After supper the next day as David was playing chess with Minerva in the staff room Remus and Sirius arrived at Hogwarts. They found David easy to locate since his attendance at the staff mid week chess games had become a fixture. Wednesday was the night that the head boy and girl patrolled giving the staff a mid week break, and hence was suitable for indulging in other pastimes. David had made his interest in chess clear from his first week in the castle. Minerva, who was by far the best player besides the headmaster who was not always able to join them, was delighted to have a challenging opponent and the two of them partnered each other as often as possible.
Sirius was thrilled by the opportunity to enter the staff room - a place he had not managed to gain access to in his school days. He did not have much time to appreciate the privilege because he barely had time to take in the scenery before David had won his game leaving Minerva free to spot his intrusion.
"Well there's a sight I never thought I'd see," she exclaimed. "Sirius Black in the staff room. At least you have the decency to look out of place." She was right; he was feeling particularly uncomfortable under her gaze. Memories of too many lectures in his youth were brought back to him with more force now he was in Hogwarts than they had been when he had encountered her at Order meetings. He decided that a diversion would be the best form of defence.
"Now that I'm able to take up my governorship duties I thought that a tour of the parts of the school I hadn't seen was in order," said Sirius winking at Minerva. "Perhaps you'd be willing to show me your own rooms." Flirting with Minerva had not worked when he was a student trying to get out of detentions but it was a hard habit to break. Her lips thinned in displeasure and Sirius decided another diversion was in order so he turned to her chess opponent. "David, I was hoping I might get that journal off you?"
David unsuccessfully tried to keep his expression unconcerned, "I haven't actually finished reading it yet Sirius, could you give me a bit longer?"
"I am most interested in reading it," insisted Sirius.
"It's in my room; why don't you come with me to get it? I expect I'll be appreciated if I get you out of the staff room." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes, and led the way out of the staff room followed by Sirius and Remus.
"Don't look so petrified," said Remus to David as they approached his door. "If we weren't going to listen to your side of the story we wouldn't be here."
David nodded despondently and opened the door motioning for them to sit down as he summoned the troublesome journal. He put up some wards against eavesdroppers and then sat heavily before finally looking up at them and speaking. "Do you want to read it or would you rather I told you?"
"Why don't you start by telling us why you are on the list of people able to read Lily's journal, given that you were an infant when she was killed?"
"I knew when I revealed myself to Sirius that there was a risk he would remember the Prophet article," said David ruefully, "although I did ask you not to tell anyone who I was."
"I didn't intend to," defended Sirius, "it sort of came out, but I'm thankful it did because it took both of us to piece it together. I have been thinking you were dead for a long time."
"I couldn't risk telling you before you were set free in case you were interrogated," apologised David. "It would appear you know precisely why I am able to read Lily's journal, so I'll give you the summary. James and Lily weren't my parents, they were my godparents. Didn't it strike you as odd that they only chose you as a godparent for Harry when traditionally a child has three? Anyway they pretended that Lily was pregnant and then told you the wrong expected birth date so that you would not be around for the birth. Unfortunately with no professionals to help with the birth something went wrong and my maternal father - Roger - died. Anyway James and Lily performed the adoption charms so that I would look like I was theirs and would appear to be Harry James Potter should anyone check my identity.
"The plan was for them to raise me so that while I knew my heritage nobody else would. The reason for this was that the dark wanted me as a tool and the light would kill me rather than risk that. It all started when my uncle Godric was abducted by Death Eaters. His death was well publicised especially since it was the catalyst that led to the Mockwood and Verdant Houses renouncing citizenship and fleeing the country. What was not widely known was that the Order of the Phoenix had discovered why he was abducted rather than simply assassinated, since Voldemort had already killed off three zia houses. Godric was not killed because Voldemort wanted to use breed him and raise his children as Death Eaters.
"But that wouldn't work," protested Remus, "Voldemort is highly intelligent and he would have known that zias are unable to use dark magic."
"Unfortunately that is an over simplification things. Voldemort found an unintentional loophole. The magic that binds the members of zia houses is focused through the head of the house, but it can't be done through a child. Voldemort planned to kill off the whole house apart from a child heir whom he would control. The child would be brought up to serve him and would never complete the magic which would otherwise bind the child to the service of the country when he reached his majority.
"As I said, the Order or rather Albus found out about what was happening to Godric in captivity and since my grandfather was a close friend they discussed it and worked out what Voldemort was attempting. He would not have succeeded with Godric since a soul-mate bond is required for conception but the zia lords worried about what would happen if a child were abducted. The two houses with underage members fled the country. Hapstaff only had daughters and his soul-mate was incurably insane so he could not produce an heir. My grandfather felt that his duty was to stay in Britain, but he decided to ensure that his remaining son, my father, was unable to have children until Voldemort had been defeated, declaring that he would kill his own grandchild if he had to. Since Grandfather David was obsessed with the continuation of the family line my granddad was very worried by that and managed to keep him from directly forbidding my father to bond and the two of them kept the bonding secret and hence also hid my birth from both my grandfather and Albus. My granddad, my parents and the Potters were the only people who knew since with David's and Albus's influence and contacts nobody else was safe to tell.
"However things did not work out to plan. I ended up living with the Dursleys who thankfully did not know that I wasn't completely human because they would have killed me. Because of Albus my father, who was the only living person who knew the truth since my granddad was killed shortly before I was born, was unable to find me until I started school. He couldn't tell Albus what I was for fear of what Albus might do 'in the best interests of society,' particularly while my grandfather was still alive. There is a prophesy about how I will have the power to destroy the dark lord, but since Albus was happy to send me to Azkaban I think he doesn't put a huge amount of store in divination and it would not have been enough to save me. There are after all a lot of prophesies in the Department of Mysteries which are never fulfilled. Things would have been easier for me though if my father had told me.
"Then Voldemort came back and the night I returned to Privet Drive I was offered a Wilfred's choice. If I refused Albus and Sirius would be murdered and the dementors would wander the country at will. The only plus side was that Fudge would be out on his ear. I chose the other path and naturally did not remember the choice until the conditions had been fulfilled which was in June this year.
"I can't tell you what happened to cause my trial since I am under a secrecy vow. The Dursleys, however, are alive as Remus has witnessed, and they admitted that they knew that deliberately betrayed me to the Death Eaters. Albus and Kingsley Shacklebolt interrogated me. I explained to them about the secrecy vow and that I was therefore unable to defend my actions. I could not tell them how the mark got onto my arm and I protested that I was not a Death Eater but of course the secrecy vow would make me do so even if I was so they did not believe me. I found out a few months ago that it was a muggle tattoo. Despite the danger because I was underage they even tried veritaserum and needless to say it got them nowhere. Then one day, Severus came in on Albus's orders and force fed me dementialis before I was taken for a psychological review. He did so again on the day of my trial. The court was convinced that I was insane and I was taken to Azkaban.
"Albus visited me a few times, but I think he realised that I would never agree to work for him again and he stopped coming. Living with the Dursleys gave me magical repression, which meant that I was unable to do powerful magic unless I was desperate enough to break the mental barriers. After a year and a half in Azkaban I was desperate and my intention was to join my parents. I managed to enter the realm of the dead whilst still being alive. This enabled Roger to organise my training both magical and social so that I would be able to live the life of the Crimson Lord. I expect Remus remembers my botched initiation? Well I did a lot of work with Godric Gryffindor and since he was my ancestor he had me calling him 'Grandfather Godric' to distinguish him from my uncle. A lot of people joined in with helping me, particularly those who had been killed by Voldemort. Godric was able to persuade Salazar Sytherin to teach me strategy. It would appear that they got on a lot better than history relates. Apparently Salazar's basilisk was named 'Godric' and was never meant to leave the Chamber of Secrets. The entrance way is in parseltongue so that nobody would go near the basilisk without being able to control him. After hearing what happened Salazar readily forgave me for killing him.
"I'm getting sidetracked; anyway I spent the equivalent of years with the dead before awaking in my cell and casting some illusions to make it appear that I had died. At the same time I wrestled with Voldemort using the connection my scar gave us to enter his mind. I managed to put him in a coma so that I would be able to search his mind at my leisure. Unfortunately he was killed before I was able to discover the location of all his horcruxes. Once I was buried I apparated off the island to Lions' Den and started making plans for Voldemort's destruction. A few days later Fawkes appeared and started helping me out. It was nice to have someone other than a house elf to talk to and Fawkes was a great help. I don't know if he knew who I had been for most of my life because I never asked. He got me to publish some of the researches I had been doing - I see now it was part of his plan to get me an academic reputation so that I could work at Hogwarts. He then got me to meet Remus and then Albus. Since when the meddling pigeon has thankfully left me alone.
"I guess this is the point where I ask 'any questions?"
"Yes," said Sirius immediately. "Since it appears that I am still your godfather I would very much like to know who your father is. I can guess that your maternal was Roger Dragon, but I am in the dark as to who your paternal is."
"Antirrhinum is my parent's married name. My parents are Roger Antirrhinum who died for me, and Severus Antirrhinum who is still living."
Remus swiftly took out his wand and petrified Sirius. Sirius's eyes were all that he could still move and if looks could kill Remus would have been worried.
"Why did do that?" asked David as if he was taking to a dangerous criminal he did not want to upset.
"Because you are going to explain exactly who Severus Antirrhinum is, and I think you'll be safest if Sirius can't move when he hears it."
"I take it you're a keen gardener then?" asked David. "That is why I didn't want to risk anyone knowing my surname. You worked it out in all of three seconds." He turned to his godfather. "Sirius, Antirrhinum is the Latin name for the Snapdragon flower, and Roger's surname before he married was Dragon, so I expect you realise who my other father was?"
Sirius began to blink rapidly and started turning red and then purple. David produced a potion which he showed Remus to get his approval before performing the counter curse on Sirius and pouring the liquid down his throat before he was able to protest. The calming draft was designed to work quickly and by the time Sirius had realised what had happened to him he felt his anger recede.
"Snape's your father," he announced gloomily. "And that means that as a member of the fellowship I have to be polite to him don't I, now that I know who he is? And until you are twenty-five he can order me around?"
David nodded. "He's not so bad Sirius," he said. "The Severus you knew at school became a Death Eater. The Severus who married my dad turned his back on Voldemort and knows the value of friends and family. He has been forced to do things he hates in order to save lives. His public persona has only been able to change within the last few months since he put a very effective end to his spying days by casting the killing curse on his supposed master. He is now letting the real Severus show through more, but he has been pretending for so long that it will take a while. I imagine he has been horrible to you at Order meetings over the last couple of years but I think that was what he needed in order to keep up his act, if his colleagues knew that it was an act they would attempt to get him to drop it around them which would make things difficult for him. Only Albus has seen the real Severus since his spouse died. Please give him a chance."
"The man forced you to drink a potion that condemned you to Azkaban and you are asking me to give him another chance?"
"Exactly. If I can forgive him for sending me to Azkaban and for not telling me who he was and making my lessons with him at Hogwarts miserable then surely you can forgive him any schoolyard transgressions. As I understand Remus also has a far better reason to hate him than you do."
"I have put his behaviour behind me," agreed Remus. "Though it was helpful that living as a werewolf has made me particularly aware of the masks people wear. I can smell strong emotions even in human form and I know Severus's actions have been at odds with his true feelings for years." He turned to David, "Just as I was aware that your friendship for me was genuine and the tale you have told us tonight is true. I am confused though why you have forgiven Severus but not Albus."
"All I can say is that Severus acted as he did because he believed me guilty. Yes he could have acknowledged me as his son and performed the mind-ritual and so found out the truth, but he was convinced that there was nothing to find out and so saw no reason to reveal that he had been lying to everyone about his marriage for so long. And if it had got out his days as a spy would be numbered. His is saving his married identity as an escape route. Once Voldemort is defeated it will be safe to admit he is a member of the Crimson House and he plans on nobody associating that identity with a former Death Eater which will free him from stigma."
Both wizards picked up on the subtle impression that Albus did not believe that David was guilty, but that David could not out right say so because of his secrecy vow. He had said the next best thing.
"I understand," said Sirius. "I would not have believed that of Albus though."
"Nor would I while I was at Hogwarts, I did not truly believe what had happened until I had been in Azkaban for a few months. What are the two of you going to do with your knowledge?" asked David, though he hoped he knew the answer.
"Not much," said Sirius shrugging. "We decided yesterday that if we had to choose between family and Albus we would choose family. And you still are family even if James and Lily only adopted you. We will keep your secrets."
"The true Marauders stick by their own," agreed Remus.
"Does that mean I can have a Marauder name?" asked David grinning.
"You already do," declared Sirius, "you've been 'Pronglet' since I first saw you. I tried to convince James that 'Bambi' would be better but he refused."
"I don't think 'Pronglet' really goes with my animagus form," mused David pleased with the smiles on their faces as they realised that he had managed the transformation. "I don't have any prongs in any shape or form."
"Let's see," commanded Remus.
David obliged them by transforming into a black cat with blue eyes.
"I approve of the colour," said Sirius as he lifted the cat for a closer inspection. "But I think you're a bit on the small side, more of a kitten than a cat. He deftly avoided the playful swipe that greeted this statement and changed his hold to grip David by the scruff of the neck. Thus incapacitated David could not even squirm as Sirius rotated him for inspection. He did manage the kitten version of a glare - unfortunately glaring kittens are not at all frightening, particularly to a dog animagus.
"Definitely no prongs," said Remus who had perched himself on the arm of his friend's chair for a closer look. He got the distinct impression that the kitten was unhappy with his predicament as if a voice was saying 'let me go now!' and so took him from Sirius before moving back to his own chair and settling the animal on his lap. "You're much more affectionate in this form," he murmured as he stroked the kitten's fur and it leaned into his touch.
"That's because you'd hardly rape me in this form," said a voice in Remus's head.
His hands froze. "David, did you just say something to me?" he asked.
"You heard that?" came the voice. "Bugger."
"Yes I heard that. I'd like you to explain…"
"Remus stop winding me up," moaned Sirius. "An animagus in animal form can't talk to you any more than an animal could."
"Animals talk to me," came the same voice. "well sort of, but it would appear that I can't talk to Siriuses."
When Sirius made no response Remus agreed, "No, it would seem that you can't. I wonder why you can talk to me."
"Remus!"
"Sirius he is talking to me - why don't you ask David something that I wouldn't know?"
"Okay I'll play along," said Sirius. "So David, tell me one of the questions I asked when you offered me the orchid."
"He says that you asked if the Crimson House had any alliances with Death Eaters."
"Well bugger me!" exclaimed Sirius.
"You know I'd love to," replied Remus with a straight face, "but something tells me you're not serious in your offer. Now we have a name to pick."
"Parrot?" suggested Sirius once he had got over the shock of Remus being suggestive. "Parrots can talk." A hiss from David told them what he thought of that idea. "Hush you," scolded Sirius waggling a finger at the kitten, "you don't get any input in this. Do you think any of us chose our names?"
David settled back into Remus's lap and nudged his hand to get him to start stroking his fur again. "I don't think 'Parrot' is a good idea Padfoot," mused Remus. "It doesn't say anything about his appearance. Even 'Moony' is related to my appearance at the full moon. Perhaps 'Claws' would be better? Or 'Fluff,' or…"
"Claws' is too generic," said Sirius dismissively. "I agree he's a bit of a fluff ball but I don't like that either. 'Sooty' is ambiguous enough and it is certainly better than 'Blackie' or 'Noir.' I think 'Sooty' would be the best idea."
"Agreed, well now Mr Sooty," said Remus prodding the kitten, "why don't you change back. I haven't forgotten what you said earlier and we definitely need to talk, but we shouldn't leave Sirius out."
David stood up and leisurely stretched himself yawning widely before hopping off Remus's lap, making his way back to his own chair and transforming. "At least you didn't call me 'Sweep," he grumbled good naturedly. "I have no intention of going 'beep' all the time." Sirius looked clueless. "It's a muggle thing," David added quickly.
Remus went into lecture mode, "There's a television show - like a play - for children with puppets called 'Sooty,' 'Sweep' and 'Soo.' Sooty can't talk but can whisper in the puppet master's ear, Sweep communicates by beeps and Soo talks normally. In fact Sooty can do magic, Sweep is his partner in crime and Soo is a bit of a bossy know-it-all but she looks out for them - kind of like Harry, Ron and Hermione. Apart from the fact that Sooty is a beige bear not a black cat the name is quite apt, particularly since you didn't know the connection."
David grinned. "I can't wait until I get to tell Ron that he's got to beep." He picked Lily's journal from the floor beside his chair and sent if flying towards Sirius. "I'm feeling quite tired," he said with a yawn. "I think a side effect of being a cat is a tendency to need to catnap. And I've got a whole lot of tests to mark so I'll have to kick you out. Go read the journal - find out all the things Lily wanted you to know. If you want confirmation of what I've said talk to my father - we performed the mind ritual so he even knows what I can't talk about due to that secrecy vow - unfortunately the mind ritual transfers the vow so he can't discuss it either, but he can use it himself to pass judgement."
"Are you taking any detentions on Saturday?" asked Sirius as he was ushered towards the door. David shook his head. "Then come for lunch. We've never had a chance to spend any time together so I've got a lot of godfatherly duties to catch up on."
"We'd be liable to be overheard," said David, "perhaps it would be better if I invited you to Lions' Den? I tend to go home at some point during the weekend anyway. Shall we say twelve? Remus is that okay with you?"
"Can I let you know later?" asked Remus, not sure whether Sirius wanted him there or not. "I'll need to check my duty schedule." As David closed the door he added, "And your avoidance has not escaped my notice young man, we will discuss your comment soon."
"It was nothing personal," said David tiredly through the half closed door. "Please don't repeat what I said."