CHAPTER TWENTY A--SECRETS REVEALED

Shattering screams of pain echoed through the castle walls, as two unconscious figures thrashed on the beds. Several hands tried to hold them in place, to stop further movements. "ISIS! OSIRIS!"

Neither Mage would answer as the screaming continuing. Madame Pompfrey was at a loss, "I can't find anything wrong!"

"There is nothing wrong. Queen has sent them back. This is the pain of their bodies reconnecting with their spirits after being in a hellish realm. There's nothing to stop this pain until the connection is fulfilled." The twins quickly explained.

The screaming slowly died to a whimper as Osiris trembled in the after wash of pain. Isis simply fainted from the shock. Bleary emerald eyes fluttered, trying to focus. "Isis?"

"She's here, War Mage. She's sleeping, fainted from the shock."

"Oh, yeah. She-Demon said it would hurt. Remind me to never do that again."

Lucas snickered, gently holding his new blonde mate close, who finally felt free to be himself since his father's imprisonment. The elf's voice was muffled from the fact he hid his face in the warm pale throat of his mate, "You always say to remind you and you always go."

Osiris groaned as he tried to pull an exhausted body into a sitting position. "Just as well. She-Demon granted us our only wishes, though we really never chose."

The twins jumped in excitement, "What she grant? Tell us! We're dying to know!"

Severus snorted, "Says the ones who are already dead."

Thor rolled his eyes, "They're not really dead, just floating spirits. I'm truly dead, well undead." Onyx eyes glared at the vampire for daring to correct him. Thor simply ignored the gaze, "Do tell."

"I was granted to allow my mate her name but he must appear in her presence soon. He was also given a gift from her and the removal of something disfiguring, despite the connection already being broken earlier." At that moment, Severus silently, and unnoticed, touched his now bare left forearm. Just before he came to the infirmary with the other professors his arm had flared with sudden pain and then dully throbbed as he watched the Dark Mark fade, unsure of what he felt.

Isis began to moan in pain, just waking to hear her friends' voices, adding her part to the conversation in which she heard the last part, interrupting the Potion Master's thoughts, "I get to control my mate's transformation. Once a month I must return home with my mates so they may learn more of my world. But my mate may never become a true werewolf. That part has now become an animagus."

For once in his life, Remus felt hope. This was the chance he had always wanted and just may receive. Sirius dragged the man into a tight embrace, "Your dream, Remus."

"Can I have water? My throat's on fire." Two males jumped at her request as Isis stretched out tensed muscles. "Thank you." Grateful for the cold drink, Isis turned to her bedridden friend, determined to finally clear the hidden secrets. "There's more. Tell them, Osiris."

Green eyes lowered in regret as his voice fell short of a whisper, "You won't believe this but Harry Potter is not dead."

Sirius immediately pounced, "You know my godson? Where is he? How is he? Please, tell me. I haven't heard from him in two years." The tearful voice broke the Mage's heart as the others waited with baited breath.

"It's been longer than that, Sirius. At the end of his fourth year, Harry Potter was beaten within an inch of his life by his uncle, all because an owl interrupted an important meal. A small group called The Council had sent out two people to retrieve him upon receiving the vision of his beating. Taking everything he owned, the two saviours disappeared with Harry to their world. There, three elves did what they could to heal the boy. At first they had to call in a Spirit Guide to break the connection from the boy's scar and the dark lord. It was the only way to save him, the darkness inside the boy was overriding the his will to live. Once the connection broke, a seer took the chance to connect with this darkness. This seer would live with the visions a child had been forced to dream, to see. From this seer we learned various attacks and plans." Refusing to look up, Osiris pushed on through the shocked silence, "After at least two weeks with the elves, Harry Potter was given a mentor. A mentor by the name of Lexi, a centaur. In this new world, in which he learned that all types of creatures only lived, Harry was the first human to enter. For ten years, Harry was pushed into training. He trained hard to become a War Mage, as well as the right hand to She-Demon. At his graduation rites he was given a new name and a mission. Upon his leaving, Harry found his new friends, who had trained with him those long years, becoming his team-mates. And that group came to Hogwarts."

Stunned, Sirius could barely, forgetting in that moment the anger at his godson's relatives, "What are you trying to say?" He wasn't sure but he could swear the Mage was telling him that Osiris was his godson.

Emerald eyes looked his godfather in the eye, "I am Harry Potter. I'm almost 25 years old. I have been gone for ten years their time and two years your time. I had trained hard to become War Mage Osiris, Death's Messenger. And I have never regretted those years, only the time I could never be here to stop all those who died." No one could say anything but gape openly in shock, anger, and relief. Though he inwardly cringed at the look of hatred and anger on Severus' face.

Isis snorted, "Stop those who died? Osiris, I swear I was going to strangle you back then. You gave me the most difficult time of my life! Do you know how easy it is to watch after a man hell-bent on wanting to throw his life away, knowing he was playing both sides as a spy!"

"Uh, sorry?"

Isis was glad she couldn't move too much or else she would be strangling her friend for the hardship he gave her, "That man is the most stubborn creature I have ever met!"

"That man? You wouldn't be talking about Professor Snape?" Draco was the only one willing to say anything since Osiris made his confession. He wasn't too comfortable with the heavy silence or the looks the Mages were receiving, especially Lucas.

"Yes, I am. Osiris wouldn't settle with a mere look out. Oh no! He wanted that man watched and helped at every turn. That bloody loyalty drove me insane! Almost suicidal! I was the man's guardian angel, so to speak. I was the one who made sure Severus always made it home or that someone met him when he couldn't stay awake. I would take most of the pain from the small tortures. That night he was betrayed, I marked his betrayer, for later use to Osiris, and forced the giant snake to chase that cowardly rat in the way of the last few curses that would have killed him, so he could escape. He suffered damaging beatings from everyone and more. The torture from his so-called lord was nothing compared to allowing the followers, even the newly marked, to practice hexes and spells on him. I had sort of invaded his mind, giving him my energy so he was able to run, though I'm sure he hated that. I had the twins make the forest he ran through more dangerous for his followers. I wasn't going to let him go back. Thor and Lucas manipulated the wards, making them closer then they should have been. I believe they were ten feet from their original positions. I also had Ilianya speak to Fawkes to make the headmaster worry about his charge. Because of this feeling, Severus was met by concerned friends. I was weak for weeks after that. I had used most of my energy to help him escape and heal his most fatal wounds, as well as the few I knew he wouldn't want anyone to know about."

Severus paled as his fatal night was relived to everyone, fear overtaking anger, despite learning he had been taken by his nemesis' son, Harry Potter. "You should have left things be!" With those poisonous words, he fled.

"I'm sorry." But her soft words fell on empty space. Facing the others, she quickly distracted them from hearing the man's sordid betrayal, "Uh, guess this would also be the best time to say that Harry Potter is also friends with the next ruler of hell."