ON TWO LORDS AND A PRINCE
CHAPTER 16: GIFTS FROM FANGED FAMILY
It turned out that Harry's first order meeting was that very evening at ten o'clock, leaving Harry with not enough time to get back to Gryffindor Tower to unpack. He didn't even bother going back either, preferring to make his way down to the dungeons to speak to Sam, if only to ask him about Slinker's title. As it was Harry's new potions professor didn't seem all that surprised when his nephew came knocking on his office door.
"I thought I'd be seeing you tonight," Sam commented when Harry walked in, "If only to ask about Slinker," He didn't wait for Harry to comment before continuing, "His highness is talking to the Slytherins right now, but has promised to stop by here before he goes to the Order Meeting." Sam said his best friend's title in a mocking tone, which indicated he obviously didn't take Slinker's position very seriously.
"Is he trying to take Figg's place as temporary Head of Slytherin then?" Harry asked curiously. Slinker and Sam's friendship had begun long before Hogwarts, and had survived pretty much intact during their school years despite the fact that they had been sorted into different houses. Samuel Evans had been a Ravenclaw, whilst Harry 'Slinker' Potter had been a Slytherin at a time when the Slytherin name had deserved it's reputation as being synonymous with death eater, Slinker and his friend, Julian, being two of just four light side supporting Slytherins.
"Yes, he's afraid that with Figg in charge Slytherin will spiral of control just as they did during the last war. If it's possible she was a worse choice for Head of Slytherin than Professor McKlusky ever was." Sam replied. He sounded slightly concerned by the prospect. Harry had heard stories of Hogwarts during the last war, and the outright hostility between Slytherin and the other houses. Apparently their head of house, who was another close ally of Dumbledore, was powerless to prevent most of the Slytherins from openly declaring their allegiance to Voldemort and terrorising the school.
"But surely Slinker won't make much difference, he's on the light side too. Draco would ignore someone who wasn't neutral or on the dark side and I'm sure he wouldn't be the only one." Harry asked, echoing Sam's worry. Having said that he knew the Slytherins would listen to Snape, even if he had betrayed Voldemort, simply because they believed the Potions Master always put their interests before anything else.
"I don't think that their head of house would have to actually be neutral as long as he or she pretends to be for the Slytherin's sake." Sam theorised, "McKlusky made the mistake during the last war of trying to hard to convert the neutrals to the light side and in doing so she drove them to the dark side instead. I doubt either Slinker or Snape would make the same mistake, although Figg would."
"Well Figg isn't exactly known for doing things correctly is she?" Harry responded snidely. He was never going to forgive the old woman for failing him during his time at the Dursleys.
"She is getting on a bit," Sam replied, laughing at Harry's hatred for his old babysitter, "Besides she's known for her work on theoretical defence not monitoring or mentoring young wizards."
Harry's eyes narrowed slightly, "So why was she given the job of protecting me in the first place?" He asked angrily. To his mind the fact that she wasn't qualified for the task of protecting him was further evidence that Dumbledore really didn't care for him at all.
"Probably because she was the only one available for the job." Sam said with a frown, as the office door opened, revealing a frustrated looking Slinker.
"I know that frown," He said upon seeing Sam, "It means you don't know the answer."
The object of accusation scowled at his best friend, "It does not. I gave an answer didn't I?" He snapped back stubbornly. Harry could tell that Sam wasn't angry but even so the Potions Professor seemed a little offended by the teasing. Slinker merely shook his head with dismay at his friend's reaction.
"It doesn't mean you're right," Slinker replied with a slight playful smirk.
"I probably I am though," Sam retorted confidently, "I mean how many other order members would be willing to do the job."
"True," Slinker responded still smirking slightly. It was an expression that screamed 'I know something you don't', "But I think the fact she's a squib might be more relevant in this instance. There was nothing left for her in the wizarding world after her husband died." Both Harry and Sam looked at him in shock.
"Then what on earth is she doing teaching Defence against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts?" Harry asked, not quite believing his ears. He certainly didn't hold that fact against her, but he knew some who would, telling them would be a more than suitable means of revenge against the woman who had failed him.
"Jack Figg married a squib!" Sam exclaimed at the same as Harry asked his question. He was equally as shocked by the revelation of Arabella Figg's lack of magic as his nephew.
"Yes, It's all in the Clan archives." Slinker replied seriously, responding to he friend's question before answering Harry's, "The Figg family heir fell in love with the squib sister of the girl he was promised to and married her instead. My dad told me before he died that the only reason why she studied Defence theory in the first place was to help her husband through his auror training. Just as well she did huh? Her theories were a major help in winning the last war and now she's here to teach them to you lot."
"Clan Archives?" Harry queried, not really paying attention to the explanation beyond the fact she seemed to be an expert in theoretical defence. He was more interested in this clan that his uncle seemed to belong to, he assumed that this clan was what Slinker was Prince of.
"The archives of the Drakonmire Clan are extremely extensive," Slinker explained absently. Harry couldn't decide whether he was hiding something or merely far more interested in discussing Arabella Figg than answering questions about his own life. Harry had a suspicion that it was the former and that the disinterest was merely a cover for nerves. Sam seemed to agree with him.
"Of course they're extensive," Sam replied curtly with a pointed look to Slinker that demanded he should tell the truth, "They belong to a clan of immortal Vampires."
"Vampires!" Harry choked, looking at Slinker strangely. He hadn't noticed it before but he did have a pale, gaunt face even if he didn't have the fangs to go with it, "You're a Vampire?"
The prince of the Drakonmire Clan sent his friend a short glare, which was returned with a fierce questioning glare that made you feel as though you were a naughty boy caught stealing. It was the kind of look that Professor McGonagall gave troublemakers such as the twins. "You were going to tell him, weren't you?" Sam asked sternly. The slight guilty look on Slinker's face gave away the answer.
"Eventually," he said calmly, his tone of voice not matching the expression on his face, "but these things have to take time. Whilst I have every confidence in Harry not to hold my species against me, it would be better if he knew the fact about our kind from the fiction before he found out."
"So basically you didn't trust me to know the truth?" Harry asked bitterly, sending a short glare at the uncle who had tried to deceive him. Subconsciously he knew that his uncle had a good reason for not telling him, Vampires didn't exactly have the best of reputations, but that did not affect his temper or the hurt he felt at being distrusted.
There was a short silence in which it became obvious that Slinker wouldn't answer the question. Harry didn't need Sam's explanation to understand why. "No, he was just being a coward who didn't want to take the risk that you might reject him," he said pointedly, giving Slinker another harsh look.
"Hey, I am not a coward and you know it," Slinker protested in response. His cowed look replaced by one of indignity. He may have been a Slytherin at school, but Slinker Potter was more than willing to go in head first, wands cursing if a suitable alternative was not to be found. In fact it was the combination of courage and cunning that had got him to where he was in the first place.
"Of course, that explains your phobia for stags," Sam replied with a small smile as he remembered an incident during their seventh year which involved a stag which he was later informed to be James Potter's animagus form. Slinker had been convinced, correctly, the stag was about to attack them and had made a hasty retreat.
"The damn thing was going to attack me," Slinker responded hotly, "I just had better things to do with my time than get myself killed by wild animals."
"Wild animals?" Harry queried chirpily. He couldn't help grinning slightly at the thought that had just entered his head, "This wild animal, it wouldn't happen to be a stag animagus would it?"
Sam smirked in response, "Of course," he said. "Who else would it be?" Harry couldn't help bursting into laughter.
"No-one, James and Sirius always were the biggest pair of wild animals you could hope to meet. That's probably why Hagrid loved them so much," Slinker commented blithely, spoiling the joke Sam and Harry had against him. "At least they gave me good practice for the Selection Trials. I suppose I ought to thank Sirius for that."
"Selection trials?" Harry queried. He had no clue what Slinker was on about, but then it was probably something to do with the Vampires, which they had not covered in DADA. Sam, for some unknown reason, seemed to know about what his best friend was talking about.
"Selection for the clan prince," Slinker explained to Harry, "To be selected you have to go through a series of trials, fights and duels, so that only the strongest person becomes Prince. The fact I won at such a young age shocked many people, but then I was one of the few trialists to have studied Channelling the One Power, which gave me a huge advantage."
"Why? Is it incredibly powerful form of magic?" Harry asked perking up at hearing something that might give him an advantage in a fight against Voldemort. But then there was the possibility he wouldn't be able to learn to cast it, given that his uncle was a Vampire, even so it was worth hoping.
"Blood magic is more powerful, but unlike Channelling is hopeless in combat because of the blood sacrifice that is needed. The real killer though is the fact it's the only type of wandless magic that cannot be blocked, even by another channeler, " Slinker intoned, a small smirk crossing his face at the sight of the hopeful expression on his nephew's face, "And yes I will be teaching you how to channel, you will most probably need it to defeat Voldemort." A smile broke out on Harry's face. "Although you must not tell anyone until I've obtained a licence for you from the International Confederation of Wizards and even then it would be better if you told no-one, Channelling is regarded as one of the darkest of the dark magics." Harry didn't bat an eyelid at this; he didn't really care what people thought as long as it was useful.
"Dumbledore also wants you to attend the Advanced Defence classes I'll be giving on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and I agree with him. Your channelling ability ought to be kept for special occasions." Harry nodded in agreement; it was always wise to keep your trump card up your sleeve, especially when facing someone as tricky and dangerous as Voldemort.
"So when do I start?" Harry asked hopefully. He was looking forward to the promised classes from Slinker after all they would be incredibly useful, certainly more so than the theoretical stuff he would be learning with Figg.
"Tomorrow evening. Channelling is extremely difficult to master the sooner we start the soon you'll be able to do it," Slinker replied, before producing a small pouch from a pocket inside his robes. "You'll need this too," he continued handing the pouch to Harry. Inside was a ring with a crest of a snake coiled round a lightening bolt, also etched on it was the motto "Puissant et Pur." It was a beautiful piece of jewellery.
"Your father's signet ring," he explained as Harry looked at the ring in awe, "It's supposed to be worn by the head of the Potter family. I've been safeguarding it for the past fifteen years but it's yours by right as I ceased to be a true Potter when I was bitten nearly twenty years ago. I'm not going to give you illegal channelling lessons in Hogwarts where Dumbledore would know about it, so I'll be taking you to the Family Mansion in Upper Wimscot and teach you there."
"How are we going to get there and back without Dumbledore noticing? It's not as though we can use the Floo." Harry asked He'd known that Wimscot Manor was the ancestral home of the Potter family and that it belonged to him. He also knew that it was in a small Village in the Cotswolds, but beyond that he knew very little about it and he'd certainly never been there.
"With the ring and a special portkey," Slinker responded cryptically, "It's a technique the Order uses too, although you won't get your Order Ring until you get to the meeting place, this evening you'll be portkeying to a different location."
Harry opened his mouth to respond, but Sam cut him off. "Talking of your Order meeting it's five to ten, if you don't leave now you'll be late," he warned sharply. Harry glanced up at the clock on the wall, he hadn't realised that he'd been in his uncle's office for that long. Neither it appeared had Slinker who gave Sam his goodbyes and then escorted Harry to Dumbledore's office where the portkey to the headquarters of The Order of the Phoenix was waiting for him.
I've altered a little of the background info to this fic so as to take into account infomation revealed in OotP, none of the alterations are major spoilers nor will I mention what has changed as a result of reading OotP in my authors notes. I do want to make clear however that neither Tonks nor Luna will be in this fic and that the character that dies does not have a major part role. Furthermore, if you have read OotP do not include spoilers for it in your review, in case some who has not read the book browses the review page.
Secondly, the concept of Channelling was inspired by Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series as such the concepts related to it belong to him, not to me nor to J.K. Rowling. The only major change that I will make to the concept is the absence of the taint on Saidin, for reasons which should be obvious to Wheel of Time fans.
Thirdly, the Potter family motto is French for 'Powerful and Pure'.
Finally, Thank You to all those who reviewed Chapters 14 and 15. The reviews were much appreciated. If you want me to e-mail you when I update this fic leave your e-mail address in your review.