Chapter 11

April 1987

Although the hall was festively decorated and merry laugher was ranging out to him Severus' expression was gloomy and so the grim looking wizard didn't seem to fit very well to the exuberant party. Severus Snape sighed and asked himself why he had to attend the weddings of Black and Lupin. It had been a surprise to hear that Sirius and Charlotte would marry as well. If you really thought about it however, then he should have been able to foreseen it.

Ever since James Potter had been murdered Black and Lupin were as close as brothers, so that probably it wasn't so surprising when they married at the same time and then even sisters, Severus thought cynically. What should he do here? While he was uselessly wasting his time here he could have been brewing potions. Impatiently he began to clear a path to one of the tables. He wanted to fetch a butter beer and grinded his teeth as he had to squeeze his way through a flock of children.

His eyes fell on the beaming faces of Black and Lupin. All of a sudden he felt how bitter jealousy seized him. It was just unfair that they were so happy.

There was no necessity for them to keep their marriage secret and Charlotte and Emily, both looking stunningly beautiful, foamed virtually with genuine happiness while Alison still hadn't recovered from her miscarriage. Sipping at his butter beer he looked around. After a while he finally spotted Alison. She was talking with Mrs Weasley. Alison smiled but her smile didn't reach her eyes. Severus however was glad even over the smallest progress. He had been beside himself with worry when Alison had lost all her spirits. All her happiness and lightheartedness had vanished and Severus hadn't known how he should help Alison. Of course he had been sad as well about the incident.

It hadn't however affected him as greatly as it had Alison. But the worst had been her looks in her eyes when he had gone to the Death Eater meetings. They had been so reproachful, Severus remembered and her love had changed into hatred. Perhaps she had also sensed that he had felt a certain relief.

He hadn't wanted that his child would be born in such a time. In a time of war and dread, in which it happed almost daily that children lost their parents and were left behind as orphans.

Only since that day he had found Alison clutching to that tree and he had drawn her tightly in his arms, their relationship to each other had changed and slowly Alison had got out of her severe depression.

Alison turned her head; their gazes met and in Severus hope was rising that some day everything would be alright again. A searing pain in his arm caused him to flinch. The Dark Lord was calling him. He stared over to Alison and touched his arm. As she nodded understandingly, he abruptly spun around and with moderate steps left the hall.

Harry squinted and with his hand guarded his eyes against the blinding sun beams while combing the horizon. Somewhere the Snitch had to be and he wanted to find the little golden ball before Caro and Draco by all means. Ever since they had met each other last year, the two had often come to the park, when their parents had attended a Death Eater meeting. As the winter had moved into the land they had played inside the castle. Especially playing hide-and- seek went greatly. There were so many suitable places. Quickly they had become inseparable friends and every time they had to go Harry hoped that Caro and Draco would return soon and missed them in the meanwhile.

"Harry!" Draco shouted and Nell, who was sitting behind him and had flung her arms around his waist, screamed.

His head whirled around and he saw a Bludger shooting towards him with breathtaking speed.

With a fast dive he barely managed to avoid it.

"Blimey, that was the greatest fly I ever seen, Harry!" Caro yelled.

Harry straightened, ran his trembling hand over his forehead and rose against in the sky. Such things were bound to happen, if you didn't pay attention, Harry thought. Not that it would have been so terrible, if the Bludger had hit him. Since they had begun to play Quidditch, every one of them had sustained more than one injury, what wasn't very surprising in this sport. A few weeks ago he had broken his arm. Fortunately Rainbow had healed him. For such things his phoenix was just irreplaceable.

But for several moments it had been very painful and Harry shuddered as he thought back. Only Rainbow's appearance had released him from his agony. Thanks to the healing abilities of his phoenix Bella hadn't noticed anything however and hadn't got suspicious. Also Caro and Draco had needed help of Rainbow often enough. By accident Harry had discovered that he was able to call Rainbow to him with a shrill scream. Every time he screamed in such a way Rainbow would come immediately to him. That was why it wasn't further bad if Rainbow flew away for a while. Harry knew after all that his phoenix would return to him and as strange it sounded there seemed to exist a magically bond between them. Draco's loud voice caused him to look up abruptly.

"Yes, I've hit." Draco shouted with a triumphant expression on his face.

Because they were only three players, they had changed the rules for their Quidditch games. Every one of them had to score as many goals as possible and due to their lack of a Quiddith field, everyone had his own tree. When the player hit his tree, he would get points. The one who caught the Snitch ended the game and who had then the most points won. Of course they had to look out for the Bludgers as well. Although everyone had to play more then one position this way, they had the most fun playing in such a way.

"Harry! Draco! Let's make a break!" Caro suggested and landed onto the soft grass.

The boys followed and soon they were sitting on a blanket and were eating delicious blueberry cakes.

Nell always provided them with little snacks. In the beginning Draco had been rather mean to the small house-elf. He hadn't been used to treat a house-elf nicely. After Harry however had got seriously angry one time and had reprimanded his friend, Draco had slowly changed his behaviour over the months. Harry's anger and his emerald eyes, which had glistened dangerously and the hardly visible golden aura that had seemed to surround him for a short moment, Draco didn't forget so fast.

Caro took a sip from her coolly juice, brushed a black strand of hair out of her face and said:

"This time, I'll win!"

"This we'll see." Harry replied and smiled. Draco nodded in support and the boys exchanged a glance.

While Harry was playing Quidditch with his friends, he didn't suspect that the Death Eater meeting ended earlier as it usually did and the Dark Lord had drawn Bellatrix Lestrange aside and had told her that he wanted to see his son. Bella promptly set off to the chambers of the young Lord. As she opened the door however, she found the rooms deserted and there was far and away no sight of the boy. She stepped inside und looked into Harry's bedroom but no one was there as well.

Suddenly she shrieked and shrunk back. She had almost stepped on Harry's snake. Shuddering she turned around. How she hated those creatures! It was bad enough to endure Nagini, the pet of the Dark Lord. She left his room and wondered where the young Lord could only have gone to. Shaking with her head, she sighed. Why hadn't she noticed that he had learned to open his door? Where should she search first?

Hoping that he hadn't been seen by anyone, she hurried along the dark corridor. After her search in the library had turned out to be unsuccessful as well, she run downstairs to the great hall and collided with Lucius Malfoy but called only a choppy apology out to him and rushed on. She could imagine the annoyance of the Dark Lord only too well if he had to wait even longer.

Lucius Malfoy stared rather irritated after Bella, then shrugged with his shoulders and continued together with his wife to search for their son. Why his son had to have such an incredible ability to constantly disappear?

Now he and Narcissa were once again forced to search for him and Carolina, who they had practically adopted.

For him it was an absolutely mystery why Bella had got herself pregnant as she took care for her daughter as good as never. Probably due to Rodolphus, Lucius thought. Ever since Draco had been born Bella had visited his house countless times and had just left her daughter with them for a rather long time, without caring if he agreed to this at all. You could really almost say that Narcissa had brought up Carolina. Only in those times when Bella's husband. Rodolphus Lestrange, had returned home from his mysterious missions, Carolina stayed with her parents.

"Perhaps they've gone into the park." Narciassa thought loudly and stepped onto the terrace. Lucius followed and together they walked over the lawn. As they reached the park, they heard cheerful laughing. With great strides Lucius went around the old trees and his eyes fell on three children who sat on a blanket.

"Draco! What are you doing there?"

The children turned jerkily their heads to him. But it seemed that no one of them knew what to say.

"Dad, we only played." Draco finally broke the silence.

Lucius Malfoy raised one eyebrow nodded in the direction of Harry.

"And who's this?" he asked and studied the raven-haired boy, whom he had never seen before, he was certain about that. How strange his eyes were and the scar on his forehead resembled a flash of lightning.

Before Harry could however answer Lucius' question, Bella appeared between the trees. Her cheeks were red and obviously she was out of breath. Gasping for air she said,

"My Lord, thank goodness, nothing has happen to you." Bella felt how relief streamed through her. As she hadn't been able to find Harry anywhere, she had already imagined all sorts of things which could have happen. Now she had only to think, what she should say, why it had taken so long. If Harry had disappeared, she didn't want to know what the Dark Lord would have done to her. Suddenly she noticed Lucius and Narcissa who were staring at Harry and her with unbelieving expressions on their faces. Her daughter and Draco she saw as well.

"My Lord?" Lucius repeated with a strange sounding voice.

Bella sighed. So now it had happened. She knew that her master wouldn't be exactly pleased to hear that the secret had been discovered. Furthermore it seemed that of all people her daughter and Draco had made friends with her lord's son. But that obviously couldn't be changed anymore.

"Yes, Harry is our master's son and heir. The Dark Lord has however ordered that his identity remains a secret."

Turning towards Harry, she requested,

"My Lord, would you please return to your rooms?"

Harry nodded and asked,

"Can Caro and Draco come with me?"

The black-haired woman hesitated shortly but then she nodded.

"Of course, My Lord."

While Nell was quickly rolling up the blanket, the children set off back to the castle.

"Why did you never tell us?" Draco asked with a slight respectful voice and stared at Harry with wide eyes.

Harry shrugged with his shoulders, not knowing whether he should be glad that his friends were now in the picture about his true identity.

"I don't know, somehow I never thought of it."

"But we don't have to address you with My Lord, do we?" Caro threw in.

"No, of course not. I'm still Harry for you." He replied rather sharply.

"It was only a joke, Harry. Hey, I've an idea. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could be taught together?"

Harry stopped and his eyes lighted up.

"That would be so great. Together with you the lessons would be certainly much more fun."

Caro smiled and shortly afterwards shook her head.

"I can't believe that my mother was your teacher and she never told me."

"Yes, I think my father will be rather furious that he hadn't the faintest idea about your existence. He's absolutely convinced of being the right hand of the Dark Lord." Draco added.

In the meantime the adults as well were walking back to the castle. Bella had told Lucius and Narcissa everything she knew. Draco had been right with his assumption. His father was angry; very. Bella had known it but he hadn't? Hadn't his lord trusted him? A son and heir! He couldn't believe it. Abruptly realizing what that would mean, he frowned unwillingly.

This child, with these bright green eyes would be the right hand of his master some day, and in the distant future – very probably – even his future master!He had to think about it, extremely thoroughly and this as soon as possible.