Disclaimer: - I still dont own any Harry Potter stuff & I'm still hiding that album behind my back!
A/N: -This one is my better fic for sure!
Harry Potter & The Prophecy
(1) Trial & Magic
Harry lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The hot summer heat made being outside unbearable & Harry stayed in the coolest place he could find. He, Aunt Petunia & Dudley had returned to the Dursley home after the Aurors had cast a disguising charm over it, but the house seemed larger now with Uncle Vernon gone. Dudley, ignored Harry completely now which Harry enjoyed to the fullest! Crash! The sound of breaking glass interupted Harry's daydreams. "Repairus!" he heard Aunt Petunia say. Harry smiled to himself. Aunt Petunia was easier to get along with now! She has her own wand, a white birch 12 inch one, with Centuar fur in the core! If only Dudley would try holding a wand but he wanted nothing to do with it! Maybe after he overcame his father's death? Aunt Petunia has been practicing with her new-found powers that Professor Snape had discovered in her at Grimmauld! Grimmauld! Harry's heart sank at the memory. The last thing he had left from his Godfather had been stolen from him so swiftly in the night, like a sudden death, by a filthy rat! Harry flipped over on his stomach. To top that off, Harry had used Cruccio on Lucious Malfoy last year & was yet again facing a trial, this time charged with the use of an Unforgivable!
Harry got up & went to the window. He pressed his face to the cool glass & closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Harry stopped breathing! He was gazing into a pair of evil eyes that were staring right back at him! The unknown entity had seen him! Oh, the horror!!! Next moment, Harry felt really stupid as he realised that he was staring into the big brown eyes of Merida's barn owl, perched precariously outside his window with a letter tied to her leg. "Hedwig!!" Harry ran to grab her cage & half threw her into the closet.
"Screeeech! Scrreeeech!" Hedwig cried pityfully.
"It's alright Hedwig!" Harry crooned as he closed the closet door securely. Hedwig & Peeps were mortal enemies! Female. Territorial! They would rip each other to threads if given half a chance.
"Screeeech! Screeeeeeech!" Hedwig's cries became more urgent!
"In a minute!" Harry snapped at her as he opened the window. Peeps flew straight for the closet door. "Come here!" Harry pounced on her & forced the owl onto his desk. Peeps glared evilly at him while Harry untied the letter. Harry glared back as he pushed over a bowl of water. He opened the letter & began reading, or at least he tried to! The first line made him laugh.
HE'S DRIVING ME CRAZY!!! I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!!!
Harry let out a snort! Last year, he had been shocked to learn that the evil Potions Master, Professor Snape, had a daughter who just happened to be Harry's girlfriend! Merida Hepburn Snape had agreed to stay with the Professor this summer to see how it would work out! Harry continued reading.
HE'S DRIVING ME CRAZY!!! I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!!!
Maybe use the Avada Death Curse on him then we could go to trial together! At least we found out I can speak to dolphins just like mom! That makes him happy (if he knows the meaning of that blasted word!) & keeps him off my case!
Oh, right! This is supposed to be a birthday card! It's father's fault I'm late in the first place! (That means: he's not to pleased with me being with you but there's nothing he can do about it!) Anyway, Happy Birthday!
By the way, he passed us all into NEWT level & you into OWL level so we're stuck with him for the next year or two!
To make up for his stiffness, he gave me a unicorn for my birthday! A black one! That color is rare! His name is HolyCityJerusalem but Salem for short! He has a gold horn & gold mane, tail & hooves.
About your trial: I'll "conveniently" be at the Weasley Burrow over that week & I'll go to the Ministry Of Magic with Mr. Weasley & be at the door when you come out! Father will turn me over to the Dark Lord himself if he finds out so "Shh!"
I can tell anyone that I'm related to Snape now! Father says it doesn't matter anymore because Lucious Malfoy is in Azkaban & all Death Eaters know about me by now, anyway!
By the way, I've got a surprise for you! It's about Grimmauld so I can't say anything more in case the wrong person catches my precious Peeps!
Oh & Ginny is the new Gryfin-girl Prefect!
See you soon,
Merida Hepburn Snape
Harry stared. Grimmauld? Did he dare to hope? Trial first! Harry told himself. Do things one at a time! He let Peeps out & flopped down onto his bed. I'll use Hedwig later to send Merida a reply.
"But why can't I go?" asked Merida.
"Your father will have my head if I take you!" said Mr. Weasley.
"He just doesn't want me to see Harry!" Merida glowered at the ground. "You know how he doesn't like anyone with the name of Potter!"
"No," Mr. Weasley corrected her. "it's too dangerous!"
"What if I bring Mystique?" Merida tried to compromise. "That way if something happens, I'll change. Hardly anyone knows of that sword!"
Mr. Weasley sighed. Stubborn as her father! Beautiful as her mother! He eyed Merida closely. "Fine! But if you see one thing wrong, you had better change! Understand?" Mr. Weasley headed out the door with Merida.
When they got to the Ministry, Merida headed straight for the fountain. Harry had told her about it & she wanted to see it for herself. She tossed a coin into the water & watched as a school of goldfish swam away in dismay.
"Merida!" Mr. Weasley's hand clapped down on her shoulder. "Stay close! Let's get to my office!" He steered her inside. "Wait here!" he ordered. "I'll go check on Harry! You're NOT to go down there, understand?"
Merida put on a sad face, acting hurt but said she would stay in the office. After Mr. Weasley left, she pulled out Mystique, being careful not to touch anything on it that was red. Merida thought back to last year & how she had used it to spy on Voldomort by being his Phoenix. Now, that was ruined! At Azkaban, prisoners were allowed one owl & Lucious had used it to betray her. When Voldormort read that letter & found out Mss Snape was his Phoenix, his rage had just about opened anew the scars on her & Harry. Of course, Profssor Snape found out Merida was marked like Harry when she collapsed to the floor under a pain worse than Cruccio & he wasn't to pleased that she hadn't told him!
Merida lay the sword aside on the desk, furious that she could no longer use it to spy on Voldomort. Voices out in the hall cut into her dark frame of mind. Merdia stood at the door to listen.
"How'd you do it?" laughed a strangely familiar voice.
"Easy, Mcnair!" came another familiar voice. "I used the Imperious!"
Merida opened the door a crack & stared. It was Percy Weasley! She remembered him from his Prefect days at Hogwarts. A bit on the stuffy side, Merida had decided. Ron Weasley was far more interesting!
"I have my own invisibility cloak!" Percy was saying. "I stayed close to Harry Potter & Imperioused him to Cruccio Lucious!"
Percy & Mcnair both laughed as Merida's mouth dropped open! She had to get Percy's wicked wand down to Harry's trial & fast! She snatched up Mystique.
"We'll be rid of him yet!" Percy said!
"Percy! Look out!" Mcnair yelped as a black panther pounced Percy hard to the floor! "WHERE did THAT cat come from?!" Mcnair pulled out his wand. The panther turned on him & knocked him to the ground.
"Look at that word on her side!" Percy yelped. "It's Miss Snape! KILL her!" Percy tried to raise his own wand but a pawful of sharp claws put him out. Merida snatched up the wand & fled, leaving Percy's scathed body lying on the floor.
"Percy?" Mcnair shook him gently. "Percy! Wake up! Are you alright?"
"Go after her!" Percy said. "If that wand appears in Harry's trial, we are finished!" Percy staggered to his feet. "I'm fine! GO!" Mcnair ran after Merida but couldn't find her anywhere. He headed downstairs to the trial.
"Harry Potter," Cornelius Fudge was saying. "On the subject of you using an Unforgivable curse, we find you gui----!"
The door opened & in walked Merida. "I have new evidence!" SHe held up Percy's wand.
"This is a closed trial!" Fudge retorted. "Miss--uh?"
"I think I just opened it!" Merida snapped back. "& it's Snape! If you know the Hogwarts Potions Master, my father, then you would do well not to cross me!" Merida crossed her arms. "Snapes have really bad tempers!" Harry didn't know how to keep his face straight through that one! Snapes were most ornery!
"Severus has no children!" Fudge laughed. "You expect me to believe that? I know him well! Your...."father"....is a friend of mine & I know for a fact that he doesn't have a daughter!"
"I'm afraid he does!" Umbridge sighed.
"WHAT?!" Fudge stared at her!
"It's true! Severus Snape does have a daughter!" Umbridge glared at Merida.
"Oh, I know you!" Merida yelped. "Thanks for trying to take the last of my family away with that stupid law! Oh, that's right! It didn't work after all!" Merida unknowingly smiled her father's half-smile!
Harry buried is face in his hands! Too funny! They ARE related! He looked up again as he heard Umbridge cough nervously.
"Very well!" Fudge sighed exasperatedly. "Give me that wand! Who's is it, anyway?"
"Percy Weasley's!" said Merida. "You're looking for an Imperious spell sent to Harry to Cruccio Lucious Malfoy! It may take a while to find because of the summertime, but it's there!"
"Riddiculous!" Fudge glowered at the wand.
"The proof is in your hands!" Merida said as she moved over to Harry. They waited as Fudge scanned Percy's wand.
"So I was possessed?" Harry looked up at Merida.
"Apparently so!" Merida sighed.
It took a while but finally, Fudge found what he was looking for. The voice was a soft whisper as if not wanting to be discovered. "Imperius Harry Potter to Cruccio Lucious Malfoy!" Dead silence followed.
"Well?" Merida finally snapped, hands on hips! "Can we GO now? You need Percy, not Harry!"
"Uh--I--er---Harry Potter?" Fudge cast around for words. "Based on this new evidence, you are free to go!"
Merida & Harry ran out the door----& into Mr. Weasley! "What the...? Merida, explain yourself this instant!"
"Oops!" Merida smiled nervously. "I had to bring Pe--er--uh--someone's wand down here. A wand that had Imperioused Harry!"
"And who's wand is that, m'dear?" Mr. Weasley looked sternly at her. Merida & Harry glanced at each other & finally told Mr. Weasley the whole story.
"Let's go!" was all Mr. Weasley could say. They headed upstairs. As soon as the elevator gate opened, in walked Mcnair!
"There she is!" Mcnair started for Merida but noticed Mr. Weasley. "Stand aside, Arthur! That creature almost killed your son!"
"Uh--we got into a bit of a fight!" Merida glanced at Mr. Weasley & then Mcnair. "Almost? Well then, he ISN't dead is he? Just scratched up a bit! Leave me alone!"
"But---!" Mcnair started.
"Be quiet, both of you!" Mr. Weasley snapped. "It's true, Mcnair! if she didn't murder Percy then she DIDN'T murder him! Merida? Harry? Let's go!"
"Oh, you won't escape so easily, Miss Snape!" Mcnair pulled out his wand.
"Rictusempra!" Merida sent a bolt of blue electricity & threw Mcnair down the hall.
Mcnair jumped up. "Expelliar---!"
"Protecto!" Harry set up the shield.
Mcnair was getting irrate. "Crucci--!"
"Silencio!" Mr. Weasley silenced him! "Quick now! Run!"
"I'll leave him with my favourite spell!" Merida snickered. "Serpensorcia!" She fled the scene, leaving a silenced Mcnair with a viper, hissing madly!
"HA! Where's a Parsle-mouth when you need one?" Harry laughed as he ran after Merida & Mr. Weasley! Mcnair backed up into the wall, staring at the snake. It would be a while before he could cast a vanishing charm on it!
Merida & Harry spent the last few days at the Burrow but all to soon, it was time for the school year to start.
Merida, Harry & Ron were on the training heading for Hogwarts & eating several treats off the trolley. "I s'ill can't be'ieve it!" Ron muttered through some chocolate frog. "Percy using an Un'orgivable! Hi 'eville!" Ron waved as he passed.
"Hey, come sit with us!" Merida invited. Neville poked his head in & grinned shyly, exposing his fangs.
"'eah! p'enty o' room!" Ron said.
"If you don't mind rude table manners!" Harry muttered, glaring at Ron as Neville sat down beside Merida.
"How's life with Lupin?" Merida asked first thing!
"Great!" Neville smiled again. "& how did your summer go?" Neville asked, knowing he didn't need to!
"Dreadful!" Merida gritted her teeth. "& what's worse, me, & Harry for that matter, are SO going to be dead when we get off the train!" Merida sighed.
They were the last one's off the train & up the stairs to the castle, Merida made sure of that! "Well, here goes nothing!" Merida snapped to no one in particular.
"I know!" Harry hung his head. "Mr. Weasley was nice enough to allow us that last week of life! He's already gone inside & I'm sure Snape knows everything!"
"Let's get this over with!" Merida marched upstairs with Harry, Ron & Neville. "He's around here, somewhere! I can feel it--AHH!" Merida let out a small gasp! "Oh lordy, lord! Speak of the devil & there he appears!"
"Very funny!" Snape wasn't amused at all! He stood over them, at the top of the stairs, his cape pulled stiffly around him. "Weasley! Longbottom! Gryfindor Tower! NOW! Mr. Potter? Merida? My office, this instant! MOVE!" Snape headed down to his office without a backward glance! Harry & Merida followed pitifully after!
