The Seers' Truth: Beyond the Darkness
By Lady Lestrange
Chapter 42
Heart of a Death Eater
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter characters and previous situations belong to JK Rowlings. No infringement is meant or implied. No money is made from this Fanfic. Thanks JK. --Lady Lestrange
Special thanks to my beta, ennui deMorte, who always does such a good job being my extra muse as well as proofreading, moral support and just plain fun. Be sure and visit the yahoo group, TheSeersTruth for more interesting discussion questions. Go to my author profile and click on homepage and it will take you to the Yahoo! group. ennui deMorte created and maintains the site with great insights into the story. Invite your friends. Come and discuss.
15 reviews: I really hate blackmailing you into reviewing, but hey, I'm a Slytherin. It's in my nature, so when there are 15 reviews for this chapter, the next one will magically appear. Love my readers and reviewers. Answers to the reviews follow the story. You guys are catching up to me, so maybe I should make it 20 reviews…
(A/N: Thanks for your patience and I appologize for the delay. The next chapter should be on time)
(A/N: I've been reading a number of fanfics in installments like this one myself, and find it is sometimes hard to remember exactly what has happened before-In a fic as complex as this one is, I thought having a reminder may be helpful for you. If you want to skip it, just page down 3 turns should do it!)
Up to this Point: Alternate 5th year book. Voldemort was uncertain which was the prophecy child, Samara or Ginny so he kidnapped them both. Beatrice made a mad dash after them in her animagus form. She has been since crucioed and rescued and returned to Hogwarts still in her bunny animagus form.
Harry, Ron and Hermione struggle to figure out how the prophecy might aid them. The trio travels to Hermione's house, Samara's house, the Riddle house and eventually the Snow Castle in search of the girls.
Ginny, who has a Dark Mark, is torn between the visions of Tom in her head and what to do to stay safe from Voldemort at the Snow Castle. Snape is an unexpected help to her.
Voldemort meanwhile has some unpleasant Christmas surprises in store for Harry and Neville. Neville's grandmother ends up in the hospital and the Dursley's are dead, leaving Snape as Harry's guardian.
Back at Hogwarts, the trio tries to ascertain how they will save the girls. They enlist Draco and Lauren's help.
Voldemort has some trouble within the ranks and sends Ethan to learn with Narcissa and Gloria. Meanwhile, the trio works out some differences with Draco, and miss a chance to save the girls. Now, Snape gives some timely advice and Harry invites Neville to their little planning gatherings, which ends in an altercation between Neville and Draco.
Voldemort sets his plans in motion by giving Samara the Dark Mark, but she is far from defeated by this. Ginny on the other hand is ready to give in to save her family. The plot continues as Volemort sets family members upon family members in a quest to destroy all who might thwart him.
Meanwhile, Harry considers the meaning of curcio and tries to puzzle out what Voldemort is doing by reading his scar pangs.
Ethan and Edward prove their worth to Voldemort and Beatrice is finally released from the bunny animagus.
Ginny, under polyjuice potion, is impersonating Madam Amelia Bones. She is following direct orders from Voldemort who is speaking to her in parseltongue from the small snake animagus she is carrying. She saves her father and her brother, but doesn't seem to be able to save herself.
However, Harry Potter and his trusty Gryffindor rescue squad is on the way. Unfortunately, they get waylaid. Ginny is unconscious and the girls are currently looking for the boys and wind up in Voldemort's dungeon with a slew of vampires and a three headed dragon. The boys, Harry, Ron and Draco are going to rescue the others from the veelas, but Valeriana and Narcissa get in the way-or not- Luckily the twins are armed with puppy puffs and a sense of humor. Now, the intrepid trio have some difficulty determining a course of action. It's no wonder! Perhaps, they should put it to a vote there are so many people involved in the decision. Well, as Dumbledore says, "it is the decisions we make, that make us the witches and wizards we are!" Such is never more true than in the case of Ginny Weasley. Will her decisions save her or damn her?
Ginny appears to have placed her trust in Tom. Is if for good or ill? At first glance it seems as if Tom is helping them, but he is also mercurial in nature and one can never be sure. At last they escape the Snow Castle for the safety of Hogwarts, but is anywhere really safe?
Ginny reevaluates her relationship with Tom and Harry reevaluates Ginny. The reporters make it difficult for Harry and company to get through the Great Hall. The group contemplates what to tell the reporters, and it culminates with an encounter with Snape where Harry learns things he'd rather not know.
For further discussion, visit: YAHOO GROUPS, TheSeersTruth (underscore between words if it deletes them) also, for more great stories, visit voldemortsreadinglist and add your own Slytherin fiction after you read and review. Your review is my only payment. Please be generous. This was a long arduous, 25 page chapter. Your reviews are appreciated.
And now, on to the chapter…
Chapter 42
The Board of Governors had sent a temporary headmistress to take Dumbledore's place. Harry wondered why it couldn't be McGonagall or one of the other teachers, perhaps Sinistra or Vector, but McGonagall said the Board of Governors didn't want to foster any animosity between the teachers at this stressful time and therefore brought in their own person. Rumor had it that she was only temporary and that Madam Maxim was being recruited since Beaubaxtons was destroyed. Hagrid would probably be pleased thought Harry even though the giant had idolized the Headmaster. Harry tried to be fair, but no one could take Dumbledore's place. As he went into Defense against the Dark Arts, he wished uncharitably that it had been Snape instead of Dumbledore who had died. After all, wasn't it the Defense Against the Dark Arts job that was cursed?
The name Dolores Umbridge hung in silvery letters in the air in front of the classroom reminding Harry too much of Tom Riddle writing I am Lord Voldemort in the Chamber of Secrets. Furthermore, his new acuity made him aware that Madam Umbridge had a Dark Mark. He stopped, frozen on the threshold. This was the closest he had come to the new temporary Headmistress, and he didn't want to come any closer. Although he was learning to deal with that fact among the Slytherins, being in a classroom with a teacher who had a Dark Mark put all of his defenses on alert. He wanted to run.
"Today I'm taking the place of Professor Snape," Umbridge said. "He's still--indisposed, and as Headmistress, I have inherited the job of replacing those teachers who for some reason cannot presently teach their classes."
"Will Professor Snape be back?" Malfoy asked in an arrogant tone.
"That, Mr. Malfoy, remains to be seen." The woman turned towards the doorway where several students hovered, including Harry Potter. "Come in, come in," she chimed.
Harry stood frozen at the door, wand in hand as he sized up the teacher that was here to take the place of Severus Snape. Who could possibly take the place of Snape? Harry thought. Murderer of Albus Dumbledore, because no matter what the Order or the Ministry said, Harry knew what he saw, and if Snape didn't murder Dumbledore, why was he hiding? Why wasn't he back at Hogwarts? Snape's cryptic comments before they flooed from the Snow Castle were no longer very comforting. They would see Dumbledore's body again? Indeed? What was that supposed to mean?
"Take you seats. Take your seats," said the woman in a rather whiny voice. Harry tried to ignore how much it grated on his nerves.
"Take them where?" whispered Ron, as they proceeded into the room, and Harry rolled his eyes.
"Whatever she's like, she has to be better than Snape," continued Ron, but Harry didn't comment.
"Put your wands away," she said. "You won't be needing them today."
Harry hesitated. When Snape said that, a curse was usually coming your way, but she seemed to be entirely sincere. Hermione exchanged glances with him, and put her wand away. Harry was a little slower in doing so. He put the wand in his pocket, but kept his hand on it, thinking that Snape had made him paranoid. The woman seemed completely harmless.
"Because I don't know your names," she said in a sweet voice, "I'd like to seat you in alphabetical order."
"Can't she do a memory spell," muttered Ron snidely as he pocketed his wand and Harry hushed him hoping that this defense teacher wasn't as useless as Lockhart. Nonetheless, he wanted to get on the good side of this teacher--Dark Mark or not. He wanted no more conflict in his life. He just wanted peace, not like there was any hope of that with Dumbledore dead. The horror of that thought washed over him like a great cold wave.
"Poor Neville," muttered Hermione, and Harry thought of how the letters fell, and grimaced, Lestrange, Longbottom, Malfoy.
"Lauren Avery," said Umbridge moving quickly down the aisle, her eyes on the parchment roster. "You will sit here in front. Lavender Brown beside her." She motioned to the two seats, side by side.
Lavender flounced forward and draped herself into the seat next to Lauren. Lauren ignored her, opening her book and parchment like a model student. Her eyes never left Umbridge.
"Millicent Bulstrode and Vincent Crabbe."
"Colin Creevy and Samara Donnally."
"Gregory Goyle and Beatrice Ellis."
Samara moved forward but Colin scowled at Madam Umbridge. Beatrice made a little squeak and backed up. Hermione stepped in front of her.
"Excuse me," said Hermione. "May Beatrice sit by me? Surely someone told you she was ill. I've been helping her catch up."
"She doesn't look ill to me," said Umbridge, still looking at the clipboard with the names on it.
"Well, she was," explained Hermione. "She was in her bunny animagus when she was crucioed by the Dark Lord."
Umbridge dropped her quill. She quickly called it up from the floor and her bulging toad-like eyes were hard on Beatrice as she moved on, edging Hermione out of the way. "Move aside. Miss?"
"Granger," said Hermione. "Hermione Granger."
"Miss Granger," said Umbridge, consulting her roster. "No one returns to witch form after being crucioed in their animagus form. You obviously have quite an imagination." She turned to Beatrice. "Now sit!" She glanced back at her roster. "Gregory Goyle."
Goyle patted the seat beside him and leered at Beatrice.
She turned into a bunny and darted for the door.
"Beatrice no!" said Hermione who rushed to pick up the bunny.
Umbridge glared at Hermione and Beatrice. "No pets in my class," she said, completely ignoring the fact that she had just seen that Beatrice was a witch moments before. "Bring that bunny here." Umbridge continued with the seat assignments ignoring the fact that there was no witch sitting next to Gregory Goyle. Hermione moved uncertainly towards the front of the room.
Pointing to the next seats, Umbridge said, "Finnegan, Foresman."
"Granger, Edward Lestrange."
Hermione sat down in the front row with Beatrice on her lap.
"She means you too, Donnally," remarked Colin who had not gone anywhere near Samara. "No pets!" said Colin in a low undertone.
Although Umbridge hadn't seen them yet, Harry and most of Gryffindor Tower knew that Samara was wearing her entire contingent of Basilisks under her robe. Most Gryffindors gave her a wide berth. Samara had leaned in to help Gregory Goyle find his Defense book as Umbridge continued to study the roster.
"Ms. Umbridge," Hermione interrupted again, and finally Umbridge looked up to find that a number of the students had not taken their assigned seats. "
"Mr. Creevy, sit down," said Umbridge. "Ethan Lestrange, Longbottom."
Ethan and Edward moved together, the magic between them crackling madly, as they touched hands and smirked. Harry thought, Umbridge must be insane to sit the twins together. None of the teachers sat them together. For Merlin's sake, the teachers all separated Fred and George and they were a whole lot less dangerous than the Lestrange twins! Ethan had begun rhythmically snapping his fingers, calling a tiny candle flame to his hands with each snap and then smothering it in his palm as he motioned Neville to his side. Neville had a death grip on his wand and looked like he might be sick. He did not move. He just stared at the Lestrange brothers, but Umbridge was still occupied with Colin Creevy.
"Mr. Creevy," Umbridge repeated. "Ten points from Gryffindor. Now sit."
"Not until she gets rid of her—pets," said Colin stubbornly pointing at Samara.
"Malfoy, Midgin," she read without looking at the seats or Creevy. "Mr. Creevy, I said, Sit down." Umbridge was getting a little red in the face and Harry wondered if she was going to be able to handle a recalcitrant class.
"You can't expect me to sit by her," Colin whined. "She has basilisks—"
"A basilisk is a mythical creature-----," said Umbridge. "Sit, down now."
"No," said Colin moving away, frightened. He looked as if he was ready to bolt.
"I'll sit by Samara," volunteered Harry, trying to avoid an argument.
Shesha stirred happily at being near her bitemates, and Harry heard Ginny shushing Visha who was a little put out that Ginny wasn't sitting with them too.
"Did I address you?" Umbridge snapped. "No. Did I give you permission to speak? No. And you are?"
"Harry Potter, ma'am."
"Oh yes, the boy with the delusions of grandeur. Well, not in this school any longer," she said succinctly.
"No, ma'am," Harry said.
"Don't contradict me! Ten points from Gryffindor," she spat and frowned at the contingent of students still to be seated. She turned back to Hermione, obviously needing to make an example of someone. "You! Bring that bunny up here."
"Yes, Ma'am," said Hermione. She threw Harry a fearful glance, but got out of her seat and slowly approached the front of the classroom and Umbridge's desk..
"As Hermione reached the front desk, Umbridge transfigured a vase of flowers into a cage. The cage was green with edges of leaves still on the bars and Harry concluded immediately that transfiguration was not her strongest subject. "Now, Miss Ellis, you will transform back to a student and attend this class or you will spend it in a cage. Your antics will not keep you from attending class." Harry saw Hermione hesitate and throw him a pleading glance.
When Beatrice didn't change back, Madam Umbridge glowered. "It seems you need some extra transfiguration work."
Millicent Bullstrode snorted and covered her mouth with her hand.
"Put the rabbit in," Professor Umbridge said, gesturing to the leafy cage.
"Beatrice, please transform," whispered Hermione, but Harry was already on his feet. He knew Hermione was loathed to object to anything that a teacher told her to do, but he had no such qualms. "You won't put her in a cage," he said calmly. "She's a person, not an animal, but she can listen just fine in her animagus form. She can't change when she's nervous. She has had problems with it before she was crucioed, now it's even worse."
"Mr. Potter, sit down."
But Harry did not sit. He waited, bouncing on the balls of his feet, his hand already on the wand in his pocket. "If you leave her alone, she'll get the transfiguration. She just needs a little time."
"Sit!" Umbridge growled.
"You can't continue to frighten her--"
"This is my class and I can do as I see fit."
"But--"
"Sit down, Mr. Potter, and put your wand away!"
"Yes, Potter, do sit down," snarled Draco. "Some of us are actually here to learn, not to engage in your theatrics--"
"Draco--"began Hermione, but he froze her with an icy stare. "Mudbloods do not address me by my given name," he said coldly.
Delores Umbridge continued to glare at Harry. "Sit," she repeated sharply.
"I don't have my seat assignment," Harry pointed out, gripping his wand more tightly. He knew where the alphabetical order would put him, beside Parvati Patil but since she wasn't there, that put him between Pansy Parkinson and Lou Styvesant
Umbridge cleared her throat nervously and reached for Beatrice.
Harry's eyes met Hermione's just before Umbridge touched Beatrice.
"Accio," he said and Beatrice levitated across the room like a speeding bullet to his waiting arms. He watched Umbridge's toad-like face puff up in anger. He felt his own anger building too, magic crawling across his skin, like electricity.
"I've had just about enough of your parlor tricks, Potter," snapped Umbridge. "Detention. Now, put the rabbit in this cage and sit down."
"I don't think so," said Harry wand in hand, he tucked Beatrice under his arm as he backed towards the door and tried to control his magic. There was no way he was turning his back on a Death Eater--no way he was putting Beatrice in a cage even for a moment. There were some things, he thought that were too important to give in for, even to a teacher.
"Young man, if you walk out of that door, you will have a month of detention and I will see to it that you never play Quiddich again."
Harry took a deep breath and looked down at Beatrice, helpless in his arms. As soon as his eyes left Umbridge, she threw a spell at him. He recognized it as some variation of the accio charm, but it left the arm that held Beatrice numb from the power of it. Instinctively he threw up a block, but his magic scattered uncontrolled, splintering the cage Umbridge had transfigured and several desks with its uncontrolled power.
The nearby students screeched and either threw up shields or ducked under the desks. Harry could see the fear in his fellow classmates eyes as he backed several more steps, stepped across the threshold, and ran right into Snape.
"Excellent!" said Snape grasping him by the back of the neck "Now I won't have to bother Delores. Come Potter."
Samara was watching Ms. Umbridge with a frown. It was obvious to her that Umbridge had a Dark Mark. All the murkiness, which Samara associated with the Dark Mark, was in her aura, but she didn't remember seeing Umbridge at the Snow Castle, not once. She tried to remember if she was at the Ministry. Maybe she was a late recruit to the Dark Lord. That meant that she either wasn't actually aware of who Samara was in relation to the Dark Lord, or she didn't know about the basilisks, or she was playing some weird game. In any case, Samara took an instant dislike to the woman. She was overbearing, rude and just plain stupid. Even Valeriana was smart enough to ask the Dark Lord to separate her twins in the circle so as not to give them too much temptation to play, and everyone knew that Valeriana had most of her brain sucked out by dementers.
"You know, I could move," said Samara, not waiting for Umbridge to answer, she continued, "I'll trade places with—Neville," she said rescuing Neville from the fate of being beside both Lestrange twins and Draco Malfoy. His aura cleared and he practically dove to the seat by Colin Creevy. She thought it worked out nicely for both of them as she settled herself beside Draco. She turned toward Ethan, "Edward doesn't like my basilisks," she said. "You like them though, don't you, Ethan?"
"Barbeque or flambé" said Ethan, sparks dripping..
"They like warmth Ethan," she smirked. "They just might come out and play."
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk," Draco said softly. "I'd hate for the Dark Lord to hear that menu idea from me."
Samara grinned at him. She knew the last thing Draco wanted to do was carry any tales to Voldemort, but Ethan didn't know that..
"Samara Donnally, you sit where I told you to," demanded Umbridge.
"Madam Umbridge," said Samara, moving to the front of the room and cornering Umbridge. "They don't like conflict," she whispered.
"They?"
Samara let Salacia poke her head from under the robe. "I have to keep them with me, and now Colin has them agitated."
Umbridge's eyes got wide as quaffles. "They're agitated?"
"Yes Ma'am," said Samara. "They have to be watched every minute." She leaned in close to Umbridge. So close she could smell the woman's stale mothball like perfume. Samara wrinkled her nose as she spoke. "They have to be ready you understand."
"Yes--yes, of course, b-but that isn't for days yet."
Samara raised an eyebrow, wondering what Umbridge knew that she didn't. She didn't like it, but could see no way of questioning her. "I really think it would be better if I traded places with Neville Longbottom," she said.
Umbridge nodded reluctantly and seated the rest of the students. "Where was I?" she wondered. "Oh yes, Malfoy, Midgin."
Eloise Midgin burst into tears. "If Samara can move, why can't I?" she asked. "Couldn't I sit where Harry Potter was supposed to sit?"
"No!" bellowed Umbridge.
"Don't worry, Eloise, I don't bite," said Draco. "At least not a nasty little mudblood like you," he muttered under his breath, and Samara felt the rush of Air Elemental before Draco turned and grinned at her. He had transfigured all of his teeth into fangs. Samara hid her laughter in her robe. Draco turned that same smile on Eloise and she screamed, jumping to her feet, and bumping into Alvin Nott, who caught her and held her upright. By the time Umbridge reacted, Draco's teeth were back to normal. Samara glared at him for his childish antics.
"H-he transfigured his teeth," stuttered Eloise, but Umbridge didn't believe her.
"No fifth year could have done that in so short a period of time," Umbridge disagreed as she seated Alvin Nott on the other side of Eloise. Alvin leaned in to Eloise and said innocently, "I don't mind that you're a mudblood." She scooted away from him, exactly splitting the distance between Nott and Malfoy. Lauren turned around to glare at the both of them and Millicent hid her head in her arms, as she dissolved into helpless laughter.
"Pansy Parkinson, Parvati.Patil and leave a place for Potter. Unfortunately, he will be back," Umbridge predicted. "Lewellyn Styvesant and Dean Thomas. Ron Weasley."
Lew was standing against the wall, reading a book. Ron poked him in the arm. "Lew! That's your seat."
Lew looked up at him blinking owlishly. "Wha--"
"Your seat," Ron hissed.
"Hem, hem," said Umbridge. "That doesn't look like a defense book." She snatched the book from Lew's hand.
"Hey!" he protested.
"What's this?" asked Umbridge frowning at the cover. "Muggle smut?"
The Slytherins in the room broke into snickers.
"Research," said Lew coolly. "May I have it back."
"I think not," said Umbridge gesturing to the seat she had assigned Lew.
"Research?" murmured Ron frowning at Lew.
"On girls," Lew explained in a whisper. "Remember the Hufflepuff girls that came to the party in Gryffindor?"
Ron nodded.
"Well--" Lew began, then decided to shut his mouth as Umbridge glared at him. "Tell you later," he mouthed at Ron.
"Virginia Weasley and Blaise Zambini," Umbridge concluded. "Now," she said, closing the roster with a snap, "We need to determine where you are in your studies."
Hands shot into the air. Amazingly, most of the Slytherins raised their hands. All of them were tense. Samara frowned at the condition of their auras on a whole. Why were they all so tense? Of course, Hermione was waving excitedly to Umbridge, but she ignored Hermione, choosing to call on one of the Slytherins, Lauren Avery, instead.
Every time Samara looked at the girl's aura she felt a lump in her throat. She didn't know why. Obviously Lauren wasn't the only one with a Dark Mark that she didn't want, but somehow it felt wrong that she had it. It was as if a pall had fallen over them. They had not escaped unscathed.
Lauren recited what they had learned that year including everything with wards and sleep spells. She included wand cores and the theory behind different types of wands as well as the dangers of wandless magic. She said nothing about the patronus spell or the fact that they had to accio someone's wand every time they entered the class or risk detention from Snape to practice. Of course if you were the one the wand was accioed from it stood to reason you had detention. Lauren said nothing about the speed drills Snape made them perform with the wards or the fact that he was as likely to curse you as say hello when you entered his class, so everyone came in with their wands drawn.
"I'm sure Professor Snape did a fine job," said Umbridge, but his notes are rather vague. "What did you do with the patronus spell?" she asked confused.
Hermione waved her hand anxiously, but Umbridge called on Draco.
"We had to list what our greatest fears would be if we were faced by a dementor and write a parchment about what happy memory we would choose to make a patronus," said Draco calmly. All around, the Slytherins were nodding. Slowly, Hermione lowered her hand, frowning at the Slytherins' collective lying, and Samara could see some of the tension go out of the Slytherin auras. She exchanged a puzzled look with Hermione.
As soon as class was over, Samara cornered Alvin and Lauren. "Why did everyone lie about the patronus?" she asked "Snape taught us that."
"And damned few of us can do it," said Alvin. "We thought it best to let her think that none of us can."
"That we were never taught it," said Lauren.
"Most of the Slytherins liked the idea to keep their grades from falling," said Draco, as he came up to put his hand on Samara's shoulder. "But some of us like the Dark Lord not knowing how many little Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs can do the patronus spell."
"Don't forget the Ravenclaws," said Lauren.
"Yeah, but they could do it before Snape finished the lesson," said Alvin with a groan. "Kills the average for the rest of us."
"Is He coming here?" whispered Samara. "To Hogwarts?"
Lauren nodded. "My dad thinks so."
"When?" asked Samara.
"No one knows," said Alvin. "I don't think he even told Snape. You know how paranoid he is, Draco. He still hasn't found who tipped off the aurors at the Ministry so they could get the wards down. If that hadn't happened, he would have killed Dumbledore himself. Plus there was the whole fiasco with getting the vampires and veelas caught again. The werewolves weren't so bad since the full moon was over. After Harry Potter escaped with the Prophecy children he killed seven veelas and curcioed Darschell into a blubbering idiot.
"Oh you didn't hear the rest of it," said Lauren. "He set vampires on the Death Eaters and then he had your dad set the dementers on the veelas. I don't know how many were kissed, but Darschell was one of them.
Alvin choked. "They were kissed?" He shuddered with the thought. "Why?"
"They kept the intruders from being caught and Voldemort knew they were aware of the intruders, said Lauren. "Valeriana and Narcissa knew that the veelas had some of the boys at one point and they were not too interested in what Voldemort wanted."
"Mum said they were insolent," added Draco
"He had them kissed for being INSOLENT!" said Alvin appalled.
"Well, then they lost the rescuers, the Muggles and one of the veelas left with them. It looked like at least some of the veelas were in on the rescue. He'll be on a rampage," said Draco.
"We need to be ready," added Samara.
"On the other hand maybe He'll be too concerned with his internal affairs to come to Hogwarts," said Lauren.
"He'll come," said Draco. "But he won't give anyone a warning. If he even told my parents, they are being very secretive about it," said Draco. "With Dumbledore dead, the next possible step would be Harry Potter." Draco paused, "Or you of course," he said indicating Samara.
"You mean us, don't you?" said Samara.
"That still pisses the hell out of him, you know that, don't you?" said Draco.
Samara nodded leaning in for a kiss. "I don't care, do you?"
"Mum said we owe Snape a favor. He went out on a limb for us, telling the Dark Lord we both had to be here for some emerald." Said Draco.
Samara turned, staring at Draco. "He did that?"
"Hopefully, it will give the Dark Lord time to cool off a bit, and if he's happy about the emerald, well that would help." Draco sighed. "Mother wouldn't tell me anything else. She said she wanted to sleep. She wasn't in the best of moods after he finished with her."
He punished her?" asked Nott. "Why?"
"The question isn't why, it's why wasn't I there to see it."
"Draco, she's still your mother," said Alvin disapprovingly.
Draco simply fixed him with a cold stare. "She and Aunt Valeriana knew that the Weasleys were there, and the Weasley's opened his room. That's why she was crucioed."
"Woah," said Alvin. "Kind of makes you want to rethink how you treat the Weasley's," he said.
"Not really," said Draco, but with a stern look from Samara he refrained from explaining.
Harry reacted on instinct. Snape's hands around the back of his neck and the bunny in his arms could have made him helpless, but he remembered Ginny's elbow to the gut that incapacitated her brother. He used the same Muggle move rather well, freeing his wand arm letting loose of the bunny and shouting, "Expelliaramus!" followed immediately by both a crippling hex and a blinding hex. It was only when the formidable wizard sunk to his knees, with both hands going automatically to his eyes, that Harry realized it was Snape. Beatrice was long gone.
"Finally, Potter," said Snape in a rasping voice. He took several deep breaths, and slowly, by touch alone found and picked up his wand. "I would have chosen a different hex though. I still have the use of my hands and voice."
Harry nodded, and then realizing that Snape couldn't see, continued aloud.. "If it wasn't you, I would have continued hexing," Harry said softly, blowing out his breath and pushing back his unruly blowing hair.
"So you trust me?" asked Snape.
"Ha! Not exactly," said Harry and Snape's lip curled in a semblence of a smile. "I just want some answers. Finite incantum," Harry said ending the blinding curse and freeing the use of Snape's legs.
"I did accidental magic," Harry said softly. "In Umbridge's class."
"I noticed," replied Snape.
"I haven't done that for--ages." Harry paused trying to remember when he last did accidental magic. Perhaps it was when he blew up Aunt Marge. He cast worried eyes at Snape. "It felt different somehow--more powerful--" Harry wanted to talk to someone else about this, perhaps Hermione, certainly not Snape.
"You have been under some stress lately," said Snape.
Harry fixed him with a glare the likes of which Snape had only seen in his mirror.
Snape sighed. "It means you are coming into your adult powers," he said. "You are fifteen. It's nothing out of the ordinary. As your powers change, your control over them changes. The loss of control is temporary, Potter. You should know that." Snape shrugged. "As your powers settle to their new levels you will gain control again."
"But the prophecy," interrupted Harry. "It says, children. We--I--I can't have adult powers yet. I won't be able to fight Him." Harry felt his throat closing with panic.
"Just because your voice squeaks when you are thirteen doesn't mean you are a man, Potter. And you are not an adult wizard just because you had one incident of accidental magic. This was only the first incident wasn't it?" asked Snape leaning closer than Harry ever wanted him to be.
"Yes," said Harry turning away. "This was the first time--I think--" He tried to remember if anything he did at the Snow Castle could count as accidental magic.
"What do you mean, you think Potter. You did or you didn't. You can't possibly be that inept."
"No," said Harry forcefully. "That was the first time I've done accidental magic since the beginning of third year--"
"Good," Snape nodded. "Come, we have to talk." In a billow of robes Snape started down the corridor. Harry hesitated only a second, mulling over Snape's loyalty before following him. Maybe Snape was going to kill him like he killed Dumbledore. His stomach did a little flip flop.
On the other hand, perhaps it would be for the best, he thought, better than dying by Voldemort's hand. He stood, at last outside of Snape's doorway. He no longer cared if Snape killed him too With Dumbledore gone it was just too much. He felt like the weight of the wizarding world was on his shoulders, well, of course, it was. It has always been.
"I've been expecting you, Potter," said Snape as he moved away from the doorway to his dungeon office and motioned Harry in. "After all, you have a penchant for sneaking around after hours to find out things that don't concern you. I didn't expect to have to fetch you. I expected you to come to me for assistance."
Harry raised and eyebrow thinking Snape expected him to ask for help? Was he nutters? And yet Harry had considered Snape as a source of information.
"I did come," said Harry, "but then I realized, no one can help me."
"No. No one can, but Hogwarts can help you."
"I know it protects me, but nothing can protect me from what's coming now. The prophecy says it all: kill or be killed--and I can't--I can't--"
"You are not powerless," said Snape.
"I know. It's not a question of power. It's a question of will." Harry's voice dropped to a whisper. "I can't kill another person. Not even Voldemort."
"Then your parent's death meant nothing," said Snape. "All I and the Order have done, and even Albus' sacrifice was for nothing" Snape's dark eyes stared accusingly at Harry.
"Albus sacrifice?" asked Harry. "What are you playing at?"
"I am not playing. This is no game, Potter."
"I want to know the truth," said Harry, but Snape didn't answer. Ever since Ginny hinted at Snape's involvement with the spell that his mother used and it's similarity to the one that killed Dumbledore, Harry wanted to find out what really happened. He wanted to compare what Snape said with what Ginny said. He tried to find the answer by sneaking outside of Snape's quarters, but it seemed as if Snape were as illusive as smoke. He was rarely in his chamber. Harry wondered where he was, and the longer he thought about it the more he thought Snape was making some deal with the Dark Lord. It would make sense. With Dumbledore dead, the Dark Lord should have followers flocking to him. Who would think that Harry could win this? Hell, Harry didn't even think he could win. Voldemort was going to crush him.
"I want to know the truth," Harry repeated.
"I suppose it is high time for that," Snape agreed. "But what makes you think I have any idea what the truth is?" Snape asked.
"Ginny," said Harry.
"Ginny isn't even the truth," Snape replied.
"I know."
For a long moment they looked at each other, Harry thinking of all the pranks his father and Sirius had pulled on Snape. Were they in some measure responsible for his going to the Dark Lord? Was that what set this all in motion?
"No," said Snape. "Your pathetic father had nothing to do with it."
"Stay the hell out of my mind," shouted Harry.
"I wasn't in your mind, fool. Your guilt and grief is written all over your face. Who needs Occlumency? You are an open book, Potter. Of course since you barely know how to read, that cliché probably means nothing to you."
"I don't need this," snapped Harry, heading for the door.
"As a matter of fact, you do! You needed this long ago," said Snape, snatching his arm and turning him around. The door slammed closed with a silent spell.
Harry had one thought-- get away from me, asshole. Snape staggered back as though struck, by a blast of air in the closed room, and Harry stared at him. He hadn't said a spell, but he felt the expulsion of power from his person, and Snape was on the floor. The rush of power that flowed over him felt euphoric, and it was a moment before Harry could speak.-- "I just did that, didn't I?" said Harry.
Snape nodded. He was holding his injured wand arm at his side. It was completely useless and Snape's brow was covered with a fine sheen of sweat. Harry felt dizzy, and clinging to the table, he blew out his breath, seeking to get a better hold on himself. "How did I do that?" asked Harry.
"Power he knows not," quoted Snape.
"But that's supposed to be my mother's love," said Harry.
"Make no mistake, your mother did love you, but that is not what saved you, and we should be grateful for that. Because if it was the love of a mother that was your power, the side of light would be in dire straights now."
"Why?"
"Because Ginny Weasley loves Tom Riddle, and the love of a mother always gives way to the love of--that kind."
Harry gaped and when he realized that he was staring open mouthed like a fish he consciously got hold of himself. "But I don't have any special power," he said.
"You have your birthright--the Elementals, the edge of Death, where he fears to go. He has left too much of himself there already."
"I don't believe you. Why now? I mean I'm fifteen years old. Why would this birthright come now?"
"Why indeed?" said Snape. "Because you are on the cusp of manhood. Ware of losing your childhood soon," Snape quoted. "Soon it will be too late and Voldemort will have won. This is what I warned Albus of.
"He was a great man," said Harry testily.
"I am aware of that," said Snape, and then he continued, "Perhaps more aware than you know, but all the time he wanted to protect you as a child was lost. If you had been sorted into any other house, he wouldn't have been so protective of you. He would have let you grow. In Slytherin. Quit would have taught you the length and breadth of your power. In Ravenclaw you would have researched your ancestry and knew that the combination of your mother and father would yield power of Meridius' line. In Hufflepuff you would have extended yourself for others, over and over again until the power grew strong, but in Gryffindor, your power could only be manifest by your isolated incidents of heroism. It wasn't enough. Plus, there is Albus' choice to house you with the Muggles." Snape sighed. "Lily would have been appalled at your weakness. Lily would have wanted you to grow."
"You don't know my mother. Don't ever speak ill of her."
Snape smirked at him, and chose to answer the second statement rather than the first. "I wouldn't ever speak ill of her," Snape said in a low tone that sent chills over Harry's skin. "Never."
The implications evident in his words, enraged Harry. "You--you--pervert," snapped Harry.
"And what is perverted about admiring a beautiful woman?" asked Snape. "You have done it, and if I remember correctly, you didn't even care about her--" He paused consciously gauging Harry's reaction. "--like I cared about Lily.
Harry's face flamed red as he thought of Snape catching him with Cho, but the thought of Snape touching his near sainted mother, filled him with rage.
Snape continued undaunted, turning away from Harry and staring into the fire. "I did admire her, but when it became clear that she loved that empty-headed fool, your father, I let her go. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. She asked for my friendship, and I gave it to her. I couldn't refuse her--anything."
Harry wanted desperately to get off of this abhorrent subject, so he brought up another abhorrent subject.
"But you killed Dumbledore," said Harry weakly. "Would my mother have wanted that? Why haven't the Aurors come to take you away? Why?" Harry's voice dropped to a whisper. "It's not fair."
Fair?" scoffed Snape, as he paced, robes billowing. "What is ever fair? The Ministry Officials will not come because too many of them are owned by the Dark Lord. It has been so for a long while now, including Fudge.
"Since September," said Harry forgetting that he had learned that fact while evesdropping and hiding under the Invisibility Cloak in the library.
Snape started. "I thought so," He said softly. "I could feel your panic."
"And you," growled Harry. "You are owned by the Dark Lord too. Why else would you have killed Dumbledore? He trusted you!"
Snape looked at him for a long moment. "Why indeed," he asked. Are you going to look into this pensieve or not?
Harry moved forward and peered into its silvery depths. The surface boiled and finally cleared. Harry touched it and stepped through.
His mother, his very beautiful, very powerful, very pregnant mother was standing in front of Snape, holding both of his hands in her own. She looked like a ray of sunshine in robes the color of summer wheat. Her green eyes were intense as she entreated him to do something for her. They were standing in the garden outside of a huge well-kept manor house that Harry didn't recognize, but Snape did. It was Snape Manor. Lily squeezed Snape's hands in her own. She shifted uncomfortably with her advanced pregnancy. It was obviously sometime in the summer just before Harry was born and it was very warm, but Harry didn't think the weather had anything to do with the sweat that was giving Snape a chill. "I know I'm asking a lot, Severus, but I don't know anyone else powerful enough to protect him. Please, for old times sake, Severus say yes." She pulled Severus' long fingered hand forward and placed it on her distended belly.
"Does James know you are asking me this?" said Snape pulling his hands from hers. Turning away and pruning several small plants, he added them to his collecting basket. His long fingers flashed with practiced ease and he stood, brushing the dirt from his robe. Harry realized Snape was wearing Slytherin green, not black, bits of garden dirt and herbs clung to it, visible on the ivory trim.
"No. James wanted a Ravenclaw," said Lily. "He wished your brother to do it, but considering the circumstances--"
Snape growled, a sound filled with pain and menace. The memory suddenly slid sideways with dizzying speed and Harry was watching a Quiddich game, Gryffindor against Ravenclaw. The Seekers were high above the pitch, so high they were both only dots on their brooms. Snape was watching Ravenclaw's Seeker, with omnoculars and gasped when he suddenly went for the snitch, not down, but up--up to an impossible height. The Gryffindor Seeker went for the snitch too and there was a mad rush, the brooms colliding roughly and somebody tumbling off of their broom. A flash of pale skin and lank dark hair passed before his eyes before the boy hit the ground with a dull thump. Blood spattered around his body as he hit. It was horribly obvious that the Ravenclaw -Seeker was dead on impact. James, Harry's father circled the pitch holding up the fluttering golden snitch, reminding Harry somewhat of Cedric Diggory obliviously catching the snitch when he himself had fallen from his broom, but Dumbledore's quick thinking had saved. him; nonetheless, Harry shivered with the thought of Malfoy playing his dementor trick. Of course then, Harry wasn't that high. It was different when you were flying high. There was more time to react. Belatedly, in the pensieve, James Potter had flown to the fallen player. Harry knew enough about flying to know that the Ravenclaw Seeker didn't have to die, if only his father had thought a little quicker, he could have caught him on his own broom. He could have flown faster than the boy fell, or at least he could have on today's brooms. Were the brooms of the seventies fast enough? James didn't even try…The same dexterity that caught the snitch could have caught the boy. Harry knew; he would have tried. He also knew as well as Snape that his father may or may not have been able to save the skinny kid if he had forgone the snitch, but he didn't try. He never took his eyes from the snitch. Perhaps, like Cedric, with his eyes focused on the snitch, James just didn't notice. Harry shook his head. He would have noticed. He should have noticed. The Seeker may not see every goal, but Seekers never let their mind wander far from the other Seeker, not if they are a good player.
Suddenly the memory of the broken body was squelched as Snape buried his face in someone's yellow robes, and Harry heard the tearful voice of his mother. Harry realized with a start, that Severus had been watching the game with Lily and several others who gave them a wide berth. "Severus? Severus let's go see if--if--" her voice broke off, and Severus snarled at her. "If what? If there are any pieces of my brother left unbroken? I'll never forgive your precious James for this. Never!" Snape pulled himself to his feet and Lily called after him. "Severus, it wasn't James' fault! It was an accident. A horrible accident."
"A Seeker always knows where the other Seeker is--always!" snarled Snape.
(A/N: I know, JK later said James was a Chaser, but I thought of him as a Seeker since Harry got the Seeker job, and I just can't change the image. Sorry.)
The memory faded into the first one, and Snape was standing with Lily back in the garden.
"Please Severus," his mother was saying. "Do this for me. Look after the child. Dumbledore says that this child will be powerful. He needs you." She was rubbing her hands over her distended stomach in a nervous gesture.
"He has you, Lily," said Snape.
"No, he doesn't, or he won't."
"What?" said Snape, but Lily waved away his question.
"Just Frank, shooting off his mouth."
"Frank Longbottom?" clarified Snape, but Lily had already continued.
"Dumbledore thinks that little Harry will one day defeat Voldemort. He is the child prophesied."
Snape snorted his disbelief and continued to prune leaves from the plants.
"You know that power attracts attention," said Lily. "I don't want him getting the wrong kind of attention. Better to be anonymous. He will be safer if the powers at the time don't know that he will be Meridius' agent.. It will be better if he is known as nothing but a mediocre wizard with mediocre powers. Dumbledore agrees with me."
Dumbledore," snapped Snape. "He thinks he can control every aspect of the prophecy. I wouldn't be surprised if he used a love potion to get you and James together when he saw the saw the possibilities of Meridius line between the two of you."
Lily laughed. "Don't be bitter, Severus. I love James."
"That's the purpose of a love potion," said Severus dryly and when she said nothing, he slapped the basket down on a rock sat beside it and sighed. "It's no love potion," he said softly.
"You checked?" she said, obviously understanding more of the snarky professor than Harry had thought.
Severus nodded, and Lily laughed. It was a beautiful sound, like the tinkling notes of phoenix song. Harry had never heard her laugh. He had only heard her cry and scream. Suddenly, Snape caught her hands, encompassing them in his own. "Lily," he said as he pulled her into his embrace and whispered against her lips. "Leave James and I will protect both you and the child. No one need know he is of Meridius' line. I will claim it as my own. It doesn't matter to me. He could be heir to Snape Manor; but my father will probably disown me. Believe me, Lily, I will never, never let you or the child be hurt, even if my father disowns me." His lips covered Lily's in a passionate kiss, with the evidence of James love for her bulging between them. With her belly full of Jame's child, she responded to Snape's kiss. She reached up and ran her fingers through his fine hair whispering against his lips, "Oh Severus."
Harry stared in fascinated horror as she broke the kiss and groaned softly, laying her head on Snape's shoulder. "We've had this conversation before, Severus."
"And it has never come to a satisfactory conclusion."
"I can't do this. I love you both so much," whispered Lily.
"Spare me from the indecision of Hufflepuffs," said Snape in a dry toneless voice, but he didn't let go of her.
"I'm not indecisive. It's just so hopeless," she moaned. "And James needs me. This child needs me. Besides, I can't be the fault of your family disowning you. I just can't. I see what Andromeda did to Sirius' family. They are at each others' throats. Even he and Regulus are on the outs. Regulus! I won't be the cause of your going against your father's wishes. I won't. It would be a mistake. In the end you would hate me for it, just like Sirius blames Ted Tonks."
"Don't compare me to that mongrel," snapped Snape pacing abruptly away.
"But that's just it," said Lily following him. "He's not a mongrel. I am."
"I don't care," said Snape taking her in his arms again. "It's not all on your head, you know. You should learn to let others make their own mistakes. Stop taking on the problems of the world." He brushed a kiss on her forehead.
"Don't lecture me, Severus," Lily said, and then her voice was muffled in his desperate kiss. Her mouth opened beneath his and she wrapped her arms around him pulling him closer. Harry, in Snape's memory, realized that the slimy git could feel the bulge of her stomach between them and he didn't care.
Harry was hyperventilating as he saw and felt her response through Snape's pensive--Snape's memory. He was propelled beyond disgust. To realize that Snape kissed his mother like that was bad enough. To realize that she liked it was yet another thing, and to be party to it by seeing it in Snape's pensieve through Snape's memory of it was just too much. Harry pulled himself abruptly from the pensieve, and stood shivering with reaction, his hands over his face willing himself not to be sick.
Snape withdrew from the pensive too. "You are Meridius' agent," he said. "That is why you can defeat Voldemort." He said nothing about the kiss, which was fine with Harry. He wanted to forget it as soon as possible.
"I wanted Albus to tell you--not me--" Snape said in a harsh whisper.
At length Harry asked, "Why didn't Dumbledore tell me this?"
"Power unknown," said Snape.
"And now you've told me," spat Harry. "So I know. So your Master can destroy me?" He couldn't like the git. He found he hated him even more, not less, now, that he realized that there was something between Snape and his mother.
"You know nothing," said Snape. "I gave Lily my word that day. I would protect you. I wouldn't break that vow."
"Ha! What does your word mean? I suppose you promised Dumbledore too--"
Harry found himself smashed against the dungeon wall. He could barely breathe, and Snape snarled against his face. "I have kept my word. Why do you think I've wasted my life piddling around with potions and defense against the dark arts buried away here in academia? Why do you think I am still here in these cold miserable rooms at Hogwarts when I have a castle to rival Malfoy's at my disposal and house elves whose intelligence sets Malfoy's to shame? Why do you think I suffer day after day of incompetent imbeciles like you and the rest of Gryffindor house, by day, and Voldemort's minions at night, if not to fulfill my pledge to her?"
"You wouldn't do that," argued Harry. "You wouldn't. . . You're not that …nice…Why?" Harry glared at Snape, green eyes boring into black, willing Snape to tell him the truth. He wished he was strong enough to legilmize Snape, but if the Dark Lord couldn't tell what Snape was thinking, how did Harry think he could do it. Nonetheless, the thought came to Harry's mind: guilt. It was a familiar feeling.
"It's your fault," Harry whispered.
"Of course it's my fault," said Snape..
"What?" squeaked Harry. "If he could have moved he would have throttled the professor. His fault that Lily was dead? He knew that Snape had killed Dumbledore, but Lily was another matter altogether. "It's time you see the rest of this memory," said Snape. "But I am disinclined to let you see mine. Come. This memory is better viewed in Albus' pensieve. If I show you my view. . . Well, I shall not show you my view." he said, his voice hard, but as he put the pensieve away, his hands shook. Harry could never remember Snape's hands shaking. Never.
Next chapter: Dumbledore's pensieve and more...
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