Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story. Except a few things which you don't recognize from original series or anywhere else.
Author: zimagesto
Title: Harry Potter and the Legacy of Slytherin
Summary: Seventh year at Hogwarts. Contains: the Lord of Darkness, the Dark Lord, a bunch of elves, a lost kingdom and a lot of interesting stuff. Twisted story with a twisted end. Not conventional. Worth reading. R&R
Author's Note: Hi guys! Had a broken down internet, but as you can see, I've managed to post! Now, on to some small news: GamingGuy84, I like you. You're completely trashing my favorite pairing in this story, but I decided that you are somewhat right. No, I won't break them up… ;-) I'll give your voice a character and put it in this. The voice of "Amala/Snape is just wrong" will be represented by our one and only favorite… Sirius Black! Enjoy!
Also, Red, in case you're still reading and everybody else: there is a small 'tribute piece' written for something in the Red Dragons Order "Sagas". Those of you who read her "HP and the Order of the Phoenix" and "Hp and the Green Flame Torch" will recognize it ;-).
Link to my
Chapter 7: The New Lands or History Repeats Itself
Once upon a long time ago, Christopher Columbus had a dream. He dreamed of sailing the seas and getting to the far lands of India by going instead of east, through Turkish territories, as everybody did, going west and circling round the world. So, he sailed.
Of course, he never made it there. He made it to America and discovered it. It is said that right after the discovery, a few other people started commenting on his success and finally, getting mad, Columbus asked them if they were capable of making an egg stand tip-up on a table. The people tried and tried to do it, but none of them could make the egg stand like that for more than a second. Asked how it would be possible, Columbus took an egg and smashed it against the table, of course the remains of it standing tip-up.
"We could have done that!" one of the people cried.
"Then why didn't you?" he retorted.
What is remarkable about this story is that, even though he had had the idea, he had known how to "smash the egg" for the journey, he never realized he hadn't made it to India, but had discovered a new land. It wasn't until indeed, much later, Amerigo Vespucci realized the error and named the new land, of course, after himself. And Columbus… well… he got two cities, and you could say he also got a state and a river, couldn't you?
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
"Avery, have you found it yet?" he heard the voice.
"Still searching, Master" he replied, shaking slightly.
"You better find it soon, it has reached my ears that the Fal'sil shall return. We cannot fight the Fal'sil by ourselves, now can we?"
"No, Master…" Avery replied slowly and turned to look into those red, snake-like eyes.
"Perhaps something to make you hurry up" Voldemort asked with a small disturbing smile.
"I'm doing the best I can, Master, I swear!" the man said, but before he could say anything, the pain of a Crucio hit him… and even while burning with pain, he still felt he had not deserved it.
"Hurry, Avery, we have not much time" he said in an at first sing-song voice only to drift off in that horrible demonic voice.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
"Come on, Sirius, you know Severus called us to his Manor and we should be there on time!" Iris said, although she knew it was somewhat a lost cause. Where was Remus when you needed him?
"Coming, love" he replied while putting on some more decent clothes.
"Hurry!" she begged.
But, surprisingly enough, it took him a very short time to get all dressed up. Much shorter than she'd imagined.
"See? I'm ready and I'm ready on time" he said with a soft laugh as he kissed her briefly.
"You were almost late" she said with a roll of her eyes. "Well come on, Remus is waiting"
They left their room and went down the stairs in the kitchen where, indeed, Remus was waiting. He smiled at the two before taking some Floo Powder and throwing it in the fireplace while calling for Snape Manor. Iris went next, winking at Sirius before disappearing and the Animagus left last.
Sirius had never truly enjoyed Flooing. Actually, he doubted anybody did, but to be truthful, he downright felt sick after it. All that spinning... especially after a short breakfast. He much preferred just sticking his head in, but never mind that.
He got to Snape's house and again admitted to himself that the man did indeed have taste and a great house. Too bad he couldn't be half as decent as the house pointed him out to be. He had never truly understood why Amala went out with him. Actually, he doubted anybody did.
His two companions were waiting for him and Iris laughed.
"You look worse than you usually do after Flooing" she told him.
"Thanks" he replied and she giggled. Women.
"Well, we should go, the others must be expecting us" Remus said and made a small gesture towards the other room.
They moved on through the doors towards the other room and Sirius's eyes widened as he saw a large group of people there, some of which he definitely did not recognize.
There were three elves, he could see, two of them he recognized as Iris's friends. But the third he didn't know, he'd never seen her before. And that… woman. Well, if the witches in the Middle Ages looked like that, no wonder there had been a thing called 'inquisition'. She looked as dark as Snape, as evil as a she-demon and as much a control-freak as… Voldemort, maybe?
And the young man, he looked like an easy-going person, not very careful with words or gestures, and yet responsible. A bit like Sirius himself, really.
And the scene, it looked really… unfriendly? Would that be the word? Snape and that witch-woman were at each other's necks, spitting words at one another. The two male elves were watching them ready to jump at signs of battle and the she-elf was lying back and enjoying the show. Albus and Minerva –Albus and Minerva? What were they doing here?- were trying to say something. The refugees of Snape Manor were sitting down, Draco eyeing everything with something like glee in his eyes and the others maybe a tad worried. Amala was two meters away from the arguing Snape and witch, looking undecided whether she should step in or run away, far, far away.
And that wolf of Severus's… he was walking between the two, growling and saying something.
"How dare you, you filthy vermin!" the witch cried and Sirius could feel a part of him enjoying her cry. Yep, 'filthy vermin' described Snape well enough.
"This is Snape's Manor, Sybille" the young man said. "He has the right to do…"
"He must treat us like the true warriors that we are!" she cried back to him. "Or do you like sleeping in some creature-infested rooms, Maxwell?"
"My room wasn't infested" he frowned and the she-elf let out a snort of laughter.
"What?!" the Sybille woman cried and, apparently, tried to put a threatening finger under Snape's nose, but her hand moved too fast and she poked him in the nose. "ow dare you, you bloody…"
"Such a fine true warrior yelling and cursing like a sailor" Snape said in a very ironic matter. "Where is the world getting to?"
"Better bedrooms, I do hope" Sybille replied. "A disgrace to the wizarding world, aren't we now, Snape?"
"I don't know about myself, but you surely are" the other man replied in a cold voice.
"Come on, you two" Colt cried from somewhere under them. "Try acting like adults!"
"Shut up, you filthy wolf and go back in the forest with your pack" Sybille spat.
"Nobody treats my wolf like that" Snape said, really angered now.
The she-elf got up from the couch and walked towards the three new people in the room.
"Hello" she said in a low voice. "Place your bets."
To Sirius's surprise, Iris did indeed take out a galleon and handed it out to her.
"Severus" she whispered.
"Anybody else?" the elf asked and winked at Remus and Sirius.
"I bet on her" Remus said as Sybille poked Severus in the nose again. It became quite clear to Sirius that she did it on purpose. And that he was getting mad.
"Him" he replied and took out a galleon himself.
"Good, good" she nodded and walked to some others, apparently with the same question.
"Who's that?" Sirius asked his lover.
"That'd be Sania Demonheart, she used to be a human being until she became half-elven by the grace of her Master" Iris replied quickly. "She spent a lot of time with Saren, the priestess, though, and she's started betting for fun"
"Saren bets?" Sirius asked with a frown.
"With a passion" Iris replied and winked at him. "Oh, no, I missed it! Remus, how did they get to the topic of vampires?"
"I couldn't tell you exactly" Remus replied. "It's quick and confusing. Hey, look, Amala's sat down and I think she's betting also"
"I bet she's bet on Snape" Remus whispered to Iris.
"I bet that too" she laughed.
"I don't think so" Sirius said quickly, watching the scene. "How much do you bet?"
"Five galleons!" they both replied in the same time and Sirius smirked.
"I'll hold you up to that" he laughed shortly.
Sania returned to her seat on the couch and, before she was seated comfortably, Amala jumped back to her feet and rushed towards the two.
"Alright, show's over!" she cried to the two and they both turned to her, intrigued. "Act like grownups, now. Sybille, he was a complete baby to give you a room like that, but you're a complete baby by arguing like this about it. I mean, you're a great warrior, you shouldn't act like a normal human being, like this, right? You're superior!"
Sybille just watched her, gaping slightly.
"And Severus! I really thought more of you! Yes, she started bossing you in your own house, but what was up with that bedroom? She's a guest and you're supposed to be a true host! Well?! Now, both of you, stop arguing, we all have better things to do, like seeing what is to be done about the whole queen Jane situation! It's more important than your personal fights, you can have those later!"
The two just stared at her in disbelief before Sybille let out a short bark of laughter.
"Now I know why adults usually say: 'shut up when people older than you are talking'. Fledglings sometimes have more common sense"
The transformation from complete witch to a person with humor and understanding and capable of losing was so surprising that everybody else was frozen with chock.
"The girl is right. Pardon me, Severus"
"Pardon me, Sybille" he replied, still trying to figure her out.
After they shook hands, Sania stepped out of her stupor.
"Hah! Everybody lost, besides Amala!" she laughed. "Come on, Amy, let me give you your money"
There were groans all over, especially from the teenage group. Sirius smirked as he shouted towards Sania.
"Who did she bet with?" he asked.
"Herself, despite my expectations" Sania replied with laughter in her eyes.
"Pay up, pay up" Sirius said with a large grin and Remus and Iris groaned.
"What is going on?" Snape asked, raising an eyebrow.
"We were betting who we thought would win the fight" Amala replied. "I betted on myself. And won, of course"
"And we betted she would bet with you and we lost!" Iris said in a half-whining tone, putting the money in Sirius's open hand.
"Sorry, love, I wasn't 100 that you'd win" Amala said, collecting her money also.
"Who here has bet?" Snape asked, intrigued again and Amala's hand shot up in the sky. Soon, Remus and Iris joined her. Sirius also did. One by one, the teens raised their hands. Next followed Maxwell and, finally, the two male elves raised their hands. "That all?" the Potion Master asked.
"Oh, I also bet!" Albus said. "And lost spectacularly, I must say"
"Alas, who was I not to bet?" Minerva asked with a low sigh and Severus watched them with a look of surprise.
"Everybody here?" he asked slowly.
"Yes!" they all replied, even Colt. "Hey, I bet one galleon on you too" the wolf excused himself. "The fact that I was between you didn't mean I couldn't see what was going on, no?"
The others laughed at the two fighters' shocked faces and at Colt's sheepish one.
"Now, on to business" Amala said with a short sigh. "Severus, Sybille, do the honors, speak the topic"
She went and sat down next to Sania who was smirking at her.
"Let us start with the beginning. Do you all remember when Naranesh came to Hogwarts?..."
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
"All settled, then" Maxwell said after two exhausting hours of talking. "We will take her to see her kingdom today, then we will return with her in one week. After that, we start to train her in Hogwarts. Everybody –finally- pleased?"
There was a unanimous 'yes' and Jane left with Iris to pack her bags. It would be exciting. Exhausting, but exciting. Harry looked long after the young girl and found himself feeling maybe a little sorry for her… she would have to rule a kingdom all by herself, for the rest of her life. Maybe it would be a wonderful life, but maybe it would be a burden that she would wish she'd never accepted… And Harry knew how such burdens felt like. But the difference was, he'd never chosen his and he would only carry it until Voldemort was gone… or he himself was gone.
But who was he kidding? He'd still have the fame and glory if he lived. Would anybody truly ever get to know him, or would they just look at the 'Boy-Who-Lived'?
"Poor child" he head a slow voice and turned to see Remus Lupin having the same look of pity that he knew he had on his face.
"I think I am beginning to agree" Sybille said slowly. "But alas, she has Eagle's blood running through her veins. She will do well. I will be with her all the way"
"Hear, hear" Maxwell said with a surprised look. "What determined that change of attitude, Sybille?"
"Her" the witch replied. "The Queen herself."
"She barely said anything, besides 'yes' and 'I'll try' and 'I'll do my best'" Maxwell pointed out.
"Exactly" Sybille replied and, seeing Maxwell's confused face, added: "I'd thought she was a spoiled girl, wanting everything to be done for her, but she is truly the Queen, I see. Or she will be, when she grows up a little. Meanwhile, I will be with her, helping as much as I can"
Harry frowned. He hadn't particularly liked Sybille –except when she was arguing with Snape-, but he was starting to understand her a little. She was this determined, Slytherin woman –who cared she'd never went to Hogwarts? Harry could take the place of the Sorting Hat now, she was in the House of Snakes- and she was really possessive about everything and ready rather to take everything in her own hands than let something she liked fall down while she was watching. Which meant, she was possessive with the Fal'sil and ready to kill to become Queen so she'd be sure everything was alright if an awful ruler was on the throne. Hopefully, this wouldn't be the case now… But how had the last King died? Harry wasn't sure he wanted to find out, but he hoped the causes were natural.
"Everything is really screwed, if you ask me, mate" Ron muttered towards him. "Where do all these elves and people keep coming from? They weren't here a few years ago and I'm quite sure that this is the first time Mum and Dad hear about them"
"It is indeed strange… I wonder what's happening" Hermione said
"The world is changing, maybe for the better, maybe for the worst" Amala replied. "I can feel it…" she stopped as the other three stared at her weirdly. "It's like an agitation on the background."
"I heard that!" Sania said loudly and Harry jumped. He hadn't realized that she was so close. Everybody in the room turned towards the half-elf and she smiled. "The world is changing indeed… Seers and warriors can feel it and some others probably can, too. Seers feel it because at their origins, they were the ones that saw the world as it was, the structures of the world. Today, much of that is lost, but they can still feel when the world is changing. And warriors, because they need to feel everything… And besides, us warriors are called to war now"
She paused dramatically and Harry asked her, wishing for her to continue:
"War? Who's calling you? What war? The one against Voldemort?"
"There is call, I do not know who's calling" she replied with a slight frown. "But I believe it is the world itself. It is agitating, stirring… I feel the urge to travel, to explore, to ready my weapons… My senses are on the edge, I am always ready to jump, although I am relaxed. It is not exactly a call to a place, it is a call to attention, readiness… It is warning: something will happen. It is a rain of courage over my head and I know that there is something much larger than my own plans and ideas going on. It is in the air, you can feel it if you're careful, it's like an earthquake, rumbling in the deep parts of the world. It eliminates laziness and tiredness and calls to agitation. Many old things will come to life, old gateways between worlds are opening, old alliances are forging again. In my dreams, at night, I fly towards a place I never get to, something is there calling. I know that if I get there, everything will be… not alright, but more wonderful and well than one could express in words."
"I can feel it too" Maxwell muttered as she stopped. "But I don't have the same gift with words. I wake up sometimes and rush outside to check the guards or I take a horse and gallop over the lands"
"We also feel it" Varamesh said with a smile. "Us elves are somehow Seers, but not the normal kind, and warriors. But we don't act the same as you do. I find myself hiding my tracks and walking so that I make even less sound than before. I find myself going in temples, I listen to priests and priestesses more carefully than ever. I listen to the sounds of birds and animals, try to figure out trees and plants… I become more and more like my ancients, a true elf. Because we hve fallen and only our priests and priestesses are the same. We have also turned towards cities, now we turn back towards nature. Some of us disappeared for years only to be seen from time to time."
"Fools" Sybille interrupted. "It's the Warrior's Call. It makes us all go towards our origins, towards our places of power. We're all Warriors here, aren't we? We all feel it. It becomes important to be powerful in soul. The world calls us and this is how we answer, because it calls us to be who we really are and to forget everything we pretend to be. Priests and priestesses always hear the calla and always follow it, that is why they are still the way they were so many years ago"
"Wisdom speaks from the young" Simnai said slowly. "Look at the witch, all of you. She knows more than we do. She is a priestess of her kind, like Nyuna and Saren are of our kind."
"I know not what you speak" she cut him off. "I'm a witch, that's all. One that has enough sense to look around and see everything like it is. You're too dreamy and lost in your own romantic descriptions."
"Gryffindors" Snape laughed. "That's why it's good to be a Slytherin, you have sense"
"And I suppose all Slytherins have sense, no?" Iris asked and Harry did a double-take. He hadn't noticed her come back.
"Of course" Snape replied with a small shrug.
"Including Crabbe and Goyle?" she asked and Harry started laughing. Crabbe and Goyle didn't have any sort of sense.
"All typical Slytherins" Snape replied with an amused smile. "Which does not include those genetically disadvantaged specimens. But the great Salazar Slytherin had a lot of sense and also allowed the… gorillas… to be in our House. They are always needed in our plans, which sometimes include brute force and peons ready to sacrifice. After all, we can't risk ourselves, can we?"
Harry couldn't remember ever laughing because of something Snape had said –especially not in the man's presence-, but he was practically choking with it as the Severus Snape said the last thing raising an eyebrow and in a very ironic intonation.
"I suppose not" Iris replied. "Alas, Severus, now I see why Hufflepuffs and Slytherins can never match… Slyhterins would sacrifice their own family if they had to"
"Would sacrifice if we had to? Family, especially annoying and stupid cousins or even brothers are our favorite tools" he drawled. "Now, don't get me wrong, if we are talking about beloved wives or parents or –God forbid- children, we will protect them at all costs"
"You're only saying that because Amala is here" Iris laughed.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean that I do not mean what I speak" he replied.
"Ah, so you wouldn't sacrifice her, hmm, Severus?" Iris asked with a smirk.
"No, and if she dared to give her life for me, I'd kill her myself" he replied and Amala started laughing next to Harry.
"Why, don't Slytherins always make sense?" Iris asked amusedly.
"They do, but Severus was supposed to become a Hufflepuff" Amala butted in, smirking. "That's why he's so loyal to his House and to me. Luckily, Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs do match. That's why I could boss him around at the beginning of this meeting"
"What?!" Severus asked, gaping and Iris laughed.
"Well, she is your girlfriend, Severus, I believe her" the beautiful woman said.
"Alright, before we completely mash the reputation of our House and Head of House, how about we end this meeting?!" Draco asked, getting up. "Jane, I thought you were going to see your kingdom?"
"Yes, that's right" Sybille replied with a smirk. "Come on, child, I wouldn't like to see Severus completely stepped on by his girlfriend two times today"
"I 'completely stepped' on you too, now didn't I?" Amala asked wickedly.
"That was just luck" Sybille replied. "Well, let's go! Fal'silians, elves, half-elves come on."
The afore-mentioned people and species all got up, sighing slightly. Jane looked at them with wonder.
"How do we travel?" she asked. "Because I somehow got the feeling that it won't be by Floo"
"O' course not!" Sania laughed. "We ride. On horses"
"I can't ride horses!" Jane complained.
"But we can and we'll carry you. It's easy" Varamesh said smiling towards her.
"For an elf perhaps" Sania muttered and shook her head. "It won't be easy on you for the first time, but you'll grow to love it in time"
Jane smiled at the half-elf and said her goodbyes to everybody. Then, the small group left, leaving nothing but their memory behind.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Sirius waited until the group was gone and then went to Amala with a frown.
"I want to talk to you" he said in a serious tone.
"Sure. What's wrong?" she asked, her innocent eyes looking at him questioningly. He really hated being so rough to her, but he would be, if he could wake her up to reality.
"You know I care about you a lot, right?" he asked with a sigh. "I only want your good"
"I know" she replied raising an eyebrow. "And I'll pretend that my mind didn't shift a little at the 'I really like you' part."
"That's what I want to talk to you about" the Animagus said.
"Oh, God, but you have Iris, please tell me this is not what I think it is" she said in a desperate tone. "And I have Severus, you know…"
"Um, no, I don't like you that way" Sirius said with a small shake of head. That hadn't come out right. "It's about you and Severus"
Amala's face shifted to discomfort in less than a second and he could see a part of her annoyance. Oops.
"I don't mean to tell you what many others probably told you" he slowly said. "But I believe that the age difference between you two is huge… I don't mind you being friends with him –although you are aware of my deep hate feelings for him-, but in a couple, age differences really should be smaller"
"I've been told that a thousand times" she replied with a small nod. "And yes, I agree, they should be, but can I help it if I feel that he's right for me… now?"
Sirius sighed.
"This won't work out, you know" he muttered. "He's a grown man, with… physical needs…"
"He's probably been an abstinent for many years as I see it" Amala winked towards Sirius. "I think he can hold on a bit longer"
"Touche" Sirius replied. "But you might find out he's not exactly as you've pictured him. After all, no offence towards the House, but Slytherins are known to hide their true faces."
"For now, he has a very nice face" Amala replied with a small face. "Don't worry Siri. He might be trying to get into my pants lately, but otherwise he's being a great lover to have"
"He's trying to get into your pants?" Sirius frowned. "Don't let him"
Amala let out a small laugh.
"'Course not Sirius. Not now."
"Ok" Sirius said, raising a small eyebrow. "I'll take a 'not now' as a good sign…"
"But for the record" Amala said with a small smile "he's great when he tries to do it. Didn't know anybody could make me feel so good"
"Don't want to know that" Sirius replied and wanted to say something when he was patted on the back. He turned round very quickly, nearly knocking Iris down. "Sorry"
"No problem" she laughed. "Listen, Remus and I are going home. I see you're talking to Amala, so see you later"
"Bye" he replied and looked around. Everybody else had left, so he and Amala would be alone after Iris and Remus left. He turned back to the girl. "I really don't want to know that"
"Oh, Siri" she smirked. "He's not the same bastard with me as he is with you. He deeply hates and despises you, yes, but he never said it in front of me, knowing that I care about you. Actually, he can still be a complete prick when he wants to and he is still very witty, but he has a different style of doing it."
"I think you're blinded by love" Sirius muttered.
"Maybe" she replied. "But I know he'd never allow anything to hurt me and that he'd never hurt me. And that he's a bit pissed at me turning him down from time to time, but that's another story"
"He's pissed at you for not allowing him to sleep with you?" Sirius asked, biting his lips. "That's not good, you know that? He should respect you and your decisions and shouldn't push you…"
"No, gods!" Amala laughed. "He's pissed, yes, a bit, but he's not taking it out on me. He's rather sighing and rolling his eyes and gritting his teeth when I make up some new excuse to leave the room, but otherwise, he's being the same as always. Ok, bad way of putting it, but you get the point"
"But still he…" Sirius started commenting, but Amala cut him off.
"Wouldn't you be a tad pissed if Iris kept saying 'no' every time you wanted to make love to her?" Amala asked with a smirk. "Or would you say 'it's ok, I respect you and your choice' and go on being happy and jolly? After all, how'd you put it?... 'grown up men have physical needs'?"
Sirius groaned loudly,
"Different thing" he replied.
"Not by much" she replied.
"It's wrong. It's not a good relationship for you… and a teacher and a student? It's just sick" Sirius pointed out.
"Don't agree there" she said with a wrinkle of her nose. "Teacher or not, he's still teaching me a lot of things that have nothing to do with Potions"
"Don't give me such mental images" Sirius groaned. "Please, Amala, break up with him! He's wrong for you. Hell, he's wrong for nearly anybody except that Sybille woman… and Cybil Trelawney. Now there'd be a couple of strange, scary people"
"Sirius!" she cried and punched him in the chest.
"Ow!" he cried back, a twinkle in his eyes before he saw Amala's puzzled expression. "What?"
"You… you…" she muttered. "You're going to cheat on Iris"
"No" he frowned. "How can you say that?"
"I could feel it when I touched you" Amala replied shaking her head. "I can feel it… because you already want to. Who with, Sirius? And don't lie to me"
"I don't want to cheat on her" he replied and shook his head. "Really"
"But you felt an urge of lust towards somebody sooner. Who?" Amala asked. "Sirius!"
The Animagus bit his lip and looked straight in the girl's eyes.
"Sania the half-elf" he replied in a low growl. "But I don't want to cheat on Iris, really. It's a difference between a small fantasy and reality. How did you feel it?"
"I don't know" the girl replied with a shrug. "But you know I feel things sometimes" Then she smirked. "She's a lot younger than you too"
"There's a difference between a small fantasy and reality" he replied and frowned. "She's much too different from me…"
"Not true" Amala winked.
"And much younger"
"Not relevant" she smirked. "Look at me and Severus…"
"Stop" Sirius said seriously. "I don't care what I felt for a second or two. It's irrelevant. I love Iris and I would never cheat on her. But even if I wouldn't be with Iris, I still wouldn't go for Sania because it's simply not meant to be"
"Sirius" Amala said rolling her eyes. "I didn't really mean you should do it. I meant to say that it happens. If you loved her like you love Iris and the feeling would be returned, would you just say 'no, she's too young'?"
"Yes" Sirius said and his mouth went a bit sour. "Because it would be wrong"
"If Iris were a few years younger, would you say 'stop, it's wrong'?" Amala asked again.
"Stop. Just… stop" Sirius said, starting to feel uncomfortable. "You don't understand, do you?"
"I think it's the other way around, Sirius" Amala said and her eyes became a bit sadder. "I know I'm not even fully matured yet… and I know that the mentality is different between me and Severus, but we got over that, didn't we? It took a few good months before we really started trusting each other, but now we do"
"Amala… I don't want you to get badly hurt" Sirius said uncomfortably. "Snape… is not a very nice and gentle man. He could hurt you a lot if he wanted to"
"I know" she replied and he wondered if she really did. "But the good part is that I know he doesn't want to"
"Perhaps you are misreading signs" Sirius said slowly. "He might not love you, he might say that to get what he wants…"
"Then, let me propose something to you" she said and looked deeply into his eyes. "I feel very close to you, maybe it's because of the whole death-thing. I can confide in you. I'll tell you everything and won't invent anything that's not there. Then you can be my eyes where I don't see… and I swear to be completely honest if you can swear to understand and hold down your hate for him enough to judge things with your mind"
Sirius stared at her for a few seconds before asking:
"Tell me… everything?"
"Yes, you nut, everything!" she replied. "I don't know if I can offer this twice since I don't really like to reveal everything in my personal life, but I want you to know. That way, you can help me, give me advice –and you better not advice me to kill him in his sleep- and stop worrying about me. But I want you to stop judging from your Snape-hating point of view. Can you do that?"
Sirius just stared at her a bit. He wanted her to give up on Severus and, instead, she was offering him every single detail of their relationship. He really hated the Slytherin, but, on the other hand, Amala wanted him to be there and she wasn't going to give up on her love –was it really love? He wondered- too soon. He wanted to guard her. So, what could he do? He had to bite back his hate and… accept.
"I can do that" he replied and she smiled at him, her eyes sparkling.
"Thank you Sirius" she said and hugged him. "Should I… Should I start telling you about… everything?"
"Only if you want to" he whispered, wondering if he would be able to refrain everything as she spoke about him probably in praising and excusing tones.
So she started speaking. About how she'd seen him the first time at the table and was hit by a feeing of wonder towards the dark man, how she could feel sorrow and pain and hate from him and yet power and ambition and cunning and experience. How she could tell he knew much more than he let on and how she felt he was pushing everybody away from hate towards the stupid people of the world who lived in their own dreams. But how she'd also felt love towards some people. How she could somehow see the connection between him and Dumbledore and a powerful spark of love towards somebody. It had been the most she'd ever Seen about somebody at first time and she'd been fascinated with the wonderful creature that lived somewhere under the bat costume.
Sirius flinched at the 'wonderful creature' words, but he didn't stop her from speaking forward. So, she spoke. And told him about her continuous fascination towards the Potion Master who was truly and really enjoying spinning around like a dragon in the classroom and making the students fear him because he felt he needed to be feared. Which was a true thing: he was somebody to fear. She'd noticed how he messed up with their minds, whispering words and calculating his next move so he'd terrify them. He was toying with the students that weren't from his own class, proving to them that they weren't the smartest people in the world. On the contrary, actually.
When she mentioned blowing up the classroom, Sirius snorted. Yes, he liked that part. A lot. She said she'd been really scared by his outburst then, but she'd noticed that he never touched her until she'd decided to get personal. Yes, she'd known from the very beginning that he wouldn't trust her and that she'd have to give up on many things to gain his trust. And that she had to be perfectly humble and never do anything stupid. Unfortunately, she'd dared joke about him as if she owned him when he'd been around. What followed made Sirius feel like he wanted to kill Severus, although he knew the story. She said she'd been stupid to cry like a complete idiot because she'd lost him instead of crying because he'd hurt her, but alas, she really had been an idiot around that time.
She moved on with her story up to other times, when she'd gotten herself a voice. When he really realized he could trust her. When she'd gone around in the Forest and worried him half to death. How they'd fought…
"I really stood up for myself then" she smiled. "And I liked it. But his self-protection shields came up and he started to, eh, say things to hurt me. Needless to say I believed him. He was such a bloody git then, I should've hit him" she said and Sirius agreed forcefully.
Well, as far as Sirius could see until the end, they'd had a bumpy relationship. But she was somewhat ferocious. And a bit unrealistic, yes, but… Well, if the git hurt her, he'd die at the hands of an Animagus –and it sure as hell wouldn't be McGonagall-.
"But lately" Amala said "he's changing his way of being"
"What do you mean?" Sirius asked, on alert.
"He's acting much more… sexual than before. He's trying to get in my pants" she growled and Sirius shook his head.
"You mentioned that before" he said.
"Yeah… it's not that I'd mind too much" she muttered. "But it's… unusual. Odd. I don't know if I'm ready to move in that direction too much"
"Tell him that" Sirius said. "If he doesn't understand and tries anything…"
"Yes?" she asked curiously.
"Kick him right between the…" he started saying and she laughed punching him lightly.
"How about killing him in his sleep, huh Sirius?" she asked. "Would that suit you?"
"Just fine, thank you" he modestly said.
"Git" she said and rolled her eyes before shoving herself into his eyes. "Thanks for being here, Siri. And listening"
"No problem" he replied and sighed shortly. "I still hate the living hell out of him, but… I'm with you"
"I really appreciate that, Siri" she said and his hand got up to her hair and started petting her gently.
"No problem, no problem at all" he replied. "Now, I should be leaving, Remus and Iris must be eagerly expecting me. If you ever want to talk to me, you know where to find me"
"Thanks" she muttered as he got up.
"See you soon" he said and left towards the door.
"Bye" he heard behind him.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
"Amy?" she heard and looked over her book.
"Severus" she said smiling, shifting on the couch to let him sit down in case he wanted it. "What brings you here? A thirst for knowledge?"
The Potion Master looked around the library, enjoying the warmth for a few seconds before replying with a half-smirk.
"No, actually. I've read a lot of these books and I find that I can always read the ones I need in times of great boredom"
"Aha…" she said raising an eyebrow. "So, then, what does bring you here?"
He stepped towards her, not answering and took the book out of her hands before she even realized he was doing it.
""A Guide to the Unseen" by Miriam Cybil Wallace. It is true, then: most seers are called Cybil or Cassiopeia or Cassandra. But why would you be reading about the Sight? Not saying that it isn't one of the best books, of course."
"I think I have the Sight" Amala replied quietly. "Laugh all you want, but I think I might have something"
Severus, however, did not laugh. He smiled at her kindly.
"It might be possible, after all that's gone on" he told her.
"Sometimes, when I'm half asleep, I see people dressed in light of different colors. Your light –it surprised me- was red and blue, tinges of yellow… and darkish red, a color I didn't like. I'd have thought it would be dark green, but it isn't. There was some green, but not all that much" she said slowly. "It only happens rarely, though, once or twice a year. And then, I sometimes feel what will happen. Not explicitly, mind you, but still. Although I feel a lot of things that are."
"Seers of the present" Severus muttered. "They're not very known, since most people think that Seeing is all about the future, but they exist. So do Seers of the past."
"Well, I just thought I'd check and see what it's all about" she muttered. "But you still haven't answered my question…" she complained slowly and he just smirked.
"Perhaps I don't want to answer" he replied and she rolled her eyes.
"Just here to see me, aren't you?" she asked.
"Maybe" he replied. "Or maybe not"
"I'll find out soon enough" she said in a determined fashion and tried to pull him down on the couch. Unsuccessfully, of course. "Aw…"
"You'll have to do better than that to get me off my feet" he smirked and sat down elegantly next to her. "I could get you out of this room, if you were standing, and not sitting"
"How?" she laughed. "Picking me up, probably"
"Without even touching you" he replied with a smug smirk.
"Not possible" she stubbornly said. "I could stay here for half an hour and you couldn't get me out without touching me… or doing magic on me"
"I bet I could" he replied. "I won't even get my wand out."
"Let's find out" she said, getting up. His face suddenly grew thoughtful and he sighed.
"I don't think I could do it, now that you're up" he replied slowly.
"Hah!" she smirked. "Told you…"
"But I know how I could get you in the room if you were out" he replied thoughtfully. "Without even seeing you"
"Liar!" she laughed. "Are you trying to get me away from you?"
"No, just wanting to prove a point" he said slowly. "Are you up for that challenge?"
"Of course! You couldn't do it, no matter what" she replied with a snort and left the room. She could of course hear him start laughing, but she would not be fooled by him. She then heard footsteps and he got out through the huge doors, eyes full of laughter.
"There! See?" he asked and she raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not inside" she said rolling her eyes.
"No, but you're outside" he pointed out and she stared at him before realizing just what he meant.
"What?!" she cried. "You bastard! You tricked me!"
"Of course my dear" he replied and laughed as she stormed to him and started pouncing him lightly on the chest. "Of course I did" he said in a lower, purring tone, making her look up in his eyes.
Before she knew it, his arms were wrapped around her and his lips were on hers kissing her. Well… To say his arms were wrapped around her was a bit untrue, as they were all over her.
"What are you doing?" she asked, parting from him.
"Kissing you" he replied and pulled her in a strong embrace.
She couldn't comment anything else since his lips were on hers again, but she was a bit scared. He'd started being so… passionate that she didn't recognize him. What had Sirius said? Besides kicking him between the legs?
"How about" he whispered softly in her ear "you sleeping in my room tonight?"
What was this? Subtlety? The question asked her in a very obvious way if she wanted to make love to him that night! Couldn't he be… a bit more… different?
"How about not?" she replied with a glare directed towards him.
"Why not?" he asked and leaned down to kiss her neck.
"Because you're a bloody git, that's why" she replied. "Is this all you want from me now? My body?"
"What?" he asked, raising his head back up and letting out a laugh. "No, Amy. I really love you, I'm not going out with you because all I'd want… how did you put it?... from you is your body"
She eyed him suspiciously as he bowed down to kiss her again.
"I just happen to enjoy being with a woman a lot" he admitted. "It's in my character"
"You weren't like this before" she frowned.
"I told you, I wouldn't have wanted to get any of us in trouble" he replied. "And I didn't trust you all that much at first"
"What if I told you I wasn't ready to go any forward?" she asked gulping slowly. Sirius had better be right. He'd better pull back.
Severus sighed slowly and kissed her cheek gently.
"I was afraid you'd say that. Actually, to tell the truth, I'd have been surprised if you hadn't said it. You're not really the sexual type"
"And you are?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I happen to be, yes" he smirked. "A small warning: I'll try to corrupt you… Say 'stop' whenever you please, I don't mind"
"Ok. Stop" she said.
"I mean, when I'm actually doing something" he rolled his eyes. "Meanwhile, stop being so afraid, so scared. Just… let it happen. I promise I won't do anything o hurt you"
She eyed him suspiciously as he said that and leaned against the wall.
"I meant it when I asked you to sleep in my rooms tonight" he smirked. "I remember you doing it before and me liking it… Surely it wouldn't be breaking the limits, would it?"
Amala looked at him coldly and he sighed exasperatedly.
"I'm not being subtle…" he started.
"No shit, Sherlock?" she interrupted him.
"Meaning that I don't necessarily want to make love to you" he replied widening his eyes in mock exasperation and leaning down towards her neck. "It would be great" he kissed her slowly on the neck "yes" another kiss "but as long as you don't want it…"
"Well, I sure don't now" she replied and gasped slowly as one of his hands moved under her shirt.
"You have no clue what you're missing. I could give you a taste of it… without even getting you undressed… but you have to give in a little" he said and kissed her lips. "Stop being so stressed"
"Stressed? Why should I be stressed?" she asked, glaring at him. "You're practically trying to do it with me now, on this corridor!"
"Gods, no" he sighed. "You didn't get my point. Please. Come into my rooms tonight. I could explain it better then"
She eyed him suspiciously and he sighed again.
"Do you trust me?" he asked slowly.
"I do" she replied and stared at him. "Just not now"
"I'd never hurt you" he whispered towards her. "Never. Please. It's just in my nature to act like I do. You can always turn me down, but I'm begging you not to do it now."
"Fine" she sighed finally. "I'll be in your rooms tonight"
"Thank you" he said and kissed her cheek. "Now, I must be going"
She just stared as he walked quickly down the corridors and she rolled her eyes. He just better act nicely tonight or else.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
"Hello, Colt" Severus sighed collapsing on his armchair in his room.
"Severus, what a pleasure!" the wolf ironically said. "What's wrong?"
"Is it that obvious on my face that something's wrong?" the Potion Master amusedly asked.
"More than obvious" the wolf replied with a small chuckle. "Something about your young, pure, little dove?"
"Bingo" Severus replied. "Dear God, it is obvious"
"Yes" the wolf replied. "Very obvious. Not that I hadn't been spying on you two for awhile now"
"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Since when?"
"A long, long time" Colt replied. "Hey! It's only for the best, if you want me giving advice, I should know exactly what happened, no?"
"Horrible, horrible creature" Severus moaned. "She's as scared as a... I don't know exactly as scared as what she is, but you get my point."
"As scared as a little rabbit chased under the full moon by a pack of twenty werewolves" Colt muttered slowly and then, catching Severus's look, asked: "What?!"
"Nothing" the man replied shaking his head. "What do I do?"
"Ask yourself what came over you to date such an odd, pure, innocent creature" the wolf suggested.
"Didn't mean the question that way" Severus said rolling his eyes.
"Well, she obviously has never encountered and never thought she'd encounter that side of you until just now. She's scared of everything and isn't sure she wants to move forward. Family's bad teaching and ideas, I must say. Calm her down, make her feel safe and then..."
"Then?" Severus asked.
"Corrupt her" the wolf suggested and the man laughed. "I mean it! Show her there's nothing wrong with anything, show her the great advantages of you being what you are and there! You have her in your arms."
"It must be family upbringing" Severus said, still laughing slightly. "She's indeed quite scared of me"
"Why, of course, my friend" the wolf replied. "Of course. Take her easy, though. She's not Monica, she doesn't know how much you can offer and she might even think there's nothing for her to gain."
"On the contrary" Severus muttered. "On the contrary..."
"Show her that, my friend" the wolf suggested. "Now, I'm going to eat something. Be careful!"
"I will be"
"Sure you will..." muttered Colt and exited the room.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
"Avery!" Voldemort said, steaming. "Have you found it yet?!"
"Yes, Master" the man replied. "Finally, after such a long and demanding..."
"Stop babbling" Voldemort said, frowning. "Where is it?"
"Here" he replied and took out a small necklace in the shape of a crow.
"Very good" his Master said and started walking towards the door.
"What about my reward, Sire?" Avery cried behind him.
"Reward?" Voldemort asked, his eyes ablaze. "You were very late."
"Master, but you promised..." the Death Eater said pleadingly.
"Very well" the snake-like man said with an awful smirk. "Very well. Your reward. Crucio!"
Before Avery could duck, he was hit by the spell and collapsed on the floor.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
Jane looked up to see the city. It was... beautiful. Like a jewel, only muck larger and much more beautiful. It was huge and white and in the middle of a very green field, the type of which she didn't remember ever seeing. It was like another world.
"Wow…" she breathed, taking in the beauty of her city… Wait, it really was her city!
"Welcome to your capital, my queen" Sania said, smiling at the girl benevolently.
"Rex tu es" Sybille said in an amused matter.
"She's a queen, not a king" Sania laughed.
"I was quoting" Sybille replied. "Your ancestor, Damien Chase" she told Jane, "first came to this city when he was 21. It was a fairly new city and he lived quite far from here. The city looked very impressive, even then. Damien was really pleased to see it and he told his companion, one of his councilors, that he was thrilled that the people there looked so happy. He was also shocked to see them offering him wonderful gifts. His councilor then said the exact words that I told you: "you are a king". It is said that only then did King Damien realize what exactly he was. And indeed, he became one of the greatest kings in our history, the last of the Chase line to rule the Fal'sil for real. He was referred to as King Damien or King Chase, people calling him by his name. And for his love of latin, he was often called Rex Damien, or even Rex Chase"
"So that would make me Queen Chase, right?" Jane asked with a small smile.
"Only if you earn it" Sania said with a wink. "Damien was called so because he was close to his people."
"Then, I wish to be like him" Jane said and together they galloped the last part towards the city. Indeed, riding a horse had come naturally... She was still nearly falling off the back of the horse, but still.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
"My Death Eaters!" Voldemort said in a powerful voice. "I have here the key! After much hard work, I have managed to get it! Victory shall be ours!"
The Death Eaters cheered, all except for one who was shivering with pain, anger and thirst for revenge.
Avery was not pleased.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-
AN: Next chapter: Harry has his first kiss with somebody else than Cho, Harry has his birthday party, Amala cools down (I just so like Sev), Avery's mad, the Fal'sil greet their Queen... Sania suffers from a small problem, somebody's cheating on someone and well... long live the Authoress!
Replies to Reviews (with implicit thank you's to everybody):
Alcapacien: I'm really happy to see you like my story and I'm really soryy I'm not updating much, but I don't get to see the net too much… ;-) My comp broke down.
Inu-kokoro: ironic, indeed… So, yes, Sev's trying his best to get in her pants, but… she's really scared. No, if I were her, it'd be a completely different thing.
Soramiko: wow, what a long review! jumps around thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks. I really, really enjoy really, really long reviews –I enjoy all reviews, though- Now, since Amala and Sev are official, they might just show themselves in public… from time to time.
Tsuetsu: Nice to know there really is somebody reading my lj. And really nice to know you liked the chapter :-D.
Marauder#3: I'm really glad you like my story… I'm doing all I can, but seeing that HP is not my story (read all disclamers for more information ;-)), I tend to put in more of my fav characters… Not saying Sirius isn't among them, but he's back now and Harry will be, too. Promise.
GamingGuy84: Well, as you can see, I made Sirius your voice in this story. And I'm not taking it personally, although… I kinda end up with older guys, I realized. Not because I'm seeking them myself, but hey… Anyway, they'll be going back to Hoggie in… chp. 9 I guess. I still have some things to do with them before I get them to school (mwahahaha!)