore wont give them the names of his future students. They had to ask someone, who will get a name, if Devlin's name was on the list.
Broken Games Lead to Broken Fields.
Dumbledore was unable to find a teacher with a free slot of time, but on his search, he had been able to find Sirius Black, who apparently was interrupting Remus Lupin and James Potter's attempts to grade papers.
As they walked pleasantly down of Hogwarts halls, their steps echoing none of Albus's worry; the Headmaster made an attempt to distract his two former students from the potent glares they were now sharing.
"Mr. Black, are you not on duty?" Albus was referring to Sirius's Auror job, a position the Ministry had given him back as a token of apology.
"Nope, slot off. Rarely get those, but its been slow after, well you know." Again, as it always was, the subject of Harry Potter's disappearance, or death as some were beginning to conclude, was avoided. Even Severus honored this silent rule.
"Hmm, slow yes." The Headmaster's eyes clouded over, perhaps trying to puzzle together the reason of this small boy knowing his name.
"Were are we going?" It was Sirius. Reluctantly Dumbledore opened his eyes, knowing the pieces he had settled in there rightful places, had slipped away as soon as his blue eyes had opened to the martial world.
"To St. Mongos, to see a young child." Sirius furrowed his brow, but did not interrupt the man again.
ST. MONGOS
"Please, I have to see Dumbledore." Devlin hadn't meant to say anything at all, but the exhausted, frightened words came out anyway. The Auror was still in the hospital room with him, and no one had fetched his parents yet.
The mans dark brown eyes did not move from him, nor did they show any recognition of his words. The man had said nothing for a whole hour, which had been the amount of time Devlin had been sitting on the bed. His arm ached, and he knew that they had not given him any healing potions on purpose.
Did they think he was going to be able to tell them something important? Did they think the pain would make it easier to get this something out of him? They were wrong about the pain then; he had never told Voldemort anything about the Order.
Devlin was beginning to regret not telling them he had information on Harry Potter, surely they would have treated him much more carefully if he had said those words. But it would have caused whispers, this at least would stay to small ripples of rumors.
"I always wanted to be an Auror." He said, and he was acutely aware that he was disrupting the image of him as a Muggle further. He was aware that he was disrupting the games language, for what he was doing was a game. Everything that had led up to this, and what will happen, was part of a game.
"Really." The man said, but his voice did not raise at the end to form the impression of a question. Devlin continued nevertheless.
"Uhah, I always thought it would be good to rescue people. Have you saved anyone recently?" The man regarded him for a moment, letting a bit of a grin form on his face.
"Your my first." He said, and Devlin sized the idea that this man had already made a name for himself then. He did not say this aloud of course.
"Well I'm glad!" He said, pulling a smile onto his face. It was false, and it felt so, but he knew it appeared real enough. He pondered for a brief moment on how long it might have taken Dumbledore to learn this trick.
"Hmm..." The man seemed to remember he was not to entertain, or speak, at all to his charge.
"They tell you not to speak?" Devlin asked, but he received no answer. "If they did, I can respect that. But, first can I ask one last question?"
The man made no motion to say yes or no, so Devlin took that to mean he could speak, but was promised no answer.
"Is Dumbledore anymore forgetful these years?
I mean, no offence, but my Mom and Dad, will want to see me soon. I can't hide here with you forever."
The man looked up, regarding Devlin oddly, before he moved over to the bed, and showed the small child his watch.
"The gold one is Dumbledore, he'll be here soon." Indeed, the gold hand, and there were twenty some other colors, was on traveling. It had just landed on Destination, when five minuets later, the door to the room opened.
The first thing that Devlin's eyes were drawn to were the old mans silver beard, then they traveled up to the blue eyes that seemed to be able to peer through peoples emotions, and cut through lies. They had been lost of twinkle, but as green and blue met, the old mans eyes had burst with sparkles.
"Hello, Albus." Devlin said, tilting his head in an odd angle, to try and glimpse a man that had yet to walk through the door. After a few attempts to see the mans face, he returned his attention to Dumbledore.
"Hello...Mister McClain." For a moment Devlin thought the man had not recognized him, because he had read the sheet that was posted on the door, but he soon realized that the old man had known he would have wanted to be called by that name.
Devlin did not move his gaze from the old man, but out of the corner of his eye, he could see another man, wearing an Auror's silver badge, approach the Auror who had been watching him.
He did not look over to the man, and the man had recently turned from him. Perhaps favoring to ask one of his own, what was going on.
The man that's face had been previously obscured by wall, not was seeable. Inwardly Devlin flinched, but he did not portray that on his face. He pushed a grin on his lips, and forced his eyes to twinkle.
This was how he greeted a guest at his house, even if when he was younger strangers had scared him. He could remember flinching at his first day of school, for there were children that had worn Ron's red hair, or Hermione's quiet attitude. They had all scared him that first day, but he was great friends with some of them now.
"Hello Severus Snape." Saying professor would have been to much, and he relished the feeling of catching the man by surprise. The sneer had dropped for a moment, and the eyes that seemed always so dark and cold, melted, but it was gone within a second.
The Headmaster had walked over to his bed now, blocking Devlin's view of anyone else in the room. "Tell me how you have been? Were are your parents?"
Albus Dumbledore's portrayed such grief, that Devlin could almost feel it staling the air. Devlin swallowed, but was relieved that the Headmaster had called them his parents.
"I feel fine. I'm here alone, I believe they thought my parents would get in the way. Their not here, I haven't seen them in some time."
"That will have to be remedied, wont it?" Devlin nodded, feeling safe, as he always had, in his Headmaster's gaze.
"Severus, fetch a potion for the young mans aches wont you?" Snape left without argument, and Devlin wondered if he had already guessed who he was.
"I should get both, your parents here, Devlin." Devlin gazed down, wondering for a moment if he was really ready to see his mother again, his real one. He was comforted to hear they were alive, but it also left a knot in his stomach.
Would they understand that they were now not his only parents; that he was more comfortable with the idea of being hugged and kissed by Elizabeth and Ryan then them. Would they understand that they would never get Harry Potter back; that if they wanted their son back, then they would have to call him Devlin?