Harry Potter and the Curse of V'Ardian

Chapter 16

Of History and Horror

Standard Disclaimers Apply

oOoOo

On Monday morning Harry became aware of a very important piece of information that had been kept from him. So important was it, that Harry felt as though he might have the power to kill the person responsible. It had started off as any ordinary morning, in which Harry had been perfectly fine, and ended up with Harry in a mood that could almost be described as blood-lust.

He had been walking to Potions after returning early to Gryffindor Tower from breakfast, when he had seen Firenze. He was considering the intelligence of asking Firenze what he knew about the V'Ardian Clan, when he felt a presence at his elbow. Harry looked around, expecting to see Ron and Hermione, or perhaps another of his peers, when he was confronted by the glittering spectre of Professor Trelawney, who incorrectly interpreted the look of disgust on Harry's face.

"Yes, I know, dear. Dreadful half-breed horse creature, isn't he?" she asked, obviously eager for a fellow to her cause.

"Er-"

"I know!" she exclaimed. "You are absolutely right! Such a piece of filth should never have been allowed entrance to this grand establishment. Why, I remember when I first came here. I was in such high demand! And now, now they burden me with this! The disrespect! The inconvenience! I will not pretend I am not offended," she rambled on. "The distress I feel at this great injustice clouds my Inner Eye. How could Dumbledore bestow such a tragic disservice upon me?"

Harry wondered how Dumbledore could ever have bestowed such a disservice upon the students of Hogwarts.

"I remember when that man interviewed me. Why, he was positively thrilled to meet me. And not only him! In the middle of my interview I must have fallen asleep- the fates were very hard on me at that particular time- but when I awoke there was a great fuss going on about me. It seemed another man had been just as keen to lay eyes upon me, but of course, being held in the high regard that I am, he was removed from the establishment to afford me some measure of privacy. Of course, I did not know Severus then, but-"

"WHAT?" Harry exploded, his heart skipping a beat.

"Yes, dear. Severus Snape, you know him- the Potions Master. The fellow seemed quite interested to speak to me-"

But Harry wasn't listening. Instead, he had spun around and was storming towards the dungeons, with far more fury than he had ever stormed away from it with. He was filled with such anger that he couldn't think of anything else but getting to Snape, and he ignored the yell of the group of fourth years that he shoved roughly aside.

His footsteps rang in the enclose dungeons, echoing off the stone walls, and he slammed the door open with a bang, flinging his books down on the nearest desk possible.

"Ten points for being late, Potter," informed Snape, and Harry dimly noticed that the rest of the class was already assembled inside. Upon seeing Harry striding towards him however, Snape seemed to realise that something was very wrong. Harry snarled and launched himself at Snape with a grunt. His fist collided squarely with Snape's jaw, sending him sprawling to the floor.

"You bastard!" spat Harry, standing over Snape, his fists curled at his sides. The class had gone ominously silent. "You utter bastard!"

Snape looked up at him in shock and struggled to his feet, rage growing quickly on his features. Harry grabbed him by his collar before he could rise completely and slammed him up against the wall.

"Get a hold of yourself Potter!" Snape ordered, his eyes darting to the watching class.

"All these years…" Harry hissed. "All these years you have insulted them to my face, and abused their memory."

Harry leaned in close, his voice lowered to a threatening whisper.

"Wasn't killing them enough?"

Snape's face paled and Harry spun around to the watching students.

"Get out," he hissed. No one moved.

"Get. Out," Harry enunciated, raising his hands. The class shared looks of fright as they felt an invisible wave of power rush over them. "Now."

Suddenly a Ravenclaw rushed out and spurred the rest of her classmates on. Hermione shot a disbelieving look at Harry but left behind a group of Slytherins that were shooting worried looks at Snape. Katherine was the last to leave, an uncertain look on her face. Her gaze flickered between Harry and her father.

"Harry…"

"Close the door," he ground out, before turning back to Snape. The door closed softly behind him and Snape bristled at Harry.

"How dare you, Potter. You are to go to the Headmaster's office at once-"

"Shut up!" yelled Harry. "You are absolutely despicable! You have done nothing but bad-mouth my parents since the day I met you. How could you do that when it was you who sold them out to Voldemort?"

"Who told you?" Snape hissed, his face pale.

"That doesn't MATTER!" Harry shouted, stepping closer to Snape. He grabbed Snape's collar, pushing him back against the wall with unnatural strength. He knew he was losing control. "You lying, stinking, piece of filth," he snarled. "You're just a bitter old man who can't accept the fact that he's nothing more than a slimy Death Eater servant to some-"

At that moment, Harry was blasted backwards, sliding along the floor and coming to a rest facing away from Snape. He seethed with anger, feeling fangs emerging from his gums. He was dizzy, panting heavily, and extremely angry. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Get away from me before I do something we both regret!" he hissed, shrugging Snape's hand off his shoulder. He was an inch away from snapping.

"Potter-" Snape said sternly, attempting to turn Harry to face him.

In that moment, all of the pent-up rage and grief and tiredness that had been plaguing Harry was released and he spun around, hissing and baring his fangs. Snape reeled back in horror, his mouth agape.

"Merlin," he whispered. The silhouette of Snape was the last thing Harry saw before he passed out a second later.

oOoOo

When Harry's vision cleared a hand was propping his head up while another was pouring a warm substance down his throat. With a gagging splutter he realised what it was and felt sick to his stomach. He lurched forward and spat it out. The person holding him up made a sound of disgust and Harry realised that it was Snape.

"Drink, Potter."

"No," said Harry. He tried to sit up but Snape held him back and grabbed his nose.

"You will drink," he said, and with no other choice besides suffocating, Harry gulped down the blood that was filling his mouth. Wrenching himself out of Snape's grasp with a gaspm he leaned over and spat the remains onto the stone floor.

"Damn you," he muttered.

Snape grasped his arm and hauled Harry to his feet, shoving him into a chair.

"How long?" he demanded.

"Stuff off," slurred Harry, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

Snape leant over Harry, his expression livid.

"This is no time to play games, Potter. I wish to know-"

The door of the classroom opened, admitting a flustered looking Professor McGonagall surrounded by several curious students.

"Severus, is everything okay?" she asked, looking between Harry and Snape.

"Everything is fine, Minerva. If you would please taken my class for this lesson I would be very grateful. Potter and I are having a little chat."

"Oh- yes, very well, then."

Harry glared at Snape as the door shut with a snap behind her.

"Now, you will tell me-"

"No," said Harry loudly. "You will tell me why for six years you have insulted my parents when it is your fault they are dead? For Merlin's sake, you had your revenge or whatever twisted thing it was for you. What is your problem?"

Snape sneered.

"How did you find this out?" asked Snape. Harry glared.

"When Dumbledore told me about his meeting with Trelawney he said a Death Eater was thrown out of the pub. Professor Trelawney told me that it was you," he said coldly.

Snape looked sour.

"Very well. Now you will tell me when you were bitten."

"I don't think that's any of your business," Harry shot back.

"Very well. Why did you not tell anyone? Why did you not tell me when I asked you why you were so ill?"

"Why do you think?" Harry spat. "Do you think I want to be even more of a freak than I am now?"

Snape sneered and stood back. Suddenly though, he lunged forward and gripped Harry's right arm, slipping the sleeve back to reveal the scar.

"Merlin," he breathed, as Harry snatched his arm away. "V'Ardian."

Harry froze.

"How do you know that?" he croaked.

"All vampires carry the mark of their clan, moulded into their own personal symbol. You carry the mark of V'Ardian."

Harry swore beneath his breath, but Snape heard him.

"You already knew you were of V'Ardian though, didn't you?"

Harry stood, shaking his head.

"I have nothing to say to you," he sneered, but Snape was in no mood for games.

"Potter, tell me when you were bitten," he said, gripping Harry's arm.

"Don't touch me," Harry spat. "And I swear if you tell anyone about this you will regret it."

"Don't threaten me, Potter. Believe me there is nothing you can do that could destroy me."

"Oh?" said Harry. "Well how about this. If you tell anyone, even Dumbledore about this, I'll tell someone like Malfoy about Katherine."

Harry had never seen such a display of emotion from Snape. His face went from a shade of pale white to dark red, his expression one of shock, fear and anger.

He grabbed Harry and pushed him into the wall.

"How dare you!" he hissed. "No one should know. How- how… of course…" Harry could see realisation dawning on Snape's face. "You could see through the glamour."

"Right in one," sneered Harry, but suddenly he found Snape in his mind, browsing through his memories. And the memories at the foremost of his mind were the ones with Katherine and the night in the park.

Harry tried to block Snape out, but Snape was using all his strength against Harry, and his skills were far superior. Snape saw everything- the night he was bitten, the kiss, the potion. When he pulled out of Harry's memories, Snape was breathing heavily, rage clouding his features.

He seemed unable to speak and for a second Harry was afraid.

"If anything happens to her Potter…anything…I will hold you responsible," Snape said, releasing Harry abruptly. Harry straightened his robes with a jerk. "You stay away from her, Potter, or I swear you will regret it."

Harry saw that Snape was shaking with rage. His hands trembled as he wrenched the door open.

"Go. Tell no one."

"No," said Harry, not moving. "Not until you tell me why you turned my parents over to Voldemort."

"That is none of your business," Snape spat, his lips bloodless.

"Did he kill her?" Harry asked cruelly, and Snape paled. "Did he kill your wife? Her name was Evelyn, wasn't it? Evelyn Prewett, younger sister of Molly Prewett?"

"Out now, Potter!" screamed Snape, his face puce, his raised arm trembling as it pointed to the door.

"What would Ron think if he knew you were his uncle? Come to think of it, you're about as nice as my uncle was," Harry spat.

Snape was seething, his shoulders rising up and down in time with his heaving chest.

"How dare you…"

"I dare because you killed my parents and you have talked about them as if they were dirt since the day I stepped foot in this castle. You had no right."

"I had no choice!" hissed Snape, his hands balled at his sides. "It was my family or yours!"

"And he killed yours anyway, didn't he? That gives you no right to insult mine."

"No, but your father's treatment of me does."

"I am not my father!" roared Harry. "I never have been! I don't hold it against Katherine because she's your daughter."

"And that will be her downfall," hissed Snape. "I have kept her save for fifteen years and I will not allow you to ruin that."

"And what are you going to do about that?" Harry asked.

"Do not think that I would sacrifice my daughter for you, Potter. It does not matter to me if you are the saviour of the wizarding world."

"What if I told you that I will cause the collapse of the wizarding world? Would you hesitate then?"

Harry regretted the words instantly, as he saw comprehension fill Snape's face.

"You…" he breathed. "No, it is not possible," he said slowly.

"Well, tough luck," said Harry bitterly. "I was bitten on my birthday. Fits in with the prophecy, doesn't it? Besides, I think that prophecy was meant for me in the first place. Half of it was in parseltongue."

"You received the letters, then? And the staff?"

"Yes," replied Harry coldly, already having deduced that Snape had been the sender.

Snape raised a weary hand and rubbed his eyes and sighed.

oOoOo

And in that cold dark classroom, a tentative and completely unwanted bond was formed; a pact fashioned from the twisted tales of fate and wrought not out of trust, but out of utter and unwilling dependency. Harry left feeling as though he had lost a lot; Snape felt he had lost even more. Neither could trust the other but were forced to trust each other with their lives.

Harry would never be able to forgive Snape for what he had done and in time, Snape would come to hate Harry not because of his father, but because of what he symbolised for his daughter.

But as Harry wandered slowly through the empty halls of Hogwarts later that night, he would think that he was feeling an emotion he could not have attributed to Snape- relief. A great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, though the burden still remained.

Most surprisingly of all however, Harry found that he was feeling better, even though he had fed very little. It was time, he decided, to accept his destiny, accept his condition, and make the most of the life he had. It would never change- he knew that now- he was cursed by fate, by name, and by V'Ardian, and other worries still lingered in his mind, but they were too far out of reach to push away. The memory of the haunting green eyes was at the forefront of his mind, and the poignant words of the prophecy, the only ones he had not yet been able to understand.

Thrice marked, thrice linked, thrice bound.

And still there was the frustrating problem of the place in the forest. Maybe now that he was thinking clearly, for the first time in a long time, he would be able to make some sense of it. And then it hit him.

The book.

oOoOo

AN: Well, I liked this chapter. Thanks for the continuing support of this story. Suggestions are appreciated. Should I have more romance? At this stage I have about twice this many chapters planned (35 actually). Should I make it that long or would you like to see the conclusion a bit quicker? Enjoy- Wujjawoo

Chapter 17: Of Malfoy and Ministers