Disclaimer: All of this is based upon the lovely J.K. Rowling's work. I own nothing except Salazar's wife, son, and various other original characters. This story is an AU of sixth year, but it will contain a few spoilers from Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows. However, it will still seriously diverge from canon.
"blah": dialogue
'blah': thoughts
"blah" : Parseltongue
"blah": Legilimency/Telepathy
Italics: excerpt from a book /newspaper or any other written form
Bold: a word or phrase that is emphasized
Italics, Underlined, and Bold: location/date of a scene in the story
Chapter Eleven: A Gate, a Hat, a Castle, and a Portrait
Unknown, The Throne Room: July 31st, 1996
"Why haven't you found it yet?" a cold voice demanded, sending chills up the spines of all those present. A menacing figure rose from his seat and towered over his subjects. "You have let me down, my followers." He spoke softly, belying his growing rage, "I am so very disappointed." He actually smiled then, but it was filled only with malice. He casually strolled to one of his cowering servants, running spidery fingers in a serpentine line down the woman's back.
"Tut tut, Narcissa." He pulled his fingers lightly through her downy, blonde hair. "I expected more from you. When I gave you this assignment, I actually expected that you would yield results. I actually believed that you would find clues to the Gate's whereabouts, but all you have brought me are conjectures and hints." He fisted his fingers in her hair, roughly pulling her head up. Blood-red eyes gazed into midnight blue. "Do not think that I will let you go unpunished?" He left the comment hanging as he released her and moved to the next follower.
Yet, just as he approached the man, he swiftly turned back, throwing a curse at the still cowering woman. "Crucio!" he said it nonchalantly, as though he was merely commenting on the weather, blooded eyes watching as she writhed in pain. However, even as agony coursed through her veins, she dare not scream.
Tom Riddle smiled.
He casually twirled his wand through his spidery fingers as he focused once more on his male follower. "Augustus, my good man," Voldemort hissed with pleasure. "I hope that your research has been more productive." He strolled back to his throne, resuming his seat.
"Yes, my Lord," the Death Eater responded with sufficient submission, not standing but kneeling on the cold stone floor. "We have discovered much about the Gate's properties, Sire," he answered smoothly, praying that he would please his master.
"Really?" Voldemort looked faintly interested, sitting straighter on his throne. His serpent familiar, Nagini, slithered up the arm and looped herself around his neck. She hissed softly and somewhat pleasantly, rubbing her head on his cheek.
"And what exactly have you discovered?" the Dark Lord asked before turning his face back to his familiar hissing gently to her. She inclined her head and slithered down to the floor.
"According to the ancient text that we… borrowed…" Augustus Rookwood hesitated with the word, knowing that his master never had them do anything as crass as stealing, at least according to the snake. "The Gate's powers are mostly temporal and spatial in nature."
He paused, waiting for his lord's approval to continue. The cold from the stone floor was seeping up his legs, and he fought to keep his teeth from chattering. His deep and fearful eyes focused on Nagini as she slithered closer. However, he heaved a sigh of relief when she turned and went to another Death Eater.
Voldemort nodded with interest, eyes gleaming. "Go on," he allowed smugly, flicking his fingers in a gesture of continuance. He idly watched his beloved Nagini slither to Narcissa, continuing his follower's punishment.
"Yes, my Lord." Rookwood bowed his head, lanky hair swinging forward to hide his eyes and his pockmarked face. "We have discovered that the Gate is in effect a doorway through time itself. Additionally…"
From the side, another follower watched intently, memorizing all that was said. His ears taking in everything. Every nuisance of voice, every pause in speaking.
'Wherever this Gate is,' the dark man thought to himself, 'the Dark Lord desires it greatly.' Secret and hidden thoughts ran through his mind, carefully concealed behind his defensive barriers. His blood chilled as he briefly remembered the supposed powers of the artifact. 'With such a thing in the Dark Lord's hands, he could rule us for all eternity. He could re-write history. He could change the past, alter the future.' The man trembled in fear, not of Voldemort as he currently was but of Voldemort as he could be, black eyes widening with untold horror. 'I must warn Albus.'
"Indeed?" Voldemort stated more to himself than to Rookwood. "Most excellent." His red gaze fixed on Augustus. "You have done well, my servant. For that you shall be rewarded." The Dark Lord smiled with pleasure, and it was a sickening expression. "Remain after I have dismissed the others," he finished, not naming what the reward would be so that the other followers could merely speculate.
His eyes flicked back to the still writhing Narcissa Malfoy, and he continued to watch for a long moment. The Dark Lord waved his hand, and the Cruciatus curse finally ended. Once more, he left his throne and strode toward the shivering woman. He stood directly above her for several moments as she fought through the linger pain.
"Well, now, my Narcissa," he stated smoothly, smug in his lordship over her. "You are looking a bit unwell." He laughed at his own joke. "Perhaps this will teach you to not fail me." He gazed at her fiercely, running his fingers through her hair again. "I do not take failure lightly, pet. You would do well to remember that.
Narcissa's dazed eyes looked around, eventually finding her Lord, who was still towering over her. She fought the haze that was surrounding her mind, trying to answer her master.
And finally, she succeeded. "Yes, my master."
"One final thing, my pet," He bent down and pulled the blonde by her chin so she would look at him. "You will find what I have asked of you, Narcissa. You will surely regret it if you do not." He bent closer and whispered quietly into her ear, her blue eyes widening in terror. He caressed her golden hair as one would stroke a dog and backed away. He growled and stood, releasing his hold on the woman.
The Dark Lord turned to address his Death Eaters. "You will find it. You must find it!" Voldemort added fiercely, making his servants cower closer to the ground. "You must find it and bring it to me." The very air seemed to tremble with fear, but Tom Riddle spoke his next words with great calm.
"I will have the Phoenix Gate, or I will have your heads," he stated very slowly, enunciating clearly. "And I can assure that you will most definitely not like your final hours on this Earth." He hissed menacingly, gaze flickering from one follower to the next. He prowled around, weaving in between his servants. He stalked by each and every one, searching for a single hint of any number of nameless sins.
"And do not think for a minute of keeping the Gate for yourself," the Dark Lord continued, his cool voice full of malice. "I guarantee you that even with such a powerful artifact, you will be no match for me."
High, cold laughter rang out, sending shivers to all those present. Only a great fool would now think to keep the Gate. For nothing short of a miracle from the Great Maker could save such a person from the Dark Lord's wrath.
"Now go," Voldemort's order resounded through the air.
Within in seconds, all of the gathered Death Eaters except Rookwood bowed one last time and fled for their lives. All of them would spend nearly every waking moment searching for either more information about the Gate or the Gate itself so that they could present their findings to their serpent-like master.
Well, that is all, save one. Indeed, the man with the darkest eyes… well, he would spend his time frantically searching for the Gate. But by his very life, it would never go to Tom Riddle.
Yet, little did he or the rest of the Death Eaters know, they would find the Phoenix Gate in the most unexpected of places.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, The Entrance Hall: The Same Day
Dominic Boyd, or Dominic de Dorée as he was truly called, was having a fantastic day. First, his assortment of grindylows and other creatures had arrived precisely on time, which was rather unusual actually. Second, he again had had the opportunity to talk to the feisty female Auror while she was scoping out the defenses of the castle. Third, he was still at Hogwarts less than a week after his hiring, which meant that Dumbledore was still unaware of his true nature. Or that the Hat had told on him, and Dumbledore just didn't care. Yet, given what Dom knew about wizards in general, the last was highly unlikely. Fourth, he had successfully completed his lesson plans for both the first and second-years, quite an accomplishment given the small amount of time he had had to prepare them. Fifth, tonight he was going to finally have the opportunity to sneak to the Sorting Hat's secret room and speak with the delightfully sarcastic Hat.
All in all, Dom could not help but hum to himself as he merrily strolled through the Entrance Hall of the castle on his way to lunch. He smiled brilliantly as he entered the professor's side door into the Great Hall and approached the teacher's table. Already seated, a number of his colleagues waved as he drew near.
"How are you on this fine day, Dom?" Filius Flitwick asked cheerfully. "I don't believe we saw you at breakfast."
"I am fine. Er… no, I was not at breakfast," Dom answered pleasantly as he sat himself between Poppy and Sybill. "My shipment of creatures arrived, so I have been sorting through them all morning," he added as he helped himself to the food.
"What sort of creatures?" Pomona Sprout asked with interest.
"Two grindylows, a couple of hinkypunks, three kappas, a few will-o-wisps, a kelpie," Dom responded evenly, pausing for breath. However, he couldn't continue his listing for a misty voice interrupted him.
"My crystal scrying told me to beware Dark creatures. Perhaps the warning was directed to you?" Sybill Trelawney entered into the conversation with her usual flightiness, blinking her large eyes rapidly.
Pomona looked slightly annoyed by the interruption, but the vampire only smiled. He secretly liked the Divination professor, for she possessed a secretly sly mind underneath all of the flightiness. He suspected that it was all a cover to hide behind, though for whatever purpose he had no idea. He simply grinned and nodded at her statement, secretly desiring to know what went on inside of her head.
Across from him, Archimedea Vector snorted, and Minerva made a face. But as Dom's silvery gaze lingered on the Transfiguration teacher, he came to the sudden realization that Minerva McGonagall could actually see past Trelawney's façade. The wily and stern teacher was only keeping up the act for everyone else's benefit. Dominic filed this startling revelation away in his mind for further consideration. He turned back to his breakfast, praying for a few minutes of quiet.
Apparently, Dom's prayer was answered because soon afterwards the talk slowed, and the professors focused on their meals. During the brief lull, the vampire glanced around the table, noting that there was only one empty seat. He flicked his eyes around, attempting to discern who was absent, but his attention once more turned to the increasing talk when he was asked another question.
"What other kinds of creatures are you going to cover this year, Dom?" inquired Erimentha Rosetta, one of the Ancient Runes teachers, trying to draw the newest professor back into the conversation.
Dom paused for a moment to consider. "The usual: Dementors, Merfolk, Banshees, Veela, werewolves, and vampires."
Deep inside, the man's heart ached. It pained him to have to consider himself and other sentient beings as creatures. But that was exactly what most wizards thought them to be: creatures not people.
"I think that I will cover zombies, if I have time and maybe a few classes of elementals," he went on with a slight pause. "I am just not sure how much we will actually get to this semester. I have to see what they know to begin with. I dare say we might have to review quite a bit."
The other professors nodded their heads in understanding; there was no telling how much the Defense students actually knew about the subject due to the previous and rather inept professors. For all the current staff knew, the students might not even understand the basic principals of the topic.
"Well," Minerva commented, her grey eyes glinting with faint anger, "I'd say that the second-years will know next to nothing. You'll probably just have to cover everything with them." She paused, considering. "The third-years should have a basic understanding of the subject but probably not much past that. Fourth year and above should be better off. They would have had Professor Lupin, so they will have a basic grounding." She smiled fondly at the remembrance of her former student as a professor.
"Professor Lupin?" Dom asked curiously. "Ah, yes. Remus Lupin. He was the teacher three years ago," he commented in sudden remembrance. "He left quite good notes on what they had covered. Though, come to think of it, he is the only one that left plans on the material covered," the vampire added after a minute.
For some strange reason, the rest of the professors exchanged dark looks.
"Well, he would be the only one to do that," Minerva explained gently. "Out of the last five teachers: two are dead, both servants of Voldemort," she stated the word as though it was a curse.
Surprisingly, none of the staff members winced, save Hagrid flinched. Not even Sybill or the child-like Amanda Woodard, the Muggle Studies professor.
Minerva carried on after a moment, "One of them was administered the Dementor's Kiss."
Here, everyone shuddered.
"Of the remaining three. Well, two are now in Saint Mungo's. One with a permanently damaged mind, and the other is still recovering from her… injuries." The strict Transfiguration professor actually smiled then, looking quite satisfied.
Not surprisingly, so did the rest of the staff. Even Binns and Dumbledore, who up to this point hadn't seemed to be listening to the conversation.
"Then, there was Remus," Minerva commented with a grin tugging at her lips. "He resigned due to his condition. He feared that he might harm the students," she concluded wistfully, obviously wishing that the werewolf was the Defense professor in place of Dom.
"Interesting," the brunet stated after a few heartbeats, not knowing what else to say. "I had heard that the position was cursed, but I did not actually believe it," he added more to himself than to the others. He glanced around, noting the odd expressions that formed on the other teachers' faces.
Filius Flitwick chuckled at the comment. "Oh, don't worry, my boy. I am sure that you'll do fine." He winked at Dom and smiled. The tiny Charms teacher was quite fond of the newest professor, not that he wasn't fond of everybody, and dearly hoped that he would break the curse of the Defense job.
"Of course, he will," Poppy Pomfrey added defensively. She, too, was becoming rather fond of the new teacher. He was easy to talk to, very personable, and generally seemed to enjoy life. The fact that he was quite good looking did not diminish from his appeal.
"Sure," Hagrid put in cheerfully, "I'm sure that yeh'll do fine." The half-giant laughed, "As long as yer not a Death Eater or Ministry worker or some kinda Dark creature."
Dom hesitated for a fraction of a second, not liking where this conversation was going. "Well, I am sure that the headmaster can attest to the fact that I am not," he answered carefully, noting Dumbledore's attention focus on him. He began to occlude fiercely as two twinkling eyes looked at him, hiding his thoughts behind a wall of mists.
The headmaster smiled bemusedly. "Yes, not to worry about our new friend. He is Sorting Hat approved," Albus added with a slight chuckle.
"Well, that's settled then," Poppy stated forcefully. "If the Sorting Hat likes him, then so should we. It hasn't been wrong yet." She turned to Dom and favored him with a grin and a bat of her eyelashes.
"But of course," Filius commented.
He was about to continue when the main door to the Great Hall opened and a figure staggered in. The man was in robes of black, but they were of an odd design that pulled at Dom's memory, though he couldn't remember where he had seen them off the top of his head. The vampire noticed, even from a distance, the thin line of blood that ran down the man's face and onto his collar. He also noted the various scratches and other marks on the wizard's skin, as well as his constant trembling. He had obviously been subject to repeated curses, most likely including the Cruciatus curse from the looks of it.
Dom gazed at the man. And his eyes lit with sudden recognition. This was the missing member of the faculty: Severus Snape.
Within in seconds of Severus' rather dramatic entrance, both Dumbledore and Minerva were on their feet, moving to intercept him. The two practically ran to the Potion master's side, quite a feat for someone Albus' age, hurriedly whispering to him when they arrived. The other teachers, including Dom, all rose to their feet but didn't dare move from the table, though Poppy Pomfrey looked like she wanted to. All of them simply stared at the man, gazing into his fathomless, black eyes.
After a moment of quick murmuring to the headmaster, Severus nodded and hobbled out the door. The other two followed in his wake. The rest of the teachers stared after the three for a moment before resuming their seats, whispering quietly to one another. But Dom did not join in the speculation. Instead, he simply continued to stare.
After ten minutes, he finally abandoned his meal and the other professors, most of whom were looking at him like they didn't quite know what to say. He returned to his office, trying to find respite. Nevertheless, Dom could not help but shudder at the memory of what he had seen reflected in the Potion master's eyes.
Hogwarts, Outside the Sorting Hat's Secret Room: The Same Day
Later that evening after spending several hours in conjecture about the Potion master's sudden arrival and his shaky appearance, Dominic casually sauntered through the castle. Anyone who saw the Defense professor, namely Filch and his cat, believed that the man was merely going for a nighttime stroll, just meandering around. However, Dom had a clear destination in mind.
He moved sedately down the third floor corridor on the left-hand side, carefully searching for a particular portrait. His eyes glanced at each picture as he passed, which was actually quite a few. Just as he was beginning to become rather frustrated, the vampire noted a semi-hidden alcove with a portrait inside. Silvery eyes lit up with excitement; he had found exactly what he had been looking for. It… or rather her.
Dom gazed up at a woman with long hair that was so dark it was almost blue and eyes that were like sapphires mixed with silver. She wore robes of flowing black and blue like the ocean at midnight. And her pale skin gleamed with silver flecks, adding a startling contrast to her attire. Something about this lady was vaguely familiar, though the man couldn't really tell what.
A smile lit her heart-shaped face when she noticed the vampire. "Well, hello. We have been expecting you." She winked at him and swung open.
"Thank you, my lady," Dom stated as he walked through the opening and into the Sorting Hat's secret room.
He glanced around, studying the area. It was a nice room, tastefully decorated in blues, greens, and blacks with golden trim along the walls and the furniture. There was a grey stone fireplace on the left-hand wall and several portraits as well. Almost the entire right side and back walls were covered in multiple floor-to-ceiling bookcases, all of which were completely filled. But for the life of him, Dominic couldn't figure out how the Sorting Hat would be able to turn the pages as it had no hands, much less read as it had no eyes.
Pondering this mystery, the vampire seated himself in a deep blue armchair near the fire to wait for the Hat. Yet, his thoughts were interrupted by a warm presence in his mind, the castle's way of saying hello. He was even further disturbed when there was a flash of flame mid-air, and Fawkes the phoenix appeared with the Sorting Hat clasped in his talons.
"Tell me, my friend, are you familiar with the Order of the Phoenix?" the Hat began without preamble as Fawkes set it on the table next to Dom's chair. The bird squawked happily and disappeared in another burst of flame, going to perform sentry duty in Dumbledore's office.
"Yes, it is an old order that fights evil." Dom thought for a moment. "Originally, it was neither allied with Light nor Dark, but it did have members that were both. It simply worked against evil, but in recent centuries, it has been predominantly Light since most wizards now believe the Dark to be evil."
"Yes, that is true. However, both you and I know better," the Hat stated.
Dom felt a gently brush of power in the room and realized that it was Hogwarts castle. Apparently, she also didn't agree with recent wizarding views.
The Hat smiled to the castle but turned back to Dom. "Did you learn all this from the amulet?" it inquired.
"Some, but most I knew through rumors and my contacts," the vampire answered. "I believe that Albus Dumbledore is the current head."
"Quite right. Albus has led the Order for almost seven decades," the Hat spoke, fondly mentioning the headmaster. "And though he is a mostly Light Wizard, he also doesn't agree that Dark means evil. He has seen far too much horror in this world to believe that silly sentiment," it added sadly. "He's a good man. Yet, he just doesn't know what to do anymore. No matter what he chooses, someone will suffer."
Dom heard a mournful echo and recognized that it was the castle. Words suddenly entered his mind.
"He just cannot win," a female voice whispered. "Either the other wizards or his beloved student, Harry, will have to suffer. And it is not Albus' fault." She added, "The other wizards, the same ones who cower when someone even names Voldemort, they could end the cycle. They could help save everyone. Yet, they will not. They are far too selfish and afraid." The castle sounded angry and yet filled with shame.
"True," the Hat added, "but instead, they lay the burden on others. On children."
Dom listened to the exchange, silently agreeing. The entire mess with Voldemort could have been avoided entirely had the wizards been brave enough to stand up for themselves. The wizarding world was many and Voldemort's followers few. Should the world unite, it could easily overtake the Dark Lord.
All three: vampire, Hat, and castle lingered in silence for several moments, thinking about what could have easily been avoided. However, Dominic soon broke the quiet.
"Is the rest of the faculty in the Order as well?" he asked, shifting in his chair.
"Most," it answered, the castle adding in her three Knuts worth also. "Minerva, Filius, Poppy, Pomona." It began to list off the various members, "Sybill, Rubeus, Archimedea, Amanda, Irma, Erimentha, and Severus are all members."
"Severus Snape?" the vampire questioned, his eyes wide. "I thought that he was a secret supporter of the Dark Lord."
"Well, technically, I suppose you could say that." Both the Hat and castle seemed taken back by Dom's pronouncement. "But, in truth, Severus is a dedicated member of the Order. Although he is in Voldemort's inner circle, he is a spy for us," it added quite smugly.
"So Severus is a spy for the Order of the Phoenix?" Dom queried, face alit with sudden understanding, and his hand rubbed his chin in thought. "However, I bet that Voldemort thinks that Snape is spying for him on the headmaster."
The Hat smiled. "You are a clever one, aren't you? You'd make a good Ravenclaw or maybe even a Slytherin." It let the comment linger. "But yes, Severus is a spy, and Voldemort thinks that he is spying for him. However, I know better. Severus is most assuredly on our side."
"Well, I know that he is," Dom stated carefully. "Considering who he used to be and who he can be again, if he lets go of his bitterness. Though, most of it is simply a cover to protect himself from the Dark Lord."
"Oh, you picked up on that as well, did you?" the Hat commented with surprise. "Many do not realize that Severus is the way he is because of his lingering bitterness, because he cannot forget his own misfortunes. They simply think that he is cold and hateful. They do not realize that he suffers as well." The Hat seemed truly saddened. "Yet, I suppose it is better this way. They would know he was a spy if they realized that most of his supposed hatred was a lie."
Dom felt a sudden brush of energy in the room, the castle was again agreeing with the Hat.
The Hat, in turn, shook its head… er… flap. "I agree," it whispered quietly to the castle.
There was another brush of energy.
"Oh, right. Yes, we mustn't forget about that," it answered before turning back to Dom, "I know that you have more questions about Severus, Dumbledore, and the Order, but those must wait. There is something else or rather someone else that you must meet first."
"Who?" the vampire queried curiously.
Regardless, neither the Hat nor castle answered. Both simply directed Dom's attention to a previously unnoticed portrait along the far wall. It featured an elderly man, who was wearing some of the most bizarre robes the vampire had ever seen. Dom walked across the room and smiled at the painted man, belatedly realizing that it had actually been listening to the conversation all along.
"Why, hello," the elderly man stated cheerfully. "And who might you be?" he asked pleasantly.
"Dominic Bo… Dominic de Dorée," the vampire gave his real name and not his alias. "I am currently the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
Something about the man in the portrait was odd, strange but not unpleasant. He strongly reminded Dom of a cross between the best of Albus Dumbledore and that crazy Auror, Mad-Eye Moody.
"Truly?" the painted man inquired, "I thought that most wizards of this age did not like vampires."
Dom looked at the man shrewdly. He definitely reminded the vampire of both Albus and Mad-Eye as he was very perceptive.
"They do not. However, most do not realize that I am a vampire," he answered truthfully.
The portrait looked saddened by his pronouncement. "Such prejudice is inexcusable," he stated, his painted dark-brown eyes blazing. "How far my brethren have fallen. In my day, vampires and wizards were allies, friends." He shook his head.
"I know," Dominic stated simply as it was nothing but the truth. "But those days are long gone." He gazed at the portrait intently, remembering that he did not yet know the man's name. "Oh, I beg your forgiveness, good sir, but I do not seem to know your name."
"You do not know who I am, my boy?" the portrait asked with obvious mirth and mischief. He actually laughed.
Dom rolled his eyes at being called "boy" but didn't take offense as he knew that the picture hadn't meant it that way, though he did have to inwardly laugh at the painted man. For the sake of the Maker, he was fifteen hundred years old, hardly a boy in most meanings of the word. He had been alive since before the founding of Hogwarts. He had lived since the fall of the Roman Empire. The Western half at that. He had been alive since the time of King Arthur, Lady Morgana le Fey, and Lord Merlin himself, though Dom had been but a child when the great archmagus and his friendly rival had died. He still remembered a time when wizards were friends with the very peoples that they now considered to be creatures or monsters, when there was no fear between magical beings.
The vampire titled his head, staring at the old man. "Forgive me, but… no, I do not."
For some bizarre reason, he actually felt sad at that declaration. He felt as though he should know this man, like he was some forgotten friend from a time long ago.
The elderly man smiled, and Dom was forcefully reminded of his earlier thought. This man was indeed an odd mixture of the headmaster and the crazy Auror with a few hints of Filius Flitwick thrown in for good measure.
"Well, I would not be too worried about that," the old man admitted. "Nobody seems to remember me these days. In fact, there was a young man who accidentally stumbled in here a few years ago. Or maybe it was decades; my memory is not what it used to be," he admitted the last in a bit of an undertone like it was a great secret. "Anyway, he came in looking all confused. He kept asking if I had seen Remus and Sirius, which of course confused me as I thought he meant the one from Roman legend and the star. Eventually we worked out the confusion, but I had not seen his friends. He thanked me for my time and promised to return, but he never did. He probably could not remember how to get back." The man chortled, clearly enjoying his reminisces. "I wonder where he is now."
However, Dom simply stared at him blankly. 'Where on Earth had this come from?' he thought to himself, quite baffled. Silvery eyes looked at the picture suspiciously. 'Perhaps he is just having me on. I think that this elder is just trying to fool me.' He gazed at the man for a few more seconds, deep in thought. 'What is this? Some kind of test?' the vampire was about to voice this idea when the elder interrupted.
"Have you guessed it yet?"
The portrait man smiled that mysterious and infuriating smile of his, clearly believing that Dom's silence was attributed to him trying to figure out the man's identity. He continued to smile bemusedly, and infuriatingly in Dom's opinion, as the vampire struggled to figure out who he was speaking to. After several minutes, having finally begun to reach the limit of the vampire's patience, the painted man sighed.
He sat up straighter in his painted chair, almost knocking over his staff in the process, and threw his hands rather dramatically into the air for effect. "I am Merlin."
AN: There is a time gap in my updates in this part due to the release of Half-Blood Prince. I had to read through and notice all the "improvements" (author cringes) to canon that J.K. had made. Though, in all honesty, I have to say that this is my least favorite book. It makes Harry look like an immature idiot, who can't see past his own prejudices and grow as a person. It seems like he has back-slid since book four and has gone from an almost adult back to a child (grrr… author steps off her soap box).
In all honesty, I am barely incorporating any of HBP. The book just annoys me far too much. I will put in a few things, but I am keeping my own storyline. The new Defense teacher annoyed me (hehe! spoiler), so I am definitely keeping Dom (sighs dreamily). The Potions professor annoyed me, too (winks).
To everyone who reviewed: Thanks!
Special thanks to Hobbit-Tabby for the beta.
Chapter Twelve: The Return of the Silver Serpent
Ever Hopeful,
Azar
Updated and Edited:
06/01/08
