Disclaimer: This fanfiction is based on the Harry Potter universe created by
J.K. Rowling = Not mine
The plot is based on the Severitus- challenge therefore is not mine either.
Rating: PG13 mild language
Spoilers: All five books (SS/PS; CoS; PoA; GoF; OotP)
A/N: Okay, here is chapter three, hope you enjoy it.
Chapter 3: Discussions and other mayhem
The Order of the Phoenix, headquarters
31.th July
A sombre group entered the dining room of number 12. Eric was trailing slightly behind unwilling for the dreaded conversation to start. To make matters worse it was getting harder for him to block everybody else's thoughts out by the minute. …the poor boy…everything seems to happen to Harry…I can't believe James would do something so outrageous, he was always such a sweet boy…What will happen when school starts again… Fudge …Voldemort. All these mental voices were making his head spin, blurring into each other making it impossible for him to distinguish between them. Not that he wanted to "hear" them in the first place.
Only Dumbledore and Snape, both highly skilled in the art of Occlumency, didn't broadcast their thoughts, for which Eric was immensely grateful. Taking the chair on the head of the table, he propped his elbows on the tabletop and tiredly hid his face behind his hands, nursing his skull-splitting headache. Snape seated himself directly opposite his son on the oblong table –as far away from him as humanely possible and still sit on the same table. Wondering what was up with the boy, showing signs off fatigue and a being a hairbreadth away to a mental breakdown. It didn't make any sense. Why did Eric shoot annoyed glances at everyone on the table except for Albus and himself? He somehow doubted they were caused by the muted conversations between Eric's friends, Lupin, McGonagall and Ms Weasley. The voice that ripped through his mind almost made him jump out off his chair, eyes almost popping out.
Oh man, I wish everyone else on this table would be an Occlumence. For heaven's sake, can't they think a little bit more silently? Not to mention that Sn…my father told me last year that this shouldn't be possible and I'm not even trying to do anything at the moment. Oh joy I'm really looking forward for the school year to start. If I get a major headache in a small group like this what will happen while in the presence of the student body. I shudder to think about it.
All conversation died down immediately as Eric's annoyed disembodied voice ripped through their minds rather forcefully, effectively stilling their thoughts. Eric sighed in relieve, not noticing that everyone on the table was watching him rather keenly. Noticing the deafening silence that suddenly had fallen, he looked slowly up noticing their shocked and dazed faces, for the first time. Even Snape seemed slightly out off it if his gaping mouth was anything to go by. "What…I didn't just say that aloud, did I?"
"Well no not loud per se. One could say that you were …projecting your surface thoughts on everybody on this table." came the rather dry reply from his father, hiding his shock behind an indifferent mask, adding "It's not every day business to have a voice booming directly in your mind".
Groaning Eric hid his face in his hands again feeling his face beginning to heat up trying to match an overripe tomato. "Oops,…sorry?"
"It's quite alright my dear boy. You can't help it, yet." The headmaster said soothingly.
"So you know what is happening to me? My f… James was rather vague which talents I might have acquired through this adoption." Eric replied rather putout pronouncing the word adoption like it was the vilest obscenity he could think off.
"Well this might not have anything to do with the adoption at all. Though it's a well known fact that in the Snape family ran once a talent which is described as a natural Legillimens, Maybe the muggle term telepath might apply here best"
"What is that?" Ron piped up.
"Can't you guess after Eric's display? It's a person who has the ability to actually read someone elses mind and in some cases to send his or her thoughts. Occlumency helps to a degree though any shield not erected by a natural Legilimens might be penetrated in the end." Snape explained snidely.
"It was believed to be a myth. It hasn't shown in century's past. It was last reported six centuries ago. Since then no Snape had ever again possessed this skill." Dumbledore replied.
"Oh great! As if it wasn't enough to be able to do the animagus transformation without much effort and have premonitions. Now I receive some obscure mind reading skills from the Snape family as well. Oh before I forget. Does anyone know if it is possible to do spellwork without a wand?" Eric threw in, sounding rather tired.
"Well now that you mention it there was a great-uncle off mine who could almost do every spell without a wand. Why?" Snape asked almost innocently, lips beginning to twitch as if they wanted to settle in a smile though the expression was to foreign for the face of Hogwarts Potion Master. Besides it would scare the children.
"Oh, no particular reason. Just being curious, you know. Managing the animagus transformation just by practicing the incantation and wand movements without even holding one in my hands was a dead giveaway." Eric said dryly.
"What?" shrieked McGonagall and Ms Weasley at the same time while the headmaster watched his eyes twinkling like mad.
"What were you thinking. Don't you know what could have happened to you if anything had gone wrong?"
"Minerva, Molly the boy didn't use his wand It wasn't planned let it rest." Remus spoke up.
"Not planned? Remus, even if he had not planned on doing it now, he was definitely planning to do it in the near future if he was practicing the spell now."
"Well Eric what do you say for yourself?"
"I was going to ask Professor McGonagall once school started to oversee any progress I was making. Well it's a moot point now." He said, "Anyway, apart from that one, others worked without a wand too, so I put it down to accidental magic. I was rather glad that the Ministry didn't jump on that fact like last year."
Dumbledore sighed heavily before answering "Why they didn't will probably be anyone's guess. They were rather busy of late. Minister Fudge put every Department still loyal to him on damage control and PR."
"Well yeah. The Daily Prophet's newest headlines fit in that view perfectly. Boy-who–lived gone Dark! They had to cook that cock and bull story up for the newsletter." Eric scoffed.
"Oh that was probably no part off it, I'm sure and not planned at all or you would have been arrested by now. Though it definitely was a present heavenly sent for them." Dumbledore volunteered with a slight note off reproach swinging in his voice.
Ashamed Eric let his head drop his hair shielding his face effectively from view, mind wandering back to the Atrium in the Ministry of Magic, returning to Sirus fall trough the veil, Lestrange…With an effort he pulled out off his memories again.
"Well what's done is done. So it was really a stroke off luck that you could escape Fudge when you did. I gather your changed appearance was off some help here?"
"Well yeah, I slept exceptionally bad that night with what happened the night before. So I was up and about very early. I wanted to investigate last night's events. Just when I was about to leave the house Fudge arrived, indulging in a shouting match with my uncle while I was hiding in a bathroom. Let's just say it was rather lucky that I transformed when I did and jumped out of the window even though the landing in the rosebushes was a bitch."
"Language, Mr Pot…Snape. " His father scolded smirking.
"Yeah well whatever…a few seconds later Cowboy Percy blew up the door." Eric chuckled at the memory. "Somehow he didn't seem convinced that a simple "Alohomora" would have been as effective if less destructive. His sight too wouldn't have been hindered by clouds off dust."
"What did Perfect Percy use?" asked Ron with a barely suppressed mirth.
"The Reductor-curse." answered Eric smirking. Silence. Then…laughter; even Snape couldn't suppress an amused chuckle. Maybe these latest revelations were taking their toll on him too? Who was he kidding he knew they were taking their toll on him. Oh dear if this continues he would have some sore facial muscles come morning.
"Oh well he gets slightly overboard sometimes." Mrs Weasley said smiling sadly, having come to grips with Percy's falling out with his family, he was dead to her now.
"Well, you can say that. The aurors with Fudge Dawlish and Brown were downright impressed with him, I can tell you." He snickered sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Both were ordered by Fudge to keep the house under surveillance under The Disillusionment charm. By the way who kept watch over Privet Drive this morning? It wasn't Mundungus Fletcher was it?" Harry asked apprehensively. None off the adults seemed to contradict him, wearing rather sheepish faces.
"Figures. At least it was only the ministry who tried to ruin my day and not one of HIS Death Eaters. Well After listening in on Fudge and his mo…hem…cohorts, I decided to fly to London."
"Why did you fly? You could have easily used the Knight Bus, couldn't you?" McGonagall inquired disapprovingly. "Besides don't you know that it's quite dangerous for avian animagi to fly for their first time?"
Cheeks heating in embarrassment Eric replied flippantly. "Well for one I didn't wanted my face remembered anywhere close to Surrey. Fudge knows that I have used the Knight Bus back in the summer before my third year though. Therefore his aurors will surely interrogate Stan and Ern' if either Harry Potter or anyone else has travelled from Surrey just in case I would have been under disguise. I also didn't have a way to cover my scar. Be assured this would have drawn anyone's attention in seconds. Secondly there are not that many places in Privet Drive to transform back undisturbed. Please keep in mind it's, with the exception off myself, a muggle only residential area. There was also the danger of being discovered by either the aurors or our oh so normal, not to mention nosy, neighbours in Privet Drive. A raven is simply less conspicuous. No one takes note off a mere bird."
"Even if one looks as flashy as you do in your animagus form." Snape volunteered smirking at his son's discomfort. "Why don't you go ahead and show you're head of house and Dumbledore what you have accomplished."
Throwing Snape a nasty look he transformed and took to the air first landing on McGonagall's shoulder who went rigid. Figures he thought, if he could he would have smirked mischievously, cats don't exactly like birds unless it's for breakfast.
"Very impressive Mr Snape, very impressive indeed, especially if one takes into account the small amount off time it took you to pull the transformation off. Although, I've never seen a raven with green eyes before. Your plumage is quite interesting too." Dumbledore complimented Eric, eyes twinkling merrily, when his gaze fell on McGonagall who's bearings seemed to be more rigid than usual "Professor McGonagall, don't you agree?" .
"Well done Pot… eh …Snape. If you would, could you please leave my shoulder and transform back?" a rather miffed sounding Professor McGonagall pressed out. Complying to her wish he took to the air again with a decisively cheeky sounding "Squawk" and flew back to his chair, transforming back.
"Back to the subject off flying to London, I got myself a teacher." Smirking Eric pointed to Kara who sedately sat on the backrest of Eric's chair uncharacteristically quiet and retold the story off their meeting, consequent flying lesson and her decision to become his familliar. At this his friends were lying on the floor laughing. Even the adults couldn't hide their amusement.
"By the way is it normal to be able to communicate with the specie one can transform into? I can't remember reading this in "The beast within you". silence followed this.
"Well normally no, but there are some people who can converse to certain animals. You know like parseltongue. It's rather rare. I remember hearing that something like this has been running in the family all though it's manifestation is wide and far between." Answered his father. "The potion you were forced to take for your adoption is known to activate lost family traits. With you returning to the Snape heritage your dormant gifts from our family tree has been awakened as well. Few gain more than one or two from each family line. The odd ability or other might still spring on you in the next month."
"Great, just what I need. More "gifts" I won't be able to control." mumbled Eric.
"Indeed, maybe you will show some aptitude in potions in the near future for a change. The cauldrons will be relieved I'm sure." Snape scowled. If Eric hadn't paid close attention to his father's facial expression he surely would have missed the amused glint in Snape's eyes. Offering a scowl off his own, the resemblance between him and his father was even more pronounced now, he replyed in kind. "Well I'm sure, now that my teacher isn't busy anymore insulting and deducting housepoints from the supposed son of James Potter he might actually spend his valuable time teaching said students something. Wouldn't you agree?" Take that
"We'll see. Didn't you get an O in potion, anyway? You know as my son you have a reputation to uphold, don't you?" With this Snapes face turned downright malicious. "Though as refreshing this verbal sparring is would you please continue with your story?"
"All right, I found a parking garage in London were I could transform undisturbed and walked to Diagon Alley. On my way I picked something up to cover my scar. Even so I was still being stared at in Diagon Alley though for different reasons. I gather strangers are not that welcome these days. Reaching Gringotts a Goblin took me to that strange vault where my father had left me an ominous trunk and a letter explaining his motives. Professor Dumbledore would you mind reading it aloud, I don't feel like reading that … letter again." With this he held out the letter to his Headmaster. Acquiescing, the headmaster took it and, begun to read Eric's letter to the group. Eric stopped listening, his mind having a not so nice walk down memory lane...
The table faded away and before his inner eye he once more stood before his new Gringott's vault deep in the bowels off Gringotts, located in "The" High Security area. This vault was even more secure than the one the philosopher's stone had been kept in. It required the participation off the owner and a Gringotts goblin to open it.
Eric who wasn't familiar with this kind off vaults was startled out off his thought when the goblin grabbed his hand and making a small incision in his thumb for just a drop off blood to escape, before he could even react.
"We need a drop of blood from you to open it. The door will recognize your blood if you are indeed Eric Emrys Snape." The goblin smirked sinisterly. "Please press your thumb against the door." Stepping reluctantly forward, Eric obliged, while the goblin turned the key in the lock muttering lowly a sinister sounding incantation or password under his breath. With an resounding moaning creak the door opened to a dark hole, making Eric hesitate. Taking a halting step forward …Where has my Gryffindor courage gone…. the vault was suddenly lit by an indiscernible source off light.
"I will return when you finished your business here. I will know." With this the Goblin left.
Taking another step Eric entered the room fully, whirling around startled as the door fell shut with a resounding thud much faster than it had opened. Feeling decisively ill by now he inspected the room closer. It was empty except for a trunk placed in the middle of it made of shiny ebony with silver handles. Strangely this trunk didn't appear to have any locks and no gap was apparent. Leaving the mysterious door for now he approached the trunk curiously. A letter was laying on top off the lid, addressed in the same manner as his mysterious midnight letter. Hoping for an explanation for this whole mess he opened it. No such luck. The envelope only held a sort off manual for the strange trunk.
Eric,
This is an advanced seven compartment trunk as they are used by aurors. Before you are able to open it much less use it you have to key yourself in, like you did with upon entering this vault.
As you may have noticed this trunk does not need any keys. When you want to open it for the first time, let one drop off your blood fall on the lid and state clearly which compartment you want to access. The trunk is now voice activated and keyed to you, only you are now able to open it. In future just state the compartment which you want to access.
1. Compartment: accessible wardrobe
state: two suits of auror dragon hide robes, various cloths wizarding and muggle.
All fitting themselves to your built.
2. Compartment: storage room state: holding various enchanted objects
3. Compartment: more storage room state: empty
4. Compartment: even more storage room state: empty
5. Compartment: treasure vault state: holds your inheritance in galleons and various gems
6. Compartment: "the gem" a huge accessible self-updating library and study. The charms on this one are
similar to the room of Requirement at Hogwarts but not as sophisticated.
state: holds copy of every Potions, Dark Arts, Transfiguration and Charms text published or
reedited since this trunk has been modified in 1979. It also contains some ancient
texts on miscellaneous arts from the Potter heirloom.
7. Compartment: dungeon, includig self cleaning and food providing holding cell and
an Interrogation room.
state: empty
Lily and I tweaked the charms put on every singular compartment and improved them considerably. As an additional protection we also added some wards and charms on it. These safety measures are as follows:
A notice me not charm, the most powerful Lily could manage, only you are able to always see the trunk. Others are only able to acknowledge it if you want them too not even Dumbledore could break through this one easily.
An invisibility charm turns the trunk invisible while you are visiting your library in the trunk.
It's also spell resistant against all but the most powerful Dark Arts due to it's dragon hide inlay and protective wards.
When you close the trunk from the outside it will automatically turn into a necklace attaching itself to your neck only you can remove it safely, it will also deter minor hexes. It too will be invisible for anyone else.
The trunk in either state acts also as a password activated emergency portkey which will take you to an unplottable safehouse, on the Isle of Skye. The password is: Gryffindor rules.
When you open the top drawer of the desk in your study you will find four letters. Please make sure the concerned parties receive them.
James Potter
Eric snorted and with a "here goes nothing", he let a drop of blood fall on the lid following his adoptive father's instruction. "compartment six!" With this the lid swung silently open, giving way to an impressive moving staircase spiralling its way downwards. When he reached the end of the stairs, he couldn't help but stare. The room was huge, maybe twice as large as the Gryffindor common room and about thirty feet high. Three quarters off it was taken up by the library. Row after row of bookshelves, oh Hermione would really love this sight. Every book was fitted into the categories off potions, charm, Dark Arts defensive and offensive, Transfiguration and miscellaneous. When he turned to his right his eyes were greeted by a monster of a desk. The kind you would expect to see in a nineteen-century well-to-do manor. It was made of shiny oak, thank god it wasn't made off ebony like the trunk. Wouldn't that be depressive? As a whole the room screamed comfort. The desk was situated before an enchanted window, giving the impression to be twice as tall as himself and twice as wide as Dudley, giving an almost 180 degree sight off the outside world even if this shouldn't be possible. Well, why did he still wonder, he lived in the magical world after all. In fact there were all in all four such windows; on every wall one. Neither was obstructed in any way, though if one stood in the middle off the room one had a perfect 360 degree vision off what was going on outside the trunk. A thick Persian rug lay infront of the desk. Two comfy looking leather armchairs were situated directly infront off a rather big fireplace off all things. The whole room screamed practically refuge. Suddenly his stomach begun to growl with a vengeance, reminding him of the fact that he hadn't eaten since dinner yesterday. Suddenly a goblet with pumpkin juice and a plate with sandwich's appeared on the desk. With as much grace as he could muster he flopped down in the chair behind the desk and started eating. Food kept reappearing until he had his fill. No longer able to put off the inevitable he reached for the topmost drawer and took hold off the letter's and opened his own. Again it was addressed to Eric Emrys Snape aka Harry Potter.
Dear Eric,
How I wished that you could be really my son. For you to read this letter means that I have died sometime between your birth and your seventh birthday and therefore failed to administer the second dose off the adoptive potion which would have made you my son by blood. I apologize for this. Now you are again Snivellus son, pardon I mean Severus Snape. I could never fathom what drew Lily, your mother, to him. She was such a bright light, shining like an angel and yet she chose the devil in the guise off one Severus Snape. How I loath that man ever since school you can't begin to imagine. He is embroiled so deeply in his beloved dark arts that he can't see anything else outside his narrow view; a snake by no other name, a true Slytherin, a Death Eater, a servant to Lord Voldemort. Oh he eventually turned spy but how sincere is he? I ask myself. What was the idiot thinking when he married my Lily? If their marriage had been discovered by his associates there would have been hell to pay. They would have killed him and Lily. Not that I would care what happens to that moronic Slytherin but the love off my life was another matter.
On and on went the letter in much the same fashion for two pages straight, dripping hate, before the final blow was dealt.
As you surely can understand I can't let you tarnish the good name of the Potters any further by your paternal heritage. So I admit you probably will have inherited some magical traits off the Potter line permanently because of the first ingestion of the adoptive potion nonetheless. You will probably become quite adept in the fine arts off transfiguration it won't take long for you to turn into your animagus form. There also some precognitive traits running in our family line as well. It's nothing approaching a seer's status, just hunches, feelings what is going to happen. I suggest whenever these occur follow your instincts.
On your sixteenth birthday the majority of the Potter inheritance will go to the next heir in line. She goes by the name off Elemir Lovegood a distant cousin off mine, rather odd, married to the editor of "The Quibbler". In case off her death it will go to her children equally. Don't worry you won't be left with nothing. Your inheritance will consist off what is stored in this trunk. You also own the safe-house this portkey is connected to and the surrounding country. It's also unplottable. So this is besides the point at the moment, once the Department of Magical Inheritance will open my new "last will and testament" it will look to them as if you had died. The change off your magical signature will be quite helpful to that end. No one ever knew that you were only adopted not even my dearest friends. The witnesses have all been obliviated. In the end not even Lily remembered that she had been married to Snape and that I merely adopted you. No one will ever be able to connect Eric Snape with Harry Potter ever and you would do well to keep it that way. There is still the matter off your wand left to be discussed. You won't be able to use your old one properly now, besides it is to dangerous. Mr Ollivander will know which wand should fit you now. After reading this letter you would correctly surmise that I loath you almost as much as Snivellus so why did I make sure that you get this trunk and a not unsubstantial endowment. For one you are still Lily's son and secondly you need whatever help you may get to finally defeat that monster who if he wins will destroy wizarding society beyond recovery I can feel it in my bones.
As a last note Good luck, Prophecy or no you will definitely need it.
James Harrison Potter (Prongs)
Eric was decisively feeling ill now. The last remnants off James Potter as a loving, doting father had been dispelled. In a trance he got up, feeling closed in, and ran up stairs shutting the lid with a resounding bang breathing heavily. A second later the trunk had transformed in a necklace and attached itself to his neck. The vault door swung open again and his goblin guide beckoned him to follow. He barely remembered how he got back to Gringott's entrance hall. "Mr Snape the vault you have just visited was set aside for you only for this one visit. Do you intend to open an account here?" Eric was about to protest before he remembered that he wasn't Harry Potter anymore and didn't have any vault as Eric Emrys Snape as of yet. Forcing a semblance of a smile on his face he politely declined. The bearings off the goblin grew slightly frosty and with an air that stated quite clearly Don't waste our time than he wished Eric "Good bye!".
The prolonged silence after Dumbledore had finished reading and returning the letter to Eric was suddenly broken by a forceful "That bastard!" by an enraged Ronald Weasley eliciting a wan smile from Eric for his loyalty. The indignant "Ronald Weasley!" from Mrs Weasley, who coincidentally agreed with her son wholeheartedly, was certainly not up to par with her usual standard, only done out off habit anyway.
The rest of Eric's friends looked murderous. McGonagall and Remus Lupin, even after he had James letter, were in denial, they couldn't believe that glorious James Potter had done something to this magnitude. James had not only stolen another man's wife and child, he also had renounced said child irrevocably only because he was unable to finalize the adoption magically. Come to think off it there probably weren't any official papers beside the birth certificate Eric had received, which was a blessing in disguise. James had wanted a magical heir to his name. A perfect carbon black copy, who killed the Dark Lord and therefore enlarge the fame off his family name. He didn't want to be remembered as the dude his wife had supposedly cheated on, with Snape off all people.
Severus Snape appeared to be absolutely calm nothing in his demeanour showed the state of his troubled mind. His eyes were locking with his son's and mechanically reaching for his pictures and emotions. Again he was rebuffed by a powerful shield off Occlumency. "My dear father," Eric's voice was dripping with sarcasm now, so he was slightly amused at his father's antics. It would take quite some time for the git to acknowledge that his most hated student was his son, though his new looks would help him quite a bit. "I thought you knew after our short encounter in Diagon Alley that my mind is better protected nowadays."
Snape grumbled. "Oh well … just thought it might have been a fluke. Though I have to admit that the Dark Lord probably won't be able to breach it….easily that is, especially not from a distance. I'm almost impressed." He smirked.
Figures, Eric thought, that would be as far as compliments would go. "That's weird." Neville burst out suddenly.
"Mr Longbottom, please refrain from prompting the glaring obvious. I'm quite aware that this situation is as far from our normal behaviour as it could get. But please rest assured that I won't change my behaviour around your lot too much. Albus wouldn't forgive me if one off you were to die off cardiac arrest just because your little brains wouldn't be able to cope." He sneered, receiving censoring stares from the adults and Eric. He found Eric's especially hard to return with one off his own.
For the first time after the headmaster had read Erics letter he spoke up "Eric, did you get a new wand from Ollivanders as the letter suggested already?"
"Well yeah, after I visited the mystery vault, ran in my father, I did as James suggested and went to Ollivander's. This time he only showed me one wand. It fit's even more perfectly than my old one had. Ollivander said it was customer made on behalf off James."
"I wonder Eric could you please show us your new wand?" "Sure, here you are." The headmaster studied it carefully a small smile playing around his lips and the maddening knowing twinkle alighted his eyes, a and after a few minutes off quietly studying the wand he handed it silently back to it's owner.
The Headmaster, deciding this would be a good time to turn the subject to a more pressing matter e.g. Eric's new identity.
"Eric you know we need a cover story for you…an explanation so to speak why you didn't live with your father and were you went to school until now. However I have to do some research first. I hope I will have a rough outline by tomorrow. I hope that's agreeable with you and your fa…Professor Snape." The headmaster amended quickly when he noticed two sets off death glares thrown his way by his Potions master and Eric. "Oh I almost forgot I still got your Hogwart's letter. Here you are." handing the letter over to Eric who took it with a rueful smile. "You know that you will be sorted again come fall, don't you?"
"Well I guessed that much." Eric snorted, "I wonder if I will be sorted back into Gryffindor again. I dearly hope that ruddy hat doesn't get into his head to sort me into Slytherin."
"And what pray tell me is wrong with my old house?" his father asked dangerously calm.
"Four names which come instantly to my mind. Tom Marvolo Riddle aka Lord Voldemort….Malfoy, doesn't matter which generation,….Crabbe,…Goyle,…do I have to continue? Malfoy was one off my prime reasons back in my first year not to allow the hat to sort me into that house. The git reminded me a bit too much off Dudley for comfort. There was also the tiny little fact that the murderer of my par…well mother and James was a member off that house. However, I have to admit that it would be rather strange for the son of the Slytherin head of house to be sorted in any other house but Slytherin. Gryffindor will be too suspicious I do not think that I have enough traits off either Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, don't laugh I'm quite studious if I want to find something out I can't help it if it's seldom school related." Eric clarified.
"I'm sure you will do quite fine in any house you will be sorted into. I leave you to it now." Said Dumbledore soothingly and turning to the adults "We will see each other later again for the order meeting. Please refrain from leaving this house."
With this he stood up letting a sigh escape and headed for the front door. Just at that moment his father hissed in pain covering his left arm, leaving the room quickly as well, changing his clothes on his way out into the usual Death Eater attire. When Eric saw both figures leave he felt a sense off foreboding. Before he could act on it both had already left the house.
The room had fallen silent again until Hermione spoke up tentatively "Eric you know that it is dangerous for you that we know who you used to be, don't you? Too many people know about your secret."
"Hermione what are you talking about" Exclaimed Ron
"Ron think about it if any one off us sitting on this table falls into Voldemort's hands Eric and Professor Snape would be doomed. Even so the ministry will think Harry is dead do you honestly belief that Voldemort falls for that rot? Those two are connected by that scar. He will know."
Paling considerably, Eric gathered from Hermiones mind exactly were this would lead too, pleading, "Hermione please don't think about it. You are my only friends."
Her face softened "You know it's best. Think about it. Hogwart's is not completely safe it never has been. Remember what happened in our past adventures. Think about Myrtle. Think about the false Moody. Anyone off us could be abducted, and don't make the mistake to believe any off us would stand a chance against Voldemorts torture, veritaserum or Legilimens. In the end it will break any one off us. We are known to associate with Harry Potter. At the end off last term we choose to follow you to the Ministry." At this Eric cringed as if dealt a blow. "I said we chose to follow you, we love you, you dolt. Do you honestely think we would let you run headlong into danger alone?" snapped Hermione. "How often do we have to tell you that you are stuck with us?"
"But…"
"Eric, unfortunately you are standing slightly alone with your opinion here. Don't you agree?" Ginny said deceptively sweet, on a closer look she looked downright feral. Noting similar looks on Ron's, Neville's and Luna faces, Eric gave up it wouldn't do him any good if he continued anyways.
Hermione brought them back to her suggestion "There are actually two ways we can accomplish what is necessary. One we store every memory connected with Eric in a pensieve or secondly we ask Dumbledore to obliviate us. I doubt that even Voldemort could break a memory charm set by the Headmaster."
Silence followed her words, than… "Hermione are you out of your mind? How could you…" "Eric needs his friends!" "That's ridiculous" "Miss Granger you can't suggest that the Headmaster should obliviate you lot." "I don't mean just us." Came Hermione's steely reply. "I mean every single person in this room besides Eric. If anyone present in this room would be captured, do you honestly think that person woudn't spill all off his or her secrets eventually? There are Potions, Legilimency and if these fail there is still the old fashioned way."
"But, doesn't Professor Snape brew the Veritaserum for You-know-who? Couldn't he just spike it or something?"
"Sure Neville, though it's way to dangerous to spike it. You see, you need the victim to play along he or she has to act as if they were under the potions effect right down under the Dark Lords nose. It would be simply to dangerous. It's one thing to fool someone like Umbridge who for one isn't awe inspiring and secondly has no clue about potions whatsoever."
Their discussion went on for hours and sunset was approaching fast. After sometime, McGonagall, Mrs Weasley and Remus begun to throw each other worried glances. It took some time for the children to notice "Is something wrong? You look slightly worried."
"Potter, leave it to the adults. Which concerns us is no business of yours." Spluttered McGonagall, shocking Eric. He never seen his head of house so out off sorts and it didn't help to sooth the uneasy feeling he had since Dumbledore had left.
Why he was more worried over the headmaster the most powerful wizard off the world, than Snape who was afterall attending a death Eater meeting, he couldn't fathom. Soothingly Remus cut in, "Easy Minerva, easy. That question has merit. You see Eric there was an order meeting scheduled which should have started a quarter hour ago. Even so some order memebers are regularly late, Professor Dumbledore never is and some order memebers should have arrived by now."
Paling slightly, Eric asked "Well what do you think does that mean?"
"We are not sure, but if no one shows up in the next ten minutes, I'm going to look for Dumbledore." Suddenly they heard loud noises from the entrance hall, "MOODBLOODS, BLOODTRAITORS, DIRT…BEGONE FROM MY HOU…" screeched Mrs Black, a loud bang could be heard stopping her in mid rant.
Three heavy sets of footsteps could be heard, just when Eric made his mind up to have a look, the door to the dining room was roughly pushed open and three ragged bloodied figures stumbled in supporting a fourth who looked far worse. Only on second glance Eric recognized them as Fred, George, Tonks and Moody, with the ex-auror hanging dazedly between the other three.
Mrs Weasley made a distressed noise running to her sons. "What happened, where is everyone else?"
"Dead, captured… Don't know. Is Dumble…Who are you?" Fred pressed out suspiciously when he first noticed Eric.
"Oh don't worry he is the son off Snape. But he is OK. Though what happened to you." It was a sign off Fred's condition that he didn't find this strange at all. Eric would never forget the sombre look Fred gave them, it looked simply…wrong on the pranksters face.
Before Fred could say anything, Eric could see exactly what had transpired in Diagon Alley earlier before his inner eye. About one-hundred-and-fifty Dementors running amok in Diagon alley, people running screaming, people getting kissed, a dozen Death Eater' throwing curses left and right, successfully keeping anyone to perform the Patronus charm. It was pandemonium. Eric was getting even more nauseous when Fred begun to recount the events that happened in Diagon Alley.
Suddenly Erics scar acted up. "It's Voldemort! He is close we have to…" Just at this moment they heard the front-door blasted open. "leave." He finished lamely reaching for his trunk-turned-necklace pulling it off, just as Remus put some quick wards on the door so he knew it wouldn't keep Voldemort out for more than seconds. "Quick," ordered Eric "this is an emergency portkey touch it now." No one questioned him, obeying quickly. Moody lay halfway over the trunk lid next to Kara, he was unconscious." When everyone had desperately touched the trunk Eric could feel the first waves of a bone-freezing unnatural chill associated with Dementors and the pain in his scar screamed evil-bad-dark-lord is approaching – FLEE!.
Quickly Eric mumbled "Gryffindor rules" under his breath just as the wards on the door were shred to pieces, the doorframe and halve off the wall being turned into sharp missiles obliterating everything what seconds before had been an elegant dining room, the group was whisked away to safety accompanied by the all too familiar sensation of an hook around their navel. If an observer had been in that room he would, as the dust settled down again, be able to see a dark hooded figure screaming in rage red eyes aglow.
In a none-descriptive house located in a quiet suburbia off London the traitor was sitting in a comfy armchair in front of a big fireplace, flames dancing merrily. It didn't radiate any heat though a simple charm had taken care off that, it was summer afterall. He was nursing a glass off old cognac the only vice in his life, well the hunger for power was another one perhaps. Suddenly there was a popping noise as if someone had just apparated into his living room. Dread filled him when he realized that indeed someone had apparated in, someone who was radiating great amounts of anger and …power, someone who was standing right behind him. Just as realization hit him and a hoarse "Master" escaped his lips he was put under the cruciatus curse before he even could kneel before his master. He screamed. Finally, after what felt like ages the curse was lifted. The traitor lay sprawled on the carpet in front off the still burning fireplace, his muscles still twitching from time to time and taking geat gulps off air. A burning sensation came from his right hand where he had crushed the glass he was holding, a minor pain compared to the aftereffects off the cruciatus. His breath hitched when his master spoke fear filling him. "You failed me my weasely friend. This once I will let it pass without too much pain. If for any reason this happens again…" he trailed off leaving the horrors off what he would do in case of a repeated failure to the victims own mind. They were far better at imagining off what would befall them in such a case, anyway. After effectively having regained his newest servant's attention, he continued almost amiable. "I have a new assignment for you. Hogwarts…"
A/N: I would like to add that there is a specific reason why the Fidelius Charm failed which will be revealed in future chapters.