Chapter 04

• Revelations •

A name.

That's all it was. But as it echoed through the room my mind filled with rage.

I knew the name well.

The thirst for vengeance filled my bosom.

Vengeance. The one word that I could think of bristled in my mind. I stepped into the shadows across the room, forgetting that only a moment ago I had been leaving. In the dark, where I felt more comfortable I fingered my wand. Of course, I could do it without my wand but I did not want to drain myself so quickly.

The caller listed off his titles as, a short time ago, mine had been. Order of Merlin, third class. Member of the Wizengamot.

I laughed in my head. Somehow, even though he'd been instrumental in my capture he'd managed to escape and retain his family name. Of course I knew the truth. Money had changed hands, that's the way things were. A light that illuminated the stairwell I was on shattered, and was extinguished as I watched him enter the room. Luckily I was high enough that no one noticed as it went dark around me.

Aja was handing him to me. I laughed silently to myself. Oh, whatever had happened to her she had truly become devious. "… and wife, Ginerva Malfoy."

Though I had been ignoring her my eyes surveyed the woman he'd walked in with and I gasped. The air around my thickened and I felt as if it were choking me, crushing me with an immense pressure. I stabilized myself on the rail to the side and calmed the feelings that were raging inside.

Had so much changed that she would be with him? Sirius had once said if any family were a bunch of pureblood traitors the Weasley's would be them. Why would Malfoy, so caught up in the superiority of his blood even think of marrying her?

She walked alongside, a smile plastered on her face, a smile I recognized so well. So much had changed since I'd known her, since the schoolgirl crush had disappeared. She'd stood alongside me countless times and even pledged her undying love to me the last time I'd spoken to her.

I remembered the incident oh so well. Who, when left only to their memories, could not remember?

She'd left not long after I rescued Aja. I was going on a mission and she kissed my cheek as tears trickled down her face, telling me that she'd love me forever. The smile she had on her face was the same she had tonight, false. It was the same smile she used every time I left, when she could not force herself to beg me to stay.

When I returned she was gone, leaving nothing. It was as if she'd never existed. In my rage and grief I'd destroyed the flat I was living in much to the dismay of my attendant. I ripped through the apartment searching for a note, but found none. I apparated to the Weasley home, and yet no one had known where she'd gone.

It took some time reflecting upon my thoughts to understand what had happened and why. In our time together, more than half a year, she'd grown to know me even better than I knew myself. She grew to love me even more than before. I loved her too, to an extent, and at the time I thought that might be the best I'd ever get. That time that we spent together was precious to me, but she knew the truth, where my true happiness lay.

It was her leaving me that had finally made it happen, whether she planned it or not. Hermione, at the time still a friend, had come to comfort me. It took a month for me to digest it, but Hermione had loved me all along and I discovered that a few weeks after Ginny had gone. I don't know when it started, she never confided that in me. It was enough to know that I loved her and she loved me.

Ginny glanced up, smiling to the crowd as she descended the stairs.

In the darkness a tear fell from my eye. I hadn't forgotten her, but she had been out of my life I assumed. The smile, a sham as always, showed that her life was not as happy as it should be. Her once sparkling eyes had lost their brilliance and though she looked as stunning as ever, it was not the woman I'd once known.

Something inside, something I'd thought long dead, tingled. There was a warm feeling in the depths of the blackness that was my life. Perhaps it was my heart, the one I thought I'd lost so long ago.

I stared at her, amazed that I still carried feelings of this sort. But then, she was my first lover, and she'd always have a place in my heart. My feet stayed rooted to their position and she descended the stairs and glided across the floor, sitting in the spot next to Aja, only one seat away from mine.

A growl escaped my lips before I could control the anger.

Aja knew. Oh, whatever it was that she'd been planning angered me. She'd sat me there on purpose, and invited Ginny and Malfoy on purpose. Perhaps she was trying to evoke a reaction. I could see from her glance that she had decided to see if I was still there. But her eyes, searching the steps and the platform above, could not see me in the blackness.

Then, deciding I was gone, she turned to Ginny, speaking in whispers and with a smile. They seemed to be friends. For several minutes I stood there, watching, trying to decide what I should do with the platinum haired man who cause me such emotions.

Then, Malfoy stood, but still I could not move. I felt the need to kill him then, before my chance was up. I recalled him coming to me after a particularly harsh beating and series of Cruciatus curses. He'd sneered at me and mocked my plight. Oh, how I would like to show him the sort of pain I felt that night.

The first step he took on the stairs snapped my thoughts back into place. My hand slipped into my pocket, however unnecessary it was, it felt good to hold a wand and I still sought to find it. My wand had been broken long ago, parts of it were still lodged in my hand as a testament to how it was broken.

He approached, not knowing what danger lay in the darkness. By the look on his face he seemed to be bored, even fed up. As he finally ascended to my level I was hard pressed not to kill him that very instant. Then something occurred to me. This life was handed to me on a platter and I had a real name, I existed and was not being chased by the ministry.

So, I decided to hold my own, leave him be for now. He'd die, I was sure of that, but I would wait until the time come. Patience was something I had learned sitting in the box.

"These things are dreadful aren't they?" Draco spoke unexpectedly. He seemed to feel that I was something like him. A deep growl began to climb my throat but I suppressed it this time, not wanting to reveal the mood I was in. I tried to ignore him, hoping he'd disappear.

I smiled cruelly, thinking of what would happen if I did exactly that, made him disappear. Permanently. He'd be there, but no one save mad eye moody (if he was still alive) would be able to see him.

Somehow Malfoy took that as a sign of acceptance and smiled back. "Utterly," I answered in a dismissive voice. It seemed off, but taking a look at myself I was suddenly reminded of Severus Snape.

"Draco… Malfoy," Draco said, offering me his hand.

I sneered at the offering but he could barely see in the dark. I, on the other hand, having been in darkness for the last three years, was quite used to it. An inkling of what I could do to him over time calmed me. I would destroy the man from the inside. Starting with his money. After his wife, his life and he was groveling at my feet I would destroy his status. Then, I would reveal myself to him, break him one last time. He would be frozen in a permanent state, that moment when his worst fears were to come true, as if a dementor were tormenting him eternally.

"Persecutus," I said smiling. The lamp light behind me flickered on and I extended my hand to his.

His magic, however powerful it was, was gone the very moment I touched him. He wouldn't feel it for a while, but the next time he tried to do magic I doubted it would work.

"That's quite a trick," Malfoy said laughing lightly. "But after the way Aja has spoken of you I would expect nothing less."

I smiled even wider, making it seem as if I enjoyed the compliment. I was good at false expressions. I'd learned them in school and they never failed me. "Oh, that's a simple little trick, I'm sure I could do something much more complex." I paused and looked down at the table. Flicking my hand two bottles of Firewhisky disappeared from the table and reappeared in my hands.

"Here," I said, offering on to him.

Draco's mouth dropped and he stared at me. "You haven't got a wand," he said stupidly, no longer trying to maintain the essence of superiority.

I paused, waiting for him to take my bottle. When he finally did take it the cap of mine disappeared and I held it to my mouth, draining it quickly. My throat burned for several quiet minutes while Draco drank his as well. I had rarely had such drinks, as my first experience hadn't been the best, but it was something I wanted to try again.

"Your wife," I said motioning towards Ginny, "is quite beautiful."

At first Draco didn't say anything. I took a chance and glanced over to him and his reaction seemed triumphant. "Yes," he finally spoke, and I could tell he felt like gloating. "She took a great deal of work, but I finally got her to marry me. Though, sometimes…" he paused and grimaced, "her family makes things hard."

"Oh?" I said, interested. Closing my eyes, I focused on a spell and shoved it into him. He wouldn't have any problem tell me now.

Malfoy smiled again, covering up whatever feelings that had been surfacing. "Yes, she hasn't spoken to most of them in years, but I think that's part of the problem. A long time ago she left them, went to the states it seems, well she didn't come back for quite some time and when she did, well, she had a child."

I blinked. Ginny wasn't just someone that would come back with a child and no father. Then the terrible possibility filled me. "And how old is he?" I asked smoothly.

"She. And she's just a bit over 14 now. She refuses to accept me as a father though and I feel like… well…" he stumbled over himself and seemed slightly confused. The spell I had used didn't seem to be strong enough and so I cast it again, along with a second, needing to hear everything. I calculated everything in my head and found it hard to refute the evidence.

I had a daughter.

Had she known though? Before? I tried to blink away a tear that started to roll down my cheek, but it wouldn't go away. Luckily Malfoy was concentrating on something and failed to see it.

"What's she like?" I asked softly.

"Rebellious," he answered with a smirk. "She refuses to accept any authority and runs around with Harry Longbottom. I swear those two are the worst kids in Hogwarts history. I've pulled her out of more trouble in a single year than I got into over the seven years I attended. She doesn't seem to respect the any of the teachers, including the headmaster."

Longbottom. I remembered Neville, but I thought he'd died. He hadn't ever stopped learning and had trained with my a good deal. We had fought more than a few battles side by side. But in the foray where I'd been captured… I saw him get struck down. I could do nothing about it at the time, but I could have sworn that he'd died.

"Dumbledore?" I questioned Draco, wondering if he was still the headmaster.

"Yes, do you know him?" Draco asked, slightly surprised.

I didn't answer immediately however, my mind was filling in the blanks. "One more question. Do you know who the father is?"

Immediately Draco shook his head. "She never said, though I suspect it was someone she met in the states. I don't think he died, and I can't be sure. Sometimes I wonder if she even knows," he said, motioning towards Ginny.

I knew she knew, and she'd hidden it from him. But did my daughter know?

"What's her name?" I inquired as I prepared myself to cast yet another spell on him.

"Jasmine. I don't know what sort of name that is, naming a girl after a season. She calls herself Jay though."

"I see," I said smiling and then casting the memory charm on him. He wouldn't remember exactly what we spoke of, but I filled in some of the feelings, he'd like me as a close friend now."

Taking one last glance down to the table where Ginny was talking animatedly I turned to Draco who was blinking and staring at me. "Well, it was nice talking to you Draco. I'd love to be invited over sometime so I we could talk so more and perhaps meet Jasmine. As for now I have some business to attend to, so if you'll excuse me."

"She's here somewhere," and I stopped dead in my tracks. My urge to see her grew stronger. I wanted to see what sort of daughter I had. "I suppose she's off playing with the elves, she seems to like them more than people."

Shaking my head and laughing I continued out of the room. But, the moment I had stepped out of the door my laughter died. "Bobby," I said calmly then repeated myself. Instantly there was a little elf standing next to me.

"I'm ready to see Dobby now," I said calmly. Bobby squeaked and nodded quickly, moving quickly down the halls. I had a bit of difficulty keeping up with him, my muscles, though strong were still rather malnourished. At the end of the hall he turned and waited for me to catch up. When I did he turned to the wall and pushed on it with both hands until the wall just disappeared. He headed straight into the room and I continued after him.

The hall was dark, but as I stepped into the room beyond it was lighter. A girl with bright blue hair was stooped over a cauldron. Bobby squeaked again and moved across the room extremely fast. "Jay is not suppose to be doing that ma'am. She is knowing this."

The blue hair flipped up as Jasmine turned to the exasperated elf with an evil smile. "Come on Bobby, it's nothing harmful. It'll just spice up the party a little."

"No, no, no." Bobby said, trying to be firm.

"It's alright Bobby," I said quietly from the doorway. "Let her put it in. If Aja gets mad tell her I did it."

Both of them turned to me, Jasmine looking surprised and furious and Bobby looking frustrated. "Go on Jasmine," I said quietly. "Dump it all in. I hope some of that's meant for your father."

"He's not my father," she spat at me, twisting her hand and dumping the whole vial into the food.

Smiling I took a seat beyond her, waiting for her to say something else. She was quickly becoming my favorite person I had met since escaping. "Who is?" I asked softly, staring directly into her eyes. She stared back defiantly, but it was a mistake.

"Harry Potter," she said and then paused. Three things happened in quick succession, her hands flew to her mouth as she started to say something else. Bobby squeaked and backed into the mop, causing it to fall over. And then, to top it all off another elf appeared in the far doorway.

"Master Harry Potter!" he said, moving to me faster than I would have thought his aged body could have moved.

With a flick of my hand everything paused. I could see the look of utter astonishment on Jasmine's face. Dobby was only inches from me, his face filled with bliss. I groaned. I loved the elf, but sometimes he was too eccentric. For a moment I thought to just modify Jasmine's memory, I wasn't quite prepared for her to know who I was yet. But then, I decided to wait to see how she reacted to it.

I stood, and prepared for the assault and then my hand twitched again. Dobby bowled into me, just like he'd done hundreds of times before. "Bobby is saying Mistress finally brought you back and Dobby sir, he is so happy."

I looked to Jasmine who didn't seem to have any words in her mouth. Her defiant words had been engulfed by emotion. "Dobby," I said quietly, not releasing my eyes from her Sapphire blue eyes. "Can you wait for just a minute? I have to talk to my daughter."

Dobby backed away and looked to Jasmine. He bowed slightly and stepped back again, finding a place against the wall. I could tell it was taking a great deal for him to suppress his emotions and I turned to him smiling. "It's good to see you Dobby, and thank you for everything you've done."

Then, I turned back to Jasmine. "Well?" I asked quietly finding my seat again. Life was crashing down on me so fast that I wasn't sure what to do, but I knew I would have to deal with it sooner or later.

"You're not Harry Potter!" she exclaimed when she finally found her voice.

Remembering that I was disguised I closed my eyes, concentrating for just a minute. My hair returned, as unruly as ever. When I opened my eyes they were Jade again. I pressed my hand to my forehead where my scar was and I could feel the searing pain as it reappeared. "I was named Harry Potter once," I said. "Until the ministry decided it was best to kill me."

She choked.

Not wanting to have anyone interrupt us I turned to Dobby. "Dobby, would you be so kind as to lock the entrance so that no one will interrupt us?"

Dobby nodded and scurried down the hallway, tears of happiness streaming from his eyes. When I turned to Jasmine again her eyes had changed color to the same green that I saw when I looked in the mirror. She blinked and they were blue again.

"You can't be…" she said, trying to deny what she was seeing. "My father… he's in a special cell where no one will ever be able to get to him."

My eyes widened surprised. "And how exactly did you know that?"

"I… Harry heard it from his father by accident last summer."

"Longbottom?" I asked, suppressing a smile as she seemed to be surprised this time. This was going to be great, each of us surprising the other more and more. She nodded and opened her mouth to make another denial attempt but I cut her off. "He was right, but it wasn't a cell, it was more like a box, a black box."

Continuing to keep eye contract I could tell that she was starting to believe me, a little. But there was something else she was thinking. I hadn't tried to probe another persons mind in a long time and so it took me a minute to figure it out. "Your mother is not to know this," I said quietly. "She never told me I had a daughter, she will have to wait to know that I've finally escaped."

Jasmine opened her mouth and closed it, surprised. She opened it again, but I was quickly getting better at reading her and I continued speaking. "If you'd like I shall submit to any tests you feel the need to place upon me. That is if you can guarantee you will not be telling anyone. Your mother has undoubtedly told you about many of my exploits, all of which I remember quite clearly."

"No," she whispered quietly, tears falling. "She never told me anything. I knew you were my father because… because I found her journal. I know why she was always making me change my eye color. She doesn't want anyone to know."

Trying to maintain control of the conversation I nodded. "Well, ask away. If you've read her journal then you certainly know more things than anyone else would."

"Who was the first person you killed?" she asked quickly.

I winced. There was more than one answer to that question. "Well, that depends. The first person who I killed was Voldemort, though he didn't really die. There were my parents as well. I didn't do it myself, but it was my fault they died… and Trelawney's. That stupid prophecy will haunt me forever. However, the first person I killed on purpose was… Narcissa. I couldn't help myself. She'd killed Sirius and though I couldn't make her feel the pain I wanted to put on her I still was able to end her life."

"And… and…" Jasmine paused, unable to continue as her eyes were watering so much now that she couldn't see. She began to sob and I looked at her, trying to decide if I should move towards her. I was her father, but she had only just met me for the first time. Apparently the one question was enough because she ran to me and threw her arms around me, crying freely.

Though I felt slightly perturbed by her emotions showing so clearly, I put my arms around her and held her tightly. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," I whispered in her ear. "But I'm here now. I have some things to sort out but I won't be leaving you again."

It seemed to be the right thing to say. Whatever thing that had filled me for so many years before faded briefly. I wanted to have a daughter, I wanted to love someone. She continued to hold me for several minutes until her sobbing ceased and the previous spiteful face appeared as she pulled away.

"He did it didn't he?" she asked.

It took a moment for the answer to dawn on me. I had to probe her mind for it. "Yes, Draco did a lot of it to me. He'll pay, believe me."

"Now," I said pausing. "You have to swear you're not going to tell anyone or I'll wipe your mind and you won't remember. It's going to be magically binding so you no matter how hard you try you won't be able to tell anyone. You see, if the ministry discovers I'm a free man they'll be chasing me down like they did Voldemort. As for the questions, I suppose we can talk about them as much as you want. You just have to convince your parents that there's a good reason for you to stay here."

Slowly she nodded. "Alright, I swear."

The epiphany of it all overwhelmed me. "Master Persecutus sir," Bobby said, having somehow reappeared. I hadn't even noticed him leave. "Mistress is already having taken care of Jay staying. Madam Ginny is saying it is alright."

I smiled, somehow Aja seemed to be a step ahead of me no matter what I did.

"Let's go to my room." Jasmine said quickly. "Aja always let me have one a few years ago. Sometimes when I can't stay at home I come here."

I looked to Dobby who was fidgeting and I paused. "Can we wait a few minutes. Dobby hasn't seen me in a very long time and I have to thank him for everything he's done for me."

Jasmine glanced to Dobby and then back to me. "Alright," she said quietly. It'll give me a few minutes to think about everything. And maybe it's better if I have some time alone before we have a father-daughter talk," she said, seeming a bit snide again.

Laughing I nodded. "You know, you're a lot like my dad and Sirius. But nothing like me when I was young. You go and think about things. And change your hair, blue isn't your color."

One day I would find out exactly how much Aja knew about me.

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