Chapter 5 – Rufus Singultus - The Red Rattler of Death

After Friday night's incident, Harry didn't know what to think anymore…especially in regards to his guardianship. Harry turned to his side and faced Ron across from him, who was snoring happily as he slept. Harry squinted to see through the darkness of the room. Without his glasses he could only see shapes but one thing was for sure…there was a set of blue eyes looking straight at him.

'Want to talk downstairs?' Harry heard a voice ask him. It didn't take a genius to figure out that it was Alex.

Harry nodded and then reached for his glasses but there where not longer there.

'Looking for these?' asked Alex as he placed the glasses in Harry's hand.

'Thanks,' whispered Harry as he put on his glasses.

'Let's go before Mr. Snorts wakes up.' Alex grinned.

Harry suppressed a smile and followed Alex down the stairs into the Study. Alex guided Harry down the stairs with such stealth that made Harry wonder if Alex did this type of thing all the time. The portraits didn't even notice them - or they at least pretended not to.

As they reached the Study, Harry noticed that Alex had been down here earlier because the candles that Mrs. Weasley had freshly put were now half way used and books that had been neatly put away were now everywhere. If that was not all, there was a plate full of cookies, a plate full of sandwiches and two bottles of Butterbeer on top of the coffee table.

Alex smiled, 'Now Harry,' Alex said coyly. 'I am not the one to show my tender side…' Harry wanted to snort at hearing this. 'But since with have to live in the same house, I though we might as well get to know each other.'

Harry adjusted his glasses before sitting opposite to Harry and could help feeling that he was making a deal with the devil. 'Alright, where do you want to start?'

'Well…' began Alex with a smile. 'Let's discuss my father for example…'

For a good part of the night they discussed what Harry knew about Sirius Black and what Alex knew about his own father. Harry was surprise to learn that Alex knew nothing about Sirius except that he was sent to Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit.

Then the topic changed towards May. That's when Harry learned that May had broken the law more than once. Harry was not surprised when Alex had began to talk about her as an outlaw in her younger years but what surprised him was that her illegal activities had nothing to do with Voldemort…but with Harry.

When Harry asked Alex what he meant by that, Alex just smiled and told him to ask his mother. Harry could tell that Alex looked a bit jealous, so Harry didn't pursue the conversation further. Seeing this, Alex couldn't help to reveal that May had tried many times to kidnap Harry but never succeeded, thanks to Dumbledore. Otherwise Harry would have enjoyed the same life that Alex had.

During what was left of the night Alex told Harry about his demands, which included to stay out of Alex's way when it came to his friends. Harry, not wanting to be left behind, also placed his own demands. At the end of the night both Alex and Harry had come to a peaceful agreement to stay out of each other's way.

It was Monday morning and Harry had not seen neither Sirius nor May since the revealing spectacle from Friday night. Neither Ron nor Hermione knew the whereabouts of Sirius or May, but Mrs. Weasley had assured them that they were still somewhere around the house. During that time Harry kept thinking about what Alex had told him and could not shake the feeling that May might have been trying to kill him instead of protecting him like she professed.

The absence of Sirius unnerved him and another thing that got on Harry's nerves was that Alex couldn't keep his emotions at rest, for he kept having odd mood swings. One day he would be his normal self, the next day he would just be extremely bossy or impatient, and the day that followed, he would just be too submissive. Not only had his emotions flared uncontrollably, but also his appearance, for Alex was looking paler each day; the sparkle of mischief that had always ruled his eyes were dimming and to everyone's surprise, Alex had even stopped being arrogant.

During Tuesday afternoon Harry had heard someone whistling a tune somewhere within the upstairs hall. As Harry went out of his room to investigate he had found that the tune came from Sirius's old bedroom, where Buckbeak was now the sole resident. Harry walked silently towards the room, and found that the door was half ajar and giving one last look at the sides, he pushed the door opened. There he found a crouched figure at the far corner, shuffling things out from an old chest.

'Sirius?' Harry asked, adjusting his glasses. The room was still dark from the closed windowpanes that kept the sun from shinning in. Harry only walked a few steps before seeing parchments, textbooks and objects being scattered around the wooden floor.

Getting a few more books and parchments out of the box, Sirius got up, 'Hey Harry, I see that you have caught me cleaning out my things. I was meaning to put things in order for sometime…since Molly had kept on insisting it…but you know me, I wanted to do things at my own pace,' he smiled as he quickly put something in his pocket and then proceeded to dust a large textbook that he had in his hand, 'I hope you are enjoying yourself, Harry.'

Harry could only nod as he went towards Buckbeak who was sitting at the other end of the room, 'I'm having a great time,' he responded, petting Buckbeak.

'I'm glad, my boy,' he said, walking towards Harry through the mess of books and parchments. 'I bet you are getting on well with Alex.'

'That's the reason I wanted to talk to you about and also among other things,' Harry quickly stated, swallowing hard as he now faced Sirius.

Sirius smiled, 'You know you can always tell me everything,' Sirius reassured him as he put a hand on his right shoulder. 'Besides, there is something you should know before…' Sirius was then interrupted as they heard the door open, which had accidentally knocked down a pile of books.

'Sorry,' said May as she looked at the mess that she had made. 'I was wondering,' she began as she began to clean the mess she had just made, 'If we could go to the drug store, which is only two blocks away from here. It will take no more than a half hour.'

Sirius lifted an eyebrow but didn't say anything yet, at seeing this May quickly added, 'It is just to buy Alex's potion ingredients and some other little things you know.'

Sirius frowned not liking what he was hearing, 'Is his supply low?'

Harry was confused, since when did Muggle drugstores begin to sell potion ingredients? It wasn't as though you could go to a Pharmacist and ask for dragon scales, Flobberworm mucus and Boomslang skin or any other potion ingredients.

'Very low,' answered May with a look of pleading in her eyes.

Harry noticed that she looked very tired but there was something else to her appearance. Her complexion was glowing, which made her looked happy and radiant. Harry suspected that something might have happened between May and Sirius.

'I believe Alex might have run out since Saturday by the way he is acting. I have been wondering why he didn't tell me sooner.' May contemplated as she looked at the mess within the room.

Sirius looked angry, 'He doesn't need to. You are his mother and you are also supposed to make sure he has everything he needs before he runs out of them.' Sirius told her keeping his anger in check.

May looked frustrated as she glared at Sirius, 'Maybe if I had been told that I was going to be locked up in this place, maybe…just maybe…. I would have made sure he had enough stock!' she told Sirius with the same tone of voice that Sirius had used on her.

Sirius then looked at Harry as he completely ignored May in gesture that he was done with her and that she could go. May looked at Sirius one last time before leaving, 'After all these years he still has not changed! Why do I even bother?' May murmured as she left the room as she close the door.

'What did you want to talk about?' asked Sirius, a bit too crossly for Harry's liking.

'Forget it, we could talk some other time. It wasn't that important.' said Harry, rather too quickly for Sirius's taste.

Sirius searched Harry's face one last time before looking towards the open door. 'Alright Harry,' began Sirius as he took a deep breath, 'I just hope that I don't need to remind you that you can talk to me about everything.' Sirius looked stern as he said this.

Harry nodded and was about to leave the room when Sirius stopped him. 'Harry, I know that you are supposed to be in here at all times until you leave for Hogwarts,' Sirius said as he ran a hand through his hair, 'But would you like to go for a small walk?' Harry nodded as he suppressed a smile.

Half and hour later, Harry found himself walking beside Alex. As for May and Sirius, they walked behind them as they made their way towards the local drugstore. Harry had never been on a family outing before but then again this was not your normal family outing…since Sirius was with them in his animagus form.

There was something that Harry didn't like about being outside of Grimmauld Place and that was that the neighbourhood was very quiet at this time of day. Then again Harry had never been out of the house to be able to judge on how noisy the neighbourhood was.

'Sirius, stop that!' scolded May as she smacked Sirius from behind.

Harry looked behind him just to see Sirius beginning to growl at a nearby cat, which was lazily lying down on someone's fence. The cat ignored Sirius completely and continued to lick his paw.

'Don't make me get the leash!' May threatened as she grabbed Sirius by the ear. He was just about to run after the cat.

Harry just shook his head in amusement. Harry knew that Sirius was doing this on purpose and also because Sirius had told him about his plan to exasperate May. It seemed to Harry that Sirius liked seeing May irritated for some reason. Harry took one last glance back, and saw that May was putting her hair in a ponytail and that Sirius looked very pleased with himself, since his was wagging his tail.

A few minutes later, they had reached the Drugstore. The Drugstore looked like any other ordinary establishment within the neighbourhood and didn't seem to have anything that features that made it particularly special. Alex opened the door and when he did so, they heard the ring of a bell announcing to the pharmacist that he or she had clients.

Upon entering, Harry notice that the setup of the store was very convenient, for you had your coughs and cold medicine on one side of the entrance, and your headache medicine on the other. Harry also notice that the Drugstore was not very big but that it was rather long. Before continuing further into the Drugstore, Harry took a look behind him just to make sure Sirius was all right. Through the Drugstore's right glass window you had a very good view of a big black dog sitting close to the door, which looked to be in constant vigilance.

May had gone straight towards the back of the drugstore to talk to the pharmacist and began to request certain chemical ingredients. The Pharmacist was a small little man that reminded Harry of Professor Flickwick. The pharmacist quickly wrote everything down along with the amounts requested before proceeding to fill May's order.

May then turn towards Alex and Harry, 'Alex can you please get what you need,' Alex didn't need any prompting for he immediately when to search for his things. Then May smiled at Harry, 'Harry, you can also go and pick whatever you want. My treat!' May told him as she eyed one the shelf that contained different types of drinks and junk food.

'No, thanks,' said Harry still not quite trusting her.

Meanwhile Alex searched for his things, Harry just stood beside May as they watched the Pharmacist search for that things that May had requested. Harry could help but wonder why these types of ingredients were necessary? He couldn't remember any potions requiring zinc, calcium, phosphate or potassium powder along with other ingredients. Then again he had only taken fourth year Potions but that was enough knowledge to tell him that these were not your regular potion ingredients.

A few seconds later, the Pharmacist asked if she needed something else, to which she said no. Upon hearing this, the Pharmacist looked a bit sad. Now that the Pharmacist was done, May called for Alex, 'Alex, did you get everything you need?'

Alex who was in the first aid section quickly went to his mother, 'I think so.' Alex responded as he carried in his arms about six large black bottles.

Then May turned towards Harry, 'Are you sure that you don't want anything, honey?' asked May as her eyes pleaded with him. Harry knew what May wanted and that was something he could never give her, and that was his acceptance.

'No thanks,' said Harry knowing fully well what he had just done as he looked towards the entrance of the Drugstore. Through the windows Harry saw Sirius looking towards the sky, which had turn dark as if it would begin to rain.

'Alright,' May said a bit saddened and began to pay for all of their purchases.

As May and Alex picked up their bags, the lights began to flicker and Sirius began to bark uncontrollably. Harry then saw a thick fog emerge, which covered everything outside the Drugstore. All Harry could see was Sirius form looking restless as he paced back and forth in front of the door.

'SIRIUS!' scream May as she dropped the bags she was carrying and began to run towards the door pulling her wand out of her hair, which she had used for her ponytail but it was too late.

Harry saw a red light come straight towards Sirius and that was all anyone could see, for the whole drugstore had become engulfed with the bright red light. Then the door was blasted away as soon as the light had hit the spot where Sirius was. May just stood there looking at the debris of the door.

'Sirius,' she whispered over and over again as tears covered her face.

May then looked down and saw more fog beginning to replace the old one that had just begun to vanish. Only this time the fog began to seep through what was once the door. Once the fog had reached her feet she quickly turned towards them. 'RUN!' she yelled at them as she ran towards them.

At once Alex dropped his packaged and looked for a place to hide, which was between the hair products and the vitamin section that run in tilted vertical line from the pharmacist's counter.

'HARRY' yelled May but Harry couldn't see her for the fog had now covered every single inch of the room.

Then Harry heard a buzzing sound and as he squinted to look for a place to hide, he was pushed out of the way by May. That's when Harry saw the same flash of red light as before.

Harry was frozen in place and couldn't move as saw the ray of light hit May squared in the chest. Harry watched helplessly as the light engulfed May in a red glow, as she screamed in agony. The pigmentation of her black hair began to banish in front of his eyes as it began to be replaced by her flaming red hair. Then the light was gone along with the fog and May fell on the floor.

'Mom!' exclaimed Alex as he run towards the fallen form of his mother as hot tears adorn his face.

Harry then heard footsteps behind him, it was Sirius but not in his dog form. His face was neutral and not a single emotion betrayed him except for his eyes, which where filled with hatred and madness. Harry was relieved to see him and wondered how he had escaped but that was as much as Harry thought could stray.

'Stay here and don't move.' Sirius barked at them and then he run out of the store with wand in hand.

'DAD!' yelled Alex in desperation as he rocked his mother back and forth with in his arms, but Sirius didn't hear him.

'I hope you're happy, Potter!' spat Alex venomously, 'My mother just died saving your pathetic life! She always cared about you and that's how you repay her, with scorn?'

Alex then turned towards his mother whispering, 'Mom please wake up!' as he continued to rock her back and forth.

Harry didn't know what to say, he just stood there frozen in place, his mouth had gone dry and hot tears also threatened to spill from his eyes.

'Don't you worry, mother. I will bring you back! You'll see, I remember what you told me all those years ago.' stated Alex as he delicately put his mother down and began to search for something inside his shirt. Alex's hands nervously pulled an emerald pendant that hang from Alex's neck. Harry had never notice that Alex possessed such a necklace until now.

Alex brought the pendant to his eye level and then placed it on May's heart. Harry then saw Alex close his eyes as he began to chant a spell, which Harry had never heard before. 'Facio ab vita necnon obitus, placere recidivus is cor vivificus!' Alex said between tears. Once he had said the spell the pendant began to glow green and then it stopped.

Alex opened his eyes, 'Mom?' he whispered in hope, but there was no answer. Alex shook her once and then once more, still there was no answer. 'Mom, please don't leave me.' whispered Alex, barely audible as he laid his head on his mother's chest and cried softly.

'Is everyone alright?' Harry heard someone asked. Harry looked towards the sound of the voice and was glad to see Remus Lupin there along with Nymphadora Tonks. Both Lupin and Tonks had entered the now destroyed Drugstore and had their wands out in case of danger.

Lupin walked towards them as Tonks took guard. Harry saw Lupin's face become aggrieved when he placed two fingers on May's neck. 'I'm sorry.' Lupin whispered to Alex.

'What happen here?' asked Tonks when she saw Sirius appeared but he didn't answered instead he marched straight towards Alex.

'Stop crying!' barked Sirius. Sirius had come back all right but he was not the same. Harry could tell that his face was the same as before but only this time his eyes spoke volumes of madness. 'You are mother is still alive, but she will need a Physician.'

Alex wiped his tears with his sleeves and nodded in agreement. Harry stared at Sirius and Alex in disbelief, the two of them had gone mad!

'Sirius, she is dead.' exclaimed Lupin, as soothing as possible but Sirius would not listen.

Sirius picked May up and began to whisper to her. 'Once you get better, we will get married and give Alex the brothers and sisters he deserves. Harry will be so happy when you become my wife; he will then have a mom and dad who would care for him and protect him…' Harry couldn't believe his ears as he heard Sirius whisper this madness.

Sirius continued to whisper other things, which Harry refused to hear. May was dead. Couldn't Sirius understand that? Then there was Alex, following in his father's footsteps.

Harry saw Alex picked up what his mother had bought for him along with other things from the floor that she had not paid for. .

'Remus, make sure that Harry gets home alright.' Sirius said and then began to leave as soon as Alex was ready to go. At his father's gesture, Alex faithfully followed his father out of the Drugstore.

'Are you alright Harry?' asked Lupin as he helped Harry out of the floor.

Harry nodded but unlike Sirius and Alex, Harry was still sane enough to survive May's death. 'About Sirius…' Harry began to ask.

'Don't mind Sirius, when he gets attached to things he tends to lose it once in while. Don't you worry he will back to his normal self in a few days or so.' Lupin explained but Harry could tell that Lupin had also been affected by May's death.

'What if he doesn't?' asked Harry as they began to make their way towards 12 Grimmauld Place.

'Dumbledore won't let it happen.' Lupin reassured him.

Harry looked towards Tonks meaning to ask her about the green pendant that Alex had and the spell he had used. Harry assumed that she must know about it since she was Sirius's favourite cousin and Sirius must have told her about it.

But Harry didn't get his change because Lupin then spoke. 'I know what you want to ask and it is better that I tell you,' began Lupin as they turned a corner. 'What you saw was not the Avada Kedavra curse but something a lot worse. The Rufus Singultus curse is a curse that no ones knows about, except for one person.'

'The assassin?' asked Harry as they were almost reaching Grimmauld Place.

Lupin nodded, 'Crok is a very clever and dangerous individual. It is know that You-Know-Who accidentally found about him and asked to learn this curse from him. Crok knew if You-Know-Who learned the curse, it would have cost him his life. When Crok refused him, You-Know-Who became afraid. We don't know as to why. In the end, Crok offered his services in exchange for anything he wanted and one of those was eternal life. Legend has it that he obtained it thanks to You-Know-Who and since then, we can only assume that Crok is just as indestructible as You-Know-Who. Since then Crok called himself The Red Rattler of Death. One thing's for sure, that the only person who might have known how to defeat Crok and You-Know-Who, is now dead.'