TITLE: With Darkness Comes Anew
AUTHOR: Alia
STATUS/PART: 5
EMAIL: PG-13 (and it's uphill from there)
PAIRING: Severus Snape / (Give it a while)
SPOILERS: not including OotP
WARNINGS: angst, language
DISCLAIMER: I do not in anyway or fashion own HP. It belongs to Rowlings and friends.
SUMMARY: Leaving the Wizarding World after a devastating betrayal, Severus starts a road in life that will eventually rock his world.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: We'll take a shot at the meeting after Julius left then we'll check out Lex and meet the rest of the gang.
With Darkness Comes Anew
After Julius left, Albus turned to the others. "I believe Poppy has allowed all of us to take turns visiting Mr. Potter. He isn't awake but we can sit with him for a short time."
"Albus." Remus stood up. "Should we gather information on Julius's friend? We should know who we are dealing with."
"I do trust Julius, Remus. In this case, however, he has been very closed mouth about his friend. We don't even know his name. See what you can find. Perhaps you should look for anyone working with werewolves. Unfortunately, you are working on little to no information."
Remus nodded. "I can try."
Lex nodded goodbye to the old woman with the outrageously loud hat, who just left the store, with a smile on his face. He shook his head wearily and slowly made his way to the door as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
When he'd received the deed to the small antique shop, that had once belonged to a beloved friend of his, he'd been surprised but appreciative. Mary had just died and had deeded him her shop to him a year before her death and Emma's birth.
Lex had been devastated by her death and had tried to juggle his silent grief with taking care of the newborn Emma and the twins. When the shop had been given to him, he had kept it opened and worked as the shop owner, needing a break from his children and thoughts of Mary.
After a week or so, he'd calmed but kept the shop going to keep himself occupied. The one thing he never understood was how bloody draining it could be standing behind a counter most of the day. He'd never been this tired when he used to teach.
Putting up the closed sign and locking the door, Lex walked to the back and grabbed his bike helmet. He walked toward the black motorcycle with the silver snake design that sat in the alley behind his shop. It was time to go home. He'd have to consider what Terry said about getting an assistant.
Gunning the bike, he headed toward Brea's small studio. The woman owned a small music studio where she gave singing and dance lessons. She mostly worked with children which was why the kids stayed with her most days. Today they were with Chiara again.
Brea was outside waiting for him and Lex didn't like the appreciative looks that were being aimed at his sister. It was a good thing Terry and Julius weren't here. Brea ran over to him and Lex frowned at the short skirt she wore, even though it was knee length. The woman rolled her eyes. "Please, Lex. Just because I'm the youngest girl. I'm twenty years older than you."
"Yes, yes. I have heard this before." He replied cooly.
Brea sighed but jumped onto the bike with her brother and quickly put on her own helmet. "Let's go see what the boys did to Chiara's place! Ash is there with her today."
"I thought he was still fixing up the damage at the club from last night?" From what he'd heard that morning, there had been one hell of a bar fight.
"Nah. The insurance company wants to check out all of the damage first," she shouted as they took off for home.
Lex just nodded in reply but kept the rest of his attention to the road.
It took about ten minutes for the two of them to make it back to their flats. Brea hopped off before Lex and followed the tall man into the apartment building. Brea glared at the elevator.
"The damn elevator is broken again."
"Lift, Brea."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Same thing."
Lex snorted and both headed up the stairs. /Americans./ "The landlord will have it fixed by tomorrow and you know it."
"So, what? It always seems to inconvenience me the most."
While Brea continued to fuss about the lift (elevator), Lex continued up the stairs with her following him. He unlocked the door to his flat and walked in, Brea trailing behind him. He'd go and get the boys after he'd cooked dinner.
What stopped Lex from going on toward the kitchen was the despondent figure that sat slouched on his couch. Brea dropped her purse on a table and rushed over toward him. "Julius? Caesar, what are you doing here?"
Julius sighed. Lex could tell that he really didn't want to talk about it but was going to. "Julius, what happened?"
The werewolf looked up at him. "Someone was nearly killed at Hogwarts today. 'Death's curse'. The caster is also dead."
Brea's eyes widened and Lex shook his head. The poor bastard was never going to recover. If they wanted to be merciful, they would have to kill him now.
"They're going to kill him?" asked Bria who was now sitting beside her lover on the couch.
Julius shook his head. "No. They think they still have a chance..."
Lex's eyes narrowed at him. "What the bloody hell did you do?"
Julius blinked. "What makes you think that I did anything?"
Brea glowered at him. "Julius..."
Julius cleared his throat. "I kind of told them...that there was a chance you could save him! Even though you would have to go to Hogwarts to do it."
The ground began to shake.
Terry raced down the hallway quickly and got to the door of Lex's flat right before Ash who was coming from the other direction. "Chiara and the kids?"
"Fine. The spell you put up worked on the whole building...except for Lex's," The red head said with a grimace. Ash was a handsome man with dark red hair and blue gray eyes. His hair reached the middle of his back, making it easy to hide the deep burn scar on the back of his neck.
Terry stood three more inches over the six foot Ash. He had brown hair, dark brown eyes with specks of green and was a good looking black man. His frame was larger next to Ash, who shared Lex's swimmer's build. The dark eyes closed. "That is not good. Damn!" He motioned Ash behind him and the older man took his position. Terry was the oldest of the three male friends.
Bracing himself, Terry opened the door and both men immediately rushed in, closing the door behind them and quickly taking cover. Both men could hear the loud screaming. The entire room was dark and nothing could be seen. It was the horrified screaming within that was very much disturbing. Terry nudged Ash. "Light would be good." Since Chiara had remained with the children it was up to him to bring in enough light for both men to see.
Ash nodded and rose a hand. A short chant came from his lips and in his hand, a small sphere of fire formed.
The room lit dimly. However, as the darkness retreated, the noises became much more pronounced than they had been before. Julius and Brea were definitely heard, thought vaguely, above Brea's wind. Lex could be heard easily over all. The pure rage in the man's howl was enough to send shivers up even Terry's back.
"Intensify the flame! We need more light!" shouted Terry, trying to be heard over Lex's angry screams.
"What in the hell made Lex lose it? Fuck, something must have surprised him." Ash muttered then he shouted back to Terry. "It won't work. Chiara won't leave the children either so you'll just have to wait a little longer." Even as he spoke, the screams were slowly quieting. The howling of Brea's wind slowed and the trembling in the ground was nearly nonexistent. What was most important was that light now entered the room and the darkness receded.
Terry and Ash had ducked behind a fallen table. As both men stood, they took in the scene. Brea was in the center of the room and was wearing the rusty gold of her ceremonial dress, an empire gown with flowing sleeves and dress. Her clothes were in the process of changing back into her T-shirt and skirt. Julius was in the corner of the room with a regretful and somewhat pained look on his face.
As Brea sat on the floor, she rocked slowly back and forth. One of her hands lay upon a back while the other ran through short black locks. Lex was in her arms, softly whispering that he was sorry.
Ash moved toward them slowly as he didn't know what set off his second in command. Julius stood as well but moved quickly to Lex's side. Ash and Terry both flinched at the look in Brea's eyes especially when they glowed the same rusty gold as her dress had been. The air around them picked up suddenly before dying down.
She whispered to Julius. "I don't believe you said that in his presence."
"Brea, Lex, forgive me. I wasn't thinking. I thought that he'd dealt with how he felt about..."
"Hogwarts," Lex whispered so softly that the four others barely heard him.
Terry growled as only his animals could before he sighed.
Ash glared. "Damn it, Julius! What the hell were you thinking?"
"I was thinking about a man's life damn it! No one deserves to die or even worse live what he will!" Julius sat down defeated. "I was not thinking about Lex's feelings the way I should have but...you didn't see a man lying in the bed with a hole in his chest and not being able to help him."
Ash was still quite furious with Julius but Terry understood. Although he was the oldest of the group, he'd seen the less amount of blood, by his hand or others. He knelt by Julius. "We understand. But you should never forget about Lex first. Had Brea not been here, he could have either killed you or driven you insane."
Julius flinched but nodded.
"Who was it? Who was cursed, Julius?" Lex stood, although a bit unsteadily. His face was set in stone and no one could tell what he was thinking.
Julius looked up into Lex's eyes and only just held back a shiver. "It was Potter. It was Harry Potter."
Lex's eyes widened and shock came over his face before it settled in resignation. "How does that boy manage to get into so much trouble?" muttered Lex. He shook his head. Lex would always have issues with Hogwarts. It was the place most of the worse moments of his life had happened and having to go back struck hard. During his Breaking, he'd had to experience everything all over again and it had been one of the reasons he'd been broken. But...
"How bad off is Potter?"
"He's stable for now. Madam Pomfrey's having to rely on muggle means to keep him alive though. Mrs. Weasley's parents are muggles and are helping her." Julius replied.
Lex nodded though he was actually still off in his own little world. Hogwarts was still home despite everything that had happened in his life. He bore the mark to know that would always be.
Brea broke him out of it. "You're going to go aren't you?"
"I think I owe Potter that. He saved my life. And although I'm not sure who it was, I think he was the one who cleared my name with the Wizarding World using the Daily Prophet."
"So you owe him? No offense Lex, but I don't think you owe them anything!" cried Ash passionately.
Lex shook his head. "Don't. Do not tell me what to do." He grimaced. "Besides, I have been saving Potter's life since he was a child. I won't let all my hard work go to hell." He turned to Julian. "You said Potter is stable. That means he can be saved. The b...man is a powerful wizard. He would have to be in order to have survived the attack at all."
"But doesn't that power put Potter in even more danger?" asked Brea.
"Much more. But it will allow me to help as he falls under my jurisdiction. Potter learned many dark spells while training to defeat Voldemort."
"So you'll do it?" Julius was nervous but hopeful.
"Potter should remain stable for up to three days. I want to spend the next couple of days alone with Emma and the boys." He'd need the chance to relax. "I'll have to stay at Hogwarts for a week or more to help Potter. Ash, go ask Sarah if she can handle the shop for a while. I know she's back from Australia."
"Sure Lex." Ash rushed out the door of the flat, closing it shut behind him.
Lex turned to Terry, who smiled at him. "Don't worry little brother. I'll help Chiara with the kids but you'll need to contact them as much as possible."
"Thanks. Will you go get them while I clear this up?"
"Sure." With that Terry walked out and went toward the end of the hall where Chiara lived.
Brea stood then brushed invisible dirt off of her restored shirt and skirt. "Do you want us to stay with you tonight?"
"I'm fine Brea."
Julius apologized again before using Brea's fireplace to get back to Hogwarts.
Later that night, Chiara and Lex sat side by side on his couch. The children were curled up in their beds asleep and Lex had turned off the television. The room was silent.
"Do you think I should do it, sister? That I should go back."
"You want to help Potter, right?" asked the woman.
"Yes, I do. I feel that I owe him that. But I'll have to face all of them."
She moved until she was straddling his lap. She cupped his face with her hands. "Listen to me, my brother, my dark knight, my other half. You have faced them. All of them during Restoration. You have nothing to be afraid of and you no longer have anything to be ashamed of. You have sought and earned redemption for what you have done in the past. You also have your family and will never lose us. You have another home. Be not afraid. If we must march by your side to Hogwarts so be it. Don't be afraid, Severus."
He looked at her through his dark eyes. "What else is there to say? I don't need them, do I?"
"I don't know. Have you answered that question yet?"
"You're a bitch, Chiara," he chuckled.
"I know, brother."
It was two days later when a preoccupied Julius walked through the desks of his students trying to keep an eye on his students as they tried a levitating spell on feathers.
He'd done something he'd sworn not to do...at least for a few more years. He'd asked Brea to marry him. Terry had told him a week after he'd found out what Brea was, and after he had accepted it, that he could not ask for her hand. That he had to wait until Mother said he could. He had to meet her first.
Julius didn't understand it. He didn't even know who or what Mother was. Of course he hadn't even thought of marriage at that time. Now...He could control the wolf. He could have children. He could be a normal wizard. Most of all, he could marry Brea. His parents loved her. Her family, which compromised of her lone mom (who lived in America and had met him), five siblings, and Lex's children, all liked him.
Well, everyone but the mysterious Mother who wanted him to wait. He had waited like Brea asked him to, but he just couldn't do it anymore. Not after taking his cure. Not after being free to marry Brea, although the wedding with her would not have been a traditional wizards' wedding. So he'd asked her. And had left with her screaming and cursing at him hysterically. Brea had also began crying after he'd left.
He had a reason for being so bold. He loved her. He'd fallen for her the moment he laid eyes on her. Literally, to be honest. He'd tripped on the floor. But he cared for Brea and damned if some mysterious old woman was going to stop him from being with her.
Julius flinched as a feather burst into flame nearby. He groaned. "Mr. Gram, would you please...Merlin!"
Screams filled the room as the first years jumped from their desks and rushed to the back of the room to get away from the green cloaked figure that was now holding their Charms professor by the throat.
Julius's eyes stared at the hooded figure as he stood there standing in fear. Was this one of the reasons Terry had told him to wait? Was this one of the dangers he should have expected?
"You utter bastard! I'LL KILL YOU!"
Julius's eyes widened. "Terry!" He flinched as all he could see beneath the cloak hood was glowing forest green eyes.
"It's Terran to you, you little fool. I warned you, Julius. How dare you disobey my Mother! You should be killed for that alone. But not only did you disobey her," he growled lowly, shaking Julius like a rag doll, "But you left my sister, my COUNTERPART, bawling on the floor of her flat crying her eyes out!"
Julius was struggling. Terry, or rather Terran at that moment, was pissed. Something you didn't see often from the sweet man. But if Terran was here... "OH NO!" he coughed out around Terran's huge fist. The room had started to warm up.
"Good sum of the situation, little git. Fryer, you are a dead man. How dare you! We told you not to ask her! She can't give you her hand! Only Mother can and you pull this! I haven't seen her in this much pain in years. Have you gone mad!"
Standing to Terran's right in a cloak of bright red and gold was not longer his friend Ash. It was Blaze. Julius could just make out the two glowing flames that made his eyes. The gloved hand that was rising to strike him made the entire room an oven as it suddenly became sweltering hot.
Julius closed his eyes but opened them after a moment when nothing had touched him. Beside the two before him was a form of absolute darkness. Evil didn't emanate from the figure before him but Julius could feel that it was there. Darkness was here.
He held Blaze's red gloved hand in his own gloveless ghostly white. It was far from skeletal but Darkness wasn't exactly Death just as he wasn't exactly Evil. There were so many aspects of Darkness. He was the most complex of them all.
Julius began to breathe faster even with Terran's tight fist around his throat. If Darkness was angry enough at him...heaven help him.
Darkness stood there seeming to hover an inch or two above the floor. His entire aura was black and his black robes flowed unnaturally around his body and head. His face could not be seen. Not even a hint of it. A flash of green and red of their eyes could be seen inside of Terran and Blaze's hoods. Darkeness's eyes were more than likely, totally black.
"Don't." The simple word issued from Darkness sent shivers of fear with touches of comfort down the spines of everyone in the classroom save his brother.
"And why not?" growled Terran. His voice was beginning to take on the touch of a large cat. Preferably a tiger.
"You saw what he did. Zephyr is hysterical!" thundered Blaze. In Blaze's anger, he set fire to the empty desks closest to them. The screams from the stunned students rose for a moment before dropping again as they huddled closer to the back wall.
"Yes I did see what he did." Julius could hear the anger in that, so when the small flash of pain lanced up his spine he was expecting it. "But," said Darkness continuing in his deep velvet voice, "the two of you left before you could hear her. She fears for his life. He disobeyed Mother and she's scared Mother may take her anger out on him."
"As she should!" yelled Blaze. One of the children, who had to be a Gryffindor, rushed for the door and ran for help. The three brothers ignored him.
Darkness sighed. "I saw Mother a moment after you two left." He glanced at Julius. "She'll punish him when she sees fit. It is not our right."
"And what of Zephyr?" asked Terran. His counterpart had been hurt badly by her fear.
"We reassure her and go back to things." He turned to Julius. "I know you love our sister. So we won't punish you as much as you deserve it. You have our permission to continue seeing her."
"Why do I need your permission? Tell me why I need permission!" cried Julius.
Terran pulled the wizard closer so that they were face to face. "Because you don't understand. I don't know if you ever will. Have you looked at her Fryer. Have you seen what she could become? Well, I have. All of us have. You are too young to see the restrained violence that is embedded in each of us. You can't see the insanity, the unmerciful killer in us. And be aware that she is INDEED one of US! Could you possibly accept her Julius? Could you accept the fact that the woman you know has tortured and killed men and women, for both business and pleasure? Can you possibly accept the fact that she'll do it again and that you'll someday have to witness that killer? Can you accept the fact that with loving her not only will you love the beast within her but you'll also someday you may be forced to become one! Can YOU accept THAT?"
"YES!" He said it before even thinking about it.
Darkness and Blaze stepped back as Terran dropped Julius to the floor though not nearly as roughly as he could have. All three men nodded. They believed Julius to be sincere. Julius lay sprawled on the ground coughing for a moment before turning to the three towering figures standing over him.
Darkness turned to his brothers. "The others are coming. We must go."
Terran and Blaze nodded then looked at Julius. "Sorry, Julius, but she is our sister." They disappeared but not as any other wizard would have. Terran seemed to melt into the stone. Blaze appeared to burst into flames.
Darkness chuckled at the stunned expression on the face on both Julius and the shocked children.
"One more thing before the other teachers arrive and I leave." Somehow Julius knew he was smiling beneath that cloak. "Mother gives her permission. In two years time, you can ask her again. Then she can say yes." Julius fainted as Darkness disappeared in a swirl of dark shadows laughing.
Sprout and Hermione Weasley burst through the door, wands ready. "What is going on here?" Demanded Hermione as Sprout rushed over to check on Julius.
A small girl answered, "Three men attacked Professor Fryers."
"They came out of no where and jumped him!"
"One of them stopped the others from hitting him though. They were talking for a long while. It looked that way at least," whispered the shy Hufflepuff.
"What did they say?" Sprout asked as she conjured up a stretcher for Fryer.
One of the older children shook his head. "We couldn't hear a word."
Julius opened his eyes to find Dumbledore sitting beside him in a chair. "I see you are awake Julius."
The younger man nodded but didn't answer. Albus had a serious expression on his face. "Julius, who were those men who attacked you today?"
"I can't tell you that Albus. Believe me when I tell you that."
"And I would like to my boy, however, when something of this nature happens, I mus-,"
"My friend is arriving tomorrow."
Dumbledore blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
Julius sat up from his bed. He put on his robes which were folded on the end of the bed. "My friend will be arriving tomorrow. Saturday morning. He wanted to spend some time with his family before he comes here. He says it will take a week or longer to help Potter but he's willing to try."
Dumbledore lit up and totally forgot the subject from before. Just as Julius wanted.
"Your friend will be here that soon! That is wonderful my boy! Most of the children will be at Hogsmeade and there won't be much of a commotion about a stranger coming in." He patted Julius's shoulder. "I must go alert the Order. Everyone will want to be here tomorrow. You should check with Poppy before you go."
Julius smiled at Dumbledore's exit. The old man was practically bouncing out of the door. As he made his way to Poppy's office the thought of Lex's arrival tomorrow kicked into his head.
Julius smirked.
TBC
Alia: Yeah, I know you have questions...but what do you want me to tell you?
