Angel: This is a sequel/AU of the fics "Howl For Me", "Amethyst", and "Jachrya". I have full permission from the author, Savage Damsel, to use her ideas/characters for this fic. Again, this is a sequel, as well as an AU. Again, the fics by Savage Damsel are called "Howl For Me" (story #: 1607405), "Amethyst" (story #: 1684070) and "Jachrya" (story #: 1755229). Go and read them if you want to really get the gist of what's going on in my fic. Ja! P.S. No flames, please, I am not to be held responsible for when my plotbunny kicks me in the ass.
(End Angel's Bullshit aka: Author's Notes)
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, never did, never will. That idea will forever belong to J.K. Rowling and her muse (more like Goddess of Literacy).
Pairings: SS/HP, SB/RL, FW/DM/GW, RW/HG, LM/AB
Timeline: I'd say about the third week of school, a day before the full moon.
Chapter Two: First Meetings
A very disgruntled were-Jachyra marched into the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, causing the room full of second years to shrink back in their chairs, not wanting to feel the lycanthrope's wrath. They all knew from past experience that Professor Potter-Snape was not one to be trifled with, especially the days leading up to a full moon, when the professor could be down-right nasty. Though his tempered had diminished immensely since his pack had taken residence at Hogwarts, the students knew that it was unwise to gain his attention in an unfavorable manner.
"Class!" Harry snapped, calling the students wary attention to their professor, who stood at the front of the room wearing a scowl that put his husband to shame, "Take out your textbooks and turn to the chapter regarding Redcaps and write me a two-foot essay explaining where you might find them and how to get rid of them." He glared around when he saw that none of the students were moving, "Well?! Get moving! It'll be due tomorrow at the beginning of class!" That got them started. Harry sat down behind his desk, his fingers brushing against his forehead, the only sound in the classroom was the rustle of paper and the scratch of a quill taking notes.
Harry knew he shouldn't have been so snappish with his class, that had done nothing wrong. For some reason, after the birth of the twins, he was always this crabby on the days of an approaching full moon. Nothing seemed to soothe his ruffled feathers until he was fully transformed and giving Aric or Ebon a ride on his back. Not even Severus could cut through his mood.
The plan he had been brewing for getting Lucius a mate was put to a grinding halt. There seemed to be no one the elder Malfoy was interested in. Harry was becoming annoyed with the whole situation. Why in the hell couldn't he be as easy to set up as Draco had been with the twins? It was increasinly frustrating to think of someone, especially since his knowledge of females around him was limited...very limited...
It was only when he heard the sudden scrape of multiple chairs against stone floors did he realize class was over. The violet-eyed wizard looked up at the students as they left, feeling his sour expression lift slightly. At least this was the last class of the day, now he could spend the rest of the afternoon in his and Severus' chambers, waiting for the full moon. And at least now no other students had to risk being the recieving end of Harry's very foul mood.
Harry stood, clearing his desk with a wave of his hand before he followed the students out into the cramped hallways. Well...it was cramped for them...for Harry, the students were giving him plenty of room, being that the knowledge of his mood had passed through the ranks. He couldn't help but smirk to himself, at least this would keep the students on their toes for the next few hours, ensuring that no troublemaking would take place in his presense.
The were-Jachyra was turning down towards the dungeons when he first heard it. It was a soft song, echoing off halls devoid of students, most returning to their rooms for some recreational time, or to work on their homework before dinner. Harry turned his head, looking up towards a staircase he had never noticed before. Well, then again, Hogwarts seemed to constantly change, so it was no surprise. The staircase was bathed in the evening sun, setting it on fire, the melody drifting down the stairs, echoing off the halls.
"Felicitas cum amicis communicata est Tristitia est communis dolor cum omnibus amicis..."
It was Latin, he knew that, but it was a strange song, one he had never heard before. Slowly, Harry made his way up the staircase, listening to the enchanting melody as it drifted down to his ears, captivating him.
"Per aspera vita beata est Causa vivendi omnibus..."
He felt like he was moving in slow motion, his feet barely making a sound as he climbed up the stone steps. Torches occasionally lit the way as the windows disappeared. Harry reached out and felt along the wall with his hands, almost as though he were ensuring that he was, indeed, going up a staircase instead of just walking in place.
"Invenire credere magni momenti Fores aperiendi Fores aperiendi tempus est..."
It was then that he reached the top of the staircase. By now, it sounded like other voices had joined the strange song. As he looked around, he noticed that he was on a balcony bathed in late afternoon sunlight, the stones shining like gold. Siloetted in the sunlight was a single form, not the heavenly chorus Harry had expected. As Harry drew nearer, he noticed that it was Allegra, the young woman who had come to intern with Trelawney. Her form was bathed in golden light, setting her hair aflame and making her skin glow. The girl's eyes were closed, and she hadn't noted his presense. Harry watched in awe as she allowed one more word slip from her parted lips:
"certe..."
Harry was still spellbound when Allegra opened her sapphire eyes, which widened when she noticed she had an audience. Harry looked a little sheepish for intruding on the girl's privacy as he stepped fully onto the balcony. Allegra looked down shyly, gathering her papers as she did.
"What were you singing?" Harry asked, stopping Allegra's hand as it went for a drawing. Her hand hovering above the paper brought the violet-eyed wizard's attention to it. It was roughly drawn, apparently during a note-taking session, for Latin words were written along the top of the page. The drawing depicted a flame-haired young woman, obviously Allegra herself, cradling a bundle wrapped in pink cloth. Looking over her shoulder was a man, one whose facial features were blurred, so he couldn't make out who he was, but the man was wearing a robe of sapphire silk trimmed in silver.
"Cora Di Dea..." Allegra replied to the question, snatching the paper and snapping Harry's attention back to her, "'In the Presense of Di Goddess'...also called 'Voices of Goddesses'..." Allegra then turned to Harry, "I am sorry, but I must get going..." the girl then fled the balcony, leaving Harry alone. It wasn't long until he turned and left as well, finding himself at the bottom of the staircase in no time where it seemed to have taken him an eternity to climb it.
"Where have you been?" Severus asked as Harry stepped though the door to their chambers. Harry looked sheepishly at his mate...there was no way he'd believe he'd been roped in by a girl! Nonetheless, he sat down with Severus and explained what had transpired with Allegra, from the song to the drawing he had seen.
"Doesn't seem too far-fetched," Severus shrugged, "I sensed something otherworldly from the girl when we were first introduced to her. There's something uncanny about Allegra, and I don't mean her ability to prophetsize..."
"You mean she's real?" Harry blinked at Severus, who nodded in affirmation to the question, "How...how do you know?"
"I did my research on our young intern," Severus smirked, leaning back in his chair, "She is the daughter of a very gifted Seer, Dulcea Benedict. And, like her mother, she has been known to show the future in drawings that she has literally no control over."
"No control over..." Harry mused, thinking about the drawing that he'd seen before the girl snatched it up. Could that possibly have been a prophecy drawing? He felt like he should have known who the man in the picture was...like the identity of the man rested on the edge of his brain, and once he knew, all the pieces would fall into place. Ah, it would have to wait for another day, for he was tired. Even with Amarth's added strength, Harry felt drained. He yawned deeply before he stood. "I think I'll skip dinner. I suppose Sirius and Remus wouldn't mind keeping an eye on Aric and Ebon for a while..." with that, the violet-eyed wizard went to his and Severus' bedroom, leaving his dark-haired mate to his thoughts.
Once Harry was gone and Severus knew he was sound asleep, the Potions Master allowed his thoughts to gather. He knew of magical creatures using song to lure others, especially mermaids, but he knew Allegra couldn't be a mermaid or any such other creature he knew who used song as a lure. It could have been a spell, for he knew of creatures who also used songs for performing complex spells. Also, the encounter seemed to have drained Harry, which lead Severus to believe that it was a song to gather energy. He didn't know what Allegra was..but he was determined to find out...
To be continued...
Author's Note: Again, hope it wasn't too choppy, I was moving with my muse. Please read and review! Extra brownie points to the person who can name the movie the song "Cora Di Dea" is from. (hint: the movie is based on a short Anime series that only ran for about 10, maybe 15 eps)